Draconis: Alrighty then. Kenshin you and the others go take five.

Kenshin: Huh? Why?

Draconis: Because. You will not be appearing in this chapter.

Kenshin: Hmm...OK! Hey Ryomen! Party at your place!

Ryomen: Wha? Uh...Oh...alright...

Luka: Wait..so this entire chapter...will...

Draconis: Be centered around what you're doing yes.

Luka: (body starts shaking) Don't...Stop me now! I'm hav- (slams hard into floor)

Alice: Don't start.

Luka: H-Hai.

Draconis: (shakes his head grinning) Anyway...

Negima! Springfield and Kuroshi Redux

Chapter 48

Home of the Avaricious Deity.

Kenshin: (knocks back a shot of vodka) Begin!

Draconis: HEY!

(start)

Makai

Luka and Alice traveled toward the southern border of Masouen's continent. "So you're sure you have nothing else left to do?" Luka asked with his hands interlocked behind his head.

"For the last time yes!" Alice said a tick mark appearing on her left temple. "Quit asking!"

"Fine, fine...fuck." Luka said. "So have you ever been inside Shin Tatsu's mansion? If I remember correctly your mother used it as a getaway spot."

"No I haven't." Alice said. "Mother never took me, she said I needed training if I was going to take the throne and defend it from those who would challenge me for it."

"So she left you in Tamamo-neechan's care?" Luka asks.

"Yes." Alice said. "You know you're lucky I like you. If you were anyone else I wouldn't give you the time of day."

"A fact that I take pride in." Luka grinned.

Alice looked away. "Shut up you idiot."

"Are you blushing?" Luka teased.

(smack!)

A trail of smoke came from the top of Luka's mask as Alice slithered on. "What's with her? !" Luka thought. "I tease her a little and she hits me!"

Luka ran up to her. "Alice...are you OK?"

"Of course I am...why do you ask?" Alice said.

"Well..it seems the closer we get to Shin Tatsu's...the more nervous you get." Luka said. "You sure you wanna do this?"

Alice sighed. "It's nothing Luka, really."

Luka looked on ahead. "You know, if you're worried about something Alice, you can tell me."

Alice looked over at him. "..."

Soon they came up to a field. Alice stopped. "What's up?" Luka said.

"We're here." Alice said.

"We are?" Luka said. He looked around. Left, Right, Up, Down. Front and Behind. "..."

"Lord Shin Tatsu enjoyed his privacy. So after the war instead of keeping his house in a set location in Makai he sealed it a pocket dimension and gave the 'keys' so to speak to Tamamo and the Kitsune tribe." Alice said. "Where we are standing is where the portal originally was. If anyone wanted to visit Shin Tatsu they'd have to travel all the way here with a Kitsune."

Luka nodded and looks around. "Well this area certainly is big enough to fit a mansion." "So where will we be putting this portal after we finish?"

"Down in the depths of the sea where only a few select sea monsters can get to it." Alice said.

"I see." Luka said. His head twitched and he looked upward. "..."

"What is it?" Alice said.

Luka grabbed his sword. "Someone's coming."

"Aw...is that how you greet friends Luka-Chan?" A familiar voice said.

Luka narrowed his eyes lowering his hand. "Alright Alma Elma come on out."

"Alright~!" The Succubus Queen appeared before Luka and Alice smiling. "Room for one more?"

Alice closed her eyes with a thoughtful expression. "Well I suppose."

(swish! Swish! Swish!)

A pool of blue slime appears next to Alma Elma. Rising up from it was Erubetie. "Hm? Erubetie?" Alma Elma said.

"If it's not too much trouble Lady Alipheese I would like to accompany you as well." Erubetie said.

"Oh!" Luka said digging around in his pocket pulling out the sealing bottle he got from Kenshin. "Erubetie this is for you."

"Hm?" Erubetie said as Luka walked up to her. "What's this?" She asked looking at it.

"While Alice and I were in Mundus Vetus tracking Kenshin, he ended up with that bottle during his fight with the Yondaime Nisemono Shinigami." Luka said. "He mentioned it had three slimes inside and told me to hand it to you."

"?" Erubetie stared at Luka oddly. "He mentioned me? I've never met this Kenshin character before."

"Ha ha ha." Luka laughed. "He just said the Slime Queen would appreciate them being returned."

Erubetie clutched the bottle letting it absorb itself into her body. "I'll release them at Undine's Spring on the way back."

(crash!)

Luka looked over seeing a still familiar face as he moved his hand over his groin. "Granberia."

"Hm?" She said looking over at him. She smirked. "Still sore?"

Luka shuddered. "Fuck yes..." Anyway might as well get the whole gang here." "Tamamo-neechan come on out!"

