I know I promised three in one, among other things, but they don't always go as planned. I did plan to submit on Halloween, but stress prevented me from finishing sooner than I wanted.
The next chapter or two is planned out, and I am reading the light novel to get a better feel of how I want to go about Part III. Another matter is I work at home so I often write up what I need to in-between breaks and on days where I don't work. I am still going to continue this and other things so worry not, though do worry about the long elevator waits.
I also have my brother to consult with, because I am incorporating Dark Souls into this, and yes I want to do it my ways but sometimes you may yield some results from these long conversations so there's that.
To begin, know that this chapter will establish what will happen in the next chapter. You're not going to see a lot of fights in this one, and it will focus on other characters, which I wanted to do for quite some time.
OP5: Burning Soul by GARNiDELiA
Tuesday (7/26)
Morning
Namikaze Residence
Naruto's Bathroom (Cypress)
As the warm water from the handheld showerhead washed away the soap suds from his body, Naruto felt both bothered and distracted by Sayaka, who was bathing in the large wooden squared bath, her satisfied sighs and gasps making his "rod" grow. Quickly, he sprayed himself with ice-cold water, letting out a startled shout. Taking this as Naruto starting to get out of control, the shamanic war dancer summons an all-metal, silver-colored great sword into her hands and stops the blade at his neck, making him sweat.
"I knew it! You were about to go out of control!"
"I wasn't going to do that! I made that sound because I sprayed myself with cold water!" he told her, the girl asking him why he'd do something like that to himself. "I...have reasons, mainly for your safety."
"My safety?" Sayaka asked, keeping the blade close to his neck and having her guard up.
"You have a very attractive body, I got an...a reaction from it, and had to cool down."
"Now I know you're a pervert and a threat."
"You just met me last night and already you perceive me as a threat!?" Naruto yelled. "Any guy would have this sort of reaction, ya know! And even with that blade against my neck, it wouldn't do anything. If I was a threat here and now, I'd be on top of you, sucking on your breasts, and rubbing my junk on your thighs, within a few seconds."
"My thighs!?" yelled a madly-blushing Sayaka. "What sort of strange leg fetish do you have!?"
"I don't have a fetish for legs! Now let me finish bathing! I have places to be today on my first day of Summer Vacation!"
My name is Naruto Namikaze. I was an ordinary 16-year old junior high student ready to be a Kuoh Academy student until I nearly lost my life protecting my cousin and my childhood friend. To save my life, a Devil named Seekvaira Agares offered me the chance to continue living by becoming her Rook. At the same time, a primordial being named Infernus bonded to me, giving me the power to manipulate flames. In the daytime, I am a first-year Kuoh Academy student, and on some nights, I operate as the mysterious and elusive vigilante known as Firebrand. Since the day I became Seekvaira's Rook, my life has become interesting, to say the least. I was a bodyguard and assassin for one of the Four Great Satans, got a girlfriend, whom I had to break up with a few months later due to circumstances, have a former flame of my father become my guardian, became a Pseudo-King, kicked the ass of my King's fiance to prevent her from marrying him, got another girlfriend, who's my first Knight, finally confessed to my childhood friend, Moka Akashiya, who is now my Queen, unknowingly adopted a Fallen Angel named Hoshikari into my family, got three separate factions to make peace with each other, and involved my adopted sister Akame into my complicated life. Now I find myself under the watch of an observer sent by the Church to evaluate me and determine if I'll be an enemy in the future. While she is proving to be another handful in my life, I know everything will work out alright in the end somehow. It may be foolish to think this way, but I'd rather be an optimist and a fool than a pessimist and right.
Qu'il fait bon (Kuoh Town)
"JoJo's gone to Egypt for his Summer Vacation?" Koneko asked Naruto as she helped herself to a Queen Nina Tart (Tart with grapes).
"Yeah, his grandfather came by earlier yesterday, and then left for Egypt in the afternoon."
"Quite an odd place to go to for Summer Vacation." Naruto nods in agreement, picking up his cup of coffee and taking a sip from it.
"If you don't mind me asking..." Turning her attention towards a calm and composed Sayaka enjoying a slice of a flower-shaped mixed berry candle night cake, Koneko asked Naruto, "Who's the girl?"
"She's keeping watch over me, under orders from a branch of the Church," he answered, going on to tell her she's been pretty bothersome and was quick to take out her weapon as soon as he did the minimalist of things. "During breakfast, she almost took her weapon out when I went to grab Fujino a cutting knife."
"Bothersome!?" Sayaka yelled out, her fork still in her mouth.
"Believe it, and I'm going to say this again: The Church sending someone to evaluate me is unneeded. Are they not willing to have my actions speak for me? If they do, are my deeds not enough? Especially when I incinerated Kokabiel for them and returned the stolen Excalibur fragments? To top it all off, I protected Michael from the Khaos Brigade alongside my King and the other peerages in Kuoh Town."
"True you've done a great service to the Church despite your status as a devil, but that power you possess...Who can say you won't lose control of it down the line?" Naruto said nothing, fully aware of that possibility happening. He wanted to say it wouldn't, but he couldn't.
"If that were to happen..." Sayaka, turned to face the Gremory Rook, wanting to know what her response would be. "I know he's someone who will pull his act together, no matter the difficulties that may come with what's inside of him. He's not one to let that power of his control him."
"Is that right?"
"It is..." The two girls have a stare down, their energies slowly rising until Naruto received a phone call from Seekvaira, relieving the tension.
"I have to take this." Accepting the call, Naruto greets his King on the phone and asked her if she was calling regarding "that".
"Yes. So far, the preparations are nearly complete. We just need you to head over to Agares Corp after you're finished. What are you doing?"
"I'm with Koneko and Kirasaka at a tarts shop," he answered.
"Ooh, before you leave there, bring me a Summer Fruit Tart, please!" With a smile, Naruto told her he'll order one right away.
"Thank you! Can't wait until you arrive!" Seekvaira hung up after, Naruto getting up to order his King's tart. "I need to go see my King. It was nice hanging with you a bit Koneko."
"As long as you bring me to places with the best sweets," Koneko told Naruto, smiling at him before she resumed enjoying her tart by herself.
Agares Corp Building
Naruto's Office
"Where's that Church girl?" Seekvaira asked her Rook while finishing the summoning circle, telling her she had to use the restroom. "Now? A shame, the summoning of a Servant is quite a sight to see, at least when the summoner lives to become a Master."
