Chapter 22

As the dust settled from the chaotic yet laughably easy takedown of the criminals, Naruto, Beast Boy, and Raven stood atop a nearby rooftop, surveying the now-silent streets of Jump City.

Despite the robbers being heavily armed—wielding everything from automatic rifles to rocket launchers—they had been embarrassingly outmatched.

Beast Boy had spent most of the fight shapeshifting into random animals to freak them out, at one point turning into a velociraptor and chasing them around the street while making dramatic movie monster roars.

"Raven, tell me you got that on video," Naruto chuckled as he dusted off his jacket.

"I don't waste my storage on garbage," Raven deadpanned, though the corner of her lips twitched ever so slightly.

Meanwhile, Naruto himself had simply used the most minimal effort possible, dodging bullets like he was walking through light rain and disarming the thugs with casual flicks of his fingers.

The real highlight, however, had been when one particularly brave—or incredibly dumb—criminal had fired a rocket launcher at him.

"Yo, incoming!" Beast Boy had shouted, pointing as the explosive rocketed toward Naruto.

Naruto had simply grabbed the missile midair, spun it around like a baton, and tossed it straight back at them. The robbers had scattered like cockroaches, screaming as the rocket exploded harmlessly in an empty alley.

"That's not fair, man," one of the thugs had whimpered, looking at Naruto like he was some kind of cosmic horror.

"Life isn't fair," Naruto had replied with a shrug before flicking the guy in the forehead, sending him crashing unconscious into a dumpster.

Raven, for her part, had just floated in midair, arms crossed, effortlessly binding groups of criminals in dark energy while reading a book she had conjured from nowhere.

"You done yet?" she had asked, lazily turning a page as Beast Boy wrestled a thug in the form of a giant gorilla.

"Oh, sorry, I was actually trying to make this fun," Beast Boy had huffed before lightly tossing the guy into a police van, where he landed in a perfect sitting position, completely defeated.

Now, standing atop the roof, Naruto looked over at the old Titans Tower in the distance, an idea suddenly forming in his mind.

"How about we stay here?" he proposed, nodding toward the structure.

Beast Boy raised a brow. "You don't wanna go back?"

"Of course, I'm going back," Naruto said, stretching his arms. "But the Zeta Tube lets me travel wherever I want. It makes sense to have a place here too. Besides, it'd be nice to have a home base in Jump City while I get used to things."

Raven, who had been quiet, seemed to consider this. She hadn't said much about the Young Justice base, but Naruto had noticed she seemed uncomfortable with the idea of staying there. Maybe it was the presence of so many heroes who didn't understand magic. Maybe it was just too many people. Either way, he figured this would be a better place for her to settle in.

"Not a bad idea," Raven finally said, giving him a small nod of approval.

"Well, as the previous owner, I'm okay with it, but you gotta talk to the mayor since it technically belongs to the city now," Beast Boy pointed out, shrugging.

"That won't be a problem," Naruto replied confidently. He'd convinced immortals to change their minds before. A city official was nothing in comparison.

"Did you think of a hero name yet?" Beast Boy suddenly asked. "Or are you just gonna go around telling everyone your real name?"

"The Paragon."

Beast Boy blinked. "That's... a choice."

"It suits him," Raven said, her voice neutral, though there was something in her tone that suggested she understood the meaning behind it.

"It defines me properly for now," Naruto added. "It might change in the future, but this works."

"Eh, fair enough," Beast Boy said before smirking. "Just know there are worse names out there. Like Speedy. Or Darkside. Dark-side. Can you believe that?" He snickered at his own joke.

Raven exhaled through her nose. "Your sense of humor is still a lost cause."

"Hey, leave my sense of humor alone! If it dies, I'll turn into a zombie like you! How are you gonna take responsibility for that?!"

"The day you receive a properly functioning brain will be a miracle," Raven responded flatly. "If I still believed in Santa Claus, I'd think that day was Christmas."

"Stupid Raven! Santa is real!" Beast Boy huffed. "I met him!"

"That was a homeless man."

"But he asked me to sit on his lap."

"Yes, he did."

"And I did."

