Blue-Eyed Blonde

by Nasha Rei-Kun

He was an oddball, young man full of understanding and weirdness that seemed to spread out into the Organization. He was Naruto Uzumaki and they hadn't known how much they'd value how weird he was.

1. Meeting Blondes

~NRK~

A young boy frowned as he watched that place from afar.

Bright blue eyes squinted a bit within a peach-skinned face as medium-length, spiky, yellow hair flowed in the air beneath his creme-colored cloak's hood.

Wearing some brown leather boots, a pair of black pants, and a light-colored top, the young boy frowned, ruffling his hair. His backpack shifted with all his 'necessary' items within.

'Seriously? What the hell is this place?!' He didn't understand.

How had the two of them gotten kidnapped without him noticing?!

'Freaking, how am I about to do this?' He thought as he sat on the tree on the outbounds of the large uplift of dirt and stone.

The area was seemingly perfectly made for making it easy to see people approaching from any direction by underground but the boy had no idea if that was the case.

After all, all those weird women came from here. The 'Claymores'.

He could sense them even from here, there was a decent amount of them, small ones, large ones, unique signatures that he could single out… but he wasn't looking for them.

He was looking for his friends and he could feel them down there.

The boy frowned before his eyes widened as someone was getting closer-?!

"I knew I felt something," came a feminine voice from his side and he jumped off his branch barely fast enough to dodge her swipe. "..."

She lunged after him, silver eyes locked onto his small form on another branch.

He flipped up to another branch as she landed on his previous.

Their game of cat and mouse continued as he barely dodged her several times over, the woman seeming to grow more annoyed as he did.

'Who is this? They're not a yoma,' the child certainly didn't feel like he was full of demonic energy.

If anything, he felt very human and full of vigor and spiritual strength, two powerful things that she didn't understand, or knew, could be in a child. So, what was going on?

Her eyes narrowed and she vanished from her spot, blurring around him to his side… and caught him but only after her eyes widened.

His eyes could track her?

~NRK~

He struggled as she tied him up with his own rope and cloak! His eyes were covered by his handkerchief but he could feel all the eyes on him as he was shuffled through.

"Is this how you treat guests?!" He shouted at her before yelping as she flicked his ear. "Ow!"

"Quiet. You… how did you get here?" The Claymore asked him with a frown, her pale skin, and medium-length, slicked-back, platinum blonde hair flicking with each step, the boy over her shoulder.

"Haha! Who's that, Sistina?! A newbie? New toy? New guard?" Came a call from one of the others who looked on in interest.

Sistina rolled her eyes. "He's been scoping out our location for some time, I finally caught him."

"Huh?"

Yes, she, and many others of her similar-skinned, hair-colored, and eyed comrades were confused.

A kid had found the Organization? What?

"Huh, that didn't sound like you guys like guests."

"Quiet you."

~NRK~

Sistina dropped the boy onto the floor of the chamber they were in, eyes ahead onto the gathered leaders of their establishment.

Their Elders.

One of them, a mature-looking man with a sharp chin, frowned as he looked down at the sitting-up cloaked boy.

Sistina looked down and pulled the hood open and down, the group of four men looking at the boy's whiskered cheeks.

"... Is he… human?" One of them asked as they saw the marks. "Or is he a straggler?" That was another question.

"He's human," Sistina said. "He has no yoki in him, he is but a human boy… but he found the Organization's location alone," she emphasized as the men looked shocked.

"Who brought you here, boy?" The man asked with a frown as the kid snorted.

"The name's not 'boy', it's 'Naruto Uzumaki', memorize it!" The now-revealed Naruto said with a grin as they looked startled, Sistina even looking confused.

"Your… name?" She said in confusion. "What sort of name is that?"

"A damn good one!" Naruto said in defiance.

"Boy! What part of the continent do you hail from?" The original man asked hastily.

"Huh?" Naruto blinked. "I'm from a village in the South, Mucha."

"Wait, he's where…" One of the others said before listing off, Naruto's eyes narrowing on him.

"So, you did take them, didn't you?" He growled, shocking the men. "I knew it," he said as his binds came undone?!

Sistina's eyes narrowed and she reached for him but Naruto jumped, removing an item from his pocket and slamming it into her quickly raised hand-

White smoke exploded into her vision and Sistina covered her eyes in irritation. 'I should have checked him!' She realized it too late as quick steps were made away from her. 'No, where!'

On her back, a large claymore-type sword was unleashed and swung out, the smoke dispelled with a grimace.

"What was that boy?!" Came the original man asked in horror before he grimaced, holding his face with a grunt. "He came after the two sisters that just came?"

"It seems so," Sistina said with a frown. "I'll find him, Lmit, sir."

"Go. Grab a few of the guards to look out for him."

"... If I may, I'd like to also grab numbers 45 to 47," she suggested and the men blinked.

"What? For a mere human child?" Lmit was confused.

"He's displayed physical capabilities that would make it difficult for the human guards," she frowned. "He was capable of dodging for a small amount of time in the trees at the outskirts. Not just that but he came here on his own while bearing items that could be tools. I do not think he is normal."

One of the others frowned. "How? He's not only human but a child."

"... Take them," Lmit said. "And bring the boy back in here… If he's as physically capable as you say, he may prove a worthwhile investment," he considered as the others, and Sistina, gawked at him. "Go."

She blinked before nodding, hurrying out.

~NRK~

He ran along the rafters, steps silent, as he kept an eye out for more Claymores.

'They'll probably come for me, soon,' Naruto thought with a frown. 'How'd that nee-san find me?' Did these women have sensory abilities? 'I guess it's not just chakra, huh?' Still.

He had a pair of sisters to find.

He traversed the ceilings for minutes at a time, observing all the people below as he found the stairs.

'That's gonna be rough,' he groaned before looking at the men by the stairway. 'Whelp, it's only a matter of time, right?'

A smoke bomb exploded between them before Naruto slipped between them to rush down the stairs.

"Ugh! Intruder!" Came one of their yells, he guessed they heard his footsteps.

'If they know I'm going to them, they're gonna try and ambush me, aren't they?' Chances were definitely not low. 'Still, is that nee-san able to feel me right now or is she only able to when I'm reaching out?'

He'd noticed that their senses 'banged' against one another sometimes, maybe that's why.

'Stay far away from her!' He felt out the girls' location before throwing another smoke ball at the end of the stairs, causing the guards trying to come up to spazz out.

He leaped towards the wall and ran along it with sheer momentum.

Not having chakra in this second life was not easy. Especially with those demons that skulked the continent.

Yoma. Creatures full of utterly repulsive energy that made him gag. Claymores were women infused with some of them, that he knew, as they had a bit of that energy within.

He reached the end of the hallway before sticking to a wall as those warriors began to dispel the smoke with sword swings.

'Not good!' He didn't have too much time. 'Time for the next step!'

He pulled out a big ball item from his backpack along with a cloth mask for his mouth.

Naruto threw it into the face of a Claymore and grinned as mayhem hit.

"U-UGH!"

"WHAT IS THAT SMELL!?"

"N-Not feeling so good…"

The blonde rushed away, throwing more smoke bombs as he did along with more stink bombs, mayhem aplenty.

'This isn't going to work forever, they're going to notice!'

He skidded to a stop as a sword swung overhead, backflipping into thicker cover as the woman who'd attacked frowned.

"So, there's a little rat, is there?" She said ominously as he ducked behind a pedestal of some vase. "I'll find you, boy," crap!

Did she know about him already?!

He waited for her to move past cautiously before sneaking around.

One more leve-

A sword swung out and he bent backward with a swallow before throwing caution to the wind as he beat a hasty retreat.

"Get back here, you bastard! He's this way!"

He cursed, jumping down the next set of stairs he found only to flip up to the wall at his side, a sword cleaving the space where he'd just been.

"A kid?" Came the voice of the Claymore who missed him. "What-?!"

He lunged at her face and she flailed as he grabbed his rope and some more cloth.

Naruto grinned as he kept on running, a tied-up Claymore in his wake. 'Hopefully, that'll slow them down a bit,' he still needed an exit strategy!

As he reached the last level, he came to a screeching halt by a girl maybe the same age as him.

Her platinum blonde hair reached beneath her shoulders as her silver eyes blinked at him.

"Who are you?" She wondered curiously as he grinned nervously in his get-up.

"Justaguycan'ttalkseeyoubyyyeeee!" He said as he tried to skirt by her but she grabbed his shoulder and he choked.

"That so?" She asked and her grin was solid and disarming. "So, you won't mind-"

She was flipped and placed on the ground a moment later, hurried steps going away from her.

The girl blinked as she sat up before numerous rushed steps came from the staircase.

"You!" Came Sistina as she came into the hall. "Where is he?!"

"U-Uh, well, he went that way?"

"We can still catch him!" Sistina said to a trio of Claymore behind her.

They exploded down the hallway, leaving the girl to blink.

"Hmph."

~NRK~

Naruto slammed through some double doors that led into a wasteland-like field and, to the side a bit away, he saw his targets swinging some swords under the instruction of a man with a spear.

'What the hell?' He was left there, stunned, as he watched them go through forms.

"Hm?" The man leading them, covered head to toe in black clothing that left only his arms, and eyes, bare, blinked. "Who the hell are you? I didn't know we were training new guards," he said suspiciously as the girls under his eye stopped and turned to see Naruto.

"Who's that?" One of them asked as another two blinked in confusion.

"... L-Luciela?" One of the two said as the cloaked-up boy came over, allowing his blue eyes to be seen more. "D-Don't his eyes seem… familiar?" She asked in confusion.

She was a short girl with platinum blonde hair set in a short spiky style and angular, sharp, silver eyes. Wearing a sort of one-piece gray bodysuit with silver along the collar and ankles, she blinked as the girl at her side, seemingly a year older, blinked as she, too, looked at him.

Luciela's eyes widened, her own similar-colored hair set in long, shaggy, pigtails as she froze at the sight of Naruto before a large crowd of guards and Claymores broke through the double doors.

"There he is!" A man within the crowd said as Naruto chuckled nervously.

"Well, isn't this interesting?" Came the voice of a man from the side of the assortment of female children. "I didn't think a mere boy could enter our organization, dodge our guards and Claymore, and could make it all the way down here without so much of a scratch on him."

Naruto's eyes turned to see a smiling man… a, uh, rather 'smiley' guy.

Especially since half his fucking face was the tissue beneath. His eyelid and lips gone to reveal all that usually hid behind them.

His skin was fair and over his body was a black mantle with a hood over his head.

"Well, this ain't lookin' too good," Naruto realized as Luciela choked.

"N-Naruto?!" She squeaked as he grinned, pulling down his mask to show his pearly whites. "W-What are you doing here?!"

"Oh, well, you don't disappear two years ago and expect me to not do something-" Naruto was answering but one of the guards stomped up to him with a hand outreached.

A pulled-up body, knee, and chin made contact.

He dropped in an instant as the blonde kept going.

"Like I was saying, I thought you guys got kidnapped after… the thing with your parents," he said cautiously as the Glasgow guy looked intrigued while the guy training the girls choked before grimacing.

He strode over with a spear in hand and the blue-eyed boy shifted forward and to the side.

An elbow strike broke the man's weapon before he pulled on his shoulder, a hand slamming into his face.

He slammed his head to the floor all in one motion, cloak flapping behind him as he stood.

"And I've just knocked out your instructor, that'll go over well, won't it?" He asked shakily at the gaping girls. "... So, uh, ya weren't kidnapped?"

