Sorry for the wait on this story. Here's a long chapter.
Chapter 44 (~13k words):
– Issei –
Issei woke up abruptly with his pleasant dream fading into the harsh glare of the morning sun shining through his open window. He groaned in disappointment, desperately wishing to return to the paradise he'd just left behind—a paradise where his face had been delightfully squished between a glorious, warm pair of oppai. More specifically, the oppai of none other than Rias-senpai, the stunning crimson-haired beauty who graced the halls of Kuoh Academy.
In his dream, she'd been naked, her soft curves pressed enticingly against him as they cuddled close.
A wistful sigh escaped him as he sat up, becoming suddenly aware of the insistent, throbbing erection he had—morning wood. He briefly debated whether to take care of himself.
Of course, the answer was yes. That was simply how he started every morning! Now, which magazine under his bed should he use this morning?
"So, you're my rival?" a bored voice asked in the room with him.
"Gah!" Issei jumped, his heart hammering as he quickly glanced around. Standing casually in the corner of his room was a tall, handsome young man with silvery hair, dressed in clothes that could've come straight from some trendy shounen manga.
"What the fuck!? Who the hell are you, and why are you in my room!?" Issei shouted, confused and irritated. In his surprise, he failed to notice that the bedsheets had completely fallen away, leaving him stark naked.
The silver-haired stranger looked Issei up and down with a disdainful sneer. "Disgusting and pathetic," he muttered coldly, rolling his eyes. "You're built like a twig, and your magical power is practically nonexistent. Even as a devil, you'd stand no chance of defeating me—unless something drastic happens."
Issei's confusion only deepened. "I have literally no idea what you're talking about, asshole! Who are you?"
The silver-haired boy crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "My name is Vali Lucifer. I sensed your presence as I was flying near this insignificant little town. I'd hoped to finally meet the so-called Red Dragon Emperor, my fated rival, but now that I'm here, you're disappointingly weak. Ddraig isn't even able to communicate with you yet, is he…?"
Issei had no idea what the fuck this guy was talking about.
Vali paused thoughtfully with a dangerous smirk slowly spreading across his face. "But maybe we can change that. You'll become far stronger this way—even if it means you'll end up hunted down as a stray devil. It could be entertaining, at least." Before Issei could ask any more questions, Vali raised his voice. "Lady Ophis, I've got something for you," he called out loud calmly to the air.
In the blink of an eye, another person appeared silently in the middle of Issei's bedroom—a petite, dark-haired girl wearing a suspiciously revealing outfit. Seriously, why were her non-existent Oppai taped up…?
She stood there expressionlessly, her eyes blank and emotionless.
"No thanks! I'm definitely not into lolis—that's Motohama's thing!" Issei quickly blurted out, nervously waving his hands in protest. "You all can go now!"
The strange girl ignored Issei completely, turning her gaze toward Vali. "What is it you want, White One?"
Vali gestured carelessly toward Issei. "That buffoon there is the Red Dragon Emperor, believe it or not. Given proper training, he could become significantly stronger and useful to your cause in the future. As he is now, he's worthless to anybody…"
The mysterious girl's empty gaze shifted toward Issei, studying him briefly. "Hmm, fine. I'll accept him into my organization. Come along, Red Dragon Emperor—you're coming with me."
"What the fuck!?" Issei shouted in panic, attempting to scramble away from the petite girl. But before he could even react, she effortlessly grabbed his wrist, her grip impossibly strong. He kept struggling. "Let me go, you crazy loli!"
"You're too loud! Too noisy! Go to sleep and be quiet!" Despite her small frame, Issei found himself utterly powerless against her strength. His vision blurred and darkened as consciousness slipped away again.
As everything faded to black, Issei could only think helplessly, "What the hell did I get myself into now?"
…Issei slowly opened his eyes, blinking groggily. A disorienting haze filled his mind. He wasn't in his bed anymore. Sitting up in alarm, Issei glanced around quickly, panic tightening his chest. He was in a blank room, with the bare amount of furniture. Almost like a prison cell.
"W-where the hell am I?" he muttered, scrambling to his knees. His heart thumped in his chest, panic quickly overtaking confusion. Was it all a dream? Had he been kidnapped?
"Nyahaha~ You're a funny one," a teasing female voice purred from somewhere nearby, interrupting his frantic thoughts.
Issei whipped around toward the voice and immediately felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. His eyes went wide, his mouth hanging open dumbly.
Standing in front of him was the sexiest girl he'd ever seen, with flawless porcelain skin and silky midnight-black hair cascading freely down her back. Her golden eyes glittered mischievously, her pupils shaped like those of a cat. Two feline ears perched atop her head twitched playfully, while a long, sinuous black tail swung idly behind her. But most mesmerizing of all was her massive, perfect breasts strained enticingly against a scandalously skimpy kimono, barely concealing her lush curves. She was the epitome of a real-life cat-girl—sensual, voluptuous, and impossibly alluring.
Issei's cock instantly sprang to full attention, throbbing painfully as it stuck out. Yes, he was still naked he realized. He swallowed hard, heat flooding his cheeks as his gaze lingered helplessly on her curves.
The girl's golden eyes dipped downward, noticing his cock pointing at her with an amused smirk. "Ara, ara~ Glad to see you're feeling energetic, nya." Her voice dripped with playful seduction as she stepped closer, hips swaying hypnotically with every stride.
"Who…who are you?" Issei managed to choke out, fighting the overwhelming urge to stare openly at her mesmerizing chest.
The seductive cat-girl tilted her head slightly, placing one hand casually on her cocked hip. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she answered. "My name is Kuroka. I'm a stray devil, just like you now, nya~."
Stray devil? His mind spun with confusion. But then again, nothing really mattered except for the goddess standing right before his eyes. Had he died? Was this paradise?
"Oh my GOD, thank you!" Issei cried out instinctively, overwhelmed with gratitude for whatever miracle had placed this seductive creature in front of him. Suddenly, agony jolted through his body, forcing a sharp cry from his lips. "AUGH!"
Kuroka frowned cutely, wagging a finger at him in a mock-scolding tone. "Bad boy, nya! We're devils—you can't say that particular word without punishment, you silly pervert."
Issei gasped for breath, the pain fading as quickly as it had come. "Devil? W-what's going on? Where am I?" he stammered, trying to regain his composure.
Kuroka chuckled softly, sauntering closer until she stood mere inches from him. Her scent, sweet and intoxicating, filled Issei's nose, making it difficult to think straight.
"Lady Ophis has taken an interest in you, nya. She assigned me to be your training partner, so I can help make you stronger." Her golden eyes gleamed mischievously as she leaned forward, her heavy breasts nearly brushing against his chest. "Welcome to the Khaos Brigade, nya."
Issei felt a chill run down his spine. This was all moving too quickly. He had no idea what the hell this Khaos Brigade was, but it didn't sound good. Nervously, he raised his eyes to meet her gaze, pleading softly, "C-can I go home?"
A melodic laugh burst from Kuroka's lips. She shook her head with her feline ears flicking playfully. "Haha, nope! You're stuck with me, nya~."
Issei gulped, his mind racing desperately to make sense of this new, absurd reality. He'd been kidnapped by a powerful loli, thrust into some secret organization, and was now the captive training partner of a gorgeous stray devil cat-girl who could set his body aflame with just one look. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?" he whispered helplessly.
Kuroka grinned wickedly, stepping closer to trail one teasing finger along his chest. Her breath tickled his ear as she leaned in closer still. "Don't worry, nya. I'll make sure you enjoy every moment of our training. "
Kuroka's soft fingers wrapped playfully around his rigid cock, sending a jolt of pleasure racing through Issei's entire body. He couldn't hold back the groan that spilled from his lips, his mind blanking as her teasing touch expertly drew out sensations he had only dreamed about.
"Ahh… okay, nevermind—this is definitely heaven," he mumbled breathlessly, his body trembling slightly beneath her attentive caress.
Kuroka chuckled softly, her seductive laughter filling the air as she leaned even closer. Her hot breath teased the shell of his ear, causing shivers of anticipation to ripple down his spine.
"Nya~ if you do well in training, maybe I'll even practice making kittens with you," she purred seductively, giving his cock a gentle squeeze that elicited another needy groan from Issei. "Doesn't that sound fun?" she whispered, her lips brushing his sensitive earlobe as she playfully nibbled on it, sending sparks of excitement through his already electrified nerves.
"It sounds glorious," Issei gasped eagerly, his voice trembling with barely contained excitement. At this moment, he'd agree to just about anything Kuroka proposed. Fueled by her intoxicating promise, Issei found a sudden burst of determination surging through him. "I can handle any training you throw at me!" he declared confidently, eyes blazing with newfound resolve as he gazed into her mesmerizing golden eyes.
