Disclaimer: I do not own To Aru Majatsu No Index/Railgun and/or Devil May Cry. They belong to their rightful owners.

A Certain Stylish Devil

Chapter Ten: Tempting the Prey

(Lure the rats into the trap)

Kurumi could feel her heart beat faster as she neared the alter. Having to see her meant two things. One reason could be that she will praise you for all the hard work and the other reason is that if you failed your assignment, you will receive suffering beyond your imagination and wished for death to come. She really hoped it would be the better choice but highly doubt it. It didn't make things better with the person next to her with him snickering every minute.

"Would you shut up Shisui?"

He giggled. "Hey it's not my fault you decided to ignore orders."

"I didn't ignore orders. Just some complicated stuff happened."

"How is killing complicated? All you have to do is rip out your targets beating heart out."

"Only you would say that you horror freak."

Both people stopped in front of a large door. Kurumi was scared and for a good reason. She could feel her mistress' power plus two other powerful demonic auras coming from behind the door. The red haired girl steeled herself and opened the door. She and Shisui walked into a large alter-like room with a glass dome at the top where the stars were clearly visible. At the end of the room, three beings were standing. One of them was older woman wearing glasses, long wavy green hair and was wearing robe. The other being was someone who looked like a jester from medieval times. The clown was wearing a green outfit with a yellow head piece that looked like he had two horns and a very creepy happy face. The last being was muscular with gray skin, long spiky black hair reaching his waist, metal wings, and sharp claws. He was also wearing a metal mask with three holes on each side in a horizontal fashion.

The clown gave a high pitch giggle. "So nice to see Kurumi, so very very nice indeed."

Kurumi always thought the clown was the creepiest out of the three. Both she and Shisui kneeled down before the three beings. "G-Greetings." She looked up to the woman in the middle and saw that she was disappointed.

"Kurumi, do you know why I summoned you?" The woman asked.

"I have a good idea." She responded weakly.

She sighed in disgust. "Let me tell what you did wrong. You failed to carry out your mission and both targets are still alive."

"I-I was planning to end railgun's life but this guy wearing a Hawaiian shirt and some girl with a sword showed before I had the chance."

"Even so, you brought the other girl here for your own gain. Both you and Koga have failed your mission."

"If I can interrupt ma'am, where is that guy? I haven't seen him around lately." Shisui asked in a curious voice.

The clown giggled again. "Seems that poor Koga has been killed by his target."

Shisui laughed. "Wow so that idiot is gone. I knew he was weak."

"Or his target was strong." The muscular demon spoke up.

Kurumi grunted. Koga was the only person she could get along in this organization and now she stuck with this horror crazed freak.

The woman cleared her throat. "I've done more research on the man with the white hair and what I found was astonishing."

"Oooh tell us, tell us. I want to know." The clown said happily.

The woman smiled. "The man is known as the demon hunter Dante or the son of the legendary dark knight Sparda."

Immediately the room was filled with demonic energy. Everyone looked at the masked demon as they can feel the intense rage radiating from him.

"Sparda." He said with his words dripping with hate. "No wonder Koga lost to someone like him."

"I take it that you know him Arcrys?" The woman asked with curious interest.

"I do. He was one of the demon world's strongest warriors until he betrayed us for a human."

"Wow. Seems like he stabbed you in the back pretty bad." The slick haired teen joked.

"He did and I have heard he left two sons. Seems that was true."

The woman laughed. "Seems things are progressing better than I hoped which reminds me, how is our little prisoner Arcrys?"

"Still in that accursed barrier."

The green haired woman closed her eyes as she folded her arms across her chest. "Perhaps we can use this situation to our advantage. Kurumi, it's rare I give second chances to those who have failed."

Kurumi looked at her mistress with a shocked face. "Y-You mean it?"

She nodded. "Yes. Since you have railgun's little friend, why don't you lure her out with that girl. Also we can use that brat to lure Dante as well."

