Chapter 30: The Liar
—" impossible ".Biju/Beast Talking.
—" for her ", Character Thought.
—" How can I forget you? " , Thoughts of Biju/Summoning/Beast.
—"interesting." Character speaking.
No character from Naruto or the RWBY series belongs to me, this work is for entertainment purposes only, thank you in advance for reading this fanfic
He had expected this situation, even more so he had anticipated this reaction. It wasn't that hard to figure out: saying that you were a traveler from another dimension would bring disbelief and then mockery. You would have to be very gullible to believe such nonsense at first. The first thing that would cross your mind would be that this guy is crazy and needs to be urgently hospitalized. He had anticipated all of that, what he didn't foresee was that... they would laugh so hard.
—"Hahahahaha!" Nora was the first to go from disbelief to laughter. She couldn't contain herself. Of all the answers she had expected to receive, this one wasn't on her list.
—"Hahahahaha!" Ruby followed Nora's laughter, but a little more moderate, if the tears of amusement and the hand covering her mouth were indicators of moderation.
—"Heh... heh," Ren tried, really tried not to laugh. If Naruto wanted to make them laugh, then he succeeded. Traveler from another dimension? Yeah, right, and he was the general of Atlas. But with Naruto's absurd answer came another question: will Naruto never be honest with them? Why hide who he is?
Naruto could only smile. He felt a little sorry for his friends. They always asked him to be honest with them, but now that he was, they didn't believe him. Telling the truth is also a form of lying.
—"I see you found it funny," Naruto said, with a wry smile.
Nora, still laughing, wiped away her tears and replied, —"Oh, Naruto! If you wanted to make us laugh, you did. But seriously, from another dimension? That's pure gold!"
Ruby, recovering a little, added: —"Yes, Naruto, what's next? That you're a ninja with magical powers?"
Ren, finally giving in to laughter, said,— "Well, at least you have an amazing imagination. But seriously, buddy, why don't you just tell us the truth?"
Naruto sighed and thought to himself, —"Sometimes the truth is harder to believe than fiction." But he decided to play along a bit more. —"Well, if you don't believe me, maybe one day I'll prove to you that I'm not crazy. Until then, enjoy the story," he said with a mischievous grin.
—"Haha, of course you do, traveler from another dimension and shinobi? What other secrets are you hiding from us?" Ruby asked with a laugh.
—"I can clone myself," Naruto said with mock smugness. He waited and was not disappointed; Ruby burst into another laugh, as did everyone else.
—"Hahaha, really? What else? Please delight us, haha," Nora asked, her vocal laughter only prompting Naruto to continue.
—"I can control the elements," Naruto said, enjoying the show.
The laughter continued.
—"Please let me guess, hahaha," Ren tried to speak as seriously as possible, but it was impossible, "can you climb walls without using your hands?"
—"Yes, I can also walk on water."
—"Hahahaha!" everyone burst out laughing.
Naruto decided to add a little more drama. —"And that's not all. I can summon giant creatures, throw fireballs, and if I concentrate hard enough, I can even fly."
Ruby, with tears of laughter in her eyes, said, —"Oh please, Naruto! This is too much! What's next? Can you read minds too?"
Naruto put a finger to his temple and closed his eyes, feigning concentration. —"Hmm, yeah, and right now I'm reading that you can't believe how amazing I am."
Nora, still laughing, added, —"Oh, sure! What else? You can talk to animals, too?"
Naruto nodded with mock seriousness.— "Yeah, and not only that, I can understand his jokes too. Dogs have a surprisingly keen sense of humor, you know."
Ren, trying to catch his breath, said, —"Well, Naruto, if you ever decide to stop being a hunter, you definitely have a future as a comedian."
Naruto smiled widely. —"Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week. Don't forget to tip your ninja."
The laughter continued, filling the night with contagious joy. Naruto, even though he knew they didn't believe him, enjoyed the moment. Sometimes, the best way to deal with disbelief was to simply laugh at it.
—"Hahaha! Is there anything else we should know about you, leader?" Nora asked, hoping for a punchline to this whole conversation.
—"I can take the form of anything, even transform into a woman," Naruto said seriously.
She was not disappointed.
—"Wha-what? Haha, God, you're amazing! A woman?" Nora rolled on the floor, holding her stomach in laughter.
—"Believe it or not, guys, I'm a very pretty woman," Naruto added, with a mischievous smile.
When the first man was born from dust, he found a world hostile to his existence. Lacking claws to hurt or teeth to tear, he relied only on his wits to survive. But it was not always enough; his world seemed to reject him, as if it had been made to extinguish him. The gods would not hear his pleas, would not help him.
The Grimm decimated emerging villages. Every opportunity the man used to prosper was simply crushed. The man felt hopeless.
But when dreams were fading, a man appeared. They called him preacher and teacher, the man of the horizon. He preached not about the benevolence of fellow gods, but about the human spirit, about the tireless fight against the Grimm. The man of the horizon taught man to stand on his own two feet and to protect those who could not protect themselves.
The master taught man to harness the wrath of nature, crystals that were hidden in the earth. They called them Dust, in reference to the primordial state from which humanity originally believed it was born.
The master unleashed the fighting spirit within the man, giving him strength and abilities he could only dream of. The human survived and began to prosper.
And just as he arrived, the man on the horizon disappeared.
—"What a beautiful tale. The man from the horizon must have left because of the workload," said an unmasked Sasuke, sitting in the black and gloomy grass of the Grimm lands, leaning against a tree, eating a ration of dried meat. He was too calm for a man who was in the most dangerous place in the Remnant.
—"Although, if I'm honest, he probably left because he was fed up with hearing everyone complain. What patience he has!"
