Hello, everyone! This is your author in-progress, SecretArtLotus! How are all of you doing? I hope that all of you are having a good day! If not, you can read my story to soothe yourself! Though you might get too caught up, but we have to be happy always, right? Even though we have gotten mean comments here and there about how we write and tell a story but in the end, we decide who we are! There is no one who is going to tell us that we are not good! Of course, the first steps might be rough to write a story but soon, anyone can write a story and post it in a website like this.

So, how was your opinions over the previous chapter? Chapter 61? Did it appease all of you? I really wanted to know.

Kuma098: Thank you for your review! To see you excited over my return of almost 1-year hiatus. Though I don't understand what do you mean by return the creampuff…Sorry.

And also, that goes to some of you that are happy that I have returned rather than quitting this story.

Anyway, this is the next chapter of A Problem Devil, Born~

Please enjoy!

Ja'ne! ArtLotus out!

Chapter 62: Clash Between Humans!

Suddenly, a bright light obscured the Hero Faction's sights, attracting the attention of Saji, Yu-Long, Sun Wukong and lastly, the Gremory Group at the same time.

"What..." Rias utters. Her hand shielding over her eyes at the bright light enveloping the Gremory Group. As the effect of the bright light lessens over a brief amount of time, Rias lets down her hand before she looks forward—just to see red. As her vision took in the red colour, her mind reeled in the massive mass in front of her and her group. "This is!"

"Oh my…It looks like we have been graced by the summon of Asuka-san…" Akeno smiled up at the familiar gigantic being.

"So, she came here huh?" Pest let out a small smile. "She must've been bored being on the side lines all this while. I can't blame her for that."

Sala shakes her head at Pest's statement before looking at the gigantic being, Deen. She then let her sights moves up towards the left shoulder of Deen, where she could see a familiar mop of black hair poking over the edge of it. A smile curved upwards on Sala's lips.

"Are you all okay?!" A voice shouted from above the giant, Deen.

Issei and Asia looked up followed by the others. A wide smile spread across Asia's face as she looks up at Asuka standing over the side of Deen's head by its left shoulder and facing them with a smile.

"Asuka-san!" Asia shouted happily, relieved to see her friend again.

"Rossweisse, can you descend with the others? I think it's alright for us to land by now." Rias stated through her communication magic circle located next to her left ear. She then looks towards Akeno and nodded to her.

"Understood." Rossweisse answered clearly. After that, both Rias and Akeno including Rossweisse controlled the floating barrier and the chunk of land beneath to descend upon the ground underneath them. Before long, everyone had safely landed, and the barrier had dissipated. The chunk of earth that had glued itself to the barrier had crumbled once it touches the ground.

"It is nice to see you here, Asuka." Rias smiled up at Asuka through her communication magic circle.

Glancing at her right ear at the appearance of a tiny magic circle, Asuka smiles.

"Thank you, Rias. I hope you wouldn't mind my appearance because I heard that you need some help. So that's why I'm here."

"Who did you heard it fr—"

When Rias wanted to ask, she was interrupted by a magic purple hexagon appearing in front of Deen and everyone who stood behind Deen. The magic circle appeared in between the Heroes Faction and the Gremory group. The appearance of the magic circle instantly grabbed the attention of everyone in the vicinity.

Not a moment too soon, two figures appeared and stood upon the purple hexagon before it disappears seconds after.

"I am here because of him." Asuka told Rias through the communication circle. The Gremory Heiress looks in front of her to see the familiar blonde hair and her husband's back greeting her. Behind her, everyone focuses at the blonde standing in front of them. His appearance causes everyone to be speechless.

"Izayoi-senpai…" Koneko muttered under her breath at the sight of the blonde. However, her eyes widen when she took noticed of the person next to her senior. Her wide eyes look from her senior—to her older sister standing by his side. "…—Onee-sama…?"

"—Sakamaki Izayoi."

Cao Cao called as he looked up at the smiling Sakamaki Izayoi while Kuroka stood behind him with her body facing sideways but she turned her face to look at Hero Faction with an amused smile.

"…You're here, Otou-sama…" Kunou stated mentally as she looked over at the back of her father. Her hands grip upon her fabric at her sides whilst tears stung at the corner of her eyes. "Otou-sama is here…He's here." She uttered under her breath.

"Izayoi-kun…" Rias thought happily before sighing in relief. Standing next to her, Akeno placed a hand on her shoulder as Rias looks at her with a smile.

"He's back."

Akeno nods as she spoke.

"Izayoi-senpai…" Issei muttered as he and the others looked towards the blonde standing before them through the legs of the red giant, Deen.

"I recall that I haven't gotten any invitation to join this party. So, you don't mind I crashed the party?"

A nonchalant smile spread across Izayoi's face as he spoke.

Then! The sound of a colossal impact resonated throughout the remnants of Honmaru Palace!

Narrowed purple eyes glances to the right, witnessing the scene of a Nine-Tailed Fox battling both Vritra and Yu-Long. The Nine-Tailed Fox jumped back when Vritra released a stream of black flames from its mouth towards her. The Nine-Tailed Fox rears her head back before expelling large streams of black flames towards Vritra. The result was the explosion of both flames negating each other, blasting forth an impactful wind around the area.

A frown appeared on Izayoi's face at the sight of Yasaka in her full grown fox form. Turning away from the scene, the blonde turns his body to look up towards Asuka standing on top of Deen's left shoulder while looking over the battle between the Nine-Tailed Fox and two Great Dragon Kings.

"Ojou-sama! You know what to do, right?" Izayoi shouted looking up at Asuka with a small smile. In return, Asuka looks at him before nodding. "Two Great Dragon Kings won't be able to defeat the Nine-Tailed Fox much less tire her enough. Go help them. I'll be right with you in a moment." He commanded before he glances at Kuroka who nods at him with a bemusing smile.

"Understood." Just as Asuka replied, a large purple hexagon appears beneath Deen. Noticing the hexagonal magic circle, Asuka glances down at the smiling Kuroka. After that, both she and Deen teleports away in a bright shining light.

"This is turning out interesting…It appears we are not the only reinforcement that have been called…"

The First Generation Monkey King, Sun Wukong spoke with a small chuckle. He sat on folded legs on top of a piece of flat debris which was supported with a pile of debris underneath it. His staff laid rested on his right shoulder as his right wrist rest upon its base. Sun Wukong inhaled his pipe before exhaling the smoke which trails upwards and dissipates behind him.

Underneath his shades, Sun Wukong's gaze was directed towards the newly-arrived reinforcement, particularly his gaze lingers the most towards a certain blonde. He then turned his head slightly towards the direction where the proclaimed blonde destroyed the 200 metres in height creature moments ago, and with it, the decimation of the entirety of the Kyoto imitation which span across hundreds of square miles.

"There are no remnants of it left…I cannot feel the presence of the behemoth anymore, so it seems it is really vanquished after all. By none other than a young man…" Sun Wukong whispered to himself whilst sensing any remnants presence of the behemoth creature near the spot where it disappeared amidst the destructive explosion that had decimated the Kyoto imitation. Fortunately, the First Gen Monkey King cannot sense its presence anymore or any indications that it had live afterwards, which he was genuinely surprised.

Afterwards, Sun Wukong moves his gaze towards the blonde standing across the Hero Faction. Sun Wukong could detect with certainty that there were no indications that he was ever winded from his previous battle against the behemoth of an antimonster.

"Heh…He is a peculiar individual…—How will he fare against the Descendant of Cao Cao? Or, how would Cao Cao fare against him? He is no ordinary individual to be sure…"

"Is it me? Or is the enemy stronger than before?" Yu-Long wondered out loud, standing next to Saji-Vritra.

"Or is it that you're too oblivious that you're the one at fault for getting in my way?" Vritra replied which was only heard by Saji, who awkwardly smiles despite the tense situation. "Anyway, can't you pull your own weight to it? Unlike you, my user cannot keep on this form forever."

"Heh, do not worry! I'll try better against that Fox lady." Yu-Long enthusiastically replies. "So, you have to withstand until then, okay?"

"You…"

"I understand." Saji answered Yu-Long. "Though this is a taxing job just to maintain this form, but I can't disregard my friends for exerting the best they've got! I can tell you now that I'm still not doing my best yet!"

"That's the spirit! Because of that, I'll do better with you!" Yu-Long chirped, feeling energized by Saji's claim.

"Thank you…" Saji said before he set his focus onto the Nine-Tailed Fox in front of him. "Though this is my first time transforming into you, Vritra… This isn't anything like I envisioned on fighting...Especially against the enemy like this…" Saji thought staring ahead against the eyes of the Nine Tailed Fox. The nine tails sway left and right as they were alive before the tips immediately pointed towards him.

"You have to get used to it if you're fighting powerful beings like these...At this moment, you're concerning yourself with petty thoughts! You just have to focus on fighting. Lending my power to aid you is not a lightly cost. Anyway, you've said you're not giving your best yet! Then why don't you put your back into it to regain some momentum?"

"Yeah…You're right. My friends are counting on me…"

"Your petty thoughts will only exhaust you mentally. It'll only get the best of you. Be sharp! Do you want us to fall? If not, focus on the enemy! Here they come! At long last I resurface, and I will not suffer a disappointing defeat by the first enemy I encountered. The Nine Tailed Fox is surely a worthy opponent." Vritra thought as Saji responded by nodding before he prepared himself to fight.

"Do not disappoint me, Yu-Long!"

"When did I ever disappoint you, Vritra? You can count on me!"

"…Forget I asked…"

"Here they come…" Saji readies himself to fight before watching the Nine-Tailed Fox instantly charging towards him. Just as the Nine-Tailed Fox nears him, a glint of light distracted his vision. "What?!" He thought unexpectedly as the bright light came shining—behind him! Not a moment too soon, a loud feminine voice spoke up before Saji senses something approaching behind his head.

"Behind you!"

"What?!" Saji flicker his gaze behind him, only to find a metallic fist bypass his head and strikes the Nine-Tailed Fox's chest, pushing it back whilst roaring in protest. "Wait, this voice…"

"I thought I might lend my aid this time." Saji watches the metallic fist drew back to its socket before Deen steps into view right beside him. Looking at the sheer mass of Deen which topple the height of the Dragon Form of Vritra, Saji was momentarily surprise before his gaze landed upon the girl standing on top of Deen's left shoulder. "Izayoi-kun said you needed it the most this time around. Luckily, my role on sitting over the side lines is done due to him also, I might as well get some actions myself. You wouldn't mind, do you? Because I wouldn't take no for an answer this time." Asuka claimed as she sent a smile towards Saji-Vritra.

"Though I would of liked to finish this sooner but I have to admit despite my pride…I need some help when I think about it. So, your timing could not have been any better, Asuka-san." Saji said telepathically through her communication magic circle near her right ear.

"You're welcome. Anyway, so this is Yasaka-sama in her Nine-Tailed Fox form…" Asuka turned her sights towards the Nine-Tailed Fox bearing its teeth towards her arrival. "—And I don't think she likes my interruption…" She commented before glancing at Saji-Vritra and Yu-Long. "I hope we can all cooperate accordingly since this isn't an easy fight to begin with."

"Don't worry, missy! We'll give our cooperation! Anything to get this over with easier!"

"Right!" Saji thought.

"Hmph! I'll agree to her decision since you are inexperience fighting in this form however keep in mind that I will not tolerate defeat. You hear me?"

"Yeah!" Saji looked ahead to see the Nine Tailed Fox lets out a loud roar before rearing her head back and shooting out a mass of black flames.

Asuka was about to command Deen to summon a shield however she watches as Saji in Dragon Form rear his head back to shoot out the same black flames as the one approaching them. Both attacks hit before exploded! Smoke covered the area in moments before the Nine Tailed Fox swished her tails across the smoke, dissipating it instantly before she charges towards them.

Pursuing her lips as a determined expression was visible on her face, Asuka put out her right palm forward before shouting.

"Deen!"

In that moment, the battle between giants have begun!

"So Ojou-sama has started her move…I hope she can help resolve the control over her. Until then…" Izayoi thought silently, moving his gaze from Deen, Saji-Vritra and Yu-Long fighting against the Nine-Tailed Fox towards the Hero Faction. For a brief second, he gazes at them before dismissing the notion and turns his body halfway, addressing to face everyone behind him, with a smile.

"Sorry, we're late." He apologises.

"You aren't late. You're just in time, Izayoi-kun." Rias replied smiling as Izayoi looks at her. "But we were worried nonetheless when you disappeared all of a sudden." She smiled sadly before noticing something adorned on her husband's head that was not there before. "... It seems you've acquired a unique gift from your trip, Izayoi-kun." She said smiling at the pair of headphones worn on her husband's head. "I do hope your trip went as smoothly." She added, hoping that her husband had gotten the answers he sought from his trip to his past.

"Not exactly as I expect it to be, but it worked out in the end. After all, this thing waited for me." Izayoi answered clutching the left side of his headphones as he smiles at his wife. At his answer, Rias smiled back and was glad that her husband had found the answer amidst his past that had remained buried for a long time. Though she was worried at first for her husband to go through his past, nevertheless she had believed that he would seek out the answer to his question which had plagued him for some time and afterwards, for him to come back to her and everyone—which he did.

"Yes, where did you go, Izayoi-kun? I was lonely without you…" Akeno admitted with a pout as Izayoi turns towards her.

"As I said, I had to clear my mind and I had to do something in the process." Registering his answer, Akeno looks at the blonde with confusion. "I'm still not going to tell you though." He added teasingly, which made her pout.

"The timing of your arrival cannot be anymore impeccable, Izayoi-dono." Sala commented offering a smile towards the blonde. "We appreciate that you came here in time and vanquished that creature for our sake. We had volunteered ourselves to go against the behemoth of a creature since it had targeted all of us. Though that was just before your arrival." Sala explained to him as she puts her right hand on her hips while smiling gratefully at the blonde.

"Oh? I didn't think anyone would go against that thing." The blonde raised an eyebrow towards Sala.

"Would you look at that…He came, after all. Why am I not surprised?" Pest crossed her arms as she stood next to Sala whilst looking over towards the blonde's back. "We were about to before you stole the show. Yet again." Pest's voice was heard by the blonde as he looks over at Pest with crossed arms and an annoyed expression on her face. "What timing…If he had come any later, I would already obliterate that hideous creature already…"

"Will an apology make you feel better, Pest?"

"Yes, it truly is. I would very much like for you to apologize for your actions."

"As much as you like, I can't say I was at fault at all. So, I can't do anything about your apology whatsoever. Getting an apology from me will not be happening anytime soon, Pest." Izayoi answered with a nonchalant smile as Pest's frown was visible amongst everyone. "Anyway, It specifically targeted me when it was given life by that brat. I do wonder how that brat could have such dark imaginations for such creatures…A kid his age ain't suited to imagining the creatures he did and the humongous one, much less bringing them back to life. Though it would be possible if it was the user of Annihilation Maker, which can bring anything to life if they will it with their mind. Am I right?" By the end, Izayoi glances at Rias who nods at his explanation.

"A kid wielding one of the 13 Longinus… One that is capable to be truly dangerous if neglected...I am sure that all of you have seen it first-hand… If he is capable to produce multiple creatures of that size… I don't think he would resort to produce those little ones anymore."

