Despite an entire week passing since Akeno had broken up with Issei, nothing had improved. Naruto had offered his support where he could, but really, it wasn't like he could do much. He didn't have experience with break ups. The only relationships he'd been in was with Rias, and before that, with Shion—and his relationship with Shion had been completely unconventional.
Naruto still remembered how he'd met Shion. He'd been sent on a mission to the Land of Demons where Shion, a priestess who could predict the deaths of her followers with 100% accuracy, had been under attack by minions of a great demon named Mōryō. Journeying through the land with her, he and Shion eventually defeated Mōryō and broke the curse that had bound her life as a priestess. Afterward, Naruto had promised to help her create the next priestess.
From that moment, their relationship had changed. Shion had taken great pains to keep in touch, and Naruto, eager to remain friends, had constantly written back. When the day had come that Shion needed to create a new priestess, Naruto had been sent back to the Land of Demons, where an eager Shion had been waiting for him.
He hadn't realized what creating a priestess entailed until that moment. Perhaps he should have, but Naruto had always assumed that creating a new priestess involved some kind of ritual in which Shion gave her powers to another person. In a way that was how it went. The difference was that Shion wasn't giving her powers away so much as they left of their own volition.
Naruto still remembered how embarrassed he'd been that first night, when Shion had taken him to her room and began stripping off her clothes. He'd panicked and tried to escape because he hadn't realized what she was doing. It took a stubborn Shion nearly two hours to out stubborn him. By that point in time, they'd both been exhausted and gone to sleep without creating a new priestess. It hadn't been until the second night that she and Naruto consummated their relationship.
He would admit that he still thought about Shion a lot. He'd often wonder if she was okay, if she was safe, if she was happy, if their child was growing up well. There were times when he felt guilty. As someone who'd grown up alone, he understood how much it sucked not having your parents there. His only consolation was that his child wasn't alone, though he also disliked the idea of not being there to raise her with Shion.
Of course, his relationship with Shion was nothing like Issei's relationship with Akeno. He and Shion hadn't broken up. Forces beyond his control had thrown him into another world, and with no viable way back, there simply wasn't a method of returning. Akeno had dumped Issei for reasons that he couldn't discern. It seemed almost random, as if she'd dated him, trained him, and then dumped him when she'd gotten bored.
Akeno was something of a mystery to Naruto. He didn't spend any time with her outside of club activities, or rather, outside of their devil duties. She had a decent wit and was kind of fun to talk to, but she'd never been what he would consider his type, so he never bothered trying to get closer to her.
Looking around the occult clubroom, the new division had never been more clear to him. While he sat with Ravel, Koneko, and Irina on one couch, Issei and Asia sat on another. Both of them were quiet—too quiet. Normally, they would have been merrily chatting with each other while Akeno teased them both. Now, they barely spoke at all. At least the red rims around Asia's eyes, no doubt spent from hours of crying, were gone. Even though he wasn't that close to her, it still hurt to see such a kind girl look so heartbroken.
Standing several meters away was Akeno. She remained apart from everyone, separated by an invisible boundary. Even Kiba, who leaned against the couch that Issei and Asia were sitting on, had never appeared that unapproachable. Before now, Akeno had always stood by Rias, acting in her capacity as Queen. These days, there seemed to be a line separating even those two. Naruto sometimes wondered if that was his fault. It had been his relationship with Rias that caused the redhead to spend more time with him than her best friend.
"It's taken a lot longer than we thought it would to get this far, but I have some news for all of you," Rias began. "In one week's time, the Gremory and Shitri groups will be traveling to the underworld to participate in the Three Factions Rating Game."
"Is this what Sirzechs has been working on?" Kiba asked.
Rias nodded. "It is. With the help of Beelzebub, the angels now have a method of resurrecting humans like we devils do. It's called the Brave Saints System. Irina was actually the first human to have been resurrected through this method."
Everyone looked over at Irina, who, realizing that she was the center of attention, turned cherry red.
"I didn't know that you had been resurrected as an angel," Naruto said.
"Ah… that's just because it never came up in our conversations," Irina admitted. "I'm sorry for not telling you."
"It's fine. I'm not upset, just surprised." Naruto paused. "Was your friend offered the same opportunity?"
"She was, but…" Irina, smiling sadly, shrugged. "… as you know she didn't take it."
Irina had a friend, Xenovia, who'd been her partner during the incident with Kokabiel. Naruto didn't know much about her friend, other than that Xenovia had gotten into an argument with the Church and stormed out on them. There had been no word on what she was doing now.
For the longest time, Irina had kept this information to herself, but last week, she had confided in Naruto about how worried she was for her friend. He wished he could help her. Part of him had thought about going on a journey to search for Xenovia, but the greater part realized that finding a single person in this world was probably impossible. Besides, his place was by Rias's side.
"What of the fallen?" asked Ravel. "As far as I'm aware, they do not have a system like our Evil Piece or the angel's Brave Saints. How are they going to participate?"
"Azazel has worked something out," Rias answered. "I have no idea what he's done, but supposedly, he's created something that will work in a similar manner to the Evil Piece System. I don't know much about it, but my brother told me that it's just a method of creating peerages and can't resurrect humans into fallen angels."
"Is the rating game the reason why Metatron hasn't been around lately?" Naruto asked.
"Probably," Rias said. "Metatron is the Voice of God, so he's an important member of the Seraphim. I believe he's helping Michael with something."
Naruto nodded noncommittally and turned to Irina. She saw his look and shook her head. "I don't know anything about why Lord Metatron hasn't been home, though it wouldn't surprise me if he is helping out Lord Michael. Ah! Lord Metatron, your devotion to Heaven is an inspiration to us all!"
Irina clasped her hands together as if she was praying, her eyes sparkling like stars on a night sky. Naruto stared at her for several seconds longer, and then turned away. He liked Irina, but she was kind of weird.
"Anyway." Rias clapped her hands to gather the everyone's attention. "It's going to be a busy week. There are a lot of things that we need to do to get ready, and I believe it's time to finally introduce all of you to the last member of our family."
