did you mean to have sirzechs at number 13 instead of 3 after all I thought that ophis and the three Hindu gods where in the top 4.
No, I meant for Sirzechs to be #3. I don't include Ophis (who may or may not be showing up later) in any 'Top Strongest' list because she's an infinite being, and everyone knows that she'd be at #1 in every power-based scenario possible. As for the Hindu Gods, Shiva is above Sirzechs (#1 to be exact (Crom Cruach is #2)), but Brahma and Vishnu are right below Sirzechs. In my list, at least. In canon, I'm pretty sure that the Hindu Trimurti are at the top (not counting Ophis, of course)
It's like how I've seen Vritra be in the 'Top 10 Strongest Beings in the World' list in some DxD fics, and how some people decide to have be the be-all and end-all of everything, even when there's no logical reasoning of any sort behind it. Their fics, their decisions, their reasoning behind it.
Anything you recognise isn't mine.
It was currently night-time on the outskirts of London, where the Hellsing Manor, the main base of operations of the Hellsing Organisation, was located. Inside one of the larger rooms of the mansion, there were several dozen male individuals, being rather mixed in ethnicity, age and background.
"Captain Bernadotte, what the hell is this?" one of the men asked what seemed to be the leader of the group, who was sitting in a chair, smoking.
"Hm?"
Captain Pip Bernadotte was an averagely-sized man, with reddish-brown hair done into a long braid, and green eyes. He wore an eyepatch, an Australian slouch hat. He also sported a bandage on the bridge of his nose.
"So... what, are we gonna be fighting in London?" said one man.
"Since when do we work security jobs?" said another.
"I didn't show up to shadow some rich asshole!" said a third.
"My God, you people." Pip spoke up, as all the men quietened down. "I can't really think of any other way to put this, so here it is. They're going to be paying us to kill monsters."
"They're going to be paying us to do what?" another man cried. There was a titter amongst the men, who were all known as the Wild Geese.
"Monsters, you gotta be kidding-"
"It's true." a woman's voice came from the door of the room. Everyone turned to see a tall woman with creamy-brown skin, blue eyes and long blonde hair. He had a thin build, almost to the point of being lanky. She wore a black blazer and black dress pants, a white buttoned shirt, black shoes and a red cravat. She also wore a pair of circular wire-rimmed glasses.
"The enemies are immortal creatures who sustain themselves by drinking human blood." Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, the current Head of the Hellsing Organisation, explained, without a second's hesitation. "Your job, gentlemen, is to fight these monsters with bullets, garlic and Holy Water. Put a stake through its heart, cut off its head, burn the corpse, scatter the ashes at a crossroads."
"For further instructions, consult Bram Stoker." The silver-haired Roxas Gremory spoke up. He was leant against the leftmost wall of the room, with the black-haired Tobio Ikuse and beautiful blonde-haired Lavinia Reni on either side of him.
Everyone (sans Integra) jumped and whirled around, looking at the three individuals who had given NO sign of their presence ever since they'd entered the room ten minutes before. None at all!
"What?" Roxas asked, shrugging his shoulders. "Tobio, Lavinia and I've been here for the past twenty minutes, and you notice us NOW, of all times?" He grinned. "The three of us will be your trainers here, by the way. Roxas Gremory, nice to meet you."
"Well, not everyone can conceal their presences like you, Roxas." Integra replied, turning to him. "However, you're right. Gentlemen, these three individuals, Roxas Gremory, Tobio Ikuse and Lavinia Reni, will be training you to actually hold your own against the forces of the supernatural." The Wild Geese began speaking again.
"That's just ridiculous." One person said.
"Everyone knows there's no such thing as Vampires." another said. "Or the supernatural."
"Then everyone is quite mistaken." Tobio spoke up. "Or rather, more accurately, everyone's been in a state of blissful ignorance. With intervention from... certain organisations."
"Indeed, Tobio." Integra replied. "For over a century, the Hellsing Organisation has served the British Empire, fighting a secret war against the forces of darkness. The Vampire, in particular."
Integra chuckled at the weirded-out expressions on everyone's faces.
"For those of you who still need convincing, I present to you..." she pointed to her right. "A genuine Vampire."
The 'genuine Vampire' that Integra pointed to was an attractive young woman (looking to be a couple of years younger than Roxas was) with blonde hair cut into a flare-cut, and blue eyes. She had a fairly broad-shouldered torso, yet had a very voluptuous and buxom figure, which was further accentuated by the fact that she maintained a rather short stature (much like Serafall Leviathan, Roxas thought). She wore a yellow Hellsing uniform with matching mini-skirt, long white stocking, ankle-fold brown boots, and brown gloves.
"Huh?" Pip blinked, looking over at the woman. "I- oh, no." he stood up, and walked over to the woman. "Just hold on. You- you are really a vampire?" he spoke with a French accent.
"Yes." the woman, who Roxas knew was named Seras Victoria. "I am. Hello!"
"Hi, Seras." Roxas greeted Seras from across the room with a wink.
Pip stared at Seras for a moment in shock, before the Wild Geese all began to laugh, loudly. Seras turned to Integra.
"I get the feeling that they're laughing at me, Sir."
"Then do something to make them stop, Police Girl." Integra replied.
"Ah. Right, of course, Sir!" Seras replied, before turning back to Pip. "Come on!"
Pip stared at Seras for one more moment, before he burst out laughing as well.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" he laughed. "If this is supposed to be a Vampire, then I'm Frankenstein's monster!" he came towards Seras, clearly intending to try and playfully rough her up. Without anyone noticing, Roxas stared the stop-watch on his phone.
Seras immediately raised her hand, and poked Pip with such force that he went stumbling backwards, bleeding. He barely got the chance to retaliate, as Seras continued walking forward, poking him twice more, before flicking him with one finger. This was enough to send Pip flying backwards, and crashing into the floor.
When he hit the ground, a smirking Roxas stopped the stopwatch.
"Huh. Eight point seven nine seconds." he remarked, spinning his phone in his right hand. "I could've done that in less than one, but she IS an amateur."
"No need to humblebrag, Roxas." Tobio replied, though he had a smirk on his face, too.
"Captain!" one of the Wild Geese cried, jumping up.
