It had been a long time since Darkseid felt absolute terror.

Blood was trickling down from one of his ruined eyes, an amalgam of disbelief and fury contorted his horribly scarred face. Breaths laboured, jaw fractured and organs haemorrhaging, he had never fathomed the possibility that he would one day see his imminent demise. The vicissitude of war and conquest had led him to believe that he had no equals, for his might made him like unto a god, yet this… deviant's intrusion had ruined everything!

"W-Who are you?"

"Naruto Uzumaki!" The entity who was buttoned in an auburn overcoat smiled. "I'm also known as the Great Sage of -"

"That's not what I'm asking." Darkseid snarled. "I have been to many worlds and laid waste to every civilisation that I have encountered. Not once have I fought someone who could best me like this. Just what are you?"

A dark, twisted grin curled at Naruto's lips. "What am I? Do you really wish to know?"

Cold shiver crawled up Darkseid's spine as his eyes fell on the white ring worn on that man's finger. In an instance, Darkseid was pulled into a world of rolling blackness and he could have sworn he heard the screams of thousand anguished souls blaring at him. By the time he blinked, reality was restored and he snapped out of his stupor, albeit his vision was jarred.

"No. You don't. All who have learned about my true nature are either dead or have met an even worse fate. Yet I still have plans for you."

Plans for him? Outrageous! To belittle a Dark God such as him would be most unwise, Darkseid seethed, for there was a reason why his reign over Apokolips was supreme for years. Balling his fists, he stood tall, his built befitting of someone of his calibre. "Do you think you can barge into my realm, humiliate me, and get away with it?"

"Yeah."

Letting out a war cry, Darkseid lunged at Naruto with a reared fist, hoping to bludgeon the heretic who dare mocked him. Unfazed, Naruto half turned and half stepped back, shoulders and all, to avoid the telegraphed punch and dropped an elbow down on Darkseid's forearm. A sickening crunch was heard and Darkseid screamed out in agony, an excruciating heat seared across his broken appendage.

If Darkseid hadn't manoeuvre himself out of Naruto's reach, he might had lost a limb or two. His throat was hoarse, his stomach churned with trepidation, and bones were protruding from his mangled left arm. Odds were not in his favour, Darkseid fumed. Crouching a little lower, he sped towards the lackadaisical blond, channelled all of his great strength, and went for a right hook.

Swift as a viper, Naruto evaded the strike with fluid grace and plunged his fist right into Darkseid's sternum, delivering a crushing blow that thundered across the planet. Darkseid staggered back, glanced down in utter shock at the gaping hole in his chest, and sank to his knees. Gargling gutturally on his own blood, he strived to articulate his words. "W-Why are you h-here?"

"Why?" Naruto's smile widened. "To spread peace, of course."

"P-Peace?" Darkseid growled. "It d-doesn't quite fit the m-martyrdom, s-seeing how you c-came and butcher my m-minions."

Naruto shrugged. "They were simply in my way."

"You are a Lantern, are you not?"

Confusion marred Naruto's face for a moment before a hint of frustration shone from his eyes. "Ah, you mean those pesky midgets playing God in their own world, using my powers to create soldiers in their image. I heard they even tried to imprison one of my little buddy – Parallax."

If the revelation had fascinated Darkseid, he sure as hell couldn't show it since he was in so much pain. He took a breath, clamped his teeth, and peered up, his eyes reeked of hatred. "Are you implying that the Maltusians weren't the one who discovered the light?"

The amused smile that Naruto carried waned a bit. His eyes flicked from his ring to Darkseid, but there was no malice in them. No anger either. There was simply no emotion behind those sapphire eyes – they took the world in, but gave nothing back. "Let me tell you a little story. A story about a fool who saw hope in this world."

Naruto cleared his throat, as if he was about to recite an epic tale. "A long time ago, there was a boy who housed a vile beast in his belly. The beast was death and destruction incarnate, so naturally everybody saw the boy as a threat. Still, the boy was adamant about fighting prejudice. He bled for them. He killed for them. He even fought wars for them. And when everything was over, they didn't see him as a hero, but a monster that had grown too powerful for them to tame."

Heaving out a long sigh, Naruto continued. "It was then the boy saw the folly of his own belief. No matter what he did or what he had to sacrifice for his people, he will always be a monster. So, his people exiled him. And his comrades forsook him. With nowhere else to go, he decided to find out more about the beast within him. But this is where things get tricky. See, the beast was just a piece of a puzzle. A fragment, if you may, of something bigger. If the boy wants the truth, he has to find the remaining pieces."

