Sorry for the wait.
"Isn't the sunset absolutely beautiful?"
Naruto, Shinobu, and Mitsuri stood out on the pier, staring out to the gently rocking sea bathed in the light of the setting sun. After settling into their respective rooms, they agreed to meet at their current location to discuss their upcoming demon hunt.
It had been the busty Slayer who spoke, swinging her hips side to side as she leaned over the edge of the railing, enjoying the sight before her with a hum.
Before meeting with the others, Naruto created a small group of clones, three to gather nature chakra, while the others scouted the surrounding village from the shadows. He was still very much anticipating the possibility he may need to face them, their odds against him doubling now that they were together.
At a glance, there was no indication as to what the beautiful Love Hashira was capable of. Her katana, for what little he could see, was rather vibrant in its color scheme, sheathed in a brilliant white hilt, its blade obscured to him. She certainly lived up to the Love title as the guard consisted of pink hearts below a bright green handle with, in keeping to her theme, tiny pink hearts along it.
As for her behavior; well she behaved like something of an airhead, blushing every time he caught her looking at him. Whatever her abilities, Naruto wondered what, if any, information Shinobu passed along regarding his allying with Tamayo, a demon. Or the fact they had only recently tried to kill one another.
Even if she hadn't, it would soon become apparent something happened to Shinobu considering her sword was shattered.
"What's the contingency for taking out a demon? Do either of you have a plan?" Naruto asked as he joined Mitsuri in leaning against the railing, watching the rippling water closely for any signs of life.
"You'll be helping us then, Blondie-kun?" Mitsuri asked with a cute tilt of her head.
"My name's Naruto," he groused.
"Yes, yes, Whisker-kun ~ " Mitsuri said with a beaming smile.
Naruto looked to Shinobu for an explanation for her eccentricities, but only received a cheery false smile in return.
"I'm guessing that's a no on the plan," he concluded with a sigh. The two women at his side, for as little as he'd known them, ranked amongst the oddest he'd ever met and they continued to ascend that list.
"Don't worry, Shinobu-chan and I will take care of it! This is no place for someone as cute as you," Mitsuri said, her lime colored eyes fluttering at him.
Naruto looked away, releasing a longwinded sigh as he contemplated what he'd done to deserve what had befallen him as of late.
"Oh my, but I believe we may need Naruto-san's help here," Shinobu said, feigning a worried expression. "He's surprisingly adept when it comes to combat. Also, as an unfortunate turn of events, my blade is… broken."
"What?" Mitsuri gasped in what was genuine surprise. "Shinobu-chan, how did this happen? Did you encounter a powerful demon? Is that how you met Whisker-kun?" She finished, looking to Naruto for his own explanation, but he gave none.
"Something like that," Shinobu said, leveling Naruto a glare Mitsuri couldn't see. "All that matters is Naruto-san here will be fighting in my stead."
"Ooh ~ you must be strong if Shinobu-chan's vouching for you," Mitsuri said, her eyes becoming slightly unfocused as she placed a hand on her katana. "How strong, I wonder?"
Naruto subtly gestured a nearby clone to refrain from interfering with a subtle shake of his head, sensing it building chakra in preparation for an attack. He himself was ready for anything to come, if only in mental preparation as he retained his composure, all the while wondering why she was blushing again.
"Now, now, Mitsuri-chan, this is not the time for that," Shinobu said, stepping in believing a fight between the two may just end up with them being wed. That was if Naruto didn't outright kill her. Kill them, considering who she would have to side with if they fought.
"But how else am I supposed to know if he's stronger than me?" Mitsuri whined, stomping her foot with a petulant pout.
Naruto didn't lower his guard, but did find himself outright confused. "Why would you need to know if I'm stronger than you?" He had to ask.
Mitsuri blushed again, her entire demeanor changing as if on a switch, suddenly looking shyer than ever. "Y-You're so forward, Whisker-kun," she said, pressing her fingers together in a very familiar gesture.
"What?" Naruto once more looked to Shinobu for an answer to the mystery that was the Love Hashira. But of course he should have known better because all he received was yet another false and yet somehow mocking smile. He quickly decided that unless he wanted his hair to match both of his sensei's in color, it would be best not to worry himself with trying to solve that mystery. "Whatever. Can we just talk strategy?"
