~NRK~
The morning following the end of the hunt, Naruto spoke with Uranus and Roxanne in the former's room, the Number 29th currently nodding to his request as the Number 36th tilted her head.
"Sure, I get it, I won't say a word, it's better to have an emergency backup in case shit goes south," the woman agreed as Naruto grinned.
"Thanks. I know we've known each other for, like, three days but I hope I can also count on you, Roxy," he said as the younger woman perked up at his new reverence for her.
"Hmm, I suppose, I'd rather like to observe you more without extra eyes on you," Roxanne said with a smile as the teen smiled nervously while Uranus laughed.
"Alright, alright, we're all ready to go, yeah? Then let's head back, someone has girlfriends he needs to tend to."
"Oi!" The red-faced Uzumaki's eyebrow twitched as she smirked. "L-Let's not… I don't… I'm never hearing the end of this, am I?"
"Nope."
~NRK~
The travel back was also done in reverse of the way they got here.
With the horses and carriage returned to their owner, the three ran across the lands towards the Organization.
"Hmm," Naruto blinked before whistling sharply.
The three of them skid to a stop before slipping into the canopy above, Roxanne looking amused while Uranus raised a brow.
"Felt something?" She asked and Naruto nodded.
"Three yoma, a bit away to the right, they're harassing some people… I think? I think they're disguised? Their energies are weak and that's certainly not a Claymore," he said as they nodded. "... they're coming."
They waited as the young man held up his hand, fingers counting down slowly.
When his hand clenched, they watched from above as a small caravan of individuals passed below, the creaking of the carriage's wheels, the chatter of the people, and the horses' silent movements telling.
Yoma.
"Which ones?" Uranus asked him and Naruto pointed out the three men at the back of the cart, their builds obviously bigger than those they were accompanying and their forms covered in armor but with no weapons in sight. "They're definitely small fry," she said with a shake of the head. "They're so obvious, this isn't a trap, right?"
Naruto focused, eyes closed. "... nope, there's not another yoma for a couple miles and those ones are WAY far off and on their own," he said as Roxanne perked up, eyes alight with interest.
"You can sense that far? Are you sure you've no yoma in you? I'd say only Miss Sistina could pull that off," the second-oldest of the three said with a smile as Naruto and Uranus chuckled.
"He's a little marvel. I'll handle it," the oldest said as she dropped down behind the caravan with decently muffled steps.
As she approached the caravan with all the social ability of a slight professional, Naruto blinked as his tree branch dipped a bit, Roxanne's form sitting down next to his crouched one.
"What's up, Roxy?"
"Hmm, tell me, how does your form of sensing work? I'm curious."
Naruto blinked at the intent in front of him, the amount of interest a bit blinding. "Well, it's not really something complicated but it's as simple expanding my senses, sorry. Natural Energy plays a part in it, too," she looked confused. "... Oh! Right, you probably don't know. I can feel the energy of the world around me, I can also use it to bolster my fighting style and my spear," he said as he tapped his weapon.
She leaned back to look at it, expanding her own senses before blinking in confusion.
"Can I see it?" She asked and he offered it without a hint of hesitation with a smile. "Hmph," the amused young woman looked over the plain wooden spear with intrigue. 'It's like his spirit suffused into the wood,' she thought with a fascination only really held by children. "How curious," Roxanne whispered huskily, mouth set in a large grin as Naruto tilted his head.
The way his eyes shined enticed her as well, her hands offering his weapon back to him with a nod.
"Thank you. It's like your spirit is within it, it's rather odd."
"I'm actually curious about that," he said as they heard screaming before the sound of cleaving reached their ears.
The way the boy didn't so much as look told Roxanne that he was either a monster in hiding, was that familiar with Uranus, or was already 'paying attention' through his senses instead of his eyes.
Curious.
"I've heard that tossed around a bit but I never paid too much attention to it. Spiritual strength or something?"
"It's odd to explain but it's essential to what we believe holds back our yoma sides," Roxanne explained with a smile. "When we pay more attention to it, we can feel it on some level, that's how we know your spiritual strength is great. It's rather outrageous, I remember feeling it from the fight, you can enhance it," she hummed. "It's weird but it's not like you become stronger but you 'let go' so to speak. Your body likely loses its limiters."
Naruto blinked as he looked down at his hands. 'So that's what it was?' He always saw it as him increasing his body's abilities but if it just released the natural limiters in his form, bolstering this 'spiritual strength' instead, then that made some sense. "..." Naruto looked at his spear with interest.
What did that mean for his Ol' Reliable? Would it break if his spirit did? Was that it?
Had it become his spirit weaponized? Or, really, what did that even mean?
Naruto realized he took a lot of things for granted within this strange second life.
"I'm back," Uranus said as she walked past their waiting spot, the two dropping down, shocking those still leftover by the caravan before they all walked off. "Hmm, it really was just sad, those guys. What'd you two talk about?"
"Spiritual strength," Naruto said as Uranus hummed.
"Finally asked about it?"
"Yeah, I-I might have been kinda… lenient on it," he said with an embarrassed grin as the woman chuckled.
"Well, ask away if Roxanne didn't already explain it."
"Well, she did so I'm just left wondering if you could put into words what it feels like when I use Sage Mode," Naruto said and Uranus blinked before cupping her chin.
"Hmm… Well, I guess saying that you 'become more human' wouldn't make sense, huh?" She grinned nervously as he shot a nervous one right back at her. "Right… I guess it's like you steeling your resolve is the best way I can put it. Like you're putting your everything on the line and your body might follow, sorry, that's about as good as I can say it."
"No, I get it," he kinda did and didn't.
If he had to guess, it was like his body preparing to push his limits beyond what he could currently do. Not so much a boost as it was something that'd allowed him to keep going or do small impossible things?
Like he said, he wasn't sure. But powerful will did sound nice for now.
~NRK~
Their return wasn't welcomed with fanfare but a reading Elizabeth in the cafeteria.
"Ah, you've all returned," she said with a chuckle as Roxanne blinked in shock. "Welcome back."
"Thanks," Naruto and Uranus said in unison. "What's up?"
"Nothing really, I did hear something odd about Luciela and Rafaela, though?" She asked the boy who blushed before clearing his throat as Uranus snickered.
"He's a casanova?"
"Is that… different than usual?"
The way the 29th smirked said it all. Something had happened.
Curious!
"Well, please, inform me," she smiled as the boy grinned for five seconds.
Naruto ran like a bat outta hell, leaving a confused 'Fifth' behind as Uranus chuckled.
"You won't… or, really, you'll probably see it as 'it finally hit'," she said as Elizabeth hummed.
"Curiouser, you speak of the sisters."
"Of course."
As they gossiped, Roxanne slipped away and into the halls of the Organization, eyes alight with interest.
~NRK~
Naruto slowly snuck into the Claymore trainees' quarters, senses leading him to his friends as evening hit.
As he slipped past numerous doors with the other girls within them, he blinked as he came across a familiar girl.
One who he'd bumped into at one point, one who was older than Luciela and Rafaela.
"Oh, it's you, Naruto," she said with a flip of her lower back-length platinum locks, a smirk on her face. "Ready to submit?"
"Not in the least, Octavia," Naruto said with a snort as she huffed good-naturedly before smirking.
"Finally going to go and seal the deal?" She asked with a sly tone as he choked before burning up.
"H-How do you know that?!"
"Duh, as if Rafaela could keep a secret off her face," she rolled her eyes as he paled. "And, yes, before you ask, they all know."
"Y-You're joking… r-right?"
"... fine, fine," she huffed. "Ruin my fun," the young woman said as he held his chest in relief, crying tears of joy.
"Oh thank God," Naruto clenched his fist in victory.
"But you do realize that it's only a matter of time, right?"