On cue Tamamo appeared sitting on Luka's shoulder. Alice stared at her. "Are you sure you should be here?"

"Well we're not supposed to seal off the portal until you leave." Tamamo said. "Besides out of everyone here I'm the only one that's actually been in there."

"Sheena didn't come with you?" Luka asks.

"She was meditating on something then she got summoned." Tamamo said. "She's probably catching up with young Kenshin."

"Alright Tamamo seeing as you're here then open the gateway." Alice said.

"Alright." Tamamo said hopping off Luka's shoulder and walking past Alice. She took a breath and shouted out. "Tadaima!" (I'm home!)

"..." Everyone went silent as a bright, white portal tore open in front of Tamamo who turned back and smiled. "Shin Tatsu liked to keep things simplistic."

"I bet." Luka said. "Well...let's move onward." He said leaping into the portal.

"Hey wait up!" Alma Elma said flying in after him.

"...sigh" Erubetie shook her head and walked in.

"The home of the last great dragon demon...I wonder what is hidden behind the walls of his home?" Granberia said as she walked inside.

Tamamo turned to Alice. "Ready?"

"Yes..." Alice said.

Tamamo nodded. "You know Luka won't let anything happen to you, right?"

"..." Alice remained silent for a moment. "I know."

Tamamo sighed smiling and leapt into the portal. Alice stared at the portal. "So...mother..we come back here again...back..to the place you died."

Alice sighed shaking her head. "If I hesitate now...I'll surely fail." She entered the portal as it snapped shut behind her.

(break)

Shin Tatsu's mansion.

Luka looked around as everyone entered. He stared at the walls of the place. "Hm...did he like the Japanese culture or something?"

"Well it was more at my behest." Tamamo said. Luka turned to with a curious stare. She huffed. "Hey if I was gonna be coming in here to check on the place I wanted to enjoy the view." "He didn't seem to mind it."

"Well OK whatever." Luka said walking through the door. He blinked seeing several demons tending to the gardens and general chores of the place. "Huh?"

"Oh those are just demons Shin Tatsu allowed to stay here. As long as they kept the place tidy and didn't enter a few certain rooms." Tamamo said.

Luka reached for his mask and removed it. "Seeing as we're in complete isolation here I don't need to keep this on."

"Yeah especially seeing as Sheena-Chan isn't here." Tamamo said. "Come on let's go inside."

The group of six entered the mansion and looked around. Alma Elma walked over to the couch and flopped down on it. "Uuuwahh!" She yawned contently. "Shin Tatsu sure didn't spare expenses." "I think I'm gonna lay here for awhile."

"Hmm...I think I'll just explore on my own volition." Erubetie said.

"I will as well." Granberia said.

The two walked off in opposite directions. "What about you Alice would you like me to show you to the bed chambers?"

"Actually Tamamo-Sama." A voice said. They looked down to see a small girl with short blonde hair and big green eyes wearing a single pink strap around her large bust. She wore a thong and stockings to round her outfit out.

Luka cocked an eyebrow upward. "Those breasts are way too big for that body." "I guess she's an imp."

"I could take her to the dining room. We just finished preparing a banquet." The Imp said.

"Very well." Alice said smiling. "Lead the way."

Alice slithered away with the imp leading her. Luka turned to Tamamo. Well...looks like no one wanted to take a tour with you."

"Meh. I wasn't expecting them to follow me." Tamamo said. "Want me to show you around?"

"Sure. Why not?" Luka said.

Tamamo led Luka around the mansion. "So is it true?"

"What?" Luka said.

"What you told me, about the connection between you and Kenshin?" Tamamo said.

"Yeah, it is." Luka said. "It's not something I could have readily made up."

"You know if you showed Sheena your face and told her this you would have the White Tiger Clan at your beck and call." Tamamo said. "Could you even summon Ryomen?"

"The answer to your question is no." Luka said. "The agreement Kenshin reached with Ryomen Sukuna took place very recently. If it had happened six years ago...or twelve years ago in Makai I could." "As for your statement before the question...I don't like the idea of using her affections for Kenshin as an advantage over her."

"So what do I really call you?" Tamamo asked.

"Continue to call me Luka." Luka said.

"Very well." Tamamo said. They stopped in front of a large door. "Hmm.."

"What?" Luka asks.

"I wonder if they're here." Tamamo said reaching for the door.

"Who?" Luka said.

"The four spirits." Tamamo said.

"Hm?" Luka said as she opened the door. "What the?"

"Shin Tatsu lets the spirits use his mansion's pocket dimension as their meeting place." Tamamo said. "This room is where they meet and it's split into four quadrants that they have each tailored to their liking."

(eruption!)

"Was that a volcano? !" Luka shouted.

(earthquake!)

