Yeah...that sounded about right.
He would have stayed in this pleasant atmosphere for a little while longer, but unfortunately, all good things must come to an end eventually.
Specifically, this pleasing arrangement was broken when he heard someone enter the hot springs through the sliding door.
Knowing exactly who it was, Naruto sighed and got up to address the annoying leader of the fallen angels.
Except, after the split-second he took to confirm who it was, he realized it wasn't him.
Not by a long shot.
For one thing, he didn't have long golden hair.
Or golden eyes.
Or such nicely maintained pale skin.
Or a large bust.
"Ah. Well...fancy seeing you here, Naruto-sama." Yasaka said, tone light and easy as she walked towards him with a smile.
Naruto for his part was forced to look away, blood rushing to his cheeks as he tried not to look at the flimsy towel that she had wrapped around her body. "Uh...yeah...fancy..."
The yokai giggled softly, reaching the edge of the bath and kneeling down close to the red-faced blond. "You seem somewhat surprised Naruto-sama! I could have sworn that I mentioned that this was a mixed bath, didn't I? Ah, nevertheless, it's nice to see you. I meant to come here in order to relax after seeing that man again...but this is good too."
"H-Huh?" the teen echoed, unable to think at just that moment. "What do you mean by 'that man'...?"
Even though he wasn't facing the yokai faction leader, just by hearing the inflection in her voice he was able to figure out that she was at the very least; displeased.
"Oh, don't get me started." Yasaka groaned, shaking her head in feigned despair. "That man is notorious as a womanizer, he's the kind of man that would try and have 'forbidden' sex, regardless of the social consequences. Truly, the entire reason he wasn't allowed here in the first place was because of an incident where he took a young yokai to a shrine and then-"
"Ah! Don't! I don't want to hear it!" Naruto interjected quickly, knowing full damn well that he was about to hear something that he shouldn't.
Despite being cut off so rudely, the yokai matriarch heeded his plea and turned away, looking a little embarrassed if anything. "Apologies. When it comes to that shameless man, I sometimes ramble off. It doesn't help when he tries to blatantly flirt with me during our meeting..."
The shinobi cringed at that, it really did sound like the reincarnation of ero-sennin...
All down to the righteous fury that he stoked up in the victims- women he met.
Really, all that was left was the inevitable gathering of pitchforks and a large amount of angered females to supply it to.
As he was comparing and contrasting the effects that the two perverted old men had on fifty percent of the population, his fellow blond got up onto her feet again and suddenly moved to grab his arm.
Caught by surprise, but not exactly unwilling, Naruto allowed himself to be dragged to wherever Kunou's mother wished.
It was as he was moving that a stray thought entered his head, pushing him to glance back at where he was just sitting to look for his temporary companion.
He was saddened to see that the little black cat has disappeared, probably scared away by Yasaka's entrance.
"Naruto-sama."
Blue eyes turned to meet gold.
The yokai martriarch smiled, ever pleasant and soothing.
"Since this is a rare opportunity, let me wash your back for you, hm?"
Naruto froze, brain unresponsive thanks to the offer that was placed onto the table. He simply couldn't comprehend it for a few seconds.
Ngh...was it possible for a brain to get a blue screen...?
Ignoring the asinine philosophical questions, Yasaka softly pushed the unresponsive teen onto the stool. Kneeling behind him and gabbing the already full bucket there.
Naruto twitched when he first felt the beautiful woman's soft dainty hand glide across his back, following the crevices made by his shoulder blades and slowly moving downwards to his waist.
"You have a strong back..." he heard her murmur softly, taking her hand off of him to grab something else.
The shinobi couldn't respond, he was too busy trying to stop his blood from rushing to somewhere else that wasn't his face.
He wasn't doing a good job.
Those small hands returned with a vengeance however, this time wielding a sponge, using it to slide up and down his back. Pressing it against him.
The faint friction that the sponge caused by sliding against him actually felt very soothing to the somewhat weary blond, making the entire experience begin to feel like a massage.
About the same time as she started washing his back, she also started humming a soothing tune, one that also helped ease his senses.
Altogether, slowly but surely, the teen's eyes began to droop faintly as all the tension he has built up slowly left his body, released in an undercurrent of contentment.
He could fall asleep like this...
It was while he felt like he was on cloud nine, that the yokai matriarch slowly slid the sponge around his back, aiming to begin washing somewhere else.
It wasn't until he felt three very distinct things that his internal alarm bells went off.
First; he felt two thin arms wrapped around his waist.
Second; he felt the sponge that was once focused on his back was now sliding across his bare chest.
Third; he felt two impossibly soft bumps press themselves against his unyielding back.
...
"Gah! W-Wh-!? What are you doing!?" Naruto shouted out, turning his head to the side to eye the yokai faction leader, who seemed focused on her task.
Golden eyes looked up to see the horribly red face of Uzumaki Naruto. "Is something wrong? I'm just washing you, remember?"
Even as she was speaking, in order to reach a specific spot in his abs, she would have to stretch her arms a little more to get it thoroughly.
Which meant that the 'bumps' on his back were now outright squished against him.
Naruto nearly yelped, but he managed to bite his tongue and lessen the amount of twitching that his left eye has succumbed to. An unfortunate casualty in order to maintain his sanity.
"Y-Yasaka..." the shinobi gasped out, his left eye still twitching sporadically. "Thank you for helping me wash...but I could have sworn that you said that you'd...wash my back."
The kyuubi tilted her head, a glint of...something in her eye. "Well you know...I just figured that since I'm washing your back already, I may as well continue washing you down...thoroughly."
Blue eyes blinked. "Thoroughly?"
Yasaka smiled, it was a very pretty smile. "Thoroughly."
If anyone wondered what kind of face someone would make while dying of constipation, he was pretty damn sure that he was making it now.
He was in serious danger damn it! And it was a very different kind of danger!
Did she even realize what she was doing...?
He was so embarrassed by this...the whiskered teen very much wished he could just hide in a hole and stay there for the rest of his life.
Come on...he had to think of way out of this!
He could do it! He was Uzumaki- freaking- Naruto!
"What's wrong?" Yasaka quietly spoke, tickling his ear as her breath brushed against it. "Do you feel...uncomfortable?"
...
He was fucked.
It was at that moment, with the sound of a door sliding open, that fate seemingly conspired to give him his salvation as well as his damnation at the same time. As was his luck with such things.
Naruto only noticed it when the loud sound of a bucket crashing against the floor echoed in the small space.
Both blondes snapped their gaze towards the entrance of the hot springs, following the source of the sound.
Yellow eyes were staring at both of them in complete and utter shock, their owner's mouth open in the shape of an 'o'.
It was Naruto, with his horrible attempt at a comforting smile, that broke the silent stalemate. "H-Hey there...Yuki. Fancy meeting you here, huh? Ehehe..."
Yuki didn't respond, instead she continued to stare at the two figures, about as unresponsive as the shinobi was just moments prior.
Then the hero girl herself tried to create a comforting smile, but this failure came out as a shaky upwards tilt of her lips rather than any kind of smile.