"I-I know, okay? It's just… look, I'm still not sure how this is gonna work, I know those two, they're not competitive in the slightest so how the hell did this happen?"
"..." Octavia tilted her head with a hum. "... sorry, don't know," she grinned as he threw her a flat look. "Whatever, you know where they are, I'd bet."
"... bye, Octavia, we'll spar soon."
"That's all I ask."
He powerwalked away from here, heading directly for the sisters' room before he was standing in front of it, taking in a breath before knocking.
"Hello? Daisy? I'll give your brush back in a bit-" Luciela began to say.
"Luci, it's me-" Naruto tried to say only for the door to be ripped off its hinges, damn near close, for a blushing Rafaela to be shown, her sibling in the back of the room with a brush in her hair and a similar red face. "... y-yo," he rubbed the back of his head as Rafaela blushed harder but nodded, letting him in.
She closed the door behind him before Naruto walked over and sat on their shared bed, the two girls looking more embarrassed even if they came over and sat next to him in some new clothes he'd gotten recently.
Rafaela in a shin-length black skirt and a dark gray tunic while Luciela wore a dull-red tunic-dress with a pair of wooden bracelets and anklets on.
Those last two were hand-carved by the Uzumaki himself, the boy gifting them those adornments on their birthday two months ago.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"... so… w-were you guys serious-"
"Yes," they answered in unison, cheeks red. "We were."
Crap, he hadn't expected such unity out of nowhere… correction.
He hadn't expected unity on THIS.
"... Like, seriously?" He asked again. "I know I sound like a run-on story and stuff but I really need to be sure you two are cool with this as weird as it feels being the guy at the center of it," Naruto said seriously as they looked at him curiously.
"Y-Yeah, I am," Rafaela admitted as she picked at her skirt gently, the amazing feel of the clothes sending her heart soaring some more. "I'm serious."
"I-I am as well, you know?" Luciela said with an embarrassed grin, eyes wide and looking away from him as she fiddled with a few of her bangs, her hair out of its usual long twintails. "S-So… yeah?"
"..." Naruto ran his hands through his hair as he groaned. "Is that two sets of presents on your birthday?" He asked shakily as they blinked before giggling. "Yeah… I figured as much. If you want, sure, I'll do my best to make both of you happy. Though, word to the wise? I've got no romance experience under my belt," he said with shaky confidence but that's where Luciela grinned.
Worrying.
"We get that, you weren't exactly a casanova back in Mucha," she said with a wave of the hand as he shot her a look.
"What?"
"Um, I think she means when you didn't even notice the girls who liked you in Mucha," Rafaela said helpfully with a blush before she giggled a bit at the blonde's look of disbelief.
"They what?!"
The door was knocked on and Naruto groaned as Rafaela blushed.
"I-It's Sistina," she said with a glowing red face. "And she's really smug right now."
Luciela rolled her eyes before answering the door to find the grinning woman there, her sly look causing an immediate wave of embarrassment to wash over her.
"Y-Yeah?!" She squeaked as 'The Eye' of the Organization chuckled a bit with another smirk.
"Girlfriends, huh?"
The teens all burned like candles.
~NRK~
"Mmm," Naruto just kept doing his push-ups as Deel shot him a suspicious look. "I'll kick you in the balls, DEEL, don't try me," he grumbled as the other trainees either blushed or laughed.
Atop the young man's back, Luciela blushed but wore a proud grin while Rafaela just stuffed her red face into her hands.
"I ain't saying shit, ya little pervert," the guard huffed as Naruto's eyebrow twitched something fierce. "Heh."
Oh, that man's clothes were turning pink tonight!
"Can you all just focus on your training?!" Naruto shouted as the others jumped before scrambling about, the young man's red cheeks ignored as he kept going. "Please, I'm already in for it when Neideen gets back, don't let them get me," he pleaded to his two… girlfriends.
Oh, God, he had girlfriends!
"H-Hehe, well, I think we can allow little things," Luciela contemplated as the boy choked while Rafaela looked up with a red face. "I-I mean, we're all kinda… stuck in this place, s-so," she burned while the blonde froze mid-push-up.
"L-Luci, I-I… I know that, uh, the pickings here ain't great but…" What the hell was she saying?!
Was she really about to pimp him out?!
"I-I think just little things?" Rafaela offered him as he groaned before going back down and up. "Hugs are really nice."
"... fine, hugs."
"... We'll allow 'em kisses on the cheek," Luciela said with determination as he trembled in horror.
"I'm one quickly-turned cheek away from an accident, I know it!" The boy complained even as Deel just facepalmed at the insanity of it all.
~NRK~
Lunch had somehow become the worst part of his day.
Well, 'somehow' was relative because their friendly actually-Claymore group entered and beelined over.
He couldn't deflect as Elizabeth smiled curiously at him.
"D-Don't-"
"The goddesses will hopefully grant you virtue and strength," she said without letting him finish.
"Dammit," he said as Uranus chuckled while Cassandra and Otie raised their brows at him. "D-Don't, please, I know this isn't… how it usually goes."
"I don't know what's happening?" Cassandra said unsurely and the grins on Elizabeth's, Otie's, and Uranus's faces said it all. "Something happened, didn't it?"
They told her and it took her several seconds before she looked at him with a stare meant for the unreal.
So, basically, Cassandra looked away with some embarrassment and he was now left feeling like he was somehow the bad guy!
"I-It's gone well so far," Luciela said with a shaky chuckle. "When's Neideen getting back?"
"Tomorrow," Otie grinned with bright eyes. "But I'd like to ask… this is insane."
"T-That wasn't a question," Rafaela whined in embarrassment as Uranus chuckled.
"It's not exactly like good-going romance gossip comes through these halls often, we've gotta get our fun in," the 29th said with a chuckle as the three blushed.
"Hmm?" Came the curious voice of Roxanne as she came over, the group blinking at her save for Naruto and Uranus. "Ah, this is the next generation of trainees, yes?" She asked the group
"Sup, Roxy," the blonde boy groaned, head on the table but hand raised in greeting as Uranus chuckled, the woman coming over before sitting by Otie. "Yeah, they are. How's life?"
"Curious? I seem to be hearing rumors about you and relationships."
"Of course, you are, why'd I think my love life went unheard?"
"It's just some teasing," Elizabeth smiled as the sisters nodded with rosy cheeks. "Hm, hmm~" She giggled a bit and they blushed mere moments later.
"It's just us being us, ma'am," Luciela said to Roxanne who smiled before humming.
"Well, you should also know, you kids might be getting a special class soon," the entire table blinked at her. "I was speaking with the Council about our recent mission, you two, and they wish to have a rather unorthodox method tested."
"Really?" Cassandra tilted her head, scratching her cheek with a finger. "What kind?"
"Why I'm glad you asked, Miss No. 1, it's going to be a trainee generation-wide expedition where we're to give them experience hunting yoma," she said as the girls perked up before paling.
"Seriously?!"
"We're going to die!"
"A-Alone?!"
The 'more experienced' members sweatdropped. "They've, uh, never been so… scared," Naruto said with a nervous chuckle. "G-Girls, come on, it won't be THAT bad. Think about it! Roxy literally just said it'd be all of you in a group!"
The girls stopped their horrified whispers to look at him.
"Besides, it's not like you're going to find an army of yoma out freaking nowhere, that'd be ridiculous," he reassured them as Rafaela nodded.
"Besides, we can sense if such a thing happens," she said as Uranus chuckled and she grinned. "I-I've gotten better at it," Rafaela admitted bashfully.
"That's good," Sistina said as she appeared behind them, getting a jump out of the girls while Naruto smirked smugly. "Hush, casanova," she smirked as his expression dropped with his face. "That's what I like to see, lack of smug."
