One month had passed since Sirzechs went with the other leaders of the Three Factions Alliance to Asgard, and in that time, no one could tell Rias why her brother hadn't returned. The army that had gone with him had already come back. They had reported to her father that Sirzechs, Serafall, Azazel, Shemhazai, Michael, and Gabrielle had been transported to Asgard without them. The army had waited for nearly a whole week before returning to Heaven and the Underworld.
Sitting in her office, Rias worked diligently on her paperwork. With Sirzechs gone, a lot of his work had been sent her way, though Grayfia was also handling some of it as well. Even so, her workload had nearly tripled. A maou had a lot more work than a mere King, even one who belonged to a clan from the 72 Pillars.
She paused halfway through one stack of documents, rubbed her eyes, and then leaned back in her seat, shoulders slumping as though she was carrying the weight of the world on them.
It certainly felt like there was a world on her shoulders.
A knock on the door echoed before it opened and Akeno walked in with a smile. She was pushing a tray in front of her, which had tea and scones.
"Good morning, Buchou," Akeno greeted with a smile that was far more genuine than the ones she used to show. "Pulling another all nighter?"
"Akeno." Rias returned the smile with a tired one of her own. "Yes. There's a lot of work that needs to be done. Sadly, I've not much time to do it."
"Are you sure it's just that?"
"What are you implying?"
"That you aren't sleeping because you're too worried about your brother."
Rias sighed. "I am worried. However, you don't need to worry about that. Naruto comes in and makes sure I get some sleep."
Every night when she pulled an all nighter, he came in and forced her onto the bed, then gave her a back and foot massage until she fell asleep. He'd done the same last night, and the night before that. She'd woken up early this morning with him still in bed. Naruto wasn't there anymore because he'd gone to train, but he would definitely come back in an hour or two in order to force her out of the office.
"That's good. Your boyfriend seems to have a handle on how to deal with you."
"Hmph!"
Akeno set a cup filled with black tea and cinnamon on the desk, then grabbed a plate, filled it with scones, and put that on the desk. "Make sure you eat your fill. If you're going to work on minimum, then you need another form of sustenance."
"I will," Rias promised.
After putting Rias's breakfast on the desk, Akeno pushed the tray to the side, and moved to stand behind her as she continued to work. While she wrote something in a report, she grabbed a scone. She paused after taking a bite out of it.
"This is delicious."
"Ufufufu, it was made by Ravel and Irina. They've apparently started cooking together, since they both like to bake so much."
"I didn't know they were baking together."
"That's because you've been cooped up in your office."
Rias said nothing to that.
It wasn't long before she was interrupted again. There was a knock at the door. Rias, thinking it was Kiba or maybe Irina, granted them permission to enter. She never expected to see the people who walked in.
It was Metatron and Barakiel—Akeno's estranged father—who entered her office. Akeno stiffened as the two walked in. Rias remained calm as both angel and fallen stood in front of her desk and offered a polite bow.
"Metatron. Barakiel. It's been quite awhile since I've seen either of you." Rias paused, making it appear like she was gathering her thoughts, but she was actually using it as a minor stalling tactic to prepare herself. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"
"I don't know how else to say this," Barakiel began in a gruff voice, "so I'm just going to come out and say it." He took a deep breath. "Yesterday evening, we received a report that Sirzechs and the other Three Faction leaders who went to Asgard with him are attacking the Greek Pantheon."
"What?" Rias didn't think she had heard right. Out of all the things that could have been said, this was simply the most unbelievable. "I'm sorry… could you repeat that?"
Barakiel gave her a pained grimace. "We're not exactly sure what's going on ourselves, but they launched an attack on Mount Olympus just yesterday. They were repelled, but we're now facing a serious crisis."
"The Greek gods are demanding an explanation from us," Metatron added, for once serious, for once not going on about ninja. "Unfortunately, we don't have any explanation that we can give. We assume that all of the people who went to Asgard have somehow been placed under the control of Loki, but we have no idea how to explain this in a way that won't make it seem like we're making excuses."
Rias felt Akeno's hand come to rest on her shoulder, but that did little to settle her nerves. Her brother and the others had attacked another pantheon. Not only that, but they had attacked the Greek Pantheon, one of the oldest surviving pantheons in the world.
The Three Factions didn't have the strength they used to possess. Even with people like Sirzechs and Michael on their side, their faction was far from strong. They didn't have the numbers, lacked the resources, and the one god in their faction was dead. In short, attacking another pantheon, especially one of the strongest, was a sure-fire recipe for self-annihilation.
She knew that her brother and the others were not doing this on their own initiative; they were more than likely being controlled by those strange devices that Loki had been using. Rias never imagined that her brother could be controlled by such a thing. However, perhaps it was not a matter of strength. Maybe those devices used some means that even the most powerful of beings could not protect themselves against.
"This is definitely Loki's doing," she said.
"That goes without saying," Barakiel said. "The problem is that we're now in a bind. The Greek gods have given us an ultimatum. Either we kill Sirzechs and the others ourselves, or they'll destroy our faction."
"What? No!" Rias stood up from her seat and slammed her hands on the desk. A loud thud echoed across the room, but her focus was on the two in front of her. "They can't… we can't… my brother… and… the others… they…"
Barakiel looked away while Metatron sighed. "We don't like either of those options ourselves. However, we may not have a choice. We're going to try and find some way to save them. We can't really afford to let our leaders die, but… we might not have a choice."
"Metatron and I were told not to say anything to you," Barakiel told her. "However, we believe you have the right to know what's happening. We're going to inform Sona Sitri as well."
Rias wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she wanted to do a lot of things, yell and break her desk. She did none of that. A King could not afford to lose composure. She took a deep breath and projected an aura of confidence that she didn't feel.
"I understand. Thank you for letting me know."
"You're welcome," Barakiel said softly.
"I wish we had more to offer you," Metatron added.
Barakiel and Metatron soon left, and as the door shut behind them, Rias closed her eyes and tried to think. Sadly, her thoughts were in disarray. Her mind was scattered, particles of sand blowing everywhere, twisting and obscuring her vision, or rather, clouding her ability to think. She couldn't find a solution, an idea on what she should be doing, while in this state.
"Go talk to him," she said suddenly.
"Excuse me?" asked Akeno.
"I know you wish to speak with your father," Rias said. "Go talk to him."
Akeno hesitated for a second, and then hurried out of the room. Rias remained there for several more seconds. She watched the door that Akeno had left through. Then she stood up and hurried out of the room as well.
She needed Naruto.