"Are you sure that's a wise idea? So very very wise indeed?"

"Are you questioning me Peteano?"

The clown waved his hands. "No no. What I'm stating is that is it a good idea to lure our enemies close to what may be their objective."

"There is a saying that you can kill two birds with one stone. We can rid them easily with a well laid plan." She looked at Kurumi and Shisui. "Kurumi, use this chance to finish what you started and Shisui you shall partake in this as well."

Shisui cackled. "All right! Time for some action. I'm tired not doing anything. Let me take this Dante on and I'll cut him to pieces."

"Understood." Kurumi felt lucky when she heard her mistress was giving her a second chance. Now she can prove that she was the right one for Kuroko. "Just you wait Kuro-chan. I'll save you from the pain."

"You two are dismissed."

Both of them nodded their heads and stood up. They left the room with their new mission in their minds. Once gone, the three demons began their discussion.

"Why does that man keep on missing these meetings? Then again if he were here, he would be strongly against this idea." The female demon started.

"I would be in an agreement. Leading the railgun is one thing, but Dante is another matter." Arcrys argued.

"Again you underestimate me Arcrys. Dante may have the item we need to break that barrier that protects the little brat."

"Ah a sly plan. So very very sly indeed. Let us hope that little Shisui can handle the devil hunter."

"I highly doubt it but we must make every effort count if he does have it." The green haired woman said with determination.

"What makes you so sure he has it?" The winged demon asked.

"Humans can be predictable." The woman replied.

"Still, Shisui should make some good entertainment for Dante. That guy was dangerous enough when he was still human." Arcrys added.

"Speaking of which, Peteano how goes our little collection?"

"Good. So very very good indeed. Along with the murders that have been happening, there's has been little trouble in rounding up the ESPers."

"That's good to know." She looked up at the glass dome ceiling. "Soon the formation will be upon us and this world will cease to exist."

B

One Day Ago

10:45 AM

Mikoto exited out the hospital hoping that she would find Kuroko. She was worried about her and for good reason. She felt responsible, felt like it was her fault that Kuroko was captured in the first place.

"You may have gotten out of the hospital but you still look like shit."

Mikoto looked ahead and saw Dante out in front. "How would you feel if your friend was kidnapped by a demon and it was your fault?"

"What makes you think it was your fault?"

She clenched her fist. "Because I was there. I'm a level five ESPer, one of the strongest in Academy City. She was with me the entire way and now she's…"

"Ok, ok I get it. All we have to do is rescue her right?"

"How? We don't even know where she is?"

Dante folded his arms. "Trust me; where there is will, there is a way."

As soon as he finished that sentence Mikoto's phone rang a couple of times. She checked her phone and her eyes widened. It was a call from Kuroko. "Hello Kuroko? Are you alright?"

"Sorry. Kuro-chan couldn't come to the phone so I'm the one calling you."

"Kurumi." The short haired girl said the name with venom dripping off the words.

"Ding, ding, ding. You're right on the mark."

"What do you want?"

"It's not what I want; it's what you want and what that devil hunter guy wants. You want Kuroko and the devil guy wants the girl he's after. How about we all have a happy ending and tell you where they are."

"What's the catch?"

"The catch is nothing at all. Both of them are in an abandoned factory a little ways out in the abandoned section of Academy City."

The phone call dropped and Mikoto put her phone away. Dante wondered what the call was about. "Hey what was that call about?"

"They called us out. Both Kuroko and Riley are at a factory in a part of Academy City that's no longer used."

"Now that just screams trap right there. What if they gave us the wrong information?"

"No choice but to go. Either help me or get out of my way."

The devil hunter sighed. "Fine. This is better than nothing. So where is this place?"

"From where we are, It's going to take a couple hours by car."

Dante took out his own cell phone. "I know just guy to give us a ride." While waiting for the call, he had other questions to ask. "If you are a level five then what's your rank?"