"She- she's some kind of monster!" Pip cried, sitting up and holding his head, staring at Seras, who looked unharmed... because she was. "I just- she kept poking me with her- it happened so fast. And my head was just..." he looked at Integra. "I don't believe it, you're really telling me that this girl is a Vampire?"
"Damn right, she is."
Pip (and everyone else, including Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia) looked up, and saw an individual... walking through the wall.
This individual had blood-red eyes, and short, jet-black hair. His outfit was comprised of a charcoal suit, leather riding boots, and an intricately knotted red cravat, covered by a full-length red frock overcoat with a cape. He wore a red fedora with wide, floppy brim, and a pair of circular, heavily-tinted, wire-framed orange sunglasses with goggle sidings. He also wore a pair of white gloves that had a five-pointed seal adorning their backs.
"The Police Girl may be the lowest of the low..." Alucard, the Hellsing Organisation's Trump Card, the Ultimate Vampire, the being who turned Seras into a Vampire and the 36th Strongest Being in the World, explained. "But a Vampire is still a Vampire." he grinned, as he turned his head towards Roxas. "Good evening, Roxas. You've brought your little friends along with you, I see."
"Hello to you too, Alucard." Roxas greeted Alucard in reply, as he stepped into the room, surveying the Wild Geese, who were looking at him, pants-pissingly scared.
"What a pathetic bunch of snivelling cowards." Alucard stated (incidentally, this was exactly what Roxas was thinking). "Do you really think that they'll be of any use to us?"
Integra glared at him.
"My deepest apologies, Ma'am!" another voice sounded, as another man ran into the room. This man was tall, standing at approximately 6 feet 3 inches, and thin. He wore black dress pants, a white dress shirt with purple tie, and a purple vest. He wore brown gloves, and kept his black hair long, in a tightly-bound ponytail. His eyes were red, and he wore a monocle that rested on his nose bridge.
"I did try to stop him." Walter C. Dornez, ex-Vampire Hunter and butler to the Hellsing Organisation, explained.
"These men are going to be guarding me as I sleep." Alucard explained, in return. "I wanted to take their... measure." He grinned.
"Now that introductions are over..." Walter held out an envelope for Integra. "A most unusual letter arrived in the post, today."
"What sort of letter?" Integra asked, curiously taking the letter and looking at it. "From Vatican Special Operations Division XIII. The Iscariot Organisation… Enrico Maxwell."
Roxas scowled as he heard the name.
Enrico Maxwell was the Head of the Iscariot Organisation, and a blindly devout Catholic. Though the common man viewed him as a gentle, sometimes-suave bishop, Roxas knew better. Maxwell as a cold, calculating and fanatical bastard, who wanted nothing more than to purge the world of all heretical and demonic beings or influence. In the Church, he was the main voice of dissent against Michael, and all of Heaven, co-operating with Roxas and Palutena.
Michael had considered ordering Maxwell's excommunication from the Church, as he was starting to turn the opinion of the common supernatural-knowing man against the idea of Heaven co-operating with a Nephalem and the Daughter of God, but as Maxwell was a charismatic leader with such great control and influence over the most powerful sub-organisation of the Catholic Church (which, officially, didn't exist) that he had no choice but to let him remain in power.
"All of you." Integra spoke harshly to the Wild Geese, Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia. "Walter will escort you to your rooms. Your training with Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia begin tomorrow." she left the room immediately afterwards.
Line Break
"So, how were the batch of morons you were training, Tobio?" Roxas asked. He was standing in the corner of Integra's office with Tobio and Lavinia close by. It was the next night, and the three of them had spent the entire day giving the Wild Geese their first day of training. Roxas had been training a third of them in swordsmanship, as a backup in case their weapons ruled ineffective.
As far as he knew, Tobio had been training some in their physical abilities, while Lavinia had been training some in magic. Particularly of the Light variety, as Light was what all Vampires, from as weak as the most recently-turned Vampires to as strong as Alucard, were, to varying extents, weak against.
"Oh, mine were okay." Tobio remarked. "Believe it or not, they seem to be experienced in physical exercise. Not as much as I put them through, but still."
"My bunch were... okay." Lavinia replied. "Only a few of them managed to even create a spark of light via magic, but the first spark is the hardest to make."
"Agreed." Roxas nodded. The three of them fell silent as Alucard and Walter spoke to each other about the Nazi organisation that had apparently besieged the Hellsing Manor a short time ago.
"Is it really that surprising?" Alucard asked Walter, who was looking out of the window at the full moon. "I had a feeling they might be involved. This whole mess feels very familiar."
"Oh?" Walter replied, turning around. "And why is that?"
"Why is that?" Alucard repeated. "You're asking why, after all we've been through? There's not a lot of people who are willing to enlist the undead to do their fighting. There's you... there's them... and then, there's me. We assumed that their undead research institute was completely destroyed over 50 years ago, during the War. We killed every last Nazi we found, don't you remember?"
"...Oh, yes." Walter replied. "We did, didn't we? God, it's been ages."
"Growing old seems so awful." Alucard quipped. Walter scoffed.
"Nonsense. Cromoginism is a traditional pleasure for English gentlemen." He quipped, in return to Alucard's quip. "Alucard. We're sending you to South America. With Roxas, Tobio, Lavinia and Mr. Bernadotte as your assistants."
Alucard smiled, as Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia paid attention.
"We're not the sort of people used to backing down, especially when someone is clearly trying to pick a fight!"
"Huh." Alucard replied. "That is a very British attitude. Perhaps some discretion might serve you better."
"If something can be achieved easily, it probably isn't worth it." Walter replied, smirking. Alucard smirked in return, as the door opened. Integra stood in the doorway.
"Good evening." she greeted the five individuals in the room. "Has Walter explained the situation?"
Alucard, Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia all nodded.
"Then my orders are simple." Integra stated. "Search and Destroy. Now, go."
Alucard took off his hat, and swept into a deep bow.
"Whatever you wish... my Master." he replied.
Line Break
The next afternoon, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Roxas, Tobio, Lavinia Alucard and Pip were checking into a large hotel, the Belmond Copacabana Palace, a five-star luxury hotel, to be exact.
"Alright, Mr. Ikuse," the man at the desk said. "I have the keys for you, Mr. Gremory and Ms. Reni's suite right here."