~Devil Ninja~
Ever since the catnip incident, Koneko had been insatiable. More than ever, she sought Naruto's affection in a more physical sense, a more intimate sense. It wasn't just Naruto either. Rias had also been subjected to Koneko's lust, which seemed to disregard genders completely. Ravel had almost been a recipient, but Naruto had stopped Koneko, knowing that Ravel wasn't interested in any yuri action.
Rias had theorized that it was because she was a nekousho/devil hybrid. The effects of the catnip were essentially magnified several fold, so even though most of it had worn off, some part still remained. It was unknown how long it would take for the catnip to fully leave her, or if maybe the side effect was a permanent change.
Naruto and Rias had been helping Koneko take the edge off—basically, they had her join them in bed. Koneko hadn't had sex yet. However, he and Rias had done any number of other activities.
When Naruto had asked Rias why she was helping, her answer had been, "Koneko isn't just my Rook. She's my family, one of my sisters, and someone I love dearly. She is also an indispensable part of our relationship. Did you really think I would let you help her all by yourself?"
So while Naruto was the most involved with satiating Koneko's newly awakened sexual appetite, Rias also took part in their activities from time to time. It was, oddly enough, one of the few activities that could currently get Rias to stop working.
She wasn't there right now, though.
Naruto and Koneko were in the hot spring after training with Irina and Kiba that morning. Ravel normally joined them, but she'd been conspicuously absent. Steam rose all around them, clinging to their skin, mixing with their sweat. The heady scent of minerals was combined with their own unique scents. A unique smell that belonged solely to Koneko was accompanied by a variety of noises—Koneko's gasps, meows, purrs, and moans.
Koneko sat on the lip of the hot spring, her thighs resting on Naruto's shoulder, feet locked together behind his head at the heels. She was using one hand groped her breasts, pinching and tweaking her nipples. The other hand was on Naruto's head, pulling him further between her legs.
Her cat ears were twitching sporadically as she shook her head back and forth.
"Nyaruto! Nyaruto! I'm so close!"
Koneko only called him "Nyaruto" when her lust had consumed her. It was a strange tick, but he thought it rather adorable. It was also a surprising turn on. Who knew having someone call his name in cat-speak could be so hot?
Like a man dying of thirst, Naruto lapped at her lips, teasing her entrance and swirling his tongue over her clit. Her legs had already tightened to the point where a normal human's head would have been crushed. Good thing he was a devil. Even so, it still hurt.
Her scent was incredibly intoxicating. It invaded his nose. It was not an unpleasant smell. He enjoyed her scent and taste. The amusing thought that he was dining on Koneko almost made him snort as he ate the girl out.
Koneko fell backwards onto the tiles, her back arching, head thrashing as she cried out his name over and over again. Hearing her continuously call out his name made him more aroused than he thought possible. He wished her body was mature enough for sex. They'd have already done the deed if it was.
Naruto kept a steady grip on her thighs. He loved the way her muscles bunched underneath his touch. They coiled, strong and powerful, yet trembled and shook at the same time. The softness of her skin combined with the hardness of her muscles created a strong but satisfying dichotomy.
"Nyaruto! I'm gonna… I'm… CUMMNING!"
For several seconds, every muscle in Koneko's body became unbelievable tight. Her legs strengthened their grip on his head, to the point where it actually hurt, and then, all at once, Koneko went completely slack. Her legs fell limp, her body became like a wet noodle, and when Naruto lifted his head, it was to find Koneko staring listlessly at the ceiling.
He grinned. "Feeling better?"
"Ha… ha…" Koneko's heavy panting filled his ears. "Nyaruto… I love you."
Naruto chuckled.
After getting clean in the hot spring, Naruto and Koneko dressed and went their separate ways. Koneko was probably going to find Ravel and Ophis. She usually spent her time with them, though he was sure that Ravel was currently baking something with Irina. They had taken over cooking breakfast most mornings.
Naruto went into his room. As he shut the door behind him, he heard a rustling noise. He looked over toward the bed. It was Rias. She had been sitting on the bed, though she was now standing.
"Rias?" he asked. She didn't answer him, not verbally.
Naruto was stunned when Rias tackled him, knocking him into the door with a harsh crack. He winced as pain entered his skull.
In most cases, this would have been the moment where he asked Rias why she had just slammed his head into the door, but he didn't. Rias was crying. Her sobs were muffled, and her tears were staining his shirt.
Naruto did what any man—no, any person—would do in this situation.
He held her in his arms.
It took awhile for Rias to calm down, but she did eventually, though she continued holding him tightly.
"Feeling better?"
"A little. Sorry for jumping you like that."
"It's fine, though now I'm curious to know what made you this way. Wanna fill me in?"
Rias sniffled, nodded, and then backed away from him. She took his hand and led him to the bed. Once they were sitting, she explained the situation to him. She told him about how Sirzechs and the other Three Faction leaders that went to Asgard had attacked Mount Olympus, how the Olympians were demanding that they either kill Sirzechs and the others or risk annihilation, and how Barakiel had said they might not have a choice but to do as the Greeks asked. Naruto listened to all this with a silent calm.
"You didn't tell me all this because you want my opinion or sympathy," Naruto said at last. "I know you. What's the plan?"
Nose still red, eyes still runny, Rias gave him a grim smile nonetheless. It was the kind of smile that was filled with determination. However, it had hints of defeatism, probably because whatever her plan entailed could end in everyone being killed or something similar.
"We're going to save them," she began, "but we can't do it alone. We need help."
"Then…?"
"That's right." Rias nodded and took a deep breath. "We're going to ask all of the people who fought in the Rating Games for their aid."
~Devil Ninja~
With Rias' decision made, there was nothing for Naruto to consider. Not only could he not stop her if he wanted to, but he didn't want to, not when the matter involved the lives of six leaders of the Three Factions Alliance.
However, gathering allies was not the easiest of tasks. There was Sona and her peerage, of course, and all it took for Rias to convince them to join her was letting Sona know what their plan was. However, the others would not only be more difficult to convince, they were tougher to reach. Three of them were in Heaven. Devils could not reach Heaven—unless they had a death wish. The divine powers that infused Heaven would kill even an ultimate-class devil.
The person that Rias went to see was Sairaorg Bael, the one given the title of The Strongest Youth. If they were going to mount a rescue operation, then they would need the most powerful of their generation. That meant adding Sairaorg, who was definitely among the top contenders for most powerful, and his peerage, to the team.
Taking a trip to the underworld was no simple matter. Rias had to pull many strings to get passage to the underworld, and then they went straight from her estate to the Bael Clan's estate without pausing even a minute to rest. Sairaorg was already aware of their impending arrival. Someone would be receiving them when they got off the train.
