New Devil of The Gremory House
Life 9: Aftermath
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"THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!"
"WE DEMAND THE GREMORY HOUSE TAKE ACTION ON THIS MATTER!"
The room was filled with dozens of angry voices that yelled at the people across the table. One side argued while the other sat down silently and listened intently to their concerns about the matter at hand. And while these arguments went off, a set of magic circles was playing the video of the matter in question.
The match between Rias Gremory and Riser Phenex.
Specifically, the last few moments of the Rating Game. Where the Illegal Piece under Rias Gremory's servitude revealed a technique never before seen in the Rating Game matches and proceeded to hand Riser his generous immortal ass.
Sitting on one side of the table were two youthful men with crimson red hair atop their heads and both wearing formal red attire. One had his long hair going partially down his back with a small concentration of stubble on his chin. The other man had shoulder-length hair with no visible facial hair, and hanging off the back of his chair was a very large and extravagant cape signifying his high standing.
And standing behind them were their respective partners. One was Grayfia, the head maid of the Gremory House. The other was a beautiful woman who did not look a day over twenty, with shoulder-length brown hair and a voluptuous body. The older gentleman raised his hands in a peaceful manner and tried to defuse the situation, "Now now everyone, let's not get hostile. I'm sure we just need to take a moment and calm ourselves."
"Lord Gremory!" One of the administrators of the Rating Game spoke up to the current head of the a Gremory Household. He pointed to the playing video, "Tell us truthfully, were you aware of this man's abilities before the Rating Game was initiated?"
The head of the house shook his head, "No, I was not aware of this young man's abilities before the Rating Game. In fact, Rias herself told me she was not knowledgable about this Naruto Uzumaki's power until that moment in the Rating Game."
"Yes well it seems very convenient that your daughter would say that considering the stakes she had in this match."
Lord Gremory narrowed his eyes and decided to let that insinuation pass before he coughed, "Gentlemen, the parameters and rules for this Rating Game have been discussed and set at length over the last few days. This match was agreed upon and passed by many of you when we held it for discussion. And this is not the first time a combatant has revealed a hidden ability during a Rating Game before, and it certainly won't be the last. So why are we bringing this matter up with such controversy now?"
"Sir, we are bring this up because of the mystery surrounding this Illegal Piece." The playback paused and settled on the image of Naruto standing in the middle of the destroyed street after his initial attack on Riser. The administrator contiuned, "We originally allowed this man to participate in the match despite his status because Riser Phenex requested that every member of Rias Gremory's peerage be eligible for battle. But we did not anticipate that he would be the driving force behind Rias Gremory's victory!"
"Excuse me." The younger of the two men, Sirzechs Lucifer, interjected by raising his hand. He added, "I don't mean to be rude, but didn't we already come to the decision that he could participate in the match. The actions and techniques of this young man are a moot point in that regard, just a trump card he had most likely hidden until this time for the benefit of surprise. The point is that the match has concluded and my sister has been announced the victor. Or are all of you truly upset because you didn't expect Rias to actually win the match and become Riser-kun's bride without any incident."
A few of the administrators gritted their teeth at the Maou's calm attitude before one of them coughed, "Lucifer-sama, you told the board that initially, it was you that gave your sister the additional piece that she used to resurrect this man, correct?"
He nodded, "Yes, but I was not aware of its continued function. It was originally given to me by Ajuka Beelzebub, stating that it was just a useless, ineffective piece that was cluttering his work place and he had nowhere else to put it. I gave it to Rias as a gift, truthfully because it had also started to collect dust on my desk as well. I had no intention or awareness that it could still be used to bring someone back under their servitude."
"A convenient story sir."
"What are you implying?"
"The board is very aware of your longtime interactions with Ajuka Beelzebub-sama, the creator and founder of the [Evil Piece] system, going back all the way to when you were just boys. We are also aware that you care deeply for your younger sister and her safety."
"As any older brother should. What's your point?"
"Our point is that there is a chance that you and Beelzebub-sama were cohorts on this matter and created a piece that violates the rules of the [Evil Piece] system! You then proceeded to find someone of amble ability and made them a part of your sister's peerage so that they may cheat in this game!"
Sirzechs showed no outward emotion or offense to the accusations being thrown at him as the administrators started to mumble and yell in agreement.
"Excuse me."
They all shut up when the brown-haired woman besides Lord Gremory's side finally spoke up during the meeting. She spoke with a collected and stern voice, "I understand the urgency and concern with this matter and that my daughter's victory is coming under question. As nobles, we are ready to work out a solution as long as it may take to reach. However..." She opened her eyes and her blue orbs conveyed layers of strict will underlining her voice, "I would appreciate if you did not come to my family and make the assumption that they are cheaters to their faces. It conveys...quite a bit of incivility to do so."
The administrators and political officers shook in fear at the 'Brunette Madame of Extinction's' subtle warning for them to stop talking. They had more arguments to bring up, but Venelana's cold stare had shut them up immediately.
"I'm sorry, but may we interject on this matter?"
Everyone looked towards the two blond men sitting across from the Gremory family who had been quiet during the entire argument. The younger man, Ruval Phenex, sat up straight and spoke formally, "I am sure that many people are bringing this match into question and hoping for clarification from the Gremory House. But I believe that I speak for everyone in the Phenex House when I say...we are quite content with the result of this match, and we have no qualms with the Gremory family after seeing this match."
"WHAT?!"
One of the officers looked to the next heir of the Phenex family and questioned, "Ruval-sama, surely you jest?!"
"Not in the least. We settled on the parameters of the match before it was played and the results were clear. My brother and his peerage could not win against Rias Gremory and her peerage. Despite this young man's surprising show of skill, you all seemed to have missed a very crucial detail of the match."
