Strenght of character part 2

Geothermal Valley

"Father, they're on the move!" Sofia told her father who was accompanied by a recuperated Lara. As Patronus said, exhaustion hit her at the lowest point and she needed rest.

Lara and Jacob heard rotors before their gazes shifted upwards to spot helicopters fly over them and straight to the glacier where the hidden city of Kitezh was buried underneath. "Oh no…" Lara muttered under her breath.

"I-I'm sorry, Lara." Jacob apologized to his downtrodden ally.

Before any of them could process the possibility of their strongest ally dead, lightning-like light flashed nearby followed by a loud boom. They went to investigate but their route was compromised when something crashed through the cliff and embedded against the wall under the water. Lara saw the being and gasped aloud. "Patronus!"

Said hero struggled to break himself free from the wall but eventually did as he fell to his knees. "Stay there!" He shouted at Lara who ran to help him. "Don't come any closer, Lara!" Jacob went to pull Lara away from the scene as they all went to the entrance of the observatory.

A roar snatched his attention as Abomination clothesline him back against the cliff, then used his arm to pin the ninja.

"Nice magic tricks you got there, runt." Abomination commented as his back was singed with a huge spiral mark present. "I really felt that." He leaned closer to the hooded hero's face. "But you're not as strong as me."

"Guess again." Patronus retorted before he pulled out his Pivot Blade and stabbed Abomination's right elbow then pulled it down mightily.

"GGAAAHHH!" Abomination reacted to the unnatural pain and released his enemy in favor of clutching his elbow. He looked at it and saw the wound not healing at all. "That's more like it!"

"Then you're going to love this!" Naruto whistled sharply.

The trees rustled before six clones emerged from them and launched themselves directly at Abomination. The mutant creature punched one clone who dispersed from the powerful contact but the others landed next to him and threw power blows throughout the body as their hands were rapid-fire to the eyes of the audience.

"Unbelievable." Sofia muttered at the sight before her along with her father, Jonah, and most of all, Lara.

"Is this his life? What he goes through every day?" Lara thought as a clone leaped on Abomination's shoulders and wrapped his arms around his neck as much as he could.

The original signaled his clones to initiate Plan C and they heeded by stopping their assault as each of them quickly wrapped their arms and legs around the Abomination's joints, mainly the elbows and joints. "You think you can stop with these joint locks?! I am Abomination, the strongest one there is!"

"Then prove it." Naruto challenged him as Abomination chuckled at his determination. He charged at the mutant creature who unhindered by his clones' locks and threw a straight punch to meet Abomination's own attack.

A powerful shockwave blew away the air and trees as the audience protected themselves with their arms. Patronus and Abomination clash their fists multiple times before they rapidly threw punches at each other. However, only one of them was making contact while dodging and the other's punches getting slower and weaker.

"What the hell?!" Abomination thought in frustration as his arms no longer obeyed his commands while Patronus pummeled his body, specifically in the liver and then a left hook to the temple. "They're not random. He's aiming at the vital points!" He gazed upon the clones who tightened their locks that grew more effective by the second. "He waited for this!"

An ancient Jujutsu move that the practitioner uses against a stronger opponent as it targets a joint. If the user maintains the lock for a minute, no matter who or how strong the enemy is, the latter's body will eventually react in a negative way. Since the clones were not in Sage Mode after being created in the day before, it took longer for it to be effective.

Naruto took a step back and charged at Abomination who threw double hammer punches at him, but the ninja sunk in lower to dodge them then sprung up with his left arm swung up swiftly in an uppercut. Abomination's chin shot up in the air and fell to his knees while Naruto began to aggressively weave his body in a figure-eight before delivering rapid-fires punches from side to side at his as shockwaves emanated violently from each punch, forcing Abomination's head to snap side to side in response.

The humanoid retaliated with a body tackle against Patronus who was skidded backwards. "Nice try." He muttered before falling forward to the ground in a loud 'thud'.

"Gazelle Punch and Dempsey Roll." Patronus muttered as he panted from the fight. His body aches with pain from the power blows Abomination landed on him as well as the strain on his back and waist from the Dempsey Roll technique. "Thanks, Ippo." He thanked the boxer whose match the ninja watched back in the Shinigami dimension. "Boys, take him to the Avengers. They'll know what to do with him."

The clones nodded before they held the body of Abomination and Hirashined to the Manhattan marker. Naruto on the other hand fell to his knees as he panted heavy from the brutal fight of fists and ninjutsu. "That guy was a monster…"

"Patronus!" Naruto groaned as he stood up and turned around to see Jacob, Sofia and Jonah running towards him. "Are you all right?" Jacob asked with concern after seeing his body heave with air.

"I'm fine." Patronus answered softly before Lara brushed past the others towards him. "Lara, Lara, now wait second-" She slapped his face. "Okay, I deserve that." Another slap came from the Croft girl. "I deserve that too." A third slap arrived already. "Okay, that one was a little excessive."

Lara sent him a look. "Really?" Naruto instantly felt fear before he felt excruciating pain in his downstairs area as Lara rubbed her leg.

"What the hell?!" Patronus cried out disdainfully as he fell to the ground. "That was a low blow!"

Jonah clicked his tongue. "Little bird, you really shouldn't have resorted to such violence. Especially since we're going to need all hands to stop Trinity." Naruto slowly got up from the ground with a nod.

"He's right since I'm the big gun here." Naruto flinched when Lara gave him a nasty glare.

"We're going to have a long talk after this."

"…Hai."

Jacob and Sofia couldn't help but be amused by their banter but it was not time for amusement. "Trinity is going to brute force through the ice."

"There's gotta to be a way to get there before them." Lara countered. "Jacob, the map showed a secret path to the city."

Jacob nodded grimly. "The Path of the Deathless. It's too dangerous."

"We're running out of time," Lara insisted. "You know I can't give up now." She looked at Patronus. "And I'll be fine as he's with me."

"If we can delay Trinity, we might have a chance."

Sofia agreed with her father's words. "I will take our forces and attack them on the ice."

"Take a few of my… men with you." Patronus told Sofia about his clones. "They'll help protect you. The rest will remain here for the elderly, women and children."

Jacob breathed with a deep nod. "Then it's time. Open the path." Sofia left them for the observatory while Jacob guided his allies to the side as the stone-steps opened and revealed a new tunnel beneath the ruin. "I wish you both best of luck."

Lara and Patronus glanced at each other before stepping down the descending stairs as they raced to reach the city of Kitezh and find the Divine Source before Trinity does.

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Path of the Deathless

It was a while for the duo as the path they took lived up to its name for one of them. luckily for Lara, she recently acquired broad-head arrows that allowed her to fire them into soft wooden walls and use the projectiles as footholds to cross gaps between them as well as her compound bow the Remnants found in the forest near the Gulag. They made it through the Orrery, an ancient observatory created by the Prophet's astronomers during the construction of Kitezh.

Speaking of the Prophet, Lara relayed the new and shocking information she learned to Patronus.