The train they were taking was the same one they had used to get to the Underworld the first time around. Naruto was sitting on a couch by a large glass panel, looking out over the world while stroking Rias' hair as she lay on the same couch with her head on his lap. That was normally Koneko's or Ophis's spot, but they had conceded it to Rias. So kind of them. Anyway, running his fingers through her hair was calming, and it seemed to help her remain calm, so it was a win-win situation.
Asia and Issei, who were sitting on a couch immediately opposite them, were also looking out the window.
"When do you think we'll be in Bael Clan grounds?" asked Asia.
"I believe we just past the border a few minutes ago," Akeno said as she came up beside them.
"The Bael Clan doesn't have as much land as the Gremory Clan," Rias added. Her eyes were still closed as she remained where she was, leaning into Naruto's hand as he continued stroking her hair. "But that's because they're a smaller clan. Since there are less members, and less of their members own a peerage, their lands are smaller because they don't need as much."
"I guess that makes sense." Issei scratched his head. "I'll be honest, all this devil politics and stuff still has me confused as fuck."
"You'll understand it eventually." Akeno smiled. "Especially if you want to have your own peerage."
A little ways off from where they were sitting, Koneko and Gasper were playing a game of cards at a round table. Koneko held a hand over one of Gasper's cards, watched as his expression fell, then switched to another card and watched as his face lit up. She went back to the other card and took it, grinning triumphantly when Gasper tears started leaking from the eye holes of his paper bag. Meanwhile, Kiba was polishing his blade.
Only the Gremory Peerage was there right now. Ophis was getting in contact with Team Vali, Irina had gone back to Heaven to ask Angelus, Izrail, and Reuel for help, and Raynare was traveling to the fallen angel's section of the Underworld to request aid from Beur, Gomory, Lix Tetrax, and Mestama. Sona and Ravel were meeting with Zephyrdor and Seekvaira respectively. With luck and some effort, they would be able to form a large group to rescue Sirzechs and the others.
The train pulled into a station, one that wasn't as large as the Gremory Clan's train station, and the Gremory Peerage exited the train. They were met by a small entourage. The people, a trio of butlers, took them to a carriage that would drive them to the Bael Estate.
Naruto had come to expect large estates from devil clans. That was probably why he was surprised when, instead of appearing before a large estate, they were taken to a small house. A really small house.
It only consisted of a single story, and while it had more space than a traditional one-story house, it was nothing compared to the massive mansions that the Gremory and Phenex Clans owned.
"Um… is this really the Bael Clan estate?" asked Naruto.
"No, it isn't," Rias said. "This is Sairaorg's personal home. He likes to live away from the Bael Clan, since he and they don't get along very well."
"Ah."
"Master Sairoarg is waiting for you all in here," one of the butlers said, opening a door and gesturing for them to enter.
"Thank you," Rias said, walking past the group as though she was used to not being presented with opulence.
Since Rias wasn't disconcerted by the lack of wealth, Naruto didn't let it bother him and followed Rias inside with the others. What he found was a basic hallway that led into a living room/kitchen combination. The floor of the living room was lowered into the ground, covered in white carpet, and looked like a gamers paradise. There were a bunch of soft couches and bean bags littering the area. A large flat-screen TV sat embedded into the wall, and there were a number of video game consoles, including some of the next generation consoles that Rias owned.
All the members of Sairaorg's Peerage were present—except for Regulus. They sat on the lounge chairs and bean bags. Coriana and Mesteeta were playing a fighting game of some sort…. Street Fighters, it looked like. The others were either watching them or doing their own thing. However, when he and the others entered, everyone turned to look at them.
"Rias," Sairaorg said, standing up from the armchair he'd been sitting in. "I didn't expect to hear from you so soon after you returned to the human world."
Rias smiled, though it was one without joy. "Sairaorg, I'd love to say that this is a social visit, but I think you know that's not the case."
Sairaorg nodded. "Something has happened. I don't know what it is, but there's a lot of unrest here in the Underworld. I'm guessing you know what's going on?"
"Probably more than you, but I don't know everything." Rias sighed. "You might want to sit down. This explanation is going to take some time."
Sairaorg listened as Rias explained what happened to her brother and the other Three Faction leaders. It wasn't just Sairaorg who listened. His whole peerage paid close attention to what was being said, and Regulus had returned from wherever he'd been when his King called him. Since Naruto had heard all this several times already, he focused more on the expressions of those hearing about it the first time.
"That's definitely a problem." Sairaorg leaned back and crossed his arms. "Honestly, if you were anyone else, I'm not sure I'd believe you, but I know you aren't the type to joke when it comes to matters like this."
"We're planning to save them, but we need help," Rias confided, finally getting to the point of their visit. "Sairaorg, will you help us?"
Sairaorg grinned in response to that question. "Do you need to ask? Our leaders are in danger, and you are asking me to go on a dangerous mission that will show off the strength of myself and my peerage. Of course we'll help."
"That's great!" Rias said.
"However, there is something I want."
Rias paused. "What's that?"
Sairaorg pointed at Naruto. "I want to fight you. One on one."
Shrugging, Naruto said, "once we've rescued our leaders, I'll be more than happy to kick your ass."
Barking with laughter, Sairaorg grinned fiercely. "That's the kind of response I was looking for!"
There were a few more details that they needed to work out, so Rias spoke over the specifics with Sairaorg. What it basically came down to was this: they were going to put together a team, but they were waiting to hear back from Sona, Ravel, Raynare, and Irina. When that happened, everyone would meet at their mansion in the human world, and they would hash out a plan to rescue the Three Faction Alliance leaders.
Naruto only paid a little attention to the conversation. It wasn't anything that he didn't already know, so he spent more time stroking Koneko's cat ears. However, even touching Koneko's lovely and soft cat ears couldn't stop him from worrying.
The Gremory Peerage eventually left after getting Sairaorg to promise that he and his peerage would meet them in the human world in two days time. They had selected two days because it took at least one day to reach the human world without teleportation, which most people couldn't just use on a whim. Naruto had found out earlier that Rizer teleporting himself into Rias's club house had been met with a harsh scolding from his parents via Ravel.
As he sat on the train that would take them back to the Gremory Estate, Naruto wondered how Ravel was doing. He hoped she'd managed to convince that stubborn asshole Zephyrdor to at least consider meeting with them.
~Devil Ninja~
After everyone returned home, the girls convened in the large hot spring as a means of relaxing and bonding with their fellow females. Boys weren't allowed.
