Original Posted On: Feb. 27, 2022

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Review Response:

xXWolfsterXx644: Sorry for the wait, I have no excuse, but hopefully I was able to make a good chapter.

Dlowe2651: Yeah, I know, its pretty late.

Samuel Santillan: Hopefully you like this chapter.

Skyblak: I will… hopefully on a on and off basis.

Draken666: I know, its been to long, but hopefully I could make this chapter good.

OKAY, LETS READ THIS SHIT! I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR D. GRAY MAN!

"Hey" = Speaking

'Hey' = Thinking

'Hey' = Memory

"Hey"= Noah Memory

Chapter 8: Alterations to Level Up

Eliade walked away, Arystar's body on the ground.

As she walked, Eliade couldn't help but feel intense weight in her chest.

"Good bye, Master Arystar. All I wanted…" She exposited, memories of Naruto and Arystar going through her kind. "Was to fall in love…"

Arystar's hand twitched at these words.

Eliade stopped walking as his teeth sank into her neck.

She started to tear up as she smiled, eyes not showing despair, but hope and love as the weight on her chest lifting as she started to die.

"Arystar…" She said, dropping 'Master', making Arystar listen as he drained her blood. "I wanted to love you… I am very happy I… did…"

With her last words, Eliade's body vanished, the blood Arystar took restoring his body to normal.

"Eliade…" Arystar whimpered sadly as he clutched his chest, his heart pumping blood in a painful way, his chest feeling like he was sustaining a barrage of punches from his swell of emotions.

Lavi and Allen stumbled over to the distraught man, giving him support.

Hours Later…

"Hey, Naruto!" Road said happily as she saw Naruto arrive on Sui-long, landing on the Ark.

Naruto didn't say anything, nor did he react to show he heard Road.

"Naruto, what's… up…" Road started to say before Naruto moved past her, eyes covered by his hair.

He didn't reply to Road.

"Naruto, you better answer me!" Road stated as she grabbed his arm, only for him to glare at her, revealing tears in his eyes.

Without hesitation, Road pulled Naruto into a hug, pushing his head into her neck as she created a note for the Earl and sent it flying to him as she felt Naruto start to shudder as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"It's okay, Naruto." Road said as she rubbed his head, his hair going through her fingers.

"Road~" Sheril Kamelot called out happily to his adopted daughter. "It's time for…"

He saw Road look at him with Naruto in her arms.

Sheril gained a tick mark on his forehead.

He stomped over and tore Naruto out of Road's embrace, holding the small blonde by his neck.

"What were you doing with MY Road?" He asked in a dark sweet tone.

Naruto didn't fear Sheril, but he didn't answer him.

Sheril, with relative and unnecessary ease, growled before he threw Naruto into the wall.

"I guess I have to punish you for your attitude, boy." Sheril stated angrily as he pulled a collar out of his pocket.

Naruto's eyes widened at the sight of the collar and backed away from Sheril as he got closer.

"No…" Naruto whimpered as he tried to run, only to be stopped by the wall.

His hear started to race as fear turned his blood cold.

"Stop…" Naruto said as Sheril reached out, only for his wrist to get broken by the Earl grabbing it.

"Duke Millennium…" Sheril gasped in pain, his brain not registering it until now.

"Sheril…" the Earl stated coldly, twisting the broken limb violently, making Sheril cry in pain. "I told you before. These collars are NEVER to be used to threaten Naruto."

Behind his circular glasses, the Earl's eyes were bloodshot and narrow with anger.

"Yes, but…" Sheril started only to be silenced by more pain.

"They are to keep him in line if he was to go berserk." The Earl continued. "But you have threatened him with it, so you will be punished. Clean yourself up, I'll deal with you later."

Sheril didn't reply verbally, nodding his head as his master released his broken limb and he walked off to get his arm fixed.

The Earl took a deep breath before he turned to Naruto, who was clinging to Road.

"Naruto, it's going to be okay." The Earl said as he knelt down and patted Naruto's head. "But what is going on?"

"E-e-Elaide… Akuma Level 2… Crowly estate…" Naruto belched out incoherently. "Dead…"

The Earl and Road were silent.

'So, another one of his Sheep has been slain by Wolves.' They thought as Road hugged him.

"I am sorry, Naruto." The Earl said in solemness. "But I feel like I might be able to cheer you up."

Naruto wiped his eyes and waited for him to explain.

"I have found a way for you to dream." The Earl explained. "Come with me, and I'll install…"

"Am I a tool?"

The Noah's were taken aback by this question.

