This room felt stifling. These robes suffocating. An unsteady hand poured a cup of lukewarm tea from her mother's old kettle. Shion had never been great with these sorts of things. Her anxiety had always been her weakest point. Fear of the future, fear of others, fear of intimacy. Ironic that the man who helped her the most may just be lost to her now. No one had heard anything from Naruto, Tenten, or Mizuno. With everything being what it was, there weren't enough guards to send there and reasonably protect the High Priestess. It was times like these that she hated her job.
She should be there with him, just like how she had been back then. With Moryo.
"Please, Lady Shion, try not to worry so much. It's bad for your health," Nobuo spoke calmly as he stood near the door to her temporary room.
She snorted, but he was insistent.
"Lord Uzumaki is a capable warrior and a man who can survive anything. If he defeated Moryo, he can defeat some two-bit cult. He will return to you. I know he would not accept anything else."
There was a small, gurgling whine as one of her sons woke up from his nap. Her boys were so observant, even now. They could tell something was wrong. Even Taruho who barely seemed to be able to stay awake seemed to wait anxiously for his father to return. Maybe her fears had rubbed off on them. She set down her cup and moved over to the two cribs. The boys laid there, swaddled in their jammies, as precious as the day she first held them.
Nobuo was right. Naruto would return, but in the meantime it was torture.
"You're right," she said softly as she stroked the heads of her boys. "He'll come back. He wouldn't leave us."
"Our guards report no attempted breaches of the facility. The students have been gathered and set to patrol the inner walls."
She turned to her bodyguard. "Is that safe for them?"
"We don't expect an attack on the palace, so there's very little chance of them running into trouble. For the most part, they seem uneased and I can't blame them. This whole thing makes my blood curdle."
Shion agreed wholeheartedly. The Land of Demons had always dealt with more… specialized problems than the other lands. The entire country was a hotbed for demons, spirits, and all sorts of strange religions. At times she wondered why anyone would bother to settle here. But then she remembered her mother, her duty as a priestess. She was more than just a leader, both martially and spiritually, she was a guardian. A sentinel. The Five Great Nations could play their war games but that wouldn't be anything if some lost eldritch being wormed its way back into their reality.
There were a lot of things she needed to tell Naruto, both for his safety and for theirs. She should have told him sooner, but things got in the way. Her partner was back and they were raising their kids together, and she got complacent with it. If he intended to rule alongside her, then she needed to clue him in to the secrets of the Land of Demon's past.
She pulled up Iruka into her arms as he opened his eyes. He blinked blearily a few times before he recognized the woman before him. With a jubilant smile the red headed boy reached up with pudgy hands. Shion brought him close and took comfort in the way he clung to her. It helped ease the anxiety in the pit of her stomach at the very least.
The priestess's eyes snapped open as the tolling of a bell sounded in her ears. The world flipped to an almost still image. An image of her fiance standing before a bloated beast that she could barely comprehend in the harsh light. All around the two thick flows of what appeared to be lava churned and exploded, radiating heat through the vision. She could hear a distant boom and the thunderous sound of crashing rocks.
It faded a moment later, leaving her breathless. Nobuo regarded her with great concern, a hand reflexively clutching his blade. "My lady, was it…?"
"A vision, yes. Naruto is in trouble, he's fighting something. I… I think he's going to bring down the whole mountain."
Her confidant seemed surprised before he turned slightly pale. Leave it to her husband to have to destroy an entire mountain just to defeat his enemy. There was nothing she could do either way. Instead, she was just left here to worry. It was the most despised facet of her power. What use was precognition if she had no say in how the future turned out? As always, she was just a pawn for fate to push around.
Just like how it was before she met Naruto.
0-0-0-0
He's so powerful, were the thoughts that ran through her hair as she tried to parry the lightning quick slashes and swabs from her former mentor.
Momoi's hair writhed and flexed as it attempted to circumvent the man's guard and grapple him again. But Mizuno was a trained soldier with even further training than that. His sword still retained that ominous dark red hue to it that seemed to cut through her hair like it was water. With the amount of chakra she was expending just to keep up a defense, she wouldn't last long like this.
"Give it up kid. You've got talent, but you're not going to be able to beat me. Even if your sensei wasn't gutshot, I've spent the last few weeks training you in that style you use. I know all its techniques," Mizuno warned, a dark look on his face. "I'd rather not kill you."
She snarled. "Yeah, you'd just let one of your flunkies do it? I'll take you down and help Naruto-sensei!"
