Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Percy Jackson.Reading: Fils de l'Amour: The Lost Hero, Chapter 11: The Number One Knuckleheaded Shinobi
Athena smirked as she began the chapter.
The half-prince was quiet after his nest-sister left with the other predators. I did what the sage would've wanted and consoled him with my presence. His shoulder was smaller than the sage's, and uncomfortable, but bearable for his sake."The half-what and nest-who?" Percy scratched the back of his head.
Athena frowned, wondering who was narrating.The fire-thrower was a relief for me. "Okay, that's me." Leo pointed to himself.He took up the responsibility of cheering the half-prince up.
"Half-prince is me…" Jason said and blinked, "Guy's, I think this is Miu."
"Huh, that's new." Frank said.
The sage's nest-sister helped even more when she returned to the group.
"So, if the sage is Naruto, I'm the nest-sister. So that first nest-sister was Thalia." Piper nodded in understanding.
The satyr was counterproductive and rude as always, just as the First Feather said they were.
"First Feather is clearly Dios." Zeus murmured.
When we left the cave, I took to the skies, flying around the mountain to find the sage. There was a crater, large enough to become a new, if not small, lake. I believe I can assume that the sage won.
"Hell yeah he did," Leo grinned at the guns Naruto was packing in the form of chakra.
I called out for him, my voice echoed in the cool air.
There was no response.
No matter, I pushed my worry down and returned to the sage's group. I am sure that we will meet later. First Feather always said it was easy to find his master because of their bond. I will find mine in the same way.
Zeus smirked at that while his brothers rolled their eyes.
For now, I will watch the sage's nest-sister, the half-prince, the fire-thrower and the satyr for him. It must be difficult being a land walker. The poor sage's talons must get exhausted after he goes for his 'morning run' around the half-blood nest. And now his nest-sister has to climb a frozen path. A shame they cannot fly like me.
"I can fly," Jason corrected.
"Not indefinitely," Piper reminded him, since it made him tired.
I perch myself on a statue of the Wind Lord, a friend of First Feather, and wait for the land walkers to come back outside. A breeze picks up and ruffles my feathers. Annoying.
"Glaucus gets like that," Athena smiled lightly.
"Annoying little thing," Ares growled,, it always pooed on him!
I brush them back down and look up when a tittering laugh echoes around me.
"Well now, aren't you precious?" I turned to the owner of the voice, a woman with red hair and purple eyes.
"Aphrodite, huh." Hephaestus commented.
"What are you doing there?" Zeus questioned and the love goddess just shrugged at him.
My head tilted and I observed her, looking directly at her eyes.
I chirped and left my perch to land on her outstretched arm, careful not to damage it.
She is First Feather's sister, the Olympian.
"What?" Apollo blinked.
"I thought Gaea created Dios?" Artemis questioned, but her father made an iffy motion with his hand.
"It was debatable." The king of the gods said.
"You must be Miu," she said. Her finger trailed down the side of my beak like the sage does. I lean into it, comforted. She tittered again. "Are you the one watching my baby?"
I answered yes proudly.
"An ego to match the domain she's from," Poseidon muttered to Hades, who nodded.
I tell her that I was chosen by the First Feather to watch over the sage.
"Dios wanted to watch over him?" Zeus asked.
"I wonder why?" Athena smiled, eager to know more.
She just smiles and says nothing else, tapping the bottom of my beak. My head tilted and she laughed.
"Keep up the good work, Miu," she said. "A big strong eagle lies in your future."
"Even for an eagle?" Artemis questioned dryly.
"Love doesn't discriminate, unlike you, Artemis."
"Why you-!"
"Enough," Zeus said in a firm tone, silencing both goddess for now.
First Feather was right, his sister is very strange.
"Now, listen up." I straightened up when the Olympian spoke again. "I can't stay long, but do you remember the mall?"
"Sending her to fetch something?" Athena asked her fellow goddess.
"Seems so~" the lady of doves smiled.
"So...About what happened at the Cherry Bomb..."
There was a burst of snickers from that as Athena pursed her lips, a dark glint in her grey eyes.
"I said I don't want to talk about it," Naruto said. He was running again, sprinting through towns like they were moving backdrops. From the store he had grabbed some jeans, a black shirt with a weird smiley face that had two X's for eyes
"Nirvana, nice." Thalia smirked, such a good band.
and an orange jacket from the clothing store. He didn't bother with shoes, mostly the chakra cloak protected his feet. In his hands was a crumpled up map. "Just passed a sign saying California."
"I know. For what it's worth, I think you were stunning."
"He needs a muzzle," Athena stated, getting a nod from Annabeth.
Percy's laughter beg to differ.
"I so don't want to hear this, Kurama!"
"Could've used something like that one girl did with the pervert back when you were on the training trip."
A glower leaped from Athena's throat at the thought of the man that trained her son and her grandson. Aphrodite was giggling over the fact.
Naruto pushed those memories to the back of his mind and fought down the blush that was crawling its way up his neck. "Shut up."
"Or at least teased them with that flex thing Kirabi showed you."
"We agreed never to speak about that!"
"This should be good," Leo smirked.
"Left here."
"Don't change the subject!" Naruto turned left.
"Hell, you could've at least gotten a kiss. I mean, there are like three kisses total that actually count in your life and two of them were with the Uchiha."
"Ooh," Aphrodite looked instantly interested.
"No," Athena glared, her legacy was not going out with some delusionary psychopath with mental issues.
"Hmph, love is pure in any form, Athena. You're brain babies are a good example of that."
"…The fact remains-"
"That I want to hear the story," Hermes complained and Athena quickly continued, not wanting to talk about this.
Naruto wiped out again.
"Granted the second one probably wasn't a real kiss. That was just misfortune."
"Stop talking about that! Ugh, I think I'm going to puke!"
"Isn't your mother the goddess of love?"