"My smug will make a comeback," he said, muffled by the table as she rolled her eyes.
"Ignore him-"
"I'm hard to ignore."
"Quite," the girls laughed. "Rafaela and Naruto are right, this is going to be real-life experience but we're not going to just throw you into the deep-end, that'd literally be counterproductive to our numbers."
"So, who's going?" Uranus asked before Sistina smiled.
"You, Elizabeth, Neideen, Otie, Roxanne, Naruto, and Cassandra. Your jobs are to keep track of them before taking them into more personal groups so they can get an actual sense of the dangers of fighting yoma. The Council wishes to use your district, Cassandra."
The nervous-looking Cassandra swallowed before nodding. "I-I don't really mind, it's not like there are dangerous ones in my sector all that much," she admitted. 'T-They can't see it!' What'd they think if they saw her technique?!
Otie patted her shoulder with an encouraging smile and a determined look, mouthing 'you've got this' for her senior Claymore.
Cassandra nodded slowly at that. "So, tomorrow?" She asked Sistina who shook her head.
"The beginning of next week, they want them all prepared for a week of complete combat," the group looked surprised but not against the idea. "For this week, they'll be receiving more training in the woods, Naruto, you might need to get more creative."
"Got it," he said, giving a thumbs-up despite his current position. "Seems like we've got track training to do," Naruto said to them all as the girls tilted their heads.
~NRK~
That night, the blonde boy's cheeks burned as he rested on his bed, arms out with a familiar pair of heads on them.
Needless to say, Naruto hadn't exactly slept as well as he could… or, really, he felt WAY too full of energy the morning after despite his initial worries.
Maybe he was some kinda 'charge-up' pervert?
~NRK~
The week came and went without too much trouble… debatably.
Getting teased, rather unmercifully at that, by most of the Claymore around him had been one thing, getting ripped on by Deel and Gabe had never felt great.
Having all of that recognized by the Council had likely been the worst part.
~NRK~
"Contraceptives aren't necessarily in my forte," Dae said as Naruto's hand slowly found his face and dragged down. "Don't cause too many 'problems', you hear? The last thing we need is to see if babies work… actually, on second thought! Go crazy! I know there are hormone-enhancers somewhere! You'll be like a bucking stallion!"
~NRK~
Yeah, so, he never went to the medical wing and be damned if he ever did under his own power.
So, yeah, come the following Monday, the group was ready.
Naruto, in his usual 'mission garb', looked back at the girls.
Their usual training uniforms were on but now they sported brown leather boots, dark gray cloaks, backpacks with futons rolled up at the top, and the group had on both new normal swords on their backs with metal gauntlets and girdles for protection.
Their selected 'mentors' were ready as well, the group a sight to see in the cafeteria to anyone not in the know.
"The heck?" Ruu blinked as Naruto chuckled. "I guess they didn't wait once you hit fifteen," he said with a shrug. "Whatever, you know the usual protocol, right?" He said, readying his own gear with a grunt. "I really don't want to deal with this but I'm your quote-unquote 'mentor'."
"Glad to have ya on," Naruto said before nodding. "Alright, thankfully, we can all fit in two carts so me and you can drive," he announced to the trainees and their Claymore mentors. "So, take your pick-"
"YOURS!" The trainees called out as he sweatdropped while the 'mentors' chuckled.
Ruu almost felt offended. "Ugh."
"C-Come on, you guys!" Naruto tried. "It's only for the trip!"
They looked defiant and he groaned, face meet palm, you two were bound for great things together.
Ten minutes later, his cart rocked a bit more than Ruu's as he huffed at all the girls within it.
"I'm a sap, aren't I?"
"Only a bit," Luciela chuckled while Rafaela smiled.
"You're our best friend, I don't see how this is weird," she said as the bright-yellow hair of their boyfriend shifted as he pouted.
"Dammit."
As they rode out within their carts, the former shinobi hummed.
"Where are we heading, anyway?" Luciela asked Naruto who nodded.
"Ruu?" He asked his fellow guard who huffed.
"It's a village a bit more northeast from here where the Number 1 patrols, it's a slightly colder place but one that's been relatively well-kept," Ruu said as Cassandra mumbled in embarrassment while Otie snickered, the Claymore in the older guard's carriage. "It's basically near a middle point between Alphonse and Sutafu, a settlement called 'Gogh'."
Naruto nodded at that as Rafaela tilted her head.
"Gogh," she tilted her head at the name as Luciela nodded.
"It's a pretty simple name," she said.
The two carts traveled in slight silence, those handling the horses only hearing the murmurs or giggles of those behind them in the 'cargo' area.
Four hours of travel were all it took to reach the settlement, the girls yawning in the cart as Naruto spoke up.
"Yo, we're here!" He announced as they all gasped before scrambling to squeeze through the front. "H-Hold on! Wait, please! Y-You'll ALL get a chance!" The blonde said nervously as the girls struggled to look through the opening by the driver's seat. "Thank God you two were already out," Naruto said to the sisters leaning on his shoulders.
Rafaela blushed a bit before nodding, Luciela still asleep from the trip.
"Y-Yeah, it was a good idea to sleep out here," she fiddled with her fingers as she whispered a moment later. "You're nice and warm," Rafaela admitted with rosy cheeks as Naruto blushed himself, huffing as he heard giggling behind him.
"You guys are gonna get it if I hear some giggling."
They giggled louder and his eyebrow twitched as Luciela giggled in her sleep?
'Never knew they were even out to get me in their sleep,' he huffed as they went on a side path. "We're going to settle in a forest a mile away, it's a good distance while making sure we can head into town for anything, just in case," Naruto explained to the trainees as Rafaela nodded while Luciela hummed in her 'sleep'.
She blinked drowsily before rolling her shoulders as she leaned off her boy's shoulder. "Mmmm! I guess we're gonna be camping for the whole thing, huh?"
"Yes, we don't have the pills for all of you," Ruu explained as Otie and Neideen were already following their carts. "That's why you've got your things, it's gonna be a rugged week," he groaned as Naruto chuckled a bit.
They walked for maybe four more minutes before parking their vehicles within a large clearing that fit their crew rather snugly.
The moment they did, their 'cargo' unloaded themselves before spreading out with grins aplenty.
"Alright, alright! Hold on, girls, we've gotta talk about the plan!" Naruto said quickly before they all disappeared wherever they pleased. "Bring it in, you guys know the whole general idea here but we actually made a field plan," he explained to the gathered and curious trainees as the Claymores stood at his sides.
"The general idea is that we'll be doing an 'away' team and a 'base' team. With the six of us, we'll be split between the two teams, four and two-person packs. One team will be following us on on-field missions we'll be undertaking so you all can actually interact with yoma guaranteed," Neideen explained with a smirk. "Cassandra and Roxanne will be handling the base group with Naruto while the four of us other ones'll handle the away team."
"While we're all here, you all will be undergoing a different kind of training," Roxanne explained, surprising the others. "Well, it's one that was suggested by the Council, they're to see how they fare with Yoki Synchronization. You all know the… main use for that, right?"
The Claymore grew a bit more serious before nodding, leaving Naruto confused.
'Do they have ways to stop that awakening thing?' He wished he could learn it… huh… "..." The former ninja had an idea but he wasn't sure if it'd work or not, yet.
For now, he'd be 'observing' the girls under his watch.
Two hours later, after the group ate and rested for a bit more, the away and base teams were separated.
As one would have it, the boy found himself with his girlfriends in the base team, Cassandra, and Roxanne, their mentors for the day.
"So, I…" Cassandra blushed a bit at their awaiting eyes. "U-Um, you'll be learning how to do this by… watching us do so?" She said unsurely in embarrassment before Roxanne's chuckling reached her.
