rider09mk2: Thanks! I really want to put a small humor between them, so I'm glad that you found it funny.
REVANOFSITHLORD: Yeah, rip him xD
Lucian Naruto: yep, I wouldn't be surprised if that were to happen too. though even in MGQP, there is no calender for us to see, so I can only use normal months for this story.
Guest: XD wait till Alice see that xD... She's so going to be disgusted for sure/yeah it wasn't, I did put in the past chapter that he was allowed to have sex when he reached 12, so yeah... he already had sex with many monster girls/Yeah, but Naruto never got caught in critical ecstasy, it was some kind of gas ability that Alma Elma let out from her wings, one that made Naruto sleepy and cannot move, something like a gas of pheromone and sleeping drug.
SPark681: She will be angry for sure... and knowing Ilias, she will hold grudge.
genilgames: great guesses xD. a mix of B and D is what will happen tho, though of course, I'll put even more change so it won't be that close to original timeline.
Temsen: it never even crossed my mind xD. But I don't think both will like that as they would rather raise their children instead of making their mother as their newborn. soul put or not, one being would be discarded if they did that, after all.
The Great Dullahan: it won't be explained in the nearest chapters. but it will be in the tenth or eleventh chapter for sure/I'll choose to not tell who were his first and let the reader imagine by themselves whether it was Alice or the others from the four heavenly knights... for sure not the fifteenth though, because I already wrote that monsters got their pleasure when they absorb energy and as she didn't have her core, she never thought about having sex with Naruto and will wait for her new body before she do the deed.
Jls5225: that's great! and I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed my stories thus far! I hope your health keep improving!
ChimaTigon: there will be no Kurama here, as for the reason... well, it won't be explained in the near chapters that for sure.
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anyway, that's all for me guys and gals. sorry I didn't post anything for this story as I was busy playing and working... I missed so many stories in my Genshin impact that I spent weeks playing the game (and other games, if I can be honest).
oh and of course...
I hope y'all enjoy this new chapter!
Chapter 7, The Party
START!
-Flashback-
"Mommy, is Ilias powerful?"
Naruto asked once in the past after he finished his study of history with Tamamo-no-Mae.
"Ho?"
His mother, Alipheese the fifteenth raised one of her eyebrows curiously after she heard the question thrown by her dearest and adorable son.
Of course, she also wasted no time to scope him up so he sat on her lap while she was sitting on her regal throne.
"Why do you ask about the Goddess of light so suddenly, my dear?"
The woman asked while combing Naruto's soft hair using her fingers. The boy himself was enjoying the attention given to him, and closing one of his eyes pleasantly.
"Because Tama-chan said Ilias is equal to the founder Monster Lord, and Tama-chan also said founder Monster Lord was far, faaaaar stronger than mommy~"
While the boy was talking, he was spreading his arms as if to explain just how 'far' stronger the founder Monster Lord is compared to his own mother.
Of course, Tamamo said so after all.
But seeing how he was so excited while unknowingly sending a jab at her, Alipheese's right eyebrow twitched angrily.
"Is that so, hmm?"
"Yuhuh… so mommy, is Ilias powerful… like, super duper powerful~?"
There was a hint of excitement in Naruto's eyes when he asked that, something that Alipheese honestly doesn't mind if she can be honest.
As a member of the Fateburn family, he must be strong.
And fortunately, ever since a month ago, when Naruto turns seven years old and she let him train his body, he actually revels his training with Granberia, more than he revels his reading time.
And believe it, Naruto loves his reading times so much that Alipheese forgets how many times she had told him to stop.
"Unfortunately, mommy doesn't now, dearest"
"Aw~"
The boy was left pouting after his mother said such dreadful words to his ears.
He expected his mother to know the full extent of the Goddess of light's power, the Goddess said to create the world itself and all humans living in it.
"However, what Tamamo said is true. Ilias was equal to the founder, your great, great grandmother. So, mommy is sure that Ilias is super strong too"
"Hoooo~! Then I'm gonna train hard again today~! See you later, mommy!"
Excitedly, the boy jumped off of her lap and ran out from the throne room… probably to the training ground so he can start his body training again.