"Why haven't you summoned a Servant, Seekvaira?" With a smile, she tells Naruto, "I have something better."
"Better? How?"
"Let's just say it's one of my contingency plans against you." Naruto's eyes widen from hearing Seekvaira's answer.
"That...I am curious about. What does it involve?" Wagging her right finger at him, she says it wouldn't be a contingency plan if the person in question knew what it was.
As soon as Seekvaira and Moka finished up on the final touches for the summoning circle, Naruto took Aestus Estus out of a capsule he kept in a hidden panel of a floor before he sets the sword down at the center of the circle. Xenovia and Seekvaira stood beside them with Kotomi resting on the blond Rook's shoulder in her pixie form.
"You sure this is going to work, Moka? Archer?"
"Of course it'll work," Moka assured.
"The only difference is that you have an actual catalyst to summon one instead of randomly summoning one with a few saint quartz," Archer adds while Naruto took a step away from the summoning circle.
"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!
Everyone was expecting the room to shake and the stuff on Naruto's work station to drop onto the floor. Instead, a flash of light blinds them for a few seconds, dying down after. The Servant in front of them was unexpected. Instead of a man, Nero Claudius...
"Nero's a she!?" Naruto, Moka, and Xenovia shout at the top of their lungs. Opening her eyes, Nero looks straight at Naruto and asks him, "I ask you, are you my Praetor?"
Naruto reveals the command seals projecting over his left hand, confirming his role as her Master. Immediately following her confirmation that Naruto was her Master, she quickly appears in front of him leaving a small trail of ethereal rose petals in her wake. Naruto couldn't help but feel his face turn red after having a beautiful Servant like Nero this close to him.
"Your face..."
"What about it?"
"Not only do I sense great talent from you, but you're also beautiful!" Nero said out loud, going for a hug straight away, to Naruto's surprise, and the girls' jealousy.
"Umu...Umu, Umu!"
"What sort of Servant did I summon?" Naruto thought to himself.
"One of the best kinds," Infernus responds, his host telling him to fuck off.
"Starting now, until the end of time, make me the person you rely on the most, Praetor!" At the same time, Sayaka enters the room, her weapon drawn.
"So you have summoned a Servant to boost your own power...Your level of danger to the world has increased while I was in the ladies' room..."
"Some observer you are," Naruto told the girl, making her angry from the comment. "I'm doing the best I can if you must know!"
"Praetor, who is that woman?" Nero asked her Master.
"Just a girl watching over me."
"Ehhh, but you have me now to watch over you," Nero told him.
"He has me too, you know..." a pouty Kotomi said to herself, looking away in annoyance.
With Joichi
Falling Airplane
"That settles it: I am never riding with you on a plane again, Grandpa Jonas." Joichi, his grandfather Jonas Joestar, and their two allies had just finished off a Stand-user who was involved in many thefts and mass killings disguised as accidents involving plane crashes and train accidents. However, the enemy had killed the pilots, forcing Jonas to take the wheel and land the plane safely onto the water below, leaving them 35 km off the coast of Hong Kong.
With Naruto
Agares Mansion
Courtyard
Sayaka writes down the combat capabilities of the Rook in her pocketbook as she observed him and Nero double-teaming Alivian, who blocks each and every one of their strikes without breaking a sweat, smiling in amusement to himself. Beside her was Kotomi, who was happily snacking on doughnuts in her pixie form.
Nero launched herself towards Alivian, using Naruto's left leg as footing as he propels her forward with a swing of his leg. Alivian catches the blade between his hands before it could cut him. Letting go of her sword, Nero swings her left leg towards the right side of his head, missing when Alivian ducks the kick and uses the handle of Nero's sword to strike her stomach. While Nero backs off in pain, Naruto rushed forward and used Burning Sphere on him, hitting him in the chest and pushing him three feet back. Looking at the spot where Naruto struck him, he found part of his undershirt ruined.
"Not bad...but I'd give this scratch a 3 out of 10." Strengthening his limbs with his dragon energy, Alivian goes on the offensive.
("Naruto Namikaze displays advanced fighting prowess, along with an adeptness for fire-based magic, having been trained by Seekvaira Agares' Queen and Knight. He has yet to surpass them, but from the training I've witnessed with my own eyes, it looks as though he won't be able to beat them for a hundred-years, quite possibly more if you count their ages of experience and-") Sayaka's writing gets interrupted when she heard a thunderous sound. Looking up from her pocketbook, she is surprised to see Alivian lying on the ground, some parts of his butler jacket and pants covered in dirt and smoke. Looking at Naruto, she finds him heavily panting as Nero offered him a shoulder.
"What did he just do? I let my eyes off of him for a few seconds and..."
"Impressive attack you executed, Naruto. However, I give that attack a three as well."
"Looks like I still have a ways to go to perfect it," Naruto said, a tired grin on his face.
"What have you been working on behind our backs Naruto?" Alivian asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Can't say. All you need to know is that it's incomplete alongside a "side project" I've been experimenting on."
("I focus myself on the report of a few minutes and he goes on to unleash an attack I was unable to catch a glimpse of,") Sayaka wrote. ("He mentions an incomplete technique and a side project. Whatever they may be, the potential danger he poses is terrifying. The years it'd take for Naruto Namikaze to surpass Seekvaira's Knight and Queen may have lowered. By how much is frighteningly uncertain.")
"Let's stop training for today." Alivian shakes Naruto and Nero's hands before heading back to the mansion to deal with his remaining duties as a butler.
"Nero, how about we have ourselves a bath before I show you around the city a bit?" Nero lets out a happy gasp as she hugs her Master and says, "Haaahhh, I love you, Praetor!" Both Naruto and Sayaka turned red hearing the Servant say those words to the former, with Kotomi almost choking on her food.
Kuoh Town (Downtown)
"This is quite a town!" yelled the Saber-class Servant, taking in her new surroundings as Naruto stood behind her alongside Sayaka and Kotomi. "Umu! This around me arouses my interests!" While pointing at everything that looked new and interesting to her, she tells Naruto, "That and this...Everything catches my eye!"
"I'm glad you love this town, Nero."
"Praetor, please show me what this marvelous place has to offer," Naruto told her Master, Naruto agreeing to do it as he took the lead.
"If you don't mind me asking...why are you dressed like a boy?" Kotomi asked. "I've been curious about it ever since we left Seekvaira's.
