Chapter 4
Purpose
One week later…
Naruto had been discharged from the hospital a week ago, and he couldn't help but feel that it was the dullest week of his life.
He knew he could easily leave the church and go on his on. But he was getting free food and shelter. Not to mention, they were making him Ramen every day.
He was not going to give them up any time soon.
Also, he wanted to lay low for now. At least until he found a way back home. From his previous conversation with Gabriel, she seemed aware of Great Red. That meant she was also aware of the Dimensional Gap. That meant, she knew how to access the Dimensional Gap. Or at least had an idea on how to access it.
Of course, there was his Rinnegan but he still did not know if it even had the ability to open a way into the Dimensional Gap.
But then again, he had seen both Madara and Sasuke do some weird shit with the Rinnegan. So, who knows, maybe it could take him home too.
So, for now, he felt that Gabriel was his best ticket to returning home. And earning her trust, was his first agenda for now.
Throughout the past week, Naruto was confined to his room or the Church most of the time. But being the most unpredictable ninja, he easily found a way to escape this situation. In this case, the solution was simple.
Shadow Clones.
He would leave a shadow clone behind and go to explore the place he was living in.
And boy was he surprised by what he saw.
This world was way more advanced than his own world.
The first thing that took him by surprise were the weird vehicles the people of this world travelled with. After asking Griselda about them, she replied that the smaller four-wheeled ones were called cars and the larger four-wheeled ones were called trucks. Though Griselda needed numerous reassurances that he had just read them in a book and not seen them, or more like literally destroying one.
Yes. He destroyed one.
But it was not his fault, though. He was just minding his own business and crossing the road. It was not his fault that the driver of the truck did not stop fast enough and ended up crashing into him.
The front of the truck was completely bent inward by the impact and Naruto had made a quick beeline away from the scene. He just hoped the driver was safe.
Another thing that took him by surprise was the weird flying object in the sky. It looked like a metallic bird that did not need to flap its wings to keep from flying. Once again, asking Griselda, he discovered that the thing was called an airplane.
There was also the way the humans of this world harnessed energy. He had to say he was quite impressed. From some sources and through asking Griselda, he had learned that most of the 'electronic' substances worked based on electricity.
Though the method of how they produced electricity still confused Naruto. Not like it was important.
One other thing that impressed him was the methods of communication this world had. He absolutely loved the concept of a smartphone. Especially the games in one.
Griselda had gifted him a smartphone, and Naruto had spent the last few days trying to understand how to operate it. With his persistent efforts, he had finally grasped a good understanding of the device's functionality and felt confident in using it.
Naruto was also intrigued by the computers that they used and had expressed his interest in owning one to Griselda, who had later provided him with a brand new "Laptop". With the help of his shadow clones, he quickly learned how to operate it too.
With both smartphones and computers, Naruto was also introduced to the internet. Another foreign concept to him, but something he grasped pretty quickly. He was impressed with the amount of knowledge once could find on the internet.
The last couple of days, he had kept a few clones going over the internet and extracting as much information about this world as they could.
However, while browsing the internet, his clones had found quite an interesting thing. There were 'websites' that would make Jiraiya sacrifice his damn hands so that he could get his hands on them. Jiraiya would have found these sites literal goldmines for his books.
But no one was going to mention that Naruto had spent a significant amount of time exploring those sites.
Nope no one was going to mention that.
Other than exploring the world and spending time searching the internet, Naruto had also read through all the books on the bookshelf on his room. Or more like his shadow clones had while he was roaming outside.
He was quite sure he had gained a good enough knowledge about the world and about most of these pantheons of Gods, the Angels, the Devils and the Fallen Angels.
Among all the pantheons, Naruto found the Shinto Faction the most interesting. He was particularly drawn to this pantheon because many of the names of the gods were similar to the Mangekyou Sharingan jutsus. This piqued Naruto's curiosity and he wanted to learn more about the Shinto Pantheon and how they operated. Though he was very disappointed when he found no information on what powers those gods possessed.
It was something that he had noticed while reading the books and searching for information. There was just the basic information of the powers that the Gods, Devils or Angels possessed. None of the books had gone into details about the powers of gods. And there was little insight as to how the devils or the angels operated.
Another thing that he had noticed while reading through the books was how the books portrayed the Devils to be. According to the books, the devils were these dangerous and vile creatures that would kill babies, rape virgins and sacrifice puppies.
Naruto wondered if any of the stories he read were true or just exaggerated tales. He considered the possibility that these stories might be exaggerated since the Devils were known to be the biggest enemies of the Angels.
After all, spreading misleading information to support one agenda was quite common in his own world too.
So, for now he decided to reserve his judgment until he had met some of the devils in real life.
Currently, Naruto was on the roof of the church, laying on his back with his hands as pillows supporting his head.
It was a full moon night. And Naruto was staring at the full moon reminiscing about the world he had left behind not so long ago.
He wondered what they were doing. Wondered if his plan had even worked. Wondered if the world was free of the Infinite Tsukyomi.
If so, then he wondered what the world was like. Were they mourning him and all the other people who had died in the war? Or had they moved on?
Had Sasuke finally accepted Sakura's love for him and decided to marry her? He had a nice laugh when the image of Sasuke in traditional wedding clothes popped up in his head. Though he smiled sadly as he imagined Sasuke marrying Sakura and him not being there to enjoy with them.
Would they name their kid after him? If he was there with them, would Sasuke name him the godfather of his children? Would he make Sasuke his own children's godfather? Yeah, he would. Both of them would have, if they were living in an ideal world.
Kakashi-sensei was probably spending his time in front of the Memorial stone like always. But this time, Naruto wondered if he was also mourning his name there too.
He felt bad for Kakashi-sensei. He had lost so much in his life. He just hoped that his sensei was able to move on from his death and live a life both his (Naruto's) father and Kakashi-sensei's father could be proud of.
Maybe, Tsunade had handed her job to him. Seeing as, he was probably the most qualified person in the whole village for the Hokage position.
He had another good laugh imagining Kakashi-sensei sitting behind the Hokage desk in Hokage robes trying to read the Icha-Icha books while Shizune was forcing him to do the paperwork.
His mind then wondered to the one of the most important adult figures in his life.
Granny Tsunade.
A sad smile graced his features as he wondered what she was doing and how she was dealing with his disappearance. Knowing her, Naruto was pretty sure she was drowning herself in sake.
He just hoped, she would not drink herself to an early grave. At least not before he found a way to go back to his home world.
Out of everyone in Konoha, Tsunade was the second person after the Third Hokage who had said that they believed in his dream. He had made a promise to Tsunade that day. To become the Hokage. A promise that he could not keep in the end.
Would Tsunade hate him for this? Would Tsunade go back to hating and cursing the Hokage position like she did after her lover's and brother's death?
He hoped not. He could not bear it if he ended up causing so much pain to the woman who had quickly become a mother/grandmother-like figure to him.
Promises. Once he prided himself for withholding his promises. But now that he thought about it, had he ever been able to fulfil any of those promises?
He had promised Sakura to bring Sasuke back when the latter had first gone rogue. And he had failed that promise.
He had promised Neji to end the curse of hatred in the Hyuuga family and he had failed that too.
