บท 27: Temporal Paradox
It had been quite a roller coaster for the last Croft in the world as she entered a new world after falling in love with the one who changed her life. She, like her father, prided herself about the knowledge obtained from study in her childhood and college. Lara thought she knew everything as much as possible about the past but Naruto AKA Patronus told her everything about his mission and past in his home-world: Tailed Beasts created by his ancestor, Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Shinju, the Fourth Shinobi World War, the Allied Shinobi Forces.
She learned about the loss of his friends, the training by the Sage of the Six Paths, the various worlds he traveled so far and the beings like the Biblical figures and the Seireitei Shinigami, his being given immortality and godly powers by Poseidon and such. Naruto continued with the recent events like meeting and encountering the kami of Takama-ga-hara as well as being adopted by the fox god Inari Okami and trained by the latter. The kicker of Naruto's tales was about the Brotherhood who had safeguarded mankind's free will as they believed it allowed their race to progress farther than they could ever do if restricted. Their archenemies, the Templars, sought to save humanity from their self-destruction by stripping them of free will and they committed several acts such as massacres and genocides.
The fact these two organizations influenced the shape of the world as it was today and as humans shocked Lara to her core.
She was so shocked that she didn't respond to Naruto's calls.
"Lara… Lara?" Naruto softly tapped her cheeks to snap his girlfriend out of her stupor. "Can you hear me?"
"Well, I expected this reaction out of her."
"You did not." Naruto answered hotly.
"I didn't? Does thinking it count?"
Naruto looked at the fox with narrowed eyes. "No."
"Then no."
Naruto sighed as he snapped his fingers in front of her elegant face. "Lara, sweetie, are you okay? Please talk to me." He pleaded before Lara blinked owlishly as she took in her surroundings. They were still at Croft Mansion as Naruto stayed with her to consolidate their relationship with each other. The day they physically manifested their love was three days ago and spent those days talking.
"Am I dreaming?" Lara asked before she pinched herself, then pulled her cheek. "Nope, not dreaming."
"Overwhelming, huh?"
"That's kind of an understatement." Lara retorted as a small smile etched her lips when Naruto's hands snaked with hers. "Thank you for telling me. This is… this is unbelievable information—history here, Naruto!" She said excitedly. "This could change the world but…"
Naruto raised a brow at her pause. "But?"
"But there's a reason why your Brotherhood and the Templars remained in the shadows for centuries." Lara finished softly. "Anyway, I'm honored to learn about this, especially the Assassins you mentioned."
"Altair Ibn-La Ahad, Ezio Auditore, Edward Kenway, Connor and the Frye twins: the prominent Assassins who made lasting changes in the world." Naruto recalled the names as he looked up to them since all of them were above-average but very strong-willed Humans with no abilities except for the Eagle Vision. In the study where he found the Codex, there were numerous journals about the legendary Assassins and their deeds including their targets. "I would give an arm and a leg to have an opportunity to see one of these guys in action back in the day."
Lara chuckled in response. "After hearing about them, I would too." She blinked a second later. "Don't you know Iron Man?"
"Not really. I mean, we only worked together a couple of times." Naruto admitted with a shrug. "Why do you ask?"
"Can you ask him to build a time machine?"
"I'm not so sure since it'll be awkward if I ask him that all of the sudden."
Lara groaned but agreed after hearing about the relations between the two heroes. "Can't blame a girl for trying."
"Said girl who almost risked her life for an artifact that was a curse and not divine." Naruto retorted before Lara playfully slapped his arm. "When we have a chance for that, we'll go." Lara smiled at his words and kissed his hands, prompting him to do the same except on the lips as he leaned close to his girlfriend. "I'll never get tired of doing that."
Lara smiled before kissing him again. "Me neither, though, I am concerned about something."
"What?"
"The talking nine-tailed fox sleeping on the table next to us." Lara turned to the dog-sized Tailed Beast. "So, you are Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Beast?"
"Yes."
"But you are a kitsune as well."
"And?"
"How can you keep such power in a little form?" Lara asked curiously as she prodded Kurama's head and body. "Unless this is a form you chose instead of your real size…"
Kurama raised an impressed brow. "Smart girl. I see a bright future for you as long as you can keep him-" He pointed one of his tails at the eating Naruto. "—Out of unnecessary trouble, Lara."
"What else can you tell me?"
"No, my Jinchuriki told you everything about us and our adventures." Kurama yawned lazily as he stretched his body. "I'm heading back inside, Naruto. Lara, if ever you want to talk, just say the word." Lara nodded before the fox disappeared in a wisp of red chakra that was sucked into Naruto's body.
"He was… stoic."
"But he did say he likes you, Lara." Naruto retorted as he washed the plates and cooking utensils used for breakfast. "And Kurama doesn't like a lot of people."
"But he must like your family."
"Oh yeah, but he doesn't show it. The only time, though, is towards my kids since he's also their godfather."
"Say what now?" Lara asked in shock, which confused Naruto. "Seriously?"
"I didn't tell you?" Naruto received a shake from his girlfriend's head. "I thought I did. Well, now you know."
Lara blinked at his nonchalance, but then again, he unloaded everything about him to her. "Speaking of family, do they know you're here?"
"Of course, they do."
"And they're okay with that?"
"Yes."
"What about your duties as Patronus? Wouldn't your lack of presence in Boston raise questions?" Lara asked, only for Naruto to create a clone then punch it a second later. "Right." She remembered something else and went to her room before returning to the kitchen with something familiar to them both. "Your Hidden Blade I assume you'd want back."
Naruto watched her place his weapon in front of him. "Yeah, thanks. I see you didn't want to give it back." He reattached the bracer to his right wrist where it belonged just like the primary blade attached to his left limb. "Which reminds me…"
"What?" Lara asked as Naruto began to dress himself in his Patronus outfit with the hood down. "Where are you going?"
"Where are we going is more like it, Lara."
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Uzumaki Manor, Homestead Grounds
Forested Massachusetts, United States of America
"Um… girls?"
His wives were not happy as their glaring and black aura-covered bodies didn't make him or Lara feel any better.
"Where-" Saeko began to speak then trailed off.
Medusa continued her sentence. "Were-"
"You?" Kuroka finished with her claws slightly extended.
Before he knew it, Naruto was caught in a pretzel lock with his right arm left loose while Medusa had his legs caught within a scorpion lock. "What the heck, girls?!" He was completely confused by their actions against him. "What did I do?!"
"You didn't tell us where you were." Saeko retorted hotly before she jabbed him in the back. "For two weeks!"
Medusa nodded sternly before grinding her fist against Naruto's head. "We were worried about you and no calls, no notes."
"But I did!"
"When?" Kuroka asked hotly.
"Before I left, there was a note in the closet." Naruto answered meekly under the pressure despite his power. "Did you girls even check?"
Kuroka gulped nervously as she remembered the note… the same one that went into the trash after reading it. She forgot about it since on that same day, she and the others were caught in a chaotic war zone with the twins who displayed chakra abilities such as walking on walls and manipulating the elements uncontrollably in the manor.
"We didn't see any note." Medusa countered though she started to believe his words since he always made sure that they are informed about his arrivals and departures. "Guess the note got lost or something."
