Kokoronashi - Akane
Earth was so different from above, Naruto mused quietly to himself. Silver orbs trailed along the landscape, admiring the untouched vegetation from the heavens above.
Had the Elemental Nations looked just like this? He'd never know but he liked to believe it did, sans for the technological advances on this planet.
His world had been so primitive compared to Earth though that was likely due to century-long wars between superpowered humans who could shoot fire and wield water.
It was unfair to compare the Elemental Nations to Earth considering this planet was quite literally billions of years old. He didn't have a definitive estimation of the Elemental Nations but the oldest stories had always been about the Rabbit Goddess, Kaguya and the Sage of Six Paths.
His world was likely older than that of Kaguya but no records had existed of it unlike Earth.
Naruto's thoughts were interrupted as a slight trickle of unknown energy coursed over his body. It came just as fast as it went, causing a frown to form on his face.
That felt alot like a barrier...
Looks like he finally breached the Greek Pantheon's borders.
What was he doing on Greek soil? The answer was rather obvious. He was searching for more information on Gaia and what better way to do so than the Pantheon that had claimed her?
Though, that seemed to be a rather grey point when it came to the Greek's mythology and Pantheon. Gaia did not hold allegiance to any Pantheon if her own words had rang true. However, much of the woman's history ran deep in the Greek Mythology due to the fact that the Greek Pantheon was one of the oldest Pantheon's to exist.
Christianity and the Biblical God notwithstanding.
He didn't understand it considering that the woman was quite literally the Earth and the Earth was well... her.
Naruto wasn't a historian so the information kind of just came and went. If it didn't involve fighting and martial arts, he'd offer the bare minimum to it and felt no shame in admitting that.
That would soon have to change considering recent events... Events that he was still bitter about. Just a few days ago, he'd been living a fairly decent life.
As decent as one could be when faced with the fact that their old way of life, and world, had ceased to exist due to circumstances out of their control.
It was as harrowing as it was terrifying. A can of worms he'd crept around since coming to this world. On occasion he'd find himself opening up to Yasaka and venting about his feelings.
The feelings of guilt that'd rise immediately after complaining and spitting about how this new world was so different to his own... Yasaka would bear it all with a sympathetic smile despite not truly comprehending the pain of losing ones home.
That guilt would encapsulate him. Ensnare him and turn to self-loathing. He'd spit vitriol about a world he didn't understand due to unforseen events.
Earth didn't deserve his ire and he certainly didn't wish for Yasaka to shoulder the brunt of his misgivings. She was a kind woman but one couldn't ignore the obvious machinations she was plotting.
As if such things would actually bother him, he mused with a tired sigh. He knew Yasaka hadn't accepted Team 7 out of the good of her heart, though she likely would have regardless.
Team 7 presented a fundamental problem in Japan. He and his team were far to powerful to be overlooked. Strangers to a world that was clueless of their existence allowed Yasaka leeway to snag them.
It was all politics at the end of the day and while Team 7 didn't care for things as trivial as 'power creep', they knew a good deal when they saw one. It wasn't as if they didn't benefit from the exchange.
But that was another problem for another day. Naruto's dilemma was with Yasaka and her attempts to court him. The woman wasn't subtle with her actions, not that she was even trying to be.
Kakashi had made sure that that was something they talked about during their heart to heart after he had taken his first life.
This world wasn't all that different than his own, he supposed. Power was all that mattered at the end of the day.
Religions with more followers and believers were stronger than those without. Gods with powerful domains and exponential strength ruled their territory and dictated the lives of the mortals they ruled over.
There were, of course, outliers in this. Individuals like himself who possessed no followers or believers, bound to a relatively small but incredibly old Pantheon, with power that eclipsed even the Primordials that existed in said Pantheon.
And now he was even stronger due to his 'ascension'.
Naruto glanced down at both of his hands, staring at the Sun and Moon marks that were etched into the base of his palms.
The Six Paths Yin and Yang power...
Naruto clenched his fists tightly, ignoring the blood that began to sleep through his fingers.
Though he lacked the eyes of the Sage and all the abilities granted to a Rinnegan user, he was now Hagoromo's rival.
A tough and bitter pill to swallow. Like a spiked pill did it tear through his orifice, gouging the muscle of his throat.
He didn't ask for this power. He didn't even want this power. All this off the back of an exiled God who claimed to hold no ill will...
Naruto shook his head, ignoring the acidic voices that plagued his thoughts. They spat and raged, arguing that he deserved this strength. He'd argue otherwise.
No one deserved anything in life. Entitlement was a delusion built on self-centeredness. You were no more important than your neighbor and yet despite this, those very same arrogant and entitled individuals ruled the world.
Naruto didn't want to be like those men and women. The title of 'God' and all its 'glory' meant nothing to him. He didn't go to Takamagahara to become a Shinto God nor had that been his original intention. He had fought Gojo purely in self-defense.
It just happened to be that due to his unique genes and DNA, that he was even able to absorb the Divine Essence and survive.
But had hadn't survived, had he? He scoffed at the thought while shaking his head.
He had found out early on that he no longer possessed a human body. While his soul had been strong enough to weather the onslaught of power granted by the Divine Essence, his physical body hadn't.
He was no longer a Demi-God, not that he had believed he was one to begin with. He was now a full fledged God and nothing could change that. If there was a way to get rid of this predicament then perhaps he'd look into it.
His musings ground to a halt upon sensing something ancient and powerful manifesting just a few kilometers away.
