As Naruto, Robin, and Raven entered ops, Starfire exclaimed, "Friends! It is most fortunate that you have arrived! Cyborg was correct. The symbol is not of the Earth. What I have discovered is most disturbing." The whole team gathered around a printout of the mark on the table. She pulled a pointer rod from… somewhere and gestured at a spot on the page. "Please, give your attention to this quadrant. In the folklore of the Zargac nomads, markings such as these were used as a prelude to the Goulding." As she spoke, Naruto grew more and more confused.
"Actually…" Beast-Boy tried to interrupt Starfire, only to be ignored.
"A savage ritual that-" She stopped as Raven peeled off the part she'd indicated.
She examined it before turning to a sheepish Beast-Boy. "Tofu?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Heh, it's tofu calzone. My bad." Raven tossed it to him, hitting him in the face.
"Oh, never mind then." Starfire said dejectedly.
"It doesn't matter. Raven, you said you knew what it was?" Robin asked.
"Yes." She looked over at Naruto, who gave her a nod of encouragement. This interaction did not go unnoticed by Robin. "It's the mark of Skath. He was worshiped by an ancient order who-" She was interrupted as the alarm sounded. They turned to look at the large screen to see Slade's trademark 'S' prominently on display.
"Slade." Robin growled.
In an abandoned part of the city, Slade blew up several buildings with blasts of fire. "I do love my job." He said as he charged another blast in his hand. Before he could fire, a beam of sonic power destroyed it.
"Vandalism? I'd say you hit an all new low, Slade." Robin commented. Looking up, Slade saw the Boy Wonder and his his team, as well as the blonde nuisance.
"The Teen Titans. And I see you brought Raven's little guard dog."
"Heh," Naruto gave a short laugh. "She doesn't need me to protect her, trust me."
"Regardless, as you can see, I'm right in the middle of something." He gestured to the surrounding rubble. "I'll deal with you in a few minutes."
"No. We'll deal with you now." Robin declared.
"You can't always get what you want, Robin." Slade brought his reignited hands together and slammed them into the ground, creating a flaming shock-wave that the team managed to avoid.
"Titan's! Split up and take him down!" Robin commanded as Slade leapt from building to building, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
Despite his confidence in her, Naruto joined Raven in her pursuit; with her flying as he ran along the sides of buildings. "Doesn't Slade know that this whole block is slated for demolition?" He heard Cyborg comment over the coms.
"Since when does Slade need an excuse to wreck stuff?" Beast-Boy commented.
Robin suddenly intercepted Slade mid-jump, kicking him into a stack of barrels.
"Why did you come back? Did you get these powers from Skath? What does he want?" Robin demanded.
"Oh, so the girl told you about him. I wonder if she told you who he really is?" Slade questioned as he slowly walked towards Robin. Seeing his expression, he tisked in disappointment. "No? Pity."
"Well, she was going to, but you kind of interrupted our meeting." Naruto said casually as he landed next to Robin.
"How nice of you to join us. I'm actually glad you're here Naruto. You make things so much more interesting."
As Robin pondered how Slade knew his friend's name, Naruto spread his arms. "Yeah? Well I wouldn't want to keep you waiting then."
Before Slade could ask what he meant, he heard a cry of "Rasengan!" and felt a horrible grinding sensation in his back. The attack exploded, propelling him past Robin into a wall. "How's that for interesting!" Naruto yelled as his clone popped.
"You're quite full of surprises, aren't you?" Slade commented as he stood up. He spread his arms and created a large fireball. "Well, so am I." He launched the flaming orb, only for it to be stopped by a wall of black energy.
"What do you want?" Raven asked as her barrier faded.
"Only what any messenger wants, Raven. For their message to be heard." He said ominously. "It's time your friends learned the truth. And if you don't tell them, I will."
"As Naruto already said, I was already planning to." This time, Raven was the one advancing towards him. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. After all, she was Trigon's precious gem. Raven could finally get him back for all the torment he'd put her through. And since she couldn't kill him, there was no reason for her to hold back. "Still, while you're here, you can deliver a message for me."