Saeko hummed in thought. "Perhaps."
Rhea, who placed the twins for their naps, arrived in the living room with a not-so-pleased aura around her despite the smile on her face. "Everyone, please refrain from yelling anymore or I'll be forced to send all of you outside." Lara watched those in the comedic conflict instantly sit in seiza in front of the woman. "And it appears we have a guest." She smiled at her. "It's been a while, Lara. How have you been?"
The Croft girl was so entranced of Naruto being pinned by his wives that she didn't recognize them until Rhea spoke to her. "You-You're the woman from the store." She took a closer examination at the women in the room. "All of you are."
"Oh right, you're the girl Hubby talked about at that island." Kuroka mentioned before she noticed something about her. "You look different from before. You have this glow…" She caught something familiar in the air as her nose led the disguised Nekomata closer to Lara where she smelled it before a gasp came from her. "You have his scent." She looked between the bushing Lara and the sheepish Naruto. "You two did it."
"Uh… I'm sorry." Lara apologized as she knew this would happen. "I'm sorry." A hand clamped on her shoulder, causing Lara to look a puzzled Rhea.
"What do you have to be sorry for, sweetheart?" The Titaness giggled, confusing the much younger girl. "You captured his heart just like the rest of us. That makes you special."
Lara couldn't believe what she was hearing as the other girls nodded with smiles toward her. "I-I admit I was really nervous about meeting you, but I didn't know you were his wives back then."
"Luckily for us, Naruto told us about you with details." Medusa countered while she brushed her hair away from her face, "Not just me, we all wanted to meet the girl who caught his fancy."
Saeko chuckled as she rubbed Naruto's back. "Anyway, welcome to the family."
"Uh girls, we're just boyfriend and girlfriend for now." Naruto told his wives, surprising them before explaining Lara's reasons for why. "Let's respect her wishes and move on from there." His wives nodded at his words. "So, how goes the residents here?"
"That's right. Naruto told me about aiding mutant families and letting them live in his isolated grounds." Lara observed the room they were standing. "Structure and furniture indicates Colonial-era origin with little modern technology." She smiled at the care the Assassin Brotherhood and the Uzumaki Clan take to maintain this one-of-a-kind structure for all these years. "This manor is very lovely."
The Uzumakis smiled before they urged their husband to stand up, prompting him to do what they wanted. "Want a tour?" Naruto asked as he offered a hand, which Lara accepted by intertwining with her own.
"I'd love it."
The ladies watched their husband and future sister-wife leave the room before they left for the kitchen to cook a celebratory lunch. Almost all of them anyway since Kuroka later followed them, wanting to see if Lara was willing to engage in an activity that doesn't involve just two participants. However, she was halted by Rhea who sweetly threatened to pet her two-tails in the opposite way.
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Naruto chuckled as he watched Rhea and Medusa being heavily questioned by an awe-struck Lara after they revealed their true identities as Greek mythological figures. "Enjoying the talk, ladies?" He smirked when Lara shushed him before she questioned Medusa about her confrontation with Perseus.
"I must say it's very nice to have an archeologist in our midst." Saeko muttered before she kissed Naruto's cheek. "And she can handle herself like us." As soon as she said that, a concerned expression overcame her husband's face. "What is it?"
"You, Lara, Medusa… You three are the only ones who don't have powers or weapons." Naruto said. Since they stopped Ultron, Thor's words about an impending threat approaching Earth frightened the ninja not for himself, but for his family. Rhea is stronger than him physically and power-wise with her abilities of geokinesis, levitation, and magic. Kuroka uses Senjutsu combined with her Yojutsu to perform magic, so she would be fine with a little more studying with Rhea.
As for the ones without powers, Naruto had been wrapping his head around to find suitable weapons or armory for them to use in the world. Since legends exist in this dimension, so should their artifacts as well. Two questions pondered through his prankster mind: where are they and who or what protects them? If protected, will they allow it out of their protection?
The ninja mused as a few weapons and artifacts came to his mind but most are likely sealed away or in their owners' possession.
"Naruto?" Said ninja looked at the one who called him. "Don't you have to go do your heroing?" Lara asked since Naruto was in his casual attire with only his Hidden Blades on him.
"It's Friday, Lara." Naruto answered. "I don't work on Fridays since I consider it part of the weekend."
Lara blinked before noticing the women in the room nodding at his words contently. "Wait, you take the weekend off?" Naruto nodded in response. "Why?"
"Because I can; I'm not married to it." Naruto then explained about the cops not having to rely on him and how it was their job to maintain the peace. "Plus, I want to spend more time with my family."
"Oh… I see."
"I thought I told you."
"With everything you told me, it can be forgotten at times." Lara smiled at him. "You're really something, Naruto."
The Uzumaki chuckled haughtily before he was silenced by the collective voice of his wives. "Don't encourage him. It'll just inflate his ego."
"So cruel are my loved ones~" Naruto pouted with a figurative depressed cloud over his head while Lara laughed with his wives. "I'm a lucky guy." The corner of his right eye caught a passing shadow, prompting him to smile before leaving for outside air.
This action caught the attention of his wives and girlfriend although the latter was confused as to why. When Lara looked around, she got head gestures from the women and followed the one who claimed her heart outside to the cove. As soon as she arrived, the Croft girl stopped in place as she was stunned by the sight before her.
A massive six-winged eagle with twin tails nuzzling against Naruto's head, much to their pleasure. "I missed you, Raicho." He glanced over Raicho's size which had doubled since the last time he saw him. It had actually been a month since the Uzumaki Clan saw the legendary creature as it flew out of the Homestead towards the southwest. According to Rhea, in the southwest lies the home of the Thunderbirds though Naruto was hesitant due to the bird's safety and whereabouts but chose to remain faithful that he would return.
And he did return with a wingspan longer than the manor's width.
"Come over here and say 'Hi,' Lara." Naruto told his girlfriend. Raicho noticed the newest member of the clan and screeched curiously as Lara reluctantly approached the avian. "This here is Raicho the Thunderbird." He patted his friend's feathered neck. "Raicho, this is Lara, a very good friend of mine."
Raicho merely turned his head side-to-side as Lara slowly stretched out her hand until she touched the surprisingly soft beak. A soft 'chirp' while a soft gasp of laughter escaped from the girl's lips. "This… this is amazing. A living Thunderbird from Native American religion," exclaimed Croft as she stroked the creature's narrow face. "How old is he?"
"Uh… Carry the two with…" Naruto looked at his fingers, counting for the correct age about the creature. "Almost a year now I think. That's fast for his size."
"A year?!" Lara exclaimed with surprise. "Incredible." She examined the avian creature's right eye that was so big, it reflected her face and upper body. "Simply incredible." A blink of eyes showed realization about something that also appeared in her life, "Where is that creature I saw at Yamatai? Is it here?"
Naruto chuckled as he whistled twice and Sui emerged from the cove waters, neighing like its land non-mythical counterpart. Seeing its master, the Hippocampus shrank to its miniature size and climbed up to Naruto's shoulder, nuzzling against his cheek in content. "Hey there, Sui, are you doing okay?"
