Alright guys another chapter for "Saint Fox Tale" is almost done, just a bit more and I can start something new. If you're still following this thanks a lot for all your support.
Shurifon
I admire your enthusiasm, but…" King Shurifon began as after greetings were exchanged between him and Lashara as the others stood silently behind her.
"You have doubts about Kenshi?" Lashara guessed without looking away from the King. "Or perhaps it's about Naruto?" she added in.
"A little bit of both I suppose." The King admitted with a smile on his face. "I've seen the reports from the Holy Land, but not the ones from other places." He stated as he became serious. "Seikishi or not does not matter here in Shurifon. What matters is that they are capable men."
Lashara smiled as if expecting the answer. "The same as always aren't you?" she asked jokingly causing the King to laugh.
"Then it would be nice for you to confirm it with your own eyes." Aura stated walking into the chamber as Lashara and the others turned to look at her.
King Shurifon hummed in thought realizing what his daughter was suggesting. "You mean to hold that?" he asked glancing at Naruto and Kenshi.
"Yes." Aura affirmed as she followed his gaze. Kenshi, seeing her started to raise his hand in order to wave at her, only for his uncle to elbow him in the side causing him instead to clutch his side in pain. Struggling not to laugh Aura turned back to her father. "See for yourself their worth before trusting their words."
King Shurifon smiled as he leaned back slightly. "Very well." His voice echoed through the room. "We'll hold it tomorrow; Aura's servants will guide both of you through a preliminary run." The King stated looking at Naruto and Kenshi once more. Nodding their heads Naruto and Kenshi bowed before following Aura out of the room.
"You two, take Naruto and Kenshi for a run through the forest." Aura stated as soon as her two servants were in sight. "We'll be holding that." She placed an emphasis on the word getting two nods in return.
"Right this way Kenshi-dono, Naruto-dono." They stated leading the boys elsewhere. Leading them down a path the two servants began explaining the rules of the event that they would be participating in. "The four forests which will be the racing grounds each have their own special characteristics." They began as they entered the first section. "For the first section there are no traps or obstacles, it's simply a game to get through the fastest."
"That sounds fun." Naruto muttered looking around as Kenshi paid close attention to what the guards were saying.
"The second forest has traps set up, and if you incur more damage than what's defined, you'll be disqualified." They explained as they entered a slightly denser forest than before. Naruto didn't say anything but he looked happy as he looked around the area. "Starting from the third forest there will be guards lurking around the traps, they will also strike at you." The two explained as they continued leading Kenshi and Naruto through the different forests. In the fourth forest the two servants began to sound a little tired as the taller one hunched over to catch his breath. "The fourth forest is basically the same as the third, but the guards are more skilled and there is a lake beneath you."
Kenshi smiled "So basically you can't move around as much." He surmised before something caught his eye. "Well if they wnt to see what kind of person I am I guess I'll just do as I always do." He continued as the guards followed him towards a tree. Taking a couple of sniffs Kenshi began climbing the tree causing Naruto to smile while shaking his head. "Look!" he called down pulling out the prized mushroom of Shurifon.
"OH!" the two shouted as they stared in wonder at the treat.
"Somehow I figured you'd find that." Naruto muttered with a laugh as they were led back to the palace.
The next day found everyone within Shurifon excitedly talking about the upcoming race as a betting pool was quickly established. "All of this on Kenshi!" Lashara shouted placing a bag in front of the bookkeeper causing the surrounding bystanders to shout in excitement as they followed up by placing their own bets.
"She doesn't learn does she?" Aura asked as Chiaia placed a hand on her forehead in exasperation. "Neither does Naruto…" Chiaia added in seeing the blonde chatting with a Shurifon woman near Kenshi.
"Oi Ero-ji-san." Kenshi muttered stomping on Naruto's foot. "Stop flirting when you already have a daughter."
"You know that's not true!" Naruto shouted clutching his foot in pain. "Fuku was made using my DNA, not through a pregnancy between a mother and a father!"