Ah…
Naruto always studies hard, and now he's allowed to train, he trains very hard. Despite this, he's still a clingy and adorable ball of fluffiness that she always loves to snuggle every night.
He is a perfect son in any way she can think of.
"Now… let's look for one annoying fox"
Stood from her throne, Alipheese the fifteenth slithered out from her throne room so she can find one vexing and annoying fox.
The fox that keeps trying to make her look bad in Naruto's eyes!
Unforgivable!
UNFORGIVABLE!
"TAMAMO WHERE ARE YOU!? COME OUT AND FIGHT ME IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME, YOU STUPID FOX!"
That day, the rage-filled yell of the Monster Lord filled the castle.
And at the end of the day, several hundreds of monsters were dispatched to fix some destroyed parts of the castle itself.
Naruto?
He doesn't know any of it.
Nor did he know that he was the catalyst of such a thing.
-Present day-
"Naruto, oi! You have been staring at your right hand since yesterday, did something happen?"
In the morning, Luka said while having a bag slung to his shoulder, with Naruto being the same, both standing in front of the entrance of Ilias Village.
Yesterday, they have decided to travel together…
Of course, after Luka was out from his depression.
Ilias won't baptize him as a Hero, it took him hours to lament this single dreadful fact.
"Me? No… I guess no"
Naruto closed his eyes solemnly for a small second. Though before Luka can ask him about another thing, Naruto let his legs move to start his travel.
And behind him, seemingly knowing that he won't get any answer if he keeps pestering, Luka turn silent.
"Oh, and Luka… I have trained you, and we're going to travel together. However, don't expect me to help you if you were in danger. If battle were to happen, you're on your own, and if you lose… well, that's that"
Naruto said simply to the Hero apprentice, getting a pair of widening eyes from the purple-haired boy.
"W-w-what!? This is the first time I hear about this!"
Hearing the panicked voice of Luka, Naruto simply let out a small snort of amusement from his lips. Ah… teasing someone is really the best when you're being upset, more so with the target in question being a person as stupid as Luka.
His reaction was just too funny to see.
"Yep, that's my condition. Take it or leave it, I don't really mind otherwise"
As someone who is equal to the Monster Lord with a name known through all Continents, there's no way Naruto was going to help Luka if the boy were to fight a monster.
Luka might be a decent acquaintance, but all monsters in this world are his adorable subordinates.
He won't help Luka if he was going to be eaten or raped by a monster, as for the opposite... well, monsters are not that weak that they could easily die from a sword, and if they were in danger, they would be smart enough to run for their life.
"But… but… what if a monster attack you? Won't you be in a pinch by then?"
"You don't need to worry about that. I can take of myself just fine"
Monsters in Hellgondo themselves were never a problem for Naruto, more so the monsters in this southernmost Continent, where the weakest of them gather.
Sure, they might attack him, with him being a male and all.
But really… it won't be a problem at all.
"Uuh… I guess that's true…" Luka said hesitantly after a few minutes of thinking. Naruto is his sword mentor, and the male is easily stronger than him "…. So, where are we going now?"
"Why do you ask me, idiot?"
Naruto said with furrowed eyebrows, surprised that Luka was asking him that question of all things.
"You're the Hero here… I'm just a traveler who want to explore the world, nothing less and nothing more"
After all, he wants to see how a Hero who prayed to Ilias every day going to fulfill his dream, which is to have a world where monsters and humans co-exist with each other.
Yes, Luka's dream is to have a world where humans and monsters are at peace with each other.
So laughable.
"Dearest, don't be like that… it was a nice dream to have"
'Mother, I'm not laughing at his dream… what I laugh about is that he dares to dream like that when the main obstacle to said dream is the Goddess he prayed to every day'
Luka naively believes that once he defeated the Monster Lord, the world will come to peace.
So laughable.
But then again, he had lived all of his life within the confinement of Ilias Village. Luka's stupidity and naivety, while it's indeed laughable, are also understandable.
