A Phoenix's Fury
Summary: Naruto Phenex mysteriously disappeared over two hundred years ago. Before his disappearance, he was heralded as the strongest living Devil, and a prime candidate for Maou Lucifer, until he wasn't. Unbeknownst to everyone, it was by design. Naruto used a forbidden spell that allowed him to be reborn in another world. And now, he's back. Better and wiser than ever before... and nobody's ready for it.
Note: I received plenty of messages and even reviews about the decision to hold a duel last chapter instead of straight-up declaring Naruto as the new Lucifer. Maybe I was just overthinking it, but for me, there was no reason for Sirzechs to abdicate and as such, Naruto can't just become Lucifer just because he's the strongest.
While Naruto could have just allowed Issei and Riser to fight, Naruto was cautious because why would Sirzechs just send Issei to Riser, who has beaten him before? Surely, Issei must have been given an equalizer... or at least, made to realize something that would allow him to beat Riser (which happened in canon). Also, given that I made Issei a little stronger in this fic, he would definitely have beaten Riser had they fought.
Naruto couldn't risk that happening. So he had to interrupt it before Riser could embarrass himself and the House of Phenex, by extension.
Warning: This fic features an overpowered main character, who despite being the epitome of kindness, is not above ending lives. If that tag ticks you off, then this might not be a fic that you'd like.
Chapter 5 - All Hail Lord Lucifer
It has been a week since the Engagement Ceremony between Rias Gremory and Riser Phenex which ended up being the catalyst to what may be the most historic duel in the history of Devilkind. Sirzechs' acceptance of Naruto's challenge quickly made rounds throughout the Underworld and it was the only thing people have been talking about since.
The dissolution of the engagement between their younger siblings had gone under the radar. But of course, who in their right mind would care more about such a trivial detail when a grand battle with high stakes was about to take place?
Devils, may they be low-class or high-class, discussed the duel and the impact it would have in the Underworld moving forward. Betting pools were opened, broadcasts have already been set and planned, and even merchants prepared a trip to the capital Lilith in hopes of maximizing profits in what would be the most legendary battle in the history of the Underworld.
After all, throughout the history of Devilkind, this was the first time a Satan was directly challenged for their position, and the man that put forward the challenge just happens to be the strongest Devil in recorded history.
In the last week, many secrets have begun unveiling themselves, the top of which, was the hidden truth about Naruto Phenex's departure from the Underworld. A departure that, in their assumption, was forced by the treachery committed by his former best friend Sirzechs Gremory (now Lucifer), and his former fiancee, Grayfia Lucifuge. The old Lords and Ladies of the Underworld found themselves free of discussing the past as they no longer feared Sirzechs' influence.
With Naruto's return and his eventual challenge of the title, Sirzechs Lucifer's influence is at its lowest.
One by one, powerful houses have begun pledging their support for Naruto Phenex to become the Maou Lucifer, putting more validity on the duel between the two Super Devils. First of said houses was the House of Agares, the Archdukes who are the second most powerful house in the Underworld. Rumors have it that Naruto Phenex was marrying the heiress of the Agares, Seekvaira, which was the cause of their early support.
And then, three days following his challenge of Sirzechs, Naruto Phenex had revealed that in his return, he had single-handedly ended the Old Satan Faction, parading around the beheaded heads of Creuserey Asmodeus, Shalba Beelzebub, and Katerea Leviathan. This further increased the support Naruto got in the Underworld.
And how could they not rally behind the man?
It was something that the New Satans had failed to address in their rule and yet, here was one man, who ended it on his own. It inspired confidence in the devils that with Naruto in charge of the Underworld, they can easily achieve the greatness their kind had yearned for.
Moving on, the duel, as grand as it was, seems to be Naruto's way of ensuring a peaceful transition of power. A gesture, that upon realization, garnered him the respect of the commonfolk. After all, if Naruto was to plunge devilkind into another Civil War-which he definitely could do, given his continuously growing influence-it is the common folk that suffers the greatest.
