Head Over Tombs

"Is this some sort of joke?"

"God, I really hope so."

"Kuroka, stop teasing that Yato with your breasts!"

"Ah, it's fun~" Kuroka answered to Medusa as she winked at the blushing Yato who giggled perversely before he was silenced by a jealous Naruto cracking his knuckles. "It's even more fun since Hubby is cute when he's jealous."

The distracted Uzumaki members and Yato felt a dreadful pressure as they looked at Saeko who glared at them with widened, angry eyes. Naruto gulped since he knew that she was really angry whenever her eyes glared like that. As for the rest of his wives, they sans Rhea learned the hard way about angering Saeko whenever it regarded the children, groceries or Japan's history and lore.

"That. Is. Enough from you all. You're being rude to our hosts." Saeko sweetly said although her face didn't show that expression.

Sweatdrops fell on everyone's head except the twins as they played with their mother's hand like her emotion didn't affect them at all. "Yes, ma'am."

"You've chosen a fine wife, Naruto." Inari nodded slightly before he thought, "Why do we go for the women whose anger knows no bounds?" He cleared his throat just as Naruto's mouth slightly opened. "As all beings of Japan know, Kogitsunemaru is a treasured blade of mine." Inari crossed his arms. "It is also the sign of my power and authority."

Bishamon nodded, agreeing with her fellow god. "Not only that, it is one of the Divine Regalia in Takama-ga-hara."

"Divine Regalia?" Medusa asked the war goddess. She too knew of Bishamon's identity back in her own dimension though she was caught off-guard when this Bishamon was a woman as all stories she heard of depicted the deity as male.

"Oh, I know that!" Yato suddenly burst out, interrupting a tick-marked Bishamon before she could explain. "A Divine Regalia is different from a regular Regalia."

It was Kuroka's turn to ask the obvious question. "There are two types?" Yato raised three fingers instead.

"Three types actually. There is the regular Regalia that are created from Human souls and-"

"Human souls?" Naruto interrupted the unknown god, much to his comedic chagrin. "The kami uses Human souls to create weapons?"

Inari shook his head. "No, no, Naruto. It doesn't work like that. Here in Takama-ga-hara, we kami give a name to the Human soul who wants to be by our side in either daily life or battle. This was fairly common back in the day and kami can have multiple Regalia like Bishamon here, befitting her status as a war goddess."

"That sounds about right." Saeko answered as she favored Bishamon as one of the deities she worships back home and now. "Yato here mentioned three types. What is the second type?"

Yato answered happily with his waving arms. "The second type are the Blessed Regalia. They're stronger than regular Regalia but also extremely rare even now."

"How so?" asked Rhea as this was the first she heard of a Regalia in all of her lifetime.

"When a Regalia is created and used in battle, they must put everything on the line even their name to save their master." Inari answered this time as a deflated Yato sunk against the floor while Bishamon poked him in the head several times. "Only the purest and most loyal Regalia may ascend to be Blessed."

"And I have one!" Yato suddenly stood victoriously with hands on his hips while Bishamon glowered at him.

This surprised Inari and Leone who hadn't change her expression the entire time she was in the room. "When did this happen?" The fox god asked curiously since the last Regalia to ascend Blessed was one of Bishamon's three-hundred years ago.

"Three weeks ago." Yato answered casually as Inari narrowed his eyes afterwards.

"This wouldn't have happened at Bishamon's area, right?" The two gods flinched as Inari sighed lowly. "You know, Her Majesty didn't take kindly about you two fighting especially in Takama-ga-hara. I hope this won't happen again."

Bishamon shook her head vigorously. "It won't, Inari. I promise that."

"Okay, I kinda want to know but at the same time I don't." Naruto glanced at the blade that laid next to his side. "The Divine Regalia is the third type, right? And Kogitsunemaru is one of them." Inari nodded. "What makes them different from the other Regalia?"

"Simple: they are created by the kami themselves or part of a legendary creature." Inari opened an eye to his recently-adopted son. "You know the story of Susanoo defeating Yamata-no-Orochi and the blade Kusanagi no Tsurugi. Kusanagi was part of a comparable being to a deity before it was taken by Susanoo who in turn gave it Amaterasu and since the Kusanagi was created in a way by Orochi, it is a Divine Regalia. Divine Regalia are exceptionally stronger than both the Blessed Regalia and the regular types."

"But why adopt me?" Naruto asked as everyone's gazes were now upon the hosting deities or deity. Leone swiftly excused herself out of the room before her husband could even stop her. "Was it something I said?"

Inari closed his eyes as he knew his wife's real emotions. "No, it's what I did that angered her." He opened his eyes and stared at his adopted son then his fellow kami. "This does not leave these halls under any circumstances. Am I understood?"

"Hai!" Yato answered for everyone cheerily before he dodged Bishamon's elbow strike. "Quit it, crazy…" He stopped when the Uzumaki adults glared at him as if to dare him to finish his sentence. "Lady." The tense stares ceased when they focused on Inari as Yato sighed in relief. "Why me?" He asked with streaming tears at his misfortune.

"Suffer, Yatogami!" Bishamon thought as she smirked at the downtrodden kami.

"The reason why Leone is upset about my decision to adopt…" The rice god paused as he prepared to reveal one of the most sensitive information known only to him and his wife. "…It is because that blade was originally meant for our child."

"…Your…child?" Medusa asked tentatively. "You and Lady Leone were trying to conceive?" Inari nodded, much to the shock of Yato and Bishamon. "How-How long have you two been trying?"

"…"

Naruto saw the slight hurt in Inari's eyes. "You don't have to tell us any more than you should." His wives agreed with him as too the other gods.

"Thank you but I must tell you fully. Leon and I have been trying to conceive for the past 500 years but no luck as humans say nowadays." Inari sighed as his fists tightened. "Before we made the first attempt, Leone was a different woman when I met and married her. She was full of life, played pranks on the humans and other kami, and had this aura that attracted me to her in the first place."

All eyes including the twins saddened at the now-struggling deity.

"At first, she wasn't bothered about not conceiving as we are gods and have all the time in the world, but over the centuries, that aura of brilliance of hers dimmed after each failed attempt." Inari remembered the night when he found Leone crying in the futon while holding a toy that was meant for their child. "Kogitsunemaru was meant to be wielded by our child when he or she grew up to adulthood."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly as he remembered the Kitsune Guard's reaction. "That's why he freaked out after seeing Kogitsunemaru on my back. He must've thought I'm Inari's son. Does that mean the Kitsune Guard know about the truth of the sword as well?"

"Then I met the Sage of the Six Paths." The ninja perked slightly by the mention of his ancestor. "He told me about a child with blonde hair and blue eyes who will change everything and everyone he comes across. That was when I knew about you, Naruto."

"Sage of the Six Paths?" Both the quizzical kami tilted their heads. "Who the hell is that?"

"And I'll explain about the Sage to you two later." Inari told his fellow deities before he had a solemn expression. "When I told my wife about my intention to adopt you, she thought I betrayed her—us." Naruto stood up from his seat and walked to the hallway. "Are you going to-"

"Talk to her? Yeah."

The Uzumaki family and deities sat in silence after the ninja left to find Leone until Yato broke it. "Ramen anyone?" They all nodded as Inari snapped his fingers before several ramen bowls and two small meals for the twins appeared in front of them. "Itadakimasu!"

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Naruto walked through the many halls of the temple as he focused on Leone's godly power, thanks to his training. He found her, dressed in a white dogi top and a black hakama, in the training hall as the wife of Inari punched, then kicked the air in rapid succession much to the ninja's impression. "She's clearly trained."

"Leave this place. I do not want to be disturbed." Leone said tensely without looking at him.

Yet Naruto didn't as he silently entered the hall and stopped a fair distance from the goddess. "Lady Leone, I-"

"I said leave."

"If you'd just let me-"

"LEAVE!"

"…" Naruto sighed inwardly as he turned around, then pivoted on his foot before leaping towards Leone who grabbed his fist and threw him across the hall. The ninja flipped in the air before landing on the floor easily and assuming the Soresu opening stance with only his arms positioned in the same way sans sword. "Guess we'll talk the hard way then."

"You dare?!" Leone growled behind her teeth at the action of the one who took her child's place.

"Sometimes it's the only way for people to talk to each other."

