Injustice: The Path to Hell.

Book 2: Darkness in the Light.

Chapter XXX – The Bedlam Syndicate.

"Normal Speech."

'Normal Thought.'

"Demon Speech."

'Demon Thought.'

"Other Speech Variants."

Location/Time.

Tuesday 16th February 2016, 09:30.

New York,

New York City,

Titan Tower.

It was cold.

The cool crisp air of February and the breeze that accompanied it only made it colder as they stood on the roof of the Titan Tower. Both of them look down upon the city of New York, normally able to see the entire city and all the boroughs. A perfectly situated building at just the right height that allows one to capture all the unique and beautiful scenery that the city had to offer.

A central position, that also allowed one to respond to crimes all over the city within the timeframe. No borough was just that little bit further than the other, Nightwing had carefully selected where to build the Titan Tower.

He had made the effort to do better than his mentor, someone who had focused his efforts purely upon Gotham Heights allowing the East End to become more depraved and corrupt. Naruto often wondered to himself whether it was he that had that effect upon Nightwing, though he imagined his bond with Barbara and through her to him, that pushed him to in his eyes, be better.

Though Naruto imagined in many ways, Nightwing had already done that.

He had been back amongst the world of heroes and villains for nearly two months and there had once again been a steep learning curve as he tried his best to adapt to the changes of the new world that greeted him. Things were more peaceful here, in comparison to how things had been five years ago before he left that was. But because of that peace, as Starfire had said, things did not become more difficult, only more complicated.

The world had become so difficult to move in, so constrained by rules and restrictions, the bureaucracy of it all seeming to strangle everything, even heroes who once stood above it all. Yet despite that, Nightwing had been able to rise through it all and become one of the most respected heroes alive, and in the eyes of many, was second only to Superman in what he represented.

He was someone Naruto admired, a strange thing considering he once wanted nothing more than to wipe the smug smirk that had often been a permanent look upon his face. But not everyone was able to break the mould as Nightwing had, it was not always that...easy.

Belittling Nightwing's accomplishments like that left a bad taste in Naruto's mouth at the thought of it. However, Nightwing had access to Batman's wealth and had built up many relationships and bonds with heroes that helped him go down the path that led him to where he was today.

Above all else though, he did not have powers.

Naruto knew from personal experience what it was like to both have and not have powers. From that experience, he could confidently say that in many ways, despite what many might believe, it was sometimes easier to not have powers. It was simpler because all one had to work upon and with was their mind and body. Whether they be a gifted athlete or scholar, they could work hard and see results instantly and in many cases, using and training one's powers acted much the same way.

But for those like him and Raven, things were very different.

Emotive powers, ones influenced by their state of being and how in control of themselves they were, made things infinitely more difficult. It did not matter how much they trained to develop their powers and use them in different ways, they would always be hampered by their powers if they could not control their emotions.

Perhaps it was a curse of fate that he and even Raven were beings with deep emotional scars that left them in a constant of battle for control within themselves. A battle that both were and had lost many times in the past and would continue to lose in the future.

"Do you trust me, Raven?" Naruto asked, hands stuffed in his pocket as he stood on the edge of the Titan Tower, looking towards Queens. It was early morning and with it, the city that never sleeps was filled with life and movement. He could hear the sounds of car horns blaring already, sirens blaring, a constant in a city as large and as hectic as this.

"...I do." Naruto smiled at the pause she had, knowing she had taken the moment to think upon it. She was, as he had come to know, a brutally honest individual, someone who without meaning to, held back no punches. "Why?"

Naruto looked at her, sensing the slight hint of magic clinging to her body, which he imagined was a spell used to block out the cold, a problem he no longer had to deal with thanks to the serum courtesy of Deathstroke. "Then why didn't you come to me after what happened with Shade?"

"..." Raven didn't answer, just looking down.

The two stood in silence there momentarily before Raven moved forwards to stand beside him, sitting down on the edge.

"I don't know." She murmured.

'So, she was ashamed.' Naruto thought to himself, frowning lightly. 'She's like me in a lot of ways.' Raven was someone who had, for a long time, relied only upon herself, whether that was the right or wrong thing was up for debate. But it did not change the fact that Raven had felt the need to rely only upon herself to get through life. Then came Jason and that changed, Raven probably for the first time, believing that she could rely on someone completely.

Only for him to leave, reaffirming that earlier misguided belief.

She was someone who wanted nothing more than to ask for help but was ashamed that by doing so, she would be admitting to herself her own weakness. It was not an easy thing to do and Raven though trusting him, did not know how to ask for help, something that seemed so easy to do for many was difficult for them.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Naruto said, sitting down beside her, Raven looking at him. "I was much the same way for a long time. Do you know that in the past I was Black Hood?" Raven nodded her head, momentarily surprising him, though he brushed it aside. "Huh, thought that was still under wraps, but I guess not."

The raised brow she gave him and the pursing of his lips made Naruto chuckle, raising his hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay, don't get your panties in a bunch." That made her glare at him, but Naruto's smile made it clear he did not care in the slightest, only further frustrating her. "When I started out as Black Hood, didn't ask for help from anyone, Batman offered, but I never listened to him. Ended up taking help from two of the guys I should have stayed away from, Talon and Deathstroke. Got a bomb stuck in my neck briefly and was forced to break into Arkham Asylum where I know for a fact I ended up helping out someone extremely dangerous."

He'd done his research on Amanda Waller during his time spent with Deathstroke, someone his former mentor had worked with many times in the past. The picture that his mentor painted was of a woman who was willing to do anything to get the job done, even if that meant preemptively removing a threat before it could even grow to become one if it ever grow to become in the first place. The way in which Deathstroke had described her put her as one of the few people in this world Naruto would confidently say Deathstroke was cautious of.

Which for Deathstroke, meant he was afraid of her.

Well, more afraid of what she could do with the right resources rather than what the woman could personally do. But then again, that was one in the same really.

"The thing is though, for a long time, despite what I did and what I thought to myself, my gut was telling me to not listen to Talon or Deathstroke. But I was desperate, I had gotten my ass kicked time and time again and I felt like I was getting nowhere. I was too prideful to go back on my word and ask Batman for help having refused it in the past and because of that, I ended up ignoring my gut and making the worst decisions I could." Naruto explained, honestly wanting to go back in time and smack his younger self around the back of the head.

"So, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm not a smart guy, not like a lot of other people we know. I was always a guy that made the bare bones of a plan and just winged the rest of it, but the fact is, besides those two instances, I always trusted my gut." He told her. "Can't say everything's always gone to plan or worked out well for me, but it's helped me a lot more than it's let me down. So, I'll ask again, do you trust me?"

Raven paused, thinking upon his words.

"Yes, I trust you."

He had not lied to her when they first met, he was nothing like Jason, but Naruto had nonetheless helped her in many ways that Jason never had been able to. She could confidently say that she was far stronger than she had ever been, more skilled and more experienced too. The battle against Shade would have been a death sentence for her in the past, but thanks to Naruto's unique style of teaching, she was able to hold him off long enough for help to arrive and then still have energy left to restrain her father.