"...I apologize, am I interrupting something?" the female human questioned, a very faint edge to her voice that the blond teen has never heard before from her.
Yasaka shrugged with a faint smile on her face, slowly unwrapping her arms from Naruto's waist. "Nothing in particular. As a matter of fact, we were just about done. Right, Naruto-sama?"
Naruto could do naught except nod, feeling like that was his only real option at the moment.
Satisfied with that, the yokai faction leader slowly stood up from her place behind the teen, holding onto her towel to make sure it wouldn't fall off. Then proceeded to head towards the exit, her pleasant demeanor still as strong as ever.
Yuki watched her go, looking at her from the side of her eye. Body posture on alert.
If she noticed the tension in the young human's body, she didn't voice it as she moved past her. Reaching the exit and passing through, closing the door once she entered the changing room.
But not before she sent Naruto a playful wink, sliding the door close immediately afterwards.
Naruto waited for a few more precious seconds, then finally sagged in his stool after making sure she left the vicinity, his relief palpable, both burned out and 'full of energy'.
A strange mix that left him pooped, really.
Actually. More than that. Why the hell didn't she actually take a bath...? Wasn't she here to take her own bath?
...Maybe she forgot?
Wait. What if this whole thing was just him over-blowing things, like, maybe she didn't notice what she was doing to him?
It felt nicer to believe that, so he was just gonna put his faith onto that line of reasoning.
He felt more than heard Yuki walk up to him, kneeling next to him as he struggled to slow down his ridiculously fast heart beat.
"...You said that friends couldn't do that." the hero stated evenly, accusatory despite being neutral.
The shinobi winced, remembering exactly what she was talking about. "...Well...they shouldn't-"
"Yasaka-san did." Yuki stated again in that same tone of voice. "If she could do it, why can't I?"
Naruto felt himself begin to sweat a little, this day was just not going his way, was it? "Well...that was kind of special..."
Yellow eyes turned away, simmering frustration boiling in those orbs. "...It isn't fair that she could do it and I can't. Does that mean you're closer to her than you are to me...?"
The shinobi couldn't say anything as he watched Yuki turn away from him completely, looking genuinely hurt by the thought that it was true. "...Do you think that I don't want to get closer to you, Naruto?"
Yuki could only shake her head slowly, pushing herself off from the ground to leave-
"Wait."
A strong hand clasped Yuki's shoulder, stopping her cold for just a moment.
"Hey...look, don't think like that. Never think that you're just someone I could just throw away casually." Naruto said solemnly, any and all hesitation gone. "You're someone that I'm proud to call a friend and a comrade, nothing less than that. As for what happened here? This was all probably just Yasaka's prank on me...maybe she's just feeling mischievous today...? I don't know. But the point is this; you're one of my closest friends Yuki, so please don't count yourself short."
The hero didn't respond. All the blond heard was her somewhat heavy breathing thanks to the heat of the springs.
Until finally, he heard her breathe out a sigh.
"...Fine. I understand." the female human conceded quietly, turning around in order to face her friend. "But...I don't like this. It makes me feel..."
She paused, a frown marring her features as she tilted her head downwards.
"...Uncomfortable." she eventually clarified, finding the right word.
The shinobi scratched his cheek, having no idea how to help her feel better. "Um, well I'm sorry that she made you feel that way dattebayo..."
Yuki peered up at him through her light-blue bangs, biting her lips faintly as she did so. "...Let me do it once."
Blue eyes blinked. "Eh?"
The hero slowly straightened her back, drawing herself up to her full height, gathering up the courage to ask this of him. "Let me wash your back. Just once. Please."
Naruto unwittingly chose that moment to really look at the young woman who was making such a suggestion, instantly turning away when he realized that he was staring.
It was kind of hard not to.
Her body was all wrapped up in a towel, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination as it was held together tightly against her body.
A part of him couldn't help but think that she was actually a very pretty young woman...
"Naruto? Are you ok? Your face is red..."
The shinobi was jolted from his entranced state of mind, snapping him back into reality when the hero called out to him. "N-No worries! I'm totally fine! Totally fine!"
Yuki tilted her head, but didn't question him about it. "So...can I do it then?"
Naruto's eyebrows scrunched together as he tried to remember what they were talking about before, his brain was malfunctioning thanks to the clothes -or lack thereof- that Yuki was wearing.
But after a few seconds of meaningless brainstorming, he just couldn't seem to recall no matter how much he concentrated.
So after looking back at her and seeing her hopeful expression, he didn't really have the heart to deny her.
"...Fine, whatever." he grumbled out, crossing his arms.
Accordingly, Yuki beamed thanks to his acceptance, her mood from before all but destroyed and overwhelmed in her new-found positive disposition.
The hero's joy was so contagious that even Naruto couldn't help but smile in return.
"Thank you Naruto. Thank you." Yuki said with a smile, as if gratified. Bowing her head slightly to her comrade without hesitation.
"Hey, hey...there will be none of that." the shinobi protested lightly, nudging her a little to get her to stop. "We're equals here. No need to bow."
After a few more nudges, Naruto managed to get the female teen to stop bowing, a little exasperated by her display.
Honestly though, seeing her good mood restored was more than enough for the blond to overlook her excessive behavior.
"Hey, Naruto? Are you gonna finish taking a bath?" the hero inquired, absentmindedly pulling her towel up since it was beginning to loosen.
"Nah." the shinobi immediately declined, beginning to walk past her to reach the doorway. "I think I've had enough fun at the baths today. I'm gonna check up on Azazel-san to make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid I think."
A flicker of disappointment flickered across her eyes, but was quelled about as quickly as it had appeared. "I see...alright then, I'll finish up here then. When I get out, can you remind me to contact otou-sama? I need to tell him about Basara, it feels like recent events have conspired to keep me from doing so..."
A sweat-drop formed on the male teen's forehead, internally apologizing for causing his friend trouble. "Right, I'll make sure to do so-"
Then he paused, his eyes widening when he remembered something thanks to her words.
...This was his chance. It was now or never.
"...Hey Yuki."
Yuki perked up at her name being called. "Yes?"
She wasn't sure what she expected to hear or see when her closest friend called her name, but she at least wasn't expecting to see his serious shift in demeanor.
"...I have a favor to ask."
The hero raised an eyebrow, getting a faint sense of foreboding at what words will come next.
Blue eyes locked with her own, and that sense of foreboding only got worse.
"I want you to ask Jin-san if he could possibly reveal the Hero Tribe's existence to Yasaka, all in the name of building an alliance between the yokai and the heroes."
...
"EH!?" Yuki cried out unintentionally and uncharacteristically, such was her surprise.
Naruto could confidently say that he has never seen the female hero look more shocked in the entire time that he's known her.
"...Naruto..." the young human started slowly, searching for the right words. "...I don't think that you understand what you're asking me to do. The Hero Tribe has stayed hidden from the other supernatural factions since it's initial creation...all in order to make sure that we could always intervene on behalf of humans without starting a war. And you're asking me to ask my otou-sama to give that up?"
