Chapter 36

Naruto sat in deep meditation, his body pulsating with an intense golden glow, mixed with an inner green energy as his Senjutsu chakra flowed through him. His three clones sparred nearby—two engaged in a heated battle, while the third observed, analyzing every motion with meticulous detail.

Farther away, a hundred more clones honed their control over wind, bending the very air to their will.

After a night of rest, Naruto felt stronger than ever. His chakra reserves had exploded in size, and his body felt invigorated, as though it had absorbed the very essence of nature itself. The constant saturation of Senjutsu chakra over the past few days had refined his physique, and after last night's breakthrough, he was faster, stronger, and tougher than ever.

At this rate, in one month, he would comfortably surpass his previous strongest state.

And after that?

He would break past his former limits entirely.

Not just in raw power, but in understanding—his connection to Asura, his mastery over chakra, and his ability to push his Senjutsu-enhanced body to levels beyond anything he had previously imagined.

But that wasn't enough.

Not with the threats lurking in this world.

That's why he didn't stop training.

His clones weren't just fighting here—Kushina was currently locked in battle with a nerfed version of his clone at Titan Tower, Kara was dueling him at Veritas Lab, and Raven fought against him in her mental domain.

There was no rest for the wicked.

And that meant there was no rest for Naruto Uzumaki.

Naruto opened his glowing golden eyes as he felt two figures approach.

"Good morning, guys. Up for some training?"

Jaime and Impulse arrived, the former still wearing his Blue Beetle armor while the latter stood relaxed, arms behind his head.

Jaime nodded, grateful for the offer. "If you don't mind. Also… thanks for yesterday."

"No problem," Naruto said simply, before creating two more clones, one for each of them. Then, he closed his eyes again, diving back into his risky new experiment.

Chakra Enhancement.

The standard method of chakra reinforcement only coated the body, enhancing muscles, bones, and organs externally.

But Naruto wanted to go deeper.

If he could merge his Senjutsu chakra with his cells, he could strengthen his base on a fundamental level.

If his calculations—assisted by Kurama and Veritas—were correct, then by the end of this process, he would physically rival Superman in raw strength. That meant he could punch a planet apart with his bare hands.

And if he went further, down to the atomic level, he could reach the point where he could physically destroy a star with ease.

But…

There was a catch.

If he moved too fast, if he lost focus, then his cells would overload and self-destruct—killing him instantly.

That's why he had to be slow, methodical, and extremely careful.

He started with his hand.

The moment he infused his cells, an unbearable agony tore through his flesh.

BOOM!

His hand exploded into bloody mist.

His healing factor instantly regenerated it, but the pain remained.

Again.

BOOM!

His hand exploded again.

Again, it regenerated.

But he kept going.

He had to.

If he was going to survive in this world, if he was going to protect those he cared about, he needed to be stronger.

This was the only way forward.

Jaime followed Naruto's clone into the dense forest, mentally preparing for the brutal training session ahead.

Dija, the blue scarab, was already grumbling.

"At least learn how to break a clone, or I will be very disappointed."

Jaime sighed. "Not an easy process when you still don't fully trust me."

The scarab huffed in his mind but didn't argue. They still had trust issues, and Jaime was far from mastering the technology that bonded with him.

Naruto's clone turned to him, golden eyes calm yet sharp.

"This time, we don't have other people to worry about," Naruto said, rolling his shoulders. "So you can go all out. I'll stop when you want, so just say the word."

Jaime frowned slightly. He knew what Naruto was referring to.

During last spar, he had been captured, trapped inside a golden prison. He could have broken out, but… the explosion would have killed everyone else nearby.

So, he had held back.

And it cost them the mission.

"I'll try my best," Jaime said as his arm transformed into a cannon, ready to fire.

The moment he locked onto Naruto, the clone vanished.

Then—

BAM!

Jaime felt a foot slam into his gut before he even realized what had happened. His vision blurred as he was sent flying through the forest, crashing through trees before he finally hit the ground.

"Never try to shoot your opponent from this distance unless you're fast enough or the foe is unaware or shocked," Naruto's voice rang in his ear.

Jaime coughed, groaning.

"That was terrible," Dija grumbled. "Please don't ruin our name like this."

Jaime pushed himself up, determination burning in his eyes.

"Then let's do this right."

He wasn't going to be a burden anymore.

It was supposed to be a great day.

Lagoon Boy had dreamed of becoming a Justice League member soon, but the morning had crushed more than one of his dreams.

Megan had broken up with him.

To get back with Connor.

She had apologized, saying she didn't mean to play with his heart and that she enjoyed his company but just didn't see him that way.

It made sense—but it didn't make it hurt any less.

Why had she even bothered dating him if she was just going to return to her ex?

Why couldn't she have just stayed single like Connor instead of giving him false hope?

In the end, it was too much to take.

So, he slapped her and left the base, diving into the sea to cool his burning emotions.

He couldn't handle seeing them together.

Not now.