"I may love Sasuke like a brother, but that's as far as it goes."
Athena looked smug now as Aphrodite pouted.
"I dunno...You sure chased after him a lot..."
"He needed to come back to the village so someone could undo the brainwashing!"
"Sounding real defensive here, Naruto."
"He is," Nico nodded.
"I've had sex with a woman, Kurama!"
"First of all, that wasn't sex, that was a hooker.
The less mature gods snickered at that along with the love goddess. Athena just frowned at the reminder.
Secondly, you could be bisexual. Never know until you try."
"Exactly!" Aphrodite nodded, "Finally someone says it."
"They love me in Cali," Apollo grinned with a sparkling smile.
"I don't." Hades muttered, too bright.
"I...I'm so done talking about this with you."
"Aw, did I make you mad?"
Naruto didn't reply.
"Oh, come on. I was just kidding around, Naruto. I know you don't like the Uchiha! You have to admit though, to the outside viewer..."
"Ooh, give us more, Kurama," the lady of doves ushered on.
"Just stop..."
"He didn't react to your Oroike no Jutsu, so it's easy to assume the Uchiha might like you."
"That sexy jutsu," Apollo grinned, he wanted to see it.
"Neither did Octopops!"
"Yeah, but he did ogle Matatabi's Jinchuriki's chest..."
Naruto let a grin cross his face at that memory. "That was one of the best fights ever. Man, too bad Yugito died."
"What's this?" the goddess of the demigod grinned.
"Mom, take it easy." Piper sighed.
"Don't want to."
"Oh ho...so he likes older women, does he?"
"No! I, uh, it's just I would've liked to train with her."
"Train...Suuure, yeah, that's what you meant."
"I can think of some training to do with a girl like her," Apollo grinned as they showed the image.
"I'm being serious here!"
"It's okay, Naruto. I'm sure someone will love you and she'll even have dentures, too."
Naruto gagged. "Ugh, you're gross."
"Too old? Okay, narrowing down the age range."
"We're not talking about how old I like my women!"
"Yugito Nii was around thirty..."
"Shut up."
"And that was when you were fifteen..."
"So about a good twelve years older as a minimum." Aphrodite nodded.
"Stop."
"So...carry the seven..."
"I think he fails at math," Annabeth frowned.
"I can relate," Percy nodded in sympathy.
"Where the hell did you get a seven!?"
"Add in the two kisses with the Uchiha at age twelve…"
"Hey!"
"Those do factor in," Apollo nodded.
"Stop."
"You stop, I told you I don't want to talk about this anymore and-!"
"No you idiot! Stop, as in, we're here!"
"Aw," the love goddess pouted, she wanted to hear more~!
Naruto scowled and came to a halt. He looked around and scratched the top of his head. "What do you mean? I'm standing at the base of a mountain."
The Trio frowned at that mountain.
"Exactly. We're here."
"In Oakland?" Naruto asked.
"Close enough to it," Kurama said. "Your half-sister told you she was at the top of a mountain, right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Think, Naruto, think. You're smarter than this."
"He is," Athena insisted.
"You said that quite fast."
"Silence Barnacle Beard."
Naruto hummed and looked up at the mountain before looking down at the map in his hand. An idea hitting him, he pulled the edges open and looked over the green and slate colored paper.
"We're at the base of Mt. Diablo."
"Thanks," Naruto said as he found the mountain. He traced the mountain to the bay with his finger and blinked. "The Bay Area. And Oakland. All in the line of sight from this mountain."
"Exactly," Kurama said. "Your half-sister's father is at the top of the mountain."
"Easy," Naruto said, smirking. He prepared to jump when the chakra cloak cut out. "Hey! Kurama, what gives?"
"Naruto, think about this. If you shot up there glowing like the sun itself, the mortal would be dead in a second," Kurama said.
"Such a Percy move," Nico shook his head.
"Hey!" the sea child frowned.
Naruto winced at that. "Yeah, and I'm pretty sure Piper wouldn't forgive me if I got her dad killed."
"Not really," Piper frowned.
"Your mother would possibly be a bit miffed, too."Naruto looked at his hidden navel and Kurama elaborated. "Goddess of love. She probably loves all her children's fathers in their own way."
Aphrodite nodded to this.
"Huh, I never thought of it like that. Hey, for the embodiment of hatred that was pretty deep."
"Tch, don't look too deep into it. Know thy enemy and know thyself."
"Good call," Athena nodded to herself, who knew what was going on in that love obsessed head.
Naruto just smiled and folded the map up, tucking it away into his back pocket. He cracked his knuckles and ran at the mountain's rocky face, finding some grips before he began climbing, using just a bit of chakra to cover his hands and feet. He was going to go in slow and steady, conserving most of his energy for the rescue and the fight that would most likely follow. All of his rescue missions resulted in some giant fight anyway.
"I hear ya," Percy nodded.
Now he just had to literally fight one.
"No pressure," Leo said.
"Oh man, I'm not dead am I?" Piper asked out loud once she woke up.
The last thing she remembered was Aeolus flipping on them with apologies, saying that his orders came from someone higher up. Of course the dream she had before she died wasn't so bad, the fake memory of her and Jason's first kiss.
The couple had small smiles at that memory, even if it was fake. It was still a nice one.
Piper frowned a bit at the memory and scowled at her surroundings. Medea's Mall, the last place she wanted to see.
"No, sweetie, you're not."
Piper spun around and stared at who had to be the most beautiful woman she had ever seen on the planet.
"I try," the love goddess smiled, no humility in her voice whatsoever. Not like she would need it.
Absently, Piper wondered if the woman was an actress, because she seemed really familiar. The woman was elegant and fashionable without really trying, having a natural beauty that Piper was a bit jealous of.
Piper's cheeks pinked as her mother giggled lightly.
