Original Posted On Aug. 25, 2023
Beta Read by: Darklord331
Review Response:
Nathair1: Answers will be… partially revealed.
ShadowBloodedge9396: Thank you, but I think this ending to the arc will be liked.
Borello: Thank you.
Guest: I'll do what I can.
Guest: I think the reveal, when/if I get to it, will blow the minds of everyone.
Codywhite162: Hope you enjoy the chapter.
Harem:
Koneko Toujo, Ravel Phenex
Ravel Phenex Peerage:
King: Ravel Phenex
Queen:
Bishops: Danjuro "Gentle" Tobita
Knights: Sai Kurozumi (SG User: Ink Dweller)
Rooks: Vulcan (Blacksmith, Hammer/Fist (from Reincarnated as a Behemoth))
Pawns:
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 39: Fatality
Asura tilted his head in confusion as his flames split, ending his attack.
"So, another challenger." He said as Naruto flourished his blade, dousing its flame and cutting the hand Asura used to hold Guts. "Interesting."
Naruto unconsciously took a step back, gripping Shigure in his hand.
"Guts, what the fuck is this dude's deal?" Naruto asked as he took notice of the various weaponry on Asura's body… also his extra heads and arms.
"I don't know, but weapons are his deal." Guts replied as he started to subtly channel magic into his prosthetic arm.
"Come on, fox and devil." Asura taunted with little emotion as his shoulder started to bubble like melting wax.
"Naruto, cover me." Guts said as he picked up Dragon Slayer defensively.
Naruto put Shigure on his mouth, crossing his fingers together.
Ten Shadow Clones puffed into life.
Asura chuckled as the clones swarmed him.
"Naïve." He said as the top of his head segmented before opening up, revealing a cannon.
Several clones jumped into the air as the rest stayed on the ground, with Naruto staying behind with Guts, touching his arm.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Naruto asked as he channeled his chakra into Guts' arm.
"Yeah, just need to overclock my arms cannon." Guts said as nine of the clones were slaughtered by Asura's head cannon.
"Shit…" Naruto grunted, his clones' memories coming to him at once.
"Come on, is that all that you have?" Asura asked as his bladed tail whipped around.
Naruto's eyebrow twitched.
"Naruto…" Guts said as Naruto vanished from his side.
Meanwhile…
Undisturbed, Animal Pain continued her search in the archive, several files beneath her feet.
All of them having the names of the remaining Pillar Families.
Pain's eyes shifted to one of the remaining files, and grabbed the Gremory file.
She opened it, and skimmed through the names of the Family Head, all who held the position.
Her eyes narrowed.
'Found it.' She thought as she closed the folder and putting it away.
She walked out the same way she entered, through her chameleon summon.
However, she knew what was happening with Asura.
Afterall, she saw what he saw, and vice versa.
Field…
Asura clashed against Naruto's Shigure, before taking a Rankyaku, chipping through his body, but he didn't care as he leaned forward, the cannon going off.
Naruto vanished with Soru, reappearing behind Asura.
Asura pivoted, all three right arms clashing against Shigure's blade.
'Kami-e!'
Naruto flattened himself backwards to avoid the blade tail, but his eyes widened when he saw Asura's head Cannon charging.
'SHIT!'
The cannon discharged its blast, striking Naruto, his clothing being shredded as he was blown back while he defended with Tekkai, Shigure landing near Asura.
Naruto hit the ground on his back. His fur singed and his arms burned.
'Fuck, he switched to energy, I can't…' Naruto thought as he tried standing up, wiping blood out of his eye. 'I can't use Kitsunebi-ryu…'
Asura grabbed one of his forearms, pulling it off… revealing missiles.
Naruto stiffened when he saw them fly off.
The missiles struck the ground, but Asura looked close by, seeing Naruto, grabbing Shigure.
"Interesting. You used the Substitution technique on your sword, then used a clone to sub back the sword to you." Asura stated, impressed at how fast Naruto was able to use the technique and make effective use of it.
"Fuck off." Naruto said as he stood up, his hands shaking.
His arms stung.
Badly.
It felt like the nerves in his arms were damaged, barely working as Naruto could feel his grip on his sword was weak.
'I need to end this… now.' Naruto thought as he glanced behind Asura, looking at Guts.
Guts nodded, the hand on his prosthetic arm popping off, with it closing against the bottom via the magnet in its palm.
Sheathing Shigure, Naruto entered his Quick-Draw stance.
Asura couldn't help but smirk as he pushed four of his arms together, molding together into a shield.
"You're telegraphing your moves by holding a stance like that." Asura stated earnestly. "The moment that blade touches me," His bladed tail sharply turned. "I'll skewer you."
