Naruto: Crimson Vault

chapter 15

Naruto held the bow of Herakles in his left hand, "No test?"

The homunculus smiled slightly, "Draw it, shoot the target."

He pointed at a red orb about fifty yards back.

He pulled at the string, but it didn't budge.

Realization dawned on the blonde. He called Steel, filling his muscles with cold strength, and pulled again.

"What the hell?" Naruto had seen Emiya use this bow before, and until now he hadn't realized how much Emiya held back during their spars.

He braced himself and absolutely surged Steel, the muscles in his body going ice cold in an instant. This time when he pulled it, the string moved partway back.

Naruto let go and let out a breath, "Damn!" He huffed, "Got any tips for me?"

"Spike your Steel in one instant. Steel of Herakles is excellent at giving both constant power and explosive power. You could have fifty times your normal strength for a minute, or one hundred times your strength for a few seconds, for example." The homunculus sat down.

With that Naruto focused on the feel of Steel, calling and dismissing it repeatedly for a few minutes, focusing on the actual pull.

With will like a chain he yanked Steel into his muscles and snatched the string back. It was hard but he had it. An arrow made of light appeared and He took aim and fired,  missing by several yards.

He went to call Steel but the power hurt a bit, and the homunculus called to him, "By the way, if you aren't used to it you can strain the power."
____________________

Emiya watched Naruto from the doorway, it was obvious he'd never fired a bow, but he was slowly improving. Without his help he would do this eventually...

That was the way he learned, his father hadn't paid attention to him until he'd gotten his mark from the serpent. He'd beaten dozens of rooms before Jai had cared, so what was different? What was Jai plotting?

With a sigh he stepped out to greet Naruto, "Brat!"

Naruto whirled, accidentally firing the bow in his direction, the light arrow singed the grass to his left and exploded against the barrier of the pocket dimension this particular room held.

"Emiya! What are you doing here?" He asked the red haired teen. Emiya summoned his version of the bow of Herakles. With a thought he surged his Steel, drawing it back and keeping his back and left arm straight.

"Pay attention to my form. When I'm ready to release the string I start releasing my breath to steady my aim, sometimes I'll outright hold my breath. Trace the arrow with your eyes to the target, follow and correct its potential trajectory and when you're ready..." he started breathing out slowly and let the arrow fly, putting a burning hole the size of a small coin dead center of the target.

Emiya dismissed the bow and faced Naruto, "Your turn."

"I'll need a minute, my Steel isn't as strong as yours." Naruto replied, but Emiya walked forward and looked at him, pupils glowing for a moment.

"It may not be, but you're strong enough to do this, now let's go." He handed the blonde an idunn's apple, "This will fix the stress and allow you to advance faster. Hit that target and earn it."

It only took Naruto four more tries with Emiya's help, earning him the mighty bow of Herakles.

"This bow is special, you don't need arrows, but it hardens chakra that it gives a force affinity along with your natural elemental affinity. My arrows are hot, because I have a fire affinity, yours may be different." Emiya told him as he looked over the bow, he was smiling, but wobbling on his feet, emiya rolled his eyes and handed him the fruit, "You're not terrible, ya know?"

_______________________

Arashi  was kneeling over Haku with a kunai at the ready, "What do I need to do?" He whispered.

I will be doing most of the work, just get his blood inside you. I will use his blood to map out new genes for you. It should grant you his chakra nature.

Arashi narrowed his eyes, "Why couldn't we have done this with the Hyuuga eye?"

Eyes are far harder. I'm just as likely to ruin the eye permanently.

Arashi accepted that and lowered the kunai to Haku's skin.