Chapter 20: Business as Unusual
While his main body was busy commentating the Rating Game, Naruto was multitasking in the art of spreading chaos by way of Shadow Clones. One of these was co-ordinating the Uzumaki troops in the process of storming a secret Naberius lab. It was quite important to do so, as simply assaulting their main estate would never be enough to bring them down. That was business best left in the hands of yet another Shadow Clone and the lieutenants Sirzechs and Ajuka had provided for the operation. To break the backs of both the Nebiros and the Naberius Houses, it was necessary to dismantle as many of their bases as possible, even the ones they considered hidden. The job could also not tolerate any spies or infiltrators, which was why the task was best handled by Uzumaki forces alone.
There were clear benefits to the process besides informational security. The most immediate of these was that his orders were obeyed in a timely manner and without petty politics. The efficiency of the operation improved as a consequence. Additionally, he was also familiar with everyone's general abilities, which lent itself to better command. For a raid, that was all one could wish for.
There was a downside, however. Without any locals, it would be difficult to discern what was important and what was not. To circumvent this problem, Naruto had ordered the creation of meticulous records, including camera footage. Anything that was found would also be inventoried and put into seals. The one problem that remained was enemy resistance.
Time was the quintessential factor here. Considering the forces Naruto had brought to the field, victory in battle was a foregone conclusion. Tactics were only the superficial side of this mission, however. This was about strategy, and strategy dictated that information had to be seized before the enemy could destroy it. So, speed was the name of the game.
For this reason, Naruto had deployed the hardest hitters first. They would bind the Naberius forces and destroy them. The fastest Shinobi had been sent right after, storming past the fighting defenders to secure as much evidence as possible. This strategy was a simple one, but it was successful.
Before the Shadow Clone in command (and a series of other Shadow Clones) lay a few documents whose value he could not fully discern, and a collection of audio recordings. One of them contained something very interesting.
It was a fragment of a conversation that had survived whatever data purge protocols had been employed.
"-n't know what this will do! This project is bad news!" said a male voice.
A female one answered it: "Are you getting cold feet?"
"… No, I'm more concerning with the heat we'll be taking if this goes public," pointed out the male one.
"We'll get away with it. We always do. We're too valuable to kill," replied the female one.
The male voice adopted a tone of mild outrage: "Lady Naberius, that only goes for your House and House Nebiros! I would like some assurances that everyone is going to survive this."
"… You forget yourself," said Lady Naberius coldly, "but rest assured that you shall soon be transferred to a safer location."
"I see…," said the male voice. "There are not too many of those. Terminus base or the Netherworld?"
"Never speak these words again!" hissed Lady Naberius. "You'll be transferred to a coffin instead if you don't stop talking where we could be heard."
"Who would-"
The recording ended there.
It's not much, but it's juicy, mused Naruto.
The recording had mentioned the Netherworld, which opened an entirely new can of worms. It was one of the realms beneath what was typically and falsely considered the Underworld. In truth, the Underworld was a dimension separate from Earth. It consisted of several layers; all of which were considered afterlives. The sole exception to that rule was the uppermost layer where Devils and Fallen Angels lived. The Netherworld was the layer immediately beneath the surface. Its ruler was the Greek God of the Dead, Hades.
Hades was a tricky one to deal with. Naruto had never met him in person, but he was generally described as grouchy and hostile, but also fairly polite. He also had a passionate hatred for Devils. On top of it, he was also one of the Top 10 strongest beings in the world. His potential involvement in this case likely meant trouble in the long run.
Short-term trouble seemed to be on the horizon too. Naruto spotted one of his subordinates sprinting at him in a rather distressed manner.
"Lord Naruto!" greeted the Shinobi.
"Report," ordered Naruto.
The Shinobi obeyed: "We have taken what appears to be a detention centre. Naberius forces were in the process of euthanising what we believe to be test subjects when we attacked them. There are survivors among the test subjects, one of which is on the VIP list."
The VIP list sounded more grandiose than it was. For the purposes of this operation, it consisted of missing holy maidens abducted by Diodora who had not yet been confirmed dead. The survival of even one of them was a stroke of fortune.
"Give them all medical attention, but keep them under watch. We don't know what the freaks in charge of this lab did to them," ordered Naruto.
The Shinobi bowed. "Yes, my Lord."
As the man went back inside the lab complex, Naruto deliberated on the implications of the find.
