Chapter 29: Edge of Time
Of all the places to end up in after accidently stepping into a wormhole, why must it be the one location where men, whether intentional or accidental, are notoriously blamed for lecherous behavior.
"PERVERT!"
"PEEPING TOM!"
"WAIT FOR ME!"
Bursting out of the locker room, a soaked Patronus ran down the hallway as a group of wet woman, covered in towels, threw objects and whatever else they could find at him. "It was an accident!" He winced when a lucky object hit the back of his head. "Damn wormhole, dropping me in the women's locker room of all places… sure, they were nice, but my wives and Lara are the best I've seen. I hope they're still safe."
Naruto's arms brimmed with quantum energy violently as a wormhole suddenly appeared in front of his left foot, enveloping him into another free-fall. "Not again!" The trip was short as Naruto found himself in a rustic-looking chamber just as a wall changed into a massive steel door that opened and revealed mutant zombies, who attacked a cart with wheels. "Where the hell am I now?"
"Patronus!" It was Spider-Man 2099 as he swung to the ninja's location. "You really know when to show up at a good time."
"You're here." Patronus inspected the futuristic hero by poking him repeatedly. "I guess you and Spidey returned to your time periods. I assume the worst is over." O'Hara shook his head, eliciting a soft sigh from the ninja. "Of course not. Does this have to do with the Time Storm?"
Spider-Man 2099 was surprised by his words. "How do you know about the Time Storm?"
"Karen told me." Patronus answered as he rolled up his right sleeve, revealing his wrist computer that housed the A.I. "She's been analyzing the quantum energy and the Gateway."
"You have an A.I.? And we are in the Parascience Research Lab."
"She's not mine. She was—is Spider-Man's, but the cunning man placed a copy of her in his wrist computer sometime before all this happened."
"Incredible." Spider-Man 2099 said before talking to himself or so it seemed. "Lyla, establish a connection with Karen so the two of us can stay in contact."
"Engaging in attempted tune frequency."
Patronus heard a 'screech' and 'blare' noises from his computer before Karen spoke, "Patronus, I'm detecting a signature unknown to me. Is it friendly?" Karen asked in fear. Naruto glanced at O'Hara before he responded with a 'yes.' "Understood. Allowing friendly link to be established… now."
"Will this help her?" Patronus asked with concern.
Spider-Man 2099 affirmed his question with a small nod. "Lyla is more advanced than Karen, and, by doing this link, she's enhancing your A.I.'s security and capabilities. Less risk of being hacked here in 2099."
"That I like." Patronus said before he saw another cart being destroyed by mutants that resembled zombies. Parts of their flesh was missing and glowed light green. "What the heck are those?!"
"Shock, they never really shut it down. There's living test subjects here! Looks like they feed on energy."
"For what purpose?"
"Warfare and they could destroy the next data box."
"Well then…" Patronus flicked his wrists, extending both Hidden Blades as they were coated in wind chakra. "Let's put them to the ground." He leaped at the zombies and focused on the chakra as they extended into thin sword-like constructs. "Uindo Ken!" He did not need Kogitsunemaru for this situation, but also wanted to focus on utilizing more of his Futon in battle.
Spider-Man 2099 watched the ninja/god sliced through the zombies before he himself engaged in battle. With rapid flickering of the wrists, he fired a barrage of web bullets, stunning the zombies before dashing at them with swinging legs from a handstand. He tied a web-line to yank another zombie and clothesline it to the floor while Patronus stabbed one through the head.
Once the zombies were no more, they waited for the cart to attach itself to the construct in the middle of the lab. Another room dubbed the Cybernetic lab as more zombies slowly approached them. "Great, more coming." Spider-Man 2099 said lowly while Patronus rolled his shoulders in anticipation.
(This Atrocity thing isn't slowing down anytime soon! What's happening on your end?)
"Patronus and I just need to connect two more databoxes."
(I have no idea what you're talking about; just do it fast!)
Patronus and Spider-Man 2099 engaged in another round of protection against the mutant zombies whose numbers seemed to increase from the first wave. They pushed themselves through the next two rounds until all four data boxes were connected to the construct as O'Hara launched a web net to ensnare a group of zombies to a wall while Patronus sliced through them.
"Now what?" Patronus asked as he kicked away another zombie.
"And now we wait. Spidey, we have all four data boxes. As soon as I've activated them, we'll know what's going on." Spider-Man 2099 said as he double-kicked a group of four to the ground and swiped at them with his talons.
(That'd be a nice change of pace. It sure beats dying again.)
Spider-Man 2099 chuckled at the joke, "True." He flipped over a charging zombie and kicked it to a wall. "I just need to activate each data box."
"I got it!" Patronus shouted as he created four clones and sent them to the boxes, which they activated. After doing so, they returned to aid the original in suppressing the zombies. "Go in now." Spider-Man 2099 heeded his words and entered the construct while Patronus followed him as the zombies were burned down by his clones. "So, what do we know?"
Spider-Man 2099 pressed the proper keys of the multi-screened computer for information while saying, "You guys, I think that Atrocity is connected to the time storm somehow."
"How's that?" Patronus asked as he heard a very distant noise outside.
"Not sure. What I really need is some of its DNA to complete the analysis."
(How?! It's on this end!)
"Grab a DNA recorder and acquire a sample. Download it into a computer there, it'll show up her."
Patronus stepped forward with a confused face. "But, if it's not here, doesn't that mean Spidey failed or haven't failed yet?" Unknowingly, Spider-Man in the past had just asked the same question with a little rewording.
"Do you guys want a two-hour lecture on the laws of quantum dynamics?" Spider-Man 2099 asked rhetorically, gaining no answer from either his predecessor or the ninja. "No? Then trust me. It won't be visible here until you do it there, Spidey. Patronus, can you help him out?"
