This is the third installment of Of Angels and Devils...
But first, response to reviews left on the last chapter
Gawain-Knight of the Sun: The probability of me adding persons from other anime and/or games is very high. And for your suggestions, I will take them into consideration but can't really promise anything seeing as how I am not familiar with these characters. I might research them more if they prove interesting enough. Thanks for that!
InfiniteZero9: For the eyes, yes. As for the suggestion on your harem member, she will make an appearance in the story... just not in your conventional sense.
LazyKid24: That... is an interesting idea you have there, friend. I thought I saw something like that but in a PJO crossover. I've never really thought of it that way before. But, if I were to do that, then that would open up a whole can of worms concerning the DC universe that I'd rather not deal with. However, this has given me food for thought and I've thought of an added arc which will feature her without the League.
VO1dSwOrd: Naruto's peerage is currently under construction. Some spots have been claimed while there are some still left available. If you have suggestions, just tell me and I'll try to work around it. And a familiar as been selected.
Cinder: Wow! I just love long reviews and yours was well-written and spoke many truths. I agree that far too many political back-lash was blatantly ignored in the canon in the favor of moving the plot along in clear bias to the main group. The Phenex debacle is one such example. Thanks for the review man (or woman) and I hope this story is to your liking.
Mokamiharu: That's a pretty short-sighted judgement you made but it's yours to make. I've already stated that not everything will stay the same as that would make for a boring story but... oh well, if that's how you feel. I thank you for your support so far and I guess this is where I bid you adieu.
dfriel1996: Thanks and these girls are already in contention for a place. Nothing is really cemented yet.
fdsadsaw: I know what you mean about most of the plot centering around Rias' peerage and such but she won't be romantically involved with Naruto. And no, I'm not hating on Rias (I'm sorry if it came across like that). In concerns to longer chapters, I'll try but I not really comfortable writing past a certain word count. It's a issue I look to overcome.
Polaruspax: Wow... just wow. I just - wow... (deep breath) Despite your words, I will not be making any changes to the way I plan to develop Naruto as a character in this story so I guess this is goodbye (Psst! BTW, you spelled 'planet' wrong XDD)
To clear up some misunderstanding that seem to be happening, this story is NOT a Rias bashing fic. Nope. To those who thought it was... well, you're wrong. She just won't have great interactions with Naruto.
Also, there will be some changes to canon story. One of this will be a bit of a history lesson when he concerns the Phenex clan. Please, don't some and comment saying that this didn't happen in canon because this is not canon. it is a fanfiction and everything placed in this story is by design. Well... most of it anyways.
With those out of the way, I guess it's on to the story...
An explosion wrung out and caused her to fall flat on her butt. The hallway shook with vengeance and a piece from her mother's collection - a beautiful vase garbed in ivory and gold - fell from its pedestal and shattered against the floor into a million little pieces. The small girl bit her lower lip in thought. She rose back to her feet uneasily, her golden-blond hair styled in drill-like twin-tails bouncing slightly as she brushed off her dress. The girl was Ravel Phenex, the only daughter of Lord and Lady Phenex and the youngest of the Phenex siblings. Like her brother before her, Ravel had lived a sheltered lifestyle due to her birth being another 'miracle' for her family. Devils rarely had more than one off springs in their rather lengthy life yet the Phenex had been able to surpass that number and more. The girl was their fifth-born and their first girl.
The now-identified Ravel Phenex grimaced at the mess that was made by the fallen vase, before ignoring it. Surely, one of the estate's many servant could be trusted to clean the mess. Besides, she was on a pseudo-mission given to her by her mother. She walked briskly along the hallway, easily passing by the extravagant ornaments that decorated the halls. Having grown in the lap of luxury all her life, she was used to such a sight. Instead, her mind was on the subject of her older brother, Naruto.
The two were the closest in age and relationship. She loved all her brothers but she simply adored Naruto. Despite him being only a year her superior, they were no where near equals. She was a high-class devil in title only, with her prowess falling just short of her rank. Her brother on the other hand, was a high-class devil whose powers were nearing ultimate-class. Truly, he had already surpassed their brother Riser and was nearing the title of the strongest Phenex, only being edged out by their father and eldest brother Ruval.
