I took several deep breaths as I worked up the nerve to make the finishing touches on my blade. If Iscrewed this up, months of work would go down the drain and I'd be left with a sparkly rod of metal rather than a mythical blade of unparalleled might.

"Just get it over with already." Vali said impatiently from where he watched over my shoulder. "You've been staring at it for over a minute."

The spawn of Lucifer is correct. You are wasting time. Ddraig said, sounding incredibly bored.

"Fine." I said aloud so they could both hear me. "Just shut up and let me work."

Not giving myself any more time to second guess what I was doing, I picked up the gleaming silver blade and pressed my palm into it. Several invisible runes flared to life as I awoke latent magic that I had been imbuing into the adamantine blade since the first time I picked up the ingot.

Monitoring the mana carefully, I slowly spread it out over the entirety of the blade.

I lost track of time as I awoke the slumbering blade; all that mattered was ensuring it didn't explode into a thousand shards of expensive glitter.

After what felt like an eternity, I felt the magic lock into place and set the blade down on the table, stepping back with a sigh of relief.

The blade was styled similar to a standard longsword and made entirely from adamantine, giving it a majestic, silvery look. The handle was carved to provide grip, but otherwise hadn't been tampered with. The crossguard created a simple 'T' but I'd engraved it to look more pleasing. The blade itself was what was most eye catching. Though the blade was solely adamantine, there were black veins of mana running up the length of the blade in a flowing pattern; the veins seemed to pulse with a hungry, umbral energy.

"It's done." I said in disbelief. I honestly didn't think I would be able to pull this off.

"What does it do?" Vali said curiously as he looked over the finished product. "Will you actually use it or will it gather dust like your bracer?"

I shot him an irritated look at the mention of my bracer. As he said, it was currently on its stand collecting dust. When I'd created it, I'd never expected to receive anything even remotely similar to Boosted Gear, so I'd created it with the intent to duplicate any single target spell I cast once every seven seconds. It was a marvel of artifice, but it paled in comparison to Boosted Gear. Anything the bracer could do, Boosted Gear could do with interest.

Do not be too dejected, partner. Ddraig said in an attempt to comfort me. Being able to mimic even a fraction of my power as you did is something to be proud of. And do not forget your blade. I can say without flattery that there are few swords in the world that can compare.

Thanks, Drraig. I said back, smiling slightly.

Focusing back on Vali, I said, "Yes, I will actually use it. Ddraig and I already discussed it, and Boosted Gear can absorb the sword, storing it so I can always have it with me. Then all I have to do to draw it is pull it out of Boosted Gear. As for what it does…." I couldn't help but grin as I picked the blade back up. It felt like a feather in my hand; perfectly balanced, and as if it were a part of me.

Being careful to control the sword, I tapped Vali with the flat of the blade and channeled mana from it.

Vali flinched away as he felt the effects of the blade, his eyes widening as he realized what I'd managed to make. "It's a mana siphon." he said in disbelief.

"Among other things." I said, placing the sword back on the table. "Any latent energy within any opponent can be absorbed by the blade and transferred to me through the hilt. With it, I could theoretically fight forever as I just continually absorb stamina and mana. I won't be able to weather any attacks with it, but if I hit someone directly I can siphon away their power."

For the second time since I'd met him, I was treated to the sight of Vali's jaw falling open. It was so rare that my friend was caught off guard like this, and I was enjoying every moment.

With a flash of blue, two translucent blue wings appeared on Vali's back.

"You managed to replicate a semblance of my power." Albion said through the wings, sounding grudgingly impressed.

Without my prompting, Boosted Gear appeared on my arm, it's large green gem pulsing as Ddraig said, "My host is impressive, White One. When the time of our fated battle arrives, you will fall."

"Do not forget who it was that arranged for your new host, Red One. The challenge presented by Xarion's capability will only make my victory taste all the sweeter."

