I don't own Naruto or Shield hero.

Chapter 5 – A side trip before the wave…

Naruto sat and watched as the girls went through their chakra training exercises. He had already gotten a new shield today by accident. The Butterfly Shield. He watched as a butterfly landed on the jewel and was absorbed. He was alerted to a new shield, the Butterfly Shield. He sighed and worried that the shield was going weird on him and was going to absorb just about anything. Then a thought hit him. 'What if I use cutting of their hair and my hair on the shield. Heck, the girls do need to have their hair cut. It is getting in the way of their eyesight and might get in their way,' he pondered.

He switched to the Medical Research Shield and began to pick up herbs. He knew that they had about a week and a half left before the wave. The group-level was about level 20, with Naruto and Milly trailing behind. Naruto had also informed Milly about the false charges against him. She began to laugh at the charges after how he had treated her on the first day. She even said that she would welcome him taking her eventually. That caused Naruto to blush. His senses blared and he jumped up. A large porcupine burst through the bushes near where he had just been. He changed shields to the Light Metal Shield. He threw a special shuriken back towards the girls. It had a whistle on it. The girls turned quickly and headed towards Naruto. Blocked the Porcupine and deflected it to the side. It growled at him. He jumped back only a few meters, but still had its attention. "Hey, spikey! Nice try! Come and get me," he exclaimed.

It charged only to have several kunai impact into each side of it. Sylvie appeared behind it and slashed with her sword. It screamed in anguish and died. Raphtalia looked around and asked, "Are there any more?"

Naruto shifted his shield to the Dog shield and concentrated. He replied, "No, it appears that it was alone. Let's butcher this one and start our day of leveling." He pulled a few spines and fed them to the shield and got the Animal Needle Shield. He chuckled and said, "An attack bonus shield!"

The girls celebrated. They also sealed the meat and bones into a scroll for later use. Sylvie hugged Naruto and said, "Finally, now you can start to get on the front lines with us. Instead of using your clones so much." She blushed and broke the hug and said, "We need to get stronger girls for Naruto-koi."

Raphtalia said, "Yes for Naruto-kun!"

Milly said, "For Naruto-sama!"

Several hours later the group was up against a bear. Naruto said, "Sylvie, Raphtalia keep the front, but don't let it hit you. Milly, hit it with a fire spell. As Shield Hero, the source of thy power, decipher the laws of nature, defend my target fast guard." Sylvie began to glow. Naruto then exclaimed again, "As Shield Hero, the source of thy power, decipher the laws of nature, defend my target fast guard." Raphtalia began to glow. He then said, "Go girls. Milly, cover then with flame arrows."

Milly replied, "Yes master. As a source of my power. I order thee, decipher the laws of nature and burn my target like a burning flame, first flame arrow." She held her hands forward and pointed then between her companions and a flaming arrow formed. It then shot forward and hit the bear in the chest.

The bear roared in pain and looked directly at Milly, but then was struck by Raphtalia and then Sylvie in succession. The bear appeared confused as to which target to attack. Naruto then charged full speed at the bear with the light metal shield equipped. He ran into the bear with such force that the bear flew back several meters. Naruto then did several hand signs and called out, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" It hit the bear directly in the face. The bear was blinded.

Sylvie came in and swung up with her sword and cut the bear's throat. There was a gurgle and then the bear fell dead. Naruto used the rope shield and tied up the bear to make sure it was dead. Raphtalia then plunged her sword into the bear's chest and made doubly sure, by piercing its heart. Experience points racked up all around. Raphtalia quickly began to field dress the bear and seal the kill. Sylvia cleaned the weapons and Milly collected the clothes from Sylvie and Raphtalia. At this point, Naruto had become mostly desensitized to seeing the girls in various states of undress. If they weren't totally naked. He made sure that he wouldn't be looking at them for any particular reason at those times. Not that they would have minded. Each wanted his attention for their own reason. Especially Sylvie. The group set up camp and finished dinner and was working on reading lessons. Naruto had finished his lessons on healing and had learned one support magic spell one of his clones had seen done. Sylvie and Milly Had finished the book on fire spells and now needed second-level fire spells. They also wanted to know what Raphtalia's magic ability was so that they could get her training started.

The group took a dip in the stream together and Naruto had to say that he was slightly jealous. They were now all older than him with only Sylvie not really looking that much older. Sylvie had a lithe body with a small chest. He estimated that they all were about seventeen and were not afraid to show him their bodies. Raphtalia had grown from a child to a nice figured young woman with a medium chest, as did Milly. Milly was no longer was skin and bones. She had gained some fat and some muscle. The fat was in the right places and so she no longer looked emaciated. A beautiful woman had shown through. Naruto said, "You look a lot better now Milly."

Milly blushed and replied, "You really think so?"