The other Titans arrived to see her envelope Slade with her powers. She thrust her hands forward and slammed him into a building, before twisting and hurling him into another. Finally, she lifted him high and brought him crashing to the ground, creating a small crater. Her bout of violence had dislodged her hood and parted her cloak, revealing the glowing runes as she levitated towards her battered foe. "You tell him that he'll have to destroy me before I help him!"
Slade pulled himself up to a knee. "You can tell him yourself. The hour is near. Neither you nor your crippled pet can stop it."
Raven saw red at the jibe and pulled the nearby wall down on top of him. She then freed him, only to bash him against every available surface. She held him mid-air and closed her extended hand, causing all the rubble to crash into him. Finally, Raven's soul-self manifested around her, and she yelled as she sent it racing towards him. Slade's eye barely had time to widen in surprise before it collided with him. The resulting explosion covered the area in dust, obscuring the spectators' vision for a few moments.
'Is it wrong for me to think that was hot?' Naruto asked Kurama.
'No kit. No it is not.'
'Just checking.'
"I'm not afraid of you anymore!" Raven declared as the dust settled to reveal Slade, his head bent at an unnatural angle.
Slade snapped his bones back into place. "You might not fear me, but look who's afraid of you." He said as he phased into the ground.
She turned to see her friends' shocked expressions. She turned away, not wanting to face their fear, when she heard Naruto's voice: "Awesome."
"The ancient order that worshiped him used the name 'Skath' to protect the true identity of their master. We know him... as Trigon." Raven explained back in ops.
Cyborg recoiled in shock. "Are you serious? That's who we're up against? Oh, man!"
"His cruelty is legendary, even on my world." Starfire added.
"So, what makes you go all glowy in the dark?" Beast-Boy asked.
Raven felt Naruto place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Much to the surprise of the others, she gave him a small smile in thanks before answering. "It's a warning. It means Trigon is coming, and the way he gets here is through me." She took a deep breath. "There's a prophesy: 'The Gem was born of evil's fire. The Gem shall be his portal. He comes to claim. He comes to sire. The end of all things mortal.'" The others shuddered. "I'm not just a person. I'm the gem, his portal."
"But Raven, why you?" Robin asked.
"Because, Trigon… is my father." She said as she stood up. "But I have no intention of letting him through. I-" Naruto coughed, catching her attention. She smiled again. "Sorry, we will stop him."
"I just have one question." Cyborg said as we went over to them. "How can we help?"
"NO!" Raven cried as she jolted awake. It took her a few minutes to realize she was sitting up in her bed, before she fell back on her pillow groaning. Even with everyone's support, her remaining doubts and insecurities plagued her mind. She glanced at her clock before groaning again. After hours of lying awake, made worse by her inability to meditate, she'd only managed a paltry half-hour of sleep. It had been much the same after Slade first returned on her sixteenth birthday, but at least she'd still been able to meditate. Raven was about to resign herself to a sleepless night when an idea struck her.
Currently, Naruto was pacing his room. He'd known about Trigon for over two weeks now, but today had driven home just how much danger Raven was in. Sure, as a ninja, his friends were constantly in danger, but... this was Raven. He'd never cared about anyone this strongly. Despite only fully realizing his feelings the night before, he couldn't imagine life without her.
After dreaming of her death for the third time, he'd stopped trying to sleep. While he wanted nothing more than to go check on Raven, he refused to interrupt her rest. He suddenly stopped pacing as, for the second time in as many nights, he heard someone knocking. An illogical surge of relief filled him when saw who it was.
Raven watched as several intense emotions flashed across Naruto's face before he pulled her into a tight hug. She only hesitated a moment out of surprise, then returned it full force. Apparently, she wasn't the only one in need of comfort tonight.
He pulled back after a minute. "Sorry." He apologized.
"Don't be." She studied him. "Nightmares?" He nodded. Raven knew he had them on occasion, but this seemed more than that. "Do you want to talk about it?"
He moved aside to allow into his room. As the door closed, he sat heavily on his bed. While he didn't want to worry Raven, he knew he couldn't lie to her. When he felt her settle next to him, he spoke. "I- I couldn't save you. I tried everything, but... you still died." Tears welled in his eyes as he locked gazes with her. "I can't lose you."
