Chapter 4: Chapter 3: 003
003
Sirens shrieked across the night sky, jolting awake the slumbering village. Naruto landed in the desolate clearing that was Training Ground 3 and turned to face the blaring alarms. "Wow it took them a whole 20 minutes to notice. And Mizuki-sensei isn't here either." The blonde began to ponder his next move when his eyes fell on the hefty scroll tucked beneath his arm.
"This thing was in the Old Man's private vault…it has to have some cool jutsu in it right? And Mizuki-sensei never said I couldn't look inside…" Taking all of half a second to ponder, Naruto made his decision. He crossed the empty glade to where the three wooden posts sat. Dropping down in front of the middle post, the young Jinchūriki set the scroll down in front of him and carefully untied the string that bound it. Naruto slowly unraveled the parchment and began to scan its contents.
"Huh…everything seems to be divided into sections," he commented. "Wood Style. Requires affinity for Water and Earth Chakra. What he hell does that even mean?" Skipping ahead, Naruto skimmed through the remaining segments.
"Reaper Death Seal. Call on the power of the Shinigami to- nope, that says you die."
"Flying Thund- too complicated."
"Summoning? How laaame!"
It was then a particular entry caught the youth's eye. "Shadow Clone Jutsu. This technique creates physical copies of the user. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power." Naruto recited. He wasn't very keen on the idea of attempting another clone jutsu but a thought occurred to him. 'Iruka says I always use too much chakra. If this jutsu distributes chakra evenly, then all I have to do is make a bunch all at once. Shouldn't be too hard right?'
"Certainly is a step up from those regular old clones~!"
"EEEEEEEEEEK!"
Naruto went rigid and his face turn cherry red when he heard a fit of giggles. It sounded sweet and alluring, almost like honey. Cautiously glancing over his shoulder, he noticed he was no longer alone. Perched atop one of the outer posts was an ANBU staring down at him, with her head slightly cocked to the side. She was wearing a red and white lion mask and a veil of roseate locks trailing down her back. A small pair of red horns peeked out from the top of her head.
"Z-Zero Two?" Naruto stammered.
"Oh poo~!" the girl pouted, removing her mask. "What gave me away?"
"Wait, what are you doing here?" the blonde queried. Was this part of the test? She was an ANBU after all which meant she could've come to capture him? Zero Two stepped down from the pedestal, causing the boy to jump to his feet, taking a defensive stance. She couldn't help at frown at his actions.
"I could ask you the same question. The whole village has been in an uproar ever since you stole that scroll. Quite mischievous I must say," she grinned.
"Stole?" this time Naruto's head turned to the side, only in confusion. "Mizuki-sensei said this was all a secret graduation exam…?"
Cerulean eyes narrowed sharply at the revelation. 'As I suspected...Darling is being used as a pawn in someone's scheme.' Zero Two' teeth clenched and her hands tightened, causing her nails to draw blood. She knew of this Mizuki he spoke of. All academy classes were required to have two homeroom teachers and he was one of her darling's. She would be sure to have his head.
"I'm afraid not Darling. You've been set up," she told him. She felt a sharp pang in her chest when she saw the light fade from his eyes.
"I see..." Naruto responded. His tone was even, lacking any trace of emotion. If he was being completely honest with himself, he wasn't surprised in the slightest. It made sense after all. Have the village pariah steal something important and have him take the fall. 'Heh...what's another reason for the villagers to hate me after all…' he mentally shrugged.
"Darling...?"
Naruto's gaze drifted listlessly to the rosette. She was watching him diligently, concern etched into her features. He stood there for what feel like hours holding her gaze. Gems of emerald sparkled in the moonlight, captivating the young Jinchūriki.
"You know, the Hidden Leaf is thought to be one of the most beautiful places in all of the Elemental Nations," Zero Two spoke suddenly, turning her attention skyward to observe the stars. "But honestly, it's rather disgusting. The weather is sticky and gross, all of the food is salty beyond reason, and don't even get me started on the sheer number of perverts lurking about," she snorted.
