Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.


Chapter 24:
So they walk into a bar...

It all happened in a flash. Kyoko had seen many fast people in her life. Heck, she had come to face many dangers in her career, dangers that had forced her to act in seconds if she wanted to stay alive in this world. None of them came close to the level of speed the masked blond showed, though. He smashed right through the glass door, shooting straight for the armed assassin. The glass shattering around him didn't slow him down at all.

The waiter-turned assassin wasn't prepared for Naruto's speed either. The surprise was evident in his eyes when Naruto suddenly appeared before him, knocking the knives from his hands before he had a chance to do anything with them.

He took a step back. When Naruto followed up with a straight punch, he parried it with his fist. Naruto raised an eyebrow behind his mask when he saw this.

Oh? Maybe this guy was tougher than he thought.

That idea died off when the assassin then took off running down the hall right after. It seemed like he was cutting his losses right then and there.

Not too keen on letting the guy get away, Naruto thrust his arm forward as wire shot out from his sleeve. The strand of wire shot toward the assassin and wrapped itself around his leg, knocking him down and keeping him in place.

The assassin looked back with annoyance. He saw the wire and realized he wasn't going anywhere. Not unless he was willing to cut off his leg anyway.

It was here that Kyoko stepped into the hallway to follow the action, and when she saw the look on the assassin's face she started to panic a little.

"Stop him! Don't let him bite down at any cost!"

Naruto didn't question why the girl was barking orders at him now when she had been so distrustful of him a second ago, but he did as told. Using the wire as a propeller, Naruto right about flew over to where the trapped assassin was. It was only then that he got a glimpse of what had spooked Kyoko.

There was a small pill in the assassin's mouth. He bit down into it just as Naruto stood over him, with the blond unable to stop him in time.

The effects were quick and quite frankly horrifying. It only took seconds before the assassin slipped into unconsciousness, followed by what Naruto could clearly see was death. The color left his body. He stopped breathing. There was no more movement from him.

Naruto retracted his wire as he stood over the now lifeless body, his fist shaking in anger.

"That was….."

"A suicide pill." Kyoko came walking up behind him, her eyes already studying the body. "He must have deduced that he couldn't get away from you. Under such circumstances, he figured death was better than capture."

Her words made Naruto sick. The guy looked no older than twenty, and to die like this. How unfulfilling.

'It's just like I thought.'

Reading about the history of this world taught Naruto many things. Sure, on the surface, it looked to be more peaceful than the world he left behind. And really, for most people it really was close to paradise in many aspects. There were still victims, though. People who suffered greatly. Not because of their choices, but because of circumstance.

War, famine, disease. These were all problems here, problems that were slowly eating the world up.

Naruto had no idea what sort of life this guy may have had. What led him to become an assassin. Maybe he did like it. Maybe he had been a monster. That didn't stop Naruto from mourning him. Death was just not something he enjoyed seeing, or partaking in. It might have been indirectly, but Naruto did feel like he had killed this person.

It really was disgusting, and it made Naruto feel like he was no better than those he condemned.

Kyoko was the opposite of him. She held no emotion on her face as she studied the body. She moved about methodically, like she had done this countless times. Which she probably had. At this point, she was completely desensitized to death.

"As I thought. These knives." The girl found another knife tucked away in one of the sleeves. It was the last one he had on him. "They match the injuries found on the son's body."

That snapped Naruto out of his thoughts. He made sure to push these thoughts to the back of his mind. He could worry it later. Right now, keeping his head in the game is what mattered.

"What are you saying…..?"

"I'm saying I finally found the killer, but not the mastermind." Kyoko narrowed her eyes. "At first, I had been hoping for the two to be the same. It seems like I'm not so lucky."

Yeah, that much was obvious.

At least they had a conclusive clue. It wasn't just a lone killer. There really was a bigger conspiracy going on here.

Naruto was more worried about another detail here.

"You were pretty much leaving yourself open like that, ya know. Coming out here by yourself."

"I've been overestimating them is all," Kyoko said in return, her voice dismissive. "I never expected them to be this rash. Attacking me so quickly. Although it's a blessing in disguise. It's only helping me confirm my suspicions."

Is that so?

'Does nothing faze this girl?' Naruto was starting to worry if she had any emotion at all.

"Anyway, that's all nice and dandy, but I still need you to explain everything you know to me."

That was the whole reason Naruto had come to see her, after all. He couldn't forget about that.

"No."

Her quick dismissal was enough to make Naruto do a double take.

"What do you mean 'no'? I'm on your side here!"

Kyoko crossed her arms. "While it's true that the odds of you being after my life are close to zero now, that does not mean you are on my side. Your motives are still unclear to me. You could be working for a third party wanting to gain something different from all of this. There are countless possibilities and explanations for your presence here, reasons that I cannot dismiss. The point is, I cannot trust you."

This girl…..just how distrustful was she?

No, Naruto couldn't fault her. He really was an unknown to her. At the very least, this stunt just now was enough to make Kyoko at least feel somewhat comfortable in his presence. It was a small window, but Naruto was going to use it to get closer to the girl.

Unfortunately, that had to be put on hold for now as Naruto heard footsteps coming this way. It probably wasn't more assassins, otherwise the guy wouldn't have resorted to suicide like that if he had backup coming.

"Looks like we're going to have company soon."

