Clarisse lunged first, spear leveled like a battering ram. She charged with the kind of reckless confidence only a child of Ares could carry, the ground trembling under her boots.
Naruto didn't move until the bronze tip was a hair's breadth from his chest. Then he tilted his body just enough. The spearhead hissed past, grazing his shirt. His hand shot out, snatched the shaft, and with a twist of his wrist the weapon was suddenly pointing away from him.
"Nice lunge," he said cheerfully, "but your grip's all wrong."
Clarisse snarled and yanked back with brute force. Naruto let go at the perfect moment. She stumbled a step, teeth grinding. The Ares cabin laughed with her, not at her, everyone knew this was just the warm-up.
"Think you're slick, huh?" she spat.
Naruto winked. "Pfft! I know I'm slick."
She spun the spear in a whirl of bronze, feinting low then slashing high. Naruto ducked under the first sweep, swayed past the second like a reed in the wind, then stepped inside her guard. His palm tapped her elbow, jolting her strike off-course. In the same motion he swept her leg just enough to unbalance her. Clarisse caught herself, growling.
"You done dancing around?"
"Nah," Naruto chirped, bouncing on his toes. "This is the fun part!"
Clarisse roared, stabbing again and again, the spear a blur of bronze. Sparks kicked up as the dulled tip scraped the dirt, whistling through the air with killing intent even if the edges were safe. Naruto slipped past each thrust, weaving, ducking, swaying. To the campers it looked like suicide, he was moving too close, too casual. But every time the spear came in, Naruto was already gone, a half-step out of reach.
Finally she overextended. Naruto's hand snapped out, gripping the spear just below the blade. He twisted, rolled his shoulder, and in one fluid motion wrenched it free. Clarisse stumbled forward, arms empty.
The camp gasped.
Naruto twirled the spear like a baton, spinning it behind his back, over his shoulder, flipping it in a showy arc before slamming the butt into the dirt with a cocky grin. "Thanks for lending me this. It feels real good in my hands."
Clarisse's face went crimson. "Give it back!"
Naruto spun it once more, then flipped it upright, offering it to her by the haft with an easy smile.
"Sure. Wouldn't want you to feel naked."
She snatched it back like it was her pride he'd stolen. Without a word she swung for his head in a wide arc.
Naruto ducked, popped up inside her guard again, and with a blur of motion tapped her nose with two fingers, light as a kiss. "Boop."
The crowd howled with laughter.
Clarisse's fury boiled over. She jabbed again, lightning fast, trying to skewer him center-mass. Naruto caught the shaft under his arm, twisted, and sent her spinning. Before she could recover, he kicked her spear up into the air, let it spin three times, then caught it neatly. He twirled it behind his back with ridiculous flourish, balancing it on one finger before tossing it up again and catching it clean.
"See, you're using too much muscle," Naruto said, flipping the weapon back toward her. She caught it, breathing hard. "Using a spear's all about flow. Gotta be like water, y'know?"
"Shut up and fight seriously!"
"Oh, I am fighting seriously. You just can't keep up!"
That did it. Clarisse charged barehanded this time, dropping the spear in frustration. She swung a haymaker. Naruto blocked with his forearm, stepped into her space, and hooked her wrist.
She went for a knee, but he slid to the side and tapped her shoulder with the back of his hand. Another swing he ducked. Another jab that he parried. Naruto slipped around her like a ghost, flicking her ear, tapping her ribs, even ruffling her ponytail.
"Gotta say, you hit way harder than I thought you would," he said between movements. "But you telegraph every punch. Look, here comes another one."
Her fist whooshed past his cheek.
"See?"
Clarisse let out a furious roar and tackled him with all her weight. For a moment it looked like she had him then Naruto rolled with her momentum, flipped her over his hip, and dropped her flat on her back in the dirt.
The Ares kids gasped. The Hermes cabin screamed laughter.
Naruto crouched over her, offering a hand. "Good fight. Wanna go again?"
Clarisse slapped his hand away, rolling to her feet with eyes blazing. But there was something else in them now, not just anger. Respect.
Naruto grinned, bouncing on his toes again, ready if she came back at him. "C'mon, muscles. Round two?"
The ring exploded in cheers, half the camp chanting her name, the other half chanting his. Clarisse tightened her grip on her spear, teeth bared, but for the first time, she looked at Naruto like he wasn't just some idiot newbie. He was a challenge.
And Clarisse La Rue lived for challenges.
Clarisse reached for her spear. The Ares kids thundered her name like war drums, the Hermes kids countered with Naruto's, and the whole ring buzzed on the edge of chaos.