Ruval started fast forwarding the video until it showed the part of Rias delivering the final blow and played on a loop. Ruval sat back down, "Rias Gremory was the combatant to land the final blow and win the match against Riser. As such, she rightfully deserves the victory and her decision to cancel the marriage with my brother." For confirmation Ruval turned to the older blond besides him, "What do you think father?"
Lord Phenex nodded, "Indeed. Truth be told I am actually quite happy with the outcome. Riser has become rather arrogant as of late due to his victories in the Rating Game. The Phenex power of regeneration and immortality are amazing but rely on them too much and you will become weak. This loss will no doubt be an eye-opener for him to grow from." The blond man folded his arms and thought, "Granted since he returned from the match several hours ago he's been nothing but a blubbering mess but I'm sure he'll get over it."
While the officials looked at the Phenex family in shock, Sirzechs and Lord Gremory nodded in appreciation. The older redhead bowed his head, "Thank you for your understanding, Lord Phenex."
"Say nothing of it old friend, it's always good to see the younger generation taking strides in growing stronger." He looked at the other head and asked, "Where is young Rias anyway? Enjoying her victory no doubt."
"Actually she's taking a moment to rest in her room. She has to return to the Human World after this and she feels exhausted after the fight."
Ruval nodded, "Yes well this match has opened many eyes to not underestimate your daughter in the future. It also showed us that maybe it would be for the benefit of our opponents if we did not give every member of our household a Phoenix Tear so that they may heal. Definitely something worth discussing." Ruval then fiddled with the video so Naruto appeared in the holograph and asked, "And it would probably be for the benefit of everyone to avoid coming to this meeting again by discerning this boy's future in Rating Games. Speaking of which, where is he at this moment?"
Sirzechs smiled, "Oh, eagerly waiting to return to his home no doubt."
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"This. Is. So. Boring."
Naruto bemoaned as he was spread out across a bench located in one of the halls of the Gremory castle. He had been here for at least an hour and no one, not even a servant working in the massive castle, had walked by him yet.
It had been several hours ago that the Rating Game had been finished and he and Rias had been teleported back into reality. Although this probably wasn't Japan, given that the sky was purple and that there were strange monsters flying around in the sky without anyone freaking out.
Rias was a Devil. This was her family's home. The sky was different and there were monsters flying around.
...
Was this Hell?
...
Meh. Not that bad a place.
Anyway, after they had returned from the match, they were seperated and treated in different places for their injuries. Naruto was grateful they had fixed his ear, back, and abdomen because those were fucking killing him near the end of the game. He hadn't seen anyone else from the ORC yet but he guessed that they were being healed as well.
After he was treated, he had his destroyed clothes removed and replaced by a set provided by the Gremory servants. Although he expected something extravagant and flashy, it was actually just a pair of black jeans and a crimson jacket with the Gremory crest woven in black over the back.
Did this mean he had to buy another school uniform after the other one was destroyed? Because that was bullshit if he did. He already had to pay for several work aprons after losing them and he didn't want to have to buy another uniform.
Wait, that really didn't matter right now. What mattered was that Naruto was brought here by Grayfia before telling him to sit down and wait until she came to get him again. Since then he's walked down both ends of the massive hallway, looked at the beautiful paintings and pictures that covered the wall, before deciding to just sit down and wait until Grayfia came back.
Naruto raised his legs up and rested his arms behind his head before looking up at the ceiling far over his head. He had become so used to this situation that he didn't need it explained to him. He had misbehaved and done something wrong, so he was asked to wait outside while the grown-ups discussed what he did, and then he would be punished. Different culture and world but same method for dealing with troublemakers.
He just really wished that Rias wasn't going to be in trouble as well. She had fought in that game with everything she had and she pulled a win out, no matter what anyone says. She deserved her freedom and choice to marry or not, and if the people weren't satisfied with that he hoped his reckless attitude rubbed off on her enough that she would tell them to go fuck themselves.
He sighed and closed his eyes, hoping that time would pass a little faster and that Grayfia would return soon.
...
"Ah, I see the gallant hero wishes to take a nap after his escapades."
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise when he heard the strong, booming voice next to him. He leaned his head back and saw the upside-down figure of a very large young man standing over him. The man had a striking, honest smile on his face that seemed to look down at Naruto not in contempt or suspicion but with sheer eager curiosity. He had dark black hair and violet eyes, with his large arms folded across each other patiently.
"..."
"..."
The two men were just staring silently at each other, one in surprise that he had been caught off-guard and the other waiting to speak with the resting fighter.
Naruto spoke first, "Um...hi."
"Hello."
...
"Can I help you with something?"
"Honestly I just wanted to meet you in person. I wouldn't mind sitting with you for a bit if it's not too much trouble."
Naruto blinked in confusion before he took his legs off the bench and opened a spot for the larger boy to sit with him. The black-haired man nodded and took the seat besides him.
*Crack*
They immediately fell on their asses as the wooden bench splintered and broke beneath them. The two men blinked in surprise before looking down at the pieces of wood that surrounded them before looking towards each other.
Naruto waved it off, "Don't worry, I'm pretty sure I wore this thing down a lot before you got here."
The other young man grinned and shook his head, "Oh no, believe me this is not the first time this has happened. I could not keep track of how many chairs and stools I've broken lately because I sit down on them so quickly. I must be gaining weight."
The two young men chuckled a little at the circumstance before they both started laughing loudly. They kept laughing until Naruto lowered it into a chuckle and introduced himself, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki by the way."
"Yes, I'm aware of that. I saw the match." The smiling man nodded his head, "My name is Sairaorg Bael."
"Nice to meet'cha." Naruto placed his hands behind him and leaned back comfortably, "So, what brings you here? Did you get in trouble too?"
