A/N: I had too many problems writing this chapter.
First it was a burnout, then a writer's block.
And then tragedy struck in the middle of things when I lost my uncle, so I wasn't in the correct headspace to write anything for a while.
I've done my proper grieving, and I'm back, mostly.
Since I've kept a lot of people waiting, I've also gone out of my way to post two chapters.
4
Those Who Endure…!
Standing at the other end of the makeshift arena made of green grass, which was formed by the spectators who had gathered there and surrounded the two of them, Naruto couldn't help but think how it reminded him of the hand-to-hand combat drills Iruka-sensei would conduct at the academy.
A soft, warm breeze ruffled his unruly blond hair as he prepared himself with a few exercises, now doing knee bends before the match would begin.
Not unlike those times, no cheers came his way, save for the occasional glance and scoffing that he did his damnedest to ignore.
All eyes were on his opponent instead, or most of them anyway.
Unlike Uchiha Sasuke, who was never one to flaunt his popularity, Guiche loved every second in the spotlight. He would bow to the crowd of students, many of them women, whom he would flash a cheeky grin with a quick wink before returning his attention to Naruto.
"Guiche's gonna duel!"
"His opponent's Louise the Zero's familiar!"
I have a name, ya know? Naruto thought bitterly and shot a sideways glance at several of the nobles.
Eventually she discovered that this boy, Uzumaki Naruto, was more obstinate than she'd ever imagined and the word 'giving up' was actually an offense to him. And when word spread like wildfire that an impulsive peasant had challenged a noble to such a thing, all the second and first years assembled in the Vestri Courtyard to witness the beating that was about to take place.
Most of those gathered didn't care much, if at all, about Louise's familiar well-being.
The boy didn't look like anything more than an unremarkable non-magician, like most peasants. Should he die here, it would be his own fault for having provoked such a noble.
Some of Guiche's classmates were on the sidelines commenting on the fight. Most students were eager for a good duel, even between a peasant and a mage regardless of the massive gap between the two in terms of skill. After all, the Academy was a pretty dull and quiet place, Louise's explosions aside, so anything that broke up the day-to-day routine would be a welcome change.
Especially Montmorency, who was still quite angry with him for the incident of a few moments ago.
"This is so childish, as expected from Guiche." she snorted. "Challenging a peasant? Is he serious?"
"It'd be nice if someone brought him down a peg," Katie, the girl from first year commented.
"Yeah, but that will never happen," Montmorency said. "There's no way a peasant can beat a noble, after all."
"I don't know," Kirche chimed in, a smile tugging at her lips, "He looks far more special than the average peasant. Just look at his eyes, you don't see that kind of look in many of them," she turned to her blue-haired friend, "What do you think, Tabitha?"
The latter took a cursory glance at the orange-clad peasant for a moment, "Don't know," she replied.
Naruto took in the layout of the area, and soon realized why he had picked it: it was a vast field of grass, surrounded by the same large brick walls, offering plenty of space for two opponents to test their skills to the fullest extent.
"I commend you for not running away," Guiche said.
Naruto scoffed.
"Bah! As if I'd ever run away from a pompous bastard like you!"
"Wait a minute!" Suddenly, Louise burst out of the crowd and stomped her way toward her classmate. "Guiche, cut it out already! Duels are forbidden!"
"Only for nobles," he pointed at Naruto, derisively, "He's a peasant."
A vein popped on his temple as he stood up, lifting his head up as he glared at the noble, "You just don't know when to shut the hell up, do ya? You writing your last will or something?
"Stop provoking him, already, idiot! I'm trying to save your overconfident backside over here!" Louise snapped at him, to which Naruto just looked away pouting.
"Gimme a break…" he sighed.
Then she turned to Guiche, "Anyway, that's only because something like this has never happened before!"
Guiche smirked, cheekily. "Louise, don't tell me your girly heart has been moved by him?"
The girl went red like a tomato.
"W-WHO WOULD, E-ESPECIALLY WITH AN UNRULY PEASANT LIKE HIM! I JUST DON'T WANT MY FAMILIAR TO GET BEATEN UP AND—!"
Before she could finish her tirade, Naruto pulled her by the hood of her cloak and slung her over his shoulder, while grunting in annoyance as he did so.
"HEY, YOU! INSUBORDINATE PEASANT! PUT ME DOWN! I'M COMMANDING YOU! DO AS I SAY!" The courtyard broke into laughter as Naruto carried the tyrannical little girl as casually as if he were lifting a sack of potatoes. Louise kicked and flailed on his shoulder like a little girl throwing a wild tantrum, but her familiar never winced or flinched as he lowered her to the ground.
