Disclaimer: Sadly, I own neither Naruto nor Danganronpa.


Chapter 10:
Ultimate Event

It was the start of another beautiful Tuesday morning. The Sun was just barely making its presence known for the day, but Naruto and Gundham were already up and about. This was usual for the breeder, being up at this hour. He had a variety of tasks that needed to be completed at these early hours, but the blond was still trying to once again cope with being awake so early in the morning. For the second day in a row no less! Shikamaru would be so disappointed in him right now.

'Then again, he was already being forced to wake up early by his mom and grandma Tsunade…..'

The Nara would always complain, but he'd still fulfill his duties. That's probably why Tsunade tolerated his lazy attitude.

'I'm really starting to understand what he meant about getting a good night's rest, though.'

The blond had been up pretty late last night trying on his new gear that had been given to him by Tengan. That devious old man sure knew how to pull a fast one on him. Not that Naruto minded this time. He was more confident in facing the challenges that the future had in store for him.

Naruto's mood was lifted the moment he stepped inside Gundham's shop, as a certain red kit suddenly jumped on him and started licking his face. Naruto was more than happy to let this happen as he started to laugh.

"Hahaha, I've missed you too, Kurama!"

And he meant it too. It was only for a few days, but it had still sucked to be separated from his new partner for that long. Hopefully something like this didn't have to happen again.

Gundham stood to the side and watched them with his arms crossed.

"H'mph, I am pleased to see that your contract still holds up…..."

Contract? Naruto didn't question the choice of words, and instead focused on hugging the little fox. His fur was still as soft as ever, but he smelled a lot better now. Not that Naruto had minded his natural smell. Gundham probably had something to do with this too.

"As foolish as this process has been, your contract is recognized by the standards you mortals have set on this Earth."

Naruto almost asked his friend what he was talking about, but there was no need to as Gundham handed him some papers. On it was his information listed, marking him as the official owner for Kurama. It also detailed the checkup that had been done on the fox, which made the little fox safe for the city life. Just as with Gundham's hamsters.

One of the papers had his identification information too, just for the records. And on it was something that caught Naruto's eye.

'There's that ID again…...'

Something Tengan had done for him, through the school, was mark him down for something called a national registration card and a passport too. From what he had learned, those were used to identify people from the nations they inhabited since apparently there were many so many of them. It wasn't like back in his world where one could just pack up and move to another village willy-nilly. The process here was more complicated. But basically, he was now something called a Japanese citizen, a person belonging to Japan, the country he was in at the moment. Naruto had no real problem with this, given that he spoke, wrote, and understood their language. That, and he had shown up here rather than anywhere else.

Japan was as close a home as he was going to have in this world.

"I hope I don't have to remind you of the responsibilities bestowed upon you from this day forth." Gundham was oddly serious for once. That was understandable, given that Naruto was going to be taking care of the little energetic fox from now on.

The blond saluted the breeder. "You don't have to worry. Kurama is in good hands. Besides, if I ever need help, I can always come to you. That's what friends are for."

"Always using that word lightly…...h'mph, very well. As long as you understand."

Naruto had to roll his eyes. "Stop playing hard to get already. It's clear that you already consider yourself one of us. You like us."

"What-!"

"Just admit it, and we can all go home."

Not really, as they had school today. But whatever!

Gundham clenched his jaw. "How dare you speak to me like that!? To the Overlord of Ice…..! To the world's greatest monster!"

Naruto almost scoffed. "Monster? You're the one who helped me bring Kurama to the city. Without you, I don't think I would have been able to do it."

Legally anyway. Naruto was confident he could have snuck the fox in, but that would have only caused more problems than it would solve. Like Mahiru telling him how irresponsible he was. That girl was serious about keeping them in line.

"I only helped you to honor the contract," Gundham retorted as he eyed Kurama who looked comfortable in Naruto's hands. "This familiar wishes to be with you, so it's only natural that I would lend a hand. It wasn't for your sake or anything!"

Naruto rubbed his chin in thought. "Could it be that you're one of these 'tsundere' Teruteru was talking about earlier?"

He'd used the word correctly, right?

"…"

Gundham's eye twitched for just a moment. This was the first time anyone had bestowed such an insult upon him, and he didn't know how to react.

Naruto missed this and instead walked up to the boy to pat him on the shoulder. "You're not a villain, Gundham. At least not to us. You're a precious friend. Even if I don't understand half the stuff you're talking about. But that's also true about Nagito. What I'm trying to say is, better get used to us."

Gundham stepped back, scoffing. "You seem to misunderstand a very fundamental truth of this world, you Inari-look-alike."

Inari-whatnow?

Naruto ignored it. "And that is?"

Gundham's features softened as his hamsters all poked their heads out from his scarf. "That anything that talks will eventually betray you."

It was here that Naruto, for the first time, started to see Gundham, the real one. Not the persona he always wore around them, but as the real person he was underneath. It was just a short glimpse, but Naruto was able to see a lot in that one glimpse.

"Bonds…..." Gundham couldn't help but stare at Naruto who also turned somber. "They're beautiful. Being able to connect to people, to understand them, and they understand you. It should be a simple thing, but that's not how it is, right? To be able to understand one person…...to be able to see in their heart and really know what they're thinking, to really know who they are as a person…..it's never that simple. That's why you try to not get involved with others, isn't it? Unlike animals, you can't seem to understand what other people are thinking."

Gundham couldn't describe the feeling in his chest right now. It was hard to believe that someone was able to read him this easily. It was a bit disconcerting for him as Gundham had always prided himself in being able to keep his thoughts to himself. Because of this, Gundham was at a loss for words, for once.

Naruto didn't need the boy to answer, though, already knowing that he was right. It was a reasonable fear for anyone to have.

