Chapter 81

"Well done, Naruto. I expected nothing less."

Hippolyta's voice was warm yet composed as Naruto and Aresia materialized inside her royal chambers.

She had been informed of the battle beforehand and had been waiting patiently for the results.

And, just as she had expected—Naruto had once again proven himself.

Over the past year, she had witnessed him accomplish incredible feats. His abilities, both in battle and as a teacher, had surpassed her expectations.

But more than that, Naruto had shown a remarkable gift for communication.

Talking to him felt different. It was comfortable.

Unlike the countless warriors, diplomats, and rulers she had dealt with over the centuries, Naruto was truly unique.

And if she wasn't the Queen of the Amazons, she might have tried harder to capture his attention.

She liked his presence—truly.

But there were obstacles.

He was already engaged with three women and showed no interest in seeking more.

And even if he had been open to it… she had never pursued such things. A queen's life left little room for romance, and she had never developed the skills necessary to charm a man like Naruto.

Yet, despite this, she couldn't help but feel… frustrated.

Because she knew.

She had heard him engaging in intimate activities.

She had seen it using her sacred treasures.

At first, she had told herself it was for security reasons—after all, Naruto was an outsider, and she needed to ensure that his presence did not pose a threat to Themyscira.

But…

The experience had been irresistible.

And shamefully, she had recorded it—reliving it in secret, imagining herself in their place, pretending she was the one in his embrace.

It was something she could never admit.

Instead, she played her part with subtlety, attempting to seduce him whenever the opportunity arose—without making it obvious.

Though she suspected Naruto already knew.

Still, she had to be careful. If she made things too awkward, he might never return to Themyscira, and that would be an unacceptable loss.

Not just for her, but for all of the Amazons.

Because Naruto was more than just a man—he was a teacher, and he had transformed her warriors.

In a short time, they had greatly improved, able to hold their own against his clones in real combat.

They had also learned from him in other subjects, and the women of Themyscira had grown to respect him—not as a man, but as a warrior and a mentor.

And the most fascinating part?

Naruto had never once shown improper intentions.

He was surrounded by beautiful, powerful women, yet he remained focused.

That discipline… that self-control…

Hippolyta could not help but admire it.

Naruto smiled as he placed a hand on Aresia's shoulder.

"It wasn't anything too difficult. Aresia was a good girl, so she listened to reason in the end."

His words were calm and reassuring, and his tone carried no judgment.

Aresia glanced at him with a raised eyebrow but chose to remain silent.

Technically…

He wasn't lying.

She had been completely overpowered by him in battle.

Still, hearing him phrase it like that made her feel less ashamed.

Yet, when she turned to face Hippolyta, the weight of her actions came crashing down.

She lowered herself to her knees.

"Please punish me. I have sinned."

Her voice was heavy with guilt, and she clenched her fists as she awaited judgment.

But instead of harsh words or anger, Hippolyta stepped forward, placing her hands on Aresia's shoulders.

"No," the Queen said gently.

She lifted Aresia back to her feet and pulled her into a warm embrace.

"It is our fault for never telling you about your father. I did not realize it would foster such hatred inside of you."

Aresia froze in her mother figure's arms.

She had expected punishment.

Not… this.

Naruto stood silently, watching the moment unfold.

For the first time in a long time, Aresia felt something foreign—

Forgiveness.

Aresia stiffened in Hippolyta's embrace, her mind struggling to process what was happening.

Forgiveness.

It was something she had never expected—never even considered possible.

For so long, she had believed that her hatred was justified. That her anger, her resentment, was righteous.

But now…

Now, Hippolyta was holding her as if she were a lost child.

Aresia's breath hitched.

Her arms, which had been hanging limply by her sides, slowly rose… and she hesitantly returned the embrace.

She felt… small.

The emotions—so many of them—came crashing down, and for the first time since she could remember, Aresia felt something warm leaking from her eyes.

Tears.

She was crying.

"I… I didn't know," she whispered, her voice shaky.

"I didn't know it would hurt this much."

Hippolyta gently stroked her back, her voice soft. "You were never meant to carry that burden alone."

Aresia squeezed her eyes shut, allowing herself to lean into the comfort she had never known she needed.

For a long moment, there was silence.

Then, Naruto's voice cut through the air, light but filled with understanding.

"Hugging is great and all, but I still have a hole in my stomach."

Aresia let out a half-choked laugh, pulling away from Hippolyta as she turned toward Naruto.

Her eyes were still wet, but her expression had softened.

"You still have enough energy to be annoying, so I doubt it's that bad."

Naruto gave her a cheeky grin. "Hey, I'm just saying. Stab wounds aren't exactly comfortable."

Hippolyta shook her head with a small smile, walking over and placing a hand over his wound. Golden energy flowed from her palm, and Naruto felt the pain fade away instantly.

"There," she said. "Now stop complaining."

Naruto glanced down at his now fully healed stomach and smirked.

"Man, magic is convenient."

Aresia rolled her eyes but found herself feeling… lighter.

