Issei woke with blurry eyes. He yawned widely and slowly moved to sit upright. He moved one hand up to rub his face and eyes while the other moved to prop himself upright.
It was only after his second yawn did he realize that hand had landed on something soft.
Very slowly, he turned his head and stared at what his hand was resting on.
A lecherous smile appeared on his face, but was quickly followed by a guilty frown. He slowly removed his hand and stared at it. He shook his head in disapproval. It wasn't proper to touch a girl without her permission. Stare, certainly. Fantasize, yes. But not touch.
And certainly not cute, innocent Asia.
Issei slowly got out of bed. He didn't want to wake up Asia or anyone else.
When he finally managed to get up he looked at how everyone was arranged.
Next to where he had been was Asia, and at the center of the bed was Rias. Both were in their pajamas. Or what passed for pajamas in Rias' case. Naruto had been forced to hide his nosebleed when he'd seen her. Issei shook his head. It would be so much better if his friend was simply more honest with himself.
He looked at Kiba, who had pulled a chair over and was reclining with his feet propped up at the base of the bed.
Between Kiba's feet and Rias' was Koneko. The tiny girl had bundled into a small ball. On the other side of Rias were Akeno and Naruto.
Akeno pulled heavily on one of the tails with a tight grip, causing Naruto to groan in pain. She sighed happily in turn.
Issei took a step backwards. Kiba might have said Akeno was very gentle with friends and allies, but there were times he didn't see it.
He tapped his chin in thought. Someone… someone was missing…
He heard a soft rustle and looked down. Underneath Kiba's legs was a cardboard box. He reached down and lifted one of the flaps. Gaspar was still asleep inside it.
Issei softly closed the lid.
He took several steps away and took in the sight. All the girls he knew on a single bed. It was like a dream come true.
'This has got to be the greatest way to start a day.' He looked at Naruto and Kiba. 'Except for you two. You're ruining the scene.'
Naruto rolled over and raised his hand upwards, as if grasping something.
Issei smirked as he stared at the outstretched hand. Naruto might say he wasn't a pervert, but both Issei and Jiraiya agreed the blonde was simply repressed. It was impossible to create the Oiroke no Jutsu without being a pervert.
"Rasen-!" Naruto mumbled as his hand flexed back and forth.
'A fighting dream?' Issei shook his head sadly. 'No, Naruto, no. When you make a hand motion like that in a dream it should be only for one thing.'
How disappointing. The student of one of the greatest perverts in the world was so repressed. Not to mention stubborn about it.
He turned and went out of the cabin and onto the deck to find Jiraiya. The man was standing on the deck as a net filled with fish sat on a nearby counter. A few were still flopping weakly. Jiraiya turned his head to look at him.
"Good. Finally someone is up. Watch the stove, kid." The sage ordered.
Issei grumbled but did as asked. He saw a variety of ingredients sitting out to be made into breakfast. He could already feel his stomach rumbling for a good meal.
Issei moved over to a pot and began to stir. The older man moved to the bag of fish and began to gut them.
For a short while they stayed that way, with each doing their own part for breakfast.
It was interrupted as Asia came out onto the deck. She rubbed her eyes blearily and smiled at him.
Issei got a dopey smile on his face. She was adorable. Even in her pajamas, no, especially in her pajamas, with her hair disheveled and her face drowsy she was absolutely cute.
How was it even possible to be that cute?
Issei managed to focus and greet her with a good morning, which she happily returned.
Asia went to the galley and took Issei's position, leaving the boy with nothing to do. He went over to Jiraiya and spoke quietly. Something had been bothering him. Jiraiya had apparently known of devils for years but...
"Jiraiya, were you ever offered to become a devil?" Issei looked over at the old ninja as he worked.
"Me? I've been offered a few times but being a devil isn't for me." Jiraiya answered as he started filleting another fish. "I'm happy with where I am and what I am."
Issei nodded but continued to press. "Even with the chance to get a harem?"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Two things. First, I don't need to be a devil if I wanted to make a harem. Second, I'm happy where I am with the women in my life."
"...don't need to… harem…" The young devil stopped poking a dead fish and stared. "What."
Jiraiya put a mocking grin on his face. "You remember my introduction, right?"
The brunette nodded uncertainly. He remembered most of it.
"Fruits of a hundred lands? My stories are but a journal?" He finished filleting the last fish and set the platter next to Asia. She knew how to cook them without his input. Issei didn't move from his spot. "Now excuse me. I'm going to see if I can catch a few more fish. Help out Asia."
Issei watched in reverence as Jiraiya went to the edge of the deck and dove back into the water. The brunette clenched his fist and held it up.
"What a bastard." Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. "What a man."
The idea that Jiraiya might be exaggerating never occurred to him.
Issei's thoughts were broken as the boat rocked so badly Asia barely managed to keep the pans on the stove.
Minutes Earlier
Rias stretched out her limbs and yawned. As if on cue, Akeno also got up. The pair could hear Yuuto changing in the bathroom. Koneko was still curled by Rias' feet, and seemed to burrow into the sheets at the loss of Rias' presence.
The red-haired devil reached down the bed and shook the small girl awake. Koneko's golden eyes blinked blearily in response. The small girl tried to ignore Rias, but the President of the Occult Club wasn't going to let her be. Grudgingly, Koneko moved to get up.
As Akeno moved to get her own belongings and get ready for the day, Rias looked at the last person still lying in the bed. Naruto. Sound asleep and mumbling in a dream.
"He seems to be a heavy sleeper." Akeno glanced over as she went through her luggage for an outfit.
Rias nodded. "Yes, but it's best he get up so we can all have breakfast together." She moved over to one of her luggage bags and reached in for a shirt. "Koneko? Could you wake him up?"
Koneko scowled cutely at the request. She stood on the bed and walked over to the sleeping blonde. She kicked him on the sole of his foot. Hard.
Naruto shot up hugging a pillow to his chest. He stared at the small girl.
"Wake up, scum." Koneko ordered. She put her hands on her waist to punctuate the command.
There was silence as the two stared at each other for a long moment.
"Loli bitch." The blonde blinked groggily as his mouth acted without input from his brain.
