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Chapter XXXVI: Legacy.

Last Time.

"Let's get started," Batman said taking a step towards the door.

Only to be stopped by Talia. "Are you sure, Bruce? Only one man has passed this ordeal." Batman stared at her for a moment.

"Are you trying to talk me out of this?"

She shook her head no at that. "Of course not. I just... I just want you to be certain."

"When the Blood of the Demon takes hold, you will be on your own." Batman nodded his head at that.

"Like always."

Talia let him pass before speaking "Then may the spirits be kind." Batman walked through the door as Naruto leaned against the wall. "Naruto... We need to talk."

Naruto rolled his eyes at that. "We have nothing to talk about Talia... You broke up with me, without telling me the reason why... There's nothing more to say."

Talia looked down sadly and put a hand to her stomach before walking over. She grabbed his right hand and puts it on her stomach. "Naruto... I'm pregnant."

Now.

Gotham; Arkham City January 18, 2:00 EST.

"... Naruto..."

Naruto groaned awake as he heard someone calling his name. He looked up to see Talia kneeling beside him as her guard snickered. "Naruto? Are you all right? You just fainted." Naruto sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"I didn't faint! It was... a lack of oxygen. Yeah, that's it." Naruto stood up and looked at her. "Are you sure you're-"

She interrupted him by raising her finger to his lips. "Yes. I took multiple pregnancy tests."

Naruto reached up and grabbed her hand in his. "Then why would you break up with me, Talia? You know how much I want to be a father." She looked down and Naruto noticed tears welling up in her eyes.

"I found out right after... The reason I broke up was... Because I didn't think we could get past me being an Assassin. Naruto... This is my life. Would you willingly join us or keep allowing me to be a part of the Assassins?" Naruto cupped her face, pulled her up to look at him, and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"Talia. I told you before. I don't care about any of that. I love Talia. Not Talia al Ghul." He put his hands on her shoulders as she sniffled before surprising Naruto by hugging him. He wrapped his arms around her before breaking apart. "Talia, I-"

She stopped him before walking back up the stairs as she wiped away any stray tears. "We'll talk more after Batman finishes the Trials."

Naruto frowned at that before following after as he put his hands in his pockets. He looked to see Talia's guard salute him by raising their swords as he followed after her. He waited for half an hour before a healthy Batman walked up the stairs and towards them. Naruto looked on as Talia's guard walked back up and the stairs closed up again.

"You did it," Talia exclaimed as Batman stared at her.

"You sound surprised," Batman said making Talia shake her head.

"Of course not, I always had faith."

Naruto moved out of the way so Talia could open the door before Batman spoke up. "Where's Ra's? I need to see him now. I'm running out of time."

"Your final challenge awaits you through this door. I pray the spirits will be kind."

She opened the door, and Naruto saw a large room with several large tanks pouring green water into a pool as a cloaked person kneeled before it. "Ra's," Batman said as the person stood and turned around, showing a greatly aged Ra's with a green dragon tattoo on his right arm holding a sword.

"Father," Talia said before Ra's coughed.

"Detective. Naruto." Ra's greeted before focusing on Batman. "It is time for your final challenge. Kill me. Replace me as the Head of the Demon. It is your destiny." Batman glared at Ra's before speaking.

"No. I won't ever kill. Not even you, Ra's." Talia turned to Batman at that.

"What?! You lied to me! And you knew?!" She directed the last part at Naruto.

"Hey! I didn't know jack about any of this! Hell, I didn't know he would even do the trials!"

Batman glanced at them before speaking. "I needed your father's blood. And this was the only way to get it." Ra's chuckled before walking backward as he stuck his sword in the ground.

"Allow me to help you. Take my sword... Finish it and take it all."

Batman shook his head. "No."

Ra's sighed at that. "Is that your final answer?" He asked before threw his cloak off and fell back into the pool.

