Welcome to the next chapter!
phillyitalian; Yeah, we could be~ Yeah, there are.
Rider126; Thanks for the vote!
kurenai lui; Yeah, he could have something like that. Thanks for the suggestions, and votes!
JimmySG0; Glad you're enjoying it~
ShadowUzumaki55; Yeah, Zante surely did. Glad you liked their moments together. Thanks for the votes.
Silver crow; Thanks! Yeah, Akeno surely did. Yeah, Zekram and Zante's dynamic is gonna be quite interesting to see play out. Raynare got quite worried huh? Zante and Suzaku did yeah. Vali was yeah, but they still had a good conversation. Zante's pretty strong for sure. Yeah, any of them would be great candidates. I'm sure Zekram would be happy to see them. Thanks for the peerage suggestions! Yeah, he could be involve during those times. Thanks for the harem suggestions! Yeah, I could see Zante releasing his power like that, a quiet fury can be scary. They'd be cool.
Guest 1; Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it!
Guest 2; Looks great to me!
Darkwubs; Thanks for the peerage suggestions. Zante is pretty strong for sure, and trains quite hard as well. That would be for Raynare for sure~ Ingvild will be appearing pretty soon. If his father does stuff he's against, he'll call him out on it. Yeah, that makes sense power wise. Yeah, in fact the Neko sisters will be appearing this chapter~! Yeah, a great peerage is one where they have diverse skillsets. Zante will have some unique power ups in the future that will be fun to explore.
Guest 3; Here's some more~!
Godofwar01; Thanks for the suggestions.
Guest 4; I'm sure Rias or Sirzechs would handle it if anyone said anything.
AlphaOmega; Thanks for the suggestions.
Guest 5; Thanks for the peerage and harem suggestions.
Shu Ouma GC; That would be pretty funny~
Akeno fan; Yeah, he met both of them. Zekram and Zante have an intriguing dynamic. Thanks for the suggestions.
T.V. 2000; Glad you liked his appearance. That is quite like Zekram for sure. Yeah, he didn't want Akeno to feel uncomfortable. Thanks for the suggestions.
Lightwave; Thanks for the suggestions. Ravel could be. They could talk about it yeah. Sounds great.
Gddggvd; Thanks!
Guest 6; Thank you very much!
For me; Thanks for the peerage suggestions!
Rox; Thanks for the harem suggestions!
Guest 7; Yeah, possibly in the future I could do a story like that.
Its time to start the chapter!
Chapter 4
Traversing the world, wasn't exactly what a young Nekomata had planned. Especially with her little sister either. She figured that she'd be able to work her way through the world and find a place where she, and her sister could belong.
She managed to move through the different parts of the world, when she came up against a man that she didn't like at all.
One that had tried to repeatedly take her into his group, but she wasn't having any of it.
"Kuroka, when is your stubbornness going to cease?"
Kuroka scowled. "My stubbornness? I'm weighing my options. It isn't as if I'm suddenly thrilled to join a Devils peerage nya. Shirone and I are trying to work through a few things, such as the passing of our parents. So Naberius, please let us have time to consider all options nyaaa."
Naberius scowled, his eyes forming what looked to be a threatening gaze. "I've given you plenty of time. I can't hold my peerage closed for you forever."
"If I'm that valuable to you, then I think you would nyaaa~" Kuroka said playfully.
Her eyes went to Shirone, seeing that she was looking on with worry in her eyes.
Kuroka decided to wrap this up quickly. "Alright then, now that you've said your stuff, can we be alone now?"
Naberius wasn't thrilled with this.
He couldn't let Shirone or Kuroka slip through his fingers.
His hand tightened, and he went to raise his hand, when Kuroka grabbed his wrist.
She recognized he was going to try something, so she stopped him, and looked down, seeing that he had a needle in his hand, laced with some kind of poison, so she tightened her hand, forcing him to let the needle go, where she blasted it until it was dust.
"Nice try Naberius, that isn't going to work with me." She tossed his hand to the side.
Naberius became angered, his demonic power formed in his hand, and he unleashed a blast right at Kuroka.
Kuroka leapt back, and thrust her hand out, allowing a barrier to be formed, blocking the attack.
She then shot right back at him, nailing a fist full of Senjutsu into his torso.
"Gwaaaaaaah!" Naberius collapsed onto the floor, and coughed up bile.
Kuroka loomed over him, her hand lighting up with Senjutsu and Youjutsu at the same time, combining them together.
"I'm telling you now, leave us alone. We don't want to deal with you anymore. You wonder why I don't join your peerage, its because I wont be associating with people such as yourself, understood?"
Naberius glared with the eyes of hatred.
Kuroka rolled her eyes, and moved to Shirone.
Naberius held a hand to his side, tightened as he watched Shirone run off with Kuroka, who had sensed others coming and she didn't want to be ambushed if she could help it.
"She really seems adamant about not joining. But wait until you've become desperate enough. I'll make sure that you're desperate enough that you could end up deceased. Well, once I've finished with you anyway. Heh, you'll see that I'm your only option Kuroka. This is why you don't mess with me."
Naberius held a dirty look in his eye, and his desires turned on high.
He was sure he'd do something to make Kuroka yield to him, he just had to be creative….
Time had passed since Akeno had arrived in the Underworld, and Zante hadn't found any answers about the statue of Leviathan.
