10
The Staff of Destruction
"That's the Staff of Destruction?" Louise asked skeptically.
"More like a Feather Duster of Destruction, if you ask me," Naruto said with his trademark fox-like expression.
"Doesn't seem very dangerous, I expected more," Kirche added dryly. "Wonder what the fuss is all about?"
Naruto glanced at the strange artifact one final time before doing something he knew he'd regret sooner rather than later.
He was suddenly standing in a dreary, dimly lit sewer—the same metallic prison where his biju, the Nine-Tailed Fox, resided.
Faint amber light shimmered on the surface of the shallow water lapping at his feet. His eyes locked onto the enormous creature lurking in the shadows of its cell.
One massive red eye, surrounded by veins and a narrow slit for a pupil, opened and turned to stare at him intently. It felt like the fox could see into his soul, but Naruto didn't flinch or budge—this wasn't his first encounter with the beast, and it wouldn't be his last no matter how much he wished otherwise.
UNUSUAL FOR YOU TO COME HERE VOLUNTARILY, the monster jeered, its cruel laughter echoing through the sewer. SO, WHAT DO YOU WANT, NARUTO? SEEING YOUR MORONIC FACE IRRITATES ME.
HAVE YOU FINALLY READY TO ADMIT YOU ARE HOPELESS WITHOUT MY POWER AND LET ME TAKE OVER?
"Oh, that's exactly what you'd like, huh, stupid fox?" Naruto spat, glaring as the fox exhaled a torrent of blistering heat.
The creature's teeth clicked sharply. STOP WASTING MY TIME. WHAT DO YOU WANT?
"That staff," Naruto said firmly. "You acted weird when Fouquet took it. What's with that?"
The monstrous fox exhaled sharply, WHY WOULD I ANSWER TO YOU?
Naruto frowned, "If you don't answer—"
WHAT? WILL YOU KILL YOURSELF LIKE THAT PINK-HAIRED BRAT SUGGESTED? HAVEN'T I TOLD YOU ALREADY—EVEN IF YOU DIE, I'LL JUST COME BACK SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THIS WORLD.
A tense silence settled between them, broken only by the steady dripping of water from the pipes high above, reverberating through the cavernous prison.
"You've got it wrong," Naruto said, piquing the fox's interest. It lifted a skeptical brow. "There's this little thing called magic here. Oh, yeah, it's real. You either play along or I'll tell everyone about you—just how dangerous you are—and who knows, maybe they have some spell that can help me get rid of your oversized orange butt for good—no resurrection or second chances," he finished with a wicked grin.
The silence lingered, accompanied by the constant drip of water reverberating through the space.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THE GUTS, the fox snarled, its crimson eyes narrowing menacingly. I KNOW YOU WELL ENOUGH, BOY.
"I'm willing to make an exception with you considering just how dangerous you are, Nine-Tails," Naruto replied in a low, dangerous tone.
The fox bared its teeth in a rabid snarl, its jaws grinding together in frustration. If the prison bars and the Fourth Hokage's seal hadn't barred its path, it would've made quick work of Naruto.
But instead, it exhaled sharply, 'THE STAFF OF DESTRUCTION'… BAH! It scoffed with bitterness. ONLY YOUR KIND COULD HAVE DARED TO GIVE THE BASHOSEN SUCH A FRIVOLOUS NAME! The fox lowered his head, so his colossal eyes were staring Naruto dead ahead. I HAVE SAID MORE THAN ENOUGH, DON'T YOU EVER HOPE I WILL BE SO CHARITABLE AGAIN WITHOUT A PRICE, BOY. NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I REALLY LOSE MY TEMPER.
"Bashosen?" Naruto repeated, his brow furrowing in thought while ignoring the fox's threat. "I could've sworn I've heard that name somewhere before, but where…"
Suddenly, a memory resurfaced. It had been two years ago during his training trip with Jiraiya, shortly after a particularly grueling day of practice.
They'd passed by an old shrine (Pervy Sage had suggested it'd be good for Naruto to distract himself at least for a day) and at that point, his worn-out orange-and-blue tracksuit from childhood was beginning to fall apart—patches were tearing, which eventually led him to replace it entirely.
