Peace cannot be made by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.
An hour later, the crowd's cheers still echoed in my ears as I stood in the gift shop near the portal entrance to Kyoto with Yasaka. Nearby the kill team in shocked silence was looking at the fox-shaped badges they had each been given after we returned here. An honor no human had ever been given before we were told. The team had kept staring at them till Kuroka gently started pushing them one by one out of the shop till only one remained. That person was the Cajun who in a corner of the shop stood with the male nekomata and his daughters. There she was, blushing furiously at something the father said to her before finally the trio of cats finally left, with the father being particularly smug.
The womanblushed in a semi-haze even as she moved to the portal passing by a newly returned Kuroka. My queen walked to my side leaning on me slightly before wrapping her arm around me getting a wide grin from Yasaka before I fixed eyes with her.
"You didn't need to do that for us."
Yasaka smiled even wider as her fox ears flicked in amusement.
"I didn't but the Shinto told me you wouldn't take a reward for this deed otherwise. Yet that wasn't the only reason for this, as it helps me in a few other ways."
The shop's door opened, and Kunou and Kiyomi stepped in making their way towards their mother. The sisters were now smiling like their mother, and I looked at the trio before asking.
"How so?"
Yasaka's grin grew as did Kunou and Kiyomi before the trio let out a stream of giggles before Yasaka finally answered.
"First and foremost, to enjoy myself. We kitsunes love pranks and I have been in need of a good one for several months. Beware, Gregor-kun Hana might blush and act innocent like no tomorrow, but she is the worst of the four of us."
I wanted to slap my face, as Kuroka joined the renewed giggles before Yasaka stopped growing more serious, though she kept her smile.
"The much more important reason is that I have been trying for several years to convince the city's nobility to eventually allow me to open up Er-Kyoto to humans in the know. Your people's actions today help me immensely with that goal."
That made me sigh, as that was understandable before I snarked.
"Glad to be of service."
Kuroka giggled again as did Kunou and Yasaka while Kiyomi got a micro glare.
"You might actually be good enough for Hana."
Kunou's dignified giggle became a genuine laugh while Kuroka said smugly.
"He is worthy of her, the rest of us, and all the stars in the galaxy nya~."
It was now my turn to be amused by the joke and the fact that Kiyomi narrowed her
eyes at us.
"He still has a mountain to climb with me kitty."
Kiyomi turned around flicking her tails at the two of us before making her way to the
door. It opened with the bell ringing, making Kunou and Yasaka smile before Kunou gently laughed.
"Yomi is a tsundere and that was a good sign for you. I'm going to head back to the Palace Mother and make sure that the Dentõ now likely there don't riot."
Kunou turned, following her sister, and then she looked over her shoulder at me.
"You now have my full approval, Gregor-kun, for Hana. Thank you for helping us today."
Kunou turned from me, heading out the door, though her tails wagged again in amusement as I heard a faint giggle before the door closed. Yasaka let out another series of giggles, clearly enjoying this as her tails flicked about in amusement, and it seemed like she didn't get this often. That and the fact that Kuroka put her head in the crook of my neck, purring loudly, made me let this slide. Yasaka finally stopped giggling at me before the joy left her face, and the ruler returned as she sighed.
"I sadly will be needed for the Dentõ too. They have been upset with me since I allowed Lady Leviathan's pawn into the city. Lady Magari especially will complain as she has held a massive grudge against devils ever since the extinction of the nekoshou at their hands. Some of her retainers have been looking for any excuse to cause trouble at the embassy."
Kuroka stopped purring at that moment before her face hardened.
"We aren't extinct nya. My sister and I still live, and both of us have chosen this sexy, smart, noble hero as our mate."
Yasaka frowned before peering closely at Kuroka, studying her intently. Then, her gold eyes widened, and a smile crossed her face.
"I see. Apologies, your demonic power masked your youkai energy. I assumed you were just a regular nekomata."
Yasaka's gold eyes grew calculating.
"Would it be too much to ask you to stay a few hours and talk to Lady Magari?"
Kuroka got a determined look in her eyes as she took her head out of my crook.
"I will nya. Besides, I owe you for finally getting my mate the recognition he deserves, even if he doesn't think he should get it. I will be back later, Sexy nya."
Kuroka left my side, joining Yasaka as the two approached the door. Just before they were about to leave, Yasaka turned my way.
"I will try to find whatever this Nanki is. However, given the size of my libraries, it might take some time. I will have Hana get you when I have found something."
Yasaka gave me one last smile before she and Kuroka left the shop, leaving me alone. There was a moment of pure silence before I remembered the cheering and that title lingering even as I made my way toward the portal.
Five minutes later, the noise and voice were still with me as I stepped out onto our base grounds and walked towards the front door. As I opened the double doors, I came across the middle part of a large group of skitarii walking up the hall. At their head was Paula, and the group passed by without noticing me. I saw that they were all veterans of the battle against Kokabiel. The group continued up
the hall before it began disappearing with several questions being asked as I turned the other direction heading toward the cogitator department where Conner would hopefully be.
As I turned down the hallway and drew nearer to the door, I was less than three steps from it when it suddenly opened revealing a smirking Conner and grinning Issari walking out together talking about something. The two were in an excellent mood before Issari caught sight of me and lost her grin.
"Gregor-kun. Did everything go well?"
I approached the two as Conner looked my way before I stopped on his left.
"It went well, though there were a few hiccups. I have something for you both from it."
I opened my pocket spell and brought out the manual and the laptop. Issari took the book and Conner the laptop before my best friend asked.
"Do you know if this was the Hero Faction or someone else?"
I sighed remembering the fight.
"I'm all but certain it was the Hero Faction. They all wore a patch with a gold H and were too well-trained and equipped to be some random group. However, I am very concerned as they were calling the killing of the hostages 'justice', which I don't like at all."
That made Conner frown and Issari scowl darkly before dragon growls started.
"How is that justice!"
The chestnut continued her growls before Conner sighed.
"I can see the dark logic there sadly. Many sacred gear users are quickly targeted by devils and many other supernaturals almost as soon as they are discovered, and often their family members don't survive the encounter. I'll get right to work on this as even if this isn't the Hero Faction, an organization focused around that kind of philosophy of vengeance is dangerous."
Issari was still dragon growling despite that, and I remarked.
"They were using military-grade body armor, helmets, and very well-made cutlasses, none of which are easy to steal without someone noticing. You sure you have enough time, given the magician we captured yesterday?"
Conner tucked the laptop under his right arm.
"I'm finished with them, actually. They had very little new information for us, as it seems Nilrem is extremely decentralized and doesn't give information out easily. They didn't even know what Nanki is as they were replacing another recently promoted magician. When I was done with them, I had Lavinia contact someone from Grauzauberer to pick them up. Apparently, the magician we captured was banished from the Golden Dawn for studying Necromancy, which is forbidden by the established guilds. We were paid a decent sized bounty for them too."
Issari finally stopped growling and grew determined.
"After the conference and I recover from my thing, I will hunt them down! I won't let their shit besmirch magic's honor!"
She had a mini tic mark form saying that, and her knucklehead declaration made Conner and me chuckle before the older man turned and headed back into his domain.
"I'll message you when I crack this. Try not to have too much fun now, kids."
The door closed, and I looked at my best friend before I remembered something and smirked.
"I saw something interesting today, Gecko, regarding a certain French person."
Issari immediately lost the tic mark and grew defensive.
"And! Are you going to try to steal her too!"
That and her slightly red face made the smirk grow wider.
"No. If I wooed said person, how else would you catch up~."
The tic mark returned at full force now.
