Chapter 59

Naruto arrived at the Watchtower in a golden flash, stepping out onto the sleek, metallic floors of the Justice League's orbital station. The hum of machinery filled the air, and holographic screens illuminated the dimly lit room where Batman sat, tirelessly working on an intricate plan.

The Dark Knight barely spared him a glance, his sharp eyes scanning countless reports, logistics, and training modules. The sheer complexity of the system in front of him made Naruto pause—Batman was truly on another level when it came to strategy.

The plan itself was brilliant. Instead of relying solely on heroes to stop crime, Batman was developing a long-term solution: training local law enforcement and military forces to handle both standard crimes and lower-tier metahumans. This way, the world governments wouldn't feel like the League was overstepping its boundaries, and crime rates would plummet as more capable officers took action.

The only real obstacles? Time and resources.

They couldn't train entire forces all at once, so they had to start with small, elite units that would pass their knowledge to others. Androids would assist in training, and low-end Justice League technology would be shared to give these new forces an edge.

Naruto smirked, shaking his head as he took a seat across from Batman.

"You know, I always wonder why you don't just get a superpower. It's not even that hard."

Batman stopped typing for a moment, turned to him, and blinked. His eyes burned slightly from staring at the screens for so long.

"You're back early."

"Yeah, ran into a problem that you need to know about." Naruto leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "There have been disappearances all across Africa, and I haven't found a single clue. I was thinking… we need to start using satellites to monitor different countries. If we have eyes in the sky, we'll always have video proof of whatever is happening."

Batman's mind processed the suggestion instantly. It made sense. If people were vanishing without a trace, real-time surveillance could help them uncover the mystery before it escalated further.

After a few seconds of silence, he nodded. "Good suggestion. I'll add that to the plan. As for the disappearances, I'll start looking into it with our resources."

Naruto exhaled, satisfied. "That's all I wanted to say. Just making sure you were aware in case you had anything useful for me."

Batman turned his chair slightly, thinking. "Nothing yet, but I'll run checks in our own regions as well, just in case this isn't only happening in Africa."

"Smart move." Naruto stood up, stretching. "Well, take care, and don't overwork yourself."

Before he could teleport away, he smirked. "Oh yeah—your answer?"

Batman sighed, already knowing what Naruto was referring to.

"I feel like I would lose myself if I had powers." Batman's voice was calm, but firm. "What makes me special isn't power—it's my ability to adapt, to use everything around me. With superpowers, I'd have more options, but I might not think the same way. I might rely on those abilities instead of my mind."

Naruto considered that. It made sense. Many heroes fell into the trap of over-relying on their powers instead of thinking outside the box. But at the same time…

"I think you should at least get some useful abilities," Naruto said seriously. "You're one of the most responsible people I know. If anyone could handle it, it's you."

Batman didn't respond immediately. He just stared at the glowing screens before him, lost in thought. Finally, he nodded. "I'll think about it later."

Naruto grinned. "You do that."

With that, he vanished in a flicker of golden energy, leaving Batman alone once again.

The Dark Knight turned back to his work, but Naruto's words lingered in his mind.

'Maybe I will need to consider it sooner rather than later.'

His training plan for law enforcement would eventually make his role in handling street-level crime obsolete. He knew that. If he wanted to remain relevant in a world full of immortals, metahumans, and cosmic threats, he might need to evolve as well.

For the first time in years, Batman seriously considered the idea of power.

Golden Dawn had taken residence in the city, blending into the shadows, unnoticed by the locals. They waited, their senses tuned for anything unusual, any sign that would help them solve the mystery of the disappearances.

Perched atop the tallest building in the city, Naruto gazed at the skyline, the glowing lights flickering like distant stars. A cool breeze brushed past him as he leaned forward, lost in thought.

"Was the future really worth changing?" he asked aloud.

Impulse, who had been lounging nearby, gaming on his phone, paused and put the device away. "We thought it was worth it. Too many losses. If we can change it, then it's the right choice."

Naruto glanced at him, his blue eyes unreadable. "Is it? What if the risks end up being greater than what you expected? Do you regret it now?"

Impulse smirked, shaking his head. "Thanks for worrying, but I'm completely cool with it. I believe it was the right choice."

Naruto exhaled, staring at the city below. "That's good… but I wonder how our future will turn out now. Will it be what I wanted, or something completely random?"

Impulse tilted his head. "Why the sudden questions about the future?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. Just felt like it. We're changing things, after all."

