Chapter Thirty-One
Who Dares
Haku and Tayuya were the first to land in the crowded street where their home and work is located. Despite the fact the entire front was blown out and destroyed beyond recognition, their home still stayed standing. It was clear that they were only targeting the restaurant where the customers and their friends were working.
There are demons going through the wreckage to recover bodies and possible survivors. But the only thing they kept dragging out were pieces of bodies with many of them being divided among possible matches. The scene was sickening to see but none of the bodies were their friends so that gave them some hope.
"There!" Tayuya pointed away from their home.
To the side on a bench is Charlie and Octavia, both of who are being held tightly by the Queen of Hell. Lucifer stood in front of them with a tall, winged imp while looking down at his daughter with crossed arms.
"Charlie! Octavia!" Haku and Tayuya ran up to the girls and met them in an embrace as the girls got out of Lilith's hold.
The two hellborn began crying into their friends' chest just as Jiraiya landed near them. The Sannin had stayed behind to talk to Mito about Minato and Eir working for her until Naruto was ready to handle them. With the threat of an attack, which he can see has already happened now that he's arrived, they were in a bit of a rush.
As he looked around, he could see the coordination that had to be present to inflict this kind of damage in the timeframe he overheard from one of the demons. They're organized with information others are not privy to. Did they know Naruto would not be here, or were they expecting to get away with some kind of target?
"What happened?" He asked the King, getting a tired glare from the short fallen angel.
"It was a group of six human warriors, hoplites of old Greece if what Charlie recounted is true," Lucifer scowled and gripped his arms tightly. "They kidnapped Helsa and Loona but they left a note that is sealed with magic."
The King of Hell produced the letter from his jacket and offered it to Jiraiya. "It is spelled to only open to one person, Naruto if I am to guess."
Jiraiya stared at the paper for anything he could discern to undo whatever technique was on it but he found it difficult. He grunted before looking up at the ruler. "What do you plan on doing?"
"I'm going to take my daughter home first," Lucifer looked at his daughter with a soft gaze. "Then when we can read that letter I'm going to try to send a team of demons to save the kidnapped girls. Until we can actually open the letter, however, there is nothing I can do."
"Bethesda and Frederick are on their way," Lilith said as she put down her phone in her lap.
"Good, you finally reached them," Lucifer sighed. "What did you tell them?"
"Just that they had to come here immediately," Lilith frowned sadly as she answered her husband. "I told them it was urgent and important."
The solemn energy was handed when they heard a bird-like screech from above them.
"Where is my daughter?!"
A large, pink-white swan landed on the street, sending cracks and tremors up and down the street. Her pink eyes looked down savagely as he beak curled to expose a row of serrated teeth. Her tail feathers fanned out like a peafowl and were covered in pulsing red eyes.
"Where is Octavia?!"
"M-mom?!"
Octavia walked forward hesitantly, her eyes wide as she looked upon her mother's demon transformation. She had never seen this before. Her mother had always prided on not having to do so as she found her transformation distasteful. She never wanted to be looked at in a way that made her feel ugly, but here she is risking just that.
"Stella!"
Stolas ran through a portal in the street, coming into contact against the feather's of his wife. He looked up in shock as he realized that his wife had transformed into her demon form. Oh sweet constellations she's pissed!
"Dad!" Octavia was surprised by her father's appearance. "What are you doing here?"
"Lucifer told us what happened," he quickly approached and brought her into a tight embrace. "Oh, sweet stars, thankfully you're okay."
"She's not okay!" Stella shouted as she quickly turned back into her normal form. "All because you decided to leave her in the care of some lowly Sinners!"
"This isn't the time-," Stolas tried to tell his wife but she screamed.
"It's always that! You never want to hear when I say you did something stupid!" She marched up to him and jabbed a claw into his chest. "You never want to hear when you're wrong!"
"It's not dad's fault!" Octavia shouted at her mother. "I wanted to be here!"
"You are not an adult! You are fifteen years old and don't get to make those decisions!" Stella motioned around her as if to prove her point. "Look what happened around you! You could have died! I could have lost you!"
"Hey, I know you're upset but-!"
"No!" Stella shouted to interrupt Charlie from speaking. "I don't need to hear anything from you, Princess."
"Calm down, Princess Stella," Lucifer warned with a small glare. "I understand your fear, but I will not have you being belligerent to my daughter or the other kids."