The call for change only grew stronger by the day.
And of course, not everyone is happy about it.
Bael Mansion
"That damned Phenex brat!" Lord Bael gritted his teeth in frustration at the reports he was receiving. It seemed that in just a week, Naruto Phenex had begun to undo the carefully planted schemes of the Great King Faction and had been doing so to great effect.
Even some members of the Great King Faction had defected to the newly-christened Supernova faction, a faction of devils who have aligned themselves to Naruto Phenex and his vision of change in the Underworld.
It was two days ago when the blasted heir of the House of Phenex talked in front of an assorted audience of pure-blood devils and common folk. Standing on his side were Serafall Leviathan and Lord Agares, a massive powerplay, if you will. As it was a show of force that told the Underworld that Naruto is a unifying leader with a message that resonates with many, regardless of where they came from.
He had already made a statement upon the reveal of his single-handed elimination of the Old Satan Faction four days ago. This revelation had gained him the support of more houses. This time around, he was making an effort to consolidate his power base before his duel with Sirzechs. After all, it is essential as the political leader in the Underworld to not just secure the support of the pure-bloods, but of the common folk as well.
It was a frighteningly massive success.
Naruto Phenex had already ensured his influence even before his duel with Sirzechs.
A duel, that for all intents and purposes, was a mere formality.
In a week's time, Naruto Phenex would be crowned as Naruto Lucifer.
Lord Bael held no delusions. He wouldn't be in his position if he were.
After all, Sirzechs was DESTROYED when they fought 200 years ago, it was a fact that remained hidden to this day to preserve the mystique behind the Four Great Satans. He saw how Sirzechs fared after his battle with Naruto, the former took months to properly recover and even then, it took him years to regain his confidence following that battle.
If not for the freedom of his little sister at stake, there was no way Sirzechs Lucifer would accept a rematch between himself and Naruto Phenex.
Because Sirzechs already knew he was going to lose.
And for Lord Bael, that means defeat for him as well. It was the passiveness of the Four Great Satans that allowed the Great King Faction to thrive as they had done. Naruto taking over as the new Lucifer will prove to be problematic.
Especially with how much support was rallying behind him this early into the game.
'But this can still be salvaged.' Lord Bael thought to himself.
Naruto Phenex, as fearsome as he was, was not without any weaknesses.
He will find that weakness and then, he'll make sure the balance set by the Great King Faction remains.
Even the mighty can fall under the right conditions.
Gremory Mansion
The mood in the Gremory household was sour given how tough the past week has been on their family. While Rias had finally gotten out of her engagement with Riser Phenex, it unlocked more problems that sullied the name of their house as well as strained the relationship among the Gremorys.
Rias Gremory did not take kindly to the revelation of why she was at one point engaged with Riser Phenex. After all, she was literally used as a bargaining chip to keep the status quo intact.
Rias suffered from a sin committed before she was born.
One that in the first place, should never have involved her.
To the Gremory heiress, it now made sense how the rest of Devil houses seemed to only tolerate the Gremorys at best. As a child, she thought that was brought upon by jealousy over the influence accumulated by her family following her elder brother's ascension as Lucifer.
Turns out, it was because devilkind perceived Sirzechs to be the man responsible for driving away the strongest Devil in recorded history with his betrayal.
Of course, Rias doesn't have it in her to fully hate her family.
People do make mistakes.
However, she can still be upset at them.
"Rias. It's time you can stop sulking at what you have discovered." The voice of Zeoticus Gremory rang in the ears of the Gremory heiress.
Rias stared at her father.
"Can you blame me, father? All this time... the things I knew about our family... the things I knew about my brother... are mostly fabricated to protect the name of our family. How can you live with yourselves?" Rias replied.
"Honey..." Venelana Gremory muttered, a worried look on her face.
This had been a repeating scene in their household once word spread of why Naruto Phenex left the Underworld and why he felt the need to challenge Sirzechs for his throne.
Of course, Venelana understood where her daughter came from because even she herself had not fully come to terms with what happened 200 years ago.
