Warning: Explicit content ahead...
Chapter 36 – Deception
"Another one… Damn it…"
Takeshi cursed under his breath at the sight before him. In the middle of a debris pile that used to be a house laid the half-charred corpse of a male Tanuki Youkai he had dug out from it. Conjuring a magic circle and taking out a white sheet from it, he draped it over the corpse. He then picked it up and carried it to one of the many carts that filled the streets of the underground city, placing it next to several identical bundles. Feeling a little lightheaded all of a sudden, he put his hand on the cart to steady himself as he poured some water over his head.
"Are you alright, Takeshi-san?" Chiharu, who was coming from the side while carrying two white cloth bundles on her shoulders, asked with a concerned expression. "Maybe you should take a break. I'm not an expert, but even I can tell the battle two days ago took quite the toll on you."
"Don't worry, it's business as usual for me." Takeshi forced a smile. "It'll take far more than that to bring me down. More importantly, how many survivors have we found as of yet?"
"Too few for my liking, especially compared to the number of corpses we've dug out." Chiharu said with a dark expression. "These brutes have a lot to answer for when we get our hands on them. Warriors fighting and killing each other is one thing, but targeting those who cannot fight is unforgivable."
"We'll make sure they pay for this in full." Takeshi said. "But right now, search and rescue are our priority. I've got about four wrecked houses left in this area, and after that—"
"After that, you should drop the tough act and rest for a while." Chiharu cut off Takeshi. "Collapsing in the middle of work isn't helping anyone, least of all yourself."
Although he wanted to argue, Takeshi could tell that his body was far from being in tip-top shape despite Koneko's Senjutsu treatments. Nidhogg's Sacred Gear draining his lifespan and Ladon's Sacred Gear magnifying his exhaustion made for a dreadful combination.
"…Very well." Takeshi said with some reluctance. "Once I'm done with this area, I'll take it easy for a while."
"Make sure you do that." Chiharu smirked. "I wouldn't want to have to call Koneko-san and the others to tie you down and lock you in your room."
Takeshi rolled his eyes in exasperation as he returned to his work once Chiharu had taken her leave. Using Mayhem Striker, he manipulated the large quantity of ashes around him, forming several claw-like constructs to remove the debris. The first two houses were empty, and in the third, Takeshi found the corpses of a Bakeneko family of five. After storing the bodies in the cart, he headed to the last collapsed house. Digging around for a while, he came across a female Kitsune that was embracing her child. Although the mother was dead, Takeshi noticed that shallow breaths were coming from the child. He rushed to check her vitals and found a weak, yet steady heartbeat.
"She's still alive…" Takeshi muttered in a hurry before turning to a nearby Youkai group. "Hey, someone give me a hand here! We've got a survivor!"
A female Nekomata rushed to Takeshi's position and started channeling ki to the young Kitsune while checking her body for injuries. After a couple of minutes, she let out a relieved sigh.
"It's going to be alright." The Nekomata said with a tired smile. "She's going to make it. This young one is weak, but there are no serious injuries on her. The mother must have shielded her with her own body and channeled as much ki as she could to preserve her life right until she met her end."
"I see." Takeshi said as he picked up the older Kitsune's corpse. "I'll leave the rest to you then."
The Nekomata nodded in affirmation before returning her attention to the unconscious child, while Takeshi deposited the mother's corpse on the nearby cart. After taking a look around to see if he had missed anything, he delivered his report of today's findings to the Youkai in charge of this area. Once he was done with that, he reached out with his senses, locating Rias's familiar energy signature.
"I promised Chiharu I wouldn't strain myself further, but asking for any new info shouldn't count…"
Takeshi muttered thus as he made his way to the castle, and more specifically, the large number of tents placed around it. Due to the damages the castle had incurred over the course of the previous battle, it was deemed unfit for use until repairs were made. As such, the majority of its occupants were now staying in the tents surrounding it. Making his way to one of the larger ones, Takeshi saw that Rias, Azazel, Nurarihyon, Magari, Suzaku and an unfamiliar woman with long purple hair, matching eyes and a curvaceous body had gathered around a projection of the Ibaraki Prefecture. Once Rias noticed him, she excused herself and rushed to his side.
"Is everything alright, Takeshi?" Rias asked with a concerned expression. "Are you perhaps feeling unwell? Should I call Koneko?"
"No, no, nothing like that." Takeshi hurried to reassure Rias. "I'm taking a small break from rescue operations since I'm done with my assigned area, and I was curious as to whether we had any new info."
"In that case, you've come at just the right time." Rias said as she led Takeshi to the tent. "Azazel and his colleagues have some interesting findings for us."
Once the two of them were inside, the unfamiliar woman turned to them, appraising Takeshi for a bit before letting out a small smile.
"That's the current Evil Dragon User-kun, hm?" The woman said. "Yes, he does feel similar to our troublesome runaway Dragon kid. Still, just from his looks, you couldn't tell he has dominated three Evil Dragons so far…"
"And you are…?"
"Oh, pardon me for the late introduction." The woman said. "I'm Penemue, one of Grigori's Cadres and the organization's Chief Secretary. I was asked to come here by Azazel along with some of my subordinates in order to assist him in handling this mess. Nice to meet you."
"A Cadre?" Takeshi was surprised by this as he turned to Azazel. "Is it alright for another Grigori leader to be here, Sensei? I thought you guys were understaffed."
"It might trouble the others a bit and increase their workload, but we can't afford to be stingy now." Azazel said. "Penemue is an expert when it comes to fortifying positions, which makes her the best choice to ensure that we don't get invaded out of the blue like what happened two days ago."
"Speaking of which, I'd like to know how they managed to bypass our security so easily." Magari said. "Even if a Longinus was involved, I refuse to believe that our defensive measures, which lasted for centuries even against far worse assaults, could be taken down so easily."
"The answer is this." Azazel said, conjuring a magic circle that projected the image of a small tick-like creature. "What you see is another of Annihilation Maker's constructs. This creature can attach itself to someone's body and perfectly mimic their energy signature, rendering them nigh undetectable. In our previous battle in the artificial dimension, some of these must have stuck on our warriors' bodies. They brought them back here and past the external defenses, the constructs opened several pathways that connected to the savage Youkai's artificial dimension, and the rest is history."
"Wait, so these things could still be in this city, or even on us?" Rias said with a frown. "If that's the case, then what's stopping them from creating more pathways for another invasion?"
"My subordinates and I are taking care of that." Penemue said. "We've set up special equipment that we've brought straight from headquarters that will interfere with the constructs' attempts to communicate with their controllers. Moreover, our scientists back home are working on devices that emit a specific frequency that should disintegrate these pests. Of course, we've also taken the liberty to add to the existing security measures. Trust me when I say we won't suffer any more enemy attacks. I'm staking my pride as a Cadre on it."
"If Penemue is saying that much, then we don't have to worry about that matter anymore." Azazel said. "That means we can focus on our counterattack."
"That might be a bit difficult as things stand." Suzaku said. "We still have no solid lead regarding the enemy's whereabouts, and we have suffered quite a few losses. Apart from the Youkai, several of our Onmyouji also fell in battle while facing a contingent of enemy forces that attacked the perimeter. Meanwhile, the savage Youkai have Annihilation Maker on their side, as well as Ashiya Douman, a man capable of creating a large number of shikigamis if need be. Even with Tobio and Lavinia helping us, the odds aren't exactly in our favor."
"I wouldn't underestimate these two, and I also wouldn't worry about the enemy's numbers than much." Azazel said. "Annihilation Maker might be formidable, but there are still limits on the number and type of monsters the possessor can create. With the Khaos Brigade conducting operations on a global scale, I don't think they can spare large amounts of constructs on this front. As for Douman's shikigami, they're still tied to his energy reserves, which means he has to settle for either quality or quantity."
"That would be the case if it was the old Ashiya Douman." Magari said while scratching her ear. "However, he appears to have…changed, so we can't be certain of his current capabilities. To begin with, I still can't understand how he's still alive after all these centuries. His death was supposedly confirmed way back then."
"There are several paths available that lead to longevity for humans, some of them darker than we dare imagine." Nurarihyon said with a grimace. "I wouldn't be surprised if that wicked Onmyouji dabbled in forbidden practices to extend his life and continue being a blight upon this world."
"More importantly, does anyone have any idea what the Hell the enemy was trying to accomplish with this brazen attack?" Takeshi asked. "Was it simple harassment, or were they targeting something specific? From what the others told me, the savage Youkai didn't seem to have a clear target, but perhaps we missed something?"
