Erica Blandelli had learned many thing during her short life.

From Diplomacy to alchemy she had learned whatever she could get her grubby little mitts on. She had sparred with master swordsmen & women, taking every bit advice and experience out of every encounter, every loss just caused her to grow more! Even if it was only a tiny bit stronger.

However Erica would say the most valuable advice she could ever give someone was earned on this day.

The sky that was only a moment ago stark royal blue… had turned a nightmarish black from hellish smoke. Embers joyfully crackling and fire snickering as it licked its way through what was once a lush valley filled with life and greenery. Pine tree's once filled with bright green needles, and holding endless amounts of pure white snow, now little more than still warm husks. Charcoal tree trunks flickering with veins of fiery orange embers, as the noxious scent of fiery death permeated the dying forest.

The girl with weaved gold hair was more than two miles away, yet she cold still feel the fires as if it was dragging a tongue over her cold flesh. Beads of sweat poured down her brow clinging to her body as she was forced to gasp down sickeningly hot air, only to cough up the smoke laced oxygen moments later.

Her ash covered fingers digging into the inky black, remains of local flora as she struggled to stay conscious. The world spinning in a dizzying display of orange, yellow, and black. Sparks snickering through the underbrush, as the world twisted unnervingly to her sight.

It was on this day that Erica Blandelli was reaffirmed in her belief that Campione were monsters of luck and insanity, Beings that thrived in chaos just as her father had warned.

It was on this day however that Erica Blandelli Learned that the Sixth King was something to be feared. Because Campione were monsters that much was true, but the Sixth King was a Dragon.

A Dragon Hiding in a coat made from it's own skin.

A few Hours earlier

Erica Blandelli was frustrated.

It wasn't all that surprising after all she had a lot of thing to be frustrated about. After all the blond had been forced into an assignment in Sweden, place she had a very well known distaste. At least during the winter months that is, once it hit summer she was all for a quick trip over.

But alas it had only just turned to January a few days before, and as such any form of warm weather may as well have not existed in the first place as far as Erica was concerned. Then there was the needless politicking she'd been forced to do after encountering that woman.

In Erica's opinion that woman really needed to loosen up.

After finally getting the eighteen year old off her back, she'd been forced to act like some common fragile girl. All while putting up a cutesy facade, in order to instill the fact that the [Copper Black Cross] was made up kind helpful people who would do nothing more than ensure their well being.

It was that image that they wished to maintain.

After all what would you prefer?

The kind innocent organization, that had one of it's representatives selflessly helping crippled people, and other wounded into ambulance after a great tragedy?

Or

The stuffy easily angered, Organization that was made up of snobby nobles that couldn't be bothered to lift a finger?

It was quite easy to see which of the two options most people would pick and as such they did their best to project said image. Of course some people argued that sending a little girl, seemed at least mildly unprofessional and it was to some extent.

Of course only a small portion of the several hundred visitors had the magical power to even perceive the Heretical God as anything other than a few explosions. So it might have been a bit overkill to put so much thought into it in the first place.

Returning to the original topic, Erica Blandelli had a lot of reasons to be frustrated.

One that made more than it's fair share of said frustration was what happened after she had finished her stint of straight faced acting. What was it that caused this you ask? It was quite simple really.

She didn't know.

After watching the ever stern Shrine representative pass out from exhaustion, she had -for some reason that she couldn't possibly comprehend,- followed the person who had been charged with putting her to bed.

She could recall every single detail of the entire escapade, she could recall asking the several of the many caretakers that made their home at the shrine, multiple meaningless questions. Before then following the boy as he hauled the eighteen year old all over the shrine.

But for some reason, the entire memory seemed to grate at her mind. Almost as if she'd forgotten something increasingly important.

It had been hours since she had left the Blonde alone with Alexandra and she'd been forced to deal with the nagging feeling grating against her nerves ever since. In an attempt to drown out the headache she could already feel developing, she had gathered every potential mage that had interest in learning how to use a close quarters weapon.

After all she might as well take out her frustration on the newbies.

It had been two hours since then and not one of them had lasted longer than a minute against her. Thus resulting in an even worse headache brought on by their incessant complaining, and the urge to murder every single one of them in frustration.

Not a single one had allowed her to express her frustration, and to be honest, it was kind of sad.

The future Diavolo Rosso knew just how much she towered over those in her age group, but these were full grown men, and women! She was holding back too! None of them had even managed to press her in anyway, and frankly it was getting depressing.

They were adults they should fight like it!

Even now she was fighting, and her opponent hadn't even managed to scratch her while she was distracted by mentally ranting about her frustration!

Even as she put her opponent on his back, and laid the tip of her practice sword on the man's throat. She couldn't help but complain that it felt like bullying a four year old, and it made her feel bad too! Grown men honestly shouldn't pout like that after losing!

It was creepy!

Not that she showed that as she shook the man's hand with a straight face and complemented the man's tenacity... now that she thought about she should probably look up what that word meant… It wouldn't do for her to use the word in the wrong context after all.