Lara watched the yet-another legendary creature neighed positively before it noticed her presence. She gulped when Sui snaked down to the ground level and slithered towards her like a certain reptile before it extended its tail match Lara's height. The two stared at each other, lava-red eyes meeting brown ones, for a while until one made its approval clear to those present.
"Aw~ It's so cute," Lara couldn't help but express her true feelings as she cuddled with Sui. "And this is Poseidon's Hippocampus?"
"The first one he created actually." Naruto corrected Lara, surprising her of this fact. "In the previous dimension, she was somehow sealed into a jar of sorts and Poseidon couldn't release her since he would've been sucked in as well… though I still have doubts about that." He whispered the last words to himself.
Lara didn't mind his whispered sentence as she was enjoying the company with two of the world's legendary creatures. The Croft was still in awe of Sui and Raicho and appreciated the fact she met Naruto who opened a new world for her to explore beyond artifacts and books. For example, the time when the ninja explained to her about the sword on his back being Kogitsunemaru from Japanese mythology…
"Naruto…"
"Yeah?"
"Kogitsunemaru… you said Inari Okami forged the sword himself." Lara stated as Naruto reluctantly nodded with her words. "Does that mean you can visit him?"
"At his main shrine in Fushimi, Kyoto, or his home."
"Which means?"
"Takama-ga-hara." Naruto answered before flinching when Lara somehow got within his personal space, leaving behind the puzzled Sui and Raicho. "Damn girl, you're fast."
An excited Lara rapidly asked, "Can you take me there?"
"A little fast don't you think." Naruto dryly responded but couldn't help to laugh at Lara's starry eyes. "I would if I could, but I only get there for training sessions with Inari and that's not for another day or so." He blinked for a moment until a thought came to his mind. "Unless the girls did what Rhea thought about that…"
"What?" Lara asked before Naruto left her behind. "Hey!" She was about to go after him but decided to stay with Raicho and Sui before taking out her notepad and clicking her pen. "Prepare to be examined, you two." The two creatures glanced at each other quizzically before they shifted their gazes on the new member of the family.
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Inari's Temple, Dining Hall
Takama-ga-hara
"Wow!" Lara exclaimed as the archeologist within her squealed like a baby while her eyes scanned the interior she sat in seiza no less. Fortunately for her, she went on numerous trips to Japan with her father and was taught Japanese etiquette.
As for how they arrived at the temple, Naruto and Lara traveled with the kamidama, a miniature shrine for the household throughout Japan and some parts in the world like the United Kingdom. The kamidama houses the deity as the family's guardian in their lives and it could be any deity they wish it to be. The Uzumaki household holds two kamidama, Inari Okami and Amaterasu, as Saeko wanted to keep her traditions to the twins. Since the kamidama are miniature shrines, they serve as portals to other Inari or Amaterasu shrines in Japan and in this case, Takama-ga-hara.
"Can we explore the realm?"
Naruto chuckled as he was happy at Lara's excitement before his eyes glanced at Lara's current attire. She was wearing a light green kimono with her hair tied up like the women throughout Japan's ancient history. The ninja was more stunned by Lara's enhanced attractiveness by his culture. "You look even more beautiful."
"R-Really?" Lara asked as she fought down a blush while brushing aside. Among the cultures she admired, Japan was the top on her list along with Middle East and Mesoamerican. "You're not so bad yourself." She too was stunned by Naruto's change of clothing, his orange Inari kimono, before their arrival.
"Thanks," Naruto replied with a smile. "Do you want some katsudon or karrage?"
"How about ramen?" She received a big kiss from her boyfriend, which left her a little breathless for a moment. "I take it you like that food."
The ninja chuckled in response. "So are you, especially the ones from Takama-ga-hara. You know what? I'll take you to all the food shops here."
"Why the shops when you can eat here." Naruto and Lara looked ahead to find a disheveled Inari who fixed his kimono before he sat before them. "Ah, who is this beauty before me?" The fox god inquired before the duo took turns explaining their latest adventure in Serbia, including their blossomed love. "Ah, another future daughter-in-law."
Lara blinked owlishly before she remembered the fact that Naruto was adopted by the kami prior to their encounter with Trinity in Kitezh. Since she is dating him, that means Lara is partially a member of Inari's household in Takama-ga-hara like the others. "Wait, daughter-in-law? W-We haven't discussed about marriage yet."
"You will eventually," Inari responded casually.
Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "Lord Inari, she and I are going to take our relationship over time."
"That's right," Lara responded nervously while she tried to get rid of the small blush in her cheeks. "Though it's not completely off the table."
"Say what now?"
Inari chuckled at the relationship between the two before he recounted the rather lavish party with Leone back in their room. It was the reason for his appearance into the dining hall. Lately, Leone was even more aggressive and her lust grew more insatiable with each day, forcing Inari to use his powers of duplication to satisfy her like today.
"So, what would you like to know, Lara?" The fox god asked the human.
Lara stuttered before her archeology mind began to take over and she started to ask about everything in Japanese mythology and stories. Naruto simply sat there while the meal course consisting of ramen, karaage, katsudon, yakitori, and sake were placed in front of them by the kitsune servants, much to Lara's paused shock before she continued with her questions.
During the entire meal, Inari answered as best he could to Lara's questions without revealing too much about the kami and Takama-ga-hara. Lara was marveled by the quality of the food she ate as they were delicious with every bite but Naruto's huge appetite outshined her expression. The towering plates of ramen and katsudon was proof of that endless pit he called a stomach.
"Just what is he? How can he finish all that?" Lara thought internally as she eyed the increasing number of bowls. "I guess this must be tied to his power—chakra. The bigger the reserves, the more intake of food he must consume… Just amazing."
"And that's how I met and married my wife."
Lara blinked as she barely heard the story of Inari and Leone's wedding. "That's great, Lord Inari. I'm wondering why hasn't this information about your marriage ever been mentioned in the history books?"
"We gods don't have to tell the humans everything about us." Inari smugly told the mortal young woman. "And we can do whatever we want back in the day like…" He glanced the distracted eating Naruto before shifting his gaze on Lara. "Like back then, Susanoo or his son-in-law would have taken you from the mortal plane to be their concubine."
Naruto growled at the mention of Lara being taken from him while the latter was nervous at the idea of her as someone's concubine. Her relationship with Naruto was different as he loved her the same way she does him.
"They'd better think twice if they know what's good for them," Naruto said lowly while his adoptive father chuckled at his words.
"That's the mark of a husband: protect your lady and family."
"Damn straight." Naruto answered before he was tapped in the head by a pensive Lara. "What?"
Lara admonished him, "Be respectful here. He is a kami after all."
"So is he." Inari pointed out as Lara looked at Naruto strangely. "He didn't tell you?"
Naruto nodded his head. "I thought I did." He glanced at his girlfriend. "Didn't I?"
"Yes, you did." Lara responded, much to the ninja's relief. "It was just weird that you told Lord Inari about your godhood before me."
"I didn't actually. Inari sensed the power when we first met."
The kami of rice and fertility nodded at his words as Lara expressed a look of understanding. "I see. Can all deities sense the powers of another?" She received a full lesson of the Kami no Chikara, or godly power, and how one must maintain proper control to use them. Naturally-born deities are proficient from birth. As for a deity who was once mortal like Naruto, they need proper training to avoid the power from bursting them alive.