"Fuck you grasshead Jeanne's mine! I beat her in a duel in less than five minutes yesterday, and she agreed to a proper date and to be with me tomorrow for the surgery!"
That just put a wider smirk on my face as I moved to walk past her.
"Oh really? Perhaps I should bring Jeanne some Astaroth wine and see what she thinks of it."
I began walking towards the teleporter as Issari mega growled and ran to catch up.
"Stay away, or I'll ensure you see your cousin in that outfit again!"
That idea made me shiver and lose the smirk.
"No, thank you once was enough for me. I was teasing Gecko enjoy your French girl."
Issari sent a smug and dirty look as we continued walking before we reached the teleporter, and the chestnut dragon purred now in glee.
"Jeanne is mine and Senpai's. She is considering whether she wants to reincarnate."
That made me pause for a moment to raise an eyebrow.
"Really?"
Issari grew smug as we resumed walking.
"Yes~ She likes the idea of magic and flight, gets along well with Senpai and Kiba-kun, and the fact she would be safe with us from typical devil bullshit."
I remember Jeanne's joke about health insurance.
"I see."
Then I remember the conference. The worry built for a moment before I turned from her to face the teleporter and said over my shoulder.
"Can you please recheck the ward stones before you go home? I'd like not to have to worry about that for tomorrow. And get with Paula because…"
Issari bumped me hard, almost sending me into face first the pad.
"I will triple-check them, you worry wart, even though I did that, then the second part twice before I spoke to Conner. Go and relax asshole."
I glared at her momentarily before sighing as some of my tension left.
"I'll try to get you some wine, iguana, for your recovery party tomorrow. I'll leave it by the med room at the mansion."
Issari beamed before she waved me off and walked down the hallway. Then I stepped on the pad and teleported to the underworld.
Almost as soon as I stepped off the pad and into the great hall, I opened the pocket spell and brought out the knockoff lasgun. Now, with it up close, I could see it was an almost exact visual copy of a Ryza pattern, minus the cog and skull on the chassis. Walking down towards the basement and Hetvia's lab, I looked at it with concern.
Opening the door to the robotics lab, I found that my pawn was gone. However, Mr. Cuddles and Sparkles were still 'sleeping' on robot pads while another half-made Kastalan robot and almost complete Castalia were lying dormant on two other pads. I approached a bench, grabbed a stool and a screwdriver before popping the casing off the gun to examine the inside.
What I found was both concerning and a relief. The gun had over a dozen flaws, with the most damming being the focusing crystal and the power pack. The crystal in this one wasn't the right type to use for expanding and focusing the laser, and the power pack was wired so badly that it could easily explode at any time in use. Those revelations and the other flaws in the gun told me that whoever
made this while brilliant, would still struggle a while before they could perfect this knockoff design. I kept examining each part of the gun, noting all the wire placement and engineering choices on the gun and hearing Koriel's small, snarky inputs. I was so engrossed in this work that I jumped when I felt a sharp finger poke my shoulder.
"Ahhhh!"
My ass lands on the floor hard and I looked behind me to see a smirking Kiryuu.
"Having fun~"
I gave the chestnut a minor glare.
"So much fun. Can I help you, or are you just here to give me a heart attack and
watch me come back?"
Kiryuu's smirk grew wider before changing into a perverted smile as her eyes looked at something. I turned that way to see Magdaran looking intensely at the three robots, especially the Castalia. As he examined the Castalia's human hands, I saw on a timer on one of the robot makers that it was now 6:20. That made me blink in surprise before Kiryuu chuckled very perversely.
"He has been wanting to talk to you since last night. Said you would know why."
My bishop kept the chuckles going as she glanced at Magdaran, and I sighed,
getting up before quickly reassembling the gun.
"Has he been behaving and or trying to use the topside teleporter?"
Kiryuu shrugged before getting her teasing grin.
"He's been good and has stayed away from it ever since I convinced him it led to your private harem chambers here where you have orgies every hour~"
I groan, making Kiryuu descend into a stream of perverted giggles that immediately spook Magdaran. He jumped into the air with his wings coming out shining silver in the light, then fell flat on his face with the wings flowing back into his back. Kiryuu let out genuine giggles this time, and I felt bad
for Magdaran getting up from the stool and putting my hand down to help the Bael up. Magdaran looked up from the floor then paled at whatever Kiryuu was doing behind me quickly reaching up and taking my hand. I helped him to his feet and looked over my shoulder to see Kiryuu whistling innocently. She leaned back and forth on her soles pleased before I gave her an exasperated face.
"Give us a few minutes, please?"
Kiryuu shrugged before smirking perversely at Magdaran, who sweated and hid behind me before skipping out of the room and shutting the door. As soon as the door closed, Magdaran sighed in relief and stopped sweating before I turned to the pureblood.
"I'm guessing this is about your report for your grandfather."
Magdaran micro flinched and nodded quickly.
"Yes. He wants me to send him something every three days. I'm sorry I have to or….. "
I cut off the apology.
"Please show me the letter."
Magdaran looked at the floor before slowly reaching into his pocket, bringing out a scroll, and handing it to me. I take it before unfurling it and beginning to read. Just as he was about to turn from me, I asked him.
"What sort of training do you have if any for combat and what sort of combat type would you prefer ranged or melee?"
Magdaran blinked in surprise and momentarily looked up at my face before looking down again.
"None. Weak things are left behind especially those that shame the great House of Bael."
I held in the sigh having suspected that.
"If you would feel more comfortable off the battlefield, that option is open to you, too."
That made Magdaran still as I continued.
"Another of my pawns is not interested in combat and thus spends most of her time here in the labs. If that is what you want, I have a few empty spare labs, and you can have one. The only exceptions to that rule for you there are ratings games where everyone is required, and something else that my Bishop Ravel Phenex will start handing out to you later."
Magdaran was now blinking like a fish at that information while I continued reading his letter. As I pour over everything written down, I noticed that it was mainly general things about Ryza, including the lighting and the fact humans were in the city yet the most significant section in it was observations about robots. Especially their life-like nature, and I frowned at that. Magdaran, finally breaking from his shock, got ready to flinch as an arm prepared to come up. Seeing that made me even pissed for him before I bite down the wrath.
"This looks fine to me except for the lighting part. Please remove that. I do have a concern about why you mentioned humans being in the city. Is that illegal here in the underworld?"
Magdaran realized he had raised his arm and quickly lowered it before awkwardly
shuffling, still looking down.
"No, it's not. It's just unusual, and some of the nobility will object to them being
here. Not that I'm saying anything against them I just…."
Seeing Magdaran like this brought back even more memories of my long-gone friend, who had also been like this. I lowered the scroll and gently put a hand on Magdaran's shoulder.
"Thank you."
Magdaran had frozen once my hand met his shoulder. Yet those last two words seemed to shake something in him as he fully looked up at my face for the first time since the day, I reincarnated him. In his violet eyes, I saw shocked amazement, and I squeezed him again.
"Thank you for the information. I know you're just trying to help. Despite what he asked you to do in being a spy I don't hold that against you and will do what I promised in changing the fact that they think you are a shame. There are more ways than just pure physical strength to prove that and I will support you through thick and thin like I would any of my pieces. Tell me what you want, and I will do my utmost to get it for you."
Magdaran stared at me throughout my speech, quickly expressing hundreds of emotions on his face before tears started to form as he whispered.
"I want to learn how to fight and be as strong as Sair."
The way he said that finally showed me Magdaran's sin. It was greed and like Hetvia and Azure before him it wasn't fed often as the high here was extremely strong and a smile crept onto my face.
