"Life is fleeting, like a breeze through leaves—it's not about how long it lasts, but how you let it shape you."

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Chapter 02

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As they began their journey, the group ventured through dense forests and over rugged mountains for hours before finally setting up camp for the night. While the others rested, Naruto buzzed with excitement and immediately pestered Frieren to teach him some "awesome magic."

Frieren, lounging near the fire, was less than enthusiastic. "Not now," she muttered, half-asleep, her usual lethargy on full display.

Naruto, however, refused to back down. "C'mon, hag, just one cool spell! You're my teacher now, right? Teach me something!"

Reluctantly, Frieren opened one eye and sighed. "Fine. Start by suppressing your mana. Shrink it to about one-twentieth of its normal size."

"Mana?" Naruto tilted his head, confused.

Seeing no way around it, Frieren sat up and began explaining. "Mana is the source of magic. It's the energy within you, tied to your spirit and will. You'll need to control it to cast even basic spells."

Her explanation quickly devolved into abstract terms about the flow of mana, inner resonance, and the essence of magic. Most of it soared over Naruto's head. He scratched the back of his neck, frowning. "So, it's like chakra?"

Frieren blinked, not understanding the term, but didn't press him. "If that's how you see it, sure. Just focus on suppressing it for now."

Naruto crossed his arms. "But that sounds boring! Can't you just teach me a flashy move instead?"

"Focus," Frieren said sharply, pointing to the campfire. "No magic until you can control your mana."

Naruto huffed but closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. The effort was short-lived. His frustration boiled over in minutes as he groaned. "How do you even 'find' mana? It's not like I've got a map for it!"

Stark, sharpening his axe nearby, chuckled. "First day and he's already complaining. I like this kid."

Fern, ever supportive, tried to encourage him. "Mr. Naruto, try to feel the energy in your body, like how you'd sense heat or tension. It's there; you just need to listen to it."

Naruto gave her an optimistic thumbs-up. "Right! Feel the energy. Got it!"

He tried again but failed spectacularly, causing an unexpected spark that nearly singed his own hair. Frieren shook her head. "Hopeless," she muttered.

But as Naruto grumbled and vowed to try again, there was a flicker of determination in his jade-like eyes. Even Frieren noticed. "Well," she thought to herself, "at least he's not giving up."

As the campfire crackled softly, Naruto stared at his reflection in a small pool of water nearby, his jade-green eyes glinting in the firelight. The unfamiliar sight of his red hair, pale skin, and the absence of his whisker marks still unnerved him. Finally, unable to hold back his confusion, he turned to Frieren, who was half-lying against a log, flipping lazily through a weathered tome.

"Oi, hag," he called, his tone laced with irritation. "Why do I look like this? My whole body's colours changed! My hair, my eyes, my skin—everything's different! Plus, last time I checked, I wasn't this short!"

Frieren didn't even glance up from her book. "I don't know," she replied flatly.

Naruto gawked at her. "What do you mean you 'don't know'?! You're the one who summoned me here!"

"And?" Frieren finally looked at him, her expression as blank as ever. "That doesn't mean I know why your appearance changed."

Naruto threw his hands up. "You're supposed to be this great mage, right? Shouldn't you have answers for this kinda thing?"

"Being a great mage doesn't make me omniscient," she said, returning her gaze to her book.

"That's just a fancy word for lazy, isn't it?" Naruto grumbled under his breath before slumping back against a tree.

Stark, who was polishing his axe nearby, laughed. "Better get used to it, kid. Frieren's answers are always about as clear as mud."

Fern shot Stark a disapproving look. "Mistress Frieren's knowledge is unparalleled. If she doesn't know, it's because the phenomenon itself is unprecedented."

Naruto frowned, crossing his arms. "Un-prece-what now?"

"Unprecedented," Fern repeated. "It means it's never happened before."

Naruto groaned, dragging his hands down his face. "Great. So I'm a freak accident now. Just my luck."

"Not necessarily," Frieren said suddenly, her tone thoughtful. "Changes like this could be a side effect of the summoning. Or perhaps…"

Naruto perked up. "Perhaps what?"

Frieren paused, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "Perhaps it's tied to the nature of your mana. I'll need to observe you more to say for sure."

"Well, that's better than nothing, I guess," Naruto muttered. Then, with a sigh, he leaned back against the tree trunk, gazing at the starry sky above. "But you better figure it out soon, hag. I need to get back home looking like 'me', not some weird childish-tomato version of myself."

Õ—T—Õ

The group arrived at a busy town as the sun began its descent. The towering gates were guarded by soldiers, one of whom stepped forward, blocking their path.

"Passes?" the guard asked, his hand extended.

Stark groaned, patting his pockets. "Do we look like we carry passes? We're just travelers."

"That's what travelling means: you carry a pass."