"A few years back, I was actually betrayed by my best friend, you know," Naruto said, remembering Sasuke. "At the time, I didn't understand the choices he made, so it felt like a betrayal to me. Now, I realize that I was the one who was trying to enforce my will upon him even though I didn't know the whole story. I didn't understand him, so we couldn't reach an understanding between us. Because of it, our bond suffered. That's why it felt like I was being betrayed, when that wasn't totally the case."

"What's the meaning of this story?" Gundham cut in, not understanding why the blond was telling him something like this.

Scratching his head, Naruto said, "It's because I also know how difficult bonds can be. They're not always positive. Sometimes, they can bring you pain too. That's the risk you take when you decide to befriend someone, when you try to understand them. But you know something?" Naruto placed a hand over his heart and smiled. "I think it's worth it. Because when you feel pain for another person, you realize that you are truly connected to them. They're in your heart, where you can never lose them." He locked eyes with Gundham who was still staring at him. "Don't run away. Don't let the fear control you. Don't shy away from making connections with other people just because you fear betrayal. Otherwise, if you back down now, how can you call yourself an Overlord?"

"Oh…...?" Gundham started to cackle as his red eye glowed ominously. "Is that supposed to be a challenge?"

Naruto didn't back down. "If it is?"

"Ha, don't make me laugh! Don't underestimate the great Supreme Overlord of Ice! A challenge such as this is hardly worth my time!" He paused for a moment before pulling his scarf higher to cover his face. "But if you insist, I guess I have no choice but to go along with your delusions and give these…...bonds a try."

Naruto chuckled at this. Gundham would always be Gundham in the end. Keeping his tough front, while also sporting his soft heart. It suited the breeder quite nicely.

Naruto stretched out his fist to him. "Better make it official, right?"

Gundham was a bit confused for a moment before understanding what the blond was getting at.

With some hesitation, the breeder brought his fist forward too, and almost tenderly placed it against Naruto's. It was a slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

Naruto grinned, which made Gundham grin a little too.

Gundham would always be Gundham, but at least Naruto was happy to see that he was finally able to understand Gundham a little better now. Not just for his Ultimate talent, but the boy underneath. As there was no talk of a barrier from the boy, Naruto could only assume that Gundham had finally come to view him as something closer to a friend.

"With this, a new contract has been forged," Gundham said, which made Naruto grin a little more.

This too was a great feeling.


"So you own this whole place?"

"Yes. Although I have recruited some of my followers to help with the maintenance of this fortress. As much as I want to be here sometimes, Hope's Peak Academy requires my attention longer than normal these days."

Gundham was giving Naruto a tour of the shop he was able to open with money from his sponsors. In the meantime, Kurama and the Four Dark Devas were having their own little meeting with one another off to the side. Naruto had no idea what they could be possibly saying to one another, but they seemed to communicate just fine despite being of different species.

Funny that.

The shop wasn't anything fancy by a long shot, but Naruto had a feeling that was done by design. Gundham didn't strike him as someone who cared for the luxurious. He only admired the stuff closest to him, which Naruto could appreciate since he was the same.

There were several other animals in the back of the shop. And even beyond that there was something that looked like a playroom for all the animals.

"You sure have a lot of them in here." Naruto spotted dogs, cats, chickens, birds, and an assortment of other mammals. Some reptiles too, like snakes, bugs, and others.

"Most of them come from the depravity of the wild," Gundham said, his arms crossed. He was silently enjoying himself as he showed Naruto around. Not as part of some business transaction, but just as…..classmates and possibly friends.

"Depravity of the wild?" Naruto guessed that meant that most of them were strays. It just further proved to him how much of a nice guy Gundham was, to be taking care of all these animals by himself like this.

"Of course, my most promising work is also present here," Gundham said while chuckling a bit.

"Hm?" That caught Naruto's attention.

Gundham struck another one of his poses, only his Four Dark Devas weren't on his shoulders this time.

"A fearsome demon beast with sparking silver fur…...it's to be a hybrid creature with dominant spots and bands! It will be the first of its kind! With me, as its master! Fuhahahahaha!"

"Ah…."

Another one of his great beasts, huh? Probably a hamster then. Well, it was great to see him so excited about his animals. He was just like Kiba and Shino in that regard, although more boisterous than both of them.

'With Shino, that's not saying much, though…..'

Putting those thoughts aside for now, Naruto let his eyes linger on the other animals for a moment. He knew Gundham had to be giving them the best care in the world, but he also knew that being stuck like this would never bring them true happiness either. Finding a suitable family, and being with them…...surely that was the best solution.

"Have you ever thought about holding an adoption event for them?"

Gundham paused here. "An adoption event…...?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. You know, finding people to raise them and care for them." He walked closer to their cages where they were being held. They all looked like happy animals. "I'm sure they would enjoy that, don't you think?"

Gundham had to think about that for a second. It wasn't that he was against the idea. As he had said earlier, he was often caught up with other matters and couldn't fully give them the proper attention they needed. It only got worse after he joined Hope's Peak Academy. Being around Naruto and the others cut more into his free time.

"How would you do such a thing?"

"Erm…..."

Naruto hadn't thought that far ahead honestly. But it shouldn't be too hard. Gundham had to be famous enough for his name to be recognizable in this field. Spreading the word would be the least of their concerns. But as to how to hold the event itself…...

'Hmm…...'

It didn't take long for inspiration to hit him, and it hit him hard.

Gundham watched a grin start to form on the blond's face.

It was game time!


Koichi had to stand back and watch as his class was quite literally taken from his hands by Naruto and Gundham, the two boys standing by the podium in front of the room. And did the blond have a fox on his shoulders?

What the hell is up with these kids?

Anyway, the man had been pushed to the back of the class as Naruto and Gundham apparently had some news they wanted to share with the others. Whatever that meant.

'I get the feeling it's going to make my time here a lot harder…...'

He sure was stuck with a rowdy bunch, wasn't he?

"What the hell is going on?" Fuyuhiko was the one who asked the obvious question here.

Mikan, while happy to see Kurama again, was also confused as to what Naruto was up to this time.

"You're not up to something weird, are you?" Mahiru asked with a raised eyebrow.