He had promised Tsunade that he would one day become the Hokage. And that too, he had failed.
This realization made Naruto question his own ability to fulfill his promises. He had failed to fulfill many promises in the past, which left him feeling uncertain about his ability to keep his word.
In an ideal world, he would not have been forced to use that jutsu. Sasuke and him could have defeated Kaguya. Gone back to free everyone from the Tsukyomi. Everyone would have returned to their villages. Sasuke would have accompanied them back to Konoha. Team 7 would have been complete again like all those years ago. He would go back to pursuing his dream, while Sasuke…would do what he did. Sakura would probably go back to the Hospital and could have become the Head of the Hospital. He could have found a girl just like his mother and could have lived a happy life with two kids maybe.
But he was not there but, in a world, vastly different from his.
He had no one here. No relatives, no friends. There were Griselda and Gabriel but they were just acquaintances at this point. He had no purpose in this world. His dream ended when he decided to sacrifice himself to seal Kaguya away for eternity.
For the umpteenth time this week, Naruto wondered: What was his purpose now?
But he never really had an answer.
It would not be the first time Naruto had wondered what exactly he had done wrong to be punished like this? He was prepared to die and meet his family and his teacher in the afterlife.
But instead, he found himself here. Was it fate? Was it destiny? Were they taking their revenge on him for trying to defy them so many times?
Naruto did not know.
But what he knew was that he needed a break from fighting. He had been introduced to a world during the war that he had never imagined he would see.
All those dead bodies, Neji's dead body, Obito's sacrifice, it would always come back as nightmares, haunting him in his sleep.
Their questions was always the same.
"Why did he live when they all died?"
He hadn't gotten a solid night's sleep since he came in this planet due to all of his nightmares.
And unfortunately, he had no one to confide his problems to.
"I wish you guys were here to guide me Kakashi-sensei, Grandma Tsunade, Kurama." Naruto said softly, staring at the moon with eyes filled with sorrow.
"My, you're a hard person to find Naruto." A female-voice said from Naruto's right side.
Naruto turned his head towards the voice and found Griselda standing there with her usual gentle smile on her face.
He sat up and said, "Oh, Griselda. What can I do for you?"
"Oh, not much." Griselda replied. "I just came here to see what you were doing."
"Nothing much." Naruto replied. "Just reminiscing about my village."
"I see." Griselda said, sitting down beside him. "Your village must be quite fascinating."
A bright smile appeared on Naruto's face. "Yeah", he answered. "It was the best."
"You must have had quite a good life there growing up, didn't you?" Griselda asked with a smile. But her smile dropped as soon as she saw his smile drop and him turn his face away from her. It seemed to be a sensitive topic for him.
So, she dropped the topic altogether. And give him some news that could uplift his mood.
"You will be released tomorrow." Griselda said.
"Huh?" Naruto turned his face towards her, confusion clear on his face.
"Yes. Tomorrow will be the day; you will leave your 'confinement' as you would like to say."
As she had expected, his sour expression disappeared instantly and was replaced by a bright and cheerful expression. To her, he looked much better when he smiled and laughed rather than when he was depressed.
"Really?" Naruto asked brightly, as he jumped up to his feet. "I will finally be able to leave?"
"Yes, you will, Naruto." Griselda said as she giggled, watching him pump his fist in the air in victory.
"I knew I could survive this. After all, I have survived much worse." Naruto bragged, puffing up his chest.
Griselda giggled behind her hand as she said, "Yes, yes. But have you decided what you want to do once you are out?"
"Huh?" Naruto turned towards her in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Griselda sighed. She knew she would have to discuss this topic with him, especially after Gabriel had informed her of how divided the Seraphs were about him. She knew little details, but Gabriel had warned her that if Naruto did not join their side, his life would be at risk.
And Griselda did not want that. Naruto was a child. Yes, he was a young adult, but still a child who had a vast life in front of him. She did not want him to have a miserable life moving forward.
But above all, he was different. Vastly different from anyone she had met before.
He had a charisma that only few could boast about. He had the ability to befriend anyone, if his interaction with the various nuns was anything to go by. He had a friendly and soothing aura about him and combine it with his already incredible charisma and confidence, people were easily attracted towards him and would even put their trust in him.
One thing was sure to Griselda. Having Naruto on their side would be very beneficial to them. He could easily fit in the role of a priest. Maybe even a Cardinal Priest just like Vasco.
She had a small glimpse of what he was capable of a few days ago. And Griselda would never be able to forget what she had seen.
Flashback
Griselda was currently walking towards Naruto's room to see his progression in his studies.
To be honest, he had practically exceeded all of her expectations. She'd never seen anyone devour information like he did.
He had completed almost three-quarters of the books she had placed in the bookshelf and had even used the internet to access more knowledge.
She even said he was a genius. How could she not? He had read more than sixty books in the last three days and had recalled practically every detail to the point.
As she approached his room, she heard some commotion going on inside. She wondered what the commotion was about. Not waiting to knock, she opened the door and what she saw inside shook her to her core.
Inside Naruto's room, there had to be more than thirty Narutos doing several tasks.
There had to be at least twenty Narutos that was sitting by the table in the room, each with a book in their hands.
Three Narutos were sitting on his bed and browsing the internet on the smartphone and two laptops. Though she wondered where the second laptop came from. Also, one of the Narutos browsing the laptop was blushing and had a lecherous look on his face while the other two browsing the internet stared at him in disgust.
There was another small group of Naruto meditating. Now, meditating in itself was not shocking but what was actually shocking was that they were meditating while hanging from the wall… with leaves sticking on their foreheads… and the leaves were rotating. Some even had stones sticking to their fingers which miraculously seemed to defy gravity and stay attached to his fingers.
Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She gasped and turned around to see another Naruto standing behind her smiling awkwardly.
"Well, you called me a genius the other day…" He said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "And while I like the praise, I don't like to lie. So, yeah. Now you know how I studied so fast."
She promptly fainted after that.
(Flashback end)
That incident had increased her belief that there was more to Naruto than met the eyes. She was even sure that he had the potential to surpass both Vasco and Dulio, if he joined the Heaven's forces.
But she was not someone that could force anyone into anything. She did not like the notion of coercing a young man into joining their side, no matter how talented or potential he had.
But she also remembered the warnings Gabriel had given her. For some days she had contemplated on what to do with the situation. And ultimately had decided to try convincing Naruto into joining their side.
That was why she had come here today anyway.
"What I mean is that", Griselda continued, "What have you decided to do after you are released? You would need money to survive off in this world. That means you would need a steady income."
"Oh", Naruto said, his lips forming an O-shape. "I… I seriously did not think that much about it."
Griselda nodded. She was glad that the conversation was heading in the exact direction she wanted it to.
"Well. There are many good opportunities in this world. You can be a scientist, an engineer, a footballer, a golf player, a businessman, a writer. Maybe even a doctor." Griselda said, with her index finger on her chin, in a thoughtful position.
"Uh. But won't they require me to study further?" Naruto asked, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
"Uh-huh. They would. You would need to study for at least four years more for most of the well-paid jobs anyway."
"So, nope. I am not doing any of them." Naruto said flatly. 'Though I can probably try the writer thing? Maybe publish one of Pervy Sage's book?' Naruto thought to himself.
