Hinata smiled, eyes brimming with a touch of delicate evil as her breathing increased, hinting her arousal. "Naruto-kun… I am going to spice up your life…"

Knowing that struggling was virtually useless, although I could be violently resisting and hurt her, I decided to check my situation by where I was exactly and how little Hinata decided to wear in order for her seduction to have a decent percentage chance to succeed. It really did not matter how much or little she worn, she was a goddess in my eyes once I realized that I loved her. She already had her black leather boots that reached to her upper thighs taken off, leaving only a pair of very, very short shorts that was almost the size of a bikini bottom on, and her upper body did not need any explanations of any kind…

"Hinata…" I growled, gazing upon her glorious cleavage, which was still trapped behind her see-through net-mail shirt, making her breasts look like they were going to burst out of their tiny imprisonment. Her nipples were covered by her vest, yet her arousal made them hard, hard enough to create a mark through her clothing. She had no bra either… which further drove my adrenaline into another new heights…

"My love," she leaned forward, planting a kiss on my lips, her voice seductive and loving. "Make love to me."

"Are you sure you want this?" I inquired, my hands held onto her hips as she slowly grinded her body onto my waist, making herself wet.

"Yes," she huskily whispered, lust drenched in her words. "I need you… Take me… love me…"

I kissed her lips for a second and retracted. She blushed slightly as I paid attention to her crotch. I couldn't believe my eyes. Streams of her honey leaked out from her confining leather shorts, and it wasn't just one, but rivers and rivers that made her thighs totally soaked and reeked of her own unique scent that drove me wild. In fact, her essence was soaking my shirt, and it did not look like this was going to be the end of it.

Hinata drove me even more insane than Anthris… and I loved it.

"I do love you, Hinata," I told her, practically surrendering as I moved my hand slowly to her crotch in an attempt to understand how drenched she really was. As I gently stroked her front, she gasped, cheeks flushed, and then moaned ever so soothingly without a will to stop if my service continued. I smiled. "My… aren't you anxious…"

"Na-Naruto-kun…" moaned the girl on my stomach.

"Hinata, dear, you are so wet…" I stated quite obviously as I poked her crotch. More of her fluids came from the sides, making her bottoms even damper, as though it weren't wet enough already, and soaking other parts that escaped from being wet before. I chuckled as I drilled my finger deeper, resulting in a soggy splashing sound coming from behind the fabric, and the more I teased, she continued to flow, even more than Anthris and Rika combined.

"You're making me, you big jer-jerk…"

"But you like it, don't you?" I inquired, very knowingly as I gave more strength in my pokes. Her heavy breathing, her gasps, how her body moved with her hyperventilating from her extreme excitement drove my adrenaline to the limit, but I didn't lose it. Parts of her body were glistening with sweat, which only made her seem more desirable, yet I didn't let my own carnage out yet, not until I got some satisfaction from her delight. If I were going to keep this up, it wouldn't take long for her to reach that climatic point that made her a woman to begin with.

"N-Naruto-kun… love…"

"What is it?" I asked, clearly knowing how hard it was for her to speak.

"My top…" she groaned, panting with lust. "Get rid of it… Please? Please… take it off…"

How could I refuse such a request, when she was practically begging me to bring her comfort? I only obliged. With my left hand, I pushed her opened vest past her shoulders, revealing the pair of large breasts that the cloth was irritatingly covering, brought the vest down her arms with her cooperating surprisingly well, and when it was at her hands falling off, I yanked the shirt away from her body forcefully before I threw it carelessly to the side. A great smile came across her face when she was free, yet she squirmed as my touching continued with more force, making her body move erotically, and especially her breasts that had barely or no confinement at all from her net-mail garments.

"You are so beautiful, Hinata," I commented, now using two fingers to stimulate her. It gained me double the rewards when her airy gasps doubled in ecstasy. From touching her alone, my fingers are already soaked, her essences completely leaked through, her short shorts no longer able to absorb any more wetness from her natural snatch. Actually, I had to place my hand strategically so my calm could catch the dripping honey in order to save my shirt from being wet, yet that didn't do much either when it started to overflow in a matter of seconds.

"I-I-I… I-I…." Hinata whimpered helplessly as she twisted her hips, trying to avoid my touching to no avail.

"You what, my dear?" I asked, looking ever so slyly and deliberate.

"You're making me… m-making… m-m-making me…"

"What?" I questioned one last time, noticing how close I was to taste my victory. "Do you mean…" my grin grew dark and sinister when I felt her body completely prepared for her peak. "This?" In a bold move, I shoved my two fingers into her crotch in a deep rush.

Hinata screamed… erotically.

White, sweet liquids exploded from within, drenching every part of her incredibly short shorts before some of it came flooding out from the sides, or perhaps coming out from underneath her when the fabric could not take in her torrential waves of honey before soaking onto my shirt, leaving a very huge stain of her juices. But no way was I disappointed. Hinata shook uncontrollably, yet very erotic, but I held her firmly by her hips so she wouldn't accidentally hurt herself in the process, and yet after fondling her to an orgasm, for a girl who I truly loved and appreciated, only added to my excitement as to what I could expect later.

Hinata perspired weakly, fatigue was evident, but she didn't care at all. She was happy, relieved, and most importantly she got me exactly where she wanted me to be while I was willing to accept it than run away from it like a coward. She then fell forward, crushing her lips upon mine in a loving kiss.

"I love you so much, Naruto-kun," she moaned out her words as we exchanged our affection. Instead of coming down from her high-spirited, exploding orgasm, this entanglement of ours only made her yearn for another one as her kisses become more hot and intimate.

"I love you, too, Hinata," I said, after I pulled back and sat up slightly. The first thing I did was to embrace her, my clothing unintentionally absorbing some of her juices in the process. "How do you feel, Hinata?"

The Hyuuga girl nuzzled into my chest, knowing that she was absolutely adorable as she did so. "Wonderful…" she whispered airily, "I never felt more alive… Naruto-kun…"

"What, dear?"

"I want more…"

"More?"

"I want to feel more alive… I haven't had enough…"

"Sure," I said, slowly guiding my hand towards her dripping bottoms. To my surprise, she stopped me for a second with a partially dirty look, yet quite demanding. "What's wrong, dearest?"

"Take off my shorts first, my love," she whispered, happily. "It's getting very uncomfortable…"

"But your aroused appearance is such a positive turn on, Hinata," I reasoned, smirking a little at her discomfort. "Come on, don't ruin the fun for me." I ran a finger down her coated inner thighs to collect a small dab of her honey before putting that digit into my mouth. Hinata looked embarrassed as I tasted her, but it did bring her some delight to see a smile on my face when I swallow although it did not do much to ease her timidity. "You taste like the finest lychee," I said. "Stunningly delicious…"

Her cheeks burned at my praise, and then even she got a bit of her essence into her fingers before licking it, and seeing her do that brought forth another emotion that I haven't felt in a long time…

Yearning.

I yearned for her… and without her expecting anything, I grabbed onto the helm of her leaking shorts and gave a violent pull, ripping into pieces of unrecoverable fabric, leaving the remnants of it in my fist as I exposed her minimal panties for all to see. They weren't even considered to be panties… it was nothing more but a small triangular silk held together by an even more thinner silk that threatened to break if any force applied on it. And from what I could see, her pair of underwear could do nothing to hold in juices as currently it was barely holding in her deluge of honey that continued to flow freely from her treasured spot, completely empowered by arousal alone.

Hinata yelped as her defences broke apart, feeling very vulnerable when she was always the victor when it came to affection. She timidly looked my way and shock overwhelmed her once she saw that dark red glint in my eye (my left eye was still plastered) before it returned back to the faint blue she loved. My behaviour, however, already changed for the better.

Uzumaki Naruto desperately wanted to spice up her life… more than ever…

(Fanfiction dot net cannot permit further descriptions of sexual oriented material under rated T alone. Horray for censorship.)

Simplicity is Complexity

Chapter 24: Embrace the Shadows

Disclaimer: OpForce is as poor as the homeless person you see in any major city in North America, so owning Naruto is an impossibility.

