Before we start, I wanted to address reviews about the harem.
Charlie is in, but Vaggie is not. She and Charlie are not some sort of "package deal" and viewing them as such is rather disrespectful when one is Bi (Charlie) and the other is a Lesbian (Vaggie). That being said, Vaggie and Charlie will still be a thing, but Charlie will love both Vaggie and Naruto.
Stella is in, but I'm also gonna be adding in Octavia. I like both of them and confess that Stella is a favorite of mine.
What can I say? She's a hot bitch. And this isn't the first story where I plan to redeem a "bad" character. *wink*
So, the harem is thusly:
Verosika, Loona, Stella, Octavia, and Charlie
Thank you
Disclaimer: The source material used in this Fanfiction do not belong to me. This story is a nonprofit creation solely used for entertainment purposes.
A Fishcake's Helluva Life Change
Chapter 3: Meeting the Whirling Fishcake
Stella withheld a look of contempt at the reptilian Imp before her. She knew this man only by reputation and hearsay, but whatever negatives she heard could, reluctantly, be overlooked by the reviews she also heard about him.
"So, what can I do for you, Goetia?" she heard him practically hiss out, particularly when stating her family name.
"Information," she stated curtly. "I'm sure you felt that pulse of power a few nights ago, yes?"
"Hard not to. From what I heard, it reached nearly the entirety of the Pride Ring. Why? Interested in the source? You and every big wig in this Ring."
Here, she smirked. "Perhaps, but I have more of an idea about who caused the pulse. I just need you to confirm it for me and give me anything you can find on them."
"Yeah? And how much am I being offered for such a job?"
Stella rolled her eyes at this. She had dealt with Demons who were focused solely on the money they could extort for a job. They had certain tells or signs.
But this Demon, this Striker… He pretended to be like that. Just as she was suppressing her disdain for him, he was doing the same thing. He lived up to the name of the uppermost Ring; a Demon who is ruled by his Pride. He wanted to prove his so-called superiority over the more powerful or richer Demons of Hell.
That didn't mean he wasn't going to not try extorting her for his services, so she silently called over the Imp standing next to her, watching Striker's reaction to the suitcase containing what she was willing to pay.
"That is my offer. Take it or leave it," she firmly stated.
The hastily hidden look of insult on his face almost made her smirk, but she was determined to ascertain the identity of whoever created that energy wave. So, she needed to remain calm.
Scoffing, Striker leaned back in his seat and readjusted the strand of wheat he had hanging out of his mouth. "What can you tell me about them?"
"Whoever the individual is, they are either an Angel hiding here in Hell, or they are a Human that is very far from home. That's more than anyone else who hired you can tell you."
He fought a sneer at her comment. "…you snubbed on what you're paying me because you knew other people hired me."
She allowed herself to smirk once more. "That was part of it. The other?" She gracefully stood up from her chair and turned around to leave. "Information isn't free. I'll expect a report on your progress within the week."
Striker fought his desire to attack the smug bitch who confidently had her back to him. He wanted nothing more than to tear into her with his bare hands and bathe himself in her so-called Noble blood.
But he restrained himself and walked off. He had a job to do, and multiple clients wanting him to see it done. There could be another opportunity to kill the woman.
Dressed in only her underwear and a bra in her room, Octavia huffed in annoyance as she plucked another feather from her thigh. She gave it a narrowed look before tossing it on top of a small pile on the floor.
"Stupid stress molting," she grumbled, remembering her father telling her about it when she was younger.
Avian Demons, and birds in general, will find their feathers molting if they're overly stressed. And given that her parents' fighting had escalated and that odd pulse of crazy energy washing over her, it was only a matter of time before she molted from the stress.
"It's rather aggravating, isn't it?" she heard her mother ask from the door, and Octavia turned to see her giving a faint smile. "Molting outside of your natural time?"
She emphasized her query by shaking her head, throwing off some of her own loosened feathers from stress. Octavia was slightly surprised, not realizing how stressed her mother was.
"Yeah… Definitely not a fan," the younger Goetia said, stressing the word as she pulled out another feather before putting her clothes back on. "You were gone for a bit. Business?"
"In a way. It was a personal matter that I attended to by hiring someone," Stella answered, walking off to her room while Octavia followed. "I wanted to look into the energy wave from before and hired someone to investigate the source."
"You know who it is?"
"Nothing concrete as of yet, but I have some ideas; hence the investigation."
Octavia hummed thoughtfully at that, pulling out her phone. "Maybe someone posted something on social media about it?"
"Possibly," Stella acknowledged, not too familiar with social media but knowing Octavia had made a good suggestion.
They entered Stella's room, with her having moved out of the main bedroom after Stolas's affair on their bed. However, her room had some packed bags and suitcases while another, which was partially filled, rested on her bed.
Something Octavia noticed with a sad frown.
"Mom…?" she began in a low voice.
While folding a coat and placing it in the bag, Stella replied, "Yes, dear?"
"…you and dad aren't staying together…are you?"
Pausing in her packing, Stella turned to her daughter and saw her averted gaze while awkwardly rubbing her arm. The woman sighed softly and pushed aside the bag so that she could sit on her bed and offer Octavia a spot next to her.
When Octavia took the offered seat, Stella answered, "No… We're not. Your father and I are…getting a divorce."
"But why? Is it because he cheated?" Octavia asked, needing to understand her mother's decision.
"That was the final straw, to be clear; but it was not the main reason," she confessed. "The truth, Octavia, is that your father and I never wished to be married in the first place."
"What?" the younger Goetia asked in surprise. "But then, why are you…?"
"It was an arranged union with the hope of producing an heir to the Goetia," Stella informed her daughter. "A political marriage that had been decided by our parents."
Realization hit Octavia like a ton of bricks. "…me…"
Nodding, Stella clarified, "As our daughter, you are a potential heir to the Goetia. That's all our marriage was; a duty to be fulfilled and assigned to us by elder Goetia hoping to gain more power."
A horrible feeling started to build inside her, and she shakily asked, "So then, am I…?"
She never got to finish, though, for Stella had cupped her cheek and gently made Octavia face her.
"Octavia, don't you dare finish that thought. You may have been born out of duty, but that does not mean that we don't love you." She smiled and caressed her daughter's cheek in hopes of comforting her. "You are our child, our daughter… Our beautiful little Starlight. Never doubt that for a moment, sweetheart." Her eyes grew misty as she finished, "Understand?"
With tears rolling down, Octavia flung herself into her mother's arms and sobbed into her chest as Stella comforted her child with a loving embrace as her own tear fell. She felt Octavia nodding her head and smiled as she let her vent.
Afterwards, she would help Octavia preen the rest of her feathers.
Back up top, Tsunade was currently looking over reports of a C-Rank Mission that had been completed by Team 8. It was a scouting mission along the borders between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice, considering how the Hidden Sound had secretly been made within that country before the Chunin Exams over a year ago.
