Chapter 4: Encounters
The day after the pact had been made, Naruto had given Koneko time off from training, seeing as he had an errand to run. The young Nekoshou was thus left to her own devices. So, here she was, sitting in the club room and chewing on some candy. It seemed that it was a slow day for contracts as well. She had received only one on this day. She could have gone home, but she instead chose to spend a bit of time in the room in case one of the others also had a slow day. It had been some time since she had had an opportunity to hang out with her fellow Peerage members.
Her hope and patience were rewarded when the teleportation circle lit up. The figure to step out of it was that of a blonde girl with Italian facial features. The smile she had on her face told the story of an accomplished contract. She was even humming a little bit. In her distraction, it took her a moment to notice that she was not alone. When she did notice, he face lit up even more.
"Good day, Koneko," she said.
The Nekoshou greeted back: "Good day, Asia. Have you finished your contracts for today?"
The former nun nodded and answered: "Yes. There were only two today. The one I have just finished was about treating an old man's aching back. It feels good to help out and be thanked for it."
That statement reminded Koneko of the other girl's background. Asia had been a holy maiden for most of her life. Being thanked or praised had not been part of that. Her selfless service had been taken for granted. Yet the moment she had acted upon it without their approval, the higher-ups of the church had excommunicated her. It was no wonder that the girl was so happy simply because people thanked her.
"You look like you've enjoyed yourself," said Koneko.
Asia nodded. "I did."
"… Are you free right now?" asked the white-haired girl.
"Yes. Why?" asked back Asia.
"I want to get to know you better," answered Koneko. "Let's talk for a bit."
Asia was visibly surprised at hearing that. "Really? I'm glad you want to talk, of course, but I don't know about what. I'm not very interesting."
Koneko hesitated for a bit before she said: "… I don't think that's true. The problem is elsewhere. You have friends, after all. Kiryuu comes to mind."
"Kiryuu is a good friend," said Asia. "I really like her, even if her advice seems strange sometimes. But since I'm not familiar with local customs, I appreciate her help a lot. She's really helpful when I have questions."
"… Her advice tends to be misleading. I thought I'd tell you that," said Koneko.
Asia nodded and said: "I know that. I figured it out the first time she did it."
Koneko could not help but look at her in surprise. That was unexpected. She had, perhaps unfairly, assumed that the blonde girl was far too naïve to understand that Kiryuu often distorted the truth. That Asia was still willing to trust that perverted girl was quite something.
"I told her that, too," continued Asia. She giggled. "She looked even more surprised than you do now. She promised me she wouldn't tell me things that would cause me to get hurt, though. So long as she keeps that promise, I'm fine with it. Also, the things she's misled me about had positive consequences."
Koneko responded: "I wouldn't put up with that. You're far too forgiving."
"If you don't forgive people, you'll end up living with nothing but grudges," said Asia.
The Nekoshou conceded that there was some truth in those words. If she took every slight personally, she would not have any friends anymore. However, Asia's problem was the exact opposite. Forgiving everyone for everything at the drop of a hat was not all that smart.
So, Koneko asked: "What about things you can't forgive?"
The former nun stayed quiet for a bit, contemplating the question. "There are a few of these things. But I think it also depends on the reason. If you do bad things because you love someone, it's easier to forgive. But even if I can't forgive someone, I never want to hurt anyone. My life's purpose is to heal, not to hurt."
"But who gave you that purpose? Was it the church? I know you've kept to your beliefs, but you shouldn't stay attached to the institution's doctrine," said Koneko.
The other girls smiled sadly and answered: "The church raised me that way, but it's not because of them. It's because of Issei and the President, because of Yuuto and Akeno, and you. You've shown me such kindness by accepting me into the Peerage. You were complete strangers, and you were my, the Church's and the Grigori's, enemies, yet you've shown me this warmth. That's why I can't harm even an enemy."
Koneko was speechless for a moment. It was somewhat uncomfortable to be praised for something she had done without thinking. There was also a slight unease, because she knew that Rias had only reincarnated Asia because Issei had begged her to, not because she had wanted to on her own. It galled the young Nekoshou that she had not made the case herself despite going on the rescue mission. Things had turned out for the best, but she could see that it could have easily gone the other way. Only after swallowing that bitter pill did she speak again.
"… You're amazing. I can't help but think that your view is a bit naïve, but your commitment to your ideals is inspiring."
Asia's smile became bright, and she replied: "It's only because of my friends. I thank God every day that I can be with you. Amen! Ouch!"
"Ow," muttered Koneko.
The blonde girl's prayer had given them both a severe headache. It was one of the hazards of being a Devil. Speaking the Biblical God's name was okay, but invoking it was another matter entirely. It caused harm to Devils. Unfortunately for the members of the Occult Research Club, Asia routinely forgot this, and her prayers caused more than one headache a day.
When it had abated a bit, Koneko said: "We're glad to have you. Are you okay with your living situation, though? Issei can be… a handful."
"Oh, it's fine. I'm happier than I've ever been. Mother and Father are very kind to me," she said, mentioning without a thought how the Hyoudou parents wanted her to address them. "The President and Issei are also accommodating. I've never slept as well as I do with them."
That was a bit too much information for the white-haired girl. She was glad that Asia was happy, but she did not want to know what she and the other two were getting up to in the bedroom. She doubted it was anything truly serious, though. The pervert would have shouted it to the heavens if he had gone all the way with Rias or with Asia. That said, Koneko thought it best to end the conversation there.
