Well, the response for this story is starting to lean more positively! That's awesome! As Petra would say:

This is giving me great joy!

Disclaimer: I, Raymond Smith, own nothing from either of these series

A Crimson Flower

Chapter 3: Lesson Number One

It was the evening hours following Naruto's introduction to the Black Eagle students. His first day with them was mainly spent getting better acquainted, so that he could gain a more in-depth look at how they interacted with one another.

Observing people from a distance with Shadow Clones only allowed for so much insight into a person's character. You needed to have personal contact and interaction as well.

He was currently in the dining hall, sitting at one of the long tables with his new students and smiling warmly as he observed them enjoying their evening meal together. Despite some mild dislike between some of them, he could feel the camaraderie between them.

Edelgard turned away from Hubert and noticed Naruto watching them. "You're more than welcome to join us, sensei."

Keeping his smile, he shook his head once. "Nah, I'm fine. Besides, it's nice seeing how close you all are to one another. Reminds me of my old friends back home…"

The way he trailed off caught her interest, for she heard the longing in his voice. "…You can't return to them, can you?" she guessed.

He chuckled softly. "You're pretty observant. But yes, I can't go back home. I did something reckless, and it forced me away from my old life and nearly killed me. If it weren't for Rhea and her healers, I would've died from my actions."

He was so lost in his self-shame that he didn't realize that the other members of the Black Eagles had stopped their own conversations to listen in. Edelgard pretended not to notice, hoping to learn more about her new enigmatic instructor.

"What was your home like, if you don't mind me asking?"

That snapped him out of his thoughts, and he looked up from his untouched meal to see that he had everyone's attention. Smiling awkwardly, he replied, "I didn't expect to have an audience. But to answer your question, my home was a large settlement with a few thousand people living there. It was surrounded by dense forests that spread for miles upon miles, and many more trees grew large within the walls of my home. Because of our surroundings, my home was called the Hidden Leaf Village."

"An interesting title," Hubert commented, looking a bit intrigued. "And where would this village be, exactly?"

"Nowhere in or near Fódlan, I'll tell you that."

"You mean that it's beyond the continent and the neighboring countries?" Linhardt asked interestedly.

"Something like that," the Uzumaki answered cryptically. "Maybe I'll tell you all more about it someday…"

Realizing that he wished to drop the subject, Dorothea inquired, "Sensei, have you ever seen an opera here in Fódlan?"

"That's a performance where there's singing involved, right?"

"There's more to it than that. Most opera performances tell a story. Whether it's a tragic love story, or a retelling of a major historical event, there are many things that go into making an opera worthwhile."

Naruto chuckled at how passionate she sounded. "I'm guessing you took part in a few of them yourself?" He already knew this, having read the portfolios of the students; but it was nice seeing her have a sense of pride in something.

"Of course! I was a songstress of the same opera company that Professor Manuela earned her renown from. It was called the Mittlefrank Opera Company, and we would put on the most beautiful performances in Enbarr."

"Well, based on how much praise you've given them, I'll have to check one out someday," Naruto mused, earning a beautiful smile from his student.

"Yeah, yeah, the opera is nice and all," Caspar cut in, earning a huff from Dorothea, "but there's something more important I need to know from you, sensei."

"And that is…?"

"How strong are you? Because if Lady Rhea has enough faith in your ability to teach and lead us, then you've gotta be really strong! Right?"

"I too am hoping to know of your strength, sensei," Petra agreed. "In Brigid, there are many of us who are becoming warriors of our home. I can see something like us in you."

Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "That's kind of a tough question. Some of my old friends would say I'm strong, some would say I can get stronger, and others have said I could've been the strongest. But if I were to give an answer personally?"

Memories of his past fights throughout his ninja career started playing in his mind. And while most of them were victories, even he knew that there was a great deal of luck, and his refusal to go down, that brought forth those victories. And quite a few of them were only possible thanks to the Kyuubi's chakra.

And even that very chakra raging through him wasn't enough at times; like when he fought Sasuke or Orochimaru.

"…I'd say I'm not strong enough," he finished softly.

That wasn't the answer the young man expected to hear from his new teacher. But Caspar didn't get the chance to question it, for Ferdinand beat him to the punch.

"Why do you feel that way, sensei?" the young noble asked.

The whiskered blonde gave a sigh and answered, "Because, for all of my power, there are still many things I've been unable to do. Fights I couldn't win or couldn't bring myself to end, people I couldn't save, and moments where I would've died if it weren't for others stepping in to save me."

The others were silent at that, and Edelgard held back her look of surprise at witnessing how her teacher – one who was a year younger than her – appeared much older than his age implied. He was sixteen, and yet his experiences and his admitted failures have given him enough experience to rival that of older men.

She saw it in his eyes; the guilt he felt towards the people he couldn't save and how their losses sparked a drive to press on. And even with the power he claims to have, him saying it wasn't enough hit too close to home for her.

Edelgard knew exactly how it felt to have incredible power but feel it wouldn't be enough in the end.

"I suppose I wouldn't be much of a teacher if I didn't give you all some sort of lesson for our first day together," Naruto spoke up, breaking the Adrestian Princess from her thoughts. "Remember that you could have all the power in the world, but it won't mean a thing if you still fail the ones that you're responsible for; or the people you care for. If you have power, how you use it determines how others will see you."

"And what did you do with your supposed power, sensei?" Hubert questioned almost rudely.

Here, Naruto smiled at them warmly. "I dedicated it to protecting those I cherished; my precious people. One day, I hope that I can call you all precious to me too. And when that day comes, I hope you can come to depend on me whenever you need me."

With that, Naruto gathered his plate and took it to the kitchen to get cleaned, leaving his students to contemplate what had been said during their meal.

After a few moments of silence, Edelgard spoke up, "We should reflect on sensei's words tonight. We'll be having our first lessons tomorrow, so be sure to get plenty of rest. And Bernadetta?"

The reclusive girl squeaked at being called out. "Y-Yes…?"

"Please try to come to class. Despite today technically being our first day, the real first day will be tomorrow. It would be disrespectful not to be in attendance."

Poor Bernadetta gave a small whine at that, but she nodded all the same before scurrying off to her room. Following after her were Petra and Dorothea, who bid the others a good night as they departed.

"Well, I have a comfortable bed awaiting me. Good evening, everyone," Linhardt bid, standing up from his seat and preparing to leave.

"I'll send Caspar to fetch you if you sleep in, Linhardt," Edelgard warned casually, earning a wince from the green-haired young man.

"I'll…be sure to remember that, Edelgard," he replied as he walked off.

Caspar followed him with a chuckle, knowing that his friend wasn't a fan of loud things; Caspar's enthusiastic attitude being no exception.

"I must be getting to bed as well," Ferdinand spoke up, standing up from his seat with a brief stretch. "Rest well, Edelgard, Hubert," he bid before walked away.

Left alone at the table, Hubert asked, "What do you think of our new instructor, Lady Edelgard? I still find it interesting how Rhea allowed someone so young to assume such a role when it doesn't appear that he has much experience in the teaching department."

