Kept you waiting, huh?

So, I hope that this chapter gets through to you what my intent with this story is. Till now, canon has been peacefully been continuing in the back-end, undisturbed by my story.

That changes now.

(Editing WiP)

That Which Remains

Chapter 4

"Is this all that's left?"

Naruto cast a gaze over the destroyed building. At some point of time, this had been a monastery. One couldn't tell, though. The place was beyond destroyed. The arches that led up to the hilltop were ash, the wooden buildings where the monks lived and convened were much the same.

As for the monks, they were nowhere to be found.

"Yeah, this is all that they left." Naruto solemnly answered his unlikely companion.

"These godless heathens, what lows will they not stoop to?" Sun Wukong, the monkey king, asked from behind him. Naruto didn't have an answer to give him.

"I was surprised that you'd ask me for help, I can see why now," Naruto answered, flipping over a fallen portion of a smoldering wall. "Whoever did this was anything but weak."

Wukong nodded. "The monks here were battle-trained. Each was at least strong enough to take a middle-class being, maybe even a four-winged angel." He solemnly stated.

"They put up a fight, that much is for sure," Naruto answered, marking some scuffs on the ground. "There's no familiar occult energy here, at least not angels or devils."

"No Buddhas either. No, son. This was done by humans." Wukong confirmed, breaking out his trusty pipe and sitting down on a blackened rock. "Sacred gear wielders by the look of things."

"Not weak ones either. Probably had someone who could use high-class teleportation magic." Naruto commented, getting a raised eyebrow from Wukong.

"The Monks weren't killed. There's barely any blood on the ground. There are no bodies to be found. They were kidnapped." Naruto spoke, moving around the destroyed area. "The enemy group was five people at max, but they were skilled, very skilled."

Wukong nodded. "I surmised as much," he spoke as he lit his pipe and gave it a deep puff. The smell of tobacco mixed with the smell of smoldering wood as he continued. "It's the Khaos brigade again. They're the only group that's both strong enough and employs humans."

"Surprised your mind didn't drift to us Exorcists. We're humans too, you know?" Naruto shot back. Wukong cracked a smile at that.

"The Exorcists would have done it a lot cleaner, this reeks of ineptitude. They might be strong, but they aren't quite as effective." Wukong answered. "Plus, what would you do with two dozen monks?"

Naruto shrugged. "What would the Khaos brigade want monks for?"

Wukong sighed, releasing another puff of smoke. "Well, they're known for kidnapping people. Sacred gear users, stray devils, normal civilians, you name it." he took another puff from his pipe, allowing his words to sink in. "They probably have magicians of some skill in their ranks, maybe they're trying to create a mind-controlled army?"

Naruto grunted. "Can't be too large of an army, else the church would have heard of it."

Wukong shrugged. "Hell if I know. They're terrorists, half the shit they do doesn't make sense."

Naruto contemplated Wukong's words for a second before coming to his own conclusion. "That can't be it. These attacks weren't spectacles, so to say. This wasn't a demonstration, else there would be corpses. They ran away before you could reach here, so they don't have the confidence to come out in the open." he sighed. "This was a preparatory attack. They're building up to something big."

"You want to stop it, don't you?" Wukong asked.

"Don't you?" Naruto shot back instantly.

Wukong shook his head. "The politics between the powers are too restraining for me to just go on a tear looking for these terrorist shits. I don't know who they're working for, or who they have in their arsenal."

"I do know one thing though."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What would that be?"

Wukong narrowed his eyes. "There's a lingering presence on this battlefield that is very familiar to me. You sense it's divinity too, don't you?"

Naruto nodded. It was a definite holy presence, the remnants of something used in the battle that took place in the monastery.

"That, kid, is the presence of the Longinus. The spear that pierced the flank of the son of God." Wukong answered, and Naruto flinched.

"Such a powerful weapon is in the hands of the enemy? I need to alert Metatron." Naruto spoke as he summoned STRADA. "Thank you for the info, Wukong."

"No issues, kid. The more people that know of these suckers, the harder it will be for them to get away with this kind of horror." Wukong answered as Naruto created a rip in the air with his sword and jumped through. Left alone in the remains of the monastery, Wukong allowed himself a small chuckle.

"He's worried about the Longinus, even though he holds that thing in his soul," Wukong commented to himself, finally getting up from the rock.

"It should be his enemies that are worried, even though he seems clueless of his own true potential."

"The owner of the True Longinus serves the Khaos brigade, you say?" Metatron spoke, his metal brows furrowed in concern.

Naruto nodded.

"That's… Worrisome news." Michael finished for his brother, massaging his forehead like he was nursing a migraine. "This kind of news is the last thing one wants to hear in the morning."

"Between the situation in Kuoh and this, I don't know what's worse."

That caught Naruto's attention. Kuoh in Japan was a hotbed for the devils. News from the town was scarce, and what little did reach the church was always second hand knowledge.

"What happened in Kuoh?" Naruto asked.

Michael sighed. "You remember the holy swords that were stolen from the church a few days before you left on your mission?" he asked.

Naruto nodded. "Wasn't Griselda supposed to go and retrieve them?" He asked, getting a nod from Metatron as a response.

"That was originally a plan, but some complication came up with a large contingent of the clergy going missing in South Africa. She's on a mission there to locate and retrieve them." Metatron spoke. "It was a mission requested by the pope. She left before we could delegate our mission to her."

Naruto grunted. "As always, the clergy fuck things up to suit their own needs. You give them far too much authority over the exorcists."

Michael chuckled. "You know we can't change our nature, Naruto. The lord created us to look over them, not to command them."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at that. His lips widened into a wry grin. "Really now? I'll be sure to bring that up when you try and order me to go on those long, boring stakeout missions."

Michael laughed at that. "Well, as true as that is, we do hold the liberty to reprimand them a bit when they err from the path of God."

Naruto looked on in mild curiosity. "They fucked up something else too, didn't they?"

Metatron answered this time. "Well, they took it into their own hands to send out two exorcist of their own choosing to go and retrieve the swords."