At this, everyone is instantly reminded of the gigantic creature that towers them over 200 metres, far surpassing the height of the Kyoto Tower. Apart from its overbearing height, everyone could tell by the evil aura it had carried when it had appeared within their sights, and they felt fear sipping into their consciousness by the sight of it. They then thought about the consequences and outcomes if the Annihilation Maker user had achieved its full potential and has the capabilities to fully utilise the power of the Longinus.

"The repercussions would be too great to imagine…" Rossweisse frowned whilst she thought about the dreadful possibilities of the Longinus, Annihilation Maker towards the world.

"So it is fortunate that the Annihilation Maker user is not as proficient to fully realise his potential of using his Longinus yet. But he might have achieved a step to its potential by bringing that creature to life…" Kiba explained with a disturbing look at the end.

"Yes. It is fortunate. I truly cannot imagine if we have to fight a multitude of those beings...But I find it as a blessing that we were not facing that kind of creature today of all days. Amen…" Irina smiled gratefully while cupping her hands into a prayer.

"Irina's right." Rias spoke. "Let us count that we are lucky to avoid facing those kinds of enemies. We do not know the enemy itself nor do we know the extent of its abilities. The disadvantageous for us is too great for us to overcome if we, by any chance, face it." She explained to everyone who was listening to her intently, word by word. "Let us also count ourselves lucky that we did not face that creature because of Izayoi-kun." At the end of her sentence, Rias turns towards her husband to smile at him in appreciation.

"All of you don't need to say your appreciation. I did what I had to. That thing was too creepy to roam around in a beautiful city such as Kyoto." Izayoi stated looking amongst everyone before landing his sights on Kunou whose smiling at him for his words. "Although, I don't think that kid could cause so much trouble for the others that were fighting all over Kyoto but he was able to fend against them all by himself. —They really picked their subordinates well…" At this, the blonde turns his head away from everyone, towards the group of people standing a distance across him.

"—We are sorry, Izayoi-kun. The fault lies on our failure."

The voice of Xenovia caught his attention.

"In your absence, we thought we would be able to muster enough power to face against these new enemies. Yet, in your absence, it appears we cannot achieve such whimsical things… We're the ones who should be sorry. It is us that we are entrusted by Kunou-sama to defeat our enemies… " Xenovia shakes her head as everyone looks at her in question. "—But we can't beat them, Izayoi-kun. Issei was the only one that could battle fairly well than us." She spoke bitterly, ashamed of her weak self as Irina nodded with shame, agreeing with her wholeheartedly.

"We don't have any excuse to explain our sad predicament." Irina wore a sad smile that was directed towards Izayoi. "Sorry, ne, Izayoi-kun…? It appears we are pathetic as we can be even if we had been given training… We couldn't beat them." Irina said sourly as a few frustrating tears fell from her eyes to the ground. "We cannot even fight them on equal grounds… And yet, we thought we could at least emerge victory, it was a farce…"

"Yes, I unfortunately agree…" Rossweisse nodded solemnly, a bit shameful of their loss against their enemies. "It was not even a competition for them… We were not competitors for them whatsoever, we did not gave them any difficulties in our fight…—We were just delaying the inevitable of our loss." She thought frustratingly. Though all of them had been comforted by Kunou for their efforts to try to return her mother and had greatly appreciated her gesture of kindness. However, when the blonde arrived, they knew they had to inform him of their unsuccessful accomplishment of their mission which they felt ashamed for. Above all, they had an inkling feeling that the blonde would disapprove of them for not emerging the victor against the enemies.

"The truth hurts, indeed." Kiba smiles wryly but with a hint of sadness.

"Kiba…" Issei muttered frowning at the sight of his friends' saddened state. He cannot speak up on their behalf because he knew that everyone had given their all into each of their fight against the members of the Hero Faction. There was no error on their parts whilst they fought against the enemies. They had tried their very best to tip the scale on them but it was not enough. Their enemies were superior. Issei understood that he was lucky that he had gotten to understand his true potential, which caused him to unlock the hidden potential dwelling within him and he had grasp the first time to take revenge for his friends. "What will he say…?" Issei thought as his eyes slowly turns to his bonde senior, waiting for his response. Even though he wanted to know if he would give an appropriate response to his friends, he dreaded the other responses that he cannot imagined coming from his senior based on their performance against the members of the Hero Faction.

"All of you… What am I going to do with you?" Rias asked herself as she looked at her depressed peerage with a disapproving frown.

Just as everyone was in a depressing mood about their insecurities of failing, a voice spoke out—belonging to a certain blonde.

"So what?"

Izayoi responded as everyone looked at him in surprise.

"... You've lost to them. I understand that bit. But will this single loss affect your unseen future greatly? Is the extent of this loss made you lose all hope that you cannot get back up? I can tell you that the answer is—not. This loss is but one of the many losses you will face. Hence, you lose some, you gain some. The matter of the fact is; you cannot win them all. Anyway, I don't think you should seek me to ask for my forgiveness. Why would you? As I recall, I didn't ask you to beat them in my behalf. So, that ain't counting."

A smile crosses his face as he raised his eyebrow.

"Anyway, all of you weren't prepared. You were enjoying your school trip in the midst of this. These guys just appeared during your relaxation time. That is not fair, right? That is foul play right there if I ever saw one. No matter, you'll pay them back later, and this time, I'll give you my consent." He stated smirking as Kiba registered his words followed by the others, including Issei. "From this loss, you'll gain preservation to continue onwards because you've got—a second chance to redeem yourself and to prove them wrong this time. You know your own self better than anyone, so utilise that to the best of your own abilities,—I'm sure you'll make that count. I do not have any doubts about that happening. They won't know what'll hit them then. Am I right? I won't hear any complaint if I ever do hear one." He finished teasingly.

"Yes, you'll get another chance, nya~ So you can show them all up! You won't know unless you try, nya~" Kuroka said with a smile. "And—Vali will be happy if you do! You could be representing him for the trouble those guys caused him! Because it gets pretty annoying if he constantly listing out the problems he could spot, nya."

"You don't say?" Izayoi smirked in amusement while raising his eyebrow at Kuroka.

"Yes, nya! I swear he might be exaggerating but since he's Vali well…then everyone's become uptight about it and they try solve it in his behalf. Anyway, I'd try to stay away so I could avoid all the responsibilities that is anything to do with it, and I did for the most parts, where I'm not the one to solve it, nya~" Kuroka smiled proudly at the blonde who smiled amusingly in response.

"Kuroka onee-sama." A voice so familiar to Kuroka's ears, she turns to Koneko who was looking at her. The two looked at each other for a while before Kuroka spoke up.

"... Sorry, Shirone. —I'm not here to get you this time. But maybe some other time?" Kuroka frankly suggested as she smiles at her younger sister who looked beyond surprised at her words. "—Because this time, I'm helping Izayoi-kun to avenge one of my friends that had been kidnapped by them…" A frown curved downwards as Kuroka looks across at the Hero Faction with a serious expression and narrowed eyes.

"…You really came for her, Kuroka?" Rias asked as Kuroka glances over her right shoulder towards Rias.

"I couldn't leave Yasaka-sama to suffer by the enemies' hands, right? Anyway, little fox suffered so much from it when she doesn't need to." A small smile graces Kuroka's lips as Rias looked at her for a brief moment before she smiles and nods at her.

Rias then looks over at the blonde fox girl standing behind the sitting Asia.

"Otou-sama!" Kunou called out with tears stinging her eyes while a smile plastered on her face.

Hearing the call, the blonde in question looks over at Kunou and he returned the gesture with a smile.

"Don't worry, everything is gonna be alright from now on." He assured Kunou who nods at her father with confidence.

"…I believe you, Otou-sama. Please…save Okaa-sama, Otou-sama!"

"I'm gonna bring her back." He answered before turning his focus at Cao Cao and the Hero Faction who looked directly at him. "No matter what." He said nonchalantly as everyone looks at him.

"Izayoi-kun…" Rossweisse muttered staring at him before a small smile lift up across her cheek. "…We'll leave the rest to you."

"Kuroka onee-sama…" Koneko uttered in disbelief at her elder sister who stood by her senior's side. Koneko was in a state of disbelief as she heard her elder sister's words and her purpose of being here at this moment. Her purpose; to help her friend in need. "Yasaka-sama is Kuroka onee-sama's friend…?" Koneko asked herself as she did not think of the possibility of her sister having friends other than her subordinates in her group, with the exception of her blonde senior that Koneko knew her sister has affections for.

Frozen on the spot, Koneko cannot identify her sister right now as she stood next to her blonde senior and is helping him—alongside them. Koneko looked at her sister who is standing along the same side as the rest of them rather than against them, for once… Koneko never thought of her sister's strange behaviour at this moment.

"Koneko-chan…? Are you a-alright?" Gasper looked at the white haired Nekomata with worry. He looked at the silent state she was in and she did not seem to be responsive to his question. "...Koneko-chan?" He tried calling her name again. Just as he started to worry more for Koneko, Gasper watches as Rias appears in front of him and Koneko. He looked up at her and sees her raising her hand and—pats Koneko's head gently.

The action causes Koneko to jerk out of her stupor and she looks up towards the smiling Rias.

"I know… You have a lot of questions to ask. I'm willing to answer those that I can. But for those I cannot… there is nothing to worry. You'll have plenty of chances to tell her, after this. Understand?"

Rias smiled down at Koneko who nods in response, before the red haired looks over her shoulder towards Izayoi.

"Izayoi-kun." Kuroka called turning her body to face the Nine-Tailed Fox facing off against Saji-Vritra and Yu-Long while Deen stood ways from the battle. "I don't understand. Why is she like that? Is she herself? This is not like her… Can't she…?" She trailed off as she cannot understand the scene of Yasaka in her Nine-Tailed Fox form battling their allies. "What is happening to her?"

"I have a hunch on why."

Izayoi answered looking at the rampaging Nine-Tailed Fox.

"They were the ones." Issei spoke. "They were planning to summon Great Red using her."

"Like Issei-san said, they were the ones who did it. They are controlling Yasaka-sama, Izayoi-senpai." Asia said to the blonde who glances at her over his right shoulder. "Yasaka-sama has her mind being controlled by them!"

Hearing both Issei and Asia's answers, the blonde shifted his gaze from them before his gaze settled upon Cao Cao and Hero Faction. An unsettling gaze settled upon the blonde's expression as a serious frown appeared on his lips.

"…I take it you're the ones that kidnapped her?"

A serious tone could be heard from the blonde as everyone looked at him in mild surprise from his change of tone. Including Kuroka who looks at the blonde with matching surprise but she then replaces it with her own serious expression as she faced the Hero Faction.

Addressing the blonde, Cao Cao smiles as a gesture.

"...I see that the word of mouth served you well to know about her disappearance. Anyway, I won't take up too much of your time to answer. My apologies… Since you want a direct answer for your question, then…—Yes. It was an opportunity we cannot hope to pass by. We kidnapped her the day where you're not present, Sakamaki—"

Just as he wanted to finish the sentence by the blonde's name, the sound of an explosion occurs as Cao Cao's eyes widen considerably wide and a great amount of blood blasted out from his agape mouth!

"…What…?"

That single thought crosses Cao Cao's thought process as he tried to access the sudden situation upon him. He tasted the bitter blood along his tongue as he grimaced painfully. Finally registering the pain he was experiencing, his gaze settled on the blonde who stood closely in front of him, a few centimetres separating between them, a cold expression on his face whilst glaring his cold eyes into his. In that moment, Cao Cao felt fear or something closely-related to that feeling as he stares at the cold eyes of Sakamaki Izayoi. However, he hid the feelings before it could surface on his grimacing expression as he grits his teeth and grunted.

"—That's all I need to know."

The blonde answered. His deep and serious tone echoed through the ears of Cao Cao and the Hero Faction's members gathered behind Cao Cao.

Georg, the one who stood close behind Cao Cao moments ago, had blood blasted towards his face and hair. The blood of Cao Cao had painted him red. Georg slowly reaches up towards his face and touches his forehead, feeling the liquid dropping downwards along his face. He pulled back his right hand to see the blood staining his hand and he looks up at his leader, Cao Cao, dropping the True Longinus to the ground.

Meanwhile, the other Hero Faction members barely registered what had happened with their eyes before they started to react and turns to see their leader, Cao Cao being pierced through his body by a fist, caked with his own blood. Every Hero Faction member could see blood staining the lower part of Cao Cao's attire. Other than that, blood started dropping rapidly to form a big pool of blood around Cao Cao's feet.

Shocked looks were shared amongst the members at that exact moment.

"Impossible…He can't be that fast! I didn't even register his movement until it was too late." Siegfried thought before he registered the amount of blood blasted from Cao Cao's back, a result of a fist piercing his back.

Shocked, Siegfried continued watching the scene in front of him as the seconds pass before he heard Cao Cao grunted in pain loudly, and he immediately retaliate, pushing away his train of thoughts and charged at Izayoi!

"Get away from him!"

Siegfried shouted defiantly at him as the blonde in question glances over Cao Cao's shoulder to see him approaching before he pulled his bloodied hand from Cao Cao's body and sent Cao Cao flying backwards with a kick, and instantly collided the five demon swords with one light sword coming down at him—with his left arm.

"What—!"

Siegfried 's shocked eyes gazes over the blonde's hand that blocked all of the six swords. His expression did not hide the shocking feeling he felt as he looks over at all six of his swords in his possession and none of them did not land a—single scratch on the blonde's arm!

"What is the meaning of this?!" Siegfried asked in disbelief and shock at the imagery in front of him. He cannot seem to accept the reality faced in front of him and he tried to deny the seemingly impossible feat displayed by the blonde but it was for naught because he could clearly see it with both eyes.

Meanwhile, the spectators nearby watched the shocking scene.

"Otou-sama…blocked all of those blades with only his arm…—and he did not get hurt by them at all?" Kunou looked over at her father with wide eyes. She along with the others were watching the spectacle in disbelief. Kunou was worried when she watched Siegfried preyed on her father and prepared to strike him down with all six of his swords. She could sense the powerful energy coming from all six swords, which caused her to worry for her father. But she was beyond shocked when she ought to find that her father had blocked all of the six words which emanates powerful energies for each sword, and it did not leave him injured at all.

"I cannot believe it myself…For Izayoi-senpai to remain unscathed at all five of the powerful demon swords in Siegfried's possession…" Kiba commented in disbelief. His wide eyes cannot seem to register what was in front of him.

"Izayoi-senpai was unharmed by all of those Demonic Swords?" Xenovia asked. "One of those is Gram, the most powerful Demonic Sword…and it did not leave an imprint on him. This is really… "

"Gram, Balmung, Dainsleif, Nothung, Tyrfing and a sword made out of light…But almost all of them are Demonic Swords…And It didn't do anything to Izayoi-kun…" Irina gawked in shock.

"To remain unharmed by a combined strike of five Demonic Swords and one of them is the most powerful Demonic Sword of them all…" Akeno spoke. "If anyone were to be struck down by the combined might of all those swords, they would not have any chance of living or live to tell the tale. Though I can't say I knew anyone who survived, and his limbs remained intact…Though I stand to be corrected if a certain man blocked the Demonic Swords with his arm only." Akeno smiled slyly.