"Why? Because I enjoy wearing boys' clothes."
"That's all there is to it?"
"All there needs to be," she replied. "There's also the matter of my beauty. If I were to wear girls' clothes, surely those who look upon me will be rendered speechless by my beauty...wouldn't you agree, Praetor?" While Naruto focused on his conversation with Nero and Kotomi, Sayaka writes down notes regarding the Saber-class Servant.
("Nero Claudius. She and Naruto Namikaze are in perfect sync with each other when they are in battle without any knowledge of their ways of combat, and they require no words to communicate. Her Noble Phantasm is unknown, which will require more-")
"You should really put that away and worry about it later," Naruto told Sayaka, the girl looking up at him to see what he'd say to her. "You should enjoy yourself while you're here observing me."
"Then I wouldn't be doing my job as an ob-" Without warning, Naruto swiped her pocket notebook away. "Hey, give that back!"
"No can do," said Naruto, dodging away to prevent Sayaka from taking her book. "At least not until you start enjoying yourself. I'm sure you can recall everything that will happen from now up until bedtime."
"You're just telling me to enjoy myself to lower my guard." Right when she finds an opening to grab her pocket journal, Naruto stops her right hand by gripping her wrist.
"You remind me of how Xenovia was when I first met her. I have no dark intentions in mind for you. You have my word."
"..."
"Naruto?" Turning around, Naruto sees Issei and Asia approach them.
"Issei, Asia."
"Hey Naruto, how's your-...WHO ARE THOSE BABES!?" Issei shouts, pointing his finger at Nero and Sayaka.
"The blonde girl here is my Servant, Nero, the other girl's name is Sayaka, an observer tasked with evaluating me."
"Hmmm?" Setting her sights on Asia, Nero closed the distance between them and gets up close with the Gremory Bishop, surprising the latter.
"Either you're a relative of mine, or Venus has blessed you with my beauty!" Nero told Asia with a smile. Turning her attention towards Issei, she points her finger at him and shouts, "Be proud to be dating a beautiful girl like her, brown-haired boy!" Asia and Issei's cheeks burned red, while Naruto and Sayaka watched Nero interact with them.
"D-D-D-Date!?" Issei and Asia yelled.
"It is just you and her, Issei," Naruto told the Gremory Pawn in a teasing manner. "If this isn't a date, what is it?"
With Seekvaira
Study Room
"I have managed to translate some of the pages in the book you had lent me." Ayano told Seekvaira, who thanks her for it. "Can you show me what you've translated?"
"Unfortunately I don't have the book with me. It's currently at my place. Sorry."
"No need to apologize, I did call you out of the blue while you were out," Seekvaira assured. "What have you translated so far?"
"The pages I've managed to translate talk about the First of the Dead, Nito. He is the living manifestation of death and illness. Nito also went by the title, Gravelord. In the war against the Dragons, Nito had killed many of the everlasting dragons with the miasma he generated from his very being. The miasma would slowly eat away at a living person's soul until they inevitably die."
"Facing a manifestation of death and illness...Could Naruto beat him?" Seeing Ayano break eye contact worried her. "So no..."
"He can...but even with Infernus' power, both would die," Ayano responds. "Unless he was Undead, the chances of success would be high, but-"
"He's not Undead..." Seeing how worried Seekvaira was for Naruto, Ayano lets out a smile and assures her she didn't have to worry about it, telling her Nito is long dead. "Dead?"
"Another Undead killed him far back before Infernus appeared, so I wouldn't worry." Now relieved, Seekvaira voiced how glad she was to know someone from the Hidden Gap had dealt with Nito.
"If this was all you need of me, I'll take my leave. I have some plans for tonight."
"Of course, you may take your leave." Turning towards the exit, Ayano hid her worried expression as she walked out of the room.
"Seath...He was dead way before Infernus came to the Hidden Gap for the First Flame. Yet, Seath reappeared and fused with Kokabiel. What's more, the Lordvessel appeared to Naruto...If I am correct, that means..." Once Ayano closed the door behind her, Seekvaira's expression turned serious.
"If this was all you need of me, I'll take my leave...You don't say something like that unless you're hiding something. Ayano Kagami, what don't you want us to know?"
With Moka, Akame, and Hoshikari
Black Dog BAR
"Thank you so much for coming, despite starting your Summer Vacation today," a grateful Tobio said to the three. Moka was dressed as a server while Akame and Hoshikari were dressed as chefs. "Tonight the whole bar is reservation only for both Devils and Exorcists."
"We don't mind at all," Moka told him, Akame responding by saying he caught her at the right time, having finished her training at Pekoyama's.
"I was in the middle of training when I received the call from Elise," said Hoshikari.
"Akashiya-chan, I'm counting on you to receive the customers' orders. If some give you trouble, feel free to "issue a warning" to them.
"You can count on me," Moka told Tobio, giving him a thumbs-up before leaving to tend to the customers, leaving Akame and Hoshikari to assist the other chefs while making orders for those the chefs were unable to make at the moment.
"We're serving exorcists of the Church as well..." Hoshikari says out loud. Facing him, Akame asked if he found a problem with it. "Not really. Although..."
"I held my ground against that massive monster like any other guard who serves the Three Legendary Weapon Bearers!" a brown mustached man boasted out loud to a couple of his fellow exorcists, which were heard by the one-winged fallen angel.
"The exorcists who brag of their achievements, be it true or false, are the ones I have a problem with." Outside of the kitchen, Moka had stopped the boastful exorcist from reaching to grab a server's butt by grabbing him by the wrist and telling him with a threat-inducing smile, "Please don't make an attempt to harass any of the servers here in any way, or else..." The exorcist paled when Moka used her Vaporization Freezing Technique to freeze the beer in the mug she was holding in her left hand.
"Go-...Got it."
With Naruto
TAITO Station Akihabara
Naruto stayed cool as Nero, Issei, Asia, Kotomi, and Sayaka watched him press and hold a button moving the crane's claw forward, letting go once he felt it was placed right where he wanted it to be, the crane lowering to grab a lion plushie for the Servant. It was nerve-wracking as the crane made its way to the drop point, with Nero, Issei, Asia, and Kotomi crossing their fingers as Naruto remained calm and Sayaka looked on in silence. They tensed up when it looked like the crane would drop it. Once the prize dropped into the drop point, Nero, Issei, and Asia let out a shout, "YES!" at the top of their lungs as the Agares Rook takes the lion plushie and hands it to his Servant.