"Nothing unusual, hm?" the Hokage asked after skimming the report, planning to look at it thoroughly after hearing from her subordinates.
"Nothing out of the ordinary, Lady Hokage," Kurenai answered. "We couldn't get anything further without crossing the border, but we saw nothing noteworthy from our vantage points along the border."
"Well, no news could be good news… Good work, regardless. Your pay will be placed in your accounts in the next couple of days. Dismissed."
Team 8 bowed to the woman, yet all but a certain young woman departed. "Lady Hokage…?"
Looking up from the report, Tsunade replied, "Something on your mind, Hinata?"
"I…was hoping to hear if you had any news on Naruto-kun."
"Jiraiya hasn't reported recently. With him and Naruto needing to be on the move so much, it doesn't leave much time to send messages."
"I see…"
A sudden poof of smoke interrupted them from speaking further, and it was revealed to be three new occupants in Tsunade's office.
"Lady Shima. Lord Fukasaku," the last Senju greeted respectfully, earning greeting nods from the Toad Elders. "It's been quite some time since I last saw you both. I hope you're well."
"Well enough, given our age, Tsunade-chan," Shima replied with some amusement. "You still look so lovely."
"Thank you. May I ask why you're both here…with Jiraiya? Where's Naruto?" She then remembered the other occupant and quickly ordered, "Hinata, you're dismissed. This conversation doesn't concern you."
"But Lady Hokage…!" Hinata tried to argue, but a firm look from the woman silenced her. With a reluctant nod, she bowed and departed.
"Please send in Shizune before you leave," Tsunade added, waiting for her assistant and first apprentice to enter the office before calling out, "ANBU, leave us."
Four blurs shot from different hiding places, gave their leader a bow in respect, and vanished. This allowed Tsunade to seal up the office from prying eyes and ears.
"Now Jiraiya, where's Naruto?"
Looking incredibly uncomfortable, the Toad Sannin muttered, "I don't know."
"You…don't know?" repeated the Slug Sannin with narrowed eyes while Shizune looked concerned for the missing Uzumaki. "How could you not know? Weren't you supposed to be looking after him? How could you lose him?!"
She was getting more worried with each inquiry about the young man who had helped her move past her emotional pain and inspired her to return to the Hidden Leaf. Her younger, distant cousin had quickly become someone she was both fond of and fiercely protective of. It didn't take long for Naruto to cement himself into her heart as someone important to her.
Fukasaku waved her down to placate her worries. "Easy, Tsunade-chan. Naruto-boy is fine. The reason I had Jiraiya-boy bring myself and Ma here was to tell you what has happened recently involving Naruto-boy."
Tsunade gave her old teammate a dangerous look before leaning back in her seat and motioning everyone else to sit. She had a feeling this talk would take some time.
"Go on, then…"
"To be blunt," Fukasaku began, "Naruto-boy is in Hell."
"WHAT?!" three different voices cried out, the suspects being Tsunade, Shizune, and Jiraiya, who had not been told what happened and was ordered to bring Ma and Pa Toad to the Hokage.
Hearing that his apprentice was in Hell of all places was both shocking and unbelievable. Not to mention, it should be impossible.
"Lord Fukasaku, please explain… How is- Why is Naruto in Hell?" Shizune asked anxiously, fear for Naruto's safety overwhelming her.
Like Tsunade, Shizune came to see Naruto as someone she had bonded deeply with. If someone asked her to define what she felt for the young man, she would proudly say that Naruto was like the little brother she never had but always wanted. He was a person with incredible warmth and compassion for others that she wholeheartedly believed would become worthwhile.
Pa sighed and explained, "Naruto-boy left for Hell willingly, tagging along with some inhabitants that he had met one evening at a port town he and Jiraiya-boy were staying at."
"And you let him leave?!" Jiraiya asked in shock. "What in the name of the Sage made you do that?!"
"Don't raise your voice at us, boy!" Ma scolded firmly. "You don't understand what Naruto-chan was feeling before Pa spoke with him. The boy was about to cancel the contract he made with the Toads!"
"He what…?" the man gasped out, flabbergasted at the news. "Why would he…?"
Pa answered, "He's had enough, Jiraiya. Enough of the secrets, of the mistreatment, of the unrealistic expectations. Do you have any idea what he's been through, living as a Jinchūriki in this village?"
"I know it was hard, but Minato-!"
"That boy's faith in the village does not excuse what they did to his son, and you know it!" Ma cut off. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder what was going on in his head to make his son the newest Jinchūriki after the mayhem the Kyuubi caused."
"Lord Minato was Naruto's father?" Shizune asked in shock.
"The boy's parents are Minato and Kushina," Pa explained. "Kushina was the previous Jinchūriki, but somehow the fox escaped her seal. Considering how she and Minato were both masters of fūinjutsu, it stands to reason that someone interfered with the seal during Naruto-boy's birth."
"I've looked into how pregnancy affects a female Jinchūriki," Tsunade began, "though there are very few cases on the subject in the history of Jinchūriki. Apparently, the body's need to develop the child takes away from maintaining the seal used to restrain the Bijuu. Kunoichi who are pregnant suffer bouts of chakra drain and loss of control since their chakra is also part of the development of the fetus."
"If that's true, Lady Tsunade, then that supports the notion of outside interference in stabilizing the seal," Shizune commented with a frown. "But who could have known about the pregnancy and interfered?"
"Something for us to look into," Tsunade planned before getting back on track. "Naruto must have found out about his parents, then. Am I right?"
Nodding, Pa replied, "Naruto and I spoke at length after I found out he planned to cancel his contract with the Toads. On his last night here before going to Hell, Naruto-boy spoke with the Demons that were performing a concert of sorts on the beach. The leader of the group offered him a job and asked him to think about it after they spoke about more personal topics that I won't divulge."
"What sort of Demon, Pa?" Jiraiya asked suspiciously.
"A Succubus Demon. And before you say anything," he cut off before anyone could speak up, "the boy was of sound mind and under no influence whatsoever when he left. She did not charm him or cast some sort of spell on him, so relax."
Tsunade and Shizune looked relieved while Jiraiya asked, "What was the job, and how long is he going to be employed by the Demon?"
"Security, bodyguarding, and being an assistant were the jobs he agreed to. As for how long? I cannot say, but Ma and I have promised to continue his training."
"Training that you, Jiraiya-chan, have wasted," Ma accused. "Honestly, you wasted an entire year on the basics? Either you are spending more time on your damnable peeping, or Naruto-chan was incredibly underdeveloped as a ninja."
"Jiraiya…" Tsunade ground out. "Why did you waste so much time for a whole year? And don't you dare say that the whole year was needed. The truth. Now!"
"I… Well, you see… Kakashi didn't-!" the man tried to shift blame but was silenced when Tsunade slammed her fist on her desk, cracking the furniture in two with a perfect split down the middle. "…I focused more on my research," he reluctantly admitted. "But it wasn't all the time! I also spoke with members of my spy network and looked into leads on either Orochimaru or the Akatsuki! Honest!"