"Thanks." Tobio replied, taking the three room keycards and walking back to Roxas and Lavinia, who were both chatting to each other and wearing casual clothing (with Lavinia having done away with her Magician's hood). "Come on." he said, handing one keycard to Roxas and Lavinia each. "Ours is Room 42."
"The Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything." Roxas and Lavinia spoke in unison, as they followed Tobio up to their rooms, leaving Alucard and Pip to deal with some issues that they were having with bringing a huge coffin (which contained Seras Victoria) into the hotel.
When they reached Room 42, the three beings entered the room, and took it in.
It was a large suite, though not as large as the penthouse suite that Alucard had apparently had booked for him. It had three large beds in the room, all of which were overlooking a large, seventy-inch plasma-screen TV.
"I love this room." Roxas immediately stated, eyes on the TV. "I call the bed on the right." he stated, pointing at the bed he wanted.
"I call this one." Lavinia pointed for the bed in the middle.
"I guess I'll have the one on the left, then." Tobio replied. "Even if they're all the same."
"Yeah, they are." Lavinia shrugged, turning around. "I think I'll go check out what this place has to offer." And with that, she walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her and leaving Roxas and Tobio alone. After a second, Roxas turned to Tobio, looking at the TV.
"Wanna watch something?"
"Sure." Tobio replied, grabbing a TV remote and turning the TV on. "There's gotta be something good on here."
It turned out that there was something good on it. After a few minutes of searching, Tobio had managed to find a re-run of Adventure Time, and he and Roxas decided to watch that, while lying on their respective beds.
While they watched the episode, Tobio turned to Roxas, after about five minutes of silence, spoke.
"Roxas? Can I talk to you about something?"
"Sure." Roxas replied, turning his head to Tobio. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Lavinia." Tobio replied. "We've been talking to each other, and I've managed to get it out of her that... Lavinia has a crush on you, Roxas."
"Oh, really?" Roxas raised an eyebrow. "What kind of crush? The Attractive Stranger, the Forbidden Love, the Actual Interest, the I've Known You Forever, or the Fairytale?"
Tobio chuckled momentarily before replying.
"If I had to guess, I'd say it's a mix between doors three and four." he replied. "Lavinia has known you for a long time. For four years, in fact. It's a long time by human standards." he added, after Roxas gave a slight scoff. "But still, she's told me that she does have an interest in you."
"I see." Roxas replied.
"However." Tobio replied. "Despite being as kind, older-sisterly and kinda childlike as she is, she's also scared that you won't take notice of her, given the fact that-"
"She's a Human." Roxas replied. "Yeah. Well, I don't care that she's Human. I care about the fact that she's nice to everyone she meets... and the fact that she has a really nice body."
Tobio laughed.
"Yeah, she does." he replied. "Even if Sae is my girlfriend, I can still appreciate that Lavinia has a very nice body. I mean she used to sneak into my room and sleep next to me, wearing nothing but a party-open shirt, when I was younger, for Inugami's sake."
"I can relate." Roxas replied. "Except Serafall was naked."
"Yeah, you told me." Tobio replied. "Anyway, Roxas. Lavinia's my friend, and I'd be a terrible friend to her if I didn't want her to be happy. So I'm just asking that you at least give her a chance."
"Oh, sure." Roxas replied, smiling slightly. "In fact, Tobio, Lavinia's actually a possible candidate for my peerage. Both for the fact that she's beautiful, yeah, but also for the fact that she's a damn powerful woman. Absolute Demise is nothing to sneeze at."
"Oh, really?" Tobio asked, blinking. "Well, that's fair enough. If she wants to join your Peerage, I don't have a problem with it- hey, did you just hear something?"
"Yeah." Roxas replied, looking towards the window. "Seems to be coming from outside."
Tobio looked towards the window as well, and his eyes widened at the sight of a helicopter flying on the same level as the window of the room that he and Roxas were in.
Both Roxas and Tobio whipped their heads towards the door as a loud noise, that sounded explicably like a foot kicking the sturdy door (which was locked), sounded.
Tobio instinctively dived to the side as the sound sounded again, and this time, the door burst open, and a hail of bullets came through the doorway, utterly wrecking anything that was in their line of fire. Including the TV, that showed Jake the Dog hysterically laughing his ass off.
About thirty men, dressed from head to toe in SWAT-gear, entered the room, all of whom wielding guns that Roxas recognised as Beretta M12's, and all of which were pointed at him.
However, the 25th Strongest Being in the World was unfazed. Instead, he gave a long sigh as he looked calmly down the business ends of all the guns that were pointed squarely at him.
"That was a seventy-inch... plasma-screen TV." Roxas spoke, in a deadpan tone, yet his calm smile was on his face. After taking a sharp inhale, he spoke again. "So, how can I help you?"
The SWAT officers instantly began to open fire on Roxas, who pre-emptively raised his hand to conjure up a magical barrier that stopped the bullets in their tracks, letting them drop to the ground without even remotely scratching the shield.
"Tobio, go for it!" Roxas ordered, under the noise of the guns being fired.
"Right!" Tobio replied. A couple of seconds later, some of the officers screamed in fright and pain as a large black dog jumped out of the shadows behind them and attacked the shooting officers, biting and clawing at them with such intensity and ferocity that they dropped like human-sized flies.
Distracted from Roxas by the sound of their comrades' screams, the remaining alive officers looked around, wanting to see what was going on, but as they did, Roxas got up, drew Excalibur Galatine from his hair, converted it into a sword, and rushed at the officers.
Without hesitation or mercy, Roxas slashed and hacked at the officers, with the Sword of Revolving Victory not failing to deliver a quick death on the officers.
Within half a minute, all the officers were dead. However, from two floors above, Roxas and Tobio (who stood up) could hear the distinct sounds of brutal, bloody killing going on, in conjunction with dying screams.
"Huh." Roxas remarked, calmly, tying his hair back up into a ponytail. "Looks like Alucard's been attacked too. By more officers, it seems."
"That makes no sense." Tobio replied, as the sounds stopped for a moment, until a loud, single gunshot was heard.
"And one must have pussed out like a bitch. At least he can cancel his room service."
"Yeah." Tobio replied, putting a finger to his ear and casting a small magic-circle. "Hey, Lavinia? ...Yeah, sorry to bother you, but I've got a bit of a hunch that some people are going to be after you very soon. You might want to get out of the hotel ASAP. ...Yeah, Roxas and I were just attacked by a Brazilian SWAT Team. And we're fine. ...Okay, seeya."