She smiled and her eyes changed, darkening to purple and then lightening to blue. Her previously chocolate hair lightened to a light red and then darkened again to a balance between amber and a vibrant red. Piper blinked, thinking she imagined it before the woman's features changed again, her face rounding out a bit and then reverting smoothly to the model-like face it was before.
"Sorry, still cooking," the woman said.
"You? Cooking?" Demeter questioned doubtfully.
"I dabble." Aphrodite huffed.
"Aphrodite," Piper said. "Mom?"
"Bingo!" Aphrodite tapped Piper on the nose with a smile, walking past her to the nearest shop. She stopped and turned to look at Piper. "Well come along, I haven't got all day."
Piper numbly followed after her. "You're here...why are you here? I thought Zeus-?"
"Don't bring him up," Aphrodite said, rolling her eyes. "'History repeats itself. Let's hide away so she'll go back to sleep!' Brilliant idea, obviously working out for us."
Zeus grumbled at that as his family snickered a bit.
"Who will go back to sleep?" Piper asked.
Aphrodite brought her palm to her forehead. "Sorry, Piper, I'm normally much more composed than this. My mind's a bit scrambled since I made my big gambit."
"I thought you were always a scatterbrain?!" Artemis mock gasped. Aphrodite glared at her.
"Gambit?" Piper frowned. All she was getting were more questions instead of any answers.
"Your brother," Aphrodite said,
"He certainly is one," Jason admitted.
grabbing a yellow top and holding it up to her chest. "A nice deal, but would look dreadful on me."
"How can anything look dreadful on you?" Piper asked.
"Depends on the body I'm working with," the love goddess waved off.
"And what has Naruto got to do with anything?"
"Natural beauty is so hard to come by, Piper," Aphrodite said. She set the top back on the rack and grabbed a red one. "Oh, this is cute."
"But you're the goddess of beauty," Piper said. "How can you not be naturally beautiful?"
"Goddesses can change their appearances with but blink of their eyes," Aphrodite said, smiling as she put the red top away. "So finding the right thing to wear is always so hard. I have to know what I'll want to look like at a certain time. Believe me it's not easy."
"So true," the lady of doves groaned in agreement.
"I'll take your word for it," Piper said, frowning. "What does Naruto have to do with anything?"
"Your older brother has a lot to do with everything."
"Oh, do tell." Athena inquired with interest.
Aphrodite kept looking through clothes. "You see, after the most recent fight with the Titans–"
"The second Titanomachy," Piper said. "Hephaestus told Leo about it."
"Humph, taking the fun out of our meeting," Aphrodite said. "Anyway, Hera has decided to play a risky game against her husband's wishes. However, I can see her side of it. The gods need the heroes to come together. However, she's putting a lot of faith in two boys who barely have had the same experiences that your brother has."
"I saved the world," Percy pouted as Hera frowned at Aphrodite.
"So did Naruto," Annabeth pointed out, "And he's older too."
"Jason and that Percy guy, right?" Piper asked.
"Indeed." Aphrodite smiled as she pulled an orange shirt out that had a small frog on it. Piper looked around, wondering when they wound up in the baby section of the store.
"Maternal instincts." Hera smirked as Aphrodite smiled too, it was a cute little shirt.
"You see, Piper, your brother is quite possibly the strongest son I've ever had, rivaling your divine brothers."
"Bull!" Ares fumed.
"Not really, you've seen what the boy can do. And he's not a god." Athena smugly said.
"You're kidding!" Piper gaped at that.
"No. And not to brag, but I'm fairly certain he's stronger than Zeus', Poseidon's or Hades' children," Aphrodite said. She was smirking proudly at that.
The Big Three frowned at that as did their children, looking put out.
"I could take him." Percy said.
"Did you not see him make a crater, I saw that." Leo said.
"…I could still take him."
It was then Piper noticed that the shirt in her hand was gone and they were back in the women's department. "Oh yes, Naruto has definitely surpassed Aeneas in strength, but he is not my only strong child this generation."
"There's another?" Piper asked.
"Yes," Aphrodite said, smiling. She pointed at Piper.
"I had no idea?!" Leo gasped and got a mock slap from Piper.
"It is true," the mother said with pride as Piper smirked at her.
"Me?" Piper fumbled for words. Aphrodite had to be wrong, she was just Piper. Can't run with a dagger without risking impaling herself, hypothermic-prone, ankle-twisting Piper whose dad was kidnapped by a giant.
"The negativity…"
"Oh hush Hazel," Piper pouted at her friend.
"No, I'm not, I mean..."
"You're strong, Piper," Aphrodite said, cupping Piper's chin. "You're not afraid to get your hands dirty, you're clever and you're gorgeous to boot. A trifecta if I've ever seen it."
"A model of love-like fury," Annabeth nodded as Piper gave her a sly smile.
"But Naruto can multiply and do all these ninja things!"
Aphrodite laughed lightly. "You think this makes Naruto one of my strongest? Piper, there has not been a son of mine with a heart as pure as his in eons. Naruto is strong because he follows his heart and doesn't let anything get in his way.
"Amen," Percy nodded, liking this Naruto once again over Apollo Naruto.
Admittedly he got some of Athena's hubris, but what's a demigod without some pride?"
"Knew it," Poseidon said, getting a flat glare from Athena.
"Right..." Piper frowned, still unsure.
"Piper." Piper looked up into her mother's eyes. "As we speak, your brother has gone to save your father."
"What?" Piper blinked in surprise.
"The oddest thing," Aphrodite said. She pulled out a blue dress and looked it over before looking back at Piper. "After he defeated Lyacon, he got up and left, heading off to California. A misadventure here and there,
"A hilarious one," Leo snickered.
but I overheard him mention your name and the word father several times to himself. Always the hero, much like his own father. Self-sacrificing...Of course, that's why Athena doesn't like Percy Jackson! The same fatal flaw as Minato."
