Chapter 14 - Outcome

Disclaimer: I do not own Dxd or Naruto

"No!" Sirzechs stood up, refusing to believe the outcome of the battle. "I mean… Congratulations to Riser on winning his Rating Game!" He quickly added, not wanting to be called out on his sister complex. "No… I refuse to believe this happened! Even if I have to give up the position of Lucifer, I will save my sister! But first, there's someone I have to visit… I have to consider all possibilities before resorting to deserting my post as a Maou…"

Ajuka tapped his fingers, ignoring the pouting Serafall and snoring Falbium. "That was impressive of Rias, I must say again. Even with the vast gap of experience between the two, she managed to eliminate Riser's Peerage, bar the King himself. That alone is admirable. A shame it had to end this way…" He stood up, finished giving support to his close friend and his sister. "I'll be taking my leave now, Sirzechs. Please, extend my congratulations to Rias. The match she put up exceeded many expectations. That I can't emphasize more…" In a green circle, the Beezlebub position holder disappeared, eager to resume or start another one of his projects.

"Mou~" Serafall waved her sparkling wand, threatening to wipe out half the Underworld with the careless flick of glitter. "Ria-tan did her best, even though I don't like her marrying Riser… I'll be going now to make love to my So-tan! Bye Zirchs-chan~" In a flashy explosion that only existed in the world of child cartoons, Serafall left, the two Satans in the room, one brooding and the other still sleeping.

"… What will you do now, Sirzechs-sama?"

"… Anything." Sirzechs rose, his eyes resolute with flaming certainty that Grayfia saw only in the Devil Civil War, back when they were opposing members of the clashing Factions, not wife and husband, King and Queen. "Rias… She means too much for me and her getting married to Riser… It was never something I wanted."

"… I see…"

The Gremory crest swallowed the two in its grasp, warping them through space and time. A shine of line gleamed once and died as quickly as it started.

*snore*

-Dxd-

Naruto, dressed in a sleeveless dark grey, sleeveless shirt, and equally dark pants, awaited for the Maou to grace him with his presence. It was expected, Sirzechs being one of the most predictable people on the face of the planet when it came down to his sister. He tapped his leg impatiently, wanting to at least taste a sample of the many luxurious foods they'd be serving at the ceremony. "I wonder… Will Sairaorg be there?" Now thoroughly fed up with Sirzechs tardiness, he began polishing his now unsheathed blade, finding the chore relaxing.

"Finally…"

The signature Gremory circle shone from the inside of his mansion and in the living room. Naruto quickly fiddled with his arm guards before steadying himself, not wanting to hear Grayfia nagging. "It's about time…"

Sirzechs and Grayfia stood in the middle, the Maou looking distraught while his wife/maid had her usual expression, though Naruto detected a flash of uncertainty in her eyes. "That's right… She's expecting me to refuse the deal unless I get something in return. I suppose I too would be worried if I were in her shoes…"

"Naruto…" Sirzechs breathed out in relief, not having to search for his younger brother and waste unnecessary time. "Listen… We don't have much time so I'll explain quickly. Rias lost her Rating Game and is about to be married to Riser. I can't do much, so I want-"

"Me to crash the wedding?" Naruto finished, his hand now running across the gleaming sword of his before touching the razor-sharp tip, pricking his skin but not piercing through the first layer. "Will they allow such a thing? I suppose if you make up some bull about how the long-lost brother came returning home and how you want to see my strength…" He answered his question, nodding to himself at the validity of the statement. "Though I am curious… Why not Issei? If I were you, I would seek out the Red Dragon Emperor, seeing that he's intimately related to Rias, being her Pawn."

"Because he's an unknown factor. While his potential is vast, I have a good grasp of your power levels and suffice to say, you'll wipe the floor with Riser." Sirzechs answered, with not much tact, using "street" terms. "I know I can rely on you to beat him, so I came to you first. However, I can't grant you any other favors. Two is already too much and they'll start suspecting-"

"I'll do it," Naruto replied, shocking the pair, as both expected the worst. "You don't have to give me anything… After all, I suppose the deal's not over… I'll admit, I didn't train Akeno with the usual intensity I train under. There were a couple of emotional issues and everything, but it's no excuse." The King stood up stretching out his arms and yawning. "This will make a great debut, eh, Sirzechs?"