"Jacob is the Deathless Prophet?" Patronus asked not in awe but mere casual. "Huh."

"Huh?" Lara repeated as she didn't believe his reaction. "This is huge information, Patronus. He and his armies are the living proof of immortality the Divine Source provided. Though…"

"What?" The last Croft told the Assassin about Jacob's reasons for hiding his true identity from the Remnants for generations, the atrocity his armies committed for killing thousands of citizens with the ice centuries ago, and how this must end if his people were to survive. "I see." Naruto said after a while.

"You knew, didn't you?" Lara stated rather than asking.

Patronus shook his head. "Not at first. I had a hunch from the time I first met him, but I wasn't sure. When we saw the Deathless Ones in the archives, it confirmed my suspicions." He stopped as did Lara. "You know about the concept of ki, right."

"The life energy all beings have according to the Chinese and Japanese."

"Jacob and the Deathless Ones… I couldn't sense their ki at all."

"Wow…"

"Plus, there was the whole 'you being mad at me' thing and I couldn't really say anything." Patronus meekly told her.

"Right." Lara gulped as she was about to say something else but Sofia's voice spoke through their comm links.

-"Lara, Patronus, we're on the mountain above the glacier."-

Lara replied first. "Can you see Trinity?"

-"Yes, they're beginning their operation."-

"We're entering the old city now…" Lara responded as she could hear bells in the distance. "Listen Sofia, don't attack them too soon."

-"We'll give it some time. I'll contact you again soon."-

They ended contact with the Remnant second-in-command before entering through a tunnel past the stone door. The duo found themselves within a new world as a huge structure was before them while thick frozen water stuck on several parts throughout the wall. Naruto and Lara shared a gaze before they commenced another round of climbing to the top but stopped when the Deathless Ones marched past them.

Lara and Patronus scaled to the side quietly as to avoid attracting their attention then jumped and climbed an icy shaggy wall. Lara ran ahead and leaped towards another ice wall, but it cracked from her axe and caused her to fall into the chasm. "Shit!" Croft cursed as she wedged herself with her body to stop falling.

Patronus followed her with his hands and feet stomping the ice. "You okay?" Lara nodded. "Think you can move?" Another nod came his way. "The ice won't last for long. We'll have to jump at the same time." Lara turned to the exit and waited for his signal. "Ready… go!"

The duo jumped at the same time as ice fell through their previous spots. They landed somewhat safely into a new route and continued onward while encountering new structures even more extravagant than the ones in the valley and more Deathless Ones. From what he sees, Naruto determined that they were getting ready for battle with Trinity.

They crossed a narrow log and stuck to the wall while scaling it as the Deathless Ones in military formation marched to a mutual location and Lara couldn't help but whisper her observation. "So many of them." She said to Patronus.

"Let's not draw their attention, then." Patronus and Lara were now safe through the icy bluff as a new view, a massive stone bridge, led to the hidden city. "All right, let's figure out a game plan." Naruto said before he winced when his stomach ached in pain.

"Does it hurt?" Lara walked in front of Patronus who nodded before she jabbed at the spot, eliciting a stifled yelp. "Good."

"Damnit woman, why are you doing that?!" Naruto whispered sharply.

"… Can't you tell?"

"You're still mad at me?"

Lara reluctantly shook her head, then nodded. "I'm still upset though not as much as before about the other thing, but I'm more upset when you left."

"Let me get this right: you're somewhat mad at me about my identity and all, but you're more upset about a different reason?" Naruto rubbed his head as it ached from the thinking. "Women are so confusing." He flinched when Lara raised a hand, only for her to softly rub his shoulder. "Lara?"

"… When you said about going after the Atlas and leaving me behind-" Lara cleared her throat as to finish what she wanted to say. "—I felt this gripping feeling around my heart. I couldn't breathe… The last time I felt like that was before my father killed himself."

That was when Naruto realized about Lara's breakdown earlier with widened eyes. "You thought I was going to die." Lara reluctantly nodded at his words as Naruto comforted her by bringing her into his arms. "Oh Lara… You should know by now that I'm not going to die by anyone's hands."

"I know that. I know that, but I couldn't—can't stop but worry about you like that. Why?"

"I know why but I don't think you're ready to admit it."

Lara agreed with him as she looked at him. "You have to promise me, Patronus, that you'll tell me everything about you."

"I promise, Lara." Patronus said determinedly. "And I always keep my promises." Lara cleared her throat to rid whatever blocked it and looked toward the city. "Do you want to go first?"

"Gladly." Lara jumped to the descending zip-line, using her axe as a medium while Patronus was behind her with his hands. "Shit!" She crashed through icicles and leaped for the wooden edge, only for it to break and caused her to fall to the icy water.

Naruto Hirashined behind her, more specifically the kunai marker, and grabbed Lara's waist while his free hand grabbed hold of a crack in the wall. He heard a voice from the top and knew that one of them must have heard the water splashing. Naruto quickly threw Lara to the other side of the adjacent wall before he hid underneath the plank just as a Deathless One looked over his location.

"Please don't notice, please don't notice." Lara pleaded as she could see Patronus' gloved hand exposed on the plank. She released a sigh of relief when the immortal soldier left the area for his duties before her gaze caught Patronus pointing at her then gesturing upwards. "Got it." She turned and wall-jumped upwards to the edge.

Suddenly the same Deathless One was there and grabbed her neck to lift her up. Lara kicked the sword arm and grabbed her axe to melee the immortal warrior several times in the neck, eventually breaking through the neck guard and killing him as he disintegrated in ashes. The momentum of the melee caused Lara to fall through a wooden floor and slid down to a plaza of sorts where blue flames were present as well as more Deathless Ones.

They noticed her and two of the infantrymen charged at her as Lara pulled out her shotgun to fire powerful rounds at them. The rounds pushed them back and pulled off their armor until they disintegrated like their fallen brother. Five more Deathless Ones appeared to kill her but this time, she wasn't alone.

"Rasengan!" A falling Naruto shouted as he landed on the Deathless Ones, destroying them while creating a crater in the process. He turned to Lara who panted from the assault. "You—You look fine. Stick close to me; we're doing the old formation." Naruto drew Kogitsunemaru and his Pivot Blade as Lara switched her bow and arrow.

"Be careful of the flames, they're Greek Fire. I think they fire arrows with them."

"Good to know."

The duo traversed through the hidden city as Deathless archers fired Greek Fire arrows at them but Patronus deflected them with Soresu and Lara retaliated with her grenade arrow. They blew up and turned to ashes. This was the pattern for the team of two as they fought their way into another plaza with a standing gate.

Four more Deathless Ones engaged them as the archers fired arrows at the brushes, surrounding Naruto and Lara while the two even more-heavily armored soldiers slowly walked to them. Naruto twirled Kogitsunemaru once as a challenge to them while Lara switched to her assault rifle and fired at them. They didn't flinch upon the bullets, meaning they were tougher than the others.

