Return of the Mammon Clan

In the bleeding orange of the sunset, Naruto and Rias were on their way back home in the aftermath of the preliminary meetings between the three factions. Akeno, as well as Sirzechs and the rest, had already went their separate ways back to their living arrangements. The streets were quiet now that the long day was over so the two devils felt free enough to simply walk together and talk.

With their hands entwined, they looked like a normal couple by all means.

Naruto looked at Rias. "So, I finally got to meet the leaders." He lightly shook his head with a growing smile. "It was really surprising to see them all so laid back."

Since they were among some of their greatest enemies, Naruto would have thought for sure at least the angels would be uncomfortable. Somehow though everyone managed to stay completely civil and seemed to enjoy themselves for the meet and greet.

Rias offered him a wry smile. "Yes, they all seemed very comfortable with one another. Most likely given their level of power, they all felt rather assured meeting equals in such a normal environment." She began to snicker. "It was unfortunate you could not meet Serafall Leviathan, the Maou in charge of foreign affairs. No doubt she was doting on her sister, Sona."

Naruto's brow raised in surprise to hear of Sona's relation to the Maou. There had been no indication that they were related before, as Sona did not seem to take pride in such things or talk about her sister.

"So Sona is related to a Maou too? You guys really were meant to be friends, huh?" Naruto told her.

Rias' eyes reflected a sudden exasperation. "Yes, I suppose you could say that. We both know the struggles of having a relative in that position, and we trade stories often."

The struggle of being related to a person in such a person of power must have been real. Naruto knew nothing about it so he could only offer the smallest notions of sympathy.

They turned the next corner as they began to near their home. Naruto stopped walking, as did Rias, when they spotted someone leaning against one of the walls of a nearby residency. That person seemed to have been waiting for them as they got up from the wall and turned toward Rias and Naruto. It was a person with dark silver hair and icy blue eyes in the dark dress of a devil youth.

A powerful presence was resting inside of this person and Naruto could feel it easily. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he felt that power was familiar.

"Hello there, Mammon and Gremory," said the young man. "I am Vali, the White Dragon Emperor." His voice reeked of confidence, almost arrogance.

Rias' eyes widened. "You're the..."

With great speed Vali disappeared in a blur movement. Naruto tightened his grip on Rias' hand and readied himself for whatever the dragon had planned.

In the next instant Vali reappeared in front of Rias, his finger held inches from her forehead. His earlier movement had been too fast for Rias to track and so, after she finished blinking, the Gremory was taken by complete surprise to see him in front of her.

Vali snickered. "You're defenses are wide open..." He then narrowed his eyes at Rias. "Interesting, very interesting! This is your doing, right?" He turned to Naruto as he seemed entertained.

"As if I'd let you get through so easily," Naruto said. His aura flew out around them and painted the area dark crimson.

Rias narrowed her eyes. "What..."

She noticed something and held her arm out in front of her. A thin layer of energy was surrounding it, and the aura had extended around her whole body.

Vali had stopped moving on his own accord and had chosen not to strike the Gremory girl. However, he had quickly made the discovery that Naruto had extended his own aura to Rias in order to protect her. Just like his chains, the thin coat of visible energy was physical in nature and could protect her from such a kinetic attack. Such a thing would interest Vali simply because daemonic energy, manifested in an aura, was difficult to turn into a physical object, especially given such a short window of time.

With Vali momentarily distracted by the maneuver, Naruto had also taken the liberty of using his unleashed aura to form additional chains. They floated around Naruto's body, mere inches from Vali given their proximity, ready to attack should the Vanishing Dragon host get any further ideas of aggression.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?" Naruto put himself between Rias and their supposed opponent.

Rias narrowed her eyes. "Yes, if you are affiliated with the fallen angels then you should know by now we avoid-"

Vali lowered his finger. "Well, the truth is I've already spoken with the Sekiryuutei as well." He smirked. "I simply wanted to become properly acquainted with those I see as rivals. Face to face."

Rias' eyes turned red. "What have you done to Aika?" she asked with a dangerous tone.

"I simply introduced myself, as I've done with you." Vali waved his hand as if her concerns meant nothing. "Your two knights offered me quite the welcome as well."

Naruto crossed his arms. "And what have we done to warrant this introduction?"

Vali smiled, as if he were glad such a thing was brought up. "I wanted to see who the person was that overwhelmed Kokabiel, the warmongering maniac, and I'm pleased to see its a devil."

"What does me being a devil have to do with anything?" Naruto asked.

"I've drawn some parallels between us, simply put." Vali shrugged. "Though your father was a reincarnated devil and my mother was a pure human when I was conceived, we both received our sacred gears thanks to that blood."

Naruto's body tensed uncomfortably. "How do you know about my father?"

"If you were to look at your own level of power, how do you think you would rank in comparison to the strongest individuals in the world?" Vali continued to speak, purposely ignoring the question. "I asked the same to the Sekiryuutei, and truth be told you are both considerably weak."

Rias stepped forward. "What are you getting at?" She took hold of Naruto's hand.

He could feel the sweat accumulating in her palm. Rias was extremely worried at the moment, and Naruto couldn't blame her. They were dealing with someone that had the power to beat Tiamat, and he wasn't exactly speaking in friendly terms.

Vali nodded. "Though I say you are weak, I know you have the potential to become stronger. And I ask that you do, so that when I see you again the next time, you can properly entertain me with a fight."

"You want to fight me?" Naruto asked in astonishment.

Vali shrugged."That's my goal: to fight strong people." His feet carried him past the other two. "But such a thing can wait for another day. I have plenty of business to attend to still."

With Rias, Naruto remained flabbergasted on that street corner long after Vali had disappeared. Such a challenge from one of the Longinus users was not something to be taken lightly. In a way, at his own level of power in comparison, it would surely be a death sentence.

Rias' tightened grip on his hand meant that she had found a similar conclusion. He held onto her with a similar strength in an effort to comfort her. There was too much for him to live for to go and die just for Vali's sake.

To train and become stronger was something he desperately needed. Naruto did not need Vali to tell him that, though. To protect those precious to him was all the reason he needed.

On the day of the official meeting between the three factions, Naruto and the rest of his peerage were still at home. Rias had gone on ahead to ensure things were going smoothly there, so he was only now getting dressed in his school uniform. It still felt like his addition to the meeting was more at a disadvantage to the devils than anything, but apparently Sirzechs and Rias both wanted him there.

If they said so then he had little choice but to obey.

Standing in the doorway waiting for him was Kyuubi, his queen. As his strongest follower it was her duty to escort him to such a function like this, so she dutifully waited for him. An interesting note that Naruto had observed was that, despite her admitting to wanting to meet strong people, not even Kyuubi was impatient for them to go to the meeting.

Maybe the fact that these were the leaders of the three factions was enough to humble her fighting instincts.

Naruto's thoughts caused him to glance toward the kitsune. "How are you feeling, Kyuubi?" He continued to button his white undershirt.

She grunted. "With the three leaders around, it's enough to make me pause." Kyuubi crossed her arms. "More importantly, this meeting marks a change in politics. What's your plan, going forward?"

