The warehouse loomed before them, its broken frame whispering of secrets long buried. The salty night wind howled through shattered windows, carrying faint echoes that didn't belong to the sea.
Naruto placed a hand against the rusted door and pushed. The hinges groaned, protesting as the darkness inside yawned open.
"Stay close," he murmured.
Susan followed, her boots crunching against scattered debris. The air inside was heavy—thicker, hotter, tainted with an iron tang. Her instincts screamed danger, but she forced her steps to remain steady.
Naruto's eyes adjusted quickly. Crates were scattered like broken bones across the floor, some split open, their contents spilled—old tools, rotting cloth, scraps of paper. Yet it wasn't the decay that caught his attention. It was the marks carved into the concrete.
Circular symbols etched into the ground, overlapping and precise, radiating outward in jagged patterns. They pulsed faintly with a residue of energy, like embers dying after a fire.
Susan crouched to examine them, her brow furrowing. "What… what are these?"
"Summoning circles," Naruto said flatly. He traced one with his boot, his tone calm but clipped. "But crude. Damien wasn't smart enough to draw these himself. Someone taught him."
Susan's stomach turned. "So he wasn't the mastermind."
Naruto's silence was answer enough.
"Careful, Naruto." Kurama's low growl resonated in his chest. "This place stinks of fresh blood. You're not alone."
Naruto didn't reply aloud. His hand brushed Purgatory's hilt, settling him. He moved deeper, scanning shadows, every sense sharpened.
They reached the center of the warehouse. There, atop a cracked wooden pallet, lay remnants of robes—charred, torn. Bones were piled carelessly nearby, some small, some unmistakably human.
Susan's breath hitched, her hand flying to her mouth. "God…"
Naruto's jaw tightened. He knelt, fingers brushing the scorched fabric. The energy here clung to him, oily and sharp.
"Sacrifices," he said softly. "This is how Damien got his power."
Susan stepped back, shaking her head. "He killed all these people—for strength?"
Naruto's voice carried no judgment, only fact. "Demons always offer power in exchange for blood. Mortals desperate enough… they give in."
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the groaning of the building as the wind pressed against its frame.
Then—movement. A faint shuffle in the shadows near the far wall.
Naruto's head snapped up, his body still but coiled like a drawn bow. Susan froze, following his gaze.
From the darkness, a shape emerged—small, twisted. A lesser demon, its body hunched and leathery, with glowing red eyes fixed on them. It hissed, jagged teeth glistening with saliva.
Naruto's voice was calm, measured. "Stay back."
Susan obeyed, retreating a few steps as Naruto's hand closed fully around Purgatory's hilt.
The demon lunged.
In a single motion, Naruto unsheathed the blade, its black steel glinting in the faint light. The strike was fluid, almost casual, yet precise. Purgatory cleaved through the demon mid-air, splitting it in two before its claws ever reached him.
The body dissolved into ash, scattering across the circle it had tried to defend.
Susan stared, wide-eyed. She had seen his skill before, but the efficiency, the calm—this was something else. "That was… fast."
Naruto exhaled slowly, sliding Purgatory back into place. "Too fast. That thing wasn't here by chance. It was left behind to guard the site."
Kurama rumbled again. "He's right. If there's a guard, there's a master. Someone stronger drew those circles. Damien was just a pawn."
Susan crossed her arms, trying to still her trembling hands. "So whoever's behind this… they're still out there."
Naruto nodded, eyes narrowing as he scanned the circles once more. "And they'll try again."
The weight of his words lingered in the stale air.
For a long moment, neither spoke. Then Naruto straightened, brushing dust off his coat. "We've seen enough for tonight. Let's go before more show up."
Susan hesitated, her gaze sweeping over the bones once more. "These people deserve justice, Naruto."
He looked at her, his expression unreadable but his voice steady. "They'll get it. I'll make sure of it."
With that, he led the way back toward the exit, his footsteps calm, controlled, but heavy with resolve.
Outside, the night felt colder. The city lights in the distance flickered faintly, oblivious to the darkness festering at its edges.
Susan hugged her arms against herself. "So what now?"
Naruto looked back at the warehouse, its broken frame silhouetted against the stars. "Now?" He adjusted Purgatory against his back. "Now we wait. The ones pulling Damien's strings will show themselves. And when they do…"
His eyes narrowed, voice quiet but laced with steel. "I'll be ready."