He remembered seeing strange drawings on a rock tablet: a figure in what appeared to be a long white cloak, accompanied by a symbol that now reminded him of Nagato's Rinnegan—a large black circle with ripple-like patterns. Beneath it were three rows of comma-shaped marks arranged neatly, similar to the ones in Kakashi-sensei's and Sasuke's Sharingan.
Naruto looked at the carvings with the kind of curiosity only he could muster, much to Jiraiya's amusement. After a moment, he pointed at the man in the white cloak and said, "Hey, hey, Pervy Sage, who's this?"
"What? You've never heard of the Sage of the Six Paths?" Jiraiya asked, clearly taken aback. Naruto gave a small shake of his head. "Sheesh, what're they teaching you brats in the academy nowadays?"
With a sigh, he pressed on, explaining in straightforward terms because, as he'd learned, Naruto tended to lose focus otherwise. "In short: he's the ancestor of all shinobi, invented all the ninjutsu we rely on, and remains the most powerful figure in history."
"No way! Even stronger than the Old Man Hokage?!" Naruto exclaimed, stunned. To him, the old man was the strongest shinobi he'd ever known.
"Heh, that's right," Jiraiya said with a grin, folding his arms as he often did. "Sarutobi-sensei was insanely powerful—he wasn't called the God of Shinobi for no reason—but the Sage of the Six Paths existed in a league of his own. He was probably even stronger than each of the Hokage combined!"
"No way!" It was clear Naruto needed a minute to wrap his mind around this—someone who surpassed all the previous Hokage in strength! "Was someone like that even real, Pervy Sage?"
"Well, to tell you the truth, no one's sure," Jiraiya said. "Some folks think he's a myth, while others swear he was real. Some claim he had divine abilities, while others think his jutsu were just a series of mutation several shinobi across history experienced all of which eventually culminated in his legend."
"Oh…" Naruto murmured. "Pervy Sage, what about you? You think that guy actually existed?"
"Well, I used to think he was just a myth," Jiraiya admitted, his face darkening slightly. "But something happened that made me question everything."
Back then, he didn't know what it all meant, but now he knew it had to do with Nagato and his Rinnegan—the dojutsu the Sage was said to possess.
Naruto blinked, then leaned closer to examine the engravings. "What's he holding here?" he asked, pointing at a drawing of the man with the so-called Staff of Destruction. "It doesn't look like the other staff."
"That's the Bashosen, the Leaf Fan," Jiraiya explained. "It's one of the Sage's Treasured Tools. Legend says it could generate all five chakra natures."
"Whoa! That's awesome!" Naruto exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "A-And what happened to those treasure thingies?!"
"No idea," Jiraiya replied flatly.
"Whatddya mean, 'no idea'?" Naruto said, disappointed at the anticlimactic reveal.
"Nobody's seen them in ages—if they ever existed at all," Jiraiya said with a shrug. "Besides, it's not like you'd be able to use them anyway if you'd ever come across one of them."
"Huh?"
"The legends claim only people with immense chakra reserves can wield the tools more than once. Anyone else who tries could very well end up dead."
Naruto couldn't believe his eyes when he saw it.
There, right in front of him, was one of the Sage's sacred tools—the very one Jiraiya had described to him years ago.
Looking closer, it matched the engraving he'd seen before. This couldn't be a coincidence; even the Nine-Tailed Fox recognized what it was. If something like that had ended up in Halkeginia, there had to be a way back home, whether through a portal or some kind of spell.
Just then, Naruto's hope returned.
He'd feared he was trapped here without the Summoning Jutsu, but now he realized all he needed to do was find out how the tool had arrived to this place, and that way, he could go back to his home world.
He closed the box once more, unable to stop himself from smiling at the thought of going home.
Turning to his mistress, he said, "Louise, we've got a lot to talk about."
"Wait a second," Kirche said, furrowing her brow as everyone turned to face her. "Doesn't it seem odd how easy this was? We were supposed to catch Fouquet too, yet she's nowhere to be found, and the staff is just there for anyone to find?"
"Siesta," Naruto turned to the maid, "You know where Fouquet went? Did you see her?"
