New Devil of The Gremory House

Life 23: Vacation

April 10th y'all! Mark your calendars and make sure to wear your baggy pants! Hero is arriving!

Also, Highschool DxD has finished. So long you beautiful, odd little masterpiece. And may a flock of doves carry you to your bed.

All hail Shin Highschool DxD, the official sequel and continuation of the story!

...

Yep, that stuck as well as a Gintama cancellation.

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Naruto finally started to peel his eyes open when he felt something warm touch his head. He looked up and noticed Rias was petting him gently, her fingers slowly getting tangled in his hair and running them back before starting over again. He felt like he should have jumped out of bed in surprise, but had gotten so used to her sneaking in at night that he just expected it. Plus he couldn't be bothered to untangle from her and her soft embrace, "Morning."

"Morning." Rias whispered, a yawn slipping out as her drowsiness still seemed to be affecting her. The redhead smiled warmly and continued to run her hand through his hair, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's fine, no harm done. Have you been up long?"

"Only a few seconds."

"Do you want to stay in here for a little bit longer?"

"No, I think I should be getting up. There are things to do."

"Then I might as well too."

"No, don't get up for me." Rias tried to stop but couldn't hide the little bit of joy she had that he wanted to wake up with her.

"Stop it." He groaned and motioned to sway her hand away from his head but did so with little real intention to make her stop, "I'm trying to wake up." He sat up in bed, untangling from Rias' arms and yawning before rubbing his eyes, "Should we go get some coffee."

"Ugh, I'm not really in the mood for some of that awful blend Taichi-San leaves out. Although I suppose the bitter and hard taste might wake me up." Rias didn't sound enthused with the idea but sat up as well and stretched out her arms in her PJs, "Let's head downstairs."

Naruto and Rias threw off the large cover of the massive bed they slept in and headed for their door. When they opened it they headed down the long hallway, brightened up by ambient lighting and the soft touch of carpet underneath their toes. The two Devils tried to clear their eyes of sand as they passed the masterfully done works of modern art that lined the walls. They reached the end of the corridor and called the elevator.

"So what was that paperwork you were working on so late last night?"

"Damages reports Sona gave me. Apparently while Azazel and his group were able to wipe most of the civilians minds of the explosion from yours and Issei's fight with Vali, there were damages still done to the area. Quake stress. Destroyed property. Not to mention the damage to the forest."

"I'm really sorry about that." The blond apologized as the bell dinged and the elevator arrived. The two stepped on and headed down to the lobby, "Didn't think you'd have to pay for our fight."

"Oh it's fine." She laughed at his concern for such a little problem and crossed her arms beneath her chest while the soft elevator music hummed, "It's a small price to pay knowing you and Issei and everyone else are fine. That's all that matters."

When they had all come back from the battlefield to meet up with the rest of the club, it had been to looks of shock and horror about the fight they had been in. Akeno was quick to show her displeasure about not being made privy to the battle between the Heavenly Dragons and Rias had actually squirmed under her [Queen's] glare. Xenovia had a completely different reaction, showing avid interest in hearing how Naruto and Issei had teamed up together to fend off the Hakuryuukou to the best of their abilities. The others showed reactions of concern and relief at their relative lack of injury despite the harsh battle.

Of course that relief died an ugly death when they were informed that the White Dragon Emperor had painted a target on their back now.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened as the couple made their way out. They yawned and stretched out their arms while walking through the massive lobby with a high ceiling and a giant chandelier hanging in the middle. The two made their way across the floor and slipped into the kitchenette.

Rias made her way to the coffee machine as Naruto opened the fridge and spotted a shiny red apple. He licked his lips and plucked the fruit before biting into the juicy treat. He walked over and leaned against the counter beside Rias as she sipped on her cup and let out a sigh of pleasure at the taste, "Nice apples."

"And the coffee is exquisite. Definitely a good blend."

...

...

"So am I crazy or-"

"No, I see it too." Rias nodded, "I thought the walk to the elevator was more padded and longer than usual. Also the fact that there was suddenly an elevator should have been telling."

"Oh, there they are! Glad to see you two separated long enough from exploring your bodies however you do so early in the morning to come down here." Azazel walked into the kitchen, tying a silk robe around his body with a swagger in his step as he pulled a carton of orange juice out of the fridge and started chugging it whole.

Rias' eye twitched, "Azazel-"

He held up a finger while downing the rest of the drink before burping loudly when he finished, "Whoa, that's tasty. Anyway you were saying?"

"What did you do?"

"About what?"

"This! All of this!" Rias motioned to the kitchen and out the door to the sudden lobby and extravagant building they found themselves in, "The complex was not like this when we went to bed last night!"

"Speaking of which, 1 AM? Seriously? Did you two even fool around or anything?" Azazel looked between the fuming couple with disappointment, "For shame. You give all hormone-addled teens a bad name when you don't succumb to your lust immediately."

"Don't change the subject!" The pajama-clad Devil marched up to the robed Fallen Angel and wagged her finger in his face, "What did you do?! This was a cramped, two-story building just a few hours ago! Now it's this! This lavish - big - how?!"

"Well since this town is going to be the neutral territory for the factions and our treaty from now on, it felt appropriate we all work together to create something. So I suggested a building that can be used as a resting point for any dignitaries making their way through here. Just a little place, no biggie."

"Kinda big actually!" Naruto yelled, coming back from running outside with a surprised expression, "This place is massive! It's a skyscraper! There's like two dozens stories!"

"And a few levels underground too. It's really not that big a deal."

"But the rest of the area is totally unchanged! Everyone is looking at this place in shock because there are a bunch of crummy shops and buildings around here and one fucking skyscraper smack dab in the middle!"

Azazel blinked and shrugged, "Gentrification?"

"Azazel," Rias sighed tiredly, fed up with the Fallen Angel's flippant attitude and just glaring up at him suspiciously, "You did this all in one night?"

"With some help from Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels of course. Your brother actually financed most of it."

"And did Taichi-San just hand you the ownership of the property?"

"He did, and I handed him back a ludicrous amount of money for him to do whatever his greasy little heart desires. Plus I gave Marco a lifetime pass on cruises and bars around the world, so he's basically in heaven trying to negotiate his way into some young lady's heaven, if you catch my drift."

"Naruto and I went to bed in our normal room. We woke up in a much bigger room and a much bigger bed." Rias' eyes narrowed, "Were there people moving us while we were sleeping?"

