Bet you weren't expecting this!

DW, I've been writing all the other stories side by side. Next update in three-four days, most likely the Persona x Worm fic.

Yggdrasil Online. Where could Naruto begin explaining it?

He could call it another 'full dive' VR MMORPG, One of the dozen or so games released alongside the technology. It was the game that won out amongst a sea of competitors.

Why? Because the designers understood one simple thing. Without their fans, they were nothing.

If he was to think back to the launch of the game, more than a decade ago, Naruto couldn't pinpoint exactly when the game became good. He'd always enjoyed it, and he could say with complete certainty that the other MMOs that rose up around it could simply not compete. Yggdrasil had a small studio behind it, one that couldn't compete with the market juggernauts through polish, budget or manpower.

So they made do with tweaks.

The game had ten classes at launch, divided into three main groups. Tanks, healers, and DPS. In many ways, Yggdrasil at launch wasn't much different from MMOs made a century ago, not that there were many people who could make that comparison.

Naruto, meanwhile, could.

They needed more classes, and four months into the game's launch, they did what other designers would consider 'career suicide'. It was a move so bold, so risky, that if it didn't work, it could take the game down in days.

They gave every class the ability to have other classes as 'subclasses'. To draw weaponry, skills, and techniques from many classes at the same time.

Basically, using ten base classes, the developers created a few thousand.

It worked, of course, it did. The meta was a goldmine for anyone who was mathematically inclined. The skill-ceiling of the game got blown wide open, and by the time the player base figured out the meta, the designers had already figured out ways to balance it.

Naruto smiled to himself as he remembered all of it. Yggdrasil was the first 'full dive' MMO he had played. Even though the technology was more popular for single player titles, Naruto had only ever used it to play Yggdrasil.

Why had he - a shinobi with an immortal life - chosen to play a video game? Well, the answer lay in the question. Immortality. Apparently, when he had received the sage's chakra, his already-lengthened Uzumaki-endowed lifespan was increased tenfold. Sasuke later made the mistake of handing the other half of the sage's chakra to Naruto on his deathbed.

He should have realized what it would do to him, as it had done to Hagoromo.

So there he was. He led the Shinobi for centuries, until one day, he got bored. He handed the leadership to someone else and left.

Then, he traveled.

He traveled far and wide over the world during the nascent periods of civilization. Some mistook him for a god, some as the devil, some saw him as a helper, some saw him as destruction.

Whatever they saw in him, the world took notice.

So, he did what he did last time he was saddled with authority. He disappeared and had stayed in hiding ever since.

It was getting harder now. Even with the Sage's chakra, entropy was still a thing. He would live forever, but it would be painful. His body would die, slowly, painfully, till only his consciousness remained.

It was why he was on a bed now, his skin creased and wrinkled, his once-radiant blonde hair now bone-white.

A pathetic end to a grand life. He was okay with that.

What he missed was companionship.

Of course, he'd had companions all life long. Great friends, great lovers, and interesting self-professed rivals. He'd had children, and they'd had children. His lineage was as diluted as it could possibly be at this point, but Naruto was okay with that too.

This world didn't need any more 'demigods'.

So, his disappearance had turned into isolationism. This led to him coming up with new ways to spend his time.

He learned things. Not with his clones, no. He learned it the old-fashioned way, slowly and painstakingly. Even then, time was all he had, and soon, he ran out of things to learn.

That's when he got into video games.

He still remembered buying his first Atari, marveling at the 'graphics', the 'realism', and the fun.

One thing led to another, over a hundred years passed, and Yggdrasil happened.

Naruto was in love at first sight.

'Full dive' was a neural implant. With it on, Naruto no longer felt the lonely, depressing world around him. He felt the world of Yggdrasil, where he was just another fledgling adventurer. Where he had no tailed beast chained inside him at birth. He was a special adventurer, but so was everyone else.

It was a level playing field. Becoming the best held weight as a concept once again.

And he'd done quite well. He made friends again, enemies too. This time, though, they could fight back.

He thrived in it, he loved every second of it.

Yet, like anything he loved, it was a temporary escape. The news that servers for Yggdrasil were going to close came as no surprise, given that only thirty-odd players were online on peak times.

Tonight was the night Yggdrasil would go under, and Naruto would be there to see off his old, trusty friend.

Naruto raised a shaking hand to press the on button on the Dive Visor and lay back on his bed as the game booted up. He knew that moisture and the Visor did not mix, but he still couldn't keep a stray tear from rolling down his cheek.

This was going to hurt.

Welcome to Yggdrasil Online

Logging in as: Godslayer

Server: US West

Players Online: 1

Notice: Due to the dying popularity of Yggdrasil online, servers will be shutting down in twenty minutes.

Naruto noted the time on the notice as it went down to nineteen minutes. He didn't plan to be here overlong, he knew that no one else was going to be online. Maybe someone would be online on the JPN server?

He raised a hand and the command console came up, showing his personal Avatar, which was made in Naruto's image, except much younger. He skimmed through the menus till his hand landed on the world chat tab.

Two people online in total. That was it. Of course, that wasn't accounting for people on as 'invisible', but not too many players used that function actively.

Still, it was a good thing to believe, that more people were around, just unwilling to talk. It was more heartening than saying his favorite game had only two people who stuck with it till the final day.

Naruto considered sending a message to the other player, someone named 'Momonga' from the guild Ainz Ooal Gown on the JPN server.

That name reminded him of an old friend, this paladin named 'Touch me'. He was a hardcore player back when the second expansion dropped. Naruto had run many high-end raids with him. They'd even met in the PvP areas many-a-time. The age old rivalry of the Warrior and the Paladin...

Naruto skimmed over the guild info. Apparently, someone had been on minutes ago. Touch me hadn't logged in for over a year and a half.

It was just Momonga, sitting alone, somewhere.

Naruto decided against sending the message. If this Momonga was anything like him, he wanted to mourn alone. Today wasn't the day to make new friendships. It was a day to remember those he had nurtured for over a decade. People he would never meet but knew on a personal level.

Naruto quit his menu and walked out of his personal cottage. He never saw the need to buy a big house, and he'd never joined a guild. He only had one retainer and said AI was currently following him.

The AI's name? Sasuke Uchiha.