"This has gone on for long enough," Sistina said with a twitching brow as Naruto's grin grew shaky the closer she approached. "You're coming with me NOW."

"... No las-"

She smacked him.

~NRK~

"So, we're back here again-"

Smack.

"OW!" Naruto grunted as he sat there, tied-up again, while he was in front of those Elders dudes again.

Only this time, there were a few more Claymore around, a few of the guards, and Luciela and Rafaela, her sister.

So, you can imagine the tension in the room.

"Was there really any reason for you to do this?" Lmit asked with a sigh. "Why? What possessed you to think attacking our staff was a good idea?"

"Hey, they're the ones who tried to manhandle me, that's not my fault."

"... Is he being serious?"

"No," Sistina said as she whacked him upside the head again. "The situation, as far as I understand it, is that he believed we'd kidnapped two of our trainees two years ago from Mucha. Rafaela and Luciela."

"Thank you, Sistina," Lmit said with a sigh. "So, you all know what he has done, what should we do with him?" He asked the group who looked confused. "The boy, while brash and seemingly impulsive… has not only found our organization but, after being let in for his trespassing, he evaded our guard and warriors while on a chase for his targets who he, in the grand scheme of things, accomplished. Following that, he also knocked out two of our trained men while he is but a child."

Naruto grinned nervously at that while the others in the room processed this information.

"Hm, hm, 'Naruto', yes?" Came the words of that half-face guy from earlier. "Tell me, I was unaware that children your age could defeat grown men."

"Oh please, if that's trained, I'm a genius," he said flatly before leaning from Sistina's raised hand. "I wasn't even in the wrong this time! You can't hit him!" Naruto weakly defended as her eyebrow twitched.

"So, you find our men wanting?" Lmit asked, curiously. "You said it yourself, you don't believe they posed any challenge."

"Well, I mean, for like a normal person they might even have a scary factor… but, nah, not to me," he answered. "They might as well have been straw dummies."

"Dae?" Lmit called to the disfigured man who grinned.

"His blood is possibly some of the most lively I've ever seen. It's odd, he's full of vigorous energies down to the cell. I didn't think a normal human could have such an interesting make-up," Dae said with a grin as Naruto's face contorted into horror. "Goodness, no, that'd be a waste," he said cheekily as the boy leaned back on principle.

"Yeah, I'm sure," the blonde said.

"..." Lmit cupped his chin in thought before Sistina sighed a long sigh. "An idea?"

"Perhaps, it'd be better to put his skills to good use, yes?" She suggested and the room was intrigued. "If he believes the human guards are as lacking as he says, why not see how he either fares against the trainees or trains them," Sistina added as Rafaela and Luciela's eyes widened. '... Even this much is a lot, boy,' she was either soft or just wanted him in a place where she knew he'd be.

Keep your enemies closer or some such, right? Though, perhaps that was a bit harsh.

He was barely an enemy but a boy who'd had the wrong idea.

"So, wait, explain to me. How the hell did you two end… with everything going on with you?" Naruto asked the girls who blinked.

"W-We're training to be… silver-eyed women," Rafaela said as Luciela frowned.

"We're going to make sure no one else ends up like us," she added as Naruto sighed. "Don't. Your philosophy doesn't work here."

"Oh, a philosopher are you?" Dae asked with a smirk as Naruto snorted.

"No, I just think resorting to a broad revenge is a bad idea," he said as Sistina raised a brow. "You guys seemed to have found the right way of looking at it but people who stick to revenge for the sake of it end up doing way worse," Naruto said as he looked at Lmit. "And I'm worried if this whole thing isn't the same or not."

Sistina pinched the bridge of her nose but didn't smack him for his concern. For a boy, he was surprisingly thoughtful.

"Hmm, no, no such thing exists here," Lmit said and Naruto searched him. "You think me a liar?"

"... Nah, I can tell you're telling the truth, I don't need much else," he said, confusing the man.

"... Yes, you seemed to sport some sort of oddity among you, yes, Sistina?" The Claymore blinked before her eyes widened a bit.

"Yes, he did, it was odd," she said. "I wasn't… I shouldn't be able to sense humans."

"... Oh, uh, well," Naruto looked nervous. "... It's kind of how I knew where this place was," he admitted and Lmit was intrigued. "So, uh, tell me, what you guys' stance on spiritual stuff?"

"... Oh, right!" Luciela realized with a hum as the room turned to her, startling her. "T-That is, Naruto can sort of sense things."

"What?" Sistina was alarmed. "What do you mean?" Her head snapped to Naruto who sighed.

"So, like, I'm super into meditation and stuff," he said as one of the other Claymore raised their eyebrows. "For example, there are… 13 of your adult Claymores here, right?"

Eyes widened across the room as Sistina's eyes widened before she sent out her senses with shock.

"... H-He's right," she said in disbelief as Naruto grinned.

"Hehe~"

"... I see, it would be a good idea to have him as a guard if this is true," one of the guards said with a grunt. "He could have just as easily counted them. You're giving him way too much credit."

"You want to taste some of this 'credit', you old bastard?" Naruto threatened and the man's eyebrow narrowed. "Fine, give me something and I bet you I'll get it."

"Is that so?" Lmit spoke up with interest. "Then, here is something that Sistina can sense, typically there are some Claymores who feel more… on-edge than others. Like they're approaching their limits."

Naruto frowned at that. "... Does this have to do with them being part-Yoma?" He asked and the man nodded. "Hmm… well, comparing it to the lady right here… there are… give or take three… two to three, right now, who are pretty close to whatever you mean. It's like their balloons that are close to bursting."

Sistina hissed a bit. "Dammit. Can you tell how strong they are?"

"Well I can with all the others here but these ones are muddy. What exactly is going on with them?"

"... They're reaching their theoretical limits," she said and the two trainees balked in horror as Sistina grimaced. "You'll learn this as you become more integrated into our system but 'Claymore', as you call us, can't stay in a human form forever. That's just not reasonable."

"How long have you been a Claymore?" Luciela asked as Rafaela nodded.

"Give or take over 20 years," Sistina said and the three kids gaped. "I bet, to you, I don't feel anywhere near as close as it sounds," she said to Naruto who nodded.

"Yeah, you're a bit lower than some of them over there," the boy said, gesturing to the Claymore who crossed their arms.

"Claymore who fight more, use more Yoki, can remain as tame for far longer than those of us who do the opposite," the Claymore said with a wince. "Well, glad to see our 'Eye' is pretty unaffected."

"?"

"It's something you'll apparently learn in time."

"Huh," Naruto blinked. "So, uh, I impressed ya enough to not be 'taken care of' in some small village in the east, that basically the situation, yeah?"

"Hmph, not wrong," Lmit said as the other Elders, their executive council, murmured. "... Hmph, honestly, were the first generation more compatible, you'd have been an interesting warrior," the boy's tilt of the head was all he got in response. "Hm, hm, never mind. Welcome to the Organization, young boy. I guess, for now, you'll room with the guards."

"Is that a good idea?" Naruto asked with a nervous grin as the other guard's eyebrow began to twitch. "Just saying, I am in for some hazing, I feel."

"It'll build character."

If you said so.

~NRK~

Naruto stood in front of the gathered guards, the men all dressed similarly to the first two guards he'd knocked out looking confused or irritable.

The guard at his side sighed. "So, you all are aware of the ruckus that got kicked up earlier, right?" He asked and didn't wait for an answer. "Well, welcome to the cause, he's now a guard and he knocked out Coss and Gabe. So, do not try and fight him."

"... What?" One of them said. "He's a fucking kid! I bet any of the starter girls could have taken him and you want me to believe that he dropped Coss and fucking Gabe?"

"Is he some wicked experiment they lost track of?"

"Maybe he's some freak of nature, look at his cheeks!"

They did, looking at his whisker marks like they bore the answers of the universe.

"No wonder the women here seem like emotionless witches, you aren't exactly great," Naruto spat back flatly as they grew incensed. "Ever try being good people? I'm totally surprised."

"And that's supposed to mean?"

"It means-"

"Alright, enough," the first guy, Ruu, said with a groan. "Stop antagonizing each other. You don't have to like it but the least you all can do is try and do your jobs. Save this shit for when you're outside the facility."

Naruto crossed his arms with a huff before nodding. "Alright, I'm sorry if I hurt any of you recently. Though I think anyone I did is in the infirmary."

"I still can't believe he beat Gabe."

~NRK~

"So, uh, what do you guys do around here besides guard things?"

"... We guard more things."

"... Cool?" Naruto said as he walked behind Ruu.

Now dressed in a black tunic, pants, shoes, and a cloak, his mouth was covered as well, leaving only the top half of his face seen along with his hair.

"God, where does such bright hair come from?" Ruu questioned as they passed a pair of Claymores who were left wondering the same thing, spiky yellow locks bouncing with each step.

"Well, I'm from an orphanage so I don't know," he shrugged at the man's raised brow. "I learned that I can't just live on a bad past. I have to live for the future, especially those around me."

"... Right," where the hell was such wisdom coming from?

Sure, it was kind of naive, not all things could be recovered from, but how had someone who couldn't be older than ten seem so… at peace?

"God, you're making me think, I don't like that," Ruu said as the boy grinned, pearly whites showing and his whiskers seemed to thicken a bit. "... What are you, a fox?"

"Hehe~"

He scoffed before they stopped by a hall. "This is the closest to the entrance, the dining hall. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are the only times we come in here to eat. You want snacks? You better go out and come back with your own."

"Gotcha," Naruto said before a hobbling form came through the door. "... Whoa, she's hurt!" He said to him and the man crossed his arms.

"So? She'll have to walk it off. She's a monster, it's what they do."

"How can you say that?" Naruto asked with a frown. "You've clearly seen that they're just as human as you are."

"I'm not the one who'll eventually turn into a monster."

"Wrong," Naruto said with a frown as Ruu's eyes narrowed. "You could already be one," he said simply before rushing off towards the woman. "Dammit, lady! Get to the infirmary!"

She balked at him, holding her injured side. "What? When di-" She tripped.

And the boy lifted her over his shoulders with ease, rushing off with the shocked Claymore.

The guard facepalmed.

~NRK~

"Why must you ignore your post?"

"We weren't even on guard duty yet. Besides, it's better that they're healthy, not infected and stuff, and alive, last I checked."

Ruu groaned as they reached the training room, the man pulling two wooden spears off a rack.

Naruto caught the one he threw at him before twirling it around his hand and clenching it after a flourish, much to the surprise of Ruu.

"You've used a spear before?"

"Nope, I just go with what I think works," Naruto responded.

"Hmph, come on, I'll be testing your ability to fend off the potential weak Claymore or aggressive child," Ruu said before he froze as ice shot up his spine.

"I hope you're not STABBING children, Ruu."

'The hell is this?!' Ruu turned on a dime and hopped back, weapon raised at the angry Naruto. 'He's just a kid, why's my spine turning on me?!' But was that really true?

He'd seen the boy down the two before with ease, he was likely a practiced hand… wait, hadn't Gabe said those two trainees had some idea of what training was?

So, the boy was why?

Naruto let out a long breath, the ice slipping out of the room. "... Alright, let's fight," he said as he got low, spear raised at his side as he bounced back and forth.

Ruu was surprised at the stance as more guards slipped in, watching them.

"Come on! Put him on his ass!" That one from before shouted to Ruu. "I don't believe some brat could down Gabe of all people!"

The others looked about as intrigued, gauging Naruto with a good bit of condescension that Ruu grunted at.

'You all should be fighting him, then.'