"Then this will be a very short discussion."

Naruto blinked and already Leone was right at his face, causing him to sway away from her right hook while countering with a roundhouse kick. The goddess saw it coming and flipped over the limb before she retaliated with her own that landed on the ninja's head as he skidded sideways from the force.

"Wow, I felt that." Naruto muttered in surprise as he shook his head vigorously. "And she's an unknown so that makes her more dangerous."

Leone stepped inward within Naruto's personal space and threw a swift, diagonal elbow strike at his chin. The ninja's arm suddenly redirected the opposing limb away from him before he thrust his palm at Leone's stomach, sending her skidding backwards as a result. The lion goddess rubbed the spot where the attack landed before she glanced at her opponent. "This might take a little longer than I thought."

Naruto assumed the Soresu stance once more as he felt more comfortable rather than the Furinji stance. He thought about using the Soresu stance as a martial art since it easily transitioned to offense during his training and it paid off so far. The Jinchuriki was put on alert when Leone lowered her guard and her body hunched forward while her arms swayed side-to-side.

Both combatants stayed still, their breathing in sync with each other, and their eyes never leaving their target.

That is until one of them made a mistake to blink and the other took the chance.

"Gah!"

The participant was flung against the stone wall as hung weapons fell from their placings due to the shock. Clapping the hands to rid of imaginative dust, Leone turned around to leave the stain in the training hall as she had enough of practice even though it was ruined by him. The lioness wife of Inari was focused on her thoughts on her hand until she felt two opposing limbs touch her cherished treasures followed by massaging afterwards.

"Oh…I didn't mean to do that." Naruto mentioned before he ducked under an elbow strike and back-flipped away to avoid a hammer kick. "Huh, they are actually the same size as Medusa and Saeko."

"Pervert."

"I agree."

"Shut it, you two!"

Her head lowered before it rose, a glaring Leone stared at the nervously sheepish Naruto who meekly waved at her. "You dare!?" She seethed behind her teeth. Only her husband is allowed to touch and grope her breasts like the way Naruto did moments ago. "You're dead meat now."

"Was that a pun?" Naruto asked since her name was a reference to the lion. He was caught off-guard when Leone's body started to glow a fiery yellow-orange energy around her.

What came next surprised him even more.

The energy around Leone engulfed around her body and replaced her training outfit for something more revealing. Her new outfit was a black tube top that showed an impressive amount of her cleavage, detachable sleeves from past her elbows to her wrists, pants, boots with a scarf around her neck as her hair also grew longer with lion-like ears, tail and claws.

"Whoa, I can see why Inari fell in love with you." Naruto's eyes shifted briefly to the black underwear and revealing leg skin. "Very clearly, in fact."

Leone didn't answer as she sunk to the wooden floor on all fours, prowling like a lioness hunting prey in the wild. Naruto sighed inwardly as he assumed a fighting pose only to double over in pain. "What?!" He managed to lift his head up enough to see two Leones, one with the fist against his stomach and the other prowled on the ground before the latter disappeared out of existence. "An after-image? And I didn't even see her!"

"Now go." Leone spoke again as she pulled back an index finger in her hand. "Away." She flicked the finger as soon the word left her lips and sent Naruto through the wall effortlessly while kicked-up debris broke against her body due to her power. "That should teach him a thing or two." Her lion ears perked as she looked ahead where Naruto walked towards her. Her nose wrinkled slightly as she sniffed the air around them. "Something's different. He's changed."

"Dead serious now."

"Good. I hate it when my enemies hold themselves back."

Naruto and Leone walked until they were at each other's faces and stared at each other with the utmost determination to do one thing in their minds: obtain victory. They became more acquainted with each other's breathing in close proximity until their limit reached its height and quickly for that matter.

A loud 'boom' echoed in the hall as Leone and Naruto clashed fists before the latter was pushed back by the stronger force. "Oh man." He blocked Leone's secondary attack, a palm thrust, with his forearm as the force behind it skidded him backwards to the outdoor training field where Naruto trains for his Kami no Chikara control. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm not." The lion goddess said behind the shocked Sage Mode-Naruto.

Naruto lashed out with a reverse elbow attack but Leone ducked under it and launched upwards with an uppercut to the chin area. The ninja saw it coming and back-stepped to avoid it, only to be sidetracked by a surprise kick to his stomach. "Wha-" His knees buckled by the attack but stood strong. "I thought she was going to throw an uppercut then instead launched a kick?"

"Slow." Leone disappeared from his sights and swiped at Naruto with her claws behind him.

Naruto, sensing the attack this time, pivoted on his heels and caught both her hands, entering a stalemate of strength. "Damn, you're strong, Leone." He was shocked to be struggling against her but, then again, she is a deity and the wife of Inari.

"I am known as the Lion Queen."

"Yeah, well you should know what I'm called back in my village."

"And what's that?" Leone asked before she found her strength draining all of the sudden. "Eh?" Naruto took advantage of her confusion and snaked behind her, wrapped his arms around Leone's waist before pile-driving her into the sandy ground. Before Leone could recover, Naruto quickly grabbed her exposed legs and slammed her several times in the ground until he released his grip.

With a Shunshine, Naruto appeared next to airborne Leone. "That I'm the Unpredictable Ninja!" He launched a palm thrust at Leone's midriff but before it landed, a swirling sphere of energy sudden came to life within his palm. "Rasengan!" The small seal he placed on her disappeared from her back as she most likely detected it and got rid of the kanji words.

The signature technique of the Uzumaki propelled the goddess towards the pillar and crashed through as she landed in a dust cloud. It was this latest shockwave that forced the residents within Inari's temple to witness the fight, including said god and his guests.

"What is Naruto doing?!" Medusa asked in shock as Naruto landed in front of the dust that covered his opponent.

Bishamon glared at the adopted son of Inari. "He's attacking Lady Leone! I'll stop him." She was stopped by the arm of the fox god.

"You'll do no such thing." Inari told the war goddess sternly with his eyes on the battle.

"But…Lord Inari, he's-"

"Up to something and I want to see it."

Rhea asked with a questionable gaze, "See what?" She received no answer and so turned her attention to the battle in front of them.

"That's the lion goddess for ya. In the ancient texts, the lion represents honor and courage." Naruto scoffed mirthfully. "They should add in strength too 'cause my arms are getting numb." He blocked a kick from behind him as he glanced at Leone whose midriff had no marks from his jutsu. "Make that tough too."

"Interesting attack you have there." Leone chuckled a little. "It actually tingled there for a moment."

A chuckled escaped from Naruto as well while his hand kept her foot at bay. "There's more where that came from." He swiftly kicked her stomach with enough force to send Leone skidding backwards far enough from him. "Ready to keep going?"

"You have to ask?"

Booming thunder echoed in the outfield training zone as the family of Inari the fox god watched two of their family members spar in Takama-ga-hara terms. All but Rhea didn't see the tears in the corner of Inari's eyes. "Thank you, Naruto." Inari silently said to his adopted son as he stared closely at the face of his beloved wife.

The face of Leone smiling for the first time since as long as he can remember. Especially when she hit home squarely into Naruto's chest after charging her right fist.

"Chojin Sengeki!"

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Uzumaki Manor, Homestead Grounds

Forested Massachusetts

Naruto woke up startled as he looked around to find himself in the master bedroom. "W-What? I'm back home?" He winced sharply as pain electrified throughout his body. "God, that hurts. What happened?" His brain racked the events back in Takama-ga-hara but the door opened to reveal Rhea with a tray of meals for him. "Rhea? What happened? When did we get back here?"

"Five hours ago." Rhea answered as her shocked husband gawked at her. "I know, I know. It shocked us too when you didn't wake up from Lady Leone's attack."

A blank-faced Naruto blinked at the mention of said technique that apparently put him out of commission, "Her attack?" He tried to move but the pain spread throughout his body again and prevented him from moving. "Oh man, what did she hit me with?" Naruto asked as he removed the blanket off him and saw a huge bruise that covered his entire upper torso. "Damn…She really got me."

"More like dominated, sweetheart." Rhea corrected the blonde as she placed the tray on Naruto's lap before sitting next to him. The Titaness explained that after Naruto was knocked unconscious by Leone's technique, the lion goddess played with the ninja like a ragdoll throughout Inari's training field, much to the behest of the rest of his wives. "Most of the bruises she gave you had already healed but that particularly one is going to stay with you for a while as it seems."