Naruto had done exactly what he promised and that was to help her get stronger. If he could do that with the limitations her powers had, then she knew that whatever he was about to propose would only be in her best interests.

"Good," Naruto smiled, relieved. "Because this next thing is up to you because you've got two choices before you?"

"Choices?"

Naruto nodded his head. "Your first choice is to continue as you have been, training to get stronger so you can completely suppress your father. The risks of that are low, but it means he will be a constant thorn in the back of your side until you eventually become powerful enough to deal with him yourself. But that could be years from now."

That last sentence was precisely what Raven had thought to herself when she figured out what Naruto was leading to. As he said, no major risk, but he would be a constant thorn in her side and no doubt, the moment Trigon knew she was becoming too powerful his efforts would only increase.

"And the others?"

"Just one more and this poses serious risks," Naruto stressed. "We release Trigon from the jewel inside a containment spell where I will fight and kill that aspect of him."

Raven was stunned and horrified by that idea immediately, even more so when she could feel her father's interest and even excitement at the plan. There were so many ways the plan could go wrong and so few ways it could go right, the risk alone was monumental. But at the same time, the pros matched them, because without her father, one of the major limiters on her powers would be removed and there would be no risk of him causing problems in the future in critical moments like against Shade.

However, the immediate risks that the plan proposed made Raven almost immediately go to refuse.

That was if she hadn't seen the look on Naruto's face.

It was calm and confident.

There was no fear, no hesitation, no concern, nothing that could express worry over the likelihood of failure. Naruto proposed that plan because he had full confidence in himself to handle Trigon, he had no doubt in his mind that he would succeed.

That alone made Raven want to call him an idiot.

Though Trigon was only a fraction of his actual self, only a small bit of the greater whole who had been able to enter Earth. This aspect of Trigon was still one of the most powerful foes the Teen Titans had gone up against and had already been rated a League-level threat. But due to his unique situation and what could result if he roamed free, the breaking of her jewel would warrant the full might of the Justice League to come down upon them all.

That was how great of a threat Trigon posed to the existence of mankind.

Yet, Naruto did not care.

There was not an ounce of hesitation or an inkling of doubt.

It was as if his victory was certain and nothing would change that.

"Okay." Raven had already said she trusted him and she meant it. "Let's get rid of him once and for all." Naruto smiled, ruffling her hair as he rose to his feet.

"Then I'll get things set up, you just hold tight for a bit longer." He said, turning and leaving, Raven remaining seated upon the edge of the Titan Tower, unable to stop the small bubbling feeling of hope inside of her.

Tuesday 16th February 2016, 22:45.

Massachusetts,

Salem,

Tower of Fate.

As the door opened for him, Naruto stepped into the comfortable-looking sitting place, the fire crackling giving a light glow to the room. The armchairs, plump and inviting as the bookshelves around the room shined, immaculate and untarnished by the passage of time.

"Nabu." Naruto greeted the Lord of Order who stood before one of the bookshelves, a finger roaming over the edges of the books, he never once paused as Naruto move towards the stand where a glass of whiskey appeared.

The sight made him smile, ever since having met Jason, Naruto would admit to having grown to quite enjoy the taste of the drink, whereas before it had been simply because it was one of the few things that could give him the hint of a buzz, Jason had taught him to enjoy the taste of it.

"How are things in Hell?" He asked, the question always the first thing upon his mind when he came here, always on his mind anyway.

The guilt forever ate away at him.

"Things are calm now," Nabu explained, momentarily pausing to pull a book from the shelf, lightly flicking through the pages before depositing it back neatly into position. "Blue Devil has settled well into his position as the new King of Hell and his young apprentice, Red Devil has become adept at quelling rebellions."

The change of name for Eddie didn't go as a surprise to Naruto, the man was no longer a child anymore and had probably fought more battles in the time he had spent in Hell than most of the young heroes of this day and age had fought throughout their entire career. Naruto was not surprised that he had decided to change his moniker, and he wouldn't be surprised if he had grown immensely powerful since his time within the harsh environment of Hell.

"And Jason and Etrigan?"

"Jason Blood is well," Nabu replied simply. "He keeps Etrigan in line as per the contract. Etrigan has proven incredibly useful in quelling any and all rebellions during the beginning, though that role has since been taken on by Red Devil. Now Etrigan serves as a ruler of one of the Circles of Hell, the Eighth Circle, the Odium."

Naruto nodded his head in understanding, the decision was a wise one.

Blue Devil would rule from Lake Cocytus on the Ninth Circle, Pandemonia with Red Devil at his side. All the while, Etrigan would rule on the Eighth Circle, standing between any and all who intended to take down Blue Devil as to do so, they would first have to pass through his territories.

"I'm glad to hear that things are calming down in Hell." Naruto sighed out in relief, but the weight on his shoulders did not lessen in the slightest. "What about things here?"

"Thanks to the efforts of myself, Constantine and others, the Hellion presence upon Earth has diminished by almost ninety percent. The remainder of Hellions now exists in places such as England and Japan, with a few anomalies in other areas. By the end of the year, Hellions should be removed from Earth entirely." The Lord of Order stated, his voice showing no pride or joy at the thought.

Naruto could understand why though.

Though a vast majority of Demons were made up of what was called Hellions, they were not alone. Hellions were the Demons that had resided in Hell before it became the worlds dumping ground for lost souls. With the lost souls themselves, those that had been too lost to truly repent, became Hellions after their punishment had been served.

Dalkriig-Hath, Lord Satanus and Lady Blaze were perfect examples of Hellions.

Yet most Hellions remained wild, unintelligent beasts ruled by Sin and with a lust for battle and destruction. Rarely did they come together in groups unless it was at the hands of the truly powerful, the instincts within them giving them two options, serve or die.

Much like humans, Demons had excellent survival instincts.

However, the term Demon did not pertain only to Hellions, there were in fact two other species that had been termed Demons. The first, and most common of them, were the Fallen Angels.

Angelic beings who had fallen out of grace and fallen to sin and debauchery. They were powerful and dangerous, but also highly intelligent, Hellions often being forced to submit to their power. Neron and Asmodel were perfect examples of Fallen Angels and their positions within Hell. Fallen Angels often become rulers of their own little kingdoms of Hell, only ever serving another of their own kind and often at odds with Hellions like Lord Satanus.

But the third and final type of Demon was the rarest, malevolent, interdimensional being. Those who existed in dimensions beyond their own and revelled in conquest and cruelty. There was no better example of them than Trigon himself, the reason for his visit here.

Yet, it was due to these three species that Nabu did not feel pride in this accomplishment. Hellions may have been almost completely wiped out, and the Fallen Angels who led the large groups of them, were also destroyed, but they would not be able to do anything about the interdimensional beings.

The magics they were using to sense demonic presences upon this world were attuned only to Hellions and Fallen Angels, they had unique properties that were prevalent to their species throughout them.

It meant they could locate them easily.