"So, we're introducing them to Gasper," Kiba murmured. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, Gaster is…"
"It will be fine," Rias assured him. "Actually, it was my brother who suggested it."
"Um, pardon me." Naruto raised his hand like a child sitting in a classroom. "Who's Gasper?"
"Gasper is a member of our peerage," Rias answered. "I'll introduce him to all you today."
~Devil Ninja~
Rias had led them to a basement located within the old school building.
"I had no idea that we had a basement," Naruto muttered as they walked along wooden tiles. "How come I haven't heard of this until now?"
"My brother was the one who sealed this place," Rias told him. "There was actually a barrier around the basement, though it was destroyed during the peace conference. It was never restored because I wanted to come down and visit. However, before that, it was blocked off so no one could enter."
This was the first time Naruto was hearing about this, though that didn't necessarily surprise him. While he and Rias did a lot together, it wasn't like they didn't have a life outside of each other. Naruto spent a lot of time with Koneko, Ravel, Irina, and Ophis. He'd also been sparring regularly with Kiba (he used to spar with Issei, too, but Issei was spending more time at home these days). And Rias had her work. As a King and the sister of a maou, she had a lot of responsibilities. Ever since the peace conference, she'd been attending meetings, helping schedule events, and aiding the angels and fallen who wanted to take up residence in Kuoh. With such full schedules, Naruto supposed it was only natural that they wouldn't know everything about each other.
Still, he was surprised that this was the first time he'd heard about Rias having another person within her peerage. He wondered why no one had ever mentioned Gasper before now.
Reaching the end of the hallway, they came upon a large door… which had dozens of locks, chains, caution tape, and a powerful barrier sealing it off. Naruto could feel the sweat trickling down his neck as he stared at the numerous locking mechanisms designed to keep people out.
"Um, isn't all that going a little overboard?" Irina asked.
"No," Koneko said. "If you knew Gasper, you'd realize that all of this is necessary."
Naruto and Irina looked at each other, their thoughts mirrored in the other's expression. Was Gasper really so dangerous that they needed to lock him away?
Rias began the laborious process of removing the caution tape, chains, locks, and barrier. Naruto really had to wonder: Did Rias do this every time she visited Gasper? It seemed like such a hassle.
When the last barrier had finally been removed, Rias opened the door and stepped in.
The room was dark. It took several seconds for Naruto's eyes to adjust, but when they did, he realized that the interior space was quite large. There also wasn't much in the way of furniture. A desk with a computer sat in one corner of the room, there were a few boxes scattered about here and there, along with plastic snack bags, and a coffin, of all things, sat against the wall farthest from the door. Amidst all this, a single figure was present.
"Gasper," Rias greeted with a gentle smile. "Come here and let me introduce you to everyone."
"NNNNOOOOOOOO! THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE!"
Ravel and Irina stumbled back as the figure shrieked. Naruto caught them both in his arms. While he let go of Irina, whose flushed cheeks made him think she was uncomfortable being in close proximity with him, he kept an arm wrapped around Ravel.
Rias flinched. "Gasper… please come out. I want to introduce you to the rest of my peerage."
"NNNOOOOO! I WANT TO STTAAAAYYY HERE! SHUT THE DOOR AND LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON'T WANT TO BE NEAR ALL THESE PPPEEEOOOPPPLLEEE!"
Squinting his eyes, Naruto could barely make out Gasper within the darkness. She wore the standard Kuoh Academy uniform, a red skirt, white collared shirt, and a dark shoulder cape that was attached to a brazier-like article, which flared out over the skirt. Porcelain skinned and red eyed, she looked quite young—probably about fourteen or so, Naruto guessed.
"So… this is Gasper?" Naruto pondered out loud.
"Yep," Koneko said.
"Huh," Issei, holding hands with Asia, spoke for the first time in several hours. "Isn't Gasper kind of an odd name for a girl?"
"Gasper isn't a girl," Rias told him.
"Oh." Issei pounded his left fist into his right palm. "I see, Gasper isn't a—wait. What?"
Naruto pointed at Issei with his free hand. "I'm with Ise. What?"
Rias knelt down next to Gasper and held out her arms. Like a young child seeking comfort from a mother, Gasper buried herself—or rather, himself—into Rias's arms and bosoms. Naruto felt a moment of envy. Since Akeno had dumped Issei, Rias had been so busy that they hadn't spent much time together. It had been nearly a week since he'd buried his face into her breasts.
He shook the jealousy off with a sigh. Now wasn't the time for that.
"Gasper is my bishop. He's a half-vampire with an extremely powerful Sacred Gear. However, because I wasn't strong enough to help him control his power, Gasper was sealed away."
"I like it in here," Gasper said, his voice muffled by Rias's breasts. Naruto twitched. "It's nice and dark and there are no people in here."
"But Gasper, don't you want to go into the outside world?" Rias asked.
"NNNOOOOOO!" Gasper screamed. "I WANT TO STAY IN HEEERRREE! DON'T MAKE ME GO OUTSIIIIIDDEEE!"
~Devil Ninja~
The group left Gasper Vladi, who refused to go outside, despite Rias's attempts to convince him. A disheartened Rias had left several minutes ago for another meeting. Akeno had gone with her, though she'd looked quite reluctant. Naruto wondered if Rias had been talking to Akeno about what happened with Issei. The clear division between the two seemed to indicate tension—at least to him.
Asia and Issei had gone home. Naruto didn't blame them. Kiba was still there, though he looked like a fifth wheel, sitting alone on the opposite couch while he, Irina, Koneko, and Ravel all sat on the same couch.
"So, that was Gasper," Naruto said as he tenderly stroked Koneko's ears. "Have you two met him before now?"
"Yeeeepppp," Koneko murmured with a purr. She seemed quite content to sit on his lap and be pampered. Ravel looked annoyed.
"I've only met him once before," Kiba admitted. "I'm sure you've noticed, but Gasper is a hikikomori."