"We don't have one," Fern said.

The guard's stern expression didn't waver. "No pass, no entry."

Frieren, without a word, pulled out an ornate seal from her pouch and held it up. The guard's eyes widened before he quickly stepped aside. "Apologies, esteemed mage. You may enter."

Naruto blinked, leaning toward Stark. "What was that all about?"

"Being over a thousand years old has its perks, I guess," Stark muttered.

Inside the town, the streets buzzed with life—vendors shouting, children laughing, and the enticing aroma of food wafting through the air. Naruto's stomach growled audibly.

"Man, I'm starving," Naruto whined, eyeing a stall selling skewered meat.

"Join the club," Stark said, rubbing his own stomach.

"I'll handle the food situation," Fern volunteered. "But Mistress Frieren, didn't you say you needed something?"

"Grimoires," Frieren said curtly, her eyes scanning the street for a bookstore.

"And I need to restock our supplies," Fern added, pointing to a general store nearby.

Naruto's eyes sparkled. "Does that mean I get to explore?"

"Don't cause trouble," Frieren said, her voice carrying an edge of warning.

"I never cause trouble!" Naruto protested, puffing his chest.

"You're trouble incarnate," Stark teased, earning a glare from the boy.

With that, the group split up—Frieren heading toward an ancient-looking bookstore, Fern disappearing into the general store, and Naruto dragging Stark toward the food stalls.

Naruto's eyes darted between skewers, buns, and pastries. "I don't know where to start! Everything looks so good!"

Stark chuckled, handing the vendor some coins. "Start with this." He tossed Naruto a steaming skewer.

Naruto took a bite and his face lit up. "This is amazing!"

Stark grinned, biting into his own. "Told ya. Now, let's see if we can grab a few more before Fern finds us and makes us carry supplies."

A few hours later, Naruto wandered the crowded street, hands tucked behind his head, groaning at his luck. Stark had ditched him to buy polish for his axe, and now he was left alone in this unfamiliar town. Stark had been good company, cracking jokes and keeping the atmosphere light, but now Naruto felt aimless.

There were signs hanging with various letters, weird alphabets he couldn't understand. However, since a spell was casted on him by the great mage, he could understand what these stuff said.

As he strolled, his jade eyes caught an accessory shop with a sign that read, 'Rare Treasures of the Unknown.' Intrigued, he whistled, stepping closer to inspect the bizarre collection on display. The shop was a chaotic mess of oddities: skull-shaped trinkets, glowing stones, dusty amulets, and jars containing unidentifiable liquids. One item caught his eye—a small, intricately designed dagger with a shimmering blue gem in its hilt.

"Admiring fine craftsmanship, are we?" the shopkeeper asked, his voice oily yet inviting.

Naruto grinned, picking up the dagger. And trying out various simple moves. "This is pretty cool. How much?"

"Ah, for you, young traveler, a mere coin," the salesman said, his grin stretching unnaturally wide.

Naruto's eyes lit up. He fumbled for his single coin, weighing it in his palm. This was the only money the hag had given him. Fern had stictly told him not to waste it. But this dagger looked so cool! "A deal like that? Sweet!"

Just as he was about to hand it over, Frieren appeared behind him like a shadow. Her voice cut through the air, calm yet cold. "It's fake."

Naruto froze, blinking. "What?"

The shopkeeper's grin faltered. "Madam, that's a baseless accusation. I assure you, this dagger is—"

"—A cheap replica," Frieren interrupted, tilting her head toward Naruto. "The gem isn't magical, the blade won't cut anything tougher than butter, and it's definitely not worth a coin."

The salesman sputtered. "She's trying to degrade the price! You can't trust—"

Before he could finish, Frieren's icy glare silenced him. "I have years of experience with relics. You really want to argue with me?"

The shopkeeper huffed, waving his hands dismissively. "Out! Both of you! You're bad for business!"

Naruto was practically dragged out of the shop. Once they were outside, he scratched the back of his head, begrudgingly mumbling, "Guess… thanks for stopping me from getting scammed."

Frieren didn't respond. She was carrying a small jar filled with a purple liquid, and Naruto couldn't help but point at it. "What's that, hag? Your hairfall solution?"

Frieren's brow twitched. "It's a gift for Stark. His birthday is soon."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, leaning closer. "And what does it do?"

She glanced at the jar nonchalantly. "It dissolves clothes."

Naruto almost choked. "WHAT?!"

"Himmel said men love it," she replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Naruto's face twisted in disbelief. "This Himmel guy… was a pervert, right?"

Frieren didn't answer, but her silence spoke volumes.

Õ—T—Õ

Stark leaned against a stone pillar in the bustling square, his arms crossed and eyes scanning the crowd. Fern stood nearby, her hands full of supplies she had meticulously picked out from the marketplace. Her usual calm demeanour was overshadowed by a faint twitch of irritation.