Naruto had seen it as a personal challenge to create a carbon copy of his brother-in-arms in the game the day the devs released the retainers update. With the amount of endgame gear that Naruto had given 'Sasuke', it was very possible that this Sasuke could give most players a run for their money.

It was one of the reasons why no one had ever tried to raid his cottage, the other being his own fearsome reputation, and the fact that he was almost always online.

Plus, why would someone waste time and potions raiding a cottage?

Naruto stopped walking as he stood on the balcony of his first-floor bedroom. The view he got from his cottage was breathtaking, one of the reasons why his piece of property was expensive. It afforded him a clear view of the first expansion deepwoods area. While he didn't visit the place all that often, it was a glorious sight to look at.

Naruto sighed as he looked at the notice again. Ten minutes left. Naruto was tempted to delete his house, but a single look at Sasuke stopped him.

He didn't need to do that, the designers would do it for him, even though he didn't want to give them the satisfaction of taking away everything he had grinded for over the years.

With a casual swipe of his hand, Naruto brought up Sasuke's character log. The bricks of code stared back at him as he looked at his creation. It was the only time Naruto got some use out of his skill at programming. The code was neat, well-made, and effective.

Except for that one line at the end. A print command, followed by 'I remember'.

It was a simple trigger. If Naruto ever asked Sasuke whether he remembered the elemental nations, Sasuke would reply with a gruff 'I remember' while doing an emote. It was simply a reminder.

So, Naruto didn't delete anything. Instead, he leaned on the railing of the balcony, preparing himself to be logged out an booted out of the game. He closed his eyes in preparation, as looking at the sun setting over the deepwoods only made his pain worse. He counted down the final seconds in his mind, and as he reached zero, he heard a loud noise.

The sound of wood cracking.

Naruto had a second to turn as the wooden railing he was leaning on shattered under the weight of his armor. He fell, but righted himself in midair, using his hands and feet to stick to the side of his house with chakra.

He then jumped down, and in the second it took for him to land, three facts made themselves known to him.

Firstly, his chat-log had disappeared from his HUD, Taking the shutdown notice with it. Secondly, he had broken an immortal object through sheer weight, through physics. Finally, he was able to use chakra.

The combined shock was enough to make Naruto mess up his landing, sending him tripping down, landing on his face.

It hurt.

Naruto jumped off the ground and held his nose. It was bleeding, but the pain was getting duller by the second. That too was surreal. Passive healing didn't kick in till five seconds after injury in Yggdrasil, but Naruto was still healing.

My regen factor! Of course! Naruto thought. It made sense that he'd get his regen factor if he got his chakra in-game, however stupid that felt.

Confused, Naruto opened up his menu again, only to find it half-functional. All the chat features were completely gone, the report and contact GM options were also missing. Most importantly, the logout button was nowhere to be found.

Then came the panic.

Naruto tried his old method of checking up on the real world. He forced his real-life body to circulate chakra. Except, his in-game body was what responded.

There was no 'real life' body left.

He quickly sent his chakra inwards to the roiling mass of chakra that was once the nine tailed beasts. Chakra memory worked only for so long, and none of the bijuu remembered what they once were. Instead, all that was left of them was an orb of highly concentrated chakra, enough to make Kaguya pop a hate boner.

"You alright down there?"

Naruto froze. That voice was too familiar, even after all these long centuries. He turned slowly, dreading what he would see.

And he did see exactly what he feared.

Sasuke, his retainer, stood on the balcony, looking down at him with veiled concern. "Did you hit your head so hard that you forgot how to speak?"

Naruto's breath caught in his chest. Sasuke was terse, passive and sarcastic. That was the personality Naruto had coded for him. Still, there was one question Naruto had to ask him.

"Hey Sasuke," Naruto started noticing the fact that he was sweating, a feature the game didn't have. "Do you remember the Elemental Nations?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto with a confused gaze. "That's the most stupid question you've ever asked me, Naruto."

Naruto took a deep breath. Of course, he wouldn't know. There was no way he could. Even the question sounded so stupid…

"How can I forget the horrors of the war? Of Kaguya? Of Madara?"

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. "W-wait, you remember? How."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "I was there, dobe. We fought her together." Sasuke sighed. "Of course, that was years ago, long before we came here."

Naruto's confusion got the better of him. "What about the thousands of years in between? Do you remember where we were?"

Realization struck Sasuke, and his face scrunched. "Thousands of years? It can't be." Sasuke spoke, his tone measured. "I can remember the war, then my next memory is of this house."

Naruto was silent. "And you have no Chakra."

Sasuke gasped, he was about to reply when he stopped mid-sentence. "It is true, I can't feel my chakra. Still, my body feels powerful, extremely so."

Naruto nodded. "You're at the level cap, one of the most meta builds in the game, and are armed with weapons and relics most people in this game never got to lay eyes on. Of course, you're powerful."

Sasuke gave Naruto a confused glance. "You know more about me than I do. Tell me, Naruto, what am I?"

Naruto sighed. "You're Sasuke Uchiha… created in the image of the original."

Sasuke was silent for a moment. "Still, I don't remember my life past the war. Tell me, Naruto, what happened after our fight?"

And so Naruto did. Naruto filled Sasuke in on his fate, on the fate of the Elemental Nations, on the fate of the world. After an explanation that took over an hour, Naruto finally stopped, and Sasuke tried to wrestle with the dump of information he had just received.

"I died of old age, huh? Not what I expected, not in our line of work." Sasuke answered, finally coming to terms with what his life had been.

"It was a good death, at least as good as they can get." Naruto answered. "Sure beats being immortal, watching your body die as your consciousness lives on."

Sasuke grunted. "Had I known what giving you the Sage's power would do, I would have never done it."

Naruto nodded. "I know, I have never held it against you."

Sasuke sighed. "So, what now? You're here, you're young again. What should we do?"

Naruto gave Sasuke a smile. "This is a new world, now that I don't have my maps and way markers." he replied, "Plus, if you're cognizant now, who's to say that the other NPCs aren't the same way?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow in question. "So, you plan to explore, do you?"

Naruto smiled and nodded, calling up his inventory. He found the menu he was looking for a double-tapped the summon icon. A sweet bell-chime rang out, growing in intensity till it was answered by a roar from far above the clouds.

Clouds that were broken apart as a dragon shot out from them.