Gabriel's gonna be happy, for sure, he thought.
He liked the woman. Hinata had judged her character well, and Naruto could really not say anything to the contrary. Gabriel was both strong and compassionate. She would be overjoyed to know that one of the former holy maidens had been rescued.
That led Naruto to his next thought: Another victim recovered is also one more nail in the coffin for Diodoa and his backers.
A vicious grin spread on his face. He was looking forward to doling out justice. There would be no escape for Diodora; that much was already sure. If Ajuka managed to organise the degenerate's trial in a manner that allowed him to put a certain someone on the panel, the young Devil's fate would be sealed.
"It's gonna be a rewarding experience for sure," mused Naruto to himself.
"The role you've played in our victory has earned you two a reward," announced Rias, panting slightly.
It was nighttime, which meant she was already abed. Naturally, this also meant that Asia, Issei, and Koneko were in the same bed. The four of them had spent the last few minutes kissing each other, thus resulting in Rias' small gasps for air.
Her words were meant for Koneko and Issei. The two had fought very well against Sona's Peerage, and she was of the opinion that good work deserved to be rewarded. Of course, the current setting had a certain influence as well.
"You can ask for anything," she added teasingly.
Koneko's mind raced as she watched her gorgeous [King's] eyes for any hint that she was joking. She could sense that the redhead was most certainly teasing in a deliberately sexual manner, but her emotions indicated that she was serious. So, Koneko was busy thinking of a suitable reward befitting Rias' offer.
With her being horny, in no small part thanks to the very attractive, very naked people lying next to her, it took Koneko no time to come up with something. She was reminded of her first wet dream. It had haunted her ever since she had had it, and now there was a golden opportunity to make it real. All she had to do was ask.
So, she made her request: "… Next time you drain Ise's dragon aura, I want to Akeno and myself to be there." A glance to the irresistibly cute blonde girl at her side made her add: "And Asia too, if she wants."
Rias seemed surprised, but she caught herself quickly. She answered with a salacious smile: "That can be arranged. Are you hoping that something will happen. I didn't think you would be so naughty."
"Surprise," deadpanned Koneko.
The Gremory heiress chuckled and said: "As long as Ise is fine with it, I don't mind."
"I think I'd like it too," said Asia.
The blonde girl felt happy to be included, Koneko could tell. While the former nun had not been part of the initial dream, Koneko did not mind one bit that she would be there to enhance its re-enactment. Her mind was already conjuring up images, but she suppressed those thoughts. She could think about it later. For now, Issei's response was more relevant.
"How could I say no? You know me," he stated simply.
As predictable as it was welcome. Koneko was happy that they were on the same page.
"Yes, we do know you, Ise," said Rias, "which brings me to my next point. I can guess what sort of thing you want as your own reward. It's something lewd, isn't it? Not that I mind. Go ahead. I'll do whatever you want."
Those last words were almost moaned out. Predictably, this caused a reaction in Issei that Koneko felt clearly. She was sure his mouth had gone as least as dry as hers. It was hard not to, considering the implications.
I want to see her on her knees, blindfolded, gagged, collared, her wrists tied together behind her back, helpless. The possibilities…, fantasised the Nekoshou.
Sadly for her fantasies, both she and Issei knew that the unspoken words "within reason" applied to the [King's] offer.
Issei swallowed and began to speak: "I-"
"Am I interrupting something?" asked a familiar voice.
Four heads whipped around to the door. Right in front of it stood Akeno. She wore a white silken bathrobe that barely reached her thighs. It hung loosely on her voluptuous frame, giving everyone a great view of her cleavage. Her hair was out of its usual ponytail and hung loosely from her head. For some reason, that made her all the more attractive. However, as much as Koneko loved seeing attractive women in a state of near-undress, her presence had indeed interrupted something.
"Akeno! You should know better than just to barge in," said Rias.
The dark-haired girl laughed in bemusement: "Ufufufu, I couldn't help myself. There is no way I would ever mistake your locking magic anywhere, and on Asia's door no less. That is how I've found you so quickly."
Rias sighed. "And why did you wish to find us?"
Akeno's laugh faded into a fond smile as she answered: "To give my thanks to Ise."
"Huh?" asked the boy in question. "Is this about your lightning?"
The [Queen] nodded in confirmation. She said: "Yes, in part. You gave me the courage to face my fears and overcome my hatred for… for myself. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
Issei gained a resolute look and told her: "I'm just happy that you could achieve that. No one as beautiful and kind as you should hate themselves."