"..." Tamamo shook her head.

(tidal wave!)

"What...the...hell?" Luka said as a tidal wave hit what looked to be lava.

(tornado!)

"..." Tamamo snapped her fingers. The tornado dispelled. Luka sighed. "Thank..goodness..."

"Alright ladies I have someone I want you to meet." Tamamo said walking into the room.

In a flash the four spirits appeared. Slyph and Salamander stared at Luka oddly. "Why'd you get a dye job?" Slyph asked.

"Yeah I kinda liked your red hair Kenshin." Salamander said.

Luka sweat dropped. "I'm...not Kenshin..I just look like him."

"Oh! Well Ok then!" Sylph replied cheerfully.

"I see, but your youki signatures feel almost exactly the same." Salamander said.

"So...what are you doing here?" Undine asked.

"We came to seal this away." Luka said taking the box off his back and opening it.

"!" Salamander's, Slyph's, Undine's and Gnome's eyes all widened. "How are you even able to hold that?" Salamander said.

"Because I'm not touching it directly." Luka said. "However if and when I try to wield it for battle it shocks me." "Watch." He reaches for the Tsurugi No Kami's hilt grasping it and lifting it up. As soon as he did an arc of lightning struck his hand and he dropped it back into the box. Panting heavily he said. "Fuck that hurt." "I can transport it into the box because I've got this SoulTaker glove on, the Yondaime Nisemono Shinigami was able to use it because he has the abilities of a god, but how is Maou able to?"

"He must be the chosen one to wield it." Sylph said.

"If Kami chose him to wield it then she must be out of her mind." Luka said narrowing his eyes at Sylph.

"It was a thought." Undine said.

"It's because his body willfully ignores the shocks of rejection the blade puts out." Salamander said before narrowing her eyes at Luka in a sympathetic way. "Someone like you won't be able to replicate that."

Tamamo turned to Luka. "Does it have something to do with what you told me?"

Luka nodded. "I see." "Well I need to go track Alice down and seal this away."

Tamamo guided him to the dining hall where Alice was eating...pretty much everything. "Hey Gluttony."

Alice turned to him with narrowed eyes. He in turn held up the Tsurugi No Kami's box. Alice slithered up to him. "Alright let's get this over with." The three make their way toward the back of the mansion where a large altar was erected. "What's this for?"

"It's said that Shin Tatsu came back here one day during his reign as king and was visited by Kami herself." Tamamo said. "She offered him the position of Ryuujin and he told her he would mull it over." "However...in between Kami's visit and his eventual acceptance. He lost someone dear to his heart."

"You mean he wasn't just a greedy prick from the get go?" Alice said resisting the urge to scoff.

Tamamo turned to Alice glaring softly at her. "No. In fact his wife had to coerce him into taking the throne. He just wanted to ride off into the sunset. He trained the current Maou who at the time was a lost little boy, expecting nothing back in return." "When Shin Tatsu was here in Makai...before becoming Ryuujin. He was kind, benevolent, maybe even generous." "He cared for all of Makai and worked his ass off to save it during the war."

"..." Alice shrugged. "I didn't know you felt so strongly about him."

"Tamamo-neechan...do you miss Shin Tatsu by any chance?" Luka asks.

"When compared to the current king...I would much rather have him back." Tamamo said.

"I see." Luka said. "Who was it he lost...if you don't mind me asking."

Tamamo turned away. "Weren't you here to seal that away?" "Get to it."

"Ah." Luka said as Tamamo walked back inside.

"I think she'd rather not tell so much about someone so close in one sitting." Alice said. "Alright, move up to the altar's pedestal and place the Tsurugi no Kami there."

Luka nodded and walked up the altar stairs. "..." As soon as he got to the top he took the Tsurugi no Kami out of the box and cast it aside. Gripping the hilt with both hands he stabbed it into the altar. He leapt down from the altar to where Alice was.

"Is something the matter?" Alice said.

"Huh?" Luka said;. "Oh...no it's nothing."

Alice nodded and turned her attention to the altar. She muttered a unintelligible incantation under her breath. Luka felt a strange atmosphere descend around them before becoming focused on the immediate area of the Tsurugi no Kami. "There...the blade has been cut off from the rest of the world. Nobody can get to it except Kami herself, another of the gods, or the Chosen One whom was always meant to wield it at the very least, until my death."

"With this, the blade of Kami has vanished from Makai." Luka said. "Now it's just time..for the revolution."

Alice closed her eyes. "Yes..."

Luka walked toward the door. "Listen...I'm gonna go track down the library and see if there's anything I can find out about Maou."

"Yes..." Alice said.