However, interdimensional beings were different.

Each of them came from different dimensions, rarely were there numerous that came from a sole dimension unless they were in servitude or running from a more powerful force. As a result, locating them was an immensely difficult task, one that often came down to being at the right place at the right time, or the wrong place at the wrong time depending on one's outlook on the situation.

Because of this, there was no shared property that allowed for a spell to locate them like there was for Hellions and Fallen Angels. All they could do was monitor for dimensional breaches and deal with what came out of them, but they could do nothing to stop those that had already come through.

"I see." Naruto nodded his head slowly, downing the contents of his glass, placing it down before moving to take a seat. "Well, it is a monumental achievement in itself, something to be proud of." Though he said that, he knew Nabu would not be pleased until Demons were removed from Earth entirely. A job that was not finished was not worth celebrating were the words that the Lord of Order lived by.

There was a moment of silence, before Nabu turned, the eyes behind his helmet looking out upon him. "Tell me, Naruto, did you come here only to inquire about the state of affairs here upon Earth?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, sorry." He apologised. "I spoke to Raven earlier this morning, about what to do about Trigon, the part of him sealed away inside the gem." Nabu did not move a muscle, but Naruto had spent enough time around him to know that what he was doing now was the equivalent of leaning forwards in interest. "She wants to see him removed entirely."

"So, you have come to me to talk about a possible containment seal that would allow you to battle Trigon without posing a risk to the world?" Nabu questioned, though it was more of a statement of fact. "It is a complex task, especially when considering the threat posed by Trigon and the power he possesses, even if he is only a fraction of the real Trigon. Are you certain that now is the best time to be performing such a task?"

With some of their heaviest hitters off-world, Naruto knew what Nabu was implying, but he stared resolutely out at him. "I told Raven that this would be her decision to make and the battle against Shade proves that Trigon will always be looking for a way to break free. If something is to happen while those members are off-world that requires the intervention of the Teen Titans, would you be happy to let Raven and the potential risk of Trigon be prevalent? Though I'm not happy with the situation myself, at the end of the day, this is Raven's choice."

There was a pause.

But eventually, Nabu subsided, turning away and moving back to studying the bookshelves. "The barrier will take time to prepare, the threat posed by Trigon is enough that I will settle for no less than the strongest."

"I would have it no other way." Naruto agreed instantly.

Nabu nodded, pulling out one book, then moving onto another, holding the two in his arms as he moved towards a third. "However, Trigon is not the only threat to be wary of when pursuing this path, as I'm sure that you are aware."

"I am," Naruto replied. "I've already spoken with Starfire, she and the Teen Titans will be on standby. I'll also be getting in touch with Constantine and Zatanna soon. I'm not sure that Nightwing or the Young Justice can spare any members, but I'll speak with him anyway and find out, same with the Justice League, though I suppose, considering this is Trigon, you will be there personally."

Nabu said nothing in response, though Naruto doubted he would not be present.

"But I do not believe they will attack." He said, Nabu coming to a stop for a moment, before carrying on, five books now floating behind him. "Akatsuki have spent a great deal of effort to remain hidden throughout the years. There's no record of their existence anywhere, nor any sightings of them. If it wasn't for the fact that they hired Deathstroke to train me and attacked me in Tartarus, we wouldn't even know about them. Trigon's a threat, but power wise, he would prove a serious threat to Aquaman, but not an insurmountable one. Perhaps if they were stronger, Akatsuki might make a move, but they won't."

"The fact is, if they were going to make a move, they would have done it in Hell when we attacked." Naruto continued. "We know they were there and they took Neron's phylacetry, which you suggested was what they were planning to seal the Nine into. But if that's the case, they should have come for me as well, but they didn't. So, it's like you said, they need to seal the Nine away in numerical order. If they reveal themselves now and it fails, they lost the advantage of mystery. We don't know their numbers nor the extent of their powers, but if they make an entrance now, that goes away."

Nabu was silent only for a little while. "I will need some time to prepare the seal, a few weeks at most. I will contact you when its nearly complete." Nodding his head, Naruto got up heading towards the door that swung open upon his approach.

"Thanks, Nabu."

Wednesday 17th February 2016, 12:00.

Washington D.C.

Hall of Justice.

"I see that repairs are going well," Naruto noted as he sat down at the table in the abandoned cafeteria in the Hall of Justice. Ever since the Appellexian Golem had been unleashed and went on a rampage, the Hall of Justice had been shut down to the public as it had exposed an entryway into the private areas of the building.

Though the Hall of Justice did not possess vital and important information that could prove disastrous if it came to light. The one thing they didn't want the public doing was snooping around all the same. They could be incredibly determined, foolishly so at times and when it came to heroes and finding answers, even more so. A dangerous thing, especially in times such as these.

Zatanna looked up from where she had been sitting at the table with her friend, Rocket, smiling lightly. "Yeah, though I will miss having the cafeteria this empty. They serve better food here than up at the Watchtower."

Naruto shrugged. "I kind of like the food at the Watchtower."

"You did spend a long time in Hell where all you had was basically army rations. Not bad, but not the greatest." Rocket replied, Naruto chuckling.

"Can't argue with you there." He agreed. "Though I did spend most of my time in Tartarus, not Hell. Though it's more of a subsection when you think about it." Hell and Tartarus did exist in the same dimension and plane of existence, they were just separated from one another. Hell was the public domain, but Tartarus was the equivalent of private land that was owned by Hades.

It was why Tartarus was so peaceful in comparison to Hell.

No one wanted to step on the toes of One of the Big Three who Naruto had come to learn held serious influence over the affairs of the supernatural world. Demons may be a long-time foe of the Gods, but even the mindless Hellions did not dare approach the Gods recklessly.

Though Naruto was surprised, to find himself still being surprised by these revelations. He should at this point expect things to be so much larger and more complex than he had ever imagined. Before his bubble had been the same as every other Gothamite, the world was a fucked up place, but there were clear rules and lines that even heroes and villains kept within. However, when he stepped, dabbled being the more likely word, into the world of heroes and villains as a vigilante of Gotham, his eyes were forcibly opened, but not all the way as he had originally believed.

The world was far more complicated than he had ever imagined, that little bubble had been burst, and another formed in its place. One that was larger and more deformed, but still, there were still rules and limits that the heroes and villains were stuck within.

Yet again though, that bubble burst as he interacted with the Justice League and the wider world of heroes and villains. When the powers entered into the realms of Godlike, beings he once thought of as reachable figures, became insurmountable titans. Beings of such power and force that the lives of normal people were like bugs waiting to be squashed.

But just as Naruto thought his eyes couldn't get any wider, he then jumped headfirst into the world of the supernatural. The bubble bursts and was replaced, warping and deforming in a way that it no longer could be called a bubble. Naruto would not be surprised if something else would come along in the future that burst that bubble wide open once more. It just seemed to be how the world functioned in this day and age.

The universe seemingly on an endless quest to one-up itself.

"So, what'd you call us here for, Naruto?" Zatanna asked.

