Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or High School DxD. This is a non-profit-based work.
Note: A quest user asked if I had any idea for the peerage so far. And yes, I do, but as of right now only the queen piece and one of the rook pieces are set in stone, so I'm still open to suggestions for interesting characters.
Also, someone asked if the other bijuu were reincarnated. I got to say I have mixed feelings about that. Part of me feels like it's plausible since Naruto had their chakra, but another part of me feels like it's a lot of extra characters to keep a check on. Let me know your thoughts about the reviews, I'll take them into consideration.
Again, big thanks to my boy AizenTheGoat for helping me out a lot with details and ideas, and my beta zubhanwc3 for the same reasons and making sure I don't mess up the plot.
If y'all are interested in joining a community of readers and several talented authors, consider joining AizenTheGoat's Discord server.
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-Chapter 2-
Old friends.
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Naruto shifted uncomfortably as he sat knelt down at the traditional-style dining table in Yasaka's private residence. Said fox Youkai sat and idly sipped on a cup of tea in front of him, not uttering a word.
"So uh… when will he be here?" Naruto eventually asked as he stirred the tea in his cup around.
Yasaka hummed and put down her tea, but kept her hands on the warm cup, "He should be arriving any minute now. With how Kurama is, I'll assume he was out training."
A smile settled on Naruto's lips as he thought of it. Kurama had always been strong, so it made sense that he'd fight to get that strength back. It did make him wonder, which of them would be stronger this time around.
He gave a nod, "So do you live alone here? It's quite a large estate, but I guess it's only fitting for the leader of the Youkai faction."
She gave a polite smile in return, "I live here with my daughter, would you like to meet her?"
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as he nodded his head, "Sure, I'd love to but… are you sure that's okay?"
Yasaka tilted her head in thought, "Why wouldn't it be?"
The devil scratched the back of his head, "Considering everything that has happened, I had my doubts that you'd want a devil of all things to be around your daughter."
The Youkai chuckled as the smile returned to her face, "I don't need someone to use senjutsu to know that you're a good person, devil or not. I do not sense any malicious intentions associated with meeting my daughter."
He waved his hands in front of him, "I really don't have any, I was just surprised. Not everyone else back at the gates looked that welcoming at me." He replied with a nervous chuckle.
She let out a small sigh as she let go of her teacup, and gathered her hands in her lap, "I hope you don't blame them. It's been hard times, and despite your older sister working her absolute hardest to cooperate with us and form an alliance based on friendship, many have trouble letting go of the past."
"Don't worry, I don't have any hard feelings. It's only natural, but I do hope we can be friends in the future," Naruto replied with honesty.
The blonde woman nodded her head in agreement, "So do I, now then. I shall go get my daughter, please feel free to make yourself at home. Kurama should be here any second now."
"Actually… There is one thing. What would you say if Kurama theoretically became part of my peerage?" Naruto asked slowly.
Yasaka stared at his face for a bit, "Ultimately it would be up to Kurama to make that decision, but I wonder why you ask?"
He scratched the back of his head, "It's just… My sister has been after me in regards to finding people for my peerage, but I only want people I can really trust."
"And you think that someone could be Kurama?"
Naruto quickly nodded his head, "Yes I do."
She smiled with a soft giggle, "As I said it would be up to Kurama to make that choice, I'll not stand in your way should you two come to an agreement. Now if you'll excuse me."
He nodded his head and watched as the fox woman stood and left the room, before he himself got up and walked up to the windows in the room, staring out over the forest that was wrapped around this large estate.
If he had to be honest, he was kind of nervous. It had been nineteen years since he died, and nineteen years since he had last spoken with Kurama…
With a loud sigh, he put his elbow in the windowsill and rested his chin in the palm of his hand.
As he was almost spaced out, he barely acknowledged the door opening again.
With a couple of quick blinks, he lifted his head and prepared himself to greet Yasaka's daughter.
But, instead of coming face to face with the young princess of Kyoto, he was met by a singing fist crashing into his cheek that sent him rolling across the floor.
"What the hell?!" He shouted and wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth.
