REVANOFSITH: Yeah, Naruto has six women by this point. Alice, four heavenly knights, and the Harpy Queen. and Alice always had a sharp nose, she easily took notice of Naruto that had sex with Alma Elma, she just chose to keep her silent, that's all. and oh, you might notice that I didn't put Alipheese the fifteen... it because they're yet to become a lover because of Alipheese's situation.
Lucian Naruto: Naruto love his family, so it goes without saying that he feels lucky to be one of the Fateburn. Yeah, most monster girls in the world know his name, but they just don't know his face, a proof was when cerberus met him and doesn't know about his real identity even till now. the ones who knew his face are the Queen of each race.. and believe it, they're watching his every movement.
genilgames: yep, I'm back and thanks! I'll try to not pause again... no promise tho xD
supremebandit: hahaha, thanks man!
SPark681: it will be a slow process, but in this chapter Alice's hatred will be explained a little bit more... though not fully yet, I'm afraid.
leonardobluesummers: hahaha, thanks!/True, there was no canonical explanation except for Sphinx's words, but that's where I can put my idea freely, as there would be nothing that can contradict my idea... well, as long paradox 3 won't suddenly explain it of course/yep, I need to balance of reasonable within the story, after all. I can't just make it as fantasy as the canon, because some reason... the canon lacked so many explanations to me xD/He was mostly immune though, I did explain that the kiss from alma elma would be enough to drive most males crazy, the fact Naruto had a mostly normal activity with Alma Elma proofed that he was mostly immune to her sleep magic and charm magic, he just wasn't immune to get fucked, that's all.
Borello: No... Luka won't gain a crush on Alice because in canon they got their feeling for each other when they opened up after Alice turned Lazarus to stone. before that, they're mostly a pair of human and monster who hide their secrets which their open one by one as they journeyed the world. the fact Alice already claimed Naruto as hers here, no, Luka won't be a jerk and gain a crush on Alice.
plus, here Alice is more antagonize toward him because in the canon, she got her interest on him when Luka chose to not attack her when she lay on the ground.
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anyway, that's all for me today, and as usual, Enjoy.
Chapter 8, A Good Idiot
START!
-Near Iliasburg-
"Say, Alice… can you disguise yourself? While not as severe as Ilias Village, Iliasburg is still the Capital of Ilias Continent and they wouldn't let us in if the guard see you"
Luka said to Alice when they can already see the silhouette of the Capital.
"Hmph…" The lamia huffed. However, despite this, her skin slowly turns human-like as her long tail turns into a pair of normal human legs "… for Ama-ama Dango, I guess it can't be helped"
Luka sweat dropped seeing how glutton Alice is. As for Naruto, his eyes have been looking into the Capital ever since the city in question can be seen from their position.
Granberia…
What is she doing there?
Glancing to his left, Naruto's eyes met with Alice's own for a small second, both immediately understand that there were no words that needed to be said between them.
But Luka is another question…
"Oi, Naruto, you've been staring for ages now… what are you even looking at from this distance?"
Luka asked curiously, only to get nothing as both Naruto and Alice kept their silence altogether. But this only lasted for a small second, as after that, Naruto ask something toward the Hero apprentice…
"Oi Luka, you want to be a Hero, right?"
"Yep! It's my long-time dream!"
Naruto nodded, happy inwardly at Luka's simple answer.
"Good, then you better run. Iliasburg is under attack right now"
Heard Naruto's words, Luka's eyes widen in shock, and at the same time, his body froze. He… he can't believe it.
But knowing Naruto, the blonde never lied to him, and thus, wordlessly, but with a hint of determination in his eyes, Luka nodded quickly and start to run toward the direction of Iliasburg, leaving Naruto and Alice…
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..
"Are you letting him run toward his own death?"
Alice's uncaring voice hit Naruto's eardrums the moment Luka's form was already pretty far away. And hearing this, Naruto let out a small wry smile toward his older sister.
"Honestly, just why are you so angry at Luka, sis?"
The Monster Lord huffed in annoyance, her eyes basically screaming to Naruto to stop pretending as her both arms folded under her impressive bosoms.
"Stop looking at me with those stupid eyes, idiot… do you really think I don't know your plan?"