Athena frowned deeply at that while Percy looked wide eyed.
"I thought you all had Hubris," Percy asked his girlfriend.
"Not really, it's just the most common," the daughter of wisdom said.
"Fatal what?" Piper asked.
"Nothing of importance, Piper," Aphrodite said. She hung the dress back up and they wound up in the potions department.
Piper frowned at the red vial that displayed itself so readily to the room, wishing she could grab it and give it to Jason.
"Right, she doesn't know about it," Jason murmured as Piper pouted. That could have helped them heal from their hypothermia!
"Now, now, stop thinking about your boy and listen to your mother," Aphrodite said. She smiled and Piper knew that a blush had crawled up onto face. Aphrodite grabbed a small vial and offered it to Piper. "You must meet Naruto at the mountain and give him this. He will give it to Tristan after he rescues him."
"Right, that potion…" Piper sighed sadly.
"Why can't I do it? I want to help rescue my dad!"
"I know, sweetie," Aphrodite said sadly. "This is a task that only one of Athena's can do properly. The giant who holds Tristan is her opponent, you know. Bred specifically to fight her and her kin."
"And Naruto will slay him," the wisdom goddess smiled.
"So I wouldn't have a chance..."
"Not true. Any demigod with the help of the giant's opponent would emerge victorious," Aphrodite said. "It is just easier if you let Naruto take this fight. He will ensure Tristan's safety, Piper, you can put your faith in Naruto. Many have and they have yet to be proven wrong."
"He is someone you can just believe in," Hazel nodded after seeing just what he can do and how he acts.
"I do trust Naruto," Piper said. She bit her lip. "Will he be okay?"
"I've told you that Naruto is the strongest son I've had in eons, if not the strongest demigod alive today," Aphrodite said.
Percy and Jason looked put out by this.
"He is impressive," Reyna added, there was no denying that.
"Your boytoy, Jason,
"He's not a boytoy, mom."
"I beg to differ."
comes in a close second, but he is hindered by a life he does not remember. Naruto has lived through war, war that not even Ares has seen, and defeated a being that would be on par with some of the minor gods, if not one as powerful as I, loathe I am to admit it."
"The Rabbit Demon?" Piper asked.
"Kaguya Ōtsutsuki was a daughter of Zeus," Aphrodite said.
Zeus' interest was piqued at this while Hera rolled her eyes.
"Somehow she obtained power that nearly placed her in the same level as her father."
"Wow, way to go," Poseidon mocked, great, just what they needed.
"So typical of them, ambitious little…" Hera shook her head.
...Naruto killed Jason's sister...
"Huh, he did." Nico blinked in surprise, not really bothered by that as Zeus had a deep frown on his face.
The thought was surreal, impossible even, but it was true. There was nothing else Piper could say, nothing she could think of. Naruto said he had defeated a god, or whatever came close to it, and there was no way Piper could see herself doing the same."
"I did." Percy commented as Ares glared heatedly at him.
"Like hell you did, you got lucky you little shit."
"I'm up for round two."
"Gladly!"
"No," Zeus frowned as his son seethed at the denial and Percy smirked.
"Now," Piper looked back at Aphrodite, "When you awake, you'll be close to him, but do not join him. This is his test and my own."
"Wow, no pressure."
"Unlike you and I, stress does wonders for Naruto's complexion."
Piper made a gag noise while Aphrodite giggled.
"A bit more than I wanted to hear, Mom."
"Almost there," Naruto said, pulling himself to the top of the mountain. He stopped on the edge and hung for a second. After adjusting his grip, Naruto pulled himself up to look over the edge covertly. His eyes continued to go up when he found his target.
"The time is almost on us, human," a deep baritone voice said. The owner chuckled, his dreadlocks dancing atop the bronzed head. Weaved in them were white objects, which Naruto decided were bones and did not want to know where they came from. The thirty-foot tall monstrosity was human in appearance from the waist up, on the other end it was scaly and two draconian feet acted as trunks for the giant, keeping him upright. The human half was protected by gleaming bronze armor and in his left hand was a flagpole staff.
"There you are…" Athena smiled like a predator.
"Walk into my parlor the spider said to the fly," Poseidon said, getting a dirty look from his rival.
"So that's what a giant looks like? Ugly bastard, isn't he?"
Naruto said nothing, merely narrowing his eyes on Enceladus. He was looking at a man dangling from a crane, his arms chained above his head.
"Okay, that's scary," Annabeth frowned, if that had been her dad…
That had to be Piper's dad. A grunt got Naruto's attention and he looked down, blanching at the twenty something men walking around. Each had six arms and wore only loincloths.
Piper and Leo gagged at seeing them again, so gross.
"...Well that just makes it all the more interesting,"Kurama said.
Again, Naruto remained quiet, returning his attention to Enceladus.
"Three hours for your darling daughter to save you," Enceladus said. He smirked, the smile reaching up to the solid marble white orbs that had locked onto Tristan's body. "And then, after she has tried, I will kill her. Only then will I allow you to die."
"Charming fellow for someone who is your bane, Athena," Artemis said flatly.
"I know, isn't he?"
"That was the worst line I've ever heard. And you fought a guy that spoke in the third person and called himself a 'good boy'!"
"Burn by the fox," Leo snickered.
Naruto bit on his lip to keep from laughing. He hated Tobi at the time, but now, looking back, the guy was a riot. If only Obito hadn't fallen victim to the curse of hatred, then maybe he would've been like a second uncle to Naruto. The blond shinobi shook his head, this wasn't the time to think about that.
"Indeed, I will kill you, your daughter and those two heroes...But first I will attend to my guest," Enceladus said, turning to meet Naruto's gaze.
"Uh-oh," Thalia said, "Spotted."
"Quick, hide in a cardboard box!" Leo cried out.
"That only works in video games." Frank rolled his eyes.
"It works, I've done it!"
