The dim candlelight flickered as Trihexia sat slumped at her desk, massaging her temples with both hands.
This was a nightmare.
A war against Heaven wasn't something she could afford—not now, not when the evidence was so little, not when the consequences could spiral beyond even her control.
But most of all, not when Naruto was involved.
Her golden eyes flickered toward the stacks of reports on her desk. Every new piece of intelligence pointed toward a coming storm. Her vision had been clear—a Fallen Seraph with twelve wings and a red halo. Yet, there were no records of such an existence. No Angel, Fallen, or Devil had ever exhibited traits like that.
And in that same vision, she saw Naruto injured.
That alone sent a chill through her.
Naruto was strong. Far too strong. Strong enough that, if he ever truly unleashed his full wrath, not even she could stand against him. He had been her trump card for centuries, her ultimate piece on the board of the Underworld. And yet, in that moment, in that vision…
He wasn't fighting.
He wasn't battling to the death.
He was pleading.
That terrified her more than anything.
"Damn it…" she muttered, slamming her forehead onto the desk.
What was she supposed to do? If war was inevitable, she had to prepare, but if she made the first move—if she so much as lifted a finger against that girl Lucy Heartfilia—then she risked losing Naruto.
And if she lost him…
Her mind shuddered at the thought.
"Troublesome," a tired voice drawled from the door.
The wooden doors creaked open, and in stepped one of the Seven Sins.
Sloth.
Shikamaru.
He was the definition of lethargy personified. His bored, narrow brown eyes held that ever-present look of disinterest, as if everything around him was a chore. His spiky black hair was tied up in its usual ponytail, and he wore his standard light brown coat over a black shirt, coupled with black pants and worn combat boots.
One hand rested casually in his pocket, while the other scratched lazily at his cheek.
"What do you need, Sloth?" Trihexia sighed, not even looking up.
Shikamaru exhaled, already regretting being here. "Army's ready."
Trihexia's fingers twitched.
"Strategic invasion points are already marked in the war room," he continued, yawning slightly. "We've identified the weakest entry points into Heaven's defenses. If we move fast, we can strike before they expect it."
Her head remained pressed against her desk. "Good…" she muttered tiredly.
"Haaah… Troublesome." Shikamaru rubbed his temple. He could already see where this was going.
There was hesitation.
Doubt.
That wasn't like her. Trihexia was the Underworld's Supreme Overlord—its unshakable Queen. She never hesitated.
And yet…
"Does Wrath know?" he asked.
Trihexia finally lifted her head.
Her golden gaze met his with a slight twitch of irritation. Even in her exhausted state, there was something dangerous behind those eyes.
"Dismissed."
That was all she said.
Shikamaru sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he turned toward the door. "Figures."
As he walked away, he muttered under his breath.
"Troublesome boss."
The door shut behind him.
Trihexia leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling.
Naruto must not know.
Period.
Chapter 7: Problems
Somewhere in the Darkness
The air was surrounded with the acrid stench of burning wax and blood. The dim glow of green fire cast grotesque shadows on the stone walls, flickering wildly as a low, guttural chanting filled the chamber.
Hooded figures stood in a perfect circle, their hands raised, their voices weaving an ancient incantation that reeked of forbidden power. The magic that bled from their words felt unnatural, corrosive—wrong.
And at the center of it all, a single key hovered in the air.
A twisted thing of silver, black, and green, pulsing with an eerie light. Its shape was elegant, yet unnerving, as if something alive lurked within its metallic form, waiting. Watching.
Then the heavy doors creaked open.
A man stepped into the chamber, his long cloak swaying with his stride. In his grasp, a girl, limp and unconscious, her wrists bound tightly behind her back, a blindfold covering her face.
He dragged her forward.
Her bare feet scraped against the cold stone, leaving smears of dirt and blood. The sound echoed—soft, yet deafening in the suffocating silence of the cultists' ritual.
Stopping just short of the glowing circle, the man released her.
The girl collapsed onto the ground, her fragile frame trembling as if sensing the malevolence in the air.
And then—
The chanting stopped.
A sudden, deafening silence overtook the chamber.
The flames flared—once small and flickering, they now exploded into towering green infernos, casting the room in a sickly, unnatural glow.
The key at the center of the circle pulsed violently.
The air trembled.
Reality itself seemed to twist—bending inward toward the summoning circle as the power inside it detonated.
With a violent blast of green energy, a figure emerged.
She was small. Delicate, even.
Long, wavy pink hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing a porcelain face marred only by the deadness in her bright pink eyes. Her form was wrapped in a pristine, white yukata, its soft silk embroidered with intricate patterns of swirling vines and serpents.
She was beautiful.
And yet—
She was terrifying.
The hooded figures took a step back. Some instinct within them screamed danger, danger, danger.
The girl—no, the Devil—slowly scanned the room before speaking.
Her voice was soft. Innocent. Cute.
But beneath that sweetness was something else.
Something sharp.
"Who summoned me?"
A tall man stepped forward, unfazed by the suffocating air of dread that filled the room. His dark coat billowed slightly as he lowered himself onto one knee in a display of deference.
"Jose Porla, Guild Master of Phantom Lord. Wizard Saint." His voice was smooth, measured. "It is an honor to stand before you, Devil of Envy."
Envy.
A small smile curled at the Devil's lips as she finally noticed the girl at her feet. The bound sacrifice.
She cocked her head slightly, her pink eyes glimmering with interest.
"Who is this?"
Jose's own lips twitched upward. "A sacrifice for the contract."
Envy sighed—softly, almost dreamily—as she raised her hand.
A knife materialized in her grasp.
Not a blade of cursed steel. Not some arcane weapon forged in the depths of Hell.
A simple kitchen knife.
The room tensed.
Jose's mind raced. Why? Why that? A Devil as powerful as her—why choose something so mundane?
But then—
He saw the glint in her eyes.
And he understood.
It wasn't about the weapon.
It was about humiliation. About mockery.
The Devil of Envy didn't just kill. She made a spectacle of it.
Jose swallowed thickly as Envy slowly dragged the knife along her tongue, tasting the cold steel.
Then she smiled.
And the room descended into Hell.
SLASH.
Blood sprayed.
A single, clean cut—one of the hooded figures staggered, his hands flying to his throat, but the wound was already too deep. A gargling choke left his lips as he collapsed, crimson pooling beneath him.
Then—
Another.
And another.
The air turned thick with copper and death.
The robed mages scrambled, panic taking hold—but there was no time. No escape.