"Hm." Griselda hummed lightly. "Then what do you want to do?"
Naruto sighed as he moved towards the edge of the roof and stared at the full moon with a peaceful look. What did he want to do? He did not know that himself.
"If I were to be honest with you Griselda", Naruto continued, "I have no idea myself." He paused before chuckling in amusement.
"What are you laughing about?" Griselda asked in curiosity.
"Maybe I can start a restaurant and sell ramen." Naruto said with a smile. "I noticed a rather shortage of ramen in this place."
"Sell Ramen? That does seem like a possibility." Griselda said trying to be supportive.
"Wait! You agree?" Naruto asked, turning to look at Griselda incredulously. "At last! Finally, someone who appreciates the food of Gods. Take that old man!" He had once told old man Sarutobi that he wanted to open a Ramen shop, after eating at the Ichiraku's for the first time. The old man had only laughed.
Griselda smiled at the rather childish proclamation of the young man. She was rather impressed that whatever hardships the boy had gone through in his life had not taken away his happy and cheerful personality. Most of the people she knew would turn reclusive and introverted after a traumatic experience.
And if she were to be honest, she really adored his small childish outbursts.
"Anyway", she continued, "If you want Naruto. You can join the church." There. She had said it. She had laid her offer out. Now all she had to do was convince him to join.
"Um. What?" Naruto asked, confused.
"I said, you can join the church. Or rather, be a member of the Heaven's forces." Griselda clarified.
Naruto hesitated, scratching the back of his head. "Um. Griselda. I am really thankful for what you and Gabriel have done for me, but I don't really want to join an army."
Griselda sighed. She knew this was coming. "Naruto, I will be frank with you. The Archangels have taken an interest in you."
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, looking confused.
"See. The Archangels, the leaders of Heaven, are pretty divided in their opinion of you. Some see you as a threat and want you eliminated."
Naruto's eyes widened. This was exactly something he had feared, though it did not really matter much. He had a talent for hiding. Not to mention, he could deal with almost anything they sent his way.
"But I am not a threat, Griselda. You know I am just a ninja trying to find my way." Naruto said, with his brows scrunching in anger.
"I believe you, Naruto." Griselda said with a sigh. "But unfortunately, the leaders of Heaven don't. Michael, the head Archangel, has given you an ultimatum." She finished with a saddened face.
"What is it?" Naruto asked with an icy tone.
Griselda stood up and faced him. "Either join our forces or you will be dealt with."
Naruto gritted his teeth in anger. "Then tell that prick that he can shove his dick up his ass and have his friends screw him with theirs."
Griselda frowned, disappointed at the use of crude language and his insult towards the leader of Heaven.
"Naruto", Griselda continued, "I know you're upset. I understand you are going through some tough times, but you must understand. You have potential Naruto. You can be something great. Just think about all the people you can help with your power, Naruto. You are a Ninja. Think of how much you can help mankind if you join our forces."
"You don't know what I have gone through." Naruto spoke harshly. "I am at my limits here. I don't want to fight. I don't want any part in another war. I just… I just can't take it anymore." Naruto finished in a low tone.
"Naruto-" Griselda tried to speak but was cut off by Naruto.
"Enough!" Naruto said in a loud voice. His fists clenched in anger but he calmed himself down and sighed.
He raised his and looked at the peaceful starry sky.
"You know Griselda", Naruto spoke in a low tone, as if he was disappointed beyond belief. "I thought you were different. But it seems I was wrong. You are no different than those who would force people to follow their own agenda at any cost."
Griselda's eyes widened as she realized the meaning behind his words.
"I will be out of here by tomorrow." Naruto spoke in a cold and icy tone.
"Naruto, wait!" She called but it was in vain.
Naruto had already disappeared in a gust of wind.
She stared at the spot from where Naruto had disappeared. All she could do was stare at it in sadness. Her hand came over her chest as she realized she may have just done an irreparable damage to their short relationship.
"Oh Lady Gabriel. I may have just made the situation worse."
The next morning, Naruto found himself waking up at 9 o' clock. He brushed his teeth and took a bath. He was ready to leave.
He was truly grateful to what both Griselda and Gabriel had done for him but there was an extent to how much he was going to repay them for it.
If Griselda had asked a simple thing like helping them in their tough times, he could have accepted.
But joining a Faction that was at war with two more and god knows how many others? A Faction he had no affiliation to? A Faction that he had nothing to do with?
Yeah. Expect him out of it.
He had already been part of a War he never wanted to be part of. Joining another war was not something he was looking for. Especially in a new world he had no idea about.
He was also tired of people trying to dictate his life. As much as he loved the Third, he disliked how the old man had manipulated him into joining the Ninja forces when he was younger. Back when he was naïve, he may have not noticed it. But as he grew up, he had slowly realized just how deep the manipulation ran.
Though he did stop to wonder, if the Third had actually tried to manipulate him or it was just how he was.
But back to the point. Even in his world, many had tried to dictate his life. And he had had enough of it.
He was not having this shit again. He was not going to let someone else dictate his life but himself.
He had defied fate itself. He was not afraid of defying some pompous ass sitting in that Heaven and trying to act all Godly.
As Naruto was preparing to leave and cursing Michael and the others in Heaven, there was a knock at the door.
Naruto looked at the door. He half wanted to just not respond and leave through the window.
*Knock*Knock*
Whoever was on the other side knocked again.
Naruto sighed. Damn his good heart.
He walked towards the door and swung it open by force.
There standing at the doorway was Gabriel in the same garb that she was wearing the first time she came to visit him.
She tilted her head while staring at him with wide innocent eyes.
Naruto stared at Gabriel with eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"What do you want?" Naruto barked out with more force than he had wanted.
However, Gabriel seemed unfazed. "Are you leaving?" She asked innocently.
"Yes, I am." Naruto answered shortly.
Gabriel's eyes moved downwards as she eyed his tattered clothes that he had been wearing the day he had appeared in this world through the portal.
And suddenly, Naruto felt self-conscious.
Gabriel smiled sensing his discomfort. "You do not plan to leave in those clothes, do you?"
"What if I am?" Naruto said confidently.
"My, oh my. So, daring. If you don't mind, may I come in before you leave."
"Yes, I do mind." With that, Naruto slammed the door on her face.
He turned around and suddenly his room was illuminated with bright light. He had to cover his eyes because of the intensity of the light.
As the light died down, Naruto opened his eyes and found Gabriel inside his room, standing with her usual smile.
"What the hell woman? This was supposed to be my room. How did you enter it?" Naruto yelled comically.
Gabriel shrugged. "Well, this is supposed to be our domain. So, we can travel anywhere we angels want." She finished with a giggle.
"Argh!" Naruto yelled in frustration. "You guys are frustrating. Whatever, I am leaving."
"Naruto." Gabriel called. "Before you leave, mind accompanying me on a small walk."
"No." Naruto said walking towards the window, the general exit for all ninjas.
But unfortunately, the window was just behind Gabriel. Due to which Naruto was actually facing Gabriel.
And thus, Gabriel was able to use the most dangerous weapon available to the female kind of any species. "The Puppy Dog eyes".
"Please~" She said with large, teary eyes with a pout. The typical puppy dog eyes.