Naruto looked offended. "Weird? Me? Your accusation hurts me, Mahiru."

"Well, if the shoe fits…..."

Naruto raised his hand. "I assure you that I have pure intentions here. Gundham here can be my witness."

Hiyoko rolled her eyes. "That guy is always up to something weird, so you're not helping your case."

While that wasn't totally false, it wasn't true either!

Sonia beamed. "I am most curious to know what our friends have to say this morning."

"You're always excited about everything," Fuyuhiko said under his breath. It was like their princess had the mentality of a nine-year-old sometimes.

"Eh, just get to it already," Akane said with impatience.

Naruto grinned. "Well, it's quite simple really. While Gundham was showing me around his store, I realized that there is a way to help all the animals there find a suitable home. And by working together too."

Chiaki lowered her console. "You're organizing another event for us?"

"Nah, we are organizing an event!" Naruto corrected. "We're holding a festival to invite people to adopt all the homeless animals!"

Kazuichi t'ched. "Seriously? That's your big idea? I thought you were going to suggest something more fun than that….."

Gundham shot him a glare. "You fool! You know nothing of what you speak of!"

"Oh yeah!?"

"Don't start another argument, you morons," Fuyuhiko cut in. "It's too damn early for that."

Kazuichi backed down, but still met Gundham's glare with his own. The mechanic was still regarding the breeder as his rival in love for Sonia's hand.

Nagito smiled and clapped. "I think that's an excellent idea, Uzumaki-kun! Seeing all your talents come together to form a festival would be dazzling. Your rays of hope, united as one, would surely blind everyone else around you. It's like poetry in motion!"

Once again, no one in the class was exactly thrilled by Nagito's words, except for Naruto who simply smiled and nodded.

Nagito seemed to be on board with the idea, and that's all that matters.

"Uh, why didn't you ask me about this first?" Koichi asked from his spot in the back of the class.

Naruto shrugged. "Do we need your permission for something like this?"

"Well…..."

No, they didn't. But still! He was their teacher! It was only natural that they would ask him for permission! Right!?

No one really seemed too keen on doing that, though, much to his bitter disappointment.

'Where has all the respect gone dammit!'

"Hehehe, this sounds like the perfect chance for Ibuki to shine!" The girl jumped on top of her desk to show off one of her rocking poses. "The Ibuki-Hiyoko-chan duo is back!"

The dancer huffed in indignation. "Who said I was even going to do something like that ever again? Especially for some losers who probably wouldn't even appreciate how awesome I am."

"You're going that far, huh?" Kazuichi said, sweatdropping.

"Please, Hiyoko." Naruto pleaded to the girl, his eyes staring at her. "It would mean a lot to me and Gundham if you could participate."

It didn't take long for Hiyoko to blush when she saw Naruto's intense blue eyes staring at her.

"W-Well…...fine," she relented. "It's not like you guys could do this without me anyway."

Teruteru giggled. "Ah, the tsundere act is always the best."

Hiyoko looked ready to slice him into little pieces, which just made the cook all the more excited.

Ryota glanced around the classroom. "So we're doing this?"

Fuyuhiko sighed and closed his eyes. "If we don't, Uzumaki probably won't shut up about it till we agree."

"Love you too, Fuyuhiko!"

The yakuza twitched but didn't rise to the bait.

Peko smiled softly. "Regardless, it does sound like fun. Holding a festival of our own…..it shall be a new experience for me."

"COUNT ME IN!" Nekomaru shouted at the top of his lungs, nearly crushing his desk in the process. "I'll make sure to lend my support to make this the best festival anyone's ever seen!"

And he was Nidai Nekomaru, dammit! He always meant what he said!

"I-I will give it my best as well!" Mikan declared from her seat.

Mahiru felt a headache washing over her. "You guys are just so random, aren't you? Deciding things so quickly…...do we even have a plan for this?"

Gundham smirked. "The wind shall be the guide for this journey."

Mahiru deadpanned. "So that's a no then."

How wonderful.

Naruto shrugged it off. "Don't stress over it, Mahiru. It's like I said before. Together, there's nothing we can't do. If we all put our heads together, I'm sure it'll turn out great. Besides, it'll be fun. Better than sitting in class all day."

"Oi!"

Koichi went ignored.

"Hahaha, you always know what to say, Uzumaki-kun." Nagito, of course, was pleased by all of this. It was always great to see what his new friend would come up with to bring the class closer together.

"This is going to be a lot of work, though," Ryota muttered, already dreading all the manual labor that was to come.

"We'll divide all the tasks among ourselves," Naruto said. "I have a basic idea of what a fun festival is all about, but I wouldn't mind taking any suggestions you guys might have."

"Now time out here." Koichi finally got over the lack of respect his class had for him to step into the conversation. "Where exactly are you thinking of holding this little party of yours? Hope's Peak is closed to all outsiders."

Only students and staff were allowed. And even Reserve Course Students couldn't come close to the main school building. It was forbidden.

Naruto frowned. "The headmaster could-"

"He won't." Of that, Koichi was certain. Not because the man thought it would be embarrassing to have normal people on campus, but because the board had ruled against it. They wanted to preserve Hope's Peak as much as possible…...whatever that meant.

Naruto had to grumble at this. "That's a load of bull. How is anyone supposed to have any fun around here if there are so many rules?"

Well…...school wasn't exactly about fun.

Sonia looked downcast. "Does that mean we can't have the festival then?"

She had been so excited to take part in it too.

Fuyuhiko sighed. It's not like he wanted to participate in something so stupid, but…..goddammit it all.

"If we can't have it here, then I'll get a place cleared for us. It won't be hard to rent out a park or something."

Especially with his family's notoriety.

A look of surprise flashed on Peko's face at her master's suggestion.

Naruto grinned. "Seriously? You can do that?"

Fuyuhiko scoffed. "Don't underestimate the yakuza, you idiot. Nothing is beyond us."

