A/N: Before we start this chapter I just want to say a few things.

First off, thank you everyone who have followed and reviewed on this story. Thank you everyone who gave this fic a chance and thank you for the over 10000 views I have received for this fic alone. I only did I see that this story is I on the Fire Emblem stories comma but it's at the top! You guys are awesome and you are the reason I continue this story!

Now, if any of you have reread this story anytime recently, then you will have seen the changes I've made are minor. Most of the things that I did with editing and making sure everything made more sense so you don't have to worry about going back and reading it, but just in case I'm going to put underneath what I have changed and the chapters I have edit. I've done most of them, but not all of them so give me some time before I finish that please!

Chapter 1: Edited how Naruto was banned from Regna Ferox and corrected most grammar errors.

Chapter 2: Slight edit to grammar errors and Morgan and Naruto conversation.

Chapter 3: Edit battle with Lucina and Morgan and fixed grammar errors.

Chapter 4: Edit conversation with Robin about Grima and Naruto's appearance at Regna Ferox at Regna Ferox.

Chapter 5: Edit Grammar errors and conversation flow.

Chapter 6: Edit end of conversation with Emmeryn and Naruto.

I do plan to revise the last 2 chapters sometime this week so please give me some time. I say I have an excuse on why it took so long to write this, but I really don't have one instead of the fact that my mind has decided to write another fanfic. It's an OC story about what my life would have been like in the Naruto world as the son of Minato, but I'm on the fence on whether or not I should post it. If I do then just know I will make my decision sometime by the end of this year.

Also, I've changed the pairings thingy-ma-bob on the site where it says Robin is with Naruto and Lucina. This is NOT set in stone! It may be a harem, it may not. I'm just having a hard time deciding so I put it up there just in case.

Well, that's it and hope you enjoy this short chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Fire Emblem.

Chapter 7

Why We Fight I

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD EVENIIIIIIIIIING~ FELLOW FEROXIANS AND TRAVELERS! WELCOME TO REGNA FEROX BATTLE OF THE KHANS TOURNAMENT! THE TOURNAMENT WHERE CHAMPIONS CHOSEN BY THE EAST AND WEST KHANS OF REGNA FEROX SHOW THEIR SKILLS AGAINST SOME OF THE BEST WARRIORS OF THE CONTINENT! ARE YOU PEOPLE EXCITED OR WHAT!"

The roaring of the crowd was deafening. The cylinder-shaped building seemed to be able to contain the hundreds if citizens within, but was unable to contain their excitement since the sound of cheering could be heard a mile away. People of every nationality could be seen filling seats and even standing in the back of Arena Ferox when there were no more seats to be filled, yet despite there being two sides to root for, there was no boundary separating the sides.

It was no secret that this tournament would decide the leadership of Regna Ferox for the next 5 years, but that was not the main attraction for the people of Regna Ferox. No matter who ran the country, no Khan foolishly led their army to battle without a righteous or honorable reason. They are known for their more outspoken and barbaric attitude, but they were not bandits. They were a nation that simply valued strength, honor, loyalty, and those who possess it. Its how one becomes a Feroxian Warrior and, to a greater extent, the next Khan for only those who possess those three qualities plus the loyalty of their soldiers will ever lead their country to glory.

No, people weren't here for such political gains. This day was different from the regular tournaments that is held to show off Feroxian's strength. This was more than deciding who would be the next ruler of Regna Ferox. This was more than the simple hype of gambling for their preferred Khan to win. Majority of the citizens were here for more than just greed and more than just political gain.

They were here to see the warriors of Regna Ferox and travelers across the world put their honor on the line and compete in mortal combat.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM MOST PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE A SURPRISE GUEST ATTENDING THIS EVENT! MANY OF YOU KNOW HER AS THE KINDEST SOUL TO EVER GRACE THE CONTINENT, OR AS THE GODDESS OF YLISSE! SHE HAS BROUGHT HER COUNTRY BACK TO POWER AT THE AGE OF 10 AND IS STILL STRIVING DESPITE HER YOUTH! LADIES! GENTLEMEN! PLEASE GIVE YOUR BIGGEST WELCOME FOR SHE IS THE ONE, THE ONLY, EXALT EMMERYN OF YLISSE!"

If it was possible, the stadium seemed to shake from the volume of the people's cheers. Meanwhile, Emmeryn stood from her seat next to Khan Flavia and waved at the crowd that seemed to be throwing complements and other incongruous things that caused Phila to scowl. Some things the Royal Knight heard should have stayed as thoughts and nothing more.

"Looks like your reputation precedes you, Exalt." Khan Flavia laughed as she heard the many interesting ways the crowd showed their love. Flavia, East Khan of Regna Ferox, was a tall mocha-skinned, well-built woman with blonde hair in a messy pony-tail. She wore brilliant red and silver light armor with a massive silver sword that was propped up next to her chair. If anyone were to look at her, then they would assume she was in her forties, but the way she carried herself and the swagger she had every time she spoke and walked said otherwise.

"So it would seem." Emmeryn chuckled good naturally, having to speak louder over the roaring crowd as she sat back down in her seat. "T'would seem your people are quite more enthusiast than my own." The exalt couldn't help but feel like a hypocrite as she looked to her left and over to her little sister and the remaining Shepherds. They were cheering just as loud as the crowd while yelling less than dignified words of their own.

