The Nullifier (CH 1) (Patreon)

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

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Chapter 1: Nulifying Touch

Kuoh Academy

The air in the Occult Research Club was always thick, heavy with the scent of old parchment, expensive tea, and that constant, underlying hum of demonic power. For Akeno Himejima, that weight was a constant companion. It was the crackle of lightning beneath her skin and the bitter, oily stain of her fallen heritage that she kept tucked behind a mask of polite sadism and playful giggles.

But Naruto Uzumaki was a quiet spot in a very loud world.

Before he ever set foot in Kuoh Academy, Naruto had lived a life defined by a singular, terrifying silence. He hadn't been born in Japan, nor was he part of the Three Factions. He’d grown up on the move, a nomad across the elemental nations of a hidden world that few in the modern supernatural community even knew existed. In that world, power was measured in chakra and bloodline limits, but Naruto was born with a defect that turned out to be a god-slaying gift.

He remembered the early days in the leaf-shaded villages of his youth, where the elders looked at him with a mixture of awe and horror. While other kids were learning to mold energy and walk on water, Naruto’s very presence caused their techniques to fizzle out like dying embers. They called it the Nihil Hand, a conceptual mutation that didn't just block energy, it enforced reality. To Naruto, the world was built on a foundation of simple, physical truths. Anything that tried to circumvent those truths through magic, divinity, or demonic pacts was an offense to the universe, and his body was the correction.

He had left that all behind when the conflict grew too loud, seeking a place where he could just be a regular guy. He’d arrived in Kuoh a month ago, hoping the quiet suburbs of Japan would offer a reprieve. Instead, he found a town crawling with feathered wings and bat-like shadows.

From the window of the old school building, Akeno watched him. He sat on a bench in the courtyard, a simple book in his lap. To any other student, he was just a handsome, somewhat aloof transfer student with sun-kissed hair and whisker-like marks on his cheeks. But to Akeno’s refined senses, he was a void. He didn't just lack a magical signature; he seemed to actively erase the ambient mana around him.

"He’s an anomaly, Akeno," Rias Gremory said, her voice tight with uncharacteristic nerves as she stood beside her Queen. "Sona’s peerage tried to tail him yesterday. Tsubaki said the closer she got, the more her Sacred Gear felt like it was falling asleep."

Akeno licked her lips, a predatory glint in her violet eyes. "A boy who makes the supernatural go quiet? My, my. That sounds like a challenge that needs a woman’s touch."

"Be careful," Rias warned. "We don't know what he is."

Akeno didn't answer. She was already thinking about how he would look under her. Would he scream? Would he beg? Or would he simply be extinguished?

The sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the Kuoh Academy grounds in shades of bruised purple and fiery orange when Akeno finally cornered him. Naruto was walking the path behind the gymnasium, a shortcut that was perpetually draped in shadows, perfect for a Devil’s work.

"It’s a bit late for a stroll, Uzumaki-kun," Akeno purred, stepping out from behind a cherry blossom tree. She didn't hide her presence this time. A few sparks of yellow lightning danced across her fingers, casting flickering shadows against the brick wall.

Naruto stopped. He didn't jump. He didn't reach for a weapon. He just turned his head, his blue eyes calm, too calm. "Himejima-senpai. I figured you’d stop following me eventually. You’ve been at it for three days."

Akeno giggled, the sound melodic but sharp. "Oh? And here I thought I was being subtle. You’re quite the observant one." She closed the distance, her hips swaying with practiced grace. "My President is very curious about you. You’re a blank spot in our world, Naruto. And I’ve always had a habit of filling in the blanks."

She raised a hand, her palm glowing with the crackle of holy-lightning. It wasn't a lethal dose, just enough to paralyze, to show him the hierarchy of power in this town. "Why don't you come with me? I promise to make the interrogation... enjoyable."

Naruto sighed, looking more annoyed than threatened. "You really shouldn't use that stuff near me. It’s messy."

"Is it?" Akeno licked her lips and lunged, her hand reaching for his shoulder to deliver the shock.

The moment her skin made contact with the fabric of his jacket, and then the skin of his neck, the world didn't explode. It didn't crackle. It died.

The lightning in her palm didn't just dissipate; it ceased to have ever existed. The constant, buzzing pressure of her demonic power, the weight of her father’s fallen grace and her mother’s blood, simply vanished.