But despite his growing strength (and subsequently growing fame), he was still the same brother that played with her when she was lonely and had taken the time to make sure she was well taken care of. The age gap between the two was so small that it was practically non-existent but Naruto had taken to doting on her the same way their father would and she loved him explicitly for that and more. She loved her brother because he was her whole world.
Which was also why she worried for him.
It was no secret to her about the monumental weight her brother carried on his shoulders. The burden he bared was one which could be dated back all the way the civil war between the Old and New Devil factions. Before the fall of the Old Devil Faction, the Phenex clan was one of the most respected and infamous household. With their immortality and Phenex Tears, the original Satans had seen their potential to become a hub for powerful devils and great medics. They had gained so much fame during the Great War that had propelled them to heights comparable to the Bael household. But that came at a price. When the Great War had ended and the civil war between the New and Old Devil faction began, the Phenex clan had originally sided with the Old Devil faction. At the time, it seemed the right choice. I mean, who could hope to stand against the direct descendants of the original Satans.
Sirzechs Gremory and Ajuka Astaroth had proven them wrong.
The two devils had craved a path within the the Old Devil Faction and it had become apparent to the Phenex that despite their immortality, they could not stand a chance against the two super devils. The head of the clan at the time - Ravel's grandfather - had bargained a deal with the the Astaroth heir. If Ajuka were to offer them immunity for any punishment that would be given to them at the end of the war, then the Phenex clan would support their war effort with a large supply of Phenex Tears.
It was that deal that had undoubtedly saved the Phenex from certain extinction. Most of the pillar families that had supported the losing faction were immediately hunted down and massacred while the ones that escaped were scattered into the winds. But despite the fact that their grandfather had been able to secure their future, he could not prevent the massive blow to their family's reputation. Since then, the Phenex family had seen a massive decline to their once glorified reputation. Once seen as the ace of the Underworld, they were reduced to being its traitorous clan. It was an abysmal fate for them to bare and their grandfather had died before he could bring the clan back to its former glory. So the effort was left to his only son, Ruax Phenex who had taken up the mantle as head of the household.
This was a tale that all of the Phenex siblings had grown up hearing, and it was blatant to see that the job was passed on to Naruto. With his immense reserves and black flames, he was the ideal Phenex to bring their family back on top.
Naruto had taken that tale to heart and had vowed to restore his family's lost pride. He had increased his training ten-fold and despite the leap in progress, it was disheartening for Ravel to watch her brother beat himself up to achieve his strength. He pushed himself beyond its limits on a daily basis, regardless of the toll it took on his body. He would often miss out on supper, only to return in the dead of the night; battered and bruised beyond belief.
It wasn't a healthy lifestyle.
Her parents, despite their obvious concern for his well-being, did nothing to dissuade his antics. But she couldn't - no, wouldn't stand by and watch as he destroyed himself over and over only to repeat the cycle in a trivial sense of pride.
So when she had been told by her mother to interrupt Naruto's training in order to deliver a message to him, she was quick to reach her brother's personal training field. She slipped out of the massive mansion and instantly took to the skies, her wings of bright orange flames propelling her towards her goal. With a sharp eye, she spied the foliage that rushed by beneath her.
Not that she really needed to.
She had found him quickly enough. She spied him laying prone on the center of a large crater. His shirt was gone, probably incinerated and turned to ash. His pants were tattered at the ankles, several rips and tears in the garment. She hovered several feet above him, her visage turning down in a frown. Even from her position, she could see the tell-tale signs of his regenerative abilities at work. The small embers of his black flames flickering on his still form, burning away his wounds.
She landed beside him, the soft thud her feet made more than enough to rouse her brother from unconsciousness.
"R-Ravel?" he asked uncertainly.
"Hai. It's me onii-sama,"
He tried to stand but failed, falling back face-first on the ground. Instantly, Ravel was by his stand. She crouched and helped him up, allowing him to be able to sit back on his haunches in a meditative position.
"Can you stand onii-sama?"
