Reincarnation Game (Book 1 - Highschool DxD)
Disclaimer: I do not own Highschool DxD.
Chapter 29:
Fallen Battle and Betrayal
'Thinking'
"Talking"
"Talking"
- Kuoh, Japan -
-Sona Sitri-
Trying to control her breathing as her hands shake from the strain, and sweat drips heavily down her face, Sona struggles to maintain the barrier she and her Peerage have created as it's constantly battered by a hailstorm of Holy Light weapons.
Funneling what magic she can into it despite how quickly her reserves are depleting, her eyes peer through glasses that have fallen askew on her face as she watches the cracks starting to appear all over the barrier.
"Tsubaki!" She calls out to her Queen, causing the taller girl with long straight black hair to look over at her from her position amongst the other members of Sona's Peerage. "Try to fix as many of the cracks as you can; the rest of us will keep the barrier steady!"
Seeing her Queen nod, Sona and the others have to physically brace themselves as Tsubaki disconnects herself from the barrier spell, instantly forcing an even greater burden on them as they try to make up for the lack of support. And if the strain is bad for her, it's even worse for the other girls who don't have the luxury of a Pure-Blooded Devil's powerful magical reserves to back them up.
Taking stock of how the others are faring, the Sitri Heiress grimaces at the state of her Peerage.
Her single Pawn, Ruruko, is holding up somewhat well thanks to having Promoted to Queen. And her two Bishops, Momo and Reya, are faring just as well with their enhanced magical reserves. But her Knight, Tomoe, and her Rook, Tsubasa, are struggling to even stand on shaking legs as their sweat-drenched faces try not to show just how badly their struggling.
'We won't last much longer at this rate.' Sona concludes with a sense finality.
While her fellow King, Rias, and Rias's Peerage are busy doing the best they can to dwindle the Fallen's numbers with the Exorcists' help, it's on Sona and her Peerage to protect what remains of Kuoh's population by way of a massive magical barrier spanning the entire battlefield.
It's a last-ditch effort on their part to save what remains of the town by enclosing the army of Fallen in a barrier and trapping them in with Rias's Peerage and the Church's Exorcists. Thereby keeping everything contained to the areas that are already destroyed.
Which… at this point, isn't all that much. A few dozen apartment complexes and houses built on the edge of town, and unsurprisingly Kuoh Academy - which seems to be their final target.
Perhaps the only saving grace in the Devil's strategy is the fact that by locking everything down to one area, it's given the Holy Maiden Asia Argento time to heal some of the surviving wounded who would have otherwise died if not for the small blonde's Sacred Gear.
'To think I would actually be happy for the presence of a member of the Church within my own territory.' Sona muses. 'It must really be the end times.'
Morbidly amusing thoughts aside, if she doesn't figure out a way to keep the barrier from falling soon, then all of Kuoh is going to be lost. And seeing as her Queen is struggling to fix even one of the dozen growing cracks on the barrier, she doesn't have much hope.
"INCOMING!" Her Bishop, Momo shouts in warning as a massive Light spear hurtles towards the barrier from one of the few 6-winged Fallen leading the other lesser-winged ones.
Feeling an impending sense of doom as Sona watches it soar ever nearer towards the badly damaged barrier, the Sitri Heiress knows that the power behind the Light spear is more than enough to bring it all crashing down, and prepares herself for the inevitable as it gets closer.
BOOOOOM!
'W-What?' Sona blinks.
Despite the ground shaking under her feet from what she assumes must be the result of the Light spear's detonation after making contact with the barrier, her magical reserves don't take any sort of hit and her connection to the barrier remains intact. 'Did they miss?'
It should be impossible. The trajectory of the weapon was spot on, and the barrier is large enough that even just throwing something in its general direction should have caused it to hit.
Instead, it seemingly blows up a few inches from the barrier. And something else takes the brunt of the explosion while leaving their barrier completely unharmed.
"Forgive our tardiness, but we are here to help." A male's voice suddenly speaks up from her left, causing her to whip her head around and stare at the tall male figure dressed in a black suit with gold accents, wearing a white half-mask that her mind instantly recalls. "My name is Ni, and my Master has bid us to fight alongside you all in the protection of Kuoh."
'Us?'
Sure enough, now that Sona's attention is no longer solely on the barrier, she witnesses the arrival of over a dozen black-robbed individuals bearing similar clothing styles to the one next to her. 'These are… Sakai's Sacred Gear.'
