Hey! I remember you people! You're the ones who seem to like this crap just enough to keep reading! Me? Oh I'm just your average everyday procrastinating machine of a writer, that's all.

So, in all seriousness, sorry? I don't think that can really account for the mini-hiatus, but I've never been one for excuses (cough* bullshit *cough), so I'm just gonna explain myself, then let you judge me however you wish. You guys ever heard of D&D? Yeah, a friend of mine got me into watching the Critical Role stream on Geek and Sundry…and I got hooked on that shit within the first hour of the three-hour "pilot." So, I've gathered a group of followers and happy-go-lucky adventurers and decided to try my hand at DMing. It's fucking hard, but the crap I've come up with seems like it'll be worth it. Seriously, if you have time, go check out Critical Role on youtube or the Geek and Sundry website. It's a lot of fun, the characters are amazing, the English voice actors who play it are just fucking phenomenal. Matt Mercer is the greatest DM on the planet. It's…it's an experience. Seriously, if you have 3 hours to kill, just watch it. I guarantee it's worth it.

Other than that…well, I don't exactly have an excuse. I've been home, catching up on some manga and anime, reading books, watching TV, watching the turd that is my young ward…planning DM shit. I've also read quite a few stories. I'd really like to beta for people, but I'm not entirely sure how that works. I read somewhere about having to publish five stories or something? Iunno, PM with the answer if you could, also PM me if you're interested in someone helping with a story. My crap isn't the greatest…or even really all that good, but I'm pretty good at offering support and assistance. Or sprucing shit up with overblown language.

Ahaha, that's enough of that for right now. I'm writing this before I even write the chapter so…your guess is as good as mine on what's about to happen! So, in the words of my man Spader:

"Hobey ho, let's go!"

Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto or Highschool DxD, support the official release please.

Stairway to Heaven

Naruto grinned, his gaze set upon the beautiful devil whom had recently lashed out ever so violently upon his form. The chair in which he sat was gone, obliterated by the incalculable destructive might that was the devil's Power of Crimson Destruction. There was no smoke, no debris, nothing but a handsome grinning blonde-haired, vermillion-eyed, youth, his position unchanged despite the unfortunate destruction of stationary furniture. Amusement danced within his eyes as he silently watched, legs folded politely (left ankle on top of right knee) accented by similarly folded hands, the crimson heiress visibly shaking and shuddering at his mere presence. The disbelief and fear within her gaze a delicious turn-on for the blonde.

Somebody looks positively delectable this fine evening.

The Uzumaki had to bite his cheek in order to keep his amused grin from giving way to the predatory visage that lied underneath his façade. Damned if he wasn't absolutely going to love this little scheme of his! The soft grin gracing his face remained ever-present, not at all faltering under the impressive show of power orchestrated by the Gremory Heiress. Hell, had she not indirectly been responsible for his death and/or left him to die while saving his best friend—

—Oh, wait…that's right. She left him to die.

Getting derailed by festering anger are we?

A sharp glint entered the blonde's eyes, the reminder of Rias' folly causing the resentment and unbridled, righteous rage to return. It would be so easy to tear her limb-from-limb right now…well, considering the circumstances that was actually impossible at the current moment, but still. Had he actually been present in the room, he would have the prime opportunity to sate his unceasing desire for vengeance. Alas, his experiences during his time spent dead had left their mark, he would play the long-con for now.

Once again a feral grin threatened to split his face; besides, what he had planned would be much more satisfying than mere physical destruction. No, the desiccation of all that the Gremory held dear would be more than enough to satiate his desire for justice.

Ooh, ominous. And here I was beginning to think you were going soft on me. What with Raynare and all…

Decidedly choosing to ignore his ever-present companion (whose origin still eluded him), Naruto placed his full attention upon the still trembling heiress, idly noting the gentle rise and fall of the rather impressive bust of the beauty as she hungrily sucked in oxygen.

Rias began to hyperventilate. Her lungs aching due to the unexpected rapid influx of small tufts of oxygen. The respiratory organs themselves understood that the small volumes of oxygen were detrimental for efficient respiratory action. The more primal part of her brain could also understand such, however, the part housing her higher thought process was unable to comprehend anything at the current moment. No, it was far too preoccupied with the unexpected arrival of a man who should have been dead and his seeming immunity to one of the most destructive forces in creation.

Damned if that smile wasn't unnerving.

