"DXD: Multiverse Journey"Chapter 208: Kotori and Mana's Battle for Shiori
"Ara ara, what's running through your mind right now?"
Clone Kurumi stood frozen, lost in thought, until a voice—her own, yet subtly different—slipped from the shadows behind her.
She turned to find her original self, clad in the same black-and-red Gothic Astral Dress.
After a long pause, the clone finally voiced her doubts.
"You heard him, didn't you? He wants your real body to show up. Are you going?"
The true Kurumi's cheeks flushed, her lips twisted into that familiar, feverish smile.
"Of course I'm going. If he has information about the First Spirit—even if it's dangerous—I won't let our wish die here."
The clone nodded, a hint of relief in her eyes.
"Then have fun tomorrow. I'll head back."
With that, she melted into the crimson vortex at her feet, vanishing without a trace.
Meanwhile, chaos was brewing at home.
"Hah! You, mysterious interloper—saying you want to take my sister away? No way I'm letting that happen!"
Kotori glared at Mana, her eyes burning with challenge.
Mana shrugged, utterly unfazed.
"Honestly, I don't care about that. As long as my sister's happy, I'm satisfied. Especially with such a cute little sister in the mix."
Kotori's cheeks went pink, embarrassment flickering across her face.
"You… You're surprisingly self-aware."
Just as a fragile truce formed between them, Mana's next words shattered it.
She squinted, putting on her best innocent act.
"Of course, but nothing beats being a real sister, you know? Blood ties and all."
Kotori's pink eyes flashed.
"Oh, is that so?"
Mana nodded, smug.
"Obviously. Nothing's closer than family."
Kotori fired back.
"But isn't there a saying—'distant relatives aren't as good as close neighbors'?"
Mana waved her off.
"No, no, no. Step-sisters are still outsiders. Real sisters? That's blood."
Kotori bristled.
"Ugh! Why do you have to keep bringing up blood relations?!"
Tohka and Yoshino, perched on the sofa, watched the verbal volley with wide-eyed confusion.
"Step-sister? Real sister? What does that even mean?"
Only Reine remained blissfully detached, munching snacks and watching TV, utterly unconcerned.
And then there was Nia, sprawled across the table, chugging beer and muttering to herself—a picture of drunken defeat.
Suddenly, a teasing voice rang out from the entryway.
"Yo! Did I just walk into a live drama? Is this the Shiori Sister Wars?"
All eyes turned to see Shuo Nangong, grinning as he took in the scene.
"Heh, Shiori, you've got it good. Both little Kotori and little Mana fighting over you."
Shiori flushed, mortified.
"Please, Shuo-kun, stop teasing…"
Being the prize in a family tug-of-war was more than a little embarrassing.
Kotori, now in her white sailor uniform, ignored Mana and rounded on Shuo.
"Hey! What's the deal with bringing DEM's ace into our house? And what about Nightmare…?"
She couldn't help but raise her voice the moment Shuo stepped inside.
He just smiled, used to the chaos.
But when Mana stepped protectively in front of Shiori, shooting him a hostile glare, Shuo's grin widened.
"What's with the look, little Mana? You act like I'm the villain here."
Mana huffed.
"Do I need to spell it out? You're human, but you rescued Nightmare—the most dangerous Spirit. How are you not a villain?"
Before she could finish, her vision went dark—Shuo had appeared right in front of her and pinched her cheeks, completely catching her off guard.
Mana blinked, stunned by the sudden contact.
After a few seconds, Shuo let go, his tone turning serious.
"Tch. Still obsessed with killing Spirits? Did you know DEM modified your body? You've got less than ten years left."
Mana's face drained of color.
"What?!"
She quickly recovered, stubbornness flaring.
"That's impossible! DEM saved me and trained me. Don't try to fool me!"
No surprise—DEM's brainwashing ran deep. Mana wouldn't doubt them just because Shuo said so.
Shiori watched, worry etched on her face. She knew Shuo never lied about things like this, which only made her more anxious.
She had few memories of Mana, but the thought of her dying young was unbearable.
Kotori and the others glanced at Mana with sympathy, then looked to Shuo, hoping he could fix things.
Shuo sighed.
"Little Mana, I'm done arguing. See for yourself."
He tapped her forehead lightly.
Instantly, memories—DEM's secrets, the truth behind their experiments—flooded Mana's mind. She stood frozen, eyes glazed.
Kotori edged closer, concern in her voice.
"What did you do to her?"
Shuo waved it off.
"Nothing serious. Just gave her the facts about DEM, and healed her body while I was at it."
He snagged the beer from Nia's hand, offering an explanation to the group.
Nia, roused from her drunken stupor, protested loudly.
"Hey! Why'd you steal my beer, kid? Get your own!"
Shuo rolled his eyes, then fixed her with a stern look.
"Nia, how many times have I told you—drink in moderation. And another thing…"
He gestured around the room.
"The fridge is packed with your booze. The whole place reeks. Time for a lesson."
He tapped her forehead, sealing her Spirit power, and confiscated the smartphone he'd given her.
Nia panicked, her face crumpling as she clung to Shuo's leg, pleading.
"Waaah… I'm sorry, really! Please, give me back my phone! Or at least unseal me!"
Shuo ignored her, shaking off her grip and heading into the kitchen to make dinner.
🔥 Want to read the next 50+ chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]