Her photographic memory instantly recalls the Rating Game Sora had fought against Riser, and the several beings - or 'Summons' as he called them - that were part of the battle.
In particular, her eyes turn to the ones floating in the air around them.
Of the group now spreading out around her, she notices the two separate groups of males and females splitting off to carry out various tasks.
While the females join the Holy Maiden in helping to heal any surviving wounded with their own healing magic, the males are now gathered around Sona's Peerage and are enhancing their own barrier that they've layered in front of her own.
'That's why ours didn't fail. Theirs took the brunt of the damage.' She realizes, and a small part of her is jealous of how much better their barrier is seeing as it didn't even crack once under the six-winged Fallen's attack.
In fact, theirs looks like it's in perfect condition compared to theirs… which embarrassingly looks like it's about to shatter at any moment.
"You may tell your people to stand down and rest." The newly-introduced Ni advises as his black eyes scan the area. Taking in the heavily sweating appearances of her Peerage and herself before offering, "We will see to the barrier from now on; you all have done more than enough. You should be proud of yourselves."
While it sounded less like an offer and more of a command at the end there, Sona will hold back the response she subconsciously was about to give and instead gives a relieved nod in thanks.
Her entire body is shaking in exhaustion, and despite her pride wanting to refuse to allow outside help from doing her job for her, Sona knows her body's limitations. And right now, she's reached her limit.
"Thank you." She offers a strained smile in gratitude, getting a single nod in reply before leaving to check on her utterly exhausted Peerage who aren't in much better shape than she is. '…and thank you, Sakai.'
Glancing past the barrier that Sakai's summons have put up, she notices a massive force of other black-clothed individuals in masks jumping into the fray. Their large numbers instantly helping to turn the tide of the battle as they join a relieved Rias and her Peerage in forcing the Fallen's army back.
Where mere moments ago things looked incredibly bleak for all of them; now there's a small glimmer of hope that things might just be turning in their favor.
- Kyoto, Japan -
-Sora Sakai-
Listening to the sounds of an ecstatic Kunou jumping into the arms of her mother, Yasaka, I smirk to myself as a textbox pops up in front of my eyes.
+14 Affection and Obedience with Sona Sitri… Affection: 15 | Obedience: 14
Heh, looks like Ni's already arrived with the other Summons to help them out.
Connecting my vision to that of the Spirits I have watching over the battle, I witness Juuni - my second Guardian Oni and the male version of Juuichi - leading the charge for the Servants, Oni, and Komainu who are joining Rias and the others on the battlefield, while Ni interacts with Sona and Asia for the Shinshoku and Miko who aren't able to speak.
The additional support of my Summons has an instantaneous effect on the battle, as the sudden influx of 138 fighters taking to the battlefield against the Fallen who have already lost quite a few of their number at the hands of Rias's Peerage, Xenovia, and Irina.
Unsurprisingly, the reinforcements work wonders to improve the morale of those fighting as their attacks suddenly gain renewed energy. Especially Rias's blasts with her Power of Destruction, and Akeno's lightning as the two smile knowingly at the sight of my Summons. Their mind's instantly connecting the dots as they realize that even though I'm currently still in Kyoto, I haven't left them to fend for themselves.
'Don't worry girls, I'll be there soon.' I mentally promise them as I disconnect my vision from the Spirits, knowing that things aren't as bad in Kuoh now that my Summons are there to support them.
With my attention now focused solely on the events going on in front of me, I blink at the sudden little finger being pointed at my face by an angrily scowling tiny blonde.
"You! Why did you and the other humans try to Kaa-sama?" She demands imperiously, getting a confused look from Yasaka and a startled look from Akari.
"W-Wait, Lady Kunou! Sakai-san and his companions aren't the ones who kidnapped Lady Yasaka!" Akari interrupts Kunou before the little Kyubi can get any more upset than she already is. "They're the ones who saved her from the others."
"O-Oh…" Kunou blinks, her anger suddenly disappeared as she stares back at me with different eyes. Her small blonde fox eyes on top of her head drooping slighting in embarrassment. "G-Gomen, Sakai-san."
First Impression:
+5 Affection and Obedience with Kunou… Affection: 5 | Obedience: 5
Still holding onto her daughter, Yasaka slightly shakes her head with a fond smile on her face as she watches her daughter blush. "Honestly, musume (daughter)…"
Turning her gaze off of her daughter's head and towards us, her eyes focus intently on me as she smiles gratefully. "Thank you for saving me, Sakai-kun. Had it not been for you freeing me from their enchantment, I fear for what I might have done under their control."