"I don't give a damn about that. What I do give a damn about is you squandering time with Naruto, your godson, and the son of your revered apprentice. You had the perfect opportunity to establish a real bond with him, you damned idiot. And what do you do? The same old habits of throwing concepts at him and ditching him. I know you, Jiraiya. I know that's how you trained Minato, and you were banking on a repeat success with Naruto."
"That's not true!"
"Oh? Tell me then exactly how you taught Naruto the Rasengan. Or how to summon the Toads. Go on. I'm listening," Tsunade challenged with a fierce glare.
"I…" he attempted to explain before stopping, forcing himself to look back on how he had taught his godson how to perform two of the three jutsu that linked the young man to his deceased father. "I…"
He recalled having Naruto sign the scroll and going over the basics of the Summoning Jutsu, only for Naruto to struggle.
"He…"
He recalled never once giving Naruto advice, save for exhausting all of his chakra for the sole purpose of calling upon the chakra of the Kyuubi. And then casually shoving Naruto into a chasm he could have died in if he hadn't gotten lucky with the fox in question.
"I didn't…"
He then recalled how he "taught" Naruto the Rasengan, which was being generous, even in his recollecting eye. All he showed was a single Demonstration of each step, as well as the differences between a two-step and three-step Rasengan. Naruto was forced to develop a workaround because of his negligent teaching style.
"…I saw him as another Minato," he finally confessed, his voice low with self-shame, "ignoring the fact that they grew up differently. Minato had quality training with higher standards and had an intellect and instinct that few could match. He needed minimal guidance; only requiring basic knowledge that he deciphered on his own."
Tsunade, while still upset for Naruto's sake, couldn't help softening her glare at seeing her old friend looking so broken. "Whereas Naruto grew up in a hostile environment and struggled just to understand basics because nobody bothered to teach him even that. I understand why you needed time to teach him those basics, Jiraiya, but you have to realize what your negligence as his master cost. He must have felt like you wrote him off, viewing him as lesser than the vices you preach about resisting but always fall prey to."
"I know, Tsunade… I know…"
She decided to let him reflect and turned back to the Toad Elders. "What exactly do you plan on training Naruto in?"
"I intend to introduce him to other Toads who can synch with him for different forms of combat, but Gamakichi will be his main partner as he'll grow alongside Naruto-boy," Pa explained. "I'll need a piece of that chakra paper you use to determine affinities, so that I may find Toads that match or complement his affinity."
"Shizune, start a list. We'll need to add a few things for Lord Fukasaku and Lady Shima to take while instructing Naruto."
"Yes, ma'am," Shizune replied, fetching a paper and pen before taking notes.
"Perhaps a weapon for the boy, as well," Shima suggested to her husband, who hummed at the idea. "We'd request practice weapons for a sword, a polearm, and a more blunted weapon. Maybe even a shield like Gamaken uses."
"Also, if you could give us a detailed copy of the Shadow Clone scroll," Fukasaku added. "From what I can tell, there may be some more potential with that jutsu that Naruto-boy hasn't discovered yet."
Tsunade watched Shizune note everything down. "Anything else?"
"…give him this," Jiraiya suddenly spoke up, pulling out a notebook stuffed with extra pages and notes. "He's an Uzumaki, and the son of two legendary experts of fūinjutsu. He deserves to know their best skill."
Fukasaku took the notebook, giving his old student a nod showing the man he was doing a good thing. He was angry with how Jiraiya had handled Naruto's growth as a ninja and as a person, but he didn't hate the man. He just wanted him to acknowledge his shortcomings and be better.
Shima felt the same, and she gave Jiraiya a faint smile at the man's contribution to Naruto's future training. She knew that the relationship between the two men would never return to what it was, but she hoped that they would eventually at least be professional with one another.
An idea struck her, and she added, "If possible, Tsunade-chan, could you give us a few things about Naruto-chan's mother? I'm sure he'd appreciate learning about her."
Tsunade smiled at the idea. "I'll see what I can find. In the meantime, I'll have Shizune gather the requested items, along with a few jutsu of my suggestion that Naruto should find use for."
"Very good. We'll return in a couple days to collect whatever you can offer," Fukasaku bid before he and his wife left in plumes of smoke.
Jiraiya sighed at their departure. "I really screwed up this time, didn't I?"
Tsunade sent Shizune off with a small nod of thanks before pulling out some sake and pouring out two servings. Handing one to Jiraiya, she replied, "I won't lie and say you didn't. I trusted you with Naruto's well-being, and he trusted you with his development. You fucked up; pure and simple."
"I know that… At least, now I do." Taking a drink, he morbidly joked, "Minato and Kushina will probably kill me twice over when I finally kick the bucket."
"And I will sit back and watch it happen."
"So, what happens now?"
"Keep tabs on the Akatsuki and Orochimaru, like you were claiming to be doing before. However, I want you to be more focused about it. I know you won't quit cold turkey about your…habits, but I expect you to take this more seriously. I want updates biweekly, if not monthly. Understand?"
Nodding, the Toad Sage handed her the empty dish and stood up, readjusting the scroll strapped behind him. "I'll head out immediately, head to Rice Country and get what I can on Orochimaru first."
"Jiraiya," Tsunade spoke up just as the man prepared to depart via the window, "if an opportunity arises where you can take him out with minimal risk…I want you to consider taking it."
He was silent for a moment before responding. "That kind of chance isn't something you should bet on, but I'll keep an eye out."
As he left, she whispered to herself, "I promised to stake my life on Naruto, Jiraiya. So, I'll bet on any gamble that takes out people after him."
Charlie Morningstar, Princess of Hell, and proprietor of the Happy Hotel located in the Pride Ring, sighed somberly as she sat on her room's balcony. Many thoughts plagued her mind at the moment, with three of them taking prominence.
The least prominent was the fact that a party for her was approaching soon. It was a celebration of her second century of life, her 200th birthday. She didn't want to have a big celebration, but her parents insisted otherwise.
At least she could have Vaggie accompany her as her date for the occasion.
The second thing on her mind was the odd pulse of energy that echoed across the Pride Ring a few evenings prior. She had never felt such an abundance of life energy like that. And to have it echo across an entire Ring was astounding. Part of her wanted to look into it, but she was distracted by the biggest issue on her mind.
The hotel… Once a mansion owned by her parents for extended stays in the Pride Ring, Charlie had taken ownership of the building in hopes of retrofitting it into a rehabilitation clinic for Demons in Hell.
Her goal? To promote redemption so that Sinners could be welcomed into Heaven.
The reason? Because she felt that people deserved the chance to atone for what they did in life, but that wasn't the main reason.
