The moon hung high over Galuna Island, casting a silvery glow across the quiet village. The celebration from earlier had finally died down, leaving only the sound of waves crashing against the shore.
The mission was complete. Deliora was gone. The villagers, once trapped in their cursed forms, had regained their true selves, finally free from the Moondrip's influence.
Yet, despite their success, an uneasy feeling lingered.
Naruto sat atop a rocky cliff, arms crossed as he stared out at the ocean. The salty breeze ruffled his cloak, but his mind was elsewhere.
Something felt… off.
It wasn't just the battle with Raphael.
It wasn't just the fact that Gabriel was still missing.
It was something else. A familiar tension in the air. The kind that always came before war.
A storm was coming.
Chapter 8: Calm
The Morning After
Sunlight bathed Galuna Island in golden light, signaling the start of a new day—and their departure.
Lucy stretched her arms, inhaling the crisp ocean breeze. "Finally! We're going home!"
"Yeah! Back to Fairy Tail!" Natsu grinned, stretching his arms as well. "I need a real bed after all this!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy cheered, flapping his wings excitedly. "I can't wait to eat some fish again!"
The mood was light, but Naruto felt uneasy.
His icy-blue eyes drifted toward the sky, scanning the horizon.
Something was missing. Someone.
His arms crossed, brows furrowing.
Where's Gabriel?
She should have returned by now. Normally, she was the type to eagerly bid everyone farewell with a bright, angelic smile. But now, there was only silence.
"Oi, Lucy." Naruto finally spoke, "Where's the angel?"
Lucy blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Gabriel?" She hesitated before sighing. "Right… you weren't there when it happened."
Naruto raised a brow, totally not concerned. "What happened?"
Lucy glanced at Akeno, who, for once, was quiet. The devil of lust simply smiled.
Lucy took a breath. "Michael called her back to Heaven."
So that's why she vanished.
He exhaled, forcing himself to relax. At the very least, she wasn't hurt.
That meant Raphael's sudden attack last night wasn't just random aggression—it was personal.
Naruto clicked his tongue. "Infuriating…" He rubbed the back of his head, already connecting the dots. "So that's why that pompous sister of hers was pissed at me."
Lucy nodded. "I guess so… but she didn't say much else."
Naruto glanced at the sky again. Something still didn't feel right.
If Raphael came down here just to fight him, then something was wrong.
Really wrong.
But Gabriel was in Heaven. That was safe.
…Right?
Akeno's voice broke through his thoughts. "Well~ Whatever the case, I'm sure your little angel is thinking about you right now, fufufu~"
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Shut up."
Still…
That uneasy feeling in his gut didn't fade.
And Naruto never ignored his instincts.
A storm brewed over the fortress-like guild hall of Phantom Lord. Black banners rippled in the wind, their ominous insignia looming over the town below. The atmosphere inside was thick with unease, a tension that clung to the very walls.
At the heart of the grand hall, seated upon an elevated throne, was Jose Porla. His fingers drummed against the armrest, the rhythmic taps echoing like a countdown. His piercing gaze swept across the gathered mages kneeling before him.
The Element 4, his strongest warriors.
And beside them, standing apart from the rest—the ace up his sleeve.
A girl with bubblegum pink hair, dressed in a pure white yukata. Her cold, pink eyes shimmered with amusement, but there was something deeply unsettling about her presence.
She smiled sweetly—too sweetly. The kind of smile that sent a shiver down the spine.
The Devil of Envy.
Even his own men refused to look at her directly. They had seen what she was capable of.
Jose, however, was unbothered. No, he was thrilled.
"Fairy Tail…" he mused, his tone dripping with contempt. "Those fools have grown arrogant."
A messenger hurried forward, bowing deeply. "Master, we've confirmed it. Lucy Heartfilia is with them."
Silence fell.
Jose's lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Then it's time we make our move."
A low giggle echoed through the hall, soft but unnerving.
"Finally," Envy purred, tilting her head. "I was getting bored~"
Even the Element 4 stiffened.
They had seen her play before.
They knew what Fairy Tail was about to suffer.
As the dark banners of Phantom Lord swayed in the wind, the shadows stretched.
And war loomed over Magnolia.
The streets of Magnolia bustled as always, the townsfolk going about their daily routines, blissfully unaware of the storm that had struck Fairy Tail in their absence.
But as Naruto's group turned the final corner leading to the guild hall, their excitement about returning home froze in their throats.
The once-proud Fairy Tail stood in ruins.
The building was barely recognizable. Its iconic structure had been desecrated—walls shattered, windows blown out, and massive iron pillars impaled into the very foundation. Some were still embedded deep into the wreckage, standing like graves to mark the humiliation of the strongest guild in Fiore.
Lucy's breath hitched. "W-What…?"
Natsu's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Who the hell… did this?!"
Happy trembled beside him, wings tucked close to his body. "Our home…"
Erza took a slow, deliberate step forward, her usual commanding presence overshadowed by the sheer gravity of what lay before her. For the first time, Titania looked… uncertain.
She turned sharply to the nearest person—Cana.
The brunette sat on a fallen beam, her usual laid-back demeanor nowhere to be seen. A barrel of alcohol rested at her side, untouched.
Erza's tone was clipped, controlled—barely masking the fury simmering underneath. "What happened?"
Cana looked up. The moment her empty eyes met Erza's, it became painfully clear—this wasn't just an attack. It was a message.
"Phantom Lord."
The name alone sent a shockwave through the returning members.
Gray cursed under his breath. Natsu's magic flared instinctively. Lucy took an uncertain step back, feeling a cold dread settle in her stomach.
