Guards arrived in very short order and disarmed them. An act that took several minutes and men just to carry all of the ones Gaara held. "Where did you keep those," Aliizsa asked.
Gaara thought about the answer and smirked before saying, "You probably don't want to know; just that it involves lubricant." He actually got the Tiefling to blush at that when she got it.
"He keeps them in portable spaces," Triel said with a sigh. "Though why he keeps that bag of holding with a never ending supply of sand, I don't know."
Their hand were bound behind their backs with thin strips of this roll of gray canvas, dark on one side, lighter on the other with an adhesive on it. That same canvas roll was also used to cover the mouths of Temari and Din. Said member of the Sora clan was glaring daggers at Konan for getting them in this. "Nya," she said while sticking her tongue out at her. Only to have it grabbed by the hand of one of the half-spider creatures.
"Do not get cheeky, little girl," he said to her while leaning down to look her in her eyes with his own spider-like ones. "Someone just might bite that off and eat it. Tongues cooked right are a delicacy." He let her go and she wisely withdrew her tongue, making him smile and show off a pair of fangs that dripped poison.
"Magicsss," another of the guards, one that looked a great deal like a dragon in a humanoid form, hissed while looking over the weapons and armor. "So many magicsss… When they diesss, we keep?"
"That is for the Matron of the First house to decide," Triel ordered the dragon-kin. "Lead on."
They were led out of the temple and into the streets of Suldanessallar. Several stopped and wondered why, having never seen humans before, but word quickly spread. They were curious, scared, and most of all surprised to see these children down here. There were many races with the children being just as dangerous as the adults but from what little they knew of humans, they were not one of them. Which this just spit in the face of what with these children wearing armor and weapons.
They weren't taken far before being thrown into a dungeon. "You'll wait here until the Matron is ready," Triel told them before the door was slammed shut.
They waited a moment before Din began to scream at the others behind that canvas over her mouth. "I think she is wondering why I didn't do anything," Gaara stated.
"HHHM!"
"Because I told him to relax," Kankuro said to her. Din looked at him for explanation. "If it gets bad then we can break free and leave but until then, we won't be the aggressors."
"Hmf phr e uv a edon," she screamed.
"…You know, I'm almost glad this stuff is magical and won't come off," Konan stated only to again get glared at.
"Din-chan, calm down," Naruto said as he sat down next to her and put his forehead to hers. "It'll be fine, just you wait and see." She sighed but waited.
—oo000oo—
"So, here we are again, Yahiko," Salamander Hanzo said to a man in a cloak that stood before him, fighting once again a top a summit above a battlefield with two armies fighting on. "Here for revenge?"
"…Yes," he replied. "And I go by Pain now."
"You honestly think this little rebellion of yours will work?"
"…Shinra tensai!" Hanzo got thrown back into a wall so hard he spat blood onto his mask. "It may not have worked when we were younger but that was then and this is now," Pain promised. "Your time has ended."
"…Um, excuse me," a mousy woman wearing a vest, tie, dress, and a Uzu headband said to them. "Salamander Hanzo? Yes, I'm Laylia, a pleasure. We understand you are in the middle of a battle and…"
"Go away," Pain said before raising a hand at her and saying, "Shinra tensai." It broke on a wall of light around her.
"Now that's mean," Laylie said with a frown. "Danzo, Uzu would like to formally offer our help."
"…Go right ahead, help," he said to her.
"Oh, we already are," she told him. "Take a look below us." Pain looked and frowned. The mercenaries he and the rest of Akatsuki had hired for this were now being fought on two flanks. He could make out figures that held back entire platoons with just their rage, men that appear from the shadows to strike and are gone just as quickly, and people in robes calling summons to their aid. All baring the symbol of Uzu. "Now that I'm here, I believe it is time to end this."
"How do you intend to do that," Pain asked.
To which she smiled. "By summoning a real monster and not one of those demons you call a bijuu." Mana started to rise up off of her in a dark blue glow as she chanted. Above them the clouds darkened with black lightning shooting from cloud to cloud as the earth rumbled beneath them. The ground shattered as a giant tree shot up from behind them with a great hollow at the bottom and two golden eyes looking out. Growling as it stepped forward, a giant white furred wolf-dog as large as the Kyuubi came forward with five tails each the color of one of the elements.
"You have called so I, Houkou, goddess of illusions and the fifth bijuu, has come,"she growled.
"You honor me, great Houkou," Laylia said, bowing to her with great respect.
"You…pulled yourself away from books long enough to summon me?" Her nose raised to the field and she took a deep breath. "Is this little Uzumaki controlling the dead one of yours?" She meant Pain.
"Uzumaki? I thought all had returned… No he is not but I humbly ask you not to kill him. The ones wearing black cloaks and the headbands with a scratch on it are of no consequence."