Sharing a look of understanding with Vali, I dismissed Boosted Gear as Vali dismissed Divine Dividing. This wasn't the first time our respective dragons had gotten into a dick measuring contest, and by this point, we'd learned the best way to put an end to them was to just shut off their means of communicating with one-another.

"What will you create now?" Vali said as he looked around the lab. "I do not see the beginnings of any projects."

Shrugging in a manner I hoped was nonchalant, I said, "I haven't thought about it yet."

Vali immediately turned to me, suspicious eyes locking onto me.

As he opened his mouth to speak, I was saved by the door to my lab flying open.

Baraquiel stood panting in the entrance. "Good. You're both here. Follow me." he said before quickly rushing down a hallway.

This bodes ill. Our spies have not noticed anything out of the ordinary. An attack has likely occurred in an area where we do not possess spirits.

This really puts a damper on the whole 'leave the moment the sword is done plan'.

Does it? All you need to do is store your blade within the Sacred Gear and secure your bracer around your opposite arm if you still insist on bringing it with us. We will likely be sent on a mission. Once we are transported away from this base we can make our getaway.

When you put it like that, this actually works in our favor.

That it does. Now retrieve your belongings and follow the fallen. He will wonder why we are not with him soon.

Summoning Boosted Gear onto my arm, I picked up my sword - I needed to think of a name for it - and pressed it into the red gauntlet. After a moment of pressure, the hilt medled into the Sacred Gear, the blade retracting back into it as I banished the Gear. Snatching up my bracer, I took one last look around my lab. This was the last time I would ever see it.

All of the tools, the strewn about scraps of various metal, leather and wood, and the chair that Vali had stolen from me. I hadn't gotten a chance to sit in that thing ever since he first started coming around here.

"Are you coming?"

I turned to see Vali waiting for me at the door, a contemplative look on his face.

"Yeah, I'm coming." I said as I slid my bracer over my right arm and felt it lock into place. I followed him out the door, and the two of us hurried after Baraquiel.

"What happened?" Vali asked as we caught up to the Fallen.

"The Old Satan Faction just made a major move against the New Devils. We need to be ready to deploy in case the fighting spills into our operations or if Azazel chooses to support either side."

Somewhat shocked, I said, "Do you really want us fighting on the front lines of a devil war? How does that help the Grigori?"

"Azazel said to get you two. I'm not sure whether you'll be fighting or not, but whatever he's scheming, you're part of it." Baraquiel said, sounding irritated that I was asking him questions.

Keeping quiet, I followed Baraquiel as he led us into one of Azazel's offices. All three of us froze as we saw who was standing next to a seated Azazel.

Baraquiel tensed and fell into a fighting stance.

"Baraquiel, stand down." Azazel said, sounding exhausted. "All of you get in here and close the door behind you." He leaned forward against his desk and started massaging his forehead.

My eyes never strayed from the devil in the room.

"Why is Beelzebub here?" Baraquiel seethed through grit teeth, glaring daggers at the devil in question.

"Because we might have a way to avert an inter-faction war." Azazel said. He turned his gaze to the Satan and said, "Do you want to take it from here?"

Beelzebub stepped forward, his eyes focused on me. "The devils have been shaken by Sirzechs' actions. The only way to keep the peace is to restore our people's faith in the New Satans through a show of strength."

"Why do I get the sense that show of strength has a lot to do with me?" I said, noticing the way he hadn't looked at anything but me since I'd walked in.

"Your power is already respected in the supernatural community, and the majority of the factions do not know you are the Red Dragon Emperor."

I shot a look at Azazel, asking with my eyes why he would tell the Satans that, but Azazel wasn't looking at me. He'd shifted to lean back in his chair in a way that said he was done with reality but still forced to be here, his eyes closed as he took several deep breaths.

"If the Satans were to present the Red Dragon Emperor to the world, a Red Dragon Emperor who is known to be able to raise the corpses of the supernatural, it would be sufficient to allow us to avert disaster." Beelxzebub said, still staring at me.