And now you've done it, thought Koneko.
Case in point, Akeno's face reddened. "Oh my. Are you that intent on stealing my heart?" she asked. "To be honest, if that was your intent, you have already succeeded."
Koneko looked sharply at her and asked: "Does that mean you've dealt with your… issues?"
She alluded to their last conversation. In an inversion of back then, it was now her in bed and Akeno in a bathrobe.
Wait a second… she's copying me! realised Koneko.
"Not with all of them," said Akeno. "But this was the biggest one. I think I'm ready now."
Without another word, she threw off her bathrobe.
Okay. She's not copying me, came Koneko's thought. And I like it.
Akeno was completely nude. She was the image of perfection to Koneko's hormone-addled mind, and the Nekoshou was sure that the others thought the same. They sported the same awed stare as she did. That made it easy for them to spot the rise of Akeno's chest as she breathed and finished her statement.
"I want to join the harem," she said.
Rias looked at her in askance. "Are you sure about this?" she asked.
Akeno was dead serious in her reply: "I am. It was always my plan to be part of any relationship you have, Rias. You're my best friend, and I want to be part of your life forever."
A small smile of mischief entered her face as she added: "And you're hot. I've wanted to fuck you for years."
That combination of words caught them all flat-footed; most of all Rias, who began blushing and blustering: "Wha-"
"But," interrupted Akeno, "that wouldn't be enough. I love you, but you're not the only one. That's a distinct honour that also belongs to Ise. That man has conquered my heart with the kindness and acceptance he has shown me."
"I… uh… don't know what to say," replied the young man, "but I'm very happy to hear it. I like you a lot too, Akeno."
The beaming smile the dark-haired girl gave him was sweet enough to cause a sugar high. It was practically bathed in joy. And even though it was not directed at her, Koneko liked seeing it.
As if prompted by her thoughts, Akeno turned towards her, her gaze sweeping over Asia as well. She said: "I can't say I'm in love with you two yet, but I like you both. I look forward to exploring our relationship and you very thoroughly."
By the Satans, I want to ravage her, thought Koneko.
She was motivated in part by her lust but mostly by her feelings when she said: "I'm for it."
Asia then spoke up finally: "Uhm, I don't mind. Akeno is very kind, and I think she will make Ise happy. Ise will be good for her in turn."
That left only Rias and Issei. Seeing as the latter usually deferred to the former, it was no surprise that Rias talked first: "I've always had a hard time denying you anything. Very well. Welcome to the harem."
Her approval was shortly followed by Issei's: "I'd love to have you."
Even without the mark Senjutsu had left on her, Koneko could feel the elation roll off Akeno. The busty girl was happy beyond words, and the Nekoshou could not fault her. Koneko herself had been overjoyed to be accepted by Ise.
Now get your sexy ass in the bed, Akeno, she ordered internally.
It was absurd to do so, seeing as Akeno could not hear her, but horny Koneko was not smart Koneko. Not that it mattered.
Akeno moved quickly. As soon as she was on the bed, she rushed for Issei's lips, then Rias' and Asia's. Koneko found herself the [Queen's] last "victim." The whole thing was a short but highly pleasurable blur.
By the end of it, Akeno was draped over Issei. She sighed in contentment.
"I'm so happy," she said in a low voice.
Issei's hand reached for her head and gently petted it. It was one of his defining gestures, Koneko recalled. For some reason, he petted the heads of every girl he liked, with Rias being the sole exception. From her own experience, Koneko knew it to be calming and very pleasant. It was therefore no surprise to see Akeno practically melt at his touch.
Koneko and the others watched somewhat transfixed for a short moment. They apparently did not begrudge Akeno her current position. Koneko knew she did not. Akeno was emotionally fragile, so the [Rook] was fine with letting her monopolise Issei's attention for a few minutes. That Akeno began moaning faintly was a minor irritant, however.
Before the wait could get awkward, Issei spoke: "Rias, I've thought of the reward."
That piqued Akeno's attention. "What reward?" she asked softly.
Koneko answered for him: "Rias offered a reward to Ise and me for the role we played in the Rating Game. I've already chosen mine, but you came in before Ise could."
Not contradicting that explanation, Rias asked Issei: "What did you have in mind?"
"I want you to move next to Akeno and let me pet you too," he answered.