Naruto winced as he let out a small chuckle. "Guess my plan worked then."

"Plan? Your plan was to get beat up by a goddess?"

"No…I was going to win and tell her I had no intention of replacing her child." Naruto sighed inwardly. "But she was strong, Rhea. I mean she handled me like I was an amateur to her…the same feeling I had when I fought Inari after Yamatai." He scoffed behind his breath. "Guess I have more to learn." His Sage Mode was not equal to Leone's strange transformation given by the evidence of her not being tired or hurt by his attacks.

Rhea chuckled at her husband. "If you had used your Kyubi Chakara Modo, you probably would have beaten her."

"I doubt that." Naruto admitted, much to Rhea's surprise. "She was just like Granny Tsunade back then, toying with me. Besides I don't want to use that form unless I have no choice to do so."

Rhea nodded as she knew about the Tailed Beast that dwelled within him. Its might was powerful, very powerful and can match a deity in prowess due to the compatibility and years of training with each other that Naruto and Kurama had together. "So, this plan of telling her about the child and all, you didn't actually say anything about that."

"I did. Through my fists." Naruto answered simply. Rhea waved her hand in circles for him to explain specifically. "Fighters, when words failed to reach one another, use their fists to communicate their feelings better." He inwardly chuckled at the mere mention of Sasuke's words used against him back home. "And I know her feelings as well."

"Such as?"

"Sadness. Pain. Disappointed."

"At who? Inari?"

"Herself."

"Why?" Rhea asked but realized the reason after recalling Inari's story. "Because she couldn't conceive." Naruto nodded solemnly. "I can't imagine what she's going through. The thought of never conceiving a child with the one you love…I don't think I can bear it."

Naruto raised his hand and rubbed Rhea's cheek affectionately as she leaned into it. "I hope not but remember you are strong, Rhea."

The Titaness smiled at him and decided to hand-feed her husband. "Say 'ahh,' Naruto."

"Aahh." Naruto obeyed as he chewed on the hash brown and savored the crunchiness. After swallowing it and finishing the meal cooked by Rhea, Naruto thought to thank her with a kiss on the lips. "That's my gratitude for having an amazing wife." He blinked when Rhea suddenly adopted a sultry look before feeling her hand on his member downstairs. "You want to show your gratitude?"

Rhea pulled the blanket off him entirely and rubbed his awakening dick. "Shut the door."

"You got it." Naruto waved his hand as a breeze of wind closed the door. "No disturbances."

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(Meanwhile)

Inari's Temple, Master Bedroom

Takama-ga-hara

"Yeah…no disturbances." Inari grunted as the books in his arms fell from his grasp.

All he wanted to do was finish his books about the month's prayers as well as tribute from the living people in Japan and worldwide. There was peace and quiet in the bedroom as he made it clear to be alone when doing the monthly books. It was also this same time that his wife was at the training hall ever since she defeated Naruto hours ago. It was strange for the newcomers of the staff but the veterans and Inari himself knew that she regained that spark that attracted him in the first place.

She even started her old ways of terror amongst the deities around the sacred realm given by the screams two hour ago in Raijin's palace.

And he was so into his thoughts that his eyes didn't notice Leone undressing before him. Nor did he react in time when the lion goddess suddenly dropped to her knees in front of him and pulled in his dick within her mouth as slight gags escaped her lips.

"I-I take you forgive me?" Inari asked weakly as her tongue swirled around his penis.

Leone opened one of her eyes and paused her current action. "I'm still angry at you, but not as much as before." She swirled her tongue around the cock to elicit a gasp from her captive. "You can thank your disciple for that."

"B-But I take you won't accept him."

"No. I won't accept him as he currently is yet." Leone answered muffled before she decided to get back to her duty. "Enough talk and more sex."

Inari grabbed her head to help the bobbing as she gagged several times against his spear. "You got it." He sighed blissfully. "Thank you, Naruto!"

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(Three Days Later)

Uzumaki Manor, Homestead Grounds

Forested Massachusetts

The ninja of the Uzumaki Clan meditated near the cliff as he faced towards the horizon at the rising sun. Meditation was the last thing on his mind currently as Rhea's words echoed after their last love session. It was the effects of him being adopted as Inari's son in Takama-ga-hara.

In the sacred homeland of the kami, Naruto can appear in representative meetings between the deities regarding different issues or festivals throughout Japan. He will also have the responsibility of keeping order within Inari's territory as well as the kami's responsibility of defeating Ayakashi throughout Japan, corrupted souls who turned into phantoms due to their grudges that held them to the living world.

When Naruto pointed out the problem of the travel distance between Japan and Boston, Rhea told him that she and the others were going to fix that problem. In four days fron now, he will be expected to appear at the annual spring festival so all of Takama-ga-hara can see him as Inari and Leone's son. The ninja heard something come up behind him and spoke for the first time, "Is there something you need, Randy?" He asked, standing and turning around to greet one of the Homestead's residents.

"Uh, I want to know about the rent." Randy, Erica's father, asked timidly as Naruto raised an eyebrow. The residents kNEW of him as the Homestead owner since he used a clone to be in his stead while the original, in his hero outfit, brought the families to the lands after the incident with the MRD.

"Rent? For what?"

"For our living here," Randy clarified. "And it's not just me but all the families here."

Naruto chuckled mirthfully. "Nothing." Randy blinked confusingly as the ninja continued to speak. "This place is rent-free for everyone here and more. As we all get along, there's no need for stuff like that."

"Really?" Randy asked to be sure if what he'd heard was right.

"Really, really." Naruto answered as he chuckled inwardly about a certain talking donkey. "How are you adjusting here in nature?"

Randy chuckled sheepishly as he now walked with the owner of the lands. "My family went camping a few times but I never expected to live in a place like this." They crossed the wooden arching bridge to where the buildings Naruto saw before moving in were busy with life. Families with mutant children came in and out of their respective houses with furniture that Patronus managed to 'reacquire' under the disbanded MRD's noses.

Speaking of the MRD, the latest news showed that they lost most of their funding from their supporters except Senator Kelly who remained their adamant backer. Hill and her S.H.I.E.L.D. agents investigated each of the agents' backgrounds and psychology that determined their current psyche. Also, the Governor of Massachusetts recently passed a law that forbids MRD presence through the state as well protected their rights and non-discrimination against mutants and their families, thanks to Patronus's words of making change by yourself. The law received backlash from the non-mutant believers in the state but there were also a group of Massachusetts citizens who fought back against the prejudiced people and agreed with the Governor's law.

Change was something all beings struggle with throughout time and inevitably come across in their lifetimes.

Naruto was brought out of his thoughts when he noticed Randy stop in front of a large two-storied building that looked like a boarding school. Apparently, it was the inn used by the colonists who moved in during the Colonial Assassin Connor's time. It was perfect for families who were in groups of three or four. Behind the inn was also Randy's small office of a doctor since he was a pediatrician. The other buildings furbished into their own households as they all discussed with Rhea about housing arrangements in the previous day before today.

As for the rest of the Uzumaki ladies, the new tenants know that they are relatives to Naruto and Rhea who are seen as the couple owners of the land, much to Saeko and Kuroka's annoyances.

"Dad, dad!" Erica cried out as she ran into her father's arms. "Can I go play with Sam and Jessica?"

Randy nodded with a smile. "Of course, you can. Just be careful." It was only yesterday that his family met Jessica and Sam but they were good children along with their parents whom were reserved about being relocated away from their original homes and lives. They and the rest of the families were slowly adjusting to life in the woods rather well, especially their children.

"And be wary of the animals in the woods!" Naruto warned the kids who waved him off in a 'yeah, yeah' gesture. "*sigh* Kids."

"Well, I must be off. I got a lunch date with the wife at the inn." Randy shook Naruto's hand before leaving him in the middle of the road. Naruto turned back towards the manor and reached the door when he suddenly felt a familiar tingle in the top of his back near the base of his neck. "Where am I going this time?"

The ninja went to the master bedroom and opened the closet door where his freshly washed and dried Patronus outfit hung neatly for him. Putting the outfit on along with his Hidden Blades, Kogitsunemaru, and ninja pouch, Naruto wrote a note on the headboard in the room before he Hirashined out of the area.

