Chapter 17: Chapter 17
Leo stood amidst the wreckage, his mind reeling from the chaos. The city lay in ruins, its once vibrant streets reduced to rubble, while miles of land were flattened, the result of a battle that had left no survivors in its wake. Leo felt a sense of disbelief that gnawed at him. "What just happened?" he thought, staring at the devastation around him.
The battle had been nothing short of catastrophic, but amidst the madness, one thing stood out to Leo: If he was serious, we would have died. So why didn't he?
The question echoed in his mind as he replayed the events before the destruction unfolded. The man they had fought, the one who had seemed like a potential threat, had never truly meant them harm. Leo remembered how the stranger had only asked for the necklace—an item Jason refused to part with.
Why did Jason react so aggressively for no reason? Leo wondered. The man hadn't even seemed hostile at first. But when Jason had lost control, things escalated, and the situation spiraled into a fight that ended with destruction on an unimaginable scale. Leo's thoughts lingered on the battle's climax, and how the man had shown restraint—stopping just short of finishing them off. It was as if he had wanted to end the fight but couldn't bring himself to. Had he been holding back? Leo couldn't understand it.
His gaze drifted toward Jason, who lay unconscious, his body battered and without an arm. The sight made Leo's chest tighten. What happened to him? He had never seen Jason like this before—unstable, desperate, and violent. Had he been affected by the power of that necklace?
Leo couldn't shake the feeling that everything was connected—something had shifted during that battle. The way Jason's aggression had ramped up suddenly, the unstable energy around them... Leo wasn't sure, but he sensed that something had changed. Something bigger than we can understand.
The chaos of the world around him seemed distant as his thoughts spiraled. Why did Jason act like that? And why was I, too, feeling the surge of power when I used the bracelet? Leo rubbed the delicate charm on his wrist, the golden bracelet that had been passed down from his parents. It had been a gift, and its power had been undeniable during the fight. It made him feel invincible, as though he could take on anything that stood in his path.
But now, as he stood in the wake of their destruction, doubt crept into his mind. What kind of thing is this? And why did our parents give us such power?
He paused, taking a breath to steady himself, trying to make sense of it all. Am I just being paranoid? He shook his head, but the unease still lingered. His instincts told him there was more to this than mere coincidence.
"Leo, we need to go and fight the Giant," Jason's sister, a force of calm amidst the chaos, called out to him. Her voice was firm, still carrying the weight of duty despite the earlier outbursts and tension.
Leo looked at her, his face weary but resolute. "What about Jason?" he asked, glancing at his fallen friend.
"We'll leave him with Piper and some of my comrades," she responded, her tone betraying no hesitation. It was clear she had already processed everything, and the mission was still her focus.
Leo nodded, understanding that their duty was still not over. They couldn't afford to pause for long—not with a new battle looming ahead. "Okay," he said, steeling himself for the next challenge.
As he walked alongside Jason's sister, a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the verge of something much larger than a simple fight against a Giant. There was a pattern, a connection to the strange power that seemed to be embedded in their very souls—something that had changed during their encounter with the mysterious man.
Whatever it is, I'll figure it out later. But right now, there's no time for doubts. Leo told himself, pushing the unease to the back of his mind. He had a mission. And that mission would not wait. But as he moved forward, part of him couldn't help but wonder just how much more the world was hiding from him and his friends.
Zeus sat in his private garden on Olympus, a glass of fine wine in hand as he casually observed the unfolding events through the strands of divine energy he had woven into the mortal realm. The beauty of the garden, with its flourishing trees and vibrant flowers, contrasted sharply with the ruthlessness of his thoughts. His eyes, gleaming with a sense of satisfaction, tracked the battle far below—a lowly conflict compared to the grandeur of the immortals, but one that held significance for him nonetheless.
"Even with such low power, that being managed so well. My little Jason has done good, but he needs more practice," Zeus mused, his voice barely a whisper on the breeze. He leaned back in his chair, swirling the wine in his glass, savoring both the taste and the sense of control it brought him.
Zeus's thoughts turned to his son, Jason. The boy had done well in his struggle, holding his ground despite the limits of his power. However, Zeus was not blind to his shortcomings. "I still need you, Jason," he thought, his mind turning cold. "Or else I will need to use the worthless brats with lower talent to draw out the power."
Jason, though a son of Olympus, was not yet refined in the ways of the immortals. He had potential, yes, but Zeus knew that potential would only manifest fully if he could push Jason further, forcing him to become a true instrument of his will. But time was running out, and Zeus couldn't afford to wait forever. He had plans—ambitious plans—and Jason's potential was the key to unlocking them.
