Illness was despair to a patient.

Doctors were the beacon of hope within that well of darkness. A light bringer who lit up like the adolescent ray at the end of a deep tunnel.

Naruto preached that, stood by it, yet knew the weight of it too.

To see Grail's face, once blossomed with life, now pale as death… it hurt him. It had been a week since Jim attempted to heal Grail, yet she showed no sign of waking up any time soon. He had scanned Grail's body for any hint of anomaly, even resorting to using his Rinne Sharingan, but… he detected nothing odd. Even her blood pressure and glucose level were great.

So why wasn't Grail waking up? Could it be because of what Jim said? That Grail was the Anti-Life Equation?

"That's partially true."

"Kurama?"

"You could sense it, can't you? She is stronger than she was before. The Anti-Life Equation is fuelling her with power from the Anti-Matter universe. The glyphs of the Anti-Life Equation is scribbled all over her body. An ordinary human wouldn't be able to see them, but we can. And they are glowing with so much power. No wonder her father wants her to return to Apokolips."

"Is there anything we can do to help her?"

"Help her? Did I not tell you what the Anti-Life Equation is, boy? It's the consequence of God's creation. If there is light, so must there be darkness. If there is free will, so must there be an antithesis. Those who wield the Anti-Life Equation could practically mind control anything in the whole universe. If she truly desires your dick, she could simply will it and you will submit to her. And no, I'm afraid our powers may not be able to stop her from humping you."

"Can't you get serious, Kurama?"

"Oh, I'm serious. What if Grail wakes up to be someone different? What if she isn't the Grail that you know and love? Can you do it?"

Naruto clenched his fist. "Do what?"

"Kill her."

"I won't let it happen."

At that, Kurama's mocking guffaw blared in Naruto's head. "You're a doctor, Naruto. Surely you ain't delusional enough to believe that crap. A doctor can't save everybody. Even you have limits. Face it. She is the offspring of the devil. And now? She is the living embodiment of the Anti-Life Equation! How many hints do you want God to throw at you to let you know that it is better to offer her a merciful death than to kill her in the battlefield."

"If I kill her now, then I am no better than a hypocritical scumbag! Has it been so long that you have forgotten about our past? How our people see you as a demon? How they ostracise me because of you? I have never resented you, despite everything! I believed that my path is not paved by the wrongs that you have done. I believed that we can do better. And we did! So why can't she do the same?"

"It's not the same situation!"

"How is it not the same?"

"Naruto…"

"I believe there is good in her. I have seen it. You have seen it. What she is born to be does not define her."

"That's your problem. You always try to see the good in people. An anaconda is born to strangle a tapir. A lion is born to maul a zebra. An ant is born to work its way to death for the sake of the colony. They are born to their calling, Naruto. And they know not of any other ways to be what they are. The sooner you accept it, the better."

Naruto stood up and turned to the window. Dawn was still a blue rumour on the horizon, an oil painting of a perfect morning that he wished Grail could wake up to see it. "I want to believe there is hope in this world. I have to. If I don't, then what's the point of all this?"

"Who are you talking to?"

Kara stood by Grail's bedroom door, a bemused look plastered on her face.

Fiddling with the edge of the dresser, Naruto managed a weak smile, his eyes glazed. "No one. I thought you'll be heading to work?"

"My boss asks me to come in the afternoon, so I have some time to spare. That's why I…"

Naruto arched a brow and turned to the Kryptonian, who was dressed in a blue Adidas tracksuit. "What is it?"

"I have been on this planet for a while, but I never have an opportunity to know the extent of my… powers."

Brushing Grail's black hair over her ear, a small smile crept up Naruto's lips. "It seems like you already had it in mind then. Let's go for a workout."

Kara's eyes lit up, but went down almost immediately. "Really? Where? I mean, we can't go to gyms or any crowded places. I might accidentally break a building or two."

Folding his arms, Naruto chuckled as an idea came to mind. "Then I got the place just for us. Are you ready?"

"What about Grail?"

He waved a hand; as if on cue, columns of black seals etched itself to the walls. "Nah, she'll be fine. I placed a barrier that encompasses the house. Even a nuclear bomb can't blast its way through. She'll be safe."

"Okay then." Kara chirped, her heart was racing.

Naruto snapped his fingers and Kara found herself staring at the shimmering sheet of blue water stretched out before her, slow and curving like a well-sated python. Black rocks stretched across the coast and behind them were jagged peaks of mountains, capped in pristine white. Blanket of velvet white clouds hung around vast hills, enchanting the meadow with the sun's bright hue. Kara was awestruck. "Where are we?"

Taking a whiff of the cool breeze, Naruto cracked his knuckles. "New Zealand. Fiordland National Park, to be specific. Don't worry, though. This place is remote. The chance of someone hiking past this valley is slim. You can stretch as much as you want."

"To think that this place exist. We don't have… such scenery in Krypton."

"Beautiful, ain't it?" Naruto beamed. "Well, good news for you, if you so desire, you can always fly over here to have a look. So, let's start, shall we? Come at me with all you got. Don't hold back."

"D-Don't hold back?" Kara almost choked. "A-Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you."

"You're sweet." Dragging his foot to draw a circle in the sand, Naruto took a step in it and limbered up. "If you can push me out of this ring, I'll treat you to ice-cream whenever you want."

