Chapter 15: Utsusemi/ PROJECT: FOUR FIENDS
Danhauser Belial stifled a yawn as his gray eyes wandered randomly across the occupied seats, voices babbling happily like a mountain river. He's once again at the coffee shop that he had enjoyed with Cleria Belial long ago. Just coming here brought a quick chill on his spine, mostly when he had a short conflict with Irina Shidou's father before.
The reason why he would stop around Kuoh Town is to spread flyers with his Peerage, now and then Bova would join, and socialize with his cousin, and perhaps eat something. But other than that, he doesn't see any other reason why stay here.
Sure, in his previous life, Danhauser longed to visit Japan and that wish came true the moment he was brought back to life, but for some odd reason, it doesn't feel great anymore. Learn a new culture, sightseeing different structures, and tasting different dishes is something that he was looking forward to, not only in Japan but many other countries as well. Not anymore.
It can't be because he was sent into a fictional world where Magic and Blue Blood ruled the world with an iron fist. Something is missing, and to make this small dream come true, Danhauser knew that no matter what, he can't find a way to meet her once more.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he had heard whispers coming from the manor's halls, maids and butlers whispering about Bluebeard. It seems that he has been constantly staying inside his room like a caveman. He never lets anyone enter inside anymore. Shockingly, he's still doing his job well enough to not worry both Lord and Lady Belial.
This time, the gray-haired youth yawned shamelessly. He could feel a few disturbed glares aimed at him, he didn't care. He was tired. There are days his tiredness comes in both forms, physical and mental, he was lucky enough to catch both. When he had ended the dispute with Rudiger Rosenkreutz, Danhauser just focused on buying Gilles de Rais' ingredients and left with a confused Diehauser Belial. Once they had returned he gave the overjoyed Frenchman the ingredients and dropped on his bed. Since that night, Danhauser had his eyes as open as a tunnel.
A boop on the nose made Danhauser jerk away to see Cleria's smiling face. For how long was he out? Let's hope not so much. "It's already cold." He blinked, confused until he followed her gaze and spotted a coffee mug, long since devoid of warmth.
"Yeah, sorry," Danhauser cupped the drink with both hands. "Just… thinking about stuff."
"Really?" He merely nodded and took a long sip. "Wanna share it with the audience?"
He looked down. "Not really." He drawled. "I just have a lot of things to think about."
Her smile fell slightly. "That's not good at your age, you know?" She said, sitting closer to her cousin. "You could get a headache, like me!"
Danhauser blinked and faced her. "Does your head hurt?" She nodded. "Since when?"
She groaned and massaged her temple. "You can't even imagine… this started yesterday, it still hurts, but not that bad anymore." Suddenly, she pouted and nudged his ribs. "Aha! I know what you're doing there, mister! You ain't escaping from this one!" He could see the concern gleaming in those orbs. "So, what's with the long face?"
Danhauser broke eye contact. "I'm fine Cleria, really. I just couldn't sleep properly."
She sighed and was about to drop the subject until something sparked in her brain—a devious grin broke on her beautiful face. "I think I know what Danny needs~!"
Danhauser frowned and opened his mouth, silenced when an arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him closer, a wave of warmness engulfing him.
"Cleria…" He trailed off, cheeks flushing. "W-What are you doing?"
"Hmm?" His cousin blinked and tilted her head. "What's wrong? Can't I hug my little cousin now?"
"I guess you can, but… you could've warned me beforehand."
"Maybe I could," Cleria said with a nonchalant shrug. "But there's also the chance that you would refuse it."
Danhauser gave up and sipped his drink, trying to locate a comfortable position. Her embrace is pleasant, he won't deny that.
"You have dark circles under your eyes—you didn't sleep properly the previous nights," She said softly. "Why not share your problems with Lil' ol me? We're family. We watch each other's back. So, let's stay like this and whenever you're ready, don't hesitate to pull the trigger."
Danhauser bit a groan, eyes everywhere but on Cleria. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you."
Cleria clicked her tongue. "Why not?"
"You wouldn't believe it."
"Try me."
Before one of the two could retort, a tranquil tune came out from Cleria's pocket, she sighed and pulled out her cellphone, much to Danhauser's relief. "Hello?" A smile blessed on her face. "Hello, Auntie~! I'm fine thanks for asking! Yes, he's here, cuddling me, the poor thing!"
His cheeks burned a little. "Cleria…"
She stuck her tongue out, followed by a small wink, before looking away. "Something you want, auntie?" Her happy expression fell. "Is something wrong? I-I understand we're going there." She hung with knitted brows.
"What happened?" Danhauser asked, tensed. Could it be they found out about Danhauser's discussion with Rudiger?
She offered a comforting smile, ruffling his hair. "It's… better if we see this with our own eyes."
The gray-haired youth could only nod and leave the embrace.
Danhauser exhausted gray eyes traveled abruptly and tried to avoid catching the glances of the new guest and the display of the Malebranche Brother's barking at one another. He could feel Cleria shifted in her seat beside him, grasping her sweaty hands under the table. As for Danhauser, he just traced his feet against the cobbles of the kitchen's floor to distract himself.
It has been around ten minutes since both cousins made their way to the Underworld, welcomed only by the sudden screams coming behind the doors. Diehauser assured him that this is akin to a tradition around the family, just a brother, and a sister blowing off some steam when one of them did something stupid or just got on their nerves.
This was the sibling rivalry that he thankfully hasn't shared with Diehauser, yet. He didn't need to ask for the reason for the glaring contest, not at all. The Dhampir that comes from the House of Tepes is more than enough to answer half of his curiosity.
He couldn't believe it—the Sephiroth Graal was before him.
Whenever Danhauser tried to steal a look at the hybrid, he would see her in the same position, sitting with her fingers brushing one of her pigtails, her blood red eyes looking anywhere except the table, her light-blonde short hair did a fine job of giving a perfect shot of her somewhat mature, pale face.
Issei Hyoudou was right in the Light Novels. She truly bears the beauty of both Humans and Vampires.
Evidently, her vision was moving faster than a leopard at a race. She was totally shaky, as a jack-rabbit that has heard the howl of a wolf. Danhauser understood her uncomfortableness, mostly when she's the Pandora Box on the table.
"Fucking hell," He heard his uncle spat, grunting. "You really like drama in your cereal, huh? Why don't you want to take the girl and get it over with?!"
"Didn't you hear what my oldest son just said?" Calcabrina growled out. "She's dangerous! Having her here will bring those damn fanatics!"
Malacoda rolled his eyes and waved off her concerns, "The Old Satans aren't going to attack you, don't get your panties in a bunch, sis."
Lady Belial scoffed. "She has a Longinus, Malacoda, that's more than enough for them to invade us! You and Matanbuchus turned the Belial Territory into a target and all because of Matanbuchus' greediness! He only cares about money now!"
He smashed a fist on the table. "Hey, that's not true! You, of all people, know what Matanbuchus' purpose is, Calcabrina!"
Calcabrina folded her arms beneath her bust. She stole a side-glance at her oldest son, instantly looking away when their eyes clashed. "Money isn't happiness."
Danhauser decided to step in. "… Sooner or later, we were going to become targets, anyways." He pointed out nervously. "Father and Uncle perhaps saved the Underworld—a Sacred Gear such as the Holy Grail is dangerous in the wrong hands."
He obviously knew better than the people assembled here. Because of the Holy Relic within Valerie Tepes, Rizevim not only brought an army of Evil Dragons, he awoke the Beast of the Apocalypse with his spirit as the last ingredient.
"Thank you!" Malacoda groaned in relief. "Finally! Someone who at least isn't trying to make a hole in my fucking skull!"
Shooting her brother one last glare, she faced her son. "Sweetie, you're right. I'm not denying your Uncle and Father protected the Underworld. But why us? Why bring her here on the Belial Territory and not leave her in Dis?" She moved a hand over her hip. "This is a matter between the House of Lucifuge and the Tepes Faction, not us!"