"Oh no, I was just interested in seeing Rias' match this morning." Sairaorg corrected, "This was her first time fighting in a Rating Game and I wanted to cheer her on."
Naruto looked at the taller man in surprise before raising an eyebrow, "You know Rias?" He thought for a moment and tried to recall if Rias ever mentioned a guy like this as a friend before realizing they had never really gotten into the topic before. He looked towards Sairaorg, "Are you a friend or something?"
"I'm her cousin."
"Oh!" Naruto was actually more surprised by that answer than what he was thinking. Rias was a girl with unbelievable looks and a delicate face that would probably make super models green with envy. And this guy...looked like he ate a bear for breakfast. Naruto lamely contiuned, "I never would've guessed that."
"Yes. It is a rather strange connection with many extenuating circumstances but she is my cousin and I wanted to cheer her on." He leaned in, "Also I believe she could have used the support considering the stakes of the match."
"You mean the whole having to marry the Great Flaming D-Bag with wings, right?"
"If you are referring to her marriage ceremony with Riser Phenex then yes." Sairaorg sat back as well and looked at the wall, "The truth is that many Devils hold great expectations and hopes when two Pure-Blooded Devils are betrothed to each other. They hope that if two High-Class Devils can continue creating more Pure-Blooded Devils, they'll be able to continue this hierarchy system where nobles and royalty stand at the top and those without households or special talents will stick to the bottoms of the caste system. Trying to assert to their citizens that they stand on top as the head of the body, and the plebeians shall stay at the bottom as the feet."
Naruto hummed as he understood that train of thinking and stared forward at the wall. Before he spoke honestly, "That sounds absolutely fucking awful."
"It is." Sairaorg nodded in agreement, "Truthfully I despise the idea that those without a special talent or ability should just be thrown aside or abandoned like that. Those born at the bottom without anything only have something to gain if they try hard enough." Another grin came across Sairaorg's face, "So I'm quite happy that a stranger like you came along, threw their expectations back in their faces, gave Rias a chance to win her freedom and ruin their plans so brutally."
Naruto smirked, "Should you be saying that out loud? Won't you get in trouble for speaking like that?"
"I'm eager to see them try."
The two troublemakers chuckled again as they came into common ground on the familiar feeling.
Sairaorg nodded before adding, "Although I doubt you were aware of how this would set them back, and you were more focused on one aspect of the match more than anything."
Naruto kept a small smile on his face before shrugging his shoulder, "Well, Rias came to me a few days earlier and nearly started crying in my apartment. I guess I just can't turn a person down when they start sobbing in front of me."
"That is a simple and good reason for sticking by Rias' side through this hardship. But you should know that in doing so, you have garnered a lot of attention from your battle. From this point out, you will no doubt have many people looking at you and wondering just what makes you tick."
"And why would you think that?"
"Because one of those people is sitting right besides you at this moment." Naruto looked towards Sairaorg as the tall man stood back up and dusted his pants. He turned around and nodded at the blond, "If Rias has chosen you to stand by her side, then just like every other member of her peerage you must be someone she puts much of her trust and faith in. And you have proven that title and status will not deter you from doing what you think is right for your friends. I respect that. And I hope to see just what you have to show and offer in a fight myself one day, because I am sure that it will be a day I will never forget."
He offered his hand and grinned, "I hope to hear more about you someday soon, Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto looked at the large hand offered to him and took it as he was lifted back to his feet. He shook the other boy's hand and nodded, "Maybe we will."
Sairaorg nodded before they separated and he started walking back down the hallway to return to his own household.
Naruto waited a moment until Sairaorg was out of sight so he could gingerly rub his hand and moan in pain. HO-LEE SHIT! THAT GUY'S GRIP WAS LIKE AN IRON CLAMP! He could tell that Sairaorg wasn't even trying to be intimidating or show off when they shook hands, that was just his base strength for shaking hands with people.
Naruto had to thank whatever was giving him his old strength back or else his hand would probably look like squashed sausage right now.
"Naruto-sama."
Naruto turned around and saw that Grayfia had finally returned and was standing there patiently with her hands interlocked in front of her. The two individuals looked down at the pile of broken wood that was once a bench. Naruto blinked before looking at the maid with uncertainty, "I don't have to pay for that, do I?"
Grayfia shook her head before motioning him to follow, "Please follow me Naruto-sama, there is someone that wishes to meet you before you return home."
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Grayfia had led them to a large, wooden door located in one wing of the castle. They had passed several maids and butlers along the way as they whispered between each other and looked at the blond with interest. There were several voices conversing from the other side of the door as the silver-haired maid knocked on the door, "Sirzechs-sama, I have brought him to see you."
The voices stopped immediately and a strange silence hung in the hallway as Naruto waited for some kind of response.
The large wooden doors slowly opened up and four diverse men stepped out from the study. One was a man wearing a haori and hakama over his kimono and a sword strapped to his side. The man besides him had a mixture of long black and blond hair down his back and was adorned with a red robe that unnerved Naruto to no end. Behind them was a younger man with brown hair, wearing a suit with a fluffy white collar jacket over it, holding himself proudly and without mistake. And finally, standing in the back of the group, was an absolutely massive man with a rough face an wild orange hair.
They were strong. They weren't even consciously trying and Naruto felt a wave of power and intimidation wash over him when they looked at him. He showed no emotion and steeled himself but silently wished that he still had his knife with him at the moment.
But against his expectations, they all just had varying degrees of smiles directed towards the young man as they walked by him with congratulations before continuing down the hall.
The swordsman walked by and nodded towards him, "I know it may seem like a strange situation is playing out, but on behalf of the Gremory servants I want to thank you for helping Hime in that match. You were truly an amazing fighter for such a young man."
