4,558The next day at Alderp's villa served to be just as uneventful as the previous night.
Aqua and Darkness, not wanting to be within the nobleman's line of sight if it could be helped, ran off into the capital to do some exploring.
Naruto had spent his time investigating the small mansion looking for secret rooms where the corrupt nobleman could be hiding Morrigan, but the Succubus was nowhere to be found. His only saving grace was that Sage Mode dictated that she was still somewhere on the premises.
'This one believes mine master's Succubus companion is being withheld in the corrupt noble's chambers for safekeeping.'
'Yeah… He's probably keeping her in there during our investigation so Aqua doesn't sense her.'
As Naruto and Kiki entered the kitchen, the smell of pancakes and bacon hit his nose which caused the shinobi's stomach to growl.
Couldn't investigate on an empty stomach.
"Hey Naruto, Kiki…!"
Megumin mumbled between bites as a nervous-looking servant carefully placed her third helping in front of the ravenous girl.
It seemed the staff was still a little cautious of the Crimson Demon.
'Where does it all go…? Is this how people looked at me whenever I pigged out at Ichiraku?'
Naruto thought with a bitter smile as he took a seat across from the little girl. He'd have to apologize to the servants later for putting up with his comrade's rough behavior.
A plate of hotcakes and bacon was soon placed in front of him, to which the shinobi thanked the server for. He then graciously cut into the stack with his silverware, but not before asking for some grilled fish for Kiki, of course.
He needed to keep up his appearance as a man with proper etiquette, even with the servants. This was something he'd been doing at the castle as well, as Luna stated the maids and butlers were well-known to carry around gossip between households.
"Still no Yunyun?"
Naruto wanted to bring up their conversation from the night before, but figured he better fish out how the girl was feeling first.
"No. What did you do to her anyway? I didn't see what happened, and Kiki didn't end up giving me the information I wanted. But that girl used Teleport to go home in the middle of the party after going to one of your clones."
Megumin asked while pointing her fork at the ninja, and the Kitsune's head lowered in shame at the mentioning of her betrayal.
"Don't point with your silverware, Megumin. It's rude. Also, I didn't see what happened either. She just suddenly teleported."
As much as Naruto wanted to call Megumin out on being the cause of Yunyun's wardrobe malfunction, he held back in favor of avoiding the girl turning the conversation on him.
Megumin hummed, her eyes narrowing. But she let it go as the servant placed a fourth plate of pancakes in front of her.
"Hopefully Yunyun turns up soon, though. I wanted to explore the capital with her. Even though I've been here for over a week, I haven't really gone out much."
Naruto admitted, thinking back to how distracted he'd been at the castle. He wondered how Iris was doing, which led to the shinobi partially dreading his next encounter with the princess.
There was little doubt that she was going to demand answers in regards to the popular topic that was the "Forbidden Love Triangle".
"Sounds like you're trying to take Yunyun out on a date."
Megumin smiled coyly with her fork in her mouth, earning a flat look from the blonde.
"You're teasing me. Anyways, have you given any thought to last night's conversation?"
Naruto decided it was time to flip the script on the Crimson Demon, which seemed to work just as he intended as Megumin looked down at her plate while blushing.
"...That man is acting all serious, investigating the villa while looking for potential ways the thieves might enter. But I made him promise to take me out on a scenic walk tonight. I'll talk to him then."
"Good. I'm sure everything will turn out alright."
Naruto grinned, causing the little girl to avert her gaze.
"When did you get so mature? Aren't you the kind of guy who has a short fuse and likes to pick fights with anyone or anything that looks strong?"
"How rude. Is that how you see me? If anything, you're the one who's picking fights with everyone and trying to blow everything up. No wonder people call you 'Explosion girl'."
"Wha-!"
Megumin seemed to find that retort especially offensive as her ears burned bright red.
"At least people aren't calling me a player! Who knows how many women you've seduced since coming to the capital!"
"Seduced!? I-I told you it wasn't like that! Claire just suddenly said those things, and-!"
Naruto bit his tongue when he noticed a pair of maids whispering amongst themselves in the corner of the room.
Megumin smirked, prompting the shinobi to grit his teeth.
This girl…!
"I-I'm going to join Kazuma in his search."
Deciding to cut his losses, Naruto stood up and walked towards the hallway. Kiki quickly gobbled down the rest of her fish before trotting after him.
He would get back at Megumin later, but it wasn't worth that girl provoking him into saying something that could cause another misunderstanding in the noble world.
As Naruto wandered the halls, he turned a corner to find Kazuma entering a small room.
Raising an eyebrow, he stayed put to watch. After all, the shinobi caught a glimpse of blonde hair inside the room. Appearing to be in a heated argument with Kazuma was Alderp, who was holding… a bucket and some rags?
What was a noble doing with cleaning supplies?
"...ink I would just let you watch my comrades bathe? Absolutely not. No, not a chance! I will be staying in this room from now on for their safety."
"I understand… Wait, why do you have to stay in this room when we could just lock the door and I could give you the key!? You just want to see Lalatina's naked body for yourself!"
"Hah!?"
…What in the world were they talking about?
Naruto looked past the two arguing men and found that the room was completely empty, save for a lone mirror that was mounted on the wall.
'Wait a second…'
Squinting his eyes, he could faintly see the outline of a person in the mirror. A maid, from the look of it, and she seemed to be cleaning a bathroom.
'It appears to be a magic mirror, mine master. The corrupt nobleman plans to use it to peep on your mate tonight.'
