'I hope I'm not late…'
Naruto thought as he made his way through the darkened streets of Axel, which were lit by various lamps and the rising moon above.
They had agreed to meet at the park in the center of town, which wasn't too far from the Adventurer's Guild. He tried waiting for Yunyun and Cecily, but they never showed up so he decided to just hold onto their portions for now.
"Kazuma-san~! Can we pick up some nice wine on our way home?"
"Kazuma~! I saw a really cool cloak in a shop the other day, can we get it?"
Naruto looked across the street to find Kazuma's party walking towards the guild.
"Of course, of course! Money will never be an issue again, so why not? Why not, I say!"
Kazuma chimed when he noticed the shinobi watching them dubiously.
"Ah, Naruto my friend! Good evening to you! Care to join us for a drink? We're celebrating, so it'll be my treat!"
"That sounds fun, but I got somewhere to be… Why, what happened?"
Naruto asked, and his fellow adventurer crossed his arms and smirked.
"I'll be honest… These past few days have been rough. I was a little traumatized from our adventure, you see. But it turns out I was just stressed about money! It's crazy how much of a stress reliever financial stability is."
Kazuma explained, earning a sympathetic nod from Aqua.
"Right… I'm guessing the products you designed are doing well? I haven't been to Wiz's shop since we got back, so I haven't checked."
Naruto deducted since that didn't really answer his question.
"Fufufu… Yes, but that's not why we're celebrating. Behold! The solution to our money problems!"
Kazuma declared and pulled something out of his travel bag. Or at least, he meant to. But his hand was empty.
"...Are you messing with me? I really do have somewhere to be right now, ya know?"
Naruto asked as Kazuma began to tear through his backpack, now in a panicked state.
"Where are you off to? Off to meet with another woman, I'm guessing?"
Aqua inquired while eying the shinobi suspiciously.
"N-no, I mean, yes… But it's just Chris! She needs my help with something I guess."
Naruto blurted out, and this time Darkness's eyes narrowed on the ninja.
"Why are you meeting with Chris at this hour… Don't tell me! You two have been secretly dating this entire time!? I heard you've been visiting the Eris church from time to time… That's probably where you two meet up in secret to conduct nefarious acts together as a couple!"
Darkness shouted and took a step back from pure shock.
"You're wrong! I've been going to the Eris church to confess my sins! Actually, I feel like I'm overdue for my next confession after what happened in Alcanretia…"
Naruto defended himself, but his words fell on deaf ears as Darkness was too busy muttering nonsense to herself.
Aqua wasn't faring any better as she was very obviously planning acts of revenge against the new "homewrecker" that was Chris the Thief.
"M-my magic mallet! My money! It's gone!"
Since Kazuma was still trying to find whatever it was he was planning to show off, Naruto turned to the final member of their party.
"Help me out, Megumin! Tell them nothing is going on!"
"...I wonder what Yunyun's gonna say when she hears that Naruto the Player has returned."
Megumin finally said with a sigh.
This brat…!
Naruto growled and took off running, swearing to make those girls suffer if they gave Chris or Yunyun a hard time.
"Hey, looks like that guy lost a magic item…"
"It must have been that chivalrous thief again."
Naruto heard a pair of housewives gossipping as he passed them, and they seemed to be looking at Kazuma who had given up his search.
A chivalrous thief, huh? Was there always someone like that around?
Finding himself in the central park, Naruto was relieved to see that he was the first to arrive. Either that, or he was so late she had given up and gone home.
Opting to assume the former, Naruto sat down on one of the benches under a light post.
'I hope Maria and Morrigan are okay…'
Jiraiya too, but the Pervy Sage was probably just fine. After all, Alderp was apparently in his mentor's inner circle that he created in the kingdom. Even if Alderp did turn on Jiraiya, the toad hermit wouldn't go down without a fight.
'I feel like I'll be ready with just one more coaching session with Luna-chan…'
'Ready for what? Even if you can speak like a noble, it's all moot if you never see the scumbag. Since you're trying to play the righteous hero, you can't even show up at his doorstep unannounced.'