Hikikomori was a Japanese term. It was basically used to describe a person who was reclusive and didn't like social interactions in real life. Naruto wasn't very familiar with the term, but he'd learned about it thanks to the boat loads of anime that Rias had made him watch.
"He did seem pretty frightened of everyone," Irina added.
"Gasper is a half-vampire," Koneko said. "Half-vampires have a history of being discriminated against by humans and other vampires."
Discrimination. It seemed like no matter which world or dimension that he found himself in, there were always people who hated others for issues that were beyond their control. It made Naruto wonder if he would ever find a place where problems like this didn't exist. Could he truly build a world where everyone understood each other when crap like this was going on?
Try not to get disheartened, brat. If you lose confidence now, the world that you and your sensei strived to create will never be anything more than a pipe dream.
I know…
Naruto stopped petting Koneko. Before she could get angry at him, he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and setting his chin on her head. Her chakra quickly calmed down, as if she had sensed his need for comfort.
Her cheeks puffing up, a red-faced Ravel quickly scooted over and leaned against him. When everyone's head turned to her, the redness on her cheeks became even more red.
"W-w-what are you people looking at? N-Naruto-sama is my, um, he and I are together, so it's only natural that I would offer him comfort when he needs it."
"Yakitori is really tsundere."
"You shut up!"
"Back to Gasper," Irina said. "Is there anything we can do to get him outside? I mean, doesn't Rias kind of need him for when we go to the underworld?"
Kiba seemed to think about that. "Well, she doesn't necessarily need him, per se, but since we're going to be playing in a series of rating games, having Gasper's power would be beneficial."
"What sort of power does he have?" Asked Ravel.
"It's called Forbidden Balor View," Koneko explained. "It's a Sacred Gear that allows him to temporarily stop time."
"Sounds like a powerful ability," Ravel said. "I can see why Rias-sama would want him to come with her. A power like that is a game changer in Rating Games. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least ten different ways this power can be used to defeat opponents that are more powerful than the user."
"Right." Koneko nodded. "However, because it's so powerful, Gaspy doesn't have full control over it. I don't know how long he can stop time, but I do know it's not very long."
"Training can fix that," Naruto said. "Anyway, let's not worry about this right now. I'm hungry and I want ramen."
Koneko stared up at him. "You always want ramen."
"There's nothing wrong with wanting to eat ramen," Naruto defended. "Ramen is the food of the gods."
"W-would you like me to make some ramen for you when we get home?" Ravel asked.
"Would you?"
"I-if Naruto-sama wants me to…"
"Thanks, Ravel. You're the best. I love you!"
Poof!
Fire burst from Ravel's head as she toppled to the floor.
"Now look at what you've done," Koneko said. "You've made her faint."
"Oh, crap! Ravel! Wake up, Ravel!"
As the scene devolved into chaos, with Naruto attempting to revive an unconscious Ravel and Koneko poking her with a stick that she'd found, Kiba looked at Irina.
"Does this happen often?" He asked.
"All the time," Irina said with a fond smile.
~Devil Ninja~
Issei returned home with Asia.
Home felt empty without Akeno there. She'd been such a strong presence for him, someone that he both loved and looked up to, that her absence had left a hole within him.
I can't think like that… I need to be strong.
As expected, Asia had taken Akeno's leaving just as hard. The first two nights, she had cried herself to sleep. He remembered holding her in his arms as her tears soaked his clothes and skin. He needed to be strong for her. He couldn't allow himself to fall into despair.
"We're home," Issei said as he and Asian took off their shoes.
His mother stepped into the hallway, wearing a plain black apron. "Oh, Ise-kun! Asia-chan! Lunch will be ready in just a minute. Why don't you two come in and sit down."
Issei took Asia by the hand and entered the dining room, which was connected to a massive kitchen that looked like something from a four-star resort. He and Asia both blinked upon finding Raynare, sitting on the kitchen floor, her face, hair, and apron covered in a sticky white substance.
"What are you two looking at?" Raynare asked with a snarl.
"I'm just hoping that stuff on you isn't what I think it is," Issei admitted.
"For your information, this is mayonnaise." Raynare scowled as she stood up.
"U-um… Raynare-san," Asia started timidly, "may I ask why, um, why…"
While Asia couldn't quite finish her sentence, likely because of the vicious expression that Raynare was wearing, the fallen angel seemed to have no trouble figuring out what she wanted to ask. Issei thought he saw Raynare blush for a second, but it must have been his imagination.
"I was trying to make lunch," she stated imperiously.
They stared at her.
Raynare looked away. "I've never made lunch before."
"So I see," Asia mumbled.
"Oh, dear," Issei's mom swept into the room. "Did you have some trouble, Raynare dear?"
"No," Raynare mumbled as she tried to wipe off the mayonnaise. "It was that stupid jars fault."
Issei looked at the "stupid jar." Sweat broke out on his neck. It wasn't just the mayonnaise that had caused a problem. The kitchen beyond the counter was a wreck. Plates were smashed, jars were opened and spilled over. What Issei guessed were sandwiches—guessed because they looked nothing like sandwiches—looked like they'd been mutilated by a rabid animal. There was lettuce, bread, cheese, and various vegetables strewn all over the counter and floor.
It looks like a tornado went through here.
"What happened here?"
"Like I said, this is my first time trying to make anything," Raynare defended.
"Even if that was the case, there shouldn't be this big of a mess with Mom helping you."
"Oh, I didn't help her at all. Raynare-chan said that she could do it herself."
"And you believed her?!"
"I-I'll help Raynare-san clean up." Asia rushed into the kitchen and put on an apron. "Raynare-san, if you want, I can show you how to make sandwiches after we clean this up."
Raynare huffed and crossed her arms. "I don't really care about making sandwiches, but I won't stop you if you really want to do it."
For the first time since Akeno had left them, Asia smiled. "T-then let's please work together, Raynare-san."
"Whatever."
"Ise-kun," his mother said, "why don't you take a seat in the living room while these two cute girls prepare you lunch."