Luka stared at her for a moment before walking into the mansion. He knew there was something wrong with Alice, but he also knew that she could handle herself, and that she probably wouldn't confide in him anyway. He was used to it at this point. He had his own things to think about anyway. Namely, what Kenshin had told him during their fight.

He got to the library which was across the hall from the spirit's space. He looked over and saw a busty blue haired succubus wearing a blazer and a skirt. She looked over at him and smiled narrowing her yellow eyes. "Hello, Is there anything I can do for you?"

"...Wow a succubus that doesn't dress provocatively." Luka said. "I'm stunned."

"Hm hm hm." She walked up to him. "Not everyone's into the provocative types." "Although..." She leaned into him with a seductive smirk. "I can be if you want me to."

"Uh...n-no thanks." Luka said stepping back

"Very well." She said. "Now then, what is it you need?"

"Uhm..I was looking to research the current Maou." Luka said.

"Name?" She said.

"Uh...he just calls himself Maou." Luka said.

"..." She walked toward the bookshelves and pulled out a thick notebook. "I see...there is nothing on him per se as Lord Shin Tatsu had left before he took his reign, but..this may help you." She handed him the notebook.

Luka looked down at it. "Wait...this is Shin Tatsu's personal journal. Won't he be angry if you just let me thumb through this?"

"Oh I don't think he's going to be here for awhile so it's no big worry." "Should I have one of the other servants bring you some tea?" She asks.

"..." Luka had already moved to one of the tables and sat down. She nodded. "I'll just have one of them get you some tea then."

Luka stared at the journal his expression darkening. "Why...am I hesitating?" "Is it because...?"

(flashback)

Luka POV

"So Kenshin tell me...why not call forth ZanRyuu hm?" I ask relaxing my stance to readjust my mask.

I see a pained look cross his features before grabbing his temple and glaring downward. "No thanks."

"Hm?" I said with a crestfallen tone. "How disappointing...I was hoping to test my mettle against the blade of the former Maou."

"You can ask Ryomen herself if you like...but when I use that blade..I lose complete control of myself and turn into a mindless raging demon."

"Ahh.." I said getting the point. "You fear yourself in that form, but still..in that form you could defeat me and move on."

This time Kenshin's glare deepened and was directed at me. "I can't...the...the last time I used that blade...I...I lost my father!"

I felt my blood run cold and my eyes go wide with shock. I rushed up to him and grabbed him by the shirt with my gloved hand. "What do you mean you lost your father?"

He spat at me. "What do you care? !"

I realize I was starting to reveal too much of my true identity to him and hastily cover my tracks. "I..I don't!" "I just want to have something confirmed!" Kenshin huffed and batted my arm away with the blunt edge of his sword.

"What?" He asked.

"How did your father die?" I asked.

"He dropped dead last month, because of a poison he was hit with twenty years ago. Why?" Kenshin asks with narrowed eyes.

I looked down at the ground with narrowed eyes. Twenty years ago...? That would mean Forty years in Makai..almost exactly lining up with the time period that the current Maou got his summons from that Hottan shmuck...I thought so.

Before I could react a shotgun blast put me on my ass. I looked over at the offender seeing a white haired young man holding a shotgun. He and Kenshin have words before both turning to me. I curse. "Dammit..I wasn't expecting a second opponent."

This fellow who Kenshin identified as Serizawa told me that I was going to let Kenshin go and he would fight me alone. Kenshin informs him that I fight almost exactly like he does and Serizawa smirked saying it wasn't a problem.

I glared at him. I still had questions for Kenshin to answer, but before I could get them out...

"YUKARI! ! !" An ear splitting scream alerted us all. I felt a sense of dread wash over my body. What had happened to Yukari? Did she...die? I look over to see Kenshin as worried as I was and lower my sword.

"Kenshin. Go." I said.

Serizawa and Kenshin both stare at me oddly, although I think the latter was more shocked than anything. "What?" Kenshin said.

"You have a family to worry about...just go." I said.

Kenshin took off and Serizawa turned to me. "Was that empathy I heard?"

"I wasn't trying to kill Kenshin at all." Luka said. "I'm merely trying to cover my ass."

Serizawa and I had it out. Ending our scuffle when he ran out of shells I reminded him that I wasn't going to harm the innocents and went on my way. Alice soon joined me, saying Ryomen was bored. I nodded knowing neither of them could really go all out here.

We come up to find the Yondaime Nisemono Shinigami beaten. Talking things over with Kenshin. I noticed that the Yondaime was slowly beginning to break apart, drawing tears and cries from a woman next to him that he called Godai, then Yukari. I hold my arm in front of Alice. "Let them have this moment. We'll claim the Tsurugi no Kami after."

"Very well."