"I feel like I shouldn't answer for my own prosperity but it should be painfully clear that you already know the answer."

Her Destruction coruscating over her palm with a level glare did the trick in getting the Fallen Angel to shut up.

"Okay, let's not get antsy." Azazel said jovially while slowly lowering Rias' hand by the wrist and avoiding the light that would hurt him, "First off let me just say I love that intensity in your eyes. Cold. Unyielding. Probably already made your decision about what to do with me and are now just figuring out the minute details. Have to respect that in a fellow leader."

"And I can tell you now it's not pretty."

"Second we should be getting ready for bigger things. It's summer vacation now, and you know what that means."

Rias' eyes remained lidded for a few moments before she lowered her hand and dispelled her Destruction with a disgruntled sigh, "You're right, better use of energy getting prepared."

"Um, prepared for what?"

"Sorry, I haven't told you." Rias apologized, "After what happened with Vali, I thought it would be best if we took some time to train and reevaluate things going forward. The Khaos Brigade is going to be a serious threat not only to the factions and the treaty, but possibly for other mythologies. The Old Devil faction. Vali and whatever followers he may have picked up. And perhaps other individuals of strength similar to theirs joining their side. As such we have a meeting between potential leaders of the Devils, Fallen Angels, and other mythologies to discuss these matters. I thought in the time leading up to that it would be good for us to train."

Naruto's expression fell, "Please tell me they aren't all coming here."

"Of course not."

"Then where are we going?"

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"Hmm." Naruto hummed while looking around and taking in the lavish state of the cabin, "Can I assume this is what it means to travel in style?"

"I guess you aren't accustom to it then?" Rias remarked with a coy smile, "Well there are some perks to taking an empty train and being in the first class transport."

The upholstered leather couches and seats that sucked them in when they sat down. The fully stocked bar and assortment of snacks and food for them to enjoy. The entertainment system secured off to the side that Koneko and Gasper were currently playing while Issei and Yuuto waited for their turn. It was luxury seating for the group of young VIPs on their way back home.

"I never thought I would be going to the underworld of my own volition. I was sure the day I came here would either be for a black ops mission where I would infiltrate Hell and kill its leaders, or if I was captured and being taken down here to be tortured for what I know." Xenovia casually mentioned that statement which hung in the air and garnered her some odd looks, "Coming here for a vacation is very different from what I expected. So what can you tell me of Hell?"

"Well, I've only been there once, and it was just for a short time, but it was quite beautiful." Asia told the blue-haired girl who looked out the window to stare at the flashes of light as they passed from the normal world to the underworld, "There's much less fire and brimstone than we were told about in the sermons. In fact I saw an abundance of greenery and forests when I was there."

"That's because the Gremory territory is so big that besides from a few settlements of our household, we've left much of it untouched." Rias clarified, "Plus we don't have any oceans only big lakes at best, so there is much more surface area for us to migrate over."

"You only get to migrate over half of it, Princess." Azazel spoke from the bar as Rias and Akeno both frowned at his continued existence, "We originally had the other half, but now that we're all working together I'm sure we can expand and prosper as one from now on."

"Oh I'm sure we're just jumping at the opportunity. Asia, Xenovia, if you're looking for more of your typical description of Hell, I'm sure the Fallen Angel side is more than familiar with it."

Azazel chugged from his glass and swallowed, "That's not true actually. We Fallen Angels pride ourselves on a society focused on the advancement of our agriculture, industrial, and technological cultures. If there's something new we've made, you can bet we're already working on improving it as best we can. Also there might be some unofficial spots for free lovin' scattered around the place but that's only because my board shot down my expansion plan." The Fallen Angel downed the rest of his drink before letting out a delighted huff, "But the place you're thinking of that most matches the Bible's description would be Hades' realm far below us."

"Hades?"

"Oh right, we have someone here who still needs a crash course in our world's history." Naruto shuffled anxiously from the looks he got from his friends as Azazel pulled out his chair, "See Naruto, Fallen Angels and Devils and Angels are a massive superpower and have influence over the whole world, but there are dozens of other mythologies and factions that still carry influence to this day. And each of them have heroes and fighters and gods that rival our own. Some of the gods from the other mythologies are older than any Devil or Angel, living long before humans ever walked the earth. Hell I'm super old by your standards but to them I'm nothing more than a baby - a little kid a best!" Azazel's cocky expression started to waver as an irritated frown crossed his face, "I'm actually getting kinda sick of being called brat by that old bastard Odin."

[The power these deities hold is no laughing matter either. There are some select individuals from each mythology that could hold their own against my former power if the chance ever arose.]

"Seriously Ddraig? Even you?"

"Yep, and we're going to be meeting some of these gods at a gathering in the Underworld in just a few weeks." Some of the Devils looked to Rias for confirmation and the [King] nodded in agreement, "We're gonna be meeting them soon, so when you do-"

"Don't look at them?"

"Don't say anything to them that might make them mad?"

"Don't do anything that might instigate an all-out war that could eradicate the entire population?"

"Actually I was just going to tell you to grit your teeth because they're eccentric and can be kinda annoying. I mean if you find me a handful," He raised his hand and stopped several people from voicing their opinions on the subject, "Then they're going to boggle your minds." Azazel pushed off his chair and strolled over to the bar, pulling out several cups and filling them with a finger of the best liquor he found in the stock, "So enjoy your moment of freedom while you can."

"Those aren't for us, are they?"

"Of course. A drink to bond us for the commotion to come."

"You know some people would look at the act of pouring your underage students hard liquor as a red flag."

"Well some people aren't Devils on a train going through a path between worlds to Hell."

...

Naruto rolled his eyes and stepped up to the counter next to Azazel. He picked up his glass and raised it before knocking it back. When he finished he grimaced and shook his head violently, "This taste way worse than I thought it did."

"It's like medicine." Azazel smiled, "The worse it tastes, the better it is for you."

Rias strolled up and grabbed her glass as well. She downed it in one go and shook her head, "Spoken like a true alcoholic."

"Damn Princess, you took that better than your boy toy. Years of sipping wine at those fancy parties must have really built up a tolerance."

Akeno placed her glass down next and wiped her mouth, "Faint praise from a man I assume regularly drinks his weight in booze? I wouldn't be surprised if your 50% alcohol, and 50% unspeakable miscellaneous elements."