"No human should be able to defend much less be able to block those Demonic Swords…" Rossweisse thought silently. "It's either brazen or of stupidity to make such a move…But why is it that Izayoi-kun is able to do the…impossible…? He wouldn't think much to dodge if he knew he is facing an opponent who wields Demonic Swords." She talked to herself as she tried to understand the phenomenon in front of her. There was no explanations she could think of that could possible explain the outrageous situation presented in front of her.

"Hmm…" The First Generation Monkey King who stood silently on top of a pile of debris, watches in interest at the view of Izayoi single-handedly blocked all of the Demonic Swords, without as much as a single drop of blood shed. "That individual is interesting…Not only has the capability to destroy a massive creature in one blow and unleash destruction across all of Kyoto but to display such tremendous resilience against magical items such as the Demonic Swords…" Sun Wukong muttered to himself as he watched the fight scene. "In addition to displaying these traits…He's a human." Sun Wukong commented once he senses the energy within the blonde. As he tried sensing the energy a bit more in depth, a small frown curved downwards on Sun Wukong's face. "What...is this...?"

"Cat got your tongue?"

Siegfried looks down at the cold eyes belonging to that of Sakamaki Izayoi while they stood in a standstill. Siegfried then turns his attention at the last second to look at the True Longinus in the blonde's right hand. At that moment, it had already ended as Siegfried reacted too late and watches helplessly as the blonde easily pushes the six demon swords with his arm and disappears instantly.

Not a second too soon, Siegfried glances over the corner of his face to see the blonde standing behind him. A huge slicing motion appeared and then, Siegfried felt it. "Argh!" His breath escapes him as he falls forward with his left arm, and two scaled arms cut off from his body. Blood shoots out from his body as he fell into a puddle of blood."This is simply...impossible!? He...can't be this powerful..." Siegfried's last thoughts echoed through his head before he slipped into unconsciousness. Immense yet overwhelming pain coupled with mental shock were the cause for his conscious to fail him.

"Sig-kun!"

"Bastard!" Heracles yelled out as he appeared in front of the blonde wielding spear with a raised fist.

Turning his head to face the huge man, the blonde glares at him as Heracles's huge body overshadows him as he nears. Shifting his footing, the blonde retaliates.

In that turn of a second, Heracles's scowling face turned to shock as he watched blood shoots out from his extended arm once his fist collided with Izayoi's left fist. Stepping back, Heracles look up towards the blonde but was only given less than a second to react as a fist buried itself inside his stomach. Cracking sounds escaped his body as Heracles could only stared in shock at the blonde's display of enormous strength. His mouth agape as Heracles fall backwards on the ground, unconscious.

"Get him, my child!" Jeanne pointed out her hand towards Izayoi who looks at the massive dragon made up of uncountable holy swords, charging at him.

Without uttering a word, the blonde jumps upwards above the massive dragon before he slams both feet through the dragon's body and landed on the ground just as pieces of holy swords scattered throughout the area. The blonde stands up from his crouch position and looks at Jeanne who looked beyond shocked.

"How dare you!" Jeanne retorted as she charges at him with her sword in hand.

"Do you think I'm at fault? You're gravely mistaken. You're the one who made the first move." Izayoi coldly replied before reappearing behind Jeanne who stops and looks at the blood staining her uniform.

"No..." Jeanne muttered before she falls forward.

Standing behind the fallen Jeanne, Izayoi turned his attention towards Cao Cao who was supported to stand by Georg who held him up by the shoulder. With the majority of the Hero Faction fell, the blonde started walking slowly towards the two. His expression remain unchanged; cold glaring eyes and a frown.

Watching as the blonde walk towards them, Georg muttered his apology to Cao Cao and slowly lowered him down until he could kneel down on the ground successfully. Once Cao Cao can support himself, Georg walks forward separating a distance away from Cao Cao before he stops.

At the same time, Izayoi stops.

Watching the blonde stopped at where he stood, Georg immediately raises his hand—as mist started to spread rapidly all around him and Cao Cao. After that, Georg narrows his eyes as the mist started thickening.

"You will not walk any further! You have caused enough destruction for once!"

"Says who?"

Georg's voice cracked as he looks in shock to see Izayoi appearing in front of the mist before punching his free fist forward and into his stomach, breaking bones.

It was but a second that the blonde managed to penetrate the mist acting as the barrier and Georg cannot be anymore shock that he was at the moment, even as he gasped for breath at the feeling of air escaping out of his lungs.

"A-Argh! W-What did he do?!" Georg thought about the possibilities of the blonde's power to make his Sacred Gear useless as he coughed up blood from his throat. Blood leak from the corner of his mouth as he tried to speak up. "D-Did he chanted a spell?!" He barely finished his sentence to be heard as the blonde looks at Georg.

"You'd think I use a spell? For your information, I'm just a human. But I'm sure you already know that much about me..." Izayoi answered seemingly knowing what Georg was thinking as Georg fly backwards and fell to the surface of the ground, a good distance from both Izayoi and Cao Cao. Once Georg fell and did not get back up after a moment of silence, the blonde turns his gaze towards Cao Cao kneeling down on the ground before he heard boisterous laughter coming from him.

"Hahaha, so it is true after all."

Cao Cao laughed wholehearted as best as he could to picture his overall amusement while he held his bleeding stomach. Despite his high tolerance of pain, Cao Cao gradually felt his breath turned ragged from time to time. His blood kept flowing out slowly from his stomach while he kept his hand to cover the wound in order to minimize the outflow of blood. Apart from that, sweat was pouring out from his pores. He could feel sweat forming on his forehead and slowly falling down to his chin. His heartbeat was steadily beating calmly after it took him a while to calm the organ after sustaining his current injury. Even if he took account of all the things felt by him at the moment, he simply ignores them in place of this exhilarating yet enjoyable meeting between humans...

"...You have quite an interesting relationship with the Kyuubi leader. For you to act the way you do right now...I don't think anyone had ever seen this side of you before..."

He glances slightly towards the Gremory group who looked none other than surprised at the blonde's actions.

"Or I could be mistaken...My apologies if I do." Cao Cao smiled with mirth as he looks up at Izayoi who frowns upon him. "The Nine-Tailed Fox is someone of importance to you, is it not? If she wasn't kidnap in the first place, you wouldn't go through all this trouble to save her."

"...Trouble, you say? You didn't give any challenge to me whatsoever. Why are you declaring yourself and your supposed faction a challenge as you said you are? You're anything but a challenge to me." As he ends his speech, the blonde throws the True Longinus towards Cao Cao as it rolls around and stops in front of Cao Cao. "Humans like you aren't strong enough to back up what they say if anything. You're weak as the other humans in this world if I have anything to say about your faction. You can't even beat a human let alone one in spite of obtaining powerful so-called Sacred Gears." The blonde chuckles mockingly as Cao Cao frowned deeply at him before he attempts to stand despite the blood flowing down to the ground from his bleeding stomach.

"I'll—show you!"

Cao Cao exclaimed with a serious expression as he instantly grasped the True Longinus tightly with his bloodied right hand and pierces it forth, directly towards Izayoi!

"—O spear! The true holy spear that even pierces God! Absorb the tyrant's ambition sleeping within me, blessing and destruction will be—" He stopped chanting as bursts of light particles flow outwards from the tip of the True Longinus. Though the spectacle enraptures his attention fully to his confusion, his eyes glazed over the finger that stops the True Longinus...

"—What?" He muttered. "That can't be possible!" He exclaimed defiantly as he sees the unscathed finger blocking the tip of the True Longinus.

"Judging from that incantation, you're going to Balance Break? Why stop at this point? What's stopping you from unleashing the ability of this Sacred Gear? I'm curious myself..." A small mocking grin appears on Izayoi's face as Cao Cao gritted his teeth before pulling away his spear and putting some distance between them. But he then kneels down in response once he landed on the ground as he registered the overgrowing pain spreading throughout his body.

Looking down at his bleeding stomach, Cao Cao could already feel his vision deteriorating and his consciousness slipping in and out.

"It looks like I spent too much time… For me to downgrade myself to this state… It is truly shameful..."

Cao Cao thought however a small smile was playing on his lips.

"—I have no qualms about it...—Vali was right. You are the Strongest Human in history. Perhaps in the world..." Cao Cao stated looking up at the blonde, recalling one of the conversations he shared with Vali in the past about the existence of the proclaimed Strongest Human. "—But then, it makes you the biggest threat to us—our goals. It will continue to be like that if we do not take precautionary measure beforehand..."

He stated as he glances through all of his fallen comrades. He noticed the critical injuries sustained on Heracles and Siegfried in which they needed immediate attention to look after. Looking down at his bleeding right hand covering his bleeding stomach, Cao Cao opted to contemplate about the dire situation they were in.

Glancing sharply at the rampaging Nine-Tailed Fox within his sights, he turns towards Georg lying face down on the ground a distance behind him. However, he had noticed his comrade started to get up and had knelt on one knee. Cao Cao made a brief eye contact with Georg at that time. Deciding that they had stall time too much, Cao Cao had made the decision.

Gripping the base of his spear in his left hand, Cao Cao waited for a brief silence before shouting out loud.

"Georg!"

At his call, Georg did not hesitate to use his Sacred Gear. In an instance, mist started to spread around Cao Cao and his fallen comrades. "...You will be dealt with, Sakamaki Izayoi. I can guarantee that... Although it is shameful that we cannot stand at the same side much less face against you equally however you have made your decision to stand against our ideals. I can respect that... When I think about it, it is quite shameful for us to meet for the first time and the last..."

Registering the words spoken, Izayoi did not spoke out to question the hidden meaning behind the word and only watches Cao Cao being wrapped by the mist.

"From today's event, though unfortunate that it is our loss, I am really honoured to have an audience with you, truly. It is really true that the Gremory Prince of Destruction is as strong as they say. Judging by the destruction of the entirety of the Kyoto imitation...—It shows that the mere rumours are not just rumours, that is what I can tell you. Hah...hah...I will not forget about our first encounter, Sakamaki Izayoi. It is truly an unforgettable and it will be an unforgettable memory embedded in my mind. To be utterly defeated and feeling shame this horrid... This is really a situation between opposing humans with different ideals...Don't you feel the same?"

Cao Cao breathes before smiling up towards Izayoi.

"Anyway, I congratulate you that you have come here. I reckon that you're the one that had gotten past Leonardo?"

"I don't know why you're involving kids his age with your scheme..."

"He has a unique compatibility with the Sacred Gear as far as I have known. Yes, we scoured for individuals like him, but we did not manipulate them of their volition. They came to us willingly." Cao Cao explained to the blonde, but he did not receive any response. "Ah...I understand that you will not have any response for my justification. I cannot apprehend you for that. But you have to understand… we are here only to realize our goals for the future of mankind."

"That's almost laughable."

"You might be right according to your perspective, but it is what we seek right."

"Anyway, don't you think you're dragging our conversation a little too long...?"

"Yes, I cannot hide the truth behind that. Although it is nice talking with you, Sakamaki Izayoi but alas, this is our last meeting with each other. They will be coming for you. Oh, before we depart, your purpose for coming here is to save the leader of the Youkai, is it not? Your Nine-Tailed Queen? As a parting gift, we'll hand her to you. No strings attached."

At this, Izayoi narrows his eyes at Cao Cao's last words before he heard Georg shouted to the skies.

"Come, Kyuubi!" Georg called as Izayoi lifted his head up to look at Yasaka instantly appearing through a teleportation circle, in front of him while baring her sharp teeth.

Some time ago…

"Is this really the leader of the Youkais' in Kyoto? She is not having any difficulties alone facing us three...Before that, she is capable to fight against two Great Dragon Kings...I thought it would even the scale if I were to be included. But it's not…" Asuka frowned a little. "It's not that we are powerless...But Yasaka-sama is truly a powerful foe!" She said in realisation. "To battle against a Nine-Tailed Fox, their strength are no pushover." Asuka stated before she stole a glance towards her right. "Deen!"

Deen's lone eye shines brightly before it punches its right first, stretching it to deflect two giant tails from landing a strike towards Yu-Long.

"...Yet—this is not Yasaka-sama! This is the power of a Nine-Tailed Fox on itself!" Asuka thought before Deen retracts its fist just as Yu-Long and Saji-Vritra flew down near her.

"I don't understand. With Asuka-san's help, there is not much opening for them to attack and we have a lot of opportunities to strike. But the enemy…"

"They always used their tails to either attack or defend…"

"Whenever it poses an opening, they always seem to know to defend it at the right time too…"

"But for us to restrict the use of all of her tails…"

"It's suicidal. The Nine-Tailed Fox we're facing is not just an enemy. It can manipulate flames as strong as I. And it can be produce in many ways. Hence, their tails…"

"I don't want to burn myself alive trying to restrict those tails...I'd be fried!"

"There's not a lot of openings, yet we have a lot of chances to act. But it always perceives our strikes precisely...This enemy…" Asuka mindfully thought, trying to figure ways to resolve the problem at hand. "...I guess there's no choice at this point…"

"Do you have any idea, Asuka-san?"

"...—We have to subdue the enemy. Or at least topple them down. —So I can get closer to them to grasp the opportunity. Can you do that? It does not matter how, but this is the only way…"

"Okay. We'll do something about it."

"Yeah! Topple the enemy down? I might just have the plan!"

"No, I refuse to listen to his plans. It's nothing but…" Vritra was interrupted by Yu-Long.

"We just have catch her off-guard is all! We don't have to think much! Don't worry, missy! We'll give you the chance for you to get closer!" Yu-Long said as Asuka respond with a smile. "Anyway, let's go, Vritra!"

"Yeah!"

As Saji-Vritra flew upwards into the skies, following Yu-Long, the Nine-Tailed Fox looks towards Asuka and Deen. Her eyes immediately locked onto them, primarily Deen. The Nine-Tailed Fox bare her sharp fangs as smoke puffed out from the sides of the mouth.

"This is it…" Asuka grips upon the flute within her right hand as she observed the Nine-Tailed Fox for a moment before it steps forward—and instantly stampedes towards her! Inhaling a deep breath, Asuka continue watching the Nine-Tailed Fox nearing her. And just as the Nine-Tailed Fox closes in on a considerate amount of space between them, Asuka immediately raise her flute towards the Nine-Tailed Fox. Narrowing her eyes at the subtle moves of the nine tails behind the enemy, she spoke out her command.

"Defend, Deen!"

Just as she commanded, Deen erected the barrier of light just in time to stop six giant tails striking down at them with the tips of their tails. Although the combined force of six fox tails causes Deen to move a bit from its original spot however the barrier of light was not broken by the brute strength. Accessing the situation right before her eyes, Asuka commanded Deen.

"Deen! Move forth!"

"DEEEEEEENNNN!" Deen bellowed its name mechanically as its lone eye lits up and it trudges forward with the erected barrier of light—even pushing back the Nine-Tailed Fox! The struggle of dominance continues as the Nine-Tailed Fox tried to maintain the dominance over Deen that was constantly pushing it back little by little.

"Is this distance alright?" Asuka asked in thought before she heard something—coming right from above her! Rearing her head back to look up, she watches as dozens of balls of blacken flames struck down the Nine-Tailed Fox! Following after that, a few dozens of giant fireballs found its way to strike the nine tails of the fox.

At the moment where the fire balls struck the nine tails of the fox, it withdrew them back and Asuka instantly took the opportunity!