Stella grit her beak but nodded her head to her kind. "My…apologies."
As the woman calmed down, turned away to stalk off to the side, the others just breathed a sigh at the woman. She may be a bitch but she was a decent woman; she cared for her daughter only and no one would admonish her for that but she was an emotional demon. It was one thing that Stolas could respect about his wife, and that was saying a lot since he despised her as much as she did with him. Theirs was a loveless marriage after all, purely made to satisfy one of the Marquis families that were grumbling about their station.
"Dad, I-!"
"Shh," Stolas hushed his daughter and shook his head before embracing his daughter tightly. "Don't say anything, stardust."
He didn't need to hear it, pretty sure that she was going to excuse the attack that left her injured to defend the blonde Sinner that was supposed to protect her. He could feel her magic and he knew what had changed in his little girl, although he was surprised that it happened so quickly. They were mates and for Goetia demons like them that was a mating that intertwined souls together for eternity.
But he's dangerous. His eyes narrowed painfully as he just held his daughter closer.
He was afraid for her. She is mated with a powerful sinner, a ningen at that. A ningen with even more powerful enemies that would clearly go to the lengths of attacking those close to him. And his daughter was now at the top of that list. The only thing he was grateful for is that she was not one of the ones these enemies were targeting.
"Naruto! Agatha!" Charlie had barreled into the blonde's chest, immediately being wrapped in his tight embrace as he landed in the street.
Haku and Tayuya had gotten close before Octavia had managed to get out of her father's embrace to rush to her mate. Her face is hot with tears as she is gathered into the protective embrace of the blonde boy with Charlie next to her. The two girls shivered against him, feeling his hands squeeze them assuringly even as he scanned the crowds of demons both high and low.
Naruto's eyes are a blazing inferno as he looks at the destruction of his restaurant and the dead bodies of those that were his customers. He grit his teeth as he noticed Husk's body among the number, the ex-Overlord now a pile of regenerating mush from some kind of large blunt force. The two girls in his arms are injured and scuffed from the attack and he felt his hands tremble at the fact that they had been caught in the middle of something as devastating as this.
"Naruto-," Haku tried to speak but he was cut off.
"Where is Helsa and Loona?"
The boy quieted at the question as Naruto scanned the street once more.
"Where is Stephen?"
His hands trembled more and his appearance partially morphed into that of his transformation. He didn't fully change, however, as he was trying to keep his emotions in check.
Naruto grit his teeth as no one was speaking.
"Naruto-," Lucifer tried to speak up but he too was interrupted.
Instead, however, a blast of chakra and magic exploded into the sky like a pillar of magma. "WHERE ARE THEY?!"
"..."
Everyone just stared with sad expressions on their faces. No one dared address the shaking boy as he scanned all of them. His eyes caught the auras of shame and disappointment, new emotions that he could see within the typical colors he was used to.
After a few moments of silence, Jiraiya sighed and pulled out an envelope from his pocket. "Here. This was left… for you."
Naruto created a clone to take hold of Octavia and Charlie while snatching the letter from the man's hand. As soon as he had hold of the paper, the wax seal melted away onto the ground and flipped open for him to read. He walked away with the letter, leaving everyone to stand there in apprehension.
Haku just watched quietly, his hand going to the necklace hanging above his chest. Stephen.
Lucifer stood there, his eyes taking in the fluctuating power of the boy. It was confusing to see this in any Sinner or even low hellborn. No one, not even the Radio Demon when he waged a war on most of the Overlords, held this much power. But this ningen, not even 15 living years old, was rippling with enough power to maybe match one of the Princes of Hell.
He turned when he saw a green light appear next to him and found a rippling portal opening up. Immediately, Bethesda came walking out followed closely by her husband and the two of them looked around at all of the demons still going through the wreckage. They were surprised by the damage and death and looked at their longtime friends in confusion.
"Lucifer, what's going on?" Frederick approached with his wife.
"Some things have happened," Lucifer started softly before sighing. "There was an attack."
While the King was explaining to his old friends about what happened to the restaurant and their daughter, Naruto was pacing on the sidewalk with the paper trembling in his hands. It was a neatly written paragraph that told him that they had kidnapped two of his companions. If he wanted them back, he had to meet them at the Ring of Envy.
But that means someone isn't with them. Naruto felt his stomach drop at the thought of any of the three dying.
