◤──•~❉᯽❉~•──◥

❀𝔻𝕒𝕥𝕖❀

December 15th.

❀ℙ𝕣𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕥 𝕋𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕔❀

Fairytale + Gifted/Cursed + Enemies to Lovers

❀ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘❀

Mature Rated.

❀𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕪❀

Once upon a time...

A valiant beast slayer is assigned a duty that profoundly challenges him in ways he has never been challenged before.

Mystery follows him around every corner, duplicity mocks him, and treachery waits in the shadows.

His mission was clear, but love was never meant to be a part of it. Yet fate had other plans for him.

❀𝕋𝕒𝕘𝕤❀

Fairytail • Fairy Tail Style • Fairy Tail Curses • Fairytail Elements • Fantasy • Heros and Villains (Once Upon A Time) • Mythical Beings & Creatures • Monsters •  Enchanted Forest • Elemental Magic • Dark Magic • Enemies To Lovers • Love/Hate • Romance • Tragic Romance • Adventure • Action • Storytelling • Story Book  • True Love • Soulmates •  Fluff • Prophecy • Mythological • Fantastical • Royalty •  Battle Fic • Beast Slayer/Monster Hunter • Hunters & Hunting • Heavy Angst • Emotional Hurt/Comfort • Tragedy • Psychologial Drama • Dark Themes •  Blood & Violence •  Graphic Violence  • Bigotry & Prejudice • Hate Speech • Hate Crimes • Implied Of Sexual Assault • Implied Sexual Peer Pressure • Minor Mature Mentions • Looong Oneshot/Fanfic • Four Part Story • Eventual Fanfic • 

❀𝕄𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝔹𝕠𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕤❀

Hinata:

Naruto:

❀𝔸𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥❀

Omgg, helloooo my lovely readers!!

Long time no see, huh!

It's been a while since I've updated or even been active for the matter but I have got to say that I have missed you all so, so, so, so, soooo much. I'm so glad that I am back.

As I have mentioned in my announcement, there were many factors that have kept me away from writing, updating and overall staying on schedule.

COVID, College Classes, Personal Life, and an eventual decision to step away from social media as a whole for the sake of my mental health.

I just needed time away to deal with my personal issues, focus on my schooling, and actually write and complete the fanfic projects that I have for the sake of staying ahead.

I must say that the fairytale fanfic you are about to read took me almost five months to complete. Almost. Five. Months.

Just let that sink in. Almost 26 weeks.

Yeah, it was just...

rough.

I literally wrote an entire fanfic. Smh.

But the result of it all is so beautiful and fantastic, I must say that I have outdone myself with this fanfic story. I have to shout out my sister for helping me with the plot and just the overall planning of this story. I couldn't have written this without her.

I never thought I would ever write a heavily fairytail based story but here it is and I have fallen completely in love with it. I just kept writing and writing, lost in its world, the plot, and the characters.

I've even planned to write an entire fanfic story on this plot in the future.

This story is my everything and I hope you all feel the same.

You all don't know how much blood, sweat, and tears I have put into this majorly looong oneshot. It's taken me so much thought, so much effort, so much research. My entire doc is filled with notes, reminders, highlights, and just... stuff! To top it off, reading this fanfic all the way through took me about... three days to accomplish so...

It's insane but sooo worth it!

Not only so, but because of college, I have to say that my writing has heavily improved to a substantial level and I am also proud of that too! I am truly proud of this story and even the stories I will be updating soon for this event; the said Naruhina event that was hosted and ongoing months ago. (Boy, time flies)

It truly brings me to tears that now I am finally presenting this story to you all. I have been wishing to update this story for months but I just couldn't get it finished in time.

But here it is!!

My very own Naruhina fairytale story.

This one-shot is a four-part story btw.

But, I really, really hope you all enjoy!

Take your time and read, there's no rush! This story is majorly loooong after all. (I hope I'm not scaring anyone off by announcing that, haha)

Remember to vote and comment. Let's just have fun in the comments together!

Strap in because you all are in for a wild, emotional, crazy, but joyous ride.

Enjoy! 💗

◤──•~❉᯽❉~•──◥

The Underlying Evil

"So you must be Naruto Uzumaki. A true beast slayer, here in the flesh. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

A raspy voice resonated across a poorly lighted room, addressing a man with a formidable reputation; a blonde spiky-haired male with enormous muscles, whiskered engravings on both cheeks as battle scars, with blue piercing eyes that were transfixed on the male who addressed him.

Naruto Uzumaki, in all his splendor, stood in the presence of Lord Danzo, the head of a small village named Nantgarth.

Naruto arrived from afar to the village of Nantgarth after receiving a bird parchment from Lord Danzo himself.

Such a parchment was a letter, or more accurately, a cry for help, Naruto's help, in order for him to do what he does best.

Slay monsters.

Kill beasts.

Keep the peace.

Naruto Uzumaki was by far the best huntsman in the entire country. He was incredibly adept, having been trained to use numerous weapons, even a select few that were far greater than his own body.

He possessed a strong will to stand up for what was right no matter what, a keen mind to devise cunning battle plans and unravel mysteries, and quick feet to extricate himself out of any sticky situation he may find himself in.

Naruto has a track record of slaying numerous monsters, big and small, size didn't matter, the ferocious blonde took numerous beasts down all by himself and sold their heads to the highest bidder.

He has defeated even the most formidable of foes and as a result of his victories, numerous villages, and towns now know peace.

His many successes were so great that his name echoed around the world, prompting many to seek his assistance and be graced by his presence.

Lucky for them, Naruto was always obliged to help, always obliged to kill.

After all, he lives in a world populated by creatures, savage beasts with claws greater than humans, teeth sharper, and instincts more wild than any human could keep up with.

Beasts in Naruto's eyes were merely an infestation, a means to rob the humans of a world of peace and quiet.

Beasts and humans were never meant to coexist because of their differentiating purposes which is why chaos runs amuck whenever such contrasting species cross paths. 

Humans deserve peace.

Humans deserve to live in a world without fear, without beasts in it.

And so men like Naruto were more than happy to give such a world to the humans on a silver platter. No matter how many beasts are slain in the process.

Beasts, be damned.

Naruto put up a smirk as he stood within the room that the leader of Nantgarth inhabited. Entirely, the room was small where enormous stacked papers were present, and a few candles too to give the place some form of illumination.

The room as a whole wasn't particularly interesting, therefore there wasn't much to take from it.

Naruto's gaze was merely pinpointed on the elder male before him.

Lord Danzo.

Lord Danzo sat at a wooden desk, shrouded in the shadows, with only a candle lighted beside him, reflecting off his face and revealing only a bit of his features.

Lord Danzo was a dismal fellow, harboring a bandaged eye and head, where black spiky hair poked from atop.

Even in the poor light, Naruto could see that Danzo possessed tanned skin and a massively deep X-shaped scar on his chin; a brutal marking.

His attire consisted of a white shirt over which a long, dark-gray robe was worn, encompassing him from his shoulders to his feet. The robe conceals his bandaged right arm, which is held together by three massive golden braces. His other arm was seen sprawled along his desk like a sack of potatoes, concealed by the long sleeve shirt he was wearing.

The older man appeared to be in his late sixties or early seventies, with severe injuries that Naruto assumed were the result of a brutal altercation with a vicious beast.

Just by coming to that knowledge, the blonde huntsman's blood began to boil. He felt his loathing for the beasts grow even greater, if that was even possible.

Naruto's blue eyes darkened due to hatred.

'Damn those beasts.' He sneered in his head, but he didn't allow such emotions of hate to show on his face. He kept a rather blank expression, (as he usually does) while using his icy blue eyes to keep watch of the individual, no, the two individuals in the room.

Rooted on the right-hand side of Danzo's sitting form appeared to be an elderly woman, clearly older than even Danzo himself. The woman's hair, which emerged from a white band around her head, acted as the primary indication of her advanced age for Naruto.

Naruto could also identify the woman's age by the numerous wrinkles on her face, which caused her cheeks to sink and her lips to crumble up. In addition, the woman's face was covered in several perceptible moles which were dark and round, even visible from a distance.

She stood hunched over, dressed in a dark-colored, loose-fitting gown with a white poncho draped over top.

The woman hasn't said a word or made an impression since Naruto walked into Danzo's office and was greeted by her tribal leader.

She stood eerily quiet, with those soulless eyes rooted on the gorgeously tanned male in the room who glowed like a lone candle, given his radiant blonde hair, sunkissed tan skin, and his leather hunter's suit.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her. He couldn't quite shake the unpleasant sensation that ran over him just by the odd woman's presence in the room.

He was quite skeptical of her.

But he tried to pay her no mind and instead turn his attention back to Danzo.

The highly suited hunter sent a subtle nod toward the black-haired male, before bowing slightly which caused his battle suit to sway, "Oh yes. It is l—Naruto Uzumaki, a lone traveler, a huntsman for hire. I am at your service, Lord Danzo. Please tell me," the blonde dragged his body back up to a stand, straightening his spine, "what concerns you so, and I will be sure to do what I do best and eradicate all of your troubles." Naruto voiced with a confident smirk that slid across his tanned cheeks like butter.

Naruto exuded confidence and pride as he presented himself, his titles, and his abilities. He felt secure in his ability to handle any dilemma that arose, and he was certain he could leave such obstacles unscathed.

Naruto's confidence undoubtedly thrilled Danzo and put him at ease.

The elder leader chuckled in glee before pulling his body up within his seat to cross his hands, setting the limbs just before his face, "What a fascinating lad you are. Straight to the point, I see. I like it." He voiced, complimenting the spiky-haired huntsman in the room who cracked a smile.

Danzo hummed, shaking his head, "Yes huntsman, as you have mentioned, I am unfortunately overcome by many troubles. I'm afraid the people of this very village are in grave danger."

"Danger?" Naruto perked up, his mighty heart pumping faster within his chest just at the mere mention of danger.

Naruto never knew why that word exhilarated him so much.

He was always the type to run toward danger. He was always the sort to choose the obscure route with many detours over the straight and narrow path with a clear destination.

No.

Naruto preferred adventure and mystery, a fright that sends the heart racing and the body quivering with adrenaline.

He craves, if not requires, excitement.

Naruto had no idea why he was so fearless, or why danger was his calling, but he was content with that reality.

