A/N: Revised as of 1/24/202024

"So that's what the fuss was about yesterday! The cabbage harvesting quest, huh? Brings back memories…"

Wiz said fondly as she thought back on her adventuring days.

It was just past noon and Wiz was sitting at the table drinking tea, having eaten the meal Naruto had brought her as he swept the store. Right after noon was usually their slowest hour, so they took the time off for a lunch/sweeping break.

"Yup. I wasn't able to catch as many as I wanted to for various reasons… But I managed to keep enough to make a decent sum. Wiz is an adventurer too, right? Why didn't you come out and catch a few cabbages?"

Naruto asked as he swept the dirt he had collected outside the front door.

"Retired adventurer."

Wiz corrected and took a sip of her tea, a blissful expression on her face. She didn't know if it was because she had been starving herself, but Wiz was beginning to get addicted to the ramen Naruto made. It was becoming the one of the things she looked forward to the most each day.

"Retired… But you're a Lich which is supposed to be a super powerful undead, right? You could use that power to help people and fight the Demon King! Not to mention you would make a lot more money that way…"

Naruto said, throwing his hands into the air to emphasize his statement.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that last part. But there is a very good reason why I retired as an adventurer…"

Wiz said, but seemed hesitant to continue.

Naruto noticed this, but he decided not to press. Wiz had her reasons, and Naruto would respect that and wait for her to open up to him. After all, they had only known each other for a short amount of time.

"Well, I think I'm gonna head out to the adventurer's guild. I think they're giving out the rewards for the cabbage hunt today!"

Naruto said and took off his apron, then placed it and the broom in the corner of the store. The guild staff explained that it would take a couple days to gather the reward money for all the adventurers due to the large reward sums.

"Ah! I'll show you out! I'm going to be closing the store early today, so you don't have to stop by tonight."

Wiz said and rushed to the entrance of the store, opening it for her friend/coworker.

"Okay, I'll see ya tomorrow Wiz!"

Naruto said with a foxlike grin before he left the store.

"Bye Naruto-san, and thank you again for the meal and all that you do!"

Wiz called out and bowed low, prompting the teen blush and quickly tell her to stop when the people outside started whispering amongst themselves.

When Naruto took off running, Wiz giggled to herself and switched the store's sign to open before walking back inside.

"I'll tell him tomorrow for sure!"

Wiz said with a determined expression, but that determination quickly faded.

Naruto was an adventurer who was adamant on defeating the Demon King. What would he say when he found out she was a general of the Demon King's army?

Would he hate her? Would he turn her in?

Wiz shook her head.

"No! Naruto-san isn't that kind of person! He'll understand for sure!"

. . .

"I hope…"

Naruto walked down the streets of Axel with his arms rested behind his head. After that scene with Wiz in the front of the store, he had accidently run off in the opposite direction of the guild.

'That's weird… Is it just me, or are people looking at me funny?'

Naruto thought when he noticed some of the townsfolk looking at him coldly or straight up looked away. They weren't the hateful looks of disgust like the villagers used to give him back in Konoha, but it was starting to annoy him.

Right when he was about to walk over to some people to confront them, Naruto saw a mop of blonde hair sticking out of an alleyway. It was a boy, and he was gesturing for Naruto follow him.

Raising an eyebrow, Naruto shrugged and followed the boy into the alleyway. He wasn't in any real rush to the guild anyway.

Just as Naruto turned the corner, he found the boy sitting on a crate with his hand raised.

"Yo, boss Naruto!"

…Boss?

"Do I know you?"

Naruto asked flatly. Something about this guy felt familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"What? You don't-No… That's okay. I'm Dust, and I'm quite a famous adventurer in Axel! I'm also the guy you put in the Church of Eris to heal for a week!"

The now named Dust revealed and gave an approving thumbs up.

Naruto's eyes lit up in recognition.