Tobio took his finger away from his ear, and sighed.
"I don't like having to kill so many people." the black-haired Slash Dog remarked, as he deposited himself on the bed. Roxas just got up and waved a finger of his right hand, letting all the blood that had left the bodies of the SWAT officers leave their bodies, and rise into the air, remaining silent.
As all the blood lifted into the air, Roxas waved his left hand, creating a large jar, which he deposited all the blood into.
"Should keep Akasha happy for a while." he remarked, placing the now-filled-up jar into a pocket dimension, and turning back to Tobio, speaking in the same light tone. "And Tobio, I don't like killing people either, but they came here to try and kill us. They had guns and everything. You understand that, right?"
"I do." Tobio replied. "But-"
"But nothing." Roxas replied, a bit more bite coming into his voice. "If people like those SWAT officers a minute ago want to try and protect the ordinary man, woman and child, that are blissfully ignorant to all that goes on right under their incredibly greedy, overly faithful and stupidly sycophantic noses, from threats that could and would kill them, by killing in turn, then they must be ready to die themselves. Otherwise, they're just cowardly fools."
"I understand." Tobio, a human who was FAR from ordinary, and therefore whom Roxas' little monologue didn't apply to, replied. He, someone just over a thirtieth of Roxas' age, knew what his best friend was talking about full-well, as every mission, hunting down every Stray Devil that he encountered that crossed into Grigori territory, destroying monsters that became threats to the lives of those he cared about, and of those that the Grigori had their eyes on as potential members, he knew that sometime, somehow, he would end up dead. Whether dead in battle, from sickness, or just old age.
This was just the way it was.
There was a silence for a full minute, before a magic-circle appeared at Tobio's ear. Tobio placed a finger to that ear, and spoke.
"Hello? ...I see. ...Alright then. Take care of them. We're on our way."
"Who was that?" Roxas asked.
"Lavinia." Tobio replied. "Apparently there are snipers all around the hotel, trained fully on the main entrance, to make sure we don't get out."
"Tch." Roxas scoffed. "Alright. Let's head out."
Line Break
Several dozen yards away from where Tobio and Roxas were, Lavinia Reni stood, in silence, her Magician's hood up, her blue eyes focused on the couple of dozen individuals, who were all wielding Imbel AGLC sniper rifles. All the rifles were trained on the main entrance to the hotel (that had several helicopter-beams trained on it).
Lavinia calmly raised her hand, and a few metres away from her, a large... thing, appeared, out of the ground.
The thing was a three-metre tall doll, made entirely out of ice, in the form of a woman in a dress with four slender arms. Its face didn't have a nose or mouth. It had six eyes on the left side of its face, while the right side was studded with something resembling the thorns of a rose.
This was the Eternal Ice Princess, the form that Absolute Demise, Lavinia's Sacred Gear, took.
Just as silently, Lavinia pointed to all the snipers, who were all none the wiser that they were about to die.
At her mental command, Absolute Demise raised one of its arms, and swung it to the side. Instantly, all the sniper rifle-wielding soldiers in Lavinia's line of sight were encased in a large strip of ice.
At another wave of Lavinia's hand, the Ice Princess followed her command, and shattered the ice encasing all the soldiers, reducing them to icy, bloody chunks.
Right at that moment, a silver transportation-circle opened, and Roxas and Tobio appeared out of it.
"Nice one, Lavinia." Roxas complimented the blonde beauty. "Now." he looked down, as he saw a tall, red-wearing individual walking casually out of the hotel. "I have a feeling that there's going to be a very enjoyable show occurring soon. Shall we go and get a closer look?"
"Sure." Tobio and Lavinia both replied. The three of them went through a transportation-circle, and appeared on top of a nearby house, to the right of Alucard coming out of the hotel.
"Oh, my." a man said, calmly walking through a crowd of policemen that blocked Alucard's way, as he came to a stop in front of him. "You really shouldn't play with your food." he gave a chuckle. "You certainly do live up to your reputation."
He swept into a bow before Alucard.
"My name is Tubalcain Alhambra, Mr. Alucard." he said, speaking in a smooth, suave voice. "Though some people have taken to calling me the 'Dandy Man'."
Physically, Tubalcain was tall and thin, with green eyes, light silver hair and a thin brown mustache. He dressed in a brown suit, vest and wide-brimmed fedora with a blue tie. He also wore white gloves.
"Facinating." Alucard replied, calmly, as he walked down the steps of the hotel. "Did these poor souls belong to you?"
"Ohhhh." Tubalcain replied, tipping his fedora upward. "You're speaking of those unfortunate men. Their superiors were fools, and so they allowed their men to end up in such a state. Truly amazing, what some people will do on the promise of... immortality."
"Taking advantage of idiots." Alucard remarked. "We both know there's no such thing as immortality."
"No need to be cruel." Alhambra replied, a grin on his face as he held up a playing card. "They still served their purpose. After all, how many of your holy ammunition rounds do you have left now, Mr. Alucard?"
"You're starting to bore me." Alucard replied, a grin on his face in return. "Let's cut to the chase. What're you here for?"
"I'm here to take your un-life, Mr. Alucard." Tubalcain replied, sweeping his arm to the side, as playing cards fell from his suit, and began to swirl around him. "Millennium has given me the task of bringing you in. Well..." he paused, as the cards began to swirl around Alucard. "At least a sample of you, anyway."
Tubalcain threw the card in his hand at Alucard, and an explosion went off. Confident of an early victory, Tubalcain grinned, but instead, he was met with Alucard's grim chuckle, as the Ultimate Vampire emerged with only a cut on his right cheek.
"I get it." Alucard scowled. "There's absolutely no reasoning with you people. Which leaves me with no choice but to keep killing until there are none of you left standing." he smiled. "Didn't your Masters learn anything from the first time I decimated them?"
Tubalcain replied by conjuring up 52 more playing cards, and sending them all flying at Alucard, who jumped out of the way before they reached him. Alhambra threw more playing cards at him, but Alucard kept jumping out of the way, leaving the officers who stood by with no chance of survival. Even a cameraman had his head sliced off by one of the cards.
Alucard began firing back with his two guns, the Casull, and the Jackel, but Alhambra was quick to spin out of the way of the bullets, and throw cards back at him in return. He began running along the road at great speed, away from Alucard, but the black-haired Vampire was very quick to return fire.