"Is she okay?" Inari asked simply because Lara was rapidly writing everything he told her into her notebook.
"It's an archeologist thing," Naruto responded simply. He blinked before his hand snatched up to block a pair of kunai that threatened to stab him. "Hello, Lady Leone."
The mortal in the room looked up as Leone, in her kimono, entered the room and kissed Inari before sitting in seiza next to him. "Hello there." She responded coolly before her eyes met Lara's, an action that caused the young girl to flinch in response.
"It feels that she's staring at me like a lion stalking its prey in the wilderness." Lara thought to herself as she sweat-dropped from Leone's pressure.
Only for the same pressure to dissipate followed by an unforeseen action.
"So pretty~" An owlishly Lara blinked several times as Leone was suddenly grabbing onto her like a stubborn baby. "And very firm in some areas." Leone observed after she squeezed the girl's assets and buttocks. "Though I have a feeling they'll get bigger and firmer." She chuckled as Lara whimpered before managing to get out of her hold and hiding behind Naruto. "Aw, don't be shy."
Lara tried to shove Naruto in front of the goddess as a sacrifice, but the ninja didn't budge from his seat mainly for his own safety. Leone gazed uninterestedly on the blonde but she was intrigued by his reaction to her kunai: when they fought, Naruto couldn't react to any of her movements until he had to use that strange transformation and that didn't even help him.
"Did something happen to him recently?" Leone wondered to herself. "Whisker-Face…" She ignored Naruto's twitching eye by his apparent nickname. "Did you engage in a big fight lately?"
Naruto shared looks with Lara for a moment. "Yeah against two: Abomination." Leone gestured her hand as if to 'continue.' "He is Hulk's physical archenemy and I had to use Sage Mode to match him in strength."
"Then there was this woman."
"A woman?" Inari asked as Lara nodded in response. "Describe her."
Naruto answered since he was the one who actually saw the woman. "Around Leone's age, maybe older, I guess. She has long light blue hair and eyes, wore a general's outfit of some kind, and has this tattoo-"
"In the middle of her chest above her cleavage?" Leone asked as she finished the boy's description. Her eyes widened in great surprise while Naruto was now suspicious as he nodded to answer her question. "Come with me… now."
Lara watched Naruto leave her behind but not before he gave a kiss to ease her worries. "Did something happen?"
"Leone's past is complicated and I fear Naruto just got himself a new enemy to watch out for."
Meanwhile as Naruto followed Leone, the lion goddess breathed loudly as to control her temper after receiving new information about the one who killed her pantheon. He stopped when she did before the latter turned around and asked him, "You fought Esdeath?" Naruto nodded. "And you survived? She is not type to let weak opponents leave with their lives."
"Geez, thanks for the vote of confidence." Naruto responded sarcastically. "We fought but then she left all of the sudden after I hit her with one of my jutsu."
"How? In our spar, you didn't last long."
"…I have another form… a stronger form." Naruto informed the goddess. "Honestly, I didn't think I could land a hit, much less react to her movements at all. However, she wasn't even warmed up from the looks of it."
Leone sighed deeply as she nodded understandably. "She toys with those weaker than but becomes serious if a strong enemy appears." She turned to face Naruto. "The fact you landed a blow on her and reacted to her movements is nothing short of a miracle. But to Esdeath, it means you are on her radar."
"Hooray for me," Naruto muttered sarcastically. He grunted when Leone punched him in the stomach and caused his knees to buckle slightly. "What the hell, that was a total sucker-punch!"
"And don't forget it. Esdeath will use anything and everything to obtain victory against her opponents."
"Lady Le-" Naruto ducked underneath her knife-hand thrust before he scurried on the floor and stood up away from Leone. "Damn it, woman, why are you attacking me?!"
"Always remain on guard when facing Esdeath."
Leone shifted her feet into a stance and arms in position before she attacked Naruto. The ninja was ready this time as he blocked her strikes albeit slowly. Seemingly amused of his movements, the goddess increased the speed of her attacks, forcing Naruto to respond in the same manner. "Good. Now, we can get to the warm-up."
"W-Warm up?"
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Fushimi, Kyoto
Kansai Region, Honshu, Japan
"You know we didn't have to come here."
"We or actually I didn't have a choice—being the adoptive son of Inari and all." Naruto retorted as he winced from the bruises in his torso after Lara tapped an area. "Please don't poke. It hurts."
"But aren't you a god?"
"We hurt easy when hit by another deity or divine weapons."
Lara understood his words as she walked with him through the streets of Fushimi, Japan. Out of the many wards she visited in Japan altogether, Fushimi was one of the few towns Croft haven't visited. It was a good thing too since now the town will be explored by her and the one she loves.
"Where do you want to eat?" Naruto asked his girlfriend. "Kyoto is famous for its… shoot, what is it famous for?"
"Sake."
"Want some?"
"Maybe after you finish what you're supposed to do." Lara finished in a teasing tone, much to Naruto's chagrin. "Come on, let's find some… what are we looking for?"
"Ayakashi or better known as Yokai and phantoms in the English language."
"And it is the kami's job to extinguish these spirits?"
Naruto nodded albeit unsurely. "From what Inari told me, the ayakashi are spirits filled with immense regret. That regret grows into a grudge and that rises over the years until they transform, never to return human again." He shrugged his shoulders at this information. "We'll have to see for ourselves from here."
"And you brought me along because?"
"Because I want to be a good boyfriend/future husband."
"Bringing me to a potentially dangerous mission is a sign of a good boyfriend?"
"…Man." Naruto whined with a figurative depressed cloud over his head.
Lara shook her amused head as they turned the corner where the report of the ayakashi incidents was said to have occurred. Unfortunately for the duo, their path led them to one of the controversial areas known throughout the land of Japan. It was not only Kyoto, but all the major cities in the world like Tokyo, Los Angeles, and New York City.
"T-The red-light district?" Naruto nervously muttered while Lara sighed before a chuckle left her lips. "Lara, I swear I didn't take us here for pleasure."
"I believe you," Lara responded softly as she kissed his cheek to reassure him. "Now let's finish this quickly so we can go home."
"Bet."
The Uzumaki/Croft duo walked through the streets of the red-light district and ignored the many questionable sexual-oriented establishment. That also included actions in the same category as they glanced a man getting a blowjob from the prostitute he most likely ordered in a nearby alleyway. They finally reached their destination: an old izakaya of all places.
"Really? Here?" Lara asked confusingly.
Naruto pulled out the report from his jacket—which he changed into his casual clothing as Lara did—and read the address. He looked at the izakaya then the paper a few times. "Yeah, this is the place. Why would a restaurant be in the red-light district?"
"To refuel themselves?" Lara asked unsurely before they entered the building.
The interior was actually large than the exterior as there were plenty of customers inside, laughing and talking with each other. Some men looked their way with their eyes scanning Lara rather lusciously until a simple glare from Naruto forced them to stare at something else in the room. The couple took their seat in front of the kitchen as chefs worked with each order, trying to get them to their customers as fresh as possible.