The shinobi grinned, sheepish. "Kinda."
Yuki wiped her hand across her forehead, somehow getting over her initial shock. Only Naruto could ask for something so thoroughly outside of the realm of common sense with a straight face.
"No worries, it isn't as insane as it sounds, there is some logic to what I'm asking." the blond assured easily. "I mean think about it for a second; the yokai under Yasaka won't do anything to regular humans as long as she remains in control, and they are completely neutral to the ther conflicts that the other supernatural factions are embroiled in. Even more importantly, the Hero Tribe and the yokai could work together to create counter-measures against the Hero Faction."
"No...I understand that." the hero admitted easily enough. "It's just the not-so-small fact that my people would have to give up anonymity for such a cooperative effort. Even if the yokai chose not to divulge the fact that there is a faction of heroes, it's still a massive risk for relatively short-term rewards..."
Yeah, if that was all Naruto had in mind for such a alliance, then Yuki would be absolutely correct. The idea just wouldn't benefit the Hero Tribe that much.
...But there was more to this.
For now though...this probably wasn't the best time to go into any detail.
Besides, the blond was mentally tired already, no need to push himself over the edge for something that could be properly explained later.
"Alright then...tell you what, let's hold off on my crazy idea for until we get back to Kuoh Town. Since I'm sure that this is something that we need to go into far more detail about than what we're doing. Sound fair?" Naruto offered, striking up a plan for a future time.
Yuki stared at him for a split-second, expression unreadable.
Then she nodded, seeing no reason to wave away his idea -even if it was insane- without hearing him out first. As it was now, this simply wasn't the best time to be discussing this.
"Awesome!" the shinobi cheered, exuberant. "Then it's settled! Now I'm gonna leave you to your relaxation time Yuki, and I'll make sure to remind you about calling Jin-san..."
A sudden gap in the conversation emerged when Naruto stopped speaking, eyes closing as he tried to recall one more thing.
...
He snapped his fingers.
"Please be careful while you're taking a bath, would ya Yuki? Don't want your cast to get wet dattebayo." Naruto advised sagely, nodding his head in a self-congratulatory way.
Yellow eyes trailed to her arm, sweat-dropping when she just remembered that she was still wearing a cast.
Good thing he reminded her...she probably would have went inside the water without thinking about it...
"So, who died?"
Yasaka very much had to stop herself from returning the question with a biting response, knowing that despite her personal distaste for the man...she was still the representative of her faction.
So she offered him a pleasant smile instead. "Why...I have no idea what you could possibly mean."
Azazel was lackadaisically slumping in his comfortable chair while using another chair as a footrest, looking at her with a quizzical expression. "Oh come on, don't act obtuse Yasaka-chan~"
"Don't call me that." the kyuubi stated bluntly, chaffing at the use of a far too familiar honorific.
Anyways, unfortunately for her, she actually did know what that man was talking about.
The overall atmosphere among her people -even before Azazel arrived unexpectedly- was very much tense.
Her people simply haven't completely recovered yet from the shock of their leader and princess almost getting captured, as well as the battle that raged just outside of the Kyoto's city limits.
Even after Yasaka and Kunou returned safely, the tension was still present, just bubbling under the surface. Joy temporarily snuffing it out.
At least until Azazel showed his face...
Said fallen angel mock-pouted at her. "Oh come on~ I'm a guest, right? So shouldn't the hostess be more accommodating? It's only common courtesy you know?"
Yasaka wouldn't even bother bringing up the fact that, for all intents and purposes, the man in front of her came in uninvited.
"...Very well." she eventually relented, albeit grudgingly. "Yes, I do understand what you're referring to. And this atmosphere which you're probably referring to revolves around what happened yesterday."
The fallen leader hummed, interested. "...So...?"
"Apologies." the yokai faction leader said, but not really meaning it. "But that's by this point; classified information. And don't even bother trying to coax it out of some of my subordinates...I've already warned them about you."
As expected, Azazel shot her an affronted look at what she was implying.
"Hey, I'm not that bad..." the Governor General protested, but still completely at ease with the subtle charge levied against him.
It was also telling that he didn't actually deny any of them.
"...Though considering what I've seen along the way here..." Azazel drawled slowly, eyes shifting to focus on the other leader's facial structure. "I think I can hazard a guess about what happened here."
Yasaka carefully kept herself in control, her face giving away nothing. The epitome of neutrality.
Violet eyes narrowed faintly. "Considering that amount of damage I saw that was done to the forest...as well as the barrier that was put into place...I'd say that there was quite the conflict just outside Kyoto, wasn't there?"
The kyuubi didn't deny or affirm his guess.
Seeing her stony expression, the fallen leader's eyes softened, his voice and posture returning to something more light. "Ah...but no worries. I understand, it's all classified info, right?"
The yokai's golden pupils bled a faint bit of confusion now, not seeing what the promiscuous man was up to. And getting a little more wary because of it.
"...But there is something that I'm curious about."
And her caution only increased.
Azazel inclined his head, attempting to appear trustworthy. "Maybe you can...oh I don't know...tell me a little bit about Naruto's abilities?"
Yasaka's face twitched.
So that's his angle...
"Now before you completely shut me down...I actually do have a decent reason for asking this of you." Azazel started, raising his hands up in a placating manner. "You see...I care."
...
"You...'care'?" the yokai leader parroted, disbelief plainly visible on her face. "And you expect me to believe that?"
The Governor General chuckled, shaking his head faintly. "Not entirely I guess...so allow me to rephrase myself a bit."
A single golden eyebrow was raised, wondering what other random excuses he would make up to get information that he was 'interested' in.
But, to her genuine surprise, the fallen angel shifted from a generally mellow attitude to a bordering solemn one.
He was legitimately serious now.
"It's not like I don't care about the brat." the fallen leader began, all signs of the perverted good-for-nothing gone. "But we have, at best, a professional relationship with one another. So no...my query isn't for myself, rather...it's for someone else."
Yasaka didn't comment, electing to let him finish. Gauging his sincerity.
"...The thing is, the favor I'm asking of Naruto is really important, super important. But...at the very least, I'd like to make sure that he could handle whatever might come his way with this mission. As I doubt that the Vatican would send anyone less than an elite to Kuoh Town after that incident with Vretiel..." Azazel explained, elaborating on his thoughts. "To be blunt, this is meant for somebody else's peace of mind. Pure and simple. Though I am curious myself."
With that, the Governor General turned away, intensely self-conscious thanks to his admission. Trying to regain his 'cool' demeanor.
It was only for a split-second...but in the end, it was that fact that helped her make her decision.
So Yasaka opened her mouth in order to give her answer, much to Azazel's rising anticipation.
"Sorry, I still can't tell you." she answered without remorse.
The fallen leader literally deflated in front of her eyes, with his entire posture slumping down.
"...But I can tell you this-"
Azazel perked up slightly, definitely paying attention.
"That boy has the power...to ignore power." she claimed, thoroughly sure of her observation.