"They've been gone for too long," she muttered.

Stark grunted, adjusting the weight of his axe slung across his back. "Yeah. Leaving those two unsupervised? Not exactly a great idea."

Fern sighed, glancing at the towering clock in the square. "Mistress Frieren alone is manageable, but with Mr. Naruto..."

"...It's like throwing oil on a fire," Stark finished, smirking. "You think they've caused trouble already?"

"Knowing them? Likely."

Just then, the duo in question appeared from a side street, Frieren walking at her usual unhurried pace while Naruto gestured wildly, clearly mid-rant. Stark raised an eyebrow as they approached, noting the disgruntled look on Naruto's face.

"Looks like someone's not happy," Stark teased.

Naruto pointed an accusatory finger at Frieren. "She got us kicked out of a shop!"

Frieren remained unbothered, cradling her jar of purple liquid like a trophy. "It was a waste of time."

Fern blinked. "What happened?"

Naruto groaned. "I was 'this close' to buying a cool dagger, and the hag here said it was fake!"

"Because it 'was' fake," Frieren said flatly.

"Still!" Naruto huffed.

Stark laughed, patting Naruto on the back. "Sounds like she saved your wallet, kid. Be thankful."

Naruto crossed his arms, grumbling under his breath. Fern eyed the jar in Frieren's hands. "Mistress, what's that?"

"A gift for Stark. For his birthday."

The warrior froze. "Uh, what?"

Naruto snickered. "You'll love this one, big guy. It dissolves clothes!"

Stark's face turned crimson as Fern covered her mouth in shock. Frieren remained as stoic as ever.

"Himmel said men appreciate practical gifts," she added, completely serious.

Stark groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I'm gonna punch Himmel... Once we reach Heaven."

Naruto's laughter echoed through the square, cutting through the tension and earning a few curious glances from passersby.

The marketplace buzzed with chatter and laughter, but it all came to a halt as Frieren stiffened. Her hand shot out, conjuring her staff in a swift motion. The wooden pole shimmered with ancient energy, a subtle but undeniable hum emanating from its core.

Naruto, Stark, and Fern froze, confusion painting their faces. Stark took a step forward, glancing around warily. "Uh, Mistress? Why are you—"

"Demons," Frieren cut him off, her voice quiet yet sharp. "I sense them here."

Her staff rose, pointing directly at a cluster of well-dressed individuals near a fountain. Among them stood three horned figures in human attire, their sinister aura palpable to her. Mana began swirling around Frieren, a visible testament to the immense power she wielded.

"What the hell's she doing?" Naruto whispered harshly, but before anyone could react, the town guards rushed in.

"Drop your weapon!" barked one of the guards as two others tackled Frieren to the ground. Her staff clattered onto the cobblestone, and her party stared in stunned silence.

"Hey!" Naruto growled. "Get off her, you jerks!"

But the guards were relentless, pinning Frieren down as if she were a dangerous criminal. Before Stark or Fern could intervene, Naruto charged.

With a burst of speed and strength that caught everyone off guard, he leapt at the nearest guard, knocking him to the ground with a solid punch. The second guard lunged at him, only to be flipped over Naruto's shoulder with ease. His agility was shocking, his moves precise and instinctive.

"Naruto!" Fern called out, but he was already a blur, weaving between guards and taking them down one by one.

However, the commotion drew the attention of the horned figures. The tallest of the group, a man with curling ebony horns and cold, predatory eyes, stepped forward. His gaze locked onto Frieren, who remained pinned.

"Those unyielding eyes full of hatred…" he he said, his tone smooth but laced with menace. "You look at me like I'm some wild animal,"

Frieren's golden eyes narrowed as she replied flatly, "You are."

The man's expression darkened. His gaze then shifted to Naruto, who was still holding his ground against the guards. "And this one... quite the feisty human."

A man in an aristocratic suit accompanying the demons stepped forward.

"Was this your doing?" the demon asked the man.

"As much as I want to kill you, I wouldn't do it in an open street," He replied. He looked at the guards, his voice carrying an air of authority. "Guards! Take the elf and the boy to the dungeons. Now."

Naruto's defiance was immediate. "I'm not going anywhere!" he shouted, throwing another guard to the ground.

But even his strength had its limits. It took six guards to finally subdue him, forcing him down with their combined weight. Stark and Fern stood back, their faces lined with concern.

"Should we help?" Stark muttered, gripping the handle of his axe.

Fern shook her head after a pause. "Mistress Frieren is not just anybody. She'll be fine."

"And the kid?"

"He's... impulsive," Fern admitted, her eyes following the struggling Naruto. "But he'll hold his own, at least for now."

The party could only watch as their companions were dragged away, the demons lingering with ominous smiles.