(Morning of the next day)

We did it… We really did…

When I woke up this morning under the sheets, naked, with the most beautiful woman beside me with the greatest, most satisfied and delightful smile on her face; embracing me with her gracious beauty… I knew I wasn't dreaming. Last night… Hinata and I made love… and she loved every second of it…

I could still remember that I didn't arrive until she came after the seventh time, her willpower totally determined to set me off despite her evident fatigue after climaxing over and over again. I admired her determination a lot more than I let out, but I wonder if she was using it on the wrong reasons… trying to make me orgasm as she risked her own health…

Then again, health was not much of an issue for us undead… After all, she did make me feel ever so much more alive after I jerked off all the frustrations I had built up over the years… and the musky scent in this room, which reminded me of Hinata since the glorious mess mostly came from her discharges, only made me think about the beauty who was sleeping next to me.

Or so I thought she was sleeping…

"Good morning, my love," greeted Hinata sweetly as she kissed my nose, eyes brimming with happiness.

"Morning, dear," I said back, returning her touch with my own kiss to her cheek. "Did I ever tell you that you are beautiful?"

She flushed up; obviously she knew how to accept compliments and praises alike. Hinata was so… endearing sometimes. "Many times now," she cooed, taking this chance to kiss my cheek. "You're very handsome, too."

"Thanks," I told her appreciatively as I touched my left eye. "I guess I have nothing to worry about. My left eye doesn't seem to be blind despite you tore off my plaster bandages when we made love…"

"I wanted to see all of you, not a bandage…" admitted Hinata, guilt sinking in her senses.

"It all worked out…" I eased her with a gentle poke to her slim stomach, yet I touched her breasts deliberately, making her squeak out. "But Hinata… you were such a screamer when you orgasm…"

"It feels good…" she pounded my chest lightly as she admitted it with a face that resembled a strawberry. "You're so mean, Naruto-kun! And what about you? You were quite something when you released."

"Correction, it was a controlled joy."

"You are no fun…" she murmured adorably, "You had to control it when it should've been all passionate and wild…"

"I had to keep my control if I needed to see how you would react, Hinata. I just have to tease you when everything is done," I said, chuckling behind my hand as her pout increased in diameter –whatever that meant. "How about we get dressed? What do you say?" Hinata didn't say anything. Although she still held a crimson shade on her face, it didn't tell me enough. At the same time, my body felt her hands hold me closer than before, completely unwilling to move or leave my side. "Hinata? Hey, what's wrong?"

"I'm not getting dressed…" she whined, like a baby.

I thought of an easy compromise, in which I would've never suggested yesterday when I was still a virgin. "Do you want me to make you feel like a woman again then, Hinata?"

"That's not it…" she continued. This was when I got confused.

"What do you mean? Is something bothering you?"

"You ripped my shorts and panties last night… I have nothing to wear because of you… You were such a beast…"

"You were the one who suggested it. Then again, you liked it, didn't you?"

"I loved it…"

"You can always ask Anthris for a new set of clothes," I said, stroking her cheek like she was a treasure, and which she was to me. "She wouldn't mind by the slightest. And… uh…"

"What is it, my love?"

I didn't want to say it, but it was only for the best that we did. "Is it me… or are we kind of, well, you know… glued to the bed…."

Hinata giggled harder than before, not minding this crisis by the slightest.

(Later)

The two of us exposed ourselves to the morning sun after one long night's worth of lovemaking, and we were glad to see that it was bright and gorgeous than dreary rain. If it were to rain, our lives could be in danger under a storm in a sea, and for a newfound couple like us we wanted every part of it to be safe and sound.

It was then we met with Captain Water again on the deck, this time he was with a several undead chefs carrying a beautiful selection of drinks such as various fruit juices and milk, along with whatever humans of the west side preferred for breakfast. The special treat, of course, was a plate with raw meat with blood still dripping from it, and it pleased Hinata and I greatly. But what sort of meat was it… I couldn't tell…

Oh, who cared about that now, I was hungry after a whole night's worth of activity.

In a matter of minutes or less, we, or specifically having Hinata leading me with as much might she could summon without appearing harsh and dominating, found ourselves in a large dining room, meant to fit at least a hundred or two hundred cruise members, meaning that it looked astoundingly large for two people only and a several chefs, who were in the kitchen. After Captain Water, and he hated it when I called him that relentlessly in English, found us the most suitable table, he left us to feast.

"He's so considerate, isn't he?" inquired Hinata abstractly.

"You think so?"

"Of course, it was his idea that we even managed to make love. You were about to drown yourself in alcohol if I wasn't there to stop you."

"Alcohol is a marvellous beverage for the soul, Hinata," I argued, grace toned in my every word. "Instead of drowning it in sorrow, alcohol is a stimulation for excitement, a sense of fulfillment that could not be explained under the laws of science alone." Hinata somewhat agreed, but she found lovemaking to be such a better medicine than some beverage that could be obtained with easy cash. Sex, in her eyes, could not simply be bought with money, not the real genuine and affectionate kinds anyway.

"I'll try it out one day," Hinata promised, knowing that my suggestions usually held no malice or ulterior motives to wound and damage. "But first, let us eat. The food would get cold if we delay."

"Raw meat has to be cold, dearest," I reminded her, smiling a little inappropriately.

"I meant the bacon and eggs, love,"

"Ah, I forgot we still had a very human like cuisine…"

"I sense resentment from you,"

"Why, you are not mistaken,"

"I can't imagine myself cannibalizing everyday, Naruto-kun,"

"Oh, you will find it more addictive than crack. So, what do you want to have first? A meal that is mediocre and unfit like those humans, or the gold that makes our blood alive?"

Hinata thought about it with a graceful smile, then looked at me briefly with a brighter one, then returned to her thoughts. I knew she was teasing me someway and somehow. At last, I had her answer, regardless of the time she took because I was able to watch her thoroughly. "It doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter? But I am treating you like a princess here. The choice is yours, dear."

"It doesn't matter as long as you feed me, my love," she finished, grinning victoriously and profoundly at her demand that would not be neglected. My whole body jolted backwards, but not to an extent where it was ridiculous, my right eye was opened a little more than my left as it was wincing at the request. "Yes, you heard me, Naruto, feed me. I want to feel like a princess."

"You are already the ojou of the family," I recalled, slightly envious of the wealth she had when I personally needed back then when I was still a boy. "Don't you get to feel like royalty daily when you were a child?"

"You make me look like a spoiled brat, love. I just want romance in every way possible." I closed my eyes for a second and a grin came across my face. Even if Hinata wasn't spoiled at home, she sure loved to act spoiled in front of me, since I was the only person who would love her regardless. In fact, her acting spoiled was an adorable trait, as long as I didn't spoil her rotten to a point of death and decay…

Ironically, death and decay was what strengthened the dead…

"Okay," I agreed quite willingly, as I leaned in to kiss her forehead. "What do you want to eat first? Eggs? Sausage? Toast?"

Seeing that I caved in to her delightful demands, Hinata only returned her response with absolute happiness that no one could possibly break. For half an hour straight, the two of us actually found that enjoying a meal was actually very pleasant, although I repeatedly refused to be fed like a three year old when Hinata insisted to return the gracious favour for making her feel like the best royalty she had in ages.

I never did things to get rewarded. Of course, I could not say the same for missions when greed dominated every aspect of my nature.

(Time Passes)

Stuffing ourselves with food so early in the morning just wasn't the best idea we had come up with. But feeding a whiny Hinata was, as ridiculous as it may sound, fun. I didn't overfeed her, but she did consume a lot without looking fat by the slightest. And when it came to raw meat and blood, it was like we were possessed by another spirit, controlling our desires to satisfy that undying appetite that made us undead to begin with. It was weird… it worked better than sex.

We stood on the deck once more, watching the sea and the peaceful scenery that made Mother Earth so wonderful to gaze upon, wondering what our next plans would look like when we see the shore. Come to think of it, I could see land along with other small islands already, which had a cottage on it, perhaps with a desolated old fellow arming himself with a shotgun, which he would use to blow people's heads off if any trespassers dared to walk on his sacred grove. That was just my assumptions, and Hinata giggled out loud when I told her my crazy presumptions.

