Original Posted On June 29, 2022
Beta Read by: Darklord331
Review Response:
Redem6blight: I am happy you enjoyed the chapter. Hopefully the scenes with Kuroka in this chapter make you happy too.
Calderoneric758: Yeah, he is. Remember, Naruto and Koneko are 9, so subtly isn't a strong suit, not yet anyway.
Razberry17: I am not sure for the Mink tribe yet, if they are, how are they different from normal yokai besides the basic Electro ability and their breeding. For the League of Monsters, I don't think I'll include it. I might, but as of right now, I don't know.
Bednarczykmiki: It would, but they won't show up.
Guest: Thank you. Please enjoy this chapter.
Hammelbroden: Hm, I like the idea for the Baku Danzo. He could eat emotions. That way he can have his ROOT.
NaruCrazy: I know, but I am trying to mix haki and senjutsu into one. Also, Senjutsu is just another name for Haki, and a misconception in what it is. Remember, in one piece, observation haki is called Mantra on Skypea, and the people of Wano call Armament Haki Ryuo, so it is just a different name for Haki.
PLEASE READ: I have a plan for Shusui and Enma, so don't worry about it. Hm, interesting suggestions.
Genimi-Spark: I agree on the Baku.
Borello: Thank you.
Nicholas: Nice idea.
Harem:
OKAY, LETS READ THIS SHIT! I DON'T OWN NARUTO, ONE PIECE, HIGHSCHOOL DXD OR ANY OTHER ANIME I MAY REFERENCE!
"Hey" = Speaking
'Hey' = Thinking
'Hey' = Memory
"Hey"= Sacred Gear/ Communication link
Chapter 14: Demonstration of Skill
"I am happy that you also found a good person to be your King." Koneko said as she jumped onto Naruto's messy bed. "I wish you could be traded to Rias's peerage, Naruto. That way we could be together every day."
"I know, I wish I could see you everyday too, Koneko." Naruto said as he sat on his bed.
Koneko lay across his legs, smiling as Naruto scratched her head, where her cat ears should be.
"Hey, Koneko…"
"Hm?"
"What if I told you… that Kuroka didn't go crazy from being 'drunk on Haki'?" Naruto asked her bluntly, his stomach being tight with nerves and butterflies.
There was an eerie silence between the two children as Koneko tensed.
She shifted over and looked Naruto in the eyes.
"I'd say, 'Stop joking'." She said seriously.
Naruto wasn't surprised, but it still hurt.
"Well, then it is good I am not saying that then." Naruto joked with a very fake laugh.
Koneko's eyes became heavy as she turned away, closing herself off as she kept her head on Naruto's lap.
'Kuroka…' She thought before shaking her head. 'No, she is a monster. I hate her…'
Meanwhile…
Guts swung his sword with his only hand, raising it above his head before swinging again.
He was training alone, Casca, Rickert, Judeau, and Pippin were somewhere in the small manor he was gifted when he became a High-Class devil.
'I need to keep getting stronger.' Guts thought as he continued to swing his sword. 'But I need to take care of my peerage before anything else…'
Guts swung his sword in a diagonal slash, his sword hitting against the steel of another sword.
"Even with one arm, there is the usual power behind your strike, Guts."
"Kuroka?" Guts asked in confusion as he recognized his friend. "You got fat."
Kuroka's eyes narrowed, swinging Wado Ichimonji at Guts' neck, which he ducked.
"NYA! I DARE YOU TO SAY THAT AGAIN!" Kuroka shouted as she continued her assault.
"Kuroka!" Guts said through clenched teeth, dropping his weapon and grabbing Kuroka's wrist. "What! Areyou doing here?"
Guts looked around before he pulled Kuroka into the manor.
"You're done with training already, Gu…" Rickert asked as he looked up from his work, stopping when he saw Kuroka.
"Well, if it isn't our little black cat." Pippin said with a smile as he sat up.
"Kuroka!" Rickert shouted as he ran to the nekoshou, hugging her. "We were told…"
"Everyone, be quiet!" Guts ordered.
Rickert separated himself from Kuroka, Pippin putting his hand on Rickerts shoulder to reassure him it was okay.
"Guts," Judeau asked as he and Casca looked over the edge of the stairs. "What is… Kuroka, is that you?"
"Hey, everyone." Kuroka said with a wave.
