Kurozai exited the classroom after the final bell had rung. Rias hadn't told him that he had to attend anything, as such he was deciding on what to do for the day. As Kurozai pondered, he began to walk aimlessly.
However he was not alone. Not too far behind him a figure lurked and stalked its prey.
"I could go get some food and chill out at the park… but that's boring when alone." Kurozai mused aloud, the figure following him heard and grinned devilishly.
Kurozai was snapped out of his musings as an arm linked with his own. He turned his head and paled as Purple reflected Purple.
"Hi Kurry-Kyun~"
-OVERLORD-
"Tell me again why you tagged along?" Kiba asked the three individuals behind him. The devil was currently walking through a small neighborhood street, leading to a set of expensive houses.
Kalawarna, Issei, and Asia had decided to join Kiba on his devil's contract.
Issei shrugged his shoulders. "We had nothing else to do today."
"Then go bug Kurozai, I have things to do." Kiba grumbled as he neared the contract's location.
Issei coughed into his fist. "I think Kurozai's busy with a problem I don't want to be around."
Kiba turned around and walked backwards to give Issei a look. "And what problem is that?"
A thunder crack in the distance followed by a scream answered his question.
"Oh, poor dude, I forgot Akeno had no contracts today." Kiba lamented, making a guess as to what was happening.
-DXD-
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
Kurozai had shouted as he ran around the fountain in the park.
Chasing him, Akeno wore one of her usual smiles, however her eyes looked crazed as a strange aura lingered off of her, yet this went unnoticed by Kurozai, as he continued to run.
"KURRY~ JUST STAY STILL!"
"FUCK NO! YOU'RE TRYING TO SHOCK ME AGAIN!"
The two stopped at opposite ends of the fountain, Kurozai wore an expression of fear and anger, while Akeno continued to wear her crazed look.
The chase resumed as Akeno dashed around to catch her… She stopped in her tracks, leaving Kurozai to run past her and trip. The aura arounder lessened in intensity. 'What am I doing?' She thought.
The aura vanished and Akeno shook herself out of her stupor.
"Oh shit, here, let me help." Akeno moved to help Kurozai up, yet the Overlord rolled away, holding his arms over his head as he did so.
"I'm good!" Kurozai shouted as he jumped to his feet with a flourish and a spin, stopping to pose like a disco star. "You can't handle these moves." He whispered.
The aura returned to Akeno, albiet only slightly, and her smile returned as she giggled.
Suddenly, the giggles and posing stopped as the duo placed themselves back to back. The temperature plummeted and rose suddenly, however they came from two different directions.
Kurozai's armor covered him and his sword appeared from flames in his right hand.
Akeno was struck by lightning as her clothes changed to her priestess outfit.
The duo scanned the area for movement.
Kurozai felt a pit form in his stomach, because instead of seeing any indication of movement, there was the opposite.
Nothing was moving. Not the wind, the birds or the insects. The only sound was the fountain flowing, yet it was beginning to slow. Kurozai felt his senses shout at him and he spun around to knock both he and Akeno to the ground as a blast of Overlord Ice Magic struck where the duo once stood.
Landing in an awkward position, with Kurozai holding himself over Akeno, who had turned around after being on the ground, she wrapped her arms around the Overlord to roll them out of the way of a fireball.
The two stopped, with Akeno now on top of Kurozai.
A chuckle filled the air as the fountain finally froze. From the other side a familiar figure in a blue suit of armor emerged. A staff of ice strapped to his back.
"What a scene. An Overlord beneath his lover~" Cryos spoke as he wrapped his arms around himself, swooning at the idea. "Oh if only I could relish the moment of young and tender love making."
Kurozai felt a tick mark appear over his head as he pushed Akeno off of him. "HEY! SHUT THE HELL UP!" The Overlord yelled.
"I hate to agree with him, but he's right, Cryos. We are not here to admire young love."