Just then, Kuroka hummed into the room with a basket of fresh clothing and picked up a particular black bodysuit as she walked towards the closet. "Oh dear, he's gone again." She looked at the empty closet and the bodysuit. "I'm pretty sure he'll survive without the pelt for one day."

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(Moments Ago)

Gulag, Soviet Mining Installation

Siberia

Lara grunted as she managed to wedge through the narrow gap she made with a pipe and emerged armed via a recurve bow and arrows as well as rope. Her dirty grey long-sleeved Henley shirt and beige cargo pants with brown combat boots were getting cold due to the weather inside the building. She was close to finding what she needed to clear both her and her father's name to the world, but they got in the way.

Trinity, a secret organization turned paramilitary that investigates the supernatural in the world and destroy it. They were the ones who smeared Lara's name after the events at Yamatai with claims of insanity like her father although S.H.I.E.L.D. rebutted against the organization with warnings of intervention.

Hours earlier, she attempted to obtain a book containing the location of the artifact she sought out but was captured by Trinity as well as tortured for information about said object. They tried to break her with one of the people close to her, only for said person to be one of Trinity's spies. Lara's nerves only steeled even further in defiance against Trinity's forces.

"Hey!" One of the Trinity soldiers saw her coming out of her cell via a gap at the top. Lara tried to fight back but she was pinned against the wall. "What do you think you're doing, huh, girlie?"

"This." Lara head-butted the soldier that pinned her and kicked him away while she ducked under the other's wide knife attacks. "Give me that back!" She demanded after she saw the knife. It was the one a certain hero gave her months ago.

The mercenary chuckled as he played with the knife by tossing it in the air. "Is it that precious to you?" Lara didn't answer which he needed. "Good." He tossed the knife hard at the wall next to him. "Now, it's worthless."

Lara smiled at him, much to their confusion. "Nope, it's not." The Trinity mercenaries raised brows when the corner of their eyes caught a glimpse of yellow lightning before something grabbed their heads and knocked them into blissful sleep albeit painfully. "Hey, Patronus."

"Don't 'Hey, Patronus' me, Lara." The hero answered somewhat hard after he saw her current state. "What the hell happened to you? Who are these guys?" He noticed the kunai he gave on the ground and picked it up. "Didn't I tell you to call me if this thing of yours get too dangerous?"

Lara didn't answer and Naruto walked to her to return the kunai as she pocketed it in her pants. "I thought I could handle it alone."

"You're never alone, Lara. I thought Yamatai changed that." Patronus pointed as Lara scoffed a little, which made him furrow his brows. "What happened? You seem…grody today."

"Grody?"

"It's something kids are saying nowadays. Do you know what it means?" Lara shook her head. "Damn, well what happened to you?" asked Naruto but she still refused to answer. "Fine, you don't have to tell me…for now." Patronus then noticed the third party in the room. "Hello there, who are you?"

The man in the other cell had shaggy long hair that reached his neck with a full beard and mustache connected. He wore a soft jacket and pants with a white scarf wrapped around his shoulders. The man was roughed like Lara although not as much given the lack of bruises on his skin. "Jacob. Get me out of here and I'll help you."

Patronus shrugged his shoulders before Lara pulled him back. "Stop, you can't." She told her only ally at this point.

"Why not?" The ninja asked confusingly.

"I can't trust him." Lara answered simply.

"Again, why not?"

"We may not be enemies. I can see that." Jacob said, trying to convince the girl. "I suspect you do too." Lara scoffed as she walked to the locker nearby and pillaged a couple of walkie-talkies where a key laid about as well. "I know the layout, I know the land."

"I'm a fast learner." Lara answered curtly before she corrected herself. "We are fast learners."

Jacob said, "I've no doubt of that…Maybe I can offer you something more valuable." Lara rolled her eyes as she continued her activity. "I know what you're all after."

Patronus noticed Lara stop entirely before she mused her options about Jacob. "What is it they're all after?" Naruto thought to himself. "Lara, what did you get yourself into here?" Lara made a decision and picked up the key, walked to the cell, and unlocked it as Jacob stepped out of it.

"Thank you." Jacob said to his saviors.

Lara gave him the walkie-talkie. "Take this in case we get separated." Jacob accepted the object as Patronus rolled up his right sleeve. "What is that?"

"A wrist computer obviously." Patronus answered as he pressed a few digital keys and tuned into the frequency of the walkie-talkies between Lara and Jacob. "Testing, testing, can you two hear me?" His voice came from both Lara and Jacob's radios. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Jacob took the lead and went slightly ahead of them "We have to move. The guards will be coming here through their rounds any moment."

"Do you know the way out?" Lara asked as Patronus was behind her, serving as their rearguard.

"Yes…I've had some time to study this place."

That caught Patronus' attention. "How long were you here, in that cell?" He asked.

"Long enough to learn that Konstantin won't stop until he's found what he's looking for." Jacob answered warmly.

"And that is what exactly?" Patronus asked since he wants to know what this object is.

Lara answered for him albeit in a question. "The Divine Source? Is it here?"

"Mmm. Trust must go both ways, Lara." Jacob mused as Patronus wondered about this Divine Source. Was it something really worth for Lara to risk her life to obtain it? If so and the worst is to come, he might have no choice but to destroy it for Lara's sake even if she'll hate him forever.

The trio entered a room under a flight of stairs where they found a movie projector playing. "What is this?" Lara asked.

"A history lesson…This has its own scars." Jacob answered solemnly.

Lara restarted the projector as she and Naruto watched the film depicting Soviet soldiers sending prisoners to mining camps after World War II. Jacob explained that was not enough and his people were captured with the children being taken as slaves, away from their mothers' warm embraces.

"Those don't look like mining…more like an excavation." Lara said as she pressed the projector several times with different pictures of different artifacts. "Those…Those are ancient. What did they find?"

"You'll have to ask them. We have to go, we aren't safe here." Jacob heeded as Lara followed him out of the room.

Naruto on the other hand noticed one more slide and pressed the projector out of curiosity. What he saw surprised him. Another image of a statue that was very reminiscent to a deity he met before but it was different in appearance. Still, he can never forget that face of determination.

"L-" A loud thud drew his attention as Lara had just opened a metal door with her pickaxe. "Still strong as hell, I see. Where do we go from here, Jacob?"

"Our best chance of escape is to make our way to the old train yard."

Lara then asked, "And what then?" She and the two males walked up the stairs towards the roof.

"My village is in a valley on the other side of the mountain, we'll be safe there."

"And hopefully warm." Patronus said softly after he realized his body felt coldness from the weather. "I must've grabbed the wrong bodysuit instead of the pelt."

They made it outside of the building and found themselves within the complex where numerous Trinity mercenaries patrolled the area and lights from different positions throughout to detect movement. Patronus and Lara saw the helicopter they heard on the radio dropping off a shipment.

Lara looked around and saw an opening to ground level before she nudged Patronus to come with her. "Stay here. We'll take care of this." She told Jacob before following Patronus. They took cover behind boarded postings as Lara came next to Patronus. "I see about several men in the area. What's the plan here?"

"Looks like we got to reach that command post." The ninja pointed at the center building with all the equipment. "Same as usual? You hit high, I stay low then reversal?" Patronus asked as Lara nodded. "Oh right, here." He gave her several darts in her hand. "An upgrade whether to kill or sleep your enemies." He said before he moved to position behind one of the crates near the truck. Lara aimed her bow at the man in the closest guard posts and fired an arrow at his head while the ninja dragged a Trinity soldier over the crates and strangled him to sleep.

Lara approached her companion's position as he rolled underneath the truck, circled around the men near the fire, and quickly climbed aboard the shipping crate before punching the soldier in the head then quickly grappling his neck. Seeing the man limp in Patronus's arma, Lara fired two more arrows at the two other guard posts before she took care of the last one on the command center's roof.

There were still four more outside the command center and Patronus was in position to jump them, but the last two could heard him if he does so.

Seeing his hand signals to the roof nearby, Lara heeded Patronus's orders and climbed atop the roof where she grabbed a rock. She threw it near the truck, drawing his attention as the soldier investigated where the sound came from while Lara fired a Poison Arrow at the fourth man while Patronus leaped off the crate and landed on top of the two men near the fire with hits to their temples. As for the last one, Lara landed on him and stabbed with her pickaxe into his head.