Flavia only seemed to laugh harder at the younger blonde's reply. "Damn! Never thought you'd be the one for throwin' jabs! Good to see you're already adapting to the Feroxian Spirit!" Emmeryn could only laugh and hide the wince from the physically stronger woman who was playfully clapping her shoulder—bringing up a hand to stop a visibly irritated Phila from doing anything rash. The Khan didn't seem to notice the Royal Knight since she called for one of her guards to bring her two mugs of ale. The tops were frothing with Rum and only seemed to make the Khan's smirk widen the closer it got. Once it was in her hand, she happily gulped it down as if it were water. The muscled, shirtless man looked over to the Exalt and offered an equally frothing mug, but she politely declined.

The female Khan saw this after finishing her share and frowned, more like pouted, at the queen. "Come on, girl! You can't just deny good booze at an event like this! You've got no responsibilities while in Regna Ferox, so let your hair down a little! I'm sure you'd be forgiven for lettin' loose for one day!"

Emmeryn just smiled and shook her head once more. True, she cared about her image and didn't even want to imagine what her people would think of her if she were to allow herself to succumb to the effects of alcohol, but it was more than that; in her mind, at least. "My apologies, but alcohol… just isn't one of my strong suits."

Flavia stared at the younger woman for a minute before a smirk came to her face. "You're a light weight, aren't ya?" The Khan said it as a joke, but the silence from the blonde afterwards had her eyes widen in shock. "Holy shit, you are, aren't you?" The older blonde exclaimed then laughed afterwards while slapping her hand on the armrest of her chair. Emmeryn said nothing as she looked down to the arena floor at the announcer that she'd been toning out. "I'll let it slide this time, but after the tournament, win or lose, you and I will share a drink!"

Like her council meetings, Emmeryn could say she was not looking forward to it.

East Khan Arena Gates

Chrom and his selected fighters looked to the gate that separated them from the center arena in awe. They could only see one part of the arena from their point of view, but going from the amount of seats they could see filled and the volume of the stadium they could tell the arena was filled with at least 1000 occupants.

"That's one hell of'a crowd." Sully kindly simplified everyone's thoughts into words.

"Yeah, I'm getting nervous just hearing them." Said the tactician as she tried to will her growing goosebumps away.

"It is to be expected." Frederick interjected. "The Battle of the Khans is the biggest event to be held in Regna Ferox. A tournament where men and women fight in mortal combat and people around the world are free to gamble, trade and sell their wares on Feroxi soil. It is also where leadership of Regna Ferox is chosen, so many would be interested in seeing who would lead the country forward for the upcoming future. Though I can say for sure most who have attended this event are here solely to watch the best of the best fight for their honor and pride as warriors."

Chrom listened to his knight's words as he rubbed his chin in interest. He would be the first to admit he quite enjoyed events like this (aside from the killing your opponent part) and wish there were similar events in Ylisse, but he wasn't sure how Emm or his people would react if he held 'such barbaric activities' in the Halidom. He would just have to be satisfied with this event and hope he and his friends made it out alive and secured the alliance Khan Flavia had promised them if they won. He wouldn't know what to do if they'd come all this way just to leave with possibly less than they came with considering the trials he and his Shepherds had to go through just to get to where they were now.

Not only did he have to deal with the now suspicious individual that was Naruto Uzumaki that had been hiding more than they first thought, but they had to deal with Risen along the way along with a group of bandits that almost slayed a, now, fellow Shepherd who goes by the name Anna; someone he could swear to his dying day he'd seen before all across Ylisse. The four-day trip turned into 6 in the blink of an eye. If that wasn't bad enough, then the climate change of climate only made them hold for another day due to some people (Vaike particularly) not being prepared for the climate change. As if their luck couldn't get any worst, they were forced into another battle with the border guards after being suspected of bandits of all things. Granted, they had a valid reason behind their transgression, but Chrom and Emmeryn believed things could have gone by a lot smoother if the Feroxian didn't speak with their swords rather than their mouths.

Then there was meeting the Khan herself. Yes, her. He could remember how just how thrown off he was when the tall woman built like a female warrior walked into the hall with magnificent red and silver armor and carrying a broad silver sword as long as Lissa. He could never forget the face Robin was making after her comment on the Khan being 'a giant of a man with unparalleled thew, with broad chest covered in hair'. Luckily for them, the East Khan didn't take it personally and even made a jest out of it. Otherwise Chrom wouldn't know how he'd think of Robin if she'd accidentally cost them their only chance at getting the troops they needed.

Emmeryn was already in the process of negotiating for troops, but the negotiations didn't get far since Flavia was quick to shoot them down. Thankfully, it wasn't for anything they did on their part, but because she currently lacked the authority to do so. She was not the current ruling thanks to 'a fuckin blonde dastard' and had no rule over Regna Feroxian troops. Chrom didn't even need to guess who said 'blonde dastard' was and he was sure Khan Flaivia wouldn't have taken too lightly knowing they were sorta acquainted with said blonde. She then went on to explain to them the next Battle of the Khans Tourney was to be held within the next 5 days and she 'just so' happened to be lacking proper champions.

Now, here they were. Fighting for the future of both Ylisse and the next leadership of Regna Ferox against trained warriors Chrom wasn't so sure how to approach. The shinobi said he'd be participating in the tournament along with 3 others he'd specifically been training. He knew Marth was among them, but had no idea who the other two could be. Having no answer, the prince could do nothing but train for the upcoming event and make sure he secured the alliance he was promised.

"ALRRRRRRRRIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! KHAN FLAVIA HAS MADE HER DECISION. THIS TOURNEY'S CHOSE OF BATTLE WILL BE~! THE GAUNTLET MATCH!"

Chrom could hear the roars of approval from the crowd as he tuned them out to look to his tactician. Because they were on the side of last tournament's losing Khan, they were already privy to the choice of battle and had the advantage to send out their 7 fighters in whatever order they pleased while the winning Khan was fixed.

"Know who you're sending out first, sweetheart?" the redhead merchant Anna asked the tactician as she leaned on her Levin Sword. Instead of the merchant garb she wore as a traveler when they first met, she now wore a garb similar to that of a trickster. She wore a red cape that draped over her shoulders with a red long-sleeved shirt that stopped above her cleavage and had a yellow vertical stripe that sowed the middle of the shirt together. Below she wore baggy maroon colored pants that tucked into long red pointy boots that had a yellow stripe going down the middle.

"If ya can't choose, then Teach happily volunteers!"

Robin regarded the merchant and the shirtless fighter before inspecting the Shepherds around her. Chrom, Vaike, Sully, Frederick, Anna and Stahl. Since this was a Gauntlet match, they are to be expected to fight multiple fights while also being wary of the real threat that was Lon'qu, Marth, Naruto and whoever else he's trained for this tourney. The smart thing to do would be to hold her strongest card until the inevitable clash against the shinobi, however…

Her gaze finally landed on the stoic knight next to his liege. "Frederick, you'll be first." Said knight turned to the tactician quizzically. "The tournament may be a test of skill, but a Gauntlet match can also be a match of endurance. The West Khan will either go all out in the beginning and send out their best fighters, or they will do the opposite. If it's the latter, then we will have the advantage since out of all the Shepherds, you no doubt have the greatest skill, stamina and endurance. If you can take down at least half of their team, then I'm sure the rest of us can take on whatever else they throw at us."

The tactician wasn't sure, but the slight straightening of the knight's shoulders was probably his way of exuding pride. "Very well. I will do my best not to sway the trust you've put in me." The stoic knight bowed before heading to the gates that blocked them from the arena. There was a short man holding a tome at the gate that seemed to ask the knight something before nodding and walking away. A minute later after the announcer had enthusiastically introduced someone by the name of Leroy, he opened the tome that was on his hip and seemed to read it's contents. A few seconds later he smiled before shouting back at the crowd.

"AND FROM THE EAST KHAN SIDE! THIS MAN IS MIGHTY, THIS MAN IS LOYAL, THIS MAN IS THE ETERNAL DEVOTED SERVANT OF PRINCE CHROM OF YLISSE! LADIES AND GENTLEMAN! PLEASE GIVE A LOUD WELCOME TO FREDERICK ALEXANDER!

Standing at full attention, Frederick marched out to the arena with lance in hand and stoic face that hid the pride he felt at the way he was announced. Chrom, on the other hand, was massaging the bridge of his nose while Sully and Vaike roared in laughter.

On the arena floor, Frederick stood at attention 20 feet away from his opponent while the announcer gave them the rules. His opponent was about average height with light armor that covered him head to toe and stood with an iron sword on his shoulder. The cocky grin on the young man's face didn't even make the Great Knight twitch for 'those who exude arrogance before they've even seen their opponent's skills never made it far on the field of battle'. This man would learn that first hand from his lance.

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE. WE ALL KNOW THE RULES, BUT SINCE I'M SUCH A NICE HOST, I WILL GLADLY GO OVER THEM ONE MORE TIME FOR THE ONE'S THAT WERE NOT LISTENING! BOTH COMPETITORS ARE TO FIGHT UNTIL THE OTHER EITHER LOSES THEIR WEAPON, ARE UNABLE TO CONTINUE, FORFEITS OR DIES! IF I DEEM IT NECESSARY, THEN I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO STOP THE FIGHT! DO BOTH OF YOU UNDERSTAND THE RULES THAT HAVE BEEN READ TO YOU?"

Frederick nodded while the other competitor just 'humphed'.

"ALRIGHT! THEN ON MY MARK!"

Given the signal, both men readied their weapons while the announcer/referee quickly moved to the edge of the arena. The roaring of the crowd increased as the contest drew to its start.

"SET!"

Frederick's opponent decided this was the time to rile him up before the match officially started. "Get ready Mr. Mighty Knight, cause after I'm done with you the only profession you'll be good at is gardening." The only sign the man's words seemed to affect the knight was the very slight down turn of his brow.

"BEGIN!"

Immediately the man charged the Great Knight who didn't even move a muscle. The man got within range and immediately went for an overhead strike to the knight's head.

What happened next went unnoticed by the majority of the crowd. One second the knight was still with his lance down, the next his lance spun and slashed upwards. The crowd went silent as a whistling sound echoed in the air. A second later, half a sword landed on the ground and its previous wielder slumped to the ground with a slash across his torso. Frederick spun his lance in three perfect arcs before going back to attention with his lance standing to his side.

"I'd advise in the future that you leave your meaningless banter till after the fighting is over."

After those words left the knight's mouth, the crowd erupted into cheering once more; this time chanting the Great Knight's name.

East Khan Corner

"FUCK YEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Flavia cheered as she jumped to her feet. Emmeryn showed her own form of elation by clapping elegantly at her knight's victory. "If I'd known you had a guy like this under you then I would have sought you out years ago!" The Exalt chuckled at the mocha-skinned woman as she sat back down and took a swig of the Rum present to her side.