"Dis' fucked," Malacoda admitted. "With the never-ending war between the different Clans surrounding it, it is impossible to make a peaceful living there. Plus, the population of Stray Devils is slowly increasing, almost surpassing the Pure-Blooded Devils and they don't have a friendly relationship with the latter."
Danhauser unconsciously focused on the mute Dhampir who obviously found the table far more interesting than the discussion.
Diehauser harrumphed loudly enough to catch everyone's attention. "Now that both of you stopped punching one another." He ignored the mutual grunts. "Mother's right, the pact between Lucifuge and Tepes doesn't have anything to do with us. If Dad wanted to send the girl to my territory he could at least ask for my permission before dropping her here as if he owned the place."
Danhauser gulped, he could tell by the cold tone of his voice and the way Diehauser clenched his fists that he was not happy at all.
"What are you going to do then, Diehauser?" Cleria finally spoke for everyone.
The Emperor frowned and stayed quiet, glancing down at his hands as if the answer was written there.
Having her here would be a great benefit, it would either stop or halt Qlippoth's schemes in the future, literally, the fate of the Earth depends on the hands of Valerie Tepes. But he understands where Diehauser's anger comes from. He would not only feel his mood drop but offended by the lack of respect, as well.
The Emperor finally looked up. "I'll humor father, for now." He noticed the frowns and curved eyebrows. "That doesn't mean that she'll officially stay here, I will not run the risk on the life of my family by getting invaded by an army of the Old Satan Faction. I'll think of this, until then, you and father better start searching for a place for her to stay, or send her back to her hometown."
Valerie gulped at that.
Calcabrina's sour look was enough to display her thoughts, she merely clicked her tongue and stayed quiet.
Evil Tail sighed, scratching his scalp. "That would do, I guess." He clasped both hands with a goofy grin. "Welp! If there's nothing else to add, I'll leave you guys! Love Y'all!"
And just like that, everyone stood up and left the kitchen, leaving Danhauser sitting with his cousin and the Dhampir.
Cleria wasted no time inching closer to the poor girl. "Hey there. What's your name?" She saw Valerie jump slightly, which made her chuckle. "Sorry, did I scare you? Perhaps I should give my name first." She coughed behind a fist. "I'm Cleria Belial, nice to meet you."
The light-blonde girl studied her face, before answering hesitantly. "… Valerie Tepes, the Holy Grail. Delighted to meet you."
"Valerie…" Cleria hummed. "That's a cute name."
Valerie smiled shyly.
Danhauser felt his lips going upward, letting his cousin do her charm. That's Cleria Belial. The woman who just smiles like she's happy right to the spirit like there's no sadness staining her posture. She has no mannerisms that show damage of any kind—she's perfection right down to her micro-expressions. She would instantly capture the attention of anyone with her words, even the ones who don't tend to speak a lot.
He would love to be in her shoes one day, instead of his own. How would it feel to make a conversation decent and earn some smiles. How fair is it to be born so different and then be judged for not having more?
Danhauser kicked those thoughts immediately and focused on the pair once more, only to find one of them missing. "What are you doing over there?" A feminine voice demanded besides him, looking up, he was greeted with Cleria's familiar grin.
"Oh no," Danhauser sensed his eyes turn into dishes when she grasped his hand and pulled him out of his seat, pushing him closer the Dhampir.
A pair of hands laid over his shoulders with a chin atop his head, squeezing him. "This is my adorable little cousin. Danhauser Belial!" She whispered in his ear. "Say something!"
Danhauser flinched and felt his heart's thrumming reach his temple, he stared back at those dark red eyes, wariness honed over them.
"Uh, hey. I'm Danhauser Belial." He observed her frown deepen, he screwed up, didn't he? "Nice to meet you."
"… Likewise."
A chuckle slipped from Cleria, ruffling his gray hair. "You have to forgive him. He acts like this when he sees a cute girl."
"Cleria, really stop." Danhauser groaned and facepalmed, not daring to face the confused Dhampir.
"Nope!" She winked and bent her legs in front of the blonde girl. "Say, have you ever seen Japan?"
The blonde just shook her head.
Grinning, Cleria continued. "Good, then let's get going you two!"
Something that he had learned from the previous months is that Cleria Belial is a woman who doesn't take a 'no' as an answer, her pulling the two out of the room without them voicing their opinions is a perfect example.
The tour around Kuoh Town was entertaining if you're that type of person that stays silent throughout the adventure and lets someone else do the talking. Cleria was the latter, both teenagers agreed the former suited them better, but as time went on, the doll-girl would giggle and chat with his cousin occasionally, Valerie's mask wearing off. As for Danhauser, it was a difficult task to keep it on, mostly because he hasn't slept, and the coffee wasn't doing its job correctly.
He could say 'screw it, I'm leaving' and teleport to his bed, but he didn't, mostly because of a Dhampir whose eyes were as wide as a puppy and lips slightly parted. Whenever Cleria gestured to a different building, Valerie's eyes would expand even more with the neon signs printing on her orbs. It was a cute sight, there's no doubt about that, but it's also saddening, how much of her childhood involved her being locked either in a room or a basement, depending on how she was behaving in the Tepes Castle.
Which now made sense why when her eyes accidentally either landed on him or both shared a mutual glance, her mood would lower slightly and look away.
The last stop was the park with a gentle breeze that rustles the leaves, making them fall one by one. They moved over a nearby bench, just watching the playful children and the parents interacting.
"Phew! What a ride!" Cleria dropped on the bench, her arms behind the wooden seat, grinning at Valerie. "So? Enjoyed the tour?"
The blonde girl smiled mildly. "It was nice."
Cleria laughed victoriously. "See? Told you! Japan is beautiful!" Then she turned to her cousin, "How about you, Danny?"
"I had fun," Danhauser replied, rubbing his eyes.
Her smile trembled lightly, before she could add another word, her cell phone rang. She yanked it off her pants and this time watched who the caller was before groaning. She faced her cousin and winked. "Sorry, it's about work, be back in a sec!"
She stood up and answered the call, Danhauser just listened how her voice faded as she moved, leaving an empty space in the middle of the bench.
"Woohoo," Danhauser stretched his legs out, putting his elbow on the bench's arm and staring at the clouds. He tried to take a nap to recharge some of his energy, but he couldn't, so he opted for the second plan. "I'm sorry about my mother, by the way." He started with an apology, alarming her. "She doesn't have anything against you, she was just trying to protect her family and… yeah."
The doll-like figure just stared, it made Danhauser slightly uncomfortable, how her red eyes began judging him. Finally, she looked away with a small hum. "I understand. Don't worry, me being the Holy Grail is why your mother was in a bad mood. My half-brother, Marius, was scheming something huge and I was the important piece of this project, they'll come once again soon."
"You'll be safe with us, no one's going to hurt you anymore," Danhauser assured her with a restrained yawn. "We have a lot of amazing rooms with comfy beds, excellent food every day, and great people that you can interact with." He paused. "Just keep your distance safe from my brother's Queen, he's a molester."
She gasped slightly. "Oh my, really?"
Danhauser couldn't stop the slipping chuckle. "Yeah. My brother says he's reformed. But just for safe measure, I press my arse on the wall whenever he's around."
For a second a meek smile adorned her lips, but it soon disappeared and she gazed down at the plain grass.
…
The Dhampir toyed with the corner of her dress. "Something is bothering you, isn't it?"
Danhauser blinked, twice, before lifting an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"
"The dark circles around your eyes are a giveaway." Before the Devil could retort, she continued. "You can't hide it, everyone has physical tells."
Danhauser let her words sink in. "Tells, huh?"
The doll nodded slowly. "Yes. It's called a face."
The Heir frowned. "Face? I'm not making a face."