"Are you insane?! You'll get yourself killed and—" Louise tried to throw her tiny fists at his shoulders again, but the Uzumaki blocked her before she had a chance to do so.
"Listen!" She was momentarily speechless, staring at Naruto's intense blue eyes. "I'll be fine. You just stay here, be quiet and watch! Understood?"
The girl was quiet for a few seconds, knees on the grass, then got up, closing her mouth and looking unsure at her familiar. At the same time, Naruto made his way back towards Guiche, facing him.
"Where were we…?"
Naruto held up his right hand and made a curious symbol with his fingers: he curled his little and ring fingers, pressing his thumb against them, and stretched his middle and index fingers towards the sky.
Guiche raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What is that gesture, peasant?"
"The Spar Sign," Naruto explained, succinctly. "It's a symbol for when two shinobi are about to engage in battle." He frowned, "In other words, it means the fight begins now!"
The noble's smirk grew wider. "If you insist…"
The silence grew thick, punctuated only by the sounds of the crowd and the wind's gentle breeze. Naruto looked at Guiche as though he was waiting for some kind of action from him.
"What's wrong?" the noble asked.
"Aren't you going to do the same?" Naruto wondered. "Since we're going to have something like a spar, I thought we'd do it like equals. That's how we did it back in Konoha."
"Hah!" Guiche exclaimed. "As if I'd acknowledge a peasant as an equal! I couldn't care less about that backwoods of a place you call home and your customs!"
His expression darkened.
"You take that back…" he snarled.
"You'll have to force me."
"Tsk!" he lowered his hand. "If that's what you want, then that's what you'll get!"
"Very well, the duel begins now!"
With a confident sweep of his arm, the fight began. Naruto got into a defensive stance, both hands held high and his knees flexing in anticipation of his opponent's first move.
The two simply stood there, their eyes meeting in a silent duel of stares as the crowd's cheers were muffled by the pounding of his own blood in his ears like an army drum. Piercing blue eyes never faltered from the noble's grinning face, not even for a second. Shinobi should always watch each other, they say, and Uzumaki Naruto did so regardless of the guy's strength.
Naruto studied the boy from head to toe.
Even though he was a few inches taller than he was, he didn't boast the most impressive physique of all of them. Hell, he was scrawny, even more so than the average civilian.
It'd be a piece of cake to take him on one-on-one!
So why did he seem so sure of himself? There was something odd about how he carried himself. Nobody's that self-assured unless they've got something up their sleeve.
And if they can use magic, it's even more obvious.
"What's the matter? Have you finally realized the difference in pedigree and will apologize?"
Guiche never let an opportunity to provoke him slip by, as he'd expected. He was certain he had this duel well in hand, which only fueled Naruto's suspicions.
More moments of anticipation passed while Naruto's eyes narrowed to slits, ignoring the impatient cries of the audience for a fight to begin. Then he turned his head slightly, never taking his eyes off the noble, and got straight to the point.
"Will you fight me or not?"
Guiche's face was on the verge of a sneer. "Am I supposed to sink to the level of a lowlife like you? As if I would."
Naruto's furrowed brow moved up and down. "What are you talking about?"
"Watch!"
It was only at that moment that Naruto spotted the rose petal which had fallen onto the grass.
Guiche's smile widened. "My name is Guiche, the Brass, therefore…" All of a sudden, a set of armor manifested from the ground in front of him holding a large, dangerous-looking spear on its right hand, catching the shinobi off guard. "This Golem, Valkyrie, shall be your opponent!"
Naruto pulled back, fingers curling into tense fists.
"A Golem?!" He repeated. "You're just gonna let someone else fight for you? I thought you'd do better than that, Noble!"
"No fair, Guiche!" Louise, who had stood up, shouted from the crowd. "My familiar won't stand a chance against your Valkyrie!"
Naruto suddenly jerked his head back, a nerve sticking out of his temple. "I told you to stay quiet!" he hissed.
Then Louise raised her voice again, but, to Naruto's surprise, it wasn't her usual confrontational tone. She sounded legitimately frightened.
"Idiot! Turn around!"
He only had a fraction of a second to curse his own carelessness. The Valkyrie leapt into attack, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. As Naruto twisted to face it, it delivered a vicious blow to his diaphragm with its knuckle. Blood and saliva burst from his mouth as he choked on his own air, reeling back on unsteady legs.
His legs faltered, and Naruto dropped to his knees, a rasping sound escaping his lips along with a cough.
"T-That was dirty…" A wince curled his lips.
"It's only natural for a mage to fight using magic, wouldn't you agree?" Guiche sneered.