Naruto shrugged. "Well, they're spoilt for choice, aren't they? Who did they send? Vasco? Any of my cute little underlings?"

There was a silence that took over, a silence that made Naruto realize that the clergy had fucked up a lot harder than that.

"They sent Xenovia and Irina, with an Excalibur fragment to each's name." Michael answered.

Naruto was silent for a moment. "So you're trying to tell me that the clergy simply skipped over a few hundred highly-trained exorcists in favor of sending two greenhorns into battle. Also, they armed said greenhorns with some of the greatest weapons in existence?"

"Not how I would put it, but in essence, yes." Metatron answered.

"Well, so what happened? They can't be dead, or in trouble. The mark on my hand would warn me if they were." Naruto stated, frowning. "So, what complications did the girls run into?"

Metatron hummed. "Two days after they reached Kuoh, the swords had already been destroyed. The thief was Kokabiel, erstwhile member of the Grigori. Him and his human accomplices were killed."

"The devils in the city took them down, huh? Let me guess, they don't want to return the fragments." Naruto guessed, only to gain a shake of the head from Metatron.

"The devils of the town have retreated. I believe what transpired between Kokabiel and his adversary made them flee back to the underworld." He answered, confusing Naruto further.

"Wait, so who is this adversary?" Naruto finally asked the million dollar question.

"... His name is Issei Hyoudou. The human welder of the Longinus 'Boosted Gear'." Metatron finished, and Naruto's eyes widened.

"The Crimson dragon emperor." He spoke. "That makes this a lot more complicated."

Michael nodded. "That it does. This is a matter of humans, and neither the devils nor us angels can intrude any further without political backlash."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "The devils didn't try to turn him?"

"They tried, but he wouldn't have it. A group of fallen had already made an attempt at his life before someone tried to turn him. He was smart enough to realize that had he actually died, he wouldn't have the chance to turn them down." Metatron spoke with an undertone of disdain.

"Caught on to their tricks, did he? Must be a smart boy." Naruto concluded.

"That's the general consensus." Michael chimed in. "Still, he's currently in possession of three sacred artifacts that belong to the church. As such, we're well within our rights to send out someone to deal with him."

"Three artifacts?" Naruto asked. As far as he knew, only two swords had been taken from the church.

"... The deployment of Xenovia and Irina isn't the only way the clergy messed up." Metatron spoke. "A few weeks ago, an Italian church excommunicated a holy maiden because she healed a devil. By the time we had reached a verdict on her fate, the clergy had already sent her off to Kuoh for reasons unknown."

Naruto was silent. "Would this holy maiden be Asia Argento, by any chance?"

"I'm afraid so."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly got heavy. Even the archangels, perfect creations of God, were not spared from the feelings of dread that emanated from the indignant Naruto.

"Where are these clergy members?"

It was a simple question, but Metatron had to dredge up enough courage to answer it first. "They went missing mere hours after her excommunication. I've sent a few members of the church assassins after her."

Naruto locked his gaze with Metatron's. "Good. They will be hunted down, and they will die." He raised an arm and STRADA appeared in a burst of light.

"As for me, I'm going to hunt a dragon."

A swing of his sword followed, and he was gone, leaving the two angels behind.

"His anger is more terrifying than I remember it being." Michael spoke, trying to shake off the feelings of doom Naruto had left him with.

Metatron sighed. "Asia is someone he cares for. He sees her as you do, a kind soul. For someone to try and defile one so pure, Naruto would not take that well."

"I know that all too well now, brother." Michael answered. "I hope the crimson emperor gets a word in edgewise before Naruto destroys him and Kuoh."

"Don't be silly, brother. Naruto would never cause collateral damage." Metatron spoke.

"Issei Hyoudou, on the other hand... I can't guarantee his safety."

Naruto expected more from Kuoh.

Not only was it the den of a dragon, but also the homestead of two prominent devil families. It was as close to The Vatican as the devils could get outside of the underworld, and yet, it looked so… mundane. What little Naruto had learnt of dragons was that they liked to live lavish lives, and that most coveted gold and gems. As for the excess of Devils… he had firsthand experience.

The other thing Naruto had learnt was to never mess with a dragon unless absolutely necessary. Of course, Naruto being Naruto, took that as more of a guideline than a steadfast rule. Sadly, in his year of church service, he'd never run into one.

Now that he'd finally be meeting one, it wouldn't be on amicable terms.

He looked around. The people of Kuoh were going around their business. Making their way home for the evening. Salarymen were moving to bars, ready to spend their weekends binge-drinking the week off. By all means, this was a normal place.

Except for the distinct devil signatures headed his way.

"Well, I was told that the families of Kuoh weren't present to deal with the Crimson Dragon Emperor. Guess that was a lie." Naruto muttered to himself as a teenager with short dirty blonde hair approached him. He could feel the other devils, each observing him from a well-covered vantage point. Whoever their king was knew basic combat strategy.

Impressive.

"We weren't expecting any members of the clergy in Kuoh." The boy spoke to Naruto, who put on an amicable smile. "You won't mind coming with us, will you?"

Naruto kept the smile up, even though he was miffed by the standoffish devil. "Well, when in devil territory, follow what they do."

Confirming his compliance, the boy relaxed a bit. He then shot Naruto a weak smile. "Yeah, thanks. Anyways, my king wants to meet you. I guess you're here because of a certain dragon problem?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes I am. I was under the impression that there's only one dragon in Kuoh, though."

The boy flinched at that. It was easy to gather that the boy had a dragon-type sacred gear. He knew some members of the exorcists who had weaker dragon-powered sacred gears. This boy felt similar, yet a lot stronger at the same time.

"Uh, yeah. There's only one problematic dragon. I'm not him." The boy spoke as he started to walk. He walked into an alley and a teleportation circle appeared below his feet. Similar energy signals flared up in the vantage points around them. Their watchers had deemed Naruto a non-threat.

"Kindly step into the circle. You're familiar with teleportation magic, aren't you?" The boy asked, and Naruto nodded.

