Digital Emperor (Naruto X Digimon)

The city lights flickered in the distance as the team returned to their hotel, exhausted from their journey. The familiar hum of the bustling streets outside provided a contrast to the calm that settled over the team as they each retreated to their rooms. All except for Naruto.

Unlike the others, he wasn't tired. His body had reached a point where rest was more of a luxury than a necessity. At his current level, he could go three days without sleep, and that limit would only increase as his power continued to grow. At his prime, he would be able to go an entire month without rest, needing only an hour of sleep to recover fully.

For now, three hours was more than enough.

Instead of forcing himself to sleep, Naruto decided to explore the city. They had been staying at an average hotel rather than relying on their family connections, a decision made to prepare for future travels where luxury wouldn't always be an option. Not every city had a Family base, and they needed to be accustomed to life outside of that comfort.

As he made his way downstairs, heading toward the reception area, he was just about to step outside when someone surprising walked in.

Na So Ri.

The moment she entered, she effortlessly commanded attention. It wasn't just her looks—though they were undeniably striking—but the way she carried herself, exuding confidence and style in every movement.

She was dressed casually, yet there was nothing ordinary about her appearance. A white top clung to her figure beneath a sleek black and gold jacket, paired with black shorts that highlighted her long legs. Her knee-high boots added a final touch of elegance, making her look as if she had stepped straight out of a high-end magazine.

She had been in contact with Naruto and knew where he was staying, so this meeting wasn't entirely unexpected. Still, it was a surprise to see her in person after some time apart.

When her gaze met his, her expression brightened, her lips curling into a smile as she walked toward him with purpose.

Before he could say a word, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her body against his in a warm embrace.

"I missed you, love," she purred, her voice dripping with affection.

Naruto smirked at the way she played the role of a devoted lover so effortlessly. Anyone else might have been fooled by that sweet voice, by the adoring look in her eyes. But he wasn't just anyone.

His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her in slightly as he leaned closer to whisper in her ear.

"You don't have to act like that. I prefer honesty."

For a moment, So Ri said nothing. Then, she pulled back just enough to look him in the eye, a small smirk forming on her lips.

"I was seeing what you prefer," she admitted.

The truth was, not all of it was an act. While she had once seen Naruto as nothing more than another powerful man she could manipulate, he had slowly become the only person she genuinely wanted to be around. At first, she had treated their relationship like all the others—a lot of fun, a lot of indulgence, and a lot of power plays.

But Naruto wasn't like the men she had strung along in the past.

She had built a reputation for herself, playing her admirers like a game, leading them on, keeping them desperate for her attention while they emptied their wallets to satisfy her whims. It was never about love for her; it was about control. The power of knowing that men would do anything just to stay in her orbit.

She hadn't forced them into it. They had given her everything willingly, throwing themselves at her feet with the hope of something more. And when they got nothing, when they finally realized that she had no intention of returning their affections, the anger always came.

They called her a liar. A thief. A heartless woman.

But to her, they had been nothing but fools.

That was the past.

Everything changed when she got involved with Naruto. She had expected him to be like the others—another powerful man who could give her more wealth, more status, more luxury. But instead of being someone she could use, he had become someone she couldn't let go of.

She had cut off everyone else, severing ties with all the men she had played before. Some of them had lashed out in frustration, claiming they had wasted their time and money on her. But she hadn't cared.

She hadn't cared about their pain. She hadn't cared about the anger, the depression, the resentment.

But Naruto had.

He had kept an eye on her past, on the damage she had left behind. And when he saw the harm she had caused, he didn't just stand by. He sent people to help. He cleaned up her mess, made sure the people she had hurt didn't spiral into something worse. Some of them had been on the brink of breaking, their emotions pushing them toward self-destruction—or worse, revenge.

If he hadn't intervened, there would have been casualties. Some of them might have taken their own lives. Others might have turned into something far darker, lashing out in ways that couldn't be undone.

Naruto had prevented that.

And now, So Ri found herself standing before him, not as the manipulative woman who used others for her gain, but as someone trying—truly trying—to be different.

"You knew, didn't you?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

Naruto met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "I did."

"And you fixed it."

"I couldn't let it go unchecked," he replied. "Not when people were suffering because of it."

So Ri took a deep breath, looking away for a moment before meeting his gaze again. There was no point in pretending with him.

"I don't regret cutting them off," she admitted. "I don't feel bad for using them. But… I don't want to be that person anymore."

Naruto studied her for a long moment before speaking. "Then don't be."

It was such a simple answer, yet it held more weight than anything else she had heard.

For the first time in her life, Na So Ri wasn't trying to manipulate the man in front of her. She wasn't trying to play a role. She wasn't trying to be anything other than what she was.

And somehow, that was enough.

Naruto's arms tightened around her slightly, his voice softer now. "Stay with me tonight."

She looked up at him, surprised by his words. But she saw no judgment in his eyes. No pity. Just acceptance.

A slow smile spread across her lips as she leaned into his embrace once more.

"Alright."