Let's see where this boy going to end up…
"I guess that's tru-… oh look, a plant in the middle of the road"
Just as Luka wanted to say something, his words were cut off because the two suddenly stopped by a rather large plant in the middle of the road they were walking on.
And staring at the plant, Luka is left confused.
"It looks strange… and it's kinda in a way. Hey Naruto, should I pull it ou-… Naruto!?"
Though the moment Luka turned his attention to his back, Naruto's form can no longer be seen.
With Naruto himself, he's actually sitting on top of a tree a few meters away from Luka's position with a mischievous smile etched on his face.
'Go on Luka… pull it out hahaha!'
Oh, how enjoyable.
Will Luka pull out the Mandragora and got himself played? or will he simply walk around the harmless-looking plant? Naruto can't help but wonder.
One thing is for sure though…
He's going to enjoy his travel full of amusement with Luka the idiot Hero.
-Later-
"You should've told me that it was a mandragora!"
At night, Luka was talking about his annoyance after Naruto's sudden disappearance while the blonde himself merely laugh out loud, uncaring of the boy's words, because to him, Luka's face is just too amusing to watch.
Yes, he was mischievous, so what?
"Ahaha! Okay, okay… sorry for that. But you shouldn't be that angry, after all, even though you were not raped, you still got to feel her a little, right?"
Of course, instead of calming down, the moment Naruto teases the boy with his right eyebrow moving up and down, Luka's face turns red in both embarrassment and even more annoyance than before.
And in his eyes is the telltale of horror.
"You were watching!?"
Disgust appears in Naruto's eyes as his laugh stop, inside his mind, his mother laughed at his sudden anguish.
"Oh god, of course no you doofus!"
Naruto pointed to the two skewered rabbits they were currently grilling with an angry look on his face.
"While you're playing with a mandragora I caught rabbits for our dinner! Why would I watch you when you're being played by such a low-rank monster!?"
The two thus bickered for the night until their dinner was ready.
And by the time the rabbits were cooked enough… the two eat, with Naruto having a slightly happy look on his face.
Luka was a good cook.
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-With Luka (pov)-
"Ha!"
After dinner, Luka starts his training once again with Naruto sitting a few meters away from his position.
Why does Naruto never want to train along with him, Luka doesn't know, but it does make him a little curious.
"Don't just swing your sword, imagine your enemy"
"Yes!"
When Naruto threw a small pebble his way, Luka was quick to slash his sword at the pebble. Not good enough to make the pebble get slashed in half, but good enough that the pebble wasn't able to hit him.
It makes him proud.
"What are you, a kid?"
"Ouch!"
With much quicker speed than before, Naruto threw another pebble toward Luka, which hit the boy right on his forehead and made him flinch for a few seconds.
That stung!
"Remember, you're not even that strong right now, do not be happy just because you have a little power"
"Y-Yes! I understood!"
Of course, Naruto is right.
His dream is to become a Hero! With this much power, why should he take a pride in it when he should be disappointed and strive for more!?
"Uwooooooh!"
With more vigor than before, Luka slashed his sword, again and again, each time also imagining that he was hitting an invisible enemy that was quick enough to evade his hits, and strong enough that they were laughing as he was trying his best to hit them.
More…
More!
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"Say, Naruto. don't you think I'm ready for a technique or two?"
After his short late training was cut short, Luka asked a question to his mentor, getting a raised eyebrow full of curiosity from Naruto in question.
He doesn't seem that surprised by his question.
"You want a technique?"
"Yep! I mean… I only have that… you know…"
Getting antsy, Luka turn threw his face away from his traveler friend in embarrassment.
Once, he showed Naruto some of the techniques he has under his belt to impress Naruto… but, instead of impressed, Naruto's look of disgust… Luka can still remember that face vividly even now.
"Hmm… that can be arranged, I guess"
"Really!?"
Jumped from happiness, Luka immediately regrets his action because Naruto kicked him away so hard the moment he got too close.
Ouch… fortunately, a tree stopped him.
Though, now he feels a pain in his back.
