Chapter 17: Shadows, Smiles, and Grilled Fish
It was a quiet sort of chaos that settled over the forest fortress—peaceful only because the enemy had been reduced to fine powder and a crater large enough to be mistaken for a new lake. A gentle breeze rustled the high leaves outside, carrying with it the aftertaste of raw destruction and freshly toasted moss.
In the center hall of the fortress, Naruto (or at least, one of his suspiciously smug-looking clones) stood with arms folded, bathed in the glow of a floating, shimmering projection of the battlefield. The image was still gently flickering, showing the smouldering remains of what had once been a very confident holy order. Now? Not so much.
Arche, blonde-haired and always oddly polite even in times of alarm, blinked at the screen.
"That… was fast," she said faintly, tucking a stray lock behind her ear. "I… I mean I thought you were strong, obviously, but that was…"
"Invincible," Clementine finished bluntly, twirling a knife like it was a flower stem. "You're telling me this guy's been holding back in training? And here I was thinking I'd earned a cookie."
Brian, ever the quiet swordsman, just nodded, eyes sharp but posture relaxed. It wasn't fear on his face—just the kind of quiet humility that one learns from being thoroughly shown the scale of their own insignificance.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, though his clone's gesture didn't quite carry the awkwardness of the real thing. "Ah, well, that Rasenshuriken move… it's kind of overkill, really. If I had let it fly at full strength, it could have erased a city. Or, you know, a mountain range made entirely of metal."
Clementine whistled, impressed. "That's overkill? Darling, I think you've redefined the word."
"It's not even my strongest move," Naruto added with a shrug, as if he were admitting to owning a slightly more powerful blender. "I've seen things way beyond this. Powers that can sink kingdoms, level continents. I'm still growing. I may look young, but this is my real age."
Arche looked at him then, really looked at him. Not just the confident clone or the explosion-making powerhouse, but the boy behind it all. She remembered the quiet conversation they'd had one evening, over bread and stew, where he'd said people had called him a monster—not with awe, but with fear. How they had turned their backs, whispered behind doors, as if he were a plague in a boy's body.
He had hated it. Not the title, but the distance it created. Like he'd never quite be allowed to be… normal.
"You're afraid we'll see you like they did," Arche said softly.
Naruto's clone blinked at her. "Maybe," he admitted.
"Well, tough," she said with a smile as bright as her magic. "You saved me. You saved us. You're family now. And family doesn't leave people behind. Monster or not, we're sticking with you."
The clone coughed in surprise, turning slightly pink. Clones weren't supposed to blush—how that happened was anyone's guess.
Brian gave a small smile from the corner. "If anything, seeing this power reminds me I'm still just one man. A very improving man, thank you. But I'm not ashamed of that anymore."
He paused. "I used to think I had to be the strongest. Now? I just want to get stronger. And I will."
Clementine leaned back on her chair, arms behind her head. "Eh, strength is good. But if you're gonna follow a monster, might as well be the best monster. Honestly, this is kind of fun."
Naruto's clone scratched his chin. "You guys are weird."
"You made the Rasenshuriken," Clementine said dryly. "Weird recognizes weird, sensei."
And with that, the clone dispelled with a pop! of smoke, leaving behind only the scent of ozone and a half-empty bowl of ramen someone forgot to finish.
Outside, the sky was the gentle sort of blue that made you forget the apocalypse had just happened two forests over. Inside, three very different people sat a little closer together in spirit than they had the day before.
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High above the puffy clouds that swam lazily across the sky like cotton candy on a slow river, a dragon flew. But not just any dragon—this one was sleek and powerful, crimson scales glinting under the sun, wings like sails of velvet thunder. His name was Ryu, and he cut through the wind with the sort of grace usually reserved for poetry and falling stars.
Perched comfortably between his shoulder blades, cloaked in loose robes and deep thoughts, sat Naruto Uzumaki—the not-so-average boy who could sneeze a castle into splinters and smile about it afterward.
His hair danced with the wind as he leaned forward, watching the landscape below. Villages dotted the woods like freckles. The forest fortress was a tiny speck from up here, and so were the people inside it. But they were his people now. Not by conquest or command, but by choice. Their choice.
He sighed softly.
Naruto didn't usually get this still. Normally, his mind was like a pinball machine loaded with ramen coupons. But today… today, he was afraid.
Not of dragons or armies or even world-ending magical catastrophes. No, those were practically household chores by now.
What scared him was rejection.
He hugged his knees to his chest and let the wind pass him by. "What if they'd looked at me like the others did?" he whispered to no one in particular. "Like I was something to hide from. A freak. A monster."