Rias sat on a bench inside of the hot spring. She watched Koneko play with Ravel and Ophis for awhile, but she wasn't really in the mood to enjoy their antics today. Exhaustion was seeping into her bones. Ever since she had learned about what was happening to her brother, what her brother and the other faction leaders had done under Loki's command, she'd been working non-stop on getting everything ready for a rescue operation.
"You look like you're thinking deep thoughts," a voice said in her ear.
"Sona," Rias greeted as the Student Council President of Kuoh Academy sat down on her left.
Her friend and rival retained a composed expression as she glanced at the members of their combined peerages, towel barely covering her modesty, but if one knew her as Rias did, they would know the signs of nervousness. Sona's left leg bounced up and down. Her eyes were slightly twitchy. Her right index finger was playing a staccato rhythm against her knee.
"Did your meeting with Seekvaira not go well?"
Sona raised a hand as though to adjust her glasses, but then she seemed to remember that she had left them with her clothes. She lowered her hand and sighed.
"It went fine. Seekvaira has agreed to meet with us."
"That's one less thing to worry about."
"Are you guys talking about how your meetings went?" asked Irina as she wandered up to them.
"That's right." Rias nodded as Irina sat down on her right. "Speaking of, how did your meetings go?"
"They were good!" Irina chirped. "Everyone agreed to meet us. They'll be here in two days!"
That was a load off Rias's shoulders. She'd been under the impression that the angels and the fallen would be the hardest to convince, but thanks to Irina and Raynare, everyone had agreed to at least meet them at this house in two days time. Rias hoped that would give her enough time to create several strategies that she could propose.
Of course, the ultimate strategy they came up with would be one that all of them agreed on. Even if everyone agreed with one she presented, it would likely be changed several times to suit individual tastes, but that was also why she was making several. If one of them didn't appeal to everyone, another might.
Speaking of, I'll have to convene with Sona and Ravel to create our strategies.
Sona was her polar opposite when it came to creating strategies. Where Rias preferred bold strategies that allowed her to face the enemy head on, Sona liked using deception and misdirection, so she'd be able to point out any flaws in her plans. Ravel, on the other hand, seemed to have mastered the art of managing and convincing people (she still had no idea how the girl had convinced that hard head Zephyrdor to meet with them), and her strategies were also impressive. She had been Rizer's strategist. Were it not for Naruto being her wild card, Rias might have lost that match.
Steam rose all around them as Rias and the other girls of hers and Sona's peerage continued to relax.
It would likely be the last time they did this for awhile.
~Devil Ninja~
Everyone was present. The two devils, Seekvaira and Zephyrdor, were standing near the back with their respective peerages. While Seekvaira merely had a calm demeanor and seemed intent on observing the proceedings, Zephyrdor was glaring at Ravel like he wanted to burn a hole through her head.
He wondered what that was all about.
Angelus was standing next to Sairaorg, and while the youngest of her aces was looking hatefully at the Strongest Youth, Angelus seemed quite content in the powerful devil's presence. The other two angels sat scattered around the office. Izrail sat on the couch, sipping the tea that Akeno had so graciously provided. His peerage was gathered around him. Reuel stood as far from the devils as possible.
There was also Beur, Gomory, Lix Tetrax, and Mestama. While Lix Tetrax was standing right up front, Beur and Mestama had chosen spots near the back. Gomory was on the couch opposite Izrail. Unlike the angels and devils, their "peerages" were not with them, since the fallen did not have a true peerage system installed.
Naruto stood behind Rias, on her left, the opposite side that Akeno was standing. He could spot the Gremory Peerage throughout the room. Asia and Issei were sitting with Raynare, who silently hovered over them like an overprotective mother. Koneko was sitting on Irina's lap. Now that was a surprise. Thankfully, Irina didn't seem to mind. Gasper was… hidden in a corner. All these people were probably making him nervous. On the other hand, Kiba stood beside Lix Tetrax, who, Naruto noticed, was absently looking at the handsome blond with interest.
Outside of the Gremory Peerage, Rossweisse was also present, though she remained unobtrusive, standing several meters from everyone else with her arms crossed. Ravel was next to Koneko and Irina. Really, the only one he didn't see was…
Something warm entered his hand. Naruto looked down at the hand that was now holding his, followed the hand up the arm, the slender shoulder, and onto the face of Ophis… slightly more mature, a little taller, and with bigger breasts.
He didn't know what was going on with Ophis, but she had been changing her appearance slightly as the days went by. Sometimes she would be taller. Other times she would have larger breasts. The only thing that never changed was her face. Regardless of what change she made, she'd always come to him for his opinion.
Naruto gave it, of course. He figured she was trying to find out what sort of appearance he liked the best, and he couldn't deny that he had his preferences. Rias was first in his heart. Her appearance was exactly what he loved, but it would be a lie to say that she was the only beauty who got his motor running. He wouldn't get such a serious hard on for Koneko and Ravel if that had been the case.
Ophis was now slightly taller than Koneko but shorter than Ravel. Her hair remained long and black, and her face hadn't changed from its loli appearance. She'd also given herself bigger breasts. They were between Ravel and Koneko, again, and they fit her well. She was difficult to look at in public because she was still wearing that black tape over her nipples and nothing else to cover them, but he figured it was just what she liked wearing. So long as he didn't look, he wouldn't get a boner.
"Thank you all for coming," Rias said. "I know that everyone here is busy, so I'll get right to the point. Six leaders of the Three Factions Alliance went to Asgard over a month ago and were defeated, placed under Loki's control."
"The fuck do you mean they were 'placed under Loki's control'?!" Zephyrdor was the first to speak.
"I mean just that," Rias replied. "Loki somehow got his hands on a device that can control other people, regardless of their power, and he's using that device to control Sirzechs, Michael, Azazel, Serafall, Gabrielle, and Shemhazai."
"How is that even possible?" asked Angelus. "A device that controls people? I mean no disrespect, but it seems impossible for something like that to exist."
"The devices are powered by nature chakra," Naruto fielded this question. "I'm not sure what any of you know of nature chakra, but the basics is that it's the energy that permeates the world. This means that it's powered by the world's power, which is thousands of times stronger than any one angel, devil, or fallen angel. It wouldn't be that hard to control someone, even an ultimate-class devil, with this power."
"This is also how Loki gained control of Asgard," Rossweisse suddenly spoke up. "After Loki killed Odin and took control of Asgard, he forced these collars onto us, which put everyone under his direct control. We were still conscious of what we were doing, but we couldn't do anything to resist. Even our strongest Asgardians were helpless."
Most of those living in Asgard were gods. Their powers were undeniable, and thanks to the strength of their pantheon, which was one of the strongest, they were even more powerful than most other gods and goddesses. The only people of Asgard who were not gods were the heroes and the valkyries like Rossweisse. However, even they had strength that was on par with the gods.