"They came in the middle of the night," Cana continued, shoulders tense. "No warning. No challenge. They just…" Her lips curled in disgust. "Defiled our guild while we were away."
"And no one stopped them?!" Natsu growled, barely restraining himself.
"No one was here." The voice that answered wasn't Cana's.
The group turned to see Macao and Wakaba, standing amidst the rubble, their usual lighthearted personas replaced with something far graver.
"They hit us when the guild was empty," Macao explained. "And by the time we got here, they were already gone."
A coward's attack.
Erza's eyes darkened. "Then we retaliate."
But before anyone could respond, a loud, boisterous laugh cut through the air.
"Bah! Why's everyone so worked up?"
They turned toward the front steps, where Makarov Dreyar, Fairy Tail's Guild Master, sat casually with a half-empty mug of beer in hand.
He looked unbothered. Carefree.
Like this wasn't the complete destruction of his guild.
Lucy stiffened. "M-Master?"
Makarov let out a hearty sigh, scratching his head. "It was just some punks throwing a tantrum. It's already done, so there's no need to make a fuss over it."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Even Natsu—who normally never shut up—was speechless.
"Master…" Erza's voice was dangerously low. "Are you saying we do nothing?"
Makarov took a long swig from his mug, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I'm saying we don't start a war over something as stupid as a broken building. We're Fairy Tail." He thumped his chest proudly. "We don't cry over spilled beer."
Naruto, who had been watching silently, exhaled through his nose.
He had no attachment to Fairy Tail. No deep-rooted loyalty. To him, this was just another power struggle—one he had no personal stake in.
But as he looked at Lucy, at how her hands trembled at her sides, how she bit her lower lip, struggling between anger and sadness…
That's all it took.
Akeno hummed, unfazed by the destruction. "Fufu~ You humans are so dramatic." She turned toward Lucy with a smirk. "So, what's your plan?"
She and Naruto didn't care about Fairy Tail. They weren't emotionally invested like Natsu, Gray, or Erza. But they still asked her what she wanted to do.
Because at the end of the day—this was personal.
The remains of Fairy Tail stood in the dimming afternoon light, a haunting reminder of what had transpired. The iron pillars that impaled the guild like mocking gravestones cast long shadows across the rubble.
Natsu's fists shook, his knuckles white as he glared at the destruction. "We can't just let this slide!" His voice was raw with barely restrained fury. "We gotta go after them!"
Gray, arms crossed, was only slightly calmer. "They didn't just destroy the guild. They wanted to humiliate us. This was a declaration of war."
Erza, standing before them, her scarlet hair catching the fading sunlight, remained composed.
"We are not retaliating," she said firmly.
The words hit like a slap.
Natsu turned on her, incredulous. "Erza—are you kidding me?!"
"We don't know why Phantom Lord attacked us," she replied evenly, not backing down. "Until we do, charging in recklessly will only cause more problems."
"They attacked us first! That's all the reason I need!"
Gray's jaw tightened. "For once, I agree with Natsu."
"If the Master says we do nothing, then we do nothing," Erza's tone left no room for argument.
Natsu took a step forward, fists clenched. "Are you seriously okay with this?! Our home is in ruins!"
Erza's expression didn't change. "Buildings can be rebuilt."
"That's not the point, Erza!"
"That's exactly the point," she countered sharply. "This isn't just about pride, Natsu. If we retaliate without understanding why this happened, we risk something far worse than a few broken walls. You think Phantom Lord is just going to let us march in without consequences? You think their Master, Jose Porla, doesn't have another move prepared?"
The fire in Natsu's eyes burned hotter, but he had no answer.
Erza crossed her arms. "We wait."
And that was final.
The tension in the air was suffocating.
Lucy, standing slightly behind them, felt completely out of place.
She had only just become a Fairy Tail mage. She wasn't there during their past conflicts. She wasn't raised in the same chaos as Natsu and Gray. To her, Fairy Tail was still new.
And yet—she had never seen them like this before.
It was like watching a family on the verge of breaking apart.
"Lucy," Erza's voice was softer now. She turned toward the blonde girl, recognizing the confusion in her expression. "This isn't your fight. You shouldn't feel obligated to get involved."
Lucy bit her lip. "But… I am involved, right? I chose to be here."
Erza nodded. "Yes. But you're still new. You don't need to carry this weight yet."
Yet.
Lucy didn't know why, but that word didn't sit well with her.
She didn't want to be treated like an outsider.
She didn't want to be protected from the guild's conflicts.
Fairy Tail was her home now, too.
Lucy couldn't shake the unease that settled in her chest. She wasn't unaffected by what happened—seeing the ruins of Fairy Tail, the iron pillars impaled into its heart—but she couldn't muster the same raw fury that burned in Natsu's eyes or the quiet intensity behind Gray's clenched jaw.
She was still new to Fairy Tail. She hadn't been through years of hardship with them.
So why was she the one feeling like an outsider?
Her fingers curled slightly as she glanced at the two figures beside her.
Naruto, as usual, looked indifferent—his icy blue eyes barely reflecting the tension that surrounded them. Akeno, on the other hand, was amused. If anything, she was enjoying the conflict.
Neither of them held emotional ties to Fairy Tail.
Yet they stood with her.
That thought gave her just a little strength.
The trio reached their destination—the mansion that Ophis and Lilith had built for Naruto, a towering estate that looked out of place in Magnolia's rustic charm. The sheer extravagance of the place still stunned Lucy, who had grown up surrounded by wealth but chose to live modestly.
However, as they entered, a very unfamiliar sight greeted them.
"Oi, where's the food in this place?"
"Gray, put on some clothes!"
"Aye~ This place is so fancy!"