I heard the Yondaime mention that Kenshin would be able to revive Yukari. It took everything I had not to sigh in relief at the moment. She would live. I walked up to Kenshin as soon as he turned to the Tsurugi no Kami, after the Yondaime had broken completely. Alice slithered forward and grabbed it's hilt before he could. I see her face contort in pain for a moment as she passed it off to me. She turned back to Kenshin. "You won't be able to control that blade as you are now." She told him.

"Why not keep that thing here?" Kenshin asked. "You two don't seem to want to use it for yourselves, but rather you want to get rid of it."

I answered for her. "The man we're hiding it from would tear this world down looking for it."

Alice turned to me. "Luka."

"It's OK...he at least deserves to know who sicked Yondai on him." I said shaking my head..

"Who?" Kenshin asks.

The King of Demons, Maou." I said.

"Why me?" Kenshin asks, not fazed at all by the revelation...although I'd be willing to bet someone inside him was.

"He wants his demonic weapon, Ryomen back." Alice answered.

At this Kenshin scowled. "She is not a weapon, don't ever say anything like that in front of me again."

Alice and I both laugh. "We actually agree with you, so relax." I said. "Although, I wouldn't look forward to another attack from him."

At this Kenshin's eyes narrowed curiously. "Why?"

"Because..." I said.

Alice cut me off. "Luka, he doesn't need to know that much."

I nod. "I see, well then just don't worry about it."

Kenshin nodded and handed Alice the sealing bottle he collected during his fight. I open a portal to Makai allowing Alice to go through. Kenshin and I have a few words and he walks away to go revive Yukari. "We'll meet again."

He turns back to me perplexed. "Huh?"

At this I remove my mask and show my face to him. His eyes go wide with shock. "Wait...why...why do you look like me?"

I shake my head. "It's not important right now. When we meet again. I'll explain everything." I put my mask back on and turn toward the portal.

"Till then I suppose." I hear Kenshin say. I nod and jump into the portal closing it behind me.

(flashback end) (Luka POV end)

"If only he knew." Luka thought.

He open the journal and began reading. "..." "Nothing here expect the beginning. When he stopped his home village from being destroyed...Meeting the Queen of Demons...Alipheese the...15th? !"

"Shh!" The succubus librarian said.

"Sorry." Luka said grinning sheepishly.

He continued to read on. Finding out the last pair of monarchs ended the last war..was startling, but..it wasn't what he was here for. "...Joining the war effort. Liberating Masouen, Meeting Sheena of the White Tigers before she became clan leader. Destroying the experimental labs near Gold Harbor and Salamander's Volcano and rescuing Ryomen Sukuna and suffixing her name with 'no Kami'"

He read on and on. He was about to give up when he found something else. It was dated months before the final battle of the war where Shin Tatsu defeated the JuuYondaime Maou.

"Today I found another laboratory. I had asked Ryomen about it before leaving for there. She said she knew nothing about it."

"This put me on edge. How could Ryomen not know anything? She told me she was transported multiple times to and from multiple labs. So why would they avoid this one?"

"I found out later, that they weren't testing on demons there...they were...creating them."

"!" Luka's eyes widened slamming the book down on the table and running into the bookshelves. "If I'm right about this...then!" He thought.

"Sir!" "What do you need? ! Just let me pick it up for you!" The librarian said.

Luka ignored her and ran into the section of bookshelves labeled. "Demon Sciences."

He looked around. "H, H, H," He found the H section. "Alright. "Ho...Ho.."

It didn't take long before he found what he was looking for. He placed his hands on a thick tome and pulled it from the bookshelves. "...Artificial Life...Homunculus." He whispered. He walked back to his table. He strode by the succubus as he did. "I'm sorry for worrying you...I was just in a hurry."

"I understand sir. Did you find what you were looking for?" She asked.

"Hopefully. Are there any more books pertaining to this subject?" Luka asks holding up the book he had in hand.

"...I'm afraid not." She said.

"I see. Thanks anyway." Luka said.

He made it back to the table and opened the book placing it above the journal. "..." He began comparing notes.

"When I got to the laboratory I saw grotesque figures of blood, bone, tissue and muscle. Some didn't even have skin. They were locked away in large tubes filled with a strange green liquid. Some were moving..some ceased movement as I approached them. I guess I must have killed them with the pressure of my youki...these things were barely alive as it is so I felt no guilt from it.

He read the information in the other book finding it was another journal, this time from the head scientist of the labs. He read it aloud. "When a Homunculus is created. There is a large margin for failure. Most of the time you will have in front of you a pile of barely functioning organs and bones with the intellect of a fly." "Even latent youki in the air will choke it and cause it to die."