She lowered her stance, shoulders bunched, eyes blazing like she was about to tear into him for real this time. Naruto's grin only widened. He bounced on the balls of his feet, fingers wiggling like he couldn't wait.
"Alright, alright now it's getting fun," he said, leaning forward like a coiled spring.
"Well fun's about to be over," Clarisse growled.
Chiron's voice cracked across the ring like a whip. "Enough!"
The noise died instantly. The crowd fell back as Chiron's shadow stretched long across the dirt, his face carved in stone. His tail lashed once, sharp against the ground.
"This is a sparring ring, not a battlefield," the centaur said, gaze sweeping from Clarisse to Naruto. "The both of you have proven yourselves capable. That is sufficient."
"But!" Clarisse started, still vibrating with pent-up fight.
"No 'but.'" Chiron's tone brooked no argument. "You'll have other chances, Clarisse. Camp Half-Blood is not short of contests."
Clarisse scowled but dropped her spear butt-first into the dirt, muttering under her breath. Her cabin groaned in disappointment but didn't dare mouth off to Chiron.
Naruto scratched the back of his head, still grinning like a kid caught with candy. "Aw, c'mon, I was just warming up."
Chiron's gaze landed on him, patient but iron-hard. "And you still have a tour to finish. I will not have the new arrivals distracted all morning by your… antics."
Naruto laughed sheepishly, hopping back over the ropes in one fluid bound. "Guess that's my cue. Rain check, muscles?"
Clarisse's only answer was a glare sharp enough to cut steel, but she didn't say no.
The campers buzzed with chatter as Chiron turned back toward the path. "Come," he said firmly. "There is much more for you to see, and your introduction to this camp has only begun."
Annabeth sighed like her headache was getting worse. Thalia smirked sideways. And Naruto.. Naruto just stuffed his hands behind his head, strolling along with a grin, like he'd just had the best morning of his life.
The camp slowly peeled away from the sparring ring, chatter buzzing like bees after a storm. The Hermes kids were already bragging that Naruto had schooled an Ares camper on his first day, while the Ares cabin swore Clarisse had just been holding back.
Bets were exchanged, arguments sparked, and Clarisse herself stalked off muttering about round two.
Naruto, of course, soaked it in like sunshine. "Man, this place is great," he said, grinning ear to ear. "It's like a festival that never ends."
Thalia shot him a sideways look. "You're insane. Clarisse was about two seconds from turning you into a pancake."
"Pfft. Please." Naruto stretched his arms behind his head. "I've been squashed harder by a fox rolling over in his sleep."
Luke blinked at him. "That's… weirdly specific."
"Because it happened," Naruto said with total seriousness.
Chiron cleared his throat, steering them off the sparring path before the banter spiraled. "Come along. Next, the forge."
The air grew hotter with each step. Soon the rhythmic clang of hammer on metal rose above the chatter of campers. Smoke curled into the sky, carrying the sharp tang of burning coal and molten bronze.
The forge was a furnace come alive. Sparks flew like fireflies as campers hammered away, bronze on anvils ringing in steady rhythm. Flames roared in open hearths, and the heat slapped them in the face like a living thing.
A girl stood at one of the anvils, her shoulders broad, arms corded with muscle, hair tied in a soot-streaked bun. She wore a leather apron scored with burn marks, sweat glistening as she struck a blade that glowed red on the anvil.
She paused only long enough to glance up at them. "Don't touch anything unless you want it welded to your skin," she said, blunt but not cruel. Then her gaze lingered on Naruto. "You break it, I'll fix it. Or, if you need a weapon, I can make it better than whatever you're carrying now."
Her lips twitched like she almost wanted to smile. "Though you don't look like the sword-and-shield type."
Naruto's grin was instant. "Bet."
The girl snorted and went right back to hammering, sparks leaping with every strike.
Luke's eyes flicked from weapon racks to the flames. "This place is insane. They just let kids work in here?"
Thalia coughed, wiping sweat from her brow. "Feels like we just walked into the inside of a volcano."
Annabeth stayed quiet, but her wide-eyed stare lingered on the glowing metal, the way each piece took shape under steady hands. She didn't say it out loud, but her face screamed fascinating.
Naruto leaned over one of the racks, eyes gleaming. "Whoa. Look at all this! Swords, spears, shields, man, you guys got an armory bigger than any shinobi village."
Chiron's voice rumbled over the roar of the forge. "This is the Hephaestus cabin's domain. They are the smiths and engineers of Camp Half-Blood. Weapons, armor, even the camp's defenses, they maintain it all."