Impulse stretched, leaning back. "It's better to just live in the present and plan for the future. Don't let the possibility of failure stop you from imagining the future you want."

A chuckle escaped Naruto's lips. "Heh, I know that. But everyone's mind wanders sometimes—I'm no exception."

"Guess so, can't deny it."

Before they could continue, a familiar voice slipped into his mind.

'Since you're so bored with meditation now, why don't you come here?' Kara called out to him telepathically.

Naruto glanced back to see her sitting on the sofa with Raven, watching The Interview. Kara loved comedies and slice-of-life shows—The Simpsons, Daily Lives of High School Boys, and anything with over-the-top humor.

Raven, on the other hand, was more into thrillers and romance. She adored classic Disney movies and listened to love songs when she was alone, while Kara preferred music that hyped her up.

Impulse groaned. "Hey, I was planning to watch that!"

Kara smirked. "You can watch it later, or you can come join from this part."

Naruto, realizing his meditation was only leading to negative thoughts, sighed and stood up.

"Might as well," he muttered as he walked over and joined them on the couch.

For now, he would focus on the present.

Night fell swiftly, but their patience was finally rewarded. A clue had surfaced, leading them straight to their targets.

Encircling a group of pale-skinned individuals, Naruto frowned. He had expected monsters, not people.

The team moved quickly, subduing the enemies with little effort, chaining their limbs with magical energy to ensure they wouldn't escape.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at them. "Who are these people, and why are they kidnapping others?"

Raven, her dark eyes locked onto their captives, answered first. "Vampires. They feed on blood."

Naruto blinked. "There are beings like that?" He stretched his senses toward them, but something was off—he couldn't feel their life force at all. They were completely invisible to his life sense.

"Yes," Raven nodded. "There are many other supernatural beings, too. You should check out the book on magical species sometime—it'll help. But for now, let me see what they know."

Her soul extended out, touching the captured vampires' own, diving into their memories. A moment later, she gasped softly, eyes widening.

"Anything?" Kara asked, watching Raven closely.

Taking a deep breath, Raven relayed what she had learned. "They've spread across the continents… and they're careful, extremely careful. This group doesn't know much—they only deliver their victims to a certain location before leaving."

The team's expressions darkened.

"It's worse than we thought," Raven continued grimly. "They're not just using humans as food. They're turning them. Their population is growing every single day."

A heavy silence settled over them.

A smart enemy. One that operated in the shadows, using caution and intelligence rather than brute force.

Naruto clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. He had seen death countless times, but the thought of people being turned into monsters, losing themselves completely, stirred something in him—something dangerous.

"Raven… sorry."

Before she could process his words, Naruto shut his eyes and reached out to nature, attempting to forcefully link his senses with the entire world—an advanced technique he had barely survived last time.

"Stop!"

Kara reacted instantly, her fist slamming into Naruto's face, sending him crashing into the sand below.

Naruto groaned as he lifted himself up, dazed. "What the hell, Kara—?"

She landed beside him, hands on her hips, her normally playful expression replaced with anger. "What were you thinking?! Your mind isn't ready for this technique—you almost died last time. Do you want to break yourself just because you're scared?"

Raven knelt beside him, gripping his shoulder. "Calm down, Naruto. You don't need to push yourself to that extent. Just use your normal senses and check the life force around us, like you always do."

Naruto inhaled sharply, then exhaled.

She was right. He had let his emotions take over. The sheer scale of the problem had made him reckless.

'You let easy victories get to your head.'

He nodded, shaking off the frustration. Then, closing his eyes again, he extended his senses—not through force, but through clarity.

Slowly, the life force of every being in the country began to shine in his mind like stars in the night sky.

Opening his eyes, he lifted himself into the air with the wind. "Found them. Let's go."

The team followed, moving swiftly toward the places where life flickered—where people were vanishing into the darkness.

Morning arrived, but there was no relief.

After an entire night of hunting, the team had found many targets—too many. A vampire base had been discovered in Niger, but even its occupants knew little beyond their orders.

All they truly knew was a name:

Crucifier.

Their master.

The one pulling the strings behind this global operation.

That wasn't the only disturbing fact.

These vampires—they weren't feral monsters lurking in the dark. They had infiltrated every level of society. Businessmen, politicians, doctors, soldiers. They lived seemingly normal lives, their thirst for blood sated through regular deliveries from the base.

There was no in-fighting. No rogue attacks. No mindless feeding sprees.

They were organized. Disciplined. Loyal.