He was designated to follow danger and exterminate the cause of it.

Hearing such a thrilling word pass the lips of the elder male in front of him gave Naruto a high he adored.

He worked hard to bite down on the smile that attempted to creep across his face. Instead, he concentrated his attention on the elder male in front of him, who responded to his previous outburst solemnly.

Danzo used his one visible eye to look down at the nude-colored folders that designated their territory on his desk, neatly arranged in front of him in case he ever needed them.

He cleared his throat but the sound was simply swallowed up by the dark corners of the room, "Yes, danger. You see, huntsman, the village of Nantgarth shares two significant landforms that surround its gates. The river of Neuning in which you traveled to arrive here, and-"

"The forest!-"

"Ah, ahh. It's not just any forest." Danzo quickly interrupted Naruto's cognitive process by waving one finger, "The Forest of Linvor."

"That's the forest where those nasty beasts lie." 

A new voice arose in the room—a croaky, raspy one with an undertone of pure hatred. The voice belonged to the woman rooted to the blonde hunter's left, causing his head to snap towards the culprit who stood there.

It was the old woman from before.

The white-haired old lady sneered as she spoke, her nose wrinkled, and her eyes glimmering with disdain.

Naruto raised an eyebrow in response to the new information that was presented to him, "Linvor? A forest of beasts?" He asked in bewilderment for it was certainly the first time he's heard anything so mind-boggling.

It was an absurd thing really for there to be a forest of beasts resonating so close to a human settlement. That certainly screamed trouble to the blonde huntsman.

Naruto watched with his stern blue eyes as the two individuals in front of him gave him slow nods.

Danzo spoke first.

He tilted his head while he was at it, "Yes, Linvor is a forest that separates the humans from the beasts. It's a forest that keeps away many vicious creatures that wish to do the people of this village harm. I'm afraid to say that anyone that leaves this village and gets too close to such a forest is doomed to never see the light of day again." Danzo clicked his tongue, "You see where my dilemma lies, yes?"

A click of a tongue was only picked up from the lone traveler, "Why yes. So the beasts hidden in this forest are bringing harm to your people, correct?"

"That is correct, lad."

"So you wish for me to exterminate this... Forest of Linvor, you say?" Naruto tilted his head, causing his spiky blonde hair to fall just over his darkened blue eyes, "You want me to rid that forest of those beasts?"

Danzo's grin stretched far along his face, a grin that made the wrinkles on his face present. It was certainly a smile that looked quite odd worn on his face, "Precisely. I wish for you to do this village a favor and stalk through that very forest and destroy any beasts that cross your path." He explained with a shrug, as if what he said was so simple.

His rather blunt response caused Naruto's right eyebrow to shoot sky-high, one hand of his falling down to cup his right hip.

He settled on waving the other, "Wait, wait. You wish for me to take on this mission by myself?" The blonde nodded his head over at the old lady in the room, his nose wrinkling, "What about her? What's her role in this?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed on the older lady in the room who has yet to give him any knowledge of who she was or how she assists Lord Danzo.

Initially, Naruto assumed that she was merely an assistant, but after recalling the one insightful statement she made earlier, the blonde now surmises that she was much more significant.

Naruto's gaze never faltered from the kooky old lady who cracked a smile at him, revealing her crooked, yellow teeth which would unsettle anyone.

Danzo, on the other hand, turned to her with warmth in his eyes. The older woman seemed to give him some sort of comfort.

He waved his hand over to her, to present her to Naruto personally, "Huntsman, this is Lady Chiyo. She goes by many names here in Nantgarth. A comrade, an elder, a guardian, my right hand, and a powerful sorceress."

"So, she's a witch, eh?" Hatred burned bright in Naruto's eyes and he found his right hand wrenching back to grip the hell out of the handle of his sheathed sword, just found on his backside.

He let out a vicious growl as he did, "It's quite hypocritical of you to order me to kill off tons of monsters when you're here harboring voodoo pest, Lord Danzo. Why is she so special, huh?" The scowl on Naruto's face worsened, "Why shouldn't I slice off her head now and be done with it?"

Naruto could feel his body grow intensively stiff as he stood his ground, his darkened blue eyes zeroed in on the grinning woman before him who previously sent him bad vibes.

Now he knows why.

Lady Chiyo is a witch, a wayward woman who practices evil magic and so communicates with evil spirits to further her own agenda.

A witch, such as Lady Chiyo, engages in witchcraft, which is the use or invocation of ostensible supernatural powers to influence people or events, generally involving sorcery or magic.

Witches, in Naruto's opinion, are wicked beings that are just up to no good. They are certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Such evil beings have the ability to rewrite reality if they so wish. They trick, manipulate, and scheme.

And if not restrained, a witch is capable of wreaking havoc on a large number of people.

Naruto has had his fair share of run-ins with witches. They're certainly nut jobs, quite different from mages and wizards.

It was all a headache to Naruto, and he could feel one coming on simply by staring at the white-haired woman in front of him, whose grin appeared to widen as if she knew her presence was aggravating him.

Danzo was quick, however, to restrain Naruto. He tuts his tongue at the tensed male, waving his hand while he was at it, "Now, now, Lady Chiyo is under my control, huntsman. She's an ally to this village. She's helped its people many, many times-"

"Why isn't she helping her people now? Why isn't she riding that forest of beasts herself?" Naruto snapped back, tilting his head as a show that he was quite unconvinced of her credibility and innocence.

Danzo let out a sigh before sparing Lady Chiyo a glance who simply gave him a shrug in return.

She turned back to Naruto to give him a faint smile, where her eyes momentarily closed, "Why look at you, so bold, and eager. That forest is quite mythical, you see. The type of magic that I possess will never be allowed inside." The white-haired woman shrugged yet again, "Even if I could use my magic in the Forest of Linvor, the number of creatures inside is unknown to me. Taking down those beasts all by myself reaches far past my limits. I cannot do so and hope to live, not in my condition. But..." The kooky witch let out a cackle, emitting a sound that Naruto found quite cringe.

He tensed up, his eyes burning holes directly into her head.

Lady Chiyo continued her discourse, her black eyes slyly peering at Naruto, "Based on what history says about you, I'd assume you'd easily eliminate those pesky beasts. I'd assume you'll quite enjoy it too-"

"Tsk. Yeah, whatever-"

"Huntsman!"

Naruto's sneer dropped from his face and he found his head whipping back towards the black-haired elder in front of him who gave him a stern look.

Danzo clutched his hands back together and gave his head a nod, "So, will you take up this task yourself? Will you quiet that forest and make the people of this village safe again?" Danzo clicked his tongue, "If you find this to be too much, then-"

"I will do it." Naruto projected loudly, letting go of the handle of his sword to instead slip his hand back down by his side. His husky voice filled up the entire room, relaying his answer to the new task he's been given, a task he knows will surpass any other task he's ever taken up before.

'Exterminate an entire forest of beasts? What the hell am I getting myself into?' Naruto thought with mixed emotions in his head.

It was a fascinating adventure, one that Naruto had been waiting a long, long time to embark on.

But Naruto could not deny the fact that it was an adventure unlike one he's ever gone on before. He's never taken down a wide range of beasts before, not all in one mission and not all at once.

Not only that, he is unaware of how many beasts he will be taking down or what types he will run into.

This was definitely going to be a test of a lifetime.

The ultimate test.

But Naruto was willing to do what he must. He was willing to kill any beast in the Forest of Linvor in order to relieve the town of Nantgarth from continual fear and instead provide its people peace and comfort; just what they deserved.

That's what Naruto is demanded to do and that is what he has come to do.

The spiky-haired blonde blew out a deep breath, steadying his excited heartbeat before confirming his decision yet again.

"Yes, I'll do it."

"Great! Now be certain to fulfill your end of the agreement. And, don't forget to come right back here when your conquest is complete." The black-haired man gave a nod, "I will pay you now in full."

Lord Danzo nodded again, but his eyes zeroed down on the blonde huntsman's collapsed arms, "Please extend your hand, huntsman."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "What for?" The blonde huntsman blurted out in bewilderment but did what he was told. He carefully but slowly raised one hand, extending all five fingers.

Danzo did not speak, instead turning to face his witch and delivering her a covert directive.

Another nod.

The eccentric witch gave her lord a faint smile before turning her attention to the huntsman in front of her.

Only then did she open her mouth, filling the room with a few chants with her crackly voice, which certainly startled Naruto.

The blonde male growled, his body tensing up instinctively, "What the hell-?"

But his words were silenced when a medium-sized bag suddenly dropped upon his extended hand. The impact of it surfacing from thin air to land on his hand caused the items inside to jingle.

Naruto's eyes shot wide, a sight that caused Lord Danzo to chuckle in amusement.

The elder male reclined back into his chair, beckoning his palm towards Naruto's prize, "I offer you ten thousand gold pieces, huntsman, for your valiant accord-"

Naruto's jaw gaped wide, his eyes steadily widening in surprise as he stared at the money pouch in his hand, "Shit! Did you just say ten thousand coins? G-Gold pieces!?"

Naruto was relatively startled.

No town, regardless of how difficult the mission he undertook, has ever before given him such a significant quantity of money all at once.

His current holdings were sufficient to sustain his remarkable financial position, to keep him wealthy and content for a very long time.

It was quite astonishing.

Danzo nodded, content by the blonde male's shock, "Yes, for what it's worth, by killing those damned beasts, you will be freeing this village from the curse that the Forest of Linvor has on it. You'll be a hero. Therefore you should be paid accordingly." Danzo complimented with a grin.

Once he recovered from his bewilderment, Naruto swiftly refused such a compliment.

He waved his free hand in defiance at Lord Danzo's flattering behavior, "Oh, heh, I thank you for the generous offer but, flattery is not necessary, I assure you."

Danzo and Lady Chiyo laughed at the blonde's statement.

Danzo settled on smiling brightly, his wrinkly lips rising forth, "Well then, when do you wish to start your mission, lad?"

Naruto's smirk slowly grew larger, phasing into a grin and in the process showing off his gleaming whites—or, more precisely, his razor-sharp canines.

Naruto was ready.

He was born ready.

He nodded sternly, sealing his fate, "Right away, Lord Danzo."