"Some may say I'm an expert in thefield." Naruto replied as he stepped into the circle. The boy snapped his fingers, and they disappeared in a flash of light.

When her familiars warned her that an exorcist had entered Kuoh, Sona wasn't expecting another teen.

She'd gotten back from another one of Rias' blasted training trips two days ago, only to learn that in her absence, the local school pervert had awakened the power of a Longinus, survived an attempt on his life, destroyed a low-ultimate class fallen and somehow declared a good chunk of their town his territory.

All while being human… or marginally human.

She'd contacted her sister and parents for guidance, but had gotten a general ethos of dismissal. It took her mere minutes to realize why. Issei Hyoudou was a human, and while Kuoh was owned by devils, taking action against the humans that lived there could give other factions reason to move in. The Shinto faction - among many others - wouldn't stand for it.

They were expecting an exorcist. Considering the church had a few Excalibur fragments to recover. The first two were basically hostages now, and this new one… didn't look like much.

"I'm Sona of the Sitri family." She introduced herself to the blonde boy who couldn't be more than a few years elder to her. "You're not Dulio Gesualdo."

The boy shook his head. "Nope, though we do look similar, I must admit." He spoke, leaning forward with a good-natured smile on his face. Sona had met strong exorcists in her life. Her sister was a Satan, and her domain was external affairs. Many an exorcist had visited her domain in the human world. Sona had - as a kid - seen even the revered Vasco Strada. Men of power had a certain aura around him, like a passive threat.

There was nothing like that around this person, even compared to her own peerage members.

"No offence, but I do not know your name, even that badge you wear isn't familiar to me." Sona spoke. She did realize that his badge signified some sort of position of power. He was well-built, but not like Vasco, or even Sairaorg, who had trained their bodies to the absolute limit. He appeared to be a diplomat of sorts, all things considered.

"It doesn't matter. I was sent here by the clergy to close up some unfinished business." The boy spoke, waving a hand. "As for my name, I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Don't bother remembering it, it ain't worth the effort."

That was odd to say the least. Naruto didn't have the hubris associated with most clergymen in a position of power, and neither did he have the aura of a seasoned warrior. This brought forth one simple question.

Why did the church send him?

"Could you fill me in on the situation here?" He asked. "Considering you had your peerage intercept me, I'd say you like being in control. You've already tried dealing with him, haven't you?"

Sona raised an eyebrow. She didn't miss how Naruto mentioned her peerage, and not just Saji. Still, it wasn't enough to confirm whether he truly knew that Sona had assigned her entire peerage to keep an eye on him, just in case things soured.

One could never be too careful around the Church.

"Considering the fact that the city is still standing, I guess you went the diplomatic route." Naruto continued, clapping his hands together. "So, are you going to keep staring at me or fill me in on the situation?"

Sona glared at Naruto. "I first have to confirm your allegiance. We have had troubles with exorcists recently, so you understand my suspicion."

Naruto sighed, then removed the glove from his right hand. As the glove slid over the back of his palm, a very familiar insignia made itself known. The Book, bifurcated by the spear.

"That's Lord Metatron's sigil." He spoke in a calm, collected voice. "And he saw fit to personally dispatch me to collect what is rightfully ours. So, I suggest you start talking. Things have messed up badly enough on your home turf, and none of us want a diplomatic incident."

Sona gulped. Metatron was one of the greatest angels from the heavenly pantheon. He was also the most secretive angel. For him to personally delegate a mission this important to his underling meant there was more to Naruto than met the eye. Plus, it took away any suspicion she had.

"We spoke to him when I returned, gauged how powerful he had become." Sona took a deep breath before continuing. "He quite literally died twice. The only reason he survived was because he gave up parts of his body to Ddraig."

"Ddraig's the name of the Crimson emperor." She spoke, noticing the confusion on Naruto's face. "He has given up half his body to the dragon, so he can use a considerable part of the dragon's power. Thankfully, he hasn't obtained Balance Breaker yet."

"How do you know that?" Naruto asked.

Sona shrugged. "Issei's a simple person. He told us when we asked."

Naruto raised an eyebrow in suspicion, but chose not to speak. Sona continued. "We know that he gave the Excalibur shards to the exorcists sent out before you, we also know that he's sheltering them."

"So, if I was to ask him nicely, he'd just let them go?" Naruto asked with a taunting smile. Again, Sona had to fight the urge to snap back.

"That's unlikely. He apparently knows one of the exorcists well, and she was injured quite badly by Kokabiel. I surmise that's when he gave up so much of his body to Ddraig." She spoke. "If the Holy maiden wasn't around, I'm not sure his friend would have survived."

Naruto nodded. "So, considering Kokabiel was accompanied by a rogue division of exorcists, he doesn't see us favorably."

"That would be putting it lightly." Sona stated, locking her fingers. "His friend was ambushed by the exorcists. Since then, he's dealt with any exorcists unlucky enough to run into him with extreme prejudice."

Naruto grunted. "Well, looks like my work is cut out for me. Where can I find him?"

Sona was silent for a second. "Even without Balance Breaker, Issei does hold the boosted gear. No offence, but he's low Ultimate-class based solely on his raw power. For all intents and purposes, three boosts can put him at mid ultimate class."

Naruto gave her a smile. "You doubt that I'll be able to face him, do you?"

Sona nodded.

Naruto's smile grew. "Just point me in his direction. If all goes well, you won't have a dragon problem in Kuoh anymore. If things go south, you still have plausible deniability. It's a win-win situation."

Sona held his gaze for a second. For someone willing to march into the jaws of death, there was a surprising lack of fear on Naruto's face. Finally, she made up her mind.

"The Hyoudo residence is in the southern area of the city. You can't miss his power signature, it's quite uncontrolled, even with the runic cloth I have him."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you, Lady Sitri." He got up from his chair and walked over to the door of the student council room. "Also, would you like a few words of advice?"

Sona decided to humor the man. "Go on, tell me."

"You really shouldn't judge books by their covers."

The moment he said those words, he vanished. There was no magic involved, nothing that she knew of. The boy was simply… Gone.