"Ah? Oh, yes," she nodded quickly. "She left just before you arrived." Siesta paused for a moment, her brow wrinkling in thought, "But, she said something about needing the power of the—"
Suddenly, the entire cabin began to tremble violently, as if the foundation was collapsing beneath them. Louise and Kirche clung to the nearest pieces of furniture, while Siesta grabbed onto Naruto's jacket for balance. Years' worth of dust from the ceiling crumbled loose and filled the surrounding air. A deafening roar, like thunder, shook the room.
What the hell is goin' on—? Naruto thought, his mind racing. Then it hit him when he saw the ceiling splitting apart at the center, pushed open by two massive stone hands.
"EVERYONE, GET DOWN!" Naruto shouted, as they all dropped to the floor, shielding themselves from the falling debris.
"What in the world is that?!" Siesta cried out, her voice trembling with panic.
The others immediately identified the massive stone creature. "Ah! It's Fouquet's golem!" Naruto blurted out. "Man, it looks even larger from here."
Tabitha held her staff firmly and aimed it toward the rock giant.
Whispering softly, "Ice… Arrow…!" A colossal blast of wind erupted from the staff, far more powerful than what Naruto had witnessed earlier, smashing into the creature's head.
Naruto instinctively shielded Siesta and himself from the raging winds, which felt like a storm ripping through the area.
"W-Wow!" Naruto blurted out, clenching his jaw as the vibrations rattled him.
"Is this the kind of power nobles have?!" Siesta exclaimed, wide-eyed. "It's unbelievable!"
"This isn't just some basic magic!" Louise hollered, shielding herself too. "It's a Triangle Class spell! Wind Icicle!"
"Great job, Tabitha!" Kirche said, stepping forward and raising her wand. "Now it's my turn! I'll finish it with one shot!"
She concentrated and began chanting, "Multiple Fireball!" A barrage of fireballs erupted from her wand, slamming into the golem with tremendous force.
The combination of Tabitha's wind and Kirche's fireballs transformed the golem into a blazing inferno, resembling a living volcano. But to everyone's disbelief, it remained unfazed, standing tall and tilting its head as if expecting better.
"We're no match for him after all!" Kirche exclaimed, her voice trembling.
Tabitha raised her hand to her mouth and blew a whistle, calling for Sylphid.
"Retreat," she instructed quietly.
"Tabitha, Kirche! Take Siesta and get out of there!" Naruto shouted, only to stop abruptly. "W-Wait, where's—"
"Over here!"
Naruto spun toward the voice, spotting Louise outside the crumbling cabin, and cursed under his breath.
"Oh, God, no…"
She was standing behind the golem, her wand raised as she recited a spell. With a quick slash of her wand, a tiny explosion erupted on the creature's back, leaving a faint mark. The golem turned with deliberate slowness, growling deeply in annoyance.
"LOUISE, ARE YOU INSANE?!" Naruto shouted, but she pressed her lips together. "GET OUTTA HERE!"
"I WON'T!" she declared stubbornly.
As the golem trudged forward, its steps crushed the earth and caused tremors that made it nearly impossible for Louise to stay steady. Her small figure looked even tinier beneath the monster's towering shadow, which loomed over everything, dwarfing even the tallest trees around them.
"You're no match for that thing!" Naruto yelled. "Your magic isn't—!"
"I am a noble!" Louise shot back, steadying herself and cutting him off. "You don't call someone a noble just because they use magic! A noble is someone who never turns their back on the enemy! Does that ring a bell, ninja of the Hidden Leaf?!"
Naruto understood what she was getting at. We stand firm and endure until it comes to pass… And besides, the most important thing a shinobi needs… Is having the guts to never give up, no matter what!
"I know what you mean, now!" Louise shouted. "I flunk every single spell I tried, and I'm the shame of my family! My pride as a noble is all I have left! If I just run away in fear, I will always be known as Louise the Zero!"
The golem raised a colossal hand, clenching it into a fist and holding it menacingly over Louise. Dust and fragments of rock fell from its stony limb as Naruto's stomach churned.
"LOUISE RUN!" he shouted, closing his eyes, his voice cracking with desperation.
Louise flailed her wand wildly, screaming in terror, but instead of unleashing a fireball, she produced yet another pitiful explosion—just like always.