Lucy blinked as she saw Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Erza making themselves at home—Gray shirtless as usual, Natsu raiding the kitchen, and Happy curled up on one of Naruto's absurdly large couches.
"The hell is this?" Naruto muttered, clearly not pleased.
Erza, sitting calmly with a cup of tea, glanced at him. "Phantom Lord might try something again. We decided to stay together as a precaution."
Lucy furrowed her brows. "Wait… so everyone is having sleepovers?"
Erza nodded. "Yes. The guild is split into small groups, each staying at different locations for the night. If Phantom tries anything again, they won't catch us off guard this time."
Naruto let out an exhausted sigh. "Fine. Whatever."
He started heading upstairs. "I'm going to sleep. Try not to break my house while I'm out."
"Fufu~ Wait for me, Naruto-kun~" Akeno grinned, already moving to follow him.
But before she could step past the hallway, two figures appeared in front of her, blocking her path.
Ophis and Lilith.
Their gray eyes were emotionless, their small frames somehow radiating authority as they stood their ground.
Akeno raised a brow. "Ara~? Is something wrong?"
Ophis' tone was flat, cold. "You are not allowed inside."
Akeno pouted dramatically. "Why ever not? This is my home as well." She tilted her head, then smiled knowingly. "Ara~ You two are so cute when you're jealous."
Ophis ignored the remark. "Master needs his rest. You are an obstacle to that."
Lilith simply added, "You are loud."
Akeno smirked but didn't push the issue. Instead, she leaned forward, lowering her voice into a whisper.
"One day~ I'll have Naruto-kun all to myself in that bedroom. And when that day comes, I'll make sure you both hear every—"
"OUT." They both shouted in unison.
Akeno laughed as the twins practically shoved her back into the living room.
Naruto, who had been watching the entire thing, just pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Infuriating," he muttered, before finally disappearing upstairs to get some much-needed sleep.
After everything that had happened, Naruto finally let himself rest. He lay back, staring at the ceiling of his room in the lavish mansion that now served as his home in Magnolia. The dim glow of the night lamps flickered, casting shadows across the walls. His body felt heavy, not from exhaustion, but from the weight of everything that had transpired.
Deliora is dead.
Phantom Lord is moving.
Gabriel is gone.
He let out a slow breath, his icy blue eyes narrowing in thought. He knew he needed rest—especially with what was coming next—but there was something still nagging at him.
With a snap of his fingers, a purple vortex of hellfire and shadow collapsed in on itself, leaving behind Ophis and Lilith, their small forms kneeling before him. Their expressions remained blank, as they always did, but there was something… different. A hint of uncertainty, if only barely visible.
"Naruto-sama," they said in unison.
Naruto sat up, resting an arm on his raised knee. "How is she?"
The twins exchanged a glance before Ophis answered first. "She is stable."
Lilith followed up. "But unconscious. The ice magic that trapped her prevented her from aging, but her body is still in recovery from being frozen for so long."
Naruto exhaled through his nose, leaning back slightly. "I see… You're keeping her safe?"
Lilith nodded. "She is in your domain in the Underworld, under our protection. Onee-sama is ensuring her vitals remain steady."
For a moment, Naruto remained silent. His thoughts drifted back to Gray and Lyon—to their reactions upon realizing Ur was truly gone, only for him to steal her fate away and pull her back.
"The spell used was a one-way trick."
Lilith's words echoed in his mind.
"But with you here, you can undo the spell."
Naruto's fingers drummed against his knee. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. Saving someone who was supposed to be dead. A part of him had done it because he could—because power meant nothing if he couldn't use it when it mattered.
But another part of him knew it was never that simple.
"How long until she wakes up?" he finally asked.
Ophis tilted her head. "A few days, at least. The body must adjust to time once more."
Lilith added, "Would you like us to bring her here when she awakens?"
Naruto was quiet for a moment before shaking his head. "No. Not yet."
Lilith and Ophis didn't question him. They merely bowed their heads.
"If anything changes, let me know," Naruto said, before lying back down.
"As you command," the twins whispered before vanishing in a swirl of shadow and fire.
Naruto exhaled slowly, his eyes drifting to the ceiling once more.
Another problem for another day.
For now… he closed his eyes.
Sleep finally took him.
The morning sun barely had time to rise before Fairy Tail's peace was shattered.
A scream tore through the quiet streets of Magnolia.
Lucy, still groggy from waking up, barely had time to process it before she saw Erza already putting on her armor. Natsu was gone, already ahead of them.
"What's going on?!" Lucy shouted as she hurried outside and went to town square where a crowd of people and the others are gathering.
The answer hit her like a gut punch.
In the middle of the town, three figures were tied to a tree—bloodied, beaten, and humiliated.
Levy.
Jet.
Droy.
Their clothes were torn, their faces swollen with bruises, and worst of all—burned into their skin was the Phantom Lord emblem. A cruel mark of ownership.
Lucy gasped, covering her mouth in horror. "Who… Who did this?!"
Naruto, standing beside her, frowned. Even he felt a twinge of irritation. Levy was just a kid compared to him, and seeing someone brand her like property didn't sit right with him.
Akeno, for once, wasn't smiling.
The guild was deathly silent.
Until a familiar, small figure arrived.
Makarov.
The moment the Guild Master saw his children—his precious Fairy Tail mages—battered, broken, and marked by the enemy—something inside him snapped.
A wave of magical pressure exploded from him, powerful enough that even Naruto had to raise a brow.
Natsu clenched his fists, fire erupting from his skin. "THOSE BASTARDS—!"
"We're getting them back," Makarov's voice was deathly cold.
Then, for the first time in years, the Master of Fairy Tail gave the order.
"FAIRY TAIL—PREPARE FOR WAR!"