Before the inevitable questions were asked, Yasaka continued on speaking, unabated. "Azazel...how do most people determine how strong the other is? How do most calculate one another's strength when pitted against other powerful individuals?"
The Governer General gave the rhetorical question some thought and quickly reached an answer. "Power. Or more specifically; how much shit one person can blow up in comparison to another."
Yasaka nodded. "Exactly. Now; if I were to estimate from what I know...I'd say that Naruto-sama could face off against a fallen angel with four pairs of wings with only pure power alone."
As soon as she finished speaking, she aimed her head towards the ceiling, a wistful smile stretching across her lips as flashes of what happened yesterday filtered into her head.
Of animalistic red slits.
Of bubbling red cloaks.
Of mindless and vicious attacks from someone who completely lost control.
But most importantly in regards to the current conversation; of how Uzumaki Naruto disappeared.
She could remember it now. How one second the blond was far enough away that any attack he attempted should have been practically telegraphed for her, and how he closed the gap between them within milliseconds. So impossibly fast that from a single blink, all she saw was a clawed hand smashing against her...
It didn't matter that she could destroy a city without much effort, it didn't matter how much destruction she could cause, and it didn't matter that she was the yokai faction leader.
None of it mattered.
Simply because he was far too fast and too physically strong. Adding in his endurance was just piling on.
"To put it bluntly." Yasaka stated with finality. "It's thoroughly possible that Naruto-sama, with all of his abilities, can take on opponents that are far 'stronger' than him. So much so that I'd hazard a guess that he could even take you on...Azazel."
Azazel's eyes widened, shocked that the woman in front of him could actually place so much faith in that man's abilities.
Seeing his expression, the yokai leader couldn't help but smirk a little. Pleased to see him lose his know-it-all attitude.
Though to be fair, all that Yasaka said about Naruto's power were based on her observations. More than that, they were based on his usage of that red cloak yesterday...and considering the fact that he lost control of himself back then...it's very likely that he won't use that power for a while...
So really, just because he could 'take on' Azazel, didn't mean he could win against him. She had no idea about that.
"I see...that's very useful information..." the fallen angel muttered, eyes clouded. "So if that's true...then..."
"By the way." the kyuubi interrupted while giving the only man in the room a pointed look. "I'm not giving you any specific information. Only my opinion. So don't try to weasal anything out of me. This is your only warning. You want more? Ask Naruto-sama himself."
Azazel felt a sweat-drop form on his forehead, she reallydidn't trust him...
As the Governor General began to mope a little at the blatant hostility that the yokai matriarch was displaying, a rather loud rapping was heard coming from the door behind him.
He immediately stopped moping for all of about a few spare seconds to look behind him, seeing a certain whiskered teen slide the door open to enter.
Violet was quickly reintroduced to blue.
"Ah damn, you're still here." Naruto grumbled, annoyed.
"...What kind of reaction was that, you little bastard?" Azazel retorted, returning back to his moping almost as quickly as he left it.
The shinobi stared at the downtrodden form of the fallen angel for all of about a heartbeat before moving onto the only other individual in the room. "Yasaka...I guess you've heard from Azazel-san?"
Yasaka's entire demeanor changed drastically when her gaze landed upon the blond, her tone of voice and posture all became far more soothing and welcoming. "Why yes, Naruto-sama. Azazel did in fact tell me about the mission he's offered you...he wouldn't have been let inside the compound if he didn't. The question here is...are you going to accept it?"
Naruto nodded firmly, leaving no doubt to his intentions. "Yeah...this is important. I can't afford not to go."
Despite the short notice, this wasn't really something he could just hand off to someone else. He needed to make sure that this didn't blow up in everyone's faces.
The yokai matriarch sighed, already aware that there was no way that he'd let the current situation stand without intervening. At least based on what she knew about the blond.
So instead of doing the stereotypical thing; like trying to convince him out of it, she opted instead to do something else.
"Alright, I'm gonna go look for everyone so that I could tell them about my 'mission'...man...what should I tell Kunou-chan though?" the shinobi wondered aloud, turning on a dime in order to go and look for his friends.
But before he could actually reach the door, he felt two -familiar- arms wrap around his chest as his back was turned. Pulling him backwards onto something soft...
"I know you're going to go despite any possible protests...so instead of doing anything to convince you, I'm simply going to give you a good luck charm." Yasaka murmured softly, hugging him from behind.
Naruto twisted his head around, eyes wide, trying to ignore the feeling that was pressing against him. "Ah...what are you-?"
Soft lips pressed against the crown of his head, a feather's touch that left a tingling sensation behind. Freezing him to the spot.
Immediately after, the powerful yokai let go of him, a toothy grin on her face as she swiftly returned to her prior position on the floor. "Good luck Naruto-sama~! Make sure to give Kunou a proper goodbye, ok?"
The blond didn't answer, staying rooted to the ground like a tree, unresponsive.
Yasaka could only giggle quietly. He really was far too innocent.
Those giggles quickly died down when the yokai matriarch noticed a certain fallen angel shuffle closer to her, bowing his head a little so that the crown of his head was aimed towards her.
A golden eye twitched as her good mood evaporated.
"...No, you will not be getting any good luck from me Azazel."
Azazel just clicked his tongue in response. "...Damn, that brat gets all of the luck..."
It took a long time for Naruto to relearn how to walk after that.
"Hey, hey! Whatcha want to play next, Maria? Tag maybe? Hide and seek?"
The succubus offered her a strained smile, marveling at the infinite stamina of youth. "Ah...well I don't think that the nurse would appreciate me getting out of bed, what with my injuries and all. So how about you give me some time to rest for now, surely you're getting tired as well?"
A sad frown grew out of the little kyuubi's facial features, not at all happy to hear that. "Aww...but I wanna play more! You guys won't be here much longer, right? So we should spend as much time as possible!"
Maria winced, knowing that she was absolutely correct. But it didn't change the fact that she was exhausted from playing with the little girl for so long.
After the craziness that characterized Azazel's -and how did Naruto-sama know him?- arrival, the succubus quickly chose to get away from that specific situation. Knowing intrinsically how much trouble that that man would cause.
...That and her wounds prevented her from properly enjoying the hot springs that everyone wanted to relax in. It seriously sucked for her.
So she was stuck at her bedside, moping, at least until Kunou came barging in to play with Naruto.
Except she didn't find the blond, but found her instead.
After getting through all of the amazed questions about why Maria looked so young, the small blond got it into her head that they should play some games to pass the time.
The loli was all for it...at first.
Until she realized that Kunou doesn't want to stop playing.
So in typical fashion for her, Maria cooked up an excuse to try and get out of a dodgy situation.
"Ah...! That reminds me!" the silverette cried out, latching onto the excuse with all of her might. "I still gotta change clothes! So can you give me a minute, Kunou?"
The little girl looked taken aback by the abrupt question, but when it actually registered in her head, it pushed her to jut her lower lip out. "Oh come on..."
Maria just shrugged with a very airy smile.
Golden eyes locked onto her for a heartbeat longer, then Kunou twirled around on the balls of her feet and trudged out of the room. Her lower lip still jutting out.