"But what's sickening the most about the place are the people. Filthy little creatures humans are. All they do is take whatever they can get their grimy little claws on and wage war. They fear what they don't know, and in turn hate what they can't understand. Yet they treat us like monsters..."
Naruto stared curiously at the stargazing girl. 'Monster? Does she mean because of her horns? I think they're pretty badass.' Zero Two was by far the most dazzling creature he'd ever seen in his life. Her strawberry locks were like a valance of Sakura petals. Those cyan eyes were like black holes, constantly drawing him in. 'Wait the hell did that come from? I didn't even know I knew a word that big! And why is it so warm outside all of a sudden?!'
"Neh Darling..." Zero Two broke her silence. "Wanna run away with me?"
"W-What?"
Placing her hands behind her back, Zero Two delicately spun around to face him, pools of jade locking onto sapphire jewel. "Away from all of this...these people, this village, this lifestyle..." she spoke tenderly, stretching out her hand.
"I can get you out of here..."
Naruto swallowed hard as he tried to find his voice. His heart started racing and the young blonde suddenly found himself drowning in a sea of emotions that he wasn't quite familiar with. Sure, he had a crush on his classmate Sakura when he was younger, but this felt completely different.
The rosette's stare was locked on him, awaiting his response. The full moon sat peacefully in the sky just behind her, it radiant glow giving the girl an ethereal ambience. Her eyes glimmered in the darkness, reflecting what he sensed to be...longing? It was as if she were begging him to take her hand.
"I-I...I don't know wh-"
The crunching of grass across the field alerted the teens to the presence of another. "Ah Naruto, there you are. And I see you have the scroll," Mizuki said as he approached the duo.
"So the snake in the grass finally tears its head," Zero Two leveled a glared at the ivory-haired Chūnin.
'Crap that girl is an ANBU! If only I had gotten here sooner!' Mizuki admonished himself. But now was not the time to dawdle. He wasn't leaving without the scroll, even if that meant killing two snot-nosed kids.
"Neh, Mizuki-sensei...just exactly what kind of exam is this?" Naruto asked carefully. His response came in the form of a sinister chuckle.
"Hey Naruto, how about I let you in on a little secret?"
"Secret? What the hell are you going on about?" The blonde spat.
"You see...there was a law created by the Third Hokage 14 years ago. After the Nine Tails was defeated, it reincarnated and took the form of a human."
"No..." Naruto shakily breathed out. The gears in his head were slowly starting to turn.
"Yes, that's right! Didn't you ever wonder why everyone hated you so much? It's because you're the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox itself!" Mizuki cackled. He watched in amusement as Naruto sank to his knees, reveling in the boy's despair. It all made sense to him now. The frosty stares and loathing whispers, all of it. They called and treated him a demon because he actually was one.
"You're wrong."
Zero Two gracefully descend from her pedestal and glowered at the older shinobi. "Naruto-kun is an exceptional person. He can be single minded and clumsy, but he works hard. No one accept him and he knows the meaning of true suffering." She ground her teeth. "And that's fine by me, none of you deserve him anyway. He's far more human than any of you filthy creatures." Zero Two has been apprehensive before, but hearing the white-haired man's word her decision was solidified.
No longer would she stand by idly watching hardships befall her Darling. She was done hiding in the shadows. Despite what the old man said, she was more than ready to walk at his side. "He is Uzumaki Naruto. And demon or not, he's the man I will love from now until the end of time. And collecting your head will be the first of many rights to rectify the wrongs imposed upon my Darling."
"Z-Zero Two..." Naruto struggled to form a thought. Between his teacher's betrayal and the mysterious girl's confession, the distraught Jinchuriki's mind was left in shambles.
Mizuki did his best to keep a straight face. "Well isn't that just fan-fucking-tastic.! The demon's mistress will get to die faithfully at his side!" Reaching to his backside, the Chūnin withdrew a large, straight-edged fuma shuriken.