Interesting... He hadn't sensed anything aside from humans and wildlife upon entering the territory of the Olympians. Which meant that the Gods lived in a separate dimension similar to the one that the Shinto Gods who claimed Takamagahara.
Naruto slowly came to a stop upon spotting what appeared to be a woman floating in the sky. He slowly made his way toward the woman, taking in her features as he did so.
This woman, who he briefly recognized from his visions through Gaia, wore armor similar to that of the Greek Spartans. A glowing, golden chest plate protected her body, sprawling with boons and unknown jewels that shone brightly in the rays of the sun.
In her left hand sat a simple golden shield with no unique or distinguishing features. In her right hand she held a small golden goblet that possessed several unique insignia and etchings. She appeared to hold no weapon on her person but Naruto highly doubted that to be the case.
The woman's ebony skin contrasted rather nicely with her snow white hair, that which was bound into a single long braid that hung over her left shoulder. Upon her crown sat a unique helmet that mimicked her long braid of hair, gliding down her spine.
"Athena." Naruto found himself saying, coming to a stop nearly 10 meters away from the beautiful Goddess. "Olympian Goddess of wisdom and warfare..."
The woman, Athena, tilted her head, eyes tightening at Naruto's words. The Goddess stood quietly as she wracked her brain, quickly trying to identify the God that stood before her.
Hundreds upon thousands of thoughts quickly sifted through her mind before ultimately disbanding the notion. She didn't recognize this man despite the vast amount of knowledge she beheld.
"It appears that you know of I, and yet, I possess no knowledge of you stranger." Her voice was a calm staccato, nearly flat in that regard, as she spoke. "Who are you, Child of Izanagi?"
A frown marred Naruto's face at the woman's question. She knew he was associated with the Shinto Pantheon despite not recognizing him? Were Gods not the same in that regard? Did all Gods possess different types of Divine Essence?
But she didn't feel any different than he did... How had she distinguished his presence so easily?
"Naruto." He answered easily, slowly placing his hands into his pockets. "Naruto Uzumaki."
He watched, intrigued as Athena's eyes rapidly blinked. After a second or two, she tilted her head before speaking.
"I possess no knowledge of a Shinto God named Naruto. How interesting..."
Naruto's frown only grew deeper at the woman's words.
How...?
"How did you know I was even a Shinto God?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"I did not. I merely assumed. Your state of dress is similar to that of Fuedal Japan royalty. Had it not been for your attire, I would have assumed you to be of Christian Origin, atleast biblically so. Your hair color is uncommon in the Shinto Pantheon."
Naruto's frown remained as he stared at the woman. She could see through his Genjutsu. He had conjured the appearance before ascending when he flew through the borders, dawning his old hoodie and joggers before his ascension into Godhood.
Was Genjutsu useless? Or was something else at play? How could she see his white robes but not his white hair?
"So, you can see through me?" Naruto found himself asking, curious as to why his Genjutsu wasn't working.
"You speak to the Goddess of Wisdom. All I needed was your name." She replied easily.
Naruto was silent for a few seconds, staring at the armored woman curiously.
Goddess of Wisdom...
Curious. Did her domain work through the knowledge of others or was it innate? He'd bet on it being the former over the latter. She knew what he looked like before the ascension, not as he did now.
Which meant that she only knew what others knew. It must be how her domain worked considering she was the Goddess of Wisdom. But what were the limits then?
She knew what he looked like as a human but not as a God. Was her domain limited to information that only others knew? Did it work off what others believed to be true?
What he looked like and what his name was had been rather public knowledge in Kyoto. However, now that he was a God, no one truly knew what he looked like. And neither did Sasuke or Amaterasu for that matter.
"How much do you know of me then?" He asked curiously.
Athena seemed to ponder the question, debating whether or not to answer. "Only what is public knowledge presented as fact."
Naruto's eyes narrowed at the response, not expecting the woman to reveal something that could be used against her. "So, you know the bare minimum? Only my name, then?"
Athena merely nodded her head, shifting her golden goblet.
Well, that answered that he supposed. It also meant that, in theory, anyone could manipulate knowledge about themselves using the public eye to misdirect information. How interesting.
Was Athena arrogant? Or did she not care? He didn't know much about the woman, aside from the bare information provided by the humans who followed these religions and beliefs.
Athena was stated to be an incredibly intelligent and petty woman. A war strategist like no other stated to be one hell of a fighter, matching even her brother Ares, the God of War, in combat.
"What is a New Blood doing skulking around the borders of the Olympians?" Athena questioned curiously, golden irises flicking up and down. "I can not recall any meetings or visits concerning the Shinto Gods... Why have you come to us?"
Down to business, huh? Naruto couldn't really blame her. He got the distinct impression that Gods from different Mythos preferred to be left well alone.
"I'm looking for information on Gaia." He answered honestly. "I figured that the best place to start would be where she is most known."
The Olympian Goddess was silent for several moments, seemingly mulling over the answer in her head. "You have, thus far, been amicable. I've sensed nothing but honesty from you thus far, however..." She trailed off for a few moments before standing tall, squaring her shoulders like the Spartans they ruled over.
"I deny you entry into our lands."
A perplexed expression made its way upon Naruto's face as he stared at the Goddess. "Is there anyway I could convince you otherwise? I really need this information."
The Goddess stood silent, expression giving nothing away as she idly stirred her golden goblet. "Perhaps..." She lulled quietly, eyes gazing upon him like a puzzle that needed solving. "I could be convinced to..." She paused for a moment while glancing at her goblet, swirling the liquid inside it. "Overlook your location."