"Hold on, Ruu," Naruto said as he looked at them with narrow eyes. "Let me fight all of them, then. Since they keep running their mouths," Ruu's eyes widened as the group of guards' own narrowed. "I mean if you can talk all that smack, step into the ring, ya cowards."

They all seemed to bring their spears off a nearby rack as Ruu sighed before leaving the ring regardless.

"Well, this should be interesting. Alright, who's-"

"Wrong," Naruto said and Ruu blinked at him. "I didn't say one at a time. I mean all of you since you need each to wipe so much."

The men's hackles raised as the boy took a more fully standing posture, spear in hand.

"Don't blame us for broken bones," the first of his opposition said as Ruu grimaced.

"Deel."

"I don't care! I'm putting this brat in his place!" Deel said as he charged with the others behind him.

Naruto twirled his staff before shooting forward into a low lunge Deel wasn't prepared for.

A kick slammed into his shin before a spear shaft slammed into his nose.

"Ah!" He swung back and Naruto grinned as he backflipped out the way, the next guard taking the blow to his chest.

"Oof! Deel!" He cursed before a dropkick to his kidney sent him to his knees. "AH!"

Naruto used his back as a platform to dodge a downward swipe from one of the other three and kick out at the man's bicep.

He hissed as it trembled, Naruto rolling away from the five with his spear in hand.

'He got in and out without a scratch,' Ruu observed with some surprise. 'Going right into the center of trouble to bring about chaos and attack,' that wasn't a strategy a normal person could use.

If he was confident enough to do things like that, Ruu had a feeling the kid was going to end up finding a fucking Claymore eventually.

Freaking hell.

Naruto slammed into the side of one of two unoffended guards who'd tried to stab out at him but missed after he flipped up on his body, the man folding before the boy landed on his back.

The blonde's spear lashed out and the other man had difficulty blocking the numerous stabs.

'He's used to stabbing, at least,' Ruu thought.

Six minutes later, the group of five guards lay defeated on the floor as Naruto stood there, looking none the worse for wear as he wiped off a bit of sweat.

"Exactly," he said to their groaning bruises. "Talk shit, guess what comes next?" Naruto grinned before facing Ruu who was humming.

"I see… maybe you should be training them or the trainees," the man said in thought as Deel cursed.

"I wouldn't listen to him!"

"Yea, I know," Ruu and Naruto rolled their eyes. "Well… While Gabe's incapacitated, you'll be teaching the brats. Know any swordsmanship?"

"Only a bit, I never was much of a swordsman," Naruto said and the man huffed.

"Yeah, that would have been too good."

~NRK~

Luciela and Rafaela flustered as the other girls asked them more questions about their friend in the yard. The group of girls sitting down as they awaited further instruction.

"His hair's so bright!" One of them said. "Is that normal?"

"W-Well, Naruto's always had yellow hair," Rafaela said with a stutter. "He was from an orphanage in Mucha and, well, he was the talk of our town."

"What about his whiskers?!"

"Oh, those," Luciela snickered. "He's had 'em since we were way younger kids. He looks like a cat, right?!"

"He does!" The group of them agreed and she grinned as Rafaela giggled a bit.

The doors to the area opened and they turned to see him with Ruu, the boy rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Welcome to your instructor for the day," Ruu said with little hesitation as the blonde grinned shakily at the shocked girls. "Since he decided your instructor was… inadequate, he'll take his place until he's up and about. Don't ruin them," was all the man said as he walked out of the area. "I'm hungry."

"... So, uhh, what do you guys do?" Naruto asked before being bum-rushed by girls his 'age'. "Oi, slow down! I'll get to it!" He said as he stepped back from the similar-haired, and-eyed, girls huddling around him, two at the forefront. "So, uh, there's a lot I need to know, ya know?"

Luciela grinned as her sister smiled. "What about?"

"Well, this may be temporary, this may be permanent, but I have no idea everything about you guys, Claymores, and stuff. Is there a lot you can tell me about your abilities?"

~NRK~

Far away, Sistina hummed as she felt out the girls' energy.

'They're excited and… explaining things?' It seemed like the boy was their temp instructor and asking what they could do. 'Hmm, he's got a good head on his shoulders.'

Yes, despite everything, Sistina could glean that the boy was just concerned, believing something bad had happened to his friends, he'd given chase for a month after two years of finishing up his connections in Mucha.

'... Yes, well, they must learn how to harness the energy in their bodies, young man,' she thought, 'watching' them. '...?' She blinked as the boy's energy rose? 'What?' She stood up from the stone she'd sat on. 'I-I don't understand, he's no yoki to speak of so how can he have soaring energy?' Was this another part of how he was so capable?

Was there another internal energy, out in the continent, that they didn't know about?

~NRK~

Naruto focused. "The idea to achieve perfect stillness, to become one with nature," he explained to them. "That's part of how I'm as good as I am, I can sort of boost myself as long as I can gather the proper Natural Energy."

The girls looked intrigued in no small measure, causing Naruto to chuckle. "So, is that a human-only thing?" Rafaela asked.

"I mean, it shouldn't be, I guess?" He said with as much certainty as she had, getting a nervous smile out of his friend.

"Still, only you have it, what's to say that this isn't something only you can do?" Luciela asked as many nodded. "Besides, we got off track, like, a lot," she admitted despite her own interest.

His energy had risen, she thinks, and it wasn't as disgusting as hers, as theirs, was.

It was one of the most comforting things she'd ever experienced, Luciela believes, but it was literally not the point right now.

Maybe later, when they were going to sleep, he'd use it to help them get some rest.

It'd be a welcomed diversion from the aches and pains.

"Alright, alright, so I know what you can do," the bright-yellow-blonde said with a cupped chin. "So, in two years, how much of that have you guys learned?"

"Not a lot, we're just focusing on sparring and exercises," Rafaela said. "They say we're not physically ready to use our energy like that. Only when we're in our middle teens."

"I see, I get that idea then," Naruto hummed before grinning as he twirled his spear from off his back. "Then I'll assess you, maybe we'll see how that'll work. Who's going to spar with me first?" He asked them and the girls looked alarmed.

"W-We're not the same as humans," one of them said with a wince. "And our swords are far heavier than those wooden spears, it'll break and you might…"

"I'll be fine," Naruto said with a nod. "I'm not only a more experienced fighter than you but you guys already said you're not allowed to use yoki. The fact remains, even now, you all probably are about as strong, physically, as the other guards. I'll handle that easily, especially since you all don't have a full understanding of how to use your bodies."

"What do you mean?" Luciela asked.

"Well, you're not comfortable actually fighting yet, are you?"

Many flinched before looking down, Luciela frowning as she sighed while her sister's head fell along with the others.

"That's fine, the fact remains, all you guys have done is fight each other, right?" They nodded. "So, that's why this'll be different because our skills are so far apart, it'll be an actual challenge for all of you. Now, who's first?"

They looked amongst themselves before Luciela stepped forward.

"It'll be me, then," she said with a grin as he chuckled.

"Alright, then everyone else, back up. We don't know how far this battle will take us."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll figure it out."

Luciela was curious about that.

As the others parted, Naruto nodded. "Rafaela, do you mind giving us a starting announcement?"

The girl blinked before nodding. "Alright, well, I've never done this before."

"It's just like horse races."

Her eyes shined and she nodded more eagerly. "Then on a count of 3!"

Naruto and Luciela got into position, the girl with her weapon held in front of her with both hands and her legs spread into a solid stance while the spiky-haired boy adopted that stance from when he'd prepared to fight Ruu.

"2…!" She said next as the other trainees grew excited. "...1! GO!"

The two lunged at one another before Naruto grinned as Luciela swung down, the boy flowing around her blade to slam his shoulder into her chest.

She flew back a bit into a roll before recovering shakily as Naruto stood in front of her, spear pointed at her nose.

"First of three 'deaths'. Two more shots," he said with a smirk as her eyes narrowed.

He jumped back and she stood up from her crouch before lunging once more.

Naruto didn't turn to look at her as he stabbed out with his spear to his side.

Luciela's sword trembled inches from his chest as her eyes widened at the sight of his spear tip on her handle?!

'What?!' He then stepped in and pushed out, sending her tumbling once more, before she recovered quickly, blocking his follow-up stab with the flat side of her weapon. 'B-But it's too small! How could he hit it like that?!' Was this really the difference between them?

The others had balked as well, the amount of precision needed to pull off such a stunt was not to be underestimated.

The two separated before slamming together again, Naruto's weapon skirting against the side of hers, causing the girl to scramble back before he pushed her to the ground, spear at her neck once again.

"Second," he didn't need to specify what he meant as he jumped back. "Last go, you're focusing better than the first one. Much better."

Luciela blushed a bit before she pouted.

~NRK~

Sistina chuckled at the feeling of the girl's energy.

'Goodness, being embarrassed by your attraction? I guess to you two, this is almost fairytale-like,' she smiled a bit. 'Well, we'll see if that changes or not when he sees your bodies. For now, enjoy your blissful ignorance.'

Now, as for the boy's tests, she was in favor of them. He was right, he was a more skilled fighter than these girls would ever be.

It was kind of impressive how he'd stopped that child's slash, it was very… no, that was about as skilled as she'd expect from a decently strong Claymore.

How curious. Why was he so skilled? Was he a prodigy? He seemed to be or was his excess energy something that increased his mind?

Curiouser and curiouser.

~NRK~

Luciela gasped, flat on her back, as Naruto smiled, crouched down next to her with Rafaela.

"You did good. You not only remembered to recover better but you also made sure to never let me out of your sight, well played," Naruto chuckled as he held out his hand.

She pouted at him but took it all the same, allowing herself to be pulled up.

"Alright, who's next?" He asked and Rafaela raised her hand along with a few others. "A little favoritism, let's go, Rafaela."

She nodded as Luciela placed her sword in the dirt and stood between them, their referee.

The trainees were sparred with for the next hour, Naruto giving tips and praise when he could.

Come the end, he wiped his brow. "Alright, you guys got some guts, I'm glad."

"H-How is he still standing?"

"Is this what it's like to fight a Claymore?"

"It's horrible!"

He sweatdropped at the dramatics. "Uh, right, uhh… sorry."

"Hmm," Rafaela hummed from her cross-legged position at his right side while Luciela laid down on his left. "It was… fun," she realized with a smile as he chuckled.

"Getting stronger, training, and learning from your friends can make any form of training fun and useful," Naruto said as Luciela scoffed. "Yes, drama queen, that's the truth."

Rafaela giggled a bit as her sister pouted.

"It was… okay, I guess," the long-haired sibling said as she sat up. "I guess I did learn something, too."

"From watching the others, right?"

"Yep."

"Alright. So, how long are you guys usually out here for? Isn't it almost-"

The double doors opened, allowing Ruu to come through.

"It's lunch, get up and go some food!" He said before leaving, getting a snicker out of Naruto.

"Alright."

~NRK~

He looked at the food with interest as he sat down, flanked by his friends before their table was flooded with the others.

"So, this doesn't look so bad… It's kind of decent," Naruto realized as he ate some bread. "Hmm, not bad."

"That's one of the few good things in this place," Luciela said as she bit some beef off a bone. "Hmph."

"It's always full of nutritious things, too," Rafaela said as he nodded, the other trainees nodding. "Everything here seems to be for the sake of making Claymores."

"Yeah, I'm starting to notice. Wish the guards were stronger, though," Naruto muttered as he ate.

As the groups did, several Claymore peeked into the room, peering at the newest oddity to grace their halls.