"Is it about the Bedlam Syndicate?" Rocket followed up, referring to the criminal group that was running the biggest human trafficking ring that was connected to Goode World Studios and the Dark Side Club.

Naruto shook his head. "It's about something else actually." Both Zatanna and Rocket leaned forward in interest. "You know about Raven, right? And her father?" Here, Naruto focused his attention on Zatanna who from the look on her face was beginning to understand what Naruto was here to ask of them.

She didn't like it and for good reason.

No one had liked it, not him, not Starfire, not Nabu and least of all, Raven.

However, they were at a crossroads.

"Her father?" Rocket questioned, knowing a little about him, all Leaguers had been informed of the constant threat that Trigon posed, a special alert having been made just for the possibility of him escaping the seal. "The Demon King?"

"Yeah."

"What about him?"

It was Zatanna that answered her. "Naruto here is talking about releasing the fragment of Trigon's soul trapped within the jewel on Raven's forehead and defeating him." There was a moment of consideration on Rocket's part before her face became just as disbelieving as Zatanna felt. "A completely reckless plan. Which makes sense why Naruto suggested it."

"I don't think I've been that bad in the past. I'll admit I have my moments of recklessness, but no more so than everyone else surely." Naruto joked goodnaturedly before becoming serious. "But this was Raven's choice and Nabu has agreed to help. He's already coming up with a barrier strong enough to keep everyone inside, trapped there unless he says so. But most importantly, a barrier strong enough to keep everyone out."

"Meaning?" Zatanna pressed, her liking for this plan dropping even further as she realised that Trigon was not even the biggest problem they had to face.

"You ever heard of the Akatsuki?" Naruto asked, Rocket at this point just becoming lost and staying silent, listening and trying to absorb everything Zatanna and Naruto said. She recognised that the supernatural world was not her area of expertise and instead of bogging down the conversation with questions, she decided to let the experts talk and pick Zatanna's brain later.

"No." Zatanna shook her head.

"Well, think of them as Demon hunters, the best of the best," Naruto replied. "From what we know of them, they talk the lost arts of my clan, the Uzumaki and used that to hunt Demons. Their target is Nine, in particular, the Nine Demons that were split from Trigon's personal servant, a Demon that had been just as strong as him when he first attempted to invade Earth."

"Your powers?" Zatanna asked, Naruto nodding his head.

"My powers belong to one of the Nine, the Kyūbi no Kitsune." Naruto's response was equally as simple. "The Akatsuki was formed by one of Trigon's children who slipped into Earth before the barrier that prevents Trigon from entering was formed. They are here not only to collect the Nine but to also free their father."

"Which means that they'll more than likely come to free Trigon." Rocket noted. "Which is why you want us there as backup. I'm guessing alongside the Teen Titans and Doctor Fate?"

"Yes, precisely." He answered.

"And how do we know what these Akatsuki look like, besides them being the only other people besides us being there?" Zatanna asked.

"They seem to have a uniform, strange as that is really," Naruto explained, bemused by the concept, the uniform in itself didn't amuse him, heroes all wore their own uniforms after all. No, what amused him was the fact that they all seemed to wear the same uniform design, it reminded him of school all over again. "Black cloaks decorated with red clouds. I've already encountered two of them, a puppet user and a detonation user. Called themselves Sasori and Deidara from when they attacked me. Deathstroke has told me about four others, a Snake-Demon, Orochimaru. A Shark-Demon, Kisame. An immortal cultist, Hidan and an immortal bounty hunter, Kakuzu."

The latter name elected a reaction from Zatanna, a reaction that did not go unnoticed by either Naruto or Rocket. "Kakuzu?" She murmured, shaking her head in disbelief. "Jesus Christ, Naruto. If Akatsuki has a guy like Kakazu working for him then you're in big trouble."

Naruto rose a brow.

"Kakazu has been around for centuries and he's been involved in the deaths of thousands of some of the most high profile, most dangerous, most powerful and most influential people in the supernatural world. The guy has more combat experience than any of the Leaguers combined and his magical abilities are entirely tailored towards combat, just like yours are." She clarified, her voice holding a tint of fear when she spoke of him.

"You've met him?" Naruto asked.

"No." She denied. "But my father has. My dad's not the type to be afraid of people easily, just like most heroes. But in my dad's own words, Kakazu is the magical equivalent of Deathstroke. A guy who has tailored his entire life to combat and the art of killing to the point he's fine-tuned his skills to near perfection. Every magical spell he knows is a spell that could be an instant kill if you let your guard down. It got so bad, that there was actually a group of Sorcerers that came together, enemies and rivals, coming together just to get rid of him. They succeeded, only for Kakazu to come back a few days later and take them all out."

"And this guy is a member of the Akatsuki?" Rocket asked, her worry about this group increasing. "How strong is their leader?"

It was a question none had the answer to.

Thursday 18th February 2016, 00:45.

France,

Burgundy.

"Fire!" One man shouted, raising his AK-47 up and unleashing all his bullets into the steel-clad figure that rushed towards him. Each of them bounced off his armoured body, sparks bursting off as the bullets scrapped against his body, but leaving no mark behind as he closed the distance between them.

He swiped up, striking against the cheek of one man, his limp body flying through the air as Citizen Steel rushed the men in front of him.

A punch to the sternum of another.

An uppercut to the chin of the one to his left.

A sidekick to the stomach of the one to his right.

He grabbed the first man, hunched over and struggling to breathe by the cuff of his jumper and with little effort, picked the man up and used him as a weapon. Swinging the body around, battering the remainder of the guards around into unconscious heaps that lay at his feet.

The building shook then.

An explosion sounded from outside.

"Damage?" Citizen Steel asked over the radio, one hand raised to his ear. "Everything alright out there?"

He got his answer moments later when the side of the building burst inwards with waves of smoke and flames. A large truck barreled out from it, smashing into the expensive equipment lined to one side. Not far behind it, came Damage, a woman dressed in a lab coat swung over one shoulder as he came towards Citizen Steel.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Nathaniel snorted. "I can see that." He then nodded his head to the woman. "Guessing she's the doc in charge of this place?"

"Yep," Grant replied, shifting the woman on his shoulder slightly. "But from the looks of things, this is a relatively new base. It's not even fully set up yet and there are definitely not any people here. Well, besides those working for the Bedlam Syndicate, obviously."

"Obviously." Citizen Steel concurred, crossing his arms over his chest with a frown. "Guess we should report this in. I wonder if the others have had any luck?"

Thursday 18th February 2016, 00:50.

Slovakia,

Trnava.

Cowering down, John pulled the young girl in a fetal position at his side closer to him, trying to protect and hide her from view as they sat in darkness. All around him, others did the same to those that they knew and even to strangers, trying to find comfort in those stuck in the same situation as them.

While above, the sounds of gunfire and explosions rang out, dust falling down upon them as the world around them seemed to shake violently. The fear of death grew with every second, the roof threatening to fall down and crush them all.

But they never cried out or screamed for help.