Naruto pursed his lips at the woman. "And what do you want in return?"
Athena merely smiled, attention returning to the newly fledged God. "Come now child, what do you believe I wish for?"
Information, probably. Atleast he'd assume so. The Goddess seemed to highly value knowledge and with her domain, he'd expect nothing less.
Naruto sighed quietly as he shifted his weight lazily. "What do ya wanna know?"
Athena began to laugh, a soft titter that slowly grew in volume. Naruto's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the woman's reaction, not understanding what was amusing about his question.
The Goddess must have caught a glimpse of his expression because her laughter slowly dissipated. The ebony skinned woman twirled her wrist, causing the golden goblet to vanish in a golden flash.
"I possess plenty of information, dear child." She shook her head with an amused smile, stroking her chin with half-lidded eyes. "No, no no. What I want... Is to visit Japan. The home of the Shinto Pantheon."
Naruto slowly blinked at the answer, not understanding why that request seemed to be such a big deal to the Goddess. "That's... That's it? That's all you want?"
Athena cocked her head with a raised eyebrow. "Dear child, were you born yesterday?" Technically, yes but she didn't need to know that. "Entry to another Pantheon's home turf, as a guest, is considered a very high honor. It is incredibly rare for Gods of different Pantheons to mingle and interact with one another."
Naruto shrugged his shoulders casually, understanding the logic behind it despite not agreeing with it. "I'm sure I could work something out." He stated flippantly, as if it wasn't an incredibly huge ordeal.
Athena rose a disbelieving eyebrow at his words. "You can? And how exactly can you accomplish that? Child, I don't even know who you are."
Oh, but she would. The entire world would soon enough. It was only a matter of time.
Naruto merely smirked at her. "Let's just say that I'm an important asset in the Shinto Pantheon, hmm? Now, do have a deal?"
"And how do I know that I can trust you to uphold your end of the bargain?" Athena proposed with a raised brow.
"What would it take from me to convince you?" He asked instead.
Athena replied without pause, eyes staring directly into his. "Sever one of your fingers."
The blond God blinked at the request before glancing down at his hand. He stared at his fingers for a moment before shrugging and manifesting a kunai out of thin air. "Do you have a preference for which one?"
The ebony skinned Olympian narrowed her eyes at the question. "The ring finger."
Naruto shrugged his shoulders before placing the weapon against his hand and slicing off his ring finger without hesitation. He purposely blocked his healing factor, allowing the blood to flow freely before turning back to Athena with a raised eyebrow.
Athena possessed an impressed expression upon her face, seemingly eyeing the blond God with a newfound respect. "Impressive. I merely wished to test your conviction..."
Naruto shrugged at the woman before tossing his severed finger towards her. The woman snatched it out of the air a moment later, hiding her slight disgust at having to pocket the digit.
"I've done worse for things I've believed in." He replied easily. "This is rather small all things considered."
"Ahh, but what if all of this is a trap and I only wish to kill off an intruder?" The Goddess questioned with a narrowed gaze.
Naruto offered a small smile at her words. "Then you'd fail." He responded firmly.
Athena studied the man for several moments, pursing her lips as she replied. "So much confidence... Or perhaps, is it arrogance?"
"Never in my life have I ever considered myself to be arrogant. I say what I say with full confidence." He shrugged lazily before slowly making his way closer to the Goddess. "But I'm always down to prove someone wrong."
The woman's golden eyes flicked up and down, assessing Naruto's worth. She was silent for but a moment before slowly shaking her head. "That will not be necessary... I will merely take your word for it."
Athena twirled her right hand, causing the shield in her grasp to disappear into golden specks of light. She waved her hands in the air, manifesting a golden portal.
"Come, I shall be your guide in Olympus." She gestured with her free hand, nodding her head. "Be sure to not stray far... My family can be such a handful."
Naruto absentmindedly nodded. "Whatever you say."
The newly fledged God proceeded through the portal a second later, shortly followed by the Goddess of Wisdom.
"You guys fight as a cohesive unit, covering each other's weakness rather well." Sakura complimented, fists resting upon her hips. "But against overwhelming power, it means nothing."
The entirety of Rias' peerage, along with the woman herself, were all sprawled about on the dirt, slick with sweat and grime.
"You call this training?!" Rias responded in an exhausted and bewildered tone. "The only thing I learned today is what color my vomit looks like after I've been punched through a wall!"
"Ahh, but you learned something, did you not?" The pinkette responded with a cheeky smile. "The best kind of training is the kind that not only physically kills you, but mentally kills you as well. You think you can just gain power without experiencing a little pain?"
Kakashi watched over the group from a nearby rooftop, idly reading his pornographic literature. "Naruto seemed to have little issue with that." He said absentmindedly.
Sakura tutted quietly, rolling her eyes. "You've seen first hand how hard he worked himself in Konoha. You don't even believe what you just said."
"You're absolutely correct." The Jonin agreed without hesitation. "But it would be remiss of me to compliment my students. Any self-respecting Sensei worth their salt knows how dangerous an ego can be."
Again, the pink haired teen rolled her eyes. Muttering under her breath, she focused her gaze back on the defeated peerage. "Yeah and look how Sasuke ended up."
"I heard that."
"And I don't give a fuck!"
"Your words... They cut me deep, Sakura-chan."
"You're so annoying."
An eye smile was all she received. One that made her want to just sock him in his stupid face.