Kyoko heard the footsteps too, but she didn't look concerned. She was probably thinking the same as him.

"They're too late now."

Right.

Naruto looked at her. "We'll talk later. I don't know how, but I'm going to make you trust me."

"You could start by removing that mask of yours."

Yeah, right. Even he wasn't dumb enough to fall for that one.

Snorting, Naruto made for the now shattered glass door. "I'll see you around."

If it were anyone else, they would have looked shocked to see the blond jumping down from the balcony, but Kyoko wasn't most people. She merely watched him go without another word. She had many questions of her own about him, but she would have to postpone them as well. For now, showing this evidence to Hayama came first.

A moment after Naruto had disappeared, Kirumi rounded the corner and joined Kyoko in the hallway, running as fast as she could.

"What's going on here? I heard-"

The maid stopped when she noticed the body, as well as the broken glass. It didn't take a genius to deduce what had happened here.

Kyoko regarded her with a calm look. "I think you should bring your master here. He'll want to see this."

That was an understatement.

It took Kirumi a second or so to respond, but she came to her senses. When she did, she bowed.

"Understood, Kirigiri-sama."

Her maid training was just enough to make her get through this. But seeing a dead body was still…..unpleasant. Especially for someone as young as her.

What a night this was turning out to be.


Discarding his trench coat in his room was a bit more tedious than Naruto would have liked, but he still had to do it. After that, it was only a matter of putting his butler uniform back in place. He was sure he had done it properly….maybe.

Naruto was then walking back down to the first floor, where he found the party still on going. It seemed like nobody had heard any of the commotion upstairs. That was good. No need to spook the guests, especially if the mastermind was among them.

Still, Naruto couldn't help but look at everyone in the room with suspicion. Could the mastermind really be in here? Or was it someone else entirely?

What about the employees? Were there other spies or assassins in the midst? What would be the mastermind's next move?

Naruto really had no way of knowing. Without anymore clues, he couldn't act.

'Better leave that to Kyoko for now.'

He still needed to play his part as a normal butler.

Naruto was able to spot Hayama as he made his way down the stairs. The man was talking to that Togami person from before. The two appeared to be really friendly. Did they have a history with one another?

"-couldn't make it," Togami was saying as Naruto neared the two men. He was sipping on some wine. "He's been preoccupied with those stocks of his. I don't really understand it, but he's been making quite the pocket change with it."

"Pocket change." Hayama sounded amused. "To the Togami family, pocket change is more money than any normal person can imagine. Maybe more than a country's worth."

Togami chuckled at this. "Mhmm, are you including yourself in that category?"

"Perhaps. Even my fortune doesn't compare to yours."

"True. The Togami family does stand beyond normal comprehension."

There was no mistaking that arrogance. It almost made Naruto shake his head.

'Sounds just like Madara.'

Not a good comparison for him.

"Which is why I can't understand him at all," the man continued. "The need for the extra money is just-"

"Perhaps he's trying to prove himself?" Hayama offered a suggestion to the man. "After all, it's the first time someone of his rank managed to win, correct? Maybe he holds some insecurities because of it?"

The Togami patriarch seemed to take Hayama's words into consideration.

"Yes. Perhaps that's what it is. He's definitely driven, if nothing else. I can't say I'm troubled over this."

Hayama chuckled. "Why yes, of course."

"What about you, Hayama? Are you going to announce your successor at last? I know your favorite passed away, but you can't leave things as they are."

"About that-"

"Master."

Hayama was cut off when Kirumi entered the scene. Right away, Naruto knew what this was about.

"Kirumi, what's wrong?" Instantly, Hayama's demeanor changed. He too could sense that something was wrong.

"It's best if you see it for yourself." Kirumi then paused for a second. "Should I inform the others as well?"

Hayama quickly shook his head. "No. We shouldn't trouble them over this." He then turned to the Togami patriarch. "My apologies, old friend. It appears I'm needed elsewhere."

"But of course." He raised his glass. "If you need anything from me, don't hesitate to ask."

"I thank you."

Naruto didn't miss the look Hayama shot him as he followed Kirumi up the stairs and onto the second floor.

He wanted Naruto to follow him.

'Not like I was planning on staying back.'

Mingling with these kinds of people wasn't exactly something Naruto wanted to do, after all.

Happy to follow, Naruto was about to trek back up the stairs until the Togami stopped him.

"Hmm, you there. Servant."

The whiskered blond turned back, eyebrow raised.

"Me?"

Right away, Naruto could see the Togami was looking down at him. The sneer was just a bonus.

"Your uniform. It's all wrinkled. And you don't even have your necktie on properly. Really, why did Hayama hire someone like you? You look more like a common street thug you'd find at any street corner. Not worth anything basically."

What the hell?

'He can talk a lot of smack, can he?'

Naruto's arms were twitching. He had to physically restraint himself from scowling or showing any type of emotion. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever done if he was being honest. The only motivation he had to keep himself in check was his cover. The headmaster was counting on him, so he couldn't snap over something this pointless.

The man didn't seem to notice Naruto's twitching. Or maybe he did, and he just didn't care. Probably the latter.

He smirked. "I hope you learn to present yourself in a better manner in the future. It's completely undignified otherwise. Now run along. Your master is calling for you."

Naruto simply did a half-assed bow before following after Kirumi and Hayama, the former of which was waiting for him at the top of the stairs.