"You're making a face right now."
"I'm not making a face right now," repeated Danhauser with annoyance. She just hummed, clearly not buying it. "Wha-What face am I making, then?"
"A face that says something is bothering you," she suddenly tilted her head down and looked up beneath the eyebrows. "Something like this."
Danhauser stopped himself from snickering by rubbing his nose. "A 'bothering face.'" he repeated and cast her a small, challenging smirk. "So, you… you know facial expressions? Show me another face."
Valerie tapped her chin and pondered for a bit, before cocking her head down and puffing her cheeks out.
"Dear Maou, she can't be serious," Danhauser chortled and shifted his arms behind the bench. "What's that face supposed to mean?"
She never broke her posture, "It's the face I use when someone drinks my wine."
This time Danhauser dissolved into a hearty laugh, catching his breath. "We do praise our wine, for real."
Her pout dropped. "Who doesn't?"
He kept his eyes locked on hers, they were so captivating. He heaved a sigh, averting his gaze. "Right." He inhaled deeply and patted his knee as if he was playing the drum. "Look, I just had an unlucky night in the past with someone that brought unwelcomed memories and unanswered questions. That's all."
"You should tell someone from your family," Valerie suggested with a small shrug. "They could help you out."
"That's the problem, I can't," Danhauser yawned, watching the joyful children in the park. "Everything could change horribly if I open my mouth."
"Your secret is really that bad that not even your family can know?" Valerie said incredibly, earning a firm nod. Her gaze fell and her fingers stroked a pigtail, lips parting slightly, but no sound came until finally, she muttered. "Do… do you want to share them?"
If it wasn't for his improved ears, Danhauser would have missed the whisper. "What?" He said, taken back. "I'm not willing to speak about this with anyone that is close to me, what makes you think I'm going to share my inner thoughts with you? No offense, of course."
Her eyes preserved on the ground, shaking her head. "No offense taken," she clasped her hands. "I had passed from something identical to your situation, but unlike you, I needed someone to listen to my ventings for a few minutes, but no one obviously did, until I met him." A fragile smile arose on her beautiful face. "A cute boy with platinum hair, my only and best friend."
"Gasper," Danhauser guessed, lifting a leg and landing it atop the other, all his attention steered to the beautiful girl.
"Without him, my brain would've shut down, I would be stressed, paranoid, and so on." Finally, she lifted her red orbs and gave a look. "I won't force you, neither do I need to be that person listening to your dilemma, but if you keep locking yourself up, you'll only think about this and nothing else around you, trying to find a solution, until you fail miserably, and in the future, you'll do something that you may regret for the rest of your life." She took a breath. "That's not befitting for a King."
He doesn't try to speak again. He exhaled and tucked his knees to his chest, lay his elbows on his thighs and cover his face with his hands. Valerie could listen to his slow breathing from her seat, possibly demanding for his cousin's presence.
She shrugged and distracted herself with anything else, accommodating her blonde hair whenever the wind decided to tease her. She tried her best, if he doesn't want to speak, it's fine, every so often, learning the hard way works, too—she thought.
"…Have you ever lost someone you love so much and wanted one more conversation with?" She jumped slightly, following the familiar, muffled voice.
"What do you mean?" Valerie stuttered, seeing the gray youth in the same position.
She caught the whistle coming from him as his back stayed rigid, a tired chuckle fleeing from his lips. "Back when I was a toddler, a woman was taking care of me."
"A babysitter?" Valerie surmised.
Danhauser stayed quiet. "... Yeah, something like that." He harrumphed. "Either way, I grew up with her at my side, she fed me when I was a baby, took care of me, played with me. For me? That woman was my mother, father, and best friend." He suddenly snickered. "And for her, I was her 'little shit.'"
Valerie raised an amused eyebrow. "Little shit, really?"
"Yeah. It irked me to no end, but I understood why. I was so damn obnoxious back then." Danhauser sighed out. "It was only the two of us, we went out for dinner, we criticized anything that our vision caught sight off as if we were the universe's greatest creation, but mostly we just hung out on her old, comfy brown leather couch and watched bad television. We laughed, we cried, we held hands and sometimes we didn't have to say a word."
He paused to spare a glance at Valerie, who was hugging her legs with a cheek reclining on her knees, paying attention to his tale.
"Go on," She said, rocking carefully on her seat.
Danhauser looked down at his shoe, dug in his toe and pushed around a pile of dirt. "Well... one day I woke up alone, in a place I barely knew, knowing I have to survive to the end, without her support. That was the day I knew she was gone."
The doll scowled and lifted her head, her brow arched knowingly. "Did she… die?"
Danhauser chuckled and rubbed his sudden heavy eyes. "That's… that's the funniest part. I don't even know if she's dead or alive, praying to God for the latter, though." He said, wincing at the expected headache.
She frowned at the answer, he doesn't know? What does that even mean? "Have you ever tried contacting her?"
"I can't. She's no longer here," replied Danhauser with a shaky breath. "Since then, I tried to get over it and move on, but it's easier said than done." He chuckled ruefully. "Never said goodbye and thank you, dick move, yeah?"
Valerie's mouth opened, but her words died in her throat. "Excuse me…" she said gently, pointing at her eyes. "You are…"
"Shit, sorry," Danhauser laughed quietly, passing his sleeve over his wet cheeks. "D-damn I'm making a mess now, I wish I had the Gamer Mind right now."
"Gamer what?" She shook her head. "Don't apologize, it's fine." She intertwined her thumbs. "I'll be honest with you. Your story is puzzling, and I still don't get how she's gone forever, but I won't question it, I've heard enough." She looked up. "However, you should stop trying to 'get over it,' because you really won't."
"H-hmm?"
"She watched you as a baby, as a child, and as a teenager," said Valerie. "During that time, her utmost concern and dream was that you grow up healthy and happy while keeping close to her as her 'little shit.'" Both shared a mutual chuckle. "… More often than not, she was adapting you to live your life in all that it has to offer you. Be you. Take deep breaths. And take baby steps to doing right things. And those steps will get naturally get bigger and bigger over time, with her always behind your back. Always."
…
"Be... me and do the right thing."
"Yes."
His brain tickled like a hand that's been sat on for too long. A smile was playing at the corner of his lips as he stared at his grayish palms. "That..." He whispered and clenched his fists. "That makes sense..."
"I still believe you'll find her someday," Valerie encouraged him. "We live in a small world. There's a chance that you may bump shoulders with her."
"As much as I would love to see that happen, it's impossible, we're on different roads now. Thank you nonetheless." He flexed his arms out, moaning after cracking a bone. "Don't know how, but I feel different. As if I could punch the strongest being in the world and get away with it." He wheezed out. "I still want to sleep, though."
Her smile shone like stars after dark, with a dangerous glint surrounding it. "Punch someone and get away with it, hmm? Think you can go after my brother?"
Danhauser shot her a small wink. "Give me his home address and I'll blow his fangs out."
"Ehehehehe…" She giggled behind a hand. "Maybe one day, one day…"
The gray youth shuffled awkwardly. "Thank you, really. I never thought it would work… but thank you. I owe you one."
She waved off his gratitude and concentrated into the setting sun. "Don't worry about it."
…
…
…
"I'm back~!" Both teens turned at the source of the sound, it was obviously Cleria, sweat pouring from her forehead. "What's up, guys? Miss me~?"
Danhauser sewed his mouth for a moment, scanning her before his eyes halted over the object under her armpit. "What took you so long?"
Cleria pouted. "Gee… I can see you two were worried about me!" She passed a hand above her sweaty brows. "Sorry guys, I needed to get back to Kuoh Academy, remember what had happened about the unanswered Luxury Case?"
If Danhauser was shocked, he hid it very well. "Of course I do. Were Kuoh's students kidnapped?"