Akeno gasped, but no sound came out. Her knees buckled. It wasn't weakness; it was the sudden, terrifying lightness of being human. For the first time since her childhood, the stain was gone. She felt the cool evening breeze on her skin, not as a sensory input filtered through a magical veil, but as a girl. Just a girl.

"What... what did you do?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Naruto caught her by the elbows, steadying her. His hands were warm. They weren't the hands of a monster or a god. They were the hands of a person. "It’s called the Nihil Hand," he said softly. "I don't block power, Akeno. I unmake it. To me, the supernatural is just a dream that needs to wake up."

Akeno looked down at her hands. They weren't glowing. There were no sparks. She felt hollow. But it wasn't the agonizing emptiness she expected. It was a terrifying, addictive purity.

"Do it again," she breathed, her violet eyes wide and unfocused.

Naruto blinked, his brow furrowing. "Do what?"

"Touch me," she demanded, her voice losing its playful edge and replacing it with a raw, desperate hunger. She grabbed his wrists, pulling his palms onto her cheeks.

The moment his skin touched hers again, the noise of her heritage vanished. The internal war between her Devil side and her Fallen Angel side fell silent. She felt a wave of peace so profound it brought tears to her eyes. She leaned into his touch, her breath hitching.

"My wings..." she whispered. "I can't feel them. The darkness... it’s gone."

Naruto looked down at her, his expression softening. He had seen this look before, the desperation of those who lived under the thumb of the divine. "It’s only temporary, Akeno. As long as I’m touching you, the supernatural elements of your biology are suppressed. You’re just human right now."

"Then don't let go," she snapped, her fingers digging into his forearms. "Please. Just for a minute. Don't let go."

Fast Forward

The following week was a blur for the Occult Research Club. Akeno Himejima, the Sadistic Priestess, had abandoned her post. She was glued to Naruto Uzumaki. They sat together in the cafeteria. They walked together between classes. Akeno was always touching him, a hand on his arm, her shoulder pressed against his.

"Akeno, this has gone far enough," Rias said, cornering them behind the library. Rias looked frantic; the power balance in Kuoh was shifting because her Queen was effectively offline. "He’s doing something to you. You aren't yourself!"

Akeno looked at her King, and for the first time, Rias saw a look of genuine pity in Akeno’s eyes. "No, Rias. For the first time in ten years, I am myself. I’m not a tool for the Gremory family. I’m not a filthy half-breed. When I’m with him, I’m just Akeno."

"He’s neutralizing your power! You’re defenseless!" Rias reached out to grab Akeno’s hand, but Naruto stepped between them.

"She’s not a weapon, Gremory," Naruto said, his voice dropping an octave. "She’s a person. If she wants to feel human for a while, that’s her choice. Walk away."

Rias flinched. The closer she got to Naruto, the more her own Power of Destruction felt like it was dissolving into nothingness. She turned and vanished in a circle of red magic.

Akeno didn't even watch her go. She turned back to Naruto, her face flushing. "You defended me."

"I don't like people being treated like they don't have their own wills," Naruto muttered. "And you are decent company."

Akeno stepped into his personal space, her heart hammering against her ribs, a normal, human heart rate. "Decent? Is that all?" She reached up, sliding her hands behind his neck, pulling his face down to hers. "I’ve spent my life being addicted to pain, Naruto. Both giving it and receiving it. But this silence you give me? It’s the most potent drug I’ve ever tasted."

She didn't wait for him to answer. She kissed him. It wasn't a Devil’s kiss. There was no magic. It was clumsy, hot, and intensely real. The moment their lips met, Akeno felt the final vestiges of her supernatural burden evaporate. She felt the texture of his lips, the warmth of his breath, and the solid reality of his body against hers.

She let out a soft moan, her body melting into his. She wanted more. She wanted to know how deep this silence went.

"Naruto," she whispered against his lips. "My apartment is empty. I want to see what happens when there’s nothing between us at all. No clothes. No magic. Just... this."

Naruto’s eyes darkened. He didn't pull away. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him. "You’re moving fast, Akeno."

"I've wasted too much time trapped in a falsehood," she said, her gaze intense with longing. "I crave an authentic experience."

Chapter End

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A/N: In this story, the world of Naruto intersects with the realm of DxD, but with some key distinctions. Unlike in his original universe, Naruto lacks Chakra; instead, he possesses the ability to nullify supernatural abilities. I hope you all appreciate the story, and I look forward to our next adventure.