Maelstrom In The Dungeon (Community-Story) (CH 1)

A/N: This story is rated M for mature content not suitable for children.

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Chapter 1: The Fox and The Huntress

City Of Orario

A stunning woman sporting blue hair and green eyes strolled alongside a man with blonde hair and blue eyes down the city streets, while the man frequently glanced around, taking in the various sights with a sense of wonder.

"We need to hurry to the adventurer's guild, Naruto, so we can get you signed up," the blue-haired woman urged when she noticed Naruto about to venture off on his own, distracted by something that caught his eye, prompting her to redirect the blonde's attention back to her.

"I apologize for that, Artemis. It's been a long time since I've been in a city," Naruto said, expressing regret.

"It's okay, Naruto. I understand that your curiosity is completely normal. However, let's complete our tasks first, and then you can embark on your adventure," Artemis said gently, recognizing that this was the first time he had been in a city since childhood. She couldn't help but reminisce about how they first met.

Flashback Scene Ahead

When Artemis encountered Naruto in a monster-infested forest far from Orario, she was surprised to find him living there alone. It was astonishing to her that a young human could survive for nearly a year in such a dangerous environment. As he recounted his experiences, she started to understand the factors contributing to his incredible resilience.

After Naruto shared details about his life, she reciprocated by giving him a quick overview of her own. Artemis explained that she was in the woods by herself because she was trying to escape her feelings of guilt and sadness, as her entire Familia had been killed during a hunt in the dungeon.

Naruto felt a deep sense of sympathy for Artemis upon discovering that she was a goddess, which surprised him. She had endured the loss of all her loved ones and found herself unable to assist them. Entering the dungeon would only exacerbate the situation, as it would summon formidable monsters designed to target her as a potential threat.

Once Artemis confided in him, Naruto was finally able to explain how he found himself alone in the forest teeming with monsters.

Flashback Scene Ahead

Village Hidden In The Leaves

An eight-year-old Naruto stared up at the sky, filled with terror and dread, as two monstrous figures in human shape unleashed destruction upon his village. Individuals were perishing in the streets, while those who remained struggled desperately to escape to safety.

Naruto observed as the Hokage arrived alongside a man with white hair riding on a toad. They engaged in combat against two horned, alien-like creatures, but to Naruto, a student with minimal training, it was clear they were struggling and likely not going to win.

Prior to the horned invaders' appearance, the village was on high alert. Apparently, two of the other hidden villages had been attacked and destroyed by two people with god-like powers, and it was possible they were heading toward Konoha.

The elderly man with white hair, whom Naruto discovered was called Jiraiya, had a conversation with him in the Hokage's office after Naruto was called there. The Sage had an extensive network of spies, and based on his findings, he concluded that the assailants were targeting the tailed beasts.

With the Hokage's approval, Jiraiya revealed to Naruto the truth about the nine tails sealed within him. Naruto was taken aback, feeling a whirlwind of emotions—shock, confusion, pain, and anger. In that moment, everything clicked, and he finally understood why the villagers had always treated him the way they did.

Naruto let out a sigh and remarked, "I suppose I truly am the nine tails, a monster." However, Jiraiya wasn't going to accept that and embraced the boy tightly.

"You aren't the Nine Tails; it's merely sealed inside you. You are Naruto Uzumaki, a human," Jiraiya declared firmly and resolutely. "I realize this might not be the ideal moment to share all of this, but it's important in case things take a turn for the worse. There's a lot more I wish to discuss, but for now, this will suffice."

Naruto was taken aback by Jiraiya's efforts and felt a sense of curiosity about what else he had to share, but chose to remain quiet. The old Hokage wore an expression of remorse and shame on his weathered face; he longed to do more for Naruto, yet felt restricted by the council's limitations.

"I have one last thing to share with you. If the situation deteriorates, we want to make sure you don’t fall into the hands of our adversaries. Therefore, I’m going to place a seal on you that will enable you to return to safety if I don’t survive this battle," Jiraiya said, releasing the hug but staying on his knees to meet Naruto's gaze. "I truly hope it doesn’t come to that, but if it does, you’ll be safeguarded."