"Well, there goes the stealth route."
"Never my strong suit anyway," Naruto said. He pulled himself completely onto the mountaintop and settled into a fighting stance.
Enceladus arched a brow. "Well, aren't you the machismo? Tell me, boy. What brings a young lad like you to a place like this on a day like today?"
"Oh, you know. A casual climb and save the day thing, the usual," Percy shrugged.
"You've got my sister's dad," Naruto said. His eyes narrowed. "I'm going to take him back."
"Are you now?" Enceladus chuckled. "And how, pray tell, do you plan on doing that, young demigod? There's only one of you."
"Nonsense, he's a one man army," Athena smirked.
"I'm never alone," Naruto said. He flipped his hands into his favorite seal and grinned. "Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
The side of the mountaintop Naruto occupied was engulfed in a cloud of smoke that blew away with the breeze, revealing fifty or so clones of the demigod. Enceladus' smirk fell and he gained a stern glare before pointing at Naruto with his finger.
"Kill him, Earthborn."
The six-armed men ran forward dutifully, yelling incoherently while the clones gave their own war cries.
"Blood!" Ares cheered wildly.
Naruto and several of his clones hung back and fell into meditative positions, Enceladus watching carefully. After a moment and about half the clones had fallen, the meditating blonds had gained orange pigmentation around their eyes, which snapped open to reveal the golden eyes of a toad.
"Now!"
All of the clones went up in smoke, leaving Naruto alone. He grabbed onto Kurama's chakra and pulled it out. It burned at first, but then the malicious chakra and nature chakra balanced out. Gold and orange flames engulfed him and Naruto glared at the giant with his four-pointed pupils.
"Ooh, sexy eyes." Aphrodite said with a giggle.
"They are, quite the eye catcher."
"Was that a joke Reyna?" Jason asked, getting a frown.
"No, I was merely saying it drew attention."
He had done this only once before and Kakashi had remarked how his eyes looked like a compass.
"Humph, a child of Apollo."
"I wish." Apollo pouted, his Naruto did it like, a hundred times cooler!
Enceladus snorted and pointed at Naruto with a scowl. "I'm the Anti-Athena, boy! You should run off and wait for Orion to show his face."
"Oh, I eagerly await that," Artemis seethed for what he had done to her hunters over the years.
"Same," Ares glowered since that nut job went after his honorary daughters, the Amazons.
"I'm not a son of Apollo. I haven't even met the guy!" Naruto scowled. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, son of Aphrodite, legacy of Athena and next Hokage!"
"A legacy?" Enceladus arched his brow. "Only a legacy? I'm insulted.
"You should be grateful that's all you get," Athena sniffed since he originally had gotten bested by a Roman of all things.
Earthborn! Rid me of this pest!"
"Bring it," Naruto said, bringing his hands up to flip through hand seals. "Senpū: Daitoppa!"
Naruto reared his head back as chakra built up before he expelled a giant wave of golden wind from his mouth. The foot soldiers that remained were forced off of Mt. Diablo, soaring for quite some time.
"That was cool," Jason said, wondering if he could do that too.
Enceladus narrowed his eyes. "How did you do that?"
Naruto just grinned at him.
"Bah, no matter." Enceladus spun his spear around and expelled purple fire at the glowing demigod. "I may not be the largest of my brethren, but I am the smartest!"
"He brags like you as well."
"Be silent, Poseidon."
Naruto jumped to the side, his eyes on Piper's dad where he was dangling for his life over the edge of the mountain. He had to make a big distraction for this to all pay off. Naruto grinned at the thought and bit his thumb. He ducked down again to avoid another blast of fire, his hands blurring through seals. The left hand slammed down and Naruto shot up.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
Enceladus sent a burst of fire to disperse it. From the smoke a deeper voice shouted out. "Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu!"
"He gets bested by a toad…oh this just far better," Athena grinned.
A large ball of water came out and met Enceladus' flames, extinguishing them. The mountaintop shook lightly and Enceladus blinked once the smoke cleared. Naruto grinned and crouched down, patting the fifty-foot tall dark red and blue toad on the head. The toad moved his giant cigarette around and rolled his golden eyes to glare up at Naruto. "You summoned me to take care of a shrimp?"
"I am loving this," Piper whispered with a smirk.
"Hello to you, too, Gamakichi. Still have an ego that matches the size of your head, I see," Naruto said.
The son of Gamabunta smirked. "Don't insult me. My ego's larger than that."
"Befitting for the boy's lineage," Poseidon nodded.
"I quite agree." Hades smirked as Zeus and Athena frowned at that with looks on their faces.
"What in the depths of Tartarus...?" Enceladus looked like he was unable to comprehend what he was seeing. The surprised look vanished in a second and he smirked before his dialect matched theirs. "Japanese, eh? Interesting."
Naruto blinked. "Huh, someone speaks it?"
"Why wouldn't he?" Gamakichi asked. "It's the world language, isn't it?"
"He wishes," Hermes snorted.
Naruto laughed sheepishly. "Right, world language...Gonna have to take some maps back to Konoha with me..."
"Whatever, Naruto. Let's hurry this up so I can go home and play cards with Tatsu," Gamakichi said, reaching onto his back and pulling out his large tanto. "He's got a few packs of my favorite smokes and I want them back!"
"I know the feeling," Ares nodded and glared at his brothers, always winning his stuff. It sucked!
Naruto shook his head. "Where did I go wrong with you?"
"He's moving. Now, Naruto!"
Naruto's red eyes locked onto Enceladus as the giant charged forward. Gamakichi blocked the spear with his tanto, struggling against Enceladus' surprising strength. Naruto jumped up and made his favorite hand seal again.
"Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
"Your parlor tricks won't fool me, boy!" Enceladus said. He turned to keep the score of duplicates away from his lure, but was halted as Gamakichi's tongue shot out and wrapped around his neck.