As he was about to get back to his feet, he saw the outline of a Youkai pouncing on him, a fist cocked back into the air ready to strike his face again.
As he noticed exactly who he was dealing with, his eyes widened and he reached up to grab the red kimono he was wearing, "What the hell Kurama?! This is the first time we meet in forever, and you punch my damn face?!"
Kurama sneered, showing off his fangs as he prepared to hit again, "Don't act like it's for nothing you damn brat!"
"What are you even talking about you stupid fox?!" He sneered back and caught the incoming fist by Kurama's fist, and turned the tables. Flinging him to the floor, and pressing a knee to his chest as he roughly grabbed his collar with both hands.
Kurama growled and latched onto Naruto's wrists with a firm grip, "It's been twenty-five years, and this is the first time you come?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed, "What the hell are you even talking about, it's only been nineteen!"
"Bullshit! I've been waiting for you to come around for the past twenty-five years…" He shouted in return.
The dark-haired devil's grip lessened, "That's impossible. I remember vividly my nine-teenth birthday being celebrated mere months ago."
The look in Kurama's eyes softened, as he stared with disbelief, "So what you're trying to say is, we arrived at different points in time?"
The former Jinchuuriki nodded his head as he stared at him, it was quite… odd. He had always seen Kurama as a fox large enough to step on him, but now he looked different… yet a bit similar.
He looked to be a young man with unruly dark-orange hair that went down to his shoulders, and the same red and slitted eyes he used to have. He wore a traditional red kimono with a forest pattern and ironically had nine tails again.
"Seems like it," Naruto mumbled, and stared down awkwardly.
The gaze was returned by Kurama as the reborn bijuu snorted, "I guess the dimensional gap really does work in weird ways."
"Sure does."
A tick mark formed on the Youkai's forehead, "But that doesn't excuse you for leaving me hanging here for nineteen damn years! What the hell were you so busy with within devil town?"
"How in the underworld was I supposed to know you made it here with me? As far as I knew, you were gone for good. What about you? Why didn't you come to find me?" Naruto questioned through gritted teeth, as his grip once again tightened on Kurama's kimono.
The Youkai's brow twitched before he turned his head with a grunt, "Like I was able to know you were here too, I first learned of you when I heard the name of Leviathan's brother."
Naruto blinked, "How did that reveal it was me? My surname isn't Uzumaki anymore."
Kurama snorted loudly before he exploded with laughter, "Because you're the only individual in existence that would be unlucky enough to be named fishcake… twice!"
"It's maelstrom you stupid fox!"
The obnoxious laughter soon started to die down, as Naruto let go of the Youkai's clothes, there was a moment of silence where they just stared at each other. Much to Naruto's annoyance, he was sent falling to his ass after another swift punch to his chin.
With a loud sigh, he jumped to his feet, "Okay now you're starting to piss me off."
The fox snorted and crept back onto his feet, "Why did you hold back?"
"What are you going on about now?"
Kurama clenched his fist tightly as he shouted, "We died because you held back, why did you hold back against that damn Uchiha when all he ever tried to do… was kill you!"
A soft smile crept onto his features as he dusted his jacket off, "That would be the equivalent of killing you for the number of times you tried taking over my body in the past."
The orange-haired man grunted and let his gaze fall to the floor, "You better not do it again, if I end up dead because of you a second time I swear to god I'll kill you myself the third time."
"Assuming we're looking enough to be reborn a third time."
He snickered with a fang-filled grin, "Third time's the charm."
Naruto shook his head before he looked over his shoulder and at the door before a grin filled his face and he spun around on his feet, hurling his fast right into Kurama's nose.
"Now we're equal," He smirked, much to Kurama's annoyance - though he wasn't able to retort as he held his nose.
The dark-haired boy sweatdropped, perhaps he had hit too hard.
Before he could muse more over it, he heard the door open with a creak behind him, 'Not good…'
As he turned around he came face to face with a Yasaka that had an unbelieving and slightly fearful expression on her face, and a small girl that had to be the faction leader's daughter, that looked more amused than anything else.