Naruto raised a brow. "Why do you ask?"

It wasn't like Kyuubi to take interest in the actions he took unless they immediately affected her. He had thought that perhaps she had been humbled by their past fights, or that maybe she simply had no desire to weigh in on a devil's affairs.

Kyuubi narrowed her eyes. "I have my own goals and desires to follow, after all. The aftermath of these talks might set you on a path that could lead me closer, or farther away from such things."

During the fight with Kokabiel, she indirectly expressed one of her goals was to return to Kyoto. To do what there, Naruto had no idea. That desire could obstruct the goals of his family if they were to overlap, and so he felt it important to take his own interest in the nine tailed fox's future.

Naruto put on his black blazer. "Well, with any luck I can find another bishop soon," he replied. Naruto turned to face Kyuubi as he finished dressing. "From there, we start training for the rating games. I still have to help Rias too." Naruto's gaze hardened. "What did you have in mind for yourself? Does it have to do with Kyoto?"

Upon hearing the name of her birthplace, Kyuubi tensed. Clearly his thoughts were close to the real answer. The nine tails came further into the room to stand across from Naruto.

"I don't think I'm ready to tell you about that yet," she replied. Kyuubi then shrugged. "But yes, it does involve me returning to Kyoto."

Naruto shifted. "Then promise me that you will take me along whenever you do go back." He smiled wryly. "I need to keep my queen safe and out of trouble."

With her power, Kyuubi was strong enough to handle most of the trouble that could come her way on a daily basis. But Kyoto would be different: she would be among those who were as potentially as strong as she was, and she would be far from home and the rest of the family. He went through a lot of effort to keep her as his queen so he wasn't about to let her leave his sights.

Kyuubi growled. "I don't need you there to babysit me." Her eyes softened a bit. "Your offer is a nice thought, though." She shrugged. "I know I can't run around recklessly with those devils after me. And I don't exactly have a welcoming committee waiting for me, either. You will probably have to come along anyway."

"Well, as long as you understand that then I won't push your any farther," Naruto said.

Kyuubi paused. "It's almost time to go, right?"

Naruto glanced outside and knew a considerable amount of time had passed since Rias had left. They would be expecting him shortly, and the last thing he needed was to hold the meeting up with tardiness.

"Yeah, let's go see the others," Naruto told her.

Together they left his room and proceeded to make their way downstairs. The rest of his peerage had assembled at his request in the family room, and had been impatiently waiting for Naruto's arrival. Haku served tea while the others made small talk the best they could. Yoroi stood off to the side and almost seemed like a decorative ornament with its usual silent act.

Everyone turned their heads as Kyuubi and Naruto entered the room.

Naruto glanced around the room. "Good to see you're all energetic." He smiled. His gaze hardened after a moment. "The meeting should be soon. Since I was involved with the Kokabiel incident, they want me to attend." Naruto shrugged after his family gave him odd looks. "I don't get it either, since both Sona and Rias plan to go as well. But, the devils are already going to outnumber the other guests, so I can't bring all of you."

They all accepted his explanation with a nod. Given their involvement, the three High-class devils had an obligation to all go, regardless of the fact that everyone could offer the same story. At the same time, it would be unnecessary and could even be construed as threatening to take their entire peerage. Rias had the exception from her brother Sirzechs, but Sona and Naruto had no such excuse.

Naruto glanced toward Kyuubi, who was leaning against the wall nearby. "As my queen, Kyuubi is expected to attend," he said. The nine tailed fox did not appear surprised. Naruto then turned to Yoroi. "In case things get bad, it makes sense to take my toughest member. Yoroi, you'll back me up."

The armor shifted. "Yoroi. Follow." It nodded.

Naruto then looked at Artemis, his knight. "You will be coming too. The council wants to hear more about your conception charm."

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "I will go then." With a fist over her heart, the demigoddess saluted him.

That left Haku, Tsunade, and Fuka out. Naruto wanted to bring them along, if anything to make sure they did not feel inadequate to the others, but they had to respect the rules. Hopefully they would understand.

Tsunade leaned back into the couch. "So that leaves us here, huh?" She sighed.

Naruto offered her a sympathetic gaze. "I'm sorry. I wish I could bring all of you, but those are the rules." He looked at the other two. "Consider it free time. Once the barrier is put up around the academy, no one will get in or out until the meeting is over anyway."

Haku sipped her tea. "It can't be helped," she replied calmly. There was an air of serenity around her.

Fuka shrugged. "I am a little jealous you would pick ol' statue instead of me." She hiked a thumb over her shoulder toward Yoroi, who did not react in the slightest. "But, I suppose it means I won't have to suffer under that pervert's gaze." Fuka seemed to remember a particularly irritating person.

Did she know about Jiraiya?

"Well, we will try to be back soon. Have fun!" Naruto waved goodbye as he headed out into the foyer. Kyuubi and the others chosen to come followed behind him.

It was finally time for the conference to begin.

"Excuse us." A muffled voice came through the heavy wooden doors of the academy lounge.

The door quietly swung open and allowed Naruto to come face to face with the others present. His family was the last to arrive as Kyuubi and the others filed in after him. Everyone had their eyes on them and while most were welcoming, Naruto could feel at least one intense gaze settled on his group.

Inside, the gathered faction leaders were seated at a luxurious round table with classic decorations scattered about the room. If one were to look outside they would see the sky had turned into an aurora of changing colors as the school was locked behind powerful barriers to prevent outside influence. Further, hovering in the sky in similar positions as their leaders, High and Ultra-class members of the three factions stood vigil over the academy and against one another in case the talks broke down.

At the table was Sirzechs Lucifer and Serafall Leviathan, both in noble attire, as the representatives of the Underworld. Directly at Sirzechs side, with hands clasped behind his back, was Jiraiya, the Maou's adviser. Further behind them were the other devils called to the meeting from the Sitri and Gremory groups: Sona and her queen Tsubaki, as well as Rias and her entire peerage save for Gasper, the mutation piece bishop. Serving tea and attending to everyone was the ever dutiful Grayfia Lucifuge, wife and queen of Sirzechs.

The Archangel Michael, with his golden wings unfurled, sat comfortably on his side of the table. Behind him was a white winged angel, a beautiful golden blonde beauty. Both of them appeared to be in good spirits despite the obvious tension that came with being in the presence of sworn enemies.

Azazel sat with a bored look on his face. His chin was resting on his knuckle as the Governor of the fallen angels stared off into space. Behind him, leaning against the wall, was Vali, host of the Vanishing Dragon. He too must have shared his benefactor's feelings and looked impatient.

Sirzechs smiled. "Allow me to introduce the new arrivals," he said to the others. "This is Naruto Mammon, a devil of the house of Mammon from the Extra Demons. With his own peerage, he also became involved in the Kokabiel incident when he aided my sister, Rias."

Michael's soft gaze shifted from Sirzechs to Naruto. "Thank you for your hard work," he said while smiling. "Please allow me to express my gratitude once more."

