A/N - Okey dokey, I really wanted to work on a new chapter for this story, so here it is! lol

Anywho, there is a lemon right at the beginning of this chapter. It wasn't planned, but it just kind of ended up that way. You can skip it if you want. Up to you.

This chapter is mostly filler, but there's a reason for that. You'll see as you read along.

Not much else to say, so I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 20 – How the World Changed

Naruto let out an aggravated sigh as he peered off into the horizon. For the past week, they had been sailing aboard the Queen Fury in search of the kingdom of Mille Seseau. They had originally heard that the kingdom had merged with either the Land of Lightning or the Land of Demons, but so far, they hadn't been able to find either location. The only comfort they currently had was that, if they were having such a hard time finding Mille Seseau, then Lloyd was probably just as confused.

After some time, he felt a pair of arms encircling him from behind. Lowering his scope, he smiled and said, "Hi, Rose-chan. How are you feeling?"

Rose smiled as she kissed his neck and then his whiskered cheek. "Better than I have been. I'm happier than I've ever been. The morning sickness sucks, but the fact that I'll be giving birth to our children in a matter of months makes me so very happy. Naruto…when we get to Mille Seseau's capital…will you please marry me? I want to be together with you for the rest of our lives."

Naruto turned and hugged his beloved close. "Rose-chan, of course I'll marry you. I always want to be together. I need you in my life, now and forever."

Lemon Begins! (Skip if you aren't interested)

Smiling radiantly at this point, she kissed her love, trying to pour all of her love into this one, single kiss. When they parted, she glanced around for a moment, as if she was looking for something. When she was seemingly satisfied, she got on her knees and tugged her fiancé's pants down around his ankles. Gently grasping her lover's cock, she gave it a few pumps before tentatively licking the tip. When he quivered under her touch, she grinned before enveloping his hardened member with her mouth.

As his lady love gave him quite the pleasurable blowjob, Naruto ran his fingers through her long, raven tresses. "Ohhh, that feels gooood. Rose-chan, I love you so much. I want you so bad."

Rose paused for a moment to look up into her lover's eyes. Without a word, she continued to bob her head back and forth along his length, letting her tongue trail along back and forth. When he gripped her hair and began thrusting into her mouth, she smirked inwardly and continued to lick and suck on the head of his penis. When he finally came inside her mouth a few minutes later, she licked it all up and swallowed every last drop.

Rose released Naruto's cock, allowing it to stand at attention in front of her face. With a saucy grin on her face, she removed her armor and slid her panties down around her ankles. Bending over and resting her hand against the mast. "I want it now, Naruto. I don't care if someone finds out. So take me!"

Naruto grinned as he kicked off his pants from around his ankles. Stepping up to his sexy fiancé, he began to teasingly rub the tip of his cock against her soaked nether lips. When she turned to yell at him, he buried his cock inside of her and grinned as she let out a long, drawn-out moan. Reaching forward, he took her breasts into his hands and began to fondle them gently. "I love you, my darling Rose-chan. I'm going to make sure you crave my dick from now on. You're not going to go a day without thinking about my cock. Now, take it and scream for me."

Rose grinned to herself and began to gyrate her hips, doing her best to match her lover's thrusts. The faster he went, the happier she was. Eventually, her knees became weak and she struggled to keep herself upright. "Ooooh yeeeesss! Fuck me, Naruto! Don't stop! More, more more more!"

After pounding into her hard for a few more minutes, he grinned as she began to cum, screaming out her release. Shortly after her pussy began to pulsate around his cock, he released spurt after spurt of semen inside of her. He couldn't help but smirk as she rode out her prolonged release. "Ohhhh yes. That's exactly what I needed."

Naruto smirked and said, "I agree. I hope you know we aren't done yet, though."

Before they could continue screwing each other's brains out, Hikari finished climbing up the ladder and stared at them in disbelief. "You two have successfully garnered the attention of everyone onboard. It's great to know that Naruto is such a good lover, but aren't you a little embarrassed?"

Rose simply smirked at Hikari before letting out a long moan as her fiancé began to fuck her again. "Oh God, this is soooo good. Rather than complain about the noise we're making, why not 'go for a ride' yourself? You won't regret it."

Hikari blushed prettily as she watched her boyfriend have sex in front of her. After a moment, she said, "T-That sounds nice. N-Naruto? Me next. Okay?"

Naruto winked at her and said, "If that's what you want, my ninja queen, then I'm all for it. I hope you're ready for the time of your life, because you're not going to be able to walk after we're done."

The redheaded kunoichi grinned at her boyfriend and said, "I'm looking forward to it, my love. I do believe I've waited for you quite long enough. Wouldn't you agree?"

Naruto grunted a couple of times as he slammed his hips against Rose's wonderful behind. A short while later, he came inside of her yet again. Slowly pulling out, he helped Rose to sit down. Gently stroking her hair, he said, "Love you, sweetheart. Get some rest for now."

Rose smiled happily and said, "Love you, Naruto. You…you have fun. I just need to catch my breath."

Kissing Rose on the forehead, he turned to Hikari and smirked. "Oh, Hikari-chan. You can say no if you're not ready for this. Buuut, if you're ready for it, then I'll make you feel truly special. I'll make you feel beautiful. I'll show you just how amazing I think you are. So, are you ready?"