"More time is needed," Zeus thought darkly, his fingers tightening around the glass. "So much power in it, but I need a sacrifice for it." He paused, savoring the weight of the thought. A sacrifice was essential—something or someone would need to be offered to fully unlock Jason's potential and to gain the power he craved. It was the only way to elevate Jason to the status of a true immortal in his eyes.
Zeus's lips curled into a satisfied smile as he took another sip of his wine. The taste was sweet, but not as sweet as the victory that would soon be his. "You are such a sweet child, Jason, listening to my words so obediently. I will immortalize your heroic actions once this is over." He chuckled softly to himself, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "The world will remember you, my son. But first, you must prove yourself worthy of the power I have in store for you."
As Zeus sat back and continued to watch, his mind swirled with thoughts of domination and control. The seeds were planted. Jason's fate was sealed, and the path to greater power had already begun. The mortals—those insignificant, fleeting beings—were nothing more than pawns in a game far beyond their comprehension. They would be swept away in the wake of Zeus's designs, all part of a grand plan that was finally beginning to unfold.
But for now, Zeus could enjoy the moment. The victory was close, and with it, everything he desired would fall into place.
Nemesis's voice cut through the air, calm and composed, as her shadowy form moved around Naruto. "You know, you should rest for a while. The place you are going is very dangerous," she advised, her words spoken softly yet laced with a subtle firmness, as if she had observed the weariness in his body and mind long before he realized it himself.
Naruto's eyes flickered momentarily, a surge of impatience stirring within him, but he took a deep breath and acknowledged the truth in her words. His mind raced with a desire to move forward, to find answers and strength, but his body felt the weight of his weariness. The impulse to keep pushing forward was strong, but Nemesis's calm, collected presence seemed to offer a grounding force. Perhaps, for once, it was wise to listen.
"Thanks, I'll rest for a while," Naruto murmured, his voice steady as he lowered himself onto the ground beside a large boulder. The stone provided a protective cover, concealing him from any prying eyes except those of the skies above. He leaned back, allowing his body to relax, but his mind remained ever active, caught in the web of his thoughts.
His fingers absently played with the dirt, drawing aimless doodles as he pondered his situation. "I should gather strength now... and grow enough to take on any unknown threats." The haunting thoughts of his past actions and the consequences of his choices lingered, like a shadow he couldn't shake. He thought of Ella, Alice, and Albion—the friends he had lost, or perhaps could still save, if fate allowed him to find them in time.
"The kids using my power... For some reason, they are able to tap into it, drawing strength from it even though it's not even one percent of its true potential," he mused, feeling the faint sting of frustration at his lack of control over the situation. "Killing more beasts... that's the only path I have for now. Or maybe I can take down one of those titans." He thought of the towering enemies who seemed to guard the gates of this desolate world. If he could defeat them, it might just open the path he so desperately needed.
His mind drifted back to the faces of his lost friends. "I hope nothing happened to Ella. I took responsibility, and she died because of my mistake." Guilt gnawed at him, a relentless ache that refused to fade. He was burdened with the weight of his failures, and yet, deep down, he knew he couldn't give up. "There are so many monsters here. Please don't be hurt. Same goes for Alice. She's a new friend, and she's done all she could to help me. I won't give up on her either."
And Albion. "Albion... I'll try to find him and see if he wishes to serve or not," Naruto thought as he continued tracing patterns in the dirt, his mind lost in the labyrinth of his thoughts.
"You know, it's rude to ignore a friend," Nemesis's voice broke through his introspection, her tone teasing but not unkind. "You've been staring at the ground for half an hour. Why don't you talk to me?" Her presence loomed over him, and before he could respond, he felt her shadow fall beside him. He glanced up to see her laying casually on the boulder, her head hanging upside down beside his face, her dark eyes gleaming in the dim light.
Naruto exhaled softly, a little taken aback by her sudden proximity but not perturbed. "Sorry," he muttered. "Just thinking of my next move. I'm trying to get my priorities straight." His voice was calm, yet there was a heaviness beneath it—a weight that hadn't quite lifted. He wasn't in the mood for forced cheerfulness, and until he got back everything he had lost, he knew it wouldn't feel genuine.
"Mm." Nemesis smiled knowingly, sensing the turmoil still brewing inside him. "Well, you don't have to worry about your friends or your woman. They're alright and doing wonderfully, in my opinion." She added, her voice softer now, as if attempting to lighten his mood.
