IM BACK! It's been a small min. But that's life. I'm done with my finals so now I'm looking for a job job this summer and to just chill since im not trying to kill myself with hyperthermia this summer from landscaping, I get to write my story so you know what that means.

Weekly chapter-hell nah you think I'm crazy? I'm too lazy for that. I'll pick up the pace sure but still ima be busy with life, it may be the summer but between family reunion stuff and helping my friend with his film festival stuff. My freetime is kinda still dookey.

But hey im alive. Anyhow onto the chapter!

Chapter 4: Moonlit Avians

"Assistance?"

"Yes."

"For what exactly, or can I even ask?" she stared with an unwavering look, her stance unyielding.

The blind man looked at her as he settled onto the earth. The tornado died down to a sly stream of air as he made contact with the concrete floor of the torn village. The sight made Raven all the more wary as she further analyzed this new threat.

Skin as white as the clouds, and a robe to match it.

Vernal took one look and knew the protocol: Let Raven handle it. Ordering everyone accordingly, whether it was one of her minions or not wasn't of concern.

In her world, It was fall in or be left to die. The weak perish and the strong thrive. That was their way.

Toneri's expression remained unchanged, inwardly, however, he stricken and froze at that line. A certain part of his brain twitched at the mere utterance of disrespect.

"You will listen or i will-"

He paused suddenly, his tone softened. A sort of contemplative look came over his features. He sighed silently, composing himself.

"No. I shall explain my purposes here clearly."

Her weapon remained sheathed, yet her posture was defensive, ready to draw at a moment's notice. Her hand lingered near the hilt of her half-sheathed sword.

As Toneri looked gazer at her without a set of eyes, she maintained a steady glareful sort of front that betrayed her turmoil.

"Why do you need my help?"

"To restore the moon." his voice held a tint of longing to it that Raven picked up on. However, that didn't change how absurd the statement was.

Silence fell on loud ears as anyone within earshot stared at him.

"...the moon…"

"Yes. The moon."

"The moon."

"I am not jesting."

"I didn't say you were."

"I am aware." He replied with calm certainty. A brief silence followed. "I see the power you wield. I merely seek your assistance."

Raven's eyes widened. She was aware he was after her but to say a loud so bluntly without fear. With what he's displayed he couldn't be one of her henchmen. He was a different sort of threat.

'…This could be my way to defeating her…this being…we might have a chance…as insane as he is...'

"I will help you. But under a few conditions…." She let the words stew in the air. Toneri remained unmoved, his expression unchanged.

"You will not harm me or my tribe. In return, I will aid you."

"Cease your attacks. No more raids. You will live peacefully."

Raven suppressed a chuckle at the notion of peace. Such ideals felt detached from the harsh realities she knew. People die, they die everyday.

But clearly, Toneri was unlike anyone she had encountered. His demeanor was serene yet powerful, as if he could easily crush her but chose not to.

"I agree to your terms, but you must provide us with protection, food, and water."

That was the way of strong take what they need from the weak. Raven believed this. By stating her demands, she was testing him against her worldview.

"Yes." Toneri was indifferent.

Before she can respond a green ball of light manifested from the palm of Toneri's hand. It cast a shadow over the palm and the surroundings of where the light touched.

As it descended to the ground, a tree sprouted, growing rapidly from the concrete. Its wood twisted and expanded until it matched Toneri's height. He placed his hand on its bark, and the tree bloomed with flowers.

It was swift, it was effortless, it was almost unreal.

"With merely a seed, I can create a tree bearing fruit. As for water…" he looked at the sky. It was eery, he was even looking yet he knew where exactly to look.

"I can draw moisture from the clouds, summon the rain at will. There is little I can not achieve on earth."

Raven's steely gaze betrayed her inner turmoil as she considered his proclamation. He spoke with unwavering confidence, bordering on arrogance.

"Then why not make it rain now?"

"I believe it's unnecessary as I have already manipulated the wind. However…." He raised his hand slightly.

"If you doubt my ability to manipulate water, you will be mistaken."

His expression remained impassive, like a force of nature.

Like her.

"I need time to consult with my tribe."

He lowered his hand.

"I will wait. However-" he paused, his face briefly tensing.

"If you attempt to flee, I will know. And I will find those who think they are hidden."

One thought crossed her mind as she signaled her men to stand down:

…This thing can't be human…

She nodded, before making a hand gesture. And backing off. Toneri sensed that around eight people had surrounded him.

"You can sense my presence." She said with a hint of intrigue.

"And everyone else in the village."

"I see… When I return to this spot, I will be ready to discuss further."

"Don't keep me waiting then. Branwen."

"Chieftain. I understand your hesitation. But with your powers. You don't have to worry about us! You have the seasons at your whim and call; he is just a man-"

"No."