It truly was an intriguing mystery to be sure, though he still had some places left to explore.
And he was doing such things, as he casually laid his hand on the statue before him, looking at it with soft eyes, as Akeno came into the room. She had frequented his room since she came to the Underworld.
"Ara, are you studying again?"
"More like hearing a girls voice, and seeing if I can work out the song~" Zante replied with a gentle smile.
Akeno, looking more livelier than she did when they first met, showed a sweet smile. "No closer?"
"I did have one avenue that might help me out. But, I'm not confident they'd get back to me, if I sent them a message."
Akeno tilts her head. "Oh? Who might it be?"
"I did some research, and found a descendant of Leviathan…a woman named Katerea."
"Katerea huh?" Akeno giggles. "So, why wouldn't they write back?"
"Well, I'm not entirely sure of her location, so I can't really write to anywhere. And I'd highly doubt she'd write back anyway." Akeno gave wondering eyes, so Zante explained. "The Old Maou descendants with a few exceptions, hates the current Maou's, so I'd express surprise if they wanted to speak to a Devil like myself who is cousins with a Maou. While not directly related, we still are cousins, you know?"
Akeno thought that made sense.
"Seems tough. Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out, maybe that scary girl Vali-chan can help?"
Zante gave bemused eyes. "She's not that scary, is she?"
"Ara, have you seen her when she's hungry for a fight? I thought she'd be wanting to have some cake with me, when she challenged me to a fight upon hearing I'm a Himejima."
Zante chuckled lightly. "Yeah, that was…yeah, that's Vali-chan for you. But Vali-chan huh…hmm, I'm sure she'd love to come with me. Either way, how're you feeling Akeno-san?"
"Not so bad. Ufufu, Rias is a delight to tease, to play with, to hang out with~" Zante stifled a laugh, seeing how she corrected herself twice cutely. "And the Underworld is better than living out in the world on my own."
"Its got its perks for sure." Zante revealed a small smile. "By the way, I've been studying human culture, as I plan to live in the human world one day, and I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts on various things."
Akeno blinked, not expecting that.
But then she adopted a sly smile. "Ara, well since you're listening to music, how about we dance together? Are you into dancing?"
"Not so much, but Serafall-sama has shown me the dances of humans before. Honestly, I think I'd be too embarrassed to show you~"
Akeno became even more excited, and took his hands, pulling him to his feet.
"Come on, show me your best moves~ Lets see this cute Devil-kun dancing~"
Zante rubbed the back of his head. "Only if you do it with me Akeno-san~"
Akeno gives a sweet delectable smile with a hint of teasing desire, and she edges closer. "Well, I could be persuaded by you~"
Zante shows a toothy grin, and begins showing off his movements. Swinging his hips side to side, his hand slowly and enticingly moving through the air, copying some moves he had been shown by Serafall, adding his own little spin on them.
Akeno fumbles with her lower lip, a small flush readying itself on her face, as Zante smiles. "Like this, right?"
"Well, you've got to sway your hips a little more, like this~" Akeno takes Zante's hips, and pushes them side to side ever so slightly, her eyes lingered on his longer than she expected them to, while he adopts a small redness on his face.
She then pulls closer, and begins to show her own little dance moves.
It reminded Zante of a miko's dance, the way she moved, which made a whole lot of sense considering where she grew up. But like Zante, she added her own flare to it, and she allowed her sweet fingers to trace up his body and her eyes and his to meet one another's over and over again.
Their hands came together, and they began to move against one another, then apart, and Zante then put on some music.
"Ara, what's this?"
"Its one of the songs I keep hearing from that statue."
"Its quite, what's the word…"
"Dated?" Akeno nods. "Yeah, comes from like a hundred or so years ago~"
Akeno was astonished, and wondered more about it.
But, she decided to simply dance with Zante, as they laughed together, genuinely enjoying their time together…
An hour later, while eating breakfast, sat at a table together, Zante and Ravel were discussing various things together.
"So I have been doing research Zante-sama, and it seems that..."
As they spoke, the door opened, and watched Magdaran fueled with his fathers whisperings in his ear, move to the right hand side of Zante, and aimed a finger at him.
"I'm challenging you for the right to be the heir of the clan!" Magdaran hand shook, despite trying to project a brave face.
Ravel gave troubled eyes. "Magdaran-sama, please don't do this."
Magdaran's eyes shot for Ravel. "Ravel Phenex-san, please respect this is a clan matter."
"Even then…" Ravel looked to Zante.
She knew in her heart of hearts, he didn't want to harm Magdaran.
Zante put down his spoon, raising an eyebrow, patting Ravel's head.
"Its alright, Ravel-chan~" Zante wanted to make sure Ravel didn't have to worry, as he faced his brother. "Magdaran…" Zante's voice was compassionate, trying to connect with his brother.
But Magdaran inhaled deeply, his hand lighting up with his demonic energy. The Power of Destruction swirled in his hand, and his eyes focused upon Zante himself. "I have been practicing, and I have the right to challenge you if I so desire."
"You do, but I thought you'd rather do something involving botany or something like that. Wouldn't you feel more fulfilled than trying to challenge me to be the clan heir? Do you even want to be the clan heir? Or do you just want approval from father? Because if it is the latter, as I've said in the past, it wont happen. Father sees his children as means to an end for the clan of Bael, he doesn't give what you're looking for."
