Chapter 33

With all other matters settled, Batman took his place at the front of the gathered heroes, his presence commanding immediate attention. His voice was steady, composed, yet carrying the weight of their situation.

"With this incident, we have finally obtained the last piece of information to complete the puzzle. Our name has been cleared, and we have uncovered the true enemy hiding in the shadows—The Reach. Their sights are set on conquering our planet."

Murmurs spread throughout the room. Some had suspected an unknown force working against them, but hearing the confirmed identity of the enemy brought a new level of seriousness to the situation.

"With Paragon's help, we identified them and even managed to capture one of their operatives who attempted to act friendly during the battle."

Batman's gaze shifted, landing on Jaime Reyes, better known as Blue Beetle. Instantly, all eyes followed, locking onto the young hero.

"Blue Beetle, do you have anything to share?"

The weight of their gazes was heavy, and Jaime felt it crushing him. His heart pounded in his chest as sweat beaded on his forehead.

"I... I... I don't really know much, but..." He took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself, but it wasn't easy when it felt like everyone was judging him.

"I saw the scene when I got the Scarab. The Reach conquers worlds—that much I know. But after that, I haven't received any new information. The Scarab has its own mind, and it doesn't seem to work with them after being affected by some ancient magic from centuries ago. According to it, we might be able to locate any hidden Reach facilities on the planet."

The silence in the room was deafening. Jaime could almost hear their thoughts, their doubt.

They don't trust me.

They think I'm compromised.

That I'm a threat...

Even though no one had said anything yet, Jaime could feel it.

He clenched his fists.

That's when Naruto spoke.

"Blue Beetle, relax. We are all friends here. Keep calm, and we will handle this problem together."

Jaime snapped his head up, staring at the blond. Unlike the others, Naruto wasn't looking at him with suspicion. His voice was warm, understanding.

"Are you sure that the Scarab can be trusted?"

Naruto's eyes were sharp, but not unkind.

Jaime felt his breath steady.

Why does it feel like he actually understands?

...Wait, is he using empathy?

Inside his head, the Scarab's voice warned him.

'He is using empathy. Do not let it influence you.'

Jaime ignored it.

'Shut up, you're not helping.'

The Scarab hummed in displeasure.

'I am merely suggesting. Do not get swept up by emotions. It would have been better if you had let me take control—we could have solved this alone.'

Jaime grit his teeth.

'I doubt you would have done a clean job. You still don't value life the way I do. I refuse to be a galactic criminal because you decided to slaughter people willy-nilly.'

'Your morals put you at risk.'

'Some things are above those kinds of concepts.'

'We will see, when the time comes, if you can hold onto such ideals.'

Jaime closed his eyes for a moment before finally looking Batman in the eye.

"I trust the Scarab enough to say that it will lead us to the enemy."

Batman gave him a long, unreadable stare before finally nodding.

"Good. Since we have a team free, you will accompany them and locate any Reach facilities."

Jaime exhaled in relief as Batman turned to Superman and the others, assigning them to lead the operation.

With the meeting reaching its natural end, the heroes exchanged a few words before preparing to head out. Everyone was tired, needing rest after everything that had happened.

But before anyone could leave, Naruto suddenly dropped a bombshell.

"I want Warworld."

Silence.

The room froze.

Even Batman looked at him with a rare expression of surprise.

Superman was the first to speak. "What exactly do you plan to do with it?"

Naruto smirked. "I plan to use it as a defensive measure... and a mobile home when I need it."

Batman's gaze sharpened. "And where do you plan on keeping it?"

Naruto raised his arm, tapping his storage seal.

"I'm going to seal it inside a storage seal on my arm. That way, it stays in a pocket dimension until I need it."

The room was silent again.

Naruto could see several emotions flickering in the heroes' eyes. Concern. Curiosity. Suspicion.

Then Batman sighed. "Fine. You can keep it."

Naruto blinked. "...Wait, really?"

"Yes. But." Batman's tone hardened. "You are responsible for ensuring its safety, and you must use it for the defense of Earth if needed."

Naruto met his gaze.

He could tell what this was.

A test.

They are trusting me with this power... just to see what I will do with it.

