Chapter 42

While his clone was living a new life, the real Naruto and his team were settling into their newly established base inside the moon. The underground complex was massive—spanning an area large enough to fit five football fields. However, it lacked a futuristic touch, as Naruto had primarily used his Earth Release techniques to carve it from the moon's core. The walls and floors were composed of reinforced stone, enhanced by his chakra and continuously infused with Nature Energy to increase durability.

The base itself was simple in design, but personalization was in full swing. Kushina, Kara, Veritas, and Impulse were busy decorating their respective spaces, adding color and life to the otherwise barren surroundings. Meanwhile, Raven had taken a more mystical approach. With a mere thought, she reshaped her room to fit her desires—filling it with arcane symbols, mystical artifacts, and, much to Beast Boy's amusement, an unexpected collection of dolls and cute clothes.

Over the past month, Naruto had grown incredibly close to his team. He had earned their trust, not just as a leader but as a friend. Kara had shared her real name and life story before the tragic events that had brought her here. Raven, who usually kept her emotions locked away, had opened up to him about her struggles and even allowed him to stay in her room during training sessions.

This trust was mutual. Naruto had spoken of his own past—his struggles, his dreams, and his connection with Kurama. The team now knew of the mighty fox sealed within him, and Kurama, in turn, had become a presence outside Naruto's body. After intense practice, the fox had learned how to manifest a shadow clone, allowing him limited physical freedom. It was a game-changer. Though Kurama could now perform jutsu independently, he and Naruto were at their strongest when working together.

Their training sessions were rigorous. Naruto had learned a great deal from his teammates and incorporated new techniques into his fighting style. But he wasn't limiting himself to just martial prowess—his mind was just as much a battleground.

One of his greatest achievements was integrating technology into his combat approach, thanks to Veritas. She had assisted him in developing a nano-armor, composed of a highly durable material that could absorb a significant amount of force and withstand powerful blows. This upgrade allowed him to survive attacks that would have normally left him wounded, further enhancing his already formidable endurance.

Another milestone was mastering teleportation, a technique inspired by his father's FTG. Naruto could now place marks with a mere touch, allowing him to escape from any situation instantly. With this skill perfected, the immediate need for an emergency escape had been resolved.

However, his current focus was developing a true danger sense—an instinctive response system that would allow his body to react before his mind processed an attack. He understood that chakra could move at any speed required, but it followed conscious thought. If he could bypass that limitation, he would be able to dodge attacks without needing to perceive them—no matter how fast they were.

Yet, this was a challenge unlike any other. Danger wasn't a physical force; it was a conceptual threat. To train such an ability required understanding theories that delved into perception, instincts, and metaphysical awareness. It was frustrating, but Naruto was determined.

Of course, Naruto wasn't just dedicating himself to fighting. He had taken the opportunity to expand his knowledge in fields beyond the battlefield. With access to the League's resources and some of the brightest minds available, he had studied subjects such as law, philosophy, and human psychology.

He had attended lectures, read volumes of books, and debated with experts to gain a deeper understanding of human nature—why people acted the way they did, what drove their choices, and how societies functioned. He was no longer just a warrior; he was learning to become a leader, a strategist, and someone who could influence the world in ways far greater than just through raw strength.

Despite all his progress, he knew this was just the beginning. The path he walked was one of constant evolution, and he was determined to push forward—both for himself and for those he cared about.

"Sigh."

Raven adjusted her reading glasses, her deep violet eyes shifting toward her reading partner, who was sitting cross-legged on the carpet in her dimly lit room. She had come to enjoy these moments—quiet reading sessions, uninterrupted by battles or the chaos of their world. Yet, she could sense something was off.

"What are you sighing about?" she asked, her voice calm yet curious.

Naruto rubbed his temple, setting down the book he had been holding. His normally vibrant blue eyes looked duller than usual.

"I just feel so tired," he admitted. "I don't know why, but for some reason, my mind feels sluggish, and so does my body."

Raven immediately reacted, her fingers tracing symbols in the air. A soft, glowing spell circle materialized around Naruto, scanning his body carefully. She wasn't one to take risks when it came to health—especially not his.

When the analysis was complete, she sighed, shaking her head.

"It's nothing physical. Your body is perfectly fine."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Then why do I feel like I got hit by a mountain?"