His voice had been a bit shaky towards the end. Did he expect to have his request rejected? Koneko did not know. Perhaps he was nervous because she had authority over him and the act would somehow subvert it.
Koneko idly considered her previous mental image of Rias trapped in bondage gear and thought: I wouldn't mind seeing Rias be the servant once in a while.
Contrary to the boy's fears, Rias looked at him in slight surprise and answered: "Easily done."
Just like Akeno had previously, Rias draped herself over Issei. Her head now lay on his chest, next to Akeno's. Almost immediately, his unoccupied hand found her head, and began to softly pet it. Before long, the redhead made noises of contentment while Akeno resumed her soft moans. The two young women seemed to really enjoy themselves.
To be honest, Koneko did too. She liked hearing her [King] and [Queen] make these noises. Perhaps she could soon get the opportunity to be the cause of them. It also seemed like she was not the only one considering this. The way Asia looked at them and Issei spoke of slight jealousy, both for the young women and for Issei.
I should do something about that, thought Koneko.
She reached over Issei's head and grabbed Asia by the hair. She pulled on it just hard enough to get the blonde to move closer. The manoeuvre ended with Koneko dragging the other girl's torso in position above Issei's head. Then, she kissed Asia full on the lips and pressed down on her upper back.
Asia let out a cute moan as her nipple sank into Issei's waiting mouth, whose tongue quickly shot forward to play with it.
As her own tongue got to work exploring the former nun's mouth, Koneko was satisfied.
Now this is how you have fun, she thought.
Hinata wondered when she would get to have some fun with her husband again. Her current state did not lend itself to being of much use in that regard. He could touch her with how spiritual was, but the lack of body prevented Hinata from the enjoyment of being pounded into the mattress like she was used to.
She sighed. Staying in the Pure World would have kept that issue from cropping up. The alternative would have been worse though. Naruto's mental health is worth the wait.
She was convinced that the predicament was only temporary anyway. Naruto had done the impossible before, and she was no slouch either. Between the two of them, the list of things that could not be accomplished was infinitesimally small. There would be a solution in time.
That did not mean they would be careless. The matter was delicate, as was always the case with souls, and they were not stupid enough to mess with it willy-nilly. Preparation was necessary, and preparation was always based on information.
It was for this reason that she had returned to the world she was born in. The one person who could truly assess her status was here. She considered it necessary due to her coming in contact with the shards of the Holy Grail. It had done something to her, and she was here to find out what. If anyone could tell if, how, and why her soul had been altered, it was the Shinigami.
Her journey to the Pure World had felt both familiar and not. She was unsure as to why, but there was a strange sensation in the air. It did not feel unwelcoming, but it was new in a way that sort of bothered her. Fortunately, the master of this realm was not far away.
The Shinigami had likely sensed her presence as soon as she had stepped foot into its domain. It did therefore not surprise Hinata in the slightest when the horned being appeared without warning or preamble.
"Ah, welcome back, Hinata," it greeted her. "I take it that you are here for a visit."
"Hello, Lord Shinigami. And you are correct. How did you guess?" she asked.
The Shinigami regarded her with an expression which told her that the answer was obvious. It said: "The Pure World is no longer your home, young one."
Hinata frowned and replied: "But why? I have been here for millennia. This is the afterlife of the world I was born in. it should still be my home."
Then, a thought occurred to her, and she asked: "Is it because of something in me? I have recently come into contact with a strange object, and it has clearly had an effect on my in some way. It is actually the reason why I have come to visit you."
An inquisitive look settled on her as the Shinigami spoke: "That is curious indeed. I have my suspicions about what happened, but I do wonder how it did so. Describe this object to me."
Seeing as that was what she had wanted to do, Hinata did not hesitate: "The object is called the Holy Grail. Well, the shards of it. It was created by a very powerful god, one of whose epithets was 'the Almighty.' According to the priests I asked about it, the shards still hold the power the Grail had when it was whole. It could apparently heal any injury or illness and even resurrect those who were recently deceased. The cost of the process would be borne by the Holy Grail, which has led to its current state."
"I see," said the Shinigami with a hum. "How exactly did you interact with this Holy Grail?"
"It was during combat. I scouted a treasure chamber under attack, and during the process, I floated through the shards of the Grail. I felt something change in me then, but we haven't been able to figure out what it was," she answered.
The Shinigami nodded and said: "I still do not know how it happened, but I can say with confidence what occurred. I really must study this object when I get the chance. It is most fascinating."