"So, we've got a kid who's getting buddy-buddy with the kids? Seems about right," one said sarcastically as her comrades rolled their eyes. "What's this all about? He's here, surprise."

"That's not it, you idiot," the first of the trio said. "The boy can't be normal."

"... We… figured that out."

"Hush, I mean there's no way he's human, right?" She asked and the two hummed.

"Well, it's not like he's out here fighting yoma so, I can't really say he isn't," the second one said, once more.

"He's… in need of proper tutelage," the third of their trio said as she held a cross to her heart, long hair around her head with separated strands bouncing as she moved forward. "I must assess our potential followers."

"Hold on now!" The first one hissed. "What the hell do you mean follower?! We're employees, not apostles, Elizabeth, cripes."

"... They're all the same in the arms of the goddesses."

"Can you not?" The second one said as she sighed.

"You're rather thoughtful, today, Uranus," Elizabeth said with a smile as the medium-length, spiky, hair of her comrade dropped with her loss of energy.

"I can't… I don't have the energy to respond," she said flatly. "If you want to spar with the kid," she stressed as Elizabeth hummed. "Just ask, oii…" Uranus groaned with finger pinching her nose, Elizabeth smiling as she walked over to the trainees. "Neideen, please help me."

"Hm, hm, she's at least listening more compared to last time," the first of the three said, a woman chin-length, seaweed-like, hair that had an eyepatch over her right eye. "All things considered, I wouldn't mind testin' the kid myself. You heard how he dodged Sistina? That's very interesting."

"Well… a bit," Uranus said.

Back with Naruto's group, he was cleaning his mouth with a napkin as he explained their next training exercises when a presence was behind him, surprising the trainees.

"Well, this is a new person," he said as he turned around. "Hi."

A Claymore, now that he was paying more actual attention.

Wearing a thin, light-gray, long-sleeved top with triangle-shaped ends, her lower half was covered by similar-colored pants and metallic, gray boots. On her shoulders were thick metal pauldrons with a waist-length cape behind her that was clasped by a metallic cover by her chest. The last two things were a set of metallic places that protected her hips and her sword, her claymore sword.

All Claymore, the adults, wore this outfit and he really wondered how useful those pauldrons were.

"Hmm, good afternoon, new little one," Elizabeth said kindly. "I am Elizabeth, number 5 of my generation."

"W-Whoa, really!?" Luciela balked as most of the other trainees gaped, too.

"Huh?" Naruto was confused. "Um, like, nice to meet you but I don't know what that number means."

"Hm, hm, it's simple. In each generation of, as you call us, Claymores, there are 47 who managed many regions throughout the continent."

"Isn't that kind of a bad idea?" Naruto sweatdropped and she looked intrigued. "Why not have, like, hundreds of Claymore to protect everyone?"

"Hmm, I don't have an answer for that, I could ask our superiors. I guess it'd be the most benign question I could have," Elizabeth said kindly and he rubbed the back of his head. "Now, those 47 are separated by power and skill. I'm the fifth most powerful of all my sister warriors."

"Oh, I get it."

"Hmph, yes, and I'd like to ask something of you," she grinned. "Would you mind a small spar? I'm curious about such a boy like yourself."

The trainees choked as Naruto grinned.

"I'm all about that."

~NRK~

He stretched as Luciela frowned from next to him.

"You realize she's going to throw you around like a doll, yes?" She asked him and Naruto grinned.

"Hey, this isn't remotely about me trying to beat her, I want to see what a single digit can do," Naruto said with excitement. "Dude, I thought I'd have to ask, this'll be awesome!"

"So, you are a little spitfire," came Neideen's words and chuckles as she and Uranus approached. "So, troublemaker, what's the hubbub? Why are you causing trouble?"

"Oh, uh, on good principles?" He asked nervously. "You don't have a problem with that, do ya? Because we can solve this peacefully… or I'll hide, you pick."

"Haha! He's a jester, not bad!" Neideen said with a smirk. "Nah, I don't got a problem with ya."

"Thank, God," Naruto said before tilting his head at the crouching Uranus. "... Sup?"

"... Hi."

"... A way with words," he responded unsurely and she blushed a bit, ruffling her hair.

"Right, sorry, I'm not good with kids," she said. "Uranus, the 31st."

"Right, Neideen, Number 9," Neideen introduced and basked in the awe and shock.

Naruto wore a shaky grin as Uranus chuckled. "Don't mind her, she just has a bit of an ego."

"I'm noticing."

"Are you ready?" Elizabeth asked and Naruto nodded, standing up with his spear in hand. "Hmm, conditions, what would be the right ones…" She considered.

"Well, first to land a hit is always good," Naruto suggested and she smiled. "But, I did something earlier with the girls. How about three hits on me and one hit on you for the conditions?" She perked up.

"Yes, that sounds fair, though I feel it should be ten hits on you," Naruto's eyes went flat as he began to sweat. "Still, perhaps this is a good motivator for a potential follower."

"Why'd she add that last part?" Naruto wondered worriedly.

"Oh, well, Elizabeth's a bit of a believer," Neideen explained as Luciela raised a brow. "Don't look at me like that, I'm not the one talking about followers over there."

The girl crossed her arms with a hum. "Well… that's not wrong," she said with a raised brow as Uranus chuckled a bit.

"She's got a lot of yoki," Rafaela blinked and the two Claymores hummed in interest. "At least, I think she does."

"She's got a decent amount, it's rad," Neideen said. "Still, you're not a sensor type, are you?" Rafaela shrugged.

"Well, she's about right, her energy's no laughing matter… she's not going to use all that against me… r-right?" Naruto asked as sweat waterfalled down his form.

"I doubt she'd do that… maybe," Uranus said unsurely.

"Not helping."

"Sorry."

"Alright, let's do this!" Naruto declared with determination. 'No time to hold back!' He understood that much.

He closed his eyes and pulled in the Natural Energy of the world around him and Elizabeth's eyes widened as the air around her vibrated. 'I see… so there was more to him than we thought,' well, she'd figure it out.

"... Alright," Naruto's eyes locked onto hers and she blinked as they gained a soft glow. "I'm ready for anything."

She blinked before smiling and taking up a loose standing stance. "You are quite interesting. The goddesses would be pleased with you."

Naruto didn't choose to respond verbally, rushing the woman with an increased speed that got a smile out of her-

He barely blocked that flowing blade, being knocked to the side by it.

"Oh?" She looked impressed. "You could see that, could you? Well, Sistina did say you could react to her so that's not the most impossible thing, especially since she was a former Number 1."

"Wait, hold up, she was?" Naruto balked. "No wonder she's so crazy strong! That's not fair!"

~NRK~

Sistina chuckled into her fist.

"Stupid little boy."

~NRK~

"I feel insulted."

"Quite."

His eyes widened and he dodged away from elegant slices with a skid back, having flipped away.

'She's quick even without yoki, huh?' He rushed her and she smiled before he skidded to a stop only to jump up and over her down carving slash. 'Gotcha!' Naruto stabbed forward-

She came to a stop behind him and his eyes widened.

A spear tip found the floor and he barely brought himself out of the way of her thrust.

"Not a bad show!" She said with a bigger smile, giving chase.

---

On the sidelines, Neideen, Uranus, and the trainees hummed in surprise as Naruto dodged like a champion from the flowing blade of Elizabeth.

"That's downright impressive," Neideen said as Luciela smirked. "Oh, please, your little boyfriend isn't that cool."

She burned bright red. "E-Excuse me?!"

Neideen smirked lazily. 'Oh?' A teasing point, she didn't get a lot of those! "What? Nothing, nothing."

Rafaela pouted a bit as Uranus chuckled. "Still, what she said before stands. Even without yoki, Elizabeth easily matches the strength of the toughest humans, Naruto's clearly got a skill for dodging and reaction."

It was on display before them, the boy's jumps, flips, shifts, and ducks were beyond expert, they were downright masterful.

"Do you know what that weird skill he uses does?"

"..." Rafaela's face scrunched up in thought. "He said it increases his speed and power… a-and I think he also said something like range."

Uranus blinked as she looked back to the match with more scrutiny. 'Range?'

Then she saw something curious as Naruto slid under one of Elizabeth's sweeping slices.

He attacked from the ground, he shouldn't have been a threat, Elizabeth could easily get away by stepping back-

Something made the smallest of depresses in her clothing and the woman was already a few meters away, eyes blinking.

"... Oh," she got it, maybe. "It's extending his attacks," Uranus realized as Luciela and Neideen turned to her. "That's part of his little skill. Maybe it catches wind pressure or his energy reaches out. All I know is that he can reach her from a bigger distance."

"No foolin'?" Neideen asked as Luciela looked proud. "Oh, I will rain on your parade, kid."

She blushed and stammered like an idiot.

Magnificent.

Then they saw a pair of Claymore come out to look at what was going on and blinked.

"Well, if it isn't No.1?"

---

Back with the two combatants, Elizabeth contemplated something as she and Naruto came to a stop.

The boy wasn't winded, having controlled breaths as she did the same.

Extraordinary.

"I'm curious, what did you do? Is this a part of your sensory skills?" She asked amicably as the boy grinned.

"Yep. It's my own way of taking my skills to the next level," Naruto said as he chuckled. "Sage Mode."

"That's a curious name," Elizabeth said with a hum before smiling. "And how do you believe you fare against I?"

"... There's not a lot I can do," Naruto said nervously as she smiled. "I can get my shots in but you're fast enough to get away when I do, so I'll need to trap ya."

She giggled a bit and he grinned.

Their weapons cracked in between their twin lunges.

"I'm… surprised!" She said as she threw him away by throwing their locked weapons to the side. "Those spears aren't that sturdy!" Elizabeth said as she blurred towards him.

"Yep!" Naruto flipped before throwing his weapon at her mid-air. "But that's another change!"

Sage Mode had never been that before but then, Naruto had never wielded a weapon while using it.

If Sage Mode gave him a film of energy, why not the things he was holding?

Even as she dodged it, Elizabeth noted that the earth erupted from where it hit. 'His strength is comparable… to the 47th!' Amazing and he was but a boy!

Then something came past her, dirt, rocks, and a dust cloud… a trap?!

She ducked under a flying kick as Naruto slipped into the cloud. "Sneaky," she said playfully as his spear swept out at her chest.

Elizabeth kicked back… and her eyes widened as her boot's heel sunk into a big hole while Naruto lunged at her with a victorious grin.

She smiled brightly and he wore a look of horror as she dropped her weapon and grabbed him with her arms.

"N-No-!" Elizabeth giggled as she hit her rear the same time she caught him. "No, wait-"

She bonked him once and he looked at her in terror as she grinned.

"Two, three, four, five!" Elizabeth grinned as he slumped in her hold. "I win."

"D-Dammit," he groaned as she stood up with a giggle.

"Honestly, you are a remarkable dodger. Had I not surprised you, who knew what might have happened?"

"I would have won."

"Maybe," she said cheekily as she picked up their weapons in one hand. "Still, I can't imagine what sort of terror you'd be when you reach adulthood, goodness."

As she walked back over, her eyes widened as her mouth dropped. "Cassandra?" She said in confusion as the woman raised a brow at her situation, Elizabeth blushing a bit. "A-Ahem, I was testing our newest staff," she admitted in embarrassment.

Cassandra chuckled as she looked at the pouty Naruto. 'Cute…' He looked like a grumpy cat! 'No, composure,' she cleared her throat.

Naruto looked up to see this 'Cassandra' and the amused woman at her side.

Cassandra was a woman with pointed ears, almond-shaped eyes, and short platinum-blonde hair that curled around her head and down to her nape.