"After I'm finished training you, you will be stronger than him."
Magdaran looked at me in disbelief that I hadn't made fun of him for his dream before I let go of his shoulder and handed him back the scroll.
"We will start training on Friday after I move something down here and finish something up tomorrow. I understand you don't believe me, but like you, Rias and I didn't start strong, and given what I saw from Sairaorg, he didn't either. You will get your dream Magdaran if it's the last thing I do. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a date tonight, and the train ride is long."
Magdaran stared at me for a moment still in disbelief before he lowered his head again expecting disappointment. Yet as he walked towards the door, he walked just a tiny bit taller before opening it and turning left disappearing. A moment later, Kiryuu's head poked around the door, gazing up the hallway, before I approached her after throwing the knock-off lasgun back in a pocket spell.
"Tonight, you should visit your hentai protagonist after he falls asleep. They will be doing some very unfun body enhancement tomorrow morning and could use the support."
Kiryuu got a worried face before it disappeared and morphed into her teasing one.
"I will. The Gecko has been pretty open to the idea, and I want to go over the full first book with her and her Senpai."
The chestnut stepped around the lab door as I closed it and fell into step with me as we ascended the stairs. Just as we hit the main hall and I was about to hit the topside teleporter and Kiryuu the house one, she stopped and looked over her shoulder.
"By the way, you might want to go find the city mayor. She stopped by earlier, looking for you while Maéva was busy with Neri showing the two new maids around. She looked worried about something and was muttering about a church."
That said Kiryuu stepped forward and blinked away as I sighed turning toward the front door.
After a few minutes of walking towards the church I turned down the corner of the street it was on to see a strange sight. A very large crowd was leaving the church and heading up the street the other way. Among the crowd were several of my levies, dozens of commoners, and a group of four people I recognized. That group was the brown-haired little girl with her stuffed rabbit and her family. The little girl was excitedly asking her parents and uncle something as they passed by multiple commoners from the crowd who had stopped outside the church. The group was staring at the emblem above the entrance while wearing faces that were mostly shock and awe before others who looked like family members gently led them away.
The crowd kept walking in the other direction, and as I approached the church entrance, I was surprised when three more people walked out. One was Adria, in awe, staring at the church like the others, while the other two were a woman I recognized as the commoner from the Bael levy and a young man close to her. Both wore rough-looking red robes and looked at Adria expectantly.
Finally, as I approached the three, Adria broke from her awe and looked at the Bael levy.
"I would like to hear more of these ideas you spoke of today in there Speaker."
The Bael levy smiled widely at this before it grew wider as she caught sight of my approach.
"All are welcome to hear of the Machine God, Omnissiah, and the Great Work. Zeric, can you please explain more to our guest?"
The young man bowed slightly.
"I can, Speaker Enelia."
The young man gently led Adria into the church before Enelia faced me. Her eyes met mine, and the smile grew wider before she spoke.
"Omnissiah."
As she looked at me, I saw that the woman before me was no longer beaten down. Now, she stood tall and proud without doubt, and in her brown eyes, I saw that she, too, had embraced the strength and certainty of steel. We looked at each other for a few more seconds as things fell into place before I finally spoke.
"We meet again."
She looked at me with a small smile as she stood under the doorway and the symbol of Mars.
"We do Omnissiah. I have long waited for this moment for I have something to say to you."
Her face turned grateful as she continued.
"That something being thank you. For the leg, his and your protections you put on it for me and for giving me something I had never known I was missing and now will never want in my life. Thank you."
I looked at her and saw she meant all of this before she spoke again.
"I have also been told to tell you thank you from Mira and her peerage mates. They all now live vastly better lives than before thanks to you and him and would like to see this temple to him that they have come to love as much as I do. As we all do."
Her brown eyes looked up at the cog and skull, and she did that, I wondered again why she said missing and again thought on the Cult of the Morningstar and the original Lucifer's non-divine nature, only to receive an answer from my patron. Apparently Big G had used his system to make sure that Lucifer despite the cult and the faith it produced would never be able to become a god like he so desperately wanted after being thrown out of Heaven. The next revelation broke my heart as despite the promised afterlife that the Cult of the Morningstar told devils they went to, they in truth had never known the comfort of an afterlife as instead their souls flowed into the warp to wander alone forever and in pain.
This fate and what so many from the Great War and after suffered made a strange desire well up in me. To go and force the Cult Mechcanicum onto the rest of the devil underworld to save them from that fate. Yet almost immediately that desire was quashed making the silence between the levy and me last for a moment longer before I finally settled on my decision for this cult.
"They are welcome to see it as are any other believers from the Cult of the Cog. It may act in the open here without fear of retaliation from my Grandfather."
The woman's small smile grew ultra wide, and she got ready to say something before I held a hand up for her.
"However, if this cult is to have my backing and support, it must agree to this. That is to cause no trouble here, and it shall never do forced conversions on people here now or ever in the future. Let it only take the willing as he like us needs to grow stronger and only those who truly believe will do that for him."
Enelia thought on that for a moment before she nodded.
"Mira told me her tale and what he said to her. If only true believers can give him the power to do what he did for her, her peerage mates and me then so be it. We in the Cult of the Cog shall heed this decree. Forever."
That had me stumped before the Machine God told me about his miracle for Riser's former peerage, and I smirked as I pulled out the anvil between us under that cog and skull.
"The Church of the Cog. For you are a cult no longer."
Then I picked up the hammer and swung twice before the light came, and resting on it were two proper crimson red robes that official tech priests would wear with the cog and skull on the left side above the heart. Enelia smiles widely before she reaches out and takes both robes as I let the anvil disappear.
"Be warned you might have a Satan drop by to see your church as well as many others from the top side who will start coming here. For not only do devils believe in him but also humans, angels and possibly eventually many more. Let this place be where we all leave the past behind us and reach for a
brighter future together."
Enelia's eyes lit up as she looked at Adria and her assistant, who were still talking inside the church.
"They are welcome to come and see this church. For all are welcome to learn about and join the Great Work. Even those whom I once fought and served."
Her brown eyes narrowed in disgust for a moment before she lost it. Pity came instead as she looked again at the cog and skull.
"They are lost in the darkness that is ignorance like I was. Yet I will make this church a torch and drive back that darkness. One soul at a time like you did for me."
Enelia gripped the red robes hard, standing straighter and taller as footsteps came our way. It was Adria and Zeric walking their way from inside the church. Adria was wearing a thoughtful face about whatever the other devil had said to her. They stopped when Adria realized Enelia and I were outside the church entrance. Adria stiffened before she bowed low.
"Milord! I was just about to go find you and ask about this…."
I gently interrupted her.
"You don't have to worry about that. They have my approval to be here and have already agreed to cause no trouble for the city."
Adria let out a breath of relief before she straightened up.
"I see. I was only worried as one of the original villagers complained about this place, saying it was an affront to the Morningstar."
I barely held in the sneer I had for that before shrugging.
"Tell him he is welcome to speak with the Builder's Guild Head aboutcommissioning a place of worship for the Morningstar, and I will pay for theconstruction myself."
Adria let loose another more profound sigh of relief before straightening up further.
"I will, Milord that will calm him greatly. I shall tell him that and get with your Head Maid. Apologies for bothering you, Milord. I know you're so busy…"
While she had been doing that, Enelia and Zeric backed away from us, heading into the church, whispering to each other before as a robe was passed to the other before I kindly stopped Adria.
"It's fine, Adria, really it is."
Adria relaxed after that, before I gestured to her to follow me.