The first one swung his broadsword at Patronus but the latter parried and cut it at the same time before he countered with the Pivot Blade stabbing through the neck. An unusual reaction happened as the Deathless One groaned in pain before his body shone with a bright light and exploded on the spot.

The second soldier was so confused that he didn't react to Lara's attack with Patronus' borrowed Hidden Blade as it dug through his chest plate and the same thing happened to it as well. "What kind of metal is this?" Lara asked as she gazes on the Hidden Blade.

"I'll explain later." Patronus responded as he threw kunai at the archers before they exploded a second later. "Let's keep moving."

Lara had to agree with him and they ran through the burnt gate that lead them to another structure thus more climbing. They climbed upwards until the duo reached a pure ice tunnel and found a very steep ice slide with a wooden structure on the other side of the chasm. "Let me get on your back."

"Okay." Patronus sheathed his weapons before he kneeled so Lara could situate herself on his back and stood up. "You going to use the rope axe or the grappling hook?"

"Let's find out."

"Risk-taker… I like it."

With a moment's rest, Patronus and Lara slid down with the former's feet sliding carefully before he used the momentum to jump forward. Lara quickly aimed and fired the grappling hook from her borrowed Hidden Blade at the obstruction in the ceiling as she and Naruto used the forward momentum to swing to the other side. The hook disengaged as Patronus landed on the roof hard just before it broke, causing them to free-fall but Naruto's feet crashed on the icy floor with cracks underneath.

"Worth it." Patronus nodded with a slight sting in his feet. Luckily, Sage Mode lasts for thirty minutes for so he still has half the time remaining.

Lara got off his back while the hook returned inside her sleeve as she noticed something in the ice. It was a skeleton covered in clothing. That was when she recalled Jacob's story about the civilians killed by the avalanche during Kitezh's siege. "I think it's up ahead."

"Then we better keep moving."

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The Frozen City

Naruto and Lara passed through the icy tunnel as they walked up the stairs while Sofia's voice reached them through their radios.

-"You guys… They're going to break through the ice any minute."-

"Do you think you can stop them?" Lara asked hopefully.

-"The best we can do is buy some time."-

Patronus responded this time. "That's all we can ask of you and your people. Good luck, Sofia."

-"I'll see you two on the other side."-

The comms link ended and the duo traversed through a small hall with a statue through ascending stairs until fog met them at the top. It wasn't long however as the fog dissipated and revealed the site they were searching for the whole time. They saw an entire city foreshadowed by a massive building in the back while a colossal sheet of ice overhanging the entire area including their location.

"The Chamber of Souls…" Lara said in an awed voice with her gaze at the biggest building in sight. "The Divine Source has to be there." She noticed the layout of the city and the route to it. "Looks like the way into the city center is through that gate…"

Patronus also noticed something but it was an unfortunate sight for them. "And we should stay out of sight if we want to avoid trouble." He directed Lara's gaze at the streets where Deathless Ones were patrolling certain areas of the city. "Unless you want to fight them."

"No, thank you." Lara retorted before she descended on the zip-line, then changed to another descending zip-line.

Patronus followed her and landed on the building where Lara was waiting for him before they continued their way through the outer city without alerting the Deathless Ones patrols of their presence. They managed to reach the gate into the inner city when it suddenly closed and heard something 'wham' from the distance.

"Back!" Patronus tackled Lara to the floor and away from the gate as a fireball hit it instead of them. "Bastards!"

Lara looked up and saw the smoky trail from a far distance near the entrance where they arrived from earlier. "Maybe we can use them to break the gate for us."

"Or I can simply do this." Patronus counter-offered as he walked to the burning gate before punching through it with senjutsu. "There."

A nonchalant Lara pointed behind her. "And them?" She moved aside when Naruto drew Kogitsunemaru, channeled wind around the blade and swung it horizontally. A large wind blade raced towards the trebuchet before the weaponized element cut through the siege weapon along with the ones using it. "Must you always use brute force?"

"It works. Why are you complaining?"

"I'm an archeologist; we preserve the past."

Patronus wagged his finger side-to-side. "Not when the past is coming to kill us." Lara rolled her eyes at but she couldn't stop the small smile.

The duo traveled through the citadel plaza and took in the sights of the ancient city that still stands for centuries after being sieged by the Mongols. It was during this time Lara noticed a body armed with a quiver of new arrows armed with the same metal as the Deathless Ones. "Maybe these pierces armor." She noted before a blaring alarm reached her ears.

"Yeah? Looks like you're about to put them to use." Patronus extended his Pivot Blade and twirled Kogitsunemaru as the Deathless Ones began their ambush on them. "You hit the archers, I'll handle the infantry."

Lara grunted as her affirmation before she fired her recently-acquired armor-piercing arrows at the archers, easily breaking through their faceplates. She fired another round of two and the archers disintegrated into ashes while Patronus handled the infantry soldiers, deflecting their swords while countering with the Pivot Blade. Two infantrymen hesitated before they remembered their duty and attacked him though Lara stabbed them in the back with the Hidden Blade in rapid succession.

Another wave of Deathless Ones infantry arrived though Naruto ended them with a jutsu. "Eaken!" The favored air fist burst through the soldiers while also taking out a portion of the wall as well. "Oops." He flinched when Lara punched his outstretched arm. "Hey, hey, I'm sorry! They're just stronger when I'm in Sage Mode."

"Sage Mode?" Lara repeated out of curiosity as Naruto sighed in defeat. "You're-"

"I know, I know." Patronus swung another wind blade from his Divine Regalia and cut through the gate in front of them. "Come on, we can't let Trinity get there before us." He sheathed the sword before climbing up to the gate as Lara did the same and walked through the broken gate with the Chamber of Souls ahead of them.

Suddenly the gate behind was destroyed by another fireball and caused the bridge to break into segmented pieces, forcing the duo to run across. Naruto got through easily with a few leaps but Lara ran and jumped before each fell behind her. She leaped forward as far as she can before firing the grappling hook at Patronus who caught it. Naruto pulled her up quickly before the edge he was standing breaks as well.

They managed to get away but only to run into another wave of Deathless Warriors. Patronus drew Kogitsunemaru and slashed through the infantrymen while Lara used her grenade arrows to kill or incapacitate the archers until she finished them off with her Hidden Blade. The duo stayed within sight of each other as their footwork brought them together and left a trail of ashes that were once warriors.

Naruto gazed at the blue katana in his hand. "Since a god created this, these things fall easily just like my Hidden Blades. Does that mean a deity's behind this?" Their brief respite was broken when an unnatural earthquake shook the ancient city and forced the duo to look up at the glacier.

Except the glacier had a massive hole with helicopters descending from it while city-sized ice boulders fell upon several sections of the city.