Her arms fell slack by her sides, all fight leaving her body. It's true—what everyone said it's true, she realized sadly, a faint, resigned smile forming on her lips as she braced herself for death. I'm utterly worthless. I don't deserve the title of noble or mage. The golem's fist began to crash down, its shadow growing impossibly large above her. I'll always be Louise the Zero…
Everything went dark as Louise fell backward.
But then something unexpected happened.
Instead of feeling the crushing weight of the monster, she found herself cradled by something soft and warm.
When she opened her eyes, she realized the golem hadn't killed her.
Naruto was there on top of her, his arms stretched out on either side of her.
He had jumped in to shove her out of harm's way and taken the full force of the attack himself, saving her life.
She didn't understand. She'd abused him relentlessly, aside from bandaging his injuries. Not only that, but she'd attempted to whip him with a crop many times, cut his meals, forced him to do basic chores, pummeled him, insulted him—and yet, here he was, enduring pain for her.
Louise was so shocked that even as she tried to speak, no words came out at first.
Blood dripped from Naruto's chin, falling into Louise's face, as his spiky blonde hair fell into his eyes, his teeth clenched tightly in pain.
The only thing the girl could manage was a shaky question: "W-W-Why…?"
There, you see him?
It's that boy—I heard he's the only one who failed.
Bah! Serves him right.
Just imagine what would happen if he became a shinobi.
If the burning pain spreading across his back hadn't been so intense, he might have chuckled sadly—it reminded him of that night, the one where Iruka-sensei saved him. Not just his life, but his soul by sharing a simple truth: he wasn't a monster.
And now, Naruto realized, Louise needed the same thing.
"Because…" he whispered hoarsely, "We… are the same…"
Louise's eyes widened, her pupils shrinking in shock. But Naruto didn't stop.
"When I was just a brat at the academy—" his body shuddered with another wave of pain. "I kept screwing up, even the simplest stuff… agh… Substitution Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu, you name it… I just could never get it right no matter how much I tried. I couldn't even control my chakra right—I was that hopeless. Everyone… everyone made fun of me and the teachers couldn't stand me. I was so alone, and it hurt so much.
"The worst part was the basic Doppelgänger Technique—I could never get it right no matter how much I tried, and it kept me from graduating for so long. All I ever wanted…" Tears welled up in Naruto's eyes as the memories hit him hard, "All I ever wanted was for someone to see how cool I was… to be proud of me… to acknowledge me as a great ninja… for people to stop calling me a failure.
"Being the class clown was better than being ignored, so I pulled so much stupid shit so someone—anyone—would know I was there, and then had to pay for that… you feel the same, right, Louise?"
Louise could only stare, completely stunned. Naruto was pouring his heart out, tears streaming down his face.
"I know that's how you feel—I've seen it on your face," Naruto gasped, his voice strained. "You're lonely… and it hurts inside… I… I could've been there for you… more, be honest with you from day one…"
Louise pushed herself up, tears welling in her own eyes. "No one should have to go through that much pain… no one should be alone like that…"
"Y-Yeah…" she stammered, trembling. "I… I hate it when they laugh at me… it hurts so bad, and I'm so scared, I don't wanna be here… b-but what else c-can I do?" She looked at him, tears streaming down her beautiful face. "It'll only get worse if they find out I ran away, I swore it on my wand I wouldn't run away, I just can't…"
"I'll… always be here for you," Naruto reassured her with a soft smile. "I'm your familiar, after all. Who cares what they say? To me… you're an amazing mage…" He gave her a warm grin.
"Can you swear that?" she asked. "Can you honestly… swear that you'll be there? Even… when you go back… to your homeland… will you still—"
"I'll find the way… I promise. Dead-lasts like us gotta stick together, right?"
Deeply touched, Louise closed her eyes and offered a tender smile—the most breathtaking smile Naruto had ever laid eyes on.
The moment was short-lived. The golem pulled its fist back, preparing to deliver the final blow.
"Shit!" Naruto hissed. "Shit!"
Ignoring the agony in his back, he cradled Louise's tiny frame—it felt impossibly light—and rushed toward Tabitha's wind dragon with all the speed he could muster.