╰ ─┉─¡! °❈° !¡─┉─ ╯

Nantgarth was a small, picturesque village with just over 500 residents living in colorful stone homes, with chimneys to keep them warm and farmed crops to keep them fed.

Unfortunately, such individuals used their beautiful homes as safe havens where they could conceal themselves from the outside world. The town's folk acted in this manner as a result of their paranoia and fear due to the curse that the magical forest had cast on their village.

The Forest of Linvor.

Before diving headfirst into the forest, Naruto first chose to become acquainted with the streets and people of Nantgarth. He also decided to ask around to learn more about this fabled forest that he's been hired to eviscerate.

Naruto desires to know all he must know about the forest that's causing the settlement of Nantgarth to crumble.

Such knowledge would aid him greatly once he indeed began his conquest. He wanted to know all he can before storming head-first into unknown territory.

The blonde huntsman began his plan by walking down the streets of Nantgarth, where vacancy and silence greeted him.

The blonde huntsman walked broad and swift throughout the entire settlement, with one 45" sword strapped to his backside, two highly sharpened axes strapped to his waist, with a profusion of tricks discovered wedged in the pockets of his suit, particularly within his waist pouch and inside his boots.

Naruto was dressed in a brown leather suit with a brown buttoned jacket, an attached gray undershirt inset along with matching brown slacks.

Numerous brown band fasteners with brass buckle clips were discovered stretched diagonally across his broad chest and shoulders, extending just over his bulky outfit.

In fact, such fasteners were straps that held his massive sword against his back within a pocket, the handle of which protruded well above his head. Such straps also held his concealed kunais and daggers in place, strapped along his suited chest.

Naruto also wore a buckle such as this below, fastened around his waist. Two back pouches in the hue of dark brown were fastened to his waist and hung slightly over his bottom. Such pouches, which were circular in shape and simple to cling onto his clothing, were convenient to fill with all the gidgets and gadgets he'll ever need during battle.

A little higher up, leather arm guards in dark brown were wrapped around both of his forearms. The arm guards were tough and adaptable, with many threads to enclose tight around his limbs to keep his forearms and wrists safe in combat.

Moreover, Naruto donned a brown cape that was composed of fine silk and decorated in the dark fur of a ferocious beast.

A twelve-foot-tall, exceedingly hideous beast that once roamed the northern regions, delighting in terrorizing the people of a destitute village was now clad on the back of Naruto's cape, proudly worn by the beast's executioner.

Such a morbid decoration acted as a warning to all other creatures that Naruto was not an ordinary human and was in fact rather dangerous.

His relatively long cape clung around his neck and hung down the sides of his outfit.

The cape, in fact, stretched all the way down his body, incessantly announcing its presence by flapping at his sides and, at times, in the air behind him, completing his hunter's apparel.

His blonde hair was kept lengthy and jagged, almost resembling spikes, and was always found disheveled and untamed.

The blonde male's bangs stretched far down to cover his forehead and his piercing blue eyes which he made sure to keep wide open and peeled for anything of interest in front of him.

As he ventured forth, Naruto's brown cape streamed carelessly behind him in the sad, depressing wind.

His weapons rattled at his sides, clanging and banging along in his stride.

His tall brown boots kicked up sand on the muddy streets as he walked quite heavily, his blue eyes examining the shops and food stores around him, which appeared to be mostly empty as well.

Naruto clicked his tongue at the sight of the dreary village around him, his blue eyes scanning the landscape, all the while making mental notes in his head.

There are no operating businesses.

No happy individuals.

No kids roaming around.

Nothing at all.

The village of Nantgarth seemed to be a complete wasteland.

Anyone would have assumed the village was deserted if not for the many chimneys puffing smoke aloft in the various houses that surrounded the blonde.

The village of Nantgarth was quite depressing due to its current issue. It was a sight that made Naruto very angry.

The spiky-haired blonde also noted the hateful advertising about beasts displayed on parchments, and hung up on every residence door Naruto passed. He observed that the locals appeared to have a visceral hatred for the creatures who lived in Linvor's forest.

The people of Nantgarth harbor the same hatred for those monsters that Naruto harbors for all beasts.

It made the blonde male feel right at home.

The blonde huntsman carried out his plan by avoiding the desolate streets of Nantgarth and instead traveling to a few residential homes.

Walking aimlessly through empty streets isn't going to get him anywhere. Instead, Naruto promptly chose to direct his attention to the dwellings of the Nantgarthian people as the better option to complete his intended task.

Naruto's eyes zeroed in on the first house in his sight, a bright green house, tall and quaint.

He ventured over in a quick stride and gave the door to the quiet home a hard knock with his knuckles once close.

Knock. Knock.

"Hello! Is anyone there? I come in peace. I wish to speak to the owner of this house!" Naruto yelled out toward the door in front of him, his deep voice slipping effortlessly within the stoned crevices of the house. Afterward, he waited.

Seconds...

Minutes...

Naruto was slightly annoyed to hear that no one answered his call, that no shuffling was made, and not even any warnings were given that someone currently occupied the house before him.

He decided to knock again and use a different approach.

His blue eyes narrowed, narrowing on the wooden door he stood towering in front of.

"Fellow Nantgarthian people, my name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I am a beast slayer, sent here to aid you in your troubles. I have been hired by your Lord Danzo. Please allow me a few minutes of your time to speak about an important matter-"

Luckily for him, he didn't even have to finish his rather boisterous announcements because soon enough his ears could pick up loud shuffling coming from the inside of the greenhouse before him.

Soon after, the front door was unlocked and pulled open, revealing a female, the very first resident Naruto had seen in the entire village aside from Lord Danzo and Lady Chiyo.

Young, blonde, and cheerful, a young woman with purple eyes stared back at Naruto, while using those peculiar orbs of hers to eat up every inch of the broad specimen at her door.

The pale woman was seen gasping, her dainty hands slipping up to cover her mouth, "Did you say you're a beast slayer? Lord Danzo hired you?"

Naruto nodded solemnly.

The blonde woman sobbed before springing forward, practically snatching the blonde by one of his calloused hands and collapsing to her knees.

The young woman took one of his hands out in front of her kneeling body and, much to Naruto's surprise, started dousing wet, sloppy kisses all over the back of his hand in a fit of complete hysteria.

She was treating him as if he were a supernatural deity, as if he came straight from the gates of heaven, lavishing the blonde stranger with mindless devotion.

She kneeled before him as if worshiping him, while using her lips to add kisses all over his callous skin. 

Naruto sneered at such a display.

It was one he was expecting but certainly not one he's grown used to. He undoubtedly detested the effusive adulation that comes following his countless introductions.

The villagers he meets could be quite unsettling.

The pale woman sobbed, nodding her head thankfully from where she resonated on the ground floor before her open door, "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you. It's such a blessing to have you here, mister. You have no idea how long we've waited for someone like you to arrive." She announced in between sobs and kisses, further sullying his hand with wet secretions.

Naruto felt himself grow even more uncomfortable.

He stifled the motion of rolling his eyes. 'Dear kami, stop this madness.'  The emotionless blonde pleaded in his head before politely wrenching his hand from the woman's grip, pulling it away only to nod at her bowing form.

He kept a faint smile as he did, rubbing the back of his wet hand against his slacks, "What uh, honor, but kneeling is not necessary, ma'am. I am no one particularly special-"

"I beg to differ!" The blonde woman shouted out with a loud exaggerated gasp before jumping up to her feet. She gave her pink chiffon dress a few brushes with her hands to rid the fabric of the dirt and grime that stained it, before giving him a smile full of pearly whites.

She clapped her hands happily, hopping up and down, "You were sent here to save us from the beasts, correct?"

"Yes, I aim too."

"Then you are most certainly special, mister! We've all been praying for someone like you to arrive at our doorsteps for so long!" 

Slowly nodding his head, Naruto was obviously uncomfortable. The girl's quirky attitude and boisterous conduct were really freaking him out. He questioned whether she was in fact the home's owner. He was in dire need of talking to someone more competent in order to obtain some clarification on his issues.

The girl before him was obviously nothing more than a child, who was currently in her adolescent years, and thereover wasn't a good choice to conduct his serious business with.

Naruto gave the young woman a nod to her previous comment, an action that caused his spiky blonde hair to rock back and forth across his eyes, "Uhh, well, I'm delighted to hear my presence here is welcomed and that my assistance is required. But initially, I'd like you to assist me-"

"Yes! Yes, of course!" The blonde woman screeched out in happiness, as if she was given fantastic news.

Naruto sighed groggily before taking a peek into her home, a brief peek. The door behind her was wide open, unfortunately presenting nothing but darkness.

Looking into her home for any interesting details was a waste, so the blonde turned back to the woman, giving her a thin smile while he was at it, "Tell me, darling, what is your name?"

"Shion. My name is Shion. And yours is...? I don't think I caught it earlier."

"It's Naruto."

"Ahh, Naruto! That's such an extraordinary name, mister."

"Yes yes, yours is quite wonderful too. Now tell me, are you the owner of this house?"

"No. M-My mother is but she is very ill. I tend to her every single day with herbs and crops I dutifully harvest myself."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that, dear. What about your father?"

"He's a traveling merchant, so he's almost never home."

Naruto hissed in irritation at his odds. It didn't seem as if the young woman's residence possessed anyone else that he could potentially speak with on his pressing issues.

He could either stay and hope that Shion is able to answer the questions that he seeks or leave to venture off to another house in the area.

He really wished to choose the latter. 

But his feet made absolutely no movements, and instead, his lips opened, and he found himself continuing his discussion with the eager woman in front of him.

As a result, his decision was made.

Naruto clasped his hands while he was at it, once more giving his head a nod, "I guess, you'll have to do. To notify you, darling Shion, I come seeking knowledge."

Shion nodded happily, her long blonde hair swaying swiftly along her body, "W-Well, I can offer you a bit. What do you wish to know?"

"I want to know about the Forest of Linvor."

The blonde huntsman swore that as soon as he said those words, the blonde woman's entire body appeared to completely malfunction.

Shion's entire body quickly grew stiff as a board. It was as if she had stopped breathing, blinking, and moving altogether. It was as if she simply shut down due to the blonde's simple deed of mentioning the Forest of Linvor.

Naruto tilted his head at such a peculiar sight. He pulled one hand forward to snap his fingers a few times in front of the woman's face, clearly picking up the way her lips began to tremble.