And Naruto may be immune to the deadliest poison in the world. But unfortunately, he was not immune to this attack.
"I-I-", He stuttered before giving up, "Alright. Fine. I will go with you."
"Yay~" Gabriel did a small victory dance before she handed him a bag that she pulled out of… where did she pull that out from anyway? "Here are some new clothes. Get dressed. I will be waiting outside."
And with that she skipped out of the room happily.
Naruto looked at the bag and sighed. He could probably leave while she waited outside but then again, it was not something he could ever do. He was a man of his word after all.
So, he pulled the dress out of the bag to dress and was absolutely shocked when he found no trace of orange.
There was none.
The dress that Gabriel had handed him comprised a high-collared white jacket with black borders around the collar and sleeves. It had thin chains that seemed to act as buttons and the chains were made of gold or coloured as such. The whole jacket comprised golden embroidery that formed the head of a fox on the back and the front had flowers designed in gold too.
He smiled as he eyed the golden face of fox on the back. He wondered how Gabriel had come to choose this as the design for the jacket.
The pants were plain white. There was also a brown belt that was attached to the pant already. And finally, to complete the dress, there were black high ankle shoes that he had once seen on the internet.
Naruto was impressed with the dress but was extremely disappointed as there was not a hint of orange on it.
But beggars can't be choosers.
So, he was forced to wear it anyway.
After getting dressed, he walked out of the door to find Gabriel peacefully standing there, humming a song.
She looked at him and gave him a bright smile. "My, oh my. You look really handsome Naruto."
Naruto chuckled. "Thanks. But could you not find something with a little more orange in it?"
"Nope." Gabriel said simply. "This is the standard clothes that men of the church's forces wear."
Naruto sighed. "Listen Gabriel, I know you want me to-" But Naruto was not allowed to finish as Gabriel interrupted him.
"I know you don't want to join our forces. Griselda told me and I am not someone who is just going to force you either. It is just that, this was the only dress we had in our stock."
"Then how did you get that fox design on the dress? Are those common around here?" Naruto asked.
"Hm. Yes, they are quite common actually. Men love to associate themselves with an animal that suits them the most. So, a lot of clothes come with animal figures already designed on them."
"Oh! Then how come you brought me this fox one and not anything else."
"Well, because you reminded me of a fox." Gabriel answered with a shrug.
Hearing her answer, Naruto burst out into fits of laughter. It was interesting that even in this world people saw him as a fox. Seemed even this world was affected by Kurama's charm.
"Anyway, let's go." Gabriel said as she began walking, with Naruto following behind her.
Naruto followed Gabriel through the busy streets that he was a little familiar with thanks to his adventures while he was confined in his room.
It was a nice, sunny day. And Naruto smiled watching people go about the day doing their work. There were some who were walking in a hurried way. Some were standing on the side of the road clicking photos in their smartphone.
"Nice day, isn't it?" Gabriel asked with a pleasant smile.
"Yeah. It is." Naruto said with a nod as he tried to take in everything he saw in his surroundings. Even though he had come here once before, he was still impressed with the advancement in this world.
There were shops selling various types of food that he wanted to try. Some were selling clothes which he had no interest in. There were cafes and so many things.
"Seems you're quite impressed with our city." Gabriel said, after finding him staring in awe at everything that they walked past.
"Uh-huh." Naruto nodded. "I have never seen most of the things in my life. This world is quite impressive, I must say. By the way, where exactly are we?"
"We are currently outside the walls of the Vatican City. You can think of it as the hub of all Christianity. The Head of the Catholic Church resides here." Gabriel informed.
As Naruto walked past people, he would notice girls eyeing him and smiling at him. Some would giggle and walk past him. Some would even give him those eyes that girls in his world gave Sasuke. It actually managed to unnerve Naruto. Even though, back in his world, girls had started paying him attention after he defeated Nagato, he was still not used to girls eyeing him like that.
"Seems, the girls have taken quite a liking to you, huh~" Gabriel teased with a smile.
Naruto chuckled and inserted his hands in his pocket. "I guess. But I am still not used to it though."
"You will be, once you start ignoring it." Gabriel advised.
Naruto hummed in agreement but his mind was lost in another thought. Ever since he had started this walk, he had tried to observe each and every person around him.
He was disappointed when he found after trying to sense every person that none of them possessed enough chakra to even perform the basic clone jutsu. They were not devoid of chakra though. But possessed enough to keep them alive.
That meant that the people in this world had no idea how to use chakra and Naruto was the only one with that ability.
Another thing he had noticed while observing the people was that… He could not understand anything they were saying.
Whatever language the people around him were speaking was foreign to him. There were a couple of times when he thought he understood someone but then those voices would be drowned by the alien voices again.
"Hey, Gabriel." Naruto called.
"Yes?"
"How do I understand you speak when I don't even understand what these people around me are speaking. It is as if they are speaking in some foreign language." Naruto clarified.
"My, my", Gabriel spoke, impressed by his observational skills, "So, you observed that huh. Don't worry, you don't understand them because they are speaking in a different language."
"I figured that out already", Naruto said a little annoyed with her answer. "Why do I understand you then? Though there are a few times when I thought I could understand what a few people were saying."
"That's because, what you heard them speak most probably is Japanese, one of the many languages spoken in this world. The language that you speak is an old dialect of the modern Japanese language." Gabriel replied.
"You still haven't answered my other question." Naruto pointed out.
"Well, I have been alive for a very long time now. It was only right that I learn how to speak every language in this world", Gabriel answered.
"I guess that makes sense…" Naruto finished, starting to look at his surroundings.
"Not curious how old I am?" Gabriel asked teasingly.
"Other than the fact that you should never ask a lady her age", Naruto spoke in a sagely tone, "From what I could gather after reading the Bible, you have to be at least a few thousand years old." 'She is older than Tsunade, but looks younger than her.'
"My quite a spot-on guess", Gabriel said with a smile.
"Does that make Griselda just as old as you? I mean she can speak my language too. And from what I gathered when I first met her, she spoke a different language as well. Not to mention those girls that tried to kill me. They spoke a different language before speaking in my language." Naruto finished.
Gabriel giggled finding it funny that he would think Griselda and her two protégé were a thousand years old. "No, no." She said, before continuing, "Griselda is in her mid-thirties. And those two girls are a few years younger than you."
"Then how were they able to talk in my language?"
"That would be the Translation spell that many working under the Church are blessed with. It allows them to communicate in any language that belongs to this world." Gabriel answered.
"Wow!" Naruto awed in fascination. "That must be a handy spell."
"Indeed, it is." Gabriel finished with a smile.
"Say, I have another question." Naruto said.
"Ask away."
"You are a being that possesses light energy, right? One of those Angels?"
"Yes, that is right."
"Then how are you able to wonder around amongst humans so freely? I read in one of the books that the light energy emitted by the Angels could be harmful for the human mind. Won't your presence cause trouble for the humans here?"
Gabriel looked at Naruto, impressed by his analysis and understanding of the Angels. She had not anticipated him to ask such a question so early in his time in this world.
"Well, you see", Gabriel begun her answer, "By suppressing our Light energy to the point that almost none of it emits out of us, makes us able to walk amongst mortals quite easily. Though, it is not light energy that is harmful for humans. You must have sensed light energy in quite a number of humans around here."