Thankfully that spurred on the discussion of the demon they were hunting. Neither Demon Slayer was entirely sure of what they would be facing beyond speculation and second hand information; stories, really. What little they did know was concerning.
There was legend of a demon that lurked in the seas, traveling from costal village to costal village, attacking the local populace along with any ships unfortunate enough to cross its path. Over the years this had become something of an old sailors tale told to dissuade those willing to sail into storms, or used to explain away bouts of bad luck. The sea demon had been around for years, somehow always escaping the Demon Slayer's blade.
"If it is this sea demon, then perhaps it would be advisable to call for more backup," Shinobu said. "Without my blade, I'll be of little help beyond enhancing yours with my poison, Mitsuri. Also, we won't be able to fight it in the water, so we'd have to bring it onto land, putting the villagers at a great risk. Though I suppose we can try and evacuate the villagers."
"You're right on that end," Naruto agreed. "And though I doubt we'd be able to convince them all to leave, I suppose it's worth it to try. Either way, to minimize potential collateral damage, we'll have to fight it in the water."
"That would mean fighting it in its natural element," Shinobu added. "Oh my, but perhaps you're unaware of the disadvantages in doing so?"
Naruto didn't rise to her provocation that time because he anticipated the question.
"Shinobu-chan's right. What do you suggest we do, Whisker-kun?" Mitsuri asked, looking to him with great interest.
"We find a middle ground," Naruto said, pointing towards the more desolate section of the beach. "I'll draw it to the beach. Not quite onto land but close enough for you to move in for the kill. I can even create a temporary wall between the sea and village while we fight."
Shinobu noted he seemed comfortable with tactics and giving orders, something even some of the Hashira struggled with from time to time, especially when in regards to working with one another and egos clashed.
"You can do that?" Mitsuri asked in awe.
"Yes, but this all hinges on you," Naruto said, nodding to her. "Shinobu and I don't have a sword but I should be able to weaken it enough for you to finish it off."
"Are you sure about this, Whisker-kun?" Mitsuri asked, sounding as serious as she possibly could considering she continued to speak in her soft yet high pitched voice. "I'm sure you're a capable cutie, but this demon is very much dangerous from what little we know of it."
"I'll be fine. Question is, will you be able to finish it off?" Naruto rebutted calmly. "I know you have no reason to trust me, but I can handle myself. If you can't do your part then you can just loan me your sword and I'll take care of this."
Mitsuri protectively held her sword close to her hips with both hands, blushing deeply again. "Use m-my sword? B-But Whisker-kun, we don't even know each other that well! At least buy me dinner first!" She finished with a girlish squeal, her hands having moved to hold herself, she began to writhe.
This time even Shinobu had her difficulties maintaining her mocking smile considering Mitsuri was meant to be representing the Hashira and she'd done little to honor the title in behaving like a lustful, love struck teen girl. Matters were only made worse when confronted with the fact it was true.
"Is that... is that really a big deal?" Naruto couldn't help but wonder. "Shinobu let me use hers..."
Shinobu was now openly glaring at Naruto, her own blush dusting her cheeks.
"Shinobu-chan did what?" Mitsuri looked between the two of them, her head snapping side to side so fast her own thick hair tails began to audibly slap her own face. "Shinobu-chan! Why didn't you tell me Whisker-kun was your — "
"Oh my, finish that sentence and I'll have to tell everyone about why you really became a Hashira," Shinobu warned with a smile that was entirely absent of any warmth.
"I told you that in confidence!" Mitsuri gasped, blushing even more.
Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose in order to fight off a growing migraine completely stemming from their annoying him. "Can we please just get back to what we were discussing?"
"I agree," Shinobu said.
"Yes, yes," Mitsuri pouted.
"Good," Naruto punctuated, feeling as though he were speaking with a couple of children. "As to my original question."
Mitsuri looked to Shinobu, asking a question Naruto wasn't privy to with her eyes alone and as if they hadn't just argued. While still maintaining her false smile, Shinobu only nodded.
"Intersting," Mitsuri was blushing again. "If you've managed to convince Shinobu-chan, then I suppose it's worth it to try. You have my word, Whisker-kun, I'll kill the demon when it comes to it."
"I still maintain we await further support from other Hashira," Shinobu added.
More Hashira meant more people to potentially contend with. He supposed it was something he would eventually have to face considering he was being taken to meet them, but he wasn't entirely certain he was prepared for that yet.
