Ignisha: Chapter 7!

Six Paths in Mahora

Episode Seven: A Savior in Need and Massive Hangovers?

"Sis Mea Pars Per Centum Octoginta Secundus… Ministra Negii Cagurazaca Asuna! (Activate the Contract for 180 Seconds for the Ministra Magi of Magister Negi, Kagurazaka Asuna)" Negi yelled, holding Asuna's Pactio high above his head. Asuna flinched a bit at the tingling sensation of the Pactio's affects as a light covered her. "Negi-sensei, Kagurazaka-san…" Setsuna let out.

"Sakurazaki-san, let's go!" Asuna yelled.

"Eh? Ah, h-hai!"

"Sheesh, that fire would have burned us if we weren't careful! I'm not gonna let you off easy!" Asuna said under her breathe. "You damn monkey-lady, GIVE BACK KONOKA!" She roared, charging in.

"H-he extinguished my flames with a high water spell… and what is that light? Is she one of those 'partners' those Western Mages have?" Chigusa wondered.

"Aniki, now!" Chamo yelled. "Right!" Negi complied, holding out Asuna's Pactio card. "Asuna-san, I'm going to summon your personal 'Artifact'! I think it's called a 'Hamanotsurugi'! A weapon only you can use! Please take it!" Negi yelled out to Asuna. This took Nagato's attention. "An 'Artifact' that is part of the card? And he called it 'Pactio' just a while ago… I wonder…"

"A-a weapon? I get a weapon?" Asuna asked. "Ah, alright, let me have it, Negi!" Asuna yelled.

"Exerceas Potentiam Cagurazaca Asuna! (Activate Ability for Kagurazaka Asuna)"

"Kya!" Asuna yelped as a brilliant light filled her hand. "Wha, i-it's coming! Whoa, it's amazing, it's... it's… it's!"

"A HARISEN! Wait a minute, this isn't some stupid joke, is it!" Asuna yelled in anger. "That's weird…" Negi wondered to himself as Nagato sweat-dropped. "I wonder, are these 'Artifacts' evolvable…?"

"Kagurazaka-san!" Setsuna yelled.

"Eh, whatever! There's no helping it!" Asuna yelled, waving her newly obtained Harisen over her head. "Hiiiyah!"

The two, however, were stopped as a giant stuffed bear as well as a monkey stopped their attacks. "Wh-waaah! They can move! Weren't they just stuff animals!" Asuna yelled out in surprise. "Be alert, Kagurazaka-san! These things may look weak on the outside, but they're actually the Zenki and Goki I've been talking about! They must be hers!" Setsuna yelled.

"Ohohoho, my 'Enki' and 'Yuuki' sure are cute, aren't they? They're pretty strong too, you'll never be a match for them!" Chigusa declared.

"Why you…!" Asuna grunted in annoyance. "Ieeeh!"

Swinging her Harisen, Asuna manage to free her weapon and banished the monkey. "Eh? What the… Banished already?"

"Are wa! (Th-that's)" Chamo suddenly had a theory with Asuna's weapon as Setsuna yelled, "A-amazing, Kagurazaka-san!"

"She banished my 'Enki' like it was nothing! Just who is she!"

"Interesting power you have, Kagurazaka…" Nagato thought, holding his hand in a Hitsuji seal, his Rinnegan recording the fight before him. Suddenly, he felt another intent elsewhere. He looked up just as Setsuna left the teddy bear to Asuna. "Another one, eh?"

Nagato continued watching as another girl attacked Setsuna, and the two ddeflected from each other. "That's the same Kenryuu (sword style) that Sakurazaki uses…" Continuing to watch and listen, Nagato flinched at listening the girl's name. "I… I see, Tsukuyomi, is it?" Watching the tow girls fight, he knew that the Tsukuyomi girl should not be estimated. A scream entered his ears as the Uzumaki turned to where Asuna was. He sweat-dropped as a number of monkeys attacked the twin-tailed girl. "Again with the monkey?"

He then turned his attention to Negi, who had finished his incantation to his spell. Nagato smirked as Negi threw his magical arrows at Chigusa, who had forgotten about the "brat" as she called her. "Rule #1 in battle: Never forget how many opponents you have, you just might regret it…" Nagato recited after his teacher.

His blood went cold, however, when Chigusa immediately brought up Konoka, forcing Negi to diverge his attack. Finding out how horribly he was during his first life, Nagato deeply regretted his doings and whenever he sees that kind of action taking place, his blood boils. The next thing he heard, however, made him snap.

"Hmm, maybe drug her, do some spells to brainwash her. Then she'll become nothing more than a puppet for us…"

*SNAP*

Although he has never been drugged to become a puppet before, Nagato knows very well how it feels like to be a puppet. After all, his Pein Rikudou technique was similar as using puppets. Also, he himself was used as a puppet by Madara, his supposed 'Leader'. Madara was supposed to help me bring peace, but instead, Madara was using Nagato for his own selfish needs. That kind of fate was something he wants nobody to have. Especially if it's his own students.