They were too afraid to do so.

It was when they heard the sound of rock breaking apart, the cries escaping them involuntarily as they feared the worst. None dared to look up, believing this to be the end of them all, except it wasn't as they were instead bathed in a strange light.

Hesitantly, they all looked up one by one and eyes widened in shock and hope.

There, floating down towards them in his signature red pants and green cape, a glowing green, medieval suit of armour surrounding him as a green ray of light shined down upon them, was Alan Scott, the first Green Lantern. The large sheet of rock that had once been the roof that kept them hidden away was out, held in the grasp of glowing green constructs that broke apart under continued strikes from explosives.

Alan turned, throwing the slab of rock away as constructs fired out upon the unseen enemies.

All the while, the people watched a green staircase form before their very eyes, one that led up and out of the hole that they were stuck in.

Thursday 18th February 2016, 00:55.

Korea,

South Korea,

Gangwon-do.

"Don't let up! Give the big bastard everything we've got!" A man roared, rocket launchers firing outwards, as others unleashed mortars at a continuous rate at the charging giant. Trucks moved forwards, unloading more armed thugs who raised their guns and fired, anti-aircraft guns being manned as they unleashed every ounce of firepower at their foe.

Yet even as smoke and explosions clouded him from view.

They could feel the ground continuing to shake with every thunderous step.

They could hear the sounds of the unstoppable juggernaut continuing to close in.

Then through the smoke, charged Atom Smasher, both arms raised to cover his face as he closed in on them. Their guns and explosives were ineffective as he pulled back one arm and threw a punch with unstoppable strength.

None of them could do a thing.

Thursday 18th February 2016, 01:00.

Mongolia,

Arkhangai.

He panicked as soon as the chaos started.

Rushing toward a nearby car and with shaky hands, struggled to get the key into the ignition. He succeeded eventually and managed to start the engine, instantly slamming down on the accelerator as he burst away from the chaos unfolding behind him.

The shouts and gunfire and explosions, all of them echoed in his ears.

He could see it out of the corner of his eye, looking in the rearview mirror.

But he didn't stop, he was too afraid to stop. There was no fighting instinct in his body, only a flight instinct. It was always a possibility, that much he had understood when signing up for this job, encountering and battling against heroes. However, there was a difference between knowing that, and actually being a part of that fight.

He had thought he was prepared to do it.

But he was so wrong.

So very wrong.

Suddenly, he jerked forward, smashing his forehead into his steering wheel as the car came to a stop. He groaned out in pain as he fell back against his seat, clutching his head as he slowly opened his eyes, only to let out a shrieking cry as he saw the ground getting further and away from him.

The metal of his car groaned, the door to his side being ripped off its hinges and then, before he knew it he was being held in the air by one hand by Troia herself. The car he had been driving in mere seconds ago, plummeted to the ground as she stared right at him.

"Where are the hostages being held?"

Thursday 18th February 2016, 01:05.

Malawi,

Mangochi.

Extending one hand outwards, Kyle summoned a powerful shield that surrounded him, the missiles that slammed into not even leaving a scratch as he floated down towards the warehouse below. "Ring, scan for any people hidden below the ground?" The ring beeped in response, Kyle being careful with his constructs as he began to attack the members of the Bedlam Syndicate.

The sky behind him was filled with tiny little cannons that unleashed precise blasts of energy that struck out those firing against him.

They didn't do much, but they succeeded in forcing many to take cover.

"There are no lifeforms hidden underground." Smirking, Kyle dismissed the small cannons, much larger ones taking their place moments later. Each of them glowed a much brighter colour as the gunfire and missiles came to a complete stop.

"That's it boys, good to see you're smart enough to recognise when you're outmatched."

Thursday 18th February 2016, 01:10.

Niger,

Agadez.

None of them had been prepared for when he came.

They had expected an attack, in the span of less than half an hour, numerous reports had come in of their bases all across the world being attacked. The Bedlam Syndicate was still small and young, only just beginning to expand after a few successful products were produced. So, they had all been on lockdown, opening up their weapons depots and bringing out the truly big guns in preparation to fight against the Justice League that was hunting them down already.

Somehow they knew not only where their bases were, but also that they existed in the first place.

But all had turned their eyes to the sky or far out to the forest, expecting the heroes to come in loud and fast. The other reports indicated as such and with hostages in their grasp, hidden down below, they'd want to move quickly.

Except, that wasn't what happened.

For, out of the forest, numerous flaming objects fired out in quick succession and stuck to their large anti-aircraft turrets, their weapon crates and vehicles. Then they exploded outwards in a shower of debris, burning metal and flames.

As out from the forest, Hot Spot rushed forwards, prepping new projectiles in his Joto Projectile Gauntlets.

Thursday 18th February 2016, 01:15.

Jamaica,

Saint Elizabeth.

She came down like a bomb.

Her flight possessed such speed that they heard the sound of her breaking the sound barrier, a dull sound that carried over the distance. But just as a few looked up to see what that sound was, they were suddenly attacked, powerful blasts of energy raining down upon them.

Bombshell herself charged up her energy, rushing towards the large concentration of weaponry and rocketed towards the ground like a bomb. The energy within her, releasing outwards upon impact, exploded outwards as Bombshell rose to her feet and burst into the air once more. Energy continually gathered around her hands as she unleashed them upon the Bedlam Syndicate.

Thursday 18th February 2016, 01:20.

Dominica,

Saint Andrew.

As fire erupted out behind him, Firestorm phased through the metal before him, it superheating as his body passed by. He didn't even get to fully form himself back again before bullets flew towards him, the guards of the Bedlam Syndicate trying to take him out quickly.

Yet they had little effect.

Gathering the energy in his hands, he kept the power behind it weak, preferring not to scorch everything and everyone inside. Then he unleashed it outwards in a wave of flames that threw everyone back to the ground in groaning heaps.

They would live, but they would be in pain.

It was more than they deserved for kidnapping people and experimenting upon them. But right now, his priority was to get the people trapped below to safety.

Thursday 18th February 2016, 01:25.

Ecuador,

Morona Santiago.

"Damn you!" Werner roared out, firing a wave of Vertigo outwards at the figure that dashed to one side, out of harm's way. A few of his own men got caught in the crossfire, groaning and clutching their heads in pain as they collapsed to their knees. But that didn't last long, the warehouse behind Werner suddenly erupted into flames, exploding outwards destroying everything and everyone inside.

"I have to thank you, Count!" Naruto called out, the ground shifting and beginning to swallow everyone that was standing outside. "You seemed so confident when you bragged to me that there was no inside. Almost thought you were lying to me, but unfortunately, you met the wrong guy to bluff too."

"How did you know?" Werner grits out, trying to break free as did the men around him from the ground that was swallowing him up. It was a horrifying thing to experience and see unfold before him, even more so when it was happening to him as well.

"That's pretty easy," Naruto told him. "I just sensed it through the ground."

"...You win."