"Naruto-san!" Siesta cried out.
"Darling!" Kirche said, then saw the tears in his eyes. "Hey, are you—"
"I'm fine!" Naruto barked, swiping at his tears furiously, leaving only the marks behind down his cheeks. "You guys get yourselves outta here, okay?!"
"Take my hand!" Kirche shouted at Louise, who just gazed at her, stunned. "Hurry it up, Louise!"
Louise wiped her tears and grabbed Kirche's hand, scrambling onto the dragon's back.
But Naruto stayed put, turning to confront the massive creature looming behind them.
"Naruto!" Louise yelled.
"Leave!" Naruto ordered, turning away from them. "I'll take care of this, once and for all!"
Tabitha looked at him without a word, her face blank as she locked eyes with him.
"GO!"
Then she soared upward into the air.
Alright, then… let's test… Naruto unsheathed the golden sword, feeling the runes' energy flood through him as he tapped the blade's tip with his other hand. Just what these runes are capable of…?
"Hey, rock-face! Sorry to keep ya waiting, missed me?!" He sprinted toward the towering golem, moving faster than the eye could track. "I ain't gonna let you lay a hand on my friends and especially Louise!"
As he jumped high into the air, he thought, I'm not even in Sage Mode, and I'm leaping this high?!
"HOW ABOUT THIS?!" he screamed as he came crashing down, severing its arm in one smooth motion. "Hah! How's that, you oversized rock?! That's what you get for messing with Zero's shinobi!"
The golem showed no sign of slowing down. To Naruto's dismay, it transmuted its remaining arm into a solid metal one and attacked again.
Naruto whipped up his sword at breakneck speed, frantically trying to parry the incoming blow. Although he succeeded in blocking it, the sheer strength of the attack knocked him back, rattling his arm and shoulder fiercely.
His feet skated across the dirt and grass, nearly dislodging the blade from his hand. The ground cracked under the pressure, hurling rocks into the air.
"Dammit!" he growled, steadying himself and tightening his grip on the hilt despite the throbbing pain in his right arm. Panting heavily, he began, "But that ain't enough to—"
Then he noticed the damage: the sword, which that bucktoothed shopkeeper had sworn was unbreakable and able to cut through steel like it was toast, had snapped in half like cheap wood. The broken tip landed a short distance away, sticking into the ground. It glinted small and useless.
"You've got to be kidding me! I should've known this thing was junk!" he cursed, tossing the remnants aside.
"Wasn't that supposed to be some fine piece from Germania?!" Kirche grumbled, seeing the sword break.
The golem trudged forward with its slow, foreboding steps, and Naruto formed a hand sign with both hands. "Ninjutsu it is, then!"
Out of the blue, the battered old sword on his back slid out of its sheath. "Use me, partner!" Derflinger's voice interrupted the tension for the first time since the previous night.
"Finally decided to speak up, huh, Rust Bucket?!" Naruto barked. "Where've you been all this time?!"
"I was asleep, alright?! Six thousand years can leave anyone exhausted!" the sword replied defensively. "What's happening?!"
"Don't look now, but there's an enormous asshole made of rock headed our way!" Naruto shouted.
"So what are you waiting for? Use me!"
"Like hell I will!" Naruto countered. "You'll break just like the last sword!"
"Just shut up and do it!"
"Tsk! Fine, just don't screw this up!" Naruto tightened his hold on the rusty, faded sword, turning it over as if wielding a ninjato, and ran full speed at the golem. "Alright, here I come!"
An orange streak zipped beneath the golem, and before it could react, its legs shattered into pieces and then upwards, obliterating its arms.
Naruto reappeared, kneeling with the blade drawn forward, before standing up and letting his arm fall to his side. The sword might not be able to cut through anything because of the millennia of corrosion weighing down the edge, but it certainly could smash them to bits when enough force was applied to every strike.
Behind him the massive creature crashed to the ground, with nothing to support itself. It might have not been dead, but crippled as it was, it couldn't hurt anyone.
"Not bad! I can get used to this!" Naruto said with a grin, peering at his handiwork from the side, and then at the rusty blade. "Derflinger, right?"
"Yup, though you can call me Derf!" the sword replied. "What's your name, partner?"