"Why would you ask that, Naruto?" Road asked curiously but with worry and concern in her tone and eyes.

"Am I a tool, or just a piece of a collection." Naruto told them as he stood up, his gaze accusing and scared. "Do either of you actually care? Does Uncle Mikk care? Or am I just a pawn to you, handling their other pawns?"

Naruto felt his heart waver, but took a haggard breath, his head becoming light.

"What about Master Fourteenth? Did he care, or was I just a tool to him as well?" Naruto continued as he was overcome with a cold wash of doubt, his control cracking.

The Earl put his hand on Naruto's head.

His eyes widened before they became heavy as he felt an intense drowsiness overcome and soothe him before he fell asleep in Road's arms.

"Guess I have to wipe his memories again, well, not entirely. Just these feelings of doubt." The Earl said in sadness.

"How many times?" Road asked sadly as she caressed Naruto's whiskered face. "How many times now have we had to alter his memories?"

"To many times to count." The Earl said as he and Road headed to the Akuma Egg Room. "Contact Mikk, and give him this list, Road."

The Earl handed Road the list.

She easily created a duplicate of the Earl and sent it to Mikk's location.

The two found Lulu Bell guarding the Akuma Egg.

"What happened?" She asked when she saw Naruto in Road's arms.

"Nothing much, just the usual memory alteration." The Earl stated, tapping Lero against the ground.

"Oh, again." Lulu Bell said in sadness.

As the Noah entered, Road placed Naruto on the table. She stayed for a few seconds.

"Road, I need to start now." The Earl stated as he was prepared for the process.

Road nodded.

She leaned down and kisses Naruto's forehead.

"I'll be back to pick you up, Naruto." She whispered before she left the room with Lulu Bell.

"Road, we have an exorcist named Suman." Devit and their twin Jasdero smirking like the insane looking people they are. "Come help us get information out of him.

Skip…

Mikk stood above Allen, surrounded by butterflies and a thick mist.

"Sorry, but nothing personal, Allen Walker." Mikk stated as he pierced Allen's heart with his Butterfly.

Allen gasped.

Mikk smirked and walked away.

As he vanished, a stranger appeared and grabbed Allen.

Meanwhile…

The Earl wiped his forehead.

Before him on the table was Naruto and coming out of Naruto was the soul that empowered him.

"Okay, that should be enough for now. He will remember Eliade, but won't remember these feelings." The Earl said as he finished his work and tapped the soul with his finger.

The soul slowly faded back into Naruto's body.

"Naruto, can you hear me?" the Earl asked calmly.

Naruto's eyes opened and he sat up.

"Yes, Dad Millennium… do I have to call you that still?" Naruto asked in embarrassment.

"Well yes, you are my son." The earl said in a goofy tone, hugging Naruto tightly into his round body. "I was worried, but the addition of the dreams was a success."

Naruto smiled.

"I can finally dream." He said, his smile becoming bigger. "Thank you, Dad Millennium."

Naruto hugged the Earl and left the Akuma Egg room to find Road standing next to the door with a large sucker in her hand.

"NARUTO!" Road shouted happily before she shattered the sucker across his temple. "YOU HAD ME WORRIED YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

"I'M SORRY, LADY ROAD!" Naruto apologized as he fell to his knees, bowing to plead for forgiveness.

Road huffed as she made a new lollipop.

"Well, as long as you are sorry, we can go and enjoy some tea." She replied, turning heel and walking down the hall, with Naruto shuffling to get up.

"Uh, before tea, Lady Road." Naruto said as he caught up to her. "I have to go check on the Akuma, since the Level Two Akuma we sent to the Crowly Estate was killed."

Road felt a pang of hurt in her chest when she heard how calm and relaxed Naruto sounded talking about the death of an akuma.

"You mean Elaide?"

Naruto tilted his head in confusion.

"Who is Elaide? Is that the name of the Level Two at the estate chose to use?" he asked dumbly.

"Yes, it is." Road replied as she waved him off. "Fine, go do your job, 'Oh, Shepherd of the Akuma'."

Naruto bowed before he walked off to do his job.

Meanwhile…

Sheril was chained against the wall, hooks digging and tearing into his wrists as the Millennium Earl stood above him, his glasses being the only thing lit in the dull room.

"So, have you learned your lesson? Or are you going to go back on it the moment my back is turned?" the Earl asked calmly, yet threateningly toward the beaten Noah.

"I-I-I-I PROMISE!" Sheril shouted, lunging forward, causing the chains to pull him back, ripping chunks of his flesh.

The Earl sighed as he turned, snapping his fingers, causing the chains and hooks to vanish.