"Oh yeah, I remember you now! Why did you attack me again? You suddenly pounced on me when I was asking for a quest…"

"I got mad because Boss Naruto was blatantly flirting with Luna-san, but that doesn't matter anymore! After I got kicked out of the church when the priests healed me, I was plotting my revenge when I heard some rumors. People are talking about you, Boss. In fact, as of yesterday, Boss is the talk of the whole town! That show Boss Naruto put on during the cabbage harvest was great!"

Dust exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

"Hey. You just said revenge, didn't you? Anyways, don't call me boss or people will get the wrong idea about me!"

Naruto said before his eyes widened in realization. If people saw him hanging around Dust, who was clearly a delinquent adventurer, then that would only make the rumors more believable!

"Although I say that, I didn't actually get to see the act in person. I was too busy spending that day in jail."

Dust said while Naruto was looking outside the alleyway to see if anyone was watching.

"…You spent the day you got out of the hospital in jail?"

Naruto asked incredulously. He hadn't felt bad about putting the guy in the hospital, since Dust had been the one who started the fight. But getting thrown in jail after leaving a hospital was a bit much, wasn't it?

"Sure did. I didn't want to leave the Eris church because the cute priestess hand fed me the first couple days since I couldn't move. They said I was free to go on the fourth day so I convinced them to let me stay longer to heal. But when they kicked me out on the seventh day, I learned the cabbage hunt had ended so I wasn't able to pay the tab I built at the adventurer's guild. So, I did the only thing I could… I dined and dashed and let myself get caught by the police! That way I didn't have to pay for lunch, and I got a free place to stay for the night! The police even fed me dinner!"

Dust explained with an expression that was brimming with pride.

Naruto's jaw dropped. This man had willfully forced his stay at a church even after he was healed, was kicked out when they were fed up with him, and then stole food and took advantage of the law system to get two free meals and a place to stay for the night, all to avoid paying.

What did they call people like this? Leeches to society?

'This guy is completely hopeless… How he convinced those Eris cultists to let him stay longer is beyond me. No, wait. I gotta get out of here before people see me with this guy or they'll brand me a delinquent forever!'

Having thought that, Naruto took one final look to see if the coast was clear before turning back to Dust.

"Well good luck with your tab, but I gotta go ask about my Cabbage reward! See ya!"

Naruto suddenly said and took off running down the street.

"Ah! I still didn't get to tell you everything! Oh well, I'll tell ya later Boss!"

Dust shouted after the ninja, and Naruto almost tripped in his footsteps. Ears burning, the shinobi turned back and shouted.

"Stop calling me that!"

Naruto sighed as he found himself walking down the streets of Axel once again, only this time, the adventurer's guild was just around the corner.

How strange. Why was he feeling tired all of a sudden? Maybe it was all of the experimental ramen he was eating.

'Dust, huh? I can't help but feel that wasn't the first time he stayed in a jail cell for a free meal. This town sure is full of weirdos…'

Naruto thought as he turned the corner, and found a familiar group of adventurers arguing in front of the guild.

Speaking of weirdos-

"Don't wanna! Don't wanna! I don't wanna hunt toads anymore!"

Aqua was currently throwing a tantrum on the floor without any regards to who might be watching. It was very hard to believe that girl was a goddess. What a shame...

"But we still haven't tried the plan Megumin and I came up with! It didn't work last time because the toads have started avoiding me for some reason... But it'll work this time, I swear!"

Darkness pleaded with the priest of their party. Just the thought of getting hit by Explosion magic again caused her to tremble in anticipation.

"Actually, I don't want to hunt toads anymore…"

Megumin suddenly said with her hand raised timidly, and Darkness looked at the girl with eye full of betrayal.

"Then it's settled, we'll do something else. Besides, your armor hasn't been fixed yet. We'll do another quest in the meantime."

Kazuma said while creasing the bridge of his nose, and Darkness slouched in defeat.

"Exactly! Even Kazuma knows my talents are wasted on that kill quest! You have the great me in this party, so there has to be a better quest we can do that is better suited for me!"

Aqua boasted and quickly ran into the guild to search the quest board.

Taking this as his que, Naruto walked over to the group and waved.

