Naruto: Crimson Vault

chapter 18

Naruto and Emiya strode out of the Vault gate to team Asuna and team Shisui.

Hinata blushed as she saw Naruto's shirt and pants were held together by thread and he looked... different. His eyes, they held greater strength than before.

Arashi studied his movements, he wasted no movement, and he didn't make a sound. That was an anbu trick his dad had showed him once, to think there was another thing Naruto could do better than him.

They walked over to the two sensei, "Ready to go back to the village." Naruto bowed a bit at the waste.

Asuma looked Naruto up and down, "What'd you do to him?"

"I forced him to earn two more rewards from the Vault, then spent the remaining seven days in a constant cycle of fighting, eating and correcting his mistakes, and sleeping. Thanks to him unlocking the Diamond point in his mind, he learns faster than before. He even unlocked Athena's Aegis." Emiya replied, grinning at the blonde. "The kid was strong before but his basics weren't up to snuff so his potential was being limited. Now... now his basics are at least a bit more ironed out. I'll work with him more later."

Hinata had perked up at the explanation, "What... um.... what is A-Athena's Aegis?"

In response Naruto held out his left arm and flexed his power, instantly a red bronze-like rimmed disc shield appeared over his forearm. In the center was a beautiful red mirror. "It is unbreakable, and can redirect any jutsu that hits it."

Arashi nearly salivated at the weapon. It was beautiful and powerful, and everything he would want in a power.

Emiya thumped the shield, "His Path has also started to diverge from mine, the room he got this shield from gave me a different power entirely."

Kiba spoke up, "I'll admit, I kinda space out when Naruti mentions the Vault, but what do you mean rooms gave you powers?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "You still never listen. I'm not even on his team and I understand. Each room has a challenge, if they beat the challenge the room gives them a new power or a new weapon. What's so hard about that?"

Shisui nodded at her explanation, "Exactly. It's an almost extinct bloodline now, bur Naruto and Emiya are both born wielders of it."

Hinata spoke up, "Ano, I can also use them..." She showed her hair marked wrist. There was only one link, since it'd been a bit since she'd drawn the Vault's power into herself."

"Then there's my father. The guy that saved you from the ninja swordsmen." Emiya added, "Enough of thus though, let's get walking.

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Hephaestus rubbing at his neck as the damper fell from his throat.

"You know, to have the Vault exchange your chakra for the ability to wield miracles I'll have to see its core." Hephaestus told Jai. The chains at his feet shifted to bind his legs together instead of to the floor.

He took a step for the first time in a thousand years. The floor had shapped to hist feet after such time and he left a perfect pair of foot prints where he'd stood.

Jai waved a hand for him to follow and he did.

On the way, Hephaestus ran his fingers over the walls, "Its been so long since I've walked these halls..." he muttered ruefully.

After an hour or so of walking through the Vault's hallways they came upon a door that was pitch black with a long serpentine dragon etched into the metal circling an orb of some kind.

Jai pushed the door open and stepped into the room, the room was bare except for an orb of extremely powerful energy pulsating red in the center of the room. Runes of glowing red light floated around it like the rings of Saturn And they were constantly shifting and changing to contain the output of the Vault.

Hephaestus walked in after Jai and spoke. "Hello Pandora..."

The orb wobbled and the air thumped with power. He walked over and held up a hand to the orb, rings of runes separated and flew over to him, showing him information and he began adjusting things.

The tip of a blade touched his spine, "Just be aware, if you cross me u will destroy you."