In Hell, there is a yearly event that is simply called "The Extermination". During this time, exorcists from Heaven, armed with angelic weapons, are sent down to Hell to assist in taking care of its overpopulation by eliminating any Demon that is in plain sight.
This was something Charlie found both saddening and loathsome. She felt sympathy and pity for the Demons killed off, and she despised that it was a "necessary" thing to deal with the overpopulation issue.
Thus, the Happy Hotel, where Charlie hoped to change things so that the Extermination was no longer a threat to her home and her people. As Princess, she felt she had an obligation to her home's denizens.
Sure, her efforts were ridiculed and seen as a fantasy, but she truly believed it would be a success. She was also immensely grateful to her girlfriend, Vaggie, kept her grounded. Charlie would admit to having flights of fancy and being overly optimistic at times, but Vaggie made sure she stayed realistic when she would start veering off.
She loved her for that.
"She's probably talking with mom right now," she mused to herself as she left her balcony and headed for where her mother, Lilith, was staying. "They're probably talking about my party and the hotel."
Approaching the room, she heard muffled voices through the door and politely knocked. When she heard her mother grant entry, she opened the door to the woman and her girlfriend sitting at a table with some papers between them.
"Hello, dear," Lilith greeted warmly. "I was speaking with Vagatha about the upcoming bash. We were just going over the guest list."
"Right… Do we really need to have such a big event, though?" Charlie asked with a slightly uncomfortable expression.
"Hon," Vaggie spoke up with a smile, "think of it this way. All of those Nobles and big wigs attending the party are potential people who may invest into the hotel. Silver linings, yeah?"
Honestly, Charlie hadn't considered that. With all of the ridicule she had received about the hotel, she never thought of speaking personally with other Nobles about the venture. With luck, she may be able to change their minds about her idea and get them to offer their support.
Excited about the prospect, Charlie rushed over and hugged her girlfriend while kissing her cheek. "Vaggie, you are a genius! Did I ever tell you that?"
"You could stand to mention it more," she fired back in amusement as the couple enjoyed the embrace shared.
"My, how adorable you two look," Lilith commented, getting a blush from her daughter while the girlfriend rolled her eyes and smiled back. "I take it you're no longer bothered about the party, dear?"
Charlie composed herself and replied, "I'd still rather not make a big deal about it, but I won't turn down an opportunity to help the hotel succeed."
"Wonderful. We'll see you at the mansion. Feel free to look over the guest list," Lilith bid before using her own personal magic to return home.
Charlie took the seat her mother previously occupied and took the guest list into her hand to review it. Skimming through the names of Demon Nobles and their family members, she noted that a few other guests invited were not Nobles. Some were Demons who had become successful in their own right and were able to score an invitation.
And one of the names on that list was a certain popstar.
Verosika watched with interest as her bodyguard and Ninja Boy readied themselves for a sparring match. It wasn't the first time they had done so, and each one was fun to witness for her.
Vortex was a Hellhound with a calm ferocity, keeping calm until striking with the fury of a wolf. Whereas Naruto was a tempestuous wind, going wild at the start and striking at all angles with the aid of those copies he creates almost endlessly.
Of course, her mind immediately thought of…other uses for his Shadow Clones; uses that got her a bit moist down there.
Unaware of the thoughts of his current employer, Naruto cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders as he stepped into the makeshift sparring ring. "You sure you wanna do this Tex?"
"Why not? I haven't had a good brawl in weeks," Tex said while finishing off a beer, before casually crushing the can between his palms and tossing it into the trash behind him.
"You're an ass, you know that?" Naruto replied with a chuckle at Tex's joke before sliding into a ready stance. "Guess I gotta remind you about the fights we had before."
"FIGHT!" cried out Milky, one of Verosika's posse members. She was what people labeled as a short stack, a woman on the shorter side that had an impressive bust size, sometimes out of proportion with her height.
She was also a big fan of Earth's Mortal Kombat series, and she couldn't help yelling out the start of the spar, much to the amusement of her friends.
As the spar commenced, Kiki noticed something different about her boss. "Hey, boss?"
"Yes, Kiki?"
"Did you get a new conditioner for your hair? It looks amazing."
Verosika smirked at the question. "Nope. It was actually thanks to Ninja Boy that my hair looks like this."
What they were talking about was how Verosika's hair looked fuller and more vibrant, as if it had been injected with life. It added a level of beauty to her natural look that made it hard to decide if she was sexy or gorgeous; both being different "measures" of beauty.
Coco ran some fingers through Verosika's hair, looking amazed at how soft it felt. "Fuck… What did he do?"
"And can it be repeated?" Ace asked as he sat in Josh's lap. The two Incubi were rather close, just as Coco and Apple were also close. "It takes effort to make my hair this good."
"Is that what you call it?" Apple teased as she laid her head on Coco's shoulder, giggling when Ace simply flipped her off.
Verosika watched as Naruto slid beneath a lunge Tex tried, using his hands to spring himself up and kick the Hellhound in the chest. The blow knocked him upward, where a Clone was waiting with a heel drop that Tex managed to block by turning his body so he could absorb the impact with his forearm.
As the spar went on, she answered, "It has something to do with Ninja Boy's chakra. He was using it to clear out any knots in my hair as he brushed it with his fingers. He didn't use anything else but his fingers and his chakra."
"Nothing else? Not even a comb?" Kat asked curiously. Normally, he wouldn't care too much about hair maintenance, considering he had a messy hairstyle that looked like bedhead. But he was intrigued by the Human his boss invited into their group.
It was amazing how well Naruto got along with the group. He had a certain charm to him that let him make friends with nearly anyone he met, and he was incredibly openminded about things. When he saw that the posse had two homosexual couples within it, he didn't bat an eye and expressed a hope to meet someone he could care for in the future.
That earnest desire for companionship made the posse chuckle, each of them already seeing their boss's interest in him. Ever since his first night staying with them, they noticed how comfortable Verosika was with the young man, and how she looked lighter than before.
As if his presence took away the things weighing down on her.
"Just his fingers. Although, when his chakra sank into my skin…" Verosika moaned for a moment and shuddered. "Fuck, I almost came by how it felt… Safe to say, Ninja Boy's gonna make a girl very happy if his chakra can do that to them." A smirk formed on her face as she added, "He's not a bad kisser, either; even if he's inexperienced."
Kiki smirked back and nudged her boss. "Staking your claim already?"
"Maybe. Who knows?" Verosika answered lightly, though the posse saw her gaze stay with Naruto as he caught a punch with his hand only to have his own caught by Tex.
The two kept a deadlock, grinning at each other as they tried to push the other back. In synch, they reared their heads back and slammed foreheads without a second thought, ignoring the pain they felt from the matching headbutts. They pushed against each other, blue eyes defiantly staring at white within crimson ones.
"You're…stupidly strong…kid," the Hellhound ground out, not gaining nor giving ground to the Human before him.
"So…are you…Tex," Naruto replied, though his grin grew more devious as his gaze flicked over Tex's shoulder for an instant. "But I won."