"But Chieftain!"

"Vernal." Her eyes sparked with lightning, a warning that froze Vernal in place.

Raven sat down, placing a hand on her temple and massaging it vehemently, as if to steady her thoughts. After a moment, she looked directly at Vernal.

"We cannot defeat him. Not by force or flight." Her voice, though calm, carried the weight of an irrevocable truth.

"Do you really believe that's true? He could be be lying for all we know."

"What semblance can manipulate nature on such a scale?" Raven's question cut through Vernal's doubts, her tone cool and precise.

"It could be a semblance-"

"Vernal." The sharpness in Raven's voice silenced her "Think carefully. What semblance is that powerful, with so little drawbacks?"

"...I don't know but-"

"Enough. Leave." The air became thick with annoyance, Her eyes found Omen resting lightly on Raven's lap.

Vernal remembered vividly how Raven dealt with those who defied her. As the Spring Maiden, her power was formidable, rivaled by only a handful of people in the world. To her, Raven was one of the strongest beings she could think of, almost mythical in her powers.

Yet here she was, contemplating the capabilities of a blind man who seemingly commanded the very elements that she so did.

'He did mention the moon…Could he really have journeyed from there to Remnant, blind?'

The thought lingered, making Vernal question the true nature of this man from the moon. She exited the chieftains tent, leaving Raven to ponder.

Humanity held two sides to it.

One was the ability to commit great acts of kindness upon the world or themselves.

The other was a propensity for self-destructive violence, often in pursuit of petty squabbles.

He sighed as the distant sounds of argument reached him, his senses alert to the entire village's clamor. Even from across the settlement, his awareness remained acute. Well, what was left of it at least.

With a swift motion, Toneri reappeared at the makeshift camp within the city's ruined hall, now repurposed as shelter for the attack survivors.

'I must gather more information about this world.'

Ever since he arrived things weren't adding up.

Since his arrival, discrepancies have baffled him. Raven's power resembled natural energy yet was distinct from chakra, hinting forces unknown to even the Otsutsuki clan. The humans possessed aura, akin to chakra cloaks, but their origins and mechanisms eluded him, then mentionable thoughts of semblances.

Unfortunately, the bandit from before possessed an unsatisfactory level of information about these relatively recent developments. However one thing did cause his heart to beat.

It wasn't the humans.

"I'm trying to organize everything to make sure we have enough food to last us until Mistral sends some help!"

"Well guess what. That's not going to happen."

"What do you mean?" the old man seemed to age. His face drooped even more.

"Because my scroll, is fucking fried!"

"Oh….oh no..."

"So no outside help-were on our own. With the motherfucking Brawnen's surrounding us, and…whatever the hell Toneri is."

"He saved us." the old man countered.

"As fucking if! How do we know he isn't in cahoots with miss murder bird?"

The old man became silent.

"I don't know about you gramps but I don't buy the whole priest look! Now I don't know where on Remnant he crawled out of, but it sure ain't somewhere the sun-"

"Why are you quarreling?" His voice held a calm, commanding tone.

Toneri materialized almost instantly, silencing the man's complaints.

Price, with a deep gash on his cheek and a torn, dirty shirt depicting a blue-jointed metal figure, shrank back.

"W-we weren't fighting. I'm sorry if it came off that way."

"I see…" Toneri's voice sounded skeptical.

Price's demeanor collapsed further. "I apologize."

After a few seconds of silence, Toneri spoke again, softer. "Your frustrations are understood. However, remember that I can hear you."

"..." Price looked at him, suddenly mute and blank faced. Toneri's words settled into his mind.

Suddenly, Price fell to his knees. "I'M SO SORRY."

Toneri sighed at the display. "You are forgiven. Stand."

Price rose quickly. Collecting himself after a few seconds.

"Where is your scroll? And the messenger hawk?"

The old man and Price exchanged confused looks.

"...The parchment." he elaborated to further silence. Before Price's eyes lit up.

"Oh you're blind. Can you even-"

"I perceive the metal sheet in your hand, Price."

'A scroll should be paper, with quill and ink, a crafted message. How could such a device replace that?'

Price stared at Toneri, dumbfounded.

"Seriously? You've never seen a scroll before? You didn't hit your head or something?"

Holy shit it's a true hick...

"I am well, Price," Toneri replied, his voice carrying a subtle edge despite his unchanged expression.

"Well…to give a crash course. A scroll." He opened it. Much to Toneri's shock. "Is a device for texting, calling, games, and reading aura levels. Ya know, basic stuff."

'Basic? This is astonishing.'

"I see. So, it is primarily a communication device."

"Yes."

"I understand. Thank you for explaining."