+23 Affection and Obedience with Yasaka… Affection: 31 | Obedience: 31
+23 Affection and Obedience with Kunou… Affection: 28 | Obedience: 28
+23 Affection and Obedience with Akari… Affection: 29 | Obedience: 29
Together, the three kitsune Yōkai all bow to me as their tails wave gently behind them.
Returning the gesture as best I can, Ichi and Juuichi both do the same next to me.
"How can I and the Yōkai Faction ever repay you for risking your lives to help us?" Yasaka asks diplomatically, subtly adjusting the folds of her robes that had slightly fallen open after everything that's happened. The yellow silk cloth sliding across pale skin that is slightly damp with sweat.
I'm not sure if the subtle flash of pink areola is intentional on her part or not, but I'm suddenly very aware of the massive breasts being barely contained within her robe as I struggle not to stare at them.
"Truly, there's no need to repay us." I wave off her offer even as my hormonal control fails me and I glance downwards. Something Yasaka instantly notices as her full lips curve ever-so-slightly into a knowing smirk. "We were happy to help."
I intentionally leave it unsaid that the Hero Faction wasn't just targeting her, but myself as well.
It might not be the most honorable thing to do, but the benefits of having the Yōkai Faction's favor is something that I can't ignore; even if I'll be leaving this Universe soon.
One day, maybe not soon… but eventually I will return to this Universe; and preparing my future self for success is part of playing the long game.
Could I take Yasaka up on her offer of repaying me? Of course.
But anyone who's ever read about a situation like this in a book, or seen it in a show/movie, knows that the long-term benefits of not taking her up on her offer is worth a lot more than whatever small instant gratitude I'd get from her right now.
"As much as I'd like to stay and actually get to see more of Kyoto, which was our plan for coming here in the first place… I'm afraid Kuoh is currently under attack by Fallen, and we need to get home and help fight back." I say to the growing wide-eyed stares of the others. "If I were you, Lady Yasaka, I would prepare your people for what's about to happen; because the news of the Fallen attacking Kuoh is currently spreading all across the globe."
"…" Yasaka's eyes search my face for any signs of deceit, and when she finds none, her face grows pale as she worriedly looks down at her daughter. "I see… thank you for telling us."
Glancing over Kunou's head to look at Akari, she motions for the other blonde kitsune to follow as Yasaka begins guiding her daughter away. "I wish you the best of luck, and hope that the next time we meet it will be under better circumstances."
Nodding in agreement, I motion for Juuichi and Ichi to gather around me as I prepare to teleport us away. "I hope so, too. Goodbye, Lady Yasaka… Akari… Kunou."
Giving each one a small bow of my head as I say their name, and receiving deeper bows in return, a golden magical circle appears underneath my feet and spreads out far enough for my Summons to fit. "[Summon: Teleportation Gate]."
- Kuoh, Japan -
-Rias Gremory-
Lashing out her hand at an approaching Fallen, a wave of her Power of Destruction rises up to meet their charge as the terrifying black energy disintegrates them on impact.
The stench of blood, sweat, and burnt flesh causes that same hand to tremble as she turns to witness a blast of lightning from Akeno's hands electrocuting another Fallen to death; their dying screams of pain only serving to make her Queen's sadistic smile grow wider as more and more lightning shoots out of her fingertips.
Typically, the sight of blood has never been an issue for the Gremory Heiress; nor has the smell of burnt flesh caused by Akeno's lightning - her Queen had a tendency to electrocute Stray Devils quite thoroughly whenever they were tasked with bringing one down. But the sheer stench of so much odor permeating through the air on the battlefield as her Peerage and Sora's summons gradually slew every last remaining Fallen was starting to become too much even for her to handle.
Luckily for her, the battle has been slowly dwindling down now thanks to the support of Sora's summons.
The once seemingly over-whelming number of Fallen had found its match in the equally massive army of muscular warriors clad in Touki, their terrifyingly effective lion-dog companions, and the sword-wielding servants whose blades could evenly match the Fallen's Light weapons - thanks in part to their prodigious skills with wielding said blades that put even Kiba's own talents to shame.
"-hah!- I think that's the -hah!- last of them." Rias pants out as Akeno limps over to join her. The half-Fallen's head nodding tiredly in agreement as they watch the others finish off the remaining few stragglers.