Kiki revealed, causing a sour expression to form on the shinobi's face.
"Good thing Kazuma found out before we all used it… Also, we've been over this. Darkness is not my mate."
After properly correcting Kiki, Naruto looked at his friend with a newfound respect.
Despite his scummy antics, Kazuma truly cared about his comrades.
'Ah… Umm…'
Kiki sounded hesitant. But before Naruto could question the fox, Kazuma spoke again.
"There's only one naked body I want to see, and it sure as hell isn't that troublesome Crusader who I get to see in a towel or thin nightgown every night at our mansion!"
"W-what!? Who do you want to see when you have such a privilege, you plebeian!?"
"Heh… The one and only Naruko-chan, of course."
Naruto's face became devoid of all emotion, every thought of praise instantly going down the drain.
"W-who is that?"
"Listen, what I'm about to tell you is a secret that only a select few know about… Remember the allegations that were said during the trial a couple months ago? You were there, remember?"
"You don't mean…!"
"That's right! Naruko-chan is Naruto's true form! Soft blue eyes, long blonde hair that reaches down to the floor, and a body that puts even Lalatina to shame… I've dreamt of her every night since our fateful encounter, even spending my emergency fund to afford it from time to time! But she only reveals her true self when she bathes, which is why I will be staying in this room on the off chance she shows herself again!"
…Was he stupid? Did Kazuma really think he turned into a girl while bathing just for fun? Naruto really wanted to slap that guy right now.
Alderp didn't seem too impressed, but there was an intriguing look in the nobleman's eyes that sent shivers down the shinobi's spine.
"Surely you jest. But… I sense a comrade in you, my boy. Shall we call a truce? In return, I promise to let you stay in this room as long as you like!"
"Hm… I really should report this mirror to Lalatina, but I guess I can agree to these terms. Even if I don't get to see Naruko-chan, I wouldn't mind settling for Lalatina just for tonight. Just make sure you store a bunch of snacks in here ahead of time."
Kazuma and Alderp proceeded to shake hands.
Those two were truly two peas in a pod.
Naruto resisted the urge to smack them both using the very mirror they planned on using to peep.
But this gave him an idea.
"Naruto? What are you doing just standing here?"
The shinobi turned around to find Darkness staring at him strangely. She must have just returned from the capital.
"Oh, nothing. I just thought I heard something strange. Anyways, I was thinking about doing some training. I heard Alderp has a training yard that his son uses. See ya, Darkness!"
Naruto said his farewell to the Crusader a little louder than he needed to, alerting Kazuma and Alderp of the female's presence. The boys quickly closed the door and made their escape before the knight saw them.
"...?"
Darkness stood in the middle of the empty hall, clearly perplexed.
But then she blinked.
This was her chance!
"Eh? You want me to train you?"
"Yes! I heard from Claire how effective your methods were, and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind!"
Naruto and Darkness stood in the center of a shaded square pavement in the center of a garden. Various expensive looking fencing blades lay propped against a rack off to the side.
"I don't mind helping you train, but… Are you sure you don't want to change first?"
Naruto asked as he looked at the Crusader's attire, which consisted of her, in what Kazuma called an "office lady" get-up. Whatever that meant.
But it certainly didn't seem like a fitting outfit for training, much less combat.
"I will make sure to wear my adventuring gear next time, but this will suffice for now! Please, Naruto! Claire said you were good at pushing people to their limits! I want nothing more than to experience that feeling!"
Darkness assured, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
'Next time…?'
Naruto was still a little hesitant, but seeing the girl's eagerness to improve, he didn't have the heart to say no.
"Alright… I guess we can start with some endurance drills. Do you need to at least go get some shoes-"
He was cut off when Darkness kicked her heels off and tossed them to the side, leaving her standing on the pavement in her nylon tights.
"O… kay?"
Leaving aside the woman's strange behavior, Naruto dropped into a stance.
"First, we gotta get our hearts pumping. We'll start by doing one-hundred jumping jacks. Then, we'll fall straight into a hundred push-ups. Sound good?"
"J-jumping jacks…"
Darkness looked around, seemingly disappointed about something.
Naruto followed her gaze to see what the girl was looking for, but it was just the two of them. The servants hadn't followed them to the training grounds for whatever reason.
Maybe Alderp's son preferred to be alone while he trained and so the staff was just following routine?
Shaking his head, Naruto started jumping. He was getting distracted. It was time to train!
"Alright, let's go!"
He shouted, and the Crusader jolted in surprise before joining him.
A few minutes passed, with the only noise being the rhythmic sound of footsteps against the pavement.
'I thought it was kinda weird when Darkness suddenly asked to train with me, but now I feel kinda bad for suspecting her.'
Naruto thought with a shameful smile before glancing at the woman, only to choke on his spit when he saw her current state.
At some point, her tights had torn on the pavement, exposing various spots on her legs. Having been jumping around for a decent amount of time now, Darkness was building up a decent amount of sweat. This made the third aspect even more notable, as her chest violently bounced up and down from within her dress-skirt without much constraint.
Naruto jerked his head away.
"W-what's wrong…? Huff! N-Naruto? Huff!"
Darkness asked as she continued to jump.
"N-nothing! I was just gonna say it's time for pushups!"
"Eh? But we still have fifty more to-"
"Pushups, I say!"
Naruto barked and immediately dropped into a planking position, forcing the female knight to follow his lead in fear of being left behind.
Naruto felt relieved as he continuously pushed off of the ground. That was a close one… But at least he didn't have to worry about-
"Pfft…!"