The red-haired Maou stood there in shock, taking in the fact that Naruto had not refused the request. "That was… not what I was expecting," Sirzechs admitted. "But it is a huge relief knowing someone like you is going to be fighting for Rias. Here." He handed him a teleportation seal. "When I signal you, use it to teleport to the entrance of the wedding hall. From then on… Well, I don't have to say much, do I?"

Naruto smirked. "No. You don't. Mind telling me what the signal is?"

"When I pulse my magic into this paper," Sirzechs pulled out another piece of parchment, showing him the worn-out yellow paper adorned with several runes and words. "A red light will light up on your seal. Once you see that, do what needs to be done."

Grayfia began preparing a spell to take them back, intending on clearing any suspicions of the Lucifer playing favorites and scheming behind their backs. "Oh and one more thing…" His face crinkled into a heartwarming expression, a genuine smile coming into light. "Thank you, Naruto."

"Don't mention it." Naruto sat back down on the couch, holding the seal in his hand. "A deal's a deal, no?"

Sirzechs's smile never diminished, even when he went through the spell the red light from the Gremory was outshined by his happiness.

-Dxd-

Naruto scratched his head, wondering what he could do in his free time. Sure, training was always an option but he had to maintain vigilance if he didn't want to miss Sirzechs's signal transmitted through the summoning seal. After all, if he took his eyes off for even a minute, it could throw their entire plan off the rails.

Naruto breathed through his nose heavily, unconsciously grabbing on to the summoning seal. All this thinking… Normally, he was one to drown himself in the clouds of his thoughts, blocking every outside noise with ease. Somehow, thinking of this entire ordeal twisted his preference. "I'm itching for some action now… I hope Sirzechs calls me soon…"

The various runes inscribed on the parchment glowed an ethereal ruby color, signaling Naruto to take his choice of action. "Finally!" Naruto quickly stretched his arms and legs before activating the seal, teleporting him to the entrance of the wedding ceremony, all of which was taking place within the Phenex Manor.

Naruto sucked in his teeth, gazing at his new surroundings. "This place is extravagant! Even the Gremory Estate wasn't as fancy as this… Zeoticus wasn't lying when he informed of the Phenex economic status." Words and cheers of excitement were muffled by the door, as the announcements were interrupted by the harsh slamming of doors. Without a word, Naruto introduced his presence to the various guests, all of whom donned shocked, mortified expressions.

"Halt! Do you even know what this place is?" An unrecognizable guard pointed a spear to Naruto's face, the redhead not unsettled by the lethal weapon's proximity to his facial features. He stood still, raising one eyebrow as he pondered what action to take. "Should I attack him? No, the Phenex members might be threatened by that and every devil in this room will be on me in an instant. Should I try talking my way out of this? And where is Sirzechs?"

Before Naruto had a chance to choose, Sirzechs made his appearance, the crimson Satan awing the crowd with his very presence. "It's alright everyone. This is something I arranged for myself. It's… entertainment." The spear was reluctantly lowered, Naruto scoffing at the devil's "mean mug", noting the inferior reserves. "Cannon fodder…"

"What is the meaning of this, Lucifer-sama?" A lone voice exploded amidst the crowd, visibly unpleased with the rude interruption. "You know you cannot-"

"I merely wanted my sister's wedding to be a flashy one." Sirzechs gestured at Naruto, welcoming him to come closer. "After all, I found the Rating Game a bit one-sided, however enjoyable it was. While Riser has earned his victory, the gap of experience between my sister and the genius Riser made the game preferential."