The water glowed brightly for a moment before a rejuvenated Ra's walked back up, his tattoo also glowing. "Now. Only one of us... Will leave this chamber alive." Batman glared as Naruto moved in front of Talia.

Suddenly the wind picked up with dust in it having Naruto cough and cover his eyes. When he opened them, they widened seeing that he and Batman were now in a desert-looking place with the sun setting. Suddenly, Ra's dropped down and flew to them. "You should have killed me when you had the chance!"

Naruto jumped away before seeing five men made from clay come up from the ground holding katanas. Ra's was replaced with another before they attacked. Three swung at Naruto who blocked their attacks before spin-kicking them in the chest, having them break apart. Naruto shot an arrow at another and hit him in the head.

Batman hit the last one multiple times before the clay broke, revealing Ra's. Ra's went into the ground having the heroes go back to back. A strong gust of wind blew them to an edge, having Naruto's eyes widen at seeing that they were on a small island in complete nothingness. He looked to see Ra's levitating off the ground with more men guarding him in a square formation.

Batman pulled the R.E.C. Gun out and hit Ra's with lightning as a larger clay version of him came out with a katana. Naruto shot several taser arrows at Ra's having him scream, float up, and went into the ground. Ra's suddenly flew up with a war cry and attacked Batman with his katana multiple times. Naruto tried to aim an arrow at Ra's but cursed as he couldn't get a fix.

Batman grabbed the blade between his palms and groaned against Ra's new strength. "Give in!" Batman head-butted him before flipping the blade to the Demon Head's neck.

"Never!"

Suddenly, Naruto found that they were back in the pit and saw Talia walk around her father and Batman. She glanced at Naruto before speaking loudly so he could hear. "We are fated to rule this Earth. To wipe it clean of the sum of Humanity. Only we can do this. My father is old and his time is over. Ours is just beginning. Take his blade. Kill him. Accept your destiny."

Kage groaned as they were teleported back beside Batman in the desert again. Suddenly, twenty clay men jumped out and piled onto them. Only to be reduced to ash as Naruto blew a fireball up, leaving burn marks on his and Batman's costumes. (1.) Ra's jumped back up with the men guarding him, and the large statue holding shurikens.

Naruto shot another Taser arrow, hitting Ra's in the chest and having him go into the ground once again. Ra's lunged out and attacked Naruto with multiple strikes of his sword. Naruto blocked the attacks before hitting the sword in the air and hit Ra's hard in the chest having blood come out of his mouth. Naruto caught the sword and kicked Ra's away as Talia went to his side.

Only to gasp as Ra's got up, held her by the neck, and held a dagger to her throat. "One of you will kill me and take over... Or the woman you love dies, Naruto."

Naruto dropped the sword before picking out a specialized Batarang Batman gave him.

It is a black boomerang-styled Batarang with a central bar flanked by two collapsible red wings.

Naruto pressed a button before raising it, and threw it past them, having it come back and hit Ra's in the back of the head. He let Talia go having Batman punch him over to a tank. Batman picked him up and stuck him with a syringe gun that took a sample of his blood. Naruto helped Talia up before she walked to her father.

"What the hell were you thinking?! You were willing to kill me and your unborn grandchild?!" His eyes widened at that as Batman dropped him. "Yes, father. I am carrying Naruto's baby. One that you will never see." She said before storming out and stopping by Naruto.

"Your apartment is still available, Talia. In case you were wondering." She nodded before walking out followed by Naruto and Batman.

As they walked out of the door, they saw Talia walk into a room and began packing. Naruto placed a hand to his ear as soon as he heard beeping. Missing the arrow that fell out during the battle that was blinking with a red light on the tip. "Naruto? Where the hell have you been?! I thought you died!"

"Sorry, Miss Martian," Naruto said as they traveled back to the surface.

"Did you find Ra's? Hold on... Batman's vitals are reading normal. Did you get the cure?"

Naruto sighed as they went through Wonder City. "No. Ra's forced him to take a little swig of the Lazarus Pit." After a moment, Miss Martian spoke up.