"Lord Shinigami?" asked Hinata.
"Do not mind my musings," it replied. "Concerning you, it is rather simple. These priests did not lie about the Grail's abilities. Your soul has been changed by it in a peculiar, negentropic fashion. Congratulations, Hinata, you are no longer dead. Welcome back to life."
Those words stumped her. "What?" she asked. "That makes no sense! How can I be alive when I have no body?"
"Having a body is not a requirement to be alive. It is a state of the soul. If you were to give a dead soul a body, that body would never belong to the soul. It would be a ghost possessing an animated corpse. If you, however, were to be given a soulless body, your living soul would claim it as yours and change it accordingly," explained the Shinigami. "It is an incredibly rare event. In fact, it has occurred only four times in the history of this world, and never after the coming of Kaguya Otsutsuki. I am feeling quite nostalgic about this, to be honest."
Hinata did not know what to think of this. Creating a lifeless body was easy for Naruto. If he did not intentionally try to make create new life, it would even be made of flesh and blood instead of chakra. A return to corporeality would soon be in her future. That in itself was highly desirable. The complication that would result from it was somewhat annoying, though.
She already knew that Naruto would go back to fixating on her. That would be vexing if she did not nip it in the bud. Oh, she loved him, but it would not be healthy for him to neglect his attachments to others in sole favour of his attachment to her. It was in his and her best interests to avoid this. It would be hard if she did not act almost immediately, but it was possible to continue her current plan of developing a relationship with another woman. She only had to be more proactive about it.
Since she had first considered the idea, she had become more convinced as it had gone on. While she had been dedicated to seeing it through from the start, she had had her apprehensions. Those had been borne of the single threesome she and Naruto had had. It had been with Hanabi, her own sister, and that had made it awkward. To be honest, she would not have cared all that much if it had not been obvious that Hanabi's true goal had not been the threesome but simply to have sex with Hinata in a somewhat socially acceptable manner. The realisation had soured the experience somewhat for the older sister, though not enough to stop it. It had prevented the event from becoming a recurring one, however.
It had also discouraged Hinata from trying to invite another woman to her and Naruto's marriage bed again. The thought had simply not occurred to her again until literal millennia later. She had initially suspected to loathe her own plan, but that had turned out to be untrue. She had been startled by the revelation that she did in fact like the thought of adding another woman or two to her and her husband's bedroom activities. It was simply a matter of finding the right ones.
She had luckily found candidates for that position and was actively scouting them. She was sure about Gabriel fitting in; that woman had grit and compassion in equal measure, and she was easy on the eyes. Serafall was still due some more consideration before Hinata could be sure, but her bubbly nature and charming personality were good signs. Hinata only had to push for more contact between them and Naruto.
Yes, that is a good plan, she thought.
"Hinata, are you drifting off?" asked the Shinigami, ripping her out of her musings.
The woman shook her head to clear it and answered: "My apologies, Lord Shinigami. I was considering the implications."
"Indeed? They must have been peculiar to result in the excitement I sense coming off your soul. I think it would be best to change the topic before you get lost again," chided the Shinigami.
Hinata blushed in embarrassment. The deity cared little for romance and procreation, but it knew enough about them to steer a conversation.
"Right," she said. "I believe that was your way of saying you wished to address something."
"Quite so," said the Shinigami. "Last we spoke, we discussed certain dimensional breeches. Have you discovered something to that effect?"
The woman shook her head. "Not quite. I have not found a distinct signature such as the one found by the Expeditionary Force, but I did find traces of past dimensional breaches. The signature did not match, however."
The Shinigami took the report in stride. "Very well. Maintain the observation and inform me of any changes."
"I will, Lord Shinigami," she replied.
A small smile came upon the Shinigami's face. "Then, I believe our business is concluded."
It was not usual for Ravel to accompany her parents on a business meeting. Those she was allowed to attend were overwhelmingly for the reason she knew to be most relevant to her: betrothal requests. There had been others in the past, but they had been few and far between. It had allowed her to glean how much her parents valued certain things, including her. To her joy, her parents valued her greatly, having declined suits for her hand that had been worth a fortune. That did nothing to help her nerves, though.
She collected her thoughts: If this is about betrothal, it has to be with the Gremory family. We are at their estate. Mother and Father must be trying to repair the breach in relations. But to whom would they marry me off? It cannot be Lord Gremory. He is too old to be considered. Perhaps Milicas, then? It would be… okay, I suppose.
