Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or High School DxD.


Chapter 6

A Day out

RING! RING! RING! RING!

The sound of an alarm clock pierced the silence of a dark room.

A hand shot out from under a blanket and slammed on the clock, making it stop.

The blanket was thrown off, and a figure sat up on the bed, rubbing his eyes.

He had spiky blonde hair and three whisker-like marks on each cheek. He was none other than the most unpredictable ninja, Naruto Uzumaki.

He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. It showed 8:15 am.

He jumped off the bed and walked to the window covered with a thin layer of fog.

He turned a knob on the wall, and the window cleared up, revealing a breathtaking view outside.

He smiled and walked to the balcony that was attached to his room. He leaned on the railing and looked at the scenery in front of him.

It was a sight that never failed to amaze him.

In front of him was a vast stretch of water that the people of this world called the Baltic Sea. The sun's rays hit the sea's surface and got reflected, producing a beautiful image. The complete view was peaceful, and it made him relax.

After the new deal with Gabriel, where he was no longer bound to lounge in the church, he had first packed his bags and got out of Italy.

He liked the country, don't get him wrong, but he wanted to explore this world more. And the first place he wanted to visit was none other than Finland.

The happiest country in the world.

He wanted to see what was so special about this country. Planning to explore it one day, he had sent a clone a month ago to search for residences he could live in. He had planned to stay in a hotel, but the idea of buying his own house with his own money had reigned supreme.

No matter what one would say, his mercenary business had earned him a lot of money. He had to give it to heaven that they were paying him well. And with him exorcising ten to fifteen stray devils and demons combined every day, he bought a house, three sports cars, and some nice sets of clothes in just four months.

Now don't get him wrong. He wasn't that big of a materialistic person, but he loved the look of the house and its location. And the sports cars looked awesome. And he could no longer go on wearing all whites; he needed hints of orange on them.

He had found out that completing deals with real estate owners was time-consuming. When he first contacted the house owner, she said completing the deal would take a month. At first, it was all right. But then he made the deal with Gabriel and could no longer wait to live there. So, a little hypnotism here and a little money there, and in one day he had his house.

And wanna know what was even cooler? This house came with a boat.

Yeah, a boat. Because the house was on an island, the owner had bought a boat she had sold with the house. A road and bridge connected the island to the mainland, but how cool was it to have a boat to travel?

The only downside was that Naruto had destroyed the boat on his very first ride.

Oh well… What's gone is gone.

In the last few days, he had explored the city where he was currently living. The city's name was Helsinki, Finland's capital.

And he loved this city more than Vatican City. It wasn't like he did not like Vatican City, but there were a lot fewer people going around chanting some god's name, which gave him a refreshing feeling.

He had now lived in this city for two months already.

It was December and a day before Christmas. The city was covered in snow, which just increased the beauty of this city.

When Naruto had visited the city after a snowfall, he had been so amazed and awed that he had stared at the snow-lidden street with wide sparkling eyes. Don't get him wrong, he loved Konoha but it paled in comparison to Helsinki and its beauty. It was only when a friendly man had come and patted him on the shoulder, did Naruto get out of his amazed stupor. The man even made friendly conversations with him and told him to buy some warm clothes.

Which he had!

He had visited a fashion store that very day and was greeted warmly by a woman in her mid-thirties.

After an hour, he had come out wearing a cream-colored long coat that stopped just past his knees with a fur collar that changed into a hoody. It had lots of pockets too. Below it, he had worn an orange sweater, and below that was a warm, full-sleeved shirt. He had gone for black jeans because it went well with the suit. He had also opted out of wearing gloves, preferring to keep his hands uncovered. And to end his getup was a pair of leather shoes.

If someone asked him, he would say he looked good in the new clothes. The woman had said so too.

But what was even more surprising was that after the small change in clothes, the people were even friendlier than before. Before the change of clothes, people would pretty much ignore him and would only strike up a conversation when talked to first. But after changing clothes, they began showing genuine warmth and friendliness. Their eyes held a weird familiarity. Like he had always been a part of them. More people now smile at him and give him nods.

Who knew a small change in clothes would make people even friendlier than before?

While he was exploring the new country, he also visited Asia daily. Their trip to the circus had also been a success as Asia had enjoyed that day. He was happy that she had loved the outing so much.

And with each visit, she was warming up to him a little more. Which was a good thing in his eyes.

She had also started to share a lot of things about her life. And it saddened Naruto to see how much she had suffered. Her life was so similar to his that it pained him. To be forced into a position because of something they did not want, to be hated for a power they were given without their wish, to suffer from loneliness, and to be used by the people around them for their benefit.

He wanted no one to live a life like his, yet here was a girl who had suffered so much. It truly shocked Naruto that the girl had stayed so pure and kind, even in such adverse conditions. He had witnessed firsthand the treatment the girl received.


(Flashback)

Naruto stormed into the church, his face twisted in a scowl.

He should have been happy. He had planned a fun day with Asia, his unofficial sister, to show her the wonders of this world. But something had spoiled it.

Something blonde and busty and annoying.

"Come on, Naruto! Cheer up! Today's gonna be awesome!"

Gabriel chirped from beside him, oblivious to his mood.

She had overheard him talking about the circus with Asia that day at the cafe and had invited herself along.

And now she was glued to his side.

How fair was that?

"It would, if you hadn't come," Naruto muttered.

"Aw, don't be grumpy, Naruto. Now, let's go and pick up Asia."

They reached the door that led to the praying hall. Naruto sensed something wrong. He looked around and saw the tension in the air. He raised a hand and signaled Gabriel to stay back.

He walked through the rows of seats, feeling the nuns' eyes on him. They looked worried. He headed for the raised platform where the priest he had met at the infirmary stood.

He had told Asia to meet him at the door of the praying hall. Seeing as she wasn't there, something must have happened.

"Daniel, I presume," Naruto said coldly.

The priest didn't turn right away. He finished his prayer, made the sign of the cross, and then faced Naruto.

"I'm glad you know me, child, but you should address me properly," he said with a smile that closed his eyes.

"Cut the crap," Naruto hissed angrily. "Where is Asia?"

The priest came down the steps and stopped a few feet from him. "All I know is that she has some duties to fulfill today."

"Duties?" Naruto frowned. "She had no duties today. What did you do?"

"Well, you never know when the Lord might need one of his servants, right? But who are you to her, anyway?" The priest kept smiling with his eyes closed.

"I'm her friend," Naruto said, clenching his fists.

The priest shook his head, still smiling. "I have told you this before, Mr. Uzumaki, that a servant of the Lord needs no friends. They have the Almighty to guide them and listen to them. They-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. Two hands grabbed his shoulders and yanked him forward. The pressure was so strong that he felt his bones cracking.

He opened his eyes and saw Naruto's face inches from his own. Naruto's eyes were wide and furious.

"I'm taking her to the circus," Naruto whispered, his voice icy. "And you're keeping your mouth shut. Or…do you want me to send you to your Lord? Hm?"

Gabriel saw the situation getting out of hand. She didn't want Naruto to kill the priest. She hurried over to them.

"Father Daniel," she said, trying to get his attention. "Naruto, let him go."

But Naruto didn't let go. He squeezed harder, making the priest scream in pain. The nuns in the hall were panicking.

Gabriel touched Naruto's arm and cast a calming spell on him.

But it backfired.

Naruto jerked his hand away from her and glared at her. "You should keep your pets on a leash," he spat harshly. He turned and stormed out.

Gabriel watched him leave with a sigh. Her wish to get closer to Naruto and possibly form a deeper bond with him had gone up in smoke.

"Lady Emilia," the priest whimpered, "You have to understand-"

"Understand what?" Gabriel cut him off. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Father. The Lord's servant would never deny a little girl some happiness."

"But-"

"No buts, Father. I'm reporting you to the higher-ups. Pack your bags. You are getting excommunicated."


Gabriel had not accompanied them to the circus. And a few days later, she had once again contacted him and told him that the priest had been excommunicated for overstepping his boundaries. It was good. There was one less person to torture Asia.

Since then, he had religiously visited Asia every day. At the weekends, he would take her to parks and restaurants. He just tried to be there for her, just like Iruka-sensei had been there for him when he was lonely.

What was interesting was that Gabriel would drop by a lot of times too. She would accompany them on weekends after prayers. He was a little miffed by it but Asia seemed to enjoy her presence a lot and since Asia liked her, it was enough reason for him to tolerate her.

But it wasn't long before he found out what a nice person Gabriel was. And with time, he had also started enjoying her presence. Gabriel truly was an angel in every sense of the word. She was patient, kind and caring. She treated Asia like her own daughter. And she loved people in general. It made him like her more and more with each day.

Today, he had promised to take Asia to the amusement park. He had initially planned to take her on Christmas but seeing as it was a busy day in the church and she had cited that she would like to spend the day helping around the church, he had changed it to a day before Christmas.

