Chapter Thirty-Two
Confrontation
"Welcome to Envy. Have a nice visit."
The doors of the elevator opened and the group of hellborn quickly left for their destinations. Most of them are the natives of the Ring, being Possessors and more fishlike than other hellborn. Considering this is their natural home, being descendants of Leviathan and all, it was no surprise that the only ones coming in at this time would be them.
But among the few hellbeast and imp demons, there was one individual that blended into the crowd. With an oddly furred snout and more bestial appendages, he stood taller than even the rare Centurion hellbeast. But his appearance did not make him stand out even to the various demon peacekeepers that worked for Leviathan.
This beast, however, is Naruto as he was henged to look more like a hellbeast than a Sinner. He pulled the hood further over his face, making sure to flatten his ears a bit to not make the hood raise higher above his head. He wasn't sure how he would find his targets but he would be damned if he didn't try.
The note only told him to come to Envy and that he would be approached by one of Ares' captains. That was concerning as he wasn't sure how they would go about trying to find him considering there were four elevators that lead to every Ring of Hell. Will they have someone waiting at each one in case he went to any of them?
Seems ridiculous, Naruto thought to himself as he wandered down the streets to the shore of the elevator island. With this storm it would be suicide to walk on the water.
During this time of year, Leviathan would cause a constant storm to pour down on his Ring. Tsunamis and large choppy waters were common and were actually quite dangerous to the average demon. The only way to properly traverse the oceans for a mammal demon was with one of the many Leviasubs. They were pretty expensive, however, compared to the above-water ships most people took during the rest of the year when the waves were calmer.
Maybe I should take one of the ships to a nearby island and begin searching there.
Naruto tried sensing Helsa and Loona's energy but it was difficult with the current weather. Whatever magic Leviathan used to keep this storm going was saturating the Ring. It made sensing anything incredibly difficult.
Like the bastard sneaking up behind me.
"I know you're there," he called out loud as he stopped his walk along the water's edge. "Are you one of Ares' soldiers?"
He turned to find a man in weird armor and he could tell it was who he was looking for.
"Naruto?" The man asked for confirmation, getting a nod. "Follow me to the location."
Naruto did so, keeping a few feet distance between himself and the warrior. He was wary of the long spear that could make up most distances and if the warrior was quick enough for a surprise attack.
They made it to a secluded area of the island and a small dock with an old sailing ship was anchored waiting for them. It had one large mast and only two layers, one inside and the top deck, making it smaller than the other ships used in this Ring. The people currently on the ship were clothed in a simple red tunic with leather belts and sandals, a mix of a number of humans and hellbeast together.
"Set sail!" The warrior shouted and the crew began to run around to carry out their duties.
The man turned to Naruto, who kept a safe distance close to the rail of the small ship. He was ready to jump at the first sign of betrayal.
"Calm down, Destined Child," the man scoffed before turning away. "No one will harm you during and after our trip to the island. Everything after that is up to Ares."
Naruto eased a bit at the man walking away but even at a glimpse at those around him he can tell they had moderate training in battle. Definitely not the warriors of the man that guided him but they would prove annoying to deal with if a fight broke out. Play things slow. I still have the explosive tags.
The ride through the crashing waves was something Naruto never thought he would hate more than his current situation. But here he was, gripping the rails of the deck and unloading his stomach into the water. The choppy sailing left him disgusted and nauseous, a bad state to be in when he was surrounded by enemies. But the Aresians did not approach or even look at him, giving him a wide berth in their work to make sure the ship was not destroyed against the waves.
"Island ahead!"
The shout through the crack of thunder gained everyone's attention including Naruto. He turned to look where they were headed and sure enough there was a large island closer than he would have thought. He assumed that considering the visibility was horrible in this storm they have only just seen it as well.
On the beach he can see at least fifteen figures, all of them large men while none were the size of Loona or Helsa. He was immediately on edge at that and his eyes went to the Ares hoplite who stood at the bow of a ship to look out at the island.
"Bring us close to the shallows!" The man finally shouted and began walking to the bow while waving for Naruto to follow. "Come, we will take the raft to shore."