Yet there was something about it that sat ill with Ravel. She had met Milicas Gremory before, and he was a nice boy, but she did not think it would be a happy marriage if that came to be. The reason for this was her own heart. While she knew that her affections for the Red- for Lord Issei, she corrected herself – were at best nascent, she had a feeling that they were here to stay. Being forced to pine after him while being married to another was not a pleasant prospect. She hoped it would not come to that.
Whether her suspicions were true or not would soon be clear, however. She and her parents had arrived at the meeting room which had been chosen for the discussion.
"Greetings, Lord Phenex, Lady Phenex, Lady Ravel," greeted Lord Gremory as they entered. "I am grateful that you answered my request for a meeting so soon after yesterday's events. It is somewhat rushed, I admit. My wife and I had intended to hold this discussion after all Rating Games were concluded, but after certain developments, it has become clear that that period of time will be a busy one. We thought it prudent to instead talk about a certain business proposition."
Then he began to explain.
.
"That was enlightening," said Ravel's mother after the meeting's conclusion.
Her father added: "It was certainly not what I was expecting."
Ravel frowned and asked: "What were you expecting?"
"Honestly? I had no idea, though I suspected that an engagement between you and Milicas Gremory would be proposed," he answered.
"I see," said the girl. "Is that why you had me come along? Would you have entertained the idea?"
Her mother spoke up: "We did indeed bring you along in case a betrothal was to be discussed. Much as we cannot publicly admit it, the engagement between your brother and Rias Gremory was a mistake. It was foolish to ignore the girl's feelings. We will not commit such a folly with our own daughter. Gauging your reaction to the prospective suits is why we take you along to such meetings, and your reactions are precisely why we have rejected each and every one of them."
Ravel was stunned to hear this, as well as happy. Her upbringing in high society and her education in Devil politics had over the years chipped away at the idea that she would ever be able to marry for love. The way she had seen the interactions between Rias and his fiancée go had indicated the same. It seemed to her that her parents had taken a lesson away from that too; only that their lesson went in the opposite direction. Their political ambition was apparently considered secondary to their love for her. The realisation was a relief she had not thought she had craved.
"That is also," continued her mother, "why we would have declined an engagement between you and Milicas."
Her father agreed: "Indeed. There is no point in arranging an engagement for you with any of the noble Houses when your heart is already set."
His words took Ravel out of her reverie. An embarrassed blush spread on her cheeks. "I have no idea what you're talking about!" she said.
Her mother giggled. "I very much believe you do. That boy is practically the only thing you've talked about since his duel with Riser."
The girl knew whom her mother was referring to, obviously. The older woman was exaggerating, but on reflection, Ravel had to admit that she had mentioned the Red Dragon Emperor with alarming frequency. She had spent even more time thinking about him.
Fantasising too, a small part of her admitted.
She grimaced. Yes, she had been fairly obvious.
Her father chuckled at her expression and said: "He is not what we had envisioned, but if that is what your heart wants, it is fine. Just make sure that it is more than youthful infatuation. And if it does go beyond that, Lord and Lady Gremory have just given us a perfectly acceptable reason to support a relationship between you too. The boy's strange ability will be sought after quite strongly, after all."
"If it works as advertised, it is going to be a priority to… secure him," said her mother.
Ravel's thoughts halted. "You cannot seriously think about abducting him! Surely not!"
Her parents laughed. Her mother spoke: "Certainly not. That would end in disaster. There are those who would attempt it, but no. However, if a Phenex were to marry him, he would at once be more protected and be tied to our family."
"I see," said Ravel.
She could see the sense in the idea. Though he would still belong to the Gremory Clan, Issei would be connected to the Phenex Clan through a marriage with her. Of course, she would not be the only wife, or even the first, but that was immaterial. It was not like Ravel cared all that much. It was commonplace in Devil society. As a fourth child of her family, it would perhaps also be seen as presumptuous of her to be in a more "prestigious" position than secondary wife or concubine. Such was Devil politics.
There was also the added complication of ranks. While Devil society at large did not put much stock in such things anymore, the politically powerful Houses in the Great King Faction cared a great deal about a House's rank. Even though House Phenex was very rich and influential, they only held the rank of Marquis. The Gremory Clan held the rank of Duke. There were some very powerful players who would consider a Phenex marrying a member of the Gremory House as marrying above her station.