Zante thought he'd give Magdaran some reality, because he didn't want his brother to waste his time and energy devoted to something that just wasn't going to happen. He wanted Magdaran to go and live his life, and not be burdened by the worries of Bael.
Magdaran was conflicted, his heart felt like it was splitting in two.
He wanted to have his fathers approval, while not wanting to truly fight his brother, yet at the same time, Lord Bael's manipulations kept playing on repeat within his mind, and he simply couldn't find any answer for himself.
Magdaran wondered if this was a futile effort, and wondered if Zante was right.
"Zante…" Magdaran began, his face full of sadness.
Zante smiled, wanting to encourage his brother. "Yes, Magdaran?"
"I…" As Magdaran spoke, he saw his father enter the room, he stiffened, then his eyes narrowed. "I, am challenging you, right here, right now."
Zante's lips took a notable dive, and simply pats his upper body. "Go ahead, I'm waiting."
Ravel could see in Zante's eyes, that he hated it.
That Magdaran was being used by Lord Bael like this.
Lord Bael watched with a stoic face, but held gleeful eyes. Zante kept his eyes on his brother, and watched as his brothers eyes seemed to show happiness, as he saw Lord Bael looking right towards him.
"This is it." Magdaran thought.
This was going to be when he would receive his fathers affection.
Lord Bael had promised it, if he could defeat Zante, then he'd be the one who would receive what he incorrectly assumed Zante received from his father, love and affection.
"Have this!" Magdaran unleashed his Power of Destruction directly towards Zante's body.
Magdaran held hope in his eyes, watching the power nearing Zante.
Lord Bael gave a smirk, his eyes shooting between his children.
Ravel gave disheartened eyes, ready for the expected outcome.
Zante didn't bat an eyelid as he held out his hand, and caught Magdaran's energy with his hand laced with demonic energy.
"W-What?" Magdaran was stunned.
His energy wasn't moving, it was staying motionless in the air, it didn't even damage Zante in the slightest.
Zante crushed the energy between his fingers, scattering it all around, igniting panic in Magdaran.
"Y-You couldn't have!" Magdaran was in denial.
Ravel looked to Zante, seeing his face was stoic, but his eyes held pain.
He didn't want to crush his brothers dreams, but he didn't want his brother to keep suffering like this either. She thought right now, Zante was doing a kindness to Magdaran, showing that he wasn't going to win, and that he could hopefully focus his talents elsewhere, Ravel knowing deep down that Zante wanted what was best for Magdaran, and how he could go and achieve other things.
"Magdaran, please stop." Zante asked.
But Magdaran, seeing his fathers eyes move away from him, caused him pain, so he summoned his Power of Destruction and rapidly fired it off at Zante in a barrage of wild blasts.
"Don't worry dear brother, I'd not dream of hurting you. I just want to show you, I'm going to be the clan heir!" Magdaran was sure in himself, and his Power of Destruction.
They were decent sized, Zante could see he had improved since the last time they fought.
Ravel danced her eyes between the brothers, seeing Magdaran sweating, while Zante himself had barely moved. She could tell the difference in power, and she wondered how Magdaran thought about that.
But Zante merely formed a Power of Destruction shield, causing Magdaran's shots to be eliminated. They couldn't get through the shield of destruction, leaving Magdaran to slowly fall into despair, seeing he's not able to reach Zante's power.
Zante saw the pain on Magdaran's face, wishing Magdaran didn't believe his fathers words.
Lord Bael seemed to be blissfully unaware, he was more intrigued by how Zante fended off Magdaran's powers without standing up, and only using a single hand.
Ravel looked to Zante, who offered her a small friendly smile.
"N-No, it couldn't be…" Magdaran backed away, watching as Zante's hand crackled with power.
He could feel the waves coming off of it, and even though Zante hadn't fired anything, Magdaran felt that Zante's Power of Destruction was beautiful and deadly. The energy of purple and black swirled in his hand.
Zante looked to Magdaran who backed off, as Zante flung his hand around him.
Magdaran gasped, and watched the demonic power flying towards him, so he formed a shield of demonic power.
But it proved useless, as Zante's power ate through the shield, breaking it down until nothing was left at all, and continued for Magdaran.
"Noooooo!" Fear laced in Magdaran's eyes, and he covered his upper body with his arms, expecting to be blasted.
However, he was stunned when he saw that hovering before him, was Zante's Power of Destruction sphere, not moving.
Inches from him, Magdaran fell backwards, his eyes looking up at the sphere, seeing and feeling with his own body the deepest power radiating off of him.
Lord Bael scowled. "Magdaran, have you done any improvements at all? You lost this fight, once more. You truly didn't inherit any talent."
Magdaran's face became crestfallen.
Ravel wished to say something, but kept tight lipped, noting the look in Zante's eyes when their father criticized Magdaran.
Zante tightened his hand, causing the Power of Destruction ball to fade out of existence, his eyes going to his brother, seeing that he was appearing to be in more pain than he was beforehand, his eyes staying on the ground.
So Zante did his best to encourage his brother. "That was a good display Magdaran, you've improved from last time."
Magdaran's eyes went towards Zante, and he looked to be on the verge of tears. "I-I don't want your pity!"