Kuroka's sultry smirk widened even further, her mischievous eyes twinkling with amusement. "That's the spirit, nya~," she purred approvingly. Suddenly stepping back from him, she crossed her arms beneath her voluptuous chest and gave a commanding nod.
"Now drop and give me a thousand push-ups!"
Issei's determined expression immediately collapsed into comical despair, his jaw dropping open in horror.
"Eh…?" he whimpered weakly.
– Blake –
"I'm sorry I treated you so harshly a few minutes ago, dear. You're such a good girl! Thank you so much for saving my Akeno!" my mother, Shuri, declared, embracing Rias Gremory tightly against her!
Rias was practically flailing on the couch, her muffled protests entirely useless as my mother's immense, plush breasts pressed her face into their inviting warmth.
Poor Rias. She'd been caught off guard by my mother's sudden emotional shift and was clearly unprepared for the affectionate assault.
Beside me on the opposite couch, my sister Akeno let out her familiar amused giggle. It'd been so long since I'd heard her laugh. "Ara ara~ This is so sweet," she said, clearly enjoying Rias' predicament far more than any concerned friend should.
I glanced sideways at Akeno, feeling her slender arm wrapped tightly around mine. She held onto me with an intensity that suggested she feared I'd vanish if she let go even for an instant. Truthfully, I didn't mind at all. The feeling was mutual. I'd missed my sister terribly over the years we'd been apart, and now that I finally had her beside me, I intended to cherish every second.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Akeno," I said softly, my voice thick with genuine emotion.
She squeezed my arm gently, leaning her head against my shoulder with a soft sigh. "Blake… I'm just so happy to see you again. I missed you more than words can say."
I knew I'd have to find a way to make up for lost time, and protect her fiercely from now on. She'd already endured far too much hardship without me there.
Earlier, Akeno and Rias had recounted everything to us about how Akeno became a devil—every harrowing detail of my sister's traumatic past.
They explained how the Himejima clan had relentlessly hunted her as a child, labeling her a dangerous threat simply due to our mixed blood. Shuri wasn't around to protect her anymore.
And then she had been saved when they were boxing in, fate brought her stumbling into Rias, who'd saved her from certain death. I felt a surge of gratitude towards the redheaded devil heiress. She'd protected my sister when we couldn't, given her sanctuary and a new home.
After the emotional retelling had ended, a calmer, almost peaceful atmosphere settled over the room. Koneko and Kiba stood quietly nearby, looking visibly relieved as the tension slowly dissipated from their shoulders.
Kiba offered me a respectful nod and a reassuring smile.
Koneko, meanwhile, remained as stoic as ever, though her cat-like golden eyes seemed softer than before.
My mother finally released Rias from her suffocating embrace, allowing the poor girl to gasp desperately for air. Rias' cheeks burned bright red, her usually composed, confident demeanor utterly shattered by embarrassment.
"Th-thank you, Shuri-san… but next time, a warning would be nice," Rias managed breathlessly, smoothing her hair back with an awkward laugh. "You give great hugs though, just like Akeno!"
"Thank you!" My mother chuckled fondly, completely unapologetic as she patted Rias' shoulder warmly. "After everything you've done for my daughter, you deserve all the affection in the world, sweetheart."
Rias' blush deepened, her composure faltering once more. Clearly, she was unaccustomed to receiving such motherly affection and warmth. That made me wonder about Rias' own family circumstances but it would be rude to ask right now.
My sister's grip tightened ever so slightly around my arm, and I looked over to meet her violet eyes staring deeply into mine. Without words, we exchanged everything we needed to say—promises for the future, relief that we'd found each other again.
"I won't ever let you go again," I whispered gently, brushing a stray lock of silky black hair from her cheek.
Akeno smiled radiantly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears of joy. "You'd better not, Blake. I'm holding you to that promise."
Of course, this wasn't our entire family gathered here with us.
I turned to look at Akeno. She caught my gaze almost immediately, tilting her head slightly with a puzzled expression. Her violet eyes narrowed curiously, as if silently asking what I was thinking.
I smirked faintly, leaning a little closer to her. "By the way," I said, trying to keep my tone casual, "we have a new stepdad."
Her reaction was priceless.
"Nani the fuck?" Akeno blurted out, her voice rising several octaves higher than usual. The entire room went silent for a beat before my mother, sitting on the opposite couch, broke into her familiar teasing laugh.
"Ufufu~ Tony is such a wonderful man," Shuri said fondly, her tone full of warmth and pride.
Rias, who had only just recovered from my mother's earlier suffocating embrace, used the opportunity to quietly slip free again. Her crimson hair was a bit tousled, and her face still held traces of pink from embarrassment, but she seemed curious too as she glanced toward my mother.
I watched as Mom's eyes softened while she spoke. "Tony and I met a few days ago. He'd been captured in the Middle East—injured, surrounded by danger—and Blake and I happened to get randomly teleported there. I killed a whole bunch of terrorists and saved his life!" Her lips curled into a smile. "The ninja priestess rescuing the merchant of death, you might say."
"Ninja?" Akeno blinked, processing her mother's words. "Ara… that actually sounds very romantic," she admitted softly, though her expression was still full of confusion. "But wait—Merchant of Death? As in Tony Stark? As in the Tony Stark?"
My mother just grinned. "The very same, dear."
Akeno looked between us in disbelief, clearly unsure how to react to the avalanche of revelations she'd been hit with in the last hour.
Before anyone could speak further, I felt a buzz in my pocket. I fished out my phone, frowning slightly when I saw the message notification flashing across the screen.
It was from Pepper.
PEPPER:Emergency. Get back to the hotel. Now!
My chest tightened. The tone of the message was short, urgent—unmistakably serious.
Rias noticed the shift in my expression. "Blake? What's wrong?"
Akeno straightened up with concern etching her face. "Did something happen?"
Even my mother's teasing smile faded as her gaze sharpened. "Blake?" she prompted carefully.
I stood up, my grip tightening around the phone. "Something's wrong," I said quietly. "Pepper says it's an emergency."
…
Pepper Potts stood anxiously in the hotel lobby as I arrived with my mother Shuri, sister Akeno, and Rias Gremory. I noticed immediately that Pepper looked deeply unsettled, her eyes darting nervously around the spacious lobby.
I crossed the distance between us, gently capturing her delicate chin between my thumb and forefinger. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise before softening with relief at my reassuring touch.
"It's alright, Pepper," I whispered softly. Then, ignoring the curious eyes of my family and friends watching behind me, I lowered my head and captured Pepper's soft, parted lips in a slow, passionate kiss.
Pepper sighed immediately into my mouth, a sweet, desperate sound that betrayed her deep need for comfort. Her body relaxed visibly as she melted against me, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. My pulse quickened slightly as our kiss deepened, her warmth pressing enticingly against my chest. I held her even tighter, offering silent reassurance as I poured all my affection into the embrace.
"Ara ara~ So bold, little brother," Akeno teased, although, did her tone sound a bit jealous…?
"My my, Blake-kun. Is this Pepper? Do we need to give you two some privacy?" Rias added teasingly.
I ignored the comments for a moment longer, savoring the tender kiss before reluctantly pulling my lips away from Pepper's. Her cheeks flushed even darker as she became aware of our amused audience, immediately looking away shyly. "Do you feel better now?" I asked her. I didn't want to see one of my girlfriends so upset.
"I feel much better…" Pepper said with a blush.
My mother stepped closer, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Pepper dear, your message sounded quite serious. What's wrong?"
Pepper fidgeted nervously for a second, still leaning slightly against me for comfort. She took a deep breath, clearly struggling with her words, before finally whispering, "Your ex is here, Shuri. He arrived a few minutes ago and demanded to speak with us."
I felt my blood freeze, my mind racing as alarm bells sounded sharply in my head. "BARAQIEL?" I asked tightly, my voice barely controlled.
Before Pepper could even nod in confirmation, I sensed it clearly, the unmistakably powerful aura of a fallen angel emanating from deeper within the hotel.
I mentally kicked myself for allowing my guard to slip so carelessly—distracted by the joyful reunion with my sister, I'd let my senses slip a bit.
Why the fuck had that bastard decided to appear now, after abandoning us years ago and leaving his family to suffer?
Beside me, I sensed a matching surge of furious, bitter resentment coming from Akeno. Her eyes were suddenly cold and stormy. Our father's abandonment had scarred my sister deeply—perhaps even deeper than I'd imagined. Especially considering she ended up hunted for it. "How dare he show his face here in my King's territory…" she hissed, her voice barely audible but vibrating with anger.