"Oww"
"Next time, don't startle me like that, you idiot. And for your question, yes. My sister gave me a letter a week ago saying that she will follow us on our journey to experience all the foods the world can offer"
"W-What? But my dre-…"
"Your dream is to create a world peace where human and monster can co-exists, my dream is journey the world, and my sister's dream is to experience all the foods the world can offer. Just because we travel together, it doesn't mean we must have a same dream, kid"
Wow… that hurt.
Yeah, what Naruto said makes sense… but for Naruto to call him kid when they're not that different in age… kind of hurt.
"Don't misunderstand me, Luka"
Naruto suddenly said, and as his name got called, Luka's focus returned to the blonde.
"I support your dream, truly… however, your dream doesn't match your action. So, until you prove me otherwise, you'll stay as a kid in my eyes"
What does Naruto mean? Luka honestly doesn't understand. Which part of his action doesn't match his dream?
It… it really confusing.
And as Luka thinks like this, Naruto vanishes once again into the wind to get some sleep.
-Tomorrow-
"Ah! Thank you for the wonderful night and your protection when I slept, Goddess Ilias!"
This is what Naruto heard in the morning when he was busy splashing his face with some water from the nearby small lake.
It is basic knowledge that when you're camping, you should set your camp near a water source, after all.
"He just woke up, and that's what he did…"
Naruto let out a small sigh here after he wiped his face with his sleeve.
'The guy is decent… but are you sure he can become a Hero for human race, mother?'
"Uuhh… I'm not sure?"
Naruto sweat dropped, even his mother isn't so sure now?
And here she was the one saying that Luka is probably the son of the Hero who almost killed her years ago and thus should have a talent for being a Hero, just like his father.
Naruto?
Naruto isn't so sure in the first place.
But he already has a plan B just in case Luka were to fail.
"NARUTO! WHERE ARE YOU!?"
"I'M WASHING MY FACE YOU IDIOT! DON'T YELL! YOU'RE INVITING THE ATTENTION OF MONSTERS TO YOURSELF!"
"BUT YOU'RE YELLING TOO!"
"SHUT UP!"
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"Ah… I'm tired"
After Naruto finished his business and Luka defeated a few slime girls that flocked his way, the two once again continue their journey to Iliasburg.
Of course, Luka was dragging his feet behind because of his tiredness after he fought against several slime girls at the same time.
He wasn't able to kill them, with their bodies being slime, but he used his 'flail wildly' professionally toward all of them, so fast that their body wasn't quick enough to regenerate and made them terrified of his swordsmanship.
To him, it was a show of a good idea.
"Good job, you've wasted our precious time. With this, we probably will have to spend another night in the wild"
Naruto grumbled, something that make Luka's attention turn toward the blonde.
Yeah, with normal speed, they should arrive at Iliasburg by the time the sun set today. But with so many hours of theirs wasted in the morning, they probably cannot reach the city even if night come.
Unfortunate, but it really was no one's fault.
Though to Naruto, it is easily Luka's fault.
"Why so haste, Naruto? is your sister waiting in Iliasburg?"
"No, she will come tonight regardless my location. She already marked me with a teleportation magic seal, after all"
Gently, Naruto rolled his sleeve, showing a small magic circle on the back of his wrist which pulses with purple energy every few seconds.
"Woah…"
Luka started, amazed by the sight of a magic circle on his mentor's hand.
"Is your sister a mage, Naruto?"
Mage… a job that can be obtained by humans who can use the magic that courses through the world, they're so rare that their presence is said to be equal to a King within the Kingdom.
If Naruto's sister is a mage… then she must be a bigshot!
But Naruto's answer easily shocked Luka to the core…
"Nah, she's a monster"
"M-Monster!?"
No… Luka isn't scared, nor he is felt betrayed or something like that.
However, shock would be more accurate to explain his current feeling.
"How is that possible, Naruto?"
Luka asked with a slight grin on his face.
His dream is to have the world become a place where humans and monsters can co-exist, and to see his friend whose dream is to simply travel the world actually has a monster as a sister… it really makes him happy!
"I was adopted by her family years ago… however, a Hero killed our mother. So again, don't misunderstand Luka, I might a human and my sister might be a monster… but both of us don't trust humans that much"
Sadness, grief, anger, and hatred passed Naruto's eyes for a brief second.