"I need to get going soon, but since I'm here, please tell me if you have any other major concerns right now."
The woman quickly followed me as we walked up the street away from the church.
The moment I stepped off the pad and into the manor house, blessed silence met me before I set a bottle of Astaroth wine in the medbay before I made my way to the stairs from the basement. I sighed at thinking about how to fix one of Adria's growing problems before the silence disappeared midway up the stairs, as the sound of perverted giggling was heard. The noise grew again as I reached the top and the main hall, and I saw the source of this noise. In the family room, Murayama and a deeply blushing Hana were sitting on the couch as she listened to something Murayama said.
The blushing grew worse after Murayama caught sight of me and whispered something into Hana's fox ear before getting up and heading towards me with a smug grin. My knight stopped at the room entrance and said in a singsong voice.
"Hello Greg~"
Her saying that made Hana break from thinking, only to catch sight of me and start
sputtering. I rolled my eyes and bumped Murayama, whispering.
"Hello to you too. Where are the others?"
Murayama lost her smug grin.
"They are having a pizza night together, discussing something Raynare brought up. I
already said my piece on that and so was with Hana. She's very eager for tonight, Greg~."
I could see that despite Hana's beet red face, she was wagging her nine tails in
excitement, which was ultra cute. Murayama grinned widely before she waved cheekily.
"Have fun, Hana-chan~"
Then the chestnut shimmed out of the room wagging her hips, leaving a still blushing Hana and me alone. Hana kept wagging her tails as the blush died and I got my charming smile out.
"I'm sorry, Hana-san, for being so late. I got caught up examining something."
Hana looked at me and blushed slightly before she said in an excited voice.
"It's alright, Gregor-san. From what Murayama-chan told me today, you have many big plans. Is it really true you made an instantaneous way from the topside to the underworld?"
Hana was excitedly waiting on the edge of her seat for an answer, and I grinned.
"I have yes. Perhaps later tonight or Thursday, I can show you around the underworld manor and city I have there."
Hana's tails stopped wagging for a moment with the confirmation before they went on overdrive, and that intrusive thought returned of what those tails felt like before I shook it away.
"So, what is the plan for our date tonight?"
Hana stilled, though her tails wagged in unison before the blush returned.
"I want to eat out with you tonight, then go to a free music concert in Kuoh this evening. Murayama-chan said the band that is supposed to be there is good."
The tail wagging grew even more pronounced, which was ultra cute and made me smile genuinely.
"I'd love to go with you, Hana-san. When is this concert?"
The moment I said that, Hana blushed even more brightly.
"In an hour. It's in one of the parks close by."
Her tails were now at a fever pitch of wagging and Hana looked ready to die of embarrassment and eagerness. That sight was worth seeing as my grin grew.
"Let me get ready, and then we can go."
Hana only gave me a quick nod before bolting up the stairs. That made a small chuckle escape me before I too went to get ready.
The moment I stepped into the bedroom I found it empty of people though the bathroom door was slightly open and hushed voices were inside. I poked my head in to say hello and that I'll be back later tonight. I get a chorus of alrights before someone shut the door with magic and a silence spell went up. Finally ten minutes of playing dress up later, I walked out of the bedroom and knocked on Hana's door. The kitsune answered a moment later, and her more noble kimono was gone, now replaced with a t-shirt of an anime show and jeans. Hana gazed at me momentarily, seeing my own snug fitting t-shirt and jeans, before I extended my arm to her. Hana only stared at my clothes briefly before wrapping her arm around mine. Then we descended the stairs towards the front door and out. As we walked to the gate, Hana made an illusion go up for her ears and tails before we stepped onto the sidewalk and began our trek toward the nearby shopping district near the park.
It was a relaxing ten-minute walk of silence for Hana and me, yet almost as soon as we entered the shopping district, Hana got several mini glares from two groups of teen girls our age as we walked past them. We entered a not-so-busy restaurant called Sakura's Bloom before a young woman seated us in a booth near the window. The sun's red-gold rays lit the table before the waiter left to get menus. I
followed her path back to the kitchens and saw a brother sister duo of blonde twins our age sitting with a young Chinese man who looked nineteen with short brown hair and a younger girl of fifteen with short vermilion hair, all enjoying themselves. At another table near the door, another person had their
head in a book.
"Please tell me about yourself, Gregor-san. I only know what Mother shared with me and snippets from everyone else. I want to know about all your heroic adventures."
A tiny frown crossed my face as what I had done wasn't really heroic. Yet the face that Hana had made me start modifying them before I started my tale.
Everything in the restaurant disappeared as I told Hana the story with the kitsune getting multiple faces as it continued and she asked questions. When food arrived and we began eating, I was at the ratings game, and Hana was sighing dreamily at its climax. My story continued for her, and as I described the battle with Kokabiel whitewashed for her with Hana hanging onto every word. We were
about done with the story when I told Hana about her cousin Saiyo being with the Legio. Hana's gold eyes went wide before her face grew sad as she looked down.
"Mother didn't want to exile her. Yet the Modanisuto practically demanded it as they hated Himura bitterly. Can you…"
Her question was stopped as the waiter returned and picked up our plates. I gave her a grateful thank you, and as soon as the waitress was gone, I reached over to Hana with my right hand.
"I can. Saiyo-san is pretty much cooped up at the Legio's main base and only really speaks to an angel who also works in the infirmary. I'm sure she'd be happy to hear from family." Hana lost her sad face before like at Yasaka's koi pond, a massively beautiful smile crossed her face. She reached out and took my hand before squeezing it hard.
"Thank you, Gregor-kun."
No sooner had that slipped out than Hana realized what she said before blushing red, before an honest chuckle escaped me.
"You are welcome to call me that. So long as I can call you Hana-chan soon."
Hana let loose another beautiful smile before she squeezed my hand hard, and her gold eyes caught sight of a clock. I followed them and saw that it was 7:40, and Hana eeped, making me chuckle again before I pulled her up from the table. Hana followed along, and our hands didn't let go of one another even as I paid for dinner. She led me out the door and I felt a two-second prickling as the cool evening air hit us.
Another ten minutes passed before Hana and I got to the park entrance, where this band was playing. Hana dragged me towards the amphitheater, where Hana and I joined four other young people who were also couples. On a wall to the stage's right, there was a sign that said the band was a pop one, making me turn to Hana as she and I sat on a bench midway four rows up from the front.
"You like pop? I wouldn't have guessed that."
Hana blushed bright again before she looked away.
"Kinda. It's not bad, but what I like is jazz."
That wasn't what I expected from her, and Hana seemed embarrassed to reveal that. Seeing her embarrassment, I shrugged.
"My favorite music is Metal, yet you wouldn't have guessed that easily either. You and I will have to share our favorite songs sometime."
Hana looked again at me before she surprised me again.
"Metal? You mean stuff like Sabaton?"
Both of my eyebrows rose now.
"You have heard of Sabaton."
Hana blushed once again.
"Yomi loves the band, and so does her betrothed. She will gush about them whenever and wherever possible if you let her, even though it would anger the Dentõ if they ever found out and shame Mother."
That was interesting, and maybe I could win over the siscon further there. I kept looking around before the flash of something that caught my eye.
That something was another person who sat on a bench two rows below us. She was here alone, unlike everyone else, and her eyes were scanning the few other people here. I squinted at her, before I saw the beanie and recognized her. It was the American tourist I saw on Sunday at the book shop. She must have felt me watching her because she turned my way, and I caught eyes almost as red as mine.