Rias quickly stepped closer, placing a gentle, comforting arm around Akeno's shaking shoulders. She drew my distraught sister close, whispering soothing words into her ear.
Akeno clung tightly to her best friend, drawing strength from Rias' calming presence.
My mother's eyes narrowed sharply. I could see the anger simmering within her, the fierce protectiveness she'd always held toward us now blazing fully to life.
I exhaled slowly. I forced myself to remain calm, to think rationally.
"Did he say anything else, Pepper? What exactly did he want?" I asked Pepper.
Pepper swallowed nervously for some reason, her gaze flickering toward the elevator as she spoke. "I'm not sure, but…" Pepper sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of her nose as if she'd been through several emotional rollercoasters in the span of an hour. "Also," she added dryly, "Tony and your father almost started fighting."
We all stared at her blankly, exchanging bewildered glances before Shuri finally broke the silence. "Why?" she asked.
Pepper groaned. "Because Tony opened with—and I quote—'Hi, I'm Tony Stark, and I'm fucking your ex-wife.'"
The room went silent for two whole seconds.
I blinked slowly. "…Oof," I muttered under my breath, half-impressed, half-horrified. "Tony just gained a lot of respect from me right there." Then, grimacing, I added, "But he also lost some of it immediately afterward because I'm now stuck with the mental image of him and my mom together in bed." I shuddered. "Not cool."
Akeno covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, her shoulders shaking. "Hehe! I wish I was there to see that bastard's face after hearing that."
My mother, on the other hand, simply rolled her eyes with a small smirk. "Men and their egos," she muttered, already walking toward the elevator that would take us to her suite.
Pepper led us to the elevator.
We stepped into the lavish penthouse suite Shuri and Tony had been staying in. The air inside was thick with tension.
And there he was.
Baraqiel.
He looked exactly the same as I remembered him—tall, imposing, with the same cold, sharp features that had once terrified me as a child. His dark trench coat hung from broad shoulders. His wings were hidden.
He stood on one side of the living room, his posture rigid, eyes locked with Tony Stark, who was leaning casually against the minibar with a drink in hand. The two of them were locked in an unspoken battle of dominance.
If looks could kill, there would've been two corpses on the carpet by now.
The tension between them was almost comical—like two alpha wolves sizing each other up, both too stubborn to back down.
Baraqiel was the first to break. His head turned toward us, and his expression faltered completely.
"Akira… Shuri… Akeno…" His throat tightened, his next words barely audible. "My family…"
I crossed my arms, glaring at him coldly. Beside me, Akeno's expression hardened, her lips curling in disgust. My mother's eyes now burned with cold detachment.
"You're not my family," Akeno said flatly, her voice low and trembling—not with fear, but with restrained rage. Every syllable carried the weight of years of pain and abandonment.
Baraqiel flinched, his gaze snapping toward her. The raw guilt in his eyes was almost pitiable, but Akeno's face was carved from stone. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter another word, my mother turned her head toward him.
"How could you abandon our children?" she asked coldly.
Baraqiel froze completely, his face twisting with anguish. Whatever excuse or justification he might have rehearsed over the years died unspoken on his tongue.
Behind us, Tony took a slow sip of his drink, eyes flicking between the scene before him and my mother's sharp posture. "Well," he muttered dryly under his breath, "this just got awkward…"
Baraqiel looked as though every word he tried to speak caused him physical agony. He hesitated, pain etched deeply into his hard, stern features, but forced himself to speak anyway. "I believed Akira was dead," he said quietly, his eyes filled with a sadness that seemed genuine. His gaze flickered to me, heavy with emotion, as if unable to reconcile the powerful man I'd become with the boy he'd lost so long ago. "I was certain I'd lost my son that night… I was clearly mistaken."
I kept my expression carefully blank, refusing to show any trace of sympathy. Beside me, my sister Akeno visibly bristled.
Baraqiel turned slowly to face her next, the guilt and grief magnifying in his eyes. "As for you, Akeno… It tore me apart, knowing you were alive but out of my reach. If I'd openly moved against the Himejima clan and the Shinto pantheon to retrieve you, it would have ignited a devastating war. The Five Principal Clans would've united, backed by powerful Shinto deities. Countless innocent lives would've been lost."
Akeno's fists trembled at her sides, the sheer fury radiating from her palpable. Before she could explode, I stepped forward, my voice cold and unwavering as I stared down the man who claimed to be our father.
"It's going to be the Four Principal Clans once I'm done with the Himejima," I cut in, venom dripping from my words. "Fuckers who'd willingly hunt and persecute innocent children deserve nothing less than annihilation."
Shuri glanced my way. "Now, now, Blake. You can't just go around slaughtering our relatives like that. That right will be reserved for me!"
"How about we split them evenly then? Mother-son bonding through vengeance. Sounds healthy, doesn't it?"
Shuri laughed softly. "I like that idea!"
Rias let out a nervous giggle behind us, awkwardly fiddling with her crimson hair. "Ara… I feel like this is one conversation I really shouldn't be overhearing," she murmured awkwardly.
Shuri's violet gaze sharpened again as she turned her attention back to Baraqiel, all humor draining from her expression. "But enough family murder fantasies for now. Tell us plainly—why are you really here, Baraqiel?"
He took a deep, steadying breath, squaring his broad shoulders. "I needed to see with my own eyes that you were alive—all of you. Even if you despise me for my past decisions, I won't abandon you again. I've made too many mistakes already."
Shuri regarded him silently for a long moment. Then, without a word, she casually walked over to Tony Stark and gracefully settled herself onto his lap. Her slender arms curled possessively around Tony's neck, leaning into him.
Tony smirked smugly, looping an arm securely around Shuri's slender waist. She tilted her head back slightly, eyes fixed pointedly on Baraqiel. "As you can see, dear ex-husband, I've happily moved on. Tony Stark is my partner now. Whatever happens from here, don't expect any chance of reconciliation with me."
Baraqiel visibly winced at the blatant display, his jaw tightening in restrained anguish. Yet, he composed himself quickly, offering a respectful nod. "I understand. You deserve happiness, Shuri—even if I'm no longer a part of it."
Beside me, Pepper gently took my hand, squeezing it in quiet support. Her touch immediately steadied my emotions. She leaned in softly. "Blake, are you okay?"
I exhaled deeply, squeezing back to reassure her. "Honestly? Meeting my dad today definitely wasn't on my to-do list. But I'll survive. How about you? Are you alright?"
Pepper bit her lower lip nervously, eyes darting anxiously toward the suite's entrance. Something in her tense expression sent a jolt of unease through me.
"Pepper," I pressed gently, cupping her cheek and forcing her to meet my gaze. "Tell me what else happened while we were gone."
Before she could answer, the door swung open sharply, revealing Natasha Romanoff striding into the suite. She wasn't alone—behind her, looking shy and frightened, was Asia Argento. The petite blonde immediately perked up when she spotted me, though she still clung nervously to Natasha's arm.
"What happened?" I asked immediately, recognizing Natasha's tightly-controlled rage.
Natasha's lips pressed into a thin, hard line. "Some asshole devil named Diodora Astaroth threatened us—right here, in the hotel. The smug little prick said he'd kill everyone if we didn't surrender 'his' Asia immediately." She practically spat the last words, her protective rage flaring visibly as she tightened her grip around Asia's slender shoulders. "As if I'll ever let him have my daughter!"
Asia's eyes widened, gasping softly with surprise and quiet joy. "You called me your daughter?" she whispered in awe.
Natasha's fierce expression softened instantly as she looked down. "Of course I did, sweetheart. As far as I'm concerned, that's exactly what you are."
Asia looked ready to burst into joyful tears, clutching Natasha even tighter.
"Diodora?" Rias repeated incredulously. "Are you absolutely sure about that? Diodora Astaroth threatened you?"
Natasha nodded firmly, her voice dripping with disgust. "He wasn't exactly subtle about it. He outright declared he'd murder everyone standing in his way if we didn't give Asia to him immediately. Claimed she was his rightful property or some sick shit like that."
Asia whimpered softly, trembling slightly at the memory. Natasha immediately hugged her tighter, protectively shielding the girl against her side.
Rias shook her head in disbelief, troubled red eyes narrowing sharply. "I know Diodora personally. He's a devil heir of a pillar clan like me. His uncle is Ajuka Beelzebub. He always seemed polite, if maybe a bit overly reserved. I never imagined he'd threaten innocent people this way."