Naruto and Kurama shared a look before they spoke simultaneously…
"We can explain."
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"That reminds me, how did you think of coming here?" Kurama asked skeptically.
Naruto shrugged, "It's odd, I just sorta felt the connection we once had for the first time."
Kurama raised a brow, "When?"
"When I first entered the human world, about two years back"
Kurama seemed to accept the answer, "So what have you been up to all this time? What're you going to do now?"
Naruto leaned against the railing of the shrine they were now at, his arms folded on top of the wooden surface, his eyes gazing over the waters as the silent nature was all around them, not a single person in sight.
They had fairly easily made up a story on the spot to Yasaka, that the two of them had met before, but with no details related to their past. Just that they had a run in a couple of years back, and that was the reason it had taken so long for them to reunite.
She seemed to buy it after sensing the atmosphere between them and had let their little… skirmish slide.
After that, they had left to get a little privacy to talk. Talking about being from another world, probably wasn't the best idea to do in the open.
So they found a secluded shrine in the middle of the woods and by a lake, a perfect place to not sugarcoat anything.
He smiled and turned his head to Kurama who was beside him, his elbow resting on the railing as well, "I tried figuring out what to do. It… took me a while to find the motivation to do anything."
Kurama frowned, "What do you mean, Naruto?"
He lifted a hand to scratch his head, "After… Sasuke, and the war, well… more specifically after we died, and had this feeling that we failed. Child of prophecy failed all along."
"That was not your fault, it was that damn Uchiha. I never liked those creepy eyes." The fox grunted.
He shrugged in return and let out a soft sigh, "Anyway… It took me a while. I grew up in the House of Sitri, so I didn't quite understand what this world was about. It was only when I met a guy named Sairaorg, that I started understanding the problems of the Underworld."
"Where are you going with this?"
Naruto smiled and stood up straight, "In the underworld, hierarchy is much worse than it was in the Elemental Nations. I see so many devils, cast aside because of things out of their control. It reminds me a bit of how I grew up in Konoha."
Kurama remained silent as he cast his eyes to the floor since he did know that it was partially his fault. While it was more Obito that was to blame, he was still the one framed and forced to wreak havoc.
After a small pause, he continued with his fist punched into his hand, "I figured that if anyone knew what to do about it, it'd be me. I did prove everyone wrong back in Konoha, so I'm just gonna have to do it again by becoming the strongest. And this time, I won't lose to anyone."
"But how will you make them believe you?"
Naruto smiled a bit, "Because of my… issues, I didn't get in touch with my magic for a while. I wasn't cast aside to the same degree I was in Konoha, but I was a bit left on my own. It wasn't that bad, but when I see how bad some other people have it, I want to do something about it."
A smirk settled on the former bijuu's face, "You never change, I look forward to seeing you succeed for once brat."
Naruto's lips moved up into a smile as he looked at Kurama, "Does that mean you want to work together with me again?"
The Youkai snorted and folded his arms over his chest while looking away, "It's not like I have anything else to do, so we could… if you want."
The devil's eyes widened as he felt a strange sense of deja vu washing over him, as he remembered something very important to him.
"If you want me to lend you strength, I wouldn't mind… Naruto." The large fox's voice boomed, as he stared down at his container's back.
"You know what, you sure do talk a lot to me lately. I'm glad you wanna lend me power, but before you do - there's something I have to say to you." Naruto panted, feeling beyond exhausted.
Kurama narrowed his eyes.
He turned around, and knelt down on one knee as he stared with determination "Thanks for helping me with the other Madara, all that extra power… that really helped."
"Don't thank me, it weirds me out! I only did what I did because I'd rather deal with you, than with Madara."
He paused.
"Besides… Thanks to this cage, I can only give you a tiny bit of chakra. I'm merely interested in watching you fight a little longer, that's right. Just to pass the time!"
With a tick mark on his forehead, Naruto threw a pointing finger up toward the bijuu's face. "Hey! Why do you have to get all weird just because I thanked you?! And you look mad all the time, you really need to work on your attitude! I mean you're always like- uh…"
He stopped in the middle of his rant, as a huge fist stuck out between the bars, right in front of him.