"Hello there, what can I get for you two today?" The owner, a middle-aged man with thinning hair and eyeglasses, adorned in clothing of a cook, approached the couple with menus. "Foreigners? You two are just in luck: today, we have one of our specials."
"Yeah, we actually heard about this special from a friend here. It's the main reason for our visit." Naruto responded as Lara agreed with him. "Is it true you only have it once a month?"
The owner smiled with pride though the nature of his energy was different if Kurama's special sensing ability told Naruto anything. The duo ordered their food and the man turned to the kitchen as he relayed them to his employees. Lara waited like she had all the time in the world, enjoying Naruto's presence even though they were on assignment technically.
"Lara."
"Yeah?"
"What do you know about Norse mythology?"
"Quite a bit actually. Why?"
"Curious about a friend of mine: he's been banned from Asgard and ever since had searched for ways to return home. All of them failed." Naruto answered, surprising Lara as she knew whom he was talking about. "Right now, he's asking an… associate's help with science, but I was wondering if there are other ways to get into that place."
Lara grew excited as she might be able to help Thor, the Norse god of thunder and one of the Avengers, with her knowledge. "Well, first off, there's the Bifrost that allows travel between the Nine Realms though it is commanded by the Aesir god, Heimdall." Naruto nodded as she continued her explanation. "There's also artifacts that supposed to open several gates that open to the Nine Realms from Midgard AKA Earth."
"What are they called?"
"The Norm Stones."
"And these stones are supposed to open the gates throughout Earth connected to the Realms." Naruto said to clarify he heard the information correctly. Lara poked him on his cheek as her way of saying 'yes.' "Any chance you happen to know where these Norm Stones are?"
Lara shook her head unfortunately. "Sadly, these are myths though the world is full of marvels as we've seen."
"Well, at least I know what to look for." Naruto said as he saw the positive side before standing up. "I'll be back, just need to use the bathroom." He bid Lara with a kiss, then left for the destination needed for relief, only to turn the opposite direction when eyes were no longer on him. The ninja silently treaded past the food storage room to the back door where the owner approached an adjacent wall and tapped it four times in a tune. "Well, what do we have here?"
The wall separated from each other like the scene in Harry Potter as the owner entered through it, followed by Naruto once there was enough distance between them. What the ninja saw stunned him as there were countless creatures—yokai—walked past each other and talked like people at the market.
In fact, it was a market.
Naruto followed the owner to a shop and took a seat behind the gang of human-sized oni with red skin and two small horns on their foreheads as they played mahjong. The owner approached the butcher of the shop as the latter was cutting fresh salmon and yellowfin tuna with his sharp knives. The butcher, an octopus-like yokai, noticed his long-time friend and greeted him with a high-leg?
"How are you, Satoshi?" The yokai greeted jovially.
"Well, good here, Oga." Satoshi sighed forlornly, catching his friend's concerned eye. "Well until, my latest customers arrived just recently and one of them felt… strange." He paused as Oga gestured him to finish his thoughts. "It felt something between human and… divine." His friend tensed slightly, noticed by Naruto.
"Are we compromised?"
"No… no, I don't think so."
"Are you sure? After what happened with the humans the past weeks, I'd—hell, we all hoped the kami wouldn't notice."
"We're not even sure if he is a kami. Don't stress out." Satoshi soothed as he tried to calm the nervous Oga. "But if we are, it's been fun."
"I guess it wouldn't matter to them if they learned that we killed the yokai responsible for those murders." Oga answered softly, much to a certain someone's surprise. "We just want to live in peace like the old days. I hate those freaking yokai who believed in supremacy over the humans and they still exist today."
Satoshi sighed grimly. "I know, but a majority of us are afraid from being discovered by the humans and kami. We're just trying to live in peace. Nothing will change for us as it seems, but we have to remain positive."
"And hence you being the leader of the yokai in Kyoto."
"Did I have a choice?"
"Nope." Oga smiled mischievously, much to both of their amusement. "The usual?" Satoshi nodded as his response. "Got it."
After paying and bidding adieu to his friend, Satoshi returned to his restaurant and gave the fresh ingredients for the cooks. He slightly looked out of the kitchen where Naruto and Lara remained in their seats as they talked something about the Yucatan peninsula if his decent English caught their words correctly.
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One big feast of Kyoto meal and a tip later, the couple walked up the vermillion tori-covered stairs towards the Fushimi Taisho where Inari was said to be waiting for them. Soon enough, they met the fox god who didn't seem pleased at the top of the steps. "Naruto."
"Yes?"
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
"Exactly." Inari emphasized strongly as Lara hid behind the nonchalant yet guarded Naruto. "I gave you orders to erase the ayakashi from this world, but you ignored them."
Naruto responded sternly. "And?"
"Why?"
"Because they are innocent and dealt with the ones responsible for the murders. That community only wants to live in peace amongst the humans, but they are afraid of them and… us." Naruto tightened his fist as he continued speaking to the stern god. "They want change but that also has to come from the kami as well."
"You would defend such atrocities against all living beings for the sake of change in the world?"
"If it meant a better world, then yes." Naruto answered as he subtly channeled chakra around his palm.
"… Good then."
"Eh?" The couple said at the same time as Inari laughed at their expressions.
"Change is good and I wanted to see if you would stick by it; the look in your eyes says it all," Inari responded with his usual smile as he glowed fiery orange. "I'll see you two later in Takama-ga-hara whenever you want though… Nah, I'll wait for the next session. Hope you don't die in it."
"Wait, what?" Naruto managed to ask before his adoptive father left for the heavenly realm. "Now, I'm scared." He felt the lips of Lara touch his cheek. "What was that for?"
A small chuckle escaped from the Croft. "Because it's not every day a girlfriend comforts her scared boyfriend like you."
"I can think of another way to make me happy," Naruto retorted with a smile before Lara playfully slapped his face. "But I think Kyoto has more to offer for us."
"Agreed."
Lara leaned against Naruto's side with her head on his shoulder while the latter's arm laid around the former's neck as they walked back down the steps together under the night sky.
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(One Week Later)
Training Hall, Inari's Temple
Takama-ga-hara
After Lara's week of stay around the Homestead and meeting the mutant families, the Croft girl returned to her manor in England though she kept a Hirashin kunai. During that time period, Naruto and Rhea forged a set of Hidden Blades specifically built for Lara. Like Naruto's, Lara's were forged out of Adamantine, and enchanted by Kuroka. Also, the Uzumaki Clan head wanted to stay in touch with Lara in case an emergency or they simply want to talk, so he thought of the idea to connect the two manors on opposite ends of the world through magic like how the various entrances around the Homestead and had Kuroka, who was practicing with the spells for a while, to perform the task as her first test.
It didn't go well at first since Kuroka hadn't really used her magic for a great while but eventually she was able to accomplish it. Now Lara could come and go as she pleased, much to her and everyone's excitement. Right now, the family was called to the sacred homeland of the kami for an important ceremony and this included Lara as well since she would never want to miss this opportunity.
"Um, mind repeating that again, Lady Leone?" asked Lara as she and her fellow lady friends san Rhea grew nervous.