Don't expect to find dangerous criminals or tricksters, or mad scientists, but you will find a huge amount of Grimms. From the most common and normal to creatures that have never been recorded. He found a colossal squid-like Grimm crawling along the ground. He didn't question how that was possible in the first place; Grimm stuff, he assumed. This creature walked upright, moving with its appendages through the forest.
It was a fascinating creature... It was a pity that creature saw it. Ah, he had to kill it. He had nothing against that thing, but he wasn't going to risk that thing reporting his presence to its queen.
Although his purpose here was clearly to have an audience with the sovereign of the Grimms, he didn't need to rush. He wanted to satisfy his curiosity first. Exploring these lands was not a predicament for him in the slightest. He understood why other people found this place too dangerous. If the numerous human bones he found while wandering through the forest had anything to say, it was that this place was not for the faint of heart.
He decided to take his time, enjoying every step in this strange and dangerous world. Every creature he encountered was a new mystery to solve, a new story to tell. The trees whispered ancient secrets and the wind carried echoes of times past. Every corner of the forest seemed to have a story to tell, and he was determined to hear every one of them.
A place full of death? I had to agree with that.
He had been in that place for a month now and had yet to fully map it. It would be faster if he could clone himself, but unfortunately for him, he was a clone, which meant his chakra reserves were insignificant compared to the original's. He had to prioritize his energy reserves until he spoke with the Grimm Queen.
—"Luckily I bought this book with classic Remnant tales," Sasuke turned to the next page of the book. The next story was titled "The Lady of the Tower." He moved on to the next story, since he had already read it. —"The Girl Who Fell Into the World," he began to read. He found it too childish for his taste, although it was to be expected from a children's story.
When he finished reading the story, he looked up at the sky. There wasn't really a sky to be seen; this forest was so thick that its leaves covered his vision,— "Surely the boss is meeting Sienna," Sasuke scrunched up his face in jealousy. He laid down on the ground and rolled to the edge of a bubbling cesspool. His tears rolled down,— "I find myself in this disgusting place, eating beef jerky and reading a children's storybook, while my idiot creator is standing next to Sienna. That should have been me! An audience with the sovereign of the Grimm is something that should be done in person and not by sending a clone," he sobbed.— "I should finish exploring this quickly. The lack of human contact is starting to get to me; that tree is starting to look very attractive."
Walking on all fours, he walked over to the tree where he was initially lying, only to lie down again. He ate another piece of jerky. —"This shit isn't worth its price… I should have bought some adult magazines instead," he felt very alone. "I should have brought something more entertaining. This place is hell, and here I am, reading children's stories. How ironic!"
His gaze fell on the black pit before him. A morbid fascination filled his body; he felt like the black substance was whispering things to him. They had a connection, since he had been born from a Grimm pit. In a way, he was a Grimm, but at the same time he was not.
—"I feel like he wants to corrupt me... no, he wants me to... come back? Or does he want me to destroy?" he muttered to himself.
Sasuke grinned from ear to ear. —"You already have Salem to fulfill that function," he said in a mocking tone.
In this story, he is not the villain. Rather, he fulfills the role of a guide for the heroes. He may do questionable things in the future that will make him seem that way, but never doubt that he does it because he wants to, but because it is necessary.
His plans were already laid out on the table, unchangeable. No one could stop him, since the only one who could was already dead. Now he was on his way to meet the villain of this world. He wanted to see how easy it would be to defeat her.
—"I hope that Salem girl is a sexy witch. I just know she's single," he commented with a mischievous smile.
His thoughts were filled with strategies and possible scenarios. —"How powerful can she be? Will she be as fearsome as they say? Or maybe, just maybe, I could convince her to join my cause," he thought, laughing to himself. The idea of an alliance with Salem seemed as absurd as it was intriguing, in fact, he didn't want it to happen.
The wind blew hard, lifting his cape and giving it an even more dramatic air. —"Well, Salem, get ready. Because Sasuke is on his way, and I'm not easy to impress," he said out loud, enjoying the moment.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sound, like an animal breathing heavily, like a horse after a race. He looked to his left and saw a Nuckelavee.
The creature resembled a skeletal humanoid form fused with a rotting horse. It also seemed to have weapons that it could pull out from its back, and huge horns that stood on the humanoid part's head.
It was a creature of terror that even veteran hunters preferred to ignore if they could. But Sasuke felt no fear; he just faced the creature.— "How disappointing, you're not a sexy witch," he commented sarcastically.
The Nuckelavee let out an animalistic growl in response. The beast stomped the ground hard, and the humanoid part gave a high-pitched, bone-chilling cry, staring at Sasuke hungrily. That was why he said he wasn't a Grimm; those things didn't consider him one of their own. Whenever they spotted him, they attacked him.
The humanoid part of the Nuckelavee leaned down, its ugly face inches away from Sasuke.— "What beautiful eyes you have," Sasuke said with a smirk.
The Nuckelavee growled again. Sasuke slowly raised his hand and, without even acknowledging the creature's danger, placed his hand on the Nuckelavee's forehead.— "To the hunters, you are a formidable creature... but to me, you are just a worm."
In what seemed like a second, the Nuckelavee's growls fell silent. Flashing blue lines appeared all over its body, arranged in a pattern. The creature's body disintegrated into small cubes.
His death was instantaneous.
Sasuke smirked. —"Well, that was easy. Now, where's that sexy witch?" he muttered as he ate his meal, his robes billowing dramatically.
She had grown stronger, and she could feel it in every fiber of her being. Not only was she faster and more powerful, but above all, she was more resilient.