Her eyes softened and a palm moved to her chest. "Thank Maou not, but the parents are still worried about their children if the school gets raided by those terrorists somehow."
Valerie turned to Danhauser. "Terrorists?"
Danhauser faced her and nodded. "Yes, months ago, around May, a cruise sailing towards Hawaii was attacked and one half sunk to the depths, the other stayed floating, but no bodies of students and teachers were found… yet."
She blinked, "That's… unfortunate."
"You tell me," Cleria agreed with the blonde girl. "Luckily, summer is next door and there's going to be a large period of vacations for the students. That would be enough time to hire some guards to watch the school's gates."
Danhauser stayed quiet but nodded regardless. If she's referring to guards such as an officer then it won't make any difference, it would only make the students nervous to see a man with a gun around their waist. The presence of police does not enhance the educational experience—in fact, it can diminish it. But this is a different case, these are terrorists, which have discovered the Supernatural World and can invoke magic with a snap of their fingers. If she's, however, speaking of Devils or someone from Diehauser's Peerage, then the newspaper better start nominating Kuoh Academy as the safest school in Japan, if not, the whole world.
"We have exorcists in Kuoh, too," Danhauser mused, "They protect the defenseless, they'll finally be useful." He shook his head and nodded at the box. "What's in there?"
Cleria shook the medium-sized crate lightly. "The bane of my life, paperwork," she groaned dramatically with her palm above her temple. "Oh! If there was a young gentleman to carry the stuff of this beautiful, young maiden!"
Danhauser clashed gazes with her and chuckled, "Oh, lucky you." He stretched his arms out, a sudden weight erupting from his limbs, followed by a cheerful thank you. "I assume we're going to your house now?"
"You assumed correctly, Danny!" Cleria watched the skies, frowning. "It's getting dark, why don't you two sleep in my humble home? I'll send a call to your mother, of course."
Danhauser spared a glance at the Dhampir who in return smile and nodded. "Tomorrow is Sunday, so I don't see why not."
"Let's get going, then!" Cleria was the first one to move, followed by the two teenagers.
"Do the right thing to make mom happy," Danhauser chanted, tightening his hold on the package. "Alright then, I know where to begin."
Today is Sunday.
He isn't going to lie, he had a lot of fun with Cleria Belial and Valerie Tepes yesterday, from playing video games to watching bad programs on the television while eating popcorn, it was all fun. He had asked Cleria to lend him her phone, to talk a little with his mother and for a small favor, to tell his Peerage to wait for him in his room around the morning. It was an important meeting that Danhauser had wanted to do months ago, but decided not to, mostly to not appear suspicious in the eyes of both Knights, but now, he had the rest of the night to think about a subject that was as annoying as a thorn stuck in his finger.
He, however, had to leave Cleria's house earlier, much to the dismay of his cousin, but nonetheless, she reluctantly agreed on sending him back to the Underworld. He had hugged his cousin as a goodbye. Unfortunately, Valerie was still asleep, so Danhauser decided not to shatter her dreams and make sure the blanket was warming her exhausted body, leaving her in the hands of Cleria Belial.
He has everything written in his head, now he needs to spread his knowledge with his Peerage.
If his mother was here, maybe she'd be proud of him.
He drew breath from his nose and blew it away, looking up and twisting the knob, coming face to face with not only his full Peerage but a small red Dragon and a black dog as well, the whole cavalry was here—he thought.
"Danhauser," Bova Tannin was the first to greet him, smirking.
"Good morning, everyone," Danhauser shut the door closed and before anyone could open their mouth, the King pulled out his phone and typed his password, tossing the mobile at Siegfried. "Do me a favor and check the news from there, mostly about cases that involve kidnapping."
"… Of course," The Knight said, puzzled, but still obeying the orders of his superior. "By the way, I know time has passed, but, how was the talk with the Magician?"
It felt like a slap in his face. "... Everything went well, thanks for asking, Siegfried. Keep searching for information, please."
"What for?" Tobio pushed himself off the wall—Danhauser could feel the venom staining his throat. "Nevermind that, why are we here? A Peerage meeting or what?"
"Utsusemi," Danhauser responded firmly, confusing everyone. "The Utusemi Agency is the group behind the Luxury Case."
If Danhauser had a camera in his hand, he would take advantage of this situation. Seeing the two astonished stares of the Knights and the confused tilted head of Bova was a sight to behold.
"What?!" Tobio immediately teleported in front of his master, grabbing him by the shoulders as if he was attempting to run away. "What-When-How?!"
Danhauser just smiled and gently broke his grasp out of him. "I'll answer questions when I finish, okay?"
The brunet nodded eagerly.
"Good, the reason why they attacked the cruiser is to use the victims to install artificial beings called Utsusemi." He saw Tobio's lips separating. "Utsusemi are artificial beings, they are a weaker version of Avatar-Type Sacred Gears, such as Canis Lykaon." He whistled at the dog, Jin, who's ears stretched upwards.
"Who's the one that leads this agency?" Tobio dashed for the next question.
"… Someone from the same Clan as you." Danhauser heard Tobio gasp. "Hanezu Himejima, a stray member of the Himejima Clan."
"Shit…" Tobio cursed, aghast. "Could it mean that he knew about me? About Jin? That's why he attacked my school specifically, isn't?"
"It could be," Danhauser admitted, noticing Tobio's shoulders slumping slightly. He squeezed one of those shoulders. "Now, this isn't the time to get sad, this is not your fault. Chin up."
Slash Dog pursed his lips and nodded grimly.
"Besides, he attacked your school for something else, actually…" He trailed off, Tobio instantly lifting his eyes up. "It's about a Sacred Gear's matter, Utsusemi Agency's purpose is to obtain the Avatar-Type Sacred Gears called The Four Fiends, chaotic creatures whose powers oppose the Five Great Families, he wants to pay a visit."
"Revenge," Siegfried spoke, taking his eyes off the screen. "This Hanezu Himejima was part of the group, wasn't he?" His master hummed in response. "They've outcast him. Hence the reason for why he wants to invade the Himejima Clan."
"I see why you were one of the greatest Exorcists on the Orthodox Church, Siegfried," Danhauser complimented him. "You are somewhat correct, but the Himejima are not the only ones affected."
"They're aiming for the other Houses, too…" Tobio muttered, finally catching on. "The Agency is formed by exiled members of the Five Families, right?"
"These people have on their arms two hundred thirty-two students of your former school," Danhauser continued, "Each one of them is going to have a single Utsusemi. Do any of you wish to do the math?"
"Four hundred sixty-four," Siegfried answered with ease, "They're building an army."
"What the fuck," Tobio blanched, fists clenched. "They're using innocents as their own weapons?! They're experimenting with my friends?!" He stomped angrily. "Motherfuckers!"
"Calm down, Tobio," Danhauser ordered, "I understand you're angry, but I need you focused right now."
The Longinus User wanted to say something in return, but he opted to close his eyes and take a deep breath. "… Okay, I'm alright now. I'm alright."
"Master, if I may ask," Siegfried suddenly moved closer. "Where did you gather this data? This isn't information that you can gather just by searching on the internet with a few clicks."
"…" Danhauser would be sweating bullets right now, he would look away from those curious red eyes, stutter and even discount his question, but he was ready. The moment he had stepped inside Cleria's house, he began formulating a plan.
He answered. "The Governor-General of the Fallen Angels told me."
"What?!" Siegfried almost exploded, nearly dropping the phone. "You spoke with Azazel?!"
"Yeah."
"Are you out of your mind, Master?!"
"Uh, who's that?" Tobio asked, scratching his head.
Danhauser turned to him, "He's a Fallen Angel as strong as a Satan, a nice geezer to drink and talk with, but no leader material, in my opinion."
"And someone who could have killed you with ease, Master!" Siegfried snapped, but paused, not letting his emotions manage the situation. He breathed in and out, and finally, addressed his master, calmly this time, but the sharp gaze remained in there. "Where did you meet him?"