Naruto smirked.
"Ittoryu Iai…" he said, shifting his balance slightly, pushing his damaged hands grip to its max.
Asura smirked further as he 'saw' his back through the shared vision, due to Animal Pain and the disguised chameleon arriving.
"Shishi Sonson…"
Asura braced the attack, feeling Naruto's blade cut against the shield, his tail piercing flesh…
For Guts' cannon to be pressed against his chest.
"Huh…" Asura said in confusion as Naruto appeared behind him with Guts before him, his right shoulder being stabbed with the blade tail.
"DIE!" Guts screamed as he blasted the overcharged arm cannon.
A black/red magic engulfed Asura, pushing him backwards.
Guts gasped as the blade tail was torn from his body, his false arm broken from the magic being to much for it to handle.
Its individual parts hit the ground.
'Damn, Rickert, you know how to make a weapon.' Guts thought with a smile as the magic started to dissipate.
Naruto inched towards Guts, Shigure held up defensively.
Asura's head violently twitched, its remaining arm and a half partially moving as the remains of its torso sparked.
Within the remains were various weapons malfunctioning.
"Did… Did we win?' Guts asked, knowing he could not use that gamble a second time.
"I thi…"
Naruto was silenced when a black rod impaled itself into Naruto's right arm, shattering the bones as Shigure clattered to the ground again.
"FUUUUUCK!" Naruto screamed as he hit the ground, trying to pull out the rod.
He gasped, eyes wide open.
Naruto felt an immense presence flood his body.
He felt sick, and his chakra felt agitated as Naruto saw two Ripple pattern eyes.
A second rod hit his left shin, anchoring it into the ground.
The affect doubled, the presence stronger than before.
"NARUTO!" Guts screamed, trying to grab Dragon Slayer, but was smacked into a tree by an invisible force.
Hacking up blood, Guts opened his only eye as the chameleon dropped its camouflage.
'Damn, I forgot about the other one.' Guts thought in anger.
"I thought Asura would be enough," Animal said as she exited the chameleon. "But I was proven wrong. Youngsters these days are terrifyingly strong…" She held out her hand as another black rod slowly poked out of the sleeve. "I'll end you right now…"
A gigantic snake sank its fangs into the Chameleon, causing Animal to turn as said snake swung the chameleon around, smashing it into the ground before the trees.
"Seems I just arrived right in time." A serpentine voice said as a snake wrapped around Animal's neck.
"Orochimaru." Animal said with no fear. "I didn't expect them to send you."
"I am the one asking questions. Who are you and what is your purpose for coming here?" Orochimaru demanded, his snake bearing its fangs at the throat. "My venomous snake's bite will kill you…"
The black rod stabbed the snakes head… and Animal's neck.
'No hesitation.' Orochimaru thought as he backed up, the snake discarded as he drew Kusanagi… via snake emerging from his throat and vomiting the blade into his hand.
"I have what I came for…" Animal said as she removed the rod, tossing it toward Asura's still malfunctioning corpse.
The rod took Animal's spot as she appeared at Asura's side.
'The Substitution technique.' Orochimaru thought with an inquisitive eyebrow raised as Animal Pain started to go through hand signs. "HALT!"
"REVERSE SUMMONING MAGIC!"
Animal and Asura were engulfed in smoke, along with the remains of all the animals she had summoned earlier.
Leaving behind only the devastation wrought on the battlefield, Kakuzu and Hidan, and the black rods.
Orochimaru snarled before collecting himself.
"I must get you all treatment." He said as he summoned more snakes.
"Naruto…" Guts coughed out.
"Don't worry. He'll be fine." Orochimaru reassured as he made some Mud Clones, sending them to find the others. "Come on, get on the snake…"
The Supernova Challenges: Prematurely Ended.
?...
Animal Pain and the broken Asura returned to their base.
Konan and Deva Pain were waiting for them.
"Such a shame, Asura was damaged to this degree." Deva said as Naraka approached.
A purple portal opened on the ground, allowing the subjugated King of Hell to appear.
He opened his mouth, revealing his split tongue with a hand on it, using it to grab Asura.
"What happened, Pain?" Konan asked since she was in the dark about the mission.
Animal said nothing as she produced the files.
"We found our father…" She said as she threw the file to Konan as Asura was swallowed by the King of Hell.
Konan caught it as the King chewed on Asura a few times before opening its mouth, revealing the fixed Asura.
"Zeoticus Gremory…" Asura stated in his cold, devoid of emotion tone.
"We found him." Deva finished.
Underworld Hospital…
Naruto was on a gurney, being rushed through the hospital.