What he was doing now could have been accomplished if he used his Semblance, but he didn't need to. When he activated his special ability, everything around him seemed to move in slow motion. This was a plus, because it would be a disaster if his senses didn't react as quickly. Of course, when he first discovered his Semblance, it didn't come with an instruction manual. So, inevitably, he crashed into a couple of trees before he learned how to control it.
In the past month, under Naruto's tutelage, his skills had improved exponentially. His progress was much faster than when he trained with his uncle Qrow. Naruto had a unique way of teaching, mixing wisdom with a hint of madness, making every training session an adventure.
She remembered one particular session where Naruto had challenged her to catch a fish with her bare hands, while he laughed from the shore.
—"Come on, go faster! That fish isn't going to wait for you!" she shouted. Although she initially thought it was a waste of time, she soon realized that the exercise not only improved her speed and accuracy, but also taught her to stay calm under pressure.
Plus, Naruto had a knack for making the impossible seem achievable. —"If you can catch a fish with your bare hands, you can do anything," he would tell her with a mischievous grin. And, even though it sounded ridiculous, there was something in his words that motivated her to keep going.
Every day with Naruto was a mix of laughter, sweat, and discovery. She had learned not to underestimate the importance of small details and to find strength in moments of weakness. And although she still had a long way to go, she knew that with Naruto by her side, she was ready to face any challenge that came her way.
The results of her training were evident. She was now in a fight against Nora, and she could see that she had also improved greatly. Nora had become incredibly fast, almost at her speed, and above all, much stronger.
—"Take this!" Nora shouted, swinging Magbhild over her head. With a downward swing, her weapon impacted the ground.
The effect was immediate. The ground shook and cracked. Ruby's eyes widened; if that thing hit her, she was done for.
Nora had become too strong for her own liking. A single blow of that magnitude would wipe out her aura in an instant.
Luckily, her speed kept her away from this crazy woman. Ruby, with a mechanical change, transformed her scythe into a high-impact rifle. But it was a wrong move; by the time her weapon transformed, Nora was already on top of her.
She had to think fast. She dropped her gun and stepped aside. When Nora hit the ground again, Ruby took the opportunity.
He spun in the air and kicked Nora in the left temple. The girl staggered slightly; the blow had been strong.
Ruby gave her no rest. With both of her legs, she grabbed Nora's neck and spun around, causing Nora to fall to the ground with a loud, jarring thud. She took distance and ran to retrieve her weapon, but at that instant she felt a blow to her back.
It was stupid to turn her back on an enemy. At that moment, Nora fired a powder cartridge at her back, and Ruby was sent flying into the air a few meters.
At least he got his gun.
—"I recognize that move," Nora said, massaging her neck in amusement.—"You've been learning some things from Naruto, huh?"
Ruby smiled proudly. Naruto was teaching her hand-to-hand combat. She didn't like it at first, but somehow, she was starting to get a guilty taste in beating her enemies with her own fists.
Training with Naruto had not only improved his speed and strength, but also his ability to think and react quickly in high-pressure situations. He remembered how Naruto always said,— "The key is not just to be strong, but also to be cunning." And boy was he right.
Nora stood up, dusting herself off, and with a defiant smile, said, —"Come on, Ruby. Show me what else you've learned." Ruby, with an equally defiant smile, prepared for the next round. She knew that this match was not only a test of her strength, but also of her wits and determination.
This sparring had been going on for three hours already. Both of them felt exhausted, but Ruby was surprised at herself. Lasting that long in a fight, and even more so against Nora, was something she wouldn't have thought possible a few months ago. In just two months, Naruto had strengthened her more than any other training.
The fact is that the sparring was originally three people, but Ren didn't last long. After the second hour of the fight, he collapsed. Although it must be said that he put up a spectacular fight. Of the three, he was the one who had improved the most. The fact that the two of them were fighting with him said a lot.
Yes, call it unfair, but it was necessary. Ren outclassed them in almost every way. Well, not in speed and strength, but in strategy and agility. It was enough to have them on the ropes. So, in a moment of desperation, Ruby and Nora called a silent truce of sorts, and the three-person sparring ended in a two-on-one match.
Ruby remembered how Ren had dodged her attacks with almost supernatural grace. —"Come on, girls! Is that all you got?" he'd yelled, smirking. The normally calm Ren smirking? She wouldn't have believed it. But now, with Ren out of the fight, the real test was between Ruby and Nora.
Nora, with her raw strength and boundless energy, was a formidable opponent. Every blow Magbhild delivered shook the earth, and Ruby knew that a single mistake could be fatal.
—"Come on, Ruby! Don't just stand there!" Nora shouted, launching herself at her with impressive speed. Ruby barely had time to react. With a quick movement, she dodged the attack and counterattacked with a series of rapid strikes.
The match continued, with both fighters pushing their limits. Ruby felt every muscle burning, but she also experienced a strange euphoria. This was the kind of challenge that made her feel alive.
Ruby fired projectiles at Nora, who dodged each one with impressive skill. Ruby watched in fear as Nora came closer and closer.
—"I think you should realize by now that keeping me away with fire powder won't work on me," Nora said, with a crazy smile that made Ruby unconsciously step back,— "Trust me, when Naruto throws you into a fucking forest and on top of that sneaks fire at you from different angles, you tend to adapt and learn to dodge."
Forest? Sneaking? What the hell has Naruto been doing with his friends? It seemed like he had them like animals he liked to hunt.
Ruby couldn't help but picture Naruto hiding behind a tree, laughing as he launched projectiles from all directions. The image was as ridiculous as it was terrifying. But she had no time to be distracted. Nora was getting closer, and Ruby needed a plan.
With a quick movement, Ruby transformed her weapon back into a scythe and braced for impact. Nora launched another attack, but this time Ruby was ready. With surprising agility, she dodged the blow and counterattacked, delivering a series of quick strikes that sent Nora reeling.