She was too fast.
One by one, the Phantom Lord's most elite mages collapsed, their lifeblood gushing onto the stone floor. Their bodies twitched for a few moments—silent, futile protests against the inevitable—before finally going still.
By the time the last body hit the ground, the entire chamber was painted in red.
And there she stood, at the center of it all—untouched.
Her white yukata, now splattered with streaks of warm, dripping blood, clung softly to her form. Her pink hair was matted with scarlet, but she didn't seem to mind.
In fact—
She looked delighted.
Envy turned back to Jose, her grin stretching too wide.
"The contract is sealed."
Her pink eyes gleamed with dark amusement as she stepped over the corpse of one of his most trusted men.
The blood squelched beneath her bare feet.
Jose stared.
The image of her standing there—her expression soft, playful, deadly—would be seared into his mind forever.
He had made a deal with the Devil.
And now—
There was no turning back.
The crackling of the bonfire was the only sound between them, its flickering glow casting long shadows across the campsite.
Mira sat beside Naruto, her hands resting on her lap, her fingers clutching the hem of her dress as she tried to steady herself. Her tears had long since stopped falling, but the weight of Naruto's story still lingered in her heart.
She had listened in silence as he spoke—not about who his contractor was, not about what his contractor had meant to him in technical terms, but about how his first contractor had changed him.
There was a melancholy in his voice, one that even his usual exasperated complaints of infuriating couldn't mask. It was grief softened by time, yet never truly faded.
And as Mira listened, she realized—Naruto wasn't the type to speak of pain so openly.
He had buried this part of himself long ago, locked it away behind his usual indifference and grumbling. He hid it because that's what devils did. They didn't dwell on the past.
But now, here he was, sharing a wound that time had never healed.
Mira wiped her tear-stained face with the back of her hands, trying to will away the emotions clawing at her chest.
"I-I'm sorry..." Her voice was small, trembling, as she tried to compose herself.
Naruto turned to her, his usual sharp eyes softened with something unreadable. And then—he smiled. A real, genuine smile, not the smug grins or teasing smirks she was so used to.
"Thank you, Mira… for listening."
Mira felt something clench in her chest.
It wasn't fair.
It wasn't fair that someone like Naruto—so strong, so untouchable, so unshaken by the world around him— had suffered in silence for so long.
It wasn't fair that the only person who had made him feel human was someone he had lost.
"I'm sure she's happy that you still care for her," Mira murmured.
Naruto exhaled through his nose, his gaze drifting toward the sky, where streaks of orange and pink bled into the approaching night.
"Yeah."
His voice was quiet, but there was warmth in it, a kind of peace Mira hadn't expected.
She looked at him—really looked at him.
This wasn't the same Naruto who teased her, who acted as if the world itself was infuriating. This was someone else entirely.
This was someone she wanted to protect.
Mira's face flushed, and she quickly turned away before her heart could betray her any further.
"I-I'll go back inside my tent… Thank you, Naruto, for telling me about your past."
Naruto hummed in acknowledgment, and Mira wasted no time retreating into her tent.
Once inside, she collapsed onto her bedroll, her hand instinctively pressing against her chest where her heart was still pounding.
No man has ever made me feel this way before…
It was a thought that should have scared her.
But instead, it made her smile.
"You know, eavesdropping is a bad habit, Erza."
Naruto didn't turn his head as he spoke, but he could feel the presence lingering nearby, hidden just beyond the glow of the fire.
There was a moment of hesitation. Then, after a few seconds, Erza Scarlet emerged from the shadows, her usual confident stride noticeably slower, more hesitant.
She walked toward the fallen log where Mira had sat just moments before and lowered herself onto it, keeping her hands folded neatly in her lap.
The flames danced in her deep brown eyes, but Naruto didn't miss the faint dusting of pink on her cheeks.
"How did you know?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even.
Naruto smirked slightly. "I have my ways."
Silence settled between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was… thoughtful.
Erza looked down at her hands, then exhaled through her nose.
"I must apologize for eavesdropping," she said, voice quieter than usual. Then, with a sudden determination, she bowed her head. "Please hit me."
Naruto finally turned to look at her, raising a brow. "What?"
"I overstepped," she admitted. "I listened to something that was not meant for me to hear. If it was dishonorable, I must atone."
Naruto watched her for a moment, his expression unreadable.
Then—
A strand of crimson hair slipped over her shoulder, catching the firelight just right, and before Erza could react, Naruto reached out.
His fingers brushed against the lock of hair, twisting it gently between his fingers as he examined it.
Erza's breath caught in her throat.
"You know," Naruto murmured, his voice lower, more thoughtful. "I really like your hair."
Her back stiffened. "W-Why is that?"
Naruto shrugged slightly, still twirling the strand between his fingers.
"I just do."
A beat of silence.
Then, realizing what he was doing, he let go and stood up, stretching his arms above his head.
"I still haven't sensed them on the island, so I suggest we get some rest." He glanced back at her. "You should sleep too, Titania."
Erza barely managed a nod.
She watched as Naruto disappeared into his tent, leaving her alone by the fire.
Her heart was still hammering. Her fingers twitched at her sides before she reached up, hesitantly, and touched the strand of hair he had played with.
The way he had said it. The casualness of it. As if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
She closed her eyes, exhaling through her nose.
"Someday, I'm going to beat him up for making me act like this."
Despite herself, she smiled.
Then, without another word, she turned and made her way to her own tent.
Tomorrow, she had a fight to win.
The streets of Eden bustled with life, angels going about their day in an ethereal city bathed in gold and white. Towering spires of celestial stone stretched into the heavens, reflecting the warmth of the eternal sun above. The grand fortress at the heart of the city stood as a beacon of divine authority, its golden gates marking the birthplace of the Seraphs.
Despite the heavenly scenery, Raphael's attention was solely on the figure walking beside her. Gabriel, usually a source of boundless light and joy, was uncharacteristically subdued. The air around her lacked its usual warmth, her movements slower, less energetic. It was troubling.
Raphael finally stopped and turned to face her. She placed both hands on Gabriel's shoulders, her golden eyes filled with concern.
"Alright. What's wrong, Gabriel?"
Gabriel blinked, her expression confused. "Hmm? There is nothing wrong."
Raphael deadpanned. "Gabriel."
Her sister tilted her head, still unsure of what she was being asked.
"I mean, why do you look so… sad?"
"Oh! That's what you meant!" Gabriel's face lit up for a brief second before her usual smile faltered. "I think… I might be sick, Raph-chan."