A quiet set of groans emanated from the ground causing Sakura to direct her attention back to the Devils. "Come on now! Resting time is over! Let's get back to it!"
The entirety of Rias' peerage shared a single, collective thought at the woman's words.
"She's a fucking monster!"
"How does it feel being a teacher?"
Sakura glanced at her former Sensei, watching as he lazed about in the apartment they were currently sharing. Shrugging her shoulders lazily, the teen proceeded to take her shirt off, throwing it into a nearby hamper.
"Honestly? It's pretty fun. I get to beat the shit out of people for several hours." She let out a chuckle, reaching for the hems of her tights before pulling them down, exposing her lower body. "I can kinda see why some Jonins decided to take on Genin early on in their careers."
Kakashi ignored his student as she changed out of her clothing. He chuckled quietly as he turned a page in his book. "Bullying you three was the highlight of my day."
The medic rolled her eyes as she waltzed through the room, reaching one of the various dressers. She rummaged through the furniture, picking out some fresh clothes.
"Must've been a boring life, Kakai-sensei." Sakura teased with a smile before glancing towards the man curiously. "How come you never dated in Konoha?"
The masked Jonin was silent as he processed the question. He ignored his Ero-manga for a minute or two before answering blandly. "Honestly? I figured I'd have been dead at that point in my life. A relationship... It just didn't feel right for me." He was quiet for a moment before continuing. "The only thing that kept me going after the ANBU was you three..."
Sakura ignored her clothes for the time being, hearing the subdued tone from the man she viewed as a second father. A small frown marred her face as she replied.
"What about now?"
Kakashi sighed quietly, closing his eyes and shutting his book. He tucked the book into one of his pockets before replying. "Now?" He released a self-deprecating laugh. "I wouldn't even know where to start with that, Sakura. Shinobi don't date."
"We're not Shinobi anymore, Sensei." Sakura refuted with a frown. "We can put the blade down and relax our shoulders."
Kakashi understood what his student was saying but felt the need to respond with his opinion anyway. "A blade's only useful if it's sharp, Sakura. Old habits die hard, I suppose."
The medic sported a conflicted expression on her face. She wanted nothing more than to continue talking about this with Kakashi but she also understood that being a Shinobi was Kakashi's entire life.
It was the only thing he knew how to do. He was raised in war... Trained to be an assassin. A blade capable of cutting through battalions of men and women.
Kakashi must have been feeling out of place now. It made sense as to why he had accepted being a contract killer in this new world. It was the only thing he knew.
Sakura's frown only grew deeper before she gathered her garments. "I'm sorry, Sensei."
The Jonin opened his eyes for a moment, staring at the ceiling. "There's nothing to apologize for, Sakura. It's my burden to bare."
"No it isn't!" She denied vehemently, shaking her head fiercely. "Team 7 has always been a family! And I'm not going to sit by and watch someone I love suffer silently!" She glared at the man, ignoring his surprised expression. She was quiet for a moment before taking a breath to calm herself. "We're all we got left..." She croaked quietly, emerald eyes falling to the floor of the apartment. "I don't want to lose you guys..."
Kakashi remained silent as he stared at his former student. He shifted his position on the couch before speaking. "Yeah... Neither do I, kid."
Sakura's eyes returned to the man, watching as he stared at his hands. A few steps brought her towards the man as she took a seat on the couch. "We're broken, huh?" She questioned with a crooked smile.
The Jonin merely offered a sad smile, one that was hidden by the surgical mask upon his face. "Yeah... Just a little."
The displaced Shinobi sat in comfortable silence for several minutes before Sakura's phone began to ring. With a tired sigh, the woman reached for the device before answering it.
"Sasuke? What's up?"
...
"Wait... What do you mean by Naruto's..."
...
"Where are you?!"
...
"He did what?!"
...
"Can you find him?!"
...
"I didn't fucking ask for your opinion! Can you find him or not?!"
...
"You find him or I'm sending you to the moon. Do you understand me?!"
Sakura hung up the phone a moment later, calmly placing the item in the coffee table. Her breathing leveled out for a moment before her fist abruptly shattered the table, sending microscopic splinters of wood everywhere.
Kakashi grimaced at the display. "I take it something happened with Naruto?"
The medic released an aggravated sigh, rubbing her face with her hands. "Sasuke told me that Naruto disappeared after a fight broke out in Takamagahara. Some prick named Gojo or something attacked Naruto. One thing to another and apparently... Naruto is a deity now."
Kakashi slowly blinked at the woman's words, recognizing the name of the individual who had attacked Naruto. He shook his head quietly as he responded. "And the bad news?"
Sakura released an annoyed grunt as she stood to her feet, gathering her clothes. "Amaterasu says that Naruto was last seen entering the Greek Pantheon. Which isn't good because according to Sasuke, the Greek Pantheon and the Shinto Pantheon don't exactly see eye to eye. On top of that, he hasn't been able to establish contact with Naruto since he left Takamagahara."
Kakashi sighed quietly. "This... is not ideal."
"I hope that idiot knows what he's doing." Sakura stated frustratedly. Before she could rant and rave, her phone rung once more. Glancing towards the caller ID caused a grimace to form on her face.
Rubbing her face, Sakura answered the phone with a faux smile.
"Yasaka-sama! Hey, how are you?"
...
"Uhh, no. No, I haven't heard from Naruto?" She feigned ignorance.
...
"Really? Well, that's the first I've heard of this..." Sakura turned towards her Sensei before mouthing quietly. "She's not happy."