Rias had once put them near the top in terms of individual strength. She said they were stronger than most people in the Three Christian Factions—people like the maous and archangels being the exception—and that any one Asgardian could defeat an entire army of devils on their own.
That this device could control even gods was cause for alarm.
"You mentioned before that the leaders of the Three Factions Alliance have been subdued by this device," Seekvaira prodded Rias to continue.
"It's more problematic than that," Rias said. "Sirzechs, Serafall, Michael, Gabrielle, Azazel, and Shemhazai, attacked the Greek Pantheon just three days ago."
The Greek Pantheon was hands down one of the most powerful pantheons. The power of faith, of belief, of the acknowledgement of their existence, was what gave a pantheon its strength. The more followers a pantheon had, the more people who believed in them, the stronger they became.
However, it was also a matter of longevity. While Christianity had the most followers, the Greek Pantheon was one of the oldest surviving religions, dating back to before the new calendar. What's more, there were numerous fictional stories and literature written about them. This gave the Greek Pantheon more strength than even Christianity. It was said that their top three gods, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades had powers that were stronger than all of the three factions of the Bible.
In other words, picking a fight with them was suicide.
"That's… are you sure that is what really happened?!" asked Izrail, his eyes wide.
Rias closed her eyes and nodded. "This information comes from Metatron and Barakiel. We can trust it."
"I can't believe this has happened," Mestama muttered. "All of our leaders are being controlled and attacking the Greek Pantheon."
"It gets worse," Rias continued, her tone grim. "The Greeks have given us an ultimatum. Either we kill the Three Factions leaders, or they will declare war on us and eradicate all three factions."
It was an understatement to say they were in a bad way. This was essentially a death sentence. Their leaders were the only thing keeping this alliance together, and without that alliance, they did not have the power to survive anymore. It was like asking them whether they preferred a slow death or a quick one.
"Before we begin to panic, I believe Rias has a plan," Sairaorg said just as everyone was about to start freaking out. He gestured to the redhead. "Rias, I believe now is the time to unveil your plan to us."
"You are right," Rias said. "I have several plans, of course. We'll select the one that has the best chance of succeeding, and modify it to suit our strengths."
Selecting a plan was a lot harder than it sounded. While everyone, even Zephyrdor, agreed that they needed to do something, it seemed as if no one could decide on what they should do. Someone always had something to say, some complaint to make. It only seemed to get worse as time went on. The more plans Rias proposed, the fewer people who sided with her, until they even started questioning her abilities as a King.
Rias, to her credit, accepted their criticisms with aplomb, stating that while none of them were the most ideal plans, they were the only ones that had a chance of success.
"All of you need to be quiet!" a shout suddenly interrupted all of the arguing. It was, surprisingly, Ravel who had done the shouting.
"What was that, chibi?!" Zephyrdor glared at her. "You wanna go?! You picking a fight?!"
"If you'd like me to reveal what your hobby is to everyone here, I suggest you back off," Ravel said.
"Hrk!"
As Zephyrdor paled and stopped talking, Ravel moved to the front of the office and turned to face everyone there. "All of you are arguing about whether any of these plans will work, but none of you have even proposed a single plan of your own. Rias, Sona, and I carefully went through every plan we could think of and selected these ones because they have the highest possibility of working. They were made specifically to play to each of your strengths. Now, it's fine if you don't like any of them, but unless you have your own plan, I suggest each of you shut up and listen because right now you all sound like a bunch of idiots."
Naruto was impressed with how Ravel put everyone in their place. Those gathered were so silent now that he could have heard a pin drop, and what's more, they didn't seem capable of even forming words. A few of them were just soundlessly moving their mouths, as if they wanted to say something but couldn't.
Finally…
"I don't really have a problem with your plans," Sairaorg said. "My only real concern is that the majority of these plans hinge on those two." He pointed at Naruto and Ophis, who were still holding hands.
Ravel looked back at them, glanced at Naruto, and then squeaked and looked away. Naruto sighed. It seemed she still couldn't look at him for some reason. He didn't know why, but she had been avoiding him for the past few days.
"She's been masturbating to you," Ophis said.
"Excuse me?" Naruto asked.
"Ravel." Ophis nodded at the girl with blonde drills. "Every night, she's been masturbating while calling out your name. I think she's too embarrassed to face you."
"I… huh, I did not know that."
So that's what was happening. Well, he guessed it was good to know that the reason Ravel couldn't look at him was because she was embarrassed about masturbating to him, but now came the question of what he should do about it. Should he confront her? Should he wait for her to come to him? Whatever he decided, he should make a decision today. They'd be leaving soon, and it was better to resolve matters like this while they still had the chance.
"Thank you for telling me," he said after a moment.
Ophis nodded. "After we rescue those faction leaders, you owe me a date."
Naruto blinked, and then nodded. "Okay. Sure. After we rescue Sirzechs and the others, I'll go on a date with you."
"I'll hold you to that."
While Naruto and Ophis were having their own conversation, Rias defended them. "The reason we're relying on these two is because of their powers. Ophis is the Ouroboros Dragon, the Immortal Dragon God. Out of all of us, she's the only one capable of taking out an entire pantheon by herself. Likewise, Naruto has a power sealed inside of him that is close to being on par with Ophis. We have no choice but to rely on that power."
"Okay. Point." Sairaorg looked at Naruto and frowned as though wondering if what Rias said was true. He probably didn't like the idea that Naruto was holding back his power. "However, you are saying that they are going to take on the Asgardians and Greeks by themselves. Isn't that a little much, even for them?"
Rias shrugged. "What do you want me to say? We can't afford to fight either Asgard or Greece. We'll need the majority of us to confront our own leaders and wrest those mind control devices off of them. All six of our leaders are strong enough to take one, two, or even three of us out with little effort. To beat them and force those devices off, we'll need to team up on them."
"I… guess that's true." Sairaorg sighed. "All right. I concede your point."
"Does anyone else have anything they wish to say regarding this plan?" asked Rias. When no one spoke up, she nodded. "All right. Let's all sit down and determine how we're going to divide our forces."
~Devil Ninja~
The meeting had ended and everyone decided to stay at the Gremory Mansion. They would be leaving tomorrow, so it only made sense. Dinner had been a bit of a hassle. Her, Naruto, Rias, and Irina had been forced to cook for everyone. Naruto had to create several clones to do some grocery shopping because they ran out of ingredients halfway through, but outside of that, it went well enough.
It was later at night, and Ravel was lying on her bed, feet pressed into the mattress, hips raised, and finger plunging relentlessly into her entrance.