The night air was cool against their skin as Naruto and Na So Ri strolled through the lively streets of the city. The neon lights reflected in the puddles on the pavement, painting a vibrant scene around them.

"I didn't know you had a sweet side," Naruto remarked, his sharp blue eyes locking onto hers.

Na So Ri tilted her head slightly, an amused smile playing on her lips. "I didn't know either. Maybe you're just too good."

Naruto smirked. "I know I'm good, but I haven't finished yet."

Before she could ask what he meant, he let go of their embrace and instead took her hand, leading her forward. He had come out for a walk, and he wasn't going to change his plans now.

Na So Ri glanced at their intertwined hands, then back at Naruto. There was no hesitation in his actions, no underlying motive in his touch. It was as if she had no power over him at all. That alone made him different from all the others.

"What haven't you finished?" she asked, pressing herself against his arm as they walked.

Naruto was unlike any man she had ever been with. He never fed her empty words of love. He never played the role of a desperate admirer, hanging onto her every move. He never once told her he loved her, not even as a lie.

From the beginning, he had been brutally honest.

"I like your looks and your style," he had told her once. "But I don't like your actions."

And now, as they walked through the city, he continued with the same brutal honesty that set him apart.

"Your personality is terrible, and you're a horrible person," Naruto stated, his voice as calm as if he were discussing the weather. "Keep walking this path, and you'll never get what you truly want in life—just the crumbs."

Na So Ri blinked. For a moment, she wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly.

She had been cursed at before. Men she had played, manipulated, and discarded had shouted insults at her in their anger. They had called her names, accused her of being a monster, a heartless witch, a user. But it had always been after they had lost something to her—after she had taken what she wanted from them.

This was different.

Naruto wasn't saying these things out of bitterness or hate. He wasn't someone she had wronged. He wasn't looking for revenge. He was just stating the truth.

And the worst part? She knew he wasn't wrong.

She let out a breathless laugh, but there was no real amusement in it. It was the first time she had ever been confronted like this by a man she was currently seeing.

More than that, Naruto had told her he could read emotions. There was no point in trying to mask her reaction.

She had expected him to be like the others—powerful, confident, and ruthless. She had assumed that, once he got what he wanted, he would discard her or break her just like she had done to so many others.

She had imagined a future where he used her, played with her, and then crushed her like a bug once he got bored.

But he didn't.

Instead of taking her to bed, instead of making her pay for her past, he did something unexpected.

He took her on a date.

Not a flashy, extravagant display of wealth and power, but a simple night out. They walked together, talked about life, about ambitions, about the things they wanted out of this world.

There was no sex.

No blackmail.

No threats of social destruction.

Just conversation.

And then, at the end of the night, he sent her home.

That week, they continued to talk. More than she had ever talked to anyone before. And with each conversation, she felt something shift inside her.

Attraction had always been part of the equation—she wasn't blind to his looks, his power, his presence. But this was something more.

She wanted to make him look at her.

Not just as a passing fancy. Not just as another woman in his life.

For the first time, she wanted to be chosen.

The night sky stretched endlessly above them, the stars twinkling in silent witness to their conversation. The city, usually alive with the hum of vehicles, was eerily quiet. Advanced noise-control devices muted the sound of traffic, allowing only the soft rustle of leaves and the distant murmur of nightlife to fill the air.

As they walked side by side, Naruto turned his head slightly and smirked. "I haven't finished taking your heart and soul. You're still a naughty little girl," he said, his voice carrying both amusement and certainty.

Na So Ri chuckled, her eyes glimmering with mischief. "Hehe, I thought you liked my naughty personality."

"I like naughty to a level," Naruto admitted. "Yours is over the boundary."

She tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "And… do you think I can change?"

It was a rare moment of honesty from her. Beneath the layers of deception and playfulness, a part of her genuinely wondered—was he serious? Did he actually believe she could become someone different?

She could act, of course. She could pretend to change, just as she had pretended to be a hundred different versions of herself for men in the past. But true change? That wasn't easy. And more importantly, she had never had a reason to be a "good girl."

Naruto halted his steps, his grip firm yet gentle as he turned to face her. The glow of streetlights cast shadows over his face, highlighting the sharp edges of his jawline and the warmth in his deep blue eyes.

"Love changes everyone," he said, his voice dropping to a lower, almost hypnotic tone. "And I can change everyone. There has been no person that has resisted my charm. Can you deny it, my little canary?"

Before she could respond, he moved.

With effortless grace, he pressed her gently against the cold wall of a building, his tall frame casting her in shadow. His arms caged her in, but there was no aggression—only confidence. Playfulness. A silent challenge.

His piercing gaze held hers, and she felt it again—that strange pull, like an invisible force drawing her closer.

She should have been wary. Should have laughed it off. Should have played her usual game and made him chase her instead.

But she didn't.

Instead, she found herself drawn in, her heartbeat picking up as she stared into those impossibly deep eyes.

She had spent years perfecting the art of seduction. She knew what power lay in a confident gaze, in a whispered word, in the right amount of distance and closeness. But right now, Naruto was the one wielding those weapons—and she was the one caught in the spell.