To an outside observer, the two of them look like they are about to fall over with the heavy sheen of sweat, blood, and dirt covering their skin and clothing. As well as the way their bodies sway on shaking legs from having exhausted not just their physical stamina, but the last of their magical reserves.
Even being healed by Sora's summons couldn't shake off the tiredness they feel as two of the black-robed masked women fly over to begin the process of healing them once again.
Only Asia Argento's Sacred Gear is able to replenish their magical reserves and stamina, and the blonde-nun is currently too busy fixing a rather nasty-looking wound that Xenovia had suffered to her side from a stray Light spear to come over and heal them.
Nonetheless, even as tired and wounded as she is, the blue-haired Exorcist's ability to push through the pain and continue the fight as long as she had was an invaluable asset to them on the battlefield.
Even more so thanks the destructive power of her Excalibur Destruction - having used its abilities to great effect against the numerous Fallen who tried to take the fragments of Excalibur away from the two Exorcists.
Catching the blue-haired girl's eye, Rias smiles tiredly at the other girl and gives a grateful nod for her efforts; one that is returned by Xenovia moments later. 'How quickly things change,' She thinks to herself. 'Not too long ago she was threating me and my Peerage to keep out of their way... And now here we are, fighting together on the same side.'
Is this what her older sister felt when she joined forces with the other Biblical Factions to help take down the two Heavenly Dragons?
When the two dragons had fought their endless battle and wound up in the middle of a skirmish between the three Biblical Factions, all three sides willingly put aside their differences in order to bring the two dragons down before their battle wiped them all out.
Siras had only been a young girl at the time - nowhere near as strong as she is today. But from what Rias could recall of when her sister told her about it, the battle against the two dragons had been the first real step towards bringing an end to the Great Biblical War until it eventually came to the standstill it's at today with the death of God and the old Satans.
But, unlike then, Rias knows that this wouldn't have as happy an ending.
Because word has already spread of the battle, and the fact that the world had seen the destruction done to the city at the hands of the Fallen - even if it was a rogue branch - will be the perfect spark that will reignite the flames of war that her sister had worked so hard to extinguish.
'And this time, it won't just be between the three Factions.' She frowns heavily, even as the few wounds she suffered heal and the two summons bid her and Akeno goodbye in order to help the next ones in need. 'The whole world will be dragged into this; and too many have seen what's happened for us to try and erase their memories.'
Catching a glimpse of golden light mere moments before three figures suddenly teleport onto the battlefield, Rias pushes those thoughts to the side as she smiles. "Sora!"
Like a beacon of light in the midst of her dark thoughts, Sora's mere presence is enough to fill her with happiness as she forces down her exhaustion in order to make her way over to his side. The slight shift of movement on her right telling her that Akeno has the same idea, as the black-haired Queen turns to follow her.
Seeing Sora's golden eyes study the battlefield for a moment before they find hers, Rias's heart flutters at the look of relief and love on his face as he notices the two of them approach… only to feel her heart drop into her stomach as the look quickly turns to one of shock and horror.
…moments before she cries out in pain as a sword pierces her in the back and exits out of her chest, causing blood to spray out of the wound as Akeno gasps in surprise and horror at her side.
"I'm sorry…" A male's voice mutters behind her, "but it had to be this way."
Slowly turning her head to look over her shoulder, the pain in her chest from where the sword has pierced through her is equaled by the heartbreak she feels as she takes in the appearance of her attacker.
"K-Kiba?" She gasps out, a trail of blood leaking from her lips. "W-Why?"
Instead of replying, her Knight slowly pulls the blade out of her chest. Flicking the blood off of it negligently as he watches her body fall into Akeno's arms; her Queen mercifully able to catch her in time to prevent a rough landing with the ground despite the half-Fallen's shock at the sudden turn of events.
Feeling the life leave her body as her eyelids slowly begin to droop, Rias is barely able to watch as Kiba's body begins to morph right in front of her eyes. His flesh bubbling and rippling as his act of King-slaying causes the Evil Piece in his chest to force his body into becoming that of a Strays.
His formerly handsome, prince-like features twist and ripple as a set of large canine-like fangs jut from his lips. His once perfectly maintained blonde hair becomes shaggier and wilder as his arms and legs stretch grotesquely into clawed limbs as blonde fur covers his extremities.
Where once her handsome Knight stood, now a disfigured wolf-like beast has taken his place as finishing touches of his Straying settle in.
'N-No…' The shock of Kiba's betrayal, mixed with the pain of her wound and the tiredness she feels after having just finished battling for her life, causes her body to do into shock as she passes out. The last thing she hears before everything goes black, is the words that whisper out of Kiba's fanged maw.
