Original Posted On April 14, 2024
Beta Read by: Crowfeast, Darlord331
Review Responses:
Gamelover41592: *Catch and puts in chair*
MichaelTheFox: Because Naruto is on a mission… and tunnel visioned in his mental focus.
Jebest4781: Thank you. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
StarDustDragonknight: Did he?
Ravage88atlas: Wow, you got it. Thank you.
Silvanium: That certainly IS a possibility.
Fenris Silverblood: Like with Verosika to Eevee (Choosing to give her up for adoption only for the orphanage to burn down, killing her daughter) Naruto is in that moment, the crucial decision. Yes, Naruto did have more options, but he tunnel visioned onto Alastor.
DireWolf1412: Thank you… wait what do you mean by 'take the deal that fast'? you expected it to happen later?
MisterWriter1994: I know.
Reedz22: Is he though?
Arashi Uzukage: Never said this was canon Naruto.
Nathair1: We should be scared of Alastor. Yes, they are messing with Moxxie. Eevee/Evelin really doesn't understand why Verosika did it, thus she is resentful. Because Alastor is on a leash and wants off of it, seeing Naruto as a way of breaking it. BTW, you were the only person to guess correctly what happened before i revealed it. Congrats.
Bednarczykmiki: Pants to be darkened, yes.
ShadowBloodedge9396: Nope. It is not good. That's the idea.
Gold Testament: That is the idea.
Exia Zero: Was it really though?
MEATBICYCLE: It was a grenade blast, not a bullet to the foot. Oh, the hellquake was from Helluva Boss episode 4, it was the escalator that crashes the wall of IMP HQ. Will Verosika stay on the top of the charts, or will vengeance take over with Evelin swiping it from Verosika. I'll check it out, sounds interesting. Pt 2: I think the philosophy angle IS good. Especially the comparison to Pyramid Head. Scary mother fucker. Pt 3: I'll look into it.
Nicholas: Nay, he isn't in the dog house, he in the BLOOD house.
DaftMerc39: Interesting. I was planning on keeping CHERUBS around, but I gotta figure out what I'd do with them. IF Blitz finds out about Steel Ball Run, he'd be excited and disappointed the horses don't fuck in it. Fucking LOVE Ghost Rider. True, but Alastor was able to defend himself against Adam, even if he did lose that fight. DID he though? Thank you.
Ice: I envisioned Yamato from One Piece.
Thor9: What do you think really happened?
Reggad the Knife: No… Deerie is best.
Sniperbro1994: Yeah, it really was stupid for Naruto to get tunnel visioned and ONLY focus on Alastor when he had Charlie, Stolas, and Queen Bee to help him.
Tank115: What makes you think Naruto didn't do it?
OKAY, LETS READ THIS SHIT! I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR HELLUVA BOSS!
"Hey" = Speaking
'Hey' = Thinking
'Hey' = Memory
"Hey" = To be Determined
Chapter 97: Selfishness
Loona's eyes widened, and her hand struck Naruto across the cheek.
"You…" she huffed, anger tears starting to form in her eyes. "You… You…"
Her tears started to pour down her cheeks.
"You sold your soul to the Radio Demon… for power?" Loona asked as she stared at her husband with anger.
"I still have my soul." Naruto replied, putting his hands up defensively.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"What?" Loona asked as she stared Naruto in the eyes.
Naruto put his hand on his forehead, trying to think clearly, the slap having sobered him enough.
Flashback…
"Sorry, you'll have to do better than that…" the Radio Demon said as he stood up, his left hand on the table as he leaned over, his right-hand glowing green as his horns grew bigger and eyes became radio dials. "You know what needs to be done…"
Naruto stared at the hand.
Magic and magic sigils appeared around it.
'A Contract…' Naruto thought as his body pulsed with each beat of his heart.
Naruto's fingers twitched as he drank a bit more.
A weight began to apply itself to Naruto's shoulders with each second that passed.
Heavier and heavier did it become as Naruto's arm began to shake.
He slowly raised his hand.
Alastor's eyes feverishly watched as Naruto's hand inched toward his… only for him to stop, slightly pull back.
