Naruto and Hal Jordan hovered high above Washington, D.C., scanning the streets below before descending gracefully in front of a small, dimly lit shop nestled between larger buildings. The sign above the door read "Good Fortunes" in elegant golden lettering, its paint slightly worn with age.
The moment they stepped inside, the scent of incense and old parchment filled the air. Shelves lined with arcane artifacts, aged tomes, and mystical trinkets surrounded them, each item humming faintly with a dormant power. At the counter stood a woman of striking beauty—long, flowing black hair, a regal presence, and a purple Qi Pao that shimmered faintly under the shop's lighting. Her jewelry jingled softly as she moved, but Naruto's keen eyes immediately locked onto the choker with a glowing purple crystal. It pulsed with an eerie energy.
"Welcome," she greeted them with a knowing smile, her dark eyes glinting with amusement. "How may I help you today?"
Hal didn't hesitate. Stepping forward, his voice was steady but edged with curiosity.
"Did you know I'd come back?"
Madame Xanadu's lips curled into a small smirk. "Of course. Everyone comes back once they see the truth."
Naruto studied her closely. Unlike Hal, this was his first real encounter with the woman, but he could already sense the layers of mystery wrapped around her. There was something ancient about her—like an observer of history rather than just a participant.
Before he could dwell on the thought, her eyes flickered toward him, and he got straight to the point.
"We're strapped for time, so I'll skip the chit-chat and get to business. We need you to tell us where I can find the Amazon named Aresia that fought me today."
Xanadu regarded him carefully before giving a slight nod. She had met countless warriors, kings, and conquerors, but few carried themselves quite like Naruto.
She gestured for him to take a seat. Without hesitation, Naruto sat across from her at a small round table covered in deep purple cloth. With a practiced motion, she took his hand and placed a small, ornate dice into his palm.
"Roll," she instructed.
Naruto rolled the dice across the table, and the moment it stopped, a glowing map materialized on the fabric. The detailed image displayed the exact location of their target.
"You will find her here," Xanadu said, outlining the spot carefully.
Naruto blinked, stunned. "How did you just do that? Wasn't that way too fast?"
Hal sighed. "Naruto…"
Naruto shook off his surprise and straightened his posture. "I'll come back, Madame Xanadu. We have a lot to talk about. Thanks for your help."
Xanadu smiled, but there was something deeper behind it—a flicker of interest that went beyond their simple exchange.
"I will be waiting for your next visit. Prepare properly for it."
As Naruto and Hal left the shop, Xanadu leaned back in her chair, tapping a finger against her lips in thought.
She had lived for centuries, witnessing the rise and fall of countless warriors, heroes, and even immortals. But Naruto?
Naruto was something else.
He wasn't just a hero who fought to protect the world; he actively changed it. Unlike most of the Justice League, he wasn't afraid to take responsibility, to shape the future rather than just react to it.
In a world where even the strongest feared their own influence, Naruto embraced his.
That alone made him dangerous.
And fascinating.
She had predicted this meeting long ago but had chosen to wait until Naruto came to her. His mind had not been fully solidified yet—he was still searching for something.
And now?
Now, she could see the fire in his eyes. He was close to understanding what it meant to be the Anchor.
As they flew back toward their destination, Hal stole a glance at Naruto, then exhaled through his nose. He had noticed Xanadu's interest, too.
She wasn't the only one.
Everyone had their eyes on Naruto now.
Because while the Justice League feared what he could become, there was another reason they were watching him closely.
The two possible futures.
One led to the creation of an Overlord Naruto, a benevolent ruler who brought peace to the universe but at the cost of free will.
The other?
The rise of the Emperor of the Universe. An unstoppable force that would bring everything under his command.
And while the first future was at least stable, the second was a nightmare.
Hal had no intention of letting either come to pass.
His grip tightened as he contacted the rest of the team.
"We've got the coordinates. Everyone, meet us there."
As they soared through the sky, Naruto's mind was unusually quiet—too quiet. His body moved on autopilot, following Hal toward their rendezvous point, but his thoughts lingered on Madame Xanadu.
That woman… There was something about her.
He had met countless people—heroes, warriors, immortals, monsters—but Xanadu? She was different. Not just because of her powers, but because of how she looked at him.
Most people saw Naruto Uzumaki, the Hero, the Warrior, the Immortal.