One of his bullets made their mark, striking Alhambra in the neck and spurting blood everywhere. However, after a second, Alhambra seemed to disappear in a flurry of playing cards.
Alucard growled at the sight of Alhambra's card-clone disappearing, until an explosion went off right under his feet, and sent him flying into the pavement.
"And right into my trap." Alhambra remarked, mockingly snapping his fingers. A few hundred playing cards appeared in a circle around Alucard, and flew into him, causing a massive explosion. When the smoke cleared, however, there was no Alucard to be found.
Instead, he was on the left side of the hotel, close to where Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia were watching the battle, with great interest. Alucard proceeded to run up the wall to the rooftop.
"Oh, no you don't." Alhambra growled, jumping up into the air, and landing on the vertical wall of the hotel. "Alucard!" he called, as he began to walk up the wall. "Vampire... you are so disappointing!"
Right at that moment, a small fiery explosion went off from a police tent close by, and Pip Bernadotte emerged from the destruction, idly humming 'La Marseillaise'.
"Hm." Roxas remarked, levitating into the air. "Looks like Pip actually has some uses. Shall we go get a closer look?"
"Indeed." Tobio replied, as he and Lavinia did the same. "And sure."
The three beings levitated themselves up, through the use of magic, and landed a moderate distance away from where the battle was continuing.
"I can't stop bleeding..." Alucard mused to himself. "Those cards of his must be very special." he chuckled. "Magic playing cards. How interesting. You, sir... Dandy Man... are very amusing. Hi."
"Are you ready for another round, Mr. Alucard?" Alhambra, who had made his way to the rooftop, asked. "I bet they have a special place ready for you. In the deepest pits of Hell."
Alucard laughed, loudly and mockingly.
"What?" The Dandy Man asked. "Is something funny?!"
"I'm just pleased, that's all." Alucard replied, standing up. "The world would be so boring without idiots like you to amuse me. A new Millennium group." he turned around. "A revived Last Battalion! Yes, I know... you remind me of that insane little Major and his freak show menagerie!" a dark, otherworldly substance that was black in core and reddish on the edges began to form around him. "I'm grateful that the world breeds such madness! Now..." he got into a combat stance, his short black hair extending to back-length, and having done so the whole time.
"IT'S TIME TO PLAY, ALHAMBRA!" A maniacal grin came over Alucard's face.
"I want to hear you squeal like a pig..." he grinned.
"You expect me to squeal?" Alhambra replied, chuckling. "Are you serious? Don't you see what is happening?! If only the world was so simple. You really have gone completely SOFT IN THE HEAD!" he shouted, as he threw more playing cards at Alucard, which impacted him, tearing parts of his midriff away.
However, these parts regenerated in an instant, as from where Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia were standing, several eyes (Roxas counted a dozen, at least) formed, all over Alucard's body, before he disappeared in a cloud of mist.
"Why do you run again?" Alhambra mused, holding up more playing-cards. "Useless..."
From the mist, a bullet seemed to fly at Alhambra, and he, caught by surprise, managed to dodge it in the nick of time.
Seras stood in front of Alhambra, wielding a gigantic sniper rifle (that looked more like a cannon than anything), which the Dandy Man found himself staring down the business end of.
Conjuring up a revolving circle of playing cards, Alhambra backed away from Seras, as she continued to fire on him (as Roxas, Lavinia and Tobio moved out of the way).
"You bitch!" Alhambra yelled, as Seras ran out of ammunition. Throwing the cannon aside, she procured another one, and fired on Alhambra.
"GO TO HELL!" Alhambra screamed, throwing a playing-card at the bullet, which sliced it in half. Both halves of the bullet flew to either side of him, and caused a large dust-cloud to form behind him. "I've had enough of this mess!" he declared.
A growl came from behind him, and the enraged Dandy Man threw a playing-card at where the noise came from, turning toward the noise as well. However, a silver gun came at him from behind, and fired, but missed. Alhambra turned around, and threw a playing card at Alucard, but he disappeared in a cloud of mist before any damage could be done to him.
An enormous black hell-hound, comprised of the same black and red substance from before, then appeared before Alhambra, growling. Alhambra began to sweat, before it disappeared, and Alucard re-appeared behind him.
Seeming to notice this, Alhambra tried to swing around and throw a punch at him, but Alucard grabbed his arm and twisted it, breaking the bones in his forearm, as well as kicking him brutally, severing his left leg just below the knee, prompting Alhambra to scream in pain.
"I WANT TO HEAR IT, PIG." Alucard growled, his voice making shivers run down even Roxas' spine. "SO... SQUEAL!"
Defiantly, Alhambra produced a playing card in his good hand, and thrust it towards Alucard, who thrust his hand towards Alhambra in return.
Both attacks met each other at the same time, destroying the other's arm. However, as Alucard's arm regenerated in an instant, Alhambra's did not, as he squealed in pain. However, his squeal was stopped by Alucard reaching out and grabbing his face.
"THAT'S CHECKMATE, TUBALCAIN ALHAMBRA." Alucard growled, holding Alhambra up by the face, giving an evil chuckle. "Now..." he spoke in a soft voice. "It's time we start dealing with the business at hand. I'm obliged to give you a thorough interrogation, so you're going to tell me everything you know. Well..." he paused, and grinned. "Your blood will."
Alucard then proceeded to bite into Tubalcain's neck, prompting a spurt of blood to emerge, as Alucard received full access to Alhambra's memories.
After a few seconds, Alhambra erupted into blue flames, and after a few seconds, Alucard let go, grinning.
As he grinned, he began to laugh, with that laugh slowly becoming more and more maniacal. He then began to clap, as he dropped Alhambra's rapidly-cremating body to the ground.
"...What was that?" A very confused Seras asked, as Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia touched down. However, Seras didn't get her answer until much, much later.
Line Break
At around the same time as Alucard killed Alhambra, in her bedroom at her King's villa (which was currently a room that she had all to herself) Valian was currently sat in bed, at around 4:30 in the morning, browsing the Devils' internet on a website that held backups of TV coverage of Rating Games.
She recalled an order from her King, before he had left for the Hellsing Manor, to watch a few Rating Games that featured Imogen Belial and Sairaorg Bael, and take notes of their styles of fighting, as well as their peerages.
