Disclaimer: See chapter 01.

Chapter 12: Adjustments Pt7, Evaluations, and The Ultimate Knight

Naruto woke and found himself smothered by three women. Not an unusual occurrence anymore, not since Akitsu had decided that she was going to join him, Pyrrha, and Tier in bed.

Akitsu had absorbed everything he'd told her with a blank expression, then stated calmly that she didn't care so long as she could be by his side. That was not the level of loyalty one could find in just anyone, or so Naruto had thought before he remembered her saying that it was the kind of thing that all Sekirei exhibited for their Ashikabi.

When it came to Tier and Pyrrha explaining the harem, they received a blank stare and a question: "Of course he has a harem, why wouldn't Master Naruto have one? He is a strong man, strong men attract many women, it is only natural."

Pyrrha had stared blankly at Akitsu until the Sekirei explained that, due to the small number of possible Ashikabi, it was fully possible that a Sekirei would have to share their Destined One, as she called them, with other Sekirei. In fact Akitsu had heard of at least three Ashikabi with more than six Sekirei each.

The redhead had thrown her hands up in... well, Naruto wasn't certain if it was disgust, frustration, or something else, but Pyrrha had then grabbed him by the cheeks, placed a hard kiss on him, and then stormed off. She'd still been in the bed for that night, along with Tier of course, and the newly acquired Akitsu.

The brunette's first training day had been kinda funny, though... from Naruto's perspective at least.

X-Flashback-X

Albedo and Rias stood on either side of the new Bishop... gawking. Across the training field was a swath of frozen landscape and enormous spires of ice all covered in a thin layer of snow. Akitsu simply stood there, staring at her handiwork with a blank expression and without so much as a hair out of place. Demiurge, as the instructing devil, simply smirked quietly. This subject was prime material for experimentation... wait, no. As a member of Naruto-sama's peerage Akitsu was off-limits. Oh well, at least she'd take up less of his time than the little Gremory wench.

"And the talent for destruction continues," Albedo murmured in shock.

"It's not fair," Rias muttered jealously. "It's taken me months, years even, to get my magic to listen to me reliably, and she does this on her first try. It's just not fair."

"Ah... was that good?"

Naruto doubled over with laughter before sweeping the ice woman into the air by her hips and spinning her around. As he brought her down he planted an enthusiastic kiss on her lips and said breathlessly, "That was beautiful, Akitsu!"

"Ah, Master's praise," she blushed heavily.

Albedo glanced at Naruto with a wry expression. "You knew this would happen, didn't you, Lord Naruto?"

Rias threw a startled look back at him as he grinned, unrepentant. "You knew?!"

Naruto chuckled lightly, "and so you have have, Rias. You saw the park where we found her. You were watching the entire time, so you should have been able to see this coming. Not to mention that you and Akitsu have both received portions of my own mental training, you specifically got my ability to observe and predict."

"That was her original power, though!" Rias protested, "this is magic. I had hoped she'd at least have difficulty with a new kind of power!"

"Unrealistic," Naruto dismissed her statement. "Power is Power, Rias. I thought I'd said it before, it must all flow from who and what you are. Akitsu is very much aware of who and what she is, so her power, be it her original or magic, comes to her call easily."

"Ah, what about your magic, Master?" Akitsu asked, her cheeks still red.

"Me?" He asked innocently, "my magic is... well, see for yourself."

He turned to the frozen over area, raised his hand, and summoned a circle. Behind him Albedo and Demiurge hastily erected barriers. They knew what was coming and had no wish to be forced from their feet.

"Oh, and you may wish to follow Albedo's lead on covering your eyes."

Rias had just enough time to call up her own defensive ward as Wind, elemental and unstoppable, crashed into the frozen spires. Akitsu belatedly managed to cover her eyes from the shattering ice flying all around. She felt wind brushing past her, as though only Naruto's direct presence against her side dictated that she not be thrown like a rag doll. When she finally reopened her eyes, Akitsu saw a wide spread mist of ice crystals floating on a gentle breeze.

"My magics are of Wind and Time," Naruto explained to the clearly awed woman. "Though I do have spells in other elements, those two are my specialties. Wind especially seems to like me, not that I'm complaining."

He paused for a moment, and then held up his hand. Within a small orb formed of frozen time, the water droplets magnified so anyone could see them. The image was both beautiful and saddening to Akitsu. A moment of in time, frozen for as long as another will made it so, reminded her of her own existence and how she felt not too long ago.

"Time is... a little different," Naruto admitted. "My Power of Domination gives the ability to control Time as I see fit, either in a localized area such as this bubble, or in a wider range. The toll it takes on my reserves is enormous, however, and it only really responds to a sense of mischief and fun."

He grinned, "In short, it's much like a puppy that just wants to play and have fun."

No one really knew what to say to that.