Giving the beautiful view a last glance, he walked to the bathroom and was amazed who knows how many times again. The bathroom was huge. And he meant it. On one side there was a large bathtub covered by glasses that would turn foggy when a knob was turned. Right opposite it was a large glass cabinet that acted as the shower. The shower was installed in the ceiling and it gave the feeling of bathing in the rain. This glass too could be turned foggy with a knob. The inside of the cabinet shower had benches attached to the walls where you could sit. The cabinet also worked as an awesome sauna. There was a jacuzzi in one corner of the bathroom and another corner had a door that led to the toilet which in itself was fucking large. And directly opposite the door of the bathroom was the countertop sink made completely of tiles.

From using a cramped bathtub to using this, he has come a long way, hasn't he?

After brushing and taking a shower, he headed to his closet, which was the same size as his bedroom in Konoha. Contemplating on what to wear for fifteen minutes, he chose an orange hoodie with a white shirt under it. A black-colored jeans and white sneakers.

Giving himself a one-over and making sure that everything was ok, he picked up a key from the keyholders and walked out of the house.

The garage was a few yards away from the main house. As he walked towards the garage, he saw a familiar figure in front of it which caused him to raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

"How did you find me?" He asked.

"It was tough, but when you have resources like I do, you do tend to find things at some point in time," the familiar voice of Gabriel replied cheerfully.

"Are you ever going to leave me alone?"

"Nope."

Naruto's eyes hovered over her for a few seconds. She was wearing a golden-colored long jacket that ended just past her knees, grey jeans, and gloves. Her blonde hair which was usually tied in a high ponytail was free.

"What are you even doing here?"

"Why~ I am accompanying you to the amusement park, of course."

Naruto felt his eyebrow twitch. "How do you even know about that?"

"Asia invited me, of course."

Naruto looked at her incredulously. "You talk to Asia when I am not there?"

"Of course, I do, silly." Gabriel poked her tongue at him.

"Since when?"

"Since she was dropped in front of the church."

"Why did you or she never tell me?" Naruto asked looking hurt that Asia had not told him something like that.

"Naruto," Gabriel spoke in a sorrowful tone, "Please don't think any less of Asia. It was I who made her promise to never tell anyone that she was talking to me."

Naruto looked away from her. "Does she know about these things? Is she even aware that she has been talking to an Archangel all along?"

The blonde-haired woman sighed. "Unfortunately, no."

"So, you've been lying to her all this time?"

Gabriel shook her head. "Not really. I have told her that I am an important figure in heaven and that I command a lot of power. That is why she must never tell anyone I am meeting her or she will be in danger."

Naruto just stared at her in a deadpan. "I… I don't even know what to say to that. Why haven't you told her your name then?"

"How do I do that, Naruto?" Gabriel asked looking sad. "I don't have any idea how to do that. How do I tell her that all this time she was talking to an Archangel? What if she starts hating me for hiding my identity from her all this time? What if she thinks that all the time I have spent with her was not real?"

"If you think that about Asia," Naruto said facing her, "Then you don't know her well. Tell her about your true self. I am sure Asia is going to accept you. And who knows, maybe this will bring the two of you closer."

Naruto said nothing else. Instead, he walked into the garage and scratched his head. Gabriel followed him before being impressed.

Inside the garage, there were three cars. All of them looked fancy.

"Wow! I did not know you had earned enough money to buy these cars." Gabriel complimented, staring at the cars.

Naruto shrugged before giving her a sheepish smile. "Yeah. I kind of earned enough to buy them."

"So, which one are you going to take?"

"I was planning to take the Koenigsegg Agera for a ride, but it is a two-seater. And since you are coming, I might as well take the Bentley." Naruto then scratched the back of his head as he remembered he had brought the keys for the Koenigsegg. "Wait here for a sec. I will bring the right keys."

It took him a few seconds to run to his house, pick up the right key, and run back to the garage.

He clicked a button on the key and the Bentley made a sound that meant that its locks were off. He then got in the driver's seat while Gabriel took the passenger's seat beside him.

"The Bentley Continental GT," Naruto said, puffing his chest a bit, "You like it?"

But Gabriel just sighed. "Men and their fascination with cars." Before she looked at Naruto. "So, how are we getting to Italy?"

"Don't worry about it," Naruto said, starting the engine. "Just enjoy the ride."

Gabriel turned her head forward, but then the sound of bone cracking reached her ears. Before she could look at Naruto, a small black-colored square appeared right in front of the car, floating in mid-air. A bunch of them appeared in the next instant, forming some sort of gateway to the abyss. Suddenly, she felt the car jolt forward as Naruto hit the accelerator. Her eyes widened when the car went straight for the gateway and then passed right through it, appearing on a highway to Italy.

She whipped her head behind to look out of the back window, only to notice that the portal was gone. She looked to the sides to see if any of the cars had seen them appear so suddenly and prepared a memory charm, just in case. But then she noticed that none of them looked fazed at all. Like they had not even noticed them appear out of thin air.

She turned her head back to Naruto, her eyes blinking like a fish's. "Was that…?"

Naruto smirked at her and said, "Yup."

"Y…You could do that too?"

"I can do a lot of things, darling. You haven't seen even half of it." Naruto's voice was smug.

Gabriel rubbed her temples before sighing in exasperation. "I should have known."

"Gabriel."

"Hm?"

"Why are you so interested in Asia?"

Naruto glanced at Gabriel, who was looking out of the window. She kept silent for a few seconds before replying, "I promised her mother that I would look after her. It wasn't her mother who left her on the church's step, it was me."

"You…what?"

"Yes," Gabriel's voice was melancholic, "Her mother died the moment she placed Asia in my arms. But she made me promise I would look after Asia. And of course, I promised."

Naruto's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "And…you just… You just left her on the church's door? Just like that?"

Gabriel's eyes drooped with sadness. "What did you want me to do, Naruto? Taking Asia to heaven was not an option. I could not leave my position in heaven or else it would create chaos there. I had no other option." And then she frowned. "If you're wondering that I just put her on the church's door and left, you're wrong! It was I who placed her in her crib in the church's orphanage. And since then, I have spent every little free time I could find looking after her."

The more Naruto heard, the more similarity he could find between himself and Asia. And he was seriously not liking what was going on here.

"Asia's mother," Naruto stated in a blank voice, "How did she die? Where was her father?"

"I don't know," Gabriel said, "I tried healing magic on her, and mind you there are hardly any wounds that I can't heal but I…"

"You what?"

"I… I could not heal her wound."

Naruto took a sharp breath hearing that.

"I… I tried everything," Gabriel was starting to tear up as she stared at her hands, "Everything I could do. But the stab wound would not heal. Nothing I did worked. Nothing…" Her hands were starting to shake violently as if she was having a panic attack.

Naruto noticing this immediately shot his left hand forward. Grabbing her by her shoulder, he shook her to get her out of the shock. "Gabriel! Gabriel! Get control over yourself! Everything's all right!"

That seemed to work as her hands stopped shaking. Wiping her tears away, Gabriel returned to look out the window. "But that wasn't all," she said.

Naruto waited for her to continue which she did after a few seconds.

"Before she died, she told me something."

"And that is…" Naruto trailed off.

"Save her from him."

"Him?"

"Yes. But she did not give me any name."

Naruto released a breath. Worry was starting to seep into him. Not for himself, but for Asia. If there was someone out there who could inflict injuries that could not be healed by healing magic, especially a divine one, and if that person was actively hunting for Asia, then he needed to make sure she was safe and protected.

But the bigger question was – who was this person? And what did he want from Asia?

A peaceful silence then descended in the car. Gabriel opened her window. Putting her elbow on the window sill, she released a pleasurable sigh as the cool air of the winter touched her skin.

"I always wanted to travel in a car like this," Gabriel said softly.

Naruto glanced at her. "You have never been in a car?"

Gabriel gave him a small smile. "No one invited me to."

Naruto turned his eyes forward to focus on the road. "Have you ever been to an amusement park?"

"No. Never got the time to visit one. Not to mention, no one took me there either."

Naruto winced at the sadness in her voice before sighing. 'Damn me and my weak heart,' Naruto thought. "Guess, we need to make this day memorable not only for you but also for Asia, huh?" He smiled at the blonde angel.

Gabriel's face lit up with a smile so bright that it almost blinded him. "Alright, Naruto. But aren't you forgetting someone?"

"Who?"

"You, silly. We are going to make this day memorable for all three of us."

Naruto laughed and hit the accelerator harder as the car sped through the highway toward its destination.


Naruto hit the brakes stopping his car near the entrance gate to the church. He got out of the car and Gabriel soon followed.

"Mr. Naruto, Lady Emilia!"

Naruto smiled when he saw Asia running toward them waving her hand and smiling enthusiastically. Until her foot stuck a stone and she fell on her stomach, which made Naruto sweatdrop.

Walking towards her, Naruto helped her up. "You should be careful Asia," he said worriedly.

Asia groaned cutely as she rubbed her nose in pain. "Aw~ I need to look where I am going."

"Asia, are you alright?" Gabriel asked, standing beside Naruto and giving her a concerned look.

"Yes, I am fine, Lady Emilia," Asia assured her with a smile.