"Deen! Swept her across!"

"DEEEEEEEEEENNN!" Deen forgone the barrier of light before it instantly punches its right fist towards the Nine-Tailed Fox who had been focused towards the skies, and landed a firm hit towards the chest.

"This time!" Asuka rises her flute forward before streams of fire balls appears in existence and immediately flew towards its target. As the streams of fire balls had found its target, the Nine-Tailed Fox roared in pain. However it did not stop there, in spite of punching the chest, Deen kept pushing her across a considerable distance with its stretching fist before blurs of black and green instantly came down towards the vulnerable Nine-Tailed Fox.

"I have to seize this opportunity!" Asuka thought as she knew this was the opportunity they were waiting for. Glancing at Deen from her right, she looks forward and took a step before jumping from the ledge of Deen's shoulder.

"Deen! Get me across to them!" Asuka's eyes lit up in red before she landed safely on Deen's free hand before it stretches across towards the downed Nine-Tailed Fox. Just as she arrived, she heard Saji spoke up to her.

"So, how do we proceed from here, Asuka-san?"

"I'll have to directly face her for a second." Asuka answered before she stood over the face of the Nine-Tailed Fox. She watches as the Nine-Tailed Fox shakes her head before opening her dilated eyes to look upon Asuka. At the same time, all of the tips of the fox's tails started to lit up in black flames.

"I thought this would happen…" Vritra spoke. "Are you sure we should trust on this girl for what it's worth?"

"If Izayoi-senpai sent her to help us, he must of known something that we do not that could make her be advantageous for our sake. Anyway, Asuka-san helped us a lot during our fight. If Izayoi-senpai trusts her, I will trust her and his decision." Just as Saji finishes his claim, he was startled by the loud voice that broke his concentration of their conversation.

"—Yasaka-sama!"

Asuka called out as her eyes lit up in red! At the same time, the Nine-Tailed Fox's eyes simultaneously lit up in red!

"I command you to release yourself from this trance! This trance that binds you to its user's commands! Break the bindings that bound you to his—"

Just before Asuka could finish, a giant magic circle appeared beneath the Nine-Tailed Fox!

"What is this?!" Yu-Long asked keeping a hold of four tails in his grasp as he looks over the magic circle.

"This is...a teleportation circle!" Vritra stated.

"What?!" Saji looked over at the magic circle in surprise. "Who could be…" As soon as Saji speaks up, the Nine-Tailed Fox vanishes along with the disappearance of the giant magic circle.

"The missy almost got it." Yu-Long claimed as Saji-Vritra looked down in a bit of shame before looking over Asuka.

"—Whoever the user is, he summoned Yasaka-sama." Asuka said before she faces her body towards the direction of where she knew Izayoi was. Not a moment passed by that she saw an outline of a giant being in the distance. The Nine-Tailed Fox in its glory baring teeth towards one blonde...

"—No...Okaa-sama, no…"

Shirayuki-Hime distinctly heard the voice as she looks down over at Kunou. Her eyes could detect that nine of her fox tails were swishing to left and right nervously. She could also see that her hands shake at her sides. Adorning a worried look over the state of Kunou, Shirayuki-Hime slowly stretches her hand outwards towards Kunou.

"Kunou-sama?" Shirayuki-Hime called out to her. Just before she could touch Kunou's shoulder, she was caught by surprise at her shoulder avoiding her touch—at the start of her running away. "Kunou-sama!" She shouted at her, which caught the attention of many. However, in the midst of everyone's confusion, they were all too late to stop the speeding Kunou amongst them. Both Rias and Kuroka were the ones that look behind them just in time to see Kunou running passed them—towards Izayoi standing in front of the Yasaka in her Nine-Tailed Fox form.

"Little fox…" Kuroka frowned.

"Kunou…" Standing near Kunou, Rias frowned as she reacted too late to prevent the young girl to run. Although she understood the reason of her running, Rias knew the current situation especially involving the controlled Yasaka is far too dangerous for the girl to be involved. "—Kuroka?" Rias called as Kuroka turns towards her. "Please." She asked of her with a single word but Kuroka understand it fully without any further explanations.

Nodding her head slightly, Kuroka instantly teleported away, leaving Rias to stand on her spot while watching the running Kunou slowly coming closer towards both Izayoi and the controlled Yasaka.

"She can make it." Rias remarked confidently as Koneko walked up to stand next to her. "—I trust in your elder sister. I understand your past will never be rewritten and should stay in the past. You don't want to relieve it again, I am sure. It was a tough time to you. But as I grew to know your sister, she felt the same way as you…—Right now, she is changing for the better. She started changing ever since she met with Izayoi-kun. So I hope you will be able to witness her changes, if it is not for her then for you, Koneko. Because—I have."

At her last words, Koneko looked up at her.

"Buchou…"

Panting, Kunou ran forward with all of her strength without any break as she started to see she was getting closer and closer towards her parents standing across each other. Even if she had witnessed her father's domineering power over defeating the entire Hero Faction members which surprises her, however she felt bigger fear for him when she saw her mother in her Nine-Tailed Fox form baring her teeth at him...

"Okaa-sama, please don't...I know you're not yourself but he's finally here, Okaa-sama. Otou-sama is right in front of you! Don't you see?" Kunou said mentally as she ran. She knew her mother was not herself and was being controlled, but she does not want to doubt herself that her mother cannot recognize her father and possibly break out the spell binding her will. "Okaa-sama, I know you don't want to fight Otou-sama...I know you don't!" She pleaded in her mind. "Otou-sama does not want to fight you too, Okaa-sama. So please...please snap out of it…!" Kunou thought running before stopping once she close enough.

"Okaa-sama, please don't fight Otou-sama! Don't hurt Otou-sama!" Kunou yelled out at her mother, wishing she could be heard by her. "So please...This is not like you, Okaa-sama! You love Otou-sama, don't you?!" She shouted towards the Nine-Tailed Fox.

"?!"

"Did she heard her?" Izayoi thought as he sees the Nine-Tailed Fox slowly turned her head down with closed eyes. Her fox ears curled a bit at their tips. The blonde narrow his eyes at the pair of closed eyes. As he gazes at where the eyes of the Nine-Tailed Fox, he gotten a glimpse when one of them opens.

A glimpse of the dilated eye reverting to normal—before it vanishes instantly.

"Okaa-sama?" Kunou called when she had gotten a look of her mother drew her head down. Taking a step forward with a bit of caution, she reaches out her hand towards her mother. "Okaa-sama. It's me, Kunou. Okaa-sama, please...You're not like this, at all. Please come back to us, Okaa-sama. Otou-sama and I are here!" Kunou claimed towards the silent Nine-Tailed Fox. "We want you back!" She finishes before she looks at the Nine-Tailed Fox who begins to move her head and she sees a pair of fox eyes looking at her. Dilated ones.

"Okaa-sama…?" Kunou called out slowly.

"Did she gotten through? Ojou-sama must have done something in time…" Izayoi thought before stealing a glance at Kunou looking pleadingly. But just as he had stolen a glance towards Kunou, at that moment, the blonde instantly catches a few giants fox tails at the corner of his eyes that went passed him in an instance—and straight towards Kunou!

"Damn it!" The blonde blamed his ignorance.

"Okaa-sama?" Kunou uttered as she watches the fox tails head straight towards her to strike her. "Okaa-sama…" Kunou's eyes grew fearful and teary as she look on in disbelief at her mother's actions. As the fox tails closes in on her, Kunou closes her eyes. "Otou-sama!" Once she shouted her father to save her, the atmosphere grew silent after a moment passed. Then, out of nowhere, Kunou felt a pair of arms wrapped around her protectively from her back.

"Kunou. You can open your eyes now. There's no need to close them anymore." A voice awakens Kunou who heard the familiar voice and she opens her eyes. Her eyes immediately recognized her father's back greeting her. She then let her eyes travelled from her father standing protectively in front of her towards the—fox tails he had blocked with both of his palms, stopping them just before they struck. "I know it's hard to believe but this is not your mother. She wouldn't never do this to you. Your mother can't respond to you any longer but you did well, Kunou. From now on, leave it to me, alright?"

"But what about you, Otou-sama? Won't you get hurt?"

"I'll be fine. You don't have to worry much about me. But you did an irresponsible thing, Kunou. It's not safe for you to come close to your mother right now. She's not herself. You know that right?" Izayoi looked at the foxtails who were trying to push him. "I don't want you getting hurt and your mother feels the same way…Do you want her to know if she had hurt you? Because she came close to you..." He glances behind at Kunou.

"I don't want Okaa-sama to know…" Kunou looks down, feeling guilty about her behaviour. "Okaa-sama is not herself. She would never done this."

"Yes. That's right, Kunou."

"I-I won't do it again...I understand that it's something I shouldn't do. But I can't let Okaa-sama hurt you, Otou-sama. I don't want both of you to fight!"

"I understand now…"

"Then, you won't hurt Okaa-sama, Otou-sama?"

"You have my word." At this moment, Izayoi turns his head halfway to look at Kunou over his left shoulder and sent her a reassuring smile. "In the meantime, you have to stand back with Kuroka."

Staring at him, Kunou looks up at Kuroka crouching behind her and was the one who wrapped her arms around her in safety.

"Come on, little fox." At the soft tone of Kuroka, Kunou nods to her before the two of them teleported a good distance away.

Just as they both teleported, the blonde turned his head to look at the fox tails he grasped with both hands. He then noticed the Nine-Tailed Fox slowly crept forward while applying stronger pressure each time she got closer to him. However the immense pressure against the blonde did not deter him at all as he stood his ground without moving an inch from his spot.

He smirked as he look up amidst the fox tails, connecting his eyes with the pair of golden yellow fox eyes staring down at him. His eyes then trails towards the existent smoke rising from the corners of the fox's mouth and he kept smirking.

"Come on...Is that all you got?!"

The blonde mocked towards the Nine-Tailed Fox that reacted to his mocking before she opens her mouth, withdrawing her tails away instantly in response. and exhales a giant blast of fox fire reminiscent of blue towards the lone blonde!

"Otou-sama!" Kunou shouted with wide eyes as she reached out her right hand towards him.

But then, a hand came upon Kunou's right shoulder and Kuroka's voice spoke up above her.

"It'll be alright, little fox."

"What…?" Kunou looks up at her in disbelief before turning to look at the foxfire coming closer towards her father.

"You think this is all you got?" Izayoi smirked once the foxfire gotten close that he could feel its overwhelming temperature. "This is not enough!" He stated before pulling back his fist and punching the foxfire straight at its center—destroying the assault in an instance!

"Otou-sama destroyed it…?" Kunou questioned at the disbelieving spectacle in front of her. "But how…?"

"Your father is a really amazing person, little fox. He is not someone you can mess around with easily." Kuroka smiles down at Kunou before turning to watch her lover facing off against the Nine-Tailed Fox.

"?!" The Nine-Tailed Fox expressed shock at the failed assault by withdrawing her head back slightly before she snarled angrily, baring her teeth.

Looking up at the agitated Nine-Tailed Fox, Izayoi merely hold up his right hand and mockingly beckons her to him. Not a moment too soon, he raise his right hand to stop a giant paw intent to strike him down..

"Good." The blonde nods at the strength behind the strike. Grasping the giant paw, he merely shifted the paw to the right with ease, allowing him to look at the pair of fox eyes staring down at him. "Got anymore?" He asked before he was greeted by yellow that instantly obscured his vision. With his sight blinded, the blonde relied on his other senses and he immediately felt his body restrained by one of the fox tails. He noticed the appendage wrapped around him tightened, and he felt the temperature around the surface of the tail risen, making him secretly grins. "This is more like it…"

Meanwhile, everyone watches the fox tail that was wrapped around the blonde, tightening before it started to lit up with fox fire!

"She would go to that extreminity?" Rossweisse asked wide eyed.

"Will Izayoi-senpai be alright?" Asia begin to whisper as she stood near Issei.

"He'll be alright. He is our senior, after all." Issei reassures her with a smile. "He wouldn't let anything get past him. So we should trust him. Anyway, he's here to help Kunou-sama right?"

Hearing his comforting words, a smile spread across Asia's face.

"You're...right, Issei-san."

"You shouldn't be so worried like the others." Percher advised to Shirayuki-Hime who stood in front of her. "He's not going to get fried so easily." She stated while glancing at the worried looks of the others who is watching the tense spectacle.

"Wouldn't you be worried?"

"He wouldn't be my master if he can't survive this kind of thing." Pest claimed nonchalantly to Shirayuki-Hime who glances at her in surprise. "What about you? Would you care to serve for a weak master?"

"My master is anything but weak." Shirayuki-Hime sharply replied with a smirk.

"And there you go."

"Otou-sama…" Kunou bit her lips in anxiety. But just as she was worried, she immediately felt a burst of wind colliding against her and she quickly shut her eyes to prevent wind getting in them. As the wind dissipates, she opens her eyes and looks at the spot where her father stood. She withheld a gasp as she look at her father standing in the same spot, unscathed minus the burns marks over some parts of his clothing. Meanwhile, she notice the appendage of the fox tail had moved back to its place. Turning to her father, Kunou could see that her father did not tolerate the burn marks and was standing perfectly fine.

"Although this is turning out to be fun, but I don't think I should prolong it any longer. There is nothing to do than to fight you head on as a fox, huh?" Izayoi smirked as he stood across the Nine-Tailed Fox. Shifting his foot away to widen his stance, he tightens his hand into a fist. "Your daughter's waiting for you, Yasaka and I cannot disappoint as her father. —Do you really want to disappoint your daughter by seeing you like this? You should snap out of it, Yasaka…" The blonde directly look at the pair of fox eyes staring down at him. "I know you can hear me. Snap out of it, Yasaka…!"

"...T...That voice...Who is that?"

The Nine-Tailed Fox rears her head back, withholding some kind of imaginary pain.

"Georg!" Cao Cao called once he looked upon the strange spectacle of the Nine-Tailed Fox's behaviour. Meanwhile, Georg nodded at his leader's command and directed his right hand towards the Nine-Tailed Fox.

The Nine-Tailed Fox continue to rear her head back and forth slowly. But then a gigantic magic circle appears beneath her and it glowed brightly, which causes the Nine-Tailed Fox to stop its behaviour and it immediately locked her sights towards Izayoi again. Her fox eyes glowed brightly due to the effect of the magic circle.

"Are you sure you like being controlled, Yasaka?!" Izayoi shouted as he saw his reflection reflected against the Nine-Tailed Fox's eyes.

At the imagery of the blonde stuck within her vision, something triggered in the deep recesses within the consciousness of the controlled Yasaka. The trigger was becoming stronger by the projection of the imagery and voice provided by the blonde that was standing within her sight.

"—I know...that voice...Izayoi-kun…He's standing in front...of me..."

"Do you want this to be difficult as it is? Come on, answer me? What would Kunou say if she watched us fight?"

"Ugh...Argh...Kunou...My daughter wouldn't like it...She wouldn't like to see...us fight…—"

The Nine-Tailed Fox reared her head back and roared loudly towards the skies! Everyone in the vicinity were now paying their absolute attention of the Nine-Tailed Fox's actions.

"Did Izayoi-kun managed to get through to her?" Rias asked in thought. "He surely have by the reaction it got from Yasaka-sama...All we have to hope now is that it is enough."