"Hey guys, I figured you would all be doing a quest by now. You weren't arguing this whole time, were you?"

Naruto said half-jokingly with a laugh, only for the laugh to die in his throat when he saw the agitated look in Kazuma's eyes.

"S-seriously…?"

"Darkness wants to go hunt for toads because she wants to get covered in slime again, but Aqua and Megumin are traumatized from being eaten so they want to do something else. They've been arguing about it for an hour straight…"

Kazuma explained while rubbing his head irritably.

Naruto looked at Darkness with a raised eyebrow, only to see the girl to advert her gaze.

"Weird… Well, good luck with that. I'm gonna go see if Luna-chan has any quests for me… What is it, Megumin?"

Naruto trailed off when Megumin suddenly poked his chest with her staff.

"I've been thinking of how Naruto became so strong, and I have concluded that it must be the demon sealed inside of you! Your demonic pact may have granted you great strength, but I have confidence you are no match for the most powerful magic known to man! Explosion Magic!"

Megumin declared while striking a dramatic pose, her visible eye glowing fiercely.

'I've said it once, and I'll say it again. This brat's got spunk. I wish to see the defeated look on her face when we show her what real power is.'

Kurama commented with a dark chuckle.

'She's just a kid Kurama… Don't be so sadistic.'

Naruto thought back and the fox's response was a low-pitched grunt.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Megumin poked him again with her staff impatiently.

"Ah, sorry. Kurama was just saying he'd like to challenge your Explosion magic sometime."

Megumin's eye sparkled in excitement and she flipped her cape.

"Then tell your demon this! I am Megumin! Arch Wizard of the Crimson Magic Clan, wielder of Explosion magic! Tell him that I hereby accept the challenge!"

"That's okay, he can hear you."

Naruto said while scratching his cheek awkwardly. Was this girl always this dramatic?

"Wait, the demon inside you can hear us, and you were just talking with it? How do you sleep at night?"

Kazuma asked nervously. The thought of sharing a body and hearing a demonic voice in his head at any given moment was unnerving.

"Kurama's not so bad. I mean, he used to try and take over my body all the time and threatened to kill me every time we spoke. But we're friends now!"

Naruto said and laughed heartily, and he heard a snort in the back of his mind.

"That's not something to laugh about!"

Kazuma retorted while shivering slightly. Did Naruto have a screw loose or something!?

"Living every day in a constant battle for your body… That sounds rather good."

Darkness said, a blush growing on her face.

"No, it doesn't! Take your deluded fantasies somewhere else you ero-knight!"

Kazuma retorted heatedly a second time, prompting the knight to gasp.

"Guh! Y-you really don't hold back Kazuma! But that's precisely why I joined this party!"

Darkness declared while holding back a shudder.

Naruto chuckled as he watched the group's antics. Hanging out with Kazuma and the others was stressful at times, but it was also fun. The only thing that kept him away from joining their party was Aqua. He would only join if she took back what she said about him the other day.

"Well, I'm gonna go take on my daily quest now so I'll talk to you guys later."

Naruto said and walked past the group towards the guild, but just as he reached the entrance the doors suddenly burst open and Aqua came running out. Naruto's eyes widened, and he caught the girl in his arms when she crashed into him.

Aqua blinked in a daze and looked up to see Naruto staring at her with a bemused smile.

"Are you okay? You should be a little more careful, ya know?"

"Y-yes…"

Aqua muttered in a small voice, her face heating up in embarrassment.

Naruto found himself blushing as well.

'This girl really is pretty when she's not acting like a child… It's too bad her personality is "that"...'

As if hearing his thoughts, Aqua's eyes suddenly shot open and she squirmed out of the blonde's grasp.

"I-I almost fell for your trap again, you demon stalker! But the great me isn't so easily swayed!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? Is that any way to talk to the person that you almost ran into!?"

Naruto angrily shouted back. Honestly, this girl never changed!

Aqua's response was to stick out her tongue before she ran off to her party members, who were all watching the scene and snickering, much to her annoyance.

