The city hadn't slept well.
The stadium was a graveyard of chaos. By dawn, yellow police tape fluttered in the wind, encircling the ruined turf like a flimsy barricade against the unknown. The bleachers were bent and warped, steel beams twisted into jagged shards. Floodlights lay broken, wires dangling like the veins of some fallen beast. The smell of scorched metal and upturned earth lingered heavy in the early morning air.
Squad cars and fire trucks lined the perimeter, lights flashing in syncopation with their sirens. Officers hustled about, clipboards in hand, jotting down statements, taking photos, and trying desperately to make sense of the scene. The destruction wasn't just physical; it was unnatural. Shattered goalposts, craters gouged into the field, scorch marks trailing across the stands—the scene defied explanation.
Sirens had howled through the night. Neighbors whispered on street corners about the earthquake that had rattled their windows, the tremors that had made buildings sway as if the earth itself had cried out. The news anchors spoke of "a localized seismic event," of "an explosion beneath the football stadium," but nobody bought the official narrative. Too many had heard the thunderous roars. Too many had seen the black smoke rise into the air and felt the oppressive weight in their chests like something monstrous had walked among them.
Naruto sat cross-legged on his worn couch, television glow painting his tired face. His apartment was modest: stacks of old case files on the table, a couple of framed photos tucked between them, a rack in the corner where his coat hung next to his sword harness. Purgatory, freshly cleaned, rested against the wall like a sleeping beast.
The anchor's voice droned on:
"Authorities continue to investigate the collapse of the North Sector Stadium late last night. Witnesses reported unusual sounds—described as 'inhuman'—and what felt like a violent quake. Officials claim faulty underground gas lines may have contributed to the incident. No casualties have yet been confirmed, though several injuries were reported during the panic. Investigations are ongoing."
Naruto leaned back, exhaling through his nose. "Gas lines, huh," he muttered, voice rough with exhaustion. "That's the best they could come up with."
Kurama stirred inside him, his voice a low rumble.
"Better for them to believe that than the truth. If word spreads about demons, panic will rip this city apart."
Naruto's lips quirked into a faint, humorless smile. "Yeah, I know. Still feels wrong, though. People deserve the truth… but they wouldn't survive it."
"Exactly. And you—" Kurama's tone sharpened. "—barely survived Damien. If you hadn't risked half your chakra in that Rasengan, you'd be the one they'd be pulling out of that rubble."
Naruto grunted. He could still feel the hollowness in his core, his body sluggish from the chakra drain. Even now, his muscles ached as though they'd been dipped in molten lead. "He was too far gone. You felt it, didn't you? That power wasn't his alone. It reeked of something older."
Kurama went silent for a beat, then rumbled, "Sacrifices. Innocent souls, bound and drained to fuel his body. That kind of twisted energy always comes with a stink you can't wash away."
Naruto's jaw tightened. His hand drifted toward Purgatory's hilt before he forced it away. He couldn't keep reliving the fight. Not when his chakra was low and his head clouded with fatigue.
He reached for the remote—only for his apartment door to slam open.
Susan barreled inside, heels clacking against the floor, her sharp gray eyes darting across the room before locking on him. She was still in her contractor's coat, her hair tied back in its usual no-nonsense bun, but her expression wasn't businesslike—it was frantic.
"Do you ever lock your damn door?" she demanded.
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Hello to you too."
She stormed closer, gesturing at the TV where footage of the collapsed stadium played on loop. "Tell me that wasn't you."
Naruto tilted his head, his mouth tugging into a wry half-smile. "If I said no, would you believe me?"
Susan planted her hands on her hips, glaring. "You can't just… cause this and sit here watching the news like some retiree! Do you know how many calls I've had since dawn? Witnesses swearing they heard a beast inside, people demanding answers, cops crawling all over the site—"
He held up a hand, calm and measured. "Susan. Breathe."
She froze mid-rant, lips pressed tight. Naruto's tone wasn't sharp, but it carried weight, steady and grounding. After a moment, she exhaled, shoulders dropping slightly.
"…Was it a demon?" she asked at last, softer.
Naruto leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. His eyes darkened, shadowed by the TV glow. "Yeah. Damien. Not some grunt either. He was… ambitious. Stronger than most I've faced in this city."
Susan swallowed. "And you beat him."
Naruto gave a small nod, then glanced toward Purgatory. "Barely."
Silence stretched between them, filled only by the low murmur of the television. Finally, Susan broke it, her voice more hesitant.
"I've worked with you for over a year now. Contract after contract, strange disappearances, bodies turning up in ways the police can't explain. I thought I'd seen enough to stop being surprised. But this…" She gestured at the TV again. "This was big. Too big. Naruto, what are we really dealing with here?"
Naruto studied her, calm but unreadable. He wanted to deflect, to toss her a quip and change the subject. But Susan wasn't just a client anymore. She'd stuck by him through jobs most people would've run from screaming. She deserved more than half-truths.
"…We're dealing with organization," he said finally. "Damien wasn't alone. He bragged about a bigger plan, something that stretches past this city. He was a piece of a larger puzzle. And if what he hinted is true, we're standing on the edge of something bad."
Susan's brow furrowed. "How bad?"
Naruto's lips pressed into a thin line. "Think… city-wide collapse. Maybe worse. The kind of storm that doesn't just pass by."
She sank onto the chair across from him, her professional mask cracking as she stared at the floor. For once, she had no retort, no sharp comment. Just silence.
Kurama spoke again, his voice a quiet growl in Naruto's chest. "She's in deeper than she realizes. You've let her too close."
Naruto didn't answer him. His gaze remained on Susan, who after a long moment lifted her head.
"…Then we start with what Damien left behind," she said firmly. "The warehouse in the East Dock—the one tied to his name. I pulled some strings and kept it off the official records, but it won't stay that way for long. If there's evidence of his 'organization,' it'll be there. And I'm not letting you go alone this time."
Naruto's brows lifted faintly, then curved into a half-smile. "Oh? Thought you didn't like my kind of fieldwork."
"I don't," she shot back, standing again. "But I like being blindsided even less. So you're stuck with me."
Naruto chuckled softly, low and warm, though his eyes remained serious. "Guess I don't get a say, huh?"
"Nope," she said, grabbing his coat from the rack and tossing it toward him. "Get dressed, detective. We've got work to do."
Naruto shrugged on his coat with deliberate calm, his movements slower than usual thanks to the lingering ache in his muscles. Purgatory was next. He strapped the harness across his back, settling the blade against his spine. The weight was familiar, grounding—like putting on a second skin.
Susan watched him, arms crossed. "You don't even look tired," she said, though her eyes betrayed doubt.
Naruto smirked faintly as he tightened the strap. "That's because I've had practice hiding it."
Kurama's rumble echoed inside him, "Or because you're too stubborn to admit you're still half-drained."
Quiet, Naruto replied inwardly. She doesn't need that right now.
They stepped out into the night air. The city carried a restless buzz—sirens in the distance, clusters of neighbors still standing on corners whispering about the stadium disaster. The streets smelled faintly of smoke and dust.
As Naruto and Susan made their way down the block, a voice called out:
"Detective!"
Naruto turned, spotting an older man hustling toward them. His cane clicked against the pavement, and though his steps were slow, his eyes were bright with gratitude. Mr. Harland—one of the people Naruto had saved nearly six months ago, when a demon had taken root in an abandoned apartment complex.
"Evening, Harland," Naruto greeted, his voice warm but subdued.
"You—" Harland's eyes darted around nervously before lowering his voice. "You were there last night, weren't you? At the stadium."
Naruto didn't answer immediately, but Harland pressed on. "Doesn't matter. I know it. Folks might not understand what's going on in this city, but I've seen enough to know you're the only one standing between us and… whatever's out there." His voice wavered, but his gratitude was steady. "Thank you."
Susan arched an eyebrow, surprised by the sincerity. Naruto only gave a small nod. "Stay safe, Harland. Stick to daylight for a while."
Harland nodded and shuffled back toward his building, disappearing into the shadows of his streetlamp.
Susan glanced at Naruto as they resumed walking. "You've got fans."
"Not fans," Naruto said quietly. "Just people who survived."
They passed a café next. A familiar voice called from behind the counter where the lights were still on despite the late hour. "Naruto!"
It was Lina, the young barista he'd once dragged out of a demon-infested alley on her way home from a late shift. She leaned out the doorway, blonde hair tied up in a messy bun. "Coffee's on the house if you want it!"
Naruto lifted a hand in thanks, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. "Maybe later."
Lina's eyes flicked to Susan, curiosity sparking, before she disappeared back inside.
Susan shook her head. "So that's your 'quiet' life? Half the city secretly owes you their skin."
Naruto chuckled softly. "Don't tell the other half. They'd expect discounts."
For a moment, the tension eased, their footsteps the only sound as they moved toward the docks. The city thinned there—streets darker, quieter, abandoned warehouses looming like skeletal sentinels against the skyline.
Susan broke the silence. "Back in the apartment, you said Damien wasn't alone. You really think there's a network of these things? Organized?"
Naruto's jaw tightened as he scanned the empty streets. "Yeah. Demons don't usually work together. Too selfish, too hungry. But when they do… it's because someone—or something—is pulling strings."
Kurama rumbled inside him. "And we both know who benefits from that. Power-hungry mortals, making pacts they can't control."
Susan studied Naruto's profile, his calm expression unreadable in the dim glow of the streetlights. "You talk like you've seen this before."
Naruto's gaze flicked toward her, then away. He wasn't one to lay out his history easily. "Let's just say this isn't my first city with demon problems."
She arched an eyebrow, but didn't press further. She knew by now that Naruto revealed things in pieces, when he judged someone ready for it.
The closer they got to the docks, the more oppressive the air became. The smell of brine mingled with something acrid, faintly metallic. Naruto slowed, eyes narrowing as the faint hum of demonic energy pricked at his senses.
Susan felt it too, though less clearly. "It's here, isn't it?"
Naruto nodded once, his tone calm but firm. "Stay sharp. And stay behind me."
Susan opened her mouth to argue, but something in his voice silenced her. This wasn't the detective with the occasional quip. This was the hunter—the man who could walk into darkness and not flinch.
They reached the warehouse, its windows shattered, its doors hanging crooked on rusted hinges. Faint graffiti scrawled across the exterior, but beneath it Naruto could see something else. Symbols, half-hidden, carved into the metal. A summoning sigil, though incomplete.
Susan noticed his stare. "That's… not just graffiti, is it?"
Naruto's hand brushed the hilt of Purgatory on his back. "No. It's a marker. Demons use them like trail signs. This wasn't just Damien's hideout. It was a gathering point."
Her throat went dry. "Meaning others could still be here?"
Naruto stepped forward, calm as stone. "Only one way to find out."
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