"Here let me see." Gabriel grabbed Asia's face and brought it close to hers, examining every inch of it like a worried mother. After being satisfied, she let her go, "All right, no immediate treatment required."

"Aren't you overexaggerating a little," Naruto asked.

Gabriel looked at Naruto incredulously. "Naruto Uzumaki. Our little girl just fell on her face and you aren't worried at all?"

"Uh…"

Asia blushed embarrassedly. "L-Lady E-Emilia, I am a-all right. You don't have to worry about me."

"All right!" Naruto cheered at Asia's proclaimation and pumped his fists in excitement. "Time to go to the amusement park!"

"Wait, Naruto!" Gabriel interrupted him, causing him to look at her.

"Uh? What?"

The blonde angel gestured at Asia with her right hand. "Are you going to take her to the amusement park in this?"

Naruto's eyes scrunched together, and he scratched his head, giving her a confused look, which interestingly made him look like a fox. "Um. Is that a problem?"

Gabriel let out a sigh and pointed at Asia again, who was looking self-conscious. "Naruto. Look at her."

And he did. He saw nothing wrong. She was wearing her usual nun clothes and Asia had herself said that she was comfortable in those. "I…don't see a problem," he said.

Gabriel stared at him incredulously. "Naruto! You can't just take someone to the amusement in nun's clothes."

Naruto turned towards her with wide, shocked eyes. "Wait! Is that illegal?"

"No! But it isn't right!" Gabriel almost yelled at him. She rubbed her forehead.

Naruto was getting worried as he scratched the back of his head even more. "Uh. She said she was comfortable in those clothes, ya'know. And she has been going out in those clothes for the last two months. You were there too and you did not say anything."

Gabriel shook her head in exasperation. "You need to learn more about girls." She then looked at the blonde nun who was standing quietly in her place. "Asia-chan, do you have some outdoor clothes?"

Asia shook her head negatively. "I… Uh… I don't. But you don't have to worry, Lady Emilia. Please don't scold Mr. Naruto. I told him I liked my nun clothes, and he did not need to buy me new clothes," the blonde nun finished fidgeting in her place.

Naruto snapped his fingers and gave Gabriel a victorious smile. "See! I told you -" He was instantly bonked on his head by Gabriel. "Ow~ What was that for?"

"Even with all your powers, you still can't read between the lines," Gabriel released a sigh and shook her head. "Naruto! Those outings were different. Today is different. Today we are supposed to make happy memories and clothes help us make memories. So, the first place we will stop at is a boutique that I know of. It's pretty close too. So, let's go!"

Asia looked at Naruto apologetically. "I am sorry for troubling you so much, Mr. Naruto. I will try to make sure Lady Emilia-"

"Asia." Naruto interrupted her. He was watching Gabriel head towards his car. His head then turned towards the girl and he smiled warmly at her. "You don't have to worry, okay? Nothing you ever do will ever inconvenience me. And consider this as a Christmas present." He assured her by patting her shoulder. "Now, come. We don't want to be late to the amusement park and we have clothes to buy."

The trio got in the car and headed to the boutique that Gabriel was talking about.

It took them fifteen minutes to reach there.

Naruto parked his car in front of the boutique and looked out of the window to see a fancy shop. "Huh! Looks cool," he commented.

"I know, right?" Gabriel said as she unlocked her seatbelts.

"I don't mind wearing this," Asia said softly. "I have always worn this, and it's comfortable and modest."

"Asia," Gabriel began softly, "We don't have to do this, but we want to. You should experience these kinds of things Asia. You're too sheltered." Her voice then went from melancholic to cheerful. "And you should never deny the opportunity when a man will pay for your shopping."

"What!?" Naruto looked at her disbelievingly, "When the hell did I agree to pay for anything?"

Gabriel tilted her head cutely and gave him a sad look. "Naruto… Are you saying that you aren't going to pay for Asia's clothes?"

"What!? I did not say that!"

Gabriel laughed cheerfully and jumped out of the car. She opened the door to the back seat and pulled Asia out of there. "See Asia. I told you never deny free shopping."

"Huh!? Wait!" Naruto stammered out but it was too late. Gabriel was already pulling Asia towards the boutique.

The blonde ninja sat in his car watching the duo enter the shop with Gabriel cheerfully dragging Asia with herself. A smile came on his face. He wanted to give Asia a great life and he was ready to do anything for her.

He leaned back in his seat. If something were to happen to Asia, he would not be able to forgive himself. And he wasn't going to let anything happen to her.

It was his promise to himself.

Realizing he was wasting time, Naruto quickly unfastened the seatbelt and got out of the car. He entered the boutique and saw Gabriel finding clothes from rack to rack while Asia stood near the counter. He walked towards the blonde nun and stood beside her.

A few seconds later, Gabriel appeared in front of them with an assortment of clothes in her hand.

"All selected!" She proudly declared.

"That quickly?" Naruto asked. He may not have much experience with women, but he knew that they were far too slow when it came to shopping.

Gabriel winked at him and handed the clothes to Asia. "Let's just call it experience and be done with it." She then started pushing Asia into the changing room. "Let's go and try this on, Asia." But before Gabriel entered the trial room, she looked back at him and said, "You better wait here, mister. We would need your opinion on Asia's clothes." She did not wait for a response and just entered the room.

Naruto watched both of them disappear into the changing room. He was really glad that Gabriel was helping Asia so much and wanted to pay her for her kindness. Maybe he could treat her to a nice dinner or something? He would have to see about that.

"You have a very nice wife, sir."

Naruto's head whipped towards the young woman behind the counter, his eyes wide in shock. "Huh?"

"I can see it. She loves your sister very much. Finding woman who love their fiancé's family this much can be tough," the cashier said with a happy smile.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Naruto exclaimed shaking his hands. "She isn't my wife." He gestured at his face with both of his hands. "And what the hell? Do I even look old to marry? I am fucking eighteen for fuck's sake."

The cashier's eyes went wide as she realized her mistake. She immediately bowed deeply and said, "I am extremely sorry, sir. I should not have made such assumptions."

Naruto released a sigh and smiled kindly at the cashier. "It's all right. Everyone makes mistakes."

The cashier nodded in agreement. "But still. To call your sisters your wife and daughter seems highly inappropriate."

Naruto slammed his hands on the counter freaking the cashier out. "THEY AREN'T MY SISTERS EITHER! Wait! Asia kinda is, but not Ga- I mean Emilia. EMILIA ISN'T MY SISTER!"

The cashier let out a squeak of shame before bowing her head even lower than before. "I am so sorry! I am so sorry! I am so sorry!"

Naruto ran a hand through his hair and sighed in frustration. "It's all right, I guess."

The cashier gave him a pitiful look with a tear hanging out of her eye. "Thank you, so much."

"All right, ladies and gentlemen."

Naruto turned around to see Gabriel standing in front of the trial room. She had her hands on her hips and her chest puffed out proudly.

"Get ready to bless your eyes with infinite cuteness," she dramatically announced, "Welcome to the stage… Asia Argento."

The door to the trial room was flung open and Naruto's eyes instantly went wide.

Asia was fidgeting shyly in the room. She was wearing a cream-colored turtleneck sweater paired with plaid skirt and black tights. She was also wearing a pair of Doc Martens and a pair of black gloves, giving her a slightly edgy look but still making her look cute. And to complete the outfit, she wore a wool coat whose buttons were open.

"So," Gabriel began with a cheeky smile, "What is the verdict?"

Naruto gave a thumbs up and a megawatt smile. "You look super cute Asia!"

Asia smiled happily at the praise and stopped fidgeting being more comfortable in the dress.

"All right, then. Let's try the next dress," Gabriel exclaimed cheerfully.

In the second dress, Asia wore a sweater dress with a solid pattern ending at her mid-thighs. Accompanying the dress were fleece-lined leggings, a simple red-colored cardigan, and a pair of knee-high boots.

The third dress consisted of a floral dress with black-coloured slightly transparent tights. Over the dress, she was wearing a pink-colored long coat with a cream-colored muffler. On her head was a hat with a glossy pink-colored ribbon tied around it and her feet were covered by knee-high boots.

By the end of the third dress, Naruto's eyes were sparkling. Asia looked cute in every dress she had worn so far and no way was Naruto going to make her choose.

He instantly pulled his credit card out. Slamming it against the counter three times, he held it out for the cashier to take. "I am buying all of those," he simply said firmly, his eyes sparkling.

The cashier took the card gingerly and nodded. She swiped the card through the machine and billed the clothes.

A few minutes later, Asia was skipping out of the store with Naruto and Gabriel following behind her.

Gabriel turned her head toward the blonde ninja and said, "See, that's why you need me."

Naruto smiled at her gratefully. "Gabriel, thanks for being there for Asia. I think you already know this but I can tell that Asia is very grateful to have someone like you there for her." He paused for a second before saying, "And so am I."

Gabriel was rooted to her spot as she stared at Naruto's back while the blonde walked towards the car. Her hands joined over her chest as she smiled fondly and watched Naruto and Asia interact. "Naruto. You don't know just how important of a figure you have become in her life." She closed her eyes and joined her hands in prayer. "O Father, wherever you are, if you're watching this, please protect the bond between them."