An impish grin played about his lips. "So he did. He gathered all the nine beasts, swallowed them up, and was gifted with the knowledge of the universe. With his newfound powers, he forged the Emotional Spectrum – a cosmic force that embodies meaning to the universe. Rage. Greed. Fear. Will. Hope. Compassion. Love. Death. And life. That was no easy feat, mind you, for it put a tremendous toll on the boy's body. By the time he was done with his work, he went into slumber for millenniums. Now he has awakened and he needs to get back what he has lost."

While Naruto was reminiscing, Darkseid took the opportunity to regain his bearing. The numbness of his right arm had subsided and his ears weren't ringing anymore. Bruised and battered, but he could still throw a few punches. Good. Time to put the bastard down.

Without hesitation, Darkseid lurched forward and hit Naruto in the face. "This is the end of the line for you, insolent insect!"

Darkseid would have stayed triumphant if he didn't get knock back abruptly by a jab to his nose.

"All this bravado just for a drop of blood?" Naruto spat out a glob of red, his lower lip already swollen. "Didn't daddy dearest teach you not to interrupt someone when he is talking?"

An invisible force slammed upon Darkseid's shoulders and the ground he stood on sank into a gargantuan crater. He gritted his teeth as he felt his bones rattled and hundreds of hands clawing at his neck, throttling him. What sorcery was this, Darkseid panicked. Squirming, he tried to move, but he couldn't. Nothing was working!

"I have witnessed the finale of many souls. Each so certain that they are more than just a biological puppet. That they have a purpose in the grand scheme of things. Yet they all behave the same way in their last seconds. As death comes creeping after them, they realise how easy it is for them to just… let go. Do you know why?" The bruise on Naruto's cracked lip were gone. "You will soon understand."

Black flames lit up from Naruto's hands. Cackling and surging, the fire danced wildly like it had a life of its own and moulded itself into a giant scythe. He grabbed the infernal weapon of death and raised it above his head, a gleeful giggle escaped him. "I am your inevitable."

Big Barda stumbled into the battlefield, just in time to see Naruto swung his scythe and beheaded Darkseid. It was a clean cut that sliced just above her master's collarbone. Unadulterated terror sloshed over her. The Dark God was unparalleled in strength and peerless in battle. To watch his head flew through the air, dropped to the ground, and rolled to her feet made her knees weak. "W-What happened here?"

"I guess your master's arrogance went over his head." Naruto choked in his spit and laughed heartily. "Get it? He's arrogant. I cut off his head. It went over his head. You know what I mean? No?"

Still trying to process what had just unfolded before her, Barda gaped like a goldfish. "I… I don't…"

Naruto shook his head and waved a dismissive hand. "Forget it. I'll come up with a better one next time. Now it's time for my next act. Shall we begin?"

Smashing the end of his black scythe to the ground, he called out.

"Now… arise."

Horror etched on Barda's face as she witnessed a nightmare that would burn into her memory for the rest of her life. An apparition cloaked in wisp of darkness seeped out from Darkseid's corpse, swirling and taking shape. Waves of dread gushed out from the wraith and its nefarious presence sent all of the nearby Parademons tumbling to their knees. Suddenly, its eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of crimson orbs blazing in the shadow.

As realisation struck Barda, she involuntarily took a step back, her jaw unhinged. "B-By the Old Gods and the New! I-Is that Darkseid?"

Naruto gave his resurrected minion an appraising gaze. "What a fine specimen you are. Even your Omega Effect are intact."

"What is thy bidding, my master?" The distorted voice of Darkseid made Barda's shudder.

Once, that menacing voice promised nothing but torment, but now it was reduced into a complaisant whisper. Of all the bizarre and incomprehensible things Barda had seen as a warrior in Apokolips, this moment was by far the most absurd of them all. The Dark God of Apokolips was now a mere husk of his former glory, devoid of will and subservient to a higher power.

"Show me."

"As you wish, my master." Darkseid hoisted his hand, revealing a black ring that emitted a faint light.

"Good! Very good! You shall become one of my most powerful shadows. A force of nature that will strike fear to my enemy. Together, we shall achieve many great things." Naruto grinned. "Henceforth, you shall be given a name worthy of your strength. Stand proud… Happy!"

Barda blinked. Twice. "Huh?"

"Do you like your name, Happy?"

Happy nodded. "It is a wonderful name, my master. Thank you."

"Good. Now… dismiss."

At that, the titan's body dissipated into black smoke.

Naruto turned to Barda sharply, jolting her. "So, now that I'm done with him, what should I do with you?"

"W-What was that?"

"Hmm?

"I'm still trying to digest everything and I know this is weird of me to ask, but why did you name him… Happy?"

Naruto shrugged. "Meh. I don't like his name though. Darkseid… sounds like backside. Terrible name, really. Mine is more uplifting, you know? Look at it this way. If a giant called Darkseid comes at you with a knife, you run. Where is the fun in that? But if a giant called Happy comes at you with a knife, part of you want to pet him, no? Pretty clever, don't you think?"