X-Flashback End-X

Oh, yes. Those expressions were priceless. Even though Albedo lost her surprise quickly, it was always interesting to see her flabbergasted like that. Rias, too, lost her expression when it was revealed that Akitsu had prior training in using the power that was inherent in all Sekirei and that hers manifested as ice.

Honestly it seemed that Akitsu was adjusting to her new status as a devil incredibly well. She had begun to read up on the histories, and had followed Rias in choosing a priestess outfit... save that Akitsu chose a light blue short skirt instead of a red hakama, and added chains across her revealed cleavage. Her choice of costume was more than a little distracting, much like Tier's choices.

"Mm, Naruto-sama." Akitsu mumbled sleepily as she rubbed her head into his chest. The rest of her naked self rubbing against him as she shifted gave him the urge to take her right then and there. But with both Tier and Pyrrha still sleeping that would be incredibly rude.

He cursed silently. He knew, just knew that Jiraiya somehow had a hand in his troubles. Naruto was also absolutely certain that the old pervert was laughing at him in whatever afterlife he went to.

He was hungry, dammit! But with three women clinging to him the only option to get out was...

Ah! There it was!

A quick application of his chakra, and one seamless, seal-less, Kawarimi with a full body pillow later, and Naruto was free to finally feed his beast. And for once he didn't just mean Kurama!

XxXxXxXx

Later that morning Naruto was back in the training room. He was in the middle of his weekly spar with Sebas, who had taken it upon himself to add in Shalltear to the regimen to assist in teaching his master how to adjust to someone who was an absolute wildcard. Off to one side of the room, currently exercising their chakra by holding up a Fuinjutsu barrier, were Yugao and Konan who were gauging Naruto's progress with the aid of a check-list-styled chart.

Neither woman was happy that they couldn't really do anything strenuous since their bellies had swollen, but they took it philosophically. They both knew the regimen for kunoichi mothers to get back into shape, and they were aware that even just keeping up the barrier was a form of exercise. It would at the very least keep their chakra network on working order. This is not to say that the two women had begun to slack off in regards to staying shape, they were simply chaffing at not being as free as they were used to.

The spar finally came to an end, once more in Naruto collapsing on the ground after being soundly trounced. He lay there gasping for breath as Yugao and Konan tallied their scores.

"Very good, Naruto-sama." Sebas said.

Naruto glanced at the elderly-looking man with bit of envy as the butler didn't even look winded.

"So you say, Sebas," the blonde replied once he had gotten enough breath to speak. "Did I get you past that thirty-seven percent?"

"Yes. I had to go up to forty."

"Which was the last piece we needed for our progress charts," Konan said. "Congratulations, Naruto-kun, as far as your taijutsu is concerned you're in the lower jonin ranks."

Naruto smiled tiredly. "Lower Jonin, huh? Well, I started this exercise at about mid-chunin, so at least there's noticeable progress."

"Indeed," Sebas remarked. "As I understand it, that is quite the achievement."

"Yeah, it's definitely an improvement on my hand-to-hand from what it was." Naruto admitted easily.

A moment later Naruto kipped up to his feet, "Whelp, time for my magic test, I suppose. If I'm late Albedo might just skin me."

"There is that possibility, yes."

"That isn't reassuring, Sebas."

"It is not meant to be."

XxXxXxXx

Naruto stood clutching his knees as he gasped for air. Albedo was one hell of a taskmistress, no pun intended. For the past four hours she'd had him throwing around high-level spells to try and find his limit.

It was safe to say that she'd found it. An hour ago.

"So you have hit your full limit after only four hours?"

"Yugao?" Naruto sent the purple haired woman a pleading glance.

"Most shinobi battles do no last longer than a few minutes," Yugao explained, taking pity on the young man. "Four hours for us is not a single battle, but rather a series of them. On top of that Naruto-kun was already tired from his earlier exam against Sebas."

Albedo silently acknowledged the point with a nod. "However, he is now a devil. Many of our battles can last for days, there is at least one I can think of that went on for nearly a decade. If he is to ever stand at the top, he must become stronger."

"True... enough... Albedo," Naruto gasped out, his breathing slowly steadying. "But how many devils my age can last as long as I have?"

"For your age group, you are indeed a powerful representative." The former Queen replied, "But not the strongest. By current acclaim that title goes to young Sairaorg Bael, who does not possess his family's famed Power of Destruction."

Naruto and the two kunoichi shared an amused glance, then he said, "Honestly, Albedo, the respective Powers of some of the devil families are quite often a bigger hindrance than they are an asset. Take my own Domination of Time as an example. Small scale over a short period? It works fine. Large scale over that same period? Freaking exhausting! Then there's the fact that most of those who have one use it as their answer to every little thing rather than using it as trump card like it should be. Much like many wielders of Kekkei Genkai in my world. The Uchiha come to mind rather readily on that score."