"Yeah, and that still scares me a little," Kazuichi said with a sheepish look.

Fuyuhiko ignored him.

Despite her surprise, Mahiru smiled. "It looks like we can still do this then."

Sonia was elated. "Oh, how wonderful!"

"Yes, how kind of Kuzuryu-kun," Nagito said with his smile.

Koichi was slightly amused by this, but he didn't comment on it. If the brats really wanted to do this, then good on them. It meant less teaching time too. Win-win for everyone.

"But when is the festival going to take place exactly?" Mikan asked.

Naruto shrugged. "We were thinking this weekend. If possible."

Mahiru shook her head. "You really don't think these things through, do you?"

"I don't think it's impossible to meet that deadline, though," Nagito spoke up, feeling like it was totally possible to prepare everything in that amount of time.

"We are going to have to organize ourselves right away then," Mahiru said with a hand under her chin. "Figure out who's going to do what."

"What's even in a festival anyway?" Akane asked. She had never been in one before. No reason to.

Ibuki poked her fingers together. "Ibuki thinks that's a rather sad question…."

"I believe we can make the festival whatever we want it to be," Peko said. She had gone to a few in the past with her young master. They all had a theme to them, depending on the time of year and where it was taking place.

Teruteru combed his hair while smirking. "In that case, I wouldn't mind if my food was the main attraction. It'll make everyone go mad with pleasure."

"Sometimes you scare me, man," Kazuichi said with a shake of his head.

"We can have multiple themes!" Nagito smiled more. "For example, we can have Mioda-san and Saionji-san's concert, Hanamura-kun's food, and maybe even have Nanami-san create a couple of games for people to play."

That last idea was enough to make Chiaki put down her game and smile in bliss. "That sounds…..nice. Creating real-life games…...I could make so many of them…...and have everyone smiling and enjoying themselves."

It was the first time the others were seeing Chiaki so excited, and it was enough to make them all smile a little.

Even Nagito could say the right thing sometimes. But for the lucky boy, all of this was obvious. Normal people existed to make the Ultimates shine. To make their talents more obvious. Those without talent were the stepping stones, the unworthy, nothing more. That's why he was excited to see his classmates put on a show where they could convey just how superior they were to the common people.

"I'll take care of the decorations then!" Sonia nearly jumped at the idea, happy to take part in another activity with her friends. "I've always wanted to do something like this."

"Whoohooo! Ibuki and Hiyoko-chan will take care of the music! The world will see nothing else like it!" Ibuki shouted.

Hiyoko crossed her arms and looked away. "Just don't slow me down. I don't usually work with other people, so you better bring your A game."

"The food will of course be taken care by me," Teruteru said as he whistled. "But if anyone wishes to lend me a hand, then you're more than welcome to assist lil old me."

"I'll take some pictures of the animals to make posters and pass the word around," Mahiru said while holding up her camera. "That way, people will know what kind of animals are going to be up for adoption."

And Chiaki was taking care of the games while Fuyuhiko secured a location for them. That pretty much took care of the big jobs.

"Hey, what are the rest of us supposed to do?" Kazuichi asked while scratching his head. He didn't want to be left out of the planning. Especially when Gundham was in the middle of it.

"The rest of us will lend the others support," Naruto said while shrugging. "We can't let them do it all on their own."

"Spoken like a true leader!" Nekomaru exclaimed.

Koichi hid his smirk. The deadline for choosing a class representative was fast approaching. If any of this was anything to go by, then that decision was going to be an easy one.

"Looks like we're doing this then." Fuyuhiko suddenly stood up from his seat. "I've gotta make some calls."

Naruto turned to him. "I'm coming with you."

Fuyuhiko was surprised. "Why?" It wasn't that he was against the idea of the blond hanging around him, but he didn't know why Naruto would choose to do so.

"You're gonna ask your clan for help, right? Since I'm one of the main planners, it's only natural I'd tag along for support. Gundham has to let Mahiru in his shop for the pictures, so it's gotta be me."

"Awwww." Ibuki pouted at this. "Ibuki was going to ask you to support her with her music, Naruto-chan. But now you've ruined it!"

"Maybe later?" he suggested as he grabbed his bag.

Ibuki struck another pose. "Ibuki will make you keep that promise!"

"Well, it's not like we need your help," Hiyoko said with her usual attitude. But then she looked away again. "But it couldn't hurt…...I guess."

"Tsunde-"

"Shut up already!"

Teruteru merely laughed in joy. It was always nice to receive this kind of treatment~

Only someone with his disposition would think something like that.

Everyone in the class began to stand up in order to get a move on with their jobs. Naruto and Fuyuhiko were out the door first with Peko watching them go. She wondered if her young master was going to bring Naruto to their home. That would be a first for him, bringing someone from school over to their home.

'She will be pleased…..'

Fuyuhiko's mother was always asking her if Fuyuhiko was making any friends at school. Peko was always forced to say no all these years. But now…..

"U-Um, Pekoyama-san….."

Peko came out of her thoughts to see Mikan standing in front of her.

"Yes, Tsumiki-san?"

The nurse fidgeted a bit under Peko's cool stare. "You seemed to be spacing off, and everyone is already leaving. So…."

Peko's eyes closed. "My apologies. I was just wondering which task I am best suited to aid."

Mikan was wondering the same thing. She could help Sonia with the decorations, maybe? But Mikan didn't think her tastes would be well received by the populace.

"If you're looking for something to do, then there's a job you could help me with~" Teruteru suddenly spun into the scene. Like, literally, he was spinning next to them.

Peko was no longer surprised by his odd mannerisms. "What do you have in mind?"

If it was anything she could help with, then…...

Chuckling, Teruteru said, "I believe we are going to need more than just pictures of some animals to get the word out. That's why I am sure that Koizumi-chan wouldn't mind snapping some pictures of you in…...welcoming attires."

Welcoming attires?

Peko suddenly felt her skin crawl. "What are you-"

"Like bikinis, and sexy neko outfits, or, or-!"

