Original Posted On Feb. 1, 2022

Beta Read by: Darklord331

Review Response:

Redmen6blight: Okay, I do have some ideas, but there is no Akastuki.

Spark681: Thank you, and I will do my best to keep it up.

Calderoneric758: Yeah, I do.

King0fP0wers: Sacred Gear, and yeah, Fujima is canonically one of the worst parents, leaving her children for a husband who didn't care.

The-Silent-Ghoul1: Thank you, I'll do my best to keep it up.

Borello: Thank you, hopefully you enjoy.

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 5: Heavy Maturity

Kamabakka Queendom, Beach…

"GOD DAMN IT!" Naruto shouted as he pulled his hands back from a large open fire, hands slightly burned with his fur singed (As he was in his hybrid form). "THAT FUCKING HURTS!"

"Calm down, it isn't that bad." Jiraiya replied, rolling his eyes as the eight-year-old blew air onto his aching hands.

"Well, you swing your hands into fire and tell me how you like it!" Naruto snapped at Jiraiya, earning a bonk on the head. "OW!"

"Don't talk back to me, kid." Jiraiya stated firmly as he glared at Naruto, who angrily glared back.

"How am I supposed to do this?" Naruto asked as he flexed his fingers. "You said I had to cut the fire with my claws, and I haven't been able to do it, even after three months!"

Jiraiya sighed.

"Look, Naruto, I know its hard, but the Kitsunebi-ryu is something that is useful." Jiraiya replied as calmly as he could. "And your chakra nature is Wind, so of course it is much harder."

"Well, can't I use the Shadow Clone jutsu to help speed up the progress?" Naruto asked as he wanted to learn this to not hurt himself.

Jiraiya sighed as he facepalmed.

"Sure, go ahead, kid." Jiraiya stated in irritation as Naruto summoned four clones.

Naruto and his clones continued to swipe the fire and suffer burns.

"I HATE THIS!" Naruto shouted after another hour of failure, kicking the stand, causing the fire and logs to fall to the sand.

Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched at this.

"Look you little brat," Jiraiya scolded as he grabbed Naruto by the shoulder. "Acting out like this isn't going to help you master this, now calm down."

"FUCK YOU PERVY SAGE!" Naruto shouted as he pulled out of Jiraiya's grasp, panting in anger, his hands aching. "MOM, DAD, AND FUJIMA TOLD ME YOU WERE A GOOD TEACHER, BUT YOU CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN HOW TO DO THIS! THEY WERE WRONG!"

Naruto's cheek stung from Jiraiya's haki enhanced slap, knocking Naruto's anger from him and replacing it wit shock and surprise.

Jiraiya didn't say anything as he stared into Naruto's eyes in disappointment and anger.

"You can hate me all you want, Naruto, but never say your parents or Fujima were wrong." Jiraiya stated coldly, his brow furling into a scowl. "I may not be the best teacher, but I did my best and helped train them. I am now teaching you, so you can either accept my methods, or run off like a brat with your tail between your legs."

With shaking knees, Naruto shuddered as he returned to his more human form, scowling at Jiraiya before he turned heel and ran off, back into the Queendom.

Jiraiya was left alone, his only companion was the sound of the waves and the wind.

Taking a deep breath, Jiraiya sighed.

"Shit, I went to far." He said in regret as he scratched his head. "I'll let him cool off a bit."

Ten minutes later…

"… and then he hits me." Naruto said as he winced while Inazuma applied ointment and bandages to his hands, which had already started to heal.

"Well, he isn't wrong." Inazuma (Female form) said as she clipped the wrappings to his hands safely. "You were being disrespectful to your family."

Naruto huffed, cheeks puffed and red as he looked away.

"Well, he should help me understand why I am having trouble with cutting fire." Naruto grumbled as Inazuma put the first aid kit away.

"Naruto, come with me." Inazuma asked as she helped Naruto stand.

Naruto followed Inazuma out of the medical wing of the Iva's castle and into one of the many ballrooms.