A wry smile played on her lips. "Are you saying you'll make me fall in love? Do you really want that? I thought you just liked my body and style," she murmured, raising a hand to his face.

Her fingers traced the sharp line of his jaw, then moved lower, teasingly brushing against his lips.

Naruto didn't flinch. He didn't lean into her touch, nor did he pull away.

His voice remained steady, unwavering.

"I just desire for you to walk a better path," he said.

His words weren't seductive, but they held weight—an undeniable force that settled deep in her chest.

"I wish for this world to eradicate all evil from its system," he continued. "And for that purpose, I don't sideline even the small evils. You don't see how your actions cause harm, but I see it clearly. It's better for you to change before the darkness consumes you completely."

Na So Ri felt a strange unease creep into her.

"You treat weak people like bugs," Naruto went on, leaning in until his breath brushed against her ear. "But do you want to be treated like a bug by those above you? Isn't it hypocritical that it's only wrong when it concerns you?"

She stiffened.

The words struck deeper than she expected.

It wasn't the first time Naruto had said something like this. He had told her before, in that same calm yet piercing tone.

But this time…

This time, it wasn't just words.

This time, something changed.

A wave of emotions—foreign, unwelcome—crashed into her.

She saw it.

Visions of people she had left in ruin. Men she had manipulated, men she had broken. The hollow expressions, the shame, the despair. Families torn apart by the games she had played.

She had always brushed it off, convinced herself that it was their own fault. That they had been weak, foolish, deserving of their fate.

But now—now she felt it.

The weight of it.

Their pain.

Their anger.

Their suffering.

Her breath hitched.

She tried to shake it off, to push it away. But Naruto's presence, his words, his energy—it was like a mirror, forcing her to look at what she had ignored for so long.

Her hands clenched into fists.

"Are you going to leave me with these thoughts?" she asked, her voice quieter than before.

Her usual teasing lilt was gone.

Naruto remained close, his gaze steady.

"These things will only make me want you to take responsibility," she whispered.

She wasn't entirely sure what she meant by those words.

But for the first time in a long time, she felt lost.

And Naruto…

Naruto was the only one who felt real in that moment.

Na So Ri barely had time to react before Naruto caught her head in his hands and pressed his lips to hers.

And what a kiss it was.

Her entire world melted away, replaced by the intoxicating sensation of his touch. The heat of his lips, the slow, deliberate way he deepened the kiss—it sent shivers down her spine. She wasn't just kissing him; she was drowning in him.

Her arms wrapped around him desperately, fingers clutching at his clothes as if afraid he would disappear. The fire in her veins burned hotter, an all-consuming inferno that refused to be tamed.

She was lost.

Time ceased to matter.

The world outside faded into nothing.

For ten whole minutes, they stayed like that—locked together, bodies pressed close, lips moving in a dance that neither wanted to end.

And then—

Naruto pulled away.

Na So Ri let out a desperate whine, her breathing ragged, her entire body trembling. She looked completely undone, her usual sharp, calculating mind drowned in pure, dizzying pleasure. Her half-lidded eyes, clouded with lust, locked onto him as though she couldn't believe he had stopped.

It was even better than last time.

Her lips parted, and a single plea escaped.

"Please… more."

She hugged him tightly, trying to pull him back, but he didn't comply.

Her brows furrowed. Confusion. Frustration. Need.

"Why?" she demanded, her voice breathless, almost slurred.

Naruto chuckled, the sound deep and knowing. "I'm tired and not in the mood."

"Liar," she accused, her words slightly jumbled. "Impossible."

Her mind was so fogged with desire that even speaking properly was difficult.

Naruto's smirk widened. He reached out, gently patting her cheek before pulling her into a warm hug.

"Try to win my heart, and we'll see," he murmured against her ear.

She stiffened.

That smug bastard.

He knew. He knew exactly what she wanted.

And instead of giving in, he was making her play his game.

The worst part? She had no power to resist.

She wanted to fight back, to reclaim control, but…

She couldn't.

Because he was just too good.

She had never once seen him act out of control. He was always calm, always composed, always the one dictating the pace. And now, with her reduced to a mere toy in his hands, that control of his felt absolutely unshakable.

For a brief moment, she considered stepping back, regaining her distance.

But then she realized—

She didn't need to.

Everything she desired… she could achieve by his side.

Her lips curled into a pout.

"So unfair!"

Naruto laughed softly. "I'll give you a gift for surprising me."

Before she could ask what he meant, he leaned in again, pressing another kiss to her lips.

It was softer this time, almost gentle.

And then—

Her vision blurred.

Darkness took over.

She slipped into unconsciousness, cradled in his arms.

But it wasn't an empty sleep.

Naruto gave her a dream.

A dream where she was in his embrace, where she had everything she had ever wanted. A dream where she spent the night with him, where she was his in every sense of the word.

It felt real.

Every touch.

Every whisper.

Every fleeting moment of happiness.

For the first time in her life, Na So Ri dreamed of something… perfect.

And unlike her usual dreams—

This was one she would remember.