"Those techniques you used were both foreign and yet strangely familiar." The robed man said as he muttered more to himself than speaking to Naruto, "I should probably take the time to watch the tapes and review what occurred."
"That was a splendid match!" The brown-haired man patted Naruto's shoulder with a grin, "I'll have to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't sneak up behind us and make us look bad by comparison!"
"Hahaha!" The large ginger man behind him laughed before correcting, "I'm pretty sure he would only catch you by surprise Beo!"
The shorter man looked back and whined indignantly, "C-C'mon, Second-San, I was just trying to make conversation with Hime-sama's [Pawn]! You don't have to make fun of me at every turn!"
"Then you shouldn't make it so easy!" The large man said before he realized he had congratulated the whiskered blond yet and slapped him on the back, "Great work out there kid!"
*Crack*
Naruto's mouth opened wide and he struggled to keep in a yelp of pain as he felt something in his back creak after the powerful pat on the back. Once again, another ridiculously strong guy that used way too much strength on accident.
The four strange men continued walking and talking between each other as Grayfia stood aside to allow Naruto inside the study. He stepped inside the large room and saw a young, crimson-haired man sitting on his desk with a pleasant smile on his face. He looked Naruto over a moment before speaking to the maid, "Grayfia, could you give us a moment? Maybe go check on Rias and see if she's up yet."
"Of course, Sirzechs-sama." The maid complied and walked out before closing the doors behind her. An uncomfortable silence settled between the two men as they were left alone in the study.
Sirzechs reached back and picked up a sheathed knife, "The healers passed this over to me while they were treating your injuries. They didn't know what to do with it and didn't want to touch it because it was covered in holy water. Clever tactic by the way." Sirzechs reached out to hand the knife back to its rightful owner.
Naruto nodded and took it back, pulling it out and observing its blade before pushing it back in and pocketing it. Sirzechs smiled and nodded to the young man, "I'm Sirzechs Lucifer, Rias' older brother. I'm sure she's told you a lot about me."
Naruto blinked and looked around awkwardly before shaking his head, "Actually, I think she only mentioned you once or twice."
"Oh." His smile fell and a look of displeasure passed before he hummed, "Well, that's unfortunate. And a little mean of Rias." His smiled returned, "Nevertheless, it is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Naruto Uzumaki-kun."
"Nice to meet you too." Naruto answered before settling into a relaxed posture and asked, "So was there a reason I had to sit outside for so long? I'm getting the distinct feeling like I'm in trouble."
"Oh I can promise you that we were all in trouble after your performance in the Rating Game. But thanks to some rather reasonable talking with the Phenex heads, we were able to get out of it rather free of blame. Good thing about politics, you can get out of most corners just by telling the other side they're right and they should get what they want." Sirzechs did give the younger man an apologetic look, "Unfortunately there is more than a strong chance you are forbidden from acting in any Rating Games from this point on, considering you would be the ninth [Pawn] in a set of eight. Sorry but they wouldn't let up unless we came to some kind of compromise."
Naruto scratched the back of his head, "Well I guess that makes sense." He sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "Rias probably won't take it very well. Or she might be so happy right now she doesn't even realize what's happening, considering she doesn't have to marry that prick anymore."
Sirzechs chuckled a little and nodded before folding his arms, "I've already apologized to Rias but only time will tell if she can come to forgive me. So I should take the time to apologize and thank you and every member of her peerage for making up for my mistake. You see, this whole quagmire about the marriage between Rias and Riser-kun was because my father and I had to reached an agreement with the Phenex family for the children of the family to marry. And since I have technically left the Gremory family, Rias had to shoulder that burden and marry Riser."
Naruto looked at Sirzechs strangely before raising an eyebrow, "Why would you force Rias into an arranged marriage like that if you knew she was against it? I'm pretty sure if you're Rias' family then you aren't as heartless as that."
Sirzechs nodded in agreement, "You're right. Maybe if I tried a little harder we could have found some kind of compromise. But we didn't have the time to figure it out." Sirzechs scratched his chin before looking up at the young man, "Centuries ago, the Devils were led by four leaders known as the Maou. They were cold, ruthless, heartless, and willing to do anything they could to make themselves the strongest power. But they died, and the result of that was the Three Powers have been in a stalemate and relative time of peace since then. Certain Devils had to take up the names of the Maou and adopt the position of leadership so that the Devils could still follow them without falling into chaos. That's what I did. I had given up my name and my position so I could help the Devils, so that they did not have to experience a time of war and pain like that ever again."
Naruto's confused expression softened and he looked aside in thought as he started to understand what the older gentleman was trying to do.
Sirzechs sighed tiredly and shook his head, "In the process I forced all of the responsibilities and duties I would have had to shoulder on Rias, but I knew there was very little she would face that she could not handle herself. I didn't act as the brother that loved his little sister, but as a politician doing what was best for his people. This decision on the marriage between two Pure-Blooded Devils was planned for quite some time, with people doing whatever they could to ward off any complaints and make it go off without a hitch. I just wanted my sister to be safe, without realizing I was putting her happiness at risk by doing so. She might not be able to forgive me, but knowing she's strong enough to take care of herself...and that she has people that will protect her if things ever got too bleak..." Sirzechs smiled and looked down at the floor, "I guess that's more than I could have ever hoped for."
Naruto looked at the crimson-haired man, "Well, she's strong enough to take care of herself now. But...I guess I see where your concern came from. I can't really say I would have done the same thing...but I guess that's the thing about siblings...you'll never really understand what they'll do to help each other."
"I suppose you're right." Sirzechs smiled and nodded to the younger man, "Thank you, Naruto-kun."