"I understand where you're coming from, but what if it gets away again while we wait?" Naruto proposed. "Earlier you mentioned it disappears, sometimes for years at a time, making it hard to track. We might not be able to wait for more of you to arrive. If we let it get away now, who knows how many more'll die before it's found again."
"Whisker-kun has a point," Mitsuri added.
"It's Naruto."
Mitsuri smiled at him and used both index fingers to trace three lines against each of her own cheeks, mimicking his birthmarks.
"Very well," Shinobu agreed after a moments consideration. She hated to admit Naruto was right on any account but she couldn't deny the logic in his reasoning.
"Alright then, this is what we'll do," Naruto began by unsealing his mask from the palm of his left hand. "First, Shinobu, I need you to — "
"Ah, I love your mask!" Mitsuri trotted up to him to look at where he'd hung it off the side of his head, her face very close to his own. "Are you a friend of Urokodaki's?" She asked, turning to meet his eyes. "Ooh! Is he who trained you? Ya'know, you kinda act like him too! All brooding and grumpy!"
"No," Naruto said, pushing Mitsuri away by poking her forehead, feeling much more resistance than he was expecting. "Now shut up and don't interrupt me again."
Shinobu couldn't resist smiling, a genuine one this time, seeing Mitsuri crouched off to the side, drawing invisible circles on the pier. For a moment, she even allowed herself to imagine a dark cloud looming over the boisterous Hashira's head, pouring. Not many people could engage her without becoming either a drooling mess, or impassive all together to her quirks.
"I'm sorry," Mitsuri muttered.
"As I was saying," Naruto continued, completely ignoring the beautiful woman's sorry state. "Shinobu, I'll need you to poison my kunai and just to be sure, Mitsuri's sword as well. Also, I want you to stay back at a safe distance. Mitsuri, you wait for my mark. Once I weaken it, that's when you'll come in and finish it off."
"Sounds simplistic," Shinobu commented.
"There's really not much more to it then that," Naruto offered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Now, let's get started."
Shinobu was startled seeing Naruto shrug off his robes, revealing he wore nothing beneath except for a simple pair of boxer shorts. That in itself was unexpected, but no more so than what he did next.
Naruto bit into his own thumb, streaking it across his exposed chest, resulting in a cloud of smoke obscuring him briefly. When it cleared, he was holding the armor from the day before, a dark thin undershirt, a chainmail shirt with patches of rust, and a green vest.
He dropped all but the dark undershirt, the heavy thud and following reverberation on the pier eluded to just how heavy his armor was. But neither women put much thought into that, at least not for long as their focus strayed to something else.
"Oh?" Mitsuri's eyes became half lidded.
Shinobu's eyes roamed his broad back, having since turned away from them. Scars, both old and recent painted a gruesome picture of a life of combat. Taught, powerful muscles stretched and undulated as he slipped on the undershirt, followed by the heavy chainmail, and finally the vest.
It was only when he bent over to put on his pants that Shinobu realized she was staring a little too closely. With a feint heat to her cheeks, she turned away, chastising herself for finding any part of the annoying blond attractive.
Naruto finished zipping up his armor, patting it down in a few sections, noting it was getting worn and he would either need to repair it or find something new. He pulled a kunai from within and presented it to Shinobu, who was making an odd face. Her and Mitsuri both, but he paid no mind to this.
"Spit on it."
"E-Excuse me?" Shinobu's face grew darker in color.
Mitsuri's as well.
Naruto's eyebrow rose in brief confusion before rolling his eyes in realization. "Get your mind outta the gutter. I need you to coat it with that demon poison of yours."
"Oh my, do you truly believe I create my poison within my body?" Shinobu asked, her faux pleasantness slipping momentarily.
"Well yeah," Naruto admitted with a shrug. "Ya'know, like a snake?"
Mitsuri had to slap a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing.
Shinobu, never once breaking eye contact with him, reached into her robes to produce a small vial. She tossed it to him with slightly more force than necessary but he caught it nonetheless.
"Er, it's an honest mistake," Mitsuri chimed in sheepishly. "I kinda assumed the same thing."
Shinobu turned her smile to Mitsuri, who seemed to see through it, shrinking further into herself.
"W-What? We don't talk as much as I'd like!"
"Alright then, you two wait here while I go get set up," Naruto said, moving their preparations along.
Shinobu watched him go, admittedly curious to see further what he could do.