"When I went to Dis," Danhauser replied, shrugging. "Seems that Azazel is another customer."
"Huh, meeting the Leader of the Fallen Angels," Bova finally spoke. "He told you all that in one day? Bullshit."
"Of course he told me in exchange for something," Danhauser heaved a sigh. "We're going to help."
Tobio's heart almost stopped functioning. "Wait, we're going to fight?"
Danhauser smiled at his hopeful Knight. "Yes, Tobio, we're going to save all those kids. I promise." His lips formed a thin line. "I'm afraid that we won't attack, though. We'll wait for them to strike and we'll strike back. I'm sorry."
Tobio shook his head, "Don't apologize, man. You talked with an archenemy of your race just to find further information about my friends. I… I don't know what to say." He dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead to the floor, surprising everyone. "Thank you so much."
Danhauser bit his cheek, while the words of Tobio carried a lot of compliments, it didn't make him feel any better, on the contrary, it made him feel like a complete piece of crap.
He ignored those thoughts. "You don't have to do that, please stand up," his King nearly begged. "I told you that if you joined me I would do whatever it was possible to help you out."
He stood up with Siegfried's help, "I know, I know, but still…"
"Anyhow," Danhauser harrumphed. "Siegfried, found anything?"
"Nothing about missing students or children without a home," The former Exorcists gave the good news, "However… a zoo was assaulted, and the animals are gone, all this occurred during the night."
Danhauser curved an eyebrow, "Really now?"
The swordsman tossed the mobile back to its owner, "Affirmative. What peaked my curiosity is that the cells are completely intact, no signs of scratches on the bars whatsoever."
"Magic," Bova suggested with a growl. "I can smell it from here…"
"Agreed," Danhauser grunted, scratching his chin. "Now we know the first step to make an Utsusemi…"
"What are we going to do?" The Japanese asked.
"They only know about Tobio and Sae," Danhauser pointed out, "They don't know about Jin, they don't know about Siegfried, and they don't know about me."
"A sneak attack?" Siegfried understood, "It could work."
"Sae takes a train to leave Ryoukouu Town and reach Kuoh Town, correct?" Tobio hummed in response. "The Agency is hunting down those students who were not involved in the Luxury Liner."
"You want to use her as bait?" Tobio glowered. The last thing he ever wanted to do is involve her childhood friend in the middle of this battle, what if they escape with Sae Toujou in their grasp? And the next time they met she'll be another shell with that stupid Utsusemi at her side!
"That's the only way to attack them without them expecting it," Danhauser answered coolly. "We need to take advantage of their ignorance and their cockiness. They'll never expect a bunch of brats screwing their plans."
"He's right," Siegfried sided with his master. "We can't waste this opportunity, Tobio."
Tobio chewed his lip and closed his eyes, massaging them. "…Fine, I'll talk with her."
"Thank you," Danhauser patted his shoulder. "We'll keep an eye on her every time she leaves Kuoh Town. For now, we need to train. Hard." His faced hardened. "Mostly you, we need to hone your skills with swords, mostly dual style, Siegfried can help you out there. He's an amazing swordsman." He turned to the hero descendant. "Don't hold back."
"No objections here," Siegfried obeyed.
Tobio nodded, but this time with vigor.
"With the three—!" Belial paused and glanced at the quiet dog. "Four."
Jin barked back, tail wagging happily.
"We can defeat them, they depend on the Utsusemi. I know we can win this. This Peerage is literally filled with people that in the future are going to be known as monsters throughout the damn world, but it can only work if you guys put efforts on your training." He bit his cheek. "I also need to learn how to fly..."
"Sign me in," Bova said, finally shapeshifting in his gigantic form. "I don't know what you guys are talking about, but if there's a fight, then I won't miss it."
"Bova, are you sure?" Danhauser asked, concerned. "You're not part of my Peerage, I don't want to force you into this."
Bova's pencil-thin lips rotated into a grin, smashing both fists together. "Are you serious? And let you guys have all the fun? Yeah no. I don't care where I fight. As long as I get to hurt someone."
Danhauser sighed and shook his head, "Welcome aboard."
Suddenly, the door behind Danhauser twisted open, ensnaring everyone's attention. "…Shit."
The Heir was surprised seeing who the eavesdropper was. "Valerie?"
Said girl smiled with a mix of nervousness and embarrassment. She stepped inside, letting the small gust of wind close the door. "Hello there."
…
"A Dragon. What an amazing creature..." The Dhampir slid her hands across the dress, feeling almost small at the stare of each male in the room. "I-I heard everything…"
No one said a word. Danhauser mentally punching himself for not putting a barrier around the room.
"I can offer my assistance," Valerie continued, looking at Danhauser's stunned gray eyes. "You have big hitters on your team, but you need a support. I can fill that role."
"Excuse me, but I don't think we haven't met," Siegfried folded his arms, eyeing her warily.
The doll grabbed her dress and bowed like a princess. "I'm Valerie Tepes, honored meeting each one of you."
"… I thought the Vampires were going to be only involved with Dis, not the House of Belial." Siegfried commented, now staring at his master. "I'm also surprised a girl is part of the Tepes Faction. Siegfried's my name, by the way."
"That's a long story for another time," Danhauser muttered, turning to the blonde girl. "You already helped me enough. You don't have to do this."
"I won't deny it, if they were already dead, I wouldn't lift a finger," she admitted. "This isn't the case here. These poor victims are being forced into something that could take their lives. It's a terrible fate."
Danhauser just kept his eyes locked on hers. They were filled with determination, most of that attitude comes from her background.
"Welcome to the squad then," Danhauser finally accepted. He clasped both hands, "Alright everyone! This poor Agency needs a small tour of the town, let's be their honored guide, understood?"
[Yes!]
"You may leave now," Danhauser gestured at the exit, "This is a secret between us, only Sae can know about this, but other than that no one else can, unless I say otherwise."
They only nodded and walked away one by one, leaving Danhauser alone with the only female of the party. "Something wrong, Valerie?"
"I don't have a room," Valerie explained, "Who do I need to talk with to obtain one?"
Danhauser nodded. "That would be my mother," Danhauser saw the flinch coming from her. "… in a second we'll go and search for her, wait for me outside, I need to do something, please."
Valerie bid her farewell. "Of course," Nothing else to add, she left and closed the door.
Danhauser rolled his wrist and gazed downwards. "You always cared for children, didn't you? Your Little Shit is going to save some. Just watch you old hag."
With nothing else to say, he rushed at the doors and vanished from the room, something that he always knew is to not make a woman wait a lot of time.
July.
The news slowly, but effectively stopped talking about a subject that has left the whole world with jaws wide open. The Luxury Case. Obviously, those who are parents of the kidnapped haven't sat in their houses with arms crossed above their chests. Every day and night they would riot in Ryoukuu Highschool's gates, shouting and demanding for their children to be returned to their homes. It was turbulent, to the point that officers had to drive out the sentimental families.
Unfortunately, long ago the Head of the school had escaped from the chaos, not daring to carry the weight over their shoulders. Forcing the affected to start the riot at the police station.
Indeed, Sae Toujou was a lucky girl.
The fading of the sunlight had also meant the fading of the heat. The wintry air swirled around Sae, taking every lick of warmth it could. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, pulling her coat closer and tucking her chin down into her pullover. Sae walked in the city like her father used to drive their old car, the same route he'd used to reach Ryoukuu Highschool. She wasn't accustomed to the new appearance of her neighborhood. The badly worn graffiti smeared on the walls that carried the same memorandum or at least speaking about a similar case: Never Forget.