Raphael stiffened. The affectionate nickname normally would have made her blush, but the weight of those words drowned out any embarrassment.
"S-Sick?!" Panic gripped her. "Come with me at once! We need to see Michael! You must bathe in the Holy Spring—"
Gabriel let out a small squeak as Raphael attempted to drag her back toward the fortress, but she quickly resisted, planting her feet firmly on the ground.
"N-No! Not physically sick, Raph-chan!" Gabriel pouted.
Raphael stopped, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Of course. Common sense was never her strong suit.
"Then… what kind of sickness are you talking about?"
Gabriel glanced around, noticing the attention their little scene was drawing. Though the angels of Eden never intruded on others' privacy, the curiosity in their divine gazes was unmistakable.
"Can we talk in private?" she asked.
Raphael frowned, still unsure of what was happening, but relented with a sigh. "Fine. Follow me."
Spreading her 12 brilliant blue wings, she took to the sky, Gabriel doing the same. Together, they soared toward one of the highest points in Eden—the Soul Garden, a hidden sanctuary at the peak of the celestial fortress.
The Soul Garden
The moment they landed, silence enveloped them. The Soul Garden was a sacred place, untouched by the chaos of the world below. In the center stood the Soul Tree, a beautiful yet eerie sight—its bark was pure white, smooth as marble, but its leaves were as black as the void. It was said to be a fragment of creation itself, carrying the whispers of those who had passed.
Raphael crossed her arms and turned to her sister. "Alright, Gabriel. We're alone now. So—"
Gabriel, instead of facing her, walked toward the tree, her fingers trailing against its ancient surface. A soft breeze brushed past them, carrying the scent of blooming lilies.
"I… I have this 'friend' in Earthland," she started, her voice unusually soft.
Raphael raised a brow.
Gabriel continued, her tone laced with something unfamiliar—longing. "He's really interesting. He's always grumpy, always complaining, always acting like everything is a bother."
Raphael's mood soured instantly. Who dares treat my sister like that?
"But," Gabriel giggled lightly, "even though he acts like that, he's always there for me. He teaches me about Earthland, about the people there, about things I never knew existed. He treats me like a normal friend, not as some divine being from Heaven."
Her smile wavered slightly, and she gently placed a hand over her chest.
"But lately… things have changed. He's been getting a lot of attention from my friends."
Raphael's eyes narrowed. "And that bothers you?"
Gabriel nodded, her expression troubled. "Every time I see him with someone else, my chest starts to hurt. I don't like this feeling. It's—" She turned around, looking at Raphael with pleading eyes. "Why does it hurt, Raph-chan?"
Raphael was momentarily speechless.
Her sister, the most innocent of all the Seraphs, was experiencing jealousy for the first time.
And worse—she was clearly in love.
Raphael's fists clenched. This could be dangerous. If Gabriel had fallen for a mortal, it would be disastrous. But before she let her worries spiral, she asked, "Gabriel… is this 'friend' of yours human?"
Gabriel immediately shook her head.
Raphael let out a relieved sigh. "Thank the heavens…"
It wasn't that she hated humans—she simply didn't trust them with something as pure as Gabriel's heart.
Still, she couldn't deny the truth of the situation.
"Gabriel… what you're feeling is jealousy," she explained gently. "It happens when you care deeply about someone and don't want to share their attention."
Gabriel's eyes widened in realization. "J-Jealousy…?"
Raphael nodded.
Gabriel looked down, her cheeks growing pink. Jealousy… because of him?
Her heart raced, and a strange warmth spread through her. The way he always sighed in frustration when she asked silly questions. The way he protected her, even when he pretended not to care. The way he… always made her feel safe.
'I-I love Naruto?!' she thought out loud.
Raphael groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. Did she seriously only just now figure it out?
Gabriel covered her face with her hands, her entire being glowing red. "Oh no… oh no… what do I do, Raph-chan?! I—I can't tell him that!"
Raphael sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. "You don't have to tell him immediately, Gabriel. Love is something you can take your time with."
Gabriel hesitated, then, in a burst of emotion, she suddenly hugged Raphael tightly.
"Thank you, Raph-chan! I feel so much better now!"
Raphael blinked, startled by the sudden affection, but then she smiled and returned the hug, squeezing her sister gently.
"You can always rely on me," she said softly.
After a moment, Gabriel pulled back, her expression suddenly serious.
"Oh! Please don't tell Onii-sama about this!" she pleaded.
Raphael smirked and made a zipping motion over her lips. "My lips are sealed."
Then, with a teasing glint in her golden eyes, she asked, "Sooo~ who is this guy exactly? And what kind of being is he?"
Gabriel hesitated.
"...Uhh…"
Raphael's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Gabriel."
Gabriel suddenly took off running, her wings flaring. "L-Look at the time! I have to go back to Earthland—bye Raph-chan!"
"Gabriel—get back here!"
Midnight Intrusion
The night air was cold and filled with an unnatural stillness, the kind that made even the wind hesitate to stir the trees. The dense jungle of Galuna Island lay in eerie silence beneath the pale moonlight. Midnight had long since settled in, and the world should have been at rest—yet Naruto was not.
He had waited, expecting Lucy, Akeno, and Gabriel to arrive by now, yet their presence was still absent from the island. A sinking feeling gnawed at him, one he didn't care to name but couldn't ignore. He had to check for himself.
With a flicker of energy, Naruto vanished from the camp in an instant, teleporting through the dense forest, past the shattered remains of the massive rodent-like creature he had slain earlier. His footsteps were soundless against the moss-covered ground as he approached the ancient temple that loomed before him like a forgotten relic of an era long past.
A single droplet of something fell from above, landing on the stone surface of the temple.
Naruto looked up.
A silver liquid, glowing faintly in the moonlight, dripped down from the top of the temple's highest structure.
He narrowed his eyes. Moondrip.
"So that's what these brats are up to," he muttered, watching as the liquid shimmered before evaporating.
He stepped forward, his boot pressing down onto a worn stone tile—only for a crack to echo through the temple.
Naruto paused, looking down at the cracked floor beneath his foot. He sighed.
"Old. Really old."
Even without using his senses, he could feel it—the faint pulsing of dark energy hidden beneath the temple. Something was slumbering below, something ancient and powerful.
Something wrong.
Naruto closed his eyes, expanding his awareness. There were multiple life signatures within the temple. A cluster of weak human presences above, likely the ones performing the Moondrip ritual. But below…
One presence stood out.