Venelana had yet to accept Grayfia in their family exactly because of what she and Sirzechs had done. While it was unfair to only put the blame on Grayfia, Venelana just did not have it in her to hate her own child and as such, the silver-haired woman became an easy outlet for Venelana to pour all of her frustrations.
Frustrations on why they had to offer up their daughter to the House of Phenex.
Frustrations with her now ruined friendships with Layla Phenex and others.
Frustrations about why she can no longer rebuild a relationship with Naruto Phenex, who she saw like her own son.
Venelana was interrupted in her musings when Zeoticus spoke.
"You should be grateful to your older brother, Rias. Sirzechs has basically thrown away his position of Maou Lucifer just so you can live with your selfish fantasies of love!"
"Husband!" Venelana glared at Zeoticus, whose eyes widened at the words he just let out.
"Rias! I... I did not mean to..." Zeoticus said to no avail, as Rias had already stormed out of the room.
Zeoticus turned to his wife, who maintained her glare on him.
"Allow Rias to properly take everything in, husband. This week has been filled with revelations that she was not ready to learn." Venelana said.
"I know... but," Zeoticus sighed before continuing, "You know what? You're right."
The Lord Gremory sat on his chair, leaning his back against it, a troubled expression making its way to his face.
"Karma was going to bite us in the ass eventually. If only..." Zeoticus sighed for what was the nth time for the day, his face looking at a photo of the Gremory family looking happy and contented before letting out a sad smile.
"We cannot undo the damage of the past," Venelana replied.
"Well... there's nothing we can do now. I just hope Sirzechs will be fine after this," Zeoticus said.
That's the only thing they can do: hope.
After all, with how quickly things have changed in the Underworld, the House of Gremory found itself helpless as they got mercilessly stomped on in the middle of this sudden stampede.
Naruto Phenex truly was a fearsome individual to cross.
And in order to maintain their standing in the eyes of the Underworld, they will have to once again know their place. Something that does not sit well with Zeoticus... but does he even have a choice?
Phenex Mansion
"If things go south, I will be there to help the family."
Riser Phenex couldn't believe that at one point he doubted the words of his eldest brother. At the present, the House of Phenex found itself in its strongest political position in two hundred years, and in a week's time, they would most likely be the house of the next Lord Lucifer.
Sure, Riser was no longer betrothed to Rias Gremory but if you were to ask Riser, all he lost was another pair of tits to play with. It was a loss that he'd be more than happy to take considering the situation at hand.
Things are indeed looking up for the House of Phenex.
"My Lord brother is truly the most amazing man that I have ever met," Riser thought to himself.
Beyond the political maneuvering, Naruto Phenex has proven himself to be a caring older brother. The words of advise he had given Riser gave the third Phenex son plenty to think about, especially in terms of his future.
Toying with Rias Gremory in the Rating Game, and almost being blinded by his rage...
Riser vowed that those things would never happen again.
Moving on, Riser was also witness to the growing bond between his eldest brother and his younger sister, Ravel. It fills Riser with joy to see Ravel act like a girl her age. Ever since Ravel had made her debut in the devil nobility, the young girl had been acting way too mature for her age, to the point that she would struggle to interact with people her age.
Naruto's spontaneity and what Riser would call "natural big brother instinct" truly have helped Ravel to come out of her shell. It was a mission that Riser had failed to succeed at for years.
Riser turned his head to the mini-altar he had created in his room.
An altar dedicated to... his oldest brother, Naruto.
An altar he had created to pay tribute to the "God amongst Men."
"Praised be the magic you hold, Lord brother." Riser thought to himself.
Knock
"Come in"
Ravel Phenex entered Riser's room and upon noticing a certain new addition to Riser's room, her face crunched up in disgust.
"Your hero worship towards Naruto-niisama is quite creepy, Riser-niisama."
Riser laughed.
"It is only natural, little sister! After all, our Lord brother has shown me the light!"
Ravel stared at her older brother with a blank look on her face.