"Sorry about that." Azazel glanced their way. He did nothing to hide his smirk. "Seems like one of my guys caused you some trouble."

Naruto found Azazel's nonchalant delivery of the apology to be frustrating, but there was little to do about it. With a silent gesture from Grayfia, Naruto led his peerage over to the wall that was already occupied by Rias and the other younger devils. The crimson princess and her queen waved a silent hello to the new arrival as they were farther down the line. Next to Naruto was Xenovia and Kiba, Rias' knights, and they both nodded in turn.

Sirzechs returned his focus to those at the table. "Now then, that should be everyone. I believe we should begin the meeting right away." He flicked his eyes between the opposite leaders. Whatever cheer he usually had gave way to a stern visage—he had become the Maou Lucifer. "To start with, I believe we should make it clear that the people present here are aware of the forbidden subject: the non-existence of God."

No one seemed to object to his claim. Sona and her subordinate must have been informed by Rias or perhaps Leviathan herself. Grayfia and Jiraiya did not seem particularly fazed either, though for devils of their status to know such a thing was not a surprise.

"Then, shall we proceed?" Michael said.

Azazel snickered. "Do as you please, Michael. You're among equals, after all."

From there, Naruto slowly began to lose his focus on the meeting as the leaders spoke about current politics and issues of their own factions. As an Extra Demon, Naruto was not aware of many of the subjects they spoke of and could not hold a candle to their intimate knowledge of such things. Instead his eyes wandered about the room and observed those in it.

The intense gaze he had felt earlier had originated from Vali, he quickly learned, as the silver-haired youth was still staring in Naruto's direction. There was something sinister behind that sharp gaze of his, and it bothered Naruto. Did he want the three factions to start a fight here, simply so he could have an excuse?

I wouldn't put it past him.

Some time passed as the leaders continued to speak in controlled tones. Whereas the devils and angels were on their best behavior, it appeared Azazel was intentionally agonizing everyone by playing coy with his cryptic answers. That must have been an extension of his childish attitude he displayed earlier with Jiraiya, Naruto thought.

Speaking of the old man, Naruto was pleasantly surprised to see the Hermit was holding himself to a certain standard of civility. Though his back was facing Naruto, he could tell Jiraiya was handling himself well as he did not say anything out of turn and would only rarely whisper something to Lucifer's ear in private. Despite the many women around him, Jiraiya's eyes did not seem to wander either. This was his "professional" personality that he assumed when things needed to get serious.

Sirzechs turned in his seat. "Artemis, would you care to speak now?"

The goddess bowed and stepped forward to join them. Rias had already given a brief explanation regarding Artemis' birth charm during the preliminary meeting a few days ago. Given such a proposal the three leaders had been ecstatic to meet the person capable of creating such magic.

Michael welcomed her with a smile. "When we first heard of your magic, I was admittedly skeptical. After your associates informed of us of your origins, however, I began to realize that such a thing could be possible after all."

Azazel flicked his eyes up and down Artemis' figure. "Yes, the Olympians have always kept their magic, and themselves, in tip top shape. Helps when you have a bunch of gods rather than one, I suppose?"

"I wouldn't go so far as to praise us, Azazel," Artemis told him. "Rather, because there are so many gods in existence, we are in a near constant state of war. If it isn't between members of the Hellenic court, then its our Latin counterparts invading."

Sirzechs nodded. "Since you have had your share of war, you must then realize how useful such a thing as a birth charm would be for our factions."

"Our ability to reproduce and offer balance has never fully been restored since God's passing, I'm afraid," Michael said with much regret. It would hurt him the most, considering he is the one filling in that role now.

Serafall squirmed in her seat. "So, is it really true that your magic can promise a child. In any instance?" She seemed somewhat excited.

Artemis shook her head. "The act to procreate must meet the same prerequisites as always. If I were to offer a birth charm to a woman, she could not engage in a sexual act with another woman and bear a child from the encounter." Serafall deflated upon hearing that. Artemis continued, regardless. "However, if that woman were to have sex with a fertile man, as long as she was ovulating at that time, then my charm can ensure a child will be conceived from such an event."

Jiraiya raised a brow. "And how exactly do you 'bless' them? Is there a ceremony of some kind?"

Artemis shrugged. "All I need to do is touch the woman after a short preparation of magic. The magic is then transferred and the charm is complete. It is so subtle that the woman cannot even tell if I blessed her or not, whether they are aware of magic or not."

"Amazing," Michael said from astonishment.

"Truly." Sirzechs echoed him.

Azazel shifted in his seat. "The question now becomes, how do we use this to our advantage? We can't simply ask the lovely goddess to touch all the women in the world, right?"

Naruto furrowed his brow as his thoughts caught up with the leader's. They had to find a way to mass produce said charm for it to even be anywhere near effective. Not to mention that it would hinge on all three factions working together which would be stretch to consider.

Sirzechs nodded. "We devils have considerable industry and research already invested in the topic. With Artemis' support we may be able to find a way to create a charm in a consumable form, or at the very least replicate the magic," he said.

"I'm afraid replicating my magic for others to use would be impossible," Artemis said. She placed a hand over her chest and the skin began to glow gold. "My ability to offer such charms comes from the blood of the original Artemis herself. Even I do not truly understand how the process works. Such things have been lost to time."

Azazel's gaze sparked with interest. "So that's how you guys work. I always wondered how you managed to resurrect humans to take your place." He pointed a finger at her chest. "You ingested her blood, the famous Ichor nectar, didn't you?"

Artemis narrowed her eyes at his quick deduction, but nodded. "Yes, that's right. The Ichor does not fuse with our bodies, but rather resides in our chest. That way, it can be extracted and used again, should I fall in battle."

"Now that's pretty cool," Azazel said while snickering. "I wonder why our God never thought of that."

Michael's soft gaze remained on Artemis. "Is there truly no way for us to use your charm effectively?" He seemed crestfallen at such a loss.

Artemis' lips thinned. "Though others cannot replicate my charm, it is true that I can extend the power to food or drink. My devil king's lover has informed me of a family that does something similar: the Phenex clan with their tears. Perhaps I could make such a product as well to offer to those wishing to reproduce."

Rias blushed to be referred to in such a way. She was made to suffer from Akeno's giggle at her own expense.

"And that would be for her devil king to have the final say in, of course," Sirzechs said. His eyes glanced back toward Naruto.

"What say you, 'devil king'?" Azazel said with a smirk. "Want to help repopulate the world?"

Naruto crossed his arms. "I have no objections to Artemis creating such a thing, if she wants to. However, for the sake of my family and our ambitions, we would need to be assured profit before we could proceed."

The last bit he spoke had been offered by Rias herself. She told Naruto about the Phenex and how their family was one of the most wealthy in the underworld because of their monopoly over the Phoenix Tears. If Artemis really could create such a thing, even in small amounts, Naruto and his mother could patent the product under their own name and make a fortune all their own.

When he asked why Rias would tell him such a thing, she said it was only proper to help her future husband create such a foundation for himself. He was naïve to the way the devil society worked and so she would help him in matters such as that.