"I win?" Naruto asked, a little surprised. "Come on, where's that pride of yours? I mean, I know you're no longer officially a count and pretty sure most people consider you dead considering how long it's been since your last sighting. But come on, KF always told me you were so prideful."

"What is the point in arguing with a child when I will be simply put behind bars?" Werner retorted. "What is the point in humiliating myself in such a way?"

"Put behind bars?" Naruto hummed, frowning slightly. "I think you're mistaken, Werner. I don't do that shit anymore. I tried playing hero for a while when I took a long look at myself in the mirror and realised I had gone too far to one side. I became a hero to try and rectify the mistakes I made, but ended up swinging too far to the other side. But despite all the fucked up shits that's happened to me recently, I've found a nice little balance."

The more the hero spoke, Werner felt the lump forming in his throat grow bigger and bigger. More and more of his body became submerged in the ground, around him, some people were completely swallowed by it, no longer in sight.

Panic filled him.

"Back then, when I did kill. I started off right, but I started killing those that had been just like me. Good men forced to do bad things. Never hurting anyone that didn't deserve it, but doing some bad things, like stealing, just to keep themselves and their families afloat. I killed them without remorse eventually, even killing good cops trying to do their jobs, justifying it in my mind as them being corrupt without actually checking. So, I stopped killing to make up for that, but then still shit went sideways." Naruto said, thinking about the death of Donald.

If he had the mentality of Black Hood with the skills of Maelstrom, then Naruto had no doubt Donald would still be alive to this day. However, he hadn't and because of that, Don had to pay the price.

"But since then, I've taken some time to take to a good, long hard look at myself and I decided to find a nice little balance between the two." Werner struggled viciously, but at this point, only his head was out of the ground still; it was futile. "Men like you, they're not desperate, they're greedy. They do this out of no real reason other than pleasure and desire. People like that can't be saved. So, I suggest you think about that with what little time you have left in this world. Luckily for me, this world already thinks your dead for the most part."

Friday 26th February 2016, 19:55.

New York,

New York City,

Titan Tower.

"You look tired," Koriand'r noted as Naruto collapsed onto the sofa. It was early evening Friday, many were out with their friends and family or in their rooms getting some rest after a difficult week.

The world was moving rapidly, with so many things happening at once it was almost difficult to keep track of what was going on when and where. However, like always, the heroes tried their best even if they struggled. Many didn't know the meaning of the word, all focused on their common goal of making the world a better and safer place for all.

Naruto groaned out in the agreement, head falling back to rest on the back of the sofa. He wasn't dressed in his Maelstrom outfit, having gone and got changed the moment he got here, but he was tired.

Not physically, but mentally.

"I hate this." He muttered, Koriand'r smiling at his antics.

"Perhaps you should take a rest?" She offered, but Naruto glanced at her, silently asking her if she really thought that was an option for him, for anyone in their position.

They were heroes and even when they should have rest, they pushed on further. Many had forgotten the meaning of the word or had simply never understood the concept. Heroes weren't allowed to rest nor did they allow themselves to because if they did, it wouldn't be them that suffered but innocents. Lives that could have been saved if they hadn't gotten lazy and decided to rest.

"I suppose, congratulations are in order." She continued on this one-sided conversation. "The Bedlam Syndicate is no more and with it, the biggest human trafficking ring is gone."

The grunt she received said more than words. He didn't care for the achievement of defeating the Bedlam Syndicate. Certainly, it was a good thing, a great one even, but it didn't change anything. The world wasn't suddenly going to become a better place with the Bedlam Syndicates' defeat, nor would it stop another organisation from taking its place.

Criminals were resourceful and determined. The Bedlam Syndicate had still been in its infancy when they had destroyed it. It had not yet had time to develop itself fully. If it had it would have been better armed, better prepared and better hidden.

Taking it out would have been much more difficult then, with some minor hidden cell no one knew about building it up once more. They were lucky that they discovered the Bedlam Syndicate before it had enough resources to establish that safety net.

However, the main concern was that Goode World Studios was still out there and they were no closer to finding the culprit. They had a list of suspects, including Gretchen Goode, but had not found anything incriminating against any of them. Nothing that would point to them being the one behind the Dark Side Club or the Bedlam Syndicate.

The Syndicate was but a small cog in a larger machine that they were just beginning to understand.

Naruto said as much, Koriand'r nodding her head in agreement. "It is still a great achievement." She told him, noting that he had yet to open his eyes since laying down. "You should rest a little though, you have been pushing yourself a great deal lately."

Naruto opened one eye. "It's fine." He replied. "Can't really afford to sleep right now with everything that's going on and will happen. Besides, now that the Bedlam Syndicate is gone, things should calm down a little until the seal is ready."

"And how is that going?"

"So-so." He responded. "Nabu's working with Zatanna and Raquel right now. Last I heard he was studying Racquel's powers to try and create something similar."

"Did he say how long it would be?"

"Maybe a week or two."

Koriand'r sighed. "I am glad, but I cannot deny that I am nervous about this still. Especially if what you said about the Akatsuki is true."

"I did tell you that I doubt they'll come, didn't I?"

"You did."

"But it doesn't stop you worrying." Koriand'r smiled.

"I am scared things could go wrong for everyone, including you." She said. "You face the most danger by fighting Trigon alone. I would not feel so bad if you had backup."

"But we can't risk that." Even though Naruto doubted that the Akatsuki would come considering their movements up until now. He was still prepared for the unlikely possibility of them attacking.

"I know," Koriand'r replied. "But it does not stop me from worrying."

Monday 29th February 2016, 13:15.

Rhode Island,

Happy Harbour,

Mount Justice.

Shifting his footing and leaning his body forward, Connor resisted the sudden powerful winds that rushed into him. He grinned behind his raised guard, feeling the resistance he faced as he gripped hold of the leg and pulled, taking Naruto off his feet and swinging him towards the ground.

However, a concentrated blast of wind stopped him from slamming into the floor, his other foot swinging around and missing Connor's face by a hairsbreadth. Only to seemingly rebound in midair and come around, striking him across the cheek.

Forced to release his grip, Connor crossed his arms into a guard that absorbed the double-footed stomp that struck against them. But in turn, was thrown back, the pressurised wind more powerful than he expected. 'Damn, that's one annoying technique. It doesn't hurt, but if you don't have a solid footing, you're basically just going to get swept up in it.'

Flipping around onto his feet, Naruto burst off, closing in on Connor who was still midair. His fist was drawn back and magic was gathering in preparation for a strike. But Connor was ready, parrying the blow to one side, his other fist coming around in an uppercut. Only for Naruto to suddenly shoot up higher in the air, avoiding the uppercut and coming down upon Connor with a kick that upon blocking, rocketed him to the ground.

Landing with bent knees, Connor kept his senses sharp and as Naruto closed in from behind, swung around with a powerful back fist. It met heavy resistance, the wall of wind that surrounded Naruto at all times, slowing any attack that came within it massively.