The moment Rias had turned around and saw the young—recently deceased—man she had lashed out; an oddity when considering her normally composed disposition, however, it seems as though the mere sight of the boy she had let die elicited a panicked response. The fact that she had destroyed half of her room and most of the bathroom behind it didn't exactly register. No, what registered was the lingering presence of an individual who, by all rules of the known universe, should now be permanently extinct.

'H-how? How are you still here?'

Suddenly a head of blonde hair twirled as the red-eyed youth turned his attention to his immediate right, smile never leaving his face.

Rias, following his gaze, jumped as her door swung open, a distressed maid on the other side. "Lady Gremory! Is everything alright; are you ok?!" The comely servant's concern was palpable, but the way her eyes completely missed the smiling blonde sitting on air unnerved the heiress.

Rias' emerald orbs met the ruby fires of her blonde adversary; she felt herself trapped amidst a boiling eternity of hatred and madness. A veritable maelstrom of malice was threatening to sweep her away into the darkest recesses of her psyche—

-ias! Lady Rias!"

The red-haired devil was finally released from the hold upon her as her brunette maid's concerned expression filled her line of sight. "Lady Rias, are you alright? Do I need to send word out to summon your brother?"

Brother? Rias was snapped from her trance at the mention of the strongest Maou. Someone who would dote over her incessantly. Someone who would critique and analyze her every reaction. Someone who might just force her to accept her fate as a possible solution to the current psychological dilemma she seemed to be experiencing.

The maid had walked right through Naruto, Rias had seen his form vanish when in contact with the servant, only to reappear a moment later. Maous below, why was this happening?

Rias gave the servant, Kiyomi if she was not mistaken, a gentle and reassuring smile, "Gomen Kiyomi-san. I saw a spider…"

The maid sweat-dropped. "Well—ah—that is…please Milady, if you see another one j-just call for one of us, alright? No need to be bringing the house down and all." Kiyomi gave a pretty smile and a slight hug to the once-distressed Gremory. Rias returned the hug, casting a baleful glare from the shoulder of the kind maid towards the seated, grinning blond.

"Arigato Kiyomi-san." A nervous smile returned to Rias' face, bashful innocence filling her pretty visage. "Ahaha, I'd like to get changed now for bed Kiyomi-san, so…if you'd please…"

Pretty brown orbs registered slight surprise before closing as a nervous smile and slight blush took over, "Of course, Milady! Please, excuse me!" Her peace said, the maid quickly made her way out of the room, but not before taking note of the destruction caused by her charge.

"Rias-sama, would you also like for me to send up a repair crew?"

Rias gave her a kind smile, "Perhaps tomorrow, I'll be alright for the night."

Bowing from the doorframe, Kiyomi stalked away, a knowing look of intellect shining in her eyes. There was a letter that need be written. One for the eyes of a certain Maou.

I liked her, much smarter than the average maid. One of those types who would do well in an evil overlord castle.

Naruto chuckled, 'And you would know, wouldn't you?' Ignoring any response from his new friend, the reddish-blond Uzumaki's eyes met smoldering emeralds. A frown marred the pretty face before him—something the blonde actually felt intensified the beauty of the devil. It was almost too bad he had to break her.

"I know I'm pretty and all, but damn, you keep giving me looks like that and I just might blush." Rias felt her brow twitch at the blonde's rather sophomoric attempt at aggravation. Had the situation not been so bizarre and her fellow roommate not nearly so sinister in appearance, the pretty devil might have taken up the blonde's blatant challenge. Of course, there were far more pressing concerns that need be addressed at the current moment.

"You're dead." Naruto couldn't help but sweat-drop at the red-heads blunt declaration.

"Well obviously," the Uzumaki's eyes grew slanted, his tone comparable to one that might be used when addressing a particularly dense child. "Pretty sure you're partially responsible for that fact."

Apprehension swelled within Rias' stomach, a slight sense of self-revulsion worming its way through her form. Before these feelings had a chance to coalesce into any form of true guilt, the devil heiress had the wherewithal to remind herself of the necessity of her actions. Once again assuring herself of the moral validity of her actions, Rias addressed the blond before her.

"If I recall, I wasn't the one who told you to confront a fallen angel." Rias noticed the amusement dancing in those endless pools of ruby malice fade slightly; the mirth fled from his face. "It's not my fault you needlessly threw your life away."