Kurama asked, clearly annoyed at its host's hesitance for action.
'I thought of something while we were at the Golden Chalice, but I'll explain later.'
Naruto replied just as Chris entered the park and their eyes met.
"Hey, sorry to keep you waiting."
Chris greeted as she walked up to the bench and sat down next to the boy.
"No worries, I pretty much just got here."
Naruto replied while waving his hand dismissively.
"You're trying to play it cool, but you're actually really excited, aren't you?"
Chris teased, and stifled a giggle when the blonde's ears turned red.
"I-I'm just excited to be able to help you out, ya know? After all the embarrassing things I accidentally put you through…"
Naruto stuttered and looked away with a pout.
"Darn straight! I swore the last time we spoke that I wouldn't be the butt of another joke that involved you or I'd fine you a million Eris!"
Chris continued with a huff, furthering the shinobi's deflation. Seemingly satisfied with her teasing, the Thief leaned over to the shinobi and whispered.
"Anyways, I learned something that I thought you would be interested in. It involves Alderp."
"!"
Naruto instantly perked up and gave the girl his undivided attention.
"Alderp holds a couple divine relics in his possession, and he keeps them locked up in his mansion here in Axel. He's apparently out of town right now on a business trip to the royal capital, so I was planning on sneaking in tonight to try and find them so I can seal them away. I could use a skilled ninja like you watching my back. So, wanna join me?"
Chris explained with that same mischievous glint in her lavender eyes.
"Hell yeah I do! Ah, but wait… Wouldn't that be stealing?"
Naruto questioned, because such an act would go against his goal of becoming a righteous hero of the people.
"Divine relics can sometimes pose a threat to mankind if they fall into the wrong hands. Like, say, a noble with multiple allegations of being corrupt?"
Chris noted while wagging her finger, earning a nod from the shinobi.
That made sense, and it was all Naruto needed to fully be on board. With this excu-reason, he felt fully justified to investigate Alderp's mansion for incriminating evidence to prove he was corrupt!
"You should probably wear a disguise too, just in case."
Chris added while gesturing to a dark veil in her possession, and Naruto nodded in agreement. On the off chance one of the guards spotted them, he was going to need to cover up his appearance.
Noting the Thief's silver hair, a grin formed on Naruto's face.
"Alright, let's gear up!"
"...I know I suggested a disguise, but why did you change your entire appearance like that? Who even is that?"
Chris asked as she took in Naruto's new look. He wore the same clothes, a black shirt with matching black pants and his green tactical vest. But his messy blonde hair was now silver-white like hers and he sported a black mask that covered his mouth. If she didn't know any better, he seemed taller too.
Naruto looked at her with his now black colored eyes and grinned under his mask.
"I heard rumors of a chivalrous thief floating around, so I figured it was you. I also thought it would be best if we looked similar. Less suspicious that way."
"There's nothing about two masked people breaking into a noble's house that isn't suspicious…"
Chris retorted with a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek, but she shook her head and pointed towards the mansion in front of them. It was a large manor with an iron fence that circled the entire property.
"That's Alderp's mansion. He has guards patrolling each side twenty-four hours a day, so we'll have to watch for an opening and sneak onto the roof."
"Gotcha… I'll follow your lead, Boss."
Naruto replied with a mock solute, causing the Thief to shuffle in place.
"Boss, huh… I kinda like the sound of that."
"Hey, stay focussed, Boss. Or I'll call you head-honcho instead."
–After observing the patterns of the guards for a good fifteen minutes, the duo learned that the patrols seemed very lax in their routine which allowed them an easy opening to hop the fence and scale the wall to the second floor.
From the balcony they'd chosen to enter from, Naruto looked off into the distance and could make out the Dustiness manor with the help of the light shining down from the moonlit sky.
"Heh… Darkness's family's mansion is way bigger."
"I understand how you feel, but let's hurry inside before the lazy guards come back, toady-kun."