"I'm glad you're happy. It was nice talking to you. I should go home now, though," she said.
Asia smiled at her and happily replied: "I had fun. I'll see you tomorrow."
After exchanging those short pleasantries, Koneko went home. She wanted to enjoy some more free time. The next day, she knew, she would be in for some tough training. Naruto had promised to teach her a useful technique. She wanted to be ready and rested when the time came.
The biggest sign that it would be a rough day already showed itself when Koneko noticed that she was not the only person visiting her teacher on the training ground. When she set foot in the place, she was surprised to find Issei there as well. His presence was unexpected, but it meant that weird occurrences were now predestined to take place.
"Why are you here?" she asked.
"I told him to come here," answered Naruto in the boy's place as he appeared in a cloud of smoke. "It was a bit of a hassle to get suitable contracts submitted on the fly, though."
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean? You're pulling me away from a contract! I'm going to get in a lot of trouble for this, you know?" complained Issei.
Naruto rolled his eyes. "I submitted that contract, you doofus. If your master asks, you've been remodelling my garden this afternoon. It's somewhat correct since you're going to level a lot of plants here today."
"Oh… But why? Couldn't you have called us over?" asked the boy.
"Of course," said Naruto. "But this is my way of getting you out of trouble. You can't say you're disobeying orders if a nebulously worded long-term contract sends you after Excalibur. I'm establishing a pattern here so you two and your friend Kiba are covered. I'll see about that Saji boy as well."
"That won't work. We'll still get in trouble," said Koneko.
Naruto grinned and said: "But it will get you in less trouble. I'm an expert at getting in and out of messes like that. Doing damage control for you is the least I can do to help my student and her teammates."
The two teenagers blinked. "Thanks," said Issei.
"Thank you, Sensei," added Koneko.
The man went on: "I've got something else planned for you two as well. Koneko's my student, but there are a few things I wanna teach you too, Pervy Kid."
"Hey!" protested Issei.
"Get used to it. You can't escape my nicknames, Pervy Kid. Neither can you, Little One," replied Naruto.
"I'm not little," said Koneko.
Her teacher snorted. "Sure you aren't. But enough of that. Let's get started. You're up first, Pervy Kid."
The boy in question was surprised to hear that. He asked: "Why me? I thought you'd start with Koneko since she's your student. I'm just her comrade."
"It's because you need the most work," snarked Koneko.
He made a depressed expression at hearing that. "I'm sorry for being talentless," he said with a sigh.
"That's quitter talk. So what if you're talentless? It took me decades to discover my own talents. Until then, I got by on a combination of luck, extensive training, and a lot of bull-headed determination," said Naruto. "I'm now gonna tell you something a friend of mine learned from his Sensei: 'Talent needs hard work to be useful. Hard work doesn't need anything else.' By the divine food that is ramen, I'm gonna turn you into a genius of hard work, believe it!"
Koneko watched as her fellow Peerage member began to cry. He shouted: "That sounds so inspirational! I'm getting fired up!"
Naruto laughed at the mood whiplash. "Now that's the right attitude! But before we start, we need to get a handle on your strengths and weaknesses. Thanks to the Little One, I already know how to proceed on the biggest one."
Issei nodded and prepared himself. He assumed a combat stance and asked: "What is it?"
"Boobs," said Naruto. "From what Koneko told me, your brain turns off when you see a pair of breasts. That's a weakness, Pervy Kid."
"It's my source of strength!" exclaimed Issei.
"It got you killed," said Koneko, surprising him. "… I don't want you to die again."
Those words surprised Issei even more. Koneko understood why. She was very clear in showing her distaste for his lewd side. In all that, it sometimes fell by the wayside that she actually cared for him. His expression showed his puzzlement.
Before he could dedicate more time to that thought, Naruto continued: "Your source of strength is always a source of weakness. That's true for everyone. For you, it's boobs. The first thing I'll teach you is how to handle that weakness, and I'll do it with the very first Jutsu I created: my patented ultimate anti-pervert technique!"
"You won't be able to suppress my perversion! Bring it on!" shouted Issei, taking the older man's words as a challenge.
Naruto merely grinned and said: "Sexy Jutsu!"
Then, a cloud of smoke surrounded him, and what emerged from it shocked both teenagers into silence. Out of the smoke came the curvy, naked figure of a blond bombshell of a woman. Her well-formed proportions made Koneko incredulous, and fried Issei's brain. When she struck a pose that emphasised her breasts, the boy's eyes rolled back into his head, and he passed out, a trail of blood leaving his nose.
"Lightweight," said the distinctly feminine voice of the woman.
"Sensei, is that you?" asked Koneko.
The woman nodded and commented: "This is a variation of the Transformation Jutsu."
The woman went up in smoke, literally, and Naruto's usual appearance emerged again.
"… Are you some sort of pervert?" asked his student.
He laughed and answered: "You'd have to ask my wife about that. We get up to some pretty kinky stuff, but that's neither here nor there. I created that technique because it's very effective. A lot of very strong people are also pretty damn perverted, so it works on a lot of them. I got the military dictator of my home, my godfather, and even a mad goddess with it."
"And how is you using it on Issei going to help him? He's passed out," asked Koneko.
"That, Little One, is the beginning of desensitisation training. I'm gonna slap him awake, do it again, and repeat the process until he can control himself. I'll start mixing it up by teaching him some Taijutsu and using the Sexy Jutsu on him in random intervals. By the end of it, he'll be black and blue, but at least he's not gonna be useless as soon as an opponent shows him her tits or tries to seduce him," explained Naruto.