Louise rushed to his side and put her arm around his shoulder, a look of tenderness on her face.
"Just quit… "
Naruto's head jerked up in response, baffled at the request. "W-What?!" he blurted out with a cough.
"A peasant cannot win against a mage," she said. "So, please just quit."
Naruto clenched his teeth at that.
"Move it."
He abruptly sprang to his feet, his lips contorted into a broad, yet somehow pained grin that made him look more like a madman than anything else.
"Guess I was too light," Guiche scoffed, that shit-eating grin of him finally vanishing.
"Don't get all high and mighty because you landed a blow when I was distracted," he brushed away the crimson streak that ran down from his lips. "The fight's just starting!"
"Why are you standing up?! You idiot!" Louise yelled at him in disbelief and frustration, while Naruto turned away from her, as if he were trying to protect his eardrums from her high-pitched voice.
His frown deepened.
"Because you guys will never acknowledge me otherwise," Naruto whispered, taking her aback. "If I just quit it now, then I'll just be proving them right… I can't stand it!"
"What mindless drivel are you babbling about?!" she shot back.
"I'll show you not to look down on shinobi—on those who endure no matter what!" Naruto hissed.
The tiny noblewoman just looked at her familiar, taken aback at his bravado, seeing him sagging back to his feet despite the obvious pain he was in. Those who endure? She rehearsed in her head, trying to make sense of it, What does that even mean?
Guiche chimed in, "I'd feel bad about breaking Louise's property. So I'll forgive you if you get on your knees and apologize."
Naruto spat on the ground.
"I ain't no one's property, you jackass," then he grinned again, "Besides, that didn't hurt me a bit!" it turned downright wild. "Looks like your puppet can't hurt this—what did you call me—peasant, how does that feel, Noble?!"
Naruto relished in the brief glimpse of anger that flared up in Guiche's eyes.
"Oh, is that so?" he detached another petal from the stem of his rose. "Let's see how you fare against two, then!"
And sure enough, another golem materialized next to the first one.
Naruto braced himself, So he can make many of 'em, huh? Hard hitters, probably as strong as Bushy Browns or even more, he rubbed his abdomen one last time, but I ain't the same loser from before, I should still be able to fend them off easily!
Blue eyes narrowed, cautiously.
Just gotta look out for the spears, and I should be fine.
With a light spring in his step, Naruto hopped up and down a few times.
Neither of the two sentient armors so much as twitched a metallic limb, remaining as impassive as lifeless statues, ever watchful with those massive eyes of them and ready to pounce at his earliest hint of movement. There were no blind spots he could capitalize on, at least as far as he knew. With no other option, he had to rely on a strategy that had never failed him before.
One so eloquently called 'Kick their asses'.
Attacking the one in the back was too risky.
One thrust from that spear to the back, and he would be finished. If the Nine-Tails wouldn't heal him then that made things all the harder. So, that wasn't an option he was willing to consider.
With a quick nod, Naruto pressed his lips together.
"Here we go!" Then there was a pause while he took in a breath, puffing his cheeks.
All present gasped in shock as Naruto seemingly disappeared before their eyes. Even the typically cold and emotionless Tabitha momentarily lacked her usual composure.
Louise opened her mouth in shock, her eyes blinking rapidly. "Eh? Where did he—"
"H-He's gone?" Guiche's friend, a boy with glasses, blurted out.
CRASH!
Suddenly, the first Valkyrie's skull was obliterated with a single, devastating blow.
"W-WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!" Guiche yelled.
"Guiche's Valkyrie…!"
"It's down!"
"Look!" one of the students pointed as something, like an orange blur, rushed towards the second one. "It's that…"
"Zero's familiar!" Malicorne shouted.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
With a thunderous roundhouse kick, Naruto smashed the last one into the ground, reducing it to a flattened heap of brass against the dirt. He rose to his feet, grinning with unwavering confidence, as he looked out at what was left of the golems.
Then he went over to Guiche, whose mouth was hanging open and eyes wide with disbelief, impotent anger starting to show in his face.
He didn't waste the chance to throw a quip at the noble.
"Was that all, Brass?" he shrugged. "With all your bragging I was expecting more of a challenge!"
Soon, however, Guiche's initial shock was replaced by a self-assuring sneer.
"You dropped your guard again, peasant."
Huh?
Then he felt it: a presence behind his back. Instinctively, Naruto whipped around, his hands instantly up and coming together, the index and middle fingers braced in a familiar, cross-shaped sign.
Art of the Shadow Doppelgänger!
…
…
Huh?
Naruto gaped in shock when nothing happened. No doppelgängers materialized to pull him away from the danger as he had planned.