It was massive.
It was dark.
It was alive.
Naruto took a deep breath. "So that's how it is."
Without hesitation, he stomped his foot down. The stone beneath him groaned before caving in entirely, sending him plummeting into the darkness below.
Naruto landed effortlessly within an underground chamber. The air was thick with frost, and the temperature had dropped drastically, enough that his breath turned visible. A soft, eerie glow illuminated the chamber's centerpiece—a massive frozen structure.
A coffin of ice.
Naruto walked forward, his eyes scanning the monolithic slab that encased the beast within.
Deliora.
The demon's hulking form was frozen mid-snarl, its grotesque features twisted in rage even in its slumber. The sheer presence it exuded, even while trapped, was suffocating.
Naruto crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Zeref, you absolute madman."
This wasn't just a beast—it was a testament to Zeref's twisted brilliance. A creation born from an age of death and destruction, left abandoned like a forgotten experiment.
Naruto sighed, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small silver whistle and blew into it.
No sound was heard.
But within moments, a dark portal materialized behind him, and from its depths stepped a petite girl in a gothic lolita dress.
Lilith.
"You called, Naruto-sama?" she greeted, bowing slightly.
Naruto nodded, gesturing towards the frozen demon. "Tell me everything you know about this thing."
Lilith's crimson eyes glowed as she examined the ice-encased beast. "According to the Book of Reiveldon, Volume Three, Page 328, Paragraph Four, Sentence Three…"
Naruto sighed. "Skip to the important part."
Lilith smirked slightly before continuing. "Deliora was a demon that roamed the continent, leaving destruction in its wake. Entire cities and civilizations fell to its rampage. It was eventually sealed away by a powerful Ice Mage who used a forbidden technique at the cost of her own life."
Naruto raised a brow. "And that mage?"
Lilith tilted her head. "She should be dead, but considering who you are, I imagine that's a minor inconvenience."
Naruto rolled up his sleeves, his hands beginning to glow with golden energy. "Fine. If she's still in there, let's pull her out."
Lilith's expression darkened slightly. "Are you adopting another pet, Naruto-sama?"
Naruto gave her a flat stare. "I told you two are the only ones. Get over it."
Lilith pouted before sighing. "As you wish."
Naruto stepped forward, pressing his glowing hands against the ice. A surge of energy coursed through the frozen structure, his power seeping into its depths.
At first, nothing happened.
Then—
A pulse.
Beneath the ice, something moved.
Slowly, Naruto pulled.
His hands sank deeper into the ice, gripping onto something—someone. A faint, lingering warmth met his touch.
Lilith watched as the demon's prison began to crack, piece by piece.
As Naruto pulled harder, a pair of delicate hands emerged, alive.
Lilith narrowed her eyes. "Careful, Naruto-sama. The ice is weakening. If you break it, the demon will be released."
Naruto exhaled sharply, his hands glowing brighter. "Then let's do this fast."
He gave one final tug.
A soft thud echoed as a woman collapsed into his arms, alive and breathing.
Her skin was cold, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She was beautiful—her body frozen in time, untouched by age.
But she was also naked.
Lilith blinked. Then, very calmly, she materialized a cloth and wrapped it around the unconscious woman before Naruto had a chance to react.
"I shall await the punishment you promised us, Naruto-sama," Lilith said sweetly before vanishing with the woman into a portal.
Naruto exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Infuriating."
His moment of peace was short-lived.
The ice prison behind him cracked violently.
A deep, guttural growl echoed through the chamber.
Naruto turned, eyes narrowing as the hulking form of Deliora began to stir.
"Well. This just got annoying."
The demon's massive eyes snapped open, glowing red with rage.
"GRRAAH! THAT BITCH!"
Naruto arched a brow. "Huh. First words after being frozen for years, and that's what you go with?"
Deliora's voice was a guttural snarl, vibrating through the cavern. "I WILL TEAR HER APART—AND YOU TOO!"
Naruto cracked his knuckles. "Yeah, yeah. Get in line."
A sudden burst of footsteps echoed from the entrance.
He turned his head slightly, spotting a group of mages rushing in—one of them a silver-haired boy with eyes burning with hatred.
"You!" the boy shouted, his magic surging. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR GOOD, DELIORA!"
Naruto sighed as he raised a single hand.
A red barrier formed between him and the new arrivals, cutting off their advance.
"Now, now," Naruto muttered. "No interruptions."
Deliora let out a guttural roar. "I WILL SMASH YOU INTO DUST!"
Naruto didn't even blink. "You're welcome to try."
The demon lifted both of its massive arms, preparing to strike—
But before it could even move, a pillar of blinding light descended from above.
A deafening explosion rocked the chamber.
The sheer force obliterated Deliora's entire upper body, reducing it to smoldering remains.
Silence followed.
Naruto slowly turned, his eyes widening in shock.
Hovering above the ruined temple, glowing with divine radiance, was a figure he had not seen.
"Shit-…" Naruto's voice was a whisper.
"Wrath."
The dust settled, the only sound in the ruined temple being the crackling of burnt stone and the distant murmurs of confused mages behind Naruto's barrier. The once-mighty Deliora was reduced to nothing but a smoldering carcass, its body completely annihilated in a single divine strike.
Naruto's fingers twitched slightly as he lowered his hand, his golden eyes locked onto the source of the devastating attack.
There, standing in midair as though the laws of gravity were beneath her, was a figure radiating celestial power.
Her long, golden hair cascaded in elegant waves, shimmering like the sun itself. Her golden eyes, sharp and piercing, burned with an intensity unlike any he had seen before. Draped in a pristine white and gold uniform with intricate lace gloves, she exuded an air of nobility, power, and—most prominently—judgment.
Twelve resplendent wings extended from her back, their sheer radiance illuminating the ruins in a divine glow. But it was the look on her face that stood out the most.
It was pure rage.
Naruto blinked.
"…Who the hell are you supposed to be?"
The angel's elegant lips curled in disgust, her eyes narrowing as if merely gazing at him was an offense.
"Silence, Devil of Wrath." Her voice was like ice, calm yet laced with venom. "You will speak only when spoken to."
The tension in the air became suffocating. The temperature shifted—not with heat, but with weight. It was as if the sheer force of her presence was pressing down upon the battlefield, making the very air itself resist Naruto's breath.
The silver-haired boy behind Naruto—Lyon, if he remembered correctly—stared in complete shock. "A-An angel?!"