"Shion dear? Is everything alrigh-"

"Y-Y-You want to kn-know about the Forest of Linvor?"

Naruto blew out a relieved breath at the sound of the young woman's voice again.

That's good; that indicates he didn't actually scare the poor girl to death.

That was fantastic news.

Naruto nodded in response to her earlier query, "Yes, please provide me with as much information as you would like. I just wish to know more about the forest and the creatures that dwell within it prior to starting my mission. Of course," The spiky-haired blonde put up a cheeky grin, "take your time."

"O-Okay." Shion whispered before nervously taking a glance behind her, back into her darkened residence. It was a quick glance, a rather peculiar action before she whipped back around to face Naruto once more.

She then began twiddling her fingers, "U-Um, my village doesn't inform me much about that forest, but I've heard enough. I've heard rumors that mysterious beings occasionally emerge from the mythical woods of Linvor and take innocent people with them into the night. For that reason, we have a curfew here. B-But um," She paused in her speech for a few seconds before continuing, "there are a few that do not abide by it. In just two weeks, there have been ten missing people cases."

Naruto's eyes shot wide, "Ten missing people? That's absurd."

"But it's true. The creatures are angry, mister. Angry at this village. A-Angry at its people."

"Why? Have these creatures always been this hostile? What kind of creatures are exactly lurking in those woods? Have you seen them with your eyes? Have your mother, perhaps?"

Naruto bombarded the young woman with many questions all at once, showering her with the questions that have been haunting his mind ever since he's been given the task to enter the Forest of Linvor and kill the creatures that lurk inside.

But the blonde woman began to grow antsy. Her twiddling worsened and she began to sweat.

She soon gave her head a wild shake, dismissing Naruto's questions, "I-I am afraid that is all I wish to say, mister." She muttered beneath her breath, her voice now meek and subdued, a stark contrast to the outspoken and unbridled tone she adopted earlier.

The blonde huntsman raised an eyebrow at that detail. But, for her sake, he didn't pursue the issue any further.

The information she gave him was sparse but sufficient. It has given him a greater understanding of what he's dealing with.

Angry creatures.

Curfew.

Missing people.

Naruto clicked his tongue, before giving his head a bow, "Well then, that is all I ask. Thank you for your contribution. I wish you and your family well."

Shion's smile returned, her pale face brightening up, "No, thank you, my dear sir. Thank you for going to such lengths for us. I wish you the best of luck in your mission. I am confident that you will bring peace to this village."

"There's no need to thank me. I'm only doing my job. Take care, dear."

Those words were the last ones Naruto spoke to Shion before he took the necessary steps in order to leave her residence.

Next, the blonde ventured his way door to door to speak with as many people as he can, in order to acclimate more knowledge on the Forest of Linvor and to have a better chance of getting all of his questions answered.

He knocked on every door, yelling the same proposition to every house.

"My name is Naruto, a beast slayer hired by Lord Danzo!"

"I come in peace!"

"Please offer me a minute of your time!"

Each house he visited was a gamble of luck, an uncertain bet of outcomes.

There were a few houses where no one answered the door or opened it for the matter to aid him when he knocked. He was simply denied access to the residents inside, no matter how long he waited.

Other times, the doors would fly open, and he'd be showered with the same flattery and indulgence Shion had offered him due to his mere presence.

People cheered, danced, gave him hugs, and even went out of their way to offer the blonde tea and a hot meal.

Respectfully, Naruto declined both offers.

He simply provided the few residents that were kind enough to open their doors to him with his many questions about the Forest of Linvor; the town's ultimate threat.

Unfortunately, such an approach resulted in even more unpredictable outcomes.

The Nantgarthian people answered his questions in one of three ways.

They either reacted to his many questions about the forest with panic and paranoia, screaming and crying out to him not to venture there, despite his repeatedly devoted pledges.

"Beware the Forest Of Linvor!"

"Beware the Forest of Death!"

Naruto deduced from those groups of individuals' reactions that some of them were so terrified of the rumors about the missing people and the beasts that resided in the Forest of Linvor that they wouldn't even dare to go near the forest.

Then there was the second group of people in the village, who expressed their hatred as much as possible, going and doing the honors of giving the blonde a bit of information in the midst of their many spiteful chants.

Naruto has learned from these vengeful people that they were not as shaken by the Linvor forest and merely believe that the creatures were charlatans who instilled fear in the villagers in order to keep them out of their forest.

Such people shared that the beasts indeed hated the humans as well, just as the humans hated them. Sadly, the villagers didn't give him many answers as to why the beasts in fact shared such hatred.

Naruto felt it was because the creatures were afraid that humans would destroy their forest and steal the secret resources hidden deep in the forests' burrows for their own gain.

But that's only a hypothesis; a hunch to persevere with this potential result of the matter.

But one household of Nangarthians, however, caught Naruto's attention the most.

They blurted out that the creatures of Linvor were not only potentially hiding materials but also hiding a being of magnificence and grace, a beautiful being that could grant wishes to anyone that approaches her.

Such news was an absolute delight to take note of.

Fraudulent Maliciousness?

Potential deceit in Linvor's Creatures?

Mysterious being of grace?

It was all valuable knowledge to preserve.

But then there was the last group that Naruto ran into in the process of presenting his questions about the Forest of Linvor.

Oh, that pesky group...

As soon as Naruto mentioned the Forest of Linvor, he was met with scorn and a slam of the door in his face; denied further discourse and instead left with no further insight on the matter.

Great. Just fucking great.

At the very end of his journey to speak to every residence in Nantgarth, Naruto reached a very intriguing conclusion.

The Nantgarthian folk appeared to be withholding a great deal of important information from him in total. It seems as if the town was only feeding him breadcrumbs, merely telling him what they wanted him to know and nothing more.

While he did appreciate the knowledge that was provided to him, it was simply insufficient to completely prepare him for the duty he was assigned.

He had no idea what kinds of beasts lurked in the Linvor forest, how many there were, or even who the mysterious being of grace was, and how significant she was in general.

He was still in the dark about a lot, which further drove Naruto to fulfill his next task—one that was inevitable really.

He'll have to learn about the Forest of Linvor all on his own.

Which means, he'll have to start his trekking now.

So, with that in mind, Naruto took a brief moment to gaze up at the sky, noting how far the day had progressed. Keeping track of time by the appearance of the sky was an exceptionally important skill to have as a traveler.

A traveler must be constantly aware of the time and how much of it they have left before nightfall. Being caught traveling at night is a terrible predicament to find oneself in, and Naruto would be one unhappy camper if he ended up stranded in the Linvor forest at night.

His blue eyes checked the bright blue sky that towered above his head, plagued by many fluffy white clouds which sailed the sky, like ships at sea.

Naruto clicked his tongue at the information he received overhead.

A quarter after three had passed.

It was 3:15 p.m., to be precise.

Naruto nodded, mentally calculating how much time he had in all to explore the entire Forest of Linvor before sunset.

Naruto clicked his tongue.

Five hours.

Five hours before nightfall.

He will have less time today, with only five hours to commence his hunt, as it took him all morning to journey to Nantgarth by boat.

But, if Naruto starts his hunt each day bright and early, he will have more than ten hours to explore the Linvor forest before dusk sets in and the sky becomes overcast.

He was timing himself, pushing himself by mentally assigning an expiration date to the completion of his mission.

He strives to kill every last beast in the forest in one week and three-sevenths of the next.

He knows he can do it.

He has faith in himself and his skills that he will kill any beast that approaches him, in little time at all.

He must.

He must restore peace in Nantgarth.

Oh, but Naruto had no idea how insanely difficult that task was just going to be...

╰ ─┉─¡! °❈° !¡─┉─ ╯

"Oh, damn it all to hell."

Naruto let out an irritated growl, utterly let down by the absolute disappointment that was presented to him.

After leaving Nantgarth and traveling along a five-mile trail, Naruto finally found himself at the entrance of Linvor.

The enigmatic forest on the borders of Nantgarth presently stood before him in all of its mystic splendor, displaying a sign warning, beware—yet another sad attempt to frighten off wanderers.

To his dismay, however, Naruto's progress was thwarted by the stringy branches and spiky thorns that rose from the ground and formed a barrier over the entire entrance of Linvor.

The branches and thorns were exceedingly thick and sturdy, implying that cutting them all down would take a very long time.

Time in which Naruto does not possess.

The branches and thorns appeared to have sprouted from the earth below and traveled upward, covering every opening to the forest, which was another method of keeping humans out.

Naruto certainly was caught off guard by the rather shocking sight that currently lay in front of him. It certainly threw a wrench in his plans.

He found himself torn between various feelings.

But, as much as the sight in front of him infuriated the blonde huntsman, it also perplexed him.

If there existed a mythical barrier of thorns encompassing the entire forest entrance, it certainly cast doubt on the Nantgarthians' claims.

The creatures of Linvor appeared to be imprisoned within the forest, just as humans are confined outside of it by the mythic barrier. That just made Naruto wonder how exactly beasts are able to enter and exit Linvor as the humans have claimed.

Many thoughts and questions began to race through Naruto's head as he stood silently in his spot, simply taking in the situation. Steadily, he used his keen blue irises to inspect every inch of the entire mythical border before him.

He clicked his tongue.

'How is that even possible? How could the creatures harm anyone when they are caged in by such a thorny gate? If the Forest of Linvor is barricaded, how can they escape?' Naruto thought in absolute confusion to himself.

His brows furrowed in bemusement, his hand reaching down to grasp one of his axes; the one on his right.

He unclasped the ax from its waist strap and gave it an adept spin, turning his wrist to do so. A sharp whoosh raced through the air, indicating the blonde meant serious business.

Naruto was able to quickly discern that something fishy was going on just by the incredibly intriguing information that was displayed in front of him.

The Forest of Linvor was boarded off, trapping the beasts inside, but not a single resident of the village, not even Lord Danzo, informed him of this highly important detail.

Such a detail seemed to slip the minds of the Nantgarthian people.

Or did it really?

Naruto wasn't sure what the case was but he knew one thing—he needed to make his way into the forest as soon as possible.

He has to get to cutting.

But, just as he was about to drive his acquired ax into the thorns and branches ahead of him, he suddenly heard a  screech of sheer terror seep through the cracks of the bundled trees ahead of him, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Naruto halted mid-swing, his head whipping to the right-hand side of the forest, just where he heard the scream come from.