"Yes, you did. Merry Christmas, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy frowned, thinking hard before realization hit him. "Wait a minute... you dissed me just now!"

"Okay, Paragon," Raven ignored him completely, turning to Naruto. "Let's get out of here before we lose brain cells listening to his nonsense."

She grabbed Naruto's wrist and with a flicker of dark energy, they vanished, leaving Beast Boy standing there, arms crossed.

Despite the teasing, he felt lighter than he had in a long time. Seeing Raven act more like her old self gave him hope. Even if things were different, at least they were still friends.

Maybe—just maybe—things were going to be okay.

Kushina stretched her limbs, feeling the new strength coursing through her body. The process had taken time, but it was worth it—she was alive again, truly alive, with a body that matched her potential. Unlike Naruto, who relied on sheer brute force and an endless supply of chakra, she was a refined combatant, trained to manage her energy efficiently. Now, with a power level equal to her son's, she could face even the mightiest of foes without concern.

The doctor responsible for this miracle—may immortal have mercy on her soul—had clearly outdone herself.

"Miss Uzumaki, how do you feel?" Kara asked, her blue eyes filled with curiosity and mild apprehension.

Kushina beamed at the younger woman. "I feel great! But don't call me 'Miss.' That makes me feel old. I'm only twenty-four, you know?" She laughed and pulled Kara into a hug, her natural warmth radiating as she embraced the Kryptonian.

Kara was taken aback by the sudden display of affection, but she had to admit—Kushina was... fun. The red-haired woman had an energy to her that was infectious, and despite her overwhelming power, she didn't carry herself like a warrior burdened by duty. Instead, she was vibrant and carefree, something Kara admired.

From the moment they had met, Kushina had taken a liking to her. It was clear that the woman approved of her, maybe even saw her as a potential match for Naruto. Kara didn't quite know how to feel about that, but she couldn't deny that Kushina's intuition was impressive.

However, her appreciation quickly turned to exasperation when she noticed something.

"Kushina, are you wearing a bra?"

"Nope!" the redhead announced proudly, puffing out her chest. "I took that thing off. It was getting in the way of my girls."

Kara's brain short-circuited. "Kushina! Please put a bra on this instant!"

"I refuse!" Kushina declared, striking a victorious pose. "My melons were meant to be free!"

Kara groaned, covering her face. "Please, cease this foolishness!"

Kushina smirked, placing her hands on her hips. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eye, she started singing.

"I can jiggle if I want to, I can leave my bra behind~ 'Cause my boobs don't bounce, and if they don't bounce, well, they're no boobs of mine~!"

Veritas, who had been watching in amusement, chuckled. "You have a good sense of humor," she said, before shifting the conversation. "But I'm more interested in your skills. Would you mind demonstrating your fighting style?"

Kushina, still smirking, finally dropped the teasing act and turned to Veritas with a serious nod. "Of course. But I need a sword and some chains."

She described the weapons in detail—the special sealing chains of her clan, the kind of sword she preferred—and within minutes, the materials were prepared. They even provided a battle uniform, a sleek jounin outfit made from a high-class material far superior to the standard issue from Konoha.

"Is this enough?" Veritas asked, gesturing to the equipment.

Kushina ran her fingers along the blade, testing its weight. The uniform was snug, yet flexible—perfect for battle. She twirled the chains in her hands, feeling their balance.

"It's better than I expected," she admitted, giving a small nod of approval.

Though she was grateful, she wasn't naive. She knew they wanted to study her techniques, to develop their own styles by analyzing hers. It didn't bother her much—after all, basic combat techniques weren't a secret. But she had no intention of sharing the true depths of her skill, especially her expertise in fuinjutsu. That knowledge belonged to the Uzumaki clan, and she would never let outsiders get their hands on it.

Still, a little demonstration wouldn't hurt.

With a smirk, she took her stance. "Alright then. Let's see if you can keep up."

Kara stood across from Kushina, her eyes narrowed in deep thought as she analyzed the red-haired woman. The more she observed, the more she felt an odd contradiction in her personality. Kushina was playful, teasing, and full of energy, but beneath that lively exterior, there was something else—something sharp, calculating. A moment ago, Kara had even sensed a flash of killing intent, a stark contrast to Naruto's usual carefree nature.