"Will my companions be there," Naruto asked without moving from his spot against the railing. "I'm cooperative so long as I get to what I want."
The hoplite stopped and hung his head back, his posture a clear sign of agitation as if his question was not worth the breath to answer. "You have no need to believe us and will just have trust that they are there. If you do not come with us, nothing is stopping Ares from killing them as they serve us no purpose if it does not get us you."
The hoplite's helm turned to look over his shoulder and in the dark of the storm the blonde could not see his expression. But he can feel the dare to ask another question, to do anything that is not to follow him to the raft that will take them to shore.
Fuck. Naruto sneered before pushing off of the rail and trudged his way to the man, who continued his way to the raft.
The dinghy, a small raft of sorts, was big enough for the two of them plus four more. But only one of the crew hopped into the boat with two oars in their hands. A rower, making Naruto snort as he knew that he would not do the rowing and the hoplite would not leave himself open to a surprise attack. It was only natural to have someone else do it.
The three of them settled into the boat before the hoplite nodded his head to the group who were lowering them into the water. They pushed their boat out with a thick stick before the ropes started lowering them into the water. Thankfully the waves were calmer at the shallows and allowed for their safe drop into the water without worrying about tipping or being submerged in a wave.
Naruto sat at the front of the raft while facing the hoplite who was in the second row. The rower placed the oars in the loops and grunted before beginning his task with nary a word. The sense of duty from the man interested the blonde for a second as they really seemed devoted to their job and not doing slave work.
They took no longer to reach the shore and Naruto hopped out of the boat to approach the group. He noticed immediately his two companions laying on the ground, bound but unconscious. They weren't injured for the most part, but his sharp eyes caught sight of the bandages around Loona's stomach and her head and ears.
He glanced around once more, concern and fear striking his features. Where is Stephen? Did they… kill him?
His lips curled in a small snarl before looking up at the taller man of the group. The man is nearly two feet taller than the other men and instead of the helmet his face was left exposed to the elements. Unlike the shorter men with black or brown hair, this man has long red hair in a ponytail with two bands framing his angular and handsome face. He is wearing more modern clothes as well, unlike the soldiers who wore classical armor.
"Greetings, Promised One," The man's deep voice greeted him through a smirk. "My name is Ares, but you may call me Mars. I am the god of war, battle, courage, honor, and civil order."
"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto answered back harshly. "Where is my friend, Stephen?"
"These are the only two of your companions who we've gathered from the wreckage of your restaurant," Mars glanced at the two girls at his feet. "We treated the injuries of the beast and they are now still unconscious. If you give yourself up we will leave these girls to be found."
Naruto shook his head and glared at the man. "I will not leave them to just be found. I will see to their safe return home."
"The Prince of Envy, Leviathan, will know of them when we leave. The storm will let up within the hour," Mars informed him. "You have to make your decision before then."
Naruto grit his teeth and looked through the warriors fanning across the sides. They must have orders to target Helsa and Loona in the case that he does anything. Mars will be able to distract him long enough to accomplish just that and still get away, leaving him with neither the death of the so-called 'god' or the safety of his friends.
"How about this," Naruto finally said, getting the attention of the god of war. "I can create clones. Allow them to take my friends and I will stay here with you. My clones can survive without me so I would not need to leave either. Grant that and I will comply with your demands."
Mars raised an eyebrow before tilting his head back in consideration. He nodded his head to the sides before waving his hand forward for him. "Do it."
Naruto nodded his head and made a quick hand seal to create the two clones. They glanced at their original for a second, apprehension at the creation before slowly moving forward to grab Helsa and Loona. Once they had hold of them, Naruto jerked his head at them to leave.
"Go."
They nodded their heads before dashing towards the water.
"I wonder how you intend for them to get to the elevator without a ride." Mars wondered aloud while watching the two clones leave. "The rowboat won't make it through these waters."
"Ah, that," Naruto chuckled as a crack of lightning flashed across the sky. "I decided that I'd take possession of the ship for just that."
As soon as he said that, the boat had detached the anchor and began to turn widely for the direction they came. The soldiers were surprised but that was interrupted by the sudden laughter of their god. The redhead clapped his hands, splashing rain with every clap, and his mouth was curled into a large grin.