While she's happy with how Riser's mood had improved since the entire Gremory ordeal, it is weird how quickly Riser turned into a fanatic of their own older brother of all people
"It would have been cute 10 years ago." Ravel thought to herself.
Ravel coughed.
"Well anyways, mother had asked me to tell you dinner is ready, onii-sama."
"Isn't calling for me Yubelluna's job?" Riser asked.
"Yes, but I had to confirm if what Yubelluna said was right... about you having an altar of Naruto-niisama in your room."
Ravel's eyes once again turned to Riser's Naruto altar.
"It's seriously creepy, onii-sama."
"You said that already!"
Ravel laughed as she exited Riser's room, and was soon followed by the man himself as they both headed towards the dining room.
As the two younger siblings made their way down, they were greeted by their mother, who signaled them to take a seat.
Joining them at their table were Lord Phenex, their brother Ruval, and their oldest brother, Naruto.
Dinner, as usual, was a quiet affair until all members of the family finished their food. It was something engrained in them by Layla, who thought it was inappropriate to talk in between bites.
Of course, the family obliged because doing otherwise would just lead to them receiving bruises.
"Naruto," Layla called, leading the eldest Phenex son to turn his head to his mother.
"I've noticed you and Serafall have been together for almost the entire week. Is there something you're not telling us... most importantly, me?" Layla said, a dark glint evident in her eye. After all, Layla wanted to know ALL the details of her son's love life, if there were any.
"Nothing too important, mother. Serafall has only been helping me with her influence to further my political standing in the Underworld. I would definitely need it after I defeat Sirzechs. I'm not ignorant as to assume everyone would just accept having me as the new Lucifer," Naruto replied.
"Are you sure? I heard that during the viewing party, you and Serafall were holding hands. You better hope I don't find out that you're hiding something from me, mister!" Layla joked.
"Don't friends hold hands all the time?" Naruto replied, inwardly laughing at the knucklehead act he was putting on.
"You're over a couple of centuries years old, son. I can't believe you!" Layla said in exasperation.
Lord Phenex, who found himself content with listening, laughed at the exchange, leading to Layla to glare at him.
"And it's your fault, husband! It must be your oblivious DNA that had infected your son. I remember it took you an entire decade before you realized I was in love with you!" Layla said, pointing a finger at Lord Phenex, who raised his hands in defense.
Naruto had an amused look on his face before deciding to spare his father from his mother's wrath by changing the topic.
"What's this I've been hearing about you having an altar of me in your room, Riser?" Naruto said, leading the younger man to stutter in embarrassment.
"Tha... that's not true, Lord brother! Who told you that?" Riser tried to defend himself to no avail as the entire family snickered at his expense.
"You should probably try to hide that altar, Riser. The women you bring to your room might... think something's up with you," Ruval joked.
Ravel then joined in on the fun.
"You're a little too old to be developing a brother complex, Riser-niisama," she said.
"Now now, that's enough making fun of Riser! But I do admit the pictures Yubelluna took was... educational, to say the least." Naruto added.
"YUBELLUNA!"
Lord Phenex and Layla Phenex couldn't help but smile at the scene. Naruto's influence on his younger siblings has definitely shown itself already, and both of them couldn't be any happier.
It might have taken a long time, but finally, the family is complete and happy.
Underworld
"Sirzechs."
"Ajuka."
Both Satans stared at each other for a couple of seconds before smiling at each other.
"Quite the tough week for you, isn't it?" Ajuka rhetorically asked.
Sirzechs chuckled at that.
"You don't say?" Sirzechs responded.
The Maou Lucifer let out a sigh before speaking once more.
"But, it was only a matter of time. It might have taken too long, but eventually, I had to pay for my mistakes," Sirzechs said.
Ajuka raised an eyebrow at that.
"Are you already admitting to defeat, Sirzechs? That does not seem to be like you." Ajuka responded, observing Sirzechs, who had a somber look on his face.
"Ajuka, I don't stand a chance against Naruto. I never did. I knew that by accepting his challenge, I was already giving him my position on a silver platter." Sirzechs responded.