This time, Raven initiated the hug, wrapping her arms around him. "You won't." She said with a new conviction. She realized he was just as scared as she was, and, in some odd way, that comforted her. He was just as scared as she was, if for different reasons. He wasn't fearless, but he was still willing to take on Trigon, an all-powerful demon, for her. She came here for comfort, only to be the one comforting him. And she was alright with that. "I'm not going anywhere. We're going to stop him together, remember?"
"Thanks, Raven-hime. That- that really helps." He wiped away his tears, before realizing that she was the one that sought him out. "I'm sorry. You came here, and I just dumped all this on you."
She frowned. "Naruto, you've helped me so much. Never think that you shouldn't talk to me about stuff like this. Trust me, you can't bottle all this up. "
"But-"
"No." She needed him to understand this. "I'm here for you, just as much as you're here for me."
He smiled, still wrapped in her embrace. "Alright." They just sat there for a bit, enjoying the other's presence, before he asked, "Why did you come her."
"I couldn't sleep either." Raven admitted
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No, just being here helps." It was true. Whenever she was with him, she felt safe, secure. She felt loved. And she really didn't want it to end. "Can… can I sleep here?" She asked. "I don't want to leave."
"Of course." Naruto replied, like it was the simplest thing in the world.
Deep inside a volcanic cavern, Slade bowed towards the demonic eyes of Trigon. "I have failed. The portal refuses to accept her fate. She draws strength from the boy."
"He has become an annoyance. His presence protects her mind as she slumbers, though I know not how. He must be eliminated."
"What of his claims to the mother's remnant?" He questioned. "If true, then he's much more than an annoyance."
"I suspect he spoke of a false deity. No mere Sage can defeat a goddess. Even if true, he still poses no threat to me. Go dispose of him. Do not fail me a second time."
Raven frowned in irritation as light from the window landed on her face. She'd just had the best sleep since, well, forever, and she didn't want to wake up. She pulled her warm pillow closer and smiled as it tightened its hold on her. Wait… She opened her eyes in confusion to see a shock of blond hair. She almost recoiled until she saw who it belonged to. As memories of the previous night filtered into her sleep-addled mind, she sighed in contentment. Snuggling deeper into Naruto's chest, her smile grew as she drifted back to sleep.
Naruto stirred, oddly reluctant to wake. Usually he was up at the crack of dawn, eager to meet Raven for their morning meditation. His eyes snapped open and he immediately noticed that the sun was already up. 'Shit!' He thought as he sat up. Or, he would have, but someone was holding him down.
"Hm, five more minutes." Hearing the groan, he looked down and smiled fondly at Raven's sleeping form. Even while sleeping, she was still the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. He lay there, content to watch her as she slept.
Eventually though, Raven stirred. "Good morning Hime." Naruto greeted as she awoke.
"Morning." She replied groggily.
"How'd you sleep?"
"Good. Better than I have in a long time." Her content expression seemed to amplify her natural beauty, making it hard for him to breath. "How about you? Any nightmares?"
"None at all." Kami, he wished they could do this every night.
"Can I come back tonight?" She asked echoing his desires.
"Always." He planted a gentle kiss on her forehead, causing her flush in a strange mixture of pleasure and embarrassment.
As they exited Naruto's bedroom, hand in hand, he thought he saw a flash of movement down the hall. He looked closer, before deciding that it was nothing.
Since all the Titans slept in their uniform in case of emergencies, aside from their shoes, there was no need for Raven to go back to her room. Instead, they just headed straight for the main room hand. As they neared ops, they locked gazes for a moment before moving respectable distance from each other. They weren't trying to hide their relationship per say, but they kind of wanted to be able to enjoy it without the others hounding them about it. For some reason, Naruto felt that it would be a bad idea to tell Starfire.
"Look who finally decided to show up!" Cyborg boomed from the kitchen. He stood behind the counter in a chef's hat and apron. "What'll you have? We have eggs, bacon, waffles, bacon, sausage… and more bacon." As he spoke, multiple hands seemed to materialize out of midair to point at each dish. By this point, Naruto was somewhat used to the Titan's strange variations of the sunset genjutsu. It could actually be fairly entertaining sometimes.
