It just occurred to me that no one in Kuoh Academy other than Naruto's circle of friends know that Naruto and Xenovia are a couple. But I guess it's for the best. I mean, with future lemons it helps, what with all these girls appearing out of nowhere, whether they're a one-time thing or not.
Anyways, with Fate/Grand Order's recent story update, Lostbelt 1, I had to halt everything and play the hell out of it. Unlucky for me, I couldn't get Anastasia in the summoning banner, but instead of getting angry, I simply laughed, recalling Gilgamesh's reaction to losing an immortality herb. After all, this is just the beginning of Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt. There's more to come and it's not going to be the end. I have pretty powerful Servants on my side. If I do happen to get a new and strong Servant then it's good.
Speaking of Lostbelt 1, I am considering putting Anastasia and other Lostbelt characters into the story, just not now. After all, that would require playing the whole Lostbelts as they're released, and I am not one to spoil the story when it comes to Fate/Grand Order. I DO wish that the chapters came faster, but you know how it is with event and story translations, it takes time.
One last thing. Regarding Yuuto Kiba, it's very confusing. In English, it's Kiba Yuuto, and in the DxD wiki, it's Yuuto Kiba. Which is his official first and last name?
And is there teachers that teach student years first through third? If so then I'll need to do some minor edits in the previous chapters so it's accurate.
(Update: Got Anastasia through a lucky Ticket Summon on the 1st of April!)
DaiEnKai
Hi great chapter as always, the first lemon with Koneko has to be with her petite form or else she might think naruto only likes her body if she has a womanly figure.
Keep up the good work
A: That is a good reason and I will do my best to continue Firebrand's story.
Neo-Shepard
I'm Curious. Are you gonna do the Death Gun story from Fatal Bullet? (P.S. I got the game mostly due to you. My friend plays it and the COOP was meh.)
A: Most likely, though I will need to check out the whole story in the game on YouTube. Also, I am surprised you got the game because of the fic. And yeah co-op is meh.
joshuafoster36
this Naruto is basically a oc who share his name tsk tsk tsk
A: This Naruto IS Naruto. The only difference is that Minato and Kushina married and Kushina took the surname Namikaze, hence why Naruto's last name is Namikaze. That and this Naruto was born in modern-day and has become a Devil. I believe I have already explained that fics are basically alternate versions of a game/book/anime/manga/TV show/movie. That said, this IS Naruto, just not the Naruto we're all familiar with.
AadenHelan
went i find this fic i was hoping Naruto will get Ryujin Jakka for the hell of it and make him a fire lord in the making but alas it doesn't he will *sigh*
A: Sorry but this isn't BLEACH. Characters from BLEACH don't exist in the FIREBRANDverse. Who knows, maybe that could change, otherwise, it's not included.
AadenHelan
wth happen with Xenovia? another OC with a canon character name?
A: Like I have said, and possibly explained, this IS Xenovia, it's just that FIREBRAND introduces her sooner than later. Xenovias from different fics are bound to either stay the same or be changed. For me, I felt she was rarely used or had any significance to anyone, whether it was in the canon DxD novels, the anime, and so and so, hence the changes in the character. She's still the same, kind of, it's just that she can use guns, projection magic, and time alter magic, among other things. I based the changes on Shirou Emiya, Kiritsugu Emiya, Archer, Kaori Miyazono, and Erina Nakiri.
AadenHelan
and how come Naruto immune ti the Church and God's name
A: Finally, a question I am happy to answer. If Naruto didn't have Infernus, that'd be a problem. But with Infernus as a being beyond dragons and gods, his status as a being compared to, maybe being beyond a primordial gives him a form of immunity towards the Church and God's name.
Jamal rarick
How the hell does shizune love naruto like a son, if he had no idea who the hell she was? I totally agree with him on that. Get tf outta my house
A: Shizune is mostly a very loving and accepting person. Since Naruto and Chelsea are one of the remaining traces of Minato and Kushina, she cares for them deeply. Second, Jiraiya is a very busy man, so he usually leaves the siblings alone at home. Not only was it Shizune's choice to return to Japan after staying in America for a very long time due to the anguish that came from the loss of Minato and Kushina, but it was also Jiraiya and Tsunade's idea to have her watch over them since she knew both of Naruto's parents best.
Guest
Great to see this getting updated. I want to say thanks for accepting me as a friend on fgo since u had a hand in joining and I have (slightly) never regretted it, I'm Zman btw and wish u luck on especially with Ivan pulls.
A: Slightly never regretted it? I'm upping my game, ya know. And I will try to roll some good Servants.
Guest
Is akeno part of the harem
A: Find that out on the completed new chapter below.
Reader
By Red Saber fo you mean Saber of Red Mordred or Nero Saber
A: Nero Claudius
Guest
I've been re-reading the story but haven't seen Sayaka Kirasaka
Have I missed her?
A: No you didn't. She'll be in Part III
Reader
This Xenovia acted too much like a regular teenage girl when she really is ignorant about how girls her age act and what counts as normal behavior
A: Not every Xenovia will be the same in a fic. With her, I wanted something different. That came in the form of Naruto meeting her and showing her there's more to life than being a devoted Christian. After Oolacile, she decided to explore more of her passions, which ranged from cooking, gaming, and violin, the latter which she is good at. She's an amalgam of some of Risa Taneda's voice roles in other animes to say the least.
Guest
Is Keito Kotomine an OC?
A: Yes
Reader
Naoko Mizuki is from what anime or is an OC?
A: She is an OC
OP4: Defiance by 雨宮 天
With Issei
Kuoh Academy
Hallways
"Hehhhhh!?" Issei was a bit pale when Azazel pulled him out into the halls and told him he was to fight Naruto after school.
"Keep it down, Issei, this is a school." Issei apologizes to Azazel, who then explains what was going to happen after school. "As I said, I asked Naruto to fight you, to test how far your training has taken you. Originally, I wanted you to fight him after the final exams, but he insisted we do it right away."
"Azazel-sensei, I know you mean well, but I am not nearly at the level he's on," said the Gremory Pawn.
"That is why you're doing this fight. To see how far you've gone in terms of strength and how much training you'll need to close the gap between you and Vali," Azazel told Issei. "Naruto has agreed to fight with the same strength as Vali, meaning he will hold back the remaining strength he uses when going all out. He'll also try to be as evil as Vali during the fight."
"Even so, I'm sure limiting his strength won't stop him from trying to wipe the floor with me. And are you sure it's a good idea for him to act as a villain? I can't see him as someone who's evil." Azazel assures Issei it was necessary since he wanted Issei to fight as if he was in a situation where Vali decided to go Round 2 on him out of the blue.
"Don't worry about it too much, Issei. Once the fight is over, we'll all have a good laugh about this over dinner." Issei had a deadpan expression on his face as Azazel bursts into laughter.
With Naruto
Classroom
"A fight with Issei?" Koneko asked, sounding surprised when Naruto told her, Ayano, Joichi, Fujino, Kotomi, and Hoshikari about the request Azazel gave him as they wait for Rico to come back and start class. "And you agreed to do it?"
"It was Azazel-sensei's idea, and yes I agreed to do it, but only if it was after school."
"I'm sure two weeks is enough for the Red Dragon Emperor to attain some new levels of power," Ayano said to the Agares Rook.
"That's exactly what I told Azazel-sensei. He figured that by fighting me, it would help Issei discover and overcome his limits."
"What's your reason for agreeing to this, Naruto?" asked Hoshikari.
"With this fight, I want to see how far he's gone since the treaty, to see if he's strong enough to protect and save his peerage and anyone in trouble on his own. Let's say I, Seekvaira, Xenovia, Moka, or you are unavailable or need time to arrive when people like Gremory-senpai, Himejima-senpai, Gasper, and Asia are in trouble. Issei's all alone, fighting to save them. It's up to him to stand up to those who threaten those whose lives depend on him either winning or holding on until help arrives."