He shook his head, "I'm getting off track. My point is, I am far less likely to underestimate someone without a family Power or trait than someone like Rias who has it simply because they did not have the luxury of it. They never had the chance to become dependant, they had to change and evolve a style wholly their own. Thus they are far less predictable than they otherwise might be."

Albedo tapped a finger against her lip in thought. "I had not considered it like that."

Naruto gave her a wry grin, "few do."

The woman shrugged, then gave him a look. "If you are done catching your breath, I do believe these two wish to test your ninjutsu ability. You may as well get started."

"Dammit."

"After which is genjutsu," Yugao added helpfully.

"Double dammit."

XxXxXxXx

"You know, Konan, I've never really been much of one for books."

"Yes, I know, Naruto-kun."

"So why am I sitting in the family library with half a tonne of books around me?"

"Because these are important pieces of information, and you can't always rely on Tier or Aayla to bail you out."

"Important how? One of these is labelled Dead Gods."

"What is a shinobi best weapon, Naruto-kun?"

"Deception."

"Yes and no," the blue haired woman replied mysteriously. "Knowledge, Naruto-kun. Knowledge of how people react to something, of how to act when impersonating someone. These books will give you a greater base knowledge on how the humans and devils of this universe think, which will allow you to...?"

"Deceive them," he finished for her with a grimace for the stacks of books. "Well I suppose my courses on basic finances are done, or at least Albedo is content for the time being, so I guess I can shift my study focus. But seriously, why the Dead Gods book?"

"Because some of them might not be as dead as people believe, and I think it prudent to have the base knowledge of them just in case."

Naruto blinked rapidly, then grumbled as he picked up the book, "Fucking deception."

XxXxXxXx

"Hey, Brat! Next one's up on the mirror, and you are not going to believe this!" Kurama shouted a week after Akitsu arrived in the life of Asmodai manor.

"Why? Is it a bloody dying Saint or something?" Naruto asked sarcastically as he made his way to the Mirror of Remote Viewing.

"No, but pretty damn close."

Naruto looked into the mirror, felt his jaw drop, then cursed loudly.

"FUCKING HELL!"

XxXxXxXx

She was dying, and she knew it. She'd seen it often enough with others. Her pristine white battle dress was stained heavily with her blood, the stain spreading farther with each passing minute. It was a gut wound, only achieved because her armoured breastplate had fallen off during the long battle.

It wouldn't be a quick death. It would be slow and painful. Gut wounds of this nature were impossible to fix outside of magic, and her magus had yet to appear so she was likely going to simply bleed out.

But why? Where had she gone wrong?

Was it when she'd taken the throne? No, her people loved her.

Was it when she'd raised some of her knights to stand on almost equal status with her? No, they'd proven even more loyal and determined.

Perhaps it was the start of it all, with that sword? Possible. Her life had definitely taken a strange turn there.

Or maybe it was listening that stubborn old man who claimed to be magi? Also possible. He insisted that she couldn't rule the nation while being seen as a woman. Insisted that she had to be called King. That was beyond frustrating. And trying to explain it to him just made things worse!

Then there was the fact that she hadn't really aged more than a year for every five since she pulled that sword and started putting her kingdom together...

Oh, who cared anymore? She was dying. He wasn't there to even try and save her. Her kingdom could survive without her now, this had been the last battle. By God, that sounded like a boring life was ahead of her. One where, even though she had adamantly refused to be seen as a man, she doubted she'd ever find love.

Then a young man's voice broke into her thoughts, his tone rough yet pleasant.

"So, what is it with me and knight-like people? Do you think the Pieces are trying to tell me something, Tier? Titania? Pyrrha?"

She looked up and saw the slightly wry grin of a young blonde man with strange blue eyes wearing some strange kind of cloth-and-chain outfit that hugged his form. With him were three women, two older than him- one blonde the other a redhead -and one about his age (another redhead).

"No clue. But maybe we should help this poor woman who's dying? Perhaps before Akitsu freezes the entire country because those men attacked you?" The red haired woman said.

"Ah! Right, right. So, you're dying in despair, that's no good… left something undone? Maybe I can help?"

He sounded so sincere, as though he desired only to help her, that the dying woman just answered him.

"Always wanted to-" she coughed heavily, "fall in love... get married... have a family of my own."

"Hm… well, I could give you another chance at that, if ya want. You won't be human anymore, but you'd be alive to try it."

Her eyes hardened in an instant. There had to be more to it, right? Yet could she possibly ignore this chance to live like a "normal" woman? To be able to find love, the kind of love she had been denied by that old man and her oblivious knights?

No, she decided, I cannot let this chance go. Even if it is at the cost of my responsibilities as King. I have the right to live for myself, too. As much as I love my people and country, I deserve a bit of happiness.

"Done!"

"You'd become my Knight-" He continued, trying to convey the sacrifice she'd be making.

"I said done!" She didn't want to hear it. She'd have another chance to find love? She was not going to let that go. Even if it meant making a deal with the devil himself.