After he finished speaking, he created a shadow clone, leaving it with the unconscious boy.
He said: "Let's go to an area that won't have the noise of your friend's training hammering into your ears. I've got a Jutsu to teach you."
That made Koneko excited. She had so far only trained in the very basics of the Shinobi art, if one excluded Senjutsu. As she followed him to a location in the woods a bit away from the clearing where Issei was undergoing training, she wondered what she would learn. Naruto had regaled her with tales of what Jutsu were capable of when used correctly. She doubted she would learn anything devastating, but she knew that whatever Jutsu he would teach her would be useful.
When he judged them to be far enough away from their original spot, Naruto said: "We're still going to practice Senjutsu today, but first, I wanna teach you one of the most useful Jutsu you could ever know. It's not glamorous, and it has little to no combat utility unless you're really good at it, but it's a life saver. Today, you're going to learn the Substitution Jutsu."
She had never seen him use it. So far, he had shown her the Body Flicker, the Shadow Clone and, just before, the Sexy Jutsu. She had a guess, but she was curious what it was going to be.
As it turned out, it was, surprisingly, a high-speed movement technique. Its purpose was to exchange the position of the user with an object of similar mass. The trouble lay in connecting to said object and performing the move fast enough.
"Concentrate. I know you can do it," encouraged Naruto.
Koneko did concentrate. It was difficult to send chakra out of the body and keep control of it. So, it took her a minute to reach out to the log Naruto had put in front of her. When she felt reasonably sure that the connection was stable, she went through the hand signs and flared her chakra. She felt the rush, felt the movement and-
"Ow," she muttered.
She had made some sort of error. Her body and the log had collided as they had been pulled against each other instead of past each other. As a result, she was now rubbing her fortunately unbroken nose.
"Yeah, that can happen," commented Naruto. "It's still miles better than my first attempt. The apartment wall was never the same after that."
She snorted softly as she heard that. That amusing anecdote aside, she had a question: "Sensei, you said this Jutsu has little combat application. Why am I learning it?"
He laughed a little and answered: "If only my Sensei had explained that to me. Well, in any case, it's about the basics. The Substitution Jutsu isn't all that useful once you go up against Jonin, but it's the basis of other high-speed movement techniques. There's not gonna be a Body Flicker without the Substitution."
Koneko nodded in acceptance and made her next attempt. She connected her chakra with the log again and made the hand signs. It was another failure, although this time, it was because she and the log had stopped moving right before colliding. It was just as unsuccessful as her first try, but it was less painful. She was determined to try again.
As the afternoon went by, her practice showed results. She could still not perform a good Substitution by the end of it, but her chakra connected faster with the log now, and there were fewer painful accidents. She had spent quite a bit of chakra, though, so the direction of her training shifted.
"I think it's time we combined Ninshu and Senjutsu," announced Naruto.
Koneko frowned. "But you said that Senjutsu is dangerous when the user is low on chakra. I'm nearly out."
He grinned at her and said: "It's good you paid attention. How about I demonstrate? It'll be a good lesson on the uses of Ninshu."
He held out his fist to her, and she bumped it as usual. Their connection formed instantly, a testament to the budding familiarity and trust between them. She felt his warm and gentle chakra immediately. So far, it was all as normal, but that changed quickly. His chakra rushed into her body, not unlike when he had unlocked it. Yet, as it entered her body, it changed. It was no longer his but hers.
"… You're recharging me," she said after a moment's pause.
He replied: "That I am. Ninshu is great at that. There's practically no chakra lost in the conversion process."
Koneko was deep in thought while she enjoyed the feeling of her mentor's chakra. There were implications hidden here; she just had to find them. Then, it hit her.
"You can help me reach Sage Mode," she said in realisation.
Naruto smiled at her and ruffled her hair, much to her chagrin. He said: "Right on the money, Little One. You're having trouble going past that last hurdle. That's not to say that you're slow; you're incredibly fast, actually. But I thought if I showed you what Sage Mode is like, you're gonna reach it a lot faster yourself."
She nodded at him and braced herself. "I'm ready," she said.
"Okay," he replied. "Don't worry about anything. I'll regulate the natural energy within you. Just enjoy the feeling."
Soon after that, she felt something creep into her chakra pathways. It was Naruto's chakra, and it carried baggage. She felt this other energy mesh with hers. When they achieved balance, a rush went through her, and suddenly, her senses expanded.
"Woah," she could not help but breathe out.
She felt every living thing around her. The grass, the trees, her teacher, even Issei; she could sense all of them. The minute differences between each and every one of them were suddenly clear to her. She could also sense that Naruto's life force was tightly restrained and kept within his body. The powerful presence he gave off to her senses was merely what seeped through. It was fortunate that he kept such a tight grip on it, as it would have obstructed her newly gained life sense completely otherwise. She let that knowledge rest, however, and took in the sensations Sage Mode brought with itself.
Then, slowly, the natural energy disappeared, and with it went her new senses. Their loss was a bit vexing to the Young Nekoshou, but she caught herself quickly. She realised that the demonstration was over.
"Amazing, isn't it?" asked Naruto.
"It was," she said.
"Did it help?" he questioned.
Koneko nodded and answered: "Yes. I feel like I can replicate the process."
He smirked and said: "Great! Once you've mastered this exercise, your opponents won't know what hit them."