"You're on a sinking ship, Momoi. Do you really want to die here? Over a woman who's bleeding out and a man who won't even exist before long? Even if you kill me, that woman is going to die and when Chozotl possesses your teacher it'll be over. There's no need to die with the rest of them. We could use a girl of your talents. You want to be stronger? Fine, we'll make you the strongest kunoichi there is."
His offer was genuine, but she remained unswayed. She'd never forgive herself if she let these maniacs run around doing as they pleased. Her hair coiled together to form a dozen fists made of condensed strands. She pushed her hands forward and sent them snaking at the traitor, who deftly bobbed and weaved between them. His footwork was impeccable, with very few movements wasting any more energy than necessary. Every strike came within an inch of the man, but none so much as grazed him.
He sure likes to hear himself talk, she thought to herself.
"Ninja Art: Sanguine Shower!" The man formed a half-hand sign and spewed a mist of blood into the air. It expanded, filling the air above them until it loomed over the girl like a sword of damocles.
Her senses warned her a split second before the mist solidified into dozens of needles that rained down upon her. Senbon made of blood dropped with more force than they should have, and she raised a shield around herself using her locks. It was only then did she remember Tenten-sensei, who was still injured. Momoi was forced to sacrifice some of her shield to grab the injured shinobi and pull her underneath the umbrella right as the attack came. The barrier was enough to keep out most of them, but a few managed to punch through. One in particular sunk into the flesh of her shoulder, scraping against the bone.
Searing pain began to spread down the whole of her arm, quickly being replaced by a terrifying numbness. She heard Mizuno chuckle from beyond the shield.
"It's over. I can see I can't win you over so just give it up and I'll make this painless."
"Screw you asshole!" she reformed the construct into a multitude of drills and send them at the man.
The soldier raised his blade, drawing it back before inhaling sharply. "Demon Blade Art: Iron Tearing Wave!"
A compressed sliver of blood-red chakra rippled out, stretching to fill the hallway. It collided with the mane of thick brown hair and easily tore through it. She barely had time to use what was left to form an impromptu wall that softened the blow. She felt her chest burst into pain as the attack sent her to the ground where she landed near Tenten-sensei.
Momoi felt weak. Weaker than she felt she should've been. What was wrong with her? Everything was growing cold, even the pain of the last attack was steadily replaced with a creeping sensation of nothingness. Her breaths were labored, and erratic just like her heartbeat.
"Blood poisoning. My old man… I'd love him if I didn't hate him. My blood is laced with a very potent venom, strong enough to kill a full grown man given time. To a little slip of a girl like you? Well, at least you won't feel the final blow," he raised the blade up. "Hold still."
He brought the blade down, and she clenched her eyes shut. If this was it, she didn't want to see it coming.
"W-What the fuck!?"
Her eyes snapped open. She was alive! Momoi turned to look at her assailant and found him tied up. Literally. A thin line had wrapped around the wrist holding the knife, immobilizing it. She followed the string until she saw its origin. Standing there, plain as day, a dirtied but alive Kaoru wielded a massive fishing rod. He was obviously straining to hold the larger man back, but even so he managed a smile.
"Looks like I nabbed a big one."
"You!? Fucking kids, isn't it past your bedtime?" Mizuno snarled.
"Momoi, down!" Tenten-sensei ordered. The seasoned ninja tossed a kunai with something attached to it at the ensnared soldier.
They stabbed into his chest before exploding in a tight blast that sent him staggering back. Kaoru took the opportunity to pull hard on the fishing rod, finally felling the traitor captain. Momoi heard Mizuno growl something incoherent as he struggled to get off the floor. In spite of the poison, she pulled herself up and spoke between breaths.
"You… should give up… asshole…"
"Guys, just hang on! I'm coming to help!" Kaoru shouted to them.
"Stay back!" Tenten ordered. "He's not down yet."
True to her words, as the smoke cleared Mizuno was still alive. His chest was in tatters, ruined by the explosive kunai. Blood coated his abdomen, yet not a single drop had spilled onto the ground. Was that another one of his abilities? Either way, he was in obvious pain for all that he was still standing.
"You miserable brats! Look what you've done to me!" he shrieked. "Forget killing you, I'll make sure you each suffer for this. I'll flay your loathsome hides and wear them as coats!"
"Flay this, buddy!" Kaoru reared back and cast out his line again. Momoi watched as the thing snaked through the air, twisting and writhing like it had a mind of its own.
Mizuno roared incoherently and threw a hand out. The blood that had pooled on the ground thanks to his jutsu collected into a solid bullet the size of a beach ball which he launched back. The line on the rod retracted as her classmate threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding contact with the sphere. With few other options and no time to pursue them, Kugo rushed in headfirst, wielding his implement like a sword. He clashed with the larger man, pitting the shaft of the rod against the man's forearms.