"Pfft, I'm at least 97% pure badass. The other 3% is piss, vinegar, and special sauce."

"That was a combination no one wanted to know."

"Well you do now." Azazel downed some more of the drink before pointing out, "Plus you know we've already arrived, right?"

The students all turned to the window and noticed they were finally out of the light between worlds. The newer Devils went up to the window and marveled at the expense of buildings and landscapes that made up the Gremory household. Rias stepped up to the glass and looked out as well with a smile, "Welcome home."

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"Welcome back, Ojou-sama!" The numerous Gremory maids and butlers bowed their heads once Rias and the Devils entered. Rias simply nodded in return and walked by while the newer members of the peerage looked around at all the servants greeting them.

Naruto stepped up to Rias' side, "Do you come back to this each and every time?"

"Yes," Rias sighed, "I try and tell them not to make such a big deal about it, but I think my concerns just fall on deaf ears. That's why I like to space my return trips out as much as possible. Of course that's not to say there isn't anything about coming home that I don't enjoy."

"Rias-oneesama!"

Rias turned around and braced herself as a short figure came running up and jumped into her chest. She wrapped her arms around it and spun with the move before chuckling and looking down with a smile, "Well hello, Millicas. How have you been?"

"I have been fine, Onee-sama!" The shorter figure finally disentangled from Rias and stepped back from her embrace. The young boy had short crimson hair and soft red eyes that sparkled when looking up at the older Devils. He stood up straight and his young voice was soft and polite while speaking to his elders, "Okaa-sama told me that you would be returning today with your peerage and I have been waiting all day!"

"B-Buchou, I didn't know you had a younger brother."

"I don't." Rias stepped up to the younger boy and they shared a smile, "This is Millicas Gremory, my brother and Grayfia's son."

"Grayfia-San's?! She's a mom!" Issei was slapped across the head by Koneko for his sudden exclamation.

"You're nephew, huh?" Naruto snickered, "I never would have taken you as an aunt. You're hotter than most old aunts I've seen."

Rias smiled coyly, "Don't push it mister or else I might get upset." She looked down at her excited nephew and smiled, "Tell me Millicas, is Onii-sama here today?"

"No, Otou-sama is busy with some political matters so he can't come greet you today. He wanted to send his apologies for not being here to see you."

"No need. Honestly makes the homecoming a little easier to bear." Rias muttered before she heard a set of footsteps make their way over from the side. When she spotted Grayfia, the older redhead walking beside her, and the lovely brunette alongside him, she stood up a little straighter and fixed her posture. She bowed her head, and after a moment her peerage followed along, "Otou-sama. Okaa-sama. I have returned."

"I'm glad to see you so happy, Rias." Her father greeted his daughter with a quick hug and an arm around her shoulder, "I recognize some familiar faces, but notice a few new ones as well. Gasper-kun, it's good to see you out and about with my daughter again."

"T-Thank you sir!" The boy in the cardboard box answered, "I'm glad to be back after so long."

Issei sweated, "Are you really coming back if you're still sitting in a box?"

"Some of your servants I still haven't been introduced to yet."

Rias nodded, "Of course. Otou-sama, this girl is Asia, my new [Bishop]." The blonde girl bowed her head respectfully, "This one is my newest addition and my [Knight], Xenovia." The former Church warrior greeted the older Devil politely, "And that boy at the end is my [Pawn], Issei."

"Oh, so this boy is the Red Dragon Emperor?" Issei stood up straighter and had a nervous sweat as his [King's] father stepped up to face him, "Greetings Issei-San, there are quite a number of Devils here that have high hopes for you in the future."

"T-Thank you, sir!" Issei stuttered, "I'll do my best to make Buchou - I-I mean Rias-sama proud! A-Although after what happened recently that might be a further goal than I originally anticipated."

"But still a goal," Zeoticus patted the brunette boy's shoulder, "Which means you can't give up yet, right?" Issei showed a small smile and nodded. The Gremory head nodded before finally turning to Naruto, "Hello again young man. I suppose it's only right to greet you into my home after you greeted me into yours."

"Nice to see you again sir."

"Oh, come here. There's someone I've been meaning to introduce you to." Zeoticus lead Naruto to the side and in front of a lovely young woman with long brown hair, "Venelana, this is Rias' boyfriend, Naruto Uzumaki. He's the boy Sirzechs has been telling us about. Naruto-San, this is my wife, Venelana Gremory."

Naruto's eyes widened and he stared at the youthful woman in disbelief. On closer inspection he was surprised to she just how alike she looked in comparison to Rias. Hell, they looked downright identical to each other save for the hair color. Her eyes were deep and intense. She looked remarkably young - no older than a college girl and certainly not old enough to be both a mother and a grandmother. Her dress most likely hid her wonderful curves but did expose her cleavage and breast size. Rias certainly inherited her figure from somewhere.

A youthful, beautiful woman that looked much younger than she really was. And had a lot of power and very large breasts...

[You were thinking like Tsunade, weren't you?]

He didn't think that. Not at all.

"Greetings, Naruto Uzumaki-San." Naruto was yanked from his thoughts as Venelana bowed her head graciously, "It's comforting to know that my daughter is no longer being so obstinate about relationships as she was. I swear whenever I brought up the topic of partners or marriage she would just do everything she could to deflect the conversation. She was so immature-"

"Okaa-sama!" The blood rushed to Rias' face and the usually levelheaded girl was too flustered and shaky to take what her mother said. The other members of the peerage hid their chuckles under their breath while Zeoticus laughed at his daughter's reaction, "You can't say stuff to him like that!"

"Rias," Venelana calmly responded, "This is the first and possibly only boy you'll ever show interest in. I'm going to confront him and tell him my thanks."

"B-But-"

"No buts young lady. Now about your level of intimacy-"

"Well as much fun as this has been - and it's been a blast that I shall cherish for years to come, I think we need to move on." The sole Fallen Angel of the group spoke up and projected his voice. Azazel pocketed his phone, finished recording the hilarity before he stepped up, "Zeoticus, it's good to see you again. And Venelana, a stunning portrait of perfection as usual."

"Greetings, Azazel-San."

"Hello Azazel, nice to see you again." Zeoticus and Azazel shook hands, "How's life as a teacher treating you?"