"For those of you who don't know, this is my half-brother, Naruto Gremory. While he is sadly not a pure-blood, he has made a name for himself in the supernatural. Behold, the leader of the Akatsuki himself, the long-unknown 'Firebolt'!" Naruto sweatdropped, anticipating laughter at such a crude nickname given not much thought. To his surprise, the chatter was scattered throughout the group of devils, all having heard of the prominent moniker and the strength he allegedly possessed. To have earned such a title at an unripe age… It was all exciting news indeed. They nodded their heads in approval, shouting words of how wise their Maou was, eager to view the showdown between the "Firebolt" and the legendary Phenex. The nickname was not unpopular, the opposite.

"Riser, can you show your once more in front of Rias and I?" With his ego inflated, the middle brother of the Phenex clan knelt on one knee, yearning to humiliate the devil in front of him. "If Lucifer-sama himself asks, who am I to refuse?"

"Naruto, what of you?" He cracked his head in response, slowly nodding at the challenge while screaming in joy in his mind, bursting with joy to bring down the arrogant Phenex a notch.

"Now as these two fighters are both devils, it is only fitting that we grant them something in exchange for their duties as providing us with entertainment." Silencing the wails of protest at the opportunity given to a half-breed, Sirzechs continued with his proposal, his charisma enveloping those around him, caressing and twisting their desires to the point they aligned with his. "Naruto, what is it you desire? Money? A beautiful girl?"

Naruto shook his head, knowing he would have to uphold an act to not arouse suspicion. "You grace me with such generosity, Lucifer-sama. However, such base desires hold no interest for me. I cherish values that are intangible, unable to amount to a materialistic value. Love is one thing. Family is another. I wish for Rias-sama to be freed from the contract. Seeing my sister chained down by such demands pains my heart. With my long absence from my sister, I shall atone for such negligence by requesting a wish of hers: Free her from the marriage."

"And you, Riser?"

The man smirked. "I have no desires. Just that the wedding be uninterrupted from this point on. Rias is all that matters to me."

Sirzechs raised both hands, summoning enough magic to teleport the contestants to their respective stage. "Very well! Win and you shall receive. I will prepare the stage." A dimension was created with the Maou's power, bricks materializing into place as the two began to face off.

"Tell me, why do you do this?" Riser patted down his blazer, dusting off imaginary dust specks. "Why fight? I am a pure-blood devil of the Phenex house! Our control over fire and wind is unrivaled, our immortality unbeaten! You, a low-class devil, will never live up to such expectations. So why?"

Naruto laughed, a pure bellow of laughter that made his stomach pain over such a ridiculous statement. Riser's eyebrow twitched, his mouth itching to retort but Naruto spoke up before that. "You have such arrogance… To believe your pyrokinesis and aerokinesis is unmatched? Immortality unbeaten? You have much to learn. Allow me the pleasure of enlightening you." The redhead slowly drew the blade, savoring the soft sound of metal scratching metal.

"Ha! What's a measly sword going to-" Riser never finished the sentence, his waist perfectly severed as Naruto flicked the blade, blood dripping on the artificial floor. In an instant, Naruto crossed the distance between him and Riser, slicing the tempered blade right through his body right after. As anticipated, Riser regenerated soon after, the top of his body born anew from the flames, similar to that of the mythical creature Phoenix. "Like I said, what's a measly sword going to do to me?"

Naruto chose not to respond, turning around with his blade outstretched and pointing at the man's face. "You believe your immortality will last forever? All I have to do is wear your stamina down, killing you over and over again. At some point, you will no longer be able to regenerate from wounds. Once that happens… Checkmate."

Riser narrowed his eyes, summoning his wings of fire, covering the stage with mouth-drying heat. "I'll kill you before-" Once more, he was cut off with the rude interruption in the form of Naruto's blade. Deviating from the unspoken swordsman rule of acting as if the sword was an extension, Naruto had thrown the blade at Riser hilt deep into his face. The floor cracked under the tension of Naruto pushing off. Speeding towards Riser in the form of a bullet, Naruto pulled the sword out, severing each limb with surgical precision before flipping backward, avoiding the burst of regenerative flames.