Hikari was a blushing mess at this point. When Naruto placed his hand upon her cheek, she leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. "I love you, Naruto. I'm ready." Kissing her boyfriend lovingly on the lips, she slowly disrobed until she was standing naked before him.

Looking over his girlfriend's body, he smirked and began to gently massage her large breasts. When she began to moan, he grinned and leaned in close, placing little kisses and giving her hickeys along her neck and collarbone. After a moment longer of this, he suddenly lifted her up and pinned her against the mast. Slowly, ever so slowly, he started to insert his cock into her dripping pussy. Once he was fully sheathed inside of her, he let out a pleased moan and said, "Mmm, you're so tight. Hikari-chan, don't you ever leave me, okay? I'll always love you. I'll always cherish you. And I want you to bear my children."

Hikari went to reply, only to suddenly let out a long, drawn-out moan when he began to slide his cock back and forth inside of her. Throwing her arms around her beloved's neck, she began trying to match his pace, moaning the entire time. "Ohhh! It feels so good! This is soooo much better than I thought it would be. Mmmm." Kissing her boyfriend passionately on the lips, she soon rested her forehead against his and said, "I'll never leave you. And I'll be more than happy to carry your children. I'm all yours, Naruto. Forever and ever. Ohhh yes. Just like that. Mmmmm!"

Naruto nipped at her ear teasingly before whispering, "Maybe I should just marry all of you wonderful ladies while we're in Mille Seseau, hm? We belong together, after all. I want to be happy with all of you for as long as you'll all have me. Now, scream for me."

Hikari began whimpering the closer she got to release. When she finally couldn't hold it anymore, she screamed in pure ecstasy as her beloved sprayed her womb white with his cum. Flopping against him after losing all the strength in her body, she began to whimper as Naruto continued to fuck her. "So…so good. Don't stop. Yessss. Oh, Naruto. I love you. I love you so much. I never want to give up this feeling. Ohhhh yes. Just like that."

Gripping Hikari's ass tightly in his hands, Naruto continued to thrust up into his red-haired lover, loving the sound of her moans of delight. When she began to cum again, he continued pounding up into her to prolong her feeling. Then, with one final, powerful thrust, he began to release more and more semen inside of her waiting snatch.

Once they came down from their highs, Naruto laid Hikari down next to Rose. Getting dressed, he panted a bit from exhaustion before smiling down at his lovers. "You two are amazing. I love you both so much."

"We love you, too, Naruto." Rose said. "I don't think I'll be able to move for a while. I think I'm just going to lie here for the time being. You keep a look out for our destination, Naruto."

Naruto smiled at his lovers and bent down, kissing them both upon their foreheads. Afterwards, he stepped over them and redressed himself. Afterwards, he took up the scope again and began looking around for any sign of Mille Seseau. At first, there was just more of the same: water, water, and even more water. It felt like they were out in the middle of nowhere for crying out loud!

Lemon Ends! (Safe to read again)

After a while of nothing, Naruto cursed under his breath and was just about to lower the scope when something suddenly caught his attention. Pointing the scope in that direction, he smiled wide and shouted down at the sailor below him. "Inform the Commodore that Mille Seseau has been spotted! We need to turn the ship to port by about 65 degrees! Hurry!"

The sailor down below shouted, "Roger that!" before hurrying down the ladder to the bridge. Once he was gone, Naruto helped Rose and Hikari up and even helped them get dressed once again. Once they were, he turned to face the rather large landmass that they were growing ever closer to. As they got close, Naruto blinked a couple of times before saying, "Umm, this is NOT what I was expecting."

Hikari frowned slightly as she looked at her lover. "What is it, Naruto? What's the problem?"

Naruto continued to stare straight ahead at the land ahead of them. "The Land of Lightning was connected to the mainland. And the Land of Demons was far off to the east, farther than the Land of Water. And, if I'm not mistaken, that's the Land of Snow right in the middle. I might just be imagining things, but I think all three of those lands broke off and somehow merged together into one large continent all their own. I'm not even sure if they can be called their own, separate lands anymore. Especially if the kingdom of Mille Seseau has merged with all three lands."

Rose frowned as she looked out at the horizon. "If the Land of Lightning is involved, what are the odds that Kumogakure will try to get involved in things? Will they act against us for 'invading their land'?"

Naruto shook his head and said, "I can't guarantee how they'll act either way. With Mei-chan with us, she can ask to speak with the Raikage and try to work things out diplomatically as the Fifth Mizukage. However, if Lloyd gets to him first…"

Hikari frowned and asked, "Would he really try the same thing again after the failed partnership with Yagura?"

Naruto nodded. "If he plans to stall us so he can enact his grand plan, whatever that may be, then getting the Raikage involved and on his side would be a pretty smart idea. And considering that the Raikage is likely confused about what the hell has happened, he'll likely act somewhat irrationally. Lloyd may not form a partnership with him, so to speak, but he would definitely convince the Raikage to deal with us. This is NOT going to be easy."

Rose frowned deeply and said, "Damn." Sighing softly, she shook her head and said, "We should make landfall there. That's a town called Furni, and it's the best place to begin our search for Lloyd."

