The sun hung low in the sky, painting the world in hues of orange and gold as Rogue and Jean stood atop the roof, overlooking the school grounds. The cool breeze brushed against their skin as they watched the students below, going about their business, training, laughing, and living their lives.
"It's a good place," Rogue murmured, her arms crossed as she leaned against the railing. "People seem nice."
Jean nodded in agreement but was about to respond when a familiar presence appeared behind them.
Naruto.
"How's the place?" he asked casually.
Rogue turned to face him, a small smirk on her lips. "It's good. What do you think?"
Naruto shrugged. "It's okay. Kinda fun, actually. I'm thinking of teaching here."
That caught both of their attention.
"You're serious?" Jean asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. The kids have potential, but they're not being pushed hard enough. They need real training if they wanna survive out there."
"So what about me?" Rogue asked, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Am I gonna train here too, or do you have something else in mind?"
"You'll be training under me personally," Naruto said, giving her a confident grin. "But I still want you to fight the others here. It'll help them improve, and it'll help you learn teamwork. You need to know how to fight like a well-oiled machine for situations where one-on-one isn't the logical option."
Rogue nodded thoughtfully. She had always fought alone, relying on her powers and instincts. Learning to fight as part of a team... that could be useful.
She was about to say something else when her eyes drifted to the top of Naruto's head—and she froze.
There, sitting comfortably, was a small golden fox, staring right at her with intelligent, almost human-like eyes.
"What are you looking at, human?" the fox suddenly spoke, its voice smooth and slightly amused. "Haven't you seen a fox before?"
Rogue's brain short-circuited.
Her thoughts immediately screamed: 'So cute!'
But she forced herself to keep a neutral expression. She had an image to maintain, after all.
"Hey, bro, don't surprise others like that," Naruto scolded playfully before turning to Rogue. "This is my immortal partner and brother. You can depend on him when needed. His name is Kurama, and he is the cutest thing ever."
Before Rogue could process his words, Naruto hugged the fox.
Rogue blinked.
Then blinked again.
'Even my dreams make more sense than this…'
She had never expected Naruto to act so… affectionate. He carried himself like a king, like someone who belonged on a throne, powerful beyond measure. And yet, here he was, hugging a talking fox like a kid hugging a plushie.
It was... endearing.
And in that moment, she understood something about him.
'He's really lovable… No wonder people are drawn to him.'
Rogue found herself smiling, feeling warm inside. It had only been a day since she met Naruto, but after the incident with her powers—when she had absorbed his energy and memories—she knew him in ways others didn't.
Even if the memories had faded, the feeling remained.
Trust.
Comfort.
He was her first real friend. The first person she chose to believe in.
"I'll help you for the assistance you provided," she said softly.
Naruto chuckled. "Do what you wish, but what exactly will you help me with?"
"You already know," Rogue replied, meeting his gaze. "Like you said, I'm here. You can always talk to me."
Naruto could feel it—the trust Rogue placed in him. It was raw, unspoken, and perhaps even unconscious on her part.
She probably hadn't even realized what it meant when she said she would help him.
For a moment, Naruto studied her, his blue eyes thoughtful. Then he smiled, a real one. "I see."
With that, he placed Kurama back on his head as the fox yawned, curling up for a nap.
"I'll take my leave now. See you later, girls."
And just like that, he disappeared within a few steps, fading into the distance like a phantom.
Rogue exhaled, leaning against the railing again, her mind filled with thoughts of the mysterious man who had changed her life in just a single day.
Jean smirked, watching her.
As Naruto spoke with Rogue, his mind was elsewhere—linked with Jean's through telepathy.
Jean remained composed on the outside, but in her mind, she was fully engaged in their silent conversation.
"So, what do you think about my idea of conversing with the Phoenix?" Naruto's voice echoed in her mind, smooth and confident.