"That almost reminds me of the time you got angry just to beat me and protect Fujino and Shino," Hoshikari recalls, remembering how strong the Rook was when he was not only put in a situation where he was on his own fighting against the fallen angel, but was backed into a corner and was unable to fight on equal footing. "Does your King know about this?"
"Yeah, I told her, along with Xenovia, Moka, Harumaki, and Pekoyama-senpai before I got back to class. She'll be watching, along with the Gremory Peerage."
"I understand you need to fight Issei to gauge his power level but to act as a villain while doing so...I'm used to Firebrand as a hero," Joichi adds. "It's just me, but I'm going to have a hard time seeing that."
"As long as you know Naruto's on our side, you should be fine," said Kotomi. "Besides, there's no way he'd ever truly become a bad guy." Smiling, Naruto thanked Kotomi for supporting him, promising her he'd take her out to HUGSY DOUGHNUTS after he was done cleaning the kendo club room. "Oh, you know me so well, Naruto! As your reliable familiar, I shall offer my help!"
"That's okay, I have Katase-senpai and Murayama-senpai helping-" Naruto stops talking once Kotomi smiles at him, eyes closed, and says in an intimidating tone, "You don't mind if I help you three out, right Naruto?" Naruto and his friends, even Hoshikari, were surprised by how scary Kotomi was right now. "Right, Na-ru-tooooo?"
"This is what you meant by Kotomi having a scary side?" - Joichi
"I should avoid trying to make her angry if I can help it." - Fujino
"Though I don't think Kotomi could pummel me, this aura around her may say otherwise..." - Koneko
"I've fought Naruto, Maki, a Black Dragon, several of Katerea's followers, and Tomoe Gozen, and I have never felt any fear, until now..." - Hoshikari
"Yes, I don't mind. I don't mind at all, whatsoever," said the intimidated Rook, making Kotomi happy as a result.
With Fujino
Body Fitness Club (Outside)
Parkour Course
Fujino's face started sweating and she was having trouble catching her breath as she tried her best to catch up to Joichi and the others. Earlier he found Fujino waiting for him at the club room, wanting to switch clubs since she found Calligraphy to be too easy for her and wanted a change of pace. Telling him how their fight with God Serena went, she remembers how she relied too much on her Mystic Eyes and telekinesis in most of her battles and wanted to have a means of defending herself should they be unavailable. In short, she needed muscle and what better way to gain them than joining the Body Fitness Club.
In typical Joichi fashion, the Stand-user smiled and gave her a thumbs-up, welcoming her to their ranks. So far, she tried bench pressing, push-ups, sit-ups, and curls, and it was quite a sight, not in a way that was surprising and full of awe. Rather, her body, despite looking great physically, was incredibly weak, and her stamina was pretty lacking.
Right now, she was trying to jump over a wall, but she didn't have the leg strength to reach the top like the others. Seeing her struggling to get up as she tried jumping at it, everyone who finished the course, Joichi included, found it cute she was giving it her all to try and get over it, wanting to lend a hand but knowing this was an obstacle she needed to face by herself.
30 minutes later
"Hawwwww!" Fujino felt herself "coming back to life" after drinking out of two full water bottles. Proud of her, Joichi went for a congratulatory pat of the back, essentially forgetting how weak her body was, resulting in him accidentally sending Fujino falling face-first to the ground. Following this, Fujino looked at Joichi in a cute but angry manner similar to how a younger sister was angry towards an older sibling. She also looked like she was about to cry.
"Sorry, Fujino. I never expected that result," said Joichi, sweating a bit as he scratched the back of his head.
"...Even so, it still hurt," said the Namikaze Pawn, understanding he had no intention of hurting her but was still angry about it. "Just...do that when I am physically ready."
"I will remember that. Apologies aside, you did well on your first day. I know Naruto will also be proud of this little achievement. Within one or two months, you'll be able to do what we do," said Joichi. "Till then, keep going one day at a time, Fujino." Finished, Joichi told everyone to hit the showers.
With Xenovia
Archery Club
Even as the club was over for the day, Xenovia continued to practice on her own, promising to clean the floors after. Xenovia held her breath as she focused on the target across from her, releasing her hold on the bowstring when she felt the arrow would hit the target. Her words came true once the arrow hit where she wanted it to hit. Satisfied but keeping a dignified look on her face, the bluenette calmly exhales.
"Never fail to miss dead center, Xenovia," said the female club captain, who approached her and handed her a towel to wiper her face with.
"Thank you."
"You have been here for more than two weeks and you have yet to miss. Have you had a lot of practice with the bow before you joined?" Handing the towel back, Xenovia told her, "Something like that."
"You must really want to win this rookie tournament. I wonder, is there someone who's driving you?" Picturing Naruto, Archer, and Shino, Xenovia told the captain, "More than just one. They're the reasons why I can't slack off, even with my skills as they are now."
"May I see your hands?" asked the club captain.
"My hands?" Though not sure what she was in for, Xenovia shows the captain her hands, who holds them in hers.
"These hands...So soft, yet so strong...Ohh...I admire them so...very much I dare say so myself." Letting them go, the club captain tells the bluenette to continue to work hard not for herself, but for those her hands were strong for. Surprised by the captain's words, Xenovia tells her she will.
"I'll be heading to the showers. I trust that you will clean the floors before you call it a day?"
"Of course, you can count on me, Captain." With a smile, the club captain gives her an understanding nod before leaving for the showers.
Tennis Club
"Akashiya is skipping practice today?" asked one of the members questioning Moka's reason for not appearing to the Tennis Club Captain.
"Yes, she informed me several minutes ago. With her skills as they are, I wouldn't worry about her. Though I do wonder why she decided to skip."
Agares Corp Building
Private Training Room
Dressed in a black tank top and yoga pants, Moka enters the small white room with Ayumi, who was dressed in the same clothes as the former, only it was white.
"Thank you for accepting my request to teach me Dr. Karnstein," said a grateful Moka.
"It's no problem. I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be asked to teach and bestow some of my techniques to another. Seeing as how you've yet to awaken your Wealth of Power, this is another way to attain the means of keeping up with Naruto." Once the door closed on them, the hexagonal panels that made up the small room simulate a spatial distortion, making it fifty times larger than it was before. "Are you ready, Moka?"
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, Doctor."
With Naruto
After School
Kendo Club Dojo
While Naruto and Kotomi were working hard on mopping the floor, Katase and Murayama, while helping out, found their faces flushed as they looked at the blond Rook's focused and diligent expression.
"Even when he's doing something as simple as mopping a floor...Akame's brother is so cool," they thought, getting a bit wet as a single drop of sweat flowed down the left side of his face. Taking notice, he turned to them and politely asked the girls to continue working.
"Right, sorry," said Katase, Murayama telling him they'll get back to it. Seeing them get back to mopping, Naruto smiled at the girls.
40 minutes later
"Finished!" yelled a satisfied Kotomi, raising her arms up in the air as she saw how spotless and clean the dojo looked alongside her master and the two kendo club girls.
"Thank you for helping us out, Katase-senpai, Murayama-senpai. I owe you both one," said the blond, Murayama saying it was their duty as his senpais to help their kouhais out, her face flushed just saying those words to him, his smile making it hard to look professional about it.
"How is Akame? She doing okay in the club?"
"Akame is doing wonderful," Katase answered. "She's just as good as Pekoyama-senpai. You should have seen her during practice. The two were neck-in-neck. It was like a dance of wooden swords."
"Good to hear she's doing well."
"If you can, maybe you can swing by and watch her during club hours sometimes," Katase suggests. "Maybe watch some of mine..."
"Mine...as well," Murayama adds.
"I might do just that, from time to time," he said, to their joy.