"Marvelous! Simply marvelous!"
"Your men will be alive just unconscious," Naruto informed the man more for the sake of the concerned soldiers. "Good thing one of the many things I read through the years was about sailing. Now, it's just us."
"Indeed," Mars mused joyously. "What do you plan to do? Fight back?"
"I want answers first. You've been hunting me since the Princess' party, which still confused me on how you knew I was there," Naruto's stare conveyed that was one of the questions.
"One of our many benefactors was there and saw you," Mars shrugged. "Many families of the Goetia are dissatisfied with the current stagnant state of things. They found that being an ally of the New Order is more beneficial than being loyal to a fallen lapdog."
"And why do you want me? What's so important about this Promised Child business?"
"Oh, that," Mars grunted with a shake of his head but remained having an amused smile. "The Promised Son of God, the Child of God, the Child of Prophecy, and so on and so forth. It's the final prophecy. The final one."
"Why is that?"
"That's the thing, ain't it?" Mars grinned at Naruto's question. "The old man, the Father that is, Yahweh as he is known to others on Earth, is dissatisfied. He sees the state of things, in Heaven and Hell and mortal dimensions, and is sick of the corruption running rampant in His kingdom. He thought it was done when He sent the flood to Earth but it came back more abundant than before."
"Ninkai had lost its Shinju without dying and yet it is bleeding more now than ever. The constant killing and wars, becoming more systematic in sending its children to die, has bloodied the soil for dozens of generations. Even now, the end of civilization and life on Ninkai is coming as we know it."
"So, as a final test, the Trinity breathed life into a final savior. The one who will decide whether there is enough good to continue going, or there needs to be a great reset." Mars points at Naruto. "You. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all give a piece of Them to you. Your destiny which is the greatest, but whose future was allowed to be changed."
Naruto stared at the man as he slowly started to make the connections. The implications were there, and the cocky and amused grin of which it was given made him grit his teeth.
"Your death was a necessary one, but one that we failed to complete for many years. The assassinations that almost ended in your death, the careless possibilities of those around you. Just one stray kunai. One guard oversleeping to allow an infiltrator to kill you over your father's reputation. And yet you continued to survive."
Mars palmed his face as he tittered sarcastically to himself. "Oh, the Virtue of Meekness' son was such a good guardian angel. But an opportunity can sprout from anywhere, and we continued until one would show up. And one did."
Naruto's eyes wide at that and his hand went to his chest.
"Your final fight with the traitor," Mars nodded his head when he noticed the boy got it. "A good moment to move your technique a bit to the side. An opening for your enemy then-!"
Smack!
Mars slapped a fist into his palm with a bloodthirsty grin on his face. "Pierced through the chest and dying in moments! It was satisfying to finally nail your ass. I just wish I had the pleasure of doing it myself! Then getting our little insider in Heaven to manipulate your life to get to Hell was the easier part. But the old man fucking loses you in Hell!"
Mars groaned and slapped his forehead before pointing an accusing finger. "Lost for over two years! Annoying little rat!"
Naruto chuckled at that. "You killed a ninja who prides himself on hiding from Jonin for pranks! If I wanted to blend in I could and it was foolish to think I wouldn't do otherwise."
Naruto cracked his shoulder after this as he prepared to gather the power of his transformation. "And I'm sorry to say, but I don't plan on letting myself be captured!"
He exploded in energy in one second and in the next he was screaming in agony and spasming painfully. He felt his muscles locking up as he pulled all of his limbs and spine as far back as possible. It was nothing like he felt before and he felt his vision swimming.
He collapsed to his knees in the sand before the pain stopped making his muscles spasm, making him face plant into the sand. He couldn't focus as pain flared in the corner of his eyes, darkening his vision and making everything swim nauseatingly. He couldn't even move his mouth to speak and only noises gurgled from his throat pathetically.
"Did you think we wouldn't be prepared for you?" He noticed the two large feet move to the front of his face and he heard Mars tsking in disappointment. "The moment your clones left we had magic-chakra denying seals activated on the island," the god nudged his foot against Naruto's face. "Now look at you."