"Like licking dirt," Hazel guessed.
"Or a dragon's backside," Piper said with a grossed out face.
"Ares knows what that tastes like, right Ares?" Apollo asked, getting a glare.
"That was a bet!"
"Yeah, and you lost. Right?"
Ares just gave his sun brother the finger.
"I don't think so, asshole!" Gamakichi said. He kept the giant in place with all his might, fighting against the giant's struggling.
"Thanks Kichi!" one of the many glowing demigods said. His 'brothers' were mostly gathered at the front of the crane, pushing the machine back and away from the edge. The original was climbing the crane's neck to the cable from which Piper's dad dangled. Naruto slid down the cable and balanced himself on the hook.
"What's going on? Who are you?" The movie star hanging above the ground asked.
"He's helping dad, just be quiet please." Piper said, not wanting her dad to ask questions and just save the sanity he still had.
"Name's Naruto. I'm here to help, so, don't hit me." Naruto grabbed the rope that was binding Tristan McLean to the crane's hook and pulled it up. He pulled Tristan onto his shoulders without effort and jumped from the hook to the ground. His clones banded together and used the transformation technique to change into a pile of mattresses for him to land on.
"That's useful." Reyna said.
"Indeed," Aphrodite quirked her lip.
"Well that was fun," Naruto said, setting the man down. The movie star slumped to his knees, and Naruto followed. "Are you okay Mr. McLean?"
"Okay? I was told my daughter was in trouble, a-a giant kidnapped me and then you show up! Do I look okay to you?" Tristan asked.
"No, no he looked horrible then, he probably looks horrible now." Piper sighed, but was thankful that her dad was okay.
No, you look like you're about to freak the fuck out. Naruto didn't say it, but it was on the tip of his tongue. Tristan was pale, sweating and had a terrified look in his eyes. Naruto had to wonder just how long he'd been dangling over the edge of the mountain.
"Um, no?"
"Wow, what an excellent response, Naruto. That'll reassure him."
"That's so something Percy would say."
"I would not," Percy glared at the impish looking Thalia.
"There's your answer," Tristan said. Naruto remained quiet as he helped his sister's father out of his binds. The movie star weakly got to his feet and moved off the mattresses, which then exploded into smoke. Tristan rubbed his eyes. "First giants, giant frogs-"
"Toads," Naruto said under his breath.
"-and now magic? What's next, gods?"
"Funny story," Aphrodite clapped her hands once with a smile.
Naruto decided that now wouldn't be the best time to say he was Piper's half-brother.
"I can't take it," Tristan said.
"Sir, I know you're going through a hard time right now, but I need to get you away from the mountain," Naruto said. He made his hand seal and three clones appeared next to him, all minus the glowing features he had. "They'll get you down and keep you safe."
"Fine, just get me out of here," he said.
"Thank you, Naruto," Piper sighed with relief.
The clones nodded and wordlessly began to flee the area down the preferred path, leaving Naruto behind to watch them. He waited for a few moments before the mountain shook and he stumbled. He turned around and gaped at the sight before him.
"You think a mere amphibian can hold me back? Me? The Bane of Athena?!" Enceladus asked, pressing his spear down towards Gamakichi's eye.
"Giant's got game," Leo whistled at taking down the toad dude.
The summon boss' son was shakily holding him off, but the spearhead was getting too close for Naruto's comfort.
"Dispel, Kichi, I've got it!"
"You're sure?" Gamakichi asked, risking a glance. Naruto nodded and the toad grunted before he exploded into smoke, letting Enceladus drop to his knees.
The giant growled as his foe fled and looked at his original opponent. "You think you can best me, boy? I've waited an eternity for this."
"I don't think I can beat you," Naruto said. His comment had Enceladus smirking. Naruto wiped it off his face with his next words. "I know I can."
"There's that hubris again," Percy pointed out as Annabeth poked his side with a pout.
"Your hubris will be your downfall, boy!" Enceladus spat a ball of fire at him. Naruto ducked under it and ran forward, charging head on at the giant.
Enceladus sneered. "Is this the extent of your abilities? Glowing and making duplicates of yourself?"
"This is just the beginning!" Naruto had his hands at his sides and two energy arms sprouted from his shoulders, cupping over his hands. Within seconds two basketball sized orbs appeared in Naruto's hands. He ducked under the thrusted spear and brought his hands forward, the chakra cloak extending energy arms out and driving the dual attack into Enceladus' gut, "Senjutsu: Oodama Rasenrengan!"
"That's got to hurt," Frank winced.
"Healing," Jason reminded.
"I know. But still, that think could grind a boulder to dust. Imagine what it could do to a human?"
That got some green faces out of the demigod bunch.
Though Ares looked greatly interested now.
Enceladus skid back from the force of the attack, leaving two giant grooves in the ground from his draconic feet. When Naruto released the attack, he grinned as the giant fell to his hands and knees, using his spear to keep him upright. Enceladus took a few deep breaths before he began to chuckle and rise back up.
"This just got interesting," Enceladus said, looking down at his rapidly healing stomach.
"So not cool," Percy frowned, it was like fighting his half-brother all over again. And that just plain sucked.
Naruto grit his teeth and cursed under his breath.
"I suppose nothing short of a few Bijudama would obliterate him," Kurama said. "I'm still recovering energy, but if you needed to go full tailed cloak-"
Naruto silently told Kurama to be quiet. He had sealed away the Old Man Sage's gift in both himself and Sasuke to ensure peace in his homeland. It was part of a treaty and he wasn't about to go and break it for no reason.
"He can go get even stronger?" Reyna muttered in surprise.
"Seems so," Annabeth nodded, hearing her shocked tone.
He could take this giant out without resorting to that.
"You owe me a new chest plate, boy," Enceladus said, investigating his broken armor with a small frown. White orbs narrowed on the chakra-covered son of Aphrodite and a smirk crawled across Enceladus' face. "I'm going to enjoy using your bones to decorate my hair."