"Eh?" Kara's brows furrowed as she placed her hands on her hip. "Aren't you a little full of yourself? You do know that I can lift a truck with just one finger, right?"

"And I can eat fifty bowls of ramen in one sitting. You don't see me bragging about that, do you?"

"Your funeral then." Kara grinned and gave her hands a good stretch. In split seconds, she vanished, leaving deafening sonic booms behind her steps.

Naruto was unfazed as he raised his hand and caught a punch that was aimed at his nose. The moment Kara's fist connected to Naruto's palm, the rippling force caused geysers of water to burst from the nearby river, an ungodly gale to sweep through the forest, and the clouds in the mackerel sky to part ways. To say that Kara was astounded and amazed by Naruto's strength was an understatement. "Say, Kara, do you know any marital art?"

"Martial art?"

"Ways of defending yourself."

"I learned some back when I was in Krypton."

Naruto grinned. "Good, incorporate that with your strength. There are times when you can't use brute strength to win a fight. Be aware of your surroundings. Be cautious of ambushes. Be wary of your enemy's weakness. Lesson one: never blank out in a fight."

"W-Wha -"

Without hesitation, Naruto seized Kara's wrist and hurled her at a boulder. Much to his surprise, she disrupted her fall, readjusted her momentum in the air, and flew at him with a reared fist. Impressive, thought Naruto. He had clearly underestimated Kara. "Potential, this one has."

Parrying the flurry of punches and kicks that carried enough force to flatten mountains, Naruto hadn't broken a sweat yet. Unexpectedly, Kara's pace went up drastically, her attacks became fluid, and she wasn't holding back anymore. Naruto slapped Kara's ankle away, disrupting her tempo in the process, and kicked her shin to watch her fall. Nimble like a feather, she bounced back on her feet almost immediately and traded blows with him.

At the peak of their battle, Kara's punches erupted with such overwhelming power that it called forth violent tornadoes that threatened to level the reservoir, yet Naruto was shrugging them off like child's play. Each time their fists met, the ground sank into craters and the world shook violently.

Exhilaration. It was all Kara felt. The thrill of showcasing her strength in all of its glory without fearing the consequences. Performing retreating cartwheels to part a few paces from her foe, Kara regained her bearing and dusted her pants. "How strong are you?"

"Stronger than you, I suppose." Naruto quipped. "Your attacks are telegraphed. Don't square your shoulders, it makes you a bigger target. Keep your body at an angle. At this rate, you wouldn't even tire me out, let alone push me out of this ring."

Despite the soil had sank underneath their feet, Naruto still remained unmoved from his spot.

That irked her. A lot.

Letting out a war cry, Kara charged at Naruto, unleashing a barrage of jabs and left hooks combinations that were casually deflected. "Keep your right hand up every time you throw a left punch. If I wanted to knock you out, I would have gone for your unguarded right. Throw a few fakes in the mix to confuse your opponent. Never let your opponent register your rhythm. Stay sharp, focus on using your feet to drive more power."

Kara gritted her teeth; there was simply no opening she could exploit. She started taking in his advice, her rhythm became unpredictable, her strikes became even more explosive, and she was delivering fakes before landing whipping jabs and solid left hooks that almost caught him by surprise. Still, he anticipated her every move. "If I can't find any opportunity, then I'll just have to make one."

With deft hands, Kara grabbed Naruto's shirt collar and attempted to throw him over her shoulder, but found herself unable to lift him. She tried once more, this time with all of her might, but it was like trying to lift a mountain. Oh, she could lift a mountain, all right. But not this. Not him. "Are you trying to do a Seoi nage?"

"Seoi nage?"

Naruto smiled. "This is how you do it."

In split seconds, he spun her around, grabbed a handful of her jacket, and tossed her over his shoulder. He didn't expect her to yank him down by his shirt during her fall. In the midst of their confusion, Naruto was lying on top of Kara with her hands pinned to her side and their gaze connected. As she glanced up, she found herself lost in those ocean blue eyes.

There was just something in those sparkle of blue and green in his eyes that brought Kara warmth. Guilt bubbled up in her gut as she realised how happy she was. How could she enjoy herself when her world was gone and Kal-El was nowhere to be found? She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes, and Naruto noticed it immediately. Her earlier elation evaporated and she became jittery. "What's wrong?"

Kara tried to laugh it off, but Naruto took her hand and gave it a tug. There was a storm in her eyes, but she forced a smile and gently untangled herself from him. "Nothing's wrong. I'm getting late for work. We should leave."

"You know you can tell me if there's something bothering you." His voice was warm and deep, like summer honey dripping off the comb.

"I just… I was thinking of going to Metropolis. I know it sounds crazy, but I have a feeling that I need to go there." She said, but then she shrugged and looked away. "I don't know. Maybe my hunch is wrong."

"I won't stop you if that is what you want. Metropolis is quite near where we live." Naruto saw Kara's eyes – the shadow beneath and the sadness within, like there was something buried in her heart that she was dying to remove, but she couldn't bear to tell him. "Take a week or two to think about this. If you truly wish to move to Metropolis, I'll arrange something for you."

"That will be great. Thank you so much, Naruto."

Naruto chuckled. "Think nothing of it."