Raven closed her book, shifting her posture slightly. "It's mental. You've been pushing yourself too hard—training too much, learning too much, and absorbing knowledge at a pace that isn't natural for you."

Naruto frowned. He hadn't even considered that possibility.

"So how do I fix it?"

"Rest." Raven's answer was immediate. "Stop training. Stop studying. Give your mind time to absorb what it's already taken in. You're abusing your healing factor too much. The danger of getting kidnapped is far less now that you've mastered teleportation. You need to let yourself relax—go out, have fun."

Naruto huffed. "I am doing that every day."

Raven narrowed her eyes. "Cancel the clones."

Her words made Naruto pause.

She watched him carefully, reading between the lines of his silence. She had noticed it before—the way he always carried himself with relentless positivity, never showing his pain. But now, after spending so much time with him, she saw the cracks beneath the surface.

Naruto wasn't just pushing himself—he was breaking himself. His body healed faster than any normal human, masking the strain he put it through. But the wear and tear were still there, building up like an unseen weight pressing down on him.

He hadn't realized it himself. He was too focused on his goal—getting stronger, learning more, becoming capable enough to return home.

Beneath that determination… was fear.

Fear that he would return only to find everything he cared about gone.

Fear that he would be too late.

That fear had seeped into his dreams, haunting him in ways he wouldn't admit.

Naruto finally exhaled, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Fine. I'll cancel all of them… except that one."

Raven's expression immediately hardened. "No, Naruto. You need to cancel that one especially."

His body tensed. "You're worrying too much, Raven. One clone won't hurt me, and I need it. I can't hold myself back anymore, and since it's not possible with my real body, I need that clone."

Raven's hands clenched. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" she snapped. "You just need to rest for a while, and then you can send it again. The world isn't going to end if you stop for a few days."

Naruto turned to face her, meeting her gaze with unwavering determination. "Who knows what the future holds?" he countered. "It's better to act now than to wait for a tomorrow that might never come. It's just some pain and discomfort—we've all been through worse. This isn't a big deal."

Raven stared at him, frustration warring with understanding.

She had learned something important about Naruto in the time they had spent together—he was selfless to the point of recklessness. He didn't care about the damage he inflicted on himself as long as it meant protecting others, achieving his goals, or preventing disaster.

It wasn't just in his words—it was in his actions.

And it terrified her.

Because she had seen people like him before.

People who gave everything they had until they had nothing left.

"Isn't all this enough? Why do you also have to put your time into fixing their nature?" Raven asked, her voice calm yet carrying a faint trace of frustration. "It will only bring you pain and suffering."

Naruto met her gaze, his blue eyes unwavering. "Raven, I choose to suffer this pain for a short time instead of living with the long-lasting pain of regret."

She frowned but remained silent, listening.

"You already know this is what I want. If I don't at least try, it'll become a regret that will never go away." His voice was steady, resolute. "I know it might seem like I'm walking a thin rope, but I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I never bow to despair, so relax—" He chuckled, reaching out to pinch her cheeks. "Or are you going to stress me out with that frown?"

Raven sighed, but deep down, she wasn't convinced.

'What will you do if the answer is something you don't want to face?' she thought but didn't say it aloud. She knew Naruto—he wouldn't accept a future where he failed, where his efforts were meaningless. He was the kind of person who would fight fate itself if it meant protecting those he cared about.

She didn't want to spread negativity, not when his optimism burned so brightly. Instead, she let herself smile—a small, rare expression that she knew he'd notice.

In an act of playful retaliation, Raven pinched his nose. "You know I don't like that."

Naruto grinned. "But I like doing it."

"You're always doing things I don't want."

"But you like it," he teased. "So how about we try out the racing track?"

Raven blinked. "Why would you even think about that? And I can't believe you actually made a racing track inside the base."

Naruto beamed with pride. "It looked fun! And now we can finally put Batman's cars to good use instead of letting them sit in his garage."

Raven crossed her arms. "Did you even ask him?"

"Yes, I got permission from Nightwing."

She sighed again, rubbing her temples. "You really are impossible."

Naruto just laughed, his energy infectious.

And despite herself, Raven couldn't help but smile.

Back at the Batcave, Bruce Wayne stood in front of the empty slots in his underground garage, his sharp eyes scanning the missing vehicles. His jaw tightened.