The somber expression upon Naruto's face forced another surge of pity and self-loathing to pass through the beautiful Gremory's form. "He's my only friend…how could I not try and help him?" The melancholic statement very nearly brought Rias to her knees, a tidal wave of guilt brewing as it threatened to overtake her.

"I wouldn't expect a greedy-ass devil like you to understand just how important having a friend is to someone like me. You're just like those two…you only care about yourself."

Rias' eyes grew wide at the latter half of the blonde's declaration, a statement of denial brimming just beneath her lips, "That's not true! I value my comrades very much! They're my precious servants!"

The manic grin that filled the Uzumaki's visage unnerved the heiress, a shudder threatening to pass through her form. "Oho, is that so? 'Precious servants?'" The dark twinkle within those scalding eyes had evoked the previously suppressed shudder. "You deny my accusations, yet you can't seem to call them anything but your 'servants.'" He said the word with derision and accusation.

"That's all they are to you, aren't they? Servants who just might be able to help you get out of your oh so revolting fate as the bride of the Phoenix." Rias' eyes narrowed, the blonde's vocabulary and speech pattern had changed drastically since the beginning of their discourse. Playful and manic had given way to accusing and intelligent.

"Given your rather extensive knowledge of my impending engagement as well as my status as a devil…I can only assume that you are either a being of my own imagination, or merely a vengeful spirit." Rias' tone had shifted to one much more fitting of the eventual head of a noble devil household. The slightly shocked and wary look upon the face of her adversary only further fueled her conviction. "Thus, it is entirely ineffectual to merely argue with you, such a stratagem would only allow you to derive your power over me, thus," the heiress' scholarly tone gave way to one that commanded respect, "I, Rias Gremory, order you to be gone!"

A rush of power filled the room, crimson and black swirling in a massive vortex of unbridled supremacy. Naruto's eyes grew wide and fearful as his form slowly began to dissolve away, a sight that left the resident red-head in a much happier mood. However, Rias was not without compassion.

As the blonde slowly dissolved Rias gently approached him, a look of pity and compassion in her eyes. "As I said before," her tone was soft and reassuring, "I'll be sure to take care of Issei for you." With her peace said, the heiress released her hold on her power, a veritable storm of crimson and black overtaking the room. Through the maelstrom Rias could discern the instant dissolution of the young spirit before her, a sight that slightly wrenched at her heart.

How tragic.

A moment later she reigned in her control, allowing her power of destruction to wither away. A brief glance around the room left the Gremory in a state of abashment, the blatant display of power—and subsequent exorcism—had resulted in a rather destroyed abode. Oh, and a staff of thoroughly frightened servants.

'Oh well, Kiyomi-san and the others can clean this place up tomorrow.' Shrugging to herself, Rias proceeded to the spare bedroom across the hall, blatantly ignoring the frightened and stumbling house staff.

Among the gathered servants stood a perplexed and rather vexed Kiyomi. Looks like her letter to Sirzech's would have to be postponed until tomorrow.

Rias hummed to herself as she completed her pre-bed rituals, the commotion outside of her room having died down to a gentle hum. Excited for the official induction of her new Pawn into her little group, the Gremory jumped under the covers, feeling hopeful for the first time in years.

"Damn Red, sleepin in yer skivvies? Are all devils like this?"

Green eyes flew open as "Red" leapt out of bed, her form concealed under a thin veil of covers. Crimson energy crackled in her right hand, her left being preoccupied with the important task of keeping the satin cloth flush against her form, an action that elicited the rising of a blonde eyebrow.

"Come on now, Red-chan. S'not like I didn't see you naked two minutes ago." Naruto smirked amusedly at Rias from his position at the spare bedroom's simple desk.

Rias buried the embarrassed blush that threatened to overtake her face, choosing instead to focus upon the unwelcome intruder's presence. "You're not real, I've dealt with you already." Her tone was even, controlled.

"Have you?" Naruto's grin was downright predatory, belonging on the face of a ravenous demon stalking its next prey rather than the recently-deceased handsome youth. "You know I'm almost tempted to pity you…"

Rias' narrowed eyes widened slightly before once again contracting with suspicion. "What are you talking about?" Her breathing was easy, steady. Despite the bizarre nature of the situation and the potential danger imposed upon her by her blonde adversary, Rias felt confident in her ability to defeat the apparition. She'd already made him dissolve before, he may be persistent, but no matter what all would eventually bow before the power of ruin.