Chris pushed open the window she had just picked open with her Lockpicking skill.
"I don't know how I feel about that name…"
Naruto mumbled and followed the girl inside. They entered a room that was mostly empty, aside from a few pieces of furniture that were covered by small tarps to ward off dust.
"I thought you would have loved that name, considering your strange adoration for toads. Would you rather I call you assistant-kun?"
Chris mused as she carefully checked under each of the tarps.
"Hey, I'm not strange for liking toads!"
Naruto hissed, but considered her alternative name for a moment and relented a sigh.
"Toady-kun it is then."
Chris chirped victoriously as she crept to the door. She pressed her ear against the wood and listened for noises. When she didn't hear anything, she silently opened the door and poked her head outside.
"Coast is clear."
The Thief was about to step outside when a glowing paw intercepted her path.
"Wait."
"!"
Chris nearly yelped when she turned towards Naruto to see a pair of piercing red eyes staring at her. But it wasn't the shinobi's eyes that she was looking at, but the golden fox head that protruded from his torso.
Kurama snickered from the girl's reaction as he carefully slid the door closed with a miniature chakra limb.
"I can't believe we have to patrol these damn hallways all night."
"Right? Just how paranoid can the rich be?"
The three remained silent as a pair of voices passed by their room on the outside.
'How did the fox sense those guards? Even my Danger Sense skill didn't…'
Chris thought when it dawned on her. These weren't monsters or even thieves guarding the mansion, but simple humans that weren't hostile. Not yet, at least. Of course her skill didn't activate.
But then how did the demon fox know the guards were coming? Did it have the Danger Sense skill…?
"T-toady-kun, does your fox friend consider humanity an enemy?"
"Of course not… I think."
Naruto answered dubiously before looking down at the tailed beast avatar that was sticking out of his guy.
"While I don't necessarily care for humanity, it would be troubling for a friend of mine if they were to go extinct. But I'm sure your concern derives from my superior ability to sense potential threats over your Danger Sense skill, which I am not using. No, I have the ability to sense the negative emotions of sentient beings. The guards in this mansion have stockpiled a decent amount, so I could sense them as far as the courtyard."
Kurama explained, earning a nod of appreciation from the silver-haired girl.
"Aww… You consider me a friend, Kurama?"
Naruto teased, earning a grunt from the fox.
"I suppose it would be troubling for you too. Anyways, the hallway should be clear on the right for another minute or so."
Kurama claimed before retreating back into the seal.
"Thanks, Kurama-WAIT A DAMN MINUTE!"
Naruto swiped at the fading chakra with a vengeance when he realized who the tailed beast was originally referring to. How dare that damned fox consider Vanir a friend over him!
"Shh…! Let's get going before the guards circle back."
Chris hissed and pulled the fuming shinobi towards the right end of the hallway. As Kurama had stated, it was empty. But they could see light at the other end of the corridor, so they quickly picked another room to enter and quietly slipped inside.
It seemed like a bedroom this time around, and one that was actively being used.
"This probably isn't Alderp's room. It's too small. But let's take a look around anyway."
Chris affirmed before she started snooping through drawers.
"What are we supposed to be looking for anyway?"
Naruto asked as he joined the Thief by starting on the opposite end of the room.
"Alderp is rumored to own multiple divine treasures, but the ones I'm hoping to find tonight are a certain suit of armor and a magic mirror."
There were a couple other items that she was aware of, but those were likely kept with Alderp himself at all times and were going to be trickier to obtain.
'A suit of armor, huh… Why does that sound familiar?'
Naruto thought when a voice shouted just outside of the room.
"Hah!? You're not still serious about that, are you!?"
Reacting instantaneously, Naruto appeared by Chris's side and pulled her into a nearby wardrobe just as the door burst open.
"Absolutely not! Outrageous, I tell you! No wonder we're incompatible, you useless scrap of metal!"
Naruto watched from a crack in the wood as a man who was clearly intoxicated roared as he stumbled into the room. He was followed by another person who was clad in a full suit of white armor, but no words came from the helmet.
