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Chapter 194 Warrior of Sunlight

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The head of an Undead soldier clattered down the stairwell, bouncing once before rolling to a stop at the portcullis. Naruto exhaled and gave his blade a sharp flick, blood flying from the edge of the uchigatana before he sheathed it.

The duo paused as they saw Solaire. He was seated cross-legged near the bonfire, his helm tilting just slightly as if listening to the quiet crackle of flames.

"Sorry for being late."

"Ah! No need to worry, my friend," Solaire said. "I only just arrived myself. Quite the coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

Naruto hummed, his eyes drifting toward the bridge. Hollows shuffled there, their heads twitching toward the fire and then away again. His hand drifted to his weapon, but before steel could leave its sheath, Solaire raised a hand.

"Peace, peace," he said. "Hollows will not come close. Even they, in their broken state, remember the warmth of the bonfire. It is their home, in a way. A hearth for the weary, even for the lost."

Naruto paused, then nodded, letting the tension ease from his shoulders. He stepped closer and sat down by the fire, stretching out his legs. The heat of the flame kissed his armor, filling him with a drowsy calm. With a sigh, he laid flat on his back against the stone, arms pillowed behind his head. Oscar wasted no time climbing onto his chest, curling up comfortably with a faint hum.

The silence stretched for a time, filled only by the crackle of the fire and the muted shuffle of hollows beyond.

"Now then," Solaire said, removing his helm and setting it beside him. Golden hair spilled loose, tied neatly in a ponytail, his blue eyes gleaming like polished glass in the firelight. "Is there a reason you wished to meet me here, my friend? Or is it just the joy of jolly company?"

Naruto tilted his head, then chuckled faintly at the sight. For just a heartbeat, he wondered, Was my father from Astora? But he shook the thought off and let it drift away.

He drew in a slow breath, his gaze flicking between the restless flames of the bonfire and the moss-stained ceiling high above. The words were heavy, and for a while he struggled to let them out. But then, quietly, he began to speak: of Sasuke, of Sakura, and of the weight pressing against his chest every time he thought of them.

"And despite knowing this decision is the right one, it still gnaws at me," he admitted. "They are safer in the Elemental Nations. Safer than they could ever be here. I die all the time in Lordran. I wake up again, but I'm Undead. They wouldn't. Sasuke, Sakura… they would be destroyed here."

The fire cracked again.

Solaire was silent for a long moment, eyes fixed on the flames. "Ah, my friend… your choice is not weakness. It is care. It is protection. To shield those dear to you from a fate they cannot endure… why, I daresay that is the mark of true strength. A heavy path, yes, but a correct one."

He smiled faintly. "You doubt yourself too much. Even the brightest star questions its light… but the sun does not falter. It shines because that is its nature. And you, Naruto, have already shared much of your light."

"You think so?"

"Aye. Doubt is natural, but remember… doubt often walks hand in hand with love. The choice to protect, even when it costs your peace, speaks not of failure but of devotion. That is the bond of a knight to his fellows."

For a moment, the weight in Naruto's chest eased. He gave a small nod, though uncertainty still lingered at the edges of his expression.

"You know," Solaire said, "trying to bring Sasuke and Sakura into Lordran is a bold thought indeed! But I fear it may not be yours to act upon."

"What do you mean?"

"Lordran does not simply open its doors to anyone. No, no, this land is peculiar! Twisted, strange, alive in ways we cannot fully understand. It calls to champions, my friend. It chooses them. Unless it calls to Sasuke or Sakura, they will never set foot here, no matter your will."

"So… I was chosen?"

"Why, yes! I believe so," Solaire said with quiet cheer. "But what a strange choosing it is. Stranger still that you are able to return home. Lordran does not allow such things lightly. In fact, I'd say it's practically unheard of!"

"Because time's messed up?"

"Hah hah! Most likely," Solaire admitted. "Time here is a wounded beast. It limps and stumbles. Centuries-old heroes walk as if they never left. Dreams turn into reality, then rot. Yes… I would say you slipped through a tear in that wound."

Naruto chewed on that. "Then… there's a chance. However small. That I could bring them here."

"But do you truly want to?"

Naruto winced. "…No."