"So," Mitsuri elongated the word. "Where'd you meet Whisker-kun?"
"That's a long story, I'm afraid. I think it's best we focus on the task at hand, don't you?" Shinobu preposed, tilting her head with a smile.
"You're no fun, Shinobu-chan," Mitsuri whined.
But Shinobu payed her little mind, instead focusing on Naruto as he walked just beyond the edge of the beach. Two identical copies of himself exploded into existence at his side, pulling a gasp from her fellow Demon Slayer.
"Oh my, three Whisker-kuns?" Mitsuri muttered breathlessly, her face warming again.
Shinobu's attention sharpened, hoping for any insight on just how he was able to perform demon like arts. He gave no visible indication as to how he produced his copies, other than the odd way in which he moved his hands, his fingers forming meaningful configurations so fast she almost couldn't see them. Similarly, his copies mimicked his actions.
Both women couldn't help but to share a look of surprise when all three Naruto's slammed their hands on the ground and the earth began to tremble. Incredibly, a massive wall of dirt began to rise from beneath, reaching at least forty feet in height, spanning the entirety of the beach in mere moments.
The three copies converge with who Shinobu assumed to be the original Naruto, a theory backed by the fact he began to give out orders.
"You maintain the wall," Naruto directed the first. "And you go in the water to look for it. Dispel whenever you see it."
His words were soft spoken but Shinobu heard him clearly.
One of the copies, to their continued surprise, calmly walked up the wall they'd just erected, defying gravity as if it were perfectly normal. The other one, meanwhile, walked towards the ocean, trudging through the water just as calmly, the water rising past his knees, up to his chest until it his head fully disappeared beneath the surface of the tumultuous water.
Meanwhile the remaining Naruto sat himself on the edge of the water, beginning to what Shinobu assumed was to meditate. He became deathly still, so still he didn't even appear to breath. He certainly was but his breaths were shallow and far and few between.
"Erm, I know I already asked but uh, who is he?" Mitsuri asked, sounding truly curious but there was something underlining her words.
What was he?
Shinobu was well aware of the true question being asked of her but she didn't exactly have an easy answer because even she didn't know. Naruto was a mystery she needed to observe further.
"We must keep a close eye on him, Mitsuri," Shinobu revealed in a whisper, never once looking away from the sight before them. "I'm taking him to meet Ubuyashiki-sama because I truly believe he has the potential to be a Hashira himself. That being said, I do not know to what extent we can trust him yet."
"Is he dangerous?" Mitsuri asked, her ditzy demeanor suddenly absent.
"I cannot confidently speak for his intentions but he is undoubtedly powerful. Be that on our level or beyond, I honestly would rather not have to find out. All I know is that we cannot afford to underestimate him," Shinobu advised, her grip on the wood railing rightening to the point of splintering it. "Or to go against him."
"The strength of a Hashira or beyond," Mitsuri sounded ponderous.
Shinobu realized that, to her immense disappointment, was blushing again as she studied Naruto closely.
A couple of hours passed before anything happened. In that time Shinobu had no choice but to reluctantly relay what had transpired between them, leaving out any mentions of the two demons they'd gone to war over. In her recounting their fight was born of a misunderstanding.
This only had the unintended affect of reinforcing Mitsuri's interest in the blond. Not that Shinobu placed too much importance on this. The Love Hashira's crushes typically depended on the day of the week and were often fleeting once they all failed to meet whatever prerequisites she had.
Speaking of Naruto, in that two hours he'd yet to move from where he'd taken his seat and his copy, the one that'd disappeared into the sea never resurfaced. Shinobu was growing rather annoyed with Mitsuri's attempts to pass the time by asking questions about the aforementioned blond, questions she couldn't possibly know having just met him.
"It's here!"
His shout was abrupt, calling their attention to the ocean just in time to see it illuminate briefly before something exploded deep in the dark depths, the surface level belching out a cloud of smoke. That's when something began to emerge.
The demon's head surfaced first, the overall shape a horrifying amalgamation of a shark and a squid; its skin was covered in scales a light consuming shade of dark. Two menacing horizontally slitted golden eyes broke the surface, glaring at Naruto specifically. Next to emerge were the bone protrusions surrounded what would have been its chin and along the side of its head, concentrated around its gills.
