SWNOVELXO Chapter 18: Chapter 18
As Danny left Star at her mansion, the weight of exhaustion bore down on him. His body felt heavy, as though the energy he had expended in the last few hours had drained him of everything. Every muscle screamed for rest, and his mind was buzzing with the chaos of the night. The adrenaline had worn off, leaving only a deep, gnawing fatigue.
Suddenly, a voice broke through the fog of his weariness.
"Congratulations on your first job as a hero. I am very satisfied with the performance. With more practice, you can do it better and at an easier pace."
Danny couldn't help but smile widely at the words, feeling a surge of pride. It was the first time he'd received genuine praise, and the weight of his actions felt more significant now. He had saved people—he had truly made a difference. The feeling was exhilarating, and for a brief moment, he could understand the satisfaction Naruto must have felt when he had chosen to protect others. It felt right. He could finally see why Naruto had wanted to save people, why he had devoted himself to such a cause.
Without Naruto's influence, Danny knew that he would have failed. In the heat of the moment, when the danger had been overwhelming, Danny had been pushed to the edge of his limits. He would have panicked, given into fear, and most likely fled. But with Naruto's guidance, he had found a strength within himself that he never knew existed.
"So rest now and enjoy your reward tomorrow," Naruto's voice said again, this time more like a gentle command.
Danny didn't resist. His body felt like it was about to give out, and with that, sleep claimed him almost instantly.
As Danny fell into a deep slumber, his body went through significant changes. Naruto had shared his muscle memory with Danny—especially the martial arts techniques and movement skills that made Naruto's combat style seem effortless. As Danny slept, these skills were engraved into his muscles, so they would respond instinctively, allowing him to move faster and more fluidly.
But it wasn't just his body that was changing. Naruto had also increased Danny's mental capacity, boosting his intellect and reaction speed. He subtly enhanced Danny's knowledge of various subjects, giving him a deeper understanding of the world, even in his sleep. It was a gift—a way to accelerate Danny's development, so he could catch up to the challenges that lay ahead.
This was Naruto's gift to Danny, but Naruto also knew when to pull back. If he gave Danny too much too soon, it could overwhelm him. Overloading the body with too much power could cause it to break down. Danny needed to grow at his own pace.
After a few hours, Naruto's healing abilities took full effect. His wounds had vanished completely, and his body was stronger than before. Despite the healing, a sharp hunger gnawed at his insides. Naruto chuckled to himself. This was the benefit of the Akimichi clan's body art—a technique he had adapted for himself. It allowed him to absorb nature energy, eliminating the need for food.
Unfortunately, nature itself was a vast, dragon-like force, while Danny was just a fledgling. He couldn't handle such overwhelming energy just yet.
Naruto's finger glowed as he drew a special seal inside Danny's body, tapping into the power of nature to help boost Danny's mental abilities. This seal would activate while Danny slept, allowing him to absorb knowledge without even trying. It was a subtle, almost imperceptible change, but one that would increase Danny's learning capacity dramatically.
"For now, this is enough," Naruto thought to himself. He knew better than to interfere too much in Danny's growth. More seals could potentially strain Danny's body, and that was the last thing Naruto wanted. It was a careful balance—helping Danny while also allowing him to walk his own path.
Once everything was set, Naruto finished up and made his way to the mansion of his new servant. It was an imposing structure, opulent and extravagant in ways that left no doubt about its owner's wealth. As Naruto arrived, he was warmly welcomed, the gates opening with ease. He had already made his presence known, and it seemed the mansion's inhabitants were eager to receive their new master.
Naruto stepped inside, feeling a quiet sense of satisfaction as he prepared to oversee the next phase of Danny's transformation.
Naruto's mind worked swiftly as he prepared a new workshop, creating a base of operations where Danny could be fully equipped. Though the space was small and far less sophisticated than the high-tech facilities Naruto had access to in his previous worlds, it was functional for now. Naruto had been through many different worlds, adapting to simpler technologies, even dabbling in basic weapon crafting for fun when working with children or students. But now, the stakes were higher, and he had a clear goal in mind.
"These are the plans I have for the business side, so go read them and ask me if you don't understand," Naruto said coldly, dismissing the servant. As soon as he was alone, he wasted no time and walked into the workshop, ready to begin.
Despite the limited resources, Naruto's skill and experience were enough to push beyond the constraints of the simple tools at his disposal. With a wave of his hand, he began creating. Hours passed, but Naruto's mind remained sharp, focused on the task at hand. His craft was fast, yet precise.
In a single night, Naruto managed to produce an array of weapons and armor:
Armor: Lightweight, yet tough enough to withstand ghostly attacks. It was reinforced with Yin energy to counteract the supernatural.Daggers: These were crafted from a rare, durable metal and bathed in Yin energy. They were designed to slice through both material and ethereal substances with ease.Pistols and Sniper Rifles: These weapons were specially designed to shoot rounds imbued with Yin energy, enabling them to harm supernatural beings.Anti-Tank Rifle: A monster of a weapon, able to pierce the toughest of defenses. The rounds contained concentrated Yin energy capable of penetrating both the physical and metaphysical.Gauntlets and Blades: Close-combat weapons that were not only sharp but also able to conduct Yin energy, allowing Danny to channel it with every strike.Steel Wires: Used for both offense and defense, these wires could entangle enemies and slice through them with surgical precision.Poisons: Several varieties of toxins designed for specific threats. These were potent enough to incapacitate or kill both human and supernatural beings, should the need arise.