"Then there is your answer!"

"Then why do I still feel like shit?"

Oscar smacked his cheek with his tail, chirping loudly. It was almost as if the little crystal lizard was shouting at him, pull yourself together already!

"Ah, what a faithful companion you have there. Even he can see what you cannot. It is something far simpler."

"Why did I lie to them? That's what's been gnawing at me. I hate lies. You know, I literally turned into a half-dragon just because I was furious over a lie. And yet when it came to my friends… I lied without a second thought. I could have told them the truth, but I didn't."

"Because you were afraid. Afraid they would look at you differently. Afraid they would not accept you if you offered them nothing in return. That fear is not uncommon, my friend. Many would rather carry a lie than risk rejection."

Naruto swallowed hard. "That's been me my whole life. I was hated in Konoha unless I acted like a clown, unless I gave people something to laugh at. Guess I never shook it off. Even here… even with Sasuke and Sakura. Deep down, I still feel like if I don't give something, I won't be worth anything to them."

"Ah, but that is where you are mistaken," Solaire said firmly. "A lie does not always come from malice. Sometimes, a lie is born of fear or even love. What matters is the heart behind it. Your intent was not to deceive your comrades. You only wanted to protect them and, perhaps, yourself. That makes you human, not faithless."

"So what do I do then? How do I make it right?"

"Simple!" Solaire's voice rose with optimism. "You apologize. Speak from the heart."

Naruto tried to laugh, but it came out bitter. "Wouldn't they just see me as a selfish brat. I like being special. I like that this world chose me. I know that's dumb…"

"It is not dumb at all, my friend!"

Naruto looked at him in surprise.

"There is nothing wrong with wanting to be special," Solaire continued. "It is a deeply human thing! We all wish to be the sun in someone's sky. You think yourself selfish for wanting that, but I see someone who has already given. Did you not give Sasuke a claymore? Teach him swordplay? Did you not arm Sakura with an axe and even gift her humanity? You have shared much already!"

"…Yeah," Naruto admitted quietly.

"You gave, and still you doubt yourself. But listen well, my friend. If Sasuke and Sakura cannot accept your decision, whether you bring them to Lordran or not, then they are not truly your friends. They would be seekers of power, nothing more. And such people do not deserve the bond you have already offered them. True comrades will stand with you, not for what you can give, but for who you are."

"That sounds… too easy."

"Life is rarely easy," Solaire admitted with a chuckle. "But sometimes the hardest thing to do is also the simplest. Do not fear it. Remember, even the sun cannot grant its warmth to every soul at once! Hah hah hah!"

Naruto hummed, and for the next few hours the two warriors spoke of their journeys. Naruto recounted the Wave mission in detail, speaking of Zabuza, Haku, and the villagers who needed hope. Solaire, in turn, spoke of his travels through the ruins of Oolacile.

Naruto also added his adventures in Lordran and all the wonderful people he had met.

"That was… probably way more than I meant to say," Naruto admitted at the end, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well! That was certainly an eventful tale. But tell me, after all of it… are you glad it happened?"

Naruto fell silent. He thought about it, eyes reflecting the bonfire. "I'd probably change a few things," he admitted softly. "Yeah, there are regrets. Always regrets. But… I'm glad. I'm glad I walked this path. I'm glad I got strong enough to survive it. Even if I don't have a big dream like yours."

"Does that matter?"

"Maybe it does," Naruto murmured. "Maybe it doesn't. I think I've started to appreciate just walking the road itself. Sometimes you gotta stop, look back, and realize how far you've come."

The fire popped and cracked between them.

"I am thinking of heading into the Depths," Solaire said suddenly.

"The Depths? That place is a damn labyrinth."

"Yes indeed. All the better! Something calls to me down there. Perhaps I might find my sun. The sun shines brightest after the darkest night!"

Naruto groaned. "You're really going to chase your sun into that muck?"

"A sun may fall, but it always rises again! Hah hah hah!"

"Good luck, Sunbro."

"Will you join me?" Solaire asked. "The path would be warmer with two."

"I'd love to," Naruto said, sitting up. "But… I've got something else to do first. I need to find Princess Dusk. She can slip through time, and I don't want to miss my chance to learn from her."