The next few matches ended with more fervor than the last. Someone new would appear from the West Khan's gates but they were all put down by the immovable wall that was Frederick Alexander. The fights lasted longer from each individual, but one by one the Great Knight showed why he was a part of Ylisse's Royal Knights. If that wasn't proof enough, then the fact he didn't even look winded after fighting for 30 minutes spoke volumes of his endurance and dedication to his duty as a knight. That, plus the fact he hadn't received a single injury, made the crowd cheer his name in sync as they waited for the forth 'victim' to enter the arena against the proud knight of Ylisse.

"Only 30 minutes in and the Big Oaf is already down half his champions! If this isn't a sign that a change is comin', then I don't know what is!" Flavia laughed once again before downing another mug, making Emmeryn wonder how the woman wasn't intoxicated after how much she'd put down in the last 30 minutes.

"ALRIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! ARE YOU HAVING FUN?!" the announcer was answered with a thundering cry of approval that shook the arena. "ARE YOU READY TO SEE MORE ACTION FROM THE NOBLE, THE MIGHT, SIR FREDERICK ALEXANDER?!" If possible, the cheers became louder at the announcer's hype for the East Khan's Champion. "GOOD! BECAUSE HIS NEXT BATTLE WILL BE A FIGHT YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS! HIS NEXT CHALLENGER IS A MAN WHO IS HAILED AS ONE OF REGNA FEROX'S GREATEST SWORDSMEN! HE HAS BEEN THE REIGNING CHAMPION FOR THE WEST KHAN SINCE HE WAS BUT 15 YEARS OF AGE AND IS THE RIGHT-HAND MAN OF KHAN BASILIO HIMSELF! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! STAND ON YOUR FEET AND GIVE A LOUD FEROXIAN WELCOME TO NONE OTHER THAN LON'QU!"

The energy in the crowd seemed to reach it's max when the crowds chants of Frederick went to chants of the incoming warrior.

"LON~'QU!"

"LON~'QU!"

"LON~'QU!"

"LON~'QU!"

Emmeryn looked down to the stands where people were now jumping up and down as the gates of the West Khan opened and out walked Frederick's next challenger. The Exalt couldn't see the black-haired man's face as he walked out, but she immediately noticed the foreign clothing that she hadn't seen in quite some time. He wore, if she remembered correctly, a shirt-like blue yukata that had three cut tails following behind him. The hems of the yukata were outlined brown while the end of the sleeves were covered white fur. To wrap up the top he had two black shoulder pads that connected to another that covered his neck and had a red and blue obi wrapped around his torso. Below he wore plain white baggy pants with long brown boots that stopped just below the knee. Finally, in his gloved right hand he held a curved blade with a red hilt that was completely different from the double-edges she was used to.

Emmeryn looked over to inquire more about the individual her knight was about to face, but was surprised when she saw that, for once, Flavia wasn't smiling. The grin that had been present on her face throughout the event was now replaced with a skeptical frown as she looked to the newcomer.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Flavia?"

The East Khan didn't even glance at the inquiring Exalt as she answered, "Basilio only ever puts his best Champion up either first or last." Said the Khan and her frown deepened. "The hell are you up to, Oof?" She whispered as she stared across the stadium and to the throne that held the current leader of Regna Ferox.

Arena Floor

Frederick parried another slash as for once he was put on the defensive. The man before him was nothing like his past opponents. He did not waste time with words and didn't waste a single movement as he advanced. This man was a true warrior and Frederick knew one wrong move against his new opponent would be his end.

He moved his head out of the way as a thrust just missed his head. This man was also not hesitant to go for the kill and Frederick could respect that in a fighter. As he parried another overhead strike, he backpedaled to put some more distance between them.

He was surprised when his back hit something hard and nearly made him turn around on instinct. It was a good thing he didn't follow that instinct since a second later the Chon'sin swordsman let loose a flurry of combos that the Great Knight could barely keep up with.

Unfortunately, the swordsman proved his speed to be superior as a strike got through and left a nasty cut to his inner left thigh. Only wincing from the pain, Frederick took the opportunity to get away from the corner by jumping away from a forward thrust and swinging as he finally got some distance away. His opponent reacted to his wide swing by jumping out of range, but received a cut along his cheek for his troubles.

Frederick did his best to ignore his injured leg while falling back into a stance that heavily favorite his right. Meanwhile, Lon'qu was already circling his opponent and thinking of his next move. Both men ignored the roaring crowd as they looked for the slightest opening left by their opponent.

Eventually, Lon'qu was the one to be on the offensive once again as he immediately took advantage of his opponent's recent injury by circling to his left. The swordsman anticipated the jabs to his face and quickly weaved through them while getting closer. He swung low at the knight's now open abdomen and was shocked when his sword was deflected quite harshly despite the lack of momentum the could accumulate with such small space.

Frederick did not waste the opening he was given and swung his lance in an arc—the side of his silver lance impacting cleanly to the swordsman's exposed ribs. The force of the attack sent the Chon'sin warrior stumbling a few feet back while holding onto the left side of his torso.

He didn't have the time to recover since the knight was running towards him as if the injury to his leg was none existent. Ignoring his own pain, Lon'qu brought up his sword and began deflecting strong blows that rained down on him.

The Chon'sin warrior found another opening in the knight's guard and quickly thrust his sword forward. He was surprised once again when his blade was deflected harshly, leaving him open for another brutal swing that smashed into his shin and took him off his feet. He winced as he landed hard on the ground, but quickly shook it off and rolled away just as a lance strike came down and impacted the place he once laid.