Kara giggled. "Will you teach me how to fight? I reckon I could learn a thing or two from you."

A grin played about his lips. "Then let's practice it every Saturday? How does that sound?"

It was the usual stint for Batman. Bank heist. Joker and Harley Quinn. Their shenanigans were meant to piss Batman off, as usual. Things went out of hand – one of the henchmen went trigger-happy. The gunfire between police and criminals went to a dead stop when Harley got shot by her thugs. Since Harley became a deadweight, Joker did what was rational to him – he abandoned her.

Batman was no fool. He knew Gotham Hospital would never offer Harley any medical treatment; God knows how many times the crazy clown had tried to blow the hospital up. It wouldn't be a stretch to imagine that the medical community carried their own vendetta. There was only one option: Metropolis Paragon Hospital.

The police wasn't going to help Batman rescue a psychopathic super villain that was hell-bent on destroying Gotham. Patience had limits and the people of Gotham were tired of the unchecked villainy running amok in their city. Batman, on the other hand, knew there was still some good in Harley. If he gave up on her now, then the possibility of her atoning for her sins would never happen.

The pendulum of Batman's mind oscillated constantly between right and wrong. Morality, like art, had to draw a line somewhere. If he didn't, then he would be no better than the criminals he fought every day. That's why Batman chose to believe. Even when the whole world was against him, he had to be a wall. His codes compelled him. With his handy gadgets, he summoned his Batwing to give him a lift. Harley was losing too much blood and time was of the essence.

"Ya' know what's funny, Batsy? All this time, I'va been tryin' to kill ya', turns out, ya' my sugar daddy!"

Batman had to resist rolling his eyes. "That phrase is wrong in so many levels. Do not call me that again."

"Yes, sugar daddy." Harley managed a weak giggle before she vomited blood all over Batman's armour, much to his chagrin.

"Save your energy and stop talking. You might just live through this." It was getting very difficult to pilot the Batwing with Harley squirming and making muffled noises on his lap. "And quit moving. I can't concentrate."

"C-Concentrate?" Harley was on the verge of passing out, but she couldn't resist making the stern and no-nonsense Batman break character. "On what? Ya' boner?"

Ignoring the deranged clown was better than feeding her with rhetoric, which would most likely turned into jokes to her. Batman did just that and continued their flight to Metropolis. This opened up so many avenues too; he could also visit the peculiar Naruto Uzumaki and examine his integrity as a doctor. Truly one stone kills two birds.

There was no doubt about the fact that Naruto was an unknown factor in the grand scheme of things. Unlike Superman, Naruto had evaded the spotlight for decades. Despite possessing ungodly powers, he chose to be a physician in some rural part of town. What was he hiding? Why was he on earth? When would he attempt to destroy the universe?

"Just dump me on a river or something!"

Batman sighed. "The doctors will save you."

"Now that… that's funny." Harley felt her senses dulling, but she kept holding on to Batman's collar; it was her only way to know that she was still alive. "Mr. J and I bombed… the AMA HQ a few years ago. Ya think those uptight pansy will save me?"

"I know someone will."

"Do you know what makes me laugh the most, Batsy?"

Sadness. Anxiety. Weakness. Batman wasn't sure what exactly flashed across Harley's eyes, but he was certain she was tired.

"It's people who pretend everything is going to be okay when it's not."

Rumours had it that Doctor Naruto Uzumaki – the new Head of Neurology – was an insouciant goof. The nurses were chatting about it the whole morning, much to Kory's chagrin. How the mighty had fallen, she mused irately. Metropolis Paragon Hospital's Department of Neurology was the Rolls-Royce of Neurological Institutes. Imagine their surprise when a rural doctor showed up and became their boss. What was the CEO even thinking?

"I know what you're thinking." James passed Kory a cup of coffee. Two spoon of sugar with extra milk. He knew her liking all too well. "He might not look like it, but Naruto is a great doctor. As much as it hurts my own pride, he is the best doctor I have ever seen."

At that, Kory scoffed. "If he's so great, why would he choose to work at some backwater town? Why not here? Or Mayo? Or Cleveland? Let's face it, James, he's a quack."

"What's wrong being a rural doctor?" James arched a brow. "Our job is to save life, no? People don't just fall sick in the city. There are many Americans living in the countryside. Trust me on this, Kory. I've worked with that bastard for years. He's the best there is."

"You can stop sucking his dick."

James pouted. "We talked about this. At home, I'm your boyfriend. In the hospital, I'm technically your superior. Can you at least show me some respect?"

Kory glared at him, green fire was blazing from her eyes. "And if I say no?"

Crestfallen, James rubbed his nose. "Why are you at the main lobby anyway?"

"One of the interns is late. I'm here to catch her and give her a piece of my mind. That I promise you."

The stigma the bore down on doctors in the hospital was the hierarchical order that they must come to eulogise. The intern must obey the residents, the residents serve the fellows, and the fellows pay their respect to the attending. Above all else, the doctors worshipped their chiefs, who were akin to commanders of battalions. Kory, a fellow, respected the order with great passion.

"Please don't yell at the interns. You're not doing your reputation any favour."

"I can accept a silly mistake here and there, but one thing I can't accept is tardiness. Judging by the fact that our new boss is a rural doctor, I bet he doesn't even care about punctuality."