"Yoki Synchronization has several useful though theoretical benefits," she said easily as the Number 1 whined, Naruto chuckling as he pat her shoulder in reassurance. "The basics of the craft are threefold," she explained with three fingers held up before grinning and turning to Naruto who blinked. "I'm curious, Naruto, do you know the basics of this technique?"
"Oh! Well, from what I know?" He began as he turned to the girls, Ruu scoffing in the back as he rested. "You need to actually be good at sensing, you know? To focus on the energy within the bodies of others. For example, Rafa knows Luci's yoki down to a 'T', she could never get wrong."
The sisters nodded as their fellow trainees agreed.
"We get that," one of them said.
"Then you'll know that you also need to sync your energy with theirs," he said and the trainees blinked. "From what I've heard from both that Rubel dude and, unfortunately, Dae is that yoki is similar at some level and that allows two users of it to connect their energy. Once you do that, depending on the opponent, you'll be trying to control their yoki."
"Good work!" Roxanne smiled proudly at the nervously chuckling Naruto. "Indeed, I suppose your ears are pretty good to put that together."
"Well, it's not that hard for me to get. I'm also a guy who can sense energy and stuff."
"Wait, so what'd happen if you tried it?" One of the trainees asked as Roxanne grinned widely.
'I too am curious,' but she held it in.
Best to allow nature to take its turns.
"Well, I'm not sure if it'd even work, remember? No yoki," Naruto explained with a cupped chin. "Though I did think about it a moment ago, I'd literally need to actually work on my control, and you guys your own, before I'd call it a 'good' idea."
The girls looked intrigued and motivated while Cassandra looked at the boy with a conflicted expression.
"Hmm, for now, let's focus on them gaining proper sensory skills. Or, in this exercise, see if they can," Cassandra figured out the right words to say. "Sadly, no one warrior can have all the abilities, it's never been done as far as I know. So, there's a high chance many of them won't get a hang of this."
"Right, there are defensive and offensive types," Luciela reiterated as Cassandra nodded. "So, where does Sis fall on that spectrum?"
"Hmm," she cupped her chin in thought. "I think… I-I think Sistina was an offensive warrior in the past before becoming our Eye. That said, I don't know her history."
"Hmm… no, she was a defensive type," Naruto said as she tilted her head at him. "Our sensing isn't as different as you think. Her energy doesn't build in her body like yours does, you're an offensive type, right?"
"Y-Yeah?"
"Your body floods with energy at specific points, I've noticed that with all the offensive types we have," Naruto explained without paying attention to her wince. "Roxy's is the same way and she's an offensive type, right?"
"Correct~" The drill-haired woman smiled. "Very in-depth," Roxanne said with an interest that didn't stop rising. 'Oh, I'm in love again,' what a world.
"So, can you tell us what we are?" Rafaela asked. "Wouldn't it be a good idea to know ahead of time?"
"Honestly? I'd say 'yeah' and 'nah'," Naruto answered as Cassandra considered the question… and agreed.
"You should try your best in all the techniques before just sticking to your 'type'," she said, rubbing the back of her head as Roxanne raised a brow at her. "T-That is, um, well," Cassandra scrambled before Naruto chuckled.
"Cassandra gets it, if you only care about your specialties, you'll fall short due to focusing on it so much," Naruto clarified as she quickly nodded.
"Y-Yeah, that. Otie had the same problem when we met after he failed Hunt," she said, not uttering the 'Awakened' part on principle. "It's wrong to only focus on one part of your skills… I-I believe."
The girls considered the ideas before nodding, Naruto grinning as they did.
"So, for this one… I think you girls should actually start meditating," he said as they perked up.
"Like you?" They asked in unison, getting a small jump out of the teen as Cassandra chuckled a bit behind her fist, an amused smirk on display. "Sure!"
"R-Right. So, uh, you girls have seen my meditation stance, let's start with that. I'd honestly want to see if we can find some flat stones."
They hurried about, looking to see if the forest had enough for them and, lo and behold, they'd lucked out.
So, why the hell was their male blonde friend doing something insane again?!
Naruto smirked from atop the top of Cassandra's sword atop a smooth stone, perfectly still, as the others balked.
"This is the end goal of my form of meditation, absolute stillness," he said with a grin as he hopped to his feet and the stone merely wiggled the slightest bit before stilling again. "Perfect balance, perfect control, when you're able to slow your own energy to the point that it's like you're not alive, you can achieve a lot," Naruto said, cloak off to the side as he explained this, standing on one side of the still balance stone, what the hell?!
"H-Huh?!" Cassandra's mouth dropped as he chuckled before hopping off, catching the flipping stone, and putting it underarm. "I… t-that doesn't make sense," she looked at her sword's in-the-ground position and was left more confused than before. 'Perfect stillness?' Was that even humanly possible?
Roxanne covered her mouth as her flushed cheeks and slightly dilated eyes synchronized with 'her', her true self, the one that wished to gain.
But this was different, Yoki Synchronization wouldn't work here, would it?
She should try soon.
Luciela and Rafaela nodded to his 'technique'. "We've seen him do it a lot of times and it still doesn't make much sense even now," Luciela admitted. "But we can feel his spiritual strength, how it gets enhanced, it's his way to power."
Rafaela nodded. "And if he's right, this would help a lot," she said to the other girls who nodded with interested looks. "But there's no way this isn't hard," she sweatdropped as they all paled.
Yeah, Naruto had done some crazy stuff before but this put a lot of it in context.
The boy in question just grinned, looking refreshed.
Moments later, he had the girls in their own meditation stances before having them focus, walking around them with encouraging words and open senses.
"Remember, for now, focus on your yoki! Don't do anything besides that and see if you can't rotate it by your stomach!" He shouted as they all nodded, their eyes closing. 'Some of them are struggling,' Naruto thought as he walked around, locking onto a few of the girls before moving on to more.
He focused on them for the next ten minutes before stopping by his… girlfriends, right.
Naruto wasn't sure how long it'd take for that to sink in.
Back on track, he stopped in front of Rafaela and Luciela with a tilt of his head, eyes closing as he felt the flow of their yoki.
Of their combined yoki, the former ninja's eyebrow raised as Roxanne appeared behind him.
"You feel it as well, don't you?" She asked him as Naruto nodded. "They're almost completely in sync."
It was true, Naruto could feel them down to the dot so he could tell whose yoki was whose but had he not known them as well as he did.
He'd never be able to separate them, not without more effort than he'd have to really sweat for.
"They're still separatable, though," he said with his arms crossed as Cassandra came over.
"Something wrong?" She asked.
"You can feel their yoki, right?"
Cassandra blinked before looking at the sisters, eyes closing as she focused on their yoki before they shot open as she realized she couldn't discern them.
"P-Perfect sync?"
"It seems so," Roxanne said. "Honestly, it's impressive but I've asked around and you've been here for five years helping them so is it so odd?"
"... when you put it like that," Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "You've got a point. I guess it's because they've never done this before… I think," he said before chuckling. "But I'm not sure if this is a 'them only' thing or not."
The two Claymores hummed before nodding.
Yeah, that'd make sense and be a worrying flaw if it even mattered.
"Hmph," Naruto grunted softly before continuing his circling.
As he did, Roxanne hummed. "He's rather thorough, even though these two are more special to him," she said to her senior who crossed her arms with a tilt of the head.
"Naruto's… different, in a good way," she said as the younger woman raised a brow. "Naruto cares about people, even ones like us."
"He calls me 'Roxy'."
"Hm, hm, exactly."
~NRK~
Four hours had passed before their 'away' team had come back, some of the girls looking a bit shaken while a few others looked… reassured, in a way.
They looked like they got it.