"Thank you, Praetor!"
"No problem Nero." Looking at Sayaka, he found her lacking any expression. She had kept that same look on her face even after they grouped up with Issei and Asia. While waiting for Nero, Issei, and Asia to finish their business in the bathroom. Naruto took the time to talk to Sayaka.
"Not having fun?"
"I am, just not a lot," Sayaka answered.
"Wow, you are quite hard to please in the fun department." Sayaka looked at Naruto with a bothered and angry expression on her face.
"Well, I'm sorry I don't share any interests you or your Servant share like the Red Dragon Pawn, Healing Bishop, and Doughnut-crazed Pixie!" she yells out loud, getting the attention of those passing by. Realizing this, the now-flushed Sayaka puts her hands over her mouth.
"For someone trained by the Church to be an assassin and an expert hex magic user, you are easy to anger," Naruto points out. "If you wanted to go somewhere during all this, you could just tell me and we could've gone there." Sayaka's eyes widen in surprise by the Agares Rook's response. "It's the start of our Summer Vacation, so I can find time to do things you want to do with Nero. That way you're having fun with us."
"...You would go to a place of my choosing?"
"Yeah, that way everyone is having fun."
T Wall Climbing Gym
Koto City, Tokyo, Japan
Naruto looked satisfied to see Sayaka enjoying herself as she advanced up the artificially constructed wall at her own pace, having passed him a couple of minutes ago as Issei, followed behind the two. Nero was following behind her Master while Asia and Kotomi struggled at the way bottom of the wall.
"She looks like she's enjoying herself now."
"Naruto, that girl..."
"What about her?"
"She...has a finely-shaped ass." Naruto's face turned red hearing Infernus compliment Sayaka's perfect rear. Below, the two, Issei is holding on to a protrusion above him with his left hand while covering a bloody nose with his right one.
With Maki and Chitose
Jufuku-ji Temple
Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
"Thank you for coming," said an elderly priest of the temple. "I had hoped to deal with this problem myself. But I am far too old to. It was only by luck that my sacred arrow was able to scare it off to protect two youngsters whose souls it was prepared to eat."
"It's not every day you get to deal with a soul eater," said Maki. "What can you tell us about it?"
"It's been feeding on the wildlife in the forest, and the mana in the atmosphere, but they do little to sate its hunger. The only time it gets full is when a few of my fellow priests become its victims. Earlier I had called for assistance from three members of the Church who were here on business to go after it. They said it wouldn't take long, but they haven't returned since they agreed to the job five hours ago."
"That long? It usually takes half an hour to a full one to accomplish a hunt and kill request, especially if one of them is an expert in tracking. Either they're dead or this soul eater can match the three in strength." Facing the priest, Maki told him she and Chitose would take the job. "Thank you...Hmmm, it'll take a bit of getting used to asking Devils for help."
Over 20 minutes later
Hokokuji Bamboo Forest
"Thank you for coming with me Chitose. I would ask Naruto to help with this, but he has his own thing going on ever since that observer came to the house last night." Chitose tells the Agares Pawn she didn't mind it at all while she walked beside the Agares Pawn. "If I can help it, I'd like to deal with this Soul Eater without calling him for help."
"There is more to this after all," said the Namikaze Rook.
"Seeing how others are being motivated to get stronger, I too must do the same," said Maki. "If Naruto ever finds himself against an enemy he can't fight by himself, it's up to us to let him know he doesn't have just Infernus to rely on."
"Hohhhh..." Looking at Chitose, Maki sees the maid sporting an amused smile on her face.
"What?"
"From what Naruto has told me about you, you used to prefer working alone...Adding the piece of dialogue you've told me about letting him know he has us he can rely on to fight alongside..." Knowing where this was going, Maki told her it wasn't like that for her. Trying to find any trace of change in her expression, Chitose finds none, complimenting the Pawn on her poker face. "Years of having this expression has its ups and downs."
"I must point out, however, that while I have no trouble admitting how I feel...I wonder about you...You're just as secretive about your feelings as Hoshikari."
"I have nothing to hide. I say what I think and how I feel, and right now, I feel bothered by your assumptions."
"You want to know what I think?" Chitose asked the Pawn. After asking the Namikaze Rook what she thinks, they are interrupted by the sound of an explosion out in the distance, the two rushing towards the direction it came from.
[Naruto OST - Need To Be Strong]
"Thunderbolt Slash/Thunder Arrow/Lightning Spear!" Three exorcists, each wielding a certain specific weapon (wielding a sword, bow, and spear), fire their magic-based attacks at a ghostly fish draped in white cloth. While they connect, they find the ghost-type monster unaffected by their attacks, the sword wielder commenting on its sturdiness. The three move out of the range of the explosive dark energy blast it from its mouth, the energy scorching the ground they were standing on seconds ago.
"SHOOTING STAR BOW!" The bow wielder consecutively fires explosive arrows at the soul eater, the monster darting past many bamboo trees to avoid the shots. It flies towards the bow hero, avoiding a swing from the sword hero's blade, then a thrust from the spear hero's weapon. It knocks the bow wielder into a bamboo stem when he tries to go for another shot, the wielder falling on his stomach as most of the arrows in his quiver spill on the ground. Floating above him, the monster charges up another explosive blast and fires it at the bow hero under it, the blast being canceled out by the spear wielder's Air Strike Javelin attack, which covers their surroundings with smoke.
While the three exorcists cough out from the smoke and cover their eyes with their free arms, the soul eater tackles the sword wielder onto the ground, blasting away all the smoke with its speed, and prepares to feast on his soul.
"Ren!" the spear wielder cried out. This is stopped by a consecutive blast of lightning from Chitose's fingertips, grabbing its attention. With an upward swipe of her right hand, her pointing and middle fingers out, she erects an electrical shield in front of her when the soul eater flew towards her in a rage, electrocuting it. The monster darts to the right when the Namikaze Rook goes for a lightning blast.
"Who the hell is that?" asked the bow wielder.
"Why don't you start getting off your ass instead of asking questions, Itsuki?" asked the newly-arrived Maki, much to the shock of the bow wielder identified as Itsuki.
"You..." Itsuki's attention goes to the soul eater's explosive blast missing Chitose, who swings a crescent blade of electricity from her tanto, the attack missing its mark when the monster moves out of its range.
