The Future: Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 40

WAR NEVER ENDS – FOR THE CHILDREN

The Valley

Dan's eyes are fixed firmly on the skull of this new General. He refuses to so much as blink as his concentration holds at maximum. All around him things are happening, the children are panicking, the wind is howling and Mirai is watching but he hears none of it. The headmaster of the new academy, he has a duty of care for everyone behind him, a duty that has never been harder than in this moment.

Fear isn't all he feels. He certainly is afraid, how could he not be, standing in front of a man like this, only the second bearer of the golden cape to ever step into this world. There is something more though, like adrenaline, a burning need to stop him it all costs. This person isn't just dangerous to the children, to himself, not even to Mirai but to the entire world. If he is to leave this world unharmed, it could spell the death of everyone within it.

Elliot is the opposite. A perfect picture of serenity. He doesn't look threatened in the least, more like he has stumbled across a lost child than a warrior of many battles. He tilts his head to the side and rubs his fingers along his clean-shaven chin as he inspects the man before him.

'There is something strange about this man' Elliot thinks to himself as he looks Dan over. 'I can't quite place my finger on it'.

Elliot has never been to this world before, he has never seen nor has he ever met Kato Dan. He screws his eyes together and rests his head in the palm of his hand for a moment as he thinks, searching through his memories for anyone bearing a slight resemblance to the man before him. After coming up empty, he simply smiles to himself and opens his eyes once again.

'They're just stood there' Mirai notes to herself as her eyes flick back and forth between the invading general and the protective headmaster. 'They're starting at each other, not even moving'.

Mirai watches for another few seconds before grinding her teeth, her eyes cringing. She is not the most patient of shinobi at the best of times, in a situation like this she is incredibly anxious. 'If you won't do something I will'. As she takes a single step towards the gazing duo, the first strike begins.

Dan quickly raises his hand, positioning it horizontally from his shoulder and channelling what power he can along the length of his arm. In his inner world, power flows from the giant stone tablet, chakra is sourced from all over his body and the two combines in a mighty phenomenon that manifests in the real world.

Elliot's eyes widen in shock, 'He can use our power'.

The power surrounding Dan's arm transforms into a bright orange fire, spiralling from his shoulder down to the tips of his fingers before launching towards Elliot at an astonishing rate.

The General's eyes refocus as he calms from his moment of shock. It had been a surprise to him, he had never expected for this 'local' to have understood the same power as they had. Still, it is no disaster, especially not for him. Elliot has met hundreds of colonels and hundreds of thousands of captains, an attack like this is nothing to him.

He stands unmoving, except his golden cape in the breeze as the rush of fire energy tumbles towards him. A glint in his eye is the only reaction as the flames come to within one foot of his body before their path suddenly changes.

They do not reach him. One foot away, is as close as the flames get. They split to his left and to his right, travelling around him as if impaired by an invisible dome.