Naruto nodded in agreement. He had indeed sensed that. Primary examples being Griselda, and those two girls that had attacked him.
"However, if a human is exposed to a very large amount of Divine Light energy, only then can it be harmful for the human mind."
"Divine Light Energy?"
Gabriel nodded. "Divine Light Energy is what is actually used by the forces of the church to fight against devils and fallen angels. The only beings that can directly use this Divine Light energy are Angels and Fallen Angels. Humans need to use specialized weapons that would convert their light energy into Divine Light Energy to fight against Devils and Fallen Angels."
"And what about you? You are walking in your original form amongst humans. What if someone recognizes you? Won't that be a problem." Naruto asked curiously.
Gabriel chuckled softly before responding, "We angels have the ability to cast spells on ourselves to conceal our true forms. The humans around us perceive me as a nun accompanying a man, which effectively shields us from those we wish to avoid while still allowing us to be visible to those we choose to reveal ourselves to."
So engrossed in his conversation with Gabriel, Naruto had never realized when they had entered the city.
Currently, Naruto stood at the bottom stairs leading up to a grand building he had never imagined could exist. In his exploration of the place, he had never really come this deep in the city, preferring to explore the outer areas.
The building he stood in front of was big. Bigger than any building he had ever seen in his life. But the type of design of the building was unfamiliar to him.
But if anyone asked Naruto what he thought of the building, he would only say one thing.
"It is beautiful." Naruto whispered in awe.
He ignored the bustling crowd standing near him. Ignored the lustful looks some females were directing at him. Ignored the annoyed looks of the males and those who walked past him.
He ignored of all them as he gazed at the building.
He was enamoured by it.
"Welcome to St. Peter's Basilica."
Gabriel led Naruto inside the church.
While entering the church, Naruto noticed a long queue of people waiting outside, most probably waiting for their chance to enter the church.
As Naruto entered the church, he was awestruck by its grandeur and beauty. He gazed up at the towering dome and marvelled at the intricately painted ceiling and the architecture. His respect for the architects who had built this church increased tenfold.
But what truly captured his eyes was at the centre of the Basilica.
The Statue of Jesus, with his arms spread towards heaven.
There was light pouring through the stained glass windows and they all converged on the statue of Jesus. Naruto had read about the man quite a bit since he had arrived here and had received his phone and access to the internet.
And he seemed to be quite similar to the Sage of Six Paths in their wishes for peace and prosperity. The only difference was that Jesus was betrayed by the very people he had asked salvation for. Hagaromo had died knowing that his children will forever be entangled in a web of hatred and war.
Naruto did not know whose death was more tragic nor was he interested in finding out.
But there was something that Naruto had noticed since he had entered the church. A weird sense of peace and tranquillity had washed over him when he had entered. It was as if all the tension he was carrying in him, that he had no idea about, had left his body.
As if hearing his thoughts, Gabriel smiled and said, "This place has a Calming charm placed over it which was blessed by all the Archangels of Heaven during its creation. It is so that anyone who enters this place, can leave all their worries behind and truly connect with God himself."
Naruto did not speak but nodded his head in understanding as he took in his surroundings.
He then glanced at Gabriel from the corner of his eyes. She was standing there quietly smiling at the people who were there to pray or on a tour.
"Why have you brought me here exactly?" Naruto finally asked sitting on the empty chair beside him.
"It's about yesterday-", Gabriel began but was cut off by Naruto.
The blonde gave a sigh and interrupted Gabriel, saying, "Listen, I know what you want from me. Griselda told me everything. But I am not joining your side. I am not joining any side, Gabriel-"
"I understand", Gabriel cut him off, "Griselda told me about your conversation with her yesterday. And I can understand where you're coming from. That is why I am here with a new proposal."
Naruto raised any eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh? And what is this proposal?"
"Why not become a mercenary?"
"Mercenary?" Naruto repeated after her. "Is that even allowed in this world?"
"Unfortunately, the number of Mercenaries decreased at a steep rate about a couple of decades ago, due to various factors. But mercenaries do exist. Though very few in number." Gabriel answered.
"But why do you want me to be a mercenary?" Naruto asked curiously.
"So, that your skill is not wasted of course." Gabriel replied. "I believe that your skills can be very useful for our world. And by being a mercenary, you can essentially keep your freedom while also earning money from the contracts you take. You won't be forced to take contracts that you don't like and can refuse them easily."
Naruto weighed his options in his mind. And the offer seemed pretty decent. He would not be tied down to a faction, and could make his own way in this world. Not to mention, it would also bring him money which would help him survive in this world.
But he also knew that such a nice offer would also come with some demands or obligations from his side.
"So, what's the catch?" Naruto asked, eyeing Gabriel suspiciously.
Gabriel gave him an innocent smile. "Well, the only requirement is that… No, consider it a request from my side. You need to stay here or in a church affiliated to Heaven."
Naruto stared at her with narrowed eyes. "Does not seem like much freedom here, does it?"
Gabriel nodded with a strained smile, "I know. But it is just to sate my brothers' curiosity. I am quite sure that I can convince Michael about your innocence easily. Raphael too… But the main problem is Uriel."
Naruto stood up to his full height and faced Gabriel. His eyes cold and distant. "Do I look weak?" He asked, his voice as cold as ice.
As Naruto stood up to his full stature and faced Gabriel, she could feel an intense pressure being released from within him. Nevertheless, Gabriel felt relieved that she had brought him to the basilica, where the calming charms were countering the pressure emanating from Naruto. Despite this, those standing closest to them could still perceive his immense pressure, and they watched with apprehension.
Gabriel brought her hands up and placed them gently on Naruto's chest in a placating gesture, speaking to him in a soft and comforting tone. "Naruto, please try to calm down. I did not intend to offend you," she said.
Her words seemed to have an effect, and Naruto took a deep breath, the pressure slowly subsiding.
"Explain." Naruto said in a commanding tone.
Gabriel sighed before saying. "I know you don't like. I don't like it either. But Uriel… Even though he is my brother, I don't trust him. He would do anything in his power just to prove a point. He would do anything in his power, if it means he can kill somebody he deems a threat. That's why, keeping you close to the church would stop him from acting out. Please try to understand, Naruto. I don't want any more deaths. Enough have already died to prove a point."
Naruto stared at Gabriel before sighing in annoyance. "You guys are really annoying, ya'know." He then shrugged. "But I guess, I can accept those terms for now."
Gabriel smiled gratefully. "Thank you for accepting the offer, Naruto. And since, you are already healthy and fit. How about you go on your first mission as a mercenary."
Naruto's eyes widened in joy. "Wait! Seriously? I can start already?"
"Uh-huh." Gabriel smiled. "But for the first time you would need a guide to show you around."
"Oh?"
"Indeed. That's why I have asked my most trusted person, Griselda and her little proteges to accompany you on your first mission." Gabriel pointed with her hand behind Naruto.
Naruto turned around to see Griselda walking towards him with a smile that expressed her guilt feelings. However, she was not alone. Behind her were the two girls who had attacked him the very first day he had dropped in this world.
Griselda walked and stood beside him. She nodded at Gabriel who nodded back. She then faced Naruto and began, "Naruto. About yesterday-"
However, Naruto interrupted her. "It's alright. I understand where you were coming from. So, don't worry about it." He finished with a bright smile.