Kuoh Academy
Hallway
Before making his way to the school gate with Kotomi, he tells her to head to HUGS DOUGHNUTS without him, wanting to prepare for his fight with Issei.
"Okay. Would you like something there?" Naruto says he was good and to enjoy herself. "See you later, Naruto." Once she was away. Naruto's expression turned serious.
"Now then...I guess I should get ready."
"Whatever you're planning is pretty outrageous, but given the possibilities of this ever happening in the future, that Pawn is in for quite a fight."
With Issei
ORC Building (Backyard)
Outside
5:30 pm
"Namikaze sure is taking his time," said Kiba, who was standing patiently with Rias and the other members of the Gremory Peerage, with the exception of Issei, who was standing in front of them wondering why Naruto was an hour late, and Asia, who was running an errand for them.
"He must have a pretty good reason, knowing him," Koneko tells the others.
"What is he thinking, I wonder," Issei asked himself, puzzled by the Agares Rook's lateness. "Maybe he's not coming," he tells the others. "He must be dealing with a request, maybe a family matter."
"Possible, though I'm sure he's one to let people know," Rias said to her Pawn. With a sigh, she figured she'd call Seekvaira and ask what the Agares Rook was doing.
"To think Naruto would be late to this. I could have been at home reading the latest-" Noticing a transparent red katana flying towards Issei as he turned around, Yuuto yelled his name as he ran at him and shoved him to the grass. Quickly, he summons his Sword of the Betrayer and attempts to block it by putting the blade in front of him. To his confusion, the katana phased through his sword and stabbed him straight through the heart, horrifying everyone as the Gremory Knight dropped to the ground, the sword disappearing in particles.
"Ki-...Kiba?" Issei's mind was trying to process this as Rias and the others rushed over to the Knight's side. Holding his left hand, Rias turned pale as she looked at Kiba in disbelief.
"His body...It's cold..." Checking for injuries, Akeno found none. Trying to find internal injuries, Akeno found no damage. In tears, Akeno told the others Kiba's heart had no beats.
"Kiba is..."
"Yet again, you failed to protect someone, Issei Hyoudou..." Looking to their left, to everyone's shock, it was Naruto, who was dressed in his Firebrand attire, his flames a crimson red. "If you truly did become stronger within the two weeks of training you put yourself in, you'd have dodged it, and Yuuto-senpai wouldn't have died as he did."
"Naruto...You..." Issei was at a loss of words. The Agares Rook had killed Kiba with nothing but a magic-made katana.
"Namikaze, what is the meaning of this?" yelled a teary-eyed Rias.
"Meaning?" Naruto gives the peerage a dark grin as he told them, "To answer, Khaos Brigade gave me an offer I couldn't refuse."
"You...No..." Akeno shook in fear and disbelief as those words came out of the Rook's mouth. Naruto was part of Khaos Brigade now? "You'd never..."
"I was quite surprised myself," Naruto told the Gremory Queen. "Bikou just gave me a call, invited me for ramen, and proposed a deal I couldn't pass up."
"Deal? What deal!?" yelled the Gremory King. "What sort of deal would make someone as good as you join them!?"
"He promised my parents back, among other promises I am not willing to tell any of you, should I kill you and your peerage." Naruto's answer was like a punch in the face for them as he continued. "Of course, I wasn't the only one who took his deal. Seekvaira and her peerage, even mine, we swore allegiance to them. Although...Seekvaira and the others were already members of Khaos Brigade, so she didn't need to swear it as I did."
"Seek-chan is...part of their group as well?"
"How else would you explain how they managed to survive all this time, let alone have the funds necessary to perform their operations? Guess you didn't know her as well as you did."
"You...You monst-" With a vicious grin, Naruto launched a powerful beam at Rias, who was sent flying into a tree. Once the dust settled, Rias was found in a near-death state, most of her clothes being destroyed, and blood flowing down her head. "Wow, she went down easy. I would've thought she'd put up a better, more exciting fight. I mean she's Sirzechs' sister, and a King of her own peerage. Though I should commend her for surviving an attack that was intended to kill. Poor girl must be hurting all over, so I'll make that hurt go away by offing her with the next att-"
"DON'T YOU DARE...LAY A SINGLE FINGER ON BUCHOU!" Issei yelled in anger as he activated his Scale Mail. Prior to their meetup, Azazel handed Issei the armlet that allows him to activate his Balance Breaker. Once the Pawn fired a Dragon Shot at him, Naruto swats it away with his left hand, the red sphere of energy harmlessly exploding in the air, before rushing towards Akeno. Fearing for her life, Issei gets in front of Naruto and summons Ascalon's blade onto his left arm, thrusting it forward. In an instant, Naruto dispersed into particles and reassembled behind him, rushing at Akeno and punching her in the stomach.
"What?" Before Akeno could hit the ground, Naruto grabs her by the neck.
"AKENO-SAN/AKENO!" yelled Issei and Koneko.
"Don't...Don't do this Naruto..." Koneko pleaded for him not to kill Akeno and to come back to his senses, thinking something was making him act the way he was now. When it looked like Naruto came to his senses, the Gremory Rook was left deeply hurt by what he said next.
"Koneko...your pleas mean nothing to me." With no hesitation, Naruto incinerates Akeno until only her ashes remained. He then fired a powerful fireball at the Gremory Rook that sent her up into the air and exploded. "I was already planning to kill you after her. Now, without further interruptions, I should finish off Gremory-senpai before I head for Asi-"
"NARUTOOOOO!" Filled with anger for the state Rias was in, the deaths of Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko, and the thought of Asia suffering a far worse death, Issei flew straight at Naruto, tackling him and flying him into the ORC Building, crashing through several walls in the process.
With Seekvaira
Agares Mansion
"Oh, he tackled him," said Seekvaira, who was eating popcorn alongside her peerage, Naruto's reserved peerage, Akame, Azazel, Joichi, Asia, and a still-alive Koneko as they watched Naruto's fight with Issei.
"To think Naruto could think up a scenario like this," said a surprised Azazel, who asked if Kiba and Rias would be okay.
"Of course," Maki answered. "The katana Naruto used only absorbed Kiba's heat and drained his magical energy."
"I also taught Naruto how to apply runes on the blade that would freeze one's heartbeat in time once they hit their marks," Seekvaira proudly adds. "It'll take some time for the effects to run out. I am surprised that Kiba agreed to this."
"What about Rias?" asked Xenovia, who sips a cup of tea with Ayano. "She looks very banged up."
"Not to worry, she's perfectly fine. All that damage is digital. Naruto and I decided to use the Dream Screen technology we've been developing to make this all happen (In Part I Chapter 3, Naruto and Seekvaira presented technology that could potentially make movie projects easier to produce). That required placing four portable and camouflaged towers that can create believable illusions."
"Technology aside, I'm surprised Naruto can pull off being a villain," said Joichi. "He's even got me convinced right now. A shame Hoshikari is unable to see this since he's at work."
"Truly he can be a fearsome enemy if he did decide to turn on us," said a very-much-alive Akeno, who was munching on a doughnut Kotomi offered her. The fireball Naruto hit her with was a harmless one meant to carry people who were injured away from a battle. The fireball then sent her into a camouflaged sling portal that was blocked by an illusion of a large explosion.
"It looks like Issei and Naruto are on a crash course for Gasper's Room," Maki points out. "You did tell him about this, right Seekvaira?" The Agares King starts sweating when asked the question, all eyes looking at her following this.
"Oh, uhhhh...I forgot about him."
"YOU FORGOT!?" they shout in unison.
[Music Start]
[High School DxD NEW OST - Saikyou no Sonzai (最強の存在)]
With Issei
ORC Building
Gasper's Room
5:30 pm
Gasper had his back against the wall as Naruto got up and dusted himself up. Issei was lying on the room floor having been knocked down when Naruto brought both his fists down on his back.