Naruto's eyes bulged when he looked at Darkness again. Her breasts pressed against the pavement each time she dropped, causing them to flatten until she pushed away. Her thin dress skirt did very little to suppress the movement in her shirt.
"I-I've never done pushups in front of a man, much less without my armor… This is kind of… Exhilarating."
Darkness breathed in a raspy voice, her face red as she shyly stole glances at the gaping shinobi.
Naruto blushed furiously and pushed himself completely off of the ground.
"Y-yknow what? Maybe we should just skip the warm-up and go straight into combat drills, ya know!? Hahaha…"
"You sure? I'm fairly confident I could even reach two hundred without much effort…"
Darkness asked as she continued the exercise.
Pop!
A button from her shirt flew straight into Naruto's forehead just as he was daring to peek again.
"Yup. I'm definitely sure."
Naruto stated while doing his best to recollect himself.
Empty your mind… Let go of all worldly desires… Only then, will you get stronger-
"Tch…!"
"...?"
Did she just suck her teeth?
'Oh, I get it…'
The shinobi thought with a flat look as he watched the Crusader pick herself off of the floor.
That girl… She was getting off on him watching her just now, wasn't she?
Well, he wasn't about to let her do as she pleased!
"Alright, we're gonna do some dodging drills. I'm gonna come at you with some light strikes, so do your best to avoid my attacks, alright?"
"Okay!"
Darkness dropped into a fighting stance, her expression turning eager again.
That hadn't been the reaction Naruto was hoping for, as he had expected the knight to complain about the intended lack of "contact" in this exercise.
'Maybe I just misunderstood…?'
Shrugging, Naruto raised his fists and prepared to attack. He would start out slow, then gradually pick up the pace to see where her limits were-
"Nya~!"
Darkness immediately took a direct fist to the face.
'She couldn't dodge the first hit!?'
Or rather, it looked like she didn't even try to dodge at all!
"Are you okay…?"
"Yes, I didn't feel that weak attack at all! Now, hit me with all you've got!"
Darkness shook her head and dropped into her fighting stance again.
"Weak…!? O-okay, but remember, the point of this drill is to dodge."
Unsure whether to believe his fellow blonde or not, Naruto started throwing punches again. This time, the female knight seemed to be ready as she avoided the first few strikes.
It was strange, though… While seemingly soft to the touch, Darkness's body was very sturdy. Although his strikes were light, they didn't seem to be doing anything to the Crusader.
After a minute or two, Naruto started picking up the pace. But that's where it started going downhill again, as more and more strikes began to land until it felt like he was simply hitting a punching bag.
"Huff! Huff! H-hey! Why'd you stop!? It was starting to get good just now!"
Darkness complained when Naruto ceased his attacks altogether and took a step back.
"...You're not even trying to dodge, are you?"
"Of course I am! Is that why you stopped!? What's the point if you're just gonna go easy on me?"
"The point is to dodge, not sit there and take all of the hits head on!"
Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose. They'd only been at it for a couple minutes, but he already felt like throwing in the towel.
"Honestly, Naruto… I could barely feel those attacks in the beginning. You call yourself a man!? Then show me those techniques you used to push Claire to her limits! Or are you just all talk like Kazuma, huh!?"
Darkness shouted, causing a tick-mark to form on the ninja's forehead.
Alright… If she wanted him to go hard, then he would go hard.
'M-mine master…? Perhaps you should allow yourself a minute to think…?'
Kiki asked from the corner of the training area, a worried look in her eyes.
'Nah… Darkness asked for this, and besides, I really need to blow off some steam after these past few nights.'
Naruto thought as he cracked his knuckles, a dangerous smirk growing on his whiskered face.
"Don't come crying to me if you can't handle me going all out!"
"That's exactly what I want! Now, come at me for real!"
Darkness spread her arms wide in anticipation as the shinobi pounced.
"You said they ran this way? What could those two be up to…"
"Yeah, Naruto mentioned something about the training area. Darkness looked like she was in a rush to catch up."
Kazuma and Megumin walked along the garden path, heading toward the spot the servants had pointed them to.
'Ah… I think I know why that girl was in such a hurry,'
Kazuma thought with a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.
Sure enough, when they entered the training area, they were met with an incredible sight.
Naruto had Darkness on his back, but in a position where it looked like he was trying to snap the woman in two.
"Is… This… What… You… Wanted…!?"
The shinobi grunted as he continued to bend the Crusader in an impossible direction.
"Y-yes…! I knew you had it in you… N-Naruto…!"
Darkness gasped for breath as she felt something threaten to snap within her.
"Well then… I wonder if you can handle… This?"
Naruto squeaked out the last word when he noticed Kazuma and Megumin staring at him with deadpanned expressions.
"Oof!"
Darkness grunted when the shinobi suddenly let go, her body dropping to the ground in a jumbled heap.
"N-now wait a second, guys… This isn't what it looks like! Darkness asked for this! Tell them, Darkness!"
Naruto nearly pleaded while gesturing towards his training partner, but his strained smile fell when he looked at the female knight's pitiful state.
Darkness's clothes were torn in multiple areas, revealing scuffs and bruises from where Naruto had struck. The woman was also covered in sweat, whether it was her own or the shinobi's, it was impossible to tell.
All in all, Darkness looked like she'd been thoroughly thrashed. But the icing on the cake was her expression, which was the epitome of blissful ecstasy.
