A soft voice called out to him, pulling him from the haze of sleep.
"Naruto, wake up."
His body protested as he slowly slipped away from the warmth of the women sleeping beside him. Every movement felt sluggish, his limbs heavy. The lingering effects of exhaustion and imbalance in his system hadn't fully worn off.
Usually, five hours of rest would be enough for him, but tonight, he had barely managed three. And yet, sleep didn't matter—not for someone like him. His healing and regeneration dictated his rest, and both were slowed by the turmoil inside his body.
Even now, he could feel its pull, urging him to return to the comforting embrace of sleep.
But Kara's voice couldn't be ignored.
There was something in her tone—a mix of urgency and frustration. She wouldn't have woken him unless it was important.
Opening his eyes fully, he found her standing near the bed, face tense, arms crossed. Even without words, it was clear—she hated having to wake him up.
"Sorry," she muttered, almost reluctant.
Naruto gave her a tired smile, tapping her cheek gently.
"No problem. If you're waking me up, then it's important. And all this… is my fault, so don't apologize."
Kara looked away for a second, then sighed. "Yeah, it is."
Naruto stretched, shaking off the last remnants of fatigue. "Alright, what's the issue?"
"Something's wrong with the vegetation around the world," Kara explained as they walked out of the room. "It's spreading uncontrollably… and nothing can stop it."
Naruto's expression shifted, his tiredness fading into focus.
"Let me see what I can find out."
Reaching for her hand, he teleported them both to Metropolis, appearing on a rooftop where he had left a seal earlier.
Descending into a nearby park, Naruto sat down on the grass, closing his eyes.
'Kurama, I need your help.'
'I'm here.'
Taking a deep breath, Naruto entered Sage Mode, allowing his senses to reach out and connect with the nature around him.
And then, he felt it.
The flow of energy across the planet was shifting. Something—or someone—was guiding nature's power, accelerating its growth. The vegetation wasn't just spreading—it was being controlled.
His eyes snapped open.
"Superman. Flash. Blue Beetle. Impulse. Wonder Woman."
He could feel their seals, confirming they weren't occupied with anything urgent. With a small pulse of chakra, he summoned them.
Bright flashes of light marked their arrival.
Clark was the first to speak, frowning as he took in Naruto's weakened state.
"Paragon, what are you doing out of bed?"
Bart and Jaime looked equally concerned. Even though Naruto was standing, the strain on his face was impossible to hide.
"I'm here to guide you through this problem," Naruto answered firmly. "Someone is trying to cover the planet with plants."
The others finally noticed it—the trees, moving on their own, as if the Earth itself was shifting under their feet.
"Did you find the culprit?" Diana asked, standing beside Donna.
Donna had arrived with her, still holding Diana's hand from the moment of teleportation.
Naruto nodded, his patience wearing thin. "Yes. Follow me."
He wasn't in the mood to explain further. His focus was slipping, and he needed to finish this quickly.
His control over flight was weaker than usual, so he let Kurama handle it, allowing his chakra to guide his movements.
The group flew in silence, passing over landscapes that had completely changed—deserts that had once been barren were now lush and green, the transformation so rapid and unnatural that it would have been impossible without outside interference.
Finally, they arrived.
A once-empty stretch of land was now an ocean of green, teeming with life.
At its center, a message glowed faintly in the night.
"I am here."
They weren't even trying to hide.
Weaving through the dense foliage, the group found themselves in a clearing.
And there, seated calmly on a throne of vines, was a familiar woman.
Red hair. Emerald eyes.
A figure born of nature itself.
Kara's fists clenched as she took in the sight before her.
"Poison Ivy!"
Ivy's lips curled into a knowing smirk.
"Ah, you finally made it."
Pamela Isley stood from her throne of vines, her piercing green eyes locking onto Naruto. A serene yet unyielding energy radiated from her.
"I am blessed by nature to carry out its will," she declared, voice firm and unwavering.
Her gaze lingered on Naruto, something curious in the way she looked at him.
"Are you here to join me?"
Naruto, still exhausted but holding himself together, took a deep breath.
"Why don't you stop?" he asked, his tone carrying an edge of frustration. "Instead of spreading it over everything and destroying life, why not help where it's needed? Humans are part of nature too."