"What happened to you? When we woke up, the higher ups were saying horrible things about you!" Rickert stated, looking at Kuroka. "They said you killed Griffith and then…"
"I killed him." Kuroka interrupted, her bangs covering her eyes slightly, her eyes holding untamed hatred as she flexed her fingers. "I killed him in self-defense."
"But that doesn't explain why you are here." Guts said as he crossed his arm. "If anyone saw you, we could be imprisoned for harboring a traitor."
"I know it's risky, but I needed to know something." Kuroka said as she looked at Guts.
"What is it?" Casca asked.
"H-how is Shirone?" Kuroka asked as her earlier anger was replaced with worry and concern. "I want to know more. I heard that she changed her name and has been fed lies about me…"
"Koneko," Guts said as he sat down. "Is doing well. Last time we saw her, she was going fine physically, happy even. She reunited with an old friend, the one you and your mother were looking for."
"Yeah, that I know." Kuroka said with a smile as she thought about Koneko and Naruto.
"Kuroka, have you found your mother's killer?" Judeau asked the nekoshou.
Kuroka shook her head.
"I have tried the place mom was at when she was hurt, but whoever was there seems to have left." Kuroka said as she remembered searching the mansion. "All I know is that they were not human. There were eight of them. Six with orange hair and ripple patterned eyes. One female that could become paper, and the last one… he had red hair."
Guts' interest was piqued.
"Red hair?"
"Like a Gremory." Kuroka replied. "So, imagine my surprise when the Gremory girl took Shirone in."
Guts sighed before he stood up.
"Kuroka, if you find this person," Guts said as he produced a summoning seal. "You should call us. I know we didn't spend much time with Fujima, but she was a kind woman. She didn't deserve the fate she received."
Kuroka took the seal, looking them all in the eyes.
"Thank you." She said as her ears perked up. "Seems I need to go."
Kuroka's personal seal, a deep purple octagon, before she vanished as a knock emitted from the door.
"Come in."
The door opened and revealed a little girl.
"Erica?" Guts asked as he made his way to the door. "Did you travel buy yourself? Where is Godot?"
The now named Erica smiled.
"Yep, and I have your new arm." Erica said as she removed a bag from her back.
Erica has light-brown hair that she wears in a bun and dark green eyes. She wears a very simple white dress. She also sported a red shoulder coat over the top with two little pom-poms in the middle. Over her hair, she wore a traditional bun cover to protect her bun from coming undone
She was the daughter of the famous Godot, a blacksmith who survived the Faction and Devil Civil War.
Though, he was dishonored when he supplied weapons to both the Old Satan and Anti-Satan factions, though he was spared death by the current Satan's, who understood it was just business.
"Here, try out your new arm, Guts." Erica said as she handed the King his prosthetic arm.
Guts unwrapped it, his eye widening.
"Wow, Godot used my designs." Rickert said as he saw the craftsmanship.
"Yep, dad was impressed and thought it would be good." Erica said as Guts held up the arm. "The Cannon Arm is completed."
The steel gray metal hand had bendable fingers, and Guts noticed that there was a magnet magic seal on the palm.
'Probably to help grip my sword.' Guts thought as he looked at the arm.
The elbow area had a spring on it, which would help move it back into a 'resting' position when Guts wasn't bending his arm.
But the forearm, now that was a totally different story.
The cannon arm resembles a miniature cannon or a large-bore musket. Its firing mechanism consists largely of a lit match, making it a match-lock firearm. The weapon is hidden behind the prosthetic hand, but a simple flick of the artificial wrist puts the entire hand in a folding position, allowing him to fire the cannon.
"it's amazing, tell Godot thank you, Erica." Guts said as he looked at his arm stub.
"You can tell him yourself," Erica said as she cleared her throat and put on a tired, gruff expression as Guts put the false arm on, feeling the weight of it. "'A bum like him can come and get the gift I made for him'."
"Huh, a bum?" Guts asked with a chuckle as he bent the arm.
It didn't have any feeling of course, but it felt right.
"Oh, I have an idea for a crossbow." Rickert said as he started drawing up plans, Pippin laughing as the young devil did his craft.
"Okay, I'll travel with you, Erica." Guts said as he turned to Casca. "Casca, you're in charge until I return."
"Okay, Guts." Casca said as she reached out.
She took Gut's false hand in hers, the cold steel making her shiver for a second before she gripped it gently.