"Very interesting. Shaping young minds. Guiding the new generation. Plus there's always something to laugh at with your daughter and her friends." The older men chuckled together as Rias frowned and Naruto raised an eyebrow in bemusement. Azazel wiped a tear from his eye, "So what's the news? Has anyone else arrived yet?"

"Nearly a month ahead of schedule?" Zeoticus rhetorically asked, the Fallen Angel simply shrugging in return, "No, no one has arrived this early. Small miracles I suppose, since I am actually quite nervous about this meeting. No one knows what will happen when so many figures come together in one place. The world might just collapse on itself."

"Well I guess we'll cross that bridge when it comes." Azazel pulled out his phone again to check the time, "Issei, You should head outside now."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I just got a message that your trainer is going to be arriving in a moment and it's important to make a good impression."

Issei blinked in confusion, "M-My trainer? I didn't even know I had someone to specifically train me. Thank you Azazel-sensei for setting that up for me."

"No problem kiddo." Azazel chuckled and waved off Issei's thanks before pointing back to the entrance, "Just get out there and make sure to greet them properly." Issei nodded and ran back out to the entrance to meet his trainer for the next few weeks, "That kid's gonna be a powerhouse the next time we see him."

"Azazel-sensei? Have you set up trainers for each of us?" Yuuto inquired.

"Sorry but no. I do have some training regimes we can utilize to help get you started but you'll have to look around for some serious assistance. I only got one for Issei because he needs serious improvement and the first person to come to mind-"

The ground shook and a massive gust of wind rushed out from the entrance. They looked back and saw two massive legs perched on the ground, Issei's minuscule frame standing between them as he looked up at the monster.

"Ddraig, is that you? You've lost some pounds."

[Are you going to make that joke every time, Tannin?]

"Well it makes me chuckle. Oh well, let's get started."

"NOOOOOOOO!" Issei turned and dashed for the door but the dragon's mighty talons came swinging down and grabbed him off the ground, "PLEASE! NOT THIS! ANYTHING BUT THIS! TOO SCARY! TOO SCARY! AZAZEL-SENSEI, YOU TRICKED ME YOU DAMN BASTARD! I HOPE YOU ROT IN A DEPPER PIT OF HELL! DAMN YOU!"

"Ddraig, can you calm down your new host? He's going to give me a headache and that's not the best thing to have while I'm flying."

[Honestly, quicker for you to power through than to get him to stop.]

"Well alright. Keep your bits tucked because here we go!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO-"

The ground shook again as the figure jumped off the ground and took flight. They spotted the form of a giant dragon soaring through the sky with Issei flailing around helplessly in his grasp.

Asia whimpered in horror while everyone else turned to Azazel.

"Does anyone else want me to pick their trainers?"

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"Geez, this place seems even bigger than the last time I was here. Your parents don't expand their house overnight whenever they feel like it too, do they?"

"Not to my knowledge. Only Azazel and Onii-sama do things like that." Rias said, a hint of bitterness in her voice as they walked around the halls of the Gremory household together. The redhead gave a haggard sigh and massaged her temples, "You'd think the least they could do is give us a little warning before they did so. Ask us what we thought about it. It's infuriating."

"Not a fan of the redesign?"

"If they wanted a bigger building that's fine." Rias answered, "But I wish they wouldn't just change our home so haphazardly." Naruto saw Rias was so bothered by this change that she didn't even seem to notice that she had called the apartment their home. She had already moved on before he could point out the slip of the tongue, "I've lived my whole life in big, roomy places like this. And for the first time I found myself in a smaller place where I can be comfortable with the boy I like. If it gets less personal and lonely-"

"You fret about the most stupid things." Naruto slipped up to her side and pulled her close, earning a quick gasp from the crimson-haired girl as his hands settled on her waist, "You know it was lonely because you had no one to share it with, but I'll be there now. I'll try to make it more bearable, so don't worry, okay?"

Rias pouted for a moment before giving a small nod in return, Naruto's smile widening as she subtly raised her arms and linked her hands behind his neck to compliment how close he had pulled her in, "I'm sorry for being bothered by something so trivial. It just irks me when Onii-sama does things like this, and it doesn't help when Azazel acts so smug about it either." Naruto chuckled in agreement and the young couple shared a moment of laughter with their foreheads pressed together. They looked into each other's eyes before Rias looked aside, "You know I always felt like my room was too spacious and lonely. Do you mind fixing that as well?"

"Oh? Might I have the honor of being the first guy in your room?"

"Sorry but that privilege went to Yuuto when he joined the peerage years ago." Rias offhandedly answered with a coy smile, "But if you want you can be the first boy I kiss in my room."

"Well if you insist-"

"Oh! Rias! You've returned! It's good to see you again!"

Both Naruto and Rias' faces fell as they were interrupted from their intimate moment. Naruto bit his lip, "You don't think what Azazel said about the universe getting in the way of us is true, do you?"

"One of these days we'll be savvy enough to do this with no one around and in a locked room." They separated and straightened their clothes as Rias greeted her tall relative with a lopsided smile, "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Yes, I was invited by your father to come greet you, as well as pick up some information to bring back to my house as well." The large young man looked down at the blond beside his cousin and grinned, "We meet again it seems."

"Sairaorg, right?" The larger Devil grinned and nodded as Naruto smirked, "Turning up just as we arrive. Is this by chance or are you stalking me?"

"Hehehe, just by chance I can assure you. However I am certainly fortunate to meet you again after all this time." Sairaorg's eyes lowered and traveled back up Naruto's body as a smirk settled on his face as well, "I see you have grown considerably stronger since I last met you. Your battles against the Fallen Angel Kokabiel and the White Dragon Emperor have done wonders in advancing your strength, Naruto Uzumaki. Perhaps now is the time for us to have that match I asked for the last time we met?"

"As tempting as that sounds, and I'm honored you're so ready to punch my face in like that, I don't think you'll get the match you're waiting for from me just yet." Naruto looked down and flexed his hand, "The fight with Vali showed me that even with some of my old power back I still need to get ready for the fights ahead. I know you want a fight, but I think I can give you a better one if you just give me some time."

"It's regrettable we can't have a spar now, but I'm glad to hear that you aren't satisfied with your current level of power and wish to gain more. And I'm excited at the prospect of facing you when you at your peak." Sairaorg extended his hand to the blond, "I look forward to a match I can share with you at our best."