Inazuma snapped her fingers and a small display board appeared.

Strumming her fingers through it, ballroom music started to play in the speakers of the ballroom.

"Dance with me, Naruto." Inazuma said, offering her free left hand as she held her wine glass in her right.

"Huh?" Naruto replied dumbfounded.

"Come dance with me, Naruto." Inazuma replied.

Not understanding, Naruto took her hand.

"Stand in front of me, like this." Inazuma instructed, correcting Naruto's positioning. "Now put your hands on my hips as I put my hand around your neck."

With Inazuma's arm draped on his shoulder and his hands on her hips, Inazuma started to move in rhythm to the music as Naruto stood still.

"Come on now, follow my movements." Inazuma instructed, sipping her wine expertly without spilling it.

Looking down, Naruto watched how Inazuma moved her feet, and finding the best moment, started to mimic her.

"That's good, now, let's move in time with the music." Inazuma continued as she spun around, Naruto clumsily trying to keep up with her.

"Why are we dancing?" Naruto asked as he caught up with her, nervously trying to not step on her feet.

Inazuma sneakily smirked and winked one eye.

"Training." She said cheekily.

Naruto faltered, pausing in his movement and had to catch up with Inazuma again.

"Good, now let's pick up the pace." Inazuma stated, her movement speed going up a notch.

Once again, Naruto played catch up and was able to keep pace with Inazuma, who in turn picked up speed once again.

Naruto focused.

'Her movements.' Naruto thought as they took a sharp left turn.

'The music.' Naruto thought as he took notice that they were moving in tune to the sound.

Soon, the world seemed to fade away and only live to be a stage for Inazuma and Naruto to dance.

Naruto spun with Inazuma, before entering his hybrid form as they pulled back together with Naruto dipping her as the music ended.

Inazuma smiled as she didn't spill a single drop of her wine from their movements and the fact Naruto was getting into the groove.

"Well?" Inazuma asked as Naruto helped her stand upright. "Did you learn anything?"

Naruto tilted his head, his ears following gravity, with a confused look on his face.

"Uh, was I supposed to?" Naruto asked bashfully as he had gotten to into dancing to pay attention.

"You got into the movements and the rhythm." Inazuma replied as she smiled. "You did learn something, but you haven't noticed."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow as he returned to his human form.

"What was I supposed to learn?" he questioned.

Inazuma just smiled and patted his head.

"I suggest you go back to the beach and try again." Inazuma recommended as she turned and walked out of the ballroom.

Naruto sighed.

He didn't want to go back because Jiraiya might be there.

'I don't have much else to do, so I guess…' Naruto thought in irritation as he walked out of the room and headed back to the beach.

Once there, Naruto didn't see Jiraiya, but only the bonfire that he had kicked over had been reset and relit.

Looking around, Naruto didn't see Jiraiya, nor did he smell him close by.

"Hm…" Naruto thought as he made a few clones, all of them standing around the fire in hybrid form.

They all stared into the fire, watching it flicker, sparks crack into the air.

'Wait a minute.' A clone thought as it stared deeper.

The clone's world seemed to fade and turn black as it's focus became sharper.

'That area.' It thought as it flexed its clawed fingers. 'It seems… to be calling me.'

The flames, slowly waving in the oxygen in bathed in, tempted it, drew its attention as it raised its hand.

With a swift downward motion, the large flame had four groves cut into it as the flames flickered on the clone's claws.

"What?"

"Wow!"

"How?"

"Amazing!"

"What did you do?" Naruto asked his clone as it stared at the flaming claws in awe.

"I… I don't know boss." The clone admitted in honest stupor as the flames died out. "I just… cut where I felt the rhythm was calling me."

The clones dispelled, their knowledge returning to the original, whose eyes widened.

'The flames, like the music and Inazuma's movements, have a rhythm.' Naruto acknowledged as he summoned four more clones.

Jiraiya, who looked on at the cliff nearby with his binoculars, smirked as he saw Naruto and his clones focus before cutting the fire again.

