Naruto sat beside a bed, gently stroking the hair of a little nine-tailed fox girl. After the events several hours ago, in which Azazel activated the Dragon Gate with the help of Tannin and Vali but only summoned 8 pawn pieces, everyone had gone their separate ways. He didn't know where anyone else was or what they were doing in that moment. As the youngest and most impressionable person present, he had decided to help Kunou get some sleep. The events of the past few days had frightened her.
As he sat on the bed, many thoughts raced through his mind. Visions of the past flashed before him. He tried his best to banish them, but they were insipid and refused to leave him be. Self-recrimination filled his body as he thought about all the things he could have done to prevent what happened from happening.
Ise… you damn fool.
Just as he was about to remove his hand from Kunou's head, the door to the bedroom opened and a familiar redhead walked in.
"Rias," he greeted in a soft whisper.
The young woman stopped before the bed, glanced at what Naruto was doing, and then continued until she was standing right next to him. Naruto turned back to Kunou. The little fox girl whimpered a bit, but as he stroked her ear with the tenderness of an older brother, she quieted down.
"I am always amazed by how much kids love you," Rias said after a few moments.
"I think it's just certain kids." Naruto smiled and shrugged. "Kunou is a good child. I don't think I'd get along with some other random brat."
"Maybe not."
Rias didn't look like she agreed, but Naruto decided not to comment.
"How's Akeno?"
"She is… unresponsive," Rias admitted with a sigh. She tugged at a lock of red hair. "I have been caring for her ever since Ise's pawn pieces were summoned, but she hasn't said a single word the entire time. I only barely managed to make her eat."
Naruto nodded noncommittally. "She loves him."
"Of course she loves him." Rias wore an irritated frown, but he knew it wasn't aimed at him. "That idiot girl is so self-deprecating that she refused to be true to herself right until the bitter end. I think she wanted to punish herself for treating Ise like a toy when their relationship first started. But it was only now, after Ise disappeared from her life, that I think she really understood how much he meant to her."
Like Rias, Naruto had been aware of the turbulent relationship between Akeno and Issei, though he hadn't gotten himself involved. He believed romantic drama needed to be solved by the two engaged in the drama. Other people getting involved often caused more harm than good. Yet even though Akeno had broken up with Issei, the boy had stubbornly remained faithful to her. He had even gone so far as to put his dreams of being a Harem King on hold until he could convince Akeno to enter their relationship again.
"How is Asia?" he asked at last.
"She cried herself to sleep," Rias admitted. "That girl loves Ise more than anyone. She was incredibly distraught. I don't know if she will be able to recover from this. Xenovia is with her right now."
Asia was perhaps the purest among them and the one who was hurt the easiest. It didn't surprise Naruto that she was the most vulnerable. However, he also believed she would be okay. That girl had a hidden strength to her that most people didn't recognize. Of course, it wouldn't hurt for him to check up on her when he could.
Naruto studied Kunou for a moment before retracting his hand. The girl didn't stir, which meant he could finally turn around to face Rias.
The redhead looked worse for wear. Her eyes had bags under them, and her shoulders were slumped. Even her hair seemed messier than normal and the normally vibrant red of her locks appeared dull. She looked worn out and exhausted.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
Rias lips trembled. "To be honest, it feels like I've lost a piece of myself. Ise was… a really good boy, like a troublesome younger brother, and now… now…"
Naruto stepped forward and embraced Rias, who didn't hesitate to lean in and begin softly sobbing. As the King of her peerage, she could not appear weak in front of others, especially during times of great duress. She had to be strong. She needed to be a beacon that her family could rely on when the going got rough. However, if she spent all her time being the strength of others, then she'd eventually become brittle and fall apart.
That was why Naruto was there. If Rias was going to be the pillar of support for everyone else, then he would become her pillar. This way she wouldn't break from the pressure.
As Rias cried into his chest, Naruto ran his fingers through her long, red hair. He didn't say anything. There was nothing that could be said in a situation like this, and just like Rias, Naruto felt the gaping hole in this chest from Issei's loss.
Rias's tears eventually settled down, but she didn't remove himself from Naruto's embrace, instead holding him even more tightly as if afraid he would disappear too.
"Naruto?"
"Yes?"
"I want revenge?"
"On the Old Satan Faction?"
"And Hades. And the Chaos Brigade"
Naruto didn't say anything for the longest time. He leaned down and pressed his nose into Rias's hair. She had a faintly fiery smell, like cinnamon.
"You know… my sensei was a man who tried his hardest to bring peace to the Elemental Nations. He was a born in a time when war was rampant and people were dying every day. He once told me that hatred is spread by war. Each person has someone important to them, and when that person is killed, the people who are important to them will hate the killer and seek revenge, thus perpetuating the never ending cycle."
Rias said nothing as Naruto spoke, and after he finished, she remained silent for some time as well.
"Are you telling me I shouldn't take revenge on them for what they did to Ise?" Her voice sounded hot and angry, but she didn't pull away from Naruto as she tilted her head and stared at him, vibrant green eyes narrowed. "I hope that's not what you're telling me. Ise is a member of my—of our family. To do nothing after he was killed by those people is not something I can do."
"I never said you shouldn't take revenge." Naruto shook his head as he removed his arms from her waist and cupped her cheeks. "I'm saying you shouldn't let the desire consume you. The Chaos Brigade needs to be removed anyway. So long as they exist, peace will never be achieved. And also…" He trailed off, took a deep breath, and sighed. "For as much as I believe in Jiraiya's dream, I do not think I can forgive these people like I forgave Nagato when he killed Sensei."
Back then, when Naruto confronted Nagato, he had decided not to get revenge, but the reason was because he understood. He and Nagato were both Jiraiya's students. Both of them had sought peace, though their methods had vastly differed. Naruto understood Nagato, as a student of Jiraiya, as someone who suffered, and he understood why Nagato had turned into the man he became.
Naruto could not understand the Chaos Brigade.
"Those people do not want peace. They wish to cause destruction and mayhem. Even if they hadn't killed Ise, I could never forgive people like that." A vicious look flashed across his eyes before he dismissed the hatred in his heart. He focused back on Rias as she stared at him with those gorgeous turquoise eyes and stroked her cheeks. "However, while I plan on destroying the Chaos Brigade, I think it's important that we don't forget why we're doing this."
"To create peace," Rias said.
Naruto nodded. "Ise was also fighting for that reason, so we need to raise the banner of peace even more now." He paused. "Of course, there is nothing wrong with getting revenge either. Like I said, these people do not deserve our mercy."
"Yes, you are right, of course." Rias slowly nodded as she realized he wasn't telling her not to get revenge, but that revenge shouldn't be her only reason for fighting. "We can't afford to lose ourselves or our cause. That would make us no better than the Chaos Brigade."
"Yes."
"What would I do without you?" Rias asked with a smile.
"Maybe you'd be dating Ise instead of me," Naruto joked.
Despite the sharp pain his words must have caused, Rias smiled a little, shook her head, and then leaned on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Naruto welcomed the inviting sensation of Rias's mouth. The softness of her lips was something he cherished. He pressed his mouth to hers and deepened their kiss for a moment, though he reluctantly pulled back when Kunou began stirring.
"I think we should get out of here," Naruto said at last.
Rias looked from Kunou to him. "I think you're right."
They quietly left the bedroom. As Naruto shut the door behind him, he found Rias looking at him.
"What are you going to do now?" asked Rias.
"I need to speak with Ravel," Naruto said. "You heard about her brother, right?"