Sona settled down into her chair and motioned to her queen. Tsubaki walked over to her and gave her a bow.

"What may I do for you, Kaichou?" She asked.

"Get me each and every book we have on church orders. The older, the better." She spoke, and Tsubaki gave her a quizzical look.

"Naruto's badge meant something, I want to know exactly what it is."

Sona was right about Issei's power signature.

It was quite something. He could feel it the moment he entered the housing district in the southern side of the city. It was wild, unrestrained. There was a primal quality to it which spoke volumes about what kind of fight Naruto could expect.

The signature led Naruto to a decently sized house. Other than Issei himself, Naruto could also feel multiple sources of holy energy, and the familiar signatures of his fellow exorcists and Asia.

Fighting Issei here was out of the question. The housing district was ill-equipped to take the kind of punishment a dragon could dish out.

Assassinating Issei wasn't an option either. The boy hadn't done anything to warrant his death. On the other hand, he'd single-handedly wiped out an exiled Church order that was designated for assassination. He had also killed Kokabiel, the grigori who had dared to steal the church's property.

Why Kokabiel had done it? Naruto had no idea.

In his eyes, Issei just needed to be taught a lesson. Sure, the kid was low-Ultimate class, which was much higher than the high-class devils in Sona's peerage, but he was still pretty low on the pecking order.

He needed to be reminded of that.

Naruto stood atop the house opposite Issei's own and flared some killing intent. He felt Issei's energy roil, and he knew the boy had gotten the message.

Mere seconds later, the house's door opened, and Naruto got his first look at the Crimson Emperor.

… A bland, brown-haired Japanese boy.

Sure, he was wearing bandages under his shirt that covered all the way from his neck down to his fingers, but those were just the runic cloths to hide his true form. His transformation had to be pretty extensive if it took that much runic cloth to cover it up.

"You're an exorcist, aren't you?" Issei asked with venom in his voice. Even with how serious his tone was, Naruto had to actively try and hold back his laughter.

"Well, more of an assassin really. I do work for the church though." Naruto spoke with a good-natured smile on his face. It was a smile Issei did not want to reciprocate in the slightest.

"Leave now. I won't give over the girls to the very men that tried to kill them." Issei asked, closing the door behind him and letting more power leak out.

"Oh? So the girls decided not to come back, did they?" Naruto asked, making Issei flinch. "Or did you man up and decide for them, bucko?"

Issei kept glaring daggers at Naruto. "It's for their own good. All the church would do it send them to their deaths again."

Naruto chucked. "What do you want them to do? Defect to the devils? Heard they pretty much owned this place before you decided it was free real estate."

Issei shook his head. "The devils are just as bad. Lying, conniving creatures that will even let you die so that you can't refuse them."

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know, Issei. Isn't the fact that you still look like a human credited to a devil?"

Issei grunted. "Kaichou will always be Kaichou first, a devil second. She always wants the best for her fellow students."

"Even if they hold one of the strongest dragons that ever existed in their soul?" Naruto asked, and Issei's frown dropped a bit..

"Especially if they do. Now, was there a point to that question?"

Naruto nodded. "If devils can be such a mixed bag of good and bad, don't you think that the exorcists can be the same way?"

Issei resumed his glare. "I couldn't care if the sun shone out of their asses, the girls aren't leaving. If I have to protect them from you, so be it." he finishes as an emerald-topped red gauntlet appeared on his arm.

Naruto sighed. "Well, I won't lie and say I didn't see this coming, but I'll at least try and act apologetic about what I'm going to do."

Issei raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"This."

Before Issei could react, Naruto was in front of him, holding him by his collar with one hand. In his other hand was STRADA, with which he cut open a portal in the air. Issei was then flung through said portal and had to scramble to get back up as Naruto stepped through. The portal closed behind him, and the arid winds of the Saharan desert hit his face.

"There's nothing around for miles. While I have no love for devils, I'd rather not have you wreck their town." Naruto spoke as he watched Issei get up. Issei lost no time as Naruto felt his power double.

"Boost!"

With that, Issei leapt at Naruto. It was a reckless charge, but not ineffective. Any move with such speed couldn't possibly be ineffective. Naruto had to Kawarimi to dodge it. He was pretty sure that any exorcist other than himself, Dulio, or Strada would be destroyed by it.

Issei was momentarily confused by the sudden position switch, but the moment that confusion faded, he was back in striking range of Naruto. Naruto dodged his punches with some effort. There was no pattern to Issei's attacks, there was only a steady stream of punches and kicks. The kid had no formal training.

Do dragons even need combat training?

Naruto was about to ask about that, but was stopped as Issei's power doubled again. He became faster, stronger, and much more persistent.

So, Naruto replied in kind.

Carnewennan appeared in his left hand as Naruto sidestepped a haymaker. He struck with the knife, and Issei dodged. He was still nicked by the dagger.

Just as Naruto wanted.

Issei's runic cloth started to glow as the magic stored within it faded. A ripple of blue light originated from the nick and passed over Issei's frame, dispelling the glamor over his body and revealing scale-like skin all over his arms, running up to his chin. There was a patch of scales on his forehead as well, but the most noticable difference were the red limbal rings that appeared around his sclera.

"Huh, that's what happens when you sacrifice half your body to your friendly soul-dragon, huh?"

Issei glared at Naruto. "You're strong. Ddraig doesn't understand how. Plus you have that sword… and that knife."

Naruto nodded. "I also have my great looks and my winning personality."

Issei's frown deepened. "I'm going to punch you."

Naruto just smiled.

Punching the blonde was a task easier said than accomplished.

For one, he was infuriatingly fast. Even with his fourth boost, the blonde was keeping up with him with much ease. Issei could boost three more times, but something told him that his adversary would be faster still.

That something was Ddraig, of course.

"I'm telling you, Issei, this is not an opponent that you can face as you are right now."

Ddraig was Issei's voice of reason, but he could also be excessively infuriating. Did the dragon not see that the blonde had left him with no choice?

"Honestly, Issei, I think he has given you the choice to simply sit down and talk. He's not even attacking, even when you're completely open."