"Like, take this dude!" the fishing rod… spoke? Momoi wasn't sure if she was hearing things. The tip of the rod suddenly morphed into a large arm tipped with a mighty crab's claw.
It came down upon the man's arms and - with a sickening crunch - broke them both. Mizuno howled his rage and lashed out with a foot, catching Kaoru in the center of his abdomen. She saw his eyes go blank as he crumpled to the floor, knocked unconscious. To think her former teacher could still summon such strength at a time like this.
He looked down at his ruined arms with sheer contempt in his eyes. The brunette girl watched a sudden conviction take hold of him. Mizuno, with a great bellow, splayed his arms out wide as blood began to writhe and roil from the wounds. With a sound not unlike tearing paper, the damaged appendages came free! The limbs were cut clean off as twin scythes of blood appeared in their stead.
They hadn't won yet.
0-0-0-0
Naruto smashed another rasengan into the floor, shattering the obsidian once again. The whole room was in ruins, with hardly a foot of ground undamaged from their brawl. Chikanori was still alive, and in fact he barely looked hurt. There had to be some weakness to the man's form, something he could exploit. The bloated body came at him once more, rushing him like a seasoned athlete.
"I'll kill you, boy!"
He leapt over it and planted a foot on his back, kicking out with chakra-enhanced strength and sending the man careening into the wall. There! With all that muscle on him, he couldn't even turn his head that far, let alone grab him! He just needed to put him in the right place and lure him over the edge.
A grin on his face, Naruto leapt backwards and landed on the now-unstable bridge leading to the altar. With arms folded, he addressed the gargantuan giant as he shook off bits of debris from his fall.
"You don't know much about me, do you? I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I've faced meaner bastards than you before! Believe it!" he gave a proud thumbs up.
"Cute, cute. However, don't think a cheery attitude will win you this fight. Even if I die here, you will most assuredly come with me. Without her precious jinchuriki, how well do you think the Land of Demons will fair?"
Naruto blinked and his smile fell. "What do you mean?"
"The other nations aren't stupid. Do you think they wouldn't know if such a dangerous asset left its home village? People have their eye on the Land of Demons, on Ashiya. Even as we speak, they lurk about in the shadows. My revolution would have turned those barbarians away, but now you have forfeited everything for the sake of your own pride," Chikanori laughed.
"Well then, I guess I'll just need to beat them up too," the blonde ninja didn't falter. "It's not anything I can't handle."
"Foolish child. So foolish. This isn't a problem you can punch into submission. It's not an enemy you can outmaneuver or ambush. You are a capable warrior, yes yes, but how capable of a rule are you? Shion is not strong, and you are too simple to run such an expansive nation. How then do you intend to control your borders? Protect your resources?" The man's voice was mocking, almost sing-song.
Naruto grit his teeth. He was trying to get under his skin, he knew this, but that didn't mean he didn't have a point. He wasn't a ruler, or a king, or even really a kage. He was eighteen for God's sake! There were many more experienced shinobi who were accustomed to such things, even Granny Tsunade outclassed him in that. However, he couldn't just roll over and accept that. If other nations wanted to test the Land of Demons, that was fine with him. He'd overcome them somehow.
"These are the questions a ruler should be able to answer. And yet you're still just a child, playing being the hero."
He smirked. "You don't impress me either, old man. Decades of planning and preparation and this was all you could come up with? Me, another ninja, and a young girl were all that it took to sunder your cult. Your 'flock'. And you intended to rule the world with these buffoons?"
Chikanori's smile fell, and a throaty growl emerged from him. Good, Naruto thought, he was getting angry.
"I mean, it's sad enough that you couldn't do anything with a spy in our ranks. But now this? Talk about pathetic."
"You impudent little-"
"Forget about ruling the world, you losers would be laughed right off the world stage. Or, better yet, maybe they'd assign a C-rank mission to take you down so some genin could get a bit of work experience. I was pulling tougher jobs then this when I was in the academy."
"How dare you!"
"Temper, temper," Naruto wagged his finger and jumped backwards to stand atop your altar. "But the worst thing is your taste in decor. I mean, talk about drab. Maybe you just need to redecorate."
He punctuated the word with a full-strength punch to the stone carving. It cracked, then split asunder as the stone folded beneath his enhanced strength. Chikanori bellowed like an animal and sprinted towards him, as fast as he had ever gone in their fight. Naruto waited until the man was almost upon him, then repeated the move from earlier. He leapt over the charging bulk of the cult leader and whirled around to deliver a roundhouse kick to the back of the man's head.