"Ah. Yes, I did." Rias gave him a sad smile. "You should definitely talk to her. I think Koneko is with her right now, but I have a feeling you're the person she wants to see the most. You always have a way of uplifting others." She bit her lip for a moment before smiling again. "I'm going back to take care of Akeno. I feel like if someone isn't there to watch her, she'll wither away."
"I understand. In that case, I'll go find Ravel now."
On mutual agreement, Naruto and Rias parted ways. Both of them had a lot to do. Rias, as the King of a peerage, needed to look after her Queen and Bishop. On the other hand, Naruto did not have any obligation nor the ability to provide support for his fellow peerage members right now. Rias would do a better job with that. However, at the moment there was one girl whom he could support.
He found Ravel in her bedroom. Just like he had expected, Koneko was with the blonde girl. They had been talking about something when he entered, though he didn't know what since they clammed up once he arrived. Naruto wasn't bothered by that as he walked into the room and smiled at the girl sitting on the bed.
"Koneko, would you mind letting me speak to Ravel alone for a moment?"
"Yeah, sure." Koneko stood up and stretched her arms above her head. Her body twisted like a cat. "I'll give you two some time alone. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
Despite her words making it sound like she thought they would get up to some naughty fun together, Koneko patted Ravel's hands, which were resting on the girl's lap, and then walked out of the room. Naruto looked at the door as it closed, then turned to Ravel. She wasn't quite looking at him.
He sat down on the bed and pulled Ravel into a half-hug. Either this was the moment she'd been waiting for, or her emotions had been on the verge of snapping. Ravel leaned into his hug and released a wracked sob. However, she didn't cry like Rias had done. She merely sniffled and let out a few tears.
"My brother was always arrogant," Ravel finally said something. She scooted over a little so she could snuggle under Naruto's embrace. "He always believed in the superiority of our clan. I can't really blame him for that since he was able to use our clan's abilities to conquer the Rating Games. However, even though he was always arrogant, he also had a strong sense of duty toward his family and believed in tradition."
Naruto wasn't sure what to say since he didn't have a favorable impression of Rizer Phenex, who had tried to force Rias into a marriage she didn't want, but he said nothing. Ravel knew her brother better than him.
"I think the reason Rizer joined the Chaos Brigade is because of his shattered pride," Ravel said at last. "Maybe if it was the Sekiryuutei he lost to, he would have been able to overcome this hurdle, but the one who defeated him was you. At the time, you had no name in the Underworld. You weren't famous like the Red Dragon Emperor, and you didn't have any powerful backing behind you. You were just Rias Gremory's servant. Had you been a normal servant, someone like you would have never been able to lay a finger on Rizer." She paused when he tightened his arm around her. "I think… the Chaos Brigade appeared to him when he was at his most vulnerable and convinced him to join them."
"To get revenge on me?" asked Naruto.
"Maybe… I'm sure that is certainly a part of it. My brother is a prideful man, so he will want to reclaim his pride by destroying you."
"Do you think he can?"
"No, I don't. It doesn't matter what he does, you're too strong for him to defeat."
Naruto didn't say anything in regards to her assessment of him. Instead, he said, "what do you want to do about him?"
Ravel said nothing at first. She bit her lip and furrowed her brow, thinking deeply about the issue before replying. Naruto imagined she was creating strategies in her head to deal with Rizer and trying to figure out which one had the highest chance of success.
"I want to bring my brother back," Ravel said at last. "I want to show him the error of his ways and convince him to come back home, but I know I'm not strong enough to do this right now." She looked up at Naruto. "I think I need to go back home and speak with my parents. You probably don't know this, but my mom was once a top rated King in the Rating Games. Also, my oldest brother is a powerful playing in the Rating Games as well. He was ranked in the top 10 at one point. Both of them are very powerful. I think… I'm going to ask my oldest brother to train me in how to use my Phenex powers, and I want to ask my mom to train me in strategy. I need to become stronger than I am now."
After Ravel finished speaking, Naruto said, "If you plan on returning to the Underworld, I'd like to go with you."
"You do?" Ravel looked startled.
"I haven't really had the chance to meet your parents yet." Naruto scratched his cheek with his index finger. "Given our relationship, I probably should have met them a long time ago and asked for their blessing. This will be a good opportunity."
Ravel's lips trembled as a bright red blush lit up her face. Before he could tease her, she buried her face in his chest and hugged him tightly. Naruto reached up and began running his hand over her blonde hair, which had currently been let down. It was soft and curly. He enjoyed running his fingers through it.
"T-thank you," Ravel mumbled.
"I'll talk to Rias about letting me travel to the Underworld with you tomorrow," Naruto decided.
Ravel looked like she was about to say something, but then the door opened and Koneko stepped inside. She stared at the two with her bright golden eyes. Given that she literally came in just as they were deciding to take a trip to the Underworld, Naruto had a strong feeling she'd been eavesdropping in on their conversation this whole time.
"You two are not going anywhere without me," Koneko declared.
Ravel frowned, but then she sighed. "I guess you can come too, stupid cat."
"I don't need your permission to come, useless grilled chicken."
"Don't call me that!"
~Devil Ninja~
Rias had not slept with Naruto the previous night. He'd found her sleeping with Akeno, who she must have been hugging the entire time.
Akeno still wasn't responding to outside stimulus, but Naruto didn't doubt that Rias would be able to eventually bring the girl back from despair eventually. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to help her. They were friendly, but he and Akeno really didn't have much of a relationship since he spent most of his time with Rias, Koneko, Ravel, Irina, and Rossweisse.
Ravel and Rias cooked everyone breakfast that morning. Vali and his group were still present since Vali was suffering from Samael's curse. It had been decided they would let the group take up residence there while they recovered. During breakfast, Naruto brought up the issue regarding Ravel.
"You wish to travel to the Underworld with Ravel and Koneko?" Rias frowned as she looked between the three of them.
"Ravel wants to receive training from her mother and oldest brother," Naruto said, shrugging. "I also really should meet with her father and get his blessing."
"I can see why you'd want to do that," Rias mused. "Considering you've been sleeping with Ravel, you really should get Lord Phenex's blessing."
At the mention of how they were intimate, Ravel blushed to the roots of her hair and fire ignited on her head, though she didn't seem to notice the flames spouting from her golden locks.
Rias and Ravel had prepared a lot of food that morning. Pancakes, French toast, muffins, and oatmeal with with chopped almonds and blueberries sat on the dining room table. Naruto, who sat between Koneko and Rossweisse, filled his plate and bowl with as much food as he could. He hadn't been able to eat much with all those missions going on, and as the scent of food filled his nose, his stomach gurgled loudly as if to remind him of this fact.
"Um…" As they were eating, Le Fay suddenly raised her hand and caused everyone's attention to turn to her. "If you are going to the Underworld, then would you mind forming a pact with me before that? I think it would be a good idea if we did that sooner rather than later."
"Oh. Yeah, I guess that would be a good idea," Naruto said with a nod.
Ravel frowned at Naruto. "You were planning to form a magician's pact with Le Fay?"
"Is that a problem?" asked Naruto.
"No…" Ravel shook her head and sighed. "It's no problem, but you really should tell people when you're going to do these things. Don't just agree to something without bringing it to us first."
By "us," Naruto assumed she meant the women he was in a relationship with. As if to prove his theory true, Koneko, Rias, Rossweisse, and even Irina nodded at her words. Even Kunou, sitting between Rias and Asia, nodded at him.