Vortex was about to respond, but he felt arms encircle him from beneath his pits, forcing him into a full nelson hold. He growled and snarled as he tried to break the hold, but the damn kid held strong and managed to kick the back of one of his knees, forcing him into a tight spot.
While his Clone held down the Hellhound, Naruto regained his breath and prepared to end the spar, but he couldn't help sweatdropping when he heard Milky call out, "FINISH HIM!"
Vortex, despite his unfavorable position, gained a tic mark as he barked out, "DAMNIT, WOMAN! THIS ISN'T A VIDEOGAME!"
Verosika and her posse busted out laughing at his response while Naruto held back his own laugh and dispelled his Clone, freeing Vortex as he helped the Hellhound to his feet.
"Good fight, dude," Naruto bid with a small grin. "If I didn't use my Clones, you would've had me easily."
"True, but don't handicap yourself, kid. It's a stupid notion that based around honor or some other bullshit. In a real fight, honor means shit. It's all about either surviving or taking your opponent out. Get it?"
"Got it."
"Good. Next time, I won't go down so easy," Tex challenged with a fanged grin.
Smirking back, the Uzumaki replied, "Any time, wolfman."
The two shared a knuckle bump before Naruto was surprised by Verosika draping herself over his shoulders from behind, her head beside his.
"Not bad, Ninja Boy," she complimented. "You've improved from your first match with Tex, here."
Naruto cringed at the reminder. It wasn't a spar but a one-sided embarrassment. His movements were so predictable that he practically ran into Vortex's waiting fists. It really drove home how bad his so-called "fighting style" was and how reliant he was on mobbing people with his Clones.
"Thanks," he replied, turning so that he looked her in the eye. "Anything on your schedule today?"
"Actually, yes." She grinned with a gleam in her eye as she held up a fancy looking envelope. "Turns out yours truly has been invited to a party celebrating the 200th birthday of Hell's Princess."
"You mentioned royalty before. There's also a King?"
"Yep. Noble families have their own territories, but they all answer to the big man himself, Lucifer Morningstar. He was the original Devil of this place, and he was once a servant of the biblical God before betraying him and falling to Hell. His wife, Lilith, could be called the first Succubus."
"Huh… That's interesting," he mused. "What about their daughter?"
"Not much I can say about her, honestly. Her name's Charlie and she was on the news recently about some hotel she's opening here in the Pride Ring. All I know is that she was ridiculed for it, but I didn't pay attention since we left during the broadcast. It was for that concert we met at."
"Ah. Well, maybe you can meet her at the party, seeing as you were invited and all."
"Oh? And what makes you think I'm going alone? I can't go anywhere without my amazing bodyguard, and my Ninja Boy~!"
"Wait, we're tagging along?" the blonde Uzumaki asked in shock while Vortex gave Verosika a knowing smirk that she winked at.
'Clever, boss. Invite him along under the guise of protecting you, but in reality, taking him as your escort,' mused the Hellhound. 'You've really become interested in him, haven't you?'
"So, because you and Tex will be coming with me, we all need new threads for the big bash! Which means we have some work to do~"
Naruto went pale with dread at what she was implying. "Oh, fuck me…"
Without missing a beat, the Succubus woman replied, "Maybe later, if you behave~"
Naruto could only sputter as his pale face turned neon red at the insinuation.
"Anyway, it's time for some shopping! Let's go, sluts! We got a lot of work to do, and little time to do it!"
Knowing what she was referring to, Naruto cried out, "Oi! My clothes are not that bad!"
"Keep telling yourself that, kid," Tex fired back in amusement.
"Trust me, Ninja Boy," Verosika added with an alluring smirk. "By the time we're done fixing your wardrobe disaster," she teased, earning a pout from him that she found adorable, "you'll have bitches hanging off you in seconds."
The thought of that had Naruto swallowing a lump in his throat. He wasn't sure how to feel about the notion of being what Kiba had referred to as a "babe magnet". He wasn't one for unneeded attention.
But, seeing the way Verosika looked so excited about the venture, he couldn't fight the faint smile on his face. Ever since the first night, when the two opened up to one another, he felt himself growing closer to the woman with each passing day. Not to mention what she was doing to help his own self-confidence.
He still couldn't believe she allowed him to see her in nothing but a bathrobe this morning.
He found himself awkwardly sitting on her couch after being called to her room. She was finishing up her morning shower and he couldn't help blushing as his traitorous mind conjured up possible images of how she'd look in there.
"How're you finding Hell, Ninja Boy?" she called from the bathroom.
"Oh! Uh, it's definitely not what I was expecting. I thought it'd be all fire and brimstone, y'know?"
"That's the common misconception," she replied with a laugh. "Each Ring has its own society and standards. You'll see for yourself eventually."
"Right… So uh, is there any particular reason I'm in your room while you shower? I could always come back later."
"And miss seeing you squirm? Not a chance, Ninja Boy~!"
"Figures…" he sighed out, earning another laugh from her that he smiled at. He liked how it sounded in his ears, and it was better than how it felt hearing and seeing her cry.
He felt his heart twist at the memory.
He broke from his thoughts when he saw her bathroom door open, producing a wave of steam that she stepped out of, dressed in nothing more than a bathrobe while her hair was wrapped in a towel. Blue eyes couldn't help being slightly mesmerized by how…beautiful she looked with her skin glistening from water that had yet to fully dry.
Unknown to him, Verosika noticed his stare and internally smiled. She loved to tempt and tease; it was her nature. But seeing a genuine appreciation for her beauty was flattering on a different level. She couldn't explain it, but part of her wasn't keen on using her typical Succubus tricks on the whisker-faced Human sitting on her couch.
She wanted to win him over naturally.
Moving over to a vanity mirror resting on a makeup desk, she unwrapped her hair and attempted to brush it, getting it caught a few times in some knots, much to her frustration. She was so focused on her hair that she jumped when she felt a hand gently grasp her wrist holding the brush.
"Here," she heard Naruto speak. "Let me help. You mind lying back on your recliner over there?"
Curious about his request, and enjoying his shy tone, she complied and sat in her recliner and leaned it back so that her hair hung over the edge. She saw Naruto grab the stool she had at her vanity desk and seat himself behind her.
"My…chaperone has some techniques that involve his hair. I overheard him complain about maintaining it a few times, and it got me thinking. If he uses chakra to reshape his hair, why not use it to style it?"
She heard the strained tone in his voice when he referred to his so-called chaperone, but she didn't comment on it. She knew he must've been talking about the man who taught his father and was supposed to train him.
So, she just relaxed and waited for him to try his chakra out on her hair. She trusted him not to ruin it, oddly enough. Something about Ninja Boy just made her trust in him so easily.
Still, it caught her off guard when she felt a pleasant tingle from his fingers as they carefully ran through her locks, practically melting through the knots and smoothing her tresses with no effort. As for his chakra, she felt it move down her spine and through her body in a way that had her biting back a moan.
