Ch 41 Part 2

With Others

As the skies of Kyoto boiled with shades of crimson and violet, Naruto stood at the epicentre, his eyes transformed into a piercing cold blue, icy in their intensity. Beside him, Yasaka could feel the visceral surge of Shadow magic radiating off him, a testament to a wrath seldom seen but unmistakable. His fists clenched, and the air itself seemed to compress, drawn into an orbit by the sheer gravity of his fury.

"What's the situation, Naruto?" Rias spoke, her voice tinged with a shade of worry she rarely allowed to surface.

"We're not just dealing with a few rogue demons," Naruto's voice resonated, icy and clipped. "This is a full-scale invasion from Japan's Yomi-no-Kuni. They've broken through the barriers."

Sona's eyes widened, "Are you saying—"

"Yes," Naruto cut her off, his gaze not leaving the swirling rift in the sky. "This is an act of war." He declared.

Everyone got an uneasy look. Numerous thoughts raced through their minds. Is this a planned event to act vengeance on the Devil faction as sisters of both Sirzechs and Serafall are here or is it merely a coincidence? Is the top question in Rias's and Sona's along with their peerages minds.

While Naruto's group are thinking differently. They didn't see Naruto this angry ever. Even the rare talks he had about his childhood didn't make him this angry. Saeko and Alice may write it off as Naruto being angry at the demons disturbed his date. A private moment for Naruto with his loved one.

But Reni and Elsha, who had known Naruto for long and were particularly drawn to his ideals, knew the demons had disturbed the very peace Naruto fights to establish in the world and hence enraging him at a deeper level.

They decided to help Naruto to their best and Naruto leaving Elsha out instead of hiding her away like he did others only added to the woman's resolve. He recognised her worth. He recognised her value beside him. The thought brought tears to Elsha.

Naruto is the one who saved her from her prison in the shadows, a punishment Skiadrum gave her when she destroyed a human settlement in pure madness and looked after her since release.

He even granted her asylum near him and took her to Kuoh, where she knew he was determined to protect the Devil heiresses to keep the peace intact. Though she didn't like staying away from him, his clone always stayed with her, not leaving her alone to her cynical thoughts.

He even allowed her the opportunity to save a town from stray devils, giving her a chance at redemption and Elsha is very grateful to Naruto for that. As her thoughts concluded, Elsha turned to reality.

Knowing that Naruto is upset, Reni and Elsha exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of Naruto's words settling over them. Even Alice, usually so composed, gripped her witch hat tighter.

"Then we fight," Rias declared, her eyes glowing a fierce crimson. "We'll send them back to the hell they crawled out from."

"You don't get it, Rias," Naruto said, his voice laced with an edge that stopped her cold. "They didn't just pick a fight with you, or Kuoh, or even the entire Underworld. They dared to disrupt our peace, the peace that's presided over the world for the past millennia, they dared to bring this war to our doorstep. That's not a mistake; it's their last regret."

As if orchestrated by his own sentiments, shadows spiralled from Naruto's feet, tendrils of pure darkness that lashed out in every direction. The world around them seemed to pause, the breezing wind, the falling cherry blossom petals, and even the flickering flames in the distant, burning buildings stood still—frozen in the spectacle of his ire.

Naruto stepped forward, his form shadowed yet highlighted by the ambient sinister glow coming from the rift. "This city, these people, they're under my protection. And I will annihilate anything that threatens them." His voice changed into guttural mid-sentence and everyone for the first time witnessed what an enraged Dragon looks like.

His proclamation resonated within Yasaka, stirring a flurry of emotions. The possessive claim he made over the city only heightened the blonde's reverence for the Kyuubi, solidifying her determination to aid him wholeheartedly. Silently, she issued a command, directing her Yokai to obey Naruto's every word.

"Understood," Sona said, her voice subdued but resolute. "We'll follow your lead."

Naruto looked at each of them, his eyes meeting theirs, a silent pact forged in that single, lingering moment. He then turned to Yasaka, his eyes softening ever so slightly.

"I apologise for the disruption, Yasaka-chan. I'll make it up to you, I promise." He said in a soft whisper only she heard.

Yasaka smiled, a warm yet fierce glint in her eyes, "I wouldn't expect any less."

Naruto looked up, his eyes locking onto the descending Oni, the generals of this demonic horde. A thin, almost imperceptible, smile crept onto his lips.

"Let's end  this. "

And in that instant, the frozen world unfroze, bursting back to life in an explosion of action, each warrior unleashing their own form of devastation. But above them all, the eye of this storm, was Naruto—his every action a statement, his every spell a declaration.

This is his world, his people, his love that has been threatened.

And for that, there will be hell to pay.

The tension reached a fever pitch as the Oni generals descended from the rift, grotesque faces twisted in malevolent glee. Naruto stood at the forefront, his eyes a relentless blue, the very air around him crackling with the eerie black of his rage. The shadows at his feet roiled like a living ocean of darkness, as if even they quailed before the tempest of his wrath.