"I also need to leave for a bit," Irina said suddenly. "With the recent situation getting so out of hand, I'm going to head back up to Heaven to receive more training from Lord Dulio. He's Lord Michael's Joker and is currently the strongest of us Brave Saints. He also wields the second strongest Longinus, Zenith Tempest." She paused. "Though he might not even be in Heaven since he's always traveling around the world to try out new foods…"
"I've heard a little about Zenith Tempest," Kuroka said around a mouth full of pancake. "It grants users the ability to control all weather patterns and elemental attributes. Wielders of it can manipulate the fire, wind, lightning, water, and earth that exist in nature. I heard strong Sacred Gear wielders who have it can even create artificial clouds in a place where there is no sky."
"I haven't seen Lord Dulio's true abilities myself, so I couldn't say if he's able to do all that," Irina admitted with a shrug.
"I have, de gozaru," Metatron suddenly spoke up. Everyone looked at the wannabe ninja archangel. The man was sitting at one end of the table with his wings retracted as he ate a bowl of oatmeal. He was wearing pajamas with chibi ninjas on them. "Dulio does indeed have great power. I'd even go so far as to say he is another Sacred Gear holder whose power is abnormal, de gozaru."
Everyone discussed the situation a bit more, and it was eventually decided that Kiba and Xenovia would also be traveling to the Underworld to receive training. They would need to contact Sirzechs. Rias wanted Kiba and Xenovia to train under Souji Okita, who Kiba had trained under some time before Naruto joined her peerage. In the meantime, Rossweisse said she was planning to meet with her grandmother, Gondul, to receive more tutelage and refine her magic.
"I'm going to stay here and take care of Akeno and Asia," Rias said with a sad smile. "Someone has to help them. Gasper, you can stay with me."
Everyone nodded at her words.
"I wish I could stay and help out," Xenovia said as she clenched her hands. "But I wish to get stronger. I've finally realized how weak I am. I'm not strong enough to take revenge on the people who killed Ise, so I need to become strong enough that I can demolish them the next time I see them."
Kiba nodded in agreement. "We won't let the Chaos Brigade get away with killing Ise."
"No." Rias's eyes narrowed as a strange sense of danger radiated from her. "We won't."
After breakfast, Naruto traveled with Ravel and Le Fay into an unused room, where Ravel began pulling objects out of a magic circle. Naruto hadn't known this until much later, but apparently there were magic circles used to store items in. They were like a miniature version of the magic used in Rating Games to create alternate dimensions. Ravel pulled out a document, an animal's plate, and several candles that were going to be used for the ritual.
"Thank you for doing this, Ravel," Le Fay said with a bow.
"To be honest, I'm still a bit wary about allowing Naruto to form a pact with you since you were a member of the Chaos Brigade with Vali," Ravel said with a sigh. "However, I also realize you've been working alongside Naruto in secret, and you possess the many qualifications I would look for in a magician who was going to form a pact with me." Her eyes flickered to Naruto. "Besides, I also know how you feel about Naruto."
Le Fay's cheeks turned bright red. She looked down and said nothing.
The document that was going to be their contract was written in Devil symbols. Naruto didn't understand them, but Ravel informed him that it was written like a contract people would often see in the human world. It basically set down the terms for their pact, telling Naruto and Le Fay what they were and weren't allowed to do in regards to each other.
"Because of the nature of your relationship right now, this contract is going to be fairly open," Ravel admitted as she waved the contract back and forth. "It basically states things like how Le Fay is not allowed to betray you, how you cannot betray her, and how you two must aid each other when called upon. Le Fay will also get access to tomes on magic that normally can't be accessed by unaffiliated magicians from the House of Gremory and the House of Phenex. This normally wouldn't be possible, but since you are Rias Gremory's fiance in all but name and I have… well, you know… Anyway, because of your relationship to us, we have been given permission to do things this way."
After she explained how the contract would work, she handed Naruto a knife, which he used to cut his palm and write his name in Devil symbols. On that note, Ravel had to help him because he still didn't know the Devil language too well. Le Fay also signed her name in blood, but she used magical symbols instead.
Once the contract was signed, they had to begin the ritual itself. Le Fay and Naruto stood in the center of a magic circle drawn in animal's blood. They stood face to face. Le Fay was a lot smaller than Naruto, only coming up to about his shoulders, so she had to look up to gaze into his eyes.
The magic circle began glowing as they stood within it.
"In the name of Le Fay Pendragon, I shall make a wish to the… Fairy of Rias Gremory, Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto twitched when she called him a Fairy, but he knew it was in reference to the Fairy Piece that Rias had used to revive him as a Devil. That said, her snickering was not doing her any favors. "I wish to form a pact with you, to become your magician and confidante, to help you when you are in trouble, and to receive your aid when I need assistance. Please form a pact with me."
Chants like this were normally supposed to be longer and more formal, or so Ravel said, but Le Fay and Naruto had built up a good deal of trust. Thus they were able to cut out many of the stuffier and more formal wording.
"In the name of Naruto Uzumaki, the… the Fairy of Rias Gremory, I promise to make a pact with Le Fay Pendragon, to become your friend and confidante, to help you when you are in danger, and to provide assistance in whatever I can." Naruto paused before giving her a foxy grin. "I hope we can get along even better from now on."
As Naruto finished speaking, the document in Ravel's hand glowed with a dark red light. Le Fay bit her lip as she watched the light slowly fade.
"Has the contract been completed?" asked Naruto.
"Yes," Ravel said as she looked the contract over. Looking up from the document, she smiled at Le Fay. "Congratulations, Le Fay Pendragon, you have officially become the contracted magician to Naruto Uzumaki."
~Devil Ninja~
Because they were traveling in separate directions, Naruto, Koneko, Ravel, and Le Fay only journeyed with Kiba and Xenovia partway. They separated after awhile and ended up in a second train. This one was emblazoned with the crest of the House of Phenex.
Trains in the underworld remained some of the most opulent Naruto had ever seen. The one they were currently riding in was no different. Dark red carpet spread across the floor, drapes of the same color hung from the windows, and there were chairs, tables, and couches strewn across the train car they were in. All of the couches were super comfy too.
Naruto was sitting on one of those couches with Ravel, Koneko, and Le Fay. Koneko was curled up with her head on his lap. While Ravel gazed enviously at the girl, she also informed Naruto of everything he needed to know about her family.
"Because the House of Phenex is a lot more traditional than the House of Gremory, we don't have as many business ventures in the human world, but thanks to our phoenix tears, our house is still a lot more powerful than the House of Gremory-at least financially," Ravel said. "The House of Phenex has an immense amount of wealth since our phoenix tears sell for such a high price. I think the current market for them is something like 22,000 united states dollars for a single vial of tears."
Naruto didn't know what US dollars was in yen, but he did know that was a lot of money.
"Is that why Rizer always acted like an arrogant prick?" asked Koneko, who hadn't opened her eyes at all.
Naruto winced at the mention of Rizer Phenex, but Ravel seemed to take the white-haired girl's crass words in stride.
"Perhaps that is one reason, but I don't think that's the only reason," Ravel said. "If it was, then eldest brother Ruval would have been just as arrogant as Rizer. More than likely, Rizer's attitude is partly because he is the youngest among my three brothers. I think constantly being in the shadow of his other brothers might have something to do with his attitude."
"Hmm…" Koneko didn't say anything.
The amount of land the House of Phenex owned didn't seem as extensive as the House of Gremory. Naruto, Koneko, Le Fay got off the train in a small town. It wasn't anywhere close to being as large as the city when they had arrived in Gremory territory, but Naruto remembered what he had heard about the House of Gremory being famous for how they treated their servants and wondered if that was why.