"Robin wants to talk to you both."

Naruto saw Miss Martian's name be replaced with Robin's. "Miss Martian?"

Batman walked through the tunnel and out to the room where they saved the nurse. "No, it's me, how are things going?" After a second, Robin replied.

"Several people have died... But they got to the hospital a few days ago. And a lot of blood trucks Joker had to deliver them were attacked... By Fury."

"What?! When?!" Naruto asked having Robin sigh.

"Earlier today. Right when you two got captured. Hate to say it, Kage. But she did help in all this." Naruto sighed as they made their way to the subway.

"Protocol Ten will commence in two hours."

Naruto heard Hugo over the loudspeakers before seeing Joker's men surround the station. They jumped up to the gargoyles before Naruto created several clones and got behind each one and knocked them out. They walked to another entrance and Batman used the R.E.C. Gun to open it. Walking out, they saw two men with riot shields as another held a knife.

'Well, the easiest way to deal with shield guys is to jump over them and punch them.' Naruto thought as Batman kicked the knife man up in the air and knocked him out.

Naruto dashed to the two shield men and knocked their heads together before hearing Joker over his earpiece again. He sighed as he saw it was just a voice mail. "Hey, been missing you. Get back to me. Later." Naruto sighed at that before seeing he left more. "Hello. I'm not sure that you got my call earlier. I'm just dying to speak to you. Call me." Naruto's shoulder slumped as the next one played. "Bats. Seriously. You're making me paranoid. Why aren't you answering my calls? You haven't gone and died on me have you?"

Naruto cried anime tears as the next one played. "Look, I know the both of you ain't dead! I'm missing a group of my guys under the tower. I guess that means you know about the guns already. OK. I admit it. They're mine. Strange gives them to me, OK?! Can we be BFFs again?" Naruto looked to the exit to the City before the next one played.

Naruto looked back to see the large group of men that was taken out by the clones that he left in the subway before running up the stairs. "Maybe it wasn't you that took out my guys. Right then. The message I left before you know. The one I left about the guns. You can ignore it. Just delete it."

Naruto jumped up to a roof and groaned. "I swear, he's like a crazy ex that won't leave you alone," He said as the next one played.

"Right. This is getting ridiculous. I've been leaving messages all night long and still, you haven't gotten back to me. Who do I need to kill to get you to pick up?!" Naruto took off his glasses to rub his face as the last one played. "At last. Hey, Bats, Kage. Where have you been? I was just calling to find out how you two are feeling? Are you getting the hallucinations yet? I know. It's hard to tell these days. You just never can tell if it's Scarecrow again, that little guy with the hat, my blood running through your veins, or if after all this time. You really are actually going crazy."

Naruto threw his arms in the air. "Finally! I thought he'd never shut up!" He suddenly heard Hugo over the speakers having them both stop running to Freeze.

"Citizens of Arkham. As I speak, a new inmate is entering my facility. The more nostalgic of you will recognize him as Quincy Sharp. Mayor of Gotham and failed Warden of old Arkham Asylum. Please provide him with the welcoming he deserves."

Naruto typed on his gauntlet to find Quincy before his earpiece rung.

"That doesn't sound good, does it?" Naruto heard Miss Martian speak.

"No, it doesn't, M'gann," Naruto replied before they made their way to him.

"I don't get it? Why would Strange arrange for the Mayor to be sent there? Scrub that. How the hell did Strange even manage to have the Mayor arrested?" Naruto glanced around before replying.

"I don't know, M'gann. But we're going to find out."

They stopped at the entrance of a large tower where four men had Quincy on the ground. Naruto dropped on two, knocking them out as Batman glide kicked another. Naruto shot an arrow at that last goon that tied him up before Batman took Quincy to the roof of a building. He held Quincy upside down by his leg as Naruto leaned against the railing.

"I'd cooperate, Quincy. He's not usually this nice. Tells us everything about Strange and how you're tied to all this!"

