Inside the ruined tower, Sirzechs, Grayfia, and Milicas had fought through waves of monsters and uncovered hidden treasures. Dust and debris clung to their clothes as they climbed higher. When they finally reached the top, the wind howled through broken stone arches—and there, waiting for them, was a massive griffin perched proudly upon the crumbling battlements.
Milicas's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh wow, look, Mother! It's a griffin like yours! You think I can make it my familiar?" he asked eagerly, looking between his parents.
Grayfia's lips curved into a faint smile, her tone warm. "I'm sure you can, dear. You just have to make it submit first."
The boy blinked and tilted his head. "How do I do that?"
Sirzechs stepped forward, resting a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder. His expression was calm but serious. "Step forward with confidence. Show it you aren't afraid, and stand your ground no matter how much it tries to intimidate you."
Milicas nodded, taking a steadying breath. "Okay," he said determinedly, his young face hardening into focus. With courage and confidence, he stepped forward to meet the griffin head-on.
The great beast immediately let out a piercing screech and charged, its beak open wide—ready to swallow him whole. The air trembled with its power. But just as it was about to reach him, the griffin froze mid-lunge.
Behind Milicas, Sirzechs stood silently, his eyes glowing crimson as an overwhelming aura of destruction radiated from his body. The very stones beneath his feet began to crack. Beside him, Grayfia smiled coldly, her frosty aura spreading like an icy mist through the air. The griffin took one look at the two devils and wisely made its decision.
Letting out a low whimper, it rolled onto its back and exposed its belly like an oversized housecat surrendering to its owners.
Milicas blinked in surprise, then grinned from ear to ear. "He likes me!" he said, running over to the massive creature. He began petting its feathered chest as he performed the familiar contract, a bright magical circle forming beneath them. "I think I'll call you Ruin—since I found you in the ruins!"
Grayfia sighed softly and leaned toward her husband, muttering under her breath, "He gets his naming sense from your side of the family."
Sirzechs let out a long, resigned sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know…" he admitted with a faint chuckle.
With their new companion Ruin by their side, the small family descended the tower together, the golden light of sunset spilling across the horizon as they began their journey back to Gran Soren.
The different groups had been adventuring for over a week now, pushing themselves through battles, quests, and training. By the time everyone returned to Gran Soren, each member had reached level ten. After countless fights and challenges, they had all managed to max out their vocations and were now preparing to take on new ones.
Rias and Tsubaki stood at the guild counter, their postures confident as they accepted their new roles as Warriors—each radiating a stronger, more determined aura than before. Sona followed soon after, her sharp gaze and calm composure fitting perfectly as she transitioned into an Assassin. Akeno, with her signature smile, chose the path of a Sorcerer.
Weiss's group stepped up next. Weiss and Koneko both shifted to Sorcerer. Bianca decided to take on the Ranger vocation, testing the string of her new bow with a pleased grin, and Blakel, became a Magic Archer.
When Sam's group took their turn, the energy in the room picked up. Sam chose to become a Magic Archer as well, his confident smirk hinting at how well the hybrid style would suit him. Kiba advanced into a Mystic Knight, his swordsmanship and magical affinity merging perfectly. Issei and Saji, ever competitive, both went for Warrior, flexing and joking about who would become stronger first.
Once everyone had chosen, the groups scattered around Gran Soren's bustling market, purchasing new weapons and armor for their vocations. The sound of clinking coin, sharpening steel filled the air.
As they browsed, Bill strolled past them with his usual laid-back grin and called out, "Oh, I changed things up a bit—added weapons and armor from Nioh into the shop. Have fun with that," he said casually before walking off down the street.
Koneko, adjusting the strap of her new robe, happened to glance in his direction—and froze. Perched on Bill's shoulder was a sleek black cat with two tails and golden eyes. Her expression tightened, curiosity and disbelief flashing in her eyes.
"That can't be… nee-san," she murmured under her breath, narrowing her gaze. Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly shook her head. "No… she didn't have white streaks in her fur."
After a brief moment of hesitation, Koneko turned back to her group, pushing the thought aside. She focused on selecting her new gear, though her tail flicked slightly—a silent sign that the sight still lingered in her mind.
Weiss crossed her arms with a confident smirk and said, "Alright, team, I say we take on a more challenging quest this time. Let's go see what's available."
Her teammates followed her to the quest board, but as they arrived, they noticed a large crowd already gathered around it. Weiss frowned slightly, tilting her head. "Why is everyone standing here?" she asked, her tone filled with curiosity.