Naruto might a genius when it comes to planning, but in front of her big sister's eyes, she can easily tell just what kind of plan Naruto has made for Luka is.
And while the plan is plausible… it's still an idiot plan to her.
"Come on~ it's not that bad"
"It's not… but it's idiot, you idiot!"
Thus, the two began to banter, ignoring the fact one Hero apprentice was running toward Iliasburg, the city that was currently under attack by one of their strongest subordinates, Granberia, the Heavenly Knight of fire.
-With Luka-
His head feels lightheaded.
His feet feel as if they were jellies.
And even his hands tremble from fear as he can only stare at knight after knight and Hero after Hero got defeated by the legendary dragon swordswoman, Granberia of the Heavenly Knight.
Those people… those men that look stronger than him… it took Granberia nothing but a single hit to defeat each of them.
He…
He shouldn't have run so fast and left Naruto behind.
'I-If it Naruto… then he should be able to do som-…'
"Say, are you sure that was your dream? To be a Hero and to make humans-monsters co-existence possible?"
A memory…
A memory of when he dared himself to tell Naruto about his dream… his real dream of co-existence between races.
There was no laugh… no judgment in the blonde's eyes at that time. But there was a hint of melancholy in the blonde eyes, and while at that time Luka was left confused, now, he understood…
Naruto is a human adopted by a monster…
He is living proof that monsters and humans can understand and love each other.
"… A Hero killed our mother"
He remembers the hatred, anguish, and sadness that passed Naruto's eyes when he said those few words.
And when Luka steeled his heart to ask the question bubbled in his heart, the blonde turned silent and didn't spare him any glance.
His father…
The Hero who killed Naruto and Alice's mother must be his father.
A Hero to no one, and a monster to the family of the monsters he killed, his father, Marcellus.
"Is that it!? Is there no one going to fight me!? Are you going to stay silent as I take over this city!?"
As the humanoid dragon roared from the center of the city, Luka steeled his heart and walked out from his hiding place, holding his iron sword with trembling hands, but resolute eyes.
The dragon easily took notice of this, as there was a hint of respect in her eyes for a brief second.
"I will be your opponent!"
"A boy… no… with a sword in your hands and resolution in your heart, I shall treat you as a fellow warrior! Come, human, don't disappoint me!"
With a roar, Granberia holds her great sword with one hand.
And with his own resolute roar, Luka dashed.
"Haaaaa!"
-With Naruto and Alice-
"I guess I will give him a point for not turning his back and running like a coward in front of Granberia"
Sitting on top of someone's house roof, Alice said with a small huff, upset that Luka isn't a coward like she thought at first, but happy because the boy chosen by her brother seem to be decent enough to be of use.
As long this Luka can be of use to Naruto, she will tolerate his presence from now on.
She still doesn't like his look, though.
"Of course, it was me who chose him, after all"
Seeing his ever-prideful sister compliment someone, Naruto puffed his chest in pride. Only to get said chest get smacked by Alice's powerful tail, an act that made him cough a little, followed by a small happy laugh.
Oh, how he missed these tiny moments with his dearest sister.
"Tell me, are you going to help him?"
Alice said while pointing the tip of her tail to the ground, where the two could easily see how Luka getting himself handled by Granberia.
Maybe it was the resolution in Luka's eyes, or maybe because she was seeing familiar movement in the purple-haired Hero's stance. Whatever it was, the Dragonoid doesn't immediately knock Luka out and merely observing him.
She's probably seeing what he saw on the boy, Naruto thought inwardly.
"Of course… at the end of the day, Luka is just not her opponent, yet"
"Oh? You believe that boy will someday surpass my Knight?"
There was a hint of challenge in Alice's tone, but Naruto's answer to her question is just a small smile before he jumped from the roof, leaving his sister shaking her head.
Naruto…
Sometimes, he's just too unpredictable for her.
Did he really expect someone like Luka to surpass Granberia? Someone who mastered the highest state of the swordsman, Serene mind when she was but a five-year-old dragonling?
Oh well… at the end of the day, it's not her problem.
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..
..
"Yo, you two… had a nice battle, I suppose?"
When Naruto's voice can be heard from behind him, Luka let out a relaxed sigh as he let himself lay on his stomach on the floor of Iliasburg, as he no longer needs to try his best to push his body that no longer want to stand.