"You handled that well," Kirumi complimented him as he got closer to her. "I was sure you were going to snap. Perhaps my words did have some effect?"

Was she teasing him?

Naruto just rolled his eyes. "Don't. Let's just go. Something happened, right?"

"Mhmm. Although I can't help but speculate that you already know what the problem is…."

So the girl was sharp. Naruto gave her props for that.

The blond only threw her a small grin, which made Kirumi sigh.

"You are definitely a troublemaker, Uzumaki-sama."

Was he? He never would have guessed!


Kyoko was still there when Naruto and Kirumi got back up to the hallway on the second floor. Hayama was looking over the mess with a grimace. Why? Naruto didn't know. Trying to get a read on the man's thoughts was proving to be harder and harder as time went on.

"I can't believe this. To think they managed to sneak into the island like this."

"Isn't this what you were expecting?" Kyoko pointed out. Her eyes trailed to Naruto for a moment before shifting back to the man. "I did warn you about this possibility, did I not?"

"With all due respect, Kirigiri-sama, you looked over the employee list and found nothing," Kirumi spoke up. "How were we to know that there was an assassin in our midst?"

Kyoko acknowledged that point. "True. He was a professional. But that's a given. He was able to elude us all this time."

Naruto was focused on Hayama. The man was still staring at the body of the person who had murdered his son. As a father, it was probably enraging to know you could do nothing to the one responsible for your son's death. Or maybe it brought him peace, to know the killer was already dead.

Most people fell into one of these camps. But which one was Hayama?

"What are you going to do now?" Rather than show any emotion, Hayama threw the question to Kyoko.

The girl detective had already made up her mind. "You may not want to accept this, but I will follow my instincts. This is the second time my life has been targeted. It's no secret why. Someone doesn't want me to dig deeper. I will continue to investigate, but the prime suspects are your family. Understand this."

Naruto had to admire the girl's boldness. Telling the man straight out that she was now going to be focusing her investigation on his family…..well, not many people could do that. Not with the power the Akira family supposedly held.

"Do know that, with me telling you this, I don't suspect you," Kyoko added. "But that can change in an instant."

Hayama didn't react to her words. It was difficult to tell if he was in any way offended or angered by Kyoko's accusation toward his children.

"I suppose I can't talk you out of this?"

Kyoko's response was simple.

"No."

Hayama turned back to the body. "Very well. I suppose you'll want to get some rest for the night. I prepared a room for you on the third floor. Feel free to use it. Kirumi can show you the way."

A normal person might have been hesitant to stick around after being targeted like this, but not Kyoko. She accepted the offer without hesitation.

"You have my thanks."

Hayama didn't answer her this time.

Naruto stepped aside as Kirumi ushered Kyoko to follow her. His eyes briefly met Kyoko's as she walked past him, but in that single frame Naruto saw much scrutiny in them.

She already suspected him, huh.

'She's scary.'

That's all Naruto could think afterward. She may look cute, but she was downright terrifying.

Just like most girls he came across.

Just his luck.

"I believe this is the first time we're formally speaking. Face-to-face that is."

Hayama's voice brought Naruto back to reality. With Kyoko and Kirumi gone now, it was just the two of them.

And the dead body. What a happy gathering!

Hayama turned to him, a small smile just visible past his wary eyes. "I'm guessing you were the one who dealt with this?"

Naruto only nodded.

So Kyoko didn't tell him? How strange. He was sure the girl was going to rat him out. Not that it would matter since Hayama was aware of his presence, but still.

'She's got something else in mind?'

Damn, just something else to consider.

"I guess Jin didn't make a mistake," Hayama said after a moment of silence. "To think, a boy your age could handle a trained assassin like this. Most impressive."

The assassin hadn't been that much older than Naruto, though.

"As you've already heard, this only puts my family in even greater risk." Hayama sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I really don't know what to do."

Wasn't there a simple solution for him here?

"If you don't want her investigating, why not fire her?"

That would solve it, right?

Hayama's smile turned bitter. "It's already too late for that, my boy. She would surely release her findings to the police, regardless of what I say. If something like that came out, that my own family was put on trial for the death of our own…..it would turn into a media nightmare."

Naruto didn't look convinced. It just seemed like a poor excuse. But thinking that, it made Naruto even more confused. Just what was Hayama thinking about all of this? Truly?

"Well, I got my own worries too," Naruto said out loud as he looked back to where Kirumi and Kyoko had gone. "This incident is what broke the camel's back." That's how that phrase was said, right? He only learned it recently. "She doesn't seem like the type of person who would throw around accusations without good reason."

"So you're on her side too?"

"I'm no one's side here."

That wasn't his mission, if he was being cynical about it. Trying to solve this mystery was only something he was doing out of the goodness of his heart. Whatever became of it didn't really affect him, though.

"I'm sure you've already realized this, Uzumaki-san, but the main reason I accepted Jin's request to have you brought to this island was to help me," Hayama stated. "Otherwise, I never would have allowed a third party to join such an important event."

Yeah, the man didn't need to state the obvious. But what's this? Turning hostile all of a sudden?

'No, not hostile. More like…...desperate?'

"You must believe me." Hayama limped up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "My family is not behind this tragedy. We are the victims here. Nothing else."

The two men stared at one another, neither shying away. You could say it was a moment of soul searching for the two of them. Both tried to understand the other, and both failed.

"Akira-sama."