"You're kidding, right?" Turning back to Azazel, I said, "Azazel, come on. You're not really considering gifting me over to slavery, right?"

Azazel met my gaze, but he didn't speak. That silence spoke volumes.

"I assure you, whatever you have heard of the Evil Pieces, they do not hold anything more than a modicum of power over the reincarnated."

Turning to glare at the Satan, I said, "So now you're blatantly lying to me? Diodora Astaroth, Kuroka Toujou, Asia Argento. Need I go on?"

Through my spirits, I'd learned some pretty scummy secrets from the underworld. The first name was a pillar heir who went around enslaving nuns because he had a fetish for torturing them into submission. The second was a nekomata who was now public enemy number one because she refused to allow herself to be raped by her master. The third was another nun that Sirzechs killed so his sister could resurrect her into her peerage and take advantage of her healing Sacred Gear.

Beelzebub actually looked off balance. "How did you…. Xarion. I swear to you in my position as Beelzebub, I will not harm or abuse you in any way, shape or form."

Partner, we need to leave right now. I'm sensing more devils approaching.

I'm open to ideas. I said to Ddraig as I reached out with my mind to check on the progress of my devil zombies. I called them to me the moment I noticed Beelzebub, and since I kept them milling around in a storage room a short distance from my lab to my lab, they would be here soon.

I felt something brush against my back, and turned to see Vali with one arm crossed over his chest and the other resting atop it, his finger set against his temple.

Understanding what he was telling me to do, I touched his mind. Yeah?

I take it you don't want to be reincarnated? he said.

Hell no.

Good. Buy me three seconds, then grab my hand. Be ready for my signal.

"Xarion, I know this is a lot, but we can avert a war by doing this. You can avert a war by doing this." Azazel said, pleading with me. "We'll figure something out once the danger has passed. If you want the piece out of you, I promise you, I will find a way to get it out. But just for now, please go along with this. We can-"

"Now!" Vali screamed, interrupting Azazel.

A dozen illusory copies of myself scattered around the room as the door burst open, a stream of undead devils pouring through it to launch themselves at Beelzebub, Azazel and Baraquiel. All three of them easily swatted the weak zombie devils aside, but they gave me the opening I needed.

Under a shell of invisibility, I grasped Vali's outstretched hand and a teleportation circle surrounded us.

"No!" Beelzebub bellowed in what sounded like fear, raising his hand to cast a spell.

Boost!

Boosted Gear appeared on my arm to amplify power as I held it out to counter whatever spell Beelzebub was attempting. Even boosted, my counter wasn't enough to outright destroy the Satan's spell, but it was enough to stall it for one more second.

Just as the spell was launched towards us, Vali's teleportation circle pulled us away.

We reappeared in a grass field and I instantly cast several illusions around and over us, shielding us in invisibility. I wouldn't be able to hold Vali's if he started moving erratically, but since we were just standing I'd be able to hold it. Now I just needed to-

"Xarion!" Vali shook my shoulder.

I turned to him in confusion, and saw him staring at me like he'd been calling my name for the past five seconds. "We need to get moving." I said. "If Azazel doesn't have a way to track teleports, Beelzebub definitely does. We need to-"

"Stop." he said. "We're safe."

"Are you crazy! We're going to have the higher ups of the devils and the fallen after us! We need to-"

"Calm. Down." Vali said, staring at me challengingly. "We are safe. The wards protect this place from anyone who doesn't already know it exists."

Blinking in confusion, I finally allowed myself to look around.

We'd hadn't actually landed in a grass field, we were actually on the front lawn of a large, Victorian manor a short distance away. The appeared to be made from a tan granite with several windows interspaced along its walls. The roof was tiled with a green material and came to a pyramid like apex. Aside from the manor and the grass, there wasn't much here but a shimmering, domed barrier surrounding the entire area.

"Where are we?" I said, looking around curiously. I think I would've remembered if Vali had ever brought me here.