"True," she agreed. "Rhea's decision is curious, but I don't believe our new teacher will be poor at his job. From what we've heard from him, he has experienced combat and has apparently gone through some emotional hardships despite being close to us in age."

"You've gone through hardships as well, though."

"I won't downplay his struggles despite what I've been through, Hubert," Edelgard stated firmly. "Even if what happened to me and my family was…horrid," she took a moment to compose herself before she lost herself to her memories, "I know that there are others who are still suffering or can relate to my situation."

She took a moment to give a pointed look towards Lysithea, who was seated amongst the Golden Deer and enjoying a sweet treat.

"Ah yes, the young Ordelia heiress," Hubert mused. "Her…condition is like yours, isn't it, Lady Edelgard?"

"Worse, I'm afraid," she muttered somberly. "I believe what was done to her was simply a test for what was done to me…"

"I see. Will you be trying to recruit her?"

"We'll see. At any rate, we should both get some sleep."

Nodding in agreement, the young man followed Edelgard to the dorms, both of them curious about what the following day would bring.

It was later in the evening, nearing the midnight hour, and Naruto was currently working with a group of Shadow Clones as they all went over the various weaponry available to both the Knights of Seiros and the students of the Officer's Academy.

Swords, lances, axes, bows, gauntlets, magic tomes, and three different kinds of mounts for aspiring knights to utilize so that they could find their calling of what sort of combatant they would be in the future. Honestly, Naruto believed the wide array of options was a bit much.

For ninja, simplicity was usually the best option. Taijutsu for up close, ninjutsu for ranged (with some acting in close range), genjutsu for misdirection, and both kunai and shuriken as tools of the trade. Sure, there was the occasional odd weapon thrown in here and there; but most ninja stuck with the essentials. Only those like the ANBU Black Ops, the Fan Maidens and Puppeteers of the Hidden Sand, the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, and Tenten used other weapons.

Actually, Tenten used all the weapons. That was just her thing as far as Naruto could remember.

Still, if he was expected to teach his students how best to use the variety of weaponry allowed to them, it'd be in his best interest to get somewhat acquainted with each one personally. This way, if they have some trouble, he could have a better understanding of what's holding them up.

Currently, he had three Clones for each category of weaponry; except for gauntlets since he saw them as protective gear for your fists. For the magic, there were no tomes available in the training grounds; so, he would be unable to help anyone more magically inclined.

However, if using magic meant having energy flowing through them, his experience with chakra could help them better understand that at the very least.

Thankfully, Naruto was able to have some daggers given to him after bringing it up to Seteth. When the man looked at him oddly for the choice of weaponry, Naruto took a moment to explain how his people preferred shorter bladed weapons when they fought, with their "magic" being used in conjunction with their knives.

While he still received a skeptical expression from the rather uptight man, Naruto was still given his requested weaponry and some holsters that he had strapped to his right leg. Pulling one out, he silently lamented the lacking ringed pommel that all standard kunai had; but it wasn't too big a hassle.

"Alright, boys!" he called out to his grouped Clones. "We need to get used to these weapons fast. So, each group will come at me one at a time. Swords first, then we'll move onto lances."

"Right!" came a chorus of replies from his Clones.

He was in for a long night…

"Good morning!" Naruto greeted in an upbeat tone, sitting cross-legged atop his desk as his students filed into the classroom for their first real day of lessons.

To his relief, both Bernadetta and Linhardt had also arrived on time; though, Bernadetta looked a bit skittish and Linhardt looked ready to fall right back asleep. Still, silver linings and all that.

Currently, Naruto was dressed in a crimson long-sleeved shirt, black pants held up by a dark brown belt, and black shoes; something he would need to get used to since there was no one who made standard issue ninja sandals. Tsunade's necklace was displayed proudly around his neck with the green gemstone resting upon his chest.

"We spent yesterday getting better familiarized with one another," he continued. "And while I appreciate the welcome, I still should've done more to teach you all something. So, to make up for that, we'll be having our first lesson at the training grounds."

Most of them looked curious at that while Caspar had an eager expression.

"Follow me, and we'll get started."

With that, Naruto led his students outside of their classroom and headed for the training grounds, with the whiskered blonde expertly ignoring the questioning glances from the passing staff and knights. When they arrived, he took his place in the center of the grounds while nudging his head to the racks of training weaponry.

"Go ahead and pick whatever you're most comfortable with. Then we'll begin today's lesson."

Still curious about what their teacher had planned, the Black Eagles all grabbed their preferred weaponry.

In the end these were what they had chosen:

Edelgard had chosen a training axe that she held confidently.

Ferdinand had taken a training lance and was currently checking the quality of it.

Caspar had chosen some training gauntlets, but he also had a training axe strapped to his back.

Bernadetta had taken a training bow, and she was trying to make herself invisible behind her classmates before she was gently nudged back in front by Edelgard; much to the girl's discomfort.

Petra, like Caspar, had grabbed two different weapons; a training sword and a training bow that was strapped to her back.

Only Hubert and Linhardt didn't grab anything, instead pulling out magic tomes to use. Dorothea had a tome as well, but she had also grabbed a training sword that was sheathed at her waist.

Nodding to them, Naruto started to speak. "This lesson will be a small test of sorts."

"A test? Already?" Caspar asked with an annoyed moan before he was pegged by a tiny pebble in the forehead. "Ow!"

"No interrupting," Naruto admonished, mentally smirking in memory of how Jiraiya used to regain his attention during their training trip away from the Hidden Leaf. "And don't worry, this test won't be graded. This is simply me getting a feel for your preferred weapons and your battle styles. Each of you are unique, even if some of you share weapon preferences. However, it's my job to make sure that you all can fight as a team instead of just separately. For the sake of this, I will be dividing you into two groups of four."

"Wait, so you want us to learn how to fight as a team…but you're still separating us?" Dorothea asked curiously.

"There will very rarely be a time when all eight of you will be facing a singular target," Naruto explained. "Having all of you against me at once would also be a bit difficult since this training ground isn't all that large. If I could, I would've taken you all outside of Garreg Mach where there's more space. But I have to use what is available to me."

The others nodded in understanding before Edelgard asked, "How will you be dividing us?"

"Good question. Let's see… Group 1 will be Edelgard, Ferdinand, Linhardt, and Dorothea. Group 2 will be Hubert, Caspar, Bernadetta, and Petra. I'll let you all decide which group goes first."

"And what will this test be, sensei?" Ferdinand questioned as the Black Eagles got into their assigned groups.

With an almost fiendish grin, Naruto reached to his belt where a small pouch was tied. Untying it, Naruto presented a single bell held up by a string. "You all will be working together to retrieve this bell from me. I went through the same thing when I was first starting out as a fresh recruit for my village, only I was on a team of three recruits led by one superior officer who gave it the genius title of the Bell Test."

Some of them chuckled at the sarcasm in Naruto's voice before they were brought back to focus when he flicked the bell into the air and caught it before tying it onto his belt.