"Naruto! Naruto!"
She cried out Naruto's name as she did everything she could to quench the fire burning in her loins. Being a Phenex, her arousal ran much hotter than other devils. Unlike the metaphorical fire she had read about in erotica, hers was an almost literal fire.
"Oh, Naruto! You feel so good inside of me! Naruto!"
Ravel clenched her butt cheeks as she worked out the bundle of nerves and rubbed them furiously. Jolts of electric pleasure raced through her. Thighs shaking, breathing coming out in heady gasps, Ravel rode out the wave of ecstasy that caused her mind to go white.
She fell back onto the bed. In spite of having reached an orgasm, Ravel found herself frowning. She raised her hand and looked at her fingers, soaked in her juices. Her fingers just weren't doing it for her anymore. She wanted Naruto plunging into her. She wanted to feel him stretching her out, to become one with him. However, Ravel was too embarrassed to ask him to have sex with her.
"Awww! Naruto-sama and I are a couple! Why am I too embarrassed to ask him to sleep with me?!"
"I don't know," a voice said. "Why won't you ask me to sleep with you?"
Ravel froze as she suddenly became aware that there was a person standing on her ceiling. It was, of course, Naruto. Who else could it be? He was just standing there, on her ceiling like he was spitting in gravity's face, arms crossed and a single eyebrow raised.
"Wha…"
Ravel's mind was screaming at her. She could feel her face growing redder by the second. He was… and her panties… and she was exposed! This was so humiliating!
"Wha…"
Her mouth moved to form words, even though her mind was locked in terrorized embarrassment. At some point, however, her mind was able to overcome her issues. Her voice rang out like a megaphone.
"W-w-w-what are you doing here?! Why are you in my room?!" She paused. Then… "How long have you been there?"
"I think I got here just as you were close to climaxing," Naruto admitted.
"Asshole!" Ravel threw a pillow at him. She would have blasted him with fire, but she didn't want to burn the mansion down. "Pervert! Lech! What were you thinking?! You can't spy on a girl in her room!"
"Actually, I knocked several times, but you weren't answering," Naruto said as he swatted her pillow aside. "Furthermore, you've been avoiding me, so this was the only thing I could think of to make you talk to me."
"I'm not going to talk to you now!" Ravel screamed. Then, suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, she looked away, incapable of even looking into his eyes, and muttered, "and you saw me… in such an embarrassing state, too."
Naruto dropped from the ceiling and crouched before her. Ravel squeaked and bolted upright, moving backwards until her back hit the wall. It was probably good thing her bed rested against a wall or she'd have fallen off, though perhaps that would have been better since Naruto had crawled onto the bed and was so close their faces were almost touching.
"You know, Ravel, you should tell me when you're feeling this way," Naruto whispered.
"I… I wanted to but… ah…" Ravel, also whispering, let out a soft gasp when Naruto placed a hand on her cheek. The way her stroked her skin, so tenderly, made her feel like she was melting.
"You're a part of my family, and when I gain my own peerage, you're going to become a member of it, right? That'll bring us even closer." Naruto leaned forward until their foreheads were pressed together. "Rias has also given you the okay. When you want something of me, just ask. It's as you say. We're a couple. You don't need to be embarrassed to ask me for anything."
"A-anything?" Ravel swallowed. Her mouth had gone dry.
"Anything," Naruto confirmed.
"Then… then I want you to… touch me," she muttered.
Ravel nearly panicked when Naruto slid the hand on her cheek down to her neck, but when he began rubbing his fingers into the stiff muscles around her neck and shoulders, her body unconsciously relaxed. Naruto soon left her neck. He moved his hand across her shoulder, down her arm, moving up and down until goosebumps had formed on her skin.
"Not… not there…" Ravel murmured. "My… my more intimate places. Touch… touch me there."
"If that's what you want, Ravel, you only need to ask."
Ravel shivered at Naruto's voice. Why did it sound so husky all of a sudden?
All questions fled her mind when Naruto undid the bow that hung over her chest. As the fabric slid apart, he leaned down, grabbed the zipper that kept her jacket closed with his teeth, and pulled it down. He reached out with both hands, pulling her jacket apart and sliding it down her arms, until she was wearing just the white dress.
"Scoot forward, please," Naruto said softly.
He took her hands and pulled. Ravel let him. She scooted along on her butt, her dress bunching up near her hips, until her feet hung off the edge of the bed. Thanks to her short stature, she was too short to reach the floor.
Naruto, now on the ground, grabbed the hem of her dress and began lifting it over her head. It was already crumpled past her butt, so lifting it was easy.
"Raise your arms," he said.
Ravel lifted her arms as Naruto continued raising the dress. She was keenly aware of every centimeter of exposed flesh that she was showing. Just knowing that he was seeing her like this was embarrassing, but at the same time, it was oddly satisfying. She felt content. Naruto was seeing her. He was the only man who would ever see her like this.
A thought suddenly occurred to her.
He might be the only man, but what about women?
Koneko had recently been getting sexually pleasured by both Naruto and Rias—sometimes just Rias. She'd once accidentally spied Rias fingering Koneko through a crack in the door when they hadn't been careful enough. Was that going to happen to her? The thought should have been repulsive, but all she could wonder about was: "Would Naruto like it?"
Her dress came off. Ravel raised her arms to cover her bra as Naruto tossed the dress onto the floor. They didn't remain there. Naruto pulled them away from her chest.
"Let me see you," he said.
Ravel, her face red, stuttered, "d-do you like what you see?"
"Of course, but I'd like to see more."
She was given no chance to respond, for Naruto leaned forward and kissed her. Ravel could do nothing but melt into the kiss. His lips were warm and soft. She felt her arousal spike as he gently nibbled on her lower lip, all the while, his hands were on her bra, deftly unhooking it, causing her chest to suddenly feel a lot less tight.
The bra came away, and Ravel was left bare. She would have covered herself again, but Naruto, who continued to kiss her, pushed her onto the bed. She fell back.
Naruto leaned back up and pulled off his shirt. Ravel had seen him with his shirt off before, so she was aware of how defined he was, but even so, the chiseled abs and powerfully built chest and shoulders never failed to make her yearn to touch them.
"Ravel," Naruto said suddenly. She perked up. "You're so beautiful."
"W-what are you—mmmmm!"
Hampered once more by Naruto's mouth, Ravel could do nothing but wrap her arms around him as a tongue suddenly penetrated her mouth. Warm. Wet. Naruto's tongue sent sensations through her like nothing else. He played with her tongue, swirling his around hers, hooking them together. Despite that, there was an underlying gentleness about his action. It was passionate, but, to her, it also felt loving.