"…Even with this thing, you shall not stop me," Pain said as five more joined him.
"…I disagree," Houkou said before jumping over him down to the battlefield. Running through it, stepping and biting those that were her enemies, her tails causing the elements to erupt where ever they touch, she ran for a fortress not too far. "I am the goddess of illusions! You think the illusion you cast over those puppets would keep me from finding you!" The Six paths of Pain followed her, trying to overcome the five tailed dog but failing completely. Houkou tore that fortress apart with pillars of fire, tsunamis of water, earthquakes, gales that ripped stone and mortar, and giant bolts of lightning. When it was finished, the keep was just smoldering remains as Houkou walked through the field that had gone quiet. Everyone, even those from Uzu, had grown quite afraid of this wrathful wolf. Coming back to Laylia, Houkou lowered her head and dropped something from between her jaws before spitting out the taste. "Humans will forever taste disgusting," she growled before returning to her tree and it vanishing.
There on the ground was a woren that had turned withered and gaunt with Rinnigan eyes and chakra rods embedded in his back. He was bleeding from a wound and could barely move though if that was because of his wound or his current state, Laylia couldn't tell. "So it's him and not Yahiko," Hanzo said, looking at the Uzumaki while picking up his weapon, a scythe.
"You know him," Laylia questioned.
"Yes. He summoned a giant statue some time ago and in doing so turned himself into this tiger." He started to walk over only for a crystal to cover Nagato. "What are you doing?"
"He is an Uzumaki," Laylia told him. "That means he is our problem to deal with."
"…Very well. He better not become my problem again because if he does, I will have no choice but to…"
Laylia interrupted him with a laugh. "You'll what? We can bring a battlefield to its knees if we wish. We helped you, Salamander Hanzo, good manners would dictate you thank us. Common sense would dictate if you make me angry, I will withdraw that help and even strike against you. Is the ability to think clearly solely in the possession of those of Uzu no Kuni?"
"…No, it is not."
She smiled again and said, "Truly a relief then. I would hate to have to kill the man I just saved. I trust you can handle things from here?"
He looked to the field scarred from Houkou's passing and didn't think he saw many of his ninja injured. "I believe so, yes. What do you wish in return?"
"Why we want the fighting stopped. Immediately." She pushed her glasses back up her nose and said, "If it doesn't, we shall end it for you."
"By destroying us," he asked, believing they could.
"No, no," she replied. "We have nonviolent ways… The inability to mold chakra, steel corroding away into nothing." Laylia didn't say they could or would do these but even Hanzo had heard of one of the Uzu possessing the ability to prevent the creation of chakra.
"…It will be stopped."
"Immediately," Laylia reminded.
"Immediately," he conscented.
"I am so glad you are willing to let peace reign," she said before casting a spell to transport both her and Nagato to Uzu no Kuni.
—oo000oo—
Naruto and the others were pushed into a room with many denizens of Suldanessellar within. There at the back of the room and on a dais was a throne with a middle aged woman with dark skin and silver, long hair waiting for them. Walking toward her, Naruto took a look around to see more of the city's citizens. One he noticed with interest was a man dressed like a noble and a gentleman with fine clothes and armor of a breastplate and chainmail with a saber at his side and a shield on his back under his cape. What was truly noticeable about him was he looked almost human. Almost being that his looks was far too good to be so. Naruto looked at him and he looked right back. Not with anger or shock but with interest.
Being pushed down to their knees, the Matron looked them over. "Why have you come to our city," she asked them. "To kill the 'monsters'? That is what you surfacers used to do, is it not?"
The question was a test, of that Naruto didn't have a doubt. They had their weapons on tables around them to show them off. They knew the six had come prepared for a fight. So while the others we prepared to say no, Naruto said the truth. "Yes, we came to fight monsters." Many in the room bristled at that word much like Naruto would at 'Sub-human' so he decided not to say it again.
"So you don't even deny it," she said leaning forward.
"How can we? With two of our members unable to speak and the rest bound, we can't really say much."
"I see." After a moment, she nodded to their guards and the restraints were released with the strips over Din's and Temari's mouths being ripped off.
"Ow!"
"Now, do you have anything to say for yourselves?"
"I do," Kankuro said, rubbing his hands to get feeling in them again. "Is this a trial?"
The Matron smirked at the question. "A trial would imply that you are in some way accused of a crime. Your only 'crime' is being from the surface. A place we are currently in combat with."
Naruto licked his lips to buy a moment before saying, "We heard there was fighting and we came to join, to see if we can help."
"To make names for yourselves as monster slayers?"
"To stop the fighting," Konan replied.
The Matron frowned and said, "Little girl, do not think me a fool. You came to kill."
"We…" Konan started to say.