Patronus and Lara climbed silently onto the command center's roof where they saw the last two men in the area. Without words, the ninja positioned himself atop the glass roof portion that was positioned above a soldier while the other left the room and that meant Lara will take him. The Croft heir and the Uzumaki ninja looked at each other before they did their deeds; the former lunged at the soldier outside and knocked him out with a rock while the latter smashed through the roof and punched him through the wall.

The duo regrouped in the command center where Lara pressed a console that opened the gate at the other side in front of them. "Jacob? I've found a way to open the inner gate."

-'Head to the courtyard, you two. I'm already inside.'-

Patronus and Lara ran across to the other side and scaled the side of the building where they noticed Jacob who was already inside. They found a way inside via an open window and regrouped with Jacob as their adversaries were below making preparations and surrounded with guards. One of them was a forties something man with graying hair but still the physique of a military soldier in black attire. The other was a woman in somewhat comforting clothing with blonde hair.

"I cannot wait to leave this frozen hell." Ana said, showing her contempt for their location.

"Then I have good news." The man obviously Konstantion by Patronus's observation said, "Reconnaissance from the scouts. The natives have a settlement on the other side of the mountain."

Ana placed her hand on his own. "Soon. You will have your day."

"We both will. Just as long as you don't lose focus again."

Ana looked at him indignantly. "What do you mean?"

"You're sentimental about her…the Croft girl. I can tell because she's still alive." Konstantion said almost spitefully as Patronus tightened his fists. "We can't afford to dwell on the past."

"You doubt me?" Ana asked in an offended tone. "You know what I've given to Trinity. What I've sacrificed! What I face-" She coughed violently as Konstantin comforted her. "I'm fine."

"Life has not been kind to either of us." Konstantin said solemnly. "But I swore I'd always protect you."

"Now who's being sentimental?"

"I promise, all of this will be worth it in the end. With the Divine Source, you will live." Konstantin insisted. "But more importantly, you will live in a world cleansed of sin."

Patronus narrowed his eyes. "These people need to be stopped and the way to do that is find the Divine Source before them."

"Send your men to this settlement. Find out what they know."

Jacob was about to attack him in a suicide mission but Lara held him back. "It's too dangerous." Ana lit a cigarette and noticed the disapproving gaze of her brother.

"Let me have my pleasures." Ana pleaded as he reluctantly nodded. "None of this will matter the day our work is accomplished."

-'Konstantin, you're needed in the holding cells.'-

Konstantin placed a comforting hand on Ana's shoulder. "We're in this together, sister. Remember."

"Always." With that said, the Trinity members left the room, prompting Patronus and Lara to reach the table map.

Jacob whispered harshly. "What are you two doing?"

"Yeah, Lara, what are we doing?" Patronus asked before he looked at her reading an ancient document. "Reading. Of course, you would read at a time like this."

Lara read the document that hinted the Divine Source with the words 'Life eternal' before alarms rang throughout the complex. "Get out, we'll find you." She told Jacob.

"We will?" Patronus joked before he and Lara opened the metal plate below before they sunk waist-deep of dirty water. "Ugh, I just got this costume washed."

Lara knocked him on the head. "Let's find a way out of here." They were careful not to be seen by the Trinity soldiers and made out of the waters to another room when the radio crackled with Jacob's voice.

-'Lara, Patronus, the train yard is on the north end of the gulag. I'll wait for you two there.'-

"On our way." Lara responded as they closed the door leading to the control room and reached another that led outside. As she opened it, a Trinity soldier burst in with his assault gun but Lara snatched the weapon from him while Patronus elbowed him hard against the wall. "Eat lead." She fired the gun at the two accompanying soldiers behind Patronus.

The duo assumed the same formation they utilized back at Yamatai as Patronus took care of the soldiers up close while Lara killed the others at long range with her assault rifle. They were halted in their progress when multiple gunmen fired upon them at the same time, forcing Naruto to use Kogitsunemaru to deflect the bullets, much to the soldiers' shock.

"Aim at the one with the sword!"

They could never penetrate the defensive nature of Soresu but Naruto worries about Lara being a sitting duck behind him. Those worries ceased when she somehow crafted something out of an empty can and threw at the soldiers before it exploded near them, wounding with the shrapnel she found earlier. "Damn, Lara. Very creative, aren't we?"

"Since when can you deflect bullets?" Lara asked the suddenly nervous Patronus.

"Recently?"

"…"

"We're going to have a long talk about you…" Lara stated before jabbing her finger at Patronus' chest. "And you're not getting out of it."

Patronus sighed in defeat. "Fine." He threw a shuriken at an incoming soldier's chest with the force knocking him to the ground. They crouched under a building after a hole in the floor and made it to the other side in the windy night filled with snowed landscape. "Call your buddy. Find out where he is."

"Jacob? Jacob, where are you?" Lara asked through her radio.

-'You two, be careful… They're everywhere.'-

"But nowhere near as dangerous as us." Patronus retorted confidently as Lara nodded.

-'Regardless, you'll run into some trouble.'- The radio then sported sounds of soldiers shouting orders and firing their guns. –'Damn it!'-

"Shit!" Lara cursed as Patronus looked at her.

"Relax, okay? He's a tough guy. He'll make it through."

"And how would you know that?"

"I don't, but you got to have faith." Patronus said before he noticed Lara shivering and grabbing her arms. "Oi, stop."

Lara did so and watched Patronus put his hand inside his robe before he pulled out a thick black jacket. "Here, this should warm you up more than just your shirt."

"Thanks." Lara put on the jacket and instantly felt her body warming up thanks to the linen inside. What she didn't know was that there were seals throughout the clothing that heats up the wearer with fire chakra. Naruto learned this after their first stint at Yamatai and knew this would be handy in the future.

Speaking of Yamatai, Japan took matters with the formerly dangerous island. From what he saw on the news prior to helping Lara, the island nation had designated Yamatai to be a colony for mutants as well as to solve the overpopulation problem. It would also be safeguarded by Japan's heroes with the nation also proposing to ask America and Britain's heroes for help.

"No problem, let's go forward." Patronus said as Lara followed him. The duo found themselves halted by another guard post that fired up them but Patronus used Kogitsunemaru to deflect their bullets. "Come on, Lara. They won't hit you."

"What the hell, man?!"

"He's deflecting the bullets with his sword!"

"Shoot his head!"

Patronus chuckled at their panicking. "Cowards." He glanced at Lara who readied her assault rifle. "On my mark…three…two…one." The bullets stopped only by Lara's own rounds killing the guards while Patronus incapacitated the remaining men with his darts. They made it to the train yard where they witnessed Jacob swiftly ending a grunt's life with the latter's knife to the stomach. "Nice skills there."

"What took you so long?" Jacob asked as he pulled the knife out of the man's stomach.

"Thought we lost you back there." Lara answered her reasoning.

"Not a chance." Jacob sheathed the knife into his pants. "Thanks for getting me out of that place. Both of you." A helicopter approached them from the sky, prompting to run away. "We can get out through there."

The trio ran through a trailer car on the tracks as the helicopter fired at them with bullets or rockets, everything they can to destroy them. They were stopped when the helicopter fired a rocket that covered their exit route and the way they came through was blocked by arrived Trinity soldiers as the pilot ordered their surrender.

"Lara…" Said girl looked down at the icy waters below. "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" Naruto asked as she nodded. "Cool. Go now." Lara and Jacob jumped off the tracks as Patronus swung his wind-coated blade at the roof of the trailer car, felling atop the soldiers before he threw his unoccupied fist at the aircraft. "Eaken!"

The helicopter was shredded by the attack as it swung out of control while Patronus sheathed Kogitsunemaru and fell in the waters after Lara and Jacob. He saw two distinct figures in the clear water and quickly caught up to them before he assisted the struggling Lara to the other side. "You okay?"

"F-Fine." Lara shivered before she felt warmth again. "Did you do something to the coat?" Patronus gave her a silent nod. "Thanks again though my pants and boots are freezing wet."

Jacob made himself present to the duo. "I believe I can fix that if you'll follow me."