'I must learn more about this "texting" later.'

"Yeah…issue is the scrolls signal isn't strong enough, it can't connect the nearest tower. We're completely isolated." He put the scroll into his pocket.

"So, it's practically useless, except for playing games, or aura readings."

Aura.

He had to hold back the questions for now. Only the Great Sage knows if that bandit knew something actual cognizant from what he skimmed. He was practically navigating blindly.

"Thank you, Price. Your efforts are appreciated. Go rest."

"Thanks, but first I want some food."

"We need to conserve supplies!" the elder protested.

"Here." Toneri produced an apple out of his robe, floating it into Price's hand. Price merely stared at the fruit then back at Toneri.

"...did you just have that in there or-"

"I can retrieve it if it is unwanted-"

"Thank you Toneri sir." Price hurried to his tent, dust kicking up behind him.

"That troublemaker never changes… but perhaps it's understandable."

Toneri turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"His parents abandoned him. He was practically raised by the village. Of course not everyone took kindly to him, but many helped him…"

"I…see." His voice noticeably softened. Something that did not fail to catch the elders eye.

"Toneri!" A high pitched voice etched in his ears. "Your back."

"Yes Maggy I'm back. Is she awake?" His voice softened as he addressed the child.

"The huntress is waking up!"

'Finally, some answers.'

"Thank you Maggy. Let's go greet her."

Maggy nodded, taking his hand and leading him to a tent. She waved to her grandpa with a slight smile.

He entered the tent steadily, the light glazed his silhouetted form.

"I brought him!" The little girl beamed with pride, but he could tell that something else was bothering her.

"Good job Maggy. Now. Please go and check on your other young friend…Kenji was it?"

"Kenta."

"...yes. Kenta, please check on him."

She nodded and bolted out the door. However Toneri noticed her smile, which was by no means fake, wasn't conveying her true emotions.

'…I'll have to check on her before I go…'

Toneri turned his attention to the room's occupants. Sparse but sufficient, it contained a bed, a desk, and a chair. Of which he grabbed from the various offices in the hall and the surrounding houses.

On the bed lay a woman, missing a hand and with an eye wrapped, her skin fair and her eyes of twilight. Beside her sat a man whose hair reminded Toneri of the Uchiha boy, the reincarnate of Indra. Though his eyes were split between icy blue and bloody orange, he wore a black jacket over a yellow shirt.

Toneri greeted them. "Lycoris, how is your friend?"

"I'm….alright." she responded, attempting to sit up.

Toneri observed her from all four of his senses.

"You are not well. Moving will only risk further harm. You should remain still."

"Are you a doctor? How long-"

"Listen to him, Dawn. He saved us… he's not an enemy." Lycoris's voice was uncharacteristically subdued.

Dawn, in her short lived career as a huntress, has never seen Lycoris give in to someone else's demands. He was a free spirit, did what he wanted on his terms.

Accustomed to Lycoris's defiance, was taken aback. She relaxed back onto the pillow, and Toneri continued.

"As introductions were interrupted, I am Toneri. You were trapped under debris, and I rescued you. Lycoris mentioned you are a team of hunters tasked with defending this town."

A dark shadow came over her features.

"If you seek to apologize, this is not the time. You did all you could against a formidable opponent and survived. That is commendable."

"Are you saying I should be grateful?" Dawn replied with growing rage.

"Your survival means you can continue to protect and support others. You did save lives. Look outside the tent. Look at Maggy." He let the words stir in the air. "You tried. That alone is honorable. Now, you must rest."

"My friends are dead!"

"And you are alive."

The tone shifted heavily. The room felt as if it would collapse under an unspoken weight.

"Dawn….please stop…"

"Lycoris-"

"Just stop… We're hurt too. But we can't let it break us. This is part of our duty. We were prepared for this."

"..."

"Your friend speaks wisdom. I apologize if my earlier words seemed harsh."

"No…I'm sorry. I just…it's just…..Onyx…Stella…"

Toneri glanced at both of them. He fought back a sigh.

"I will give you time. Call for me when you are ready to speak."

Lycoris merely nodded as he gripped Dawn's hand.

'My questions will have to wait.'

Out of a supposed four hundred twenty-seven people who once lived in the village, only twelve survived. Most of those twelve being injured. The Branwen tribe had effectively reduced this town to near extinction.

To some, it was a small tragedy; to others, a monumental loss. But to him, it was an unsettling reflection of humanity's enduring savagery.

"Even after ten thousand years." he spoke aloud as he surveyed the destroyed village. This had been his last journey for any survivors, he found none.