"Ways to increase the success rate of this process is to use the DNA of powerful demons along with the ingredients of a demon body." "In order to accomplish this we managed to rip away samples of DNA from demons the likes of the JuuYondaime Maou, Lady Alipheese the Fourteenth and her daughter the Fifteenth, The Ryomen Sukuna No Kami, Lady Tamamo of the Kitsune Clan, The up and coming leader of the White Tigers. Sheena, as well as a pair of extremely powerful Dragons by the names of Beria and Alipheese the Fifteenth's Knight Shin Tatsu."

Luka read on. "Thankfully. The experiment was a success. We created the Demon World's First Homunculus. However our joy was short lived as the next week the Dragon Knight. Shin Tatsu himself arrived at our labs and threatened us with death if we didn't shut everything down. We of course refused and so he started swinging his sword..when...

Luka looked back down at Shin Tatsu's journal. "I didn't want to kill them. Merely bring them in for questioning, as to who ordered them to do this. When they refused I started trying to make good on my threats when the tube containing their latest experiment broke and the boy inside landed in front of me."

He looked back up at the scientist's journal. "This was bad. The Homunculus hadn't had time to recover and we hadn't taught it anything yet." "If Shin Tatsu struck it down now all of our work would be undone and we'd have to start from scratch again! Thinking quickly I ran in between them glaring fiercely at Shin Tatsu."

Luka looked back at the journal of Shin Tatsu. "He thought I going to kill the boy?" "I was about to say I wasn't when the boy batted the scientist away from him and staggered toward me. He was muttering questions of who he was, where he was...what he was. I analyzed his power at that moment. It was immense! Surely with training this boy could surpass that bastard Filius!" "I then turned to the scientist." "Close off all further experiments and I'll let you live."

Luka turned over to the scientist's journal. "Shut the labs down and we live? But what of the Homunculus? !" "I demanded to know. Shin Tatsu lurched forward and grabbed me by the throat saying he planned to train it." "Train it to control it's great power, but he didn't want to see another one created. Seeing his logic, that the Homunculus would need to learn to control itself I asked him to put me down and I handed him the notes on the Homunculus." "Thankfully omitting the ingredients used I then told him that if he ever needed to destroy it..it would be described in the notes."

Luka flipped through Shin Tatsu's journal. Certainly he would have placed them in this journal. If the Homunculus described in both these journals was indeed the current Maou. Then there might not be a need for the revolt at all!

He found it filed away in the back of the journal. "In order to destroy the Homunculus we've created you must destroy his core. Otherwise his body will regenerate without fail." "You must destroy the core completely or his body will merely be weakened momentarily and regenerate." "He is the perfect being...the absolute perfection in demonic science...a demon that is nigh invincible."

Below the writing Luka saw a diagram that showed where the core was. He stood up and closed the books handing them back to the succubus librarian. "Thank you. I'm very grateful to you for letting me read these."

She nodded and smiled. "It's no problem sir." "If you need anything to read again. Let me know."

"Of course." Luka said walking out of the library.

"Hm...if the Sixteenth Maou is made up of DNA from someone like Shin Tatsu and the Fourteenth Maou, Alice's mother and Grandmother, The Ryomen Sukuna no Kami, Sheena of the White Tigers and Tamamo-neechan. Then I doubt anything I could do to him would be able to wreck his core." He looked at the door in front of him, when suddenly an idea came to him and he rushed inside.

"?" Salamander noticed him rushing in from the top of her volcano. She turned to Undine who was swimming then to Gnome and Sylph whom were molding things with earth and flying respectively.

Luka stopped when the four spirits appeared in front of him. Undine narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you want? You've already been here once today."

"I've come to ask some things of you all." Luka said. "After that I would like to request something."

"Very well." Undine said. "Speak."

"In the world I came from before meeting Alice, a demon twenty years ago used a technique called Gensou Mokushiroku to fell Ryuujin, the Avaricious, or Shin Tatsu as we of Makai know him." "Gensou Mokushiroku made use of all four of your elements amplifying and strengthening each element's destructive force." "Have you ever met the man that slew Ryuujin?"

"..." The four spirits went silent before Salamander spoke up. "Not met, per se, but he and his sister both had contracts with us." "He and his sister both had a hand in bringing Shin Tatsu down."

"I see." Luka said.

"What is your other question?" Undine said.

"What is the status of your contracts with the Sixteenth Maou. He was rumored to be an Elementalist like Shin Tatsu." Luka said.

"Null and Void." Undine said.

"Yeah, he broke his vows...his promises to us." Slyph said. "So we canceled his ability to use our power."

Luka turned to Gnome. She nodded back and bowed her head slightly. He nodded. "I see."

"Any other questions?" Slyph asks gaining back her cheerful expression.

"Just..one more." Luka said. "How are Kenshin Tsuki Kuroshi and Yukari Kuroshi Tsuki coming along in their training?"