Sure, that was the case, but how tough could he really be? He had no presence.

"He's an assassin, you dumbass! That's a skill he's picked up. Plus, something clings to him. You can feel it too, can't you?"

Issei could. It was a power that was constantly leaking out of the blonde. Yet, it didn't feel like it was natural. Almost like Ddraig's energy.

"Except the energy is something I have never felt before… Or have I? I cannot tell. It feels both completely foreign yet familiar, like I know what it is, yet I have forgotten."

Issei grunted with effort as he boosted again, doubling his power. Still, the blonde evaded with ease, speeding up yet again to account for Issei's increased speed.

One more boost in the tank. Still, Issei had another trump card. He still had half a human body. If needed, he could give more of it over to Ddraig, increase his power tremendous in the bargain.

"... About that, Issei. If you surrender more of your body to me, you'll lose control."

That was new. Till this point, Issei had survived by giving Ddraig parts of his body, allowing the dragon to channel more draconic energy into him. That's how he killed those fallen angels, that's how he'd murdered the exorcists.

That's how he'd been able to topple Kokabiel.

"Your body is still human, Issei. The more draconian it gets, the higher the chance you have to unravel. Trust me, you don't want that."

Issei had to agree that 'unraveling' sounded excessively ominous and he would like to avoid that. He boosted one last time, hoping it would finally give him the advantage over his opponent.

It wasn't going to happen.

"Issei, he's too strong to take head-on. If you don't want to talk, you have to fight smarter."

Issei looked around him, seeing only dunes surrounding him. Till this point, he'd never needed to rely on tactics or trickery in fights. The combined power of Ddraig and the Boosted Gear made sure that he could just overpower his opponents.

He'd have to adapt, and he knew how to do that… vaguely.

"You sure this will work?" Ddraig asked as he pieced together Issei's plan from his mind. Again, Issei was just as skeptical. His plan relied on his opponent being human. If the blonde had senses rivaling that of an occult creature, the plan would simply fail.

Still, it was the only plan he could come up with on such short notice. So, he went for it.

Issei jumped back on to a large dune, leaving his confused opponent far below him. Boosted gear transformed into its cannon form, and the blonde's confusion changed into caution.

Issei charged up a shot a fired at the blonde, only to miss. He fired a couple more times in quick succession, missing every time.

It didn't matter, he'd accomplished what he needed.

Each shot that landed on the ground had exploded, knocking up clouds of sand. The blonde was between those clouds, probably waiting for them to settle. Issei could still smell him, thanks to his enhanced, draconian body.

He saw his chance and he capitalized, trying to blindside the blonde. He leaped in, and his fist connected with his adversary.

… whose body disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"That was a pretty good plan, Issei." the blonde's voice rang out from all around him, and his nose was assaulted by the multiple sources of the same smell. Somehow, his opponent had circled him… Alone.

"Sadly for you, I've been doing stuff like this my entire life."

A fist connected with Issei's face, sending him tumbling backward to meet a boot that got planted in the small of his back. Issei turned with a fist ready to find nothing. Pain suddenly shot up through his spine as another fist lodged itself into his body, and then another lodged itself into his chest.

His enemy could clone himself.

A flurry of attacks later, the sand finally settled to reveal three identical copies of the blonde staring at an injured Issei.

"You should pick your opponents more carefully. Now, I ought to go collect my wards." he spoke as that sword appeared in his right hand. He was going to cut through thin air as Issei shakily scrambled back to his feet.

"Oh, still got some fight left in you?" Issei's adversary spoke up, dispelling his sword and spreading his arms. "Go on then, take your best shot. Fair warning, if you couldn't connect earlier, you're not going to connect now."

"As cocky as he sounds, he has a point. We've lost, Issei."

No, he hadn't lost. He couldn't lose. This bastard was an exorcist, like Freed, or Valper, or those fucking Templars who almost killed Irina. He was part of the same church who had exiled a pure soul like Asia, who had sent her to Kuoh to die. He was a part of the same exorcists who had sent two young girls to die to a member of the grigori.

No, there was no way Issei could lose here.

"You want to try that?" Ddraig asked, steel in his voice. "Only half my hosts ever achieved it in their lifetimes, and none achieved it this quick after learning of my existence. If you fail, we might die due to the backlash."

Issei knew that, it was the very reason that he hadn't tried to achieve that form yet. Too much risk, no necessity. Now - on the other had - Issei needed every bit of power he could muster.

He had to do it.

"So it is, then. Give it your best shot."

And so Issei did. He sent all his energy to his Boosted gear. The pain came instantly as the sacred gear refused to take all the power.

"Slower, Issei! You have to find balance, it's in the fucking name!"

Time was not a luxury Issei had, so he pumped ever more energy into the sacred gear. The pain grew, but Issei felt something start giving way.

"Issei, what are you trying to do!?" Ddraig screamed in his mind, but Issei didn't listen. Something was giving way, and the pain barely left him awake enough to concentrate on pushing.

Still, his method was simple. Why find balance when you can simply break the scales. Finally, as the resistance gave way, Boosted Gear's gem started to glow. The pain subsided as Issei felt plate armor cover his body.

He couldn't find balance, so he simply brute-forced his way through his sacred gear.

It was at that point that Issei realized why this power was called 'Balance Breaker'.

Naruto was impressed.

In front of him stood Issei, garbed in red plate mail. He looked more like a mecha than a man, complete with what looked like shoulder-mounted boosters.

What really impressed him, though, was Issei's monumental increase in power. Middle Ultimate class at the very least, on par with what Dulio could achieve with his Balance Breaker.

The Longinus-class sacred gears were really something else.

"You gave me no choice." Issei's shaking voice rang out from the armor.

"I did. Surrender my peers and the Excalibur fragments and you don't have to do this." Naruto replied, already knowing what the answer would be. In Issei's eyes, Naruto was the enemy. He was the one coming into Issei's house, trying to take away the people he wanted to protect.

Something his clones had already done, but Issei didn't know that.