The woman at her side, though, was far more normal-looking and more bubbly as well, having a bright expression, chin-length hair that parted by her forehead a bit, and kind silver eyes.

The two were in uniform, Claymore uniform, and he was allowed to stand on his own two feet, handed back his spear by an embarrassed-looking Elizabeth.

He snickered and she blushed more.

'So, cute…' Dammit, the boy was a weakness! "Yes, I was simply curious about the noise out here after we got back from a mission."

"Hmm? Who is this boy?" The younger Claymore asked with a grin as Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, right, I guess there's going to be a lot of that," Naruto realized and they blinked. "Name's Naruto Uzumaki, the newest guard/staff/instructor/friend in here," he declared about himself, proudly.

"... I'm confused, do we take boys this young?"

"I believe something happened with Mr. Uzumaki," Cassandra declared as she kneeled by him. 'He's got such big eyes! They're so blue!' Gah!

What she wouldn't give to just snuggle with him at night like a teddy bear!

'I think she likes me,' well, not romantically, that was for sure. '... Does she think I'm cute?' Naruto began to sweat in horror.

Weren't people like this clingy?

"So, the Council decided you'd be here?" She asked curiously. 'Don't break character!'

"Yep… a-aheheh, ya know? After some… breaking and entering, yeah."

"... What?" Both Claymores blinked at him as Neideen laughed.

"Yup! Don't we have a story to tell you guys," she said with a grin.

~NRK~

Sitting back in the cafeteria, the two looked at Naruto like he was a four-headed man, the former ninja rubbing the back of his head.

"You… found the Organization… got caught by Sistina, broke away from SISTINA, and led the Claymores and guards on a chase through the compound? Am I sane right now?" The woman, Otie, Naruto had learned her name, said in disbelief.

"It's… kind of unbelievable," Cassandra said in shock. 'A boy did all that?' What were they, chop liver?

They were super-powered half-monster people! And the whole place couldn't catch a boy!?

"I think my faith's been shaken."

"Y-Yeah, a little bit too over here."

"Allow not your faith to leave you, trust in our goddesses who brought him to us," Elizabeth said and both shot her looks of calm confusion.

"... Right," Cassandra didn't think she'd need to let Elizabeth get into her mind right now. "So, from now on, you'll be an instructor?"

"I hope so," Naruto said. "I mean, I can help them train better than that Gabe dude, help them out since I'll be nearby, and get stronger as they do. It's got too many pros for me."

"Hmph," Cassandra could respect that, finding people you enjoy being around wasn't easy, that's for sure, she'd know. "So, how'd he do?" She asked Elizabeth who smiled. 'Please don't go on a diatribe,' she just got back.

Getting into a battle of verbal wit was not in her power… most of the time.

"Well, for one, he's got an interesting skill similar to our pushing of yoki," she explained as the two perked up. "He calls it Sage Mode, a rather interesting thing but I can't deny the benefits."

"Oh, right, that's what he called it," Rafaela remembered as Luciela nodded.

"It's supposed to be super good. He dodged Ms. Elizabeth for a long time," the girl said with pride as Elizabeth chuckled.

"He did. It's rather surprising but he was capable of dodging me for the entirety of our engagement without yoki," she clarified for the women who looked very alarmed. "Of course, I won in the end but he's rather amazing."

"You just needed to throw that in, didn't you?" Naruto huffed.

"I have my pride as well."

He rolled his eyes. "So, like, I had a question for Elizabeth. Why aren't there, like, a million of you guys instead of 47?"

"Hmm, well, it's not like there aren't more, potentially, but the top 47 are spots contended for via tests," Cassandra said as Elizabeth remembered.

"A-Ah, yes, I might have… misplaced the thought," she said in embarrassment as Otie snickered a bit.

"It's not like we all remember that," she said. "Still, yeah, there are potential ones who stay behind, prepping for a possible spot in the top ranks."

"Huh, that makes sense, I guess."

"Still, it's not fun and games," she said as she looked at the trainees. "You all have to train hard to get those spots. Especially if there's still a Claymore in one when you try."

"Wait, how long do they train for?" Naruto wondered. "Never considered that question before. Hell, how often do ranks change?!"

"Not often," Neideen explained. "But sometimes unfortunate shit happens or one of the rookies is really good. It can be a thing."

"Sounds interesting, a little friendly competition."

"Friendly," she snorted and his spirits fell. "It could be but most of the bitches in here find that thing one of the only important ones. Trust me, it can get very NOT friendly, super quick."

"That so?"

"Yerp."

"Fantastic," Naruto said as Ruu came into the room and jabbed his thumb back. "Alright, looks like it's time to go, girls. We've got training to do and I've got a good idea!" He said as they looked intrigued.

The kids rushed out, leaving the chuckling adults in their wake.

"That sounds interesting."

"It does, doesn't it?"

~NRK~

Well, Naruto was glad to have more powerful helpers.

"So, there's, thankfully, a small forest over there," Naruto said, pointing to the thick brushes in the distance. "That's going to be where we train in the next exercise… so, first of all, we run there," he added with a smirk as Elizabeth smiled while the trainees paled beyond their normal skin color.

"T-That's brutal!"

"I know, I know, but, like, I traveled way far to get here, ya know? It took about four days or so of running, hopping, and so on," Naruto said as Cassandra blinked in confusion.

"That's… unwise," she said and he shrugged. "Where does all your stamina come from?" That was absurd.

The sheer distance he'd have had to pass shouldn't be underestimated! And what about yoma!?

"... Ah, wait, y-you can sense yoma, right?" Otie asked and Naruto nodded.

"Oh, right, that, too," he said with a frown. "So, like, uh, you guys know about super-powerful yoma, right?"

The Claymores looked surprised. 'Does he know about…?' If he did, that was a powerful utility to have on their side.

"How strong?" Neideen asked.

"... It's like, way strong. I felt a hint of it when I was Rabona," Naruto explained. "To the West, back then, and then the more I came here, I felt something big in the North? I think?"

"... Them," Cassandra winced as the trainees looked curious. "... Classified information. Start running," she declared to them and they gawked. "You have training regardless, don't you?"

"Oh, on that. Make sure to use your enhanced bodies to the limit without yoki," Naruto said as the girls looked at him confused. "You can do more than run, can't you? You can climb, jump, and jog. The whole point is, get to the forest in whatever way that you can. All forms of non-hurtful methods are allowed."

The girls looked apprehensive before Luciela huffed and started off running with Rafaela not that far behind her.

"Come on, you slowpokes! We've got training!" She commanded them and the girls jumped before hurrying after them. "Honestly, this is certainly better than normal training," she said and Naruto threw her a thumbs-up.

"They're gonna be good leaders someday, I mean it," he said to the Claymores who looked worried. "Now, on those signatures. What are they?"

"... When you said they were above a normal yoma, can you give us a good estimate?" Neideen asked.

"The comparison is as different as the lake is from the ocean," they all winced at that. "It's not wrong to say, these guys are monsters among monsters."

"Dammit, it is them," she cursed. "Those yoma you felt aren't… they're not normal. They're special in that the power they wield is beyond any Claymore in the upper-ranks."

His eyes widened as Elizabeth and Otie looked uneasy, Cassandra frowning before speaking up.

"To you… how would we compare to them?" She asked Naruto who frowned. "... That bad, huh?"

"It's… they're monsters, so I don't know if they hold the number of skills you guys do-"

"They do," Sistina said as she landed by the group. "Those beings are called Awakened Beings… but even beyond that title, those two are creatures in their own right, as you said. They've been staying sedentary and silent, so we've not done anything about them."

"Huh… is there any chanc-"

"No," she cut him off immediately facepalming. "Are you naive or just a positive thinker?"

"... Yes," Naruto answered and Uranus, Neireed, and Otie started laughing as Sistina's eyebrow twitched. "The answer is 'yes'."

"To which one?"

"... Yes."

"... Okay, this well is empty," she said with a roll of her eyes before pointing after the girls. "I believe you should catch up. Considering their lead."

"Nah, that's fine," Naruto said with a grin and she raised a brow. "Well, Sage Mode may seem limited to you but the boosts it gives me are more than enough. I don't use it often for a reason, especially not against the girls or the normal guards," he said with a chuckle as he turned to the girls' direction, their backs not in normal view. "Now, I'll go catch up. Come if you want."

Natural Energy filled his body as he walked off after them, coiling around his legs, core, shoulders, and head.

He exploded away in one lunge, the air blowing the Claymore's hair back.

"Wait, the fuck?" Neideen was confused. "Where was all this when he was fighting Elizabeth?!"

"... It probably wasn't enough," Elizabeth said with a growing smile that Uranus laughed at while Sistina's eyebrow shot into her hairline. "I'll be following."

She exploded after him, giving chase.

Cassandra hummed before shrugging. "I'm going."

"I'm coming!" Otie said.

"I guess I still want to see these kids' training," Uranus said with a chuckle.

"So, we're all going," Neideen said with a smirk.

They all shot after the kids, leaving Sistina there to pout only a bit.

"... Hmph," she took a steady jog after them. "Honestly."

Not even six hours and the world had turned on its head.

~NRK~

He caught up with the girls quickly enough, shocking Luciela and Rafaela as he came to a decent run next to them.

"Sup?" He grinned, body hidden under his cloak.

"H-How'd you catch up?!" Rafaela squeaked a bit as he snickered.

"I guess that Natural Energy thing is different?" Luciela asked and he grinned.

"It's something else," he nodded. "Alright, focus on your breathing and keep running! We're halfway there!" Naruto ordered the slightly gasping girls. 'They're honestly not bad if this is without their yoki,' it was, what, about ten miles to the forest?

They were pretty good.

~NRK~

He hummed atop a tree branch as the last one passed the forest edge, collapsing onto the grass a moment later with her hands clenching and unclenching the blades.

"Rest up for thirty minutes, we'll start afterward," he said as he stood up on his branch as his friends slowly came up. "You guys aren't tired?"

"W-Well, a bit," Rafaela said with a small gasp. "S-Still, I don't feel as bad as they look," she added as they looked back at the girls down below.

"Well, you all are young," Cassandra said as she leaned on their tree. "This area… never went here as a trainee. You all are lucky," she told them.

"Haa… haa…" The collective just kept breathing air.

"Hmph, it's still kind of impressive. They're only two years in and without yoki they could get here," Neideen considered with a hum as she sat on a large rock. "There's potential in this lot."

"... Oh, speaking of, I'm kind of surprised there are no apprenticeships in this place," Naruto said as the Claymores blinked. "I mean… you guys are fighting life-threatening demon guys who eat people's guts… like, why not?"

"That… has never really been a thing, at least, not so early," Elizabeth said as Cassandra looked at Otie.

"In a way, I've unofficially taken Otie as my apprentice but that's not something we just say we're doing. It just happens," the No.1 said as Otie nodded.

"Honestly, I don't think you're wrong. We really should have more mentoring for the trainees and those who haven't made it into the top 47," the young woman said. "I'd like to bring that up to the Council, one day. I think that idea could not only foster more growth but it'd also help for… well, those days," Otie said cryptically but the Clarmores understood.

'Those days?' Naruto, Luciela, and Rafaela blinked in confusion. 'What do they mean?'

They'd hopefully find out before it was too late, maybe they could stop these clearly morbid 'those days'.

---

He hopped around with ease, moving faster than he ever had on the ground, much to the fascination of the trainees and Claymores.

"See, tree-hopping is what got me here in record time," Naruto said as he stood on a branch. "The idea is, I think, momentum keeps you going. As you keep hopping, you can adjust on the fly but it's extremely fast in a large forested area."