Naruto replied, "Yes. You look much healthier. You looked starved like before. Now you look like a healthy woman."

She stood and posed. She then asked, "Do you like what you see? Naruto-sama?"

Naruto blushed and replied, "What man wouldn't? I also know that we can't do that because we have work to do."

Sylvie giggled and said, "We will have to wait for that, Milly. Naruto-koi is still a little shy and while he is over his crush of she 'who shall not be named'. We all know what we must do. There is work that must be done. I know that I would love to be Naruto-koi's wife, but we need to make sure that we get these waves taken care of and see that what happened to Raphtalia-chan's village doesn't happen to another village. I know the urge is great, but we must fight it and persevere."

Raphtalia smiled and said, "Yes. Naruto-kun is the Shield Hero and if we can make it to the area of Idol Rabier. We might be able to rescue some of my friends or some of the people in the castle."

Naruto leaned back in the warm water. He and a couple of clones had cleaned out an area in the streambed. They then filled it with water, allowed the water to settle, and then heated it with fire jutsu. After some more idle conversation and some teasing, the group dried off, got dressed, and went to bed.

Naruto left several clones with the girls that morning after breakfast. He explained, "I have something to do. I'll be gone most of the day and should be back tonight. I might be late, so be gentle on the clones." He then jumped off in a northern direction. After a few hours, he was met by Jiraiya. He then said, "Hey Pervy-sage."

Jiraiya asked, "What are you doing away from the girls?"

Naruto sighed and explained, "I have to save the slaves that are being held by Idol Rabier. His castle is nearby."

Jiraiya smiled and said, "Good. I was about to pay that man a visit. I want you to make him vanish. After what I learned about him from some of the Queen's people. I was asked if we could eliminate him and have it look like a rival, an accident, or a natural death. It is your choice on how to do it. Just do it correctly. We are not to be either seen or blamed for his death."

Naruto sighed and said, "So an assassination mission? I think I have just the item for it." He pulled out a vial from his pouch.

Jiraiya nodded and replied, "Like I said the method is up to you. Just make sure that you are not found out. That is the key to success. You pass or fail by whether you are found out. I will be watching. Also, getting the slaves out will be an added to your trial. This will be your chuunin exam."

Naruto nodded and suddenly did a henge, changing into an average-looking woman. He changed his shield into his Doctor shield. 'She' wore flowing pants and a ruffled blouse. Her hair was brown as were her eyes. Her build was medium. She had no distinguishing characteristics. Naruto looked at Jiraiya and asked with a wink, "Do I look good, Jiraiya-sama?"

Jiraiya chuckled and replied, "Perfect cover for an assassin. Good luck."

Naruto continued through the trees and then landed a little ways from the castle. She then walked into the castle. The guards didn't give her even a second glance. Naruto made his way up to the keep and into the main courtyard. He discreetly made a couple of clones that looked like a couple of random guards and sent them down what looked like a dungeon entrance. The main Naruto slipped into the main manor and kept watch on guards and the comings and goings of each person. He eventually figured out who Idol Rabier was. He changed into a maid and was able to spike his tea with a slow-acting poison from the kitchen. He made sure to wipe the cup after Rabier drank the tea. He left the main building and changed himself into a guard. He then made his way to the dungeon and found a girl barely alive. He had his clones watch for other guards.

He undid his henge and ran a diagnostic jutsu on the girl. She was suffering from a nearly fatal case of Tuberculosis. Naruto immediately gave her a nutrition pill and cast a spell quietly, "As Shield Hero, the source of thy power, decipher the laws of nature, heal my target first heal." He then used potion amplification and gave her a healing potion.

Her eyes opened and she looked up and asked weekly, "Are you the shield hero?"

Naruto smiled and replied, "Yes I am."

She asked, "Will you marry me?"

He chuckled and replied, "You're a little young, but if you grow some. We can talk about it."

She looked saddened and said, "I'm not long for this world."

Naruto grimaced and said, "If you want to marry me then you have to fight harder than that. I can heal you. I already healed Raphtalia."

This seemed to perk up the pink-haired weasel girl. She nodded, as he gave her another potion. A clone herded another five kids into the cell. He began to heal all of them. Their faces were amazed when he said 'Shield Hero' in his spells. Naruto said quietly, "Please keep it down. I will get you out of here, but I need to figure out how to do that and get you past the guards without them seeing or hearing you." He finished healing them and said, "We'll make our brake around the middle of the night when the guards are at their weakest. I have a couple of clones working on their shifts and such." The children headed back to their cells with a clone each of whom blended into the shadows. Naruto then told the girl he had saved from death's door, "When the guard comes to check you. I want you to barely breathe and make sure it is raspy and cough lightly, but make it sound like you are about to die."

The girl nodded and replied, "Yes, my future husband. My name is Rifana." Naruto nodded.