"Uzumaki Naruto, but you can just call me Naruto."
"All right, Naruto, think this is the beginning of a nice ol' partnership."
"You betcha!"
Suddenly, a guttural roar echoed behind them. Naruto whipped around, frustration washing over him as he watched the golem rise with a newly created arm. The earth beneath it shifted, crafting new legs, and soon enough, it was upright once more.
"Tch! Are you kidding me? If it's just gonna rebuild itself like that, then it's never gonna end!" Naruto grumbled, his lips curling into a strained smirk.
"You have destroy it completely!" Derflinger said.
"Good call," Naruto nodded.
I can't just stand here! Louise thought with growing urgency. A plan formed in her mind.
"Maid, you said your name was Siesta, right?!" she shouted toward Siesta. "Give me that box, now!"
"M-Miss Vallière?!" Siesta gasped, taken aback.
"Louise," Kirche began, her expression shocked, "What are you even—"
"Thinking like a certain reckless and stupid dog would!" Louise snapped as she opened the box. "Tabitha, lower me down with your spell!"
"Art of the Shadow—" Naruto was about to call out, his hands forming a cross-shaped gesture, when he caught sight of Louise. "Louise? What is she—?!" She floated in the air, surrounded by a glowing, transparent bubble of light, descending behind the monster. His stomach dropped as it dawned on him. "That's the Bashosen!"
Pervy Sage's dire warning blared in his thoughts, chilling him to the bone.
"IDIOT! DON'T USE THAT THING! IT'S GONNA KILL YOU!"
But Louise wasn't listening.
The golem was made of earth, so she needed something capable of annihilating it. Fire had occurred to her—a fireball would've worked fine—but when she slashed the staff downward, a colossal whirlwind of electricity erupted instead, catching her off guard. The lightning surged around the rocky monster, zapping it instantly. The lightning engulfed the rock creature in seconds, frying it alive.
To Naruto's astonishment, the golem's composition shifted entirely, turning dense stone into brittle glass. Within moments, the once-fearsome monster was reduced to a towering, fragile statue.
Now's my chance! Naruto thought.
"Art of the Shadow Doppelgänger!"
"Whoa! There's two of us now!" Derflinger blurted out, watching the exact replica of Naruto appear in a cloud of smoke, holding a duplicate of himself.
"That's some crazy magic!" the other Derflinger remarked.
"And you ain't seen the best part yet!" Naruto grinned, turning to his clone and raising a fist. "Ready?!"
"Yeah!" the doppelgänger replied.
The replica spun his arms rapidly around Naruto's extended palm, creating a spiraling sphere of golden light that roared like a storm.
"Let's finish this!" Naruto yelled as he charged at the glass golem. Launching himself into the air, he shoved the glowing orb into its abdomen with a powerful shout of "RASENGAN!"
Despite being smaller than the one he'd used before, the creature exploded into a glittering pile of glass shards.
Naruto turned to Louise, grinning proudly as he gave her a thumbs-up. "Louise! You did it!"
"I… did it?" she stammered, staring at the staff in her hands in utter disbelief. Then, as the realization sank in, her heart skipped a beat and her face lit up with joy. "I did it… I could cast a spell!"
Louise let out a delighted squeal, hugging the staff tightly. "YAAAAY!" she cried, spinning around to face Naruto with pure elation. "We did it, Naruto!"
However, Naruto's relief turned to alarm when he saw her eyes grow unfocused and her legs collapse beneath her. Worse still, a shard of glass was tumbling down right above her.
No! Panic gripping his chest, Naruto dashed forward, putting everything he had into his gait and grabbed her, carrying her safely to a nearby treetop.
As he cradled her small frame gently, the wind swept through her extremely long, curly hair.
"Oh, please be alive, be alive…!" he begged silently. Relief flooded through him when her hazel eyes slowly opened and locked onto his.
"Naru… to?" she slurred groggily, her eyelids fluttering halfway open.
"What you did back there was crazy," he said, trying to lighten the mood with a grin but failing to hide his worry. "You got me scared for a second. Why'd you do something so reckless, ya dummy?"