"Just hit my chakra with yours."
"Oh man, chakra tug of war again?" He chuckled.
"Idiot. We don't have to do that now, although it's not like I got anything else to do. So we could if you want."
Naruto's face grew serious as he stared at the fist before he hit it with his own. A strange feeling washed over them, as the mindscape was filled with chuckles.
Those last words, before they had linked for the first time. Kurama had said them then, but also said them now.
He was still the same, and it made him feel relieved. Even if they had lost and lived apart for so long, he was still the same Kurama he had fought both Madara and Kaguya with.
Naruto stared down at his hand for a while, before a soft smile spread across his face. He lifted his head and stared at Kurama, before extending his fist in his direction without uttering a word.
As the silence started to annoy him, Kurama turned his head back only to be met with the sight of the fist in front of him.
Like Naruto, he thought back to that time when they were battling all the other controlled bijuu.
He grinned slightly and struck out his fist to bump it against Naruto's.
"Just make sure we don't die this time around, you got it?"
Naruto grinned sheepishly as he let his hand fall back to his side, "I'll do my best to keep us alive this time. Do you know how devil peerages work?"
His red eyes narrowed a bit, "I know a small portion of what it means, but not much."
With a nod, Naruto explained the important details, "In order to… repopulate the devil society, high-class devils get a set of evil pieces that look like chess pieces. We essentially use them to reincarnate mostly humans as devils, but it works with Youkai too."
"Does it have any side effects? Will my abilities be removed, and thus force me to train back to my current level? I'd rather not go through that hell again."
Naruto shook his head, "You'll be half devil and half Youkai, the change is your life span. You'll likely live almost forever as long as you aren't killed, you'll have wings so you can fly… oh! And depending on the piece, you'll get a type of… boost, that said piece represents."
Kurama nodded his head in understanding as he folded his arms again, "Which piece did you have in mind then?"
The dark-haired boy held up his palm as a red chess piece appeared in his hand, after further inspection, it was revealed to be the queen piece.
As he watched it, the right side of Kurama's face started to twitch, "Do I look like a bitch to you?"
Naruto gave a nod of his head.
As Kurama was about to punch him a new one, Naruto waved his hand dismissively, "I think you misunderstand it. Just because it's the queen piece, doesn't mean anything bad. It just symbolizes you're the person in the peerage that is closest and most trusted to me, it's also the most balanced piece."
"Explain."
He hummed and held up the piece to eye level, "Uhm, the queen piece possesses all the characteristics of rooks, knights, and bishops, so they are the most balanced piece as well as the most powerful. Within peerages, queens typically act as their king's second-in-command, overseeing the rest of the peerage."
Kurama looked it over for a while before a smile settled on his face. Soon a fit of chuckles erupted from his mouth, turning into a burst of full-blown laughter.
As he calmed down he shook his head, and opened his eyes with an amused grin, "Seems like I'll be the one to borrow your power, this time around."
"How the tables have turned, huh?" Naruto smirked in return.
He gave a snort in return, "Don't think I'll let it get to your head, you may be the 'master' of this peerage, but I'll keep you on your toes. No chance of getting weak or unfocused with me around, got it?"
Naruto smiled, "Just as before, I'll count on you and put my trust in you."
Kurama cracked his knuckles, "So how are you gonna do it? You gonna chant a spell or something like that?"
"Something like that. Alright, open the front of your kimono for me."
The fox raised a brow, "Didn't know you swung that way," He laughed and pulled the fabric open to reveal his bare skin.
"If you don't shut up I'm gonna kick your ass as I did with the monkey guy," Naruto groaned and held up the queen piece, as it slowly started to levitate out of his hand.
Kurama rolled his eyes, as he watched the evil piece float in the air between them.
"Alright here goes nothing," Naruto grinned and held up his hand behind the queen piece, "In the name of Naruto Sitri, I hereby bestow you, Kurama, the queen piece of my peerage. Become a servant of me, and live your life as the queen of my peerage."