Naruto smiled. "Thanks. I won't let you down."

Batman gave him a nod before walking away, leaving Naruto to absorb the weight of what he just gained.

Naruto leaned back, crossing his arms as he thought about his new prize.

A literal planet-sized battle station.

Mine.

A slow grin formed on his face.

Kushina stared at him. "I can already tell you're thinking of something ridiculous."

Naruto laughed. "Me? Ridiculous? Never."

Beast Boy snickered. "Dude, you literally just claimed a death machine as your personal spaceship."

Naruto shrugged. "What can I say? I like big toys."

Kara shook her head but smiled. "Just don't blow up the moon or something, okay?"

Naruto waved her off. "Relax, I have no plans for planetary destruction... for now."

Jaime chuckled, finally feeling more at ease.

This guy is insane... but I think I like him.

As Naruto and his small team arrived on Warworld, the massive artificial planet loomed before them, its dark metallic surface stretching endlessly in every direction. The construct, once a tool of destruction under Mongul's command, was now floating aimlessly in space, waiting for a new master.

Naruto sat on its smooth surface, turning the control device over in his hands. His mind was buzzing with possibilities. Could he really seal something this massive? He had stored mountains, entire rivers, and even small fortresses before, but this was on an entirely different scale.

"This should be possible?" he asked aloud, glancing toward Kushina. His mother, standing beside him with a proud grin, folded her arms and nodded.

"Theoretically, any size is possible, but it depends on the material and energy," Kushina replied, her fiery red hair floating slightly in the zero gravity. She still found it hard to believe that her son had become such a legend in this world. Seeing him take on such a bold challenge filled her with both pride and amusement. He's as reckless as his father, but he knows what he's doing.

Behind them, Blue Beetle—Jaime Reyes—was standing in full gear, his suit the only thing allowing him to survive in space. His eyes darted nervously around the enormous structure before them.

"Bro, are you serious? This is just too damn crazy," Jaime muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

Kara floated nearby, arms crossed as she looked at the Warworld with a deep frown. The idea of carrying something this massive inside a seal didn't sit right with her.

"Wouldn't it be better to just leave it with the League?" she asked. "This thing is huge. It seems more like a hassle to lug around all the time."

Her concern was valid. If the seal malfunctioned, and Warworld was suddenly released in the wrong place, the devastation would be unimaginable. She glanced at Naruto with an arched brow.

"Are you sure this seal can hold it safely?"

Naruto smiled confidently. "I've never seen a storage seal break in my life. And even if it somehow does, someone would have to capture me first to get their hands on it. For those situations, I have countermeasures—if the seal is tampered with, the pocket dimension will implode, destroying everything inside."

Kushina nodded in agreement. "Seals are some of the most secure containment methods in existence. No normal force can break them, and we designed failsafes just in case."

Kara still looked skeptical, but she knew Naruto wouldn't take this risk without proper precautions.

Raven, floating silently nearby, finally spoke up. "So, you want me to supply the energy?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. My chakra reserves are running low after all that fighting, and this is going to take a lot of power."

Raven considered his request for a moment before shrugging. "No problem. It's the least I can do for your help."

Kushina took Raven's hand and guided her as they began drawing the intricate seal on Naruto's arm. The markings started from his palm and spread up to his forearm, forming an elegant array of swirling patterns and ancient symbols. It was a painful process, as the seal had to be carved directly into his flesh with magic-infused energy, but Naruto didn't even flinch. He had endured worse.

Once the seal was complete, Raven placed her hands over the markings and infused them with her vast magical reserves. A faint purple glow spread across his skin as the seal activated, binding itself permanently to him.

Naruto tested it by placing his palm on Warworld's surface. Immediately, the intricate seal began expanding outward, covering the entire structure like a massive web. The Warworld shuddered slightly before, in a flash of light, the entire artificial planet was pulled into the seal, vanishing without a trace.

Now, only the vast emptiness of space remained.

Blue Beetle let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Dios mío... That actually worked."

Kara, still floating in place, looked at Naruto's arm warily. "I really hope you know what you're doing with that thing."

Naruto rolled his shoulders and grinned. "Don't worry, it's not going anywhere unless I want it to."