"Ngh…! Being tossed around like a ragdoll… Mmm…! Such a merciless pounding by an angry sweaty man in a secluded area… Y-yes…! This is exactly what I wanted…!"
Darkness shouted while twitching ever so slightly.
"..."
Naruto's face paled. He may have gone a little too far… But surely they would understand she pushed him into doing it, right?
…Right?
The sound of Kazuma clearing his throat broke their silence.
"It's okay, Naruto. We understand."
The adventurer's tone was soft, with Megumin nodding her head in agreement.
Naruto immediately felt relieved. He knew those two would come through-
"Megumin said you two were having strange developments earlier, and honestly? I had a sinking feeling you were one of those for a while now. I'm sure you two will be happy together."
Kazuma continued, causing the shinobi's jaw to drop.
"W-w-wait! I swear, I'm not like that! Darkness just asked me to train her, but she wasn't taking it seriously and even insulted my methods, so I got angry and just-"
"Yes! This man took his anger out on me! A defenseless woman who didn't even have a weapon, much less her armor! I couldn't fight back… Oh, I tried… But that man's strength is on a whole other level! He restrained me within seconds, and put me in various positions in which I never thought was possible for the human body! It was… It was… Wonderful!"
Darkness shouted while reaching a shaky hand towards the sky.
It was at that moment, Naruto knew he was done for. So, he sat down next to the disheveled woman to accept his fate.
"I'll accept any punishment."
"Very well. You must turn into Naruko-chan every time you bathe for a month."
Kazuma instructed with a sagely nod.
"Okay, I'll-wait, what!?"
Not just Naruto, but Megumin looked at Kazuma with disgust, but the boy was unfazed.
"What? Do you have any better ideas on how to punish a man who can probably level a building by sneezing?"
"Y-you may have a point, but why do I get the feeling you're suggesting that for your own scummy gain?"
Megumin asked while taking a notable step away from her party leader.
But it was true. How else could they punish Naruto? They also had to consider Darkness's family's name too.
Sensing their predicament, Megmuin and Kazuma huddled together.
"I want to force Naruto to have a showdown with me everyday for a month!"
"Absolutely not. The amount of destruction you two would leave on the planet would be devastating. I say we make him turn into Naruko-chan and wear a maid uniform for a week like Aqua."
"Why are all of your suggestions to have Naruto turn into a girl, you pervert! No, I want to get back at that man for forcing me to take the title of Destroyer of Mountains prematurely… We should have him declare that he's my Explosion Disciple at the guild!"
"No one's going to believe that. Naruto destroyed the Destroyer in front of everyone, remember? But making him do something when we get home is a good idea…"
While the two whispered away, Naruto lay on his back. Whatever they decided, he would take full responsibility for his actions.
"Heh… Heheheh…"
Darkness seemed to be reliving their "training session" as she squirmed on the floor while hugging her battered form.
They should probably get Aqua to heal her before anyone saw her…
"Hey, Naruto! Are you over here, Naruto? I'm getting hungry, but I don't want the food they have here! Make me something tastyyyyyy-eeeEEEK!?"
Aqua, who had just entered the training area, shrieked upon seeing the two sweaty blondes laying on the floor.
"W-wha… What happened!? Did someone attack them!? H-healer! We need a healer!"
"Shaddup! Also, you're a healer, you idiot!"
Kazuma barked and chopped the goddess on the head.
"Owie… Oh yeah! Don't worry, Darkness! I'll make all the pain go away in a heartbeat!"
Aqua chimed and summoned her staff out of thin air before pointing it towards the Crusader.
"Fweh…? Ah, no, wait! I want to feel this a little longer! Wait, Aquaaaaaa-aaaahhh… The pain is fading…"
Darkness's face looked both relieved and disappointed as the healing magic showered her body. All of her bruises disappeared within a matter of seconds, with the tears in her clothes being the only evidence of her injuries ever being there.
"There, good as new! Now, I'll heal Naruto next~!"
Aqua pointed her staff at the shinobi, but Megumin put a hand on her shoulder.
"That man isn't hurt. In fact, we're discussing how to punish him right now. He's the one who did all of that damage to Darkness."
"Eh? EH!?"
Aqua looked back and forth between Naruto and Darkness, realization dawning on her paling face.
"D-did it finally happen!? Did that stalker ninja finally snap from being surrounded by so many beautiful women and sink his fangs into the easiest target!?"
"W-who are you calling the easiest target, Aqua! Even I have my limits!"
Darkness barked and swiped at the Priest, but the girl hid behind Kazuma while pointing a shaky finger.
"We're too late! His venom unlocked Eroness's full potential as a female Orc!"
"O-Orc…!? Aqua, not you too!"
As Darkness seemed to be distressed about the goddess's comment, Kazuma clapped his hands together.
"Alright, I've decided what Naruto's punishment will be."
When all eyes turned on him, the adventurer smirked.
"Aqua actually gave me this idea when she arrived. I can't believe I didn't think of this before…"
Kazuma struck a pose and pointed at Naruto, who looked like he was preparing for the worst.
"You are now in charge of cooking meals at the mansion!"
"Eh? Ah… Sure…"
This earned a wave of praise from his party members, well, save for Darkness who hadn't been comprehending the situation until just a few seconds ago.
"Ohhh! That's a great idea, Kazuma!"
"Let's take turns deciding what he should make!"
"Wait, shouldn't I be the one to decide what his punishment is?"
The party looked at Darkness, who grew rather flustered from the sudden attention.