...
"Uhh... Honestly? I wouldn't worry too much, Yasaka-sama." Again, she mouthed to Kakashi quietly. "She should be worrying alot."
...
"Oh me? Oh, ya know... Everything's actually going pretty well down here. Solves some issues, established some borders... Ya know?" Another quiet mouthing. "Might probably start a war with the Devils if we're not careful."
...
"Yeah..."
...
"Uh-huh."
...
"Absolutely."
...
"Of course."
...
"You got it."
...
"Buh-bye, Yasaka-sama."
Sakura ended the call with a fake smile before turning towards Kakashi. "Welp, we're fucked."
The Jonin only grimaced at her words.
Fucked indeed.
An aggravated sigh escaped Sasuke's lips as he pocketed his cell phone. He stood atop one of the various buildings in Kyoto, eyes staring down at nothing in particular.
The Uchiha muttered quietly to himself, fingers curling around his tanto. "Why must you make things so difficult, Naruto?"
"I didn't ask for this."
If Sasuke was surprised by the sudden voice then he did precious little to show so. He continued to stare down at the city of Kyoto before replying. "And yet, you ran away." He released a quiet sigh before shifting on his feet, turning towards the clone of Naruto with a frown. "When are you going to stop running?"
If Sasuke's words angered the clone then it hid it well. The clone only rolled its eyes before closing the distance. "The Boss needed some time alone. Took him awhile to even bother accepting what had happened."
Sasuke said nothing as he turned back towards the city, gazing down upon it with a blank expression. "Sakura demanded I track you down."
The clone smiled at the statement. "Always the worrier."
"I'm inclined to do just that."
Naruto glanced at his wayward brother before shrugging. "Last message I got was that the boss was tracking down information about Gaia. He's on Mt. Olympus with the Greek Gods."
Sasuke leaned over the edge of the building, resting his elbows on the concrete slab. "If that idiot causes a war..."
"I'm sure it'll all work out." The clone waved off calmly as it joined Sasuke in resting against the edge of the building. The clone's silver eyes flashed as it glanced towards Sasuke. "What I wanna know is why did you take the offer?"
The Uchiha finally deigned a solid glance at the clone of Naruto, revealing a pair of Rinnegan in each socket with both of the Rinnegan sporting several tomoe.
The new God glanced away, tutting to itself quietly. "My reason isn't important. What truly matters is that you're no longer alone. Stop running from your problems and come back."
Naruto sighed to himself as he hung his head. "I can't make that call... You know how the Boss is, Sasuke."
"Whatever he's looking for, he won't find with those Gods."
"Yeah? And how do you know that?"
Sasuke shook his head with a quiet sigh, as if talking to a child. "No Primordial allies itself with a Pantheon it could destroy with little issue. Whatever information they possess isn't going to help you. There's other means of tracking down an entity that's one with Nature. Like, I don't know Naruto, perhaps using Senjutsu...? Or has becoming a God rotted the little intelligence you already possessed?"
"Ya think the Boss hasn't already tried that?!" The clone questioned loudly.
"Yes, actually. I do." Sasuke answered without hesitation.
The clone opened its mouth to refute Sasuke's words but then closed it a second later. "That's... Well, that's fair. I'll give you that one." Sasuke merely rolled his eyes. "But it doesn't matter. We're gaining information. Ya know, information that we don't have."
"We have other means of attaining this information."
"I'm all ears then Sasuke." The clone answered simply. "If you have a better plan then I'd love to relay it to the Boss."
But he didn't.
The new God shook his head quietly before responding. "Don't do anything fucking stupid. We have enough issues already without you potentially causing a war with the Greek Pantheon. They have some serious firepower."
"Awww!" The clone cooed in an annoying manner. "Worried 'bout wittle ole me?"
The clone of Naruto proceeded to erupt in a curtain of black flames, burning away and popping due to the flames of Amaterasu.
"Fucking idiot." Sasuke murmured quietly before disappearing in a burst of speed.
Two weeks passed by in the blink of an eye and Sakura had heard nothing about Naruto from Sasuke. She was starting to get just a little aggravated and could she be blamed?
"You okay, Sakura?" Rias asked with a concerned frown. "You've been... kinda tense lately."
Their training session had ended a couple hours ago. Her, alongside her peerage, had been decimated for what felt like the five thousandth time. Sakura was a beast when fighting. She hit hard, she was fast and she could heal any damage she took.
It was completely unfair!
And don't get Rias started on the woman's Sacred Gear! How the fuck do you deal with someone like Sakura? She was already physically the strongest person Rias had ever met and the fact she possessed the Boosted Gear was just the icing on top of the cake.
Lately though, Sakura had been rather tense and aggravated so their recent training sessions were particularly brutal. Not that Rias and her peerage necessarily minded. But Sakura was going out of her way to help and Rias would be damned if she let the issue fester.
"There's..." Sakura began quietly, eyes narrowing as she stared at nothing. "Something going on that involves Naruto and I haven't heard back from Sasuke about it. I'm just worried is all."
"Nothing bad, I hope?" The red haired Gremory questioned with a frown. She slowly stood from her desk before making her way over to Sakura and taking a seat beside her. "If there's anything I can do to help then please let me know." Rias unknowingly shifted closer to the medic, brushing up against the woman.
Emerald eyes glanced towards the crimson haired Princess. A feeling of gratitude spurred in Sakura's chest at the girl's words.