"Balance Breaker: Sword of Betrayer"
… …
-Sora Sakai-
Shocked gasps and cries of disbelief ring in my ears as the other Devils and Church members witness the act of betrayal by Kiba, and in a flurry of motion everyone races to the fallen Rias's side as the emerald glow of Asia's Twilight Healing quickly goes to work trying to stem the flow of blood that's now pouring out of the wound in her chest.
"Kiba…" Koneko mumbles to herself, the small white-haired Nekoshou's eyes darting back and forth between the newly changed Kiba and the fallen body of her Master. "Rias…"
"W-Wha… Why?" Akeno asks herself as she moves aside to let Asia work, quickly moving to my side as she practically collides her body with my own as my arms wrap around her supportingly. Only to have to hold her up as she collapses, the last vestiges of strength in her legs giving out from shock and exhaustion.
Leaning my head down in order to whisper comforting empty words in her ear, my eyes never once leave the sight of Rias lying unconscious on the ground with a bleeding hole in her chest.
Looking, for all intents and purposes, like one of the many dead bodies lying strewn across the destroyed battlefield.
"The time of reckoning approaches.
Beware the coming of Heroes,
And the end of loyalty to King."
Hearing Gaia's voice whisper the message I'd read from the bottle I found in the Dungeon, my hands clench tightly around Akeno's body as my head slowly turns in Kiba's direction. 'The end of loyalty to King…'
In the distance, I notice three figures appear from a teleportation circle as they join the now-Stray Kiba.
One wears an Exorcist's cloak not unlike the one Siegfried wore, and even looks very similar to the now-dead Hero whose swords Juuichi had taken off his corpse. And just like his look-alike, the new Exorcist carries his own sword. Though his is a mangled amalgamation of multiple Holy Swords stuck together by some form of rudimentary Artificing.
Freed Sellzen
Level 35 - Clone of Sigurd
Artificial Human - Exorcist
Unlike his counterpart, Freed is woefully weak. Even Connla, who couldn't hope to match my Summons wasn't nearly as weak as the psychopathic Exorcist with a crazed look on his face.
So weak, in fact, that if not for the sword in his hands I'd almost completely write him off as a threat.
[Fused Excalibur] (Legendary) - (Item)
"Contains Three of Seven fragments of the legendary blade: Excalibur."
Enables - Enhanced Speed, Invisibility, Illusion Manipulation
Increased damage to Devils and Undead.
The bastardized combination of three Excalibur fragments basically wedged together is not exactly what I would call a decent showing of what trye Artificing can do, but the power of the fused sword is nothing to scoff at given what it can allow someone as week as Freed to do.
And that isn't the only sword worth taking a note of.
Because until in the anime, Kiba never gained access to the Light Crystal containing the souls of his friends and the Sacred Gear Blade Blacksmith… I was the one who got it.
So, instead of his own Sword Birth's Balance Breaker becoming a half-Holy half-Demonic sword; his new Balance Breaker is entirely a Demonic Sword. Only now it makes a single sword that even from this distance feels powerful enough to match one of the Legendary Demonic Swords I gained from Siegfried.
A fact that the older man in priest's robes standing next to Freed is utterly fascinated by, as the man's eyes glint greedily behind his glasses.
Valper Galilei
Level 1 - Genocide Archbishop
Human - Normal
"Well done, my boy." Valper praises the mutated Kiba, reaching up a hand to pat his furred shoulder proudly. "I knew you could do it, Isaiah."
"-Scoff- Why you needed him to do it, I don't understand." Freed scoffs in disgust as he glares at Kiba. "These filthy Devils are no match for me now with this little beauty," He pets the fused Excalibur like it's a pet. "I coulda run that red-headed bitch through myself, if you'd given me the chance."
"Now now," Valper chides Freed. "Isaiah came to us himself; it's only fair that we'd give him a chance before taking matters into his own hands."
"Indeed." The final member of their group adds, causing the others to fall quiet as 10 Fallen wings spreads out from his back. "Despite their weakness, even the Devils would notice the presence of a Holy Sword like Excalibur in their midst… Better to let one of their own deal the fatal blow that they couldn't see coming."
His eyes briefly flicker down to the sword in Freed's hands. "Even if it means the loss of Excalibur in the end."