"That isn't a choice." Issei spoke calmly, widening his stance. The boosters on his back flared up, and Naruto realized that Issei was a good person. but he really needed that lesson.

Naruto was willing to provide.

"So be it." Naruto spoke as the Six Paths cloak formed around him.

Issei visibly flinched as Naruto stopped holding back his killing intent. He recovered quickly, but the damage had been done. Issei now knew that even with his recent accomplishments, Naruto was an opponent he couldn't face. The mental damage had been done.

Now, it was time for the physical.

Defying his fear, Issei did charge at Naruto. It was futile, but it was respectable. He'd committed to his assault, and he wouldn't retreat. Commendable, but stupid. It was what Naruto would have done once.

When did that change? Maybe when Rias stuck her hand through his chest. It was a lesson he had to learn, it was a lesson that Issei would one day learn too, but today was class for a different sort of lesson.

"Issei, let me teach you this the hard way." Naruto spoke as his body blurred through Issei's charging body.

"There's always bigger fish."

A Rasengan formed in Naruto's right hand and was driven into Issei's back, ripping through his armor and depositing him into the ground. It didn't stop there as the Rasengan kept grinding, driving Issei deeper into the ground. Yet, even as his back started to come apart, Issei resisted. He kept trying to push back up.

It was a battle of wills, and it could only end one way.

Naruto sent more chakra into his Rasengan, and it expanded outwards, finally crushing Issei, both in spirit and body.

As the cloud of dust thrown up by the Rasengan finally settled, it revealed an Injured Issei lying in a crater with Naruto standing over him. Naruto sighed before picking Issei up and throwing him over his shoulder.

He had a plan, and if he could execute it properly, he could make a power play that would make a lot of people very happy, and a lot of people absolutely livid.

Just the thought of it made his face light up with a devilish smile.

When Issei finally woke up, he woke up with a start.

There was a weight next to his thigh. Taking a look at it,he found Asia sleeping with her head on his legs.

It was then that he realized that he was somehow back home.

He got out of bed, taking care not to wake up Asia as he did. He put his pillow where his leg was and left the bed.

"She was quite angry at me for injuring you. She's never been angry at me."

Issei almost fell back on the bed when he heard Naruto's voice. He almost summoned Boosted Gear, but was stopped by Ddraig, who was being oddly silent about everything.

"Gotta say, Irina and Xenovia were equally angry. They still aren't talking to me. So, tell me, what happened?" Naruto asked.

Issei looked confused, "What do you mean?"

Naruto sighed. "I know bits and pieces of what transpired here. Some I was told by my superiors, some by these three girls. I want your account of it."

Issei frowned. "I already told you about what the redheaded whore did, didn't I?"

Naruto shrugged. "I want details. As far as I knew, the devils had laid claim to you. You're the wielder of a Longinus. Every high class devil house would be tripping over each other to get at you. How did they fuck up?"

Issei sighed. "It's a long story."

"I got time." Naruto replied, sitting down on Issei's study chair. "Don't worry about Asia, she's a sound sleeper. Would take much more than some casual conversation to wake her up."

Issei nodded. Asia had been living with him long enough for him to know that snippet of information. He settled down on the bed, sitting next to her.

"I came into contact with Ddraig a few days before it all happened. At first, I was unwilling to believe him, believe his very existence. He told me things about the occult. About Rayanare, who was trying to get close to me." Isse spoke.

"Rayanare? Who would that be?" Naruto interjected. A sour look crossed over Issei's face.

"The fallen angel Rayanare was tasked with killing me. She was following Kokabiel's orders, though I didn't know that back then." Issei answered.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, she succeeded, didn't she?"

"In a way, yeah." Issei sighed. "She left me for dead. Had Ddraig not taken over my arm, I would have died then and there."

Naruto grunted. "So he changed your body into something capable of channeling more of his energy, allowing you to survive."

Issei nodded, then continued. "I was lying there, in that park, waiting for my my legs to stop feeling like jelly, when that devil bitch came. She was quite surprised to find me alive and breathing. I was about to ask her for help when she ran off. Ddraig told me later about her heritage, and what she was going to do to my dead body."

Naruto nodded. "Whoever she is, she's still a devil. It's in their nature to be shrewd manipulators."

Issei scoffed. "A manipulator she definitely is. Between her and her queen, she had the entire school mesmerised. Still probably the single most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on."

Naruto nodded. "I once knew a devil like that. Tried to kill me after showing me the lovely life I could have had."

Issei chuckled. "Yeah, sounds like Rias"

Naruto froze in front of him instantly. It took a few seconds for Issei to put two and two together.

"She was the same one who tried to murder you, wasn't she?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes. Though that's not something I want to discuss further. Go on with your story."

Issei did as asked. "I never saw Rayanare after that day. Later that week, I met Asia. Basically, whoever sent her here was colluding with a bunch of fallen angels and some exiled exorcists"

"They wanted to force her to be their healer?" Naruto asked, and Issei shook his head.

"Worse. They wanted to extract her sacred gear." Issei raised a hand to stop Naruto, who was about to interject. "It was a device that belongs to someone named Azazel. Fun guy, came to thank me for getting it back to him. Wasn't quite as happy when he learnt what I did to the fallen."

Naruto swallowed. Issei's cold tone was enough to tell him what happened to the fallen.

"Anyways. It ended up okay. Ddraig's tutelage and the Boosted Gear's power was enough to completely outclass them." Issei then fell quiet for a second, thinking things over.

"Problems came when Kokabiel decided to drop by."

Naruto nodded. "By what I've heard, you killed him all alone. That's no small task."

Issei laughed. "Gave half my body for it. No regrets though." the mirth evaporated from his face as fast as it had appeared. "He hurt Irina. He was slated for death."

Naruto nodded. "Irina told me she was your childhood friend. She holds considerable admiration for you." he then cast his eyes over Asia, who was still sleeping peacefully. "All three of them do."

Issei didn't reply to that. "Short version of what happened, Kokabiel showed up to kill Rias and Sona, found neither of them here. Irina and Xenovia showed up and fought some exorcists. Irina was injured when Asia found them. They made the mistake of kidnapping them."