The Lion Queen's response was her tossing a wooden bow at the mortal girlfriend of her yet-to-be adopted son. "You gals are training with me. I cannot stand having such weak girls within my household." She then felt a brief of an ancient power and traced it to Rhea, impressing and scaring Leone. "Well, most of you anyway."
Kuroka whimpered as she never thought to be part of physical training, but then again magic was limited by the user's current physicality. The stronger the body, more powerful magic becomes afterwards. She and her fellow sister-wives along with Lara began a few warm-up exercises as they followed Leone's movements.
The jumping jacks they did drew the attention of the one whose heart was snagged by their beauty and personalities.
"Stop staring and focus!"
Naruto flinched when Inari's hand slapped against his bare back. The ninja was in the middle of another training session albeit differently as it involved the Kami no Chikara outside of the training hall. "Man, they're beautiful," Naruto thought with his eyes snatching glances of his loved ones' training under Leone. As for the twins, they were being taken care by Chise and her mother whom he was surprised to meet before welcoming them as friends.
"Now, Naruto, remember what I told you. Concentrate," Inari told his adopted son. "You may be a new god but that doesn't mean you can control the power. Remember you were mortal therefore so was your body. Both body and power must adapt to each other."
The Jinchuriki nodded in understanding the concept as he breathed deeply and focused on the power within him. The feeling of glass/pins that would inflict in his arms and legs before was no longer there. Instead it was a soft but strong feeling akin to the gust of wind combined with the rushing seawater and earthy pickings.
Inari smiled as he was impressed with Naruto's fast learning curve about the Kami no Chikara. The fox god watched the ninja move his arms alit in a soft light blue aura like the rest of the body. Wind began to pick up within the room as if it was obeying Naruto's nonverbal command. Unlike the last time at the Homestead, the element was gentle but awaits his intent for stronger attacks if need be.
The hue around Naruto's body turned lighter as his stance shifted to slow but strong steps along with his punches. Below his feet was the ground cracking slightly before the sand and rocks lurched forward as Naruto commanded them to form a massive wall that stood between him and his master.
"Impressive though I'm more concerned about your concentration in combat." Inari casually tossed one of the giant kitsune statues at his adopted son.
Naruto, still ablaze in his godly power, punched instead of catching it as the statue splintered into countless debris. Inari was pleased by this action since the destroyed object had been made from a forgotten metal known only to the kami and reputedly to be near-indestructible except by vastly powerful beings such as Amaterasu, Susanoo, and their moon god of a brother. This meant there was more to his adopted son's potential as a god than he thought.
"How was that?" The ninja asked as he suppressed the power within him.
"Good considering how you were earlier, but you still have a long way to go."
Naruto nodded in understanding as he knew the training would be taxing and almost never-ending but the godly power of Poseidon and Inari's training will help him in the future.
Suddenly, the bright blue sky of Takama-ga-hara turned hazy purple as all residents were alarmed including the grand hall of Amaterasu. A small fire sphere floated hurriedly to the concerned Inari who nodded before it left the grounds, worrying Naruto. "Something's happened on Earth. I am needed at the Grand Hall where Her Majesty has called for all gods to attend." He raised his hand to stop the ninja. "However, she requested some gods to do reconnaissance to figure out the source of the problem. Go."
"My family."
"They will remain here for safety. Leone will watch them."
Naruto glanced at his family who were consumed by Leone's training to even notice and nodded before leaving the Shinto realm via Hiraishin.
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Manhattan, New York City
New York
The ninja's plan was to go to Boston and speak with Max to find out about the disturbance powerful enough to shake Takama-ga-hara and concern the supreme goddess of Japan. Instead he found himself in New York instead which seemed normal and safe. "Did I mess up or something?" A more pressing matter for Naruto was the weird images he saw during the Hiraishin's space. It was about Spider-Man with his costume torn and heavily injured against a foe whom he couldn't see. "I need to go to Horizon Labs and check on him."
Naruto changed into his Patronus outfit and ran across the roofs of several buildings for the Horizon Labs building, only to find it non-existent. "What the hell? Where is Horizon Labs?" He activated his wrist computer and searched for the company in the Internet with one result. "'Horizon Labs' Failed Start; Modell in Shambles.' What's going on here? Skye, come in."
No answer came from his technical support.
"Skye, come in." Naruto called once again as it was the same result. "I need to find Peter and fast."
"That I agree with you, Patronus."
"Huh?" He looked around for the voice before looking at his wrist computer, which had an image of blue-haired woman. "Is that you, Karen?" Naruto asked to make sure the voice belonged to Spider-Man's AI.
"Affirmative."
"Can you explain what the hell's going on? Where's Horizon Labs and Max Modell?"
"Give me a few seconds… done. This is odd."
"What is it?"
"According to my latest research, a company called Alchemax bought out Horizon Labs and crushed any competing companies in the world while those like Stark and Fujikawa Industries still remains though both are struggling right now."
Naruto raised a brow at this new information. "I never heard of Alchemax before though granted I never read the paper except for sports and grocery sales. So, what's the odd part?"
"The odd part is that Alchemax was established years earlier than it was supposed."
"How early?"
"Twenty years before Stark Industries when they both actually started around the same time. Something is very wrong here, Patronus."
"You think? By the way, how exactly are you in my wrist computer?"
"Mr. Parker thought it was best for me to have a copy of myself somewhere safe in case of situations like this. Luckily, you happened to be most secretive hero who qualified for such honor."
"I don't feel honored at the moment." Patronus responded stoically.
"Mr. Parker thought you would say that. You should head to the Alchemax building."
"Why?"
"Three reasons: quantum energy is detected there; secondly, the man behind Alchemax, Walter Sloane, is there right now; and third, Spider-Man also happens to be at the same place as is Mr. Parker."
"And you know this how?"
"Simple: I hacked Alchemax's security mainframe. You must hurry though. It doesn't look good."
"On it."
Patronus Shunshined across Midtown to the location of Achemax's headquarters and eventually arrived at his destination. What surprised the ninja was that the corporation's windows aghast in smoking flames as the employees fled from the entrance ground level and found his ticket inside via a broken vent on the roof. After several turns and shimmies through some tight spaces, Naruto found himself on the fifty-fifth floor and surrounded by security guards who didn't seem to notice his presence.
"Let's keep that way."
The guards' discussion of the baseball game between Red Sox and Angels along with booty calls ended when Patronus tapped their temples with his fingers in rapid succession and fell to sleep before they could even register what happened to them. With a Henge, Naruto's outfit resembled a guard and left the room as he locked it to prevent alerting the rest of the security force.
"Patronus, I'm detecting a huge source of quantum energy on the sixty-sixth floor."
"Quantum what?"
"Temporal power."
"… Still don't know what that means."
"Time energy."
"You mean someone is actually trying to control time?" Naruto asked incredulously. "How's that possible?"
"I am not sure by what you mean, Patronus. You yourself use time to your advantage."
"Huh?"
"Please do not be coy, Patronus. Mr. Parker had been studying your strange methods of travel between here and Boston. He always wondered about that and assumed you used some form of space-time manipulation. And I believe he was correct in his theory."
"I wonder if Parker can make another Karen." Patronus threatened as he gripped the screen tightly, eliciting a tiny yelp from the AI.