At last, Hinata was like a normal girl, no need to be allseductive yet still able to get her point across. I loved her. I did. I actually missed having normal conversations that did not usually end up referring to lovemaking or orgasms, and relishing this normality was pleasurable, a delight that I should cherish because even if Hinata and I were to fail as lovers, which we won't, I knew that I still had a dear friend that I could fall upon if I needed a net.

Too bad not many found Hinata to be such a valuable friend, because if they did no one would let her go or allow her to fall for an undead. Call it selfish, but the Hyuuga princess was a salvation to many, yet many either were oblivious of it or took it for granted.

"Isn't that the continent of Ka Shing?" asked Hinata, pointing towards my left.

"It sure seems to be…" I said, admiring the sight, and of course loving the fact that Hinata cuddled in close. "Oh, dearest, once we arrive, we can have our new lives all to ourselves, doing whatever we want, no longer having a need to fear rejection from anyone. It would be wonderful, Hinata."

"Hai!" she enthusiastically chimed in, then tiptoeing slightly to kiss my cheek. However, her delightful mood was not to last, not when she saw flares coming from the shoreline. "Nanda… core-wa… (What's that?)"

"What is it?" I turned serious when her emotions flipped one-eighty degrees.

"I thought I saw beams and flares coming from land…"

"Oh, come on, Hinata, what are the chances of that happening on a peaceful day? Aren't you just imagining things, like… you know, because you had such an eventful time last night? Or maybe you wanted to feel like more of a tsunami than a tidal wave from your releases?" She flushed up at my remark, socking me very lightly in the arm. She was just so sweet. Perhaps a little too optimistic as one of us when we should be aware and vigilant at all times, expecting the worst of the worst at any given situation. Then again, it wouldn't hurt to loosen up…

"I guess you are right," she purred, hugging my arm as she rubbed her cheek on my shoulder affectionately. "Oh, I can't wait until we get there…"

"Hinata… may I ask you something?"

"Sure, please do," she said invitingly.

"I am just wondering… do you feel a little regret for… leaving with me…"

"I would never," Hinata quickly said.

"I don't mean that, dear," I resumed, silencing her with an index finger to her soft lips. Noticing the serious look, Hinata understood my situation before she obediently listened. "Like… do you think I am selfish… that I somewhat forced you to come and left you no time to think about the things you are leaving behind… Unlike me, you have relations and friendships that might be very hard for you to simply abandon just because of my ambitions…" I looked at Hinata, who had her head down, and kept quiet, leaving her to think about my inquiry with utmost depth and consideration. I was sure she understood the severity of my question, because this obviously killed the mood she was working hard to establish.

"Naruto-kun…"

"What, Hinata?"

"I do miss Hanabi… and Neji-ni-san… I can't even imagine the next time that we would meet… that we would be killing another, hoping for the undead race to reign supreme over the humans as the dominant race… I don't want to kill my baby sister… nor do I want to kill the older brother that I love ever so much… Naruto-kun, my love, isn't there anything we can do? They deserve better… they really do…" And I honesty agreed.

"I can, if you want, kill them and turn them into Undercity's finest assassins," I mock suggested, clearly knowing that Hinata would never agree whether she was sober, drunk, or insane. I even activated the beam knife on my wrist to prove my point, smirking as I did so. Hinata, however, was not in a mood for jokes, despite the simplicity and clean intentions of them.

"They would never do that…" grunted the Hyuuga hime, a little frustration leaving her tone, "They aren't going to give up on their humanity just because there is a safer one to join… besides, the undead have no uncertainties that they can be victorious. The human numbers are still vast…"

"Yes, but don't you wish that Hanabi is here with us… not through our lovemaking, no, but with us as part of Undercity?"

"If she's willing… then yes…"

"I will check it out with Rika when I establish my roots," I told her and smiled as I looked at the land behind her, which she failed to see since Hinata was watching me the whole time, "By for now, we've arrived to the next continent." That had Hinata's eyes open in surprise.

"We are here already?" she asked, turning her head around another direction, shocked to see another port with a more livelier population than the last one yesterday night. No doubt it was full of undead citizens and some human tourists who did not know how dangerous it truly was to tread on properties of Undercity. Their smiling faces, the feeling that they were actually welcomed, intrigued me greatly. Just how stupid could these people be? "That was fast…"

"Time flies when you are occupied with meaningful events," I told her, snickering a little before breaking from our embrace, yet I held her hand in my grasp, rubbing it lovingly. "Come on, Hinata, we'll think of a solution when we make our roots in Undercity. Hanabi and Rika deserve a better life, right? We should do our best, too."

"Yeah!" she nodded with exuberance and took my lead as we ran off the boat. I totally ignored Captain Water when he gave us a signature undead salute, where as Hinata waved a farewell as she jumped off like the cunning assassin she became. I had no intention to turn back to look at the annoyed look Captain Water had when I didn't respond, and so I only ran faster, gaining chakra to my feet to accelerate before Hinata followed suit.

Honestly speaking, there was no reason for either of us to run, especially provided that this was Undercity territory where safety was ours to cherish. I was curious of her new speed, and she didn't disappoint. The fact that she was a woman made her more flexible than I, her biological build up classified her as a more appropriate assassin by statistics. I actually had to try in order to run faster than Hinata, all thanks to my stamina. Now that I thought about it… Hinata was my rival as well as my lover… I wasn't going to lose to her in combat abilities, not like how I lost to her in bed…

This woman had more of a hold on me than I thought… I feared her disappointed looks just as much as her subtle superiority.

"No fair, Naruto-kun," Hinata panted slightly when she stopped at the spot that I halted. "You had a head start…"

"We were racing?" I inquired, quite amused and did not share the same fatigue the Hyuuga princess did. "I was trying to loosen up muscles that I haven't used in the past forty-eight hours. I wasn't expecting a race, clearly not from you, dear."

"Wanna bet?" Hinata challenged with a good-hearted smile, or evil grin, in her case.

"In time, Hinata, we shall race if you wish," I used a great deal of gentleman chivalry on her, which made her melt on the inside when she found me so British. Where and how did I learn to talk like that? "Or perhaps we can do any other activities of your choice, but right now let us look for our target."

"Who are we looking for?"

"An undead woman named Setsuka…"

"Do you have a picture?" I shook my head when her inquiry was done, and of course she had more to come when clarification was much appreciated. "How about a general description?" I looked at her weirdly. "Do you have anything that could help?"

It was obvious that I didn't.

"That guy back at Uritake told me that she is a necromancer… or some sort of spell-casting mage…" Hinata took my word and stole a glance over the port, which was populated enough, yet not sufficient to say it was jammed pack. "Well?"

"You might need a better description than that…" whispered Hinata, clearly annoyed at the fact that a necromancer could just be anybody even they didn't dress in stereotypical robes or wielding some sort of magical staff. "This person that you speak of could be anyone, my love,"

"There is that possibility…"

"Geez, Naruto-kun…" grumbled Hinata with a graceful sigh. But I knew better, of course. She was somewhat agitated, not frustrated. "That description of yours could match almost anyone here… and there are least a hundred people visiting this bay…"

"Don't blame me," I said, noticing the flinching in her eyes. "It's not my fault for receiving such a vague amount of information."

"You could've asked for more…"

"Finding Undercity is a privilege, not a right. We prove ourselves worthy, not depending on assistance on every single mark."

"You still haven't told me why you are looking for Setsuka."

"What if I were to tell you that this necromancer has a method for us to reach Undercity immediately than to waste our time wandering over this Chinese populated continent? The risks are much higher if we need to travel for at least a week or two."

Instead of reacting, Hinata simply smiled before she embraced me and then her smile had gone naughty. "I don't mind spending more alone time with you, my love, don't you feel the same way?" She then snuggled closer to have her way, clearly amused that she was able to seduce me so effectively last night.

"The importance of our destination just stands on a higher priority than our romance," I half joked, half seriously stated as I went poking her cheeks, resulting in a pout. "We can do whatever we want when we get there. The main point is… we are Japanese people, and on Chinese lands we are bound to face some unfair prejudices for no adequately explored reason."