Patronus breathed in sharply as his bracers glimmered with quantum energy once more from the recent debacle. "On my way there now." He Hiraishined, hopefully, to Spider-Man's current location while O'Hara continued to search for more information regarding the time storm and Atrocity.
"Peter, Patronus is on his way to you now. How's it going?"
(Aside from not having a DNA recorder and being chased by a berserk sushi? Just swell.)
"Well, get it in gear 'cause if this time storm escalates, you're going to have a ringside sit for a brand new big bang." Spider-Man urged before he heard an unnatural 'clicking' sound. "What was that?"
(What are you talking about? Never mind; I'll get the DNA thing. I'm moving as fast as I can!)
"Well, move faster." Spider-Man 2099 urged hastily this time as the 'clicking' increased in volume.
(I hate it when you say that.)
"Well, you need to set a prime example, Parker." Spider-Man 2099 retorted as the noise seemed to be in the room. He looked around, but found nothing in return except the 'clicking' turned sharp. "Okay, Peter, are you close yet?"
(Miguel! He got me!)
O'Hara clenched his head as Peter's voice screamed in pain. "What's happening?! Talk to me! Shock it! Peter!" He turned one way and found himself staring into ghoulish eyes before back-flipping away from the claws' swipe. "What the shock?!"
It was a bald, ghoul-like creature with pale grey skin and a bat-like nose. Its featureless, silver eyes glow faintly in the dark of the room as its back had a noticeable ridge, and the needle-like fangs and claws extended in front of its prey. A black, forked and proboscis tongue stuck out of the mouth, much like Spider-Man's enemy, Venom.
The creature ticked in an unnatural way like shrilling to break glass before it pounced Spider-Man 2099.
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(Meanwhile)
Year 2006
Gas Chamber, Alchemax Building
Patronus stumbled out of the time portal that is the Hiraishin as he looked around for signs of Peter. "Damn it, I'm in the wrong place." He ran for the exit when his eyes caught something on the other side, prompting him to investigate. It was luck as the something turned out to be Spider-Man, though he didn't move at all. "Peter? Spidey, come on, wake up." He shook the body. "Don't leave Mary Jane behind, man. Wake up!"
"Mi—Mig…Miguel?" Spider-Man breathed in as his vision slowly grew clear by the second. Soon, he found the hidden but concerned face that is his ally. "Patronus? Thank God, you're here."
Naruto helped him up to his feet and noticed his costume was even more torn than the last time he saw him. "What happened to you?"
"Atrocity… snatched me from within an air duct… managed to get away, but left half of my costume behind." Spider-Man responded exhaustingly. "Found this room to hide in… passed out for I don't know for how long."
"So, where are we?" Patronus asked as Spider-Man led the way to a nearby computer.
It was there that the heroes noticed a large chamber surrounded by equally-sized canisters on both sides. Next to the computer was three empty syringe-like devices, something that excited Spider-Man. "Spidey 2.0, I found it!" He got no answer from his counterpart. "Version two?"
(*Grunts of exertion* I'm a little busy at the moment! Anyway, is it the DNA recorder?)
"Yeah!" Spider-Man replied as he got one recorder out while Patronus got the other one.
(Don't stand around telling me about it. Use it!)
"On the Atrocity. I love this plan." Spider-Man retorted excitedly, ready for payback.
Patronus raised a simple hand. "What is this Atrocity you guys keep talking about?" Spider-Man pointed behind the ninja, forcing him to turn around and see the answer as the door was forced on the other side. "Oh my God! That's an atrocity all right."
It was a hulking-size creature with a largely disproportioned body as the left side was more muscle pronounced while the right looked weak and small. Slimy and covered tentacles protruded from its back as the incredibly long black tongue hung from the open mouth while the red circle eyes glared at the duo.
"Come on, we need to get it into the gas chamber," Spider-Man told his ally and they went to work.
The duo ran to one side of the chamber and waited there until Atrocity ran through it, but the two doors shut closed, trapping the mutation. They waited until it fell victim to the gas and laid on its back until the door opened, allowing the two to obtain samples. Naruto and Peter ran back to the computer and put two of the recorders into the device.
"Did it work?" Patronus asked the smart guy.
Spider-Man shushed him as he typed in the code to read the DNA samples. "Spidey 2.0, how's it going there? Did you get it?"
(…)
"Hello? Did you hear me?"
(Gah! Finally… this thing was very frustrating. Very agile too. Anyway, the samples are better, but I'm missing some strands. Get me one more sample and that should do it.)
Spider-Man groaned loudly as he grabbed the third recorder. "If we ever meet face-to-face, I'm so gonna punch you in the face repeatedly." He turned to Patronus who stepped back from him. "Are you ready?"
"No, you got this one." Patronus chuckled before he was teleported suddenly.
"Son of a bitch, he left me behind!"
(Patronus?)
"Who do you think?!" Spider-Man retorted angrily before the awakened Atrocity performed a similar act to escape the chamber. "What?! This thing can teleport too?"
(What are you talking about?)
"Teleport—crack a dictionary!" Spider-Man retorted as he webbed the recorder on his back and yanked a web-line to pull himself away from Atrocity when it appeared behind him. Despite its size, Atrocity chased after him with surprising speed, forcing Spider-Man web-swing out of the chamber for more room since the gas chamber won't work for the third time. "Damn it, Patronus, where are you when I need you?"
Atrocity leaped high in the air for a body slam with arms and leg stretched out, but a flash of blue/white light blindsided the mutation as Patronus appeared out of it and kicked the creature away into another room through another room. "Hey there, Spidey." He dodged a web bullet aimed at his head. "What's the deal?"
"Why did you leave me alone with that thing?" Spider-Man asked hotly.
"It wasn't my fault!" Patronus countered. "Karen just told me the quantum energy is getting out of control fast and now I'm teleporting randomly."
"How much time you got before the next one?"
"No idea so let's just get the third sample and be done with this thing."