"No, the exact reason eludes us as of now." Azazel said. "Perhaps this attack's purpose was to serve as a diversion while the savage Youkai fulfilled some other objective of theirs elsewhere? It's too soon to tell. Right now, finding a way into their artificial dimension is our priority. Fortunately, thanks to the enemy's invasion, we now have a lead. While I was busy shutting down the enemy's teleportation circles, I memorized the formula composition and wavelength."
"Oh?" Suzaku smiled. "As expected of the Fallen Angel Governor. This means we can locate the artificial dimension's anchor points much easier now. I suppose that's why Tobio's nowhere to be found these past two days?"
"Anchor points?" Rias frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, an artificial dimension like that requires tethers of an arcane nature to remain connected to this world and avoid being lost in the Dimensional Gap." Azazel explained. "If we can locate one of these anchor points, we can open a path to the artificial dimension. That's what I've been working on with some assistance from Raziel's department in Heaven and Grigori's agents on the field. Shame that they've got problems of their own in Europe and can't assist us more than that."
"Problems?" Takeshi asked. "Has the Church been attacked as well?"
"There's been a large-scale terrorist attack on the Vatican by Magicians belonging to Hexennacht, one of the magic cabals associated with the Khaos Brigade." Azazel said. "Some Etruscan deities hostile to Heaven have also aided them, forcing Heaven to dispatch most of its elite forces to handle this issue. Good grief, we sure have a lot of enemies to deal with…"
"If they've sent out their best, that means Leon is out there too…" Takeshi said while grimacing. "I hope he's doing better than us."
"It'll be alright, I'm sure." Rias smiled at Takeshi. "He's the Red Dragon Emperor after all, and a powerful one at that. Something of this level should be well within his capabilities."
"I guess so…"
"For crying out loud, what is this world coming to these days?" Nurarihyon complained while scratching his head. "Times like this, I can't wait until my son finishes his customary service in Takamagahara and returns back home. Once he does, I'm retiring at once before the stress makes me even more wrinkled than I already am."
"Oi, oi, you're talking about retirement already even though you're not even a thousand years old yet?" Azazel grinned. "Quite self-indulgent of you, don't you think, Nurarihyon?"
"Don't force your standards on us, you feathered fossil." Nurarihyon glared at Azazel. "Unlike you Fallen Angels, we Youkai can't live for several millennia, you know? Also, considering your own age, shouldn't you be thinking about retirement as well?"
"No way." Azazel smirked. "I can still show a woman a good time, so my retirement is a long way off."
"As for me, I can still go on for a couple of centuries or more if need be." Magari said, her seven tails flicking in a lazy manner. "There aren't any Nekomata powerful enough to take my place as of yet after all. Being the elder of a dwindling race is such a pain."
"Alright, how about we get back to the matter at hand." Penemue said, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "Other than locating one of the anchor points, continuing with the search and rescue operations and fortifying our defenses, is there anything else we can do for now?"
"Personally, I'd like to go over all the info we have regarding the towns that were obliterated by the savage Youkai once again." Azazel said while scratching his chin. "I can't help but feel we're missing something important there."
"As for me, I'll contact my subordinates spread throughout the Prefecture and see if they have noticed any suspicious movements." Suzaku said. "I was thinking about contacting the other family heads and ask them to be on standby. It would be nice if they could come to our aid, but I suppose that's too much to ask of them."
"My Peerage and I will rest for a bit, and then we'll continue assisting with the city's cleanup." Rias said. "Let's go, Takeshi."
"Right. If you would excuse us, everyone."
Takeshi made a small bow as he and Rias exited the tent. Once they were some distance away, Rias let out a sigh.
"That was a pretty deep sigh there." Takeshi remarked. "Stressed about the overall situation?"
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't." Rias said. "But more than that, this feeling that the world is slowly spiraling into chaos and we're getting heavily involved with that… Well, I can't help but worry about whether we're ready for what's coming next."
"Isn't that why we're working our butts off whenever we can?" Takeshi grinned, putting his arm around Rias's shoulder. "It'll be fine, I promise. No matter who or what threatens us, we'll handle it like we've done so far."
[…Lies…]
Takeshi did his best to conceal his scowl, as well as the uneasiness this single word had provoked. Fortunately, Rias didn't seem to notice, preoccupied as she was with her worries.
"…Yes, you're right, of course." Rias said after a few seconds with a small smile, leaning closer to Takeshi and kissing his cheek. "Worrying too much isn't helping anyone. Now then, let's find Akeno and the others. I don't know about you, but I'm famished."
"Truth be told, I feel like I could clear a whole buffet on my own." Takeshi said with a grin. "Though if the past two days are any indication, we can't expect much in terms of variety or quantity…"
"True." Rias said. "It's settled then. Once we've dealt with this situation, I'm taking you all out to a high-class restaurant so you can eat to your heart's content."
"As expected of my dear master. You know just what to say in order to motivate me even further."
Takeshi smirked as he and Rias continued walking through the city's ruined streets.
Later, at night…
"I'm beat…"
Takeshi muttered as he returned to his room, taking off his Kuoh Academy uniform and wearing a simple T-shirt and shorts. After having lunch with the rest of his friends, the Occult Research Club had returned to assisting the Youkai. Unfortunately for him, he had failed to find any more survivors so far, digging out only corpses. This, coupled with his general condition, only made his mood fouler. Conjuring Cataclysm Zone, he turned his focus to it.
"Feeling in the mood to speak to me properly, Ladon?" Takeshi asked. "Or are you going to continue being annoying by spouting nonsense at random intervals? Of course, if you were to never speak to me at all, that'd be perfect as well. Not that there's any chance of that happening, but a man can dream…"
Predictably enough, Ladon remained silent, prompting Takeshi to sigh in exasperation. It seemed Orochi wasn't mistaken when he called him a my-pace kind of Evil Dragon.
At that moment, a soft knock was heard on Takeshi's door.
"Who is it?"
"…It's me, Senpai." Koneko said. "May I…come inside?"
"Of course."
The door opened slowly, with Koneko stepping inside with some hesitation. Much to Takeshi's surprise, Koneko was wearing a white yukata with a blue obi instead of her casual outfit. Her Nekomata features were visible and her face seemed flushed for some reason. She sat on the bed next to Takeshi, fixing her yukata as she did so.
"The local style looks great on you, Koneko-chan." Takeshi gave her a thumbs-up while smiling. "Coupled with those lovely cat ears and tail, I'm sure you could bewitch any man you want."
"…Thank you…though there is only one man I'm interested in bewitching."
"You don't have to worry about that." Takeshi grinned, caressing Koneko's cheek. "Your irresistible charm and cuteness have already captured his heart. Escape is practically impossible at this point."
"…Good, because I wouldn't give it back even if you asked." Koneko smiled, and then her expression became serious. "Senpai…how are you feeling? The last battle took a lot out of you. Also, when it comes to your newest Sacred Gear, I know it's taxing, but how bad is it really?"
"Truth be told…it's a royal pain in the neck to deal with." Takeshi grimaced. "Increased energy consumption plus all these super realistic nightmares on top of my already precarious condition…let's say they make for a lethal combination. However, I'm still hanging in there. I won't let Ladon, or any of the Evil Dragons for that matter, have the last laugh. Besides, I've got everyone helping me out, so I'll power through it one way or another."
"…There…might be a way I can help you further…" Koneko said, the blush on her face becoming more prominent. "During our practice, Magari-sama suggested a certain…method that might speed up your healing and restore your energy reserves faster… It's actually the most efficient and fastest method when it comes to Senjutsu healing…"
"Oh, there is such a method?" Takeshi said. "That sounds great. But what does it entail?"
"…Well…it's called Bouchujutsu…" Koneko said, lowering her head with an embarrassed expression on her face. "Through it, a woman who specializes in ki manipulation shares her ki with an ailing man, healing the core of the body to a greater extent than normal ki transfer. The conditions for it…the man and woman involved must become one…through intimate contact…"
"Intimate contact?" Takeshi frowned, and then his eyes opened wide. "Wait a minute… You're talking about sex, aren't you? That's the requirement for this healing technique?"
Koneko nodded in silence, prompting Takeshi to sigh as he rubbed her head.