Speaking of the devil, Naruto marched in, scanning the lobby like a falcon watching the world from an up draught. His back straight, his posture regal, and he held an air of wisdom that Kory was surprised to see. In Naruto's peripheral, he spotted an emergency. He could hear screams and disarray amongst the doctors and passer-by. Without haste, he stormed towards the commotion.

Upon immediate assessment, Naruto knew what was going on. The patient was thrashing about, kicking and screaming while the nurses were trying to hold him down. The doctors tried to sedate him with an injection, but was kicked away.

"Stop!"

Nobody listened, much to Naruto's chagrin.

"Strap him! He's psychotic!" One of the junior doctors barked.

"The patient is not psychotic." Naruto barged in and pushed the other doctors aside.

"Who are you? Are you this patient's guardian?" A nurse probed, annoyance was clearly plastered on her face.

Naruto sighed. "I'm not."

"Then please leave." Another doctor blurted out. "Or we'll have to escort you out of this building -"

"He is not psychotic. He just doesn't like people touching him." Naruto responded. "A symptom of autism. Now take a step back and you'll see."

When the crowd grudgingly did as they were told, the patient ceased his violent behaviour and calmed down. The doctors were befuddled and turned to the mysterious blond, their eyes narrowed. "Who're you?"

"I am Doctor Naruto Uzumaki. If you haven't received your memo yet, starting from today, I am your boss." At that, the doctors and nurses gasped in horror. Naruto dropped his hand on one of the doctor's shoulder and gave it a good squeeze; the poor sap flinched horribly. "Keep minimal contact with patient. Restraint his movement only when necessary. Let his parents be near him if you need to do any diagnosis. Am I clear?"

"Y-Yes!" Cold terror sloshed over them when their supervisor – Doctor James Bronson – came and shook Naruto's hand. If they had any doubts that the blond was their new boss, those doubts were squashed down their throat. The best thing they could do was to usher the patient into the emergency ward and hope their new boss wouldn't remember their faces.

Unfortunately for them, Naruto had a pretty good memory.

"I can never get use to your doctor self. And what's with the suit and tie? It's so not you." James shuddered; Naruto might not look the part, but when he don the white coat, he became a real piece of work. Only those who had worked with him knew what he was like when he was on duty. "Your personality really makes a 180 when you wear this get-up."

Naruto spun around, examining his black suit with a raised brow. "I'm the chief, which means I'm the law around here. Problem?"

"No sir." James snickered. "And I guess you're not going to your office?"

Rubbing his hands, Naruto turned to his colleague. "I prefer to know how this place works before I step into the lion's den. It would be best if nobody knows who I am first so I know how the people here work. Like undercover boss."

James cocked a brow. "Didn't you already do that a few days ago? You know? With the bucket of paint and everything."

"Yes. And I did it as Naruto Uzumaki, not Doctor Naruto Uzumaki. Besides, nobody, save for you, realise something was amiss when I was wandering the hallway with a bucket of paint."

Scratching his head, James heaved out a long sigh. "We're not in the military anymore. You don't have to be a hard-ass."

"Since when have I been a hard-ass? If there is a hard-ass in this department, it's probably Kory."

James scoffed. "Why is that?"

"Look." Naruto jerked his chin at the receptionist desk. James trailed after where Naruto was looking pointedly at and saw Kory fuming.

Apparently, Kory had caught the poor intern who was late and was exploding in anger. She paced around the quavering intern like a hungry hyena, her eyes murderous and her voice laced with malice. If looks could kill, the intern would have been buried six feet under. "I have many interns who work under me for years, but none have the balls to be late for work. This is my first time, Ms Caitlin Snow."

"T-The bus broke down and I -"

"I don't want to hear your excuses." Raw fury practically blazed from Kory's eyes as she interjected. "Do you know how precious time is for a doctor? If you can't manage it, then give me that goddamn coat! I get that you're clueless about how things work around here, but don't you dare cross the line with me!"

The nurses and doctors looked away, some even scampered like their lives depended on it. To challenge Kory's authority when she's disciplining interns would be unprofessional. Whistling out a jovial tune, Naruto marched to Kory and decided to save a damsel in distress. "Hey, hope I'm not disturbing you or anything."

Kory straightened herself and offered Naruto a small nod. Protocol required her to be courteous to her boss, even if she disliked him.

"Doctor Snow, yes?" Naruto bent down a little just so he could look the intern in the eye. "I'm Doctor Naruto. Chief of Neurology. Pleasure to meet you."

At that, the intern shook violently. Tears were practically swelling in her eyes. Did she do something to offend God? Because today had been one misfortune after another. Her alarm didn't go off, the bus broke down, she forgot to bring her ID Card on her way out, she got caught by Doctor Kory, and the Chief of Neurology witnessed everything. Her career was over. "I-I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I-I didn't mean to! I swear!"

"Whoa, calm down. You're a doctor now. We can't have you go on a mental breakdown on us, okay? I need you to take a deep breath."

"What are you doing, Doctor Uzumaki?" Kory glowered and folded her arms. "She is my intern."

"Look, I'm not asking you to cut her some slack, but I think a little leniency wouldn't hurt too much. She got reprimanded and I believe she wouldn't be late anymore, now would you? Doctor Snow?"