"It wasn't pity, it was praise." Zante corrected.
But Magdaran scrambled to his feet, and ran off.
Zante could see the hurt in his eyes, the look of one who was suffering.
Lord Bael sighed. "Seems like that child's going to be of no use."
Ravel looked to Zante, who smiles, then turns to his father with a frown.
"Then why do you keep pushing him?" Zante spoke up.
Lord Bael turned to Zante, surprise in his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Leave him to do his own thing, your way of 'encouraging' him isn't helping him at all. I'm clan heir, let him do as he likes. He's doing great in his field of botany, and he loves to do it. Encourage that if you want to encourage anything."
"Its a shameful act. A child like that might as well have not been born with the Power of Destruction because he doesn't use it as well as Sirzechs or even Rias Gremory. But, I have you at least, so the clan is going to be secure."
Zante shakes his head. "Leave Magdaran to do as he likes, father."
"Leave him, to be another Sairaorg?" Lord Bael said it in shock.
Zante exhales deeply. "Magdaran…regardless of what you feel, he doesn't need this. I've seen what he's done, he is achieving much with his botany, its worthy of praise."
"Its a waste of time." Lord Bael expressed with his eyebrows narrowing. "As I said, its a shame that he's not able to do much for the clan."
"There are other ways to be useful to a clan than being strong, and not everyone in this world is a fighter either. I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve through this, but Magdaran doesn't need you whispering in his ear. Let him live his own life, you've said this yourself, I'm clan heir. So let Magdaran do as he likes."
Lord Bael scowled at his son.
But Zante just stared right back at him, as if he was ready to defend his brother, knowing unlike Sairaorg, Magdaran wasn't one who had a fighting spirit. He was someone who liked creating his plants, and experimenting with new types of flowers, and plants among other things like that. And Zante thought if that was Magdaran's passion, he shouldn't be burdened by things like his fathers words.
Lord Bael exhales, and begins walking out of the room. "Magdaran disappoints me, like Sairaorg. I am glad you do not."
Zante shakes his head at his leaving father, as he went back to eating his breakfast, together with Ravel.
Meanwhile, Magdaran went to his room, and he felt his heart in tatters. He saw the disappointment in his fathers eyes, and the way he looked at Zante, with pride and joy, he wished he could receive even a modicum of that from his father.
"Zante beat me…my power paled compared to his." Magdaran thought.
His eyes landed upon the ceiling, as he laid on his bed.
He hated this tight feeling inside of his chest, he wished for his fathers affections, so he felt like he had to do something.
He opened his computer, and searched through various Devils websites. He thought that maybe he could take on a quest, and earn his fathers approval that way, it meant so much to him, as he wanted to live with his family.
That's when he came across a certain quest that had been posted.
He looked to see it was about two Nekomata's that had caused trouble. "Two Nekomata's, they're rare…and if I defeated them, father would…he would see my merit…!"
Magdaran's hopes were on high, as he rushed out of his room, and went to go and prepare, moving towards his father so he could get approval, and to also have his praise, determined to complete this quest no matter what.
Kuroka and Shirone continued their travels through the world, and Shirone heard her stomach rumbling. Kuroka felt hers rumbling as well, they both were hungry and needed something to eat.
But if she stopped, she knew it'd not be the best idea, until they could find some kind of shelter.
Snow fell down hard from the sky, and coated the land in a beautiful white.
Kuroka ran her Senjutsu through her, creating an aura for her, and for Shirone as she expanded her powers, to try and keep them warm from the cold.
Shirone noticed, and dipped her head. "…I'm sorry, Onee-sama."
Kuroka waved her hand. "Don't worry nyaaa. I've got this, we'll find somewhere to rest for the night soon anyway."
"…Are you thinking of that Naberius right now, Onee-sama? His offer…we'd be somewhere warm. But, I don't like him."
Kuroka held similar feelings.
She hated being out in the cold, and little options.
She didn't want her sister to starve, and she didn't want to rely on Naberius either.
It was a very difficult situation and she didn't know what the answers would be either.
As they walked, she felt something appear in the middle of the woodland they found themselves in.
She could feel it via her Senjutsu, a Devils signature.
"That's not Naberius." Kuroka noted mentally, wondering what was going on.
She waited, and waited, until a ball of destruction came flying out from a hazy mist of white.
Kuroka thrust her hand to the side, creating a barrier that blocked the incoming attack all together.
Shirone jumped. "Onee-sama!"
Kuroka waved her hand, showing a calm face. "Its alright Shirone, don't worry about this. I'll make sure you're fine nyaaa."
Kuroka was sure in this, and saw a few more balls shooting for her.
She began dodging the attacks, and slammed her hand downwards. She released a pulse of her power, which scattered all of the snow around her, and Shirone, and caused it to go travelling towards the unknown attacker.
The unknown attacker cried as snow bombarded his body, smashing him deep into the ground.
Kuroka smirked. "Gotta be better than that nyaaa~"
A groan came from the snow covered Devil, as a beam of energy shot into the sky.
Kuroka saw it was black in nature, and mixed with another colour she couldn't determine due to her eyes shifting down to meet with the boy who had appeared before her.
It was Magdaran who held a fearful, but determined, look on his face. "Y-Your opponent is me, Magdaran Bael."