"Ah, Twintania. I'm reminding you, Naruto, I'm not feeding her again while you're gone." Sasuke spoke, a slight tinge of fear in his voice. The dragon landed scant seconds after Sasuke made his demands.

Naruto walked over to Twintania, his electric-blue dragon. For the first time, he could smell the dragon. For a creature of carnage and destruction, Twintania smelled pretty normal.

Then again, what really was normal when it came to taming a boss monster as a mount?

"Hey girl, I missed you." Naruto spoke as he pet the dragon's head, noticing - as always- her enormous fangs, as long as his arm. Twintania nuzzled him, an action that didn't exist in game.

"Well, that's new." Naruto spoke, but what wasn't new at this point? He jumped on to Twintania in one swift motion and the great dragon took flight. As Naruto rose higher, he realised that his statement held more truth than he realized.

The entire land around his estate looked different. In the distance, he could see a town. Naruto would head there sometime later.

For now, he wanted to test himself. Yggdrasil had given him a new adventure with its dying breath, and Naruto would cherish it to his dying breath.

That is if entropy was even a thing in this world.

Today was definitely not Laykus' day.

The forested land on the other side of E-rantel was always a mystery to its people. Occasionally, a mid-ranked monster would emerge from the forest and attack the neighboring village of Tenda. For years, this had been the norm. A few Gold-class adventurers were hired by the king and placed in Tenda year round, and that generally solved the problem.

Till Princess Renner, bless her dear heart, brought forth the point that a forest that vast and dense would no doubt be home to many rare herbs, possibly even a dungeon.

One thing led to another, and here she was with her companions, the members of the Blue Roses adventurers team… fighting a creature that could best be described as a cross between a ram, a lion and a scorpion.

Just one of those days.

"Lakyus! Watch out!"

She was brought out of her daze as Gagaran, her muscled friend, tanked a blow from the beast. The attack sent her skidding back, but her muscles weren't just for show.

Gagaran trapped the creature's paw by jamming her warpick into it, creating an opening for Evileye, Tia, and Tina to unload on the creature.

"It isn't doing anything!" Evileye yelled in a panicked voice. They were Adamantite-ranked adventurers, and the fact that they caused next to no damage to the monstrosity was an injury to their pride as a group.

"We might need to use that sword of yours!" Gagaran yelled as she ripped her warpick out of the creature's paw. Lakyus noticed that the wound gouged out by the weapon healed instantly.

"I'll need time to prepare," Lakyus said, backing away from the crazed monster. Gagaran followed suit, staying between the monster and Lakyus in case it lashed out again.

"I can buy you twenty seconds tops." Gagaran spoke through labored breaths. "Thirty if the others join in."

Lakyus nodded, and her team shot forward, only to disperse into the foliage around the creature, confusing it. Lakyus too melded into the shrubbery, drawing her blade as she did so.

Kilineiram, a sword once owned by the famed 'Black Knight'. A cursed sword that gnawed at her sanity the more she used it. She drew it out of its sheath, its blade made of material so dark it felt like it drained the light around it.

The voices in her head started to chorus, yet she stood steadfast, her sword clenched tightly in her hands, she willed its power to congeal within its blade, and its dark magic answered.

Reluctantly, the blade filled with power as the Manticore finally caught Gagaran's scent. The warrior realized this and ran out of the shrubbery to intercept the attack. Again, the other members of the team rained down spells and cuts on the abomination, but nothing happened.

Lakyus continued to concentrate, getting ready for her attack. The blade filled to the edges with dark energy, and began to overflow.

A few more seconds, and she'd be ready.

It was at that moment that all six creatures in the clearing - the monstrosity included - heard what sounded like the war-cry of a teenager.

All movement stopped as everyone tried to ascertain the source of the voice. It was steadily getting closer, but where was it coming from?

Her question was answered as a group of trees fell in the distance, followed by another group of trees, they kept falling, the voice kept getting louder.

The source kept drawing closer.

The abomination was visibly shaken by this. It was facing right toward the direction the noise was coming from. Its scorpion-like stinger was poised to lash out on a second's notice, its body was tensed, ready to pounce.

Still, the voice kept getting closer, and the trees kept falling.

Before they knew it, the voice was upon them.

Ripping through the treeline came an armored figure, swinging an Axe with reckless abandon. The creature had no time to attack as the warrior was on it.

All it took was one swing.

The warrior didn't even stop to look at what he'd done, leaving the adventurers of Blue Rose to gaze in awe at the aftermath.

That being the utterly decimated corpse of the monstrosity.

It was beyond dead at this point. Neither was it regenerating, nor was there any light in its eyes. Gagaran smashed what was left of the creature's lion-head with her warpick and rested her right elbow on it.

"So, Lakyus. Your uncle knows pretty much every strong warrior in E-rantel, right?" Gagaran asked. Lakyus hesitantly nodded. Her uncle was a noble, and an adventurer of much note.

"So tell me, exactly what the fuck was that person?" Gagaran finished, and Lakyus had no answer.

"I don't know yet, but I do plan to find out." Lakyus finally answered. "There's only one town nearby. If we wait there, he's bound to show up."

"So we're finally getting out of this godforsaken forest?" Evileye asked, and Lakyus nodded.

"Yes we are. We came here to find herbs and dungeons." Lakyus began, sheathing her sword.

"We seem to have found a monster instead."

If Naruto needed any more evidence that he was definitely no longer in a videogame, walking into the closest town, a place named Tenda, was enough.

For one, it had no teleportation crystals. Every town in all nine worlds on Yggdrasil had its own crystal. Hell, even dungeons - once discovered - got transportation crystals that could be activated. Tenda was far bigger than most of the outpost towns in Yggdrasil, but had nothing of the sort.

Secondly, there were adventurers here, but not the in-game sorts. There was no adventurer going down the streets on a mount - the preferred way of travel - with glamored-up armor that looked like it afforded no protection, but actually did. No, the adventurers in the town wore real armor, the kind that even a level twenty player would have discarded long ago.

Of course, Naruto was garbed in the best-in-slot gear for his class combo, with full melds and whatnot. He got quite a number of strange looks for it. Still, it wasn't like anything could prove a threat to him here.

He knew that because the general adventurer in this town was not even worth the XP, not that Naruto would probably get any.