"You know, you remind me of an old friend of mine." Naruto took the offered hand, and noticed that it hurt much less to shake his hand now than it did months ago, "You definitely would have gotten along. Way too energetic and charming for your own good."

"I'll take that as a compliment!" Sairaorg chortled before turning back to Rias, "How about you, Rias? Are you ready for the young Devil meeting? I'm sure you'll have more than enough achievements to boast after all the fights in your town you were able to stop."

"Uh, don't remind me." Rias rubbed her forehead to alleviate the stress, "I can already tell that it's going to be a trial getting through that meeting. I can imagine the only saving grace being while I'm there that Sona will be by my side. And yes I know you'll be there, and you'll probably be the biggest source of problems." Sairaorg laughed nervously but didn't argue her point as they both knew she was right, "You'll probably get someone heated and they'll challenge you to a fight, and you won't be able to turn it down, and everything will just devolve from there." Rias turned to Naruto, "Every year around this time a number of young Devils representing their clans meet up to discuss matters of their houses. This year we're challenging each other in Rating Games."

"Oh, that makes it much more interesting. But sorry big guy," Naruto shrugged apologetically towards Sairaorg who tilted his head curiously, "If it's a Rating Game you're waiting for us to fight in then we might never get the chance. Apparently with me being some crazy unprecedented [Pawn] Rias shouldn't be allowed to have, I'm not usually allowed to participate in those."

The large Bael Devil seemed utterly broken at the idea as his skin slowly turned paler. He clenched his fist and struggled with his emotions before stepping forward and clapping Naruto on the shoulder, "We shall convince them otherwise, Naruto Uzumaki! It's too early to give up hope yet! Soon you will find yourself on the battlefield of a Rating Game and we shall share in a fantastic battle to shake the very ground we stand on! The old Devils may seem set in their ways, but I've convinced them before and I can do it again!"

"Sairaorg, please don't cause more of a fuss than you usually do. I don't want a headache having to deal with your battle maniac tendencies again." Rias seemed exhausted of her cousin's antics and the trouble he might cause.

Sairaorg just laughed before his hand started to glow. He looked down and saw a magic circle appear in his hand, "Oh, I'm being called back. I've probably spent longer than I should have coming here greeting you. My peerage will be upset if I dawdle any longer. I'll see you at the meeting, Rias! And it was a pleasure to see you again as well, Naruto Uzumaki!"

The couple watched the heir to the Bael clan run down the hall and back towards the exit. Rias called out for him to be careful around her home before a small chuckle escaped with her sigh. He smiled, "He seems like a pretty cool guy."

"He can be quite a handful, but I know from experience just how earnest and noble he is. You'd never think he was the heir to the Great King of Devils just from how he acts."

"And he's your cousin." Naruto chuckled, "Still having a hard time wrapping my head around that one."

"Well it's true so get used to it. And you should put off fighting him for a while." Naruto quirked an eyebrow at Rias' cautious tone, "We couldn't beat Sairaorg right now no matter how hard we tried, and even with your Senjutsu, it'd probably be hard won. He is the strongest Devil of our generation by a very wide margin. And if we ever want to beat him, we still have a long way to go to become strong enough to do it. Stop it."

"What?"

"Stop smiling like that. I can tell you want to try fighting him now but I'm saying no."

"I'm not thinking that at all."

[Yes he is.]

Rias crossed her arms, "Thank you Kurama."

[No problem.]

Naruto scowled, "You know you'd think because we've been together for 18 years and we fought together in a war, we'd be inseparable friends and partners. So it kinda hurts that you take her side over mine."

[She's pleasant.]

"Shut up. And stop looking so smug." Rias continued to preen from Kurama's compliment and continued support while the blond man just frowned in response. He scratched the back of his head with a groan, "I'm excited at the idea of fighting him but I'm not gonna jump into a fight just yet. Vali showed me there is a lot I have to be prepared to face in this world. So I gotta get out there and train."

Rias nodded, "Well everyone else has already gone off to do their training so you'll have to look for them if you want to train together."

"Yeah, and I better get started before I lose any more-"

"Hold on a moment Naruto-San."

Naruto and Rias jumped back in fright at the sudden appearance of the redhead's mother, "O-Okaa-sama, what are you doing here?!"

"Well since this man is your lover and future betrothed I decided I wanted to gauge him for myself."

"W-Whoa that might be a little ahead-"

"Naruto-San," Venelana turned to Naruto and his throat went dry under her scrupulous gaze, "There is a standard of what to expect from those that marry into the Gremory household. And as the matriarch of this family, I take that responsibility onto myself." The Brunette Madam Of Extinction stared into his blue eyes, "So I must see how you measure up."

Naruto sweated and gulped, "H-How exactly?"

||||||||Devil||||||||

"And one two three, and one two three, and move with the beat, and keep eye contact at all times."

"When your mom said she was going to test me this wasn't what I expected."

"My mother takes these duties very seriously." Rias lamented regretfully while she and her boyfriend danced across the ballroom while Venelana kept the beat. Naruto had one hand on her waist to pull her in closely while his other grasped Rias', the two of them waltzing over the dance floor after being dragged there by the overbearing mother, "And can you really not keep up? You move like you have two left feet."

"Well sorry I'm not used to dancing like this. In my defense this was a pretty drastic change than what I thought we were coming down here for." They stumbled as Naruto's foot clumsily hit Rias' again and made him hiss in anger, "Can't you just lead!"

"Fine let's do that." Rias started changing positions with Naruto until she was the one with the leading position, "Now follow my lead-"

"Rias." The young Devils froze again as Venelana appeared right beside them without either noticing. She looked at her daughter sternly, "Why don't you go practice with Millicas? He could use a more experienced partner. I'll dance with Naruto-San in your stead."

"O-Okay."

Rias untangled herself and quickly ran off, abandoning her [Pawn] to her mother's mercy. Naruto felt betrayed watching her run away but felt his hands get moved to conform to another body. He looked down and saw Venelana had already taken her place as his dancing partner, "Shall we begin?"

"R-Right, um, so I'm not really-"

"You can look at your feet while we dance if you want." Naruto let out a sigh of relief and did just that as they started dancing again. Their movement was slow and deliberate but much less hazardous now that Naruto could see where his feet were going, "I'm sorry if I've come across as domineering and strict. It's just how I've been able to get the best results as quickly as possible. You must understand this was the best course of action while raising children like Sirzechs and Rias."