The Hyuuga girl giggled, yet she held a bitter tone at the end of it. "I am sure we know the reason, love,"

"Yes, and it's a pointless one. Despite that I know that you are quite anxious to test out your newest abilities, you should understand that we are by no means invincible."

"Oh?" she feigned her ignorance very convincingly, but I knew her acting. "Is that true?"

"We are immortal, immune from most poisons and diseases, but it doesn't mean that we can't be killed. Without anyone knowing our… unfortunate confrontations, our brethren would not be able to lend us a hand."

Hinata nodded, kissed my cheek, and looked at me directly, her eyes glistening with admiration. "I know you always plan what its best for me. That's why I love you so much. So, should we find Setsuka?"

"We should," I said, nodding at her suggesting. "We should split up-"

"No need for that," a third voice intervened from behind the two of us, which made Hinata and I turn around. The voice did sound airy and old, but what we saw was not someone old and like a witch. Even so, she was not all that young like Hinata, but definitely not old enough to be a hag. Her standing posture, which had her having a hunchback did arouse some suspicions.

"Who are you, may I ask?"

"I am Setsuka, the person you two seem to be searching for and failed to find despite that I had been standing behind you for the past ten minutes…"

"Ten minutes?" questioned Hinata, obviously did not want to admit that she was so foolish to not have noticed something that simple. That agitation on her face was priceless, and so she snuck behind me to hide it from the necromancer, who was, to our surprised, dressed in a longer skirt, a blouse and weapon-free.

"Are you really a necromancer?" I asked, not out of respect, but suspicions.

"Please, just because I am not wearing a robe, you automatically accuse me as someone else," Setsuka said as she laughed, very much like a teenager. Perhaps she really was one at heart…

"Pardon my ignorance, Setsuka-san," I apologized with a silent salute, with one arm across my chest as I bid a small bow. "But I have been asked to look for you."

"Regarding?"

"Your powers… to take us to our home bastion…" I made sure I said the last part very silently so no other human could hear what I stated. Speaking of our secret sanctified unholy ground out loud was a treachery that must not be forgiven. Setsuka's eyes opened up, revealing a pair of obvious contact lenses to hide her true colours, before narrowing again.

"I understand," the older undead woman said, grinning ever so subtly. "You two have the most unique undead scent I have ever inhaled… you have a smell that resembled our Queen's… whereas the lady behind you is astoundingly sweet and welcoming…"

"The Queen herself?" I inquired as Setsuka walked off, hinting Hinata and I to follow her.

"What's wrong, Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata out of good nature.

"It's just something about the Queen…" I replied, now noticing that Setsuka opened a door to a cabin, which was still on the dock. It looked like a storage room at first, but it was actually more of a lab of some sort, full of dark magic. Needless to say, Setsuka didn't like this room to be too well lit.

"You don't trust her?" Hinata continued her questions as she volunteered to close the door, alienating ourselves from the outside world.

"No… not that…"

"Then what is it?"

"I heard she's from Konoha…"

"Who?" asked Setsuka, taking some books off her shelf, "You mean our Undercity Queen?"

"Yes," I replied, watching her read her spell books and flipping over the pages to scan through some senseless information that could not make any sense to me despite my efforts.

"What if she is from Konoha?"

"Hinata and I happen to be from Konoha as well. We have never heard of anyone from Konoha leaving those grounds without some sort of information. What I am trying to say is that we should have an idea of who it might be."

"What if the Queen was already dead at that time? You wouldn't know."

"Then Konoha should have her records," Hinata said.

"The Queen wasn't the most popular woman around, if you must know," answered Setsuka, closing her book. "Who knows what could've happened. What is important is that because of her, we have a home. Besides, if you wish to know that much about our beloved queen, you can easily ask her yourself. She won't bite, I promise."

"The queen wouldn't waste her time on a simple rogue," I suggested. "I am only another servant of the kingdom, not some rich royalty."

"You would be surprised how approachable she really is," Setsuka stated, using her finger to make a signal for me to come closer. "I can help you summon the portal now."

"What, here?" questioned Hinata, noticing the lack of room in this storage shed, "You're not serious…"
"Portals don't need to be wide and vortex-like, dear," the mage said, "It's a matter of transferring energy and particles that do not take space at all. Your thoughts are terribly outdated."

"Pardon me for not being a necromancer," replied the Hyuuga girl dryly. "I never knew that becoming one would require such an unusual need of sarcasm."

Instead of witness an unnecessary quarrel with these two women, I decided to step in, no intent whatsoever to aid any side or promote the tension to cease. "Where do you intend to warp us though? The outskirts of town, or perhaps into the royal throne of Undercity?"

"Appearing in front of the queen without any sort of reason or permission is highly not advised, although she can be very lenient if you are newcomers."

"She sounds like a mother more than a queen," I commented, giving Hinata a small glance at the same time just to see if she agreed with my statement. Her small nod told me enough, I was glad to have some support.

"That's just her gentle side," said Setsuka, smiling softly. "So, are you two ready to pay a visit to your new home?"

"Isn't this why we are having this conversation to begin with?" I remarked quite bluntly, "If you want my opinion on this, Setsuka, it is that you don't seem to be the most sociable individual around; not that I don't understand why you would act like this in front of humans, but to your precious brethren as well? That is something I don't quite get. Friends are rare, enemies are common, and so you should really know how to pick your companions."

"It's none of your business, boy," she scowled as she began to channel a spell. "I will be warping you two to the Ruins of Atarashi-Yuga, and from that point on you are on your own to find the queen. I think it would be helpful to know your surroundings." By now, her hands were forming some sort of shadow energies that seemed to be used for affliction than assistance. What was she planning here?

It was then when my lover and I quickly reacted in our own ways when we saw a great deal of energy coming from the necromancer's hands.

I was expecting a show.

Indeed, Setsuka surely showed the two of us what mass teleporting was all about. Not only did she not make a portal that looked like a massive vortex that had the ability to suck in anything like a vacuum, it was beautiful, a human sized sphere floating a several inches off the ground, inside revealing the surroundings of the designated destination. Hinata was nearly entranced by the sight, her mouth opened ever so slightly to make her look adorable than shocked, and soon enough she carefully observed what was inside the crystal ball like gateway. It was dark, very dark, as though it was in the midst of night although it was clearly morning at this time. My watch said it was only 8:15AM, and the sun was surely still shining outside. I doubted Undercity was in another time zone, and so I assumed it was also morning as well.

But to see permanent darkness wasn't what I was expecting at all.

And the ground, along with the surroundings, seemed very dark and charred at the same time. The ruin of once a glorious Japanese city was now nothing but useless debris, a tool to mask the fact there were inhabitants within this unholy wasteland. Surely enough I had doubts that Undercity looked welcoming by the slightest, but this was beyond my first anticipation by a whole margin. This was a nightmare at a new level.

"Well," said Setsuka, coughing a little to catch our attention. "Aren't you two going to jump in?"

"Ano…" Hinata murmured, poking her index fingers together as her bad habit resurfaced again out of nervousness, "Ano… is there a better way to get there?"

"What? What do you mean? Better? Are you telling me that you want to walk up there instead when I am offering you a free ride at the cost of my mana, which by all means is easily regenerated after a few short breaths?"

"Well, no…"

"What she is saying that she is nervous at jumping in your portal," I said, fairly bluntly.

"Naruto!" scolded Hinata, totally disbelieved at the fact that I was so direct about her nervousness when I should have been considerate about it. I simply shrugged at her remark.

"Are you doubting my abilities, young assassin?" Setsuka inquired with a weak smirk, but a dark one regardless. "Believe me, it is safe. I have jumped in plenty of times already, and I am still alive and well." She grunted evidently when she noticed my sarcastic stare. "Look, just jump in."

"Fine, let's just assume I trust you enough," I cut her short with a hand raised, telling her to stop talking. "But is there anything that we should be warned about when we do arrive?"