"If you're content on laying on the ground like that, have it your way..." Closing her eyes, Maki disappears in an instant, the leaves around where she was standing just now lightly blowing away from the swift movement, appearing behind the soul eater and swinging Wailing Dark at it, managing to cut off its right arm with her devil energy-infused blade. Chitose forms the kuji-kiri hand signs for Power and Energy with her left hand before firing two balls of electricity at the soul eater, the monster avoiding the two blasts and making its way towards her. With the now-electrified tanto in her right hand, she swings it to the left when it goes for another attack, cutting open its right eye. Maki goes in for another swing, lopping off its remaining arm, jumping back when the monster made an attempt to smash her into the ground with a headbutt. Throwing two explosive runes at it damages it further as Chitose charges at it and thrusts her lightning-infused tanto forward, sending a straight beam of lightning through the back of its mouth, though it didn't kill it. The soul eater dispersed into a mist and reforms itself, distancing itself away from the two. Ren, Itsuki, and the spear wielder gawk at how capable the two girls were as they stared down the soul eater, the two standing by each other. Taking its desire to survive into account, it makes a break for it.
Acting quickly, Chitose balls her left hand into a fist, sending an electrical beam towards the soul eater. While stopping the monster to keep it from turning into its mist form, the beam attached itself to its back, preventing it from flying off. With her Rook strength, Chitose pulls it towards them before getting into a stance as she wrapped her right hand around the handle of her sheathed tanto, Maki getting into an iaido stance. The last thing the monster sees are a pair of glowing eyes as Maki dashed towards it, Chitose following her. The Pawn swung her devil energy infused-blade from left to right horizontally, followed by Chitose performing a diagonal slash from top-left to bottom-middle, the two appearing behind it.
[Music End]
As soon as the girls sheathe their weapons, the life in the soul eater's eyes fade as it dispersed into a purple cloud, leaving behind some of its remains, which Maki promptly walked over to and picked up after.
"This will make for good material for Shirabi to make me a new sword to replace Murasame..."
"While we had trouble fighting it for seven minutes, those two defeated it within two..." said Ren, looking at them in surprise alongside the spear wielder, who assumes they were using cheat weapons.
"Cheat weapons?" Maki asked out loud. "That's rich, coming from three morons who couldn't beat a single soul eater together."
"What was that!?" asked a now-angry spear wielder.
"We didn't take it down because we have cheat weapons, we took it down because we had the means to do it, and the skills to back it up. The weapons and magic we wield merely complement our skills. Your teammate, Itsuki, should know. I did best him and his party over a year ago, with nothing but a couple of knives." Ren and the spear wielder look at Itsuki, demanding an explanation.
"Yes, I know her. She was on a mission to assassinate one of the Church priests my team and I were to guard. She killed him with a throwing knife and we gave chase to her. We followed her into the woods, only to find ourselves being hunted instead. She took us down one by one with nothing but a second knife and her own hands, killing one of our own in the process (Mald)."
"That man was filth that needed to die," Maki told the bow wielder, who angrily told her she didn't know that for sure. "Didn't know that? I had info on every one of your members through a contact of mine in Italy, and let me tell you, Mald was the worst person to have, you're just too naive to believe he wasn't, and too stupid to even consider looking deeper into his and any one of your members' backgrounds." Maki could tell she was hitting a nerve when she took notice of Itsuki growing for an arrow in his quiver, Maki preparing to take out her handgun.
"Try to go for an arrow, and I'll end up getting you in between the eyes," Maki warned. "Don't forget how our first showdown ended..." Chitose prepares for another battle when the spear wielder readied his weapon to help Itsuki out, Maki and Itsuki staring each other down as this was going. Before the Pawn and the bow wielder could draw out their weapons, Ren calmly tells Itsuki to stop.
"But-"
"We already saw her and the other girl in action. It'd be unwise to engage either of them, especially with the Kuoh Accords in effect, Itsuki, Motoyasu." Ren's two allies look at him, shock by his response. "We owe them gratitude for coming to our rescue and killing the soul eater."
"At least one of the three has some sense to admit to their disadvantages and be thankful for our help," Chitose whispers in Maki's left ear.
"Speaking for all three of us, I'd like to thank you two for the assistance."
"You're welcome. Now...what sort of business do the Three Legendary Weapon Bearers have in Japan?"
(Naruto, Sayaka, Kotomi, Nero, Issei, and Asia)
Namba Ryukishin (Kuoh Town)
"Ohhh, you really know your ramen, Naruto Namikaze," said an amused but stoic Sayaka.
"When it comes to places to get good ramen, I am the best at it," Naruto said with pride in his voice as they're served a bowl of shio soba ramen.
"The soup is so clear," Nero points out, sounding amazed.
"It's the result of low-temp cooking, crating a clear stock called chintan." Trying out the soup in unison, the party of six let out a blissful sigh, slurping the noodles after.
"Ramen tastes so good after all of that climbing..." Issei said in a satisfied voice.
"What are you talking about? Ramen is good at any time and moment of any day," Naruto told the Gremory Pawn.
"You really love ramen, Naruto," Asia told the blond Rook.
"Absolutely is more like it," he told Asia. "If I could, I'd have it every day, but I know I need to eat whatever Shizune and the others make for me."
"You'd be gaining quite the weight if you converted to an all-ramen diet," said Issei, Naruto telling him it was a good thing his new life as a Devil provided him with a great metabolism.
"Perhaps I should try that out on a ramen commercial warzone...Putting aside my love for ramen, how has your training been since our fight Issei?" Naruto asked the Gremory Pawn. "Have you improved since then?"
"I'm still having trouble accessing my Balance Breaker, but I am finding ways to compensate for the fields I am lacking by building up my strength and stamina without relying on any of my enhanced capabilities."
"If you'd like, I can spar with you." Sweating a little, Issei stuttered as he declined his offer. "You sure? I can tone it down for you until you're ready to-"
"Nope, I'm good, though I appreciate the offer!" While Naruto kept insisting he help the Pawn, Sayaka observed them.
("Despite being of different peerages and factions, Naruto displays a willingness to help them, and make sure every person he's with is having fun and is feeling satisfied. This displays a sense of selflessness in him. Perhaps he's doing this to get information out of others without them knowing, as observed when he asked the Pawn of the Gremory Peerage his progress on mastering his Sacred Gear. It's possible he wants to make sure there's no one else who's stronger than him and would pose no threat as he grows stronger. Though...") After seeing Naruto letting out a sigh after several of his requests to help train Issei were denied, Sayaka sighs as well. ("Given how this is still the first day of my observation of him, more information is needed.")