The swordsman was quickly back to his feet and couldn't help but glance at the place the weapon landed. The ground was dented in and rubble could be seen filling the new hole as the knight retracted his lance. Lon'qu was not much for showing emotion during confrontations, but at that moment a barely perceptive smirk grew on his face as he once again charged forward.

East Khan Gates

"Damn, now this is what I call a fight!" Sully exclaimed as she watched the battle continue through the gate bars. "I don't think I've ever seen the Commander pushed so hard before!"

"Ya telling me! The Vaikes' got goosebumps just watchin'!" The shirtless warrior agreed eagerly as he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted to the stadium. "C'MON FREDRICK! SHOW THAT FEROXIAN DASTARD HOW WE FIGHT IN YLISSE!"

Sully was quick to follow her comrade's example and shouted words of encouragement of her own. "YEA! GIVE EM HELL YOU UPTIGHT DASTARD!"

Robin tuned out the knight and fighter as she watched the battle intensely. The battle was quite even, but at the rate things were currently going Frederick was going to lose. He could hide his pain well, but the fact he was getting slower and the blood that was no doubt leaking from his leg told the tactician that this fight wouldn't last another 5 minutes. That was fine, however. Frederick had done more than enough for them by eliminating half of the other team. Whether he wins this fight or not, she was sure the rest of them could defeat the warrior before them while he was not at 100%.

The real problem however, was the three that have yet to step into the arena. She knew the identity of 2, but didn't know the third and had no idea the skill level of any of the three. This left the tactician concerned since she didn't really have a plan to combat the incoming threat. Sending in their best fighter right off the bat might have been the best idea in theory, but now she was thinking she should have kept the Great Knight until their eventual battle against the shinobi and his trainees.

"You seem lost. Sure you're alright?"

The voice came from her right and she turned to see her captain looking her in the eyes. "I'm fine, Chrom. Just thinking about the fights ahead." Robin admitted as she sighed. "I know this is the conclusion I came to and we are currently reaping the benefits, but I can't help but to feel I made a miscalculation in the enemies strength."

The prince nodded at the tactician's words before smiling and patting her reassuringly on the arm. "Don't think too hard on it. Whether Naruto is a formidable opponent or not, I believe in the skills of my Shepherds. I'm sure we'll be able to handle anything he throws our way."

Robin gave her commander a smile before she turned back to the fight that looked as if it was finally drawing to an end. She pushed her troubles out of her mind and began thinking who to send in next instead.

She could only hope her commander was right.

Arena Floors

Both competitors were breathing heavily as they stared down their opponent. Lon'qu didn't sport any deep cuts or gashes like the many his opponent had across his body, but the bruises from the multiple strikes from the knight's lance was starting to show. One particular was on his left forearm when he had to sacrifice his arm to get a clean jab to the open area above the Great Knight's knees. He didn't know how, but the knight was still able to shake off the pain despite being stabbed in both of his legs. This man truly was a knight worthy of his title.

Lon'qu raised his sword one last time as his opponent did the same. The two warriors knew their next exchange would be their last, but neither were ready to go down without a fight.

Then they both charged each other while the crowd edged them forward. Lon'qu ignored the pain in his ribs and his broken arm as he readied the first skill he'd be activating in this fight. His sword began glowing green as he was ready to unleash his strongest and only skill.

Around the Chon'sin warrior's sword appeared 4 transparent afterimages that followed the swordsman's movement. "Astra!"

Multiple things happened within the span of a second. Lon'qu brought his sword in a horizontal arc to meet with Frederick's own lance head. A foot away from the weapons' collision, Frederick's lance head glowed a blood red before it met the sword. The next millisecond, the two weapons collided and half of the Chon'sin warrior's blade snapped off and sored through the air while his skill slowly deactivated. Lon'qu could do nothing but widen his eyes as he looked to the lance that was coming back around and was about to decapitate him. He literally saw his life flash before his eyes before the lance made it's full arc.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on the party, the lance went clear over the Chon'sin warrior's head—missing it's intended target by a large margin. A moment later Lon'qu was now looking down on his opponent who seemed to be surprised at his new position on his side. Instead of processing what had just happened, the West Khan Champion quickly immobilized the downed knight by pressing one leg down on the hand holding his lance and pointing his now broken blade down to his opponent's neck. The stadium was strangely quiet as Lon'qu stood over the downed knight.

"Yield." Said the swordsman as he panted for breath. Frederick looked at the sword at his neck before closing his eyes.

"I concede."

The second those words were uttered the crowd began clapping slowly before it erupted to cheering once again. It soon broke out to chanting both the West and East Khan Champions' names if to acknowledge the battle that had just ended. Lon'qu nodded and sheathed the remainder of his blade as he looked down at his opponent who stoically looked to the ceiling.

"You were a formidable opponent." The swordsman acknowledged the knight laying before him. Frederick blinked at the complement.

"As were you."

Lon'qu nodded before turning and limping towards the West Khan gates. Now that the adrenaline was gone, he could now notice the constant pain that accompanied his every step. The knight may not have done any outside damage, but it was a completely different story inside. With these injuries, the next road was going to be hell.

'Hmph. Troublesome."