Letting down her head, the Nine-Tailed Fox looks down towards Izayoi. The pair of fox eyes of golden yellow shone brightly against the night. Suddenly, smoke rose from the corner of the Nine-Tailed Fox's mouth before it instantly lunges her head towards Izayoi.

"Is it not enough…?!" Rias asked herself in deep worry.

"Otou-sama!" Kunou shouted with wide eyes.

"There!" Izayoi stated grasping his hands onto the upper and lower mouth of the Nine-Tailed Fox. However, the appearance of the foxfire started accumulating within the fox's mouth and Izayoi started clamping down on both jaws. "You're not getting any free shots now, Yasaka!" He smirked as he look up at the pair of fox eyes above him. "If you can hear me, then you'll likely answer correctly." He stated before he clamped both jaws down of the fox's mouth on each other and then he slam the chin on the ground, causing a burst of wind to spread everywhere as a result. "This'll hold you down for a bit."

Everyone shielded themselves from the burst of wind before they resume on watching the event unfolding in front of them. They begin by seeing the blonde was currently standing on top of the Nine-Tailed Fox's mouth. They watched as he walked along the top of the mouth begin he stop in front of the fox's forehead, while a pair of narrowed fox eyes were glaring down at him.

"I don't have to point it out word to word for you. But if you hear everything I said up until now, then there wouldn't be any problem for you to snap out of it, right? Because your daughter needs you, Yasaka…"

The blonde pulled back his right fist and punches it— towards the forehead of the Nine-Tailed Fox.

"So you better come back!"

A backlash of wind burst out when the first struck cleanly at the forehead of the Nine-Tailed Fox!

"You'd hear me, Yasaka?"

"—…...I do...—Izayoi-kun…"

At the response, a flash of light engulfed the Nine-Tailed Fox and the light spread out to engulf the entire area of the remnants of the Honmaru Palace, and everyone shielded themselves from the intensity of the light.

"Did Izayoi-kun…?" Rossweisse asked once the light dies down and everyone came about to.

"...There! I see him!" Xenovia pointed out forward amidst the smoke dissipating in front of everyone.

"He must have, right?" Irina questioned, trying to see past the dissipating smoke.

"..." Rias looked through the smoke and she immediately spotted her husband standing with someone. "—He did it." Rias smiled as she answered to the question in everyone's mind.

"Otou-sama…" Kunou smiled as she sees her father hugging someone in place of the Nine-Tailed Fox… "...Okaa-sama…" She instantly recognizes the beautiful woman in her father's embrace. Her smile grew wider upon the sight of her. She was her mother!

"Ngh…" Returned to her human form, Yasaka felt the migraine in her head faded little by little and as it fades completely, she opt to open her eyes slowly, accustoming to the surrounding darkness before feeling the warmth situating around her. At the familiar warmth she had been accustomed on occasions, she did not have to guess who it was that was bringing out such warmth that was enveloping her around. After what she had gone through and suffered through for it, she did not protest at all against the invitation of warmth from him. Right now, she felt the warmth soothe her soul and body which she is immensely grateful for. Aside from that, she cannot help the sense of security surrounding her when she is held by him. She had hope that he was the one able to save her, and she did not have any doubts that he was the one who is able. Hence, she was in his embrace that is both comfortable and soothing.

As she had these thoughts, Yasaka had been resting her head comfortably on top of his left shoulder and sighs blissfully…

"…—You really came, Izayoi-kun…"

Yasaka spoke against his shoulder. Her voice muffled a bit from being close to his shoulder.

"Do you think I didn't?"

At this question, Yasaka withdrew her head and look up at him. Looking up at the inviting pair of purple eyes which glint in slight mischievousness and a nonchalant smile, a warm but radiant smile spread across her lips. At that moment, a tear fell from the corner of her left eye before trailing down her cheek. Shaking her head in reply at his earlier question, Yasaka raise her right hand to caress the blonde's cheek before she speaks up.

"No. Not for a second."

She spoke without hesitation as she answered firmly whilst looking directly at his eyes.

"How could I not think about you…? You were on my mind throughout…" Yasaka thought looking over at Izayoi. Her eyes gloss over with tears before they fell on their own accord. "Honestly, I didn't think I could make it—but the thought of you and Kunou…It gave me strength. It gave me hope that you will be there for me, Izayoi-kun…"

"—And I did. Didn't I?" Izayoi smiled with a raised eyebrow.

"—Yes, you did." She covered her laugh with the back of her hand before smiling adoringly up at the smiling blonde. Yasaka gazes up at the blonde for a moment. Realizing she had took time too long to gaze, she blushes red. She puts her left hand and rested it over her chest, where she felt her heartbeat drumming and fluttering feelings within her chest. She looks down briefly in embarrassment before glancing up at Izayoi shyly. With redden cheeks, Yasaka smiled at him.

"—Thank you…—Thank you for everything, Izayoi-kun."

"…Don't mention it."

Smiling back in response, Izayoi brushes his hand over her head and strumming his fingers over her fox ears, which immediately caused her cheeks to go aflame at the sensation she felt.

"…It is my pleasure as your husband, right? Why would I left my beautiful wife? Besides, Kunou misses you the most out of the two of us."

Izayoi claimed with a smile before they both heard a shout.

"Otou-sama! Okaa-sama!"

At the shout, Yasaka turns her attention over Izayoi's left shoulder and saw a small figure running towards her.

A smile made its way on her face as she look at Izayoi and shared her smile with him before they both separated themselves and Yasaka kneels down on the ground and spread her arms wide—catching Kunou in her arms and wrapping her tightly with her motherly embrace.

"Okaa-sama! I am so sorry! I shouldn't be so bad to Okaa-sama! I was a bad girl to Okaa-sama…" Kunou muttered in her mother's embrace as she sobs with tears running down her face.

"You're such a cry baby, musume. But it's not your fault. You shouldn't be so sorry, Kunou. You had done absolutely nothing wrong to your mother. You are not a bad girl also...—You're a good girl if I ever see one. Okay? You didn't nothing wrong, so do not blame yourself. If you feel a bit of guilt, then I will forgive you…"

"…Okaa-sama…F-From now on, I will always listen to you, Okaa-sama. I will not be a bad girl to you anymore…And…I miss you, Okaa-sama!" She wailed at the end as she hugged her teary-eyed mother.

"It is I who should apologize to you, musume. I've been gone for a long time that I worried you. I promise that it will never going to happen again, alright? It is all my fault that I left you all alone…" Yasaka explained with tears running down her cheeks. "…—I miss you too."

"…But it's not your fault, Okaa-sama. Those people were evil. They were the ones who kidnapped you, where you were only trying to protect me…" Kunou withdrew her head from her mother's embrace and look at Yasaka who can see her shedding tears whilst proclaiming.

"My daughter, Kunou…" Yasaka smiled down at her daughter. "You really believe I was not to blame for leaving you all alone? It is a mother's duty to be with her child, no matter what. But I did not abide by that duty. I cannot dismiss that you must felt lonely and miserable during my absence. Am I right?"

"…Yes, I feel lonely without you, Okaa-sama. But at the same time, it's not the whole truth." Kunou claimed looking at her mother before she wipe her tears with her sleeve. "Both Rias onee-sama and Serafall onee-sama accompanied me when you were taken that night…T-They comforted me and it made feel better. I was sad that both Rias onee-sama and Serafall onee-sama left but they left promising that they will help find you, Okaa-sama. A-And Shiroyasha-sama helped me a lot after they both left. She helped trained me to becoming a temporary ruler in your absence…I learned a lot of things because of her help. She was a bit strict but I did not mind. She helped me realize how heavy the burden you're carrying ruling all of the Youkais in Kyoto, a-and you had to take care of me despite that…Shiroyasha-sama said that taking care of me was not a burden to you, but I feel uncertain…"

"Oh, Kunou…Why do you feel uncertain?" Yasaka smiled tearfully at her daughter. "…You do not need to feel uncertain because Shiroyasha-sama was right… I do not think of you as a burden at all, Kunou. —Instead, you were a blessing to me for coming into my life. When you came into my life, is one that I will cherish for the rest of my life. So do not think of yourself as a burden. You were anything but that, musume…" Yasaka claimed laying both her hands on Kunou's shoulders.

"Your mother is right. You're anything but a burden to both of us. So don't think differently, Kunou. Alright?"

"Otou-sama…" Kunou look up at her father kneeling down next to her mother and pets her head with his left hand, which causes her to smile brightly.

At Izayoi's presence close to her, Yasaka withdrew both her hands, cupping them together on her lap and shyly leaned her head on his right shoulder before sharing smiles with him. Both parent then looked at Kunou and smiled at her.

Seeing both her parents smile, simply made Kunou smile with unbridled happiness. "Okaa-sama…Otou-sama…" At the sight of her smiling parents together causes tears to be shed from the corner of her eyes. "…—Thank you so much, Otou-sama!" Kunou immediately went hugging both of her parents with joy! There is no hiding the happiness that radiating from Kunou as she smiled brightly while hugging her parents who hugged her back. "You've fulfilled your promise, Otou-sama… You saved Okaa-sama just like you promised!" She thanked him with all of her heart as tears of happiness fell from her closed eyes while hugging both her parents.

"This is so wonderful, Issei-san…This is truly wonderful…" Asia claimed hugging her arms around Issei's right arm. Tears were registered prickling the corner of her eyes as she views the embrace of the family. "I never seen Kunou-sama so happy like that…It makes me so happy for her…" She stated smiling widely.

"Yeah, Kunou-sama really looks happier than she was before… It is really wonderful as you say, Asia-chan…" Issei agreed as Asia looks up at Issei who looks down at her. They both shared a smile together.

"Yep, Kunou-sama looks a lot happier." Both Issei and Asia looked towards their right to see Asuka walking towards them followed by Saji who had reverted to his human form.

"Asuka-san! Saji-san! Welcome back!" Asia smiled at both of their arrivals. "Are you both alright?" She asked with a concern eye whilst looking at both them.

"We're both fine. We didn't suffer as bad against Yasaka-sama…But she is a strong opponent. It took the combined effort of both the Dragon Kings and Deen to neutralized her."

"Yeah, she is a tough opponent."

"Are you alright, Saji?" Issei questioned as he looked over Saji who was panting slightly.

"Well, I'm not going to lie but it took a lot out of me fighting in the Dragon King form. It was my first time using that form for a long period of time while fighting against Yasaka-sama. Anyway, Vritra had advised me to take it easy for a while."

"You should take it easy, Saji. Though I'm no worse for wear. I can't even stand properly without Asia-chan and Kiba's help." Issei stated grinning at Saji who grinned back.

"We did worked hard, right?"

"Yeah, yeah we did!"

"Since when he was a part of this picture…?" Pest raised an eyebrow at she looked perplexingly at Kunou hugging both of Yasaka and Izayoi. "…And I'd recalled that the girl called him, her father…? —What is going on…?" She questioned disturbed by the sudden revelation. "Since when did he became a father?"

"Unfortunately, we do not know for sure how that came out to be." Xenovia answered Pest's question. Sala, Shirayuki-Hime and Pest looked towards Xenovia and Irina standing near them.

"Believe it or not, we were shocked when Kunou-sama introduced herself to us as the daughter of both Yasaka-sama and Izayoi-kun, when we first came to Kyoto. Imagine our surprise back then when we heard Izayoi-kun had a daughter!" Irina chuckled. "Though we don't know the whole story behind Izayoi-kun's ties with Yasaka-sama and Kunou-sama. We didn't dare to ask before because of our situation at the time but we might be able to after all of this."

"Yes, as what Irina said, we would be able to clarify it with Izayoi-kun to enlighten us." Xenovia added.

"So that is the situation revolving around him, huh?" Pest narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "Is there a side of the blonde we didn't know until now? Amusing…" Pest smirked.

"Don't cross that threshold just yet, Pest-san." Sala countered. "We don't need to jump to conclusions now. There must be a valid reason to this confusion."

"Yeah. Even if we don't understand what is going on, we don't have to label Izayoi-sama as a villain here." Shirayuki-Hime stated with a disapproving frown at Pest. "As far as I know him, he is not like that. He is not that kind of person. So, I hope you will not resort to any rash and unreasonable conclusions based on little details you've heard. You haven't gotten the full picture yet, so how could you conclude such things about Izayoi-sama?"

"I was merely being sarcastic." Pest gave an annoyed look at Shirayuki-Hime. "Anyway, as if he could have that side of him since he's already annoying as it is. As far as I have known about him, he ain't that type of person…" She sighed crossing her arms as both Sala and Shirayuki-Hime smiled at her. "What? Are you all happy now?"

"Yes, we all are." Irina smiled representing everyone. "It is better if we entail the full story about Yasaka-sama and Kunou-sama's history with Izayoi-kun. Because they looked pretty close with each other." She said as she and the others looked towards Kunou separating the hug between her parents before she shared smiles with them.

"Be glad. He doesn't have to add more annoyance to himself. He's already annoying enough to me as it is." Pest explained whilst looking over the smiling Kunou with Yasaka and Izayoi.

"You know…looking at them now…They look pretty close to be a—"

"If I didn't know any better, they'd looked like a family…which doesn't make sense to me…but who am I to complain? His entire existence doesn't make sense to me…—Me being his maid does not make sense at all…" Pest trailed off.

"Are you pouting, little one?" Shirayuki-Hime asked smirking amusingly at catching the sight of a pout appearing over Pest's features. "You know you deserved to be a slave? If I recalled, you were trying to enslave a population into your community…I think it is quite ironic in itself that you're in a situation similar to the purpose you were to accomplish. So, I feel like you accomplished an achievement in that aspect. Don't you think?"

"Are you trying to be funny…? Because I'm not laughing…" Pest glared at Shirayuki-Hime who chuckled at her annoyed expression.

"Yes. From my perspective, they looked to be a happy family." Sala agreed with Pest's opinion earlier.

"I have to say so too. I cannot believe Izayoi-kun can become such a caring father. He'll be a great father when we have our own children." Xenovia smiled with a tint of blush evidence on her cheeks.

"Your o-own c-children, Xenovia?" Irina gasped in surprise while she blushes deeply at Xenovia's bold statement. "A-Are you saying your words r-right?"

"Do you not want to have children with him, Irina? You must have a desire to. I cannot believe that you'll say otherwise." Xenovia turned a curious eye towards Irina who looks towards the smiling Shirayuki-Hime and Pest.

"I-It's not what you think! I…I…"

"What about you, Rossweisse-sensei?" Xenovia asked towards Rossweisse who stood a bit of ways from them as she had taken a rest to replenish herself.

"Y-Yes?" Rossweisse perked up at Xenovia's voice directed towards her and the former Valkyrie begins to walk towards them. "What is the matter, Xenovia? Is there something I can help? Have you recovered well enough to stand? And what about you, Irina?"

"I-I'm alright, Rossweisse-sensei!" Irina answered before avoiding her gaze, which baffled Rossweisse.

"I too, am alright. But I have a question that I like to ask of you, and I am certain that you can answer."

"O…Okay. Wh-What is your question?"

"…—Do you want to have children with Izayoi-kun someday?"

As plain and direct the statement was, Rossweisse looked towards Xenovia for a moment.