Honestly, I wasn't sure what my relationship with Natasha Romanoff even was. It might sound shitty if I said it aloud, but hearing that Natasha had been threatened by some random devil didn't evoke much of an emotional response from me. We weren't that close at this point.
Asia, on the other hand, was different. She was a complete sweetheart—kind, gentle, and utterly innocent. She had gone out of her way to heal Tony.
Threatening her was completely inexcusable and it pissed me the hell off.
This is why I hated the devil peerage system as well. Akeno got lucky with a King like Rias, but I know from stories mom told me that a lot of devils love taking slaves. The fact that Evil Pieces can resurrect the recently dead—means that devils can just kill people and turn them into slaves without even asking as well.
"I'm really sorry, Tony," I apologized sincerely, meeting his eyes. "I should have been here when that bastard showed up. I would have handled him…"
Tony waved off my apology dismissively, an amused smirk tugging at his lips despite the tension still lingering in the room. He still had Shuri comfortably perched on his lap. "Relax, kid," he drawled. "Not your fault. Besides, it's not like I had any weapons handy to fend off devils anyway."
"Maybe you need another one of those insane metal suits you built back in Afghanistan," I joked, recalling the giant, clunky armor he'd managed to create from spare parts to escape his captors—just before Mom and I had intervened and saved him.
Tony suddenly froze, eyes lighting up as if struck by sudden inspiration. A broad, enthusiastic grin slowly spread across his face. "You know," he began slowly, excitement building in his voice, "I've been thinking about that exact thing lately. That's actually not a bad idea at all. Of course, it'd need to be more portable, far less bulky—and now, I've got access to way better equipment than anything I had over there…"
He trailed off, his gaze unfocused as he rapidly descended into his genius inventor mode. Soon he was mumbling to himself about advanced alloys, power sources, and miniaturized reactors—science jargon that quickly soared way over the heads of everyone else present.
Shuri giggled softly, shaking her head fondly. Leaning in, she gently pressed a kiss to Tony's cheek before standing up from his lap. Tony barely noticed, too lost in his own rambling as he grabbed a nearby napkin and started writing on it.
My mother turned her attention away from Tony's enthusiastic mumbling and shifted her gaze toward Baraqiel. "So," she asked evenly, a faint edge in her voice, "just how long are you planning on sticking around here, Baraqiel?"
Baraqiel sighed heavily. His gaze flicked briefly toward Akeno, whose cold expression hadn't softened one bit, before settling back on my mother. He looked weary, as though he carried the weight of countless regrets on his broad shoulders. "I've already secured a room for myself here at the hotel," he replied quietly. "I'll remain in Kuoh until I find and capture that piece of shit Kokabiel for trying to kill Akira—I mean Blake. I won't leave until he's dealt with permanently..."
That was why he was in town? Was Kokabiel coming after me again? Well, we did kill more of his subordinates yesterday. He's probably mad…
If Baraqiel was genuinely committed to tracking down Kokabiel and removing him from the board entirely, then at least we had one shared goal in common.
I reluctantly gave a slight nod of approval, though I didn't voice my support aloud.
…Without warning, Rias let out a startled yelp, her blue eyes widening in alarm before her knees buckled beneath her. She collapsed heavily onto the plush carpeted floor, her legs trembling uncontrollably as she sat stunned. A look of horror was plastered across her lovely face.
Immediately, everyone in the suite froze. The tension that had only just begun to dissipate surged back with full force. We all turned toward Rias.
"Miss!" Asia shouted worriedly, dashing over and quickly kneeling beside her. The young blonde's emerald eyes were wide with worry. "Are you hurt? Do you need healing?"
But before Rias could even manage a response, my sister Akeno shook her head gently. "She's not physically hurt," she murmured quietly. "This…is something else."
I stepped closer to Rias, kneeling down beside Asia as I studied Rias' face closely. Her pale skin was drained of color, eyes shimmering with unshed tears, and a look of devastating loss etched deeply into her features.
I'd never liked seeing a beautiful woman cry—especially one who'd done so much to help my family.
"Rias…" I said softly, reaching out and lightly resting my hand on her trembling shoulder. "What's wrong? What's going on?"
After several long seconds, a strangled sob finally escaped Rias' throat. Tears began streaming down her cheeks as she shook her head weakly. "I can't sense him anymore. The connection has been severed. My…my new pawn," she sniffled miserably, choking slightly on the words. "He just…became a stray devil. I—I can feel it. He just abandoned me completely…"
Akeno gasped softly in shock as she took a step backward. "But… didn't you use all eight pawn pieces on him…?" her voice trembled with barely-concealed panic when she spoke.
Rias nodded numbly, her voice coming out in a fragile whisper. "I did. But somehow… he's already gone. He left, just like that… I just lost over half my peerage!" She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, her beautiful red hair falling around her face in disarray. "I'm screwed," she whimpered quietly, shoulders trembling with despair. "There's no way I can possibly beat Riser now…"
My mother exchanged a silent, troubled glance with Akeno before they both stepped forward. Shuri gently took Rias' hand, helping the distraught girl slowly back to her feet. Akeno immediately moved to Rias' other side, slipping a supportive arm around her best friend's waist.
My mother's eyes flickered to Tony, an apologetic expression crossing her lovely features. "This sounds deeply personal. It might be best if we move to Blake's room to talk this through privately. I'll be back later, Tony."
Tony nodded slowly, his face serious and respectful. "Sure thing, Shuri. I'll be here if you need anything."
Mom guided Rias gently toward the door, with Akeno supporting the shaken devil heiress closely. I followed them.
Together, our small group made our way silently down the hallway toward my room. Rias continued trembling softly, her quiet sobs muffled against Akeno's shoulder.
"Akeno, do you think that bastard Diodora could be behind what happened with Rias's pawn?" I asked when we got to my room. Rias quickly slipped into the bathroom to clean up a bit.
Akeno hesitated, biting her lip uncertainly. Her violet eyes darkened, worry and suspicion swirling within. "I'm honestly not sure," she admitted slowly. "But the timing of it all is just too convenient to ignore. First Diodora openly threatens Asia, and then immediately afterward, Rias's pawn mysteriously abandons her and becomes a stray devil? It seems connected somehow. But also, Rias isn't really close to him. I don't think it was him…" she finally said.
I supposed it could just be a coincidence. It seemed this town was really good at attracting supernatural troubles… At least Shuri and I got rid of the Stray Exorcists and the Fallen Angels.
I nodded slowly. "What about Rias herself? Does she have any other enemies? And who exactly is this 'Riser' she mentioned?"
Beside me, my mother Shuri's expression sharpened instantly. "I'd like to know that as well," she agreed seriously, her eyes narrowing protectively. "Something about this situation feels deeply wrong."
At our questions, Akeno immediately looked guilty, averting her gaze slightly. Her shoulders sagged, and I could see a deep conflict churning inside her. It was clear she was reluctant to share this information, but knew she had no other choice.
Finally, she sighed softly, eyes downcast. "Rias... she's currently trapped in a marriage contract," Akeno explained quietly, her voice trembling faintly with suppressed anger. "The contract is with a disgusting asshole named Riser Phenex. He's from one of the pillar devil families. Rias despises him and has tried everything to get out of the arrangement, but her family insists it's politically necessary."
My mother's violet eyes flashed dangerously at those words. "Politically necessary? Fuck that," she hissed vehemently. "And what exactly happens if this asshole gets his way?"
Akeno swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper now. "Riser intends for Rias—and every girl in her peerage—to become his personal property once they're married. They'll belong entirely to him forever."
The room fell deathly silent.
My mother's expression shifted instantly from protective to murderous. Her eyes burned fiercely, her voice shaking slightly from rage. "Over my dead fucking body! I just got my daughter back!" she declared venomously. "I'm grateful to Rias for everything she's done, but if that's the case, you're not staying here another day, Akeno. You're coming home to America with us—away from this sick bullshit!"
Akeno's eyes widened in shock, panic flashing briefly across her face. She sputtered helplessly for a moment before finding her voice. "Wait, Mother! I—I can't just abandon Rias like that! Especially now! And there's Koneko too... I can't leave them both trapped with that monster. Please understand..."
My mother's lips tightened, her expression torn between maternal protectiveness and genuine sympathy for Akeno's plight. She exhaled slowly, visibly struggling to control her anger. "Fine," she finally conceded quietly, frustration evident in her eyes. "But we are not leaving Japan until this situation is completely resolved, one way or another!"
I leaned forward, pressing the issue further. "Akeno," I asked carefully, "is there any chance Riser could be the one behind this sabotage? Would he benefit directly from crippling Rias's peerage before this marriage?"