"I will give both groups roughly thirty minutes each to attempt taking this bell from me. You can do this by immobilizing me, or by separating the bell from my belt and grabbing it before I can recover it. Everyone understand?"

After seeing her classmates nodding, Edelgard asked, "Do you have any advice for us, sensei?"

"Just two things. Firstly, the point of this test is teamwork, and you won't win by going it alone. Second, come at me with everything you've got. My sensei told me and my old squad to come at him with the intent to kill, because it meant we were willing to do our best and beyond. If you hesitate, you will fail."

That earned him some uncomfortable looks from Linhardt, Bernadetta, and Dorothea. Edelgard and Ferdinand both looked resolved, Hubert was smirking faintly with a certain gleam in his eye, Caspar looked excited to begin, and Petra's expression was of absolute calm. Most of them looked ready to begin, but the three mentioned earlier would need to be spoken to later.

He knew what happened when you hesitated, and he didn't want them to make that same mistake when it could have serious consequences. He still had the scar to prove his own hesitation.

"Group 2 will go first," Edelgard informed the Uzumaki, who nodded and gestured for Group 1 to step aside and give Group 2 room.

Deliberately moving slowly, Naruto reached down to one of the dagger holsters and pulled out one that he held in a reverse grip. "Whenever you're ready, you can start."

Kurama hadn't moved from his spot ever since he had first settled behind the Hokage Mountain. Over the past few days, he had partaken in some conversations with Tsunade and Jiraiya, mostly about his old host that had freed him from the seal and about the night Naruto had become a Jinchūriki.

He had told them all he could remember of that night. From being restrained by Minato when Kushina was giving birth, to being ripped out of Kushina by that damnable Uchiha masquerading as Madara, to being put under that bastard Uchiha's control, to being freed by Minato only to have half of his very being ripped in half by the man, to trying to kill Naruto so he wouldn't be sealed again but hitting the baby's parents instead, to being placed under lock and key into the newborn Uzumaki after hearing the tearful farewell from the boy's parents.

Both Sannin had shed tears at the end, having lost two people that were important to them all because of the actions of a lone Uchiha pretending to be a legendary ninja. However, Kurama had sensed the negativity of many other ninja after he had finished his tale. Given his size, his voice easily echoed across the village, allowing everyone to hear him when he spoke.

Grief, anger, shame, and pity were all felt thanks to his ability to sense negative emotions. In truth, he hated this ability given to him by Hagoromo. The man had given it to him in the hope of Kurama better understanding humanity; but when you only feel the negatives, it's hard to see the positives of anything.

At any rate, he had a visitor; one who had kept her distance and never got within a certain radius of the great fox. Honestly, her reluctance to get closer was rather annoying, and he showed it by cracking open his eye and pinning her in place with his gaze alone.

The young Hyuuga woman was petrified at the sight of his eye, not that he could fault her. He was the greatest of the Nine Bijuu, only matched by them thanks to being half of his full power and size. But soon, he would be whole once more, and it would be thanks to the efforts of that Slug Summoner and Toad Sage.

Thanks to being sealed in two Uzumaki women, Kurama knew of the Mask Storage Temple and the Shinigami Mask within. In exchange for personally laying waste to the Akatsuki once he was fully restored, they had given their word to summon Namikaze and take back Kurama's missing half.

But back to the Hyuuga girl, Kurama snorted at the sight of her frozen terror before speaking up. "Your rabbit-like scurrying is annoying me… If you have something to say, come closer and speak. Otherwise, leave me be and never bother me again."

That broke Hinata from her fear, and while the desire to flee was immense, she had questions for the Bijuu; questions that she would never get to ask if she didn't take the opportunity now.

So, with her heart hammering in her chest, she moved closer to the Kyuubi before standing atop a tall tree so that she was more level with his muzzle. Once she had her balance, she swallowed the lump in her throat and bowed respectfully to the great beast.

"M-My name is H-Hinata Hyuuga," she greeted with some stuttering. Not that anyone could blame her for having it act up in front of a being that could destroy her and the village in an instant.

"I know who you are, Hyuuga. I've seen interactions between the brat and you when I was still sealed within him," he replied with a snort. "What do you want? I can sense your fear and your desire to run, but you obviously have something to say that's compelling you to stand before me."

Taking a breath in the hope of calming her nerves, Hinata respectfully asked, "Please, Lord Kyuubi… When Naruto-kun held you, what was it like for you both?"

Kurama blinked once at the question, curious about why she wanted to know of his experience as well as the Uzumaki brat's.

"I know that many people were afraid of Naruto-kun, and that some of them even mistreated him because you were sealed into him… But were there ever any moments of your situation that could've been positive? Was there ever a time when, despite his status as your Jinchūriki, you both worked together?"

"What do you really want to know, girl?"

Some tears began to build in her eyes, and it took her a moment before she finally whispered, "After everything you and Naruto-kun have gone through together as your Jinchūriki, did you care about Naruto-kun at all? Or would you have still killed him without question, like you tried to when he was just a baby?"

Closing his eyes, Kurama tried to ignore the immense feelings of grief and self-loathing coming from the Hyuuga girl before him. The grief was obvious, for the girl deeply cared for the Uzumaki brat and wanted to see him succeed more than anyone; save for the boy's parents.

So, it wasn't a stretch to say that her self-loathing came from her failure to display those feelings openly to him. Despite mostly knowing of negative emotions, the Kyuubi was aware of the feeling of love. Before Hagoromo passed, Kurama had experienced a familial love for the man who was like a father to him and his brethren Bijuu. And through both Mito and Kushina, he had witnessed romantic love for the men they had been married to.

And the love the Hyuuga hoped for his ex-host to see was that same romantic love; but she never got that chance, and never will thanks to the brat's recklessness. And her negative emotions about that fact were annoying to feel.

But her question resonated in his mind. Despite trying to kill the brat, he had witnessed the boy's struggles.

He had seen him experience fear, hate, and distrust from his fellow villagers. He had seen him fail at the Ninja Academy and get ridiculed by both his teachers and his peers. He had seen him experience loss when that Ice Style user had died at Hatake's hand, having lost someone who could truly understand his loneliness and pain. His grief at losing the Third Hokage, despite knowing the man had lied to him for years. His near deaths at the hands of Shukaku's Jinchūriki, that damned snake, and the Uchiha brat he foolishly tried to bring back to the Leaf. And lastly, his anger at how Jinchūriki like him and Shukaku's Jinchūriki were treated, and his guilt at that Sarutobi getting killed by the Akatsuki.

He had seen it all…

However, Kurama had also seen the boy's triumphs.

The first time he had a decent meal thanks to the kindness of those ramen chefs. His first guardian figure in the Third Hokage, again despite knowing the old man lied to him. The first time someone tried to help him understand how to be a ninja thanks to that scarred Chunin. The first time he felt a sense of belonging with Team 7, even when the team was doomed to fail. His first time meeting Haku and learning true strength from him. His first time feeling a sense of accomplishment when he summoned that damned Boss Toad. His first time feeling acceptance when the villagers cheered for him after defeating that Hyuuga brat. Feeling a sense of kinship when he got through to Shukaku's Jinchūriki.