One strike to his gut…
That's all Granberia took to knock him down, and the strike was so hard that his body cannot move, but not that hard because he still has his consciousness intact.
Such perfect control over her own strength, it was impressive!
"Ah… I see, so it was you who taught the boy. No wonder he has a good basic, unlike the other humans that call themselves Hero"
Graberia's tone, however, is filled with nothing but respect when she notices Naruto's presence, something that made Luka do a double take.
They… they know each other?
Unfortunately for Luka, he got no time for any questions, because before any word can leave his mouth, Naruto already unsheathed his blade.
Its dark, demonic, and ugly appearance takes him aback, but Granberia's sudden loud laugh turns him silent.
"HAHAHA! Good! Are you going to take the Heroes' side now, Naruto!?"
Granberia's tone wasn't filled with any hint of hurt or something like that, as if already knowing the answer to her own question and fully trusting the blonde, which once again made Luka realize there's something more than meets the eyes when it comes to his sword mentor.
Said sword-mentor let out a gagged voice after he heard Granberia's question.
"Oh, geez… that was disgusting… don't ever ask me something like that again, please. And for your question, Luka here is my protégé, it is my job as his teacher to protect him when a final boss suddenly appears in the first city he visits"
"Hooo…"
Here, Granberia unsheathed her own sword that immediately burn with such hot fire that the floor under her melted within seconds.
And Naruto immediately stood in front of Luka's laying form, protecting the boy from the intense heat of purgatory flame.
"… Enough talk, it's been three years since we fought. I want to see whether your sword has become sharper or duller… if it was the latter, then I would be very disappointed in you, Naruto"
Naruto scoffed here, his Angel Halo letting out his own blue flame right after said scoff left his mouth.
Two heats clashed with each other, something that made some of the watching knights passed out from the intensity of the clashed energy.
"Luka…"
The Hero apprentice's head turn toward his teacher when his name was called by Naruto.
"… Watch and learn, okay?"
"Y-Yes"
And right after the word left Luka's lips, Naruto disappears, followed by Granberia.
And after that?
The whole city tremble as two powerhouses clashed their blades.
-Heaven-
"Have you found what I want?"
Sat on her throne, Ilias was rubbing her swollen cheek as she said that to her right hand, Eden that currently in the middle of reading a very old-looking and thick book.
The book of life, and it's been days since she told Eden to find someone named 'Naruto' on it.
"Not yet, Goddess Ilias"
The seraph said with nothing but revere toward the Goddess.
She was confused about why the Goddess wanted to search for a soul named Naruto in the book of life. But, as it was not her place to question the Goddess, Eden merely complied and does what was told obediently.
She has been reading without for days though, and she already read about a tenth of the book and has yet to find someone with a similar name.
No… not even a similar name.
"Quicken your read then! I… I want all information about that human!"
Ilias said with a seething rage.
Someone dared to punch her, and it connected!
She's a sacred being, a being not made by physical matter. Normal beings, even monster lords are not supposed to be able to touch her.
The fact this Naruto did means he can use divine energy just like her.
Who is he?
Where did he live years ago?
How can he use six main elements when not even she and Alipheese the first cannot do the same?
And most of all…
What does he want to do with her Champion, Luka?
"Grrr…"
Holy energy spiked up as Ilias think about the humiliation she had to face just a few days ago at the hand of some unknown being.
If…
If Eden cannot find his name by the time she fully reads the book of life, it means he must be an outer god.
God that dares to touch her world without any invitation…
"… I'm going to destroy you"
And it's a promise.
-With Naruto-
"Hahaha! Good! Good! You're much stronger than years ago!"
Granberia laughed out loud in the air after she clashed her blade with Naruto's Angel Halo, a pair of dragon wings on her back, which let her fly freely.
Naruto himself is currently flying with nothing but wind manipulation, a small grin on his face.
"I aim to please, and you've gotten a lot stronger too, Granberia…" The whole sky was painted blue and red as the two once again clashed their blades, though Naruto quickly followed this with an unpredictable headbutt "... But it's still not enough!"
After the headbutt, Naruto followed his attack once again with a knee kick toward Granberia's gut, which she took cleanly without any grunt of pain or whatever.