She could tell he had no idea what he was doing to her, but his chakra was bringing her to a level of ecstasy that she was sorely tempted to take him, fuck the consequences; just like the first night when she made out with him after their heart-to-heart.
'I… Am I…?' she thought, fighting her instincts in favor of determining what she was feeling for the Human driving her to climax with just his finger and chakra. 'I can't believe it…'
She was falling for him; falling for a Human she met solely on happenstance and invited to Hell on a whim. But she couldn't help herself.
He was just so earnest and kind, and he wanted to help people despite the shitty life he lived and the people who consistently wrote him off. Not to mention that he was fun to tease, his blushing face being especially adorable to her. He had a heart of gold that he wore on his sleeve, and she wanted that heart; she wanted him.
By the time Naruto finished with her hair, Verosika was barely able to hold back her orgasm. It was another thing in his favor, his chakra and how addicting it was to feel. She gave away nothing though as she got up and walked over to her mirror.
"Holy shit…!" she gasped out, running her hands through her hair that looked so much fuller and framed her face beautifully. "I look fucking gorgeous!"
Feeling pleased with himself and how she reacted, Naruto unconsciously replied, "Yeah, you do…"
"Oh~?" She looked over her shoulder, her pink iris staring into his deep blues. "You really think so, Ninja Boy?"
Despite the teasing tone, Naruto nodded sincerely. "Absolutely. I mean, you're already pretty, but you look amazing right now, y'know?" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he complimented her, his eyes closed as he laughed awkwardly.
Because of that, he didn't see how her cheeks lit up at his honest admiration. 'Damn you, Ninja Boy! You can't keep doing this to me!'
"Anyway," Naruto spoke again, breaking her from her thoughts, "was there something else you wanted me for?"
'I want to take you on that fucking couch and have you screaming my name as I give you the ride of your life, you damnable sweetheart!' her instincts raged in her mind, but she didn't give voice to them. "I want you to spar with Tex again after we eat. I need to see if you've improved further from the previous one."
"Gotcha. I'll go get ready, then," he bid with a smile as he walked off.
As soon as her door closed, Verosika shuddered and felt a wetness travel down her legs. "…I'm in trouble," she spoke softly, referring to her raging instincts as a Succubus.
She just hoped she could hold back before doing something that ruins what she has with her Ninja Boy.
The evening of Charlie's party had come. Wearing a more regal version of her typical red tux, she was nervously standing at the door of the mansion and greeting guests after the staff had taken their coats and announced their arrival. Next to her, Vaggie stood silently while dressed in a pretty dress that was colored the same shade of red. As much as she hated the idea of her being silenced, most Noble Demons didn't take kindly to being addressed by Sinner Demons.
She turned slightly to give her an apologetic glance, but Vaggie simply smiled in understanding. She smiled back before noting that Vaggie's smile turned to a look of shock, prompting Charlie to turn around and match that shock when she saw the latest guests to arrive.
"Presenting Miss Verosika Mayday," the Imp at the door informed the Princess.
Verosika was dressed in a single strap black dress that had a dark orange scarf made of silk draped over her shoulders; a deliberate decision so that it matched the tie worn by a certain someone.
And that someone was Naruto, who was looking around curiously while dressed in a black tux with a dark orange tie. He'd never worn anything like it before, and while it felt restricting compared to his normal clothes, he liked how it made him look more mature…and how it matched Verosika's outfit.
Tex wore a tux, but the sleeves were deliberately ripped at the shoulders, and he wore no tie. He was here as a bodyguard, not as a guest.
"Well," Verosika began with a smirk, "a happy birthday to you, Princess. 200 years old. Congrats."
Charlie gave a polite smile and nodded. "Thank you, Miss Mayday. And welcome to our home."
"Appreciated. Not everyday a Succubus like me gets to chat up the big wigs of Hell."
"And…who's your escort?" Charlie asked curiously.
Giving a polite bow, Naruto greeted, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, Charlie-hime."
"Hime…?"
"Oh, sorry. Forgot that the suffixes I use aren't common. It means 'Princess'. I was referring to you by your title."
"Huh… Never heard of that before. I'd love to hear more about the other suffixes, Naruto."
Smiling, he replied, "I'd be happy to talk about them and anything else, Hime."
She giggled at that and let them move on before greeting the next guest. However, her thoughts lingered on the Human that was now a guest in her family's mansion.
Stella sighed in annoyance after excusing herself from another Noble who was more interested in Stolas than her. With everything that's happened, one could forgive her for giving less than two shits about any possible ventures her soon-to-be ex might partake in.
She was more concerned about how Octavia was fairing. Her daughter didn't have much experience in large social gatherings like this, especially one centered on the high class. Taking a sip of the wine in her hand, she walked through the large room where most of the guests were socializing, keeping an eye out for her daughter.
When she bumped into someone, she normally would have told them off. However, contact with them made her do something she had never done for anyone before, not even Stolas. Her tail feathers presented themselves, showing off their design as she turned to who she bumped into.
To her shock, it was a Human, one who looked roughly the same age as Octavia. He was blonde with cerulean blue eyes and odd birthmarks on his cheeks that took the style of whisker markings. He was at least dressed for the occasion and gave her an apologetic glance.
"Sorry about that, Miss. I was looking at the decorations and wasn't looking where I was going. Are you alright?" he asked in concern.
'…he's the one,' Stella thought in disbelief. 'The one who created that energy wave… If that's true, then that means…'
"Miss? Are you alright?" he repeated, shaking her from her thoughts as she lowered her tail feathers and hid her embarrassment.
'For fuck's sake, I can't believe I presented myself to him,' she mentally berated herself before clearing her throat. "I'm fine. May I ask what an Elemental is doing here in Hell, especially when he's still alive?" (1)
"Elemental? Isn't that a creature based around elements? I'm Human, Miss."
"I can see that, but you misunderstand. An Elemental refers to the part of Earth that you hail from. Tell me, you're from the Elemental Nations, yes?"
"Yeah. How did you know?" he asked back, surprised she knew.
"Your part of Earth has been separated from the rest of the planet since it's founding. Nobody knows why, but any contact from the world outside your own has never been established. That doesn't mean that those who perish don't share the same Hell with the rest of the planet."
"Huh… I never knew that. Thanks for telling me," he replied with a small smile, giving her a grateful bow. "Oh! I never introduced myself. Sorry about that." Clearing his throat, he continued, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. It's nice meeting you, Miss."
'At least he's polite,' she mused. "My name is Stella. I am part of the Ars Goetia Family."
Naruto gave her a kind smile before it turned to one of concern again. "You seem a bit…anxious about something, Goetia-san. Are you alright?"
She gave him a smirk at his question. "A word of advice, Uzumaki; look out for yourself before concerning yourself over others. Here in Hell, the people aren't afraid of taking advantage of others being needlessly compassionate."