An hour of practice later, the white-haired girl managed to form Sage Chakra of her own. The Sage Mode she gained through it only lasted for a brief moment. It was progress nonetheless. When she noticed that she was losing the balance, she succeeded in expelling the natural energy herself without her teacher's aid. That was in important milestone in her training. It tired her out, however.
As the wave of exhaustion hit her, she said: "I don't think I can continue, Sensei."
"I thought as much," he replied with a nod. "Your friend's still standing, but he's flagging hard."
She was surprised to hear that, and she said as much: "… Shouldn't he be unconscious by now? All the hits you said you'd give him should have done that."
Naruto shook his head and answered: "Just beating him up won't do. If I do things wrong, I'll end up conditioning him to expect pain when he sees the thing he enjoys the most. His preferences aren't the most normal, but that would be a step too far. For reference, how would you feel if I beat you every time you ate a piece of candy?"
She shuddered involuntarily. That sounded nightmarish.
"Precisely. I have to make sure the lesson sticks without inflicting harm. So, I have to take it slow," concluded her teacher. "That aside, he has remarkable resilience and determination. If you two keep training like this, you'll be menaces on the battlefield in no time."
A few days later, the anti-Excalibur team from Kuoh was on the move. As they had done every day since the agreement with the Church girls had been struck, they were all dressed up in priestly robes. The Devils even had fake crosses to make the deception more convincing. Despite this, the prowl had been unsuccessful so far.
"Today's another bust, huh?" commented Saji.
The boy seemed a bit depressed. He had so far been very enthusiastic about this operation, but the string of fruitless patrols was getting to him. This day was shaping up to be one as well. It was already early evening, and they had still not succeeded in finding any leads.
Suddenly, Yuuto stopped in is tracks. Koneko felt shivers go down her spine. She called to him: "Yuuto."
"Look up!" shouted Saji, having spotted the enemy.
Insane laughter rang out as a white-haired young man dropped from the air. As Yuuto deflected his strike, the man shouted: "Yehahah! Are you guys under some divine protection or something?"
Yuuto swung at him with a demonic sword, which the man evaded.
"Oho, Sword Birth!"
"Freed!" shouted Issei, anger in his voice.
Koneko felt that way too. Freed had tried to kill her, had actually killed clients of hers. She wanted to pummel him into the ground. The insane psycho deserved nothing less. To be honest, she would not mind killing him either. He was an unrepentant murderer and an enemy combatant to boot.
"Eh? Look! It's Dragon boy again! It almost feels like a class reunion here. Are you strong enough to be worth killing yet?" mocked Freed.
The Devils were now quick to discard their robes as the fighting began. Issei wasted no time and started using [Boost], while Yuuto readied his sword and the others braced themselves. Koneko's fists and Saji's Sacred Gear were poised and at the ready.
The latter was already on the move. A lizard tongue-themed line shot out from his Sacred Gear, speeding towards the Stray Exorcist. Freed tried to dodge, but in spite of his superior speed, he was caught at the foot. The stage was set.
"I got him! He can't escape now!" yelled Saji.
Freed tested that theory immediately, trying to cut the line. He failed spectacularly as the sword merely phased through the lizard tongue.
He complained: "What the fuck is this?"
Saji smirked. "It's not that easy to cut it. Kiba, get him!"
Yuuto rushed forward immediately. He made use of the speed he was granted as a [Knight], and began with a flurry of strikes. Unfortunately, Freed seemed to match him blow for blow. And worse, Yuuto's swords were not up to the task. His offensive ground to a halt when the Excalibur fragment shattered a few of them in quick succession.
"That Holy Eraser isn't worth jack shit anymore. Sword Birth is a very powerful Sacred Gear, but against Excalibur, it doesn't stand a chance," said Freed.
He then started slashing away at Yuuto, and forced the blond boy on the defensive. The sound of metal bursting under the assault of the holy sword filled the area. Yuuto found himself backpedalling frantically to avoid injury.
Freed could not help but mock him for it: "Isn't this fantastic, you shitty Devil? Excalibur Rapidly makes me more than fast enough to keep up with you. Only one cut, and you're dead! Vaporised, destroyed, dead! Ahahaha!"
Koneko stood on the sidelines in worry. She knew she was not fast enough to help Yuuto. Naruto had taught her how to defend against opponents who were faster, but she had not yet learned how to attack them. Her only recourse was to get reinforcements to Yuuto's position. Since Saji was occupied with keeping Freed restrained, her only option was Issei.
"Ise," she called him by the name he reserved for friends as she lifted him up. "Please help Yuuto."
Then, she threw him. The strength trait of the [Rook] piece allowed her to throw him far faster than she would have been able to run. Alas, it seemed that she had caught him by complete surprise.
"Konekooooo," he yelled as he sailed through the air.
She apologised internally. Now was not the time for pleasantries, though. Maybe she could enter the fray while her two fellow ORC members kept Freed busy, but that all depended on what they would do next.
At least the trajectory of her throw was spot on. Issei neared Yuuto quickly, and when he was close enough, he made the smart decision.
[Transfer!]
After that, Issei's body flew past him and impacted the ground with no grace at all. Koneko was torn between wanting to apologise to him and wanting to admonish him for his poor balance. But what mattered now was that Yuuto was empowered.
Her friend smirked and said: "I might as well use that power now that I have it."
A multitude of swords appeared as he said that. They came out of the ground and assailed Freed from all directions, reversing the momentum of the fight. It did not stay like that for long, however. The Stray Exorcist slashed rapidly at the blades that surrounded him, and shattered them all. They were back to square one.