—"That's all you got, Ruby!" Nora shouted, clearly enjoying the fight. Ruby couldn't help but smile. Despite the danger, there was something incredibly exciting about facing such a formidable opponent.
The fight continued, with both fighters trading blows and dodging attacks. Ruby felt like every second counted, and she knew she couldn't afford any mistakes. But she also knew she had learned a lot.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, Nora stopped, breathing heavily. — "You're good, Ruby. Very good," she said, with a tired but satisfied smile.
Ruby, equally exhausted, smiled back. — "You're not too shabby yourself, Nora."
They both knew this wasn't the end. There was more training, more fighting, and more challenges ahead. But for now, they were happy to have given it their best shot.
In a moment of clarity amidst the euphoria, Ruby realized something.— "Hey, where's Naruto?" she said, looking around. In that corner of the forest, she found no trace of him.
—"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him since we started fighting," Nora said, hands on her hips and an annoyed expression. The fact that they were facing each other and he didn't deign to witness her improvement bothered her. —"You'd think he'd be very attentive when watching two beautiful women fight each other, covered in sweat."
—"Nora!" Ruby cried, embarrassed, her face bright red.— "Don't talk like that!"
—"What?" Nora shrugged. — "Tell me it's not true."
Ruby wanted to retort, but something stopped her. Naruto might be a lot of things, but... yeah, he did tend to be a bit of a pervert. It didn't bother her too much, but that didn't stop her from feeling uncomfortable.
— "Naruto wouldn't be looking at us like that. He's a professional in these matters," Ruby said, though she didn't quite believe her own words. Nora raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
—"Do you think he sees us in a... perverted way?" Ruby asked, her voice coming out softly, almost like a whisper.
—"He hasn't bothered to hide it," Nora sighed. Naruto was extremely open with his thoughts when it came to his tastes, but most of the time he just did it to annoy her, Ruby, and even Ren. He loved making them feel uncomfortable.
—"Anyway, where did the idiot go?" Ruby asked, covering her mouth at what she said. Naruto was a bad influence. The answer came from Ren, who was lying on the ground looking at the sky.
—"He went into the forest."
—"To do what?" Ruby asked.
—"He said he was going to release the sea monster," Ren replied with a calm look on his face and an apathetic, almost emotionless look.
—"Release the sea monster?" Ruby asked, confused. Nora had that question too. What did Ren mean by that?
Ren's response was to simply point to his crotch.
Ruby immediately understood and so did Nora. They both blushed and said nothing.
—"I think we better take a break," Ren suggested. Though honestly, he had already rested too much, he wanted to laze around for a while longer, at least until Naruto returned. He very rarely got to rest, more so because Naruto held him in such high regard that he constantly pressured him, according to Naruto's own words.
If it weren't for the results he had shown, he would have already sent Naruto to hell.
The consensus was unanimous: they would rest. Whatever Naruto was doing in the forest was important.
Maybe Naruto would take advantage of the opportunity to train. They hadn't seen him train, but he always seemed to strain himself to the point of almost not being able to move.
What kind of training would it have to be for someone like Naruto to feel exhausted?
They shuddered just imagining it.
For the moment, he would have to tell them that Naruto was not training. Far away from where they were, in a cleared area in the forest, Naruto Uzumaki was sitting on the grassless ground.
He was in a meditative position, with his hands open.
He was not doing any kind of spiritual training, meditating or anything else.
—"I've already concentrated enough chakra," Naruto opened his eyes and got up from the ground.
He put his two hands together, forming a cross with his fingers, —"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Immediately, 10 copies of himself appeared in front of him in a puff of smoke.
—"Go find Sasuke in every fucking corner of this world," Naruto said with a dark seriousness, seeping venom of hatred.
While his training with the fox had gone extremely well, he felt like he had gotten quite strong. But that was only the first part of his problems: getting stronger. The other part of his problem was finding Sasuke. He didn't have a clue. He knew he was working with the White Fang, which, if he believed that guy was half as smart as he thought, then he would have already disassociated himself from that organization. Or who knows, maybe he's still working for that organization, but in another corner of the fucking world. He has to find him.
Deploying clones at random would be an amazing idea to find the moron, but it wasn't very feasible. The clones' lifespan, at best, would last a day. So he opted for the following approach: 10 clones with enough chakra to last a year.
Naruto scratched his head in thought.— "Well, this should work. Let's go find Sasuke!"
A clone raised his hand, —"How long will this mission take, boss?"
—"Until they run out of chakra or until they find Sasuke," Naruto replied with determination.
Another clone raised his hand, —"Do we have to search everywhere, even the filthiest ones?"
—"Yes," Naruto answered without hesitation.
—"Could I do the more rewarding jobs? You know, exploring those places where love can be found and pleasure is the order of the day," asked another clone with a mischievous smile.
—"You can search even in the most sordid place in the world, even in the most pleasant place, but you will look for Sasuke and you will not rest until you find him. Even if you have to explore the fucking caves," Naruto replied firmly.
The clones nodded, some more enthusiastically than others. One of them, with a resigned expression, muttered, —"Great, I'll have to search the sewers again. Lucky me!"
—"And we must do the impossible until we find him?" asked another clone, raising his hand with a mix of curiosity and desperation.
—"Yes," Naruto replied firmly.
—"Even if we have to get romantically involved?" a clone asked with a raised eyebrow.
Naruto massaged his forehead and sighed deeply. These clones either seemed to enjoy teasing him or were just incredibly stupid, which wasn't a gratifying thing to consider since they were clones of himself.
—"I don't understand how this mission will lead you to get romantically involved with someone," Naruto questioned with a tired and exasperated voice.