A murmur of fear spread among the other mages, their bodies instinctively lowering as if in reverence.
But Naruto remained standing, utterly unimpressed.
He scratched his head lazily, glancing at the remains of Deliora. "Tch, I was hoping to blow off some steam, but you just had to come in and steal the kill, huh?"
The angel's glare hardened. "Do not act as if this is your concern, devil. You do not belong here."
Naruto gave her a bored look before rubbing his chin in thought. "Right, right. You're one of the goody-two-shoes Seraphs, aren't you?"
She didn't answer.
Naruto tilted his head, his mind going over the list of Heaven's heavy hitters. "Let's see… twelve wings, pissed-off attitude, and I don't know you… Michael's the big boss, Gabriel's all sunshine and rainbows, Uriel's the knight in shining armor, so that must make you…"
He snapped his fingers. "Raphael, right? The one obsessed with 'Temperance' or whatever."
A sharp crack split through the air—an invisible force slammed into Naruto, sending him skidding back across the stone floor.
His boots dug into the ground, carving a trail before he came to a stop. A light bruise formed on his cheek where he had been struck, despite nothing physically hitting him.
"Huh." Naruto rolled his jaw, testing the soreness. "That actually stung a little."
Raphael slowly descended, her movements unnaturally smooth as if the wind itself carried her.
"Do not speak of me so casually, Devil of Wrath." She practically spat his title.
Naruto sighed. "Great. Another angel with a stick up her ass."
"You speak as if you have forgotten your sins, Devil," Raphael continued, stepping toward him. Her every movement was graceful, but her presence was suffocating.
Her golden eyes bore into his own, filled with something far more personal than divine duty.
"Did you think you would go unnoticed? That you would corrupt her without consequence?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "…Who?"
Her now golden wings filled with divine power flared violently, releasing a burst of pressure that cracked the stone beneath them.
"Do not play dumb with me!" she snarled. "Gabriel—my sister—has sullied herself by falling for a creature like you."
The ruins fell into complete silence.
The mages behind them stared in shock. Lyon looked like his brain had stopped functioning, and even Happy had his mouth wide open.
Even Naruto's brain lagged for a second.
"…What?"
Raphael's lips curled in pure disdain. "Tch. As expected of a demon—you seduce and corrupt without even realizing it."
Naruto blinked slowly. His mind replayed the sentence once more.
"Gabriel… has sullied herself by falling for a creature like you."
The words finally processed.
"…Wait. Are you telling me—"
A mental image of Gabriel's bright, innocent smile flashed in his mind.
Her hugs. Her laughter. Her absolute joy in learning new things.
He thought of how she would constantly cling to his arm, how she would always brighten up when he paid attention to her.
A second image followed—Gabriel, staring at him in admiration, her face glowing whenever she called him "Naruto-kun."
The realization hit him like a divine smite from God himself.
"—Infuriating.."
A heavy silence.
Naruto's dumbfounded expression was, to Raphael, the single most infuriating thing she had ever seen.
"YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW?!" she roared, her divine aura exploding outward. The sheer force of it sent waves of golden energy surging across the temple, shattering walls and sending nearby mages flying.
Naruto barely managed to plant his feet, skidding back from the sheer force of her temper.
"You… absolute… idiot!" Raphael seethed. "Do you have any idea how much she—"
She cut herself off, her fury barely contained.
Naruto raised his hands defensively. "Look, I swear, I had no idea! She never said anything!"
Raphael clenched her fists, her nails digging into her gloves. "Of course she didn't! She's too innocent to even realize it herself! And yet she's already fallen this deep because of you!"
Naruto frowned. "I never did anything to make her fall for me. I just—"
"You just existed," Raphael spat. "And that was enough for her to start falling."
Naruto's fingers twitched slightly.
Raphael saw it—the slight hesitation. The barely noticeable moment of doubt.
And that was enough to infuriate her further.
"You are Wrath! A sin incarnate!" Her voice was both fury and anguish, her golden aura burning brighter. "You are a harbinger of destruction! You are nothing but chaos, ruin, and death! And yet… and yet she loves you!"
Her fingers curled, and a long golden blade materialized in her grasp, its divine energy crackling in response to her rage.
"I will not allow it," she declared coldly. "I will not allow my sister to fall further into darkness."
She raised the blade, its glow intensifying.
"You will die here, Devil of Wrath."
Naruto stared at her, his golden eyes locking onto hers.
His confusion was gone. His hesitation had faded.
There was only understanding.
Understanding that Raphael was serious.
Understanding that this wasn't just about angelic duty.
It was personal.
Naruto exhaled slowly, cracking his knuckles. His own aura flared, the air around him distorting as heat radiated from his body.
"For the record," he muttered, rolling his shoulders, "this is really stupid."
Raphael's golden eyes burned with divine fury.
"Then perish, Devil."
And with a single beat of her wings, she attacked.
The air shattered as Raphael lunged.
Her golden blade ignited like a miniature sun, the sheer divine energy distorting reality itself. Every step she took left radiant footprints, cracks forming beneath her feet as the ground struggled to withstand her power.
Naruto barely had time to duck as she swung, the golden edge missing his neck by mere inches—but the shockwave alone tore through the temple walls, sending debris flying in every direction.
Damn, she's fast.
Naruto twisted his body and sidestepped, dodging her follow-up strike. Raphael didn't let up, her wings flaring as she dashed forward again, closing the distance in an instant.
"Stop dodging and fight me, Devil!" she snarled, her blade screeching as it slashed through the air.
Naruto clicked his tongue. "No thanks. I like my head where it is."
With a quick movement, he leaned backward, narrowly avoiding another lethal slice aimed for his throat. He could feel the divine pressure bearing down on him, a suffocating presence meant to eradicate anything unholy in its path.
And yet…
Naruto still wasn't fighting back.
Raphael noticed.
"You're holding back," she hissed. Her golden eyes flared with righteous fury. "Do you think this is some kind of game?"
Naruto exhaled, his expression unreadable. "You're not bound to Earthland by a contract," he stated, dodging another strike. "That means you can't stay here for long, can you?"
Raphael froze mid-swing.
"Ah," Naruto smirked slightly, stepping away. "So I was right."
Her eyes widened. He knew.
He knew that she was on borrowed time.
He was stalling her out.
Her grip on the sword tightened, her knuckles turning white. "You arrogant—!"
She lashed out, this time aiming lower—forcing him to react.
Naruto barely managed to block, raising his forearm in defense—only for his entire body to be blasted backward by the sheer force of the impact.