If it weren't for their unnatural need for blood and the sheer number of missing people piling up, Naruto could almost understand them.

Almost.

But then there was the number—the unbearable, unfathomable number of lives lost to this silent war.

Millions.

The weight of it sat heavy on his soul. He had fought in battles. He had seen destruction. But to hear such a number tied to death like this? It clawed at his mind.

His hands clenched unconsciously.

"It's not your fault. Don't make it your fault, or you will let despair win."

A soft hand wrapped around his own.

Naruto blinked, turning to see Raven looking at him, her usually guarded expression filled with quiet concern.

She could feel his turmoil.

She had seen how bright and unshakable he always was, and yet… this night had been hard even for him.

"Thanks," Naruto exhaled, forcing himself to focus. "I'll be fine after some time."

His gaze flicked to Impulse, who was staring at the unconscious vampires, his usual energy dimmed. "Impulse, relax."

The speedster snapped his head up. "I'm good, dude. No need to remind me."

His tone was edged.

Naruto didn't push him further. They were all struggling with this.

"We'll inform the League and have them keep an eye out for Crucifier and his forces while we try to track him."

Raven's brows furrowed. "He should already know about us by now."

Naruto nodded grimly. They weren't hunting an enemy that was blind to their actions. They were being watched, too.

"What are we going to do about these people?"

Kara's voice cut through the tension as she glanced at the dozens of vampires they had captured. They lay unconscious, completely at their mercy.

Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair—only to be met with the hard surface of his helmet. It annoyed him, the confinement of it.

He took a deep breath.

Control, Naruto. Control.

Don't let this mess with your head.

Finally, he exhaled and straightened. "We'll go back and discuss this with the League. This problem is too big for us to handle without a proper plan."

The team agreed.

There was no clear answer to this situation. No simple solution they could enforce.

They had fought villains, criminals, and even warlords—but this?

This was something else entirely.

While Naruto's team dismantled the vampire operations in Niger, Crucifier became aware of the disruption.

He always knew where his servants were.

They were connected to him—a thread of consciousness that tied them to their master. At any moment, he could reach out and sense them.

And now…

They were gone.

No, not dead. Not yet. But they were no longer where they were supposed to be. They had been captured.

A ripple of irritation passed through him.

Reaching out to his other followers, Crucifier gathered fragments of intelligence. A name kept surfacing.

Golden Dawn.

The covert group had been active in the region. It didn't take a genius to piece together the truth. They were the ones who had interfered.

"Hmm… Seems like they've found a way to track us."

Crucifier's lips curled into a half-smile as he glanced out the hotel window in Beijing. The city lights stretched into the distance, a sea of human civilization. A reminder of the world he no longer belonged to.

The weak winter sun brushed against his skin, filling his body with a dull ache—an unwelcome sensation that he had long since grown accustomed to.

But pain?

Pain wasn't his enemy.

Not the physical kind, anyway.

His heart had known far worse torment.

With a flick of his fingers, the curtains slid shut, plunging the room into dim lighting.

Now, he focused on the true problem.

Golden Dawn had many skilled members, but only two of them were particularly dangerous to him:

Paragon and Raven.

They were the real threat.

Just as the Justice League had Dr. Fate and Zatanna, Golden Dawn had their own annoying specialists.

Luckily, Klarion was keeping Dr. Fate busy, which meant Crucifier only had to deal with three problems instead of four.

Still…

They had found the warehouse where humans were being harvested for blood.

That was bad.

It meant they had some kind of tracking ability.

Crucifier paced slowly across the lavish hotel suite, deep in thought.

Life-force tracking? Death-sensing?

Both were possibilities.

If they could sense where humans were dying, then his entire operation was compromised.

A long sigh escaped his lips.

He needed a solution.

And there was only one that came to mind.

"I need a magician."

The right spellcaster could cloak his activities, shielding them from unwanted eyes. Klarion might be able to help, but he wasn't reliable.

No.

He needed someone more… unstable.

A name surfaced in his mind.

Enchantress.

She was powerful, unpredictable, and utterly insane.

But her magic could do exactly what he needed.

If he could control her, she would make the perfect shield against Golden Dawn's senses.

A small smile formed on his lips.

"Gentlemen."

He turned, his gaze settling on the ten figures standing in perfect formation behind him.

They were China's Great Ten.

Or rather, they had been.

Now, they were his.

One by one, he had subjugated them in a single night. They had fought hard, but their resistance had been futile.

They belonged to him now.

And with their strength, this game was only just beginning.