-"Lara, Patronus! Trinity has broken through! We can't-"-

Sheathing Kogitsunemaru for now, Naruto and Lara glanced at each other before they commenced another climbing session similar to the one they climbed at Yamatai to face Himiko. The ascension to the Chamber of Souls was long and dangerous as they faced not only the structure's collapsing in certain areas but also the flaming trebuchet attacks the Deathless Ones aimed at them as well. Their minds were on the goal of stopping Trinity's plans and they won't quiet until they accomplished it.

After narrowly avoiding a fireball and reaching a spot in one of the high buildings, Lara and Patronus rested on a ledge big enough for comfortable foot space. Lara scurried to the corner but pulled back when a Deathless One was also climbing to the top as well. Patronus noticed this and checked the surroundings as the Deathless Ones were climbing from both side. "Shit."

They stayed quiet as they scurried around the corner but hurried their progress when the building began to collapse through several parts through their ascension. Lara fell when the ice she stuck her axe into broke but Patronus grabbed her hand and held on until she found her footing below him.

With a wall jump, Patronus reached the top of the building and turned around with his hand out. "Jump!" Lara prepared herself and wall-jumped too as she grabbed Naruto's hand before something grabbed her legs and pulled her down. Patronus held strongly and looked below to find a Deathless One holding her legs. "Lara, shoot him!"

Lara heeded his words and pulled out her pistol before firing the entire clip into the warrior's face until she kicked him off her, plummeting him to ground level. "Pull me up." Lara told him as Patronus did the deed and brought her the ground away from the edge. What they saw after stunned them as it was a battlefield reminiscent of the armies of old.

Deathless Ones and Trinity soldiers littered the building in front of them, both side trying to attain victory over the other as they seem to meet a stalemate with guns and bladed weapons.

"Damn." Patronus muttered although his war against the Shinju was a hundred times worse and more fighters than this.

A sight catches Lara's eyes as she looked at the adjacent structure with a prominent figure being guarded by Trinity soldiers. "Ana." She said in observation. They jumped to the circular structure and hid behind a broken shield to hid from the distracted combatants as their radios beeped with Sofia's voice.

-"You two! GET DOWN!"-

"Sofia?! Where are you?!"

Her answer came in the form of a fireball smashing through the structure's wall and clearing out the path for them.

"There's your answer, Lara." Patronus pointed out before he spoke to Sofia. "I take it you'll provide cover fire."

-"Yes! I see you Patronus and Lara."- In the distance, both of them saw Sofia and the Remnants having commandeered a trebuchet with Jonah helping them aim as well. –"We'll do whatever we can to support you from here."-

Lara pulled out her assault rifle and cocked it with a new clip. "Thank you, Sofia. We'll take whatever help we can get…" She looked at her partner. "Are you ready?"

"Are you?"

"… Yes."

"Then stay close." Patronus answered before he redrew Kogitsunemaru and the Pivot Blade. "Three… two… one… GO!"

The duo climbed over their cover and began their two-man assault onto anyone foolish enough to stand in there. The Deathless infantry fell to Patronus' blades while the Trinity riflemen was put down by Lara's rifle. It was also bad for them as none of their bullets and arrows couldn't penetrate the defensive nature of Soresu or the combined power of Lara's multiple weapons on her person. They reached the other side of the structure and climbed up the ice-covered building in front of them just as an attack helicopter hovered around them with a familiar but unwelcome voice.

-'All squads! I have a visual on Croft and the Assassin! They must not be allowed into the Chamber of Souls!'-

"Konstantin." Lara said under breath before she switched to her bow and arrow.

Patronus was about to bring the son of a bitch down with Kogitsunemaru when his senses told him to look up and saw a fireball crash into the area near them. "Uh, Sofia did you throw that last fireball?"

-"We're still reloading. Why?"-

"Then who?"

"HEY THERE!"

Their eyes widening, Lara and Patronus watched the flames come alive before a severely burned Deadpool walked out of it with his uniform possessing several stab holes and bullets as well. His mask was ripped in half with the mouth exposed but he still smiled at Patronus and Lara.

"Hi, pals! Ready to die?"

"Not in the slightest." Patronus Shunshined in front of the surprised yet delighted mercenary and tossed him off the building swiftly to the other structure.

"BIIIIIITTTTTTTCCCCCHHH!" Deadpool's voice trailed off in the distance along with a crash, then a yelp of delight. "YAY, MORE PALS TO KILL!"

-'Bastard! Kill Croft and the Assassin, not my men! Fuck this! It's game time for you, Ice Queen!'-

"Ice…" Lara started her sentence.

Patronus finished with… "Queen?" He saw something push off the assault helicopter before feeling something grab his throat, much to his surprise. "Lara!"

"Patronus!" She gasped out before he was gone followed by a wind pressure that threw her off her feet and sent the Croft girl slammed into a wall. After she recovered, Lara ran back to the spot where she last saw him before her eyes scanned for Patronus at the building below as a large ice dust cloud covered the whole structure. "Patronus!"

-"Lara! Duck 'cause he's aiming at you!"-

Lara heeded her warning and rolled out of the way as bullets ate the floor before she retaliated with a grenade arrow. The assault craft stumbled and wobbled in the air before the pilot commanded his remaining men to kill her. "Damn it, I'm alone now…" She paused before looking down at the building below. "No, I'm not. Please be safe… come back to me."

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Panting with heavy breaths as he tried to figure out what grabbed then choke-slammed him into next week, Naruto clapped his hands and blew away the ice cloud with his wind chakra as he saw the one who did the deed. It was a tall, beautiful and slender woman with long light blue hair and blue eyes as her attire was that of a general with long sleeves, a blue scarf around her neck, and high-heeled boots while a tattoo was visible on her chest above her cleavage.

"Hello weakling." Naruto tensed up when she spoke in a cool tone, matching the environment around them. "Now die." The woman drew her weapon, a rapier that came from France centuries ago, from her waist before she charged at her opponent with her usual speed. Usually, their bodies were littered with stab wounds before they knew what hit them.

Except Naruto didn't have stab wounds as he dodged them albeit barely and deflected some that aimed at his vital points before Shunshining as she appeared on the other side. She turned around with an intrigued expression before feeling something run down her left arm. The woman touched it and raised her fingers to see the tips dripped with blood… her blood.

"Well, well. Looks like you got yourself a mighty weapon to put a scratch on me." She mused before raising her rapier over her head. "But that was a fluke."

Naruto grunted as he assumed the Soresu brace stance before deflecting the woman's charge and barrage of thrusts at him. However, some of them got through as his stomach, legs, and arms were secreting blood but Naruto twirled around her with a big swing as a counter attack.

The rapier blocked it without the woman looking at him before she kicked him hard through a wall. "How boring. I thought you were something, but I guess it was my imagination." She walked a few steps before her enemy was appeared in yellow lightning-like flash and thrust his blade through her stomach followed by a whitish sphere of energy with blades around it. "Huh… perhaps you are something."