"Did," Naruto finished. "We came to kill the creatures attacking the surface."
"Why aren't you helping us," Gaara growled.
"That is a good question," the Matron said in interest. "Why aren't you defending yourself? You certainly aren't speaking as a zealot believing in a crusade."
"Because I'm not a zealot and I'm not defending us for one simple reason. There is nothing to defend."
"Oh?"
"We came into your city and we didn't start killing people, we didn't cause a scene, we did nothing."
"One could say for common sense as you were outnumbered."
"By what," Naruto questioned. "Merchants? Tradesmen? There were more masons in that room than I have ever seen in one place. There was a potter in the corner. If our dress is to be believed, we're warriors."
"So then it comes to the question of why, doesn't it," she asked with a smile. "If you came here to kill, why didn't you do so?"
"Ma'am, we came here to fight monsters and I have yet to see one," Naruto told her simply.
Her smile didn't leave, it grew. She sat there in silence for several moments before clapping her hands. "Good form, good form. So what is a 'monster'?"
"…Now that is a hard question," he answered. "I guess the best answer I have is a city full of people that would attack a boy for something they believe he is and wasn't even his fault. Something that kills merely for the pleasure of killing. Something that causes a war for its own ends. And certainly something that doesn't have a festival of life."
"So you went on a hunt but didn't find what you were hunting, is that it?"
"Pretty much," Kankuro said, catching on to what Naruto meant. "No one here had done us harm or anyone else."
"…Still, these are but words," she told them. "There should be a test of some form. And since you came for combat we will use that."
"And what will that prove," Din asked.
"Nothing. But it will be more entertaining than just sparring with words."
"Matron," the gentleman said as he stepped forward. "Might I test the fighters?"
"Of course, Sir Alucard. And what do you propose we do with the magic users?"
"Have them fight the Rac. If the fighters can defeat me, they can rescue the other two."
Temari looked a bit offended at that. "And why not it the other way around?"
The Matron turned that smile on her. "Because the Rac is impervious to magic."
"And I'm impervious to imperviousness! Bring it on!"
The Matron giggled and said, "You have spirit girl, I would hate for you to lose it. Very well, Sir Alucard. It will be so. You five may arm yourselves again. Be warned, try anything and you will be destroyed."
"Can we go home now," Din complained to Naruto.
"No," the Matron replied. "Don't even try porting out, the rocks around us radiates mana. Throws off and even blocks porting spells if you don't know how to compensate. The spell could fail or even port you into the rock itself."
Din paled at that while Temari coughed. "I guess we stay until we're finish," the eldest of the Deis siblings stated.
"Please, rearm and follow me," Alucard said to them. Before they could even move, Gaara's sand flew through the air, grabbing all his things, dropped them back into the bags they belonged, and returned to its own bag. "…You could have used that to escape at any point, couldn't you?"
Gaara nodded as he grabbed his weapons and returned them to their respective sheaths. "Of course I could, we came down here not fully knowing what we will find, not without the means to fight it. I could've used my sand to crush anything around me," he said with a smile to the man as he slid his claymore into the dagger sheath. "But then, that would be bad because I kind of like it here. Hell, with the first person meeting us being a succubus tiefling, who wouldn't? I wonder where Aliizsa is?"
"She's around," Alucard told him. As they finished replacing their weapons, the six followed him to a large chamber like a coliseum. In the pit below were several rising walls, one of which was being raised to divide the combat pit in half. At one side a beast was being forced it. It stood on two legs at a height of fifteen feet tall with large, muscular arms and claws. Small eyes with a predominant nostrils, a mouth full of dagger like fangs that opened wide enough to eat a person alive, and a sickly yellow hide like leather. It bellowed a great roar in anger at being here before getting on all fours and charging at the wall. Slamming into the stone almost hard enough to crack it, it tried to claw out before a chain tied to its neck pulled it back down. "That is the Rac, young ones," Alucard told them. "You two will have to avoid that thing while the others try to defeat me."
"…Uh…why," Din asked nervously.
"To give a sense of urgency to the fighters," he told her. "If I hold back or not, you know a mind is guiding it. That creature is a being of rage and hate. If it catches you, it will eat you. Thus the motivation for these four to get pass me to open the door to your release."
Temari looked at the Rac with unbridled disgust. "I don't care if it's impervious to magic or not. I don't need rescuing from that or anything!" She started walking down to where she could get inside to face the beast.
"Temari!" Din rushed after her, really feeling she was in over her head with this group. All of them were headstrong and wanted the challenge of combat, to pit their strength against another to grow stronger. At least she knew they didn't care for killing. Otherwise they would be in real trouble.