Naruto's eye twitched. "That was a crack at my mom, wasn't it?"
"The fiend!"
"It seems you are a legacy of Athena."
"...I'm so going to enjoy killing you," Naruto said.
"I will as well," Athena pursed her lips.
Enceladus smirked. "Of course you will. Provided that you get some help."
"Enough talking, start fighting! Go bigger! Go harder!" Kurama said.
"Innuendo," Apollo smirked and get a few laughs.
Naruto's hands lifted above his head and again two chakra arms sprouted over either hand, one spinning the chakra orb that was forming while the other balanced the nature chakra. Naruto's red eyes narrowed and he forced more chakra into the attacks, making them grow in size.
"Nature, animals, all of life, give me your energy!" Apollo said in a Goku voice.
"Spirit Bomb, nice," Percy grinned, he loved that show as a kid.
"You leave yourself defenseless!" Enceladus brought his spear back to thrust it forward. Naruto grit his teeth as two more hands sprouted from his sides, catching the spear before it could bisect him.
"How handy," Leo said as Piper rolled her eyes with a smirk at the poor joke.
Enceladus smirked and began pushing, forcing Naruto back. The shinobi dug his feet in, tearing up the mountaintop as he was forced to move. More chakra limbs shot out from Naruto's back and imbedded themselves into the ground, acting as anchors.
"Impressive, most impressive!" Enceladus laughed as he continued to push the demigod back. "I've never felt such a thrill since I fought Athena! I was mostly victorious in all of our meetings on and off the battlefield.
"Oh please," Athena glared, "That was not what happened."
"So readily to defend yourself." Poseidon smirked and got a glare from the goddess before she continued reading.
She was strong like you, but smart enough not to get cornered, unlike you dear legacy."
"You lost then," Naruto said, trying to stall for time for his attack to build up. "How? Did she outsmart you?"
"Outsmart me? No, boy. She got lucky!" Enceladus sneered.
"I do not rely on luck," the goddess in question scoffed.
Naruto had more chakra arms dig into the ground after glancing behind him. He had maybe ten feet left before he would be on the edge of the mountain. "A demigod shot his arrow just as she pierced my side. Then she and her brothers buried me under a mountain! I learned from my hubris, I learned patience.
"Not enough in my opinion," Athena remarked.
"Should we bury her under a mountain?" Apollo whispered to Hermes, who snickered. They both shut up as Athena glared at them, clearly hearing their words.
In a few minutes, one of two things will happen, either these constructs stopping me from killing you fail or the constructs keeping you on this mountain will. Either way, I win!"
"Or I've got option three: I beat you with my attack!" Naruto grinned as Enceladus looked up at the orb in his hands, and then further up to find that the energy arms had extended up into the sky and held a duplicate of the boy. He had thought the attack would be the same as before, but this time, Naruto had pulled his second most powerful attack out. It was fifty feet in diameter and was shaped like a four-pointed throwing star.
"Super-size me?!" Leo gaped at the thing.
"Now that is an attack," Zeus marveled.
"A ruse..." Enceladus looked infuriated rather than afraid. "You made me believe it would be two of the same attacks!"
"And you fell for it!" Naruto said, grinning. "One of my chakra arms had a clone in it. I swapped with the original so he could finish it off!"
"Slick," Hermes whistled.
"Ingenious," Athena corrected with a smile.
"Then...You've been keeping me in place!" Enceladus' rage grew as two arms shot from the ground and wrapped around his arms and ankles. He looked up and purple fire shot from his mouth in a tower, trying to eradicate the original as he jumped down.
"Futon: Chōōdama Rasenshuriken!" Naruto shouted the name of his attack as he threw it. It parted Enceladus' flames like butter. When the attack hit its mark, Naruto was forced to cover his face as a large blue dome exploded. From the brief glimpse he had of it, it was nearly one hundred meters before it dispersed.
"Wow," the demigod children of the sky awed, wishing they could do that.
"Okay, who gave out the mini nukes out without asking?" Ares pouted.
"Yeah! Choke on that one, Encle…Enchil...You stupid giant!" Naruto grinned at the smoke that had overtaken the mountaintop.
"Nice taunt," Nico nodded mockingly.
"Hey, his actions speak louder," Annabeth said in defense of her nephew.
He's grin fell as an overwhelming feeling of hatred hit him.
DIE!
"Naruto, MOVE!"
Naruto just barely managed to jump back and avoid being skewered by Enceladus' spear. He landed in a crouch and stared in shock at the panting giant. Enceladus' right arm was gone, along with a good portion of his right side, but it was all slowly reforming.
"Now that just has to hurt," Frank said with wide eyes, seriously, that was a lot of damage.
"Most impressive," Reyna nodded in agreement.
"You think you can kill me?" Enceladus asked. Naruto was frozen in place as Enceladus's presence became overbearing. The giant used his spear to stay upright, his right leg still regenerating. "Without a god at your side boy, I am invincible!"
"One downside to fighting a giant," Jason frowned.
"He took a Chōōdama Rasenshuriken to the face and survived...This fucker is more slippery than Madara!"
"Hate to see this Madara," Percy whistled.
Naruto could say nothing, he couldn't find his voice.
"Hey! Snap out of it!"
Naruto blinked, his eyes losing the sign of a sage and reverting back to the normal slitted reds. He was out of nature chakra. That didn't happen in a lot of his fights. Naruto needed a new plan of attack. He can't risk another Rasenshuriken. Enceladus won't let him try to build any other attacks, and at the rate he's healing, Naruto would have to use at least three more Rasenshuriken to take the giant out. The area couldn't give that much natural energy without sacrificing a few innocent lives.
"Meh, sacrifices are needed in times of war," Ares waved off, getting some looks from his words.
