Yes, I know it's been several months since the last chapter, and this one is shorter than the usual ones where I go up to 10,000 and over words for a chapter. I have had a lot going on personally, one of them being my laptop charger biting the dust and forcing me to buy a new one, another being the editing of previous chapters, and most of all, my pain in the ass brother, who tends to read my stories and just stalls me too much when I am working on a chapter or so. Due to this, I am splitting this into Part A and Part B, then continuing on. Basically this will be called Stronger II A, with the next chapter being Stronger II B.
I wasn't expecting it to be this long to submit just 6000 plus words, but I assure you things will try to pick up on my end at the best of my abilities. After all, "Thrice Upon a Time" took over 5 years after the last Rebuild of Evangelion film to be released so yeah.
Whatever I had planned to add in here will be in the next one so please continue to read.
Also, at some point, I plan to write a story focused on Xenovia's story on her path as an exorcist. This was decided on after watching previews of and reading "Sword Art Online Progressive. It'll be called High School DxD: FIREBRAND - EXORCISTENCE, a mix between Exorcist and Existence. This will also be a separate story. There will also be a story that may or may not be canon in FIREBRAND, which takes place during the days until the Rias and Sona Rating Game. It may be called "Turbulant Four Seasons" and will involve five daughters who are the representatives of the four seasons, two of them being either older and younger siblings or twins representing Summer and the fire element. More information may be added later.
OP5: Burning Soul by GARNiDELiA
Luciferd Colosseum
Arena
In response to seeing Malty's brutalized state, Motoyasu aimed his spear at Naruto and fires a beam of energy at him as Itsuki joins in and fires off a shining arrow. Just when the Agares Rook was about to turn around to defend himself, Ren appears in front of him. Charging his sword with red energy, he executes a frenzy of slashes to cancel out his allies' attacks.
"Ren, what do you think you're doing!?" Motoyasu asked his fellow weapon bearer.
"Preventing you two from ending up like Malty," he answered. "Are you really going to start a fight with him?"
"Don't you want to-"
"Of course I want to!" Ren shouts. "But our top priority is to get Malty to a hospital." Despite seething with anger for the blond, both the spear and bow weapon bearers knew Malty needed medical attention, and that fighting Naruto would have to come later than now. Picking the injured red-haired girl in his arms, Motoyasu and Itsuki ran off to find the nearest hospital for her.
"If we ever fight, I won't go easy on you. Consider what I did just now a personal favor to Xenovia." Finished, Ren goes after his teammates.
"A personal favor..." Looking up towards Issei and the others, he asked them if they want to come with him via sling portal to where Asia was being treated out loud. Issei, Rias, Koneko, and Gasper rushed over to the blond, who opens a sling portal for them to enter as the spectators in the colosseum take their leave.
[Re:Zero Season 2 OST - Abyss]
Sitri Territory
Hospital
Waiting Room
Naruto, Rias, and the Gremory Peerage sat in patience as they wait for the doctor to come out of the operating room and tell them the news regarding the status of Asia and her Rassei.
"I should have been capable of doing something to stop that girl from...from..." Seeing how distressed Issei was over what happened to Asia, Rias wanted to ease his worries and tell him it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't. She knew if she and her peerage didn't abide by the rules of the Underworld and interrupted the fight in the colosseum, she'd bring shame to the Gremory name. Rias felt everything that happened to her Bishop was because of her. She told Issei not to interfere, and that resulted in Asia and her familiar suffering for the second time. The Gremory King snaps out of her thoughts when Ayumi, revealed to be the doctor operating on the Gremory Bishop and her familiar, exits the operating room.
"Asia! Rassei! Are they going to be okay!?" Issei asked the doctor, his hand on the woman's shoulders.
"Her body will recover. However...while Rassei will make a complete recovery in a couple of days, Asia...the psychological damage she received will take about a month to fully heal up. She also hasn't woken up after she passed out from her injuries. When she'll wake...there's no telling when." Rias and her peerage all had looks on their faces that showed disbelief and despair. Issei took this hard as he lets go of Ayumi and drops to his knees on the floor.