"Y-Yubelluna," Ravel muttered when they exited the train.
Standing several meters from them was a busty woman with wavy purple hair that went past her butt. Some of her bangs fell over the right side of her face, covering her eye. The bangs swished as she tilted her head.
She was dressed in a navy blue tunic top with gold accents. The pale blue skirt was open at the sides, revealing extensive amounts of leg and her garter belts when she moved. The top revealed almost all of her cleavage and was held together with a choker studded with blue and red jewels. She also wore a white overcoat with black and gold accents that matched the pauldrons on her shoulder. Her lipstick and nails were both purple, matching the color of her hair and eyes.
"Lady Ravel, I have come to pick you up." The woman, who wore a disheartened and almost numb expression, bowed to Ravel. "Please come this way."
"Okay…"
Ravel nodded and gestured for Naruto, Koneko, and Le Fay to follow her. Yubelluna barely spared them a glance as she turned around. She walked off the platform and lead them to a car that was parked on the road. Of course, Naruto called it a car but it was really a limousine, sleek in design, with a streamlined and modern appearance. The interior was almost ridiculously spacious. Despite how much space there was, however, Naruto and his group of girls chose to sit incredibly close together.
Yubelluna was frowning at them when she saw how Ravel was sitting so close to him their thighs were touching. What's more, Koneko had taken her spot on his lap, which Ravel had fought over for a time before conceding to the nekousho. Naruto was certain the only reason she hadn't fought harder was because Yubelluna was staring at her. Le Fay, the only one who did not fight over his lap, was looking at the decor with interest.
"It has been quite a while since you have visited your family, Lady Ravel," Yubelluna said.
"It has. How are they doing?" asked Ravel.
"They have… been better," Yubelluna admitted after some hesitation. "Lord Phenex is still rather distraught. Actually, he has become even more somber after learning about what happened to Lord Rizer. I…" A crack finally appeared on the seemingly emotionally numb woman's face. "I can't believe Lord Rizer would join the Chaos Brigade."
Naruto almost frowned when he saw the emotion on the woman's face, though not because she was displaying it. Yubelluna seemed to genuinely care for Rizer. It was clear that his disappearance and reemergence with the Chaos Brigade had left her distraught, but that just confused him more. To the best of his knowledge, Rizer was a prick who tried to force people into arranged marriages. Why would she care about someone like that?
"You wouldn't know it by looking at Rizer's peerage from the outside, but Rizer actually treats his peerage very well," Ravel said as if she could tell exactly what he was thinking. "He is arrogant, yes, but that doesn't mean he isn't kind."
Naruto nodded. He still had trouble believing it, but he believed Ravel. She wasn't the kind of person who would lie to him.
"Can I ask what prompted Lady Ravel's return?" asked Yubelluna.
"I need to speak Mother and Ruval," Ravel said, a determined glint entering her eyes. "I want them to train me so I can get stronger."
Yubelluna's eyes suddenly widened. She stared at Ravel for a little bit longer, then relaxed as an unusual gleam entered her eyes. It was the first emotion Naruto had seen outside of sorrow on her face.
"You plan on bringing Lord Rizer back?" she asked.
"Yes."
Yubelluna didn't say anything, but the expression on her face said enough.
The rest of the ride was mostly spent in silence. Naruto needed to shift every so often when Koneko's small butt rubbed against him, but he had become quite good at masking his arousal.
It wasn't long before they reached the Phenex family's large castle, which looked even bigger and more grandiose than the Gremory family's mansion. There was a main building with a taller structure in the background, surrounded by multiple towers with flames protruding around and at the top of each structure. The front tower possessed a phoenix emblem embedded into it. Meanwhile, there were leafless trees with tiny flames sprouting from the tips located all over the grounds.
When they reached the entrance and exited the limo, Naruto glanced at the large golden statue in the center of a fountain of fire. Several small poles with flames shooting from the top were arrayed on the sides. There was also an archway structure similar to an aqueduct that also had flames jetting from the top.
These Phenexes sure liked their fire.
"Come. Follow me."
Yubelluna lead them to the front entrance, where a pair of butlers pushed open two large doors.
The first thing Naruto noticed about the interior was that it had a red color theme blended with matching colors. The entryway they found themselves in contained a white, square tile floor with large red tiles along the sides with the House of Phenex emblem. On either side of the entryway floor were large gaps with massive flames sprouting from them, more poles of fire, and elevated platforms with grass and goblets of fire.
It was easily the gaudiest thing Naruto had ever seen.
He didn't say anything though.
Ravel's expression when she looked at him told him that she knew exactly what he was thinking.
"How decedent," Koneko muttered, only to be elbowed in the ribs by Ravel.
"Ravel, welcome home."
Standing in the center of the entryway was a woman who could have passed for Ravel's older sister. She looked like a woman in her early 20s, with brilliant blonde hair and blue eyes. She had an impressive rack, which was revealed by her red dress, The only real difference between her and Ravel, aside from their height, was her hair. It was a lot more ornate than Ravel's drill-like ringlets and featured hair decorations that lent her a much wealthier appearance.
"Mom!"
Ravel rushed forward to hug her mom, who smiled as she wrapped her arms around the girl. Naruto, Koneko, and Le Fay stood back as this happened. However, Yubelluna walked up to the pair and bowed.
"I will take my leave now."
"Yes. Thank you, Yubelluna."
Naruto watched Yubelluna leave, then turned back to Ravel and her mother as they broke apart. Mother and daughter looked at each other. They really did look so much alike. As Lady Phenex eyed her daughter, a smile suddenly broke out on her face.
"I see you have accomplished one of your dreams. Congratulations."
Ravel's blush was quite heavy. It looked like all the blood and even fire had rushed right to her face.
"T-thank you."
"I assume the reason you are here is to get Reinard's blessing to marry my daughter?" This question was directed at Naruto.
"I think it might be closer to getting his blessing to date his daughter, but yeah, more or less." Naruto rubbed the back of his head as he stepped forward. "I believe it's still too early to think about marriage, though I do plan on keeping Ravel by my side for the rest of my life, so maybe that really is the only way to look at it."
Ravel's blush couldn't have gotten any redder, but steam did start pouring from her ears. Lady Phenex observed her daughter with a casual smile as the girl walked back to Naruto's side and took his arm.
"Why don't you four follow me," she said at last, turning around and walking off, her heeled shoes clicking against the floor.
Naruto glanced at Ravel, who only shook her head and gestured for them to follow the woman.
Lady Phenex led them through the castle, which was not only ridiculously large, but also featured the Phenex family crest all over the place. Naruto thought it was kind of tacky. He said nothing on this as Lady Phenex continued leading them and instead wondered where all the servants were.
"We have servants, but Mother probably wanted to greet us herself," Ravel answered his unasked question.
Naruto nodded while Koneko said, "Your mom is a real go getter, huh?"
"What does that even mean?" asked Ravel.
"This is a lot like visiting a noble family's house," Le Fay muttered as she glanced at their surroundings. "I don't think I've ever seen such opulent decorations before…"
As the three girls spoke, Lady Phenex observed her daughter, then looked at Naruto. Her eyes contained an expression of interest but also a bit of cunning. He could see an incredibly sharp intelligence in her eyes that made Naruto realize Ravel likely got her brilliant mind from this woman right here.
"Thank you for taking such good care of my daughter."
"You don't need to thank me. Ravel is special to me. Of course I'm gonna look after her."
"I understand, but I appreciate it regardless. She sometimes has trouble expressing herself, but please continue looking after her."