The succubus breathed out some air in relief, temporarily rid of the persistent young girl.
Unfortunately for Naruto-sama, she was probably pushing the problem onto him now since Kunou was still bored.
A hearty chuckle emerged from her throat as she concentrated on her clothes for a second, preparing to switch out her somewhat revealing combat clothes for her civilian gothic dress.
She was not at all embarrassed to be walking around with the clothes she had, it was who she was. But her regular clothes were more comfortable...
...And she needed to show Kunou that she actually didchange her clothes.
So in a flash of purple, her body was enveloped by her demonic energy. Switching her clothes in almost an instant.
When the light died down, she was back into her usual garb, stretching her arms and humming in satisfaction. Comforted by the soft material she was wearing when compared to her battle attire.
It was at that moment of small bliss that the silverette brushed against something in her dress due to her movements, catching her attention.
"...Oh right." she mumbled to herself, remembering that she had pockets in this dress.
Silly her, she must have forgotten some things in her dress when she changed clothing yesterday.
Maria dug into her pocket absentmindedly, feeling the smooth metallic object inside and pulling it out. Already aware of what she had in her hand.
Her phone.
The succubus began to sweat a little after opening up her phone, a shaky smile plastered on her face.
It was dead.
Ah...Mio-sama was probably gonna kill her for not contacting her...
Actually, wasn't the entire point of the silverette tagging along supposed to be for contacting her charge? Informing her that they were alright?
Then she was doubly screwed when she got back home...damn it. After everything that happened, calling Mio-sama was practically the last thing on her mind.
"Ah...! There you are, Maria! We've been looking for ya!"
Maria jumped into the air, yelping loudly, but not that high into the air.
Maybe.
"Woah there! Calm down now." Naruto eased her, smirking at the fact that he caught her off guard. "Sorry for interrupting you, you busy?"
The succubus turned around, her body movement robotic, and faced the blond. Not at all amused. "...That wasn't funny."
The shinobi snorted, not even bothering to comment.
"Ah. Excuse me..."
Maria's attention shifted from the smirking teen onto the other teen beside him, who was pushing her way into the room.
"You too...Yuki?" the loli rhetorically asked, realizing that something may have just happened for both teens to be looking for her.
Yuki inclined her head. "Yes, Naruto caught me right after I finished taking my bath in the hot springs. Apparently he has something to tell us both."
Both females then turned to look at the whiskered teen, waiting for him to divulge...whatever he was supposed to divulge.
Realizing this, Naruto cleared his throat. "Right, right. Ok...so you guys don't know this, but Azazel-san has come by here in order to ask me to help him out with a certain...incident."
Yuki's eyes narrowed faintly. "Well if that doesn't sound suspicious..."
Maria couldn't help but silently agree. A 'certain incident' doesn't exactly help specify anything to them.
The shinobi blinked, then sheepishly began rubbing the back of his head. "Uh...I guess that does sound a little bad actually."
"I know, right?" the succubus agreed readily, crossing her arms with a grin. "So seeing that you agreed, I assume that you realized how stupid of an idea it is to accept such a mission?"
Naruto turned away, eyes becoming shifty, a faint red tint on his cheeks. "...Not necessarily."
Maria's grin slid right off of her face.
"...You didn't." Yuki spoke up disbelievingly, refusing to believe that even he could just so willingly-
"Oi! I know what I'm doin'!" Naruto protested firmly. "And unlike how I said it, I actually have a good idea of what's going on! I just don't really want to give out some sensitive info..."
Both females shared a glance with one another, communicating something with one another without actually saying anything.
Then that moment ended when the hero turned to him, eyes sharp.
"Then what exactly are you gonna be doing? Fighting?"
The shinobi frowned trying to remember all that was told to him. "Uh...well that's...kinda complicated. I need to stall...but it could devolve into a fight. So...I guess so?"
Yuki decided not to mention how unsure he sounded, she was sure that he himself noticed it.
"Then who is it that you're gonna be fighting? Any ideas?" Maria questioned reasonably, tilting her head to the side.
Naruto leaned back, uncomfortable with what was increasingly feeling like an interrogation. "...Um...erm...I don't remember?"
Case in point.
"Naruto..." the female human began, trying to think of a way to convince her friend out of this.
But right at that moment, the blond managed to regain his inner steel. "Alright, look...I know this looks kind of bad...but I do know what I'm doing. This incident that's going on? It's gonna have some very bad impacts on the future if it goes to shit. I'm the only one who can make this end on a decent note...I trust Azazel-san enough to not lead me into some sort of death trap. Just trust me, ok?"
Yuki didn't answer, staying quiet to look, just look, at the blond. Wishing she could see what exactly went on inside his head.
...But unfortunately, she knew that his mind was already made up.
"Is there really no other option available, Naruto-sama?" Maria asked quietly, tone imploring him to at least think about it.
It didn't work. Naruto stayed firmly on his path, as always.
"Sorry." Naruto apologized. "No can do...and I've thought about it."
The hero closed her eyes, already accepting of the fact that the blond would go through with this.
Yes...she has accepted this already...but now she was angling for something else that would make up for it.
"Very well Naruto...I understand, and I'm sure Maria-san understands too." Yuki started solemnly, opening her eyes to gaze upon her closest friend. "...However, I think it would be prudent if we also-"
"No."
The young human blinked, her train of thought cut off abruptly when the whiskered teen denied her her second goalpost. "...No chance at all, huh...?"
Naruto smiled. "No chance at all...Yuki."
Maria's eyes moved in-between the two teens, confused. "Um, did something just happen? I'm totally lost here..."
Blue eyes focused on her, twinkling slightly. "Yuki tried to get me to let you two tag along with me. It didn't work, since you two tagged along already in this trip to begin with."
The succubus' gaze snapped to the female teen, seeing her 'what can you do?' shrug.
"Besides." the shinobi continued, his eyes sliding away from his two allies and onto a curtain to the side. "I think you two need to focus on something else."
Yuki frowned, and followed his gaze.
Her expression swiftly became more somber, to her shame she almost forgot about him...
"...'Basara' was it? Well I think he should be taken to his father sooner rather than later. If those bastards from before had any affiliations with the restless members of the Hero Tribe, then it would be better that you break the news to Jin-san before anyone else gets any information on our unconscious friend."
The blond was now well aware of his friend's relationship with Basara, as after their talk yesterday, she told him about everything that went on in her fight with Cao Cao.
Saving a friend from himself was something that he completely approved of. No surprises there.
Maria shot him a look, realizing what he was suggesting. "...You want us to go back to Kuoh Town? Without you?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. The situation with Basara-san has to be dealt with, but more importantly than that is...well...I heard from Azazel-san that things might be getting pretty bad in Kuoh Town soon enough. So for my peace of mind, please go back; both to help out and to be as safe as can be by being surrounded by allies again."
The hero pursed her lips. "...Can you tell us anything?"
The shinobi shook his head, apologetic. "Sorry, this is all probably sensitive information."
As he was speaking, a small hand shot up into the air, as if a school girl was raising her hand so that she could be called on by their teacher.