"You can't get me with those shitty party tricks! I'm too fast thanks to little Excalibur here. Now die!" said Freed.
His next swing would have cut through Yuuto, had his stance not been unbalanced. That was the result of Saji's contribution to the fight. He had pulled Freed's foot off balance, forcing him to abort his attack. The white-haired serial killer was not happy about that.
His annoyance grew even greater when he noticed just what the lizard tongue attached to him was doing. A pale light travelled from his body through the tongue to Saji.
"What the fuck is that?" he asked.
Saji's face took on a smirk as he proclaimed: "That is my Sacred Gear, Absorption Line! It'll suck out your power and give it to me until you're out cold."
Freed grumbled and complained: "Dragon Type? Why do I always have to deal with the most troublesome type of Sacred Gear? That shit starts out weak, but it's got serious power creep."
"Kiba! Do something, man! If we let him go, he'll cause a heap of trouble for everyone, including the Council President. I'll keep him restrained, so do your thing!"
Yuuto sighed. "I'll have to hope that the other Excaliburs are less disappointing than this one."
Freed descended into mockery again: "I'm the strongest wielder around right now. You won't have a satisfying battle with the o-"
He was cut off by a fist smashing into his face. Koneko had finally drawn close enough to get a hit in. Its effect was decent. Freed was launched of the ground, and he impacted the ground rather hard. Sadly, he had managed to turn in time to divert most of the momentum, so he was mostly unharmed.
"… You talk too much," said Koneko in annoyance.
Yuuto tried to follow up by summoning swords into his hands. He was just about to strike when a new voice interrupted the proceedings.
"My, is that Sword Birth? The possibilities of that Sacred Gear are endless if it is in the hands of a competent wielder."
"Oi, is that you, old man Valper?" asked Freed.
The Devil's froze in recognition. They looked at the old man in elaborate priestly robes. So this was the Genocide Archbishop?
Yuuto growled: "Valper!"
The old man chuckled and said: "Yes, that's me." He then turned his attention to Freed. "What, pray tell, are you doing?"
"I'm trying to get away, you shitty old man, but that damn thing won't let me," complained Freed as he pointed at the lizard tongue stuck on his foot.
"It seems you don't know how to use the holy element I gave you yet. Channel the holy energy in your body through the sword," instructed Valper.
Freed did so, complaining all the while. "Like this, huh?"
An intense glow came from the sword. It descended on Absorption Line's lizard tongue and cut it easily. He was no longer restrained.
"Looks like I'm back in business. See ya later, you shitty Devils!"
"We won't let you escape!" came a new voice.
It seemed that the two exorcists had finally arrived on the scene. Koneko was relived the reinforcements were coming, especially since Irina, at least, was pretty fast. Despite this, she was simultaneously amused, annoyed, and puzzled that the chestnut girl took the time to greet one of them.
"Hey there! Hello, Ise."
The idiot actually greeted back: "Irina!"
The exorcist then concentrated on the enemy. Irina said: "Freed Sellzen, Valper Galilei; in the name of God, I will cut you down!"
"Oi, don't say God's name! I hate that fucker," yelled Freed back.
Xenovia was on him in an instant, swinging her sword at him. Their blades clashed, and Freed was having a harder time than against Yuuto, whose swords had not been able to withstand Excalibur's strength.
As the tide of battle began to turn against him, Freed yelled: "Old man, we're out of here. Let's report to Lord Kokabiel."
"Agreed. Let's retreat," said Valper.
"Bye-bye, Devils and Church bitches," yelled the Stray Exorcist.
He dropped a glowing ball which exploded in a flash of light. When the light was gone, so were Freed and Valper.
Xenovia said: "We're going after them, Irina."
"I'm going too. I won't let Valper escape," said Yuuto.
"Kiba, don't be a moron!" yelled Issei.
Too late. They were already gone. Koneko, Issei and Saji were left behind. The three of them relaxed and let out simultaneous sighs. Their hackles rose again when they heard two new voices, however.
"So that's why power was in flux around here…," said the first.
"What a mess," said the second.
Koneko knew that these voices belonged to Sona and Rias. She was not looking forward to what they had in store.
"Ise, do you mind telling me what is going on?" asked Rias in a sweet voice.
"I can answer that," said yet another new voice. Koneko recognised it as Naruto's. "Let's just call it an introduction to obscure business practices."
"Destroying Excalibur? How foolish. You are in a lot of trouble," said Sona as she stared down Saji.
Both he and Issei were kneeling and bowing next to each other in their new location. The business the two presidents had with their subordinates was urgent, but it required a safer location than the site of the battle. They had moved to the fountain in the park. That was where the two boys were getting acquainted with the harsher side of their masters.
"So are you," said Rias to Issei. She turned to Koneko, who was in the same pose as the two boys, and told her: "It's a bit late for it, but you do understand that this could have caused a lot of problems for Devilkind as a whole, yes?"
"Yes," said Koneko, although her voice carried no regret.
"I'm gonna have to stop you right there," interrupted Naruto, "because what you've just said is complete and utter bullshit."
Rias and Sona had tried ignoring his presence ever since they had found the anti-Excalibur team. They had done so believing that he was simply trying to cover for their rogue Peerage Members. What he was saying now made it really hard to ignore him, however.
"Rias, who is this?" asked Sona.
The redhead sighed and answered: "He's-"
Only for Naruto to interrupt her: "-The amazing, ultimate, ultra-awesome Great Sage of Mount Myouboku, Naruto Uzumaki!"