Plus, with power came a certain aura. People simply tended to avoid him. That might have also been a side-effect of him being covered in monster-blood.

Naruto had stopped by the forest in order to test out his new capabilities, and he was quite happy with what he'd got. While his in-game body wasn't exactly like his actual body, it was close enough that there was no need for adjustments. On the other hand, Naruto wasn't human on Yggdrasil. He's chosen an elvish race for the racial bonus. Sure, due to how you could customize your character in the game, he'd been able to get rid of the pointy ears.

Those things just looked weird.

His body was already much stronger than his real, human body. Adding chakra reinforcement to it made him stronger now than he'd been even in his prime. Plus, he still had every class ability that he'd been able to use in-game.

Still couldn't use magic, though, but that was his own fault. At least he had jutsu.

Speaking of Jutsu, Naruto still had to check his chakra control. He opened his inventory and retrieved a vial of holy water. He hadn't really used holy water since he hit endgame, considering his weapons did more damage to the undead than the holy vial.

He popped the Cork on the vial and used chakra to manipulate the water to fly out. Precision gained over a few millennia gave him chakra control the likes of which hadn't been seen in the elemental nations. The water swirled around him, picking up the blood on his armor, leaving him as clean as he could be. Once he was done, he dispelled the makeshift jutsu, allowing the bloodied water to fall to the ground, painting a crimson circle around him.

"Still got it." Naruto smirked.

He started walking again, only stopping to ask the locals for directions to the town's adventurer guild. If Naruto wanted to learn more about this land, that was where he needed to go. It also surprised him that he could understand the language of this world, even though what the characters said and the way their mouths moved did not add up. Still, better to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

After meandering down the streets for around fifteen minutes, he finally reached a building slightly bigger than those that surrounded it. There was a little board hanging from the door, bearing a coat of arms. Having found his destination, Naruto walked in.

"It's him!"

He was not expecting to be accosted by a group of girls the moment he entered the damn place.

"Umm, hello?" Naruto spoke, looking at the blonde woman who was glaring at him. Behind said girl stood a… crossdresser? No, a woman who was almost his own height. There was also a masked kid, and two presences that were observing him from the floor above.

"You. Who are you?" The girl asked with the commanding tone of an aristocrat. Naruto raised an eyebrow. One of the benefits of having his chakra back was that Naruto could sense emotions again. It was obvious to feel the fear amongst this girl and her group. There was also respect, and hope.

"Where I come from, it's customary to give your own name before asking for someone else's." Naruto smirked as he spoke, getting under the girl's skin. "Also, we're taught as kids to be courteous to strangers. Didn't know that aristocrats were exempt from that moral rule."

The girl actively reddened in response to Naruto's verbal jabs. She was not good at this. Maybe she expected Naruto to already know who she was? Nobles were like that.

"I'm Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra, the leader of Blue Rose." She spoke, casting her gaze over her own companions. An adventurer group then? Or maybe a guild? Naruto was definitely intrigued.

"That's a mouthful. I'll just call you Lakyus, or Lackey." Naruto spoke, giggling as the girl got angrier with every word he uttered. "So, any reason why you're looking for me without even knowing my name?"

"Cut the shit. You saw us in the forest, against that monstrosity. You know why we're here." She spoke, confusing Naruto. He thought back to his rampage in the forest, and finally realised what they were talking about.

"Oh yeah! The Manticore! It's rare to find them in forest areas. They generally spawn in deserts. Still, not a big deal. Sorry if I didn't stop to say hello." Naruto spoke, rubbing the back of his head.

"Wait, the monster you saw this man kill was a Manticore?" This time, the woman behind the guild's counter piped in. "Like, the legendary monster of the forest?"

Lakyus nodded. "Based in its strength, it would fit."

Naruto was silent for a second. "Wait, being able to kill a Manticore is a big deal? That monster is chump change for… Oh." it was then that Naruto put two and two together.

These girls were definitely adventurers of some prestige, if the badges hanging from their necks were any indication. They were fighting a losing battle against a Manticore, a hunt monster from the second expansion, a level forty monster that could be soloed in the very same expansion it was a part of.

The people of this world were weaker than the base-game players of Yggdrasil.

"Oh, I see the problem. Never mind." Naruto spoke. "Sorry for stealing your XP."

"XP? What is that? How does that matter? If you didn't show up in time, we could have died. You one-shot a monster that it took our entire group to keep at bay. How powerful are you?" She asked, making Naruto sweat nervously.

"... I'm capped out." Naruto answered, and Lakyus raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean 'capped out'? Are you implying you can't grow stronger anymore?" She asked, and Naruto nodded.

Then, there was silence.

"Well, fuck me. He's probably not lying." The big woman spoke up from behind Lakyus. "I'm Gagaran. I can't help but notice you haven't given us your name. I'd like to know what someone who can one-shot a Manticore is called."

Naruto shot her a beaming smile, hidden under his helm. "Naruto Uzumaki, at your service."

"Not a name I've heard before, but then again neither have I ever heard of someone who can't get any stronger." She spoke.

Naruto nodded. "Neither me nor Sasuke can."

Lakyus froze. "Wait, you mean you aren't the only one who is this strong?"

Naruto put a hand on his chin, "Hmm, Sasuke isn't as strong as me, but yeah, he could one-shot a Manticore pretty easily."

"Oh god, there's more of them." Lakyus spoke lightly, trying to calm herself down. After a brief bout of silence, the guild matron spoke up from behind them.

"As riveting as your conversation is, could you come this way and show me your guild card so I can pay you for killing the Manticore?" She asked, and Naruto gave her an awkward smile.

"Yeah… About that. I originally came here to register for the adventurer's guild." Naruto answered.

The Matron waved her hand dismissively, "Oh you don't need to! Your badge should work all around Re-Estize."

Naruto's smile grew more awkward. "Yeah, so, the problem there is that I don't have a badge… or a registration… Or any form of ID."

The pregnant silence that followed was enough to tell him that going on a rampage through the forest in front of eyewitnesses wasn't probably the brightest idea.

"Y-you aren't an adventurer?" The matron asked, and Naruto shook his head.

"I'm willing to change that if you allow. Does it cost money to enroll? Cause I'm only carrying this much. I can get more If needed." Naruto spoke as he tossed a bag full of gold coins to the table.