Thus, he was left defenceless against the relentless onslaught of the Valkyrie, who had managed to withstand the damage to its midsection and survive.
He was able to duck the first blow by a few strands of hair and draw a kunai in an instinctive move to defend himself.
What the—
A flash of white light came on the back of his left hand, throwing him off focus for a second.
All of a sudden, his body was washed over with a rush of awareness about better ways to use the tool than he'd ever had before. It was like he had magically become an expert in shurikenjutsu and the knife itself had become an extension of his own body. Naruto stopped in his tracks, glancing at his kunai like he'd never seen it before, his eyes twitching at the disbelief of it all.
This is…
Louise cried out behind him, "Look out!"
Unfortunately, he couldn't fully process it or act on it right away. His knife was suddenly and forcefully snapped out of his hand, and his head took the major shock, bending part of his nose sideways. He lost his balance and tumbled at the worst possible moment, and the kunai disappeared a few yards away.
Naruto rolled across the dirt, grimacing as he clutched his arm. "Unhhhh…"
At that point, Siesta had to look away.
Around him, everything was blending together, in a sort of dreamlike fog, due to the concussion he'd taken.
Naruto staggered to his feet, eyes almost rolling in their sockets. He pressed his thumb over his broken nose to stem the bloody gush, but the pain lingered.
He'd been sloppy—too sloppy—especially for a shinobi like him. Now the arrogant, stupid nobleman had a vulnerability to capitalize on and make his life hell while he was a stunned mess.
Then right as he was about to collect himself, the golem slammed into his rib cage with a full-on kick, ripping the wind out of him and sending him sprawling into the grass again.
He was fairly sure that a few of his ribs had started to split. Still, he hacked a cough or two, sucked in some air, and then pulled himself up again, all while giving the noble a fiery stare.
What's going on? I should be able to handle this… Naruto wondered frantically, unable to hold in his breath. I took on six guys with Rinnegan and held my ground! Why can't I use my jutsu…
Then he recalled, as he grazed his own wound, the cut that Sasuke had given him at the Samurai Bridge with Sakura's kunai.
Oh, damn… he grinned a twitchy and stressed grin, getting annoyed at the irony of the situation. So, no ninjutsu for the time being, huh? That just makes things more complicated…
HEH, HEH, HEH… Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine as a deep, low voice rumbled into his ears. QUITE A DILEMMA, EH, BOY?
You… Naruto bared his teeth. What do you want now, Nine-Tails?
KEH! It scoffed, a titanic noise, WHY SO SULLEN NOW? The Nine-Tailed Fox squinted its blood-red eyes to fiery slits, AND HERE I WAS, HAPPY TO BESTOW UPON YOU MY CHAKRA SO WE COULD SHUT THAT LITTLE VERMIN UP AND MAKE THAT LOATHSOME SNEER OF HIS DISAPPEAR. IS THAT NOT WHAT YOU WANT, NARUTO?
We've been through this a million times already. I know exactly what you're after, and it's not happening! He snarled.
THINK YOU CAN WIN? WHEN YOU CAN'T EVEN MOLD CHAKRA PROPERLY… The Nine-Tails growled lowly, YOUR WOUNDS AREN'T HEALING PROPERLY AND THE POISON FROM THAT LITTLE GIRL'S KUNAI IS MAKING YOUR MOVES SLOPPY. AT THIS RATE, YOU MIGHT END UP DEAD It laughed darkly, I WONDER, WHO'S GOING TO SAVE THAT BOY, SASUKE, WHEN YOU ARE GONE? He scowled at the way the fox had uttered his best friend's name.
It slammed a clawed hand hard on the gates of its prison, scratching at the parchment that confined it inside, to no avail, remaining in perfect shape despite the Nine-Tailed Fox's relentless tearing.
UNRAVEL THIS DAMN SEAL, BOY! It demanded, its thunderous voice rattling its cage, AND I SHALL GRANT YOU ALL MY POWER AND SHOW THESE CONCEITED FOOLS NEVER TO UNDERESTIMATE YOU, THE JINCHŪRIKI OF THE NINE-TAILS, AGAIN!
And there it is again, Naruto retorted, defiantly.
It had always been that way: the stupid fox would exploit any moment of weakness to try to coerce him into breaking the seal, as though that would ever happen. Naruto remembered how he'd injured Sakura when he'd used the Nine-Tails' power in a moment of weakness, and how he'd almost finished the job Nagato had started by flattening what was left of Konohagakure during their final battle.
He wasn't willing to let a threat like the Nine-Tails loose again even if it meant handicapping himself; its rampages had only made situations worse for the people around him and himself.