The self-aggrandising introduction was accompanied by an entirely too convenient gust of wind that made his hair blow about in a dramatic fashion.
"He's Koneko's teacher," said Rias flatly.
"Mood killer," muttered Naruto. "But fine, if you want to be serious, I'll be serious. Let me put it plainly: The Church can't do jack shit because they're intruding with the most tenuous of permissions. This place is your damn territory. Excalibur is free game here. Second, Pervy Kid and his blond copycat are under contract, and so is the little one. I contracted them to track down Excalibur and then report to me."
He produced the relevant papers, showing legitimate proof of contracts with Koneko, Yuuto, Issei and Genshirou.
Sona levelled him with a calculating look. She objected to his statement: "Be that as it may, you do not have the authority to order them around. They are free to take contracts, but you cannot make them do things that would make them target of the Church."
"And how did you get those contracts to them without us seeing and approving them?" questioned Rias.
"Your and your friend's security sucks, Red, and I've stolen classified military secrets ever since I was twelve," he said, thinking of the Forbidden Scroll of Seals he had stolen before even his graduation. "And I do have the authority."
He took great pleasure in taking another piece of paper out of his pocket and presenting it to the two pureblood Devils. The document bore Church insignia and identifying marks that specified the code names of certain branches. One of those codes immediately fell into Sona's focus. She looked at him in shock.
"What is an Inquisitor doing here?" she demanded.
Her shock was now shared by the others. Inquisitors were rarely seen, especially since Heaven had executed many of them and torn their orders apart after the conclusion of the Great War. Only very few tightly regulated inquisitorial orders still existed, and they never left their assigned territories without explicit orders from Heaven. Having one here could only be bad news.
Naruto laughed, however. He said: "I'm not a member of the Inquisition. I'm just under contract with them."
"A contract, you say. You're not a Devil," stated Rias.
"No, I'm a Shinobi. A mercenary in other words. Contracts ae par for the course in that profession," retorted Naruto. "But since you rightly pointed out that I'm not a Devil, you'll see why I needed Devil agents to help me with my work. The four I hired are my subcontractors. As you can see, it's all above board, legal, and won't lead to a diplomatic incident."
Sona remained unconvinced. "On a technicality maybe. This could escalate quickly if the Church notices your choice of subcontractors."
"And it'll be on my head, Princess," said Naruto while rolling his eyes. "Besides, the dumbass who used Excalibur Rapidly confirmed that Kokabiel is here. The Church are more likely to be at odds with the Grigori. The cooperation here will end up being swept under the rug or spun as a positive incident once it's over. Moments like that have happened before."
Rias and Sona kept scrutinising him for a bit longer. Sona gave a sigh and said: "That is most likely what will happen. Very well. But I expect you to take responsibility if and when necessary. If it is required, you will give your life to prevent a second Great War."
"I've dedicated my life to peace. You have my promise, and I never break my promises," responded Naruto.
At that, Rias sighed as well. "Fine." Then she turned to Issei. "Since this was technically above board, I will withhold punishment this once. Let's get home. But first, Ise, let me explain to you why what you did was so stupid, irresponsible, and…"
The boy in question gulped. That was going to be unpleasant. When he felt the pinch in his cheek, he knew he was in for quite a tirade. He did not regret his course of action; his comrade was worth the sacrifice. No amount of scolding would change that. That did not mean he was not going to take his master's words to heart.
Issei was not the only one in trouble, however. The Student Council President had words for her subordinate as well while Rias laid into hers.
Sona glared at Saji and said: "You, on the other hand, will still be punished. I am not as soft as Rias. Plus, you are a member of the Student Council and thus held to a higher standard. Your punishment will still be lightened due to recent revelations, however. I think a week of janitorial duty at school will do you some good. We will save the rest of this discussion for later, when you are rested and more likely to internalise it."
Naruto smiled. While Rias was busy scolding Issei and Sona made Saji squirm, he whispered to Koneko: "I told you I'd pull your asses out of the fire. Now scram, before your [King] decides to back down from her merciful decision."
Koneko nodded and said: "Thank you, Sensei."
Then she went to join Rias and Issei, interrupting the redhead's tirade.
The Sage then said: "With that done, I'm heading out. I gotta find those Church girls before they get themselves killed."
"Huh?" asked Issei.
Naruto raised a brow. "You think the Inquisition is active because of Excalibur? That's the mission of the main Churches. The Inquisition deals with internal matters. Certain clerics are being accused of sending those two girls to their deaths. I was hired to make sure they don't so they can stand witness at the trial."
"Oh. Yes, that fits their modus operandi better," mentioned Rias, who had listened in.
She now understood the motives of the Inquisition a little better. Although rare, it did happen that agents of the organisation were dispatched to battlefields. She would have to consult the Gremory library for details, however. Still, it was better left alone for now.
She said: "Let's all go our ways, then. It's late, and we should take a rest."
Rias, Issei and Koneko were on their way to their respective homes now. The former two were headed in the same direction, but Koneko would soon part ways from them. Before that happened, however, there was something the young Nekoshou wished to discuss with the others.
"President, why didn't you try to punish me? I was at fault too," she asked her master.
That question was gnawing at her a bit. Rias had always been fair to her servants, so she did not quite know where the different treatment for her had come from.
Rias sighed and answered: "Because I know that you wouldn't have come up with that hare-brained idea. You're far too conscious of your actions to do that."
"But I went along with it," pointed out Koneko.
The red-haired Devil replied: "I admit that point, but Issei would have done it even without you. You going along with it simply made sure that he was safer."