"Rias means that much more to you, huh?"
Sirzechs nodded.
"Rias means everything to me, Ajuka. Even if I'm no longer Lucifer, I would be happy just knowing that Rias is able to decide her own fate. The entire ordeal between my family and the House of Phenex... Rias had nothing to do with that. It was my fault why it had to be that way. Rias wouldn't have been involved if not for..."
Ajuka placed a hand on Sirzechs' left shoulder and smiled at his friend.
"That's enough. The mood has been depressing enough for a week already. Rias already got out of her engagement, you should be happy." Ajuka said.
"But it's just funny to me. Ever since Naruto returned, I've been thinking of ways to atone for my sins towards him and his family yet, I ended up owing him even more than I already had," Sirzechs said.
Ajuka raised an eyebrow at this.
"Naruto did not have to dissolve the marriage between Rias and Riser if he wanted to be Lucifer, Ajuka. I don't know why he did that, but he decided to do me a favor," Sirzechs let out a wistful smile at this.
"Ever since he returned, those who had supported him before had made it clear that they would rally behind him no matter which path he chooses to make, and since then, he had been making moves to get more alliances in the Underworld. If he wanted to, he can just pressure me politically and take over by force. After all, Naruto had already secured the support of many influential figures in the Underworld" Sirzechs explained.
The Maou Lucifer then stared straight into Ajuka's eyes.
"Including you, Ajuka."
Ajuka chuckled upon hearing from Sirzechs. After all, Sirzechs was right on all accounts. He had already pledged his support to Naruto because, for the Maou Beelzebub, Naruto had already earned the position and had proven to him that he can get the job done.
As much as Ajuka loved Sirzechs like a brother, he was not a good politician... or at least, not good enough to outwit and outplay the Great King Faction. If not for Sirzechs' overwhelming and indisputable strength, who knows just how far the Great King Faction would have gone?
Devilkind's greatest enemies are not the Angels or the Fallen Angels, but rather, their own kind.
"Do you feel betrayed by it?" Ajuka asked.
Sirzechs shook his head.
"No. In fact, I'm happy because when I do step down, I know that the Four Great Maous would be able to fulfill its duty. I am well aware that I had not been the best politician nor was I assertive enough during my reign. My mistakes allowed for an unbalanced hierarchy that deviated from the vision we held during the Civil War." Sirzechs then paused, his thoughts directed towards the current state of affairs in the Underworld and the ongoing power struggle between the Four Great Satans and their supporters and the Great King Faction.
"However, I do feel a little miffed by how early you put out your support for Naruto. I'd be lying if I said I was not upset in the slightest," He finished.
"We needed to move fast. Our influence is dwindling by the day, Sirzechs. With how quickly Naruto has been rallying people behind him, it's a golden opportunity to battle back against the Great King Faction," Ajuka replied.
"I do know that, but Ajuka, we're devils. It's in our nature to be selfish. If I didn't feel upset at this entire ordeal, Heaven would have declared me a saint by now," Sirzechs said and chuckled at his own joke.
Ajuka gave Sirzechs a nod. It was understandable for Sirzechs to feel annoyed or even upset, even if he realizes that what Ajuka did was the best option he could have gone for. After all, with Sirzechs' falling out with Naruto, he had become his closest friend... and Ajuka became the very same friend who quickly leaped out of the Sirzechs Train when he saw a prime opportunity to finally deal with a foe.
In politics, there are just times when friendships just do not sustain.
"Now about your duel... I just hope you won't go down without a fight. I had bet you'd last 5 minutes, you know?" Ajuka joked.
"Of course, I'd bring out my very best," Sirzechs replied before his eyes widened in realization.
"What do you mean you bet on me lasting for just 5 minutes?!"
Ajuka laughed at Sirzechs, who pouted.
The Maou Lucifer easily shook it off, however, and gave Ajuka a sincere smile.
"Thank you for everything, Ajuka. I needed this conversation." He said.