"Shall we," Alucard asked before walking to the edge of their side of the pit and dropping down. Once they were all inside, the four of them spread out. Alucard looked at them all before drawing his sword. It was a heavy, curved saber with a gold hilt and black leather grip that gave off a red as blood light. "Who is first?" Naruto didn't say anything, he ran forward from behind in complete silence with Cutter raised. Alucard also brought up his saber but the form was to attack, not to block, and his back was still turned. As the blade came down, the man vanished.
'Behind you!'
Naruto threw himself forward into a roll, receiving a cut on his calf from Alucard before his vanished once more to reappear where he was. "This sword is my mother's family sword. There is none finer that I have ever encountered," Alucard told them. "Not only does it cut sharper than any other but it allows me to teleport behind them to attack their rear before bringing me back to where I was. Now how did you dodge?"
Naruto held his wound while pushing mana into it to stop the flow of blood. "I didn't."
"You are alive, many cannot say the same," the gentleman told him.
"Ragh!" Konan jumped into a roundhouse kick, bringing her foot right for his face. It should've broken his neck. Instead he caught her attack with his free hand and held her in the air. "What the hell are you?"
He gave her a smile, one that would break the heart of many a men and woman alike before revealing his teeth. His two canines were as long as Naruto and Konan's fangs. "A vampire," Kankuro asked, very much afraid now. "Uh…In Ladon's name, begone, creature of darkness," he called, holding his holy symbol.
Alucard looked to him with interest without moving. "Not quite, little paladin," he said while tossing Konan aside. Gaara came at him, calling ice, unholy, and plague to his will to defeat him. Alucard dodged all three blast of demonic power and parried both Gaara's axe and sword. Appearing behind Gaara, he raised a foot and kicked him in his backside before facing Kankuro who still held him a statuette of the dragon god. Alucard looked at it before grabbing it and his hand and raised him in the air. There was a slight burning but not what an undead creature would face. "While my father may have been the vampire king my mother was mortal like you. I am a dhamphir." Letting him go, Alucard tried to stab Kakuro as he was dropping. He would have if not for Kankuro twisting. The blade scraped the armor and sliced through it. Grabbing the Amethyst, Kankuro swung it wide and the blade tapped the amethyst on the top, shaving a piece of it off. Surprised by that, he brought it back, up, and slammed it into the ground, holy light coming off it and pushing Alucard away.
Alucard leaned to the side as a glaive of mana passed by him before it broke in two and tried to come back around at him. Instead of dodging again, Alucard broke the attacks with his saber before blocking Naruto and Cutter. The young woren pushed as hard as he could against the blade while Alucard just held lightly in place. It stood like a rock against Naruto's attack. Whatever Alucard had planned next was thrown away when he heard the slightest of 'clinks'. The man jumped back and looked at his blade. "…You put a knick in the edge." Alucard face Naruto with even greater interest than before. "You actually damaged my sword. What is that blade you hold? Certainly not a wooden weapon."
"You are mistaken," Naruto told him. "Cutter isn't the sword, I am. Cutter is the focus, my mana forms the edge, I am the blade."
"I see. Even in my considerably long life, never before have I seen such skill. I must test it further." Even as he said that, Gaara and Konan came at him from the sides while Kankuro from behind him. Alucard teleported behind Gaara and slashed at his back. His sand appeared there, blocking it or so Gaara thought until he noticed the blade sinking deeper within the sand. He scrambled out of the way just before the sand exploded outward and the blade bit into the floor.
Konan, rather than slamming into Kankuro and his hammer, instead ran over him and jumped. Her lead foot hit Alucard's sword hand while the following attack hit his chest, making him slide back several feet. "Got your sword," she taunted as she picked it up.
"So you do," Alucard replied. "Can you use it though?"
"Konan, don't," Naruto called as she ran at him with it. Konan was no slouch nor an idiot. She would never use a weapon without an idea of how to wield it. While the saber was different than she was used to, she had been instructed on swordsmanship and was competent with it. She was no master like Naruto but she was good. Or so she thought. As she came at Alucard and he grabbed the blade at the crossbar, flipped her up into the air, his sword free from her, and caught it by the hilt once more while she landed on her back, she didn't feel so good anymore. That feeling made worse as Alucard put the toes of his boot over her throat and almost touched the tip of his saber to her right eye. All this while roaring came from the other side of the wall.
—oo000oo—
Temari looked at the Rac and scoffed while it struggled at the end of its chain to reach her. "You don't look so tough." It roared right in her face for a reply. "And your breath stinks."
It pulled back and lunged again, straining the chain. "Um, Temari, if this thing is immune to magic, what are we going to do when they give the chain slack," Din asked.
"We kick its ass, what else," she replied as if it was obvious.
"How?" Even as she asked that, the chain was pulled back before being let go with as much length it needed to reach all but the farthest corners.