"Hey, Emilia!" Naruto called her made-up name. She looked up to see him wave at her. "Let's go! We are getting late," he said.

"Coming," Gabriel called out with a smile and walked towards the car.

The next stop was the amusement park.


They arrived at Gardaland Resort around noon. While driving the three of them were having a lot of fun. They shared funny stories and jokes. They teased each other. They laughed heartily.

Naruto could feel the joy radiating off of Asia. He did not even need his emotion-sensing abilities. Seeing her laugh and giggle at his jokes and Gabriel's teasing made him happy. His happiness was only compounded by hearing Gabriel laugh and enjoy along with Asia.

They parked the car in the designated area and got out. They stretched their legs and arms, feeling refreshed.

They got to the ticket counter with Naruto leading the group. He looked through the glass to see another young woman with ginger hair smiling at them.

"How may I help you?" The woman asked in a welcoming tone.

"Can I have three tickets for adults?" Naruto asked raising three fingers to emphasize his words.

The woman tilted herself to the side and stared at the two other members before straightening herself and smiling at Naruto. "All right, sir," she said before booking the tickets. She then handed them to Naruto. "That will be €128, sir."

Naruto took the ticket with a smile before glancing at them. Suddenly, he noticed something.

There was a discount on their ticket. Now, Naruto was someone who loved saving money. So, any discount was a welcome discount.

The only problem was that the discount was a family discount.

But was Naruto going to protest against it?

Not a chance.

"Thanks," he said and handed the money.

"A good day to you, your wife and daughter, sir," the cashier wished with a smile.

Gabriel and Asia who had heard that blushed bright red. Naruto kept his bright smile intact and gave the cashier a nod.

The blonde ninja then motioned the other two with his hand. Once away from the ticket counter, Gabriel turned to him and gave him a curious look.

"What was that about?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Naruto paused in front of the group and looked at them carefully. All three of them almost had the same shade of blonde hair, all of them had blue eyes, they had come in the same car, and Asia looked like a weird mix between him and Gabriel. He could see why most people were mistaking them as family.

"The cashier thought we were family and gave us a 15% family discount. I saved €22 thanks to that," Naruto finished with a nonchalant shrug.

While Asia was blushing in embarrassment, Gabriel gave him a deadpan look before saying in a dry tone, "You have a mansion in the middle of an island. You have a Koenigsegg, Bugatti, and a Bentley. And you lied just to save €22."

Naruto gave her a melancholic smile, "When you grow up counting every single coin and wondering if you can save up enough money to buy food the next day, you tend to value money more than anything."

Gabriel's eyes widened for a second before they narrowed in sadness. "I am sorry."

Naruto laughed cheerfully and said, "Hey, come on! Today is supposed to be a day to enjoy not be sad! Let's go!"

They walked towards the entrance of the park, holding their tickets in their hands. They scanned them at the gate and entered.

They were greeted by a festive and magical atmosphere. They saw people of all ages and backgrounds having fun. They heard laughter, screams, music, and announcements. They smelled popcorn, cotton candy, pizza, and burgers.

They felt excited.

They looked at the map of the park and decided to start with Space Vertigo, a roller coaster that went up and down and around. They waited in line for a while, chatting and joking with each other.

"Are you ready for this?" Naruto asked Asia, who was holding his hand nervously.

"I think so. I've never been on a roller coaster before. Is it scary?" Asia asked.

"It's fun! You'll love it. Just scream if you feel scared, okay? I will get you down immediately," Naruto said, smiling.

"Okay." Asia nodded.

"Is that offer valid for me too?" Gabriel asked teasingly. She was behind them, looking calm and confident. She had never been on roller coasters before. But she had fought in a war and killed devils. What could one ride do to her, right?

Naruto gave her a weird look before saying, "I am quite sure you can get yourself out of there easily."

Gabriel pouted and crossed her hands under her bountiful chest. Naruto gave her a confused look while Asia giggled with her hand covering her mouth.

The line began moving, and the three of them realized they were next.

Finally, they reached the front of the line and got into their seats. They buckled their seatbelts and put on their safety bars. Asia was holding on to the safety bars nervously. Naruto looked excited wanting to enjoy the ride. Gabriel was too impatient.

"Come on, guys. Hurry up. This is taking too long." Gabriel said, excitedly.

"Relax, Emilia. No need to be so hyperactive." Naruto said, teasingly.

"Yes, Lady Emilia." Asia giggled. "Enjoy the moment. You're supposed to have fun here."

Gabriel rolled her eyes and sighed. These two could sync together really well. If she did not know any better, she would have thought these two had been siblings since their birth.

The ride operator checked them and gave them a thumbs up.

"Are you ready for the ride of your life?" The operator announced through the speakers.

"Yes!" Everyone on the ride shouted.

The ride started to rise. It was slow. Naruto could see the park shrinking. A minute later, they were at the top. He could now see the whole park from here. The people below looked like ants. He glanced at Asia who looked nervous.

"You all right there, Asia?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah, I guess I am," she replied, stuttering in nervousness.

"Don't worry. If you feel-"

Naruto never got the opportunity to finish his words as the ride suddenly dropped to the ground. Everyone screamed. Naruto too. It was like all the weight in his body had left. It was a new feeling for sure. He could hear Asia screaming but he did not feel like she was scared. He could also hear Gabriel screaming. The only thing was. It looked like she was the one who was panicking.

The ride reached the ground a few seconds later and everything went back to normal. Naruto let out a joyful laugh and glanced at Asia. "Asia, you all right?"

The blonde-haired nun laughed and replied, "Yes, Mr. Naruto. It's awesome."

The ride started to rise again. This time a bit faster.

Naruto glanced at Gabriel who was grabbing the guards tightly. "Emilia? Are you doing fine?"

When Gabriel turned her head towards him, he almost freaked out seeing her face. It looked like that of a ghost. "I don't know," the angel moaned pitifully.

"Oi, oi!" Naruto was about to say something but the ride dropped again and he felt weightless once more. For that moment, his worries left him and he let out a hearty laugh hearing everyone scream.

This time when the ride reached the ground, Naruto reached out with his hand and grabbed Gabriel's. "Emilia, do you want me to get you out of here?"

"N-No, it's all right," she said looking a little better than before, "I am using a Calming spell. A-And I can handle it. I-I have fought in a war. I can handle i-it."

Naruto smiled at her trying to be courageous. "All right. But you can leave if you want. No one is forcing you to stay."

"I know."

The ride continued to go up and down for the next five minutes. Each time it would go up, its speed would increase a little. Until by the end, it was moving up and down super fast. Sometimes, for dramatic reasons, it would rotate left and right at the top, jerking everyone sitting on it.

Finally, the ride stopped and the guards opened up. They got out of their seats and walked towards the exit.

"That was awesome!" Naruto exclaimed.

"That was amazing!" Asia agreed.

"That was awful," Gabriel complained.

They saw a booth where they could buy photos of themselves on the ride. They decided to check it out.

They found their photo on a screen and smiled. It showed them on the first drop of the roller coaster, with their expressions frozen in time. Naruto looked thrilled, Asia looked scared but happy, and Gabriel looked miserable.

"That's hilarious!" Naruto said, pointing at Gabriel's face.

"That's priceless!" Asia said, giggling.

"That's embarrassing," Gabriel said, blushing.

They bought a copy of the photo as a souvenir and continued their adventure in the park. After roaming around for a bit trying to decide which ride to go on next, Asia's eyes fell on the one place Naruto was trying to avoid at all costs.

"Let's go there!" Asia exclaimed pointing at the ghost house.

Gabriel put a finger on her lips and said, "Hm. Yes, that could be a nice experience."

"All right, let's go, Mr. Naruto," Asia cheerfully exclaimed.

"Uh, I guess I will sit this one out," Naruto said, scratching his head sheepishly.

"Huh," Asia looked at him curiously, "But why?"

"Don't worry, I just have a few things to do," Naruto answered with a smile.

Asia's bright face turned to a sad one. "Oh," she uttered, sadly.

Gabriel suddenly got a teasing look on her face. "Don't tell me that the great Naruto Uzumaki is afraid of little ghosts."

Naruto waved his hands dismissively in front of his face. "N-Nah, it's nothing like that," he said. "And I also need to get some food, right? You guys must be hungry. And Asia, you can always go with Emilia, right?"

Gabriel let out a giggle and took Asia's hand in hers. "Let's go, Asia. Let the man go and buy us some food," Gabriel said, teasingly, before walking away with Asia.

Naruto felt a sweatdrop forming as he waved at the duo. There were two reasons he had decided to stay behind. The first one was that he was indeed afraid of ghosts but even then, for Asia's sake, he would have entered the ghost house anyway.

It was for the second reason that he had stayed back.

Naruto put his hand in his pockets and started walking towards the west. He passed through crowds of people, his eyes hardening with each second. The closer he got to the source, the darker the power got. His lips went thin. The power felt very familiar yet very different.