Rias blinked in surprise Naruto's outburst. It seemed the blonde was a really heavy sleeper. Akeno put a hand over her mouth in mock astonishment. She was eyeing the white haired girl for a reaction. Kiba took a peek from around the door to the bathroom.
Koneko's eyes widened in shock before narrowing dangerously.
Naruto simply yawned, not really understanding what he said.
Koneko put her hands together and cracked her knuckles. It was only then-with that very, very familiar sound- that the blonde kick-started awake.
His mind raced at the sight of the angry girl. He processed what his stupid mouth had done without permission.
He raised his hands and shook his head. "Waitwaitwai-"
Koneko swung her fist down.
The boat rocked as the bed cracked in half.
Naruto laid in the center of the broken mattress, groaning in pain.
"That was little too much, Koneko." Rias sighed. Akeno clapped her hands lightly at the scene of destruction.
Then the morning got even worse.
Whispered words came from the box at the base of the ruined bed.
"What a frightening loli."
Rias palmed her face as Koneko slowly turned and gave a death-stare to the cardboard box. It seemed to shiver in fear before slowly moving across the floor towards the door.
It was going to be a long trip.
Three Days Later
The Occult Research Club was both annoyed and impressed at the scenery of this place. On the one hand there were wide open forests, enormous mountain ranges, and valleys with barely any buildings to interrupt the view. It was breathtaking. It was a refreshing break from the Japanese city they all lived in. On the other hand, that's all there was.
"This is really boring." Koneko. A girl whose bluntness could dent steel.
They were on the road now after making port at a small harbor. They had made landfall on a peninsula and now had to take a land route up to Konoha, where Jiraiya would begin to train them in earnest.
Naruto seemed to alternate between giddiness at returning to his home and anxiety as they got closer. It was a strange thing to see him switch between moods as quickly as he was.
They had taken a train further inland before switching to a simple ox-drawn carriage. It was remarkably un-magical. Just like everything else so far.
The Occult Club's first impressions of the 'Elemental Nations' were mixed. There were no obvious signs of magic or any supernatural occurrences. Yet they all new that they were in a place where such things didn't need to be hidden from the average person.
But that didn't mean they could go around showing off their devil wings, as Jiraiya had told them repeatedly. At Rias' request the old ninja had explained just what kind of training they'd be going through and what to expect.
The old ninja had explained which mountains held Oni clans, rivers where kappa made frequent appearances, the tengu forest kingdoms of the south and the yuki-onna enclaves of the north. It seemed that despite the bland appearance of this realm, there were dangers that one needed to be aware of.
Yet they hadn't seen any of that.
"Don't be like that, Koneko. It's a nice change." Kiba said.
Akeno, reclining in her priestess robes inside the carriage, wanted clarification on something. "Master Jiraiya, I was wondering what kind of training we'll be doing. Between our Sacred Gears and our personal talents, how do you expect to teach us all?"
It had been bothering her for a while. She understood that Naruto needed aid for his task ahead, but all of their good intentions would be meaningless if they didn't get the training they needed. A part of her was still worried what they might be stepping into on behalf of a kitsune they barely knew.
Issei wouldn't think twice about stepping into danger for a friend, he'd proven that. But she wanted to be a little more prepared and certain of what the peerage would be doing.
The Toad Sage tried to appease her. "I've been making arrangements. A standard team consists of four people, so I've been trying to work things out so there are at least three of you in Konoha at any time. Some of you will be going off to personal instructors, but most of you will stay in Konoha and train under me or someone else there. With chakra being common, you'll be able to spar and train much more effectively than you could back in Kuoh."
"So we'll be separating? I'm not sure I like the idea of us splitting up in an unknown location." Rias cautioned.
Jiraiya shook his head. "Not entirely. Like I said, I'll take a few of you to people I know for additional training. They're all trustworthy. But Konoha is still going to be your home for a while. You will all need to stay at Konoha for a few days to get all the paperwork done. The last thing we need is some paper-pusher causing us trouble because of a missing form."
Kiba took a moment to consider that statement. It seemed like a strange thing for ninja to bother with. "Does that happen often? Bureaucracy affecting ninja, I mean?"
"Not as often as you'd think, but we do have to follow procedures. There can be problems if someone thinks you're somewhere you aren't supposed to be. I remember one time when one of the secretaries pulled a stunt to get back at an active-duty ninja. Sure he got fired and punished for it but the damage was done. Definitely caused a hassle for village security." Jiraiya smiled nostalgically.
Rias tried to get the conversation back on track. "You've mentioned what most of us will be doing but what about Gaspar? His sacred gear is potent but it's difficult for him to control."
The small dhampir perked up at the mention of his name. He quickly shrunk back into his cardboard box as other members of the peerage looked at him.
"I'll be taking Gaspar south after we all get to Konoha. There's an island in the Kanashii Ocean with a group of people well-suited to teach him about time powers."
"You're taking him to that jerk, aren't you?" Naruto sulked and crossed his arms.
"Jerk?" Issei questioned Naruto.
"You're right, Issei. He's not a jerk. He's a dick. The island is home to a bunch of time kitsune and a House of devils, and their leader is a giant dick. He's all 'I know everything you're about to do. Ooooh'." Naruto mocked.
Jiraiya smirked. "Naruto has issues with predetermination. But he's not all wrong. The current leader of the time kitsune can be difficult to deal with. It's hard to argue with a guy who knows the conversation before you've even said hello. The head of the Flauros family is much more friendly."
Rias tried to reinsert herself in the conversation. She wanted to make sure Gaspar would be treated well and learn to control his powers. "House Flauros has holdings here? I know of them but they're quite reclusive."
"They do. They came here shortly after the Great War ended. Fit right in with the kitsune already living there. They're strong, skilled, and they owe me a favor."
Rias pursed her lips. If Jiraiya was calling in a favor, would he ask something of her peerage in return? "While I don't doubt their skill, I simply don't feel comfortable sending him off alone. I'd like to be able to look after him."
Gaspar blushed slightly at Rias' declaration. If it was because he was grateful or embarrassed, no one could say.
Jiraiya shrugged in response. "I can stick around and keep an eye on him if you want, but there really is nowhere else that knows more about time abilities."