"Anyways, while I won't plan on returning to the mansion for a couple months, at least I'll have something to look forward to."
"Ngh…! To be ignored even though I'm the victim… This kind of treatment isn't bad though…"
Darkness hugged her raggedly clothed form while stealing glances at the shinobi. She wondered what else he was capable of…
Naruto sighed. This was certainly the best outcome, all things considered. As long as they paid for groceries, of course.
But one thing was for sure: he was never going to spar with Darkness ever again.
Later that night, everyone sat around the dining table.
Alderp, having summoned the group to have dinner together, sat at the head of the table with a heaping bowl of ramen in front of him.
"I appreciate you indulging my request to eat your trademark dish. I'll admit that ever since I first tried it at the Golden Chalice, I have found myself becoming rather obsessed with this… ramen."
"It is an honor to earn such praise, Alexei-dono. It is no trouble of mine to prepare this dish, so please, eat as much as you like."
Naruto replied, and with a clap of his hands, a pair of Shadow Clones brought forth two more bowls of noodles.
Alderp eyed the dishes with hungry eyes, even as he guzzled down his third bowl for the night.
"Is there something you wished to discuss with us, Alexei-dono?"
Darkness asked with a strained smile on her face. The summoning had been so sudden, she didn't have enough time to rinse off in the bath the servants had prepared for her. Hopefully this meeting wouldn't last long…
'Although… The thought of Naruto and Kazuma being able to smell me from their seats is a little…'
The Crusader began to squirm in her chair as she looked back and forth between the two boys. What would they call her? A dirty woman? A bitch in heat? The anticipation was driving her crazy!
. . .
'Eroness.'
Naruto and Kazuma thought in unison, but made no effort to convey this to the hopeless girl as it would only please her.
"My apologies, Lady Dustiness. I understand that you were out training in my courtyard today. Rest assured, my servants will keep the bath warm for you. As for why I called everyone here, I simply wanted to express my gratitude in guarding my home from the so-called 'chivalrous thieves'. Your presence alone puts my heart at ease. So, I raise a toast: to newfound comrades and justice!"
Alderp raised his wine glass in the air, all while sneaking Kazuma a knowing smile.
The rest of the group hesitantly raised their glasses, earning a hearty chuckle from the noble.
"If that is all, then I shall excuse myself. Thank you for making this meal, Naruto."
Darkness said and stood up to bow her head before she started making her exit.
"I think I will be retiring for the night as well, Lady Dustiness. Goodnight to you all."
"M-me too! I need to make some preparations for tonight's watch!"
Alderp and Kazuma quickly got out of their seats and went out the opposite door to the noblewoman.
'Those guys are so predictable…'
Naruto thought with a twitching eyebrow before he stood up as well.
"I feel like those two are up to something… Also, where are you going?"
Megumin asked while eyeing the shinobi with suspicious eyes.
Aqua, who was busy wolfing down her ramen like there was no tomorrow, looked up from her bowl and seconded her party member's suspicion.
"You didn't change your class to pervert and plan on peeping on Darkness, are you? Narutrash?"
"I just wanted to apologize to Darkness for going too far earlier. And Aqua-chan, it really stings to hear you call me that… So much so, I might accidentally use Fire Salamander sauce instead of miso the next time I make your ramen."
Naruto said, putting on an exaggerated sad face.
Aqua winced, instantly pulling her bowl closer to herself.
'That's what I thought.'
Snickering to himself, the shinobi exited the room in the same direction as Darkness. He caught up to her within a few moments, finding the woman conversing with one of the maids outside of the women's bath.
"Hey, Darkness. Do you have a second?"
"Eh? Ah, sure…"
Darkness seemed surprised to see the ninja, and the maid hurriedly excused herself to give the blondes their privacy.
"A-are you here to ask if you can join me!? I know I said I'd reward you for defending me earlier, but this much is a little… Although, maybe if you put on a blindfold like back in Alcanretia…"
"W-what are you talking about, you hopeless Crusader!? Also, watch what you say! The maid is still close by!"
Naruto hissed while glancing at the servant that was not-so-discreetly trying her best to eavesdrop from around the corner.
"O-oh yeah, you're right… Then what are you here for if not to try and bathe with your victim?"
Her response was genuine, which made her choice of verbiage all the more troubling.
Seriously, wasn't Darkness the one who wanted to be careful here!?
"I was gonna ask if I could bathe before you. You see, I stumbled upon some interesting information earlier…"
. . .
"I'll kill them. Show me to that room."
Darkness demanded with a blank expression after Naruto revealed the secret room with the magic mirror.
"Don't worry, I'll properly destroy that mirror later. But first, I want to play a little prank on those two."
Naruto snickered with a devilish smile etched on his whiskered face.
"Knowing your track record of pranks, that does sound like a suitable method of punishment for those scumbags… So, what are we doing?"
Darkness asked with a certain gleam in her eyes.
"...Huh? What are you talking about? You can go do whatever you want. I'm going to go in there and make those bastards bleed tears of blood."
Naruto replied with a shrug and reached out to grab the doorknob, but the Crusader firmly grabbed his wrist.
"After hearing that such a mirror exists, how can I trust a man to dispose of it? No, I shall partake in this prank of yours as well to ensure its destruction!"
"Y-your eyes are kind of scaring me, Darkness! Just let me work my magic! Besides, how are you even supposed to help in this situation?"
"I insist! On behalf of the women in this villa, I must partake in this! But it would be troubling if you saw me naked… again… A-anyways! You can just wear a blindfold!"