Several bowls of ramen later
After finishing their meals and paying for them, both Issei and Asia received a message from Rias on a job from a client they frequented as they got up to leave the ramen shop.
"Thanks so much for allowing us to join you Naruto," Asia gratefully told the blond.
"Anytime." Once Issei and Asia left for their job, Naruto told the girls it was time they head home. "Oh, before I forget..." Taking out the pocket notebook from his jacket pocket, Naruto returns it to Sayaka.
"Don't think because I had fun means my opinions about you have changed."
"That's fine by me. Rather you are honest about it than trying to act like things are good now." Sayaka narrowed her eyes at him as Naruto stood there and smiled at her. "I don't understand you at all."
With Moka
On the way home
"Some of the exorcists in the bar were unbearable. I know we're supposed to be buddies with the Church, the Angels, and the Fallen Angels, but man the guys I had to deal were making it hard to not want to break their bones."
"At least you showed great restraint," Akame told Moka. "A lot more than Hoshikari."
"The man I had to deal with should be lucky his right fingers could be reattached..." Hoshikari told the two girls.
"Some of the men were boasting about their role as followers of three legendary weapon bearers, any idea who they are?"
"Oh, those three...I am aware of who they're talking about. Three exorcists who wield the three legendary weapons belonging to three of the founders of the Church. "The ones wielding them are merely stooges wielding power they can't even understand or use to their fullest extent."
"You sound like you know them," said Akame.
"Truth is, I've fought them before, twice. Was embarrassing for them to be defeated by a one-winged fallen angel. In the first fight, I was coming back from assassinating an official of the Church, and they were the ones sent to capture me. Originally there were four of them, one who wielded a shield. He was the only one who managed to put up quite a fight for one who only wielded a shield. I believe he's become a Devil after he was excommunicated for raping the daughter of one of the Church's leaders..."
"A Shield Bearer, like Mash...What was the second time?" Moka asked.
"While I was helping my Father steal the Church's Excalibur fragments. A shame they didn't give me much of a fight that time despite gaining new abilities for their weapons."
"For those men to be here...Does this mean those three weapon bearers are here in Japan?" asked Akame.
"A highly likely chance."
"Hey, you three." Looking to the left from where they're standing, Moka, Akame, and Hoshikari see Naruto, Sayaka, Kotomi, and Nero approach them. "On the way home as well?"
"Yes, except I am heading to your place instead of mine," Moka answered.
"Parents not home?"
"Yep." Looking at Nero, Hoshikari asked Naruto if she was the Servant he summoned, Naruto confirming it.
"A perfect Servant to have summoned." When Nero asked Naruto who Hoshikari was, Naruto gives her his name and tells him he's his brother, which both bothers and annoys him, something everyone picked up on right away.
"It's true. I mean you took Shizune's surname, and she's in charge of us as our parent, so in a way, that makes us kinda-sorta brothers Hoshikari," Naruto told the fallen angel. "You can't deny that you and I work pretty well together."
"How absurd..."
"Hoshikari, son of the late Kokabiel, slain by Naruto himself. He's racked up quite a kill count, receiving his first kill when he was just 9-years old. To spare him instead of killing him is odd, considering the crimes he and his father have committed. I am sure Naruto did it for his power. With those two fighting side by side, I am certain no enemy could match them."
Namikaze Residence
After Naruto had summoned Nero and decided to take her around Japan, Xenovia had decided to spend time with Jiraiya, helping him figure out chapters for a drama-focused romance novel, using her experiences to help generate ideas for the novelist. After Jiraiya went to go see his editor, she helped Sella and Leysritt with house chores and played with Illya alongside Sif. With Ange returning from a mission, Xenovia had asked her to be her sparring partner. After the Pawn had agreed to spar with her, Xenovia found her to be very agile and hard to hit on their first match, the Pawn disarming her of her weapon(s) and performing a takedown within a span of five seconds after she activated her C-Ball.
Even without her C-Ball, Ange proved she was more than capable of beating her. After the sparring sessions, Ange advised her to start stepping back in combat, noting how she makes it a habit to charge on for the first swing when wielding large weapons, adding the part where heavy bladed swords like Durandal would reduce her movement speed and saying there may be times where the opponent is faster than her and that blocking with a large weapon isn't the only option.
Taking her advice at heart, Xenovia asked Ange to teach her how to move like her in hopes of improving her flexibility and agility, wanting to surpass both her current self and her Servant self. Seeing her determination, Ange agrees to it after checking her schedule and telling her she'd have to adjust it to fit time for her. When Shizune came back from her work, she went out grocery shopping with her and helped her prepare dinner in the kitchen.
As soon as they finished eating and washing dishes, Xenovia opened the door for Sirzechs, who had hoped to see Naruto at home. Telling him he was out for the day, she invited him in and kept him company by playing chess. While she could play chess, she wasn't an expert or a master at it, losing to Sirzechs eight times in a row. Right now, she was having her ninth match against him. The only spectators were Shizune, Ange, and Sif, the former two enjoying a cup of tea while they watched.
"Hmmm..." Moving his remaining Bishop piece, Sirzechs managed to get rid of Xenovia's King, much to her dismay.
"Won again," said a smiling Sirzechs. "Want to go again?"
"Yes, please," Xenovia answered. Before another match could start, Naruto had arrived home with Sayaka, Nero, Kotomi, Akame, Hoshikari, and Moka.
"We're home," said Naruto.
"Welcome home," said a smiling Shizune. Seeing Sirzechs in front of her, Sayaka felt uneasy being near one of the Four Great Satans.
"Looks like we're not having our tenth match," Sirzechs told Xenovia in an apologetic manner, the bluenette looking up at Naruto from where she was sitting and giving him a cute but angry pouty face.
"Did I come at the wrong time?" Turning his attention towards Sirzechs, he asked him why he was here. "I was just in the neighborhood and wanted to see how you and your family have been doing."
"We are doing well in this household," Naruto told him. "Most of us chip in on the rent, and we help each other around the house."
"Glad to hear you doing good," said Sirzechs, referring to Sayaka and Nero. After checking the time, Sirzechs turned to Shizune and told her he was late to get home, politely asking her if he could stay over.