"I realize this may be overwhelming for you, Naruto, but everything Jiraiya shared is indeed accurate," Hiruzen Sarutobi expressed, his face reflecting deep remorse. "I sincerely hope you can find it in your heart to forgive an old man who continually lets you down."

Naruto was conflicted about his feelings towards the old man at that moment. He had essentially kept the truth about why the village despised him a secret for his entire life. Yet, in his own way, the old man was attempting to shield him from that harsh reality.

The blonde Uzumaki simply nodded and walked away to gather his thoughts after Jiraiya had sealed him. A few days later, the last two hidden villages were assaulted and obliterated.

"You insignificant creature, hand over the piece of Kaguya's chakra, and I will grant you all a swift demise," proclaimed a horned figure perched on the shoulder of another horned individual, both hovering over the village.

This prompted the ninjas, along with Hokage and Jiraiya, to spring into action, but their efforts were in vain. Many ninjas lost their lives, and the village was devastated, leaving only the strongest ninjas and Naruto standing.

Naruto watched in despair as the old man Hokage fell in battle. Then Jiraiya, in a last-ditch effort to defeat the godlike beings, self-destructed, which activated the seal, sending Naruto away and destroying the rest of Konoha. The village hidden in the leaves was no more.

Flashback Scene End

Naruto proceeded to tell Artemis about his time spent with talking toads that taught him some survival skills before they used an ancient teleportation circle to send him away when the two horned beings found them.

Artemis listened to Naruto's story and felt for the blonde child, realizing that he was not alone because, from what he told, he was not of this dimension. This also explained how he survived on his own somewhat.

Artemis couldn't bring herself to leave behind a child in need, so she stayed beside Naruto and taught him of this world and told him about her Familia.

The pair connected deeply through their mutual feelings of grief and isolation. For Naruto, Artemis took on the role of an older sister or even a mother figure he had never experienced, while for the goddess, Naruto provided comfort and helped to alleviate the sorrow left by the loss of her family.

Living in the forest was captivating; Artemis would observe Naruto as he trained and offer him advice whenever possible. Together, they would also hunt monsters and catch animals such as fish and boars to prepare meals.

As time passes, Artemis accepted Naruto into her Familia as the sole member since the others were no more; usually, she would only accept females, but she made an exception this time.

When Artemis placed the Falna on Naruto, she was shocked about his potential and the skills he had. The Uzumaki had told her about the powers he had, which seemed to have gone dormant when he entered this dimension. So, with Artemis' grace, it seemed to have returned somewhat.

Status

Level 1

Strength: C 340

Endurance: C 200

Dexterity: B 570

Agility: A 400

Magic

[None]

Skill

[Sage]

-Enhanced abilities temporary by absorbing ambiant energy.

[Child Of Prophecy]

-Accelerated Growth and Luck

Curse

[Curse Of The Nine-tailed Fox]

-Enhanced abilities temporary when consumed by anger.

-Effects may cause user to lose control

-if not mastered it can cause harm to user

"This is quite uncommon," Artemis remarked thoughtfully as she examined the paper on which Naruto's status was printed. "Typically, when an individual first receives a Falna, they possess no skills, let alone two and a curse."

"So, is that a good thing?" Naruto asked. He was new to this whole thing, but at least he could feel he was a bit stronger. He had to set traps and use his survival training in order to survive thus far. Now, he was able to fight stronger monsters.

"Honestly, I have no idea, but we'll sort it out, especially with this curse you're dealing with," Artemis said. The goddess sensed that the curse was more potent than indicated in the status report, but for the time being, she would observe how much stronger Naruto could become.

As time went on, Artemis came to the realization that she needed to confront her past, and it was also time for Naruto to embark on his journey as an adventurer. His development had stalled since the forest they inhabited lacked formidable monsters to push him to his limits. However, the dungeon in Orario housed incredibly powerful creatures that would provide the challenge he needed.

Flashback Scene End

City Of Orario

At the adventurer guild, 16-year-old Naruto stood alongside Artemis as they prepared to officially register him. Their goal was to gain access to the dungeon and enhance his strength.

The two walked up to the front desk to set the guild employees, one with pink hair and the other an elf with short brunette hair who wore glasses.

"Hello, my name is Eina Tulle and this is Misha Flott. How may we help you today, my lady?" the brown-haired elf named Eina asked. She clearly recognized Artemis or at least knew she was a goddess.