"Perfect, kid. You now know the basics of Kitsunebi-ryu." Jiraiya mumbled with a proud smile. "And you learned it faster that Kushina did."

Dinner…

"CONGRATULATIONS, NARUTO!" Iva shouted happily as he hugged Naruto, pressing their faces together as the boy smiled. "YOU GOT KITSUNEBI-RYU DOWN!"

"Not yet, at least." Jiraiya stated, earning an angry scowl from Iva. "He hasn't mastered it until he can cut fire without needing to spend time concentrating."

"Oh, will get it down, Pervy Sage, just you watch!" Naruto declared as he pointed at the Toad.

Jiraiya smirked.

"Well, then I guess we can have someone start your kendo training." Jiraiya mentioned as he looked at Iva, who nodded.

"Kendo?"

"Yes, you want to be a swordsman, right?" Iva asked Naruto, who smiled as he nodded.

"I want to learn swordsmanship, Rokushiki, and the Rasengan!" Naruto declared proudly, which caught the adults off guard.

"Why?" Inazuma asked.

"Rasengan for my dad, Rokushiki for Fujima, and swordsmanship for my mom." Naruto listed off as he looked at the adults. "I want to honor them by adapting their fighting styles or techniques."

Iva smiled.

"Then I guess you will need this." Iva said as he got up from the table and walked to the wall.

Knocking his fist against it, an illusion was dropped, revealing a large painting.

On it was Kushina, which was the only person Naruto knew, and a few others.

"Who are they?" Naruto asked as he watched Iva move the painting to reveal a safe.

"You want to know?" Iva asked as he opened the safe. "Well, that is Kushina, your mother."

He pointed at Kushina, who had a black and gold sword Naruto never saw before at her hip.

"Then this is your grandfather, Kurama."

He pointed to Kurama, who had only Shusui and Enma at his side.

"This is Kuina, she is your grandmother." Iva pointed out to a woman that stood next to Kurama and Kushina.

Kuina had dark brown eyes and wore her long black hair pinned up by a clip. She wore a pink floral kimono with spirals covering her obi, wearing wooden clogs on her feet. At her side was Wado Ichimonji, which Naruto noticed and was confused.

But what confused him more was her ears and tail.

They were not the tail and ears of a fox, but of a...

"Tanuki?" Naruto blurted out.

Iva chuckled as he closed the safe, having found what he wanted, and put the picture back up.

"Yes, Kuina was a tanuki." Iva answered as he walked back to the table. "Kurama and Kuina were rivals, always fighting in their youth. Imagine our surprise when they got married and had Kushina."

"It shocked everyone." Inazuma whispered.

Naruto couldn't help but stared at the painting.

"Who are they?" Naruto asked as he continued to look at the painting.

"Well, there is me, Iva." Iva stated as he looked at a younger version of himself. "Then there is Kuma…"

Iva's smile faltered, remembering the death of his dear comrade.

"And who is this man?" Naruto pointed out to the last person on the painting.

He was pointing at a man that had a lean and muscular body. He had blonde hair and stubble around his chin. He had a sleepy look on his face with a smile. He wore an open purple jacket with a pale blue sash that had a decorated yellow belt hanging over his right side. He wore knee length gray pants and wore black sandals.

"That, Naruto, is Marco Phenex." Jiraiya answered his student as he focused on eating his dinner before it got cold. "He was a devil, Head of the Phenex clan, who defected from the Devil Faction because he didn't approve of the enslavement that the Satan's forced onto humans, yokai, and other supernatural creatures."

Jiraiya's brow furled even more.

"And he would agree with me, that the new generation of young devils are nearly as bad as the old."

"What does that mean?" Iva askes, wanting to give Naruto what he pulled from the safe.

"The current Beelzebub created something called the Evil Piece system in the sixteenth century." Jiraiya stated as he put his utensils down. "It makes those who they use them on into devils. Its enslavement all over again."