She gave a small, tired smile. "Don't… ask me that… you stupid dog. I saw you needed help, and I couldn't just… sit there and do nothing… there wasn't time to think—my body just reacted."
Her words struck a chord—he remembered Sasuke saying something similar years ago.
How should I know…? My body just moved on its own… there was no time to think… you… loser…
A soft smile spread across his face. I see…
"You… would've done the same…" Louise whispered. "Would you?"
Naruto just nodded, gently. "Think you can walk? Want me to let you down?"
"Just… give me a minute to recover… that spell used up… most of my strength…" Louise murmured, nestling closer to his chest.
His arms are… so warm and comforting… it's like… I want him to hold me like this for longer…
After a brief silence, Naruto looked at the fan and said, "That thing came from my world."
"Your… world?" Louise repeated, puzzled.
"Yeah, remember?" Naruto said, nodding. "Not only that, but it used to belong to a legendary ninja. Back at home we call it the Bashosen, the Leaf Fan."
Louise stayed silent for a moment, processing what he'd said, then closed her eyes. "I see, so it's from your world, then?"
Moments later, Naruto stepped out of the trees, lowering Louise carefully onto the grass once he was sure everything was calm. The clearing was a mess, shards of glass glinting all over the place.
Louise shifted again, and Naruto eased her onto the ground.
They shared a fleeting smile until Kirche came up behind him, hugging him tightly and shattering the quiet moment.
"Darling!" she purred. "You're incredible! Such a handsome hero~!"
"Let go, Zerbst! He's my familiar!" Louise shouted, grabbing Naruto's other arm as she suddenly regained her strength, tugging against Kirche.
"My darling is so strong!" Kirche cooed, nuzzling against Naruto's back and completely ignoring Louise.
"Excuse me!" Siesta interjected, looking rather annoyed at the redhead too. "Shouldn't Naruto-san choose for himself?"
Both girls looked confused, then Siesta realized what she just did—she spoke aloud to two nobles. And one of them was Louise de la Vallière!
Immediately, she covered her mouth. "W-What am I saying?"
Kirche gave a smug smile, "Oh-hoh! Looks like I'm not the only one you have to watch out for, Vallière…"
"W-Watch out for what?!" Louise stammered. "S-Stop saying nonsense!"
Naruto chuckled nervously at the awkward situation he found himself in. So this was why Sasuke always hated being fawned over by girls back at the Ninja Academy, huh?
"Fouquet," Tabitha said abruptly. "Nearby."
"Y-Yeah," Naruto immediately got back up, along with the other girls. "If that golem was here, then that means the caster gotta be around here somewhere. Louise, Kirche, get ready!"
"On it!" Kirche nodded.
"I-I know that, you mangy dog!" Louise snapped.
"Siesta, better stay behind me, alright?" Naruto whispered, turning to her.
She nodded anxiously.
A tense quiet settled over the clearing, the leaves overhead whispering faintly as Naruto and Tabitha searched the surroundings. Suddenly, a rustle came from a bush nearby, putting everyone on edge.
The mages gripped their wands and staffs tightly, while Naruto got ready to perform the Shadow Doppelgänger technique.
However, instead of Fouquet, Miss Longueville appeared. She walked out of the grass, grabbed the Bashosen next to Louise, and held it firmly with both hands, flashing them a sugary smile. The group relaxed for a moment, but Naruto remained cautious.
"Miss Longueville?" Louise exclaimed. "What are you—"
"It seems I misjudged you, Louise Françoise de la Vallière," she replied, facing the girl. "I never thought a failure like you would show me the proper way to use this thing."
"Show you how to use it?" she repeated.
She undid her ponytail, letting her hair fall loose, and took off her glasses.
"My original idea was to bring someone from the academy who could handle it—maybe a teacher or something similar—but I thought your familiar, capable of wielding any weapon, could pull it off. Nothing ever goes as you plan it, eh? Well, not like it matters anymore, the result was the same."
"I knew it," Naruto muttered darkly. "So it really was you this entire time!"
Fouquet sneered.
"Remember what you said? Something about seeing the hidden meanings within the hidden meanings? It was a nice advice, you aren't half as moronic as you look, Gandalfr!"