"Mom!"
"I will," Naruto said.
Lady Phenex eventually led them to a room that was large and opulent, with its own balcony and even a sitting area. All the decorations were red. Naruto supposed he should have seen that coming. It seemed to be the Phenex Family's favorite color.
"Reinard is currently very busy dealing with a number of crisis that have popped up all over the Underworld, so he isn't available right now," Lady Phenex told them. "That said, I will let him know you are here, and you can rest assured that he will make time for you when he's free. In the meantime, please feel free to relax. I will have a servant come fetch you when it is time for dinner." She paused. "Also, Ravel's room is right down the hall from here, in case you wanted to see it."
"M-Mom!" Ravel shouted.
"I want to see it!" Naruto said, raising his hand.
"N-Naruto-sama!"
"Take me there right now," Koneko added.
"Not you too!"
"Um…" As Naruto and Koneko teased Ravel, Le Fay raised her hand. Everyone tentatively looked at her. "Do you have a library? I would really like to read some books from the Underworld, particularly ones pertaining to magic…"
Lady Phenex frowned at the girl, who tried her best not to squirm. She looked from Le Fay to Naruto, then to Ravel, and then back to Le Fay. After several seconds, she finally seemed to realize something.
"You are Lord Naruto's contracted magician, aren't you?"
"Y-yes, ma'am."
"Hmm…" A vibrant gleam entered Lady Phenex's eyes as she glanced at Naruto, who really had to wonder what this woman was thinking. The beautiful older woman smiled a second later. "You are just full of surprises, Lord Naruto. First Lady Rias Gremory, then my daughter, and now a highly talented mage. You have built quite the harem."
Le Fay and Ravel looked like steamed lobsters. On the other hand, Koneko was pouting.
"He is also dating me, Ophis, and a Valkyrie named Rossweisse."
Lady Phenex looked at Koneko. She blinked several times.
"Ophis? As in the Ouroboros Dragon?" She looked back at Naruto. "You are dating the Infinite Dragon God?"
"More or less," Naruto admitted.
Lady Phenex took a deep breath, released it, and then giggled a little. "Unfathomable indeed. In either event, I will have a servant lead you to the library, young magician."
"Thank you," Le Fay said.
Lady Phenex smiled at her before leaving the group alone. Once she left, Ravel pulled a tea set from her personal magic circle and directed all of them to the table on the balcony where they had some tea and relaxed for a little while. A servant came about fifteen minutes later and escorted Le Fay to the library.
While Le Fay went to the library, Naruto and Koneko managed to bully Ravel into showing them her room.
Ravel's room was big, but that didn't surprise Naruto anymore. Her bedroom was decorated with a mixture of varying shades of red that ranged from dark crimson to light pink. Her bed was in the middle of the room instead of in a corner or against a wall. She had no posters or anything like that. However, she did have several bookshelves full of books. There were also a number of shelves with tea sets.
"So… um… this is my room and-hey! Don't just jump on my bed!"
Ravel whirled on Koneko as the catgirl went over to the large bed in the center of the room and belly flopped on it. Perhaps it was in her nature as a cat, but Koneko completely ignored Ravel as she crawled all over the blonde girl's bed. This, of course, caused Ravel no end of frustration, and it wasn't long before she was trying her hardest to get the other girl off the bed.
"Get off my bed!"
"Nope."
"Off!"
"Don't wanna."
"Grrr!"
Naruto watched as the two girls wrestled on Ravel's bed, readjusting his pants just a bit. Seeing the two girls bust to bust was quite the sight. He didn't know if Koneko was doing this on purpose, but he could also see their panties. Both of them were wearing skirts that day, which meant their pantie-clad crotches were exposed. Ravel was wearing a set of racy black underwear, while Koneko had simple cotton panties. Naruto could see their pussy lips outlined by the fabric.
He eventually had to turn away. If he watched any longer, he didn't think he'd be able to control himself.
Ravel eventually gave up on getting Koneko off her bed, huffing as the white-haired girl gave her a smug grin before curling up in the center and falling asleep like a cat. She glared at Koneko. However, there was no heat in her gaze.
Eventually climbing off the bed, Ravel made her way to Naruto, who was wandering around her room and studying everyone. He glanced at the girl as she stopped beside him.
"So… um… what do you think? Of my room, I mean."
"It's very you," he said at last.
"W-what does that even mean?" asked Ravel.
"It means I like it." Naruto chuckled as he placed a hand on her head and began rubbing her hair.
Ravel pouted. "I'm not Koneko and Ophis, you know. Head pats don't work on me."
"I guess not." Naruto chuckled. "Then… how about a kiss?"
A soft squeak escaped Ravel's lips. She hurriedly looked away, though her eyes kept flickering over to him.
"I… I wouldn't mind that," she admitted.
Naruto turned Ravel's head so she was facing him again, leaned down, and pressed their lips together. Several soft squeaking noises emerged from Ravel's mouth. They were muffled by his own. As the kiss continued, Ravel placed her hands on his chest and gripped his clothing. He, on the other hand, let his hands travel down until they were resting on her hips.
Naruto only meant their kiss to be soft and quick, but the moment their lips touched, he found himself wanting more. He pushed Ravel backward until her back was resting against the wall. Ravel gasped as her crotch came into contact with the hardness he'd been trying to ignore. The moment her mouth opened, he slipped his tongue inside, moving past her lips, her teeth, and rubbing it against her tongue. A loud, nasally moan slipped out of her mouth as Naruto placed a hand underneath one of her thighs and lifted it.
Ravel didn't seem to need anymore incentive than that. She hooked her leg around his hips and ground her pelvis against him. All the blood went from Naruto's brain straight to his second brain. Another moan escaped Ravel when his erection, still contained in his pants, rubbed against her panties.
Naruto and Ravel probably would have stripped their clothes at some point, but a loud knock erupted from the door seconds later. The two of them leapt apart as a voice came from the other side.
"Lady Ravel, are you in there?"
Naruto didn't know who it was, but Ravel seemed to. "Y-yes. I'm in here. Did you need something?"
The door opened and a maid walked in just as Ravel was trying to straighten her disarrayed hair and Naruto fixed his pants. She paused when she noticed their actions. Her eyes traveled from Ravel to Naruto, then down to Naruto's pants. The maid blushed, but she continued speaking despite her obvious embarrassed.
"I-I apologize for interrupting you, but, um, dinner is ready. Lord and Lady Phenex are both waiting for you."
"Oh… um, thank you. We will be right down," Ravel said.
The young maid nodded and scurried out of the room, much to Ravel's embarrassment.
Naruto was not quite as embarrassed as her. He went over to the bed and woke Koneko from her catnap. Koneko stretched her lithe body out, which did nothing good for Naruto's currently aroused state, but the nekousho fortunately didn't try anything, and all three of them soon left the room.
The maid was waiting for them just outside the door. She blushed when she met their gaze, but then quickly bowed and asked them to follow her.
They were led into a large dining hall with a table that Naruto felt was far too big. Le Fay was already present, as were two other people. One of them was, of course, Lady Phenex. The other was a man who looked to be in his late 20s or early 30s. He had blond hair like the rest of his family. It was shoulder length, but the back was spiked. He had blue eyes and aristocratic features. Naruto remembered this man from during the party immediately after the Rating Game between Rias and Rizer.
As he was directed into a seat with Koneko on his left and Ravel on his right, Naruto wondered about Devils and their desire for long tables. Why did they have such big tables when only a few people ate at them? Were they overcompensating for something? Was this like that thing where some guys in America bought really big trucks to compensate for having really tiny cocks? It was a mystery.