Sae, the stoic main maid of the household, broke up the scene as she arrived with other servants by her side.

"The cleanup crew you requested has arrived."

So they were the ones who were going to dispose of the body, huh.

"But of course." Hayama stepped away from Naruto and smiled at the maid. "I was just about to return to the party. What about you, Uzumaki-san? Didn't Kirumi ask you to do something for her?"

An escape. Good.

Naruto nodded. "Right! I'll come back when I'm done."

Sae only bowed in his direction while the so-called clean up crew looked at the body for the first time. Naruto was sure they were going to have many questions about this whole situation, but he didn't stick long enough to find out. Besides, he was sure Hayama could lie his way through it.

Probably.


"This is problematic."

Yeah, understatement of the year right there.

"I can't believe something like this would happen. I was confident the employees were clear. And yet, this happens."

Kirumi was pacing around the room. To be more precise, Hayama's main office on the fifth floor. They would have the utmost privacy in here, which is why they had come up here in the first place.

Naruto almost whistled. It was the first time she was seeing the girl this troubled. She really did care about the old man, didn't she?

How touching.

"You can't always be prepared for everything." That's a lesson Naruto had learned early on in his ninja career. "Not even this Kyoko girl had expected this, and it's her job to see what other people can't."

His words didn't seem to calm Kirumi down.

"I am a maid. My duty is to support my master and keep him safe. Which I have failed to do."

Really?

"I'm pretty sure that assassin wasn't after your master."

"Perhaps." Kirumi wasn't convinced. "We can't know for sure, though. He is dead. Who knows what else he might have done if given the chance."

Well….Naruto didn't know how to refute that. A number of scenarios could be possible here.

"What happened happened, and you can't change it. Let's just worry about the now."

That's what Naruto thought at least.

Kirumi stopped and took a deep breath. "Yes…..that is true. Worrying about the past is pointless now."

Hmm. If Naruto didn't know any better, he would say that Kirumi was actually…..scared about something.

But what?

"Kyoko said she looked through the employee list," Naruto said. "Do you still have that?"

"Ah, but of course. I made sure to print out multiple copies, just in case." Almost like she had been expecting Naruto to bring up the topic, Kirumi walked up to Hayama's desk and pulled out a thick file from one of the drawers. It was even thicker than the one she had given him earlier, the one for the guest list.

"I made sure to stash them in here, where they would be secured. Why?"

This saved him some time.

"Help me find the guy who died. Maybe there's something on his file that could give us a clue."

Kirumi looked unsure, but she still followed Naruto's suggestion.

It took the two of them a few minutes before they finally found the picture that matched the body downstairs.

The name on the file was Watanabe Aito. Nothing weird about that. The rest of his information was pretty standard too, although there was one peculiar detail that caught Naruto's eye. He wouldn't call it strange or anything like that, just…..peculiar. Interesting perhaps?

"He also works at a bar on the mainland?"

Kirumi looked at him. "Yes. A lot of employees here are only temporary. From what I hear, the Akira family hires them due to the increase in work for the party every year. Many are locals, while others are specialists. It all depends on the job."

Very interesting. Naruto wasn't as knowledgeable or skilled when it came to espionage and the like as Jiraiya had been, but there was one thing the old pervert had managed to teach him during their time together.

Bars were a great place to gather information.

Naruto started to grin.

"I think I just figured out what our next move is."

Kirumi gave him a puzzled look, which Naruto ignored.

Now, it was only a matter of getting Kyoko involved.


The third floor of the mansion was where the guest rooms were. They were a lot bigger and fancier than the employee rooms, which was to be expected.

Kyoko occupied one of these rooms, and with Kirumi's instruction Naruto had no problem figuring out which one it was.

The blond was back in his gear, mask and everything. Thankfully the window to the room was left open, so Naruto was able to easily sneak in. He had to mentally groan, though, since Kyoko was once again leaving herself exposed for another assassination attempt like this.

That train of thought flew out the window when Naruto had to duck away from a lamp that was being brought down right toward his head.

He rolled away just in time and landed on his feet, ready to pounce on the new attacker until he saw who it was.

Kyoko.

"You."

Kyoko relaxed when she saw him.

"It's you again."

Naruto nearly screamed. "What the hell are you doing, attacking me like that!? Are you trying to kill me now!?"

"My apologies." She didn't even sound sorry. "I thought you were another assassin. That's why I left my window open. I wanted to catch one of them to get more information."

…...okay, so he was totally off earlier, but that wasn't important.

"You….you're totally laid back about all of this."

"Am I not supposed to be?" Kyoko put the lamp back where she'd found it, next to the bed. "I'm not sure why someone like you is even questioning this. Haven't you dealt with death before?"

The image of the dead assassin from before flashed through Naruto's mind, but he ignored it.

"This isn't about me. Aren't you younger than me? What kind of stuff have you been doing up until now?"

Most teenagers in this world were supposed to be living peaceful lives, right? But this girl didn't seem to be like that.

"I'm a detective."

That's all Kyoko would say on this mater.

It definitely left Naruto frustrated, but there wasn't anything else he could say on the matter.

"Why did you come here?" Kyoko asked him after silence had descended between them. "Are you going to try and kill me, after all?"

Okay, so she was still on that. Great.

"No. The opposite." Naruto stood straight as he faced her. "Our conversation before got interrupted, so I'll cut to the chase. I'm saying we should work together."