"What are those looks for?" Naruto asked them. "Asia fought a battle she clearly had no chance of winning. The odds were against her, and she just couldn't stay down. That foolish girl..." This response from the Rook shocked and angered Issei and the other members of the Gremory Peerage. To respond, Issei grabs him by his shirt and glares at him.
"How can you say that! She suffered all that punishment! Being burned, kicked, humiliated!" With a light shove, Naruto knocked Issei into a wall without breaking it.
"And!?"
"And what!?" Issei shouts.
"She still fought a losing battle, even as her body screamed to stay down. Even in that state, she didn't give up or throw the match. Did you forget that to see that?" Issei's eyes widened, realizing what he was overlooking.
"Yes, it was foolish of her to continue, but she did it anyways. Asia Argento didn't just fight a losing battle, she showed real guts out there, and you just focus on the injuries she received? She's a pure and naïve crybaby at heart, a one of a kind gentle soul, all of us know it. But up until the end of that fight, no matter how gruesome it was for her, no matter how much it hurt to see her suffer, she showed true courage and guts in that fight. In that one-sided fight, she was a brave Bishop of the Gremory Peerage. It's nice for you to worry about her safety, but it's wrong to overlook her strong spirit despite the unfair odds, even commend her for doing her best in that fight." As Naruto spoke those words, Issei, couldn't help himself as he lets his emotions out, tears flowing down his face. Taking this as his cue to leave, Naruto walked away from the Gremory Peerage.
"Just let it out until the tears stop flowing. Feel the unfairness of the events that unfolded before you. The powerlessness you felt. Your heart is crushed. I know your pain, how you wanted to help her but couldn't. If I'd known, perhaps I could've prevented it. But there is no turning back to before it happened. Fill your heart with strong, pure anger that drives you to get stronger not just for her, but for yourself, and for your fellow peerage members, so neither of you need to suffer again. I just hope that anger doesn't consume you."
[Music End]
With Akame
Unnamed Mountainside
Akame and Sayaka laid on the dirt and gravel covered ground, tired, and a little injured, though the latter had a bit more injuries than her opponent. The terrain around them had small craters caused by their attacks missing their intended target.
"I've read the updated reports about you. Despite having lived as an amnesiac for seven years, you're performance is above what it was before," Sayaka told the girl, trying her best to get up, ultimately finding herself unable to muster the strength needed.
"Now you understand why I was asked to keep you occupied."
"And due to that, your brother savagely beat up an official's daughter, who is here as the representative of the Church," Sayaka reminds Akame.
"He did what he did under legal rules, so did she. What would you have done if you saw what shed did? Nothing?" Akame asked Sayaka. " If you were either one of Argento senpai's friends, how would you feel and what would you have done? What if this happened to anyone you knew? Would you still do nothing?"
"Do not put that evil on me," Sayaka said, sounding confrontational as the two find themselves able to muster enough strength to get in a sitting position.
"What that girl did was unforgivable, especially when she did it towards someone who means no harm to anyone and was innocent. She used the legal system to her advantage, resulting in an innocent Bishop and her familiar being sent here, with no idea as to when she'll wake up." Sayaka went silent, unsure of what to say next. She was aware of what Malty did, and thought what she did was unbecoming of a representative of the Church, and though what Naruto did will reflect badly on his King, he did it for someone who was put in an unjustified and meaningless trial set upon her by Malty.
"...It was selfish of him to do what he did, but I understand," said Sayaka. "I just believe there could have been a better way to deal with it."
"Perhaps there was, but when seeing something like that happen to a friend, you just can't help but act on how you feel." Finally able to get up, Akame walked towards Sayaka and offered a hand to help her get up, Sayaka accepting it as she grasped Akame's right hand and was promptly helped up by her.