She's really a life saver, that Rias.

"You'll make a killing, I'm sure," Azazel replied. He turned to the Angels while smiling. "Everyone is clamoring for kids these days. Especially Gabriel, right, Michael?"

"I would appreciate it if you left my sister out of your fantasies, Azazel," Michael coolly responded.

"Haha!" Azazel chuckled. "So I was right! Really, she hasn't changed a bit."

Sirzechs looked at Artemis. "Thank you, that will be all."

Artemis returned to her place as the discussion took off again. Before long, however, there was a short pause and Naruto's attention shifted back when he heard Sirzechs say something interesting.

"Now then, Rias. Could you offer your report on the incident a few days ago?"

Rias noticeably stiffened. "Yes, Lucifer-sama."

She did not stand alone, however, as Sona and Akeno both joined her. They began to recite the details of the personal account that was sent to the Underworld in the immediate aftermath of the Kokabiel situation. The leaders all had their own personal reactions that varied greatly over the course of the story.

Naruto noticed Rias was shaking and realized she was nervous. He couldn't blame her considering who she was speaking to, especially since she was reciting an official report of events. If she said something wrong it would be possible she could insult someone, or have them question her integrity, or all devils.

"-And that is all. That concludes the report of what I and the rest of my household experienced." Rias offered them a curt bow with her speech finished.

Sona nodded. "I, Sona Sitri, validate this account with my own."

Sirzechs offered his sister a small smile. "Thank you. Go ahead and return for now."

Serafall winked. "Thanks Rias-chan, Sona-chan!"

All three of the young devils bowed and took their place at the wall.

Naruto and Rias' gazes crossed for a moment. He offered her an assuring nod, to let her know she did well. A bitter smile graced her lips as she tried to cheer up.

Sirzechs' gaze focused on those at the table again. "Now then, Azazel, I want to hear the opinion of the Governor of the Fallen Angels concerning this incident."

Azazel seemed to rouse himself from whatever thoughts had entertained him at the call of Sirzechs. The older man failed to answer immediately, however, and his eyes drifted past the demon lord. Naruto recognized that the gaze was sent toward him.

"I suppose that's fair, but we seem to be missing an important part of the equation." Azazel pointed a finger at Naruto. "Shouldn't we hear what the kid who defeated Kokabiel has to say about it first?"

Michael narrowed his gaze a bit. "That would certainly have some value..."

Everyone's focus then shifted to Naruto as he was forced to come forward. He had hoped to avoid such a thing as his side of the story had already been offered by Rias and the others. The last thing he wanted was to have to recite the same thing over again.

Naruto shrugged. "I'm afraid that I don't have much else to offer you. Rias Gremory's report on the matter was supplemented by my own account, after all."

Azazel snickered. "Well normally I wouldn't push the issue, but there is definitely a reason why the devils brought you, an Extra Demon, along to this meeting," the governor replied. His devil compatriots narrowed their eyes in response. "I'm trying to figure out what that reason is. Perhaps it has something to do with you being a descendant of the fifth Maou, Mammon."

Sirzechs shifted in his seat. "That has nothing to do with the boundaries of my question," Sirzechs said with a low tone of voice. He was not happy with the direction Azazel was taking them.

The governor did not seem to care as he continued to smile in the face of their annoyance. It almost seemed like the conference itself was a joke to him.

"My mother and I aren't a part of mainstream devil society, so our name should carry little weight in this conversation," Naruto tersely replied. "I'm only here since I was asked to be by Maou Lucifer-sama."

Azazel's gaze turned sharp. "Of course that may be true in the mainstream devil society." He then shifted his gaze to Jiraiya. "But the devils here might disagree with that sentiment. Your name carries a lot of power in it, Naruto-kun. Why else would Jiraiya be brought out for a meeting like this?" His gaze then shifted to Serafall. "These two could handle things just fine, and yet he just decided to tag along? I don't buy it."

"What are you getting at, Azazel?" Jiraiya asked, making his debut in the conversation. He seemed tense as well.

Azazel sighed in exasperation. "What I'm getting at, is that the Maou must have some plans for this boy; plans that make him significant enough to have him join this conference, despite his testimony being unnecessary." His smile turned devious. "Perhaps, you plan to consider him for the vacant Maou slot you've had since the end of the Great War?"

The room was shocked into silence from Azazel's bold claim. Murmurs spread through the devils present as they wondered whether it could be true. Sirzechs and Serafall offered no immediate response and instead offered their fallen angel compatriot a glare of censure.

Naruto himself was unable to say anything as he struggled to comprehend such a thing. No one had ever discussed such a matter with him, and he had never considered it a possibility before. There was no way someone like him was ready for such a task: if anything, his mother would be better suited for such a role.

Jiraiya said we would see each other more often. Was this what he meant?

Michael offered the devils a concerned glance. "Azazel, I believe you went too far..."

"Hmph." Azazel entwined his fingers together on the table. His intrepid attitude continued. "If we really are sharing our state of affairs, then this should be nothing." He met Sirzechs harsh gaze. "So, what's it going to be?"

"I'll have to ask you don't make presumptive claims into our affairs," Sirzechs replied. He ignored Jiraiya's signal and continued. "The boy is here at my request and that should be good enough. If not, then consider him a suitor for the Gremory heiress if that would satisfy your curiosity."

Rias lightly gasped in response to Sirzechs' announcement. For him to say such a thing so callously meant that Azazel had truly touched a sensitive spot for the Maou.

Azazel clicked his tongue. "Well, if you don't want to play then I suppose there's no point in continuing." He offered them an exaggerated shrug. "Listen, Kokabiel kept quiet about his operation from the other leaders and acted independently. I had Vali handle the situation as an extension of goodwill. Now he is imprisoned in Cocytus and won't come out anymore. All of that was in the report sent off to your side, right?"

Michael sighed. "The situation was clearly a terrible thing to happen, but as I understand it, Kokabiel acted against your orders, correct? That would mean he was dissatisfied with your leadership decisions."

"Mm. That's right," Azazel replied. "I don't have any interest in wars or fighting. You must have saw what he had to say about me in the report as well."

Azazel was the one to lead his faction out of the Great War first. The Fallen were incredibly vicious during the war and had made great headway in the front, but at the cost of a great amount of lives. Apparently the Governor had suffered too many personal losses and gave the order for the fallen angels to cease all conflict: an order that was still in effect, and the order that Kokabiel went against.

"Azazel," Sirzechs said, addressing the other man. "I'd like to clarify your stance about desiring non-conflict. Our reports have told us you have been gathering Sacred Gears for decades now. We believed you were preparing to go to war against us, but now I'm wondering if something has changed."

Michael nodded. "Yes, when I heard you had gained the Vanishing Dragon, I became wary of a new conflict. I have been pleasantly surprised to see nothing of the sort has occurred. Why is that?"

Azazel's smile turned bitter. "It has to do with my research into the Sacred Gears. If you're both so worried, should I send you research materials as well? Even with the research, I still have no interest in war this late in the game. 'Don't interfere with human politics' and all that, you know?" Azazel shrugged. "I have no interest in trying to influence religion for the angels, or business of the devils." His eyes wandered the room. "Really, do you all trust my side the least?"