Darkness persisted and offered the shinobi a piece of cloth.
Naruto was at a loss. Why was this girl acting so stubborn all of a sudden? Did their sparring session truly awaken her inner darkness?
"I can't wear a blindfold… That'll be way too suspicious. No, I'll go in alone. You'll just have to trust me. In exchange…"
He thought about what it would take to get the female knight to listen to him.
No, he knew exactly what she wanted. He had just been hoping it wouldn't come to this.
"Okay… If you just follow my lead, then I promise to train you even harder than I trained Claire."
"!"
That certainly got Darkness's attention, as her eyes widened exponentially.
"W-what do you plan on doing to me…?"
"Don't say it like that, you're making it sound weird! But, um… I'll make you run a lap around town while wearing your armor for endurance training, and shout at you if you slow down. Then I'll strap a boulder to your back and sit on it while you do push-ups… T-then we can try and see how well you do against a group of attackers with my Shadow Clones…"
Naruto scratched at his whisker marks awkwardly, knowing full well how "effective" such brutal training methods would be on the girl.
"Ah, but it goes without saying that we have to keep this a secret from the others. Who knows what they'd say…"
"Ngh…! I-I knew I set my eyes on the right person! Kazuma still has you beat on being scummy, lazy, and perverted, but you are definitely a natural at brutalizing women!"
Darkness shuttered in anticipation as her mind was obviously in the gutter right about now.
Naruto groaned internally. He was already regretting this, but it would be worth it in the end!
"I-I'm not a brutalizer! Anyways, the mirror room is the last one down this hall. You can do whatever you want to them, just give me a couple minutes first."
"O-okay!"
Darkness spun on her heel and started marching towards her destination, with strange noises escaping her lips as she did so. The maid quickly turned around and started dusting a nearby vase, not that the crusader paid her any attention.
Hopefully this interaction wouldn't start any strange rumors within the staff of the villa.
'I decided what your new title is.'
Kurama chimed in as Naruto entered the bath, with Kiki trotting in from behind.
'...What.'
'Naruto the S.'
'...'
Naruto was beginning to feel like he'd just signed a contract with a devil, because he couldn't find a way to refute the cackling fox.
'Where is she…? I don't wanna keep hanging out in this tiny room with an old man.'
Kazma tossed another chip into his mouth as he stared at the empty bathroom through the magic mirror.
What was Darkness even doing? Did she decide to bathe in the fountain outside or something?
"Guhehehe… Lalatina…"
Alderp had been mumbling strange things this entire time. That guy really was obsessed with Darkness.
Normally, one would be weirded out if they found out someone was creeping on their female friend. Which was why Kazuma was getting on Alderp's good side.
Yes, that's right. This was all for the plan of taking this corrupt noble down.
Naruto needed a man on the inside, which is exactly what he was doing!
Watching Darkness bathe through a magic mirror just so happened to be something that Kazuma would be using to create a bond with this complete pervert.
"Oh! Someone's entering!"
"Shhh…! I'm trying to pretend you're not even here, you geezer!"
Yup, it was all in the name of the mission. Darkness would understand, and Naruto would appreciate his sacrifice to the cause.
'…Huh?'
The person entering was not Lalatina Ford Dustiness.
No, it was Naruto and his Kitsune.
"Blast… It's just the Hero Candidate brat! I didn't pay millions of Eris for this mirror to watch a man bathe!"
Alderp complained, but Kazuma's eyes remained focused.
Something was off. Naruto was acting kind of strange… Why was he adding more water into the magic steamer? It was getting harder to see in the mirror…
"Old man. Sit down. We're about to witness something legendary."
Kazuma instructed, and hearing the seriousness in the teen's voice, Alderp did as he was told and brought his eyes back to the mirror.
What happened next was indeed legendary.
Through the thick steam, the outline that once reflected a man had transformed into a woman.
'Naruko-chan has returned!'
Kazuma was drawn closer to the mirror to get a better look at his true heroine.
The kind, and gentle, yet slightly mischievous girl was now scrubbing herself with soap.
But why was Naruto doing this? Truth be told, Kazuma didn't actually think Naruto transformed into Naruko for shits and giggles. The prudish ninja wasn't like that.
…Or was he?
Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, Kazuma squinted his eyes as they worked overtime to analyze every nook and cranny they could make out through the fog.
Regardless of the situation, he was going to use this as material for his next visit to that shop.
"So that's Naruko-chan…"
Kazuma raised an eyebrow at the strange voice. Alderp was staring at the mirror with wide eyes, his mouth partially open. Weird. The man didn't seem all too interested earlier. But now he should know the true glory that is Naruko.
"Oh, there's someone else in there."
Emerging from the steam was another beauty. She looked like Darkness, if the knight's hair was snow-white and her eyes were almost glowing golden. But her most notable features were the white fox ears on top of her head, along with the long fluffy white tail with a black tip.
"Is that… Kiki!?"
"Ohohoho~! I was wondering why that maid was following the Hero Candidate so closely the other night. To think it could transform… and into such beautiful women, too!"
Alderp seemed to be frothing at the mouth, but Kazuma held little interest in the perverted old man sitting next to him. He had to absorb all of these details before the show was over!
"Hey, does this thing relay sound like a television, or what!?"
"I don't know what a television is, but-h-hey, don't mess with it! I-I don't know, it didn't come with instructions!"
As Kazuma and Alderp struggled against one another, they bumped into the mirror, causing it to fall to the ground.