Naruto whistled. "Bet they're fun at parties."
Chiron swished his tail once. "Come. There's still much more to see, and I'd prefer you all leave with your eyebrows intact."
From the forge, the path opened into a wide clearing ringed with cedars. The air was hot and sharp, carrying the twang of bowstrings and the hiss of arrows slicing through the wind.
"This is our archery range," Chiron said as they stepped out. Targets lined the far end, straw circles painted with bull's-eyes. Some stayed still. Others floated, drifting left and right to make the shots harder. Campers stood in neat rows, bows raised, arrows thudding into the wood with satisfying rhythm.
At the center was Mikayla Yew. She couldn't have been much older than Thalia, maybe thirteen, with her blonde hair tied in a messy braid and a camp tee rolled up at the sleeves.
She stood with a bow in her hands like she'd been born holding it. In one fluid motion she drew it , loosed, and landed three arrows in the center of the target, having splitting the last one clean in half.
The campers around her whistled in admiration. Mikayla just shrugged like it was no big deal.
"This is Mikayla," Chiron said. "Daughter of Apollo. Archery is second nature to her and her kin."
Mikayla's eyes flicked toward the newcomers, landing on Naruto. She smirked. "You look new. Give it a try, maybe Apollo is your godly parent."
Naruto's grin spread wide. "I doubt it, but stranger things have happened."
Thalia folded her arms, already smirking. "This is going to be hilarious."
Luke leaned against the rail. "I'll put twenty bucks he misses completely."
Annabeth tilted her head, eyes bright with curiosity.
Naruto strutted over to the rack, grabbed a bow that was almost taller than him, and notched an arrow. He squinted at the nearest target, tongue poking out in concentration.
"This will be a piece of cake," he muttered.
TWANG!
The arrow nose-dived halfway and stuck in the dirt like a crooked toothpick.
The line of campers burst out laughing.
Naruto blinked at it, then puffed out his chest. "That was just a warm-up."
Mikayla raised an eyebrow. "Sure it was. Try again, brainiac."
He shot her a look, then grabbed another arrow. He drew back and released,
THUNK!
It whipped wide and smacked straight into a tree trunk. A furious dryad's face appeared in the bark, glaring daggers at him.
Naruto winced. "Uh sorry! My bad!" He bowed low, hands together.
The dryad vanished with a grumble. Thalia laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. Luke clapped once, grinning ear to ear. Even Annabeth's mouth twitched with a smile.
Naruto grit his teeth, loading one more. "Okay, okay. Third time's the charm."
He yanked the string back as far as it would go, eyes blazing. The arrow launched and spun midair, skidded along the ground, and stopped dead at Mikayla's feet.
She looked down at it. Then at him. Then bent to pick it up, holding it out between two fingers. "Congratulations. You invented the world's first boomerang arrow."
The range howled. Even Chiron's mouth twitched before he smoothed it out.
Naruto scratched his head with a sheepish grin. "Guess bows and me don't get along."
Mikayla smirked, sliding her own arrow back into her quiver with practiced ease. "Stick to bronze and bone, brainiac. Leave the shooting to us children of Apollo."
Chiron clopped his hooves once, restoring order. "Don't worry, Naruto. There's still more to see."
As they left the range, Kurama's low rumble carried only to Naruto. "Don't listen to him, Naruto. You should be very worried, you nearly skewered the satyr two lanes over. Next time, point the sharp end at the target."
Naruto huffed. "Yeah, yeah. Like you'd do better with paws."
The fox's teeth gleamed in the corner of his grin. "Anything is better than the horror i just witnessed.."
"Kurama is right you know.." Annabeth said.
The path dipped downhill until the air cooled, carrying the soft lap of water and the creak of wood on waves. The trees broke open onto a wide, glittering lake. Canoes bobbed at the dock, their paint chipped but bright with cabin colors.
"This is the canoeing lake," Chiron said. "Safe, if you're respectful. Not safe if you're not."
As if on cue, a Hermes camper leaned too far over his canoe. Invisible hands yanked him down with a splash, and he came up sputtering, hair full of lilies while naiads giggled beneath the surface.
Luke blinked. "That's… normal?"
Thalia snorted, throwing up her hands. "Dude, we're in a camp for children of the gods. Nothing's normal."
Naruto crouched at the edge of the dock, dunking his hand into the water. The naiads rose like pale ribbons, their voices soft and lilting in Greek, eyes curious on him. One darted close enough to graze his fingers.
Annabeth hung back a few paces, arms folded tight. "You're not scared?" she asked, voice small.