The ingenuity of his excuse didn't fool Barda and it sure as hell didn't lower her guard. Any man who could go toe to toe with a formidable being like Darkseid and come out unscathed was a force to be reckoned with.

"How rude of me not to introduce myself." Naruto took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I am Naruto Uzumaki, also known as the Great Sage of the Nine Lights. And who might you be?"

Barda's face was ashen and she stood frighteningly still. If this day was to be her last, then she would die standing. "Barda."

"I'm not from this galaxy, so I will definitely need a guide." Naruto chirped. "Help me and I'll bestow you powers far beyond your wildest imagination."

"H-Huh?"

Tendrils of green light sprang from his fingertips as he held his hand up, whirling violently into a miniature storm. When the wind dispersed itself, an emerald ring was conjured into existence, radiating ungodly powers. "Do you swear your fealty to me? To always stay by my side, to never leave me, and to serve my cause. Would you be my attendant, Barda?"

Perhaps it was Naruto's melodic voice or the soporific glow emanating from the ring that had hypnotised Barda, but it was a wonderful feeling. She felt a floating sensation as every thoughts of resistance in her mind was gently ebbed away, leaving nothing but a pool of bliss festering in her heart. Like a moth to a flame, she reached out to the ring and took it.

"I pledge myself to you, Lord Naruto."

A blinding green light engulfed Barda, wrapping her into a cocoon of divine power.

-X.o.X.o.X.o.X-

Great sheet of rain drifted slowly to Metropolis Harbour and a thunderstorm was coming for the bustling city. The stale air was laden with hot greasy scents of fried sausage and sweet waffles cooked by the roadside, something that didn't go unnoticed by Naruto. Leaning against the balustrade and overseeing the skyline of Metropolis from a roof bar, he couldn't help but smiled. "What do they call this place again?"

Clad in a sequinned dress, Barda swirled her cocktail with a straw, her head lolled to her side. "Metro Outlet. I snuck my way here once every blue moon to enjoy some peace and quiet. Apokolips could really do some number on your… psyche."

They settled down in a booth and his hand traced a path over hers, moving like a slow flame to her ring. "So, how do you feel?"

Truth be told, Barda didn't feel any fatigue or extraordinarily empowered for that matter. It was nauseating at first when the ring slipped on her finger, but eventually she had acclimatised with the sudden rush of power and it fit like a glove. "Dizzy at the start. Once the ring downloaded all of the information into my brain, I felt better than ever."

"I can tell you despise Darkseid. So why work for him?"

Life was made of so many moments that meant nothing. Then one day, a single moment came along and defined every seconds that came after. "It's a long story."

"I got nothing but time."

Downing her sweet alcohol, Barda let out a sigh and her face went grim. "I was a child. A normal child. And that was taken from me. Granny raised me to fight for Darkseid. Back then, she would band me together with other kids. We trained together, fought together, laughed together. I was happy. Really happy. Maybe Granny wanted to give me some semblance of childhood. That's what I told myself. How naïve of me."

Barda stared sombrely into her empty glass. "During one of my trainings, she made the other kids fight me in a battle royal. Winner gets to have a good meal for a week. My best friend refused, so Granny strung her up and whipped her to death. The other kids weren't that sentimental. They turned on me without any second thought. It's a dog-eat-dog world, I guess. Needless to say, I killed all of them. Cut one of them in half down the middle. I never have a good sleep ever since that day."

Naruto cocked a brow. "Shouldn't that give you more reason to run?"

A breeze whipped a few strand of hair free, exposing her haunted eyes. The horrific things that she did had eaten away at her soul and the only way to cope with it was to be a mindless drone. "Deserters who were caught all suffered terrible fates, Darkseid made sure of that. There was this boy who was a few years my senior. Always the sunshine amongst my platoon. One night, he fled from Apokolips. Got caught. Granny gave me a plier and made me snap every single bone in his body. Till this day, I can still hear his screams when I close my eyes."

From the corner, a waitress strode past, handed a glass of cognac to Naruto, offered him a suggestive wink, and took off. He ignored the gesture, his attention fixated sorely on the distraught but very beautiful woman before him. "You must hate me then?"

Barda blinked. "Why is that?"

"You traded one master for another." His chin jerked at her ring. "Once you wear that, you are bound to me. And there is no way for you to remove it unless I allowed you to do so."

"I can cut my fingers off."

Naruto chuckled. "Feel free to give it a try. You will find yourself unable to do it. The ring comes with a failsafe. If it detects its host's intention to get rid of it, it will do everything in its power to prevent that from happening."

"You should just take away my will. That would serve your cause better, no?"

"Nah, that's boring. If I want to do that, I might as well just kill you and raise you as one of my shadows. No, I prefer a little defiance. It spices things up."