"Um, okay…"
Issei's mother had her memory of Akeno-sama—Akeno—erased. He didn't know when it happened, but Akeno must have had done it before breaking up with him. The thought depressed him, though he didn't let anyone see it.
As he sat down on the couch, his cell phone started to ring. He answered it. "Hello?"
"Isei," Naruto greeted. "Are you free tomorrow?"
"Um, I'm not doing anything. Why?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to help me with our hikikomoro problem," Naruto said. Issei could practically feel the grin in his voice.
~Devil Ninja~
The next day, Naruto, Kiba, and Issei met up at the occult clubroom.
"So, what is it that you wanted help with?" Kiba asked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Yeah," Issei added, "you mentioned something about helping with our 'hikikomori problem.'"
Naruto grinned. "As you two know, Gasper won't come out of his room. But with the ratings games coming up next week, we'll need every advantage possible, and Gasper is an important member of our peerage. Not only will having an extra bishop give us a big advantage, but he shouldn't be locking himself away like this."
Kiba rubbed his jaw. "So, basically, what you want to do is convince him to come out from his room."
"Yep."
"How are we supposed to help with that?" asked Issei.
"I was thinking about that yesterday," Naruto said, crossing his arms and adopting what he hoped was a sage-like appearance. "I believe that the three of us are the only ones who can help him overcome his problems, and that is because… we are men!"
Kiba and Issei looked nonplussed.
"Um, what?" Issei asked.
"Think about it? What bond is stronger than a bond of brothers?" Naruto asked rhetorically. "If we can form a strong bond with him, then he'd want to come out and spend time with us, right? Everyone wants to spend time with their family and friends."
While Kiba looked somewhat thoughtful, Issei didn't look convinced. "Uh… I'm not sure that's going to work. In case you didn't realize it, he was dressed up as a she."
"So?" Naruto countered. "He's still a boy. I think he just needs strong male role models—and we fit that bill easily. We've got the pretty boy."
"I assume you're talking about me," said an amused Kiba.
"The pervert."
"Hey!" Issei shouted.
"And me, the invincible and perfect Naruto-sama," Naruto finished. "I think we can do it."
"I think you have an overinflated opinion of yourself," Kiba shot back.
"I agree," Issei added.
Naruto didn't mind their jab and simply looked at them. "So, are you two in?" He stuck out his hand.
Kiba and Issei looked at each other, and then placed their hands on top of his.
"We're in," they said.
~Devil Ninja~
Naruto had asked Rias to leave the door to Gasper's room unsealed, so entering was an easy matter.
"NNNOOOOOOO!"
Getting Gasper out of his damn box was another matter entirely.
"Come on, Gasper," Naruto said. "Let's spruce this place up a bit. It's a complete mess. Even I'm not this bad."
"I LIKE MY ROOOM THE WAY IT ISSSSSSS!"
"What, you mean you enjoy having all this garbage everywhere?"
"YEEESSSSS!"
From the moment they had entered his room, Gasper had hidden himself inside of his cardboard box. Naruto had thought about dragging him out. However, he'd decided against it after a little bit of thinking. Gasper probably wouldn't be very receptive to building brotherly bonds if Naruto bullied him.
"But, don't you wanna come out and spend time with us?" Issei asked.
"NNNOOOO! I JUST WANT TO STAY IN MY BOOOOOXXXX!"
Naruto frowned. This was going to be a lot more difficult than he thought it would be.
The door opened again and Koneko strolled into the room with Ravel. She was carrying something behind her back.
"I heard about what you're trying to do," Koneko said. "I can help get Gaspie out of that box."
"You can?" Naruto asked. "How?"
"Watch and learn."
Koneko walked up to Gasper, who was still huddled in his box. She smiled…
"Gaspie, I have a present for you."
… and then she dumped two handfuls of garlic in his box.
"NNOOOOOO! KONEKO, YOU KNOW I HATE GARLIC!"
Gasper leapt out of the box. Naruto was surprised when Koneko didn't grab him, but he easily rushed over to the half-vampire and grabbed him by the shirt. He lifted Gasper into the air and sighed.
"Just where are you trying to run to?"
… There was a prolonged pause.
"What?" Gasper looked befuddled.
"What do you mean what? You were trying to run away, weren't you?"
"T-that's not what I meant. H-how are you… you should be frozen!"
"Frozen?"
Gasper's words confused Naruto. Why would he be frozen? It wasn't until he looked at his comrades that Naruto realized that, indeed, everyone else was frozen solid. It didn't take long for him to reach a conclusion.
"I see. This is Forbidden Balor View, isn't it?"
"T-that's right," Gasper said. He wasn't shouting anymore. Naruto wondered if he was too shocked to shout.
"I see."
Naruto set Gasper down and studied the other people.
Suddenly, he grinned.
"Say, Gasper," Naruto started, "How would you like to play a prank on everybody here?"
Gasper hesitated. "A prank?"
"A very fun prank," Naruto added, his grin widening.
~Devil Ninja~
Naruto and Gasper were hiding within Gasper's coffin when Forbidden Balor View's time stopping effects wore off.
"H-hey, where did Gasper go?" Issei asked.
"Naruto-sama is gone, too!" Ravel exclaimed.
"Pffftttt!"
"Oi! What are you laughing at, pretty boy?!"
"I'm sorry, Ise, but… your face!"
"My face? What's wrong with my face."
"There's a dildo on it," Koneko said, her voice bland, though Naruto detected the humor in it.
"Eh? EEEHHHHH?! What happened?! Why is this thing on my face?!"
"I don't know, but it looks like you're not the only one who has something on their face," Kiba said, humming. "Well, at least mine isn't a dildo… though I'm not very fond of eyeshadow."
"W-what happened to my face?!" Ravel shrieked. "It's covered in white stuff!"
"Maybe someone shot cum all over you," Koneko suggested.
"W-wh-wha—shut up! I don't wanna hear that from someone who has 'pet the pussy' written all over their face!"
"I think we've been pranked," Koneko said. "This has Naruto written all over it."