You damn well know my answer, ya stupid fuzzball, he hissed, glaring at the monster. Never come out again—I've already told you that.
WE'LL SEE HOW LONG YOU CAN HANG ONTO THAT HOPELESS WILL OF YOURS.
Shut up and go back to your cage, I've got more important things to worry about now! Naruto cut the link between them.
"Do you intend to fight or merely zone out?" Guiche demanded, contemptuously, a hand on his hip as he regarded the peasant.
He grunted, until…
"Naruto!" Louise tossed him a leather flask. "It's water. Cool your head with it!"
Naruto rinsed his face with the pleasantly lukewarm liquid, then shook his head vigorously. As he gradually cracked his eyes open, the surrounding environment came into clearer focus.
I can see better now…
He wiped the remaining blood under his nostrils and spoke with a defiant smirk. "I can do this, even without ninjutsu!"
"Hmph!" Guiche faced him, eyes closed, and snarled angrily opening them wide, "You better know your place!"
Minutes stretched into hours as the clouds rolled overhead and the sun dipped below the horizon. Guiche's army of Valkyries, growing in numbers, relentlessly targeted him. He countered with taijutsu, hand-to-hand combat, drawing on his reserves of stamina, even though they were starting to fail him as well. Nevertheless, he didn't waver, pressing on even as his knees abruptly faltered for a second, giving the Valkyrie a sharp opening to slam its spear blunt end directly into his jaw, propelling him into the air with a violent swing.
Landing solidly on his back, he lingered there briefly before bouncing back up to his feet with a resolute stride. His overall condition got worse with each vicious attack, but he refused to bow to it.
The sequence of events repeated itself time and again: Naruto would stumble and fall, only to swiftly return to his feet and make another attempt.
At first, the nobles, except for Louise, and a few of the girls (which included Siesta), found it absolutely hysterical—a hopeless peasant's pitiful attempt to stand up to one of them, like he had a chance. Then the swelling began to show up. Suddenly, the humor evaporated, replaced by a stunned silence—a collective gasp—at the sight of him rising to his feet. Was he seriously going to keep fighting?
At that point, the formerly blue sky had turned a deep shade of red, as if signaling the end of the day. Naruto's face was unrecognizable: a bloated, completely swollen black eye and cheek smeared with blood and dirt after enduring repeated blows. Yet he rose to his feet, for the hundredth time now, his relentless determination leaving onlookers perplexed.
A number of nobles who had been mercilessly deriding Naruto at that point were now looking away, even as they remained in place.
They had expected a beating, of course, but how could someone be so obstinate? Unless he stopped fighting, he would surely succumb to his injuries. Couldn't he see that?
"It's been three hours already," Kirche stated, cold sweat drenching her temple. "He's not even spitting blood anymore! Vallière, I'm serious. He's your familiar, tell him to stand down before he—"
"I've told him already, he's just so obstinate!"
A Valkyrie held him against the ground, restraining his right arm. Naruto lethargically lifted his eyes, staring at Guiche. Despite everything, the noble shuddered at the fiery intensity of the peasant's glare.
"Let me ask you something," Guiche tried to make his shaky voice sound firm. "You must know how utterly futile your struggle is. You're a peasant, a lowly server without even a shred of magic in you, so why on earth are you still so bloody determined to fight? Look at the deplorable state you're in! You can barely stand anymore! Why won't you just yield and let me win, already?!"
Now, he was breathing hard, worn out.
Sustaining the spell alone was taxing when he had to summon many of them. Had he known this duel would drag on for hours, he would've never agreed to challenge him. What should've been a quick affair had quickly devolved into a grueling three-hour ordeal!
"Naruto…"
Guiche glared at him, at a loss.
"My name…" he looked at him defiantly, "My name is… Naruto… Uzumaki Naruto… Remember it… dammit…"
The peasant's abhorrent, wide grin made Guiche finally lose his patience. "I'll show you all… that even a non-magic folk like me can beat a stupid, arrogant noble like you…"
Guiche shuddered.
"Stop acting so brazenly…" he seethed in a low voice. "You need to learn your place…"
The Valkyrie's hold on Naruto's arm suddenly intensified, and Naruto grunted in stifled agony.
"I'll snap your arm like a blasted matchstick," he threatened, his voice a low, measured hiss. The tension in the courtyard had reached a boiling point.
As seconds crept by, Naruto glowered at Guiche in silent, blatant opposition. Guiche's frustration only deepened.
"I'm serious!" he hissed. "Say you surrender! Say it now! Say it and I'll release you unharmed!"
A final grimace, then a loud shout. "I WON'T! NEVER!"