Sirzechs was already coming to terms with his predicament. As much as he would have liked to remain as the Maou Lucifer, he cannot escape the will of karma. Thus, Sirzechs Lucifer can only do one thing.
Something that Naruto had always done.
Do his very best... even if the odds are stacked against him.
Day of the Duel
Underworld - Lilith
The battlefield was set, with Naruto Phenex, the wielder of the fiery power of the Phoenixes, facing off against Sirzechs Lucifer, the mighty Devil King. The two powerful warriors stood at opposite ends of the field, each sizing up the other and preparing for the battle to come. The air was charged with tension, and the ground shook with the weight of their power. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath, as if waiting for the inevitable showdown.
"Naruto," Sirzechs called out, garnering the attention of the Phenex heir.
"I just want you to know that I am eternally grateful for everything that you have done for me. With this duel, I will show you the resolve that I have in atoning for what I've done. I will give this battle my very best," Sirzechs finished, a determined look on his face.
Naruto smiled. As much as he no longer felt any attachment toward Sirzechs, Naruto found himself in approval of what the Maou Lucifer said. After all, while it would seem that Sirzechs had already come to terms with the result of the incoming battle, his will was not wavering.
In fact, the Maou Lucifer seemingly took it as an opportunity to once again reach Naruto. Maybe not to regain his friendship, but rather, to come into an understanding with him.
Naruto could respect that.
"Sirzechs," Naruto said, his left fist outstretched forward.
"I acknowledge your resolve, therefore, I will als-"
As Naruto was about to say something, Sirzechs sped towards Naruto, marking the official start of their duel. The Maou Lucifer summoned several balls of dark energy, hurling them toward Naruto but, Naruto was not heralded as the strongest Devil for no reason.
Naruto countered by launching a blazing, pitch-black fireball toward Sirzechs and the approaching form of Sirzechs' Power of Destruction. The two attacks collided in a massive explosion, canceling each other out, but not after sending shockwaves throughout the area that left a massive crater where they had met.
Sirzechs then began to regain his footing, his eyes blazing with a dark intensity. He summoned his full power, unleashing another barrage of the Power of Destruction at Naruto. But Naruto was ready, dodging and weaving through the attacks with lightning speed. With a fierce battle cry, Naruto summoned his own power, unleashing a blazing inferno that engulfed Sirzechs and threatened to consume him.
But the Devil King was not so easily defeated. With a fierce roar, he summoned his own dark power, countering Naruto's attack with a wave of darkness that threatened to extinguish the flames. The two forces collided, creating a massive blast that sent shockwaves throughout the battlefield and obliterated everything in its path.
For what seemed like an eternity, the two warriors battled back and forth, their powers colliding in an epic showdown. The ground shook with the force of their attacks, and the sky was filled with the light of their magic. The heat of the battle was palpable, and it seemed as if the very fabric of the world was at stake.
Once more, Sirzechs channeled up his power, intending to once again use his signature Ruin The Extinct, an attack that usually eliminates anything without a trace, which can be controlled and bypass his enemies' defenses at the same time.
However, Naruto was an enemy unlike any other. Sirzechs' signature move is turning out to merely serve as Sirzechs' lone ticket to ensure he lasts against the Phenex heir.
Sirzechs outstretched his arms, and as if on cue, even more spheres of black energy headed towards Naruto. The Phenex heir smiled and once again channeled his unique pitch-black flames and as the attacks collided, smoke once again engulfed the battlefield.
The viewing audience shook at the sheer display of power between the two Super Devils. The duel was living up to the hype and then some. At the moment, both combatants seemed to be even, with each attack seemingly being nullified by the absurd level of power the other has at their disposal.
But, they couldn't be any more wrong.
As the smoke cleared up, it revealed a telling indicator of the state of both combatants. While Sirzechs was already bruised and gasping for air, Naruto stood relatively unharmed, looking as if he was only gauging the capabilities of the reigning Lucifer.
Naruto focused his eyes on Sirzechs, who stared back at him, still attempting to gather his breath.