Sakura and Rias had been spending a lot of time together these past few weeks. They were nearly conjoined at the hip, brushing up on their fake relationship and providing fake details and various scenarios should the need arise for it.
Sakura enjoyed being in the presence of Rias. The girl had provided a level of comfort that Sakura didn't think she'd needed. Her shoulders were less tense and she often found herself fighting a smile when thinking about the Devil. It was... different.
Sakura leaned her head against the couch while closing her eyes. "I appreciate the concern Rias. Thank you. I'm sure I'll hear something soon though."
Rias pursed her lips for a moment before nodding her head. In an unprovoked action, Rias proceeded to lay her hand stop Sakura's thigh, gently caressing it.
Sakura's eyes snapped towards the Devil's hand, eyeing the appendage with slight surprise. Her eyes flicked up to Rias' face and was even more surprised to note that the Devil didn't even seem to realize what she was doing.
The former Shinobi was loathe to remove the appendage and so, she merely shrugged her shoulders and closed her eyes. What she missed however, was the sly smile that Rias now sported.
The two women were content in the silence, basking in the other's presence and keeping to themselves. It was the scene that Rias' and Sona's peerage came to when entering the room.
"Fufufufu~!" Akeno giggled with half-lidded eyes. "If I didn't know any better Buchou, then I'd say that you two were actually together."
While Rias' cheeks painted a cherubic red, Sakura ignored the woman's teasing with ease. She noticed that Rias' hand was no longer caressing her thigh and it only slightly annoyed her.
Sakura chose to ignore what was going on in the background and merely rested her head against her hand, propping it up on the arm of the couch.
An hour or so passed by before Sakura caught the distinct smell of fire and ash. Her eyes snapped open and not a second later did an unknown sigil appear on the floor of the clubroom.
The Medic's emerald orbs centered directly on the blond man that appeared, completely ignoring the 15 women that also appeared with the man.
So, this was Riser Phenex...
She flicked her gaze downwards before returning to the man's face. He was a handsome man, Sakura could admit that but superficial beauty meant nothing if you were rotten inside. And this man practically reeked of garbage and mildew.
Sakura already disliked him. She had been willing to give the man the benefit of doubt considering everything she had heard about him was all second hand information provided by Rias. The very same woman who already held the man in negative regard. But Sakura could definitely understand why.
Even now, the man was eyeing her up as if she was some prostitute.
"Hmph... To much muscle." He muttered in disgust as his eyes roamed over Sakura. "No woman should possess a body like that."
Sakura tilted her head at the man before slowly rising to her feet, ignoring Rias' horrified expression. She said nothing as she closed the distance between herself and the arrogant Devil before her.
Stopping just a foot in front of the man and tilting her head upwards, Sakura merely offered the Devil a smile. "I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?"
Riser did so with ease, all to happy at having another chance of insulting someone who he believed was inferior. "I said, no woman should possess a body as freakish as yo-!"
Sakura's right hand closed around Riser's face a moment later, squeezing with reckless abandon. Even though the man was taller then her, Sakura proceeded to raise the man into the air with ease. Her hand began to slowly squeeze causing Riser's feet to kick viciously at her.
"Adorable." The medic cooed softly. "You think you're allowed to have an opinion?"
"Release him now!" A voluptuous, purple haired woman screamed, charging up a generous amount of power in her hands.
Sakura flicked the woman a bored glance, spotting the entire peerage gearing up for an attack. Her eyes flashed as she flexed her Chakra, causing all the women to drop to their knees.
"Sit down and shut up." The Shinobi returned her gaze to the struggling Phenex. She felt a scorching pain emanate from her hand as Riser desperately gripped her wrists. Smoke began to waft off her burning flesh as Riser continued to struggle against her monumental strength.
Sakura pursed her lips before raising Riser's body higher. A second later his head had become incredibly intimate with the floor. A shockwave detonated through the clubhouse that nearly caused the building to crumble.
With her hand still attached to Riser's face Sakura proceeded to squeeze tighter, causing Riser to release several muffled screams of pain. "So, you're Riser Phenex, yeah?"
Sakura's eyes suddenly snapped to the right, eyeing a unique sigil forming on the ground. From the sigil a beautiful woman with silver hair appeared, dressed in a standard maid uniform.
Ahh... Grayfia Lucifuge.
What a shame. She would have loved to pop this little shit's head.
"I would highly advise against resorting to violence." Grayfia stated, but really demanded. "It is unprofessional considering the circumstances, wouldn't you say Sakura-sama?"
The medic's response was to increase the strength of her grip on Riser. There was a vicious cracking noise that resonated from Riser's broken jaw.
"Whatever you say, Grayfia." After her words, Sakura released her grip on the Devil's face before spitting directly on the man's face. "Fuck you."
"You dare?!" Riser slurred angrily as he writhed on the ground in pain. "I'll kill you, you whore!" He proceeded to struggle to his feet, cradling his broken jaw.
Sakura offered the man a condescending smile as she stood in front of Rias. "Weak men should be quiet when in the presence of superior individuals."
"You wretched litt-!"
Whatever Riser was going to say was prevented as Grayfia flexed her power. It was an impressive amount if Sakura were being honest but it wasn't anything to write home about. Sakura was stronger than the woman.
"None of that, Riser-sama." Grayfia spoke calmly and sternly. "Let us be civil. You are here for a reason."
"Civil?!" The man cried as his jaw was finally healed. "This monstrous ogre broke my jaw and spit on me!"