Naruto took a moment and stared at Sirzechs firmly. He contiuned to look at the powerful Satan as the man noticed his stern look. Naruto shook his head before finally asking, "I know you. I-I can't remember how but I've seen you before. Like...like-"
"Déjà vu?" Sirzechs answered for him, earning a look of confusion and hesitance from the younger blond. Sirzechs stood up and walked over to the younger man, "Well there's a reason I might seem familiar. You and I have a few times before, but those were usually only in times when you regained consciousness for moments before disappearing again."
Sirzechs stood in front of the whiskered blond and smiled, "I was the one who paid for your medical support after Miyamoto-San couldn't afford to do it anymore. I was also the one that offered you the scholarship into Kuoh Academy when you woke up."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock as the handsome crimson-haired man stood there and smiled. Naruto couldn't believe this. He knew that Gramps only paid for the first few weeks of his support after he was first brought to the hospital and then someone else footed the bill without any notice after that. And he always wondered who it was that offered him the scholarship to Kuoh but never met him in person.
Naruto stepped backwards and shook his head before looking at Rias' brother oddly and asking, "Why? Why would you do that?"
"Because you're an anomaly, Naruto-kun. Someone who appeared after a strange phenomenon passed over this world." Sirzechs answered honestly while looking straight at the blond boy, "More than a year ago, there was a strange sense of energy that flooded over the world for only an instant before disappearing completely and leaving no trace to be found. Suddenly, I find out that there was a boy admitted to the hospital in Kuoh Town on the same day as that occurrence, riddled with severe injuries and had fallen into a deep slumber. I decided to pay for your bills and keep a close eye on you because I believed you might have been the key to discovering the mystery behind that phenomenon. Several months later you woke up but despite what I thought, you did not seem any different from a normal person. Your energy levels were normal and you were going through physical therapy at a surprising rate but nothing staggering. So I decided to offer you a scholarship to Kuoh Academy, so we could keep an eye on your progress over time. For awhile I believed you were just a normal young man that had come under unfortunate circumstance..."
Sirzechs created a magic circle and showed the video of Naruto's sudden bout of super strength and power during the Rating Game, "Until I found out my sister resurrected you with a piece that should have never worked in the first place, and that you had an extraordinary power you haven't revealed all this time. And when Rias told me she didn't know you could do this either, I thought it would be appropriate that I ask you personally what this was all about."
Naruto furrowed his eyes at the stern expression on Sirzechs' face as a tense atmosphere settled between the two. Naruto conveyed subtle nervousness on the subject that the Maou immediately spotted on the blond's usually solid mask.
The stern expression on the Maou's face disappeared as he sighed and shut his eyes. A small smile came on his face and he shook his head, "Or I can realize that I should not be pressing the matter on a young man I should be thanking." Naruto blinked in surprise before Sirzechs extended his hand gratefully, "I hope that one day you'll take the time to explain your side of this story, but until then I guess I should ask Ajuka some question about his handiwork...thank you for sticking with my sister and her friends through their endeavors. I am truly grateful for your assistance."
Naruto looked down at Sirzechs hand before looking back at his face and seeing no ulterior motive. Naruto took the older man's hand and shook, "Don't mention it."
Sirzechs nodded and looked at the video before asking, "I'm sorry for sounding like a broken record, but could you explain how you did this. It seems like a unique ability, yet it seems familiar as well."
Naruto thought for a moment before speaking, "Well, it is a pretty weird ability." Naruto scratched his head as he tried to think of a way to explain his ability without seeming crazy, "I learnt it from a group of wise old...teachers. I spent a lot of time training and learning to feel the chakra of the nature around me. And when I was finally able to take in the right amount of natural power into my body without succumbing to it, that's when I reached that state of power."
"It's called...Sage Mode."
Realization came over Sirzechs face, "Oh! So it is Senjutsu! That's what I thought it was."
"..." Naruto was silent as Sirzechs proclamation ran through his head. He blinked and asked, "You...you know about Sages?"
"Yes, of course I do." Sirzechs nodded, "It's rare for a human to have learnt how to gather natural energy, but it certainly isn't uncommon to hear about Sages. In fact, many Mythologies have tales of masters that have become so adept at the task that they have become Buddhas and Gods along the way. I can even name a few species of Youkai that have the innate ability to draw on natural energy in their everyday lives. Is it surprising to know about that?"
"N-no...it's fine." Naruto blinked and slumped his shoulders, feeling like the wind was taken out of his sails so quickly. He had never even heard about natural energy and Sage abilities until he was taken to learn about them, but apparently they were a pretty renowned thing to Devils and others. Some even became Gods and Buddhas?
Seriously?
Sirzechs then crossed his arms in thought before looking at the blond, "But how did you not succumb to the madness of the world while using your Senjutsu?"
It was Naruto's turn to looked confused as he titled his head, "The 'what' of the world?"
"You don't suffer from the madness of utilizing natural energy?"
"No. Never heard about a person going mad from using natural energy." Naruto cupped his chin in thought, "If I failed to control the natural energy I was going to become a stone statue of a toad so I didn't hear anything about taking in the madness."
"That's...odd." Sirzechs answered, more than a little curious to steer the conversation towards why he would have become a toad statue but decided to focus on the topic. Sirzechs contiuned, "When someone taps into the natural energy of the world, they also take in all the malice, hatred, ill feelings, and madness that embodies it. And taking in too much of that for too long changes a person. They become different, warped, feeling far less guilty or ashamed of their actions. To be honest, seeing how you normally act..." He looked towards the video to see Naruto brutally attack Riser without hesitation with his enhanced strength, "Even if it was only for a moment, I think you might have felt some side effects during the match like that."