This brought a smirk to the rosette's features, revealing one of her fangs. Running her thumb across the exposed canine, she drew blood and initiated a rapid series of hand signs. Zero Two began to channel chakra and clapped her hands together. "Come to me, Strelitzia!"
A sudden flash of light illuminated the area, briefly throwing back the darkness. Still blinded by the light, Naruto felt a surge in energy that nearly knocked him over. He would've been blinded as well had he not brought up his arm to shield his face. 'What in the actual hell was that?!' When the radiance finally subsided, Naruto lowered his guard and was left stunned.
Zero Two stood before him in a blazing glory. Chakra burst from her every pore, encompassing the rosette in a shroud of energy. In her hand she held a long, ornate partisan. At its tip was a wide, flat symmetrical blade with two sharp indentations near its base, creating a sort of cross-guard. Its pommel was embellished with the head of a roaring lion. Twirling the glaive with practiced ease, Zero Two settled into a stance. "Leave this to me Darling~!" She flashed him a quick smile.
"How touching," Mizuki said blankly as he began to spin the hefty shuriken. "I'll be taking that scroll now!" With a mighty heave, he slung the giant weapon at the downed Naruto. The bladed disc crossed the pasture at an amazing velocity but Zero Two was quick to intercept. Flourishing her long weapon, the oscillating projectile was easily deflected away. The cloak of chakra blanketing Zero Two dispersed and her horns started to emit a faint glow before bursting aflame with chakra.
Mizuki has to admit the girl's visage had taken quite a demonic and unsettling turn, but he couldn't let himself be intimidated. ANBU or not, he wasn't leaving without the scroll. Reaching for the second fuma shuriken fastened to his back, Mizuki's breathe caught in his throat when the rosette flickered out of sight.
"Shi-" Mizuki grunted from the impact. He had just barely managed draw his weapon in time to block the thrust aimed at his head.
"I'm really going to enjoy this more than I should," Zero Two grinned sadistically. It had been a long time since she'd been able to actually stretch her legs. The familiar weight of Strelitzia in her hand brought an exhilarating nostalgia. Pushing away, Zero Two reset her stance and pressed on with her offensive.
Naruto, never having found his way back to his feet, sat in the grass watching the skirmish unfold with a dumbfounded expression. 'Wow…so this is what a battle between real ninja is like,' His eyes locked onto Zero Two, sparking something within the Jinchūriki. 'Did…did she really mean what she said? I mean of course the ANBU would know about…what I am…and yet she doesn't care.' The blonde had spent his entire life desperately seeking attention and acknowledgement. And now he was receiving both from a girl he'd just met, well at least as far as he knew. The way she spoke so fondly about him, one would be inclined to believe she'd known him his whole life. But that was impossible, today was the first time He'd ever met Zero Two…right? 'Argh! All of this is giving me a headache!' Naruto mentally cursed as he pressed his hands to his temples. Emotions we're such a nuisance to deal with.
Mizuki struggled helplessly against the girl's assault. She was methodically picking away at what little defense he managed to erect, slowly wearing down her prey.
Mizuki's teethed clenched as he narrowly avoided a stab to the gut. Using his momentum, the Chūnin quickly somersaulted away. "Let's see how you handle this!" The air around the white-haired nin suddenly distorted, causing him to disappear.
Zero Two halted her charge, scanning the area for her mark. Taking in a deep breath, a mischievous grin split the rosette's face. Flourishing her weapon, she extended her partisan behind her, striking an unseen mass. A dismayed Mizuki materialized on the tip of Strelitzia's blade. "Genjutsu won't save you from the reality that will soon be your death!"
But something felt off to the adolescent ANBU. Upon closer inspection of the corpse, her eyes narrowed when she noticed faint shimmers stemming from the joints. "A Puppet…" The ground behind Zero Two exploded, briefly enveloping the field in a cloud of dirt. Raising her to shield her face, a low growl escaped the teen. The earth beneath her feet shifted and Mizuki burst from the ground, kunai in hand. But he wasn't fast enough to outrun the hybrid's senses. Gracefully sidestepping the sloppy strike, an annoyed Zero Two drew back her fist. "This ends now!"