Rias scowled. "What exactly can this group do? What will they teach him?"
Kiba looked at Naruto for an answer, but the blonde was still sulking over whatever memories he had.
"They'll teach him to control his Sacred Gear, simple as that. Some time manipulators are able to speed up or slow down time in a given area, so they can help him there. But they have to be old and powerful to use those techniques. Blow for blow, they don't have the firepower of other affinities. So they use their other ability. Most time kitsune can, to varying degrees, see into the past or future. The Purson, Gusion, and Flauros devil Houses have similar time-sight powers. Flauros specialize in the recent past and the far future." The old sage lectured. "The current kitsune leader is a seven-tails. He is incredibly skilled at perceiving possible near-futures. Between him and the Flauros Head, they cover the other's weaknesses. They know exactly how to maneuver against their rivals to keep ahead in the game. He also knew just what to say to tick off Naruto and every way to avoid the brat's attacks when we visited a few years back."
Jiraiya chuckled, remember Naruto's first meeting with another kitsune.
Issei tapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Why did you fight him if he's a friend of Jiraiya?"
"Because he's a dick!"
Akeno spoke up as well. "I'm curious as to how you managed to fight him. A three-tails fighting a seven-tails doesn't seem very smart. I can't imagine the match went well for you."
Naruto tried to deny that. "Shut up! I didn't lose! He didn't fight! He just kept dodging and said crap to piss me off!"
"Which means he won." Koneko said. Her tone was deadpan but it was impossible to miss the upturned corners of her mouth.
"No! I didn't lose! It was a draw because we both walked away!" Naruto protested.
Koneko pointedly ignored him. She turned to look at Jiraiya instead. "What about me? You mentioned senjutsu but… I know the dangers. I'm not sure I want to learn it. I'd rather stay with the President."
Naruto stopped whining and listened. He too was aware of the dangers of senjutsu but had no idea that Koneko might be learning it.
"You will be going to train with the people who taught Naruto senjutsu. They taught me the art when I was younger as well. They know more about the sage arts than anyone. They know what they're doing." Jiraiya reassured her.
Koneko nodded slowly. She didn't want to learn senjutsu. Even if it was for the Rias' sake, she didn't know if she could bring herself to try. She didn't want to be like her sister. She wanted as little to do with that part of her past as possible.
She noticed Naruto's expression.
His mouth was a thin line. He was wincing and looked slightly ill.
Koneko stared at him curiously. "What?"
The blonde shook his head quickly, nervously. In return Koneko raised a clenched fist. She wanted to know what he was thinking.
Naruto sighed at the girl's stern expression. "I don't want to say anything bad about them but… be sure to bring your own food rations."
Koneko narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
"They don't eat food like you're used to. That's all I'll say." Naruto leaned forward and put a hand up to cover his mouth. He stage-whispered. "It's like she knows if-"
There was a ribbit from the side of the road. Naruto shrieked and tried to crawl underneath his seat.
Everyone stared at the blonde's attempt to hide. Jiraiya sighed and shook his head, but he was smiling. He spoke to Koneko. "The pair you'll be learning from can be a little strict, but learning senjutsu is dangerous. Even races with a natural talent for it don't take the sage arts lightly."
Whatever else Jiraiya might have said was cut off as an arrow landed on the road ahead. The oxen stopped moving forward and the carriage came to a quick halt.
The trees and bushes off the roadside moved as dozens of people came out of hiding places.
"Hands up! Hand over your money, your jewelry, and your women. If we like what we see we might just let you leave alive." A man near the back shouted. Many of the thugs chuckled cruelly at their most recent victims.
Jiraiya gazed at the large group of bandits along the sides of the road. He looked to the right. He blinked slowly. He looked to the left. It was an impressive number of bandits, but…
He shook his head ruefully. 'What kind of morons attack a main road like this? There'll be a patrol group here in before they can get this many people out of sight.' His eyes widened in realization. 'No. Previous patrols should have found a group this large. Something's up. Either the patrols have gotten sloppy… or someone is getting paid to look the other way.'
Out loud Jiraiya said. "Would you look at that, everyone? It's your first training session. Subdue them as quickly as possible. I'll critique." He quietly added a reminder. "Remember, no flying and no wings. We don't want your nature revealed."
Rias' peerage all nodded as they got out of the carriage. Only Gaspar and Asia stayed within. Neither of them was suited for fighting.
"Which means you'll just sit and relax." Naruto muttered. He still got stepped forward with a kunai in each hand. Despite his words there was an eager grin was on the blonde's face.
"Heh. You want to fight us? It's your funeral. Get 'em!" One of the lead bandits shouted.
The bandits charged forward. They were sure of a quick victory and eager to take any money, jewelry, and the girls. Many of them especially wanted the girls.
Then everything went wrong.
The cute little girl with white hair punched the earth so hard it shattered. She dug her hands into the earth and picked up a boulder the size of the carriage and threw it straight into the charging mob. She followed the boulder's path and smashed into the group of men, tossing them around like they were ragdolls.
The blonde pretty boy ran forward, easily dodging the many arrows and slashes sent his way. He leaped gracefully over the bandit's heads as a pair of swords appeared in his hands. A second later and he was among the archers at the rear, cutting the bows and delivering vicious wounds.
There was a shrine priestess, but instead of soothing words and a gentle smile there was a mocking grin and sadistic laughter. She raised her hands in the directions of the largest groups, firing lightning bolts from her palms that blasted into the ground and scattered them like roaches.
Then there was the redhaired girl, beautiful and composed. She calmly strolled forwards, sweeping her hands in front of her. With each swipe small streaks of black and red fire would lash out, hitting bandits in the arms and legs. The fires went clean through left the injured clutching blackened, gaping wounds.
There was the other blonde boy, leaping and laughing, with his kunai blurring as he launched streams of his own fire at the criminals. This fire seemed normal but was just as bad. It burned and scorched everything that came near and he wasn't nearly as reserved as the girl in throwing it around.