"I barely managed to put a marker on her before she kicked me." Naruto winced though he didn't show to his enemy after she was sent flying away from him. When the blood slid down Kogitsunemaru's blood, he noticed it wasn't red but gold. "No… Ichor? But that's only with a-"

"Deity?" The woman walked back towards him as she discarded her rapier and cracked the knuckles in her hands. "I'm surprised you know about the ichor. Now fists."

Naruto twirled Kogitsunemaru for another round but an icicle knocked the blade out of his dominant hand and caused it to slid away from him. "She can control ice?" Naruto muttered before cracking his knuckles as well and walking towards her. "Speaking of fists, it sounds like your Saturday nights."

Fists and legs clashed with minimal shockwaves from the contact as the Ice Queen threw an elbow strike but Naruto spun around it. He used the momentum with his elbow for a reversal but stronger version, but the female enemy tripped his legs and drove her fist against his back, driving him through the ground.

"I thought I felt something soft." The Ice Queen muttered curiously as the dust cleared but her opponent was not in the level below. She looked up and saw not one but twenty of her plaything. "Oh… All of you for little ol' me?"

The Shadow Clones engaged the ice deity while the remaining ones, the Bunshins, remained out of the fight as the real one initiated to recover from the attack in his back. He barely Shunshined without her realizing it until he created his distractions. To his shock, she was already in front of him while his clones were tossed aside merely from her speed as a few of them were tore apart with holes in their torsos.

"There you are~"

Naruto gasped in pain as he doubled over from the body blow to his stomach but he remained standing despite his wobbling legs. "She's—She's just Leone except much stronger! Sage Mode can't beat her…"

"I'll admit though: you lasted longer than the puny grunts I faced over the years. The last time I had a good fight with was my pantheon… of course I killed them all." The Ice Queen leaped backwards and clapped her hands before assuming a specific diamond sign as several icicles formed out of the cold air and surrounded her target. "Maybe that girl you're with will provide me some entertainment with her screams."

No answer came from Naruto but a flinch when Lara was mentioned.

"Good bye, Weissschnabel!"

The icicles darted at their target and pierced through his… image? The Ice Queen felt an odd energy from behind her and turned around to see her enemy's back with an odd yellow energy around him. He turned around with his eyes closed, even though she couldn't see them, and this sparked a light in the Ice Queen as she charged at him with several punches, but the ninja dodged them rather easily this time.

"Oh~" The women threw two fast punches this time, only to be dealt a body blow from Naruto after he dodged them. "Argh!"

The energy around Patronus's body burst out as flames enveloped him, forcing the Ice Queen to take a step back while holding her stomach. The building they were in lighted up in the same yellow-orange energy, drawing attention from Trinity and Remnants. With a guttural scream, the energy disappeared except it was present around one person as the Ice Queen stared at the new appearance of her opponent.

He was engulfed in shroud of yellow-orange energy that flickered off his body like flames. Black lines adorned his arms and legs extended throughout while six magatama formed under his neck and a prominent swirl design is seen over the stomach. Two prominent horn-like protrusions formed over his hooded head.

"Such power. Looks like there's more to him than just a human." The Ice Queen chuckle as her body was suddenly enveloped by her energy, the energy of a god. "They call me the Ice Queen, but my name is Esdeath Yukigami."

"Patronus."

Esdeath blinked before she lunged to the side while dodging a kick from the nonchalant Naruto who flipped over to rebalance himself. The air pressure blew away the surrounding debris as Esdeath threw a straight punch before Naruto twirled around to and countered with his fist as well. Esdeath saw it coming and clashed against his attack with her own as a more powerful shockwave shook the building before an explosion destroyed it.

Naruto reappeared away from the cloud as Esdeath followed with a kick but the ninja flashed past her without seemingly attacking. Esdeath turned around and revealed a bruise mark on her cheek before wiping it away from her ice powers as she summoned icicles around him. "Weissschnabel!"

The icicles darted at him but Naruto simply walked after he turned towards her as they missed him. He said nothing when one came his way but the ninja simply blocked away as one thing remained in his mind: protect Lara from the threat before him.

Esdeath sensed his challenge as he charged at her with greater speed than before. She summoned more icicles from behind her and fired them at Naruto while throwing punches faster than the ones earlier. The Jinchuriki dodged some icicles and deflected most of them while his chakra arms blocked Esdeath's own until he was in front of her and launched several attacks of fast punches and kicks.

Shockwaves erupted from each limb as Esdeath blocked them but found herself being pushed back by the sheer force of his enhanced strength. She grew delighted at his strength and launched a kick at him before both of them disappeared from the building with their speed and reappeared in the sky as they engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

Naruto and Esdeath dodged, blocked and countered each other's strikes as it grew more intense after their senses grew sharper while their strikes became more sharper and heavily stronger. Their fight was viewed from below as they ascended above the building where Lara was currently fighting for her life.

-"Lara, you have to look up! It's amazing!"-

Lara did and saw what may be the most beautiful thing she'd ever saw as Patronus, her ally, was fighting in the sky against the one who attacked him. Her mouth was open as she stared at the fight in the sky. Most of it was all blurs and shockwaves but the one instant she could see clearly, it was Patronus dodging a punch from Esdeath and countering with his own that was blocked as well. "Patronus… what are you?"

Breaking off from their bout briefly, Patronus and the Ice Queen stared down each other before the former floated close straight to her face as their fists clashed once more, trying to penetrate the other's defenses. As their clash continued, thunder clouds formed above the ancient city of Kitezh before lightning struck randomly throughout the land.

"This… This human! He's great! I must know more! I must fight him more!" Esdeath declared as she upped the number of punches followed by Naruto, causing even more stronger shockwaves.

"Esss…death."

"What?"

"Ree-tun…o…mEE!"

Naruto saw an opening and formed his signature technique in his hand but it was bigger than normal with three smaller ones rotating around it. "Wakusei Rasengan!" He thrust the jutsu directly on the surprised Esdeath's chest and the four Rasengan interacted with each other before they formed a massive, turbulent wave-like vortex.

Esdeath screamed as she was sent crashing through the third building from the Chamber of Souls. Said structure collapsed on top of her as it fell into a massive cloud of debris and cold. While Naruto remained in the sky, Esdeath laid on the ground as she contemplated the attack used on her… the sensation of pain… something that hasn't happened to her for a long time. She sat up and looked down her uniform which was torn in the torso section by the multiple spiral marks.

"Patronus… You made me remember this feeling~" Esdeath blushed as she looked up to see the bright light in the sky that was her enemy. "It's too bad our bout has to end, but make no mistake, I will be victorious." She created a portal with her ice and walked through it with a little limp in her step.

In the sky, Naruto sensed Esdeath's godly power disappear before he noticed Konstantin's aircraft within the building before the Chamber of Souls. "Lara." He disappeared like a streak of light.

TTIIPMxTTIIPMxTTIIPM

(Moments Before)

After a long struggle with the aircraft and killing the Deathless Ones in the room, Lara had to worry about the one man who stood in her way. She fought using her surroundings and the skills she learned at Yamatai and here in the valley as Konstantin was a formidable foe, especially since he took her bow and weapons away from her.