The fact that Naruto said it so insouciantly made a shiver run through Barda's body. "You never really tell me why you need me."

"I was away for a very, very long time." His eyes were distant and she saw a flicker of sadness from his face, almost instantly replaced by an aloof smile that he was used to wearing. "I guess all the isolation and whatnot really made me want to find a person to talk with."

"I'm not much of a talker."

"Why don't you take up a challenge. Try and be a talker for a change."

Barda fidgeted with her fingers. "Okay. Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?"

"Ah. This sounds like a date." Naruto leaned forward, a teasing grin plastered on his face as he put his arms on the table. "Are we having a date?"

At that, a pink flush came over Barda's cheeks. "W-What are you talking about? You asked me to be a talker!"

Naruto laughed. "I'm just playing with ya. Alright. I'll humour you. I was once like you – a child raised to fight and kill for someone. He won't let me have any compassion and kindness. If I have any, he make sure I killed it in training so that my blade won't hesitate in war. I was a good soldier. The best they have ever seen. He made me a weapon. And I killed all of them for it."

"He?"

"A man who taught me everything."

It was a cryptic answer and Naruto didn't seem to enjoy divulging details, a peculiar quirk Barda had noticed.

"Wow. I was expecting a little more rainbow and unicorn in your story." She rolled her eyes. "What about your powers?"

"What about it?"

"Call me crazy, but you possess all of the combined powers of the Nine Lantern Corps. I didn't even know there were so many Lantern Corps!" A scowl graced Barda's face. "Before you came along, Darkseid was a league of his own. He invaded planets for sport and have never lost. To be frank with you, if you didn't kill him, this planet would be his for the taking. He has a spy planted within the Justice League, you know?"

"Justice League, huh."

Barda nodded, her eyes narrowed. "This planet's defenders. They called themselves the Justice League. I was quite impressed with them, to be honest. They managed to repel Darkseid's forces once. Ever since that episode, Darkseid kept a constant surveillance over this planet. Apparently, he found something worthwhile that could kill the Justice League and put Granny in charge of manufacturing a new breed of Parademons."

Naruto folded his arms and closed his eyes. "Is that true, Happy?"

"…yes, my master."

"Tell me more."

"Of course, my master. After I was forced to retreat from this planet, I needed an edge against the Justice League. So I travelled around the cosmos and managed to scavenge Kryptonian DNA near a dying star. It took me a while to get the splicing right, but I built a monster that could kill Superman. I was ready to send it here for a test run, until..."

"Until I came and foiled your plan."

"Yes, my master. If you so desire, I can show you where I keep the blueprint. Alternatively, you may wish to return to Apokolips and restart the manufacturing process. With an army of those monsters under your leash, you will -"

"Do I look like I need a pack of rabid monsters to see my plan come to fruition?"

"Of course not, my master."

Barda fiddled with her straw, her eyes sneaking glances at Naruto. He looked peaceful when his eyes closed like that. Now that she had a good look at her new master, she had to admit that he was quite a looker. The whisker marks on his chiselled cheeks made him all the more eccentric. His smile practically glowed with irreverence and his physique would probably be considered by many as a sensual feast.

"You thinking about something naughty?"

Barda stiffened. "W-What?"

Naruto snickered. "You're bound to me, remember? I can sense what you're feeling."

Red heat went over her cheeks and she looked away. "That's rude of you to do something like that!"

"Hey! It's the ring, not me. I can choose to ignore it, if that's what you want." Mischief was twinkling in his eyes. "Do you want me to ignore it though?"

"Shut up!"

Naruto chuckled light-heartedly. "Alright, fun time's over. Let's get down to business. We have a lot of ground to cover."

Barda straightened herself. "You never really told me your plans."

"Patience, my dear. It will spoil all the fun if I tell you everything. For now, I need to find where the midgets hid Ion. If you must know, Ion is a manifestation of my green light and the source of all Green Lantern's powers. It is also an extension of your new powers too."

Stroking her chin, Barda looked thoughtful. "Last I checked, the Justice League has a Green Lantern. Let me wager a guess. You intend to use him to get to the Green Lantern Corp."

"What a clever girl you are."

Barda averted her gaze.

"Of course, a small fry won't catch the Justice League's attention. I need to do something big to lure them out."

"Something big? Like what?"

Naruto peered up.

Barda followed his eyes and looked up.

She blinked once, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Then she blinked again just to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

When she envisioned something big, she was not expecting an asteroid to head for Metropolis.

-X.o.X.o.X.o.X-

One moment, the Justice League's Watchtower was awfully quiet, the next every satellite in the world picked up something and the alarms went off. Batman went to work, typing at the keyboard and analysing the data. Nothing made sense! The closest asteroids that would nick the planet's geostationary ring was due for a few decades from now!