"Is that so?" Kyoko's voice sounded sarcastic, which was sort of impressive as up until now it had always been monotonous. She stood on the opposite side of the bed, perfectly highlighting their current predicament. They were not on the same side here. "Like I told you, I have little reason to trust you. I don't even know what you look like."

Hm.

Naruto already had a counter for that. Hayama might not like it, but frankly Naruto didn't care. He was more interested in solving this case. If he did, he could accomplish both missions at once. It was the best way to ensure success for everyone basically.

"Alright, you got me. What I told you before was a lie. I didn't know Hayama's son. That's not why I'm here."

Kyoko just stared at him, waiting for what else he had to say.

And so Naruto talked.

"I was actually hired by Hayama to lead another investigation, all so that he can prove his family is innocent."

Was it the truth? Absolutely. Was it the whole truth? Nope. But this way, Naruto wouldn't be compromising any of his orders. The headmaster would still be happy, and Hayama would be…..somewhat happy?

Close enough.

'I guess her grandfather wouldn't like it.'

But that guy was an asshole, so who cares.

"I see." Kyoko accepted his words as she closed her eyes for a moment. "That makes a lot more sense. I never expected he would go this far, though. That man is confusing."

On that, the two of them were in agreement.

Reopening her eyes, Kyoko said, "However, that is more reason for me to not accept your help. For all I know, you could be trying to disrupt my investigation, in the hopes of protecting the Akira family."

Seriously? She was still doubting him?

'This girl has major trust issues.'

Like major. Not the whole world was out to get you!

Still, Naruto couldn't say he was totally surprised. A part of him was honestly expecting this response.

"I can provide you with a hint maybe?"

If she had already thought of this, then…..well, he was screwed basically.

Kyoko stared at him in silence for a few moments before replying.

"Speak."

Naruto almost twitched. What was he, a dog!?

"The guy who tried to kill you tonight. He worked at a bar in the mainland. It might be a long shot, but maybe someone there knows more than we do. Like if he met up with anyone, or if they'd seen anyone suspicious recently."

That's what Naruto was thinking anyway. He couldn't be sure if this would lead anywhere, but it's all he had.

Kyoko raised an eyebrow at this. "Did you look over the files of the employees?"

She recalled that information, since she had read it herself. She had dismissed it at first of course. There was nothing suspicious about this detail. Many people had two jobs or more, especially people in their twenty's. That's why she had filed it away as unimportant information.

Now that she knew the employee was actually an assassin, that piece of information could lead to something else. But while she might have arrived to that conclusion herself, it would have taken her longer since she would have needed to recall that detail first.

"Something like that, yeah."

He wasn't telling the whole truth again. Kyoko didn't like that at all. It only made her more anxious, but she had to admit that the masked blond brought up a good point.

"Are you proposing we go there together?"

Naruto shook his head. "Of course not. You can do that on your own. I'm sure I'd just get in the way."

That wasn't Naruto's true reason of course. He just wanted to make sure he was in a more favorable position in case anything went down. Having to sneak around if an emergency happened would only be troublesome. He didn't want to deal with that, so acting independently from Kyoko was the best way to go.

As for Kyoko, she mulled this over. It could very well be a trap, but it was also a possible lead. If she had thought of it herself, she would have gone ahead and acted, no problem. But now, she had to second-guess herself.

"I'll consider it," she said at last.

Naruto knew that was the best he was going to get from her, so he took it.

"Alright. I'll be in touch."

There was another staring contest between the two that only lasted for a few moments before Naruto was jumping out the window.

Kyoko was left shaking her head at this.

'Can't he use the door like a normal person?'

Really, how embarrassing.


You could almost say the first night of the party went well after that. The body of the assassin still had to be disposed of. The ones who did it were paid greatly to make sure they didn't speak about it to anyone else. It would simply be transported to the mainland for the police to handle it. That's what Kirumi told Naruto anyway.

Better that way really. There was no need to further complicate this already complicated situation.

As Kirumi had explained, many of the guests returned to the mainland to spend the rest of the night at their hotels after the first night of partying came to an end. Others stayed in the guest rooms.

Once again, Naruto was left wondering if one of these people was the mastermind. And if so, was there anyway to find an answer quicker? If Kyoko took his advice, then she would leave in the morning. That left several hours of downtime. Could Naruto do anything more in that time?

He could sneak aboard one of the boats and follow those who left to the mainland. He wouldn't have a way of returning, though. Not unless he contacted Kirumi, and that could raise some suspicion if anyone found out.

How about those that stayed behind, including Hayama's children? If he snuck into their rooms and tried to hunt for clues…..

The second idea held more merit in the blond's mind, and in the end he went through with it, unable to keep himself still.

Sadly, it didn't provide much results. If any. He didn't find anything worthwhile with the rooms. No evidence of any sort, nada. He did almost stumble into some raunchy scenes, though. Turns out some of the guests had brought…..let's just call them companions with them to keep them company during the night.

How daring.

There was nothing out of place, though. This only left Hayama's children. But as he tried to sneak into Hasashi's room, he was already met with some complications.

Namely, the man wasn't asleep yet. And he wasn't alone. Kirumi was with him?

"I believe I have expressed my disapproval toward your actions, Hasashi-sama," Naruto heard Kirumi say from his position outside the window.