Pamela let out a slow sigh, shaking her head.
"That is only a temporary solution." Her voice carried a sad certainty. "Humans will burn away my efforts and capitalize on it. It's their greedy nature—one that can never be cured."
Naruto scoffed. "Greed, yeah. Everyone is greedy at some point. But aren't you acting greedy now? Aren't you acting just like the humans you despise?"
His words cut through the air like a knife.
"You're capitalizing on this crisis to spread your own influence, instead of helping. Do you really think a world filled with vampires is better than what we have now?"
Pamela's expression remained unreadable, but Naruto saw hesitation flicker across her face.
"I will handle them the same way," she finally replied, dismissing his concerns. "They won't be able to do anything once this process is finished."
Kara had heard enough.
"No need to talk with the crazy bitch—take her down."
She shot forward, fists clenched, but the moment she moved, the battle began.
Ivy didn't even flinch.
From the moment the group charged, the entire forest came alive. Vines, roots, and thorn-covered tendrils exploded from the ground, twisting through the air with unnatural speed.
Even Kara—Supergirl—found herself entangled.
Clark, Diana, Bart, Jaime—all of them fought back, but the sheer strength of the plants was unnatural. They weren't just strong—they were nearly indestructible.
Naruto barely had time to react before a massive vine wrapped around his throat, pulling him toward Ivy.
Pamela tilted her head, looking at him with something close to curiosity.
"Won't you consider?" she murmured. "We are the same—chosen by nature. Why fight it?"
Naruto let out a slow breath, mind weighing his next move.
He felt Kurama's presence, a steady force anchoring him.
'Is it ready?'
'Yes.'
A pulse of energy surged through Naruto's body.
"Take her down."
At his command, Kurama unleashed the nature energy they had been gathering. The force collided with Pamela's control over the Green, disrupting it.
Her grip wavered. The vines loosened.
And just like that, the battle turned.
With her power momentarily severed, Ivy crumbled to the ground. Naruto was the first to move, stepping forward and gripping her by the neck.
For a moment, he just stood there.
It would be so easy.
One twist—just a simple movement of his hand—and she would never be a problem again.
A quick, clean solution.
A small voice in his mind whispered that it was justice.
Crucifier's influence lingered in his soul, mixing with the pure exhaustion he felt. Pamela's complete disregard for human life only made the choice easier.
But…
Naruto exhaled sharply, forcing himself to let go.
As the teleportation and paralysis seals activated, Ivy's body went limp. The fight was over.
"What do we do about her now?" Bart asked, still catching his breath. "Her powers are crazy strong."
Naruto looked at Pamela, still unconscious in his grip.
"We're taking her in," he decided. "She'll escape otherwise. Her abilities don't work like normal powers, and I don't have a seal that can hold her permanently."
Kara frowned. "Are you serious? Why not let the JL handle it?"
Before Naruto could respond, Clark stepped in.
"I think you've done enough, Naruto. Let us take care of it from here. We'll figure out a way to neutralize her new powers."
Naruto looked at them both, then let out a tired sigh.
'Why is life so difficult sometimes?'
"I need her once I'm feeling better," he finally said. "She has some connection to my case. I need to find out what it is."
Clark nodded. "Understood. We'll investigate on our end as well."
With that, Superman lifted Pamela's unconscious body and disappeared into the sky, the rest of the team following.
Naruto remained where he stood, watching them leave.
For the first time in a while, he felt completely drained.
His body demanded rest, but his mind was still turning, still processing everything.
This wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.
Kara's fists trembled as she glared at Naruto, her body tense with frustration.
"You are starting to get on my nerves." Her voice wavered between anger and desperation.
Naruto just stood there, watching her with tired eyes. He had seen her mad before, but this was different.
"Why can't you ask for help without being reminded?" she demanded, her fists clenching at her sides. "Even now, when you can barely do anything, your mind still chooses to throw yourself into danger. You need to stop thinking like that, or you'll burn out."
Her voice cracked, but she didn't stop.
"Why can't you see how it affects us?"
Naruto let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his head.
"Come on, Kara. It was an honest mistake. I am trying to change, but nobody changes in a single night."
Kara let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head.