"... This is solid gold." She answered. "Where's this currency from?"

"It's from where I'm from. So, where do I sign?" He asked, as the dazed matron passed him a small document and a quill. She pointed at the bottom of the page and he signed it.

"W-well, there's the matter of you causing a rampage through the forest, which is Re-estize owned land, but the amount of gold you've given more than covers up for that… many times over." The matron spoke, rummaging below the desk and producing a document written in a language Naruto could not understand. "As for becoming an adventurer, you'll have to read this document of compliance and sign below it."

Naruto chuckled. "Well, I'd do that, except I cannot read this language. I'm surprised I even understand what you're saying, since the words that come out of your mouth don't match the way your lips move."

There was silence again, this time broken by the masked girl. "Oh, he can't even read or speak our language, but he can destroy monsters that could give even the Thirteen Heroes a run for their money with ease. Next he'll tell us he's from another world."

Naruto chuckled. "Would that surprise you?"

She shook her head. "Considering what little we know of you, I don't think it would. I'm Evileye, by the way."

Naruto nodded. "Nice name." He then turned back to the contract. "I'm going to sign this on blind faith right now, but I'd like a secondary copy so that I can read it at my leisure. Anything specific I need to know before I throw in with you lot?"

The Matron shook her head. "The contract is a formality for the most part. The only thing it prohibits is you working for any enemies of our nation. Other than that, your affairs are your own."

"There's also the fact that you serve the kingdom, If the royalty call for you, you are contract-bound to respond." Gagaran spoke. "Of course, that rarely ever happens, and there's a lot of coin at the end of it if it does."

"Also, considering you killed the Manticore, we can officially start you off as a higher class than the usual bronze!" The matron spoke, but Naruto shook his head.

"I'll take Bronze. I only need the medal so that I can move around unhindered." Naruto replied, signing the papers. The Matron handed him a bronze medal, with a little bit of hesitance.

"Are you sure you don't want to start out as a higher rank? You have three Adamantite adventurers who are willing to testify that you have slain a legendary monster that has been at large. We could bump you up to gold, maybe even Adamantite!" Lakyus spoke up, unable to understand Naruto's logic.

Naruto turned to her and smiled, not that she could see it below his helm. "I walked in here with a bag full of cash, am able to take care of monsters that can give the best of you a run for your money, and I have a house in what's basically 'no man's land'. What use do I have for a high-ranked adventurer's status?"

"Didn't you hear Gagaran? Being an Adamantite-rank adventurer opens up so many avenues for you. Glory, fame, money, status, all the works. What are you gonna do as an adventurer if you don't covet these things?" Evileye asked, completely missing the point.

Naruto started walking out, finally realizing that these kids had no idea what his motivations were. He turned to regard them one last time.

"I was given a second lease on life, I want to spend it doing what I do best… roaming the world and having fun."

He opened his menu and called Twintania. It wasn't till he'd called for the beast that he realized that unlike the game, people here would react to the draconic mount, and not positively.

His fears were soon realized as Twintania's roar answered from the heavens. All around him, adventurers and locals alike stood still, craning their heads to the sky, from where Twintania was rapidly descending.

Then, there was complete panic.

The adventurer's guild seemingly doubled as a disaster shelter, given the town of Tenda didn't have a fort or castle in it, that was a safe assumption. As Twintania descended further all manner of adventurers appeared in the square in front of the guild. Bows were readied, spears were pointed. Lakyus and crew also stepped out, including the two presences he's felt earlier. Twin ninjas, go figure.

"What the everloving fuck is that?" Gagaran spat out with as much eloquence as she could muster. Her comrades looked verbose.

"That, my friends, is Twintania." Naruto spoke in a cheerful, yet loud tone, making sure the entire congregation heard him.

"I'd recommend lowering your weapons, by the way. If she really did want to kill you all, she would have simply nuked this place from the clouds."

Lakyus glared at Naruto. "And how do you know this monster? You plan to one-shot it too?"

Naruto chuckled. "Not likely. The first time I fought Twintania, we went at it for over an hour. That was a hard-fought victory, and worth it too."

"So, you've killed one of these things?" Evileye chimed in. "Does it have any weakness that could help beat it? Asking for a friend, of course." her tone was completely deadpan.

Naruto chuckled. "Far from it."

"So, it's followed you this far to fight you again? The creature must have held a grudge." Gagaran commented, her nervousness growing as Twintania finally landed in all her glory, her body the size of a house.

"Nope, I just tamed her instead," Naruto answered, jumping the ten yards between them and Twintania, who was snarling at the congregation of terrified adventurers.

"I should be off now. Sorry for the commotion."Naruto yelled as he climbed on to Twintania. He then gave them a wave and spurred Twintania to take off before the adventurers got over the fact that Naruto owned a pet dragon.

He wondered what kind of impression he'd left, knowing full well that it would border between awe and fear.

He just hoped it wouldn't be curiosity.

Naruto would be lying if he said he didn't miss the feeling of jumping into a lake to wash himself. He certainly wouldn't deny the pleasure he took in something so simple. The rush of weightlessness followed by the cold resistance of water was something he had dearly missed.

As he surfaced, he took a look around. The deep woods surrounded him, stretching all over the hills that housed this gem of a lake. It was beyond beautiful, and served to remind him of a time before humanity destroyed almost all of it.

To be reborn in a world like this wasn't a gift he deserved, but he'd be damned if he didn't take it.

His body cleaned and his mind at ease, Naruto jumped atop the surface of the water and began walking to terra firma. He used a little chakra to remove the remaining moisture from his body. A few taps on his menu and he was garbed in some lighter clothes he'd kept for the purpose of transmog.

While he liked his best-in-slot gear, weight was an issue now that he could feel everything. Sure it wasn't a hindrance, but it was unnecessary.

The monsters and adventurers in this world posed next to no threat to him, especially with the added benefit of having his chakra back. Reaching land, he opened his armory tab and equipped an axe from the first expansion. It was a relic weapon he'd gotten for defeating the fire spirit, efreet.

It was a worthless weapon when compared to his best-in-slot axe, Nastrond, but was heads above any weapon he'd seen in this world, including Lakyus' blade.