Behind Cryos, Inferna walked past her Icy companion, gaining his ire. "Fiery wench! You understand nothing of the passion love brings!" He shouted.
Inferna scoffed as she gained a sinisterly lecherous look. "Why limit myself down when men line up just to lick my abs?" She asked as she smacked said exposed abs.
"By Sins alive, you two have issues. How about couples therapy? I've been told that I'm a great therapist." Kurozai taunted as he spun his sword around, before planting it into the ground to lean on.
Inferna and Cryos both looked at the Overlord and his Demon companion, who was now on her feet, lightning crackling around her.
"Oh dear, is the purple one not here? I was hoping to punish her more for touching my Kurry-Kyun…" Akeno lamented.
Inferna responded by launching another fireball at the duo.
Cryos grabbed his staff and prepared to summon ice. "Unfortunately, they are dealing with the general's, but if you'd be willing to wait, then I can assure you that she would love to get you back for the lightning strike. But in the meantime, allow me to show you the cold truth of love and tragedy!" Cryos shouted as he launched a flurry of Ice Spikes at Akeno.
However, Kurozai let the spikes crash against his armor, and Akeno used her lightning to block the ball of fire.
Kurozai sighed. "Alright, let's get ready to rumble." The Overlord rolled his neck and let it pop before he sprinted over to the ice wizard.
Cryos wasn't expecting such fast movements from the Overlord and leaped back. Leaving Akeno to fight Inferna.
-DXD-
Kiba grabbed Issei by the back of the shirt and pulled him out of the blast of necrotic magic.
"WHERE THE HELL DID THEY COME FROM?" Kalawarna asked as she jumped away from the shorter one in armor.
Kiba mused for a moment as he blitzed past the small berserker. "Most likely killed the contract holder and waited for us!" He shouted before delivering a flurry of slashes at the purple necromancer.
Malady giggled as a reanimated corpse took the attack for her. "Right on the money! You're smart, just like that Kurozai boy. Maybe I could make you both my man servants~ Would you like that?"
Kiba grimaced as he held his arm out to stop Issei from running in like a moron.
"I'LL DO IT! I'D BE A GREAT MAN SERVANT!" The perverted general shouted with a desperate and lecherous look on his face.
Malady recoiled. "Uck, no thanks. I'm not a big fan of perverts. So just go ahead and die~ MINIONS!" Malady called out and raised her hand.
A mound ripped through the earth as gray armor plated minions crawled out to attack.
Kiba changed his sword from a standard blade to one of fire. He remembered fighting these minions during the arcade attack. They were slow but almost impossible to hurt without fire.
The minions stopped, assessed the situation, and began to dog pile Issei. The young general shouting out in pain as they wailed on him.
Kiba shook his head and dashed at the necromancer, who had summoned the corpses of the neighbors Hakon had killed, prior to the devil arriving at the house.
"If you won't do it willingly, then I'll just break you till you do~" Malady giggled as the corpses attacked.
-OVERLORD-
In the back, Kalawarna protected Asia, her fiery armor kept the dwarf back.
"Afraid of a little fire?" Kalawarna teased as Asia healed her wounds on the spot.
Hakon grumbled, "Ah don wanna singe me beard."
"Worried more about appearances then?" Kalawarna asked.
"Ah gotta look good when ah'm KICKIN YOR ASS!" Hakon shouted as he dashed forward, axes raised to chop down on the Ex-Fallen.
Kalawarna blocked the attack and parried the axes away to kick the dwarf in the head. Unlike Kurozai, she succeeded and sent the dwarf flying away.
The dwarf flew into one of the houses and crashed through the wall and into the first floor bathroom. "Ah well, 'least the dead ain gotta worry bout plumbin issues." Hakon said to himself as he pulled his right hand axe out of the porcelain.
Leaping out, Hakon watched as the brown general was being carried away by the minions. Kalawarna and Asia watched as well.
"KALA, HELP ME!!!" Issei pleaded, but Ddraig spoke up.