Naruto turned to the hand's owner. "What's up? Is there a problem?"
Maria lowered her hand to scratch her cheek, looking a little embarrassed. "Well...the thing is, I'm actually willing to go along with this plan. Resting at home and staying near a lot of friendly faces sounds like a good idea to me, especially if bad things are gonna start happening there. But there's one problem with all of this..."
The loli stopped scratching her cheek and used that hand to point her finger towards the curtain that the blond was looking at earlier.
Ah.
"How the hell are we gonna drag Yuki's friend all the way back to Kuou Town? It'd be awfully suspicious if we just carried an unconscious man over our backs for the entire journey. Not only that, but he shouldn't be moving too much, right...?" the succubus pointed out.
The shinobi's eyes widened. That was...
That was...!
...
Oh wait.
"Never mind, false alarm." Naruto drawled out, any tension in his form as good as gone. "I've got you covered, just rest up a little bit before you head out. The transportation should be instant."
Yuki squinted her eyes. "...Um...'instant'?"
"Mhmm!" the shinobi chirped. "All we gotta do is make Azazel-san take you! He could do that thing with his wings to transport people, so this shouldn't be too much trouble, right?"
Maria jerked away, horrified by the suggestion that they'd be getting a faction leader to give them a ride home. "N-Naruto-sama! You do realize who that is, right? We just can't ask him to do that for us!"
Naruto was already in the process of turning around, moving to get out of the room to inform Azazel of what he needed of him. "And why not? The man owes me big anyways, it's not like he's gonna say 'no' or anything."
"Naruto-sama!" the succubus wailed, rushing after him.
Yuki watched the two go, her eyes dry. Those two never changed...
The hero then moved around to gaze upon the curtain that hid Basara from view, jaw set.
She had to inform her father, but truth be told...what could she tell him? How could she possibly broach the subject to him?
She had no idea. Not even a clue.
But it was something that she had to do, pure and simple.
So as her two friends went off towards the fallen leader, she dug into her pocket and grabbed her phone, mentally preparing herself for one hell of a conversation.
"And that's how it is. Please take care of them, would ya?"
Azazel stared at the blond in front of him, eyes dull, not able to quite fathom the balls that he must have had to point-blank ask him for such a thing.
"...So you want me; the leader of the great and powerful fallen angels to...play taxi for your friends?"
Naruto nodded. "Exactly! So, you're gonna do it, right?"
The fallen leader truly didn't know how to respond, so instead his eyes panned across the room, seeking ideas on what to do.
Yasaka was trying -and failing- to hide her smirk behind a cup of tea. Whether it was at his situation or...the otherthing, he had no idea.
His eyes then traveled to the small form of Uzumaki Naruto's ally, the silver-haired one. Who was attempting to smile and appear calm, but was failing miserably.
She looked far more like a deer caught in a car's headlights than anything else.
Finally, his gaze has moved onto the blond menace himself, who was standing there with his arms crossed, his usual confident self.
That smirk on his face was annoying as hell damn it...!
"So? Come on, I'm doing you a favor here! It should be a small thing for you to take them to Kuoh Town, a tiny thing really." the shinobi pressed, impatient for an answer.
Azazel twitched. "...Oi, brat...you do realize that asking me to do this would seriously lower my street cred, right? It would be difficult for anyone to respect me if they learned that I just transported some brats like some sort of taxi service..."
Naruto snorted, rolling his eyes. "Oh come on, don't be so melodramatic. No one will know that you're there, only the people here know anything about this."
"And what? You expect me to just believe that you'll all keep this private?" the Governor General retorted doubtfully, not trusting any of the individuals there for an instant.
Naruto blinked slowly, as if looking at him for the first time.
"...Don't sweat the small details."
"That's a pretty big ass detail!" Azazel shouted angrily in return, stomping his foot onto the ground. "Don't make light of me damn it!"
"Come on~ Do it~"
"Are you making fun of me!?"
Maria sighed as the two males went back and forth, not relenting at all one another.
This could legitimately take all day.
Yasaka was apparently just enjoying the show, beaming as she watched the blond begin to disparage his 'adversary'.
"...Tch! To think that there were such fallen angels with such low energy...I mean seriously, how hard is it to take three bodies to Kuoh Town from here? Unless of course...you're too weak to do it? Aw man, that would suck! Azazel the wimp can't even do a small thing like that! Hope that info doesn't go viral!" Naruto complained audibly, eyes aimed towards the ceiling.
Azazel's face was now red, twitching periodically. "...Hoh? So now you're trying to browbeat me? Blackmail? You really are a little shit, aren't you?"
The shinobi's face went blank. "I know what you are, but what am I?"
The fallen angel didn't deign that with a response.
Maria could only shake her head, despairing at the current situation.
As the despair set in, a certain hero walked in, confused at what was going on. "Maria-san? Naruto? What's going on?"
Temporarily, all eyes shifted to the doorway where Yuki came in, who was blinking periodically in her own befuddlement.
Azazel twitched when he looked at her, really looked at her for the first time that he saw her.
...
"Alright. I'll take them." the Governor General acquiesced all of a sudden, much to everyone's surprise in the room.
And before Naruto could even comment on it, Azazel turned to him and glowered. "...If you told me that they were partially incapacitated, I'd have agreed immediately you brat."
Ah. Her cast.
The shinobi took a step back, embarrassed that he didn't try that.
At least he tried to.
Instead, he nearly tripped and fell onto the back of his head, all thanks to the relentless little girl that was desperately hugging his ankle.
Azazal still wasn't sure whether Yasaka was smirking at his situation or the fact that her daughter was holding onto Naruto for dear life.
"I...I don't want you to go yet! Why do you have to go...? I want you to stay a little longer..."
Naruto's eyes softened when he heard the soft pleas from the little girl holding him in place, turning his head down to see her watery eyes staring up at him.
The second that she heard he was leaving, she pretty much leapt to his legs and held tight. Probably resolving to never let go of him so that he'd be forced to stay. At least for a little longer.
Of course though, he couldn't do that. He had to go.
So with that in mind, the shinobi lowered himself to the ground as best as he could, looking her in the eye. "Kunou-chan...we had a very short, but very successful partnership; you and I, didn't we? We stopped the bad guys and saved your mother, just like what you wanted, right?"
The little kyuubi didn't respond, instead she pushed her head against his ankles, refusing to look at him.
He continued regardless.
"...Well I have to go. Whether it's to beat more bad guys or to save other people, the fact is...I can't stay here now. I have to help someone else out, much like how I helped you. You know I have to...and you know I can't stay here forever anyways."
Kunou already knew this.
Kunou already knew all of this.
...She just thought that she had more time is all.
To play.
To talk.
To cuddle.
To...
"...Promise you'll come back to visit?" the small kyuubi whimpered into his jeans, drying her wet face onto his clothes.
He didn't mind. Not even a little bit.
"I promise." Naruto agreed, smiling. "And I never go back on my word."
Kunou stayed like that, clutching his clothes, wanting to remain as close as possible before he left.
