Sacred Gear Shadow Light

Shadow Light

Chapter 48

The Catalyst

Present, The Dimensional Gap

Naruto's steady gaze held Aethra's as her words hung in the air. The warmth of the Sacred Gear's light thrummed faintly within him, grounding him amidst the echoes of revelations and connections he had yet to fully understand. He acknowledged the weight of her emotions but remained firm, rooted in the reality of his own identity.

"I'm not Kivren," he said, his voice calm but resolute. "Whatever of his light you see in me, I'm still me. That's not going to change."

Aethra's expression faltered for a moment, the raw hope in her silver eyes dimming slightly before she nodded, regaining her composure. Naruto, however, shifted his attention, turning his gaze to Red with a sharp intensity.

"But there's something else we need to address," he said, his voice steady. "Why did you attack her?"

Red, who had been observing the exchange with a casual air, stirred slightly. His molten-gold eyes gleamed with amusement as he tilted his massive head, his posture as relaxed as someone lounging on a throne. There was no tension in his demeanor, only the unshakable confidence of someone who saw no need to justify himself.

"Attack her?" Red rumbled, his tone laced with an easy mirth. "You make it sound so dramatic, Naruto. She wasn't exactly here to offer tea and cookies. She came to 'fix the disturbance.'"

Naruto's eyes narrowed, catching the deliberate edge in Red's words. "What do you mean by 'fix'?" he asked, though he suspected the answer.

Red's lips curled into a faint grin, his tone becoming more pointed. "Fix, as in eliminate. And by disturbance, she meant you." He leaned forward slightly, his massive wings shifting lazily. "Four years ago, you dropped into this world, and let's just say, it wasn't exactly subtle."

Naruto's brow furrowed, but he let Red continue.

"Your arrival wasn't just a splash, Uzumaki—it was a tidal wave," Red said, his tone still casual but underpinned by undeniable weight. "The ripples spread across the dimensional framework, waking up energies that had been dormant for millennia. Entire flows of magic shifted. Paths of fate, currents of power—all of it disrupted. For beings like her," he gestured toward Aethra, "that kind of thing isn't just a nuisance—it's a threat."

Naruto's jaw tightened slightly, but his expression remained calm. He listened, letting Red explain without interruption.

"So, when she showed up, glowing like a second sun and muttering about disturbances, I had to check it out. Turns out, her plan wasn't just to investigate. It was to remove the cause. And since I like you, and you're, well, you…" Red's grin widened slightly. "I decided to step in. Call it a professional courtesy."

Naruto exhaled slowly, the pieces falling into place with sharp clarity. "You're saying she came here to eliminate me," he said evenly.

"Bingo," Red replied, his molten eyes gleaming. "And since we're friends, I couldn't exactly let that slide. You're the only one I can tolerate in this mess of a world. So, yeah, I went after her instead. You're welcome, by the way."

Naruto's lips twitched into a faint, humorless smirk. "You've got a funny way of showing friendship, Red."

Red shrugged, his massive tail curling lazily behind him. "I'm a funny kind of dragon."

Naruto let out a long breath, the weight of the revelation settling over him. He glanced back at Aethra, her composed expression masking the storm of emotions flickering behind her silver eyes.

"You wanted to 'fix the disturbance,'" he said, his tone neutral but edged with understanding. "Why? What's been happening because of me?"

Aethra hesitated for only a moment before moved forward, her poise unbroken despite the sharpness of his question. Her silver eyes softened slightly, though her voice carried a weight that matched the seriousness of the moment.

"The disturbances you've caused have gone far deeper than you realize, Kiv-Naruto," she said, her tone steady but tinged with sadness. "Your presence has disrupted the natural flow of energy in this plane. At first, it was subtle—minor shifts, small anomalies. But over the past four years, the effects have compounded."

Her voice lowered slightly, the grief in her expression becoming more evident. "These disturbances have changed the very course of our dimension. The natural balance that held our world stable has been fractured. Energies long dormant have been awakened, and they're reshaping the fabric of existence in ways we can't fully predict."

Naruto's gaze remained steady, but he could feel the tension tightening in the air as she continued.

"These changes," Aethra said, her voice sharpening, "have allowed the machines to gain a foothold. They are a race of self-proclaimed perfect beings, viewing organic life as redundant and chaotic. For eons, we've held them at bay, but now…" She trailed off, the weight of her next words pressing heavily in the space between them.

"Now, they've begun to invade, using the disruptions as pathways into our reality. They've destabilized our defenses, and their forces grow stronger with each passing day. Worse still, the disturbance has done something drastic to us." Her voice wavered slightly before steadying. "We've lost one of our own—a warrior whose strength was unparalleled. She vanished into the chaos, her presence erased without a trace. And we fear she's been… consumed."

Naruto's expression darkened, though his calm demeanor didn't waver. "Consumed," he repeated, his tone low and even. "By them?"

Aethra nodded, her silver eyes meeting his with a mix of sorrow and determination. "Yes. And if we don't act, their influence will spread. They will dismantle everything, erase what they see as imperfection, and reshape the world in their image."

The gravity of her words settled heavily in the endless void. Naruto stood silent for a moment, his mind piecing together the implications. His arrival had done more than disrupt the world—it had opened the door to a threat that could consume it entirely.

Finally, he straightened, his emerald eyes locking onto hers with a quiet intensity. "I didn't come here to destroy your world," he said, his voice firm. "But if I've caused this, I'll help fix it."

Aethra's gaze softened, and for the first time, a faint flicker of hope returned to her expression. "Then we'll fight this together," she said. "But we need to act quickly. Time is not on our side."

Naruto exhaled deeply, the weight of the situation pressing against him. He extended his hand, shadows rippling outward as the barrier he had crafted began to dissolve, replaced by a more intricate one. The dense cocoon of darkness peeled away like mist, revealing a figure leaning comfortably against the wall, arms crossed and head tilted back in what could only be described as a leisurely nap.

Falbium stirred, letting out a soft grunt as he opened one eye, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto Naruto with a faint air of annoyance. "Took you long enough," he muttered, straightening lazily and brushing off his armour. "You've got a knack for dramatic entrances, I'll give you that."

Naruto smirked faintly but didn't waste time. "Shika, I need you. This situation is worse than I thought, and I know you've got a plan."

And Cut!

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