As if that weren't completely contradictory to their stance against Low Class Devils. Ugh, she lamented internally.
The very same people would, after all, be opposed to a marriage between a pure-blooded Devil and a reincarnated one.
That said, Issei's fertility-boosting ability would silence a lot of these voices. Many Clans, even the traditionalists, would not hesitate to throw their daughters and even their heiresses at him to secure his services.
Her parents obviously thought the same. They had given her a choice, though, which turned the prospect from nightmarish to… almost desirable.
I'd be sold off like a cheap toy, and it would have been my own choice. He'd own me. By the Satans, yes! I'd do it in a heartbeat, she thought as her mind wandered off. O-out of duty, of course! I'm not into that stuff at all. I'd just have to… pretend to enjoy it, yes! With proper enthusiasm, so he'll believe it, but only in pretend, obviously.
Her attempts at self-delusion resulted in silence, although her parents seemed to be amused with her expression.
"Oh dear. I think we've lost her," said Ravel's father.
A soft laugh from the mother answered him. "Why yes, we seem to have lost her indeed. Ah, to be young again…"
"It is just as well," considered the man. "I do believe she is on board with our tentative plan, but we will have to iron it out."
"Indeed," said the mother. "We have some research to do."
Having finished the day's business and with Hinata away on a personal errand, Naruto was engaged in one of his favourite pastimes: sealing research. The subject of his current study was a very intriguing piece of sealing; that much he knew. The trouble was that it was not accessible from home, so a trip had to be planned. It was his luck, then, that it was only a short one, and that it required very little effort to get there.
The place where he could find it was prison. To be more exact, it was in the prison that housed the rebellious Church forces who had surrendered to Gabriel. Even more specifically, the thing he wanted to research was something he had detected in Vasco Strada. There had been no time to even think about it back then, but he had definitely sensed something in the man. So, Naruto had come here to have a chat with him.
Since this was a facility run by Heaven, however, he was not alone. Gabriel was accompanying him. He had thought Metatron would come along, but the female Seraph had volunteered before any such thought could have been voiced. Naruto did not mind. He liked the woman, and, much as he did not want to admit that Hinata's efforts were getting to him, he had to admit that Gabriel was very nice to look at. That was a thought he would consider later, for he had more pressing matters on his mind right now. It was why he was being escorted to Vasco Strada's cell, after all.
He was under no illusion that Gabriel was not here for her own goals. She was a very kind woman and portrayed herself as a naïve ditz most of the time, but she was neither weak nor stupid, as she had aptly demonstrated during the "battle" against the rebels. His purpose served hers as much as hers served his.
It's been a while since I've met a smart leader who isn't mired in scandals, corruption, or insubordinate underlings. It's a refreshing change, he thought.
He did not consider the current Satans to be on that list, even though he liked them. Their supposed vassals tended to be unruly, power-hungry, and/or incompetent. Heaven did not have that problem since the System automatically booted the traitors out, and it seemed to be the only supernatural faction to be almost entirely meritocratic. The others failed in that regard.
And speaking of failure, thought the Shinobi, we've arrived.
The two blonds stood before the (suspended) Cardinal Priest's cell. The man did not look all that bothered. In fact, his expression was quite serene.
"Greetings, Lady Gabriel, Lord Uzumaki," he said.
"'Sup?"
"Greetings."
"Is it time for the interrogation?" asked Vasco.
Gabriel shook her head and answered: "Not officially. I do have questions, but I have no pressing need yet."
"I shall answer nonetheless," said the old man with a smile. "May I ask why else you are here?"
"To gauge your character. I want to know why you of all people would revolt against Heaven. There must be a reason, and though I have my suspicions, I would like to confirm them before anything else," she answered. "I am also here to accompany Lord Uzumaki, who has his own business with you."
Vasco accepted this: "Very well. I have no objections."
"In that case, I have only one question for you: Why did you participate in this rebellion?" she asked.
"I had my reasons, Lady Gabriel," answered the man. "You are not human, so perhaps you do not understand our impetuousness as well as one of our own. It rarely does us any good, but it is part of us. I knew that violence would follow and that blood would flow. And while I enjoyed fighting a great deal, I never revelled in slaughter and unnecessary deaths. Someone had to restrain the rebellion until so its members could air their frustrations without starting something they would regret forever. For the purpose of honesty, however, I must express that I, too, am sceptical of the Kuoh treaty in some regards."