"Unlike Naruto, she really feels like a shinobi," Kara thought. "And a dangerous one at that. Naruto is strong, but he doesn't feel like a killer. He's unique among his kind."

She wondered how Naruto had managed to resist the nature of his upbringing. From what she understood, his world was a place where assassination, war, and bloodshed were the norm. Yet, he was different—light-hearted, hopeful. It was a mystery she could only unravel through further conversations with her partner.

Kushina smirked, spinning her chain lazily in one hand. "I hope you don't mind."

Kara snapped out of her thoughts and nodded. "Of course not. I'm happy to face you as my opponent. Show me what your advanced techniques can do."

Kushina chuckled. "Your species is said to be one of the strongest in the universe, but raw strength alone isn't everything. Let's see what Kryptonian combat looks like."

Kara frowned slightly, scratching her cheek. "Well… our martial arts might be advanced, but I'm not exactly an expert. I don't have much experience using them."

"Well then, practice makes perfect!" Kushina grinned. "Let's enjoy the experience!"

With that, she sprang into action.

The chains in her hand shot forward, slicing through the air at blinding speeds. Kara instinctively dodged, her Kryptonian reflexes far superior to any normal human's, but she quickly realized that the attack wasn't just a simple strike—the chains moved with intelligence, twisting and turning mid-air like living serpents.

She frowned but remained calm. She had already decided to hold back in this fight. It wasn't about overwhelming Kushina—it was about honing her own control. Unlike her cousin, she struggled with fine-tuning her power, and this battle was the perfect training opportunity.

The sword Veritas had provided was sharp, capable of cutting through nearly anything, but even if Kushina managed to land a hit, it wouldn't pierce Kara's Kryptonian skin. The armor she wore was similarly useless in terms of defense—she didn't need it. If she wanted to, she could end this battle in an instant.

But as the fight progressed, she realized she had made a terrible mistake.

Unlike Naruto, who often fought with raw power and resilience, Kushina was something else entirely.

The moment Kushina recognized Kara's reliance on her superior stats, the battlefield changed.

A thick mist erupted around them, swirling unnaturally as it spread through the air. Kara immediately noticed something was wrong—it wasn't normal mist. It was infused with chakra, and her enhanced Kryptonian vision couldn't see through it.

"A smokescreen?" Kara thought, tensing. "No… it's more than that. It's blocking my senses!"

Before she could react, Kushina formed a shadow clone. The copy split from the original seamlessly, moving like a ghost through the fog. At the same time, the real Kushina unleashed her chakra chains once more. This time, Kara wasn't fast enough.

The golden chains wrapped around her arms and torso, coiling tightly. She expected to easily snap them apart, but the moment they touched her skin, a wave of weakness washed over her.

"What—?!" Kara's eyes widened. Her strength was fading.

She struggled, but the chains held firm, suppressing her energy like they had a will of their own. She hadn't even realized the danger until it was too late.

Before she could retaliate, the shadow clone struck. It moved behind her with perfect silence, its hand reaching for her neck. The moment Kushina's fingers made contact, something strange happened.

Black markings spread across Kara's skin like creeping vines.

She gasped. A numbness spread through her limbs, her body refusing to obey her commands. It wasn't just chakra suppression—it was something deeper, something primal. Her solar-powered cells were shutting down, as if the very energy sustaining her was being sealed away.

For the first time in her life, she felt powerless.

A surge of panic rushed through her veins. "What's happening?! I can't move!"

A cold sweat formed on her brow. She had never experienced this kind of sensation before—not even when facing enemies far stronger than her. This was something entirely different.

She freaked out.

A desperate, primal instinct took over. Without thinking, she let out a scream, her body instinctively releasing a massive shockwave of solar energy.

The golden chains shattered. The mist was blown away. The shadow clone disintegrated on impact.

The entire battlefield was engulfed in blinding light, a pulse of raw power shaking the air as Kara's energy erupted outward. Dust and debris flew in all directions, the ground cracking beneath her feet.

Kushina skidded back, raising an eyebrow in mild amusement. She hadn't expected Kara to break free so explosively.