"The ruins are one of the safest areas in Atrashi Yuga. Believe me, the land is in constant turmoil, a lot more than you can ever imagine. The Queen would be very pleased to know that there are more warriors to serve her cause. Now, will you get going?"

I nodded silently, but Hinata did not do so. She was still curled up like a ball in my arms, obviously frightened. "It's okay, dear," I cooed her as I kissed her cheek, bringing her closer to my body to show her that I was there for her. "We'll jump in together. I won't let you go."

"You promise?" she asked timidly, sniffing a little and then blinking her adorable eyes like a baby.

"I am Undead, I keep my limited promises."

"Wait… what do you mean by that?"

"Just don't let go of me," I told her with a smile, completely ignoring her inquiry as I leaped in, forcefully dragging my dear lover with me when she screamed in protest. Before my body was warped away, I heard Setsuka laughing at the sight and it gradually faded when I suddenly saw myself in another area where the skies were dark like night. We were no longer in Setsuka's lab. I was crouching, like I would do after leaping, while Hinata had her face and body flat to the ground as though she just fell twenty feet from the air, hitting earth in a deadly splat.

To the least… well, despite that it meant little, she was still holding on to my hand.

"So this is the city of Atarashi Yuga…" I commented, observing my surroundings with a sceptical stare. It definitely resembled a desolated, abandoned, ruined Konoha after a major war with the city itself as a battleground. If I was correct, we landed in the trade district. Broken shops, abandoned ice-cream wagons, a dried up and rusted but glorious fountain right in the centre as a perfect gathering spot… I could not imagine how the residential area would look like. "What the hell happened here..."

"Mppphhrggg…."

"What was that?"

Right… I forgot about Hinata…

Grunting, knowing that I actually enjoyed watching her facing some grief, I kneeled down and pushed her so she could roll over. Instead of fearing her glare, I started laughing when her adorable face was covered with dust and dirt.

"Moou…" she whined when her mock anger didn't work, yet she was still dirty. "Help me out, would you?" I nodded, our wrists gripped in our hands and lastly I pulled her back up to her feet. "Darn it… I am filthy…"

"Like mind like body," I wisely commented under my breath, but not good enough to keep it from her. "Itai…" I cried out and winced when she pinched me in the arm. My flinching increased when she held it harder than before. "Hey… quit it… it hurts…"

"You are so mean!" she said with a teary face, like a child, "You laugh at my misfortune… Naruto-kun is such a bad person!" Then she squeezed the pained spot even more to make it that much more worse for my skin.

"Hey, release me…" I winced and grunted. "It really hurts…! Oi!"

"Fine…" she finally said, twenty seconds later. I immediately retreated from her and held my wounded spot with my free arm, deathly afraid that she was going to tear some flesh away if she weren't going to let go. Damn it… what a grip…

"Fuck… what did you do…"

"I just pinched you," she replied. "Nothing more, love,"

"Just how hard were you pinching me, you vile witch?"

"Pretty hard, actually," giggled my lover, sidestepping my insult as she, despite that she usually paid close attention to whoever was speaking to her, noticed her surroundings before she banished some of her silliness. "And hey… it is so dark here…"

That statement got my seriousness back. "I wonder what sort of abnormal spell was cast in order to have permanent night…"

Hinata looked up to the skies and even her face cringed with slight despair. "What sort of advantage would we Undead have under eternal night? What good is it?"

"I guess that was a strategic choice," I explained, although I didn't know well about it myself. "We undead lean towards being nocturnal. We despise the sun. Not saying the moonlight blesses us with any additional strength, but we clearly like the darkness more than the light. I am sure people from other parts of the continent notice that Atarashi Yuga, an abandoned city, is surrounded by constant night."

"And this only arouses suspicion, doesn't it?"

"If Undercity is here… we better find ourselves the way in… The thing is… where should we look first?"

Hinata was just as confused as I, and once she found out and realized what sort of hellhole of a ruin we were in her whole body jolted as though she had been bitten. To someone who had been exposed to luxury, cleanliness, nobility, and infinite riches, something revolting and distasteful was not the best thing to experience. I was sure Hinata was used to the harshness of missions, but the smell of decay, the stench of toxic sewage, although it was just unpleasant smell but her emotions exaggerated her sense of smell, was too overwhelming. In all honesty, the Undead liked the smell of decaying corpses; not garbage.

It didn't escape me that something else was present with us…

An aura was here alright… immense auras, in fact. Was this the power of the Queen herself? This was not possible… this aura was nearly as strong as Anthris'… Forget this aura… it wasn't important now if we didn't even know how to get in to the Undead stronghold. Hinata agreed when I suggested moving as we parted ways for now in order to cover more ground in our scouting mission. The Hyuuga girl chose to move on ground, where as I decided to speed things up by jumping for rooftop to rooftop to get to the next district quicker. Hinata had her doubts over my decision, but I dismissed it as an excuse for her to be around me.

And so I jumped before I landed on one of the shop's roofs…

Crack…

Now I realized what kind of stupid idea that was and why Hinata had suggested against it.

Kuso…

Under harsh weathers of this region, the materials of these buildings that actually held the structure together had become weak, and although maintenance could always make it as good as new, well… provided if there was anyone that actually bothered fixing them. Once I stepped onto the roof, the wood, which was as frail as twigs, immediately broke apart, leaving me with no surface to stand on. As the shards and broken pieces of wood, or maybe crapped up cement, fell to the floor below, I was dragged down along with it given that I possessed no ability to take flight.

"Naruto-kun!" I heard Hinata yell out when she saw me gasp in pure fright.

"Aaugh!" I cried out when I felt myself drop but I refrained my will from screaming when I smashed by back onto the ground of the second floor. It was then when I picked up some other cracking sounds of insecurity. "What…" It appeared that the initial force of the prior fall threatened the durability of the floor, and with my current weight, although I weighed one hundred and twenty pounds at most, the floor broke apart.

Shimata!

As though she was already waiting for me, I came crashing down to the first floor in the most disgraceful fashion, letting out a grunt as my body smashed against the ground, dust, broken splinters, pebbles flying practically everywhere when I landed. Fortunately, Hinata was only at the door and not underneath me or else she would've been severely hurt. Even so, the dust did affect her nose before she let out a small sneeze.

"Damn it all…" I cursed as I held my wounded left arm, now very pained after two falls. This was not planned at all! I have come here to receive a blessing of a lifetime, and getting myself hurt was not part of the contract, let alone part of the process I desired. This was getting dumb… I would want to meet the Queen in my elegance, not in intensive care.

"Are you okay, Love?" Hinata asked me as I stood up and exited past her from the front door. She didn't even bother to aid me, knowing that I very much preferred to deal with issues like these myself unless I called for assistance voluntarily, not necessarily happily. I really looked like I just came out of a grave with all this dust. "Does it hurt?"

"No, I can withstand falling another several stories just because it felt so fucking good" I said with dripping, soaking sarcasm as I cracked the bone in my left wrist. "We better stay on ground, you got that?"

"Your brilliant example was a vital inspiration."

This woman was using sarcasm against me! I had never been so angry… yet so delighted and proud.

"Come on," my face was as stoic and passive as ever, brushing the last bit of filth off my fashionable clothes. As if I was going to tell her that she got me with her witty remarks; not like she didn't catch on. "We are going to search the castle."

"Castle?" Hinata asked, quite surprised at my suggestion. "Why there?"

"It seems like the only possible spot that can be tempered with because, if you take a look, these buildings are beyond repair…" I took note, making a hitchhiking sign, pointed at the broken shop I fell from. "If you are going to make some crazy access route to the secret city, you really aren't going to make it under a foundation that could collapse at any given moment. The most stable looking structure here is really the symbolic keep at the end of the city." This made Hinata look at that general direction, not before I saw that glint in her eyes, a sense of fiery determination. What had gotten into her?

Kissing me once on the cheek, she took me by the hand and ran. Seriously, where was she trying to get to in such a hurry, it was like she had something to live for.