The brunette teenager seemed to have quickly put on some kind of armored gauntlet. It was a gleaming, metallic crimson with wicked claws. Like the tiny girl with white hair, he ran into the group of bandits. He caught a sword slash as it came at him and squeezed. The bandit holding the sword gawked as his weapon shattered like glass. He was so shocked at his sword's end that he didn't notice as the teenager's other fist plowed into his chest. He was sent flying backwards before rolling to stop unconscious.
The same bandit in the rear who had commanded the travelers to hand over their belongings stared in shock and horror as the group was dismantled. A few of his friends traded glances. Running seemed like a good idea now. They'd had no idea they would be attacking this many ninja.
Then Naruto landed in their midst. The group raised their swords and clubs to defend themselves, only for the blonde to spin in place. Twin arcs of fire covered the kunai in his hands and made contact with their weapons. The fire seared clean through the blades, leaving nothing but molten stumps in the criminal's hands. The brigands threw down the handles of the useless swords and ran.
Naruto laughed as the group of bandits scattered. The loss of their weapons was the last hit their morale could take.
"I hope you guys can run fast! You're gonna need to!" Naruto taunted as he leaped forward and planted a kick into the side of a man's head. He paused to look at how the others were doing and smiled. Fighting bandits was so easy. But at least it was a good way to reintroduce himself to real combat. He'd done almost nothing but train in techniques and his fighting forms, but training sessions were very different than using them in the field.
He smirked as Issei almost negligently shattered a man's shield with a backhanded strike and sent the bandit tumbling away.
Naruto's hidden fox ears twitched and he jumped to the side. A second later a hammer the size of his whole body crashed down on where he'd been standing. The impact created a heavy boom that drew everyone's attention.
The melee came to a halt. The Occult Research Club dispatched the nearest bandits around them and turned to see a massive man holding the grip of the hammer.
As Naruto landed from his jump, he looked at the attacker and wondered how he hadn't noticed the man before. He looked upwards from where the man was standing. There was a small platform up in the branches, mostly hidden from sight by the surrounding foliage. 'He just dropped down ready to swing that hammer. Barely any sound at all.'
"You damn fools! Don't you dare run from a bunch of brats! I'll deal with this!" The man seemed furious that a bunch of children were defeating his subordinates.
He leapt through the air towards who he believed to be the slowest member of the club. The red haired girl hadn't done any of the acrobatic maneuvers or strength like the rest.
Rias kept her face placid even as she realized this man must have some knowledge of chakra. There was no other way for the man to lift a hammer that large and move so fast.
In a single leap the bandit leader nearly closed the distance to Rias. The hulking man swung his hammer at Crimson Princess.
She only smirked. With a negligent wave of her hand she sent out a blast of her Power of Destruction. The crimson black flames washed over the hammer, annihilating the heavy block of stone and leaving nothing but bits of rubble and a charred pole. The man dropped the remains of his weapon in shock.
"You- you bitch!" The man leapt backwards to put some distance between himself and Rias. He glared, alternating between the broken pieces of his weapon and the girl who had done it. He reached into his shirt and tried to pull something out.
The rogue ninja was so focused on Rias that he didn't notice Issei until the brunette was nearly next to him. With his charged up Boosted Gear, the man stood no chance.
A single punch to the gut sent the man flying backwards into a nearby tree. He struck the flimsy wood and smashed right through it. The top of the tree hit the ground with small thump.
The man groaned and tried to get back up, only to be hit by a blast of lightning.
Rias and Issei grimaced as the man shrieked and spasmed before dropping. They both shot a look at Akeno who was smiling and blushing heavily at the pain she was giving.
"Well, that was anticlimactic." Despite her words, Rias looked quite pleased with the beat down her peerage had given. A quick glance confirmed that Kiba and Koneko were rapidly dispatching the last of the criminals.
Jiraiya walked up next to her and gave light shrug. "What did you expect? They were a bunch of bandits who couldn't even use chakra. The only real accomplishment was taking out some chump who'd been beating on the helpless. Once you fight with a few real ninja you'll get a better workout."
Rias crossed her arms under her chest. Her cheeks puffed out at Jiraiya's blunt criticism. And when did leave the carriage?
Naruto made a face as Jiraiya went into a speech about what each of them did right or wrong. The kitsune idly remembered how many times he'd had to sit through these lessons. And the old pervert always had something different to criticize.
He sighed as they started to round up the defeated bandits and wait for a patrol to come along. Lectures were so boring.
As the carriage pulled in to the waystation outside Konoha, the whole Club raised their eyes towards the monolithic structure in the distance.
"That's quite a wall." Kiba said as he took in the enormous defensive wall that surrounded Konoha.
Naruto was practically bouncing on his heels at the sight of his home. They were all walking along a wide dirt road that led to a massive gate in the distance.
Then Naruto stopped walking and stared at the side of the road. The peerage looked at him questioningly before following his line of sight.
There was a ninja in the tree branches. He was around their age and wearing a white, loose fitting shirt and pants. But the strangest thing was his eyes. They were a solid white. It looked as if he was blind, but the way he was staring at them made it unlikely.
'Some kind of eye magic?' Rias thought.
The ninja took a step off the branch and dropped gracefully to the road.
Naruto had a hesitant smile and greeted him. "Hey, Neji."
"Welcome back to Konoha." Neji's tone had no inflection. The group wasn't sure if he actually meant it or if it was supposed to be insulting or sarcastic.
Naruto nodded slowly. "Uh, yeah, it's been a while."
There was an awkward pause. Neji was simply staring at Naruto intently.
Naruto spoke again, but he seemed to be more uncomfortable than the person he was talking to. "So how have things been? How's your team?"
"Things have been well. I'm sure you'll get a debriefing from the Hokage about general events. My team has all been promoted to chuunin. I'm a tokubetsu jounin now. I'll be taking my jounin trials once my team returns from this mission."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock. They were all chuunin now? Neji was going to be a jounin?
His attention went back to the tree line as two more blurs jumped down from the branches. One was a girl with her hair done up in a pair of buns and the other was-
"Naruto! It is good to see you again! I hope that your time away has stoked the fires of your youth to ever greater heights!"
Naruto laughed. He seemed much more at ease with ninja than with Neji. He rubbed the back of his head. "Hey, Lee. Yeah, I've gotten super strong. It's awesome to see you again."