Naruto's voice was a whisper that somehow carried above the cacophony, "Skiadrum's Roar!"

The world seemed to hold its breath as Naruto unleashed a torrent of black energy from his mouth, a swirling vortex of shadows that obliterated the first wave of Oni generals in an explosion of dark flames. The scene is reminiscent of the Shinto Goddess Amaterasu's unyielding black flames for many Youkai. The sky itself looked as if it was consumed by the darkness, a black hole in the very fabric of reality, reflecting Naruto's all-consuming fury.

Rias and Sona with their Akeno and Tsubaki followed suit, their powers a maelstrom of elemental fury. Rias's Power of Destruction vaporised Onis in bursts of crimson light, while Sona's water magic cleaved through the demons like surgically precise scythes. The Kyuubi, Yasaka, released waves of ethereal fire, her nine tails sweeping wide arcs that left no Oni standing.

Reni and Saeko were an elemental dance of frost and crystal. Reni's ice spells cocooned Onis, freezing them in a moment of pure stasis. Saeko's crystal magic followed, shattering them to pieces, a testament to the fragility of their demonic forms against the indomitable spirit of their opposition.

Alice weaved her sanguine threads through the battlefield, creating a deadly maze that ensnared and drained the blood and life force of any demon that dared enter its bounds.

Elsha, even in the absence of her Scalemail, harnessed the residual Dragon flames that remained within her after Skiadrum removed the Sacred Gear due to her belligerent actions. While imprisoned within his shadowy realm, trapped in a stasis, she defied death's grasp.

As they fought, Naruto's eyes never wavered from the remaining Oni generals. His gaze alone seemed to pierce through their demonic armour, a promise of impending annihilation. With a flick of his wrist, shadowy tendrils sprang forth from the ground, twisting around the Onis like constricting serpents. One by one, they fell, crushed under the weight of his Shadows.

Though Naruto can use his Holy Light and eradicate these pesky little miscreants in an instant, even in his enraged state, he didn't lose his sense of reasoning. Revealing his Light only raises more questions than solutions and he didn't want the peace threatened anymore.

"I agree with you on that, Naruto. Revealing your Holy Light will only reveal God's inevitable death in the last war to the world and plunge it into pure chaos." Kurama agreed.

"I know, buddy. I'm sure my Shadows are enough for this pesky horde of 100,000 Onis. They are not that strong either." Naruto said in a disappointed tone.

In contrast to the others engaged in a battle against the Onis within this dimension, Naruto stood as the guardian of the rift that has manifested, eliminating the Onis before they breached into the human world—essentially eradicating the problem at its source. Simultaneously, he extended his assistance to those unable to defend themselves.

"Shadow Iron Fist!" Naruto bellowed, his fist enveloped in a dark aura. He lunged forward, each punch landing with the force of a cataclysm, reducing the strongest of the Oni generals to nothing more than a dissipating mist of dark energy.

Daisuke watched everything from the rift, waiting for the triumphant cries of his soldiers only for them to be massacred by a blonde who didn't seem worth any of Daisuke's time. And so he focused on weakening the Kyuubi, whom he saw as the biggest threat.

After a moment when he turned back to see his troops progress and expecting the young punk's head on one of their spears, he saw the said young punk obliterating his army with ease with Shadow attacks that cut them with precision.

In addition to the defeat, there are no humans around in Kyoto for the Onis to feed on their fear which worked against them and as the young punk obliterated his next batch on their way to the human world in the rift, Daisuke decided to deal with him personally.

A shadow Oni like him has greater strength than many of his generals combined and he is in no mood to play. With a mad glee in his eyes, Daisuke unleashed his Corrupting Shadows on the blonde, deciding to corrupt and use him for his purposes.

Naruto saw the biggest and strongest of all charging towards him, towering above its fallen brethren, Naruto's eyes met its malevolent gaze. He understood this is the general that led the charge, the mastermind of this invasion, and Naruto could almost hear his thoughts, taunting him, mocking his power.

"Is that all you've got?" he seemed to sneer.

Naruto's response is a smile, a chilling upturn of his lips that held no warmth, only the promise of imminent destruction.

"Now begone. Corrupting Shadows!" He sneered and Naruto saw dark purple shadows approaching him at high speeds.

"You wish. Shadow Dragon's Oblivion Claw!"

His hand transformed into a claw of pure shadow, larger and more terrifying than anything the Oni had faced. With a single, swift movement, Naruto slashed through the demon, its form disintegrating into motes of darkness that vanished in the wind, leaving nothing but an empty void in its wake.

The battle was won, but as Naruto appeared in the city and surveyed the field, his eyes still held that hard glint. His shadows receded, retracting into the depths from which they came, but the air still felt heavy, laden with the remnants of his unchecked fury.