Naruto nodded and kissed his girlfriends on their cheeks. Afterwards, he began climbing down the ladder into the bridge. Once there, he looked at Commodore Puler and said, "Let's make port at Furni. We'll depart there and make our way towards the heart of Mille Seseau from there."

Puler turned to look at Naruto. Seeing the serious look on his face, the Commodore turned to his men and said, "You heard the man! Get ready to make landfall!"

"Yes, sir!" the sailors shouted in response. Afterwards, Naruto stepped up beside Dark and Puler and watched as the Queen Fury pulled into port. Once it had docked, Naruto looked at Dart and said, "Let's gather everyone and exit the ship. We've got a long journey ahead of us. And I have something important to relay to everyone once we touch down on dry land again."

Dart frowned for a moment, but didn't question his friend. Instead, he turned and hurried off to gather everyone. Left with the Commodore, Naruto smiled at the man before walking to the ladder. Looking up above, he watched as Rose and Hikari descended the ladder, heading in his direction. Once they touched down, he smiled at them and motioned for them to follow him. As they walked along, Rose and Hikari couldn't help but smile brightly as they clung to Naruto's arms. Naruto wasn't complaining at all, as he quite liked the positive attention he got from them.

Slowly, but surely, Naruto and Dart managed to gather everyone together and exit the ship onto dry land. Before anyone could say anything or move to explore the village of Furni, Naruto stepped to the front and turned to face his allies and friends. "Alright, before we discuss anything else or get off topic, I need to explain our current situation. We are in a great amount of danger just by coming here. From what I saw in the crow's nest, it appears as if three lands have come together as one. The Land of Lightning, the Land of Snow, and the Land of Demons."

"We have touched down in the southern part of what I assume to be the Land of Demons. However, it looks as if Mille Seseau has expanded to cover the entirety of all three lands. I'm not sure if we can even call them separate lands at this point." Releasing a soft sigh, he turned and surveyed their surroundings. "If I'm correct, and I most likely am, then Lloyd has met with the Raikage and is planning to use him, just as he used Yagura. The Raikage is likely confused about what the hell's going on, and he would be in a state where he would buy into Lloyd's honeyed words, especially if he manages to convince the Raikage that I'm the one responsible for our worlds merging to become one."

Turning back to his friends, Naruto said, "Mei-chan, I am sincerely hoping that you can settle things with the Raikage diplomatically so we don't have to worry about his interference in our mission. However, that would require us actually finding Kumogakure to begin with. We don't know its exact location, so we're at a disadvantage. So, while we're here, treat every Kumo shinobi you see as an enemy until proven otherwise. Don't act unless they act first. If you are threatened, fight back with everything you have."

Frowning at this point, Naruto said, "With the Land of Lightning issues discussed, let's move on to the Land of Snow. From what I understand, things in the Land of Snow are quite advanced. They have technology that the rest of the world just doesn't. I have also heard that a tyrant is in charge of the Land of Snow at the moment. Knowing our luck, we'll have to contend with Doto Kazahana and the Yukigakure shinobi as well."

"Then we have the Land of Demons. I've only heard rumors, but I think a powerful demon is sealed away somewhere in that land. A line of priestesses has continued for many years now with knowledge of how to seal the demon being passed down from mother to daughter. I don't know how much truth there is to these rumors, but if they are true…something could happen. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Lloyd tries to awaken the demon, if only to distract us."

"With all three of these forces working in conjunction with one another, even if the three lands haven't agreed to cooperate, the people of Mille Seseau are in more danger than ever. And, with Lloyd in the mix, things are going to get real bad very quickly. However, if we try to rush things, we'll only encounter more problems. Let's continue on as we have been, speaking with the locals and learning what we can from the people. It is my hope that the three lands will not interfere in our mission, but we likely won't be that lucky. So I hope you're all ready, because we're in for a rough ride." Naruto finished.

Shana frowned slightly and began to look slightly nervous. "Are you sure we're ready for this? What about the people of Mille Seseau? They're in grave danger!"

Dart had a deep frown on his face as he said, "Naruto is right. We may be a small group, but we can still make a difference. Our first priority should be to warn the queen and the sacred sisters. We can figure out the next step from there."

Mei frowned as well and shook her head. "The Raikage is a hothead, from what I understand. The likelihood that he'd listen to me is pretty much slim to none. If anything, he'll take my presence here to be an act of aggression against him. I think our best bet is to just leave the Raikage and Kumogakure as a whole alone. If they go on the attack or try to capture us, then we'll take the fight to them. I would prefer not having to wipe Kumogakure off the map, but, if push comes to shove, we likely won't be given much of a choice. I don't know about you, but I don't plan to lose that fight."

Naruto nodded in agreement and understanding with her. Taking a moment to think on it, he said, "I may need to talk with the Kyuubi. He may not like me very much, but if I can convince him to work together with me, then the two of us can work together to unleash our power on Kumogakure should we come to blows. So, after we reach the capital…I'll need to find somewhere to be alone. I plan to use all the tools available to me to keep us all safe. I just hope this works…"

Hinata frowned and shook her head. "Isn't that too dangerous, Naruto-kun? I don't want to lose you to that beast. What…what if something terrible happens?"