"So, this is how you got here?" Sistina considered as she vanished before reappearing on his branch, mindful of its shaking. "I don't understand it."

Naruto grinned before hopping backward across the treeline. "Well, try and catch me then. You did it before," he said cheekily and she snorted before lunging after him.

The bright-haired boy landed on a branch before jumping to an above branch, Sistina landing on his previous one with an audible crack being heard as she kicked off after him.

The more they moved about, the more she saw him gaining a lead?

"How?" She was confused as she landed on another branch that cracked.

"Because you need to be lighter on your feet," Naruto said as he flipped over one before landing behind her. "The fact remains, you're just brute-forcing around instead of using natural force and stuff."

Sistina's eyebrow shot into her hairline again in less than thirty minutes, at that.

Her life had become odd in a matter of hours.

"Is that so?"

"Try just hopping around without yoki, just used the rebound and keep moving."

She hummed before doing as he suggested, hopping around in small leaps that she blinked at the ease of.

"I-I see," she did, this was rather relaxing.

Luciela's eyes narrowed before she hopped from one branch to the next with a grin, doing the same thing a few more times before steadying herself on one.

"W-Whoa!" She was grinning all the while, still, and, quickly after being settled, she took off again.

Rafaela, on the other hand, shivered on her second tree, Naruto popping into view next to her from a branch above, leaves falling about.

They locked eyes and she was embarrassed something fierce, cheeks reddening with blood as she looked down.

He chuckled.

Moments later, they were leaping through the trees, Rafaela on Naruto's back and gasping at the rush of air across her face.

"T-This is!" She nearly squealed as she latched onto his back some more, eyes alight with fascination. "Amazing!"

He chuckled.

~NRK~

After some quick playing, Naruto had them all on the ground for their next exercise.

"Now, this is going to sound kind of weird but, trust me," Naruto said. "From here on out, you all will be doing your best to try and catch me in the forest. All ways of doing it are valid, the only rule is you have to try your best to catch and grab these," he said, showing them some acorns tied on a bit of vine on his belt. "If you can grab one of these… I guess I owe you a favor."

"What kind of favor?" One girl asked and Naruto was surprised to find out it was the one he almost ran into.

When did she slip in there? "Oh, well, I don't know yet. I have to see if I can leave and come back and when I can do that. Maybe I can pick up toys and stuff."

The girls perked up at his words as Sistina chuckled.

"Yes, I remember those ideas," she said as the other Claymores nodded. "God, I would have killed for a doll with curly hair I could braid and play with."

"Not about that now?" Neideen said jokingly as the older Claymore snorted. "Haha! Ya gotta enjoy stuff, I'll tell ya. It helps a lot."

"And what do you do?"

"I make a little pottery here and there," Sistina looked at her in shock as the one-eyed Claymore looked proud. "Make a little money on the side, grab a nicer room at a place I kill a yoma, and drink to my heart's content!"

"Well… that's not the worst way to do things."

"I visit whatever churches that will allow me in," Elizabeth said with a smile and none of them were surprised. "Then I bathe my hands in holy water wherever I go and read from the bibles."

"No one's surprised, Elizabeth," Uranus said with a chuckle. "Well, I just enjoy my travels. If I'm not on a mission, I'll take the scenic route to the Organization, I can typically barter some food and protection to villages nearby and just enjoy life."

"Hmm," Cassandra tilted her head. "I don't… usually do much else," she noted with a frown as Otie grinned.

"Well, maybe next time, you can find a hobby when there's no mission! That'd be perfect!" She said and her mentor/friend chuckled.

"Perhaps, it'd be really nice to enjoy some downtime outside of sparring. Though that certainly doesn't get old."

The game began in front of them as Naruto removed his cloak and tossed it aside, arms crossed as he counted down on his fingers.

"2… 1!" He declared and grinned at the first lunges of the girls.

He simply stepped to the side and they missed. Another pair tried to pincer him and only hopped above, the two girls slamming into one another and bouncing back, allowing him to land where he'd just been.

Naruto rotated low and around a trainee's swipe before flipping over another's attempt to grab him.

They lunged, attacked, made to grab, and more and he dodged each one without moving his arms.

"They're not thinking," Sistina said. "He's not even moved into the forest as he said, he's just waiting for them to make a move that'll make him put in the effort."

"I mean, is it surprising?" Cassandra said with a shrug. "He's not just a boy, he's clearly got fighting experience along with all other forms. He's more wise and worldly than they and has a better battle intuition."

"That's not wrong," Uranus said with a hum. "He even gave them an easier goal. All they'd have to do to snap those string-like vines is tap them hard enough yet they're not even focusing on that."

It was true, the girls seemed too focused on catching him and not trying to grab the bells.

Still, the boy didn't look upset or disappointed, he smiled kindly and just let them attack him in all ways.

Naruto rolled over on a trainee's back, allowing her to be captured by the mob.

"W-Wait-!" Too late, she'd been absorbed into the horde. "Eep!"

He chuckled.

They trained for over an hour. Once it was over, Naruto stood in the center of tired girls, his acorns untouched.

And, no, that wasn't some perverted euphemism, get your head out of the gutter!

Sitting down cross-legged, he took on his customary meditative stance, one eye closed to look at the tired gals.

"30 more minutes of rest. We'll be playing another training game soon," he told them and the girls agreed tiredly but with some excitement on their faces, getting a grin out of the boy. "Hehe."

"You're handling them well," Sistina said as she stood behind him, Naruto looking up at her with his big blue eyes. '... I'm starting to understand Cassandra,' he really was really cute. "Hmph. Perhaps you'll take to an idea?"

"I'm all ears."

---

Luciela breathed in and frowned as her blindfolded eyes looked behind her blindfold.

"Okay, so I've gotta find the girls?" She asked Naruto who held her shoulders.

"Not just that, you know all your comrades' names and faces. You have to touch one of their shoulders and guess who it is," he said with a snicker as she pouted at him. "That's the game, sis over there came up with."

Sistina blinked at 'sis over there' before shrugging as Cassandra pouted a bit, much to her roll of the eyes.

Honestly.

"Alright… s-so I'm just going to reach around like I'm looking in the dark?"

"No, just tell me where to go and I'll help you there. You have to feel out your friends, though."

She nodded before swallowing, cheeks reddening. "D-Dammit, I'm going to look stupid," she whined as the girls giggled around her. "... Damn, that didn't help."

"Oh, sneaky," Neideen said with a snicker. "Someone's got some smarts."

"Hmph," Luciela pouted before grunting. "Forward, I can feel two girls kind of."

They found their first target, Daisy.

The girl in question looked on the verge of laughter as Luciela felt her face, Naruto one step behind her with all the others.

"... A long shot… Daniel?" Luciela tried and they laughed. "H-Hey, don't laugh at me!"

"We're sorry, we're sorry. Wanna another guess?" Naruto offered with a grin.

"You're grinning, aren't you?"

"I hope you sensed that."

"Hmph," she 'looked' back at her target. "..." She hummed long and loud before gasping. "D-Daisy, right?!"

"Got it!" Daisy cheered and Luciela looked excited.

Their next target took several guesses before they continued down the list, coming to Rafaela in the middle of them all with easy results.

"Of course, I'd remember my sister, duh," Rafaela blushed a bit. "Hehe, your big sis wouldn't be much of one if she didn't."

When everything was done, they tallied up her 'score'.

"So, with you that's… 19 misses," Naruto said as Otie carved it into a tree. "Not bad. I mean, there are like thirty of you."

Luciela looked a bit proud before grinning as Rafaela was next.

The game took over an hour to finish but the girls were in good spirits, actively testing out who they could sense by using their yoki output, some advice from Naruto and Elizabeth.

"They're enjoying it," Uranus said with a smile as the girls laughed once more, getting one right. "I guess this kind of training is not only good for them, it's enjoyable when it's made into a game."

"Yeah. Sometimes, trying different methods is important," Naruto said, sitting atop a smooth rock. "The fact remains, just brutal training isn't going to work for everyone. Sometimes, they also need to understand things better with more weird exercises."

"The word you're looking for is abstract," Sistina said and Naruto grinned nervously.

"Y-Yeah, that word."

Neideen snickered. "Hmph, you're losing sunlight, remember," she reminded and the group blinked before looking up to see that, yes, the sun was getting close to the horizon.

"I-I didn't even notice," Sistina realized in shock. "Time just seemed to… pass by," she uttered in disbelief.

Naruto chuckled. "Of course, when you're having fun, learning, playing, and working together, the days can pass way too quickly sometimes," he said and Cassandra nodded with a smile. "Finding a relationship with your comrades, friends, and siblings is important for everyone. I bet even for you guys."

"That couldn't be closer to the truth if you tried," Otie said with a sad smile. "I do hope you can train them from here on. I think you're the kind of instructor they really need."

Naruto nodded. "I hope so."

~NRK~

Come tomorrow, Naruto, Gabe, Sistina, and Ruu were before the Council once more.

"So, how was it training the trainees?" Lmit asked kindly.

"Oh, easy!" Naruto said with a grin as Gabe grunted. "We went on a ten mile-run to the forest to the side and back when we were done. I sparred with them to figure out where their strengths were. Had them perform a test by trying to grab some items off me and we even tested their senses."

The group looked surprised sans Sistina. "Really?" Ruu asked.

"Yeah. By making things into a game, it was easier for them to not only improve but also try things out. They've even tried out some stuff because they wanted to."

Gabe looked alarmed. "I couldn't get them to follow my orders," he grunted.

"Because not everyone needs an iron fist, Gabe," Naruto answered. "Are there going to be rough training days, definitely, they'll need to grow stronger to protect themselves and the people behind them but they also need time to rest, understand stuff, and put it to use. Just trying physically wasn't going to help them."

Gabe rubbed the back of his head, looking kind of embarrassed as Lmit smiled.

"Hmm… Then how about this?" He suggested. "Gabe will train them four days of the week and you'll handle them the other three?"

"That's… acceptable," Gabe said.

"Sounds cool!" Naruto said. "Oh, right, can I join the training they get?" He asked and the man raised his brow. "I need to get stronger, too. I was actually considering something. You know how they get guys in black as their messengers and stuff, right?"

"You want to be one?" Sistina considered it. "That makes sense, I suppose. I'm betting it's also for the sisters," Naruto grinned. "You're not that hard to read."

He chuckled.

"Hmm… such a capable one would be nice," one of the other Elders said. "I think it's an idea with merit."

"I agree."

"So do I."

"Very well then, you'll be allowed to follow the current generation in their trials, yes?" Lmit offered and Naruto grinned with a nod.

Things were going to go awry, he was sure.

So, he'd be there when they did.

And, so, five years passed in a flash.

~NRK~

Naruto grinned as he blocked each swing with his spear, his wooden weapon's metal tip glancing off the side of her claymore.

A familiar, sharp-eyed, silver-eyed woman grinned back as they clashed once more before separating.

"You've gotten a lot better than last year!" Naruto declared as he rushed her before a palm strike slammed into her raised forearm, their eyes meeting.

She threw her arm down and stepped in, trapping his arm between their bodies… dangerously.

Rafaela smiled as their faces were inches apart before she knocked him on his rear, face red like his but also full of pride as she held her sword at his neck.

"My win," she said as he chuckled nervously, her weapon removing itself from his neck as her hand extended out. "Though I don't know if that was f-fair," Rafaela said with another blush that he reciprocated as she helped him up.