From his understanding, the Ring of Envy was a large ocean with a few archipelagos and islands for the few land dwellers. A bunch of underwater cities for the more fishlike demons dotted the Ring. The Sin of Envy is Leviathan, an acquaintance of Bee's but an otherwise secluded highborn demon.
Ares. The name of the person who stole his friends. Now I have a target.
Naruto walked back over with his hand tightly gripping the crumpled letter, gaining everyone's attention. He first turned to Frederick and Bethesda and surprised the two by bowing to the waist, almost prostrating himself to him. This shocked everyone but no one as much as Jiraiya as the man had never seen or heard of his godson giving such a submissive and degrading posture in life or death.
"I have failed you, Lord and Lady von Eldritch," Naruto's voice came out as uneven and trembling as his hands, which were shaking by his side. "I've failed to protect your daughter as I have promised. If you would give me a chance, I will go and get your daughter back even if it costs my life."
Bethesda and Frederick looked at the boy with pity and concern but they acknowledged the boy's attempt for what it was. He feels he has failed them and made the most heinous crime against them in letting their daughter be kidnapped. He wishes to regain the honor he thinks he lost and for him to do that he would need their blessings and not their pity.
With silent nods, they gave their agreement to his request.
"Bring my girl back, Naruto," Bethesda whispered out painfully, her eyes welling with tears.
"I promise." The firm voice left the boy's lips before turning to Stolas. "And to you, Stolas-dono, I regret letting your daughter come into harm's way. I will endeavor to never let it happen again, but I acquiesce to what you think is better for her future."
Stolas said nothing, his eyes only staring down at the boy. He had nothing to say as his own fears were growing inside the more he looked at the reason his daughter was injured. The only thing keeping him from prohibiting the boy from ever seeing Octavia again is the fact their courting has ended and are now mates.
"Dad," Octavia whispered to herself as she watched for her father's reaction.
"We should have you killed," Stella said with a sneer as she stared down Naruto. "You think an apology makes up for almost letting our daughter die?"
"We will do no such thing," Stolas hissed at his wife with narrowed eyes. "Not to our…future son-in-law. I will think on what will be appropriate going forward."
Everyone was shocked by the man's words and Stella began sputtering with a growing red face. "Son-in-law?!"
"We're mates," Octavia was confident when she said that and her eyes stared at her mother defiantly. "We sealed the courting and have mated. We are one."
Stella's face was a show of outrage and it seemed her mind had cracked at that. "You've mated with a no-name Sinner?! You would risk losing a Goetia title to be with a lowborn who can't even produce offspring?! How could you!"
"Because I love him!" Octavia remained defiant and everyone can see an incoming clash between mother and daughter.
"Octavia."
The blonde's words got her attention immediately and he smiled softly at her. "Please, don't fight with your mother. It's not worth the time."
She looked hesitant but nodded her head and closed in again, almost ashamed at being angry at her mother.
Naruto gave a glance at Stella before approaching Lucifer. "I require permission to leave Pride. Do not ask where, I'm not allowing anyone to get involved in my problems."
Lucifer did not answer with words, simply nodding his head, but the command was given. Go.
Tanzaku Quarters had a bit of trouble staying on its feet after it was attacked by a gigantic snake three years ago. The Tanzaku castle has been completely destroyed with no capability of being restored. It now serves as a park since the lord of the city no longer lived there.
The city also serves as the current resting place for the members of Hawk. Sasuke had formed it shortly after escaping from Orochimaru with Karin, Jugo, and Suigetsu. He came up with the name after watching a snake be caught and killed by a hawk, which he took as a symbolic event equal to him discarding Orochimaru.
The citizens know Sasuke and his group as travelers that are settling down in the city for a while. The truth is that he is staying there because he was trying to find out where Itachi was. The trail he had from Orochimaru had gone cold quickly and now he was left trying to follow the elder's footsteps.
Sasuke himself was sitting in the inn-bar that he and his companions were staying in. He is currently looking over a scroll for different techniques and element formation and application theories. He wanted to know more on what had allowed the predecessors of the modern shinobi world to apply such a change from the most basic chakra techniques.
There was something that made the leap from simple illusions and ability enhancements to full elemental attacks. He just needs to find out what it was. If he could then he may understand the method of advanced chakra manipulations.
"There you are, Sasuke-kun!"