Koneko was not satisfied with that answer. There had to be something else to it.
"Issei is also far more unruly than you are," finished Rias.
That would do it. "Understood," she said.
"I'd be offended, but it's true. Sorry for the trouble," said Issei from the side.
Rias just shook her head and smiled at him affectionately. She then asked Koneko: "Why did you ask?"
"… I was concerned that your judgement was influenced by your rivalry with Asia. It wouldn't be right if you were harsher with Issei because he spent time with her or something like that," answered Koneko honestly.
That had indeed been a concern. Having been branded for her sister's actions had left her with a chip on her shoulder for things like that. It was only right that people were rewarded and punished on their own merit, not because of unrelated people or events. She was glad that the difference in treatment was because of a more professional reason.
The answer left Rias sputtering while Issei looked at her like she was some sort of hero. "You're so considerate, Koneko," he said.
In spite of herself, the white-haired girl almost found herself blushing at the praise. It was odd, and the barely suppressed reaction was something she was unfamiliar with. Something was going on with her.
It was then that their master found her words again: "A-as if I would ever let myself be guided by something like that!"
Koneko shared a look of doubt with Issei. Rias was prone to bouts of jealousy. It was kind of odd for Devil society, seeing as male Devils with harems of women, and female Devils with harems of men were the norm. A two-partner relationship was almost unheard of outside the Satans, who had legal restrictions placed on them in that regard. Despite this, Rias' upbringing as the heiress to a noble family like the Gremory had left her a bit spoiled. So, she did not like it when someone else got attention she thought she deserved, Koneko supposed.
"What's with those looks?" asked Rias.
"Nothing!" deflected Issei.
While Koneko doubted he knew the things she did, he was likely intimately familiar with her behaviour. His quick attempt at a deflection indicated that.
Rias' shoulders slumped a bit. She said: "Well, I can't deny I'm competitive. But after the scare you gave me when with the Excalibur wielders, I've decided to tone it down a bit."
With that, she alluded to the time she had refused to accompany Asia and Issei home out of jealousy. They had run into the Excalibur wielders there. Had those two been hostile, Koneko was sure that her fellow Devils would have been dead by now. Rias clearly knew as well, which was likely the reason for this change of approach.
Issei sighed in relief. "I'm glad to hear that," he said. "I don't like seeing you argue with Asia. You're both very important to me, so I feel uncomfortable when you don't get along."
That earned him a smile from Rias. It seemed the slightly older Devil was appeased by that statement. "I care for Asia too. She's one of my precious servants. Our disagreements are a minor matter.
The boy liked what he was hearing and adopted a cheerful expression.
"You know that's not always going to work, right? You can't stop every argument," Koneko told him.
"I'll make it work, damn it!" said Issei. "I can't be a harem king if my wives are always at odds with each other."
The Nekoshou raised an eyebrow. That statement was not quite typical of him. Well, the part about wanting to be a harem king was, but not the inkling of a serious thought that went into it. "So you spotted the problem with your plan?"
He stayed silent for a moment, and shuddered. Then he said: "Let's just say your Sensei is scary good at beating sense into people."
"… I want to know what you two talked about, but not now. It's late, and I need to head down the other street," replied Koneko.
She was indeed curious, but also apprehensive. Still, anything that got the pervert to engage his brain, even if it was only for his lecherous ambition, was a good thing. He could be made to use it for other things as well. That was for later, however. She was tired and wanted to go home.
"Good night, Koneko," said Rias.
"Good night," echoed Issei.
That night, Rias did her best to prove true to her words. When she and Issei had come home to the Hyoudou residence, they had been greeted to the sight of Asia sporting the naked apron as she helped Miki Hyoudou prepare dinner. Apparently, Kiryuu had told her some nonsense that this was normal, and Miki, whom Rias suspected to be almost as perverted as her son, had not objected in the slightest. In fact, it seemed that she encouraged it. Rias could not help but view this as a challenge, but she chose to channel her competitiveness in other ways than jealousy.
"I congratulate you for making the first move, Asia, but I won't be left behind! I'll join you," said Rias.
Only a few short minutes later, the busty redhead was in the same state of dress as Asia, and helped her cook dinner. She was surprised at how much she liked those circumstances. She felt Issei's gaze on her nearly naked form, and she was pleased with that, but it was odd that she did not mind it too much that his eyes also stopped on Asia almost as much as they did on her. The blonde girl was perhaps simply impossible to feel a grudge against.
That did not mean she could not tease her servant. Rias was still a competitive young woman, after all, and Asia's bright-red blushing face was simply too adorable not to.
So, she whispered into her ears: "I believe Issei likes watching us like this. Do you think we should do it more often? Isn't it nice to be looked at like that?"
The blush on the former nun intensified as she quickly answered: "I-if it's Ise, yes. I want him to look at me."
"So you are becoming a lewd Devil after all," teased Rias.
"No, I don't want to do that!" whispered Asia back.
The [King] could not help but giggle a bit. "Well, that is alright. Only do what you're comfortable with. Speaking of which, do you want to sleep together with Issei and me tonight?"
The still-blushing girl nodded and said: "I'd like that. It's peaceful sleeping in the same bed."
And so it happened that the three of them were together in bed later that night. Unlike the first time, however, Rias was in her preferred sleeping attire. Asia did not seem to mind, though. Their sleep was peaceful and comfortable.
That lasted until Rias and Issei woke up shivering. The feeling of power pressing down on them woke them up, and Asia followed after she had felt them stir. The three of them hurried to the window to see what was wrong.