Temari didn't look scared as it started for her once again. "Can I get a…" Fwoosh, fwoosh! Fire covered her right hand and on her left ice so cold it made the air around it look like white fire. She threw the spells at the beast only for the weave holding them together to unravel as they got close, making them harmless as they hit. It actually looked agitated for it even as it slapped Temari, throwing her back into the raised wall.
"Temari! Fireball! Explosion array!" The two blast hit the beast and like before it shrugged them off before growling at her and charging it.
"No you don't," Temari said as she rolled along the ground and got back to her feet, a gash decorating her right cheek. "I'm not done with you! Ice Lance! Acid Arrow! Minute Meteor!" First a lance of ice shattered on its hide then an arrow of acid, finally several meteors larger than a person's head. These attacks, while created by magic, were physical and had more substance to unravel before they hit. Though the damage was little, there was some. Just enough to piss it off. "Over here you worthless beast," Temari growled.
"Temari, we need to run! That thing is going to eat us!"
"Well we're just going to have to eat it," she replied while throwing a lightning bolt at the Rac. "I refuse! My pride as a mage and a woman, neither will let met run and hide behind a bunch of armored tanks!"
"Your righteous pride is going to get you killed!"
"I refuse to run," Temari growled. Chanting and raising her hands, she threw a punch and two purple, glowing, arms struck at the Rac, knocking it back before grabbing it by the arms and trying to pull it apart. It bellowing in pain before the spell unwound enough for it to break free. Getting up, it came at Temari again, ignoring the spells it could to reach her. Losing her balance to the pounding of its feet on the stone, he caught her and threw her up in the air. Getting below her, the Rac open its mouth and closed it around her, swallowing her whole.
"Temari! Spit her out you damned thing!" She filled the air with poisonous gas, hit it with fire bolts and magic missiles but it paid no attention to her. The rac just coughed, growled, and held its chest. It took a moment to realize it was coughing up sparks of lightning, trails of fire, and whisp of frost. Apparently, the taste of Temari kept coming back up on it. It suddenly heaved and hacked Temari up out of its throat. Temari hit the ground covered in fire. As she stood, a giant bird of fire spread its wings from around her, trying to dwarf the beast.
Spitting something vile from her mouth, she growled before her phoenix tackled the beast.
—oo000oo—
"She dies," Alucard warned them all while holding Konan down.
They backed up and Gaara asked, "What do you want?"
"I want to test him, I no longer care for you three."
"Forget it," Kankuro started to say.
"Very well," Naruto said at the same time. "Just let her go and I will fight you."
"Nya! Don't do it!"
"Konan, I will not let a friend die by my in action."
But he will kill you!
"Then so be it," Naruto replied, motioning the others away.
"Good form," Alucard said, moving off her. "On guard." Naruto came at him, swinging his sword low and Alucard jumped over it and him. His feet hitting the ground evenly, he went to a slash. Naruto parried it, pushing it up and away while moving in, coming behind Alucard. Alucard spun around and thrust, expecting Naruto to move away. To his surprise, Naruto had spun and thrust himself, and seeing his eyes, Alucard knew he had planned it. Pushing their swords through the chest of the other. "…You could have dodged," Alucard accused. "Why didn't you?"
"Because my friends are more important than I am," Naruto said in a weak voice with a smirk. "Defeating you with just the loss of myself, that is acceptable. If I came at you not planning to evade, you would never see my attack coming."
"Sacrificing yourself so that others may survive. How very cavalier."
"I think it's one of my better qualities," Naruto answered while pushing him away. Stepping back, he fell to his knees and tried to hold in the blood trying to escape from his body. Everything became a silent roar in his ears as he fought to stay awake. Even then, green mana gathered in the wound like the Kyuubi's chakra once did, and staved off the bleeding. The edges of it were already closing together though much slower than the healing by the Kyuubi. Alone, it would not be enough to save him. So it was a good thing that as a paladin, Kankuro could heal.
The world around Naruto became clearer and he winced as he realized Konan had been screaming in his ear. "YOU IDIOT! WHAT IF YOU HAD DIED? DO YOU THINK WE WANT YOU TO DIE FOR US?"
"No, Konan, I know you don't," he said as Kanuro lifted his glowing white hands from Naruto's back. "Sorry for worrying you."
"You idiot," she cried, suddenly hugging him.
"Ahem," Alucard coughed as he straightened. "Your friends are still in trouble beyond that wall and I am still not letting you pass." Even as he said that, the cut in his chest, clothes, and armor closed.
"Oh come on," Gaara yelled. "What does it take to stop you?"
Naruto was taking deep breathes as he tried to stand with Konan's help. He didn't know why he asked this question, he just did. "Will you let us pass then?"