Blue eyes widened in horror, "Wh-What the hell?" Naruto muttered into the unsettling breeze, his ears picking up yet another scream. But now that he was aware, he recognized that the scream sounded rather feminine.

Naruto's heart began to beat faster. 'Oh no! It's a girl! She's in trouble!'

Naruto didn't know what the hell was going on, only that he heard a feminine voice in the woods, screaming and crying out in desperation. He needed to get to her fast.

He needs to save her!

His feet quickly whisked him away from his initial station, rushing towards the right side of the woodland, exactly where he heard the wailing echo. He ran at breakneck speed alongside the barred entryway, allowing nothing but the wind to rush through his leather suit, cape, and blonde hair.

His boots thumped on the grass as he ran, his gaze fixated deep within the far reaches of the forest. He listened as he ran, listening as the feminine cries became louder and louder till...

Naruto came to a stop immediately in front of an easily distinctive gap in the mythical Linvor gate's entry, a gigantic slash.

Naruto's eyes widened yet again.

It seems someone's beat him to it.

It was simple to see that someone—not a beast, but a human—had already carved their way through Linvor's defenses and barged their way into the forest on foot based on the crisp cuts and splintered engravings applied to the branches and thorns in front of him.

But Naruto didn't dwell on the matter any further. His defense instincts kicked in, and now, all he wanted to do was save the endangered female from the unfortunate situation she was in.

He pressed forward, barrelling his way through the open gate of the boarded Linvor to finally enter the magical forest.

Deep in the woods, Naruto ran fast and swift, grasping the hell out of his right ax tightly in preparation to fend off whoever was causing the mysterious female distress.

Her screams were heard far and wide, and Naruto used them as a guide. He made certain, though, that as he ran, he swung his ax and struck the trees around him, leaving large distinctive markings to record his travels and keep track of the ground he'd traveled.

Trees, branches, and leaves slipped into his path as a means to slow his progress onward but he merely smacked them all away, brushing past all obstacles with ease. He hopped over branches and rocks and weaved past tall tree trunks.

Naruto was dashing like a jackrabbit through the entire forest, just over tall green grass to get closer to his destination.

However, he observed that as he did so, the screams he was currently hearing were becoming more audible. Such screams soon evolved into words.

"Stop it!"

"Leave me be, please!!!

"Please, I've done nothing!"

Naruto gasped as he continued on his way, stopping just as he approached the scene. But once he officially did, he found himself darting behind a tree, concealing his bulky form behind a thick trunk of a lone tree to observe the scene.

But what he witnessed completely blew his mind, reducing his brain to mush and his eyes to the size of flying saucers.

Naruto couldn't believe the horrid sight before him. His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. He felt shivers run through his entire body and his defense instincts surged.

"Holy hell," Naruto whispered to himself, his blue eyes gazing at the group of men a few feet away, human men, present deep within the forest of Linvor who were holding axes, similar to his own.

The men bore sadistic grins and chuckled lewdly down at their victim, a twisted and deformed being that no doubt belonged to the Forest of Linvor.

Lying on the ground, guarding her face from the men that abused her, was a hideous creature, in Naruto's eyes anyway.

The creature before him possessed thick goat horns that curled down along the sides of her head, two fluffy ears that resemble ones of a deer, and long midnight blue hair which seemed to be the full length of her entire petite body.

Such dark tresses slipped down her entire frame, now sullied by grass, tree branches, and dirt due to her fallen position on the ground.

The oddly shaped creature had arms that were part human, part beast. Her shoulders and the area above her forearms appeared human, with glowing pale skin, while hairy counterparts passed her forearms. Her hands were hairy and clawed, with five fingers buried in fists since she had them covering her face.

She was dressed entirely in jute, natural fibers, brown fluffy cloth that swept down her entire body, completely covering her torso and thighs.

However, what Naruto observed below caused his body to become cold and his eyes to enlarge even further. He found himself starting to question the entirety of the situation in front of him.

Down below, the female creature had the legs of a goat, (two legs to be exact), fuzzy hips and thighs, hooved feet, and a long, bushy tail that draped down her lower being from behind her, similar to her hair.

Her entire body was completely amalgamated; a tribrid of deer, goat, and human parts.

She was a satyress, an ugly and rather unfortunate creature in Naruto's opinion.

And there she was, surrounded by the men of the Nantgarthian village who seemed to vividly express their hostility towards her.

Naruto watched the scene closely.

The men strolled around the frightened creature in circles, humming and groaning in response to her cries and pleas, holding their axes tightly in their hands as though eager to plunge the sharp weapons deep into her body.

One of the men licked his lips, his clouded eyes fixed on the quivering creature lying on the ground, "Mmm, it's so thrilling to see you like this. It feels good to see you squirm and listen to you plead. How about you entertain us some more, bitch!"

At that moment, the rugged male threw his foot forward and buried a vicious kick to the horned satyress's side, erupting a thunderous sound that tore through the entire forest.

The kick immediately silenced the defenseless satyress's cries, and she rolled over to her side, fighting for breath and gripping her now aching hip, "Pl-Pl-Please, stop this. I beg of you-"

"Oh yes, beg. Scream, bitch."

"Go on and make our day, freak."

"Yes beg! We want you too!"

"Hah, in fact, we want more."

"Yeah! Let's pry her fucking legs open. I want to have some fun with this bitch."

Naruto's eyes narrowed in rage as he listened to the sick comments the village men threw at the feminine creature below who instantly reacted to what was said to her.

She shook her head pleadingly, tears clinging to her eyelids as she tried her hardest to get through to the sadistic men before her, to heal their hearts, and make them reconsider partaking in such an evil deed.

She sobbed, her lips trembling, "Please, don't do this. Please! Don't!"

Naruto couldn't bear listening to the scene anymore. He couldn't stay in hiding a second longer and watch the awful spectacle that he knew would unfold if he didn't make his move.

The world appeared to whirl around him, and his body began to move on its own, and before he realized it, he was out of hiding and right in the middle of the action.

Baring his teeth and giving his ax a swing within his hand, he let out a mighty roar, one that caused every man present to jump in fright.

"Hey, asshats!"

The village men whipped around in a hurry, quickly to feast their eyes on the angered huntsman before them, who stood hunched over, chest heaving, and ax drawn.

Even the midnight blue-haired satyress brought her broken and battered body up to a sitting position, to get a better look at the blonde male that had arrived on the scene.

The innocent creature was instantly filled with joy and relief upon seeing Naruto, given he was another being who had finally arrived on the scene; here to save her and put an end to the madness that had been inflicted upon her.

Naruto on the other hand expressed rage and disappointment, both of his icy blue eyes plastered intently on the rugged men before him.

About seven men stood in front of him, and they all appeared to be in their late 30s or early 40s.

Their eyes were suddenly filled with horror as a result of being caught red-handed while carrying out their heinous deed.

Even their bodies trembled.

They said nothing, only stood like a deer in headlights as the blonde drew his ax at them, hissing in rage.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, men? Don't you all know the rules of Nantgarth? That is, to never set foot in this forest?" Naruto tilted his head, his spiky blonde bangs swinging back and forth to obscure his eyes, "So tell me, what are you lowlifes doing here?"

The men growled at Naruto's numerous questions, finally mustering enough bravery to respond to the mysterious blonde.

One male took a step forward, spewing a wad of spit on the ground in the process, "We don't have to answer to the likes of you, fucker!"

"Who the fuck are you supposed to be anyway?"

"Jokes on you! We're not going anywhere."

"Yeah, run along. You're ruining our fun."

Naruto smacked his lips before hunching his shoulders and adopting his fighting stance.

He didn't want to begin his quest by battering the bodies of a few humans. He swore he would never use raw force against humankind, but the men before him were pure evil. They weren't going to back down and surrender, so he had to do something.

He'll have to scare them off.

Naruto gritted his teeth, rocking his hunched body back and forth as he prepared himself to sprint forward. He also gripped the handle of his ax tighter, "Alright, you give me no fucking choice."

The men in front of him wore wicked grins and stooped their bodies low, swaying their axes back and forth in an attempt to intimidate him. They, too, were preparing for combat, which pissed Naruto off even more.

However, neither of the men was able to launch an attack. Neither of them could even sprint forward because the scene was suddenly interrupted by a nasty surprise.

The entire area was filled with a guttural roar that reverberated in everyone's ears. The rapid beat of Naruto's heart hammered hard in his ears, his adrenaline skyrocketing as he snapped his head over and witnessed a beast of might charging out of the trees, and toward the gathered men.

Naruto's eyes widened.

It was a fucking Minotaur.

With horns the size of sabers and a body the size of an ox, the vicious beast let out a rageful roar as it surged forward on its two stocky legs. It charged at full speed, its head angled downward to allow its horns to strike the first man in its path.

But not on Naruto's watch.

The blonde male acted fast, directing his attention away from the now screaming men who began to scramble off like cockroaches at the sight of the angered Minotaur.

Naruto dashed forward, drawing his ax high before tossing it forward with all his might, sending his sharpened weapon hurling through the air toward the wild beast. His weapon soared into the air while spinning, flying directly toward the Minotaur.

While running after his mobile ax, Naruto watched with narrowed eyes as it traveled at unimaginable speeds through the air and sank right into its intended victim.

Straight into the Minotaur.

With a howl of pain, the Minotaur was stopped right in its tracks, its speed slowed down tremendously.

Doing so gave the villagers enough time to scramble away, just before they were trampled, stabbed, and killed.

The midnight blue-haired satyress also moved out of dodge, scrambling away on her hands and knees in a shaking mess while staring back at the spectacle with widened eyes. Her lips trembled and her eyes welled up with tears as she watched the beast a few steps in front of her howl in agony, its pace halted tremendously.

But Naruto wasn't done with it yet.

Naruto quickly covered the entire clearing by sprinting, soon flinging himself into the air with a huge leap. Once in the air, he chose to thrust one hand forth.

With determination in his eyes and confidence on his side, Naruto wrapped his extended limb around the left horn of the Minotaur, hanging on it like one would a bar lift.

The Minotaur let out a growl and quickly recovered from Naruto's previous attack, doing so to shake its head, to rid himself of Naruto.