Kuroka shrugged. "Who?"
Magdaran cringed, and his head hung down. "M-Me! I'm your opponent! So, fight me already Nekomata weirdo!"
Kuroka scowled. "What did you just call me nyaaa?"
Magdaran felt the scary intentions from Kuroka coming very powerfully towards him.
He shuddered, Kuroka's eyes glowed like a thousand suns.
Ready to strike down the man at any moment.
"You want some of this?!" Kuroka baited Magdaran close.
Magdaran shuddered, his eyes giving off the look of worry. "…Y-Yes…"
Kuroka growled. "Then you've got me!"
Kuroka roared, and charged Magdaran.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Magdaran's eyes widened, feeling like maybe…he had bitten off more than he could chew….
After seeing Sairaorg, Zante came back home together with Ravel. She looked towards him sympathetically, and gave a kind smile. "You really love Magdaran-sama, don't you?"
"He is my sibling, and its sad, because we used to be close. Seeing him being twisted by father, hurts me. He doesn't listen to me, but I want him to know that I'm here, for when that breakthrough finally happens. That father doesn't care about us in the way that he wishes for it."
Ravel folds her arms. "What about his mother?"
"Like his father, distant." Zante replied.
Ravel fumbled with her lower lip, as they got close to Magdaran's room.
However, Zante as he got close, didn't feel Magdaran in the room, so he bypassed it together with Ravel, and searched the castle. He couldn't feel Magdaran anywhere, and he searched for a good solid five minutes, before gritting his teeth to ask his father.
So he made his way to his father, and upon entering his private chambers, Zante spoke to his father. "Father, you haven't seen Magdaran, have you?"
"Magdaran has finally understood what it takes to be in this family."
His answer didn't inspire Zante in the slightest with great feelings. "What does that mean?"
Ravel was also in doubt, looking around the room and couldn't see anything that could help them.
"He has taken it upon himself to complete a quest, one I think would be fitting. At least, for someone like Magdaran."
Zante's heart jumped in his chest, worry in his eyes. "He's gone to do what? Why has he done this? And don't tell me its to be in this family."
"But that's the answer. He figured that if he couldn't defeat you, then he'd make himself useful and find enemies that he could defeat, for the sake of raising the reputation of the Bael clan, and to take on two Nekomata, seems fitting to me."
"Nekomata?" Ravel mused, wondering who he was speaking about.
Zante let out a breath. "Where did he go?"
"Why does that matter?" Lord Bael countered.
Zante, frustrations growing inside of him, scornfully looked at Lord Bael. "Because he could be going into a very dangerous situation. Just to prove a point, that he doesn't need to prove. Its reckless that you let him go off on his own. Nekomata, can be strong, and I've heard there's been recent activity of Nekomata that might've done some damage, so tell me where he's gone. I'm going to go and get him. Or, should I take this request directly to Zekram Bael? I am sure he wouldn't hesitate to give me the location."
Lord Bael's heart felt like it stopped in that moment.
He looked at his sons eyes, seeing the strength and worry at the same time as conviction.
Lord Bael breathes through his nose as he answers. "Fine, I'll give you the location."
Zante hoped his father was speaking the truth, and once receiving the location, he took off together with Ravel.
"Ravel-chan, contact Sairaorg for me. Just in case."
"On it, Zante-sama." Ravel pulled out a phone and began contacting Sairaorg.
"Thank you, Ravel-chan." Zante hoped his brother wasn't in danger right now.
But made sure to do his best to get to him and protect him if need be.
Back with Magdaran, he was engaging Kuroka in a fight. He flings his hands out, releasing a burst of Power of Destruction energy for Kuroka, who swiftly formed a barrier around herself, tanking the shot completely.
"This all, Devil weirdo?!" Kuroka growled like an angry cat.
Magdaran felt fear seeping through his bones, and his eyes dyed in the colour of fear. "S-Stay back!"
Magdaran retaliated with a surge of Power of Destruction for Kuroka.
Like before, Kuroka blocked with her own barrier, when she saw Magdaran run off to the side. His hands shined with his power, and he released two shots at once, hoping one of them would reach her form.
Kuroka allowed her barriers to block it, then she sent her own power towards him.
He gasped, forming a barrier around himself.
But Kuroka's power smashed into the barrier, and collapsed it.
Magdaran was safe, as the barrier protected him, but saw how dangerous Kuroka's power could be.
"I, I wont let you get away!"
Kuroka watched as two Power of Destruction came from the right and the left.
They circulated her, and shot right for her as the demonic power curved when Magdaran threw it. He couldn't control the direction like Zante could do, but he was strong enough to be able to curve his energy like this.
But for Kuroka, she summoned her own spheres of Senjutsu, repelling the attacks as they collided together. Kuroka breathed out her nose, as Magdaran releases another shot for her in the smoke that surrounded her.
"Good effort, Devil. But I've got Senjutsu nyaa. Sensed your attack without having to see it!"
Kuroka unleashed her shot of Senjutsu, colliding with the attack, and destroying it.
She then cups her hands together, creating a ball of Senjutsu and Youjutsu. She made it strong, as while she was handling Magdaran, she still felt that he had relatively decent power, beyond that of an average Devil, so she was going to make sure that he was stopped.