"I appreciate the fact that you're trying your best to help me, but there's no need to push yourself into something you're not feeling ready for, Koneko-chan." Takeshi said. "My situation is nowhere near critical enough for you to force yourself."
"…That's not it, Takeshi-senpai." Koneko said, lifting her head and looking at Takeshi straight in the eye. "I really want to do this with you, become one with the man I love. Healing you is just an added incentive for me. I've been wanting us to take the next step for a while now, but there didn't seem to be a good opportunity to bring it up. However, I'm done waiting now."
"…By any chance, this doesn't have anything to do with Tamamo-no-Mae's inexplicable obsession with me, does it?" Takeshi said. "Because if it does, I assure you that—"
"…Again, that's not it." Koneko said, placing her finger on Takeshi's lips. "I don't care about her ramblings. I only care about you. Unless…you don't find me attractive enough after all? I mean, with glamorous women like President and Akeno-san next to you, perhaps I don't appeal to you anymore…"
"Now you're talking nonsense." Takeshi grinned. "There's no way you'd ever stop appealing to me, Koneko-chan. I love you, and I've been looking forward to taking our relationship to the next level as well. If you say you're ready and willing…then there's no way in Hell I'm turning you away. You'd better not change your mind hallway through, because I won't be able to restrain myself once we begin."
"…You won't have to." Koneko said as she edged closer to him, a sly smile on her face. "In fact, you might be the one begging for a break after a while."
"Oh, I wouldn't bet on that."
Takeshi smirked as he leaned forward a bit and cupped Koneko's cheeks, capturing her lips in a deep kiss as she put her arms around him. He grabbed Koneko's waist and lifted her up while they kissed, placing her on his lap. Koneko moaned as their tongues mashed together, exploring each other's mouth in a rough manner. She started grinding on him as her hands travelled all over his body, pulling his shirt off with quick moves before crashing her lips on him again. A white aura enveloped Koneko's body as she began transferring ki to Takeshi, with the latter feeling their passion and need for one another mixing together and further intensifying under the influence of Senjutsu.
"I've always wanted to try this…"
Breaking the kiss, Takeshi whispered in a low tone and started caressing one of Koneko's cat-like ears with his finger.
"Ah…!"
The young Nekomata let out a surprised gasp as her whole body shivered in delight. Smirking, Takeshi resumed his ministrations on the other ear, with Koneko biting back moans of pleasure as she squirmed on his lap, her face flushed.
"…Senpai…you pervert…" Koneko rasped as she glared at Takeshi, making a very unconvincing attempt to sound reproachful. "…Who knew…you had an ear fetish…?"
"You can blame yourself for that, Koneko-chan." Takeshi grinned as his fingers continued trailing over the entire surface of her cat ears, with Koneko letting out muffled cries. "It's like those adorable ears are begging to played with."
"…That's…not…ah!"
Koneko's rebuttal was drowned by her cries as Takeshi began nibbling on her earlobe this time, her nails digging into his bare chest. Pressing on with his 'attack', Takeshi laid Koneko on the bed as he placed his hand between her legs. His fingers moved around until they found her soaking wet clit. After noting offhandedly that she wasn't wearing any underwear, Takeshi slowly pushed his finger inside her, sliding it back and forth as he continued playing around with her ears. The stimulation proved to be too much for Koneko, who let out a high-pitched cry as her body arched and she climaxed, with a copious amount of juices pouring out of her. She collapsed on the bed, with shot gasps of breath coming out of her mouth.
"Haa… Haa… Senpai…"
Koneko murmured with a half-dazed expression. Her flushed body covered in a thin sheen of sweat and the rush of pleasure from the ki being transmitted to him almost made Takeshi want to succumb to his most primal instincts. With great effort, he restrained himself to simply untying her obi and opening her kimono, revealing her pearly white skin and slender body. Koneko crossed her arms over her chest, looking embarrassed for some reason and causing Takeshi to frown.
"What's the matter, Koneko-chan?"
"…Having Senpai look at my childish body…as expected, this must be a major turn-off for you…" Koneko said with a dispirited look. "When compared to President, I can't—"
"OK, stop right there." Takeshi said, placing a finger on Koneko's lips to cut her off. "Sheesh, how many times must I say this? True, you're no Rias or Akeno, but that doesn't matter one bit. You have your own charm, and right now…right now, I want you so much that it's driving me crazy."
"…That makes two of us." Koneko smiled, caressing Takeshi's face before pulling him in for another kiss. "No reason to keep either of us waiting then."
Koneko removed her kimono completely and tossed it aside. She then began trailing kisses all over Takeshi's body while also increasing the amount of channeled ki. Reaching for his shorts, she pulled them down, tossing them aside. She did the same with his underwear, leaving them both in their birthday suits.
"…This is…Senpai's little Dragon, eh?" Koneko said with a sultry tone. "It doesn't seem to be fully awake yet, so let's fix that, shall we?"
Caressing Takeshi's cock once, which sent waves of intense pleasure through his body due to his heightened sensitivity, Koneko planted a small kiss on its tip. However, contrary to his expectations, she started moving upwards again, kissing, licking and biting him all over his torso. As Koneko gave him yet another passionate kiss, biting his lower lip in the process. Takeshi let out a surprised yelp as he felt something soft and fluffy wrapping around his dick. Glancing down, he saw that it was Koneko's tail.
"…Payback time~."
Koneko let out a sly smile. Her tail then began caressing Takeshi's dick, with him gasping as he felt a sensation similar to electrical currents going through his body each time the tail moved.
"So, this is…Senjutsu's effects…during sex, huh?" Takeshi said through gritted teeth, feeling his climax coming. "No wonder…Nekomata are so highly sought out…as sex partners…!"
"…That's right." Koneko smiled as she gave Takeshi another kiss while her tail wrapped itself even tighter around Takeshi's cock. "That's why, just lie back, enjoy this and leave everything to me."
"Can't…do that…" Takeshi smirked. "It's my obligation…to also have my beloved Koneko-chan enjoy this…"
After saying so, Takeshi inserted one of his fingers in Koneko's clit once again, eliciting a moan of pleasure from her as her walls tightened around his finger. Moving it in and out with slow movements, Takeshi used his free hand to tease her right nipple, giving it soft pinches at times before moving to the left. Koneko's whole body shivered as Takeshi inserted a second finger, grabbing his face and pulling him into a searing kiss, both of them acting as if they were starving beasts set to devour each other. Amidst muffled cries and moans of pleasure, Takeshi climaxed first, his semen coating Koneko's tail. She came a few seconds after him, letting out a high-pitched wail and collapsing on his chest. She then brought her tail to her mouth, tasting the drops of semen.
"…This is Senpai's taste." Koneko murmured with a dreamy expression. "As expected…this tastes amazing. I wonder…if it's because I love you so much?"
"In my experience, that's definitely a factor." Takeshi said as he licked his finger, tasting Koneko's juices as his eyes glinted. "More importantly, I can't wait any longer, Koneko-chan! I need you…right now!"
"Ah!"
Koneko was caught off-guard as Takeshi stood up and sat on the bed, lifting her up and positioning her above his erect cock. He glanced at her, with Koneko nodding once. Then, Takeshi lowered her towards his cock with slow movements. His hands trembled from exertion as he struggled to keep himself from ramming her down and enter her as roughly as possible in order to quench the flame of desire raging inside him.
"Here I go…!"
Takeshi growled through gritted teeth as his entire length gradually slid inside Koneko's entrance. Koneko's body shook and her back arched as she pursed her lips together to keep herself from letting out any embarrassing sounds. Both of them remained in this position for a few seconds in order for Koneko's body to adjust to the foreign object inside her.
"…So hot…" Koneko mewled while heaving, putting her arms around Takeshi's neck as her feverish gaze locked on his. "My body…it feels like it's burning…! Senpai…it's alright now… so please, hurry up…!"
Takeshi let out a grunt as he started moving his hips in tandem with Koneko's, the petite girl letting out passionate moans as her nails buried themselves in Takeshi's back. Both of them quickened their pace after a while, with Koneko bouncing up and down on his lap. The white aura surrounding her had also become more intense, seeping into Takeshi's body and heightening his pleasure. Soon enough, Takeshi was pounding into her with all the force he could muster, her walls tightening even further around his dick. While in the middle of yet another fierce making-out session, Koneko climaxed with a shrill cry. Takeshi barely paid any heed to that, continuing his heated pace as his cock moved back and forth.