"Then I wish you fortune," Solaire said warmly. He carefully handed Oscar—still dozing—back to Naruto. The little crystal lizard stirred, chirped once, then flopped back to sleep with a puff of breath.

"You leaving now?"

"Of course!" Solaire said, rising with a stretch. "No time to waste. I find the road ahead most exciting. Hah hah hah!"

"If that's the case," Naruto grinned, "I want to join the Warriors of Sunlight."

"Oh! Magnificent! I knew you would fancy it! Righteous knights, guardians of all that is good, in the name of the Lord of Sunlight! It fills my heart with joy! Come, my friend, let us make it official."

The two walked out together toward the broken statue of the Nameless King.

"And there we are," Solaire said. "Now, simply say a prayer at the Altar of Sunlight. Then you shall know the brilliance of our Sun!"

Naruto knelt before the broken statue, his hand pressed to the stone. Last time nothing had stirred, but this time he felt it. His faith reached out and the sunlight above seemed to answer, carrying with it the test of the nameless knight.

You must bend them, Naruto thought, narrowing his eyes. He raised one hand slowly, his faith pulling at the world around him. The light bent, gathering, shaping. A sphere of golden fire hovered in his palm, a small sun that pulsed with life. Then came the voices. A chorus, countless and layered, men and women, children and warriors, the sound of Warriors of Sunlight bound together in faith. It was the divine call of the god of war, leading him toward the covenant of sunlight.

The words formed in his mind, and Naruto spoke them aloud, his voice steady:

"I carry the flame of the sun in my hands.

I will raise it high to guide the lost.

I will wield it hard to break the foe.

I will share it freely with my brothers.

So long as the sun burns, so shall I."

The orb of light shuddered and collapsed into form, folding itself into parchment. A scroll of blazing gold fell into his hands.

[ Covenant Established: Warrior of Sunlight ]

[ Reward: Miracle Lightning Spear ]

Naruto rose to his feet, clutching the scroll, his chest still burning with the power of the vow.

"Exhilarating, is it not?" Solaire's voice rang out, bright and proud as he held Oscar in his arms. "The power of the Sun! Hah hah hah!"

"Yeah… it's awesome," Naruto said with a grin, catching Oscar as the little lizard leapt back into his arms.

"I am blessed to have found such a brave companion!" Solaire declared, throwing his arms out wide to the sky. "But I must leave for the Depths. There is something down there that calls to me. If at any point you are in need of some jolly cooperation, write my name with the White Sign Soapstone and I shall aid you without hesitation!"

"Then I definitely want to see your face when I show you my world's sun."

"Oh-ho! I look forward to it, my friend!" Solaire said. He raised his arms in his familiar gesture, praising the sky. "Praise the Sun!"

Naruto laughed, joining him, and Oscar even stretched his little forelegs up in mimicry.

When their laughter faded, Naruto watched as Solaire strode toward the bridge. He unsheathed his sword in one fluid motion, sunlight catching on the blade, and marched forward to meet the hollows.

"Come on," Naruto whispered to Oscar, moving back toward the bonfire. "I have an idea."

Oscar chirped in agreement as they sat before the flame. Naruto opened the scroll and began to attune the Lightning Spear miracle. And just like always, the world began to blur. A vision was coming… but this one felt different.

Naruto found himself standing in a room that was not a room at all, but an endless void of black. His breath echoed in the stillness, and then the silence broke.

A rumble rolled across the heavens above, deep as a growl from the belly of the world. Thunder roared, and a split-second later lightning fell, white and merciless. It struck the darkness ahead of him, and in that violent flash, Naruto saw him.

The figure was a giant of a man.

His frame was cut sharp with strength earned through uncounted battles. His skin was shadowed like stone against the night, and his hair blazed white, wild and untamed, leaping skyward. The man's face was hidden by shadow, but his bearing spoke louder than features ever could. His head bowed slightly, not in weakness, but like a mountain leaning forward.

The presence that bled off him made Naruto's pulse quicken.