By the time Atrocity got up, Patronus threw his fist and used Eaken to push the creature against the wall near electrically-powered pillars. Spider-Man webbed its limbs and tentacles heavily to restrain his movements before he said, "Taser Web!" He fired dual web-lines at the Atrocity before it was electrocuted violently by the web-shooters.
"Let me in on the fun." Patronus said as he created a ball of lightning and threw it at Atrocity, increasing the output of electricity. "How was that?!"
The end result was an unconscious mutation who fell flat on the ground, breathing heavily with slack tentacles. Spider-Man took advantage of this and plunged the recorder into the creature's flesh like before as he soon swung back to the chamber. "Miguel, I just uploaded the latest sample." Patronus ran towards him before he unwillingly time-traveled once more. "And Patronus is gone. Hopefully he's on his way to you."
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Year 2099
Parascience Research Lab, Alchemax
Miguel was analyzing the data when Patronus had just arrived in time to heard his results. "No wonder I couldn't get a reading. That thing's a combination of Sloan, Otavius, and Anti-Venom."
"Say what now?" Patronus asked timidly.
Spider-Man 2099 wasn't disturbed by his sudden presence as he grew accustomed to his rapid reappearance. "They must have mutated into that thing when they were shoved through."
(My God. Any weaknesses?)
"At a guess? High voltage." O'Hara responded, "Right now, they're supercharged with quantum particles."
"Like my bracers." Patronus pointed out, getting a nod from Spider-Man 2099.
"Yeah. If we can reverse the polarity of the gateway and shove it back through, the quantum feedback could reverse the time storm!"
Patronus snapped his fingers in approval. "I like the sound of that."
-Well, I don't. Besides why reverse it, Miguel, when we can use it?-
The duo turned around and saw a hologram of an older Peter Parker in some sort of an advanced suit, surprising Naruto and Miguel. "How did you know-"
-Of course. He knows, so I know.-
"Guess your Quantum Causality thingamajig just bit you in the ass… Miguel." Patronus said, earning a glare from Spider-Man 2099 before he looked at the older Parker. "Peter… age did not do you justice."
-Good to see you still have your sense of humor.-
"Apparently, you don't anymore."
-Patronus, Miguel, you both are on the wrong side of this. I'm not the villain here. I'm the guy who's trying to make everything right. Don't you get it?-
Miguel scoffed at him. "Apparently I don't."
"I think I do: he wants to change the timeline, probably change a few events regarding the people in his life." Patronus commented, earning an acknowledging smirk from the older Parker. "You started this on purpose. You wanted Sloane to build the Gateway and go back to the past, so you can use the Time Storm as your advantage."
-You were always the shrewdest person I've ever met, Patronus. Direct, but shrewdest. Miguel, our stealthy friend is correct: when the storm is fully unleashed, I'm going to harness the quantum energy. It will give me complete control over the time stream.-
"Complete—What, you're trying to play God?" Miguel asked spitefully at the words of his current predecessor.
-The first creation of the universe wasn't bad… for a first draft. I'm just going to provide a much-needed rewrite. I can make up for my original sin by saving Uncle Ben. Not to mention Gwen Stacy, her dad, countless others. What kind of villain fixes it so that everyone gets to live happily ever after?-
"You're talking about power no human should have." Spider-Man 2099 argued back about the merit of Parker's plan. "You'll end up destroying yourself, but not before you've annihilated everything else."
-What about Patronus? You've seen his strength, his power especially with the latest quantum-related time travel capabilities.-
Patronus stepped forward a little with a hidden glare directed at the CEO. "Unlike you, I'm not trying to destroy everything just because of guilt. You sicken me, Parker." A small frown etched on the CEO'S face. "You think you're the only one who have—had it hard: losing the people you care about to villains or events out of our control? Get over yourself. I've lost people closest to me too, and there's not a day that goes by when I don't think how I could've make a different decision or action back then. Life is messy, and death… whether you accept it or not… it's part of the world we live. You think you're honoring the people whom you couldn't save back then by doing this, you are not, Parker. In fact, you're dishonoring them by giving up and doing this rewrite. And FYI, I know you're Spider-Man since that incident with the Osborn twins."
-…-
"Not only are you dishonoring them, you are also threatening the people closest to me, to Miguel, and your younger self with Mary Jane and Aunt May. And we're going to stop you. Bet on that."
-… I had really hoped you would be on my side. This discussion is over.-
Patronus, once again, felt vibrations on the metal floor, and grabbed O'Hara as he jumped away from the spot where a hatch opened, supposedly to send them down in free-fall. It was likely an attempt to slow down their progress while CEO Parker put the finishing touches on his plan.
-Should've expected that; you were always quick on your feet.-
Patronus watched the hologram off-lined as he cracked his knuckles in anticipation of beating the CEO into a bloody pulp.
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Year 2006
Inari's Temple,
Takama-ga-hara
The situation was not looking good for the residents of the Shinto realm. They noticed the phenomenon in the skies had begun to affect the outer areas, forcing the all deities, both major and minor, to combine their powers in an effort to the Time Storm's effects. The result was a great translucent light green barrier encasing the entirety of the gods' home.
For one mortal, it was something well beyond incredible, even to her historical mind.
"So, the barrier is produced by all the gods here?" Lara asked Leone. The lion goddess was asked to stay by her husband to protect everyone in the temple and that included Naruto's family.
"No, they are enhancing the barrier." Leone answered as she poured a cup of sake and gave it to Lara. "My husband told me the barrier is produced by the Ama-no-uki-hashi, the bridge that connects Earth and this world."
Lara almost dropped the cup upon hearing this new information. "The bridge said to be created by the first Shinto deties, Izanagi and Izanami? Really? Oh my God, I need to write this down." She looked around for something to write, but found nothing in semblance. "Damn it, of all the time, why didn't I bring them?"
"Sometimes, you just got to relax and enjoy the view even if the world is in danger."
