Naruto stepped forward first. The air shimmered as it touched him, light rippling around his shoulders. Then it let him pass. The barrier folded like mist, and he walked into camp without a hitch.
That part was somewhat expected. He looked human enough, even if his powers weren't.
But then Kurama approached.
The fox loomed over the campers, red eyes gleaming, each pawstep heavier than thunder. His fur bristled as he neared, ears flicking at the low hum in the air.
The barrier sparked when his nose touched it. Campers recoiled, several drawing their weapons. A satyr bleated in fear and nearly fell over himself.
Kurama bared his teeth, tails curling. "If this thing burns me," he growled, "I'll bring it down with me."
The wards shimmered, light bending around his body. For a heartbeat, it held him there, humming like a drawn bowstring.
Then, slowly, it folded.
Kurama stepped through it whole and untouched.
The silence that followed was sharper than steel.
Naruto smirked, resting his staff on his shoulders. "Don't worry, he's not so bad once you get used to him."
The campers erupted in whispers.
"The fox… the camp's barrier let him in."
"That's not possible."
"No monster should be able.."
Chiron raised a hand, silencing them. His gaze lingered on Naruto and Kurama for a long moment, then shifted back to the others. His voice was calm, but carried an iron weight. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. All of you."
Naruto grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, thanks. I kept my promise though and got everyone here safe, didn't I?"
Luke rolled his eye and muttered under his breath, "Safe, sure. If you call dragging a goddess down on us safe."
Thalia shot him a look but said nothing.
Kurama stretched, tails flicking lazily as if the tension amused him. "You're all staring. Haven't you ever seen a talking nine-tailed fox before?"
A few campers flinched back. Others kept their weapons half-raised. None of them looked convinced
The rain eased into a steady drizzle, the storm finally breaking apart. Campers crowded near the crest of the hill, whispering in uneasy tones, their eyes darting between the fox with nine swaying tails and the boy who grinned like he hadn't just leveled half a forest.
The centaur moved forward now, his hooves clicking softly against the wet stone. His presence alone steadied the air, centuries of patience in the calm way he carried himself. He raised one hand, quieting the last of the murmurs before speaking.
"You must be Naruto," Chiron said, his voice warm despite the weight of the words.
Naruto scratched the back of his head, grin a little sheepish now that all eyes were on him. "Yeah, that's me." He jerked a thumb toward the fox at his side. "And this is Kurama. Don't mind the teeth. He's emo at times, but he's alright."
Kurama's ears flicked, his tails brushing the grass as he rumbled, "Someone has to fill the role of your Uchiha boyfriend."
"I won't comment on that." Naruto coughed.
A ripple of uneasy laughter ran through the younger campers which was quickly stifled.
Chiron's gaze flicked briefly to Kurama. His eyes, old and steady, carried no hostility, only the careful respect of one predator recognizing another. Then he looked back to Naruto.
"Well met. I am Chiron. I train the children of the gods who come here." His lips curved faintly. "And as you can see" he gestured lightly to his equine half "I am not unfamiliar with unusual company."
That loosened the tension a little. A few campers shifted, lowering their weapons.
Naruto brightened immediately. "See, Kurama? Told you you're not the weirdest looking guy around here."
Kurama snorted, though his red eyes gleamed with something like amusement.
"You have no public training, brat."
Chiron allowed the banter to pass. His voice softened, more private now though many strained to hear: "The wards let you both through. That alone tells me Olympus does not count you among its enemies. But I would still like to understand… who you are. And what bond you share."
Naruto rubbed his neck, awkward but unflinching. "He's not my pet or anything. He's my partner and friend."
Kurama's teeth showed in something almost like a grin. "He's still an idiot. But yes. That much is true."
A few campers muttered uneasily. Monsters didn't usually speak of loyalty, much less friendship. Annabeth's pencil scratched furiously against a page, her eyes darting between them.
Chiron inclined his head slowly. "Then that is enough for me. At Camp Half-Blood, enemies are those who raise their hand against our children. If Kurama is as you say, then he will be treated as a guest. So long as he keeps the peace."
Kurama's tails flicked, his voice a low rumble. "I have no interest in your children. So long as they keep their distance."
"That is sufficient," Chiron said, and for a moment his tone carried the weight of finality. He turned toward the gathered campers, raising his voice so all could hear. "Naruto and Kurama are under my protection. No blade will be raised against them while they remain here."
Naruto let out a breath, shoulders loosening. "Well, that went better than I thought."
Chiron's lips curved faintly, though his eyes stayed watchful. "You may find Camp Half-Blood more welcoming than you expect, Naruto. Even to those who do not fit the mold."
For the first time, Kurama lowered his tails, posture easing just enough to suggest he was no longer on the brink of lashing out. His red eyes scanned the camp with guarded interest.
The rain had eased into a fine mist, the storm unraveling at last. Campers muttered as Chiron dismissed them, reluctant to leave but obedient under his steady voice. One by one they filed off toward the cabins, though not without casting lingering looks back at the boy and the fox who had just torn a god's army apart.
