Devil Ninja

When the Going Gets Tough

Rizevim stood on a large cliff overlooking a vast forest. He didn't particularly like the peaceful air about this place, but this was where he'd agreed to meet with the others. Standing beside him were two of his cohorts, Katerea and Euclid, a young-looking man with braided silver hair and a calm demeanor. Neither appeared all that worried, though Katerea seemed impatient.

Several other figures stood with him. Their forms were cloaked in darkness, hoods covering their faces. He didn't know any of their names, but he didn't really need to know. They were humans, members of the magician faction of their happy little family. The only one he even knew personally was the one in charge, who stood at the forefront of the ten magicians.

"It has been a long time since the battle began," Euclid stated calmly. "Are you sure they haven't been killed?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sure." Rizevim smiled. "How is Shalba doing?"

"He's bedridden and swearing," Katerea informed him. "He's also been howling in pain."

"Well, he is the one who decided to go into battle without wearing our new armor," Rizevim said. "That's what happens when you let your ego get the best of you."

At that moment, someone appeared within a teleportation circle. He knelt on the ground, holding the stump where his left arm should have been. Blood leaked from his mouth, and he was breathing quite heavily. His face had broken out into a sweat.

"You see that?" Rizevim gestured to the man. "Siegfried has arrived. Hm, though you're a little injured than I expected you to be. Did your fight against Naruto Uzumaki not go as planned?"

"I didn't fight Naruto," Siegfried rasped.

"Oh? Do Tell?"

Several of the mages strode forward carrying boxes, which they set down next to Siegfried, who looked like he was going to pass out. They opened the boxes and pulled out a number of syringes, injecting them into Siegfried, who grunted. Then they waved their staffs at him, encasing the silver-haired man in a sphere of green energy.

"I fought against the people that Naruto brought with him," Siegfried explained. "A holy sword user, a member of the Phenex clan, a nekousho, and Rias Gremory."

"So I see. Yes, your wounds make a lot of sense. Unlike the soft-hearted Naruto, those girls don't play around. I suppose it is a very good thing you were wearing that new experimental armor of ours." At that moment, what almost appeared to be dead skin flaked off Seigfried's forehead. It wasn't skin, though, not human skin at least. It was too scaley to be that. "Although it appears that your armor was overloaded."

Siegfried grunted in reply, causing Rizevim to smile.

"Don't worry about your arm. These magicians are really good at making those. We can have a new one grafted on you in no time."

Siegfried said nothing. While the magicians worked on stopping the bleeding and implanting a fake arm until they could remake his old one, three more teleportation circles appeared, along with three more figures.

"GRRAAAA!!!"

Heracles' howls pierced the air. The man lay on his back, his flesh peeling off, the muscles in his chest deteriorating. His ribcage was visible, white bone covered in crimson ichor. It looked like someone had taken a drill to his chest.

"Could somebody please silence this man?" Katerea scowled. "His obnoxious wailing is grating on my nerves."

A mage waved his staff and Heracles became muted.

"That's better." Katerea sniffed derisively at Heracles who, even silenced, continued to scream. "Honestly, what a pathetic man."

"What did I tell you?" Rizevim said. "I told you they would come back alive, didn't I? So how was it—battling against Naruto, I mean? I was right, wasn't I? Tell me I was right."