Lara fiddled her thumb around the cup. "I guess so." She looked ahead at the garden where the Uzumaki ladies were soothing the distressed twins who cried for their father. "They miss him."
"They can sense him in danger," Leone said in fact. "When Susanoo and Kushinada's daughter was born, the serpent, Yamata no Orochi, attacked the couple to eat her in vengeance. Lord Susanoo took the serpent to another location in Japan and fought it for three weeks. Those whole three weeks, the princess never stopped crying until he came back home. I remember the little smile she gave when he saw her. Granted this was a day after Inari fought that moon god of a douche, but still."
"Parents and children have a powerful bond. I guess this applies to gods as well."
Leone nodded solemnly as her hand unconsciously rubbed the side of her stomach. "I can't speak for you, but every woman, whether a god or mortal, wants to be mothers even if we don't know it yet."
"Do you think he's all right?" Lara asked concernedly. She was asking about Naruto as her chest felt tight like someone had a foot on top of it.
"Pretty sure he's fine."
"How can you be sure?"
"If he wasn't, then my husband chose a pretty weak being as his adopted son."
Lara didn't respond, but she knew that Leone's words held no contempt towards Naruto. In fact, they also held worry for him as well like her, the girls, and the twins.
"Where do you suppose he is now?" Lara asked after several moments of silence.
"I don't know, but the determination I saw in his eyes showed me his character."
"Which is?"
Leone stood up and grabbed the empty bottle of sake. "He's not going to die and his family drives him to do so." She then took her leave for the kitchen as Lara remained sitting.
After several minutes of watching the barrier, the Croft stood up and walked to join the Clan as she stood down between Kuroka and Medusa while the twins brightened at her presence. Saeko and Rhea smiled at the children's laughter, but they shared glances with Medusa, Lara, and Kuroka as they all shared one thought together.
"Stay safe, Naruto."
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Year 2099
Gateway Room, 66TH Floor
Alchemax's Building
After destroying massive hordes of the Failed Experiments coined by Miguel plus more reinforcements of guards and time-displaced creatures, Patronus and Spider-Man 2099 reached the Gateway Room just as the original Spider-Man spoke to his successor.
(Miguel, I'm getting ready to reverse the polarity. Just in case I blow up the universe, I just wanna tell you… it's been fun!)
"Have faith. I'm almost positive this'll work," Miguel answered, getting an unsure look from Patronus.
Naruto wagged his finger disapprovingly, "Whenever someone says 'almost,' it's never really assuring. I hope you know that."
"I know that, but he doesn't." Miguel retorted softly to the ninja.
The duo found the CEO standing atop the gateway adorned in some sort of mechanized suit with eight large arthropod legs. Miguel inspected the outfit and assumed it was some of an advanced technology derived from one of Spider-Man's previous suits in the past, but he doesn't remember which one it was.
"I believe we had an appointment," Spider-Man 2099 joked as Patronus scoffed in response.
"Luckily I cleared my schedule for you both. I'm sorry it's come to this, but obviously you are part of the problem, not the solution." CEO Parker stated nonchalantly.
Patronus threw a shuriken at his apparent enemy, but he dodged it despite the heavy suit. "How is destroying the universe a solution? For a smart guy, you really are stupid, Parker."
"I am smart, but you both are idiots," CEO Parker disengaged from the gateway and landed on the floor, preparing for the fight ahead of him. "I'm absorbing all the quantum particles being unleashed. I'll reshape the timeline any way I wish long before it collapses. Think of it as playing dice with the universe. Einstein would have approved."
Spider-Man 2099 assumed his fighting pose, "Einstein's not here, so I guess I'll have to do."
"And your explanation really doesn't change the fact you're an idiot for doing this," Patronus countered as CEO Parker scoffed at his words. Naruto smirked in his hood as the older Peter grimaced when the ninja drew Kogitsunemaru from its sheath. "Time to cut me up some spider!"
CEO Parker leaped above in the air to avoid Patronus's sword strike, which was extremely fast despite his calculations. The entire time the ninja hero was in 2099, the older Spider-Man recorded his every move so far and made preparations to counter them, but now it seemed to be irrelevant at this point.
Spider-Man 2099 left a decoy in his place as CEO launched several car-sized web bullets at it. "Peter, looks like your future self has taken a page from Iron Man's old playbook. We're squaring off against some kind of Iron Spider outfit."
(That sounds like a crutch to me. If he really had confidence in his own speed and agility, he wouldn't be making with the heavy metal! Just use something to outflank him.)
Spider-Man 2099 heeded the younger Peter and fired rapid web bullets at the airborne CEO, but the latter web-zipped himself to the ground as the projectiles missed him. However, Patronus Shunshined behind him and swung his blue blade engulfed in sharp swirling wind as the CEO leaped to the side.
"Missed." CEO retorted starkly before his suit's sensors report of slight damage to the containers.
Patronus twirled his blade, brandishing the Divine Regalia at the corrupt hero. "Want to restate that?" He swung Kogitsunemaru and unleashed several wind arc-like waves at the CEO. The machine-attached villain dodged them all with incredible speed akin to the Bunshin and Decoy abilities of Patronus and Spider-Man 2099, respectively.
Naruto had seen this before back in 2006 with the younger Peter. The Spider-Sense is really going to be a pain in the ass as the machine most likely enhancing the ability with the quantum energy from the Time Storm.
The CEO leaped in the air once more as he avoided the combined prowess of Patronus and Spider-Man 2099, though struggled to keep up with the hooded hero's obvious superior speed. The trio's focus on the battle was briefly broken when a wormhole appeared in the middle of the room and what emerged was four tentacles slamming the ground before they retreated back inside.
"What the? Friends of yours?" The CEO asked.
Spider-Man 2099 quickly took advantage of his confusion. "Sure! I'm just full of surprises." He web-zipped himself to another part of the room to avoid the CEO's body slam, allowed Patronus to Shunshine above him and sliced off a leg before kicking the villain away. "He doesn't know about Atrocity. We can use that, especially the Anti-Venom part."