"You shitty brat!" Riser howled, clenching his fist. "Do you even understand what you're doing! This marriage is more than just one person! It's for the devil race as a whole-" Naruto was not so nice as to ignore openings, immediately pouncing on each chance to mutilate the arrogant Phenex. Spinning like a maelstrom, Naruto sliced his head off before slashing at his waist and knees, producing three uneven parts of Riser.

"You…" Riser clutched his head, feeling the backlash from having to heal so quickly. "Hybrid! Half-breed! You have the filthy blood of the human race, so just die already!" With a sweep of his hand, Riser called forth a wave of his Phenex flames, all hurtling towards the redhead. "Arrogant or not, those flames are dangerous. I can't exactly tank them and expect to come out unscathed." Choosing to take the upwards route, Naruto revealed his devil wings and took flight, avoiding the scorching heat that came with Riser's attack.

"You're cornered!" Riser gleefully shouted, anticipating such a move. Keeping afloat with his flaming wings, the Phenex summoned a harsh gale of wind, attempting to blowback the devil back towards the inferno down below. "Too easy." Naruto skillfully maneuvered through the air, avoiding the bursts of air, using his winds to repel the opposing forces when needed. "That all you got?"

Riser pounded his fist on the chest. "Feel the almighty powers of the Phenex! Burn in hell!" A fireball fed on the ball of wind, growing to exponential sizes and careening towards Naruto. "Not bad… But he has all that potential just for it to go in the trash. He would've put up a better fight if he'd trained."

With a flick of a wrist, Naruto summoned several circles of the Gremory crest. Numerous tendrils of water twisted and engulfed each other before forming a rough imitation of a dragon. Conjuring a dragon made completely from water, Naruto consumed the decently-sized fireball, engulfing Riser's attack and putting out the so-called master of fire. Manipulating the dragon even from a distance, he twisted the momentum, sending the dragon crashing to the ground with Riser grasped within its watery fangs.

The ground cracked from the tension and pressure, crushing Riser's well-maintained flesh, his smooth skin giving way to his muscles and blood underneath until all that remained was his bones. "Did I overdo it?" Naruto mused before taking back his statement, Riser reforming from his supposed death to Naruto's annoyance. "YOU BASTARD! I'LL-"

"I was going to save this for the Young Devil's Gathering, but I'll admit this much: You're being a pain in my ass," Naruto muttered, sheathing his sword. His right foot slid back while his right hand followed that direction, leaving afterimages as the appendage dragged in the air. In one smooth motion, Naruto pulled on the inherent magic placed within his soul, summoning a familiar black orb.

"[2: Heart Decimate]!"

Two tapered pieces of metal with sharpened ends formed into existence, in Naruto's hands. "I never cut a Phenex with this, have I? Time to add your powers…" He dual-wielded the ambiguous-looking weapons as if they were swords, seemingly disappearing and appearing at Riser's back. "You should keep an eye on your opponent, ya' know."

The Phenex yelled in fury as he turned around, swinging his fist at Naruto and hoping to feel the insolent devil's cheekbone cracking under his knuckles. Blood splattered everywhere, several drops painting Naruto's outfit a dark shade as he, in rapid succession, threw one piece deep in Riser's chest and used the other to cleanly separate Riser's arm from the rest of the body, his free arm holding Riser's limb with disgust. "Slow," Naruto smirked before grabbing the other piece of metal from Riser's chest and jumping back.

Slamming the blunt ends together, the two pieces of metal transformed into an ornate bow, a tight piece of string connecting the sharpened ends. "Let's test this out!" A fiery arrow began to form, Naruto holding the tangible projectile and knocking it. "My bow blade has two forms: The dual blade form and the bow form. Slicing any entity in the blade form will allow me to harness their power in my bow form. In this case, the Phenex flames are what's being harnessed." The arrow was sent flying, carving a deep, smoldering hold in Riser's chest, his expression conveying shock and indignation as he recognized the power held within the arrow.