It continued to rise from the depths, eclipsing the moon's very light in its sheer size, revealing an almost humanoid body. Its exposed arms were equally massive and rippled with tightly wound muscle, webbed hands ending with bone like protrusions as apposed to claws.
It was a monster in every sense of the word, towering high above them, almost as, if not taller than a fully formed Bijuu.
Its maw opened to reveal thousands of jagged teeth and a writhing mass of tentacles within. Twin jets of superheated steam spewed from its nostrils, its gills opening to suck in air violently before releasing a roar. The shock wave the roar produced was visible before it was audible, exploding in a sound that was somehow both deep and high pitched.
Naruto continued to look up at the towering demon much larger than he'd expected and released a tired sigh at what was to come.
"Fuck."
It began advancing forward, its massive stature giving the illusion of being slow moving but the violence in how the water warped and parted around it spoke to its speed. Even the sea could not dampen the shaking of the earth.
"It's so big!" Mitsuri exclaimed, drawing her sword. She dashed forward, leaping from the peer, crossing a long distance to join Naruto's side. "Are you sure you wanna do this, Whisker-kun?"
"Yeah. That thing's fucking big but the plan's the same. I'll weaken it so that you can finish it," Naruto said as he began to walk towards the water.
"Maybe you shouldn't go swimming with that thing, Whisker-kun," Mitsuri advised.
"It's Naruto, and I'm not," Naruto said, walking on the water's surface with his right hand held outstretched.
"You can walk on water too!" Mitsuri called out from behind him. "So neat!"
"It's much larger than the reports suggested! Naruto, we must retreat at once!" Shinobu called to him.
Naruto could sense the immense danger they currently faced by how the demon's intent to kill permeated his own anger and determination. His clone hadn't even been able to detect the massive demon in the water until it was in its grasp, ending itself by exploding.
The demon before him was very much a threat and though a retreat would have been the most logical course of action, doing so may lead it to the nearby village. He couldn't allow for that to happen.
There was no turning back.
In his right hand a rasengan came to be, along with another clone, who began to infuse wind chakra into the technique. He instructed his clone to to call for and take place of one of his Sage clones as he would need additional support in assuring the demon didn't reach the village.
"Naruto are you listening to me?" Shinobu called to him again.
She and Mitsuri both were, in their own ways, troubled by what they were seeing. The demon before them was larger than any they'd ever personally witnessed and they too were suddenly inundated with a sense of danger the it exuded.
Yet Naruto stood firm in his advance, now wielding a large swirling ball of brilliant energy, tearing through the sounds of impending doom with a high pitched whistle. It released another roar, rattling everything like rolling thunder and as it approached, the more of its true stature was revealed.
"Shinobu-chan, you should call Naruto back now!" Mitsuri steadied her sword, taking a stance. Any traces of humor were completely absent from her face.
Shinobu, having joined Mitsuri on the beach, glared at her fellow Hashira. "What do you think I'm attempting to do?"
The water exploded beneath Naruto's feet and suddenly he was hundreds of feet in the air, near level with the demon. To both their shock, he threw the technique at the demon.
The technique shot forward with an incredible speed, impacting the demon in its upper torso, near its head. The violent clash created more exploding shockwaves as it expanded, the swirling eddy surrounding the bar spinning faster before exploding in a blinding light.
When their vision returned to them, the demon stood in place, half of its head missing, along with sections of its torso. It was as if everything the light touched was destroyed, leaving a circular crater.
Slowly, the demon fell back, creating large waves in its wake. More of Naruto's clone's appeared surrounding the nearby land, erecting more walls to protect the land from the miniature tsunami the demon's falling created.
"H-He did it?" Mitsuri was absolutely stunned, her sword falling limp at her side, digging into the sand with a near inaudible crunch.
Beside her Shinobu was in a similar state, only now beginning to understand just how powerful Naruto may truly be. To have been able to take a demon of such apparent power and scale down with a single technique was a sight to behold.
"Mitsuri!" Naruto barked as he fell back onto the water, landing in a graceful crouch on the surface. "You need to be ready before it fully reforms next time. This thing's much more dangerous than I thought! We need to kill it as soon as possible."
She'd missed her chance, both Demon Slayers realized. So caught up in the amazing display, Mitsuri failed to perform and the frown on her face eluded to this realization.
"Right!" Mitsuri recomposed herself, nearing the water's edge.