—"Well, let's say someone has information on Sasuke and that someone would never expose him or tell me his location. Then I would have to get involved with her to gain her trust and, at some point, I might start to have feelings for her and feel guilty for using her. I'll have this clash of ideals between duty and emotions, and I won't know what to do. So I'm questioning if I would have to do what is necessary for this mission," the clone explained, making known his annoyance and his hypothetical case, which was very unlikely to happen.
—"Listen up! And this is for everyone: you're going to do whatever it takes, whether it's cheating, lying, stealing, swindling, even if you have to start a family to find Sasuke. You're going to do it, even if it's impossible because you only have one fucking year of time. It's very unlikely that you'll make a family in that time!" Naruto said passionately, almost shouting.
—"We could if that woman is a single mother," a clone suggested with a mischievous smile.
—"Get out of here, go fulfill your fucking mission!" Naruto shouted, losing his patience.
The clones quickly scattered, some chuckling and others muttering about the unfairness of the situation. Naruto was left alone, massaging his temples and wondering how he had gotten to this point. —"Why do my clones have to be so complicated?" he thought in frustration.
Naruto laid down on the ground, exhausted. Making those clones had taken a lot of energy.— "Three hours of rest will be enough to recover," he said to himself, closing his eyes.
—"I'll go check on the boys. Who won that fight?" Naruto muttered as he stood up and began walking through the forest, wandering aimlessly. He knew that tomorrow they would be closer to a town in this region, where they could pick up supplies and get more dust if the opportunity was favorable.
—"This place is really full of food," Naruto thought with a smile as he saw a boar right in front of him, eating mud. This forest was amazing; animals were abundant, which meant food and fresh meat were available to him.
The good thing about these roads is that they were already, in a way, devoid or almost devoid of Grimm. Believe it or not, this is also considered part of Vale's territory. In these regions, there were small towns that enjoyed the protection of hunters from that kingdom.
So those small villages, which were in the territory of the kingdom of Vale, paid, so to speak, a tax to the kingdom. But beyond that territory, which is vast, there is what is called the wild lands.
An unexplored land that is, in some ways, not much different than any other forest. The only problem is that there are a lot of Grimm congregating there. Even trying to set up a settlement with all the resources available, even relying on the four kingdoms, is completely unfeasible. They wouldn't last more than a month, that is if the Grimm even allowed them to build a house.
Naruto had never bothered to explore these territories, but in the future he might. —"Maybe one day I'll venture further," he thought with a mix of curiosity and determination. For the moment, walking through this forest and these lands was relatively safe. Not that he needed security, but his friends did.
With one move, Naruto killed the boar and dragged it to where his companions were. He took his time, an hour to reach them. He found them sitting on the ground, talking to each other.
—"What are you two doing sitting there?" Naruto asked as he joined them and tossed the boar aside. Ruby grimaced, still not used to seeing dead animals so close to her. She just hoped Naruto wouldn't skin it in front of her. They had already talked about this: if he was going to skin the animals for consumption, he would have to do it away from her and the others. Oddly enough, they all agreed.
—"We're resting, we've finished sparring," Ren replied, seeming to have recovered from his fatigue. In fact, he was the one who had rested the most of all.
—"And who won?" Naruto asked, feeling curious.
—"It was a draw," Nora replied in annoyance. She wanted to win. The last few times they had sparred, Ren always won in some way or another. She hoped to win this time.
Naruto laughed and said, —"Well, at least you didn't lose, Nora. That's progress, isn't it?"
Nora frowned, but couldn't help but smile.— "Yeah, I guess you're right. But next time, Ren, I'll beat you!"
Ren raised his hands in surrender.— "I look forward to it, Nora. At least I know you won't conspire with Ruby to defeat me, like you are now."
Ruby, still glancing sideways at the boar, —"Naruto, can you please take that away before it starts to smell?"
Naruto nodded and with a mischievous smile said, —"Of course, Ruby. I don't want you to pass out before dinner."
Naruto remained silent, watching them closely. Perhaps he was thinking that, although he was ashamed to admit it, he had not personally seen how much his friends had improved. What did I mean by this? Well, he simply had not had the chance to evaluate their progress from the start. He figured now was the right time.
—"Get up, it's time to see how much you've improved."
—"How?" Ruby asked excitedly. She was eager to show Naruto how much she had improved.
—"Sparring with me," Naruto said, taking distance.
—"Hell yeah! Hell yeah!" Nora exclaimed, jumping up from the ground in excitement and pounding her fists.— "I'm going first!"
—"No," Naruto said, facing them as he unsheathed his sword. They tensed in anticipation. Ruby and Ren had already stood up, waiting for Naruto to attack. But he stabbed his katana into the ground and said,— "The three of you will face me. I want you to go all out and attack to kill."
They smiled. Naruto didn't mean it, did he? Go all out to kill him? He was just saying it to get them to do their best. Of course, that wouldn't stop Naruto from kicking their asses. They knew they couldn't beat him, but at least they would make him back off and land a hit, maybe even knock him down.
Ruby was the first to move. She used her Semblance, leaving a trail of rose petals. With her speed, a stormy wind formed that headed straight for Naruto, who had a disappointed expression.
When Ruby was close to Naruto, she used her scythe to slash the blond ninja across the chest, but he dodged it without a problem. Ruby's attacks were fast and precise, but they couldn't reach him.
Unnoticed, Ren moved behind her, aimed his Strongflower, and fired three shots. Naruto saw him coming, stepped aside, and the bullets hit Ruby. She spun around, and a kick landed on Ren's rib, knocking him to the ground. He jumped to the side just as Nora was about to hit him in the head with her Magbhild. Naruto stepped on Nora's gun, driving it deeper into the ground, and with a well-placed punch to Nora's face, he sent her flying, dropping her gun.