Ducking underneath, precise and rapid blasts of wind allowed Naruto to manoeuvre around and come at Connor from another awkward angle. Yet again, Connor was prepared and unleashed his own strike, aiming for a mutual exchange of blows. Blocking and parrying Naruto was impossible, as he showed, he had an incredible spatial awareness and control over the wind that allowed him to achieve a level of agility and manoeuvrability in the air that should have been impossible.

These two things allowed him to constantly remain on the attack, pressuring opponents with an unending barrage of strikes from all angles, empowered by blasts of wind that added a lethality to his blows that he would have otherwise lacked. Connor had learned that the hard way on many occasions throughout this spar.

So, he decided to abandon defending and instead, exchange blows, turning it into a slugfest. All it would take was a single blow on his part to end the fight, something Naruto knew as well. Connor only had to focus on landing that blow, Naruto had to focus on landing numerous successive and powerful blows while avoiding all of his. On paper, Connor had the advantage, but he was not one to underestimate Naruto.

"Simulation, end." The automated voice called, the timer having run its course.

At that moment, Naruto and Connor came to a sudden halt, Connor's fist extended fully with Naruto ducked underneath, fist resting against his stomach. "Guess that's my loss," Connor muttered, the two of them rising up, smiles on their faces. "I really thought I had you there."

"You did a few times," Naruto replied, running a hand through his hair. "That style of yours is pretty dangerous. Never seen anything like it, who taught you?"

"Kal-El. It's called Horu-Kanu." The name meant little to Naruto, but he could tell it held significance. "Kryptonians back in the Age of Expansion encountered a lot of different races and absorbed their technology and martial arts on their own. Horu-Kanu is basically the culmination of centuries of works and thousands of martial arts being mixed into a single style."

"I thought it was always Torquasm." He had heard the name of that from a few talks with Connor in the past, it is one of the first things Superman had actually taught Superboy.

Connor shook his head. "Horu-Kanu is the actual martial arts while Torquasm is more the martial discipline. From what I know, Torquasm-Vo is basically a mental disciple that focuses on achieving a hyper-calm and hyper-alert state. Torquasm-Rao on the other hand seems to be more of the physical disciple allowing one complete control over their body."

"That's pretty cool."

"Oh yeah, I've been training Horu-Kanu for ages, same with both Torquasm's but I'm just barely scratching the surface. Even Kal-El says that he thinks there's more to both of them than what we know right now. But I can safely say that with training from Batman and Canary, I've improved massively."

"I'll say." Naruto agreed. "You're probably one of the most skilled hand-to-hand fighters around and with your strength and durability, that's a dangerous combo you've got going on."

"Still not enough to beat you though." Connor pointed out.

"If I was using purely my demonic powers, I'd say that even with four tails, I'd lose," Naruto admitted, surprising Connor. "But magic is a little different."

"You've done it then?" Connor asked. "Surpassed your demonic powers with magic?"

Naruto shrugged. "Sort of, I'd say yes and no." He said. "In terms of destructiveness, they're pretty equal in comparison to what I've achieved with both that is. But in terms of enhancements to my physicality, my demonic powers are the best hands-down, no contest. However, magic gives me much more versatility and I've been able to overcome the gap in physicality in different ways."

"Like those pressurised blasts of wind?" Connor asked rhetorically. "I'll admit, that's a pretty strange but useful use of wind. Even when you block it, you have to make sure your feet are firmly planted and your posture is just right or else you're going to get thrown back."

"Yeah."

The tone of his voice made Connor smirk. "But that's not all there is to it either, is there?"

"No." Naruto didn't elaborate further making Connor chuckle.

"You really didn't waste these five years at all."

"Neither did you."

Saturday 5th March 2016, 15:00.

Location Unkown,

Akatsuki Base.

Things were shifting and moving.

Constantly changing.

But the world was always like that.

He had been around for many millennia, seen the rise and fall of empires. Had altered the course of history to make the world what it was today. All to ensure that when the time came, this world would fall easily.

Even the rise of heroes, as unforeseen and as powerful as they were, was not a cause for concern. Every world had its heroes, being of incredible power, Gods who ruled over the mortals and were worshipped by them. Yet his father had overcome them all, defeated their heroes and Gods, conquering the world.

The Justice League were not a threat.

The shifts in power, the interference of beings behind the stars. They were things that had happened in the past before, whereas they had once caught him off-guard, now they were planned for. He lacked the strength and power to defeat his opponents in battle. But what he did have was intelligence and he honed that to the utmost degree.

He was flexible and adaptable in his plans.

Certainly, the aliens that came were powerful and the revelation of the Dark Side Club and creatures that came from there were worrying. They stank of an ancient and dangerous power, one that for the briefest of moments, he wondered if his father would be able to overcome it. But as quickly as that thought came to him, he dismissed it.

His father had only failed once in a conquest of a world, this world. However, he had not been leading the charge.

It had been the mindless beast that his father had favoured so much.

The mindless beast he was now working so hard to revive.

He never understood why though.

It had no sentient thought or capability to do anything but destroy. The beast was one his father even struggled to control and so often, just unleashed as an opening strike to crush his opponent's will to fight. Its defeat had actually resulted in his father's work to conquer everything he desired much easier, now no longer having to fight against it just to quell its frequent rampages.

However, Zetsu was not one to question his father.

He simply existed to ensure that his goals were accomplished.

Rising up from the ground, Zetsu appeared for the figure who he had crafted and moulded into the one that would see his father's return. "Pein," Zetsu said, the figure turned, the purple and black ringed eyes boring into him. "I have news that might interest you."

"What news?" Pein muttered, tone monotone but powerful.

It irked him in the past to act subservient to a human, especially when they were so lesser than him, but Zetsu had long since grown used to swallowing his pride. They were lesser, but they had accomplished an incredible feat by stopping his father's conquest and denying him his prize. There had been no other race that had been able to replicate that feat.

However, the humans had been brought low by him, the Uzumaki that had stopped his father's conquest were now a figment of the past. Forgotten by history and all but wiped from the face of the earth.

It was something only he had been able to do.

Not through overwhelming power, but through cunning and guile. Patiently waiting and plotting, manipulating things from behind the scenes that saw the Uzumaki destroyed from both within and outwardly. Their survival had not been by luck or by perseverance on their part, but by design. Everything from the inception of the Uzuamaki's defeat to their continued survival through various iterations and names, all of it had been his doing.

Until only two were left.

Naruto Uzumaki, the last of the Kin of Kurama.

The one who possessed the power of the ancient Kyūbi no Kitsune and the target of the Akatsuki. The Uzumaki who would become the final key that would see his father's conquest of Earth complete.

The other, the final Uzumaki, was the very man who stood before him.

Pein.

God.

The powerful sorcerer and magician who had belonged to a branch of Uzumaki that had lived as servants to the main household. Ones who had survived by leaving the Uzumaki Clan before its downfall, having foreseen what was to come. Then, through his actions, their numbers grew smaller and smaller, producing progressively stronger and stronger offspring until Pein was all that was left.

It was he that had gathered the Akatsuki under his guidance, all for the pursuit of finishing what his family had started to do before their collapse. Except, he wished to prove his superiority even further by doing it alone.