"-and my servant in the process, but I certainly won't stop you from trying to find that love you want-"

The woman growled in annoyance, "What part of 'done' do you not understand? As a King I already wasn't considered human, which utterly rankled by the way, add the lack of noticeable aging to that and I really don't care if I am literally not human anymore."

The young man blinked, "Well, if you want to put it that way… that sword of yours stays behind, though."

He gestured to an intricate-looking blade laying on the ground beside her. He could feel the Holy energy practically pouring off it. There was no way he was going to bring a Holy Sword from another world back with him. Nevermind the repercussions that such an act might bring, he also didn't want to get any closer to that thing than he had to! Unlike Aayla he doubted he still possessed the human ability to touch Holy objects.

"Yes!" The word burst out of her chest with a spray of blood and an ecstatic smile, "One less headache! Besides, as your knight I don't need it. I won't be the King in this… whatever this is. It can be left behind for another to take up the mantle of kingship."

"I suddenly have the feeling that I'm almost rescuing you from your responsibilities more than death."

The woman reached up and grasped his hand, "No, no! Save me, I do not wish to die."

"Is it just me or did she manage to make that sound both honest and insincere at the same time?"

"It isn't you, Naruto-sama." Tier replied as she returned from... whatever it was she was doing.

"Ah… I thought not." He paused for a moment, then sighed, "I'm going to need your name..."

"Artoria Lily Pendragon," she introduced herself. "My knights used to say I was like a pure white lily, and considering that I wear-" she glanced at herself, "-wore white, the name stuck."

The young man held out his hand, a glowing red statue of a unicorn appearing above his palm. "I am your new King, Naruto Asmodai. Welcome to the Peerage, Lily."

Lily smiled as she watched the unicorn statue float down and enter her chest, her consciousness retreating to a world of golden light. She didn't know what he was, but if this item of his could fix her wound she'd happily go with him, serving as a proud knight.

The proud Knight of Naruto Asmodai.

Naruto pretended to dust off his hands as he stood up and turned around to face empty air.

"You can show yourself now, goddess. I could feel your Divinity the moment you arrived."

A beautiful woman with long, silver hair wearing a dress that flowed like water appeared standing on the air he was looking at. She was tall, her body- what he could see of it –was lithe like a swimmer. Overall, Naruto figured that if he hadn't dealt with his hormones with Tier that first time a while ago he'd have probably tried to jump this woman, divinity or no.

"I am the Lady of the Lake," the woman said. "You may call me Elaine if it makes you feel more at ease."

"Alright, Elaine," Naruto said warily. "Forgive my abruptness, but goddesses don't just show up out of nowhere, away from their places of power, for no reason."

"Ah, if you're going to take one of my favorite daughters, would you mind doing your version of me a small favour?"

"Favourite daughter?"

"Why else would I have given up Caliburn for that foolish old man to use as a test? She may not be of my blood, but she is a child of prophecy, much like yourself, and Prophecy is one of my Domains. That makes her one of of my daughters."

"Alright," Naruto agreed, if only to get away from the uncomfortable subject of prophecy, "Depends on what the favour is, though."

"It is quite simple; that Me is quite distressed over the breaking of her Excalibur. The favour is to simply have this daughter of mine collect the fragments and recreate the original blade."

"Oh is that all?" He asked sarcastically as the women behind him tensed.

"Yes."

"Are you insane?!"

Elaine arched an eyebrow, "I'm asking a devil to reclaim and reforge one of the most holy weapons to ever exist, what do you think?"

Naruto sweatdropped, "Good point."

"Oh! Don't forget to get Avalon." Elaine said with a snap of her fingers, "That's been lost in your universe for a while as well, and its part of the set."

"That's the sheath, right?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, that's right."

"Yeah, that won't be a problem..." He sweatdropped again. Due to Gressen's journals he actually knew just where to find that particular item.

Elaine clapped her hands ans smiled, "Wonderful! Do you need any help in speeding you on your way?"

"No, we're good. And I'll collect on that favour from your other self."

"Oh?" Elaine said archly, "I was under the impression that this was the return favour for stealing away my beautiful Lily."

Naruto smirked, "Hardly. You see, this was her choice, her decision. I merely gave her the option, so even if you were her biological mother there isn't really anything you can do to stop me. By all the rules, I am fully within my right to take her with me as she chose to go."

"Ah, I see." Elaine murmured, "you agreed to my condition because you think you can get something from my Other Self."

"Indeed," the blonde teen admitted. "Oh don't give me that suspicious face, it isn't going to be anything drastic. I have just come to the conclusion that you, and by extension your Other, have abilities in the area of Time Manipulation."