Naruto shook his head, knowing that despite his healed injuries, the phantom and exhaustion he felt in his legs were too much for him to handle at the moment.
"This isn't healthy onii-sama. You're going to run yourself ragged at this rate. As your younger sister it is my duty to make sure that you are well-cared!"
Naruto chuckled. "Your duty, huh?!" he shifted slightly. "Y'know, if you keep talking like that, you might as well become my wife," he joked. Of course, he knew the effect it would have on his younger sibling. The girl was very perceptive for her age and was rather mature when the time called for it. But at the same time, she could be rather childish and would break out in a furious blush whenever the topic of love and marriage came about. It was adorable to watch her cheek fill with color and her face heat up (sometimes literally). Her reactions never failed to make him laugh.
"W-W-Wife!?" the girls stuttered. Her hands flew to her cheeks in a futile effort to hide her blush. "H-How could you say something at a time like this?! B-But if it's onii-sama that asks... "
"Hmm ~ you said something Ravel-chan?!"
"I-Idiot!"
Naruto's chuckle turned to full blown laughter. After his laughter subsided, he managed to climb to his feet using Ravel as a crutch to lean on. "What are doing all the way out here though?" he asked. From the spot they were at, the Phenex estate was merely a small figure in the background. While not exactly far away via flight, it was too much of a hassle to come all the way out here. It was why he had chosen this spot. It was close enough to home that if anything went wrong, he could come rushing in but at the same time was far enough to give him a sense of privacy.
The only time he had visitors when something important had come up.
The girl beamed, "Kaa-san sent me here to tell you that the arrangement that you asked for has been set up. She said that you should be ready to leave in about an hour." She pursed her lips in thought as she pondered on something.
"Ne... onii-sama? You're not leaving are you?" she asked.
"Not permanently. I'm just gonna go and get a familiar from the forest tomorrow. There's no need to worry. Your onii-sama will always be here for you," he replied, pulling the girl into a one-armed hug. They were about the same height so it was easy for Naruto to both hug her and use her frame as a support for him to lean against.
"Promise?"
"I swear on my word. It's the promise of a lifetime,"
"Are you sure about this?"
Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he weathered the insistent prodding by his mother. The woman was basically joined at his hip with the way she hovered around him. His mother, who looked like an older Ravel with the exception of different hairstyles, stood only a few inches in front of her youngest son. Naruto was seated within the grand hall of the Phenex estate with his mother.
"For the last time mother, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself," he huffed and leaned backwards when she tried to clean the faint smudges of dirt from his cheeks.
She crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't take that tone with me young man!"
"Sorry mother," he bowed his head.
A laugh he had gotten all too familiar with resounding within the grand hall of the family's mansion. Naruto peered up the long winding staircase that lead to a balcony along the north wall to spy his older brother Riser waltzing down the stairs. The older teen was wearing a white dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The first two buttons were left open and a small pendant could be seen peaking out from beneath the garment. He wore a a burgundy blazer with a gold embroidery of the clan's symbol and matching pants. Following behind him was a voluptuous teen. She had wavy purple hair that fell to her back and a black headband with a orange jewel. Her attire left nothing to the imaginary. She wore a navy blue tunic with golden accents and a pale blue skirt with a long slit running down her left thigh.
"Onii-sama. Yubelluna." he greeted.
Yubelluna nodded back at the boy, her face turned upwards in a small smile as she walked behind her king. Riser, on the other hand, strode forward, a teasing smirk on his face.
"Well well well~ it seems as the little birdie has finally decided to leave the nest for the first time~"
Naruto scowled. He had no retort for hid brother knowing that he was right. This was the first time he would be leaving home without his parents at his side. It wasn't to say that he was not curious about the world outside of the Phenex estate but he had chosen to train first. His goal was to at least reach ultimate-class before he decided to explore the world. Oh, he planned on a expedition soon enough. After all, he did need to start on building his peerage if he wanted to take part in a Rating Game anytime soon.
After all, if he wanted to take the title as strongest Phenex from his oldest brother, then he would have to beat him in a Rating Game.