"Those who see his cruel actions towards people like that Malty girl only see one thing and not the other. I don't want you to see him that way every time he's out on the field doing that, like those high-class jerks in the Underworld and the Church. Before all this, he was Human before, who kept his anger in check, and helped others, who kept getting back up even when he was constantly knocked down in a fight. But I guess the Church didn't have that in their files on him, did they?" When Sayaka's eyes widened, Akame knew the Church only had info on Firebrand and not Naruto, assuming it was a mistake on their part.
"Let's head back, clean ourselves up and get dressed into some new clothes. For today, please take some time for yourself to clear your head." After putting away her weapon, Sayaka walks with Akame back to the Agares Residence.
With Naruto
Familiar Forest
"You made quite an impression to the people in the Underworld, after you wailed on that Malty girl," Maki told Naruto, who was following behind her while searching for a familiar for the Agares Pawn. "People have been talking about you. Most of them came from the high-ranking nobles, talking about the brutalization of a girl who was here as a representative of the Church."
"I made sure to do it under legal circumstances."
"I know that, so does Seekvaira. Right now, she is working to justify your actions. Make sure you check up on her. She is trying her best to make sure everyone in the Underworld has no reason to consider you a large threat that requires all three factions to gang up on and kill you."
"Sounds fun. I'd like to see them try to kill us."
"I'll make sure to check up on her when she gets back," Naruto assured.
"That Kirasaka girl wanted to go to the colosseum and kill you right on the spot. Akame had to fight her off." Naruto thanks Maki for making sure she didn't get to the colosseum, reminding himself to thank Akame when he sees her. "Do you plan to heal Asia? You have the means to with Estus."
"True, but as both selfish and evil as it sounds, I won't. If they can't get stronger without me or any of us helping them, they can't hope to win against Sona-kaichou, or anyone else. For Asia, I know she'll pull through in time for the Gremory-Sitri Rating Game. She may not look like it, but she has changed a lot since the Excalibur Incident."
"The ones people usually don't notice tend to have the most surprises," Maki told Naruto, comparing Asia to how the Agares Rook was before.
"...When you showed those black flames, everyone thought you'd lose it and kill Malty."
"I was absolutely furious when I sent her to the ER with those wounds. I had to vent it all out before it could go past its peak." When asked how he knew what the peak of his anger was, Naruto tells Maki how he had Seekvaira, Alivian, and Hoshikari test how angry he could get and still be in control of himself in the Hidden Gap, his anger gradually going higher until it felt like he was losing himself to his rage.
"Ended up firing a large black-flamed fireball at an ancient castle and annihilated it to cool down."
"Wished you brought me along with."
"I can only wonder what you would've had in store for me, had I asked you for help on that," said Naruto.
"Guess you'll never know...In response to Malty being unable to fulfill her duties, a new representative will be arriving to take her place." Naruto voices his hopes for the next representative they planned to send to be better than Malty.
"There's a possibility that they're far worse than her and it'll be your fault." The two stop in their tracks when a luminescent yellow hare with grey eyes jumps out of the bushes and stops in front of Maki. "It seems a familiar has approached me."
"A rabbit?" Maki corrects Naruto, telling him it was a gyokuto, also known as a moon-hare, known for their speed. Kneeling down, her right hand forward, she gestures it to come to her, the hare moving towards her and affectionately nuzzling against her fingers.
"Quite a brave little thing you are. Do I take this as you wanting to contract with me?" To answer her, it jumps on Maki's left shoulder and rubs its cheek against hers. "Very well. I've got a good feeling about you."
With Joichi
Freighter
"Do you think there could be another Stand user on this freighter?" Jonas asked his grandson as they, their allies, a stowaway girl, and a few employees belonging to the Speedwagon Foundation walk up the metal steps leading to the foredeck.
"A large ship like this can't just appear out of nowhere, unless it's done by the use of a Stand. We'd best be on our guard, Grandpa Jonas."
With Naruto
Agares Territory
Agares Residence
Living Room
Retuning from the Familiar Forest, they are met with a muscular man with a long black braided ponytail, who was having tea with Seekvaira.