"Shinobu you get out of here! Go with my clone's and begin evacuating the village!" Naruto ordered. "I'm sure they've heard and probably seen why they should listen to you now!"
Shinobu nodded and followed his command without question, knowing it was the best course of action for her considering there was little she could do to help them without her own sword.
The water exploded again, revealing the demon had already reformed again, and in so little time, releasing another explosive roar. A multitude of tentacles appeared from its back, all shooting towards Naruto
Naruto flickered out of its path of attacks, using his nature enhanced senses to detect the tentacles trying to flank him from beneath the water's surface. He was forced to jump in the air again, a kunai in hand. He threw it at the demon's right leg, replacing himself with it before he was skewered by the lightening fast tentacles in an environment in which he couldn't move any further.
The momentum and the abrupt nature of his replacement didn't allow for the demon to react before Naruto planted a large rasengan into the joint between its lower and upper leg, using his enhanced strength to shatter the cartilage within.
The demon bellowed in pain, falling to one knee.
Naruto maneuvered behind the demon, five more clones exploding into existence beside him. They all proceeded to rain kunai into the demon's back, targeting joints and perceived weak points. The scales were incredibly resilient, shattering most of his kunai upon impact, meanwhile others were deflected by its tentacles. Using a multiplying technique, a few made it through the exposed sections of under-skin, the poison coating them aiding in burrowing the blades deeper.
"Use a wind technique to knock it down!" Naruto ordered his clones as he retreated a safe distance, feeling his initial round of nature chakra leave his body. He dispelled one of his distant Sage clones, bringing himself back into his enhancement.
His clones worked in near perfect unison, having run through their had-signs, their palms shot forward and another explosion sounded as a visible wall of wind crashed against the demon and its oncoming tentacles, knocking the towering beast forward.
The demon's massive head slammed onto the beach, kicking up a wall of sand that was quickly dispelled by a land stationed clone's own wind technique, clearing the visibility for Mitsuri.
Mitsuri stood her ground, waiting for her opportunity to strike, trying her best not to allow herself to lose focus at the amazing display she was witnessing. Having worked with a few of her fellow Hashira, though on a rare occasion, she was well aware of their capabilities. Not all of them, of course, but she'd witnessed plenty of awe inspiring battles that sent her heart racing.
They were strong, certainly, but not enough to be considered husband material. If it came down to it, not that it ever would, Mitsuri was certain she was stronger than most of them. However there was something about seeing Naruto, a total stranger, one not at all affiliated with the Demon Slayer Corp, battle the demon that certainly peaked her interest.
It didn't hurt that she found him handsome.
But the battle had just begun and though he'd certainly damaged the demon, it meant very little until he could present her an opportunity to sever the head.
Naruto began moving his hands in the odd manner she observed twice now following whatever art his copies performed to conjure a wall of wind to knock the demon over. Though not quite a dance, he displayed the signifiers of a Wind Breath user.
That preconceived notion was shattered as he steadied his stance, gripping his right hand with his left. The sounds of what almost resembled multiple birds chirping erupted following a strobing blue light. A ball of electricity sparked to life in his hand, its wild arcs stabbing at cresting waves and any other paths of least resistance.
The other copies seemed to realize this as well and soon mimicked the art, though none of their electricity seemed to be as vibrant or as powerful.
"Now!"
The all moved at his command, sending more shockwaves as they disappeared in a movement Mitsuri almost couldn't follow.
That's when his previous actions made sense. Mitsuri wondered why he even bothered trying to skewer the demon with such small blades, even if coated with Shinobu's poison. To a demon of such stature and power, they would prove to be little more than an inconvenience.
Their attack converged and expanded in a bright flash. The electricity bounded from one blade to another, creating an odd shape of constant flow, severely electrifying the demon enough to render it stiff, unable to move beyond releasing a bellowing screech.
"Now, Mitsuri!" Naruto shouted, his voice sounding extremely strained. "I'll let off as soon as you're in range!"
The copies surrounding him exploded out of existence nearly all at once. That's how Mitsuri realized the art was not prejudice in who it targeted in the water. Arcs of electricity continuously slammed into Naruto's armor, bounding between the buttons on his chest, smoke beginning to rise from it.
She could not afford to miss her mark again.
"Third Form: Cat Love Shower!" Mitsuri moved, her blade elongated to sever the massive demon's head.