Griselda smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Naruto. And I hope you remember these two girls." Griselda said pointing at Xenovia and Irina.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I remember. Xenovia and Irina, right?"
"Indeed", Griselda said before turning towards the two girls and speaking in a stern tone, "Xenovia, Irina, I hope you remember what I had told you while coming here."
Xenovia's eyebrows scrunched in suppressed anger while Irina's head bowed in shame.
"Then please do that." Griselda said in a commanding tone.
"I am sorry, Naruto-san", Irina apologized bowing deeply.
"And… I am sorry too for trying to kill you." Xenovia apologized too, but her voice was much more strained, as if she was in pain while saying it.
Naruto laughed cheerfully. "Hey, hey. Come on, it's alright. You don't have to apologize. You are not the first people who tried to kill me anyway." Naruto commented offhandedly.
Both Gabriel and Griselda were taken aback by that statement but decided to ignore it for now.
"But still", Griselda pitched in, "It is not right attacking someone like that. They did not have the permission to use their weapons either. They have been punished accordingly. Their graduation has been postponed and their weapons confiscated until the foreseeable future."
"Eh. You don't have to be so tough on them, ya'know." Naruto commented with a sigh. "They are young. They are going to make mistakes like that."
Xenovia's eyebrow twitched while Gabriel giggled behind him. Irina looked abashed while Griselda raised an eyebrow curiously.
It was weird hearing a boy who was barely out of his teens speak like an old man.
"That is exactly why they need to be punished. So that they don't make the same mistake in the future", Griselda said making it clear that she was not going to change her mind.
Suddenly, Gabriel clapped her hands together. "Alright. Now that introductions and apologies are out of the way, why don't we move to the main topic."
Griselda nodded and walked beside Naruto who had turned to face Gabriel. Xenovia and Irina came and stood behind Griselda.
"So", Gabriel began looking at Naruto, "As I said, you would need someone to guide you at least for the first time. One of the most important and abundant mission type that you will receive as a mercenary from our side, is exorcising stray devils."
"Exorcising? Stray devils?" Naruto repeated.
Gabriel nodded. "The explanations will be given by Griselda. She will also teach you how to exorcise stray devils. Get it?"
"I get it", Naruto said. He then glanced at the two girls standing behind Griselda before asking Gabriel, "What are they doing here then?"
Griselda smiled and said, "Xenovia and Irina were scheduled to meet up with one of the high-ranking exorcists today for their monthly educational trips on how to deal with different supernatural beings. Today's lesson was exorcising stray devils. But unfortunately, the Exorcist they were supposed to follow had to leave for another important mission. So, I asked the higher-ups to allow them to accompany us today."
Naruto nodded his head in understanding.
Gabriel clapped her hands again and gave them a bright smile, "Alright. Off you go, guys."
Griselda, Xenovia and Irina bowed their heads before walking away.
Gabriel then turned towards Naruto who was watching them walk away. "May I enquire, why you stayed behind?"
"Say", Naruto began his eyes never leaving the retreating trio, "If you disguise yourself when visiting this place, what exactly do Xenovia and Irina see you as?"
Gabriel raised her eyebrows, before replying. "Well, they see me as a Nun and know me as someone sent by the higher up. Most here would see me in my human form known as Sister Maria."
Naruto nodded his head, finally turning towards Gabriel. "Another question."
Gabriel shrugged. "Ask away then."
"What's up with that Xenovia girl? She seems way too aggressive towards me. As if I had done something wrong to her." He said.
Gabriel nodded and smiled apologetically. "You will have to forgive her. Xenovia was abandoned by her father and her mother died when she was very young. Since then, many have tried to take advantage of her until Griselda saw potential in her and adopted her. She has developed severe trust issues."
Naruto nodded his head, feeling sad for the blue-haired girl. "But still, for her to be this aggressive towards me. I don't understand."
"That will be because of your aura." Gabriel replied.
"My aura?"
Gabriel nodded. "You may not notice this, but your aura seems to have a very weird effect on people around you. You exude a very compassionate and kind aura. Your aura makes people around you comfortable and it makes them think you are someone dependable. Frankly, something like this only happens around an angel or someone who has a very kind soul."
"Ah, I see." Naruto nodded. "But how does this effect only Xenovia and not Irina or Griselda?"
"Because both of them have learnt what it means to trust someone. Xenovia, on the other hand, does not depend on anyone else but herself. For her, no one is trust worthy except those she has deemed to be. So, when you came, she was the one most affected by your aura. You simply triggered her trauma and her trust issues. And hence why she acted and acts the way she does."
"I see."
"Anyways, you should go and rest. You will be leaving around midnight today." Gabriel announced.
"Wait! Midnight? We are not leaving now?"
Gabriel let out a giggle. "No, Naruto. Most stray devils don't appear in the day. They only appear at night."
Naruto let out a yawn as he followed behind Griselda, half asleep.
It was an hour past midnight and he had just gone to sleep, when Griselda had come knocking on his door, calling him for his first mission.
Looking behind him, he was amazed at how fresh the two younger girls looked. There was not a single trace of sleep in their eyes. It was as if they were travelling at normal time.
Also, the two girls had chosen to wear white robes which covered them from shoulder to their feet. The robes also had hoods which remained hanging from their shoulder for now.
Turning his eyes back towards the front, he gazed at the back side of the older woman, who led them through the forested area.
"Was it really necessary to do this mission at this hour?" Naruto asked, his annoyance clear in his voice.
Behind him, Xenovia snorted, which only made his eyebrow twitch in further annoyance.
"Stray devils don't come out in the day", Griselda began her explanation, "That's because, the sun's rays are harmful for them. And weaker strays can be easily killed if exposed to sunlight. So, most stray devils tend to come out in the night, under the moonlight."
"What exactly is a stray devil, though? I could not find any information about them in the books you had provided me with" Naruto asked. In none of the books he had read, was there any mention of stray devils. There were mentions of demons but nothing else.
"Nothing but abominations." Xenovia pitched in, with her usual cold tone.
Naruto did not respond to her and waited for Griselda to explain that bit.
"It is understandable that you would not find much information about them. Stray devils are a rather recent phenomenon in the supernatural world. It became more prominent after one of the leaders of the Devils, the current Beelzebub, invented the Evil Piece System." Griselda explained.
"Evil Piece System?" Naruto was confused. Why were there no books that told him about this?
Griselda nodded as she explained further, "The Evil Piece System is something that allows the Devils to convert other species like humans, youkais, into devils."
'Well, that's interesting.' Naruto thought to himself. "But how does that tie to the stray devils?"
"You see the birth of stray devils, stem from Evil Pieces. Mostly, the Evil Pieces are given to devils of Higher ranking. A devil needs to be classed as a 'High-Class devil' to be eligible to get one. When a High-Class devil uses their Evil Piece to turn, say a human, into a devil, the human is ranked as a low-class devil. Basically, a newly turned devil is seen as a servant to the devil that turned him or her. Do you get it till now?" Griselda finished with a question.
Naruto nodded as he listened aptly to her explanation.