He floated through the desolate remains of the village, his blind eyes closed to a world devoid of color, seeing with senses far beyond the ordinary to perceive such things. Finding little of value among the ruins, searching through the homes felt disrespectful, and the library had been reduced to ashes, leaving him with two options: speak with the survivors for info or confront Raven Branwen, a seasoned killer.

Neither prospect appealed to him.

All the killing, all that depraved murder and sinful acts. He couldn't believe humanity was still so ignorant in the grand scheme of its own actions. He had withheld every urge to purge that man he had mind read from existence upon a slight glimpse at some of his actions.

The concept of 'Aura' intrigued him, a manifestation of one's soul. It seemed familiar yet fundamentally different from the chakra he once knew.

Sighing, he pushed these thoughts aside. The world called 'Earth' had changed beyond recognition. With a gentle rise, he abandoned his meditative stance in the sky.

Hopefully he never had to use that power again. If he could help it. Without regulation, his chakra could overwhelm and make one braindead. They would be alive, yet dead. It reminded him too much of that sage forsaken seal.

Being able to see. But not move, for years to decades to centuries to millenia's to eons to infinity-

So he didn't go too deep. He got in. Grabbed the info, and left. Nothing more or less. Leaving gaps in his knowledge that, in retrospect, was valuable for the opportunity. He could understand earthling culture.

He shut his eyes…he cleansed his mind….

"I should return to the camp…make sure they have drinkable water-"

"Toneri."

The voice, carried by the wind, broke his reverie. He turned towards the open door of the makeshift camp. The call was feminine, firm, and unmistakably Raven's.

He drifted down from his position in the sky, the courtyard lay ahead, bathed in the dim light of the setting sun, casting long shadows over the broken concrete.

Raven stood there, a stark silhouette against the twilight, her long black hair wild and untamed, framing a face marked by determination. No one else was present—just her.

After a few seconds of silent analysis, he spoke.

"Raven Branwen," he greeted, his voice echoing with an ethereal calm. "I trust you have reached a decision."

"I have," she replied, her tone guarded but resolved. "We accept your terms. On some conditions."

He raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "And what are your conditions?"

She met his gaze without flinching, her eyes hard and unyielding. "You can't mention my abilities in front of anyone else."

Toneri considered her demands, his expression impassive. "In return, I require access to your records and knowledge."

Raven's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. "I can arrange that," she said slowly.

He extended his hand towards her, the gesture deliberate and unfamiliar to him, but fitting the customs of this world. "Then it seems we have an agreement."

She hesitated for a moment, staring at his offered hand as if it were a foreign artifact. Then, with a decisive nod, she took it. Her grip was firm and rough, contrasting with the cold, smooth touch of his own.

In that handshake, a silent understanding passed between them: respect for each other's strengths and acknowledgment of their mutual dependence. Toneri to never underestimate her cunning, and Raven to never underestimate his power.

"Now that we are allies," Toneri began, his voice steady, "I have a question."

"Go on," she replied, her tone wary but curious.

"Is this world called Remnant or Earth?"

And thats that!

That took, too long to write up lord have mercy, but hey were done now.

But low-key on that note, I think I'ma stop posting on webnovel, I just don't see the point and cross posting on 4 sites is annoying, as awesome as web novel is, navigating the workshop is a chore. Spacebattles I can copy and paste just fine but web novel i practically have to go over each word over and it takes close to half and hour, of which could be spent writing, sleeping, cleaning, cooking, working, or even playing a game.

I like writing but they are like monetizing it and frankly I'm not interested in pursuing it as a career. Especially considering the landscape of technology going forward in the world. Now that may change depending on how my post highschool life plays out, but for right now I have a lot of options. Respectfully. Especially since I'm going to do the PCA program, I got my bright futures, military stuff, film festival coming up, and I recently got an offer at Indiana University.

Besides, most people give me a bad vibe in general and being online does not change that unfortunately. I just…can't vibe with reddit or online communities like other people can. If that makes me weird I don't care. I've heard too many stories about crap that I don't even know how to comprehend playing out to me.

Oh who cares. I'm thinking about it too hard probably. But Webnovel is legit. And I'll be keeping my stuff on it but not posting, at least at some sort of rate. I'll probably just focus on catching up my stuff on space battles and pumping out chapters finally.

Who knows. I might make it a source of money in the future. But right now I'm a kid. And I'm just playing around in the author pull. I didn't expect my stories to blow up so hey guess I'm blessed for that. And im blessed that i had the opportunity to use Webnovel, i do recommend it they got some good stories.

With that being said, I want to thank everyone who reads my stuff and reviewed or followed or liked it or favorited or shared this story. The support is amazing and I hope to continue delivering a preferably good story to you all!

Anyhow that's all, if you read all this you're simply goated. And now I'm going to sleep. Good night. God bless.