Oh yeah, she felt that one… but she just refuses to grunt, knowing it would only make Naruto's grin much bigger.
"You and your sweat mouth, blonde!"
Several flaming slashes were done within two seconds by Granberia, though each was quickly avoided or blocked by Naruto without any problem whatsoever.
Then again, to the two, when they're in battle like this, even techniques become nothing but cheap tricks.
When they fight, it will be a battle of will.
"Enough you two muscle heads"
Both Naruto and Granberia froze when they hear a cold familiar voice.
And when they turn their attention to the direction of the voice, they see Alice staring at them as if she's staring at the pair of idiots of the world.
As a Monster Lord, it is also easy for her to float with nothing but magic.
"Y-Your highness…"
Granberia bowed her head immediately the moment she sees Alice, her loyalty showing in her eyes.
Seeing this, Alice's cold eyes peered down at her.
"So? What are you doing in this southernmost Continent, Granberia?"
As Alice said this, Naruto looked down and see the real reason Alice stopped their battle.
Most of the normal humans' already passed out, and seeing this, Naruto is pretty sure that even the humans hiding in their house also already passed out from the intense heat of his and Granberia's flame.
Though, he let out a small smile when he saw Luka still looking at them from the ground with nothing but focus.
That boy is going to go far… he knows it.
Oh well, let's just see how much the boy learns from watching his battle just now.
Thinking like this, Naruto let the wind covering his body completely disappear, letting him fall to the ground to meet the boy.
What? Humans except Luka are no longer conscious, after all.
.
..
..
Thud
As Naruto's feet touched the ground and create a small crack in the floor, his eyes immediately went to Luka.
"You're still down?"
The purple-haired boy was still laying on his stomach, but knowing Granberia's attack on him wasn't that fatal and painful, the boy should've been able to stand right now.
It was then, Luka scratched the back of his head with a wry smile on his face.
"Well, you're the one who makes me stay like this"
He was able to stand.
However, the moment Naruto and Granberia clashed their blades, the pressure the two made Luka decide to stay down again, simply because it was painful just to stand on his feet.
Though, now that the two no longer clash, Luka stood without any problem, patting the dust from his pants.
"So, what did you learn?"
Naruto said with a small grin on his face, though Luka merely stare at him as if he gained a second head.
"I learned that I'm still too weak to call myself Hero…"
Luka said, slightly depressed.
He boasted to Naruto that he will become a Hero and defeat the Monster Lord, then create a world of peace for both humans and monsters. But seeing his battle with the Heavenly Knight of fire, his mind got conflicted.
If what he saw is the true extent of one of the four Heavenly Knights, then how strong is the real Monster Lord?
It might take him decades to catch up to Granberia's level alone, and by then, she would've become even more powerful.
Can… he really be a Hero?
"Oi"
Gently, Naruto slapped Luka on the back, getting the boy's mind back on track, and when he turned his attention to Naruto, the blonde was having a small carefree grin on his face.
The blond spoke then…
"I might not have a dream to become a Hero… but from what I heard, Hero is not the overpowerful person who can defeat their enemies with ease…" Here, Naruto waved his hand in the direction of the passing out people "… Luka, Hero is someone who decides to help even when their heart is gripped by fear, they're the people who decide to step forward despite knowing their own weakness. You, who stood up to Granberia when so many of those so-called Heroes ran with tails between their legs, you're a Hero to me"
"Y-Yes… thank you, teacher!"
-Later-
"So, why did she come here?"
Naruto asked his sister that come down after she chased out Granberia from the Continent.
Some of the passed-out people are already awake and would've to hound them if not for Naruto using concealing magic on himself just a few minutes ago, leaving the mobs of humans for Luka to handle.
The boy is the one who wants to become Hero, so Naruto was actually doing the boy a favor by letting people remember the boy's face and not his.
He's just too damn kind sometimes...
Alice?
Alice's cold face alone is enough to deter humans from getting closer.
"Well…" Here, Alice rubbed her forehead in headache a little bit, eyebrows furrowed slightly "… She said the fake Heroes have become an annoyance to monsters in Sentora Continent, so she came here planning to take the capital for monsters' side and also to suppress the coming of Heroes from Ilias Village"
"A decent plan… but this place is the Capital of Ilias Continent, that dumb Goddess might retaliate if we forcefully take her city"
Naruto said while rubbing his chin, which got a nod from the Monster Lord as she folds her arms under her impressive bosom.