The plants that sprouted through every sidewalk crack and multiples signs and trash dropped in the midst of the streets, blocking the way of vehicles and citizen. She might snap and curse the insipid urban decay. But like anything that changes slowly, the differences were hard to detect. She walked her route so often that she herself was part of the backdrop for others, she was simply a girl on a walk, a beautiful skirt taking her to school, but she won't deny it, every time she traveled around here, it was as if she has entered Yakuza territory.
This place almost resembled a Ghost Town.
Her parents were going to be angry. Why was she walking in the middle of this frightening night?! She had warned her parents beforehand that she may be late reaching home since she had to make an admission exam to become a student in the elite school. Her parents offered to wait for her in the train station, Sae told them that Tobio Ikuse was going to watch over her. This made both adults still nervous, but nonetheless, they went along with it.
She, however, never told them the complete truth.
The approaching footsteps clip-clopped down the streets, the sound came in front of her, she stopped and looked up. Her soul almost deserting her body at the sight.
She remembered that uniform and that face.
"K-Kouta…!" She croaked out and took a step closer, nostalgia slapping her. The friend of both Tobio and Sae stood far away from her, just below a streetlight, the latter not doing very well to show his whole face.
Before she could run and bring him into a bear-crushing embrace, a familiar and annoying voice came to her ear. [Don't. Move.] Tobio's master warned her. [Just stay there and wait for him to disappear in the corner.]
It hurt her, a lot, but she understood why both Tobio and Danhauser prompted her to keep her distance if she finds a student or teacher from the Luxury Case. They're no longer the same. If they're here, it's because the Agency began hunting the survivors.
So, she just stood there, both fists clenched to her side and looking at the raven-haired from far away, his eyes hidden by his hair. Finally, Kouta walked away, and just as Danhauser said, he disappeared in behind the corner. The way he'd moved made her gulp, he was like a zombie from the movies series and the weak groans was just another nod to her statement.
[Move.] The order was not only for her but for the whole Peerage as well, Sae looked to the left when she'd heard the bushes rustling, noticing a figure with silver hair and red eyes peeking out from the shrubs. He just nodded at her and retreated to the wall made of leaves.
Her green eyes lifted up at the sound of whistling, it was Tobio, just atop of a roof. How the owners of that building didn't hear him landing was beyond her. He shot her a thumbs-up and invoked his wings, swapping to another roof.
She didn't know Danhauser and that foreign light-blonde girl's location, maybe not far away.
Taking a deep breath, she felt her legs moving on their own, chasing after Kouta.
She was growing impatient. She doesn't remember how many times she has rounded corners, how many times she has ventured into an alleyway and passageway. Always Danhauser would say "stop" and "move" and she would obey without hesitation.
She crossed at the lights and jogged softly to the iron gate. The bushes and trees were almost silhouettes, the darkest green. The path was the only faint thing stretching into the concrete floor. This was the playground.
The slow creeks of the swings, rusty and weathered, sent a shiver down to her spine. She stood in the center when footsteps began approaching. Whoever is coming up the grass is either large and heavily armed or a gang leader who considers themselves untouchable, or the people who have abducted Sae and Tobio's friends. Take a guess.
A clap came from the incoming horde, it was slow and has a taste of sarcasm dripped on the sound. "Well, well." The voice was male. "Well, hello, Sae Toujou. Isn't it past your bedtime?"
"…" She just watched in horror at the small army, those vast, empty, white eyes glaring back at her, cracked moans erupting from with lewd smiles. The worst part was the creatures at their sides, they were as big as Komodo Dragons, their thick dark green scales sharp and big mouths that could swallow a dog with a single bite.
There was a crunch of grass and branches behind her, not the kind of continuous noise you'd get from a rolling car, but the defined short crunch of a footstep. The darkness pressed in on her as she fought the urge to turn around and scream her lungs out. "W-What have you done?"
"Where's Tobio Ikuse?" He pushed her question aside.
"…"
"It seems I have to pay another visit to this town. Fantastic," The man groaned out, waving his arm sluggishly. "Grab her."
At his command, the Utsusemi in Sae's vision shot their elastic tongues out while the ones from behind rushed forward with fangs on display.
She merely shut her eyes and waited, her heart ready to explode at any moment, that is until she heard a voice that calmed her nerves.
[Now!]
Her eyes were still shut, but a dog barked behind her, followed by hissings of pain, the smell of blood and metal tickling her nose. Once again, those green orbs stretched open, relief washing over her when she noticed both Siegfried and Tobio standing in front of her, Jin was obviously behind her, the dog had been inside her shadow all along.
Not only that, but Tobio and Sae's friends are pinned down by tendrils made out of shadows. Unfortunately, some of them were left standing and ready to fight back.
The terrorist watched with his mouth slightly open. "What the fuck?!" He snapped, before another curse could flee from his teeth, spheres of demonic power fell from the skies and atop the group of Utsusemi, enveloping the enemy on a thick cloud of dust.
Danhauser landed beside Sae. "Good job." He complimented.
Sae just sighed as her heart relaxed. "Took you so long…"
The Heir just patted her shoulder. "You should stand back, things are not looking good right now."
She saw his hand twitched involuntarily. "You... you're nerv—!"
"Things are about to get messy, Sae."
The girl, trusting his judgment, stayed behind the park's entrance. It wasn't a good idea if she ran away, what if they send a pair of those things to hunt her down?
He felt another presence swap places with the Japanese girl, the cold aura was a familiar one. "Any of you wounded? Valerie here can help patch your wounds." With a snap of his fingers, five magic seals appeared to his sides, all of them aimed at the fog of dirt.
Valerie solely nodded firmly from his side, observant of all the demonic spheres mercilessly headed for their adversaries.
No answer came when the cloud rushed against them, forcing them to cover their eyes, "I can't believe it," Danhauser heard, finally the gust dispersing. Two three-meter tall silhouettes, towering everyone, steam coming from their bodies, they had tanked Danhauser's attack. "You're not ordinary brats, not at all! Perfect! Each one of you is going to be an excellent addition! Attack!"
The clay dolls mutually wailed out akin to a whale's cry, they were joined by the smaller Utsusemi creatures soon after.
Danhauser clicked his tongue, this must be Kazuhisa Doumon, since he could fabricate figures with clay, such as the two Goliaths before him, plus the Doumon Clan is well known for that mystical technique.
"Distract them," Danhauser ordered, unsheathing his spear. "I'll call the cavalry."
Siegfried smirked and rushed immediately, a silver blur in the eyes of almost everyone, especially the enemy. The Hero descendant slashed across the giant's legs with his three swords, it left a horrible scar, but it wasn't deep enough to make one of them fall to the ground defenseless. He jumped back whenever a tongue lashed out for him, cutting it in half as punishment, sometimes the Utsusemi would leap at him, cutting the animals in half with ease.
Tobio whistled and Jin instantly shapeshifted into a dark, curved sword with red runes engraved on the blade, he soon joined Siegfried in the frail, slashing a few Utsusemi to reach his destination, whenever one of the missing students charged to attack Danhauser's Peerage, he would block the attack and use the dull side of his blade to not cause serious damage.
To Danhauser's surprise, the Utsusemi didn't bleed, every time they were sliced apart by both Knights, only a black liquid left their bodies.
The Giants did everything possible to inflict critical damage to the Knights, punching the floor and making it quiver, slap them away, kick the dirt and throwing chunks of soil to them, but they were so damn fast! As they continued to rage on, their attacks accidentally knocked and destroyed the approaching Utsusemi.
"Watch it you, idiots!" Kazuhisa shouted far away from the fight, fumbling with his tie. "Attack the damn brats! Damn it!"
Danhauser took aim at the terrorist, stopping when he heard a snarl, rolling out of the way as an Utsusemi lunged after his wrist, the Avatar Sacred Gear bared its fangs threateningly and dived once again, only to be pulled down by a string of shadows. Danhauser rushed and thrust his spear into the Utsusemi's head.
He pulled his weapon back, looking over his shoulder. "Thanks, Valerie."