Some saw the danger—the man who could shape the world with a mere decision.
But Xanadu?
She saw something else.
Something deeper.
It unsettled him.
He wasn't arrogant—he knew he was powerful, and he understood why people feared or admired him. But Xanadu's gaze wasn't one of fear, nor admiration. It was curiosity. Expectation.
It was like she was waiting for him to realize something about himself.
And that pissed him off.
"Tch."
Naruto clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Something wrong?" Hal asked, glancing at him.
"That woman… she looked at me like she already knows where I'm heading."
Hal didn't respond immediately. Instead, he exhaled slowly and muttered, "Maybe she does."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "I don't like it."
Hal smirked. "You don't like a lot of things."
Naruto ignored the jab, his mind racing.
It wasn't just her words. It was the way she spoke to him, the way she smiled when he said he'd return.
She wasn't just interested in him—she was invested.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath. "Now I have to go back just to figure out what her deal is."
Hal chuckled. "She played you perfectly."
Naruto sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I get it."
But still… he couldn't shake the feeling.
Xanadu knew something.
And if she was waiting for him, then sooner or later, he'd have to find out why.
Aresia stood within the intricate spell circle, surrounded on all sides by Earth's mightiest heroes. There was no escape. Not anymore.
She wasn't a fool—she knew she was outnumbered, outmatched. But even in this moment, she held her head high, her sharp eyes locked onto Naruto.
Her hatred for him burned brighter than anything else in the world.
The spell had nearly reached completion. Even planet-shattering attacks couldn't crack the barrier. Not even Martian Manhunter or the Flash could bypass it.
But none of that mattered—because the League had something better.
Magic.
Zatanna and Raven stepped forward, eyes glowing with power as they began their counterspell. Their words were whispered in eldritch tongues, weaving through reality like strands of fate, picking apart the enchantment piece by piece.
The rest of the heroes remained vigilant, their attention locked onto Aresia in case she made a move.
But then, she spoke.
"What futile attempts. None of you can stop this anymore." Her voice was laced with cruel amusement. "But perhaps… I may consider halting it if Naruto walks inside."
The statement hung in the air like a curse.
Naruto felt dozens of eyes shift toward him, the weight of unspoken concerns pressing against his back.
Kara snorted, arms crossed. "And you expect us to believe that?"
"That is your choice," Aresia said, a smirk tugging at her lips. "But the spell is nearly complete. So the deaths? They're on your hands."
It was a classic villain's dilemma. She was playing them—playing him.
Naruto remained silent, staring straight ahead, his mind already racing through possibilities.
Superman placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to do it. Just wait for Zatanna to finish."
There was genuine concern in his voice, but also something else—a plea.
Crucifier, the newly crowned Vampire King, stepped forward next, his expression unreadable. "Don't repeat what you did against me. Just wait."
It was strange seeing Crucifier like this. He was a monster, an immortal ruler, yet now he stood beside them, an unwilling ally bound by an old debt.
He didn't regret his past sins, but he was a man of his word.
Naruto looked between them and sighed, rubbing his face with his palm.
"Guys, it's been eleven months. I'm not the same person anymore."
The heroes stared at him.
Silent. Suspicious.
Naruto groaned. "I already figured out how to end this. Just watch."
They didn't look convinced.
Inside his mind, Kurama chuckled.
'You have given them enough reasons to believe otherwise.' The fox's voice rumbled with amusement. 'Let them stay like this. It's proof of how much they care about you… and your mortality.'
Naruto exhaled. 'Yeah, yeah. I get it.'
'Even the greatest make mistakes. You've grown in power, intelligence, wisdom—it was bound to get to your head at some point.
Naruto didn't deny it.
'But now that I've caught myself slipping… it won't happen again.'
He focused.
His Bijuu-Sage Mode flared to life, golden light radiating from his body. His armor, a masterpiece of science and sorcery, pulsed with energy—inscribed with seals using Kara and Raven's blood.
His vision sharpened. His mind became clear.
The heroes had been so focused on breaking the spell from the inside…
That they never considered an outside solution.
Naruto grinned. "Time for something unconventional."
He raised a hand. Power surged.
And then—
BOOM.
The entire landmass beneath Aresia was RIPPED from the Earth.
A massive chunk of land—barrier and all—was hurled into space.
For a moment, silence.
Then—
"Wait… THAT WORKED?!" Flash blurted out.