"N-No, it's okay ma'am, I understand."

"Thank you." Venelana expressed her gratitude with a softer tone before she looked over across the dance floor. She saw Rias dancing along with Millicas, her hands lowered to make up for their difference in height as the two chuckled at their topic of conversation, "I've never seen her act or smile the way she does when she's with you. It's something different and new compared to the one she shows when she's with us. One filled with new emotion and apprehension and excitement for someone else."

Naruto blinked, "Ma'am?"

"I never got the chance to thank you for assisting her in the Rating Game. That wedding had been disputed and argued for a long time by a lot of Devils only interested in keeping the noble lines pure. You did something that got a lot of people angry, but someone willing to fight and go that far for another's happiness is someone I can trust to keep my daughter happy. Thank you for putting my heart at ease."

Naruto was thankful his head was down to watch his own feet as he blushed from the earnest sincerity in her gratitude, "You're welcome. I just didn't want Rias to be unhappy."

"That's good. And now the two of you are starting something new. So have you consummated your relationship yet?"

Naruto nearly tripped over his own feet if it weren't for Venelana's strong grip on his body keeping him level. Still his face turned bright red as he looked up into Venelana's still gaze, "W-WHAT?!"

"I asked if you had bedded her yet. Or if she has taken the initiative and made the first move?" Venelana so casually asked the question that Naruto had difficulty trying to wrap his mind around it. When he failed to answer Venelana sighed with disappointment, "So you haven't taken the next step in your relationship. And I would have thought Rias was confident enough to take action. Have you two really not done anything together?"

"Not what you're thinking!" He responded a little louder than he wanted to and coughed before trying to focus on something else, "We've kissed, and held hands, and we sleep in the same bed. We haven't done – that – but we've done other…things." The blond struggled to speak and shook his head, "Can we please not talk about this?"

"This is an important discussion. If you two don't want to continue into a more physical relationship then that is something you need to discuss with each other. There's no reason for this to be awkward, it's a very natural thing."

"Actually I think talking about my sex life, with my girlfriend's mother, who looks exactly like her, and is pressed up to me very closely while dancing is more than enough reason to feel awkward about this discussion." He tried to look down at his feet to dance again but choked when he realized just what was a little higher in his sights.

Dammit, did they have to be so big? And why couldn't she be wearing something less showy like a regular grandma?!

Venelana realized that the dancing session had come to a stop and stepped away from the frozen boy, "I suppose that's enough dancing for today. Work on your coordination and being able to keep with the timing and you'll be able to woo anyone on the floor."

The [Pawn's] brain seemed to finally start working again as he nodded and hid his blush, "Okay, so we're done now right? Cool I need to go and start my train-"

"Not so fast." The Gremory mother grabbed Naruto's collar before he could dart off and kept him in place, "We've only had dancing lessons. There's still much to learn if you are going to be a representative of Gremory in the future."

"But I'm not good with this stuff!"

"It's for Rias' benefit." His argument came to a screeching halt as she nodded her head, "That's what I thought."

||||||||Devil||||||||

"And so when the original Maou died fighting The Lord of The Bible, there was a period between their deaths and the formation of the new Maou system where a different power took control and lead the Devils. The leader was from the Bael clan and was the first Great King of Devils. Since then there has been contention between the followers of the Great King and followers of the new Maou. Now who can tell me the name of the first Great King?" Venelana inquired of her two students, "Anyone?"

"Oh!" One little hand shot up and waved for attention.

"Millicas, do you have the answer?"

"Yes! It was Zekram Bael-sama, our ancestor and the very first patriarch of the Bael clan!"

"Correct, Zekram Bael-sama led the Devils for centuries before the new Maous were picked. Of course as with any change in power there are those that sympathize with the Great King's stance and those that follow the new power. Very good Millicas." The young Devil beamed with joy at the praise from his grandmother before she turned her gaze with disappointment to the other member of their classroom, "Did you write that down, Naruto-San?"

The tired blond ran a hand through his ragged hair and nodded, "I-I got it down in Japanese!"

"I told you to write your notes in Devil letters."

"I can't write those yet!"

"You'll never learn if you don't try first."

"This still looks like chicken scratch to me!"

"Don't get testy, Naruto-San, this is a place of learning." Venelana calmly deflected, "Now here is a question for you. What were the formers houses the current four Maou belonged to before taking up their current positions?"

"Um," Naruto scratched his head and pored over his notes, "Gremory! Sirzechs came from Gremory before becoming Lucifer!"

"That is correct. That's also the easiest one for you to answer considering you are part of our household. And the other three?"

"Sitri?" She nodded and Naruto scratched his head, "Um – there's – uh-"

"You can do it, Naruto-San." Millicas eagerly whispered and cheered him on, "I know you can."

"T-The other two are – they – um – they – AHHHHH! I CAN'T DO IT!" Naruto jumped out of his chair gripping his hair, "IT'S JUST TOO MUCH! I'm sorry ma'am but existing is so not worth this torment."

Venelana and Millicas were both startled when Naruto punched himself in the face and popped in a plume of smoke. It disappeared with no whiskered man in sight as Venelana looked around, "Naruto-San? Where has he gone?" Venelana stepped out the door, "Naruto-San!"

Millicas stared at the empty chair in surprise before looking around the room. He looked down at his hand and balled it up into a tiny fist. He knocked himself on the head, "Ow."

That's not fair.

||||||||Devil||||||||

"Uh-oh, looks like the clone took the easy way out."

[She is going to be pissed when she gets her hands on you again.]

"Gonna want to avoid that from now on." He made a mental reminder to never be alone with Rias' mother again or suffer the consequences. The whiskered Devil made his way through the thick forest of the Gremory territory in the same red jumpsuit he had worn after the Rating Game with Raiser. He was glad he brought it along to train in because he wasn't looking forward to tearing up his school uniform anymore after all the fighting. If Rias offered to pay for another pair one more time he was going to drop to his knees in shame. He stretched out his limbs and closed his eyes to enter his mindscape, "So how's it coming in here?"

"Not at all, that's how!" Kurama angrily answered with a scowl as he continued to sit in the void and try and collect his chakra. With each passing second his evil scowl grew deeper and deeper with his failure to summon his power before he roared, "Dammit! Nothing! I still can't mold my chakra! I can't even reach it!"