With our speeds, it only took us ten minutes at most from the trade district to the Atarashi Yuga keep. Hinata was excited throughout this whole ordeal, giggling ever so occasionally when she made sharp turns, consistently teasing me to keep up the pace and other taunts that she could come up with despite her gentle exterior. Those who knew how to obey would know how to command, just like those who were intimidated would know how to intimidate; and Hinata was in that crisis. She was surely a mystery, an amazement, a gem within the vast worthlessness.

She really did have a good time. I knew that much. Perhaps being an Undead wasn't always about hate and vengeance… just as Hinata said… there could be love and enjoyment coming from it too, as long as someone is willing to share that much with you.

Just when we saw the keep, the thirty-step entrance that demanded royalty and superiority, I detected that something was wrong. It was elusive, yet definitely there. I watched my lover for a moment, and the sense of worry was not even present by the slightest. In fact, she ran faster, like we were racing or something.

Then I caught it, the immense aura and a sudden flash of violet chakra right at the peak, the Christianity cross of the keep. It was that disturbing aura, but now it was evidently there and not some elusive feeling.

"Hinata! Wait!" I yelled out, suddenly jumping right at her, swiftly grabbing her before I pulled her in a ferocious roll as the chakra from the top of the castle shot down a piercing beam. If I hadn't leaped in, Hinata would've been shot right through at the heart. What in the hell was going on? This was Undercity… home of the Undead!

"What happened…" Hinata asked, slowly getting up from the ground as I moved away from her. Not saying that feeling her body so closely did not feel nice, but the recklessness I put into that interception had its consequences when the recoiling force clearly did some damage.

I flinched painfully as I spoke, "This is what I want to know, Hinata… Kuso…"

Without words, my lover formed a set of unique hand seals. "Byakugan!" Hinata declared out loud as her eyes transformed into crystal like glass, revealing a horrific image that made her look monstrous and dangerous, especially with those veins that bulged out of her temples. I watched her for a reaction… and then she gasped.

"What is it, Hinata? What do you see?"

"A… woman…"

"What woman?"

"Do you sense her?"

"I can feel a very powerful chakra force…" I told her, eyes scanning the vicinity, almost panicking as I did so. "Did she use any concealment?"

"Yes, but nothing that the Byakugan can't detect…" she said, then her voice raised in a really high pitch. "Watch it, Naruto!" Hinata pushed me out of the way as a purple beam appeared to come out of nowhere as she jumped to the right as it shot right in between our two bodies.

"You two have the speed of my best assailants," I heard a voice coming from the top of the stairway; it was airy, authoritative, and womanly. "I am impressed."

"Teme…" I hissed, "Show yourself immediately! We are tired of your games."

"Oh, very well," the voice said, at the same time her body began to slowly reveal itself to the darkness of night. The process was undeniably slow, like a colloid or mirage sort of transformation, but once she was in full ethereal form, I couldn't help but to cringe in anger with Hinata behind me all the way. I took this brief opportunity to scan this woman… and she was definitely an undead…

She was a spellcaster hero, either a dark mage or necromancer due to her skeletal black, elegant, rich robes with a five-foot long staff forged with gems and other rich materials to form that denseness and beauty. I noted that she had very humanly blue eyes, very much like Hinata and myself, but her skin was at an all time light gray, accompanied by a loving flow of long, enchanting, silky platinum blond hair that reached to her rear. This woman was not just any spellcaster of Undercity… she was strong, powerful, and incredibly frightening…

What did she want from us; we were just two teenage undead warriors who wanted citizenship!

Instinctively, I activated a power scanning skill that my eyes contained. I felt myself collapsing, metaphorically speaking, once I saw how much power she had.

??? Level: 14

Attack: 710; Agility: 340; Intelligence: 450

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata called out worriedly. "What is it…?"

"She…" I gasped, unable to tell her what I just saw. "This woman… she's almost as powerful as Anthris…" Hinata's face was filled with horror when she heard that, not that she didn't anticipate something as great as that already, yet never this massive and destructive. "Who the hell are you anyway? You are definitely not any regular woman from a park… So instead of fooling around, just tell me what you are."

Hell, I would demand it out of her if I had to.

"Like you said, boy," the older woman, who looked no older than thirty, spoke with drenched amusement in her tone. "I am definitely not some girl who walks in the park."

"Then what are you, woman?"

"I am the Undercity Queen."

That response had the two of us recoil with very different reactions. Hinata gasped loudly, like a woman would, with her hands moving instinctively to her lips, covering them slightly. I, on the other hand, just stood there and watched her, yet my face was showing a very sufficient amount of rage and mistrust.

"What is wrong," the Queen inquired, laughing as she did so. "Something bothering you already?"

"No," I sharply retorted as Hinata's quick head turn was practically a demand for me to shut up. "Ain't it a little unfair for a Queen to come out attacking youths just because she is bored? Am I such an excellent candidate for you to pick on? Who the fucking hell do you think you are? Whether you are a peon or a queen, you surely have a very curious definition in welcoming friends."

Instead of angering her, it only made her laugh quite melodiously, although the subtle distain was evident and clear. "What a sarcastic man you are," the queen of Undercity chuckled behind her hand, the darkness of night made the appearance appear sinister and wretched than a compliment. No, I could not expect compliments from her despite what all those scouts, clerks, and other servants that were in their outposts. What a bitch she was…

Instead of answering, my eyes shot wide open when I felt another piercing, disruptive aura. Hinata immediately clung onto me, her small hands gripping on my shoulders, searching for any sort of support available for her to use. Nervous was an understatement. I was rarely shocked for a person, but seeing me freak out more than once within a five minute duration was something that Hinata quickly picked up, instantly knowing that she should be worried. With her Byakugan activated, even she sensed danger if it came from a mile away.

"Sayuri," this new voice called out from nowhere, like last time, "What are you doing?"

The Queen, hearing her first name being called out so casually, slowly looked upwards. In response, Hinata and I followed suit, averagely surprised to see another figure sitting up on the roof of the ruined keep ever so casually. The first thing I took note was the person's two-handed sword and its elegance. Judging from that tone of voice, this newcomer was also a woman, and by no means any less powerful and threatening as the Undercity queen. Unfortunately, I couldn't see her face well at all, so her visage was a mystery to me. However, I knew she was dressed in heavier armour than simply leather.

"Nothing," the queen, Sayuri, called back in a tired tone, almost like she was talking to her sister. "Do you have to follow me wherever I go, Ryoko? I am a grown woman, you know."

"Yes, if I leave you alone, you would go do stupid things,"

"Oh, like what?" the Queen retorted with mock threat, her hands placed on her hips.

"Like attacking poor recruits?"

"I was greeting them!"

"I saw you conceal yourself and shoot them…"

"I wanted to see how quick they were!"

"Firing at piercing speeds isn't a test, Sayuri…"

"You use a crossbow, so that is even."

"I was training my warriors, not on poor recruits."

"Stop acting so good up there with that grin on your face, Ryoko!" Sayuri, as I would now call her, whined and thrashed around a little, resembling a bawling child.

"How would you know? It's not like you can see it from here."

"I know you are, so stop lying!"

"You got nothing on me!" the warrior woman on the roof tauntingly said back, totally confident and superior in her argument.

For Hinata and I, we shared our opinions about this scenario, and once again it was another set of differences; rather, the similarities. We were outraged, to the least, but definitely leaning towards disbelief more than any other factor available. We both had our own images of a queen, dressing it royal garbs, sitting on her golden throne that outmatched any sanctuary of a church's, speaking in a tone that only royalty could possess and others who tried to mimic it deserved a punishment of death. Sure, I made some exceptions to Sayuri, given that she was the queen to begin, due to her magical powers. She was a mage, warlock, priest, whatever, and so the high-class, epic caster robes were only reasonable; along with that mighty staff as her companion it was nothing but perfect. So, overall, she did look like royalty, but what could we say about that attitude when she talked to that mystery woman above?

Hinata, at the instant she saw that childish display, wanted to laugh. In response, knowing that either Sayuri or Ryoko would probably kill us both if we dared to mock either one of them, I groped my lover in the rear, which aroused her so greatly that her previous thoughts were forgotten, now determined to have an orgasm as soon as possible.