Naruto looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Really?" He asked, a hint of hope sparking in his chest. "Are you sure?"
Nemesis's lips curled into a faint smile. "Absolutely. And you'll see them soon. So stop being so depressed. The world hasn't ended yet," she teased in a gentle tone, moving to sit beside him on the ground. Her presence was reassuring, despite the chaotic nature of their surroundings.
For a brief moment, Naruto felt a sense of relief—a softening of the tight knot of worry in his chest. "Thank you. That makes me feel better." He smiled, though it was small and fleeting. "I really thought you'd be hard to talk to, but you seem... nice."
A soft chuckle escaped Nemesis as she gave him a sidelong glance. "Hehe. You might be the first person to say that, Naruto. I change according to the place and the person. But you're worthy of receiving kindness. There's no evil in you." Her dark eyes studied him with curiosity, watching for his reaction. "Tell me, how do you keep yourself so clean?"
Naruto blinked at her question, unsure of how to respond. "I'm honored that you think so." He scratched his head awkwardly. "I just do what my heart tells me. It doesn't wish for death or violence. I don't want to see the world in pain. I promised a lot of people that I would carry their burdens, and I can't let them down. Does that make sense?"
Nemesis's expression softened, as if contemplating his words deeply. "It's a beautiful ideal," she said thoughtfully. "But can you really go about it without causing pain? Because, from where I'm standing, it sounds like you would control people to act as you wish."
The words hit Naruto like a punch to the gut. Control them to see as I do? His thoughts raced as he recalled the history he had learned in this world—of powerful figures who had sought to impose their will on others, regardless of the cost. Isn't that what Kaguya did? What Madara wanted? Was my dream leading to the same conclusion?
Humans... they were fragile, selfish, and yet so beautiful in their complexities. But was his dream of a pain-free world just an illusion? Would he have to resort to mind control to achieve it?
His thoughts grew heavy as the weight of Nemesis's question sank in. Would my path lead me to become just like them?
"Don't go silent on me now," Nemesis's voice pulled him from his reverie. She lightly tapped his cheek, her dark eyes watching him intently. "Did you think it over?"
Naruto took a deep breath, the turmoil inside him slowly coalescing into a new resolve. "Your words made me think deeper about my ideals," he said slowly, his voice firm. "But I already have the answer. Pain will be given to some. These people who refuse to follow the rules—they will be erased. I already have the ability to sense a person's true nature, to judge them for who they are, even if it pains me."
He paused, his eyes hardening as the dark golden energy inside him swirled. The weight of his decisions settled into place. "Humans fear, and they act on that fear. But if I become an invincible force, they won't even consider resistance. I will make it so there's no reason for conflict, no more pain. I'll fix everything in the world before I can ever rest. It's a promise I made... and I always keep my promises."
Nemesis watched him with a smile, her gaze filled with approval. "Wonderful," she said, her voice warm with satisfaction. "Your soul and your will have solidified, Naruto. No longer wishy-washy, but as unbreakable as adamantine. You won't have those difficulties like before."
She stood and brushed off her clothes, looking down at him with a glint of admiration in her eyes. "A fine specimen indeed," she thought to herself. "Aunt Gaia has good taste. I didn't think she would choose so wisely after her previous blunders."
Nemesis let him go, and Naruto, with newfound clarity, rose to his feet, ready to face the path ahead. His ideals were set, and he would stop at nothing to see them fulfilled.
In a far corner of Tartarus, where time itself seemed to warp and twist unpredictably, Ella had undergone a transformation that was both physical and mental. Two months of being trapped in this hellish place had changed her irrevocably. Her wings, once soft and feathery, had hardened and grown sharp like steel, stained with the blood of the many monsters she had slaughtered. Her eyes, once full of hope and warmth, now burned with madness and obsession, a deep, unrelenting desire to find Naruto.
Ella wore a simple red bikini, the top and bottom clinging to her form, controlled by her mind like a second skin. In her hand, she wielded a whip charged with the power of lightning—an extension of her will, crackling with raw, destructive energy. The whip had become a symbol of her desperation, her need to carve her way through the chaos that surrounded her in the twisted landscape of Tartarus.
"Get out of Ella's way!" she screamed, her voice wild with fury and frustration. "Ella wants Naruto!" With a slash of her wings, she tore through a horde of monsters that had dared to approach, the sharp edges of her wings slicing through them with ease. The beasts fell, their grotesque forms shredded by the strength of her newfound power.