"Glad to see you're having fun." Sasuke spoke as he stepped out of the woods. Sasuke still wore his best-in-slot gear, but as a Dark Mage/Samurai combo, his gear was light to begin with. All his melds were offensive as well, giving him virtually no defense.

Not that he needed it, with a dexterity start in the tens of thousands, Naruto himself would have to actively work in order to land a hit on Sasuke.

"Well, I haven't seen a forest this pristine or vibrant in decades. I'm entitled to some enjoyment." Naruto answered. "So, you went to the town?"

Sasuke nodded. "Registered myself at the guild too. I can read and write the language here, even though I don't know why."

Naruto shrugged. "Guess the kingdoms here use the same script as YGGDRASIL used. You were technically an NPC in the game. It would make sense you can read it."

Sasuke sighed. "Well, that was an interesting thing. Gave me some closure too."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Closure?"

"I have memories of Sasuke, but I'm not him. Yet, all my memories are as real as can be. I was wondering what I was. Now, I have an answer."

Naruto grinned, "What would that be?"

"I'm my own person, free to do whatever I want. As always, I'll throw my lot in with you… make up for my mistakes." Sasuke answered with a smile. "Considering all the times I screwed up, I still wonder why you never killed me."

Naruto chuckled. "I did try, you just didn't stay down."

Sasuke chuckled, a chuckle that turned into a full-blown laugh. Soon, Naruto joined in. It took them a little while to wind down, both winded by the sudden outburst. Finally, they returned to the questions at hand.

"You think anyone else made it in here?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto shrugged.

"Unlikely, considering how dead YGGDRASIL was. Still, it is a possibility." Naruto answered, sitting down with his back to a tree. "Why? Does that concern you?"

Sasuke was silent for a second. "I like this place, Naruto. It's like an infinite playground, where nothing is a threat to us. I want to see this world for myself, and I think you want to do so too." a confirmatory nod from Naruto egged him on. "Having another person like us could be trouble, especially if their interest is conquest rather than peaceful co-existence."

Naruto sighed. "If someone does show up, we shall deal with it. As such, I'd rather we find out about them before they find out about us."

"Discretion, then?" Sasuke asked, getting a nod from Naruto.

"The people on YGGDRASIL don't know my true name. I went under the moniker of 'Godslayer', mostly because of how ironic it was. Now that we're in this world, I believe I should use my real name." He answered, and Sasuke smirked.

"Godslayer. Well someone's full of it." He commented, making Naruto chuckle.

"Technically, you're one too. We did defeat Kaguya." Naruto shot back.

"Didn't kill her though."

"Semantics. She isn't budging, ever." Naruto answered.

"Do you even care if she does?" Sasuke asked, plunging both of them into a pregnant silence.

"Not really." Naruto finally spoke up. "That world is far due for a cleanse. If Kaguya doesn't do it, humanity will do it to themselves."

"Destroyed by the very greed that differentiates them from animals. A fitting end." Sasuke answered.

"One that their planet would be grateful for." Naruto concluded, and Sasuke nodded.

"By the way, we have guests." Naruto spoke after a few moments of silence. The familiar signatures of Lakyus' group were closing in.

"Want me to deal with them?" Sasuke asked with a cold glare. Naruto shook his head.

"They're good people, if a bit curious. I can feel it on them. They're here to find me." Naruto spoke, and Sasuke stiffened. Before his hand could make it to the hilt of his katana, Naruto had already stopped it.

"Calm, Sasuke. They're not enemies. No killing." He spoke as Gagaran's hulking form appeared from the underbrush, a cocky smile on her face.

"Two bronze ranks, this far in the jungle? Gotta say, that's impressive." She spoke as her companions followed behind her.

Tank in front, DPSes behind. Even while not a part of an MMO, the adventurers here worked on similar trains of logic.

"Who would you be?" Sasuke asked with a light tone of disdain, one that Lakyus' group picked up on instantly.

"Hostile much?" Evileye spoke, her tone belittling Sasuke. "We were just complimenting you wastes of adventurers for having made it this far in."

"You think that ranking is a proof of skill. How saddening." Sasuke replied. "What do you want from us?"

This time, Lakyus stepped between Sasuke and Evileye. "We have no business with you, save for a simple question."

"What would that be?" Sasuke asked, his hand trailing closer to his Katana.

"Have you seen an imposing adventurer in full-armor, around your height?" She asked. "He carries an axe, and does not look like a bronze class, even though he has the medal of one."

"What would you do if I didn't answer?" Sasuke asked. Naruto couldn't help but grin. Sasuke was having fun with the group for looking down on him.

He might be an NPC, but the Uchiha pride was definitely still there.

"That just tells me that you know. I'm pressed for time, so I'd have to press you for answers." Lakyus drew her sword.

"... Even if I need to rough you up in the process."

Sasuke finally couldn't take it as his poker face devolved into a maniacal laugh. "You actually believe you can follow through with your threat?"

"We're five adamantite-class adventurers, while you're both bronze. I like my odds." Lakyus spoke, and her group drew their own respective weapons.

"I already told you, didn't I?" Sasuke spoke as his hand gripped the hilt of his katana.

"My rank is not an indication of my skill."

An overwhelming sense of pure fear eclipsed the senses of Lakyus and her group. Naruto felt it too, the exact same killing intent that he'd felt back at the end of the fourth shinobi war. It was enough to wipe away any doubts that this was not Sasuke.

He was the genuine article, minus the chakra.

The ninja twins crumpled against the pressure, while the other three tried their hardest to resist. Lakyus drove her sword into the ground, and Naruto finally got a look at it.

He knew that sword.

"Calm, Sasuke. They have my attention." Naruto spoke, placing himself between Sasuke and Lakyus' terrified group.

"Hello again. Quite surprised you're still following me." Naruto spoke with a smirk. Sasuke relaxed behind him, and so did the rest of Lakyus' crew.

"We can't just let you leave! Someone as strong as you has got to meet princess Renner." Lakyus spoke, still winded by Sasuke's show of power.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying that you serve the princess of this kingdom? Thinking of making me a political tool, are you?"

Lakyus was silent for a moment. Naruto noticed as confusion ran across her mind, with certainty setting in like daybreak. "Oh, of course you don't know about Princess Renner. Pretty sure you don't know anything about the political atmosphere of E-rantel, do you?"

"What do you think?" Naruto asked with a wry smile.