"Let's get this over with!" Zephyrs began to billow all around him, increasing their force until it evolved into miniature hurricanes, all while a tainted glow began to fill the arena, an arrow of light forming within the grips of the bow. Ignoring the stinging pain coming with the burden of harnessing such power, Naruto pulled the shaft back, putting unimaginable pressure on the string. "Holy light is one of your weaknesses, immortality or not. With your reserves decreased, you might not even survive from this." He shook his head in disappointment. "Nice try, Riser."

With a screeching howl of energy rapidly being built up, Naruto released the bolt of light, letting out all the compressed energy for Riser to take on head first. At first, the beam was sharp and thin, its primary function being to pierce straight through devil flesh. Then, it enlarged, quickly enveloping Riser in its cruel embrace, wrapping him in waves of pain that ignited his nerves to no end. Blasting him back with twisting typhoons, the tainted light ate at his very flesh, degrading him to a pitiful state that most spectators could not hold back a wince at.

Naruto watched in sardonic amusement as Riser's body fell face-first into the ground, his stamina thoroughly drained after suffering one of his mortal weaknesses. It was a miracle the man had not perished from such an attack, whether Naruto underplayed it or not. "Anyone else has problems with me being a half-devil? If so, step forward and I shall respond with full might!" Naruto boldly declared, Ravel staring at his audacity while at her brother's side.

Murmuring arose as the dimension began to revert to the original wedding room, Naruto cracking his knuckles, his Sacred Gear no longer to be seen anywhere. Several guests stayed clear of his seemingly barbaric appearance, him being stained with blood and wearing "unseemly" clothing. "Was this sufficient enough, Lucifer-sama?"

"Indeed it was." Sirzechs gently nodded, holding back his smile, in fear of being accused of abusing his power as a Maou. "As a reward, I hereby declare this marriage null and void. Rias Gremory is no longer engaged to Riser Phenex."

From the side, Rias began sobbing in elation, her wedding dress blotched with her tears. Next to her, her Peerage was just as delighted, congratulating her on the victory. Not all of them were as happy as she was, Issei exemplifying that the most, pounding the ground in protest at the missed opportunity of impressing his King and generally raising a spectacle.

Naruto remained impassive and unmoving, looking over their celebration until a certain rival made his way over to his side. "Well, well… Who knew you had a Sacred Gear?" Sairaorg grinned, slapping his best friend on the back, pumped up at the reminder that Naruto had not slacked in his training. "Using the light of Angels? Quite the sight! Just a warning, I have-"

"I know already." Naruto interrupted a smirk plastered on his face, his disinterested expression cracking and morphing into something more positive. "Well, I wouldn't say have, but I am aware that you tamed Regulus Nemea, one of the 13 Longinus."

Sairaorg gawked at him in surprise before realizing who he was interacting with. "If you're wondering how I know this, let's just say a certain crow is extremely… interested in Sacred Gears. He likes to keep tabs on Longinus users, especially." Naruto patted his shoulder, before locking eyes with his rival. "Promise me something, Sairaorg. Until we fight again, promise me you won't lose to anyone else."

"Heh." Sairaorg extended his hand. "I'll do that. As long as you promise to do the same. We are rivals, after all."

"That goes without saying."

With that out of the way, Naruto began to move out of the room when his sister stopped him midway.

"Rias."

She wiped her tears, opening her vibrant blue-green eyes, and hugged the still unresponsive redhead, the two siblings making intimate contact for the first time. "Thank you… I'm sure you had your reasons, but still… You have no idea how much this means to me." Then, Naruto patted her shoulder with apathy, unsure of how to react.

His memories of spending time with the Gremory family was certainly prevalent, reminding why he had left the household so quickly. However, it was certainly irrational for him to hold a grudge for the actions of an 8-year old girl.

Seriously, that was just… unbecoming of him.

"Like I said, Rias." He gently pushed her away, not wanting to be seen as an emotionless asshole but reminding her of her sins. "We'll talk in the future. For now, I'll take my leave. See you 'round, Rias."