"Hit me up with some bacon!" Naruto requested, getting a heaping plate from the large man.
"I'm good." Raven said, a teapot appearing in a burst of black energy on one of the empty stoves.
Robin and Beast-Boy watched in fascination as Naruto ate plate after plate of food.
"Where does he put it all?" Robin whispered.
"I don't know. He eats almost as much as Cy." Beast-Boy whispered back.
"Friend Raven! I have acquired the medication for you!" Starfire exclaimed as she flew up to Raven. In her hand, she held out two small pills.
"Why are you giving be pain killers?" Raven asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"You are experiencing soreness, yes? I have read that it's quite common after your first time engaging in sexual intercourse."
Raven's whole body flushed a beat red as several jaws hit the ground. For several seconds, the only sound in the room came from Naruto savagely beating his chest in an attempt to dislodge the food he was choking on. Well, there was also Kurama's uncontrollable laughter, but only Naruto could hear that.
"Ex-Excuse me?" Raven sputtered. Surely, she'd heard her wrong.
"Oh, of course you are excused! I merely stated that the medication was to help with your after-sex soreness. Tell me, was it most pleasurable?" She 'innocently' asked with a peculiar giggle.
As Naruto was still suffocating, and none of the others had ever heard it before, Kurama was the only one to recognize the laugh. 'By the Sage, she IS a pervert!' He thought as his laughter grew. 'That's HILARIOUS!'
Snapping out of his stupor, Cyborg slid over. "Hold up!" Cyborg demanded. "You're telling me that Raven, our Raven, had sex!"
"Yes!" Starfire confirmed before Raven could deny it.
"Who?!" Cyborg asked in a dangerous tone. Normally he wouldn't be so angry, after all Raven could make her own choices. But last night had been very stressful for all of them, and someone had taken advantage of her emotional state to sleep with her!
Naruto had finally cleared his throat, and he barely had time to realize the danger he was in before Starfire answered. "With friend Naruto of course!"
Time seemed to stop for a moment at the declaration, before Cyborg yelled, "NARUTO!" and charged him with his frying pan. Raven was almost like a sister, and his protective instincts easily overrode his friendship with the blonde.
During his training trip, Naruto had learned that running just made the eventual beating worse. The best you could do was beg for mercy, even if you were innocent (Jiraiya had framed Naruto for his peeking multiple times). Thus, Naruto raised his arm to protect his face and closed his eyes, resigned to his fate. When several seconds passed with no pain, he looked up to find the pan barely an inch from his face encased with Raven's magic.
"Enough!"
"But-" The still furious Cyborg tried to argue.
"We did not have sex!" Raven shouted, before lowering Cyborg to the ground. As he calmed down and Naruto wept tears of relief, she rubbed her temples. "Can I have the painkillers now?"
"But, if you did not have intercourse, why do you require it?" Starfire tilted her head in confusion, but nonetheless handed it over.
"For my headache." She groaned as she poured herself a cup of tea.
"Uh, Star?" Robin asked.
"Yes Robin?"
"Why did you think they…" He waved his hand in the air, not wanting to say the words. For once, Starfire understood exactly what he meant.
"Oh! Because Raven slept in his room." She proclaimed, causing Raven to spit out her tea.
As Cyborg rounded on Naruto again, he quickly defended himself. "We didn't do anything, I swear! I was just having nightmares and she was helping me!"
"And just how was she 'helping' you?" Kurama, who had just begun to calm down, roared with renewed laughter as he caught her innuendo. Once again, he was the only one that noticed.
"Uh…" Given Cyborg's current state, Naruto didn't really want to tell him that he'd been snuggling with her all night. Luckily, he didn't have to. Apparently, a toad randomly popping into existence on the kitchen counter was enough to distract them.
"Yo Naruto! You so owe me! That old hag nearly killed me!"
As everyone watched in shock, with the exception Raven, Naruto apologized. "Sorry about that Gamaton."
"Ah, just give me some extra candy and we're good."
Naruto paused. "Uh, I'm actually out of candy. Can I just give you some next time?"
Gamaton deadpanned at him. "Really. I risk my life for you, and you don't have any candy!"