Sakura merely smiled with half-lidded eyes. "Awwww! Want me to do it again? I have no problem making your insides become your outsides. The choice is yours, honey."
Rias' hand found itself latching onto Sakura's, fingers intertwining and squeezing softly. Sakura's eyes found Rias' and no words were spoken between the two. With nothing but a nod, Sakura seemed to mellow out. Her tense shoulders slowly relaxed while her jaw unclenched.
Grayfia watched the interaction between the two with curiosity. This was going to cause problems. Rias knew that she was bound by contract to marry Riser and yet here she was, mingling with not only a human but a female human.
This would not do. While Grayfia wanted nothing more than to help her sister-in-law, she could not. She was bound by duty and tradition and thus, it fell to her to enforce these traditions.
"I would ask that you detach yourself from Rias-sama, Sakura-sama." Grayfia practically demanded.
"Feel free to make me." Sakura countered instantly. "Your tradition can suck my non-existent dick."
Sakura's words surprised nearly everyone in the room, including Grayfia herself.
"Sakura!" Rias exclaimed with widened eyes, shocked at how vulgar Sakura was being. She knew that Sakura preferred to be informal but she was never this crass and rude.
"If you want to take her away from me, you'll have to do it by force." Sakura stared directly into Grayfia's crimson eyes as she continued. "If you think you can beat me then feel free to throw the first punch."
Grayfia's blank expression slowly cracked as a small frown formed on her face. This woman... She was anything but weak. Grayfia could feel it in her bones. This woman was a monster.
How had Rias even found this woman? She could sense an incredulous amount of Chakra in the woman and she was sure that wasn't even the full extent of it.
This human woman was relatively unknown all things considered, but had been around long enough for not only Rias' peerage to be familiar with her but also Sona's.
And that begged the question. How long has this human woman been around Rias? How long had these two been... intimate?
Grayfia was at a loss. It was already clear to the Queen that this human was aware of the existence of Devil's and by proxy, the Supernatural. With power like that, she wouldn't be surprised if the woman was a part of a Faction. The only logical one would be the Yokai Faction considering she possessed Chakra.
Hmm...
Grayfia continued to stare at the pink haired human, sensing the sheer waves of power that flowed throughout her body.
Is that it...?
Rias and Sona had informed Sirzechs and Serafall that a Yokai Representative had come directly to Kuoh to oversee the two heiresses. Could this woman be...?
"I think we should all just calm down, neh?" A new voice questioned lazily.
Grayfia's eyes widened only a fraction as she turned towards the new individual. Wait... She recognized this man.
Gray hair.
Business clothing.
This was one of the men that had been present at the first initial meeting between the Heiresses and the Yokai Faction.
"Kakashi-san!" Rias called out in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
The now-identified Kakashi slowly entered the room with a lazy gait, passing by Rias and Sakura before taking a seat upon the lone desk in the middle of the room.
"Hello, Princess." He greeted with an eye smile. When the Gremory heiress pouted, he released a quiet chuckle. "I'm just here doing my job. As the Yokai Representative, it is imperative that I oversee issues such as this. Considering we have two extremely hot headed individuals, I thought it best to be here in case something happened. It'd be a shame if the Devils here caused issues between each other. Yasaka-sama wouldn't be too pleased to hear about it, now would she?"
At his words, Riser released an annoyed scoff. "And who do you think you are, trash?"
Before Kakashi could reprimand him, Grayfia did so for him. The Maid of Lucifer proceeded to grasp the man by his hair before sweeping his legs out. When Riser fell to his knees, Grayfia slammed his forehead onto the ground, ignoring his petulant cries.
"You will behave yourself, Riser!" Grayfia demanded fiercely. "Ask for forgiveness! Now!"
When the man refused to speak, Grayfia began to encase the man in ice, flexing her power over the man with ease.
"Stop!" Riser immediately pleaded. "I apologize! Forgive me!"
Grayfia did not stop.
Kakashi watched Lucifer's maid humble the young devil before pulling out his Ero-manga. "Mah mah, Grayfia-san. It's perfectly fine. Please, there's no need to discipline him so harshly."
Sakura wanted to scoff at her Sensei's words. The prick deserved to be kicked in the nuts. Repetitively.
The silver haired maid pushed Riser's forehead deeper into the ground, cratering the ground with her strength. "I apologize, Kakashi-sama, but I have to respectfully disagree. Children require a firm, guiding hand to prevent tantrums and outbursts." She ignored the man's apologies and smashed his face against the ground even harder. "Children should also learn to speak when spoken to."
Kakashi hid his smile with ease as he read his book. "Well, who am I to disagree with such valid logic and reasoning? Please, be my guest."
Grayfia acknowledged Kakashi's words and with a wordless nod, proceeded to lift Riser's head before spearing it through the tile of the clubroom. "You will remain seated, Riser. You will only rise when spoken to and you will be respectful of all parties here. Do I make myself clear, child?"
This time, Riser was quick to answer. "Yes, ma'am. I understand."
Grayfia stared down at the arrogant man for several seconds before closing her eyes and taking a calming breath. She slowly stood to her feet, wiped her hands clean, and then proceeded to bow in Kakashi's direction before speaking.
"I apologize for his outburst, Kakashi-sama. I will take full responsibility for his actions."
Kakashi merely waved the woman's apology off. "You are forgiven, Grayfia-san. For your sake, I hope that it is the last one. We are all friends here, no?" He gestured with his free hand before continuing. "Do not mind me, I'll just watch. Continue as you were."