"I don't believe you." Her eyes burned with unshed tears. "I wonder if you're even trying."
Naruto felt something twist in his chest. He hadn't meant to hurt them.
"What do you want me to do then?" he asked, voice quieter now.
Kara didn't hesitate.
"I want you to stop making life-threatening choices! Is that so hard to comprehend?!"
Naruto frowned, confused.
"I never thought my life was in danger when I acted."
At those words, something inside Kara snapped.
She punched his chest—hard.
"Liar, liar, liar!" she yelled, hitting him again and again.
Her strikes weren't meant to hurt, but each one carried so much emotion.
"Your danger sense would have told you it was dangerous! You ignored it!"
Naruto's eyes widened slightly.
She was right.
The realization hit him like a tidal wave. He had been so focused on fixing the problem—so obsessed with finding the solution—that he had completely ignored the danger to himself.
His own survival instincts had been overridden.
He hadn't even noticed.
'How did that happen?'
Was he really so fixated on helping others that he could end up dying without even realizing it?
Before he could dwell on it, Kara crashed into him, slamming him through the trees.
They spiraled through the air, smashing through branches, but Naruto barely felt the pain.
Kara wasn't even hitting him at full force.
She wasn't trying to hurt him—she was trying to get through to him.
As they finally stopped, Naruto caught her arm and pulled her into a tight hug.
She tensed.
"Stop," he said softly. "I will try harder. If I act like this again, I will accept any punishment."
Kara didn't move.
Her voice was a whisper.
"I will imprison you."
Naruto nodded against her.
"I don't mind."
For a moment, Kara just stood there, her breaths shaky.
Then, she pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes.
"Do you really mean that?"
Naruto wiped a stray tear from her cheek.
"Actions speak louder than words." His lips curved into a small, tired smile.
Naruto sat in silence, staring at the city skyline, his mind numb.
Green Arrow was dead.
His mansion exploded, killing thousands in the blast. The sheer force had leveled buildings far away from ground zero.
There was no chance of survival.
The loss of a friend—a mentor—a hero—had shaken everyone. It wasn't just grief anymore. It was fear.
They weren't winning. They weren't even fighting back.
Something in the darkness was moving, weaving its way through their world, taking everything from them.
And they still had no clue who was behind it.
That's when Impulse snapped.
He couldn't take it anymore.
He would run to the future—find a way to stop this—before it was too late.
"Are we really doing this?" Jaime asked, his voice uneasy.
Impulse was already moving, running around the room at blinding speed, assembling a makeshift time machine from whatever advanced tech he could find.
"We have no choice," Impulse said, his voice strangely calm, though inside, his mind was a storm of guilt and despair.
"People are dying. We haven't found a single lead. Only the future can unravel this mystery—maybe give us a solution."
Jaime hesitated. "But... what if we end up dead? What if the enemy has already won?"
Impulse didn't stop working. "It's a risk we have to take."
The truth was... this future—this version of events—was not supposed to happen.
Green Arrow was never meant to die here.
The world was spiraling into something worse than even the darkest future he had seen before.
And if they didn't figure out who or what was hunting them, Wally—his Wally—would die next.
He could feel it.
Jaime shifted uneasily.
"...I told Kara," he finally admitted.
Impulse froze.
Then, slowly, he turned around.
"What?"
Jaime raised his hands defensively. "I thought we needed more help!"
Impulse groaned, rubbing his face. "Dude, time travel doesn't work like that! More people means more risk. We could get stranded in the timestream or even get purged by the natural order. And don't forget the Time Police! If they notice us—"
"You could have explained that," Jaime shot back.
Impulse let out a frustrated yell, running his hands through his hair.
"Ugghhhhhh! Fine! Let's just get this over with before she—"
Before he could finish, a blur of red and blue crashed into them at full speed.
"I'M COMING TOO!"
Kara tackled them just as the portal opened—and in an instant, all three of them were gone.
Back in the present, things only got worse.
Everyone else was falling apart with him.
Despair spread like a plague, fed by the ever-growing number of deaths and disappearances.
More friends were being kidnapped. Some were outright slaughtered.
They had failed.
They had failed again and again.
And the only person who could help them—the one person who might have had answers—
Doctor Fate.
Had disappeared at the very beginning of all this.