"What is the difference?" Iva asked, his eyes narrowing as this was news to him.

Kamabakka being a hidden country meant it was not up to date with the factions to keep itself hidden.

"It is based on chess pieces, King, Queen, Rooks, Bishops, Knights, and Pawns. Each one has a unique power, etc. but it binds the person to the 'King' and if they escape, they mutate into monsters." Jiraiya stated as he crossed his arms. "They can be used on the living, but they need consent. They can also resurrect the individual from the dead, so many devils let their 'chosen' be killed and resurrect them against their will."

Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat.

He could feel the intense and long had anger within Jiraiya's actions and tone, but he didn't fully understand.

"But, not all of them are like that." Jiraiya admitted. "I can't let the errors of the past be pushed onto the new generations."

"So… is Marco still alive?" Naruto weakly asked.

"Sadly, no." Iva replied. "Marco and Kurama fought along side each other against Leviathan, and Marco gave his life to kill him."

"Oh." Naruto mumbled.

"But, there is something interesting." Iva said as he remembered something, which got Jiraiya's attention. "There was a Phenex kid who came by here a few years ago before you two arrived. Said he was 'Looking for the place Great Grandpa Marco trained'."

"Hm?"

"Marco Phenex had a unique ability." Inazuma whispered to the kitsune. "His flames were a brilliant blue with emerald and purple. They were called Flames of Resurrection, which means he could heal people with his blue fire."

"Wow." Naruto said as he imagined the beauty of blue flames.

"What was this kids name?" Jiraiya asked Iva.

Iva cupped his chin and squinted in thought.

"Well, it has been over four years… I can't remember. S… something. Started with an S for sure." Iva said confidently as he put his gloved hand on a small book. "Anyway, I want to give this to you, Naruto."

Naruto looked at the book as Iva scooted it toward him.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, knowing what a book was.

"It is Kurama's journal on his sword techniques." Iva replied as he saw Naruto open it in excitement. "From Ittoryu to Santoryu, Kurama left all of that to Kushina and Fujima. Now it is yours. You did say you wanted to use your mother's techniques, so this is where you will learn it from."

Naruto looked through the pages.

He saw detailed descriptions of how to use the techniques, and how to execute them.

"T-thank you, Iva." Naruto stuttered as he could not describe how happy he was.

"Don't worry about it, kid." Iva said as he ruffled Naruto's hair. "Tomorrow we will start your kendo lessons, I have a few of my candies in mind who could teach you."

Jiraiya shuddered at the thought of the okama teaching Naruto kendo.

Meanwhile…

Fujima winced in pain.

It had been three months since she confronted Pain, who luckily didn't pursue her.

She had been healing slowly, to slowly.

Currently, they were living in Cambodia, living in the woods where they could safely train and live in seclusion.

Shirone was outside where Fujima could see her training her punches and kicks as best she could, for an eight-year-old.

'What is going on?' Fujima thought as she removed the dirty bandages, looking at the healing flesh.

Since her attack, many black spots had been appearing and growing on her arm and side, which she kept hidden from her children as best she could.

The locations of the spots were also where her chakra was having a hard time moving through.

'This… this isn't normal.' Fujima thought as she moved her arm weakly.

Her heart pounded inside her chest, loud enough for her to sound like a drum in her ears.

Her ears perked up.

'Someone is closing in… Kuroka?' Fujima thought as she hastily wrapped her arm and exited the cave.

"MOM!" Kuroka shouted as she scooped Shirone into her arms and barreled into the cave.

Before she could ask, Fujima sensed six people surrounding them.

Images of Pain and Konan appeared in her mind as she started to panic.

Grabbing Wado Ichimonji, Fujima grabbed Kuroka and Shirone.

She jumped from the cave, kicking into the air with Moonwalk, only to hit a barrier and fall back to the ground.

"What…" Fujima gasped out in shock before she looked up and saw their assailant.

*Clap, Clap*

"Nice try, cat." The boy said as he floated down on devil wings. "But you couldn't escape me, Griffith Naberius."