Akeno blinked, clearly startled by my question. Slowly, realization dawned in her eyes. "It's actually very possible," she admitted thoughtfully. "Rias has been suspecting for a while that Issei could be the legendary Red Dragon Emperor. If Riser had spies watching us here in Kuoh Town—and I'm almost certain he does—he'd absolutely want to neutralize Issei before Rias challenged him to a rating game to get out of the contract. Without her pawn, her peerage is severely weakened. And with Issei now a stray devil, Rias has permanently lost all eight pawn pieces she invested in him—unless..."
Her voice trailed off uncertainly, her eyes meeting mine. "Unless we find and kill Issei ourselves, reclaiming those pawn pieces and restoring Rias's strength."
At that exact moment, the bathroom door opened quietly, and Rias herself stepped back into the room. She had cleaned up her tear-streaked face, but her expression remained weary and devastated. Clearly, she'd heard the last part of our conversation.
She exhaled slowly, shoulders trembling slightly. "We'll figure something out, Akeno," she murmured softly, her blue eyes filled with sadness but also quiet determination. "We have to. There's no other choice."
There was a firm knock at the door, drawing everyone's attention immediately. Before anyone could respond, the door opened slowly, and Baraqiel stood there, looking decidedly uncomfortable.
Akeno's expression instantly hardened, her violet eyes cold as she crossed her arms. "What do you want?" she asked curtly, her voice carefully devoid of emotion.
Baraqiel cleared his throat softly, clearly uneasy but determined to say his piece. "I'm sorry for intruding," he began, his voice respectful yet strained, "but I wanted to inform you all that I'll be placing a powerful magical barrier around this entire hotel."
We exchanged curious glances at his sudden announcement.
Baraqiel noticed our confusion and quickly explained further. "The barrier will prevent any devils not explicitly keyed into its wards from entering the premises. It will also block any magical transmissions—communication spells, teleportation, scrying—all of it. However," he added after a slight pause, "standard human technology will still function normally, so phone calls or messages can still go through." He shifted his eyes toward my sister and Rias. "Of course, you two will be free to come and go through the barrier as you please. I've already attuned it to your magical signatures." He fell silent, clearly finished with what he had come to say.
A tense silence filled the room for a moment. Without another word, he turned away, clearly ready to leave us to our privacy again.
Something about his thoughtful gesture tugged at my conscience. Sure, I had plenty of legitimate reasons to hate the guy, but in this situation, he was genuinely trying to help. He'd even saved Pepper, Tony, Natasha, and Asia from that devil bastard Diodora.
I exhaled quietly, deciding to be the bigger man, at least this once. "Thank you," I said clearly to his retreating form. My voice wasn't overly warm, but it was sincere enough to make him pause momentarily in surprise. "I appreciate your help."
Baraqiel hesitated, his broad shoulders twitching slightly, as if caught off-guard by my gratitude. Without turning around, he gave a small, almost imperceptible nod before continuing down the hall toward his own room.
The door shut quietly behind him, and silence returned.
Beside me, Rias muttered thoughtfully, almost to herself, "No magical signals can get in or out of this hotel…?" Something in her tone caught my attention—she sounded intrigued, even a little excited.
Akeno noticed it too, glancing curiously at her friend. "What's going through that mind of yours, Rias?" she asked suspiciously.
Rias smirked knowingly, her eyes glinting with a mischievous spark as she waved dismissively at my sister. "Oh, it's nothing, Akeno. Don't worry about it," she replied cryptically, before turning toward me. Her eyes flashed for a moment and she bit her lip, running her eyes up and down my body.
Was she checking me out right now? I stared at Rias, thoroughly confused. Was I missing something obvious here?
Behind me, my mom reached over, patting me affectionately on the shoulder. "I love your innocence, my son," she teased gently.
I blinked in bewilderment. Clearly, the women in this room knew something I didn't…
– Vali –
Vali Lucifer landed silently in front of the sprawling Grigori headquarters hidden deep within the Underworld. Massive obsidian spires rose imposingly toward the dark sky, their shadows stretching ominously across the barren grounds beneath.
As soon as he stepped inside the imposing gates, he felt dozens of eyes locking onto him. A chorus of flirtatious murmurs and seductive chuckles filled his ears as he walked calmly past rows of female fallen angels lingering about the expansive central courtyard.
"Welcome back, Vali-sama~," purred one voluptuous fallen angel, her voice dripping sensuality as she arched her back suggestively, making sure her ample cleavage was clearly visible.
Another woman, a stunning blonde with icy blue eyes, winked provocatively at him, tracing her tongue slowly over glossy red lips. "You've been gone far too long, handsome. Care for some company tonight?"
Vali merely rolled his eyes, continuing forward without slowing his pace or sparing them a glance. It wasn't arrogance—he simply had no interest in their invitations, as tempting as most men might find them.
Being the adoptive son of Azazel, the Grigori leader himself, and the current White Dragon Emperor certainly made Vali a prime target for romantic and sexual pursuits. If he wanted, he could easily fill his nights with as many beautiful fallen angels as he desired, but sensual pleasures didn't interest him.
No, what truly excited Vali Lucifer was battle! The thrill of clashing against powerful opponents, pushing his limits, and asserting his dominance through strength alone!
The women pouted prettily as he walked away, disappointed once more by his unwavering indifference, their playful laughter and suggestive comments fading behind him as he entered the headquarters' inner chambers.
He made his way briskly to Azazel's private office. The imposing double doors swung open before he even knocked, Azazel sensing his presence immediately.
"Vali?" Azazel said curiously, raising a questioning eyebrow as Vali entered. The older fallen angel leaned casually back in his chair, watching his adoptive son closely. "You're back far sooner than I expected. Did you already track down Kokabiel?"
Vali froze momentarily, a brief flicker of panic crossing his silver eyes. He internally cursed himself for forgetting the original purpose of his excursion. His encounter with the Red Dragon Emperor in Kuoh Town—and subsequent handing over of that idiot to Ophis—had distracted him entirely from his actual mission.
Finding Kokabiel had completely slipped his mind.
'Oh shit,' he thought silently, scrambling quickly for a plausible explanation. Outwardly, however, he kept his expression carefully neutral, casually shrugging his shoulders. "He wasn't there," he lied smoothly, meeting Azazel's scrutinizing gaze evenly. "I searched all across Kuoh Town. No sign of him anywhere. The only notable presence I sensed there was Baraqiel, so I figured it's best if we just leave Kokabiel up to him to handle."
Azazel groaned deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Fuck," he muttered bitterly. "This isn't good. It'll reflect badly on us if two of my top cadres end up openly fighting each other."
Vali grimaced slightly at the reminder. Though he personally viewed Baraqiel as significantly stronger than Kokabiel.
Azazel sighed heavily, clearly irritated but accepting the situation with reluctant resignation. "Fine, fine," he finally relented with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I guess we'll have to trust Baraqiel to handle things." It wasn't ideal having two of Grigori's top leaders coming to blows. It would make their faction look weak. But there wasn't anything they could do at this point—not if Kokabiel wasn't yet actually present in Kuoh. At least, that was the story he would now be forced to stick to…
Vali nodded silently in agreement, masking the faint guilt churning inside him. He had blatantly neglected his mission—something entirely unlike him. Still, he figured things would probably work themselves out in the end.
– Blake –
We took some time to calm down and regroup after the tense confrontation in the hotel. Now that I knew Pepper, Tony, Natasha, and Asia were safe and secure, I felt more comfortable leaving again. Of course, I made sure my Stark phone was set at full volume—just in case another emergency arose.
Shuri, as a Kunoichi, had insisted on accompanying Rias to investigate Issei Hyoudou's home. Rias was desperate to understand why her newest pawn had so abruptly abandoned her, turning himself into a stray devil mere hours after his reincarnation.
I found myself alone with Akeno. After years apart, having some one-on-one time to talk privately was something we both desperately needed. As we wandered slowly through the streets of Kuoh Town, bathed in the soft glow of the late-afternoon sun, I began sharing my story with her.
"I guess I should start from the beginning, huh?" I mused with a sigh, glancing sideways to see Akeno watching me intently. Her violet eyes were soft yet curious, eager for every detail. "Kokabiel attacked me, he and his cronies left me with a giant fucking hole in my chest. It should've been fatal. Honestly, I thought I was dead."
Akeno gasped quietly, her fingers tightening around my arm. Her eyes reflected pain at the thought of losing me again. "Oh, Blake…"
"But apparently," I continued reassuringly, gently placing my free hand over hers, "my strange portal ability activated instinctively, flinging me into another dimension entirely. I blacked out from blood loss and injuries. When I woke up, though, I wasn't in Japan—or even on Earth—anymore."