"Don't, don't! As far I'm concerned, Mr. Parker only made two copies of me and I fear what happened to the other me. Please don't destroy me."
"If you keep your lips shut, then we won't have a problem."
"…Okay, but there's a problem with that."
"What's that?"
"I don't have lips."
"Smartass."
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Gateway, Time Nest
66th Floor, Alchemax
Peter Parker was having a really bad day. Initially, today started out as normal for him with his day job as a lab assistant for Doctor Octavius in Alchemax. Then suddenly something attacked the building and forced all but him to leave as he assumed his superhero alter ego and found the one responsible.
It was Anti-Venom, the "twin brother" to one of his deadliest enemy known to him. The symbiote-attached enemy had an elongated jaw with fangs, sharp long claws and small tentacles around its back and a prehensile tongue. It was white throughout the body mass except the chest, parts of the upper arms, and the face covered with black while piercing deep red eyes staring down at him. An intense black spider-like symbol etched the chest area as a way to tell the web-slinger that he is superior to him.
There was also the fact that Anti-Venom's physique being bigger than the slender Spider-Man.
"Great, now Eddie's nuts."
Anti-Venom snarled before he leaped at Spider-Man with his claws threatening to stab into him. Peter grunted with exertion as he barely dodged the attack and retaliated with his own series of swift punches that staggered the taller symbiote. Anti-Venom snarled in annoyance as he swung out with a backhand, but Spider-Man fired a web-line and pulled him out of the trajectory to avoid being hit.
"Not this time!"
Spider-Man yelped out in surprise when a tentacle formed out of the enemy's palm, wrapped around his foot, before being swung around violently in the room. Peter aimed his web shooters at Anti-Venom's face and fired dual web-lines before an electrical current ran across them, shocking the controlled Eddie Brock as he released the hero.
Peter flipped over his enemy and ensnared him with webbing before tossing Anti-Venom through a circular door. He web-swing into the room and found himself in a semi-dark room with several crates. "Um, Eddie? We all done here? Hunh. How about that? Miguel. Good news: turns out you were wrong!" Spider-Man told triumphantly. "Hope that doesn't wound your ego…"
Miguel was the voice in his head that spoke to him during the attack, warning the original Spider-Man of his impending death on the 66th floor and Sloane's involvement in rewriting history including Peter's history. Another fun fact about the voice was that he is the Spider-Man from the future in New York.
(What, you think if you die, I'll be happy to be right?)
"I don't think you're happy to be wrong."
(Then you know as little about me as you think I know about you.) Miguel chastised his predecessor for his smug attitude.
Peter countered back at his 'successor.' "What I know is that Brock looks to be down for the count." He then whispered to himself. "Better make sure, though." His voice returned to normal tone. "So… can we call this one a wrap, Eddie? Maybe go grab some coffee? Laugh about it?" When the symbiotic-bonded Brock was nowhere to be found, Spider-Man relaxed his nerves. "Ok, guess I can go back now and take out Sloan now once and for all."
Spider-Man wished he could take back those words as he was suddenly wrapped in tentacles, courtesy of Anti-Venom. His body felt excruciatingly pain as he screamed while Anti-Venom rejoiced in the act. "Trying… to cure you…" Brock justified his reasoning for harming his archenemy.
"Cure… yourself!" Peter defiantly shouted before he was released by Anti-Venom, feeling extremely weak but still put up his guard. "Nice try, but it didn't work."
"Yes, it did… Now to finish the job!"
Spider-Man fired two web-lines to pull himself to the ceiling as Anti-Venom leaped at him with open arms. "Rapid-Fire!" Web bullets barraged from his web-shooters as they staggered Brock but it didn't last long as he quickly jumped at the ceiling and punched through the spot where Spider-Man once was before he dodged it.
His view being upside-down, Peter wasn't bothered by it as he swerved and twisted his body to avoid the tentacles. Spider-Man jumped off the ceiling and fired two web-lines to four crates before throwing them at Anti-Venom who smacked the projectiles away from. Brock launched more tentacles from his claws at the hero as the latter fired another line to pull himself to a nearby wall.
"I'm losing strength fast." The veteran hero admitted internally before he dodged another charged attack.
Both combatants met each other on ground level as Brock launched wild hook punches, but Peter dodged them albeit barely this time as he retaliated with swift punches that pushed back his enemy before finishing with a leg sweep. Anti-Venom sensed the attack coming and flipped over the kick before grappling Spider-Man with his tentacles, draining him of his powers.
"Almost… pity you." Anti-Venom snarled to his nemesis before releasing him.
Peter gasped as his breathing grew more heavily while the costume was shredded in some areas because of the tentacles. "I could… say the… same thing about… you." His knees buckled after taking a simple step. "My speed…"
"Gone." Anti-Venom declared in a snarl before punching his enemy hard with several hits. He finished by ensnaring Spider-Man while draining more of his powers and tossing him back to the gateway room.
The room where Walker, the CEO of Alchemax, stood in front of the weakened hero. "Good try, Spider-Man, but I've had a hundred years to plan this. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I kept you close to keep an eye on you… make use of you… but now you're done. And I'm through with you."
"O'Hara… A… a little help?" Peter asked through the chronal link, panting heavily while Anti-Venom ominously approached him. "O'Hara… if you're there… I got nothing left. No power… nothing. You tried to warn me… and I was an idiot."
(Stop talking about yourself in the past tense! This isn't over!) O'Hara defiantly barked at his predecessor.
"Spoken like someone… who isn't here." Peter responded weakly.
(I will be! Just hold on! I'm doing what I can! Come on, Parker!) O'Hara inadvertently pleaded. (Where's the 'never-say-die' attitude!?)
"I don't need to say it…" Spider-Man crawled slowly to get away from Anti-Venom. "And I'm out of jokes. I'm sorry... I… didn't get the job done…"
(No way! No shocking way are you giving me brave last words!) O'Hara refused to hear as the sounds of a fight echoed through the link.
That jolted Spider-Man to snap out of his stupor as he struggled to put himself up on his feet. "C'mon, Spidey… Hold it together… Just another few seconds to get your strength back…" The hero was then put into a bear hug courtesy of Anti-Venom. He fired a web spat directly into Brock's eyes before kicking him in the chest as the hero was free while blood slid down from his wound in the stomach.
The two archenemies glared at each other before charging with all their might… only for Anti-Venom to be sent flying sideways as the confused Spider-Man fell to his knees.
Walker and Octavius, his assistant whom he changed under his leadership, looked at the one responsible for stopping Anti-Venom. "Why are you interfering with this, guard? I'll have your pension for this." Sloane glared at the 'guard'. His glare turned to shock when the man's uniform 'poofed' and changed into something else. "No… It can't be."
The clothing was black with trails of orange and a hood obscuring his face while a katana hung closely to his back as the man tried to help Spider-Man up to his feet, but the latter remained on the ground out of mere exhaustion.
"P-Patronus?" Sloane sneered yet fear was present on his face. "You… You're not supposed to be here!"
Naruto tilted his head. "You know me?" He cracked his knuckles loudly as Sloane inadvertently took a step back. "Guess I'm going to get to know you the easy way…." Anti-Venom roared at him, standing behind the ninja with his stretched-out arms. "Right after I beat this guy into slime."