The noble gasped, then a growl rumbled from his throat.
He gestured to the Valkyrie, issuing a sinister command.
The golem applied significant pressure, and a loud snap echoed through the field. Naruto's arm went from tense to limp in an instant.
Naruto's agonized groans followed as he took hold of his fractured arm and gnashed his teeth together tightly. With his forehead completely damp in sweat, he pressed it against the grass, he ran his feet across the dirt, seeking relief from the excruciating pain radiating through his body.
Siesta covered her eyes with a shriek at the ghastly sight of Naruto's elbow jammed horribly out of its place through the folds in his jacket.
"H-He actually did it," Malicorne said.
"That idiot…" Montmorency said, "He shouldn't let this stupid squabble get the better of him!"
"Guiche's a fool," Kirche said, "He shouldn't be going too rough on him!"
Despite being responsible for the injury, Guiche couldn't prevent his gaze from shifting away. "You should've listened your mistress. After all, I'm a mage and you're just a peasant. This was inevitable, no matter how proficient you are at martial arts," he said closing his eyes briefly, before opening them again. "Trust me, your only option now is admitting defeat. Come on, do so and I'll—!"
Before he could say more, Naruto performed a backspin in place while clutching his arm and aimed a kick directly at the golem's ankles, sweeping the Valkyrie standing next to him off her feet and into the ground in one violent motion.
As the brass monster fell, crashing into the grass with a heavy thud almost falling over Guiche who managed to side-step in time, Naruto grimaced from the pain that shot through his injury.
"Owwwww! Didn't I told ya to stop yapping so much!" Naruto shouted. "You're so annoying with this 'nobles and peasants' crap, dammit! Thanks, though. That little speech of yours plus the pain really helped me clear my head a bit!" He smirked, "I can still fight, even if it's with a single arm! I still have my legs!"
"Hiiiih! He's not backing down?" Malicorne exclaimed, wincing at the thought of the pain the peasant was enduring. "His arm is a mess!"
"Insane," Reynald, the boy with orange hair and glasses said. "He's completely off his rocker!"
"But, you gotta admit," another boy, one with green hair said, "He's got guts."
Malicorne nodded, "Y-yeah! He's got a broken arm yet he's not crying or anything!"
"He's brave!" Katie said. "He's incredibly brave!"
At that moment Louise suddenly rushed in front of her familiar, her arms outstretched as if trying to shield him from the golem with her tiny body. Tears welled up in her hazel eyes.
"Please! Just stop!" she pleaded to Guiche.
"Move aside, Louise!" he demanded.
"Took the words right outta my mouth," Naruto remarked. "Move it, Louise."
Then she turned to Naruto, "That's enough, you did well! You showed everyone with your resolve! I've never seen a peasant as brave as you, but just stay down!"
The peasant chuckled, "Don't tell me you're actually crying…"
"There's no way I'd cry!" her face reddening, she smacked him right in his injured arm. Then as Naruto grimaced in pain, she panicked. "Ah! Sorry! Sorrysorrysorrysorry…" she gently brushed at his shoulder, "Does it hurt?! Please, just give up now that you can! I'll make sure you get treatment!"
"I was…" Naruto decided to open up to her. "I was poisoned before arriving here. That's why I have this cut on my cheek."
"That's an entire day!" she cried out. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"
"I thought you wouldn't care…"
"You could be dying for all I know!" she was hysterical. "Please, just stop being such a stubborn idiot and quit, already! Forget being acknowledged your life could be at risk!"
Naruto grimaced, clutching at his throbbing arm. "You're my familiar!" Louise exclaimed. "I won't tolerate any stupid acts, anymore!"
"Are we done?" Guiche called out. "If so, move out of the way, Louise."
"Do what he says," Naruto said.
Guiche grinned, ominously.
"I'm only doing this out of consideration for Zero, peasant, failure she might be, she's still a lady," Guiche flicked his rose, ignoring the anger in Naruto's eyes at the insult, and one of the petals this time turned into a doubled-edged sword. "I'll make things easier for you, if you're still willing to continue then take that sword and carry on."
Naruto looked at the blade, thoughtfully, I've never picked up a sword before… he recalled what happened with the kunai a moment ago. But I wonder…
Back at Osmond's office, the two men were still watching everything unfold.
"Headmaster…"
The older man's features hardened as he nodded. "The moment of truth…"
He was about to reach for it, when Louise grabbed at his hand. "Don't do it!" she shrieked, then her hands trembled. "If you do so… if you do so, he'll attack you full force and—!"
"Louise…" Naruto cut her off. "Have I not already told you what shinobi means?"