The fox's red eyes watched with interest as the queen piece started flying in his direction, before disappearing into his chest. A faint red glow started to form around him, as he not only felt his strength growing at a quick rate, but also a sense of fatigue washing over him.
"Okay that's wicked," He finally grunted as the light started to die down, but the feeling of power flowing through him, continued to grow until it stopped - and he felt tired.
He looked around for a bit before turning to Naruto, "Did it work?"
Just as he asked that question, a pair of pitch-black wings sprouted from his back and he looked back with wide eyes, "Alright, scrap wicked, this is outright creepy."
As Naruto was about to retort, something started to feel off. A dark mist started to spread over the shrine's floor as his body started to feel weak.
And he wasn't the only one.
As the mist got to Kurama, the wings retracted and he fell down to one knee as he latched onto his chest with his clawed hand, "What the hell is this, you didn't say it would hurt like this!"
"This isn't me," Naruto groaned and clenched one eye shut.
It felt as he if was burning inside out, but this wasn't the only problem. Around the shrine, it was as if a dark veil spilled around them. It was without a doubt daytime outside, but in here it looked like dusk.
From what he could gather, there was only one explanation.
Someone had attacked them and put up a barrier, but the better question was… who?
"My, my, how sweet. Who knows, I might shed a tear. Should I leave, I don't want to ruin the king and queen's honeymoon." A voice laughed from above.
Naruto lifted his head, as he came face to face with a dark-haired woman laying across one of the support beams holding up to the upper floor of the shrine.
It didn't take him long to figure out who it was, because he had thought about her several times.
Or specifically, the details about her… and her senjutsu.
She was a young and without a doubt a beautiful woman, with long black hair and amber eyes. She was clad in a kimono and had a pair of cat ears and two tails to top it off.
"Kuroka, I presume?" He chuckled and placed a hand on the floor.
The cat woman tilted her head with an amused grin, "Seems like my reputation precedes me, but so does yours."
"That it does," He groaned, as a faint blue light emitted from around the palm of his hand. With a deep breath, he channeled his magic into the air around him and Kurama, and much to both Youkai's surprise, the mist started to retract from their position.
The mist was still filling the rest of the shrine, but this… safe zone, should keep them out of the harm of whatever it was doing to them.
With a cough into his hand, Naruto stood to his feet and put a hand on Kurama's shoulder, "Time Magic: Restore." He chanted, as the blue light wrapped around him and Kurama, as the effects of the mist started to dissipate.
The woman's eyes widened a bit, before the calm look she had worn before returned, "I have to admit I'm both surprised and impressed, this mist is pure poison for devil and Youkai alike, but I shouldn't expect less of someone in Ophis' favor."
As Kurama rose to his feet again, he readjusted his kimono, "Naruto, who is this crazy chick, is she a friend of yours?"
"Considering she was in the middle of poisoning us, I'd say no," Naruto sweatdropped.
Kurama rolled his eyes, "Not like you haven't called other sick people that tried to kill us 'friends' before."
"Touche…" He grunted before he turned back to Kuroka, "So what do you want? You speak of Ophis, that must mean you're with that Bikou guy."
Kuroka sat up on the support beam and crossed her legs with a grin, "Indeed I am. On behalf of Ophis, we would like to invite you to join the ranks of the Khaos Brigade. Both Bikou and myself are members, and with your display of strength you'd fit right in."
"And pray to tell, why would I ever do that? That Bikou guy seemed like a nut job."
The dark-haired woman's ears twitched as her tails swayed lightly behind her, "If you join the Khaos Brigade, we'll help you with what you want. That's the deal. Bikou likes to fight. Ophis granted him the power to do so with whoever he should deem fit. As she voiced interest in you, well, you know how the rest goes."
Naruto raised a brow and crossed his arms over his chest, "And what would you have to offer me?"
Kuroka tilted her head down, "Power, strength. You have a goal, right? For that goal you have, you'll need tremendous strength. Ophis can help with that."
"And how would you know what I want?"
She grinned and gave him a slight wink, "You could say I was naughty enough to listen in on your conversation, I know that you want to be the strongest."