Moving the curser over to a video featuring Imogen, she clicked on it, and began watching a Rating Game between Imogen Belial and Raven Branwen, as well as opening a word processor on her laptop, in order to take notes.
Line Break
The next morning, as the sun barely began to rise, Roxas began to slowly wake up. His red eyes fluttered for a second before slowly opening. He was lying in his bed in the hotel room that he, Tobio and Lavinia were staying in.
Yawning slightly, Roxas sat up, then became rather familiar with the fact that a weight was pressing down around his middle, under the sheets.
Raising an eyebrow (as he had a sneaking suspicion as to what it could be), the silver-haired Nephalem lifted up the sheets, and saw Lavinia Reni herself.
Wearing nothing but a light-fitting shirt that left almost nothing of her body to the imagination, Lavinia had her arms wrapped around Roxas' middle, and was sleeping lightly.
Roxas snorted in light amusement at seeing the Demise Girl like this, and this small noise, it seemed, was enough to wake Lavinia up. Yawning cutely, she looked up, saw Roxas, and smiled, slightly tiredly.
"Good morning, Roxas." Lavinia greeted the centuries-old Nephalem in a slight whisper, as the pair of them both saw that Tobio was still asleep. "Did you sleep well?"
"Very." Roxas whispered in reply, as Lavinia shifted herself so she was closer to Roxas. Before she could wrap her arms around Roxas' chest and continue cuddling with him (Roxas, incidentally, was wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer shorts), Roxas spoke.
"Lavinia..."
"Hm?"
"I know." Roxas spoke, his red eyes looking straight into Lavinia's blue ones. "About your feelings for me. Tobio told me yesterday."
Lavinia looked slightly shocked for a moment, before she went pink.
"I thought Tobi said he wouldn't tell you!" she spoke, in a whisper. "He-" her words were interrupted by Roxas moving swiftly towards her and pressing his lips against hers. Lavinia's eyes widened for a moment, before they slowly closed, as she began getting used to the kiss.
"Lavinia..." Roxas whispered, pulling away from her (judging by Lavinia's slight moan, it was a rather shorter kiss than she wanted it to be) "I also know about how you're scared. And I want to tell you right now, that I don't give a single fuck. Whether you're Human, Devil, Succubus, Vampire, or even a Goddess, I don't care. I like you as a friend, and if you really do like me as more than that, I'm more than willing to give you a chance." he then smirked. "It helps that you're straight-up one of the most beautiful Humans I've ever seen."
Lavinia's face went from pink to red, as she blushed, and shifted herself slightly.
"Th-thanks, Roxas." she whispered. "That feels really good, coming from you."
"No problem." Roxas replied. "Also, I don't know how you'll react to this, but you're actually one of the two main candidates for joining my Peerage. If you want to, of course."
"I... I'm not sure about that, Roxas." Lavinia replied. "I'm just not sure what my mother will think. Me becoming someone's servant, I'm not sure Glynda would be happy."
"Wait, Glynda Goodwitch?" Roxas blinked. "Serafall Leviathan's Queen? She's your mother?"
"She is." Lavinia replied. "She gave birth to me before becoming a Devil. Serafall still lets her keep in touch with me, though."
"Now nice of her." Roxas replied. "I also understand if you don't want to join my Peerage, Lavinia."
"N-no, no!" Lavinia whispered, stammering slightly. "It's not like that. I just... want to consider it."
"Go ahead, then." Roxas replied. "Take as long as you need. I won't be going anywhere in the meantime. In a metaphorical sen- you know what I mean."
Lavinia giggled.
"I do." she replied, initiating a second kiss with Roxas, mentally cheering that he, someone with eight present female lovers, and, as far as she knew from Roxas himself, seven more females, including but not limited to herself, Shuri Himejima and Fianna Asmodeus, who had feelings for him, had agreed to give her a chance.
Line Break
A couple of hours later, Roxas, Tobio, Lavinia and Alucard were all in Alucard's penthouse suite, and Alucard was talking on the phone with Integra.
"Their methods and desires are ingrained in my memory, my Master." Alucard finished.
"Well done, Alucard." Integra replied, over the phone (Alucard's phone was on speaker, so Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia could listen in, as well as add anything if they so wanted). "As well as Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia, well done to them as well."
"Thank you." Roxas remarked, in reply.
"Her Majesty herself has called for a gathering of the Round Table." Integra spoke.
"Really?" Alucard asked. "The Queen?"
"Return at once to give your report." Integra ordered. "Do not keep her waiting. The same goes for you too, Roxas, Tobio, Lavinia."
"I'm on my way." Alucard replied. "Integra... did you enjoy the thrill of declaring war?"
Roxas could practically smell Integra stiffening over the phone. He'd heard from Alucard before he called Integra about how he'd done his fair share of slaughtering of the Brazilian SWAT officers that came after him and Seras, and continued to shoot and hack his way through anyone who tried to stop him leaving the hotel, purely on Integra's sole order to 'Search and Destroy.'
"Did you feel your blood rush?" Alucard continued. "The warmth of Hell's fires as you ordered the slaughter?"
"Don't speak to me, you monster!" An angry Integra shouted in reply. "Now return immediately, damnit!"
Alucard, Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia all heard the telltale beeping, signalling that Integra had hung up. Alucard laughed, loudly, as Seras and Pip returned to the room.
"Ah, good, the lot of you." Roxas remarked, opening a transportation-circle with magic. "Everyone, hop in. Integra ordered the lot of us to return, now let's fucking go."
Tobio, Lavinia and Alucard all stepped into the circle, and after a moment's hesitation, Seras and Pip did, too.
One snap of his fingers later, the six beings (three Human, two Vampire and one Nephalem) disappeared from Rio de Janeiro in a flash of light, and re-appeared in Integra's office, where Integra and Walter were stood.
"Well, we're back." Roxas replied, shrugging. "As ordered, Integra."
"Very good." Integra replied, not reacting to Seras and Pip as they tried to mentally comprehend what had happened. "You, Tobio and Lavinia are dismissed for now. Return every week or so to continue training the Wild Geese."
"Very well." Roxas replied, smirking. "Come on." he told Tobio and Lavinia. "Let's go tell Azazel that our mission, for now, is through."
One more quick trip later, Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia found themselves in Azazel's personal residence in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was currently mid-afternoon.