TTIIPMxTTIIPMxTTIIPM

(The Next Day-Morning)

Hidden Refuge, Siberian Mountains

Siberia, Russia

The trio had made their way to a hidden refuge which was a warm cave filed with trinkets and a small chimney-like fireplace for warmth. Then they spent the night together with Naruto keeping watch albeit with a clone posted outside of the cave. When morning arrived, Lara exchanged her wet clothes with a beige cargo pants, dry brown combat boots, and a thick woolen scarf around her neck. She didn't accept the Remnant jacket as she kept the mysteriously dry jacket Patronus gave her.

"Thanks for the clothes." Lara said to Jacob as she received a cup of an unknown drink. "Thanks for the drink."

Patronus accepted a different cup of the same drink. "Thanks, Jake." He said to the host before drinking. "Sweet but a little bitter. Overall warmth throughout the body. This is perfect for where we are now though I have no idea at all." Naruto cleared his throat and asked aloud, "By the way, where are we exactly location-wise?"

"Siberia." Jacob answered before Lara could say anything.

"Russia?" Patronus crossed his arms as he looked at the only female in the room. "You never mentioned anything about going to Russia in our last talk."

Lara gave a 'so-and-so' shoulder shrug. "I didn't go here straight afterwards. The clues in the coffin and my father's research led me here. Apparently, Trinity too as well."

"Speaking of Trinity, who was the woman back there?" Patronus asked, only to get silence from the woman. "Sounded like you two had personal history with each other." More silence met him. "Lara…" When she refused to answer, he shook his head at her decision. "So, what makes you risk so much to come here, Lara?"

Jacob had walked to the fire chamber to keep the flame alive. "That's what I like to know as well."

"The Divine Source."

"Yeah, what exactly is that?" Patronus asked the archeologist.

Lara sipped her drink and stayed silent for a moment before she answered him. "It is an ancient artifact said to bestow immortality to those who gaze upon it."

"And you want this Divine Source for what?" Patronus asked, only for Jacob to ask his own question.

"What I want to know is why."

Lara looked at the two men before she responded solemnly. "When I was young, it was just my father and I. He was an archeologist too. In his last years, he was obsessed with myths about immortality. Of course, no believed him… not even me. Our last conversation was a fight. He… He took his own life." She was then comforted by Patronus who had sat next to her and placed his hand on top her own. "I thought I'd come to terms with it, but…"

"Something else happened." Jacob realized the reason of her search for the Divine Source.

"And I saw something that I thought was impossible. It changed everything." Lara gazed at Patronus as he knew she was talking about Yamatai, the Stormguard and Himiko. "I realized my father was right. He died alone and broken. But he died for something."

Jacobd took her silence as a way for him to speak. "So, you believe the Divine Source is real?"

"I honestly don't know." Lara admitted. "But if there is any truth to it, I have to find out. It… It needs to be researched and studied. It could make a difference to the world. It's not something to be hidden away."

Jacob on the other hand seemed to disagree with her views. "A difference is always for the best. Would you wish Trinity to have the secret to immortality?"

"Of course not."

"Then I would ask you not to abandon your quest, but to alter its path." Jacob said. "Join me and my people. Help us repel Konstantin and Trinity."

"And after that's done." Lara asked hopefully he will lead her to the artifact.

Jacob shrugged his shoulders. "Then you leave our valley untouched, but knowing that you've done the right thing."

Lara shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I can't do that."

"Can't or won't?" asked Jacob while Patronus remained silent.

"I-We'll fight Trinity with you but my goal remains the same," Lara said determinedly. "If I give up now…"

Jacob finished her sentence. "You'd feel like you'd be letting him down."

"Not just him." Lara insisted. "I need answers, Jacob. I need to understand." Jacob sighed inwardly and stood up. "You're leaving?"

"Right now, my concern is for my village. It's over the mountain pass, a day's journey on foot. But there may be a faster way through the old copper mine." Jacob then said sternly. "You rest. I'll be back soon." He left but not before giving Patronus a look that said 'Persuade her.'

"…"

"…"

"…You've been quiet for most of that." Lara looked at Patronus who sat seiza the entire time. "What do you think?" She asked him, hoping for his honest opinion.

"Honestly?" Patronua asked as Lara nodded sternly. "I don't think this Divine Source should be found. It's better to remain undisturbed and unseen from the world."

"Why?" Patronus sighed loudly, prompting Lara to ask again. "Tell me why." She insisted.

"The world is dangerous as it is, Lara. We have mutants, shady organizations, and supervillains who will stop at nothing to obtain this Divine Source if you reveal it to the world." Patronus explained. "The MRD for example, if they catch whiff of this, won't hesitate to use the artifact to wipe out the mutants from the Earth. Magneto likewise will definitely do the same to humans. Osborn…well, he's a power-hungry megalomaniac and him being immortal won't do good for Spidey and me."

Lara tilted her head at the mention of the megalomaniac. "Who?"

"Don't worry since you probably won't encounter him anytime in your life." Patronus then shifted to his inner thoughts. "On second thought, maybe I should post a clone to watch over Lara after this is over."

"But still… I can't let him down and I need answers." Lara insisted to the one who was there with her. "Tell me you understand."

"All I can say at this point about is you need to be sure about immortality 'cause it's not worth it."

"What do you mean?"

Patronus exhaled after he finished his drink. "A long time ago, my teacher was a part of a team and they were the strongest warriors of their generation. His teammate whom he considered a brother betrayed them and searched for ways to obtain immortality. He even performed experiments on unwilling subjects and himself with a technique." Lara noticed his fist clenching in anger. "This same guy went after my own teammate who too sought power and offered his own body though in the end he betrayed the corrupted man."

"W-What was his name?" Lara asked. "Your teacher's friend?"

"Orochimaru." Lara shuddered in disgust as Naruto nodded. "That's the correct response for someone like him. His search for immortality and decisions made him lose his humanity." He looked at Lara who was worried. "I really hope you don't end up like him."

The Croft placed her hand on his arm. "I promise I won't."

"Then let's meet up with Jacob." Patronus stood up and helped Lara to her feet as she was confused. "Come on, I know you want to meet up with him as you feel rested." He pulled out a familiar treat that Lara snatched out of his hand as soon she saw it. "Well, you're welcome."

Lara nodded with a smile. "Thank you." She said as her body felt rejuvenated from the strange meal. "Onward to the copper mine."

"Ladies first."

TTIIPMxTTIIPMxTTIIPM

After killing starving wolves and climbing rocky terrains, Patronus and Lara reached a warehouse on a cliff since the Remnant General asked them for help. They found a lone Trinity guard near an open vent but Patronus took care of him with a chokehold and hid the body out of sight. "Be on guard from here, Lara. There could be more."

"Got it." Lara affirmed as she waited for Patronus to jump off to the ground inside, then performed the act as well. She was caught by Patronus to prevent her from injuring herself. "Thanks, but I can take the pain."

"I know you can but I prefer you wouldn't unnecessarily hurt yourself especially if we're in for a long day." Patronus responded cheeky as he missed Lara's slight blush before she shook it off. They walked down a set of stairs where three Trinity soldiers were present, two of them asleep and one awake with his back facing them. "Get the two sleeping and I get the one standing." He whispered as Lara nodded with her bow and two arrows ready.

It was fast as Patronus wrapped his arm around the soldier's neck while Lara fired both arrows at the sleeping guards at the same time through their skulls. When the body went limp, Lara noticed a set of keys followed by a heavy voice ahead of them. "Hey, over here." The duo approached a cell and found two people, a man and a woman, bound to chairs as they were beaten up with Remnant attire. "Get us out of here."

Lara opened the cell and Patronus went inside to cut the ropes with his Hidden Blades. "You two all right?" Lara asked as Patronus helped them both to their feet.

"Your help is greatly appreciated." The woman said albeit heavily.

Patronus waved it off with a hand. "Don't mention it."

"We owe our lives." The male Remnant said this time.

"Again, don't mention it." Patronus repeated before he pointed at the way they came in as the Remanant soldiers left together. They made their way to the Soviet Installation after Lara acquired a map in the warehouse and eventually made it via a series of drops, jumps, climbs and breaks.

The installation was based out of a copper mill where Jacob mentioned to meet up with him. They heard voices and quickly went inside of a wooden structure where more voice was heard as the duo climbed to the upper levels. Lara noticed a vodka and made a Molotov while she and Patronus took cover via different positions: Lara was at the bottom while the hero was atop the pillars and out of sight.