"We stand firm and endure until it comes to pass," he began walking towards the blade, "And besides, the most important thing a shinobi needs…"
Naruto thought back to Jiraiya as he seized the sword, "Is having the guts to never give up, no matter what!"
It happened all over again: the carvings on his hand shone brightly like a lantern the moment Naruto drew the sword with one hand, easily balancing the blade on his back.
The pain, Naruto's eyes widened in shock, it's all gone!
The painful grimace on his face gave way to a broad, confident smirk—his trademark smile—as he stepped into a more imposing posture. I feel so light, like I'm back to full health, and this sword… it's like it's an extension of my own arm… It wasn't the sort an amateur would strike. Now, he resembled a seasoned swordsman, his skill honed over decades.
Osmond smiled, clearly pleased. "I knew it…"
"It really is him," Colbert muttered, awestruck. "The Legendary Familiar has returned."
"Gandálfr," Osmond patted his beard. "They say he could take on whole armies by hand. Whatever weapon he had on hand, he could master it on the spot."
"In other words…" Colbert looked at him.
The elderly man nodded.
"That boy is now, for all intents and purposes, a war God, there's no way Mister Gramont can win against him…"
Naruto relished the sight of Guiche's fear-stricken eyes as he readied himself to attack.
"What's the matter?" he asked the noble. "Didn't you say I was just a peasant? Why are you shaking, noble?"
Guiche swung his wand again, yelling in panicked desperation and using whatever remaining magic he had to summon the most Valkyries he could muster, "Stay away!"
Naruto blinked in awe.
I… The world moved in slow motion, as if everything was happening at a snail's pace. Can see…
Guiche's statues came to a halt, and Naruto saw each movement before they happened. So many times he'd heard that the Sharingan allowed its bearers to read their enemies' movements and anticipate them.
Perhaps that was how Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke perceived the world through their scarlet eyes.
I can see you!
Everyone was taken aback as they watched him, despite the injuries leaving him with one arm, cut each of the statues to ribbons in an unbelievable move. He moved at mind-boggling speed, like a blur of light itself, slicing through the air with deadly accuracy.
The duel ended swiftly when Naruto thrust the blunt end of the sword at Guiche's face, sending him sprawling. Then, he pressed the blade against the ground, mere inches from noble's skin.
"So, still won't acknowledge me?" he retorted.
"I…" he sat up as Naruto lifted the sword, while still pointing at him, "I surrender, you won… Uzumaki Naruto…"
Naruto looked at the crowd, then at the blonde girl with ringlets, then back at the noble with a frown, "You said I'm just a peasant, so I don't have the right to lecture you about your own life, but I think you messed up with that girl."
"You…" Guiche looked at him, "You mean…"
"Guiche!" Montmorency came rushing to his side, then hugged him. "I was so worried! I thought he was going to kill you!"
The noble looked at him, at a loss.
"See? Despite everything you did, she really cares for you. You shouldn't ever cheat on her. You've got friends that care about you, so don't push them away." He turned around, glaring at him. "If you do that again, I won't be so merciful the next time. Got that?"
He then smirked, leaving him even more confused. He… didn't resent him?
"Let's do this again when I'm at full strength," Naruto said.
A stunned silence followed for a few moments until the crowd roared with cheers.
"The peasant sure showed Guiche!"
"Way to go, Zero's familiar!"
"Your determination was amazing!""
Naruto grinned weakly, making a peace sign with his one working arm.
At that moment, Louise ran to him. "That was amazing! I knew my familiar could do it!"
"Didn't you say a peasant can never hope to win against a mage?" Naruto quipped, discarding the sword.
"T-That was different!" she retorted. "In any case, you won! You actually won!"
Naruto grinned smugly, "You totally were crying just a second ago…"
"I was not crying!" Louise exclaimed, going back to her usual tsundere mode.
"Yeah, right! You were bawling your eyes out there!" Naruto said teasingly, closing his eyes in a fox-like way. "HAH, HAH, HAH!" he began to laugh.
And then he stopped as he lost balance and fell on top of Louise. "KYAAH!" she looked up to see Naruto with his eyes closed, snoring on top of her. "Hey! Naruto?! What's up with you?!"
She tried to move him, but he wouldn't budge. "Jeez! Wake up you stupid familiar! You're so heavy!"
Kirche was impressed as she watched Louise struggle under her unconscious familiar's weight. "Woah! So he won after all," she turned to her friend, "Can you believe it, Tabitha?"
"Expected," she said nonchalantly, closing her eyes for a moment. "Strong will."
The redhead flashed a feisty smile, "I've got to say, I'm really interested in that peasant now~" she turned to her friend, "Let's help him."