For an asteroid this big to get into the solar system undetected was not possible. No. Things were not adding up. What if the asteroid was brought to earth by external forces? Could this be Darkseid's work?

The phones on his desk started ringing. No doubt, the federal government were hounding at him. He picked up the call and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"…"

"Yes, Mister President. The Justice League would get right on it."

"…"

"With all due respect, sir, Superman is not the only one who has the capability to stop the asteroid. Wonder Woman and -"

"…"

"You want Wonder Woman to take a photo with you first? At the White House? Now?"

"…"

"I believe the asteroid takes priority, Mister President."

"…"

"Sir, I don't have time for this."

"…"

"You do realise the Watchtower is not funded by the taxpayers, right?"

"…"

Batman's patience was wearing thin and he dropped the phone. "I'm too old for this."

-X.o.X.o.X.o.X-

This galaxy was simply one of plenty, still barely out of its diapers and oblivious of the unspeakable horror that God had in store for them. With great tenacity, Naruto ventured into the deep unknown and bore witness to complete decay and annihilation of parallel universes. It did beg the question – if an almighty God did exist, could he really allow such atrocity and bedlam to fester in the heart of his kingdoms?

It was then an epiphany hit him. What if God was a writer himself? Every universe that existed was merely a cornucopia of his many drafts. If one failed, he chucked the draft aside and churned out a new one. So what if a trillion lives had to be defiled and sacrificed? Such a thought repulsed Naruto, hence he took it himself to discover the truth.

"Two corndog please." Naruto handed a twenty dollar bill to the vendor and got two bags of deep fried corndog, drizzled with ketchup and mustard. "Thanks mate."

Barda looked askance at Naruto as she accepted her snack. "Where did you get the money from?"

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I can do anything."

Whistling a jovial tune, Naruto strolled down the cobblestoned avenue with Barda by his side. "Let's enjoy the peace while it last. Very soon, these… creatures will show us their true colours."

"You seem to have a derisive tone to this humans. Do you really hate them so much?"

Naruto shrugged. "That's not true. I'll have you know that I hate every sentient creature equally."

"That sounds awful."

Taking a huge bite over his skewer, Naruto babbled on with food in his mouth. "I think consciousness amongst sentient creatures is a tragic misstep in evolution. They became too self-aware and deluded by their sense of importance. Truth is, consciousness is not some golden benchmark that civilisation should hope to achieve. No, it is foul, pestilent corruption. Something that should not exist physiologically. Look over there."

He pointed with his stick at the road and her attention followed.

At first, only a man stepped out of his truck to investigate the commotion. He threw a hand over his eyes, peered up, and gawked. Another woman came out of her convertible. Then a taxi driver. In a matter of minutes, everybody were out on the road. Some were calling their loved ones, sobbing about the end of the world. Others simply stared blankly and hopelessly at the looming asteroid.

"When the chips are down, they'll eat each other. Don't believe me? Watch."

Quite suddenly, but not unexpectedly, people started to push and shove, skittering in too many directions. Plopping down on a bench, Naruto and Barda leaned back and watched as the chaos unfolded before them. The mob had taken a life of its own, throwing rocks at the windows of retail stores and looting whatever they could get. The rhythmic footsteps of approaching policemen rumbled the streets and things went terribly south after that.

"With all due respect, Lord Naruto, but you just drop an asteroid on the city. I think the panic is justified." Barda finished her corndog and threw the stick in a bin. "So, what now?"

"We wait for the party."

Sure enough, Gotham's Caped Crusader swung down from his grappling hook and glowered at Naruto. "You should get out of here!"

Naruto blinked and pointed a finger at the vigilante. "Is that some sort of closet malfunction? Wearing a skin-tight suit out in the open is really daring."

"That's Batman." Barda deadpanned. "He's part of the Justice League."

At that, Naruto let out a peal of high laughter. Fighting crimes in tights? That's borderline exhibitionism! "Oi! Man-Bat. Nice tights!"

Batman looked over his shoulder, his eyes narrowed. "Why are you still here? Can't you see an asteroid is coming? Run. While you still can."

"How about I make you a better deal? Get your gang of circus clown here right now and I'll make the asteroid disappear."

Shaking his head, Batman walked away. He had seen his fair share of lunacy, but this ought to take the cake. Metropolis was in desperate need of saving and he had no time dealing with loons who wouldn't save themselves. Barda however didn't like how her master's eyelid was spasming violently, especially after he was so crudely brushed aside. His ring was humming a dangerous tune!

"Alright, then. If this is how you want to play. Tengai Shinsei." (Heavenly Obstacle Quaking Star)

Naruto snapped his fingers. It was loud and crisp enough to catch Batman's attention. Moments later, a blanket of ominous shadow were cast over Metropolis and Batman was bombarded by distress signals from his gauntlet. Instead of one asteroids that was charging its fiery path towards Metropolis, eight more had materialised in the atmosphere, their sheer size blotted out the sun.