"See you soon, brother," Rias whispered.

-Dxd-

How long had it been?

Years? Decades? Centuries?

He didn't know.

All he knew was that he was alive. After so many painstaking years of healing his core, he was alive.

But it should have been impossible for the time being. He simply didn't possess enough power to revive himself all at once. His core was still healing the last time he checked. That accursed human Beowulf had managed to damage his very soul with Hrunting, slicing his arm and wing from his body. His regenerative properties could do nothing against the dragon-slaying sword and the attributes of the blade wounded him to the degree of being dormant. For ages, his core remained safely in his mother's lair, untouched and undisturbed by outside forces.

Until now.

It was clear that someone - or something - had aided him in recovering his strength and health. Now, the question remained: Who? Or what?

He flexed his wings and sat up just like a human. His sharp silver eyes flashed as he sensed several presences in the structure he was currently in. A low growl escaped his lips, anticipating all the delicious pain he would suffer and deal out! It was so exciting and delectable and-

What?

A young girl with waist-level black hair stared back at him with dull, grey eyes. For the shortest of moments, her eyes flickered with the slightest of interest before returning to its emotionless state. But how was it that a mere girl escaped his senses? He could've sworn that just a second ago, there was no one in the room with him. It was as if the girl had appeared out of nowhere.

He studied the girl in front of him, looking for any abnormalities in her features or power. Sure, she had slits in her eyes and pointed ears, but she didn't possess any outstanding power or killing intent. It was as if nothing was in front of him. As far as he was concerned, the girl in front of him was… well, a girl. There was nothing special about the human standing in front of him.

"I need your power." She stated with no fluctuations in her tone, thoroughly remaining apathetic. "I am losing control-"

"Heh. HeheheHAHAHAH!" He cackled as his chuckles broke out into full-blown laughter. His black scales reflected the light in an ominous way, foreshadowing the massacre that was about to take place. Oh, he would make sure to drag out the girl's death as long as he could. It's been so long since he'd witnessed the light fading from one's eyes! "Kill! I'll kill youkillkillkillkill-"

Unfortunately for him, appearances could be deceiving.

The Evil Dragon was forced to his knees as a new emotion awakened in the girl's eyes: anger. Power emanated from every pore of her figure, leaving the dragon to reconsider his decision to speak out against her. The very building began to crumble and shake under the pressure that was leaking out of control. "You will bow." She announced as the ground caved in due to the massive power influx. "And you will help me." A metaphysical figure of a dragon of great stature towered over his large figure, shadowing him in pure strength.

It was as if there was no end to the amount of power she had for use. It constantly rushed into her body, eagerly refreshing her reserves and keeping her in the top condition.

There was no doubt in Grendel's mind.

This was Ophis. The Ouroboros Dragon and the Infinite Dragon God.

Or rather she.

"Kilkillkillkillkill-" Even in the presence of one higher on the chain of power, he refused to submit. His killing intent was like a bucking stallion, thrashing, and threatening to spill over the world. It was only Ophis's sheer might that kept him from laying waste to this world.

"You will help me." Her tone was one of finality, refusing to take "no" for an answer. "You will obey." With her hand outstretched, a black miasma erupted and curled around his draconic frame, entrapping him in its everlasting grip.

And it would not let go.

A/N: Before anyone even says anything, yes! Yes, I am aware Grendel was not injured by Hrunting in the epic. He was held in Beowulf's grip and got his arm ripped off. I know that. But Grendel is a dragon in the Dxd universe and while that doesn't change too much in the grand schemes, I decided to make a couple of tweaks in the Beowulf. It won't matter too much, but I'm letting you guys know.

Also, be on the lookout for another fanfic. It's a Naruto/Akame Ga Kill Crossover with other anime elements (Not Hxh this time). Sorry if that wasn't what you guys were expecting but until I get a solid grasp on the Fate universe, I'm gonna stick with that. So fans of Akame Ga Kill and Naruto, go check that out when I release it. Thanks.

Peace out