The spiky-haired teen smiled at his girlfriend and said, "It might be incredibly dangerous, but I think it's high time I speak with him. I will not give up and I won't run away. If I have to…I'll fight and defeat even the Kyuubi to ensure everyone stays safe."

Hinata glomped onto him and held him tight. "Please, just be safe. I couldn't bear it if we lost you. I wish we could do something to help you."

Wrapping his arms around his girlfriend, Naruto said, "Just believe in me. I'll be just fine. That's a promise."

Hinata giggled a bit and said, "And you never break a promise, right?"

"Damn right." He said with a chuckle.

Dart walked up to Naruto and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "We're all here for you, Naruto. Don't you dare think this is your burden alone. I trust you, and I know the rest of us do as well. Do what you have to do, Naruto. And come back to us no matter what it takes."

Bumping fists with Dart, Naruto grinned at him and said, "Nothing to worry about. It won't be easy, but I will succeed. Now, what do you guys say to exploring Furni a bit, hm?"

Shana smiled at him and said, "That sounds lovely. I wonder how the people here are faring with all the changes to their homeland."

"We'll find out soon enough, I'm sure." Rose said as she walked up to Naruto. Looking hard into his eyes, she said, "I'm counting on you, Naruto. Our children will need their father. Fight for your family and you will never lose to something like the Kyuubi."

Smiling at his fiancé, Naruto kissed her sweetly on the lips. "I love you, Rose. Nothing can stop me from being there for our children."

"Good. Now, let's be on our way." Rose said. Glancing around a bit, she soon frowned and said, "There is the smell of blood around this place. But…" Shrugging her shoulders, she said, "It's not all that bad."

Meru grinned and exclaimed, "It's been way too long since I was last here!"

Haschel quirked a brow and asked her, "You've been here before?"

Meru chanced a quick glance at her boyfriend and saw him smiling supportively at her. When he mouthed that they would talk later, the platinum-haired dancer looked back at Haschel and said, "Y-Yeah. Well, I'm very popular, and, um…"

Haschel smirked at her and said, "It's okay. You don't have to tell us anything just yet. Everyone is entitled to their secrets."

Meru breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you."

Haschel simply nodded in response. Afterwards, they turned to Kongol when the giant of a man said, "Kongol crossed sea first time. Enjoyable."

Naruto grinned at his friend and bumped fists with him. "Just stick with us and you're bound to experience a ton of interesting things, Kongol."

The Giganto smiled at his friend, but didn't say anything more in response. Instead they looked at Albert when he said, "Furni the Water City. As you already know, this port is pretty much the front door to Mille Seseau. Anyway, I can't help but wonder why Lloyd revealed his destination to us? What motive could he possibly have to do such a thing?"

The others frowned in thought at his question. After a moment, Dart said, "I still don't know. Whatever it is he wants, this will be the end of it. We stop him here."

Shana nodded and said, "I agree. For the sake of the victims so far, we will put a stop to him. It's not only that, though. In order to prevent there being new victims, we have to stop Lloyd. We're the only ones that can."

Mei shook her head and said, "Maybe. Maybe not. If Lloyd underestimates the Raikage and Kumo's two jinchuriki, he could very well die before we ever reach him. The Raikage has incredible speed and power. And Kumo's jinchuriki have been rumored to be perfect jinchuriki, able to utilize the full power of their bijuu. Naruto-kun may have defeated Yagura, but these two are on a whole other level. I just hope they'll listen to reason."

Hinata nodded in agreement and said, "Even as Dragoons, it won't be an easy fight if we run into them as enemies. If that happens, it might be in our best interest to run away and hope they don't give chase. At least until Naruto-kun is ready for them."

Rose frowned deeply and shook her head. "I don't like the idea of leaving it all up to Naruto. Some of us can call forth our dragons to fight for us. They are not easily beaten, so it should help Naruto combat them."

Mei smirked and said, "I'll help however I can. I may not be a jinchuriki, but I'm more than powerful enough to stand my own against the likes of the Raikage and his entourage."

"Glad to hear it. Now, let's get going." Dart said as he began to lead the group into the city proper.

Following along the path to the left, they soon entered a shop of some sort. Climbing down the nearby ladder, Dart struck up a conversation with the shopkeeper. Looking into Dart's eyes, the man said, "Because of the incident, the sales of items has increased a lot. I don't know if I should be happy or sad."

Dart and the others frowned at the mention of an 'incident'. They weren't quite sure just what the man was talking about. However, when he didn't seem interested in continuing or answering their questions about said incident, they left the shop, deciding to return later to browse his wares.

Once back outside, they saw a few people wandering around where there weren't any before. Approaching the first person, they listened as he said, "If you visit this country, the Royal Capital Deningrad and Crystal Palace are must sees! After all, Deningrad is the royal capital of this country, and the Crystal Palace is its castle."

Naruto nodded and said, "Then that's our next destination. We need to speak with the sacred sisters and the queen. Thank you, sir."

The man looked a bit confused, but didn't say anything more. So the party spoke to the second person, listening as he said, "This village is built in a bay. Boats are important because they're the only way to get around. In this village, you cannot get by without having a boat."

