"You think so? There might be someone that can send me back?" he asked with his hope rising again.
"Maybe. I'd suggest you start at Kyoto, a place with a high amount of chakra; The home of the Youkais. A supernatural race that can use chakra like you."
Naruto knew about the youkais but he couldn't pinpoint where they were.
"But I don't know where Kyoto is," Naruto complained.
"Don't worry, Naruto-kun, I'll help you get there," she replied.
Naruto bolted up and balled up his fists. "Really?" he asked with childlike glee.
"Yes, I will."
"Thank you, Gaia. You're the best." He gave her a thumbs up with his Naruto patented grin.
"Now, you have to go, Naruto-kun. The seal you placed on yourself won't hold for long," she warned.
"That's right!" Naruto remembered.
He waved her goodbye as she pushed him out the plane they were in and she remained in the hell that has been her home for the past thousand years, left all alone but, this time, Naruto's warmth lingered around her.
"Naruto Uzumaki... I'll be counting on you." The goddess went silent as she wondered about the circle of hatred.
(Flashback end)
Gaia was elated to see the knucklehead Ninja once again. He had grown tall and much more handsome. He had helped her a lot and she wanted to repay her debt somehow.
"How have you been Naruto-kun?"
"I've been fine," he replied with a smile.
"The link is very weak, ergo, I can't keep it for long," she said regrettably.
"That's unfortunate." Naruto added.
"A lot has happened to you, Naruto-kun. The spark in your eyes has dimmed," she said while staring at Naruto in the eye.
"Really, you think so?" he asked as his smile gradually disappeared from his face.
"Have you found a way back home?"
"No, not yet," he answered and shook his head negatively.
Gaia entered his personal space and held his hands. The black tendrils jiggle like a chain as she walks.
"What happened to you, Naruto?" she asked with a frown on her beautiful face.
"Nothing, Gaia. Nothing, really," he answered mendaciously.
"Don't lie to my face, Naruto-kun." Gaia wasn't having any of that.
This boy had been through a lot and he's been beating himself up about it. She had always tried to get him to tell her about his past whenever she could but he always dodged the topic.
Naruto's visage morphed back to his bored one at the goddess' probing. He wasn't ready for this question and answer session. And luckily, Gaia's form was disintegrating into tiny sparkles starting from the soles of her feet.
She stared at him one last time and rubbed his face.
"Don't lose hope, Naruto-kun," were her last words before she disappeared entirely.
"I'm afraid I already have," Naruto said to the sparkles that remained before he disappeared from the space he was in.
(Scene change)
"Stupid exorcist making Asia sad like that," Issei mumbled with rising exasperation.
Two female exorcists visited the school today and they were going on about the stolen true holy swords, the swords of Excalibur.
It seems like one of them was a childhood friend he couldn't remember.
Kiba had been acting strange lately so he confronted him and learnt that Kiba's goal was to destroy all Excaliburs due to his tragic past and Rias ordered them not to engage the Exorcists. He decided to help Kiba, anyway, with his goal of destroying the Excaliburs, and, soon, they met after school to talk about their next move.
Somehow, Koneko and Saji found out and now they want to help in any way they can.
The group of four decided to head to where Freed, the rogue Priest, was at night and a fight broke out between Kiba and Freed.
They watched as Freed manhandled Kiba like a child.
They tried to interfere but Kiba told them not to interfere. Soon, Rias, Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki Arrived on the scene and Freed was forced to retreat.
Rias chewed them out and Kiba decided to leave, telling Rias the reason why he became a devil in the first place was to avenge his fallen comrades.
Issei and Saji were disciplined by their respective kings with one thousand spankings while Koneko had none.
Now, here he was in front of the front door of his house with Rias beside him.
"I'm home!" Issei opened the front door expecting an answer but received none.
He walked into the living room and the sight that greeted him was astonishing. His Mom and Naruto were talking and she was laughing.
Naruto Uzumaki was in his house! The lone teacher of Kuoh was in his humble abode.
"S-sensei!" he stuttered as he pointed a finger at Naruto with his mouth agape.
Rias walked into the room and saw what made Issei freak out. She was a bit miffed when Naruto stared at her with his ever-present bored face.
Said teacher was wearing an orange T-shirt with black shorts and Asia was sitting beside him.
"Ah, Issei, Rias, I didn't see you there. Welcome home!" she exclaimed.
"What are you doing here?" he asked his sensei as he threw his backpack to the floor.
"Issei! He came to return the lunch box I gave him this morning," his mother chastised lightly.
"It's all right Hyoudou-san. I'll take my leave," he said as he stood up but was dragged down by Mrs. Hyoudou.
"Wait for dinner, Naruto-san, it's almost done," she said with a smile.
Naruto looked from her hand grabbing his sleeves to her face plastered with expectation. "... I don't want to be an inconvenience," he said as he closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his head.
"Sensei is not an inconvenience. I enjoyed your stay," Asia responded boldly which made her look cute.
"Just stay, Naruto-san," Issei's mom finalized as she stood up to serve dinner.
Issei flopped on the seat his mother was previously occupying as all the stress of the day finally hit him. Rias took a seat opposite of Naruto with her eyes trained on him.
"Don't look at me like that, Bat," he said.
"Would it kill you to use my name, Naruto-sensei?" she asked with gritted teeth.
Naruto ignored her jab in favor of staring at the frames on the wall.
"It's just four letters!" She raised her voice a bit.
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