He smashed into the remains of the altar, causing the immaculately carved stone to crumble like sound. At the same time, Naruto summoned a rasengan into his hand and punched it into the bridge. It exploded with enough force to shatter the floor, the cracks reaching all the way towards the main cavern. Chikanori stood up, the glow of the lava bathing him in a hellish palette of orange and red. It didn't matter, the bridge was coming down and with it so would he. His foe rushed forward, and Naruto briefly lamented the fact all his jutsu was close-quarters based.
Instead, the blonde shinobi withdrew a trio of explosive kunai and cast them at the ground in front of the man. They exploded, spelling the end for the bridge's structural soundness. The whole thing began to collapse as the room shook. With Chikanori's weight, his next step plowed right through the broken rock and sent him spiralling down into the lava moat below. The rest of the area wasn't far behind. Naruto jumped into the air, narrowly avoiding a similar fate as the ground finally gave way. The bridge and the altar were cast into a lake of hot magma, finally spelling the end to this nightmare.
The other cultists had fled by now, likely evacuating the whole temple. Naruto brushed himself off as the fox's chakra finally receded. It was a close shave but once again he emerged victorious. Now all that was left was to grab the others and find Mizuno before he could try anything. He barely made it two steps before a guttural roar from below stopped him.
"UZ-U-MA-KIIIIIIIIII," a bestial voice howled from below.
No fucking way, Naruto thought as his eyes widened.
Chikanori, his flesh blackened and sloughing off, scaled the obsidian wall. His legs had been completely burned off, and a piece of his skull was visible, but he was alive. Naruto felt fear course through him. Just the hell was this guy made of!? The obsidian began to give way as the monster clambered towards him.
"YOU'RE COMING WITH ME!"
What was left of Chikanori reared back as his arm inflated like before. With all the force he could muster, the dying cult leader smashed his fist into the rockface. A shockwave unlike anything Naruto had felt rocked the entire cavern and the temple at large. Cracks radiated out from the impact zone until they reached up to where he stood. They continued until they had suffused almost the entire room. Tons of rock and obsidian began to rain down from all sides, furthering the collapse as they smashed into already weakened areas.
It was time to go.
Lord Chikanori howled his name one last time as nearly ten tonnes of stone fell upon him, finally submerging him in his fiery grave. Despite the lingering pain he was in, Naruto's feet propelled him with frantic speed. The entire ziggurat was going to collapse, and with it the mountain. The blonde ninja sped through the corridors and chambers, making his way upwards as tunnels collapsed in his wake. Where were Momoi and Tenten? He couldn't leave without them!
0-0-0-0
"Wh-Wha-a-a-a-ts h-happening!?" the whole mountain was shaking under her feet.
Mizuno was still keeping up his assault, lashing out with scythes of hardened blood at the two kunoichi. Tenten, even with her injuries, was narrowly able to dodge the enraged man. She threw senbon, shuriken, kunai, even small blades at the traitor who barely seemed to notice let alone block. He was nothing more than an animal now, and it was obvious he didn't expect to leave here alive. He swiped out, and Tenten raised a long knife to catch the attack head-on. Her weapon chipped and cracked, but halted his swing enough for her to move back.
Her side burned with white hot fire. If she even made it out of here, it would be awhile before she got back into the action. Hunks of stone were falling now, providing deadly showers that she also had to avoid. Whatever was happening, she put good money on it being Naruto's fault. He was the only guy she knew who would bring down a mountain to stop someone.
"Kill you! Kill you! Kill you!" Mizuno screamed as his attacks continued to be parried.
He wasn't thinking right anymore. All of his blows had the same pattern, same style. Like this, she could easily read his movements before he even made them. Tenten summoned a bo staff into her hand and swept it into his rib cage as he raised his arms for an overhead strike. With a sickening crunch he was sent staggering back.
There wasn't much time left. She had to end this now!
She stepped forward and thrust the end of the pole into his guard, catching him in the center of his mass. She didn't let up and put all her strength into a further push that sent him back near the edge of the chasm. Just a little bit more…
Another tremor sent her staggering, nearly throwing Mizuno over the edge as well. However, at the last minute he found his footing and, with a sadistic grin, swept his arm at her. She braced for the attack, but at the last moment Kaoru's fishing line wrapped around his wrist. The young boy tugged on it hard and adjusted the angle of the attack ever so slightly. It still cut into her cheek, but at least it hadn't taken off her head.
"You brat!"
