Chapter 58

Naruto stood atop the Watchtower's teleportation pad, waiting as the system locked onto his destination. Supergirl floated beside him, arms crossed, her long blonde hair shifting slightly from the energy of the teleportation system. Impulse, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with excitement, bouncing from foot to foot.

"So, why Niger again?" Impulse asked, tilting his head. "I mean, not that I mind, but you've been moving around nonstop. What's special about this place?"

Naruto stretched his arms behind his head and yawned. "The usual—poverty, instability, and a government that's barely holding on. There are some people trying to fix things, but they need help. Thought we'd lend a hand."

Supergirl arched an eyebrow. "You thought? Or you know something?"

Naruto smirked. "Both."

He pulled out his communicator and flipped through the intel he had gathered. "There have been reports of an unknown powerhouse taking residence in Niger. Some think it's just a mercenary group, but a few rumors suggest Black Adam might be involved."

That made Supergirl frown. "Black Adam? Are you sure? He hasn't been seen for years."

Naruto shrugged. "Not sure, but if he is there, we either talk to him or, you know… kick his ass."

Impulse grinned. "Oh man, I hope we get to fight. I've always wanted to see how fast I am compared to him."

Supergirl sighed. "Let's try not to start a war with one of the strongest beings on Earth."

The teleportation system beeped, and a bright light surrounded them. "Coordinates locked. Deploying in 3… 2… 1…"

In an instant, the three heroes vanished, their forms dissolving into pure energy as they were transported across the planet.

Niamey was alive with movement, but the air carried an unshakable weight of fear. Naruto walked the streets with Supergirl and Impulse, his sharp eyes scanning the faces of the people they passed. Some glanced at them with wary curiosity, while others hurried past as if afraid to be seen speaking to foreigners.

The officials they had met earlier had been all smiles and polite words, but Naruto had seen through them instantly. Corruption wasn't a disease limited to the rich and powerful—it ran through every level of society. The weight of greed, desperation, and survival made it impossible to tell who was an honest person and who wasn't.

Still, that wasn't what troubled Naruto the most.

The fear.

It was in the way people avoided eye contact, the way they spoke in hushed whispers, and the way parents held their children just a little tighter when the sun started to set.

Naruto stopped in front of a fruit vendor, an old man with deep lines on his face and tired eyes. He picked up an orange and tossed a few coins onto the wooden stall.

The old man looked at the money but didn't reach for it immediately. Instead, he glanced left and right before finally accepting the payment.

Naruto peeled the orange casually. "Mind if I ask you something, old man?"

The vendor stiffened. "I am just a simple merchant, sir."

"Relax, I'm not here to make trouble. Just looking for some information." Naruto took a bite of the fruit, letting the sweet juice sit on his tongue for a moment before swallowing. "What's got everyone so scared?"

The man's lips pressed into a thin line. "Nothing, sir. The people are just… cautious."

Naruto sighed. "Come on, don't give me that. I've been in enough places to recognize real fear. Monsters, disappearances—people are terrified, but nobody is talking. What's really happening here?"

The man looked around again, then leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper. "They come at night. The shadows move, and then people are gone. No bodies, no blood. Just… gone."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Who are 'they'?"

The man shook his head. "Nobody knows. Some say they are spirits, others say demons, but all we know is that they are real. If you are wise, you will leave before nightfall."

Naruto finished the orange and tossed the peel into a nearby bin. He gave the vendor a nod before stepping back into the street.

Impulse stood nearby, his expression tense. Naruto had seen that look before—it was the kind of face someone made when they realized the future they knew had changed.

"Impulse, do you have anything to say?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms.

The speedster hesitated before sighing. "Yeah… this didn't happen. None of this."

Supergirl frowned. "What do you mean?"

Impulse ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, in my timeline, Niamey had problems, sure, but there were no 'monsters' and people weren't disappearing like this. Something changed, and I think it has to do with us."