Jean hesitated, her mental voice careful. "You say that so casually, like it's nothing. But the Phoenix… it's not something you can just talk to. Even I don't fully understand it."
Naruto chuckled. "That's exactly why I want to speak with it. If something is misunderstood, the only way to change that is to face it directly."
Jean frowned slightly as she leaned against the railing, her eyes locked onto the horizon. She wasn't easily convinced. "You're asking for trouble, Naruto. The Phoenix isn't just misunderstood—it's dangerous. I don't even know if I can hold it back if something goes wrong. Why are you so eager to take this risk?"
She needed to know.
Naruto had shown nothing but kindness and strength, but Jean had been through too much to trust so easily. She wanted to understand his motivations. Was he truly trying to help? Or was there something else driving him?
Naruto's golden eyes gleamed as he looked at her, though his lips never moved. His mental voice was calm, but beneath it, there was a fire—a deep conviction.
"Jean, my whole life has been about breaking limits, shattering fate, and defying what people think is impossible. I've seen beings stronger than immortals, forces that could erase existence itself, and I've fought my way through all of it."
"I know the Phoenix is powerful, but power alone doesn't make something evil. I've fought creatures that should never have been given a chance, and yet, some of them became my closest allies. I refuse to believe that something as vast and infinite as the Phoenix is just destruction waiting to happen."
Jean felt a shiver run down her spine. The intensity of his words—the sheer certainty behind them—was unlike anything she had ever encountered.
But still…
"That's noble, Naruto, but what is driving you? Why put yourself at risk like this?"
Naruto's voice softened. "Because I have something to protect. An empire, a family, and a dream that won't allow me to sit back while threats loom over the horizon."
"If I can understand the Phoenix, maybe I can help you gain control over it. And if you can control it, you won't have to live in fear of what might happen if you lose yourself to it."
Jean's breath hitched.
The truth in his words was undeniable.
How many nights had she spent fearing the moment she might lose herself? How many times had she felt the Phoenix stir within her, a force too great to be contained?
And now, here was Naruto—offering to face that storm head-on, without fear, for her sake.
"You're insane," she finally whispered through their link.
Naruto grinned. "You're not the first to tell me that. Won't be the last."
Jean sighed, closing her eyes briefly. "Fine. I'll help you. But if this goes wrong, I expect you to hold me back."
"Wouldn't have it any other way."
Their conversation ended, but something had changed between them.
Jean didn't say anything as Naruto walked away with Rogue, but in her heart, she knew—this man was dangerous, not just because of his power, but because he made her want to believe in impossible things.
The sky over the city was painted in shades of orange and violet as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the towering skyline. Below, the streets bustled with life—people returning home from work, children playing, and street vendors calling out to late-night customers. It was a city filled with energy, with stories unfolding in every corner.
Yet, amidst this everyday life, a figure of violet light moved unseen, faster than the human eye could perceive.
Hinata Uzumaki soared through the sky, her Tenseigan Cloak shimmering like liquid energy, its glow faint but undeniable to those attuned to power. She had spent the last several hours exploring this foreign land, taking in every detail of its advancements, culture, and peculiarities. Her keen eyes had observed the technological progress of mortals and the unique abilities of mutants and enhanced beings. She categorized the information, sending updates to Ino and Eda while ensuring her observations were thorough.
But she was not merely an observer.
Wherever she passed, the violet streak of her flight was a harbinger of swift judgment. Those in genuine need found relief in her presence—children lost in the city reunited with their families, an elderly man saved from being crushed by a reckless driver, and a woman pulled from the grasp of a desperate mugger.
Yet, for those who indulged in cruelty, there was no mercy.
She never passed judgment on petty crimes or misfortune-driven mistakes. But when she encountered those who inflicted suffering—murderers in action, would-be rapists—she intervened with lethal precision. A flash of light. A scream. And in an instant, those who sought to break others found themselves broken instead, left with gaping wounds in their limbs as a permanent reminder of their crimes.