But Naruto didn't budge.

The Minotaur even tried to jerk his massive arms over toward Naruto in order to tear him off his horn, but Naruto just yanked his body away, holding the handle of the beast's horn securely in order to swing himself away from the beast's flailing hands.

Naruto instead went for his ax, brutally withdrawing it from the Minotaur's side to grasp it in his hold again.

In quick speed, and in an effort to avoid the Minotaur's flailing arms that wished to grab him, Naruto used the horn he held to swing his body through the air and behind the Minotaur, confusing the creature.

Just before the Minotaur's eyes, Naruto grabbed its right horn and inserted his ax into the other side of the beast's body, just as he dragged his entire body to the right, assisted by his grip on the beast's horn.

Naruto was instantly awarded another howl of pain from the Minotaur as well as its collapse, its body crashing to the ground due to Naruto's powerful hold on the beast.

Just like a leashed horse, Naruto was able to guide the Minotaur to the ground, head first, now successfully overpowering the beast. Naruto did so just by showering the creature a little pain, giving its horn a mighty yank, and swinging his own body in an effort to teeter the monster over.

Naruto was successful.

Naruto couldn't help but grin in glee as he landed on the ground floor safely on his feet, accompanied by the fallen Minotaur who quickly tried its best to get up, to face Naruto head-on.

But it was quickly overpowered.

Faster than the Minotaur could blink, Naruto pushed one foot on the horn of the beast, pressing it down on the floor with every ounce of strength to hold it steady.

The beast roared in return, then thrust forth a fist to knock Naruto aside, but the blonde man counteracted such an attack swiftly.

With a crooked grin, Naruto yanked his other ax from his person and swung it in a quick horizontal stride, cutting the beast's right arm clean off.

Naruto's ears rang with the beast's piercing yells of agony that echoed throughout the entire area. However, the blonde huntsman found such sounds to be like music.

Soon enough, Naruto took the battle in his favor by extending his now-acquired axe high into the air, doing so with a battle roar.

"Die beast!" He screamed in rage, shaking the Forest of Linvor and darkening the area. And at that exact time, Naruto took the final swing at the fallen beast, raising his arms high before swinging them low, holding the axe's handle with both hands to sever the Minotaur's head clean off.

The Minotaur lasted ten seconds against Naruto, its huge bulk unmoving as its head rolled away from its body, splattering blood on the grass floor in its pitiful journey.

Blood splattered all over Naruto's clothes and face but the blonde hardly minded. He bore a smile of victory as he stood over the headless Minotaur, his chest heaving, and his body hunched over.

He grinned, chuckling to himself.

Yeah, that'll do it.

But his triumph was cut short when a piercing scream permeated the forest air, scaring Naruto half to death.

"No!!!"

Naruto snapped his head to the left only to see the female creature, from before, staring back in horror at him. Her lavender eyes widened drastically, tears falling down her cheeks as she witnessed the gruesome sight of Naruto killing off one of her kindreds.

Naruto tilted his head at her, nearly forgetting her presence. He took a look around to see an empty clearing, now void of the disgusting men from earlier.

But he shrugged that detail off, only turning back to the grieving creature before him who covered her mouth in shock, doing so with one clawed hand.

She shook her head, clearly disapproving of Naruto's violent actions, "Oh kami! O-O-Oh why? Why did you do that?!?"

Naruto wrinkled his nose, "Tch. What are you yapping about?" The blonde bent forward to rip his second ax out of the Minotaur's side, carving up more of the beast's flesh and causing more blood to splatter from the gaping wound. The beast's body rocked along the grass due to the harshness of Naruto's actions but stilled right afterward.

The spiky-haired blonde retrieved both of his axes back, wiping the bloody sharpened ends on the sides of his slacks before putting one away, back into his holster. He decided to keep one of his axes drawn to point the weapon at the trembling satyress before him, who was on her knees, crying, and weeping like a little baby.

It honestly irritated the fuck out of Naruto, so much so, he was considering making her his next kill.

She was a beast of the Forest of Linvor, one of the ones he was tasked with eliminating. She was also a creature that clearly needed to be put out of her misery.

She was in terrible pain, deeply despised by the Nantgarthian humans, and completely powerless to defend herself.

She was an unfortunate soul that needed to be saved.

Fortunately for her, Naruto knew just the way to save beings of her kind.

A dark smirk slid across Naruto's face and only then did he move his body forward, closer to the weeping satyress whose trembling worsened the more the blonde huntsman crept closer.

The blonde huntsman looked like an absolute monster to the midnight blue-haired satyress, completely bloodied from head to toe, with his ax drawn on her only moments after committing unspeakable violence.

She couldn't get her body to stop trembling. She couldn't even tear her gaze away from the blonde huntsman as he stalked closer and closer to her, now with her in his sights.

She thought he was here to save her, to defend her from the horrible men who wished to harm her. But by the way, he crept up to her while wearing the same expression the previous men gave her only reinforced that he was not her savior but something far darker.

Her executioner.

More tears streamed from the petrified satyress' lavender eyes, her entire body paralyzed by the overwhelming fear that gripped it.

She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't stop crying.

She could only stare in complete horror as the blonde huntsman took menacing steps toward her kneeled person, stepping before her pitiful form in no time.

The dark smirk that haunted Naruto's whiskered face never wavered, in fact, it grew much broader, revealing the sharp canines that he bore, a sight that only caused the innocent satyress's heart to drop to the pit of her stomach.

She sobbed, shaking her head pleadingly up at the blonde huntsman, once more pleading for her life, "Please, pl-please-"

"Shh."

The lavender-eyed creature sobbed even louder as she was shushed by the menacing blonde man in front of her, who towered over her kneeled figure with malevolent intents.

Naruto's mind was clouded, his thoughts scrambled due to sadistic glee. For some reason, he felt a nice rush flow through his body as he witnessed the feminine creature before him weep and plead. It was such a great fucking high, Naruto wanted more.

Naruto hummed softly before bringing his ax forth, closer to the trembling satyress. His sudden movement caused her body to subconsciously jolt back, away from him but that wasn't enough to escape his clutches.

He proceeded to slide the bloodied end of his ax underneath the female creature's chin, the cold metal of his weapon chilling her pale flesh and driving her to cry even more.

Naruto tilted his head at the sight of the wet, hot tears that streamed quickly down her pale cheeks, sullying everything in their path. She hiccuped, sobbed, and pleaded for her life, expressing emotions that Naruto knew all too well.

The blonde's eyes darkened, "Such a sickening sight you are, crying and weeping. You almost seem human, wench." Naruto clicked his tongue, nudging his ax against the weeping satyress' chin, forcing her to lift her head to reveal more of her distressed facial features to him.

At that moment he noticed that the female creature sported lavender-tinged irises, absolutely no pupils, and fully white scleras, another visual indication that the feminine being was not human.

Naruto put up a dark smirk, "But we both know you are far from human. You're a beast; an ugly, malformed creature who only knows misery." Naruto shook his head, clicking his tongue, "Oh, I pity you, dear. I really do-"

"Please!" The midnight blue-haired satyress screamed out, her voice echoing for miles, "Please don't do this! You're making a big mistake! I-I thought-" The female creature hiccuped, her words momentarily catching in her throat, "y-you were here to save me."

"Save you?" Naruto let out a burst of laughter, an action that completely shattered the heart of the innocent creature. The happiness and relief she once felt from seeing the blonde huntsman from before were all thrown out of the window, causing her to fall into a state of complete and utter despair.

Her vision was entirely blurry from the wet tears that blocked it, her cheeks sticky and hot, her pink lips trembling, and her body entirely immobile.

Even if she wanted to, she was unable to move, to escape.

She was frightened to the core.

There was only so much torture she could take, and being abused by the human men previously and now literally staring into the eyes of death was enough to sap all vitality and fight from her.

She was done for.

Meanwhile, Naruto was having a blast, tossing his head back to laugh his ass off. His husky voice traveled on for miles, bouncing off of the trunks of the trees around them and upsetting nature herself.

But he hardly noticed that detail.

He instead set his amused-filled eyes back on the weeping creature before him to pout once more.

He also tilted his head, "Oh, that's where you're mistaken, dear. I am saving you. I am offering you the salvation you've been longing for your entire life. I'm giving you a gift far greater than anything you've ever received before."

The blonde's remarks caused the midnight blue-haired satyress's eyes to widen. She was starting to feel hopeful once more, being the innocent creature that she was.

She actually made the mistake of believing the blonde's words.

The midnight blue-haired satyress whimpered, bawling up the ends of her dress tightly for comfort, "R-Really? S-So does that mean you're going to spare me? Are you going to l-let me l-live?"

Naruto's eyes darkened but he didn't say anything, only keeping silent as he watched as the naive creature fell for his bait.

A faint smile crept up on her pale face and she found herself sniffing back her tears, "Y-You're going to g-give me a g-gift, you say?"

Naruto nodded slowly, nudging her chin once more with his cold ax, "Yes, dear. I am willing to give you a very special gift." The dark smirk that was present on Naruto's face widened, "Just close your eyes and hold your breath. I'll deliver your gift swiftly, I promise."

Those dark, chilling words were followed by the naive creature doing just what was told of her. She was captivated by the soothing tone of voice of the blonde male in front of her, showering her with the hope that she would be given salvation, something she had been longing for, for a very long time.

She was mesmerized by the idea of getting a fantastic gift that would bring her happiness once more. She was particularly drawn to receiving gifts that were hers and hers alone, presented to her just as a way to satisfy her and bring her joy.

She wanted that. She wanted that so badly.

So yes, the midnight blue-haired satyress closed her lavender eyes and also held her breath, taking one huge inhale, and keeping as perfectly still as possible.

She sat there by herself in the darkness of her mind, accompanied only by her joyful thoughts, which drove a smile on her face.

But her pleasant haven was immediately disrupted when she heard the next words spoken by the blonde male, words that immediately shattered her peaceful reverie.

"Good girl. This won't hurt a bit."

Her eyes instantly shot wide open and she found herself letting out a scream of pure terror when she came face to face with the blonde huntsman again.

But now, she saw that he held his weapon far away from her chin and was now drawn overhead, just in mid-swing, while presenting a very wicked grin on his face.