"Come back soon." She said as Guts' sword reappeared on his back.
"Come on, who do you think I am?" Guts asked her.
"A meathead." Judeau replied with a cocky smirk.
Skip, Bael Territory….
"Naruto, your Geppo training starts now." Lucci said as he demonstrated the technique.
He jumped into the air, then kicked off of it like there was a wall behind him.
Naruto was barely able to follow Lucci's movements except during the small moments he needed to 'jump'.
"You see what I am doing?" Lucci asked Naruto as he 'jumped back and forth in the air', keeping in place.
"Hm… you are using your leg muscles with chakra, forming small platforms…" Naruto randomly guessed.
"Close, but you are on the right track." Lucci said as he stopped using Geppo, landing on the ground. "I am actually using my legs and chakra to create small sonic booms strong enough to project me forward. With your mixed heritage, you should be able to get this after a few days."
"You believe that?" Naruto asked hopefully.
"No." Lucci said as Hattori hooted in laughter, killing Naruto's optimism.
He pouted as he created shadow clones.
'Okay, so I have to use chakra and my muscles, and through that I create sonic booms…' Naruto thought as he and his clones entered hybrid form and jumped, kicking in the air… only to fall and hit the ground.
"You didn't use enough chakra." Lucci stated. "You don't need much, but to make the sonic booms, you must use a correct amount. As you get better, the amount of chakra used will decrease to the point where it will feel like you aren't spending any chakra. Now try again!"
"Yes, sensei!" Naruto shouted as he and his clones got back up.
Two Weeks Later, …
Naruto had welts on top of his welts.
His Geppo training was much easier, he was actually getting the hang of it now, but if he lost concentration, he would fall and hurt himself.
"There we go." Rob (The butler who healed Naruto in a previous chapter) said as he healed Naruto's injuries. "You feel better?"
"Yeah, a lot…"
"GRAH!"
"FUCK, NEEDLE GHOST!" Naruto shouted as he punched his assailant.
"FUCK, that hurt, Naruto!"
"Wha…?"
The Needle Ghost was Kuisha wearing a white bedsheet with a syringe in her hands.
"I think you broke my organs." Kuisha said as she could feel her organs rumble in the worse way possible.
Naruto swayed backwards, hitting the wall and slid down with his soul peaking out of his mouth.
"Phew, it was not a needle ghost." His soul said, wiping its forehead before returning to Naruto's body. "THAT WASN'T FUNNY, KUISHA!"
"It was humorous." Rob chuckled, covering his mouth.
"NO IT WASN'T!" Naruto shouted as he stomped out of the room.
"Naruto," Kuisha called out. "I need to tell you something."
"Shove it up your ass, Kuisha!" Naruto shouted at her, irritated she scared him.
"Sairaorg is going out on a job, and wanted to know if…"
"SHUT UP!"
Kuisha winced as she heard the door slam.
"You messed up, big time, Kuisha." Rob said as he helped her up, checking her organs. "No serious injuries, but still, they will be bruised."
"Yeah, I know." Kuisha said as she wobbled out of the room.
Next Day…
Naruto stood still, legs spread and bent with Yubashiri on his left and Shigure on his right.
Before him was a boulder.
Off to the side was Liban and Beruka.
"Nitoryu…" Naruto said as he gripped his swords, pulling them out slightly.
Liban and Beruka blinked and Naruto was past the rock, sheathing his swords.
"Rashomon." He said as he pressed them into their sheathes completely, the boulder breaking into three pieces.
"Damn, that was amazing." Liban said as he clapped. "Though you had a bit of trouble sheathing the swords."
"Yeah, that was the only part that…" Beruka said as they looked back at the boulder, the first half cut cleanly with the rest being broken via cracking. "Was done correctly."
"Okay, I'll work on that." Naruto said as he wiped his forehead.
He had been showing them the fruits of his six and a half months of training in Ittoryu and Nitoryu.
"Okay, now for the next." Naruto said as he put Shigure back on the left of his hip with Yubashiri.
He returned his attention to the remains of the boulder, starting to draw Yubashiri as he gripped the sheath in his left hand.
"Ittoryu: Shishi Sonson."
One of the boulder pieces was cut again as Naruto appeared behind it, sheathing Yubashiri.
"That one was better." Beruka stated. "A clean cut."
"Nothing else to say, but keep training." Liban encouraged.