Naruto was going through a vast amount of his nature chakra to protect himself from being electrocuted by his own technique, his concentration split in many directions, his primary focus on Mitsuri. She moved fast, leaping into a rolling spin, building speed. Her blade grew longer with each resolution, poised to decapitate the demon.
It was his instincts that alerted him of the incoming danger. He moved before he even realized why, rushing towards Mitsuri. With a kunai enhanced with wind chakra, he cut through the melted zipper of his flack jacket, now smoldering.
It all happened in a blink of the eye. Naruto stunted all her momentum at once, using his own kunai to stop her roll, breaking it in the process. He wrapped himself around him in time to protect her from a multitude of sharp bone spears the demon expelled from around its neck.
His clones moved in quickly, his Sage clone taking the lead in creating another Rasenshuriken, while the others unleashed a multitude of their own techniques to pull the demon's attention from them.
"Naruto!"
His chainmail carried out its intended purpose but it only covered his chest. Upon setting Mitsuri down, Naruto had to pull three spears that had managed to stick him. Two from his right thigh and leg and one that pierced his left arm.
"Fuck," Naruto groused, feeling one of his lungs collapsing from the sheer impact of the bone spear impacting his armor. He even had to pull the chainmail away from his back where it had become slightly embedded into his skin from the impact.
"Naruto," the voice repeated. "Naruto, you're hurt!"
It wasn't Mitsuri.
"I thought I told you to go?" Naruto muttered, spitting up a wad of bitter blood.
Shinobu looked torn between angry and concerned.
"We must retreat like I suggested! The village has been evacuated except for a few stubborn residence. Without my sword, this is currently beyond our capabilities!" Shinobu argued.
"No, it's fine," Naruto said, grimacing as he thumbed some of the blood from his chin, tracing it across his right palm. He grasped the needle now in his hand, removing the cap with a flick of his thumb.
"What is that?" Shinobu asked.
"A gift from our friend," Naruto muttered before stabbing it into his left pectoral, Tamayo's healing concoction immediately beginning to work in combination with his own natural healing, along with the dispelling of his third and final clone imbuing him with nature chakra. He closed his eyes, concentrating his chakra and flared it, allowing it to course throughout his entire body at an advanced rate.
"But you're in no condition to fight anymore," Shinobu argued through grit teeth. That's when she realized there was steam rising from Naruto's wounds and to her disbelief, they began to mend shut before her very own eyes.
Shinobu took an involuntary step back as Naruto almost seemed to glow, his already wild hair swayed as if blown by an upward gust of wind. Beyond what he outwardly displayed, there was a substantial change in what she sensed from him. It was as if she he was radiating a heat that had no actual affect on the temperature, his very presence surrounding her.
There was something almost calming about the feeling and almost dread inducing when it was gone, something Shinobu would consider when their lives weren't in immediate danger.
"This is just an inconvenience," Naruto said, feeling the pain throughout his body lesson, another side affect of Tamayo's impressive creation and his own chakra surge. "This demon may be powerful but it's slow. Well, except for those damn spikes. If not for a demon's bullshit healing abilities, I would'a killed it by now."
That much was true but it didn't count for much when the outcome remained the same. The demon still lived.
"But what if you cannot position it within Mitsuri's range?" Shinobu pressed harshly. "Naruto, I know you believe you are strong, and perhaps you are, but what if you're not strong enough to properly defeat this demon? What happens if you die here because you refuse to accept retreat?"
Naruto offered her a stiff shrug, his attention on the clones battling it out with the massive demon. They were inflicting clearly dealing damage to it but it continued to heal at a rate that far surpassed the first demon he encountered. It really was frustrating having the sufficient strength to kill the demon, while being unable to defeat it due to its incredibly pesky healing.
"If I die you won't have to deal with me anymore," Naruto replied absentmindedly as glanced at the Love Hashira.
The way in which he presented his own death was as casual as could be and it bothered Shinobu for reasons beyond herself. All she knew was that it did.
"Mitsuri," Naruto called to the oddly silent woman.
"Yes?" Mitsuri acknowledged in a monotone.
"You're a Hashira, right? That means you're supposed to be powerful; the best the Demon Slayers have to offer," he pressed.
"Yes," Mitsuri nodded, her frown tightening.
"The act like one," Naruto spoke harshly but did not raise his voice. "I'm gonna bring it down again but this time, I need you to follow through and kill it. I don't think I have to warn you to watch for its defenses."