"Never!" The intern practically screamed and hastily covered her mouth.

Naruto beamed and clapped his hands. "There we go. Alright, go get yourself settle down and join other interns later for your morning briefings."

After Caitlin Snow had scrambled out of Kory's sight, the Tamaran re-directed her fury at her boss. "I don't appreciate you meddling when I'm doing my job, Doctor Uzumaki."

Throwing his hands in the air, Naruto offered the hot-headed Tamaran a small smile. "Just throwing a life line to that poor girl. Besides, if you wish to reprimand a junior, at least do it somewhere when others can't see it. If you are in command, show them some respect. If you don't, then you have failed them."

"I don't need you to tell me what to do."

"Oi! Doctor Kory! Watch your tone." James growled. "Naruto is offering you solid advice to be a leader. Learn to accept some criticism."

If looks could kill, James would have died standing. Kory stood before James, glanced up, and sneered. "You're dead to me. Consider our date tonight cancelled."

James almost staggered. "W-What? But that reservation in the restaurant took me two months to book!"

It was too late for James to defuse his predicament as Kory had strode past him and purposely bumped into his shoulders. Hard.

"I didn't know you were dating her."

Chuckling weakly, James scratched his scalp. "Thanks for using past tense. Well, she'll get over it. I hope."

It was then a siren went off.

"Alert: Cold Blue."

The phones at the receptionist's desk started ringing and a clerk picked up. After a moment of tense silence, the clerk looked at Naruto. "S-Sir, it's for you. Batman is on his way to our helipad and he specifically requests for Doctor Uzumaki."

James blinked. "Do you know Batman?"

"Nope. But I'm about to find out."

By the time Naruto had slipped into his white coat, nurses had ushered in the notorious Harley Quinn into the emergency room. She looked terrible, the wound on her stomach was still gushing blood and her life was barely hanging by a thread. It was a miracle she was still alive. Bustling over, Naruto took a quick examine and glanced up to meet Batman's gaze. "What happened?"

"Joker and his gang had a gunfight with the police. She got hit by a stray bullet."

That was all Naruto needed to know before he peered up at the nurses around him. "Prepare warm saline, EB and gauze. We'll patch her up first before sending her for CT. James, get me an OR ready, will you?"

James nodded without hesitation and jogged to the elevator. The nurses and residents however froze in their feet, their gaze averted. Repulsion was practically leaking from their eyes and an undercurrent of sullen fear rippled across the hall.

Their hesitation aggravated Naruto. Every minute counted and they were all standing there like mannequins. "What are you guys doing?"

"That's Harley Quinn, sir." One of the residents shot hateful glares at the half-grinning, half-conscious clown. "She is a criminal!"

Criminal? Yes, Harley Quinn was a criminal, which was a fact that didn't go unnoticed by him, but it had never occurred to him that being a criminal meant being devoid the right to be saved. Naruto raised a brow and pointed a finger at the junior doctor. "You, what is your name?"

"B-Brown, sir."

"What is your profession?"

Brown puffed out his chest. "I'm a second year resident, sir."

"Did you happen to be a lawyer before you join this profession? A prosecutor? Or a judge?"

Brown lowered his head, shifting uncomfortably. "N-No, sir."

"Then start doing your job! All of you have sworn an oath. To save the ill at your best capability without prejudice whatsoever. So either you uphold that oath or you resign now!"

It was Megan who stepped up, her gaze steeled. "I'll clean up her wound and send her for CT."

Naruto observed Megan with piqued curiosity for a moment, searching her eyes for any malicious intent. But all he saw was fervent determination. "Alright. Doctor Morse, you'll be my first assistant. Get ready for the surgery."

"Understood." Quick on her feet, Megan pushed the hospital cot down the hall. The rest of the doctors and nurses trailed after Megan.

To say that Batman was impressed was an understatement. Nobody could fault the doctors for despising Harley. The atrocity she had done when she was wreaking havoc with Joker in Gotham City was dismal and appalling. Frankly, Batman was prepared to challenge Naruto's integrity as a doctor if he had chosen to abandon Harley. "Doctor Uzumaki, may I have a word?"

Cocking a brow, Naruto slotted his hands in his coat pockets and gave the masked crusader a level look. "I don't think we've met. How did you know me?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does. I don't want some creepy night stalker to request specifically for my assistance every time some shit storms happen in Gotham. An ambulance wouldn't take a patient from Seattle to a hospital in San Francisco, no? There is a hospital in Gotham. Please use it. And if you need to come here, there are other brilliant doctors who can assist you."

"The Justice League can use a man like you."

Naruto was taken aback by the sudden request. "I beg your pardon?"

"On paper, you seem to appear out of nowhere twenty years ago. Before that, nothing. An enigma who graduated from Harvard. You're a legend in the Navy SEALs, so much so that the government chose to cover up what you can do. Or what you did. And then you went and travel around the world after you were honourably discharged from the military, saving people from Bhutan to Zimbabwe as a freelance doctor. I did some digging. Pull some strings here and there. Connect the dots. I know what you are."

Naruto's jaw twitched as he took a step forward, their noses were inches apart. "You know nothing about me, boy."

"You hide your powers well. Why don't you put it in good use?" Batman tilted his head. "The world needs a man like you who can help save it from immolation."