A delicate fist drove itself into Mizuki's sternum, causing the stout bone to crack. Naruto's eyes expanded to almost comical proportions as he watched his former teacher's body blast off towards the tree line. The human projectile crashed into a trunk with a sickening thump before slumping to the toughened soil below.
Zero Two let out a most unladylike snort before nodding in approval at her work. The chakra illuminating her horns quietly dispersed as she felt her reserves run dry. She absolutely despised the blood coursing through her veins. She couldn't generate her own chakra, making her nothing more than a marionette with its strings cut. Even with her own natural strength, she was still useless without a partner. But none of that was going to matter anymore. She finally had her darling. Now she could have all the chakra she wanted!
Driveling at the thought, Zero Two twirled Strelitzia in her palm. With a mere flick of the wrist, the glaive was banished in a dazzling light. Spinning on her heel, Zero Two turned to the stupefied blonde. "Neh, let's go home now Darling~!" she said with a toothy grin.
The rosette's cheerful demeanor shattered when she felt a surge of chakra behind her. 'W-What is this power? It's so sinister…' Turning on a dime, Zero Two spotted the source of the foul energy.
A dark chuckle reverberated thought out the glade as a monstrous form stalked its way toward them. "I was hoping to save Orochimaru-sama's gift but you leave me no choice!" Mizuki laughed. He stepped into the moonlight, causing the two youth to flinch at his new form. Gone was the lanky man from before, instead replaced by a muscle bound behemoth. Strange black marks now littered the man's body from head to toe. Mizuki cracked his neck and leered lecherously at the teens. "Now then, who wants to die first~?"
Zero Two grit her teeth in frustration. She didn't have a drop of chakra left but she couldn't back down. She had to protect her darling at all cost. "Stay back Darling. I'll take care of this."
"Are you crazy?!" Naruto blanched. The blonde bounced to his feet, landing at the rosette's side. "There's no way I can let you face him alone. Not when I'm the one's he's after." Zero Two felt her heart swell at her beloved's words. 'Oh Darling…'
"How touching..." a voice whispered behind them, causing both teens to lock up with fear. A powerful blow struck Naruto in his solar plexus, lifting the boy off his feet and expelling all the air from his lungs. Zero Two watch in horror as his eyes rolled to the back of his head before being disposed of by a crushing roundhouse.
Not giving the girl time to react, Mizuki spun around and lashed out with a backhand. Zero Two just managed bring her arm to intercept the blow, but the force alone shook her to her core. 'He's a LOT stronger than before!'
A grotesque chuckle slipped out of Mizuki as he watched the girl before him struggle. "What happened to all of that tenacity from earlier?"
"You bastard," Zero Two ground out. "I'm going to rip you to shreds!" She roared, her voice gaining an ominous undertone as a streak of crimson flashed through her eyes.
"With this new power of mine..." Turning his hand, Mizuki took hold of the Rosette's wrist, much to her surprise. The brute of a man planted a foot and began to viciously slam her repeatedly into the ground like a rag doll. "I'd like to see you try!" Mizuki planted his foot and sent Zero Two sailing. Her limp form made a beeline for the wall of trees, only to be intercepted by an orange flash. Naruto grunted from the impact and did his best to insulate the girl in his arms as they crashed, creating a small crater.
"That's definitely gonna hurt in the morning..." Naruto winced. It didn't help he was still feeling the pain of Mizuki's previous blows. Looking down he saw Zero Two was tucked away safely on his chest. Lifting her head, confusion dwelled in her disoriented eyes when they fell on him. There was a streak of what he assumed to be her blood, only it was blue, trailing from her scalp and down her face. One of her horns was chipped while the other was outright broken off. He was just glad that she was still alive.
"D-Darling?"