When the last of them drifted away, only the older residents and the newcomers remained under the pine's shadow. The shimmer of the barrier hummed faintly, golden light glinting off wet grass.
Naruto leaned on his spear, water dripping from his hair, grin still as lopsided as ever. Kurama settled behind him, tails curling like a fortress, eyes narrowed at the slope as if daring any straggler to stare too long.
Thalia broke the silence first, her voice edged but softer than before. "Well. That was… something."
Naruto flashed her a grin. "Told you I'd get you here safe."
Her grip on her spear tightened. "Safe? Not too long ago we got stuck in a murder house and then you picked a fight with a goddess. That's not my idea of safe."
Naruto tilted his head. "But you're alive, right? Mission accomplished."
Thalia stared at him, then exhaled hard and looked away. "…You're insane." But there was a flicker of reluctant relief in her eyes.
Before Naruto could reply, the air changed. The drizzle stilled, as if the whole camp held its breath. The torches guttered, flames burning an unnatural green. A smell like dust and old tombs rolled down from the Big House.
The door creaked open.
A figure shuffled out, robed in faded silk. Her skin was withered and gray, parchment pulled tight over bones. Empty sockets glowed with pale green fire. Campers froze where they stood, whispers cutting sharp through the night.
Naruto's stance changed quickly, every instinct screaming enemy. Kurama's tails lashed, teeth bared. "What in the nine hells is that?"
The corpse opened her mouth. Green smoke billowed out, curling like snakes across the ground. Her voice rang hollow, more echo than sound:
"Flaw of the world, beyond all fate,
No god nor man may bind your state.
A power born of earth's desire,
Unshaped by oath, by blade, by fire.
The coming age he shall decide,
Through his hand the world he shall divide."
The smoke whirled, then snapped back into her body. The Oracle of Delphi stood rigid for a heartbeat, then sagged like a puppet with cut strings.
Silence.
Naruto blinked. "…Okay. First off, rude."
"Second off, gross."
Chiron's face had gone pale beneath his beard. He stepped forward, bowing his head slightly toward the corpse. "The Oracle of Delphi has spoken."
Naruto raised his brows. "Hold up. The Oracle? That right there.." he gestured with his hand "is a walking corpse."
Chiron's eyes were heavy, his sigh older than stone. "It is… a story for another time. One you deserve to hear, but not tonight."
Naruto frowned but let it drop when Kurama brushed his tails against his shoulder, a wordless not now.
Chiron straightened. "For now, you will need a place to sleep. Travis, Connor"
Two small identical boys with sly grins came forward, bowing with exaggerated flourishes.
"Escort our new arrivals to Cabin Eleven," Chiron ordered.
Naruto tilted his head. "Cabin Eleven?"
"Indeed," Chiron said. "The cabin of Hermes. He is the god of travelers and guides. All who remain unclaimed find shelter there."
Luke stiffened at the attention, but didn't protest.
Naruto scratched his cheek, brow furrowed. "So… like the spare room nobody wants, huh?"
Chiron's gaze softened, though his tone was firm. "Such is the rule of the undetermined. Until the gods speak, all wanderers fall under Hermes' roof."
Before Naruto could argue further, light flared above Annabeth's head. Silver-gold, bright as dawn. An owl unfurled its wings in fire, a spear glinting in the shimmer.
Gasps rose from the campers.
Annabeth's breath caught, her eyes wide as the symbol burned clear for all to see.
Chiron's voice rang solemn. "All hail, Annabeth Chase. Daughter of Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle strategy."
Annabeth's throat was clenched. For a moment she looked like the little girl who had waited so long for this, her shoulders trembling. Then she squared them, pride shining through.
"The Athena cabin will welcome you now," Chiron said gently. "May your mother's wisdom guide your steps."
Annabeth's lips curled into the smallest, fiercest smile.
Naruto leaned down and whispered with a grin, "I knew it, you're way toooo smart to be anything but."
Her face flushed pink, but she didn't look away.
Kurama groaned. "Now it's confirmed, a seven year old girl is smarter than you.."
"Hey!" Naruto countered.
Chiron gestured toward the cabins in the distance. "There will be time for questions tomorrow. Tonight, you rest."
The rest of the campers began to disperse, their whispers trailing behind them like smoke.
Travis and Connor were already circling Naruto and Luke like hungry sharks, grinning at the prospect of fresh victims.
"Cabin Eleven's got space barely," Travis said cheerfully. "Hope you don't mind bunk beds stacked like sardines."
"Or people stealing your socks," Connor added with a grin.
Naruto tilted his head, unbothered. "I don't even wear socks."
That earned him identical evil grins from the twins. Luke just groaned.
Chiron's gaze turned then to Thalia. "And as for you…" His voice softened, carrying something almost reverent. "The daughter of Zeus has came to us. You will take your place in Cabin One."
A ripple went through the campers. Cabin One loomed at the edge of the clearing, dark and solitary, built from storm-black marble with lightning bolts carved across the pillars. No torches burned inside; the whole place seemed to hum with distant thunder.
Thalia froze. "That's… my cabin?"
A tall, broad-shouldered boy from Ares cabin stepped forward awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "I'll show you the way." His voice was gruff, but his eyes held a trace of awe.