Rifana laid down in the position that Naruto had found her in and he hid in the shadows. When the guard came to check on her. She made the shallow breaths like Naruto had told her too. The guard shook his head and said, "This one is about to perish. Maybe we should just put her out of her misery."

The other guard shook his head and exclaimed, "No way. Rabier-sama would kill us for letting a demi get some relief. Let her die. We can call our rounds done and head back. It looks like it will be a quiet night tonight."

The first guard nodded his head as he exited the cell and said, "I really hate this place. I really want to get out of here." The pair left the dungeon. Naruto and his clones collect the slaves again and say, "For us to get out of here I need each of you to put a drop of blood on one of these pieces of paper and then leave them in your cells. It will leave an illusion of yourselves for about a week's time and then the illusion will quit in seven nights." Each child pricked their finger and took a piece of paper. They left with a clone. Naruto pricked Rifana's finger and touched it to the paper. He then said, "Fuin Jutsu: Hide the living with illusionary death seal." He picked her up and created a clone who left the paper where she had been laying. He smiled and waited for the others to return. With the help of the clones, the group quietly made their way to the top of the stairs.

The solo clone waved the first two clone/slave groups to the shadows of the courtyard before a guard made his rounds. The next two made their way to the shadows. Like the first pair and were hidden from the passing guard. Naruto, Rifana, solo clone, and the last pair made their way to the shadows. They waited for the guards to make their rounds and then the group jumped up to the top of the building and quickly down the other side. As Naruto looked down and noticed the slave crest on Rifana turn to smoke and wisp away. He knew then that Rabier was dead. After clearing the curtain walls Naruto and his clones turned up the speed and headed out to the west. He found an area where he felt Jiraiya was and landed with his clones.

Jiraiya was talking with a thin man with glasses and said, "Now you understand that you must not tell anyone what you know."

The man smiled and laughed lightly. He then said, "I know nothing, Jiraiya-kun. Your pupil is here, but there seems to be a lot more of him than I would have expected."

Jiraiya chuckled and turned around. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Were you seen? And how did you get out with them?"

Naruto replied, "I used an Illusionary death seal."

Jiraiya chuckled and said, "Good call." He turned to the man in front of him and said, "This is Van Reichnott. He will hide those demi-humans and see to their safety. You can come back for them if you want to later. We have about a week before the wave hits. I see that you've gotten them up to around level thirty and twenty-five. Like yourself. The old coot said I'm a fire and earth type. You got any books on those types of magic?"

Naruto nodded and replied, "Got a first-level fire magic book and you can have it. Both Milly and Sylvie have finished it. Need to get another book for illusion for Milly and wind for Sylvie. I also need a level two healing and a support book for me. I do know one support spell, but that is all. One of my clones saw it from someone else and I copied it and it worked after several attempts. I also have those fire and water jutsu down."

Reichnott smiled and said, "You seem very competent, Naruto-kun. I will make sure to take very good care of these refugees. It looks like this one especially doesn't want you to go." He smiles warmly at Rifana snuggling into Naruto's chest.

Naruto sighs and replied, "She asked me to marry her and I don't know how to respond."

Reichnott smiled and gently took the girl from Naruto. He then said, "After the wave, you can collect her and any of the others that wish to join your party. She will grow up fast and you can decide when she grows up."

Naruto sighed and asked, "Why does this keep happening to me?"

Jiraiya laughed and replied, "You have the devil's luck. You must be collecting a harem."

Naruto scowled and said, "I need you to work with me on lightning and wind."

Jiraiya nodded, but said, "A week isn't enough to learn either wind or lightning. I will also help you in the wave though. So, I will accompany you back to the castle and we will reequip." He then patted Naruto on the back and said, "Good job, Chuunin Uzumaki."

Naruto smiled and nodded. Naruto handed Rifana to Reichnott. The pair then headed back to the camp where the girls were and left the refugees and the clones guards with Reichnott.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Looks like the flames have simmered down. This chapter is more of a filler and a small one, sorry. I have some things that are important later and I'm hoping I'm not making plot holes like most writers do. LOL. As for changing back to Naruto's world… right now isn't going to happen. At least as of yet. I need to flesh out this world and the characters I use here. As for the curse shield I have my ideas. Naruto could go without, but having it would also give him such a boost. He could also gain the compassion shield too fairly easily. Or a Hope shield. Go figure. I already have chapter 6 completed and on with the beta, so it will be out soon. I hope you enjoy this short side chapter. Side note Part of the character Sylvie is based on a character Seb from the author Bloodwolf11 and his story 'Abyssgate, the Hero of the Shield'. You should go read it. It is a great read. The characters have similar backgrounds but different personalities. I have a new beta MajesticStarX-Overs. I would like to thank her for her work.