"One of those bad boys carry enough force to wipe this city clean. Now imagine nine of them touch down. Even a kid can tell this planet will need its map redrawn very soon."

Cries of the Justice League flooded into Batman's earpiece. The combined might of Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Shazam and Cyborg could barely push one of the asteroids off earth's orbit, but now there were eight of them? No way could Metropolis escape obliteration at this rate.

Batman growled. "I-Is that magic?"

Suffice to say, Naruto had won over Batman's attention. "Everything in this world is magic, except to the magician."

The calm and collected façade that Batman wore had cracked. "What do you want?"

"I just want to talk!" said Naruto in a sing-sang voice.

"You deliberately put everybody's life in danger just so you can speak with us?"

"Would you have talked to me if I knocked politely on your door?"

Batman grimaced. "Can you make the asteroids go away?"

Naruto snorted, a conniving smile stretched from ear to ear. "What do you think?"

"What makes you think I'll negotiate with a terrorist."

"You don't have to, but this country is one bad decision away from facing extinction." Naruto folded his arms. "From the way I see it, you have no right to bargain with me. Get the Justice League over here right now. That is an order."

"How do I know you will hold on to your end of the bargain?"

Naruto raised a finger.

As if on cue, the world stopped moving; the air went stale, the flock of birds hung in the air as if they were painted over a blue canvass, and the belligerent mob that were robbing electronic stores suddenly became stationary like mannequins. Barda whipped her eyes from left to right, amazed by the fact that time had frozen. Even the asteroids that were threatening to herald untold catastrophe upon the city had gone still.

"Well, a wasteland wouldn't be a nice place to talk business. Besides, I really want to try pizza. Destroying this country will be counterproductive, wouldn't you say?"

Batman sighed. "You make your point. I'll get the Justice League here. In exchange, you remove the asteroids."

"Deal." Naruto flicked his finger down, as if flipping on a switch.

Time resumed its course, the menacing asteroids vanished, and the mob grew larger.

"There, it's done."

Batman sighed, tapped a finger on his earpiece, and spoke. "Cyborg, I need you down here now to help the police quell the riot."

"…"

"I'll explain it later. Superman, Wonder Woman, Shazam, Green Lantern, and Flash, I've sent you my coordinates. Come over here. We have a bigger problem."

It didn't take long for the saviours of the world to arrive in their cape and glory.

Wonder Woman was the first to speak. "What's going on, Batman? The asteroids are gone. What is this -"

"Like I said, I'll explain it later. For now, we have a bigger issue at hand." Batman turned to Naruto, which piqued the Justice League's curiosity.

The moment Batman locked eyes with Naruto, his whole world inverted. Everything in his vision seemed to tilt and it happened almost spontaneously. His stomach dropped and his ears were filled with a titanic, many-voiced roar. Thousands of voices doubled back on each other, blaming him for the pain and suffering wrought in Gotham. He clapped his hands over his ears and shut his eyes, but it kept coming.

Superman watched in consternation as Batman's legs went slack. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing much." Naruto shrugged. "I trapped him in his own fear. Figured I should skip the pleasantry and just get down to the main event."

No time to waste, thought Flash. At a full sprint, he became a lightning bolt and reached Naruto within a fraction of a second, determined to end the fight instantly. Flash unleashed a flurry of punches and knew the battle was over. Nobody could dodge a punch that came faster than the speed of sound, except it didn't connect to its target. None of his punches did. They simply phased through Naruto's body.

What the hell?

Stuck in his stupor, Flash didn't see Naruto's hand shot up and seized him by the throat, lifting him up in the air as if he weighed nothing. "Wow. You caught me by surprise there. If I didn't use Kamui by instinct, you would have gotten me good. Well, can't have you running around like that. Here's your reward for your splendid effort."

A white blade materialised in Naruto's grip and he stabbed Flash in his thigh. A bloodcurdling scream ripped out of Flash's mouth, startling the rest of the dumbfounded Justice League. Blood sprayed up from the gash in a torrent of red, drenching Naruto's overcoat. "Aww, you ruined my favourite coat. Now I need to get myself a new one."

What seemed like a tiny bit of effort from Naruto tossed Flash into a minivan across the street, the impact staved the vehicle in on the side. "Alright, who's next?"

It was Green Lantern who leaped into the air, his body luminous. "Hold on! You're a Lantern, aren't you? I can tell from that ring of yours! Identify yourself! Which Lantern Corp are you from and why are you attacking us?"

A wicked grin curled at Naruto's lips. "Ah. A Green Lantern. Just what I'm looking for."

Naruto thrust his fist at Green Lantern, his ring burned bright and his voice like rumbling thunder. "Time for you to return your powers back to me."