"Oh hush Riser!" his mother chastised quickly. "There's no need to tease your brother like that. This is a big deal for him and marks his first step towards before a fully matured devil," the matriarch of the house lectured.
"Of course, mother," Riser replied, clearly not meaning it. He turned away from his mother for a moment before addressing Naruto. "So otouto, do you have any idea about what creature you would like as a familiar, hmm? Perhaps a Greenwing Macaw like my own familiar?"
Naruto shook his head. "I think not aniki. I already have my eyes on something else,"
"Ooh~" Here, Riser sounded interested. His eyebrows rose as he leaned forward. "And just what might that be."
"That dear brother, is a secret."
Naruto chuckled as Riser's expression quickly slipped from intrigued to peeved. It wasn't often that Naruto was able to get one up on his brother but when he did, it always found it hilarious. His laughter only increased as he watched his brother trying to save face by toying with the hem of his blazer before turning towards his queen and left the hall with her in tow.
"That wasn't a very nice thing to do," his mother commented, though Naruto could see the smile worming its way on her cheek. It was times like these that reminded him that his family was truly something he cherished. They were an odd bunch. he had to admit. When out in public, they stuck to themselves and when forced to, replied with forced politeness. Ravel often came off as arrogant and spoilt to strangers (even if she was arrogant and spoilt) while Riser came off as obnoxious (which again, he kinda was).
"-listening to me?!" his mother's incensed voice broke him from his thoughts of family. Grimacing, he shook his head in negative at his mother's words. Lady Phenex sighed. "Ugh, what am I to do with you? I was saying that you should hurry to the Familiar Forest so you can make it back in time for the event,"
"Event?" Naruto asked.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten now?" she warned with the slightest of edge in her tone. Naruto chuckled nervously and scratched the nape of his neck. He knew he was screwed. Whatever event that his mother was talking about, he had certainly forgotten and now would be paying the price for it.
"Ehehe, I'm sorry," he squeaked out, cowering under his mother's glare.
"One of these days... " she trailed off. "Have you forgotten about the banquet being held tonight for the gathering of the future devils of the Underworld. There are few events of this nature. This is where the legible devils from different pillars are gathered and eight candidates are chosen to attend the Young Devils Gathering in the future. This time, our family has been chosen to host the event therefore you are obligated to be here, understand?" Lady Phenex explained. When he nodded in understand, she shooed him off, citing that she had much work to do to help get the place ready for the banquet.
A few hours later, we could find the blond protagonist flying briskly across the red sky above the familiar forest. Upon his arrival, he had quickly confirmed the rumors he had heard about the creature he sought after. When the familiar master (whose name he had forgotten to ask) had confirmed them, he had immediately asked for its location before ditching the weird man. As his wings made of black flames carried him closer to his goal, he could feel the blood slowly pumping within his veins. The time was nearing for him and he knew that the creature would outright refuse a master-servant contract.
And that was what he was counting on.
This fight would validate him. It would test him to his absolute limits and he could finally see if all that training was worth it. This was his test. And if he failed, it meant certain death. The trees below began to thin out as he neared the outskirts of the large forest. He paused in his flight, hovering in mid-air as he peered down beyond. Eyes like an eagle, he searched for his target and fought her soon enough.
His smile threatened to split his face as he fell into a nose-dive towards the massive beast.
After all, who better to test your flames against than a dragon...
The beast was asleep, resting on his haunches while using its forelegs like a make-shift pillow to support its head. It was a western dragon. Its scales a beautiful shade of deep blue that reminded Naruto of his mother's eyes. Its underbelly was smooth and pale blue in color. Making a long trail down its spine and along the joints of its wings, a plethora of jewels could be seen. The claws on its feet were the same size of Naruto and its entire body was over 50 feet long.
It was a beautiful creature.
Naruto landed. As soon as his feet had touched the ground, the beats opened its eyes, revealing a pair of golden irises that glowed with power. After a few moments of analyzing the boy, the beast closed its eyes again and went back to sleep.