"If you had done something like this sooner..." Raising his left foot, Naruto brought it down on Issei's head, the force of it cracking the back of his helmet. "you could have extended Kiba-senpai's life by two minutes."
"Na-...Naruto-san?" Turning his attention towards the Bishop, Naruto lets out a vicious smirk as he aimed his shotgun at Gasper and fired. Luckily for the Bishop, he instinctively used his time-stopping Sacred Gear to stop the bullets, allowing him to duck them once time had resumed, the bullets hitting the wall behind him.
Before going for another shot, Naruto found himself knocked off his feet when Issei struck his legs with his right fist, making him shoot the ceiling. Putting his gun in front of him, he blocks the Pawn's kick as flies into a wall.
"Gasper run!" Issei yelled at the young Bishop, who does just that as the got up and ran out the front door. As soon as Gasper opened the doors to his room, three shots were fired. Using his body, Issei got in front of it and took the three shots to the chest, feeling intense pain from his gunshot wounds as steam came out of them.
"Those bullets-" Getting up, Naruto, now holding a Beretta 90two, told him the bullets in his gun were blessed by Keito. Issei dodged as Naruto fired several more shots at him.
"Ddraig!"
"BOOST!" Closing the distance between them, Issei swung his right foot, aiming to hit the left side of Naruto's head. The Rook puts his left arm up to block it, raising it up and bringing his elbow down on it, shattering a part of the armor. With his right elbow, the Agares Rook struck the Boosted Gear user in the chest, making him fly out of the room and back outside.
Agares Mansion
"When did he get a second gun?" asked Azazel. Xenovia tells the Fallen Angel she recommended it for Naruto as a backup.
"Keito, are those bullets really blessed?" Keito assures Asia the Rook wasn't using blessed rounds and that he (Naruto) was just messing with Issei. In truth, the bullets were superheated and the intensity of the heat was producing the steam.
ORC Building (Backyard)
"Trauma to the head, a fracture in your right fibula, three shots to the chest, a cracked radius and ulna. Seems you'll survive long enough for me to continue to beat you around like a ragdoll until I make the decision to end you." Concentrating, Issei forced the bullets out of his chest, allowing Ddraig to boost his healing to close up the wounds.
"You...You're going to pay for killing Kiba, Akeno, and Koneko...I won't let you kill Buchou and Asia."
"You won't let me? You're going to let me kill them anyways, out of your own powerlessness," Naruto scoffed. Angry at his response, Issei flew at Naruto as he boosted his own power by twelvefold. The Rook moves to the side to avoid a swipe from Issei's right claw and putting his hands in front of him to block a kick that made him skid six feet backward.
"Dragon Scatter!" The green orbs all over the Scale Mail Armor's give off a bright glow and release blasts of energy from all directions. Naruto executes several jumps, rolls, backflips, and cartwheels while avoiding the shots that flew towards him. As he advanced towards Issei, Naruto cocked his right fist back as Issei cocked his left fist back, the latter boosting his power by ten and infusing the punch with Ascalon's power. Clashing blows, the force releasing a powerful force that blew some of the grass below them away, along with the leaves of several trees. The strength of Naruto's punch broke some parts of the left gauntlet of Issei's Scale Mail as blood gushed out of the cracks.
"Khhhh..." Issei clenched his teeth in pain.
"The way you fight is embarrassing for a Pawn of the House of Gremory. Throwing your fists and feet forward in hopes of landing a blow. Guess Koneko didn't beat enough knowledge of combat into you before she went and exploded." Issei boosts his power up to fifteen as he infused Ascalon's power into his left hand and fired a bright green beam of energy at Naruto, who runs at him, his left hand in front of him. The hand glows an intense yellow as it protects the Rook from the beam. Once he was close he punched Issei in the face with his glowing fist. Clenching his right fist as it glows, Naruto delivers a strong punch to his stomach.
"Foolishness, Issei. Foolishness...Dragon..." With his left glowing fist, he performed a rising uppercut.
"BREAKER!" Connecting his left fist to Issei's solar plexus, Naruto executed the rising uppercut on him, shattering Issei's helmet. While Naruto landed on his feet, the Gremory Pawn fell on his back. As he struggled to get up, the armlet Azazel gave Issei broke, the Scale Mail Arm breaking down into particles.
"No, not now..."
"Looks like the armlet Azazel gave you broke on you. Without a means to allow you access to your complete Balance Breaker, you're nothing but a toy that's slowly on the verge of breaking. Clearly this is all the fight you have in you. I'd laugh, but seeing how pathetic you look trying to stand up, you're not worth the laughs."
"I'm just getting started, asshole!" Hearing Issei tell him he was getting serious, Naruto scoffed at the Pawn's response.
"Just getting started? The only thing you've done so far is get dust I can easily brush off on my clothes. Do you plan to get dirt on them when you get serious? Maybe mud? The best you can do is use that awful Dress Break to destroy my clothes. But even then that wouldn't stop me from kicking the shit out of you. Perhaps that's all the power you can ever muster against me? You failed to protect Asia from Raynare, you couldn't defeat Riser Phenex in the Rating Game, and you couldn't measure up to Vali as an equal. Worst of all, you let three of your friends fall, and you couldn't prevent any harm to come to your precious Rias Gremory." Issei clenched his fists hard, enough that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood from the wounds which then flowed down on his fingers.
"If you're just getting started, I figure I'll give you a sort of fighting chance, not that it'll amount to any good damage," said Naruto, shrugging his arms when he adds, "I'll even wait for you to charge up, though I doubt it'll change anything."
"You say that now, but once I'm ready you'll regret-"
"Issei, do not let what has happened to your friends and what he says get to you," Ddraig told his wielder. "I understand how angry you are, but if you continue acting on only your emotions, you and I won't be able to survive until Sirzech gets word of this and come to the rescue, if that's even possible."
"But-"
"I need you to not just act on your emotions, but logic as well. Mourning can come after...if we can take down Firebrand. At best we can only keep him busy until help arrives." Ddraig's reasoning helped calm Issei down a little, having understood the need to not act on emotions alone. "Now, from what we know of him, he's an opponent we can't take lightly. He can burn hotter to increase his strength, and he can use heat to burn away at our power. From what we've seen in his fight with Kokabiel, he can't freely use that overwhelming power, otherwise, he'd have killed us before we blinked."
"How do you suppose we take him on at the level we're at?" Issei asked the Welsh Dragon.
"As it looks and sounds, not only can we can boost our powers, we can also eat away at each others' power." Not understanding Ddraig at first, Issei's brain clicked when he realized he had Dividing Gear. But he hasn't been able to utilize it.
"This time will be different. That Rias girl is hanging onto her life, you lost three good friends, your kouhai has done a very serious 180 and has become an enemy of every Devil, Angel, and Fallen Angel. Instead of focusing on just the anger welling up inside, channel some of your focus on the desire to protect what you can lose if you die now and draw out the Dividing Gear."
[Music Start]
[Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works OST - Archer]
Closing his eyes, Issei equally distributes his focus on both his anger towards Naruto and the ones he cares about who are still alive but could die if Naruto kills him here and now. A calm but raging red aura envelops Issei as the Dividing Gear slowly manifests around Issei's right hand.
"Hehhh..." Naruto said, amused as the Dividing Gear finally comes out. Opening his eyes, Issei told the blond, "Get ready, because this time, I'll definitely make you pay for what you did."
"Is that so? Are you sure you have enough power to-" Suddenly, Naruto gets punched in the face by Issei, who managed to draw blood from the blond's mouth after dividing the Rook's power by half with the arm holding the Dividing Gear. With the Boosted Gear in his left hand, he boosted his left hook twelvefold and struck him in the stomach.
"Oh, I'm sure alright. Enough to know I'll be wailing on you like a boxer!"
[Music End]
Agares Mansion
"He managed to land a hit on Naruto nii-chan!?" yelled Illya.