Then came the training trip, where the boy felt like he could have a father in that Toad Summoner during their time spent together. Coming back to the village more mature and welcomed warmly by his old friends. Saving Gaara and the relief he felt at his revival. Completing the Namikaze's jutsu with the power of Wind Chakra and using it to save his friends.

And finally, learning about his parents and knowing that they had truly loved him in both life and death.

Yes, Kurama had seen it all through Naruto's eyes, both the negatives and the positives. But that didn't answer the girl's question. Did he, the Bijuu forced into the Uzumaki brat's body, grow to care for said brat? Or would he have killed him without a second thought?

After plenty of time thinking it over, the Bijuu had an answer.

"I think that… I would've spared the brat. After everything I've witnessed through him, and after seeing him willingly free me just to spare me the torment of being erased, I believe I can say that I'm…grateful that he was my Jinchūriki, and not someone else who would've tried to abuse my power."

"Naruto-kun never believed in doing anything unless it was through his own efforts," Hinata stated softly as she gave a tearful smile. "It was just another thing I loved about him…"

Finally opening his eyes again, Kurama looked to the Hyuuga girl standing before him. "This may not mean much coming from me, but you would've been good for the brat. You cared for him and supported him through many things, and while you may not have been the first or even the most significant of the people in his life, you could've become the most important."

Hearing those words, Hinata choked back a sob and tried to fight her tears; but it was a futile attempt and they rolled down her cheeks.

"It hurts so much… I hate this feeling…" She looked to the Bijuu pleadingly and begged, "Take it away from me… Please! I don't want to feel this pain anymore!"

For the first time in a long time, Kurama felt pity for someone; but he wouldn't allow her to take the easy way out. "I won't."

"Why? You've destroyed and killed before… Why can't you do it again?"

"Because doing so would insult his memory."

Her eyes shot wide open, shock filling her to the brim as she stared at the Bijuu.

"The brat always put everything on the line for his friends, all to keep them safe. You looking for a way out now that he's gone would be an insult to his core ideals. You were important to him, as were all his other friends. Don't go back to being a coward simply because he's gone. You, of all people, know he wouldn't want that."

Sobbing ashamedly, Hinata wept in front of the Kyuubi. She didn't care about how pathetic she may have looked and allowed herself to grieve the loss of the man she had hoped beyond hope to give her heart to.

And all the while, Kurama said nothing and silently watched the young woman grieve, knowing that everything he had said to her had once again been heard across the village. But he didn't care, because now they knew the weight of their loss. He wasn't just a Jinchūriki, or just the son of a Hokage.

He was a valued friend, and a ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Naruto Uzumaki

Naruto sidestepped a shot of Miasma magic from Hubert before using his dagger to deflect an axe swing from Caspar, who looked shocked that a small weapon deflected a larger one. He then ducked beneath a sword swing from Petra, rolling forward when crouched low enough. When he got back to his feet, he caught the arrow that had been aimed for the center of his chest.

"Almost, Bernadetta," he complimented before facing the whole foursome. "Nearly out of time, ladies and gents. Better pick it up!"

Caspar took initiative with Petra, the duo coming in close to attack him while the other two got in position. Once they had Naruto flanked, Hubert launched another Miasma at him from one side while Bernadetta fired another arrow from the other. Just before they got to close, Petra rolled away while Caspar leapt back as far as he could.

Naruto had been deliberately holding himself back so he could get a better feel for their fighting styles, knowing that he had more experience than they did thanks to the many battles he had been in throughout his ninja career. So, seeing the group silently work together to get him with a flanking pincer attack was impressive enough for him to give them the win.

So, he dodged and moved his body in a way that Bernadetta's arrow would cut the string holding the bell to his belt. When he landed, he was further than Petra was to the bell, and she dove to grab it with a triumphant shout.

"We've claimed the victory!" she announced as she got back to her feet, proudly showing the bell.

"Oh, yeah! We did it!" Caspar exclaimed loudly.

"W-We actually won…?" Bernadetta questioned in shock, surprised that they had succeeded.

"That took longer than I had anticipated," Hubert spoke up, his analytic mind criticizing the performance of his group.

"Not everything will end the way you expected or wished to, Hubert," Naruto spoke up, taking the bell back from Petra and giving her and the others a warm smile. "A good strategist has contingencies in case their original plan fails. I would know since one of my friends was considered an amazing strategist. Lazy as hell, but just as smart and he had backups for his backups."

"And how do you approach a situation, sensei?" Edelgard spoke up as she and her group approached them.

"Oh, I don't really plan things out before a fight. I go into one and just let things play out while reacting as best I can to the change in flow; even if it's a subtle change. Out of all our friends, I was the only one who could stump Shikamaru."

He chuckled proudly at that while the others thought over what he had said. "So…you have a reactionary mindset," Linhardt summarized. "You don't make a plan, because you don't always know if it will work from the start."

"More or less. Honestly, I work best on the field instead of off it. On the field, I can see what happens and react to it instead of hearing about it when it's probably too late to come up with a plan."

"A most interesting method," Ferdinand mused. "I believe it may hold some merit for some, but for others it won't."

"Of course! Everyone thinks and reacts differently to a situation. Where I act on the fly, others work better planning ahead. We're all different, but that doesn't mean we can't all reach the same goal."

"Different paths, same destination…" Edelgard muttered to herself before focusing again. "At any rate, it's our turn now, sensei."

"That it is! Group 2, clear the area. Group 1, you may begin whenever you're ready!" he announced as he retied the bell and resumed his stance.

Once the others were on the sidelines, Edelgard's group readied themselves. The Adrestian princess and her noble rival had their weapons poised in their hands and slowly circled around the whiskered blonde while Dorothea readied some Thunder magic and Linhardt stayed close to her.

At an unspoken signal, Dorothea cast her magic, forcing Naruto to leap back from the bolt of lightning that struck the ground where he once stood. As soon as he jumped back, Edelgard and Ferdinand rushed forward to blitz him before he could stabilize his footing. Edelgard came in swinging her axe that Naruto held back with his dagger, smirking at the young woman's strained expression as she tried to break through his guard.

Ferdinand hoped to capitalize on the deadlock and lunged forward with a thrust of his lance, but Naruto surprised them when he suddenly let off the pressure. This made Edelgard stumble forward as Ferdinand's lance tip struck against the side of her axe head, which threw her off balance while Naruto crouched low and did a leg sweep that knocked them both off their feet.

Seeing that her friends were knocked down and in the line of fire, Dorothea halted in casting another spell and instead unsheathed her sword and moved in. While she wasn't as physically strong, she could hopefully distract their teacher long enough for the other two to get back on their feet. She wasn't surprised when he easily deflected her sword swing, knocking the training weapon from her hand with practically no effort.