She grabbed Nora's gun just in time to swing and land a well-aimed blow on Ruby's shoulder, which was meant to knock her down. The poor girl bounced on the ground like a ball.
He blocked a downward kick with his left hand from Ren, who made a clicking noise in annoyance. He wanted to catch him off guard, but he couldn't. Naruto knew where each and every one of them was, he knew where they were going to attack, he knew how and when.
Naruto grabbed Ren's foot and slammed it into the ground.— "Come on, guys, is that all you got?" he said mockingly.
Ruby stood up, dusting herself off. —"We're not done with you, Naruto!"
Nora, recovering from the blow, shouted:— "Let's teach him a lesson!"
Naruto grabbed Nora's weapon and threw it towards the girl, who was still recovering from the impact. Magbhild rushed straight towards Nora, hitting her square in the stomach. She took a few steps back, resisting the blow, but at least she got her weapon back.
She bent her legs and then propelled herself towards Naruto, the ground beneath her cracking. Ruby and Ren followed her, the three of them attacking in coordination towards Naruto, who was not affected in the slightest. This frustrated them; it seemed like no matter how fast or hard they attacked, they couldn't touch him.
With a shout, Ren approached Naruto ready to attack him head on. With StormFlower in his hand, he tried to stab him.
Ren opened his eyes, this was already absurd. Naruto stopped his attack with two fingers.
Naruto's face reflected disappointment and also a bit of frustration, but mostly, disappointment. It wasn't towards them, but towards himself.
—"I have no one but myself to blame for these results," Naruto said in a soft voice. Nora and Ruby abruptly stopped their attack. Why did Naruto say that?
—"I'm barely struggling," Naruto continued. Ren tried to back away with his weapon, but Naruto's grip was extremely strong and he couldn't get him to let go of his weapon.
Naruto sighed deeply, looking at his friends with a mix of sadness and determination. —"I have failed to train you properly. You deserve a teacher who will push you beyond your limits, someone who will not hold back," he frowned sternly.
—"I know they've improved a lot, but frankly, their room for improvement is disappointing. With their current strength, I don't think they're ready to fight the enemies that await us in the future," Naruto said, loosening his grip on Ren's weapon, who quickly took distance.
—"I'll have to change the approach. You'll learn to fight like I learned, by surviving. Now, attack!"
With that, Ren, Nora, and Ruby looked at each other, shocked by the way Naruto had spoken. With a sigh, Naruto took up a fighting stance.— "Then, I will attack."
In the blink of an eye, Naruto was already in front of Ren, who barely managed to dodge a blow aimed at his face. However, the blow managed to cut his cheek. Ren opened his eyes in horror; that blow was powerful enough to pierce through his Aura?
He tried to slash Naruto with his StormFlowers, but Naruto blocked it with his hand, hitting him in the wrist. His weapon flew out and Ren screamed in pain; that blow, which seemed insignificant, almost fractured his wrist.
—"Hahahahahahaha!" Ren gave a bloodcurdling scream that made Ruby close her eyes. The scream echoed through the forest, and Ren ended up kneeling, holding her hand.
Naruto quickly covered Ren's mouth with his hand. —"If a move like that managed to hurt you, you're not doing something right, Ren."
Without any regard for Ren's condition, Naruto lifted him into the air, drew back his left arm, and extended it. It was as if everything was happening in slow motion. Ruby and Nora watched as Naruto's fist impacted Ren's stomach with brutal force.
Blood poured out of Ren's mouth, staining Naruto's face, and the boy was sent flying until he hit the ground. His body practically sank into the earth and he didn't stop until he crashed into a tree, destroying five more trees in the process.
—"Ren!" Nora screamed in horror. Frightened, she ran straight to her friend to help him, to see if he was okay. But even before she could take a step, Naruto was already in front of her, extending his hand. In that instant, a spinning sphere formed in his palm.
—"Rasengan!" Naruto exclaimed. Nora flew into the air, and the ground practically cleared. Nora's body formed a huge trench until it ended up inside the forest, where the destruction continued. The strong winds shook Ruby, who didn't know how to react.
Naruto looked at his students with a cold, calculating gaze. "This is just the beginning," he said in a deep voice. —"If you can't endure this, you have no hope against the true enemies we will face."
Naruto set his eyes on Ruby, who quickly backed away, pointing her gun at him. However, Naruto was not impressed.
—"You'll hate me for what I'm going to do to you," he said, his voice full of determination. —"I'll be stricter than anyone else could be. I'll break you and I'll break each of you, only to heal you again and watch you break again. I'll make you strong."
The only thing Ruby could see before she fell unconscious was a fist heading for her face. Even with her semblance of speed, she couldn't react in time. She would deeply regret accepting Naruto's training.
Naruto walked over to Ruby, now unconscious on the ground, and looked at her with a mix of compassion and harshness.— "This is necessary," he muttered to himself. —"Only through pain and adversity will they be able to reach their true potential."
This was already inevitable, no matter how you look at it.
—"Miss Sienna, how are you? Excuse me, would you like to try one of...?"
—"I don't have time for this, that will be for another time, Mrs. Carson." Sienna walked past the lady, who was holding a sandwich in her hands.
You'd think Mrs. Carson would look a little offended or annoyed by Sienna's attitude, but no, she simply smiled. —"If you're looking for him, I must tell you that he's not at Mr. Belladonna's house."
Sienna stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Mrs. Carson hopefully.
—"He's outside Kuo Kuana, he's gone into the desert," Mrs. Carson replied, ignoring a customer ordering a sandwich.