It took him five minutes to reach the spot. It was crowded with people.

But Naruto wasn't focused on them.

He was focused on the figure sitting on a bench directly in front of him.

The figure was that of a cute girl with long black hair. She was wearing a black gothic Lolita dress which consisted of a black dress and a pink-colored jacket over it. The jacket had frills on them. She was wearing stockings and red-colored shoes. On her head was a pink-colored hat. She was eating ice cream.

Both of their eyes met and the girl disappeared from her spot.

A second later, Naruto disappeared too.

The two of them appeared on top of an abandoned building far away from the park. They stood a few meters away from each other.

Naruto stared at the girl with narrowed eyes, his hands still in his pocket.

And the girl kept licking the ice cream as if trying to entice him or something.

The only thing it managed to do was make her look weird.

Realizing that her plans were not working she threw the ice cream away before her hands moved behind her back.

"So," the girl began first, "You could sense me. Even that little Archangel you were with could not." She gave a nod of acknowledgment. "Impressive."

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "It wasn't easy. You hide well. But enough about that. What are you doing here?"

"Not going to ask who I am?"

"Does not matter. Are you here to fight me?"

"What if I am here to kill everyone in that park?"

"Then I will kill you first."

The girl stared at him with lifeless eyes and Naruto stared back with narrowed ones. Just then he felt something slither up his right leg. He glanced down and his eyes widened slightly as he realized a snake as dark as the abyss wrapped around his leg. 'The fuck? I did not sense it at all,' Naruto thought to himself with a confused frown.

"You will find out, Naruto Uzumaki, that I cannot be killed," the girl said but there was no smugness in her voice. It was like she was stating facts.

Naruto glanced back at the girl who did not even blink. He was already aware that there was something wrong with her. She did not seem like an angel or even a stray devil. Could she be a god? She had after all managed to keep her presence hidden from Gabriel and the only reason, he had even sensed her was because of the weird habit he had created of sensing any disturbance in nature energy thanks to the constant nature energy that was flowing through his body. By constantly filtering nature's energy through his body, he could enter his sage mode in the blink of an eye.

As for the girl, she was curious and wanted to find out what the spawn of the parasites could do. If he survived, she could recruit him and take the fight to Great Red immediately. If he died, there would be one less parasite to worry about. So, she willed the snake to bite the parasite and like an obedient servant, it did.

Only for the parasite to burst into a cloud of smoke and disappear.

The girl felt two fingers touch the back of her head.

Naruto stood behind the girl with his right hand forming a spirit gun and his index and middle fingers touching the back of her head. "There's a first for everything, weird-looking girl," he drawled with a hint of amusement.

He then took his hand away and patted her on her shoulder before walking past her. A few meters away, he abruptly turned and faced her.

"Why do you fight for people you have no allegiance to? Why support Heaven when you could easily conquer them?"

Naruto tilted his head sideways as he said in a disinterested tone. "Support Heaven? Support Devils? Support Gods? Conquer factions? None of that matters to me. I don't support them. I have no wish to conquer them either. The only people I support are the humans of this planet."

"Why even support them? They are no one to you."

"That does not matter to me. They are innocent people. I have the power to defend them. And since I am already stuck in this world for who knows how long, I might as well protect them from threats like you."

"So, you're like a guardian for them? A protector?" The girl asked, her eyes for the first time showing a hint of emotion. That being curiosity.

Naruto shrugged uncaringly and said, "Does not matter." He then scratched his chin and thought aloud, "But now that I wonder about it, Naruto Uzumaki, the Guardian of humanity, does sound badass."

The girl stared at him with what looked like a deadpan. "My name is Ophis, the Ouroboros Dragon. Nice to meet you Naruto Uzumaki, Guardian of humanity."

Naruto sweatdropped hearing the girl take his joke seriously before his eyes widened slightly in realization. "That would explain why your powers felt so similar to Great Red's." He suddenly felt a spike in her power before it dulled down again. 'Maybe there is some history between these two,' he thought to himself. "Why are you here anyway?"

"I will tell you one day, but for now, I want to see what else you're capable of, Guardian."

"You can call me Naruto, ya'know."

"I like Guardian better."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Before I leave, tell me, do you not find this form attractive?" The girl asked.

"Eh…? What?"

Ophis' eyebrows knitted together in a frown. "I heard somewhere that this type of form can attract the male species of your kind. I also used the techniques I learned from the videos that the nasty cat showed me. Yet not once did I see the look that I often get from men around here."

Naruto rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming. "What kind of pedophiles are you interacting with?" He asked looking disheartened that humans of this world could be capable of that.

"What are pedophiles?" The girl asked tilting her head.

Naruto breathed deeply and applied healing chakra to his brain. "Does not matter. What matters is that while your form makes you look cute, no one will look at you sexually, without being a sexual harasser."

"I see," the girl looked down at herself, "should I change how I look?"

"Eh," Naruto shrugged his shoulders, "If you want to look cute and childish you can keep your form. It depends on what you want to be. Wait? You can change form?"

Ophis nodded. "I can. And if I were to look more…what was it that the cat said," she put a finger to her chin in thought before saying, "If I were to look bustier, would you find me attractive? Like that blonde archangel that's been following you all day?"

Naruto pinched his nose in frustration. "Listen," he began, "A woman's beauty does not depend on how busty or curvy she is."

Ophis stared at him in confusion. "Then what does it depend on?"

Naruto was very close to ripping his hair out in frustration now. "Argh," he groaned, "Ya'know, her personality, her heart, and all that. Many factors depend on how beautiful a person is."

Ophis hummed in thought and stayed silent for a few seconds. Just when he thought that this weird conversation was done, she blurted out, "That's boring."

"What?"

Ophis let her shoulders rise in a shrug. "Basing one's beauty on so many factors seems boring when it can be done by how they look."

Naruto had no words to say to her. That's how shocked he was. He sighed and said, "You know what. I am done. Gabriel and Asia will be done by now. And our conversation is done here too."

He was about to turn and leave when Ophis said something that he had wanted to hear the most in the world.

"I can help you find your way to your home."

Naruto's mouth was ajar and he blinked at her like a fish. He licked his surprisingly dry lips. "What did you just say?" There was a budding hope in his heart. That he could return home and see if everything was all right. To see if his friends were all right. "Can you… Can you really do that?"

Ophis nodded her head. "Yes. But in return, you will owe me a favor."

And just like that, all hopes went down the drain.

What had he thought?

That someone would actually try to help him selflessly?

That for once someone would show him the kindness that he had shown everyone in his previous world and even this world?

How naïve of him to think so.

Naruto turned away from the dragon. "Nah." He tried his best, he really did. But the venom he was feeling in his heart still came out of his mouth with that word. "I can do that myself. I don't need your help." He then sped away from the place.

Ophis stared as Naruto disappeared from the place before a confused frown descended on her face. "This is the first time someone has denied my help. Maybe I should have offered him my power. I guess I will have to order the cat to follow him around and find out more about him." With that, she disappeared from the place too.


Naruto stood in front of the exit door of the ghost house, carrying three cotton candies. His mind still played the conversation he had with Ophis and wondered how she had known that he was looking for a way to his world.

But for now, he kept those thoughts aside and focus on more important things.

"Hey, Naruto."

Hearing Gabriel call out his name, Naruto turned to his left to see both her and Asia walking toward him. He raised a curious eyebrow noticing that Asia looked embarrassed. There was also a bag that she was carrying.

"Weren't you guys inside the ghost house?" Naruto asked. Asia started to fidget a little more.

Gabriel smiled softly and ruffled Asia's hair. "Well, the little miss got too afraid at the very start. So, we had to backtrack and get out of the front door."

"Oh," Naruto looked at Asia with concern, "Are you all right? Nothing too bad happened right? Do you want me to go and beat up those guys inside there?"

Asia squeaked in surprise. "N-No! Please don't beat up anyone. I am all right, Mr. Naruto."

"Oh, okay," Naruto said, handing the cotton candies to them.

"We were trying to find you," Gabriel said, "Where were you?"

"Eh. I had something to take care of," Naruto answered with a shrug.

Gabriel looked at him suspiciously before asking, "Should we go for lunch?"

Naruto glanced at his watch before nodding. "Yeah. Are you hungry, Asia?"

Asia nodded, finishing her cotton candy. "Yes," she said.

And so, the three of them set out to find a nice restaurant to have lunch. It did not take them long to find one.

The three of them booked a table for three people and they were led to a circular table. A few minutes after taking their seats, the waiter arrived and gave them the menu.

"So, what are you going to have Asia?" Gabriel asked as she went over the menu. "And don't worry, I will pay for the food. So, order anything you want."

"Wow," Naruto pretended to be awed, "You are going to pay?"

Gabriel puffed her cheeks in disappointment. "You make it sound like I am some cheap person."

Naruto rolled his eyes sarcastically before going over the menu. "Damn! Why does no one keep Ramen on their menu?"

"This isn't Japan where you will find that slop on every corner," Gabriel retorted teasingly.

Naruto's eyes widened in mock astonishment. "Slop! I will let you know that Ramen is the Food of Gods!"

