The forest was eerily still.
Only moments ago, the trees had trembled beneath roaring chakra. Bodies had dropped, lives ended. But now… there was silence.
Asmodeus stood alone, his hand still tingling from the black mist he had summoned.
He didn't speak.
Didn't move.
Just stared at the empty space where the ANBU's body had been. Not a bone, not a scrap of cloth remained. Only the faint scent of ash in the air.
Did I just... eat him?
He didn't feel sick. He didn't feel regret. No nausea, no guilt.
Instead… he felt powerful.
Stronger than he'd ever felt in either life.
A strange warmth pulsed through his veins, as if something new had settled inside him. Not just physical strength. This was deeper—like instinct, memory, and muscle all fusing into one.
He's part of me now. Not just the body… the skills. The knowledge.
He closed his eyes. Images flooded in—not from his own past, but someone else's.
A blade flashing in the dark. A child being carried through a burning village. Orders spoken in secret. Faces of comrades. Missions, strategies, passwords.
They weren't just memories.
They were imprints.
Asmodeus opened his eyes again. This time, his gaze was sharper. Colder. Clearer.
He knelt and touched the forest floor. Pressed two fingers to the dirt. Checked the moisture. The angle of fallen branches.
Two people passed here minutes ago. The one with the heavier foot… injured.
The thought came naturally. He hadn't learned it—he remembered it.
But they weren't his memories.
Sentaro's instincts… they're mine now.
He rose slowly, eyes tracing the treeline.
If I can devour people and inherit not just chakra—but skills, talents, even their memories…
A pause.
Then I'm already the most dangerous thing in this world.
But Danger Isn't Power Without Control
Asmodeus walked deeper into the woods. Not because he was afraid—but because he needed space. Distance from prying eyes. A place to understand what he had become.
Birdsong returned. Leaves whispered in the wind.
He found a clearing where the trees formed a perfect circle—a quiet arena surrounded by green. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the canopy.
He took a breath.
Then ran.
His feet barely touched the ground. Each stride faster than the last. He weaved between trees like a shadow, movement smooth, almost silent. The forest blurred.
He leapt. Grabbed a branch mid-air. Flipped, landed with catlike balance.
Then dropped down again.
Panting slightly, he looked at his hands. Veins pulsed beneath pale skin, chakra humming beneath the surface.
This wasn't the strength of his old world. This was something else.
I'm a child in appearance… but I just moved like an assassin.
Still, he knew he wasn't ready.
Testing "Devour" Again
Later, he stumbled upon the corpse of a small fox—likely killed in the earlier chaos. Blood dried at its side.
He knelt slowly. Not out of reverence—but curiosity.
He whispered, "Devour."
The fog returned—slower this time. More controlled. It swirled around the dead animal like a curious spirit, then pulled inward, vanishing.
The fox was gone.
[Devour Complete]
[+Speed: +19]
[+Strength: +13]
[+Chakra: +7]
[+Senses: Minor Enhancement]
[+Instincts: Animal Reflexes - Passive]
He blinked.
Even a fox gave something.
Every death adds something. Even minor things.
If I devoured a Hyuuga… would I gain the Byakugan?
The temptation burned at the edge of his mind.
But he pushed it away.
Not now. I can't become what I hate—powerful, reckless, loud. This world has rules. I need to stay silent. Smart.
Nightfall. And A Plan
The sun dipped below the horizon. The forest grew colder, quieter.
Asmodeus sat on a high branch, legs swinging gently. He watched the village in the distance. Lanterns flickered. Smoke from hearths curled lazily into the sky.
Konoha.
The Hidden Leaf.
A place of shinobi and secrets.
I need to go there. Not to show my power—but to understand this world.
He thought of Naruto. Kakashi. The Academy. The Chūnin Exams. The Akatsuki.
He already knew how this world unfolded.
But he didn't know when he had landed.
Was Naruto still a child? Had Itachi massacred the Uchiha yet?
I need information. And Konoha is the best place to start.
But he wouldn't walk in like a prodigy.
No. That would draw attention. Too many eyes. I'll go in weak. Play the orphan. Just another lost soul with chakra.
He grinned.
Let them underestimate me. That's the fun part.
Approaching the Village
The next morning, dressed in scavenged civilian clothes, Asmodeus walked slowly toward the gate.
Two Chūnin stood watch, arms crossed. They noticed him immediately.
"Hey, kid! Stop right there."
He obeyed. Head bowed. Feet bare.
One of them stepped forward, kunai slightly raised. "Where are you from?"
"I… I don't know," he said quietly.
His voice trembled—just enough to be convincing.
"I woke up in the forest. I think… I was with someone. Then there was fighting. I ran. I just ran."
His eyes darted side to side. Not in panic—but in performance.
The older guard narrowed his eyes. "What's your name?"
"…Asmodeus."
He made it sound like he had just remembered it.
The second guard leaned closer. "Where are your parents?"
"I don't… I don't know. I think they're dead."
The guards exchanged glances.
Hook. Now reel them in.
"I felt… weird. Like my skin was burning. I could hear things. I think… I have chakra?"
Now they were interested.
Minutes later, another man approached. Scarred face. Warm expression.
"Iruka Umino," he said with a kind smile. "I'm a teacher at the Academy. You're lucky we found you. This forest isn't safe."
Asmodeus nodded, eyes lowered. He didn't speak unless spoken to.
"Tell me something," Iruka said gently. "When did you first feel your chakra?"
Asmodeus hesitated. Then whispered, "When I ran. I was scared. I ran so fast… it felt like I flew."
Iruka chuckled lightly. "Sounds like chakra to me."
He stood. "We'll take you in. The Hokage will want to meet you."
Asmodeus looked up at the gates.
Let the Leaf believe I'm just another stray. They'll feed me, house me, train me...
And when the time comes—I'll be ready.
He stepped forward.
And so the devil entered the village, not in fury or flame—
—but in silence, wearing a child's face.