Naruto fumed. 'Did she just dismiss my presence as if I'm not a viable threat to her?!' he thought rhetorically. He had expected something more along the lines of the dragon ordering him to leave but to completely blow him off as though he wasn't even worth the effort was something he would not forgive. She had insulted his pride as a devil, and there was no way he was going to stand for that.
He cleared his throat and was rewarded with a single eye opening. He stood firm, determined to get what he came here for. He stepped forward then stopped, making sure the dragon knew he would not be leaving anytime soon. He smiled when he saw the creature open its other eye. Its head rose from his resting position. The dragon growled, a low rumbling sound that made the hair stand on the back of his neck.
"What do you want, boy?" the beast growled.
Naruto steeled his spine, quelling the oppressive force he felt crushing him. The dragon had only spoken four words, but Naruto could feel the sheer power beneath those golden orbs. Perhaps challenging a dragon wasn't his greatest idea but there was no way he would back down now. Not with his pride on the line. He took another step forward before speaking.
"I am Naruto Phenex, a high-class devil. I am the fourth son of Lord and Lady Phenex. I have a come here for a single purpose. May I have your name, dragon?"
"My name? Is that the purpose of your journey, little devil?" the blue dragon asked. It had yet to make any effort to stand. "If so then leave. An insignificant welp so as you has no right to utter my name?"
Naruto growled. "Is that so. How about we put that to the test!"
A deep mocking laugh answered him. "Are you sure you want to do this, little devil?" the mirth in its voice was not lost one the Phenex, and he was a hairline away from attacking the beast. "Go home, Phenex spawn. Your regeneration will not save you from my wrath,"
Naruto lost it. In a dramatic show, he summoned his wings. As dark as night, they lifted him off the ground and shot him towards the dragon.
For the first time since his arrival, the dragon seemed the least bit intrigued. 'Black flames?! Is he some sort of descendant of Amaterasu?! No, the boy himself claimed to be a son of Phenex. Something isn't right here... but it will be interesting to see what the boy can do.' The dragon made no moves to suggest defending against the incoming strike from the enraged dragon, but as soon as he was in range, the dragon acted. In a stunning display of speed for something its side, the dragon unfurled its wings. Consequently, gale speed winds were created and knocked Naruto off-kilter.
Forced to abandon his attack, Naruto landed awkwardly. He had not a moment to himself as he was forced in the air to dodge the massive tail of the dragon as it struck the area he once occupied. He flew backwards, creating space between himself and the giant creature he had provoked. the silence between them was broken by the dragon in an odd twist to their dynamics so far.
"Black flames... it has been almost a century since I've seen such a phenomenon. Is that why you believed you could take me on devil spawn? Have you grown so arrogant in your own power that you believed you, a devil who have yet to reach of age, could believe yourself to be my superior?" The dragon laughed. Booming in intensity, it tested Naruto's nerves. He knew the dragon's words were true. There was little chance he could win this fight. But he came here with a goal set in mind and he would not quit until it was done.
"Come then boy. You will serve to entertain me with your foolish efforts,"
And with those words, the blue dragon the familiar forest brought its head back...
... then roared.
Naruto heart was beating wildly in his chest. His blood sung with battle lust and his eyes had dilated. He was no where near his peak of condition but he was not about the back down from a fight of this intensity. They had upturned and changed landscapes with their clashes and neither was about to back down. But while the mind is willing, the flesh was weak. Naruto could feel his strength draining with each attack he launched and could clearly see that the opposite could be said about his opponent. The dragon seemed to be growing in speed and strength with each attack and Naruto knew that soon enough, he wouldn't be able to keep up. He had the edge in the speed advantage, but was overwhelming outclassed in term of raw power.
He grimaced as another blast of fire struck him right in the chest and he returned fire with a blast of black flames that the dragon allowed to harmlessly clash against its scales. And there it was. The one ability that the dragon possessed that truly pissed him off. He, of course, had heard that a dragon's flames were impervious to most flame-like attacks but he was certain that his black flames could pull through for him. Yet, the massive beast was able to shrug off any and every thing he had thrown at him so far.
Well, let's see how it would respond to this...