Õ—T—Õ

The dim dungeon was cold and damp, the air thick with the musty scent of mildew and stone. Naruto paced back and forth in their cell, his voice echoing off the walls.

"Why the hell were you attacking them, huh?!" he demanded, glaring at Frieren, who sat cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the wall with her eyes half-closed.

"Demons," she said simply, not even looking up.

"Demons?! They were people! People who can talk, hag! They're not some mindless creatures killing anything that moves!"

Frieren's eyes opened slightly, her golden gaze calm but cold. "You don't know that."

Naruto stopped pacing and turned to face her fully, frustration etched across his face. "Well, how do you know that?"

"I've seen demons pretending to be humane," Frieren replied, her voice even. "Just because they can talk doesn't mean they're worth negotiating with. They're animals."

"They aren't animals," Naruto insisted, his voice softer but no less firm. "They're living beings with thoughts, feelings—"

"It doesn't matter," Frieren cut him off. "You'll learn soon enough. I've lived long enough to know better. I've killed demons who fooled others with their words. They always reveal their true nature."

Naruto stared at her, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. He wanted to argue, to shout at her for being so dismissive, but a heavy thought struck him instead. His voice dropped to a near whisper.

"If I had a demon in me... or if I was a demon, would you have killed me when I first arrived?"

The question hung in the air, sharp and suffocating.

Frieren's gaze shifted to him, her expression unreadable. For the first time, she hesitated. Her silence spoke louder than any words could.

Naruto turned away, his shoulders stiff as he stared at the iron bars. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Frieren remained quiet, the stillness of the cell broken only by the distant drip of water. For a moment, the centuries-old mage didn't feel as wise as she often claimed to be.

Naruto let out an exasperated huff and plopped onto the ragged excuse of a bed, dust puffing into the air as he crossed his legs. His hands rested on his knees, his expression serious for once as he closed his eyes. Concentrating, he began practicing the art of mana suppression, as Frieren had instructed him days ago.

Frieren, seated in the opposite corner, pretended to ignore him, her green eyes fixed on the stone floor. But in truth, she was watching—discreetly, with the subtlety born of centuries of experience. And what she saw made her uneasy.

Naruto's mana signature, which she had grown accustomed to, was… gone. Completely erased. It wasn't just suppressed—it was as if it didn't exist at all. Such a feat was unheard of, even among the most disciplined mages.

She remembered her own practices, the years it had taken her to mask her immense reserves of mana and make her presence indistinguishable from that of an ordinary mage. Five long, relentless years of meticulous practice. Yet here sat this brash, impulsive boy, achieving something far beyond masking—he had wiped his presence clean in less than a week.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. If Naruto were to suppress his mana any further, it wouldn't just disappear—it would compress, turning volatile, like a bomb waiting to detonate. The potential danger was staggering.

Frieren should warn him, she knew. The responsible thing would be to stop him before his reckless experimentation led to disaster. But something held her back.

Curiosity? Perhaps. There was something peculiar about Naruto, something she couldn't quite place. Watching him now, his brow furrowed in determination, she felt a strange compulsion to wait, to observe. There was more to him than met the eye, and for now, she decided to let the mystery unfold.

'He's like a walking anomaly,' she thought, leaning back against the wall. 'Either he'll become a disaster... or something far more.'

Frieren leaned her head against the cold dungeon wall, eyes heavy with exhaustion. Soon, the faint murmurs of Naruto's mana practice faded into the recesses of her mind, replaced by a familiar landscape of memories.

She was standing in a dense, misty forest, her party beside her. Himmel, with his kind yet determined face, stood at the front, gripping his sword tightly. Eisen and Heiter flanked him, their expressions grim as they stared at the creatures ahead.

Demons.

These weren't the wild, ravenous beasts that ambushed travelers or raided villages. No, these demons were clothed, armed, and speaking with eloquence. One of them, a young-looking woman with a pair of curved horns, pleaded with Himmel.

"We only wish to live," she said, her voice trembling. "Why must you hunt us?"

Frieren glanced at Himmel. His grip on his sword faltered for a brief moment, and she saw the conflict in his eyes. He didn't want to do this. He never wanted to.

But he had to.

"Demons are demons," Eisen's gruff voice cut through the tension. "Monsters or animals capable of speech. That's all they are."

The demon woman's expression twisted into something unrecognizable, her pleading tone replaced by an icy sneer. "And humans," she spat, "are nothing but self-righteous hypocrites."

Before Frieren could process the change, the woman lunged, claws elongating and teeth bared. It was a trap, as it always was. Demons could feign humanity with terrifying precision, but at the core, they were predators.

Himmel's blade flashed, cutting through the air and striking true. The demon fell, her guise of innocence shattered in her final moments.