Back to the issue with Sayuri, I had my doubts if she was the queen now. Even in her now aroused state, even Hinata agreed with me, yet poking me occasionally to hint her emotions. Despite my belief and sense of prejudice, something still told me that Sayuri was the queen, given her immense battle power I detected. And I only assumed that Ryoko was not any weaker; in fact, she was equally dangerous for being able to chat and tease so casually without having a fear that she might be blown to smithereens for her insulting remarks. Hinata and I doubted that Sayuri would be able to kill Ryoko even if she tried, or maybe the warrior lady would show immense retaliation that could endanger the queen.

I only feared the moment that they paid their attention to us… and I knew the warrior lady was totally going to obliterate us if she were to make a move.

Ryoko, Undead Warrior: Level 13

Attack: 530; Agility: 510; Intelligence: 360

With that shining broadsword that she was carrying, and the amount of strength she possessed despite her body figure was not ridiculously buff but mesmerizing, Ryoko could easily cleave me in tenths with one swipe despite that it was not scientifically possible. Screw the rules; in a shinobi world just practically anything could happen. The fact that we could use chakra to walk on walls was already defying physics to the greatest extent. It made Newton, who died a virgin, and Galileo waste their efforts on something that could be so easily broken. In fact, it was no surprise why we didn't bother studying physics in school, let alone chemistry… Instead of science, we studied chakra and individualism, how chakra, the essence, could transform into something powerful with a unique sense of individual self from the user. Chakra could start fires, ice, wind, sand, life, water, darkness, light, void, death… and even resurrection… which is something that science, despite its vast greatness, could never accomplish, thus making it appear weak and obsolete.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata grinded herself from behind me, taking a chance to kiss my earlobe, "Touch me some more…"

"We're not out of the woods quite yet…" I reminded, turning my head around so she took the chance to plant a kiss my nose. "Just watch it… it may appear that they are arguing like children, but they might turn to us and-"

"Oh," said Hinata gently, "I am sure they will do nothing."

"What makes you say that so freely? Are you out of your mind?"

"I have faith,"

"In what?"

"Our brethren, the queen…"

"That moron?"

"I heard that!" Sayuri yelled from the top of the flight of stairs, completely enraged but nothing more. Ryoko only laughed free-spiritedly. "You," she pointed at me with a direct demand, "Come up here, now."

"You can just walk down there, you know," Ryoko, stroking her sword, remarked with a smile.

"Oh, would you shut up? Stop contradicting me!" Sayuri stomped in addition to her yelling.

"Yo," I greeted, suddenly right in front of her, our eyes meeting another's at perfect length due to our identical height of 5'7. I could've sworn Sayuri jolted back when she didn't even notice my speed, or the fact I warped before her with Hinata right next to me. "What's wrong, did I give you a heart attack?"

"Don't stand in front of a royalty at such an intimate distance," Sayuri seriously stated, yet some sarcasm was present as well. Perhaps she admired humour than she let out. "And I only wanted to speak to you, not the girl, although you two look so cute together."

I decided to give a piece of my mind before we treaded on any further. "Until some of our issues are settled, Queen Sayuri, I don't want Hinata to leave my side. Besides, what do you have for me that you couldn't let her know?" Not saying a word, I used a look that charmed Rika and Anthris quite marvellously. "What, are you suddenly coming onto me? Why, we just met, but I can always make exceptions if you are royalty." I didn't even think about Hinata when I openly flirted, and just when I thought I was going to get the end of it with violence, all I picked up was entertained laughter. Hinata took it surprisingly well, or she might just be faking it like a professional… and so I looked over to Sayuri… and wow… she seemed pissed.

"How…" Sayuri seethed between her teeth, her eyes flaring a deathly shade of red, her long hair now defying gravity and lifting to the air like a demon, "Dare… YOU!"

"Wow, he openly flirted with you," commented Ryoko from above enchantingly. "He's a brave one, isn't he? And that little one next to him doesn't even mind!"

"Oh, but I do mind," chirped Hinata, as though she was speaking to her dearest friend in spite Ryoko and her were barely considered to be acquaintances. "He just as to make it up to me later." Her voice was very neutral, yet the intent was speaking on another behalf, knowing that I was going to pay her back in sexual activity or other small favours that did not seem all too terrible in terms of words but absolutely bewildering after giving some thought. Hinata's small favours of appeasement were fun to accomplish and fulfill regardless, although I should consider twice before helping her sometimes, other than those times that she was in desperate need.

"Dream on…" I grunted, rolling my eyes a several times with a smirk nonetheless. My smirk turned into a chuckle, and then an outburst of a sinister laugh that was not only airy but also very raspy. Both Hinata and Sayuri watched me as though I was insane, where as Ryoko found some humour out of it when she couldn't help but to snicker audibly. Perhaps I was acting on behalf of a reasonable undead, someone that should be relishing in dark humour and sadistic situations.

"What is so funny?" Sayuri inquired, her brow cocking suspiciously. "You started laughing for no reason…"

"Old habit, can't help it," I answered, my right hand clutching my right side of the face, "I am just curious as to why you shot us earlier. That's all."

Sayuri, the Undercity Queen, laughed behind her hand, a gesture that only the noble, rich, and elegant could do. "I've received news from my scouts that more of my children are coming, and all of them said that they were very special in their unique ways that cannot be expressed with words alone. I am only human, whatever that used to mean, and so I allowed my curiosity to rule my sense of rationality to see for myself. I must say, I have been impressed, very impressed indeed."

Hinata listened on more intently than I realized, her eyes were practically scanning the undead woman, who was gorgeous and magnificent, just like some of the crew that mentioned her on the docks, and the unspeakable traits of lively beauty just didn't fully register to the Hyuuga girl. She definitely accepted and acknowledged that Sayuri was dead, but to find her actually attractive and as lively as herself… Hinata couldn't help but to feel a little envious. Then again, as her rationality and conscience came back to view, she noticed that many of the undead people had worse changes, constantly taking masks and disguises in order to make themselves look presentable while she was already taking it easy but being loved and praised by everyone she had met. Sayuri might look like she was in her late twenties, but a part of her mind wished that she was in her thirties, which was something Hinata did not think she was so passionate and hopeful about amongst all the other things she should be considering.

Then she looked at me, wondering if I was in any possible way attracted to Sayuri. But she knew better, since I never really showed interest in anything, and so a smile came across her face when she sensed nothing but immense neutrality coming from my expression.

"What kind of stories have you been hearing anyway?" I queried, my brows furrowed slightly at the strangeness of Sayuri's justification. "We were just taking boats, enjoying the ride, doing stuff, eat breakfast… there was nothing remotely significant worth mentioning…"

Hinata thought otherwise, and her first reaction was to challenge. "What do you mean nothing worth mentioning? We did something very special, remember?"

"That this queen does not need to know," I reminded, my face straight and still fairly serious, a small touch of amusement in my eyes if she paid closer attention to them.

"Ooo, I just love gossip," chimed in Sayuri, quite eagerly.

"Are you really our queen?" I said in a deadpan. Ryoko, who made no effort to move from her spot and definitely not forgotten, only chuckled to herself.

All I received was a small glare while Hinata was giggling beside me. It would be convincing enough to say that we were going to get along just fine.

"I may be the queen, but for being a woman, I can't help but to be interested in such small talks. But I do keep my word, and whatever you say will stay in this circle only."

Hinata, due to her gentle nature, quickly accepted Sayuri into our small ring of friendship; I, on the other hand, still could not remove that peculiar look of semi-disgust. Surely, I didn't see Sayuri as a plague or disease, but given her strength and authority, seeing her associate with commoners was just… well… off. Despite that I was silent about it, but Hinata, if she paid closer attention to my posture, would realize that the combination of powerful auras from Ryoko My discomfort bit back with a vengeance when Sayuri tapped my shoulder, snapping me out of my reverie.

I shook a bit, my eyes unintentionally looking downwards, noticing how the upper part of her sorceress robe failed to hide the fact that she had a very decent pair of breasts, but the thing that caught my eye was her extended hand, expecting me to shake it. "What are you doing?"