After Koneko had climaxed two more times, Takeshi held her close to him as he felt that he was reaching his own limit. Following Koneko's third climax in a row as she jerked against him with a sudden cry, Takeshi released his own load inside Koneko. Just as he pulled out, he realized something curious.
"I'm still hard…?" Takeshi frowned, turning to Koneko. "Is this due to Senjutsu as well?"
"…Yes." Koneko said with a sultry expression while caressing Takeshi's cheek. "That's why, let's enjoy ourselves to our hearts' content while I heal you. The night is still young after all. Ah, but for this round, I'll be taking the lead."
"I like the sound of that."
Takeshi smirked as he laid on the bed, with Koneko mounting him. An intense session of lovemaking began as the two of them went at it for a several hours. Eventually, the glow enveloping Koneko's body faded as her strength was spent, falling asleep on Takeshi's bed after climaxing for the umpteenth time.
"Thank you, Koneko-chan…" Takeshi said in a low voice as he kissed the sleeping girl's forehead. "For doing all this for my sake, truly thank you. Constantly channeling all this ki must have been exhausting for you. Rest well now."
Takeshi laid next to her and closed his eyes. But just as he was about to fall asleep—
[…You had…a lot of fun, eh…?]
Next thing he knew, Takeshi found himself in the middle of the most beautiful garden he had ever seen. The grass beneath his feet shimmered with a faint golden light, the flowers were of such brilliant colors that seemed to glow under the light of the setting sun in the distance and the various small streams running through the garden seemed to be sparkling. Next to him, a path made out of polished white marble led to a small hill, where an oversized tree bearing golden-colored apples stood tall. Their fragrant smell carried by the evening breeze caused Takeshi's mouth to water. He was sure that if he could taste them, they would probably be the most delicious meal he had ever eaten.
A low growl coming from the base of the tree turned Takeshi's attention there, something which he regretted at once. Lying under the apple tree's shade was a large western Dragon, his tail wrapped around its trunk. His copper-colored scales, whose pattern was reminiscent of tree bark, seemed to be letting out a soft glow, and his horns had the shape of tree roots. His red eyes seemed focused on Takeshi, and his lack of blinking only served to unnerve the young man. Pushing his uneasiness down, he took a few tentative steps forward before coming to a stop before the Dragon and addressing him.
"I thought you were supposed to have a hundred heads." Takeshi said. "Kind of a letdown to be honest. I was curious how that would look like."
Ladon was silent for a few seconds, and then let out a sigh.
[…Why does everyone…keep saying that…?] Ladon said, his slow and bored tone making it seem like even simple talking was too much of a hassle for him. […I blame…the few idiotic humans…who I let go when I was still alive…and guarding this garden… Perhaps I shouldn't…have used my terror gaze…on them… They beheld me…as some sort of anatomical abomination…spread rumors…and now everyone thinks…I was like my brother…the Hydra… What a bother… I should have…eaten everyone…]
"Right…" Takeshi said. "So, I see you're finally in the mood to speak with me, Stalwart Insomniac Dragon Ladon. I don't suppose you want to skip the boring torture part and go straight to the point where you submit and give me full control of your powers?"
[Perish…the thought…] Ladon said, his unblinking stare boring into Takeshi's eyes. [It's a bother to be sure…but even I have standards I must uphold…as an Evil Dragon… Besides…the moment when all of you come…to realize the true meaning of your nightmares…and the hopelessness of your situation…is always so entertaining…]
"If you think you can drive me to despair with a few bad dreams and some added exhaustion, then you're just as deluded as your other buddies." Takeshi glared at the Evil Dragon. "I will overcome you, just like I overcame them, and I will gain complete control over this Sacred Gear, freeing myself from this curse. I'm not afraid of you, Ladon."
In response to that declaration, Ladon let out a small chuckle.
[As expected…you understand nothing…] Ladon said. [Fear…is a deadly poison…one that has already seeped…deep inside you. What you're seeing in your dreams…are its effects…finally manifesting themselves…]
"What are you talking about?"
[You are…but a child…thinking yourself untouchable…thinking you can accomplish anything…as long as you put your mind into it…thinking everything…is always going to go your way…] Ladon said. [We both know…that's not the case though…right…?]
No sooner had Ladon finished speaking than Vortigern appeared all of a sudden in front of Takeshi, with the surprised youth jumping backwards in alarm and dropping into a stance.
"Nice try, but I've seen that bastard so many times already that I'm more sick than afraid of him." Takeshi said, trying to mask his unease with a confident smirk. "Was he supposed to bring me to my knees and have me beg you to make him disappear or something?"
[More false bravado…but that's not important right now…] Ladon said. [You fooled yourself so far…into thinking that everything would work out in the end…that you would always triumph against any enemy…and that you would always protect your friends without fail…no matter the danger… A beautiful lie indeed…but all lies must eventually end…]
Ladon gestured at Vortigern's image with one of his claws before continuing.
[This man…awoke you from your pleasant daydreams…and forced you to acknowledge the ugly truth…if only subconsciously…] Ladon said. [You are not as strong as you thought…and it's incredibly easy…to lose what you treasure most… This fear of loss…of weakness…is what manifested in your nightmares…with a little help from me…]
"Is that so?" Takeshi said. "And what about all those elaborate torture methods you've been subjecting me to, Doctor Ladon? Is that supposed to represent my deeply rooted fear of S&M play? If so, Akeno is going to be very disappointed."
[That…comes from an unspoken…but very real fear of yours…] Ladon said. [Deep down…you know there is no escape from your eternal torment…even if by some divine miracle…you manage to subjugate all seven of us… You will spend…the next ten thousand years of your life…in constant agony…wearing down your body, mind and soul…until you're a broken husk of a man… That…is an inescapable fact… Deep down…you know…there is only one end to your path…]
"All I know is that I've had enough of your nonsense." Takeshi growled. "You may live in my head rent-free, but like the other Evil Dragons, you don't know the first thing about me. Like the fact that I make a habit of exceeding expectations for instance."
[Ah, the arrogance of youth…] Ladon let out a small chuckle. [I remember…there once was a young Dragon…who had a similar attitude… He was given…an important duty…by the Greek Gods…and he was determined…to meet their expectations… Moreover…he also found people…precious to him…people he would give his life for…]
At that moment, three beautiful women wearing the traditional Greek chiton appeared seemingly out of nowhere and started dancing in the garden. Their melodious voices echoed as they sang, with the nearby flowers blooming in response to their song.
"The Hesperides…" Takeshi murmured, somewhat mesmerized by their dance and beauty, before turning to Ladon. "Just to be clear, that young Dragon we're talking about is you, right?"
[Yes…it's me…] Ladon said. [Several decades after my birth…the Goddess Hera assigned me…to guard this garden… I spent some good years here…chasing away…those who sought the apples of immortality…and having a good time…with the three nymphs…who cared for me… But then…one day…Heracles came here…seeking the apples…as one of his Labors…]
"Yeah, I remember that." Takeshi said. "He kicked your ass and took the apples, didn't he?"
[As if…] Ladon snorted. [That bumbling oaf…failed to get past my barriers…and ran away with his tail behind his legs… To overcome me…he made a deal with the Titan Atlas…who came to take the apples…in his place…]
Ladon let out a small growl before resuming his tale.
[Atlas…threatened to harm his own daughters…the Hesperides…in order to distract me…] Ladon said. [I was beaten…within an inch of my life…and Atlas took the apples… When Hera found out…I was punished severely for my failure…both to guard the tree and slay Heracles… But as awful as that experience was…it was also an unexpected eye-opener… I came to realize…exactly how much…inconsequential things such as honor, duty and affection…were restricting me…]
"I'm not sure I like where this is heading…" Takeshi narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"
For the first time, a wide grin appeared on Ladon's draconic features.
[I…freed myself…]
Ladon's red eyes shone for a brief moment. Immediately afterwards, raging flames enveloped the garden, forcing Takeshi to close his eyes and shield his face due to the intense heat wave. Once he opened them again, he was shocked to see that the once beautiful garden had transformed into a hellscape. The once beautiful flowers had turned to ashes, the pristine streams had been vaporized, and the tree bearing the apples of immortality had been split in half, with its charred remains laying on the ground. Worst of all however was the state of the three nymphs. One of them had been staked by a sharp rock spire, the second had her head and limbs twisted and crushed, while the third was lying on the ground with an expression of absolute terror on her face.