"W-why would Naruto-sama—"
"Because he thought it was funny."
"I vote for finding Naruto and paying him back," Issei said.
"Agreed," Kiba added.
Naruto and Gasper listened as the group continued to talk. Their footsteps receded, and then the doors closed. Naruto waited several seconds more before lifting the coffin's lid and stepping outside.
"That was fun," he chuckled. "It's been so long since I've played a good prank."
"I-I still don't understand," Gasper said, his eyes wide. "How are you able to move when I freeze time?"
"Hm… I suspect it's because of how your powers work." Naruto cupped his chin and adopted a thoughtful pose. "I'm guessing that Forbidden Balor View only works on opponents with a certain level of power. Basically, I'm simply so much more powerful than you that your Sacred Gear doesn't work on me."
"Oh!"
"Right. So now you don't have to be afraid of freezing me." Kneeling down until he was eye level with Gasper, Naruto offered the boy a grin. "So how about it. Wanna go outside with me now?"
"I… I don't know." Gasper hesitated. "I don't like going outside. The outside is scary."
"You know, I heard about how half-vampires are discriminated against," Naruto said. "I understand how you feel. When I was younger, everyone in my old home hated me because of something that happened to me when I was a baby."
Thanks, Fuzzball.
Love ya, brat.
"R-really?"
"Yep. However, I never let that get me down. Even though I was hated, I kept working hard and eventually gained the acceptance of everyone. If you work hard, too, I'm sure that you can make something of yourself." Naruto stood up and held out his hand. "So how about it? Wanna become something awesome?"
Gasper hesitated a second longer, and then he took Naruto's hand.
This was easier than I thought it would be, Naruto thought to himself.
~Devil Ninja~
"NOOOOOOO! I WAS WRONG! THE OUTSIDE IS SCARY!"
"Come back, Gaspie! You told us that you wanted to be stronger. Eating these will make you stronger."
"LEAVE ME ALONE, KONEKOOOO! YOU KNOW I HATE GARLIC!"
Naruto sat on the couch in the occult clubroom as Koneko tortured Gasper by trying to feed him garlic. Sitting by his side, Ravel leaned against him, her face a blushing mess as he kept his arm wrapped loosely around her waist. He wondered if she was embarrassed because of the proximity, or because he was stroking her thigh.
"Aren't you going to stop Koneko?" Kiba asked.
Naruto shook his head. "No, I think this will be a good experience for him. Gasper must learn how to overcome his fears. Besides, Koneko just wants to help out."
"Come back and eat your veggies, Gaspie."
"NOOOOO! LEAVE ME ALONE! I WANNA GO BACK IN MY BOX!"
"Yep," Naruto continued, "I'm sure Koneko is just trying to be helpful."
"I… not to disagree with you, Naruto-sama, but I think she's just being mean," Ravel said.
Before Naruto could respond, the doors swung open and Azazel walked into the room. He was wearing a wide grin as he observed the chase between Koneko and Gasper.
"It looks like something fun is happening in here. Why wasn't I invited to this party?"
"Because you're supposed to be busy helping plan the rating game," Naruto said. "Do you need something?"
"Not particularly," Azazel admitted. "I just came to see the Red Dragon Emperor and the holder of Forbidden Valor View."
Koneko stopped chasing Gasper, allowing the poor half-vampire to collapse to the floor. Azazel glanced at the exhausted hikikomori, and then looked at Issei. He reached into his sleeve and tossed something to Issei, then repeated his action but tossed it to Naruto instead.
Catching the object with his free hand, Naruto glanced at what appeared to be a golden band. It didn't look like anything particularly special.
"What's this?"
"Those wristbands are an invention that I've made. I've heard that the holder of Forbidden Valor View doesn't have full control over his powers, and that the Red Dragon Emperor can only use his Balance Breaker for several minutes. That wristband will extend the time that you can use your powers and give you complete control."
"Sounds nifty," Naruto said. Koneko, after poking the tired Gasper, walked over to Naruto and sat down on his other side.
"It is very nifty," Azazel agreed.
"Azazel," Rias said, frowning as she entered the room. "What are you doing here—Gasper?!"
Rushing over to Gasper, Rias knelt down and fretted over the lump of exhausted flesh that had once been known as Gasper.
"A-are you all right? Speak to me, Gasper!"
"So… tired…" Gasper mumbled.
~Devil Ninja~
Naruto had purloined Koneko's aid in helping Gasper train in using Forbidden Balor View. Ravel was also present, but she stood off to the side. Naruto was sure that the only reason she'd stuck around was because, with Rias busy, he and Koneko were the people she felt comfortable around.
"Come on, Gaspie. You need to stop the ball."
"NNOOOOOO!"
This involved Koneko using her strength as a rook to lob dodge balls at Gasper, whose job was to use Forbidden Balor View to stop only the time of the ball and nothing else. More often than not, he would usually stop everything except for Naruto. That being said, he was getting better.
Koneko blinked when, after throwing the ball, her entire arm froze. She frowned. Looking at the arm, she tried to move it, her muscles straining, but it was to no avail. The arm was frozen solid.
"Uwa!"
Unfortunately, the ball wasn't. It smacked Gasper in the face, knocking him to the ground, where he began to bawl his eyes out.
"I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE!"
"Stop being such a whimp," Koneko said.
Naruto sighed. "I think you're being a little harsh on him."
"I think I agree with Naruto-sama," Ravel admitted.
"You're both whimps."
As Ravel and Koneko argued, Naruto knelt down beside Gasper and placed a hand against the boy's face. Gasper flinched, but only until the healing spell that Naruto had cast took effect.
"Better?" Naruto asked.
Gasper sniffled a bit. "Yes."
"Glad to hear it."
Naruto frowned as the spell wavered. He'd decided to learn devil healing magic because he couldn't use healing jutsu, but while healing magic was easier, he still wasn't very good at it. Small injuries were about all he could fix.
"You've improved a lot in the past few hours. You can now freeze just the ball once out of every twenty times. I think we can stop here."
