Chapter 7: Whispers in the Graveyard
"Hey, Khajiit, how long is this going to take again?" came a voice like honey with a hint of venom.
The woman lounged lazily atop an old stone sarcophagus like it was a chaise lounge in a noble's garden, swinging her legs idly as if the crumbling cemetery were no more than a boring afternoon garden party. Her short blonde hair glimmered in the moonlight, and her porcelain face carried a cruel, almost childlike smirk.
"I want to know," she added, "so I can squeeze in all the fun I can from this place before you drag us into your creepy ritual business."
Khajiit Dale Badantel, robed in tattered crimson that swirled about like mist, didn't even glance up from the glowing bones he was arranging in an ominous circle around a cracked tombstone. His voice oozed through the air like syrup gone sour.
"It will take two weeks for preparations," he replied, fingers dancing over the bones like a pianist on his final, fevered performance. "Two weeks to prepare, and then we start the process. You may indulge yourself… within reason."
Clementine tilted her head like a curious cat and stared at him. "Hmm," she hummed thoughtfully. "Guess that's good enough. More time for my collection to grow." She hopped down from the tomb like a child abandoning a game—if that child were an unrepentant murderer. "Though I'll have to pick a new playground after this. E-Rantel will be... all dried up soon."
Khajiit narrowed his eyes just a fraction. He didn't trust her, not even a little. She didn't trust him either.
"I'll keep that in mind," she said with that same bright cruelty—then something changed.
Crack.
It was sudden. It was brutal. A blur of motion, a gust of wind—and then darkness.
Clementine's body flew like a ragdoll into the cold stone wall of the crypt. The impact echoed across the cemetery like thunder. Blood sprayed, and the remains of Khajiit's underlings—those shambling assistants so eager to raise the dead—had already turned to mist, a ghastly red fog that clung to the air like perfume at a funeral.
In the center of the devastation stood Naruto.
His fist was still extended, arm tensed. He stood perfectly still, golden eyes glowing softly in the gloom. His breath calm. Too calm.
"Guhh…" Clementine gasped, slumping to the ground. Blood oozed from her lips. Her spine felt like it had turned to gravel, and the cold of the stone floor bit into her ruined body.
"Oh," Naruto said, blinking mildly, "You survived. Huh. I suppose I should've used a bit more force. Underestimated you. That's on me."
His tone was casual, but his eyes were anything but. They shone like molten gold, deep and still, like a beast teetering on the edge of patience.
Clementine tried to speak, but blood bubbled in her throat. Her limbs wouldn't respond. Her lungs were pierced, and the agony in her ribs was unbearable.
"Spare me," she rasped, barely able to form the words. Her pride was gone. Her grin was gone. All that was left was the terror she thought she'd forgotten how to feel.
Naruto tilted his head. "Spare you?" he asked, not unkindly. "Did you spare the people you killed for pleasure?"
His gaze bore down on her, quiet and absolute, like judgment wrapped in skin. To Clementine, it was like being stared at by something ancient and hungry. Her heart clenched, and for the first time in many years, she realized: she was prey.
"Knowledge…" she managed to whisper, her voice trembling like a leaf in a storm.
Naruto knelt beside her, voice a whisper that could cut stone.
"I'm listening."
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"Knowledge… knowledge," Naruto repeated, as if testing the word on his tongue. "A fine offering. I do need knowledge."
He gazed down at Clementine—broken, bleeding, and trembling—and his golden eyes softened, though the light within them remained stormy.
"It seems you might know something useful. And you survived." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Lucky you."
His hand reached out, fingers resting gently on her sweat-slicked forehead. It was almost a blessing, almost kind—until the searing pain hit her nerves like fire.
Clementine screamed.
Agony ripped through her body as her crushed bones snapped back into place, torn muscles wove together, and ruptured organs stitched themselves whole. Her body was mended, perfectly restored… but the pain remained.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Naruto said, his voice even and almost cold. "It's what your victims must have felt, over and over. So now… feel it with your own body."
The chakra hummed faintly in the air, but the malice was unmistakable. It wasn't hatred—not quite. It was wrath sharpened by discipline. Justice twisted by necessity.
Naruto exhaled slowly.
He knew what this was. An outlet. A pressure valve. There was a storm inside him—rage at the past, fury at a broken world—and if he didn't direct it somewhere, it would consume him. Clementine, for all her cruelty, had chosen to be evil. And now she would serve redemption through chains far heavier than death.
"Repent through servitude," he whispered. "This is the only life I offer you."
Clementine collapsed, unconscious from the pain and chakra exhaustion. Gently, he placed a sealing tag on her stomach, and with a few swift hand signs, bound her life to his will. A single thought could end her if she disobeyed. There would be no second chances.
Naruto stood, his gaze sweeping across the carnage.
With a touch of Earth chakra, the blood and bodies melted into the soil, swallowed whole by the earth as if they had never existed. The cemetery grew still again. Quieter. Peaceful, even.
"All that's left is the small trash," he murmured. "And then everything will be perfect."
Lifting Clementine effortlessly over his shoulder, he turned and vanished into the shadows, walking calmly through the night.