The weapons were not just ordinary items. They were specially made with the intent of combating the supernatural, and with the added benefit of Yin energy, they could harm even the most intangible of enemies. Ghosts and spirits that could normally phase through weapons would feel the sting of these tools, and their ethereal forms would no longer be safe.
Naruto didn't stop there. As part of his preparation, he began ingesting small doses of various poisons and diseases, not only to test the weapons but to ensure his body developed immunity. The physical strain was immense—his bones cracked, muscles screamed in protest—but Naruto welcomed the challenge. He had long since grown accustomed to pain as a tool of growth.
"He's lucky to enjoy this blessing," Naruto mused with a smirk, savoring a large breakfast as he healed his body at an accelerated rate.
The physical enhancements to his own body were not overlooked either. While the weapons were being crafted, Naruto's focus shifted to his own strength. His body had already reached a level that far surpassed the average human, but there was always room for improvement. His muscles rippled with each motion, each improvement enhancing his endurance, strength, reaction time, speed, and flexibility.
He was determined to create the perfect human body—one that could endure anything, one that could strike with the force of a ton and move with the speed of a cheetah for extended periods. This was the pinnacle of human physical potential in this world, but for Naruto, it was still just a stepping stone.
However, the transformation didn't stop there. As Naruto continued to push the limits of his body, he subtly infused it with Yin energy. The energy coursed through him, and by extension, through Danny. This gradual infusion was essential. If it happened too quickly, Danny would go mad, suffering from mental poisoning that could push him into insanity. So, Naruto took his time, feeding Danny small doses of the energy so that it would slowly integrate into his body without harm.
The final gift was Danny's growing awareness of the supernatural. Thanks to Naruto's actions, Danny's senses had been altered. He could now see ghosts, spirits, and other anomalous beings with ease. It was an important step in his development as a warrior, especially in a world where the supernatural existed just beneath the surface.
Stretching his newly enhanced body, Naruto felt the power coursing through his veins as he stepped into the expansive training area. Armed to the teeth with the weapons he had forged, he placed each one down carefully. He wanted Danny to understand not just the weapons themselves, but the proper tactics behind using them. Each tool was only as good as the mind that wielded it.
Naruto trained with them, his movements fluid and precise. He ran through basic drills, aiming, firing, and swinging each weapon with an expert's finesse. Danny might not be able to replicate this yet, but the goal was to create muscle memory, so that in the heat of battle, Danny would instinctively know how to handle each weapon.
By the end of the night, Naruto knew that Danny was ready for the basics. With the weapons forged, his own enhancements, and Danny's burgeoning powers, they would be able to survive against weaker ghosts like the DJ.
But there was still much work to do. Naruto was just getting started.
Star groaned as she tried to push herself up from the floor, her head pounding with every movement. The dizziness wasn't just from the hangover—it felt like something deeper, as if her mind was trying to process a memory that wasn't quite real. She glanced around the room, taking in her lavish surroundings, the familiar decor of her rich family's mansion. But everything felt off today. Her body was sore, like she had been through some intense physical exertion.
"What happened last night?" she muttered to herself, struggling to piece together the scattered fragments of the previous evening. She remembered the party—wild music, flashing lights, laughter, and meeting new people. But then, everything after Danny's appearance felt like a blur, a dream-like haze that didn't quite make sense.
Her thoughts kept returning to him. Danny Fenton. He had been a nuisance, a loser in her eyes, but something about the way he had acted during that madness last night... it was different. The way he had saved her, carried her when she couldn't even think straight, and fought that terrifying green monster—it wasn't the behavior of the clueless guy she thought he was. It was the behavior of someone... brave. Strong.
But then why did she feel this strange pull towards him now? A slight discomfort settled in her chest as she tried to shake it off. "No, this can't be right," she muttered. "It was just a dream. That's all it was. Why would I—"
Star froze as she caught sight of something in the corner of her room. The phone. It was on the floor, next to her bed, and it was unlocked. She picked it up and glanced at the recent messages, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the missed call from Danny. His name flashed on the screen, and her stomach twisted uncomfortably. Had he really called? Why?
With a sigh, she dropped the phone on the bed, rubbing her temples. She couldn't deal with this right now. Her head still felt heavy, and she was still trying to piece together how she had even gotten home.
The feeling was undeniable though—this wasn't just a crazy dream. Something had happened last night. Something she couldn't explain, and somehow, Danny Fenton had been part of it.
"Ugh, I need a drink," Star mumbled to herself, staggering toward the mini-bar in her room. She needed to drown out these confusing thoughts for a bit, or at least try to forget what had just happened. Because deep down, something was stirring inside her—a realization she wasn't quite ready to confront yet.
As she poured herself a drink, her eyes inadvertently wandered to the window. The sky outside was bright and calm, but something about it felt different now.