His anger rising, Nagato accidentally unleashed his Chakra as everyone flinched at the power. "Wh-wh-what the hell is this!" Chigusa yelled in surprise, before freezing as a figure suddenly appeared behind her. "You have just messed with the wrong student, Woman…"

Chigusa turned around just in time to see a violet rippled eye, before a hand grabbed her by the neck. As soon as the hand touched, Chigusa flinched at the huge head towering over her. The head was pale skinned and had black markings below its eyes. A black crown was placed on its head, with the Kanji for "king" engraved into it. Overall, the head bared a resemblance to Lord Enma of Hell. Frozen in fear, Chigusa shook her eyes from the head, looking down to her captive, seeing a red headed boy no older than the girl behind her. His skin was also pale, but the eyes were what frightened her. Those eyes that begged for her blood, wanting to rip her to shred. She held her breathe as the boy brought her closer to him. "If you ever lay a hand on my student again, I will make sure you will meet Shinigami-sama himself faster than you can say, 'Oops'…" The boy whispered, dropping the frightened woman and picking up Konoka, disappearing in a gust of leaves.

Chigusa shivered in fear as one of her companions, a boy with white hair, appeared before her. "We should get out of here, Chigusa…" He said, grabbing her and leaving, just as the woman's summons disappeared.

"Ojou-sama!" Setsuna yelled as Chigusa was lifted up by an unknown figure. Breaking her sword from Tsukuyomi's sword, Setsuna immediately dashed towards Chigusa just as the figure dropped her, leaving. The Shinmei Ryuu girl finally readhed the top to find nobody. "O-ojou-sama!"

"Where's Konoka!" Asuna yelled, reaching the top of the stairs.

"I-I don't know! I just saw her being carried by someone else to a different place!" Negi said, having quickly arrived. Setsuna gritted her teeth, has someone else grabbed Konoka for their own selfish desire? "Konoka-ojou-sama!" She yelled franticly.

The three search high and low but haven't found a trace of their friend before arriving at the train station, only to find the one they have been looking for, leaning against one of the pillars, asleep. "Ojou-sama!"

"Konoka/-san!"

"Nnh…" Konoka let out, opening her brown eyes to see a worried looking Setsuna, as well as her roommates. "Se-chan…?" Konoka asked. "Ah, Se-chan, I had such a weird dream… A dream where I was kidnapped, but rescued by Se-chan and Negi-kun and Asuna… It was a happy dream… Ah, but there was another person too, I wonder who it was…?" Konoka said, sleepily. "Ah, Ojou-sama… I'm so glad you're ok!" Setsuna said, smiling.

Konoka blinked, before smiling. "Eheh, thank goodness! Se-chan doesn't hate me at all…!"

"EH! Ah, w-w-w-well, um, uh! I… I-, I also wanted to talk to Kono-chan, and-…!" Setsuna flinched as she caught herself. Dropping Konoka, Setsuna immediately backed away, bowing. "Moushiwake arimasen! (My apologies)" Setsuna yelled. "I- I am merely thankful that I have been able to save Kono-cha-, Ojou-sama! I wish I have been able to do so quietly from the shadows, but uh… um…!" Setsuna got up and bowed, quickly leaving the scene. "I'm sorry!"

"Ahh~, Se-chan!"

"Setsuna-san…"

"I guess having her get along with Konoka so suddenly isn't exactly easy, huh…" Asuna let out, an idea forming. "Sakurazaki-san!"

Setsuna flinched and turned to Asuna, who was waving at her. "We'll have a great look-around at Nara, that's a promise, all right!" Asuna yelled.

"Asuna-san…" Negi let out.

"Don't worry, Konoka! Everything'll be alright!" Asuna assured her friend, lightly backj fisting Konoka on the shoulder. "D-demo (but)…" It was then Konoka noticed her lack of attire. "W-wait, why am I dressed like this again? I'm naked…"

"Ah! Er, um, w-well, that's because…!"

"A lot has happened today, hasn't it? It still the first day as well, right? I wonder what else will happen during this school trip!" Negi wondered.

"Ah! That's right, who was that guy who saved you, Konoka!"

"Eh? Huh, you know what? I don't remember…"

"Heh~…?"

"What I do remember are these unusual purple rippled eyes he has!" Konoka said, circling her eyes with her fingers to emphasize. "Purple rippled eyes? What the heck?" Asuna was confused.

"Hmm…" Konoka went, trying to remember the unusual eyed man's face.

(Meanwhile…)

Setsuna continued running before catching sight of her soon-to-be red-headed teacher walking calmly in front of her. "Ah, Uzumaki-senpai!"

"Hmm? Ah, Sakurazaki…" Nagato answered.

The two walked together silently as Nagato looked passive while Setsuna was confused and flushed.

"So, a penny for your thoughts, Sakurazaki?"

"Huh! Ah, um, uh…" Setsuna debated whether to talk to her teacher. "Um, Uzumaki-senpai… Have you ever had that feeling of wanting to protect someone, even if your life depended on it?"

Nagato stared at Setsuna. He closed his eyes and drew a long breathe. "Yes, yes I have, Sakurazaki."