Naruto's eyes flashed a dangerous glow and the air suddenly became heavy for Batman to breathe. If Batman was any lesser, he would have wilted under the grim look Naruto was shooting him. "I see now. You sent Harley Quinn here on purpose, didn't you? You want to know if I would kill Harley for what she is. Are you some sort of sociopath? Do you expect people to toss their arms up and dance to your tune like marionettes?"

"I need to know if you're a threat to humanity or not."

"Say the man in a bat costume who thinks he is above the law." Naruto placed a hand on his hip, his voice was flat yet it carried traces of venom that didn't go unnoticed by Batman. "This is a hospital. A place where doctors and patients coexist. I don't want you to bring your eight-grader syndrome in my hospital. Now, if you excuse me, I have a patient that needs to be operated."

Without sparing Batman another glance, Naruto strode past him.

It was Barbara Gordon's first day as a resident in Paragon Neuroscience Institute, a prestigious hospital that was renowned for being superior to John Hopkins and Mayo Clinic for its neurological healthcare and technology. She almost had a panic attack when she saw her supervisor, Doctor Kory, giving hell to one of the interns. Note to self; not to get on her supervisor's bad side.

When she heard the news that Batman had flew all the way to Metropolis, she knew what he was planning. Sneaky bastard. Truth was, Barbara could tell her mentor was looking forward to meet a worthy adversary. The Riddler, Joker, Bane – they were not the devil. They were practice.

"Seriously? I thought he asked me to keep an eye on him. Is he that impatient to get into action? Sheesh."

Someone put a hand on Barbara's shoulder, startling her. Years of training under Batman's tutelage had sharpened her instinct. She pivoted and attempted to grab the offending hand, but she came face to face with a cold gun aimed in between her eyes. "Uh, uh, uh! Do not make a fuss. I just want to know where Harley Quinn is."

"She is undergoing surgery." Barbara met Captain Cold's stare, her fury blazing. "Are you trying to break her out?"

"Break her out?" he snorted. "I'm here to kill that bitch. Bring me to her. Now!"

A visceral urge to retaliate swept through Barbara, but the cold gun shoved right at her face made her think twice. She glanced over her shoulder and realised she was alone. Darn it. Captain Cold had planned down to the minute. Since she wasn't donning her costume, he wouldn't recognise her as Batgirl. Any false step and she might be dead. Or worst. She had to play her cards right.

"What are you waiting for? Bring me to that bitch, now!"

"I can't let you barge into an OR like that. Doctor Uzumaki is operating on her as we speak."

Captain Cold raised his hand, a device in his grip. "Do you know what this is? There is eight pound of C4 strapped around me. It's a spring-loaded Deadman switch. If my hand comes of it, you can imagine what'll happen."

Barbara swallowed hard. This was bad. Really, really bad. How could she let her guard down and get herself captured by the infamous Leonard Snart aka Captain Cold? First week in her new department and she already got herself in trouble.

Grudgingly, she led the assailant to OR 1, which was just right at the fork of the hallway. Darn it. Why must the OR be this close? If there was a crowd, she could get help. On second thought, that might not be a good idea at all. Brows furrowed, she walked bristly, her mind careening from thought to thought. Shake him off! But how? She needed a plan! Urgently!

When they veered right, she gazed ahead – the OR was right before them. The agitated criminal pushed Barbara into the OR, causing the doctors and nurses to reel back in shock. This was not how she envisioned making first impression with her new colleagues. "Stop this operation, now!"

Panic and trepidation spread like invisible flames amongst the doctors and nurses. Megan had never encountered something drastic like this in an OR before. James was debating to himself if he should risk exposing his powers to his peers or stay vigilant and see how this unfold itself. Surreptitiously and cautiously, James reached to his pocket, dialled 911, and had it on loud speaker so that what had transpired would be heard.

Naruto, however, was perfectly stoic.

"Hey you!" Leonard pointed his cold gun at Megan and barked. "Turn off the machines right now! Move away from the table and nobody gets hurt!"

Turning off the surgical equipment would mean signing Harley's death warrant! A sick feeling gnawed at Megan's stomach; this was a medical dilemma. She turned to Naruto for guidance, but was surprised of his unperturbed look.

"I said turn off the machines and fuck off! This is between me and that bitch lying over there!" When Leonard realised the doctors were unmoving, he shifted his aim right at the nape of Barbara's neck and snarled. "Do it or I'll kill her! I mean it!"

"T-Turn off the machines!" Megan shuffled away from the operating table and whispered to the nurses.

"No. We will continue this operation." Naruto said frostily and raised his hand. "Scalpel."

Rage contorted Leonard's face. "YOU THINK I'M PLAYING? HUH?"

At this point, Megan was more concern about Barbara's wellbeing than anything. This was a nasty hostage situation! Any wrong decisions made might cost Barbara's life! As much as Megan hated to admit this, Barbara's life worth more than a lowlife criminal's. Naruto was getting in over his head! No, Megan knew she had to do the right thing. She had to -

"Nobody moves away from the table."

"Doctor Uzumaki!" Megan growled.

James was getting anxious, but he maintained his cool. His days in the military had taught him how to keep his composure even in the bleakest day. The prudent option they had was to evacuate the innocent people first. Confronting Captain Cold was borderline insane! "Naruto, be reasonable here! Barbara is in danger and we have to -"

"Do not make me repeat myself." Naruto's face was inscrutable. "We will continue. Doctor Gordon."