Momoi gave an incoherent war cry as she send an undefined mass of hair at the man that shoved him bodily over the edge. Kaoru retracted the line as he went over the edge to his doom. The last thing Tenten heard was his shrill scream as he was cast into the bottomless abyss.
The victory was short lived. She needed to get the kids out of here now.
"C-Come on, we need to leave," her step faltered and she nearly fell, but suddenly she was steadied by a reassuring weight.
"Sorry for being so late to the party," Naruto's annoyingly comforting voice said.
"Asshole…"
"Let's go. Momoi, Kaoru, can you walk?"
"Yes, sir!" they replied in unison.
As a squad, they retreated out of the crumbling ziggurat. Tenten held onto his back, trying to ignore the pain in her side. The rest of the catacombs collapsed just as they made it out into the workyard. Workers and foremen stood around, stupefied as they regained their senses. Tenten lamented the fact that they had been unable to save the ones who were trapped deeper in the mind. Even so, the nightmare was finally over.
0-0-0-0
"You're okay!" Shion cried as she threw her arms around him. "Naruto Uzumaki I am never letting you out of my sight again!"
He chuckled happily as he returned the hug with as much force. "I'm glad you and the boys are safe, Shion. You didn't doubt me, did ya?"
"Not for one single second."
After a full minute in each other's embrace they finally let go. Instinctively, he caressed a hand on her cheek to brush some strands of hair from her face. The accidental intimate gesture caused both of them to blush fiercely. He heard a small groan from Tenten who muttered something about being sick, but he ignored her. She was just jealous that he had a fiancee, and that he wasn't gutshot.
Nobuo gave him a stalwart nod as the medics attended to his comrade. Momoi and Kaoru were expected to make a full recovery. Apparently the poison in Mizuno's blood was slow-acting, if definitively lethal. He was just glad that none of his students would have any lasting injuries. As gave his soon-to-be wife a kiss on her forehead, he sidled up to his two students who were sitting nearby.
"Kaoru, Momoi, I wanted to talk to you about what happened. First things first: Kaoru, running off like that was a stupid idea that could've gotten you killed. You had no training, no intel, and yet you foolishly risked your life with no backup," the boy deflated. "However, you didn't abandon your comrade. You persevered despite the odds and offered crucial assistance when your comrades needed it. For that, you have my respect. It seems you've also found some strength of your own."
"Y-Yes sir. Sorry, sir."
"Momoi," she jumped a bit. "You fought an opponent that was much stronger than you in spite of your fear. I commend you for that. It seems you've managed to grasp your abilities a little bit better. I cannot put into words how proud I am to call you two my students."
The children preened, and he had to force himself to stifle a chuckle. He hoped his boys would grow up to be like them. Naruto patted each of their heads as he smiled down at them.
"I expect you two to give it your all going forward, and not to blab to your classmates about what happened?"
"You got it, sir!"
"Of course, Naruto-sensei."
With one final pat on the shoulder he let the two go. He'd need to discuss things with them in the future, but one thing is for certain: they were growing up. With Mizuno gone, he'd need a replacement, and only one name came to mind. Teuchi glanced up at him from across the room and gave a curt yet understanding nod. At least he had no hangups on the man's loyalty to the Land of Demons.
Still, it wasn't going to be enough. His students and the others needed more. An idea suddenly occurred to him, so plain and simple he felt dumb for not realizing it sooner. His shadow clones! He'd be able to give his students almost twenty-four-seven mentorship that way! Naruto cracked a reassuring smile as the details came to fruition. It was all coming together.
Then there was just one more thing. He turned to Shion to see her giving some casual orders to an advisor. She was still as beautiful as the day he met her. It was time he stopped beating around the bush. She deserved for him to be upfront about what he wanted. Confidently, he stepped towards his fiancee and cleared his throat. The advisor bowed to him and stepped away, leaving a perplexed priestess behind.
"Shion, I was, uh, just wondering," he began, clearing his throat. "Well, you talked a lot about the Hidden Leaf Village. You showed me your homeland and its culture, and if we're going to be married it only feels right that I show you mine."
Her eyes widened as he stepped closer. He just had to be courageous and pop the question. No more playing around!
"Shion, how would you like to return to the Hidden Leaf Village for our engagement?"
Hey guys, Joe here. Just wanted to let you know that next week's chapter may be a bit later than you're used to. Sorry, but my schedule has been wicked busy as of late. On the plus side, my High School DxD fanfic is going well. We're already four chapters in! I dunno when I'm going to drop, but I expect you guys will know when I do.
XOXOXO
CoffeyJoe