"I see. I take it that this pertains certain criminals who have committed misdeeds against us and cannot be hunted down now," speculated the Archangel.
"Largely, yes," said Vasco.
"You don't have to worry on that front. We're gonna deal with that sort. One of them's already on the chopping block," interjected Naruto.
Vasco looked intrigued. He said: "Oh? That is good news indeed. I believe that is not the reason why you are here, however."
"It's not," confirmed Naruto. "I'm here because of a personal interest and a deal. All you gotta know on your end is that there's a really interesting seal on you that I wanna have a look at."
The cleric looked somewhat alarmed now. He asked: "Who would have put a seal on me?"
"Well, I can't be sure, but going by the signature, it was either an Angel or God. That thing's made up of holy light and a bunch of stuff I've only seen in a few Sacred Gears," answered Naruto.
He reached through the bars of the cell, heedless of the barriers that encompassed it and knowing that no hostile action was to be expected. He then touched Vasco Strada where he felt the seal's presence the strongest, right above the man's heart.
Immediately, Naruto was overwhelmed. The seal was deceptive. It appeared so small at first glance, but that was the same as surveying an avalanche by looking at a snowflake. What he felt on Vasco was merely a tiny part of the greater whole. He tried to see it all, but it was too big to get a grasp on unless he wished to dedicate days to just that task; time which he did not have. All he could say that the seal was large, intricate, and spread out. Billions of parts came together to a central array he could not fathom at a glance.
Well, he sighed internally, time to get that information exchange going, I guess.
So, he ignored the outside world and looked inward. He found the source of holy light within himself and meshed his spiritual energy with it. Once more, he initiated Ninshu with the Holy Ghost.
[SURPRISE. QUERY: PURPOSE.]
"I've found this seal on good old Vasco Strada here, but I can't make heads or tails of it. Then I remembered that we've got this deal going on. Chakra and Creation of All Things in exchange for seal data, is what I recall," answered Naruto.
[CORRECT. PROCESSING QUERY. ANALYSING SEAL. SEAL IDENTIFIED. VERIFYING ACCESS PRVILEGES OF ENTITY "NARUTO UZUMAKI." PROCESSING. ACCESS GRANTED.]
"Cool. So, what is it and why is it so big?" asked the Shinobi.
[IDENTITY OF SEAL: MARK OF NOAH. TARGET: HUMANITY.]
"What the fuck?!"
AN: Greetings, dear readers! Welcome back to another chapter.
This time, Naruto unearths some juicy intel; Koneko & Co are very horny; Akeno takes her canon approach of jumping the gun; Ravel internally goes horny turbo-tsundere; Hinata gets a nice surprise; and the Biblical God hands Naruto a big damn surprise.
Concerning Akeno: As I mentioned, she has a habit of jumping into things before she's ready. That has, in canon, led Issei to straight up reject having sex with her. He's denser than osmium, but even he could tell that she was not ready. In the context of this story, it simply means that she's in over her head for now. Koneko keeps watch, fortunately.
On Ravel: We never got much of an internal perspective of her in canon. Somewhat justifiably, some will say that my characterisation of her is off. I'll grant you, most of what I write as her thoughts are things she's never said. But that is why it's internal monologuing here. Also, consider the following two points: One, she's a Phenex. She possesses infinite regeneration. You can't tell me that a family with that sort of power doesn't produce its fair share of masochists. Second, she literally uses porn to defeat Sona's Peerage in canon. That girl does have a dirty mind behind all her diligence.
As for the Mark of Noah? Well, some of you can likely already guess, but I'll keep it a surprise for the rest.
Just like always, you can send a PM or write a review if you have a question about anything or wish to point out continuity errors.
Now then, to another topic. This chapter is being published on the anniversary of this story's creation. It's been a wild year, with many ups and downs. Some bad stuff happened early on, which led to me cope-writing quite a lot back then, hence the more frequent updates initially. But there were also upsides and joyous occasions, and through it all, this story has accompanied me in my daily life. And you have been there with it, my readers.
So, a big thank-you to all of you. Your continued support for this story has motivated me to keep writing more and, hopefully, deliver quality content to you until the conclusion of this story, perhaps even beyond. Once again, thank you for reading The Dragon's Hell Cat and the Sage.
I bid you farewell for now, but I'll be happy to have you back for the next chapter. Until then, and Happy Holidays to you all!