Maybe not ever.

As he swam through the depths of the ocean, a bitter thought crept in.

None of his teammates were really close to him.

They probably just tolerated him.

Maybe that was his fault, so he wasn't going to blame them.

Still, it stung.

But as he let his mind drift, he recalled one person who had treated him kindly.

Naruto.

Before Megan had come to talk to him, Naruto had been talking about love, sharing his thoughts with anyone who would listen.

"Lust is about getting what we want, love is about seeing another person become the best they can be."

"While lust is about finding satisfaction, love is about bringing satisfaction to another."

"If infatuation is a match and lust is a wildfire, then love is the steady burn of an oil lamp. It has the same spark, heat, and light of the other two, but it is not quick. It endures."

Lagoon Boy clenched his fists.

Hearing those words now, he realized—

His "love" had been a mix of infatuation and lust.

That didn't mean it didn't hurt, though.

It still felt like a punch to the gut.

Still, if he had learned one thing from this mess, it was that next time, he would choose differently.

"Next time, I'm going for a girl who hasn't been in a relationship before... or I'll just end up carrying extra baggage again."

With that thought, Lagoon Boy arrived at Atlantis, leaving his heartbreak behind in the sea.

Deep inside the core of the Earth, Naruto wrapped up his combat session with Supergirl.

Their battle had been closely monitored and analyzed by Veritas, gathering data for maximum combat efficiency.

From the fight, it became painfully obvious—

Kara lacked experience.

Her movements were too easy to read for someone like Naruto, who had spent his life honing his instincts in battle.

The only thing keeping her in the fight was her insane durability.

And for the first time since she became Supergirl, Kara received a proper beatdown—one that actually hurt.

Naruto's attacks had grown sharper, stronger, and more precise.

While her base level was weaker than Clark's, she still had incredible potential, and this fight was exactly what she needed to push herself to improve.

Regardless of who won or lost, both gained valuable insight:

Kara's skill level increased as her body adapted, and her mind soaked in the battle experience.

Naruto learned how to fight against highly durable opponents.

The key?

"Focus on a single point of impact—over and over—until it breaks."

He only realized this strategy when he saw Kara flinch in pain after an attack that hadn't affected her before.

This battle had been more than just training—it was growth.

Finished with their spar, Kara headed off for a much-needed shower, her body drenched in sweat.

She hated the smell of sweat—and Naruto?

Well, he was still a guy.

Even though he wasn't one to chase after casual flings, he wasn't blind.

Kara was soaked, her toned form glistening from the intense fight, and it was hard not to notice.

It was the same way with Raven—

Like that time when she had pressed up against him or when he was just a little too close to her… assets.

Naruto wasn't some shameless pervert, but he was still a red-blooded man.

He had standards, self-control, and he knew that love was what mattered most to him.

But appreciating the bounties of nature?

That was just part of being human.

And for that, he gave it an A+ rating.

Naruto settled in next to Veritas, his mind still reviewing the battle against Supergirl. He knew he'd improved, but he also knew there was always room to grow.

"So, how was it?" he asked, turning his gaze toward her.

Veritas, ever the analytical genius, didn't miss a beat.

"Your fighting style is definitely unique—creative, even. But it has flaws."

Naruto sighed. "Of course it does."

"Oh, don't get me wrong." She smirked, leaning in slightly. "It's impressive. You're unpredictable, adaptive, and you fight with a natural fluidity that even some of the strongest warriors in the galaxy lack."

She tapped a holographic screen, where data from their battle replayed in slow motion.

"However," she continued, zooming in on one moment, "this was a wasted opportunity. If you had adjusted your angle and reinforced your strike with chakra here, the force would have destabilized her core balance—resulting in a more effective knockback. Instead, you settled for a standard impact, and she recovered faster than she should have."

Naruto rubbed his chin, watching the playback. "Huh… yeah, I see it now."

"Of course you do. You're my star pupil, after all," she teased, giving him a smug grin.

Naruto chuckled. "I don't remember signing up for any classes."

Veritas placed a hand over her chest dramatically. "Oh, my poor heart. My best student doesn't even acknowledge my lessons? Truly, betrayal cuts the deepest."

He smirked. "Uh-huh. You should go into acting."

"Flawless in every art, darling. What can I say?"

Naruto shook his head with a small laugh, but he couldn't deny—her insights were invaluable. He would have eventually figured out some of these weak points, but it would have taken years of trial and error.

But Veritas?

She could break it all down in seconds.

"Thank you, Veritas."

Before she could react, he pulled her into a tight hug, a genuine warmth in his tone.

"I can never thank you enough. You're the best doctor I know."

For a moment, Veritas froze.

It wasn't that she wasn't used to physical contact—it was just that she… well, she hadn't expected it. People didn't touch her like this.

She hesitated, then slowly wrapped her arms around him, her smirk softening into something far more genuine.

"You're welcome."

Then, just as quickly as the tender moment arrived, it was gone.