Like a speeding bullet, Peko had her bamboo sword in hand and swatted Teruteru away while Mikan let out a small "eep" in surprise. The cook was sent flying into the wall of the classroom, but no one batted an eye to this. If Peko of all people was reacting like this, then it had to be Teruteru's fault.

"T-Thank for you the treat!" Teruteru cried out from the hole in the wall.

Mikan didn't know how to react to this while Peko shook her head.

"Don't fall for his trickery, Tsumiki-san."

Mikan slowly nodded but then said, "We still don't know what to help with…..."

She didn't want to feel useless. Especially not when this was Naruto's idea.

Peko thought about their situation a bit more while picking up her bag as Mikan trailed behind.

"I suggest for now we ask the others and see if they need any help. I'm sure someone wouldn't mind the extra help."

Mikan accepted the idea and followed after Peko, the two girls leaving the classroom.

Only Koichi remained behind with a passed out Teruteru in the hole. He was mentally crying that no one was asking him for help, but he was also cheering because this meant that he had the day off…...and possibly the week too.

'But wait….if they screw this up, then it's my ass that's going to be on the line…...'

And he couldn't have that. He didn't want to be demoted to teaching at the Reserve Course. That would just be cruel and unworthy of something with his capabilities.

'Gotta make sure the brats don't blow anything up!'

Koichi quickly ran out the classroom to make good on his new mission, all the while shivering at this potential demotion.


"You serious about this?"

"Yeah, just like how I've been for the past thirty minutes. Calm down already, jeez."

Fuyuhiko glowered at the taller blond. "S-Shut up! This is a first for me, alright!"

"A first?" Naruto sounded confused. He and Fuyuhiko were standing outside the illustrious Kuzuryu compound in the city. He wasn't sure if this was Fuyuhiko's main home or what, but the place was huge. It was also surrounded by mobsters in suits, who saluted Fuyuhiko every time he walked past them. Naruto was also aware of the curious stares being shot his way.

"I-It's the first time I'm bringing someone home from school," Fuyuhiko managed to say. It was painful to admit that, but it was only natural. Most people were just afraid of someone with his background and reputation. Naruto was the one exception to that…...and the others at Hope's Peak. For the most part. Kazuichi was still hesitant to be around him, but the mechanic was slowly warning up to him.

"Don't be like that," Naruto said. "I'm not gonna run away or anything. I just wanna thank your pops for all the support he's given us. We couldn't have made the camping trip a success without your help."

Fuyuhiko t'sked and walked inside the compound. A part of him was annoyed with how much Naruto downplayed his involvement in bringing the class together, while the rest of him just chalked it up to Naruto being Naruto.

Speaking of the Uzumaki, he was just in awe at the interior of the yakuza compound. It had that Japanese traditional look to it, although to him it looked just like one of the clan compounds from his dimension. Heck, he remembered the Hyuuga's having a similar looking compound when he visited Hinata and Neji back in the day. It made him feel relaxed. Not something most people would think when visiting the home of the most powerful yakuza gang in the country.

Fuyuhiko led Naruto to the main gathering room as he gestured to one of the mobsters to tell his old man that he was here.

The two boys sat in seiza while waiting for Fuyuhiko's father to arrive. Kurama took this time to hop off Naruto's shoulder to take a look around and see if there was anything here worthwhile. Like delicious food or other animals. In the meantime, Naruto looked around the room more, taking in all the decor. It wasn't trying to be fancy…...but it still looked fancy, funny enough. There was a gold sword on display case in the back of the room too, adding to the overall "yakuza" atmosphere.

"You guys went all out, huh?"

Fuyuhiko shrugged. "All of this is what my old man likes. He's kind of a hothead, but he's got a good eye. My mom doesn't mind it. They're both yakuza by blood, so it only makes sense that they agree about stuff like this."

By blood, huh? Naruto had to wonder for how long the Kuzuryu clan had been around. Was it an ancient clan like the Uchiha? Or was it relatively new in comparison?

Those questions left his mind when the yakuza head walked into the room, followed by a woman. They were both blonds, kind of like Fuyuhiko. The man had more scars, though, and plenty of tattoos on his arm which were visible through his sleeveless kimono. The woman had softer features and had long hair. She was quite beautiful and was in a kimono as well.

Although to Naruto, his mother Kushina was still more beautiful. It was just his bias talking, but his mom was absolutely the best.

"So this is quite the surprise," the man said as he sat down in seiza along with his wife. They sat right in front of the boys, with the two parents studying Naruto carefully. "We weren't expecting any visitors today."

His voice was rough, but Naruto couldn't sense any sort of real hostility from the man. Just plain curiosity. The same could be said of his wife.

"It was sort of last minute," Fuyuhiko said with his arms crossed. He pushed his embarrassment down now that he was facing his old man. "This idiot here doesn't really plan things, so much as he just comes up with random ideas on the spot."

"How was I supposed to know that Gundham had so many animals in his shop?" Naruto defended himself. "Besides, you should have seen them! They totally belong with families of their own, not stuck in a shop."

Kurama let out a small noise at this, most likely agreeing with Naruto's words.

"That's not what I meant, dumbass. You always jump into something without giving it much thought. Then we have to carry the rest for you. It's annoying."

"That sounds like great teamwork to me. And don't say you don't enjoy it either! It's just like Mahiru said. You were totally looking forward to that camping trip!"

"S-Shut up! I was not! I was just following you bastards! That's it!"

"Hehe, you should be more honest with your feelings, Fuyuhiko."

"W-What the fuck did you just say!?"

As the two had their little back-and-forth, the adults in the room watched them with varying amounts of amusement. For them, this was the first time seeing their son interact with someone his own age…...well, interact with someone his age in a normal fashion. Kids in Fuyuhiko's age usually just ran away from him before they got to know him. But this was…..

"It's so adorable!"