The guild erupted in cheers, battle cries, and rage.
The time for restraint was over.
And Phantom Lord was about to learn what it meant to make Fairy Tail their enemy.
Inside Fairy Tail's ravaged guild hall, chaos reigned.
Mages scrambled to prepare for battle, sharpening weapons, reforging spells, and fueling themselves with burning anger.
Natsu was grinning ear to ear, cracking his knuckles as flames flickered around his fists. "I can't WAIT to smash Phantom into the ground!"
Gray smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Tch. Don't go burning down the whole city, flame-brain."
"WHAT'D YOU SAY, STRIPPER?! YOU WANNA GO?!"
"DO YOU?!"
"Enough," Erza's commanding voice cut through the noise, her armored boots echoing across the room. She crossed her arms, a confident smirk playing at her lips. "With Naruto and Akeno on our side, Phantom Lord won't stand a chance."
At this, a murmur of agreement spread through the guild.
"Yeah! We got a devil who can crush mountains and a sadist who drops lightning on people for fun!"
"We could just let them handle this!"
"Maybe Phantom will surrender the second they see those two!"
All eyes turned toward Naruto and Akeno, who were leaning against a nearby wall, watching the guild like they were spectators at a festival.
Naruto had his hands in his pockets, expression blank as ever. Akeno, on the other hand, was smiling playfully, amused at the faith these mages had in them.
Lucy, standing beside them, laughed awkwardly.
'They're here because of me…' She thought, feeling both guilty and flattered. But she wasn't about to say that out loud.
That's when it happened.
A vortex of shadow and hellfire collapsed inward, leaving behind a man in a brown coat, his hands lazily tucked into his pockets.
A figure materialized, standing lazily with his hands in his pockets.
Shikamaru Belphos—Sloth, the Devil of Indolence.
His narrow brown eyes scanned the room boredly, unfazed by the sudden shift in attention. His black hair, tied in a spiky ponytail, barely moved as the weight of his presence pressed against the room.
"Yo," he greeted flatly.
Silence.
Then—
"WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY?!" Natsu demanded, flames erupting from his hands.
Shikamaru let out a long, tired sigh before scratching his head. "Man… what a drag. I don't have time for this."
His gaze shifted to Naruto and Akeno.
"We need to talk."
The moment the words left his mouth, Naruto and Akeno tensed.
They shared a knowing glance before silently pushing themselves off the wall.
"Excuse us," Akeno smiled sweetly at the guild, but there was an edge to it. "We have some… business to attend to."
Without waiting for a response, the three devils vanished.
The moment the doors of the Sathanus Mansion closed behind them, Sloth plopped down the sofa.
"We've got a problem."
Naruto crossed his arms, his gaze sharp. "Explain."
Sloth exhaled, rubbing the back of his head. "Look, I'm not supposed to be telling you this. Trihexia ordered me to keep my mouth shut, but…" He sighed. "This is way too much of a drag for me to deal with on my own."
Akeno raised a brow, her playful smile absent for once. "You're going behind Trihexia's back?"
Sloth shrugged. "What she doesn't know won't kill me. Probably."
Naruto's patience was thinning. "Get to the point, Shikamaru."
The Devil of Sloth sighed.
"Trihexia is assembling the Underworld's army."
Naruto and Akeno froze.
"... Why?" Akeno asked, her violet eyes narrowing.
Sloth shook his head. "That's the problem—I don't know. She's keeping it under wraps, even from us. No one knows why she's preparing for war."
Naruto clicked his tongue. Something wasn't right.
If Trihexia was moving her armies, that meant she was preparing for a large-scale conflict.
'But against who…?'
Akeno folded her arms. "What about the Heaven faction? Have they made any moves?"
Sloth sighed. "Not that I know of. But with how quiet they've been, I'd bet my life they're preparing something too."
Naruto exhaled slowly.
"Infuriating."
Akeno gave him a side glance. "What's the plan, Naruto-kun?"
"I'm going to talk to Trihexia." His voice was calm but filled with resolve. "Whatever's going on, I need to hear it from her directly."
Sloth snorted. "Good luck with that. She's in a real mood lately."
Naruto didn't respond.
Because something deep inside him told him this was only the beginning.
Naruto stood at the entrance, arms crossed as he stared down at the two figures before him.
Ophis and Lilith—his so-called pets—wore matching expressions of stubborn defiance.
"You're staying," Naruto stated firmly.
The twins scowled.
"Nee-sama, Nee-sama, Master is abandoning us."
"Indeed. We should kill the busty sluts and go with him instead."
Akeno sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fufufu~ I'd almost admire your loyalty if you weren't so… unhinged."
Naruto ignored their comments, his icy blue gaze sharp. "This isn't up for discussion. You're staying behind and protect Lucy."
Lilith narrowed her eyes. "That weak human?"
Ophis frowned slightly. "Why must we protect Master's property?"
"Because I said so," Naruto replied coolly. "And because Akeno and I won't be here."
The weight of his words finally settled in.
The twins froze.
"You're leaving Earthland?" Ophis whispered, her voice unusually soft.
Lilith's usual emotionless face twisted into something dangerously close to panic.
Naruto sighed. "We need to find out what Trihexia is planning. Whatever this is, it's bigger than us, and I can't afford to be tied down right now."
The twins hated this.
But Naruto had already made up his mind.
"Protect Lucy," he repeated, his tone final. "Even if she tells you not to. Even if you have to fight Fairy Tail itself, you do not let her die. Understood?"
Ophis and Lilith glanced at each other, their silent communication stretching on for several long seconds.
Finally, they turned back to him and bowed their heads.
"As you wish, Naruto-sama."