"Come on then Devil, I'll show you what a Nekomata can do!" Kuroka, having had enough, released her attack directly before her.
"Shit!" He panicked, and jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding it.
He landed on the ground with a thud, when he felt something strange happening.
He saw that his body was beginning to sink into the ground, like the ground had suddenly become akin to mud.
"W-What is this?! Let me go!" Magdaran struggled.
But he couldn't break out of the mud. It was restraining him. He was simply stuck, and Kuroka moved closer. Shirone in the distance was glad her sister was capable of winning the clash between the two of them.
Magdaran was a sitting duck, he looked up to Kuroka who looked menacingly right back towards her.
"So, think its funny to try and kill me and Shirone, do you?"
"…N-No…" Magdaran replied weakly.
Kuroka scowled. "I think you do, so allow me to make sure you're stopped Devil boy!"
Kuroka raises her hand, filled with Senjutsu.
Magdaran's eyes laced with fear, as Kuroka made a swinging motion.
When she did, he thought his life was over.
He thought that she'd kill him, and all because he wanted to prove who was stronger to his father.
Because of his jealousy and insecurities.
He thought this was the end…
"Aaaaah!" Kuroka cried out.
She retracted her hand, as a wall of destruction formed all around Magdaran in a dome of Power of Destruction energy.
She felt a new presence, turning to see Zante running in close, and leapt between Kuroka and Magdaran, while Ravel held back, looking relieved, upon seeing that Magdaran wasn't dead, and that he was safe and sound.
Kuroka looked at Zante, and felt his aura.
"…This ones stronger than the other. And that energy, its like this first guys. Related?"
As she thought about it, Zante looked to Magdaran. "Are you alright?"
Magdaran met Zante's eye.
Despite all that had transpired between them, he saw his brother coming for him in his time of need.
He thought that he'd die alone.
Magdaran began to cry, while Zante offered a supportive smile. "Its alright, Magdaran. I'm here now. I wont let you be hurt."
"Z-Zante..." Magdaran cried harder, his mind was being split between his fathers cold hearted nature while he yearned for love from his father, and his brothers actual love and support.
Zante himself turned back in time as Kuroka tried a sneak attack, but he repelled her as he released a burst of Power of Destruction from his body.
"Nyaaa! What is this!?" Kuroka yelled, seeing the area his power touched, was being erased. Zante didn't damage her directly, as he wanted some answers.
The ground and the air began being erased, Kuroka let out a small cry as she skidded across the ground, snow falling all around them, save for Zante who used his power to erase it by simply coating his body in Power of Destruction.
"Hey! Watch were you are firing that destructive stuff boy! I'm with a child!"
"Pregnancy?! I attacked a pregnant woman!?" Magdaran yelled.
Kuroka looked bewildered, while Zante apologized. "Sorry about that, I think he misheard you…"
Kuroka glared, Shirone looked confused.
Ravel slapped herself in the head. "She said she's with a child, not that she's with child."
Magdaran developed an embarrassed face, muttering. "Oh...sorry."
Zante released a deep breath. "Okay, erm…right." Zante looked at Kuroka. "I'm sorry about what happened with my sibling. I don't know what's going on here, but you don't seem to be crazy evil Nekomata's I briefly read about. So, why don't we all sit down and have a nice chat?"
"Why don't you go and join that guy in the mud!?" Kuroka yelled, and threw her hand out.
When she did, the ground beneath Zante began to turn into mud.
Kuroka smirked, believing she had trapped him.
But Zante proved to surprise her, and he unleashed his Power of Destruction all beneath his body, collapsing the mud, erasing it out of existence, and left him in a small crater around himself, Kuroka became astonished to see he had managed to do that.
"Sorry, can't do that. I don't want to fight you, and Magdaran, my sibling, I'd like for him to return home, so please stop this fighting with him."
As Zante said it, he overlooked Kuroka's appearance.
He saw her clothes were in tatters.
It was the same for Shirone.
It was clear that circumstances hadn't been great for either of them.
"He attacked me first nyaaa!" Kuroka expressed wildly.
Zante nods in understanding, looking to Shirone who in turn glanced right back.
Zante then faced Kuroka. "I know that he did, and I'm sorry about that. So, if we could come to an agreement…"
"Yeah right. You Devils are all the same. Always looking out for number one, and wanting to do whatever it takes to get your way. Even sending numerous Devils against me, in hopes you can pin me down and end my existence, or join your peerage! As if. I'm going to be protecting Shirone and myself, I wont die to you!"
Kuroka snapped and unleashed a barrage of Senjutsu mixed with Youjutsu.
Zante could feel the power behind them, she was incredibly strong for her age.
"Please, stop this." Zante asked.
But Kuroka refused.
Zante could see her fatigue, and he knew it wasn't from fighting Magdaran.
Something was going on here, and he knew more than met the eye was being shown to him.
Still, Zante had to protect Magdaran right now, even if he was in the wrong, he was still Zante's brother, and he hoped to come to a more peaceful solution to this event, so his fingers snapped in the air.
When they did, bullets of destruction formed all around him, releasing at different speeds, attacking all of the spheres as they came close. Explosion after explosion rang out, Kuroka grimaced to see that unlike Magdaran, Zante's ability was more than strong enough to seep worry into her heart.