"Introducing myself, of course," said Sayuri, calmly and welcoming manners that could either be mimicked or taught by professionals. However, I believed that it was her authority as a queen that she had these skills to begin with. Perhaps this was another good example of indoctrination, though she wouldn't just admit it so freely, especially not when her teasing friend Ryoko was still up there, watching this confrontation like a vulture, minus the lust for food part.

Speaking of vultures… having some meat wouldn't be so bad… Well, my carnage just have to be put on hold if the royalty was humble enough to show herself… Maybe my life would've been a bit more sweet if interruptions came up less frequently.

"And for what?" I inquired.

"I thought it was proper for me to do that…" the Queen said, "Isn't it?"

"You are the Queen… you order and command… not obey, not introduce, you tell us whether to serve you or get lost… so why are you here asking to shake my hand? You are supposed to demand it!"

"I thought you would be thrilled to have a royalty willing to show such humility to associate herself with a peasant," Sayuri said, somewhat impressed that I knew my position as a servant, yet disappointed that I wasn't willing to accept her kindness without some mistrustful hints. I wondered if she took it well.

"Perhaps…"

The Undercity queen just silently grinned at my response. "Then what about you, girl?" she asked, switching her attention to Hinata, momentarily leaving me alone to my thoughts. But I chose to look upwards to Ryoko, studying her frame, wondering why she was still sitting up there without any intention to make a move. Sure, she gave a several of her wise comments to piss off Sayuri from time to time, and I could consider that to be interaction of some sort regardless of the deliberate distance she established.

Ryoko was a slim woman, standing around 5'8, beautiful as well; but most critically, she was undead. The skin she had and the amount of clothing she wore in places that she would show off was an obviously enough sign.

She was clearly a warrior class hero, given that she was holding her sword that resembled bloodthirsty brutality than one of a spellcaster's. From this distance, there was no way for me to even see Ryoko's eyes even though, strategic wise, she had her dark hair up in a long ponytail, increasing her attractiveness. The armour she wore, which was light mail, also spoke of her rank in spite that she never openly told us her position in Undercity, nor did she really have to after what I have just seen. Just looking at the amazingly well forged armoured told me all that I needed. Ryoko's armour was made of darksilver, another rare element that not many had access to because not only was truesilver an uncommon element, but also fusing it with dark titanium… AND that was a difficult process.

As a result, darksilver armour was something nearly as firm as diamonds, very sturdy, light but dense, making it one of the most suitable armaments if she wished for great speeds and spectacular defence. The armour hugged her frame, showing off all the feminine aspects of her body in perfect view, especially when her breastplate was low-cut, obviously strategically made as a distraction for any opponents to pay more attention to her body assets than the blade (or maybe blades) she would be wielding.

Another thing caught my attention at the same time as, for the first time, I analyzed that the three women present and I shared one very common resemblance; we looked quite alive for an undead, since we still had our eyes and barely have any parts that showed bones with the exception of my left elbow. I had met Maki-san the blacksmith, and he wasn't exactly the liveliest individual; let alone decent looking after he took off his fake contact lenses that made it look like he had irises. There was something special about our unique appearances, as though this strength was a privilege, it represented how much work the demon put in to resurrect the corpse… Or perhaps that the 'Perfect' undead could only be created through the work of powerful demons themselves, and the other dark magic resurrections from the dark mages, necromancers and warlocks were just imitations of the real thing, therefore the creation could never be as ideal than those of demons such as Anthris. Sure, that was not to say that better looking undeads were any stronger than the normal ones, but I have to admit that it would be a lie if I weren't to acknowledge that I was blessed with a several gifts that some people did not have.

Maybe there was a term for us more 'perfect' undeads… I should seek an answer to that eventually.

"My name is Hyuuga Hinata," said my lover, cheerfully accepting Sayuri, "It's an honour to meet with you, Sayuri-sama."

"Hyuuga? You are from Konoha?"

"Yes," replied the Hyuuga princess happily. "And he's my… well… lover…" She finished with a thick blush, her face growing warm as she said it. Ryoko and Sayuri both smiled when they heard that, silently glad that Hinata had someone to lean on. Well now, they haven't heard my side of the story yet… all they loved to hear were the perspective of the feminine as they neglect that every situation in the world, whether deceitful or genuine, had two sides to it like a coin.

"And you are?" Sayuri switched her attention to me, somewhat eager to hear my voice again when I haven't spoke for the last several minutes or so. I wouldn't have bothered looking at that vile woman if these once glorious buildings, which belonged to those inferior humans, didn't attract my attention as much as it did.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto," I told her, watching her reactions extremely carefully as I spoke for some reason that I couldn't explain. Was I mistrustful of the queen? No, I was curious of her because of the unspoken rumours about the queen once being a part of Konoha, and the fact that she welcomed Hinata quite warmly was a sign of familiarity of her biological background. I wondered if she knew anything about mine… because even Tsunade was somewhat reluctant to disclose what my heritage was like despite that she trusted me, and vice versa, more than just any ordinary civilian with a mutual relationship.

It was more than just a little surprising to see Sayuri completely silent as she was absorbing all the information I gave her, and all I did was give her my name. Without seeming obvious, I stole a quick glimpse over at Hinata, who in silence gave me a firm nod of acknowledgement over this awkward ordeal. Even my lover found it strange that Sayuri, ironically speaking, looked really dead –more dead than an undead… We were convinced that she saw a ghost… Yeah, and the walking dead weren't any scarier…

"Sayuri-sama…" Hinata called out softly, somewhat worried that our queen was out of commission this quickly. The Hyuuga princess even looked up to see what Ryoko's reaction would be and she could've sworn that the warrior lady was chuckling behind her hand than concerned.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I questioned, very bluntly to the core.

"Naruto…" Sayuri said, probably a good thirty seconds later, "Listen to me…"

"Hell yeah I am listening, these are the first words you have said for the past minute after staring at me like I am some kind of tyrannous villain that has come back to haunt you petulant soul. I know I was dark and evil, but never thought that I was this good."

"Oh shut up!" Sayuri scowled, clearly not amused but had the courtesy not to shoot me with her chakra bolts. "Listen to me, Naruto… I am not someone who… who you think I am…"

"Go on…" I urged on, still not truly catching on despite my vast intellect.

"My name… is Uzumaki Sayuri…"

"Oh, so you are my onee-san…"

Hinata was not shocked at the sister part; rather the calmness that I had created as I said that part out loud.

"No… I am not your onee-san…"

"Aunt?"

"No…"

"Cousin?"

"No…"

"Second cousin, that has to be it."

"Not exactly…"

"Don't tell me you're my grandmother… I have one already, and she's a bitch."

"Do I look old to you? I am only thirty five!"

"Really, only thirty five?"
"Naruto, I am your mother!"

"And you better tell me a good reason why I should allow you to keep drawing air."

Hearing that icy cold demand, Hinata wisely detached herself from my arm. An icy blizzard was coming our way… and the terrain would have nothing to do with it. Just how much hatred did I bear as an undead? Who else would be more suitable to discover it than my own mother… we have so much catching up to do!

AN: Call this the writer's block chapter.

Yay, 2 whole damn months of no update… and suddenly, there it is, an update. Yes, assignments and exams got the best of me, but not to worry, OpForce somehow managed to make it through (after consecutive blows to the heart, throat drenched with alcohol, and vision seeing nothing but bloodrage) and now he has more time to dedicate himself to fanfictions. Aside from distractions such as World of Warcraft and UFS, I guess I have no reason not to continue with my fics.

And yes, SiC will be ending in one to two chapters, as you readers can clearly see that the final bits are coming together. Yes, horray for censorship, the only reason why I cannot write such an explicit scene of lovemaking although the element itself would enhance their feelings by a great margin… But at any rate, in around two to three weeks, the last chapters of SiC would be here, given that Hime Murasaki is not updated. Most likely I would finish up Hime Murasaki before I deal with this –I really don't want to take too long to get that stuff off my chest.

Reviews and questions are always appreciated.

As for the little game I posted on my profile, somebody actually managed to guess what story I was bashing with only one guess. Bravo, man, bravo.

Horray for censorship…