"Alfred, what happened to the cars?"

The ever-composed butler approached, holding a tray with a fresh cup of tea. His expression remained neutral, though there was the slightest hint of amusement in his eyes. "Master Bruce, young Master Grayson said that you wanted to give them away to the Golden Dawn team for personal use."

Bruce's eye twitched. His muscles tensed. His hand itched with the desire to slap his former protégé upside the head.

'That boy is still holding a grudge.'

He could still picture the smug grin on Dick's face before they had parted ways. That knowing, cheeky smirk that screamed payback. And suddenly, Bruce understood.

'Hey chum, wear this suit that obviously doesn't stand out in this dark night.'

Bruce groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Alfred… have I ever called Dick 'chum'?"

The butler gave a polite cough. "No, sir."

Bruce sighed heavily. "That boy is getting out of hand."

His shoulders slumped as he cast one last look at the empty spaces. His favorite cars were gone.

Somewhere out there, Naruto and his team were likely racing across the moon, completely unaware—or worse, fully aware—of the suffering they had inflicted on Gotham's Dark Knight.

Naruto stretched his arms over his head as he walked towards the door, rolling his shoulders to loosen the tension built up from training.

"I wouldn't steal things from others—that would leave a bad example for the rest," he said casually, his tone light but firm.

Raven, who had been eyeing him thoughtfully, tilted her head slightly. "Just asking to be sure," she murmured before falling into step behind him.

Since she had interrupted his reading, it only felt fair to keep him company. Besides, Jaime was home for the day, and the others were still busy decorating their new base. Left alone, Naruto would only bury himself in more work, and she wasn't about to let that happen.

The corridor stretched before them, the artificial lighting casting soft shadows along the smooth walls. As they walked in silence, Raven's gaze drifted to Naruto's back, tracing the outline of his tensed muscles beneath his fitted black shirt. He had become too obsessed with working. She could see it in the way he carried himself—the slight stiffness in his movements, the way his shoulders never fully relaxed.

Even now, when he was supposed to be unwinding, he had left clones behind to continue his training. The more he learned, the more reckless he had become with his time, constantly pushing himself harder, further.

He's in a hurry to reach his limits.

Raven frowned at the thought. She had seen this before—many heroes obsessed with saving others fell into this pattern. They threw themselves into their training, driven by the overwhelming need to be stronger, faster, better.

Even Batman had gone through it, only to learn over time that pushing through the pain wasn't always the answer. The mind and body needed time to rest, or their performance would only suffer.

Kushina hasn't been able to change his mind about this either, Raven mused. Is there really a way to stop him from self-destructing without changing who he is?

The path Naruto had chosen was filled with thorns, and the thought of seeing him break under that weight didn't sit well with her. It was easy to forget that underneath his bright, unwavering aura, there was pain—a deep-seated fear of what he might find once he finally returned home.

But she didn't voice her worries. Naruto would sense them immediately. Instead, she turned her focus to finding a solution. He had promised to help her deal with Trigon's influence, so the least she could do was support his dream.

But the only way to truly end human conflict is to warp reality itself… and that's not an option.

Lost in thought, she was pulled back to the present by Naruto's playful voice.

"Hey hey, don't go dreaming when we're together. I start feeling lonely."

Raven smirked slightly, crossing her arms. "Don't be a big baby. Some peace and quiet is always the answer."

"Che, quietness has its place and time. That time has passed, my dear. Now it's time for words and action."

She raised an eyebrow. "So, you're going to defeat me in a race and feel good about yourself because I don't have much experience with it? What a big, brave man."

Naruto clutched his chest in mock agony. "Your words would have hurt a lesser man, but this man is immune. You're going to be eating dust, so do it with dignity and honor."

Raven smiled, stepping closer until she was just beside his ear. Before he could react, she tapped the side of his head lightly.

"Hey! No taking memories!" Naruto protested, stepping back with an exaggerated glare.

Raven's eyes twinkled mischievously. "But you said only experience with your body counts, so memories can be used as a guide, can't they?"

Naruto groaned. She had just turned his own argument against him. "Fine, you can take them."

"Thanks," Raven said smoothly before heading over to a sleek McLaren, settling into the driver's seat.