Her grip on the fan's handle tightened. "Now… where should I begin? I have my principles, but unfortunately, I can't let any of you leave alive after learning so much—not that I care about killing off some arrogant nobles," she said, turning to Naruto. "Especially you, young familiar. Even without a weapon, you're far too dangerous for me to overlook. You should've taken my offer, maid, you'll die here too since you know too much, and you've already fulfilled your purpose."
"My teacher warned me—using that thing will drain your chakra and kill you!" Naruto hissed, his jaw tight as he attempted to demoralize her. "Bet you ain't gonna like that, would you?!"
Chakra? Kirche repeated. What's that?
Tabitha just looked at him silently.
"Ha! Nice try, familiar," Fouquet sneered. "Your master's standing right behind you, safe and sound despite using the staff just a moment ago. Lies won't save your life. But first, you, Kirche von Zerbst—" Kirche went pale, "—you called me a hag. I think I want revenge for that, and what better way to end you than with a fire spell, you're especially good at them, aren't you?" Raising the fan above her, Fouquet said, "Now…"
"MOVE!" Naruto barked, shoving her clear as a roaring tornado of fire consumed him entirely, filling Fouquet with glee.
"NARUTO!" Louise screamed, her voice breaking with fear.
"NARUTO-SAN!" Siesta cried, tears streaming down her face.
"NO!" Kirche screamed.
Naruto thrashed about and howled as the flames spiraled around him, obliterating everything nearby. Louise was desperate to scream. Through the wall of fire, she could see his mouth and eyes were alight with flames.
"Such incredible power!" she marveled. "I've never been good at casting fire spells, but this thing can unleash such strong magic effortlessly—and without any experience? With this, I'll finally crush those pathetic nobles and—" Suddenly, the world spun around her, and Fouquet collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath like she'd been running nonstop for hours. She clutched her chest, feeling as though it were burning from the inside, just like the attack she'd unleashed.
W-What's going on? Fouquet thought in terror. I-I only used it once! Dammit… was his warning true?
Using the fan to prop herself up, she turned unsteadily toward the others. All four of them—even Siesta, who obviously lacked any defensive abilities—were now standing resolute, determined to block her path.
"I… don't need this fan to… take care of trash like you…" Fouquet hissed through gritted teeth, fumbling for her wand. "I'll just… summon another… golem to… obliterate you all… without that annoying familiar of yours… what can you hope to accomplish?!"
Using that cursed fan sapped most of my energy! So the familiar was right! What is even the point of something so powerful if it just kills you in the long run?
"Piece of shit!" Fouquet threw the fan in frustration. "I'll just find… another way to get my revenge on those damn nobles, but at least I can still deal with you, runts!"
The field was silent once more, only for the stillness to be shattered by an earsplitting, inhuman scream that rattled the ground as the fire whirlwind behind them was completely obliterated. Fouquet whipped her head around in shock to see Louise de la Vallière's familiar standing there, completely unhurt.
"I-It's impossible!" she gasped, trembling uncontrollably from exhaustion and terror. "That fire whirlwind should've fried him alive! How are you still—?!"
Louise, Siesta, and Kirche beamed with relief, but Tabitha was instantly wary.
"Darling!" Kirche purred, moving to rush over to him, only for Tabitha to block her path with her staff.
"Dangerous," she said firmly. "Don't approach."
"Tabitha?" Louise called out, sounding confused.
"Miss Tabitha?" Siesta chimed in nervously.
"R-Relax, Tabitha, that's just Naruto," Kirche said.
The petite, blue-haired mage remained tense. Her frown deepened as she gripped her staff firmly and stepped in front of the group since she was the most talented there while refusing to speak further. Kirche recognized that if Tabitha was showing this much concern, the situation had to be serious.
"Evil presence…" Tabitha paused, her blue eyes narrowing slightly, "Stay away."
An eerie sensation filled the clearing as the leaves stirred with an unnatural sound.
Fouquet's skin prickled when the familiar turned toward her—his eyes, once a calm blue, were now a vivid, menacing crimson.
"I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOU!" He growled, his voice guttural and inhuman.
Author's notes:
So, yeah, someone's fucked.
I have the next chapter already written, and as of now, I'm currently working on chapter 12.