The girl turned back to the cold fight, using limbs molded by shadows to yank some Utsusemi's out of Siegfried's and Tobio's back and flaw their postures, sometimes even crushing their necks out.
Danhauser brought a finger to his ear. "Bova, you hear me?"
He heard a grunt. [Yeah, what do you want?]
Danhauser pulled his digit out from his lobe and took grasp of his weapon properly, moving aside to evade the roaring beast, kicking it in the jaw to build some distance. Danhauser abused the machine's frozen state, piercing its neck and yanking it out quickly just in time to whirl around and stop another one in mid-air.
He once again resumed his chat. "See the dolls?" By swinging his spear, he pulled the Komodo Dragon out his lance, the corpse crashing with an Utsusemi sneaking behind the Dhamphir.
"Thanks!" She shouted, before grasping both with her shadows and catapulting them at the hordes surrounding both Knights.
No answer came, only a grumble, [Yeah, I see them.]
Danhauser glared at Kazuhisa. "I don't want to."
[Heh-heh-heh.] Bova ended the exchange with that last laugh.
Danhauser frowned and looked up, his eyes widening in shock at the blurred projectile. He turned to his Knights. "You two, get out!"
Tobio and Siegfried exchanged brief glances before peeking up, feeling their tongues dry out. Thankfully their legs instinctively drove them away from the incoming landing.
The clay dolls never had the time to tilt their heads as the Dragon finally made his presence known, sending a plume of dry mud and clay skyward.
The Heir maneuvered his arm above his face, blocking the rain of clay—he sighed and glared at Bova. "Fancy entrance, but you could have warned us, Bova."
"I totally agree," Siegfried flatly said, joining Bova while dusting his silver hair.
"Yeah, what the hell, man?!" Tobio shouted, moving next to Tannin's son and slapped his knee. "You nearly killed us!"
"It would be interesting, actually," Valerie mumbled her thoughts. "How flat can you squeeze a human? Like if you used a hydraulic press or released a giant concrete block from above. How thin can a human ultimately be?"
"..." The brunet confronted his boss, "Did… did what?"
Danhauser just shrugged.
"D-Dragon…! A Dragon…!" Kazuhisa felt his legs wobbling. "D-DRAGOOON! ATTACK! ALL OF YOU ATTACK!" He spun and ran off somewhere else. He could smell the defeat from far away, and he knows it.
Even Sae who has been silent for a long time, felt her jaw crashing on the floor.
"No, you don't!" Danhauser summoned his weak version of Gate of Babylon and took aim at Kazuhisa who was climbing the large fences. Unfortunately, something wet and slippery wrapped around his wrist, yanking him enough crack up his posture. He looked behind his shoulder, it was another Utsusemi, its damped tongue restraining him.
Danhauser scoffed and let loose his spear, now clutching the humid tongue with a bare hand. He spun it around like a cowboy with a lasso and slammed it to the ground, the muscle finally freeing him.
"You guys take care of this," Danhauser commanded, picking up his spear quickly, trying to locate the man behind all this mess. His eyes scanning quicker than before until they stopped on an abandoned building whose door is open, inviting anyone with courage. Great, the man must be an Olympic runner, if it wasn't for the improved sight, he may have lost him.
He invoked his wings and chased after him.
The first floor was in a markedly finer state than the ground floor with all doors still in their legitimate places, however, the paint clinging to them, once colorful, now many hues of yellow and green. A thick layer of dust established on anything in view, bestowing the location an ambiance of being untouched for many years, unlike downstairs where the dust hung in the air clearly disturbed at a regular occurrence.
The only light source for the dank, dark building were the cracks in the roof and barricades over the windows firing stripes of light into the nearly destroyed building.
"Thank Maou for the night vision," Suddenly, a round of claps echoed across the abandoned floor, Danhauser forced to twirl and raise his spear at the challenger.
It was obviously no other than Kazuhisa Doumon stepping out of the shadows with a triumphant smirk and the unhurried clapping, but Belial's attention wasn't on the man, it was on the animal in front of the terrorist.
Ahead of Danhauser stood a gigantic feline, his face framed by his black and gray mane and those bored, glowing blue eyes of polished stone, paws that with a single swipe could crack a human's neck. This was the animal crowned by humanity as the King of the Jungle.
"This is the Cowardly Leo, Sae's Utsusemi in Slash/Dog's Light Novel." Danhauser wrapped demonic energy on his hand. "But then I appeared and ruined the picture."
"I can't believe you'd pursue me here," Kazuhisa chuckled, his amusement turned woeful. "What the hell are you? Where did you get that drag—!"
Condensed demonic energy flew directed at him and the lion, Danhauser's powers nailed the two of them, but the giant cat took most of the firepower.
Seeing his master becoming wounded encouraged the lion, throwing a roar at his foe and rush at him, bare fangs on display.
Danhauser gritted his teeth and moved out of the way to evade those claws. "There's no wound," He noticed the fur still intact by his magic, he whacked the lion with the butt of his spear, building some space. "Just like the Nemea Lion. His skin can withstand attack—it would be a shame if someone could nullify that."
"You piece of shit!" Kazuhisa cursed on the floor, grabbing his bleeding shoulder, he tried to kick the air angrily, but it made him hiss as he shifted his palm over wounded leg as well.
Danhauser paid no mind to his cries. He covered his lance in demonic power first, but slowly it grasped a greyish color. He cocked his head back when the Utsusemi went for another swipe, the King of Beasts stood with his hind legs, displaying intimidation and strength.
Danhauser grimaced and onset his weapon, the lion tried to slap it away, but Belial was faster, letting a roar of pain as the tip not only destroyed his iron skin but pierced his flesh as well. He quickly pulled the weapon, small drops of red coming from the wound."It bleeds…" the Utsusemi rushed like a bull, but his movement was duller now, enough for Danhauser to duck and bring the tip to his shoulder. "This one's from the zoo, you poor thing." He went for the head to end his suffering, but the lion moved away and only succeeded in piercing an eye, much to the feline's anger and strain.
"W-What?!" Kazuhisa spat out and stood up, legs wrestling to stand up, he used the wall as support. "That stupid witch told me his fur is impenetrable! What the fuck are you?!" No response. "Answer me!"
The Cowardly Leo wasn't going down before taking someone with him, his remaining eye honed as he shattered Danhauser's weapon with ease, quickly bolting at Danhauser with his slobbery jaw steady to tear his throat out.
Caught off-balance by the feline's tenacity, Danhauser could only sacrifice his arm as a shield to entertain the big fangs—
After the snap, he slammed to the floor with a scream as the bulky beast laid atop him, an arm between the red teeth-like daggers as streams of crimson left the mauled limb, coloring the lion's snout and mane in red.
Kazuhisa snickered whilst crawling toward the sharp part of the battered spear.
Losing himself to suffering and along the way his logical thinking, Belial enveloped his fist with Worthlessness and smashed it against his nose three times in a row, painfully freeing himself as the black lion crashed into a now cracking wall.
Muting his screams with gritted teeth, he snapped his fingers and summoned four ripples of demonic circles above them, all aimed at the beast's unconcious back.
"I'm so sorry," Finally the four circles began firing at the creature all at once as torment seared through the lion's back, burning his mane like boiling water.
Slowly dropping on his knees, agony ate at his scarred abdomen, there's nausea too.
Footsteps and a war cry alerted Danhauser's ears, quickly standing up and dodging the stab from Kazuhisa, a punch on the chest was enough to transform the terrorist into a blur and impact the far wall, worthlessly dropping on the ground with a last groan.
Danhauser's knees betrayed him, his form crouched in the semi-darkness, muscles contracting as if expelling his guts was next on the agenda. His stomach demanded an oral release.
He laughed tiredly and stole constant glances at his ravaged arm. "I guess no more Sunday night on the internet, unlucky. Kidding, I'm lefty. Ha."