This time it was Gabriel who rolled her eyes in exasperation. "For your information, I know God and I am sure he does not spend his time eating Ramen."

Naruto's hands came up as they held the side of his head, his face doing the best expression of 'WTF!' "What!? How is that possible!? Get him down here and I will show him the wonders of ramen! I bet once he gets the taste of it, he will never eat anything else."

Asia let out a cute giggle hearing them argue like that. If she did not know any better, she would have thought that these two were husband and wife.

Gabriel's smile dropped just a bit but there was no luster in them anymore. "Yes. I am sure he would have loved it," she whispered softly.

Naruto gave her a concerned look. He did not know why but he felt that something was going here.

The moment was broken by the waiter who arrived at their table. "Madams and Monsieur," the waiter greeted smoothly, "Are you ready to order?"

"Asia, are you ready?" Gabriel asked the blonde nun.

"Um," Asia looked at the menu before saying, "I will take the Lasagna, please."

The waiter noted her order before looking at Gabriel who said, "I will take the Lasagna, too."

The waiter took her order and asked Naruto, "And, you sir?"

Naruto went through the menu once more before sighing in disappointment. "Guess, I will try the Margherita Pizza. Medium-sized," he ordered.

The waiter took his order and left.

"Pizza?" Gabriel asked giving him a questioning look. "I was sure you were going to order the noodles."

"Meh. There's a first for everything, right?"

Gabriel and Asia giggled making Naruto smile. The three of them began talking amongst themselves. Gabriel would tease Naruto, irritating him. Naruto would retort sarcastically making Gabriel pout. Asia would pitch in sometimes but most times she would find herself giggling happily at their banter.

It filled Asia with happiness seeing the two people argue yet be so caring at the same time. It made her wonder if this is what it felt like to have a father and a mother. No. More like a loving brother and a caring sister-in-law.

She had spent so many Christmas wishes for a family and finally, after almost sixteen years, she had found one. And she could not have been happier.

The wish she was going to ask for this year was already confirmed for her. It will be to hold this family together for many years to come.

The waiter brought their food fifteen minutes later.

"This is so delicious," Asia sighed in ecstasy, taking her first bite.

"Mm," Gabriel moaned as she got a taste of her lasagna, "I can't agree more. Definitely deserves a five-star."

Naruto stared at the circular dish worriedly. He took a slice and after giving it an unsure look, he took his first bite. Only for his eyes to widen in surprise. "This is weirdly good," he said, savoring the taste. It was good but not as good as ramen though.

The three of them ate slowly, relishing the delicious food they had been served.

It took them an hour to finish their food. The waiter brought the bill and Gabriel paid it.

The three of them then went on other rides and enjoyed the day as much as they could.

Asia was ecstatic by the end of the trip.

Gabriel was happy and giddy.

And Naruto was just happy that both of them had enjoyed their time today. It meant that his planning had not gone to waste.

It was nine in the night when the trio reached Asia's church. Naruto stopped the car in the parking and stepped out of the driver's seat. Gabriel and Asia followed suit. Naruto handed the shopping bag containing Asia's new clothes to her.

"Um, Mr. Naruto, can you please wait for a few minutes," Asia asked, hesitantly.

Blinking like a fish, Naruto nodded. "Sure," he said.

Asia smiled brightly. "Okay, please wait here," she exclaimed before running towards the church.

"You know what that was about?" Naruto asked looking at Gabriel.

The blonde-haired angel shrugged her shoulders. "Your guess is as good as mine."

The two of them then waited for the girl to arrive. Fifteen minutes later, they saw her running towards them. Naruto raised an eyebrow noticing the two bags she was carrying in her hand.

Asia stopped in front of them, her hands dropping to her knees as she panted heavily. "I am sorry to make you wait."

"Nah, it's all right," Naruto assured her by smiling gently. "By the way, what's up with these bags?"

"Oh," Asia brought the bags up to her chest, "You see, tomorrow's Christmas and you said, you will be busy tomorrow. And I wanted to give you a Christmas present too."

"Asia…" Naruto whispered softly and a small smile came to his face.

"Here," Asia said handing one of the bags over to him. "I-I bought it with the allowance money that I had saved over the years. I hope you like it."

Naruto gulped and with shaky hands reached inside the bag. He felt the soft fabric of the gift inside. He did not know how to respond to this. This was the second time he had received a present of any form from anyone in his life. He slowly pulled the present out of the bag and his eyes widened in surprise which then turned to happiness.

In his hands was a muffler. But the catchiest thing was probably the color combination. It consisted of red and yellow colors on the two sides with orange color running between them. The two colors on the sides blended into the orange color.

'If you mix the Yellow Flash of the Leaf and the Red-Hot Habanero, then you get…' His mother's words ran through his head.

"The Orange Hokage of the Leaf," Naruto whispered, his eyes tearing up slightly. He clutched the muffler tightly in his hands and brought it close to his face. He breathed deeply trying not to cry in front of them.

"I-I am sorry, Mr. Naruto," Asia apologized noticing tears in his eyes. Her own eyes had started to tear up. "I did not want to hurt you or anything."

Gabriel gave Naruto a concerned look too. She wondered what could have made him react like that.

"No, Asia." Naruto sniffed and gave the girl the brightest smile Gabriel had seen. "You don't know just how much it means to me."

Asia wiped her tears away and smiled at him gratefully. "I am glad that you liked it, big brother."

Naruto paused and stared at Asia with eyes wide in shock. Asia had called him big brother.

Asia had called him big brother for the first time.

He laid a gentle hand on her head and pulled her towards him such that her head rested on his chest. "I have always wanted a sister," Naruto whispered in her ear, "And I could not have asked for a better one than you."

Asia felt tears well up in her eyes again as she hugged Naruto back. God had given her the greatest gift in her life and she would forever be grateful to him for sending someone like Naruto to her.

Gabriel stood on the sidelines and watched the scene with a smile. The two people she had started to care about had found happiness in each other. She turned around and was about to quietly leave, but Asia's voice stopped her.

"Lady Emilia."

Gabriel turned back and saw Asia holding the second bag in front of her.

"I bought a gift for you too," Asia said, "You have given me a gift every Christmas and I wanted to give you a present this time. I hope you like it."

"You did not have to do it, Asia," Gabriel said, taking the bag from her.

"I know I did not," Asia said with a cheeky smile, "But I wanted to."

Gabriel chuckled and reached for the gift inside. Pulling it out, she saw a bracelet with a blue-colored crystal on it. Running a soft hand over the crystal, she smiled and whispered, "It's beautiful."

"I am glad you liked it too," Asia said with a bright smile.

Gabriel put the bracelet on and examined it. It looked beautiful. "Since, we are already giving each other Christmas presents, I might as well give you one," Gabriel said as she put her hand behind her back, and when she brought it back, it was carrying a small bag. "Here, I had planned to give it tomorrow, but I guess it's the same thing."

Asia took the bag and fished the gift out of it. It was a beautiful silver tiara with a green-colored crystal on it.

"A tiara for the little princess," Gabriel stated happily, "Come on, give it a try."

Naruto took the bag from Asia to hold it for her while she put the tiara on. Asia removed her hat and put the tiara on. And instantly, Gabriel let out a squeal.

"She looks gorgeous, does not she Naruto," Gabriel exclaimed. She sounded like a mother who had seen the cutest thing about her child.

Naruto laughed and gave a thumbs-up. "Yup! You look just like a princess," Naruto said, proudly.

"It's getting late," Asia said, as she put the tiara in its bag, "I should be going, otherwise the sisters may get worried."

"Before you leave," Naruto said, "There's something else I want you to have." He reached behind his neck and unhooked the necklace around it. He brought it up, showcasing it to the two of them.

The two blondes were instantly mesmerized by the necklace. It had a simple design yet it radiated a weird beauty, especially the green crystal attached to it.

"This necklace," Naruto began, his voice soft and filled with love, "was given to me by a very important woman in my life. She is like a grandmother to me. The original one got destroyed during a disaster and she had been aware of that. So, she commissioned another one. It's a replica of the original one. The first one she had given to me because she believed in me. But this one. This one is equally special. Because this one is a gift from a grandmother to her grandson. So, I want you to have it. As a gift from a brother to his sister."

Naruto went around Asia and stood behind her. Asia removed her ponytail from covering the back of her neck so that Naruto could hook the necklace.

"This necklace will also tell me where you are," Naruto said hooking the necklace successfully. "So, anytime you are in danger, all you have to do is call me and I will be there in a flash."

"Thank you, big brother," Asia thanked, sniffing slightly.

"Don't mention it. Now off you go," Naruto said, smiling at her.

"And Asia," Gabriel said drawing the blonde nun's attention. "Tomorrow, I will tell you something very important."

Naruto and Gabriel watched Asia run off toward the church. They stood there for a few more minutes before getting into the car and driving off.


Naruto parked the car in his garage and hopped out of it.

Gabriel exited the passenger seat and followed Naruto out of the garage. "I really enjoyed myself today," Gabriel said with a satisfied voice, "And I am quite sure Asia did too."