But it was enough to distract him as Linhardt used Heal magic on both Edelgard and Ferdinand, helping them to their feet before using Nosferatu magic on Naruto. Having little experience against that kind of attack, Naruto almost faltered in his dodge, but still managed to get away without getting hit. He was forced to roll away from another Thunder magic from Dorothea, but his roll brought him too close to the other two.

As he got back to his feet, he saw the training axe's blade aimed for his throat while the training lance poked at his side. Absently, he saw that Dorothea and reclaimed her weapon and was covering his other flank while Linhardt was safe behind Edelgard.

"I believe this is our victory, sensei," she declared confidently, earning a chuckle from him.

"Good work," he praised, holstering his dagger before taking off the bell and tossing it to her. "You four had impressive synergy. Covering each other and giving your classmates opportunities to bounce back after being stopped short or knocked down. I'm impressed."

"This is simply the noble standard, sensei!" Ferdinand proclaimed proudly.

"We actually won. I'm surprised," Linhardt sighed out.

"You should be more confident in our abilities, Lin," Dorothea admonished gently before smiling at Naruto. "Thank you for your instruction, sensei."

"Agreed," Edelgard continued. "I feel more in synch with the others thanks to this lesson."

"Great! That's what I was aiming for, after all," Naruto announced before gesturing the others to follow him back to the classroom. Once back inside, he leaned against his desk as the others took their seats. "So, what would you say is the takeaway from the Bell Test?"

"That numbers win the day?" Caspar guessed.

"Close. But numbers alone will only get you so far."

"That…working as a team…is always better than working alone?" Bernadetta ventured, earning a smile from her teacher.

"Exactly! You could be the best there is in the academy, your home, or even your country. But a team will always win in the end. And when one team faces another, it's the team with the better synergy that will take the day."

To his joy, his students nodded in understanding. It was a relief to him, for he was still worried that he would mess up on the very first lesson to them. But he didn't show those worries; instead, hiding them behind a proud smile.

"Alright, let's move on to Basic Tactics!" he announced, grabbing the text in question while the others did the same. "Now, even the most advanced kind of tactics will always have the basics at their core. As you can see in the first picture…"

A couple of days passed after that first lesson, and it was now the day of the mock battle between the Three Houses. Naruto, thanks to the laborious studying he went through each night with his Shadow Clones, made sure he would understand the material he would teach his students the following day. Whether it was combat tactics, history, or other subjects, he would force himself to rigorously study the material each night before, making sure each subject really sunk in thanks to the memory feedback from his Clones.

But today, there were no lessons. Just preparations for the mock battle, and then the mock battle itself. Naruto was pleased to learn that he had been the only instructor to spar with his students before the mock battle. This would hopefully give the Black Eagles a slight edge over the other two Houses.

The Black Eagles had spent their morning after breakfast going over a basic initial plan for the fight ahead. Since Edelgard was the House Leader, Naruto allowed her to take the lead in planning what she and her House would do. While the instructor that watched over each House also participated in the mock battle, Naruto wanted Edelgard to get some experience leading since she was meant to become the Empress of Adrestia one day.

Better to let her get that experience now while she was still the heiress and studying at the Officer's Academy.

"And that's the plan," Edelgard finished. "Any questions?"

"Actually, you should know that only the House Leader, the assigned instructor, and three other House members will be allowed to participate in the mock battle," Naruto informed her.

Wincing slightly, she muttered, "I see… That means I need to figure out who to bring."

"Well, you still have time to decide on who you want to bring. I'm going to the marketplace really quick," Naruto informed her.

"Of course. Be sure to hurry back though, sensei."

"Can do," he bid before walking off.

As he walked through the courtyard and made his way to the entrance hall, he felt a sudden pulse from his heart that made him stumble and lean against a nearby wall. He groaned and held his head, which was throbbing despite the location of the strange pulse.

"Ugh… What the hell…?"

"You really are a most interesting human," a familiar voice spoke up from the back of his mind, making his eyes widen in surprise. "Oh? Have you no words for me? Do not tell me that you are shocked to hear from me! You ought to know that I am always with you now. To hear my voice should not come as a shock."

'I thought meeting you was part of some strange dream… I mean, I was surrounded by darkness and then you just showed up out of nowhere…'

The girl sighed in disappointment. 'Whatever shall I do with you?" She then sounded firm as she explained, "I am alive within the confines of your heart. I am unknown to all but you. But through your eyes and ears, I see and hear. Just listen to your heart, as you are doing now, and we may speak like this. That is all that I know."

'Huh… Reminds me of how the Kyuubi and I used to talk in my head…' Naruto mused.

"Kyuubi?" she repeated in confusion before she muttered incoherently to herself. After a moment, she was heard making a sound of shock. "Oh my! That thing was placed into you?!"

'…I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you viewed my memories somehow?'

"Of course!" she answered, her shock immediately changing to a slight smugness. "As I said, I live within your heart. I am connected to you. So, is it really such a surprise that I can view your memories; precious moments of time held in both the heart and the mind?"

'Makes sense. And to answer your question, yes. That super huge fox with nine tails is the Kyuubi, and it was sealed into me since the day of my birth. I released it during my impromptu trip here to Fódlan.'

"…I say again, you are a most interesting human, Naruto Uzumaki."

He mentally chuckled as he resumed heading for the marketplace, now that the earlier vertigo was gone. 'So, what do I call you?'

"I am Sothis. However, I am also known as The Beginning."

'The Beginning… What does that mean?'

"I cannot say, for I cannot recall. All I know is that I was once called that. I am unsure who once called me by such a title, though…"

She sounded both anxious and annoyed at her inability to recall, so Naruto moved things along. 'Well at any rate, it's nice to officially meet you, Sothis. I look forward to getting to know you.'

"It's a pleasure meeting you as well, Naruto Uzumaki."

'Just Naruto is fine.'

"I'll be sure to remember that."

She went silent after that, which was fine because Naruto had finally reached the marketplace. "Okay, gotta talk to the weapons smith…"

He walked around, spotting vendors selling weapons, produce, trinkets, and other useful things like vulneraries and armor pieces. It was when he heard the familiar sound of metal striking metal that he found who he was looking for.

Approaching the woman working on her anvil, she looked up from her work and nodded in greeting with a welcoming smile. "Hey there. What can I do for you?"

"Do you do custom orders?" he asked.

"Sure! It'll cost a bit more, but I can do it so long as you have either a drawn design or can explain it to me."

Grinning, Naruto pulled out one of his daggers and laid it atop the anvil. "I need something like this; but I need it with a bit of a longer handle, a thicker blade in a more diamond shape, and a ringed pommel. I also need these in bulk since I use them in close quarters and as a throwing weapon."

She hummed thoughtfully. "How about the length and width?"

"The overall length is about 18 inches with the blade length being roughly half that while the width of the blade is about 3 inches."

She was writing this all down, picturing it in her head and nodding to herself. "I think I can make it work. I'll try it on some scrap pieces first as a trial run and let you look it over when I finish."

"Sounds great! Looking forward to it!" he bid, turning to leave before bumping into someone. "Oops! You alright?"