'Wait a second… I know that drunken voice.'
Naruto thought and considered leaving the wardrobe when he heard a whimper. Looking down, the shinobi blushed when he realized just how little space there was inside the wardrobe. Chris was pressed against his chest, and his left knee was lodged in between her legs. What really did him in was the flushed expression on her face as she timidly looked up at him with teary eyes.
"C-can you reposition yourself, toady-kun?"
"S-sure… Sorry Boss…"
They shuffled a bit until the two were both able to look outside through the crack in the wood.
What they found was a pair of eyes were peeking in from the outside.
"!?"
The door swung open, and Jiraiya frowned upon seeing the silver-haired duo.
"Thought you could sneak up on the great Jiraiya-sama… Hm? Kakashi?"
The red faced toad sage tilted his head upon seeing Naruto in his disguised form.
"W-wait, Ero-senin! It's me! It's me!"
Naruto quickly changed back and pulled his mask down to reveal his face.
"What are you doing here, brat? I thought I told you to wait for me and not do anything rash."
The older man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. What was he to do with this hot-blooded pupil of his?
"I did wait! It's been over a week since you left to have that meeting! I thought something might have happened and the Boss asked for my help, so…"
Naruto explained while poking his fingers together, making sure not to use Chris's actual name to keep her identity a secret. Not that it would do any help. Despite his quirks, Jiraiya was quite a capable ninja and could probably identify the Thief if he really tried.
Chris tugged on the shinobi's sleeve, still a little flustered.
"Can we trust this man, toady-kun?"
"Of course we can, Boss… This man is actually my mentor. He's also looking into Alderp."
Naruto reassured his literal partner in crime with a wry smile.
"Boss, huh… Well, you boys better get out of here before the guards find out you're here."
Jiraiya said with a wave of his hand as he made his way over to the table on the far end of the room. Taking a seat, he opened a bottle of wine and poured himself a glass.
"B-boys…? Toady-kun, did that man just call me a boy!? Do I really look that boyish!?"
Chris demanded while tugging on the blonde's sleeve.
"Y-your getup does make you look a little handsome, Boss…"
Naruto admitted while scratching at his whisker marks awkwardly, and the poor girl to shakily walked over to a nearby mirror to look at her reflection.
It wasn't just the getup, Chris's short hair and slender body just gave her a boyish appearance. Not that there was anything wrong with that, of course! In fact, the girl was quite cute in Naruto's book.
"Oh, you're a girl? Feh! I'm sorry, but the only women worthy of catching the eye of Jiraiya-sama are curvy ones."
Jiraiya expressed while making an hour-glass outline with his hands.
'That's right, that's right. Mature women with voluptuous figures are the best.'
The armored individual finally spoke with a nod of their head.
Leaving the bristling Thief aside for now, Naruto turned towards the armored person.
"Who's that, by the way? Also, why does his voice sound like that?"
"Ah, this is Aegis. It's the divine relic I chose to bring with me to this, umm… Kingdom. He's a sentient suit of armor that communicates telepathically."
Jiraiya replied while idly gesturing towards the now named Aegis who lifted its visor to reveal a hollow inside.
"...Huh?"
Naruto tilted his head in confusion when it dawned on him. He vaguely remembered Jiraiya mentioning a suit of armor that had run away. He'd originally written it off as some nonsense that his mentor spouted while intoxicated, but it turned out to be true.
This world really was full of wonders.
'Well, I guess that's one divine relic down.'
Naruto shrugged and walked over to the toad sage. It was relieving to see that Jiraiya was okay, but that begged the question.
"What have you been doing here? Lazing around this entire time?"
"How rude. For your information, I did have that meeting with Alderp. The man's clear, no matter what that stupid suit of armor says. I've been writing my next novel in the sanctity of this mansion that my friend graciously allowed me to stay in while he is away in the capital."
Jiraiya responded and glared at Aegis, who no doubt glared back even if they couldn't really tell.
Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. What was Jiraiya talking about? Alderp was clearly corrupt and in a contract with a devil. Morrigan and Maria proved so, and he sincerely doubted they would lie to him. Something was wrong, and he needed to explore the mansion more to find out what was going on.
'Since this useless partner of mine is too pigheaded to see reason, I guess I can fill you in on a little secret of this manor… But only if you bring me a beautiful woman first.'
Aegis bargained, earning a flat look from Naruto and Chris.
"I say we just move on, toady-kun."
"I think you're right, Boss."
They turned to exit through the door, but were quickly cut off by the talking suit of armor.
'W-wait! Please! None of the maids will come near me anymore, even after I offer to allow them to wear me! The great Aegis-sama! Impenetrable divine relic, Aegis-sama! It's been too long since I've felt the warmth of a beautiful woman inside of me…!'
Aegis pleaded, now on his armored hands and knees as the duo stared down at him like one would a pile of trash that had been left on their front porch.
"Hey, Ero-senin? Would you mind if I sealed this armor away and tossed it into the ocean?"
"That's too soft, toady-kun. We should toss this thing into a volcano."
Naruto and Chris began to suggest different ways to dispose of the scummy armor, prompting Aegis to retreat behind Jiraiya who sighed.
"See? This is why they kept you tied up in the basement, Aegis. To think we used to be an unstoppable pair, you and I… Not even the Demon King Army General, the Poison Slime Hans with his corrosive attacks was enough to defeat us. We were real heroes that day…"
Jiraiya remarked before taking a sip of his wine as he thought back to his brief adventuring days.
Naruto frowned. Given Aegis's obvious perverted nature, it sounded like it got along swimmingly with Jiraiya. What kind of argument would tear such a friendship apart?
"You just had to open your damn mouth and say that asses were better than breasts! I love a good round ass, don't get me wrong. But breasts are a man's romance! I would move a mountain for those twin peaks!"
Jiraiya barked, and Naruto's expression turned stone cold.
'You senile old fool! Where do you think our love for boobs comes from!? The ass, obviously! Women are born with an ass, but they only grow their boobs later down the line! Boobs are great, wonderful really… But they're an imitation of the ass!'
Aegis shot back, and the two locked hands.
"An imitation!? More like an improvement, you overpriced heap of junk!"
Jiraiya growled as he struggled against the sentient armor.
'This is why I had to run away! That, and the fact that there's nothing worse than having a sweaty old man inside of me! You don't even use a sword! What kind of hero doesn't use a sword!?'
Aegis shot back, causing the toad sage to gawk.
"C-context! Context, you fool! What if the maids heard you!?"
'Jokes on you, fool! I'm only allowing the tree of us in this room to hear my voice, so it sounds like you're arguing with yourself! Hahahaha-Oof!'
The divine relic was cut off when Jiraiya suddenly tackled him, and the two wrestled on the ground.
Naruto shared a look with Chris before he let out a sigh. They weren't getting anywhere at this rate. Walking over to the rampaging duo, he grabbed his mentor by the collar.
"Paralyze."
"!"
Jiraiya's form stiffened as the skill locked his body up, and the shinobi tossed him onto the nearby bed.
"Alright, you're gonna tell me whatever secret you're hiding or you're next."
Naruto threatened while reaching his hand towards the armor in an intimidating fashion.
'Hah! Nice try, boy. But I am immune to all magic and status effects, and don't even think about threatening me physically either. My body is made entirely out of Oricalcum, the strongest and most durable metal in the world!'
Aegis boasted while admiring his outstretched gauntlet with pride.
"Most durable metal, huh? We'll see about that…"
Naruto cracked his knuckles as he approached the divine relic, but Chris grabbed his sleeve.
"Wait, toady-kun. We shouldn't stay here much longer. It's starting to get late, and we still need to find the magic mirror."
She wanted to teach that arrogant armor some respect too, but it couldn't be helped. They were here on a mission, and it seemed Jiraiya wasn't about to give Naruto the answers he was looking for. The longer they stayed, the more they risked being found by the guards which would make any further infiltration attempts more difficult in the future.