Patronus must've had the same thoughts as he did as the ninja let the CEO pounced at him, only to grab the outstretched mechanized legs and swung the villain around several times. Spider-Man 2099 waited for another wormhole to appear, which one did moments later, and signaled Patronus to let go.
The CEO, albeit slightly discombobulated, corrected himself, but not in time to avoid the tentacles that ensnared him as well doing something else to his body. "I don't understand! How are these things draining my powers?" He grunted when Patronus punched his face.
"How?" Spider-Man 2099 repeated before he swiped his talons to cut off another limb off the suit. "As quickly as possible, that's how." He grabbed one more limb and tore it away from his strength while Patronus continued punching the CEO's face.
"Stop! Punching! Me!"
Patronus paused for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't think so." He assumed punching, but then switched to Kogitsunemaru as its blade stared directly at the CEO's face. "It's a shame you turned out this way." The ninja raised the katana to kill the surprised CEO, who tried to push him off to no avail.
Before Spider-Man 2099 could stop him from performing the act, a blurry figure crashed through the door and tackled Patronus off of the CEO into another room out given by the massive breach near the gateway. "Shock it!" He back-flipped away when the tentacles disappeared into the wormhole and, in turn, freed the CEO.
"Now it's just the two of us." CEO Parker said before charging at his 'fake.'
Spider-Man 2099 grunted as he ran to meet the villain's dash in the middle. "Only one of us is going to stay here."
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The other side of the Alchemax building crumbled violently as Patronus was airborne in the sky before he stopped his free-fall. He shook his head to get rid of the ringing in his ears before sight focused on the enemy before him. "Damn Hercules, you are one tough bastard," Naruto commented as Hercules had very dense black markings originating from a sphere in the middle of his chest.
It did not stop there as splatter of blood dripped from his shoulders and parts of his helmet was destroyed from the sheer force of the Super Mini Tailed Beast Bomb.
"You. Will. Die!"
Naruto's response was assuming the flame-like appearance that is Kurama Mode before flying at Hercules. He changed direction at the last second and grabbed hold of Hercules' neck before kneeing him in the back followed by another sphere surrounded with smaller spheres like a planet. "Wakusei Rasengan!"
The arm morphed into a chakra arm that extended greatly away from the building before the Rasengans exploded into a vortex-like attack and sent the Olympian crashing into the ocean. Naruto Shunshined at the shore of what it once was the Brooklyn Harbor as he recognized the nearby ramen shop that still existed after nearly a century.
As Patronus dug his feet into the ground for a boost, the world shook from side-to-side as dimensional energy shadowed parts of the nearby structures and the sky before it ceased moments later. "Uh, Spidey 2.0, can you hear me?" He asked through the wrist computer.
-'Yeah, I can hear you! What do you need?! *Grunts*'-
"Time Storm's getting worse! There are wormholes forming randomly everywhere! Please tell me you beat the CEO already." Patronus cried out before he caught an empty truck and threw it aside as Hercules leaped at him, forcing the blonde to enter another grappling match. Only this time, he found himself being pushed back. "What the hell?"
-'Patronus, the younger Peter just defeated Anti-Venom and sent him back through the Gateway. I just need to lock it down on my end.'-
"So, what happens after that?" Patronus asked as Hercules drove him through a building without signs of slowing down.
-'The backlash should collapse the quantum bridge and overwrite all of this, wiping it from existence. Which brings me to another dilemma I see.'-
Naruto rolled on his back and extended his legs against Hercules' stomach to push the latter into a dump of garbage. "Which is?"
-'Once the gateway closes, it'll cut off the quantum energy in your bracers and most likely cease the amplified effects of your power.'- He was referring to the Hiraishin no Jutsu. –'You'll be stuck here with no way back.'-
"Which means I have to go back to the past the moment you beat the CEO."
-'Precisely! I'll tell you when, but I think it's better if you can get back here to coordinate our timing.'-
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
Patronus flew at Hercules and punched him across the face, but the Olympian recovered and countered with a downward elbow strike. Naruto stopped the limb with a chakra arm and retaliated with another one grabbing Hercules' waist before slamming him into the ground repeatedly, ending the assault by tossing him far away down the street.
Frustrated at being the one on the losing ground, Hercules stood up and threw an oldies car, a Dodge Challenger, at Patronus. The ninja could have pushed aside or sliced through the projectile except said object had screaming people inside it. "Damn." Naruto caught the car without his strength crushing the frame and put down it next to him. "Are you both okay?"
"Look out!" One of the passengers pointed at something.
Naruto looked back and saw a massive portion of a restaurant flying at him before he put out one arm to catch the debris with the other arm on the car. The force in the throw bent Patronus's limbs as he put more strength to prevent the debris from crushing him and the people while they slid down the road until it stopped. Naruto pushed down the slab and pulled out the door as to allow the citizens to get out of the car easily.
As he turned around, a fist snapped his head to the side sharply and brought Naruto to his knees and hands. The large hand gripped Patronus's head and lifted him off the ground, bring the ninja face-to-face with a bloodied but smirking Hercules. "That was a nice blast you hit me back there. Sent me all the way to Connecticut, just so you know." His grip grew tighter on the ninja's head, eliciting a groan of pain from him. "I must say… you really are something else, Patronus. But I win and also am superior to Hulk and Thor."
Lifting his right arm back and tightening his entire limb including fist so hard, it looked like it was about to pop as Hercules released his attack on Patronus. As for the ninja, he tried to fight back but the punch he received moments ago really messed with his head. Naruto then focused on his internal power, the Earthshaker, as the feeling of gentle wind coursed throughout his body, but then it changed to a vibrating combined with pins and needle-like in his arms.