"…B-Beg your pardon? I must not heard it correctly…I thought you ask that if I want to have children with Izayoi-kun someday…? But that cannot be it…I must have misinterpreted it…"

"No, it is not. Do you want to have children with Izayoi-kun someday, Rossweisse-sensei?"

"Always as blunt…" Pest shakes her head with a small blush on her cheeks at the strange situation around them. "How did this situation turned out like this?"

"Rossweisse-sensei?" Xenovia called tilting her head to the side with curiosity. She was looking at Rossweisse who appeared to be in a frozen-like state.

"Xenovia…" Irina cupped her cheeks with both hands whilst blushing. She cannot believe her friend would ask the same question to the former Valkyrie. She glances at Xenovia and tried to bare the embarrassment at the thought of the question floating within her mind though it was fruitless to erase the question. Shaking her head to the left and right, Irina tried to think of something else aside from that question. Her twin ponytail followed every movement of her head as she shakes her head. "Why can't I…Why is it so hard to get that out of mind…?"She thought blushing crimson before she glances at Rossweisse and she immediately knew the expression on her face. Irina cannot imagine the overall emotions playing within the former Valkyrie and she felt sympathy for her. "I am sorry, Rossweisse-sensei…"

"Rossweisse-sensei, are you okay?" Xenovia questioned innocently.

"…—Do I want to have children…with Izayoi-kun someday…?" Rossweisse thought. She had given her attention fully towards Xenovia when she had called her over. She was fully intent to hear any troubling matters she might have had. However once she heard the question the first time, she cannot comprehend anything at that point. Her response was to simply wave off the question and asked Xenovia to repeat so she could hear it clearly without any implications of the bold question she had heard the first time. But when she had heard the same question for the second time, her mind had stopped functioning altogether. Period. "…—Why is she asking such a bold…?"

Rossweisse questioned in mind. There was nothing but confusion in her head as she regards Xenovia's question.

Raising a trembling hand to rest upon the side of her head, feeling a migraine coming. Rossweisse opened her trembling mouth to say something.

Meanwhile, Sala, Shirayuki-Hime, Pest, Irina and Xenovia all looked at her as she opened her mouth seemingly to say something—but nothing was coming out of her mouth.

"…—Do I want to…" After a while, Rossweisse spoke the first words. "…have c-children with I-Izayoi-kun someday…?" She trembled when she spoke while her cheeks turned hot crimson.

"Yes."

"….—Young lady…—What sort of question is that?! How can you ask a question such as that to me?!" Rossweisse's voice could be heard echoed throughout the area, which caught the attention of everyone.

"Oh my, what is happening over there?" Akeno asked turning her head towards the voice of Rossweisse, watching as the former Valkyrie scolded the surprised Xenovia.

"They must be discussing about something that is apparently upsetting Rossweisse. I wonder what got her upset though. She looks very flustered…"

"You have no idea…" Kuroka giggled. Her right sleeve covered her giggling mouth. Both Rias and Akeno looked towards her in question. "The girl asked quite a very bold question towards her if I do say so myself, nya~. That is why she reacted very flustered. I do think that she did not expect such a question coming from her and she was coming into terms of what was asked. Fortunately, you can see the aftermath, nya~" She smiled amusingly towards Rias and Akeno.

"You must have eavesdrop them when they caught your interest, I reckon?" Rias sent an amusing smile towards the smiling Kuroka.

"it's not what you think. I didn't mean to eavesdrop them but they evidently caught my eye when they began speaking about Izayoi-kun…" Kuroka smiled slyly which made Rias raised an eyebrow and Akeno to look at her in curiosity. "I have to ask; the blue haired one, is she one of your own, Rias nya?"

"Yes, she is one of my Knights. Why do you ask?"

"She is really an interesting person. She's rather intent on achieving her goals, nya~"

"Is that right?"

"Say, Rias…Do you want to have children with Izayoi-kun someday, nya…?" The moment Kuroka asked Rias, the Gremory Heiress stared at her in genuine surprise and she blushes out of embarrassment before she absentmindedly moves her right hand at her lower abdomen and it lingered there for a moment. Then, Rias realises her sudden movement and she opt to removes her hand from its position and hugged herself with both hands. However, her action did not go unnoticed by both Akeno and Kuroka. "…This is something…I can see why she's not reacting that much to the question, nya…" Kuroka thought slyly however she felt happy at the Gremory Heiress if what she witnessed and the implications behind the movement was correct, then there was no denying the hidden truth of Rias Gremory at the moment.

"…Rias…?" Akeno asked in thought with slight suspicion and curiosity.

"Why aren't you answering, Rias nya?" Kuroka smiled at Rias who glances upwards towards Kuroka and sighed once she thought of the question again and where did it originate from.

"That girl…" A small smile crosses her lips as Rias shakes her head. "If I were to ask, did Xenovia asked that exact…bold question to Rossweisse?"

"It is as exact as it can be…Pretty bold of her to ask that out of the blue though, nya…"

"Oh my, I never expected Xenovia to be asking that kind of question to Rossweisse…I can understand why she looked so flustered when she was asked." Akeno giggled under her hand as Rias and Kuroka smiled. "…Anyway, it looks like we came here unneeded for much." Akeno commented as she looks over at Kunou with her parents. "What do you say? We did not play a big role in coming here though I did not regret our arrival here. It is quite a pleasure to know that we have an edge against our enemies." Akeno smiled at the recollection of their arrival and initiating their surprise attacks towards the Hero Faction.

"Yes, they did not expect our arrival. It was unfortunate that one magician of theirs can null our attacks. Such is the Sacred Gear, Dimension Lost. But we appeared to be the attention of our enemies once we arrived. Other than that, we have managed to find out about our enemies and their goals at least. I think that is appropriate for us to know about them for the time being so we could better anticipate their movement. And we also figured their strengths on using Sacred Gears, and possible weaknesses out of them." Rias explained in details. "So our arrival did not come without any benefits. It is well assured that we did good on our part on coming here to encounter our new enemies."

"Aside from that, we managed to find Izayoi-kun in the midst of this. As I recall, one of our purposes coming here is to look for Izayoi-kun, am I right, Rias-Buchou?"

"Yes, I know he would come here, no matter what. As did I. —Yasaka-sama is a dear friend of ours." Rias looked towards the smiling Kuroka before turning to Akeno. "So I could not pass up the opportunity to encounter the culprits behind her disappearance. It's a given that they did not leave unpunished…"

"I would not oppose on that. Certainly, It was Izayoi-kun the one to bid them with their rightful punishments. I cannot agree more on giving him such an opportunity." Akeno stated smiling as Rias nods with an agreeing smile while Kuroka grins.

"They have known what was coming to them." Rias frowned as she, Kuroka and Akeno looked towards the empty spot that had been occupied by the members of the Hero Faction. "If they did not, they will not kidnap Yasaka-sama in the beginning. They had known about the relationship between Yasaka-sama and Izayoi-kun for a while and they did not let up on their actions whatsoever. They chose to act despite knowing that. After all of this, I am satisfied that they got what they rightfully deserved by none other than Izayoi-kun." She smiled pleasingly. "They incur his wrath as well as mine. If it were me, I wouldn't hesitate to let them know the severe consequences of incurring my wrath."

"That you do, Rias-Buchou. Also, I wouldn't hesitate to help you along."

"Thank you."

"It's a bit unfair that I didn't get to act on giving them a piece of my mind, nya. But I'm not regretting it at all. Did you see their reactions when they got up against Izayoi-kun, nya?" Kuroka chuckled against her sleeve. "They did not expect at all. It was priceless, nya!"

"I have to agree with you, Kuroka." Rias shares smiles with Kuroka.

Near them, Akeno looked at the interaction between the two of them and she smiled at them, reminiscing about the time where Rias, Serafall conversed with Kuroka, at the time of the Gathering in the Underworld. She could clearly recalled that three of them had become close friends by the way they talked to each other last time. Akeno did not expect both Rias and Serafall to become such close friends with Kuroka, a proclaimed criminal by the Underworld for her past crime, but she speculated there was a reasonable story behind it, and that both Rias with Serafall had come to terms with it, which in turn made them became friends. "I have to say, they must of spent their time together well to be good friends like this during Izayoi-kun's recovery…"

"So, what will you do now, Kuroka? You said that your purpose here was to return Yasaka-sama to Kunou. Thankfully, we have succeeded on that objective." Rias glances towards Kunou in her parent's embrace. "Then, what will you do next?"

"Hm…I guess my job's done, nya." Kuroka answered with a light shrug of her shoulders as she turned to Rias and Akeno. "Since Yasaka-sama is free, I have to get back to the others before they get any more suspicious of me, nya… Though I don't care about their opinions…If I go now, it would be boring…I won't have anything to do than just sit around and do nothing whatsoever, nya…And Vali won't order anything out of me and the others to do anything…" She glances upwards with a thoughtful look and a small frown. "All in all, I think I have some time to spare! I'm sure they won't mind! They'll understand!" She answered to Rias who let out a smile at her response. "Oh…Why did you ask that in the first place, Rias nya?"

"I thought it would be good for you to stay for a while rather than you'd leaving so soon. I can think of a few people that wouldn't want you to leave."

"Hm? Who would they be? Oh, I know! Is one of them Izayoi-kun, nya? If so, I'd like for the two of us to continue where we left off, nya~" A small seductive smile spread across Kuroka's lips at the thought of continuing their nightly activities. "He did satisfied me of an itch of mine, but I'm afraid that the itch had come back, nya~"

"Ara, ara…Rias-Buchou, you're not looking at all pleasant by her idea…Fufu, I am jealous that you would have Izayoi-kun all to yourself. But I have to ask that you deprived yourself of him for a while, Kuroka-san…I don't think it would do any good for you to make enemies now, would you?" Akeno stated with a pleasant smile.

"Akeno…I don't think you're helping as my Queen if you're planning something that will most likely involved Izayoi-kun…" Rias frowned as she glances at her Queen who silently laughed underneath her hand.

"Why would you have such an opinion of me, Rias-Buchou? I don't think I am implying anything underhanded…"

"You have an impressive Queen, Rias nya. But it appears you have competition on vying for Izayoi-kun."

"Then I guess you have been dropped as a competitor as a default, Kuroka-san?" Akeno remarked just as Rias was about to reply to her irritating statement.

"Oh? I didn't think you know what you are dealing with, girl. You're just speaking out words without any real punch to it." Kuroka stated playfully. "Though you have impressive assets, but what makes you think you will catch his attention enough? Oh, and have you tasted him already as I have?"

"Ara, ara…You're really asking for it, Kuroka-san…" A small cackling of lightning cackles in between Akeno's fingers as she playfully plays with them near her face.

"I am asking for it, Queen of Rias." Kuroka smiles playfully. "Izayoi-kun doesn't like weak women, after all. So I hope you are one of them, nya." She teased.

"Your teasing is quite enjoyable. I might have to stop that real soon."

"You two…You don't think I'm not here and will let you do as you like?"

Both Akeno and Kuroka looked towards Rias who was suppressing the small red aura enveloping her whole body.

"This time, I will see you as an opponent, Rias-Buchou."

"Then, I won't have to hold back anymore, Rias nya…"

"Both of you…I don't know how the situation had resorted to this…" Rias muttered as she looked at both Akeno and Kuroka whilst her irritating anger had reached its peak. "But it looks I have to remind you both with force…"

Suddenly, a magic circle appeared in between Rias, Akeno and Kuroka! The appearance of the magic circle causes each of them to look at each other before they step back warily and watches as Le Fay appeared out from the magic circle!

"Le Fay?" Kuroka called out in slight confusion.

"Kuroka-sama! I finally found you! I was all about looking for you!" Le Fay exclaimed before she pouted cutely. "You had me all around looking for you! Don't you know how much it took me?" She asked as she put her hands on her small hips. "Mou...What were you doing, Kuroka-sama? I'm not happy that you just left without telling me anything. You could have left something to notify me and I wouldn't have to go through all of the trouble about looking for you. But you didn't! I was so worried that something might happened to you and why I chose to look for you all this time."

After hearing Le Fay sprout her frustrations, Kuroka felt a twinge of guilt. She did not expect that Le Fay would be so worried for her and chose to look for her. However, there was one thing that bothered her when she heard Le Fay laying out her frustrations.

"Calm down, Le Fay, nya." Kuroka comforted as Le Fay looked at her and slowly exhaled the breath she has been holding. "I understand that you were having some trouble of looking for me. But did you ever stop to think that I might not want to be found for a reason, nya?"

"—Huh? Well, no… But! But I was worried…"

"...If you were worried all this time, why didn't you use communication at your disposal, nya? You can easily contact me whenever and wherever you'd like, nya. You've said you have been busy looking for me but you haven't contacted me at all have you, nya?"

"Oh…" Le Fay bit her lips at her mistake. "...Well, I had recently just gotten the idea of contacting you but it never reached you for some odd reason. So that is why I tried to locate you by magic—only to find the dimension created by the Dimension Lost user last time. And that is why I'm here…"

"You had only gotten to contact me after all this time, nya? If you did beforehand, you might save yourself all the trouble you've got yourself into, nya. So I can definitely say that it's not my fault to begin with, nya!" A wide smile crosses Kuroka's lips as the twinge of guilt she felt for Le Fay dissipated instantly.

"Mou...Kuroka-sama!" Le Fay pouted blushing out of embarrassment. Her redden cheeks puffed out cutely as she lightly glares up at the triumphant looking Kuroka.

"...The reason I was gone was because I was doing something important, Le Fay nya. I had gotten to meet someone very important to me…" Kuroka smiled dreamily much to Le Fay's curiosity. "—I cannot let an opportunity pass by and therefore I chose to leave without telling you anything. I didn't want you to disturb me during my sweet time with him, —but I didn't think that you would contact me so freely if you did become worried for me. However, you didn't contact at all throughout my time with him! So thank you, nya!" Kuroka smiled gratefully at Le Fay who smiles at her in response.

"If you're happy, then I'm happy too!" Le Fay claimed before she adopted a curious expression. "...But may I ask? Who did you spend your time with all this time? I-I mean, I'm curious! Because lately...you've been looking a lot happier, Kuroka-sama. Perhaps...—Is he is the one who made you happier? This time around too...He made you happier too. Just the way you're talking about him means that you really enjoyed your time spent with him." Le Fay confessed as both Rias and Akeno looked at Kuroka whose blush could be seen clearly to them. A smile graces the Gremory Heiress's lips.

"He does make you happy, Kuroka. As does he makes all of us."

Rias spoke up warmly.

"Oh my! I didn't notice you two!" Le Fay turned to both Rias and Akeno before immediately bowing her head in greeting. "I am sorry I ignored you!" She sincerely apologized.

"Ara, ara...It is okay. Le Fay-san is it?"

Akeno inquired as Le Fay raises her head to look at her.

"Yes! My name is Le Fay Pendragon! You can call me Le Fay. I am Kuroka-sama's partner! It is nice to meet you!"

"It is a pleasure to meet Kuroka's comrade. My name is Rias Gremory and the one standing next to me is my Queen, Akeno Himejima."

Smiling, Rias introduced herself and her Queen. The Gremory Heiress watches Le Fay turns to look at her and her expression changes to surprise that could be clearly defined. It was a moment of confusion shared between the three women at Le Fay's expression towards Rias.