The screech of wood against wood pierced the room as the young man stood, while his body moved his eyes stayed their course, never once breaking the intense connection between ruby and emerald. However, something had definitely changed, of that Rias was sure. Naruto's eyes, while menacing, no longer appeared actively antagonistic, but rather sympathetic.

"I take that back, I do pity you…" He let the statement hang, allowing it to saturate the air. He noticed the red-head shudder. Calculating red-eyes gauged her reaction, it certainly wasn't fear that gripped the young woman…Naruto frowned. He was very familiar with this particular emotion.

Rage.

"How…HOW DARE YOU!" The swirling vortex of crimson and obsidian returned with a vengeance. A whirlwind of grained red and black energy tore through the room, steadily dissolving all but the two occupants. "You pity me? Are you daft? Who are you to pity someone like me?!" The Gremory through herself into a tirade, "I'm alive, I have a purpose! I'm smart enough not to throw my life away like some stupid little self-righteous nobody! I have friends, I have servants! I have a family that loves me! I'm rich, I have a future! I will not marry that bastard Riser! I will not throw away my own happiness for others!" She was near screaming at this point, her power elevating at each advancement in decibel level. Sheer loathing entered her eyes as beautiful pools of shimmering emerald transformed into baleful oceans of poisonous green. "Most of all, I WILL NOT be pitied by the likes of you!"

The air exploded.

Wooden walls grinded to dust, the mattress Rias had once inhabited was whittled away by the lashing crimson tide. The desk and chair that Naruto had occupied disappeared quickly, unable to withstand the duress the red head's explosive power had placed upon them. The very air began to disappear, the oxygen disappearing under the torrent of crimson and black solvents. All matter, save for the Gremory herself, began to disintegrate…all matter except for the blonde before her.

Rias' eyes grew wide, panic once more settling in the confines of her stomach. Why? Why wasn't he disappearing? It had worked before! Why wasn't it working now. Rias, amidst her inner turmoil, made a grave mistake; she gazed into the red eyes of her newfound adversary. There was pity there, of that there was no doubt, but Rias suddenly felt very small. Those vermillion orbs shined with power and depth far beyond her understanding…it scared her.

It terrified her!

"Disappear, damn you!" She pushed even more power out, desperate to rid herself of this awful apparition…and those eyes! Those horrible eyes! She had to rid the world of those damned eyes!

The disintegrating walls began to creak, weakened and unable to bare the weight of this storm of destruction for much longer. A slight commotion could be heard from outside the spare bedroom, Kiyomi and the house staff had apparently sensed their mistresses distress. Unfortunately for them the magical pressure released by the heiress proved detrimental to their own constitution; a number of them, having never experienced this level of magical potency, were reduced to unconscious bodies whose presence made it more difficult for those still cognizant to approach the source of their anguish.

Rias raged on, her mild panic having evolved to the point of hysteria at the lack of Uzumaki-disintegration. "Why? Why won't you just disappear?!" Her voice was becoming shrill, the once calm aristocratic tone having long since been abandoned in the face of an impossible circumstance. Uzumaki Naruto should have been gone by now, destroyed and sent to oblivion. She had run the calculations in her mind, doppelgangers would have been destroyed, wrathful spirits would have been annihilated, zombies would have been gone long ago, hell even a reincarnated devil or possible angel would have fallen in the wake of the power of destruction.

So why was he still here?

A slight movement from the blonde caught Rias' eye. Oh Maou below and God above, he was getting closer! Naruto approached her at an easy pace, gingerly measuring each step, but following through with authority. Every step forward left a vacuum of air behind, an anomaly that was soon filled with swirling crimson and black power. Rias' eyes widened in horror. He was gliding through her magic as if it were nothing but regular air! Each step he took—each instance in which he changed location—cut a path straight through her magic. A knife through butter, as the saying might go.

"No! Stay away! Disappear!" Rias began to back away, shivering in terror and releasing all of her might! When her back hit a slightly destroyed wall she gasped, pushing her body against it with full force, getting as far away from the approaching Uzumaki as possible.

Yet Naruto still moved closer, gliding through the torrent of carcinogenic magic as if it wasn't even there to begin with.

Ten feet between them. Rias released more energy than she thought was possible for her.

Seven feet, Naruto ignored the influx of magic altogether.