Ryu's head tilted slightly. The dragon didn't speak—he didn't have to. His presence was comfort enough. Also, he was very good at giving the kind of supportive silence that didn't feel awkward.
Arche hadn't run.
He remembered the way she had looked at him, like he was the one who needed saving for a change. Like she'd seen past the power and the past and the titles, and just… seen him.
She had called him family.
He smiled, and the world didn't feel quite so heavy.
"Arche really is amazing," he murmured, proud and relieved all at once. "And the twins… they didn't scream or faint or call me a demon. I half expected one of them to throw salt."
Then there was Clementine. She was a tornado of sass, sarcasm, and alarming enthusiasm for blades. A former sadist who had once smiled a little too brightly at the mention of dungeon racks.
And yet…
"She didn't laugh at me," Naruto said softly. "Not when I told them about the mountain-sized attack, or the monsters I've seen. She just… accepted it. Like it was cool. Even said it was fun."
There might be hope for her yet. He'd noticed she didn't threaten to stab any commoners this week. That was… progress. Probably.
Brian, on the other hand, was as decent a man as one could find. Honest. Humble. A little broody in the corner sometimes, but in a dramatic, tragic-hero sort of way.
Naruto frowned slightly. "Brian's biggest enemy isn't a swordmaster or demon," he mused aloud. "It's himself."
Self-doubt clung to Brian like an old cloak, tattered and worn but hard to take off. Naruto recognized it because he'd worn one just like it once. He'd have to keep an eye on him, not to protect him from danger, but from despair.
Ryu gave a little rumble under him, like a lazy cat that happened to weigh several tons.
"You're right," Naruto chuckled, leaning back. "I'm overthinking again. But… I guess that's part of being a leader. You don't just blow up enemy camps and call it a day. You worry. You care. Even if they think you're a monster."
He looked out at the sky, the clouds parting like curtains for a stage.
"But I've got friends now," he said, and this time, his voice was firmer. "Not just comrades or teammates. Family. And I'm not going to mess that up. Not again."
With that, he sat up straighter, wind tousling his hair like an excited older brother, and gave Ryu a grin.
"Let's go check on the others. Maybe Brian's managed to smile twice in a day. We should mark it on a calendar."
Ryu snorted.
And together, boy and dragon disappeared into the horizon, the sky folding around them like the page of a storybook not quite finished.
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The city of E-Rantel was humming like a hive poked with a very long stick.
The incident—the one with the forest, the thunderous energy blast, and the Slane Theocracy forces being turned into magical confetti—had left the citizens abuzz with whispers. Market vendors sold "Forest Guardian charms" next to rutabagas. Children pretended to blow up imaginary enemies in the alleyways with dramatic war cries. And the city guard, who previously spent most of their time being glorified traffic cones, were suddenly very interested in patrol routes and "emergency protocols."
But inside the modest forest fortress just outside the city, there was another kind of commotion taking place.
"Briiiiiaaan's going to lunch~!" chirped one of the twins.
"With Gazeeef~!" sang the other, arms flailing above her head as if the very notion was worthy of a festival.
Brian, poor soul, had just entered the room to find the twins hopping in circles like caffeinated squirrels. He looked like a man who'd walked into a trap and wasn't sure if he should flee or politely wait to be consumed.
Naruto was lounging on a hammock he'd somehow fastened between two indoor support beams—no one had seen him tie it, but there it was, swaying peacefully as he flipped through a scroll on sealing techniques and snacked on a dumpling.
"Did I just get promoted to gossip?" Brian asked wearily.
Naruto didn't look up. "You're not gossip, you're breaking news. Apparently, Gazef invited you to lunch. Congratulations."
"I didn't agree to anything," Brian muttered, brushing a lock of hair from his eyes.
The twins immediately pounced—verbally, at least.
"But he likes you!"
"He thinks you're brave!"
"And cool!"
"He even wrote your name in cursive!"
Brian flushed. "You saw his letter?!"
"Not exactly," said one twin innocently.
"We sort of... peeked. Just a little."
Naruto finally looked up and gave Brian a warm grin, one that could calm storms and inspire shy heroes to step forward. "You should go."
Brian blinked. "Why?"
"Because Gazef's your friend. And friends don't come by too often when you live in a world where half the people want to conquer it, and the other half want to blow it up."
"…Fair."
Naruto swung his legs off the hammock and stretched. "Besides, we'll follow you."
Brian narrowed his eyes. "You'll what?"
"For support," Naruto said with all the innocent sincerity of someone who had absolutely no intention of staying hidden if things got interesting. "We'll be invisible. Ish."