[DO NOT HELP US! WE SHALL WIN WITHOUT THE FIRE-] Ddraig spoke but was hit by a minion, breaking a spike on his gauntlet, causing the dragon to scream in fear. [FIRE RAT HELP US BEFORE THEY DESTROY MY BEAUTIFUL PRISON!]
Kalawarna sighed and took her attention off the dwarf to go save the moron and his general wielder.
Asia stood there awkwardly as Hakon began to talk. "So, you're their healer, eh?" he asked with a chuckle. "Meanin, if I kill you, then I could kill fiery over there with no issue!"
Asia screamed as Hakon chased her in circles.
-DXD-
Kurozai planted both feet on Inferna's chestplate and kicked her away.
The fiery Netherghoul skidded back a few feet before spinning her swords around and running to fight the Overlord again. Akeno shocked her, allowing Kurozai a moment to cut into Inferna's shoulder.
Inferna screamed in pain, dropped her left sword, and grabbed Kurozai by the throat. "JUST SHUT UP AND DIE!"
Kurozai gasped for air, thinking of a way out, and grimaced. "H-Harder Mommy~" He moaned out, and felt a piece of his soul die.
Inferna let go of the Overlord and backed up. "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Her response was a full course, five finger knuckle sandwich to the helmet, which sent her crashing into Cryos.
The Ice wizard was healing from his own Kurozai Special Beat Down, and the sudden rush of heat did little to assist in the situation.
Kurozai hissed and shook his hand. "Alright. Akeno, are you listening?" Kurozai asked.
He was met with silence. He turned around. "Akeno?"
The devil was breathing heavily with a large blush covering her face and she looked to be in pure bliss. Kurozai looked back at the two members of the fellowship and back at her. "Uhh, Akeno!"
Akeno didn't listen as she placed her hands on her head and began to shake her head back and forth.
"I can't tell which of this is worse, the fact that it worked or that you're so worked up over it."
"Say it again~"
"Come again?"
"Gladly~"
"NO! NOT THAT!" Kurozai shouted, trying to defuse the awkward situation.
The two Fellowship members got onto their feet and began to laugh. "Looks like the Over-daddy got his girlfriend all worked up." Inferna said between laughs.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP! ARE WE FIGHTING OR FUCKING AROUND?!?" Kurozai shouted angrily.
"We can fu-"
"SHUT UP!"
Cryos laughed heavily at the situation. "Seems the Overlord is embarrassed! Young love truly is a miracle!"
Kurozai was starting to get filled with rage. "AKENO! GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!"
Inferna then shouted. "Oh? What game are you trying to get her into?" Then, the flood gates broke and it sent Inferna over the edge, laughing like a moron as she doubled over while Cryos fell onto his ass.
Kurozai was fuming as wisps of fire flew around him and his purple eyes turned into black flames with white outlines.
Akeno slowly recovered and noticed how angry the Overlord was. "Kurry?" She asked, worried for the Overlord.
"QUIT FUCKING CALLING ME THAT!" Kurozai erupted.
Akeno recoiled as The Overlord turned all of his attention to her.
"HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW THAT SHIT FUCKING DISTURBS ME?" The Overlord shouted. "NO! YOU HAVENT OR YOU WOULDN'T FUCKING DO IT! EVER SINCE I GOT KICKED OUT OF THE TRACK TEAM I CAN'T GO FIVE FUCKING FEET WITHOUT YOU THERE!"
Akeno backed up slowly. "I-I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to disturb you… I just-"
"THAT'S THE PROBLEM, YOU JUST! YOU DIDN'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT MY FEELINGS!"
Cryos continued to laugh as Inferna slowly regained her strength. "Seems like there's some drama~ Wonder if he'll kill her?"
Inferna stifled more giggles. "I'll put five gold on that, I want to see where this goes."