"You think you've gotten me?" Kuroka snaps.
Zante shakes his head. "I don't want to fight you. Tell me, what's been going on? From what I can see, you've had a harsh time lately. You mentioned a Devils peerage...did someone try to force you into a peerage?"
Ravel blinked, wondering what Zante noticed, so she looked over both Kuroka and Shirone.
The former looked to be increasingly tired.
The latter seemed also tired.
Kuroka wiped her brow, and tried her best to keep herself calm and collected. "You are a Devil, why would I tell you anything nyaa? Your people are the reason that I'm like this in the first place! Don't you get it?!"
"I'm not sure of your situation beyond what I can see, and I can see you've lived in harsh conditions, and I do not wish to fight you. If you'd like to tell me what's happening, I'd happily listen to you, and see if we can come to some sort of peaceful solution." Zante offered.
Kuroka was bewildered.
She wondered if this was a trick.
Or if something else was going on here.
However, she wouldn't be beaten yet, so she swiftly runs towards him. "Yeah right. I'll defeat you!"
Zante gets into a fighting position. "We can't come to a peaceful solution?"
"Negotiating with Devils is the last thing I'll do. I hate you guys, all you do is try and use people for their powers!" She charges with her Senjutsu in her hand.
Zante kept up a fighting stance, and readied himself to face Kuroka, when she slams her hand forward, a barrage of Senjutsu shots fired for him.
Zante smacks his hands together, and creates what looks like a shield, that tanked all of her shots, they all dissolved in Zante's power.
Kuroka pulls back, as Zante thrusts his hand forward.
"No!" Kuroka creates a few barriers.
The barriers take on the power Zante releases fully for her. The energy of destruction breaks down the barriers, and crumbles them. Zante could see she was well versed in her skills, and she was pretty strong.
But in the wake of his Power of Destruction, her barriers couldn't hold, and fully shattered like glass, the power radiating towards her.
She gasped, and then yelled "You wont beat me!" using her Senjutsu to unleash her powers in a sphere, numerous spheres that bombard Zante's power, and caused an explosion to rip right through the area.
Zante dismisses the explosion using his Power of Destruction to surround him and the others, while Kuroka comes flying backwards, her back hitting a tree, and she pants hard.
"Onee-sama!" Shirone yells, and runs to her.
Kuroka thrusts her hand out to Zante while sat down, as she yells "Stay back Shirone!" to her sister.
Shirone stays in place, worry on her face, as her power releases a burst right for Zante.
Zante evades it, and looks over Kuroka's tiredness, seeing her hand falling into the snow.
Her chest heaved, and her vision became fuzzy.
Zante knew the fight had ended.
Zante walked towards her, but Shirone got in the way.
She had her arms stretched out, as if she was ready to fight them at any moment. "…I wont let you do anything with Onee-sama."
Zante could hear the panic in her voice.
The way she seemed to be scared.
Zante leans down, and offers a kind smile. "It seems you've had a bad time, I offer you my sincerest apologies. I don't wish to harm you…Shirone-san? Is that your name?" He recalled Kuroka saying Shirone, so he guessed it was her.
Shirone eyes up Zante, trying to figure him out, and gives a small nod of her head. "…What do you want?"
"I don't want anything, I just want to understand what's happening here. Your clothes, looks like you've been through a few battles. And from the way your Onee-sama reacted, she seemed to be determined to fight against me no matter what. It was more than determination, it was like her life was on the line."
"…Isn't it?" Shirone asked.
Before Zante could answer, he felt a few presences transport to their location.
Zante turned, and saw Devils coming towards Shirone and Kuroka.
Zante stood tall, and said "Stop immediately!" but they didn't heed his call, as they got towards Zante, throwing their demonic energy right for the young man, trying to crumble his stance.
However, before it reached him, he looked up to see someone in the sky.
He smirked, and simply stood there, the Devils looked confused.
That confusion soon became fear as Sairaorg came shooting down, colliding with the ground, and threw off the Devils. The earth shattered into many chunks, scattering the Devils bodies all around, leaving Zante's form free of damage.
"Sorry I was held up. Looks like some troubles been forming here." Sairaorg apologized.
Zante nods. "Just in time."
Magdaran was astounded to see that Sairaorg of all people had come to save him. Both Zante and Sairaorg had come for him in his time of need.
It seemed crazy to him, and he didn't know where to place himself.
As they talked, the Devils began scrambling to their feet, so Zante and Sairaorg look to one another.
"Shall I begin Nii-sama?"
"Oh yes, lets see what you can do, Zante."
Zante smiles, and swung his hand upwards, as Power of Destruction energy swirls around his hand. Concentrating more and more, Zante's energy begins to come out in a twisting motion.
Soon enough, what looked like a tornado appeared across the ground, and was released into the area.
When it did, the suction of the tornado acted like a real one, beginning to bring in various Devils all around them. It was an attack that was useful to handle a large group in quick time, and for those that couldn't fight his Power of Destruction.
"What the hell?!"
"Get away!"
"Screw this!"
The Devils tried to evade, but Zante's tornado moved swiftly, and absorbed the Devils into itself, and rotated them around the tornado, the destruction power went across their bodies, giving them a good deal of wounds, before firing them back out it, heavily bashing them into the ground.