"That's exactly right."

"Yes, true."

"Perfect score!"

Michael, Sirzechs, and Serafall had their opinions coincide at the same moment. It must have hurt the pride of even someone so laid back as Azazel to hear it said so definitively.

The fallen angel leader sighed. His playful spirit from before seemed to have diminished somewhat.

"Fine fine, say whatever you like." He waved their concerns off like they were children. "I thought you guys might be better than God and the last generation of Maou, but you are just as troublesome." Azazel suddenly began to smile again. "Let's make peace then. That's what you both wanted right? Angels, and devils too?"

"...!"

Everyone was stunned to silence again with Azazel's request on the table. What had been a dig against the fallen angel faction's reputation had quickly been turned on its head as the key word was spoken for the first time. Such a thing had been in the back of their minds when the conference had been called, for it to be outed so suddenly was not something anyone could expect.

Michael smiled. "Yes, I also planned to offer peace to the Devils and Grigori. If we were to continue the stalemate at this point, things would only get worse. I offer this as the leader of the angels now, because, the original cause of war that was God and the old Maou are now gone."

Azazel broke out laughing in response. "Even though you were so stubborn about supporting God before, now Michael speaks the truth."

The Archangel's visage turned solemn. "I have lost many things precious to me. However, I can't pine for such things to return to the present. To guide the humans properly, we members of the Seraph must continue in our father's footsteps and take the right path, for here and now."

"With those words, in the old times, you would definitely have fallen by now," Azazel told him. "But since you took over the system, the world has gotten better. It's totally different since the time I fell." The fallen leader offered them a real smile this time.

Sirzechs smiled too. "We are the same. Even if the old Maou aren't here, we devils have moved forward for the sake of everyone. If another war were to pass, we would be destroyed too."

Serafall nodded. "Mutual destruction is something that would surely occur if another war was to pass," she offered the grim prediction with a delicate look. "If that were to happen, the human world would end too. We can't allow something like that to happen."

"The world moves on, even without a God," Azazel said, his teasing mood now gone.

"That settles it then," Sirzechs noted with a smile.

Everyone was able to relax as Grayfia began to offer refreshments in what must have been a break in the discussion. The conference had been going on for at least an hour at that point, so all three sides were able to enjoy a moment of peace.

That peace was broken when Michael focused his attention on Aika. The two of them began to speak concerning a promise they had made earlier for Michael to hear out Aika's wish. The Sekiryuutei host asked him about Asia and Xenovia's exile, and that began a discussion that enlightened Naruto and the others on the so-called 'System of God' that Michael took over, and how it ran on the power of the prayers and followers of God.

Asia and Xenovia had to be excommunicated in order to preserve the illusion of the old system of beliefs. If they were accepted without repercussion, people would doubt the Church and in turn, the Church would doubt the Angels. As bitter and difficult as it was to accept, Naruto could find little fault in Michael's reasoning.

The girls who had now become devils were forgiving of the Archangel, as they too understood. Their transformation had brought them a considerable amount of happiness that they lacked in the care of the Church. In the end, it was more of a loss to the angels than it ever was to the girls themselves.

Azazel had been listening quietly for a while to their discussion. He seemed somewhat interested in the group as he stared at Asia. The blonde noticed his presence and quickly became nervous from the attention.

"I heard it was one of mine that killed you. Sorry about that," Azazel said that to Asia without reservation.

"How can you say it like that?!" Aika exclaimed. Behind her glasses, her eyes shook with frustration. "Both Asia and I were killed by that person. How can you act so high and mighty about it! We're devils because of you!"

Azazel narrowed his gaze, but kept smiling. "Do you regret becoming a devil? Seems to me you are having plenty of fun."

Aika seemed confused at his question. "Well, I don't mind it so much. Everyone has been nice to me and helped me get through it, but still..."

Azazel shrugged. "Even if I were to apologize now, it's too late to change things. I have to give you something in return to make up for it, right?" He craned his head to look behind the chair. "How about we get an impression of the world from two very powerful people first. Vali, what do you want?"

Vali smirked at the simple question. "I just want to fight strong people. That's it."

"Well, you can get that without war." Azazel offered him a wry smile. "Plenty of strong people out there in the world." The fallen leader then turned back to Aika. "And what of you, Sekiryuutei?"

Aika struggled to answer such a loaded question. She fidgeted with her skirt a bit and twirled her braided locks of brown hair.

"Well, I'm not really a big fan of all this fighting we've been doing. Really, I'd rather just hang out I guess." She still sounded unsure of herself.

"As one of the strongest people in the world, you must have some aspiration. Devils are all about desires, so what is yours?" Azazel was trying to coax out her real feelings.

Rias approached her pawn from behind. "That's right, Aika. You've never told me what your real desire is." She placed a comforting hand on the dragon host's shoulder.

Aika giggled nervously as a blush splayed across her cheeks. "W-Well, I wouldn't mind having a harem of my own, ya know? Of handsome men, of course. I already have a list of measurements and types to look for."

Her honesty was very telling, even if it took a bit of work to get her to admit to such things. For a woman it wasn't such an odd to dream to have, especially for a devil.

Azazel chuckled. "That sounds pretty reasonable, though I have to wonder about how the dragon inside of you feels about that."

Aika grimaced at the thought of her sacred gear. "The damn dragon is always complaining about something or other. What matters is that I plan to use that power of his to protect my friends, that's it." She smiled, as did the rest of Rias' peerage.

Unfortunately, the entire conference was overtaken by a chilling sensation—one that traveled through their bodies like a snake.

With the blink of an eye, the world around them turned a sickly purple as time was frozen.

Naruto blinked and found himself back in the present. Around him the others were in varying states of movement, while others were completely frozen in the dark aura surrounding them. How much time had passed since he fell under the time dilation effect? More importantly, how did such a thing occur during the conference?

He felt an odd weight in his hands and glanced down. There, growling beneath the bandages, was Samehada. Somehow, it had come to his side and saved him from whatever had afflicted Akeno and the others. Similarly, Kiba and Xenovia had both found themselves saved by their own swords of Holy and Demonic natures.

"Ah, looks like the Mammon kid is back." Azazel glanced his way from the table.

Sirzechs sighed. "Good. We will need all the help we can get, I'm afraid."

Michael had gotten up from the table to look outside near the window. His bodyguard, the angel from before, was similarly frozen in place. Only a scant few of the people in the room were still capable of moving. Those with immense power, or the blood of gods and dragons, were up and moving.

Somehow, Kyuubi and the rest of Naruto's peerage were still awake. On the other hand, everyone save for Rias' knights and Aika were down, and the same went for Sona and Tsubaki. Rias herself had been saved by her proximity to Aika before the attack had hit, and she appeared to be handling the transition well.

"Eh? What the hell happened?" Aika glanced left and right at Asia and the others who were still frozen.