'Just give me control for a couple seconds… I'll make her death last only a few hours.'

Kurama's voice seeped in the back of Naruto's mind.

'A few hours!? You want to torture her!? No way I'm giving you control!'

Naruto thought before walking into the guild and towards the reception desk, now in a sour mood.

There was a line to see Luna, but everyone immediately moved out of the way when they saw Naruto's angry form stomping towards them.

"Luna-chan!"

"Y-yes!?"

Luna squeaked in surprise when Naruto seemingly came out of nowhere and called for her so forcefully.

"Give me a hard quest! I want a challenge!"

Naruto ended up venting his anger on boss-type monster that day, along with the surrounding forest.

The Next Morning…

Naruto yawned as he walked to Wiz's store early in the morning.

'I slept like a rock last night! It's been awhile since I let loose like that!'

'Let's just hope they don't track the damage to the forest back to us, not that I would mind having to go against the authorities. That way we could crush not just the Demon King's army, but the royal army as well.'

'Of course you would want to start a three-way war Kurama…'

Naruto thought while smiling wryly as he walked up the short steps to the shop. He was about to open the door when he heard voices inside, one of which sounded distressed.

"Filthy lich, you thought you could hide in this town unnoticed? Too bad you didn't know I was living here as well!"

"W-wait! I'm not causing any harm, I promise! I love humans!"

"Lies! Liches are high class devils who feed on the souls of humans! They also raise the dead to worship them like some sort of erotic play!"

"I've done no such thing! N-no! Don't purify me! I'll disappear! I'm disappearing~!"

Naruto's eyes widened when he recognized Wiz's strained voice and he burst through the door.

"Wiz!"

"Ouch!"

"!" x4

. . .

Naruto blinked when he saw a transparent Wiz sitting down on a chair, and Aqua holding her head in pain. Standing next to Aqua was Kazuma, who was holding the hilt of his sword above Aqua's head. He also saw Megumin and Darkness off to the side, staring at him in surprise.

"N-Naruto… san."

Naruto's attention was pulled back to Wiz when she called out his name weakly.

"Ah, Wiz! Are you okay!? Speak to me!"

The shinobi rushed over to Wiz and said while looking over her body for visible wounds, but it was hard to tell because her form was becoming more and more see though.

"I…"

Wiz began to say as she reached for Naruto's face, and he gently grabbed her hands and guided them to his cheeks.

"W-what do you need…?"

Naruto said as he began to feel tears welling up in his eyes. He had no idea what was happening, but Wiz was disappearing.

I need…"

One of the few people he could call a friend in this world was disappearing and there was nothing he could do about it!

"Mana."

"GYAAHHHH!?"

After Wiz apologized numerous times and explained the situation, Naruto glanced back from the corner he was sulking in.

"I thought Wiz was dying… and I forgot about your Drain Touch. Again."

Naruto mumbled, and Wiz bowed her head again frantically.

"I'm really sorry!"

Apparently, Wiz had been going out into the town's graveyard every other night to put the restless souls to rest. Due to lack of funding, none of the priests in the town were performing memorial services for the dead. Hence the Zombie Maker that one time.

But the work Wiz had been doing wasn't enough and the adventurer's guild had received complaints about undead in the cemetery, and so the quest that Kazuma's party had accepted was created.

Last night, Wiz had been sending the restless souls to heaven when Kazuma and the others had showed up and found her. Aqua, being the undead hater that she was, had attacked Wiz and almost purified her. Luckily, Kazuma stopped her before she could do any lethal damage. After that, Wiz had brought them all back to her shop where Aqua attacked her again, and Kazuma stopped her a second time.

That was when Naruto showed up and the rest is history.

"But the thing I'm most surprised about is Wiz being a general of the Demon King. You should have told me sooner!"

"B-but I was worried Naruto-san would hate me! After all, Naruto-san is an adventurer who wants to defeat the Demon King!"