Turning his gaze over to Kiba, the elven features on the 10-winged Fallen's face wrinkle in a disgusted grimace as he takes in the Stray Knight's appearance. "I trust you will not mind waiting until after everything here is finished, before taking your revenge on the sword fragments?"
"Of course not, Lord Kokabiel." Kiba bows his head in deference. His eyes briefly fleeting to the sword in Freed's hands as his own hands grasp the Demonic Balance Breaker sword in his grip.
'This motherfucker…' I scowl.
Having listened to their conversation, my brain finally puts the pieces together as I watch the way the three newcomers interact with Kiba.
Kiba must have gone out looking for the Excalibur fragments after Asia and the other two came into town, hoping to find the fragments on his own and destroy them before anyone could stop him, and had likely run into either Freed or Valper.
Based off of how Valper spoke with Kiba, I'm guessing that the Genocide Archbishop was the one to find him. And had presumably offered the mentally unstable Knight the chance to destroy the Excalibur fragments in their possession in return for betraying Rias.
A rather bold strategy, but it seems to have worked out perfectly in their favor. Because not only had they waited until after everyone had tired themselves out fighting the canon-fodder, they'd also ensured that those who survived would be too shocked at the betrayal to be able to fight back against the real threats.
And while Valper and Freed aren't exactly threats, it's the one who leads them that is.
Kokabiel
Level 194 - Betrayer of the Heavens
Fallen - 10 Winged
He's weaker than me, sure. But experience plays a significant role in battles to the death, perhaps even more-so than raw power itself.
And as one of the oldest angels in the Bible, who fell from Heaven and fought in the Great Biblical War thousands of years ago, the warmonger has vastly more experience than all of us on the battlefield combined.
Which means that I'll need to focus all of my attention on fighting him if I want to win, and leave the others to be dealt with by my Summons.
"Ichi, Juuichi…" I call out over my shoulder the two behind me as I clutch a stocked Akeno's body tightly. "Take care of the others, I'll handle Kokabiel myself."
Not needing to turn around to know that they heard me, I'm about to let go of Akeno in order to prepare for battle… when her once-limp hands suddenly grip my arms tightly.
"No," She whispers faintly, her voice trembling as she slowly gets her feet under her. "No… let me deal with Kiba."
Feeling my eyebrows rise in surprise, I glance down at her face in askance - expecting to see an expression that would give away that she didn't want me or my Summons to harm Kiba despite what he'd just done.
And really, it wouldn't have come as a shock.
Even if he'd just betrayed them, he was still a close friend to her and the others for what was likely several years. So, when I looked down at her face, I expected to see her looking like she was about to try and plead with him to come back to them and rejoin our side.
…But instead, the only thing I can see on her dirty, sweaty, and yet still beautiful face is a single emotion.
Fury.
Pausing, I stare into her beautiful violet eyes for a long moment. "…Are you sure?"
She nods.
"Alright." I sigh, placing a small kiss on her sweaty forehead as she finally lets go of my arms. "But you know what might happen, right? What you may be forced to do?"
Kill him, went left unsaid.
Once again, she nods resolutely. "I do."
Despite the situation we're in, I can't help smiling proudly at the understanding and determination written all over her face. Akeno knows what she has to do, what Kiba may force her to do if things go as I expect they will… and she's ready to do it anyways. "That's my girl."
Seeing her cheeks flush lightly, I chuckle.
Taking one last glance at the downed form of Rias, my brief moment of laughter dies out as a grim look settles over my face.
'This is it… the last battle before I'll have to leave this Universe behind for who knows how long.' I think as Akeno, Ichi, and Juuichi join me as we approach Kokabiel and the others. 'Better make it a good one, then.'
Despite my rather nonchalant act I'm putting on mainly for Akeno's benefit and my own self-control, simmering beneath the surface is a very… very angry Sora.
No one. NO ONE harms someone I love and gets away with it.
And while I can't go after the one who did the act himself - because Akeno's called dibs - I sure as shit can fuck up the one that's behind it all.
…Kokabiel has no idea what's coming.
But he's about to find out.
- END -
Author Notes:
And that's Chapter 29!
Some of you figured out that it was Kiba that would betray his King, so hats off to you all. I tried not to give too much away, but I also threw in enough hints that I figured you all would get it eventually.
The next chapter is the last battle, and then it's basically just a bunch of small timeskips and lemons before the end. There will be some content in terms of plot, but it's all just me tying off loose ends and building the stage for when I eventually have him returning.
When that'll be? Who knows?
Hope you all are still liking it so far! Thanks for checking out my story.