"Don't tell me it's not working!? Not a time like this!" Naruto thought as he assumed the power was obstructed by his unbalanced head. Moments passed, but still there was no fist smashing his face in, so that was a plus. Ever curious, Naruto opened his eyes and saw Hercules' fist coming at him… just very, very slow. He was confused about what was happening until his arms caught his attention.
They were glowing, but not Kurama Mode's yellow chakra. It was the same bluish-white color like the wormholes back in Alchemax. What he also didn't know was that the color of his eyes changed as well. Hercules saw them as they were dominantly white with tint of light blue.
Naruto moved his arms and legs to find them moving normally, but for some reason Hercules and everything else around them was slow. Was he manipulating time just now? He shook his head to put that aside and forced the Olympian's hand to release him with several stabs via Hidden Blades. The Adamantine nature of the weapons spilled ichor from the limb as Patronus walked away from the slow and stationary Hercules until the opposing glow fizzed out from his arms.
Hercules returned to normal speed before realizing the pain in his left arm as he clutched it. He stared at Patronus shockingly at the power he'd displayed. "How long have you been able to manipulate time?!"
"Honestly, just now." Patronus admitted before he raised his right hand as if to call something back. What came was the blue blade that is Kogitsunemaru after it burst through an alley behind him and returned to his hand. "Ready for the third round?"
-'Patronus, you need to get ready to go back!'-
Naruto sighed, but Hercules fumed when he heard that his opponent will leave their battle with no clear victor. This will not stand for the Olympian God of Strength. He charged at the ninja god, but someone else had intervened as he was tackled to the ground and pounded on for several minutes.
Patronus assumed the Soresu stance as the unknown person ceased his ambush and turned around to face him. The ninja was taken aback slightly as the figure was tremendously tall—taller than Hercules— and had muscular bulk with razor sharp fangs and claws while a long tongue hung from his mouth and torn shorts. His eyes were red with yellow sclera while the hair was green like the rest of the body, which brought Naruto to one conclusion to the person's identity.
"Hulk?"
And he was not the only one as more figures had arrived to assist one of them, most likely Hulk 2099. One of them had a body composed entirely of silver like the surfboard he was standing on with no hair or visible eye pupils. Naruto had heard of him from the Avengers' database from one of his visits: this was the Silver Surfer, but whether he is the original or this year's incarnation is up to his imagination.
The next arrival was another man, but most specifically an Atlantean. He had navy blue skin as his attire was a tight black and emerald bodysuit with matching gauntlets on the wrist and forearms. His long wavy black hair reached past his shoulders while a golden trident laid on his back.
Naruto's eyes shifted to the woman next to him. She was tall like the Atlantean as her long blonde hair were tied into two separate braided tails while a tuft of it resembled a small rock-star-like style, but her blue eyes contrasted her look. Her attire was a tight black and green sleeveless attire with golden bands around her biceps, a green skirt around the waist, and black pants ragged at the ends tied in red bands and matching boots. In her hand was a thin sword with a gold guard that has protrusions and a black handle.
The last person was a young woman in a rather civilian-like attire. She wore light blue jeans, a black shirt under a gray jacket with a red bandanna over her head as her long black hair fluttered in the wind caused by the Time Storm. Her hands brimmed with an unknown red energy and flickered across her arms every time they moved like when she put aside a strand from her eyes.
"*cough* I assumed you're not with him," Patronus commented before he blocked the blonde woman's sword. "Come on, not you too!"
"Fight me, Patronus! It's been nearly a century since our last bout."
The rest of her colleagues sighed exasperatedly at her attitude before the Atlantean placed his hand on her shoulder. "Valkyrie, please don't attack our Mentor." Valkyrie's features softened before she backed away and sheathed her weapon while the Atlantean approached the hooded ninja. "Apologies, Mentor. Valkyrie here had her pride wounded when you defeated her long ago."
"Uh, not a problem." Patronus muttered unsurely as he exited out of Kurama Mode and sheathed Kogitsunemaru. "Wait, what did you just call me?"
Hulk 2099 dragged the body of the semi-conscious Hercules and dropped him next to his feet. "Are you not Patronus Maximus, Mentor of our Brotherhood from years 2006 to 2008?"
"Uh… no?" Patronus answered meekly before the ground and sky quaked after another time wave, a purple-white wavy cloud passed over them. "What was that?"
"That was a time wave from the Storm. It's becoming more unstable, Patronus. Lyla tells me that Spider-Man 2099 is about to send the CEO into the Gateway, so get ready for his word."
"Thanks for the heads-up, Karen."
The woman in the civilian clothes scoffed at the mention of his leaving. "You're leaving already? Whatever."
"And you are?" Patronus asked indignantly.
"Dr. Strange. Or from what you say, Strange 2099."
The Atlantean raised his trident-occupied hand. "Sub-Mariner."
"Valkyrie or Brunnhilde," The blonde woman introduced herself once more as her sword, Dragonfang, twirled dangerously slow.
The levitating boarder gave a stationary hand. "I am Norrin Rand, or better known as Silver Surfer."
"Hulk." Hulk 2099 greeted to the comparatively small hooded hero. "And we're the Defenders."
"Defenders… I like it." Naruto said with a nod as he gave them two thumbs-up. "Just as badass as the Avengers. And back to your calling me 'Mentor,' what is that?" He hopes to divert their attention long enough for Miguel to give him the signal.
One voice, however, was not allowing this to happen as she made herself known to the gathered heroes. "You do not have to be suspicious of us, Mentor." It was Black Cat 2099 and she approached the ninja with a soft expression. "We've all heard stories about you from our predecessors, though some of us were skeptical of them." She gave a pointed look at Strange who looked the other way. "Your battle with Hercules and today's events certainly proved your abilities and your character."
"What are you talking about?" Patronus asked despite his surprise over Black Cat 2099 being an Assassin.
Sub-Mariner stepped forward with a respectful. "We are all Assassins, taking the same cause as you have a century ago."