"Welcome back, Naruto, Maki," Seekvaira told them with a smile, taking a sip from her teacup after. "Naruto, you have a guest here." Finished with his tea, the muscular man gets up from his seat, making Naruto and Maki's eyes bulge out in amazement with how tall the man was (7 feet tall).
"Super Tall!" Naruto shouts in his head as the man approached him.
"Good afternoon, Naruto Namikaze," the man said in a polite manner, bowing his head. "My name is Gen Liu (JP: Shunsuke Takeuchi, ENG: Rob Mungle), I am a mid-class Rook of Magdaren Bael."
"Nice to meet you, Liu-san."
"Forget the formalities. Call me Gen."
"Right. What brings you here to see me, Gen?" Naruto asked the man.
"I watched your fight with that Church girl," Gen told the blond Rook. "That was quite the beating you gave her, and quite the rage you were releasing from your blows. I was impressed with how well in control you were. Usually when your rage reaches that point, you lose all reason and start attacking blindly. I was close to interfering." Naruto tells Gen he had been training to be able to control his rage to a certain point and utilize the increase it gave him.
"That is quite the risk you put yourself in to be able to do that," said Gen. "Though seeing as how you're standing here and not under the ground or in a prison cell, you know what you're doing. Now here's why I am here: I want to fight you on the day of the Gremory-Sitri Rating Game."
"On that day?" asked Naruto.
"Yes. Before the match, I am to fight another Devil to help get the crowd excited for their Rating Game. Unfortunately, the Devil who was supposed to be my opponent decided to decline after finding out I was his opponent. Spineless bastard...I was planning to have someone else take my place until I came across you." Taking a good look at Naruto, Gen tells him he's strong, but if they fought now, the blond would lose because between them, Gen was stronger.
"That is quite the claim you've made," Naruto said with a large smile on his face.
"Just stating a fact," Gen said in response, sharing a smile with the Agares Rook.
"Alright Gen Liu, I'll be your opponent." After shaking hands with Naruto, Gen tells Seekvaira to make sure her Rook doesn't go slacking off once he leaves.
"You don't have to worry about him slacking off," Seekvaira assured.
"I'll take your word. Now I must go and prepare myself for our eventual fight. It was nice to meet you Naruto Namikaze, and I thank you for the tea, Seekvaira. Catch you both later."
15 minutes later
Backyard
After Gen had left, Maki want off to train with her acquired familiar while Naruto sat on a wooden bench, with Seekvaira using his lap as a pillow.
"Can't believe you caused a commotion behind my back," she told Naruto. "Looks like I need to keep a better watch over you."
"Maybe, though I don't believe it's necessary."
"You better put up a good fight against Gen as compensation." Gently brushing her hair, Naruto tells her he'll make sure to give it his all for her. "I know you will."
"...Sorry I've been piling on troubles for you to deal with outside of combat."
"I'm fine with it if it means I can lay like this after handling them," said a cozy Seekvaira. "As long as you do it under legal rules, I don't have any problems with dealing with the aftermath. Just don't make it a daily thing okay?"
"Got it." Getting up, Seekvaira tells Naruto he was good to go, deciding to get back to her work as the Agares heiress lets him go.
"Oh, before you get back to your business, I want to inform you that the Church's next representative is going to be staying here."
"They already got a new one?" asked Naruto, thinking it would've taken the Church longer to choose a replacement for Malty.
"She'll be arriving tomorrow morning, and I'll be responsible with picking her up. Until that time comes, I'm going to occupy myself with a new Gundam kit that was delivered today."
"Need an extra pair of hands?" Seekvaira tells him he should start training for his fight with Gen in response. "I can start my training first thing tomorrow. Promise."
"If you're serious about doing it tomorrow, then you're free to help me." Walking beside his King to her private hobbies room, Naruto asked her what model they were going to assemble together. After spending time with his King, Naruto left to get a Get Well present for Asia.
4:22 pm
Sitri Territory
Unnamed Flower Shop
Upon entering the shop, Naruto finds Daigo turning around to leave, having finished purchasing a vase full of flowers, stopping when he sees the Rook.