Alucard smiled and clapped before stepped aside and motioning to the door. "…This was a test after all," Kankuro muttered before going to the door. He got to it just in time to see the Rac being launched over the wall with a broken chain around its neck and a giant stalactite taken from the ceiling impaled in its chest. Alucard blinked as the creature died while trying to get back up before looking through the door, seeing Din looking at Temari in shock and awe while the older girl wiped her hands off as if they were dusty.
"Told you he wasn't so tough," Temari said while walking through the door. "Thank you Kankuro, you are such a gentleman."
"I barely believe you did it," Din muttered before seeing the bloody, weak looking Naruto. "What happened," she nearly screamed while rushing to his side before glaring at Alucard. "You did this to him, didn't you? I'll turn you into a newt!" She raised her hands to carry out her threat only for Naruto to catch one.
"The test is over, Din, we already passed."
"With flying colors," the Matron said, stepping down into the arena. "Most blood red though," she finished, looking at the dead Rac. "Impressive to say the least, little girl. I hardly expected you to defeat it."
Temari flipped her hair and said, "In a realm of magic, anything is possible. My mother taught me that."
"Truly. Now, young ones, tell me about the surface, over tea please, I would truly like to know about the land that churns out such capable young fighters."
—oo000oo—
Deis walked around the den of her home with a frown, upset that Naruto wasn't home, in the Uzumaki compound, or in all of Uzu itself. She knew he wasn't, she checked twice. "When he gets back, that boy is grounded forever! I'll throw him into a room until it rots around him and then I'll throw him into another room until it rots!"
Rei was playing with Yuki to keep her calm while her mother ranted. "Dear, for the sake of one of us being calm, I think you should wait until he tells you where he was and why until ground him for forever and a day. If it isn't a good enough reason, then yes, go right ahead."
"And I just know Konan somehow is involved in this," she continued. "Your sister better tan her hide!"
"I'm sure she is involved and no doubt Rinpu will do so."
"Naruto is never going near her again! He was such a nice little boy until that little…" Deis couldn't finish. She just grabbed a pillow from Carol and ripped it apart. It wasn't the first and it wasn't going to be the last.
"Konan didn't do anything," Rei said with a sigh. "Naruto was nice around us but he always did like sniffing out trouble."
"He was never like that," she protested, conveniently forgetting several instances before Konan arriving to cause trouble in some form. Hair dye in shampoo, itching powder, a case of fleas once but when that backfired he never went near them again.
"Sure he wasn't. He is Kushina's son after all."
Deis nearly lost her bluster while saying that. Kushina had disappeared like this before she was Naruto's age and Deis had said the same thing. And Rei had said, "Sure she isn't. She is my daughter after all."
"…Fine," she said, sitting down and turning down the pillow Carol offered her to tear up. "I'm done, sweaty."
"Okay, kaasan," Carol said before hugging her. "Think big brother is okay?"
"He is," she said with certainty. "Because if he isn't, I'm going to heal him just to hurt him myself."
Naruto, being helped inside by Din and Konan, stopped walked and grimaced. "Maybe we should leave," he whispered to his friends.
"Don't bother, I heard you," Rei said to him. "Come into the den, now."
"Yes, tousan." Holding himself up the best he could without help, he walked in and Carol jumped on him.
"Big Brother! Where did you go? Did you get me a gift?"
"…Actually, yes." Taking it from his pocket, he put a simple chain around her neck with a polished stone on the end. The stone itself was a simple black stone. What made it unique was that it was a manastone and gave off a rainbow of colors. Carol looked at it closely before cheering and rushing over to show her parents.
"Mommy, look what big brother gave me!"
"It's very pretty," she said, looking at it. "I have rarely seen such stones, Naruto. So, before I ground you from now to the end of time, I want to know where were you and…is that a healed over stab wound?"
"Uh…no?"
Din and Konan decided to turn around and leave then to find a wall of force blocking them. "Naruto, I have seen wounds like that before. Moreover, there is dried blood that someone had tried to wash away on your fur." Deis stood up and walked over to him, looking at his chest. "And this vest does not belong to you, it is most certainly new. Where were you, who were you with, and what were you doing, Naruto?"
"Um…" When Naruto hesitated, Rei decided it was best to take Yuki and Carol to their rooms. "Dungeon delving into the Underdark with Konan, Din, Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari," he rushed out while closing his eyes and wincing.
"…WHAT?"
—oo000oo—
Naruto and Konan were lying on the ground, feeling like one giant bruise from the 'training' session their teachers were putting them through as the first stage of their punishment. Din had literally been ground, a spell used on her wings to make them numb and unfit to fly. Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari, for the first time in their lives, were actually in trouble with Bleu and were all placed in a corner and told to stay there until further noticed.