[The truth…released me from my pointless burdens…] Ladon continued, his voice echoing amidst the still raging flames. [In this world…apart from yourself…nothing else matters… The sooner you realize this…the faster you'll liberate yourself…from your torment… Otherwise…]
The ground beneath Takeshi's feet collapsed all of a sudden, opening a wide, bottomless chasm beneath it. Letting out a surprised yelp, he barely managed to grab hold of the edge. He tried to spread his wings and fly, but they didn't seem to be responding to him. Next, he tried to pull himself up, but felt himself being dragged down by something. Looking down, Takeshi was shocked to see Rias hanging on his waist for dear life, a terrified expression on her face. Koneko was also holding on to his back, while Akeno was hanging on his waist next to Rias. Pandora and Xenovia were grabbing on his shoulders, while Yuuto and Gasper were hanging from his feet.
"Everyone…!"
Although he was well aware that they weren't real, Takeshi couldn't bring himself to push them off and climb out by himself. Even if that would lead to untold amounts of pain, he refused to give up. All of a sudden, he felt the weight on him becoming even greater. Glancing below, he saw that a large number of familiar individuals, ranging from his parents to his classmates, had appeared out of thin air and were hanging on his fellow Peerage members. All the added weight was too much for Takeshi as he started slipping.
[I look forward to your struggle…pointless as it is…] Ladon's voice echoed from above. [For monsters like us…there is only one way to live…]
Unable to hold on any longer, Takeshi let go as he and all the others plummeted into the abyss while Ladon's laugh echoed everywhere. Then, he woke up with a start, barely restraining himself from screaming. Taking deep breaths to regain his composure, he turned his attention to Koneko, who was lying next to him. Fortunately, his most recent unpleasant experience didn't seem to have woken her up. Caressing her head with a faint smile, Takeshi laid back on the bed, glaring at the ceiling.
"Things won't go the way you wish, Ladon…" Takeshi murmured. "I'll prove you wrong…just like I did with the others."
[Don't…bet on that…]
Takeshi didn't respond, doing his best to focus on the coming battle instead of dwelling on the Evil Dragon's words and the fact that, despite his best efforts, they had rattled him somewhat.
The next day…
"Looks like we've got a hit, everyone."
Azazel said with a pleased expression. He, the members of the Gremory Peerage, Tobio, Lavinia, Suzaku, Penemue, Nurarihyon and Magari had gathered in one of the larger tents set outside the castle to listen to Tobio's report.
"After some painstaking search, Jin and I managed to locate an anchor point near Fukuroda Falls in this Prefecture." Tobio said. "I'm confident that the enemy hasn't noticed us, so we still have the element of surprise on our side."
"In that case, it's time for some long-overdue payback." Nurarihyon said with a fierce expression. "These rascals who think they can just waltz in here and make a mess, we'll give them a good spanking for sure!"
"Oh, look who's raring to go all of a sudden." Magari said. "However, right now, we can't have us leaders heading out ourselves. We need to stay here and protect the city just in case."
"I know that…" Nurarihyon grumbled. "However, will the youngsters be fine on their own? Because of our recent losses, we can't send out too many troops as support."
"It'll be alright." Lavinia said. "Now that we have a good grasp of the enemy's capabilities, Tobi and I only need to exert ourselves a bit more to even the odds. Right, Tobi?"
"Leave it to us." Tobio said with a confident smile. "An army or two, we'll show you we can handle something like that with ease once we go all out."
"W-Wow…" Gasper muttered, looking impressed. "L-Longinus possessors sure are s-something else…"
"Don't count me out either." Suzaku added from the side. "I've yet to demonstrate the true power of the Himejima family's head. These savage Youkai are in for a nasty surprise."
"In that case, we'll go with a small, but elite group this time." Azazel said. "Once you break into the artificial dimension, you should target the core devices maintaining the barrier. Once it collapses, the rest of us here will head out in full force to capture or kill the enemy leaders, assuming of course you haven't taken care of them in the process."
"I assume this group includes my Peerage and I in it, along with Tobio-san, Lavinia-san and Suzaku-san." Rias said. "Will there be any warriors from the Youkai side assisting us, or will everyone be part of the second wave?"
"Chiharu and Kumowatari will be sent to aid you for sure." Nurarihyon said. "I'll probably dispatch Retsuza as well. His opinion of you Devils seems to have improved somewhat, and he's itching for a fight now that he's confirmed his family's safety."
"Finding this anchor point is good, but how will we gain access to the artificial dimension through it?" Akeno asked. "I assume there are defenses in places to prevent intrusion, right?"
"Leave that to me." Lavinia said with a confident expression. "I'm not one of Grauzauberer's top Magicians for nothing. No matter what security measures they've got in places, I'll get through them for sure. And if all else fails, we'll simply have Tobi slice everything apart with Jin's help."
"If there's nothing else, you should all get ready." Azazel said. "You're leaving in one hour, so make the most of it if you have any preparations to make. Once you're done, assemble in the courtyard and we'll transport you via magic circle to Fukuroda Falls."
"Will you be joining us as well, Sensei?"
"Only if it becomes necessary." Azazel responded thus to Yuuto's question. "I'm close to a breakthrough regarding the savage Youkai's final goal, so I need to keep working on that. Hopefully, we'll nip this problem at the bud with this operation, but it's best to be prepared for all eventualities. We'll be keeping an eye on you though, so rest assured that we'll come to your aid at once."
Azazel clapped his hands together, a fierce expression on his face.
"This is the time to strike back, kids." Azazel smirked. "Hit them with everything you've got, but make sure to come back in one piece for sure!"
[Understood!]
After the meeting was over, Rias and her Peerage headed for the gathering point.
"I was looking forward to this." Xenovia said, bumping her fists together with a fierce expression on her face. "This time, my Durandal will slice through that Oni's limbs without fail."
"As usual, you're really fired up when it comes to fighting, Xenovia-san." Pandora let out a small chuckle before turning to Takeshi. "Is your body doing alright, Takeshi? Maybe you should consider sitting this one out just to be safe."
"Don't worry." Takeshi said. "My body is in pretty good condition right now. It's all thanks to Koneko-chan's…special treatment."
Takeshi blushed a bit upon remembering last night, with Koneko doing the same.
"Ara, ara, what's this?" Akeno said, a sly smile on her face as she edged closer to Takeshi. "Seems like Takeshi and Koneko-chan had a lot of fun last night, ufufu~. Poor me is feeling a little left out here. I hope you intend to make it up to me in the future."
"All in good time." Takeshi grinned. "Let's focus on putting an end to these terrorists first."
[You might have…far less time…than you think…]
Ladon's thoughts echoed in Takeshi's mind, with the latter barely containing his scowl.
"At least we have the visit to the Underworld to look forward too after we're done with this mess." Yuuto said. "Do you think Master will be available, President? Lucifer-sama usually keeps him and the other members of his Peerage quite busy at all times."
"I believe Okita-san has some time off, so you should be able to meet him." Rias said. "Do you plan on having him give you extra training?"
"That too, but I always enjoy chatting with him." Yuuto said with a smile. "Still, our training takes priority."
"The summer of training, eh?" Takeshi wondered. "I wonder what menu Sensei has in mind for each of us. Hopefully, by the end of it, I'll be able to attain a new form just like a certain drumstick-wielding Oni…"
"A-An Oni…?" Gasper asked. "Senpai is planning to c-change his race?"
"Don't pay too much attention to Takeshi's ramblings, Gasper-kun." Pandora said from the side. "Best to ignore it and move on."
"Still, that training of his had better not be something too outlandish or stupid." Akeno said. "I still can't help but find it hard to trust that flippant Sensei of ours."
"Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine, Akeno." Rias said. "As annoying as Azazel is at times, he can be serious when the situation calls for it."
The rest of the hour passed by as the members of Rias's Peerage made small talk among themselves. Once Tobio, Lavinia, Suzaku, Chiharu, Kumowatari and Retsuza had joined them alongside Azazel, everyone gathered around as the Fallen Angel Governor constructed a complex magic circle with them in the middle of it.
"With this, you should be able to arrive at the target location undetected." Azazel said. "Good luck and be careful out there, all of you."
[Right!]
Everyone shouted together as the light of teleportation engulfed them. A few seconds later, the group found themselves in the middle of dense foliage, with a large waterfall a few meters to their left. In the distance, they could see one of the viewing platforms used to observe the waterfall, with several people standing there.
"They shouldn't be able to see us from here, but it's best to make as few movements as possible." Tobio said. "Lavinia, you're up."