"Why would I hate you? You're only acting as a general who maintains part of the barrier so the Demon King army doesn't attack civilians. That's a noble things to do."

Naruto responded with a shrug.

Wiz visibly relaxed. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"I remember Naruto saying something about having a part time job, but I didn't think it was here… Did you know she was a Lich?"

Kazuma asked, and Naruto nodded.

"I met Wiz at the cemetery like you guys, and ended up working here because the store isn't doing so well, although I don't get paid… But this girl really is hopeless. She would probably starve herself and become a walking skeleton to save money, so I bring her lunch every day."

Naruto explained, causing Wiz sputter out more apologies.

"Wait, you don't get paid for working here AND you feed her? Why?"

Kazuma asked with raised eyebrows, and everyone else nodded. Why would someone go to that much trouble for someone they just met?

Naruto scratched his whisker marks awkwardly.

"Because Wiz is one of the first people that I've met in this town who is truly working hard for something that she cares for. I just wanted to help her out, ya know?"

'Ah, I can see that…'

Kazuma thought while smiling bitterly.

From corrupt priests who only cared about money, to adventurers who only did easy quests that paid well, this town of beginners was full of people like that. Even Kazuma found himself planning to give up on fighting the Demon King and live a peaceful life.

To someone as earnest as Naruto, of course he would want to help a kind individual like Wiz. Typical shonen behavior.

"Naruto-san…"

Wiz said with teary eyes.

"G-geez… Look what you guys are making me say again."

Naruto stuttered while crossing his arms in a huff, and Wiz giggled while wiping her tears.

Kazuma, Megumin, and Darkness all grinned at the scene in front of them. This really was a touching moment of friendship.

But someone couldn't read the mood.

"Ah! I figured it out! He's trying to seduce her with kindness! Filthy Lich and demon stalker… They deserve each other! Move aside Kazuma, I'll purify them both here and now-It hurts!"

Aqua cried out in pain when Kazuma smacked her on the head with the hilt of his sword for a third time.

"Seriously, you can't read the mood Aqua. But I'm surprised, I didn't expect you to be such a sly dog Naruto! I'm jealous! …No seriously, I'm really jealous."

Kazuma said while nudging Naruto in the side. Hard.

Again, it was only Naruto! Kazuma was fine with Aqua; he didn't even see that fake goddess as a woman. But this time it was a beautiful Onee-san with big breasts!

"What are you talking about?"

Naruto asked and pushed his fellow adventurer away, rubbing his side. Kazuma really dug into his ribs…

Kazuma glanced at Megumin and Darkness, and they shrugged.

'Wait, I think I know what's going on here.'

Kazuma thought and turned back to the shinobi.

"Let me get this straight… Wiz is only your friend?"

"Huh? Of course Wiz is my friend."

Naruto responded while looking at the boy strangely.

'Yup. This guy's hopeless.'

Kazuma thought and turned to Wiz, who looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"My condolences."

"Eh? N-no! It's okay…"

Wiz said while waving her hands frantically, and Naruto looked between the two while tilting his head cluelessly.

"O-one sided feelings… I wonder what that feels like?"

Darkness said while starting at Wiz and Naruto with envy.

"So Naruto is the strong and dense type, huh? Complete opposite of Kazuma."

Megumin noted while nodding to herself.

"Oi, are you calling me weak? Don't think I'm about to take crap from a little girl. Step outside with me and I'll show you how weak I am."

Kazuma grunted and began to bicker with the Crimson Demon.

"If you say you're a decent person, then why haven't I been served tea yet?"

Aqua said and sat down at the table with an expectant look on her face.

"I-I'm sorry! I'll go brew some tea right away!"

Wiz apologized and hastily ran off to the back of the store.

While everyone was talking and laughing amongst themselves, a tick-mark formed on Naruto's forehead.

"Why do I get the feeling you're all making fun of me? Also, Wiz! Why are you serving tea to the person that almost killed you!?"

A/N: You wanted some Wiz, there you guys go! ^^

P.S. That Naruto vs Ichigo Death Battle though… 0_0