Four feet, Rias could faintly feel Kiyomi's presence from down the hall; she could feel it grow weaker and weaker, until finally it was reduced to a mere pulse. Kiyomi had lost consciousness. Rias was now truly alone in her house with this monster.

One foot separated them. Rias had long ago shut her eyes, refusing to gaze into the visage of her ultimate doom. Cowardly perhaps, but in truth very few would actually prefer to see their coming demise. She could feel a slight tingle, his breath, upon her face.

With one final effort, Rias opened her eyes, defiance filling her form. A last shove of energy, emptying her magic reserves rewarded her with the strongest torrent of crimson ruin yet. "I said, DISAPPEAR!"

The room evaporated, walls, ceiling, furniture, accoutrements, all were reduced to nothingness as Rias released power she was unaware she had. The air caught alight, the wind howled like a banshee in her death throws. The moonlight lit the cast weak light onto the now darkened room, providing an interesting color distortion to Rias magic. The rest of the great mansion was now subject to this massive storm of power and…

"No."

With one simple word it all ceased. The magic disappeared, the swirling vortex of crimson hatred following in its wake. The howling ceased, a calm serenity filled the void.

Rias' eyes widened once more, her fear and shivering returning tenfold. This man…no, this monster had stopped her magic, the magic she shared with the current strongest devil, with but a word! He…he was unnatural! Rias felt terror grip her like never before, realization of her imminent demise once again dawning upon her beautiful form. Still, that last act of defiance had empowered her somewhat. She felt stronger—oh she was still utterly terrified of the blonde before her, but now she would be able to at least meet her end with some dignity. So with a final resolve, Rias glared up into the vermillion orbs for what may very well be the last time.

Only to meet twin pools of sapphire, filled, not with rage like before, but unending pity…and perhaps a modicum of respect. Still, she was expecting a death blow any minute now.

"Well?" Her voice cracked somewhat, but she was far beyond caring at this point, "What are you waiting for? Kill me!"

Naruto continued to gaze down at her with pity. Several moments passed before he finally responded to her, "I'm not going to kill you…"

Emerald eyes widened in disbelief.

"I'm going to pity you. First for your impending fate as the trophy wife of that perverted waste of space, Phenex…" Rias couldn't help but feel revulsion enter her once more, the mere thought of that piece of trash made her feel sick. "You'll need to be stronger in order to change that fate, that's for sure." Rias directed her attention once more upon the blonde, who seemed to be issuing his musings aloud. "I suppose I could help you there…but we'll speak on such matters in the future." Naruto turned his blued gaze upon her, "Of course there's the other thing I pity you for as well…"

Rias couldn't resist the temptation.

"W-what?"

Naruto's orbs of electric blue morphed to once again form the vermillion pools of hatred and malice, his gaze piercing her very soul and ensuring the existence of future nightmares. "I'm here to stay!" His insane laughter left Rias in a near catatonic state. She didn't even notice his eventual exodus from her room.

The staff would find her huddled in a corner of her room the next day, shuddering and unresponsive.

Chapter End

So…I'm sorry for the wait. Feeling kinda douche for leaving you guys so long. I'd originally planned for this to be released in January…and well…life happened. Damned OCD and shit gets you down from time to time. You read a few things and you get depressed, takes you a day or two to get the fuck over it and man up…regardless…uh, yeah. Sorry for the wait. Also sorry for the poor quality, I picked this up back today, shat out an ending, wanted to just fucking finish this chapter…yup. I've finally played D&D btw. Fun as all hell. DMing is a lot like writing, except I can impress everyone with my kickass character voices…(crying) why do most of my voices devolve into stereotypical dwarven Scottish accents?!

Ahem…

Right so, seriously if you have a chance give Critical Role a try. Give D&D. It's fun, I can't get enough of it, and it makes for some great inside jokes. Somebody in my group decided to take a random npc I made as up as a joke (the guy was a pillow fluffer) and had him join the party…so now they have a pillow fluffer/bard/rogue/I don't know what the fuck he is I made him as a joke! God help me, the creature voices are fun. Anyways, it's fun, give it a try, or not, I don't control your life decisions…if I did I'd have over a thousand reviews…

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Speaking of which if you'd like leave a review! But as always I'm not gonna force you! Thank you for sticking around to read this rather lame chapter! I promise I'll do better from here on out. For those of you worried that Naruto is gonna bond with Rias…worry not! It's all…part of the plan…

Next chapter should focus on Issei! See you in about three months lol!