—"Did he tell you why he was there?" Sienna asked, frustrated. She had been looking for that guy all over the damn place and hadn't found him. She needed to talk to him seriously; this situation was serious. He had been ignoring her for so long and no matter how many times she talked to him, he always said something like "It doesn't matter, we'll fix it" or "There will be a way to fix it." That nonsense. She needed to fix this right now because it was so serious; the plan was about to go into motion and they had that one problem.
—"She didn't tell me what she was going to do there, she just mentioned that she was going to wait for you," the sweet lady replied, covering her mouth as she saw Sienna's expression, confused and frankly upset. She was rarely seen like that.
—"Wait for me?" Sienna's eye twitched, her patience reaching its limit. —"What do you mean, wait for me when he hasn't even called me?"
—"He said something about you coming to find him eventually, so he'd wait for you in the desert."
—"Wouldn't it be more logical to wait for me at the Belladonna house?" Sienna asked with a grunt. She was really starting to get annoyed and all she got in response from Mrs. Carson was a shrug.
—"Which desert should I go to? The one to the north, the south, the east?" Sienna asked, it was a sensible question, practically because Menagerie was pure desert.
—"He didn't really tell me."
Okay, that idiot was going to die... I couldn't kill him, of course, but I would break a couple of his bones.
It was surprising that Sienna, the leader of the White Fang, was roaming the streets of Kuo Kuana with such freedom. Of course, the White Fang itself was also free to roam the streets, but they were viewed with fear.
Now, the White Fang's opinion of Kuo Kuana was actually quite good. Since they had arrived, things had changed a lot, almost too much so. It hardly seemed the same place anymore.
In any case, Sienna headed north, after not finding it in the other deserts. The desert there was about a kilometer away. Yes, I know, that sounds dangerously close to the most populated area, or the only populated area, of Menagerie.
And when he saw his figure, the figure of that man, he approached with firm steps and annoyed. —"What the hell are you doing here? We are supposed to have a serious problem and you are in the fucking desert. At least make it easier to find you."
—"Sienna dear, how are you? You're late," he replied with a smile that only served to irritate her further.
Sienna, her eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched, retorted, "Retarded? I've been looking for you all over Menagerie. We have a serious problem and you decide to play hide and seek in the desert."
He, without losing his cool, shrugged.— "I knew you would find me eventually. Besides, I needed some fresh air."
—"Fresh air? We're in a desert! What kind of fresh air do you expect to find here?" Sienna was on the verge of losing her patience. —"You could have waited for me at the Belladonna house, like a normal person."
—"Ah, but that would be too easy, don't you think? Besides, I needed some time to think," he said, staring at the horizon with a dreamy expression that only served to infuriate her further.
—"Thinking? About what? About how to make things more complicated?" Sienna huffed in exasperation. —"We have a plan that is about to be put into motion and you decide to disappear. Do you know how frustrating that is?"
The current leader of the White Fang sighed deeply, trying to calm her nerves. Surely he was here for some important reason; it had to be that way, because if not, she was really going to beat him up.
—"I suppose you want to tell me something," he said, not taking his eyes off the desert in front of them. His impassive gaze took in the desolate landscape with an eerie calm.
—"Of course! This is unfeasible. The food we're going to send will be insufficient to feed the kingdom of Vale. The only way to meet the quota is if we run out of food," Sienna said worriedly. The plan itself was already ready; they had all the ships, a huge naval fleet.
A fleet that, although many Kuo Kuana builders helped, and even civilians, it can be said that most of that fleet was built by him, literally by himself. Sienna was very surprised to see that he could clone himself. Damn! There were like 10,000 of him working day and night until the entire naval fleet was finished.
It would be nice if it was just a naval fleet of wooden ships, but no, they had a fucking engine, a hybrid ship. Ever since he arrived, everything has been industrializing, so to speak. Crops have become more prosperous and the quality of life for all the people of Kuo Kuana has improved exponentially.
But this man's plan was unfeasible no matter how you looked at it. The amount of food Kuo Kuana produced in a year couldn't even come close to supplying the kingdom of Vale. And we're talking about the entire population of the world itself being crammed into the four kingdoms of the Remnant. Vale was one of those kingdoms.
—"There's still a month before we fill the coffers and set sail for Vale," he said, with a calm that could only be described as irritating.
—"Didn't you hear what I said? No, the food won't be enough," Sienna replied, her voice filled with frustration.
I couldn't see the man's face because I was looking at his back, but I could feel that he had a smile on his face, that damn smile that always seemed to know something that others didn't.
—"Trust me, Sienna. There's always a solution," he said, finally turning to look at her. His eyes sparkled with a mix of determination and something Sienna could only describe as mischief.
—"Solution? What solution? Are you going to magically make crops grow overnight?" Sienna replied, crossing her arms and arching an eyebrow.
—"Something like that," he replied, shrugging.
Below where he stood was a parallel in itself. He was standing on what could be called fertile land, although that was an understatement, for it was only land devoid of vegetation, only grey land. But a step away from him was sand, an expression of misery and scarcity.
—"When you feel the odds against you, when the last breath of your soul has given everything and you feel like you've lost, that's when miracles are born," he said, walking forward, stepping on the hot desert sand.
Sienna was confused as she tried to figure out where he was going with all this. —"What?"
He bent down, taking a handful of sand. He held it like it was something precious, but the sand was fading and falling from his hands in the wind. He wiped his hands and stood up. —"I promised a dream world, a kingdom where the possibilities are endless, where the riches of the richest man in the world will pale against the most common man in the kingdom I promised." His voice came out softly, firmly, as if he truly believed those words, as if he was truly capable of creating something so wonderful.