Before he could yell some more, Starfire chose to speak. "Greetings Gamaton! I am Starfire. Please, will this beverage be acceptable?" She held out a bottle of maple syrup with a straw in it. "I personally prefer the mustard, but the syrup is very sweet." While she didn't know who the strange creature was, it clearly knew Naruto and spoke his language.
He hesitantly took the bottle and took a sip. His eyes widened in surprise. "This… This is amazing." He said with stars in his eyes.
While this was going on, the boys could only watch in confusion. "Is it just me, or did that frog just talk?" Cyborg asked. While they knew that Naruto had a way of communicating with his home, he hadn't told them the specific details. As such, they were completely unaware of his summons.
"No, it's talking alright." Robin replied.
Raven considered explaining the situation to them but decided against it.
"Uh, Gamaton? Did Tsunade send what I asked for?"
"Yes." The toad said as he nursed his drink.
Naruto waited a bit before asking, "Where is it?"
"Oh, I don't have it."
"What! Why not!" Naruto shouted, a tick mark forming on his hear.
"Ah, calm down. You'll get it, but Ma wanted to give it to you herself. Said something about makin' sure you're eating right."
Naruto paled. "She wants me to summon her? Right now?"
"Yep!" Gamaton said. "Remember to have that sake next time. I'm not risking my life without it." He added and vanishing in a puff of smoke.
Naruto turned to the Titans. "Ok, guys, if Ma offers you anything to eat, just say no." Before they could ask who Ma was, he bit his thumb and performed the technique. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
A resounding CRACK echoed through the room, though the source was obscured by the smoke. It cleared to reveal a cloaked toad standing over Naruto with a rolling pin.
"Why…" He groaned.
"It's been a month and you still haven't summoned me! You talked to Pa, but all I get are letters!?"
Cyborg stared at her, then at Beast-Boy, then back again. "Wait…" He turned back to Beast-Boy. "You mean the frog that whacked me really wasn't you?" He asked.
It took a moment to remember what he was talking about. "Ha! I told you!" Beast-Boy yelled. He then jumped back with a yelp when Cyborg was hit over the head with a CLANK.
"I'm a toad, not a frog!" Shima yelled.
"You can understand him?" Naruto asked in surprise, his injury somehow miraculously healed.
"No, but I always know when someone calls me a frog." She shook her rolling-pin. "Do I look like a frog to you!" She demanded.
"No mam!" He instantly denied.
"That's right." She said, before looking around. "Now where is this Raven you talk so much about?" She asked, looking around. "Ah." She walked over to Raven, having recognized her from Naruto's description. "You must be Raven! It's so nice to finally meet you."
Naruto prepared to translate, only for Raven to surprise him. "It is an honor, Sage Shima." Raven replied in Elemental.
"Oh please, call me Ma. Everyone does." Shima said.
"How…?" Naruto began to ask. After he'd learned English, he still always heard Raven talk in Elemental. But, when she spoke just then, her words felt slightly different, and by Ma's reaction, it was clear that she'd understood her.
"What, did you really think the spell only worked one way?" Raven asked rhetorically.
"Heh, guess not." He said with a smile.
"It's so nice that Naruto-chan finally got a girlfriend." Ma said. "Hopefully, you'll be able to keep him in line."
"I try." Raven answered, laughing a little with the old Sage as Naruto moped slightly.
"Girlfriend?" Starfire asked in English. Both Naruto and Raven froze, having forgotten that she could understand them.
"Dudes, you're dating!" Beast-Boy shouted in realization. He gasped, "That's why you slept in his room last night! You were cuddling!" He accused, as if cuddling was a great crime.
"Oh, like you and Terra never cuddled." Raven quipped before smacking her hands over her mouth. Terra was a sensitive subject, especially for Beast-Boy.
Fortunately, Beast-Boy didn't seem offended. "Yeah! But we never slept together!"
Ma, totally lost, asked "What's the green one yelling about?"
When Naruto remained silent, rightly fearing her wrath, Starfire answered for him. "Oh, he's just talking about how Naruto slept with Raven!"
WHACK!
Shima seemed to emit an aura of pure rage as she advanced towards Naruto, who was currently embedded in the wall. "BOY! You slept with the girl after only one day!? Nuh uh! I will not let you become like Jiraiya-chan, even if I have to beat the pervert out of ya!"