Deis angrily glared at her son as he struggled to get back to his feet. "Kaasan, there's something I need to tell you," he tried again.
"Shut up and continue," she ordered while nodded to Suzuka. The woman came in against Naruto and he couldn't even attempt to take his stance before being blasted from his feet once more. Not even Cutter could help him anymore, his powers exhausted.
Rolling until he was on his back looking up to the sky helplessly, Suzuka stood over him equally upset with him. "Get up Naruto. Get up! I have not said training is over so we are not done! You forgot your first rule as my student, Naruto! Always mind what your sensei tells you! When did I tell you that you were fit to go looking for trouble?"
"Never, sensei."
"So why on earth did you?"
"I thought I was ready," he groaned.
"Your mother tells me that you have a stab wound going right through your chest and out your back. Do you still think you are ready?"
"…No, sensei, I know you would never have been caught in a situation where that was necessary."
"…You did it on purpose?"
"Yes sensei."
"Why?"
"Temari and Din were fighting a creature immune to magic while the others and I were being blocked by a swordsman from helping them. He was better than we were and I felt that time was running out. So I went in without planning on coming out." Suzuka frowned as she remembered that lesson. It was a spar between him when she caught his blade at the last moment before it might've removed her head. He said he won. She corrected him by informing that her own strike would've cut him in half even after death. If my intent was to kill you even if it meant my own death, then I have won.
Suzuka moved away suddenly and stood in silence. "…Well, at least you are taking some of my lessons to heart," she said, trying to hide a hint of pride in her voice. "Now get back up," she ordered while taking her sword stance once again.
Naruto groaned as he tried to and winced as he saw his teacher coming in again. His strong hand was broken and he knew he couldn't defend so he could only take it. Closing his eyes, he waited for it. And heard a clack of her blade being intercepted. "Is this not the time we agreed on for me to come, Naruto," Alucard asked as he squinted his eyes from the light. Taking a pair of dark lensed glasses, he placed them over his eyes and looked at Suzuka's sword.
"Who are you to interrupt our training," Suzuka demanded angrily.
"Milady, I am Adrian Farenheights Tepes, commonly referred to as Alucard or Sir Alucard," he informed her while looking her over and then Deis. "This young man, Naruto, said to meet him at this specific time I and I have done so."
Naruto breathed out a sigh of relief. "And your timing is impeccable, Alucard."
"Am I interrupting something?"
"My punishment for leaving Uzu no Kuni," Naruto told him. "And for getting stabbed in the chest."
Alucard arched an eyebrow at that before looking the two women there over. Deis had been doing the same. "You are not human," she said suddenly.
"Not fully," he corrected.
"Only creature I ever seen to come that close are avatars, mages, and immortals."
"I am the third, madam. Naruto this woman, your master, what be her name?"
"Ryu Suzuka."
"Lady Suzuka, I understand the need of discipline but I am in need of Naruto's aid so I cannot allow you to continue attacking him. You may continue once my need is fulfilled but until then, thou shan't strike another blow."
Suzuka looked at him with a critical eye. "Is that a fact?"
"On my mother's name, I swear you shall not." Suzuka jumped back and came at Naruto from the side, again finding her sword blocked by Alucard. Crossing blades several times, Alucard moved back and inspected his saber. "You skill is greater with the blade, Lady Suzuka, yet your own sword pales in comparison to Naruto's."
"I am aware of this," she told him. "You are the one that stabbed Naruto."
"I shan't deny it."
Immediately after those words left his lips, Deis ran forward to tear him apart. Only to stop when Naruto got in her way. "Kaasan, stop!"
"Naruto, move," she growled.
"No, you have been ignoring what we've been trying you since we returned. You are not going to attack him without hearing me out!"
She glared over Naruto at Alucard for several moments before nodding. "Very well. I will kill him later." Naruto sighed, knowing he was going to be grounded for years for this.
"Can I get Aunt Rinpu to stop beating on Konan long enough to get her help?"
Over on the other side of the training field, Rinpu was teaching her daughter what happens when you don't mind your mother. Said girl was in as bad of shape as Naruto. "Fine," Deis said before moving to stop them. When they were together, the Uzumaki matriarch glared at the both of them and said, "Before you explain just why he is here, you will tell me just who came up with the idea of going down there to begin with."
Konan sighed and said, "I did." To her surprise, Naruto said it with her.
"Naruto! This is not a game," Deis scolded. "Now I want to know who did it!"
Naruto-kun," Konan said weakly to him.
"You are not going to punish one of us over the others, mother," he told her. "I'm sure the others will say the same thing save maybe Din. She went with us trying to talk us out of it."
The two stared at one another, neither willing to back down before Deis looked to Konan. She knew her son was protecting her, she just knew it. "Rinpu," she said harshly.