"Scared?" Naruto grinned. "They're just shy. Watch, I'll charm 'em."
A column of water rose up and smacked him clean across the face, knocking him flat on the dock with a splat. The naiads disappeared in a spray of bubbles, their laughter echoing from below.
Naruto lay there dripping for a beat, then shot upright with his grin wider than ever. "See? They're playing hard to get. Classic."
Thalia barked a laugh. "Or maybe they just hate you."
"Impossible." Naruto shook his head, water flying everywhere. "Everyone loves me. Eventually."
"Don't be so certain, brat." Kurama said.
"Pfft, you know you love me furball."
Chiron sighed through his nose, his tail swishing once as he turned them up the path. "Come along. There's still more to see."
They climbed a short slope, the lake vanishing behind them, until the trees parted to reveal a stone amphitheater carved into the hillside. Rows of benches curved down toward a firepit that glowed faintly even in daylight.
"Welcome to the amphitheater," Chiron explained. "Where we gather for songs after meals, to honor the gods. It may sound quaint, but tradition has power."
A cluster of campers were already there, strumming guitars and banging on drums. The singing was off-key in places, but the energy carried it, voices rising together until the central fire flared with each chorus.
Naruto's eyes lit up. "No way! Karaoke night? This camp just went from a humble six to a ten."
"It's not karaoke," Luke muttered.
Before anyone could stop him, Naruto barreled down the steps and snatched the nearest tambourine.
He leapt right into the middle of the circle, shaking it so hard it rattled out of rhythm, yelling nonsense syllables like he was summoning gods of rock instead of honoring them. Then he spun until his feet tangled, tripped, and faceplanted by the firepit.
The campers exploded with laughter. One even shouted, "Encore!"
Naruto popped back up, hair smoking a little at the tips, grin wider than ever. "See? Natural performer. The gods love me already."
Kurama's tail flicked as his deep voice rumbled out, flat and unimpressed. "If the gods could actually hear you, they'd strike you down where you stand."
Naruto spread his arms wide, tambourine still jingling. "And if they strike me down now, I'll only come back stronger than you can possibly imagine!"
The campers howled, pounding the benches.
Thalia dragged a hand down her face. "For once, I agree with the fox."
Annabeth tried to smother her giggle but failed, while Luke just shook his head.
Chiron's sigh carried the weight of centuries. "That will conclude your tour. You are free to explore the camp as you wish until supper. But take this warning seriously: do not wander into the woods without a weapon. The forest is stocked with monsters for training purposes. Some harmless, some not. Too many have learned that lesson the hard way."
The firepit crackled like it agreed, a small puff of sparks dancing into the air.
Chiron's gaze sharpened, his voice carrying over the benches. "One last announcement. Tomorrow is Capture the Flag. A tradition older than most of you. Two sides. Two banners. The game ends when one is taken."
The pavilion shifted at once. Veterans leaned forward, grinning like wolves. Newcomers whispered nervously, heads turning as if they could already see the teams forming.
"On one side," Chiron said, "We have the Athena cabin, Apollo cabin, and Hermes cabin, the latter two being the largest in camp. They will form the blue team.
On the other side we have the Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite, Ares, and Hephaestus cabins. And if she chooses to participate, Zeus' cabin as well." His gaze flicked toward Thalia. "That will form the red team."
"Feel free to discuss strategy," Chiron added.
At the Hermes table, Cecil Markowitz, head counselor of the Hermes cabin leaned back with a smirk, but his eyes darted toward Luke. First day on camp grounds, and already he was about to be thrown into the fire. Cecil's grin all but said, hope you can keep up, newbie.
Naruto cracked his knuckles, grin spreading like wildfire. "So… basically a giant brawl with flags? Perfect. I'm in!"
Thalia sat forward instantly, blue sparks licking at her hairline. "If he's in, then I'm in."
Naruto shot her a lazy grin. "You're so going to lose, Sparky."
She didn't even blink. "Please. You couldn't even hit a target at the archery range, Treehugger."
That landed like a rock in a pond. A chorus of groans erupted from the Demeter kids. "Not cool!" one of them barked, glaring daggers at Thalia.
Thalia held up her hands in mock innocence. "Hey, I like trees!"
Naruto leaned across the table, grin sharpening. "Good. You'll be eating dirt and bark once the game starts."
Thalia's smirk curved like a lightning bolt. "Better than getting fried alive."
Naruto jabbed a finger at her. "Careful, Sparky! You might short-circuit if it rains."
Her chair screeched as she leaned in, eyes blazing electric blue. "Say that again."