"Another world?" Akeno asked softly, clearly astonished. "You pulled off an actual Isekai…? Rias will be so jealous…"
"Exactly," I confirmed. "I woke up, completely healed. Two beautiful women named Tsunade and Shizune had found and treated me. Tsunade was this fierce blonde woman—a legendary healer in that world, though I didn't know it at the time. Shizune was her gentle, dark-haired assistant. They nursed me back to health, somehow fully healing my fatal injuries as if they'd never happened."
Akeno's eyes sparkled with interest, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Ara ara~ So my dear otouto's life was saved by two older attractive women, hmm? How suspiciously fortunate for you."
I chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of my head. "Yeah, it wasn't exactly a hardship," I admitted with a wry grin. "We traveled together after that—exploring their world, which they called the Elemental Nations. The three of us grew close. Tsunade had lost a lot of people she loved before meeting me, and Shizune was basically the steady support keeping Tsunade from spiraling completely. In a way, we all saved each other."
Akeno listened silently, her expression thoughtful and warm. I knew she understood exactly how it felt—to lose family, to be alone, to have others heal your wounds.
"After weeks of traveling," I continued softly, "we ended up fighting this greedy, evil merchant named Gato. He'd been terrorizing a small village, exploiting them cruelly. We stopped him permanently—and, well, we took all of his money too. He certainly wouldn't need it anymore."
My sister let out an amused giggle. "Robbing villains now too? Ufufu~ How scandalous."
"Hey, it was completely justified!" I protested playfully, earning another soft laugh from her. "Anyway, after dealing with Gato, there was a bit of heat on us with the law. Tsunade suggested we return to her original home—a hidden village called Konoha for safety." My voice dropped slightly "...And that's where everything changed again. Because somehow, impossibly, our mother Shuri was there in Konoha, living as a trained kunoichi. It was the shock of my life. Mom recognized me instantly, even though I'd grown up so much since she'd last seen me."
Akeno stopped walking, her violet eyes wide with disbelief as she turned fully toward me. "Mother—a ninja? Seriously? Is that why she called herself one earlier?"
I nodded slowly. "As unbelievable as it sounds, yeah. Mom became a shinobi in that world. Honestly, she's terrifying in battle—completely deadly, precise, graceful, and powerful."
Akeno looked stunned, clearly struggling to picture our gentle mother as a fierce ninja assassin. After a long moment of processing the revelation, she finally shook her head with a soft laugh of disbelief. "I can't even imagine it…"
"Trust me," I told her firmly, "seeing Mom obliterate enemies with lightning talismans is something you never forget. She's probably the strongest fighter I've met—aside from maybe Tsunade."
My sister raised a curious brow. "Ufufu~ Strong women seem to constantly surround you, Blake. And both of these women sound very special to you. Have you been collecting girlfriends while your poor Onee-chan wasn't looking?"
I chuckled sheepishly, averting my eyes. "I won't deny it," I admitted honestly. "Tsunade and Shizune both became my lovers. Then, of course, there's Pepper Potts now too."
Akeno pouted dramatically, poking my chest lightly with her slender finger. "Mou~ My dear otouto is steadily building his own little harem! You're making Onee-chan jealous…"
Suddenly, Akeno stopped walking beside me, her fingers tightening around my arm. Her entire body stiffened, and when I turned to face her, I saw a dangerous glint of fury burning in her violet eyes.
Confused, I followed her intense glare to a nearby tree. Perched high on a branch, there sat a strange bird. Its feathers were bright yellow, accented with vivid red stripes. It stared back down at us with an unnaturally intelligent gaze, its tiny black eyes fixated specifically on my sister.
"That bastard," Akeno hissed sharply, her voice trembling with barely suppressed rage. She lifted one slender finger abruptly, pointing straight at the bird perched in the branches above.
Crackling lightning surged from the tip of her finger, cutting through the air with a sharp, electric snap. The bolt exploded against the thick branch just inches away from the bird, leaving a smoldering, charred black scar. She'd intentionally missed.
With an indignant squawk, the bird immediately launched itself into the sky, wings flapping frantically as it fled the scene in panic. I could've sworn its tiny eyes were wide with fear as it vanished from view.
Frowning, I glanced curiously at my sister. "What was that all about, Akeno? That bird definitely didn't seem normal." I could sense something unusual about it, although it had disappeared too quickly for me to properly analyze it.
Akeno exhaled sharply, her lips pressed into a thin, irritated line. "That was Riser Phenex's familiar," she growled bitterly. "That arrogant bastard has been spying on us this whole time! It has to have been him who somehow got rid of Issei! It makes perfect sense now."
I sighed deeply, feeling a surge of annoyance. "Damn. First Diodora, and now Riser? These male devils really are turning out to be complete assholes, aren't they?"
My sister took several deep breaths, visibly struggling to calm herself. Gradually, the anger eased from her features, replaced by quiet resolve. When she finally met my eyes again, her expression softened considerably.
"Blake," she said gently, reaching out to grasp my hand in hers. Her touch was soothingly warm, her fingers soft and delicate as she gently traced small, comforting circles against the back of my hand. "I have a request. Something important. Can I count on you?"
My heart instantly softened at her tone. She had always been able to get me to do anything she wanted, ever since we were kids. I smiled reassuringly, squeezing her hand affectionately. "Akeno, you already know I could never resist you back then. And that definitely hasn't changed. Just tell me what you need—I'll do anything to help you."
Akeno's lips curved upward into a radiant, delighted smile. "Good boy," she teased lightly, leaning in and playfully nudging my shoulder. "Onee-chan is so happy to hear that."
Then her expression grew serious again, a thoughtful shadow passing briefly over her lovely face. "Listen closely, Blake. Tonight, Rias will probably come to your room privately. She'll have a special request for you—a very personal one. I want you to fulfill whatever she asks, okay? Do this for me, please. I promise, it's really important. In fact, it might even be our best chance to turn the tables. If Riser Phenex thinks he can get away with cheating so blatantly, then we'll simply do the same!"
I stared back at her in confusion, raising an eyebrow. "Okay...? Of course, I'll do what I can. But what exactly is it you want me to do? Do you want me to help you chase that bird down first?"
She shook her head, sighing lightly. "It's probably long gone by now. But just to be safe, let's walk around town and see if there might be any more familiars spying on us. Although..." She frowned thoughtfully. "Honestly, I don't even know what Diodora's familiar looks like, which makes finding it a lot harder."
I nodded firmly, tightening my grip on her hand. "Then we'll just have to keep our eyes open. Come on—let's make sure no more unwelcome spies are lurking around."
– Shuri –
"...If that's what you want to do, Rias, then I support you. Especially if it means also saving Akeno. Just remember that Blake already has three girlfriends and I KNOW he loves them. You'll be starting behind them all…"
Shuri followed closely behind Rias as they arrived at Issei Hyoudou's unassuming suburban home. The late afternoon sun cast long, amber shadows across the neatly trimmed lawn, lending an oddly peaceful air to the location, completely at odds with the grim purpose of their visit.
Rias paused at the threshold of the door, her stunning red hair cascading down her back as she glanced quietly over her shoulder. Her sapphire eyes were clear with unwavering determination. "Yes, Shuri-san. My mind is made up. It's the only way now."
Shuri nodded, offering her a reassuring smile. "Then I'm here to support you, dear."
Together, they stepped inside the house. Instantly, Shuri sensed something off. As they entered the kitchen, they found Issei's parents sitting motionless at the table, eyes unfocused and vacant. They stared blankly into space, utterly oblivious to the women's presence.
Shuri's brow furrowed slightly. "Hypnosis?" she asked softly, already suspecting the answer.
Rias sighed quietly, nodding in confirmation. "Yes. I called Sona earlier. She used hypnosis magic on them to question them thoroughly without alarming them."
"Ah, I see," Shuri said lightly.
They ascended the staircase toward Issei's bedroom. Upon entering the room, Shuri saw the pretty devil she teased last night.
"Thanks for coming, Sona," Rias said with a sigh.
"Ara, hello there, Miss Sitri~" Shuri purred teasingly, allowing a flirtatious smirk to tug at her lips, enjoying the blush that immediately blossomed across Sona's face.
"A-ah, good evening, Shuri-san," Sona stammered, briefly looking away to regain composure. She cleared her throat slightly. "Hello, Rias. It's no trouble. Considering your pawn's sudden disappearance, I understand your urgency. Frankly, it's made me rather wary as well. Let's see what we can find."