"You aren't that out of practice, are you?"

"It ain't just that! I can't reach it at all, like I go inside to tap into it but it's disappeared. It's getting pulled somewhere else. I don't know how to describe it but I know I'm not using it." Kurama grumbled and shook his head, his ears flopping around on his head before he sighed, "Sorry Naruto but right now my power and help is pretty much a non-factor."

"I figured as much." Naruto kicked the water around his feet, "If we hadn't made any headway by this point I doubted something was miraculously going to change now. Guess we'll just have to keep going as we are now."

"Yeah but how is that going to change anything? It's still impossible for you to use Sage Mode while moving and still no summoning available. You could try creating more of the Rasengan forms you used when you had my power but's it's gonna be pretty damn difficult with just you and a few clones."

"Actually that gave me an idea," Naruto cupped his chin, "The Rasenshurikens I created with Rias and Akeno and Issei were crazy powerful. It's like when I created them, just adding any power into its form doubled or even tripled the power, and when it was Boosted it rocked the entire town."

"That was a surprise. It took a lot of training and practice for you to integrate shape and element manipulation together like that."

"But what they use is different." Naruto looked at his hands, "Rias said this power that comes with being a Devil is based around our will and imagination. It can become anything and be used however I see fit. So if I want it to mold with the Rasengan, it might just work."

He just had to put it to practice.

Naruto opened his eyes and returned to the real world.

Only to realize he was inches away from a very large, rough face staring directly at him.

"Oh hey, was wondering if you were still in there."

"AH!" Naruto jumped back and raised his fists before vaguely recognizing the strange man watching him, "Wait, don't I know you?"

"Not really. We only met once in passing but it's nice to know you recognize this mug." The man stood up and it was only then that Naruto noticed he was bent down to be on his eye level. The huge man with spiky orange hair nodded to the blond, "I'm Surtr Second. Nice to properly introduce myself to Hime's little boyfriend."

"Hime?"

"Hey guys, he's over here!" Some footsteps echoed out from the forest as figures came to stand by Surtr's side, "He was standing like a dead statue and everything and I got worried. But it's all cool now."

"Second, please tell me you didn't scare him stiff or anything."

"Nah, he was out before I even came up to him. He came back and screamed when he saw me though."

"Well that's expected considering how scary you look."

"I didn't scream!" Naruto interjected in the group's discussion before looking between the four of them. A massive man towering above the others, a raggedy man with mixed hair, and two youthful men wearing a coat and the other a hakama, "Wait, I know you guys. Weren't you in Sirzechs study after the Rating Game?"

"Good memory." The hakama-wearing man politely nodded, "I would think after your heated match in the Rating Game and with the discussion you had with Sirzechs-sama immediately after, you would not remember us."

"Hey that means we left an impression!" The man in the collared jacket emanated with joy as he looked between his friends, "That means he must like us, right?"

"I think we're the ones who left an impression. You probably just faded into the background or molded with the wall."

"You tend to do that."

"W-What?! No way! I was there and I didn't mold into anything!" The young man seemed to panic from his friends' disinterested stares before he ran up and grabbed Naruto's shoulders desperately, "Kid, you remember me right?! I exist, right?! I was there with the others after the game, remember?!"

"Were you?"

Naruto sudden honest response caused the man to gasp and shuffle back in horror. He watched the man drop to his knees depressed before shaking his head, "Okay, not gonna bother with the befuddlement. Who the fuck are you guys?"

"There you are, Naruto-kun!" Flying down from over the trees a familiar redhead dropped to the ground and stepped up to their side, "I just got a notice from my mother about your disappearance. She is not happy with you."

"Sirzechs?" Naruto saw another unfamiliar man drop down behind the Maou but focused on the only person he knew, "Do you know all these people?"

"Of course I do. They're members of my peerage." Sirzechs stepped around the blond [Pawn], lifting his depressed servant back up to his feet and placing him along with his other followers, "I'd like you to meet by [Knight], Souji Okita."

The pleasant hakama-wearing man bowed his head, "A pleasure to meet you, young man."

"My [Bishop], MacGregor Mathers."

"I remember your match with the Phenex boy quite well," The mixed-haired man grinned and sent a chill down Naruto's back, "I'm still waiting for my chance to examine you myself."

"The big fella in the back is one of my [Rooks], Surtr Second."

"Boss Sirzechs has been talking you up a lot kid! Hime must be in good hands if he trusts you with her."

"And the one in the middle of his existential crisis is my [Pawn], Beowulf."

"I exist. I truly exist. But it is simply a state of being. I think therefore I am, but what do I think I am?"

"This is your peerage?" The men greeted Naruto once again as Sirzechs nodded his confirmation. The blond stood silent before turning around to the last new person in the clearing, "Then who is this man?l

The man silently staring at him was someone he did not recognize in any capacity. He was a tall man who looked as young as Sirzechs and had striking eyes that grabbed Naruto's attention. His green hair was pulled back over his head and he continued to stand there in silence despite the attention he had drawn. Sirzechs stepped forward and motioned the strange man forward before he actually complied.

"Naruto-kun, I want you to meet an old and close friend of mine, Ajuka Beelzebub. He's a fellow Maou like me." Sirzechs patted Ajuka on the shoulder, "Ajuka, this is the boy I was telling you about."

The green-haired man offered his hand and Naruto raised his to shake. But Ajuka's hand jerked forward and grabbed Naruto's wrist and pulled him in. The blond yelled before he felt a hand press into his chest and push his sternum, "Hmm, I feel the [Evil Piece] inside of him. You were right Sirzechs this is quite peculiar."

"Um-"

"Rias used the [Evil Piece] I got from you to bring him back. She had used her original 8 [Pawns] to resurrect the Sekiryuutei, Issei Hyoudou-kun. Yet she was still able to use a foreign piece to bring him back to life. So Ajuka, what was that [Pawn] you gave me."

Ajuka finally pulled his hand off Naruto's chest and looked the younger man in the eye, "Something I never believed would actually work."

"What?"