"Don't you have a fiancée?" Kenshi asked with narrowed eyes as the woman talking with Naruto gasped before looking at the blonde with more scrutinizing eyes.
"Polygamy is a thing!" Naruto shouted angrily as he slapped his nephew over the head. "Stop nitpicking!"
"They really don't change…" Wan muttered as the others palmed their faces.
"So you two must be Kenshi and Naruto I take it?" the King asked as he walked up to the two arguing boys. "Are you participating because you're confident, or are you just idiots?" he wondered aloud getting a laugh out of Lashara.
"Good King Shurifon." Naruto greeted as he bowed in respect. "It sounded fun, so I couldn't resist." He explained with a laugh while Kenshi tilted his head wondering what was going on.
Smirking, the King nodded his head as everyone began lining up at the starting line. "Now the signal to commence!" he shouted as one of the event staff walked up to the front of a podium, a decorative gun in hand. Aiming into the sky, he pulled the trigger sending a loud bang through the area as the contestants began their run.
"So what do you think will happen Aura?" Chiaia asked glancing at the Shurifon princess.
"I think Kenshi and Naruto will get distracted…" she began already seeing it happen in her mind. "They'll probably either find some good pickings, or get into a fight between themselves."
The others couldn't help but agree as Lashara suddenly tightened her grip on her betting tickets. "Those two idiots better win." She stated with a twitching eye.
"I don't think so." Wan stated seeing the King running up.
"Those fools…" Lashara muttered with a weak laugh as she tossed her tickets into the air.
"Father!" Aura shouted running forward seeing her father collapse onto his knees in exhaustion.
"Where are Masaki Kenshi and Namikaze Naruto?" he nearly shouted looking around.
"They haven't arrived yet." Aura stated looking around.
"That's impossible." The King muttered looking down in thought.
"Ah…" Kenshi muttered as everyone turned to them in surprise. "I guess we lost." He began laughing as Naruto, standing beside him as usual, sighed. "I told you we didn't have time to look around."
"You were just as into it as I was Ji-san!" Kenshi yelled refusing to take full blame. As the two fell into another one of their arguments the King pulled out his weapon and lunged at them.
Acting on instinct both Kenshi and Naruto grabbed the King's extended arm before tossing him into the air. Righting himself before landing the King could not keep his balance as he fell down his sword in Kenshi's hand. "You startled us." Naruto stated simply.
"What is this anyways?" Chiaia asked walking up and snatching the bag off Kenshi's shoulder. Opening it up revealed a large amount of berries, mushrooms and various edible herbs causing those who knew him to sigh. "Kenshi…in the middle of the game?"
"Ah well I felt like we had to thank King Shurifon for putting up with Lashara-sama, and I knew that they like to eat this for important occasions so…" he began as Lashara pulled his cheeks in irritation. Ignoring the pain he pulled out a familiar mushroom causing everyone in the area to scream in surprise.
Suddenly the king began laughing. "I lose Masaki Kenshi!" he declared rising to his feet. "I've never seen the forest so happy before, it's like you're a spirit!" he declared patting Kenshi on the shoulder. "There's no one better to be Aura's husband!"
"HUSBAND?" Wan, Lashara, and Chiaia all shouted in shock while Aura blushed.
"Oh father…" she muttered holding her cheeks in embarrassment. "Congratulations Hime-sama!" her servants shouted as they began clapping their hands as tears streamed down their faces.
"Guess you're getting married Kenshi." Naruto muttered elbowing his nephew in the side. "Congratulations."
"Eh…?" Kenshi muttered in complete confusion. "Wait…Marriage?" he shouted looking around in shock. "I'm too young to be married!"
"Nonsense, you've already proven yourself capable there's nothing holding you back!" the King declared slapping Kenshi's shoulders happily. Suddenly there was a piercing meowing as the King looked off towards the sound. "The Koro guards?" he muttered in surprise.