Her face was noble-looking, beautiful, and slightly familiar, while slipping through her beanie were two strands of sliver-white hair. She and I studied each other for a few more seconds before the woman turned her head back to the stage. I got ready to study here further, only to stop when I felt Hana lean against my shoulder, distracting me from the beanie woman, though I swear I caught her eyeing me repeatedly over her shoulder.
Her familiar face yet not face, and this new encounter with her, were bothering me. Yet I set that aside as the band began climbing up the stairs onto the stone stage. I got ready to enjoy the music with Hana before the mostly silent atmosphere was broken when a loud cry went up from one of the entrances to the amphitheater.
"Death to the Omnissiah!"
That cry jolted Hana and me up from the bench, and we looked to where that cry had come from. Coming towards us up a sidewalk path were five six-winged fallen angels with wings carrying light spears, surrounding a fallen angel in battered but still combat-worthy black robes with ten black wings. The five people here, the band, and several more people about to enter the amphitheater went still
for a moment before a fallen threw two feathers at me. They flew and were aimed poorly, hitting the couple in the front row in their chests as they to flee. The two fell crashing to the ground bleeding and groaning with the sudden violence making screams of panic go up around us. It was then I recognized the fallen's leader in Ouriel who was glaring straight at me.
Just as the fallen were ready to throw more feathers at us and the running people I sprang into action pushing Hana down before charging forward drawing Mimic from a pocket spell making the blade change into a chainsword. The American got out of my way running towards the other couple. My run turned into sprinting at a fallen man who broke from his comrades and tried to jab a light spear through one of the wounded couple's backs. Mimic caught the spearhead before it kicked on making a loud roar making the fallen flinch before I swiped him. The speed of the swipe caught the fallen, who fell to the ground, missing his head. His death made Ouriel charge towards me along with the other fallen shouting.
"For the Angel of the Stars!"
That made me sprint over the two wounded people towards the fallen catching out of the corner of my eyes Hana moving the guy and his girlfriend with magic. My sprint stopped when I swung again at another fallen that proceeded to attack me with rage in their eyes. The swipe cuts off a leg and makes the fallen tumble before a swipe at his guts ends him. Another fallen got ready to throw a light javelin at Hana and the floating people and that pissed me off.
I jumped in front of the spear and took the thing in my right kidney, hissing in pain as I pulled it out with my left hand. It stings and leaves a slight burn before I throw the javelin back at the fallen, and the thing pierced through his mouth and came out the other end just as he was about to throw another one at Hana. He dropped as I bled for three seconds onto the pavement then healed.
Then three more light spears one of which was blue plus multiple feathers flew my way which I deflected or in the case of two feathers took in my left arm aimed again at Hana and the couple. Seeing this attack fail, Ouriel with the remaining fallen all charged towards me in fury. The two lesser fallen flap their wings lifting off quickly before fly-charging me and I cut both down easily taking off their
heads as I get ready to embrace the black rage. My eyes then fixed on the still charging Ouriel who threw several more blue light spears at me. I dodged all of them before my chainsword intercepted a newly made light halberd. Mimic's teeth whine from the pressure before I throw Ouriel back. The fallen angel growled and then chopped towards my head with her spearhead.
I quickly dodge the blow with the halberd hitting the concrete leaving a small indent and Mimic roared as I swiped from the right, but Ouriel dodged the swipe. We circle each other before Ouriel snarled showing teeth.
"You will die here devil filth."
She jabs three more times with the halberd and I either dodge or deflect the weapon with my own. I make a swipe while dodging a hail of razor-sharp feathers thrown my way. I swiped again, and Ouriel took the end of the attack, losing a wing. It flopped to the ground along with a bit of blood, yet she fought on despite the loss. The next swipe she made saw her return the blow on me. Her spike hit my left arm poking into my tricep. My nerves flared at the injury but instead ofwhat she expected that to do I pulled back off the spike leaving a blood trail on the concrete. I used the shock on her face to strike as I made three swipes with Mimic and only two were blocked by Ouriel. The third swipe got meat on her right leg and almost took it off. The limb held on only by a tiny bit of sinew while gushing blood. Ouriel had a pained face but used her wings to lift off the ground to continue the fight. I joined her in the air, unfolding my silver wings before Ouriel flew up, then toward me and opened with a series of stabs with the pike head painted red with my blood.
Each stab fails to hit, as I dodge or deflect the blows before I do my own strikes which Ouriel blocked while grimacing. She tried to stab towards my eyes and failed to land the blows as I flew to the left or right. Ouriel dove towards me with murder clear in her eyes as we continued this trial of aerial combat. I tried to chop her in half when the fading sun hit my silver wings, yet Ouriel recovered and blocked my axe with her pole shaft. We glared at each other before starting the next phase.
Tsuda made Mimic angry as the teeth started spinning faster before a jolt of pain from my arm made me flinch, giving Ouriel an opening. She threw a feather from one of her right wings that hit my shoulder, punching clean through. I wince again and she used that to close the distance between us while throwing more feathers which I blocked. She brought her halberd down in a wide arc and scored a second blow chopping off my left hand. It fell to the ground making a small thud and Ouriel pushed her advantage ready to skewer me only for my newly reformed hand to punch her in the face hard. She was dazed by this, allowing me to swipe with Mimic as I finally fully embraced the black rage. I quickly chopped off her top four sets of wings, and they like my hand fell to the ground and landed below
us. Ouriel whines and I growl at her.
"I'm going to put you like your boss six feet under. Or I might make you my next toy."
Ouriel growled back as she glared at me and prepared a swipe.
"You will be dead before that happens scum!"
Wrath grew in me before Mimic, and I move in sync as Tsuda makes the teeth slow, then sends them into maximum overdrive. The heated metal hit the air, making smoke pour from Mimic, flying into Ouriel's eyes. They watered from it thus my strike cleaves off another set of wings and her left arm. The arm and wings hit the pavement, and Ouriel whined as her wounds started gushing more blood before she began falling to the ground. Her halberd disappeared, and I moved forward, ready for the kill as I prepared a swing to disembowel her. Just as I drew closer to the swing, I felt a sharp pain in my chest and looked down. There, sticking out of my chest, was a light stiletto thrown toward my heart by Ouriel. That pain made me lose control of my wings as she and I hit the ground with a thud as the dagger goes through my chest and out my back. I groaned then took a breath before coughing up blood onto Ouriel's face as I looked down into her eyes. Ouriel was beaming in manic excitement despite her pain and face turning bone white.
"It's going to happen now! Die devil filth! For the Angel of the Stars now and forever!"
Ouriel shook in joy and let go of the stiletto preparing to kick me up into the air with her good leg. Just as the foot was about to hit my chest she screamed in agony as Mimic ripped through her other arm and then wounded leg in two rapid swings. She continued howling in pain until I shut her up by punching her in the face ultra hard again sending her deeper into the sidewalk. I looked down at this bitch as several teeth fell out of her mouth before I pulled the dagger out and threw it to the ground next to her. Her eyes looked horrified at mine not getting why I wasn't dying and weakly threw multiple feathers at me with her remaining wings. I deflected or dodged the projectiles as I felt my knife injury healing along with my fist before I smiled widely at her, showing blood on my teeth.
"I'm a human you pathetic bitch."
Before Ouriel could say anything, I cut off her head with a swipe that made the head fly and bounce as blood gushed out onto the sidewalk. I was breathing heavily before my left hand grabbed the ground to steady myself, just as I felt a buildup of some unknown energy close to me coming from behind the stage. I quickly blocked out the pain and got ready to jump back to full fighting mode before a pained groan came behind me. Turning to the source of the noise, I barely felt and registered the energy disappearing as I saw a horrible sight.