Once more, the blond didn't mind, proving this by moving his hand to rub the young girl's head soothingly.
Naruto then turned to the girl's mother, who was getting up from her seiza position to move to him after finishing her tea.
"Well Naruto-sama...it certainly has been short, but nevertheless, it has truly been a pleasure to meet you. Know that as long as I remain the leader of the yokai, you will always be an esteemed guest in Kyoto." Yasaka commended, a simpered look on her facial features.
The shinobi grinned, happy to hear that. "Awesome...thank you. It was an honor to meet you as well, Yasaka."
As soon as the young man finished his sentence, a certain twinkle shimmered in the yokai matriarch's eye. Though it was completely unnoticeable to the blond himself.
But it dulled as quickly as it appeared.
As much as the kyuubi wanted to, this wasn't the time to be playing around.
So she simply gave him a platonic hug, one that didn't give off any hidden subtext beyond that 'she cared'.
She'd see this young man again, in a less volatile time where her more lax behavior would be more appropriate.
But until then...
"Stay safe...Naruto-sama." she whispered to him as she hugged him close.
Naruto nodded, accepting her hug by reciprocating with one of his own, more than happy to do so.
And more than happy that it didn't elicit more troublesome feelings out of him as well. He didn't need another pseudo-heart attack.
After the two blondes ended their hug, the shinobi turned to his two friends that traveled with him during this trip. Looking at them with an apologetic expression.
"Stop giving us that look Naruto-sama..." Maria spoke up dryly. "We both understand that we can't stop you from doing this, but at the very least, could you make sure that we feel appreciated here? I mean I'm sure Yuki-san here feels pretty damn under-appreciated here, you know?"
The hero gave the silver-haired girl a sidelong look, a deadpan on her face as she realized that the succubus was projecting a little.
She was about to say as such, but she immediately shut her mouth when the blond teen in front of her quickly and without warning pulled her into a hug.
Not just her though, Maria was also dragged unwittingly into a bone crushing group hug by the blond. Much to her surprise.
Naruto didn't say anything as he held them both, conveying his feelings through this act rather than speaking.
"...Oh Naruto-sama..." Maria mumbled out. "This is such a cop out you know...? We both have bad wounds, and yet all we're getting is a hug out of this...? Seriously...who's benefiting from this? I mean this is what they call having 'a flower in each hand' right?"
So she said, but Yuki felt the succubus press her head against him, moving closer into the hug and holding the blond more tightly.
More than that, she -without a doubt- heard the fond bit of exasperation in her voice.
For Maria, this was good enough.
As for Yuki? Well...the fact that the act put her into such close contact with her friend again made her heart begin to hammer against her rib cage.
She felt like the organ might legitimately try and break through her chest at this rate...
Was something wrong with her? She didn't quite understand why she was reacting this way.
It's not like she did any strenuous activities or anything like that. So then why...?
She had no idea. But she did know one thing.
Despite the worrying idea that her heart might explode one day if she kept this up, it also felt...warm.
The hero liked it, to some extent.
Naruto held onto both of them for a little bit longer, sorry that they had to part ways, but knowing that it's for the best.
"...You two are going to be ok, right?" the shinobi made sure to ask, making sure that they were really alright.
He felt more than heard the silverette's grin on his chest. "Yeah...we'll be alright I'm sure. Right, Yuki-san?"
Yuki nodded against his chest, not wanting to leave quite yet.
The whiskered teen beamed, happy that both were satisfied, before slowly allowing his arms to fall to the wayside-
"No. Wait." Yuki protested quietly, intercepting his arm before he could let it drop all the way. "Not yet. A little more."
Naruto blinked. But did as asked and placed his hand back on her back. Keeping the hug alive a little longer.
Azazel watched the whole proceedings with a deadpanned look. "...How enviable, brat. I'd actually like to say 'good job!' but if anything you're pissing me off a little bit."
...And it wasn't necessarily because he had 'a flower in each hand' either.
...Huh...he wondered how 'his' brat would react to this?
The shinobi looked up from the two females to look at him, slightly sheepish. "Ah...sorry about this. I just don't want them to feel unappreciated dattebayo."
At that split moment, Yuki jabbed a finger into Maria's side, making her jump a little.
Naruto didn't notice. "Anyways, how long do I have to get to the airport? You said that this church agent would be coming tonight, but when tonight?"
Thankfully, the sun was still high up in the sky, so it's not like the blond had anything to worry about. But he better be sure, sunset was just around the corner after all.
The fallen leader squinted his eyes, trying to recall. "...I think a bit after midnight. So you've got time to kill brat."
The shinobi nodded, appreciative. "Alright, good. I wanted to work on some things on the way there. So this is perfect."
As he was speaking, slowly, but this time firmly, he let go of his friends. Knowing that the time has come.
This time Yuki didn't stop him, despite her obvious disappointment.
"Alright guys...I'm off." he said gently, giving them a thumbs up.
Maria smirked and gave him a thumbs up in return. "Whatever trouble happens in Kuoh Town, we'll make sure to deal with it by the time you get home, Naruto-sama!"
The female human firmly inclined her head in agreement. "You have nothing to worry about."
Naruto's eyes brightened as he pumped his fist into the air. "Right! And I in return will come back from this little detour super quickly! Safe and sound!"
The small group basked in the positive attitudes that everyone was displaying, newly confident that everything would be resolved quickly.
But none of them knew that, as Naruto turned around and began his trek to the airport to the east, that their personally assigned tasks would not be completed as easily as they hoped.
The shinobi especially, had no idea about the powers at work that were now beginning to mobilize.
Whereas before, powers such as the Old Maou Faction or Cao Cao's 'Hero' Faction were focused on long-standing goals that could destabilize the world; the ones that were beginning to move also had such lofty ambitions...except there was one clear difference.
They were focusing on Uzumaki Naruto to help complete those ambitions.
Yet the teen himself had no idea about any of that, all he knew was that he was going to destroy any possibility of a stupid war breaking out.
The simple fact was that the world which Naruto found himself in was one with clashing ambitions, ideals, hopes, and dreams.
One that, much like his original, was rife with conflict; current and potential.
The shinobi was already aware of that in some level, however he was not aware of just how bad it was. Or how easily things could deteriorate.
He would find out soon, just how delicate the world's balance really was. Especially since he's upset that balance.
It was inevitable, as the more he intervened, the more well-known he'd become.
And the more well-known he became, the more that the world's many powers would begin to take note and wonder...
Which side was he on?
Some leaders would try and entice him to their perspective 'side', while others would try and out-and-out get rid of a potential rival in the grand game of power politics.
And some of those powers were already beginning to prepare themselves to move out.
A small black cat was resting on top of one of the myriad buildings of Kyoto, just laying down and enjoying the cool breeze that the afternoon was giving her.
It was really nice for the feline to relax like this, honestly, she was never usually one for vacation spots. But Kyoto was definitely a nice place to just wind down.
Too bad she was here on a mission.
But now she was just enjoying the rest of her day, since her mission was all but completed already and she had time to kill.