Sienna watched as the wind played with the sand, carrying it in swirls that seemed to dance around them. The determination in the man's eyes was unwavering, and for a moment, Sienna could almost believe his promises. The desert sun shone brightly, reflecting off the grains of sand like tiny diamonds, creating a contrast between the aridity of the surroundings and the hope he tried to instill.
—"And how do you plan to achieve this?" Sienna asked, her voice tinged with skepticism but also with a curiosity she couldn't hide.
—"With faith," he replied, his smile widening. "The land may seem barren now, but with proper care, it can flourish. All we need is to believe and not give up."
Sienna wanted to believe those words, but in a world where everything was under constant threat, it seemed impossible to create something as wonderful as the dream that man had once told her. A dream that came from his beloved and that he was destined to fulfill in her memory.
—"Those are the words I said, and I do not go back on my word."
Sienna's gaze was one of confusion. She watched as the man clasped his hands together, moving them back and forth, ending in a seal, similar to that of someone praying.
She witnessed a miracle.
—"Ki nogareru (mokuton): Ki no tanjō"
When those words were spoken, the earth began to shake. She stepped back, —"What is happening?"
Roots emerged from the barren land. Sienna watched in fascination as the sandy soil firmed and took on a fertile color.
When he looked up and saw the desert, he saw everything in his sight begin to change, grass forming and large trees emerging.
He couldn't get any words out, not even to express his surprise. He was in shock, this was impossible.
The land that had once been a desert had become a forest, a vast forest where a tree, a tree the size of a mountain, stood magnificently. Its leaves were not green, but pink, like the petals of a sakura plant.
Sienna had never seen anything so beautiful in her life.
—"The dream world I promised you is not a dream, it is my will."
Sienna, speechless, watched in fascination as a tree directly in front of her seemed to bend down to her. Its branches reached out towards her as if it were extending a hand, and on that branch was an apple.
She took it, as if she were a child inspecting a treasure. She bit into the fruit and discovered that it tasted like no other apple. It was different, its sweetness was incomparable, juicier than any other apple she had ever tasted.
The man watched her with a serene smile, his eyes reflecting the determination and hope that had brought him to this moment. —"This is just the beginning, Sienna. Nature has incredible power, and with faith and dedication, we can transform even the most desolate places into flourishing paradises."
Sienna felt a surge of excitement and hope. For the first time in a long time, she believed that maybe, just maybe, that dream could come true. The air was filled with the fresh scent of new growth, and the sound of leaves rustling in the wind was like a melody that promised a better future.
She looked at the man, her eyes shining with a new determination. —"If you believe, I will believe too. Together, we will make this dream come true."
The man nodded, and together they entered the new forest, ready to face any challenge the future held, certain that with faith and perseverance, anything is possible.
Sienna looked at the man who had been responsible for all of this, and in her mind flashed the children's story her mother had once read to her.
He spoke of a time when nothing existed, where there was not even light.
In that place devoid of life, someone emerged. That someone, by his decree, created a great tree.
A tree that gave life, whose roots lifted the rocks forming mountains, making rivers emerge from nothing, giving the sky clouds and the world its blue color.
That being saw the birth of the brother gods, saw how they created humanity.
He looked at the man in wonder, he saw his tireless strength and fortitude, he saw his weaknesses and his fears, but he did not reject them, he urged him to accept them.
The world he brought to life was not without obstacles, for it was hostile.
But this being was always there, guiding man to rise, teaching.
There are many stories of how he would appear in different places, giving advice. He had different names, but there was always a consensus about this particular being.
Not everyone would agree that his mentions spoke of the same person, but the fauns knew it was him, because they felt it, because they were born from him, because they were his creation.
The man of the horizon, the hermit of the mountains, the navigator of the seas, the great advisor.
But in the story Sienna heard from her mother, he was called:
The wise man of the six paths.
Sienna vividly recalled her mother's words, describing how this being had brought life to a desolate world. In her mind, the images from the tale intertwined with the reality she now witnessed. The man beside her seemed to embody the essence of that legendary sage.
—"In a time when darkness reigned, a being of light emerged," Sienna murmured, almost to herself, as her eyes continued to scan the transformed landscape. —"With his will, he created a tree that gave life to everything we know. Its roots raised mountains, its branches shaded rivers, and its leaves painted the sky blue."
The man smiled as he listened to her, his eyes shining with ancient wisdom. "That tale is not just a story, Sienna. It is a truth that has been lost to time. Nature has a power beyond our understanding, and with faith, we can unleash that power."
Sienna felt a deep connection to the man and the land that now blossomed around her. Every leaf, every flower, seemed to whisper ancient secrets, promises of a future full of life and hope.
—"The Sage of Six Paths," Sienna repeated, her voice filled with wonder. —"Is that you...?"
The man didn't answer directly, but his smile and the peace in his eyes were enough of an answer. "What's important is not who I am, but what we can achieve together. This forest is just the beginning. With every step we take, with every seed we plant, we'll be building a new world."
Sienna nodded, feeling a renewed determination. —"Then let us not waste any more time. There is much to do, and I am ready to face any challenge at your side."
Together, they ventured deeper into the forest, their hearts filled with hope and their spirits strengthened by the knowledge that with faith and perseverance, anything is possible. The air was filled with the fresh scent of new growth, and the sound of leaves rustling in the wind was like a melody that promised a better future.
I apologize for any spelling mistakes and invite you to share your ideas for improving the story.
I warn you that some things may not make much sense, so I appreciate any suggestions.
I also inform you that I have taken some creative liberties with some characters and that I will not follow the original canon to the letter.
I thank you for your support. I hope you like what I have written so far and that you will join me on this literary adventure. Best wishes!
— Leave your comments!
Thanks for reading.