"Thank you, Sona," Rias replied gratefully, immediately moving toward the center of the room and casting her gaze carefully around.
Shuri immediately slipped into her ninja mindset with her sharp violet eyes scanning meticulously across the room. Leaving no spot left unchecked.
And then, she wished she hadn't…
The place was horrific. Everywhere she looked, dried, crusted stains littered the place. The sheets, walls, the floor—hell, even parts of the ceiling! A shiver of disgust crawled unpleasantly down her spine.
"Okay, I consider myself quite a sexual woman, but this bedroom is absolutely horrifying…" Shuri muttered with genuine repulsion, gingerly stepping over a particularly questionable patch on the carpet.
Sona coughed awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable as well, though she diligently continued to cast tracking and investigative spells. Her magic flowed methodically around the room, bathing it in a soft blue hue as she searched for any magical residue.
While the younger devils employed their spells, Shuri instead relied on her physical investigation skills honed from years as a kunoichi. Ignoring the nauseating evidence of Issei's perversions, she carefully searched for signs of a struggle—displaced furniture, scuff marks, any indication that violence had taken place.
She found nothing.
After a thorough sweep, Shuri turned to Rias and shook her head solemnly. "There's no physical evidence of an attack or struggle here," she admitted gently, hating the look of sadness that immediately clouded Rias's face.
Rias's shoulders slumped slightly, a look of resignation filling her beautiful blue eyes. "Unless someone incredibly powerful managed to teleport directly into Kuoh without either myself or Sona sensing them, then…" She trailed off, her voice growing quiet. "It means Issei most likely ran away willingly."
Sona adjusted her glasses, nodding solemnly. "Unfortunately, that seems most likely. As rulers of this territory, Rias and I can always sense when teleportation magic is used within Kuoh's boundaries. Neither of us sensed anything unusual this morning."
"How did Diodora do it then?" she asked Rias.
Sona tilted her head curiously, she was out of the loop on that topic. Rias gave a quick explanation that Diodora had threatened Akeno's family while they were in town.
Sona pursed her lips. "It's possible he stole an invention from his uncle that would allow him to teleport without us sensing him in our territory. Is he a suspect for Issei disappearing?" she asked.
"I doubt it," Rias shook her head. "He wouldn't have blatantly revealed himself at the hotel if he knew my pawn was going to vanish as well."
Shuri pursed her lips thoughtfully, placing a comforting hand gently on Rias's shoulder. "I agree. Now, what about this boy's parents…? Do they know anything?"
Sona sighed with mild exasperation. "I already questioned them under hypnosis. Unfortunately, their son apparently often makes… questionable loud noises. For hours on end. They've grown accustomed to ignoring strange sounds from his bedroom. It made their testimonies essentially useless for our investigation."
Rias pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily. Shuri squeezed her shoulder again reassuringly.
"At least there's plan B now…" Rias said warily.
Sona paused in her spellcasting. "Plan B?" she asked carefully, glancing between Rias and Shuri. "What exactly are you talking about, Rias?"
Rias sighed softly, a shadow of worry passing momentarily across her flawless features before she straightened, clearly gathering her courage. "I'm going to dissolve my engagement with Riser Phenex—by completely surrendering myself to another man first," she said firmly, each word heavy with the weight of her decision.
For a moment, Sona simply stared in shock. "Rias! Are you insane?" she exclaimed, voice rising an octave higher than normal as she quickly stepped closer. "If your family finds out that you willingly gave yourself to another man, they'll—"
"They'll likely disown me," Rias finished calmly, nodding slowly. Her voice trembled slightly, betraying how painful the thought truly was for her, yet her expression never wavered. "I know, Sona. I know exactly what the consequences could be. But being cast out is infinitely better than becoming Riser's personal slave—me and my peerage included." She smiled sadly. "I won't allow him to touch any of my friends. This is the only choice left now."
A tense, emotional silence filled the room. Sona's expression shifted rapidly from disbelief to understanding, then finally to reluctant acceptance. "I understand your reasoning, Rias, but are you absolutely sure about doing something so drastic?" she murmured softly. "You're gambling with your entire future."
"Trust me," Rias replied softly, her voice full of quiet certainty, "This is my decision, and I'll accept whatever comes next."
Shuri watched the exchange carefully, noting how Sona trembled slightly as she listened. The younger devil clearly cared deeply about Rias, and Shuri admired her loyalty and dedication.
And yet—she also noticed something else entirely when she looked at Sona. The younger woman's flushed cheeks, the nervous darting of her eyes, and the subtle but unmistakable glances Sona occasionally threw her way.
Shuri allowed herself a slow, teasing smile as she confidently approached Sona, hips swaying seductively. She reached out, lightly touching Sona's chin and gently tipping her head upward to meet her gaze directly.
Sona's blush instantly deepened, her dark eyes wide and uncertain beneath her glasses. Her breath quickened faintly, her body freezing momentarily beneath Shuri's unexpected touch.
"Oh my," Shuri purred teasingly, her voice low and enticing as her violet eyes sparkled with mischief, "aren't you absolutely adorable when you're flustered? It seems you've been sneaking glances at me since we met, haven't you?"
Sona swallowed hard, her cheeks crimson and her eyes nervously flickering away for a brief moment. "I—I wasn't staring," she mumbled weakly.
"Of course you were," Shuri cooed, clearly unconvinced. Her thumb brushed lightly along the younger woman's delicate jawline, drawing a shiver from Sona. "You know, sweetheart, if you're facing any sort of difficult engagement or arrangement like Rias, I'd be more than willing to help you escape. I do have a boyfriend, but I'm absolutely sure Tony wouldn't mind me helping you out—especially if it means protecting such a lovely young woman."
Sona visibly trembled, her face flushing an even brighter shade of red as her eyes widened at Shuri's provocative words. She hastily shook her head, clearly flustered but managing to summon enough courage to respond firmly. "N-no! I'm not involved in any arranged marriages, Shuri-san," she stammered quickly, her voice high and tight with embarrassment. "I—I already handled that particular situation myself!"
Shuri chuckled at Sona's embarrassment. "Oh?" she murmured softly. "Handled it already? You're quite resourceful, aren't you?"
Sona stepped hurriedly away, leaving her blushing furiously and breathing rapidly. She glanced briefly at Rias. "I—I need to go now, Rias," she said quickly, her voice trembling with lingering embarrassment. "Good luck with everything tonight!" And with that, Sona turned sharply on her heel, practically sprinting from the bedroom and disappearing swiftly down the stairs, her hurried footsteps fading quickly from earshot.
Shuri chuckled softly, thoroughly amused by Sona's adorably flustered retreat. Turning back toward Rias, she found the younger woman smiling gently. "Did you really have to tease poor Sona like that, Shuri-san?" Rias asked lightly, though there was no real accusation in her tone.
Shuri simply grinned wickedly, shrugging her slender shoulders nonchalantly. "I couldn't resist. She's such a delightful mix of innocence and intellect. And clearly attracted to me as well," she added playfully, winking mischievously. "Besides, perhaps my flirtation will give her something else to focus on instead of worrying herself sick about your decision."
Rias laughed quietly, shaking her head fondly at Shuri's reasoning. "Perhaps you're right. Regardless, thank you for supporting me so thoroughly. I know this must be strange and awkward for you."
"Not at all, sweetheart," Shuri replied warmly, stepping forward and gently squeezing Rias's shoulder. Her violet eyes softened affectionately. "As a mother, I understand completely the need to protect those you care about at all costs. If anything, I respect your bravery even more now."
Rias exhaled slowly, her smile genuine and grateful. "Then I suppose it's time to put my plan into motion. Hopefully, Blake won't reject me…"
Shuri chuckled knowingly, her violet eyes glittering with gentle amusement. "Oh, trust me, dear. You won't have to worry about that at all."
– Diodora –
"Ow…"
Diodora Astaroth was seething with fury and indignation as he painfully dragged himself out of the filthy, overflowing dumpster he'd just crashed into. A foul cocktail of decayed food, sour milk, and rotten garbage clung to every inch of his once immaculate clothing, the acrid stench invading his nostrils and churning his stomach.
He had tried teleporting back to the luxurious hotel in Kuoh where his precious Asia was being kept—imagining her soft, innocent features, those emerald eyes wide with delightful fear as he claimed what was rightfully his. But instead of finding himself inside, he had collided headlong into an invisible wall of magic! A powerful barrier blasted him away from the building with an irresistible force!
Now, here he was, halfway across Kuoh town, sprawled shamefully among rotten banana peels and rancid leftovers, his pride severely bruised along with his dignity.