Naruto couldn't see Hasashi's face, but he was sure the man was smirking.

"Don't be like that. You and I both know my idiot father will be sure to pick me as his successor. He might not have announced it tonight, but it's bound to come up during this party at some point."

Hmm. Really now?

"That may be-"

"You're a talented girl, Kirumi." Hasashi's voice became lower. Was that his attempt at trying to sound soothing? It only made Naruto's skin crawl. "I can tell. You have a bright future ahead of you. Your skills are wasted on my father. But if you come to my side-"

"You are free to hire me whenever you wish," Kirumi cut him off. "My agency would not turn away a high-paying client such as yourself."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"

Silence followed after the outburst. Naruto couldn't see what either of them were doing during this time, but then Hasashi spoke again.

"I want you to be at my side willingly. For as long as you live. I want you to serve me of your own accord, not as part of some contract. I want you. Understand?"

Was this a declaration of love?

Naruto couldn't believe it.

"My father is always saying how he wants grandkids before he passes away, so-"

"As I've already said, I have to refuse." Kirumi's voice was calm. Naruto had expected her to be a little worried or confused at least. How many times has she dealt with this? "I do wish to find a proper master one day. However, you are not him."

Oh?

'Am I hearing Kirumi's dream right now?' Naruto felt a bit embarrassed. He didn't know why.

"You're still saying that?" Hasashi's voice became annoyed. "Who else is more worthy than I? I will lead the Akira family to greater heights! You can see that, can't you?"

"I do see potential in you, but you're not using it. You rely solely on your family's reputation. A reputation your father built. Not you. And you don't seem to want to change."

How blunt. Naruto thought Kirumi might be more delicate than that, but then again the one she officially served was Hayama, not Hasashi or the rest of Hayama's children. This was also more personal.

"You…"

Hasashi was definitely pissed. Naruto worried that things might turn violent, but thankfully they didn't.

"If you excuse me, Hasashi-sama. I need to rest for tonight."

With those parting words, Kirumi left the man's room. Hasashi, now alone in the room, cursed and almost fell into a full on tantrum.

Naruto couldn't see any of it, though, and he didn't want to risk getting caught.

'I think I saw something I shouldn't have.'

That was something of an understatement.

But after witnessing all of that, Naruto suddenly felt exhausted. He returned to his room to get some rest, just like Kirumi.

He could ask her about the details some other time perhaps, but for now the blond slept.

What would tomorrow bring?


"You know, I've already said this like a million times, but being a butler sucks."

"I take it you're not a morning person?"

"What was your first clue?"

"Hmm. You have terrible bed hair. Well, your hair normally is too spiky and unruly. Have you ever thought about straightening it out?"

"Touch my hair, and I'm biting you."

"How barbaric."

Their banter attracted the attention of some of the other staff, but Naruto didn't care. It was too early in the morning to care.

Sleep was a foreign concept around here, as all the employees were already up and about. They had to prepare breakfast for the guests that stayed behind, which meant waking up earlier than normal.

The sun wasn't even up yet!

As the main butler or something, Naruto had to be up and ready as well. While he looked like he was going to fall over, Kirumi looked just fine.

'Mornings are terrible.'

Shikamaru would totally agree.

Thankfully, his ninja training kicked in soon after and he was able to return to normal after getting some food.

"You should be happy," Kirumi told him as they ate together in the back of the mansion. Apparently this was Kirumi's favorite spot whenever she came to the island since she got a good view of the sunrise. "Kirigiri-sama informed me that she was going to the mainland today."

Naruto perked up. "She's already awake?"

Did no one around here like to sleep or what!?

But more importantly, did this mean that Kyoko had taken his advice, after all?

"She was the first to awaken," Kirumi said with a small smile. "She's very focus like that."

Hmm, was that some admiration he was sensing? How cute.

"I have to get a boat ready for her," Kirumi continued. "And since she's an important guest, I will have to accompany her. I'm sure she won't like it. But that means-"

"Don't worry about me." Naruto grinned. "This works just fine. I can tail you both. I'm sure she might try to ditch you, but I'll be able to follow her anywhere."

Even she couldn't outrun him.

Kirumi looked offended. "I couldn't call myself a proper maid if I allowed myself to fail in this duty."

Right, right.

But anyway, this was great news for the blond. There could be more progress at last!

'I can't forget about last night, though.'

Naruto made sure to not let himself stare at Kirumi for too long, lest she caught on to his questioning stare. It was killing him a bit, though. Was the girl in a tough situation? Could he help somehow?

The blond wouldn't call Kirumi his friend, but he was slowly but surely coming to like her. She took her duties seriously, and she wasn't a bad person by any means. He knew it was her job to help him, but if he could do something in return….

Naruto fully faced her.

"Hey, Kirumi. About last night-"

He was cut off when Sae suddenly appeared, her face stoic as usual.

"There you are, Tojo. I've been looking for you."

Kirumi stood up, looking at her superior with respect.

"Yes?"

"Kirigiri-sama is about to leave. I believe it was Akira-sama who told you to accompany her, correct? Then you should get going."

Wait, already!?

'Crap.'

Naruto quickly began to eat the rest of his breakfast at a speed that would have made Choji jealous. But he had to! He was certain he was going to need all the energy he could muster for this.

He didn't know why. It was just a hunch of his.

Sae and Kirumi both watched him, the latter with some amusement.