Naruto nodded before turning to her. "Gabriel," Naruto said in a serious voice.

"Yes?"

"Was that present from Asia the first time you have gotten a present?"

"Yes. I know it's a sad existence, isn't it?" Gabriel replied in a melancholic tone. "It makes me feel bad that I haven't even gotten a present for my own brothers. Ever."

Naruto stayed silent for a few minutes. He turned around and said, "My gift is still left."

"You don't have to give me any, Naruto," Gabriel assured him with a gentle tone, "Today's outing was more than enough."

"Nah! It's nothing special," Naruto said before raising his right hand and extending it toward her for her to take it. "Wanna go somewhere with me."

Gabriel felt a small smile come to her face as she took his hand.

Naruto pulled her to him, their faces inches away from each other. His right hand was wrapped around her waist while her hands were on his shoulder.

Gabriel stared mesmerized into the blue eyes of the man that was holding her. Until she heard the same sound of bone cracking that she had heard in the morning. Her eyes trailed upwards and they widened when she saw a horn grow out of Naruto's left forehead. Her eyes trailed downwards and once again she was shocked to see that Naruto's left eye was now purple with concentric rings on them.

"Won't take a second for us to reach there," Naruto said.

Gabriel was about to ask what he meant when she noticed the black-colored portal from before open directly below them.

And then the two of them fell through it.


Gabriel found herself in free fall. She had her eyes closed. She could still feel Naruto's arm wrapped around her waist. She was about to unleash her wings only for them to slow down. She opened her eyes and looked down to see them slowly floating down to the ground.

Breathing a sigh of relief she looked back at Naruto, whose horn and purple eyes had disappeared, giving her an amused look.

A second later, her feet touched the earth indicating that both of them had landed. She could feel the grasses under her feet. Much to her disappointment, Naruto's arm unwrapped itself from her waist, letting her go. He, then, began walking past her causing her to turn around.

Naruto stopped a few feet away from her and turned to her halfway. Motioning with his head to follow him, he said, "Come. It's just a small way ahead."

Not arguing, Gabriel followed Naruto. They walked up a hillside. The top wasn't that far from what she could see. The sound of water flowing at great speed reached her ear and she wondered if there was a waterfall up ahead. The grass under her shoes felt soft and nice.

She glanced at Naruto who was already standing at the top of the hill with his back to her. And when she reached the top, her breath was taken away by the sheer brilliance of the scene in front of her.

In front of them was the most beautiful scene she had ever seen.

They were standing in front of a majestic waterfall whose thundering sound could be heard meters away. Its surroundings were covered by snow creating a beautiful contrast between white and dark. The waterfall was illuminated by the moonlight and the faint green light of the aurora just over it. The aurora looked like it was originating from the top of the waterfall. It truly was a sight to behold.

"Skógafoss," Gabriel whispered breathily.

"I discovered this place accidentally," Naruto said looking around the beautiful sight before glancing at the blonde from the corner of his eyes. He paused as he took in the lightly illuminated face of Gabriel and how beautiful she looked. "Have you ever come here before?"

"I have," Gabriel answered almost breaking Naruto's heart, "But I have never seen such a beautiful view before."

Naruto perked up at that and smiled brightly. "Hey, let's go closer to it," he said before grabbing her hand gently and running toward the waterfall.

"W-Wait, Naruto." Gabriel stammered but Naruto was already pulling her with him.

They both laughed as they ran through the grassy earth, being a little childish. They ran around the lake formed by the waterfall and soon stood a few meters away from it.

"It truly is a sight to behold," Gabriel whispered, taking in how beautiful the waterfall looked from below. She then looked at Naruto who looked thoughtful. "What are you thinking about, Naruto?"

Naruto scratched his chin a bit as he said, "I should have teleported to the top." Before he shrugged, "Meh, who cares."

Suddenly, Gabriel found herself in Naruto's arms, being carried bridal style. She wrapped her arms around Naruto's shoulders to balance herself.

And then Naruto started running…on the water of the lake.

She would have questioned him, but at this point, she had given up trying to figure out what else Naruto could do.

She felt Naruto wrap his arms tightly around her form before he jumped, more like did a mighty leap.

As he did that, his face lined with the moon giving him a majestic look. Like an angel was descending from Heaven to Earth.

It caused Gabriel to blush and shake her head furiously. 'What the hell am I thinking? He is sixteen for god's sake. B-But he looks like in his late twenties. How is that fair,' she furiously thought in her mind.

"Why, thanks for the compliment."

Gabriel's face immediately went red in embarrassment when she found Naruto looking at her with a smile on his face. "I… I said that out too loud, did not I?"

Naruto landed on the ground, this time at the top of the mountain. "You sure did," he said, "But do I really look that old?"

Gabriel nodded hesitantly. "Y-Yes. I mean you do look like you are in your late twenties."

"Damn," Naruto uttered. 'Guess the Ootsutsuki-fication is maturing my body faster.'

He gently put Gabriel down. He then looked around before satisfactorily saying, "As I thought, it looks better from the top."

Gabriel who was lost in her mind shook herself again to bring herself out of her stupor, "Y-Yes, you're right."

She had noticed another thing just now. The water was crashing ferociously against the rocks. By all means, it should have splashed their clothes wet. But there was not a single drop of water above here. It was like the water droplets avoided them.

"Want to have a seat?" Naruto asked.

Gabriel looked at him and found him seating on a wooden bench that did not even exist a few seconds earlier. Was she going to question him? Nope. Not at all.

She took a seat beside Naruto, facing the wonderful view of the waterfall.

"So, how's things going in Heaven?" Naruto asked. "Uriel still bitching about me?"

Gabriel giggled. "You should not use crass words like that, Naruto."

"Are you going to mother me now?" Naruto asked drily.

Gabriel giggled a bit more before saying, "No for your second question and yes for your first one."

"Why doesn't he like me, though? I mean… Isn't heaven supposed to be filled with loving and kind people?"

Gabriel released a melancholic sigh. "I don't know. Uriel has always been a voice of reason. He has always believed in justice and even loved humans… But he… He changed after the war… He changed so drastically, I could no longer find my brother in him. He became cynical and suspicious. He just…" She trailed off after that.

"Guess war does that to everyone, huh?" Naruto said, sorrowfully.

"Yes. It really is like hell." Gabriel sighed.

"I will choose hell anytime over war," Naruto whispered softly.

"Why do you say that?" Gabriel gave him a curious look.

Naruto's eyes drooped in sadness. "At least in hell, I will not have to see the people I care about getting killed."

Gabriel stared at him for a second. "They say, they torture your soul in hell. Maybe even show you the death of your loved ones over and over."

"At least then, I will know all these are fake," Naruto said, "In war, it is either kill or be killed. You know it is reality and you have to keep living with that."

Gabriel's eyes held sadness in them. "You speak from experience, don't you?"

Naruto did not say anything and that was all the answer that Gabriel needed. She had always thought of Naruto as this bright young man who could light up the world with his smile. But to find out that had fought in a war was shocking. And, he still managed to smile after all that. It spoke volumes about his resilience.

"You act and sound so much like him, you know," Gabriel uttered fondly.

"Like whom?" Naruto raised a curious eyebrow.

"Father," Gabriel answered looking at the sky.

"Oh." Naruto's widened slightly in realization before something came to his mind. "Wait! He isn't going to flood this place because I brought his daughter here, will he? I have heard fathers can be really protective of their daughters. If so, I will have to go and evacuate the nearby cities. And then-"

"Naruto!" Gabriel yelled making him stop. She gave him a sad smile and said, "Don't worry, he isn't going to do anything, all right."

"Oh, ok I guess," Naruto conceded. He had noticed the sad look on her face and really wanted to ask her what was going on, but he could not do so. He did not want to pry into her life like that. If she wanted to tell him, then she will.

"I wish Father was here to meet you," Gabriel's eyes started tearing up, "I wish he was here. Then everything would have been all right. No one would have to suffer."

"You speak as if he is dead," Naruto whispered lightly. But he did not expect Gabriel to nod her head.

"He is," she whispered, "He died during the last war. All because he could not raise his weapon against his eldest son at the last moment."

"I… I am sorry." Naruto could see some similarities between Gabriel's father and Hagaromo. Both of them were betrayed and killed by their eldest child. Weird coincidence. That was when he realized something. "Wait! If God is dead, then who the hell are people praying to?"

Gabriel let out a mirthless laugh. "I knew you would catch that. But Father was always prepared. He created a system that would cater to the prayers of the people albeit inefficiently in his absence. But Michael is trying his best to operate the system at full power."

Naruto sighed. "Oh, I am sorry. I should not have sprouted those words like that."

"No, it's all right. It just shows how much you care about people." Gabriel stared at the sky melancholically. "But Father's absence is felt every day not only in heaven but on earth too. With each day, people's belief in us is decreasing. And because of that, Heaven is getting weaker. There was a time when Heaven did not need humans as soldiers. Angels could protect humanity while fighting both devils and fallen angels. But now… We have to depend on humans to do our jobs. We need them to fight our battles. That is our greatest failure."