The twins were already pulling on little cloaks like miniature spies. One of them slapped a fake mustache on her face. The other tried to wear a cooking pot as a helmet.
Brian pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is a terrible idea."
"It's a great idea," Naruto said, patting his shoulder. "Terrible ideas just need the right spin."
Later that day, Brian found himself walking through the city toward the appointed inn where Gazef was supposedly waiting. The streets were lively, the air thick with spices and speculation, but Brian's real concern was the odd sensation that he was being followed by very bad actors.
Behind a fruit stall, a cooking pot peeked out and ducked back again.
Above a thatch roof, a glint of hair and a muttered, "Shhh, he's turning!"
From a basket of laundry: "Do you think they have dessert?"
He sighed.
But then he saw Gazef, sitting at an outdoor table with a proud smile and a jug of wine.
"Brian!" the man called, waving him over like an excited uncle. "I've already ordered. Hope you still like grilled fish!"
And just like that, the worry in Brian's chest lessened.
Because even if he was being followed by three chaotic misfits with more power than common sense, even if the city was trembling in anticipation of what was to come… at least, in this moment, he was simply Brian.
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The streets of E-Rantel were alive with noise and gossip, but none of it compared to the sight that caught Gazef Stronoff's attention just past the central square.
He had come early, choosing a quiet outdoor table under a red-and-gold awning that fluttered in the breeze. His expression was composed, stately as always—but when he noticed the cloaked figures clumsily dodging market stalls, bumping into lampposts, and dramatically whispering behind barrels, something unexpected happened.
Gazef laughed.
It wasn't a polite chuckle. It wasn't even one of those throat-clearing "I'm-still-a-serious-person" kinds of laughs.
It was a full, belly-deep laugh—the kind of sound that makes people turn their heads and smile even if they don't know why.
"Still as subtle as a parade of singing goblins," he murmured to himself, wiping a tear from his eye.
Brian, meanwhile, was approaching with all the enthusiasm of a man walking into an emotional ambush. His eyes darted back toward the terrible trio—Naruto (perched on a lamppost like a lounging cat), and the twins (one trying to "camouflage" with a rug that didn't match the cobblestones at all).
He gave Gazef a sheepish wave.
But before he could say anything, Gazef stood up and hugged him.
Brian stiffened like a startled deer, but then slowly—awkwardly—patted him on the back.
"You've changed," Gazef said warmly, pulling away. "For the better."
Brian coughed. "Well. You know. Training. And near-death experiences. Motivating."
Gazef gestured to the table. "Come on. Lunch before I start asking for a duel and embarrass myself."
They sat, and the food was simple but good—grilled river fish with lemon herb glaze, dark bread, and a mild fruit wine that smelled like late summer.
They talked.
About the kingdom. About the growing uncertainty. About how strange it was that sometimes, power arrived not with banners and trumpets.
"You know," Gazef said between bites, "if you're ever looking for a more… official post, the Royal Guard would welcome you."
Brian looked up from his fish, surprised.
Gazef's expression was serious now. "You've grown. You have the strength, and more importantly, the sense to use it wisely. We could use someone like you."
Brian paused.
Then slowly, he turned to glance behind him.
Naruto was now sitting on a fruit cart, feeding bits of apple to a goat and pretending to be invisible. One twin was crouched behind a decorative fountain, clearly whispering a sound effect every time the water spouted. The other had managed to get her foot stuck in a vendor's basket and was trying to bribe the angry seller with shiny rocks.
Brian smiled faintly. Then shook his head.
"I'm… satisfied," he said, turning back. "I've got something here. It's a little chaotic. But it feels right."
Gazef took that in with a nod.
"Fair. You always walked your own road."
Brian leaned in slightly, dropping his voice. "But I'll say this—be careful. Things are… shifting. I know you love the kingdom, and I respect that. But don't throw your life away just because you wear its colors."
Gazef's brow furrowed. "You think I'm reckless?"
"I think you're loyal." Brian said softly. "And loyalty without caution… is dangerous. Especially these days."
Gazef looked at him for a long moment. Then he offered a half-smile, both proud and sad.
"I hear you. And I'll remember that."
Across the square, Naruto quietly smiled as he watched the two men talk.
From his perch, he could hear the cadence of their voices—not the words, but the music behind them.
Friendship.
Respect.
Growth.
He leaned back against the chimney, folding his arms behind his head, as the sun warmed his face.
"See?" he murmured. "Told you he'd be fine."
One twin grinned up at him. "We knew it all along!"
Naruto chuckled.
And the city moved on—buzzing, watching, wondering—while in a little corner of it, something solid and real was being quietly built.
Friendship, after all, was a kind of magic too.