Pure, immobilising terror wrecked Hal Jordan as his body sizzled. Then the pain struck. It felt like white-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, scrapping at his bones, and mutilating his organs. The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that Hal no longer knew what he was. He screamed more loudly than he had screamed in his life. Once the river of energy from Hal's Green Lantern Ring was siphoned out, he was rendered a mortal and had passed out, his limp body fell back to earth.

Fortunately, Wonder Woman was swift enough to catch him from falling to his certain death. "W-What in Hades' name is he? He just took down three of us like cakewalk."

"Have no fear, for I am here!" Shazam charged Naruto head-on, much to his teammates' vociferous protest. "Take this, evildoer!"

Shazam aimed to plant his shoulder in Naruto's chest and tackled him. Predictable. Naruto shook his head, twitched forward towards Shazam's reckless assault, and threw a vicious uppercut that met the hero's face square-on. The colossal rupture of energy, face against fist, was enough to lift Shazam off his heel and sent him flying into a skyscraper.

Shouts. Screams. Insanity. Car alarms were wailing. People were scrambling to flee from the building. From the chaos and smoke, Shazam emerged, his nose bleeding profusely. Fuck, he cursed aloud. That blow felt like taking an artillery shell to the face. He staggered out of the rubble, dove down from the thirtieth floor of the building, and landed clumsily before a bemused Naruto.

"You okay there, buddy? I didn't hit you that hard, did I?"

"N-Not at all!" Shazam managed a weak smile. No, he got hit fucking hard. Not that he was going to admit it though. He had an image to uphold. "You're gonna pay for that."

A haughty guffaw expelled from Naruto's breath. "Sure. Make me pay."

With a sudden gasp of adrenaline, Shazam threw a snap right at Naruto. There was no finesse at all, no precision, and no calculation, just maximum brute force empowered by the Strength of Hercules. Naruto saw it coming, took half a step forward, twisted himself away from the punch, and retaliated with his elbow slammed brutally to the side of Shazam's head. That was all it took for Shazam to drop like a sack of potatoes.

Dusting his hands, Naruto beamed at Superman. "Wanna give it a go?"

The Kryptonian's eyes were intense and his expression grew dark.

"Let's kick this up a notch, shall we?" Taking in the crisp air, Naruto eyes shifted from Superman to a woman who was pushing herself through a nearby crowd. "Ah. I can sense it. A woman's love for you. Not petty love. Or a silly crush. No. It's the real deal. There is someone who loves you with all her heart… over there."

At that, Superman snapped his eyes to the crowd. To his confused horror, Lois was standing there, staring at him with big, terrified eyes. "L-Lois?"

"Lois. That's her name. I like it. Alright, here's the deal. If you don't kill me, I'll go after pretty little Lois over there and break her spine." The Cheshire grin that tugged at Naruto's lips grew disturbingly. "So, what's it going to be?"

Rage lit up from Superman's eyes and he gnashed his teeth at Naruto. "Don't you dare touch her, you hear me?"

"Ah. Good. Very good. I can sense great anger in you." Naruto beckoned at him. "Come. Show me you have what it takes."

"Don't fall for it, Superman!" Wonder Woman shouted to no avail. "He's taunting you!"

Too late.

In a blink of an eye, Superman had grabbed Naruto by his shoulders and yanked him to the sky. With a mighty roar, the Man of Steel rocketed after his opponent with blinding speed, firing a combination of punches and jabs. At first, it seemed like Superman had the upper hand. Why wouldn't he? Superman had no rivals and everybody knew he was invulnerable. No bullets, explosions, or even missiles could scratch him.

America was watching the live broadcast of Superman beating the daylight out of the invader.

Everybody was cheering at their television screen.

The day was saved.

Then Naruto caught Superman's fists and the world went dead quiet.

"Why are you holding back?" Naruto had an annoyed look on his face, like he had been deprived of something fun. "Ah. I see. I sense fear in you. Fear of being shunned and rejected by your people. Fear of abusing your powers and hurting people you cared about. Fear of… yourself. Is this why you hold back even in the face of adversity, Superman?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"That is where you're wrong, kid. I know what it's like."

Naruto smashed his knee right into Superman's gut and an ear-splitting shockwave erupted, shattering every window from every building in a three miles radius. Superman's eyes went wide and blood poured out from his mouth. How was this possible? He was supposed to be impervious! Astounded, he was too groggy to brace for what was to come.

"Well, you seem like a tough guy, so I won't go easy on you. Takamimusubinokami: Rasengan." (Reign of the High Emperor: Spiralling Sphere)

That was the last thing Superman heard before an encompassing darkness swallowed him whole. The colours in the world drained away for a moment. In seconds, a brilliant white light flashed in the sky and the blast came almost immediately, splitting the heavens apart and tearing through Metropolis Park like a ravenous monster. The fireball was a behemoth; it belched upwards and punched through the atmosphere.