BOOM!
He crashed through the remains of the temple, his body skidding across the stone ruins. He finally came to a stop, kneeling down as he let out a deep sigh.
"Okay. That actually hurt," he muttered, rolling his shoulder.
High above him, Raphael hovered in the sky, her wings outstretched, golden energy coiling around her body.
"I will not let you toy with my sister's heart," she declared, her voice echoing like a divine decree. "If I must end you here to free her from your corruption—so be it!"
Naruto stood up, cracking his neck.
"Look, I get that you're mad—"
"You understand nothing!"
The skies above them rippled, golden clouds swirling into a vortex. Spears of light materialized in the heavens, their tips glowing with enough power to reduce everything below to dust.
Naruto stiffened.
"Oh, hell no."
With a single motion, Raphael swung her arm down.
The spears rained.
Naruto's body blurred.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each impact devastated the battlefield, pillars of golden flames rising from the earth, leaving behind nothing but molten craters.
But Naruto was gone.
Raphael's eyes darted left—a blur.
Right—another afterimage.
She gritted her teeth, her wings flaring outward.
"Stop running!"
A golden shockwave erupted from her body, blasting away the lingering smoke—revealing Naruto standing on a broken pillar, unharmed.
"Not running," he corrected, his expression calm. "Just waiting."
Raphael's breath hitched.
She felt it.
Her power…
It was fading.
Her connection to Heaven was weakening.
Naruto saw the realization dawn on her face and sighed. "Like I said," he muttered. "You can't stay here forever."
Raphael's fists shook.
She refused—refused—to let this be the end of it.
She wasn't finished.
She wouldn't leave things like this.
She refused.
A golden glow wrapped around her body as the divine pull of Heaven began dragging her back.
Naruto watched, crossing his arms. "Guess this is where we say goodbye, huh?"
Raphael's eyes burned with hatred.
"This isn't over," she promised. "I will return. And next time—"
Her form vanished in a blinding light.
The battlefield fell silent.
Naruto let out a deep exhale.
"…Infuriating."
The silence that followed Raphael's departure was deafening.
Naruto exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well… that was a pain."
The remains of the once-grand temple stood in ruins around him. Craters from Raphael's divine bombardment still smoldered, the golden energy slowly fading from the air. Scorched marks of light and shadow clashed violently across the battlefield, a testament to the forces that had just collided.
And in the middle of it all, standing atop a now-dead Deliora, was Lyon Vastia.
He was frozen.
Not by ice—but by pure disbelief.
"Deliora… is gone," Lyon murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. His hands shook, his eyes wide as he stared at the charred, lifeless corpse of the demon he had spent years trying to free.
All of it…
All of it was for nothing.
"This isn't—" Lyon clenched his fists, his breath uneven. "This isn't how it was supposed to go!" His voice cracked, a mix of rage and desperation. "I was supposed to defeat him with my own hands! Prove that I surpassed Ur!"
Naruto, still standing amidst the wreckage, merely glanced at him. "And that's where you're wrong, brat."
Lyon snapped his head toward Naruto, his expression wild. "What did you just say?"
Naruto met his eyes calmly.
"You think killing Deliora would've proved something? That bringing back a monster like him was worth anything?" He stepped forward, voice low but heavy.
"The Ice mage froze that thing for a reason. And you were spitting on her sacrifice."
Lyon's breath hitched.
His fingers curled into fists.
Naruto let out a tired sigh. "Look, I get it. You wanted to prove something. But your pride almost cost people their lives." He turned away, gaze set on the village in the distance. "Speaking of which… there's still work to do."
The battlefield was silent.
The golden glow of Raphael's presence had faded, leaving behind craters of molten stone and the lingering hum of divine energy still dissipating into the night air. Naruto exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
"…Infuriating," he muttered, shaking his head. That was close.
Even holding back, Raphael was a monster. A direct confrontation would've been an absolute nightmare, and he had no doubt she would return.
But that was a problem for another time.
Right now, he had other things to deal with.
Like the white haired bastard standing at the edge of the ruined temple, staring at him in wide-eyed disbelief.
Lyon Bastia.
His face was frozen in shock, his entire body trembling as he stared at Deliora's corpse.
Or rather—what was left of it.
The once fearsome demon, the very monster he had spent years plotting to destroy with his own hands, had been reduced to a pile of scorched, lifeless remains.
"W-What…?" His voice was hoarse, his pupils shaking. "What the hell did you do?!"
Naruto turned, giving him a bored look. "Oh. You're still here?"
Lyon's face contorted in pure rage. "Still here?!" His voice rose into a furious shout. "You stole my revenge!"
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Your revenge?"
Lyon clenched his fists, his entire body trembling. "Deliora… was mine to kill," he hissed, his voice barely above a whisper.
Naruto sighed, already getting tired of this conversation. "Buddy, I don't know what kind of petty grudge you had against this thing, but it was a threat. I got rid of it."
"You don't understand!" Lyon snapped, his breathing ragged. "This—this was my purpose! The reason I trained for years! I had to be the one to finish it!"
"And now you're mad because someone else did it first?" Naruto tilted his head. "That's pretty childish, don't you think?"
Lyon's blood boiled.
Childish?
Naruto had no idea what he was talking about.
"You have no right to talk about this," Lyon seethed. "You don't even know what Deliora did to us—to her!"
Naruto raised an eyebrow. To her?
And that's when something clicked.
The Ice Mage that sacrificed herself to freeze Deliora…
The fact that Lyon knew the name of the demon and had an unnatural obsession with it…
Oh. So that's what this is about.
Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You wanted to kill this thing yourself to make peace with the past."
Lyon growled, his hands glowing with ice magic. "I trained for years to surpass her. This was supposed to prove I was stronger than her magic—"
"That's the dumbest thing I've heard today," Naruto cut him off.
Lyon snapped.
"SHUT UP!"
Ice erupted around him, jagged pillars of frost shooting up from the temple floor. The temperature plummeted instantly as Lyon prepared to attack—
Until a deafening crack echoed across the island.
Lyon's rage froze in place.
Naruto turned, his eyes narrowing at the broken ceiling where a gigantic hole from Raphael's entrance—
The moon, It was cracking.
Shattering.
The village…
Naruto clicked his tongue. "Took it long enough."
The moon above the Demon Village began to break apart, fractures spreading like a web of shattered glass. Raphael's intervention didn't only leave destruction but broken the spell as well on her entrance.