Maybe it was the weight of her hatred finally lifting from her shoulders.

Maybe it was Naruto's ridiculous personality making it impossible to stay brooding for long.

Or maybe…

It was because, for the first time, she felt like she had a second chance.

A second chance to learn. To grow. To be more than just a woman consumed by hatred.

"Ahem, she still did something wrong so it does deserve a punishment." Naruto was aware of how the Amazon's didn't really care about the outside world so to them this incident wasn't anything too big as it wouldn't caused them any damage.

He was spending time them but it took a long time to actually change people to actually care about things that didn't directly affect them.

It was the same for the outside world, he was always busy giving such lectures and spreading the word.

In this one year he had many disciples under him who also spread the message. They were his chosen ones, his heralds.

There was Superboy, Meghan, Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing and many more who had accepted his way was an effective manner to change people from violence.

Not going for the kill made battles a little bit difficult but fortunately Naruto had many skills to make for the problem and using clones he had been able to talk many of the criminals out of their bad mind sets.

The time when villains could escape out of prisons was history now as they were being locked up with extreme measures that left them hapless and weak.

Of course Naruto wasn't ruling the world so the police force did end up killing many criminals that were in the black list.

Joker was one of the unlucky ones as he got shot down while Harley Quinn got saved by Pamela and Naruto healed her mind.

She was back to being a doctor, leaving behind all the darkness.

Many of the criminals went through such changes and were forced to adapt since the world was too dangerous for criminals now because of the new system.

Crime didn't pay in this world anymore, no matter how much risk you take.

The situation was getting better since corruption had lowered and governments were regulated so many people lost their reasons for crime, leaving only anarchists that loved chaos.

The world was moving towards a golden era where good was rewarded and was natural part of the human mind.

It was a wonderful world as the only threats were from the outside and none from the inside.

Much of the change could be traced to Naruto as he had been working all the time and was closer to the people than all the heroes.

Listening to his words, Queen would have usually rebuked the person that dared to speak out against her words but Naruto wasn't just any other person so she looked at Aresia.

"You are right it would set a bad example. Aresia you will meditate in isolation for a month with no contact with anyone." Queen muttered in a calm manner as she looked her in the eyes

"Yes, should I start now?"

"Start from Tomorrow morning and talk to the girls, they were worried about your safety."

"Thank you, I will take my leave now." Aresia felt guilty hearing those words and felt tears build up

She had acted so selfish, completely forgetting about her sisters that would cry for her If wrong had happened.

'I really acted like an idiot. I owe him a great favor.' Aresia thought as she looked at Naruto one more time and nodded before leaving

"Would you like to stay for awhile?"

Naruto looked at the Queen that seemed to have been charmed by his actions and skills. He won't deny that it was an enjoyable experience but really this was not going where she wanted it to.

"Maybe next time since I am quite busy now. Take care." Naruto replied and disappeared

Seeing him leave she was quite disappointed, 'Sometimes I wish he could act a little like Zeus.'

Hippolyta sat in silence, her gaze lingering on the empty space where Naruto had stood just moments before. His presence had become a constant in their lives, and yet, no matter how much she or the Amazons wished to claim a piece of him, he remained unattainable—always moving forward, always burdened by responsibilities greater than one nation, one people, or even one world.

She exhaled softly, leaning back in her seat.

"Naruto… you really are unlike any man I have ever known."

Her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of her throne as she considered her feelings. She was not a woman prone to weakness or foolish infatuation. As Queen of the Amazons, her duty always came first. But Naruto… he was different.

He was strong, wise, and kind in a way that men usually were not. He was neither arrogant nor lustful, neither manipulative nor cruel. He understood people—truly understood them—and in doing so, he had transformed Themyscira in ways she had never imagined possible.

The younger Amazons adored him. Even the hardened warriors respected him, having fought against him and witnessed his unparalleled strength firsthand.

And she?

Hippolyta sighed, standing up and moving toward a nearby balcony. From here, she could see the sprawling beauty of Themyscira, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun.

A golden age was dawning.

A world without the constant cycle of war, crime, and corruption—and Naruto was the one leading them toward it.

She felt pride in knowing she had helped him, if only in a small way. But she also felt something else… something unspoken, something she had long suppressed.

Desire.

Longing.

A part of her wished she could be selfish, just this once. That she could set aside her duty as queen and be a woman instead—a woman who could pursue the one man who had ever truly captivated her.

But that was not the way of things.

Naruto had already given his heart to others, and unlike Zeus, he did not chase after women simply because he could. That, in truth, was what made him all the more irresistible—he was just out of reach.

A gentle breeze passed through the balcony, ruffling her golden hair. She closed her eyes and let the wind carry her unspoken thoughts away.

Perhaps, in another life, things could have been different.

For now, she would be content with what she had—a world that was growing brighter each day.

And Naruto's presence, even if fleeting, would always be cherished.

With a small, knowing smile, Hippolyta turned away from the horizon and returned to her chambers.

Tomorrow, a new day would come. And with it, another chance to stand at Naruto's side—even if only as his ally, his friend.