To those watching from below, she was a phantom. A divine retribution too fast to be questioned.
But her actions had not gone unnoticed.
As she floated above a dark alley where her latest act of judgment had just concluded, Hinata felt a presence approaching. She turned her head slightly, her sharp violet eyes locking onto a golden figure hovering just a few meters away.
He was tall—190 centimeters of raw power packed into a muscular frame. His bright blonde hair flowed like a golden mane, and his sharp blue eyes held authority. His suit, a tight yellow spandex with a flowing red cape, marked him instantly.
The Sentry.
Hinata recognized him immediately. From the information she had gathered, he was one of this planet's strongest heroes, a being of immense power that rivaled immortals.
His gaze was unreadable as he studied her, but the tension in his shoulders told her enough—he had seen what she had done, and he was not pleased.
"Who are you?" Sentry asked, his voice calm but firm.
Hinata remained poised, her floating form unwavering in the air as her violet cloak flickered around her like a celestial aura. She was the very image of nobility—elegance wrapped in deadly grace.
"Hinata Uzumaki," she answered, her tone light but unwavering. "I believe you should know my husband."
Sentry's expression barely shifted, but recognition flashed in his eyes.
"N-Naruto Uzumaki?" He recalled the report from Tony Stark—the new anomaly in their world. The powerful being Spider-Man had first encountered. But there had been no mention of a wife.
"Yes," she confirmed, her gaze unflinching. "We were planning on visiting your team later, so if you don't have anything urgent, I would like to take my leave."
Her words were polite, yet there was an underlying sense of authority—as if she was granting him a choice rather than asking permission.
Sentry, however, had no intention of letting her go so easily.
"You crippled those men," he stated, his voice neutral but questioning.
"They were criminals in the middle of committing vile acts," Hinata replied without hesitation. "Or do you prefer to let would-be murderers and rapists walk free without consequence?"
Her words carried no guilt—only certainty.
Sentry frowned. He understood the nature of crime, but what she had done was excessive. Crippling them permanently? That was beyond what a hero should do.
"You're an outsider," he reminded her. "There are laws in this land. You are not above them. Justice belongs to the system, not personal judgment."
Hinata exhaled softly, a breath of mild disappointment.
"Disappointing," she murmured, her tone carrying the weight of a judgment far greater than the one she had given to the criminals below.
Sentry's eyes narrowed. "What?"
"I said you are disappointing," she repeated, this time turning to face him fully. Her gaze was sharp, piercing through him as if she were appraising something lesser than herself.
Then, in a voice that carried both nobility and disdain, she asked, "Are you a coward who cannot take responsibility for the path he has chosen? Do you still seek permission before acting, like a child asking his mother if he can play outside?"
Sentry's jaw tightened. He had been called many things in his lifetime—hero, villain, immortal, monster. But coward was not one of them.
Hinata's words were delivered with such composed elegance that they stung far more than any shouted insult.
"Are you going to stop?" he asked, his voice more controlled now, though there was an edge to it.
Hinata regarded him for a moment before exhaling.
"It is part of my noblesse oblige to extend a helping hand to the innocent," she declared. "So I shall continue helping. But, as I do not wish for any conflict between us, I will change my methods—to an extent."
She turned away, her form beginning to ascend once more.
"Know this, though," she added, her voice like silk wrapping around steel. "I have no respect for cowards."
And with that, she was gone, a streak of violet light vanishing into the sky.
Sentry remained in place, his cape swaying gently in the evening wind. He clenched his fists as conflicting emotions swirled within him—annoyance, embarrassment, but most of all… unease.
She had spoken with such certainty, such arrogance—but had she been wrong?
He didn't know what was more frustrating: her actions or the fact that, deep down, a part of him understood her reasoning.
As she disappeared into the horizon, Sentry followed from a distance, making sure she kept her word.
But one thought lingered in his mind.
"These people are going to be trouble."