"Anyways. Not every newly turned devil is acceptable of their slave-like status. So, they rebel and leave their masters, going rogue. But this has a side effect in itself. You see, no matter how much unappealing the situation is, the Master plays an important role in the system. He is required to keep the demonic powers of his servants in check.
So, when a low-class devil goes rogue, he practically severs his bond with his Master. Since, there is no one to keep his/her power in check, they lose their minds to their demonic energies. Thus, giving rise to stray devils."
Naruto let out a breath. It was a cruel predicament to find oneself in. To lose one's mind to the demonic powers within oneself. Naruto was all too familiar with that.
But there was something that bothered Naruto.
"How many are turned into devils against their wills?" Naruto asked in a strained tone.
However, he was answered with silence. But that was enough to tell him that the numbers were high enough.
It made him wonder if the devils were truly the way they were described.
But then again, Naruto was not one to judge so quickly.
"What does exorcising mean?" Naruto asked, his tone subdued.
"It is the act of banishing the devil spirit from the land of living. There are several ways of doing that like using prayers, weapons, etc." Griselda answered.
"What happens to the Devil's spirit? Will it return to its world?" Naruto asked.
"No." Griselda answered, her tone sorrowful. "When we exorcise a devil, its soul ceases to exist. There is no afterlife for the soul of a stray devil."
"Rightfully so." Xenovia commented with a huff.
Naruto did not say anything, but his teeth clenched in suppressed anger. It was not fair to just up and destroy a soul like that. He had never been an advocate of killing. He was even more against the idea of destroying one's soul like that.
It took them a couple of more minutes before they appeared in a clearing quite similar to the one when he had first appeared in this world.
"So, I guess the stray devil is here?" Naruto asked looking around.
Griselda nodded. "Yes. The stray devil was seen heading this way by our reconnaissance team. The stray devil is a low-level devil. So, it should be easy for you to deal with."
Naruto nodded. On the outside, he kept a neutral expression. But on the inside, he was greatly annoyed. It still frustrated him that after hearing and seeing everything, Griselda still considered him weak.
Then again, she still had to see what he was truly capable of.
Though he himself had no idea where his strength lied and how strong he exactly was.
With Kurama's chakra, he was strong enough to fight off seven Tailed Beasts and still have enough chakra to power up the whole Shinobi army.
Now, he not only had Kaguya's chakra but also had the ten-tails chakra inside of Kaguya.
That should have been enough to put him on the same level as Madara as the Ten-tails' Jinchuuriki.
If that was the case, he knew he would be super strong. After all, he had seen what Madara was capable of.
It had taken the combined effort of him, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi to even fight him off. And he knew just how strong he and Sasuke were with the Sage of Six Path's Chakra.
Naruto made a mental note to start training to get a perfect idea of what his exact capabilities were. He already knew he had the Rinnegan, something he needed to master. But he also had a feeling that there were other dormant powers within him, other than the Rinnegan.
Naruto head jerked towards the left, as he was suddenly brought out of his inner musings.
He had just sensed a dark energy near them, especially in the direction he was looking at.
His body tensed and he spread his senses.
He could sense the newcomer move around them in circles, like a predator stalking its prey. That was until it stopped right behind him, and behind the group of three.
Just then, the creature leaped out of the tree line, aiming straight towards Xenovia and Irina.
Both the young girls turned around, their eyes widening in horror to see the creature leap at them.
Behind them, Griselda's hand quickly found its way under her robes grabbing the hilt of her sword. She was about to jump and cut the creature in half but stopped when she felt someone rush past her.
Before the creature had even covered the whole distance, Naruto had appeared in front of Xenovia and Irina in the blink of an eye.
His right hand outstretched towards his side as a sphere of bright yellow, almost golden energy formed on his right palm.
In just milliseconds, the sphere had grown as large as a car.
Without wasting a second, Naruto thrust his hand forward towards the creature.
The creature unable to stop its momentum, collided with the sphere of energy.
"Big ball Rasengan", Naruto called out.
The collision sent a huge gust of wind on all sides.
His three companions had to cover their eyes up to shield them from the bright light the large sphere attached to Naruto's hand was giving off.
The power of Naruto's Rasengan was so immense that it created strong winds that uprooted the trees in its path, leaving a clear stretch of destruction for a mile in that direction.
Naruto let the Rasengan die down and was actually surprised with the amount of destruction that met his eyes.
He had not seen how the creature looked. All he had seen was its size. The creature was huge. So, Naruto had decided to use the bigger variant of his Rasengan in that fraction of a second.
He had as usual used the same amount of chakra that he had previously used to create a Rasengan of that size.
But the destruction that laid before his eyes said differently. It was as if he had used Kurama's chakra to power up his Rasengan. Even then, the destruction was still more extensive.
Seemed like his chakra had turned more potent and powerful than before.
Another thing that he had noticed was the change in his chakra's colour. While before it had a dark blue colour, now it was bright yellow, almost golden. Just like the shroud he was covered in when he used Kurama's chakra.
It seemed like eating Kaguya's fruit had more effects on him then he had first assumed.
Naruto, however, was completely oblivious to his three companions, as he was too engrossed in his own thoughts.
All three's eyes were wide in fascination and awe.
Xenovia and Irina both were given a rude awakening after what they had just witnessed. After their first encounter with the blonde, they had written him off as week. When they had been tasked to follow him on his first mission, both were disappointed and miffed. But now, it made them realize how wrong they were about him.
That day, Naruto could have easily killed them if he had used that sphere, he had just used right now. It made them realize that he may not have even been serious when fighting them. That they may not have even made him sweat. That the only reason they were alive was due to Lady Griselda's interference. They were not even sure if he was serious right now.
For Irina, she was grateful that she had not faced a serious Naruto. She was not sure if she would have survived that. She thanked God that they had not pissed off Naruto that day.
As for Xenovia, she was angry and humiliated. For her it was unacceptable that someone had gone easy on her. She vowed that once she got her sword back, she would challenge the blonde to another fight.
Griselda was a different case all together though. She had always had an idea that Naruto was strong. After all, you either had to be extremely lucky to survive a meeting with Great Red or had to be strong enough to do the same.
She had seen him do some weird things back at the church. But she had dismissed them pretty quickly.
But now. After what she had just seen. She did not know if she could consider him as a normal soldier either. That technique, Rasengan as he had called it, was way too powerful. She was not sure if she had even seen a technique that devastating before. And Naruto had just pulled off such a destructive technique like a child's play.
It made her wonder if they had even grazed one percent of Naruto's ability.
Naruto, oblivious to her companion's awe and wonder, looked forward noticing the creature that was trying to crawl its way away from him.
The way it tried crawling away in desperation, filled Naruto with sadness. It saddened him knowing that some poor soul had to suffer like that.
Naruto's heart yearned to give the soul its release. To help the soul that had to go through that.
"Alright", Griselda's voice broke Naruto out of his reverie, "Let me show you how to exorcise a stray devil."
Naruto could hear Griselda's footsteps behind him.
He knew exorcising the devil would cause its soul to extinguish forever. There would be no after life for the poor soul.
Naruto's hands clenched into fists. He did not want that. He did not want to just destroy someone's soul. He wanted to help whoever it was that was trapped in this endless torment. Had the soul not suffered enough? Why did it have to be like this?