Sona adjusted her glasses and replied calmly, "Because of this." She pointed to the center of the board where a large quest poster was pinned. The paper read:
Slay the Hydra – Raid Quest
Multiple parties can participate.
Reward: 15,000 Gold, Major Level and Vocation Increase, and an Eternal Fairy Stone.
Sam leaned in and rubbed his chin with interest. "A hydra, huh? Can't say I've ever fought one of those."
Blake folded her arms and gave a small nod. "So… we're all doing this, right?"
"Of course we are," Rias said, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"I don't know why," Bianca admitted with a grin, "but part of me really wants to fight a hydra."
Issei pumped his fist and exclaimed, "Let's do it!"
Before anyone could respond, a deep, gruff voice spoke from behind them. "A hydra, huh? Could be fun."
Everyone turned around to see two unfamiliar men. One had slicked-back black hair and piercing pink eyes, wearing a gray long-sleeve shirt and pants, with a red muffler draped around his shoulders. The other was a muscular, tan-skinned man with blonde hair and violet eyes, dressed in a tan shirt with a black vest, brown shorts, and matching shoes, fingerless gloves completing the look. Both appeared to be in their mid-twenties.
Sam raised a brow. "And you two are?"
The blonde man smiled warmly. "Name's Taiyang Xiao Long. Nice to meet you."
The other gave a casual nod. "Qrow Branwen. Sup."
Weiss blinked, her eyes widening in surprise. "Wait—you're Yang and Ruby's dad and uncle?"
Tai turned to her with a wide grin. "We are! How're my girls doing?"
"They're… playing a game," Weiss replied, still slightly thrown off by seeing them here.
"Yeah, I heard about all that," Tai said with a chuckle. "Don't know much about this new God business, but I already like him better than those Brother Gods. He gave me my wives back and he's giving my girls powers."
Sam blinked. "You mean wife, right?"
Qrow let out a dry sigh. "No, he does not. Still don't know how you convinced the two of them to keep the polygamist marriage."
Tai grinned smugly. "I can fill you in, but you'll be scarred for life."
"Please don't," Qrow muttered, rubbing his temple. "I'm trying to stop drinking."
Tai chuckled and turned toward the city square, shouting, "Babes! Me and Qrow are going after a hydra with these kids!"
Summer's voice called back cheerfully, "Have fun, honey!"
Raven's voice followed with an amused growl, "You die, and I'll kick your ass!"
The group soon made their way to meet Bill, who was already sitting with Sirzechs and his family at a nearby table. Summer took a seat beside them, noticing the black and white cat on Bill's shoulder. "When did you get a cat?" she asked curiously.
Bill smirked. "When did you go home and get your husband and Qrow?"
Raven leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "We had time to kill, so we went back to Remnant for a little tearful reunion—and then brought them here for what they're calling a vacation. The boss de-aged the two of them at Summer's request. And, at my request, changed Qrow's semblance. Now, instead of passively generating bad luck, he can inflict it on others at will."
Summer smiled softly. "He was so happy he quit drinking."
"Seriously, though," Raven said, narrowing her eyes, "what's up with the cat?"
Sirzechs nodded, his calm, noble tone carrying curiosity. "Yes, Sir Strife, I've been wondering myself. She looks a bit different than the reports say, but… is she who I think she is?"
Bill gave a small nod. "Go ahead, Kuroka."
The cat hopped gracefully off his shoulder and transformed into her true form, taking a seat at the table. "I'm Kuroka. Nice to meet you, nya," she said with a playful smile.
"As I thought," Sirzechs murmured, recognizing her immediately.
Bill leaned back and crossed his arms. "She's my servant now, so I'd appreciate it if you'd take her off the wanted list."
"I'll take care of it when I return," Sirzechs assured him. "You have my word."
Raven smirked. "So, you picked up a cat girl—and she's good-looking too. Nice job, kid. Didn't know you had it in you."
Bill sighed, his tone flat. "Again, I'm older than you."
"Not really," Raven replied, her smirk widening.
Bill ignored her jab. "Anyway, Sirzechs, you three having fun?"
"We are, in fact," Sirzechs replied pleasantly. "We'll be taking Milicas on that hydra quest after the others are done. It respawns, correct?"
"Indeed it does," Bill confirmed.
He turned toward Summer next. "So, did you two take care of business on Remnant?"
Summer sighed softly. "Not yet. Killed a pest, though—some girl named Cinder Fall. She and her lackeys were planning something."
Raven scoffed. "And I tore through a group of White Fang that somehow snuck into Vale. What the hell is Ozpin even doing letting that many hostile forces infiltrate?"