Elaine stiffened, "now I truly see. You wish for instruction in your Power of Domination, which is over Time. Your devil father had Death, and played with the natural order enough for his efforts to eventually backfire on him. Now you, his son by ritual, wish to master an aspect of the universe that few of any of the gods have ever had sway with. You walk a dangerous path, Lord Asmodai."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, "I know what you speak of. The Power of Domination has a flaw, a recoil effect. Abusing, or overusing, the Power causes this effect to occur more often, generally shortening the user's lifespan. Oh, don't look so surprised, Lady Elaine, it doesn't suit you. My devil father left me his journals, telling me of the possible repercussions of using my Power."

He took a calming breath, and let it go. "I do not wish to play around with the natural order, as you so succinctly put it. I wish to understand my limits so that I do not leave behind those who have put their faith and trust in me before my natural time is up."

"So it is for your people, your peerage and the other servants of your House?"

"Yes."

Elaine nodded, "Very well. That is an acceptable goal, and one I can assist with. Then I shall arrange for eight lessons, one for each of the seven pieces of Excalibur and one for Avalon. Will this suffice?"

"Yes, that will be just fine." Naruto said, sweeping into a deep bow, "You, and your Other Self, will have my gratitude, Lady Elaine."

Standing straight again, just in time to see the honest surprise in the goddess' eyes, Naruto said, "Now if you will excuse us, we need to get Lily into a bed. Healing a wound like that one is going to take me time, quite likely all night. Good evening to you, Lady."

"Of course, Lord Asmodai," the Lady of the Lake demurred. "And a good evening to you and yours."

He gently picked Lily up into his arms bridal style, and called his escort to him, "Tier-chan, Pyrrha-chan, Titania, Akitsu-chan. Time to go."

The group gathered quickly, and vanished in a golden circle of light. Elaine just stood there and watched. Honestly the young devil had been right, he hadn't needed to agree to her terms. Lily had been given a choice and she'd chosen to go with him. The major rule that young Asmodai referred to was that of Human Choice, that all humans were born and gifted with the ability Power of Choice. The right to choose their own path, no matter what. Gods and goddesses and devils could put options in their path, but ultimately the choice belonged to the human.

Elaine let a smile curve her lips before she retreated to her lake. It was refreshing to find a devil who actually understood the rules, rather than ignored them. Maybe she'd let him in on her own little secret... one day.

For now she was content to sit back and watch, as she had always done. He was an interesting one, the weft and weave of prophecy surrounded him like a cocoon or a lover's embrace. That made him another of her children, another Child of Prophecy from yet another world. And she did so love her children.

The sheer level of entertainment she got from watching as they fumbled around was almost criminal.

XxXxXxXx

Lily woke up to a strange circumstance. For the first time in a long time she awoke with a bedmate that wasn't her old friend Guinevere. Instead of Guin's looong dark hair- past her freaking ankles, how the hell did she manage that? - it was a shock of messy blonde. Instead of definitively female this new one was obviously male if the protrusion against her knee was any indication. And instead of Guin's very lithe frame the body next to her at the moment was very muscular, not bulky but built more for a combination of speed, power and endurance, much like a professional athlete. Guinevere was many things but athletic was not one of them.

Upon further inspection Lily discovered, by the running of her hands, that both she and the man were naked, and that she was very much pressed into his side. Not an entirely unheard of happenstance, but rare indeed. The last time she could recall was before she pulled that fucking sword...

Lily blinked. Did I really just think those words? I haven't cursed since...I can't honestly remember. I think it was before I started the whole 'Holy Maiden searching for Love' thing that my knights despaired of.

"Awake are we? Feel something you like?"

Lily blinked again and found herself staring into amused silver-flecked blue orbs that seemed to be deeper than the oceans. Flushing slightly at being caught feeling him up she jerked away and sat up, drawing the white sheets with her to keep herself covered.

"Why are you in bed with me?" Lily asked suspiciously, her blush cooling quick as it came.

Naruto rose and stood, beginning to get dressed in his usual charcoal suit without any sense of self-consciousness. "Don't worry, your virtue is perfectly intact. It is simply that I have this thing about being there when my new peerage members wake up that I am here now. Well, that, and I still had to expend energy to heal you, the most efficient method I have for which happens to require as much skin contact as possible. Thus we were naked. I could have let Tier-chan heal you, but she's still working on her healing magic so that might have been hit-or-miss."

Hmm, nice muscles, those. Meant to be used, not merely for aesthetics. And that is one firm looking ass... Lily thought as she watched him dress, shamelessly ogling his backside.

He finished putting on his suit and turned to face her, finally taking in her lightly tanned skin and golden-blonde hair that reached just a little past her shoulders. Her pale green eyes were playful, but with a hidden steel. The gentle swell of her body was hardly what one would call lush or voluptuous, yet despite that he would never say she wasn't beautiful. But her beauty was more than her flesh, the spirit within her, the air around her, everything spoke of a powerful warrior who nonetheless managed to hold onto girlish childhood dreams.