Hinata's frightful screams flooded the area, expanding far and wide, as she stared in horror as the blonde huntsman was in the process of delivering her "gift."

The gift of slicing her head clean off.

But, luckily for her, her screams awoke some company, and just before the blonde huntsman was about to swing his ax down on her, he was greeted with an unlucky surprise.

It all happened so fast.

Naruto could barely catch a glimpse of the approaching beast, which was sprinting towards him before it crashed into his body with full force.

Naruto was given a vicious side swipe by a large ogre who emerged from the trees just as the Minotaur did a few minutes ago. The green ogre was super tall, dwarfing both the blonde huntsman and the midnight blue-haired satyress by his impressive height alone.

The mythical ogre possessed excessively long brown hair, large muscles, and ridiculously green skin all over. By the mere ogre's running, it managed to shake the entire forest, tenfold.

Naruto grunted in pain as he was swept off of his feet and was sent soaring across the clearing, losing his weapon in the process. He flew pretty erratically through the air, just to crash land on the forest ground with a tragic thud, nearly knocking the breath out of his lungs.

Naruto let out a disappointed growl at the knowledge of his kill disrupted and at the sight of yet another creature present on the scene. It appears that the weepy little satyress was a monster magnet.

It irked the blonde so damn much.

Now lying on the ground, plastered on his stomach, Naruto sent an angry blow to the ground, growling as he did so, "Damn it!" He yelled angrily, his dark blue eyes moving forth to land on the ogre, who was strangely not charging at him but instead taking the time to help the fallen satyress to her feet.

It was an awkward scene to witness for Naruto as he watched the large, green, oaf partake in human pursuits, catering to the satyress like she was some sort of queen.

The ogre pulled his arms forward to scoop up the smaller creature, pulling her gently off of the ground to set her back on her hooved feet. She wobbled a bit but she held onto the arms of the ogre for support, all the while sparing his tall form a smile of happiness while she was at it.

"Th-Thank you, Choji-kun. Your assistance is d-deeply appreciated. Y-You came j-just in time."

The ogre pouted, his deformed features slumping to convey, in Naruto's estimation, sadness. His large lips turned upside down which only allowed his sharp, pointy teeth to reveal themselves more, "I'm so sorry for arriving so late, Lady Hinata. You were in trouble and I-"

The graceful satyress shook her head, dismissing the sorrowful ogre's worries, and instead caressed his bulging arm, which appeared to be larger than her entire body.

The midnight blue-haired satyress smiled brightly up at the ogre, her lavender eyes glossy still from the lingering tears that were present in them, her head lifted entirely, "It is alright. It is quite unnecessary to apologize. You saved me, and that's all that matters. Besides, you will always be the recipient of my forgiveness, Choji-kun, never forget that."

"Oh thank you, Lady Hinata. B-But..." The ogre spoke in slow motion, it would seem, but his movements were everything but. He whipped his massive body around to face Naruto, who was still resting on the ground in the same spot he landed in, passively studying the creatures' exchange.

He was also plotting his next move, mentally devising a strategy to eliminate both of the creatures in front of him as he lay out of reach.

But he must admit that the brown-haired ogre's words caught him off guard.

Lady Hinata?

That ugly creature actually has a name?

She recognizes that ogre?

Naruto's nose wrinkled at the female satyress who turned towards his direction as well, just as the green ogre did.

The ogre pointed at the blonde huntsman who lay stealthily amongst the grass, one hand of his slowly gliding back down to his additional ax strapped to his waist.

The ogre's face wrinkled up tremendously, revealing anger at the mere sight of the blonde male, "What about him, Lady Hinata? What should we do with him?"

This... Hinata creature sent a pout toward the blonde huntsman from afar, her lavender eyes taking a moment to run over his entire being.

She shook her head, turning back to plant her glossy lavender eyes on the ogre before her, "Sp-Spare him, please. I've seen enough violence for one day and b-besides..." Hinata turned back to face Naruto, sending him a pleasant smile, one that actually stopped Naruto's movements dead in their tracks.

He stared in confusion back at her, bewildered by her choice to spare him after his clear intentions of wanting to slaughter her. He even went as far as killing her ally in front of her, tricked her, and made her cry, and yet...

He tilted his head before the scraggly grass, his blue eyes staring back at a smile that was filled with unbridled joy, sporting no trace of negativity or deception. It was the kind of smile that only an innocent being could generate, a being of naivety and jocundity.

Hinata smiled, merry and bright, "I wish you no harm, human. I-I only hope we can go from here in peace."

"And if I decline?" Naruto spat distastefully in the air, pulling his body forth so he could hop to his feet. He rubbed his fingers against the dangling handle of his sheathed ax yearningly, all the while keeping his gaze fixated on the now growling ogre and frowning satyress.

Hinata clasped her hands over her waist, shaking her head, "You are confused, my dear human. Despite being blinded by tragedy and hatred, I can still sense the goodness in your heart. I'm confident you can find it in yourself to extend the same forgiveness and peace to me, just as I have given to you."

Hearing the female creature's words, which were covertly ones of instruction and a means to exhort him to operate one way and one way only, a way that clearly would run in her favor only caused Naruto's nose to wrinkle.

The innocent little satyress seems to believe she understands him, his intentions, and his heart.

A folly action.

Naruto wishes so badly to prove her wrong.

Naruto's dark smirk resurfaced and he pulled his body up from a crouched position to stand perfectly straight, all the while continuously rubbing his fingers along the handle of his ax.

"You're quite stupid, aren't you? Do you even know who I am, dear? Why I am here? Why I stand here before you now?" Naruto yelled out from afar, his voice reaching the keen ears of the satyress in no time.

Her bushy ears twitched in response to acquiring the questions being thrown at her from the whiskered huntsman.

She put up a frown before turning back to her ogre friend, only to give him another smile, "Choji-kun, you may leave now. I have everything under control here."

The ogre's darkened eyes widened drastically. He was unable to believe what he was hearing, "But milady, this human is dumb! He is stubborn too! He will not listen-"

"He will, I know he will. I wish to speak with him alone. I possess knowledge that he must know, and all I seek now is his trust."

"B-But.."

"Choji-kun." Hinata whispered, once more turning towards him to extend one right paw, placing it gently on his forearm. She smiled brightly up at him, a look of pure happiness.

The lavender-eyed satyress gave a look that indicated she was truly content. It was a look that compelled the overprotective ogre to obey the midnight blue-haired creature.

Hinata patted his arm once more, "I'll be fine, my dear Choji-kun. I appreciate your loyalty and your efforts to always protect me, no matter what. But I only wish to be alone with the human. I'll make sure to let you know if I need you at any moment, I promise."

The ogre sent her a faint smile, deeply satisfied with her lovely words. He gave her a nod, revealing his obedience, "Alright, milady. I believe you and I respect your decision." The ogre pointed towards the forest, deep within a massive bundle of trees with one clawed finger, "I will go now."

And with those words, the ogre gave the midnight blue-haired satyress a bow before giving the blonde huntsman a glance, a warning glance.

Naruto narrowed his eyes back at the monstrous ogre but said nothing, instead watching as he began to turn away from the scene and return to the woods from which he had came, leaving the ground littered with very heavy stomps.

Now, the clearing was only occupied by the midnight blue-haired satyress and the blonde huntsman, alone, as they were before.

Naruto clicked his tongue chastisingly as he returned his gaze to the innocent creature before him, who was now standing upright on her hooved feet, clawed hands hugging her torso as if she was cold; a gesture Naruto knew was performed for comfort.

Hinata turned back to the blonde huntsman and let out a sigh, an action that caused Naruto to raise a brow.

He snickered, "Ahh, who thought that you beasts could be both ugly and stupid? It's a genuinely amusing sight."

Hinata let out another sigh in response to the hurtful names she was called. She was used to it by now so she merely shrugged off the blonde male's rather rude responses, "If by returning the favor for the deed you've committed to saving me earlier is seen as folly, then I wish not to partake in the alternative. I was truthful in my words, human. I indeed do not wish you any harm."

"Why, hm? Why help me when I was almost successful in killing you, dear? I wished to cut off your head, the same way I did your friend over there." Naruto nodded over to the headless Minotaur a few feet away, a sight that the lavender-eyed satyress refused to witness again.

She shuddered, not bothering to turn her head to look at the heart wrenching sight just lying a few feet from her. She merely fixed her eyes back on the blonde, giving him a pleasing pout, "L-Listen, I may not know who you are and why you have dared to step foot into this place, but I do wish to help you."

"Help me? Hah, I do not need help, dear. It is you that need help-"

"And for that you are right. Sincerely, I must declare that we both are in dire need of assistance." Hinata's eyebrows furrowed, "Human, I see right through you. You are lost, with questions you badly want addressed. You hold a wrath in your heart that you cannot control given your perpetual acts of violence. You bear scars, deep scars that you cover up with arrogance and pride. I sincerely pity men like you and only wish to help."

For the first time in his life, Naruto stood totally speechless by a beast's cause. He was extremely bewildered by the insightful remarks of the midnight blue-haired creature, his eyes enlarged and his mouth gaped; clear signs that he was taken aback.

Hinata noticed his stunned state immediately.

She shook her head, running her eyes over the blonde male, top from bottom, "I know that you do not belong in Nantgarth, human, therefore there's a lot that you need to learn. So, please, please." Hinata's lips began to tremble, "understand, there is so much more in play here, things that you truly must know. Allow me to inform you of them, please."

Hinata's words were truly blowing Naruto's mind, his blue eyes progressively widening on her from afar.

Due to his inability to talk as a result of learning such information, it was clear that Hinata's words had finally reached him. He was now only able to listen and nothing more.

He tilted his blonde head, finally removing his fingers from the handle of his ax altogether, doing so to instead place his hand on his left hip. He clicked his tongue as he zeroed his attention on the horned creature from afar who stared back at him solemnly through the sunlight.

She had a frown on her pale face and a slight tremble to her body after speaking the words she had earlier. She stood there, watching the stoic male simply process her words.

She only waited patiently for her words to ultimately wake up the blonde and persuade him to tame his wrath.

She was in fact successful.

Naruto found himself intrigued by the satyress' words.

Naruto wasn't dumb. He could read between the lines, and by doing so, he deduced that the female creature was implying that she had vital information that he would be interested in hearing, and in exchange, she had a problem of her own that he could help with.