Naruto ducked under yet another strike before blitzing pass the dragon's head, leaving a trail of black flames in his wake. The dragon merely shrugged off the flames before giving chase. Naruto was able to keep ahead of his pursuer due to the difference in speed. Flying in a serpentine fashion, he dodged and weaved in and out as a a barrage of flames pestered him. His clothes were in tatters, his shirt scorched and his pants ripped.
He slowed purposely, allowing his massive opponent to catch up. In an unorthodox maneuver, Naruto cut the energy supply to his wing as soon as the dragon was on top of him. His flame wings disappeared and Naruto plummeted towards the ground. He quickly spun himself mid-air, as so his back was facing the ground and he was staring up at the bewildered face of the mighty blue dragon. He raised both arms and with a guttural yell, summoned a ball of intense black flames twice his size. His muscles tensed and sweat beaded sown his face as he condensed the large sphere into the size of baseball.
With a loud grin, he shouted, "LET'S SEE HOW TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE!"
The baseball-sized attack zoomed from his hands towards his target. As it neared, the dragon made no move to dodge, instead deciding on taking the attack head on.
Naruto quickly re-summoned his wings and used them to shoot off faster towards the ground to escape the ensuing explosion. He was not wrong. As soon as the ball made contact, instead of bouncing off harmlessly, the condensed flames erupted in a violent show of fiery destruction. Naruto grinned at the pain-filled roar. The fact that he was finally able to harm the dragon was more than enough to ignore the pain of his own flames scorching his back.
Naruto had hit the ground running. This would prove to be his final attack. They had both been fighting now for almost two hours and Naruto was sure that when he returned, his mother would be livid for at him for returning late for the event. He dashed into the thick canopy of tress provided by the forest. The sheer amount of trees would dissuade the dragon from giving chase on land. Sure, it could simply bulldoze through the vegetation or burn it down, but Naruto was counting on the dragon to fly above and try to spot him first without attacking first. He slowed, then stopped. He took a deep breath before he stretched his left hand forward. he gripped his left hand with his right at the elbow as his eyes concentrated on the area above his palm. At first, nothing happened, but soon enough, the low whirling sound could be heard.
Naruto had no idea where the idea had came from. It had quite literally occurred to him in a dream he had and was fascinated on recreated the technique.
The whirling sound increased in pitch and intensity as the air above his palm contorted and shifted at his will. It took a lot of concentration to even build the first stage much lest the entire thing. The air became visible - appearing to the eye as light blue streaks. The streaks spiraled in an chaotically ordered fashion and formed a large sphere of spiraling winds. Sweat beaded on his face as he took a breather. Dipping deep into the reserves of his magical power, he increased his concentration as the soft whirling sound picked up and turned into a loud shrieking noise. Around the sphere he held aloft, four massive blades made completely from the wind spun around in a dangerous manner. But if you were to look closely, you could make out the multitude of miniature wind blades spinning haphazardly.
In his opinion, it looked like a giant spiraling shuriken, hence why he named it...
"RASENSHURIKEN!"
. . .
. . .
. . .
The dragon heard him before it saw him. The pesky little devil hadn't really proven to be anything to really talk about besides his abnormally fast speed and his black flames. It had been a pretty one-sided fight since the beginning with the boy quickly running out of ideas since he discovered his flames could not truly harm it. Maybe the dragon had overestimated the boy? The Phenex had failed to see the true potential of his black flames. He was powerful, no doubt. Especially at his age. But he lacked ingenuity that would turn a fight in his favor. It was something the boy should look about correcting in the future, that is, if he survived the fight in the first place.
The dragon broke from its thoughts as it neared the boy. But then suddenly, the boy's wings vanished and the boy plummeted to what was sure to be his death. 'What the hell? Did he run himself so ragged that he can't even summon his wings anymore?' The dragon was just about to fly down to catch the boy before he died when the devil suddenly spun and face it. It watched in morbid fascination as the devil spawn somehow contained a massive sphere of flames and shrunk it to such a small size. When he had launched the attack, it chose to just barrel through the flames, not wanting to waste anymore time on the boy. He was a disappointing opponent so far.