Her cold eyes watched the cheering people behind Naruto for a small second.
So stupid…
"Yeah, that's what I said to Granberia. She won't attack this city from now on"
Here, Naruto nodded, satisfied with that.
With Granberia backed away, Iliasburg will be a happy place where the people will remember three Heroes that saved their butts from the attack of the Dragon Knight.
Unknown to them, two of those three are the Monster Lords.
"Alright… let's go and fetch Luka. Then we could look for Ama-ama Dango"
"Oho~ now you're speaking my language, my dearest brother~"
Like a hyperactive child, Alice took him by hand and pulled him with a large smile on her face, making his walk a little bit faster. And here, Naruto can only let out a laugh.
That smile on Alice's face… he will protect it.
"Oi, Citizen A over there, I want to ask you something"
Naruto said with a large grin when he was near Luka. Most of the citizens have returned back to their dwelling and left a little number of people, and thus, Naruto simply pointed at one of them.
The teen, named Citizen A by Naruto, being pointed, pointed at himself in confusion.
"Citizen A…? Me…?" The teen kinda looks dumbfounded and slightly offended by the remark Naruto said "… How can I be called 'Citizen A' when I have such a magnificent name as Cervantes!"
Here, Alice closed her eyes for a small second, ignoring Luka that seem worried at his friends making an enemy of the citizen just after they saved the city.
How stupid can he be?
"I don't really care…"
Alice said coldly, her eyes opened toward the teen, something that make him freeze in fear almost instantly.
"… Where is the [Sutherland] Inn?"
"Ah… just head to the west from here and you'll see it… it's such an incredible old Inn, it will stick out"
The teen answered with a slight twinge of fear tainted his tone, but fortunately for him, the moment Alice got the answer from him, the girl tightens her hold on Naruto's arm and quickly run toward the west direction, ignoring anything else.
"W-Wait for me! And thank you, sir!"
Luka nodded in thanks toward the fearful teen before he ran to chase his two companions…
Those two!
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..
..
"Woah…"
When Luka heard the 500-years old Inn still exist and running, he expected a very, very old and run-down Inn.
But as the trio 'Heroes' reached the [Sutherland] Inn, what Luka see is easily a huge mansion with three floors! Hell, instead of a run-down Inn, the whiteness of the paint looks still very new, as if it just got a new paint not too long ago.
The Inn was easily much nicer than he thought it would look.
Let's just hope the price won't be so expensive now…
"Fufufu~ I can't wait~"
Impatient, Alice pulled Naruto to enter the regal and expensive-looking Inn, with the blonde in question seems not to care about the huge Inn's appearance.
Then again, Naruto and Alice's house is a Castle… not that Luka knows about this, of course.
Anyway… doesn't have any choice in the matter, Luka can only follow his two companions.
It was then, he saw the price tag in front of the door…
Cough!
"T-Two million and four hundred gold per person!?"
24 hours in a day, at 2.400.000 gold… and they have three people… even with all the gold he has, they can stay here about 6 seconds for each person!
Once again, Luka lamented the fact he wasn't baptized by Ilias. If he was, he could stay in the Inn almost free of charge.
"Na-…"
"Excuse me, can you step aside?"
Before Luka can say anything to his companions, Luka's words cut off as a soldier slipped past them and walks up to the reception desk.
He… doesn't seem like someone who was rich or something like that. But Luka remembers him as the man who was knocked out by Granberia.
"Hey, Owner. I'm a Hero. Give me the Hero rate to stay here"
The man said to the woman behind the reception desk as Naruto, Luka and Alice can only watch from his behind… the former looks slightly annoyed after someone slipped him so rudely just like that, seen from his folded hands and feet that keep tapping the floor.
But as he saw the Inn Owner's face turn red in anger. Naruto's impatient lessened a little bit.
It seems this will be interesting to watch…
"What stupidity is that!? What kind of Hero gets knocked out instantly by a monster like that!"
Shouted like that, the Owner of the Inn chases the self-proclaimed Hero outside with a rage-filled face.