"The king of our country, King Ramposa the third, is old and orthodox. He's at that age where people would see him be succeeded." Lakyus spoke.

"Let me guess, there's more than one candidate, and the princess is the one you've backed. Go on." Naruto shot back.

"She's our best bet. She got slavery abolished, she has plans for the country that make the public adore her. She needs to succeed the throne." Lakyus spoke with a tone of seriousness.

"You believe that me serving under her will change that?" Naruto asked, and Lakyus nodded.

"She is the Blue Rose's greatest benefactor. We are pledged to her, and with you amongst our numbers, we could spread her name far and wide, add military strength to her political arsenal, and that could very well tip the scales." Lakyus finished, making Naruto chuckle. A confused look appeared on her face, one that Naruto noticed.

"So the process of choosing the next king is somewhat democratic instead of lineal, is it? In that case, wouldn't abolishing slavery give her massive public goodwill? Enough even to edge out her competition?" Naruto asked.

Lakyus winced. "The process of succession is lineal, but the only options are her half-brothers, who have many nobles and adventurers under their control."

"Whoever controls the nobles, controls how the working class think. I see the problem here." Naruto spoke in a disinterested tone. "It really doesn't concern me."

Lakyus stiffened. "Naruto, you are now a part of this kingdom. You look like you're close to my age. Do you really want to suffer a life under her brothers? You don't know the vile deeds they'd do when given power!"

"Should I take your word for that? I don't know any of them. As far as I know, your princess Renner may as well be the devil herself." Naruto spoke.

Lakyus spoke through gritted teeth, her anger rising. "That's why I'm asking you to come with us to the Royal capital. Meet the princess, form your own opinion!"

"What if I don't want to?"

Silence. Naruto's tone was frigid. It wasn't a question, it was an ultimatum.

"We'll be forced to come back with an army. You're an unknown quantity of considerable power. It won't be hard to convince his majesty and General Gazef to make a small trip here with a few hundred warriors." Lakyus spoke with a calm tone." I'm sure neither of us would want that.

Naruto locked his eyes with Lakyus' own. A few hundred warriors at her level meant nothing to Naruto or Sasuke, that is if it wasn't a bluff to begin with.

"That is if we let you leave. You've threatened Naruto, I can't let you live knowing you will pose a threat to us." Sasuke spoke up.

Unfazed, Lakyus continued. "We told the Matron at Tenda where we were going. If something happens to us, she will send a message to the Royal city. You'll go up on the guild mission boards. You won't be able to live in peace, no matter where you went."

Naruto chuckled. "It would take me ten minutes to get Twintania to decimate that little town."

Lakyus smirked. "It would take seconds for the Matron to send the message."

There it was, the linchpin that held together Lakyus' bluff.

"Seems we find ourselves at an impasse, then." Naruto spoke. "Might I offer a compromise that might suit us both?"

Lakyus nodded, and Naruto continued. "One minute. That's what I will give you to try and land a clear hit on me. I will not attack till that minute ends. You hit me, and I'll come with you."

"What if we can't?" Gagaran asked.

"You will leave, and will harass me no more." Naruto concluded.

"You really doubt our capabilities, don't you?" Evileye spoke up, making Naruto chuckle.

"Anything but. If I doubted your capabilities, I would have offered you an hour." Naruto spoke, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"We'll take it." Lakyus spoke.

"Begin, then." Naruto shot back.

So they did. Gagaran and Lakyus rushed Naruto while the twins melded into the foliage. Evileye started to cast something.

Two surprise attacks, two frontal, one AOE. It was so similar to old team PvP strategies that Naruto had to stifle a laugh. Naruto sidestepped Lakyus and spun her around, forcing Gagaran to stop her charge. Naruto then let go, Making them run into one another.

Naruto then sidestepped a thrown knife, then another, and another few. It was then that Evileye let her spell go.

A barrage of crystal spears flew out towards Naruto. A smile appeared on his face as he felt the twins move behind him, poised to strike if he was somehow able to block or evade the spears.

This was exhilarating.

Naruto answered by running through the missiles, dodging each and every one in a show of extreme dexterity. Even under her mask, Naruto could feel the surprise on Evileye's face.

"Cool party trick, if a bit ineffective." Naruto taunted as Evileye tried to kick him. He sidestepped again, giving Evileye a little push as he did. The push put her directly in the path of one of twin's attack, forcing her to stop and stabilize Evileye.

The other twin, meanwhile, was on Naruto, her dagger drawn and ready to strike. Naruto was facing away from her, a perfect opportunity.

Too perfect to be true, as Naruto proved it to be.

Her knife had was grabbed by his own as she was thrown off-course by another turn, but it was worth it.

Gagaran was ready to strike.

"Say bye-bye to that pretty face of yours!" Gagaran spoke as a red light surrounded her body and he swung her warpick.

Only for Naruto to stop it with an outstretched hand.

The impact behind the hit was great enough that the shockwave sent the lighter fighters reeling.

"Even martial arts are ineffective against you…" Gagaran spoke with awe, before giving Naruto a wild smile.

"Too bad it isn't the strongest thing we're capable of."

Naruto realized at the last second that he'd been so lost in enjoying this little scuffle that he'd lost track of Lakyus. His eyes scanned for her, and found her holding her sword aloft, dark energy gathering in it.

"DARK BLADE MEGA IMPACT!"

The congealed dark energy in the sword came crashing down on Naruto, who let go of Gagaran's warpick and raised his axe in answer. The blaze of efreet's axe lit up the world as It crashed against the wave of darkness Lakyus had fired at him.

The wave of darkness crumpled almost instantly, and an explosion of fire took its place, destroying Naruto's immediate surroundings.

Gagaran regrouped with her team as Evileye helped Lakyus keep on her feet. Charging up an attack that strong at such speed had taken a lot out of her.

"That's gotta have done something to him." Evileye spoke up.

"I won't count on that." Sasuke spoke in a bored tone from the tree he was leaning against.

A look at Sasuke's bored features was enough to confirm that. Instantly, hope gave way to fear.

"Time's up."

The ball of fire surrounding Naruto gave way was he rushed through it, stopping right in front of Lakyus' group.

Even his clothes weren't singed.

"That skill you used… you called it a 'martial art', didn't you?" Naruto asked Gagaran. She slowly nodded, making Naruto's smile grow.