To remind the world of the Uzumaki Clans' greatness.

He wanted to unleash the beast and then when all the world's heroes had perished and failed, he would swoop in and defeat it. All of it was by design, Zetsu's design and he had done it masterfully well.

"Trigon is going to be unleashed."

That earned a reaction, surprise. "Truly?" Pein questioned.

"Yes." Zetsu answered. "Naruto Uzumaki and Nabu are setting up a seal on Devon Island. They are preparing to release the portion of Trigon's soul trapped within the jewel Raven holds. This is a perfect opportunity for us. If we go, we can gain a powerful ally in Trigon."

"Trigon was the one that unleashed the beast upon Earth, the one who my family stopped from conquering Earth," Pein spoke, narrowing his eyes deeply. "He is no ally of mine and once I am done with the beast, he shall no pain also."

"This is an opportunity we should not squander," Zetsu argued. "He could prove invaluable in collecting the Nine."

"We already have two, but they are too powerful to be sealed within the Gedo Mazo just yet," Pein answered. "We know the location of two more and are already on the path to collecting them. We shall leave Naruto Uzumaki for last, let him battle Trigon and kill him. In the end, it changes nothing. Your duty should be to do nothing more than locate the remainder of the Nine, not suggest fanciful things such as these."

But just like the beast was difficult for Trigon to control, Pein was proving difficult for him to control. His manipulations had taken hold too deep and Zetsu was left sometimes unable to exert any control over his puppet.

An unfortunate consequence.

However, it was one Zetsu would have to overcome, just like he had many times in the past. It was not like the Akatsuki was the only source of allies he had in this world. No, he had lived for a long time and to have only come to this point with only the Akatsuki to show for it was hardly his style.

He would just have to rely on other, weaker allies to get this job done.

Sunday 6th March 2016, 05:00.

Canada,

Baffin Bay,

Devon Island.

"You ready?" Zatanna asked, looking to Naruto as they stood before the large seal encompassing more than three miles of land. It had taken hours to set up and an enormous amount of resources and magic to accomplish. But it was a necessary precaution to take when dealing with a threat as dangerous as Trigon.

Naruto nodded his head, saying nothing as he looked to Raven who was sitting in the middle, just barely able to make out her figure in the distance, Koriand'r by her side.

The seal itself was truly a masterpiece, one of the greatest creations of the modern age, but one that was incredibly intricate and difficult to cast. There were three anchors, forming a triangle-like formation, with Zatanna, Constantine and Nabu at each point. All three would simultaneously funnel magic into the pentagram at a constant rate to keep the barrier up.

At that point, the seal would take place, surrounding the area inside with an impenetrable barrier that would absorb all magical attacks into it as a means of strengthening the shield further. It was a concept taken from Nabu studying Rocket's powers extensively, but it had a downside. Each of the three anchors would have to stay alert at all times, altering the amount of magical power they funnelled into the seal as a means to counteract the actions taken inside. The more destructive the attack, the more magic needed to be funnelled into the seal in order to ensure it did not damage the inner workings.

It was simultaneously one of the strongest and most fragile seals in the world. But most importantly, it required the three anchors to be undisturbed at all times. Luckily for them, both the Justice League and the Young Justice had provided some additional manpower to help secure the seal's protection.

Nabu was being protected by the Teen Titans with additional backup from Alan Scott and Kyle Rayner. The additional power from the two Green Lanterns was to help circumvent the inexperience of the Teen Titans.

For Zatanna, she was being protected by Rocket, Superboy, Red Tornado, Citizen Steel, Atom Smasher and Damage. While Constantine was being protected by Hot Spot, Bombshell, Firestorm and Troia.

No chances were being taken when it came to a threat as extreme as Trigon.

"Let's get going." Naruto finally muttered, moving forwards, rolling his shoulders as he felt his heart beginning to pump the blood around his body. He was focused and ready, excited with the upcoming fight to come, fist clenching and unclenching in eagerness.

There was no forgetting the knowledge that Trigon was interconnected with his family and his life. No forgiving it either and Naruto was ready to get a small amount of revenge against the Demon. It wasn't the real Trigon, just a part of him, but it was enough for him right now to satisfy that itch.

"Kori," Naruto said, coming up to both her and Raven. "It's time."

Koriand'r nodded her head, turning to Raven once more. "It's not too late to change your mind, Raven." She told her, but Raven shook her head.

She was determined, just like Naruto was.

"Okay." Koriand'r could see that plain as a day and relented, turning to Naruto. "Good luck."

He nodded his head.

"You ready?" He asked Raven who hesitated.

Not that he was surprised, this was a big moment for the both of them, hardly an easy choice to make. However, they had come too far to turn back now and Raven knew that. It didn't stop her nerves from building up though, she was jittery, unable to keep still as her foot tapped against the ground in an unnatural display of emotion.

Naruto saw this and placed one hand on her shoulder, smiling when she looked up at him. "Don't worry about it, I've got this." He comforted her, extending one hand out to her. "Let's get this over with and when we do, you can cry and thank me all you want."

The teasing words made Raven frown, shooting him an irate look but like always, it did not affect him in the slightest. Reaching up, she then took the jewel off her forehead, the magic keeping it there slipping away as she passed it over to Naruto who wrapped his fingers around it tightly.

"Good luck." She said, moving away slowly, still reluctant and hesitant.

"Raven!" Naruto called, she looked back to see him pointing a thumb at his back having begun to walk away from her and towards the centre of the seal. "Keep an eye on me, yeah? I'm gonna show you that your dads not all that special. Then, you can live your life in whatever way you want. So, watch carefully cause I'm gonna save you."

Raven paused, before slowly smiling, nodding her head.

So, another chapter is done and with it, Trigon is about to be unleashed, Raven beginning to trust Naruto fully. Not only that though, we see that the Akatsuki are on the move with Pein keeping Zetsu in check, putting a little hitch in Zetsu's plans. But with it, we also clean up with Bedlam Syndicate, a big player in the Young Justice Season 3. This is part of my efforts to clean up possible future storylines that could have developed from Young Justice.

All of this is part of the influence Naruto has had on the world, which is not small. For example, Blue Devil has become the ruler of Hell with Jason Blood, Red Devil and Etrigan as his lieutenants. All things caused by Naruto's actions.

Now, lets get on with the questions:

WeAreLegion55: I'm glad that the relationship between Naruto and Starfire is feeling organic, that's something I was worried would feel a little forced. As for how Sage Mode will be incorporated into his demonic powers, it won't be done for a long while. What you'll see for a long time is Naruto's demonic powers and human powers (magic and elemental forces) are forever separate with Naruto having little ability to use them at the same time with one another.

This will change with time, but it comes at one of Naruto's key moments in a huge arc that happens later on in the story. As for what happens, Naruto will never become full demon and instead, remain half-demon throughout. But his demonic powers will kind of have a similarity to both of them.

Hope you all enjoyed and if you have questions or suggestions, please let me know.