Picking up a can and quickly mixing the ingredients, Lara looked around the corner with her enemy looking at the opposite direction. She threw the can at his feet as it quickly dispersed the smoke gas that forced him to cough violently, allowing her a chance to attack him. Lara struck his back with a heavy rock, causing him to fall to his knees and his anger to rise.

With a mighty yell, Konstantin drew his knife and slashed at her but Lara saw it coming and dodged the blade as she countered with the Hidden Blade and stabbed him directly into his heart. She pushed the blade with her other hand to make it go deeper, eliciting a pained gasp from Konstantin.

He fell to the ground after Lara pulled the blade from his chest and retracted it before she took her weapons off him. "This… This is not my destiny. I was meant for greatness!" He declared defiantly. A crash came, forcing him to look up and see a flame-like being in front of him. "My… my-"

"You failed." Patronus answered, shocking the mercenary leader at the power he holds.

Lara kneeled before the downed Konstantin. "This was never your destiny. Your sister let you believe that."

"I did all… all of this… For her.." Konstantin said weakly as the flames around them spread uncontrollably. An explosion caused Lara and Patronus leave for Ana, angering the younger sibling. "Don't you two walk away from me!" They didn't listen to him. "Wait! Trinity killed your father!"

Lara stopped, forcing Naruto to do the same as they looked at the smug Konstantin. "No! You're lying." She said in disbelief.

"He begged for his life!" Lara walked closer to the downed Trinity member. "And when that failed… He begged for yours!" Konstantin smugly recounted.

"You're wrong! Shut up! Just shut up!" Lara demanded as she was near him.

"He was a pathetic man. I pitied him! I like to think his last thoughts were of you, Lara! Of how he drove you away! Of how he had failed you…"

Patronus didn't say anything as this was Lara's choice on her own, but he hopes she would make the right one. Lara extended the Hidden Blade but then retracted it as she turned around and walked away from Konstantin. "You're not worth it…" She said harshly as Patronus chuckled at the defeated Konstanin before he followed her. It was not long before the flames reached the Trinity member, burning him alive before the ground cracked opened and caused his fall to the ground below. "Burn in hell." She cursed after seeing the act.

"He was trying to bring you down to his level." Patronus placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you. Your father would've been proud of you."

Lara nodded as she reveled in the sight that is the shroud of energy around Naruto's body. "What is this?" She then remembered something important about Ana. "The Chamber of Souls!"

"Let's get there!"

The last thing she remembered was being outside and the next, the two of them were inside the chamber with a surprised Ana holding something covered in a blanket. "Ana! Stop!" She commanded the scared woman who feared the cloaked Patronus. "Your men are defeated. Your brother is dead."

"No." A disbelieved Ana responded weakly.

"That is what Trinity has wrought. Death." Lara continued speaking, trying to persuade Ana of something. "And that's all they will ever bring. Give this up."

Ana stood up, clutching the cloaked artifact. "I gave up everything for this." She reasoned tearfully. "I have no intention of giving it to Trinity. What about your father? You're dooming him to be mocked by history. How can you let this go?" She asked disdainfully. "When you're so close."

"… I'm willing to make that sacrifice." Lara answered after hesitating. "I can't let you take it."

"Think of the millions suffering and dying. We can save them. We can change the world." Ana persuaded weakly as her enemies approached her slowly. "Together."

Lara shook her head at Ana's words. "The cost is too high, Ana. We aren't meant to live forever. Death is a part of life."

"That's easy for to say." Ana retorted negatively. "You're not the one who's dying."

"But this isn't about you." Lara countered hotly. "This is about humanity. About protecting what it means to be human."

They were interrupted by a lone Trinity soldier who ran into the chamber. "They're coming! We're surrounded!" He was stabbed through the back by Jacob who was quickly by Ana multiple times.

"The Source is not meant for the world!" Jacob declared as Ana pointed her pistol at Lara who had hers aimed as well. Patronus had summoned Kogitsunemaru from the battle zone with Esdeath and twirled it to intimidate Ana.

"This is your last chance, Lara." Ana told the girl. "Everything I've done. Everything you've done. Another Croft doesn't have to die for this."

Patronus perked his head at her words. "What the hell does that mean, lady?"

"But I'm willing to." Lara responded with determination.

The Deathless Ones had surrounded them during their talk as Ana answered, "Well I'm not." She fired her pistol at the infantrymen to no avail as it didn't affect them. "Please." She pleaded the only ones who could potentially save her. "I'm dying. This is my only hope."

"Tough luck, bitch." Naruto countered hotly. That was the final nail in the coffin as Ana took off the cloak, revealing the Divine Source.

"Ana, no!" Lara shouted defiantly before she covered her eyes from the bright shard.

Naruto wasn't affected due to his chakra mode as he watched Ana's soul leave through her eyes to the Divine Source before she fell to the ground and released the artifact. Lara saw her chance and wrested it away from Ana before she could get it back as she held it above her head.

"Lara, do it!" Patronus told the hesitant girl. He noticed her staring at the wounded Jacob who nodded with an 'it's okay.'

Ana saw what Lara was about to do and shouted, "Nooo!"

"I'm sorry." Lara apologized to her father with her eyes closed before she smashed the Divine Source into the ground. A great bright pillar of light blanketed the room and soon the entire city of Kitezh as the Deathless Ones screamed in pain and anguish at having their souls back before all of them disintegrated except none of them resurrected again. "Jacob! Hold on…" Lara ran to the heavily panting Jacob.

Naruto kneeled next to Lara who held Jacob steadily. "Let me heal you."

"I've held on… for too long already." Jacob answered after shaking his head to refuse his offer.

"You knew I'd destroy it." Lara said, realizing his intentions all along.

Jacob nodded weakly as he said, "In all my years… I've met few as extraordinary as you two." He coughed as the pain and end he waited for has finally come for him. "It's finally happening. My ending."

"I'm sorry." Lara apologized to the once immortal man. "All I wanted was to make a difference."

"You already have… You already have." Jacob insisted to the downtrodden girl. "It's time."

Patronus laid an uncloaked hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Requiscat en pace, Jacob." Jacob nodded one last time before he disintegrated into dust like the rest of his armies and finally at peace with himself. He and Lara gave their last respects to the man they had come to know in a short period of time before they escaped the collapsing city with Naruto taking them above the city and into the glacier but on the other side away from the valley. "Thank God, that's over." He sighed in relief before exiting Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.

The recoil from Sage Mode had just hit him since the rejuvenation of the Chakra Mode ceased and weakened him to almost lose his balance.

"I need to rest." Ana pleaded as she entered another coughing fit, forcing her and the captors to wait when she sat on a nearby boulder.

Lara turned around to face her former friend. "Ana, you said 'Another Croft doesn't have to die for this.' What did you mean by that?" She asked strongly.