Naruto frowned for a time before saying, "Well, that's a bit inconvenient. Still, we'll take some boats and do what we need to do. If need be, Hinata-chan, Mei-chan, and I can simply walk on the water so we don't take up space in the boats."

Hinata nodded in agreement. "That might actually be for the best."

Approaching the sailor inspecting the cargo from the Queen Fury, they listened as he said, "Something is going on in the back of the village. I wonder what is going on."

Albert frowned slightly and said, "It might have something to do with the incident we heard about. If we get the chance, we should probably investigate."

"Agreed." Dart said. Afterwards, they climbed the nearby stairs and listened as the person just off to the side welcomed them.

"Welcome to Furni! This place is warm because of the warm currents. But if you go inland, it suddenly becomes cold. It tends to snow often inland. Be sure to dress warmly." The man said. "Unfortunately, due to the strange occurrence that caused our worlds to merge into one, the weather has become somewhat chaotic as of late. The world as we know it has changed drastically. I wonder what is going on."

"So it's about what I expected, then." Naruto said. "We're really going to need to be careful. I suggest we purchase some winter coats somewhere so we won't freeze to death out there."

"Agreed." Dart said. "Some of us aren't exactly dressed for such awful weather."

Rose quirked a brow and asked, "You're talking about me, aren't you?"

Dart chuckled somewhat nervously, but didn't reply. He didn't want to lose his tongue or something, after all. So instead, they entered the nearby house to investigate things a bit. Almost immediately upon entering, they found a piece of stardust resting beside a fishing pole. After collecting it, they proceeded to climb the stairs at the end of the hallway. Talking with the woman up there didn't really help them any, so they walked up to the nearby man and listened as he said, "Oh dear. I shouldn't have read the tale about fairies in the Evergreen Forest. My son says he wants to meet fairies in the Evergreen Forest. That's the problem of being too peppy."

Naruto frowned slightly as he looked at Meru. Seeing how nervous she looked, he came to the realization that the 'fairies' mentioned was most likely a number of Winglies. He didn't know how many there were or what they were doing hiding in the forest, but he figured he would find out later. Especially if he stuck with Meru.

Delving into the basement level, they tried talking with the energetic kid down there, but he just made mention of the fairies and his storybook. So, deciding not to dwell on it, they exited the house and proceeded northwards along the path.

After proceeding down the path a little ways, they saw a rather large group of mercenaries in front of them, blocking the way through. Naruto frowned and said, "They're out for blood. They're way too eager about whatever it is they're here for. I really don't like this."

Rose nodded in agreement and said, "They're dangerous. They are no match for us, but it might be best to just avoid them. We have enough to worry about as it is."

At this point, a man came out of the house up ahead. This man was called Resident Knight Harris. "This seems to be all of us! Now, I'll explain the strategy! We have to overcome the white wolf called Kamuy that lives in the Evergreen Forest between this village and Deningrad! Well, what used to be the direction of Deningrad, anyways. Ever since the worlds merged, locations have been shifted around and nothing is the same. From what I understand, the village past the Evergreen Forest is home to a priestess of some kind." Shaking his head, the knight decided to get back on track. "Anyways, none of that is important at the moment. What is important is dealing with Kamuy!"

One of the mercenaries scowled at the man and exclaimed, "Did you seriously call us here just for that!? What a waste of our time."

Harris frowned at the mercenaries for a time before saying, "No. It is not only that. A boy from the village, Teo, disappeared in the Evergreen Forest! The strategy is simple! All of us will beat the bushes all over the Evergreen Forest!" Looking around at all the mercenaries, Harris exclaimed, "I promise a five times larger prize for the one who defeats Kamuy! I promise the same for the one who saves Teo!"

At this piece of news, the mercenaries began to declare their excitement over the prospect of raking in such a large sum of money. Rose scowled at this point and said, "This man has no idea what he has just unleashed. We need to learn the truth and deal with this ourselves. I don't trust the lot of them to adhere to any code of honor."

Naruto clenched his fists angrily and said, "They're all so bloodthirsty. This man has just ensured that Teo will be in just as much danger as that white wolf. This isn't good."

At this point, a man wielding a rather large axe approached them and asked, "Who the hell are you? I've never seen you lot before." Looking them over with an appraising eye, he smirked at them and said, "You look like you have a chance, but I'm getting the prize. Don't get in my way!"

Dart and the others simply stared into the man's eyes without saying a word. As a result of this, the man, whose name was Bulgus, chuckled and asked, "Are you scared out of your wits and cannot talk!?"

Before any of them could reply, Harris exclaimed, "Cut it out! We have to cooperate or we cannot overcome Kamuy!"

Bulgus scoffed in response to Harris' words. "I need no help to kill something like that." he muttered under his breath.

Naruto scowled at the man, but didn't say a word. So instead, he looked at Harris and listened as he continued to speak. "I'll let you know when we will start! Until then, you have some free time! You are dismissed!" And with that, he turned and entered the building he had come out of.

As the group of mercenaries dispersed, Hinata looked around at her friends and said, "We need to learn the truth. Let's ask around and see what we can learn about Kamuy and Teo. I hope Teo will be okay…"

Dart shook his head and said, "Thanks to that knight, Teo is in more danger than ever. Those mercenaries are as bloodthirsty as they come. They care not for the boy, only for the thrill of the kill. We'll learn the truth and deal with the situation appropriately. If any of those mercs get in our way, we strike them down without mercy."