All of those emotions were enough to freeze Luka's heart as his smile was no longer visible and turned into an upset frown.
"S-Sorry… I didn't know"
"It's alright"
The two then continue their walk with a rather tense silence between them. But in the end, cannot help it, Luka's curiosity got the better of him.
And thus, he asks…
"Hey Naruto… I was wondering… but can you tell me the name of the Hero who killed your mother?"
"…"
Unsurprisingly, Naruto doesn't give him any answer and uses his right to keep silent.
With that, Luka gives up…
-Later-
"Oi Luka! If you want to impress my sister, make sure you cook something delicious! She's a glutton, I warn you"
"O-Oh, of course!"
As the two broke their previous silence with that, Luka grinned, happy to see his friend no longer act cold in front of him. His hands even start to move even faster than before to cook the food for their dinner.
But still… whether Naruto is upset or not…
"Naruto! are you going to laze around just like that!? You could at least help me with the tents!"
"Well, I could…" Naruto said softly from the top of the branch he was laying on after he turn his face to Luka's direction "… But I'm thinking of a technique to teach you"
From the teasing smile on the blonde's lips, Luka knows just what is crossing his mentor's mind. Though, despite knowing it, Luka can't help but give up.
"LEAVE EVERYTHING TO ME! UWOOOOOOH!"
After Luka closed the pot to their dinner, the purple-haired Hero apprentice gain more energy and flashed here and there, creating two large tents for his and Naruto's use later tonight.
In no time, two large tents had already been erected.
And after this happened, Naruto jumped off the tree to the ground, his feet almost made no sound the moment they touched the dirt.
A perfect step, something that Luka can only watch with a silent gulp.
Unlike so many swordsman pilgrims he had met in the past, Naruto is easily a master among masters.
No wonder to Naruto, his swordsmanship was nothing but trash.
Anyway…
After Naruto jumped off the tree, he walked until he was standing on the rather large clearing a few meters away from their camp.
"Alice, come here"
Swiiiish!
And with nothing but a single mutter, a rather large magic circle was immediately formed on the clearing, pulsing with powerful and heavy magic.
"Woah…"
From his position, Luka can only watch with amazement as a form of half-human half-snake slowly appears in the middle of the magic circle.
The woman is beautiful, easily gorgeous even.
Despite her lamia-like body, Naruto's sister's skin is purple unlike most monsters and held some markings on the left side of her body, every few seconds or so, the marks would light up a little as if suppressing something that want to come out.
Her long, silverish white hair cascaded her back till her tail and would've touched the ground if she were to kneel even a little. And topping this, two beautiful flowers are held on her left ear, increasing her beauty even more.
As for attire, just like most monsters, the woman uses so little, though for her, what she wears is nothing but an armor set that consists of a top that covers her pair of breasts and skirt-like armor which covers her groin area.
And to finish all of this, she has a pair of folded rabbit-like ears on top of her head, along with a crimson marking of a vertical eye in front of her hair bang.
Thus, after she was fully formed, the woman's golden eyes flashed to him dangerously.
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"So, is he your new slave or something?"
Came a rude remark from Alice the moment she appears and walked to the camp. Her face haughtily raised up, as if to look down on the purple-haired human in front of her.
She doesn't like his face… nor his purple hair.
Both just make her remember a very bad memory she has.
"Come on, don't be like that~ Luka, this is my big sister, Alice. And Alice, this is Luka, someone that impressed me with his dream of monsters-humans co-existence"
"Ha!"
Of course, the moment Alice heard the words coming from her little brother's lips, she laughed even more haughtily. From her lips, a hint of sneer and anger can be seen.
Behind her, her tail was slapping the air around, a sign of her agitation.
"A-Ah…" Luka that already stretched his right hand forward can only shutter, his eyes went to his mentor, begging for help. Fortunately, Naruto was kind enough that he signaled his eyes to the dinner he made… OH! "… Alice, nice to meet you, and you must be hungry. Why don't we eat for now? I made dinner for the three of us after Naruto said you'll visit"
"Food? Hmph! I guess that's fine… but don't expect me to like you just because you bribe be with third-rate food, human!"