"It has been some time since we last saw each other," Lord Phenex said to Naruto. "I don't believe you and I have spoken since the party after Rizer's Rating Game with Rias Gremory. I trust you have been well?"
Naruto thought about saying something sarcastic, but since he was here for a reason, he didn't.
"I wish I could say that," Naruto said with a sigh. "But a lot has happened recently thathas kept me from being what you would call 'well.'"
Lord Phenex nodded. "I have heard about what happened with regards to Issei Hyoudou. You and the rest of the House of Gremory have my condolences. It is never easy losing someone you care about."
So this man knew what happened? That wasn't too surprising. At this point, Naruto was sure Sirzechs and Azazel had informed most of the higher ups about the loss of Issei, which was actually a major blow to their overall fighting strength. After all, Issei was the Sekiryuutei. Losing a Longinus wielder was serious.
Several maids soon came into the dining room, pushing carts of food.
Dinner came in seven courses. The first course was small bite-sized servings of toast with toppings like cheese and a variety of spreads. It was served with champagne, which Naruto actually found himself enjoying. After that was an entree dish of beef carpaccio, followed by a fish course garnished with vegetables and lime sorbet to cleanse the palate. The main course was an elaborate poultry dish. Several seasonal vegetables were served on the side. There were three more courses after that: the salad course, the cheese course, and finally, a dessert course. The dessert, a beautifully decorated and rich chocolate mousse, was probably Naruto's favorite.
That said, he wished they had served ramen. That was all he really needed.
After dinner, which had light conversation that didn't touch on any serious topics, Lord Phenex rested his hands on the table.
"I understand that you and my daughter have entered into a relationship," he said.
"We have," Naruto admitted.
"I do wish you would have asked me first…" Despite saying this, Lord Phenex wore a smile as he glanced at his daughter. "But I understand that my daughter's entire reason in leaving the Underworld for the human world was to be with you. I expected this day would come." Lord Phenex leaned back in his seat as a maid repoured freshly brewed coffee into his cup. "Fortunately for you, I greatly respect and admire you for all of your accomplishments. You may feel free to court my daughter."
"Thank you," Naruto said, only slightly stunned by how easy this was. He didn't even need to do anything. Naruto had been expecting to jump through hoops! Hoops of fire!
"Are you surprised by how easy it is to gain my blessing?" Lord Phenex smiled. "You shouldn't be. I have spoken with Lord Gremory and Sirzechs about you many times, and I like to think I also understand my daughter's feelings. You are a good man, and she loves you very much. Why wouldn't I want my daughter to be with someone who makes her happy?"
"That does make sense," Naruto said before a grin split his face. "I always knew you were a good guy."
"Yes, well… I have learned a lot since Rizer's defeat at your hands," the man admitted.
"Saying all that, I am sure there is another reason you four have come here, yes?" Lord Phenex said.
"There is." Naruto nodded before turning to Ravel.
Taking a deep breath, Ravel looked at her parents. "I'm sure you've heard about what happened with Rizer… that he's joined the Chaos Brigade."
"W-we have," Lord Phenex admitted with sorrowful eyes. "Never in my wildest imagination would I have suspected he would do something like this. Rizer has always been willful and full of pride, but he was always loyal and supportive of his family."
Ravel nodded and continued. "I'm going to bring Rizer back, but I can't do that as I am right now. I need to get stronger. That is why I wanted to ask Mother if she would teach me strategy, and also… I'd like to have Ruval train me in how to use my Phenex powers better."
Lord and Lady Phenex looked startled. They glanced at each other, then looked back at Ravel, who was gazing at them with determined eyes. Several seconds past before they both smiled.
"It appears letting you travel to the human world was indeed a good idea," Lord Phenex said at last. "I will contact Ruval and ask him to return home. He is currently on the frontlines, helping fight against the Chaos Brigade."
"While we wait for Ruval to return, I will begin teaching you more strategy," Lady Phenex said with a gleam in her eyes. Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine. "I hope you are prepared."
Ravel paled but nodded. "I'm ready."
"Good," Lady Phenex purred.
Ravel gulped.
~Devil Ninja~
Once Lady Phenex agreed to teach Ravel strategy, Naruto found himself with a lot of free time on his hands. Ravel was constantly busy training either her mind or her powers. Koneko, having refused to let herself be beaten by the blonde girl, began training alongside her. She mostly trained her body instead of her mind. However, Naruto knew that she and Ravel often spent hours sparring both each other and Ravel's oldest brother, Ruval.
They would often come to bed so tired they fell asleep the moment their heads hit the pillow.
Because Naruto couldn't train right now-his training had reached something of a roadblock thanks to Yami-he spent most of his time wandering the Phenex Family's castle. Sometimes he would be called to Lord Phenex's private study for a game of chess. That said, Lord Phenex was an incredibly busy man and did not have time to really sit down with him.
Fortunately, there was one other person who was not training like mad to become stronger.
"The magic system used by humans is categorized into two major types: Western magic and Eastern magic," Le Fay explained to Naruto as they sat within the library. "Western magic is a system of spells and magical knowledge founded in Europe, while Eastern magic is a system of sorcery that originates from Asia. I'm not sure if you know this, but magic used by humans originates from knowledge of the Devils's demonic power and miracles from the Gods of different religions."
The library was a vast room with three stories and so many isles of books that it made Naruto's head spin. He'd never been the kind of guy who could crack out a book and study, so being surrounded by so much study materials left him a little daunted. Just being in this place was giving him a headache. Fortunately, he had a cute magician partner to look at. She was pretty enough that he could ignore the pressure from all that paper.
"You already know a good deal about Devil magic, right?" she asked.
Naruto nodded. "Rossweisse has been teaching me a lot, so along with Devil magic, I also know about Norse magic and even the formation and creation of magic circles… but I am still a beginner."
"Rossweisse is a great magician, so I'm not surprised you know about the creation of magic circles." Le Fay paused for a moment. "You may have already heard this before, but demonic power is the power of using your imagination to create something. If you can think it up, you can make it happen. On the other hand, magic is the knowledge to control equations. It's very scientific and mathematical, unlike demonic power. For example…"
Le Fay stood up from her chair, grabbed the staff that was leaning against the table, and held it in front of her. She muttered something under her breath. A magic circle appeared, and then a small flame burst into existence. It was not very big. However, Naruto watched as the flame flickered several times before turning to Le Fay.
"I know that oxygen acts as an oxidizer. It supports the process of combustion. I also know that hydrogen is a highly flammable gas. If I ignite the hydrogen by creating a strong heat with magic, I will get a flame, and if I add oxygen, I will get an even bigger flames. And possibly an explosion."
As she spoke, the flame grew bigger, until it was nearly four times the size it was originally. It also turned bright blue instead of orange. Naruto leaned back as the sweltering heat blasted him in the face. Sweat was released from his skin by the intense heat. However, it soon vanished as Le Fay released the flame.
"Magic is all about knowing how the fundamental laws of our world work and utilizing that knowledge to create magical formulas," Le Fay finished. "If I do X, then Y will happen. Once you have the theory down, you can create magic using a complex magic circle like the ones Devils and gods use."
Naruto nodded as Le Fay finished her explanation. This was stuff Rossweisse had already told him, but it was good to hear it again anyway, He still wasn't very knowledgeable about magic. This was like a refresher course for him.
"Have you found any good books on magic here?" he asked.
"I've found several!"