Spider-Man panted heavily as he stared at Patronus before falling unconscious. Patronus and Sloane noticed a web-line snagged the body and pulled the hero through the gateway, much to the latter's increasing fury. "This isn't supposed to happen! Spider-Man was to die here, but how did Patronus… Never mind that, Anti-Venom will crush him."
Even in 2099, the name and hero Patronus was regarded as a mere myth to the world except Boston whose residents remained faithful to the individual. All known facts and testimonies about the hero was lost in the Data Collapse in 2040, which was weird for all historians and scientists in 2099 who tirelessly searched for his origins to no avail.
"Crush you now." Anti-Venom leaped at Patronus with his tentacles. Naruto slashed through all of them with Kogitsunemaru as the chopped tentacle parts were set ablaze of the blue color. "Kill you!"
"Try it."
The symbiotic-bound villain charged at the hooded ninja as his arms morphed into uneven scimitars, swinging them at Patronus. Naruto easily dodged half of them while parrying the other half with the blue blade before he kicked him hard towards the gateway. Sloane's shock grew deeper when he saw this since the hero's abilities were unknown after the Data Collapse.
Brock recovered his footing before snarling at the nonchalant ninja who threw his blade. Naruto was surprised when Anti-Venom flipped over the weapon with surprising agility. "He moved just like Spider-Man," The ninja mused after his observation.
"His powers are Spider-Man's." Karen informed her temporary owner. "Anti-Venom is the 'twin brother' of Venom, a symbiote who bonded to Spider-Man long ago. After their 'separation,' Venom had been one of Spider-Man's deadliest enemies."
"And Anti-Venom?" Patronus asked while dodging and countering attacks against his opponent.
"Anti-Venom is a blank symbiote i.e. no will of its own, which allows its host complete control."
"It doesn't look like the host is in control."
Sloane gritted his teeth as he pressed a device, causing Anti-Venom to scream in pain. "Destroy him, Anti-Venom!"
"You won't be destroying anyone, you pasty-face patsy!" A voice shouted in defiance as someone swung through the gateway and kicked Brock down to the floor. Patronus, Sloane, Octavius, and Anti-Venom stared at the newcomer whose attire was definitely not from the present.
It was a man in a form-fitting light blue suit with light red demonic-like spider on the chest and skull-like images on the face to resemble eyes. A smaller cyan bluish demonic spider design etched on the top of his back while a blue 'beeped' across his costume. Sharp talons protruded from his forearms, making him more intimidating than the original Spider-Man. If one looked closer, a barely visible light and short cape fluttered from the back of his shoulders.
"What the hell! The place is crawling with Spider-Men!" A scared Octavius as Sloane snarled at the Spider-Man from his time period.
Walker then said, "Don't worry. He'll just step on this one as well." Anti-Venom launched his tentacles from his mass at the other Spider-Man before they were repelled by the suit's protection.
"What's going on?" Octavius asked in a confused manner. "Why isn't Anti-Venom's powers draining his-"
"Because my powers aren't radiation-based if you have to know." The other Spider-Man coldly told the technically century old villain.
Sloane's fury grew even more when he heard this. "Didn't know, don't care."
Anti-Venom charged at the new Spider-Man, only for him to grab something else as the latter was suddenly behind him. The bluish outline in his grasp faded into sparks as the web-crawler swiped his claws and talons against Anti-Venom's back, causing the taller villain to stagger while Patronus took advantage with several fists instead of blade.
The Spider-Man glanced at the hooded ninja before he flipped over Brock, ensnaring him with webbing all the while. The futuristic hero pulled the web-lines over him, flinging Anti-Venom through another room where the regeneration room was stationed… the very room where the original Spider-Man laid in his time period.
(O'Hara? O'Hara?) Peter's voice called out to him through the link. (Where… where am I?)
"Parker? You're alive!?" O'Hara said in shock yet relieved that his plan worked.
(What the—Miguel! There's some kind of monsters breaking in! Where'd they come from?)
O'Hara dodged a scimitar-like swipe from Anti-Venom's arm. "Just keep calm! They're probably mutation experiments from other regeneration eggs in that lab. Most likely they want to eat you for raw materials."
(Good thing you told me to stay calm… That makes it all better.) Peter sarcastically retorted weakly.
"I'll change things here to fix things there." O'Hara told his ally as he made another afterimage to take the brunt of Anti-Venom's attack before countering with a flurry of swipes and kicks. Out of nowhere, Patronus made his presence known by destroying one of the three hubs in the room. "Good, destroy the other two while I handle Slimey Bastard!"
(Who are you talking to? Wait, here? There? Am I in 2099?)
"Yeah, but if I and Patronus destroy the regeneration eggs here, it'll eliminate the experiments there." O'Hara informed Parker since both knew the phenomenon surrounding them right now. "Come here!" Spider-Man 2099 leaped onto Anti-Venom's back while Patronus sliced through the remaining eggs with his blade.
Anti-Venom was flung back to the gateway room by Spider-Man 2099's webs and his head snapped back after Patronus kneed him via Shunshin. O'Hara noticed something attached to Anti-Venom's chest after blasting him with a shockwave from his thrusted hands. "Patronus, destroy that device! It's controlling him!"
Naruto, heeding the different Spider-Man, formed a spear of lightning in his right hand before he threw it at Anti-Venom's chest. The control device crackled with electricity as the circuits were fired before it splintered off the villain's chest, restoring him to his right mind if anything.
"You… did to me." Anti-Venom said lowly as he trolled towards the scared Sloane and Octavius, ignoring Patronus and the other Spider-Man. "Planted that chip in me… Controlled me…"
Sloane walked backwards to the gateway, trying to convince his puppet otherwise. "I didn't control you, Brock. I freed you. We both know you wanted Spider-Man dead. You should be thanking me!" He shouted though soon regretted that decision.
"Then let me show you just how grateful I am!"
"No! Keep back!" A scared Sloane warned the approaching villain as they were in front of the gateway along with Octavius.
Octavius looked back at the duo behind him. "One side, you fool, before-"
Naruto and O'Hara watched Anti-Venom tackle the two men through the portal, fading from their sight as they looked at each other for a glance or two. The ninja was impressed by how badass the new Spider-Man looked with his futuristic suit while the latter was stunned as he couldn't believe that the myth existed after all.
"Patronus." Naruto introduced himself as he offered a hand.
O'Hara glanced at the extended limb before he accepted it. "Spider-Man from the year 2099, the future."
"Spider-Man 2099? Sounds better than Amazing Spider-Man." Patronus added while O'Hara nodded in agreement. "Where is he? Where is Spider-Man—I mean the one I know from this period."
"He's safe and healed." O'Hara answered before Patronus waved his hand as if gesturing him to explain. "He was dying, but I placed him in one of our regeneration pods in the future. Thank God, it worked and- HOLY SHOCK!"
Patronus caught a glimpse of movement in the corner of his left eye before he and Spider-Man 2099 flipped out of the way as bespectacled oozy tentacles launched out of the gateway towards them. "Just another days' work, huh." He groaned as the life of a superhero just kept getting excited yet complicated at the same time.
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