"When I created the Evil Piece System, it wasn't perfect. I had to create many prototypes and models before finally perfecting the pieces we use today. The [Piece] I created just prior to the final model were prototypes I could not accurately rein in. Each [Evil Piece] now is capable of accurately gauging one's potential to decide how strong they currently are. If an individual is extremely powerful, they may require multiple [Pieces], and if they grow stronger then those [Pieces] can grow into [Mutated Pieces]." Ajuka explained, "I needed to do this because when I tried to gauge the power of my prototypes, nothing was compatible. Not a single person or creature I tested it on could accept the power of that thing. I deemed it a dud and moved on to the next model. With it I created new features like Promotion and real-time location for their respective [King]." Ajuka pointed at Naruto's chest, "I found that [Evil Piece] prototype in my work station while I was clearing out. I was going to throw it away but Sirzechs was visiting that day and so I just dumped it on him."

"After that I was clearing out my desk and gave it to Rias in turn. And then she used it on you to bring you back to life."

"Not...exactly the glamorous tale I was expecting for this thing."

"That [Evil Piece] was something I couldn't use despite being its creator." Ajuka looked Naruto in the eyes, "You are the first and possibly only being that [Evil Piece] could bond to. I don't usually like to look back over my own work, but I'll need to rethink that to see how you proceed from here on out. What you have inside of you is not just an [Illegal Piece]...it's an [Impossible Piece]."

"My [Impossible Evil Piece]?" Naruto held a hand to his chest before a small smug smile grew, "I guess I'll just have to live with that knowledge that I have something no one else could handle inside me. Hehehe."

"Well you certainly seem amused, Naruto-kun." Sirzechs chuckled, "Did you come out here to train?"

"Yeah, I thought I could get away and work on some things that needed my attention."

"Well I'm glad to hear you want to grow so much. If you're interested we may be willing to help."

"Seriously? That'd be great! Thank...you..." Naruto looked around at the strange interested looks he was getting from Sirzechs, his peerage and Ajuka, "Wait - uh - did you say we?"

"Of course. We're gifted with the chance to train with the boy carrying an [Impossible Piece]," Sirzechs smiled sweetly, "You can understand why we might all be excited at the chance to train with you. Quick question; have you seen a movie back in the other world called Whiplash?"

"N-No."

"Well then this is going to be fun."

Uh-oh.

[Quick, two choices; these psychos or the mother?]

Now this was a rock or a hard place scenario if he'd ever been in one.

||||||||Omake: Culture Shock - Folklore||||||||

"So why did we get out all these folk books?"

"Buchou and Naruto-San suddenly started searching through every book that they could. Apparently some of our old myths and legends correspond with Naruto-San's original world."

"That's...way too crazy to just be a coincidence."

"So, this Sasuke Sarutobi ninja that appears in the stories! You've met him?!"

"No, I knew a guy named Sasuke, and several people named Sarutobi, but no one with that name." Asia deflated with disappointment, "Although that name sounds familiar but I can't put my finger on it."

"And the creature residing in you," Xenovia held up her book next, "Really resemble these foxes from this country's lore?"

[Other nine-tailed foxes? Now that would be an interesting experience. I never met a fox like me back in our world.]

"Well there are plenty of them here, Kurama-San. Maybe you'll be fortunate and meet one someday."

"An entire world filled with Japanese stories and mythological figures with actual, physical forms. Ninjas and samurais and kunai and shuriken, geee!" Rias whispered, her eyes sparkling and enchanted by the world that embodied everything she loved about Japanese culture. She pressed into Naruto's side and nudged him repeatedly, "One of these days we're going to sit down and you are going to tell me every last detail you remember of your world! Okay?! Do you promise?! You promise, right?! You have to keep your promises to me, okay?!"

"Rias calm down!" The blond tried to pacify the shaking redhead, putting down his book to grab her shoulders as her eyes swam in her head and she tried to catch her breath, "You're gonna pass out from hyperventilating!"

Rias eagerness started to subside and her odd behavior started to disappear. When it did the Devil looked around at the odd looks she was getting from her peerage at her sudden change in demeanor. She coughed into her hand and tried to hide the faint pink heat that dusted her cheeks, "S-Sorry, that was unprofessional of me."

"Koneko told me you like Japanese stuff but you really lose your shit when you get the chance."

"N-No I don't!"

"Buchou-San, might this be that otaku behavior I heard so much about?"

"Rias-Buchou is an otaku? That's interesting."

"I-I'm not!" She denied but failed to convince anyone of her stance. She looked to the blond at her side to see if he of all people would believe that she was merely just interested and not obsessed, but noticed his attention was already snatched up by something else. She looked down at the storybook in his lap, "What are you reading?"

"Some old folklore." Naruto spoke with disinterest, but the subtle smile on his face as his eyes roamed over the pages was unmistakably fond of what he read, "Kind of a silly story."

"Are you kidding, Senpai, I loved reading that story as a kid!" Issei grinned, "I always loved the story of a hero saving the princess from the evil villain and saving the day! Plus a frog wins against a snake! How awesome is that!"

Akeno laughed and started explaining the story in greater detail to the confused Asia and Xenovia. Naruto just closed the book shut and looked down at the ridiculous title once again.

The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya.

"Pfft," Naruto scoffed with a smile, "Stupid braggart."

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Done

And now we have arrived in the Underworld. Naruto gets to experience more of the Gremory family weirdness as well as their excitable cousin that never leaves him alone. Also when your boyfriend is attracted to you, never let him near your mother who is insanely youthful and looks like a carbon copy of you but with a more mature demeanor. Of course she's also very strict and demanding but hey, some people are into that. And in the hopes of escaping her grasp, Naruto finds himself in the hands of a group of new monsters and psychopaths. Looks like we'll have fun this arc.

It's time to address the mammoth in the room. So I think it's fair to say that the last chapter was divisive, to say the least. I voiced an opinion about my characters and story that some of you didn't agree with and that's fine. I was prepared for that to happen but did it anyway because I thought I should say something, and I accept that there's a lot for me to do from this point forward. I will continue on with this story like I want but I plan for things to change in the future that I hope will align with what some of you are asking for. That's how it's always been proceeding but it will take just a little more time.

But please don't argue in the reviews. I'm getting notifications on my phone that some people are trying to state one opinion before immediately being notified that someone else is arguing or putting them down. Please people, be excellent to each other. There should be only one person as the source of your scorn in that section, and it is me.

Just kidding. Let's all come together and simply celebrate this glorious and fun series and its returning fourth season in April. Cao Cao and the Hero faction are finally getting animated! And we'll finally get to see Issei and Sairaorg beat the living piss and shit out of each other! That's reason enough to come together and cheer.

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