Naruto grinned, striding over to a Lamborghini and sliding inside. Just as he was about to start the engine, Veritas's voice echoed in his mind.

"Naruto, you have a guest."

"Who is it?" he asked, adjusting the car's settings.

"Ra's al Ghul. He's waiting outside the Tower for an appointment."

Naruto's grin faded slightly. That wasn't a name he had expected to hear today.

"Tell him to wait. I'm kind of busy with something."

"How long?"

Naruto smirked as he revved the engine. "One hour at least."

With that, he hit the gas and tore after Raven, the sound of roaring engines echoing through the underground track.

Ra's al Ghul could wait. Right now, it was time for some fun.

The underground track roared to life as Raven and Naruto sped through the first turn, tires screeching against the polished floor. Batman's once-pristine vehicles were now being used for an entirely different kind of night operation—high-speed racing.

Raven smirked as she drifted around a sharp curve, her McLaren maintaining perfect control. "Having trouble keeping up, speed demon?" she taunted through their comms.

Naruto grinned as he slammed the accelerator, his Lamborghini closing the gap between them. "Oh please, I'm just letting you enjoy the lead before I crush your hopes and dreams."

"Uh-huh, sure," Raven drawled, shifting gears smoothly.

The underground racetrack had been a pet project of Naruto's—because of course, when given access to high-tech resources, he would build something completely unnecessary yet ridiculously fun. What was the point of having Batman's fancy cars if they just sat around collecting dust?

Ra's al Ghul stood in front of the massive tower, his cloak billowing slightly in the night breeze. The Demon's Head was not a man accustomed to waiting, and yet here he was—standing, arms crossed, staring at the steel doors with growing irritation.

Behind him, his elite assassins stood in formation, silent as the grave. They, too, were unused to such treatment. One of them, a young but talented warrior, cautiously leaned toward his master.

"My lord, shall we… force our way inside?"

Ra's closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, controlling his temper. "No. We shall wait."

A short silence followed.

"For how long?" the assassin dared to ask.

"One hour," Ra's muttered, the words tasting foreign in his mouth. "Apparently, our host is… busy."

The assassins exchanged nervous glances. No one had ever made the head of the League of Assassins wait.

Ra's was already imagining Naruto's face when they finally met. The boy had potential, yes. But he was also incredibly infuriating.

Naruto had taken the lead after a sharp turn, his Lambo roaring down the track as Raven tried to overtake him.

"Tsk, tsk, Raven. You gotta admit, I have a natural talent for this."

Raven sighed dramatically. "Naruto, this isn't talent. You're just reckless enough to push the car beyond safe limits."

Naruto cackled. "If you ain't first, you're last!"

"That quote doesn't even apply here—"

Before she could finish, Naruto's car took the turn too fast, and suddenly, he was spinning.

"Oh no—OH YES—OH WAIT—NOOOO—!"

With a spectacular display of both skill and sheer luck, Naruto somehow managed to regain control of the car mid-spin, swerving wildly before straightening out.

Raven stared, half-impressed, half-horrified.

"How… how did you not crash?"

Naruto grinned. "Sheer willpower, my dear Raven. And possibly a little divine intervention."

Raven shook her head, pressing her foot down on the gas. "You are the dumbest genius I know."

They were approaching the finish line now, neck-and-neck. Naruto glanced at Raven, who was staring ahead with a look of pure focus.

Then, just as they neared the end—

Naruto used a clone.

A second Naruto popped into the McLaren, causing Raven to slightly jerk the wheel in surprise.

"Hey!" she shouted as the clone waved at her.

"Oops! Hands slipped!" Naruto grinned as his Lambo crossed the finish line first.

Raven sighed and rubbed her temples. "That's cheating, you moron."

"Cheating? I call it 'strategic application of available resources.'" Naruto grinned smugly, leaning back in his seat.

"Fine, you win. Now, let's see how you handle the punishment."

Naruto blinked. "Punishment? I don't remember agreeing to—"

Raven suddenly created a portal beneath his seat.

PLOP.

The next thing Naruto knew, he was free-falling out of nowhere—and straight into the ocean outside.

"GAAAAH—"

SPLASH.

Raven smirked as she stepped out of her car and stretched.

"Oh no, hands slipped," she muttered, mimicking his earlier words before walking away.