Naruto opened his mouth to argue, but he knew she was probably right.
"...Fine. You wanted a voluptuous woman, ya dumb armor? Well here you go! Transform!"
The shinobi's form was encased in a plume of smoke, which dissipated to reveal a busty woman with long blonde hair that reached the floor.
Covered only by an orange two-piece bikini, Naruto's famous Sexy Jutsu appeared!
Chris's jaw dropped. So the rumors were true, he really could transform into a woman!
'S-she's… perfect!'
Aegis breathed as he stood up to fully admire the voluptuous woman. The heart shaped face, the balanced proportions and flawless skin(aside from the whisker marks, but those added quite an exotic appeal)... This woman was truly a masterpiece!
Jiraiya's nose pumped with steam as he was able to just barely make out the form of his student's most powerful technique.
"Alright, I held my end of the bargain. So talk."
Naruko crossed her arms under her sizable bust and leveled a hard stare at the armor.
'Yes, of course, my lady… You see, the master of this mansion has made a contract with a troublesome individual. While I am immune to its ability, my regrettable partner is not.'
Aegis began while gesturing towards Jiraiya, whose breathing was becoming quite erratic.
Naruto hoped his mentor wasn't about to have some sort of weird awakening… He really didn't need another one of those.
"What kind of ability? Is it like Vanir? Because we handled that devil just fine."
'No… This creature is even more dangerous than you could possibly imagine. Its mind is broken, and it craves the negative emotions of humans… Specifically, anguish and despair. You are lucky that Alderp brought it along with him on that trip, otherwise it might have been the end of this fair beauty.'
Aegis replied, and Naruto might have felt unnerved by the explanation if the armor wasn't bending over in a strange angle just to get a better view of Naruko's ass.
But that would explain why he and Kurama hadn't felt any demonic presence in the mansion.
"If this creature is that powerful, then how come no one has discovered it? People come and go from this place and the only rumors that are floating around about Alderp are that he always seems to get his way."
Naruto asked with a twitching eyebrow, and Aegis began to pace around him while rubbing his makeshift chin thoughtfully.
'Those who suspect are manipulated in the mind, you see. They are left with false memories that only improve its master's image. That is all I know, which is why I have been placed under house arrest in the basement. My partner tried to save me, but…'
Aegis trailed off and finally took his gaze off of Naruko to look at Jiraiya, and a shiver went down the teen's spine.
That's how Alderp was gaining so much influential power recently. Whatever this devil was, it had a powerful ability to manipulate people. Jiraiya must have gotten too close to discovering the truth, which was why he was still here.
It was terrifying to think that someone as powerful as his mentor was trapped in such a state.
Naruto walked over to the older sage and placed a hand on the man's head.
'If he's being manipulated, then maybe this will help…'
Making a seal with his right hand, Naruto released a small burst of chakra into the one placed on his sensei.
"Release!"
. . .
"Gah… My neck is killing me, brat! You're lucky I'm in a good mood because of your free show. But don't even think about using that Paralyze skill on me again, ya hear!?"
Jiraiya complained as he sat up and rubbed the back of his neck.
Naruto blinked in surprise, unsure if the Release worked. But interestingly enough, the Release seemed to have canceled the Paralyze skill.
Duly noted…
Jiraiya stood up from the bed, prompting Naruto to take a step back to give the older man some room.
"Eep!?"
Naruko shrieked when something pressed into her butt, and she whirled around to glare at Aegis who was currently on his hands and knees while releasing ragged breaths.
What the hell was this degenerate armor doing!? Also, did sentient armor even breathe!?
'Strike! In many ways, a striiike!'
Aegis cheered while rubbing his helmet victoriously.
"Grr…! That's it, I'm changing back!"
Naruto growled and made the necessary hand seal.
'Wait! I have more information that you might find useful, my lady!'
Aegis jumped to his feet and pleaded in an attempt to stop the shinobi from reverting back.