"Ahem." The bun haired girl coughed pointedly.
Naruto squinted at her. "Oh, right. Sorry. You are, uh…" He thought frantically. He'd only spoken to her once or twice, but he'd seen her fight. She used swords… and scrolls… wait. Swords?
The girl scowled at Naruto.
Naruto made the plunge. "Ah, right. It was… Kenken."
"Tenten!" She shouted. The kunoichi took a deep breath to calm herself over being forgotten. "So who are your friends?"
"I met Ise here around the beginning of my trip and the rest are all good people. They're pretty strong, too."
As Naruto introduced each of the Club members, a cluster of veins around Neji's eyes bulged and his inexpressive face grew severe. "Do I need to call for-"
Jiraiya took a step forward and interrupted the Hyuga. "We'll all be fine without a guide, I'm sure. You kids should head out. Don't want to keep Gai waiting, do you?"
Neji glanced at the legendary ninja and nodded. Without another word he turned around. A single jump and he was back up in the tree branches and moving fast away from the village.
Tenten smiled apologetically and offered a welcome to Konoha. Lee saluted them and shook Naruto's hand before departing as well.
Naruto tried to stay upbeat at Neji's terse departure, but hung his head as soon as the team of ninjas was out of sight.
After the ninjas left, Yuuto spoke uncertainly. "What a strange welcome."
"May I ask what that was about? With the white eyed ninja?" Rias looked at Jiraiya.
In response, the man let loose a light sigh. "Neji and Naruto have a history."
"A history?"
Naruto kicked a loose stone in the dirt. "I fought him in a tournament once. I won but… I think he hates me for it."
"How do you figure that?" Issei questioned. The boy had seemed strangely reserved, but there wasn't any obvious rudeness or hostility.
Naruto sounded more confused than he would have liked. "Back before I left, he would talk all high and mighty because he was the prodigy of the Hyuga Clan. But he also hated it because he's not eligible to ever lead them. There's a lot of crap the clan does to its branch members and it made him really bitter and hateful." Rias and Akeno frowned slightly at those words. Both were sadly familiar with what larger clans might do to maintain their power. "Then when I beat him… he became nicer, I think. But he's so weird to me and only me."
"But why?" Issei asked. "If he's nice now, you must have done something right."
Naruto smiled bitterly. "I wonder. I think… I think he hates me because he knows I'm a kitsune."
Some the Occult Club frowned at his words. Issei tried to speak but was cut off by Naruto.
"I guess it doesn't matter. I'm glad I did it and he's become nicer. Back then Neji was a straight-up bastard. He really was. He tried to kill his own cousin once because he hated the main family so much." The group's eyes widened. Asia gasped. "But he is strong. Really, really strong. And his bloodline means he knows none us are human."
Rias broke into the conversation. "Do you mean the magic he used with his eyes?" She turned to Jiraiya. "Will this be a problem? Is he going to tell anyone?"
The toad sage shook his head. "He knows better. The Hyuga, and the Uchiha when they were around, are assigned to monitor any non-humans inside Konoha. People might know that other races exist, but tend not to bother them too much. In return, the races obey human laws when they visit our towns and cities. They especially know to follow the laws when they're in a place like Konoha."
The Research Club looked at him questioningly.
"You are in a town literally full of ninjas. Are you really going to try and break the law?" Jiraiya asked sarcastically.
Not for the first time this week, Riser had to suppress the need to scream at the sky. It was one thing to go on a search. It was another entirely to go on a search with literally no clues and zero direction.
He had asked everyone who might know. Searched everywhere that might have a clue.
Rias' home? Nothing.
Her peerage's homes? Nothing.
The Sitri girl and her peerage? Nothing.
Kuoh Academy? Apparently they thought she and the Occult Club were in Paris researching the catacombs.
He didn't even bother trying to hide his irritation. He couldn't care less if a few random humans thought he looked like some rude foreigner.
All of that searching, all of that searching on top of keeping fourteen girls and a sister focused on the mission instead of shopping and sightseeing…
Riser sighed.
Having a harem could be a tiring thing.
He was almost out of places to search and leads to follow. He had allowed the girls to go off on their own, taking only Yubelluna and Ravel with him on this final stop.
It was the only lead they had left.
"Ravel, go to the side of the house and use a spell to loosen their lips. You're more familiar with such magic, right?" Riser said as they reached the front door.
"I'll use a spell to make them speak without most inhibitions. They won't think twice about what they say and will consider most topics 'normal'. Just give me a minute to set it up." Ravel puffed up with pride and nodded before walking around the corner of the house.
Riser rang the doorbell.
A muffled "Just a moment, please!" came through the door.
Riser let a small smirk grace his face. He might actually get somewhere this time. None of Rias' other subordinates had any family to question. It was like the Gremory heir was heading an orphanage instead of a peerage.
The door opened to a middle-aged woman. Riser could see a man sitting on a couch further inside with a newspaper in his hands.
He plastered a smile on his face. "Good afternoon, my name is Riser Phenix. I'm an old friend of Rias Gremory. I heard your son, Issei, was a member of her… club?"
"Yes, he is. Can we help you with something?"
Riser gestured to himself and Yubelluna. "We were wondering if you had the contact information for where they had gone off to. Do you mind if we come in?"
The motherly woman smiled and opened the door further. The pair of devils came inside and sat at the table across from the man.
"I'd been hoping to surprise Rias with a visit. But when we arrived in Japan we learned they were all gone. Did your son mention where they were going? We asked the school but all they could tell us was 'Paris'. Do you know how to get in touch with them so we can make sure they're alright?"
"They left us a phone number, but Rias mentioned they might not be able to answer with the time change and everything. Plus they're going to be out exploring with their group so the signal is bad more often than not." Mr. Hyoudou sighed, but still looked happy. "It's wonderful that he's gotten involved in a club. We never got to go to Paris while we were at school." The man chuckled as he patted his wife's leg.
Riser frowned a moment before forcing it away. A thought entered his mind. He didn't sense any deception from these humans. Did these people not know their son was a devil? "That's too bad. I was really hoping to see them while we were in the area. Maybe we can stop by on the flight back home."