Naruto's eyes rolled back at that and everything finally went back. I'm sorry.
The thought of his new family, his two girlfriends… Everyone important to him was the last thing he thought before darkness took hold.
Jiraiya sat with all of the girls and Haku in the ruined dining room of the restaurant. They've stayed here while waiting for Naruto to come back, some of them in better states than others.
The Sannin was relatively calm outwardly as he sat strumming his fingers but on the inside he was anything but calm. He didn't try to follow the blonde or try to get him to accept help. He just watched him get the permission to leave the Ring and leave for wherever.
Octavia was being held by Charlie, having cried out in sadness at the boy leaving. She seemed the most distraught of the group but that is also because Tayuya had been a blank slate since sitting down. Her face proceeded to just stare into space as the smallest of twitches spoke of her still among the conscious.
Charlie herself was just whispering encouragement in the owlette's ear. The words were meant to calm and settle down the Goetia girl but it was also for herself. She was afraid for Naruto and for her girlfriend, her eyes having been closed as she repeated some phrases that only she seemed to acknowledge.
Agatha was silent and the leases disturbed of the group but that's not to mean she was unsympathetic. She was actually very empathetic for everyone, having gotten drinks for everyone without being asked. She was still digesting the information she gathered at the meeting, having not been able to settle down and review it until now.
And finally there was Haku. The boy's hand had never left his necklace ever since learning that Stephen was not found among the dead. He still smiled when someone talked to him, especially if it was Octavia and Charlie who spoke. Outside of that, he only sat back with closed eyes and was whispering unknown phrases to himself.
Jiraiya was unsure what this meant about their missing companion as Charlie had not counted the squirrel Sinner to be among those taken by the Hoplites. Was his body completely lost? Or was he taken by someone else?
The sound of a distant explosion was ignored by the group until Jiraiya had heard the sound of something cutting through air in their direction.
Boom!
Something large impacted the ground outside the restaurant and all of them looked to see what it was. The only ones who reacted were Jiraiya, Tayuya, and lesser to the extent Haku. That is because only the three of them had sensed this particular energy before, although it had changed considerably for Haku and Tayuya.
"This bastard!" Jiraiya growled before marching through the ruined entrance and to the prone body. "It is you!"
Everyone had come out just as Jiraiya stepped into the small crater and angrily grabbed whatever- whoever was inside. The toad Sinner pulled the figure out and tossed him roughly into the wall, showing who it was that was so familiar to Haku and Tayuya.
"Uchiha!" Tayuya growled out while Haku's was of mild surprise.
Sasuke rolled onto his stomach and growled out a groan of pain, his bleary black eyes looking back up at them. He was still a bit like they had last seen him, pretty human all things considered, but his hair had black raven feathers among the hairs with two orange-gold ones sticking up like horns. His skin is still pale with an ashen undertone and his lips are permanently black. The most non-ningen aspect about him is his legs; instead of pale flesh there are now dark birdlike stalks with anisodactyl feet.
"Someone finally caught up to you, bastard," Jiraiya growled out as he roughly grabbed the boy and slammed him into the wall. "Your running couldn't last forever!"
"J-Jiraiya…" Sasuke wheezed out weakly as he let his head rest back against the wall. "I see… you're in this Hell too."
"At a perfect time," the Sannin grinned as he raised his fist back. "And you can't die here by normal means. I'm going to enjoy giving you all my years of pain."
"Jiraiya, stop!" Haku shouted before the man could go through with his threat.
"Wha-?"
"Just… stop," Haku whispered before looking at Sasuke with sorrowful eyes. "I know that the Uchiha deserves it but it is not our place to do it. Naruto is the one that gets that honor."
Jiraiya snarled at first but at the mention of his godson he just trembled, torn between letting out his anger and agreeing with the boy. Finally, he just huffed and lowered his fist. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself, much to the relief of the Yuki.
"Why are you here, traitor?" Jiraiya whispered out as his toadlike eyes looked up at Sasuke. "What happened?"
Sasuke winced and took a deep breath before sagging, a weight of defeat on his shoulders as he recalled what happened to him. "Pein has attacked Konoha."