Veritas leaned back with a smirk, crossing her legs.

"And, just so you know, you're the best hero I know."

Naruto grinned. "Aw, you're making me blush."

"Good. It's nice to know you're not completely immune to flattery."

Her golden eyes gleamed playfully. "Maybe I should try harder."

Naruto shrugged, brushing off her teasing.

"Still, I meant what I said. You're part of my team now, so of course I'll help you."

Her smirk faltered slightly, replaced by something more thoughtful.

"You know… no one has ever said that before."

Naruto blinked. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

Her voice was lighter now, missing its usual sharp edge.

"For five years, the so-called 'heroes' of Earth have been too afraid to take any action regarding my imprisonment. They feared the risks, the unknown… so they did nothing."

She sighed, shaking her head.

"Cold logic failed me. I thought it was all I needed, but it only led to my damnation. In the end, it wasn't intelligence or strategy that saved me—it was kindness."

She turned to him with a mischievous glint.

"Your kindness, specifically. Which means I now have a terrible problem."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?"

"I think I might just adore you."

She leaned in slowly, her gaze locked onto his. "Terribly inconvenient, isn't it?"

Naruto let out a small sigh, but a small smile played on his lips.

"Do I have something on my face?" he asked, already sensing where this was going.

"Yes, let me get it."

She inched even closer, her breath ghosting over his skin—but before she could get too far, he placed a firm hand on her forehead, stopping her approach cold.

Veritas blinked. Then laughed.

"Oh-ho, so you DO have some defenses. Not bad, hero. Not bad at all."

Naruto sighed, shaking his head. "Look, I get it. But I'm not someone who does things on impulse. Love is important to me—it's sacred. I'm not going to rush into anything just because of attraction."

Veritas tilted her head, studying him with intrigue.

"So, you want the real thing? No distractions, no meaningless fun?"

"Exactly."

Veritas considered this for a moment, tapping her chin.

Then she grinned.

"Well, that's unfortunate."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Unfortunate?"

"Yes. Because I already like you. And my desire for you is only going to get stronger every single day."

She leaned in again—**not to tease, not to kiss—but just enough to whisper in his ear.

"So tell me, Naruto…"

Her fingers grazed his arm, her tone dripping with amusement.

"How do you intend to take responsibility for that?"

Naruto let out a long exhale, giving her a flat stare.

Just as Kara stepped back into the room, she immediately noticed Veritas suspiciously close to Naruto. She arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms.

"Responsibility for what?" she asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

Naruto, ever the fast thinker, replied without missing a beat.

"Nothing really. She was just asking about ramen. I talked her into getting hungry, and she was asking if I was going to take responsibility for that."

To sell the act, he pinched Veritas behind his back, causing her to let out a small amused gasp.

Veritas, being the little menace that she was, simply grinned, making no effort to correct him.

Kara eyed them suspiciously but shrugged it off.

"Right…" she said, clearly not convinced. "Anyway, I was thinking we should go shopping and explore the city. We haven't really done anything fun together yet."

Naruto perked up at the idea, then casually stood up, letting Veritas hold his hand behind their backs as she subtly intertwined her fingers with his.

"I'd love to," he said, smirking. "But let's take Mother and Raven with us."

Kara smiled. "Don't worry, I already invited them."

Just as she finished speaking, Naruto suddenly vanished, his form flickering away as if he had never been there.

Kara blinked in confusion. "What the—?"

Veritas, still holding onto thin air, let out a small sigh. "Ah, well. The life of dating a man who occasionally explodes."

Kara turned to her, narrowing her eyes in curiosity. "Wait… why did he disappear?"

Veritas, regaining her playful demeanor, stretched her arms. "Oh, that? He 'popped' himself out of existence to process his combat data."

Kara frowned. "He just… explodes his body to gather information?"

"Essentially, yes. It's a controlled detonation of his form, allowing him to process experiences one at a time instead of overwhelming his mind with too much information at once."

Kara let out a long exhale, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Of course he does. Because why not?"

Then, out of nowhere, she gave Veritas a knowing look.

"By the way, I don't think you should aim for little kids."

Veritas froze.

For the first time, she was genuinely caught off guard.

Her golden eyes widened, her lips parting slightly before she let out an incredulous laugh.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying," Kara teased, already walking toward the exit. "You're getting a little too interested in Naruto. And last I checked, he's younger than you."

Veritas blinked. Then snorted.

"Excuse me, I am barely in my thirties! That's not old! What do you think this is, some kind of ancient vampire situation?!"

Kara shrugged, grinning smugly. "Just saying. If he were in high school, you'd be in jail right now." With those words, Kara walked away.

Veritas sat there for a moment, contemplating the ridiculousness of it all.

Then she just shook her head and laughed.

It was strange—before meeting Naruto, before all of this, she would have found this entire interaction pointless. A waste of time. A distraction.

But now?

She found herself actually enjoying it.

"Maybe… maybe it really is love," she mused to herself, a small smile forming on her lips.