Riser saw Ravel's hand appear in the window behind the Japanese couple. It was a thumbs-up. He smirked inwardly. The spell to make this couple speak more easily had been completed.
Even if they didn't know much, he had no doubt they would be able to point him in the general direction of their son. If he could find the son, he would find the peerage. If he could find the peerage, he would find Rias.
Riser paused for a moment. Spell or not, he had to act nice. He didn't know the specifics of the spell so demanding information might simply cause them to clam up. He didn't want to deal with that. "What do you think about the club? About what they study? Devils and the occult."
The mother answered his question. "I think it's a nice thing to waste time on. It's all very interesting. Rias explained so much about all the myths about the Devil families."
Riser sighed lightly. It seemed they really didn't know. Hopefully they would be of some use. 'Stupid humans.'
Mrs. Hyoudou continued. "It's a much better hobby than all the ecchi things he used to collect. He took after you too much, dear."
The man scratched the side of his neck sheepishly.
Riser blinked. That… was not something he was expecting to hear. 'Wait, the magic. It's making them speak without inhibition. Without any inhibition.'
He smiled charmingly and tried go with the conversation. "So your son likes girls. What teenager doesn't?"
The man smiled back. "I know, I know. But he was so perverted we had almost given up hope on him getting a girlfriend. He was always going on about making a harem. There is a time for perversion and a time for restraint. Issei never grasped that when he was growing up."
Yubelluna grimaced. This was not a conversation she wanted to take part in.
Riser was nodding his head in agreement and no small amount of smugness. 'At least the guy has his heart in the right place. Making a harem is hard work. You have to be smart about it.'
He mentally congratulated himself on his own harem. All he needed was a little sister type, or maybe a tsundere, and it would be complete.
Yubelluna's saw Riser's expression and gave him a flat look. There were times she wondered how she fell for someone like him. Then she would remember how they met, but still...
"So he did manage to get a girlfriend?" Riser asked.
"Well, not quite. But still, we're very happy at the progress he's made. Asia says she wants to be a part of the family and a good bride! We've practically adopted her!" The mother said sweetly. "And then Rias comes by sometimes and, and…" She leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "-shares a bed. It's such a wonderful change." She laughed softly as she set her hand on her cheek and closed her eyes in nostalgia.
Yubelluna's eyes widened in fear. No. No. She was not going to have a conversation like this with old people.
A part of Riser was furious that his future bride was sharing a bed with another man. Another part was thrilled that his future bride was sharing a bed with another woman. A small part was optimistic. If Rias engaged in skinship with her peerage, they had more in common that he first thought. The final part was plain confusion. Didn't humans look down on such things these days?
"W-wait, you're trying to encourage a three way relationship?" Riser asked. His words were slow and measured, belying his emotions.
"Absolutely! We wanted to try something similar back in the day but it didn't work out. I wanted a harem of my own once." The father said.
Mrs. Hyoudou blushed in embarrassment. "Oh, that was so long ago."
Yubelluna shook her head back and forth frantically. She had to get out of here. What kind of parents were these!?
Riser leaned forward in his seat. 'These... these must be the greatest parents in the world.'
It had taken years to build his own harem, with struggle and hardship and he'd done it alone. Riser's parents were often passive and distant concerning what he and his siblings were doing. They never seemed to condone or condemn anything he'd done. To learn some parents supported such an endeavor… he wished his parents were like this.
Yubelluna interrupted before Riser could say anything further. "I'm sorry, but I think I just got a voicemail. I'll step outside and see what it's about." She bowed to the husband and wife. "Since Riser has difficulty staying on task, did your son give you any information about who they were going with? Teachers or friends? Which hotel?"
Mr. Hyoudou rubbed his chin. "We have their contact information around somewhere. Hmm… oh yes, Jiraiya and Naruto came back from one of their trips. Issei spent the day with them before the Club went off to Paris. I'd recommend checking what Issei told them, but I'm fairly sure they already left on a trip of their own. Down south to the Nansei islands, I think."
"Those two always seem to be travelling." His wife chimed in.
Yubelluna's eyes widened. Riser also seemed to notice the importance of the names. Jiraiya and Naruto. Something nagged at the back of her mind. One of those names was familiar. She was sure of it.
At Riser's nod, Mrs. Hyoudou brought Yubelluna into the kitchen where she gave them the contact information for the hotel the Occult Club was supposedly staying in Paris. Yubelluna knew it was probably fake but there might be something to it.
When she walked back out to where Riser and Mr. Hyoudou were still sitting, she spent all of three seconds listening to the conversation before brushing past them to the front door. It was a short, fast-paced walk around the house to where Ravel was waiting.
Yubelluna sat down next to her king's sister with a resigned look on her face.
Ravel stared at the older girl in confusion. "Why are you out here? Shouldn't you be helping my brother?"
The Bomb Queen shrugged uneasily. She'd much rather be out here than inside. She would follow Riser into battle without fail, she would support him in his every desire, she would do anything he asked of her... but she was not going to listen to a pair of old geezers talk about- ugh her skin was crawling.
"We got what we came for. A pair of people with the names of Naruto and Jiraiya stopped by a few days ago. They were here for a single day before Rias' peerage vanished. We'll start looking for information on them as soon as Riser finishes talking with these people."
Ravel raised a fine eyebrow. "That name is familiar. I'll think on it. But why is brother still talking to them if we found out a new lead?"
Yubelluna's mouth pursed. How to answer that question to Riser's little sister? "They were talking about book collections when I walked out." There. That was a perfectly normal topic and certainly not anything Ravel would question.
"Books?" Ravel's eyes widened. "Wait! That's where I heard the name! I'm sure I know a Jiraiya from one of my books. I have to head home and check my collection." She was extremely pleased with herself. She stood up from her spot. "I'll go tell brother-"
Riser's voice was heard through the window.
"A naked apron!?"
Ravel starred deadpan down at Yubelluna. "What are they talking about?"
Yubelluna avoided her gaze.
Konoha was a blur of sights and sounds. People selling their wares, running to and from their homes and businesses, children playing in the parks that dotted the village.