Rather than answering my question, Vali said, "Even before Beelzebub showed up, you were planning to leave, weren't you?"

Schooling my features, I said, "What makes you say that?"

Vali turned to pointedly stare at the bracer secured to my arm. "You wouldn't have brought that if you thought you would be going back. Where were you planning to go?"

Realizing he'd figured it out, and not possessing the energy to keep denying it, I just shrugged. "I was going to figure that out once I was gone. I kind of figured Azazel would force me into a position I'd rather not be in, I just didn't expect it to be so soon."

"So you have nowhere to go."

"No, I do not have anywhere to go. Now where are we?" I said, asking the same question again.

Vali smirked and started walking towards the manor. He motioned for me to follow over his shoulder and said, "Your new home."

Now I was really curious.

Following Vali, we walked in silence as he strode up to the large manor doors and pulled them open.

With a practiced familiarity, he led me through a large entryway paved with black tile and down several winding hallways until we entered into a sitting room full of chairs and couches. There were several figures on the inside sitting around a TV playing some kind of video game.

"Hi, Vali!" a young woman with blonde hair greeted as she saw us enter. "Who is your friend?"

Her question drew the attention of the room's two other occupants who both turned to look at me.

The first was an elegantly dressed man with spectacles and blonde hair who bore a striking resemblance to the first girl; he was likely her brother.

The second was a black haired woman in a loose fitting kimono. Two black, feline tails waved behind her as she stood to look at me, and she had a pair of dark cat ears atop her head.

"This is Xarion." Vali said, introducing me. "Xarion, this is Le Fay, Arthur and Kuroka. They'll be your new teammates moving forward."

"Wait, team? What team?" I said in confusion.

The man adjusted his spectacles as he gave me a once over. "Are you sure he will be able to pull his weight?"

"This is the Illusive Necrosage." Vali dryly said my stupid nickname.

The man's eyes widened a small amount before he quickly schooled his expression. "In that case, I apologize for doubting you." He stepped forward, his hand outstretched. "It is a pleasure to meet you. As Vali said, I am-"

"Nya!" a vaguely woman-shaped streak cried as it pounced towards me.

Acting on my well-tuned instincts, I rolled backwards out of an illusion, shrouding myself under an invisibility spell as I did.

Boosted Gear appeared on my arm and I drew my sword from it just as the cat woman fell through my illusion to land on the floor, somehow maneuvering to land on her feet.

The woman looked around with a pouty expression that quickly morphed to one of shock and fear as she felt me press my blade up against her throat, the sword's powers siphoning away a strange energy I'd never interacted with the moment it touched the flesh of her neck.

"Attack me again, and I won't give you another chance." I said warningly as my invisibility faded. The only reason I hadn't killed her outright was because Vali was on a first name basis with these people. If she tried anything else though, all bets were off.

"Put the sword away, Xarion." Vali said, sounding exasperated. "That's just how she greets people. Next time just knock her away; do it enough times and she'll learn."

Taking my sword off of the woman's throat, I felt the strange energy flow into me and felt strangely rejuvenated.

With my sword off of her neck, the woman allowed her tense muscle to relax as she stared up at me with a viscous grin. She made a show of standing up to her full height, likely intentionally giving me a glimpse under the folds of her kimono where she wasn't wearing undergarments as she glided over to me.

"Oh I like you." she said, a literal purr in her voice. "Would you-" she recoiled as a long wooden staff bopped her on the head.

"Behave, kuroka!" the young blonde woman said in a scolding tone as she retracted her staff. Her face morphed into a smile as she walked up to me. "Sorry about her. She's nice, just tedious. That was a cool illusion spell you used! How did you do it?"

"Le Fay, manners." the man said, once more holding out his hand. "As I was saying, my name is Arthur Pendragon. It is a pleasure to meet you."

In somewhat of a daze, I shook his hand and said, "Ditto." Turning to Vali, I said, "Okay. Time for you to tell me what the hell is going on."