Bill raised a brow. "You four going to meet the yokai later?"
"Yeah," Summer replied with a nod. "We have a meeting with Lady Yasaka in a few days."
"Give her my regards," Sirzechs said politely.
"Of course," Summer replied with a small smile.
Before anyone could say another word, a calm but tense voice came from the doorway. "So it was you, nee-san."
All heads turned to see Koneko standing there, her golden eyes locked on Kuroka. The air seemed to grow heavier in the room.
Sirzechs stood, straightening his coat. "Well, I think we should go and give them some privacy."
"Yep," Summer agreed immediately, standing up as well.
"I've had enough dramatic reunions for the week," Raven muttered as she followed Summer out.
Grayfia placed a gentle hand on Milicas's shoulder. "Come, Milicas. Let's go and get some lunch." The boy nodded, and the two of them quietly exited the room.
Bill gave Kuroka a small, reassuring nod. "I'll be right outside. Holler if you need me." With that, he turned and left, closing the door behind him—leaving the two sisters alone to talk.
Once outside, Bill created a perfect construct of Koneko and sent it to join her group. The construct was so flawless it was indistinguishable from the real one—no one would ever notice the difference.
After about an hour, Kuroka called Bill back inside. He sat down beside them and asked casually, "Everything good?"
Koneko gave a small nod, her golden eyes calm. "Nee-san explained everything," she said softly before tilting her head. "Did my group leave without me?"
Bill smiled faintly. "Nah, I made a construct of you. It's basically a perfect copy—looks, voice, everything. The only difference is, it doesn't have a soul."
Kuroka blinked, tail flicking in surprise. "You can do that, nya?"
"Yep," Bill replied easily. "So can you, actually. You can even share consciousness with your construct—literally be in two places at once."
To demonstrate, he created a clone of himself. The duplicate stood beside him, mimicking his posture and movements perfectly as both bodies operated seamlessly. "With a little practice, you can control both without trouble," he continued. "Or you can just leave the construct where you want it. When you dispel it, you'll receive all its memories—so you won't miss a thing."
Kuroka's eyes sparkled with fascination. "That's so cool, nya!" she purred.
Koneko, however, remained quiet, her gaze fixed on the clone. A thoughtful look crossed her face before she turned to Bill. "Bill," she began softly, her tone serious, "can you make me your servant… like you did Nee-san?"
Bill blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Whoa, what? You serious, Koneko?"
She nodded firmly. "Yes. I don't want to be apart from Nee-san anymore. I'm grateful to Rias-sama, but… I want to be with my sister."
Before Bill could respond, Kuroka's face lit up with joy. She wrapped Koneko tightly in her arms, purring happily. "Shirone, I love you so much, nya!"
Bill smiled at the scene, then gestured for Koneko to step forward. "Alright, since you're sure—come over here."
Koneko stood in front of him, her expression resolute. Bill raised his hand, and an intertwining surge of black and white energy enveloped her. The cocoon pulsed with power before slowly cracking apart, revealing her transformed form.
Her once pure white hair now had black stripes running down the right side of her head. A second tail had grown—jet black, contrasting beautifully against her white one. Her outfit had changed completely: a short white kimono paired with a blue skirt, tied with a black obi decorated in gold cat paw prints and a matching gold belt. White stockings hugged her legs, and black sandals completed the look. She radiated a balanced black-and-white aura, her power rising sharply—from the middle of mid-class to the very peak of ultimate-class.
Bill stepped forward, smiling warmly as he rubbed her head. "Welcome to the team, Koneko."
A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she looked up at him. "Call me Shirone, please, Master. Koneko was Lady Rias's servant. I'm yours now."
Bill chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Alright, Shirone—but saying it like that makes it sound like something else, so be careful."
He stood up, stretching a bit. "I'll leave you two to rest while I go get us some food."
As he walked out, Shirone puffed her cheeks and pouted slightly, a spark of annoyance in her eyes. Kuroka laughed softly, tail swishing behind her. "Don't worry, Shirone—we'll get him eventually. But I'm surprised you're already going for that route, nya."
Shirone's pout faded, replaced by a serious expression. "When Master made the contract with me, Lord Tet allowed me to see what would've happened if master had never come," she said quietly. "I can't believe the pervert would have actually gotten his hooks in me. The moment I saw that, I knew my decision was the right one—and now I'm extremely grateful to Master."
Kuroka let out a low hum, nodding in agreement. "Yeah… I was shown that too. Our other selves must've been brain dead, nya."
Shirone nodded firmly. "It's the only explanation."