Naruto sat there contemplating what he had heard. He had never thought that a well-established god like that could be killed and it saddened him that oftentimes, it is their eldest child to do that. It was like a never-ending cycle of gods being killed by their eldest child.

"How many people know about his death?" Naruto asked curiously. But he could take a guess, seeing as people still worshipped him.

"Only a few, like the most trusted people," Gabriel answered, "If it somehow leaked that God is dead, it would cause chaos amongst our followers. Not to mention, because angels don't procreate like humans, they require humanity's faith in them to sustain themselves. Since Father's death, new angels have stopped forming, and due to loss of faith, our numbers are also starting to dwindle. And then there are those who fall from grace and become fallen angels."

"You guys really are in a messed-up situation, aren't you?" Naruto commented.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes. The only sound was the crashing of water against the rocks. It was peaceful. And both of them felt like everything was going to be all right. But neither of them realized that their hands had moved just an inch closer to each other's.

"Uh, before I forget," Naruto said breaking the silence, "I will be leaving for China on January 2nd."

"China?" Gabriel repeated curiously. "Do you want to meet the Buddhist Pantheon? Their reclusiveness is only second to the Hindu Pantheon's."

"Not really the Buddhist Pantheon," Naruto answered, "More like one person who is rumored to know it all."

"Oh? You mean Lord Buddha?"

Naruto nodded his head. "Yeah, him."

"Oh, I have met him once before," Gabriel told him, "He is a nice god, better than some others I have met. He is really kind. But why do you want to meet him?"

"He might be able to help me with my predicament," Naruto replied.

"Your predicament? You mean…You, returning to your world?"

Naruto gave a nod. "Yeah…"

Once again, a peaceful silence descended between them. Their hands, an inch closer.

"If you ever find a way back home, will you come here again," Gabriel asked, her voice sad.

Naruto sighed before replying, "I don't know…" He let out a mirthless chuckle. "I don't even know if anyone is alive back home. I don't even know if I return someday, will I see barren land with dead people or a flourishing land where people have forgotten me."

"Naruto…"

"Before I dropped in this world, we were fighting a war, a devastating war."

Gabriel listened silently.

"We were fighting against a goddess," Naruto continued with a blank tone, "We tried everything but nothing worked against her. Until I remembered a technique that my father had used against an overwhelming opponent. The only downside of the technique is that you need to sacrifice a life for it to work. And I was fully prepared to sacrifice mine.

I had gone to the battle knowing that I could die and at that moment, my dreams, my happiness, nothing mattered. All that mattered was saving the people I cared about. I was prepared to die for that. But the technique obviously failed. One thing led to another and now here I am.

Buying a house, buying cars. Enjoying life. While all I know is that the people, I sacrificed my life for never got released and died watching a fucking ass dream!"

Naruto then looked at Gabriel with tear-filled eyes. "It torments me every day, ya'know. Every night I go to sleep, I see their faces blaming me for the atrocities that they suffered. Every day I wake up with a little less hope that I would ever see them again. Every day I go to sleep knowing that out there, they are probably dead. And it kills me every day, Gabriel."

Gabriel pulled Naruto into a hug and Naruto reciprocated it gratefully. Naruto had for the first time opened up like this and it made him look vulnerable, something that did not suit him. From the outside, he appeared to be a bright, happy, and easy-going person. But on the inside, he was like a man broken by the circumstances around him.

"I don't know how to say this Naruto," Gabriel whispered into his ears as she rubbed soothing circles on his back, "But the fact that you care for your people so much, shows how great of a person you're. And I know that your people back home are all right and waiting for you to return to them someday. Maybe they are even looking for you as we speak."

"You don't have to give me false hope, Gabriel," Naruto said softly, his head lying on her shoulder.

"No. This isn't false hope. I know it in my heart that it is true. Your sacrifice isn't going to go to waste. I am sure that they are all right."

Naruto separated himself from her and wiped his eyes. "I am sorry, you had to see me like that."

"I am glad that you opened up to me, Naruto. It makes me feel special," Gabriel said with a gentle smile. "And who knows maybe this is your new journey. Maybe this world now needs you more than ever. Maybe this is where the next phase of your life is."

Naruto laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. Gabriel was a bit shocked by the gesture but did not fight it. Instead she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I guess, you're right." Naruto smiled happily. "That's why, I am going to protect the humans of this world."

And the two silently watched the scene, enjoying the quiet nature. Neither knew how long it had been and did not care either.

Sitting there like that was a new experience for Naruto. The only woman he had been close to were Tsunade and Shizune and they were like sisters to him. Sakura had always sent him flying anytime he asked her to spend some time with him. But this time, especially with Gabriel, there was something different.

Something he did not realize. Something that filled his stomach with butterflies.

As for Gabriel, she was in a similar predicament. She had lived for thousands of years and not once had she felt so peaceful, happy and loved in someone's arms. It was a completely new feeling. And for it to come from a…

"Naruto…"

"Yes?"

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen, why?"

"Naruto… I am like thousands of years old."

"Yeah, and…?"

"Naruto, don't you realize what that means?"

"Eh… The only thing that I see is a cougar hunting for a younger male to satisfy her needs."

Gabriel looked at him incredulously. She yelped and slapped his arms. "How can you say something like that?"

Naruto laughed at her look. "Come on, it's all right. We're just spending a moment together. There is nothing romantic about that," he said rubbing the back of his sheepishly.

"Y-Yes… Y-You're right", Gabriel stammered.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at her. "Did you think there was something romantic about it?"

Gabriel frantically shook her hands. "N-No! Why would I think that!? There's nothing romantic about it. We're just friends spending time together. You're absolutely right. We're just friends."

Naruto really wanted her to say that she felt there was something romantic here. But it seemed that Gabriel did not think so. And for some reason, it made his heart heavy.

"Oh, no. Look at the time," Gabriel exclaimed jumping off the bench. "I should probably go back. It is getting late."

Naruto pulled himself off the bench. "I did not think you had restrictions back at Heaven."

"N-No, it's nothing like that," Gabriel stuttered, "They need me in Heaven. You know knowing Michael, he would have turned Heaven upside down to find me. He can't do anything without me, ya'know."

"Sorry that I ruined the night like this," Naruto said with a sorrowful look.

Suddenly, Gabriel grabbed each side of his face and pulled him closer to her face. He thought for once that she was going to kiss him, but instead she just smiled.

"Naruto." She began. "Don't say that. I enjoyed every moment tonight and the whole day. I hope we can spend more time like this."

She let his face go much to his disappointment.

'Dammit Naruto, just ask her out. Ask her before she leaves. You just have to say the word. Tell her that you would like to spend some time with her when you come back from China. Come on do it, you dolt.' Naruto thought furiously.

"Hey, Gabriel," Naruto called out.

"Hm?" Gabriel gave him a hopeful look.

Naruto took a deep breath to prepare himself and said, "I enjoyed today too. It really helped me take my mind off of things, ya'know."

"I am glad it helped. It helped me too."

"Yeah. So… We should do this again… With Asia and all that. Ya'know what I mean."

Gabriel let out a giggle. "I am sure we will. Bye Naruto."

"Bye."

He watched her disintegrate into light particles before they drifted off in the wind. The smile on his face dropped as he sighed in disappointment. "I really could not ask her out." Naruto thought to himself aloud. He kicked the ground and clicked his tongue. "Guess all this power still does not give me confidence to ask someone out. But does she even want to go out with me? She said it herself. She is thousands of years old. I am just eighteen. Not to mention, she is an angel. Aren't they like forbidden from falling in love? Dammit! How cruel can this world be?"

That was when he noticed a white-colored object floating in the air. Grabbing it with his hands, he realized that it was a piece of paper. Bringing it closer to his face, he saw something written on it.

I really enjoyed today. And I did not give you your Christmas present.

So, when you return from China, maybe the two of us can go on a date.

~ Gabriel

Naruto's eyes were wide in surprise. His body was shaking. His hands crumpled the paper into a ball before burning it to ashes. His shocked face turned to a happy one. He wanted to whoop in joy, and he did.

"YES, BABY!" He exclaimed to the sky in happiness. He was going to go on his first date. And for that he needed to find this Buddha guy fast.

And with that Naruto entered his hybrid mode. Opening a portal to his home, he left the place.

A new chapter was to begin in his life.

And what neither Naruto or Gabriel knew was that this was not just an ordinary story about the journey of a boy to his dream.

This was Naruto's journey in realizing that he was no ordinary human but…

A God That This World Needed


Author's Note:

I was going supposed to release this story two weeks ago. But I got busy with my other story Limitless - The Strongest Hero and for some time got too interested in that one.

And when I started to write this chapter, it just got longer and longer.

This chapter was my first attempt at writing a bit of romance. Please don't kill me.

I wasn't planning on having Gabriel as a love interest but then I realized that for the role I am planning for Naruto in this world, having her as a love interest would be the best.

And the most important thing about this chapter:

It's really calm before a storm, right?

Bye Bye. Meet you guys next month.