"AHHH!"
-Or at least, it would have fallen to the ground if they both didn't catch it at the last second.
Releasing a sigh of relief, Alderp shot a glare at his partner in crime.
"Look what you almost did, you little brat! You wouldn't be able to afford a sacred treasure like this in your lifetime!"
"I'll have you know I'm an up and coming salesman responsible for creating top notch products such as the lighter, the kotatsu, and the Scroll Ball!"
"I've never heard of your products, you plebeian! But that's all life has to offer to some people! Hahaha-"
"Wait, quiet! I think I hear something!"
After propping the mirror back up onto the wall, Kazuma leaned in closer, his eyes re-attaching themselves to Naruko.
"-ou think of mine new form, master of mine?"
"I think it's lovely, Kiki. But I'm still surprised that you already knew about my true form."
"But of course. We are bonded in body and soul. There is nothing about mine master that I do not know about… Such as, the places she prefers to be washed…"
"K-kya…! N-not there!"
Oh?
Oh?
This was more than he could have hoped for! Not just Naruko, who was just as lovely and shy as before. But Kiki had become a white-haired fox girl!
A small part of Kazuma's brain tugged at him, trying to snap him back to reality. There was an obvious red flag waving, but he was so absorbed in the moment that he simply didn't care.
This was literally a dream come true!
Alderp seemed to be enjoying himself even more, which was also kind of alarming in its own right. But once again, Kazuma was too busy to worry about such things right now.
"You were right, boy! Naruko-chan is the best!"
"Right? That's what I've been saying!"
"Hmmm? So this is where you two ran off to."
A new voice came from the entrance, causing the boys to freeze.
Cranking their heads to the side, they found Darkness looming over them. Her face was neutral, but her wrath was quite evident in her icy blue eyes.
Seeing as there was no getting out of this, the men did the only thing they could-
"It was his idea!"
Kazuma and Alderp pointed towards one another, earning a cold glare from their now ex-comrade.
"I don't care! You're both going down with the ship!"
Darkness roared and was about to rip the mirror from the wall when she noticed what was being displayed.
"Is that… Kiki!? Just what is that man doing with my precious Kiki!?"
Hands pressed against the glass, Darkness turned her wrath towards the shinobi who was currently getting a royal scrubbing from the transformed Kitsune.
"Hey! Stop! You don't have to listen to him, Kiki!"
While the Crusader was distracted, Kazuma and Alderp started crawling towards the door.
Now was their chance to escape!
"Ugh… I need to get in there and stop this blasphemous-Wah!"
Darkness was surprised when her hands suddenly sank into the mirror until her entire body was swallowed up.
Crash!
Kazuma winced as the magic item then fell to the floor, shattering into a million pieces.
'...Well that just happened.'
"Hahaha! Stop it, Kiki! That tickles!"
Naruto giggled as he feigned trying to fend off the Kitsune that was currently scrubbing his body with soap. This had not been part of the plan, but he would scold the fox for it later.
After all, this was about to be devastating to their spectators on the other side of the mirror.
Darkness was probably about to enter the room now, so it was about time to wrap this up and transform back to deliver the final blow to the peeping toms.
"Wah!"
"Eh!?"
Naruto's eyes widened in shock as Darkness suddenly tumbled through the mirror on the wall across from the tub. That was when he realized he'd made three mistakes.
First, he should have told Darkness what the prank was beforehand.
Second, he had underestimated the magic mirror, having assumed that it was a "view only" magic item.
Lastly, he failed to suppress his protective instinct and lunged forward to catch the girl.
The blonde's hit the water, and Naruto felt the air get forced out of his lungs as Darkness's face crashed into his gut.
"Mine master!"
Kiki rushed forward, her eyes glowing blue as she manipulated the water in the bath to spread it apart. The two now lay on the wet floor, limbs in a tangled heap.
"U-umm… Master?"
"Ugh… Cough! Cough! A-are you okay, Darkness?"
Naruto groaned as he caught his breath, only to go completely still when he opened his eyes. The impact had canceled his Transformation Jutsu, so Darkness was now currently laying on his naked male body with her head resting just above his groin.
Due to her white clothing that was now completely soaked, he could see her underwear through the thin fabric.
"Black… K-Kiki…! Release the water… RELEASE THE WATER!"
"A-as you wish!"
Kiki's eyes reverted back to their usual gold, but just as the water came crashing down on them-
"Mmm… Hm? W-W-W-WHA-Blub blub blub…!"
Darkness caught sight of something incredible before she was consumed by the bathwater.
Naruto was the first to emerge, and he immediately dove for a towel. But a hand burst out of the water and snared his ankle, causing the shinobi to fall into the bath again.
"Oh no you don't! You're not escaping me this time, Naruto!"
"Gasp! L-let me go, before you cross a line that you can't return from!"
"Oh, we're well beyond that and you know it! If anything, we're even now!"
Darkness roared, a crazed expression on her blushing face.
It was then, Naruto realized he'd made a fourth mistake.
He should have apologized for the mirror incident from before.
"I-I-I'm sorry for seeing your toned naked body! I shouldn't have told the others you had a six pack!"
"You…! So you admit that you saw me naked that night! How did you do it!? Where is the mirror!? Also, stop saying I'm toned and have a six pack! I don't have one anymore!"
"It's already been sealed, I swear!"
Naruto tried, and failed, to slip out of the Crusader's grip, hoping to use the water to his advantage. But Darkness had completely wrapped her legs around his waist during their scramble.