"That is not how a proper butler should eat," Kirumi said, almost looking like she was trying to hold herself back from laughing a little.

Naruto was too busy stuffing his cheeks to respond.

'I'm ready, Kyoko!'

Let's do this.


Naruto didn't ride in the same boat as Kyoko and Kirumi, instead taking a different one after the two girls had left. He didn't want to alert Kyoko of his presence, after all. After that, it was only a matter of ditching his butler uniform and changing into his gear.

Then, he had to find them.

Going off his hunch, Naruto managed to track them down by going to the bar that was in the files. Sure enough, he was able to spot them in front of the entrance.

'So she's going for it, after all.'

It wasn't as early as before, but Naruto was sure there wouldn't be many people at this hour. Maybe she was only coming to talk to the owner first?

'But I gotta say, trying to avoid the crowds isn't easy.'

Naruto had gone from rooftop to rooftop on his way over here. It was the fastest way for him to travel without being detected, and it worked like a charm. He didn't need people giving him weird looks because of his attire.

Moving on. For now, it was a waiting game. He had to see if Kyoko managed to get anything useful, or if this was a dead end. Hopefully the former. He didn't know what else to do if they came up empty handed from this.

Naruto made himself comfortable on the rooftop he was on while he watched Kyoko and Kirumi walk inside the bar. He had a good vantage point from up here, so there was no reason to move.

Until he heard the sound of gunfire from behind him.

It was a sniper rifle. The bullet was aimed right for his heart. If he wasn't wearing his specialized trench coat, Naruto was sure he would be dead right now.

But while the bullet didn't penetrate him, the impact from the bullet was still able to knock him back a little and even make him flinch in pain.

'That…..hurt.'

Like a lot. But at least he wasn't dead.

This time, it was he who got careless. He should have been ready for something like this, but instead he had assumed any new assassin would only come for Kyoko and not him.

How naive.

There was a second shot. The sniper rifle obviously had a suppressor, but it couldn't muffle the noise completely. And now that he was on high alert, Naruto was more than ready to duck to the side and evade the second shot that was very clearly coming for his head this time.

This guy wasn't messing around.

'But where is he!?'

Naruto did a quick scan of the area around him, checking every rooftop on sight. When the third shot came, he was able to spot the shooter with ease.

This time, instead of evading the shot, Naruto pulled out one of his new kunai and used it to block the shot. Not surprising, the shot couldn't penetrate it and was instead repelled.

Really, the Ultimate Blacksmith was no joke.

Knowing he was spotted, the sniper seemed ready to change positions so that he could get more shots in without danger.

Naruto didn't let him, though.

The blond didn't waste time in jumping onto the other rooftop that was several meters away. It was a grand showing, and one that had the sniper laughing when he saw it.

"Ahahaha! I can't believe it. Been a while since I last saw something like that. Not since that crazy girl."

Say what now?

Naruto twirled his kunai as he faced off against the new assassin. This one was different from the one before, though. He was lightly tanned and was dressed in full military gear, and had several weapons on him. His lower face was covered by a mask, but his light brown hair that fell to his shoulders was exposed for anyone to see. The same was true for his hazel eyes, which seemed amused rather than worried or serious.

'This guy….'

He already confused Naruto in many ways.

"I would gladly introduce myself, but that would be bad for business." The older man dropped his snipe rifle without a care. He instead branded what was clearly a sub-machine gun. It took Naruto a couple of seconds to realize that it was a MP5K.

Thank you for that, Sonia.

"So how about we get to it instead?"

The man didn't give Naruto anytime to respond.

He just opened fire.


Oh boy, do I feel much better. Hopefully there aren't anymore nasty surprises during this winter. Can't deal with another stupid cold.

So. Hmm, what can I say about this one?

Well, there are several things I put into motion here. The biggest I want to address is Naruto "killing." Other than his "home angst," this is the biggest part of Naruto's character that I will focus on in this story. You could say it's my biggest gripe with canon Naruto and what Kishimoto did (besides how Madara went out, but that's a different topic). I feel like there was wasted potential there, not having Naruto directly have to deal with death. And by that I mean, not having the blond kill anyone. Kakuzu doesn't count as far as I'm concerned. It could have led to some interesting stuff. I addressed this in a different story of mine, and I will do so again. Here, it will be more prevalent, mainly because it will lead directly into his confrontation with Junko as well as his interaction with other characters. I could go into more detail, but that could lead into spoiler territory so I'll leave it at that for now.

The love hotel in V3, while perverted and outrageous, also served to give some more characterization to the cast, even if I didn't care for some of them. Kirumi's especially was pretty sweet in my opinion, so yeah. You could see hints of that here. Where that goes will be seen in future chapters.

Finally, some of you pointed out mistakes that Naruto has made. Which is true. Because he isn't exactly a "great ninja." That was the whole point of his character, so that he could reform the society he was in. He does have some qualities as we have seen thanks to his pranks, but he's not all there yet. It's like his fighting abilities. I want him to make mistakes and learn from there. Kyoko can be a great teacher, don't you think?

That's all I think. I'm a huge fan of using OC's whenever it's needed, and this is no exception. Next chapter we lead to the first true fight of the story. I'm excited for that.

And as promised, I leave you with the character "chart." It basically details how each of Naruto's classmates feels about him up to this point (with some blanks in them).