East Khan Gates

Chrom and the rest of his little team relaxed as the medics escorted Frederick out of the arena via stretcher. The entire fight kept them on their toes and for a second it looked as if Frederick was going to win. Unfortunately, the Shepherds saw the very moment the Knight's legs gave out under him. He lost, but he left his opponent in quite the state and gained the respect of the crowd as well. The Shepherds made sure to give Frederick their thanks and words of encouragement as he was carried off to the medical ward. Once the knight was gone, Robin was already deciding who to send off to face the warrior in the arena.

Surprisingly, despite his injuries and current state of his only weapon, Lon'qu decided to continue fighting. They could expect nothing less from the man that has been the right-hand man of the West Khan for years. Deciding to play it on the safe side, Robin decided to send in Sully next to combat the swordsman. The range advantage was plus the swordsman's injuries made this fight for Sully 10 times easier.

Thankfully, playing it safe was the right thing to do. Though the man was injured, he proved to be a formidable foe despite his handicaps. The fight lasted for only a minute before Sully was able to get a clean jab to the man's abdomen before mounting him and forcing his surrender. Robin didn't even want to know what the outcome would have been if she sent Vaike in there instead of the red knight. She knew that despite Vaike's…quirks, he was actually a formidable opponent when he was actually taking things seriously. However, his style was wild and untamed. The tactician was almost positive that broken sword or not, Lon'qu would have torn the shirtless fighter apart.

"ALLLRRRRRRIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! I HOPE YOU ARE NOT TIRED BECAUSE THIS EVENT IS NOT. OVER. YET! KHAN BASILIO MAY BE DOWN 4 FIGHTERS, BUT HE MAY STILL HAVE SOMETHING UP HIS SLEEVES! ARE YOU GUYS READY TO SEE HIS NEW CHAMPIONS?!"

Robin couldn't help but to praise this man for his enthusiasm. He wasn't built as a warrior and was definitely not a noble, yet he kept his emotions in check despite the violence he was front row and center to.

"ALLLRRRRRRRRIGHT! THIS NEXT MAN IS A MYSTERIOUS NOMAD WITH NO LAND TO CALL HOME. HE HAS TRAVELED FAR AND WIDE IN SEARCH OF WORTHY OPPONENTS TO TEST HIS BLADE. WILL HIS THIRST FOR A CHALLENGE BE QUENCHED, OR WILL HIS OPPONENTS FALL LIKE THE OTHERS? LADIES AND GENTLEMAN! PLEASE GIVE A FEROXIAN WELCOME TO THE MIDNIGHT TRAVELER, HAAAAAAAAAAAAAKUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

The tactician did her best to ignore the roaring crowd as she watched the new challenger she'd never heard of walk out the gate. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the knight before her. The person walking to the middle of the arena wore Chon'sin clothing similar to Lon'qu. He wore a green haori with a brown ribbon tied around his waist. Underneath he wore brown matching long sleeved, turtleneck shirt and baggy pants that went down halfway to his shins while his feet had nothing but wooden sandals. His hair was in two long bangs that went down his face while the rest went up in a bun that looked to be held in place by two needles. However, the one thing Robin immediately pointed out about this person was the blank mask with a red stripe that hovered over his face. It was a mask that was far too similar to the masked men she and Chrom had seen with Naruto almost 2 weeks ago.

The second the tactician came to the conclusion that this was one of Naruto's soldiers, she immediately activated her technique to see what just what they were dealing with. What she saw made her eyes widen.

"Chrom. That's-"

"I know."

The prince stopped the tactician before she could make the reveal.

Arena Floors

The match had already begun, but neither contestants moved. Sully was watching her opponent with a critical eye as she tightened the grip on her lance. Every Shepherd were warned about these strange individuals before the tournament and all had prepared accordingly.

They didn't know what the enemy could really do, however. All they knew about the masked men they were warned about was that they were quick. Anything else was a mystery and all they could do was adapt mid-battle. It sucked, but not everything could go your way on the battlefield.

"I'm guessin' you're with that Uzumaki guy, right?" Sully asked the masked man who only nodded in acknowledgement.

"Uzumaki-dono has trained me well over the years. I'm happy to finally be able to show the skills he's bestowed upon me." Haku said cordially, getting a raised eyebrow from the redhead.

"…Ya sure your'a man? Sure as hell don't sound like one." The redhead asked in genuine curiosity.

"I can assure you I am 100% male, ma'am." The masked man said with a hint of amusement. "Though, should you really be one to ask such questions? At first glance, you don't look very feminine either."

Instead of getting riled up, Sully only smiled viciously as she positioned her body into her battle stance. "Only a few words and I already like ya! How about after this we sit down and have a couple'a drinks?"

Haku answered by drawing a tanto that was well hidden in his haori and held in a reverse grip in front of him. "I'm not one for indulging in alcohol, but if you best me, I might just make an exception."

Nothing else had to be said. Now ready, the two warriors began circling each other, looking for every opening they could see on their opponent.

Then, faster than the knight was expecting, Haku crossed the distance between the two and took an overhead strike at the now surprised knight. The blade came down on the lance where Sully was easily able to hold off. She smirked as she realized the exaggerated attack was only used to test her physical abilities. This was proven when instead of advancing, Haku jumped back and away from her range.

The two warriors were now once again circling each other. It may not have been the action the crowd wanted, but in a duel it was important to feel the opponent out before you made any hasty movements. Hitting and retreating was the smart, if not less indirect, form of combat that Sully wasn't too proud at the moment to follow, but understood that it was necessary in some warrior's combat styles. However, Sully wasn't a very patient woman and she was next to charge forward at her opponent.