As this happen, Naruto merely laughed a little. He's also the first to sit near the campfire and already scooped a bowl of food for his sister.
Alice doesn't trust humans and can be dangerous if her fuse were lit.
And the fuse would become easier to lit when she's hungry.
For now… he must fill Alice's stupidly large stomach.
"Ah… my baby daughter has become so beautiful~"
'She's still a glutton though'
A laugh of agreement crossed Naruto's mind as his mother wordlessly agree with his words. But a small smile appears on his face the moment Alice choose to take a seat beside him with their shoulder touching each other.
It might seem like a small act.
But with that small act alone, Naruto feels complete.
Because once again… he's together with his family.
-Tomorrow-
"So, why did you decide to follow him again?"
On the road, Luka, being a Hero, is the one leading the ground because of Naruto's insistent that he should be the one who chooses the area they should visit.
And behind Luka, Naruto and Alice walk together hand-in-hand, with the latter having a large and happy smile on her face, the tip of her tail wags around behind her.
"Well, he just looks interesting"
"He is petite just like you, that's probably why you has a small interest on him"
The two talk with each other, ignoring the fact Luka himself is not that far from them, thus can easily what they're talking about.
Leading the group, Luka sweat dropped.
He doesn't feel like a Hero with two of them following him, for some reason.
"So, where are we going, actually?"
Alice suddenly asks with curiosity dancing in her eyes the moment she said her question to no one. And knowing this, Naruto merely keeps silent.
He wants Luka to be the one to answer Alice's question so the two could have a better foundation for a healthy relationship.
Fortunately, he doesn't need to give any signal to the purple-haired Hero apprentice because the Hero in question easily mistook Alice's question as being pointed at him.
"We are going to Iliasburg, the Capital in the middle of Ilias Continent. It is a city north of Ilias Village and south of Ilias port"
Sadly, instead of being happy, Alice's face turns into a look of disgust.
"Ilias this, Ilias that… so disgusting"
Fortunately, her bite wasn't pointed at anyone and was more like a simple grumble between her teeth. Though, not a few seconds later, Alice's look of disgust disappeared as she took out a rather thick and old-looking book from her space pocket and began to levitate it in front of her face, flipping it using nothing but her power and reading it.
In no time, a large smile appears on her face.
"Naruto! look! Here is said in Iliasburg, there's an inn called Sutherland Inn which is famous for their Happiness Honey Ama-ama dango~!"
"Oh~ that's interesting…" Naruto, easily reading the book along with his sister licked his lips in anticipation when he saw a rather crude, but still detailed image of this 'Ama-ama dango "… it looks delicious~ I can't wait"
"You two"
Being the man in front, Luka sweat dropped when he heard what the two are talking about. And his sweat drop become bigger when he took notice of the old-looking book with the words [World Traveler Guidebook] on its cover.
"How old is that book?"
"Huh?"
Hearing Luka's question, Alice folded her book and placed it back into her pocket space while one of her eyebrows raised questioningly.
"I don't know? About five hundred years if I remember right"
There was no date written on the book itself. But there was a date written on the shelve where the book was placed in the library of Monster Lord's castle.
So yeah, if she remembers it right, the book should be about 500 years old.
"Woah… that's impressive. But I don't think such old inn will still operate after so long though"
The second sentence was said very softly because Luka doesn't want to offend Naruto's sister that still doesn't seem to trust him that much.
And Alice herself, despite can hear the boy's words, decide to ignore it because just like Luka, she respects her little brother very much and will hold back her true feeling for now… at the very least, until Luka shows his true color.
"…"
Naruto shook his head inwardly, easily seeing both stances of Luka and Alice.
The time when the two could become friends seems pretty far away from his eyes. But then again, this will be their first step toward world peace.
Small down here and there won't be a problem, fufu~
Love it?
hate it?
as usual, tell me in the review section. There was nothing of that much important plot here, but I hope to tell you all about Luka's character development and let Alice enter the group as her job as left by her mother already completed.
Anyway... that's all from me today.
Ciao~z