"Of course, Sirzechs," said a smiling Shizune, shocking Naruto with how all for it she was. "You don't mind sharing a room with Naruto again?"
"I don't mind at all."
With Sayaka, Xenovia, and Moka
Large Cypress Bathroom
"You still couldn't touch her?" Moka asked out loud, referring to Ange beating Xenovia during their sparring sessions.
"She must have received quite the training from the Black Lizard Planet she keeps referring to," Xenovia responds, noting how it may be inhabited by some of the strongest fighters imaginable, not knowing it was fake.
"Black Lizard Planet...Do you think we could make an attempt to visit it like her?" While Xenovia and Moka had their bizarre talk, Sayaka kept her eyes on them, mostly on the Namikaze Knight. She read the reports about her, recalling the Takumi Report where Naruto stabbed her in the stomach and ran off. She couldn't understand how a person like Xenovia, who was lied to and hurt by Naruto, could forgive and fall in love with him.
"Xenovia Quarta..." Her conversation with Moka interrupted, Xenovia turned her attention towards Sayaka, and politely asked if she needed something. "Back when Naruto Namikaze was starting out, he had a mission where he was to assassinate Adam Takumi. During his days in Italy, where he disguised himself as a new member of the Church, he became good friends with you and a few others. When it came time to assassinate Takumi, you were there with Irina Shidou and Naoko Mizuki, engaging him after he killed him, which ended with you being stabbed by him. Jump forward to the Excalibur Incident, where Kokabiel was attempting to start another war, you were here in Japan on business, working beside him. After the said incident was resolved, you came back to Italy and returned the stole fragments, with him and his familiar accompanying you. After submitting your report, you were then excommunicated from the Church, the reason why being unknown. Following a fight with Naruto, which resulted in the Basilica of Saint Clement being damaged during a rainy night, you left with him, being spotted holding hands by one of our Church members."
"Someone saw that?" asked a blushing Xenovia.
"Yes, they did," Sayaka responds. "Since that day, you became his Knight and lover. I want to understand, why, after everything he put you through...do you love him?"
"...It's true that he put me through quite an emotional ordeal after the Takumi incident. Recalling how I felt when he came out as a Devil, I'm amazed by how intense my feelings of hate towards him were. Betrayal, Heartbreak, and a Near-Death Experience, all within a single night. You have no idea how much I wanted to shoot his face off and decapitate him, unleash my anger upon the boy who was the source of my pain. Yet, even with all those intense negative emotions, in the back of my mind, a part of me still loved the part of him I felt was genuine, even if I wasn't sure if what he told me about him were true. Thinking back on that night, I told him not to go, though I came on deaf ears. During the Excalibur Incident, he made a mana pact with me, which allowed me to see his memories. Seeing the truth about Takumi through his eyes, and seeing how remorseful he was when he made the decision to stab me, doing so in order to make sure I wouldn't be labeled a heretic for sympathizing with a Devil, it's crazy to say I was moved by it. At the same time, I started hating myself for not knowing the truth behind Takumi's actions, and for still having traces of anger towards him."
"You still harbored those feelings, even when you understood why he did what he did?" Moka asked Xenovia, voicing her surprise.
"Even when the truth was revealed to me, it didn't change the fact that he stabbed me and put me through one big emotional ride Moka. After my third fight with him at the same basilica where everything started, I didn't just rid myself of my anger towards him, I accepted I loved him, unconditionally. Summing all of my personal experience into one answer for your question...He was still the one I gave a damn for the night we rode a tram back to the Church." While Sayaka didn't understand the answer, Moka understood it.
"What does that even mean?" Sayaka asked the bluenette.
"That's an answer I'm keeping to myself..."
With Naruto
Naruto's Room
"You want both mine and Seekvaira's Peerage to come to the Underworld for Summer Vacation?"
"And stay there until the 21st of August," said Sirzechs. "Rias and Sona's Peerage will also be coming to the Underworld, along with Azazel, and a small entourage of exorcists representing the Church in an effort to continue to improve relations between factions established by the Kuoh Accords. One of the exorcists is the daughter of one of the officials."
"I'm surprised to hear the father is allowing his own daughter to go see the Underworld."
"She'll be accompanied by some of the best exorcists hand-picked by her father. While they'll be touring the Underworld, you'll be training to your heart's content, meeting with my parents, and attending an annual meeting of new young Devils." Naruto tells Sirzechs that was the same thing he was doing here, the only difference would be the location. "I assure you, you'll have a good time there like here."
"...Can I at least bring my gaming consoles to play when I am not training?" With a smile and a nod, Sirzechs told him to bring whatever would make him comfortable for his stay in the Underworld. "Will I be staying at Seekvaira's or your house?"
"Seekvaira's."
"Okay and what if some nasty strays or fallen angels try to come here and threaten my older sister, Shizune, and Jiraiya? After the whole treaty, the supernatural know I'm Firebrand, and that I've been working for you." Sirzechs assures Naruto it wouldn't be necessary since his (Naruto's) house has several protection runes engraved around the exterior of the house to protect them, along with a repairing rune to fix damages to it. He also noted how the Agares King formed an Advanced Bounded Field as (extra) assurance.
"There's more, but those are the known defenses Seekvaira had installed while renovating your house, so I am sure you have nothing to worry about while you're all in the Underworld," Sirzechs assured the blond.
"...If Seekvaira worked on it, I guess I can go to the Underworld and not worry about the safety of Shizune, Jiraiya, and Chelsea." Finished speaking to Sirzechs, Naruto suggests he (Sirzechs) sleeps early, planning to stay up a bit more to train by himself in the training room. "I should text the others about what's happening tomorrow. I wonder if Akame would like to join..."
With Maki
Gozen's
Having given Shirabi the materials she took from the Soul Eater, Maki and Chitose prepared to call Naruto and let him know they were going to be traveling to the Underworld for Summer Vacation. Before she could press "Call", she received a text from the blond, informing her of tomorrow. Seeing the message, the Pawn froze in place, Chitose taking notice and asking her if she was okay.
"All that information I gathered, and he already received it from Sirzechs..." Maki said to herself, her phone-holding hand trembling in anger.
"I never expected you to take it this hard..."
With Naruto
Training Room
"1,231...1,232...1,233...1,234...1,235..." Coming down to the training room, Naruto found Akame constantly practicing her downward sword swing with a sheathed Murasame. Once she reached 1,250 swings, she stops.