"I'd answer her if I were you." Naruto warned Ana as he purposely gleaned Kogitsunemaru's blade into the sun and the light reflected into her eyes.

When Ana didn't answer, Lara pulled out her pistol and aimed the barrel at her. "You killed my father, didn't you?" She asserted, approaching the weak Trinity member.

"Trinity ordered his execution." Ana admitted softly before her voice cracked upon remembering that day. "But… I couldn't do it."

"You're lying." An incredulous Lara replied. Naruto couldn't blame her since Ana betrayed her family for an organization who will kill anyone that stands in their way.

"I loved him." Ana told her before she was shot in the chest and fell to the ground.

"No!" Lara cried out before she took cover while Naruto looked for the shooter.

In the far distance where the sniper had a good view on the deceased target and Lara, he spoke into his radio. "It's done."

-'Good.'-

"What about Croft?"

-'No. Not yet.'-

Before the sniper can leave, Naruto had Shunshined behind him after his wrist computer detected their frequency. And the shooter knew he wouldn't make it out of there, not after what he witnessed about the Assassin's abilities. Naruto turned the man over and held him high in the air.

"Who's your boss?!" Patronus demanded as the sniper didn't answer him. "Tell me!" He noticed the man's throat then a smirk came his way. "No, you bastard!" He punched the man's stomach one time, trying to force him to spit out whatever he swallowed. "Spit it out!"

It was too late as the sniper convulsed in his grip before foam escaped his mouth, signifying the confirmation of poison.

"Damn it…" Patronus cursed before he snatched the radio from the sniper and put it next to his wrist computer. The device was scanning the frequency until he managed to break through it but only silence met him at first.

-'Assassin, I know you're there.'-

Naruto said nothing as he let the man talk to him.

-'I was skeptical about the Assassins being gone. After all, you people are like cockroaches to us: always popping out of nowhere and coming stronger. You may have stopped us this round but there are more legends out of there. This time, we will prevail and you will fail to stop what's coming.'-

The frequency disappeared, causing Naruto crush it as Lara walked behind him. "Who was it?"

"Trinity's leader most likely." Patronus stood up and turned around to face his ally. "Ready to go back?"

"Yeah."

"Good 'cause I am sore as hell and I think I broke a couple of ribs with Abomination and Esdeath." Naruto lost balance as Lara helped him to stay standing on his feet.

"Men. Always trying to put on a brave face." Lara said in a huff as they began the long trek back to the Geothermal Valley.

TTIIPMxTTIIPMxTTIIPM

(Two Weeks Later)

Croft Manor, London

United Kingdom, Europe

It was a long and arduous time for the ninja and aristocratic member since their conflict with Trinity in Serbia. After they broke the news about Jacob's death and his identity as the Deathless Prophet to the Remnants including Sofia, most of them were relieved that the conflict was over but new problems arose from the revelation. Their oath fulfilled, some Remnant families chose to leave the valley to move to the Soviet Installation and build a village there while the remaining families stayed in the valley as it was still their home. Sofia inherited her father's leadership and made great strides to rebuild their home.

And their allies couldn't leave yet as they wanted to help them. During their stay, Naruto and Lara encountered the legends of Baba Yaga, an ancient witch who killed a Remnant's wife years ago and that Remnant with his granddaughter sought to kill her in vengeance. Naruto and Lara aided them while encountering powerful hallucinogenic properties that affected Lara's mind as well as the ninja. Though both of them never told each other about their hallucinations, they knew it affected them.

In the end, they defeated the witch but didn't kill her as she was the Remnant's supposedly deceased wife and grandmother to the young native girl. As for Deadpool, it turned out that he only joined the team of mercenaries to impress Esdeath because he said and quoted 'She had a redunkulous body.' Naruto had to agree with the crazy anti-hero though he would never admit it in front of Lara or his wives. When they left the valley with a tied-up Deadpool, Naruto quickly dropped him—via Hirashin—at the Avengers Mansion in Manhattan before he returned to Lara and watched her board a plane to London in the town where she arrived prior to the events.

It was that moment Lara had asked Patronus to give her time to process about his words she overheard him talking to Kurama. Naruto told her to take as much time as she wanted to even though he didn't like where this was going for the next two weeks. As Lara, in her black jacket over gray hoodie with blue pants and boots, returned from lunch with Jonah and Sam, she entered her father's—her room.

"… You can come out now." Lara called out aloud. "I saw you back at the restaurant. I wondered if you lost your touch or getting sloppy." She turned around and saw a clean Patronus standing there in front of the door. "Hey."

"Hey." Patronus returned back. "How have you been?"

Lara shrugged her shoulders. "I moved into the manor after I stopped my uncle from taking it."

"Douche."

"Neh…" Lara muttered as she clasped her hands together. "I called you here because I had a lot of time to think about… you and us." Naruto didn't say anything as it was her time. "I was angry at you. So angry that I wanted to fire all my arrows in your ass." The ninja gulped as his hand reached for his behind. "I thought you were different from everyone else… someone who won't hurt me the way you did."

"The last thing I ever wanted was to hurt you, Lara." Patronus admitted genuinely. He kept an eye on her for the past two weeks after his brief discussion with Trinity's leader in case he tried anything with her.

Lara gave a small nod. "I know that. I know that now." She leaned off the table. "After what happened, I was angry and wanted to pretend you didn't exist. But when you told me about treasuring my memories about my father, I was elated that you shared something real with me. As we fought against Trinity in the valley and Kitezh, my anger… it didn't do anything to keep you from thinking about me and my safety. I thought 'what kind of person would do that for the one who hates him?' *Sigh* When you were attacked by that woman, I felt nothing but worry about you. It was the same with Abomination."

Naruto breathed slowly with his eyes lowered slightly as Lara continued talking to him.

"I know about your wives and children. I admit I'm not comfortable about that." Lara admitted as her heart began to flutter. "Or I should accurately say 'was not comfortable.' We live in a world of marvels where everything is possible with you being one of them." Naruto's head rose fully and found Lara standing in front of him. "Sam once told me I should get out of my shell and see the world in my own view. You helped make that possible… My parents would never approve of this though."

Naruto chuckled as Lara wrapped her arms around his neck while his own snaked her waist. "I'd won them over with my charm."

"What makes you say that?"

"I won you over, didn't I?" Patronus retorted with a smile.

Lara chuckled as she stared into the hood. "Can I ask you questions?"

"Fire away." He was prepared for all the questions relating to his past, family, and mission.

"Are you a masochist?"

A deadpan expression came her way even though Lara couldn't see it. "Seriously?" Naruto asked as she nodded strongly.

"One can never be too careful~"

"Cheeky girl." Patronus shook his head. "No, I'm not."

"Are you an alien?"

"Nope."

"Do you ever intend to get rid of me or your… wives if you grow tire of them?"

"No! Geez, woman, what kind of guy do you think I am?"

"Men with harems in the past never ended up happy or their lives destroyed by their appetite."