"Zero Two, we need to get out of here! He's too strong!" Naruto spoke hurriedly, taking notice of the monstrous form stalking towards their position.
"No can do Darling," Zero Two rasped out. She lazily rolled off the blonde and used the ground to force her dislocated shoulder back into place. She uttered a sharp cry before biting back the pain. Shakily rising to her feet, Zero Two flashed the younger boy a radiant smile. "That scroll he's after belongs to the old man and he hurt you. That's two afflictions against my precious people that I can not allow to go unchecked." Turning to face the rogue ninja, her eyes hardened into a piercing glare. "And if I don't make a stand now, who else will?"
"Well, well, well...I'm impressed you're still alive, let alone still standing," Mizuki chuckled.
"I made a promise to kill you. It hasn't been fulfilled yet." Zero Two spat out a glob of blue blood that had been pooling in her mouth.
"You've certainly got spunk girly, I'll give you that," the ivory-haired man laughed mirthfully. "As a reward, I'll show the full night of my power!" Mizuki's chakra spiked and his body began to mutate. His muscles expanded even more, adding to his already bulky frame. Orange fur crawled out of his skin while the many black marks circumvent his body lengthened into stripe.
"What the hell is that..." Naruto shuddered at the man's new form. Mizuki had taken on the likeness of a tiger, complete with a set of razor-sharp fangs.
"This boy, is true power. Don't worry, you'll get a taste as soon as I'm deal with your cute little girlfriend here," the werecat ogled Zero Two. Just looking at the feral man pissed her off to no end. Her entire body shook irritably. She was angry that she was out of chakra and couldn't produce her own. She was angry at this man for hurting her Darling. But most of all, she was angry with herself for not being able to protect him.
Her mind began to cloud over in anger as her frustration grew with each passing second. Unbeknownst to the seething kunoichi, a spark ignited deep within, setting her chakra coils on fire. Chilling, cyan orbs bled crimson and her traits grew more animalistic. Her horns were inflamed with chakra tinted a baleful shade of scarlet. Zero Two suddenly phased out of existence, shocking both males. She materialized before the chimera in a flash of crimson, fist poised to strike. "Just die already!" With a savage howl, Zero Two blasted Mizuki's bristly face with a vicious haymaker, banishing the beastly man from the training ground..
Naruto's heart skipped a beat when he saw Zero Two drop to her knees. He rushed to the kunoichi side and was left speechless by her battered frame. She was breathing heavily and the flame-like chakra lighting her horns evaporate once more. 'Damn it...I don't know what that chakra was just now, but it really helped. If only I had more...'
"That was amazing Zero Two!" Naruto exclaimed as he helped the injured girl to her feet, offering his shoulder for support.
"Thanks Darling. Now-"
"ARRRGH!"
Mizuki exploded from the forest, racing towards the couple at an incredible velocity. "YOU'RE DEAD YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he roared. Naruto found himself petrified with fear. Killing intent was rolling off the beast man in waves and he had a bloodthirsty glam in his eye. Limited on options, Naruto's body reacted instinctively.
Zero Two grunted in pain when she suddenly found herself discarded to the ground. "Darling?!"
"Get out of here Zero Two!" The blonde commanded. The rosette watched in horror as her beloved stood his ground against the rampaging behemoth.
"Touching!" Mizuki barked as he slammed his shoulder into the blonde. Naruto braced himself against the beast man's tackle but he was still driven back. The force was so great that the blonde's legs carved out a pair of troughs through the terrain.
"Darling!"
"You think you stand a chance boy?!" Mizuki growled at the blonde.
"Fuck off! You're not gonna lay a hand on her!" Naruto spat.
"Is that so?" Mizuki shattered the boy's guard with a powerfully uppercut, causing Naruto to drop to his knees. The chimera lifted his foot high above the stunned blonde as a psychotic gleam shone in his eyes. "You had this coming you stupid demon fox!"