Years of training kicked in as Sully stopped her charge and jumped out of the way of whatever was thrown her direction. She felt a slight pain in her shoulder, but had to ignore it as her opponent was already on her once again. This time Sully didn't allow the man to get too close and was already swinging her lance. Haku was forced to stop on a dime and duck from the incoming attack aimed for his head. The knight proved to have speed since she brought her lance back around in an arc that forced the masked man to block with his admittedly smaller weapon.

Haku, seemingly, was not prepared for the amount of strength behind the attack and could do nothing as he was blasted to the side. After rolling a couple meters away, the masked man was back on his feet but was given no time to recover since the redhead was already back on him.

Sully used the reach advantage of her lance to stab multiple times towards her opponent. To her surprise, Haku seemed to easily maneuver away from each and every strike as if he was water. In frustration of not hitting her target, the redhead increased the speed of her jabs while forcing her opponent to step back. After getting her opponent close enough to the wall, Sully drew her lance back in and swung upwards in a diagonal swipe. Since he was so close to the wall, Sully knew his only option was to either block her attack or allow himself to be hit. There was no jumping, no dodging, just those two options.

That's why her eyes widened when instead of doing any of the scenarios, the man slammed his foot down on the lance front—causing the spear head to break off and the redhead to jerk forward slightly. The second she came forward her chin was introduced to the masked man's free foot as it came upwards with incredible velocity. Within the same movement, he used his other leg to kick off the redhead's armor and perform an elegant flip in the air that made the crowd gaze in awe. Then he kicked off the uneven wall and flew at the still stunned knight.

Before she could do anything, Sully received a flying kicked to her solar plexus and was forced off her feet as air unwillingly escaped her lungs. Stumbling back from the flashy dastard's kick, she made sure to not fall on her arse as she tried to get her wits about her. The second she was steady, the knight shook her head free of the dizziness and stared hatefully at her masked opponent. He was just standing there, tanto in hand while staring her down—as if waiting for her to get herself together.

Well, ain't you fuckin' generous. Sully brooded before looking down to the tip of her lance. The head was completely gone; leaving just the stick behind. Instead of getting angry she tossed her now useless weapon away and pulled out the trusty sword at her hip. "Eh, I prefer the sword anyways." The knight laughed. She looked to her arm and finally saw what that slight pain was a while ago. A think needle was sticking out of her forearm. She pulled it out and didn't even wince at the slight pain it caused. Not only is he quick, but smart and throws shit as well? Fan-fuckin-tastic.

She looked to her opponent once again as she got into a stance different from her last. She couldn't help but to think this fight was going to be both the best and most annoying she'll ever have in her life.

Without even thinking, the knight charge right at her adversary who ran at her just as fast. They met halfway and began round 2 of their little duel.

East Khan Side

Flavia couldn't hold back the glare she had on the arena floor—specifically at the man known as 'Haku'. At first glance, he wasn't much. Besides the similar clothing to Lon'qu and the mask on his face, Flavia would have thought of him as just another Chon'sin fighter she was not privy to beforehand, but his fighting style on the other hand was a unique feature that immediately widened her eyes and set a fire in her gut.

Having been Khan for now over 15 years and being a warrior for much longer, she had seen many different styles of fighting. Most if not all were the same and only changed if the opponent integrated a style on top of another style. Those who are more creative with their techniques and have the speed and skills to improve have always gone far and wide. Flavia has even had the honor of engaging these admittedly small individuals in combat and she could say it was either the best or worse fights she'd ever had. But against every good opponent, she was sure to etch the style in her brain and never forget it until they were to fight again. It was one of her many skills that has made her a Khan and a skill she was proud to know it was unique to her.

That's why when she saw this dastard fighting in a style too similar to the one who had once bested her in single combat as well as treated their yearly event as if it were a joke, she was, understandably, pissed.

She slammed her fist down on her throne chair as she continued to glare daggers at the man currently dismantling one of her Champions. She couldn't prove it, but she'd never forget the way that man fought. The same man that was responsible for the humiliation of her warriors and the soul reason she'd lost the last tourney! And Basilio dared have this man fight in this tournament when he has been forever blacklisted from this country?! That big! Bald! Dastard!

The Khan had to calm herself down before she did something she no doubt would have regretted. She leaned forward on her fist as she began thinking logically. Basilio was a lot of things, but she knew indulging in foul play was not one of his many quirks. There was no way he would allow that man to fight for him again especially after the controversy that he ended up having to deal with after the whole ordeal.

Either this man was someone completely different with the skills of the man she will forever loathe, or it was the one and only hidden behind that mask. Either way, the only way she could prove it all was if the mask came off. The second it was off she could go from there and be completely justified. She would hate to win the title of Khan by something as stupid as a disqualification and the pride of both Khan would be stained, but if that bald oaf thought he would get away with foul play, then he was sorely mistaken!

Arena Floor

Sully has fought many warriors in her life. From knights who wielded long-swords all the way to Wyvern Knights, all her opponents had their own pattern and distinct styles that complemented their weapon of choice. Despite only being in her early 20's, she could say with confidence that she knew over 80% of the fighting styles one could perform in combat.

That's why she couldn't help but to glare at the man that was putting her on the defensive so easily. As she barely parried another unexpected strike from the awkward angle of the attack, she couldn't help but to wonder just what exactly she was fighting against.