Arthur Pendragon, and weren't the implications of that name interesting, fixed Vali with a curious look. "Did you not recruit him already?"

"There was a situation, we didn't have a chance to talk before coming here." Vali said, as if that explained everything.

"Okay, seriously, who are these people and why am I here?" I was starting to get jumpy, and when I got jumpy I started casting delayed death spells.

"You had nowhere to go, and I was going to invite you to join anyway, so I brought you here." Vali said.

"Where is here? And what have I joined?"

"This is my sister and I's ancestral home." Arthur said, fielding that question. "This manor has been in the Pendragon family for generations. It is one of the few havens left of King Arthur's once great empire. As for what you have joined, we are a faction of the Khaos Brigade."

So he wasn't the original Arthur Pendragon, he just had the family name. And the Khaos Brigade, that sounded familiar.

They are likely one of the main antagonists of the fiction you once knew.

That was my thought as well. I said to Ddraig.

"Alright, I appreciate the save, Vali, but I didn't agree to any of this. I didn't just flee one form of press-ganging to subject myself to another; even if we're friends."

Vali shrugged and said, "Whether you join or not, I'm sure the Pendragons will let you stay here for a while while you figure out exactly what you're going to do, though you might have to pay rent."

I turned to Arthur and said, "I don't have anything in the way of rent compensation. All I have to my name is what's with me right now. We didn't make the most clean of exits.

"What of your army of undead devils?" Arthur asked, a frown on his face. "I was led to believe you raised two full peerages of devils and that they were at your command."

Chuckling in dry humor, I said, "They were, but I needed a way to stall Azazel and Beelzebub, and throwing everything I had at them was the only option on the table."

Dead silence filled the room in the wake of my statement.

"You fought Beelzebub and Azazel?" the cat woman, Kuroka, likely the same Kuroka Toujou my spirits had discovered hidden records of, said with a look on her face I couldn't decipher.

"Why were they both fighting you?" the young girl who had been introduced as Le Fay said, a puzzled expression on her face. "Shouldn't they have been fighting each other?"

Sighing under the assault of questions, I said, "In order, no we did not fight Beelzebub and Azazel - we ran away from them. They weren't fighting each other because they were trying to make a backroom deal to avoid a war that involved Beelzebub shoving an Evil Piece in my chest without my consent. I protested, and now we're here. Now no offense, but I don't know any of you. Please stop prying into the details surrounding my life." Turning to Arthur, I said, "I'll find some way to compensate you for letting me stay here, it just might take a little while."

"Do not worry yourself." he said, waving my offer away. "Vali brought you here when you were in need. He would not have revealed our home if he thought you would betray his trust. Please keep the secret of its existence and I will consider that repayment enough."

"That goes without saying." I easily agreed, deciding to give them something anyway. I had a very short list of allies right now; made up of Vali and Ddraig. If I could add the Pendragons to that list by paying for room and board it would be stupid not to.

"Come on, Xarion. I'll show you to a room." Vali said, leading me out of the sitting room and away from the other denizens of the house.

"So care to explain what this whole Khaos Brigade business is?" I said conversationally as Vali led me up the stairs.

"The various factions of the Khaos Brigade have differing goals, but this faction exists merely to seek out challenging opponents and grow stronger." Vali said.

"That doesn't sound too bad." Especially since I had literally nowhere else to go.

"Decide for yourself whether or not you will join, but I will not force you into anything. Take your time." He stopped in front of a wooden door and pushed it open. "This room isn't currently occupied. I'll let Arthur know where you're staying so no one disturbs you." He turned around and headed back towards the stairs.

"Vali." I said to his back, causing him to turn around. "Thanks for getting me out of there. Forced servitude to a super-devil isn't on my bucket list."

"You would have done the same for me." Vali said simply, turning around and leaving me alone.

I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me. As far as guest rooms go, I was expecting a lot worse. There were elegant tapestries hung on the wall. A king sized bed in the corner. And even an attached bathroom. The perks of being a Pendragon apparently.