The earth ruptured as Mizuki slammed his foot down on the unsuspecting Naruto's chest. A silent scream escaped the Jinchūriki and his mind went blank. Mizuki was immediately besieged by a series of bestial slashes. The beast man let out a growl as he channeled chakra into his foot.
"Earth Style: Tremor Step!"
The terrain crumbled beneath the sinewy appendage, causing a quake to violently shake the earth. A startled Zero Two stumbled into sight only to be snatched off her feet by the burly monstrosity. She clawed desperately at the tiger's face but he had a firm grip on her neck. "That's right, struggle some more for me little kitten," Mizuki cackled.
Naruto lay broken and beaten in the crater Mizuki had driven the boy into. Darkness was slowly encroaching in his vision and every cell in his body was fighting to stay conscious. Mizuki's abhorrent chortles faded into nothingness as all sound began to die out. Zero Two was calling out to him as well, but even her voice was lost in the eerie silence. He watched as she struggled to break free from the monstrous man's grasp, desperation taking root in her eyes as she reached out for him. 'Damnit...this is all my fault. If only I weren't so weak! Zero Two only got hurt because of me...' Naruto lamented, cursing himself for not being stronger. But unbeknownst to the blonde Jinchūriki, a force began to stir deepen within. One that had lie dormant for years. Until now.
'Tch...Still as useless as ever brat. If only my continued existence didn't depend on your own.'
Clouds rolled across the night sky, obscuring the moon. Without light from the celestial body, the forest was plunged into a chilling darkness. Mizuki focus remained on the young kunoichi flailing in his grasp, oblivious to the orange miasma seeping out of the boy's body.
"You know...I rather like 'em feisty. Oh the fun we could get into~!" He eyed the teen hungrily. Zero Two revolted at the thought. Just being around this man made her skin crawl and pissed her off even more. But as she was about to voice her ire, she noticed a hand take hold of Mizuki's jawline.
"I said not to lay a hand on her..."
Zero Two felt her equilibrium shift abruptly and she blinked in confusion as her view was suddenly clouded with orange. Glancing up, she was shocked to see Naruto towering over her. "D-Darling?!"
Naruto, who'd been glaring off into the distance, shifted his attention back to the maiden nestled in his embrace. "You're not hurt are you Zero Two?" His words fell on deaf ears, as Zero Two was too enthralled by the Blonde's appearance. His canines hung out of his mouth in a alluring fashion and his whiskers had grown even more pronounced. His hair was shaggier than before while his now slitted eyes radiated with vermillion energy. But what enamored her the most was the golden vulpine tail gently swaying from his backside.
"Beautiful…"
"Huh-"
Without warning, Zero Two crashed her lips Naruto's own. The poor boy lost all bearing as well as his balance, sending both teens tumbling to the dirt. But even amongst the confusion and loss of stability, the duo never broke apart. A wave of ecstasy washed over the couple as a column of red light flared up around them, piercing the heavens. Naruto failed to suppress a gasp when Zero Two's arms wrapped under his own. She pulled him closer, grinding her lithe figure against the stunned blonde, hungrily meshing their lips together. Naruto was only shaken from his stupor by a sharp tug on his chakra, causing animalistic instinct to swell within the boy. Refusing to be dominated, Naruto rose up on his elbows, returning Zero Two's affections with equal Fervor and eliciting a carnal purr from the vixen.
"Oh? An interesting change of events..."
The vortex of chakra dispelled and asphyxiation began to set in as the requirement of oxygen forced the teens apart. Zero Two collapsed in Naruto's lap, resting her forehead on his. "I finally got you Darling~!" She beamed. Naruto felt his chest heat up once more from the pure and unconditional affections her eyes reflected back at him.
"Neh Darling, let's continue this later after we finish up here~!" With a playful smirk, Zero Two licked the blonde's cheek, causing him to flush the same shade as her hair. Rising to her full height, Zero Two dusted herself off before helping her beloved to his feet as well.
"R-Right..."