The building around them shook. If one listened closely they could hear the sounds of distant explosions outside. With the elaborate barriers that had been setup prior to the meeting, such an intervention should have been impossible.

"Only those of us with power were able to resist the effects," said Vali. He gestured toward Naruto and the other devils. "They were rescued by their swords. We have our dragons to thank."

With Samehada, it was literally an extension of Tiamat's body. A dragon of equal strength to the current and previous Maou, her strength would have been enough for her to resist the effects as well. Naruto had her to thank, indirectly, for being his savior.

"Who would dare attack this place?" Kyuubi asked. Her blood was coming to boil from excitement.

"We seem to be dealing with a well coordinated-"

"Terrorist attack."

Sirzechs was interrupted by Azazel as they both attempted to answer Kyuubi. The younger devils were genuinely surprised to think someone could have the audacity to attack the conference, whereas the leaders and Vali almost acted as if they had expected something like that to occur—they were so calm in the face of danger.

"Perhaps you should join me." Michael looked back at them from the window. "Our uninvited guests have made their appearance."

Everyone made their way over to the other side of the room so that they could look out into the grounds. With that view, they were able to see a large, unidentifiable magical circle hung above the academy. In droves, hooded figures appeared through what must have been teleportation magic and started to launch their attack on the building. Beams of light were fired from their bodies and impacted the magical seals that had been erected to protect those inside.

"Who are they?" asked Xenovia.

Rias narrowed her eyes. "Those must be magicians. Humans," she noted with some surprise.

Magicians, that was a term Naruto had heard about from his mother a few times in the past. Humans that had learned from supernatural beings how to create magic, through the use of equations and calculations rather than the power of imagination and emotion. There were apparently many varieties of magicians as they often banded into groups of like-minded individuals; this group must have not been fond of the three factions to make such a bold attack.

Naruto's father had once been a magician and so he couldn't help but have some shed of respect for these individuals. At the same time, they were threatening everyone present with their vicious attack. He would not forgive them for taking such a brash action.

Azazel's smile was fearless. "Magicians, huh? It seems their power is on the same level as some of our mid-class members, so I wouldn't be too worried."

"Don't get hasty, Azazel," Jiraiya said, his face grim. "I doubt magicians alone would have the power, or the motive, to pull off something like this. The real ringleader has yet to show themselves."

The fallen angel shrugged in response. What they knew was that, regardless of who was behind the attack, they were on the clock to find a way to stop them. Barriers or not, the enemies numbers were only increasing.

Michael narrowed his eyes as another barrier fell to the assault. "More importantly, we must identify the cause of the time dilation," he said.

Sirzechs sighed. "It can only be Gasper-kun's sacred gear, Forbidden Balor View." He narrowed his eyes after a moment. "That wouldn't explain how they pulled off something of this scale, though."

Azazel held up a finger as if to signal he had the answer.

"They must have forced his sacred gear to enter Balance Breaker form. That is the only explanation for how the field is still expanding, and why we need to stop it before it takes us over too," he explained.

Rias stepped forward as her body was overcome with a dangerous power from inside. She was seething with anger, a side of her Naruto had only seen once—during the battle with Kokabiel.

"I won't forgive them for manipulating one of my family members. Never have I ever been so insulted like this! Just how could they get so much information on Gasper, and this meeting..." Rias spoke faster and faster as she got herself worked up with anger.

"Someone on the inside must have told them," said Naruto.

Kyuubi snarled at the thought. "A traitor."

"Our soldiers are trapped as well," Michael observed.

Indeed, in the sky above the academy, all three factions had their soldiers frozen in time. They were easy shots for the magicians as the barriers surrounding them broke apart. When the magic bullets impacted their bodies, they dissolved into nothingness. Whether they were killed or transported away was unclear from their limited perspective, but either way, those present in the conference were now alone against the invaders.

"The Gremory family is truly dreadful, huh?" Azazel said while smiling. The leader then squinted his eyes in concentration.

Outside, countless light spears formed and began to rain down upon the army of magicians. They formed golden barriers of their own, but the magnitude of Azazel's attack pushed through them like it was nothing. The humans fell in droves, but more quickly took their place from the portal overhead.

"They won't be routed so easily, it seems," said Serafall, her eyes narrowed.

Sirzechs joined them. "Indeed, which means we have to focus on undoing Gasper's Balance Breaker."

"I will go!" Rias said with determination. "Onii-sama, Gasper is my servant. He is my responsibility to take back."

There was a fire burning behind her blue eyes that so often was revealed when something involved one of her family. No one could have doubted Rias' will to see such a promise through.

Sirzechs laughed. "I understand your personality well, Rias. However, how will you get to the old school building? Transfer magic has been blocked and the route is littered with magicians."

Rias began to smile. "I've kept an unused Rook piece in that building. Just in case something like this might have occurred."

Grayfia nodded. "Castling could work in such a situation."

Naruto knew castling was a move that could be used by the king piece to switch places with their rook. It could only be used once, in chess and in the rating game, but for a situation like this it was their best chance. They could bypass the enemy's defenses without them even realizing it.

Good thinking, Rias.

"It would be reckless to go alone," Sirzechs told his sister. He then turned to Grayfia. "Would it be possible to send someone else with my magic combined?"

Grayfia considered it for a moment. "Given a short amount of preparation, a simple ceremony could be built for the magical transfer. One person could go with Lady Rias."

"Then-"

"I'll go, Sirzechs-sama!"

Naruto was interrupted by Aika, who shouted over him. The Sekiryuutei host's eyes were burning, just like Rias. She had her own personal reason for wanting to go too.

"Aika..." Rias was astonished by her choice.

Sirzechs turned to her. "Are you sure?"

Aika nodded. "I took on the responsibility of training Gasper. It's only right I go and save him too."

Naruto wanted to argue but he knew that Rias' peerage was a family. They had taken care of one another long before he had ever met them, and the same principle rang true even with him there.

Azazel approached Aika. "Then, Sekiryuutei. You better take this." In his hand were two bracelets.

The bespectacled girl glared at him. "My name is Aika Kiryuu, old man." Nonetheless, she grabbed the two bracelets and examined them. "What are these?"

They were simple, silver jewelry pieces with a single azure ornament in the middle. If they were coming from the Governor, the bracelets had to have some sort of significance.

"Well then, Aika, use one of these on Gasper. It should help him control his powers a bit better," Azazel replied with a smirk. "Use the other one on yourself, and you can enter Balance Breaker temporarily. It will suffice as the conductor, for a short time."

Such power in a small package—something to be expected of the fallen angel leader. His research must have been at least somewhat fruitful if he could create such a thing.

"We are almost ready, Rias-sama," Grayfia said.

A simple pentagram had been drawn onto the floor. The maid then transferred some sort of energy to Rias, no doubt to help them channel Sirzechs' energy to her.

"Vali," Azazel addressed the boy who had remained isolated in the corner. "Go outside and wreak some havoc to keep those magicians out of our hair."

The Hakuryuukou smirked and got himself off the wall. "You sure you don't want me to take out the troublesome vampire kid too? It would be faster."