Lavinia nodded as she pulled out her wand, conjuring several magic circles that began spinning at random intervals. Meanwhile, Pandora was observing the people on the viewing platforms with a concerned expression.
"Shouldn't we do something about the humans there?" Pandora asked. "If by any chance they get caught in our battle…"
"We're working on that." Retsuza said. "There are a couple of Youkai hidden within the visitors. Once we enter the enemy's stronghold, they'll compel the humans to vacate the premises through Youjutsu. We're not doing that from now on the off chance it alerts our enemy."
"Readjust the formula here, overlay the two sets here, and…it's done." Lavinia said with a satisfied smile as she stood up, pointing at the rift in space she had created. "This is our entrance, everyone. Keep in mind that the enemy will notice us once we enter the artificial dimension, so be ready for anything."
"Once we are inside, Suzaku will scan the field for the devices that act as support for the barrier." Tobio said. "If it operates on the same principles as all of Dimension Lost's artificial spaces do, the dimension should start collapsing once the devices are taken out, along with its various defense mechanisms being dismantled. Once it does, Lavinia's custom-made teleportation magic circle will forcefully transfer both allies and enemies back here, allowing us to take down the enemy leaders with the aid of reinforcements from the capital if we haven't done so already. Now then, is everyone ready?"
The members present nodded together, stepping into the rift one after another. After a brief moment of disorientation, they found themselves inside the barren artificial dimension. Once everyone had crossed the rift, Lavinia waved her wand, creating a large magic circle formation beneath her. At the same time, Suzaku took out several talismans, arraying them in a formation in front of her.
"Here comes the enemy." Kumowatari remarked, pointing at the large number of savage Youkai and Annihilation Maker constructs rushing towards them from several directions. "Looks like they're pouring out everything they've got at us."
"It's my turn then." Lavinia said, stepping forward. "I'll thin out the enemy's numbers as much as possible."
"Give them Hell, Lavinia."
Tobio gave her a thumbs-up, with Lavinia smiling in response. She then cast a weight reduction spell and a strengthening spell, jumping away from the group and landing in front of the charging enemies. As Absolute Demise appeared behind her, Lavinia uttered two words.
"…Balance Break."
The next moment, Absolute Demise vanished and a raging snowstorm erupted with Lavinia at its center. The charging enemies didn't even have time to scream as they were caught in the blizzard, turning into ice statues almost instantaneously. Enemy forces who were further back stopped in their tracks and tried to snipe Lavinia from afar, but their blasts froze in midair the moment they approached the storm. As the blizzard expanded, the remaining enemy Youkai and Annihilation Maker constructs retreated in haste upon seeing that their attacks didn't seem to be having any effect on Lavinia.
"Amazing…" Rias muttered. "Is this Lavinia-san's Balance Breaker?"
"Assoluto Argento Mondo." Tobio said. "This snowstorm she's created is its most basic application. Any enemy caught within it will freeze to death in an instant."
"Sheesh, I'd hate getting caught up in that…"
"No worries." Tobio responded to Chiharu with a smile. "Lavinia's mastery of it lets her target foes alone while leaving her allies unharmed. It is a bit draining to maintain for long periods of time though, and foes that are strong enough can resist its effects."
"How much is its maximum range?" Pandora asked with a curious expression. "Is it like a city, or maybe a small country?"
"Theoretically, if she goes all out without paying any heed to herself, she can freeze the whole world." Tobio said. "It's not exactly something we're eager to try though."
"No kidding…" Takeshi muttered. "All Longinus are crazy one way or another…"
"Got it!" Suzaku shouted from the side. "The devices acting as the core of this artificial space are three in total. One is to the west beneath that hand-shaped rock formation, the other is somewhere within those tree-shaped pillars in the distance, and the third is within the artificial sun-like construct above us."
"In that case, let's split up and hit all three locations at once." Tobio said. "Kumowatari-san, Retsuza-san and I will go for the underground one."
"I'll target the one in the sky." Suzaku said, turning to Akeno. "Will you join me, Akeno?"
"I'll be glad to." Akeno said, licking her fingers. "These naughty kids are long overdue for some punishment, ufufu~."
"Allow me to join you as well." Chiharu said, brandishing her club. "I'm itching to bash someone's skull in."
"Takeshi, Koneko, you join Suzaku-san's group as well." Rias said. "The others and I will head for the third barrier device. Also, this whole field is enemy territory, so use Promotion to your heart's content, Takeshi."
"…As you command, President."
"You got it, President."
Koneko and Takeshi responded thus to Rias's words.
"Lavinia will make sure the enemy's foot soldiers won't harass us any further." Tobio said. "Everyone, be on your guard at all times. We might have caught them by surprise from the looks of it, but we're still in enemy territory. There's no telling what sort of traps they might have set up."
[Understood!]
"Then, let's go!"
Following Tobio's command, the group split up into smaller. While Rias, Yuuto, Pandora, Xenovia and Gasper rushed towards the tree-shaped pillars in the distance, Tobio, accompanied by Retsuza and Kumowatari, headed towards the rock formation concealing the entrance to the underground area holding the core device. As for Suzaku's group, they all jumped on the Vermillion Bird, which took flight towards the artificial sun above them.
"That looked a lot smaller from the ground." Chiharu remarked as the Vermillion Bird approached the oversized orb, which emitted a faint light. "Any ideas how we're getting inside this thing?"
"How about we go with the time-tested method of breaking and entering?"
Takeshi grinned as he summoned Berserk Devastator, firing a condensed stream of flames at the artificial sun. The heat from his flames was enough to melt a portion of the construct's surface, opening a hole wide enough for the Vermillion Bird to fly in.
"Well, it may lack finesse, but I won't complain about the effectiveness." Suzaku remarked, taking out a few talismans and summoning several crane shikigami that flew into the hole. "There don't seem to be any traps up ahead. I suppose they weren't expecting an attack after all."
Suzaku gave a mental command to the Vermillion Bird, which flew into the opening. However, at that moment, a large number of magic circles appeared around them, letting out an intense glow.
"This is…a teleportation array!?" Akeno cried out in alarm. "Everyone, we have to—!"
Akeno's next words were lost as the light coming from the magic circles enveloped the five youths before they could react.
"They're persistent, I'll give them that!"
Kumowatari remarked as his thunder-clad fist went through an Omukade, frying the giant centipede's body in the process. Next to him, Retsuza's wind-clad sickles tore through the webs of a Jorogumo before decapitating her. Several Heikegani jumped from above, aiming for the Kamaitachi's head with their pincers. However, Retsuza was faster, his sickles a blur as he slashed them apart with ease. As a horde of Nozuchi slithered towards at high speeds while hissing, Retsuza and Kumowatari stood side-by-side, mixing their attacks to unleash a thunder-imbued tornado that obliterated the enemy Youkai.
A few steps away from them, Tobio was busy slashing apart a horde of Nue coming at him with a pair of scythes. Jin added his own attacks on the mix, with numerous blades sprouting out of the large underground tunnel's shadows and skewering the enemy Youkai. The Nue spat black vapor from their mouths and venom from their tails, but Tobio merely dove into one of the nearby shadows to avoid their attacks. Emerging from another shadow behind the horde, he cut them apart with ease. At the same time, Jin transformed into a large blade with curse-like markings on it and tore through most Nue on his way, heading for Tobio. Without missing a beat, Tobio dismissed his scythes and caught the blade's hilt, swinging it in front of him. Despite seemingly hitting nothing but air, all Nue in his field of vision were bifurcated, their severed halves falling on the ground.
"There doesn't seem to be anyone left here apart from us." Tobio said as Jin transformed back into his dog form. "Let's keep moving. Our target shouldn't be far."
"I have to admit that this artificial dimension is quite well-made." Retsuza remarked as he ran his hand through the rock wall. "It's practically indistinguishable from the real deal. Shame that such wondrous power is in the hands of terrorists."
"It won't be for long if we have anything to say about it." Tobio said. "Something doesn't feel right though. I would have expected far more defensive measures for such an important location."
"The Youkai we faced just now were rather powerful." Kumowatari said. "Average combatants from our side would have been overwhelmed. Perhaps the enemy thought they wouldn't need any additional security measures with them around. Shame that they underestimated us."