"Eh?"

"Too bad he's dead though…"

"H-hai!"

"Pity, really, many of my friends, whom I've wanted to protect, have all died before me. I've kept their corpse, of course mind you, but before I knew it, I was the last one left…" Nagato sighed, his eyes still closed. "Then again, Konan was also alive as well…" He opened his eyes. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you will never be strong enough to protect those you hold dear…" Nagato said, Setsuna turning her gaze to the ground. "But…" Setsuna looked up. "I suppose that's why you train to become stronger, no?" Nagato smiled this time, winking at his soon-to-be-student.

Setsuna blinked a few times before giggling. "Hai!"

(Next morning)

Nagato sat up straight, his bright red hair dropped over his eyes as his looks were dreaded. "Augh, my head hurts…" Nagato mumbled. "Why does my head hurt again…?" He wondered, thinking back. A small flashback ensued of him drinking while in the open bath yesterday, as well as drinking a whole cup to test whether the water had sake in it or not. "Great, now I have a hell of a hangover… Damn, if I'm not careful, I might accidentally kill someone…" Nagato mumbled again, folding his futa.

(Dining Hall)

"Allright, Mahora Middle School students! Itadakimasu!" Negi said cheerfully as everyone began eating lunch.

"Nuuh, after we went to the Kiyomizu temple, I don't remember anything…" Ayaka said with a down expression. "And we missed out on the first night too! Aww~ man!"

The students continued to bicker about when suddenly, the door slammed open. Everyone was silent as Nagato walked in, looking as if he had seen a better day. His hair was all over, his eyes looked as if they have never seen light before, and his sleeping robes were misshaped. In his hand appeared to be a bucket-full of ice-cold water with ice included. Silence followed Nagato as he walked to a random table and dropped the bucket in front of his student.

"Dump it…"

"H-hai…?" Ako asked, getting scared.

"Dump it on me!" Nagato ordered.

"B-b-b-but, isn't a little cold…"

"I don't care! Just DUMP IT…!" Nagato yelled, his face turning to something indescribable, as it was too scary. Scared, Ako screamed in fright, grabbing the bucket and dumping it onto Nagato's head. "SUMIMASEN!" She screamed, falling back to sitting position.

Nagato stood still as he grabbed the bucket to stop it from ringing. "Arigatou…" He muffled through the bucket before walking to the kitchen to grab his plate for breakfast.

The silence ended as Fuuka started cracking up at what happened to her teacher. "Th-that was awesome! Nice one, Ako!" Fuuka thumbed up the frightened girl as Akira tried to calm her down. The students then returned to bickering as Konoka wlkaed up to her sensei.

"Ah, Negi-kun! You look really sleepy!" Konoka said as Negi gazed up. "Ah, Konoka-san! Ohayou!"

"Thanks for last night! I don't really understand it, but you, Asuna and Se-chan saved me from something, right?" Konoka said. Negi, unsure, only answered, "Ah, w-well, I was only following Setsuna-san…!"

"Ah, Se-chan!"

Setsuna flinched, picking up her plate, standing up to walk away. "Ah, why are you leaving? Don't be embarrassed, let's eat together!" Konoka suggested, walking after her friend. It later turned to a chase as Konoka wailed, "Why are you running away, Se-chan!" Negi, too, ran after the swordswomen, yelling, "Setsuna-san!" As Setsuna yelled in return, "I'm not running away!"

"What's going on? This is the first time I've seen Sakurazaki-san with such an expression…" Ako wondered as Nagato walked back out. "I wonder if something happened last night?" Makie asked. "Guuh, having fun while we're asleep!" Yuuna growled in mild anger. "That's it; I'm definitely not sleeping tonight!" Sakurako yelled.

Ako flinched as Nagato sat down next to her. "What's going on?" He asked, a piece of fried shrimp in his mouth. "Ah, Uzumaki-senpai!" Ako let out. Nagato saw the frightened look on her face and chuckled lightly. "About earlier, I'm sorry, alright? I just had a bit of a hangover that needed getting rid of, and ice-cold water was it…" Nagato apologized. "Ah, eeto, it's fine… I suppose…"

"So what's up with Sakurazaki?" Nagato asked as the other just shrugged in response.

"Hmm…" The red-headed boy wondered, his chopsticks in his mouth. His eyebrow raised as several students asked Negi to come with them. It got out of hand as he sighed. "Goodness Negi-san is really popular amongst his students…" He wondered as Nodoka suddenly yelled if Negi could come with her group. All was silent as Negi agreed, making Nodoka suddenly popular among the girls. "Then again, maybe too popular…"

"Ah, hey! What about Nagato-senpai!" Sakurako wondered as everyone turned to where their soon-to-be teacher was, only to find no one.

There was a moment of silence before…

"FIND HIM!"

And soon came the hide-and-go-seek between the students and Nagato, only to have Ako shockingly find him eating calmly behind her, having Group 4 have their red-headed teacher for the day.

Ignisha: And the 7th Chapter is over! Down to the next one!