Rias and her group quickly took offense to his words, which caused Azazel to sigh in exasperation.

"Seriously Vali, choose your words more carefully. We are trying to make peace here, okay? Saving one of the Maou's family would be beneficial to us in the long run."

Vali maneuvered over to one of the windows and opened it. "Fine, I just hope these magicians can occupy my precious time." With silver wings, he flew out into the sky and began to do battle with them.

Before long, he activated his own Balance Breaker and became the Vanishing Dragon's host proper. With his speed and strength, the magicians were effectively stymied in their assault.

"Then, we should head out as well," Rias said to Aika.

Before she joined Grayfia at the pentagram, Rias stopped by Naruto. They shared a quick embrace as his arms wrapped around her. Somehow, this felt even more dangerous than Kokabiel's attack. Splitting up like this just didn't feel right between the two of them.

"Be careful," Naruto whispered into her ear.

"I know. You too." Rias tightened her hold of him.

"Rias-sama, you shouldn't wait too long." Grayfia stood waiting with Aika.

Together, the Gremory and Mammon shared a short kiss goodbye before they were forced to part. Their eyes did not part, even as the magical energy enveloped both Rias and Aika. In their place, a red rook piece fell harmlessly onto the floor.

Sirzechs took the piece into his hand and examined it for a moment. He would hold onto it for safekeeping until his sister had returned.

"Once Rias rescues Gasper, we can begin our counterattack," he said to the others.

From behind him a golden magical circle appeared within the room. Everyone backed away from it as they knew only an enemy could use teleportation magic.

"Sirzechs-sama," Grayfia said, alerting the Maou of this new presence.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. Was this the so-called ringleader of the attack?

Wait, I've seen this crest somewhere before.

"This circle, it can't be..." Sirzechs narrowed his eyes in recognition.

Serafall too seemed to follow a similar train of thought as she seemed tense. Azazel had the confidence to laugh out loud.

From out of the light appeared a woman in the dress of a noble devil. The buxom figure was tanned, and light brown hair was in a bun atop her head. She had a pair of pink glasses on, not unlike Tsubaki's, but behind the lenses there was a sinister look coming from those lavender eyes.

"Katerea..." Naruto muttered.

Kiba turned to him, stunned. "You know her, Naruto-kun?"

"Hello Maou Sirzechs-dono, Serafall-dono. How do you do?" Katerea said in a fearless tone. She was smiling of all things.

"That magical circle, you must be from the old Leviathan family," said Xenovia. "I've seen it in books from the Vatican."

"Correct, low-class devils, I am Katerea Leviathan. The rightful heir to the Leviathan name and the position of Maou, a title that was stolen from me." Her glare then shifted to Serafall.

"Katerea-chan, what are you doing here?!" Serafall exclaimed.

Naruto knew there could be only reason why Katerea had left her hideout in the corners of the Underworld. She was there to assassinate the Maou—the goal she has had since the beginning. The plot she tried to wrap his mother and father in was all coming to a head.

Katerea reacted as if Serafall had bitten her. "Serafall, you little wretch. You are the one who stole the title of Leviathan from me. If not for you, I would be Maou!" she replied with a harsh tone.

Serafall was taken aback by her attitude. She had nothing to respond with, but nothing she said would soothe the vengeful spirit of Katerea.

Sirzechs remained calm in the face of danger. "We can rest assured then that you are the one leading the magicians?" he asked.

At that, Katerea's good mood returned. "That's right, Sirzechs-dono. We members of the true Maou faction, have aligned ourselves with the Khaos Brigade."

"So, the feud between the old and new devil faction has boiled over. You guys sure are difficult."

Azazel laughed as the tables had suddenly turned. Before, the fallen angels had been the ones crucified for Kokabiel's actions; now, the Old faction of devils had already outdone the former's actions with a single stroke.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "A coup d'etat? Really, Katerea?"

Katerea adjusted her glasses with a sour look. "I have nothing to say to the traitor Lucifuge. You have no place in the new world we plan to build, and neither do the rest of you for that matter."

"A new world? So you mean to say this goes farther than a simple rebellion," Michael said.

"Correct, Michael. With Ophis' help, we plan to rebuild the world." Katerea swung her arms out with the grand announcement. "First, we have to destroy this one and properly bring chaos back to those living complacent lives, like you all."

"Hehe. Chaos? New world? What a joke." Azazel said, figuratively spitting in the face of the descendant of Leviathan. "Villains who talk like crazed revolutionaries are always the ones to die first, you know?"

Katerea's rage boiled over. "How dare you! A disgusting crow...has no right to say such things!" She swung her staff and the room around them was enveloped in a bright light.

The ensuing explosion rocked the foundations of the school as Katerea's powerful magic obliterated an entire wing of the building. Fortunately, the three leaders had formed a barrier out of their magic to protect the others. Jiraiya and Grayfia had also managed to bring Sona and the others who were frozen into a close circle to better cover them.

Katerea floated above them with a sinister grin splayed across her lips. Her cackle carried down to them as she stared down at them as if they were insects to be squashed.

"The three leaders working together to create a barrier. How grand!" Katerea lowered herself back to the ground. She remained fearless in the face of the alliance, however. "I see you are taking this seriously then. Good."

"Katerea, do you intend to follow through with this threat?" Sirzechs asked. He was still trying to pursue a diplomatic solution, even after all this.

Katerea's smile turned devilish. "That's right. You weren't a bad Maou, Sirzechs. But you weren't the best, either." She swung her staff and created another portal. "Allow me to welcome another guest that feels the same way as I do."

In response to Katerea's announcement the others quickly became suspicious. Naruto in particular was concerned that Katerea had convinced one of the other families to join in. Could it be Beelzebub or Asmodeus? Both of them had considerable power and would most definitely make things difficult for those gathered here.

It can't be...

From out of the portal emerged the slender figure of a woman. She wore a dark bodysuit of some sort that held tight to her skin and cut off at the neck. Crimson hair fell down her chest and back with the bangs held off to the side with a single dark clip. The eyes that had once been shut now opened to reveal blank irises, dyed violet, sitting in a sea of black.

And around her neck was a collar made fittingly for some animal, cinched tightly to the pale skin.

Naruto's breath came out in shallow bursts as his mind struggled to come to terms with what he was seeing. The deathly aura that surrounded her could only belong to one devil in the entire Underworld: the one he loved and treasured the most. Such a thing could not be so easily faked and Naruto knew Katerea was not lying— something about that wicked smile on the Leviathan heiress' lips meant this was a 'gift' meant only for him.

This woman could only be Kushina Mammon, his mother. The aura she released was dark and twisted, but everything else was just the same as when they last met.

The only thing Naruto could think about was the horrors that his mother must have suffered while he was away. How long had Katerea held Kushina within her grasp without him knowing? Just the thought of it made his blood boil.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "Is that..."

"Naruto's mother, Kushina." Sirzechs shifted uncomfortably.

The air around them grew heavy as a powerful energy began to release itself. Those present quickly found the source to be the young Mammon heir as he stood there, with his back hunched and fists clenched, shaking with rage. A dark aura surrounded his body as he released his power without any concern for the consequences.