As she was enjoying her small time off, the small feline began to shift in shape and size, growing into something else.
The metamorphosis was quick, with a young woman taking the place of the black cat that was resting on the roof.
That young woman yawned, playfully kicking her feet in the air as she considered the goal that she was given just yesterday.
Ophis wanted answers, and she was now ready to provide them.
Yellow slits were dancing as she remembered the young man that was resting in the hot springs, talking to the fallen leader as if they were old pals.
It was without a doubt him. She would recognize him anywhere after what happened yesterday.
She was in Japan at the time, with her comrades to decide on what their future objectives were going to be long-term. Simple really.
But then she felt him.
It was like a siren that stretched across all of East Asia for her, blaring loudly about their location and that they were very, very powerful.
Senjutsu.
It was strange, the senjutsu that she utilized was partially used to hide her presence, yet the one that she sensed was blaring out to the world about it's power.
Nevertheless, anyone that utilized senjutsu was able sense that.
When she informed her comrades before Bikou had the chance, the consensus was to immediately inform Ophis of this new development.
The only one that protested the decision, ironically enough, was their leader. Who wanted to keep it quiet until he faced the man who used such powers himself.
Arthur, the reasonable one in the group, quickly dissuaded him of that opinion. Noting that he could face the man afterOphis dragged him into her Khaos Brigade.
It would be better to keep her thinking that they were useful pawns to be used rather than annoyances to be swatted.
So she elected to go and find this man herself after Ophis ordered someone to find him and identify him, in preparation for recruitment no doubt.
Seeing him half-naked in a hot springs, with water droplets trialing down his well-muscled frame was an unexpected treat for her, and she wasn't complaining.
Now here she was, trying out the name that she heard the yokai faction leader, of all people, use to refer to him.
"...Naruto..." she pronounced, before emphasizing it. "Na-ru-to..."
A saucy grin spread across her lips as she crossed her arms, supporting her large bust as she stood up to stare at the falling sun.
"I hope you survive Ophis-sama's recruitment, it'd be a shame to lose such precious genes nya~"
It's said by many that the past has many important lessons to teach, as well as many secrets to hold.
That those that don't learn from the past are the true fools that will ruin the future.
The elderly man that was sitting in his opulent chair happened to have such convictions, believing that the past could solve the issues facing those in the present as well as save the future.
But of course, such convictions are difficult to follow through, as much history has been lost to the many conflicts that plagued the earth.
Much knowledge has been lost, never to return.
Except he was an exception, one of those rare individuals that could see the past plainly.
And with that ability to see, to truly see...he could learn.
He could learn from the people of this world...and from the people of the other world...
And now he truly had the chance to complete his research, thanks to that young man's cunning. Shiba was his name if he recalled...?
That young man...he thought that he was so clever, trying to twist his arm into giving him concessions for such vital information.
Well, he didn't mind playing his games for now, the exchange may have been seen as a 'win' for him...but he had no idea what he just conceded to him.
Shiba has given him the means to complete the most important...no...vital part of his research.
His research to create new heroes, but more importantly...new humans.
All that was left to do was to lure him here...
The elderly man raised his head as the door to his office was opened, the one opening it not even bothering with the niceties it seemed.
"You called chairman? What do you want?"
Pale blue eyes focused on the young woman that entered his space, looking not exactly particularly pleased to see him.
He supposed a part of her blamed him for making her life as it was. But it was also he who was making her into what she would become.
The savior.
Or perhaps more aptly: the king of kings.
An ironic smile spread across his lips. Ah...how the 'king' would loathe to hear that phrase...
"I repeat; what do you want?" the young woman asked again, impatient.
The elderly man stroked his white beard as he focused on her, smiling. "I apologize for being so quiet my dear...I'm simply contemplating how to best utilize the chance that we've been given is all."
Her ruby eyes regarded him suspiciously, not trusting his intentionally vague word games. "Get to the point. Why. Am. I. Here?"
Ah. No patience. The youth of the modern day should learn more about that.
"...We have information about him. The one that I informed you about...he's here. In Japan."
Her ruby eyes, once bored and suspicious, shifted as soon as he finished his statement. Her entire demeanor shifting to one of shock and...
And...?
No. It was impossible to tell what other emotions were flitting across her eyes.
Was it hate? Love? Hope? Despair? Admiration? Disgust? Superiority? Inferiority?
It was impossible to tell because it was probably very much all of those things.
In many ways...she was created by that man; Uzumaki Naruto.
In other ways, she was created to replace him.
So she no doubt had complicated feelings towards the young man.
The old man's eyes were calculating as her face was forced back to a more neutral expression. Shoving her emotions down to deal with the present issue at hand. "...Are you going to send me to face him?"
"Not yet my dear." he replied easily, his fake smile still on his face. "Not really...but I would like you to relay a message for me. If you can, maybe you can study his abilities personally...and make it your own if you can."
Truth be told, his perfect specimen simply wasn't ready to deal with Uzumaki Naruto quite yet. She needed more time.
Unlike those fools who fought the young man before, he was well aware of several of his abilities. But more importantly...
Of how he fought.
The young woman bit her lip, but didn't protest. This was an important moment for her...to meet the source of all of this old man's ambitions.
Honestly, she didn't care about this dusty has-been of a hero or any of his ambitions for the future, all she cared about was that he would push her closer to what she was born to do. Her true calling in life.
Her only calling in life.
Perfection.
The 'king of kings' turned around, her long purple hair flowing behind her like a curtain, reaching for the exit to mentally prepare herself for the confrontation that was destined to occur.
"Don't do anything foolish my dear." the old man couldn't help but add, closing his eyes until they were slits. "I wouldn't want to worry about you losing your life now...you're necessary for my experiments after all."
Her hand froze right when they were about to reach for the door handle, the owner twitching when he made that statement.
Then she slowly turned around, coldly regarding him with dull red eyes.
"Don't bother worrying about my life, chairman." she rasped quietly, turning back to open the door and leave. "Everyone is born without a purpose, everyone lives for no reason, and everyone dies for nothing. Being the sublime being that I am...I'm the only one that can't be allowed to die in this world."
And with that, the young -twisted- girl closed the door behind her, leaving the room as quickly as she entered it.
The old man could only smile his unpleasant smile.
That child, for all intent's and purpose, had no meaning in life. Not really.
No morals and no heart.
She didn't care about the people that she hurt along the way, why should she? She was above everyone else in her mind.
And to her, life was simply pointless.
"...My my, it seems I've truly created a monster, haven't I?" he noted lightly, keeping his eyes closed as he vividly remembered one of the first ever visions he ever saw of that world.
The vision was about a boy, one with spiky golden hair, simply looking at a mirror. Staring at himself through it's reflection.
One of the things that stood out to him back then was just how...dull the boy's eyes were.
Much like his perfect experiment's.
It was obvious just by looking at him, that the boy was filled with hate. Against his home, against it's people, against life.
...Oh...how he has grown.
"...Then again, I suppose you need to create a monster to destroy another monster, don't you?" he mused quietly, sipping his wine casually.