"I...never knew someone could suffer like that." Naruto admitted, realizing that while he was still in control during the fight, he felt somewhat less guilty for using his full strength against someone who couldn't fight back. Granted Riser was immortal and he regenerated from damage in a matter of moments but still it was a violent way to deal with an enemy...there were more precise, controlled ways he had learnt to fight...but Naruto felt like his inhibitions were lessened when he finally activated Sage Mode again.
"Well, luckily for you compared to how other Sages act when they take in too much natural energy you were rather tame and focused on an enemy that could handle it. I also think it was in no small part to the fact that your Senjutsu is temporary, and not in a constant state of threat like others usually are. I'm sure now that you are aware of that danger, you can prepare and be alert if you ever have to use it again."
"Yeah, thanks for that." Naruto nodded in thanks, "I'd hate to be that strong and...lose my fucking mind when I wasn't expecting it."
"I'm sure you wouldn't. But for a human to use Senjutsu takes concentration and time, with a body suitable from years of hard work and training. Yet besides the demonic power inside of you I sense no other forms of energy that would show that hard work. How did that happen?"
Naruto face became more bleak and focused as his gaze turned towards the wall. He closed his eyes and took a breath in, "I used to be able to use chakra."
"Chakra?" Sirzechs repeated as he nodded his head, "Yes, that would definitely explain the physical ability and martial arts. But it is rather unorthodox to find someone who uses their chakra to fight-"
"Used to. I used to use chakra." Naruto corrected quickly with a hint of sadness in his voice. He shook his head, "I...I can't anymore."
"Why is that?" Sirzechs asked in confusion, "I've never heard of someone having the ability to utilize chakra and then losing that-"
Sirzechs eyes widened and he looked at Naruto in slight shock. Sirzechs closed his mouth in understanding, "It was while you were healing, wasn't it?"
Naruto nodded and gave a tired sigh, "When I was hurt, my chakra system was damaged in the process. My system is shot...I guess would be the right word. I was hoping someone could fix it and was going to start looking for help but I passed out not long after that. I woke up a few months later and I was all healed. My wounds were gone and I was good as new...but the Chakra Network wasn't healed. I guess since the doctors didn't know what to look for, they couldn't fix it. And leaving it broken like that for so long...left permanent damages. Now...I can barely use my chakra before I feel like someone is stabbing every vital organ in my body with a small knife. I tried gathering natural energy again to make up for it but no matter how long I tried or how much I concentrated, I couldn't focus it in on myself. And after that my strength just started gradually falling. I was broken..."
Naruto held his hand up to his chest, "Until Rias put this [Pawn] in my chest. Lately, my strength and speed are starting to come back to me. I still can't use my chakra...but now I can feel this world's natural energy like its a blanket wrapped around me. And I can take it all in like a breath of air." Slowly, a small smile started coming over Naruto's face as he lightly gripped his chest, "I feel...kinda like my old self again."
Sirzechs saw the look in Naruto's eyes as he spoke his mind. The usually stern and focused eyes he had shined brightly with faint signs of longing and joy. Like there was something being hidden underneath the surface of those blue eyes, and slowly but surely they started to peek back out into the surface.
"I recognize that look you had."
Naruto regained the cold composure in his eyes and looked up as he saw Sirzechs walk over to his desk and sit down. Sirzechs started running his hands over the papers and files on his desk before looking back up at the blond, "I might not look it but I'm much, much older than I appear. And during my life, I had to fight against countless enemies and create a new order for the Devils by fighting against my own kind in a civil war. We were able to come to a resolution and I made it out alive but when I was done...I felt damaged. I had done and seen...truly terrible things. And I was the one that got to walk away. I had come back from the war...but I didn't feel like I did."
Sirzechs looked back up at Naruto, "When I see you, I think back to when I looked like that as well. When I tried to bury it down and move on but it kept a grasp on me. Like you've moved on but left a part of you back there."
Naruto shook his head, "More than just a part. A lot more."
Sirzechs nodded, "I didn't feel like I was ever going to be the same again. And I wasn't. But I didn't have to stay like that forever." Sirzechs looked up at the blond, "My family. My sister. My friends. My peerage. My love. They helped put me back together. And if they couldn't find the part I lost then they made a new one and built me back better. I know it might feel like you can do this by yourself...but believe me, it's easier to get help from someone who can find your true self again. Some people, when they are broken, can't handle to be put back together. But then there are some, the lucky ones, who when they are fixed...they're better than ever before."
Naruto stared at Srizechs for a moment before taking a deep breath in. He shook his head, "So you're saying I need to find someone who can help me back?"
"No." Sirzechs responded, before a small, knowing smile came over his face.
"I'm saying you need to realize you have already found that person."
Before they could talk anymore, the doors to the study slammed open and got the two mens' attention.
They looked back to see Rias, all fixed up and dressed in the same clothes Naruto was wearing. She had a small scowl on her face after slamming the doors open as her sea-foam eyes darted between the surprised Naruto and the smiling Sirzechs. She lowered her arms and stomped over to Naruto as he leaned back in worry. She furrowed her eyes and scrunched her face up cutely, "What did he say to you?"
Naruto blinked, "Um...nothing really. We just kinda talked."
Rias narrowed her eyes in suspicion, "No embarrassing talks or looking at old baby photos?"
"Not yet...was I supposed to be expecting that?"
"No." Rias answered immediately and pointedly, not wanting to stretch out the topic anymore.
"Rias! I'm glad to see you're up and moving again." Sirzechs spoke with a smile and joy in his voice, "I was worried you might oversleep and miss school tomorrow."
"Well I only needed some time to rest after the match. But thank you for sending Grayfia to wake me up, Onii-sama." She then sent a small glare towards her older brother and inquired, "You weren't going to say anything weird to Naruto, were you?"