"Aw, that's too bad," Koneko said, tossing a dodgeball up and down. "I wanted to play with Gaspie some more."
Gasper squealed.
~Devil Ninja~
This had been the most stressful week of Rias's life. It was even more stressful than the time where she and her peerage had nearly been killed during the missing Excaliburs fiasco. That had been bad, as had the week after it, yet that time hadn't given her the amount of stress that she'd felt now.
First among her problems was all of the extra work that had been loaded onto her. Being the daughter of the Gremory family, the younger sister of Sirzechs, someone who'd taken part in the fight against Kokabiel, and a person who'd helped defend the peace conference, the powers that be had decided to give her more responsibilities.
For the past month, she'd been helping Sirzechs and the other leaders negotiate the peace treaty. This was on top of helping devils, angels, and fallen angels wishing to move here find living arrangements. She also still had her duties as the overseer of Kuoh, which gave her hours of paperwork on its own. All this combined meant she was rarely home.
I miss being able to cuddle with Naruto and watch anime…
She also missed having sex, but that was another matter entirely.
Of course, her biggest issue was none of these. It was…
"I brought you some tea, Rias," Akeno said as she set the tray of tea on the desk.
"Thank you, Akeno."
She still hadn't spoken to Akeno about Issei. Even though she wanted to help the two reconcile, she didn't want to be seen as an annoyance who was trying to butt into their relationship. Because of this, she'd kept her distance so she wouldn't blurt out something she'd regret later. However, she also knew that things couldn't go on like this. It could affect their unity as a peerage.
"Akeno…"
"I know what you're going to ask, Rias," Akeno interrupted. "You want to know why I broke up with Ise-kun."
"… Yes…"
"Has anyone ever told you that you're nosy."
Rias frowned. "Considering you're a member of my peerage and, more importantly, someone I've loved as a sister for years, I think it's my right to be nosy."
"I guess."
Chuckling, Akeno offered her a self-deprecating smile before she turned around. Walking over to the window, she placed a hand on the glass and stared at the world beyond.
"When I first started dating Ise-kun, my idea was to turn him into perfect boyfriend material. Unlike Naruto, Issei was malleable. He didn't have your boyfriend's stubbornness, which appealed to me. I thought to myself, 'if I can make him mine now, then I can have someone who will stay with me when you grow distant.'"
"You mean when I got with Naruto, don't you?"
Still looking out of the window, Akeno nodded. "Everyone could see it coming. You two connected on a fundamental level from the very moment you met. We all knew that it would only be a matter of time before you two started dating. I've spent almost six years serving you, being the person who is closest to you. However, I knew that when you and Naruto became a couple, my position would be usurped."
Rias would have liked to deny what Akeno said, but she couldn't. Ever since Naruto had become her boyfriend, her priorities had shifted. She'd begun spending more time with Naruto, and Akeno had all but disappeared from her life except during club activities and training. Thinking on it, it was no wonder that Akeno had decided to make Issei her boyfriend.
Akeno continued talking. "Of course, I knew that Ise-kun and Asia-chan had feelings for each other, but I also knew that it wouldn't be a problem. Ise-kun wanted a harem, and Asia-chan just wanted to be with Ise-kun. Besides, I don't mind a little lesbian action, and Asia-chan is really fun to tease."
"Why did you break it off?" Rias asked. "It sounds like you had a really good thing going, and I know that Asia and Ise love you. Is it because of Raynare?"
Shaking her head, Akeno turned back to Rias. "No. Raynare was just a convenient excuse. In truth, I think it was my own guilt that caused me to break up with Ise-kun."
"I'm not sure I understand," Rias confessed.
"No," Akeno said softly, "I guess you wouldn't."
~Devil Ninja~
The week passed by in relative obscurity.
With Rias so busy, Naruto rarely ever saw her. She didn't come home until it was really late, and sometimes she didn't come home at all. The few times that he'd gone to see her, she had bags under her eyes, showing how little sleep she'd gotten. He tried to help out where he could, dealing with paperwork, helping the three faction members find apartments, and trying to be there for her. However, Rias was a stubborn girl who liked to take everything onto herself. She'd been reluctant to accept any help, and she had only given in after collapsing from exhaustion.
Issei and Asia's mood had improved a little, though that wasn't to say they'd recovered. They acted fine whenever they were out doing devil activities, namely, accepting contracts, but when Akeno appeared before them, an aura of depression seemed to radiate from all three of them. Naruto wanted to smack some sense into those three. He didn't, but that was only because he had no business interfering in their personal lives. Whatever problems they had needed to be solved by them, or any resolution they came to would be meaningless.
Raynare had been showing up more and more often. She seemed to linger around Issei and Asia, and she would occasionally help them with stuff like homework while simultaneously spewing insults at them. Her actions were always contradictory. She'd make them bento lunches, telling them that she hoped they'd choke on her food and die. Yet whenever Asia or Issei ate her food, she'd eagerly ask for their opinion.
On a side note, Raynare was a terrible cook. The first time she'd made a bento lunch, Issei really had almost died. Despite what she'd said about hoping he would choke, Raynare had panicked and stayed by his side while he recovered in the nurse's office. Naruto wondered if she had a crush on Issei, but even if she did, it wasn't any of his business.
Kiba also seemed to have picked up a few new admirers. Naruto had noticed several new girls in school who had been watching the pretty boy from a distance. They didn't seem to like Naruto very much, and they'd even confronted him once after he'd defeated Kiba in a spar. Naruto had learned that those girls were actually a mixture of angels, devils, and fallen angels who had decided to create a Kiba fanclub in honor of Kuoh's Prince. As always, Kiba himself was oblivious.
Because of how busy the week had been, Naruto wasn't able to take Ravel or Koneko on any real dates, but he had taken them out to eat on a number of occasions. Irina had also spent more time with him. She'd asked him about his past before coming to this world, which was interesting, because she hadn't actually believed that he was from another world until he'd introduced her to Kurama through a mind link. That had been an interesting first meeting.
