(PROFESSOR UZUMAKI) END OF THE SECOND ARC

The second meeting with Chief Director Rebecca Costa-Brown happened on a random rooftop in the docks late one night.

It was admittedly annoying, since his actions had left him hounded day and night by both civilians and capes, and this was one of the few precious moments he had managed to find for himself. Ever since Leviathan’s death, it seemed that whenever Naruto found somewhere to sit down and think, someone would eventually recognize him and come over to ask a question, thank him, or try to get him to explain what exactly he had done.

He had therefore taken to finding places where nobody was likely to look for him, and tonight that meant sitting near the edge of an otherwise deserted rooftop, looking out over the deserted docks and enjoying the chance to be alone with his thoughts.

That lasted until a portal opened beside him.

Naruto turned toward it as Chief Director Rebecca Costa-Brown stepped through, and he stared at her for a moment before sighing. He’d known this meeting was coming sooner or later, especially after what had happened with Leviathan, though he had expected it to happen sooner.

“Chief Director.”

“Mr. Uzumaki.”

Rebecca walked over and stopped a few feet away from him, looking out across the docks for a moment before turning her attention back to Naruto.

“I suppose congratulations are in order.”

Naruto scratched the back of his head.

“Thanks.”

Rebecca nodded, and for a moment neither of them said anything. Naruto waited, already knowing she hadn’t come all this way just to make small talk. After what he had done, there were probably very few questions she could have about him that she hadn’t already been asking herself.

Rebecca, meanwhile, seemed to be deciding how directly she wanted to approach the subject.

Eventually, she looked at him.

“Why are you on Earth Bet, Mr. Uzumaki?”

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

Rebecca continued before he could answer. “Just who are you, and what do you want with us?”

Sighing, Naruto turned back toward the boats.

“Would you believe me if I said I simply want to help save this world and others like it?” The silence that followed was an answer enough, and Naruto resisted the urge to sigh again before continuing. “That is the truth. After I’m done here, I will be gone.”

“You want me to believe—”

“Yes.” Naruto cut her off before she could finish. “I understand this world operates on far harsher rules than most, but let me make it clear to you and everyone else.”

He stood and turned to face her again. Normally, he wouldn’t have gotten this close to someone this aggressive, but he was tired, annoyed, and frankly past the point of caring. If anything, he found himself distantly impressed that Rebecca didn’t show even a hint of fear, nor did she take a step back.

“I don’t want to rule this world or anything like that. I want to help.”

Rebecca stepped closer, enough for Naruto to see his reflection clearly in her eyes. “If you want to help, you will work with us.”

“And isn’t it obvious why I’m not doing that?” he snapped. 

Her eyes narrowed, the first real sign of emotion she had given him since arriving. “You don’t trust us.”

“Have you given me any reason to?”

“Have we given you any reason not to?”

Naruto gave her a disbelieving look before turning away with an explosive sigh.

“I’ve been watching this world for a while, even before I came to Winslow. I don’t know everything about it, and I’m not pretending I do, but I’ve seen enough to know that I can trust the kids more than the adults to do the right thing.”

“That’s a fairly broad conclusion to draw.”

“Maybe.” Rebecca waited, giving him the opportunity to elaborate. And he did, looking back toward the boats. “But I’ve seen enough.”

She moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, eyes fixed on the distance though her attention was still on him. “So you will never work with us?”

“Directly, no.” Naruto glanced at her. “But if the kids I train want to willingly work with you, I’m not going to stop them. They are the future of this world, after all.”

Rebecca was silent for a moment before asking the question she had clearly been working toward.

“Then would you agree to train some other children, not just the ones at Winslow?”

“Ah.”

A part of him had known where the conversation was going. Their previous one had been about taking small steps, giving him time to establish himself and allowing the PRT to see what he was capable of. After Leviathan, however, there was little point pretending things were still the same.

“The time for small steps has passed, hasn’t it?”

Rebecca nodded.

“We need as much help as we can get.”

Naruto let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. 

His students had already started unlocking their kekkei genkai, artificial though it was, and he couldn’t ignore what that meant. If chakra really could be taught to others, then keeping the number of students small forever made little sense when there were so many people in this world who needed the ability to protect themselves. When it would do more good to share his knowledge with as many as he could. 

“Fine,” he said. “We will need a place, large enough to train everyone, then.”

“That can be arranged. The PRT base—”

“No,” Naruto said, shaking his head. “I’ve got a better idea.”

The Boat Graveyard had been deserted since the PRT quarantined it after Leviathan’s death, and with nobody around, it was exactly what he needed.

He raised his hand, and a black sphere appeared in front of his open palm.

Rebecca’s eyes followed it as Naruto sent it forward, and the sphere expanded as it moved. Darkness spread across the Boat Graveyard, swallowing every boat, piece of trash and bit of debris in its path. Within moments, the entire area had been cleared, leaving nothing behind except a vast stretch of empty ground beside the water.

The black sphere shrank and vanished.

Naruto lowered his hand and looked toward Rebecca, who stared in stunned silence at the cleared Boat Graveyard for several seconds.

Naruto sent her a toothy grin.

“You can build a base there for us.”