Naruto exhaled. "Good." He turned to Akeno. "Let's go."
Akeno smiled, stepping closer to him. "Fufufu~ This should be fun."
And with that, a vortex of hellfire and shadow collapsed inward, swallowing them both.
Leaving Ophis and Lilith alone.
Lucy sat in the lavish common room, staring at a cup of tea that she wasn't drinking.
She had just gotten back from the guild, still thinking about the upcoming assault on Phantom Lord.
Despite how serious things had gotten, she wasn't too worried—not with Naruto and Akeno on their side.
But when Ophis and Lilith appeared before her, she immediately knew something was wrong.
The twins looked displeased.
"... What is it?" Lucy asked cautiously.
Ophis didn't waste time. "Naruto-sama and Akeno are gone."
Lucy blinked. "Wait—what?"
"They have left for the Underworld," Lilith added. "They will not be able to return anytime soon."
Lucy froze.
She put her tea down slowly. "... You're joking, right?"
The twins said nothing.
A sinking feeling hit her stomach.
Naruto and Akeno were gone.
No summoning them.
No backup.
And they hadn't even told her before leaving.
Lucy gritted her teeth, trying not to overreact.
She took a slow breath, steadying herself. "Okay… fine. It's not like I can't fight without them."
Ophis gave her a flat look. "You were relying on them."
Lucy shot her a mild glare. "I still have my celestial keys."
Lilith tilted her head. "Yet you are worried."
Lucy clenched her fists. She hated that the twins were right—she had felt safe with Naruto and Akeno around.
But they weren't here now.
And Phantom Lord was still coming.
Taking another deep breath, she forced a smile. "Well then, guess it's time to prove I can hold my own."
Ophis and Lilith watched her carefully.
Finally, Lilith smirked slightly. "Good answer."
Lucy let out a long sigh, staring at the now empty guild hall.
Everyone was gone.
Fairy Tail had marched toward Phantom Lord, full of righteous fury and determination, ready to strike back for what was done to Levy, Jet, and Droy.
She wanted to go with them, she really did—but deep down, Lucy knew she wasn't as angry as the others.
She was new.
This wasn't her fight to begin with.
And yet…
She clenched her fist, standing alone in the now quiet streets of Magnolia.
"They really just left me here…," she muttered.
Not that she was completely alone.
The twins—Ophis and Lilith—were watching her from the shadows like two silent sentinels, never too far away.
Naruto had ordered them to protect her.
Even against their protests, they obeyed—because despite their grumbling and complaints, they would never disobey their master's direct command.
Lucy sighed again.
"At least the town is peaceful—"
She froze.
A sudden shiver ran down her spine.
Something wasn't right.
The wind had shifted.
The air around her became heavy—like a storm was coming.
Her heart pounded.
Something was—
"Oh my~ What an unfortunate sight."
A chilling voice cut through the air.
Lucy whirled around, eyes wide.
A woman stood just a few feet away, her long, flowing blue hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her skin was pale, her expression calm yet haunting. The air around her was damp, and her presence alone sent goosebumps crawling over Lucy's skin.
A Phantom Lord mage.
Behind her, a tall, oddly shaped man with an exaggerated stance grinned, his body bending unnaturally as he bowed deeply.
"Sol of the Land~ at your service, madame~!"
Lucy stepped back, her pulse quickening.
"Who—"
"Juvia of the Rain," the blue-haired woman introduced herself, tilting her head slightly, her eyes empty yet fixated on Lucy. "Juvia does not like this weather. It is far too bright."
A single raindrop splashed at Lucy's feet.
Lucy's breath hitched.
Rain?
The sky was clear just moments ago.
But now—
Clouds had begun to form, swirling unnaturally above them, casting Magnolia into an eerie gloom.
Lucy knew instantly—
She was in danger.
"The Master has requested your presence, Heartfilia," Sol said smoothly, his grin widening. "Come with us, and there shall be no unpleasantness, oui~?"
Lucy gritted her teeth.
"Yeah, no thanks."
She reached for her keys—
Only for a massive tidal wave to erupt from nowhere, crashing toward her with terrifying speed.
"Ah—!"
She braced herself—
But before the wave could reach her, the air itself vibrated, and a pulse of black energy shattered the water into nothing.
Juvia's eyes widened slightly.
Sol stiffened.
A new presence had appeared.
No—two.
"Trespassing. Unforgivable."
A cold, lifeless voice echoed through the square.
From the shadows, two figures emerged.
Ophis and Lilith.
Their identical faces bore blank, emotionless expressions—yet the sheer pressure they exuded made even seasoned mages like Juvia and Sol feel an unsettling chill.
"Master's orders: protect the cow."
Lilith's crimson eyes flickered toward Lucy, her tone flat and unimpressed.
Lucy's eye twitched.
"HEY—!"
But before she could argue—
The battle began.
Ophis Lilith vs. Juvia Sol
The sky above Magnolia darkened, clouds swirling unnaturally as rain poured over the streets. The air crackled with magic as two forces stood across from each other, their powers clashing invisibly in a tense standoff.
Juvia Lockser and Sol of Phantom Lord—two of their strongest warriors—stood ready.
Facing them were Ophis and Lilith—the twin dragons, the personal guards of Naruto Sathanus.
Silent. Unwavering. Unrelenting.
Even in the pouring rain, the twins remained dry. The water simply refused to touch them.
Juvia's stomach twisted.
She knew.
She could feel it—these two were monsters.
"Final warning," Ophis stated, her voice flat and devoid of emotion.
"Leave," Lilith added, red eyes narrowing. "Before we erase you from existence."
Juvia clenched her fists, stepping forward. "Juvia cannot do that. Lucy Heartfilia must come with us."