"Don't bother, brat. That armor is full of crap. Also, just forget about everything he told you just now. He'll say anything to get out of here. I almost believed his story when I found him in the basement, but Alderp had a good reason as to why he was keeping that armor locked up down there. Honestly, Aegis. After all of the slander you try to spread about my friend, you're lucky I give you these moments of freedom."
Jiraiya disclosed as he poured himself another drink.
Naruto's face turned green. His Release hadn't worked at all, and the fact that Jiraiya was speaking so highly of Alderp was honestly terrifying.
"...What else did you have to add, Aegis?"
'What, did you think I was just going to give you that information without a trade? I want something else, my lady~!'
The sentient armor declared while holding his arm out expectantly.
Growing impatient, Naruko put her hands on her hips.
"Fine, what do you want? I don't have all night, ya know?"
"I want you inside of me."
Aegis answered, and the room fell in silence.
"...Hey, Boss? I really think we should move on."
Naruto transformed back into Kakashi and made his way over to Chris, who had a scary expression on her face.
"Boss-?"
'Wait! It's nothing weird, I promise! I just want you to wear me while in that beautiful form of yours! I beseech you! It's been too long since I've been worn by such a beauty!'
Aegis begged while holding onto the shinobi's ankles like a child whose mother told them no to buying a toy at the store.
"Why should I? I appreciate the information, but you probably don't have anything else to say, do you?"
Naruto demanded while trying to shake the armor off of him.
'What if I told you I know where your Succubus friends are?'
This immediately drew the teen's attention, and if the armor could smirk, it would be doing so right now.
Naruto nervously looked back at Chris, whose expression was normal again, albeit a tad impatient. Did he imagine that? She seemed pretty upset just now.
'Don't worry, I'm only speaking to your mind so the tomboy can't hear. I'm well aware of the unspoken rule to protect the beautiful Succubi in this town. So? Do we have a deal?'
Aegis assured and extended his armored hand.
Naruto sighed. This felt dirty, but he needed to know if those two were okay.
Changing back into Naruko, the transformed shinobi shook the armor's hand.
"Fine, let's just get this over-Woah!"
Naruko yelped when the divine relic opened up and wrapped itself around her body. When she opened her eyes again, she was covered head to toe inside of Aegis. Only it didn't feel like it.
In fact, Naruto was able to see through the helmet almost as though it were transparent.
"T-this is actually kind of cool…"
Naruto noted as he moved his arms and legs. The armor had magically adjusted to fit his form. He felt weightless, and… Well, invincible!
'Yes… This feels just right, doesn't it? This is how it should be… A busty babe inside of the world's greatest armor!'
Aegis expressed while shuddering, and just like that, Naruto immediately wanted out.
"Alright, tell me what you know already."
'Yes, of course, my lady… The Succubi were caught while investigating the manor. Alderp had no use for the scrawny one and threatened to kill her, but the busty one stepped in and offered her… Services in exchange for her comrade's life.'
Aegis revealed, then flinched when he felt a sharp sense of killing intent.
A wad of rage was building up within Naruto's gut, and the other two people present were surprised when they felt it wash over them.
'Easy, kid… You don't want to alert the guards. Just keep getting information. Don't forget your current mission.'
Kurama said in an attempt to calm its host, and it seemed to work as Naruto glanced back at Chris again to see her now worried expression. If he went berserk and tore the mansion apart to find Maria and Morrigan, it would only put his friends in danger.
"Where are they now?"
Naruto asked, now seemingly calm.
'T-the scrawny one is being kept in the basement. I've held multiple conversations with her and I must say, she is the clumsiest devil I have ever come across.'
Aegis replied, earning a chuckle from the shinobi. That certainly sounded like Maria…
"As for the voluptuous one, she has been working for Alderp as a maid. She is currently attending to him on his trip to the capital."
"Did he… Has he…?"
Naruto trailed off, fearing the answer to his question.
"No. As far as I'm aware, the Succubus has not allowed the master of this manor to lay his hands on her. But that is mostly due to the fact that my partner has been present."