"With that Dividing Gear, Issei is constantly dividing Naruto's power and using the halved power to add to his own and boost it," Akeno explains. "To think Naruto managed to rile him up enough to bring it forth."
"Will he be okay?" Maki asked her King.
"Of course. Naruto did promise he'd be fighting with strength equal to Vali's," Seekvaira assured. "The damage he's sustaining now won't be enough to bring him down." Facing Azazel, she asked him how long they had until they can stop the fight and tell Issei everything was an act to make him fight with everything he had and draw out some power.
"I'd say we have about eight minutes left," he answered.
"Oh, that reminds me, what are we doing for dinner? To celebrate Issei-senpai's progress as a Pawn?" asked a curious Moka, suggesting Duck and Wings Paradise after, Seekvaira asking what it was and if the food they served was delicious. "Definitely."
ORC Building (Backyard)
With a well-placed kick to Naruto's stomach, Issei knocked him down to the ground. Observing the blond, he could tell his attacks only inflicted minor damage despite the small beatdown he just delivered. Getting up, Naruto wipes the small trickle of blood on his lip with his right hand.
"I actually felt those blows," said Naruto, an amused smirk on his face.
"Good, we managed to injure him a little. If we keep this up, we might survive this," Ddraig told his wielder.
"I'll make sure to get some good hits in, FOR THEM!"
[Music Start]
[High School DxD New OST - Zangeki]
"You'll have to do better than what you just dished out!" yelled a smirking Naruto. Issei uses his Dividing Gear to divide his strength as he charged at the Rook. Naruto overcomes the division of his powers by activating Heat Riser just as Issei got close enough, sidestepping him and making Issei's punch miss. The Pawn then runs face-first into a transparent wall of heat. With a kick to the back of Issei's head, Naruto knocks him forward, shattering the transparent wall of heat like glass. At the mansion, Seekvaira and the others could tell the attack had to hurt for Issei.
The Pawn, despite the pain, managed to stay on his feet, turning around to throw his left fist forward, aiming it at the Rook's face. In an instant, Naruto opened a sling portal, making the Pawn hit himself on the right side of his face, knocking himself to the ground.
Naruto then fires a fiery beam from his mouth at Issei as he gets up, who divides it into nothing, adding the halved power to his own and firing a Dragon shot at him. The energy sphere knocks Naruto back and leaves him open for a charging lariat. Issei quickly grabs the Rook's left leg and throws him into a tree, destroying it and making it fall forward onto Naruto.
Unfazed by this, Naruto lifts up the tree and throws it at the Gremory Pawn, who slices it in half with Ascalon, Naruto using that moment to throw Igneox at Issei, the weapon bouncing off his forehead and back to the blond, who kicks it to Issei's stomach, making it bounce back to him again, who runs at and catches it as he advanced towards the Gremory Pawn. The Rook slides on his knees to avoid a horizontal swing from Issei's blade, knocking him off his feet with a swing of his quarterstaff. Issei sprouts his devil wings to stop himself and blasts Naruto with another Dragon Shot, who sends it flying into Issei's back with a sling portal.
"Geez Issei, you need to stop hitting yourself," Naruto joked as he stood up to face the Pawn and fire at him with the pistol in his left hand, twirling Igneox in his right hand in a playful manner as Issei dodged the shots. Thinking he dodged the latest shot, Issei finds the bullet hitting him in the back when he came close to hitting Naruto.
"How did-"
"That is a secret I am keeping to mySELF!" Naruto told the Pawn before hitting him in the chin with the blunt end of Igneox, making him reel back in pain. However, he keeps himself from falling backward by grabbing the collar of Naruto's suit and pulling himself towards the Rook, headbutting him. Though it did hurt Naruto, Issei found himself injured by the recoil as blood trickled down his own forehead.
Naruto retaliates by kicking at the right side of Issei's right leg, dislocating it by the knee before hitting the right side of Issei's face with the handle of the handgun in his left hand, then striking him on the right side with his quarterstaff and knocking him down with a blazing butterfly kick. Issei goes for a sweep kick with his good left leg, missing when Naruto jumped over it and distanced himself from the Pawn. With his hands, Issei painfully puts his dislocated right leg back in place, just as Heat Riser's time limit ends. At the last second, Issei rolled out of the way as Naruto threw Igneox like a javelin, the weapon stabbing into the ground next to him.
"With more practice and training, I'm sure you can put up a better fight than the brutish and asinine fighting style you are using to stall for time," Naruto told Issei as he holstered his handgun. "Too bad I'll have to end things here. Be glad I was nice enough to let you last long enough to end your tits-obsessed life with a work in progress move I've been trying to perfect." Issei's eyes widened as Naruto's right arm gathered particles of heat into it and started to glow an intense yellow and transitioned to red.
"I'd go with blue or magenta, but since red is your favorite color, given how Gremory-senpai's hair is red, it'll be the last color you'll see," Naruto said to the Gremory Pawn.
"It's...not over yet...I'm still standing, and I can still fight."
"My god you're persistent. Seems that's the only thing about you I can respect." Issei tells Naruto to take his words and shove it up his ass as he divides Naruto's technique and applies it to himself to boosts his own power, further boosting it with his Sacred Gear.
"Smart, though-" Before Naruto could finish, Issei felt a very intense amount of pain coursing through his body. "Oh, it seems the side effects are beginning to show now."
"Ddraig, what's happening? My body..." Ddraig tells Issei the two factors that were causing it. One, he just obtained the Dividing Gear not too long ago and hadn't fully adjusted to its power completely. Two, the halved powers taken from Naruto, coupled with the boosting power of the Boosted Gear was too much for Issei's body to handle, especially when it's been using too much stamina to heal the damage he was receiving. "You're telling me-"
"The strength you've been stealing from me is too much for your own body to handle and your stamina wasn't enough to keep it maintained. It took some time for the effects to start kicking in, but now that you've been weakened enough...I'm sure you can figure out the rest."
"...Ddraig, I plan to use the Balance Breaker," Issei told the Welsh Dragon, to the latter's surprise.
"Are you sure? Not only is it still incomplete, at best you've only got a minute before-"
"I am!" Knowing everything rested in the next attack, Ddraig yelled, "Welsh Dragon Over Booster!", the incomplete armor covering Issei's body once more as all of the energy he stole to enhance his right fist.
"Never call it quits until the very end. So that's the kind of person you are..." As he clenched his right fist, the energy surrounding his right arm formed into bright hot armor. "Air..." With one leap, Naruto and Issei closed the distance and threw their right fists forward.
"GETLÁM!" Once the fists connected, a far more powerful gust of wind blew as leaves flew off the trees around them and the ORC Building's windows started shattering.
With Hoshikari
Finished working at Tobio's bar, Hoshikari slowly made his way to Kuoh Academy, annoyed that he was unable to see Naruto fight Issei. Knowing the Rook, he'd give Issei a problem, but doubted that Naruto could pull off being a villain.
"To think I had to work while Naruto fought that Boosted Gear wielder. I wonder how well he's doing playing as someone he's not. Surely-"
"HELP!" Hoshikari stops when Gasper runs to him, his body tired from running, and sweat flowing down his forehead.
"The Dhampir, what business do you-"
"Naruto! He's...He's going to kill Issei-senpai!" Hoshikari looked surprised when he heard those words.
"He's trying to kill that breast-worshipper?" Aware of Naruto's true nature, Hoshikari thought to himself, "So he can pull it off."
"Please, you have to-"
"Bishop of the House of Gremory, do not fret. Naruto won't kill him." When asked how he could be sure, Hoshikari fills Gasper in on why Naruto was bad all of a sudden.
With Issei
The armor around the upper right side of Issei shattered as he felt his right arm bones cracking from the weight of Naruto's incomplete technique.
"DDRAIG!"
"BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!" Despite going past the limited amount of boosts, Issei still found himself overwhelmed by Naruto's fist, and his bones were on the verge of breaking. Once the time limit for his Balance Breaker was done, his armor disappears.
"Even when your arm's close to its breaking point, you'd still fight!? Even if you have to do it one-armed!?"
"OF COURSE! I WON'T STOP UNTIL THE OTHERS ARE SAFE! EVEN IF MY BODY GIVES UP!"
"If that is your answer..." With a nice smile, Naruto ends his technique. To a battered and tired Issei's confusion, the two are left fist-bumping each other.
"Color me impressed." Using Estus, the Rook healed Issei's wounds through the fist bump. "Alright Seekvaira, the show's over, deactivate the Dream Screen Tech." Immediately, Issei found Rias and Kiba standing beside the blond Rook as the Dream Screen effect faded away.
"Buchou!? Kiba!? What is-"
"To make it short and simple, this was the fight to test your limits and possibly surpass them along the way," said Naruto. "All for the sake of protecting those you care about."
"Does that mean-"
"Yes, everyone's alive. I used tech from Agares Corp to make everything, except the ORC Building, look like a convincing life or death fight, along with a new move to make Kiba look dead. Seekvaira helped with her runes." When asked about Koneko and Akeno, Naruto told him they were at Seekvaira's Mansion watching the rest of the fight after he "eliminated them".
"What about Gasper?"
"We forgot about him, a huge mistake on our part, so we'll need to explain this all to him," Naruto said as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head with his right hand. "Though I'm sure Hoshikari's dealing with explaining all this to him. That said, had I wanted to kill you, I'd have done it right away. I was fighting you at the strength Vali would be at, as I promised Azazel, though I got a bit carried away and went a little beyond that.
"You better explain yourself, Namikaze," Rias told the Agares Rook, her arms resting under her breasts.
"What can I say, when I get into it, I get into it. It did work out in the end, given there could be a scenario where Vali obtained a bullshit power boost or something." Hearing his response, Rias sighed, admitting such a possibility could happen.
"So all that stuff about you joining Khaos Brigade in order to bring your parents back was a lie?"
"Though it'd make me happy to have them back, I'd never join Khaos Brigade if it meant betraying my friends and my family, and I'm sure my Mom and Dad would disapprove of my decision to go against Humanity. I also don't think there's a sort of magic or artifact in this world that can bring back the dead. No one on my side, along with Seekvaira's Peerage is affiliated with Khaos Brigade whatsoever." Issei sighed a breath of relief knowing everything was all an act. "All things considered, why did you do all of this?"
"How else was I going to get you to fight seriously?" Naruto answered. "You're a second-year pervert who loves breasts so much it gives you a power boost. This had to be done or else I wouldn't be able to see how far you can really take yourself and beyond for others if such a thing happened. It surprised me how gung-ho Gremory-senpai and the others, even Azazel-sensei, were with the plan."
"While I didn't like how much you were beating on my Issei, you did help him go further, even if it was just a little bit." Naruto assures Rias he and Seekvaira would both repair the ORC Building in its entirety and take everyone out to dinner. "I am thankful for your help with my Pawn." Turning towards Issei, the Gremory King pulls him into a congratulatory hug and told him he performed admirably against an opponent like Naruto, despite how the battle was mostly one-sided.
"Thanks, Buchou, but..." Pulling away from the hug, Issei turned his attention to Naruto and told him, "The fact that I lost to you is something I can't overlook. Someday, I'll get stronger, enough to give you a real fight, a fight that ends with my victory."
"Oh, is that so?" asked an amused Naruto. "Then I will say this: When that day arrives, I won't go easy on you like I did today, and I'll make it a catastrophic nightmare-level battle since I can still become much stronger than I am now. I was just using the same level of power Vali was as a handicap." Rias, Issei, and Kiba looked surprised, even a little pale when Naruto told them he can get stronger despite the current strength he was at now. "Till that day finally comes, you better whip your Pawn into shape, Gremory-senpai."
"Oh, I plan to," Rias said with a smile.
Duck and Wings Paradise
6:35 pm
After Seekvaira repaired the damages caused by the fight between her Rook and Rias's Pawn, she, Rias, and their peerages went straight to the restaurant, the boys sharing a private table separate from the girls, though Rias and Seekaira ate at a separate table so they could talk in private. Azazel didn't come, having been called by Sirzechs for a personal matter. Gasper was the same, having only left the ORC Building to grab Hoshikari, resigning himself to the confines of his room after everything was properly explained by Naruto himself.
"I wished I could've refused to go to work to see this fight, but I couldn't say no," Hoshikari said out loud, grabbing a slice of duck meat and dipping it into some sauce before popping it into his mouth. "Couldn't really say no to Elise."
"I wonder why..." Naruto asked out loud, Hoshikari not taking the hint.
"I'd say if he didn't tell anyone about this, we'd be fooled by Naruto. Azazel was just as surprised by your act," Alivian adds, politely asking the server to refill his glass with lemonade.
"Earlier in the fight, you used a move called Dragon Breaker," Issei reminds the blond. Naruto stops stuffing his mouth with rice and sets his bowl down and sets his focus on Issei.
"Oh, that? That technique was dialed down a bit. Had it been at full power, you'd die." Issei sweats when Naruto said that. "I invented that move with the intention to incapacitate and kill a dragon or a dragon-based enemy, like you and Vali for example."
"As expected from Naruto..." said Kiba. "So how did Issei do overall?"
"Before I answer, I'd like to point out the many flaws Issei has. For starters, his fighting style is very basic, limited to the simple and slopping punches and kicks. He needs to incorporate some technique into his style. His swordsmanship looked like he was either swiping at a bee or trying to fend off a lion with a chair." Issei felt embarrassed when the Rook continued to point out the many problems with his way of fighting.
"Regarding stamina, he's lacking an amount that would allow him to survive longer and possibly win a fight against someone similar to, maybe even stronger than Vali. Gaining more stamina is a top priority since your healing factor uses your stamina to repair the damage you receive. I'd suggest having Koneko help you out with building more stamina or investing time at a gym. Yuuto-senpai can teach you a bit of sword fighting."
"I can try learning a little sword fighting," Issei told him. "I can't assure you I can be as good as Kiba though."
"As long as you gain something. Now to conclude how Azazel-sensei and I think you'd fare against Vali." Issei, Kiba, and the others leaned forward in anticipation, wondering what the verdict will be. With a smile, Naruto told him he'd be able to hold his own against the White Dragon Emperor, Issei sighing a breath of relief as he and the other guys sat back on their chairs.
"Thank goodness..."
"Now don't think you can handle Vali now. As we speak, he's probably stronger than the first time we fought him, so do get stronger than today," Naruto advised, Issei telling him he will and to not worry about it. "Uh-huh..."
"If I may, I'd like to ask you something," said Kiba.
"Shoot."
"What was it like being in the role of a villain?"
"Very exciting I must say, although I do feel somewhat bad about tricking Issei."
"Somewhat?" asked Kiba, Issei taking notice of it and asking Naruto why he felt somewhat bad.
"Most of what I said to you during the fight, I meant it," Naruto admitted, to the Gremory Knight and Pawn's surprise. "Listen Issei, your emotions, when you see someone get hurt or die, can and will be used against you. Emotions like the ones you felt when I supposedly killed Yuuto-senpai, Koneko, and Himejima-senpai, and when I harmed Gremory-senpai need to be kept in check with logic. You did well concentrating on who you CAN save, at least that was the vibe I got from coming to blows with you."
"Thanks?"
"As for my insults regarding your failures, dwelling on them and letting them get to you is another problem you need to work on overcoming. There's going to be a point where you need to get past it. I have my own I need to face, but until then, I will focus on what I can do for those I care about."
"Even you have problems?" Naruto tells Issei everyone has problems, even himself, sounding annoyed that Issei thought he had no problems.