It wasn't just the monsters she was fighting. No, Ella was waging war against herself—against the madness creeping into her mind. The blood of a dark dragon had soaked into her body when she had fallen into a pit of it, poisoning her thoughts and desires. The negative influence of Tartarus, with its oppressive weight and chaotic energy, had only worsened her condition, further feeding the obsession that had taken root in her heart.
"Naruto... Naruto..." Ella muttered, her voice laced with longing and madness. She had been wandering in the endless forest, surrounded only by beasts and the oppressive silence of this forsaken land. It felt like she was trapped in a never-ending loop, returning to the same places, searching for something—someone—who might not even be there.
"Where is Naruto?" She asked herself, the frustration and confusion growing with each passing moment. "Where does Ella need to go? It has to be a trap... a trap."
Her mind raced with theories, but none of them made sense. The forest seemed to go on forever, and the only things she ever encountered were more monsters, all of them mindless beasts, nothing like what she had hoped to find. "A monster is responsible for this... What could it be?"
With a cry of desperation, Ella took to the skies, soaring above the forest canopy. She flew high, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon, but just like before, she couldn't see far ahead. It was as though the land itself was conspiring against her, making it impossible for her to move forward, forcing her into a constant cycle of confusion and frustration.
"Ella needs to leave," she muttered to herself, her mind fixated on the thought of Naruto. "Naruto needs Ella, and Ella needs Naruto."
But just as the weight of despair began to crush her, something shifted. Her sharp eyes caught sight of a new beast, sitting atop a distant hill, its large form barely visible against the dim landscape. The sight of it stirred a deep hatred within Ella, the anger boiling over as she recognized the creature.
"A Manticore," she whispered, her voice cold and filled with disdain. Unlike the usual Manticores she had encountered, this one was far larger, nearly twice the size of an elephant. Its jagged tail curled above its back, and its eyes gleamed with malice.
"You will pay for delaying Ella," she hissed, her claws tightening as she prepared for battle. Her wings flared out behind her like blades, gleaming in the dim light. She shot forward, her body cutting through the air with frightening speed, but the Manticore was ready for her.
With a flick of its massive tail, it launched a volley of stingers, each one moving faster than the speed of sound. Ella swiftly dodged to the side, but a few of the needles grazed her wings, piercing the delicate feathers. She winced but didn't slow down. She could feel the anger burning within her, pushing her onward.
The Manticore laughed arrogantly, its voice dripping with disdain. "Little harpy, do you think I am some tame monster? Come down here, and become part of me. There is no escape from here, and you will fall just like the rest."
Ella's eyes narrowed as she heard its mocking words. The beast underestimated her, and that would be its downfall. "Ella will kill you, ugly beast," she screamed back. "You have wasted Ella's time and her chance with Naruto. You shall pay the price dearly!"
With a roar, the Manticore unleashed another barrage of stingers, but Ella was ready. She darted through the air, weaving between the deadly projectiles, her whip crackling with lightning as she prepared her next strike. She swooped down like a falcon, her whip striking the Manticore square in the eyes. The electric shock caused the creature to recoil, but it was far from defeated. The Manticore let out a bellowing roar and lashed out, its massive body thrashing wildly as it continued to fire needles at her.
Ella was hit by another needle, this time in her left wing, but she didn't cry out. The pain only fueled her rage. She moved quickly, wrapping the tail of the Manticore with her whip and pulling hard, severing it at the base.
"Taste your own medicine, beast!" Ella roared, using the severed stinger to plunge deep into the creature's side. She felt the resistance give way as the stinger pierced its heart, and with a final, agonized scream, the Manticore fell to the ground, lifeless.
Breathing heavily, Ella stood over the beast's carcass, her wings rustling as they slowly healed, returning to their pristine condition. A sickening smile crossed her face as she surveyed the giant corpse.
"Naruto would be happy to eat the beast," she said, her voice tinged with an almost gleeful satisfaction. "It's large and must contain a lot of energy." With that, she hoisted the Manticore's massive body onto her back, her wings flaring out to take flight.
As she soared through the strange and warped region of Tartarus, she felt a sense of victory, but also a gnawing emptiness deep within her. She had defeated the monster, but her obsession with Naruto still burned fiercely, and she knew that she wouldn't stop until she was reunited with him.
"Soon... soon, Naruto," she whispered, her voice filled with dark determination. "You'll see... I'll find you."