Seeing the ninja nod, Lara threw the Molotov and watched it burn the screaming Trinity unlucky enough to be within her sight. As for the remaining men, Patronus threw several hallucinogenic darts at them as he and Lara watched them punch each other out of fear. The coast was clear and climbed towards the roof of the installation where they encountered more Trinity soldiers.

"Kill them!"

Patronus threw three shuriken at the soldiers as Lara fired her assault rifle to aid in the killing although that wasn't his intention. More Trinity soldiers came to attack them but their efforts were in vain as Patronus used his wind chakra to manipulate the breeze in the area to unbalance them while Lara personally killed them with her climbing axes she acquired from Jacob.

"Fire! Light them up!"

The duo ran inside the structure and up another flight of stairs as the building burned rapidly due to the winds around them. Two more Trinity encountered them and Patronus charged as he deflected their bullets with his arms before punching and kicking the soldiers out of the building. Three Trinity appeared with shields and Lara took them on as she dodged one's shield bash and stabbed him in the back. Lara ducked under the other's shield swipe and countered with a stroke to the neck before she leaped at the last one, used the shield to launch herself in the air and landed on him hard with her knees to his face.

"Wow, you've been training?" Patronus asked, impressed with her skills despite the burning building.

Lara gave him a deadpanned look. "Is this really the time?" She shook her head as they ran to outside and found a rope post with a trajectory to the bridge below. She fired a rope arrow and descended rapidly to the antenna with Patronus before they both jumped to another rope line that guided them to the bridge. As she landed, a Trinity soldier was about to attack her when he was shot in the back and fell to the ground.

The one responsible was Jacob.

"Nice throw." Patronus praised Jacob's skill with the knife evident by the one in the soldier''s back.

Jacob couldn't help but laugh a little. "Thank you." He looked at Lara with an amused expression. "We seem to be making a habit of saving each other."

"Thanks. I'm glad you're all right." Lara then looked ahead and saw the copper mine that will lead to Jacob's village. "Is that it? The way through the mountain?"

Jacob answered, "Yes. There'll be more of them inside. You don't have to do this." He tried to persuade her.

"Can't get rid of me so easily." Lara affirmed as Patronus nodded in agreement.

"You should've seen her back in Yamatai." Patronus walked ahead of the two. "She's tough, Jacob, really tough. Come on, we're wasting time."

Jacob and Lara shared looks before they caught up with Patronus as the Remnant leader took the lead. Jacob used a flare while Patronus and Lara used green glow sticks to light up their paths as they traversed the tunnels. "This path will take us all the way through the mountain. My people used these ways until the Soviets arrived and began digging."

"What did they find down here?" Lara asked as she was an archeologist.

"Enough to make them curious."

Patronus, behind Lara, asked the obvious question. "How curious?"

"They used machines and explosives to dig deeper. It caused quite a lot of damage."

"So that curious." Patronus growled. "Curiosity leads to excellence but also destruction."

Jacob glanced at the hooded hero. "Deepening words there, Patronus."

"I have my moments." Patronus shrugged his shoulders. "Are the tunnels stable today?"

"Most of them collapsed but it's safe now." The mountain shook as to oppose that statement. "Or…it used to be…"

"That doesn't sound good." Both Lara and Patronus said in unison as they ducked under metal beams.

Jacob turned around to face his allies. "Trinity must have found the old mining equipment… They're trying to finish what the Soviets started."

"And there's no other way through." Lara said knowingly as Jacob sighed heavily.

"I'm afraid not… not anymore." The trio slipped through a narrow gap in the fence. "This complicates things." They stayed quiet when enemy soldiers' voices echoed through the tunnel about the machine being faulty as the mountain shook violently by the second.

"They're going to bring the whole place down." Lara said worryingly. She and the men leaped over an obstacle when the machine suddenly shook the mountain violently enough for Jacob to push both her and Patronus ahead of him as he was being piled on by rubble from above. "Jacob!"

"Find Sofia! Tell her Trinity is here!"

"We got to go!" Patronus carried Lara on his back as they were in a hurry. They ignored the Trinity soldiers and the exploding drill machine though the force caused Naruto to stumble and take the brunt of it until the duo reached a tunnel that forked two paths. One of them was closed by rubble and forced the allies to take the other way though Lara held onto Patronus tightly as she didn't want to let go. "You okay back there?!"

"I'm fine!"

"Good 'cause I'm going to have to toss you!"

"What!" Lara managed to shout indignantly before Patronus swiftly took her off his back and tossed across the tunnel to the other side. She looked back and saw the tunnel collapsing onto her friend. "Hurry!" She pleaded as Naruto dived at the last second and avoided being squashed like a bug. "Are you okay?" Lara asked the person who laid next to her.

Patronus gave her a thumbs-up. "You know I'm always okay. You?"

"Same here." Lara retorted as she and Patronus helped each other up before they heard voices ahead. They took cover behind a couple of crates from Trinity soldiers as the latter patrolled what seemed to be an elevator shaft connected to an upper level. "There are about three of them in here." She informed after her sight turned gray while the enemies glowed yellow-golden.

Patronus nodded at her words. "I got the top. You below?"

"On your mark."

"Three…two…one…mark." Patronus fired his grappling hook that clung onto the surprised Trinity soldier and tugged the rope, causing the enemy to fall off the second level.

"Is someone-" The second Trinity was cut off with an arrow protruding through his skull along with his fellow mercenary whose throat was pierced.

Lara noticed Patronus's tilted gaze upon on her. "What?"

"Your skill with the bow really frightens me and that's saying something." Patronus informed his ally and friend as he walked towards the control panel. The elevator worked as it descended but quickly broke down midway to their level. "Plan B then." The ninja walked to the lowest platform and turned his back to face the platform with his hands lowered beneath his waist. "Come on, I'll give you a boost."

Lara heeded his words and ran towards him, then jumped up to the platform's edge with Patronus's arms boosting her upwards. She pivoted on her knees and held out her arm as Patronus grabbed it before pulling him over. "You're heavy, you know that?"

"Well, that's hurtful." Patronus complained in mock-hurt as they stood up before the ninja noticed something on a nearby table. "Look at that there." He walked towards the furniture and picked up the object of interest: a knife. "A combat knife from the looks of it." He held it out for his ally to take it. "You're going to need it."

A confused Lara hesitated. "Why though? I have your kunai."

"It's always better to be prepared for unexpected things to happen." Patronus urged her to take it and Lara did as she unsheathed it to inspect the serrated blade. "Test it out first." He nudged his head towards the hanging debris that was in their way.

Lara cut the rope with a few strokes and watched boxes fall to the ground as the route was clear for them to climb up the shaft. They leaped across the gap, jumped atop the broken elevator, leaped to the frozen craggy wall nearby. Lara used her climbing axes while Naruto utilized his Pivot Blade and Hirashin kunai until they got high enough to transition back to the shaft with a leap and shifted to the other side until they reached the top of the shaft.

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Pantheon Corridor, Abandoned Mines

The duo walked through the somewhat unstable tunnel where they came upon skeletons of Soviets littered across a ruined hallway that contained ancient structures. "I hope Jacob's still alive." Lara couldn't help but voice her worry about the Remnant leader.

"So do I." Patronus answered as he went to his thoughts. "Honestly, that man's been bugging me ever since I met him. He's clearly hiding something from us and the way he speaks, the wisdom in his voice…add the fact that I can't sense his Ki at all only makes him more suspicious."

"These ruins…" Lara spoke, drawing Naruto's attention. "These could be part of the Prophet's lost city." She examined the statues and the corridor's walls.

"And what city was that?"

"Kitezh."

Naruto could only shake his head. "Never heard of it."

"Hence the words 'lost city' next to it." Lara cheekily retorted which Patronus responded with a hidden raspberry. They read the mural since both could speak ancient Greek from study and godly power in Naruto's case.

Naruto and Lara traversed through the hallway where they found more broken ruins along with Trinity agents, forcing them to take cover. They spotted two nearby Trinity soldiers inspecting a wall of interest and quickly came up behind them before silencing via Lara's knife and Patronus's choke-hold. The duo dragged the bodies out of sight and took cover behind a stone obstacle from more enemies ahead on what looked to be a bridge ahead of them.