"It's you..."
"We meet again, Naruto Namikaze of the Agares Peerage." When asked what the flowers are for, he told them it was to be part of a decoration for a birthday party for one of his adopted daughters, today being her birthday.
"Those are some nice picks you've got there," said Naruto, referring to the flowers in the vase Daigo bought.
Thank you." The fallen angel tells Naruto he had watched Asia's trial till the very end, finding the Gremory Bishop's choice to continue fighting foolish but worthy of praise, adding how she reminds him of some of his adopted children back home. "I also watched your match. Quite the ruthlessness you displayed."
"I take it you're one of those who were put off by it like the higher ups in the Underworld?" Naruto asked.
"Not completely," said the fallen angel.
"So there's still part of you who thought what I did was wrong..."
"I and several others were like you in the Great War, so I understand the need to avenge both allies and friends, family even. Part of me that thinks what you did was wrong feels that making the Bishop of Gremory's business yours wasn't needed. You may have inflicted damage on that girl like she did to her and her sprite dragon twice over, it doesn't change the fact that the Bishop of Gremory House is in a hospital bed, having yet to open her eyes." Naruto looked down on the floor, a sad but understanding look on his face.
"I know...Yet I did it anyways. While it was for Asia and for Issei, ultimately, I was also doing it for me."
"Indeed your actions were selfish," Daigo told the blond Rook. Seeing the look on Naruto's face, he admits it's rare for him to see someone regret their act of vengeance. "It's important to know when that selfishness is needed, and how it can better be used. Know when to pick and choose your fights, and not act solely on your feelings. Perhaps if you hadn't beaten that girl like you did today, an opportunity may have presented itself in the future. I can't say for certain what lies ahead for that girl, but it's something to consider, should something like this were to happen again."
"Probably so...I can't say I'll do it every time, but I will consider what you've told me."
"Please do."
"...Juunosuke-sama, if I could, I'd like to talk about the night we met you. It was obvious you wanted to kill Hoshikari, and I want to know why. Did he do something to you long ago?" After letting out a sigh, Daigo told him he didn't do anything wrong, but his existence infuriated him. "And why is that?"
"Because Hoshikari Kato is my nephew," Daigo revealed to Naruto.
"That would make his mother your sister."
"Older sister. If you have time now, I shall tell you what you need to know." Naruto narrows his eyes, telling Daigo to please tell him his story.
[High School DxD Original Soundtrack - Fugainasa wo Kamishimeru (Extended)]
"My older sister and I were part of a group of Fallen Angels who worked with the Devils to fight for peace in the Great War. While I was clearing an enemy camp, Kokabiel and his followers attacked the camp my older sister was in and, taken by her beauty, he knocked her unconscious and took her somewhere far away. Despite my injured state, I tried to take chase after him and get her back, but I failed. From that day I searched for Kokabiel, hoping to take back my sister as I continued my duties in the war. Eventually, I lost all hope. Inside I knew she would be gone once I found and beheaded Kokabiel, I just didn't want to face the reality of it. By the end of the war, I had no reason to go on and had assumed Kokabiel didn't get what he wanted from her. I had planned to commit suicide, but..."
"But?"
"I was saved by a slave girl, who had just lost her home to exorcists. After seeing the same look in her eyes as myself, I decided to adopt her as my daughter and train her in my sword style. At that moment, I dedicated myself to caring for children who have lost their families and homes, as well as train them to defend themselves. Keeping myself busy with my new purpose in life helped me forget about the pain. But, after seeing Hoshikari and knowing who his father was, the painful memories I had forgotten were brought back. Had you not stopped me, I may have killed him and harmed others while attempting to."
"Glad to hear you don't really want to kill him," said a relieved Naruto.
"I am well-aware of his relation to my sister as her son, but he's also Kokabiel's, and I feel it hard to accept him knowing that fallen angel's blood runs in him," Daigo says to the Rook.