Looking at the hound's face, Alastor saw deep thought and contemplation in Naruto's eyes.
Worry began to settle into the Radio Demon, only to vanish when Naruto's hand began to move… and lowered to grab the whiskey bottle.
"Alastor…" Naruto said calmly as he poured himself another drink. "I can't do it."
He drank his shot as Alastor did a double take, laughing curtly as he stood up.
"Excuse me, the echo is bad in here…" Alastor said as he 'adjusted' the dial on his cane. "But did you say… no?"
Naruto nodded as he poured himself more whiskey.
"I will not make a contract." Naruto repeated as he put the bottle down, staring the livid Overlord in the eyes. "I have a daughter… I can't sell my soul. I need to be there for her."
Alastor snarled.
"Such bullshit." He stated as he stood up, slamming his hands on the table hard enough to nearly break it, splintering it as he gripped the ends. "You can gain such knowledge and power under me…" his voice glitched. "You decline this…"
"Yes…" Naruto said as he drank more.
Alastor slapped the shot glass out of Naruto's hand, shattering on the wall as he grabbed the hound by the scruff of his shirt, pulling him close, the table shattering as Alastor grew several sized to big, holding Naruto with one hand as his horns scrapped the ceiling.
"YOU DENY ME!" He shouted, saliva dribbling out of his mouth. "YOU WASTE MY TIME, JUST TO DENY ME!"
Naruto just stared, his body limp.
"I won't forsake my child for you, now…" Naruto said as he grabbed Alastor's finger, holding up his other hand, which had a familiar sphere spinning in it. "I'd like to be put down, now."
Alastor hissed when the Rasengan slammed into his hand, injuring him.
Naruto hit the ground as Alastor returned to normal size, however, he was under Alastor, whose body was contorted as his horns continued to grow.
"I SHOULD AIR YOUR SCREAMS ON MY RADIO SHOW!" Alastor threatened. "NO ONE HUMILIATES THE RADIO DEMON!"
His magic spread through out the room, shaking the hotel to its very core.
Charlie banged on the door from the outside, but the Overlords ignored her attempts to break in as Naruto began to flare his power.
While significantly smaller, Naruto's magic withstood Alastor's pressure.
Charlie burst through the door, the magic shaking the hotel vanished.
Alastor stood up, grabbing Naruto's wrist and pulling him to his feet.
"You're lucky my attention is needed elsewhere, Stray Dog…" Alastor said with an unhidden threat. "But the next time you pull this shit… Your screams will remind everyone why they fear me…"
Without any other words, Charlie and Naruto were shoved out of Alastor's room, the door slamming shut and being locked with magic.
"Naruto!" Charlie exclaimed, grabbing his shoulders to look him up and down. "Is everything alright? You made a contract! Oh God, OH GOD, what did I let happen!"
Charlie began to tear up, heaving with snot in her mouth.
However, she was pulled from these thoughts as Naruto pulled her into a hug.
"No… I am still un-contracted." He told her with a little rattle in his voice, his tail stiff with fur on end. "Mother fucker scared the FUCK out of me… thought my poker face wasn't going to last…"
"You… You dummy…." Charlie cried as she hugged the Lycan tightly. "You… had… me… so… worried…"
"Come on, I'll get you a drink." Naruto said as he forced himself to stand/carry Charlie downstairs to Husker's bar, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and sharing a few shots with Charlie before he left with the bottle.
Flashback End…
"And after that…" Naruto mumbled. "I came here…"
"With your face looking at the bottom of a bottle." Loona said as she held up the near empty whiskey bottle in a tone that showed she was still angry.
Naruto winced slightly but still nodded.
Loona sighed as she face-palmed.
"I just don't understand…"
"What doesn't make sense?" Naruto asked as he stood up to get close to Loona, only for her hand to keep him at arm's length.
"I don't understand why you think it's perfectly fine to throw everything you worked for away!" Loona snapped, her finger pressing against his chest, jabbing him.
A tick mark formed on Naruto's forehead.