Now wearing a massive smile on her face, Le Fay waved her wand in several directions, which caused a number of books to fly off the shelves and landed on the table they were sitting at. Each book was massive. He didn't know how many pages they were. However, the leather bound tomes were so large that each one was about two times thicker than his head. Just looking at one of them made him sick, nevermind all six she'd summoned.
"It's not surprising, but as a clan who have the powers of an immortal phoenix, all of their magic is fire and wind based," Le Fay said. "They have a number of interesting spell ideas that I believe I can incorporate into my current list of spells. I still have to find a place to test them, though. Because of the nature of spell creation, it can be fairly destructive, so I don't want to practice in a place where I might accidentally blow something up."
Le Fay spent nearly half an hour discussing some of the fire and wind spells she'd already recreated based on the knowledge acquired from these books. There were quite a few. He'd always known that Le Fay was kind of a genius magician, but hearing her go on about theories and whatnot really drove that point home. He was curious to know who was a better magician: Rossweisse or Le Fay?
The only problem Le Fay was having appeared to be getting in practice to test her spells. However, Naruto had an easy solution for that.
"If that is all you need, we can ask Lady or Lord Phenex to create a separate dimension for you to use," Naruto said.
Le Fay's eyes sparkled. "Will you really?!"
"Sure. In fact, let's go ask them right now," Naruto said, standing up and holding out his hand. Le Fay stared at his hand for a moment as if she didn't know what to do, but then she blushed, reached out, and grabbed his hand.
It wasn't very difficult to get permission from Lady Phenex to erect a barrier around Le Fay so she could practice her magic. The moment he mentioned how his contract magician wanted to practice magic in a place where she wouldn't accidentally destroy anything, Lady Phenex ordered her servants to create an alternate dimension similar to the ones used in Rating Games. This one was smaller, being only about the size of a small theater, but Le Fay could blow stuff up to her heart's content and not worry about property damage.
After ensuring Le Fay had a place to practice, Naruto found Ravel and Koneko sparring against Ruval.
Ruval Phenex shared the same physical traits as the rest of his family. He had blond hair and dark blue eyes. He looked a lot like Rizer, though unlike Ravel's third brother, Ruval had longer hair and wore what Naruto would call proper noble attire.
At present, Ruval was giving Ravel some really tough training by basically beating the snot out of her. Koneko was with her, fighting alongside the girl, but even together, it was clear to Naruto that neither of them were a match for Ruval Phenex.
High in the sky, Ravel was launching several bursts of orange flame at Ruval. The flames were all strategically placed to block his escape paths. Sadly, Ruval didn't even need to worry about that. The moment she launched the flames, he held out his hand, creating a magic circle, and the flames she fired off suddenly turned back around and shot toward her. Ravel and Koneko tried their best to dodge the attacks, but there were so many they ended up getting hit.
Naruto clenched his hands into fists when he saw the two fall to the ground, but Ravel managed to catch herself and Koneko landed on her feet just like any cat would.
"That's not a bad attempt at keeping me from moving, but Ravel, you really should be more creative with your powers," Ruval said. He spread his arms wide as flames erupted from several magic circles that appeared around his body. The fires coalesced together, forming what appeared to be a massive phoenix that spread its wings. "As Devils, we can create anything so long as we can imagine it. You know this as well as I do. Now, let's see if you can handle this attack."
Ruval pointed his hand at Ravel. The phoenix released a furious cry as it raced toward her. Ravel's eyes went wide, but she hurriedly created a magic circle. At first, Naruto thought she was going to try and defend against the attack by creating a shield, and he shook his head in disappointment, but then he noticed that wasn't what Ravel was doing at all.
A massive triangle shaped blade of wind appeared in front of her and shot into the flames. This normally would be a bad idea since wind could be used to fan the flames and increase their potency, but the shape of her wind blade was a wide triangle like a wedge. When the flames struck the wind blade, they split in half and traveled along the currents of wind, which took them further away from Ravel.
Before the flames could crash into the ground, they dispersed after striking a magic circle that appeared at random. It looked like this place was protected by a barrier.
Ruval nodded as he stared at his sister. "That wasn't bad. You created a wind blade and used it to counteract my flames by using the wind to redirect my attack rather than attempt to fight it head on."
"That… that's because I know… you are stronger than me…" Ravel gasped as sweat poured from her brow, neck, and caused her clothing to stick to her skin. "There's… no way… I… I can fight… head on… with you…"
As she spoke, Koneko flapped her Devil wings and ascended into the air. She hovered next to Ravel. Unlike her Phenex friend, the nekousho still looked raring to go, but that didn't surprise Naruto. Between the two of them, Koneko was much stronger, with her durable body, incredible strength, and wealth of combat experience. Ravel, in contrast, had mostly acted as a strategist until quite recently.
"That is true." Ruval nodded. "However, power is not everything, as you just proved. Sometimes being able to use your powers more creatively than your opponent is more important than being able to overpower your enemies. Now, let's continue."
The three began battling again, with Ravel launching attacks designed to capture and seal Ruval's movements, while Koneko battled him in a straightforward confrontation. Ravel was clearly getting more creative than before. She'd launched a phoenix at Ruval, and when he destroyed it with a punch, the flames were scattered before transforming into a whip that wrapped around him. Of course, Ruval was a Phenex and dispersed the flames easily, but the single second it took him to act was enough for Koneko to get in close.
An intense taijutsu battle took place as the two traded blows. Small explosions of power rippled through the air as Koneko covered her body in touki. Ruval must have realized he was no match for this seemingly frail looking girl up close. He moved back, but Ravel had appeared above him and attacked with several wind blades, which whistled around the man's body. The wind blades were destroyed with searing flames, but then the flames sputtered before going out.
"I see!" Ruval's eyes glowed as he grinned at his sister. "You're using the wind to remove all the oxygen around me so I can't create flames. That's a good idea, but you know a Phenex doesn't need oxygen to make fire, don't you?"
The moment he said that, demonic power that could rival an Ultimate-class Devil erupted from Ruval. Flames blazed around him and destroyed the wind vacuum Ravel had created. Koneko, who had been going in for a finisher, was blasted backward. She managed to stabilize herself and flew toward Ravel.
"You're brother is a BAMF."
Ravel paused. "What's a BAMF?"
"Bad ass mother fucker."
"Please don't give my older brother weird names."
"What do we do now?"
Ravel bit her lip and thought for a moment, but it was clear from how Ruval blasted toward them that he was not going to give the girl time to create a strategy.
As the battle continued, Naruto walked over to a nearby gazebo. Lady Phenex was sitting there, drinking some tea and eating scones as she watched the fight. She smiled when Naruto came up to her.
"I take it Ms. Pendragon is practicing her magic?" she asked.
"She is." Naruto sat down on the bench across from Lady Phenex when the woman gestured for him. "Thank you again for letting her study your magic. You didn't have to do that."
Lady Phenex smiled as she shook her head. "Think nothing of it. You are the man who my daughter has chosen to be her husband, and I can tell you make her very happy. What kind of mother would I be if I did not help such a man when he requests it?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, but he couldn't think of anything to say in response to her words.
"How is Ravel's training going?" asked Naruto.
"It is going well." Lady Phenex glanced at the battle happening overhead, then smiled and looked back at him. "Ravel is working harder than I have ever seen her work, and she is learning at a rapid pace. Her control over fire and wind are increasing daily. Her ability to create strategies also seems to have become razor sharp like a blade, though some of her new strategies are incredibly reckless…"
She gazed at Naruto with an amused smile, as if he was somehow the cause for her daughter's newfound recklessness, which caused him to cough and look away.