Just then, something in him clicked.
Like he had found an answer to a very difficult question.
This feeling. Naruto had felt it before. When he had seen Kakashi-sensei on his knees, his Sharingan eye missing. Back then, he knew exactly what to do and he had proceeded to regrow his teacher's eyes.
Now too, he had an idea of what to do.
Just before Griselda could pass him, he raised his left arm stopping her in her tracks.
"This is my mission, right?" Naruto asked glancing at Griselda, who nodded hesitantly, "Then let me do it my way."
Griselda did not protest, as Naruto started making his way towards the creature.
Now that he got a good look at it, he had no idea how to describe it. It was far too mangled to actually identify what exactly it was. It seemed to be a weird mix between a scorpion and a spider. But his Rasengan had messed it up beyond recognition.
As the creature noticed him walking towards him, it quickened its pace, trying to create as much distance between them as possible.
Naruto, however, crossed the distance in mere seconds.
He then kneeled in front of him, his right hand coming up in a placating manner.
"Hey, it's going to be alright", Naruto said soothingly.
But the creature screeched in panic. The blade like claws of the creature moved in incredulous speed and pierced right through Naruto.
"NARUTO! NO!" Griselda yelled but she could not do anything but watch as the creature's claws had pierced Naruto through his stomach, chest and left hand.
Behind her, both Xenovia and Irina were horrified at the scene. Irina's hand covered her mouth that had opened wide in a silent scream.
But Naruto paid them no mind. He did not pay any mind to the claws that had just pierced him. Neither did he mind the blood that dripped down his lips nor the blood that soaked into his new clothes.
The creature was looking at Naruto with wide eyes. And all Naruto could see was the pain and hopelessness in its eyes.
So, Naruto gave the creature a soothing smile. A smile that was so angelic that even the blood dripping down his lips could not dull its lustre. It only made the creature's eyes widen in wonder and awe.
"Hey, it's going to be alright." Naruto repeated his words, his voice just as calm, gentle and soothing as before. As if he had not just been pierced by three claws.
Naruto then gently placed his right hand on the creature's head. His hand was engulfed in a golden glow.
And suddenly, images started flashing in his eyes. Images of a man holding a baby in his arms and crying tears of joy – of a man crying tears of pain as he saw his wife die due to cancer – of a man watching his daughter grow – of a man beside the bed of his sick daughter – of the same man making a deal with a devil to cure his daughter – of a man watching his daughter from far away – of a man who ran away to be with his daughter – of a man losing himself, after seeing his daughter die due to same reason as his wife.
To Naruto, it felt like he had just lived sixty years but in the outside world, it had only been a second since Naruto had touched the creature's forehead.
"I understand your pain", Naruto said, his voice angelic and warm, "I understand what you have gone through. You have suffered enough my friend. Let me help you."
The creature's wide eyes filled with tears as for the first time in its life, someone had told him that everything would be alright. For the first time, someone had offered to help him.
Naruto closed his eyes in concentration. He tried to find the soul that was hidden in the darkness inside the creature.
A second later, Naruto's eyes snapped open finally finding what he wanted. He concentrated and pulled out the soul.
He carefully rose up, unconcerned about how the claws moved out of his body. His hand started moving away from the creature's forehead. But with it, his hand pulled out a greyish substance out of the creature's body.
As Naruto stood up to his full height, the greyish substance took the form of a man in his middle ages.
Behind Naruto, Griselda, Xenovia and Irina could only look on in awe, wander and in case of Irina, reverence too.
"A purified soul", Griselda whispered to herself in awe and fascination, "But how?" She had never heard of anyone doing something like that. She doubted if even Archangel Michael had the ability to purify a demon's soul. Such an ability belonged to the realms of Gods themselves.
At that moment, Griselda had to re-evaluate her view of Naruto Uzumaki. He by no means was a normal shinobi nor was he a normal superhuman. At that moment, he seemed like a God in human flesh.
Xenovia and Irina had similar thoughts as they watched the soul float in front of the blonde man.
The soul opened its eyes as uncontrollable tears flowed from them. The man's soul smiled as it gazed at the blonde ninja. "Thank you", it said before it dissipated in the wind.
Naruto looked at the spot from where the soul had disappeared and smiled in satisfaction. It seemed he had found his purpose in this world.
He looked down at his hands and his eyes widened with what he saw. 'The Sun and the Moon seals?' he thought to himself as he stared at the white circle on his right palm and black crescent moon on the left. A second later, the two symbols faded away from his palms.
He clenched his hands into fists.
It seemed that there was more to his powers than he had first guessed. If he had to hazard a guess, it seemed Kaguya's chakra fruit had not only changed his chakra signature but had also given him some new gifts.
His gaze was drawn to the sky. A pleasant breeze caressed his skin. The moonlight streaming through the forest canopy gave him an angelic look.
He has a long way to go before learning his Ootsutsuki abilities. And he had a feeling that his Ootsutsuki abilities were his ticket back to his world.
But while he experimented with that, he could very well help this world in his own way.
A smile grazed his lips. He turned his head and gave Griselda and the two girls the brightest smile possible. "Hey, did I do it right, Griselda?"
Griselda nodded dumbly, not knowing how to truly respond.
It was then that Irina asked the most important question out of all.
"B-But Naruto-san, what about your injuries?"
"What injuries?" Naruto asked dumbly before he realized that he was pierced by the claws of the demon.
Griselda's eyes widened realizing that Naruto was indeed stabbed at vital parts of his body. She sprung into motion as she closed the distance between them in a few seconds.
She ran a hand over his injuries but her eyes widened when she found there was none.
Not even a scratch was there.
It was then, she realized that Naruto had fully healed from the stab wounds. 'Just what is he? How fast is his regeneration?'
Naruto looked down and his eyes widened in horror.
"WHAT!? My new clothes got destroyed!" Naruto exclaimed completely ignoring the fact that he just been stabbed through the most vital parts of one's body.
"E-Eh!?" Irina could only dumbly watch as Naruto fussed over his torn clothes.
Xenovia sweatdropped at the childish display. She wondered if what she had just seen was just an illusion or a dream.
Griselda sighed in exasperation. All she wanted to do now was get to her bed and sleep.
xxx
Author's Note -
So, that concludes the prologue of the story. This was a much larger chapter than what I had hoped. A lot of the things may seem useless, but I felt this information is important in terms of how I want to proceed with this story.
I don't know if you guys liked the story so far. I mean, a lot of people were disappointed with how I am portraying Naruto. And I am extremely sorry, if I disappointed you guys with it. But in my defense, it is just the prologue of the story. There is still more to come. And who knows, maybe you guys would like that.
I would also like to apologize for any grammatical mistake.
Also, I think a lot of people got the notification for chapter 3 more than once. I am extremely sorry for that. It was my fault. I had to rewrite a few things two time.
As of right now, Naruto has started his journey in this world as a mercenary. I did not want him to be affiliated to the Heaven but for now, Naruto is just using the Heaven's resources to find a way home.
Now many of you would wonder if he would return to his world again.
My Answer: Who knows?
The next chapter of the story is probably going to be released after June. Maybe in the middle of July. That is if I survive for that long.
Anyways, hopefully, you guys enjoyed the story.
Bye Bye