"Dammit!" he spat venomously, teeth gritted in humiliation and anger as he hauled himself fully upright from the dumpster. "What the fuck just happened? Who dared place such a powerful barrier!?"
Rage pulsed furiously through his veins, fueling dark thoughts of vengeance as he wiped a smear of rancid grease from his face. His carefully groomed hair was now stuck to his forehead and temples in revolting clumps. The expensive designer suit he'd donned was now tattered, stained, and utterly ruined beyond redemption. Every step sent fresh waves of nauseating odor wafting around him, increasing his humiliation and fueling his fury.
But even more infuriating was the knowledge that Asia—sweet, gentle Asia—was still beyond his grasp. He could picture her trembling beneath his touch, eyes filled with a beautiful mixture of fear and helpless innocence. The thought of claiming her, defiling that purity she so naively treasured, sent a shudder of dark pleasure coursing through him.
He gritted his teeth, growling softly in frustration as he stumbled out of the alleyway, startling several pedestrians who immediately recoiled in disgust at his appearance and stench. Humiliation burned brighter as he caught sight of his reflection in a storefront window, dirt smeared obscenely across his handsome features, a wilted lettuce leaf plastered comically to the side of his head.
The great Diodora Astaroth reduced to this shameful spectacle—it was beyond insulting!
"I swear," he snarled under his breath as he hurried down the street, determinedly ignoring the horrified, judgmental stares of strangers, "whoever placed that barrier will suffer immensely for this disgrace. And Asia…" his voice darkened possessively, dripping with obsessive determination, "Asia will belong to me, no matter who I have to destroy to claim her!"
But first—his fists clenched tightly, knuckles whitening as his nails bit into his palms—first, he desperately needed a shower.
He was going to try teleporting again, but decided against it. Had that dumb cow Rias Gremory or that frigid bitch Sona Sitri realized someone was secretly teleporting in and out of their territory. Did they strengthen the wards around the whole town? He didn't want to risk getting sent flying a second time. That meant he was begrudgingly going to have to leave town on foot and teleport home once he escaped the wards.
"Hey man, you look like you've seen better days. Here's some yen," An annoyingly handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes handed Diodora some money. He was accompanied by a stunning Japanese woman that looked vaguely familiar to Diodora but he was too angry to remember at the moment!
He can't believe that guy thought he was homeless! He scowled but still pocketed the cash. No devil turned down free money…
– Blake –
"That was nice of you, Blake," Akeno said gently, squeezing my hand even tighter as we continued walking down the street. The warmth in her voice sent a pleasant thrill up my spine.
I glanced back briefly toward the disheveled figure disappearing behind us. "Poor guy was covered head-to-toe in garbage," I replied sympathetically. "He definitely looked like he'd seen better days. Couldn't just walk by without helping out."
Akeno nodded softly. "You have a kind heart," she murmured quietly, resting her head lightly against my shoulder as we walked. "Even after everything you've been through."
I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Honestly, I always think about how easily that could have been me. If I hadn't gotten lucky—awakening my weird world-hopping superpowers—I might've ended up homeless too. Life can flip on you pretty quickly."
Akeno laughed gently. "I doubt you'd ever let yourself fall that far, little brother. You're stubborn, if nothing else."
We walked in comfortable silence for a while, eventually finding ourselves wandering into one of Kuoh Town's quieter parks. The sun had fully set now, leaving us bathed in soft moonlight that filtered gently through the trees. The evening air was calm, with just a faint hint of chill. I noticed Akeno glancing around nervously, her expression slightly hesitant—like she wanted to say something but wasn't sure how.
Finally, after a deep breath, she turned to me fully. Her beautiful eyes looked anxious, almost apprehensive. "Blake… There's something I've wanted to ask you since you told me your stories earlier. Something that's been bothering me."
I was curious but I nodded. "Of course, Akeno. What's wrong?"
She swallowed hard, she was visibly nervous. "Earlier, when you were telling me all those stories about your fights, you mentioned several times how you used 'that bastard's' powers to save yourself. The cursed blood of the fallen angels we've inherited from… from Baraqiel." She almost spat his name, as if the mere mention burned her tongue. "How can you use those powers so freely, without hesitation or disgust?"
I blinked at her, genuinely confused by her question. "I don't understand, Akeno. Why wouldn't I use them?"
She looked away, her gaze falling to the ground. Her voice came out barely above a whisper, trembling slightly with bitterness. "Don't you hate it, Blake? The fallen angel blood flowing through us? It's the blood of the man who abandoned us, left our family to suffer, and indirectly caused our mother's disappearance. It's a cursed legacy."
I stopped walking, turning toward her fully. Her eyes remained lowered, dark bangs shadowing her expression. Gently, I reached out, placing a comforting finger beneath her chin and lifting her face so she would look me in the eyes. Her violet gaze was conflicted, filled with hurt and self-doubt.
"No, Akeno," I said firmly, my voice gentle but unwavering. "I could never hate the blood flowing through my veins. It's a part of me. It's a part of you." I brushed a strand of silky black hair from her beautiful face, tracing my thumb tenderly along her cheek. "How could I ever hate something that connects me to you?"
Her eyes widened in shock at my words, her soft lips parting slightly. Clearly, I'd shaken her world with just those few sentences. Emotion swirled visibly within her—pain, longing, surprise, and finally, gratitude.
Tears shimmered suddenly in her eyes. "You… you really mean that?" she whispered faintly, voice filled with a fragile hopefulness. "You don't see our bloodline as a curse?"
I shook my head, smiling warmly at her. "Never. Our powers don't define who we are. They're just tools we can use to protect those we love. That's how I see it. Our heritage, our bloodline—it's something beautiful, Akeno, because it binds us together." I leaned forward slowly, pressing my forehead gently against hers, allowing our breaths to mingle softly. "It's a bond I'll always cherish."
For several heartbeats, we stood quietly in the moonlit park, our foreheads lightly touching. I could hear her breath trembling, feel the subtle warmth of her flushed cheeks against mine.
"Blake…" she finally breathed, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you. I—I think I've needed to hear those words for a very long time."
Gently, I wrapped my arms securely around her body, pulling her tightly into my embrace. She melted against me, her body soft and warm, her breathing gradually steadying as she relaxed completely in my arms. Her delicate hands clutched the fabric of my shirt tightly, holding me like she feared I'd vanish at any moment.
"I'll always be here for you, Akeno," I whispered softly into her ear. "No matter what happens, I promise I'll never leave you alone again."
She sniffled quietly, holding me even tighter. "You better not," she replied softly, though there was a playful edge returning to her voice now. "I won't forgive you if you do."
Chuckling gently, I pulled back slightly to look directly into her tear-filled yet smiling eyes. "Don't worry. I know better than to upset my scary big sister."
She laughed again, a sweet, melodic sound. Then, smiling tenderly, she rested her head comfortably against my chest, sighing in contentment. "I love you, Blake."
"I love you too, Akeno," I replied sincerely, kissing the top of her head softly.
"FLAP!"
Akeno and I both snapped our heads upward at the sudden sound. It was the unmistakable flapping of powerful wings.
"Well, isn't this a disgustingly sweet scene I've stumbled upon," sneered a cold, hateful voice from above us, dripping venom and malice.
My jaw tightened instantly as anger flared through me, white-hot and intense. Hovering casually overhead, framed by the moon's pale glow, was none other than Kokabiel—the sadistic bastard who'd tried killing me once.
Damn, this town really loved attracting assholes, didn't it?
Akeno's body stiffened beside me. Her hand instinctively tightened around my arm, sparks of lightning already flickering faintly at her fingertips. Pure hatred radiated off her, palpable enough to practically taste in the air.
"Ah, that's more like it," Kokabiel taunted, his lips twisted in a sinister, sadistic grin. His coal-black wings stretched arrogantly behind him. "The look of despair suits you, disgusting half-breeds."
A low growl escaped my throat. "The only thing disgusting here is you, Kokabiel," I shot back coldly, my voice edged with contempt and barely contained fury. "You're an embarrassment, even among fallen angels."
He chuckled darkly, utterly unfazed by my insult. His eyes swept slowly across us, drinking in our hostility and feeding greedily on it. "My, how lucky am I?" he said gleefully as he floated above us. "I came here tonight just to finish what I started—to finally kill off Baraqiel's pathetic male spawn—but I never imagined I'd have the bonus pleasure of exterminating his miserable daughter as well." He paused dramatically, his grin widening viciously. "Nothing gets me going quite like wiping an entire bloodline from existence!"
XXX