"We both have our ways and reasons for fighting, and I know it's wrong to push our way of thinking into others. There's also, in some strange form, nothing wrong with fighting for breasts and the goal of becoming a Harem King, but there may come a time where you'll encounter an enemy who won't settle for your weird and absurd antics, especially when it comes to your addiction to seeing and touching girls' breasts. I'd put those thoughts into consideration if an encounter with such an enemy were to happen." The thought of encountering such enemy reminded Issei of the time he and the rest of Rias's Peerage fought the Bell Gargoyles and Kokabiel. If he and Rias were to fight against more like them...
"I understand."
"I am eager to see you progress into a competent Pawn of the Gremory Peerage who can hold your own and support your King." Finished Naruto extends his hand to Issei, who shakes it in respect. Seeing the two shake hands, Seekvaira and Rias smiled at them.
"Those two are getting along just fine despite Naruto making it look like he almost killed you," said Seekvaira, Rias agreeing with her.
"As their Kings, we need to get stronger as well," Rias told her fellow King. "Namikaze is no doubt one of the strongest Devils of this generation, and Issei will grow to become a very strong Devil in his own right. My members have been working hard on overcoming their limits after seeing those two fight the White Dragon Emperor."
"Good to hear your members are stepping up on their training more than ever," said Seekvaira. "I don't have to worry about my members, seeing as how they put in the time to train every single day. For Naruto's circle of friends, they're the same as us Rookie Four, training even with their already impressive gifts. Just today, Moka came to my building with Dr. Karnstein and reserved one of my state-of-the-art training rooms. Joichi is helping Fujino build some muscle at his club, and Hoshikari, well...building himself to be a better person is another form of training, even if he's unaware of it."
"Perhaps once we feel our pieces are ready, how about we have a Rating Match?" Seekvaira closed her eyes and formed a smile before taking a sip from her cup of teas. Setting it down, the Agares King said, "Looks like the fight the two had has ignited a bit of your competitive spirit. Very well, I accept your invitation to our eventual Rating Game. When it comes, let's have it on a grand stage."
"There's no better way of having one than an arena with several spectators," Rias adds. "Future Rating Game aside, do you plan to partake in the Devils Gathering during Summer Vacation? Last year, you didn't show up after the previous one where Zephy-"
"Don't mention him," said an angry Seekvaira. "I'll knock down that arrogant bastard and let him know his place when I get stronger and unlock my great grandfather's special magic."
"Still angry over him calling you a virgin?" Seekvaira voiced how annoying it was to hear Zephyrdor brag about how much "tail" he's been getting and how virgins wouldn't come even close to matching him. "I understand the frustration with him. To think he's stronger than you, me, Sona, and Diodora..."
"...There's also...Latia Astaroth."
"Isn't she from the branch family of House Astaroth (No lie, she is an actual character in the series)?" Blushing, she told Rias she didn't want Naruto to meet her, knowing she was the niece of Ajuka, whose mother was from the House of Agares, making them related. In short, she didn't want to compete with her equally attractive relative.
"If you're worried about that, why not tell him? It's obvious to everyone, even Naruto, that you love him. What sort of Rook doesn't go out of his way to pretend to be your boyfriend and annul a marriage between you and Hazama Berith?"
"I'm...I'm just not ready for it to say it." When asked when it WILL be the time, she told Rias she'll know when to tell him when she felt the moment was perfect, Rias suggesting she doesn't take too long. "You're speaking to an Agares who's adept with her Time Magic. I'm sure it's on my side."
"If you say so, Seek-chan."
7 Days Later
Monday (7/18)
Showa Kinen Park
6:05 pm
Naruto arrived at a gathering of fellow onlookers who were either by themselves or with friends, family, or lovers. The Rook wore a black t-shirt under a white dress shirt with rolled-up sleeves, along with a pair of blue jeans and black walking shoes.
"Good place to view fireworks right?" asked Jiraiya, Shizune and Akame walking behind the two. While the other girls made their own plans, following the Rook informing them he was spending it with Akeno days earlier, having made plans with her, Jiraiya had invited him, Shizune, and Akame to view the fireworks the park, the white-haired writer suggesting he invite the Gremory Queen to come with. Akame was the only one who was wearing a yukata, the garment being red with yellow lily designs held together by a black sash. Her hair was styled in a bun, held together by a single red chopstick.
"It is," said the blond Rook.
"Namikaze-kun!" Turning around, Jiraiya's eyes widen in surprise as Akeno waved at the blond. The Gremory Queen's yukata was a dark purple with amaryllis designs held together by a yellow sash.
"She's beautiful Naruto," said Shizune, Naruto only smiling as he nods yes.
"How do I look?" Akeno asked Naruto. Looking at her face, then down at her yukata and back at her face, he said, "Yamato Nadeshiko..." This response made Akeno speechless as her face heats up from the comment.
"Truly she is one," Jiraiya adds with a huge smile, steam coming out of the already-flushed Akeno's ears.
"Jiraiya, don't tease the young lady," Shizune told him, who quickly apologizes to the Queen. As they followed a few feet behind Jiraiya, Shizune, and Akame, Naruto struck a (private) conversation with his senpai, asking her what the Gremory Peerage members were up to.
"If I recall our conversations several days ago, Rias, Issei, and Asia went to Shibuya to view the fireworks with Mr. and Mrs. Hyoudou. Azazel had some business to take care of, not sure what. I did hear from a phone call Koneko had with Johjima-san that she and Kiba are viewing it with him and his girlfriend."
"For me, Illya is viewing them at Fuyuki City with her family, Sella, and Leysritt. Chitose texted me earlier and told me she and Kotomi had met up with Moka and Xenovia and Sif, who are viewing the fireworks with Moka's family. I haven't been able to contact Ayano, though I'm sure she's celebrating the festival in her own way. Seekvaira is at Sendai with Saori and Alivian, and Hoshikari was invited by a co-worker of mine to dinner."
"Do people give you strange looks when you're seen walking him?" Naruto admits he doesn't walk Sif since he tried to take him out several times, only to fail. Xenovia was the only person he'd go on walks with. "Xenovia-san?"
"Yeah, she's very good with taking care of him. As for the strange looks, Xenovia does get them, but she doesn't pay heed to them."
"She is quite something...She's been here for more than a month by now. Does she know her way through Japan?"
"She has been to Kuoh Town, Tokyo, Shibuya, Fukuoka, and Okinawa so far. I have yet to take her to Akihabara. Have to make some plans for that. I may think about showing her Shinjuku and Kichijoji." When asked why she hasn't been to many places since her decision to move to Japan, Naruto told her they had a school life to consider, and he was mostly focused on his duties as Firebrand, adding that he has a personal to-do list on his phone for his Firebrand activities.
"You work a lot," Akeno told Naruto, who tells her he usually stops his activities at around 1 or 2 pm, going overtime if a situation arose where one or more lives were at stake. "It's good to see you doing good for the people of Japan. Do you handle big cases?"
"I focus on small to moderate crimes and the usual supernatural happenings we Devils deal with. I don't tackle a bigger case unless a detective and a couple of good cops I know decide to fill me in on it without the police knowing, seeing as how I was supposedly responsible for some murders Fujino did, one being an accident. If they knew those three were still asking for my help, I'd get them in serious trouble."
"I don't think you'll need to worry about that."
"Naruto, there's a stand selling bbq squid! Do you and your beautiful senpai want some?" Jiraiya shouts, making Akeno embarrassed once more when the old man called her Naruto's beautiful senpai.
"Himejima-senpai, want a squid?" Naruto asked the blushing girl, who nods her head yes. After Naruto told Jiraiya to order for them, the latter waits in line with Shizune and Akame. "Namikaze-kun?"
"Yes, Himejima-senpai?"
"Does my yukata look nice to you? I know what you said earlier, but I didn't really get a proper response."
