Time skip
After Mephisto, Issei, and Asia said goodbye to Issei's parents and headed back to the club, evening had already blended into the deep shadows of night. As they entered the clubroom, Mephisto comfortably settled into his usual armchair while the others looked around and slipped into their familiar spots.
Asia, full of energy and excitement, suddenly remembered something she had planned.
"Mephisto!" she called out with enthusiasm in her voice. "I want to show you my familiar!"
The dragon on her palm had the body of a small blue creature, identical to the one she had shown before. Everyone except Mephisto had already seen it, and now came the moment she could show him too. The dragon lifted its head with a smile and gave a quick wag of its tail. It was clearly affectionate toward him.
Mephisto, though his expression remained calm, looked at it with a hint of fascination.
"Looks like you two have bonded well," he said, nodding. "He's adorable."
Asia smiled and gently stroked the dragon's head.
"Thank you, Mephisto! He's my familiar. I finally got him."
Issei watched the dragon, and a trace of sadness flickered in his eyes. He turned toward the table, as if trying to hide his disappointment.
"I… don't have a familiar yet…" he said quietly.
Mephisto noticed his expression but didn't try to cheer him up directly this time.
"Don't worry, Issei. Everyone gets their familiar when the time is right."
Asia turned to him with a smile.
"You'll get yours too, don't worry."
Issei nodded, but a hint of disappointment still lingered on his face.
Mephisto then leaned back into his chair, letting his eyes close slightly as he focused on a game with flames in his hands. This time, black flames gently emerged between his fingers, slowly spreading and expanding into the air around his palms.
Asia watched, utterly fascinated, her mouth slightly open.
"That's incredible…" she whispered, watching the flames stretch and spiral into the air around Mephisto.
Kiba, usually calm, just observed the flames swirling around Mephisto's hands, his expression thoughtful. Meanwhile, Issei, still feeling down, began paying attention again.
And then something happened that amazed everyone once more.
Mephisto leaned back, extended his hand forward, and black flames enveloped his fingers, swirling silently as if they had a will of their own. Slowly, they began to grow, spreading out before him. From the dark fire, a silhouette began to take shape—a small fox, its body forming from shadowy matter, silent and awe-inspiring.
Everyone watched intently as the form solidified. When the shape was complete, the flames around it faded, and the fox remained sitting—still, unmoving, like a sculpture made of living shadow.
Then something unexpected happened—a small golden orb burst from Mephisto's chest, floated silently through the air, and slid directly into the fox's body. The moment the orb left Mephisto, his form changed for an instant—part of him glowing with dazzling golden-white light, while the other half remained cloaked in deep darkness that seemed to swallow everything around it.
Akeno, who had been observing the process closely, suddenly gasped.
"Again…" she whispered to herself, but no one else noticed. As soon as she touched him, the transformation faded just as quickly.
She smiled faintly, but her eyes were serious. She realized this was no accident. This wasn't just magic or a bloodline inheritance. It was deeper than that. And she had seen it before… once. Now it was confirmed.
"I'll have to talk to Rias," she muttered under her breath, before smiling again as if nothing had happened.
The fox twitched slightly, its body tensing before it dissolved. In that moment, a cold command echoed through the room:
"Rise."
Then the body rematerialized. The fox slowly opened its eyes—red, bright, and deep, as if they held the entire night within them.
Its gaze met Mephisto's for a brief moment, and the creature bowed its head in a calm gesture of loyalty. Mephisto smiled gently.
"From this day forward, your name shall be Fenekin, ruler of eternal flames," he said calmly, thus giving it a name.
Asia gasped, clearly fascinated by the entire process. She immediately stepped closer to the fox, reaching out as if to pet it. Fenekin quietly approached her and gently brushed against her palm.
"That's amazing!" she exclaimed excitedly. "He's beautiful!"
Kiba, calm as always, smiled.
"Very impressive," he said simply, though it was clear he liked it.
Even Issei, despite his disappointment, couldn't take his eyes off it.
"That's… really cool," he said quietly, with a smile mixed with a hint of envy.
Mephisto turned to him with an amused look.
"If I could, I'd make one for you too, Issei. But I can't."
Issei straightened up a bit.
"Why not?"
"Because they're made from my soul," Mephisto replied calmly.
"Each one is a part of myself. I can't create them for someone else."
Issei lowered his gaze but nodded.
"Yeah… I get it."
Asia placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Issei. Your time will come."
Mephisto laughed and leaned back into his chair.
"Everything in its time, Issei. You'll manage."
At that moment, a soft murmur came from the nearby sofa.
"Interesting…" said Koneko in her usual calm, quiet tone. She had been sitting silently, watching the ritual with her golden eyes, unblinking. She slowly approached Fenekin, who gave her a brief glance but otherwise remained lying still.
"The way you created him… I can feel pure soul energy inside."
"And yet dark as the night itself," Akeno added with a curious smile.
"Mephisto… that wasn't ordinary magic. That was something… ancient."
Rias watched the scene in silence, her hand resting beneath her chin. Her expression made it clear she was deep in thought.
—POV: Rias—
What she had just witnessed wasn't normal. It wasn't an illusion, nor a common form of magic, and definitely not any known familiar summoning or creation technique. This was something different. She felt it—the energy was deep, ancient… and yet unusually calm. Shadow magic wasn't supposed to feel so… pure.
What are you, Mephisto? she wondered, but instead of asking, she merely smiled slightly, hiding her thoughts.
She rose from her seat and stepped closer.
"What you just did… that wasn't ordinary magic. Where does it come from?"
Mephisto looked at her briefly, his eyes glinting faintly in the dim light of the room.
"Let's just say it's a gift. And some gifts are better kept to ourselves, don't you think?" he replied with a soft smile.
Rias was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"If you say so. But don't forget… curiosity tends to be stronger than restraint."
Akeno chuckled and winked at Mephisto.
"Secrets don't last long around here."
Mephisto just shrugged, as if amused.
"We'll see."
Meanwhile, Fenekin lay peacefully at Mephisto's feet, his shadowy tail gently moving in rhythm with his breath, while remnants of dark energy swirled softly around him.
—MC POV—
The conversation slowly died down. Kiba was the first to stand, said a few words, and left with his usual calm demeanor. Asia smiled, gave Fenekin one last pat, and then left with Issei toward the door.
I could feel my role in the evening had come to an end.
"Thanks for the company," I said quietly, more out of courtesy than habit. I turned and walked out of the room unhurriedly with Fenekin at my side. Just before crossing the threshold, I paused for a moment.
"Good night," I added without turning back.
At that moment, Fenekin lifted his head, his eyes briefly met mine. In a silent, natural motion, he dissolved into the shadow beneath my feet—without a sound, as if he had never existed separately.
I stepped into the night air, quiet and calm. The streets were empty, lit only by the pale glow of the streetlamps. Each step echoed softly, but otherwise the world was completely still.
Tonight had been important.
And yet I knew—the most interesting part was still to come.