Sairaorg noted some that were able to resist, so he moved across the ground, and punched them hard, sending them into the tornado of destruction. The energy was wild, and powerful, Sairaorg could see how strong it was, and praised his little brother in its use.
Combining together, Zante and Sairaorg managed to defeat the enemies quickly.
Shirone was beyond astonished, looking to Kuroka.
But saw Kuroka had passed out.
Worry came over Shirone, feeling her own fatigue and hunger overpowering her.
Magdaran saw the combination of his brothers, and was astounded. "How…can they work together? They both want to be the clan heir…shouldn't they hate each other?"
Though he wasn't asking anyone in particular, Ravel answered it anyway. "Zante-sama and Sairaorg-sama hold no hate for one another. They're siblings, a proud and strong united force. And they care a lot about you."
Magdaran turned to Ravel. "…You must be like me, why aren't you bothered you're not the clan heiress? Don't your parents want you to be successful?"
"There are plenty of ways to be successful, other than being the clan heiress in my case, or you the clan heir in yours. Zante-sama said that you've taken an interest in botany, I think you should concentrate on that, Magdaran-sama."
Magdaran blinked rapidly. "You think I'm pathetic, don't you?"
"I don't think that at all, and neither do your siblings. Zante-sama said it to you before, and I'll say it again. Live your life, your own way. Find something that makes you happy. He knows what pressures this puts on your shoulders, its why he's encouraged your love of botany. It isn't a fail if you live for botany, I've seen your flowers, and plants, they're beautiful. I think Zante-sama had the right idea in saying you should pursue it, you've got a talent for it."
Ravel's words conveyed what Zante and Sairaorg had said to him long before now.
It confused Magdaran his father kept coming to mind and being a disappointment in his eyes.
But when hearing his brother praise his work, his creation of new plants, it made his heart warm.
It made his eyes begin to produce tears, while Ravel watched on, seeing the enemies being finished off by Zante and Sairaorg in record timing.
Zante releases a breath, and turns to Shirone.
He saw Kuroka was in a condition he'd consider critical, so he moved closer.
With her weak legs, Shirone made sure she was ready to defend.
Zante gave her a soft gaze. "Its okay, we're not going to hurt you. I'd like to help you, to make up for our part in you being attacked."
"…Our part?" Shirone found it an odd choice of words.
Zante nods. "Magdaran did cause more fatigue for your Onee-sama and yourself. For which, I am sorry. I wish to make sure you're safe and have those wounds taken care of. Also, from the looks of it, it seems that you're hungry, why don't you let me help you? I know I'm asking a lot for you to trust me right now, and I can't exactly prove my trustworthiness either, but you have my word, I'll make sure you and your Onee-sama are safe."
It was all he could do right now.
He hoped to gain their trust.
But after everything that had happened, he got why neither would want to trust him.
Shirone felt her body swaying, her eyes became cloudy.
Zante caught this, and saw Shirone falling to the floor, so he swiftly moved, and made sure to hold her close.
Shirone groans in his arms, looking up to Zante, and he smiles down at her. "Its okay, we'll take care of you now, alright?"
Those words echoed in her ear.
She felt as if she could trust him.
She didn't really have a choice right now.
She could only nod, falling unconscious in Zante's arms.
"She's freezing…" Zante's eyes turn to Ravel. "Ravel-chan, can you call Serafall-sama's hospital and tell them we're on the way with two Nekomata? I know there will be people that wouldn't be pleased with them just coming to the Underworld. So, if anyone has any complaints, send them to me."
"Understood Zante-sama, I'm on it." Ravel pulled out her phone and began making calls, admiring how passionate Zante was in his ways of protecting these girls despite not even knowing them, just because they looked like they needed help, she adored that about Zante.
Zante looked between them, while Sairaorg looked on curiously, before moving to the side of Zante.
"Ready to go, Zante?"
"Yes, can you take Magdaran, Sairaorg? I'll take these two to the hospital with Ravel-chan."
"Of course, leave him with me."
Zante thanked him, and all quickly gathered so they could transport away.
When they did vanish, a minute later, appearing in the snow via teleportation, was Naberius.
Witnessing Zante take Shirone and Kuroka,
Naberius's eyes coldly looked at the battlefield, and his face contorted into anger.
"You little bastard…I'll kill you if its the last thing I do!"
Naberius snarled, and vanished, his intent on killing Zante was on high.
Having witnessed him being the one taking them to the Underworld, he'd not let them go now, no matter what.
Even if he had to kill the Bael heir.
End chapter!
So this chapter introduced Kuroka and Shirone, on the run from Naberius, and who he sends after them. Including Magdaran, who tries but isn't able to take Kuroka, Zante comes with Ravel, and begins delving into the mystery that is the Nekomata's and what's going on with them, while Magdaran witnesses his brothers come for him in his time of need, despite how cold he had been.
Also, continued thanks for the peerage suggestions!
Well, until next time, thanks for reading!
Zante's Peerage.
Queen; Vali.
Bishops; Kuroka, Ingvild (mutation).
Rooks; Koneko, Free.
Knights; Xenovia, Free.
Pawns; Ravel (x2), Le Fay (x1), Rest Free.
Zante; Ravel, Serafall, Kuroka, Koneko, Akeno, Vali (fem), Ingvild, Xenovia, Le Fay,