A hand soon landed on her right breast. Ravel gasped into Naruto's mouth as fingers tweaked her nipple, which quickly stiffened into a point. The hand left, but it didn't matter, because another hand landed on her other breast and did the same thing. It felt so good. It was so amazing. Ravel's moan was muffled by her lover.
The hand once more left her breast, sliding along her stomach, tickling her skin, before reaching her white panties. It didn't slip under them. It went over them, gliding along the fabric, reaching her lips and pushing down. Ravel's hips involuntarily bucked as Naruto ran his finger along her opening. The fabric of her panties were pushed into her, causing an unusual friction that felt like a static shock.
As Ravel gasped again, Naruto stopped kissing her mouth in favor of her neck. While licking, sucking, and kissing her neck, he finally slipped his hand into the waistband of her panties, found her entrance, and slid a finger inside.
"Naruto-sama! That feels… I feel so hot!"
"Good. Time to make you burn even more."
"Ooohhh!"
Naruto was clearly more experienced than her. His fingers quickly made her entire body shudder with an orgasm. It came more quickly than she could imagine, but he wasn't done yet. Naruto brought his head to her breasts and took one of her nipples into his mouth. Ravel screamed as he gently bit down. It raced through her nerves. Ecstasy. Her mind and body were being flooded with ecstasy. Her breasts and entrance were being assaulted. It felt amazing, mind-numbing. Ravel thought she was seeing stars!
There was no telling how many times she came, but she had definitely blacked out after her third or fourth orgasm. Naruto was no longer touching her. He was kneeling on the bed beside her when she finally came to.
"Wh-what happened?" she asked, voice slurred.
"You passed out."
"I-I did?!"
How embarrassing!
"You did, but it wasn't for long." Naruto paused. "Do you want to continue?"
Ravel could feel the heat spreading through her body, but she mustered up her courage and nodded. "Yes… please."
"Then please let me take care of you."
Flashing her a quick grin, Naruto moved off the bed and knelt before her. Ravel lifted herself on her hands to look down as Naruto grabbed her black stockings. They were the only articles she had left aside from her panties.
He first grabbed the left one, slid it down her leg and off her foot, and then he did the same with the right. She thought he was going to take off her panties next. However, she became confused when he grabbed her right foot and began massaging her toes.
"W-what are you doing?" she asked, suddenly nervous. Her feet were tingling, like after rubbing her socks against the carpet.
"Rias and I haven't tried this yet, but I've always been curious to see how it feels after watching anime," Naruto said, bringing her foot to his face. "You'll have to let me know what you think."
She would have asked what he was talking about, but then Naruto sucked her big toe into his mouth, and Ravel threw her head back as her toe was encased in a warm wetness. Amazing. It shouldn't have been possible, but somehow, as Naruto swirled his tongue around her toe, her mind blanked out as she experienced a different kind of pleasure.
Naruto didn't just pleasure her big toe. He ran his mouth over all of her toes, sucking on each one, licking between them. It should have been dirty. Gross. She should have thought it was disgusting, but all she could focus on was how good it felt, especially when he ran his tongue along the soles of her feet. By the time Naruto was finished, a blushing Ravel was lying on the bed, her forearms covering her red face as she bit her lip and tried not to cry out in pleasure.
The bed shifted. Naruto must have sat on it, though she couldn't see him.
"Thoughts?" he asked.
"Why…?" she mumbled. "Why does that feel so good?"
"Not sure," Naruto said. "I saw it in a hentai that Rias asked me to watch with her."
"Hentai?"
"Nothing. Anyway, Ravel—" the tone of his voice made her bring her arms down, "—you and I are a couple, but tonight, I would like to make you mine completely. Will you become mine?"
Ravel thought she should have been blushing up a storm, but instead of being embarrassed, she wanted to cry tears of joy.
"Yes! That's what I want. I want to become yours."
Naruto smiled as he moved off the bed again and grabbed her panties. They were soaking wet. As he peeled them off her hips, a wet sound issued from them, as though they were stuck to her lips. When he slid her panties over her feet, he tossed them to the floor. Ravel, already knowing what was going to happen, spread her legs apart so Naruto could move between them and line himself up.
As he leaned down, Naruto teased her entrance, while pressing his forehead to hers and looking into her eyes.
"In return for becoming mine, I am now yours." He grinned and winked. "Please be gentle."
"I'm the one who should be saying that," Ravel muttered.
Naruto just kept grinning.
When Naruto first entered her, it hurt. It was so unbelievably painful that Ravel cried at first. However, Naruto didn't move at all, allowing her to adjust, letting the pain fade. When he finally did begin moving, it was slowly so as not to hurt her now stretched muscles.
It felt good.
Ravel knew that sex was supposed to feel good, but she hadn't realized that it could feel this good. She now understood why her brother and his floozies were always fucking. Sex felt amazing.
Naruto was a great lover. He seemed to know that she wanted slow and romantic over hot and passionate. His hips rocked against her and his lips sought hers in a loving kiss that made her toes curl. As he moved inside of her, as he kissed her, Naruto's hands sought hers, his fingers lacing with hers as heat slowly built up in her lower abdomen until she came. It wasn't just once either. Naruto held himself back until she had orgasmed at least twice more before letting himself go.
She was a little disappointed that he pulled out, but he explained that, on the off chance that it could happen, he didn't want to risk her getting pregnant.
"I'd like to have kids, but not yet."
Afterward, Ravel laid against Naruto's body, enjoying his warmth as he held her to him. She fell asleep as he stroked her hair.
~Devil Ninja~
Every woke up early the next day. After eating a quick breakfast, the group, which had become massive enough that they had to hire a bus to drive them to the airport, boarded a private jet owned by the Gremory Clan.
Unfortunately, a private jet was not large enough to house over 40 people, much less the large number created by Rias, Sona, Sairaorg, Seekvaira, Zephyrdor plus their peerages, and then Angelus, Izrail, and Reuel plus their Brave Saints. To that end, they ended up taking two private jets.
Fortunately, the Gremory Clan owned more than one jet.
The flight from Japan to Greece took a total of 12 hours and 17 minutes. Their flight took them from Tokyo to Athens. They arrived at an airport, were offloaded and, after the second private jet set down, they boarded a large double decker bus that Rias had somehow procured, which would take them to another mansion owned by the Gremory Clan.
"I had no idea your clan owned holdings in countries besides Japan," Naruto muttered, staring out the window. The architecture in Greece was a lot different than in Japan. While the modern buildings were similar enough, interspersed throughout them were more ancient structures built using columns and large triangle-shaped roofs. There were also a number of buildings that looked like they had a hole or sunroof in the middle. Very different.