"Me? Saying something weird?" Sirzechs feigned hurt before he shook his head, "Rias, how could you think I would embarrass you like that?"
"Because you always do. Every time."
"Well I was just having a little conversation with Naruto-kun while we waited for you to wake up. Nothing serious. Just a congratulations for assisting in your victory."
"Right." Rias said skeptically before she looked up at her blond servant, "Well everyone else is awake and moving now and we're ready to head back home. So let's go meet up with them."
"Well Rias I guess this is goodbye for now." Sirzechs stood out of his seat and opened his arms up for her, "Why don't you come over here and give your Onii-chan a goodbye hug."
"No." Rias pushed on Naruto's back and led them out of the room, "Goodbye Onii-sama."
"Aww~, come now Rias! Look, I'm not gonna lower my arms until you come and hug-"
*Slam*
Rias shut the door behind them and the blond and redhead stood outside silently. Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Uh...is he still holding his arms up in there?"
"Probably." Rias sighed before she started walking down the hallway without saying anything else. Naruto looked between the door and his crimson-haired mistress before following after her.
They continued walking down the halls of the castle as butlers and maids gave their polite greetings to the heir. Rias returned their greetings with polite nods and thanks as Naruto followed behind her, wondering why she hadn't said anything to him since they left her brother.
He tried to start a conversation, "So you're brother seems like a nice guy."
"..."
"This castle is huge! Do you have a map to figure out where you're going or did you just memorize it?"
"..."
"Will we be getting new uniforms or am I going to have to buy a new one?"
"..."
"Are you pouting?"
Rias finally stopped and looked back at him with a miffed, stern scowl on her face.
He pointed, "Ah, see, you're pouting. I was right."
One of Rias' eyes started to twitch, "Do you know why I'm pouting?"
"Because you're angry?"
She nodded while still getting angrier by each second, "And do you know why I'm angry?"
"Because...your beauty sleep was interrupted?"
Rias stepped towards him and started slapping his arm, getting grunts of discomfort and annoyance from the whiskered blond, "A-Ah-hey! S-stop it-would you stop. Okay I get-okay this is getting annoying!"
Rias stopped slapping him and looked up at him sternly, "What in the world happened to you during the match?!"
Naruto held his hands up to try and calm her down, "Look, yesterday when you left my apartment, I...started concentrating and meditating."
Rias raised her brow in mild surprise, shocked that the usually bored and unwilling blond actually utilized the idea of meditation.
"And when I did I suddenly found out that I could do...that stuff again."
"'Again'? As in you've used this before?" Rias asked before shaking her head and inquiring with honest intrigue, "If you could have used that before why didn't you use it against the Fallen Angels? Or to save yourself?"
"Because I couldn't before." Naruto answered, "I've tried, a lot, for a long time, but no matter how hard I tried it didn't work. Until it finally did last night. And I didn't know if it was going to work again if I tried so I wanted to spare it as much as possible. Spare it for your match." Naruto thought for a moment before nodding, "I thought it was worth it."
Rias looked at him before avoiding her eyes. She took a deep breath before looking up at him, "It's something you learned before you came here, to Kuoh, didn't you?"
Naruto silently nodded.
Rias lowered her eyes sadly before muttering, "A part of your past you don't want to talk about, right?"
Naruto looked at the girl as she looked down at her feet before he stepped towards her. He leaned down enough to get her attention before standing back up, "Rias, if you want to know...I'll tell you if you ask me. I owe you that much."
Rias looked up and nodded, "I want to know everything about you..." Before he could say anything, she raised her hand and looked up at him, "When you are ready to tell me. It doesn't mean anything if you aren't ready to tell us yourself." She looked up at him as her eyes softened, "I'm your friend now Naruto...we all are...and we'll be ready whenever you want to tell us."
Naruto and Rias just stared at each other silently after sharing the moment of clarity. He took a deep breath in before nodding his head gratefully, "Thank you."
A small smile grew on her face before she turned back around and started leading them towards the front entrance of the castle. They were walking before she spoke up, "Today's the last day of our bet. Guess it is time to call a winner."
"Yeah. I guess so." Naruto agreed before his eyes rolled around and felt an awkward silence fall between them. He droned, "So...who wins?"
"Oh~..." She looked back at him with a cheeky smile, "I think we both know I win our bet."
He raised an eyebrow critically, "Oh really?" He smirked and asked with a skeptical tone, "The bet was to see if you could convince me to join the club before Golden Week was over. And how exactly do you think you did that?"
She spun around and started walking backwards while smiling knowingly, "Did I force you to fight with us?"
Naruto smile slightly lowered, "No."
"But did you come and fight with us anyway even though you knew it might be dangerous?"
"Yeah."
"And did you fight using a technique you didn't know how many times you could utilize, yet still struggled on to help us win against Riser?"
"Y-yeah."
Her smile grew as his had fallen, "Then it sounds like you are already a part of the group. You're just too stubborn to admit it."
Naruto scrunched up his face and looked away as Rias kept smiling at him. She grinned, "I knew you would be coming to our side sooner or later. Just a matter of time."
Naruto grumbled, "You're a poor winner.,
"And you're a sore loser." She looked up at him hopefully and smiled, "So, how does that sound?"
Naruto felt his eyes twitch before he groaned, "Fine, I'll stick around with the ORC. For now."
"And you'll start coming to school everyday?"
"Don't push it."
She shook her head and wagged her finger, "Ah! That was part of the bet! You can't argue it now! We shook on it, remember?"
Rias suddenly felt his hand push on her head and move her out of the way while he grumbled, "You need to learn to take a victory when you get one. You're not gonna have a lot of them against me from now on."