Quincy screamed before speaking. "Strange came to me back at the Asylum! He told me he had friends; powerful friends! The sort of people that can make things happen! All I had to do was turn a blind eye to his experiments and work on my campaign! He said his friends would ensure that I won!"

Batman stared down at him. "Who are they?!" He glared as he loosened his grip.

"I have no idea! I never met them! They funded everything! Money was no problem! All I had to do was set up Arkham City and put Strange in charge; it made perfect sense! The scum of Gotham needed to be punished! It would be my legacy!"

Naruto sighed as he looked down. "Strange has been removing anyone with evidence against him and bringing them here to Arkham City. Enjoy your legacy."

Naruto stood up after finishing as Batman brought Quincy back to the roof. "Naruto. I'm seeing massive spikes on Batman's vitals. It... doesn't look good."

Naruto brought a hand to his ear before speaking. "We just had a chat with Quincy. He confirmed that Strange is working with someone else. We need to find out who."

"I'll work on it with the others... Get him to the G.C.P.D." Naruto nodded before they left for the G.C.P.D. As they glided and jumped across several blocks, they heard Joker's voice again.

"Ring ring. What are you doing Bats, Kage? I thought we were friends, working together and all that. You know, from where I'm lying, desperately clutching at what's left of my life it seems like you've betrayed me and started working with the walking ice-box. Well, two can play at that game. Try and get back to that double-crossing snowman in the G.C.P.D. without my guys blowing your pointy heads off. I double dare you."

Naruto landed in front of the G.C.P.D. building and saw a group of five men, two with shields and another that was armored. "I got the armored guy," Naruto said before jumping over and dropped on the armored man knocking him out.

Naruto jumped to one of the shield men and punched through the glass window on it, smashing the man's face. Batman grabbed one man from behind and fell back so his head hit the ground as Naruto jumped over the last and kicked him in the back. The man's head went through the glass as he flew to the wall. Naruto looked at the ice covering the door before hearing Joker over the loudspeakers.

"Why do you keep doing this to me? It's like you idiots spend every single day thinking of ways to leave me bitterly disappointed. Harley, when you get to G.C.P.D. kill a couple of them for me, will you, dear?" After a moment, they heard Harley reply.

"No problem, sweetie."

Naruto sighed as Batman used the R.E.C. Gun to open the blast shield. "If any of you are still conscious, get back to base now!"

They ran inside and Naruto looked at the ice around the building's walls as he saw his breath. They walked into the lab where they saw several ice sculptures of a woman with Freeze working on a computer. "Impressive, Batman, Kage. I doubted that you would actually return."

"We're men of our word, Victor. You should've known that by now." Batman said as he placed the vial of Ra's blood on a table.

Freeze took the vial, placed it in a cylinder with another empty vial, and worked on the computer for several minutes. The cylinder opened showing two new vials with a blue liquid in them. Naruto scanned them as Freeze took them, and place them in a wall safe. He took one and typed on his gauntlet as he locked the safe. "The formula is complete. The bonding process appears to have been successful." Freeze said looking at the duo.

"How are you feeling?" Naruto glanced to see Batman starting to look a little pale.

"Give it to me," Batman said as Freeze shook his head.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. You have given me your last order." Freeze said destroying the vial.

"This is not a time for negotiation," Batman said with a glare before Freeze spoke up.

"The Clown took my wife. I want her back." Naruto raised his hands as Batman looked at the safe.

"OK. I'll find her. It'll only take a few minutes." Freeze threw him an SD card before Naruto flashed outside missing Batman walk to the safe.

"OK. She should be near Falcone Docks."

Naruto jumped back to the docks by Joker's Funland. He dropped on a boat before seeing a wall on a building that was falling. Naruto shot several arrows at it before turning around.

BOOM!