"I appreciate your resolve, Sirzechs. Now, it's time for me to give back. Allow me to show you my growth in my time away." Naruto said.
As he said that, Naruto outstretched his hand, powerful raw energy appearing in it, and soon formed into a massive black ball of energy that gave off a loud screeching noise.
"PHENEX-STYLE RASENSHURIKEN!"
Sirzechs' eyes widened as the attack made its way toward him. Even from far away, he can sense just how powerful the attack was, and not only was it powerful, but it was also fast.
It was not like any other move Naruto had in his arsenal. If it hit him as he was now, he might be done for. With said realization, Sirzechs transformed himself into a mass of condensed Power of Destruction, in an attempt to mitigate the damage of the attack.
Sirzechs' transformation caused the entire battlefield to shake due to the sheer power this form carried.
However, it was not enough.
As the attack met Sirzechs, the ball of energy seemingly expanded and engaged in a struggle with Sirzechs' defense but before Sirzechs could even get the chance to defend Naruto's attack, another PHENEX-STYLE RASENSHURIKEN made its way towards him.
BOOM!
A massive explosion was felt not just on the battlefield. The simultaneous attacks sent shockwaves that could be felt miles and miles away.
The smoke surrounding the spot where Sirzechs stood eventually cleared up and the gathered crowd of Devils could only gasp at the sight in front of them: the lone, unconscious, and bloodied figure of Sirzechs Lucifer lay in the middle of a kilometer-wide crater.
The Maou Lucifer was beaten... in two attacks. Attacks that Sirzechs, a devil known for his power that carried both offensive and defensive capabilities, could not even dream of defending.
Not even in his true form.
The battlefield as well as the surrounding crowd was silent, save for the soft crackling of the embers that remained. Naruto took a deep breath, savoring the moment. It was not his most difficult battle, but, it very well may be his most passionate battle to date.
Sirzechs, despite already admitting to his inevitable defeat, attempted to show him his resolve... and what a resolve it was. Sirzechs, through this battle, had effectively conveyed to him his willingness to take on everything, so long as it means he can atone for the mistakes of the past.
Naruto could respect that. However, his time away from the Underworld has reformed him in so many ways. Naruto had undergone many trials and tribulations that reshaped his beliefs on how to approach life.
Unfortunately for Sirzechs, he no longer has any place in Naruto's life.
This was their closure.
Naruto's head then turned to the purple skies of the Underworld and let out a smile.
He has done it.
With that, Naruto raised a fist, leading the stunned crowd to return to their senses and let out a deafening roar of celebration.
"Sirzechs Lucifer is unable to continue. The winner of this duel is NARUTO PHENEX!"
Naruto turned his head to the cheering crowd and sent them a toothy smile. It seems no matter the world, Naruto would still have that in him. The smile was magnetic, as it was mirrored by most of the audience.
Soon, the crowd began chanting.
"All Hail Lord Lucifer!"
"All Hail Lord Lucifer!"
"All Hail Lord Lucifer!"
Naruto's eyes then widened in realization.
That's right.
With his victory in the duel, he has officially dethroned Sirzechs. He has taken what was rightfully his.
From this moment forward, he is now Naruto Lucifer.
All hail the new King, all hail Lord Lucifer.
End of Chapter
A/N: After 30k words, Naruto has finally become the Maou Lucifer. Hopefully, you guys liked the pace I took with this chapter. In writing this chapter, I initially thought of capturing reactions not just in the Underworld but from the outside, as well... but, I thought it would just drag things out and I did not need that. As much as people would have liked for me to give some focus on the Gremory Peerage, I see no reason to do so given the Main Character is not involved with them. At best, their feats would be mentioned, but I doubt they would serve big roles in this story.
Sirzechs, on the other hand... would still have a role to play, but he's not going to worm his way back into Naruto's life. I'll leave you to imagine where he'd once again come in. (Spoiler: he won't be a villain because that would ruin his portrayal in this story.)
Thanks for reading and take care always!