As the memory faded, Frieren stirred in her sleep, her face a mix of sorrow and resignation. The dungeon's dim light illuminated her as she whispered, barely audible, "Demons are demons. They'll always be."

It was a truth Himmel had accepted, no matter how much it weighed on him. A truth she carried with her even now, through centuries of solitude and battles fought.

The dungeon door creaked open, its groan echoing in the dim cell. Frieren's sharp gaze flicked up as a young demon stepped inside. Despite his youthful appearance, his aura betrayed centuries of existence. She recognized him immediately—one of the demons she had tried to obliterate earlier in the city.

"So," she said, her voice calm, almost bored. "You're here to kill me?"

The demon's lips curled into a grin. "Of course. You're a pest, a relic that needs to be disposed of."

"Just so you know, I am strong." She warned.

"Stronger than me?" He smirked.

"Stronger than Aura," she replied flatly.

"Huh, what a liar."

Before she could respond, shimmering threads shot from his fingers, wrapping tightly around her neck and throat. With a sharp motion, he lifted her off the ground, the threads strong as he hung her in mid-air.

"You cannot breathe now," he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Die from pain and suffocation. You cannot enchant to use magic either,"

"You're right," she said, her tone unnervingly steady. "I cannot do much now."

The demon's grin widened, but then it faltered. Wait—she was talking? How?

His eyes narrowed as he noticed the faint glow of mana shimmering around her neck. She had reinforced it just before his threads could constrict her airway fully.

"Clever," he hissed, launching a new set of razor-sharp threads at her. "You cannot live now!"

"You're right," Frieren repeated, her tone mocking.

The demon smirked again, his confidence unwavering—until her next words hit like a slap.

"Is this the standard of demons now? This is enough to satisfy you? To make you believe you've won? How sad."

"What—"

Before he could finish, Frieren raised a finger, a concentrated sphere of mana forming at its tip. With a small flick, the mana blasted forth, obliterating the demon's head in an instant. His body disintegrated into ether, leaving no trace of his existence.

Frieren landed softly on the ground, brushing imaginary dust off her clothes. Her gaze shifted to Naruto, who was slumped against the wall, snoring softly. His earlier attempts at suppressing his mana had clearly drained him, his meditation having devolved into sleep.

"Naruto," she called, nudging him with her foot. "Wake up."

"Lemme sleep, Pervy Sage," he mumbled, swatting weakly at the air.

"We have to go," she insisted, her tone firm.

"Five more minutes~" he groaned, curling further into himself.

Frieren sighed, exasperated. Was this how Fern felt every time she had to drag Frieren out of her own bouts of lethargy?

Perhaps she should stop teasing her apprentice about it. Or not.

A few minutes later, Naruto and Frieren emerged from the dim cell into a dimly lit corridor, only to find the body of a guard sprawled lifelessly near the entrance. The metallic tang of blood lingered faintly in the air.

Naruto's eyes widened. "What…?"

Frieren stepped forward, her expression neutral as she examined the scene. "A demon came. He killed the guard."

Naruto turned to her, a mix of confusion and alarm on his face. "What happened to the demon?"

"I killed him."

"What?" His voice rose in disbelief.

Frieren glanced at him, her tone calm, almost clinical. "Does that make you feel bad? It's either him or us."

Naruto hesitated, his fists clenching. He averted his gaze, unable to answer immediately.

Frieren gave him a moment before continuing. "Regardless, we can't stay here. Harming a guard in this city is a major crime. With the demon's body disintegrated, there's no evidence of his involvement. If we're found here, we'll be accused of this."

"Oh," Naruto muttered, his voice low, his usual bravado dampened by the gravity of the situation.

"Let's go," Frieren said firmly, already moving down the corridor.

Naruto followed after a moment, his mind racing. For once, he found himself quiet, unsure of what to make of the whole ordeal. As much as he wanted to argue, he couldn't deny the truth in Frieren's words.

Frieren effortlessly conjured a shimmering cloak that draped over both her and Naruto, blending into the air around them like a faint ripple of water.

Naruto's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Cool! You gotta teach me that!"

Frieren gave him a sidelong glance. "Learn how to mould your mana first."

Naruto frowned, throwing his hands up. "But you didn't even teach me that!"

"You'll figure it out yourself."

"What?! How long did it take you?"

Frieren tilted her head thoughtfully. "Hmm… about twenty years, I think. I've forgotten."

"Twenty years?!" Naruto's jaw dropped.

Frieren raised a hand, waving it dismissively. "Don't worry. Humans are faster than elves."

Naruto sighed with relief. "Phew."

But Frieren's lips quirked in a faint smirk. "Though, judging by my observations..."

Naruto squinted at her suspiciously. "What?"

"Nothing." Frieren's tone was as unreadable as ever. "Let's keep moving."