Everyone agreed with him. Afterwards, they proceeded to enter the building off to the side first, rather than enter the building the knight had entered. Speaking with the first person they saw, they listened as he said, "It was three years ago that Teo brought back an injured wolf cub. That wolf is the Kamuy we are talking about. Now, we cannot imagine it, but although Kamuy is a wolf, it was very affectionate to people."

Hinata frowned and said, "It sounds like Kamuy grew rather fond of Teo. A kind creature like that suddenly turning violent and running off with Teo seems really unlikely. I think something probably happened, but I can't imagine what."

The man nodded and said, "There's no telling what the truth is. If Teo were here, we could talk with him and learn the full truth. Alas, he has been spirited away to the Evergreen Forest and we do not even know if he still lives."

Hikari shook her head and said, "Don't give up hope yet. Teo could still be alive and in good health."

"I hope you are right, lass. I hope you are right." And with the conversation now over, they proceeded up the stairs nearby to speak with a woman at the top.

"I wanted to go to the National Library in Deningrad." Sighing softly, she turned to face the adventurers and asked, "You are warriors too, right? Please do something about that wolf!"

Frowning at the woman, Naruto turned and walked back down the stairs so he wouldn't snap at her. Still, hearing about the National Library caused him to smile. I wonder what kinds of books they have in that library. Might be nice to read some of the literature they have there.

When the others rejoined him, they ventured down the stairs to speak with the man manning the rent-a-boat service. "I'll be right with you." He said before walking over to a nearby table and grabbing something. Returning to the party, he passed a license over to them and said, "Here is the license for the boat. The Mayor gave us an order to rent the boat to warriors for free."

Dart quirked a brow and asked, "Warriors?"

The man nodded and said, "Well, you are the warriors who came to overcome the wolf, aren't you?"

Naruto nodded and said, "Yes, we are."

The man frowned slightly as he looked over the group. "You look a little fishy, though." Taking the license back, he put it away before saying, "I'm sorry, but I cannot give it to you. Something is really too fishy about you."

Naruto sighed, but didn't argue with the man. Instead, he and the others returned up the stairs and exited the building. Afterwards, they entered the building that the knight had entered before. After all, they had nowhere else to go if they wanted to advance through the city of Furni. Seeing that the only person inside was Resident Knight Harris, they approached him and listened as he began to speak. "Sorry about Bulgus' disrespect. Everybody is feeling uptight before the battle with the savage wolf. Please excuse them."

Dart frowned and shook his head. "Don't worry. We weren't insulted. We are simply curious about what's going on. We've only just arrived and we are on the hunt for a man named Lloyd. He escaped to Mille Seseau, so this is where our search will begin."

Harris nodded in understanding. "I see. I understand, you really are not here to overcome the wolf. Hmm… Be careful moving forward on your journey. The kingdom of Mille Seseau has changed drastically and there's no telling what could happen. We aren't even sure which direction Deningrad is in anymore. None of us has been able to find it. I sincerely hope you can find it before something terrible happens."

"We'll do our best." Naruto said. "We'll find Deningrad and do what needs to be done."

"Somehow, I believe you. Regardless, we are leaving tomorrow. If you are going through Evergreen Forest, be very careful." Harris said.

"Of course. Let's go everyone." Dart said. Afterwards, he led them out of the house and back into the nearby building. With a frown, he said, "We don't have much of a choice. Let's talk to the rent-a-boat guy and see if he'll cooperate this time."

Proceeding down the stairs once more, they approached the counter and listened as the man said, "Oh, the fishy people again." Sighing softly, the man held the license out for them. "Here. The license for using the boat. It's the Mayor's order to let warriors use the boat for free. You really are the warriors who came here to defeat the wolf, aren't you?"

Dart shook his head and said, "No, we are not. We are just travelers. We've just arrived from Tiberoa today."

The man quirked a brow and asked, "From Tiberoa? With that huge boat?"

Dart nodded and said, "Yes, it is the Queen Fury."

"Wait a minute…" the man said as he looked them over. "One, two, three…twelve! Could you be the famous Dart and companions who conquered the Sea Dragon in Illisa Bay?"

Naruto chuckled a bit and looked at Dart. "I guess the story has traveled all the way here, hasn't it?"

The man turned to a man in a boat nearby and shouted, "Hon! Let the Mayor know about this! He'll be happy to hear about this!" Shortly afterwards, the man in the boat took off, leaving Dart and company with the rent-a-boat man. Quickly hurrying around the counter, he presented the license to Dart. "Here it is! The License for the boat! Take it!"

Dart smiled at the man and said, "Thank you."

The man shook his head and said, "No, no. I have to thank you! Thanks to you, we can go fishing and go to Tiberoa! If you need anything, just drop by! We have accommodations, too! I'll give you a good price!"

Dart smiled in thanks. "Thank you very much." Turning to look at the small collection of boats, he frowned and said, "You three might need to walk on water, after all. It'll be a tight fit for the rest of us, but we'll use these boats. Let's get going."