Collapsing onto the bed, I stared up at the ceiling.

Will we join them, partner?

Lacking other options, it honestly doesn't sound that bad.

I concur. Having powerful allies to challenge yourself will increase the rate of your growth.

Don't you mean our growth? We're kind of connected now, you know?

That is what I meant, but the majority of you-our potential is locked behind your barriers, not mine. You must grow strong enough to unlock the Boosted Gear's balance breaker.

Is it really that high of a priority? We have plenty of other options for combat.

The sooner you achieve the balance breaker, the better prepared we will be to face off against powerful enemies.

This dragon was really insistent about that damn balance breaker. He'd been bugging me about it since I put the damn gauntlet on, oftentimes urging me to work on achieving it rather than finishing my sword. It was getting annoying.

Fine. We'll work on it in the morning.

Good. We have wasted enough time already.

Whatever you say, Ddraig.

Pulling a blanket over myself, I closed my eyes and drifted off.

XXX

Kuroka

"He seems nice!" Le Fay said with a smile as Vali and Xarion left the room. "It'll be nice to have another mage around."

Pouting at the young woman, I said, "Am I not a mage?"

La Fay's eyebrows scrunched up. "You don't do the same kind of magic as me. You have weird youkai magic. Xarion used arcane magic though! I felt it when he cast his illusion but I didn't even notice him while he was invisible. He must be really good."

"Just how skilled do you believe he is?" Arthur said, a contemplative look on his face.

"It's hard to say without sparring with him or studying together, but he's probably around my level. I doubt he's better though!"

She was really cute when she got self-conscious. Patting the young girl on the head, I said, "Don't worry, little one. We won't leave you behind for the newer, sexier model."

"Kuroka, I would appreciate it if you refrained from sexually assaulting my house guests in the future." Arthur said, ever the gentleman. "I do not wish for the Pendragon name to be stained by such antics."

"Nya promises!"

La Fay giggled, but Arthur just seemed morosely accepting.

"If you ladies would excuse me, I must see about preparing dinner." the swordsmen politely excused himself, walking off to the kitchen.

La Fay settled back down into the couch to continue her game.

Seeing my opportunity, I slunk away after Vali and the necromancer.

He was interesting. Disregarding the stories about him, which apparently were true as neither he nor Vali refuted them, he had the instincts of someone who had been fighting his whole life.

What started out as a playful glomping turned into a deadly standoff, and I would be lying if I said I didn't like it. How had someone so strong stayed under the radar so long? And how did he learn his magic to begin with? He was certainly the first necromancer I'd heard of who could do anything other than animate a skeleton or two.

Then there was his scent. As a nekoshou, I had finely tuned senses, and Xarion smelled starkly different than anyone else I had ever met. If I had to put it into words, I would describe it as 'magical urban' with a hint of pure power. It was exhilarating.

Prancing up the stairs, I was surprised to bump into Vali walking down them.

"Vali! I was just-"

"Leave him be, Kuroka. There will be plenty of time for you to seduce him later."

I gasped and covered my mouth in an affronted manner. "Vali! Why I would never do such-"

"Just give him until at least tomorrow." he said, cutting me off. "He's been through a lot today. I don't expect you to control yourself longer than that. And there's the smallest chance that he'll actually be receptive to the idea and you'll finally leave me alone."

Chuckling darkly, I said, "Oh, Vali, but how am I to make strong kittens without your dragon?"

Vali sauntered past me down the stairs. At the bottom, he looked up at me and said, "Xarion is the Red Dragon Emperor. Have fun with that." With a cursory wave over his shoulder he walked towards the kitchen.

I froze on the stairs.

Xarion was the Red Dragon Emperor? But why wasn't Vali trying to kill him? If he was the Red Dragon Emperor though….

A beautiful plan came to life in my mind as I walked up to the door Vali had just left.

I plopped down in front of it and began to meditate.

Vali had said to wait for tomorrow. He really should have been more specific.