Naruto tapped his chin thoughtfully. "So what, just the act of me walking at a different pace is messing up the timeline?"

Impulse shrugged. "Maybe. Time is weird like that."

Supergirl folded her arms. "Then we have two problems—the creatures and the fact that we might be standing in a broken timeline."

Naruto took a deep breath. "Great. Just what I needed—time problems on top of real problems."

He glanced around once more. The sun was beginning to dip toward the horizon. The people on the streets were starting to move faster, closing shops, hurrying home. The air itself felt heavier, like something unseen was watching.

Naruto turned to his team. "Let's split up and gather information. We need to figure out what we're dealing with before night falls."

Supergirl nodded and took off toward the government district, her cape fluttering in the wind. Impulse blurred away down the streets, a streak of red and white vanishing into the city.

Naruto remained where he was for a moment, exhaling slowly.

Monsters, disappearances, and a messed-up timeline.

This just keeps getting better.

Naruto walked through the city, his footsteps light but his presence heavy. With a simple touch, he injected nature energy into the earth beneath him, coaxing new life to sprout from the barren ground. Trees rose, their leaves unfurling in the warm air, casting much-needed shade over dry streets. The soil, once cracked and lifeless, turned rich and fertile, promising future harvests.

Yet, despite his efforts to revitalize the land, the city's dull atmosphere remained unchanged. The fear clung to the people like an unseen chain, binding them to their silence.

Naruto frowned, kneeling to press his hand against the earth. His chakra pulsed outward, scanning for anything unusual—residual traces of energy, distortions, something unnatural.

Nothing.

No footprints. No disturbances. No lingering chakra signatures.

His enemy wasn't just skilled—it was meticulous.

Sighing, Naruto walked toward the riverbank, where the gentle current flowed through the heart of the city. He took his time reinforcing roads along the way, smoothing the rough, broken paths that had made travel difficult for the locals. The lack of proper infrastructure was just another sign of neglect.

Sitting by the water's edge, he stared at his reflection, his thoughts swirling like the ripples in the current.

"How do I deal with this?"

For the first time, he was up against an enemy that not only hid but erased all traces of its existence. This wasn't a war where he could simply charge in, fists blazing. This was something far more insidious, a threat that thrived in silence and shadows.

His earpiece buzzed.

"Did you guys find anything?"

Supergirl and Impulse answered at nearly the same time.

"Nothing."

"There's nothing."

Naruto exhaled through his nose. 'Damn it.'

"If we had a camera recording everything, we wouldn't have to deal with this," he muttered, rubbing his temple. The lack of technological surveillance made the situation even worse. There were no security feeds to analyze, no footage to review—just fear and whispered rumors.

'I'll have to talk to Batman about this.'

If they had satellites constantly monitoring high-risk areas, they could prevent situations like this before they spiraled out of control. He wasn't sure if Bruce would approve of the idea, but it was worth a discussion.

Deciding to bring in some magical insight, Naruto activated his communicator.

"Raven, can you come to my location?"

There was a brief silence before her cool voice answered.

"One minute."

Naruto barely registered her words before his brain betrayed him. The combination of her voice, the sound of running water in the background, and his own exhaustion led to an… unfortunate mental image.

Raven, standing beneath a shower, water cascading down her pale skin.

Naruto stiffened, his hands clenching into fists.

'Damn it.'

He ran a hand down his face. This wasn't good. He had been pushing himself too hard, diving into mission after mission, battle after battle, with no break. The strain of constant physical exertion, combined with a lack of release, was making it harder to control his impulses.

Living alongside beautiful, confident women—many of whom had no concept of modesty—wasn't helping either. Sparring with them, feeling their bodies press against his during close combat drills, catching the teasing glances from Kara or the playful smirks from Veritas…

Yeah. He needed to do something about this before it got worse.

'I really am starting to lose control of my lust.'