Naruto took a step forward and the earth buckled beneath his foot. Wind and dirt whipped around his body as if he were an avatar of destruction itself. His eyes, now a bloody red, were locked on the perpetrator of the heinous crime.

"How dare you..." Naruto's steps grew more rapid as the volume of his voice increased. "How dare you touch my mother!" He shot forward with a burst of speed, his fist reared back. "I will never forgive you, Katerea!"

The distance between the two devils closed in the blink of an eye. Naruto's speed seemed to rival that of the fastest of knights as he brought himself upon Katerea. Power flowed through his arm and became visible to the naked eye as it was set to hit her directly in the head.

Katerea failed to lose her conniving smirk despite the imminent danger. She simply waved her arm before her in a lateral motion, and then waited. The Leviathan made no motion to dodge the brutal frontal assault.

In a blur of motion a red and black shadow appeared between Naruto and Katerea. Kushina anchored her body to the ground and threw her arm out toward Naruto. Her hand latched around his wrist and held on tight, forcing his momentum to come to an immediate stop.

Mother and son had their eyes meet, and Naruto knew there was nothing of the Kushina he loved left. This was a husk and a puppet, with the strings being held by that demon woman not so far away.

"Naruto!" Kyuubi's voice carried over the din of battle.

Kushina's other free arm had built up a considerable amount of energy. She reared her fist back and prepared to deliver a powerful jab to his vulnerable body. With the vice grip she had on his wrist he would not break free so easily.

Naruto scowled and focused his energy on Kushina. When her fist threatened to slam across his cheek the blonde disappeared in a flash. The hand that had grappled with his wrist now reached for air as the controlled Kushina was momentarily stunned by his sudden escape. In the next instant Naruto appeared in the air, directly behind his mother, and planted his feet upon her back. Like a diving board he pushed off from her body and sent himself sailing through the air straight toward the now vulnerable Katerea.

The bespectacled woman bit her lip and waved her staff. A golden barrier appeared in front of Katerea's body as she gathered powerful magic in an attempt to stop him.

That won't be enough to save you!

Naruto's aura turned into physical form around his body, coating his skin like a fiery armor. A primal roar emerged from his throat as he threw himself at the person who took something so precious to him. She would pay for her insult to the Mammon—for tainting his mother's image.

A chain wrapped around Naruto's stomach, then another around his arm. Soon more of these black, serpent-like extensions forcefully held onto parts of his body and stopped him in his tracks. The energy felt so familiar yet so vile at the same time; Naruto grimaced when he realized it was his mother. Over his shoulder, he could see his mother's aura flare around her back, the corrupted chains spawned from there.

With a sudden pull, Kushina sent him flying backward and away from Katerea Leviathan. He turned his body so that he was now facing his mother fully, but he was too slow to react in time. Naruto's face flew directly into Kushina and her waiting palm, his nose cracking from the pressure. Her dainty fingers that had once gently caressed his cheek now dug into his skin like hooks.

Now literally in her clutches, Kushina tightened her grip on Naruto's head. With all of her strength she slammed Naruto's body into the ground beneath them. The earth, already crumbling from the two destructive auras above it, gave way and pushed inward on itself to create a large crater.

Naruto found himself wracked with pain and unable to lift his body from the rock it was now embedded in. The cold hand that had held him now returned to its owner's side, limp. There was a moment of hesitation in his mother's movements that almost made him believe she was fighting the control. In reality, he noticed this respite was offered to him only because someone else had chosen to join them in the crater.

A tail of fur lashed out at Kushina's backside which forced the controlled Mammon to sidestep. She then turned to face her opponent, a seething kitsune that was baring her teeth, and leaped back to gain some distance between them. Naruto was out of danger for the moment, but his queen walked silently passed him intent on finishing the fight for him.

A crimson strand of energy wrapped itself around Kyuubi's wrist and forced her to stop. She glanced behind to see that Naruto had now pulled himself from the rubble, and his aura had been extended to hold Kyuubi back.

"What are you doing? You obviously can't fight her in your condition." Kyuubi glowered at Kushina. Despite her apparent anger, her body itself was in prime condition for a fight. "I'll make her end quick, I assure you-"

"No one touches my mother, except me."

Kyuubi quieted as Naruto flashed to her side. His harsh words left no room for argument, even if what she said made sense. It was true that Naruto would be emotionally compromised in the fight against his mother, and he might hesitate to land a finishing blow. There was still a part of him that wanted to believe that the real Kushina was still inside, waiting to be saved.

But, there was another reason why no one else could go against her.

"A mother and son battle royale, how entertaining!" Katerea cooed from the top of the crater. She had been watching the proceedings with great interest.

Naruto ignored her, as difficult as it was. First, he would have to deal with his mother before he could seek revenge.

Kyuubi growled at his attitude. "But-"

"Only I can stand against my mother's Aura Tangent." As if to accentuate his point, Kushina formed a dozen more black snakes around her body. The energy surrounding her expanded again in the face of a strong opponent. "She taught me everything I know, after all."

Around his body, Naruto's crimson aura shifted and swirled around his body. The Mammon's true signature technique, the ability that set them apart from the magic their devil comrades wielded, was in fact their own pure daemonic aura turned into a physical object. One of the most simplest representations of the technique was the chains Naruto could create, but the aura had so much more potential, and it was powered by the emotions of the devil that wielded it.

What we lack in magical prowess, we make up for ten fold in stubborn determination.

Kushina's eyes narrowed a tiny fraction, as if to acknowledge he had finally become a threat to her. Energy built around Kushina as something round began to form between her breasts. A head of crimson hair pushed itself out from within.

"What the hell..." Kyuubi seemed repulsed by the body that was emerging from within Kushina.

Naruto struggled to swallow the lump building his throat. Whatever Katerea had done to manipulate her power, she must have underestimated his mother's existing strength. This forbidden technique that Kushina was using was something Naruto had only seen used once, and it would almost assuredly sign the deed to his destruction.

Now fully separated from the original Kushina was a perfect clone of her. The madness did not stop as not one, but two more emerged from the original body. These copies took their place around the original and developed their own auras. The only discernible difference was the sclerae had lightened to an ashen shade.

"Shadow Splitter..." Naruto muttered under his breath.

With this move, Katerea's forces had fully shifted into Check.

Only time would tell how long until the eventual Checkmate would follow, with Kushina's full power now unleashed.

The chapter length once again got away from me. Seems like I won't be able to wrap all of it into one single part after all. Probably best that way, my pacing has already gotten a bit off track since the last chapter. This should get it back to normal.

Technically Naruto's newest bishop has been revealed. For them to officially join the family, however, it will have to wait until the next chapter. Speaking of next chapter, it's going to be considerably shorter since its basically the tail of the conference as we wrap up the fights and prepare for a radical shift to Naruto's current goal.

An image of Kushina's bodysuit is on my profile. Credit is given to the original lineart artist, I simply colored it and added a few bits and bobbles. You can see the Mammon pendant as well.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Highschool DxD