"Ah, hello Roxas, Tobio, Lavinia." Azazel, who was sat on a sofa with Shemhazai drinking some vodka, greeted the three beings. "What a pleasant surprise."
"Hey, Azazel." Tobio replied. "Our business with the Hellsing Organisation, for now, is concluded. We'll have to go back to their Manor every week or so, to train the mercenaries Integra hired to guard her Manor."
"Fair enough." Azazel replied. "Come sit down, so you can tell me all about it." Tobio and Lavinia sat down, while Roxas remained standing. He made to leave via transportation-circle, but seemed to freeze in place when he saw two people (or rather, one certain person that was one of the two people) coming out of the kitchen.
One of those people was Baraqiel, someone who he got on with okay, and the other, whom was the one Roxas' eyes were focused on... was Shuri Himejima herself.
As Shuri's green eyes focused on Roxas, she gave a grin, and instantly closed the distance between them in three short steps, while Baraqiel sat down and listened into Tobio and Lavinia's report.
"Hello, Roxas." Shuri greeted Roxas, in her usual calm, yet slightly sultry, voice. "Have you been well?"
"Y-yeah." Roxas replied, as Shuri gently smiled at him, and gently caressed his muscled arm with her soft hand.
"Hmm~" the former Himejima Clan member hummed in appreciation. "I like these arms, Roxas. Have you been training?"
"A little bit." Roxas replied. "But Shuri, why're you flirting with me? In front of Baraqiel, no less?"
"Because you're hot." Shuri replied, bluntly. "I've entertained the idea of having fun with you, the man who saved mine and Akeno's lives, ever since you did just that. And Baraqiel's okay with it, actually. Us two having fun together, that is."
"Say what?!" Roxas yelped, as Shuri closed the distance between Roxas and her still further. "Why do I not believe that for a fucking second?"
"Because you're afraid of what he'd do if he got jealous?" Shuri replied, smartly. "But believe me, Roxas, he is. And on top of that~" she leaned forward, and whispered into his ear. "When we start having our fun together, I hope you don't mind me bringing some of my favourite toys..."
Roxas, finally getting the willpower together to create a transportation-circle, and having heard enough, got his ass out of the scene, making Shuri almost stumble over with how unexpected Roxas' quick departure was.
Line Break
One second later, Roxas returned to his villa in Greece, where it was still mid-afternoon, and where he was away from a dominatrix MILF who probably wanted him in a chastity cage.
Looking around, as he was in the main lounge of his villa, Roxas noticed that there are three people sat on the sofas: Valian (who had one of her headphones in, and her eyes on her laptop screen, as she typed away. There were also a couple of sheets of paper next to her), Serafall and Fianna, all of whom looking as hot as they usually did.
Valian looked up, and picked up the pieces of paper.
"Hey, Roxas." she greeted her King. "Here are the notes I've compiled on Imogen's peerage, based on the last three Rating Games she's taken part in: with Raven Branwen, Sean Sitri and Eneely Vassago. She won against Eneely and Sean, but lost against Raven."
"Thanks, Valian." Roxas replied, taking the papers from her. "I'll look them over later." Roxas' silver-haired Queen nodded, and returned to whatever she was doing on her laptop, as Roxas turned to Serafall and Fianna.
"And what might you two be doing here?" he asked. "Not that I don't appreciate a pair of Devillish hotties like you two here."
"I came to ask you something, Roxas." Serafall replied, her trademark smile still on her face, but rather more reigned-in than her usual childlike self was. "I've heard from Palutena that you've been rather helpful in making the peace treaty between the Angels and Fallen Angels happen."
"I mean, there was more to it than me, but... yeah, I was a part of it." Roxas replied. "Why?"
"Well, I wanted to ask you if you could help me, when it comes to talking with Grigori and Heaven." Serafall replied, looking down. "Ever since it came to light that four Fallen Angels had gone rouge into Devil territory, things have been... difficult. I mean they were dealt with by Rias and her peerage, along with an outside source hired by Azazel, but-"
"Yeah, I get that." Roxas replied, smirking slightly. "Anyway, sure. I'll help, Sera."
"Really?" Serafall looked up, beaming. "Thank you~!" she jumped forward, and wrapped her arms around Roxas in a hug. "Thank you so much, Roxas..." she whispered, before leaning upward and pressing her lips against his cheek.
"No problem." Roxas replied, not reacting in the slightest to the first kiss in over three centuries from his godmother. "I want peace between the Four Factions as much as the next sane person, Sera."
"I'm glad to hear that~" Serafall replied, letting go of Roxas. "Well, I'll be off." she winked at her godson. "See you~" And with that, she opened a transportation-circle, and disappeared through it, leaving Roxas, Fianna and Valian (who continued to watch Rating Games on her laptop).
"So, Roxas." Fianna spoke, as Roxas sat down next to her on the sofa. "I heard you're taking part in your first Rating Game."
"Mmmhmm." Roxas replied. "Against Sairaorg Bael and Imogen Belial. At the same time."
"I see." Fianna replied. "Well, I wish you luck. Not many Devils would be willing to try and take on the two Strongest Youths at the same time. Hell, even in my best form, I would have a hard time facing them at the same time, at their most serious."
"I'll make sure to do my best." Roxas replied. Fianna smiled.
"I'm sure you will." she replied. "And also. I heard that you made Kuroka, the infamously wild cat that she is, into a member of your peerage, as well as... tamed her, in a sense."
"I did." Roxas replied. "It was amazing, too." he grinned. "You jealous that I tamed a cat like her?"
"Oh, certainly not. Even if she is very beautiful, I'll admit." Fianna replied. "Well, if you fancy trying to tame a wild bird like myself..." she reached towards Roxas and gently caressed his face. "Just hit me up. But I won't go down easy."
"I don't expect you to." Roxas replied. "And trust me. I will try, and I will succeed. In the future, at least."
"I'm sure you will." Fianna said, again, before standing up. "Well, see you."
And she was gone in her own transportation-circle as well. Once she was fully gone, Roxas shifted himself on the sofa over to his Queen, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer towards him. Valian offered Roxas one of her headphones, which he gladly accepted, as they finished watching the backed-up broadcast of the Rating Game between Sairaorg Bael and Rudiger Ruzenkreutz, which ended in a draw.