"?" Undine, Gnome and Slyph grew confused while Salamander narrowed her eyes at Luka. "Why do you ask?" Undine asks.

"I'm just..curious." Luka said.

"Kenshin has mastered the power of Wind and Fire." Salamander said. "If he had time he could come over here and accept mine and Slyph's tests, as well as meet Gnome and Undine and work with them."

"Same with Yukari. She had problems with mine, but she's worked them out and mastered it." Undine said. Gnome nodded in agreement with the water spirit.

"Souka...that's good." Luka said. "Now for my request."

"Which is?" Salamander asks.

"I..I want you to allow me to use Gensou Mokushiroku, one time." Luka said.

"?" At this all four spirits were perplexed. Gnome shook her head and walked away.

"I'm sorry, but...we can't." Sylph said flying off.

Undine closed her eyes. "Now that you've learned what the Sixteenth Maou was responsible for...your heart rages for revenge...I can't in good conscience give my blessings for that."

"!" Luka's eyes widen his heart thumping painfully as only Salamander remained. She was about to walk away to when he called out to her. "Wait! !"

"..." Salamander stopped the fire that made up her hair burning violently.

"...Look...it's true alright! After learning that bastard was responsible for my father's death I can't help wanting to get revenge, but that's not the only reason!" Luka said.

Salamander turned to Luka surrounding him in fire. "YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS PAYBACK? !" "THAT PERVERSION OF LIFE TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM OUR MASTER!"

"!" Luka began sweating, choking as the fire burned up any oxygen around him.

(cough!) (cough!)

Luka fell to his knees. "I...I didn't mean...it that..way.." "Yes..I want revenge, but...you can't disagree...that Maou...is going to destroy Makai...if this keeps up..."

"AND YOU THINK YOU CAN DESTROY HIM? ! WHEN SHIN TATSU HIMSELF FAILED TO DO SO? ! !" Salamander demanded.

"I know..how to...defeat him..I just...need..the power..." Luka said his lungs burning, his chest tightening from lack of air.

Salamander closed her eyes and sighed willing the fire to go away. "..."

"Whew...whew...whew...whew..." Luka panted filling his lungs with much needed air.

"Get up." Salamander said.

Luka staggered to his feet. She glared. "Now take out your sword."

Luka nodded unsheathing his greatsword. Salamander walked up to him placing her hand on the blade and throwing it to the side. "? !" Luka stared at her in shock. "What the?"

Salamander snapped her fingers. A smaller blade appears in front of Luka. "Take it, then hold it in front of me." "It's a nodachi...like you used to use."

Luka stared down at the blade grasping it by the hilt and pulling it from the ground. He held it pointing at the fire spirit. She grabbed the blade and slid her hand down. A charm appeared on the blade and she retracted her hand. "There." "Once this blade enters Maou's body this charm will be applied to his body. You'll know how to activate it when the time comes." "Once the blade has fulfilled it's purpose of applying the charm and using it, then it will be sent back to me."

"What is it?" Luka said.

"My fang." Salamander said. Luka looked up at her. She opened her mouth to expose the fact that one of her fangs was missing.

"I see...thank you." Luka said.

Salamander walked away. "Don't thank me...just finish the job." "The core can be destroyed by you, but his body is as strong as Shin Tatsu's."

"Alright." Luka said. "I'll handle it." "But..." He walked over and picked his greatsword back up. "If I'm only gonna be borrowing your fang I'm still gonna need this blade."

Salamander nodded and turned her head watching Luka leave. "You know you shouldn't have done that." She looked over to see Undine.

"What would you have me do?" Salamander said. "That Homunculus ripped away every shred of Shin Tatsu's happiness, and is slowly destroying the world he worked so hard to save." "Revenge or not..it seems Luka's wish to save Makai is genuine." "If avenging his father, and saving the world go hand in hand, then so be it."

"Yes, but you know who that really is, don't you?" Undine asks narrowing her eyes at the fire spirit.

"Don't be stupid, I knew exactly who he was before you did." Salamander said.

"Then you better hope he doesn't get himself killed." Undine said. "Because if he dies...so does Kenshin."

"I know." Salamander said disappearing in a burst of flame.

(break)

With Luka

Luka was walking down the halls of the mansion. A lot was on his mind. Namely, how he came to Makai. He strode around for awhile when...

(bump)

"Uuwah!" Luka staggered backwards bumping into someone. "Huh? Alice?"

Sure enough he had bumped into the Sixteenth Maoujou. (Demon Queen) She looked over at him. "Oh..Luka..."

"Something wrong?" Luka asks.

"Huh? Oh...N..Nothing." Alice said unconvincingly.