"B-But… I've been baptized as a Hero!"
The woman, uncaring of the words said by the soldier keep chases him out without mercy.
"Someone like you calling himself a Hero… get out!"
"Hiiii!"
Within seconds, the soldier already chased out while the owner now is back to her seat behind the reception desk. And her face turns 180 the moment her eyes locked at theirs.
If she looked like a demon just seconds ago, now she looks like a kind priestess.
"Oh, you three! The ones who saved the city! Please, won't you stay here tonight?"
"Ahaha! We kinda don't have enough money for that, madam"
Naruto politely declines the offer while scratching the back of his head. All the while, he's holding his urge to scream in pain as Alice's grip on his arm gets tighter and tighter.
Some of his bones gonna crack a little if she keeps doing this!
"Don't mind the small detail! I'll give you the special Hero rate, two gold per person. I'll bill the other 7,199,994 gold to the Ilias Temple"
"But we're n-"
Step!
"Oh my! How kind of you madam, if you said so, then there's no way we are going to refuse"
Naruto said with a thankful smile toward the Inn Owner after he stepped on Luka's feet, something that stopped the stupid boy before he can say something like 'we're not baptized Heroes' or something like that.
Can the boy see he's suffering!?
"Alright! Glad you agree, would you three need separate bedrooms or…?"
"Yes, yes…" Naruto nodded, pointing to pained-looking Luka with his free hand "… my friend would need another bedroom for himself"
"Understandable, then would you all mind waiting in the dining room for a few minutes? I would need some time to clear the rooms, as you wait, you may eat our specialty food [Happiness Honey Ama-ama dango]"
"Of course, we would love to"
With a smile on his face, Naruto followed the Owner as she leads them toward the dining room, where they sat. And not even waiting for that long, she brings them several plates of the famous food that immediately make Alice drool as her eyes lost focus on the honey-coated Dango.
Unknown to Alice, she released her grip on his arm.
Good, his arm's free now…
"Alright, enjoy you three~"
And with that, the Owner went upstairs to get their rooms ready.
"Naruto… that wasn't a good move. Why did you stop me when I was going to say we're not baptized Heroes?"
Luka said with a pout on his face while rubbing his pained toes.
Geez, and the blonde stepped on it pretty hard too!
Of course, as he said this, Alice already started her glutton mode and quickly eat the Dango in front of her with abandon.
Naruto took a plate and put it on his lap, and seeing this, Luka followed suit to make sure Alice won't eat his portion after she finished with hers.
"Idiot… The baptism doesn't make you a Hero. Your actions do…" Naruto said while taking a bite of his own Dango, slowly enjoying the treat unlike his sibling "… And that woman would probably say the same thing. After all, you saw what she did to that so-called Hero"
In the Capital where most people are religious and pretty much losing their minds in blind loyalty, the woman dared to kick out one of the Heroes from her Inn.
She wouldn't care whether you're baptized or not.
"W-Well… I guess that's true"
Luka said, embarrassed by Naruto's comment, as the blonde's sentence really hit him on the head… that's right, if he acts like a Hero, then he can be a Hero.
His mind totally forgot the fact he just got his ass beat senseless by Granberia.
"Glad you understand"
Naruto said, happy to see Luka is pretty simple and not that hard-headed.
Well… he's still an idiot though.
"Mnnn~ it's delicious~ eat more, Naruto, mommy really like this food~ so much that I'm going to have this treat after you successfully revive me~"
'Hehe… of course, mother…' a little bit faster than before, Naruto ate the Dango on his plate while slightly closing his eyes to let his mother borrow his sense of taste '… How is it?'
"Delicious~ Ufufu~ it felt as if you were directly feeding me mouth-to-mouth"
Hearing this, Naruto's face lit up with the smallest patch of pink. Though, before he can say anything to his mother, a stick of Dango suddenly pushed to his lips.
And looking on, he could see the hand was coming from a slightly melancholy-looking Alice.
She must have realized that he's currently lending his sense of taste to their mother…
With a smile on his face, Naruto took a bit on the Dango.
He loves his family.
Love it?
Hate it?
as usual tell me in the review section.
I won't talk and explain that much today here, ask if you're confused, but I left some plots rather confusing to digest.
anyway...
Ciao~z