"Throwing it away?" Naruto asked as he shoved Loona's arm aside, his tone rising. "Throwing it away? Loona, I didn't do it, I am still here, soul intact…"
"But the fact you contemplated and NEARLY did it is the problem!" Loona shouted, getting in close with a scowl. "You thought it would be better to sell your soul for power? How fucking selfish!"
Naruto snarled back.
"SELFISH! SELFISH? BITCH, I SOUGHT POWER TO PROTECT OUR FAMILY!" he bellowed, alcohol filled saliva hitting Loona's cheeks as his arm swung out to gesture to the imps and the baby, who flinched. "TO PROTECT YOU, VEROSIKA, MOM, DAD, BLITZ, AND ANDY! I DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE I KNEW SHE NEEDED ME! FUCKING SELFISH!"
Within Millie's arms, Andromeda covered her tiny ears, beginning to shake, eyes starting to water as she looked back and forth at her parents.
"YOU ARE BEING SELFISH!" Loona screamed. "INSTEAD OF TALKING TO VEROSIKA OR ME, YOU WENT TO THE RADIO DEMON! YOU COULD HAVE ASKED CHARLIE! IF YOUR TRUE DEMON FORM MEANS SO MUCH TO YOU THAT YOU'D IGNORE FRIENDS AND FAMILY, THEN YOU CAN JUST…"
*BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG*
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Naruto and Loona flinched at the sound of four gunshots, followed by Andromeda crying in her grandmother's arms, with Moxxie and Millie trying to calm her down.
Blitz stood before Moxxie and Millie, Casull in hand with fading smoke at the nozzle, the ceiling having four new holes in it.
"Mox, Mil, take Andy to the other room, please?" He asked in a cold tone.
The imps nodded, taking the crying babe into the meeting room, Blitz sighing as he lowered his gun while the door closed.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Blitz shouted as he spun on his heel, turning to his daughter and son-in-law. "HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME THE VOICE OF REASON!"
He grabbed both of the hounds and pulled them down, making them sit on their knees.
"YOU!" Blitz pointed Casull at Naruto, the barrel touching the hound's nose. "YOU ARE RIGHT, THE MAN OF THE HOUSE NEEDS TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY, BUT YOU SHOULD CONSULT AND TALK ABOUT THINGS WITH YOUR PARTNERS! YOU AREN'T ALONE ANYMORE, NARUTO, I THOUGHT YOU KNEW THAT!"
He whipped Casull in front of Loona, whose eyes were wide as she stared down it.
"LOONA!" Blitz shouted. "YOU ARE CORRECT IN FEELING UPSET! YOUR HUSBAND DID SOMETHING EXCEPTIONALLY RETARDED! YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND HE WAS THINK OF EVERYONE'S BEST IN THE WRONG WAY!"
He pointed Casull in the space between the husband and wife.
"YOU BOTH HAVE FAIR POINTS; NOW WORK YOUR SHIT OUT OR ELSE I'M…" Blitz paused.
He scratched his chin in thought, TRYING to figure out what he should say.
'Fuck it…' he shrugged. "I'LL FUCK YOUR HOLES UNTIL THEY BLEED! DON'T BOTHER US UNTIL YOU ARE DONE!"
With that, Blitz holstered his gun and walked into the Meeting Room, joining his fellow grandparents to calm the still wailing baby.
Naruto and Loona sat in silence, the sounds of Andromeda crying ringing in their ears.
Naruto's hand rubbed his face, nibbling his bottom lip.
Loona avoided Naruto's gaze, running her hand through her short hair.
Their tails wrapped around them slightly, ears lying flat on their hears.
"Loona/Naruto…" Both said before pausing, smiling slightly.
"You first." Loona told Naruto.
Naruto cleared his throat.
"… You are right…" Naruto said as he put his hand on his chest. "I was being selfish when I thought I needed to shoulder the responsibility of protecting everyone. I just… I just thought I needed to do it alone because before I met you… I did everything alone."
Loona let the silence come back, let his words soak in.
"I understand you wanted to protect us…" she cupped Naruto's cheek. "But you aren't alone… we are a family. We look after each other. We don't need any singular person to do that…"
Naruto nodded, leaning into Loona's palm.