"Noted, but you never answered my question."
'Well, isn't he a bold one…' she thought, keeping her smirk. "I was searching for my daughter. She's not used to social gatherings like this."
"I'd be happy to help you find her," he offered. "I was told to socialize by Verosika, and I don't mind helping you."
"Verosika? You mean that Succubus girl who promotes sexual acts?"
"Yeah. She's my employer, currently. She offered me the option to come down here with her and her group, and I took it."
"You…willingly came to Hell?" she asked with a raised brow.
"I know to many people it was probably a stupid idea."
"Incredibly so," she deadpanned.
"But…I wasn't going anywhere back on Earth. I don't want to bother you with my troubles, so I'll just say that coming here was the best option for me and my future."
'Curious…'
Naruto perked up when he spotted someone and spoke, "Is that your daughter over there?"
Looking to where he was staring, she indeed noticed Octavia walking around awkwardly. In her dark violet dress, Stella had to mentally praise once again how lovely her daughter looked. Clearly, she got her mother's good looks.
"Over here, dear," she called out calmly, getting her daughter's attention and waving her over. "Dear, this young man is Naruto Uzumaki. He's a Human from the Elemental Nations, a subgroup of Humanity that can use an energy called chakra."
Octavia's eyes widened slightly at that, knowing that her mother was telling her that the Human before her caused the energy wave that had a massive impact on her. She saw him give her a polite smile and bow.
"It's nice to meet you," he greeted.
"It's uh… It's nice to meet you, too," she replied, slightly awkward. She'd never interacted with a Human before, let alone someone with such powerful energy.
"Uzumaki, this is my daughter, Octavia," Stella introduced. "She's a potential heiress of the Goetia."
"Sounds like you have a lot to live up to," he noted softly. "If you don't mind some outsider advice?"
Intrigued, Octavia nodded her assent.
"Don't let the deeds of the people who came before you dictate how you should live. My…father was hailed as a hero and a leader of my home village. I never knew him, and I was treated as a poor second coming of him. I decided to live as me, and not just as his son."
Seeing the frown on his face as Naruto spoke of his father, Octavia wondered what happened to make him view the man so negatively. Still, she gave him a small smile and nodded her thanks for his advice, which she planned to take to heart.
"Thanks… I was wondering if I should be just another Goetia, but I don't want to change who I am for people I've never met."
"Exactly. Don't let them decide who you are, Octavia. You are you, and that's all you need to be."
With his piece said, he bid the two women farewell and nodded to someone behind them before he walked off, leaving the mother-daughter duo seemingly alone to contemplate his words.
"He's right, my Owlet," a familiar voice spoke up, prompting them to turn and see Stolas standing behind them. "An heiress you may become, but never let that change who you are. You're our daughter, and nothing will change that."
Smiling, Octavia replied, "Thanks, dad."
He smiled back before turning to Stella. "Interesting how an Elemental came to Hell. A powerful one at that, too. He's unconsciously emitting his energy, and it's rather potent."
"I doubt he's aware of that fact," Stella replied as she took another drink of wine. "He may have too much chakra for his body to fully withhold."
"What's chakra?" Octavia asked.
"A life energy unique to those from the Elemental Nations, dear. It is a mix of their physical and spiritual energies."
"Is it strong?"
"That depends on the individual," Stolas answered. "But based on what I can feel from him, I can safely say that his power could potentially match an Overlord as is."
"Whoa…" the youngest Goetia uttered in amazement.
Chuckling, Stolas added, "I doubt he'd go to the trouble of picking a fight. He's aware he's an outsider here, so I'm sure he won't want to make any waves." His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out to see he had a message from Blitzø. Taking a moment to look it over, he frowned at what he was reading before turning to his future ex and his daughter. "I need to go. Something's come up. Will you be alright?"
"Are you suggesting I can't look after our daughter, Stolas?" Stella asked dangerously.
Not wanting to cause a scene, the man replied, "Not at all. I merely wanted to know if you wished for me to take you both home at this time or if you wished to stay."
Octavia replied, "I don't want to leave yet. I'll need to get used to parties like this, anyway."
Smiling at her, Stolas gave Octavia a brief hug goodbye before sharing a civil nod with Stella. With that done, he vanished in a magic portal and departed.
Taking another drink, Stella suggested, "Shall we go mingle, dear?"
Octavia nodded, but part of her was concerned when she saw Stella grab another goblet of wine from a passing Imp carrying a trayful. She just hoped that her mother wouldn't overindulge.
Charlie was despondent after receiving yet another rejection of support for the Happy Hotel. Vaggie tried to comfort her by patting her shoulder, and it was appreciated. But it was still hard to hear rejection after rejection. And while most were done politely, she could tell that they thought her goal was both a waste of time and foolish.
She sighed at a table that she shared with Vaggie, sadly watching the guests mingle and enjoy themselves. Her parents were speaking with Lady Gremory, who did express interest in Charlie's idea but refused to help until Charlie presented some success. (2)
Something she was determined to do but found increasingly difficult without aid.
"It'll be alright, Hon," Vaggie consoled her, grabbing her hand in support. "Even if no one here supports you, we'll make the hotel work. We'll do it together."
Charlie smiled gratefully to her while wiping away a tear that almost fell. "Thanks, Vaggie…"
Her girlfriend then perked up and muttered, "Incoming."
Interested, Charlie turned around and saw Naruto approaching with a friendly smile. "Hello again, Hime. Mind if I take a seat? It's really awkward walking around and pretending not to notice people staring."
"I'll bet," Vaggie commented while Charlie offered him a seat. "Name's Vagatha. I'm Charlie's girlfriend and partner."
"Nice to meet you," he replied before asking, "What sort of partner?"
Vaggie nudged Charlie and nodded her head to Naruto. Getting the message, Charlie explained, "We run a hotel in the Pride Ring; the Happy Hotel. It's…meant to be a rehabilitation center for Sinner Demons."
"Rehabilitation? You mean rehab for Sin?" he clarified.
"Exactly. But nobody wants to offer their support to us," Vaggie noted with a deep scowl. "Worse than that, they ridicule us for trying to make a difference here in Hell and help Sinners get to Heaven."
"Wait a minute," he spoke up before turning to Charlie. "So…you're the Princess of Hell, but your goal is to help demons go to heaven? Isn't that…defeating the purpose of your role here?"
Charlie smiled and shook her head. "You'd think so, but I'm doing this for my people. By helping them ascend to Heaven, I not only give them a chance at peace, but I also am taking steps to stop the yearly purges here in Hell."
"Fucking things… So many lives wasted each year," Vaggie bit out angrily.
"Purges…?" Naruto repeated, sounding confused but also concerned. "Does that mean…?"
Both women nodded grimly at his query.