Thalia glanced at the cabin again, shoulders stiff. Then she nodded once. "Fine. Lead on."
Naruto called after her with his usual grin. "Don't let the thunderbolts keep you up!"
She shot him a glare over her shoulder, but her lips twitched, just barely.
Annabeth followed a small group toward Athena's marble-white cabin, head held high, the firelight gleaming in her hair. Luke trudged off with Naruto at his side, the Stoll brothers already plotting chaos.
Kurama padded silently behind, nine tails swaying like banners in the mist.
Chiron watched them all go, his expression thoughtful and heavy. Above the cabins, the storm had passed, but the Oracle's words clung in the air like smoke that refused to clear.
PREVIOUS DAY.
Inside her tent, Artemis sat alone. The air smelled of pine resin and leather, yet her thoughts wandered elsewhere, replaying the encounter over and over. At last she spoke the name she rarely allowed herself to.
"Apollo."
The canvas filled with blinding light. When it dimmed, her brother stood before her, his tunic shimmering faintly, golden hair catching every stray beam of the sun. He looked irritatingly pleased.
"Well, well. You actually called me. Must be serious if little sis is breaking tradition."
Artemis' eyes narrowed. "Do not test me."
He raised his hands in mock surrender, though the smirk didn't leave his face. "Alright, alright. What happened?"
Her arms crossed tightly. "I met someone. A boy or at least he wears the shape of one. But he is no mortal. He commanded water and earth with ease. He raised trees from nothing, bent them to his will, and every beast in his path obeyed him as if he were their master. His grip on the natural world supersedes my own."
Apollo tilted his head, grin fading. "So he beat you?"
"He did not best me," Artemis said coolly. "But his power was… unsettling. Too dangerous to ignore."
Apollo studied her for a beat, then leaned against a support pole, his tone more serious now. "What else?"
She hesitated. "He wasn't alone. A fox stood with him. It had nine tails and was immense. Its aura was suffocating, more malicious than any monster I've encountered. I have never seen the like."
Apollo straightened. "Nine tails? That's not just any beast. That's a kyuubi."
Artemis frowned. "Explain."
"East Asian mythology," he said, rubbing his jaw. "I've read their poems, their stories. Depending on the pantheon, they're called many things. The Shinto gods call them Kyuubi, the Tian Immortals call them Jiuwei Hu. The Kyuubi isn't just an animal, it's a divine beast. A spirit that clawed its way up to godhood. They start as mortal trickster foxes, but with centuries of cunning and power, they ascend to divinity. Not technically gods in the traditional sense, but close. Strong enough to stand among them."
Her brows knit tighter. "A divine beast from another pantheon?"
"Yeah. And that's the weird part. You know the old laws. Pantheons don't cross. Not openly. Not unless they want a war. Divine beasts follow the same rule. They stay in their own sphere. For one to be here? That's breaking laws older than either of us."
Artemis absorbed that in silence. When she spoke again, her voice dropped lower. "The boy also bled ichor. The blood of the gods."
Apollo froze. Then he gave a sharp, humorless laugh. "So he looks human, but he's not. He's carrying divine blood in his veins. Great. Just great."
Artemis' expression was unreadable.
Apollo lifted his hand, light kindling in his eyes as he stretched his sight across the day. His power filled the tent, pressing against the canvas walls. He waited, searching, then let the glow die, his jaw tightening.
"Nothing," he said flatly. "I should be able to see him anywhere under the sun. He should light up like a beacon if he's as strong as you say he is. But he's hidden. It's like he's been erased from my eyes."
Artemis' arms folded tighter. "The night offers no more. I tried. He slips through my sight as well."
"That's not supposed to happen," Apollo muttered. "Between us, we cover everything. Day and night. Light and shadow. If we can't track him, then someone or something stronger is shielding him from our gaze."
Silence thickened between them.
Finally, Apollo said, "We should tell Olympus. Father needs to hear this. An immortal boy running around with a divine beast at his side? That's not just strange, that's dangerous."
"Not yet," Artemis said sharply.
He blinked. "Not yet? Artemis, come on. If Zeus hears about this from someone else, he'll.."
"He will unleash his paranoia," Artemis cut across him. Her voice was steady, but her eyes hardened. "The gods are restless enough already. Hades is circling Thalia Grace like a vulture, and Father sees betrayal in every shadow. If we bring this boy before the council now, they will not pause. They will destroy first and question later. You know this."
Apollo fell quiet, studying her.
"I will not condemn him without knowing," she continued. "If he is alone, unclaimed by any side, he could be an ally. But if he serves the titans…" Her hand brushed the curve of her bow. "Then I will not hesitate."
"You sound like you want to protect him," Apollo said slowly.
"I want the truth," Artemis answered firmly.
For a moment, Apollo just looked at her, weighing her words. Then he let out a long breath, shaking his head. "You're playing with fire."
"I always have."
He lifted his hands in mock surrender, though his smirk didn't quite reach his eyes. "Fine. Your call. Just don't expect me to stay quiet when the sky starts falling. Because I'm absolutely saying 'I told you so.'"
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
___
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