"I'm sorry for yelling…" He apologized.
"I'm sorry for over reacting." Loona responded.
Naruto gently pulled Loona into a hug.
"I love you… so much." Naruto said as he held Loona close.
Loona hugged Naruto back.
"Love you too, my dumb hubby." Loona replied.
"Hey…" Naruto said in defeated hurt.
Loona snickered.
"Call it pay back for the 'bitch' statement earlier." Loona replied as she stood up, holding her hand out. "Well?"
Naruto took her hand, no hesitation.
Standing up, the two hounds walked to the meeting room, entering to see Andromeda clinging to Moxxie.
Upon seeing her parents, she visibly shrunk into her grandfather's arms, as if she didn't want to be seen.
Naruto kneeled in front of Moxxie as Loona leaned forward, hands on her knees.
Andromeda's tiny ears twitched, turning enough to see their soft smiles.
Immediately she reached out, no longer hiding.
She knew everything was going to be alright.
Skip, Evening…
"YOU DID WHAT!" Verosika screamed as Loona explained what happened.
'God, I wish Verosika was there at IMP HQ so we didn't need to explain this twice.' Loona thought as Verosika yelled at Naruto, who took it gracefully.
Verosika sighed as she sat down.
"Alright, what happened?" she asked as she grabbed a bottle of Beelze-juice.
Meanwhile…
"You okay in there, Alastor?" Charlie asked from the hallway.
Alastor had not left his room or made any sound from within since Naruto had visited.
"Come on, hon." Vaggie said as she took Charlie's hand. "He'll be fine in the morning."
"Okay…" Charlie said with concern.
As the two ladies left, Alastor seethed.
His form took the majority of his bedroom.
He seethed. He writhed. He stewed.
His anger was so palpable that it seeped through the floorboards, affecting Nifty's work, making the insects scuttling more erratic from their fear of the deer sinner.
Alastor blankly stared through the window that showed outside.
In his line of sight, was his radio tower.
His hand slammed against the wall, nearly shattering the glass if he didn't repair it.
'One day…'
Skip, Two Months, September…
Summer in Wrath, the heat could not be beat as Tamamo walked through a mostly deserted area.
At her side, her swords.
Her ear twitched, listening carefully.
"You know, you didn't need to come with me, Arnold." Tamamo told the Armadillo sinner.
"I said I wanted to do it, so I did it." Arnold replied as he smoked his cigar. "Besides, if I didn't, and you got hurt again, Karen would skin me and turn my hide into a basket."
Tamamo cracked a chuckle, but regained her composure.
"Anyway, you seriously think the bird bitch is healed completely?" Arnold asked his boss's daughter. "I mean… after the sex session the Madam put Karasuba through…" He took a deep breath, his lungs filling with smoke before he exhaled. "Fucked her back to splinters."
"It has been over a year and a half since Karasuba's injury." Tamamo reminded Arnold as the duo walked to a building.
A much nicer one compared to the mostly damaged or pillaged buildings.
"So, I guess she has made a full recovery…" Tamamo said as she entered with Arnold.
It was an old industrial building for making cars.
The area where they were put together was cleared of all car equipment.
Instead, it was full of broken bokken, shinai, wooden swords, and various types of training dummies.
Arnold felt a chill down his shelled spine.
He tensed, his instincts taking over as he 'curled' into a ball, his shell taking a blow from a blade.
Tamamo's blade was drawn and blocked the incoming attack as she drew her shorter wakizashi, countering their assailant.
She hit nothing as crow feathers fluttered.
"You've improved, Tama." A coy, older female tone said from above.
Arnold, who undid his defense, and Tamamo looked up, seeing the person they came to see.
"Karasuba… I assume this means your back is fully restored?" Tamamo asked as she sheathed her swords.
Karasuba smiled.
She was a Sinner demon.
Like all Sinners who wish to leave Pride, she wore a Day Pass wrist ban.
Her legs were that of a crow, feet included.
However, her upper body was that of a human, with pail skin and feather gray/silver hair.
Her eyes were sharp, narrow, and calculating, much like a crow's.