This is my last update for the year, so I'll see you all in 2020, where hopefully we start wearing tuxedos and dresses and throwing extravagant parties.

Gatsby was so cool dammit.

Till next time!


Girls:

1. Chiaki Nanami: Extremely reserved, unable to make friends for most of her life. Thanks to Naruto's reassurance that she was more than just her talent, she has been able to open up to her classmates. Her exact thoughts on Naruto are unclear as of yet, although there is no doubt that she deeply cares for him and thinks of him as a very dear friend.

2. Akane Owari: Afraid to be seen as weak, always trying to appear as nonchalant about everything as she can. Because of Naruto, she now knows that there is no reason she can't be weak at times. Because feeling weak means she can become evens stronger after. Naruto is the only one she's shown this side of her, which he finds very cute. She considers Naruto a rival but also a close friend. If she has any romantic feelings for him, she hasn't shown them.

3. Sonia Nevermind: Outgoing and bubbly, but also vulnerable and afraid of her duty as the princess of her kingdom. She's thankful that Naruto doesn't see her as just a princess. She values his spirt and dreams for the future and wishes to follow in his footsteps. She also believes he can become a great ruler of her kingdom. Does this mean she has romantic feelings for him? Unknown as of yet. However, it does seem she's willing to find out.

4. Hiyoko Saionji: Always trying to put a tough front like Akane, but she's just as vulnerable if not more so. Thanks to Naruto she's learn to accept that those in her class aren't trying to get to her and can accept them as friends. She sees Naruto as a big brother figure, but it seems as though there is more to it than that. She wants to get closer to him, despite not truly knowing why. Although she does think she feels safe with him, just as she did around her father.

5. Ibuki Mioda: Passionate and outspoken, left alone due to disagreement with her band. She doesn't care for ticket sales or trying to be "number one." With Naruto and Hiyoko, she's learned to share her love for music and play more happily than ever before. She's shown to be physically attracted to the blond before, but is there a full on romantic attraction? Only time will tell.

6. Mahiru Koizumi: Strict and sometimes overbearing, but also compassionate and caring. She's one of the more responsible ones of the group, so she's clashed often with Naruto's more easy going personality. However, without realizing it, she's gained feelings for him. The first time she's fell for someone. Without admitting it, she thinks she can take care of Naruto and set him on an even better path. Maybe even as a wife….?

7. Peko Pekoyama: Thought to have no future or friends, thought to not even be human. Through Naruto she's learned to think of herself a person and even a friend to others. She's also come to realize her own feelings toward Fuyuhiko. She often blushes from Naruto's compliments but doesn't mind them as it makes her feel more like a normal girl.

8. Mikan Tsumiki: Psychologically broken, thought to be garbage and unworthy of love. Her feelings for Naruto are undeniable. She was the first to fall for him, but she doesn't think she's worthy. Despite this, she tries to get closer to him as it makes her feel happy and safe. She would do anything for him, and wishes for nothing more than to always be at his side forever.

Boys:

1. Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: A fake mask of toughness, which only brought him solitude. He still regards himself as inexperienced and not ready to lead his clan, but is happy to grow alongside Naruto in order to become a better leader. He thinks of the blond as his best friend, and perhaps even as a brother. For a yakuza, this is a bond that runs deep and he would not mind laying down his life for Naruto. The Uzumaki feels the same way.

2. Kazuichi Soda: Confused and scared to be betrayed. He often times feels jealous and thinks he can never be as perfect as Naruto. However, he's realized that Naruto isn't perfect and is happy to call him friend. He no longer holds Naruto up on a pedestal and as a result the two have grown closer, but is still jealous of him due to Naruto's popularity with the girls.

3. Teruteru Hanamura: A fake front of richness. A total mama's boy, he is completely smitten with Naruto. He wishes to one day present him as his "wife" to his mother. Thankfully, he's learned to not care about titles or outwardly image as he had before. He's still a total pervert, and a very dangerous one at that.

4. Gundham Tanaka: Claimed to love solitude, wished for companionship like no other. He's been able to form all types of bonds thanks to his acceptance of Naruto's words. He regards Naruto as a close friend, to the point that he's happy to include the blond in his work. No longer fears the dangers of bonds and will welcome them, as he now thinks they will only make him stronger.

5. Ryota Mitarai: Confused about himself, unable to express himself. He was the one to challenge Naruto the most in the beginning, refusing to believe that there was any merit in his talent or himself. He's now been more accepting of the Uzumaki and wishes to be more like him, to be able to inspire people in his own way. He's also started to have more of a positive attitude toward his talent, and feels like one day he can be completely honest with Naruto and the rest of his friends. To show who he truly he is.

6. Nekomaru Nidai: Boisterous and upfront, tender and understanding. He took an instant liking to Naruto, seeing great value in his spirit and athleticism. Much like Sonia, he regards Naruto as a great leader and will fully support him on the path to world peace. Other than Fuyuhiko, there is no denying that Naruto shares a very strong connection with him as the two have trained together for many hours and days.

7. Nagito Komaeda: One word, Self-loathing. It wasn't until meeting Naruto that Nagito began to experience some amount of self-love, even if he didn't like it at first. He thinks of himself as unworthy to be in Naruto's presence, as he fully believes that Naruto is the existence he's been searching for a long time. He will follow Naruto anywhere, and is willing to protect him at all cost. But perhaps deep down he wishes for more?