"So, so far, they're decent," Neideen said as the group sat around, chewing on jerky. "Of course, they're still only kids, it's not fully there but a good amount of 'em seem to be relaxing about the idea of fighting yoma."
"It's true," Elizabeth said with a smile as Naruto went over to Ruu and handed the man some food which he took with a shrug. "Their fears are warranted, though, they'll need to be guided more but they've still fought," she added. "There's bravery amongst them, it just takes time to bring out."
"All of them dispatched at least one yoma in pairs," Otie explained to Cassandra who looked a bit impressed. "Yeah! I was a bit surprised but they can move well, I guess we have Naruto's training to thank for that."
It was true, Uranus considered.
The girls moved with more agility than she knew her generation had moved with save for those with high aptitudes. They had the stamina to expend for fighting and weren't harmed in the least thanks to their own power and some minor interventions.
They were downright incredible and it showed.
"Hmph, what'd you all get up to?" Neideen asked and Roxanne informed them.
The four blinked in total confusion as Naruto returned to their 'mentor circle'.
"What's u-?" He began to say only to find weird looks thrown his way. "... yeah?"
One demonstration of obscene balance later and those not-in-the-know were left staring at the eating boy.
"T-The heck was that?" Otie asked in disbelief as Cassandra chuckled.
"He seems to have a particular secret to his strength and meditation," she answered and they shook their heads in defiance.
"That's not normal," Neideen said as she shot Naruto a squinty-eyed look. "Are you sure you're human?" She looked at his whisker marks with scrutiny.
He rolled his eyes. "Hmm… yes."
~NRK~
The following day, bright and early, Naruto walked with the now-away team, Luciela & Rafaela, Cassandra, Roxanne, and Neideen, surprisingly, at his side.
Along with one more addition who grinned under his bowler hat.
"So, we'll be heading a bit further north?" Rafaela asked Naruto with a frown as the boy nodded. "Anything specific?"
"It's… okay, so, this might be a bit severe but there's been word about a small village covered in yoma," he explained as all the girls jumped. "But you all need to be calm, you're literally walking with the Numbers 1, 9, and 36, you're all fine."
"He's quite the reassurance," Rubel said with a smile as his horse clopped alongside the group. "But he is correct, you all are going to be mentored rather closely by the four of them," he grinned as they stopped, Naruto, Cassandra, Roxanne, and Neideen shooting the Man-In-Black shocked looks. "Oh, did I not bring that up? The boy's trials only started a week ago, he's to monitor the sisters as they fight some of the yoma."
"... what?" Neideen's eyebrow twitched. "Ya know, it sure would have been nice to have that info ahead of time."
"It slipped my mind, truly, but you all should be fine, the yoma here are numerous, yes, but they're nothing more than run-of-the-mill variants. If anything, this is the perfect time to try out your Yoki Synchronization," Naruto cupped his chin at Rubel's words.
"... you mean you want them to fight while always keeping connected, right?" He asked the man as the sisters frowned.
"I mean… I'm sure we could try," Luciela said. "B-But we literally only learned about this yesterday, how can we be expected to do it on the fly?"
"That's why your handler will monitor the situation and ensure you've the appropriate targets," Rubel smirked as Naruto huffed before nodding.
"Alright, fine, I can tell where every yoma is, anyway," he said to the group. "If anything, I'll make sure you guys get in and out of trouble if it comes down to it," Naruto said to his girls with seriousness, the two nodding as he did.
They traveled for an hour, their walks breaking into runs before they reached the village.
Looking over an edge, Naruto stood with Luciela and Rafaela.
He'd donned his usual guard clothes while the two had left their cloaks back in a tree a bit behind them.
"H-How many?" Rafaela asked a bit nervously before Luciela pat her shoulder.
"We're good, Naru wouldn't send us into a crazy situation, you know that," she said to her nervously-swallowing sibling. "Naru?"
"I'm considering where everyone's going," he began to say before sweatdropping as a house exploded. "Um… that's Cassandra," he chuckled nervously as the two sweatdropped.
The small village seemed to erupt into loud noises as they saw the groups going at it.
"... I've got two trying to run on the right," Naruto said as they all frowned. "Come on, we can't let them get away!"
They ran, lunging over the hillside they were on and shooting towards the two yoma with speed more than capable of matching a lower 40s warrior.
As they approached, the blonde's eyes narrowed as they reached, the three's footsteps announced by the grass beneath their feet.
"Huh?!" One of the two human-looking creatures growled as the two of them skirted to a stop, the three teens in front of 'em. "MORE KIDS?!"
"Hmph, small fry without their bosses to help them," the other one said as their forms began to expand and disfigure, their clothes shredded, their feet settling into claws, forms becoming gangly, all the while their mouths filled with more teeth and their faces throbbed. "We can kill 'em how we like."
"They look pretty tasty," the first yoma said, licking his lips as Naruto's eyes narrowed. "And they brought us a SNACK! This might be a da-" He began to say, chuckling.
Only to be quickly dropkicked by Naruto, the young man's eyes narrowed into a glare.
"Attack! Focus on the other one!" He shouted as he jumped over his opponent before landing in front of him.
The yoma's teeth snarled at him as he got up in a disgusting-
A kick sent the offending male's head snapping up before two quick swipes of the blonde's wooden spear spilled blood.
"AHHHHH!" The yoma stumbled back as Naruto's eyes narrowed, an unnatural glow embraced by his raised cowl. "Y-You! Y-You're a male-"
"Not even close," the boy said as he lunged.
Meanwhile, the sisters backed their opponent into a corner as they came in and out of view of the yoma, the male's arm swinging out at Rafaela only to find it blocked by Luciela, the target of his attack quickly coming down and up with her blade.
It cleaved through the limb, lopping it off at the bicep.
"AHHHH?!" The yoma stumbled back and onto his rear. "W-Wait, stop!"
The two froze, eyes wide at the very terrified humanoid. 'W-What?' Luciela's eyes narrowed even as she hesitated. 'W-Wait, hold on! T-They said that yoma can lie, don't hesitate!' But her heart wasn't in it-
Rafaela's eyes narrowed as she cleaved through the yoma's neck, shocking her sister.
"R-Rafa, I…" Luciela looked down in confusion before a hug from her sibling had her shoulders sagging. "I…"
"I could tell," Rafaela said with a bit of guilt slipping through. "I-I think," she added moments later, looking concerned.
Then they heard a yell and their heads snapped to Naruto's fight in concern only to find the boy's yoma opponent de-limbed and on the ground as he sighed, a bruise on his cheek but no other hint of harm on him.
"You girls alright?" He asked them as he walked over before looking at their swords, bodies, and their dead opponent. "... I was worried when I felt a surge of bloodlust, I'm glad you two are alright," Naruto said before being tackled by the two, shaking females.
It took him a moment to realize what had happened before sighing, dropping his spear, and holding them close.
"You both did well, I'm sorry you have to feel like this."
~NRK~
Far away with a telescope, Rubel nodded to his suspicions.
'The boy's abilities aren't small,' though they'd known that when Roxanne had reported the truth of the matter with the Awakened Hunt with Uranus and Naruto. 'Still, he's still not as strong as the girls and even this yoma damaged him somewhat,' which wasn't exactly 'up to par' with their standards. 'Still… he's not from this continent, is he?' That thought, originally from five years ago, came back.
The child wasn't normal, Rubel knew this, he wasn't a normal human, couldn't be. None of the things he'd done up to this point could be called such and were under a large amount of scrutiny.
The issue was that they couldn't take any obscene methods with him, he was literally one-of-a-kind and that meant he couldn't be truly delved into… or, at least, that's what Dae spoke of.
The issue came that Rubel knew the boy's humanity wasn't exactly going to last for too long if he kept on doing as he did in the coming years, the Council was getting antsy and eager about what his existence meant… and were considering… 'ideas' to prolong his 'blood'.