Aegis replied, and the teen took in a shaky breath. He was relieved, but still worried for Morrigan's safety. He needed to act, and now.
"T-toady-kun? Are you okay? What did Aegis tell you?"
Chris asked and placed a hand on the boy's armored shoulder. It was clear as day whatever the amor had said bothered the shinobi, as she had never felt that kind of anger from the cheerful teen before.
"...Let's go, Boss. We need to finish this mission."
Naruto replied without looking at her. He'd have to find a way to split up so he could get to the basement and rescue Maria without Chris finding out. It would be troubling if she found out he was affiliated with a Succubus, as there was no guarantee she was as flexible as Yunyun.
Chris was hesitant at first, but she nodded and the two started making their way towards the door.
"Okay… Aegis, do you know where Alderp keeps a magic mirror?"
"Why, yes. Since I'm in such a good mood, I don't mind sharing that information for free. Even if the requester is a tomboy."
Aegis replied, prompting a vein to bulge on the Thief's forehead. But she held her tongue in favor of completing the mission.
A sudden wave of pressure suddenly washed over them.
"Hey, brats. What did I tell you? Sneaking in here was reckless. You need to leave."
Jiraiya said and stood up from his seat. His face was no longer flushed, and he looked rather serious.
"We won't get caught, so don't worry."
Naruto idly promised while waving his hand dismissively.
"That's not the problem here, kid. You're planning on stealing that mirror you mentioned, right? Why?"
Jiraiya inquired as looked down at the duo and crossed his arms disapprovingly.
"It's a divine relic that could be dangerous in the wrong hands… Alderp holds too many allegations against him to be allowed to carry such powerful items."
Chris responded, and the sage's eyes fell on her.
"I don't know who you are, little miss, but I can assure you that Alderp isn't the type to misuse divine relics. I know about each and every relic in his possession, and he hasn't used them at all. He's actually collecting those relics to keep them out of the wrong hands himself. Not even the royal family is aware of his possession."
Jiraiya stated and leveled his gaze back on Naruto.
"I know you want to do this kingdom good, kid. I heard you're a potential Hero Candidate now, and that's great. But breaking into a noble's home to steal such valuables… You could be executed, and even I wouldn't be able to protect you from that."
"..."
Naruto fell silent. It was hard to come up with a retort when the things that Jiraiya was saying were logical. But he knew in his gut that Alderp was a terribly corrupt noble that needed to go down. Whatever this devil's powers were, they were obviously clouding his mentor's judgment.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The thief duo froze when someone knocked on the door from the outside.
"Jiraiya-dono… We heard shouting. Is everything alright?"
A guard asked, albeit a bit hesitantly. Their guest was a trusted ally of their employer, but they had to routinely check on the man because of the strange arguments he had with the sentient armor that he cut loose every night for whatever reason.
One of their duties was to make sure the armor was stored back into the basement in case their guest passed out from intoxication, which happened on the first night. A couple of the guards were still recovering in the Eris church from the battle.
"Sir?"
The guard repeated when Jiraiya didn't answer.
'Uh oh… Looks like our time is up, my lady.'
Aegis muttered with a hint of regret in his tone.
Naruto looked at his sensei's pained face, silently pleading from behind the helmet that he would keep them a secret. But his gut sank when the older man's expression hardened.
"...As your mentor, I can't let you throw away your future. Do me a favor and don't get caught."
Jiraiya said in a hushed tone, and at first Naruto thought that meant he was going to let them go.
"Aegis. To me."
The divine relic was suddenly ripped from Naruto's form, causing him to fall to the ground and cancel out his transformation.
Naruto looked up in horror as Jiraiya towered over him, now fully armored in the cheat item with only his long spiky white hair sticking out.
The man truly looked like the spitting image of a veteran knight in shining armor.
"Guards! We have intruders!"
Jiraiya bellowed, and all hell broke loose.
A/N: Next time on A Shinobi's Take on this Wonderful World: A Devastating Clash! Naruto vs Jiraiya!