Barbara jolted.

"Doctor Gordon!"

"Y-Yes!"

Naruto's gaze carried an assurance to Barbara, as if telling her that she would be safe. "I will not stop this operation."

"Do you even know what she did to me?" The dumbfounded Leonard was seething through his teeth. "She is a serial killer! A scum who deserves to die!"

"So what did she do to you?" Naruto probed.

"My sister! She killed my sister!" Leonard almost screamed as tears rolled down his eyes. "She was a great kid! Mechanical engineering degree. 3.7 GPA. She spent her holidays building sustainable housing for the poor! And that clown bitch killed her! A drive-by shooting! And do you know what's fuck up about all this shit? The judges sent that bitch to Arkham Asylum! No! Not life imprisonment! Not death sentence! A fucking asylum! Can you even believe that? Huh?"

Raw, unquenchable hate burned in Leonard's eyes. The thought of knowing he would never see his sister's face again only transform his bitterness to mindless rage and his face twisted in distraught. "My sister didn't even get the justice she deserved! Now tell me, what did my sister do to deserve such a tragic death? TELL ME!"

Megan and Barbara were shaken by the revelation. No, this hit Barbara way harder. Her father was almost killed in a shooting incident. If her father hadn't survived, she would have become an orphan, forced to move from one foster home to another. Who knows? She might very well be standing in Captain Cold's shoes, pointing her gun at some unfortunate bloke, demanding justice. No amount of thoughts and prayers would repair her broken self.

"Is that it?" Naruto blinked. "You want to punish her?"

"The law in this country is fuck up! How could they let my sister's killer roam free? And you know what's even more fuck up?" Leonard was choking in his sob, but he had to scream out this unjust! "They knew she would return back to the streets! The Joker would set her free! And yet nothing is done! Nothing! This country ain't doing shit to these criminals! It is my right! I have the right to kill the bitch who killed my sister!"

In truth, Naruto could sympathise with Leonard; a desperate man who was driven to the edge because the authority had failed him. As he spiralled to madness, his only solace was self-loathing. An eye for an eye makes the world go blind – that was easy to say for those who had not undergone any trauma in life. "I understand where you are coming from. You will do what you have to do. And I will do what I must. Now pass me the scalpel."

The scrub nurses were confounded.

"How could you still wish to save this bitch after hearing my story?" Leonard gritted his teeth. "Don't you get it? I -"

"I get it." Naruto sighed. "When you close your eyes at night, you see the happy memories you had with your sister. The joy. Her laughter. The warmth of a family, no matter how broken it was. And when you wake up in the morning, you realise that you will never feel that again. Believe me when I say this, I know what you are going through. But that doesn't absolve me from my duty. I am a doctor, not a judge. If you want to kill her after this, then so be it, but not until I finish with this operation."

A sound lurked within Leonard, something between a scream and a sob. Something animalistic and deranged. "How could you -"

"Doctor Bronson! Doctor Morse!" Naruto's bark jolted Megan and James to attention. "Resume the operation! Scalpel."

"STOP THIS OPERATION, YOU CUNT! STOP IT!"

Diana was excited for the day. Waking up early in the morning, she had went for her daily jog and prepared lunch for two. It was supposed to be Naruto's first day at work and she wanted to surprise him. The Paragon Heart Centre that she supervised was situated right beside Paragon Neuroscience Institute that he was about to manage, so it wouldn't be a problem for them to meet up for lunch.

On her way to her office, her protégé – Doctor Cassandra Sandsmark – came up to her with a bemused look. "Professor? What's with the bento?"

The reverie of spending a night in that orphanage with Naruto, gazing at the stars, and feeling the warmth of his body on hers had distracted her for a while. She wanted to hold him and feel those lips of his that curved like they're always smiling. Perhaps a lunch or two with him could sort out her feelings for him.

"Professor?"

Diana snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Cassandra. "C-Cassie? What are you doing here?"

Cassandra arched a brow, scrutinizing her mentor's glazed eyes while slurping on her milk tea. "What's gotten into you? Is something bothering you?"

Hastening her strides, Diana composed herself and cleared her throat. "Did you do your rounds with other residents and interns? You're a fellow now. At least act like one."

"Already did my rounds~!" Cassandra chirped while sipping loudly from her drink. "Even had time to go to neurology and buy myself their signature tiger sugar milk tea from their café. They make really good milk teas that give their customers diabetes. I love it. Speaking of which, did you hear? Batman came and looked for the new boss at neurology. Wait. What was his name again? Er… Naru… Nadu… Ah! Doctor Mimoto Misaki."

Batman? What was a member of the Justice League doing here? That certainly perked Diana's attention. "Do you mean Doctor Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yeah! Doctor Naruto Uzumaki. Whoa, he's pretty cool himself. I heard he scolded Batman in his face. Take real balls to do that. And then Captain Cold barged into Doctor Uzumaki's OR and is threatening him as we speak."

Diana came to a halt, blinked, and grimaced at Cassandra. "Wait, back up. What did you just say?"

"He had a spat with Batman?"

"No! The last bit."