If she were to watch it from a 3rd person view, she would say the style the man used was extremely sloppy, yet well orientated. Every stroke from his small blade looked exaggerated and untrained, yet clever and unpredictable. An example would be the move he'd just performed. He'd made a wide swing with his blade in reverse grip and poised to take off her head. When she moved her head out of the way, his momentum did not stop and it had him turned around awkwardly with his back completely exposed. This would have been the point where Sully would easily counter attack, but the leg kicked backwards and into her torso made any advance she wanted to continue pointless. If that wasn't bad enough, then the spin kick that was delivered by the other leg to her unguarded head only made Sully more confused. Idly, as he was now totally kicking her ass, she could help but think this man was more than worth her time.

Once the assault was over, Sully was on her hands and knees as she tried to stay conscious. Everything on her body hurt and she could barely keep herself from falling over. Not one movement was wasted on his end. Despite his weird movements, everything was calculated and he threw out hits like a brick to the face. Every time she thought he was going to do one thing, he would hit her with something completely different out of nowhere. It was a very frustrating style to fight against, but she couldn't deny that it fruited amazing results while looking tiring at the same time.

She knew the only reason she was still alive was because he willed it. He could have cut her throat any time during the fight and it only made her angrier. Whether it was his intention or not, toying with her in the midst of a duel was beyond humiliating to the knight.

"Damn yer good." Sully complemented despite the glare showing her real emotions. She tried catching her breath while her opponent once again allowed it.

"I'd suggest you surrender, but that would just be ruining your pride. Wouldn't it, sir knight?" Haku asked as the knight slowly pushed herself back to her feet.

"Damn right ya effeminate dastard." Sully spat out as she was back up and in her stance. "If I give up here when I can still fight, then that points a bad example to future Shepherds, doncha think?"

The masked man said nothing as he stared at the knight before him. Then he sighed and raised his tanto horizontally in front of him. "Very well. Then I shall no longer show you mercy." The blade she held began glowing a transparent blue as he stood in a stance of his own. "Forgive me, but my next attack will spill your blood."

"Heh, wouldn't have it any other way." Sully smirked as her sword began emanating a yellow hue. 'Sol'. A skill that tears away mana from her adversaries and converts it into healing aura. It was currently one of the two skills she knew, but this one was currently the more useful of the two. As the glow intensified, she concentrated on her opponent as she prepared herself for her final attack. Once the skill was prepared, she didn't even need to think about what to do next.

She charged her opponent with a battle cry as the remainder of her mana poured into her blade. Her opponent didn't even move, which made her job much easier. All she needed was one good cut and she could get back in the fight. As she raised her sword, she activated her second skill, Quick Burn, to increase her movement speed. If she could see behind that masked dastards face, then she know doubt knew it would be in shock. With this attack, she could continue the fight and help the Shepherds win this blasted tournament and get the troops they needed. With this last attack, they would be one step closer to defending their borders against those Plegian dogs and finally have the piece their Exalt has been fighting for! That's why she couldn't lose here! She wouldn't lose here! Her attack would strike true and she would move on to anyone else that dared stand in the way of the peace her Captain fights for! "For Ylisse!"

Then the sword came down and everything in the arena seemed to go quiet. The two warriors stood still in their perspective places. Haku was now crouched behind the knight who had her sword out in front of her. Nothing seemed to happen as the crowd stared at the two fighters in anticipation.

Then the sword split in half along with the redhead's chest plate. Blood sprayed from the redhead's new wound across her torso while only a crack appeared on Haku's mask. Immediately, Sully's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fell to her knees and face-planted the ground.

It was so quiet in the arena hall that you could hear a quill drop. One sentence broke the silence of the arena, and it came from the man who just cut down the East Khan's Champion with little effort.

"Sorry, but I don't believe we'll be having that drink."

Morgan's Diary

I've tried everything! I've tried burying, shredding, burning, even throwing it out the window but nothing I did worked!

Every time!

Every! Single! Time the book just ends up on my nightstand! It won't go away! It won't leave me alone!

I'm scared!

I'm so scared!

I've never been more scared in my life and it's all thanks to this stupid book! Stupid book that hurt my first friend! Stupid book that ruined my life!

And the worst part is: no one believes me!

I tried showing aunty Lissa the book, but whenever I did, she begins to act funny and goes completely out of it until I stopped talking! Afterwards, she would ask me what I said and the process would continue! I tried with the knights and maids too but got the same result!

Why is so much happening to me so suddenly? What have I ever done wrong? Why can't the ghost just leave me alone!

Just leave me alone! Leave me alone! Leave me alone!

A/N: I've been working on my fight scenes for a while now. They may not come out as natural as I want them to be, but I try my best! Fights will be all you see unfortunately for the next chapter as well, so sorry in advance!

By the way, someone asked me what my plans were in regards to the Outrealms. Just know that I have not thrown the Outrealms out of the window. There are certain things that I most definitely have, but that is not one of them. If I have thrown anything out, then I would let you guys know in future chapters at the beginning of the chapter.

SuperVegetoFan, Rio Skyron, IhevMelons9, and Guest, thank you very much for the complements! Hopefully you stick around for the story in the future!

Nise no kishi: Thanks a lot! Don't know if I'm going through with it yet, but it's up there! Of course if or when it happens I will more than definitely credit you for it!

The Big Bad Wolf-9: That's actually what I was thinking to do. I got the idea from reading a Sekirei story that I cannot for the life of me remember. I was going to use Shikamaru for the head while the others were up in the air. Plan to reveal all that right after the Feroxian arc is over! Thank for the review man!

That's it for now! As always, reviews are love and hope to see you guys next time!