"Not done yet. I still have more." Naruto stated as he drew Yubashiri.
He prepared to swing Yubashiri, aiming for a tree as his chakra filled his blade.
"Ittoryu: Sanjuroku Pound Ho!" Naruto said as he swung Yubashiri.
A crescent blade of chakra similar to Rankyaku flew from the edge of the sword, cutting the tree like butter.
"Nitoryu…" Naruto said as he drew Shigure, not stopping to let Liban and Beruka give their two cents. "Nanajuni Pound Ho!"
Swinging both Yubashiri and Shigure, two flying chakra blades flew through the air, cutting more trees.
"Okay, Naruto, we…" Liban started to say in concern.
"Nigiri…" Naruto continued as he held his swords horizontally, both blades pointing to the right. "Toro!"
Naruto jumped as he swung his swords in unison upward, sending two attacks toward the sky.
"Otoro!" Naruto said as he swung downward as he began to fall, two more attacks this time going downward.
"Naruto, we get it, that's…" Beruka said as he covered his face from debris.
"No…" Naruto said as he sheathed his swords, confusing Beruka and Liban.
He lunged forward with his arms held out.
"Muttoryu: Tatsumaki!" Naruto shouted as he swung his arms and head in unison.
"HOLY SHIT!" Liban and Beruka shouted as a miniature twister as tall as the trees whipped itself to life.
However, unlike the others, this technique ripped the trees out instead of cutting them.
"Damn…" Naruto gasped as he took a knee, sweat pouring from his body. "I understand now…"
"What?"
"Tatsumaki is one of… well, it is meant to be used with three swords, one in each hand and one in my mouth." Naruto explained, pointing to his mouth. "This is a version for Muttoryu: No-Sword Style. With a sword, it has cutting power, but…" He looks at the uprooted tree. "It seems without the swords, it only has a blunt force affect…"
"You learned all these… in just six months?" Beruka asked in shock.
"I had help with my clones, and the projectile techniques are not that far from Rankyaku…" Naruto gasped as he started to sway.
"I got you…" Liban said as he caught the nine year old.
"I still have a long way to go…" Naruto tiredly babbled. "I will surpass my mom and grandpa…"
Liban and Beruka looked at each other with inquisitive looks.
"Who was your mom and Grandpa?" Beruka asked.
"SSszzzz…"
"Damn, he fell asleep." Liban said as he put the sleeping kitsune on his back. "Guess that those techniques ate through his chakra. Another thing he will have to work on. Power consumption."
"He is strong for a little kid." Beruka said in some irritation and the rest admiration. "You think it is because of the Mutated Pawn Piece Sairaorg used or his heritage?"
"Probably both." Liban answered as he and Beruka went back to the mansion, leaving the training ground a disaster.
Next Morning…
"Naruto…" Misteeta called out, looking for Naruto.
It was his turn to look after Naruto with Gandoma and Misla.
The rest of the peerage were out shopping and other things that needed to be done.
"Naruto, you little shit where are you!" Misteeta shouted in anger. "I'M TIRED OF LOOKING FOR YOU!"
"NARUTO!" Misla shouted in fear.
'The garden?' Misteeta thought as he heard Misla's scream.
Teleporting to the Lady of the Mansion, Misteeta looked around.
"Where…"
Misteeta looked at Misla, and then followed her gaze.
He looked up and saw Naruto on top of the roof.
"NARUTO GET DOWN!"
"I WILL WHEN I AM READY!" Naruto shouted back, his tone shaky and scared.
"Oh, you found him." Gandoma said as he entered the garden. "Wow, how'd he get up there?"
"Doesn't matter, he is coming down right now!" Misteeta stated as he flourished his staff, preparing to use magic to get Naruto jumped off of the roof.
"NARUTO!" Misla shouted as her wings appeared, about to jump to catch him… only for him to turn at a forty-five-degree angle, going to his right. "Huh?"
"YES, I am mastering Geppo!" Naruto declared as he 'kicked' upward, his trajectory changing again before it looked like he was bouncing back and forth in midair.
"You little…"
Naruto stopped as he heard Misteeta behind him, instantly dropping to the ground.
"I got you." Gandoma said as he caught the kitsune.
"I could have survived on my own." Naruto pouted, red in the face with embarrassment.
Gandoma chuckled.
"I bet you could have, but then Lady Misla could have had a heart attack."