'Honestly, the fact that a bunch of old men are more caring about you having sex is downright hilarious,' Rubel smirked. 'Still, they can't be allowed to do that.'
He'd have to figure out a method to keep their interest to a minimum… and found it within those two girls, the ones with near-perfect Yoki Synchronization.
They'd be the ones to push their current project forward!
~NRK~
As he reassured them, Naruto blinked at the sound of splattering and a dying gasp behind him, the three teens turning to see Roxanne dispatching the yoma he'd left as a four-time amputee.
"Oh, hey, Roxy," Naruto said with a look of gratitude.
"You should have just killed it, you know that, right?" She asked him even as she returned her blade to its holster on her back. "Did something happen?" Roxanne asked, noting the lack of injuries on the embarrassed sisters but the one bruise on Naruto's cheek. "Ah, you're hurt," she noted with a smile, coming in close before touching his cheek.
The girls squawked. "H-Huh?!"
She chuckled before smirking. "Oh, calm yourselves, nothing's amiss, you know?" Roxanne chuckled as the three blushed. "I was just ensuring he healed."
"Wait-"
She'd already 'ignorantly' applied her yoki and tried to synchronize it, eyes alight with interest as Naruto's eyes widened at the feeling.
The former ninja, meanwhile, shivered at the feeling of the energy flooding the side of his face before considering the moment with interest, eyes closing as he focused on Roxanne's energy.
'F-Focus,' if he wanted to see if he could really help the girls in-depth, he wanted to see what this was like.
The downright venomous energy of yoki nearly had him reeling as he focused on it, the voracious energy filling his pained zone and…?!
"R-Roxy, you might want to stop," he shivered as he stepped away from her touch, the woman looking confused before the three hybrids' eyes widened at Naruto's bleeding cheek. "... yoki tries to eat me," Naruto realized with a grimace as he touched it, Rafaela flinching before hurrying with a bit of gauze coming out of a pack on her lower back.
Watching her sister tend to his wound, Luciela sighed as she looked on before her eyes flickered to Roxa-
Silver eyes slowly widened at the look in the older hybrid's eyes, Luciela's own snapping back to the blue-eyed blonde in their midst with a nervous expression.
'The hell was that?' T-The look on Roxanne's face… t-that wasn't normal.
The sight of slight ecstasy had rubbed her the wrong way and quickly made the twintail-ed sister nervous.
'Is she… I-I think I need to tell Neideen,' call it a hunch but she didn't like the way Roxanne was looking at her boyfriend.
Roxanne, meanwhile, felt her body thrum as her energy 'digested' what it'd 'eaten'.
'What is this feeling?' Her pupils dilated at the sensation of 'fullness' she'd felt. 'It ate him?' Or was it his vitality? His strength?
His flesh as his bleeding cheek could attest? She'd never seen yoki have an adverse effect but was she surprised? The boy was purely human it seemed, the court was out, he wasn't a yoma and yet this made her interest double, no, triple as she crossed her arms but really held her sides as the feeling of his spirit filled her.
'His humanity is…' addictive? Sweet?
She didn't know but Roxanne did know that she wished for more, to see where these feelings of ecstasy and completion led.
"Alright, thanks," Naruto said as Rafaela finished up. 'Still…' He touched his cheek with his eyes closed. 'I know what it feels like now,' and he barely held back the blush.
'Negative' emotions filled their energy and… i-it wasn't 'negative' so much as 'sinful', he guessed? He'd felt some sort of sexual intent in her energy along with an anger that… didn't make sense?
Roxanne wasn't angry, he could feel it. T-Though, he didn't look at the sensual Claymore who looked on the peak of… something he wouldn't note.
Back on the energy, she wasn't angry, it made no sense, so what was this anger? Was it the energy itself? But then he had to question how?
Did yoma flesh carry emotions? Was that it? He knew how the process happened but hadn't seen it. Luciela and Rafaela had explained to him the gritty details and he'd never felt more guilty.
Inserting the flesh inside their split-open stomach while knocked out, that's the process. He knew that if they were under, it meant they didn't really feel it but that still left him confused.
Why did the energy seem to seek out those emotions? Despair, lust, anger, hatred, he'd felt it, sort of, 'look' for it but found only the slightest bit of his perversion. Not enough for it to take ahold, thank God, but it'd looked.
"... Hey, Roxy?"
"Hmm?" Roxanne smiled brightly at the grunting Naruto.
"... know what? Never mind, let's just go, the others are almost finished," he said to the three as he ran off, the sisters scrambling before they caught up and ran in pace with him. "... girls, I want to talk to you two after we're done today," Naruto whispered to the sisters who nodded.
"Sure."
Roxanne chuckled as her enhanced hearing picked up on it. 'I wonder what he'll say?' Whatever, it'd not stop her.
Her interest demanded being satiated.
[br]
Rushing back into the town, Naruto led them on a hunt for what was left of the yoma forces.
At the end of it all, they'd only killed three. Well, okay, more like two but the third one had been killed by a relieved-looking Neideen.
"Alright, I'm glad you kids are good," she said as she noted their slight panting, Luciela and Rafaela's, that was. "Once more, stamina monster," the eyepatch-wearer smirked as Naruto chuckled.
"I try."
They met up with the others seconds later, Roxanne joining them at the same time.
Cassandra nodded to the group, the panting girls considered with some pride.
"You all did well, this is gonna be a good experience for all of you," she said as Rubel's horse came trotting into the village. "Another?"
"None so far, I'm simply checking your work," he chuckled as he looked around. "Good work for a bunch of trainees, I'm sure this week will be very eye-opening," Rubel stated. "Go back and regain your strength. And you three," he turned to Naruto's group. "How'd the exercise go?"
"W-We got it down," Rafaela said as Luciela smirked, looking smug, as Naruto chuckled.
"They did, they got better at it while they fought for how much we could," he explained as Rubel nodded.
"It's good to keep up, with that kind of training, you'll find more benefits than you can fathom."
~NRK~
Their return was the same as the other team's from the day before, the girls greeting their fellow trainees while the 'mentors' met up with the other mentors.
"So, how'd it go?" Uranus asked as she messed with a piece of white stone in her hands. "All good?"
"Yes," Roxanne smiled. "I'd say that everyone did well, especially the sisters," she added with a grin as Naruto nodded.
"They're good at the Yoki Sync, it's kinda crazy," he said. "I guess because they're sisters, maybe? They're connected on a level that most people simply aren't," the boy grinned as Elizabeth smiled with a nod. "So, it seems like they'll be able to make the most of it."
They chatted for a bit, sitting down and eating some kind of stew that Uranus could scrounge up with nearby ingredients and their dried meats.
Hours passed before Naruto, Luciela, and Rafaela sat down in a private area, the boy between the siblings.
"Alright, so, I wanted to ask you girls about yoki. You guys never did want to tell me more about it," Naruto said with a small grunt as he looked away from their red faces. "And… I think I get it, now, but I need you two to be honest. Is it like… s-sexual feelings and stuff?" God, that was hard to say!
They burned like lit wicks and messed with their hands around his. "Y-Yeah, i-it's really embarrassing," they said.
Of course, they never wanted to say that out loud, it wasn't normal! It felt so nice but they both knew it was also dangerous.
Life as a hybrid had such weird downsides!
"... what about anger?" Naruto switched the focused emotion, the two looking surprised. "Right? It's anger, too."
"Y-Yeah, I know I can feel a bit angrier than usual," Luciela said with a finger tapping her lip. "Though it's really not that bad, I just ignore it."
"I-It can be a bit scarier, though," Rafaela admitted as he grasped her hand tighter, the girl reciprocating. "I-I can tell, it's not… it's really not normal, sis," she said and Luciela looked concerned while Naruto nodded.