"Just because I chose to live in Japan doesn't mean that the Gremory Clan only owns property in Japan," Rias said. She was sitting in the seat behind him since both his left and right were occupied by Koneko and a very cuddly Ravel. Consequently, Ophis was sitting on his lap.
It was a lot harder to deal with because she no longer looked like a child.
"Huh… I suppose I should have guessed that."
"Buchou lives in Japan because she's a weeaboo."
"W-w-what?! I-I am not a weeaboo!" Rias shouted, blushing beet red from the roots of her hair down to her neck.
"That's a very misguided term," Ravel said. "It implies that Rias-sama thinks she's Japanese, but I'm pretty sure that Rias-sama is content being a devil. She just likes watching anime. That technically makes her an otaku."
"I'm not that either!"
"Then… a Japanophile?"
"NO!"
Naruto would have chuckled at how Rias was being double-teamed by Koneko and Ravel—unintentionally on Ravel's part though it was—but he couldn't because Ophis chose that moment to squirm against him.
"You have a boner," she said.
Naruto blushed as Koneko and Ravel turned to him. Now that she and he had finally had sex for the first time, she seemed a lot more confident, which explained why she immediately zeroed in on the spot between Ophis' thighs.
"I wish you wouldn't have said anything," he muttered as he realized that it wasn't just Koneko and Ravel who were staring at him. Lix Tetrax, Angelus, and Sairaorg, who sat in front of him, and Issei, Asia, and Raynare, who sat on the seat opposite him, were also staring, as though she could see his erection.
"Does having me sit on you in this form make you horny?" asked Ophis with a completely straight face.
"Okay. I believe that's enough out of you."
"If so, then I guess that means this form is a success. After our date, we will have to experiment by engaging in intercourse."
"Could you please stop talking?!"
By the time they arrived at the Gremory estate in Athens, which looked a lot like a Greek Temple, Naruto and Rias were both thoroughly red in the face. He didn't know if that had been their intent. However, neither of them could look at anyone else for the longest time. It only became worse when the people who'd ridden in the other two buses that had ferried them through Athens asked about why they were blushing.
Naruto realized that it was a very good thing the Gremory Clan's mansions were so freaking huge. They wouldn't have been able to house so many people at the same time otherwise. Everyone was able to have their own separate room, should they choose it, though Naruto ended up getting a room with Rias, Koneko, Ravel, and Ophis. He thanked the ramen gods for the large bed.
Dinner that night was prepared by a host of professional chefs, and it was traditional Greek cuisine.
Naruto had never eaten Greek cuisine, so it was interesting to try out the host of different foods. He didn't know what half of this stuff was called. Some of it looked like pasta with a layer of melted cheese on top. There were these triangle-shaped bread thingies with more cheese stuffed inside of them. There was salads and meats and kebabs. All of it was delicious, and Naruto nearly ate himself into a coma.
As the day wore down to a close, everyone went through one last briefing before retiring for bed. The flight had given everyone there jetlag, which not even angels, devils, or fallen angels seemed capable of resisting.
Naruto was probably the only one still up. He had tried going to sleep, of course, but it was really hard when he surrounded by four beautiful and naked women. Several thighs caressed his stiffy, and Koneko had taken to licking him in her sleep. It got even worse when someone's hand wrapped around his shaft.
Everyone was too tired to have sex. That meant Naruto was basically lying in bed with a boner that could cut through diamond. It was not a fun experience.
That was why he'd decided to take a bath.
Like every other bath house that the Gremory Clan owned, the one in this Athens mansion was massive to the point of being ridiculous. It looked like a traditional Greek bath from ancient times. Shaped like a square, several columns lined the bath, which had stone steps leading into it. There were a number of aqueducts from which hot water flowed like waterfalls. Naruto didn't know if they were there for a reason or aesthetics.
As he was lounging in the pool—for he couldn't call it a bath—someone else walked in. He heard their footsteps before they appeared.
It was Irina.
Clad in nothing but a towel, the girl with golden-brown hair stepped into the room. She stopped upon seeing him.
"N-Naruto!" she squeaked before, quite suddenly, looking down at herself. It was interesting to see her realize that she was naked, shriek, and then crouch down to cover herself.
"Irina." Naruto was a lot more calm. "Couldn't sleep either?"
"Um… no," Irina admitted, still covering herself.
"Would you like me to get out?" asked Naruto.
Irina shook her head. "Y-you were here first. I'll get out."
"You don't have to," Naruto said. "Since you're already here, why don't you join me?" Irina hesitated. "If it helps, I'll close my eyes."
"Oh, no. That's okay." Slowly standing up, Irina wandered into the pool, sitting down about half a meter from him. "I trust you not to, um, look."
Naruto smiled, though he didn't turn his head. He didn't want to make Irina uncomfortable.
"Are you worried about what's going to happen?" he asked.
"Y-yes," Irina admitted. "There's just no telling how this is going to turn out. Our strongest leaders are being controlled, and we're being expected to fight them and free them from that control. I'm afraid all of us will be killed before we can even get close to accomplishing our goals."
"That's a valid concern."
"Also, I'm being forced to fight Michael-sama!" Naruto heard a loud clap, which he guessed was Irina clasping her hands together. "Oh, Michael-sama! What sort of cruel fate is forcing me to fight you?! Is this a test from God?! Is it?!"
Naruto chuckled. "I'm sure everything will turn out fine. If nothing else, you won't be fighting alone. You've got a lot of people backing you up."
Irina calmed down. "I'm surprised you're not nervous. We might be going up against our own leaders, but you're going to be facing an entire pantheon alone. How are you not frightened by that?"
"That's a good question," Naruto said. "I guess it's because I know that I'm fighting for a cause greater than myself. In order to keep this peaceful life of mine, I need to fight, and I need to win. Of course, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared, but being scared isn't going to stop me from kicking ass and protecting the people I love. Rather, it's because I'm protecting the people I love that I plan to kick so much ass."
Irina giggled, probably at his profanity. "Protecting the people you love, huh? Sounds nice." She paused. "Am I… one of those people you love?"
"What are you talking about?" Naruto finally turned to Irina and gave the girl his biggest, brightest grin. "Of course you are! I love you very much!"
"Ah… ah…" Irina croaked before, with a squeak similar to that of a mouse, she turned away. "D-d-d-don't look this way, Naruto! You can see everything!"
As Irina panicked and turned into a blushing, stuttering mess, Naruto laughed uproariously like a madman.
Who knew that seeing Irina blush like this could be so therapeutic?