The beanie-wearing American was behind me with twelve feathers sticking out of her stomach in front of a terrified teen who had been taking a video of the fight with a cell phone. The guy was looking at the American in horror, and she groaned again before falling to her knees. That sent me into action as I rushed over to her and quickly helped lay the woman onto her back. The dude was still filming this and that pissed me off before I grabbed his phone from him deleting the video and the cloud save before throwing it roughly onto the ground.
The screen cracked from the impact before I smashed it into the ground with my foot, breaking it. The stupid kid got ready to protest only for me to make Mimic start spinning again with the roaring making the kid pale then run allowing me to turn back to the woman. She was gurgling up blood and immediately knelt by her side cursing myself for possibly getting someone killed just by my presence.
I looked down at her red eyes as she looked up at me with those cloudy pained eyes. She tried to say something, but instead, more blood flowed out. As I look at her rapidly going bone-white face, I feel that same feeling I had felt with her at the bookstore, and I realize what it is now. She had sacred gear, yet it and her life were dimming, so I couldn't feel exactly which one it was. Seeing her wounds I realized she wasn't going to live long enough for the paramedics to arrive. I squeeze her hand hard, making her eyes focus on me.
"I can help you live, but you must trust me. Can you do that?"
The young woman looked into my eyes momentarily searching for something through the haze and then squeezed my hand back.
"Trust…"
More blood flowed from her lips uttering that and I quickly pulled my evil piece set out and reached for my last knight and brought it up to her eyes. They were darkening swiftly, and I squeezed her again, making her refocus on me.
"This will heal you but forever change your life. I promise you that as soon as I have the means to remove it from you I will."
The young woman focused on the knight seeming to consider my promise and then in a harsh gasp of air said.
"Accept...."
I quickly pulled the feathers and out of her. That got a groan from her before I placed the knight against her chest and said the ritual words before slipping the knight in. The young woman froze then shook for a few seconds before her wounds started to heal with the blood running out of her mouth stopping before the woman in a daze gasped.
"Hero."
Then she groaned again and fell unconscious as I looked down on her face, it rapidly began gaining color again before I made a silent promise to push forward faster for a way to break evil pieces for this woman. Then I felt arms wrap around my back and red hair flow over my shoulder. A look over my shoulder showed me that Hana was distraught for me before her eyes looked down at the woman on the ground before me. Her eyes told me to explain but beg the sound of multiple portals opening as more people flooded the amphitheater. I glanced away from Hana to Heniya and her peerage, who quickly moved in several directions. Some to clean up bodies and others prepping spells in their hands while moving towards where the former concert crowd and several passers-by had formed, seemingly having formed, watching my battle. Heniya, in her crimson mage robes, was moving toward me with an ultra-worried face as her people began to cover this up. I also noticed a weird thing in one of Heniya's people wearing a cop's uniform. The tall, black-haired woman was quickly talking to Wu before both ran
to the blank-faced crowd.
Heniya reached and the others reached us, and her eyes quickly looked over at Hana and me for injuries. When she saw none, she turned to me.
"What the hell happened?"
I take several deep breaths, still winded, before beginning to explain.
A half-hour later the amphitheater was nearly empty of people and bodies with only Heniya, Hana and I standing by the stage with the unconscious American on it. Hana was holding onto my still shaky left hand while Heniya was pissed as Wu came walking in with a face full of relief.
"Only two people were injured, and neither was life-threatening. We got them to a hospital after a wipe and Yasumi is almost ready with our cover story for the public and city that this was a terrorist attack, from a remnant of Aum that was in hiding here. We have implanted that story into the people that were here."
He looked at Heniya who nodded her head slightly.
"Tell Yasumi to get that press release out now so we don't have panic hit the city."
Wu sighed in agreement before he moved off towards the cop woman near where the crowd had been. Heniya was now extremely pissed as she looked down at a patch that had been found on one of the dead fallen. It was Kokabiel's sword and star with three more stars under it. Heniya clenched it in her hand before she growled out.
"Are you sure they are renegades? I wouldn't put it past Grigori to try something against you and use him as an excuse, and if this was them I will….."
I cut her off there.
"I am sure they are renegades. Ask Lady Leviathan to talk to Grigori before you do anything. Please."
Heniya searched my eyes for something before she sighed and placed the patch in her robe's hip pocket.
"I will contact Lady Leviathan."
That concession was barely said before Heniya growled.
"However, if this is them, then I will storm across the DMZ and make Grigori remember what happens to people hit by the power of destruction. No one is going to try and kill my brother-in-law, cause a disruption in my city, and get away with it!"
Her threat lingered in the air before Heniya growled.
"Until I get my answer, we will search for more fallen in the towns surrounding the city. The only reason the wards didn't trigger here was because we had them recharging."
My eyes closed in pure relief before I felt horrible shame for getting people here hurt
just by my presence. However, I won't let this all be destroyed without a fight, as I tell Heniya now.
"Tell Serafall when you talk to her that I remember Saturday. She will know what I
mean."
We were silent before Heniya sighed.
"I will tell her that."
Heniya then faced Hana.
"I apologize profusely, Princess Hana for this. I was told you would be in Kuoh and….."
Hana shook her head.
"It is ok, Heiress Gremory. I hold nothing against you for this and will ensure my mother and sisters do the same."
Hearing that made Heniya's face show a relieved look before it disappeared. A pawn, an Oni man with medium-sized red horns in a trench coat and black pants, whispered something to Heniya, who sighed.
"We will start the search now. Go home."
With that dismal, Heniya dipped off into the park as the evening sun sank further down.
Hana and I were left in an uncomfortable silence with the only noise being the soft breathing of the American before Hana squeezed my left hand hard.
"Are you ok?"
The squeeze made my nerves twitch again before I looked at her then the American. Everything caught up to me then and there as I closed my eyes.
"I'm not. I might have just screwed a peace a millennium in the making. I also put you in danger and you saw how unheroic I really am. I will help you pack and understand if you want to call off the betrothal..."
Hana stopped me there and then by something surprising. She hit me with a tail hard snapping my eyes open to see anger filling her face as the illusions for her glasses; ears and her nine tails fell away. Three of the tails wrapped around my left and right arm each and the last three around my waist. The nine tails then squeezed me ultra hard, and their softness made me still before Hana shook her head angrily and barked out.
"I won't call it off!"
I froze further as the tails squeezed me harder than ever. Hana glared at me with fire in her gold eyes.
"I watched you throughout that fight and saw time and time again how despite the brutality the hero you are shown through to me like a shining star! That selfless hero is what I want as my soon-to-be king and my future husband now more than ever before!"
The fire in her gold eyes and glasses was beyond hot, and Hana continued in while squeezing me harder with her tails.
"You didn't do this, and I will not have you blame yourself for something you couldn't control! The contract stays and if you suggest it be canceled again, I will be the one to dip you in fox fire, not Yomi!"
Hana's anger was so damn hot and despite how loud she had been the American didn't wake up on the bench. As Hana huffed and puffed at me, I stared at her in shock. Hana's anger only lasted a few more seconds before she realized her glasses were out. That immediately cooled her rage as she blushed red. Despite that, she continues to look me directly in the eyes before I sputter out.
"You are sure? I wouldn't blame you….."
Hana cut me off there as some of the righteous fire returned in her gold eyes.
"I am beyond sure of you now more than ever before. I will not call it off."
She glared at me as her tails squeezed my arms and waist hard before I croaked.
"If that changes, please…"
Hana squeezed me again ultra hard with her tails.
"It won't change unless something extremely drastic happens. I am almost sure about you now."