Ophis had become a shut-in. Naruto didn't know what was going on with the little immortal dragon, but she rarely left her room these days. He'd gone to visit her several times. However, at least half of those time he'd been kicked out of her room. She was apparently doing something that she didn't want anyone to know about.
I wonder if she's picked up an embarrassing hobby…
"Are you feeling okay, Naruto-sama?"
Currently, he and Ravel were walking home from another day out. They'd gone to grab some lunch, and then went grocery shopping. He'd invited Koneko, but she had declined, stating that she had something to do.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Naruto smiled at Ravel. "I was just lost in thought."
"Were you thinking about Rias-sama?"
"Partially, but I was mostly thinking about everything that's happened in the last few days."
"Oh." Ravel looked off into the distance, her gaze thoughtful and concerned. "I've been thinking a lot about Rias-sama. She's been really busy."
"Yeah, she has."
"I want to help her."
Her words warmed Naruto's heart. Ravel had become a lot more honest with her feelings recently. He wondered if it's because they were now dating, but he didn't delude himself into thinking that he was the sole reason for her happiness.
"I think she would appreciate knowing that," Naruto said. "Though she won't have to work so hard for much longer. We're leaving for the underworld tomorrow."
"Yeah…"
"Do you have everything packed?"
"I'm almost done. I just need to pack a few more things that I plan on bringing back home."
Naruto nodded. For Ravel, going to the underworld meant returning home. From his understanding, while she would be spending some of her time with the Gremory group, she was also going to spend time with her family.
"You must be excited to see your family again."
Ravel's smile, soft and gentle, made Naruto's chest feel kind of fluttery. "I am. Actually, I was… um…"
"Hm?"
She looked away. "It's nothing."
Naruto frowned. Was she still holding out on him?
They arrived home minutes later and made their way into the kitchen. No one else was home, or so it seemed. Irina was probably wandering around here somewhere, and Ophis was likely still in her room. He didn't know where Koneko was.
After they put away the groceries, Ravel said, "Would you like me to make you some cupcakes, Naruto-Samaaa!"
Ravel's squeak was loud enough to echo through the kitchen. Naruto trapped her in an embrace. She squeaked again when he tightened his own.
"N-Naruto-sama?!"
"When we were walking home, you wanted to ask me something."
"Ah… oh, it's nothing important…"
By this point in time, Naruto felt like he knew Ravel well enough to tell when she wanted to ask something, but was too embarrassed.
"If it wasn't important, you wouldn't have said anything."
Ravel squirmed in his arms. He was behind her, but peering over her shoulder let him see how red her face was becoming. She looked like she might combust if she turned any redder.
"I just… you know that my parents live in the underworld," Ravel began.
"Yes…" Naruto wondered where she was going with this.
"The trip to the underworld will last the entire spring break. I'm going to be spending at least two days with my family, so I, well, I was wondering if you would… mind spending one of those days with me."
Naruto needed a moment to puzzle that out. "You want me to meet your family?"
"Y-you don't have to if you don't want to," Ravel said quickly. "I-I mean, it's a pretty stupid idea, so—kya!" She squeaked when Naruto buried his face into the back of her neck.
"I'm really happy."
"E-eh?"
"I'm happy that you want me to spend time with you and your family… but I'm also kind of embarrassed," Naruto admitted.
He'd actually met Ravel's parents before, but back then, he and Ravel hadn't been dating. He'd also been more worried about impressing Rias's parents. This time, he wasn't meeting Ravel's family as someone who'd demolished their son in a rating game, but as their daughter's boyfriend. He already felt the pressure.
"T-then… would you—I mean, do you want to—"
"I'd love to see your family again," Naruto said.
"Ah…"
Ravel trembled in his arms.
"Ravel?"
"It's nothing. I'm just… really happy."
Naruto turned Ravel around to face him. Her cheeks were red, but her blush had receded and no longer covered her entire face. She looked up at him, but then tilted her head down. Naruto placed a hand underneath her chin and tilted her head back up. Ravel barely had time to open her mouth before he pressed his lips against hers.
He and Ravel had shared a number of kisses this week. Ravel was a very tentative kisser. It was like she was so afraid of being a bad kisser that she hesitated when kissing.
She gasped when Naruto, taking the lead, tilted her head back further and licked her teeth. Ravel hesitated, but then she opened her mouth. Naruto felt her tongue shyly press against his. He pulled back, allowing her to enter his mouth. Ravel moaned in surprise when Naruto closed his mouth around her tongue and sucked on it.
She grabbed onto the back of his shirt as her legs gave out. Naruto wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered them both to the floor. He sat against the cabinet, placing Ravel sideways on his lap. Letting go of her tongue, he allowed her to pull back, but that was only so he could push his tongue into her mouth. Ravel's moans as their tongues became entwined made him grow hard.
"N-Naruto-sama," a blushing and breathless Ravel mumbled. "You're… poking me…"
"Sorry," Naruto apologized.
"D-don't apologize." Ravel looked away. "I-it's not like I mind… I mean, I'm, um, how do you say it? It means you… find me attractive, right? That makes me, uh, happy, so…"
Placing a hand against her cheek, Naruto rubbed circles on her skin with his thumb and gave her his brightest grin. "Of course I find you attractive. You're one of the most beautiful girls I know."
"Eh? W-w-wha—that's—y-y-you shouldn't say that so easily!"
"Ravel?"
"OOooooh! I can't—that's too—"
Poof!
Steam burst from Ravel's ears, her eyes rolled up into the back of her head, and she went limp in his grasp.
"Oh, crap!" Naruto shouted as shook Ravel, as if that would wake her up. "Come on, Ravel! Don't faint on me like that! Ravel?! Ravel!"
Sitting on the kitchen floor, with a beautiful blonde girl on his lap, Naruto wondered if Ravel would ever become used to intimacy—at least to the point where they could go further than this without her passing out. He was going to suffer from blue balls every time they made out if this kept up!
~Devil Ninja~
After putting Ravel to bed, Naruto wandered the mansion and eventually found Koneko training outside near the back.