In short, she practically screamed the ideal of a Knight by her very presence, and yet also seemed to be an innocent girl at the same time. It was both adorable and confusing.

"I also could have left you to the tender mercies of Albedo, but given her recent temperament that would almost certainly have been a miss."

"Why is that?" Lily asked. If this Albedo was one of his servants why would she have been a certain miss?

Naruto grimaced. "Unfortunately, Albedo had a not-so-hidden passion for my devil father. With said man's death several months ago, and the fact that she seems to have a fetish for wanton destruction, which I am afraid I have a certain penchant for, she seems to have decided to set her goal on seducing me."

Lily raised one eyebrow, "I understand, then, that this Albedo is a beautiful woman?"

"I believe 'lush' is the term to describe her." Naruto affirmed.

"What seems to be the problem, then? I was under the impression that most men would jump at having such a woman in their bed."

"I am not most men," Naruto countered wryly. "And she honestly scares me sometimes. Her level of dedication to the family line... well the word 'obsessed' comes to mind rather easily, and yet doesn't seem quite strong enough."

Lily winced. Her mind travelled to some of her most ardent knights; Lancelot, Gawain... Mordred- she still wasn't certain how Morgana had managed that one, but Lily was fairly certain magic had been involved somewhere. Yes, if this woman was anything like them in her dedication then there was a severe possibility of something untoward happening.

"In any case, we have an appointment to keep, you and I. There is a copy of your dress on the side table behind you. If it will make you more comfortable I will wait in the hall. I assume you have questions, some of the others did, I will be glad to answer what I can on the way to said appointment."

Lily blinked, looked behind her, and sure enough there was what appeared to be a perfect copy of her favourite dress. Looking back to him she was in just in time to see the door close.

A gentleman devil? Okay, was not expecting that. He didn't leer, comment, or anything that even Guinevere would do on occasion. Of course she was trying to be funny, but still... how interesting. And by the White! That body...

Quickly she got dressed, noting the high quality of the fabric as it seemed to caress her skin like a lover, leaving her face flaming red from the thoughts it invoked. Once the dress was on she took note of a set of armour that was almost exactly like what she once wore. Shrugging and thinking that her new king- that was the term he'd used, yes? -had simply had it fashioned after her old set she simply settled into it without a pause for further contemplation.

Though if this is steel, then I'm a man after all.

As she exited the room, which she saw was actually quite luxurious, she saw her king waiting for her. When he looked up she saw an approving smile cross his lips, lighting up his entire face and causing her blush to intensify a few degrees. She'd never been looked at like that by a man before. It was quite pleasant.

"Come, we can talk as we go." He turned and started walking while she easily fell into step behind him.

"How long-"

"Only a day."

She blinked, "how did-?"

Naruto chuckled, "the old 'how long was I out' is a favourite first question."

"Oh."

They travelled in silence for a few moments before Lily found her next question. "You said we have an appointment?"

Naruto nodded, "with the Archangel Michael. He's visiting for some reason, and only bothered to say that it was relevant to 'one who could wield the Light'. Now, while that could mean my other Knight, Aayla Secura, whom you will meet later, I get the feeling he meant you."

Lily stopped in her tacks, shock written across her face. "Archangel Michael? As in the Archangel Michael?"

Naruto stopped and looked back at her over his shoulder with an amused expression. "Yes, I mean that one. He probably dragged his sister Gabriel with him, too."

"Gabriel's female?"

Naruto shrugged, "yeah, that book- the Bible, was it? -got so many things wrong in translation. Not that I'm surprised, it was written by biased men in a time where women were seen as little more than breeding tools, and other such idiocies were common. Then the translations started, and the original language does not lend itself well to translation." He turned back around and kept walking, forcing Lily to keep up. "Turns out quite a number of the Heavenly Host are women. Not that I'm surprised, mind you. I was raised in a place where there were more goddesses than gods, and our women were just as strong and terrifying as our men, quite often more so. It made being a man decidedly more difficult."

"Oh." Not that it mattered much to her, she'd simply heard a few names over the years. It wasn't like she herself followed the Christian God, though a few of her knights had. "Is this common? For a devil to be visited by archangels?"

Naruto laughed, and Lily found herself blushing at the attractive rich tone in it. "Hardly, but Michael is an old family friend from my father's time. They had a deal in effect that allowed my father and his people to operate in what would otherwise be extremely dangerous enemy territory. What Michael got out of it, I don't know. If it's mentioned in my father's journals, then I haven't gotten to it yet."

"Ah." She was quiet for a few moments, then asked her next question, "How exactly does this work? You said knight like it meant something more than just a man or woman in armour sworn to protect you."

"Ah, yes, that. It's quite simple, really. What do you know of the game chess?"

Lily blinked at the random question, "I know how to play, but what does that have to with anything?"