Kurama turned to Naruto, "You seem to know who she is, what the hell is going on here?"
Naruto turned to Kurama, but kept an eye on Kuroka to make sure she wouldn't try anything funny, "Her name is Kuroka, she is an S-Class stray devil that killed her master."
"So she is just like the Uchiha brat? Didn't he kill the snake after his use for him was done?" Kurama questioned.
The Sitri shrugged calmly, "No idea, the story just says that she went crazy on senjutsu. Killed her king, and then left. Seems like she joined a nut job group afterward."
"Speaking of me like I'm not here is a pretty rude pretty boy." Said woman hissed with a mild hint of annoyance in her gaze.
Naruto ignored the remark, and switched his eyes to Kurama, "That's pretty much it."
The fox Youkai narrowed his eyes as he watched the woman. She may be odd, but there was something off about this.
He started to channel his own senjutsu, with his eyes radiating a small glow as he watched her over.
After a while, they turned back to normal and he looked away from Naruto and pointed an accusing finger in her direction.
"I don't know exactly who you're trying to fool, but it won't work on me."
Kuroka's eyes narrowed as she stood up from her seated spot, "I'm surprised you're able to utilize senjutsu, but I don't recall you being part of the conversation fox. The offer was extended to the Sitri, not to you."
Kurama rolled his eyes, "The story says you went nuts on senjutsu, isn't that right? Well, I don't buy it."
"What do you mean, Kurama?" Naruto asked as he watched the exchange curiously.
The newly reincarnated devil turned to Naruto. "Losing control of senjutsu is a one-way ticket to becoming a host of negativity, something that she's lacking. Reminds me of that older Uchiha."
Naruto's eyes widened a bit as he switched his gaze back up to Kuroka, who looked irate. Could this really be true? Then there was a serious problem.
"So what do you think happened?" He finally asked.
The fox shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly, "The hell if I know, but I for sure know that you should know I'm right. What those frogs taught you should prove that much."
And not only that, he did also remember that Kurama had more than enough experience picking up on emotions.
Hell, his chakra cloak alone gave Naruto that ability.
He could even sense the disguised Zetsu apart from the allied forces due to his powers.
Finally, he shot his glance in the criminal's direction, "I believe what my friend here says, so spill it. What's the real deal, or are you gonna feed us another lie?"
"I'm not obligated to tell you anything, and it doesn't involve you. I'll ask again, Naruto Sitri, will you accept the offer to join the ranks of Ophis and get the power you desire in return?" Kuroka snorted at first but then smiled as she looked at the dark-haired boy.
Naruto raised a brow and pocketed his hands, "I ain't saying shit before I get a reason. I won't trust anything else you say otherwise."
"And should I say no?"
A smirk spread his face as he shrugged his shoulders, and looked at her with a determined expression, "Look. Listen."
Kurama sweatdropped, 'Oh boy, here he goes again.'
Kuroka raised an amused yet intrigued brow, "What is it?"
"Either you tell me what your deal is, and then I'll think about the offer. Or you can deny what Kurama said, and you can tell Ophis where to shove it."
'Only you would pick a fight with Ophis, Naruto…' Kurama internally sighed as he watched Naruto walk over and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Think about it, if Ophis is that intrigued with me, it'd be in your best interest to give me the truth. Hell, we may even become friends." He chuckled and started to channel his magic.
If she wasn't amused before, she certainly was now, "Friends? What gave you the idea that I wanted that?"
"Well, you haven't really attacked us. And since Bikou attacked me for a personal reason, you must've come here for a reason of your own as well." He finished and just like that, their bodies disappeared before her very eyes.
All she managed to see was their body dissipating into blue flashes of light before all traces of them disappeared.
Kuroka watched the spot they had stood in for a while before a grin spread across her features and her poison mist dissipated along with the barrier.
"Bikou was right, this one is indeed interesting."
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So that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, I hope you guys liked it. I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts in a review. Naruto got the first member of his peerage, but come on, who was really that surprised about Kurama joining him. Only question is, who is next?
Will Kuroka tell him the truth? Or will it be another lie? Time has yet to tell.