Frowning, Rias wondered to herself if she had in any way bothered Le Fay. However, in her recent memories, she cannot seem to recall that she ever had disturbed Le Fay or made her uncomfortable. In addition, she was meeting the young blonde girl for the first time. If she had met her in the past, she would have noticed. Nevertheless, she remained baffled towards Le Fay's behaviour as she cannot think of anything that might make her this way towards herself.

"Excuse me, Le Fay…"

"...—You're her! You're the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess! And also, the Princess of Destruction! The wife of the Prince of Destruction! In 'The Problematic Prince!" Le Fay exclaimed out loud. Her expression whilst looking at Rias was of adoration for the crimson haired.

"Oh my… It would appear Le Fay-san is an avid fan of the mini-series you're in, Rias-Buchou." Akeno smiled adoringly at Le Fay's childlike expression. "I did not expect this kind of scenario at all, but it is a pleasant welcome."

"It would appear so." A smile spread across Rias's lips as address to Le Fay. "I can assume that you're a fan, Le Fay?"

"Yes, I am a huge fan of the mini-series!" Le Fay smiled widely at Rias. Le Fay had never thought that this day would be such a lucky day for her. She complimented herself that she had decided locating her partner for her to come here—and instantaneously met one of her favorite celebrities.

Meanwhile, Kuroka who stood near them had listened in on their conversation by mere realization, after she had gotten a hold of her wild emotions of Le Fay's words about

After composing herself, she listened in on the conversation between the three of them in front of her, and was generally confused by the topic of their conversation. However, she decided not to speak up of the topic because she did not want the attention of Le Fay to be on her again. Although as she continue listening in, she glances at Rias in mild confusion once she heard that the Gremory Heiress had gotten Le Fay's attention completely by her mentioning titles at the recognition of her.

"Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess…? Princess of Destruction…? Wife to the Prince of Destruction…? The Problematic Prince…" Kuroka thought of the terms she had found the most confusing. Because she knew the Gremory Heiress is known as the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess and the Princess of Destruction. These were the titles known for the Gremory Heiress, which confused her. "Does Le Fay not know…? But she recognized Rias enough to know...She might be happy to meet her for the first time..."She asked in passing thought, entertaining to the fact that Le Fay did not know the titles pertaining to the Gremory Heiress, including being the wife to her Izayoi, known as the Prince of Destruction, much to her ire. Though she was a bit apprehensive on the reason why Le Fay would mentioned the titles to the crimson-haired Gremory Heiress. But she brushed off the thought simply because Le Fay had recognized Rias by her features, thereby mentioning the titles pertaining to the crimson-haired woman in the midst of her excitement on meeting her for the first time in her life. However she did not know the last term until Akeno and Le Fay spoke up. "The Problematic Prince...is a mini-series…? Le Fay is a fan to it, nya...?" Kuroka adorned a confusing expression but she did not voice out her confusion on the matter, and instead, she continued to listen.

"Oh, you can call my name without honorifics, Akeno-sama. I encourage it to everyone who I met." Le Fay turned to Akeno, who nods in understanding. She then turns to Rias and shyly extends her right hand outwards, confusing Rias. "Can I...shake your hand, Rias-sama? I never expected to be able to meet the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess…I mean, I really like you, Rias-sama. And to meet you in person is really...a great honour!" Le Fay ended with a wide smile.

"It is pleasant to meet a fan of the mini-series, and I am really grateful to hear that from you, Le Fay." Rias smiled in response as she shakes Le Fay's hand gently. "I really appreciate it that you watched the mini-series."

"No-no! You're the one I should be appreciating!" Le Fay shakes her head in denial. "Because you and the others made up the mini-series! Without all of you, we wouldn't have the mini-series after 'Oppai Dragon.' You've entertained a lot of people with it even if it's not broadcasted for long, including me. So I should appreciate on your efforts, Rias-sama!"

"Well, I thank you for your kind words, Le Fay." Rias kindly smile at Le Fay. "Anyway, since we have exchanged the pleasantries with each other. I recalled that you have something to tell Kuroka a moment earlier, Le Fay." Rias pointed out towards Le Fay who looked at her in realization.

"Oh! You're right. Thank you for reminding me, Rias-sama." As soon as she thanked the crimson-haired, she then turns to Kuroka. "...You didn't tell me who you were with all this time, Kuroka-sama. I am sorry I forgot a moment ago." Le Fay apologizes before she smiled in anticipation of Kuroka's answer.

"Y-You didn't have to…! Nya…" Kuroka went to pout as her cat ears drop a bit and the blush that was receding, returned back brightly on her cheeks.

"Oh my...Kuroka-san is blushing quite often now. She is really flustered about this certain man…"

Akeno commented teasingly as Kuroka sent a glare towards her way.

"So...? May I know, Kuroka-sama...? For you to act this flustered, he must be someone special!" Le Fay indicated from Akeno's teasings as she stared at Kuroka with an innocent yet wonder glint to her eyes. There were no sarcasm hidden behind her eyes as she genuinely wanted to know of Kuroka's special someone.

"Mou...This is not fair, nya…" Kuroka pouted cutely. She did not know how she could be driven into this embarrassing predicament which made her the center of attention. Especially now that she had someone from her group standing in front of her, who wants to learn the source of her recent overwhelming happiness by a certain blonde man. "Mou...I'm blaming you, Izayoi-kun, nya…" She silently thought about the blonde before she looks at Le Fay who was staring at her and was waiting for her answer.

Avoiding her set of eyes for a brief moment, Kuroka felt her cheeks warmed in slight embarrassment. She did not know how but the way Le Fay had insinuated and structured the way of her careful observation of her recent overwhelming happiness, and lastly wanting to know the source of it all, she cannot help but be slightly embarrassed. Opening her mouth while she had her face turned slightly so the people around her cannot see her flustered expression.

"...To put it simply, nya. He's not just an ordinary person, he's something else... From the time I met him up until now, he is someone I tended caring about...The time when I left, I met up with him to spend time with seeing as I don't see him often and I had begun…"

"To miss him?" Le Fay inquired with a small smile.

Kuroka silently nods before continuing. "—Every chance I got to meet him, I would take it. Hence, why I decided to go today when I sought the chance. Each time I came, he always greets me welcomingly in his own way and this time it was no different." She recalled their earlier meeting with a reminiscent smile. "—We are both different species with different personalities, nya… So I didn't expect myself to get so accustomed to him so quickly—the first time we met. But I did and I like it…"

"Kuroka…" Rias thought looking at her as she retold her a bit of her past and of what she felt at that time.

Looking at Le Fay, Kuroka continues.

"—When I left, I have gotten to know about the Hero Faction you have told me, nya. When you told me they have appeared in Kyoto and had met up with Rias's peerage, I had to take the chance to meet with him to relay the information to him…Another reason is I...—wanted to meet with him. And also, I don't want to miss the chance to pay back the Hero Faction after what they have done to a friend of mine, nya…" A small frown curved downwards on Kuroka's beautiful features. Her fist was clenched tightly which was noticed by the spectators. She then relaxes. ""—I know that he shares the same desire as mine and he wanted to pay them back too. So when I met up with him, it was unexpected but he did not mind at all. In fact, he enjoyed it—just like any other times, nya…—At the end, he told me that it was a good thing that I came. He sincerely meant every word to me… Thinking about it again, nya… I feel like we met like it was meant to be that time…"

"...They did something to a friend of Kuroka-sama's? Who could it have been…? The only one I know that they custody of is...—Kuroka-sama's friend must have been the leader of the Youkais in Kyoto…"Le Fay thought. Then she frowned as she sympathizes with Kuroka to the extent that the leader of the Youkais had been kidnapped to be used as leverage for the Hero Faction. However, Le Fay does not know what they had used them for since she could see that the battle against the Hero Faction had ended when she had arrived. Looking up at Kuroka, Le Fay continue listening. A smile beaming on her face as she likes the way Kuroka spoke about her special someone.

"After that, we went to Kyoto to encounter them, the Hero Faction." Kuroka looked down at Le Fay as she offered her a proud smirk. "Each and every single one of them did not stand a chance against—Sakamaki Izayoi-kun at all, not one bit, nya! He took all of them alone and was the last one standing, nya! After they had been beaten down a peg, they were scurrying to retreat with their tails behind their back because they cannot beat him, nya!" Kuroka explained watching Le Fay looked surprise and awe about the strength of Kuroka's special someone.

"The Hero Faction didn't stand a chance at all against him…?!" Le Fay asked herself with wide eyes. "He is the one that Kuroka-sama spent time with...For him to beat the Hero Faction all by himself...He must be powerful...Just who is he—?!" A startling realization came across Le Fay's mind as she recalled a certain name being spoken from Kuroka.

At the look of awe present upon Le Fay's expression, Kuroka felt proud of her lover and she was not embarrassed to boast about her lover to Le Fay of his strength and victory against the Hero Faction. Then, Kuroka breathes out and looks at Le Fay while she crossed her arms beneath her chest. "—And he's the one who I spent half the day with. Do you know now, Le Fay nya?"

"Kuroka-sama...Did you said his name was Sakamaki Izayoi? Sakamaki Izayoi-sama is your special someone?" Le Fay asked as a smile crosses her lips and begins to grow wider.

"...He is...—someone very special to me, nya."

A endearing smile played on her lips while Kuroka rested her cheek against the bottom of her right palm while her left arm stayed across her chest. At this, Le Fay looked on in surprise at the sight of Kuroka right now. However, she was not the only one to notice it as both Rias and Akeno looked on at Kuroka's endearing expression.

"Kuroka…I can tell by the way you spoke and act...You...really care for Izayoi-kun so much…"

Rias said silently in thought as she smiled at Kuroka. Next to her, Akeno smiled as well.

"She is not lying...She's genuinely in love with him…Oh my, I did not expect such a thing from Koneko's elder sister...But I cannot fault Izayoi-kun for it, I suppose...For I'm in the same boat as her…" Akeno thought with a small blush dusting off her cheeks at the thought of the blonde within her mind.

Eyes with awe and wonder glint to them, Le Fay had never seen the expression on Kuroka's face the way she presents herself before and in her opinion, Kuroka looked very beautiful than ever, with the kind of expression she has right now. Le Fay then recalled all of the expressions Kuroka had shown whilst she told a bit of her special someone, including the expression plastered on her beautiful features currently.

"...For Kuroka-sama to display these sides of her I never knew...Sakamaki Izayoi-sama must really be her special someone…" Le Fay smiled at the thought, feeling happy to see the smiling Kuroka. Especially the kind of happiness radiating from her due to a special someone. "Ne, Kuroka-sama?"

"Yes, Le Fay nya?"

"Is he here?"

"Izayoi-kun? Yes, he's here, nya! Why do you ask? Do you want to meet him?"

At Kuroka's question, Le Fay's face brightens considerably.

"Yes! I-I want to meet him! —I'm a big fan of his! So when you spoke of his name, I just had to be certain!" Le Fay smiled brightly at Kuroka who looked at her in surprise and curiosity.

"Big fan of his? What do you mean by that, nya?"

"She must of meant by the mini-series TV show he and I starred in. We had talked about it earlier." Rias answered Kuroka as Le Fay turned to Rias and nodded furiously in agreement.

"Yes! The Problematic Prince! The mini-series is an extra of the tv show series 'Oppai Dragon'! I'm a big fan of the 'Oppai Dragon' too. But I like the mini-series more!"

"Izayoi-kun has a tv show, nya?" Kuroka tilted her head in curiosity as she had finally understand the terms from earlier though she was a bit confused by the blonde's involvement in the elicited tv show series mentioned by Le Fay.

"Technically, it's not a full length tv show like the 'Oppai Dragon.' It's not as long as the standard time of a tv show. The mini-series of 'The Problematic Prince,' it's an extra clip featuring after each episode of 'Oppai Dragon' ends. It only lasts 5 minutes or so, and It's different for each episode. The main protagonist of the whole tv show mini-series is Sakamaki Izayoi-sama and it centers the focus around him as he strives through the adventures he encounters along his journey to '—end his boredom—'. Although Sakamaki Izayoi-sama is the main protagonist, there are other characters that will be the protagonists alongside him and side characters too, to aid in their adventure. They each have their own stories and it will be explored in the mini-series." Le Fay explained intelligently towards Kuroka.

"...Really?" A sly smile crosses Kuroka's face. "This is really something for me to watch afterwards, nya~" She claimed, finding the tv show mini-series centered on her blonde, quite interesting… Now, she is able to know how she would occupy her free time wisely.

When Kuroka had spoke up about watching the tv show mini-series, Le Fay looked at her with stars in her eyes.

"You should! If you want, I'll accompany you throughout the entire extras, Kuroka-sama. Granted you have to watch the 'Oppai Dragon' to watch the mini-series."

"Can't we just watch the extras only? Is there something wrong by watching only the extras?" A cute small pout was seen on Kuroka's face once she heard she had to watch the full-length tv show in order to watch the mini-series.

"Sorry, Kuroka-sama. But you can't do that. It is just the way it is." Le Fay apologised with an apologizing smile. "But I heard...that they're going to create a compilation of the mini-series once they have an adequate number of the mini-series, so that people can only watch the mini-series even though each one of them are short but it is entertaining. Besides, not only Sakamaki Izayoi-sama starred in the series but there are tons of guest stars that starred in the mini-series too!" Le Fay stated.

"You really like the mini-series then, Le Fay-san?" Akeno asked her. "You really are taken with it."

"Yes! I really do. It always makes me happy and laugh! 'Oppai Dragon' was really good but 'The Problematic Prince' is what makes the main series explode!"

"It is rather entertaining, if you ask me. But I cannot imagine how Izayoi-kun must have felt to do the mini-series." Akeno giggled as Rias smiled.

"Although Izayoi-kun is reluctant to do extra clips every episode of the Oppai Dragon that is aired but the people had asked him to do it in his way since he has the right to do so and they do not want to decide for him. I heard that they create the first drafts for the script writing, mini plot and setup of the mini-series where it should take place, before they gave it to Izayoi-kun and Serafall to check and edit them to their interests. So all of the mini-series you've watched until now has been produced by both of them." Rias said to the surprised Le Fay. "Surprisingly, Serafall has been acting as a manager for him after she had volunteered to help him through the process. However, I have a feeling she has other motives of her own…" Rias narrowed her eyes with a small frown.

"It is Serafall we are dealing with, Rias nya…" Kuroka smiled slyly as she raised her eyebrow. "You know how she is right, nya?"

"We'll see…" A challenging smile spread across Rias's lips.

"Did somebody call my name?"

A new voice called out near them as Rias looked over at her right, seeing a magic circle appeared within her sights.

"If it's not the Devil we were just talking about, nya…" Kuroka smirked looking over at Serafall appearing from the teleportation magic circle. "What irony this is, nya…"

"Serafall? You're apart of this operation?" Rias looked over at Serafall standing in front of her as the teleportation magic circle beneath her disappears.

"Yes! It is my duty after all, Rias-chan! Since the disappearance of Yasaka-sama, I was worried about how Kunou-chan could manage without her mother, and was reassured because of Shiroyasha-sama's presence who will manage a few responsibilities while supervising Kunou-chan's progress to manage what her mother did. So I didn't have to worry for a while. But then when I heard from Azazel-chan that we were planning to do something about the new enemies that we will be encountering when your Second-Year Juniors arrived in Kyoto, I came to help."