"Yes, Lady Deis?"
"Your daughter is not to come near my son again."
"What?"
"NYA!"
"Mother!"
"I have already said it," Deis yelled. "If being around her causes problems then you won't be!"
"That is unfair, mother!"
"I don't care!"
"Ahem, maybe this is something to continue after I leave," Alucard stated.
"Rinpu, take your daughter and return home."
"Yes…Lady Deis." Placing her hand on Konan's shoulder, she led her away.
"She can't do that, can she? Kaasan? She can't…" Konan said weakly.
"I'm sorry, Konan," was all Rinpu told her.
"Mother, I won't…" Naruto said before Deis interrupted.
"It is done and as my son you will listen!"
"I am not your son," Naruto shouted suddenly, shocking even himself with that.
Deis frowned but nodded. "You are right. I am your grandmother and guardian and the wife of the clan head of the Uzumaki. And as such I have given my order and you will carry it out."
"…Yes, Lady Uzumaki," Naruto said with a scowl. "Uzumaki Deis, this is of course Alucard. He came here because the Matron of the First House of Suldanesellar asked him to come so that she may meet with you." He bowed out and stepped back. "As I am no longer needed, I shall continue my training with my master."
Suzuka looked from mother to son and swallowed before saying, "We shall continue elsewhere, Naruto." She turned and walked away and Naruto followed without looking back. It broke Deis's heart to see that but she would not be swayed.
"Sir Alucard, you Matron bid you to come here? Why?"
"She feels that there is gain in doing so. Much of the world has changed since the surface and the Underdark were enemies. The trouble in the mine should not be how it is. We understand that it is not your country that is attacking our city and do not ask that you stop it. We shall ourselves."
"I am old, Alucard. My grandfather told me storied as a child of fighting against all manners of monsters in the deeps. Why should I trust anything you say, one of those monsters."
"I am one of those creatures humans would call monsters," he admitted. "As a Dhamphir, a thousand years ago, I had to fight many that would take my head. Two thousand years ago, I was a knight in my father's army, a creation bent on the destruction of the world of light. But though half my heritage is that of darkness, the other is of light. My mother, Lisa by name, told me not to hate even as she was killed for birthing me, an abomination in the eyes of those of her village. Life is hard enough as it is."
"I see…what does your matron wish for then?"
"Start simple," he quoted. "Trade. Everything else shall come with time."
"Trade?"
"Yes. Suldanessellar is the City of Trades. There are goods there from around the Underdark. She wishes to add to that still and give some in return. Naruto gave that stone necklace to his sister, yes?"
"He did. Such stones are powerful magic enhancing items."
"Yet it was crafted as a simple piece of jewelry," Alucard told her. "There is an infinite supply of such stone in the Underdark and that is the very least of some items we can trade to you."
"And you want in return?"
"Well…it has been millennium since I have seen the sun or felt the wind and eaten fruit like apples."
"Apples?"
"Fruit trees do not grow in the endless dark," he reminded her. "And I have long since lost my taste for mushrooms."
"I see…very well. I shall ask the leaders of the four clans as well as the guilds to meet with your matron. Is this evening in three hours fine?"
"Yes, it will be," he said before bowing at the waist with an arm crossed over his stomach to her. "…Not that it is my concern, my lady, but about your decision with the two children, I believe it the wrong one. Naruto is very much willing to die to protect her."
"You are right, Alucard," she told him, seeing a hint of a smile. "It is not your concern." That smile fell away.
"Very well, I shall take my leave and inform my mistress of your decision." Stepping back from her, he activated a charm and vanished.
—oo000oo—
In the gathering of all the representatives of Uzu, the Matron of the first house of Suldanessellar stepped out of a portal along with Alucard and another honor guard. Looking to those gathered, she bowed to them and they returned it. Deis was going to cast a spell so they could understand one another but the Matron held up her hand to stop her. Then she said a bit roughly, "I am Matron Talinth Olath'velve. Let us be friends." It was broken and said from a tongue unused to saying the language. It was the same language the people of Uzu spoke. After bowing to them again, Matron Talinth cast the spell to be understood herself. "I spent all day practicing that. How did I do?"
Rei smiled and said, "A bit rough. It was wonderful to hear. Welcome to Uzu no Kuni Matron Talinth. I know this will be a memorable meeting."
—oo000oo—
Author's notes. Alucard, Adrain Farenheights Tepes, the son of the Vampire King. For those that do not know him, he is the main character of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. My favorite character from Castlevania. I added him more for what I wanted the Underdark to be. Someplace dark of character and intent but growing into something better. Yes, he is older than Deis. As for Deis blowing her top on Konan, in her mind she almost got Naruto killed and had been the cause of all the bad things that has happened to him since meeting her.
See you space cowboy.