His eyes met Yasaka's, then his team's, each of them silently acknowledging the tempest they had just witnessed—Naruto's rage, a dark storm that has swept away an army, and a reminder of the power he wielded, the protector he is.

Yet at that moment, Naruto's eyes softened, if only just a little, as if to say that while his wrath could consume worlds, it is always, always, in defence of the ones he loved.

As the final remnants of the demonic rift sealed shut, the sky over Kyoto started to clear, gradually shedding its ominous hues for the tranquil blues and pinks of dusk. The air was heavy with the scent of burnt ozone and a silence settled over the city as if the world itself were catching its breath.

Naruto stood amidst the group, his shoulders slightly hunched as though bearing the weight of the battle they had just won. His eyes scanned the cityscape, taking in the burnt buildings, the shattered grounds, and the dissipating essence of the fallen demons.

After the dust settled, everyone got a glimpse of the once beautiful and proud city of Kyoto which lay in ruins. Buildings were toppled, the air thick with the stench of magic and battle, and bodies—both demonic and human—were scattered throughout the streets.

The energy in the air was a mixture of relief and lingering tension; the Oni invasion had been repelled, but at a cost that seemed incalculable. A hushed silence fell over the scene as all eyes turned to Naruto, who stood at the centre of the devastated city square.

Naruto's eyes were no longer filled with the scalding rage that had obliterated the Oni Generals; they had reverted to their usual cerulean hue. But behind them was an ocean of complexity: relief, yes, but also a profound disappointment. That such a sacred place had been defiled was unforgivable. And though the battle had been won, its wounds were deep and raw.

Then, with a wave of his hand, everything changed.

His shadow Dragon magic combined with the numerous magics learned stretched out, transforming from an instrument of destruction into a beacon of restoration. Like rivers reversing their course, the magic flowed through the rubble and decay. Buildings reassembled in mere moments, ancient wards regenerated with an audible hum, and streets cleared as if the debris was being swept away by an invisible hand.

Best of all, the ancient senjutsu that was rich in the air got refilled thicker than ever, energising those who could feel it. As his magic washed over the injured, their wounds began to close, bones knitted back together, and consciousness returned to the unconscious.

For a moment, everyone caught in the wave of Naruto's magic felt a warm comfort, as if being embraced by an old friend. It was a momentary experience, but one that would be etched into their souls forever.

Yasaka, Rosseweisse, Rias, Sona, Reni, Alice, Akeno, Tsubaki and Elsha stared in awe. They've seen Naruto's power before, but this is different. This is not just an exhibition of strength; it is a revelation of character. Yasaka looked at him with a newfound sense of wonder and an emotion that was hard to place—perhaps a mixture of awe, gratitude, and a deep, resonant love.

The very air of Kyoto seemed to exhale, releasing a collective breath it didn't know it had been holding. As the final traces of Naruto's magic dissipated, leaving behind a city not just restored but invigorated, a gentle rain began to fall, as if the heavens themselves were weeping in relief.

Naruto looked around at his work, his friends, and the people of the city he'd just saved who had returned. His face held an inscrutable expression, one that seemed to say, "This is how it should be. This is what it will always be if I have any say in it."

Sona approached him, her face etched with both relief and worry. "We did it. The city's safe now."

Naruto looked at her, his eyes still an icy blue but softer now, "Yes, but at a cost. This is no ordinary attack. Someone or something wanted to see just how far they could push."

Rias, joining them, added, "We should report this."

Naruto nodded, but his gaze shifted to Yasaka, who stood a short distance away, her nine tails gently swaying in the evening breeze.

Yasaka heard Naruto's voice in the wind. "I'm sorry our date got interrupted, Yasaka-chan. Once we sort this mess out, I promise I'll make it right."

Yasaka smiled, her eyes twinkling like the stars that were beginning to appear in the sky. "You've shown me another side of you today, Naruto-kun. And I love you all the more for it." She whispered back only for the wind to tickle her.

Rosseweisse, still hidden in her vantage point, closed the ethereal book she was noting in. Her eyes softened as she looked at Naruto and his team, a silent nod of approval before she vanished in a swirl of light and appeared in the middle of the newly brought-back crowd.

As all members gathered to discuss the further course of action, they heard magic circles forming on the ground and readied themselves for a new attack while Naruto's eyes narrowed, recognising the people whom they belonged.

And Cut!

That's it for this part folks.

As always, let me know in your reviews and do share your feedback and suggestions!

I'm very delighted to share that you can now read next 55k words of the story on my patron page. My user name is same BlackInfinity1289 on patron website.

Note: They are early access only, they will be eventually released here as well.

Also, if you want discuss about the story or the ideas, you can join my discord server. I go by Henry there, give me a ping to say hi.

link: discord. gg / SPsSwAcq4b

Hope to see you there!

Thank you for reading.

Good Day!

Black Infinity 1289,

Ja Ne.