"Colbert… you said that boy was a peasant, didn't you?" The older man looked at him.
"More or less," he nodded.
"More or less?"
"When I used the Detect Magic spell with him earlier this morning, I could sense some magic energy in him, but it felt like it had been disrupted somehow," The teacher brought a hand to his chin, "Perhaps it was through the cut in his cheek. He seemed fatigued, so maybe he was poisoned somehow."
"So, Miss Vallière summoned a mage?" Osmond said as he sat down again.
"That's the most disconcerting part—he seemed wholly unacquainted with our culture, I don't think he's a mage, let alone a noble."
"Are you completely sure."
"I didn't see any irregularities besides the disrupted energy, but the magic energy that the boy emitted seemed different from the one we use, yet also similar."
"How odd…" The headmaster looked down, musingly.
Colbert paused for a few moments before speaking again, but this time he was clearly more agitated. "That wasn't all I sensed…"
"What's the matter?" The headmaster clearly noticed his concern, as his voice grew lower, and he visibly stiffened as well. His blue eyes shook as he looked at him.
"There was another energy in him, like an entity dwelling within him…" Colbert spoke, his voice turning lower as he gulped hard, "It was much darker and so, so cold. It actually scared me the first time I sensed it. It was… overwhelming… immeasurable. I doubt he has any control over it. Nobody could control something like that."
"What do you think it was?"
"I have no inkling as to what it could be. At the very least, it seemed to be trapped deep within the boy, so it's not dangerous for the time being…" Colbert shook his head as he paused yet again.
Osmond sighed heavily.
"Not just the reborn Gandálfr, but also has magic we've never heard of, and to make matters worse, he's got an enormously evil power sealed inside him. How on earth did such a clumsy mage as Miss Vallière manage to summon him at all?"
His elderly face hardened as he looked at Colbert, "Keep an eye on Gandálfr. We still need to know how strong he is in top health. If the Legendary Familiar has returned, it must be because something sinister is on the horizon. We cannot rest on our laurels just yet, Colbert."
"Understood," he nodded.
Neither of them realized that Ms. Longueville had been eavesdropping on the doorstep in the dark from the beginning.
A smile tugged at her lips. "So… Gandálfr, huh?"
There was an awkward silence in the room as Kirche and Louise carefully set down Naruto, his wounds bandaged, on Louise's bed.
It's not often that your arch-rival shows up out of the blue to help you, especially when the rivalry has been a long-standing one in both your families, but Louise appreciated the gesture, even if her pride wouldn't fully let her admit it to Zerbst.
Her familiar had taken quite a beating in the fight, and the swelling was getting worse, but he was finally catching some much-needed sleep. She hoped that the worst had passed.
Eventually, when he was peacefully resting on her bed, Kirche spoke up, talking to Louise.
"Why don't you get a water mage to check his wounds?"
"I think it's more serious than that," Louise turned to look at her, "He's been poisoned. But I've already taken care of that too."
"Poisoned?" Kirche folded her arms.
"Yeah, I think that's why he started with the upper hand."
"I can't believe it, and he's already plenty strong for a peasant. Wonder how much stronger he'll be if he's back at full health," She then smirked, teasingly, "He's also rather handsome…"
Louise looked at her, one eyebrow raised, "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"I was just saying," Kirche shrugged.
Louise scowled.
"You know, Zerbst, I think it's time for you to go…" the girl said scathingly.
"You're no fun," Kirche pouted. "Let me know when he's awake, I wanna see him again."
With that, the girl turned around and left, with Tabitha walking alongside her, leaving an irritated Louise to sigh behind them.
"Tch! We'll never get along," Louise commented, as she turned back to her room to continue treating her peasant.
Every six hours, Louise would give Naruto the elixir she had bought, following the instructions on the label. It was supposed to purge any harmful substances and restore his body to full health. As the poison symptoms worsened along with the wounds, she had to keep his forehead cool with cold towels, while he thrashed around in what seemed like intense nightmare-fueled visions brought on by the fever.
A whole day had come and gone, and Naruto's face had gone from pale to blue. The sight unsettled Louise ever so slightly, but she wasn't about to turn around and run now.
Naruto never quit when he was fighting Guiche.
As he told her, a shinobi's greatest strength is 'Having the guts to never give up.' And shinobi are also those who endure.
As his mistress, it was only natural that she should adopt this mindset as well.
"Come on, you obstinate fool," she whispered. "You're stronger than this, I know it. You're my familiar, you told me you would never give up, so as your master I order you," tears were welling in her hazel eyes again, "Please get up and smile that stupid and annoying grin of yours again for me again!"