If the world were to end by fire and brimstone, then surely this cataclysm was it.

-X.o.X.o.X.o.X-

"T-This is Lois Lane, reporting live at Metropolis." Lois had to pinch her thigh and swallow down her dread just to calm her nerves. "After a gruelling battle with this… mysterious assailant, we still have yet to see what is happening. According to sources, this mysterious assailant could be responsible for the asteroids earlier. But one thing is for certain, the Justice League isn't faring well."

Jimmy Olsen switched off his camera and glanced up.

"Jimmy, why aren't you rolling the tape?"

There were things that the public eye were not ready to see. For example, a charred body of Superman nosedived back to earth in a loud thud. Any hope the world had to fight the monster at their door fell with him too.

Lois threw away her microphone and bolted. This couldn't be happening! Superman – her fiancé – couldn't have lost!

Naruto clicked his tongue as he descended, his form backlit by the sun. "Is this what the Justice League has to offer?"

Wonder Woman stood before him, her sword brandished. "I, Diana of Themyscria, called you out, monster!"

Licking his lips, Naruto stretched his limbs. White speckles of radiance encircled his arm, morphing into a katana. Resting his sword over his shoulders, Naruto curled his finger at her. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Unlike her brethren, Diana would not be goaded into a reckless brawl so easily. She knew from experience that panic – not poor odds – was what killed the fools. From what she had observed, he left no move wasted. Each time he deflected an assault thrown at him, he counterattacked with the elegance of a seasoned warrior. But she was no slouch herself.

Mustering her divine strength, Diana rushed at him and thrust her sword. Naruto swiped his blade in a fluid parry, his herculean might caught her by surprise. Steel met steel. Sparks flew between collided swords. By the Gods! The power behind his stroke was unbelievable! Not even Ares – the God of War – hit that hard. Just what was this man?

Fury and conviction burned in Diana's eyes. With a roar of bravery, she set off a barrage of slashes and swings at him that were too fast for the naked eyes, yet he repelled her effortlessly! Every time her sword clashed against his, she felt her grip being wrenched away. She was being pushed back! Reacting to instinct, she dropped her sword, surprising her opponent. That was all the distraction she needed.

Diana grabbed Naruto by his collar and head-butt him. All she needed was one solid hit to discombobulate him. The crushing blow however didn't make him flinch. He simply smiled at her. "Ah, you like to get up close. I like that too. It gives me a better opportunity to appreciate your beauty. I mean, your face has such perfect symmetry."

"Quiet, you fiend -"

Naruto buried a fist right into Diana's stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She keeled over, darkness was creeping at the edge of her vision and she was having a hard time breathing properly. Sharp pain pulsated from her abdomen and it felt like her innards were about to explode. "Stay down."

"N-Never!"

Relentless, Diana took her Sword of Athena and wrestled herself up. Hera, give her strength, chanted Diana before she swung her sword. Her eyes bulged when he caught her blade between his fingers. "H-How…"

"You are strong, Diana of Themyscria. I'll give you that."

In one swift movement, Naruto grabbed Diana's left arm and gave it a brutal yank, bending her appendage to a grotesque angle. Diana sank to her knees, her chalky face gaunt and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Dark hair glistening with sweat veiled her beautiful features. No matter how much agony she was in or how humiliating her defeat was, she refused to utter even a moan. The only sound remained was an unnerving silence that muffled everything but the faint pulse of afternoon wind.

Now that the Justice League laid beaten, Naruto returned his attention to Superman, who had to lean on to Lois to stand upright. "You're pretty sturdy yourself. If you were any lesser, you would have been shredded to pieces."

"W-Why are you doing this?"

"You are still far too weak. You are not ready for what is to come." Naruto's eyes landed on Superman's finger. "I wonder…"

Yellow effulgence emitted from Superman's hand, startling him. The moment he found a yellow ring wrapped around his fingers, treacherous voices crooned his deepest, darkest fear in his ears.

"Perhaps you can entertain me once you're intoxicated with fear. I want to see what you'll become. Will you still be the shining beacon of hope for your people… or will you spiral down to madness and become a monster."

Naruto spun around, scooped up Diana, and threw her over his shoulder. "I have already gotten what I came here for. And I'll be taking her with me. Consider this my reward for defeating the Justice League."

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or DC Comics.

Author Note: Hope you enjoy this story! Since this story is at its earliest stage, feel free to let me know who you wish for Naruto to have as his shadows. I look forward to your ideas.

Pairings:
1.) NarutoXBarda
2.) NarutoXDiana
3.) NarutoXKara
4.) NarutoXDinah
5.) NarutoXHarem

If you like this story, please let me know what you think by dropping a review down below!