Superman's jaw nearly dropped. "...I can't believe we didn't think of that."
Kara smirked, nudging Naruto. "Show-off."
Naruto dusted off his hands. "Sometimes, you just gotta yeet your problems into orbit."
While the heroes were still processing his insane approach to problem-solving, Raven and Zatanna were already moving.
A gigantic portal opened in the sky—dark, swirling, hungry.
The chunk of land, along with Aresia, was sucked inside.
Destination?
Somewhere she couldn't escape from.
And just like that—
The battle was over.
Naruto stretched, rolling his shoulders. "Well, that was easy."
Superman gave him an exhausted look. "Easy? You threw a mountain into space."
Naruto shrugged. "I've done crazier."
Flash crossed his arms. "That's… terrifyingly accurate."
The heroes glanced at each other, still trying to process the absolute madness of what just happened.
"Damn," Crucifier muttered, rubbing his chin. "That's... one way to do it."
Even Superman took a second to process before sighing, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You do realize we spent twenty minutes strategizing, right?"
Naruto shrugged. "Hey, you guys were working hard. I didn't want to interrupt."
Superman sighed again. "You literally threw the problem into space."
"Not just that," Raven added dryly as she finished her part, "I had to open a portal mid-flight to contain it before it went flying off into deep space. You could have at least given a little warning."
Naruto had the audacity to grin. "I did. I took a deep breath before I did it."
Raven stared at him.
Zatanna smacked her forehead. "I hate that it worked."
Kara chuckled, nudging Naruto playfully. "That was actually genius."
"Thank you!" Naruto crossed his arms. "At least someone appreciates a man who thinks outside the box."
Batman, who had been standing in the background observing, just shook his head. "You threw a landmass into space."
Naruto gave a thumbs-up. "Batman, my friend, when in doubt, yeet it out."
For a solid three seconds, Batman just stared at him. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away.
"Where's he going?" Flash asked.
"Probably to go brood about how logic no longer applies to Naruto," Kara replied.
"Or to rethink why he's still on the hero roster," Zatanna added.
Meanwhile, up in space, Aresia was screaming in frustration, still trapped in the containment field Raven and Zatanna had set up.
"THIS IS NOT HOW THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO GO!!"
With Aresia dealt with—at least for the time being—the heroes took a moment to breathe. The battlefield, once filled with tension, now stood quiet. The golden glow of Naruto's chakra receded as he turned to face his friends, his arms casually resting behind his head.
"See? Nothing to worry about, and we didn't even have to fight."
Superman narrowed his eyes slightly, noticing something off. "Did you just send a clone?"
Naruto grinned. "Of course. I can't just throw a person into the unknown like that. She needs to repent for her sins and change. And throwing people carelessly only delays the inevitable future conflict."
Superman sighed, shaking his head. "You're too soft sometimes, Naruto."
Kara leaned against Naruto, wrapping her arms around his back as she smirked at the Man of Steel. "Are you trying to goad me, Clark? He only sent a clone, so it doesn't matter."
Superman gave her a knowing look. "You're really okay with him making these decisions alone?"
"Come on, brother, you can't try that on us." Naruto chuckled as he began walking towards Raven, Kara still clinging to his back like a koala.
"Are you planning to let go?"
"No," Kara answered without hesitation. "I like it here. Or are you going to tell me to vacate the premises?"
"Of course not, you can stay as long as you want."
"You're such a perv," she whispered, feeling his hands slowly move up her thighs.
Naruto only grinned. "It is my honor."
A few steps away, Raven and Zatanna remained focused, still analyzing the remnants of Aresia's spell. Raven finally stood, dusting herself off before turning to Naruto.
"Good work," he said as he approached. "Find anything interesting?"
"A good spot to meditate for both of us." Raven's voice was calm, but there was an underlying emotion there.
Naruto raised a brow, noticing the way her gaze briefly flickered toward Kara. He wasn't blind—he knew this relationship had its challenges. While they had grown used to it, some feelings were harder to suppress than others.
Raven took a deep breath, schooling her emotions before stepping closer. With a firm tug, she pulled Naruto down into a kiss, pouring her unspoken emotions into the act.
Naruto responded without hesitation, sensing her jealousy, her need for reassurance. He held her close, his chakra instinctively wrapping around her like a protective veil.