The bright lights blinded him, and he was ignoring all the voices around him as the workers tried getting him to the ER as soon as possible.
But this was not what was on Naruto's mind.
It was the pain.
He felt heavy, especially in his shoulder and leg where the black rods were still embedded.
It felt like an outside source of power was being forced into his body, like salt being dumped on an open wound.
He felt hands on his body, his clothing being removed before the light intensity got brighter.
'What is going… on…' Naruto thought as one of the nurses put a mask over his face.
Drowsiness swept over Naruto as the doctor entered, prepared to do surgery.
But sleep did not take Naruto.
The disruption to his chakra kept him awake during the procedure.
Unable to move, he felt the blade cutting into his flesh and muscle, making room for the tools to safely remove the black rod fragment in his leg.
Like a thorn being removed, a sense of relief started to form within Naruto's body, but the rod in his shoulder persisted.
Inaudible words permeated the air as Naruto winced.
They had started suturing the wound on his leg as they prepared to remove the final fragment.
Once it was sewn together, the scalpel, clean and sanitized, reentered Naruto's body.
More words, panicked and concerned, as they dug out the rod.
Sleep finally took Naruto as the disruption to his chakra finally ended.
Next Day…
"You didn't need to come with me, Toujou." Ravel said as she and Koneko walked in the calm, white hallway of the hospital.
"I have every right to be here, Phenex, with or without your permission." Koneko snipped back.
Every King had been informed of the attack during the Supernova Challenges, thus Ravel and Koneko decided to pay a visit to the hospital to visit Naruto since they haven't seen him since the Challenges started.
"Koneko?"
Said white haired woman turned, seeing Guts and Casca.
Casca, who was now starting to show her pregnancy, was helping Guts walk.
"Guts. Thank Lucifer you are alright." Koneko said, closing the distance between them with a hug.
"Ow… yeah, just peachy, squirt." Guts said as he patted Koneko's head to comfort her. "Sadly, Naruto got more injured than I did…" He said as Koneko released him from the hug. "Especially those black rods in his shoulder and leg."
Koneko's spine went cold from the chill she got.
'Black… rods…' She thought as she felt her pupils dilate as she remembered her mother, Fujima.
Flashback…
The window in the living room shattered as Fujima barreled through.
"FUCK!" Kuroka shouted as she pushed Shirone aside, stepping before her to give protection.
"Kuroka, Shirone…" Fujima mumbled tiredly and yet rushed as she ended her Iron Body technique, having used it to get through the window without harm. "We need to leave, now. Grab everything!"
"Momma, your hurt…" Kuroka pointed out, her love and concern overriding her obedience.
"Just grab everything, NOW!" Fujima shouted, eyes snapping open before she doubled over, gripping her side as blood squeezed through her fingers as her clothing soaked it up like a sponge. "Just *Gasp* listen to me."
Seeing their mother in such a state had the girls on high alert, but they obeyed Fujima, grabbing everything they needed as Fujima was in the bathroom.
"FUCK!"
*HISS*
"OOoOO!"
"DAMN!"
"OW!"
Standing outside the bathroom, Shirone sat against the wall, watering eyes wide and on the verge of crocodile tears as she shivered at all the painfilled sounds and noises Fujima made.
Kuroka, with a heavy heart, forced herself to ignore them as she hurriedly packed what little they had with them and non-perishable food.
'Mom…' Kuroka thought as she heard a sharp hiss and cry in pain from the bathroom. 'What is going on?'
After several more minutes, Fujima exited the bathroom.
Her cuts covered in ointment and wrapped/taped in bandages, bruises forming under them.
Her shoulder, which was beyond her ability to home remedy, was set with a tourniquet that wasn't properly tied.
Her side was stapled shut via staple gun and taped shut with duct tape wrapped around her torso.
"Okay…" Fujima weakly mumbled. "We need… to go…"
Fujima started to fall, but was caught by Kuroka and Shirone, both supporting her weight.
Skip…
Shirone helped unwrap Fujima's bandages.
It had been over a month since her mother came back to her and Kuroka heavily injured.
Black spots were starting to form on her mother's body where said injuries were located.
They were currently small, like grains of sand, sprinkled across her shoulder like it was black mold.
"Mom…" Kuroka said as Fujima winced in pain, tears in her eyes.
"It's nothing…" Fujima replied through the pain. "Its… like… as if my chakra is being blocked…"
Skip…
It had been one year since Kuroka became a devil for Griffith.
Fujima's entire right arm, except the points of her fingers, was black, with it spreading across her neck, under her chin, and a portion of her chest were black.
She was barely moving, her breathing labored and uneven.