The person he bumped into was a young woman with long burgundy red hair that was tied to the side and reached all the way down to her knees, and maroon red eyes. She was dressed in a light gray top with a sleeve only on her left arm and black cloth bordering her collar that draped in front of her and was embroidered with a strange crest. Her pants stopped just below her knees and were colored gray with some white clothing that extended her pants to the middle of her calves. Her feet were covered in comfortable brown sandals with short and flattened heels while her hair was tied by a white hairpiece.

"Oh, it was no problem," she assured him with a winning smile. She then looked to him curiously, leaning in close to get a better look at his face.

"Not one for personal space, is she?" Sothis commented with a small snort.

"I've never seen you around the monastery before. I definitely would've remembered you with those cute whiskers of yours."

He blushed at the compliment and rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "I'm uh… I'm new here. I'm the instructor for the Black Eagle House." Dropping and then extending his hand, he finished, "My name's Naruto Uzumaki."

Taking his hand, she shook it with her smile returning. "Anna. Nice to meet you!"

Letting go of her hand, he asked, "So, what do you do around here?"

"I'm a merchant. However, my business deals with the more uncommon and rare products. Like this!"

She reached into the small bag that was attached to an outer belt and pulled out a vial that held a bright blue liquid in it. She held a proud look on her face as she showed it off.

"What's that?" Naruto asked curiously.

"This lovely liquid is an elixir. One drink from this, and all of your in-battle injuries will be dealt with in a snap!" she explained eagerly, almost like she was giving a sales pitch.

"Interesting. That'll be useful in the future, but I'm a little short on funds."

To emphasize his point, he pulled at the pockets of his pants to show that they were totally empty. This made Anna pout a bit before she caught sight of his necklace.

"Woah… That's a beautiful gemstone. It looks super valuable too."

"Yeah, but it's not for sale. It's the only keepsake I have from my home," Naruto explained as he held the gemstone with a fond smile.

While saddened that she couldn't get a price for the necklace, she understood that the sentimental value of the item would forever and always be greater than any offer she could give to him. She had her own personal keepsake that she would never, ever sell: her Secret Thingy! (1)

"Well, some ventures are just impossible, I suppose. Anyway, be sure to come visit my shop whenever you have some time! I may have some limited time offers that might catch your eye!" Anna offered, her winning smile returning.

He chuckled at her enthusiasm and nodded. "Will do, Anna. See you around!"

As he watched her leave, Sothis had one last comment to make when he decided to return to his students. "You were staring at her departure for quite some time, Naruto. Was there something fascinating that I missed?"

He stumbled on the steps leading away from the marketplace, but thankfully nobody noticed. However, the staff he passed by wondered why the newest instructor had a red face.

It didn't help that Sothis found the whole moment amusing.

Arriving back at the courtyard outside of the three classrooms, Naruto saw Edelgard standing beside Hubert, Bernadetta, and Petra as she went over her strategy for the mock battle. The other Black Eagles were still listening to her plan and everyone was seen speaking and debating with one another, which made Naruto smile as he approached them.

They really were starting to become a team.

Naruto had plenty of experience with a team that was doomed to fail, even if he had to have that fact explained to him by Jiraiya during his training trip. Team 7 was not a good fit from the start, and it would've been inevitable to have Sasuke leave for more power given his obsession with killing Itachi.

Kakashi had too much baggage to effectively teach. He was a good squad leader, but that was for more experienced teams of ninja and not freshly graduated Genin. Sasuke was too emotionally unbalanced to accept the notion of teamwork, even if there were a few moments where he was a team player. He felt he was superior to others, but also had a debilitating inferiority complex that made him jealous of another's success.

In Jiraiya's own words, Sakura was just not ready to be a kunoichi when she started out. She became one for the wrong reasons and never pushed herself to improve, instead focusing her efforts on getting the Uchiha's attention. And even though Naruto became emotionally attached to the team and did his best with what they offered, he was too immature and stubborn.

Hearing his faults thrown in his face was hard, but it was needed for Naruto to grow up and become a better man.

But the Black Eagles… They had this bond between one another that was clear to see. And while Edelgard was technically their superior, she didn't lord that fact over them and instead did her best to work with them, and not have them work for her.

"Sensei, there you are," Edelgard spoke up, breaking his musings as he neared them. "I've decided to have Hubert, Bernadetta, and Petra with us for the mock battle. With this team, Petra and I can work up close while Hubert and Bernadetta provide ranged support."

"And how have you worked me into your plan?" he asked curiously.

"From what I can guess, you prefer close quarters combat instead of ranged, but you're experienced in both. I would have you mainly acting as backup to us, so that way we can display what we've learned while you can step in if we have trouble."

"Sounds good. So, are we all set?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"I am ready to dispose of them, sensei," Hubert stated with a brief chuckle.

"I-I'll do my best," Bernadetta replied, and he gave her a reassuring smile that earned him a faint one back.

"We will get the victory, sensei," Petra declared confidently.

He nodded to them before turning to the others. "While the four of you won't be joining in this time, I want you to pay attention anyway. Observe the mock battle, pay attention to how the others fight, and think of ways you could've changed things if you were with us. I want to hear your thoughts when the battle is finished."

"Yes, sensei," the four of them replied.

With that, the Black Eagles set off for the mock battle.

All students of the Three Houses and their assigned instructors stood on a prepared battleground just outside the walls of Garreg Mach. Seteth was there as well, overlooking the upcoming mock battle so that he could make a report for Rhea and for the instructors.

For the Golden Deer, they had Claude, Hilda, Lorenz, and Ignatz while Manuela served as the House Instructor. The Blue Lions had Dimitri, Dedue, Ashe, and Mercedes with Hanneman instructing them. The Golden Deer were using a small patch of forest while the Blue Lions stood next to some ruins and the Black Eagles were stationed southward with another patch of trees near them.

"The mock battle is set to begin!" Seteth announced. "On my signal!"

The students tensed in preparation while Naruto, Manuela, and Hanneman calmly waited for the start.

"Begin!"

Edelgard immediately took charge. "Petra, you and I will advance while Hubert and Bernadetta will follow at a safe distance. Sensei, could you press ahead and lure them in?"

"So, I'm the bait now?" he asked jokingly, earning a small smirk from her.

"It was the best fit for you."

"I'll remember that, Edelgard," he warned in jest before retrieving a wooden dagger – which was provided to him by Seteth for the mock battle – and moving ahead.

The way he ran confused them, not used to seeing a running stance like his. But when he leapt into the trees and vanished from sight, they realized that Naruto had been holding himself back during the Bell Test. That, or the training ground was too open for him to fight to his full potential.

The way he leapt into those trees; it was obvious that he felt right at home in them.

Back with Naruto, he saw Lorenz and Ignatz were the closest targets, and he surprised them both when he leapt out of the trees with a wicked grin.

"Banzai!" he cried out as he landed, aiming his grin at the two members of the Golden Deer.

Lorenz was feeling confident and boastfully called back to his House Leader, "None of your shallow tactics are required, Claude. Ignatz and I will dismantle the opposition."