The Uchiha looked up from his scroll to see Karin coming inside with Jūgo close behind. "What do you need, Karin?"
The girl took a seat across from the boy while Jugo just took the one between them. They have both begun wearing the overbearing tan cloak again as Fire Country was getting colder this time of year. The days were shorter and the nights got colder so more clothing was becoming necessary for everyone.
"We have news," she answered and grabbed a hot dumpling from the platter in the middle. "You know how we were looking for the Akatsuki and your brother's whereabouts?"
Sasuke nodded and offered the plate to Jugo when he noticed the man staring at them.
"It turns out your old village, Konoha, was also looking into their location," she blew on the dumpling before taking a bite.
"They sent the spymaster, Jiraiya," Jugo said as he lifted one and swallowed it whole.
"Okay," Sasuke said and looked at Karin to continue as she finished chewing.
"He died fighting the leader," Karin told the Uchiha seriously and his eyes widened in surprise. "My reaction when I learned of it. But that's not the only part. The leader is now aiming to attack Konoha."
"Jiraiya most likely got enough information to Konoha to threaten the organization's plans," Jugo hypothesized softly.
Sasuke sat back as he digested what he just learned. Konoha's spymaster and most loyal Sannin, arguably one of the strongest, had just died in a fight against the leader of the Akatsuki? From what he learned from Orochimaru, Jiraiya was the only one he felt he could be threatened by in a full battle. This is, of course, ignoring Itachi and some members of the Akatsuki who are said to be powerful in their own rights.
But to actually kill Jiraiya? I would have never expected so.
He remembered hearing how Jiraiya, while under the effects of a drug designed by Tsunade, had summoned Gamabunta and threatened Orochimaru. Then Tsunade also got involved and sealed the victory but by then Jiraiya had nearly defeated Orochimaru and Kabuto. It was just hard for him to see that man losing.
"So, the Akatsuki's leader wants to destroy Konoha before they can act on whatever Jiraiya learned," Karin finished and looked at Sasuke from behind her glasses.
She was concerned about the boy. Mostly because she knows that he still had love for the village. It was small and was only born from the late guilt he got from killing his best friend, someone who was like a brother to him.
She had not heard much about the person her crush had respected so much to see as a brother but she did know that it still haunts him at night. They had fought when Sasuke left his village and it ended in his brother's death. His nightmares have been so strong now that he had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan from reliving the killing from three years ago.
"We're going to be leaving by the end of the day."
Jugo looked up when Sasuke got up from his seat, his eyebrows raising but nodded his head. "I'll go inform Suigetsu."
Excusing himself quickly, he left Sasuke and Karin alone at the table. The boy was rolling up the scroll and sealing it away while she was just watching him. She didn't ask if he was sure of his choice to go to Konoha, she knew the answer already. She didn't tell him to rethink his decision, she knew he wouldn't listen.
But she was wanting to sate her own curiosity. "Why do you want to save them?"
He stopped what he was doing but did not look at her. His dark eyes stared at the wall and he seemed to be focusing on something.
Finally, he blinked and shook his head. "I don't know."
She narrowed her eyes at that answer. She didn't like the way he dodged her question. "Yes you do. Is it because of your friend?"
"He was more than just a friend," Sasuke's eyes turned into the Sharingan as he turned his gaze on her. "Naruto was my brother and I loved him as if he was my blood."
Karin realized that she hit a sore spot right there and even as he looked at her that way she knew he wouldn't do anything. At most he will just walk away and leave her there. But she needed to know. She wanted him to acknowledge his reasons.
"So is this to atone for killing him? In some way to… honor him?"
Sasuke's hands clenched and his knuckles cracked from the sudden pressure. He did not answer, though.
"Do you think this will get you forgiveness? Do you seek to pay your respects?" She had pressed forward and he did not answer, his eyes spacing out once again. "This will not bring him back, Sasuke. This will not undo what you have done."
He closed his eyes and he shook his head remorsefully. "I do not seek forgiveness, Karin. I know I do not deserve it after all that I've done, much less to my brother, but when I meet him again…"
He looked at her and she was surprised to see a small smile and watery eyes. "At least I can tell him that I tried."
Karin smiled at the genuine emotion in his voice and she nodded her head before getting to her feet. "Then let's go save a village."
Sasuke smiled more and nodded his head. "Thank you, Karin."