Her face showed that fact, but before I could say anything else, the American groaned in her sleep, making Hana and I glance at her. We looked at her momentarily before I sighed and gathered magic to create a portal home. Hana let go of me with one of her tails and wagged it slightly making the American float off the stage. I watched as she rose in the air, as Hana directed her tail, before I made the portal home. It opened inside the manor's garden, but Hana wrapped her right arm around my left before I could take a step forward, and the look in her golden eyes dared me to say anything. I didn't before the two of us and the floating American stepped through the portal.
No sooner had we entered the manor and taken two steps than we were spotted by Maéva coming out of the kitchen Maéva. My head maid looked exhausted, but no sooner had she seen the American floating in the air than she gave a tired chuckle.
"Another stray young master?"
I felt the adrenaline exhaustion starting to hit me.
"Something like that."
Maéva seemed to have been expecting that and knew the other unspoken half as she moved around us and made her way to the stairs. Hana and I followed her and as we began to climb the stairs Hana asked quietly when we were halfway up the staircase.
"Strays?"
I shake my head.
"Just the strange habit I have of coming across people needing rescuing."
Hana, it seemed like that answer as she squeezed me hard with her tails. When we reached the top of the stairs, Maéva made a spell circle in her hand, and the magic field surrounding my new knight turned from gold to silver.
"I'll get our new guest here tucked in quickly, as I have to be up early tomorrow to make lunch for the conference like your father asked me yesterday."
I gave the French woman a sympathetic look as she walked down my side of the top floor with the woman. Hana and stood for a moment in silence before Hana suddenly let out a loud yawn. I was about to tease her about that, but that set off a big yawn of my own. That noise made Hana let loose a tiny laugh that brought a small smile to my lips.
"I'm sorry again for tonight, Hana-san. I will do another date this weekend to make up for this."
Hana returned the smile before squeezing my hand.
"I would love that like I did most of tonight."
I took the squeeze before I led Hana to her room. When we reached the door to it Hana turned to me before she reluctantly let go of me with her tails and hand. She smiled one last time at me before opening the door slightly and disappearing inside. The moment Hana was gone I let all my worry of tonight and how I might have fucked up so badly and sullied the sacrifices of my men at that battle. All
the hard work and planning I put into getting the bill passed and everything else done for this goal were possibly ruined now. For the first time in a long time, I doubt myself totally. I turned from Hana's room and walked toward my bedroom, the doubts lingering and growing with each step. Inside I find everyone asleep and almost snoring in unison though Ravel was on the far side of the bed from the
others. Almost as soon as I entered the middle of the bed, I was quickly surrounded by the sleepers, yet despite them, the doubts remained as I closed my eyes, and I must have been so exhausted that I fell asleep almost instantly.
Connla frowned as the evening sun started to dip through the windows of their base. He was reading a report on a tablet Stanley sent to him not even five minutes ago on their faction's internal communication network. The message said they were now to be extremely careful with approaching the Chikatesu no eiyū. Apparently earlier today he and his people had struck one of their bases run by Fredrick's subfaction here in Japan. The idiots there had kidnapped ten youkai on Fredrick's orders to 'get justice' for the humans of Japan.
As Connla read the full report, rage grew in him, as their mission was now in real jeopardy. Pericles had found that one of his harem members visited a kendo dojo nearly every day last week with another devil, which would work well as she was also a swordswoman.
When Connla finished reading everything, he was so angry that he wanted to drown Frederick in shadows. He had greatly objected to having Frederick join the faction earlier this year after having a bad feeling and now he had true vindication for that protest. Connla wasn't the only one mad as Pericles having read this over Connla's shoulder from behind their couch said.
"That stupid fuck is going to get us all killed. We should pull out now."
Penelope barked in support of her owner, and Connla considered that option. It would indeed be safer for them if they did that, yet they would never get another better chance to get this hero on their side. He was about to answer when he read the second message that followed. Connla appreciated and loathed Stanley there like never before, he sighed.
"We are staying as we have a new mission if we fail the first one. Cao Cao's orders."
Pericles got ready to protest before Connla reassured him.
"I believe he can be swayed to understand that we are not all like Fredrick and his people, given what I have dug up on him."
That reassurance did little to settle Pericles or Penelope before the reincarnated
statesmen finally asked.
"What if he doesn't?"
That question lingered in the air before Connla sighed.
"If he doesn't then I will personally buy you both time to run."
That statement made Pericles relax a tiny bit before Connla continued.
"We will start the plan tomorrow, and I will explain to her when she returns."
Vali was not in a good mood as he walked through the door of their temporary base here in Kuoh. Inside, he saw Sha, Le Fay, Arthur, and Bikou sitting on the bar stools, looking up at a TV they had managed to salvage in this closed-down bar. The four were watching an ad and the sound of Vail's shoes on the laminated wood floor made them look towards the door. Sha was about to say something when a loud noise came from the television, making the five look at it.
This is Nippon Television here with tragic and troubling news. Less than fifteen minutes ago, a very horrific event occurred in one of the beautiful parks in the City of Kuoh. A long-in-hiding remnant of the degenerate terrorist organization Aum Shinrikyo decided to launch a small-scale terror attack against a crowd of people gathered in said park to enjoy a free public concert. Thankfully, Kuoh police ended the threat and only two people have been reported injured so far, according to Kuoh City Police Chief Yasumi Goto. We here at Nippon Kuoh will bring you more information as it becomes available.
Vali showed no emotion as he walked to the others. On his left, Le Fay and Arthur grew upset, while on Vali's right, Bikou looked troubled. At that moment, the sound of a pot starting to whistle was heard, making Le Fay shriek in worry.
"My chanko nabe is almost ready! Get your fat ass out of my way Art!"
Le Fay practically shoved her identical twin to the ground, quickly running back towards the kitchen with her blue witch hat point flopping about. She disappeared through a steel door, and Arthur groaned. There was a crashing sound and Arthur being the siscon he was ran into the kitchen. As soon as they were gone, Vali tapped the bar, and a silence spell went up for the front of the building. No sooner was it up before Vali clenched his fist in anger and slammed it on the wood. The bar creaked as Sha looked at Vali before saying unamused.
"I told you it was a bad plan Vali. We should have gone with mine."
Vali glared at Sha but before he could say anything the future King of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit glared at the White Dragon Emperor.
"Did you mean to…."
Vali clenched his fist harder and brought it up.
"Of fucking course not! When I arrived following the tracker spell you put on him, he and the girl were going into a park, and the crows were already moving. As soon as they saw him, they fully committed before I could stop them."
Bikou saw the truth on Vali's face and most of his rage left him before Vali grunted.
"I fucked up and freely admit that. Don't tell Fay and Arthur."
Sha shrugged with a sneer.
"I won't tell the worms. So, what if humans could have died there."
That last part was said ultra bitterly, and Vali and Bikou knew why. China, unlike many other countries in Asia, with officials in the know, oppressed their youkai population whenever they got the chance. The CCP's position on most youkai was that they were relics of the past with no uses for Modern China other than fertilizer for the soil if you were lucky and the work camps if you weren't. Sha had been in one of those camps near death before Vali had rescued her from it earning him her eternal loyalty. These camps and the general oppression by the CCP made many Chinese youkai feel the same hatred she did. Thus, they took their frustrations out on Chinese humans, often hiding the evidence before the Ministry of State Security ever found out.
Bikou glared at Sha there as he was on the opposite end of the spectrum of Chinese youkai because Sun Wukong was the strongest God of China. The many monkey youkai descendants of Sun Wu Kong were left alone lest the Mandate of Heaven, which the CCP tentatively had from him, be revoked. Yet he also wasn't going to say anything to the others, as despite his disagreements with Sha, they all wanted the same thing. The Lord of Iron broken at their feet.