"A very great deal, my dear Lily," Naruto said cheerfully. "The item I used to reincarnate you was my second Knight Piece of what is called my Evil Pieces, which are all based off the pieces in the game of chess. One Queen, two Bishops, two Knights, two Rooks, and eight Pawns. So when I call you my Knight, you are quite right that it means more than a simple servant in armour to protect me."

"You forgot the King."

"No, no I did not." He cast her amused glance causing her flush to return. "Why else do you think I refer to you as my Knight? I hold the King Piece, my dear Lily."

She cursed internally. She recalled calling him her King because she wouldn't be that in their relationship. She had no idea how that slipped her mind.

"So, what are my duties?" She asked, forcing her blush down and trying to cover her mistake.

He shrugged, "nothing major at the moment, training to use your new devil abilities for the most part. In the terms of the Evil Pieces, though? I suppose you would be considered my sword, to slay my enemies. Not that I really have any of those right now, I have the most astounding luck it seems."

His tone indicated that he meant something slightly different, but that it was also something of an inside joke, so she let it lie. No need to alienate her new master with inane questions that she was certain she would get the answers to later.

A woman with long black hair- almost as long as Guinevere's to Lily's shock –and all-white dress was standing by a set of stairs, head bowed. "The items you requested from the vault are prepared, Naruto-sama."

"Thank you, Albedo." Naruto gave the woman a peck on the cheek.

Lily was astounded. This was Albedo? She was gorgeous. And those curves... Lily would have killed for curves like those. Guinevere came close to them, but didn't quite match up. And the confidence/audacity to wear that dress...! Lily wished she could wear something like that, then she might have a chance...

"Naruto-sama?" Albedo said, surprised. That surprise increased when he hugged her.

Lily heard a brief mumble from Naruto as she witness Albedo practically become a puddle of joy as she collapsed in a boneless heap, a silly smile stretched across her face and a dreamy look in her eyes. Naruto chuckled and picked Albedo up, only to deposit her now-unconscious body on a nearby couch.

As he stood back up, he turned to Lily with a bright smile, "well, shall we continue?"

The remainder of the journey was in silence, not that it took much longer. Lily took note of the rich upholstery, the couches and chairs lining the hallways were of obviously fine materials. She saw the expensive paintings, some of which she figured might very well be some of the very first of their kind. She saw the rich ebony wood and marble that seemed to be the primary building material of the house itself, and felt it was just a touch gaudy. She hadn't thought the young man in front her would like such things.

She was jolted out of her thoughts by sound of doors opening as she was ushered into yet another richly decorated room, but this one was different. The furniture and wall hangings were indeed fine materials, velvets and leathers and silks, but they were more muted, more comfortable, more... humble. As if this was a room in which to simply relax and enjoy the company of others. Lily quickly cast her mind back to the room in which she had awakened, and realized that the decor was much the same as this one.

"Ah, Naruto, so good to see you again," a warm, soft voice broke Lily's ruminations.

She looked over to see a tall man with bright yellow hair in regal robes. Beside him in a slightly less embellished was a younger woman... also with blonde hair.

Blonde, blonde, blonde.. and I'm blonde, too. Waaay too common a hair colour. And why do these two put me on edge?

"Michael, Gabriel." Naruto said with a smile and a nod, "You're both looking well. I've brought my newest peerage member, Artoria Lily Pendragon. She is the King Arthur of another universe."

Michael nodded, "I see. So that's what the fluctuations were about. Welcome, Artoria, to our universe. Young Naruto here has proven to be a rare example of his kind, much as his father was. I'm certain you will not regret your decision to join him."

"Thank you, Lord Michael." Lily said with a small bow.

"Boring!" The blonde girl beside piped up, "What are we here for, Brother? Not that it isn't good to see Naruto-chan again, but you said there was something important."

Naruto winced at the chan added to his name. He couldn't honestly refute her use of it, though. She was older than him by a fair amount. Not that he or any sane male would ever say so out loud, however. He did not have either a death wish nor a desire to sit through what would likely be a several hour lecture on not bringing up a lady's age.

"I felt a shift in the destiny of our universe, Gabriel," Michael explained, "and it centred around the newest presence of this House, someone who could 'wield the Light'."

"Oh!" Gabriel exclaimed in glee, "I miss that old phrase for Holy Sword users! It always sounded so much cooler!"

"Yes, well, I must wonder what it is you have in mind for Miss Pendragon?" Michael asked curiously.

Naruto grimaced and gestured for all of them to sit down as he took a seat in a chair. "Honestly, we've been given a request by that universe's Lady of the Lake. The retrieval and reconstruction of our universe's Excalibur."

Michael stared at him, eyes wide. "What?" He asked in a strangled tone.

"And this would be why I felt we should be sitting down," Naruto said wryly. "We're supposed to find Avalon as well, but that isn't a big problem."

"Oh, Why's that?" Gabriel piped up, already over the idea of a devil getting their hands on one of the four original Holy swords. Now she was just curious.