He was clad in battered armor. Jagged carvings scarred the chest plate, scars etched by storms. His shoulders were broad, his arms half-bared but wrapped in cloth and leather, every scar a mark of survival. From his waist hung tattered plates shaped like scales, iron biting into cloth, strips of fabric torn and whipping as though a wind belonged only to him. His legs were armored in greaves fitted for war, boots planted with the weight of unshakable will.

And in his hand was a great spear.

Lightning danced across its length, crawling up and down the shaft, exploding from its tip in furious streaks. Behind him, tatters of a cape trailed, whipped by an eternal gale. He was storm incarnate. Not man. Not mortal. A god of war.

Naruto's breath caught. He knew, without words, who he stood before.

Gwyn's Firstborn.

The Nameless King.

The figure stirred. Slowly, he lifted the spear, the lightning crawling brighter. He swung once, and the thunder cracked like the world itself splitting apart. The lightning shaped into a spear and shot forward, faster than thought, a line of light burning through the dark.

The Nameless King turned as if to leave, as though daring Naruto to prove himself.

Catch it.

Naruto's grin spread. His heart pounded, his body tense, but his mind raced ahead. The spear was too fast to chase, too heavy to stop. But its angle, its course, the place it would strike... he saw it, clear as day. All that was left was to believe.

Faith.

Faith was more than prayer. Faith was bending the impossible until it bent to you.

Naruto had faith in himself. He had faith that his hands could grasp what no mortal should ever touch. And so he leapt. His body arced through the void, and when the lightning spear came, he reached.

And his fingers closed around it.

White fire erupted across his arms, a thousand knives of light stabbing into his flesh, but he held. His boots slammed into the ground, sparks scattering, his arms trembling but unbroken.

His voice thundered as he planted his feet.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I am the squire of Oscar. I am a knight of Konoha. I am a warrior of SUNLIGHT!"

The Nameless King turned back at the words. His shadowed face lifted, and his storming presence surged. He raised his own spear once more.

Naruto bellowed and hurled the lightning spear with all his strength. The air tore, and the storm roared. The Nameless King swung his weapon, and the two spears met midair.

The collision was not sound.

It was light. White and endless, blinding. The explosion swallowed everything, thunder and lightning pouring into every inch of the void. Naruto's eyes burned, his body rattled, and then... he blinked, and the bonfire was before him.

The flame crackled gently, as if nothing had happened, but his body still hummed with lightning. Unlike the Way of White, Naruto felt nothing but pride. He was a warrior of sunlight now. He had earned it. He thought of the Nameless King's presence, towering, eternal. His lips curled into a grin.

He is the coolest guy ever, Naruto muttered, remembering the storm made flesh.

Oscar's chirp snapped Naruto back to the present. He glanced up and spotted a hollow charging recklessly toward Solaire.

Naruto clenched the Thorolund Talisman in one hand, steadying his breath. Warmth pooled in his chest, gathering at his palm until it felt like his very soul was straining against his skin. Then, with a sharp exhale, he raised his hand.

Light swirled into shape.

It was at first a glow, then a spear of pure light, weight given by lightning itself. Crackling arcs leapt from its shaft, the smell of ozone flooding the air.

A lance of yellow lightning thrummed against his skin.

"Oh, Sasuke is going to be so jealous, dattebayo!"

Oscar giggled.

Naruto pulled back and hurled it.

The Lightning Spear ripped forward with the sound of thunder.

The hollow convulsed violently as the spear struck, its body locking rigid in an instant. Lightning tore through it, searing flesh and boiling blood beneath the skin. The hollow's weapon dropped from its grip with a hiss, metal glowing red before clattering uselessly on the stone. The smell of burnt hair and cooked meat filled the air as the corpse twitched, veins lighting up in branching patterns across its arms and neck. Its chest burst open with a wet crack, smoke rising from the cavity as the body collapsed to the ground, blackened and twitching before finally going still.

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Holy shit."

Solaire turned, and even behind the helm Naruto could feel the wide, proud smile of a man who had just witnessed his brother claim the sun's power.

Neither spoke. They didn't need to. The silence said enough. Side by side, they turned away, walking their own paths with the unspoken certainty that as warriors of sunlight, their journeys would cross again. And when they did, it would be for jolly cooperation.

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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 90, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.

To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!