"Ku…Kuroka…" Shirone heard through her tears as she gripped Fujima's left hand.
"Yes, mom?"
"Pro…" Fujima gasped for air. "Protect… Sister…"
"I promise." Shirone heard, finally breaking down, crying loud enough and hard enough for both sisters.
Flashback End…
"Toujo?" Ravel asked as she stepped back when Koneko took off running.
Koneko was tunnel visioned.
Her sole focus was finding Naruto, her body wrecked with worry.
'Please… PLEASE…' She mentally chanted as her eyes started to water, turning left at an intersection, knowing which room was Naruto's, following the room numbers. 'Naruto, please don't die…'
Her heart pulsated dread when she saw Naruto's door.
Opening the door, ignoring the workers nearby, Koneko entered the room, seeing a familiar blonde in bed.
"Koneko?" Naruto asked, not moving to agitated his shoulder as his leg was raised.
Unable, or unwilling, to restrain herself, Koneko jumped into the bed, her arms lifting Naruto up enough to hug him.
"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I…" She took a nasal breathe to clear her sinus. "I thought…" *Snort* "I couldn't…"
Naruto moved his left arm and hugged her, his hand on Koneko's head.
"Sorry I worried you…" Naruto said calmly, trying to calm Koneko down and trying not to get aroused from the contact with Koneko.
A soft knock at the door, drew Naruto's attention before the door opened.
Sairaorg entered with Kuisha, Ravel, Guts, and Casca behind them.
"Oh, sorry," Sairaorg said with a playful tone. "Are we interrupting something?"
Naruto went red as Koneko buried her face into his chest, hiding her flushed face.
Ravel wanted to pout, but pushed this down.
"Naruto, I brought you some flowers, to liven up your room." Ravel said as she used magic to reveal a vase of orange flowers.
The vibrant hue definitely did liven up the place as Ravel placed the vase on Naruto's bedside table.
"Thank you, Ravel." Naruto replied with a smile, shifting his arm to reach out to her.
Ravel took his hand, feeling him give her a comforting squeeze, helping her gain a relieved smile.
"Awe…" Guts vocalized, getting an elbow from his wife, making him chuckle.
"Sup, Guts." Naruto greeted. "Sorry about your arm…"
"Eh, don't worry about it." Guts replied as he motioned toward his return to form… missing arm. "Rickert got a few more ideas for a new arm, so hopefully it will be better."
"I hope so too." Naruto said as he remembered the blast that defeated Asura. "Speaking of which…"
"Don't worry, your sword was recovered." Kuisha answered, interrupting Naruto.
"What of the Kakuzu and Hidan? Were they apprehended?" Naruto asked as Koneko shifted, getting off of the bed.
Satan Meeting Room…
Sirzechs, Ajuka, Falbium, Serafall, Danzo, Homura, and Koharu sat at a table, massive amounts of paperwork, reports, and a massive map of the Underworld on the wall.
"…are unable to keep news of this attack from spreading through out the underworld." Koharu stated in an irritated, but calm, tone.
Sirzechs scratched his head, eyes closed tightly.
'Why me?' He thought before opening his eyes. "Well, if we can't keep it from spreading, then we shall inform the citizens of it. Better to be ahead of it than letting it be a rumor."
Serafall, Falbium, and Ajuka agreed.
"Next: The prisoner interrogation of Hidan." Homura mentioned, bringing up a file.
Falbium yawned.
"Not willing to talk, takes torture as a pleasurable experience, so we got nothing." Falbium reported.
"Really?" Serafall asked with disgust.
"You wanna try, be my guest." Falbium retorted with snark.
Ajuka clapped his hands.
"Back on track, we should increase our security." Ajuka said as he opened a file, photos of the deceased devils Animal Pain killed and a report. "We have a league of dead men and women who were slaughtered before the attack during the Challenges."
"Then there is the rummaging from the registry during the attack." Serafall mentioned as she looked at the photos of the scene. "We are currently searching the registry for any missing information, I'll let you all know if we find something or find a missing piece."
"Understood." Sirzechs said as he just wanted this meeting to end.
It had been a long day.
"Boost the amount of people and amplify the power of any barriers we have." Danzo suggested. "I'll order some of my own personnel to help out with the patrols."
"Thank you, Danzo." Sirzechs thanked the ender yokai, having a feeling he might regret this later, but pushed it down.
"Now," Homura said as all files were closed, the seven beings paying attention. "We must discuss the main topic… who earns the title of Supernova from this year's challenges?"
Chapter 39, DONE!
Not as flashy as I wanted it to be, but I hit the plot points I wanted.
I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, leave a review if you liked it, even if you hated it as it helps me become a better author.