Shaking the errant thought away she cleared her throat. "Anyone else want to give it a go?" A pleasant smile on her face glowing like a tiny sun, even though she felt like sulking in a dark corner somewhere.

"Sure" a voice called out steadily, "I'll give it a shot." Now that had Erica's attention. Ever since she had finished the first match as quickly as she could, every challenger had wavered momentarily, and choked on their words.

All of them had been hesitant, and nervous.

Which was fine, after all most of the people here had never touched a blade of any sort beyond kitchenware in their lives. So such a reaction was expected, but well, when your opponent flinched at your every move…

Yeah it got annoying after a while…

However this new challenger, his voice hadn't wavered even an inch. There was no slight change in tone, or even sign of hesitation. If anything he sounded vaguely excited.

Turning her head to the person who had caught said attention, she found herself staring at the very boy she had been stalking only a few hours beforehand.

He was a boy around her age, probably a year or two older and on the taller side of the height scale. Sun kissed skin giving him away as either a tourist or a visitor, spiky blond hair flailing about randomly in the breeze as he smiled cheerfully at her, his blue eyes sparkling happily.

A green jacket hanging from his hand as he slipped it out of it, revealing the plain white t-shirt underneath. She caught a glimpse of metal around his neck, signalling that he was wearing a necklace -DONTLOOKATITDONTLOOKATIT!- of some sort. The Blandelli however didn't get a good look at it as he instinct screamed at her to avoid looking at whatever it was that hung from the boys neck.

Following her instinct she looked away from his chest and into the boys sapphire eyes, as they glowed with something akin to anticipation.

Accepting the older boys challenge with raised eyebrow, she nodded her head in the direction of several racks filled to the brim with a high variety of melee weapons. "Take one and we'll see if your "Shot" has any accuracy." -That had sounded way better in her head- Declared the admittedly frustrated Blandelli.

The boy took no insult to her haughty reply, simply rolling his eyes in response as he almost skipped over to the weapon racks. His feet slapping softly against the stone of the now ruined courtyard, scattering bits of broken stone and sending rocks scattering as he practically pranced towards the weapon rack.

Erica was extremely grateful that the shrine staff had taken the time to clean out the actual sparring area, of debris.

Huffing Erica walked to side of the chalk square opposite the rack's of weapons, the group of people she had been "teaching" having grouped up on her left to watch the upcoming spar.

It was however just as she took position at her end of the chalk square that a chill went down her spine. Her instincts screaming at her in a parody of a hell hounds howl, sweat beading down her forehead, and the hairs on her neck raised, as the northern court yard suddenly lost any pretense of warmth.

Not that anyone else seemed to have noticed of course.

The crowd on the sidelines continued uninhibited and unaware, even as a flock of birds flapped away in terror. It was only after several seconds that Erica was able to break out of what ever phantom had possessed her body.

Moving Mechanically like a living doll as her eyes immediately honed in on what caused her instincts to go haywire. It was the very blond she was suppose to be sparring against. His eyes trained upon what looked to be one of the several enchanted spears provided by the shrine.

It was as his hand reached out for the spear did the feeling return full force, screaming like a dying beast. Screaming that whatever should happen she should not let that monster touch a spear. Let alone hold the pole arm, or god forbid use one.

The Erica Blandelli who had actively fought against Heretic Deities, would have recognized that feeling. The Erica Blandelli Who had stood side by side with Kusanagi Godou as he challenged Verethragna, would have shivered mildly. The Erica Blandelli who had been there to see Salvatore Doni "duel", several of his fellow Campione to their bloody death would have done the smart thing.

And run…

But this was not the Diavolo Rosso who had stood cheekily beside the mad Soon-to-be-Godslayer, this was not the concubine of the seventh -as he was called in a parallel universe- king. No this was Erica Blandelli the eleven year old Knight hopeful. This was the Erica whose only true fight had been with a slime divine beast -who were -somehow- even weaker than they're video game counter parts-.

This particular Erica was already snippy and impatient after several hours of sparring with severely inadequate opponents.

As such when the feeling evaporated almost instantly she wrote it off as her imagination. Even if it wasn't her imagination it was probably some form of aberration, in nature. A mild manifestation of a Heretic god's summoning, one of the minor consequences of such an alien existence breaking through to this reality.

After all summoning something so powerful was bound to have some consequences. Some small thing like minor delusions, and birds dropping dead for no reason, or larger more impactful events like shifts in the ley lines, and the land dieing off..

So the younger blond discarded the sensation, writing it off as a natural occurrence.

She was right of course, the sensation was entirely natural after all, but for different reasons than she thought. After all it was an entirely natural reaction when you were about to fight what amounted to a natural disaster in physical form.

Calming the beating of her heart, as the boy walked back towards the chalk square with a spear in hand. So mundane was the spear that Erica was almost concerned that it wouldn't have any of the safety enhancements the other weapons did.

Something proven wrong when the blade rippled a strange rainbow color when the light struck it just the right way.