Fuyuhiko suddenly found himself being embraced by his mother, cutting off his argument with Naruto who simply raised an eyebrow.

"You finally have another friend your own age! I'm so proud of you, Fuhi!"

Fuhi? Wait, what?

Fuyuhiko's cheeks turned red. "D-Don't just start saying random shit, mom! He's going to get the wrong idea!"

Naruto smirked, catching on. "Nah, I think I have the perfect idea over here, Fuhi."

Kurama nodded to himself.

Fuyuhiko glowered as his cheeks turned even redder. "M-Motherfucker! If you tell the others about this, I swear-ouch!"

His cheek was suddenly being pulled by none other than his mother who was giving him a disapproving look.

"It's not nice to threaten your new friend like that, Fuhi. We wouldn't want to scare him away, now would we?"

Naruto snickered. "It's no problem, oba-san. Everyone in class already knows he's a good guy. And a good friend too."

She smiled. "Is that so? Well, I'm pleased to hear that." She let go of her son's cheek and sat back down next to her husband who was still looking at Naruto with curiosity.

Fuyuhiko rubbed his reddened cheek and silently grumbled to himself. His mom was one of the few people he could never talk back to, lest he wanted to lose his life. And that was no exaggeration either. When she and the old man fought, they would go all out against one another. Fuyuhiko considered himself tough, but not that tough. Not yet at least.

Moms were just scary.

"While I'm happy to see that my son is finally enjoying his youth, I am still not sure I'm understanding your reason for being here," the yakuza head spoke, bringing the conversation back to focus.

"Oh, right." The Uzumaki scratched his head and said, "I just wanted to thank you in person for all the help you gave us in the camping trip we took. Having those cars ready really made it easy for us."

The man waved his hand in dismissal. "There's no need to thank us for that. When we heard that our son here was excited to hang out with his new friends, it was only natural we would step up. That's our duty as parents."

"I-I was not excited!" Fuyuhiko yelled in denial. But of course, no one believed him. He was just being tsundere again.

Naruto had to respect the man before him. He didn't fit the stereotypical image of a mobster. Naruto was sure that he wasn't seeing the man in his entirety, though. To run the largest and most powerful yakuza organization in the country…...it definitely required a hard hand. If anyone crossed him, Naruto was sure that he wouldn't be this amiable.

That was a thought for another day, though.

"I'm glad to hear that. Because we have another activity in mind, and we could really use your help, oji-san!"

Before another word could be said, someone else came walking into the room with a hand on her hips.

"What's with all the racket in here?"

Naruto turned to the newcomer. It was almost like he was staring at a younger version of Fuyuhiko's mother. She had long blonde hair, grayish olive eyes similar to Fuyuhiko, and pinkish cheeks. She wore a dark sailor uniform, probably from some other school in the area.

Fuyuhiko had to groan at his misfortune. "Natsumi, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

The girl, Natsumi, huffed and retorted with, "I could say the same to you, onii-chan. What, are you skipping again?" She then noticed Naruto who was just staring at her with mild curiosity. "Huh? Who's this guy?"

"He's Fuhi's new friend, isn't that just wonderful!" their mother was just all smiles and giggles at this point.

Fuyuhiko held his head and mentally groaned. "He's from school. He wanted to thank the old man and ask him for a favor."

Natsumi was more than a little surprised to hear this. Someone actually wanted to hang with her big bro? That was a first.

'But Hope's Peak is filled with talented people like onii-chan. So it only makes sense that they could understand him when other people can't...'

This only further cemented her desire to join Hope's Peak one day. Not as a Reserve Course student, but from the Main Course. Just like her big brother. That was the only way she was going to be worthy of standing next to him.

"Natsumi said she had no motivation to go to school today," their father explained with mild annoyance. "Even though she has no reason to skip."

"And like I already said, papa, I don't want to go back to that crummy school!" Natsumi said in aggravation. "Hope's Peak Academy is the only place for me!"

'Huh…...' Naruto suddenly felt like he was being privy to some familial problems that he probably wasn't supposed to see. As a side note, Kurama hopped on his lap as he watched the proceedings in silence.

"Dumbass, you're still going on about that?" Fuyuhiko shook his head. "Just forget about it already, okay? There's no reason for you to force yourself to go to Hope's Peak. It's stupid."

Natsumi gave her brother a glare. "That's not-!"

"That's enough!"

Their father's voice broke through, silencing them both. Even Naruto felt the power radiating from the man right now.

"We have a guest in our home, and you are both behaving like children. That's no way for you to act. You should know better by now."

Natsumi didn't look satisfied at all, but she knew talking back to her father wasn't the way to go. And so, she decided on leaving the room for now. She spared Naruto one final glance before walking off, her shoulders shaking in anger.

Naruto just sat back and let out a mental sigh.

Well. This was complicated.


Mikan and Peko joined Chiaki and Ryota who were out by one of the fountains in the courtyard of the school.

"What are you two doing here?" Ryota asked them.

"As unfortunate as it sounds, we don't have duties assigned to us yet," Peko answered, sounding genuinely frustrated. "We don't want to be left out and not help with the festival. That's why we came to see if you needed any help."

"Hmm, I don't think there's much you can do here," Ryota said as he looked at Chiaki. "We're trying to brainstorm ideas for games we're going to have at the festival."

"They have to be grand!" Chiaki spread her arms out, her cheeks flushed in excitement. "We can't let any other festival in history have better games than us!"

"That's a bit excessive," Mikan muttered, still surprised to see Chiaki this excited.

Ryota sighed. "She's taking this a little too seriously."

Peko smiled a little. "If it makes her happy, there's no reason to stop her. I don't think Naruto-san will mind."

"So you say, but are we going to have enough money to fund whatever crazy ideas come out of her head?" Ryota pointed out.

Peko relented there.

"We can worry about that later!" Chiaki started to walk around them, her mind filled with ideas. "Mitarai-kun, I'm going to have you draw as many sketches as possible! That way we don't miss a single opportunity! We have to make sure every idea is put on paper!"