Naruto jumped through the opening and saw a door. Opening it, he found an empty room with an open vent. Climbing through it, Naruto saw a group of men guarding a woman in a tank filled with water. Naruto narrowed his eyes before jumping out of the grate, uppercutting one man and threw several sleep arrows down knocking the others out.

Naruto held a small gas mask over his mouth before walking out of the room. "Now to get back to Freeze."

Naruto jumped up and started to run across the rooftops to get back to the G.C.P.D. When he got back, he noticed the front entrance is frozen before flashing inside beside Batman. He saw Batman with a red bruise on his face, and Freeze kneeling with a broken visor. "I found her, Freeze... She's safe."

Freeze sighed at that. "Nora. Where is she?"

Naruto gave him an SD card. "She's at Warehouse 5B at the Falcone Shipping Yard." Freeze nodded before Batman walked to the safe and opened it. Only to find it empty with a hole in the wall and a bunch of joker playing cards.

"Harley Quinn took it," Batman said slamming the door shut.

"What are you waiting for?! Go and get it back. The Clown must pay for what he has done to us." Freeze said as Batman walked back to him.

"It's not that simple. Joker has the Steel Mill locked down. Getting in will not be easy."

"Perhaps I can help." Freeze said getting up and walked to the computer. "I've been working on a new projectile system." He said handing both Naruto and Batman a bunch of grenades that are glowing blue. "Perhaps these will provide you the edge you need."

They nodded before Batman walked to a back exit and threw two at several steam pipes that busted open blocking their path. Naruto looked at one of his and scanned it with his glasses. 'These are more powerful than my ice arrows.. I'll have to keep one to recreate the formula.' He thought as they opened the door and saw the bay as the balcony was destroyed.

Suddenly, a helicopter flew in front of them and blinded them with a bright light. They heard Vicki's voice over their earpieces as the helicopter hovered. "My God, our mystery caller was correct. It looks like Batman and Kage are exiting the building." She said before Joker came over their earpieces.

"Are they really? Hello Gotham, it's me! I'm afraid Ms. Vale will soon be leaving the airwaves." He said before they saw a small missile hit the tail of the helicopter. "We apologize for this interruption."

The helicopter flew away as Vicki called for help. Naruto and Batman jumped/glided to the City and stopped o a building two blocks away from the G.C.P.D. Naruto stopped behind two snipers aiming at Vicki on the broken bridge as another aimed at her from the next building. He slammed their heads together before jumping to Vicki as Batman knocked the third sniper out.

"Hold on Ms. Vale," Naruto said picking her up bridal style, and jumped to the roof of a building. "You should be safe here.. I'll have a clone take you back outside." She nodded before bringing up a digital voice recorder. "Any chance for an interview?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at that before Batman dropped down and their earpieces went off with the Joker on the other end. "That's no way to treat a reporter lady, Kage." Naruto turned around as a clone took Vicki.

"What the hell do you want?" He asked before Joker replied after a moment.

"Now see what you've done? You've scared her off. And after she's had a terrible accident."

"That you caused, asshole," Naruto replied with a growl as Joker was taken aback by that.

"How dare you! I've never been so... Oh, what the hell? Yes, OK, it was me. I just needed a little time to guarantee that Harley got back to me with my delicious cure and, if you're a good boy, I might save some for Batsy. It's unlikely, I know, but I'm really your last hope right now, aren't I?"

Naruto sighed as the link ended before glancing at Batman. "Let's go." He said jumping up to the roof as Batman shot his grappling gun up after him.

After jumping over several blocks, Joker came back on their earpieces. "Hey Bats. Are you OK? I'm sorry I had Harley steal your cure. You were so busy with Freeze that she didn't have time to ask. But don't worry. As soon as that little minx is back here and I've had my share, I'll save some for you. You'll have to work for it but it will be here waiting for you. You probably won't believe this… But I really don't think I can sit back and watch you die."

"It's selfish really. But we need each other. Life would be so boring without you. Who would I talk to? Who would really understand me?" Naruto sighed at that before they continued.

To Be Continued.