The bespectacled young man holding a training bow turned to his classmate in surprise. "M-Me?! But I'm not ready!"

Back with Claude, he sighed next to Hilda who rolled her eyes at Lorenz's overconfidence. "Are you making light of our new professor?" the young heir questioned. "If you drop your guard, you're going to get hurt…"

"He's right, y'know," Naruto warned the boastful noble before striking with his training dagger that was intercepted poorly by the training lance from Lorenz.

"Ugh!" he grunted out, shocked at the strength behind the, in his eyes, miniscule weapon. "Ignatz!"

"R-Right!" he called back before nocking and firing an arrow at Naruto.

However, another arrow intercepted his in midair, knocking it aside while Edelgard and Petra rushed in. Edelgard targeted Lorenz while Petra set her sights on Ignatz as he fumbled to get another arrow. Naruto eased up against Lorenz, throwing the young man off balance enough for Edelgard to knock him down with a heavy hit from her training axe.

He was sent sprawling, the wind knocked out of him as he wheezed on the ground. Meanwhile Petra was assisted by Hubert, who shot Miasma magic at Ignatz and forced him to stumble out of the way. Unfortunately for him, he tripped over his own feet and fell only to see a training sword pointed towards his face.

"You are out," Petra stated, and Ignatz swallowed the lump in his throat before nodding in surrender.

"Lorenz and Ignatz of the Golden Deer are both out," Seteth announced, prompting both young men to remove themselves from the battleground and to the sidelines.

Dimitri, having seen the tactic used by the Black Eagles, decided to implement a similar strategy. "Ashe, can you move to the front lines? I want to lure the enemy this way."

Ashe nodded to him and said, "Got it, Your Highness! Leave it to me!"

Dimitri continued his plan, "Once you've finished preparing, make your move. Dedue, Mercedes, keep our enemy occupied until then."

Dedue tightened his grip on his training axe and replied, "I'm on it."

Mercedes looked a tad nervous, but she nodded. "Oh my… We'll try our best!"

The Black Eagles regrouped around Edelgard, and she frowned to herself. "It seems Dimitri is trying to emulate our success."

"What do you suggest, Lady Edelgard?" Hubert asked.

"We should split up. One group of three and the other a group of two. The larger group will take on the Blue Lions while the other will distract the Golden Deer from interfering."

"How about you four all go after Dimitri's group?" Naruto suggested, earning a small look of surprise from Edelgard. "I can handle Claude and his group just fine. I've got some tricks up my sleeve that should throw him off his game."

Edelgard looked unsure for a moment before steeling herself and nodding. "Alright. We're counting on you, sensei."

"Leave it to me," the Uzumaki bid before making his way to the trees closer to the Golden Deer.

Turning to the others, Edelgard nodded once to them and they began making their way towards the Blue Lions. They spotted Ashe first, and he tried to hit them with some arrows, but Hubert used Miasma magic to intercept them while Bernadetta took a shot between them that clipped the Faerghus native in the arm.

Ashe winced at the hit, finding it harder to hold the training bow in his hands and unable to stop Petra from closing the distance and placing her training sword at his neck, raising his head from the chin.

"Ashe of the Blue Lions is out!" Seteth announced, getting Petra to back off so that the young man could leave the battlefield.

Dedue stepped up with Mercedes behind him, and he met Edelgard as they clashed with their training axes. He was larger and could easily take her strikes, but she was more agile and could avoid his. Mercedes couldn't help him, because she was targeted by Petra while Hubert kept her preoccupied with more Miasma magic.

Dimitri saw that his friends were in trouble and moved in to assist Mercedes. However, Bernadetta hampered his advance with her arrows, aiming just in front of him with arced shots that came downward from above. He growled in annoyance and kept pressing forward, frowning when Petra forced Mercedes to forfeit which allowed for Hubert to target Dedue. Knowing his most trustworthy companion struggled defensively against magic, Dimitri knew that Dedue wouldn't last long without help.

Edelgard saw Dimitri closing the distance, so she backed off from her attack on Dedue to intercept him while Hubert knocked Dedue down with Miasma magic to his chest. Petra passed by her, and the two young women shared a nod as the Brigid princess advanced on the Duscur native.

"Dimitri… It's time!" Edelgard declared, standing before the young prince. "We can finally settle the question of who's stronger."

Dimitri nodded and took his stance, holding his training lance with practiced ease. "Very well. I accept your challenge. With you as my opponent, I won't hold anything back."

Edelgard smirked before she charged. "I would expect no less!"

Back with Naruto, he had once again taken to the trees and made his way stealthily towards Claude and Hilda. The two of them were slowly advancing through the patch of forest he was in with Professor Manuela staying behind them. Personally, Naruto appreciated how Manuela was sticking close to her students, whereas Hanneman was staying at his position in the ruins and did nothing to assist the Blue Lions.

It showed their different approaches to how they instructed or led their students.

Deciding to have some fun, Naruto took a snapper from one of his belt pouches and tossed it towards the foliage closest to them. As expected, the loud pop it produced made them jump in surprise and turn their attention towards the sound. This allowed Naruto to drop behind them without making a sound.

Manuela gave a soft gasp when she felt the wooden edge of his training dagger against her neck. "Sorry, Manuela. But with your better experience, you're currently the bigger threat," Naruto apologized, getting Claude and Hilda to turn to their professor with surprise on their face.

"Oh? I didn't think I could be so intimidating. But still, it looks like Lady Rhea appointing you as a professor was a good decision," she responded, complimenting him before raising her hand in surrender. When Seteth announced her dismissal from the mock battle, Naruto backed off from her and she turned to him with a slightly alluring smirk. "I'm looking forward to seeing what else you'll show us, Naruto."

He smiled back, oblivious to the silent message her smirk was giving. "You'll find that I'm full of surprises," he replied before watching her leave. Turning to the other two, he grinned and added, "Don't jump at every sound you hear. You never know when it's just a feint to get past your guard."

"I'll be sure to remember that, Teach," Claude shot back as he took aim with his training bow. "Got any other lessons for us?"

"Nah, but I do have an offer."

"Is it that you're giving up?" Hilda asked hopefully, giving him a sweet smile. Absently, Naruto thought it showed her beauty.

Shaking his head with a chuckle, he holstered his wooden dagger and spread his arms wide. "Take your shot, Claude."

"Excuse me?" the young man questioned, thrown for a loop. 'Didn't he just say he wasn't giving up?'

"Take your shot," Naruto repeated. "If you can knock me down with it, I'll forfeit and leave the mock battle. If you don't take the shot, I'll take you both out in a blink."

Smirking, Claude pulled the bowstring back a bit harder to give his arrow more force. "You asked for it, Teach!"

The arrow was loosed, quickly reaching Naruto's position and striking him dead center in the chest. Claude and Hilda both looked eager to see what it would do, but their eager expressions changed to shocked confusion when Naruto vanished in a burst of smoke and Claude's arrow continued unimpeded until it fell to the ground with a clatter.