She was proposing a pact, in a desperate effort to eliminate the hatred between them and instead work toward a peaceful accord as their connection.

Naruto couldn't believe he was admitting this but he found Hinata's efforts rather... cute.

He couldn't help but chuckle, "You got me, you clever little minx. I am not a man who would turn down the opportunity to gain knowledge. If you have great news to share, I am eager to listen, and only then would I consider sparing your life." Naruto boasted in glee, his voice slipping out of his mouth confidently to enter the ears of the female creature from afar.

She smiled faintly at the sight of the blonde on board to her wishes and she lowered her hands away from her person, relaxing, "Lovely. I wish to offer you as much knowledge as you may like but I will do so elsewhere. It is not safe for you here."

Naruto rolled his eyes at Hinata's feeble attempt to express concern for his well-being. He really wasn't buying her little selfless act.

But he complied for the sake of his own gain. He truly wanted to know the knowledge a satyress holds. Having that would definitely help him immensely on his current mission and even in his travels.

Naruto nodded before taking a few steps forward, to creep close to her, not without venturing off to look for his ax.

"Fine, I will follow you, little minx. Just give me a minute to find my ax, then we can be on our way."

Hinata's human facial features brightened up at the sight of the blonde complying with her wishes. She clapped her clawed hands excitedly, "Yay!"

Naruto rolled his blue eyes once more as he wandered through the grass, head lowered, as he tried his hardest to find his ax. But as he did, he didn't forget to respond back to the happy satyress, doing so merely to burst her bubble.

Naruto whipped his head back towards the direction where she was found cheering, his blonde bangs covering his eyes momentarily, "This information you desire to share with me had better be worthwhile. If not, and I am left disappointed, I will see to it that your head is taken into my personal possession. Bear that in mind."

Hinata's cheers along with her pleasant mood were abruptly interrupted, causing her to fall silent, a gulp of fear slipping down her throat by the blonde male's menacing declarations.

She merely settled on clasping her hands over her waist, silently standing in place while watching the blonde scurry through the clearing to find the ax that he dropped during his fight earlier.

She watched him intently as he walked slowly and stealthily through the grass, his head cocked down and his stern eyes darting erratically.

Hinata bit her lip briefly before glancing her lavender eyes around the clearing as well, using her keen senses in order to help the blonde male out, doing so once again for his sake.

It took her only three seconds flat before her eyes landed on the blonde huntsman's ax, buried in the grass three feet away, close to a tree on the right-hand side of the clearing.

The sunlight from overhead shined down on the weapon of metal, causing it to twinkle and sparkle within the grass, alerting the midnight blue-haired satyress.

She smiled happily, immediately pointing one claw finger at it just upon spotting it, "Ooh! Ooh! Human, I have found your ax."

"Tch." Naruto scoffed, whipping his head from a bundle of grass to look back at the midnight blue-haired satyress who was seen pointing to a little grassy spot near a tree, a spot that indeed harbored his precious weapon.

Naruto had to fight the happiness that wished to cross his facial features, and instead snorted, directing the petty gesture over to the happy creature from afar, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Don't expect any compliments. You'll be quite disappointed."

Hinata beamed up in joy, watching as the blonde huntsman stalked through the tall grass, working towards his ax in no time only to bend down and pick it up. He gave it a quick look over, before setting it back into its appropriate spot again, that is, on the right-hand side of his waist clasp.

Hinata smiled as she watched the joy that flashed before the blonde's eyes from afar at the sight of his reclaimed ax.

Once more, she has helped the blonde human. She was sure to add a tally to her name for that. That would mean she's helped him two times in a row now.

Not that it matters or anything.

Hinata cheered, her human features brightening tremendously, "I take that as a thank you! For that, you're welcome, banana-haired human."

Naruto's face twisted in irritation at being called such a childish moniker. His head was discovered snapping back over to face the midnight blue-haired creature again, this time baring his teeth at her.

"Don't you fucking call me that."

"I'm sorry!"

"Now let's just get going already. I'm really thinking of changing my mind and just claiming your head, little minx. You're testing my patients."

"I'm s-sorry! Please don't change your mind."

"I will, if we don't get a move on soon."

"R-Right."

Hinata was quick to point to the left-hand side of the clearing, beckoning her head toward that particular direction.

She then nodded back at the blonde, sending him a solemn look.

"Alright then. Please, follow me."

╰ ─┉─¡! °❈° !¡─┉─ ╯

"Ugh, where in kami's name are you taking me, little minx?"

"U-Um, I'm sorry, but I really need to make a quick pitstop."

To Naruto's full and total displeasure, the midnight blue-haired satyress he decided to follow led him through the Forest of Linvor for three miles, only to bring him to a lone pond, deep in the woods.

The pond was encircled by numerous tall, dark-green pine trees that reached high into the sky, hiding the area from view in the process.

The sunshine shone down from the sky entirely but was blocked off by the trees in its journey to the ground. The trees not only served as a shield for the mystical location, but also as a shade, making the environment appear darker than the rest of the forest.

The pond itself extended far and wide, with water so blue, it honestly took Naruto's breath away; he couldn't lie about that. The pond looked extremely magical, it would seem with just one touch, a person's battered body would be healed in an instant.

Oh wait...

Naruto clicked his tongue before turning his attention back to the midnight blue-haired satyress who stood a few feet away from him, due to her safety of course. She clearly didn't trust him completely yet, which was the smartest decision she'd made thus far.

The huge gap that was found between them caused the blonde huntsman to chuckle.

Hinata whipped her head around to spare a confused glance at the chuckling blonde, her eyebrows furrowed, "U-Um, what's the matter, human?" Hinata turned towards the pond before them with the same look of confusion on her face, "Does the pond before us grant you some form of amusement?"

Naruto shook his head, cracking a grin, "Oh no. What's amusing is the fact you feel comfortable enough to continue denying me the information that is owed to me. It's amusing to witness the games you seem to continuously play. I have made myself clear, haven't I? What I will do to you if I am not satisfied?"

Naruto sent a glare over at the innocent satyress, his icy blue eyes sending shivers down her spine, "Is your life really that unimportant to you? Are you really that stupid?"

"H-Hey, please do not insult me. Look, I have every intention of giving you the knowledge you seek but I simply wish to t-take a quick b-bath first. It's been a terrible day for me and I simply cannot go on without freshening up."

Once more, Naruto felt his entire brain spin like a damn basketball within his skull. He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of the horned creature's mouth beside him. He honestly felt like he was dreaming.

He's never heard any beast speak or act the way Hinata does. It was so unnerving.

Naruto shook his head, keeping one hand propped up on his hip, "Tsk. You're doing it again, acting human. Why on earth do you, a beast, care about hygiene?" Naruto spat quite rudely, clearly insensitive to the fact that the poor creature was previously abused, beaten, and battered by the human men of Nantgarth previously.

Hinata's body was exceedingly filthy and reeked of musk, sweat, and other foul odors. Her long hair and clothes were both tarnished by muck and grime.

Not only was she filthy, but her entire body was in excruciating pain. A number of her bones seemed to have broken as a result of the trauma her body experienced earlier, and her entire mental space was terribly disturbed, plagued by fear, anguish, and anxiety.

Her poor condition was obvious, given that she had been practically limping around the forest during their trek, clearly unbeknownst to the blonde huntsman. Either that or he just didn't give a damn.

Hinata has a feeling it was entirely the latter.

But it really didn't matter to her. She was only concerned with soaking in the purest of waters the Forest of Linvor had to offer at this point. She yearned for a calm bath as the water of the enchanted pond restored her ravaged body, wiped away all concern from her mind, and instead left her in a state of tranquility.

She really wished the insensitive blonde human would understand her case.

Hinata turned to him, putting her hands up to clasp them together, in a pleasing manner at the bulky male. He turned to her, wrinkling his nose at her desperate gesture.

"Please, I beseech you to just give me this time of peace. I've been through so much today and I only wish to spend thirty minutes away. I promise afterward, I will answer any questions that you will give me, any questions at all."

The midnight blue-haired creature decided to plead once again, to stoop low and beg for a chance to be understood, to be permitted peace and freedom. It was degrading for the innocent satyress to beg human men, but she knew she must do so in order to receive any form of compassion.

Like now, her act of pleading suddenly subdued the blonde man's irritation, eliminating it and leaving him to be remarkably forgiving toward her.

The spiky-haired blonde chuckled, shrugging his shoulders, his weapons rattling at his sides given his abrupt movement, "Ahh, pleading again, are we? Hah, you're quite good at it." Naruto turned towards the pouting creature with a look of astonishment on his face, a look that made a shudder run down Hinata's spine.

"Oh, little minx, I must say, you truly have a gift." Naruto nodded towards the pond, "You can go bathe in peace if that is what you wish. I will allow it."

Hinata couldn't help but grimace at the awful praises she received from the blonde male but she insisted on leaving quickly before the irrational human changed his mind.

She nodded, sending a faint smile over at him, "Thank you, human. I shall return shortly. Please stay here while I am gone. You will be safe here." She advised matter-of-factly before she quickly took her leave, turning and practically sprinting off towards the pond a couple of feet away, leaving the male lunatic's side.

Naruto watched her closely from afar as Hinata ran quite irregularly with her measly little hooved feet. Her long hair, as well as her dress and long tail, swayed in the wind behind her as she briskly traveled onward, soon disappearing from
view due to the trees in the vicinity.

A smirk flashed across Naruto's tanned face, and he settled on slipping his body over to lean against a tree beside him, a tree that he had marked a few seconds before, as a way to keep track of how far he's traveled.

He waited there, admiring the pond and relishing the crisp wind rushing through his clothes and hair, as a result relaxing both his body and mind...

◤──•~❉᯽❉~•──◥

End Of Part 1.

A.N.

Just want to drop in and say that the village name, Nantgarth, the forest name, Linvor, and Nantgarth's river  name Neuning are all names that I came up with by myself. I used such names to keep the fairytale vibe.

Also for Hinata's appearance, for those who do not know what a satyress in fact looks like. This is what she looks like in this story.

This is actually the picture that I used as a reference for her in this story. So what you see here, is how she looks in the story, even the dress as well!

So, there's that! Hope you enjoyed! ❤️❤️

Now, on to Part Two!

-Powerful_Niya