Standing three inches above her in height, their bodies were barely half a foot apart and their eyes met.

"Oh, uh, right," Naruto said immediately as he looked away as she looked down, their cheeks even redder. "Well, uh, what did you… want for a favor, ya know?"

Ever since they started getting better, he added his stipulation to their spars. Any spar he had with the trainees, he'd give them a favor if they bested him.

As of five years since he started. The only person who'd ever defeated him was Luciela and Rafaela in spars while the others got their chances when they could grab the acorns.

And that exercise quickly got dangerous ever since puberty hit them like trucks!

It'd been easy to ignore at first, they were growing girls was all he needed to think to ignore it… but then that just wasn't enough. He was noticing that these silver-eyed 'witches' were beautiful in a lot of ways that he'd never considered before.

Being fifteen now, almost sixteen in maybe four months, Naruto had been forced to deal with puberty all over again and the fact that he was typically surrounded by nothing but girls he found attractive? Oh, he was forever lambasted whenever they'd crowd him, hug him by accident or when they did a good job, and then when they wanted piggyback rides?!

So, yeah, he was a lone suffering teenage boy and he'd realized, in the worst(?) ways, that he might not be the only one… Yep.

So, for now, he simply ignored it for as long as he could get away with it. Hopefully, nothing awakened in him to cause him to become some sort of gigolo.

"Oh…" Rafaela blushed a bit before swallowing and placing her hands on his eyes, closing them. "I-I want to give you something," she admitted, red in the face as his eyebrows rose but eyes stayed closed.

"Y-Yeah, what-" He'd tried to respond but something stopped him.

Something small, sweet, and plump against his lips.

He froze as the kiss went on for over ten seconds before stopping, his eyes popping open like jack-in-the-boxes to view nothing but displaced air.

'W-W-What the hell was that?!' He yelled in his mind.

~NRK~

Far away, Sistina shook her head as the isolated 'spar' came to an abrupt end. 'You're literally in for the weirdest ride of your life,' she thought, form not having changed at all in five years. 'Seriously, I didn't think there were women who agreed to that kind of stuff.'

But, hey, they were sisters. They certainly didn't seem to mind sharing things.

Why not him?

~NRK~

Naruto was left dazed in his room, night having fallen three or so hours ago.

'S-She kissed me,' the fact hadn't stopped shaking him young, doubly-teenaged, mind. 'Oh, God, a girl kissed me on purpose!' What the hell was he supposed to do!?

Play it off?! Naruto was an idiot, yes, but he couldn't have another Hinata! Dammit, he'd never let himself forget that!

He groaned before knocking on his door broke him out of his dazed reverie, the teenaged boy sloppily getting up in his black top and pants and going towards the door.

He opened it to see the sister of his recent problems grinning at him, waving in a gray set of pajamas he'd gotten for her one day. That being a long-sleeved tunic and shorts.

With how she'd grown into them, he did his best to not look further down as he looked Luciela in the eyes.

"W-What's up, Luciela?" He asked shakily, not prepared for this. 'Did Rafaela tell her? Was she going to tell me to be careful with her heart?! Maybe she'd fight over me?!'' Okay, calm down, Uzumaki.

That was too much-

"I'm here for one of my favors," she said with a smile that he froze at the sight of, blushing with a cough to high it.

"T-That so? So, late?"

"It'll take a mere moment," she said, coming into his room, leaving him to look at the door for a moment before closing it with a blushing frown.

'Calm down! You don't even know what she wants!' It could be anything, right?

He was just being the weirdest pervert right now.

"W-What's up?" Naruto asked her as he rigidly walked over to his bed before sitting down, Luciela's giggling form bouncing up a bit, her cheeks the slightest bit red. 'Why can't they all stop being cute?!' God, he had it bad.

"Well, I told you, I need two things," she said with a smile, surprising him. "One, Anali's birthday is coming up."

"O-Oh?" He'd not forgotten, he was just surprised but relieved. "That so?" Naruto said as he cupped his chin.

"Yea, imagine this," Luciela said with a grin as he nodded. "Close your eyes. Do you remember that spinning top she liked but broke last year?"

He did! Man, they'd done their best to cheer her up, too.

"Good, now, I saw something similar. Imagine something smaller, more compact, and warmer."

Warmer? He tilted his head with a frown. 'Warmer? Oh, wait, does she mean colors?!' That was a thing, right?

So, something red, yellow, or orange.

There was a creak in his bed and Naruto felt like he'd forgotten something important.

"Now, make it smoother, it'd be perfectly circular," she whispered warmly and he felt a shiver run up his spine. "Now, add a few layers of wood and…"

Naruto had been focusing, really, he had… but then her hands held his head.

"And press them together," she whispered against his lips before they met.

The kiss wasn't unlike her sisters, similar in how inexperience it felt not that he was one to talk, but it was firmer, forcing his to work against hers in an act to capture them.

She was in his lap soon enough and their kissing got more heated, Luciela using their position to ground her body against his as Naruto's arms found her waist.

They went at it for minutes before separating, both bright red in the face but Luciela looking victorious.

A quick peck on his stunned lips and she slipped out of his amazingly warm embrace. 'Oh… oh that's what she'd meant,' that had been one of the greatest feelings in her life.

That was kissing? Was it supposed to leave her body energized beyond words? Was she supposed to feel so light in her chest?

"I'll need to cross-reference with Rafaela," she said blatantly with a grin as she walked out of his room, adjusting her collar teasingly as Naruto's face went neon red. "Don't forget to handle my sister with care. I'll come back for my own after hers once more."

She opened and closed his door, leaving the brightly-haired boy to stew in his bed, shocked out of his damn mind as he tried to recollect whatever had happened…

… Nope, his brain stopped.

He flopped back onto his bed in disbelief and let his mind conk out.

Anything to take his head away from the madness that had occurred today.

~NRK~

The council spoke.

"So, the effect on them, let's discuss," came one of the Men In Black.

He had clear, smooth, fair skin, a powerful nose, eyes covered by a pair of sunglasses, and a black hat. His form was covered from the shoulders down by a large black coat that zipped up by the front as his long sleeves came down to the back of his hands.

"Rubel?" Lmit raised a brow as Dae came into the chambers. "I don't follow. If anything, the boy's made them more… amicable and not just the trainees."

That got a murmur out of the others in the chamber.

As it turned out, Naruto Uzumaki had a good rapport with the No.1s. Cassandra and the former one, Sistina, their Eye.

Along with a few other single digits, as well, the boy was becoming a known quantity and they'd been watching the Claymore's increase in morale.

"It's rather surprising to watch," one of the other Elders said. "They've been more… the word would be 'open', I suppose, with their messengers. Then there are the ideas the boy has put in their heads."

"Yes, mentoring, honestly, it's an interesting way of having them improve by learning from the older generation," Rubel smirked. "Of course, his other questions can be too curious, yes?"

"Hmm, well, they're not impossible questions," Lmit said as Dae nodded.

"Anyone with any brain cells would wonder why we don't have teams of 'Numbers' about," he said with a chuckle. "The boy's an altruist, through and through, he doesn't understand why things are the way they are."

"We can't have potential issues in bunches," Lmit said with closed eyes, knowing more like most others in the room. "The fact remains, it's simply not a good idea… but, say, two at most? That's possible…"

"You like the idea of such a program? Well, we already do have Awakened Being hunts for newbies," Rubel asked curiously before chuckling. "Well, for now, how about we talk about what's changed in the trainees?" He grinned.

"Those children have been running marathons in the training area," Dae said with a snort. "As one would have it, he's at the center of it all. Also, they're doing this without yoki. He trains their bases before having them train only in their yoki. It's fascinating to watch when I can."

"Meditation. The boy's… power is getting more impressive," Rubel said and the room grew more curious. "His check-ups reveal more and more curiousness. Each time, his cells, his blood, his tissues, they're something that not a single one of our human guards can contend with their own. His are filled with a form of… energy that beats out most… of the lower 40s."

"What?!" One of the Elders choked as Dae nodded.

"Ignoring how vicious yoki is, it always gives the women powerful cells," he explained. "We know this. The fact remains, that his cell's liveliness is contending with them and he's not lived half as long as some of our ranks."

"Then we get into his personable touch with training with the girls," Rubel explained. "He's not normal, his limits as a human are farther than they should be as he keeps up and even outpaces most of them… save for our special two, the sisters, Luciela and Rafaela, his friends from before he joined. They are the only two capable of besting him in combat without yoki and that's not even a guarantee."

"Young Naruto is a physical marvel, yes," Lmit knew this well.

The boy had a sort of charisma, happiness, he shared with others without a care. He never shied away from the Claymores, he accepted any that chose to interact with him.

Naruto saw them not as monsters or witches… no, he saw them as heroes, saviors, protectors who handled things that most normal humans couldn't.

He saw them as humans, through and through, their emotions were important to him.

"He does not fear them in the least, that's the case."

"I question what he'd do if he saw their stigmata," Dae considered and Rubel shrugged.

"I'm sure it's only a matter of time," he said, confusing the others. "Have you not noticed? They're teenagers now… with a male about them that accepts them socially, emotionally, and finds them attractive. The fact remains, we may end up in a hormonal situation that we can't possibly contain."

Most began to sweat at the idea of a potential emergency.

Teenage pregnancy if the boy didn't mind them as much as the group thought.

"He's very aware of them and is rather prudish about it. That might literally be the only reason we have time to consider this," Rubel said in amusement. "A virgin boy with such concepts and ideals around him wouldn't last. Especially if any of the more unsavory numbers come into contact with him… Like our newest rank as of last year," he said and he frowned a bit this time. "Roxanne's rank as of 40 has gone up to 36… and she's been getting close to Uranus, the 29th."

"... That doesn't seem to please you?" Lmit was confused.

"... Roxanne, as a warrior, is… she has a good yoki synchronization rate," he explained and they looked… more confused.

"Wait, why didn't you bring this up?" One of the other Men In Black said in confusion. "That's good. Wasn't the newest project all about that?"

"... Rubel, what's wrong with her?" Lmit asked with a frown as the sunglasses-wearing man sighed.

"She's shown odd mental reactions to other Claymore. Rapid obsession is the issue. I don't understand but I feel she's a detriment, for now."

"But she's getting close to the No.29?" Lmit cupped his chin in thought. "What can we do? Is she not going to get her first Awakened Being hunt soon? Did Uranus not speak of this?"

"... That's concerning," Rubel said… before grinning widely. "But we could probably make time and have the boy show his true abilities all in one go. Did he not want to be in my position as well?"

~NRK~

Come Monday morning, Naruto was happy, for once, to not be teaching the girls outright today despite the high chance for sweating.

So, when he was approached by one of the Men In Black, he was confused.

An hour later, he was fully dressed and adjusting his spear on his back by Uranus and this new woman he'd never met.

Her face was heart-shaped and she had soft-looking silver eyes, her below-chin-length platinum blonde hair that was set in wavy pigtails at the sides of her head.

Wearing the normal Claymore wear, he saw her insignia, depicting her number.

"Oh, you're Number 36," Naruto said with a chuckle as the woman looked at him curiously, eyes blinking, as Uranus grinned.

"I didn't think they'd allow you out before the trainees were trying for the ranks," she said as he nodded.

"This is my first run. Old man Rubel said this would be safer than going with a potential low-rank first. By the way, congrats on the rank-up," he said with a thumbs-up as Uranus smirked.

"We've all been trying a bit more by adding some extra exercises to our daily routine. The only one who hasn't gone up a rank is Elizabeth but she's literally already a single-digit, so…"

"I get it."