"So much to learn! I wonder what I could do with these martial arts." he commented. "I wonder if there's a martial art as powerful as my weaponskills."

"Weponskills?" Lakyus asked, and Naruto's grin took on a maniacal quality as he raised his axe.

"Let me demonstrate." Naruto spoke as the blade of his axe started to blaze.

"Decimate"

Naruto brought the axe down, striking the ground right in front of Lakyus' crew so fast that their eyes couldn't follow it.

The ground below them simply disappeared.

A shockwave carried their bodies through the trees surrounding the clearing, the strength of the weaponskill cleaved scars into the ground that stretched for a good sixty meters all around him.

When the dust settled, the injured bodies of Blue Rose lay in the debris, along with decimated trees and shattered rocks.

Except Evileye, who had put up a barrier at the last second. It hadn't done her much good, considering the amount of lacerations, and the fact that her left arm was bent in a way arms didn't tend to bend.

"Give up, we'll heal you all and send you on your way." Naruto offered, pointing his axe at the caster, who was preparing another spell, even as she was barely able to stand.

"N-no." Evileye answered, her legs threatening to give in.

"She's healing too fast for a human, even compared to the rest of them." Sasuke supplied.

"Of course she is. She's a vampire." Naruto answered.

"You're hard to hoodwink… even used Lakyus' bluff against her." Evileye breathed out. She was preparing one hell of a spell, a Hail Mary if Naruto had ever seen one.

"You knew that you couldn't beat me from the get go yet you went along with the rest of them. Why?" Naruto asked.

"Lakyus… Is stubborn… But she means well." Evileye answered as her casting finally concluded.

"Will support her… till my dying breath."

A gigantic spike of crystal shot out of a magic circle in front of her. Naruto faced it head-on, as a sign of respect to Evileye's loyalty. His axe passed right through the crystal, with no effort.

That's when Naruto realized he'd been had.

Evileye appeared below him, having ran under the fake crystal lance. Once she was right next to him, she opened her right hand.

Miniscule shards shot out of it. Naruto raised his axe to defend his body, but the spell was far too good close-range for him to completely dodge, as small shards of crystal cut his face in two places.

"Keep… Your promise." Evileye whispered, before finally falling to the ground, unconscious.

There was silence in the clearing as both Naruto and Sasuke continued to stare at the injured vampire lying at Naruto's feet, before Sasuke finally broke it.

"Why did you let that attack hit?" He asked.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You have five skills that let you nullify magic damage, and two skills that allow you to silence casters. Her speed was nothing to write home about either." Sasuke spoke, "Plus, at the angle she was coming from, you could have cut her down rather than moving your axe to defend yourself."

Naruto gave Sasuke a sheepish grin. "Can't get anything past you, can I?"

Sasuke shook his head. "You've always been a bad liar. So, answer me."

Naruto opened his menu and withdrew a few potions from his inventory. "Lakyus interests me, so do her friends. I want to see this person, this princess who they are so loyal to."

"They confuse you, do they not?" Sasuke asked, taking a few potions from Naruto's hands and walking over to Lakyus.

Naruto chuckled.

"Let's just say that they are too far removed from the NPCs I know to be considered anything like them." Naruto answered.

"So, we're going to the capital of this country?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, Sasuke. I made a promise, and you know how much those mean to me." Naruto answered.

"Some things never change, huh?"

Evileye woke with a start.

"Woah there, calm down, you'll open your wounds."

Evileye turned to see Naruto sitting by the window, his weapon nowhere to be seen. It was getting dark outside, as made apparent by the rays of orange illuminating the room.

"I'm a vampire, there's no way I haven't healed yet." Evileye answered as she tried to get off the bed, but was forced back as pain shot up her abdomen.

"I know vampire anatomy. Neither me not Sasuke can use healing magic, so we could only use salves to patch you up." Naruto pointed at a red bottle lying on her bedside table. "There's a potion with your name on it. Couldn't administer it to you while you were out cold though."

Evileye quickly grabbed the potion. She popped open the Cork and downed it. Instantly, the wounds on her body healed, leaving a sensation of tingling warmth where the wounds had been.

"That was a potent potion. Must have cost you an arm and a leg." She spoke. "To offer something like that to me after what I pulled. You aren't angry. Why?"

Naruto chucked. "I have many more where that came from." he then shrugged. "Also, why would I be mad?"

Evileye chucked. "I managed to dupe you into losing."

Naruto grinned. "You did what little you could, injured yourself enough that you took a full hour more than your teammates to regain consciousness, even while being a vampire."

It was then that Evileye realized her mask was missing. She looked around the room. She still had her personal effects, so where was her mask?

"Looking for this?" Naruto spoke, holding her mask. Evileye snatched it from his hand and put it on.

"Why would you put it on, considering everyone in this house knows what you are?" Naruto asked. Silence answered him, so he continued.

"Either way. You succeeded. It took tenacity to try, considering I could have killed you." Naruto answered.

"You wouldn't kill me." She shot back. "Just like you wouldn't send your pet dragon to destroy Tenda."

"What makes you so sure about that?" Naruto questioned.

"You're like Lakyus. You're witty, energetic, have morals and whatnot. You can posture all you like, but you knew Lakyus was bluffing, and yet didn't kill us. So, why would you kill me?" She answered. "I've seen others like you, if not as powerful. You're all cut from the same cloth. Heroes, the lot of you." she chuckled.

"Also, you can't lie for shit, just like her."

Naruto chuckled. "You and Sasuke would get along fabulously."

"I highly doubt that, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt." Evileye spoke, getting out of the bed. "Now if you excuse me, I need to find my teammates."

"They're in the living room downstairs. Try not to fall on the stairs." Naruto spoke as Evileye left the room.

"Well, time for another adventure," Naruto spoke to himself, watching the sunset.

"At least I have some interesting company."

This chapter isn't very heavily edited (read 'I just skimmed over it once while half-asleep') so expect errors. I'll edit it again once I get up and have a second look.

I did quite a bit of research on the Overlord systems, but most of the stuff I got was a jumbled mess that seemed like it drew a lot from FF11 and Runescape. Plus, there's very little explanation for non-magic classes and the skills they use, so I drew heavily from FF14 while making this.

Hope you like it!

-CruelRuin