Sol flourished his hands dramatically. "Oui, oui~! It is nothing personal, madame. A mission is a mission!"
The twins said nothing in return.
Juvia was the first to attack.
Her entire body liquefied, swirling into a towering vortex of water before crashing down in a monstrous tidal wave aimed directly at the twins. The street flooded in seconds, the force of the wave enough to tear through stone and steel like paper.
Sol, using Juvia's water as cover, sank into the earth, disappearing completely.
It was a well-coordinated attack.
But—
The moment the water collided with Ophis and Lilith—
It simply ceased to exist.
Juvia's eyes widened in shock.
Her magic—her entire wave—had been negated.
"Pointless," Ophis muttered.
Before Juvia could react—
Lilith moved.
Faster than thought.
One moment, she was standing still.
The next—
She was in front of Juvia.
And then—
CRACK.
A devastating palm strike slammed into Juvia's stomach, folding her in half.
The impact created a shockwave, sending water splashing in all directions as Juvia was sent hurtling backwards, tearing through buildings, skidding across the flooded street before slamming into a stone wall.
"Gah—!"
She coughed, struggling to stand.
That single hit…
It felt like her entire body had been crushed.
Before she could even catch her breath, a shadow loomed over her.
Lilith's red eyes glowed in the rain, her foot already descending toward Juvia's head.
Juvia rolled away, barely dodging the stomp—
Only to realize—
Lilith's foot had completely shattered the stone pavement beneath them, creating a deep crater where Juvia's head had been.
Juvia's heart pounded.
This isn't normal.
She turned to water, attempting to retreat—
But Ophis appeared behind her, moving with unnatural grace, her hand slicing through the rain like a blade.
"Dragon's Restraint."
Juvia screamed as an invisible force crushed her body, rendering her completely immobile.
She couldn't move.
She couldn't even breathe.
The pressure pressing down on her felt heavier than an ocean.
"Weak," Ophis murmured, staring down at the struggling water mage. "Disappointing."
Juvia gritted her teeth, her vision blurring as the crushing force only grew stronger.
Damn it…!
She could feel herself about to black out.
But before the twins could finish her—
BOOM!
The ground beneath them exploded.
Sol emerged from the earth like a specter, his body spinning unnaturally as he raised a massive chunk of stone, infused with Earth magic, and swung it like a warhammer straight at Ophis.
"Terre Tombale!"
The stone collapsed onto Ophis, burying her under tons of enchanted rubble.
Lilith whirled around, her eyes narrowing.
Sol smirked. "One down, oui~!"
"Incorrect."
Sol's blood ran cold.
The rubble trembled—
And then it was gone.
Ophis stood unharmed, dusting off her dress with a bored expression.
"Useless," she muttered.
Sol barely had time to react before—
She moved.
"Infinity Requiem."
A single flick of Ophis' finger collapsed the space around Sol, sending him flying into a vortex of spiraling force, smashing through building after building before finally crashing into the Cathedral bell tower.
Juvia watched in horror as Sol's body limply fell from the ruined structure, landing on the ground with a sickening thud.
He wasn't moving.
She turned back—
Lilith was already in front of her again.
Juvia's heart stopped.
"Juvia of Phantom Lord," Lilith stated, staring down at her with soulless crimson eyes.
"Prepare to die."
Juvia braced herself for the finishing blow—
But then—
A new voice filled the air.
"Ara~ That won't do at all."
A chill ran through the battlefield.
A new presence.
A monster.
The temperature dropped.
The rain slowed.
The wind itself hesitated.
Ophis and Lilith turned in unison.
And there, standing in the middle of the ruined street, was a girl in a white yukata.
Her pink hair framed her face, her murderous pink eyes shining in the moonlight.
The air around her was thick with something... unnatural.
Something twisted.
Something corrupt.
A kitchen knife twirled between her fingers, blood-red energy crackling from its edge.
"You two are being quite unfair to my new little friends," she said, her lips curling into a sadistic grin.
Lilith's eyes narrowed.
Ophis' expression darkened.
They knew who she was.
"Envy."
A Sin.
A True Devil.
A being on par with the Seven Virtues themselves.
Lucy stared in horror as the pink-haired girl tilted her head and licked the blade of her knife, her eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement.
"Let's even the playing field, shall we~?"
The Underworld trembled.
The Underworld's capital loomed ahead, an ominous fortress of obsidian and crimson, floating atop a sea of writhing black mist. Its towers, spiked and jagged, seemed to pulse like a living entity. The sky above the citadel was dark, swirling with storm clouds that crackled with violet lightning.
Inside the throne room, Trihexia sat lazily on her grand throne, a goblet of dark wine in one hand, her blue eyes flickering over the mountains of reports before her.
Then—
She felt them.
Two intruders.
No.
Two Devils.
Two infuriating Devils.
"Tch. Troublesome."
Her fingers twitched, shattering the goblet in her grasp. She clicked her tongue in annoyance as she felt their presence deeper within the fortress.
"Sloth, you little rat."
She clenched her jaw, irritation flaring through her. That lazy bastard had actually disobeyed her. After she specifically ordered him not to warn them.
And now—
They were here.
Naruto Sathanus.
Akeno Asmodea.
Both standing inside her stronghold.
Her golden eyes flashed dangerously.
"Fine then." She stood up, black lightning crackling at her fingertips. "If you want answers, I'll give you answers."
Trihexia expression's uncharacteristically tense. "In my vision, you weren't fighting, Naruto. You were kneeling, injured, looking up at something—pleading."
Naruto's hands curled into fists. Pleading? Him? That didn't make sense.