"Duke Millennium," Mikk said as he reappeared. "The deed is done, Allen Walker and many others have been dealt with."

"Good job, Mikk." The Earl said joyfully as he skipped out of the torture chamber. "We should celebrate…"

"DUKE MILLENNIUM!"

Mikk and the Earl whipped around to see a small level one akuma fluttering before them in a panic.

"What is it?" The Earl asked in irritation.

"The exorcists are attempting to make their way here by boat, and on top of that, it appears that Allen Walker is alive and well in the Asian branch of the Black Order!"

Mikk face planted.

"Wait, what?" Mikk demanded as he grabbed the Akuma, choking it as he shook it violently. "DID YOU SAY ALLEN WALKER IS ALIVE! I KNOW HIS HEART WAS DESTROYED!"

The Earl laughed at Mikk, putting his hand on the man's shoulder.

"That just means we can send out our new akuma weapons, don't worry to much, Mikk." The Earl stated as he continued to chuckle.

Mikk released the akuma and face palmed.

"Fine, fine, you're right, but don't forget…" Mikk said cautiously as the Earl gave the order.

"Yes, I know." The Earl said as he finished giving the order.

Akuma Facility, The Ark…

"What… they want us to send Level Three Akuma to the Asian Branch of the Black Order and one to a ship full of exorcists headed here?" Naruto questioned as he looked at the messenger akuma.

"Yes, it is an order of the Millennium Earl." They said as Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry, Naruto." Road said as she floated above him, before dropping onto his shoulders, squeezing his head with her thighs. "They are strong, and if they die…"

"It is a good test." Naruto said dully with glossy eyes. "But I will mourn them, as I always have."

Pulling out the list of Level Three, which was very small at the moment, Naruto went through them, checking their data.

"So, which ones are you planning on sending where?" Road asked as her feet batted against Naruto's torso.

"If I were to pick," Naruto turned to see the speaker, which was Mikk. "I would say this one," He pointed to one of the Level Three Akuma. "Should be sent to kill Walker."

Naruto found the page with the Akuma's info.

"Oh, Thread is perfect for that." Naruto said as he gave his approval, getting a smirk from Mikk and a smile from Road. "I actually was thinking of going myself, but Thread is a better pick."

"Plus, I need you here." Road said as she pulled Naruto's ear. "I need my butler to do my bidding."

She giggled at the joke which Naruto deadpanned to.

"Okay, so who should be sent to the boat of Exorcists." Naruto asked as he held up the list to Road and Mikk. "I was thinking this one, but then again… maybe… this one?"

One of the Akuma lifted up its arms, making a rectangle with its fingers and thumbs, sort of like a frame as it looked at the Noah and Naruto through it.

"Title…" It said, catching their attention. "Boss's Hard Decision."

Naruto looked through the list and found it.

"Ah, Eishi." Naruto said as he looked from the name to the Akuma, who nodded. "You saying you want to go do this mission?"

"Yes," the named Eishi replied as it lowered its hands. "I desire to use them to make some art, like the way I did in my previous life."

"I say go for it." Road declared with a thumbs up.

"This is going to be fun." Mikk said as Eishi and Thread followed Naruto and Road.

"Listen close," naruto stated as he turned to face them once they made it to what appeared to be a landing platform looking at Japan far below. "Eishi, you are to go intercept and slaughter the exorcists on route to Edo. Use everything in your arsenal to kill them and come back, okay?"

"Yes, My Shepherd." Eishi said as he held up his hands and made another 'frame'. "Title… Shepherd's Love for his Flock."

Naruto smiled as Eishi put his hands down before he jumped from the platform, heading to the boat.

"Now, Thread, you are to kill Allen Walker." Naruto explained as he held up a picture to Thread. "He is a dangerous person to the Earl's mission. Kill him and then come back."

"Of course, My Shepherd." Thread chuckled in restrained bloodthirst, but respectfully.

Thread jumped from the Ark, gliding down toward the Asian continent.

"They will be back…" Naruto told himself as he watched Thread and Eishi vanish from view.

"Probably." Road said as she squeezed Naruto's head with her thighs again. "Come on, Naruto. It's cold in here, let's go get something warm to drink~"

"Of course, Lady Road." Naruto said as he put the Akuma List in his pocket and carried Road to her room.

Chapter 8, DONE!

Sorry for the wait, I fell out of it for a while, so hopefully this helps.

Just know there will be a LOT of jumping around to get to the parts I want to write about.

If you enjoyed this chapter or disliked it, please leave a review because it helps me become a better author.