"Kokabiel was a horrible person, most of all, he was a horrible father to Hoshikari," Naruto told the one-winged fallen angel's uncle. "Originally, he didn't want to fight, but he would be beaten half to death by Kokabiel for it during their training sessions, all to make him a weapon. And Hoshikari, he became what Kokabiel wanted just to receive love from him, only to get betrayed in the end. This is all up to you, but I think you should try to know him. He is your older sister's son."
"That he is...Perhaps if he makes time for tonight, he can come over to celebrate my daughter's birthday in Sitri Territory, you included," Daigo told the blond. "
"You sure?"
"Very." Naruto tells the fallen angel he wasn't sure if he'd be able to make it, due to plans he's already made for today, but was sure that Hoshikari would be able to go.
[Music End]
5:28 pm
Hospital
Hallway
"That fallen angel's my uncle?"
"Yes, and he has an adopted daughter, which means you have a niece. It's her birthday today, and your uncle looked and sounded like he wants to give you a chance."
"Despite wanting to kill me when we first saw him?" Naruto assured him it was only because the mention of being Kokabiel's son temporarily triggered bad memories. "Can I be assured that he won't try to attack me? Though I wouldn't mind if he did."
"I doubt he'll end up trying to attack you again, and if he does, he'll end up ruining his daughter's birthday. In case you ever have the urge to, I suggest you don't try picking a fight with him."
Asia's Hospital Room
Entering the room, Naruto and Hoshikari find Akeno placing a vase of flowers at Asia's bedside. Akeno looked surprised to see the two when she turned around.
"Good afternoon, Himejima-senpai." Seeing the vase of flowers she had placed, Naruto voiced how much of a problem this posed, having no idea where to place his vase. "I'll just put this near the window."
"I have an idea." Taking some of the flowers in Naruto's vase, she places them in hers and placed some of the flowers in her vase in his. "Simple, but this way, both of the flowers we bought are at her side."
"Thanks." After placing his vase near the hospital room window, he asked her if she came with anyone else. "No, it's just me here. Everyone is hard at work for the Rating Game."
"I see. Well, I'm sure their schedule's flexible enough to allow them to visit Asia." When asked why he was visiting her, Naruto told the Gremory Queen that Asia had earned his respect and that a few of the flowers Akeno put in the vase were daffodils, which signify respect and admiration.
"You know your flowers, Namikaze-kun."
"Only when it matters..."
"...And why's Hoshikari here?" Naruto tells her he had something important to tell him and that he finished talking to him about it before they entered the room.
"If this is all we came here to do, I'm going to head to that birthday party now."
"Birthday party?" Hoshikari tells her it was personal and leaves the room. "What did he mean by personal?"
"He's visiting family," Naruto told her.
"I didn't even know he still had family."
"Neither did I until today," he adds.
"...Now that we're alone, I'd like to personally thank you for pointing out Asia's courage to us," Akeno said to Naruto, sounding grateful.
"No problem, Himejima-senpai. It's not wrong to care about her safety, but if she relies on being protected by Issei and the others, she won't get stronger herself. It was the same for me. Whether it's messed up or not when I say this, on one hand, I would have done the same thing as you guys, if I had known about what was going on, and protect her. On the other hand, had I not known about what was going on beforehand, I don't think I would've noticed how determined Asia was to win, even if she knew she was on the losing side."
"It does sound like you telling me Asia being one-sided had meaning." Hearing Akeno's response, he tells her she's making him sound like a bad guy. "You are a Devil, Naruto."
"You're one too. Well, a Devil-Fallen Angel Hybrid." After saying that, Naruto found Akeno sulking a bit. Looking panicked, Naruto apologizes to her, forgetting that Akeno still had issues about it.
"It's fine, I know you didn't mean it in a bad way."
"That's very assuring to hear you say it...Namikaze-kun, do you have time to spare?" Naruto says he has no plans until tomorrow, intending to start his training for his upcoming match with Gen Liu. "Want to go somewhere to eat with me?"