His throat ignited and a by vivid yellow bile left his mouth.
It was exhausting to leave the abandoned building with a red arm that no longer moves while dragging an unconscious terrorist by the leg and a stomach that holds a grudge towards its owner. The animal's corpse stayed behind, Danhauser didn't have Power of Destruction to turn the creature into lesser than ashes, all he knows that sooner or later, the body is going to leave a horrible smell and attract an unwelcome audience.
He reached the park's iron gates and whistled to catch his Peerage's attention, which worked surprisingly well. "Good job, everyone. All of you did great."
Siegfried was the first one to discover his wound, rushing immediately to his side. "Master! Are you alright?! How do you feel?!"
"I feel like shit."
"Holy fuck!" Tobio almost shouted, eyes growing wide, gesturing wildly at the battered limb. "W-What the hell happened to your fucking arm?!" He saw Sae approaching curiously. "Don't!"
"I fought a black lion on the first floor of an abandoned building," Danhauser replied, dropping Kazuhisa's feet down.
The brunet stared. "You know, I wouldn't believe it a while ago and call it bull... but here I am, defeating an army of Lizards and two gigantic dolls."
"It looks good on you," Bova praised. "You should show it to your mother, bet she'll be proud."
Danhauser chuckled. "Maaaybe that's not a good idea, big guy."
"Let me see," Valerie never waited for his approval, she grabbed his arm and slowly lifted it, making Belial gasp loudly. She noticed Tobio wincing from her side. It was understandable, this is the first time that the brunet had seen something like this.
But for her? It was Tuesday.
"C-Careful…! It stings!" Danhauser said with a laugh that could wake the neighbors up, instinctively grabbing her shoulder with his other hand.
"Think you can heal it?" Siegfried asked, glaring the injury. "After all, you have the Holy Grail."
Finally, Sae saw a small glimpse of a crimson. She muffled her disturb. "Holy…!"
"I warned you," Tobio rolled his eyes, letting Jin turn into its dog form.
Valerie just kept staring at the arm, mostly the red liquid oozing from the gash, she gulped as a wave of thirst suddenly hit her. Danhauser laughing brought her back to her senses. "Y-Yes I can."
"…" Siegfried scowled, but remained silent, watching how a yellow glow surrounded Danhauser's arm and the skin regenerated at a slow pace.
"What's wrong with you?" Bova asked the gray youth with a head tilt. "Does it tickle when they touch your wounds? Or you're a masochist?"
Danhauser laughed even louder.
"He's just nervous," Valerie responded for Belial, finally taking her hands off his arm and pressing them against his abdomen, resuming her healing.
His chortles disappeared right away, awkwardly standing there with eyes not daring to look beneath him, he accidentally clashed stares with Tobio and a blushing Sae.
Slash Dog glanced between the crouching Dhampir and him, before smirking and shooting him a wink with a thumbs-up.
Danhauser felt his nose twitch and snorted. "You're so damn childish, grow up, would you?" He growled out, his cheeks somewhat warm.
Tobio chuckled much to Danhauser's displeasure, "Of course, boss, of course..."
"Done." Valerie finally stood up, looking at Danhauser with a nod. "Do you have any other wounds I could take care of?"
"Uh, no, thanks," Danhauser drawled, looking away from her red eyes. "You did great, thank you."
He turned to Siegfried, massaging his Adam's apple. "Report?"
The silver-haired scratched his head in return. "We've won the battle, but the hostages and the destroyed Utsusemi disappeared in a white light."
Bova grunted. "Hm. You made these guys sound threatening and that made my blood boil with excitement," he grumpily said, arms folded, "But they were weak. Bova not happy."
"Is fighting the only thing you care about?" Tobio blurted out.
"Yes."
Danhauser pursed his lips, "That explains why the park looks empty, unlucky." He massaged his temple. "At least we have someone who can fill some holes." He gestured at the knocked-out Kazuhisa.
"Something is something," The Japanese sulked, feeling Sae's hand rubbing his back comfortably.
"Why didn't he escape, too?" Valerie inquired, tapping her chin. "Shouldn't he also flee with that odd light?"
"He should have…" Siegfried concurred, humming. "Perhaps he accidentally dropped an object that allowed him to retreat when he was on the run?"
"We could ask him when he wakes up," Danhauser proposed, picking the man up.
Sae faced Tobio, concerned. "Must be hard for you, Tobi, knowing that the person behind all this is someone from the Himejima."
Tobio clenched his fists. "Hanezu is a madman. Taking him out will clean the good name of humans everywhere."
"Good to know," Bova grunted, "I was nibbling my nails over the prospect of society not loving humans."
The King finally spoke. "Just as Siegfried said, we've won the battle, but not the war, more reinforcements are coming, perhaps stronger than before now that they know we are a threat. Be ready."
"I'm more than ready," Slash Dog cracked his knuckles. "I know we can do this, boss, we are damn strong and I haven't used my secret technique yet. They won't see it coming!"
Danhauser smiled at his words. "Let's hit the bed, team."
Since I didn't PM'ed anybody, I'll respond both Guests and Fanfictioners here, sorry.
Necrogod- Thank you!
Rosat- Yeah, all I can say to anybody who's reading this is and shares the same sentiments as you is that I'm sorry, it sounded way better in my head to be honest. I will not, however, apologize for my slow updates. Since it may happen more than once more, I have a life, too. Thanks for the criticism.
Guest- Thanks.
desdelor97- Thank you!
reader- We will see. Thank you!
Specter Hellschythe- Thank you!
Salazar - Thank you!
merendinoemiliano- You're about to write a story, eh? With Siegfried nonetheless? All I can do is wish you the best of luck! Thank you!
Six Foot Assasin- Let's see this in a good light. You could use my fanfic as bedtime story! Kids would immediately fall asleep from boredom! It's a win-win, yeah? Out of cringy jokes, I apologize and thanks for the criticism.
CC- Danny-boy? Huh, I really like that nickname, maybe I'll use it, hopefully you don't mind. Yeah, Danhauser needed a female under his ranks, like now. Haha! Sometimes I think those who are reading around chapter 3 or 4 think this fanfic is a slash, which is not, but oh well. Thank you.
edgolub2 - Since Danhauser made an scene in chapter one, this fanfic was about to be AU. Yes the Dhampir is going to Belial Territory. Either way, just like I've answered to Rosat, I apologize for dissapointing you, I won't apologize on my update time, though. I don't want it to sound like a fake apology when there's a huge chance I'll take my time on updating the next chapter. Thank you for your criticism.
Gabriel790 - Thank you!
killerfox116- Hello! Thank you for your kind words! I get what you mean by not liking the Rudiger's scene. Don't worry, Danhauser won't tell anyone about his dark secret, this I vow. About Cleria's destiny, tsk, tsk. A writer never spoil their readers. You'll have to wait like everyone does. Hehe. Thank you!
Here we are. Slash/Dog canon. From what I've read, it isn't too long, but since Danhauser recruited Tobio, he's also passing through this mess, he needs to pay the consequences, so there it is.
Also, sorry if the fight was easy for Danhauser, but let's be honest. He has been training a lot. The outcome was obvious. There are, however, characters that are far way dangerous.
We're slowly approaching DxD canon, I think.
Noticing the reviews, I can see that a lot of people are liking Cleria, lol.
Also, about Jin, since Slash/Dog is making a REDUX. The dog's appareance changed, followed by the main cast of Slash/Dog, too. Jin practically looks like Poochyena from Pokemon now, or you can search on the wikia for the dog's appareance. Just saying this so you guys can picture Jin far easier.
You can read it, its on baka-tsuki, I think Illustrations are there, too. Just don't expect it to be light-hearted as DxD.
Happy-late-Christmas and Happy-late-New Year, everyone.
Next Chapter: Witches' Night.