Serafall smiled.

"Anyway, I came here because all of the antimonsters had been disposed of, courtesy to Izayoi-kun mainly. —Did all of you seen what he did? It was phenomenal! I can't describe as much but it was nothing I ever seen! All of the areas in Kyoto was affected too! There's not a single area that is safe from that kind of devastating attack!" Serafall spoke to the four of them including Le Fay who looks around and just began noticing something about the background.

"W-Wait...T-This is Kyoto?" Le Fay questioned with wide eyes. As she looks around, Le Fay was in a state of disbelief when she recalled that this place was an imitation of Kyoto albeit she never did expect this kind of outcome to a beautiful city before even if it was an imitation.

"Yes, what was left of it. We're at Honmaru Palace, if I am not mistaken. What remains of Honmaru Palace." Rias answered Le Fay's question.

"What happened…? Who caused this…?"

"It was to vanquish an antimonster never before seen, and—this is the aftermath." Rias nodded.

"The entire Kyoto prefect was affected?"

"Yes, there is not a single area that was unhindered. Everything was affected, from the mountains, rivers, roads, to the buildings all around Kyoto. There was no end to this near apocalypse." Serafall continued. "All of the allied forces stationed all around Kyoto had been in a state of confusion and sheltered themselves. We withstood against it well and suffered minor injuries. —But I have to say. Izayoi-kun packed a punch into resulting something apocalyptic like this!"

"What...Wait, the one who caused this...is Sakamaki Izayoi-sama?" Le Fay gaped in shock by the end of her sentence.

"Yes, young lady. It is true. Hm, I'm sorry but who are you? We haven't properly met before have we? I am Serafall, pleased to meet you!" Serafall smiled as she introduces herself to Le Fay.

"Oh, um… My name is Le Fay Pendragon, Serafall-sama...Huh?! I…I-I know you! Y-You've played as one of Izayoi-sama's partners in 'The Problematic Prince!'"

"Oh, are you perhaps a fan of the mini-series?"

"I'm a big fan! It is a wonderful and amazing story! I can't stop watching it after each episode of 'Oppai Dragon!' —Um...I've shaken Rias-sama's hand but...c-can I shake your hand too?" Le Fay extended her hand shyly towards Serafall who shakes her hand gently.

"Anything for a fan. Especially one that likes the mini-series. How do you like it so far?"

"I love it! There is no other words that I can describe than how much I love it. Both Serafall-sama and Izayoi-sama did great on making the mini-series! Thank you very much!" Le Fay smiled wide at Serafall who smiled in response.

"You're welcome, Le Fay-chan! It's great to find a fan such as you like this. I never thought I'd be so lucky!" Both Le Fay and Serafall withdrew their hands as they both smiled at each other. "Keep on expecting more for the mini-series from time to time, alright? Because we're not done yet."

"That's…! Thank you, Serafall-sama for the message! I can't wait to watch it!" Le Fay smiled happily at Serafall. "...I never thought that this day would happen...T-Thank you so much! It is such an honour to meet both of you, Rias-sama and Serafall-sama!" Le Fay looked between Rias and Serafall. "I thought my day had been lucky enough when I met Rias-sama but I met you too, Serafall-sama! —After this, I'll meet with Sakamaki Izayoi-sama! I cannot wait! This is really turning out to be my lucky day!

"For a big fan of 'The Problematic Prince',—you really are one lucky girl, Le Fay-chan! This day proved it to be." Serafall smiled down at Le Fay who beamed brightly by her words while the others watched on with smiles.

"Lucky you, Le Fay, nya~" Kuroka let out a smile at the happiness radiating from Le Fay.

"—Rias-chan, Kuroka-chan…" Serafall speaks up, drawing the attention from everyone. "...—Did we did it? Did we rescue Yasaka-sama?" Serafall looked at both of the aforementioned people. Both Rias and Kuroka looked at each other and smiled.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Rias turned her body around to look at something from a distance ahead. "Though we didn't help out much in the end, but he—Izayoi-kun managed to rescue her from them." At the end of her sentence, Serafall could clearly see the three blondes, Kunou, Izayoi and Yasaka sitting down on the ground as all of them held smiles on their faces. Though the biggest smile belongs to Kunou who looked between both her parents and holding their hands.

"Look at Kunou-chan's smile...She's really happy on getting her mother back… I am really glad… She won't have to suffer anymore now that her mother is back with her."

"Yes, that's true. Little fox has had enough to suffer. She doesn't have to now, nya."

"I can't argue. Especially if she has both of Yasaka-sama and Izayoi-kun. She'll have the biggest smile on her face if they both are with her. I can see that well…" Rias smiled whilst looking over the family of three over the distance.

"That's true. So…" Serafall started speaking as she steps forward and stood in front of Rias, Akeno, Kuroka and Le Fay. "—Why don't we make her more happier then?" She suggested turning her head to direct a smile towards them.

"You don't have to cry anymore, musume. Everything is all right… I am not going anywhere. You know that right?"

Yasaka asked whilst looking down over at Kunou who was hugging her now. Just then, her daughter was wearing the biggest smile she ever seen at having both her parents with her right now—but she hugged her all of a sudden before Yasaka heard the sniffles coming from her daughter which she immediately assumed to be of her crying. She was confused on what made her cry but nonetheless she hugged her daughter back while rubbing her back comfortingly.

At her mother's question, Kunou silently nods above her right shoulder.

"I understand you told me that it's not my fault...That I was never at fault for what happened...But on that day...I feel like I lost you and there was nothing I could do, including if there was any way if I could ever see you...If there could be any hope of seeing you, Okaa-sama...When you were gone, I don't know what to do except wanting to see you again...I thought I would never see you again...—And I don't want to feel that again… So can I stay like this…?"

"Kunou…" A compassionate smile graces Yasaka's face as she heard all of the words spoken from her daughter. She had heard that her disappearance had made her daughter lonely and while she had the help of those close to her at the time which comforted her, at the same time replacing her as the leader of the Youkai temporarily, she never did heard her feelings on that day of her disappearance— and when she heard it just now, she cannot help herself by feeling guilty over leaving her all alone. Though her daughter has the company of her trusted advisor and close maids, she knew they cannot replace her as her mother.

"You've said to her that she shouldn't cry...Speak for yourself, Yasaka…"

Izayoi's voice awakens her from her thoughts as she felt a thumb brushes across her left cheek, brushing away the tear fell from her left eye. She looked towards Izayoi kneeling next to her. She smiled at him.

"Thank you…" Just as she said that, Kunou pull herself away from the hug and looked at her mother.

"You're crying again, Okaa-sama…?"

"I am so sorry, Kunou...I cannot help that I leave you all alone after all…"

"Okaa-sama." Kunou started. "Even though I thought I wouldn't see you again, I have always hope that I would see you. Otou-sama promised me first that he would save you, no matter what. I believed him. Otou-sama had to leave after the promise and I understood that he has his own duty. He left saying that even if I should not have any responsibilities that I should uphold yet considering I am still young… But he said that I will become like you, Okaa-sama or better than you. The only thing I need to do is… take the first steps… and he also said that Okaa-sama experienced the same thing when she was my age, so—If Okaa-sama can become what she is today than why can't I?"

"Kunou…" Yasaka looked at her daughter with teary eyes, feeling touched by the words spoken from her daughter.

"And it's not just Otou-sama...Everyone, like Asia-san, Issei-san, Kiba-san, Xenovia-san, Irina-san, Asuka-san…including Rias onee-sama, Serafall onee-sama, and the others, even Kuroka onee-sama. They came to help."

"Say no more, little fox. We're right here, nya."

At this, Kunou turns around to look at everyone gathering in front of her and her parents. A smile spread across her face as she looked at everyone present but it was soon replaced by a frown when she saw the state they were in.

"...I...I am so sorry!" Kunou bows her head abruptly causing everyone to look at her in surprise. They did not expect the kind of reaction she was showing. "I am so sorry for troubling all of you...and all of you were hurt...because of it."

"Musume…" Yasaka uttered looking at her daughter with a small frown.

"...And I understand that I cannot give anything in return and I cannot thank you enough but...—Thank you very much, everyone of you!" Kunou declared. Her voice so sincere as she kept her head bowed to everyone.

"Kunou-chan…" Serafall muttered. A small smile on her face.

"What are we going to do with you, little fox, nya…" Kuroka commented with a smile.

"What you do now, Kunou…" Izayoi rests his hand on top of her shoulder before he stood up and Kunou raised her head to look at him. "—Is more than enough for them." At this, Kunou looked towards everyone who was smiling at her.

"Yes, you do not need to thank you like that, Kunou…" Rias crossed her arms as she smiled at her gently. "My peerage are happy and grateful that they can be of help to return your mother to you." She stated as Asia nods followed by the rest of her peerage.

"We are glad that we can help you, Kunou-sama. We had promised to you that we would return your mother, and we would do just that. Yes, we may have suffered because of the confrontation but it is a sacrifice we are willing to make in exchange for your mother...alright? We did not do this because we are told to, instead we chose to do this. There is a difference, Kunou-sama."

"Good words, Asia. I cannot spoke it better myself." Rias smiled down at Asia who smiled at her and Issei who was grinning at her proudly. "As for me including both Serafall and Kuroka… We would do anything to return to your mother. We have developed such sweet and good memories during our stay in your home, with both Yasaka-sama, and you, Kunou. As such, we don't want to miss the opportunity that is already granted by us to save your mother. All of us have known from the start what had happened that caused Yasaka-sama's disappearance, and we would like to help in any way we could. However, forgive us for arriving later in the midst of battle." Rias smile apologetically at the end as Kunou looked at her in surprise before she turns to Serafall and Kuroka standing next to each other near Rias.

"Yes, I am so sorry that I cannot be there to help you, Kunou-chan… I feel horrible now that I think about it. Both Rias-chan and Kuroka-chan had a part in helping Yasaka-sama while I didn't…" Serafall smiled sadly while cupping both her hands in front of her.

"You did your part, Leviathan, nya...Don't think you had any part. I seem to recall that you were fending off the monsters of the Annihilation Maker user, nya…Am I right?" Kuroka raised an eyebrow at Serafall while crossing her arms under her well-endowed chest.

"But I didn't help all of you to rescue Yasaka-sama…" Serafall muttered frowning.

"You did help, Serafall onee-sama!" Kunou declared out loud. "Without you and the others out there, we might not be able to fend off those monsters as much as you all did. They might focused all of their attention on us if you weren't here. So, you had a big part in all of this, Serafall onee-sama!" Kunou stated with a big smile, trying to correct Serafall on her mistake of not contributing to rescue her mother however Kunou knew that she had a big part and she was grateful that she was here including all the Fallen Angels, Angels and Devils involved.

"Kunou-chan…" A warm smile spread across Serafall's face whilst looking down at Kunou who kept directing a smile towards her. Serafall walks towards Kunou before crouching and folding her legs to sit upon the ground in front of Kunou who watches her in curiosity. Smiling at the curious looking Kunou, Serafall extends her arms to envelope Kunou in a hug. "You know how to cheer someone up after all of this...—That's really, really good, Kunou-chan! I am so proud of you! Your parents are raising you well…" Serafall looked over Kunou's head towards both Yasaka and Izayoi to direct a smile of appreciation at them.

"You should be happy, Serafall onee-sama...If I am happy, then you should be happy too. I have gotten Okaa-sama back because of you too." Kunou smiles as she returns Serafall's hug.

As everyone watches the two hugged, Izayoi's attention turns to the empty spot in the distance within his sight. "So, I guess they bolted from here as soon as they had the opportunity…" He muttered with narrowed eyes.

"Did they…?" Yasaka questioned looking up at Izayoi before she looked over the same empty spot where Cao Cao and Georg last stood minutes earlier. They had also saw the other members of the Hero Faction that had fallen had all disappeared from their respective places, presumably disappearing the same way as the duo.

"They disappeared the instant you've managed to break the hold over Yasaka-sama."

Izayoi turns his head to his right to see Asuka walking up to his side.

"They must have leave in a hurry before they fallen unconscious over their injuries." Asuka chuck a small laugh much to Izayoi's curiosity. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Izayoi-kun. It is as expected of you to single-handedly beat them as usual." Asuka glances at him through the corner of her eyes.

A cocky smile spread across his face before he shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. "They asked for it. They had started all of this by themselves. I don't see why they would think to leave empty-handed…"

"They did left with the condition as they are, and— with their pride wounded, I reckon?"

"That's not all…" Izayoi held a smirk over his lips as Asuka looked at him with a smile before shaking her head.

"I thought as much." Asuka replied before she watched Izayoi turns to Yasaka knelt next to him and extends his hand towards her.

"Can you stand now, Yasaka?"

He asked while looking down at Yasaka who smiled at his offering hand.

"I think I can by now…" Yasaka stated as she takes a hold of Izayoi's hand and he hoisted her up to stand. However, Yasaka's knees buckle slightly and she fell forward—only to meet Izayoi's chest. "...I-I'm s-sorry, Izayoi-kun." She apologized firstly as she blushes.

"You don't need to apologize."

"You have to be careful, Yasaka-sama…" Asuka smiled at her.

"Yes, I would have thought I recovered by now...But I think the burden of having no control of myself for a while took its toll on my body right now…"

"So it seems…—?" A deep frown curved downwards on Izayoi's face as both Yasaka and Asuka watches his expression changed drastically.

"Is...something the matter, Izayoi-kun?" Yasaka asked looking up at him before she watches him turning his body sideways and looked in front of him. Mirroring the turn of his head, Yasaka look in front of her. She does not see anything past the darkness of the night—before she saw an outline of white silhouette nearing them closer amidst the dark.

To Be Continued…

That is the end of Chapter 62 of A Problem Devil, Born~ How do all of you think about this development? This is quite a long chapter so I will apologize firstly if its too long for you all to read. But I feel like it is right for me to do it because it is a bit hard to go in depth of the story and I wanted to tell the story like that.

Anyway, how do you feel about the chapter? Was it bad, good, amazing? Better than the last chapter? What should I correct in terms of writing? Is there anything I missed? Or is there anything you want to comment that fancies you in this chapter? Please do write a Review about all of that in the Review Box below.

In the meantime, for the newcomers who had begun to read this story and chapter, feel free to press the Favorite and Follow button below if you seem that my story is to your liking.

And I hope that this chapter had satisfied all of your impatience, because this took quite a lot of time and effort. The ideas are not coming in so smoothly these couple of weeks, so I had to take some rests everyday to make this chapter as it should be told. I hope all of you can relate and be satisfied.

Can I tell all of you how totally badass Izayoi looked? The Hero Faction did not expect that kind of beating. Ha!

Man, I am even surprise that I wrote the scenes myself. I mean, I surprised myself every chapter I wrote, so I hope you can all relate. And Kunou is so...cute! She is really adorable when she is with both of her parents. I am so glad that she got to be reunited with her mother and father in this scene. Comment down below if you feel the same way.

Anyway, I think that is all for this chapter. I hope that all of you will stay tuned for the next chapter because it will open a new chapter to this story. So feel free to wait in agon—I mean be patient, alright?

Ja'ne! ArtLotus out!