Charlie elaborated, "If you're thinking that Demons are killed off in droves each year, then you're correct..." She gained a look that showed how disgusted she was about the subject. "It's...horrid. Families here in Hell can be torn apart at random, and it's because the population here is too great to manage…"
"Fuck…" the Uzumaki gasped out with wide eyes before looking sympathetic to their plight. "I… I'm sorry… So many people who already have to suffer here…just wiped out to deal with overpopulation… It sounds insane." Shaking his head, he gave Charlie and Vaggie a determined look before he asked, "How can I help?"
His question caught them both by surprise.
"You… You want to help?" Charlie asked in shock.
"Even though you don't need to do anything?" Vaggie added, just as shocked.
They saw him nod firmly.
"Absolutely! You're both doing something that has real meaning. I'll admit that I came here to Hell with Verosika here because I felt like I wasn't going anywhere in my life. I want to be part of something worthwhile, y'know? A goal that means something."
He then smiled warmly at them, earning a faint blush from Hell's Princess for both his praise and how his smile brought out his natural appeal.
"And I think your goal is definitely worthwhile. Let me help. Please."
Charlie looked excited at his offer of support and turned to Vaggie to silently ask her opinion. The Salvadoran woman smiled at the excitement in her girlfriend's eyes and nodded her agreement. Charlie had a bright smile as she stood up, prompting Naruto to stand too.
"We would be so grateful to have you helping us, Naruto," she stated while holding out her hand. "Here's to our future partnership!"
Naruto smiled back and grasped her hand, sharing a firm shake with her. "Looking forward to it, Hime."
"You can just call me Charlie, you know?" she suggested without dropping her smile.
"Got it, Charlie-hime," he fired back, his smile becoming a small grin that she giggled at.
Vaggie smiled at seeing Charlie's spirits lifted by one person offering his support. She knew that her girlfriend needed it.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," one of the servants called out, "we present to you all…the cake!"
Most of the guests complimented and praised the towering bakery dish, spotting the top that had three candles that spelled out "200" on them. While they were distracted by the marvel, Naruto noticed one of the servants pushing the cart holding the cake slip, making the delicacy go off balance and fly up into the air.
Naruto groaned at this and flared his chakra, earning the attention of everyone before he vanished in a blur of motion that snagged the knife from the cart and expertly sliced the cake into dozens of pieces. The singular blur became multiple as Naruto created Shadow Clones to grab plates and catch the slices of cake before staging them all on the throng of tables where the guests were seated, serving them all before the original Naruto reappeared in front of Charlie with the final piece; the one holding the three candles atop it.
"Happy birthday, Charlie-hime," he bid with a smile, offering her the cake slice.
Amazed at what he pulled off, Charlie took the plate and set it down before applauding for him. This kickstarted the applause from the other guests, some of them even cheering for his actions.
The praise made him smile at them all sheepishly and offer a bow to hide the awkwardness he felt.
During it all, Verosika smirked as she uploaded the video of her Ninja Boy demonstrating his skills to the masses, posting it on her social media account while Vortex chuckled and shook his head.
"Well, if nobody knew about a Human here in Hell, they sure will now, eh boss?"
"Absolutely," she replied, her smirk widening at the surge of upvotes her video received within moments, as well as the picture she sneakily took of Naruto and Charlie shaking hands. "Looks like Ninja Boy's gonna be making quite the name for himself here in Hell."
With Stella and Octavia, both were impressed by what they had witnessed. "That, dear, is what chakra can do for someone's physical prowess, as well as one of the techniques it can be used for in those copies of his."
"Amazing…" Octavia whispered before turning to her mother. "Can we invite him to the manor sometime? I want to learn more about his part of the world, and about him too."
"I suppose it can be arranged," Stella replied casually, hiding her own interest in the Elemental. 'Young, handsome, and full of potential based on the raw amount of energy at his disposal… I'll find out what makes you tick, Uzumaki.'
Lucifer hummed to himself as he observed the Elemental boy conversing so amicably with his daughter after that admittedly impressive display. It wasn't the first time he had seen and Elemental in action, having met a few that had become Sinner Demons and were stuck in the Pride Ring.
One in particular, a Madara Uchiha, was an impressive specimen, but entirely too prideful for his taste. Especially when he had the foolish notion of challenging him during a family outing to Pride.
Safe to say, the former Uchiha was no more after annoying Lucifer too much.
"Seems like Charlie has made a new friend," Lilith spoke up with a smile to her husband.
"Indeed. I'm curious about the young man. After all, it's not everyday that a Human, and an Elemental at that, comes down to Hell before they've died."
Lilith gave him a slightly exasperated look. "You're going to speak with him privately, aren't you?"
"Oh, calm down. I won't kill the young man. I just want to get my own personal impression of him. Can you blame me?"
"Just be sure to hold back on your power, dear. Charlie seems quite taken with this one, and I overheard him offering to help her with her hotel."
"I make no promises," Lucifer replied with a smile as his eyes glowed.
Meanwhile at IMP, Loona was browsing social media on her computer on one tab while the other had the broadcast for Princess Charlie's birthday. She was bored after killing off that mouthy brat who had the fucking nerve to say he was a cat person.
She raised a brow when the cameras spotted another Human in Hell, and the other brow rose to join the first when she saw he was accompanying the Verosika Mayday. Which was why she was browsing social media and Sinstagram.
She paused when she saw earlier posts about the Human, seeing pics of him hanging out with Verosika and her posse while sharing laughs with them all. Another picture had Verosika showing off her hair while posting that it was "all thanks to her Ninja Boy's magic fingers". An innuendo for sure, but the results spoke for themselves with how much fuller her hair looked.
"Huh…Wonder if he could do the same thing to my fur," she thought aloud in amusement, still scrolling through the other posts. "Hmm?"
She paused when she saw a picture of Ninja Boy shaking hands with Charlie herself and sharing a smile with Hell's Princess, interested in what the gesture could mean for the future. She then noticed a new post and clicked it, only to have her eyes go wide when she saw what Ninja Boy was capable of when he carved the large cake into perfect slices and presented the crowning piece to Charlie.
"Not bad…" she mused, wondering in the back of her mind if this Human was responsible for that energy wave a few days ago.
What she knew for sure was that Hell was in for some interesting times with this new guy in town.
1~ What Stella is referring to is an act that peacocks/peahens do when trying to attract a mate, which is showing off their tail plumage. This is called "peacocking", which I think isn't very creative, but I didn't pick the name.
2~ I was thinking of possibly bringing in some Highschool DxD characters to fill in as extra characters. The person playing Lady Gremory in this story will be Runeas Gremory.
Happy Thanksgiving! Good God, this chapter took FOR-FUCKING-EVER to do!
But it is finished! Naruto has officially made his debut in Hell, and at Charlie's birthday party, no less! What will this mean for him in the days to come?
In the immortal words of the Radio Demon:
Stay Tuned
Until next time!
Stay healthy, stay happy, and stay positive!
Dreaming of the Future
pain17ification