Lyon took a step back, confusion flickering in his gaze. "W-What's happening?"
Naruto didn't answer. He already knew what this meant.
The lie was about to be exposed.
—
The villagers of Galuna Island had gathered in the central square, watching in awe as the cursed ice that had coated their village for decades began to fade.
The dark enchantment—the one that altered their memories, twisted their perception of reality—was finally lifting.
And as the spell broke, the truth was revealed.
Their bodies…
Their reflections…
They weren't humans cursed to become demons.
They had always been demons.
A hush fell over the village as realization sank in.
"This… This is what we've always been?" one of the elders murmured, staring at his clawed hands.
"We were never cursed?" another whispered.
They turned to their chief, their expressions filled with disbelief, sorrow… and a desperate need for answers.
The chief—an old, horned demon with wise, tired eyes—lowered his head.
"It seems…" he whispered, his voice thick with grief. "It seems we were blinded by the spell for so long… we forgot who we truly were."
Mira and Erza arrived at the edge of the village, both of them breathing heavily.
They had woken up to the chaos of the fight between Naruto and Raphael, only to realize that Naruto had vanished. They had followed the destruction, only to end up here.
Watching as the curse on the village was dispelled before their very eyes.
Mira covered her mouth. "They… they were demons this whole time?"
Erza frowned. "It appears so."
A flash of crimson light illuminated the sky—
Naruto descended, standing at the edge of the village, his gaze sweeping over the stunned demons before landing in front of Erza and Mira.
"Finally caught up?" he muttered.
Erza crossed her arms, giving him a hard look. "Where were you?"
"Fighting an angry angel," Naruto replied bluntly.
Mira blinked. "You're not joking, are you?"
Naruto sighed. "Nope."
Before either of them could press him further—
A sudden explosion of fire and ice erupted in the distance.
Naruto immediately recognized the magical presence.
"Great," he muttered. "Looks like the rest of the idiots finally made it."
Erza's eyes hardened. "You mean—?"
Naruto nodded. "Gray, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Akeno," he listed off. "They just landed."
Mira sighed in relief. "Finally."
Naruto rubbed his temples. "I swear, if I turn around and see Lucy stripping, I'm going to walk into the ocean." He annoying said as he prepared to create a portal.
The reunion between Naruto's group and Lucy's was… underwhelming.
At least, from Lucy's perspective.
"Are you kidding me?!" she shrieked, throwing her hands in the air. "We came all this way—endured Akeno's insane training—nearly drowned, twice, and you're telling me we didn't even get to fight?!"
Naruto gave her a bored look. "Yes."
Natsu was fuming. "Deliora is gone?! Just like that?!" His fists ignited in frustration. "I was so ready to punch a giant demon in the face!"
Gray, however, was eerily quiet. His hands were clenched at his sides, his expression unreadable.
Naruto massaged his temples. "Look, it's over. The Moon Drip curse has been dispelled, the villagers are free, and the demons—well…" He motioned toward the town square, where the villagers—now fully aware of their true nature—were conversing amongst themselves. "They've got their own problems to deal with."
Happy landed on Natsu's shoulder, his ears twitching. "So… what happens now?"
Before Naruto could answer, the village elder stepped forward, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Honored mages, you have lifted a great burden from our people. For that, we owe you a debt we can never repay."
Lucy, despite her frustration, felt warmth in her chest. "It was… really no problem."
"To show our gratitude," the elder continued, raising his arms, "we wish to invite you to a feast!"
Natsu and Happy immediately perked up.
"A feast?!"
"Aye sir!"
Even Naruto, who had been irritated only moments ago, perked up at the idea of food.
Lucy sighed, letting go of her earlier frustration. "Well, I guess we did work hard…"
"You didn't even fight," Naruto reminded her.
She kicked his shin.
The waves crashed gently against the shore, the cool night air carrying the scent of salt and the fading embers of the village's celebration.
Gray walked alone, his thoughts tangled in everything that had happened. Deliora—the demon that had shaped his entire life—was dead. But it wasn't him, or even Lyon, who had delivered the final blow.
It had been an angel.
He clenched his fists, the weight of it all pressing down on his chest.
And then, in the distance, standing by the water, he saw him.
Lyon Vastia.
His former rival, his brother in all but blood, the boy who had once tried to surpass their master at all costs.
Now, he simply stood there, staring at the horizon, looking as lost as Gray felt.
Gray exhaled sharply and walked up beside him.
"You're leaving."
Lyon didn't react at first. His eyes stayed locked on the endless sea before him. "There's nothing left for me here."
Gray shoved his hands into his pockets. "You could always come back with us."
Lyon scoffed—a bitter sound, one filled with years of regret. "And do what? Pretend like I didn't just spend my life chasing revenge for something that was already out of my control?" His fingers curled into a fist. "Pretend like I wasn't blind enough to believe I was doing the right thing?"
Gray's jaw tightened. "Why, Lyon?" His voice wasn't accusing, but it wasn't soft either. "Why did you go this far?"
Lyon finally turned to look at him. His usual arrogance wasn't there—it had been stripped away, leaving only exhaustion and an emotion Gray couldn't quite place.
"I thought if I could kill Deliora myself… if I could finish what Ur started… I could finally prove I was stronger than her," Lyon admitted, his voice quieter than Gray had ever heard it. "That maybe, if I did that, I could justify her sacrifice."
Gray's breath caught.
Lyon clenched his jaw. "But in the end, I didn't even get the chance. After all our preparation, after everything my men and I did—the Moon Drip, the years of planning—it all meant nothing." His eyes darkened. "Because the moment Deliora was freed, he wasn't even given a chance to fight."
Gray didn't need to ask who.
He knew.
"An angel," Lyon muttered, his voice laced with something unreadable. "A being not even from this world came down and killed him in an instant. As if Deliora was nothing. As if all of this—Ur's sacrifice, my own training, my obsession—was meaningless." He let out a bitter chuckle. "Guess I was never going to surpass her, huh?"
Gray looked at Lyon carefully.
This wasn't the same boy who had looked down on him years ago, claiming superiority.
This was someone struggling with the weight of everything he had done.
"It wasn't meaningless," Gray finally said, voice firm.
Lyon scoffed. "Oh yeah? Then what was it?"
Gray took a step closer. "You were wrong, Lyon. About everything. But at least now, you know that. At least now, you can make things right."
Lyon's lips pressed into a thin line. "...How?"