And the ninja. It was impossible to ignore the ninja.
Every few minutes the group could see another shinobi leap over one of the buildings around them. If there was any doubt that they were in a different place, the sight of people running on rooftops or using chakra to perform mundane tasks in clear sight laid it to rest.
The large group drew many stares as they made a path towards the Hokage's office. Some stared at Jiraiya, knowing he was one of the most famous ninja in Konoha. Others stared at Naruto, either out of knowledge of his 'status' or his infamy as a prankster when he was younger.
But most stared at the group of girls. Rias, whose vibrant red hair and perfect figure stood out even among them. Akeno was a picture of graceful beauty. Koneko and Asia were both cute in their own unique ways.
More than a few men stared only to earn the glares of the women around them.
The Occult Club took in the Hokage Tower Complex as Naruto rattled off old history about it. How the Tower had been designed by the Second Hokage to withstand immense damage. How many of its support beams were grown by the First; and had endured time and stress without difficulty to this very day. Naruto pointed to the Academy in the distance.
While Rias mentally compared the place to the Devil's Underworld, she had to admit she was a little impressed. Though many of the feats accomplished by Konoha were minor compared to the devil's ancient buildings and structures, it was still inspiring to see what humans had constructed within just a few decades. She was also surprised at what Naruto knew about the city's founding.
What she didn't know was that, in many ways, Naruto was a failure as an academy student. He didn't like listening to boring lectures and his boisterous energy as a child had been a problem the teachers had to deal with. Finally, he just hadn't cared enough about his early education and it reflected in his grades.
But he knew his Hokage facts.
As they made their way up the tower to the Hokage's office, Naruto caught sight of a few ninja entering one of the side rooms. A large, overweight boy. A blonde girl in purple clothes. A thin teen with his hair in a spiky ponytail.
Naruto smiled widely and was about to shout out a greeting only for the door to shut. He groaned.
Their final destination was near the top of the tower. They arrived at a small lobby with a desk and a pair of impressive wooden doors. A thin, plain looking woman was sorting papers as Jiraiya entered.
Her eyes widened as she saw them. She stood up and walked over, greeting them all. "Master Jiraiya! Naruto! You're back early. I heard a report from the gate but I wasn't sure to believe it. It's so good to see you."
She bowed to Jiraiya only to be caught in a hug by Naruto. She laughed at the blonde's enthusiasm.
"Shizune!"
"Yeah, we had a few change of plans. Can we talk to Tsunade? It's kind of important." Jiraiya said as his student hugged the woman.
Naruto put Shizune back down from the hug and let the woman work. She smoothed her ruffled clothes and walked to her desk she flipped through folders before pulling out several packets. Jiraiya made a face as he saw them.
"Of course you can see her. But first, here's all the paperwork you have to do. It needs to be filled out within ten days, so don't put it off." She walked back around the desk, kicked open the large doors with her heel and began to give Jiraiya his workload. "Lady Tsunade, Jiraiya and Naruto have returned! They brought a few guests as well." Shizune announced even as she was offloading stack upon stack of paper to Jiraiya
The teenage devils and kitsune walked past Jiraiya and Shizune and entered the office. Then they saw the woman behind the desk.
Issei stopped where he stood.
Rias' brow furrowed. She felt oddly self-conscious for a moment but then reasoned that she didn't want to deal with a pair that large anyway.
Issei stared.
Kiba and Akeno chuckled. One nervously and the other in amused anticipation.
His eyes became distant.
Koneko frowned, both at the brunette boy next to her and at the woman's figure.
An enormous smile spread across Issei's face.
Naruto ducked behind Koneko.
Issei fought a war within himself. Maybe it was wrong but- No! No, it would be wrong not to. Truly this was a pair of breasts crafted to perfection. Molded by gods. Jiraiya had been right when he had described them. Issei took a single step forward-
And was promptly hit in the face with a paperweight. The woman hadn't even glanced upwards. As Issei fell backwards the others stared in shock. When she finally did look up from her paperwork the busty blonde looked surprised.
"Huh. I felt lust and thought it was Jiraiya. My apologies, kid. I'm Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage." She said as she stood from her chair.
From the floor, Issei raised a hand and pointed at her chest. He gave a thumbs up before his hand dropped. Asia knelt down next Issei and put his head in her lap as she healed the small bump.
Tsunade clicked her teeth. "Jiraiya, did you secretly have a kid?"
The man in question, still skimming through the papers Shizune had given in the hallway, froze and slowly turned towards his teammate.
'Oh gods what happened and what did I do?' That was quickly followed by. 'Oh gods what happened and who did I do? What does she know!? What don't I know!?'
When he finally finished the agonizingly slow turn, he saw Issei laid out on the floor and the annoyed look on Tsunade's face. He heaved a sigh of relief. For a second there he thought he might have been in actual trouble.
"Issei is not my kid. He just knows a proper role model when he sees one." He huffed.
Tsunade blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Sure." She took a look at the group before her. Her hazel eyes narrowed. She turned to Shizune. "Close the doors and seal the room, Shizune."
Shizune looked at her master in concern before following the order. She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. Those still inside the room felt a flare of chakra before it levelled off. There was a soft hum from the edges of the entire room.
"So." Tsunade leveled a piercing glare on the group. "Who wants to explain to me why a group of devils is in my village?"
As one, the teenagers all pointed to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya sighed in defeat. "They agreed to help out Naruto with his personal assignment. They're from the Gremory family and even then they're pretty unique in their compassion. For being devils I mean. No offense, Rias."
The girl in question shrugged. She was aware of how many devils acted. She was also aware of how the Gremory House was usually considered an outlier in how they treated their servants and other supernatural groups.
Tsunade tilted her head in a nod but her eyes were still narrowed. "While I'm personally grateful for any assistance concerning this punk," She jerked a nod at Naruto. Said punk pouted at her. "I have to be blunt. Why would you help and what do you want?"
Issei managed to pick himself out of Asia's lap and off the floor. He answered before Rias could. "He's my friend. That's the only reason I need. I know about what Naruto has to do and I'm going to help him do it."
Rias smiled softly at her pawn's answer. It wasn't exactly diplomatic but he was speaking the truth.