Ryota was resigned to this fate the moment the gamer girl had dragged him out of the classroom.

Peko turned to Mikan. "I don't think we are going to be much use here. Perhaps we should see if Sonia-san requires our assistance."

Mikan was somewhat reluctant to go along with that idea, since she was sure that no one would like her ideas. But if they could at least help a little, then that would be great.

Hopefully.


The two girls tracked the princess down at the gym. She wasn't alone, though. Kazuichi, Nekomaru, and Akane were there as well.

"Huh?" The mechanic was confused when he saw Peko and Mikan enter the gym. "What are you two doing here?"

Peko crossed her arms. "We came to see if you would be requiring some extra hands with the decorations."

"That's what we're here for, though," Akane said. "Sonia said she was going to need help moving things around."

So Akane and Nekomaru were the muscle then?

"I'm supposed to be helping with building some of the stuff," Kazuichi said while scratching his cheek. "Nanami also asked for my help later. I'm quite popular, aren't I?"

Mikan did her best to give him an encouraging smile.

Sonia clapped her hands from where she stood on the stage. "We can always use more opinions. After all, we want to make this a festival that everyone can enjoy."

Mikan looked down in slight embarrassment. "W-Well, I haven't actually gone to any before….."

She would just look from afar, but her parents had never taken her to see one.

"Huh, you're not alone," Akane said while shrugging. "I've never been to one either. Always seemed like a waste of time."

Kazuichi shot her a dull stare. "Your childhood was sad, wasn't it?"

Akane merely picked her ear with indifference.

Peko on the other hand could remember the times she'd spent on festivals in the past. Most of them had been sponsored by the Kuzuryu clan, and she had only attended as her young master's bodyguard. But still. That had to count for something, right?

"Festivals are a great way to relax after a hard won victory," Nekomaru said with a smile, thinking back to the celebrations he'd been a part of.

"I am sure that a Japanese festival is much different from those in my homeland. That is why I will require your help in making sure that everything goes well," Sonia said to them.

Kazuichi grinned and placed his hands behind his head. "You don't have to worry about that, Miss Sonia. I'm sure all your decorations will be great."

Of course he would think that.

"But it must be animal-themed, or something along those lines….." Sonia trailed off, consumed by her thoughts.

"Animal-themed?" Akane began to drool. "Is it going to be meat!?"

Sonia gasped. "Owari-san, you're drooling like a waterfall!"

"Just ignore her," Nekomaru simply said.

Once Akane got thinking about food, there was no stopping her. And a festival just on meat...that would be the best thing ever for the gymnast.

The others began to think on what they would want to see in a festival as well, even Mikan who had never been to one.

Every idea counted.


Nagito looked unsure about his…..or rather, their next course of action.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Hanamura-kun?"

Teruteru, having fully recovered from Peko's punishment, was smiling and nodding.

"But of course I am! I need to show Uzumaki-kun that my cooking is the best in the world. To do that, I need to knock out the competition first."

That's why the two Ultimates were now standing in front of the ramen shop Naruto worked at. It was certainly nothing fancy. It did remind Teruteru of his family diner back home, though. Not that he was going to say that out loud.

"I think it would be a waste of your precious time," Nagito admitted with his arms crossed. He had been here the day before with Sonia and some of the others. "Your skills far surpass those of an insignificant shop like this."

"That may be, but Uzumaki-kun seems to like this place. And I can't have that. I need to be number one in his heart!"

Was it really that important? Then again, Nagito could understand wanting to capture Naruto's attention. In a way, he felt the same way. Unlike Teruteru, though, he had no chance of making that happen. He didn't have a wonderful talent like everyone else.

"That's why I'm going to challenge the owner of this place to a cook-off!" Teruteru continued, his face brimming with determination. "The winner takes all! Including Uzumaki-kun's virginity!"

Nagito was too astonished to say anything to that. Besides, wasn't Mikan the one who wanted that….? Furthermore, why would a middle-aged man want something like Naruto's virginity? The more Nagito thought about it, the less it made any sense.

'Hmm…...this is all so confusing…...'

Stuff like this was just out of his control, much like his luck. No, it was worse. At least he could understand his luck, but this?

Nope.

He was sort of mentally cheering for Mikan, though. If two hopes could come together like that, then an even stronger hope would be born, right?

Keeping his confidence, Teruteru walked into the ramen shop to make good on his promise. He was going to win this battle! Seeing this, Nagito began to follow, albeit at a slower pace than his classmate.

Something was telling him that this was going to be more trouble than it was worth. Coming from him, that was saying something.


Naruto was lying on his back on the courtyard of the Kuzuryu compound with a sleeping Kurama resting on his stomach. There was a main tree in the middle with the perfect shade, and very comfortable grass to go along with it. It was the perfect place to nap. Shikamaru would have loved this place.

"Your family is something else."

Fuyuhiko, who stood over the Uzumaki next to the tree, sighed. "Most people wouldn't be able to handle them. You managed to impress the old man, though. It's not everyday some kid manages to talk to him like an equal. His reputation is too scary for anyone to try that."

Naruto chuckled. "I have no idea about his reputation, so that makes sense. He's still a cool dude. Your mom is nice too."

"You only say that because you haven't seen her scary side," Fuyuhiko sweatdropped at the thought. His mother could fight on even terms with his old man. That's one of the reasons why he had fallen in love with her apparently.

Naruto grinned. "I guess that's true. My kaa-chan was scary too."

Fuyuhiko went quiet at that, remembering that Naruto was an orphan. Losing someone close like that…...Fuyuhiko couldn't even begin to imagine going through something like that.

"We now have our spot for the festival," he said, changing the subject. "Not sure how many people will show up, though. A whole festival just for animals?"

"It's not just the animals. We'll also have Ibuki and Hiyoko's concert, Chiaki's games, Teruteru's food, and Sonia's arrangement. With Mahiru's photos to spread the word, it's going to attract a lot of people. I'm sure of it."