Rias rubbed her forehead before smiling and following after him as they had finally reached the main hall and we're heading for the door. She walked up besides him before asking, "So what made you change your mind?"
"You're not gonna stop prying, are you?" He asked, looking over to see the expectant look on Rias' face. He felt his opposition start to waver and fall with the intense look in her eyes before he folded, "Okay, fine. I feel...easier with you guys around." Rias looked at him in confusion before he contiuned, "Sometimes you guys can be weird. Sometimes you guys are idiots. Sometimes you are really pushy and annoying. And sometimes, you guys are kind, compassionate, and caring people that are willing to accept others no matter what they are. And after the fight, I can see that you all care about each other enough to fight for them against any opponent...and I guess I admire that in people."
Rias looked at him silently before adding, "But we may have to fight people again in the future. People stronger than Riser or just a Fallen Angel. Are you ready to fight those battles?"
Naruto finally stopped in front of the door and stayed silent as Rias' question lingered between them. He answered, "Honestly, I hate the idea of fighting people like that out of hatred or revenge. But I guess now I have a reason to fight...now that I have something to protect."
Naruto turned towards Rias and gave her a true, happy smile, "I can fight for you and the others, Rias. Because you're worth fighting for."
Rias and Naruto kept looking at each other after his proclamation ran through her head. She realized what he said and felt a burning blush come over her face before she turned away to try and hide her bashful expression.
He smiled and reached for the door before Rias grabbed his hand, "Wait. I think I want one more thing from you for winning."
Naruto frowned, "Seriously, you're power hungry you know-"
Naruto was silenced when Rias raised herself on her toes and caught his lips with hers. The blond's eyes widened in shock as he felt her soft, warms lips press into his. Rias slowly opened her eyes again and pulled her lips off before lowering herself back to her feet and smiling up at her friend.
"Thank you...Naruto."
Rias opened the door before walking ahead of him and out of sight. Naruto blinked in shock from the kiss before following, "Wa-wait! Wait! Rias-what was-"
"BASTARD!"
Issei came flying in and punched him across the face before yelling, "What the hell?! How long were you hiding this badass side you sonuva bitch?!"
Naruto didn't respond and grabbed his arm and followed through before slamming him into the ground, grabbed his legs, and pulled up before slamming his foot into Issei's crotch. Issei screamed, "AHHHHHHHHH!"
"What was that you little bastard?" Naruto pulled and stomped down, "Speak up!"
"AHHHHH!"
Every member of the ORC was standing outside of the castle doors and watched as Naruto tortured Issei. They were all wearing similar clothes after the fight, red jackets and black pants, except for Asia who still had her nun outfit intact. The blonde nun was shaking and tried to stop the violence, "N-Naruto-San, please stop! I-Issei-San c-cro-under parts are being stressed!"
Koneko deadpanned with half-lidded eyes, "Might be for the best. That stupid strip technique needs to be purged from existence."
"KONEKO-CHAN, DON'T TRY TO JUSTIFY THE MAULING OF MY COC-AHHHHHHH!" He screamed, "NARUTO-SENPAI! STOP!"
"I don't think he's going to make it." Yuuto smiled before he gave some encouragement, "Hang in there Issei-kun, you can take it!"
Rias walked over to Akeno's side and watched her peerage interact with each other. She looked over at her best friend, "Did you all see the results of the match?"
"Yes Buchou." Akeno responded with her beautiful smile on her face, "We all saw yours and Naruto-San's victory. Congratulations." She looked towards the crimson-haired [King], "Did everything work out in the end?"
"More than you'd believe." Rias clapped her hands and got everyone's attention before she folded her arms under her chest. She smiled, "Everyone, we have a new member to initiate to the Occult Research Club!" She held her hand out, "Let's greet our new friend, Naruto Uzumaki!"
They all looked towards the blond as he turned towards all of them. He sent them a quick nod, "Nice to meet you."
"GAHHHHHH! NOT WITH THE HEEL!"
Asia clapped her hands, "That's great Naruto-San."
Koneko nodded with a very small smile on her face, "About time."
Yuuto grinned while Akeno titled her head with an alluring smile, "Well, I guess Buchou was finally able to break you down with the rest of us. Welcome to the club."
Naruto narrowed his eyes at the buxom woman, "Shut up."
"Okay, all of you. We've had a very long day. And we need to head back home and get some rest. But first..." She hesitated and blushed a little before bowing her head towards her peerage thankfully, "Thank you for winning this game, for us...and for me as well."
The ORC all smiled at their mistress after she had bowed in thanks to them for helping win her freedom.
"Ufufufu, I've never seen you so embarrassed Rias."
"Hehe, I'm always happy to help you Buchou, no matter what it takes."
"If Buchou is in danger, I'll beat anyone in the way."
"I'm so glad you're safe now Buchou-San!"
"Don't mention it."
"We'll always be there to help you Bu-GAHHHHH! STOP GRINDING IT IN YOU ASSHOLE!"
Rias blushed more and coughed before turning around, "Anyway, that's enough of that." She smirked and head back towards the city, "Let's head back home!"
"YEAH(x4)!"
Rias and her peerage started making the journey back to Kuoh Town.
The now complete Occult Research Club needed to head back home.
||||||||Devil||||||||
Done
One of the many awesome aspects you have to adore about the DxDverse.
A massive array of energies to utilize in fighting.
Magic. Demonic power. Natural energy. Ki. Used in combat as touki. Chakra. Holy power. God power.
It's interesting to think about using them in a story.
And I know Juugo and his clan turned crazy from taking in the natural energy in the world without controlling it, but I doubt Naruto knew that.
Anyway, another break chapter next before another arc starts.
Hope you enjoyed.
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Thank You and Bye