Mizuki peeled himself off the ground and leveled a glare at the couple, only to find himself overtaken with fear. The same feeling of dread from 14 years ago overcame him, paralyzing the man in place. Even with his night vision, the world around him was shrouded in darkness. The only faintest traces of light were the two sets of crimson glares trailing circles around him.
"What happened to all of that tenacity from earlier?" A demonic voice mocked from the shadows.
"Neh...Mizuki-sensei. How about I show you a real demon."
"GAHH!"
The brute dropped to a knee after losing all feeling in his left leg. He could feel his Achilles' tendon had been severed, rendering the appendage useless.
"Oh what fun I can have with this one," the other voice giggled. Mizuki roared in anguish as lacerations split his chest open. The chimera was rendered defenseless against the shotgun of blows that assaulted him from all sides. A fist caved his chest in, causing blood to spurt from the beast's mouth as he collapsed to his knees. Claws dug into Mizuki's wiry neck, locking him in place as they chocked the life out of him.
"You brought this upon yourself," Naruto's commanding voice shook the older man to his core.
"STRELITZIA!"
Scarlet lightning screamed across the night sky and crashed down into the still forest. The elegant glaive manifested in Zero Two's hand in a flash of brilliance. She twisted the shaft, causing a rift to form in the middle of the blade. The tip of the pole discharged a white hot flame that tapered into a sharp point just past the tip of the blade. The intense heat generated caused the entire spearhead to radiate with an intense, magma-like glow.
A storm of chakra surged around the kunoichi as she began to gather her strength. Keen eyes cleaved through the blackness of the night to find their target. "Bring him to me Darling~!" The rosette sang.
By now Mizuki was trembling uncontrollably and his blood ran cold when a fiendish simper obscured Naruto's face. "You heard the lady. She did promise after all."
"Wait! Narut-"
Mizuki's voice died out when a foot drove itself though his face. Taking hold of his prey's ankles, Naruto started to rapidly gyrate in place. Childish laughter filled the air as Naruto launched the broken Mizuki in Zero Two's direction.
The rosette licked her lips in anticipation as she channeled all of her strength into her arm. "Know your place!" Hefting Strelitzia over her shoulder, Zero Two catapulted the spear, causing the earth to implode beneath her. Strelitzia whistled across the clearing like a shooting star, striking the crippled Mizuki with enough force to completely negate his momentum. The beast man vomited blood as the smoldering blade tore into his chest cavity. Almost instantaneously, Zero Two flashed into existence before him, taking hold of the Glaive's shaft. A maniacal grin split her face, reveling in the man's terror as he sank into despair.
"Bye Bye~!"
Strelitzia's blade glimmered briefly before detonating in a spectacular fashion. Mizuki's body was erased by a streamlined inferno that illuminated the entire forest and pierced the wall of trees bordering the training ground. A massive streak of fire tore through the forest, incinerating everything in its path. The blazing spectacle began to die out moment later, leaving behind a chasm of scorched earth and embers in its wake.
Naruto let out a low whistle as he admired his partner's handiwork. "Wow…that wa-Oof!" a pink blur slammed into the blonde's torso, nearly knocking him over. The young Jinchūriki could only blink in surprise as Zero Two nuzzled him.
"You were amazing Darling~!" she beamed.
"Er…thanks, you too." Naruto awkwardly scratched his head as the rosette clung to him. The vermillion chakra shrouding the couple evaporated and Naruto was suddenly overwhelmed with nausea. "Ugh my head…" All remaining strength he had vanished as his body began to shut down. He slowly pitched forward only to be caught by Zero Two.
"Rest Darling," she whispered into his ear as she cradled his head to her bosom, gently running her fingers through his unkempt locks. "I'm here now and I promise to never leave your side ever again."
Naruto struggled to keep his eyes open, but paralyzing fatigue and Zero Two's assuaging aura were enough to pacify the blonde. "Zero Two…" His voice trailed off into a yawn before exhaustion finally claimed him. Naruto caught one final glance of Zero Two's doting eyes fixed on him before floating out of consciousness.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone