"...Hold him off. My enhanced magic won't protect you from here on out. Don't fail."
The cloaked figures saluted the masked individual, then a magic circle appeared under the leader's feet.
Naruto's eyes widened. This feeling...!
It felt like those times before...when he thought that someone was watching him! Was this that person? Then that meant that every time he thought he felt someone...it was just this person who was using a magic circle.
If that was true, then no wonder he couldn't catch this person. The second he noticed this guy's energy signal, they would already be transported away.
This realization helped the mysterious leader of the group escape, as Naruto was too shocked by the newly found information to properly stop him in time.
That was so ridiculously annoying, that he didn't really have words for it.
A moment of silence reigned as the shinobi contemplated on what to do, they were holding him off...but for what reason?
"Hey. Do any of you mind telling me about your friend's plan?" Naruto asked genially, hoping to catch a lucky break with his unorthodox questioning.
He was disappointed as all of the cloaked warriors charged at him with dark intent.
Well, he should be used to this he supposed.
On another, completely separate part of the forest, Issei and Asia were training.
Well...to be more precise, Issei was training. But Asia was training in a sense as well.
The brown-haired boy came up with a new idea due to his experiences of hell-training recently, all thanks to the demon-disguised-as-a-human; Naruto.
After getting thoroughly physically exhausted through the many exercises he has been pushed to do, he noticed how many times Asia has healed him. The perverted boy couldn't help but notice how easily she healed wounds, as if they weren't there to begin with.
If he received a lot of physical stress, then he would still be tired despite Asia's healing abilities. But what if Asia kept healing him constantly instead of when he needed it!?
It was brilliant! Sheer brilliance! That way he could push his body to the limit without dying everyday!
An unintentional side-effect of his use of Asia's powers to help him out, was that the muscles that he was tearing apart from training would get reformed even faster than usual. Allowing for his body to essentially keep rebuilding itself after every heal.
Asia for her part, was more than happy to help out Issei, admiring how far he was going to get stronger. Her constant use of her healing powers was also helping out her stamina as well in the long-run, although she wasn't thinking in such terms.
Basically, it was a pretty successful training method, despite how clueless both individuals were in accordance to such things.
But the training was about to come to an abrupt halt.
Issei was wiping his arm across his forehead, getting rid of the sweat that was beginning to get to his eyes. Taking in the soothing feeling of Asia's Sacred Gear was the best.
"Are you sure you want to keep going Issei-san? Maybe you should take a break?" Asia asked worriedly, unsure if the brown-haired boy could take this for much longer.
For Issei, compared to Naruto's training...this was a hell of a lot easier. He was literally just doing several sets of those exercises that the blond recommended when they first started training the other day.
Fifty push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, and several other exercises...
Several sets of them.
Naruto was a demonic sensei.
But unlike the thoroughly merciless Naruto, this time Issei had Asia to help him out. All of that horrible pain that he suffered when he finished a set could now be healed. The pain he has come to expect from a merciless eraser...won't be thrown his way now that the blond was napping at the mansion!
His own style of training!
He was serious about this...he just didn't want to die everyday, preferably.
"Nah Asia, I'm too tough to get a break. I can handle this." Issei claimed, showboating in front of a girl was something he always wanted to do.
His first real chance at doing that.
She got all starry-eyed at his boast, thoroughly impressed by his show of determination. It helped recover some of his lost self-esteem which has been brutalized from Naruto's relentless training.
He would try to enjoy the moment as much as he could, like a monster from a scary book...he had no idea when the blond would find them.
Then he heard the rustling of leaves.
Ah...shit.
That was totally him wasn't it?
"...Damn it Naruto. I was totally hoping that you would give me a break. Just let me and Asia train together instead of the usual 'sessions', ok?" the perverted boy asked while turning to face that rustling bush. Assuming that the only one who would intentionally find them would be the blond.
While it was a safe assumption when considering the information he had, it was incorrect.
Someone wearing what looked like a masquerade mask that covered his entire face, emerged from the underbrush and faced the unlikely duo.
Issei's eyes narrowed in suspicion, who was this guy? He's never seen this guy here before...
He quickly moved in front of Asia, determined to protect her if the guy in front of him tried anything.
"Hey! Who the hell are you? What do you want?" Issei asked harshly, despite his strong front though...he was getting a little unnerved by the mysterious man's silence.
The masked man said nothing, he simply raised a hand towards the duo.
"I want nothing more than what I deserve. You are in the way." the man said simply, before a green magic circle appeared in front of him and launched an orb of magic towards them.
Light flashed in front of Issei's eyes, as a deadly magic attack soared towards him at incredible speeds.
He didn't think.
He immediately turned around and caught the female nun behind him into a hug, using his own body to protect her from the incoming attack.
All he knew was that there was a blinding flash behind his eyelids as he clenched them shut.
He felt nothing for a moment, seemingly safe from the attack, as if someone had saved them from a terrible fate.
He cautiously opened his eyes, hoping that Naruto had managed to save them again like back at the abandoned church...
But all he saw was an orb of magic that was floating in front of his face. Motionless. On standby.
And cruel amusement that danced in the masked man's eyes.
Before he snapped his fingers.
"...Disappear."
Naruto had a dilemma, he had no idea where the masked guy went and he wasn't able to sense him unless he used that magic circle again. No idea why that magic specifically...but that was the case for the moment.
So he needed information. Information that he had no doubt that this group had.
Problem was, the longer that he took while beating up these people, the longer that the other guy would have to complete his objective.
The shinobi wasn't very fond of that idea.
At least there was some good news though, the second that the leader of the group left, was the second that for some reason...he could sense this group's energy signal again.
Their demonic energy to be specific...devils huh?
So maybe the masked person could cover up energy signals? Maria could do something similar...but this one was far more extensive and seemingly affected this guy's comrades.
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