Luka crosses his arms. "And I'm not a being with only a half of his soul." He quipped.

"..." Alice nodded. "..I guess I'm just apprehensive about this."

Luka nodded. "Come with me."

Alice stared at him oddly as they walked/slithered outside. When they got outside Luka sat down on grass and patted the space next to him. Alice sat down coiling her tail around her. "Are you really OK Alice?"

"..." Alice looked up at the sky. "You know, I never knew my father." "When I was born, my mother told me that he left, to do something great."

"Did you find something out about your mother?" Luka asks.

"..Not necessarily." Alice said. "Well..." (sigh) "Sorry I'm not good at this touchy feely confiding stuff."

"Heh." Luka looked up at the sky. "I figured."

"What about you?" Alice said. "Did you meet yours?"

Luka kept his gaze on the sky, his eyes and expression darkening. "Yeah...He's dead now though."

"Oh. I see." Alice said.

"Although, I have met my mother recently, as well as the two sisters I had left behind." Luka said smiling up at the sky.

"Hm?" Alice said. "You've met others in your family?"

"Yeah. Very recently too." Luka said.

"When? We've been together for months..if you met them I would have been there." Alice said.

Luka chuckled. "You were."

"Oookk...why don't I remember it?" Alice asks.

"Simple..I wasn't myself when I met them." Luka said. "I was there to do work."

"Wait...you mean when we guided that Yondai character to where Kenshin was?" Alice said.

"Yeah." Luka said.

"But the only people we met were his mother and sister, then Kenshin himself..." Alice said.

"You and Ryomen watched our fight didn't you?" Luka asks.

"Some of it." Alice nodded. "I was too busy fighting and talking with Ryomen."

"Did you notice that I never made direct contact with Kenshin except with my gloved hand?" Luka asked.

"...Now that you mention it...Yes." Alice said.

"That's because my half soul, would be absorbed into Kenshin's body if I did." Luka said.

"?" Alice turned to him curiously. "You mean..Kenshin's only got half his soul too?"

"Yeah." Luka said. "We're two halves of the same whole." "When I came to Makai, I had died in a fight with a powerful mage called the LifeMaker." "The same guy Maou's under contract to."

"...I see. So you don't want to be called Kenshin, even though you look like him because you knew you would be meeting him soon." Alice said.

"Yeah. Be way too confusing and Kenshin and I don't exactly care for fakes." Luka said holding his hand over his throat.

"...He he he." Alice laughed softly into her hand. "He'd try to kill you."

"Yeah, he would." Luka said.

"So why didn't you just stay there?" Alice asks. "You could have just made up some fake story as to why you look like Kenshin...and you could have been with your family again."

"Heh..that does sound nice, but Alice I recall making a promise...one that I intend to keep." Luka said turning his head to her.

"..." Alice looked away.

Luka placed his hand over hers. "I promise, I'll always be by your side." He accentuated this statement by leaning in and kissing the Demon Queen on the cheek. "See you tomorrow."

"Wait." Alice said.

Luka had already gotten to his feet and started to walk away. "Yeah?"

Alice stood back up as well. "For the past eight years out of the eleven you've been here in Makai you were at my side."

"Well..I wasn't all the time, but yeah." Luka said.

"For all that time spent..let me give you a reward." She coiled her tail around Luka's waist.

"Uuwa!" Luka yelped then started looking around. "W-Wait..Alice, o-out here?"

"No one would dare stop me Luka..." Alice said tightening her tail's grip around Luka's waist.

Luka sighed. "I guess..." He looked up at her face narrowing his eyes. "Tonight's..gonna be a long night."

(chapter end)

Draconis: I was seriously gonna write a lemon here. But I guess I'm starting to get burnt out again.

Luka: Meh.

Alice: Finishing it later?

Draconis: Not immediately, but yeah. I kinda wanna wrap things up with Luka in the next chapter.

Luka: Wrap things up?

Draconis: (pulls out a contract) Your contracted time is up after you meet with Maou again, and contract renewal periods are finished.

Luka: WHAT? ! (turns to Kenshin) How do you keep renewing yours? !

Kenshin: (pulls out his own) I got the main character contract. It renews after every arc...unless of course it gets gifted off to someone else. My money's on Negi-Chan.

Luka: But we're two halves of the same whole!

Kenshin: That maybe, but that's one of the downsides of changing your name

Luka: Ugh...can we at least come over to that party you kicked off?

Kenshin: Meh...sure.

Luka: Alice lets...huh?

Kenshin: She's gone?

Luka: (sniffs the air) She smelled the food. (runs) Lets go!

Well, anyway. Thats another chapter in the books. Sorry for the lack of lemons if you look forward to them. Next chapter Luka faces down the King of Demons.

Draconis678 out.