Raven finished placing additional protective spells around the area to ensure no one had witnessed the event. They had to be careful—if anyone found out that Warworld was now inside Naruto's possession, it could lead to unwanted attention from enemies far beyond Earth.

With the mission complete, Naruto flexed his hand, feeling the weight of his new arsenal resting within his seal. This was a risk worth taking.

But his work wasn't over yet. There was still one more matter to handle.

As they prepared to leave, Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly.

Imprisoning powerful enemies has proven to be a problem. Mongul won't be the last dangerous figure we capture.

He clenched his fist.

It's time to fix that problem.

The Justice League's meeting room was dimly lit, the glow from the monitor screens casting faint shadows across the table where some of the most powerful heroes on Earth had gathered. The atmosphere was calm, but the discussion at hand was anything but.

Flash sat down with a fresh cup of coffee, stirring it absentmindedly as his mind processed what had just happened. He took a sip before speaking, his voice breaking the silence.

"Was that really safe?" he asked, referring to Naruto sealing Warworld away as if it were a simple scroll technique.

Beside him, Impulse—his grandson from the future—plopped into a chair with a glass of chocolate milk, his usual energetic demeanor subdued as he joined the conversation.

"Yeah, last time he didn't have it. I was surprised he even asked for it," Impulse said, tilting his head slightly.

Across the table, Batman sat in his usual posture—straight-backed, fingers steepled, eyes focused on the multiple screens displaying footage of the recent battle. Every detail was being analyzed, every potential weakness in their response being documented. He glanced at Flash before responding in his usual stoic tone.

"No need to worry about it. We've already hacked the system," Batman stated, his fingers moving over the console. "Besides, Naruto doesn't even know how to operate a phone. We have everything under control."

Flash almost choked on his coffee at that. "Wait—you hacked it?!"

Batman didn't bother looking up. "Standard procedure. I need all available data on the situation. The League must be prepared for future possibilities."

The screens showed a mix of battle footage, highlighting the different players involved. Warworld's last moments as an independent entity. Naruto's use of sealing techniques. The unexpected appearance of Kushina Uzumaki. The implications of Naruto's evolving tactics.

There were so many unknowns.

"So Naruto ended up changing the future and has taken steps to avoid repeating the mistakes of before," Flash mused, his fingers tapping against his cup. "But what are the long-term effects of his change in thought process? How is the Warworld going to affect him? How will the introduction of seals alter his approach to battle? And, of course—" he turned toward Impulse with a knowing grin— "you mentioned a girl problem. Explain."

At the mention of time travel and potential consequences, Flash felt a twinge of unease. He had learned the hard way that even a small alteration could ripple into disaster. The temptation to go back and check the future himself was strong, but he shoved it down.

I can't let those thoughts get out of hand again.

He had once nearly destroyed reality by trying to save his mother. The only way to truly change the future was to prevent Eobard from ever traveling back in time, but that was impossible. The risks outweighed the rewards.

Impulse, meanwhile, had finished half his chocolate milk and leaned back with a smirk. "Well, you see, this is a topic that you guys really can't help with since—let's be honest—you all suck at romance."

Flash's eyes twitched as he suddenly had a metal staff in his hand. "Would you care to repeat that?"

Impulse, unfazed, grinned. "I mean, tell me I'm wrong. Batman here can't handle family life and always sleeps around, Superman can't get his act together, Martian Manhunter is... well, MM, Diana never really gets into relationships, Zatanna is just too free now, Nightwing has major woman problems, Hal Jordan constantly breaks up with his girlfriend over issues, and even Grandpa has issues with Grandma."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Then Batman sighed. "Okay, we get it. We're terrible at relationships. But I'm an expert on handling the hearts of women—"

Impulse snorted.

Batman ignored him. "—so explain it so we can plan for this problem."

Impulse took another sip before nodding. "Alright, here's the deal. Naruto is very loyal and pure when it comes to relationships. He doesn't like impure connections, and to him, love is sacred. He refuses to dirty it with lies or deception."

Flash and Batman both listened intently.