"No, wait please! It's not like that!" His pleas were ignored, and this time, Raven was unable to save him.
"Sorry Naruto-chan." Ma apologized to after Raven explained that they had not, in fact, had sex.
"It's alright Ma." Naruto replied from the couch, where he was recovering. The other Titans sat on the far side of the other couch, fearing the old toad's wrath.
"Still, maybe this will help you feel better." She said as she gave him a scroll.
Naruto grinned. "Thanks!" Finally, he could get started.
"And, Lady Tsunade also sent something else." Ma held up a necklace, a green crystal hanging from it. "I wanted to give it to you myself."
He took it with a shacking hand, and everyone but Ma and Raven were shocked when they saw tears form in his eyes.
"Naruto, is that…" Raven asked.
"It's the necklace Ba-chan gave me. I thought it was destroyed?"
(AN. Yes, I know that it was really destroyed, but I wanted to add it.)
"Only the string. The crystal's too tough to break like that." Ma explained. "After she learned you were alive, Tsunade started looking for it. It took a while, but she eventually succeeded."
'Kurama?' Naruto asked.
'Now that we're working together, it shouldn't bother me. Go ahead and put it on.'
His henge had dispelled with the beating, but he didn't really want to use it for this. But he didn't want to struggle with one hand either. He turned to Raven. "Can you help me put it on?"
She gave him a kind smile, "Of course." She took it from his hand and gently placed it around his neck. "It looks good on you." She observed.
Naruto was currently sitting completely still in a clearing in the uninhabited areas outside of town, where he'd gone to practice the fūinjutsu he'd gotten from Ma. In front and to his sides was a deeply shadowed forest, while a large cliff stood behind him, blocking the view of Jump City. He could have practiced in the tower, but there wasn't enough room for him to spam clones. Besides, he didn't want to blow the tower up when he inevitably made a mistake. He hadn't started yet, as he had another reason for being there.
'He's not going to show up.' Kurama said.
'Of course he is.'
'How do you know that?'
'Simple. I'm a threat. I've interfered with his plans multiple times and I was able to hurt him. He knows he can't risk fighting me with Raven there, so he'll take the first opportunity he can to take me on alone.'
'That… was surprisingly well thought out. But how will he even know where you are. There's no way-' Kurama suddenly stopped talking.
'You were saying?' Naruto thought smugly, having sensed the same thing the fox had.
'Shut up brat.'
"Hello, Naruto." Slade said as he emerged from the dark edges of the forest.
"Finally! I've been waiting here for twenty minutes!" Naruto complained.
This actually caught Slade off guard, though he didn't show it. "Sorry, I guess I just got lost on the road of life."
Naruto just stared at him in disbelief before bursting into laughter. 'This is the guy Trigon considers a threat.' Slade thought in a deadpan as he watched Naruto literally rolling on the ground laughing.
Though annoying, his hysteria provided an excellent opportunity. Slade launched a fireball and watched as it engulfed the blonde. Despite his apparent success, his instincts, finely honed from a lifetime of combat, were telling him to remain alert. Only by listening to them was he able to lift an arm to block the incoming kick.
Still, the force was enough to send him skidding into the clearing, stopping just shy of the smoldering log where the boy had been. It had also broke his arm, though it quickly mended itself.
"Is that it? My friend sneezed hotter ones when he was twelve!" Naruto taunted from where he'd punted Slade. Without Beast-Boy here to worry about, Naruto was able to take full advantage of his Sage mode. He, along with three hidden clones scattered throughout the forest, had been gathering natural energy while they waited for Slade to arrive. It had been through his enhanced senses that he'd been able to sense the blast and pull a quick Kawarimi. Usually he wouldn't use it so early, but he wasn't taking any chances with Raven's life on the line.
"Don't worry. I'm just getting started." Slade replied as he shot several blasts in rapid succession.
"Woah!" Naruto exclaimed, barely able to dodge by contorting his body around the beams. Slade saw this and aimed a blast near his feet to trip him up. Rather than get caught in the blast, Naruto jumped backwards and planted his feet on a nearby tree. Using his enhanced strength, he leapt into the air with enough force to topple the pine.