Fujima's hair stood on end as she grabbed Shirone and Kuroka.

'This man… and the others… are devils.' Fujima thought as she looked around.

Griffith Naberius himself looked quite young, roughly twenty in looks.

He wore white armor and a cape, with a rapier sword at his hip. His skin was pale and unmarred with piercing pale blue eyes. His hair was wavy and white, like snow.

Contrasted by his black wings on which he floated with.

Beside him were many others wearing armor of various types.

"Lord Griffith, what should we do if they… try to escape?" a thin male member asked, licking his lips as he eyes Fujima.

"You are disgusting, Corkus." The only woman stated as she glared at the named Corkus.

"You bitch…" Corkus started to say before one of the bigger members put their hands on his shoulder. "Pippin, don't try to stop me."

"He isn't," another member stated, drawing Corkus's anger. "But he doesn't want you to embarrass Griffith."

"Shut up, Judeau!" Corkus shouted.

"You want to fight, Corkus?" a man said.

He wore black armor and wielded a gigantic sword many times longer than a normal broad sword, which looked dull.

Corkus smirked as he gripped his sword.

"Come on, Guts, I have wanted to kill you…"

"Enough." Griffith ordered, silencing his peerage as he returned his attention to the yokai. "We have more important stuff to discuss."

Fujima could feel Kuroka and Shirone shudder in her arms, loosening the bandages on her arm.

"Adult Cat, won't you join my peerage?" Griffith asked from on high. "If you do, you and your children won't have to worry about food, your health, or housing again. You will be treated well as a member of my peerage."

Fujima tsk'd at this.

"Griffith," the woman called Casca said as she floated beside him. "It seems like she is in bad health."

Casca pointed out the black markings on Fujima's arm, which had been revealed.

"I bet the black haired one will be better, she has great potential." Casca continued, being able to tell from looking at Kuroka that the thirteen-year-old was being trained well.

"Hm, you are right. Black cat, will you join?" Griffith proposed.

"NO WAY IN HEL…" Fujima started to shout.

"YES!" Kuroka shouted, causing Fujima to stop. "BUT ONLY IF MY SISTER AND MOM ARE ALLOWED TO COME! HEAL MOM AND NEVER TOUCH HER OR SHIRONE, AND I'LL JOIN!"

"Then we have come to an agreement," Griffith said with a smooth tone and smile as he lowered himself to the ground, his feet never touching the ground.

"Kuroka, I won't allow…" Fujima started to say but Kuroka pushed out of her arms.

Fujima reached out, but doubled over, pain tearing through her side.

"Mom." Shirone called out as she panicked, not knowing what to do. "Kuroka…"

She trembled under the gazes of the devils and wanted nothing more than to run away.

"I'm doing what is best for us, nya." Kuroka whispered with deep breathes.

She turned her attention to Griffith, who held in his hand a Bishop Evil Piece.

"What is your name?" Griffith asked his new member.

"Kuroka." Kuroka answered, her heart pounding in her chest as a massive weight slammed her shoulders.

"Welcome to the Naberius clan, Kuroka." Griffith welcomed as his bishop glowed brightly before it merged into Kuroka's body.

Devil wings sprouted from Kuroka's back, causing Fujima to tear up as her daughter sacrificed her freedom.

Chapter 5, DONE!

Well. Damn.

Shit is happening.

I hope this chapter was fun, I sure did have fun writing it.

Kuroka's mature decision to protect her family was a bit difficult, but I think I got it down.

Naruto's Dancing Lesson with Inazuma was to teach him that all things have rhythm, like how when Zoro realized things have a rhythm during his fight against Mr. 1, Daz Bones. The Rhythm of All Things.

Griffith, Pippin, Corkus, Judeau, Casca, and Guts are from Berserk. I think they fit perfectly with this.

Besides all of that, I don't have anything else to add besides if you enjoyed the chapter, please let me know with a review, and if you disliked it, please review it because it helps me become a better author.