Fallen Grace: A Naruto Fanfiction (Book 2, vol. 1)

Chapter 31: Interlude (3)

Our existence is small
What litters beyond us is large
And what lays is something with all
Bearing arms that can destroy conceptuality
And we will see such an event in the future
Because that's human fragility
May you remember these words
In the future, we will see the end
And thus we will see the fleeing birds
The final hour will befall
And we will see the ominous that guards reality
And, at the very last second, we will see the universe ball

By: Top 10 Ranker, ???

Book: What Lies Beyond the Fog

~~~

POV: Naruto

"What happened?" I asked as Aoi drove me home. Was it bad for me to ask her at a time like this? Probably, but there was a curiosity that did not settle.

I saw her hand grip the steering wheel tighter. "Nevermind... I think--" I was about to continue on but I was cut off by the sound of her voice.

"No... it's fine," she said, starting. "I saw the department... it was burning down." I nodded, turing my head to the side, looking out towards the serenity of the world through the glass window.

"Then... Iseul... she told me, that The Gentleman took you to the rooftop." I didn't if she could see it, but the corners of my eyes widened in surprise.

That's what she saw. I thought. I didn't explicitly controlled the genjutsu of each and every one of the people in the building since I wasn't the most well-versed in genjutsu, but I did make one thing true for the people that I was with during the lab.

The genjutsu that they all saw, they were long enough to where I could do everything needed, but also not too hard to where they would collapse under the extreme pressure.

She fought me in my disguise. I thought.

"I fought him. He was strong... but I could've ended things sooner if you were safe," her face contorted. "I think that brought me some realization."

"That I need to overcome something before I can say I can protect you, Keika, and Nagare." What was this thing that she must overcome?

No... I pressed for information for too much, it was best to settle down before I bite more than I can chew.

I glanced at her through the indoor rear-view mirror. She had a solemn look on her face, one that had replaced her happy-go-lucky look ever since she had exited her genjutsu.

The me in her genjutsu is stronger than the me in reality. That much was obvious. If she had fought the real Gentleman, then [he} would've died in an instant.

But it seems she had beaten him, even though the entire reason she had struggled was probably due to my existence being caught.

My hands clenched, tightening.

The me in that genjutsu and the me in real life are one and the same. Even though the strength may not be the same, the same premise is strong.

No matter what, in this condition, that outcome of me getting captured would be the likeliest to happen. And, as always, it will be because of lack of strength.