As he passed overhead, Naruto quickly made a clone which quickly spiral Chakra in its hand. Naruto grabbed the clone's free arm and hurled it towards Slade.
"Rasengan!" The clone yelled as it rocketed towards him.
He jumped away before resounding BOOM rocked the forest. Slade's eye widened in surprise at the utter devastation the combo had wrought.
"Most impressive." He commented. The crater was at least ten feet in diameter.
"Still didn't get you though." Naruto noted as he flung several kunai, still mid-air, and went through several hand seals he'd asked Tsunade for. "Kunai Kage Bunshin no Jutsu", causing the five he'd thrown to multiply into fifty.
"Very true." Slade said. While there were numerous very few were actually close to hitting him. Those, he knocked to the ground. He was about to rush foreward but paused as he heard a hissing sound. Slade looked down and noticed that all the knives had a slip of paper wrapped around the handles, before they all exploded.
'You know you can't kill him, right?'
'Of course. He feels just like an Edo Tensei.'
'Then why didn't you wait until you're able to seal him before you picked a fight?'
'He's just a pawn. Trigon would just find someone else.'
The dense smoke from the explosion started swirling around, before it began glowing. It grew brighter and brighter as flames began to appear. Soon, it had become an inferno centered around an unharmed Slade. "Did you really think that could kill me?" Slade asked as he walked out from the flames.
"Of course not! You're already dead." His words caused Slade to momentarily halt his advance. "That's why you're working for Trigon, right? He promised to bring you back to life."
"You're… a surprisingly accurate deduction. Tell me, do you simply act the fool to confuse your enemies?"
'I wish.'
'Hey!'
"Nah," Naruto responded out loud. "That was more Obito's thing. I'm as straightforward as you can get."
"I see."
"You know Trigon's going to betray you, right." Naruto said, switching gears.
"Perhaps, but I have a plan for that."
"Even if you do come back, what then! There won't be a world left for you!"
Slade pondered his words before chuckling. "Are you actually trying to persuade me to switch sides?"
"I've done it before."
"Really." Slade said in clear disbelief. Behind Naruto, a flaming tendril emerged from the ground. "In that case, I'm going to have to decline." The flaming protrusion rushed to ensnare Naruto, but he sensed it and jumped out of the way.
"Raven might be able to help you, ya know!" He continued as if nothing had happened. "She might be able to free you and bring you back!"
"And you would just let me go?"
"Of course!"
He chuckled again. "I was wrong. You're not a fool. You're simply naive. And in this world, that's almost as bad." Slade charged him, done talking.
Naruto sighed. "I'm not as naive as you might thing." He dispelled one of his meditating clones before creating three new clones around him. One went to engage Slade as the other two channeled chakra above his outstretched hand.
"I've experienced more than you know." C-Naruto said as he ducked under a punch. "I've been through war. I've lost friends." He launched a punch at Slade's face. He moved his head to avoid it, but it still somehow made contact. "I've known loneliness! I've known hate!" Slade heard as he flew backward.
He got to his feet and heard a ringing that was far too loud to be from the impact. Looking for the source, he saw the original Naruto holding a small four-bladed sphere of energy. "But I will never allow it to change who I am. I am Naruto Uzumaki, and I never give up! I WILL defeat Trigon, and I WILL save Raven." In a slightly quieter voice that could still be heard above the ringing, he added, "And I might be able to save you too." With that, he threw the Rasenshuriken.
Slade, too slow to dodge, took the attack full force. While Naruto had made the jutsu smaller than usual to avoid notice and cause a panic, he was still fully enveloped by a sphere of uncountable microscopic blades.
After the attack died down, Naruto walked to the steaming body, knowing that he was still 'alive', and knelt down. "Think about it. You don't want this any more than we do."
Slade only stared at him before sinking into the ground.
'You're too soft kit.'
'I know, but I had to try.'
He looked at the sun and saw that he still had plenty of time before Raven expected him back. He looked around the clearing, pleased to see that the fire hadn't spread. Still, he should probably put them out.
He made a one-handed seal. "Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" He cried as over a thousand clones popped into existence. As five went to clean up the area, the others pulled out several scrolls.