Patronus looked at his partner. "Stay here." He silently climbed up a broken wall with none of the soldiers focusing attention on him as the ninja brought out darts from his pouch. "Say good bye." With a swift action, the poison darts hit two of their targets as they elicited a surprised yell of pain.

"What the hell?!"

"Something bit me!"

"Possible intruder." The Trinity soldiers were alert as Lara moved to Patronus's position when he climbed back down. "Hey…I don't feel so good."

Lara looked through the hole in the wall where two soldiers held their heads in pain before they suddenly turned into berserkers, killing their surprised brethren with rapid-fire from the assault fires. When the last one die, the berserker soldiers fell to their knees, unmoving from their supine position. "Should I ask?"

"No." Naruto answered simply as they walked to the end of the route where a large harpoon was stationed. Its head was already fired by Trinity at the door of the massive Byzantine temple across the massive gap and far away from them. "Ladies first."

Lara rolled her eyes at her ally. "What a gentleman." She sarcastically said before climbing upside-down towards the ruin, never minding the deep chasm below her. When she finally reached the temple, Lara disembarked off the rope and turned around to wave her friend over. Patronus heeded her and ran across the rope without a problem in his balance, much to Lara's surprise. "How did you do that? When?"

"Since I was twelve." Naruto answered as if it was the obvious thing. "It's pretty easy."

Lara suddenly had a determined expression on her beautiful face. "Teach me how." She declared sternly.

"…Maybe later." Patronus redirected the awkward situation as he looked at the massive door. "Looks these Trinity chumps tried to break in here." He pointed at the other harpoon hooks attached to different objects through the massive compounds in the colossal cave they were standing in.

Lara looked at the different structures connected to the door. "I'll be back." Naruto looked at her.

"Where are you going?"

"To open the door."

Patronus shook his head at her. "Why do things the hard way when you have me?" Lara placed her hands on her hips as the ninja unsheathed Kogitsunemaru before coating the blade with wind chakra. Two diagonal and one vertical strikes were Patronus's actions before he placed the sword back to its sheath as the door broke down into several pieces in front of them, opening the entrance for them. "See?"

"When did you get a new sword?" Lara asked as she was mesmerized with the blade's design, especially the fox-head pommel of the hilt.

"Recently." Patronus answered before he and his companion entered the temple just before rubble fell behind them and covered the entrance. "Well, at least we won't have to worry about those chumps chasing after us."

They walked down the stairs where murals and statues of a certain figure was everywhere, especially with one huge statue was centered in the temple. "This statue must be the Immortal Prophet…" Lara muttered in awe. She noticed the mural at her feet and drew Naruto's attention as well. "And this… it shows the exodus of his people from the deserts of Syria."

Patronus followed her as she walked along the story-telling murals in a circle. "They settled in a hidden valley and built a great city. Kitezh…" She continued to voice the narration for both her and Naruto. "To protect the city and its people, the Prophet raised an army of warrriors…" She stopped at the third larger mural as her interest was piqued. "But what is this showing?"

"An offering maybe?" Naruto answered unsurely, giving a theory.

"It's not the Divine Source they're holding. It's something else…" Lara paused between words. "Something else…but what?" She got on her knees to read a barely readable inscription on the mural. "'And his warriors forged for him an Atlas. That the Prophet might always know his city and its secrets.'" Her head rose in realization. "A map of the city…it could show the way to the Divine Source."

Patronus felt the structure shake a bit and that prompted him to nudge Lara gently. "We got to go. Now."

"It's a wonder this place is still standing." Lara voiced her amazement. The duo walked to a nearby open door and followed the path until they reached a flood and collapsed hallway, forcing them to swim to the other side where sunlight was seen atop a flight of stairs. "Ah, sunlight."

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Geothermal Valley

They reached the upper level of the ruin before Lara noticed a rope line that reached the lower levels. She jumped towards it and used her axe to descend to the bottom before disengaging and landing in water as Patronus did the same moments later. They walked slowly as the atmosphere was suddenly tense and quiet.

Hearing rubble crumble, Patronus swiftly stood in front of Lara protectively as strangers aimed their bows at them while walking down the stairs as they were accompanied by a woman. "Stop right there." She was slim in build and slightly taller than Lara as her attire consisted of a green and brown tunic, lined with fur and chain mail, brown leather trousers and boots, fingerless gloves with white gaiters. It contrasted her looks as she was pale in skin color with green eyes and red hair tied into a series of intricate braids with small silver rings and a bun at the back.

"Easy! Easy!" Lara said calmly, trying to soothe the hostile Remnants. "You know I'm not with Trinity." Patronus cleared his throat aloud. "We're not with Trinity."

"Why should we believe you?" The woman asked hostilely.

"I—we escaped with one of your own." Lara explained. "A man named Jacob."

The woman and her men tensed at Jacob's name as the latter looked around behind the intruders. "Where is he now?" She asked as Naruto sensed her emotions brewing negatively.

"We were together but we got separated in the mines." Lara answered truthfully though both she and Patronus still saw the hostility in their eyes.

One of the warriors raised his bow at her thought Patronus remained in their aim. "No! No, no, no, no…." Lara repeated adamantly against the false words.

"Jacob would never trust outsiders." The woman declared steely.

"Please, listen! We're not your enemy." Lara informed desperately.

The woman raised her bow at them. "I warned you. You should have left!"

"Fine then." Patronus finally spoke as he flicked his wrists and the Hidden Blades extended from the sleeves, halting the Remnants when they saw the weapons. "Bring it on then. You'll have to get through me if you want her!" He challenged the hesitant natives who looked at the woman for orders.

Luckily for them, a familiar voice spoke out from behind the intruders. "Sofia! Enough." It was Jacob as he emerged from the ruin, completely unharmed.

"Father!" Sofia ran to her father, much to the ninja and Croft's surprise.

"Father?" Patronus repeated confusingly.

Sofia went into her father's arms as Jacob hugged her before she broke it. "I thought I lost you."

"I'm glad you two made it out of there." Jacob told his allies before he noticed the wrist blades on Patronus' arms. He glanced at the tensed hero before looking at his daughter. "Forgive Sofia, she is…cautious."

Lara nodded understandably at his words. "In her position, I'd be the same way." She glanced at her friend. "Though him… not so much."

"She's right." Patronus admitted honestly. "If she or her men fired an arrow, I'd wiped the floor with them before they knew what hit them." Sofia and her men bristled though Jacob nodded, calming and confusing them at the same time.

"I have no doubt about that." Jacob looked at his second-in-command. "Trinity is coming in force. We must prepare."

Sofia nudged her head at the intruders. "And them?"

"They're friends." Jacob answered before he whispered to her. "Especially him." Sofia glanced at Patronus still standing in front of Lara protectively. "On my word, no harm will come to them." The Remnant leader told the men present as he knows they will pass the word around.

During the entire exchange, Lara was drawn by the structures they were standing in. "These ruins…" Jacob and Naruto's attention were upon her. "We must be near the Prophet's Lost City."

"Come, you two. We do not have much time," Jacob forewarned as the two followed him when he trekked up the stairs. "Prepare the weapon stores, secure the battlements. Go! Now!" The first warrior heeded his orders and left to do them. "They're almost here. But we're outnumbered." He told the second warrior as the latter left to do reconnaissance.

The last warrior approached him. "The children and elders are vulnerable."

"Go. Get them into the catacombs." Jacob told him as he and his allies reached the top of the stairs. "Light the fires—the valley must be alerted."

Both Lara and Naruto were in awe at the sight before them. A massive valley of beautiful nature with white mountains in the far distance and rivers on both sides as shrubs and trees littered the lands. "Incredible…" The awe-struck Lara said as Naruto felt himself in peace when nature energy flowed past him, much like the Homestead.

"Such beautiful lands…untainted by modern technology." Patronus voiced his own awe. "Such few places remain on this planet."

Jacob had sent his daughter to gather their fighters at the upper village before he spoke to his allies. "There is much to do." He looked at them. "If we had more time…"

"Later. For now, we'll do what we can to help." Lara told the worried Jacob as Patronus nodded to affirm their desire to help them survive.

Naruto cracked his fists at the upcoming battle. "Let's get to work." He and Lara set out to help the Remnants in preparations to fend off Trinity soldiers and protect the civilians and keep the Divine Source from being taken into the wrong hands.