Naruto's expression softened at these words.
Gandoma landed with Misteeta behind him.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, NARUTO!" Misteeta shouted as Naruto was put on the ground.
Naruto ignored Misteeta and went to Misla, wrapping his arms around her, which she hugged him in return.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, Misla." Naruto apologized.
"Just don't do it without one of us with you." Was all Misla said, her scarred hand running through Naruto's hair.
Naruto nodded his head.
'So warm.' He thought as he remembered Kushina. 'Did… didn't mom do this?'
"You are going to be in trouble when Sairaorg returns." Misteeta seethed as he stared at Naruto, mentally exhausted from the trouble Naruto was giving him and it hadn't even been ten minutes since Sairaorg and the others left.
That Night…
Naruto could not sit comfortably.
His ass was red from the spanking Kuisha gave him.
Meanwhile, Familiar Forest…
Ravel Phenex walked with her mother, holding her hand tightly as she nervously looked around.
"Are you sure you don't want one of our Phoenix familiars, Ravel?" Layla Phenex asked Ravel.
Both were wearing appropriate clothing, shoes, pants, shirt and jackets, no royal style dresses for this kind of thing.
Ravel shook her head.
"I don't want to have a bird. Not because I hate them, but I want to stand out like Sabo." Ravel stated as she looked at her mother.
Layla couldn't help but feel proud of her daughter.
So young, yet wanting to stand on her own, and not rely on family tradition.
"Okay dear, we will keep looking." Layla said as they did just that.
Suddenly, a pained howl pierced the silent air.
Layla pulled Ravel in close, her hand engulfed in flame.
Another howl was heard.
"Mama, that way!" Ravel said as she broke out of Layla's grasp and ran.
"Ravel, stop!"
Ravel did not do as told and continued to run.
She ran as fast as she could, all the while the howling getting louder and louder.
Ravel pushed through the brush, her foot hooking onto a root, causing her to land face first into a clearing.
A pained whimper was heard, causing Ravel to look up and see an injured hellhound.
The poor creature had several injuries, prominently bite marks, on its limbs.
It had light gray and dark gray fur with red sclera and white pupils.
"Oh god… are you okay?" Ravel asked as she scampered over, wanting to help but was stopped when another animal appeared.
It was a fox, a large fox as big as Ravel was, with their fur and tail having a flaming composition, and their pointy ears have a swirly appearance. Their fur is light, with their legs being dark below the knees.
Their fangs were bore to Ravel, its tail covering the hellhound.
A growl escaped its throat as Ravel took a step closer.
"Ravel!" Layla shouted, stumbling upon the scene.
"Mama, stop!" Ravel said as she turned and had her arms out. "They aren't hurting me, but the one in the back is hurt!"
Layla looked past Ravel and saw that it was true.
"Oh, dear, it needs help." Layla said as she went to pick up the hound, only for the fox to snap at her.
"We are trying to help!" ravel stated in a pleading tone. "We promise to go to the…"
A puff of smoke surrounded the fox, and as it cleared, the fox was gone.
"Be gone!" a gruff voice said as the smoke revealed a giant man. "Leave us be!"
He looked like an Onyudo, a Japanese Giant Monk.
"We won't until that hellhound gets help!" Ravel shouted with her eyes steeled with resolve.
"Then so be it!"
He raised his hand to smack Ravel away…
"ONIMARU!"
The now named Onimaru stopped, puffing into smoke and returning to his true fox form.
Ravel and Layla turned and saw the Master of the Forest.
"Good, I made it in time." He said as he ran toward the group, kneeling down to the injured hound. "Oh, Loona, what happened? Who attacked you?"
Chapter 14, DONE!
This was a decent chapter, and I am putting things in motion.
I know, Koneko and Naruto's confrontation in the beginning is really bleh. But I don't want to go the 'over reaction and angry, then storm out' with Koneko.
Naruto asks her a what if question, she calmly replied, they are both uncomfortable and that is the end of the conversation.
I know you guys might not like it, but I really don't want them arguing, not yet anyway.
I hope people can guess the two animals at the end with Ravel. I know I have had Ravel use Church Grim in Ghoul of Gremory and Werefox of Bael, but this time I decided to change it up a little bit. Okay I changed it up big time, but I don't want to completely copy and paste things with every story. But I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
If you enjoyed, please leave a review. If you didn't, review anyway because it helps me become a better author.