"I guess I was talking to myself when I was looking at you and your yukata as a whole."
"Tell her she's a Weapon of Mass Seduction."
"I...have no idea what to think of your yukata. I think any yukata looks nice on you, no matter the color and design," said the Agares Rook.
"Re-Really...N-No matter the color and design?" Akeno was left disappointed when Naruto told her she was sure to get Issei's attention with anything she wears outside of the Kuoh Academy dress code. Noticing her somewhat somber expression, he asked her if he said something wrong.
"No, you didn't say anything wrong," said the Gremory Queen.
"Naruto!" Turning to face Jiraiya, he asked him what was wrong. "I was unable to get a squid for your friend, so if you don't mind, you can share it with her." This caught Akeno's attention as Jiraiya hands his godson a bbq squid on a stick. Gently blowing on it first, Naruto puts the squid in front of Akeno to give her the first bit. With a smile, she gently said, "Ara ara, aren't you a gentleman."
"I learned it from the best (his late father)." Akeno happily takes the first bite from the squid, complimenting how tasty it was. The raven-haired girl's face turned red when Naruto bit from the area she took her first one from.
"This is some pretty good squid, huh Himejima-senpai..."
"Yes...Yes, it is..."
[ED Finale: Occult Kenkyuubu Girls - Houteishiki wa Kotaenai]
Noticing the two together, a wandering photojournalist happens upon them, asking the two if he could take their picture for a paper he was working on regarding the festival.
"You don't mind, do you, Senpai?"
"No, I'm fine having it taken." The two smile as the photojournalist snaps their picture. Checking to see if he got it right, he told them it turned out perfect, thanking the two before leaving take more pictures. After finishing their squid, the two watched the fireworks go off in the night with Jiraiya, Shizune, and Akame. In other locations, Seekvaira, Xenovia, Moka, and the others looked up as they marveled at the many fireworks that went off in the night. As Naruto focused on the fireworks, Akeno looked at his smiling face as he occupied himself with looking up at the fireworks show, smiling herself before looking back up before anyone noticed.
Kuoh Town
8:00 pm
"Thank you for allowing me to view the fireworks with you all," said Akeno, respectfully bowing her head to them.
"You're welcome to join us anytime," said Shizune. Seeing how Akame looked at her, Akeno asked her if something was wrong.
"Nothing..." Facing Naruto, the Gremory Queen says, "I'll see you and your sister tomorrow at school," to him.
"Have a safe walk Himejima-senpai." Once they finished their goodbyes, Akeno parted ways with Naruto and his family..
"Hmmm...A supernaturally attractive girl who falls in love with a normal-looking boy who's always down on his luck...Yes, that could work for my romantic anthology book," said an inspired Jiraiya, recalling Akeno's beauty. "When we get home I'm starting a new book."
"Already got an idea with just a look from Himejima -senpai," said Naruto.
"Inspiration comes in many different shapes and forms Naruto!" Jiraiya shouts, Shizune forcing a smile as Akame palmed her head at Jiraiya's idea for a book. "I'll call it, Summertime Beauty."
"Premise could be good but the title is horrible," said Naruto. Jiraiya saying it was a work in progress.
Walking by herself, recalling how Naruto indirectly kissed her, Akeno smiled to herself, her cheeks flushed.
[Music End]
Post-Credits
Tuesday (7/26)
Agares Corp Building
Naruto's Office
Putting the Aestus Estus at the center of a summoning circle, Naruto asked Moka and Archer if they were sure the summoning was going to work, Xenovia and Seekvaira standing beside them and Kotomi, in her pixie form, resting on the latter's shoulder.
"Of course it'll work. The only difference is that you have an actual catalyst to summon one instead of randomly summoning one with a few saint quartz."
"To think Naruto's going to be having another familiar when he already has me..." a jealous Kotomi said to herself.
"Okay, I made the summoning circle and I placed the catalyst at the center. Now I just need to recite the lines right?" Moka gives Naruto a thumbs-up as the other girls do the same, Seekvaira telling Naruto, "You got this."
"Well, here goes nothing."
Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill
Repeat five times
But when each is filled, destroy it
Set
Heed my words
My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny
If you heed the Grail's call and obey my will and reason, then answer me
I hereby swear...
That I shall be all the good in the world
You seven heavens, clad in the three great words of power,
come forth from the circle of binding
Guardian of the Scales!
Post-Credits 2
Johjima Residence
Hearing the phone ring, Joichi's Mother asked her son if he could go pick it up. Responding with a yes, Joichi goes over to the phone and picks it up.
"Hello?"
"Hey Joichi, it's been a while."
"Oh, Grandpa Jonas, it's been a few months since your last visit. How's your recent discovery?" Joichi's grandfather sounded annoyed when he told his grandson it was terrible. "Sorry to hear that."
"Are you on speaker?" When Joichi told him he wasn't, he told him, "Good, because there's something we need to talk about, regarding my discovery. It may affect our family and quite possibly the world as a whole whether you like it or not."
"In what way?"
"Tell me, are you aware of your Stand now?" Joichi went silent when his grandfather mentioned it. "I knew you would be exposed to it the moment you were stabbed by the arrow." Before he could ask how his grandfather knew, Jonas tells him his mother informed him about his arrow injury.
"Listen very carefully Joichi, I am an hour away from Japan. I need you to meet me at the coffee shop I frequent. We have much to discuss involving the Joestar bloodline. And no matter what, do not tell anyone about this."
ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴ
TO BE CONTINUED IN
FIREBRAND PART III
Finally, Part II is done and I can move on to other stuff, like building up moves for Naruto's Thunderbrand Form.
With the fight between Issei and Naruto the Villain, I didn't want to end it with Issei's face meeting the ground. I felt that ending it with Naruto feeling satisfied with Issei's progress was a better ending. Otherwise, you have him waking up with Rias's jugs above his head while he's resting his head on her lap.
Naruto's response regarding how Akeno would definitely get Issei's attention is based on a reaction from an episode of BEASTARS, an anime I'd recommend watching.
Anyways, with Part III, characters like Naofumi, Sayaka, Rossweisse, DIO, Nero Claudius, Jonas Joestar, and more will join in when Part III starts. With the next part, I'm deciding to give Joichi space, aka time for himself, to develop his Stand's abilities, with help from his grandfather and some bizarre allies.
Hoshikari will also be having his own development in the form of a swordmaster who has ties with his mother. I am considering a chapter where it's mostly him, who knows. That way he can know more about her.
I am hoping to give Koneko and Akeno more time in the spotlight since I like Koneko and Naruto pairings, and I like Akeno first before Xenovia made her appearance in NEW.
For Koneko, I plan to have Naruto deal with her problems involving Kuroka alongside Issei since he made a promise to her, one he will keep. For Akeno, I am thinking of a mission where she and Naruto, along with a few Gremory and Agares members, investigate disappearing on a train similar to the Mugen Train Arc in Kimetsu no Yaiba. I feel that having Akeno experience a dream where her mother is alive is something that will make it hard for her to escape from and bring her and Naruto a bit closer.
Another idea is having a Mu-on'na, or Unmother, pose as Akeno's Mother, who slowly steals Akeno's soul. That would be in the Train Arc. Otherwise I'll think up something else. I'll even take some ideas if possible.
The parts with the Shield Hero will possibly be during the finale after the Diodora Arc. Otherwise, it's a simple cameo of Naofumi in Part III that continues in Part IV.
That said, I will leave a new poll on my page on the arc you want in PART III.
As a prelude, Xenovia will face Shino at the rookie's archery tournament. There'll also be one with Mika the designer baby who wields Spectator and Millicas, who has a crush on her. Naruto will have to show them around Japan as a tour guide.
Finally, if I can, I'll get started reading the side stories that happened during what has happened so far so I can make Firebrand DX. That said, things may take a while so please be patient.