Tsunade looked unimpressed. "You're going to help him? Help him not only fend off some of the worst missing-nin in modern times, hunt down the vessels of the tailed beasts, and outfight those vessels and their elite bodyguards? Out of the goodness of your heart?"
"Yes!" Issei was offended at her lack of faith. Even if he was a devil, Naruto was his friend. That was all that mattered.
But what was a missing-nin?
Tsunade locked gazes with the young devil.
Eventually she smirked. "So that's it?"
Issei blinked at the sudden reversal. "It's like I said. We're friends. That's all there is to it."
Naruto rubbed the back his neck and smiled uncertainly. He wasn't really expecting his friend to talk like that. It was a strange feeling to be on the receiving end of such a declaration. Strange, but not bad.
"Naruto and Issei met shortly after I took Naruto on our training trip. They kept in touch afterwards, even if he didn't know Naruto's 'situation' until recently. He only became a devil a short while ago." Jiraiya explained to Tsunade.
The Hokage snorted. "Became a devil. Gods damn do I want to figure out how those Evil Pieces work. Who's the king here?"
Rias stepped forward to introduce herself properly. "I am Rias Gremory of House Gremory. Ise is my pawn and despite knowing him for only a short while, I can say that Naruto is a good person."
Tsunade lowered her head slightly in return. "Tsunade Senju. Fifth Hokage of Konoha. Friendship can be a powerful motivator, I understand that. But I seriously doubt you all came here and dropped everything you were doing just to help him."
Jiraiya answered again, taking a chair in front of the Hokage's desk. "I agreed to give them training. Rias has a deadline of her own in a while and she needs to have a peerage strong enough to fight off a much stronger opponent."
Issei straightened in surprise. He didn't know about that. He looked over at the club President. She smiled uncomfortably at him and mouthed 'later'.
Tsunade didn't look happy at that announcement. "Jiraiya, please tell me you did not make any agreements with a devil House on behalf of Konoha. I am not going through that crap again after what you pulled last time."
"What happened last time?" Naruto asked.
The Research Club all nodded eagerly. They sensed a story there. One they definitely wanted to hear. Rias wondered just what devil House it might have been. It wasn't anything she had heard of.
Jiraiya waved off Tsunade's concern. "It's nothing like that. I've got instructors lined up for those that need specialized help and I'll be sticking around for a while. At most, I might need a few jounin to pitch in. Maybe have what's her name, the sword girl, give Kiba a few lessons or something like that. And I was wondering if you can help their healer out with some hands-on training. She has a Sacred Gear which can heal anything, but she's never had experience as a combat medic."
Tsunade looked at the girl her teammate gestured to.
Asia smiled expectantly at the Hokage.
"I already have an apprentice." The nun looked crestfallen but tried to hide her disappointment. "I know I can fit you into a prep class. There are plenty of openings. It will help you get some experience in dealing with injuries while stressed. The purpose of a medics is defeated if they lose their composure before they can heal their team."
Asia grimaced at the older woman's brusque demeanor. Akeno put a hand on her shoulder in silent support.
Naruto didn't like the pair of older ninja switching the topic. "Seriously, what happened 'last time'? What did you and the pervert do? Hag, tell me-"
His efforts stalled with a super-powered cuff to the back of the head.
Naruto woke up in his dusty apartment. He hadn't cleaned much the night before and his home was still dirty from two years of disuse.
It was a disappointing difference from the crowded friend-filled trip of the last few days. He tried not to let it bother him too much.
He went to the bathroom to begin his morning routine and was halfway through washing his face when one of his ears twitched. He heard something coming from his kitchen.
Still in his pajamas and sleeping cap, he walked into the next room and stared.
The entire Occult Research Club was sitting around his kitchen. The door to his apartment was open and he could see several other doors ajar down the hall.
"Why are you all in my house?" It was the only thing he could think of saying.
Akeno spoke when it was clear Rias wouldn't. The redhead was busy writing out a grocery list.
"After we parted ways yesterday, Master Jiraiya visited our hotel. We spoke about our long-term living arrangements. Since we're going to be here for a while, it would be unreasonable for us to stay in a hotel that long."
Kiba continued where Akeno left off. He was smiling brightly and his hair was as neat as always. Compared to Naruto's disheveled morning-look, the other blonde looked amazing.
"Master Jiraiya offered an alternative. He was aware of several vacancies in the building here and helped us make arrangements with the landlord. We all got rooms on either this floor or the one below."
Naruto's face was blank in confusion. He glanced at Koneko as she rifled through his fridge. Gaspar was helping Asia as she looked at his meager supply of spices.
"He also gave us a key to your apartment."
Naruto blinked.
Even if they were uninvited, it was a nice change to have people in his home. It didn't feel so lonely. He smiled softly and took a seat at the table.
Then something caught his attention. Koneko was fumbling with opening a milk carton she'd taken out.
The kitsune's gentle smile widened into a smirk. He didn't stop her. This was revenge for the punch on the boat.
Koneko yawned widely before putting the opened flap to her mouth. The instant the milk touched her tongue her eyes shot open and her lips pursed. She slammed the carton onto the wooden table. Her shoulders shook and her fists clenched.
"I haven't gone shopping since we arrived." Naruto said.
Everyone paused what they were doing and stared at Koneko's pinched face.
"You mean that milk was in your fridge for over two years?" Issei asked hesitantly.
Naruto nodded.
Koneko's eyes started to water as she made a heaving motion with her upper body.
Everyone started speaking at once.
"Spit it out!" "Don't throw up on the table!" "To the sink, Koneko!" "No, to the bathroom!"
AN: An interesting thing about Issei's parents: supposedly, they were very similar to Issei when they were younger. His dad collected porn and his mom wore a naked apron. It's a really good thing they matured and learned to keep that side out of sight.
So. Everyone has arrived at Konoha and Riser has his first clue. I know it's kind of slow right now, but the story will kick off soon.
I hope people are enjoying this. I want to make the story a mix of amusing and serious, but if my jokes aren't funny, please let me know. I'll just tone down that aspect and keep focus more on the serious side.
Read and review and tell me your thoughts.