"I… I could have dodged that," Mitsuri muttered after having flinched at his words.
"Not with you soaring through the air like that," Naruto countered.
That much was true, Mitsuri lamented.
"I would have survived," Mitsuri muttered in just above a whisper.
"Probably," Naruto relented with an acknowledging nod, feeling the beginnings of guilt at her downtrodden expression. He suddenly felt as though he'd just yelled at a puppy. An explosion briefly pulled his attention back to the fight, his Sage clone had performed a combination technique with a clone, combining wind and fire to ignite the night sky. "But I feel like we've been going about this all wrong, and that's my fault. I think I need to trust in you're abilities as a… are you okay?"
When he turned back to face her, he was confused to discover that while her serious expression returned, somehow Mitsuri's blush was more pronounced than ever.
"Yes," Mitsuri nodded herself, both her solemn expression and blush both remaining.
Naruto slowly returned the nod. "Right well, I know we probably should have gone over this earlier but I made the mistake of thinking this demon would be like the last one I faced. I'm fast, I have enhanced strength, and I can perform techniques with most elements. Center yourself around that information."
"What was that first attack of yours?" Mitsuri asked after having acknowledged his words with another nod. "It was so pretty!"
"Well that's because it is one my strongest techniques. I call it the Rasenshuriken because I couldn't think of anything better. The thing is, I can usually kill... things with that technique in one go. So you can image I'm a little annoyed by the demon's stupid healing," Naruto muttered with arms crossed.
"You'll soon learn that's a common problem most of our inexperienced Slayers face," Shinobu added.
"Which is why we should finish this," Naruto said, regarding Mitsuri alone. "So I can get one of those fancy katana's myself."
"I'm fast and strong as well," Mitsuri understood what he was asking of her. "And I can control the length of my blade. My specialty is Love Breathing."
"Then show me what that means, and what you can do, Love Hashira," Naruto challenged.
Mitsuri finally cracked a smile; a smirk really. "You're on, Mask-kun!"
She shot forward in an incredible display of speed, running across the surface of the water to join in on the fray.
"Well shit, she can do that too. That would have been nice to know," Naruto muttered to himself. He looked to Shinobu once more. "You really should get out of here, but before you do, I have a favor to ask."
Shinobu didn't answer him but her maintained eye contact was enough to tell him she was listening.
"Well, two actually. I know you really don't owe me anything, but if I fuck this up and somehow end up dying here, I want you to leave Tamayo and Yushiro alone. I know you probably have your reasons for hating demons in the way you do, and I really am sorry if I made it seemed like I didn't care, but I really do think they're good people, demons, whatever you wanna call them," Naruto briefly paused to allow his words to settle before he made his request. "You don't have to work with them, or even help them in anyway, but please don't try and kill her."
"I suppose you'll have to continue pleading your case," Shinobu said after a moment's pause and sincere consideration. "And as for your second request?"
"The village we just came from; I promised a few kids I'd check on them from time to time. I really just need you to make sure that shitty village leader's taking care of them proper," Naruto said.
Shinobu's expression and posture slowly relaxed as she slipped her mask of sickly sweet pleasantries back into place. She reached into her robes to produce another vial, this one red in color. She tossed it at him, underhanded this time, sending it soaring gently into his open hand.
"What is this?" Naruto asked reluctantly.
"My own healing medicine," Shinobu said, turning away. "It may not be as potent as hers, but you might find it'll help you should you need it. I already have my own little butterflies to care for, so I suppose you can't die if you're to take care of those children and your pet demons."
Naruto managed a small smile at her retreating back, finding maybe she did have a heart after all.
"It's not poison, is it?"
But he really couldn't help himself.
Shinobu seemed to stumble slightly in her stride, turning to glare at him briefly.
"No it is not!"
She disappeared in a sprint.
Naruto hummed, wondering where that'd come from. But he didn't give the matter much importance as he readied himself to join the ongoing battle. Mitsuri was certainly fast. He suspected it was how she managed to run atop the water alongside his clones, her movements fluid yet powerful, cutting deep into the demon.
Seeing just how adept she seemed to be, Naruto decided he didn't need to worry about her as much as he had been. He tore the remained of his chainmail off and tossed it to the side, unsealing a fresh kunai. Coating his blade into Shinobu's poison, he joined Mitsuri in battle.
Not much to say. Until next time!