Grayfia took another calming breath before turning towards Rias and her... girlfriend? "Rias-sama, what is the meaning of this?" She gestured to the pink haired woman, who's hand was clutching Rias' own.
A frustrated expression bled into the girl's face as she stepped out from behind Sakura. "What's the meaning of this?" She asked with disbelief. "You of all people should know what's going on! I've told everyone how I've felt about this arranged marriage for years! But does anyone care about how I feel?! Of course not! It's all about tradition with you people! Why should I have to suffer?! What did I do to deserve it?!"
Grayfia weathered the woman's anger with a blank gaze but deep down, she emphasized with her sister-in-law. Rias was a good girl. An honest one. She didn't deserve to have her entire life dictated for her.
No one did.
But there was precious little that Grayfia could actually do for her. Her hands were tied and she only hoped that Rias could understand.
"Rias-sama... You have a-"
The Gremory immediately cut Grayfia off. "No!" She screamed unapologetically. "I'm not doing it! I don't care what it takes! I don't care what I have to do! I'm never going to uphold this contract!" With tears in her eyes, Rias stared Grayfia in the eyes before speaking quietly. "Please... Don't do this to me, Grayfia..."
"Is there anything I can do?" Sakura proposed to Grayfia. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help Rias."
Well... There was one way.
Grayfia's eyes bore directly into the Chakra wielding woman as she spoke slowly, meticulously. "There is only one way. That being a Rating Game between both parties."
At Grayfia's words, Riser's head immediately lifts off the floor. He looked seconds away from combusting but one look from Lucifer's Queen curbed his outburst.
"I'll do it." Sakura answered instantly, with no hesitation.
Grayfia merely rose an eyebrow. "You will?" She questioned. "Not Rias-sama?"
The pink haired medic cocked her hip out, which in turn, attracted Rias' gaze. Sakura's emerald orbs center on the downed Phenex as she spoke. "I challenge you, Riser Phenex, to a Rating Game for the hand of Rias Gremory. If I win, the wedding contract between you two is null and void."
Believing that he had been directly spoken to, Riser snarled angrily. "And if I win?"
The pinkette merely shrugged her shoulders. "I'll let you do whatever you want to me."
Riser's eyes narrowed at the answer. He was silent for several seconds before scoffing and speaking. "And what if I refuse to accept this stupid little challenge?"
Sakura merely smiled. "You have no choice here. The challenge has already been issued and if you refuse to accept it, then I win by default." She cocked her head to the side, reveling in the man's anger. "Now, are you going to accept it and fight me? Or are you going to run away like the little pussy you are?"
Riser snarled angrily as flames began to waft off his body. With the threat of Grayfia so close to him, he did his best to calm his ever increasing anger. "I will enjoy burning you alive."
A wicked smile formed on Sakura's face. "I can't wait to tear you apart. Limb. By. Fucking. Limb."
Before another fight could break out, Grayfia intervened between the two. "The it is settled. A Rating Game that will determine who gets Rias' hand in marriage has now commenced." Her gaze swept from the human woman to the High-Class Devil as she continued. "Is there a particular date that you two wish to settle this matter?"
Before Riser could insult Sakura, she spoke first. "In ten days time." Her emerald eyes bore into Riser's eyes with malicious intent. "I'll give you some time to prepare for when I inevitably rip your head off."
Riser growled angrily at constantly being disrespected. "I'm going to gut you, whore! After I crush you, I'm going to enjoy taking your body!"
"That will be enough." Grayfia demanded. "Riser, leave."
The man looked fit to combust but one look from Grayfia caused him to bite his tongue. Not a moment later did he, and his peerage, disappear.
Grayfia's eye slowly drifted towards Rias as she spoke. "I hope you know what you're doing, Rias-sama."
The crimson haired Devil only frowned at Grayfia's statement. "Nothing you say will make me regret this decision. Nothing."
The small smile on Grayfia's face surprised Rias. "Good luck, Sakura-sama." With those parting words, the strongest Queen disappeared from the clubroom.
The room was silent for several seconds before Sakura released a huge sigh. She proceeded to lean against the table, eyes straying to the hand that was still clutching hers. She merely smiled as Rias herself proceeded to sit on top the desk.
"Ya know..." Rias spoke quietly with a small blush. "It was low-key kind ofhot when you spit on Riser."
"There will be plenty of time for Sakura to spit on you later Rias-chan. Right now, we have to get your stories straight before continuing." Kakashi piped up with a laugh.
Even Sakura was unable to contain the blush that spread across her face. "S-Shut the hell up, Sensei!"
"Well, atleast it all worked out." Sona piped up quietly, ordering her peerage to leave the clubroom. "Seems like you didn't really need me here at all Rias."
Finally getting her blush under control, the crimson haired Gremory waved towards her best friend. "Regardless, thank you for showing up Sona. It means a lot."
The bespectacled woman merely nodded her head as she left. "Of course, Rias."
When Sona left, Rias released a huge sigh before finally letting go of Sakura's hand and throwing herself on the table. "That was so stressful."
Sakura merely smiled as she responded. "Job's not done yet, Rias. I still have to win the Rating Game."
The red haired Devil only groaned quietly, flailing about on the table like a child. It did... glorious things to her breasts. "Can't we just relax for now? Pleaseeeeeeeee?"
The medic sighed quietly before replying. "Fine."
"Yay~!"
AN: Wowee it's been forever. Cap actually. Cus I updated just last week. Hope you enjoyed it or not. Don't care. Eat my ass