Issei looked down and shouted: "Freed, you shitty priest!"
"Yello there. Were you three banging? Sorry for interrupting, but not reading the room is one of my charming points!" yelled back the insane man.
"Shut up! What the Hell are you doing at my house?" retorted Issei.
Rias, however, was more concerned with another figure who was present. "A Fallen Angel," she said.
That drew the attention of the others, who looked in the direction Rias pointed them towards. There, in the sky was a Fallen Angel. He had ten black wings proudly displayed on his back. He carried something on his shoulder, and if they had not been Devils, the three would not have noticed that it was a person.
"We meet for the first time, I believe," said the Fallen Angel. "Rias Gremory… that beautiful crimson hair alone reminds me of your brother. How I hate that loathsome man."
Rias bristled, but she maintained decorum. "Greetings, Kokabiel, Cadre of the Fallen. If you want to meet my brother, you will have to use official channels. He may be close to the Gremory family personally, but politically, he could not be further away from us."
"Pah! As if I'd want to do something as boring as talk with that guy. Still, since I'm here, I decided to bring you a gift," replied Kokabiel.
He then threw the person he had been carrying at them. Issei caught them, only to adopt a panicked expression. The person he had caught was Irina, and she was bleeding profusely. Her body was littered with wounds, and her breath was laboured. She was in critical condition.
"Asia!" shouted Issei.
The blonde girl acted immediately, using her Sacred Gear on Irina. Her condition improved immediately.
Uncaring of the drama that was unfolding, Kokabiel continued: "She and her two friends came to my base. The others escaped, but her I gave a warm welcome."
"Not warm enough for me. I wanted to cut off her head and fuck the stump," complained Freed.
"Silence!" ordered Kokabiel. "You know, I considered a similar approach to that for you, Rias Gremory. Sirzechs would definitely show up if I did that. That said, the higher-ups would spin it as a personal affair."
Rias glared at the man with hatred in her eyes. "Get to the point," she demanded.
A sinister grin spread on the Fallen Angel's face as he said: "I came here to tell you that I will be rampaging through the town, starting at your base at Kuoh Academy. I'm going to destroy it all and kill everyone."
"That would cause another Great War," pointed out Rias.
"Exactly! That is exactly what I want. Peace is so damn boring. I miss the exhilaration of battle and the screams of the dying. I stole the Excaliburs for that reason, but Michael is too much of a coward to restart the war. I had to shift plans, and now I can pull all three factions into it. The Church through those exorcists, the Devils through you, and the Fallen Angels through myself. The bloodbath will be glorious!" raved Kokabiel.
"You bloodthirsty maniac," said the redhead.
"Better than those lame hobbies the others have. Azazel's Sacred Gear collection is the exact opposite of exciting. The only ones that rouse my interest somewhat are the Longinus like that brat there has. The rest are not worth my time," lamented Kokabiel. "Well, with that said, I'm off. Killing the little sisters of Lucifer and Leviathan is going to be a lot of fun. There will definitely be a war again."
"I'll enjoy cutting you up with the four Excaliburs we have. I might just be the first person to have so many. I can't wait! Hehehehahaha!" laughed Freed in his derangement.
"I will enjoy starting this war," said the Fallen Angel.
Then, the two disappeared.
"Issei, we need to go to the school immediately!" said Rias.
As they, too, disappeared, none noticed another figure standing in the shadow of the building. Neither Kokabiel nor Freed had an idea just how close they had been to death. The vigilant eyes of the observer lingered a little longer on the building to ensure that those still inside were safe, and then the figure left the premises as well.
There was a war that had to be stopped.
AN: Greetings, dear readers! Welcome to yet another chapter. I hope you've enjoyed reading it.
This time, I added a bit little heart-to-heart between Asia and Koneko since I rarely see those two interact.
After that, there was a bit of training, in which I also started the first step of behavioural corrective therapy for Issei. I don't plan on changing his personality, but I wish to refine him into a better version of himself. Getting help from Naruto, who understands how to fight against and work with perverts, is quite a boon in that regard. You see, while I like Issei as a character, he has considerable flaws which I acknowledge, and there is nothing speaking against kickstarting his character development in a certain direction.
Koneko's training has progressed as well, and she has reached Sage Mode for the first time, the consequences of which have already been hinted at.
Then, the confrontation with freed happens, during which Koneko gets to do a bit more than she did in canon. It was only a punch, but it's nonetheless a bit of progress.
Afterwards, Naruto manages to partially defuse the bomb that Is Sona's temper and succeeds fully with Rias, with a little heart-to-heart following. I've touched a bit upon one of the questions canon gave me. I have always wondered why Saji and Issei get punished (justifiably from a political standpoint), yet Koneko gets away with only a bit of admonishment. Additionally, Naruto brought his own hornets' nest with him.
The last segment deals with Rias and Kokabiel. The former is character who is surprisingly difficult to write properly. Her bouts of jealousy are a bit strange when one considers the society and environment she grew up in, and it constitutes the biggest hurdle to Issei's ambition initially. Kokabiel is also a hurdle, though for entirely different reasons. It's difficult to have a happy relationship when some crazy warmonger wants to murder the majority of its constituents.
At this point, I would once more like to express my thanks to my readers, especially those who have followed, favourited, or reviewed. Your support and criticism are appreciated. Please do not hesitate to ask if you have questions.
That's it for now. Until next time. Stay happy and healthy, everyone!