"And by appetite you mean…"

"Let's move on." Lara insisted since she couldn't say the word, much to Patronus' amusement. "How powerful are you really?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders at her. "Truthfully, I don't know but at least one of my forms proved equal to a deity's power." He then retreated to his thoughts. "Though I have a feeling she wasn't even warmed up."

"How forms do you have?"

"Three."

"…"

"Lara?"

"Do you love me?" Lara asked meekly as she was nervous.

Naruto answered without hesitation, "Absolutely." He placed his hands over Lara's before moving them to his hood. Her eyes widened before a smile etched her mouth as Lara pulled the hood off, revealing the face she wanted to see for so long. "It's been a long time coming but… I am Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure."

"… Hello… Naruto." Lara answered softly as she cried out tears of happiness.

Naruto shushed her soothingly as he wiped away her tears. "It's okay, Lara, I'm here now for you and always will be."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Naruto and Lara leaned to each other before their lips finally touched each other. They wanted to do this for a great while in the time they've known each other and that it's happening, they couldn't be happier. After a few great moments, Naruto and Lara broke the kiss for a breath of fresh air.

"I—I"

"Wow." Naruto exhaled with a smile. "I've wanted to do that for now."

That comment couldn't stop Lara from smiling as well. "Me too." A deep crimson blush colored her cheeks. "There's something I've wanted to do for a while now." Naruto tilted his head. "I admit I'm not very experienced with this… actually I'm not experienced at all."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Lara meekly said before her lips were taken by Naruto's once more albeit more softly. "Mmm…"

Naruto broke it as he brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes. "Then I'll be gentle but I don't want you to feel rushed if you're ready, Lara. We can wait for a better time."

"He cares about what I think and my feelings… God, I'm lucky to have met him." Lara smiled before she took his lips this time. "Take care of me."

"I will."

Words were said no more as they leaned in for another but deep kiss. Without breaking contact, Naruto used his wind to close the windows and door with the drapes pulled slightly. Lara felt her heart beat faster than before as he began to undress her, but she grew more nervous when her arms moved to undress him as well like they were on automatic setting.

With some shuffling and staggering on Lara's part, she and Naruto were in their birthday suits though one of them covered her sensitive parts. Naruto gently rubbed her cheek, assuring her that he will be gentle as Lara put away her arms and revealed her breasts.

Lara moaned softly as her breasts were slowly massaged by Naruto's hands while her hands instinctively grabbed his spear. They finally had enough as Naruto broke contact and placed his robe on the ground before placing Lara on top of it. She watched the man lowered himself to her downstairs as he gently spread her legs wide open, very wide due to her gymnastic background.

With a twitch of his eyebrows, Naruto's head was gone but his hair remained in view while Lara gasped out in ecstasy as she was feeling an unbelievable form of pleasure. She covered her mouth to muffle a particularly loud moan of surprise when Naruto did a rotor-like motion with his tongue. The pleasure within her rose and rose by the second while Naruto massaged her delectable breasts and licked her pussy until she finally couldn't take it anymore.

A loud moan escaped her lips as her liquids splashed all over the blonde's face, causing him to look at the face of his blushing and panting lover. "That was your first time and you released this much?" Naruto licked the liquids around his lips as Lara's blush grew into more intense shades of crimson.

"Cocky aren't you?" Lara panted lowly as she now felt a rise to best him even though it was her first time.

The smug smile was replaced by astonishment and surprise as Naruto gasped when Lara pushed him down on his back and massaged his balls. He gasped once more when Lara gave his dick a slow lick despite her hesitation of messing up. Those feelings disappeared within Lara after she saw the ecstasy on Naruto's face and took the next step by engulfing his cock into her mouth, pressing it against the inside of her cheek so he would see it and grow even harder.

"Her mouth… It's incredible." Naruto groaned in pleasure.

Lara gagged loudly when air was almost cut off from her. "This is his cock… It's big. I can't believe I missed out of this, but I'm glad it's with him, especially my first time." She felt the cock grow its hardest and her instincts told her it was time. Naruto remained on his back as Lara pulled out her mouth and sat above his spear with her wet pussy in sight.

After a moment, Lara lowered her waist as she felt pain in her privates the entire time she slid down until it reached her insides' limit. Naruto held her waist to balance Lara before she slowly slid up and down his cock while moans of pleasure escaped their mouths. Her rhythm grew with every bounce as the waves of pleasure began to override her along with Naruto who moved his hands from her waist to clasp her hands.

Moans came from the partners in every sense of the word until Lara's pace slowed down, prompting Naruto to take his turn. He stopped her and sat upright as she instantly wrapped her legs around his waist while her arms snaked around his neck. Their eyes stared at each other as Naruto began to bounce with her, eliciting yelps from Lara who hang onto him tighter with each stroke into her insides. As Naruto's hands clasped Lara's buttocks to help her to stay in place, the last Croft took his lips again while the hotness within her grew hotter like the Uzumaki connected to her.

"L-Lara…" Naruto grunted as he felt himself reaching his limit. "I'm almost… almost at my limit."

Lara gasped as she tightened her arms around his neck. "I-I think I am too." She moaned loudly when Naruto slightly quickened his rhythm. "Don't take it out."

"W-what?" Naruto asked surprisingly. "Are you sure?"

"It's a safe day for me." Lara grunted as she took his lips once more.

Seconds later, the two climaxed as they remained in place while their muffled mouths groaned in pleasure and their limbs tightened around each other. Lara separated her mouth from him and chuckled lowly while Naruto was mesmerized by how she was glowing in front of him. They remained connected with each other as Naruto laid on his back and allowed Lara to rest on his chest while their combined fluids escaped from her pussy.

"That was… something." Lara admitted as she panted against his chest, her eyes meeting his own. "Thank you."

Naruto raised a brow. "For what?"

"For being my first." Lara responded as she sneaked a kiss from Naruto. "And for coming into my life."

"Same here." Naruto chuckled while his hands softly massaged her firm buttocks. "Do you want lunch?"

Lara shook her head as she smiled contently while her ears listened to his heartbeat. "Not now. I just want to lay here for a while."

"… You got it." Naruto closed his eyes as he held her tightly above his wet robe, enjoying the company while Lara was enjoying his own. "By the way, what are you going to ask about me?"

Lara perked up as her exhaustion seemingly vanished with her eyes on him. "I thought you'd never ask. Thank you for remembering!"

"Why did I have to say that?"

"Because you're a good man." Lara answered confidently as she kissed him again.

Naruto chuckled as he stared at Lara. "What do you want to know?"

"Your sword."

"Is that a euphemism…" Naruto laughed when Lara pouted cutely at him. "All right, all right." The ninja recounted the tale after his disappearance from Tokyo bay as Lara was getting more interested with his story.

One chapter of their lives closed with Kitezh and the love blossoming between them, but they know that Trinity is out there with plans to take the world for their own. The organization will continue to search for artifacts from legends to accomplish this but Naruto and Lara will stop them at every turn, but not as only allies but a couple.