"Looks like I had the same idea," Naruto said to his sister, letting her know he was present.
"Naruto, are you here to practice as well?" asked Akame, Naruto responding with a yes.
"That sword, Murasame, isn't it dangerous to practice your sword swings with that?" Akame assured him she was alright with it, since she had the katana sealed in its sheath. "With some suggestion from Pekoyama-senpai, I decided to fight with a sheathed sword style as well."
"Sheathed sword? Can you actually cut things with that?" As a demonstration, Akame swings the sheathed blade horizontally at a practice dummy, cleanly bisecting it, to his surprise. "Okay, you clearly can...Did you receive my text earlier?"
"About going to the Underworld?"
"Yeah."
"I did...But I think it best if you answered that." Immediately realizing she wanted to test her fighting capability against him, Naruto agrees to it. "Come to think of it, this will be the first time we're fighting each other."
"That it is," Naruto said with a smile as he and Akame got into their fighting positions. Immediately Naruto went for a strong right punch, which was blocked when his sister puts the sheathed katana in front of her to block it and followed it up by sweeping Naruto off his feet with a kick from her left leg. The Rook plants his hands on the clean wooden floor and forces Akame to distance herself from him when he executes a double handstand spin kick before getting back on his feet.
Akame dashes forward and performs twelve consecutive thrusts with the sheathed Murasame, Naruto blocking them with his hands, noting the strength her blows packed as his hands start to tingle from blocking the twelve thrusting strikes. Akame blocks her brother's right knee from hitting her stomach, only to be disarmed as Murasame goes up into the air. Regaining her footing and thinking quickly, Akame used her brother's right knee as footing to launch herself up into the air, retrieving her sheathed weapon and performing a downward spinning sword swing. The Rook crossed his arms above him to block the attack. However, the attack turned out to be a bluff as Akame used his crossed arms as footing to get behind Naruto and perform a thrusting strike at his back. Stopping her strike before it could connect, Akame smiles as Naruto did the same.
"Looks like you're coming with," he told his sister, moving his hands down to his side and complimenting Akame on her fighting style. "Had that strike connected, you'd have numbed my lower body, or take away my ability to walk."
"T-Thanks," Akame said to her brother, sounding grateful for his praise. To her embarrassment, Naruto went over to her and gave her a hug." Despite the redness appearing on her face, Akame managed to wrap her hands around his waist, hugging him back. Letting go of her, Naruto told her it was about time they went up to sleep.
"Right..."
That night
With their sparring match over, the two went back upstairs to their rooms and fell asleep, at least one of them was sleeping just fine. Akame was lucky she didn't have a room next to one where he could hear Xenovia's muffled moans as she pleasured herself. She was doing that even when she had Moka, Sayaka, Nero, and Sif in her room? To his dismay, Moka was doing it as well. Did those two not know he could hear them with his enhanced hearing?
"I can never get enough of hearing her moans. You sure you don't want to go over there?"
"Fuck off Infernus..."
Wed (7/27)
Underworld
Changing Room (Male)
In a changing room, a short black-haired young adult male put on a set of barbarian-inspired armor before arming himself with a small metallic heater shield that housed a green circular jewel at the center of it. Finished, the young man exits the changing room.
"Naofumi?" Turning around, the young man known as Naofumi locks eyes with his Knight, a young woman his age with fluffy tanuki-like ears and an averagely sized bushy tail. She wore a miko-styled kimono, and her katana was resting at her left waist.
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah," he answered. "Are you and the others ready for this, Raphtalia?" Giving him a smile of confidence, she answered with a yes.
Alright, let's get this Rating Game over with."
ED5: Agapanthus by 麻倉 もも
The next chapter will briefly show Naofumi and his peerage in combat in the beginning. His peerage includes Raphtalia (Knight), Filo (Familiar), Rishia Ivyred (Rook), Sadeena (Rook), Atla (Pawn x5), and Eclair Seaetto (Knight). The next chapter will also start Koneko's Arc. I might also introduce Hoshikari's uncle, whom I have yet to name and/or decide on how he looks and acts. What I do know is that my ideal ENG voice for him will be Daniel Southworth. JP Voice I am trying to figure out.
I am hoping to have a bit more fights in the next chapter, and I am hoping I can make most of them long, and even focus on some characters I've wanted to touch upon. I am honestly glad I could use Chitose in this chapter because it displays a few of her fighting capabilities. Most of her magic attacks are lightning-based, just in case people forgot, and her magic will be based on the combat in the upcoming game, "Ghostwire: Tokyo".
I wanted to add Fujino into this chapter, but I felt I should keep the cast a bit short and focus on a limited amount of characters, mainly Sayaka, who will eventually be part of Naruto's Peerage. How this will come to be is unknown. I may come back to this chapter to add in parts I wasn't able to add in or forgot to. If that does happen, (ENHANCED) will be put after a certain chapter so be aware of that as FIREBRAND continues.
Joichi will make appearances in the form of his travels to go after an all-too-familiar vampire Stand-user. In short, he's having his own Bizarre Adventure while his friends are hanging in the Underworld.
There was a scene where Archer and Xenovia were training together in a room at the Agares Corp Building, but I scrapped it. I still have it, but who knows, I might come back to this and add it in.
Malty will make an appearance in the next chapter, and she and the Three Weapon Bearers will get into conflict with the others. Instead of heroes, I decided on weapon bearers since this isn't the three heroes from the canon series. This is them inhabiting one universe.
To allow Akame more skills, I decided to have her utilize a style that involves her using Murasame in combat while it's sheathed. Despite the insta-kill blade being sheathed, she can still slice and stab things.
With the threat of Nito, due to his status as the manifestation of death and illness, he will be difficult to kill due to his miasma, and the fact that Naruto isn't a Chosen Undead. If he was, their eventual fight would be easy. Yes, even with Infernus in control of Naruto's body, both the Rook and Nito would die in the end of it. Just how will Naruto overcome this enemy?
Just in case, the idea of Naruto being unable to fight Nito properly due to not being Undead is my brother's idea. I tried to talk to him about it, hoping to change a few things, but he remained very adamant about not tweaking things in the Dark Souls series. Otherwise, I'd have about 3-4 ways to kill Nito.
What do you think Ayano is hiding from the others? As she said above, Seath was supposed to be dead, yet he appeared in Part II like he never died in the first place. Is there something else about the Hidden Gap they know nothing about? Does Infernus know as well?