The two melted into the crowd, their cloaked forms becoming indistinguishable from the bustling townsfolk. Naruto muttered under his breath, already vowing to master magic quicker than any hag ever could. Meanwhile, Frieren walked with quiet confidence, her keen eyes scanning for the next obstacle ahead.

Õ—T—Õ

Fern and Stark, their keen eyes instantly recognising the cloaked figures, hurriedly pulled Frieren and Naruto into a narrow, shadowy alleyway. The muffled bustle of the streets provided some cover, but Fern's expression was etched with worry.

"What are you two doing outside?" she hissed, her gaze darting around, checking for onlookers.

Frieren's face remained impassive. "The guard was killed. We're the prime suspects. If we stay, we'll be executed, so we're leaving."

Stark tightened his grip on his axe, his jaw clenching. "Leaving? Are you kidding? The demons are planning to destroy the city, Frieren! We can't just abandon it!"

"What?!" Naruto stepped forward, his jade eyes blazing with determination. "If that's true, Stark's right, hag! People are depending on us! We've got to do something."

Frieren let out a deep sigh, her expression softening. "You two… you remind me of Himmel. Always rushing headfirst into danger." She paused, her tone taking on a wistful edge. "But fine. Listen closely—the demons are targeting the Barrier of Flammle. If they succeed, Aura's army will flood the city, and nothing will stand in their way."

Naruto tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as he glanced skyward. "Aura? Who's that? And what barrier? You mean that rainbowy thing up there?"

Fern froze mid-thought, her staff lowering slightly. "Mr. Naruto… you can see the barrier?"

Naruto blinked, confused. "Uh, yeah? It's kind of faint but definitely there."

Frieren's green eyes sharpened, her curiosity piqued. "Interesting." Her gaze shifted to Stark and Fern. "Listen up. You two will deal with the demons. Naruto, you're coming with me."

Stark's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! You're leaving us to fight those monsters on our own?"

"They're strong, but you'll manage," Frieren replied calmly, already turning away.

Stark's knuckles whitened around his axe. "Frieren, this isn't a joke! They're not normal demons—they'll rip us apart!"

Frieren glanced back, her face as unreadable as ever. "You've trained for moments like this. Don't waste your teachers' efforts."

Naruto hurried after her, waving a hand toward Stark and Fern. "Good luck, guys! Don't die on us!"

Fern sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Well, Mr. Stark… it seems it's just us now."

Stark let out an exasperated groan, hefting his axe over his shoulder. "Great. If I don't survive this, I'm haunting Frieren for as long as she lives."

Frieren and Naruto melted into the crowd, their cloaks shielding them from prying eyes. Naruto, however, couldn't keep quiet.

"So, this Aura person… How strong is she? Does she really have an army? Are we even ready for this? Should I be worried? Wait—are you worried?"

Frieren glanced at him, the faintest smirk tugging at her lips. "You'll find out soon enough. Now keep moving."

As the two disappeared into the labyrinth of streets, Fern and Stark exchanged a glance, their resolve hardening. "Let's get this over with," Fern said firmly.

Stark rolled his shoulders, preparing for the battle ahead. "Right. Time to hunt some demons."

Õ—T—Õ

Naruto's steps faltered as he caught sight of the massive army arrayed before them. His eyes widened. "Whoa... That's a lot of knights."

Hundreds—no, thousands—of figures stood clad in gleaming, blackened armour. Each carried heavy swords and towering shields, their ranks disciplined and imposing. At their forefront stood a petite figure: a young girl—or rather, a demon—with scales embedded along her forearms, her stance casual but her grin chilling.

"Ah, Frieren the Slayer," the demon girl drawled, her grin widening. "You finally came."

"Aura," Frieren replied flatly.

Naruto blinked, stepping closer. "'That's' Aura? No way! I thought she'd be... I don't know, bigger or scarier or something!"

Aura cast him a sidelong glance, her grin unfaltering. "And who is this? A human, clearly. Hardly any mana. Not a mage then—perhaps a warrior?"

Frieren responded without a flicker of emotion. "He's my apprentice."

Aura raised a brow. "I see."

Naruto stepped forward, puffing out his chest. "Yeah, the hag's my mentor. What's it to you, shorty?"

Aura laughed—a cold, hollow sound. "He even talks like Himmel... How nostalgic." Her gaze turned sharp. "But Himmel is long gone. And now, it's your turn, Frieren."

Frieren's golden eyes narrowed slightly. "We'll see."

"Wait, hold on!" Naruto interjected, raising a hand. "Can't we just talk this out first? Why are we even fighting? Is this revenge? Hatred? Something else entirely?"

Aura's grin didn't waver, but there was a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. "That is a human city," she said simply.

"So?" Naruto pressed, folding his arms.

Aura sighed as if explaining to a child. "I am a demon."

Naruto frowned. "And that means...?"