Artemis pointed out Naruto, who was watching the guild and its various members, and said, "I would be grateful if you could sign him up."

The elf turned to the goddess and then back to Naruto, displaying a face full of shock and confusion. "Are you certain, Lady Artemis? He's a male, and I thought you only accepted females," Eina remarked calmly, eager to hear the goddess's response.

"I made an exception to my usual rule for my Familia this time, so please go ahead and register Naruto," Artemis said, noting the elf's confusion about allowing a male to join her Familia, especially since she had always only welcomed virgin females in the past.

As the two engaged in conversation, the pink-haired guild employee observed Naruto, curious about what made him so remarkable that a goddess, known for only accepting female adventurers, would choose to take him in.

Misha was drawn to the blonde teenager's wild appeal, reminiscent of a beast man with his facial whisker marks. His striking blonde hair and blue eyes caught her attention, and his physique appeared strong—not in a bulky way, but rather with a focus on agility and stamina.

"Alright, if you're sure, I'll sign him up in the guild as one of your Familia," Eina told Artemis, then looked over at Naruto to get his attention. "You will need to complete a form providing us with some basic information about yourself."

"Sure, I got this," Naruto said while grabbing the form from the elf, but then Artemis took it from him, catching the Uzumaki and the guild staff off guard. "Why'd you do that?"

"I'll take care of filling out the form for you," Artemis replied, earning a raised eyebrow from Eina. "We both know that adventurers aren't required to complete every section of the form, particularly the part about their skills and magic; they only need to indicate their level."

Eina acknowledged the importance of keeping one's skills and magic hidden as an adventurer. While it's common for adventurers to utilize their abilities to progress through dungeon levels, there are instances when different Familia may engage in conflict. Additionally, concealing one's talents from other gods and goddesses is a strategic decision.

As Artemis completed the registration form, Eina found herself reminiscing about her previous encounter with the goddess when she had just joined the guild. At that time, Artemis exuded confidence that almost crossed into arrogance, proudly showcasing her Familia members' abilities. However, now she seemed to be holding those skills back.

Eina suspects that the loss of all her Familia members must have transformed Artemis, as there’s no way she would have permitted a male to be part of her Familia in the past.

Eina directed her attention towards the blonde teenager who had recently joined the Artemis Familia. He appeared to possess some beast kin heritage, evident from the whiskers on his face, and his physique was powerful, designed for agility. When she looked into his eyes, she noticed a sense of childlike innocence.

The half-elf speculated that the blonde was likely an orphan that Artemis had discovered and taken in for various reasons. She could only wish that the goddess wasn’t merely using the young boy with whiskers as a way to cope with the sorrow and guilt from losing her former Familia.

"I have finished it," Artemis declared as she handed the form back to Eina, who quickly reviewed it to ensure it was accurately completed before forwarding it to Masha for processing.

Eina informed Naruto, "You'll need to return in an hour to receive your guild ID and a beginner's booklet." Naruto nodded in understanding. She continued, "Once you have your ID, you can begin exploring the dungeons, but I advise you to stick to the upper levels until you become stronger and have more members in your Familia."

"I understand," Naruto said, only partially paying attention to the guild staff, which made her sigh in frustration. Eina hoped he wouldn't just charge into the dungeon and end up in danger. "Regardless, I appreciate the assistance."

"You're welcome, Mr. Uzumaki," the half-elf said courteously, observing as Naruto looked toward the goddess who signaled for them to depart, likely to return to her residence in Orario.

Eina recalled the condition of the former domain of Artemis and her Familia. It had once been one of the finest structures in Orario, but now it had fallen into disrepair and was being utilized as a brothel, with her territory now located in the red-light district.

"Uh oh," Eina exclaimed as she processed the possibility of Artemis witnessing her former territory and home being transformed into the red-light district and a brothel by Ishtar and her Familia.

Chapter End

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A/N: In this tale, I envisioned a scenario where Naruto is transported to the Danmachi universe as a child, following an earlier arrival of the Otsutsuki clan that devastates the Naruto world. I hope you enjoy this Naruto x Danmachi story, featuring Naruto as a member of the Artemis Familia. Until next time, take care! Next up is the confrontation between Ishtar and Artemis.