"Yep, it's what I expected," he said as he hummed. "I want to be able to sync, or try to, with you guys but we all know that's dangerous, right now."
"Energy ate your cheek," Luciela said as her free hand came around and tapped his bandages, looking concerned. "Does… does it hurt?"
"Honestly? No, but I did get a little used to yoki a bit. I was able to look at the leftover energy in my cheek and figured out all that stuff. Right now, I want to look at it more. If I can figure out anything about it, I might be able to help you guys more and more."
"... you have to stop if we say so, though, promise?"
"Promise."
Luciela sighed in relief as Rafaela nodded. "Still… any other feelings about it?" The shorter-haired sister asked curiously.
"It's so violent, yoki, that is. It's odd, I didn't think it'd try to eat my own and then my skin and that feels off," he said. "It's so angry and hungry but I'm confused about why. Why is it like that? It's not like you guys are currently those things but, even now since I can feel it, it's so angry."
The sisters looked down at their stomachs, touching them.
"I don't know," Luciela frowned. "We can't really feel it, though, so we can't be sure what to even say."
"... I wonder," Rafaela tilted her head as the two looked at her. "W-Well… aren't you thinking about the wrong 'strength'?" She asked him as Luciela made an understanding sound.
"Oh! She means your spiritual strength!" She grinned as Naruto blinked before nodding. "Though, can you feel that stuff? I know we can't."
"I kinda can but it's really mixed in with your yoki so I know what to do from here on out," he grinned. "I'll feel out your energies and stuff and see if I can't sort through to your spirits."
They chuckled in agreement before leaning on the now-blushing boy.
"D-Dammit, still not used to that."
They giggled.
~NRK~
The week had gone by well, amazingly, even.
With their nerves rattled but now steeled, they approached fighting with more acceptance of what they'd be doing.
Killing yoma got only a bit easier as they did but they were happy it did so they weren't complaining… though that meant their complaints went elsewhere.
Roxanne was getting a bit… close, for lack of a better word. Not close as in emotionally.
But 'close', as in, too interested for some reason and it got old fast.
Even as they traveled back to the Organization, Naruto balked as the 36th sat on top of Ruu's cart, her smile going to him, Rubel's attention on the two.
'This is getting worrying,' he thought as Rubel's horse trotted between the two carts. 'I didn't think she'd… she's getting obsessed with the boy?' The Man-In-Black was now concerned.
What was her end goal now? Naruto wasn't a Claymore so it's not like she could care for those facets of him, correct? Sure, he was a curious existence but that only went so far, surely.
'We might need to do something about her soon,' all things considered, Roxanne wasn't even that spectacular of a Claymore, she could be replaced. 'But her Yoki Synchronization is so vital…' Maybe they could do that.
Make her part of the project as a 'nothing to lose' type experiment, it sounded good but he'd need to submit the idea. There was no telling how long that'd take and he didn't know how long Roxanne would take before doing something drastic.
'... we could bring in the sisters and the boy and take them somewhere,' if they wanted to specialize them, this made the most sense.
They arrived at the Organization before the group departed from their carriages, the trainees carrying all their things in as they chatted, following Elizabeth's lead inside.
"Naruto, Luciela, Rafaela," Rubel spoke to the three before they could leave. "Follow me, Naruto, you'll be giving your first report with your handled Claymore," he smirked as the boy blinked before nodding. "Number 33, could you take this cart back?"
"Hmm?" Otie perked up. "Alright, sure! Take care, you three!" She grinned as they nodded back.
Following Rubel into the building, they walked past the cafeteria and down a corridor before walking for three minutes to reach the Council Chambers.
'The only ones inside will be Lmit and Dae,' that'd be the best outcome, Rubel didn't want to hear the smatterings of random old men.
He just needed the important ones.
Going inside the chamber, he grinned as his prediction remained true, the two men he wanted there.
"Hmm? Welcome, I'm guessing a week has passed already?" Lmit said, looking surprised. "How did they do, Naruto?"
The boy recounted their entire trip, adding in their Yoki Synchronization training and the sisters' high aptitude for the skill.
As he finished, the three teens nodded before Rubel stepped forward.
"I want to speak on expediting the Soul Link Project," he said as the teens blinked in confusion while Lmit frowned. "I think it'd be to our benefit to do so now and have these three moved to a different location," they squawked.
"W-What?!" Rafaela flinched. "B-But what's wrong with us being here?!"
"... Ah, I see," Dae said as Naruto groaned.
"Something tells me that I won't like this," he muttered as the glasgow man chuckled with a wheezing hiss.
"I'm sure you know, after all, she joined your little group a week ago."
"... Roxanne?" Luciela frowned as the men nodded. "... So, there is something wrong with her?" She asked the now-surprised males.
"You knew?" Rubel asked with a raised brow as Naruto nodded nervously.
"She's giving me way too much attention," he said with a frown as Lmit sighed. "It's like she's obsessed with me and she's getting bolder every day," Naruto grimaced as the sisters frowned.
"Yes, that's her biggest problem," Dae said as they sighed. "Roxanne, Number 35 as of next week, is prone to becoming obsessed rather quickly."
"W-Wait, what about the whole mental tests and stuff you all do?!"
"We'd let her pass due to her notable Yoki Synchronization," Lmit explained before sighing once more. "But it seems that it's not worth the skill if she… does something," now Rafaela frowned.
"Wait… w-what is she going to do?" She asked.
The room was silent as the men shot them apathetic looks save for Dae who chuckled.
"We don't know, with a human," he explained as Naruto frowned. "The issue with Roxanne is that once she's gotten what she wants, she grows a powerful disdain for the person almost immediately after… quickly followed by odd deaths-!"
"DAE!" Lmit growled as the scientist chuckled some more while the teens grimaced. "Damn you, that was confidential!"
"And what would you have us do? Monitor her? Make her realize we're onto her? Sir, quite frankly, this situation isn't one we can approach normally," Dae explained with a shrug, his normal eye closed. "Do you want her to just dispose of our numbers without us being able to do anything?"
"You also realize that this will just make them act odder around her, don't you?"
"From their own words, that'd be kind of a moot point."
"... is there anything we can do about her?" Luciela asked, nervous. "It's getting weird, she's been around way more than she has any right to be."
"I follow her signature, sometimes," Rafaela admitted with a frown. "S-She's always trying to hide it but I can sense her, she's good but she's bad at the hiding part," she said and the men looked intrigued.
"I'd offer to move you to a new location," Rubel explained. "The Soul Link Project… I don't suppose you'd be interested in it?"
"Soul Link?" The three asked him and the man grew amused.
"Haa… it's a project meant to combat beings that you three likely have no knowledge of," Lmit said as Naruto frowned before nodding. "?"
"You mean those two big forces in the north and west, right?" He asked and even Rubel was left startled at the sheer distance the boy had covered.
"Y-You! You can sense them even from here?!" Dae chattered with an excited gleam in his eye. "Outstanding! For a sensory ability to be so advanced!"
Rubel was left confused. 'When? He can sense their power?' Amongst the Claymores only Sistina, their strongest Eye in history, could locate those beings.
And yet this boy could find them with his own sensory abilities?
"Yeah, I can sense them now because when I was coming here from Mucha, I felt them. It was weird at first, faint, but that's probably because they were so far away," Naruto said as the sisters shot him a look.
"What are you talking about?" Luciela asked.
"... powerful yoma, girls, real powerful," he grimaced as Rafaela frowned. "One in the Alphonse and another in Lautrec, the west," the sisters flinched as he nodded. "I don't know what will happen with those guys."
"That's what the Soul Link Project is for," Rubel said as Dae nodded. "The goal of the project is to create a warrior of similar power but without the chance for a loss of control," he explained as the three balked.