"Captain Cold went gun blazing into Doctor Uzumaki's OR and he's threatening to kill everybody. Last I heard, the SWAT team has already arrived and waiting to storm into the OR to kick some ass. Big news, I tell ya!"

Without haste, Diana ran with her high heels on, startling the nurses and doctors around her. Under no circumstances would the mighty Dragon Lady – Diana Prince – lose her cool. Even if a patient came rolling in with a rebar plunged into his chest, Diana's beautiful face never betrayed her with a flicker of emotion. If the world end tomorrow, the entire staff of Paragon Heart Centre bet Diana wouldn't even bat an eyelash.

Cassandra walked to the window and glanced up at the sky just to make sure the apocalypse wasn't upon her.

"I'M BEGGING YOU, DOCTOR! STOP THIS OPERATION!"

Unyielding, Naruto ignored Leonard's wail and kept going. Megan was on autopilot, assisting Naruto at the best of her abilities. His hands were fast, his movement decisive, and every step he took was brilliantly calculated. To Megan and the other nurses, Naruto carried himself with the grace of a conductor who was directing a perfect orchestra.

"What do you believe in, Captain Cold?" Naruto asked while manipulating tissues with a Kelly forceps. "Justice? Vengeance? Is that it?"

How small Leonard felt against the raking claw of injustice. The law couldn't protect innocent people like his sister and its incompetence allowed criminals like Joker and Harley to destroy lives in the process. There were times he wanted everyone to die and there were times he wanted to die too.

"I believe in karma though." There was strength and conviction in Naruto's voice, raising goose bumps on Leonard's arms. "Neither you nor me stands in the centre of it. It's the world that stands in the centre of it. Harley Quinn's violence inadvertently killed your sister. And Harley Quinn's violence inevitably led her on this table."

"Shut up!"

"Do you know what will happen after you exact revenge on her, kid?" Naruto was suturing up the broken tissues at a speed that amazed Megan; she was struggling to keep up with him. "You thought that the world will change once you have gotten the revenge you seek. You assumed you'll find peace when you murder your sister's murderer. I hate to burst your bubble, but you'll only realise the world wouldn't change. You'll still wake up in the morning, staring at the ceiling, and feeling miserable all the same."

"I said shut up!"

Naruto heaved out a sigh as he sewed up the wound. "Whether you like it or not, that is how it will play out. Besides, I can tell you never really have the intention to hurt Doctor Gordon."

Captain Cold sneered. "Y-You think I won't kill this wench?"

"No, I don't. Do you want to know how I know?" Naruto peered up and stared at Leonard. "Because she reminds you of your sister, no?"

At that, Captain Cold's eyes widened. "H-How…"

"Well, for starters, you have brown hair. I'm taking a guess that the genes runs in the family. Doctor Gordon happens to share the same shade of hair as you. And you mentioned your sister loves to help the poor. I'll take a wager and guess she has an uplifting smile, like Doctor Gordon's. I'm sure you saw the same compassion that your sister had in Doctor Gordon's eyes too. You came here as an avenger, not a senseless murderer."

"I…" The wildness in his eyes dimmed.

"The operation is done." Naruto turned to Leonard, his gaze apathetic. "You can do whatever you want now. Kill Harley, don't kill Harley. Well, that is not up to me to decide. If you must know, the bullet has penetrated her L2 vertebrae. To put it in layman's term, she is paralysed from the waist down. Even so, if you wish to be a murderer for someone like her, then by all means, go for it."

Leonard's eyes fell on his cold gun, his fingers shaking.

"You have two options now. Kill that woman and go to jail for her. Or walk out of here and surrender yourself peacefully to the police. I'm sure the court will be lenient to you if you show restraint."

"S-Shut up! I'll kill you all!"

Naruto sighed. "Okay. You choose how you will live your life. I am responsible for this surgery. The rest of them are merely following my orders. Let them go."

Leonard gritted his teeth and looked away.

Glancing over his shoulders, Naruto barked. "All of you, get out of here."

James blinked. "Naruto…"

"I said get out!" the blond bristled.

Straightening himself, James gestured the scrub nurses and doctors to leave.

Naruto softened his gaze at Leonard. "Can you let Doctor Barbara go too?"

Tears streamed down Captain Cold's face and he let go of Barbara, who tumbled forward clumsily, only to be caught by Naruto. Megan hastily took Barbara's shoulders and vaulted out of the OR.

"No matter what your decision may be, it is your life. I know it's hard for you to get over that hate of yours, but I know one thing for sure. Your sister wouldn't want you to go to jail for her murderer." Naruto dropped a hand on his shoulder, gave it a squeeze, and watched him with an unsettling, fixed gaze that made him shudder. "Remember, kid, you have a choice. We all do."

Author Note: I apologised for not updating this story for a while. I was busy with work, life, and whatnot. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Some of you are asking, "Hey, this makes no sense! Why are so many DC Heroes/Villains doctors?" All will be explained soon. I did insinuate the reason behind this phenomenon a few chapters back, actually.

Pairing:

1.) NarutoXDiana
2.) NarutoXGrail (I'm not sure about this one)
3.) NarutoXCirce
4.) NarutoXKara
5.) NarutoXMaxima
6.) Your suggestion
7.) Harem

Let me know how you feel by writing a review down below!