Vali just wanted to beat him into the dirt for an epic fight for his battle lust, while Sha wanted to spit on him for being a human lover. Bikou, meanwhile, wanted much, much more than either of them. Bikou wanted to stand over the Lord of Iron's badly mauled and broken dead body for the role he played in his cousin Irkou's death. Sun Wukong had finally managed to learn who was responsible for it after great effort, and like the good ancestor god he was, he also wanted justice and told Bikou that the team would be the best way to get it. This somewhat mutual goal between Vali, Sha, and Bikou was why Bikou had agreed to this plan in the first place and helped smuggle the fallen here with Vali while Sha distracted Le Fay and Arthur.
Bikou finally grunted at Vali.
"I won't say anything, Vali, but should this happen again."
Vali understood the threat and gave the monkey prince a nod.
"It won't. We will have to wait until after the conference tomorrow to try again. However, I think I have found something to help with that next attempt on the way back here."
Azazel stood next to Peneume and three of his cadre's best fighters as they glanced at the people before them. Across from them on the other side of the unofficial DMZ line between the fallen and devil halves of the underworld, Serafall Leviathan and four of her peerage, including her two-piece mutation rook Behemoth. The massive Biblical creature glared at the fallen while Serafall looked at a tablet that showed the Council of Cadres meeting, while one of her pawns watched with her. Finally, the purple-haired pawn dressed like a magic girl looked up at her king.
"There is no tampering with the video."
Serafall was silent as she looked at Samantha, the most tech-savvy in her peerage, for a few seconds while the rest of her peerage here and the multiple devil soldiers on their side of the DMZ, watching a bit further back, all let out a sigh of relief. They were joined by Peneume, the three fighters behind Azazel along with the fallen DMZ guards who were further back on their side. Azazel for possibly the first time in his life didn't gloat that he was right as he looked at Serafall. The woman brought her head up from the tablet and had a slightly apologetic face now compared to her pissed one of ten minutes prior. She let out a breath of air before saying.
"I withdraw my accusations and apologize Governor-General. I will let Lord Lucifer, and the others know that the attackers were renegades. Are there any more we should worry about?"
Azazel let loose a breath of air too in pure relief.
"There shouldn't be. We made sure to do a deep and thorough cleaning of Grigori of any remaining supporters of Kokabiel's over the last three weeks."
Serafall took the answer before Azazel asked.
"Is the conference still on for tomorrow?"
Serafall could see that Azazel and, to a lesser extent, his daughter had the same desperate look waiting for the answer. Serafall now knew why they had those thanks to Juka-chan. She should have said no, she ought to have said no. Yet the idea of being in their shoes and not knowing where her So-tan was or if she was safe had torn her heart apart. Those looks and what Heniya had told Serafall when
she delivered the patch and news made the Leviathan nod before floating the tablet back to Azazel with a levitation spell.
"It is. Its location has excellent wards and other defenses, plus the security detail. Do another check. Just in case."
Azazel took the tablet, and before he and his daughter relaxed.
"We will. Thank you."
Azazel's voice and thankful face held genuine gratitude in them, which made Serafall give the two an understanding look before the two sides broke apart and moved back to their respective sides of the underworld.
Killian was sitting on the couch in her living room beyond pissed that the long wanted thing was denied to her and him. She continued stewing in that anger before there was a knock on the door of the apartment she had in Tokyo. Killian got up from her table and stomped over to the door before she opened it to see Aj dressed in a suit in the dim hallway. The magician had a smirk on him and pissed Killian off even more as she stepped aside to let him in, and as he stepped through the door,
she growled low at him.
"You better have good news kangaroo humper, or I will tell him..."
Aj drew a folder from a pocket spell and shoved it into the Bosnian's arms. Killian looked down at the folder before she opened it to see the picture of two armored figures with red robes. One was helmeted while the other wasn't, and Killian focused on the face of a teen who looked to be seventeen. His face and red eyes stared up at her before she moved her eyes downward to see the emblem on their chests. Killian stared at the picture momentarily before Aj's smug smirk became a frown.
"Sadly, I couldn't discover the name of this dog kid or his helpers. This however is a start, and I will…"
Killian cut him off as she looked at the picture, a manic smile growing.
"I know who this kid is."
That made Aj stop his almost begun stream of promises.
"You do?"
Killian snapped the folder shut and moved to her TV in the small apartment living room and pressed power then play on her remote. The TV flickered to life, and there before Aj was the same snot-nosed kid in his armor coming out of a magic portal next to a figure in the same armor with two tail additions, meaning a nekomata or kitsune. Killian joined the Australian in looking at the figure and Killian growled.
"His name is Gregor Astaroth, the Heir to House Astaroth, and the so-called Chikatesu no eiyū. His group is called the Warriors of Mars."
Aj stared at the kid on the screen as a sneer crossed his face. Killian joined him as the two glared before she growled out.
"Where is it?"
Aj glared at her before he pointed at the folder again. Killian returned the glare before
she opened the folder again and looked at the other side to see another picture, as Aj explained.
"The dogs must have been in a hurry after the attack because they didn't check to see if there were tracking spells on the crates. I activated them and they led me to this place today. Fair warning it has strong wards. Your fucking welcome bitch."
Normally, Killian wouldn't let anyone save him speak to her like that, but she let it slide this time because this was a good find. As she eyed the picture again, she grunted.
"We will need help for this."
Aj glared at the kid on the screen before he said determined.
"I know just the people."
Zekram Bael smiled widely as he heard a small ping in his office. He had been enjoying a nice glass of Astaroth wine, waiting eagerly for his worthless grandson to send his first scroll. He reached out to a small wooden box on his desk and opened it before he pulled out a scroll and slowly opened it. As he unfolded it, his excitement grew by the second as he toyed with an idea that would accomplish multiple goals. When it was completely unfolded, he began reading, and the first thing on the scroll made a well-trimmed eyebrow rise. According to the failure there were apparently humans in the underworld now in this ever-growing city the halfbreed was building that his maid had told him about. His disdain for them rose momentarily before it was drowned out by curiosity. How did they get down here? These humans didn't come down here by the Gremory train, as his spies on it would have mentioned this immediately.
His curiosity lingered as his mind raced through scenarios before he paused his reading of the scroll and drank his wine. When he was done and set the goblet down, he had decided on a course of action. He would task some of his agents to see if the halfbreed was using one of the old tunnels in Astaroth territory to do this and keep this information as potential blackmail. It might be enough to cause a minor scandal and put doubts in the minds of several NKF heads for a future bill his son was trying to put together. After deciding which agents, he would send his violet eyes returned to the scroll and continued reading.
The next part made the other eyebrow rise. The halfbreed, apparently like his father, had vast and extensive scientific labs in his underworld manor. The failure hadn't been able to get into some of them for various reasons, but the one he did get into was a place that was building more of these robot things. As Zekram read on, he grew more and more interested in them. From what the failure saw about them, these robots seemed like the war golems of old in being lifelike.
He mulled over the idea of having his grandson eventually try to steal a robot design as while the Baels had four war golems that were hidden from the other pillars their enchantments were starting to fall apart. Perhaps these robots which were proven deadly combatants could replace them and be built in greater numbers. Zekram continued reading the letter as he drank his wine and began imagining this possible army.
On top of a nearby hill a pair of eyes watched the sight before them and finally decided on a course of action as this was perhaps the opportunity they had been looking for.