"I hope that's the case…"
After walking through the tunnel for a couple of minutes, the trio arrived at a massive underground cavern. Several crystals protruding from the ceiling illuminated the area with the glow coming from them. In the middle of the cavern, a large statue depicting the Three Great Evil Youkai protruded from the ground, letting out a faint aura.
"Jackpot." Tobio said, summoning a scythe from his scythe. "Let's break this thing and—"
"I wouldn't be in such a hurry if I were you."
The one who had spoken was Shuten-doji, who emerged from behind the statue. At the same time, several constructs and quite a few Youkai emerged from the cracks around the cavern, directing their killing intent towards Tobio's group.
"My, it seems I have to entertain quite the esteemed individuals." Shuten-doji sad with a grin. "Two of Nurarihyon's close confidants and finest fighters plus the infamous Slash Dog, one of Grigori's best agents? Well, now I feel terrible. I've prepared nothing in the way of accommodations or entertainment for you."
"Neither will be necessary." Kumowatari said, bumping his fists together as electricity crackled through them. "Our aim is only the statue behind you. Question is, will you let us get to it without much fuss, or will we have to go through you?"
"I believe you know the answer to that." Shuten-doji said, raising his club and signaling at his troops to charge. "I'm looking forward to see if you can live up to your reputation, gentlemen."
"Looks like we get to take down one of the core devices and one of the enemy leaders." Tobio smiled. "How fortunate. Kumowatari-san, Retsuza-san, we're going all out here!"
[Yes!]
Kumowatari and Retsuza shouted together as the trio rushed at the enemy forces.
"How deplorable…"
Rias muttered with a disgusted expression as she destroyed yet another tree-shaped pillar with an oversized Destruction sphere. Her group had entered this area to search for the core device, only to make a horrific discovery once they inspected the pillars closer. Each of them had several pods embedded in them that contained a large number of souls within them. Judging by their agonized expressions, Rias assumed these devices were subjecting them to some sort of torment. Due to that, she and her group had begun destroying each of the pillars in their way while searching for the device.
"Not only did they murder thousands of innocents, they saw fit to further torture them in such a foul manner." Xenovia growled as her Durandal cleaved through three pillars at once. "Why would they do such a thing?"
"I have no clue." Yuuto responded, a sight-enhancing Holy Demonic Sword in his hands as he scouted the surroundings for any sign of the core device. "It must be tied to their plan somehow, but you'd have to ask the leaders themselves for answers. Doubt they'd be willing to cooperate though."
"Gasper-kun is running a bit late." Pandora said with a concerned expression. "Was it alright sending him ahead to scout on his own, President?"
"He'll be fine." Rias said as she destroyed another pillar. "Gasper can handle himself."
At that moment, a swarm of bats appeared above the four Devils and converged next to Rias, transforming into Gasper.
"F-Found them, President." Gasper said. "The d-device is towards the west. S-Several enemies seem to be g-guarding it though."
"Let's not keep them waiting then." Rias said. "We're bringing an end to this madness for sure today!"
The five Devils spread their bat-like wings and flew towards the direction Gasper had pointed at. After a few seconds, both the statue serving as the core and the enemy forces came into view, with Rias noticing that Sutoku was among them. She and the others landed a few meters away from the enemy forces, with Sutoku frowning upon seeing.
"Tch, it's the Devil princess and her lackeys?" Sutoku spat out. "I was hoping for that bitch from the Five Principal Clans. After all the trouble she caused me during our invasion, I was looking forward to some payback. Oh well, it doesn't matter. You're all going to die here anyway."
"That's our line." Rias glared at Sutoku. "We saw your handiwork back there. What you did to those people, the suffering you've put them through, it's unforgivable!"
"A Devil is lecturing me about torturing souls?" Sutoku chuckled. "Please. Isn't part of your job description the torment of human souls according to their sins? Don't try to act all high and mighty with me here, princess."
"Those that end up in the nine circles are those who were judged to be deserving of such punishment due to the atrocities they committed in life." Rias said. "That's not the case here though. However, I'm not about to waste my time arguing morality with scum like you. Instead, I shall do the world a favor and wipe you off the face of the planet!"
"Nice killing intent you've got there." Sutoku let out a wide smile. "I'll enjoy feasting on your flesh when all's said and done!"
Following Sutoku's words, both sides rushed to engage one another.
"This is…where?"
Takeshi wondered as he looked around with a perplexed look on his face. Once the light from the forced teleportation died down, he had expected to find himself inside a prison cell or in the middle of an arena filled with Youkai starving for Devil flesh. Instead, he seemed to be inside a luxurious indoor bath. The steam coming from it was obscuring his surroundings somewhat, but not to the point where it was problematic. He took a few tentative steps forward, his senses on high alert for any possible danger.
"Ara, what a pleasant surprise. We didn't expect you so soon."
Takeshi tensed at the sound of this familiar voice, turning towards the direction it had come from. Sitting inside the largest bath was Tamamo-no-Mae, a playful smirk on her face as she poured water over herself. Most of her naked body was submerged, but there was no denying her current appearance, with her bountiful breasts barely visible, was very sensual and erotic.
"Looks like I caught you in a bad time." Takeshi remarked, assuming a combat stance. "But since I'm a gentleman, I'll give you, oh, five seconds to put something on before I blast you into oblivion."
"Why, do you find this distracting?" Tamamo's grin became wider as she stood up, giving Takeshi full view of her curvaceous figure. "All this and more can be yours, you know. You only have to give up on this charade and become what you were meant to be from the start."
"Funny, I recall us having this little discussion already." Takeshi glared at Tamamo. "I also recall turning you down. Moreover, your five seconds are up, so—"
"Why are you doing this to yourself?" Tamamo, who had vanished from the bath and had appeared next to Takeshi, whispered in his ear. "Denying what you are and playing the hero is only causing you pain and suffering. How much easier would it be on you if you simply accepted your true nature and just did as you pleased? Don't tell me you haven't thought about it even once? No burdensome responsibilities, no constant sacrifice for those beneath you, the same people who will turn on you the moment you don't meet their impossible standards, and no more Evil Dragons haunting you and driving you to self-destruction."
"…What are you talking about?"
"Oh, finally interested?" Tamamo said, putting her hands around Takeshi's chest and licking his cheek. "You know who leads the Khaos Brigade, and you've seen the power of the high-ranking members. They possess forbidden knowledge and techniques the likes of which even the most intelligent and wise members in every Pantheon are unaware of. With their help, gaining control over your Sacred Gear will no longer be a pipe dream."
Takeshi said nothing, Ladon's earlier words ringing in his mind as he clenched his fists. His lack of reaction prompted Tamamo to move from his back to his chest, pressing her body on him.
"What do you say, darling?" Tamamo said, her lips inches away from Takeshi's own. "Ready to let go and join the winning side?"
Just as Tamamo was about to kiss Takeshi, he spoke in a low tone.
"…Balance Break."
Tamamo barely had time to jump backwards as raging flames erupted from Takeshi's body, enveloping it.
[Atrocity Rise! Crime Force Awakening!]
Swinging his hand downwards, Takeshi dispersed the flames enveloping him, revealing his armored form.
"I…am not a monster…" Takeshi muttered. "No matter what you or that damned Evil Dragon say…I won't give up on who I am! That's not the freedom I seek!"
"You are really stubborn…" Tamamo sighed, a magic circle enveloping her body and conjuring her usual outfit. "Struggle all you want, but the world will always see you as a terrifying monster, the same way it did for us. The others and I, we didn't intend to cause any trouble at first. We simply wished to live in peace. But there were always Youkai and Onmyouji who went after us because of our ancestry. The world will never accept beings like us, leaving us with no choice but to change it into one where we can belong."
"I understand your grievances…but proving the world right about us by giving into our baser instincts isn't the solution." Takeshi said. "I'm certain…that even beings like us can find a place to belong eventually."
"Eventually, eh?" Tamamo let out a derisive laugh. "If you can still talk like that, it means you haven't suffered enough yet. You're trapped by that bittersweet illusion called hope. It will fail you in the end though."
[…She's right…] Ladon's voice echoed in Takeshi's mind. [You're still…a naïve child…like I said before…]
"Shut up!"
Takeshi shouted as he stomped his foot on the ground, unleashing a raging wave of flames around him that enveloped the room. Tamamo pulled her war fan out of her tails and swung it, unleashing an air blast that dispersed the flames. She dashed forward, aiming to slam Takeshi with her fan, but a thick ice spike erupted from Takeshi's gauntlet, piercing through it and almost skewering Tamamo, who barely evaded the it. The blades on Takeshi's gauntlet ignited as he charged at Tamamo, aiming at her torso. She pulled out her longsword from her tails and tried to counter, but the blades melted her sword. Her attempt to pierce Takeshi's body with her Touki-enveloped tails also ended in failure as her tails bounced off his robust armor.