'Why don't we spend some time here?' Raven's voice echoed in his mind, the mental connection they shared growing stronger.
'Private?' he asked.
'Yes. Kara will get bored staying with us.'
'Hey, hey, hey—hold on a second. Is that the truth—ow!' Naruto winced as she bit his tongue playfully, cutting him off.
Kara finally let go, stretching as she gave them space. "I'll leave you two to your business tonight, but tomorrow we're all going on a picnic. Got that, Miss Uzumaki?"
"I look forward to it," Raven answered smoothly. "We plan to meditate here."
"I know all about your meditation, so no need to explain." Kara smirked before turning away.
Raven flushed slightly, looking away as Naruto chuckled.
"Hey, what about me?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms. "I feel like something's off here."
"You have no right to complain after being so selfish."
Naruto tilted his head. "Is that so? I thought it was your selfishness that led to this situation."
Kara grinned and leaned in close, her lips brushing against his ear. "Take responsibility for your actions, daddy dear." With a teasing peck on his head, she took off into the sky.
Naruto exhaled, watching her disappear. He felt complete with them—every day with these women felt like a miracle. It wasn't just about physical connection. Their bond ran deeper than that. It was a meeting of souls, a love that defied the norm.
But even in this joy, he could sense Raven's loneliness.
Kara and Veritas were both pregnant. Raven, however, was not. And not because she didn't want to be—but because she couldn't. The darkness within her, the cursed bloodline of Trigon, made it impossible. No life could take root within her unless Naruto freed her completely from her father's influence.
The world had always tried to isolate her. Even now, that cruel fate seemed determined to pull her away from the happiness she had finally grasped.
Naruto held her tighter.
'Don't worry,' he whispered in her mind. 'I'll make sure you can join them. I promise.'
Raven didn't say anything, but she leaned into his embrace, closing her eyes as she took in his warmth.
A scoff broke the moment.
"Hey, I'm still here, you know."
Naruto and Raven turned their heads to see Zatanna standing there, arms crossed, staring at them with an unimpressed expression.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Uh… thanks for the help?"
Zatanna rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable."
Zatanna crossed her arms, still looking unimpressed. "You two really forgot I was here, didn't you?"
Naruto gave her his signature foxy grin. "Come on, Zee, don't be like that. You know you're special to me."
Zatanna raised a brow. "Oh? Special enough to not get ignored for hours while you and Raven have your little telepathic love talk?"
Naruto chuckled. "Alright, alright, I owe you one." He stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Tell you what, I'll get you something special. A gift—just for you."
Zatanna's irritation faded slightly, curiosity replacing it. "A gift, huh?"
"Yup." Naruto smirked. "Something unique, something powerful, something worthy of my dear friend Zatanna."
Zatanna rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile forming on her lips. "Fine, I'll hold you to that."
Naruto gave her a playful wink. "You'll love it, promise."
Zatanna sighed but gave him a soft punch to the arm. "Alright, I'll take my leave then. You two have fun." She turned and walked away, her cape fluttering in the breeze. Before disappearing completely, she glanced over her shoulder. "And try not to make too much noise, alright?"
Raven's face heated up, while Naruto just laughed.
As Zatanna vanished into the distance, the beach fell silent, save for the gentle sound of waves rolling onto the shore.
Naruto turned his gaze to Raven, his eyes soft with affection. "Finally alone."
Raven met his gaze, her amethyst eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight. "Yes." She stepped closer, her fingers tracing over his chest. "You weren't lying about spending time together, were you?"
Naruto grinned. "Of course not."
Raven exhaled slowly, her face relaxing as she turned her gaze toward the ocean. The reflection of the moon on the water was mesmerizing, creating a peaceful, almost surreal atmosphere.
Naruto stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You okay?"
Raven nodded, leaning into him. "I just… I feel at peace here. With you."
Naruto kissed the top of her head. "Then let's make the most of it."
A smirk played on Raven's lips as she turned in his arms, looking up at him. "You know, meditation isn't the only thing we could do here."
Naruto chuckled, his hands sliding down her back. "Oh? What do you have in mind, Miss Uzumaki?"
Raven's response was simple—she pulled him down into a deep kiss.
The world around them faded as their souls intertwined in a moment of pure connection. The ocean whispered its approval, the cool breeze caressing their skin as they lost themselves in each other.
Tonight was theirs.