"M-Make someone as strong as that?" Luciela blinked. "T-Though, really, how strong are these two?" She asked Naruto whose face went blank.
"So… imagine Cassandra times twenty."
"..." The look on her face was telling as Rafaela swallowed.
"H-How does this work? Why hasn't this been brought up?" She asked the three men who hummed.
"It requires specific skills that can make… horrifying problems if the candidates aren't suitable," Lmit said. "And a few of the high-ranking Claymore know but won't bring it up around you all, it's typically not for the ears of many… but you two are special," he said to Luciela and Rafaela while Naruto frowned.
"Because they're super-good at Yoki Sync?" He asked.
"Yes, the issue with Soul Link is compatibility," Dae chuckled. "This would be the second time we've ever tried it in… ten… fifteen?" He looked at Lmit who nodded.
"Fifteen years since the first-ever attempt," he admitted and the three grew anxious.
"Where's the Claymore?" Naruto asked.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"... she awakened, didn't she?" He sighed as the girls grimaced with some hesitation in their eyes as Rubel nodded. "You guys researched this a lot?"
"Of course," Dae sighed. "The second attempt can't end in failure, it really shouldn't," he frowned. "I'm sure you get the issue if it does."
"I-If you were going to create something to fight the two yoma… it'd need to have been a strong Claymore, huh?" Luciela realized as Naruto and Dae nodded, the latter impressed.
"Your wit is rather impressive. Yes, this requires warriors who are strong but they also need to have nearly unbreakable uncontrol, if we lose them, it'll be the creation of another of those Abyssal Ones," the three teens choked. "That is those two's classification, not Awakened Beings or simple yoma, they're creatures with power far beyond any Claymore in existence."
"And you want to fight fire w-with fire?" Rafaela asked unsurely before the answer came in a trio of nods. "..."
"The project doesn't need to happen now, perhaps later when you've fully matured," Lmit said quickly. "But you two sisters are the best candidates for us to gain something that will destroy them."
"Have there been any moves?" Dae asked Rubel who shook his head.
"The two have simply been waiting, their recent clash hasn't left them with much want to fight but they'd still easily handle any of our warriors," he admitted with a shrug. "Right now, they're at their weakest but that's not exactly an advantage when they're as strong as they are compared to us."
Luciela looked at Rafaela as Naruto grew uneasy.
"We'll do it," they said, surprising the men completely.
"W-Wait, you will?" Rubel asked, caught off-guard in ways they wouldn't understand. 'Why? What possessed them to…' Oh… now he got it.
The way they looked at the Uzumaki made it clear, 'love' had apparently made the decision for them.
"... I really don't like this idea," Naruto frowned, groaning as he ran a hand through his hair. "Are you sure there's no other way?"
"We're still developing methods, who knows what we'll make in, say, five or ten years?" Dae admitted with a shrug. "But, right now, this one has the most potential and a decent fall-back plan if the other side has amazing Yoki Synchronization."
"... ugh."
"We've got a chance to really do something great," Luciela said with a smile that he frowned at but looked away. "Don't act like you wouldn't do this if you were in our position."
"I…" He couldn't really fight that point.
Naruto would have gone into this with as much of his old-world abilities, though, he had more experience in this kinda stuff compared to either of the sisters.
"I feel like I'd have better chances considering… ya know?"
"We do," Rafaela said with a smile. "But that can still help! You just need to teach us."
That wasn't wrong, Naruto had already been doing that for years by this point.
"... How long can we hold off?" Naruto asked the three men who hummed.
"If we had a choice? Ten years," Dae said with a nod. "When they're fully mature, it'd be the best time, especially in their primes. That's the best timeframe."
The sisters considered that before nodding.
Naruto groaned but did the same.
"... did you guys have any sort of training I could have them do?"
"To be honest, perfecting their Yoki Synchronization is the best course of action. You can focus on their other skills on the side," Lmit said.
Naruto knew that he'd be doing both for the sake of preparing them for any battle ahead of them.
"Do we really need to move?" Rafaela asked. "Isn't there a way for you to just have Roxanne stationed somewhere else?" She knew it wasn't nice to say that, she'd only experienced a bit of the Claymore lifestyle and felt like she'd need Naruto and Luciela all the way.
Roxanne wasn't a… s-she wanted to say she wasn't a bad person but she didn't want that woman near them if she could help it.
"We'll have to figure something out," Rubel said with a hum. "Perhaps we'll send her out to just monitor her district, it's sadly the best thing we can do for now."
"Anything's better than her trying to do anything," Luciela frowned. "Is that everything?"
"Just about, come by the medical wing so I can give you a specialized check-up. From here on out, I'll be checking on you two every month until it's time," Dae said as the three teens chuckled nervously.
Great.
~NRK~
The weeks that followed both that talk and the experimental exercise had gone well, thankfully.
With Roxanne not around, they were far more relaxed and capable of focusing on their training without worrying about her presence.
Naruto had done his utmost to be the best boyfriend and trainer he could, giving the two girls extra training around meditation and even went so far as to try the 'balance' training.
Needless to say, it was a big work-in-progress.
Of course, he did his best to not ignore the others but he now had girlfriends, plural, he had to make sure his affection was understood.
Ignoring that, though, the newest development had been that they'd be doing those experimental 'expeditions' every month with their 'favored group' of Claymore, the second week having gone by in a flash.
And then Roxanne came back.
~NRK~
Naruto rolled his shoulders as he reached the Organization once more from another trip outside, a large burlap sack full of presents and new clothing he'd bought.
As he hopped down the decline by the forest perimeter, he landed and froze with a grin on his face, slowly turning around to see the woman who'd landed almost silently behind him.
"... Roxanne?"
"No Roxy?"
The air space between them was filled with tension as Naruto considered the distance between himself and Elizabeth's signature, the 5th the 'second-closest' to him.
"It's just been a while, how's it going, Roxy-?" Naruto began to say, face devoid of any nervousness he felt.
And it all went out the window as her form appeared in front of his widening eyes, his leg kicking back the very moment she'd begun to approach.
All for naught, sadly, as she'd simply stepped further in, leg foot between his legs as her hand grabbed his cloak by his chest and pulled him back onto his feet, their noses touching.
"Hi, Naruto."
'That's not good,' he grimaced. "Roxy-"
Her finger pressed against his lips, silencing him, before she pressed her body against his, their matching heights getting a more amused expression out of her.
"Look at how compatible we are," she whispered against him, hand around his waist and keeping him there while the other one's finger slid over his lips before the entire hand caressed his cheek. "You are different from others and so am I, you are special, Naruto, it's necessary to abide by similar individuals."
"H-Heh, I'm glad for the compliment but I ain't interested," he grinned nervously as she hummed softly, pressing past his nose and leaving their lips a mere millimeter apart. "?!"
"I think you'll find I'm quite persuasive-"
"I'm sure you are, Roxanne."
She froze as Naruto leaned back some more, Roxanne's eyes narrowing as she pouted, the woman turning her head to see none other than Sistina standing there with a raised brow.
"Put the young man down and go inside, you won't be pulling any moves on my watch," the Eye said as she walked up to, and past, the 35th with Naruto soon in tow. "I'm sure if you came at him with a bit more tact you might have gotten something, I heard he shares kisses."
"I-I resent that!"
As they left her there, Roxanne's expression shifted into one of confusion before humming as she followed after the two.
'I see, my approach,' well, she could change things up a bit.
~NRK~
And that's the beginning of our trip to several canon events that'll lead to the inevitable awakening of Luciela… mostly.
Finally got this chapter written, will probably write another chapter soon, I'm seriously looking forward to the Soul Link Abyssal Event.
Ciao.
~NRK Out~