The walk back to the city felt longer than before. The streets stretched out, shadows leaning across the pavement like grasping hands. Neither Naruto nor Susan spoke for some time; the weight of what they'd seen clung to them like smoke.
Susan broke the silence first. "You've been doing this… how long?" Her voice was soft, tentative, as though afraid of the answer.
Naruto glanced at her, then back at the road. "Long enough."
"That's not an answer."
A faint smirk curved his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes. "It's the only one I've got."
She frowned, frustrated, but she didn't push. Instead, she studied him—his calm stride, his steady posture, the way his hand occasionally brushed against the hilt of Purgatory as if by habit. There was no doubt he was used to this life. And yet… he carried it all so quietly.
When they reached his apartment, Naruto unlocked the door and gestured her inside. The space was modest—books stacked unevenly on shelves, a kettle still resting on the stove, a few framed photos tucked half-hidden near the television. One, Susan noticed, was of him standing with a group she didn't recognize. Faces smiling, frozen in better times.
Naruto shrugged off his coat and leaned Purgatory against the wall near the couch. The blade seemed to hum faintly even at rest, its presence commanding the room.
Susan lingered near the door, arms crossed. "You live like a man with no roots."
Naruto poured water into the kettle and set it to boil. "Roots can be dangerous in this line of work. Easier for things to use against you."
Kurama stirred in his chest, his voice low and steady. "You've learned that lesson the hard way."
Naruto's jaw tightened slightly. Yeah. And I'm not letting it repeat here.
The kettle began to hiss. He poured the steaming water into two mugs, slid one across the table toward Susan. She accepted it reluctantly, her fingers curling around the warmth.
For a few moments, they sat in silence, the faint hum of the city filtering through the window.
Susan finally spoke. "What we saw in that warehouse… the bones, the symbols. That's not just random violence. That's organized. Coordinated."
Naruto nodded slowly. "Yeah. Someone's building something. Damien wasn't smart enough to do it alone."
"And you're just… waiting for them to come out?"
His golden-blue eyes met hers, calm and unflinching. "It's the only way to stop them. They'll slip up eventually. They always do."
Susan studied him, torn between admiration and frustration. "You say that like you've fought wars before."
Naruto didn't answer. He only sipped his tea, gaze distant, as though looking at something far beyond the walls of the apartment.
Kurama rumbled, "She's not wrong, you know. You've lived through wars. More than one."
Yeah, Naruto admitted silently. But those wars are behind me. This one's mine to deal with now.
Susan leaned forward, setting her mug down firmly. "Then I'm in. Don't try to push me away again. You need someone who can track leads, handle people, follow the money. That's me."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, amused. "You offering me your services officially now?"
She smirked faintly. "Consider it a business arrangement. You do the slaying, I'll do the digging. Together, maybe we'll get ahead of whoever's behind this."
He chuckled softly. "Guess I can't argue with that."
The mood lightened slightly, though the heaviness of the night still lingered. Susan glanced at the clock, then stood. "It's late. I'll send you the files I've been compiling in the morning."
Naruto walked her to the door. Before she stepped out, she hesitated. "Naruto… you saved me back there. Again. I owe you."
He shook his head. "You don't owe me anything. Just stay sharp."
She gave him a long look, as though trying to decipher something he wasn't saying, then finally turned and left.
Naruto closed the door behind her, exhaling slowly. He leaned back against it, eyes closing for a moment.
Kurama's voice broke the silence. "You know she's right. This won't end with Damien. There's more coming. Something bigger."
Naruto opened his eyes, his expression calm but resolute. "I know."
He crossed the room, unstrapped Purgatory, and set it gently against the wall near his bed. The sword pulsed faintly, as though acknowledging his thoughts.
Naruto sat on the edge of the bed, staring out the window at the city skyline. Lights flickered like fragile stars, the hum of life carrying on, blissfully unaware of the battles fought in their shadows.
His hand rested on his knee, fingers curling slightly. "Let them come," he murmured, voice quiet but firm. "I'll be ready."
The night stretched on, heavy with silence. Somewhere deep within the city, unseen eyes watched, unseen hands pulled strings. The storm hadn't ended it had only just begun.
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