"Don't you have have some training to get back to?" he asked her. Akeno assures she'll make up the lost hours tomorrow. "What do you have in mind?"
Phenex Territory
Unnamed Teppanyaki Restaurant
"This place is a bit much, don't you think, Senpai?"
"What makes you say that?" Akeno asked the blond Rook. Naruto points out how most of the food they've eaten that was cooked in front of them was covered in edible gold, which was 15k per pound.
"Even the drinks were gold...The Phenex Clan must be loaded like crazy if they can splurge the hell out of this place."
"They are the ones who provides everyone Phoenix Tears, at a large selling price," Akeno tells Naruto as they wonder what to order for dessert.
"I will admit this is a once in a lifetime thing, eating gold. I bet the food here has very rich flavors from all this gold." Akeno snickers at Naruto's joke in response.
"I've never been here with anyone but Rias, and occasionally Koneko. This used to be our thing in the Summer, but with the Rating Game coming up, and everything Koneko's going through, I didn't want to come here alone."
"Issei and Kiba-senpai too busy with their own training?" Naruto asked keno as she ordered for them. Turning her attention towards Naruto, she informs him that Issei's been holding himself up in Dragon Mountain training with a Dragon named Tannin while Yuuto is with his swordmaster. When asked why she didn't ask Xenovia, who was at the Gremory Residence training, she told him she didn't want to take the risk of seeing if she could eat the whole place up.
"Oh yeah, she could definitely do that. What about Gasp-...Oh yeah...I'm sorry no one was available to come here with you."
"It's fine, you came with me after all."
"I wonder if Seekvaira comes here..." Akeno admits almost every high-class Devil comes to eat at the restaurant, even Seekvaira.
"This restaurant is placed in some of the other territories, even in Agares Territory, but out of the other places, there's no denying that they don't compare to Phenex Territ-"
"Why did you invite me?" Naruto asked, interrupting the girl.
"I needed the company, and Rias and Issei were-"
"Don't lie. I know for a fact that anyone in Gremory-senpai's peerage, even Gremory-senpai herself, would immediately stop what they were doing to go with you, which brings me to ask you this: why did you invite me here? There's more to this than just a meal between us."
"...It really is pointless hiding things from you," Akeno said with a small smile.
"It's possible to hide things from me, you're just really bad at it," Naruto tells her in a harsh but honest manner. "Does this have anything to do with you being part Fallen Angel? I already told you I don't care if you're part Fallen Angel."
"And I am glad to know that."
"Then what's going on? I can listen and give you my thoughts, even point you in the right direction if need be, but the rest is up to you, as per my decision to not completely involve myself in your own personal progress."
"...My progress requires I accept the part of me that's a Fallen Angel," Akeno revealed. "Azazel-sensei told me I could've defeated Riser's Queen in my first Rating Game if I used the abilities my Fallen Angel blood gave me to produce Holy Lightning."
"If that's the first step needed to go further then just hurry up and accept it already," Naruto said with a blank but comical expression on his face, gesturing his left hand while doing so.
"That's very cold of you to say, Namikaze-kun," the Gremory Queen said with a sad smile. "It's a power I am not fond of, or like using."
"But it's yours to use however you want. It's not like you can't control it with your proper magic control. You can keep yourself from using it all you want, but there will be a time where it will be needed."
"How was it for you?" asked Akeno.
"First time I used my abilities, I killed a stray devil out of my desire to not put my family through another loss," Naruto said to the Gremory Queen. "The next time I killed, I bashed a fallen angel's face in with my fist and killed his allies, all with a smile on my face. After that, I viciously killed three people who were trying to rob a convenience store JoJo's girlfriend was working at. The one thing in common with them was even though it was to protect myself everyone I care about, I couldn't accept that I became this. But another thing was made clear after all of it, though Infernus had to tell me it to even realize it."
"What was it?"
"If I didn't accept it, I wouldn't be able to protect anyone," he told her. "Had I continued to be afraid of this power I was given, perhaps things would play out a whole lot different for all of you, for better or worse. I don't know what it'll take for you to accept your Fallen Angel heritage, but if you don't accept it, you'll eventually become a hindrance to Gremory-senpai and the others."