"The thing about him is that he makes choices that often hurt himself instead of others," Impulse continued. "I don't know how many girls were involved, but I do know that when he realized he loved them, he took a step back. He couldn't decide between them, and rather than pick one and risk hurting the others, he chose none."

Flash raised an eyebrow. "Wait... so he let them go?"

Impulse nodded. "He decided it was better for them to find a partner who could make a clear choice. The ones we know were involved with him before the tragedy were Raven, Supergirl, and Donna Troy. There might have been more, but those three were the ones closest to him."

That last part sent a wave of realization through the room.

Batman frowned slightly. "That explains why he was alone when he was captured."

Flash sat back in his chair, processing the information. Naruto was powerful beyond imagination, but at the end of the day, he was still a human being—someone who put others before himself, even at his own expense.

"So, let me get this straight," Flash said, rubbing his temple. "He had multiple women who loved him, but he refused to choose because he didn't want to hurt them... and then he ended up alone?"

"Pretty much," Impulse confirmed.

"That idiot," Flash muttered.

Batman remained silent, still watching the screens. He could already predict that this would come up again in the future. Naruto wasn't the type to suppress emotions forever—sooner or later, he would have to confront them.

And when that happened, the fallout could be... complicated.

The Justice League's meeting room was usually a place of serious discussions, strategy, and planning. But today? Today, it was rapidly spiraling into a sitcom.

Flash chuckled as he leaned back in his chair, stirring his coffee. "Never expected Donna to go for Naruto… or Kara, for that matter. Superman is so going to get confused over whether to support this or stop it from happening."

The mental image of Superman giving an awkward big brother talk to Naruto while trying not to laser him into oblivion was hilarious.

Batman, ever the pragmatist, ignored the joke and got straight to the point. "Are you proposing we guide him toward a single target?"

Impulse immediately waved his hand. "That's not gonna work. Naruto's bonds are the result of years of experiences—he didn't just fall for them overnight. Unless you're planning to physically follow him around 24/7 and direct his life, you can't change that outcome."

Flash sipped his coffee, smirking. "So we stalk him?"

Impulse ignored him and pulled out a stack of comic books with a mischievous grin. "Instead, I was thinking of giving him these… you know, to educate him on the truth of life since the guy died a virgin."

He wiggled his eyebrows.

Flash nearly choked on his coffee. "Wait, WHAT?! No way! Naruto? A virgin?! That's just tragic."

Batman's eyebrow twitched slightly as he glanced at the stack. "Impulse… those are porn magazines."

Impulse shrugged. "Tomato, to-mah-to. Wisdom is wisdom."

Flash smirked. "You do know he's going to burn them, right? I mean, come on, the guy was raised a shinobi and still managed to stay pure. If that doesn't tell you anything, I don't know what will."

Impulse scoffed. "Then I'll make sure they aren't precious editions. Not like he's going to appreciate them."

Batman, already tired of this nonsense, made his decision. "We let this play out. His mother is there now, and she has far more experience with love than any of us."

Flash chuckled. "Yeah, you're probably right. If there's one person who can set him straight, it's his very scary mother."

Impulse, completely ignoring Batman's plan, stood up and stretched. "Well, I'm still going with my plan. A man has to learn somehow."

Flash let out a deep sigh. "Alright, but seriously, make sure they aren't valuable editions. Some of those books are gold—you never know when they might come in handy."

Batman raised an eyebrow. "You do realize he just implied he uses them, right?"

Impulse turned bright red and immediately gagged. "EWWWW! I did not need to know that! I'm telling Grandma!"

With that, he turned and ran toward the Boom Tube.

Flash's eyes widened in panic. "Wait! STOP! BOY, BEFORE YOU FORCE MY HAND!"

"Ciao!"

The Boom Tube closed behind him.

Flash let out a long, dramatic groan before slamming his forehead onto the table. "Shit."

Batman, shaking his head, went back to his work. "Seriously?"

Flash sat up, groaning. "What? I still get it regularly, unlike you."

Batman paused for a moment before looking at him with a neutral expression. "I highly doubt that."

Flash frowned. "...Hold on, wait. Are you implying—"

And then realization struck.

"WAIT—YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A SEX LIFE?!"