"A mistake indeed. I was to pass judgment on them, but it seems you've already done that in my stead." Naruto commented.

"They had it coming. No one hurts my friends and gets away with it." Issei answered.

Naruto nodded. "That's fair. So, what are you going to do now? I have to take them back, they have duties to attend to, work to do, lives to live. Plus, some angels owe them apologies."

Issei locked his eyes with Naruto's own. "I don't want them to go back to the church if I can help it. Asia told me about what happened to her, what the clergy did. Irina and Xenovia were armed with Excalibur fragments and sent to fight an opponent far out of their league. That's now how it should work."

Naruto nodded. "I agree. Those responsible for all this are currently on the run from us. My own people will see to it that they can't run for long. You can take my word for it."

"What good is your word? I don't even know who you are!" Issei spoke in a scathing voice.

"How about this. I, Naruto Uzumaki, leader of the Officio Assassinorum and Bladesage, promise to you that whoever is responsible for this farce will be dead by the end of the week, if they aren't already." Naruto stated, and Issei's eyes widened in surprise.

"The church assassins are a real thing?" he asked, and Naruto nodded, showing Issei his emblem.

"Yes, and I have a feeling that you could gain something by joining us." Naruto spoke. "You're powerful, sure, but I know three humans other than myself who could beat you outright, and five more who could defeat you over time."

"You have strength but no skill. Skill is something we can give you." Naruto continued. "Plus, if you want to make sure the girls are okay, why not be there for them?"

Issei was silent for a moment. "I'm not much of a Christian, Naruto. I didn't even believe in the occult before… Well… All of this happened."

Naruto laughed. "Issei, before I joined the Exorcist, I didn't know shit about Christianity. Trust me, if you're powerful enough, they'll take you in even if you're a devout follower of any other religion. I mean, have you heard of converting?"

Issei was silent. "What about my schooling? My parents?"

Naruto answered that by drawing STRADA and cutting open a hole to the Vatican. "You don't need to live in the Vatican. I'm quite good at logistics, as you can guess by our little workout in the Sahara desert."

Issei stayed silent. "Can I think it over?"

Naruto nodded. "Sleep on it. You can tell me in the morning. Remember, it's just an option."

Issei nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

Naruto smiled. "You do that. Also, you explained why you cared for Asia and Irina. Why did you insist on protecting Xenovia too?"

Issei flashed Naruto an ecstatic grin. "Her Oppai… IT'S AMAZING!"

At loss for an answer, Naruto nodded. "Uh huh. That's fair… good night, Issei."

As he left Issei's room, he wondered whether he could still retract his offer. He didn't need Griselda getting on his case for initiating a pervert into the exorcists.

God knows they already had enough of those amongst the clergy…

Sona knew this was going to be a long day the moment Naruto had walked into Kuoh, now, she knew it would only get worse.

"They actually sent an exorcist? The nerve… "

Sona winced at her best friend's high-pitched voice. On the other side of her work table sat Rias, flanked by her peerage as Sona was by her own.

"Issei was a problem for humans. The church sent a human. Simple logic." Sona replied, taking a sip of her tea.

Rias huffed. "Me and my peerage cut into our precious training time to go and kill that pesky fallen angel who dared kill my soon-to-be pawn. He's my problem, no one else's."

Sona sighed. "You ran off without even confirming whether he was dead or not. You didn't even tell me that our training trip was canceled. You basically made sure that Issei was left alone in a town that would soon come under attack by fallen angels."

Rias shifted a bit in her seat. "Y-yeah I admit I was a bit hasty in my actions. Still, to learn that Issei was able to take down Kokabiel was a pleasant surprise."

Sona was silent for a moment. She knew that had Rias been in town, Kokabiel would have never stood a chance. Since that incident with Zekram Bael, something had changed in her best friend. A hunger to become the best, to protect her friends. It was almost like she was living her life on someone else's ideals.

Whatever those might be, it had led to her becoming a candidate for the strongest young devil, right up there with her cousin Sairaorg.

"He gave up half his body to Ddraig. Even half a dragon is stronger than a grigori." Sona admitted. "You do know that he hates you beyond reason, right?"

Rias was confused for a second. "What does he think? That I wanted him to die?"she stuttered indignantly. Sona gave her a planted stare, and it finally dawned on Rias.

"Wait, so he actually saw me that night? Unfortunate. Still, I have a way to make things better." Rias spoke with a grin on her face.

Sona took another sip of her drink. "Go on, tell me your stupid plan."

Rias answered her by snapping her fingers. Her queen, Akeno, handed a rather large urn to her master.

"Do I need to know what's in there?" Sona asked, and Rias' grin grew.

"Let's just say that this urn is filled with ashes. Whose ashes they are, I'll let you guess." Rias finished.

Sona was honestly stumped by her friend at this point. "Rias, do you honestly believe that an urn full of angel remains constitutes a peace offering?"

Rias shrugged. "It's revenge served cold! Weren't humans supposed to really enjoy it?"

Sona sighed. "Drop that. Honestly, just go visit him and explain. That exorcist apparently stayed over at the Hyoudou residence last night. Maybe he'll help mediate things, given that he's still alive… Hopefully."

Rias gave the urn back to Akeno. "I guess I'll go do that. Come on guys, let's go."

Sona watched as Rias and her peerage disappeared in their summoning circles. She finally finished her tea. Maybe it wasn't the brightest idea to send someone as headstrong as Rias to handle a situation this diplomatic…

Still, it wasn't any of her concern.

Instead, her concern was the fact that neither she, nor her peerage could remember exactly who the exorcist sent by the church was…

"So, have you made up your mind?"

Issei watched as Naruto closed the portal after letting the female exorcists and Asia through. Issei had gotten to say his farewells, and now, he got to make his decision.

He'd be lying if he said he hadn't given it thought. He couldn't sleep all night, having spent it all debating the pros and cons of joining the exorcists.

Issue was, there weren't many 'cons'. Naruto had offered him a chance to live and study in Italy, he had even offered the chance to stay in Kuoh and keep studying. The second one wasn't an option. He did not want to live in a town that was owned and run by devils.