"Promotion, Rook!"
Takeshi shouted as he enveloped his body in flames, propelling himself forward and slamming on Tamamo, who was too slow to evade him. Breaking through the bath's wall, his charge sent them crashing into a wide hallway. Tamamo tried to open the distance, only to find her feet frozen on the floor. She moved her tails in front of herself to shield her body from Takeshi's straight, which sent her tumbling backwards. Taking a long spear out of her tails, she focused all her Touki on its tip as she thrust it towards Takeshi. He spread his wings in front of him to shield himself, with the spear piercing through them and stopping at his shoulder armor. He broke it with a chop and opened his mouth wide, unleashing a frost breath that forced Tamamo to counter with her fox fire.
"You're more fierce than last time, darling!" Tamamo smirked as she pulled out her shakujo from her tails. "I wonder, did my words actually touch a nerve there!?"
Stabbing her shakujo into the ground, she conjured a wave of golden flames that solidified into a pack of foxes aiming for Takeshi. Bumping his fists together, he unleashed several serpentine ice dragon-like constructs in response that took out Tamamo's attack. Knocking aside her Touki-enveloped tails and freezing them on the wall, Takeshi pointed his fingers at Tamamo, shooting several thin flame blasts towards her. Not able to melt the ice trapping her tails fast enough, Tamamo was unable to avoid all incoming attacks, with one piercing her left shoulder and another her right abdomen. As Tamamo stumbled, Takeshi pressed the sides of his buckle twice.
[Charge! Atrocity Overflow!]
Coating his right and left gauntlet with fire and ice respectively, Takeshi unleashed a fire vortex that enveloped Tamamo and an ice pillar that trapped both within it. Then, draconic aura gathered around his fists as he charged at the pillar.
[Violent Impact!]
Takeshi's strike shattered the pillar and struck Tamamo head-on, sending her flying backwards and crashing on the floor. Dismissing his Balance Breaker and wincing from the pain of broken ribs, Takeshi summoned Mayhem Striker to fix his body as he approached the downed Tamamo. However, what he saw there caught him by surprise.
"What the Hell…?"
Tamamo's body had started disintegrating into numerous paper strips. Soon, the only thing left behind was an intricate talisman that was torn in half and burned at its edges.
"That was…a shikigami?" Takeshi frowned as he picked up a piece of the talisman, which turned to ashes in his hand. "Even though the level of power was almost identical? Perhaps it was remote-controlled from afar? No, that doesn't matter now. If Tamamo isn't here, where is she? And what about Ashiya Douman and the other Youkai leaders? Maybe the others know something."
Just as he was about to conjure a communication-type magic circle, an intense rumbling shook the area, followed by the building starting to collapse around him. Before Takeshi could react, a teleportation magic circle formed beneath his feet. One flash of light later, he found himself back in Fukuroda Falls alongside the rest of the Peerage, Tobio, Lavinia and the three Youkai warriors.
"Good, everyone's safe." Lavinia said with a relieved expression after looking around. "I was afraid the teleportation array might have missed someone."
Upon catching sight of Takeshi, Koneko rushed to his side.
"…You're alright." She said with a relieved expression. "I'm glad. I was worried when we got separated."
"So was I." Takeshi said. "Where did you guys end up?"
"I found myself in some sort of arena with several savage Youkai coming at me." Chiharu grimaced. "Not a very pleasant experience."
"Akeno and I ended up in some sort of control room, facing a Chimera-like monstrosity." Suzaku said. "Judging from the equipment there, I assume that artificial sun was the control center for the entire dimension."
"…I was sent to an observation room, fighting a large number of savage Youkai." Koneko said. "What about you, Senpai?"
"The teleportation brought me to Tamamo's chambers, where I fought her."
Takeshi said, omitting the part about encountering her while she was bathing. Then, Rias addressed Tobio.
"What happened back there?" Rias asked him. "Just as we were about to finish mopping up the remains of the enemy and go for the core device, the dimension started collapsing on its own all of a sudden. Was it a trap?"
"Most likely." Tobio said. "They expected us, and they set the dimension to collapse into the Dimensional Gap. If Lavinia hadn't pulled us out when she did, we'd be in quite the pinch right now."
"There's something else." Takeshi said. "When I fought and defeated Tamamo, she—"
"Turned out to be a shikigami?" Kumowatari finished Takeshi's sentence. "Same thing happened to us. The Shuten-doji we were facing turned to be an advanced shikigami once Tobio-san cut him down."
"The Sutoku we faced also seemed a bit…different compared to the one I encountered back then." Rias said. "Is such a technique possible though? Creating a shikigami that's almost indistinguishable from the real deal and copying their powers to this extent?"
"Theoretically, yes." Suzaku said. "They'd have to keep channeling their energy from afar though for them to exhibit a level of power so close to the original. More importantly however, if the enemy leaders weren't there, where are they and what are they doing now?"
"Eh, guys…?" Pandora said, pointing at the distance. "Is that supposed to be normal around these parts?"
Everyone turned to the direction Pandora was pointing at and were shocked by what they saw. A storm of purple-colored energy was raging far to the southeast, forming some sort of dome with lightning flashing around it. At that moment, Chiharu, Kumowatari and Retsuza winced, grabbing their chests with a pained expression on their faces.
"What's wrong, you three?" Suzaku asked, a concerned expression on her face. "Are you in pain?"
"Not…exactly." Retsuza said with a grimace. "It feels…as if something sinister is trying to twist our minds and souls…"
"This sensation…" Chiharu had an alarmed look on her face. "It's the same as when that bastard Hisaya exposed me and my comrades to Yomi's miasma back then. Like…a concentrated cluster of negative energy seeping into our bodies…"
"Don't tell me…" Kumowatari muttered. "Did they interfere with the ley lines somehow?"
"What about you, Koneko?" Rias asked her. "Are you feeling unwell too?"
"…No." Koneko said. "There is a little discomfort, but nothing other than that."
"Is her Devil physiology mitigating the symptoms?" Akeno wondered. "In any case, this is a major cause for alarm."
"That phenomenon…it seems to be taking place in the direction of Mito." Tobio remarked with a frown, forming a communication magic circle. "Governor, are you reading me? It's Tobio. What the Hell is going on there?"
At first, there was only silence. However, after a few seconds, Azazel's hurried voice came from the magic circle.
[Is that Tobio!?] Azazel asked. [Thank all Gods above and below, you guys are alright! Listen, you all need to come to Mito asap! The situation has changed for the worse here!]
"What's happening there, Governor?"
[Can't explain right now!] Azazel shouted at Tobio. [Too busy trying to contain this mess! Suffice to say, we've been had big time! Just get back here and I'll give you the rundown!]
The magic circle vanished after that, leaving everyone tense and anxious due to Azazel's urgent tone.
"What on Earth is happening there…?" Tobio muttered. "In any case, we have our orders. Lavinia, if you would?"
"Of course."
Lavinia conjured a large teleportation magic circle beneath the group. As the light of teleportation enveloped them, everyone couldn't help but wonder in their thoughts what sort of horrors were awaiting them next.
This concludes Chapter 36. First, in response to your questions.
—To Ryukipendragon: 1) Crom Cruach's Balance Breaker is mostly inspired by this image I found on pintrest; s:/pbs dot twimg dot com/media/Dn71MF3X0AA0uSL dot jpg 2) Tiamat will probably have some sort of water manipulation ability, but nothing's certain as of yet. 3) I've already decided on the form of Apophis' Sacred Gear, so I'll be going with my initial idea. 4) Sure, I don't have a problem.
After more than a month of absence, I'm finally back. Surgery went well all things considered, though I'm still feeling the aftereffects. As for the chapter itself, we had the aftermath of last chapter's battle and some intimate moments between Takeshi and Koneko. The Evil Dragon Ladon has also made his proper debut here, keeping up with the psychological warfare he's started. The heroes also mounted an assault on the enemy's base, only to come up empty as the savage Youkai are finally putting their plan into motion.
Well, that's all for now. Next chapter will most likely be the conclusion of this arc. As always, please read, review, favorite, follow, but most of all, enjoy!
See you all next time!