Imagine its surprise that instead of blowing through the attack, the sphere erupted. For the first time in the fight, the dragon felt pain. It roared in response and was blown out of the sky. It righted itself before it would crash into the ground. Golden eyes glowed with angry as steam hissed of its scales.
'That tricky little pest! When I get my claws on him I swear I'll rip him to shreds!' With a mighty roar and a flap of its wings, the dragon blasted off in the direction the boy had gone. It was forced to fly higher by the trees and for a split second had thought about burning it all down but decided against it. Not only was the familiar forest the dragon's home but the fact that being hasty was not the wisest decision. The little devil had proven himself to be a bit more tricky than given credit. Flying slowly, the dragon scanned the area, hoping to see just a smidgen of blond hair so it could attack.
Then it heard the shrieking sound. It was coming just south of its location and was approaching rapidly. Turning its massive head to see what it was, it was greeted by the sight of its opponent surging forward, a massive ball of wind with spinning blades. The boy charged forward and when within range, slammed the orb into the dragon's underbelly.
Pain.
So. Much. Pain.
It felt as though its abdomen was being shredded a thousand times over. The damage was immense and the pain was unbearably. It shuddered before its wings curled up on themselves. In its peripherals, the dragon could see the boy grinning in success at his attack. Without hesitation, the dragon unleashed an intense blast of its hottest flames in retaliation. The counter-attack - coupled with the damaged from whatever the hell he had hit it with - had left the dragon more drained than it would care to admit and was forced to land to recover. The boy was hit head on with the attack and the dragon was pleased to see him slumping back unconscious as he plummeted to the floor.
In all likelihood, the boy would die from the impact but the dragon couldn't bring itself to care. The devil had wounded him and would pay for such a transgression.
As it watched the boy fall, it sensed the devil's aura shift from warm and encompassing to cold and deadly. The world seemed to flip on itself and for a moment, the color had drained from the surroundings. The boy, who the dragon swore was unconscious righted himself mid-air and recalled his wings. The boy's wounds began to heal over and it felt as though his power was slowly replenishing.
Then his eyes opened...
'Red... like blood. W-What are you?'
Naruto's eyes tried to adjust to his new surroundings. He was lying flat on his back and the water level was just below his nose. He let out a groan as his rose to his feet, ignoring his muscles crying out in pain. Maybe he had over-estimated his own skill when he decided to take her on in a fight but she had insulted his pride a devil and there was no way he would allow such a transgression. He decided to put that away for later thought as he surveyed the place he was in. It seemed like a large sewer with low waters. The water was clear and reached his shin yet while he could feel the cool wading waves against his skin, he wasn't wet.
"W-Where am I?" he asked, and his voice echoed in the tunnel. But as he stared at the damp walls, images began to filter into his mind. A titanic kyuubi that glowed gold. A spinning blue sphere with rotating blades of wind. A pair of purple eyes, rippled by concentric black circles. Instinctively, he knew where he was. He was inside his own mind. A physical manifestation of his own mindscape. He walked the familiar yet completely strange tunnels before he reached a large caver. He frowned. For some reason, he had expected to see a large cage which held back a gigantic beast. Yet, his only companion in the room were nine colossal meteor-like masses that hummed with power.
"Why am I here?"
He wasn't expecting an answer yet he found one when a voice that brought even more memories answered his question.
"You're here because you can't seem to stay out of trouble... dope,"
Then the world went black...
Dun... Dun... Dunnnnnn!
Chapter three is finally up.
To my readers who will already guess about what's gonna happen next... kudos to you guys. To the ones who can't figure it out, stick around for a fantastic treat.
Question to all my readers:Q) What is the name of the dragon that Naruto has picked a fight with in this chapter?
Again, I look forward to your reviews and comments so don't be afraid to leave me a little something to read. I accept criticism. I'm only sixteen years old and have been writing for a few months. I am no master at writing and I look towards my readers to help me with any mistakes or issue I might make. But please, constructive criticism.
NO FOUL LANGUAGE OR INSULTS PLEASE.
Review, Favorite and Follow,
-Gregorybryce9