"Heh, I guess with all of their efforts put together like that, it's bound to be amazing."

Fuyuhiko had his doubts about Ibuki's music, though…...

"But of course!" Naruto sat up and made sure to not disturb Kurama's rest. "When we work together, there's nothing we can't do. That's how the impossible is accomplished. Having friends cover for the things you yourself can't do on your own…...that's the best way to look at it, I think."

Fuyuhiko was silent for a second before speaking, "When you talk like that, it makes me believe you're a leader of some big organization or something."

"Thanks for that. My dream was to become the leader of my village, ya know."

"For your world peace dream?"

Naruto shook his head. "No. That came later. I wanted to lead because…..well, I wanted people to acknowledge my existence."

"What does that mean?"

"Complicated stuff…..not really worth talking about anymore."

Fuyuhiko wasn't convinced, but if Naruto didn't want to talk about it, then that was that. It wasn't like he didn't have his secrets.

"Anyway, I can understand that desire to lead," Naruto continued as he petted the sleeping Kurama. "Though, I don't think my younger self realized just how tough it is to become a leader. I was more concerned with getting recognized."

"That's not how things work, idiot," Fuyuhiko said with a shake of his head. "More often than not, it's only after you get recognized that you become leader. It doesn't happen before…..not unless you try to force them."

Naruto cracked a smile at this. "Someone once said something very similar to me. But I get it. I was just a kid back then, alright? I didn't really understand many things at the time. I had a very…...simplistic worldview."

"And you don't now?"

"I get the feeling you're trying to say something here."

Fuyuhiko did. "You're trying to go for peace. And you're trying to get all of us to join you, even though we're all different and don't mesh very well. That's very simplistic."

Naruto's eyebrow went up. "You really believe that? From my perspective, we've been making great progress lately. Heck, even Hiyoko is working with someone now!"

That was an improvement in Naruto's mind.

Fuyuhiko still had his doubts. Not about them, but Naruto. This weird bastard…..he wanted to see if he was the real deal. So far, Fuyuhiko didn't have any true complaints. Even Peko had a liking for the blond, and that never happened before Hope's Peak.

The yakuza nearly walked over and slapped Naruto over the head. "If you're going to lead, you're going to have to wise up."

"Lead?" Naruto was confused. "I don't think I could ever do something like that."

Not anymore at last.

But you already are, dumbass. Fuyuhiko wanted to say that, but he kept his mouth shut instead. Having Naruto like this…..maybe it was for the best. A leader's main goal was to keep the group together, and so far the Uzumaki had managed to do that with ease. It made Fuyuhiko painfully aware of his shortcomings as a leader. He really wanted to know, what Naruto thought of him in that regard. It would be too embarrassing to ask, though.

"But I guess I think we can both learn together," Naruto suddenly said, catching Fuyuhiko's attention. "I may not be able to become the leader of my village anymore, but I still have my other dream. And you want to lead your clan, right? They both require leadership, so learning from one another isn't a bad plan."

Fuyuhiko gripped the sleeve of his dress shirt. "Do you believe I can actually become a good leader?"

The question left his mouth before he'd realized what he was saying. It was almost like a different part of himself had asked the question, the part that was filled with all of his insecurities.

Naruto looked at the shorter boy. "That's only something you can answer for yourself, Fuyuhiko. It's like you said before. Leadership isn't given. It's earned. You have to work for it. If you don't give it your best shot, then you have no reason to earn it. Work hard, earn the trust of those around you, and then you can start thinking about leading them. It's only after they start seeing you as a leader that you can become one."

Fuyuhiko accepted those words into his heart, almost as a cure. He had thought similarly before, but having someone else tell him did wonders to ease his fears. It all came down to him….he was the one in control. He could do it if he wanted to.

'I have to believe in myself first…'

Otherwise, how could he expect others to believe in him?

The yakuza smirked. "You give some good speeches, but you're still an idiot ninety percent of the time. It's amazing really."

Naruto grumbled. "You could have left out that last part."

Fuyuhiko burst out in laughter. "Hahahaha, nah. I think it was necessary."

Naruto had to laugh as well. Seeing Fuyuhiko more relaxed with himself made him feel better too.

In a way, they both shared the same fear. But together, they could overcome that fear. Supporting one another, that's what friendship was all about.

In that moment, the two grew closer without even realizing it. Which just made it all that more special.

And to Fuyuhiko's parents, who were watching the whole exchange from a distance, it was a sight that surprised them but also warmed their hearts. Seeing their son so happy like this, so confident, radiating so much hope...

"I think we did the right thing, sending him to that school," she muttered.

The yakuza head was in silent agreement with his wife.

They weren't the only ones interested in the two boys' conversation. So was Natsumi, whose eyes were soft as she watched her dear brother have fun with someone who wasn't Peko.

'Onii-chan…...'

She tightened her fists, her face becoming determined.

'No matter what, I will get into Hope's Peak Academy…..!'

Then, and only then, she could stand next to her brother with pride.


I hadn't planned on that scene with Gundham. But after rewriting the exchange for over five times, I realized that it only made sense. I can't say I'm one hundred percent satisfied with it, but I hope it was still enjoyable for you all.

Three students down, many more to go. I'm basically planning on using this festival as a way to further increase Naruto's bonds with everyone. Naturally, Fuyuhiko happened to fall into being the first. Who's next? I'll leave that to your imagination.

I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but if not, yes. I am planning on using many of the scenes DR 3 Despair Arc ending. You can thank the Ibuki/Hiyoko/Chiaki band picture as inspiration for this festival. I want them to play for Naruto in a similar fashion, which is how this whole thing was spawned.

This also marks Mikan's first steps toward being more confident in herself and acting even without Naruto being around for support. That'll be enjoyable to write as well. There's another reason why I paired her and Peko together. A funny reason. But I can't say, since it'd be a major spoiler. I'll leave it to your imagination.

I think that about covers it.

Till next time.