Naruto cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed, "SHORT CIRCUIT!"
The table erupted. Campers howled, ducking and laughing as sparks practically jumped off Thalia's shoulders. A few banged on the table, chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Luke pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh. This camp was insane. But gods help him, he couldn't wait to throw himself into the fire with them.
Some of the campers cheered, others exchanged uneasy looks.
Kurama's low rumble vibrated as he lounged in Annabeth's arms, red eyes gleaming like coals. "Finally. Let the brats fight it out to the death. I don't care. Fewer mouths at the dinner table if some don't make it back."
Several campers went pale. A few even slid their benches farther from the nine-tailed fox.
Naruto side-eyed him. "Dude. Not helping."
Kurama bared his teeth in a grin. "What? I'm rooting for you. Mostly."
Annabeth tilted her head, then fixed him with a glare sharp enough to cut bronze. "You're being a bad fox."
Kurama froze. His ears flattened, tails curling tight like he'd been scolded by the Fates themselves. "W-wait, hold on.."
She leaned in closer, voice firm, eyes unblinking. "Bad. Fox."
The great beast actually flinched, ducking his head and looking away like a child caught stealing sweets. "Tch. Fine. Whatever." He muttered, "Little girls are terrifying…"
Campers snickered at the sight, whispers running down the benches.
Chiron cleared his throat loudly, hooves striking stone. His tail flicked once, pulling the attention back. "Whether you fight or watch, the choice is yours. But remember: tonight, the camp becomes a battlefield."
Cecil Markowitz dropped onto a bench like he owned it, chomping into an apple. Juice dribbled down his chin, and he didn't bother wiping it. "Alright, let's make this quick. We're the blue team. We win. Meeting over."
Bea Wise didn't even glance up. Her charcoal scratched across the map spread on the table, curls falling into her face, glasses slipping down her nose. "Arrogance doesn't win games. Formation does." She tapped the map, each jab punctuated. "Ares and Hephaestus will hammer the middle. Demeter will choke the flanks. Aphrodite will distract. Scatter, and we lose."
Lee Fletcher leaned back, bow across his knees, voice lazy. "So don't scatter. We hold the line, I rain arrows, simple."
Bea pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's never simple."
Luke sat forward, fists clenched against the wood. His stomach still twisted with nerves, but under it was heat, steady and sharp. He wanted this. "So who takes the strike team?"
"You, two Hermes, one Athena," Bea answered briskly. "Apollo covers with ranged. The rest defend."
Cecil flicked his apple core away. "Fine. We'll babysit the flag. But where's blondie? Didn't he promise to be a distraction?"
Everyone looked around. No Naruto. No fox.
Bea sighed, long-suffering. "Of course he wandered away."
Luke pushed up from the bench. "I'll find him. Somebody has to."
The woods were thick with cricket-song and the hush of leaves. Lanterns burned low, throwing pools of gold against the trees. Luke moved quietly, following instinct until the trail spat him out before Zeus' Fist, the massive outcropping of stone jutting toward the sky.
And there he was. Naruto crouched at the base, humming off-key, hammering a sharpened branch into the dirt. A snare stretched between roots, a pit half-dug beside him already bristling with wooden spikes. Kurama lounged nearby like a shadow given form, tails lazily swaying.
Luke blinked. "What are you doing?"
Naruto didn't look up. "Planting surprises. Gotta spice the game up. Imagine Clarisse's face when she falls into this."
Luke stalked closer, jaw tight. "We just had a war council. Bea mapped out every angle. You can't just.."
The ground shuddered.
Both froze. The boulder behind Naruto groaned, stone grinding on stone. A seam split down the middle, coughing out a draft of cold, stale air.
Luke's stomach dropped. "What did you do?" he hissed.
Naruto finally glanced back, eyes gleaming like a kid at a candy store. "Uh… unlocked a bonus level hopefully."
"No," Luke said firmly. "Absolutely not. We tell Chiron. Now."
But Naruto was already edging toward the crack, peering into the dark. He threw his arms wide. "Finders keepers, losers weepers!"
The smell wafting out was old like rust and dust, and something heavy that pressed against the lungs. The darkness yawned beneath them like an open mouth.
"C'mon," Naruto said, ducking inside without hesitation. "Adventure's calling, Lucky."
Luke swore, pulse racing. His instincts screamed bad idea. But leaving Naruto alone? That was even worse.
"Gods," Luke muttered, tightening his grip on his sword. With a frustrated sigh, he stepped in after him.
Behind them, the stones ground shut.
And the Labyrinth swallowed them whole.
_____
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