"Now, boy...what will you do?" Enceladus asked.
"You can do it, Naruto." Naruto blinked and looked around. That wasn't Kurama. In fact, he couldn't reach Kurama anymore, something was blocking him. "Your friend is sleeping now. He has exhausted a lot of energy and I encouraged him to regain it."
"Athena," the gods said as one as the goddess flushed a little from being figured out so quickly.
You knocked him out. Naruto surmised. Who are you?
The voice didn't answer. "You can win, Naruto. You must believe in yourself, do not let him get inside your head. If he does, you have already lost."
"Ah, psychological warfare," Ares said with a fond smile.
How? Nothing I have works, all my jutsu aren't strong enough and I don't have any weapons! And Chiron said all the gods were locked on Olympus so even if I had a weapon I don't have one of them at hand!
"He's got a point," Percy nodded.
"Then let's fix that."
Enceladus' leg finished reforming and he stalked forward, his spear brought up. "It has been fun, legacy of Athena, but you are powerless to stop our revenge!"
Hoot.
Naruto looked past the giant and saw an owl roosting beside a gleaming object.
"Really, sister?" Artemis questioned with humor, "This is not Harry Potter."
"Shush Artemis," Athena said towards her sister's playful words.
Owls were good signs, signs of wisdom or a sign from...
"Athena!" Naruto grinned and ran forward, right between Enceladus' legs. The giant spun and swiped with his spear, kicking the dirt up behind Naruto and causing him to lose his footing. Naruto tumbled for a moment, but came to a stop next to the owl, its large eyes locked onto him.
"Glaucus..." Enceladus' voice growled over to them.
"I've always wanted to meet him," Annabeth pouted, he looked so small and cute.
The owl turned and hissed at the giant, flying off before Enceladus could roast him with purple fire.
Athena glowered at that.
The giant scowled at the sky. "I'll enjoy that meal on another day, Athena. First, I must crush your legacy and make use of his bones."
"I think he had a bone obsession," Hades remarked, it was getting a tad weird.
Naruto reached out and his hands touched the gleaming object obscured by the grass. As soon as his skin made contact with the golden metal, a thousand ways to use it forced its way into his head and Naruto had a throbbing headache. He started to get back to his knees and used the golden pole to rise up to his feet.
"…He gets to use the spear?!" Annabeth gaped, "Lucky!" she whined.
"Huh, so the spear gives you all your ideas huh," Ares mocked his sister who smirked.
"No, I give it mine," she corrected smugly.
Enceladus gave pause at the object. "That...No, they locked themselves away on Olympus! They wouldn't have...The owl! That damned avian will feed me for eons!"
"Not this century, you grotesque excuse for a sniveling sycophant," Naruto said. He blinked. "Whoa, that was weird."
"Wow, he just got all sophisticated." Percy blinked, that spear really was terrifying.
"You may wield her spear, but it is not the same! I will end you demigod and all of your kin!" Enceladus charged forward with his spear drawn back.
Act, never react. The thoughts weren't entirely Naruto's own, a boon from Athena's weapon he supposed absently.
"Indeed it is," Athena nodded.
"I want to use it," Annabeth muttered with a pout.
Naruto gripped Athena's spear tightly in both hands and settled back into a ready stance. He will thrust forward at my body, but he knows my speed and agility are more than enough to avoid it. His cheeks are purpling slightly, must be a sign of him building up fire. He'll probably try to roast me rather than skewer me. A constant stream so he only has to swivel his head and open his mouth. His arm is missing, only back to the elbow. I'll fake to his right, but instead go left, right at the spear. It'll act as a bridge, a clear path to his head. Then I will strike. Then I will win.
"…That thing's mad scary," Leo gulped as the others nodded.
Reyna could see why the Romans want to weaken Athena by taking her statue, she truly was a war goddess.
Enceladus' spear shot forward and Naruto moved to the right. He jumped back to the spear when the giant opened his mouth and spewed a stream of purple fire. Naruto used his chakra to run up Enceladus' spear, and jumped when Enceladus tried to shake him off. He brought Athena's spear back over his head with both hands and drove it forward into Enceladus' chest, because the giant stepped back when he was in the air.
"Excellent," Athena smiled.
"I did that," Jason commented, but he almost blew up in the process.
Enceladus cried out, his fire cutting out at the pain. Naruto didn't release the spear, not fully, and instead used his free hand to make a normal Rasengan.
"It's not an arrow but it will have to do," he said. Naruto slid down the shaft of Athena's spear, bringing his Rasengan forward to drive it into the same wound.
"No!" Enceladus began to break apart, cracks emerging from the point of entry. He glared at Naruto. "I will kill you, demigod! I will erase your existence!"
"He wishes," the goddess gloated over her legacy's victory.
"Not today," Naruto said. He put his feet on Enceladus' chest and pushed back, pulling Athena's spear out as the giant began to build fire up in his mouth. Naruto jumped off just as purple flames escaped the cracks forming on Enceladus' body.
"No! Mother! Help me!" Enceladus began to crack and crumble as he stumbled back to the edge of the mountain. He lost his footing and fell.
"Sorry, mommy's not listening," Leo smirked at the giant's lose.
Naruto raced to the edge just in time to see Enceladus' body explode in a blaze of purple. The chakra shroud expelled itself and Naruto was forced to release Athena's spear from sheer exhaustion.
"It is draining for a mortal." Athena nodded, it was a godly weapon after all. The increased wisdom was exhausting enough for a mortal mind.
He fell back to the dirt, black edging its way into his vision.
Just before his eyes closed, he felt a shadow encase his body.
And once more, Naruto dreamed.
"Nap time," Nico nodded, those were important.
Athena held the book with a smile, it was an excellent fight."Who's next?" Hermes asked, doing a quick text message."Me!" Aphrodite smiled, eagerly taking the book about her baby.