Lady Phenex giggled a little at his response. Meanwhile, a maid came up and poured Naruto some tea. He didn't know what kind of tea, though he did recognize that it wasn't the traditional green tea the Japanese liked to drink. It had a much more fiery scent and taste as well. He thought he detected cinnamon mixed in.
"It is an interesting new trend among the younger generation of Devils," Lady Phenex continued.
"What is?" asked Naruto.
"Training to get stronger," Lady Phenex said. "Devils are unique in that the older they get, the more their powers grow. This is especially true of pureblood Devils like Rias Gremory and Ravel. They don't actually need to train to get stronger. Simply living will cause their strength to increase. However, neither of those two seem content with this anymore. They are training hard to increase their powers."
Naruto nodded as he realized what she was getting at. "I think it's because of the current situation with the Chaos Brigade. Many of our enemies are stronger than they are. They might be able to grow stronger the older they get, but that will take too long. Given how many dangerous situations we have found ourselves in, we'd probably die if we relied on time to grow stronger."
"This is very true." Lady Phenex sighed as she set her tea cup down. "Our current circumstances are not ideal. The world is in chaos thanks to the Chaos Brigade, and my Ravel has found herself stuck in the middle of it." She gave Naruto a reassuring smile when she noticed how he winced. "Do not feel bad. Ravel decided on her own that she wanted to help you. It was the first willful decision she has ever made, and I am very proud of her for choosing her own path like this. That said, I do worry for her. Please make sure you take good care of my daughter."
"You don't need to worry about that," Naruto said earnestly. "I love Ravel. Of course I'm going to take care of her."
"That's good to hear," Lady Phenex said.
The battle above them ended about half an hour later when Ravel and Koneko exhausted themselves. Naruto learned from Lady Phenex that Ruval was close to being promoted to an Ultimate-Class Devil. Not only did he have a lot of combat experience, but his power was on a level far above that of Ravel or Koneko. He was likely around the same level of power as Kuroka or maybe even Vali, though he was nowhere near the power of a Maou like Serafall Leviathan or Sirzech's wife, Grayfia.
"Naruto…" Ravel said when she and Koneko descended toward the gazebo.
"Hey, you did a great job during your spar." Naruto smiled at the pair. "You're both getting a lot stronger."
"T-thank you," Ravel mumbled with a blush.
On the other hand, Koneko marched right up to Naruto and took a seat on his lap. Before he even had a chance to say anything, she grabbed his hands and placed them on her head, letting him know exactly what she wanted.
"You did a great job too, Koneko," he praised, rubbing her head. Koneko closed her eyes and purred.
"You shouldn't just go stealing that spot for yourself," Ravel mumbled with a glare.
"It's not stealing. This is my spot," Koneko said. "I claimed it a long time ago."
"Since when?!"
"Since I marked Naruto's lap with my scent."
"When did you do that?!"
As the two girls bickered, Ruval descended from the sky and walked into the gazebo. He greeted his mother with a smile and a kiss on the cheek, then looked at Naruto, currently being fought over by Koneko and Ravel. He gave his fellow blond an amused smile.
"You seem to be quite popular with the ladies," he commented.
"I know many people who think that would be a compliment, but I sometimes wonder if being popular is as great as it's cracked up to be."
Naruto glanced at Ravel and Koneko, who were still fighting, before he pushed them both off his lap and placed them on either side of the bench. They looked ready to complain, but he pulled them close to keep that from happening.
"I suppose it depends on whether or not you appreciate having women fight over you." Ruval sat down next to Lady Phenex as the maid came up to the table again and poured him, Ravel, and Koneko some tea.
"I usually don't," Naruto admitted with a shrug before changing the subject. "How would you rate Ravel's improvement these past few days?"
"I'd say Ravel is getting a lot stronger," Ruval said. "Her demonic power hasn't increased by much, but her ability to use her powers have improved dramatically. Of course, she still won't be a match for Rizer on her own. As an older Phenex, Rizer simply has too much power at his disposal. However, if she continues to improve at the rate she has, I believe Ravel will be able to force our brother into a stalemate. Rizer is powerful, but his attacks lack creativity. He prefers to rely mostly on his bloodline to battle and never bothered training his powers."
Naruto had noticed that when he fought against Rizer during the Rating Game so many months ago. His powers had been strong but lacking imagination. All of his attacks were basic. He relied mostly on his regeneration abilities.
Now that she had been brought into the conversation, Ravel bit her lip a little as she said, "I don't think I will be able to catch up to Rizer by the time I confront him again. It's simply too difficult to increase my power in such a short amount of time, but that's why I'm having mother also help me with strategy. I'm thinking if Koneko and I can create several decent strategies to deal with another member of our house, I should be able to defeat him."
"So you are planning to battle against him using teamwork?" asked Lady Phenex.
Ravel nodded. "When Rizer left, he didn't bring along his peerage, which means he will be battling alone. On my own, I might not be able to beat him, but if Koneko teams up with me, there's a chance we can win."
"We'll kick his ass," Koneko added.
"It is nice to see that you have made such a good friend," Lady Phenex replied to their words with a smile.
Speaking of Rizer's peerage, Naruto had run into several of them during the past few days. All of them except Yubelluna had turned their noses at him. He had the distinct feeling they hated him for driving Rizer to the point of leaving. Of course, none of them said anything because he was a guest of the House of Phenex, but he was sure they were thinking it when they glared at him from a distance.
That also made Naruto wonder why Rizer had left his peerage here. Given his character, Naruto didn't think Rizer would leave his harem to go off on his own. He seemed more like the type who would use his peerage to reach whatever goals he had.
When he asked about this, Ruval was the one who answered.
"I believe Rizer left them here to protect them." The heir to the House of Phenex stroked his chin. "By joining the Chaos Brigade, he has made himself an enemy of the Underworld. I think he knows that the path he's taking could lead to his death, and so perhaps, subconsciously, he decided not to bring his harem with him so they could avoid being implicated in his crime."
That didn't sound like the Rizer he knew, but Naruto would also admit he didn't know Rizer that well. He had only met the man a few times in the past, after all.
The conversation continued, with Ravel discussing strategies for dealing with Rizer, most of which involved using her powers to redirect his flames while Koneko pounded him. This strategy seemed to be one Koneko was fond of. She pounded her fists together as if eager to try out her friend's idea.
After resting for a bit, Lady Phenex took Ravel with her to a secluded part of the castle. It seemed it was now time for Ravel to begin learning strategy again. Naruto had no idea what went on during this time since it was all done in seclusion. That said, he couldn't lie and say he wasn't looking forward to seeing what sort of strategies Ravel would come up with as a result of this training.
Since Koneko was mostly done with training now, Naruto spent his time with her. Perhaps it was because she was working hard fighting against Ruval, but the nekousho didn't seem to really want to do anything. She would have Naruto sit with her in the Phenex family's gardens. The white-haired girl would simply rest her head on Naruto's lap and have him stroke her hair and ears as she drifted to sleep.
Naruto must have also drifted off at some point. He woke up when several twigs snapped. Opening his eyes, he looked over to find Lord and Lady Phenex, Ravel, and Ruval traveling toward him. He was about to greet them with a smile when he noticed the expressions on their faces. His own lips curled into a frown.
"Is something wrong? You four look like someone killed your favorite pet."
As Naruto's voice caused Koneko to stir, Lord Phenex gave him a grave look and said something that sent shock coursing through his body.
"We have just received an urgent request for aid from Sirzechs. The Chaos Brigade is attacking a city in the underworld alongside several Evil Dragons."