Aura turned to Frieren, visibly exasperated. "Are you sure this isn't Himmel's son? He sounds exactly like him."

Frieren shrugged.

"Hey!" Naruto huffed. "For your information, my dad's Minato Namikaze! Ever heard of him? Fourth Hokage?"

Aura's patience snapped. "Attack," she commanded, her voice sharp.

With a thunderous roar, the undead surged forward like a black tide, weapons glinting under the sun.

Frieren's voice remained calm amidst the chaos. "Naruto."

"What?" he shouted, already bracing himself.

"You wanted to learn magic?"

"Uh, yeah? What about it?"

"Let's see if you can defeat them without touching them."

Naruto gawked at her. "Are you serious?! That's not possible!"

Frieren's eyes gleamed faintly. "Then let me show you a spell my master taught me—"

Naruto's jaw dropped as he watched Frieren move through the battlefield.

With a single word, 'Shun', the undead knights crumbled like puppets with their strings severed. Her movements were fluid, like a dance. She stepped between their attacks gracefully, her green eyes calm, her hand brushing the air as if conducting an invisible symphony.

Each time she whispered the spell, another wave of knights fell, yet she never struck them directly.

"They're just... falling," Naruto muttered in awe. "Let me do it!"

Frieren spared him a brief glance. "No. Just watch."

"Hmph! H-a-g!" he grumbled, crossing his arms.

Unperturbed, Frieren continued, her pace unbroken. Dozens of knights collapsed, their heavy armour hitting the ground in resounding clangs. In the distance, Aura remained still, her petite frame exuding confidence as she twirled the scales in her hands.

"You can't win, Frieren," Aura called out, her voice ringing across the battlefield. "No matter how elegantly you move or how many you drop, I have the most mana here, by far."

Naruto frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Huh? What does that even mean?"

Aura's eyes glinted as she smirked. "These scales measure mana. The side with the greater mana controls the weaker. That's how I've commanded these knights for years, even long after their deaths. Their decayed bodies still serve me." She chuckled coldly. "Such loyalty, wouldn't you agree?"

Naruto's eyes widened as the realisation hit. "So... all these knights... they're being 'controlled' by you?" He turned to Frieren, a wave of clarity washing over him. "That's why the hag didn't let me fight. She didn't want to disrespect the dead who'd already suffered enough!"

Tears welled in his eyes as he turned back to Aura, his voice trembling with both anger and sorrow. "How could you do that? How could you take these people, these warriors who fought and lived, and force them to become your puppets? They deserve rest! Peace! Not... this!"

Aura raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh, spare me your tears, human. They're just remnants of flesh and mana. Tools. Nothing more."

"They were people!" Naruto shot back, his voice cracking. "They had dreams, families, lives! And you just ripped that away and made them your slaves? That's sick! You're worse than a monster—you're a coward hiding behind the dead because you're too scared to face the living!"

Aura's grin faltered for a moment, replaced by a glimmer of irritation. She lifted the scales high, their golden glow casting an eerie light. "Fine! If you're so eager to face me, let's measure your worth, little human. I'll deal with Frieren later. First, I'll crush you and take your soul—make you my most loyal servant!"

Naruto wiped away his tears, his expression hardening as he stepped forward. "I'm not scared of you."

Behind him, Frieren remained still, her face impassive as she observed the unfolding confrontation.

Inside her head, Aura was grinning with triumph. The human boy had almost no visible mana; he was barely a flicker compared to her brilliance. A 512-year-old demon like her couldn't possibly be threatened by a child and a worn-out elf. Victory was inevitable.

The mana scale floated between them, shimmering with anticipation. A white, almost radiant light streamed out of Aura's body, settling heavily on one side of the scale. A faint neon glow emerged from Naruto's chest, flickering as it rested on the other side.

The scales tipped toward Aura instantly. She burst into laughter. "Hahaha! As expected! You humans are nothing against a demon like me! Now, kneel before me!"

Naruto didn't budge.

"I said—kneel!" Aura snarled, her smile thinning into irritation as Naruto glared at her with unyielding rage.

Aura's lips pressed into a tight line. "Willpower, huh? No matter. Then I guess I'll just have to kill you—"

"You're not entirely wrong," Frieren interjected calmly. "He is stubborn." She gestured towards the scale with a small motion. "But that's not the real issue here."

"What?" Aura snapped, turning to the scale. Her confident grin faltered.

The scales began to shift. Slowly, impossibly, Naruto's side grew heavier.

Aura's eyes widened as the weight on Naruto's side increased, inch by inch.

"No..." she whispered.

The weight of Naruto's mana tipped the balance, pressing the scales down with a force that surpassed hers.

"Impossible!" she gasped, watching in disbelief as the scales continued to shift until they broke apart in a burst of blinding light, unable to contain the immeasurable force.