Line Break
At around the same time, Sirzechs Lucifer was sat in his office, actually doing his work for once. He was going over some reports of the domestic stuff that had been happening in the Underworld lately: policies regarding laws, budgeting of businesses, education and the like.
As he implanted his magic-circle into the last report, confirming that he had, indeed, seen it, he lay back in his chair, and took a long sigh.
Even if he was considered to be the best man for the job, being Lucifer was such hard work. But oh well.
Sirzechs was just about to stand up and leave, in order to go back to his personal residence and turn in for the night, but a transportation-circle opened, and an individual came out of it.
This individual was a rather short, female person, with black hair with lighter streaks in it and green eyes. Her hair was done up into a twin-tail hairstyle, with white bows, and she had bangs that went down to just above her eyes.
Her attire consisted of a sleeveless black blouse with white frills on the chest and collar, and a black ribbon bow hanging from the front of the collar. The blouse exposed her midriff, and she wore medium-length black armbands on both of her wrists. Along with the blouse, she wore a knee-length skirt fastened with a white belt. She wore black shoes with white legwarmers.
Sirzechs looked up, and sighed at the sight of the individual.
"Heh. As always, you seem to turn up at the most funnily inconvenient times." he remarked, lightly, before his tone instantly changed to a lighter one. "You have the report?"
The woman nodded. She stepped forward and procured a few papers from a pocket-dimension, handing them to Sirzechs. The Crimson Satan proceeded to look them over, a serious look on his face.
The report consisted of inside information of what was going on in the Old Satan Faction, which was comprised of pure-blooded Devils, that wished to forcibly return the rule of the Underworld to the descendants of the first Four Satans, the original Lucifer, Leviathan, Beelzebub and Asmodeus. They also had fanatical pride as Devils, and believed that thanks to that solid fact, they wished to take over the entire world, and create a new world under the dictatorial rule of the descendants of the original Satans.
The Old Satan Faction had been headed by Lirpohr Lucifer, one of Lucifer's two grandsons and brother of Razevan Lucifer, Valian's father, Katerea Leviathan, Shyelin Beelzebub and Catora Asmodeus (the granddaughters of Leviathan, Beelzebub and Asmodeus, respectively), and Tsufaame Tereaku Leviathan, Bidleid Bashalum Beelzebub and Damaidosu Zereikel Asmodeus (the sons of Leviathan, Beelzebub and Asmodeus, respectively). The two only remaining members of the Lucifuge Clan, Grayfia and Euclid, had also allied with the Old Satan Faction, as they were servants of all those descended from Lucifer.
However, the Anti-Satan Faction, led by their four Aces, Serafall Sitri, Ajuka Astaroth, Fianna Phenex and Sirzechs himself, along with the Devils that wanted to ensure the survival of Devils as a species, fought a civil war against the Old Satan Faction, ultimately leading to the defeat of the Old Satans' descendants, after the climactic Battle of Agreas (named such thanks to the fact that the most brutal portion of the final battle was fought on the floating island on Agreas, and that battle was the de facto debut of the Peerage system as a concept, as the peerages of Sirzechs, Serafall and Ajuka helped fight in the final battle, contributing greatly to the Anti-Satan Faction's victory.
Nowadays, the Old Satan Faction had gone into hiding, and continued to cause trouble (though on a small scale) against the Devils. They also attempted to re-start the Great War of the Three Factions, but Azazel and Michael had enough sense to tell the difference between Devils allied with the current government, and trouble-causing terrorists, and direct their ire such.
However, according to this report, the Old Satan Faction seemed to be gathering numbers among the Sex Demons. A problem which, if left ignored, could cause disastrous consequences in the future for the relationship between the Devils and the Sex Demons, which had been relatively good, throughout the centuries since the Sex Demons, who had had a civil war of their own, though not on as large a scale as the Devils Civil War, had secured their independence from the Devils.
"Damnit." Sirzechs cursed, under his breath. "I'll have to call Serafall, and ask if she can take a trip to Lilith and help talk things through with her." he sighed, leaning back in his chair again.
"Thanks for this report." he thanked the black-haired woman, who had been standing silently in front of him, looking as simultaneously cute and creepy as she usually did. "Also, while you're here, I wanted to ask you something."
The woman raised an eyebrow, interested.
"You'll still be working directly under me, and performing espionage on the Old Satan Faction, but... would you be willing to be traded?" Sirzechs asked. "Into my oldest son's peerage?"
After a full moment, the woman began to physically change, into her original form.
This original form had several differences from her disguised one. That being that her hair colour, originally black, was now pink on one side (with white streaks) and brown on the other.
Her eyes were the same colour as her hair. That meaning that her left eye was brown, and her right eye was a light pink, a case of complete heterochromia iridum.
Her attire now consisted of a white jacket with pink interior, brown pants, black gloves, and black and white boots with very high heels. Under her jacket was a brown corset, curved in the middle and at the bottom, exposing her hips. She also wore a multitude of necklaces, which hung haphazardly around her neck.
The woman nodded, and Sirzechs exhaled.
"Thanks, Neo." he referred to his third Pawn by her codename. "You've done me a real solid here."
And that's the fourteenth chapter of Nephalem of Gremory! Roxas, Tobio and Lavinia are (temporarily) in the employ of the Hellsing Organisation (side-note: Hellsing Ultimate probably ranks in my Top 3 favourite anime, along with Death Note and Overlord), Shuri is a scary dominatrix, and we now know who the individual that Sirzechs wanted to trade into Roxas' peerage was, and that individual being the hot ice-cream girl known as Neopolitan, from RWBY (one of my favourite RWBY girls, I might add).
And yes, Neo will be in the harem. As will a certain big-titted Police Girl. Because they're both awesome.
DxD Discord server: discord. Gg/xEApPAS.
Now that that's done, what did you think of this chapter? Please, review and let me know, because I really do love hearing feedback. If you fancy letting me know about some possible ideas you might have for later in the story, just let me know in a review or PM (or talk to me on Discord (my name for it is on my profile)), as I really enjoy talking to readers!
Three Sizes of New Girls:
Integra: 84-56-90
Seras: 90-57-88
Neo: 81-55-79
Next Time: The Rating Game
Preview of Next Chapter:
"You don't talk much, do you?"
The pink and brown-haired woman shook her head.
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Seeya!