It was the same for his parents. Naruto had offered Issei complete transferral, family included. His father would be laid off from his current company and offered a job in Italy. It would be smooth, painless.

The very opposite of his interactions with the devils.

Yet, his mind wandered. Would there be a difference between joining the church or joining the devils? Had he been turned into a devil that night, would things have been different?

"There is no use dwelling over the past, child. Life is a one-way road, and you can only move forward."

It also helped that Ddraig had found respect for Naruto, as both a warrior and a negotiator. Joining the church under Naruto's tutelage would be a win-win for both of them.

"Yes, I have. It was a surprisingly simple decision to make." Issei spoke.

"The simplest decisions are the hardest to make. Some wise man said that. I can't really relate though." Naruto answered with a chuckle. "I just take action with my fists. Knowing you, I'd say so do you."

Issei gave Naruto a smile. "Yeah, true that. Still, you already know my answer."

Naruto returned Issei's smile. "Alright then, pack your bags. Your parents don't return from their holiday till next week, right?" a shake of Issei's head answered him, so he continued. "Well, that'll just make the process easier. Let's get to the Vatican and get you inducted."

Issei was about to tell Naruto to grab a seat and make himself comfortable when the doorbell interrupted him. "I'll get that. You take a seat." He spoke, as he left the room. The bell rang twice more before he got to his door.

"You humans are much too impatient."

It was when Issei opened the door that Ddraig stood corrected. Humans might be impatient, but they still had nothing on the kings of impatience.

Devils.

"What are you doing here?" Issei asked through clenched teeth. Rias didn't have enough humility to even look cowed. Instead, she gave him a winning smile.

"I came here to clean up some misconceptions Sona told me you had." Rias spoke. "Also, I'm quite glad to see you're still alive."

Issei noticed that Rias was already leaning in. She probably expected him to let her into his house. Knowing what he did about Naruto, that wasn't a good idea.

"Talk. Make it quick." Issei ordered. Rias' smile faltered for a second, but returned full force.

"Firstly. Why do you believe that I wanted to forcibly recruit you?"

Rias' question caught Issei completely off-guard. He sputtered, trying to come up with a response. Finally, his mind caught up with his mouth.

"You… saw me die, you didn't help. Hell, why were you even there?" Issei asked. Rias sighed in response.

"So, when you were dying, why didn't I just turn you?"

Again, Issei was lost for an answer. Before he could respond, Rias pulled out a bloodied slip of paper and showed it to Issei.

"This should be familiar to you. It was given to you and many others, distributed outside school by my familiar. You took one, do you remember what this said." She asked, and Issei shook his head. She continued. "This paper is a simplified pentagram. Basically, when you bled on this paper with your intention to 'not die', I was summoned under contract to save you."

"Well, why didn't you check on me, then? Might have been more helpful."

Rias shook her head. "Issei, I need you to understand that I had been trying to work up the courage to ask you to join my peerage for months. That moment when you summoned me, all I saw was you, splayed out on the ground with a fist-sized hole in your body. I was livid." Her gaze hardened. "I was - and still am - dead set on making you a part of my peerage. I already considered you a part of my family. To see a fallen angel come to my territory and murder my potential pawn. Well, I saw red."

"So you ran after Rayanare, didn't you?" Issei cooly asked, trying to hide his repulsive reaction to Rias calling him a part of her family, combined with the creepy connotations of her other claims.

"Let's just say she's no more. Then, I returned last night to find out that not only were you alive, but because neither me nor Sona were here, you cleaned up a mess created to lure us out." Rias continued, cupping Issei's face in her hands. "I have to apologize, but you have no idea how much that excites me."

Issei could barely suppress a shiver as he moved his face away. His anger was rising. That's when he blurted out something he instantly regretted.

"Is that how you got Naruto to your side before you killed him?"

Rias instantly froze, and so did Issei as he realized what he'd said.

"H-how do you know that name?" Rias blurted out. Issei realized at that point that he had to end it. Send her away, be done with her.

"Forget I said that. I don't want to have anything to do with you or your peerage. The last thing I want to be is a glorified slave. Now, leave." Issei spoke, trying to close the door behind him. He was unsuccessful as Rias shoved her hand through the closing door. She didn't seem to care as the closing door dug into her arm.

"Issei, how do you know that name." Rias spoke, pushing the door with all her might. Issei was surprised by how much power the girl had in her frame.

"You do not need to know!" Issei grunted as he pushed back with his might. He couldn't let her in, and he couldn't use his true power, lest he destroy the door and everything around it.

Issei, I can't feel Naruto's presence anymore! Ddraig spoke in his mind. The shock was enough to make Issei stop resisting, allowing Rias to plow through, pushing past the door and into him.

Oh Shit.

They both tumbled to the ground. There was an angry expression on Rias' face as Issei lay sprawled over her. Issei capitalized on her anger and grabbed her by her jacket's hem, dragging her prone form out the open door and flinging her like a bag of trash.

"Do not enter my house, devil. I don't have anything to do with you." Issei seethed, letting his power wild. Rias was definitely not expecting his power to have risen this far, and the shock on her face made that amply clear. "If you try to pull something like that again, your followers will have to sew your pieces back together."

With his warning given, Issei closed his door. He felt her teleport out after a few seconds, and then he finally ran into the family room where he'd left Naruto, only to find him gone, having left a note on the table.

"Be back in an hour. Metatron called. Get your packing finished"

Issei collapsed on to a sofa and let out a short laugh. There had to be some higher power at work here, else had the two met, one wouldn't be leaving his house in one piece... whatever would be left of his house, that is.

Knowing the world he was part of now, he wouldn't even be surprised.

Hello, readers, and welcome to the cliffhanger you're going to hate more than any other cliffhanger I have ever made. In my defense. I wasn't going to end here.

Except I couldn't come up with another way to end this chapter within 10k words. I'd have to write around 6k+ more words to come to another decent point of conclusion.

So, this is what you're gonna get till chapter 5 drops.

-CruelRuin