"What... what's happening?!"

"Stop suppressing it, Naruto," Frieren said, her voice almost amused.

"What?" Aura muttered, confused, her gaze darting between Frieren and the boy.

Then it happened.

The faint neon glow within Naruto erupted, casting a dazzling light that swallowed the battlefield.

His aura expanded outward, majestic and overwhelming.

The shimmering energy flowed like a roaring river, illuminating the battlefield in radiant hues. It was no longer a faint flicker but a blazing inferno, twisting and spiraling with a force that bent the very air around it.

His mana wasn't just vast—it was alive, pulsating with a vibrancy that dwarfed anything Aura had ever encountered.

The energy continued to expand, consuming her confidence and spreading across the field like a rolling tide, swallowing even the undead in its brilliance.

The sheer majesty of it was undeniable, a storm that defied comprehension, and Aura, for the first time in centuries, felt fear creeping into her core.

Naruto's fists clenched tightly, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and sorrow as he stepped forward. "You're horrible!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the battlefield. "How could you do this? Taking away their freedom even after they died? Controlling them like puppets for your twisted goals? They're people! They deserved peace!" His eyes glistened with unshed tears, his rage spilling out with every word. "Let them go! Now!"

Aura's smug expression faltered, replaced by alarm as her body began to move against her will.

Her eyes widened in horror. "No, no, no—this can't be happening!" she stammered, her voice quivering as her hand unsheathed her sword.

Naruto froze. "Huh? What's going on?"

"Shh," Frieren said softly, her gaze sharp and unrelenting.

Aura's terrified cries filled the air as she raised the blade to her own throat, trembling uncontrollably. "What's happening?! Stop this!" she screamed, her terror mounting as her own hand pressed the cold steel against her neck.

Naruto's heart raced as realisation struck him. "Wait—don't! Stop!" he yelled, reaching out.

But it was too late. With a final, bloodcurdling scream, Aura's blade sliced through, and her head fell to the ground. Her lifeless body collapsed as a deafening silence enveloped the battlefield.

Naruto stood frozen, his face pale, his breath shaky. "Did I... Did I just kill her?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Frieren placed a hand on his shoulder, her tone calm yet firm. "No. You freed them."

As if on cue, the knights' bodies crumbled, releasing beautiful, glowing lights that floated gently into the sky like lanterns. Each light shimmered softly, casting a serene glow over the field. The scene was breathtaking, a bittersweet beauty in the midst of carnage.

Naruto watched in awe and sorrow as the souls ascended, their light growing smaller as they disappeared into the heavens.

Frieren spoke again, her voice laced with quiet wisdom. "Don't mourn for her. Sometimes, the right thing requires us to end something terrible. Not everyone deserves a second chance."

Naruto didn't reply, his gaze fixed on the sky. Together, they stood in silence, watching as the souls found their peace.

Õ—T—Õ

The next day, the Lord of the city approached the party, gratitude evident in his every word. His voice cracked slightly as he thanked them for freeing the souls enslaved by Aura, including his own son. Kneeling solemnly before the site of the fallen, he bowed his head in deep respect, murmuring words of thanks.

Naruto, still sombre but visibly better, scratched the back of his head. "No problem, old man," he said with a lopsided smile.

The air froze.

Fern and Stark exchanged panicked glances, and even Frieren raised an eyebrow. A tense silence loomed as the Lord turned to Naruto, his expression unreadable.

"Old man?!" Fern whispered furiously, tugging at Naruto's sleeve. "You just called a noble that?! Are you trying to get us thrown in prison?!"

Naruto blinked in confusion. "What's the big deal? He is old!"

Stark buried his face in his hands, muttering, "We're doomed. Doomed."

To everyone's surprise, the Lord burst into hearty laughter. "I see no offense in the truth!" he said, clapping Naruto on the shoulder. "You remind me of my own son—bold and straightforward. I like that."

Naruto grinned. "Told ya it wasn't a big deal."

The Lord wished them well, offering his blessings for their journey ahead. With the situation diffused, the party set off once more.

As they walked away, Fern muttered, "I swear, you'll get us all executed one day, Mr. Naruto."

"Eh," Naruto said, hands behind his head, "Old man seemed cool with it."

Frieren's lips quirked up ever so slightly. "It's strange, but somehow, you always survive your recklessness."

"And that's why I'm the best apprentice ever," Naruto declared proudly.

"Debatable," Stark added with a smirk, earning a round of laughter as they continued on their way.

Õ—T—Õ

Author Note:

I am overwhelmed by all the love you guys gave. Thanks a lot! That's the best birthday present I could ever ask for!

Thanks for reading this chapter. The next chapter will be released depending on your responses.

Drop your thoughts in the review section. Your words motivate me to write better, larger and with more depth.

Till next time!