Shortly following the alarm there was an explosion as a squadron of Seikishi appeared out of thin air. "An attack here?" Naruto muttered in surprise as King Shurifon quickly organized his army for the defense of his people. "There's one more." Naruto muttered as a second explosion occurred revealing a large black Seikijin with a large shield. "Kenshi go."
Kenshi nodded his head as he ran off to join the others. Aura made to argue but Naruto held up his hand. "Don't bother, the only one who can fight the black Seikijin is Kenshi and his white Seikijin." He stated as he glanced at the others. "Focus everything on getting the civilians to safety Kenshi should be able to hold her off for now."
Aura nodded her head. "Sometimes I forget you're of nobility as well." She stated as she relayed orders to the evacuation parties.
Naruto did not say anything as he watched everything. "Hm…" he muttered as Kenshi's shield breaker failed and his sword crumbled into dust. "If that didn't break the shield, that thing truly is unbreakable." He stated as the girls widened their eyes in surprise. Feeling Aura place a hand on his shoulder Naruto turned around and boarded an aircraft with the others.
"Kenshi pull back, the civilians have all been evacuated and my father and the other Seikishi are safe." Aura stated over the intercom getting a shaky reply from Kenshi whose own Seikijin was suffering from its previous attack.
"Sorry, I wasn't strong enough." Kenshi apologized once they were safe as Dagmyer and his cohort pulled back having destroyed the city as they intended.
"Nonsense, my people live in the forest we'll be fine." King Shurifon declared with a laugh. "We will persevere for your and Aura's wedding."
"Eh…?" Kenshi mumbled in surprise. "Wait you were serious?" he asked looking at the King with wide eyes.
The King smiled as Naruto began playfully nudging Kenshi's side. "Your spirit, technique and strength are worth enough to succeed mine." He declared as Aura turned red in the face.
Naruto suddenly looked towards the forest. "Hm…I will meet you all on the swan, there's something I need to take care of." He declared walking towards the forest.
"Where is he going?" the King asked looking at Naruto's back curiously. "No…I think I'll see for myself." He declared walking after the blonde.
"To think you had agents even here." Naruto declared once he stopped moving. "Looks like I'll be a little more busy than I wished." As he spoke shadows began forming around him to King Shurifon's surprise. "Were you perhaps masquerading as Shurifon citizens waiting for orders from your leaders?" he wondered aloud as the shadows formed into the shapes of humanoid wolves. "You're not werewolves…beast men?" Naruto wondered aloud as the King's eyes widened.
"You're quite arrogant little prince." One of the wolves declared as his form solidified as a large grey wolf man hybrid. "How our people have fallen to be taking orders from filthy half-breeds like you and that shitty brother of yours!"
"Be careful of what you say, wolf." Naruto warned as he looked around the clearing. "Just because I'm not a pure blood, doesn't mean I can't kill you all where you stand."
"I'd like to see you try!" the leader shouted as he and his men all jumped at Naruto claws and fangs ready to rip his throat out.
"Normally I try to make the kills as clean as possible, but here in the forest, your blood will only help this land." Naruto explained as he remained where he was. "So I don't have to worry about precision." Suddenly his tails formed appeared behind him as they began lashing out piercing his attackers with frightening accuracy. Within the span of a minute all of them were dead, their blood flowing into the ground and trees. "I'm sorry you had to see that King Shurifon."
"Who were they?" the King asked walking forward looking wary as he glanced around the area. "Rather…what are they?"
"They were demons." Naruto stated as the blood on his tails disappeared. "What many people don't know is that the underworld is connected to all realms of existence. So demons can appear anywhere." He explained as he looked around with a sigh. "My brother is the lord of the underworld, but because he's not into the whole invade, pillage and rape thing many of the older demons are fond of he was despised. What made it even worse is that our mother is human whereas our father was not, half breeds are not well liked in our community and so many demons rebelled taking refuge in various planes of existence."