Her nose curved slightly, like a beak.
She wore a battle kimono that was jet black and had a katana in her hand.
"Your assumption is correct, my student." Karasuba said as she jumped from her position, her arms becoming wings for the briefest of moments to slow her momentum to land safely before Arnold and Tamamo. "My injury has long since healed. I was simply awaiting the Madam's call."
She bowed, taking a knee to Tamamo.
"What can this humble servant do to serve?" She asked, hand across her chest as she lowered her head.
"There is a man who we need a power assessment for…" Arnold explained as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a picture of Naruto. "We lost a valuable asset due to Stark's retarded behavior. So, we need you to find this kid, and make sure he is strong."
Karasuba took the picture, looking at it.
"Hm… from what I can tell… he is a Lycan." She assessed.
"Naruto Uzumaki, age nineteen…" Tamamo explained as she pointed behind the picture, making Karasuba turn it around, seeing basic information on Naruto. "Currently married to two women, one child with the hound. Do not, under ANY circumstances put that child in danger. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Tamamo. I understand." Karasuba repeated, her lips curving into a sinister smile. "But what of the boy? Murder? Or a simple test?"
"Tama said test him, didn't she?" Arnold asked bluntly.
"He can get injured, just don't kill him." Tamamo explained. "Mother wants him alive. After all, a Lycan whose potential is reached has a tastier soul."
"I understand completely, Tamamo." Karasuba said, preparing to leave.
"After you find the opportune time to attack and complete your mission, Mother wants you to help Melani train two more people." Tamamo called out to her sword instructor. "Two dumbass new hires named Hinata and Kiba."
Karasuba's lips pursed.
"I understand, tell the Madam I shall finish my mission and then return with a full report." Karasuba said as seemingly faded into a few feathers.
"Creepy bitch." Arnold scoffed.
He turned to Tamamo.
"Want to go get some ice cream on the way back." He asked the fifteen-year-old.
Tamamo… shook her head.
"N-no…" She replied, making a small hand gesture to 'move' the conversation to something else.
"Alright…" Arnold said as he picked Tamamo up and put her on his shoulders. "Ice cream it is."
"ARNOLD!" Tamamo yelled as he took off running, smirking as he heard her laugh.
Embarrassment rushed over the young fox demon, but she couldn't help but express her happiness as she felt the air whip her hair behind her while Arnold ran.
Two Days Later…
"I want you and your family to accompany me to the Festival of the Harvest Moon in Wrath?" Stolas asked Blitz as the imp freed him from his bondage via cigar burning the rope.
"Wrath huh, Millie's from there." Blitz replied as he relaxed. "So, is this another bodyguard gig? I said we don't do that, Stolas."
Stolas giggled as he crawled under the covers, his head barely peaking out as he straddled Blitz.
"Don't worry, I feel quite safe there." He explained, sitting up on Blitz's waist, staring his beloved down with a passionate smile. "I am just offering a small amount of time off for us and your family to have some fun."
Blitz scratched his chin.
"Well, yeah, let's do it." He said as he gave Stolas the thumbs up.
"Splendid, let's call everyone up and ask what their plans are." Stolas said with a bit too much enthusiasm as he got off the bed, rushing off with NO clothes on.
Blitz rolled his eyes as he got out of the bed.
"HOLD on… you naked turkey…" he joked as he jogged after the royal.
Wrath…
"You're hired." Joe said as he shook hands with their new hire. "Say, what was your name again?"
"Oh, my apologies, sir…" the imp said as he tipped his hat up. "The name's Striker."
Chapter 97, DONE!
Well… things are getting interesting again.
Naruto didn't sell his soul. I know many are happy.
That argument… took me a while to get it JUST right. Where it was long enough to have impact but short enough to not be bloated or forced. Glad to see Blitz show off more maturity.
Karasuba is from Sekirei, she is a member of Kurama's group and Tamamo's sword instructor.
Fuck, now episode 5 is beginning. Didn't I JUST do episode 4? I should have done another original thing. But this works out so whatever.
If you enjoyed the chapter, leave a review, even if you hated it because it helps me become a better author.