"Hnn…"
Luo Hao stirred within layers of bandages soaked with healing salves. Her long lashes fluttered, confusion briefly filling her gaze as she opened her eyes.
But confusion lasted only a heartbeat.
Her expression sharpened—cool, regal, unshaken.
"…So I lost."
The memories rushed back:
Jaeger's overwhelming power.
Her defeat.
The humiliation.
A flicker of unwillingness crossed her beautiful face—
—but it was soon replaced by something entirely different.
Satisfaction.
And, disturbingly… joy.
Exactly as Esdeath had predicted.
Had Jaeger shown mercy, Luo Hao would have been insulted beyond words.
But to be defeated completely—
to be overpowered without even a chance to resist...
That stirred something else inside her.
Not pride.
Elation.
"Hmph… that kid didn't hold back at all," she muttered, wincing as pain shot up her ribs. "Didn't even give me a chance to breathe… How unreasonable."
Her body throbbed everywhere. Bones shattered. Muscles torn. If not for a Godslayer's absurd regeneration, she would be bedridden for months.
At least her mana had fully recovered, and the rapid aging inflicted by Jaeger's Noble Phantasm had faded. A few more days, and she'd be back to fighting condition.
"Luo Hao-san? You're awake?"
A soft voice came from the entrance.
Luo Hao turned slightly and saw a young woman with long red hair and warm, gentle eyes.
"You know me?" Luo Hao asked, narrowing her eyes in mild curiosity. The girl radiated violent chakra—power nearly touching the realm of divine spirits.
"Mm!" The girl nodded cheerfully. "Miyuki told me you're guests from another world. Like summons from Mount Myōboku."
"…I see."
The girl stepped inside and knelt beside her.
"By the way, I'm Uzumaki Kushina, a jonin of Konoha."
"…Hello."
Luo Hao attempted to sit up—
And immediately sucked in a sharp breath.
Pain tore through her torso.
"A-Ah! Don't move too much!" Kushina rushed to her side. "You're still healing. Let me help you. Miyuki and the others are eating outside."
"…Thank you," Luo Hao murmured, swallowing her pride for now.
As Kushina helped her out of the tent, Luo Hao noted the softness in her movements.
Gentle.
Caring.
Warm.
Yet this same gentle woman had witnessed her shatter Miyuki's Susanoo in one strike. She had seen Jaeger nearly cleave Luo Hao in half.
Kushina had every right to fear her.
But instead, she treated her like an old friend.
In her heart, Kushina had already accepted Jaeger's words:
Luo Hao and Miyuki had simply been sparring.
The REAL battle was Luo Hao vs. Jaeger.
The obliterated forest and cratered earth said enough.
Even now, seeing Luo Hao so wounded, Kushina couldn't help feeling awe.
Outside, the group was sharing a simple meal—Naruto-world dishes. The flavors weren't exotic, but the experience of sharing cuisine across worlds made everyone oddly cheerful.
"Luo Hao-sama!! You're awake?!"
Miyuki—who had been talking with Kasumigaoka Utaha—shot up and sprinted toward her like an excited puppy. She took over from Kushina immediately, hugging her with no hesitation.
Luo Hao didn't resist.
The pain alone kept her docile… but Miyuki's warm presence also soothed her strangely.
Once seated, Luo Hao accepted a bowl of rice from Miyuki and finally spoke:
"It is my loss."
Her eyes shifted to Jaeger.
"Now… what mark do you intend to leave on me?"
During her rest, she had read through the group chat.
The most discussed topics:
• How Jaeger's team would complete their mission
• Whether Jaeger would gain a new Noble Phantasm in the Naruto world
• What mark Jaeger would leave on Luo Hao
• Miyuki and Yamamoto Mei summarizing this world's key figures
Naturally, Jaeger was the center of nearly all conversations.
She had even seen mentions of the Celestial Dragon's Hoof—a slave mark.
'Even that… I can accept.'
She had challenged him.
She had lost.
The consequences were hers to bear.
But Jaeger simply chuckled.
"It's not the Dragon's Hoof. I already applied it while you were unconscious."
"…Huh?"
Luo Hao checked her body with her senses.
Nothing obvious.
The pain made it hard to pinpoint anything.
Miyuki, Utaha, and Kushina all leaned in, curious.
Jaeger lifted a hand and pointed toward her chest.
"There."
Without hesitation, Luo Hao tore open the upper bandages—
Gasps erupted.
Etched above her heart—delicate yet unmistakable—was a glowing inscription:
Jaeger
Carved with divine energy.
Precise.
Permanent.
"This is my gift to you," Jaeger said calmly.
"A punishment for losing to me."
"I want you to always see my name when you lower your head—until the day you defeat me.
Only then can you erase it."
"…Eh?"
The girls blinked in unison.
"W-Wait, that sounds—"
"—kind of like—"
"—a confession?!"
Utaha whispered, cheeks reddening. Even Kushina blushed.
The atmosphere turned awkwardly warm.
Even Jaeger seemed caught off guard. He scratched his cheek, eyes darting aside.
I beat her into the dirt… branded her… and she likes me more now?
What kind of creature IS this woman?
But Luo Hao only smiled.
Genuinely.
She touched the branded skin with tender fingers.
"…I like it.
It's personal.
And very… memorable."
"…Glad to hear that," Jaeger replied, smiling awkwardly.
Maybe he hadn't expected her to accept it so easily.
But then again—
This was Luo Hao.
The Queen of the Godslayers.
And this mark?
This was only the beginning.
•••
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