"I'm sorry, I'm confused. I wasn't aware one of the Men In Black were so… expressive," the woman said and Uranus nodded.

"This kid is Naruto, he's been with us for five years and he's to-be one of them in the future. Right now, he's doing a trial-run with us, so to speak."

"Ah, well, good morning, I'm Roxanne, Number 36, as you said," the now-named Roxanne said with a smile and polite bow that Naruto grinned at, the expression reaching his eyes. 'He's far more open than I've ever seen from those people,' how curious. "So, you'll be our messenger, yes? Why come along?"

"Oh, well, it's better to go with you guys. Don't know if something will happen that you both can't do," Naruto said with a nod as Roxanne was left confused. "Like, for example, how good are you at speaking to people?"

Ah. "I see. In that case, what's the mission?"

"It's an Awakened Being you're hunting. It's to the south of us. Two days by foot," Naruto explained as Uranus nodded. "We'll purchase horses in a town nearby just in case one of you two get injured too badly. You're not a defensive type, are ya?" Roxanne blinked before tilting her head.

"Hmm, no, I'm an offensive type."

"Alright, I've got medical stuff and rope, just in case."

"Kinky."

"What?"

"Nothing," she said with a giggle as Uranus snorted. "Still, we're walking to this town to get the horses? Then why are you packed?"

"Oh, no, the three of us are running on foot to the town," Naruto said as Uranus nodded.

"Naruto's likely on the same level of travel speed as a low 40s Claymore. He'll be able to keep up," she explained and Roxanne's look of disbelief got a chuckle out of her. "Life's weird like that, trust me, and he's one of the weirdest."

"Guilty as charged."

"See?" Uranus grinned. "Come on," she said and they began walking out of the cafeteria.

"So, you're gonna leave without saying anything?" Came a voice from the right-side entryway into the hall, getting a nervous grin out of Naruto who turned around to see a half-lidded-eyed Luciela and blushing Rafaela standing there in their pajamas. "That's not manly of you."

Uranus laughed as Naruto cleared his throat before putting his things down.

"O-One moment," he said to them as he speedwalked over. "I was just… processing, ya know?" Naruto said vaguely and the three blushed before Luciela hummed while Rafaela coughed. "... S-Still, okay, I'm heading out. I left messages by both your doors. Sorry, I'm just… figuring what's going on with us," he said quietly and she nodded.

"That doesn't mean it didn't hurt."

He nodded before hugging both, patting them on the back… if they didn't make those hugs last a bit longer than he expected.

Rafaela the most as she made sure to press into him, much to his hormonal horror.

When she was done, she was blushing like a red ball but looked victorious as Luciela snickered, eyes alight with amusement as she pat him on the shoulder.

"Later, we'll talk."

They left him like that, blushing, frozen, and unsure of whether he needed to go… Dammit.

"L-Let's just go, please," Naruto facepalmed as he walked over to his travel buddies, took up his things, and grumbled as he walked ahead. "D-Dammit."

"His life is also amusing," Uranus said with a grin as she walked off after him.

Roxanne was left there, utterly dazzled by the young man's life in but a few minutes.

"... I see…" She found her interest piqued.

~NRK~

The fact that they actually ran was surprising to Roxanne.

That this Naruto boy kept up was even more so.

"We're coming up to the town!" He told them as he lunged from tree to tree with a shocking amount of speed.

They came to a skidding halt moments later, the three looking down a forest-covered hill at the town below.

"Getsnim is its name," he said as they breathed out. "And we got here in under 4 hours. That's some good time."

"How are you not tired?" Roxanne stared at him as he chuckled.

"We'd run marathons for training whenever I get the trainees. I joined them for all their training. Trust me, it's not that hard," Naruto explained as Uranus nodded.

"Come on, if we're lucky, we can get to the next village with an entire day to spare," she said.

They made it there in under 20 minutes, the three wearing cloaks to not cause any issues.

"Alright, we'll grab the horses from the stables near the other edge of town. Thankfully, stables are around near all exits," Naruto said.

They did what they came for, grabbing horses and a cart, just in case.

As they took the slow route, the Claymores rested inside the cart.

"Get some rest, yeah? You'll be good and rested in eight hours," Naruto said as he managed the animals' reins.

"Gotcha," Uranus said as she leaned against the cart's walls with a slow exhale. "..."

"Man, she's always able to sleep so easily, it's crazy," Naruto said with a chuckle as he held the reins. "... Yes?" He said to Roxanne as she leaned out the front of the cart to lean on the back of his seat.

"Your oddness is simply hard to ignore," she said. "I don't understand where you begin and end."

"From my head to my toes."

"Smart," she smirked. "Not what I mean. You're not from a normal place, are you?"

"I'm from Mucha. It was normal, I'm just a weirdo," Naruto admitted and she was left more confused. "I don't mind, though. I can help people this way, I can learn in different ways, go different places normal people can't, and meet people they wouldn't, as well," he said, looking at her as she hummed before shrugging.

"I see," it wasn't fully true but she kind of got it.

He was weird, they were weird, life found a way.

She smiled widely.

Ohh… she was becoming intrigued.

~NRK~

Eight hours later, Naruto rested in the cart for an hour before the group went off to find this Awakened Being.

"... It's over there," Naruto whispered to them with narrow eyes as they hid behind a set of trees, a small cliff ahead not making much noise… except a step of clopping. "It's gotta be the thing, it's stronger than a normal yoma while not being super strong."

Uranus nodded before knocking her fist against Roxanne's pauldron, the young woman nodding.

They snuck forward as Naruto stayed back, senses spread out.

The two Claymores moved along the cliff edge slowly.

When 60 seconds passed, Naruto snuck to the cliff-edge as they got into position.

'Go!' He signalled and the two descended onto the ignorant yoma-

Its head snapped to them and Naruto's eyes narrowed as Uranus lopped off one of its six horse legs while Roxanne went in low.

She went to chop off another but was kicked back in the chest, spitting out blood.

"Dammit!" He cursed under his breath as Uranus cleaved through three more of the yoma's legs before going to check on Roxanne. 'It's fine, the thing doesn't have four legs, it can't attack.'

The Awakened Being couldn't, floundering about in agony before its fingers aimed at the women.

"Behind!" He warned from above and Uranus picked up Roxanne before dodging. "Whew," that'd been close.

… Then Uranus stumbled as they landed? What? 'What's going on?'

She held her head as the yoma looked up at him.

"Dammit," Naruto cursed as he got up before dodging to the side, slipping away from five finger-vines that crushed the area where he'd just been. "Tsk."

His spear came off his back in an instant, the moment he landed, he lunged, cleaving through the fingers with a single sweep.

Ever since training more with his new Pseudo-Sage Mode, since he wasn't mixing chakra, Naruto had started trying to mix it with different things on his person.

His muscles were the first and that wasn't even fully perfect but with how far he'd gotten? He felt some pride.

Next, he'd tried to enhance his spear. As it turned out, wood was a really good conductor for the stuff. Of course, it required so much more to enhance it but, over the years, it'd become half as slow.

And, in that time, his weapon had never broken.

So, yeah, right now, his spear was closer to a Claymore weapon than a normal wooden stick.

So, he grinned as he lopped off the yoma's digits, the screaming from below causing him to look over before jumping down.

While the yoma was flailing into the walls and distracted, Naruto went to the Claymores.

"Everything alright?" He asked them as he landed, surprising Roxanne? 'What?' She looked… almost annoyed, weirdly. "... It's alright, you two are fine," Naruto reassured her as Uranus held her head with a slow wince.

"M-My head's hurting, it feels off," she told him as Roxanne held her.

"..." He frowned before nodding, confusing the two. "Roxanne, take Uranus to a safe location and hurry back," Naruto said with finality as he stood up, much to Uranus's horror.

"W-Wait! What are you-?!"

"I'm either going to kill it or buy time for your return, one way or the other," Naruto said with a grin as he took off his hood and pulled down his mask. "Time for me to see how I compare," he said as he flooded his body with Natural Energy. "Go!"

He exploded from his spot and ran along the walls towards the yoma.

"T-The hell is he doing?!" Uranus cursed as she stood up shakily. "Dammit! Roxanne, we're going!" She declared as her face filled with veins.

The younger Claymore was let there, startled. 'W-What the hell is wrong with him?!' What had that feeling of power been? "... Yes," she answered solidly.

A power she didn't know about? How interesting.

Naruto, meanwhile, lunged off the wall towards the Awakened Being's injured arm as it saw him.

It, he, swung out with his big claws and Naruto twisted in the air before grabbing onto it. His spear plunged into its wrist.

He screamed in anger, his head shooting towards the human's location.

Naruto grinned before, at the last second, he plunged his spear into the Awakened Being's eyes with a swift swipe and jumped away, the demonic creature biting into his wrists.

It wailed more as he landed before moving about once more, Roxanne appearing at his side.

"She's a real stubborn one," Naruto sighed before grinning as Uranus cleaved off the other arm. "Go in!" He ordered as he grabbed Roxanne's arm.

He swung her around before tossing her towards the Yoma's decently big neck.

Roxanne blinked before grunting and tightening her hold on her sword.

She cleaved through its neck with ease, rolling in the air before being caught by Naruto once more, the boy's feet digging into the ground of the small valley as they skid to a stop, Uranus landing beside the two with a relieved look.

"Good job," she said with a long groan of relief. "And my head's not killing me anymore. I think that yoma had some kind of yoki ability," Uranus said as Naruto nodded, putting Roxanne down, much to her displeasure. "Haha." Talk about a ladykiller.

Well, it was fun to watch.

"Alright, let's get back up," Roxanne said.

~NRK~

The return trip saw them resting in the town before heading back.

Naruto rested in his room, in his top and pants.

'Today went a little off-kilter but we got it done,' he grinned.

He'd not only learned his weapon was more than good at cutting through yoma but he'd also helped beat a low-level Awakened Being!

Sure, it wasn't as strong as those signatures in the north and west but he knew, one day, he might be able to help make a big difference.

'Now, what am I supposed to expect when I get back?' The question caused him to facepalm as his face went neon red. 'They don't… t-they're not actually going to suggest what I think was being suggested… r-right?!' If they did, he'd know no end to teasing the world over.

Ignoring the Claymores, the other girls, Ruu, Gabe, stupid Deel, and then their higher-ups?!

He was in for some embarrassment.

… Naruto swallowed in resolution.

'If that's what they want… I'll do whatever it takes,' to make them happy, to make sure they have a person to come back to no matter what.

To not turn into an Awakened Being as he'd realized earlier.

So, that meant those people in the north and south were likely Claymores… powerful ones.

'I'll have to get stronger… no matter what,' he nodded as he closed his eyes.

For now, he had his own issues to deal with.

~NRK~

That's the start of a new fic.

So, this is one of many Claymore fics I've wanted to write for a long time. I'm even currently re-reading the manga, halfway through it.

So, for this fic it's Naruto x Luciela x Rafaela. No more. I've two others.

Obito x Teresa and Naruto x Priscilla.

Those are bound to be fun.

For now, I'm working on Void Breathing and A Grimm Light chapters. The former's almost ready while the latter's barely started.

Ciao.

Timeline: This is about a generation behind Teresa's where I'm using Cassandra as the previous No.1. So because, remember, Rafaela meets Teresa sometime in post her 20s so if we go with the idea that she was around when the No.1 was being forced aside by Roxanne, it'd be interesting. Though, considering that Naruto's already caused Roxanne to fail her first murder, there might be a bigger change.

Words: 19.3k+

~NRK Out~