Gray sighed, looking up at the sky. "Ur would tell you to keep moving forward." He turned back to Lyon, smirking slightly. "So, what are you gonna do about it?"
Lyon exhaled, his shoulders relaxing just a bit. "I… I don't know."
Gray gave him a half-smile. "Then figure it out. And when you do…" He extended his fist forward. "We'll fight."
Lyon blinked.
Then, after a pause, his lips twitched into a small smirk.
"Tch. You still think you can keep up with me?"
Gray's smirk widened. "I know I can."
Lyon let out a short chuckle, bumping his fist against Gray's. "...Fine."
The moment passed between them, unspoken but understood.
Not a goodbye.
Just a promise.
For next time.
The feast lasted until morning.
Naruto leaned against a tree, watching as his idiotic guildmates ate and drank like they hadn't been screaming about wanting a fight just hours ago.
Mira and Erza had eventually joined, though Erza kept a sharp eye on Akeno, who had been sneaking suspiciously close to Naruto throughout the night.
Lucy had finally stopped sulking—though she made it very clear that she was still mad about missing a battle.
Naruto sighed, tilting his head up toward the stars.
One problem solved.
A thousand more waiting.
The Fate of this world was shifting.
And Naruto wasn't sure if he liked it.
The mirror-like waters of a secluded lake reflected the silver light of the moon, but Ultear Milkovich wasn't admiring the view.
She stood at the water's edge, her arms crossed, fingers digging into her sleeves.
She had felt it.
The shift. The erasure.
Deliora was gone.
The moment its presence disappeared from this world, a crack formed in the future she had envisioned. The calculations, the contingencies—all meaningless now.
Her mind raced.
It wasn't Gray. It wasn't Lyon.
Some other force had done this.
"Who?" she whispered to the empty night, but she already knew that answer.
The ripple of divine energy, the unmistakable clash between heavenly and demonic power—this wasn't a normal battle. This wasn't something orchestrated by mere mortals.
Her hands clenched tighter.
"This wasn't supposed to happen."
She had planned for everything.
The revival of Deliora was meant to be a stepping stone—one that would secure her control over time itself. With Deliora's power, she could reshape fate, reverse tragedies, undo the suffering of those she cared about.
Now…
Now that future had been stolen from her.
Her breath came out ragged, uneven.
She needed that power.
Without it, what would happen to her plans? To everything she had built within Grimoire Heart?
To the future she was trying to protect?
Her fingers trembled before she forced them still. No.
Lamenting over what was lost wouldn't change anything.
Ultear lifted her gaze to the night sky.
If a power strong enough to erase Deliora had interfered… then she needed to find it.
To control it.
To bend it to her will.
Because if she didn't—if she allowed unknown forces to dictate fate—then her dream of reshaping the world into one where she and those she cherished could be free…
Would remain nothing more than a fantasy.
And Ultear Milkovich refused to accept that.
She took one last look at the water before turning away.
Her path had changed, but the destination remained the same.
A soft hum filled the air, delicate yet haunting.
Seated before a grand silver mirror, Gabriel brushed her golden waves absentmindedly, her fingers gliding through the silken strands as she hummed a song older than time itself.
It was a song of tragedy. A song of war.
A song about a hero who fought the world to protect a goddess—one who had been deemed a threat, feared by all.
How ironic, she thought.
Her lips curled into a soft pout as she stared at her reflection. The glow of her pristine halo flickered gently, casting divine light across the luxurious chamber. Her room—her prison.
From her balcony, she could see Eden, the capital of Heaven. The golden city stretched endlessly beneath the celestial sky, an eternal paradise untouched by war. And yet…
She had never felt more trapped.
A soft knock pulled her from her thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing Michael.
Gabriel beamed. "Onii-sama! You should have told me you were coming. I would have prepared tea!"
Michael didn't return her smile. Instead, he stepped inside, his silver cloak billowing softly as he closed the door behind him.
"We need to talk," he said.
Gabriel tilted her head, sensing the heavy weight in his voice. "What is it, Onii-sama?"
Michael studied her for a moment. His sister—his beloved Gabriel, the purest among them—was so happy. So blissfully unaware of the storm that loomed on the horizon.
For a brief second, he considered lying. But the burden of leadership had long since stolen his ability to sugarcoat the truth.
"Your contractor, Lucy. How is she treating you?"
Gabriel's face instantly brightened.
"She is wonderful! I have met so many people, Onii-sama. Lucy-sama is strong and kind, and Akeno-san is a little mischievous but fun! And Naruto-kun—"
Michael's face hardened.
"Gabriel…" His voice dropped, laced with authority. "These devils—"
She frowned. "What about them? Their names are Naruto-kun and Akeno-san, not just 'devils.'"
Michael clenched his jaw.
He had hoped she wouldn't become so attached.
But he should have known.
Of course, it had to be Naruto.
Michael exhaled slowly, preparing himself for the pain he was about to cause her.
"I want you to stay away from them," he declared. "Especially that Naruto."
The words shattered the warmth in her expression.
Gabriel blinked. "W-What?"
Michael turned his back to her, staring at the ornate carvings on her chamber walls. "You will not return to Earthland. Until the situation with Trihexia is under control, you are to remain in Heaven."
Gabriel shot to her feet. "But Onii-sama—! What about Lucy-sama?! What if she needs me?!"
Michael's eyes softened. He hadn't expected her to plead.
He hesitated—but only for a moment.
"There will be no further discussion."
His voice was final.
And then he was gone, the door closing behind him with a soft click.
Gabriel stood frozen, her chest rising and falling unevenly as her entire world collapsed.
Her hands trembled.
It wasn't fair.
Just when she had finally found friends—people who treated her like more than just a holy being, people who laughed with her, played with her, made her feel human—she was being ripped away.
Her eyes stung. Her fingers clutched at her chest as an unfamiliar ache spread through her.
It hurt.
It hurt more than anything she had ever felt before.
"...Naruto-kun…"
She whispered his name, longing for his warmth. His presence.
She had never been away from him for this long.
And she hated it.
She hated it.
A quiet shudder ran through her body. Her golden wings twitched, and for the first time, her halo flickered.
Michael, still standing just beyond the door, exhaled heavily.
Hearing her cry broke him.
But this was for her own good.
Or so he told himself.
With one last glance at the closed door, he turned and walked away.
He never saw it.
The moment her pure white halo flashed red.
New content starts here, a brand new fresh direction, well kinda. I need to tie this up to canon so that it wouldn't be a mess. A proper direction with a little bit of extra lore.