Naruto gestured to small table sitting between the two groups with a cloth-covered bundle on it. "There is a reason I had these two items brought out of storage in the family vault. My new Knight was going to need a new sword to use, and we just so happened to have a Holy Sword down there... along with something else."

He reached over and whisked the sheet off, revealing a gleaming silver blade with strange runes and a golden hilt, and a blue and gold sheathe. Michael choked on his own spit and Gabriel's eyes widened to improbable proportions.

Naruto turned to Lily and said, "This blade was broken by a god, and reforged by its wielder to protect what was important to him. So I think it would suit you fairly well… at least while you look for those fragments of the Lady Elaine's sword. Besides, the sheathe is already here… meet Avalon."

"Wait, wait. You not only have the sheath, you actually want me to look for those pieces she mentioned?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Yeah, that sums it up." The blonde man replied blithely, completely ignoring the flabbergasted expressions of his guests.

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why look for the pieces of that sword at all?"

Naruto gave the woman a deadpan stare, "If you hadn't noticed, she knew what her counterpart of this reality knows. Now I've done some stupid things in my life so far, but pissing off a goddess, especially one whose power over Time- as some legends indicate -equals or trumps mine, is not going to be added to that list. No matter how minor a goddess she's seen as. Add to that that her primary Divine Domain is said to be Knowledge... and you get a woman who will quite literally know if I should decide to renege on my end of things. So, no, I will not be pissing her off."

"You know, that does sound smart."

"Thank you. Now, here's your new sword and the sheath, you can start looking for those sword fragments in the library when you have time free from training. Word of warning, your trainer is a slave driver."

"Is that Gram?!" Michael finally managed to squeak out. Gabriel, it seemed, was still too shocked to form words.

"Hm?" Naruto turned back to his two guests, "Yes, yes it is. Gram, the Scandinavian counterpart to Britain's Caliburn. I figured it would be fitting, considering that Lily here used to wield Caliburn until she was dying. I made certain to leave that thing behind. Didn't want any kind of paradox thing going on, ya know."

Michael and Gabriel gave him identical deadpan expressions and said together, "Of course."

Because why should he care that he had one of the most powerful Holy swords in his possession? Why should he care that he also had a sheath that quite literally would heal anything short of a beheading? And why in the Underworld would it matter to him that the forces of Heaven had been searching for those artifacts, among others, for centuries? Besides, why wouldn't he have them?

Michael, for the first time in his very existence, had a rather uncharitable thought.

That unfairly lucky little...

XxXxXxXx- Omake

In another afterlife, a white-haired man laughed while pointing at an image of a blonde half-devil. "Whose got the shittiest luck now, eh? Naruto?"

The cracking of knuckles from from behind was all the warning he got before he felt the Fists of Righteous Female Anger from no less than four women. One redhead, one blonde, and two raven-haired women tried their best to beat the afterlife out of the old man.

When they finished, the redhead said, "You would think he'd learn after all these years."

"Come now, Kushina," the blonde said. "Jiraiya never learned to keep his mouth shut in life, what made you think he'd learn in death?"

"That's not nice, Tsunade-sama." The older of the two ravens said reprovingly.

"It's true, though!"

"That doesn't make it nice to say," the younger raven replied primly.

Kushina laughed, "I see you've finally managed to corrupt a Hyuuga! And she's Hiashi's eldest no less! Nicely done, Shizune."

"I don't know what you mean, Kushina-sama." Shizune and Hinata said at the same time.

XxXxXxXx- Ending Notes

*Okay, I'm going to say it now in an attempt to keep up with a timeline; at the end of this chapter a little more than six months have passed since Naruto became a devil, so there is approximately three more to go before Konan and Yugao pop according to average time.

*Also, I played a little loose with Gram's history. If you want to know the official story, look it up. The main thing is that both it and Caliburn were "Swords of Selection." Gram to select a Hero, and Caliburn to select a King. Honestly I'm not sure which job is worse.

*Next, I have been asked if the revelation of House Agares and its own Time Manipulation ability will play a role in Naruto's own mastery of his Domination. The answer is simple: Not really. The Agares are said to each have the ability to control time to a degree. Naruto's Domination trumps them by a great deal. Certainly he could ask for tips, but he already knows how to use his Power. Now all he needs is more practise to refine it.

*Finally... yes, Saber Lily is joining the peerage as the second and final Knight. Others had occurred to me, but this one seemed more... fun. Mordred, Lancelot, Joan of Arc, etc. So many ideas for Knight went through my mind, some more ridiculous than others. Finally I just said "Screw it, I'll just grab someone not used much" and thus I found Saber Lily.

Current Peerage:

Queen: Tier Harribel

Bishops: Rias Gremory, Akitsu

Knight: Aayla Secura, Saber Lily

Rook: Titania

Pawn: Pyrrha Nikos

~Dreaming of the Phoenix