"Like ours." King Shurifon deduced taking everything in with a sigh. "It is most…disheartening to learn that not only are our people threatened by war, but also by forces beyond our comprehension." He stated as he folded his arms.
"For that I must apologize." Naruto agreed as his tails faded from view. "With have our own agents working to find and stamp out these rebel hideouts, but they're tricky, and many of them have managed to elude our seekers completely." He looked around the clearing once more. "Considering the number here, I can safely assume that at the very least all of the ones hiding in Shurifon are dealt with."
"In that case you have my gratitude." The King stated seriously. "But it's far from over isn't it?"
"Quite, I'm afraid there are many more possible places for them to reside in this vast land." Naruto agreed. "I've managed to stamp out a few pockets here and there, but I'm far from done. Hopefully they don't start hunting the residents of these lands, but we can only hope."
The King frowned, but nodded his head in understanding. "I see…." He muttered as the two began walking back to the swan. "You're informant was most helpful." He began catching Naruto's attention. "Because of her we were able to move much of our things of value into safer places, the Mest boy and his group will not be able to profit from this attack."
"That's good to hear, unfortunately she didn't know how they would attack else we could've stopped them entirely." Naruto conceded.
"Nonetheless, it was valuable information." The King stopped as they neared the Swan "Good Luck Namikaze Naruto, I hope we meet again." His piece said he went to speak with his daughter as Naruto headed into the Swan.
"Naruto you're back." Lashara stated seeing him walking in. "Good, we've gotten word that the Church was attacked as well as Havoniwa." She stated catching Naruto's attention. "Luckily it seems that the high priest is safe and that the organization o the church is still strong. However, there's been no word form Havoniwa yet."
"That's unfortunate." Naruto stated walking forward as Aura joined them.
"It is, however it gives us a good avenue to reach the workshop, if we are attacked it won't cause trouble for other countries." Lashara stated as the others stared at her.
"Don't you care about Maria-sama's safety?" Kenshi asked an odd expression on his face.
"I guess I can leave some flowers on Maria's grave." Lashara conceded with a shrug.
"But we don't know if she's dead yet." Wan stated with a wry expression on her face.
"Regardless, it's a sound plan." Naruto stated "It will be less troublesome to fight in an already destroyed area than one that is still standing."
"Ji-san…" Kenshi muttered looking at him sadly.
"I'm fine Kenshi, there's nothing wrong." Naruto stated putting on a smile that just seemed fake to everyone in the room. "We have more pressing matters to deal with at the moment."
"He's right, set a course for Havoniwa immediately!" Lashara ordered as the Swan took to the air.
As they made their way towards Havoniwa a distress signal was detected. "It's from a church ship." Aura muttered as Lashara barked out orders for Kenshi and Chiaia. As they ran off Naruto stood up from his seat. "I'll go ensure our own defenses are ready." He declared as he left the room as well.
"Honestly I can't ever tell what he's thinking." Lashara muttered as Aura stared at the message.
"Isn't that because he never says what he really means?" Wan asked opening one eye to glance at Lashara. "He always hides what's really going on from others. "Consequently it also seems he never misses what happens either; even if he's not around he seems to know what happened."
"That's true; regardless prepare a bed for our guest." Lashara stated as her servants quickly left the room.
Naruto sighed as he stepped outside of the building. "Things are accelerating quickly." He muttered looking around. "I can't even spend the time to join in on the fun." He sighed once more as he neared the edge of the swan. "I wonder what antics I'll miss this time." He wondered aloud as he fell over the edge. "It's unfortunate that this time won't be as easy as the ones before." He mused as he began flying off into the distance. "Sorry guys…I won't be able to help you for some time now."
End
Alright next chapter will be slightly different in that Naruto won't be center focus, and instead follow Kenshi after his decision in the Havoniwa underground city and how he handles the lack of presence of his uncle.
I'm skipping part of the story in order to accelerate the pacing of this story slightly, but it will be referenced later when Naruto eventually does return.