Using his arms to push himself from underneath, he flipped them so that Darkness fell backfirst into the water. He felt her legs unwrap from his waist as she rushed to resurface.
Success!
…Or not, as when they both emerged from the water at the same time, he found that Darkness was now in between him and the door.
Looks like he needed to use his trump card!
"Listen, Darkness! Let's talk about this, alright? I know you have your quirks, but you're a sensible person! The longer we stay in this bath together, the more we risk the servants finding out! You don't want that, do you?"
He still didn't know why Darkness was acting in such a frenzy all of a sudden, but surely that would bring her back to the side of reason.
Once again, Naruto was proven wrong as an evil smile formed on Darkness's face.
"Kiki, can you use your magic to keep the sound in this room?"
"Y-yes… But-"
"Do it! We wouldn't want the others to hear what's about to happen next…"
Looking back and forth between her master and the crazed noblewoman, Kiki ultimately decided it was in Naruto's best interest to do as she was instructed. After all, she could sense the approach of a few servants and it would be troubling if they found out they were all in here.
Naruto gulped as he felt a wave of mana wash over him.
"...How did you know Kiki could do that?"
"Hah! As Kiki's number one fan, I used my family's influence to obtain all of the available knowledge on Kitsunes, including the forms of magic they can perform."
Darkness took one step forward, and the ninja took one step back.
"...Why are you doing this?"
Naruto asked and took another step back, but he found that he was quickly running out of room. As large as this bath was, he only had about three or four more steps until his back would be pressed against the wall.
"To protect Kiki from her lecherous master, of course… To think I underestimated you, Naruto. That prudish act of yours is all just a front, isn't it!? Otherwise, why would you have the sweet and innocent Kiki transform into a woman like me to wash your naked body… While you're transformed as a girl, no less!"
Darkness took another step forward, prompting Naruto to step back.
"If you want a woman to wash your back for you… T-then use me instead! I'll take Kiki's place for all of your worldly desires!"
"Y-y-you misunderstand! This was all just an act to prank Kazuma and Alderp, you deranged woman! Why are you acting like Cecily all of a sudden!? Did you secretly join the Axis Cult or something!?"
Naruto barked when his back finally hit the wall, and he made the mistake of taking his eyes off of the predator that was prepared to pounce.
Darkness lunged forward, letting out a battle cry as she closed the distance. But just as she was about to grab the shinobi, the room turned incredibly cold as an icey projectile struck the Crusader in the back.
Now encased in a block of ice, Darkness's frozen body crashed into the water, her expression befitting that of Eroness.
Naruto released a sigh, but not before turning to Kiki.
"Thanks… But you could've stepped in a long time ago, ya know?"
"T-this one fumbled again… I will be sure to reflect on these mistakes, mine master."
The Kitsune bowed apologetically and transformed into her nine-tailed fox form, her light blue tail glowing softly from her use of ice magic.
"It's alright, it's kinda hard to think straight when this girl is acting like that."
Naruto pat the fox on the head before turning back to his final problem.
What was he going to do with Darkness now?
"Oh! I think I have a Scroll Ball in my bag, but it's in my room… Can you go and get it, Kiki? We should be able to use it to transport this thing."
"Yes! This one will make haste!"
Kiki ran over to the door, her black tipped tail glowing softly as her body became a shadow that slipped under the cracks.
Naruto wondered if he could learn any of the magical abilities that Kiki could use, as there were still a bunch that he'd yet to see. He looked down at Darkness and smiled bitterly.
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to let me borrow those books on Kitsune, huh?"
'I have some information on that type of monster, love. I used to conduct experiments to try and enhance my units to imitate the abilities of the Kitsune.'
Naruto was startled when Sylvia's voice suddenly spoke up in his head, but he quickly realized it was likely because Kiki was out of range at this point.
'That would be awesome! But do monsters have skills like adventurers?'
'No, but it is a very tedious process. One that we can discuss the next time you come inside for a visit. But I might just demand a higher price this time around, so be ready.'
Sylvia purred before ultimately going silent.
Naruto crossed his arms in thought.
A higher price… He hoped that didn't mean what he thought it meant.
But if it wasn't much, then he'd really like to learn some magic… He could always ask Yunyun to teach him Intermediate or Advanced magic too.
'I hope Yunyun shows up soon… I think she'd really enjoy the city. Just gotta make sure to bring Kiki along so Sylvia doesn't attack her-'
Naruto blinked when he realized something. He'd been sitting on top of Darkness this entire time, and Sylvia hadn't lashed out a single time.
'Hey! Did Kurama filter out the rest of the Orc's influence on you!?'
'Oh, did Kurama-dono not tell you? Yes, I have been cured of their lustful curse. But I still get jealous, love. So please be mindful of this former general's maiden heart.'
Sylvia replied with a pouty tone, and the shinobi could easily picture the Chimera playfully puffing out her cheeks.
A vein bulged on Naruto's forehead.
'Mind telling me why you decided not to tell me something so important, Kurama?'
'Meh, it was fun watching you use your brain for once. If anything, you should be thanking me for being the reason behind your recent growth.'
This stupid fox…!
Naruto decided that after Megumin, Kurama was next on the list.
A/N: Woof! This was an extra beefy chapter! I had a lot of fun writing this one, so I hope you all enjoyed it~
Let's give a round of applause for Kazuma who, yet again, stirred up some trouble for Naruto and Darkness.
Anyways, let me know what you all thought of the chapter! What do you think is gonna happen next?
Spirit out!