"Shhh!" Naruto shushed the hero as he frantically looked around for cameras. "No one is supposed to know about our existence."
Strange huffed as she raised her glowing red hand and revealed a hazy crimson barrier around them. "No one can hear or see us for the moment, Patronus. Don't worry about it."
"Uh-huh… what do we do from here on?" Patronus asked the future Assassins. "Wait, who's your Mentor? Of this branch?" The Defenders shot glances at each other, which meant one thing to the ninja. "Right, I must've put some rule to prevent revealing identities about each Mentor back then or going to do it in the future… Wait, I—but that would mean this conversation has already happened or were supposed happen…. AAHHH!" He screamed in frustration while gripping his head tightly from the sudden headache by trying to figure time-travel.
Hulk 2099 leaned towards Valkyrie and Sub-Mariner before he whispered, "Is he really the Mentor from the Heroic Age?" His teammates shrugged their shoulders, showing the mutual uncertainty amongst themselves.
-'Patronus, you must leave NOW!'-
"Okay, that's my cue, guys. It's been awesome, getting to know all of you albeit briefly, and… keep up the good work. Best tell your Mentor that."
The Defenders watched the spectacle in front of them, but it was not the Mentor returning to 2006 yet. Black Cat 2099 gave him a kiss on the lips and whispered in his ear before the ninja Hirashined back to the present. "Better?" Hulk 2099 asked the clone. It was common knowledge to the Defenders that she, like the original, had feelings for the hooded Assassin. Unlike her genetic template, the clone heeded her feelings and 'scored' the ultimate job.
"Much better," Black Cat answered with a genuine smile.
Those were the last words she spoke before an enormous white quantum wave engulfed the entire team and city from the Time Storm.
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Naruto flew through the Hiraishin time-space field as he was currently fleeing the reversed time wave that was catching up to him. When it closed in onto his feet, Naruto transformed in the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode for the extra boost as his flying speed increased enough for him to be ahead of the wave.
"Mr. Parker, I can-"
"Oh, shut up! You're nothing but a pawn, Sloan, and I will make your life a living hell when I'm in the past."
Hearing bones snap ahead, Patronus flew to the side and avoided Sloane's mangled body before he increased his speed further by decreasing wind resistance. He looked ahead and saw a man with eight mechanical tentacles who was supported by a human-sized Anti-Venom as the latter was trying to fend off the CEO Parker's mechanical spider limbs.
"Anti-Venom, you were always a constant thorn in my life, but I shall kill you now." CEO Parker declared before he was silenced by a limb and felt the same burning pain that signified the increasingly loss of his powers.
Patronus unsheathed his blade, and when CEO Parker managed to break free from Anti-Venom's limb, swung swiftly at the neckline. He didn't need to see the shocked future Parker's body break apart into multiple pieces or being engulfed in the wave that disintegrated them. Naruto sheathed his blade before grabbing Anti-Venom and the man with the mechanical tentacles as they finally reached the other side of the time tunnel.
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Year 2006
Watching the Alchemax Building changing back into Horizon Labs, the torn-up Spider-Man was amazed by the sight. "It's all back to normal."
(Same here.)
"Okay, but… if the timeline snapped back to normal… if none of it happened… how do you and I remember it? I mean, we've got two different sets of memories in our brains. Shouldn't that be making us… I dunno… crazy?"
(Crazy? We already dress in skin-tight costumes and fight bad guys for free.)
Peter rolled his head in annoyance. "Okay, crazier."
(You really want a five-hour lecture on temporal paradoxes?)
"Sure, why not? As it turns out, looks like I have all the time in the world."
A bright flash of white and blue light breached from him, causing the Web-Slinger to turn around and find a steaming Patronus—out of Nine-Tailed Chakra Mode moments before arrival—carrying two unconscious villains from his rogue gallery.
"After I finish talking with Patronus."
(He made it back? That's good news, really good news. Tell him it's been quite an experience fighting together.)
"I'll be sure to tell him that," Spider-Man told his counterpart before he addressed Patronus. "Hey there, man. Good to see you are okay after an ordeal like this." He lightly tapped Anti-Venom and Octavius' bodies as relief washed over him. "So, do you think they'll remember everything?"
Patronus shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows, but if they do—" He raised his hand as the Hidden Blade extended in response. "—I'll just dispose of them." Seeing the glare from Spider-Man, Naruto chuckled before he retracted the blade. "Kidding, Spidey, geez. And I thought you were a jokester."
"Spider-Man 2099, or Spidey 2.0 as you called him, wanted to say it was a pleasure working with you." Peter said before extending his hand to Naruto. "And this same goes for me. Both of you… you guys saved me and Mary Jane's lives through this ordeal. I'm glad you are here."
"That's what friends are for, Spidey." Patronus retorted as he accepted Peter's hand and shook it. "Glad everything worked out okay. So, should I leave these two at S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers?"
Spider-Man pondered about the course of action before he answered, "How about we have hot dogs on the way there?"
"Sounds good," Patronus answered as he carried Octavius while Spider-Man webbed up Anti-Venom and held him at arms-length. "I wonder if the Red Sox-Mets game is today."
Peter faced the ninja with a serious expression. "Are you a Red Sox fan?"
"Yeah…" Naruto answered before he assumed the same expression. "Mets fan?"
The pride for their respective baseball teams instantly took over the heroes as they quickly left the heavy webbed villains at the nearby police precinct and raced each other to the Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, for the mentioned game.
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Year 2099
Sanctum Santorum, Greenwich Village
Downtown District, Nueva York City
The heroes met up with each other for their weekly meeting regarding criminal activity in the city and information about their enemies such as the Avengers and Hydra. Unlike their previous incarnation's attitudes towards each other, this current team acknowledges their abilities and personalities. Another fact that helps their teamwork was their being Assassins whom their predecessor, Patronus Maximus, revived the Brotherhood during the Heroic Age, which proved pivotal in humanity's greatest need.