He sighed, leaning back on his hands, watching the sky darken as the sun dipped lower.

As he tried to clear his mind, another thought crept in—one far more complicated than physical urges.

Love.

It wasn't something he had actively pursued, but he wasn't blind to the fact that people had feelings for him.

Hinata had confessed before the war, her voice filled with unwavering devotion. Veritas had done the same, but unlike Hinata, she had received an answer. A partial one.

Because the truth was, Naruto didn't know.

Love wasn't something he understood fully. He had spent his life chasing acknowledgment, forming bonds through battle and hardship, but romantic love? That was foreign territory.

Kurama stirred in the depths of his mind, cracking an eye open lazily.

'If you're so confused, why not consider Kara or Raven?' the fox suggested.

Naruto's brows furrowed. 'Kara and Raven are my friends. Why would I think of them like that?'

Kurama scoffed. 'Meh. Then just keep waiting. You'll come across the right person one day. No need to rush and make a mistake. You're still young, you know. Even Clark didn't find love until his late twenties.'

Naruto hummed in thought.

'I guess you're right. There's no hurry, but sometimes, after seeing couples, I do feel like it would be nice to have someone like that.'

Kurama flicked his tails. 'Sometimes?'

Naruto smirked. 'I have good friends, so I forget about it soon enough.'

The fox gave a low chuckle. 'Hah. So do you love your friends more than a lover, or are your friends like your lovers?'

Naruto blinked at the question.

Before he could answer, a portal of darkness appeared beside him. The air rippled as Raven stepped out, her violet cloak billowing slightly before settling against her body. Her sharp, amethyst eyes met his.

"I'm here," she announced, her voice calm and steady.

Naruto turned to face her, already knowing she would come without hesitation.

"I need a barrier around the city—one that will alert us if anyone dies."

Raven arched a delicate brow but didn't question the request. He knew she had already set up a similar barrier around Jump City, making crime detection and response much easier for the Titans. Without another word, she raised her hands, dark energy crackling between her fingers as she began weaving the spell.

As she worked, her eyes glowed faintly, the arcane symbols swirling around her forming intricate patterns in the air. It was mesmerizing—the fluid motion of her fingers, the effortless control over her magic, the faint hum of power resonating in the space around them.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice steady as she continued working.

Naruto folded his arms, his expression serious.

"People have been disappearing, and based on the fear I've seen, they're most likely dead. But I can't find any bodies, traces, or even a single clue. It's like they just… vanished."

Raven's lips pressed into a thin line. "A predator that leaves no trail… That's rare."

Before Naruto could reply, a gust of wind kicked up as Impulse arrived, coming to an abrupt stop beside them. His red and white suit barely had a wrinkle despite the speed at which he traveled.

"This isn't just a city problem," Impulse announced, frowning. "I just scouted the nearest cities and even neighboring countries. The disappearances are everywhere."

That caught both Naruto and Raven's attention.

"You mean it's a coordinated attack?" Naruto asked, narrowing his eyes.

Impulse shrugged. "Or it's something spreading, like a disease. Whatever it is, it's not confined to just Niger. This is a region-wide issue."

As Impulse finished, he noticed Naruto's eyes lingering on Raven as she completed the final steps of the spell. The dark energy pulsed before sinking into the earth, invisible to the naked eye but fully active.

Impulse smirked slightly.

'Is this admiration or something deeper?' he wondered. Naruto had that intense look, the kind that spoke of genuine appreciation. But was it just respect for Raven's skill, or was it something else?

Naruto finally turned his gaze back to them, snapping back into command mode.

"I'm going to meet with Batman about this problem. The three of you stay in the area and keep investigating. We need a lead—anything that can tell us what we're dealing with."

Raven and Impulse both nodded, but it was the latter who grinned and saluted.

"Aye aye, Captain."

Naruto rolled his eyes but smirked slightly before vanishing in a flicker of yellow light. The hunt for answers had just begun.