This world is rotten, he thought. And I won't fix it by playing by its rules. If I have to be the darkness to protect the light… so be it.
As he moved toward the distant lights of the city, his thoughts drifted again.
I really need to master the Hiraishin soon. Running or even flying—it's too slow. Teleportation would be... efficient.
He tapped his temple lightly, smiling faintly.
Old man Sage… you left me a hell of a legacy. I'll honor it—and my parents too. Unlike the me in that other world, I won't let your sacrifice be wasted.
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"Big brother, who is this?" the twins asked in unison, curiosity sparkling in their eyes as they looked at the unconscious woman Naruto carried over his shoulder.
"She's your new servant… and your friend," Naruto replied gently, kneeling down so he was at eye level with them. His voice held no trace of the cold fury that had gripped him earlier—only warmth, calm, and a soft smile. "If you ever need anything, you can ask her, and she'll help you."
"Really? That's so awesome!" they cheered together, clinging to his arms with excitement. "We get a new friend!"
Naruto chuckled softly, ruffling their hair as the clone beside them disappeared into mist—his memories flowing into Naruto like a warm stream. The laughter, the games, the joy—they grounded him. Reminded him of what mattered.
"You can play with her tomorrow," he said, raising a finger to his lips playfully. "She's very tired right now, so let's let her rest, okay?"
The twins nodded obediently, mimicking his gesture and whispering, "Okay, big brother."
Naruto carried Clementine to the spare room and gently laid her on the bed. With a small seal on the wall to monitor her condition, he turned back to the twins and smiled.
"Let's go for a walk," he said, standing and holding out his hands. "I'll show you more of the city. And maybe… we'll find a place we can call our own."
Their hands shot up to grab his, eyes glowing with happiness as they skipped along with him, excited for another adventure.
As they stepped into the streets bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, Naruto glanced upward at the distant clouds.
A house, a home… a future worth protecting. For them, I'll make this place safe. No matter what I have to do.
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It was a bright and breezy afternoon in E-Rantel, the kind of day where even the sun seemed to hum a cheerful tune. The city bustled with the usual mix of adventurers swaggering about, children weaving through crowds, and merchants calling out offers as if they were announcing the arrival of royalty.
And in a way, they were—though they didn't know it.
For riding gently through the cobbled streets on a sturdy black horse was a young man with golden hair, two giggling girls in front of him, and a pale, sharp-eyed noble girl riding sidesaddle on another horse beside them. Their little party had the unintentional flair of a royal procession—Naruto riding tall, his eyes both curious and calculating; the twins waving at passersby as if they were princesses; and Arche, wearing a rare soft smile, her usual guarded posture loosened by the warm sun.
"Whoa! Big brother, look at that fountain! It has a lion's face!" one of the twins shouted, pointing excitedly as they clopped past the central plaza.
"That's not a lion," the other corrected with a wrinkle of her nose. "It's a weird goat-dog."
Naruto chuckled. "It's actually a chimera carving—see the tail's a snake? But we'll go with goat-dog for today."
They reached the residential quarters first. Rows of small, charming houses made of polished wood and red clay tiles stretched before them like neat little toy homes. Flower boxes overflowed with bright blossoms, and there was the faint scent of bread baking somewhere in the air.
"These homes are close together," Arche noted, eyes scanning the layout with a practiced eye. "Too public. And the neighbors would be… curious."
Naruto nodded. "I was thinking the same. Not enough space for the kids to run wild either. Let's keep looking."
They moved on toward the outskirts, where larger homes stood behind wrought-iron gates, some still under construction.
"Oooh! Look, that one has a pond!" the girls cried in unison.
"And that one has a tower! Can we live in a tower, big brother?" one of them asked with stars in her eyes.
"Maybe," Naruto said with a sly grin. "But only if it doesn't come with a wizard who talks to pigeons."
They all laughed, even Arche letting out a faint, amused snort she tried to hide.
Next, they trotted into the park district—a surprisingly peaceful stretch of nature nestled inside the stone walls of the city. There were swings made of vines, soft green grass, and a little pond with ducks waddling about like they owned the place.
Naruto let the girls slide off and run barefoot through the grass, their laughter echoing through the trees. Arche sat on a bench, adjusting her gloves, while Naruto leaned against the horse's saddle, watching them with a small, peaceful smile.
"They're happier than I've ever seen them," Arche said after a while.
"That's the point," Naruto replied softly. "They deserve this."
Just before sunset, as the orange sky kissed the rooftops, Naruto led the little group to a quiet restaurant tucked into a corner near the guild. It was a cozy place with wood walls, low tables, and soft candlelight. The smell of roasted meat, spices, and freshly baked flatbread wafted through the air.
They settled into a corner booth, and the waitress, taken aback by the sheer adorableness of the twins and Naruto's warm grin, brought them extra honey cakes without charging.
"So," Naruto said as they dug into their food, "do you want a tower, a pond, or a park?"
"ALL OF THEM!" the girls shouted, mouths full of bread and laughter.
Arche rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered as she reached for her tea.
As the meal continued, laughter filled their little corner of the restaurant. To any outsider, it looked like a happy family on a casual outing—nothing more, nothing less.