Hearing the door open, the Defenders waited for the person overseeing their operations: Mentor of the Nueva York Brotherhood. "Relax, everyone… it's not the White House."
"No, but still tradition remains even in this century." Hulk 2099 answered, though he was in his human form: a man with a semi-muscular frame with shaggy brown hair as he wore a lab coat over a light blue collared shirt and black jeans. This is John Eisenhart, a former dealmaker turned hero after the slaughter of the Knights of Banner, a dedicated cult who worshipped the original Hulk in the Heroic Age.
The Mentor stepped out of the shadow, revealing himself to be Spider-Man 2099. "Oh, what a day."
"What are you talking about?" Strange asked, confused about the Mentor's exhausted behavior. "Nothing's happened for the whole day. You okay?"
Oh, right. Since the backlash from the reversed polarity of the Time Storm wiped out the alternate timeline, the Defenders had no memory of meeting Patronus except for Miguel. For him, it was an honor to meet and work with the Master Assassin who changed the world and their Brotherhood. Hopefully, he doesn't remember about the events, but if the rumors about him continues to be true, Miguel could only pray that Patronus will keep the Time Storm event to himself. Though, there was one regret in O'Hara's mind; he never got to learn Patronus' true identity.
Though that was largely on their part. Alchemax and its rival corporations searched for Patronus' identity, but there were no results in the end and forced the Assassins, led by Miguel's predecessor, to institute the Data Collapse to protect the hooded figure and the Brotherhood at the same time. Their goals about protecting mankind's free will remained, even though the Templars are gone.
"Spidey, are you ready for today's game?"
"Hell yeah." Miguel answered as he took off his mask, revealing a dark brown and short-haired man with green eyes.
The Defenders/Assassins sat down on their semi-leather couch in front of a massive TV before Strange activated the remote and turned on the box as a baseball game. Opposing cheers of 'Red Sox' and 'Mets' were shouted in the room as they were enjoying a time of pleasure after a hard day's work, especially for Miguel O'Hara. This was a tradition for all Assassins across the globe after a long day of hard work that they would enjoy themselves in daily activities such as sports. The American Brotherhood, however, took their sports very seriously and this started from Patronus Maximus's tenure as Mentor.
"Tienes la bueno vida, Patronus."
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Year 2006
Uzumaki Manor, Homestead Grounds
Forested Massachusetts
After a shocking loss of the Red Sox and bidding the exhausted Peter farewell, Naruto had returned to Takama-ga-hara and retrieved his family before going home. He informed them about his recent journey of traveling in time between the present and the future, his allying with Spider-Man and his future counterpart, the battle against Hercules of the time and the Hydra, the Defenders, and the alternate CEO Parker who was let his guilt turn him into an insane megalomaniac, and the Time Storm being responsible for the strange occurrence in the Shinto realm.
With that said and done, the family sought for sleep except for the head of the clan as he had something else he needed to do. Naruto had put this notion off since he read it, but, after what happened with the CEO Parker and the Time Storm, he knows that it had to be done to ensure the survival of the Brotherhood and warn future generations in case similar events occurs.
Laid open in front of him on the table was the Codex as an ink pen twirled between his fingers, pondering on where to start writing his adventures.
Finally, he started writing his first entry.
"April 28, 2006. You can never know where the day's going to take you."
Naruto stopped in his progress as he observed the new handwriting for a few moments. "Huh, Medusa was right. I'll thank her for the lessons when I go to bed." Lately, he had been taking—forcibly—handwriting lessons after Medusa caught sight of his below average handwriting on a note some time ago. It was hard since English had to be written in a different style that Naruto was not familiar with at all. "Plus, this saves me a lot of time writing than the regular style." He mentioned before continuing the first of his recorded activities.
"I myself really did not know that I was going to travel through time. No sir, I did not. This started when I was… traveling with an unorthodox method and saw the impending death of one of my good friends and a hero here in the so-called Heroic Age, Spider-Man. I arrived in New York City and found many things changed like Horizon Labs being dismantled by the corporation Alchemax. It was there I met the villainous Anti-Venom, a giant humanoid covered in a white goo-like substance that seemed to give him abilities similar to Spider-Man, and the one behind his attempted homicide, Sloane. After a brief but dominating bout with the controlled Anti-Venom, I was aided by a man who came through the Gateway. He was of the future from the year of 2099 and claimed the moniker of Spider-Man as well."
Naruto continued to write his Time Storm journey until the last leg with the CEO.
"I had wished there was another way, but the CEO would have manipulated the past to keep his family at the cost of others such as my family and those in Spider-Man 2099's life. It was that moment I knew the Creed demanded his life, and with swift strikes of my blade, Kogitsunemaru, I took it, and cut his body into parts. Those parts are forever lost to what I assumed to be the Space-Time Continuum.
This Quantum Causality, I hope, would ensure a different life for Peter and his family here in the present as he knows—vows to never become the CEO. And I believe him. To think such a person would hold onto guilt and let it consume him or her… it frightens me. Would I have let guilt—the guilt about failing to beat the Shinju and the cost of my friends' lives—to change me if I didn't have the people I care about in my live: Kurama, Ashura, my wives and children, and others. I heed to the one whom will succeed me once I am gone.
Death is inevitable for all beings, whether man or god, but if one chooses to reject that, then he or she will be punished in ways unknown to us yet. Surprisingly for those who accept death, life rewards them with gifts sometimes incomprehensible or unwarranted. I happened to have been imparted with the latter, but I will let you figure that one out on your own."
Naruto ended the entry with a chibi fox that had a whimsical eye wink before he closed the Codex and exited the room for the comforts of his beloved wives and girlfriend in the master bedroom. As he slipped into bed between his slumbering beauties, Naruto replayed the words of Black Cat 2099 in his mind.
"Don't abandon her."
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