She was using senjutsu. Her cat ears twitched and her tail writhed. She launched energy projectiles from her hands, which were coated in ethereal blue flames. As the projectiles flew through the air, Koneko made hand motions as she twirled around, controlling their trajectories like they were puppets on a string. It made him think of a beautiful dance.
Koneko ended her dance by forcing the projectiles to collide, which caused a cascade of energy sparks to fall around her like fireworks. Naruto clapped.
"You've really improved," he complimented.
"Naruto." Koneko wiped some sweat from her brow as he walked up. "I thought you were with Ravel."
"She fainted on me."
Koneko shook her head in dismay. "Typical Yakitori."
Naruto laughed sheepishly. Ravel did have a bad habit of passing out whenever things became too hot between them. He wondered if it was because of what he said, or because she wasn't used to so much stimulation.
"I wouldn't pass out if you did that to me."
Naruto froze. He and Koneko hadn't gone very far in their relationship. Actually, Naruto had been getting the feeling that Koneko had steadily moved away from him so Ravel could solidify her relationship.
"Then… why don't I take you out on a date when we go to the underworld?" Naruto suggested.
"When?"
"After we get settled in," Naruto offered.
Koneko thought about it, then slowly nodded. "It's a date."
~Devil Ninja~
It was late by the time Rias returned home.
Tomorrow, she and her peerage would be traveling to the underworld, but she hadn't even had time to pack. She'd been so busy with all of her new work that it had been two day since she'd even been home.
Rias missed everyone. She missed watching the play arguments between Ravel and Koneko. She missed talking to Irina about her ideologies and learning more about the bubbly girl. She even missed listening to Metatron put Naruto on a pedestal, along with the subsequent hilarity that ensued. Most of all, she missed Naruto.
How long had it been since she'd last been held by Naruto? How long had it been since they'd gone out and had fun? The last thing they'd done together was go to the anime convention. Her work had more or less kept her from going on any dates after that.
The living room was dark when Rias entered, though the television was still on, allowing her eyesight to adjust more easily.
Naruto was sitting on the couch. Koneko was lying with her head on his lap, and he was tenderly stroking her ears as he watched TV. It looked like he was watching a K-drama of some kind. She frowned. He should have been watching anime.
"Welcome home, Rias," Naruto said, turning from the TV and smiling at her. Rias felt her heart warmed by that smile.
"Naruto, what are you still doing up?"
"I thought that would be obvious."
It was obvious. Naruto had clearly been waiting for her to return.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome," Naruto said. "I haven't been sleeping well without you anyway."
Rias smiled as Naruto created a clone, which scooped Koneko into its arms and wandered out of the room. Naruto stood up and walked over to her. She didn't resist as he pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead.
"You look tired."
She sighed into his neck. "I'm exhausted."
"Then we should get some sleep."
Rias shook her head. "Can't. I still have to pack for tomorrow's trip."
"I've already packed everything for you."
Tension eased from her shoulders. She was surprised by how grateful she felt at his thoughtfulness. It was such a small thing, a simple gesture of kindness, yet it meant so much to her, and it lifted a huge weight that she hadn't realized existed.
Perhaps it was exhaustion, or maybe that last weight being lifted had caused her to lose the battle that she had been fighting, but her legs gave out. She was thankful that Naruto was there. He scooped her into his arms and carried her to their room.
Rias almost fell asleep as he entered their bedroom and set her on the bed. The bed shifted as Naruto crawled onto it, pulling the covers over them as she turned on her side. Seconds later, his front was pressed against her back, spooning her as he slid his arm over her waist. Rias sought out his hand, lacing her fingers through it. His hand was so warm.
"Thank you for being so patient with me," she said softly.
"Anytime. I'll always be here for you."
A pair of lips pressed against her neck. On any other occasion, such an action would have sent fire coursing through her veins, but right now, she was too tired to get horny. All she felt was a sedate contentment at the feelings that Naruto's continued support inspired in her.
"Hey, Naruto?"
"Hm?"
"I love you."
She felt Naruto's lips smile against her neck. "I love you, too."
Finally, her exhaustion overwhelmed her, and Rias fell asleep in the arms of the man she loved.
~Devil Ninja~
Rizevim Livan Lucifer knelt before his lord, the being who had accelerated his plans more than should have been possible.
In any other circumstance, if this had been anyone else, he would not have shown such deference—not even to Ophis. However, this was the entity that would make his dreams come true.
The being before him radiated a power that was unlike anything Rizevim had ever felt. It rolled off of the entity in waves that overlapped him like surging tides. Hatred and malice filled this power, making the hairs on his neck stand on end. It was frightening to think about, but even he, an ultimate class devil, felt the undeniable urge to run away. His instincts were screaming at him. They told him that the thing before him was dangerous.
But Rizevim didn't run.
"Judging from how giddy you are, I'm guessing you bring good news."
"Yes, My Lord. I have just discovered that the three factions plan to hold a joint rating game in the underworld. I believe they are hoping to foster strong bonds by showing each other what each faction has to offer."
"No doubt. Tell me, what is Naruto Uzumaki doing?"
"He doesn't appear to be doing anything. He's just loafing around, playing with girls and going on dates."
"Really? Now that is a surprise. He's never been what you might call a 'ladies man.'"
"If you say so, My Lord."
Rizevim didn't know why his master was so interested in Naruto Uzumaki. Sure, the boy was undeniably powerful, and Rizevim wouldn't mind capturing him to experiment on. However, aside from his incredible power, the boy didn't have much. He was just too naive.
"What should we do?"
"We will not do anything," the entity said. "Instead, we'll let someone else sow chaos for us. Get in contact with Loki. Tell him that we're giving him an opportunity to bring the world one step closer to Ragnarok."
"Yes, My Lord."
Rizevim stood up, bowed one more time, and then left the chamber. Behind him, the chamber doors slowly closed. The last thing he saw of his master was the entity in question sitting on a gilded throne, their entire body cloaked in darkness.