"Where did-?!" Hilda made to ask before she too felt a wooden dagger against her neck. Her eyes went wide at that, and she turned her head to see Naruto's smiling face. The roguish grin made her cheeks warm faintly.

"I guess I lied," he commented airily as Seteth was heard announcing Hilda's dismissal. "I did have another lesson for you."

Claude watched Naruto let Hilda go as he asked, "And that was…?"

"Never take someone's offer at face value. You never know if they are the tricky sort of bastard to pull one over on you." His grin became a knowing one as he added, "But you already knew that lesson, didn't you Claude?"

The heir of House Riegan shook his head with an amused look. "Guess you got me figured out, Teach. Kinda wish you had decided to teach the Golden Deer."

"Yeah, we would've had an easy victory," Hilda added as she gave Naruto an appreciative look.

"I was considering teaching the Golden Deer," Naruto confessed. "But I felt that I could do more for Edelgard and the Black Eagles. Maybe in another life."

"Maybe," Claude agreed before shrugging. "Well, I know when not to press my luck, so I'm done. Guess that's it for the Golden Deer."

"Better luck next time, guys," the Uzumaki bid before making his way back to his students.

Left alone and ignoring Seteth announcing the Golden Deer losing, Hilda commented, "He's an interesting one."

"Yeah. I think there's more to Teach than meets the eye."

"No kidding. I'm still trying to figure out how he turned into smoke."

"Maybe we'll see it again in the future. He did say he was full of surprises, after all."

When Naruto regrouped with his students, he saw that only Dimitri and Hanneman were left for the Blue Lions. Hubert was observing Edelgard's fight against Dimitri while Petra and Bernadetta made their way towards the Crest Scholar.

Stepping up to stand beside the young man, Naruto asked, "How's she doing?"

"Lady Edelgard is currently at a stalemate against Dimitri. Neither of them is gaining ground against the other," Hubert answered, never taking his eyes off the fight.

"They're rivals then, I take it?"

"In a sense. Both are set to rule their nations, and they've never had a clear victor in their previous spars. However, Lady Edelgard will, in the end, be victorious. Of that, I have no doubt, sensei."

He looked to Hubert out of the corner of his eye. "You're incredibly devoted to her despite being classmates. Am I missing something?"

"I'm no simple classmate. I am Lady Edelgard's most loyal servant and supporter. So yes, I am devoted to her and her goals for the future."

Naruto hummed at that. "You remind me of someone from my past. Despite his own pacifistic nature, I think you two would've found some common ground in how devoted you are to your chosen leaders."

"I doubt that."

"He literally gave his life by taking a killing blow meant for his master," Naruto informed Hubert, a slight edge in his voice. "He was someone I would've gladly called my friend despite being my enemy. He taught me what it means to be strong. So, don't dismiss what I say about him as if he was insignificant."

Hubert actually chuckled at that. "My, My… I didn't think there was anything that could get under your skin, sensei. For what it's worth, I apologize for any offense I may have given."

"He's quite rude, isn't he?" Sothis asked, her tone holding some faint annoyance.

Frowning, Naruto turned back to the mock battle and saw that, after taking Hanneman out of the fight, Petra and Bernadetta came to Edelgard's aid and surrounded Dimitri. "Looks like that's the end."

"Indeed, sensei. Though, I had hoped Lady Edelgard would've defeated Dimitri without assistance."

"Remember my first lesson, Hubert. Any one person can be strong, but a team will always be stronger."

"Of course, sensei. I will not forget that lesson anytime soon."

Naruto heard Seteth announce, "The mock battle is finished! And the Black Eagles are the winners!"

From the sidelines, Naruto heard his remaining students cheering for their success while Edelgard announced, "Even though it was just a mock battle, we defeated both houses masterfully. Take pride in this victory, everyone!"

Smiling warmly, Naruto felt an incredible sense of pride in his students. And they would only make him prouder in the future.

He had faith in them.

Later that day, Naruto was in Rhea's audience chamber so that he could report to her and Seteth.

She gave him a kind smile and praised, "Your work with the students was remarkable. I can see great potential in them under your guidance. I do hope you were able to use the occasion to bond with the students."

"Definitely," Naruto replied with a bright smile. "I'm looking forward to teaching them and helping them grow as both students and people."

"I am so happy to hear it. Nothing would please me more than if you used this coming year to grow closer still."

Seteth then cleared his throat and informed the Uzumaki, "Of course, the mock battle was mere practice. The real fight is the Battle of the Eagle and Lion, which will take place during the Wyvern Moon."

"The Wyvern Moon…" Sothis spoke up in his mind. "That is the Moon when we share our date of birth…"

"You are expected to properly train your students so as not to humiliate the academy during the long-held tradition that is the coming battle," Seteth finished, and Naruto fought a frown at the man's continued harsh tone towards him.

Rhea continued, "As for today, I have called you here to tell you of your mission for the month ahead. Your class is to dispose of some bandits causing trouble nearby."

"A mission?" Naruto repeated. "Wait, my class is taking part too?"

"Those affiliated with Garreg Mach Monastery have a moral obligation to help those in need, regardless of social standing," Seteth explained. "Students are no exception. Each month, before the newly birthed moon departs, each House of students must complete their assigned mission. You shall work to complete the task at hand alongside your students and report back to the archbishop before the deadline. Understood?"

"Yeah, I understand. So, what can you tell me about our first mission?" Naruto asked.

Seteth shook his head. "I will soon provide you with the necessary details for your first mission. If I told you now, I expect you would only forget, and I despise repeating myself."

"Hmph! This man clearly has little faith in your abilities," Sothis commented, and Naruto could practically feel her frown.

Rhea gave Naruto a warm smile and commented, "I can sense something special within your heart, Professor… I have high hopes for you and your students."

"We'll do our best, Rhea," Naruto promised before he took his leave.

"…You've read the report from Manuela about what her students informed her of him, yes?" Seteth asked Rhea as soon as Naruto departed.

"I read what you are no doubt alluding to, Seteth," she answered. "It seems our new professor has some interesting abilities at his disposal."

"And that doesn't warrant any suspicion from you?" he pressed, only to have her shake her head in response.

"No. I was not lying when I said I had faith in him. He carries my greatest desire in his heart, and I will do whatever I can to make him reach the potential I have placed upon him."

Seteth said nothing at that and left the chamber, doubts and concerns plaguing his thoughts. Still, he had faith in Rhea.

So, he would grudgingly put some trust in the whiskered blonde she seemed so protective of.

1~ No one knows what Anna's "Secret Thingy" is… According to the series: It's too incredible to behold!

DEAR GOD, THIS WAS LONG!

This took me a few days – with sporadic times to type in between – to finish. And I can say that I'm pretty proud of what I've presented to you all!

Next time, Naruto and the Black Eagles will take on some bandits in the Red Canyon. But Naruto will also meet some students hidden beneath Garreg Mach.

What other secrets will Naruto uncover from this monastery?

Until next time!

Stay safe, healthy, and positive!

Dreaming of the Future

pain17ification