Trihexia's lips pressed into a thin line. "That's why I'm preparing. Whatever that thing is… it has the power to put you in that position."
Akeno glanced at Naruto, noticing the subtle shift in his stance. For the first time, she saw something rare on his face.
Hesitation.
Naruto was a warrior. A conqueror. He had fought gods, monsters, and devils alike. And never—never—had he ever pleaded in battle.
What the hell could make him do that?
Akeno's teasing nature vanished. "You're assembling an army… to protect him?"
Trihexia's gaze met Naruto's directly. "Yes."
Naruto clenched his jaw. "I don't need protecting."
Trihexia slammed her fist against the armrest of her throne, her energy flaring. "You are so damn stubborn! Even in my vision, you weren't even fighting back!"
Naruto's breath hitched slightly.
That detail.
That single detail.
Why wasn't he fighting?
Why wasn't he resisting?
What was it that made him… stop?
For the first time in centuries—
Naruto Sathanus felt uneasy.
The throne room was thick with tension. Trihexia leaned forward, resting her chin against her knuckles as she studied the two devils before her. Naruto Sathanus and Akeno Asmodea—Wrath and Lust. Two of the Underworld's greatest warriors, standing before her with suspicion burning in their eyes.
It irritated her.
But she couldn't blame them.
She had kept them in the dark for too long.
A heavy sigh left her lips. "I get it. You think I'm preparing for war out of paranoia, or worse—some selfish ambition."
Naruto scoffed, his icy blue gaze locked onto her. "That's exactly what it looks like."
Trihexia's fingers drummed against the armrest of her throne. "You don't understand, Naruto. I'm not preparing to go to war because I want to—I'm preparing because I have to."
Akeno crossed her arms, her electric aura crackling faintly. "Have to? Against who? Heaven?"
Trihexia exhaled sharply, her golden eyes narrowing. "If it comes to that—yes."
Naruto's fists clenched. "Tch. You want a war with Heaven just because of some vision?"
Trihexia's aura flared, shaking the throne room. "NO!"
The raw intensity of her voice made Akeno's usual playful smirk falter.
Trihexia rose from her throne, her black cloak flowing as power surged around her. "I am doing this because I have no choice!"
Her voice softened, but her eyes held a dangerous glint. "If I cannot protect you, Naruto… then I will make sure that there is nothing left that can harm you."
Naruto's eyes widened slightly. "What…?"
Akeno blinked, taken aback.
Trihexia's expression was unreadable, but her voice carried weight. "You're not just some devil to me, Naruto. You are one of my own. And if I have to bring down Heaven itself to keep you alive, I will."
For a moment, there was silence.
Naruto's emotions were a tangled mess—anger, confusion, and something he didn't want to admit.
Akeno, usually the first to mock or tease, found herself staring at Trihexia with something akin to admiration. This woman… this ruler of the Underworld—she wasn't just another power-hungry leader. She genuinely cared.
Trihexia sighed, forcing herself to relax. "To prove that I'm not acting irrationally, I'll show you something."
She lifted her hand, summoning the same glowing orb she had used before to contact Michael.
Akeno arched a brow. "Michael? You've been working with Heaven?"
Trihexia smirked at the irony. "Oh please, I'm not an idiot. The only reason the Underworld still exists is because I don't blindly throw myself into unwinnable wars. I knew that if something was coming that could threaten me, it could threaten them too."
She placed her palm over the orb, sending a pulse of magic through it. "Michael. Answer me."
The orb shimmered.
Naruto and Akeno both leaned forward, watching as light flickered within it.
But no answer came.
Trihexia's eyes darkened. "Michael. It's me. Respond."
Still, nothing.
Akeno frowned. "That's… strange."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "He always answers fast, doesn't he?"
Trihexia did not like this.
She tried again, her voice firmer. "Michael. If you're ignoring me, I swear I'll—"
A crackling noise interrupted her. The orb flickered violently, static disrupting the light inside it.
Then, a distorted voice. "…I… -ion…"
Trihexia's brow furrowed. "Michael?"
The voice was unreadable, but through the garbled distortion, they could hear the urgency.
Akeno's fingers twitched. "That doesn't sound good."
Naruto stepped forward. "Boost the signal, Trihexia. Something's wrong."
Trihexia gritted her teeth, pouring more power into the orb. The image inside became clearer for a brief moment.
A golden city. Eden.
The heart of Heaven.
But it was wrong.
Dark clouds swirled above it, cracks of golden energy rupturing the sky itself. Towers that once stood tall were crumbling.
The static cleared for only a second—
A panicked voice rang through.
"Heaven… is falling!"
Then—silence.
The throne room dimmed, the echoes of those last words lingering in the air.
Naruto, Akeno, and Trihexia stood frozen.
Naruto's hands slowly curled into fists. His mind was already racing, piecing things together.
Heaven was in chaos. Something terrible had happened.
And Gabriel…
His gut twisted.
Gabriel was up there. Alone.
Naruto exhaled sharply, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling creeping up his spine. "…Shit."
A soft knock echoed through the grand hallway of the Seraphim's mansion.
Raphael stood before Gabriel's room, a deep frown on her usually composed face.
She had felt it.
Something inside Gabriel had shifted.
Something was wrong.
Pushing the ornate door open, Raphael stepped inside, and what she saw struck her like a spear to the heart.
Gabriel—Heaven's brightest light—was curled up on the edge of her lavish bed, her golden hair a tangled mess over her shoulders.
Her halo—once shining radiantly—was dull.
Her wings—usually pristine and full—drooped lifelessly behind her.
And worst of all—
Her eyes—always filled with warmth—were red and swollen from crying.
"…Gabriel?" Raphael whispered, stepping closer.