After climbing aboard the boats, they set out and left the building they were in. From there, they proceeded to venture to the left and browsed the equipment shop's wares. Finding nothing of use, they talked to the nearby fisherman, but he said nothing of interest. So, moving southwards, they went into the item shop and browsed the shop. They decided to purchase a few Depetrifiers before leaving and proceeding northwards, past the rent-a-boat/hotel.

Upon reaching the northernmost point of the village, Naruto hopped off of the water and approached the mercenary blocking the way. "Sorry, but this road is closed! Take another road!"

Frowning at this, Naruto shook his head and rejoined his friends down below. Afterwards, they decided to ignore the clinic and proceeded to enter the mayor's house.

The Mayor of Furni was pacing around his home, fidgeting nervously the entire time. "Are they coming yet? The heroes from Tiberoa…"

Shortly afterwards, Dart and company touched down and hopped off of their boats. Proceeding up the nearby stairs, they smiled at the mayor as he stopped his pacing and looked at them. "Oh, thank goodness! I couldn't sit still. I was just pacing around waiting for you! The story of your heroic deeds in Tiberoa has reached us here in Furni! It is wonderful, what you did! And now, I would like you to listen to my story!"

Dart frowned for a moment and said, "Can you please start from the beginning? We aren't quite sure what's going on yet."

The mayor nodded and said, "I would like to talk briefly about the sad situation in this village. Will you please hear me out?"

"Of course, sir. If we can help in any way, we'll do so. But we need to know what's happening, first. So we're all ears." Naruto said with a smile.

Calling his daughter to his side, the mayor looked at each of the adventurers. "This is my daughter, Fa. A few days ago, my daughter was attacked by a wolf. Fortunately, the injury was not bad, however, since then, she hasn't talked at all. Probably from the shock of the incident."

Naruto frowned for a moment as he thought over what he had just heard. Hmm, a wolf, huh? Kamuy would naturally be the first suspect of such an action, but something tells me the truth isn't so simple.

Meanwhile, Shana approached Fa and knelt down to be eye level with her. "You poor thing."

The mayor began to pace around again. "The wolf is becoming more savage every day. Now, he has been joined by monsters from the Evergreen Forest, and they attack people!"

Albert frowned for a moment as he looked into the mayor's eyes. "I see. The warriors outside are the group headed for battle. Indeed, if we finish off the wolf, your daughter may become better."

The mayor shook his head and said, "But it is far more complicated than that. The wolf called Kamuy that attacked Fa was kept by a boy of this village…until recently, that is. Unfortunately, the boy who kept Kamuy has disappeared! His name is Teo and we are very concerned about his wellbeing. On the night Fa was injured, Teo disappeared from his home. He probably feels responsible and ran away. Teo has been Fa's friend since they were little. They are best friends."

Naruto shook his head and said, "I think there's more to this story than that. From what I understand, Kamuy was a very sweet, very affectionate animal. I doubt he changed demeanors so quickly. No, there's something more going on here."

Rose narrowed her eyes at the mayor and said, "So, you want us to cooperate with you on your mission."

The mayor nodded and said, "Yes. Of course, I cannot force you to help. Right now, we have a lot of warriors. They might just be enough." At this point, the mayor looked into Naruto's eyes and shook his head in disappointment. "All the evidence points right to Kamuy. You may not like it, but Kamuy is responsible for the attack on my daughter and the disappearance of Teo. If something isn't done soon…"

Naruto scowled at the man, but didn't say another word. Fucking prick.

After a moment, the mayor seemed to realize something and said, "Oh dear. I'm sorry about this. I've made you listen for such a long time without thinking about you lot at all. As an apology, why don't you stay at my house for the night? It will be an honor to entertain heroes!"

Dart frowned slightly as he looked between the mayor and Naruto. I'm inclined to believe Naruto over the mayor. If Naruto is so sure that something is wrong with this whole situation, then it's best we investigate and figure things out before Kamuy is killed. After a moment, he looked into the mayor's eyes and went to speak, only to witness Fa hugging onto Shana's leg and shaking her head.

Naruto blinked a couple of times before asking, "Do you like Shana, Fa-chan?" Seeing the girl nod, he offered her a kindhearted smile and said, "Don't worry. We'll take care of everything and put things right."

Dart turned back to the mayor and said, "We'll stay for tonight only. Thank you for your hospitality."

The mayor smiled at them and said, "I'm glad! Fa is happy, too! She has been lonely ever since her mother passed away! Now, let me see. When you are ready to stay, come back. I will prepare dinner with Fa."

As the mayor walked off, Naruto scowled in his direction before grumbling irritably to himself. "How quick these people are to point the finger at Kamuy. I bet Fa-chan knows the truth, but she isn't talking. Damn."

Hinata hugged Naruto close and said, "It's okay, Naruto-kun. We'll find the truth and put things right again. Let's just hope these people listen to reason once we figure out the whole truth."

Dart patted Naruto on the back lightly. "Don't worry too much, my friend. Let's take a walk to cool our heads. Once we're ready, we'll return and enjoy a nice dinner before getting some sleep. Okay?"

"Yeah. Sounds like a good idea. Mei-chan, Hinata-chan, feel like coming with me? I'd like to find a nice place to just sit and relax for a bit. And I would like to discuss some things with you, as well."