As the boy entered the square he mirrored her, taking his own relaxed stance as she fell into her own.

"What are the rules?" the boy asked confidently, his eyes aimed straight into her own. She could feel the frustration build up in her chest as some part of her shouted, to get the fight started already.

Explaining the rules, she could only hope he would give her a small challenge.

And shiver cause god damn was it cold out there.

Naruto was lost in thought.

Even as he proposed the duel, he was on autopilot his feet taking him to his goal he was utterly lost in thought.

The reason for this was quite simple.

When had started thinking of spars as entertainment and stress relief?

He had always liked sparring, but this was different. He found the rush exhilarating but he'd never thought of them as a mundane part of his life. Like playing football, or Kendo. No it had always held some form of unique danger.

They were fun but each spar had an edge to it, almost like any mistake would lead to death.

Now it was just… sport.

A particularly enjoyable sport, but nothing to worry about. Not like a slip would result in someone losing their hand or anything right?

Except it could, and that fact didn't bother him at all. He contemplated idly as he picked out a spear autonomously. (His subconscious having picked out a fauchard for his weapon)

He hardly noticed it as he slipped into a stance, it was only as he felt his lips ask a question without his prompting did he snap out of his trance.

The blond girl across from his rolled her eyes in such a way that most people would have missed it. "Full Contact" The Italian girl announced her accent giving away her origin. A hint of annoyance coated her words once again imperceptible to most people, as a false patient's concealed it. She seemed frustrated for some reason.

Had he insulted her in some way? Perhaps he'd missed something she'd said?

Either way she seemed quite eager for the spar to start.

But she still continued to explain the rules to him. "No going outside the chalk outline, three fatal hits makes the winner. No magic, and don't worry the Blades are enchanted and won't do anything more than bruise."

Raising an eyebrow at the girl he nodded, she seemingly taking that as the end of his questions gestured to the man standing in as referee.

The stand in glanced at both of them seaming trying to tell if they were both ready before yelling "Start!" at the top of his lungs.

The Eleven year old ran forward, a flurry of slashes flowing from her sword as she took a fairly aggressive method of attack. Naruto however was undaunted, side stepping her sword, he used the hooked side of the fauchard(or should he be calling it a glaive since the pole was so short?) to stop her sword temporarily. Something that seemed to have stunned the smaller girl, before hooking the pole of the weapon under her feet. Sending her to the ground, with his blade at her neck before she could even react.

As the girl tumbled into the ground Naruto blinked… that was way easier than usual. Heck he wasn't even trying all that hard. She was moving so slow, and He barely put any strength into it… at... all…

He almost smacked himself the second he realized it. How could he be so stupid? He was a campione. A Devil king, as Marquis had put it earlier during his little show of strength earlier that day.

He as a devil king had strength far exceeding that of a full grown adult, and it wasn't that she was moving too slow, but that he was moving too fast.

Cutting himself from his thoughts, his hands gripping the Glaive (as he'd decided it was definitely a glaive) as he found the previously confused girl smirking at him. He didn't know why, and he didn't care to ask how but he knew for some strange reason with a tingling chill.

That this girl smirking at him was not good for his future health.

Erica could feel the confusion bubble in her chest.

What had just happened?

One second she was sending a few strikes towards her fellow blond, the next her sword had been stopped, and then she was on the ground. The small pain that came from landing not so softly on the ground ignored completely -as was the blade pressed to her neck- as she did her best to understand the previous line of events.

The blond boy -her senior by about a year- had just put her on-as her dad said when he thought she wasn't listening- her ass with little to no effort. Heck if she was reading the boy's facial expression right he was rather upset with himself for putting so much effort into the fight.

She had been holding back of course.

The Blandelli may have been a bit brash, but she was expecting to fight a civilian with little to no experience at all, not the avid practitioner that she had received.

It was only natural she had held back.

But now… well… she didn't really have to hold back now did she?

A smirk that would cause the Devil to pause before bursting into delighted laughter, crawled onto her lips. A madness unique to mages glowing within the depths of her oceanic eyes.

She could throw everything she had at this boy and not have to worry. So that was exactly what she did. Jumping to her feet she threw a flurry of slashes, kicks, punches, feints, uppercuts, and just about everything barring magic at her fellow blond with all of her skill brought to bare.

Only for the boy to dodge, weave, block, and once outright steal her weapon from her hand -in what appeared to be a genuine accident- without any real effort.

It was a sweaty, dirty, and utterly exhausted Erica that sat within the chalk outline by the end of the third and final round.

Of course the exhilarated smile upon her face, allowed no one to think she hadn't had her fair share of fun.

Now if only it wasn't ruined when Marquis Voban himself burst into the courtyard.

I've rewritten this chapter eight times(One of which was almost 5k in length) but no matter what I do this chapter just seams... Ugh I can't even put into words. Strange way to start an A/N but whatever. Either way sorry for making you guys wait so long, and thank you my followers for your continued support.

I hope you've enjoyed the story so far.