"Now you're just being harsh," Akeno told the blond.
"Sounding cold and harsh as I'm laying this down on you means I'm being honest to you, and shows that I care about you."
"Sounds like something an army parent would say to their kid." Naruto smiled at Akeno, not denying what he's been telling her is something they'd tell their kids.
"Just a fair warning, though I won't rush you to make a decision to accept your Fallen Angel heritage, at the same time, I wouldn't put it off. You don't want to regret being indecisive once it's too late." With the responsibility of deciding whether to continue denying her Fallen Angel blood or not, Akeno felt the weight on her shoulders growing bigger. First Azazel, now Naruto.
"Oya Oya, what's with that gloomy look on your face?" Naruto said with a smile, Akeno looking surprised since the Rook used the male equivalent of 'Ara Ara' on her. "It's true you need to make a choice, but for the moment, and maybe a bit further down the way, you don't have to worry about it too much. Your set deadline boils down to when and where you'll do it, and I know you'll be able to make it."
Namikaze-kun...Ara Ara, I never expected myself to be consoled by you the second time..."
"If there's a third time, you're making me dinner." Akeno tells him it was a deal, putting her right hand forward to shake hands with the blond, who gladly shakes it.
"Oh? So this was where you were?" The two face Sayaka, who had been looking for him, using the Blood Compass she borrowed from Moka.
"Kirasaka?"
"To think you were here making the moves on Rias Gremory's Queen." While Akeno lets go of Naruto's hand while having on an embarrassed expression on her face, the Agares Rook frowns at Sayaka and tells her he was only having dinner with her and giving her some advice to help the Gremory Queen get stronger.
"I-It's true," Akeno shyly told the observer.
"...If the Queen of Gremory is vouching for you, it must be true." Naruto was surprised to hear Sayaka take what Akeno said. Usually she'd assume something else, but here she was doing the opposite. "Ms. Himejima, if I may, I have something important to-"
"There you are Naruto." The three are interrupted by the arrival of Ayano, who comes out of a portal she made, surprising the chefs and customers. Looking around the restaurant, Ayano takes note of the place and voices her decision to eat here when she has time. "Listen, I need you right now. There's a tear leading to the Hidden Gap and we need to deal with it."
"Here in the Underworld? Very well, let's go."
"If it's a tear to the Hidden Gap, I too shall come," Sayaka told Ayano. "Will help with my report."
"Hm, very well, the more the merrier." Facing Akeno, Ayano asked if she wanted in.
"Me? O-Okay, but I'll need to pay for dinner and tell-"
"No time, leave it to your King to pay!" Ayano interrupts, pulling her portal towards them, which proceeds to suck them up.
"Hey, you left without paying!" shouts the chef in charge of Naruto and Akeno's table.
Glasya-Labolas Territory
Exiting the portal, the group of four find themselves in front of a tear that was currently being sustained by four runes.
"Where does it lead?" Naruto asked Ayano.
"The Catacombs. Be ready for anything." Before they enter the tear, Naruto summoned Nero to his side to aid them.
"I have answered your summons, Praetor. Please depend on and use me as much as you can for the battle awaiting us."
"You got it, Nero."
To be continued in Part B
ED5: Agapanthus by 麻倉 もも
What will or may be added in Part II B:
Hoshikari arriving at Raphtalia's Birthday Party and having a talk with Daigo
Raphtalia talking to Hoshikari
Arrival of the new Church Representative
Archer arriving in the Underworld
Malty's current state
Sayaka talking to Naruto about her approach as an observer
Kiba talking to Xenovia about her Projection Magic and Unlimited Blade Works
Ange Loyalty Mission
JoJo in another bizarre situation
Seekvaira masturbating as part of her training for mastering Sex Magic
Xenovia and Archer vs The Three Weapon Bearers
Gen Liu vs The Three Weapon Bearers