At the sound of her sister's voice, Gabriel snapped up, her expression immediately crumbling into anguish as she rushed forward and threw herself into Raphael's arms.
"Raph-chan…!" she sobbed, gripping onto her sister tightly.
Raphael instinctively caught her, holding her close as Gabriel's body shook with grief.
"Gabriel…" Raphael hesitated, running her fingers through her sister's golden hair in an attempt to soothe her. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"I… I can't…" Gabriel hiccuped, burying her face into Raphael's shoulder. "I can't go back…!"
Raphael's grip on her tightened.
She already knew.
Michael's decree.
He had sealed their sister away from Earthland, cutting off any chance of return.
"You should be grateful," Raphael muttered, her voice strained as she held Gabriel close. "Earthland is dangerous, Gabriel. That world is full of corruption. You don't belong there."
"But my friends—Lucy-sama—Naruto-kun—"
Gabriel pulled back slightly, desperation in her tear-filled eyes.
"I finally… finally had friends! I learned so much about the world—I was happy! And now Onii-sama says I can never see them again?!"
Raphael's expression hardened.
"You are a Seraph," she stated firmly. "Your place is here, in Heaven."
"But why?!" Gabriel shouted, gripping Raphael's robes. "Why does being an angel mean I have to abandon the people I love?!"
Raphael's entire body tensed.
"…Love?" she repeated, her voice eerily calm.
Gabriel nodded. "Yes! I… I love Lucy-sama! I love my friends! I—"
She hesitated.
Then, in barely a whisper—
"I love Naruto-kun…"
Something snapped inside Raphael.
"..Why?"
Gabriel flinched at the sudden change in her tone.
Raphael's golden eyes—so often filled with temperance and patience—now blazed with barely restrained fury.
"You fell in love," Raphael muttered, as if saying it out loud disgusted her.
Gabriel hesitated. "I—"
"With the Devil of Wrath." Raphael's voice was cold, sharp enough to cut through steel.
Gabriel opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
Raphael's hands clenched into fists.
"You don't even know what he is, do you?" she seethed. "Do you have any idea what kind of monster you've given your heart to?!"
Gabriel gasped softly.
"He is not a monster!" she argued, her voice firm despite her shaking hands.
Raphael snapped.
"You're a fool, Gabriel!" she pushed her away, her wings flaring out in rage. "Naruto Sathanus is a blight upon this world! He is destruction incarnate! His very existence is a stain upon creation!"
Gabriel staggered back, her eyes wide in shock.
"H-How can you say that?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Raphael's teeth gritted.
"Because I went down there myself to kill him."
Silence.
A long, deafening silence.
Then—
Gabriel froze.
The pain in her heart…
It was unlike anything she had ever felt before.
She stared at Raphael, unable to breathe.
"You… fought Naruto-kun?"
Her voice was barely audible.
Raphael didn't answer.
Gabriel's halo flickered.
"You tried to kill him?"
A crack formed inside her heart.
And for the first time…
It felt empty.
The warmth of Heaven.
The kindness of her family.
The love she always believed in…
It was gone.
Her breathing became shallow.
Her hands trembled as they clenched over her heart.
"You… hurt him…"
Her vision blurred.
It felt like the world was falling apart.
Her brother.
Her family.
The very angels she had spent her entire existence believing in…
They had turned their weapons against him.
For no reason.
For nothing.
A cold shockwave pulsed from Gabriel's body, rattling the room.
Raphael stiffened.
"W̷̮͛h̴͈̱̄̀a̷̻̍t̷̡̗͗̕…̸͙͖͗?̴̗͒"
The golden light of the room dimmed.
The air turned dense—oppressive.
Gabriel's halo—once glowing with pure light—was flickering.
Not white.
Not gold.
Red.
Raphael stepped back as something foreign swelled inside Gabriel's once pure presence.
Something twisted.
Something deprived.
Something… empty.
Gabriel slowly lifted her head.
Her tear-streaked face was unreadable.
Her golden hair shifted, flickering with hints of crimson strands at the ends.
She parted her lips—
And her voice was hollow.
"Y̶̢̔̚ö̵̰͉̾u̶̘͗ …" (You..)
Raphael's eyes widened.
"Gabriel—"
"Ý̴̹ő̴̰u̴̥̅ ̵͐͜b̵͍͐e̸͚̽t̸̠͒r̵̟͛a̷͓͊y̷̳͂ĕ̸͍d̷̥̈́ ̷̛̝m̵̡̓e̴͚͝.̴̝̊.̵͎̊" (You betrayed me..)
Raphael took another step back, her heartbeat quickening.
This feeling—
It was the same feeling she had when she faced Naruto.
But how?
How could it be coming from Gabriel?
Gabriel clutched her chest, a pulse of raw energy trembling beneath her fingertips.
Everything hurt.
The love she cherished—
The faith she held—
Everything was crumbling apart.
She wasn't falling.
No—
This was something worse.
She was being hollowed out.
A part of her had died.
And something new was taking its place.
Raphael watched in horror as the red glow of Gabriel's halo flashed brighter.
A deep, heavy silence filled the room.
And in that moment—
Something inside Gabriel shattered.
Till the next chapter! Lot of stuff happened this chapter but this is just the 'Calm' before the storm.
Note, Trihexia's eye color shifts, From her normal blue, to gold when she's in deep calculative thoughts and Red when she's in battle
Feel free to leave a review, thoughts and suggestions. I still need someone to fill Greed and Gluttony's shoes. Though they are not yet in the story so it's a problem for another time. Currently Starting to write chapter 10, I'll release the next chapter once I finish it. To keep up with the release, I'd like to be at least 2 - 3 chapters ahead.