Mei kissed his cheek and said, "Are you ready to confess your undying love for us? Do you perhaps want to get frisky? Or are you really planning to just 'talk', hm?"

Naruto chuckled softly and said, "Don't tempt me." When Mei simply smirked at him, he chuckled more before taking their hands and walking off with his girlfriends.

Once they were gone, Albert looked at Haschel and asked, "Shall we head out as well? It might do us some good to get out and clear our heads. Perhaps we can learn a bit more about Teo and Kamuy as well, while we're at it."

Haschel nodded before he and Albert ventured down the stairs to hop on one of the boats. The rest of the party began to leave as well, leaving only Dart and Tayuya behind. Looking into his girlfriend's eyes, Dart took her hand in his and walked up the stairs to the roof of the mayor's home. "We can be alone up here. It'll be nice to just sit and talk, just the two of us."

Tayuya smirked at him and kissed his cheek. Afterwards, she whispered, "Are you sure that's all you wanted to do? You have me alone and there's nobody else here, after all."

Dart blushed, but chuckled lightly to himself. "I would rather not traumatize poor Fa any more than she already has been. Perhaps later."

Tayuya snapped her fingers and said, "Damn." Seeing the look on her boyfriend's face, Tayuya stuck her tongue out at him and said, "I was hoping you'd fall for that one. I wanted to see steam pouring out of your ears."

Dart simply chuckled and sat down on the bench with his beloved. "We have all our lives ahead of us to be together and raise a family. We don't need to rush things."

Tayuya rested her head on his shoulder and said, "I know. I love you, Dart-kun."

"And I love you." Dart said before he and his girlfriend began to talk about whatever came to mind.

Naruto

Seated upon a rooftop elsewhere in the city, Naruto stared down at all the people wandering about. It didn't take long to spot all the mercenaries heading off in the direction of the Evergreen Forest. Frowning deeply, he said, "I don't like this. I don't like any of this. If only Fa-chan could talk, she could set things right again."

Mei nodded and gently grasped his hand in hers. "True. But we'll find out the truth and help all three of them. For now, I'm more concerned about where the hell Deningrad has ended up. We can't just run around blindly in search of it. We need to get there and warn the queen about the danger she and her people face."

Naruto frowned for a moment before saying, "I'll create a small army of shadow clones. I'll send them all out in search of Deningrad. If it's located in the Land of Lightning, we're going to be in trouble. I'm hoping that it is located here in the Land of Demons…or perhaps the Land of Snow." Sighing to himself, Naruto gently squeeze Hinata's and Mei's hands that he was holding. "I'd prefer not to get involved in each country's problems, but we might have to." Thinking on it for a time, Naruto got a sudden idea in his head. "That priestess that knight mentioned earlier. Maybe she can help us. She might have some clue about where Deningrad may be."

Hinata nodded and said, "I have heard that the priestesses of the Land of Demons can see into the future. It's certainly worth a shot. We'll discuss it with the others tonight. But…"

Naruto nodded, following her line of thought. "You're concerned about Meru and her connection to the 'fairies' of the forest, aren't you? I'll talk with her later. If I'm right, the fairies are actually Winglies hiding out somewhere in the Evergreen Forest. We'll have to wait and see, though. I get the feeling she doesn't want to go home just yet. I wonder why."

Hinata nodded and said, "She'll likely open up to you if you talk to her about it. She is most comfortable with you, after all."

Mei smiled and said, "She truly loves you, Naruto-kun. Don't go betraying her trust now, you hear me?"

Naruto chuckled softly and said, "I wouldn't even dream of it, Mei-chan." Staring up at the sky at this point, he frowned and said, "Doto Kazahana. He's a tyrant and a very evil man. I heard that the princess, the true heir to the throne, is still out there somewhere. I would very much like to help her take back her home. Sadly, I have no idea where she could be."

Hinata scowled at this point and said, "I think it was actually Kakashi that rescued her back then. If anyone knows where she is and what she's been up to, it would be him. We might need to contact Tsunade and see if she can get some information from that bastard."

Naruto sighed and said, "I really can't stand that man. But, you make a good point. I know it's not our problem to deal with, but I'd like to help put things right if we are given the opportunity. Kami, I hope Lloyd doesn't make things even worse than they already are. He can cause so much chaos that would make our mission that much harder for us. This is not going to be fun."

Mei nodded and said, "We're in for a tough time. I just hope everyone's ready for whatever might come our way. One thing's for sure, we're going to be very busy. Such a shame, too. I'd love to get you alone and ravish you."

Naruto chuckled softly and said, "Maybe later. Right now, I just want to relax until it's time to go. I just hope we can help somehow."

"Us too, Naruto-kun." Hinata said before resting her head on his shoulder. "Love you."

"I love you both as well. Very, very much." Naruto said. Afterwards, they laid back and simply stared at the evening sky. Stars were beginning to light up the sky and they couldn't help but smile to themselves. Nobody knew what problems laid in store for them, but they would be ready for it all, no matter what.

A/N - And that's the chapter! As you can see, a lot was discussed, some major problems were revealed, and things are going to get really chaotic. So I hope you're all ready for that! :D

I'm honestly not sure what else to say right now. I have no idea what I'll work on next, but we shall see. Hope you're looking forward to whatever comes next!