Akeno stopped backing up as tears began to build in her eyes. "B-But you saved me, I thought-"
"SAVE YOU? I TOLD A PAIR OF AIR HEADED BIMBAGS TO FUCK OFF! YOU CALL THAT SAVING YOU? THEY WERE JUST FUCKING UP MY CONCENTRATION!" He continued to shout as the laughter reached his ears. "MEETING YOU WAS THE WORST MISTAKE OF MY FUCKING SCHOOL CAREER! AND YOU SHUT! THE FUCK! UP!" The Overlord lost it as he spun around and dashed forward.
The laughing finally stopped. The air hung with silence.
Then, Cryos eyes widened. "Oh… I didn't see that one…" He said as his head rolled off his neck. Silencing the Dark Elf, permanently.
Blood gushed from the neck stump before the corpse fell on its side.
Inferna was stunned to silence as The Overlord glared at her. "Y-you-"
"YOUR NEXT!" He shouted at her, but Inferna threw a fireball at the ground and ran away, not wishing to die.
The Overlord turned back to Akeno, yet stopped. The fiery wisps vanished and his eyes returned to purple.
The devil had tears streaming down her face. "... I-I-I'm sorry… I never meant to be an inconvenience. If you'll excuse me…"
"N-No! Akeno wait!" Kurozai shouted, but it was too late. Akeno ran away, sobbing.
Kurozai sighed and crouched down. "Nice going, jackass." Kurozai scolded himself. He then noticed he was standing in a pool of Cryos' blood.
"My fucking boots are covered in blood now… Great. Oh, and my cape too. Awesome."
-OVERLORD-
Kiba kicked Hakon in the helmet, learning from Kalawarna that it was the dwarf's weak spot.
Hakon stumbled back, but was then sent flying by an angry Issei and Kalawarna.
While Issei could tell where his anger had risen, from Hakon trying to hurt Asia, Kalawarna couldn't. And a glance at the resident healer told Kalawarna that it wasn't just her.
Asia shook from anger as she stood behind Kiba.
The street was now littered with the dead bodies of the resurrected neighborhood and melted gray minions.
Malady spun her staff around as Hakon skidded across the concrete next to her. "Having trouble?"
"Oh shaddup! You try killin when you're being pressured by a twink swordsman, a perverted bastard and that fiery bitch! I think she knocked out a fuckin tooth!"
Kiba growled with new anger as Issei and Kalawarna were filled with more anger than before.
"I got dibs on the dwarf!" they all said at once, shocking the three.
However, Inferna showed up from behind the duo, obviously frightened and with a blood soaked chestplate. "We need to get back, NOW!" She shouted at the two before the shadows reached up and dragged them away, again.
Issei growled. "They ran, again! PUSSIES! STAY AND FIGHT!" He shouted and stomped his foot, cracking the concrete.
Kalawarna slapped Issei. "Calm down. It's over."
Kiba nodded in agreement, sheathing his sword and letting it vanish into dust. "What happened? I didn't hear any thunder this time…"
Issei scoffed. "I don't know. They were probably terrified of my fucking awesomeness."
"You couldn't scare a baby." Kalawarna jabbed at the general.
She turned to see Issei on his hands and knees, being patted on the back by Asia. "Kala, please let me just have this one. This is like the first fight I've won without Boss here."
"It's okay Issei, I think you did really good fighting… even if you did get dragged away by those minions."
"Thank you Asia."
"Or when you got kicked in the nuts by one of those Zombies."
"Thanks…"
"Or when you accidentally punched Kalawarna."
[No, that was on purpose.] Ddraig said as smug as a dragon trapped in a gauntlet could. Making Asia grimace.
"... I want to go home now." Issei said on the verge of tears.
Kiba paid the general no attention as he continued to think. "What scared them… and where was the blue one?"
Kalawarna stood at the devil's side. "I'm not sure. But I think it's got something to do with that spike of anger I felt."
"What do you mean?" Kiba asked the Ex-Fallen.
"Just before Issei knocked Hakon away, I felt a large surge of pure rage fill my body. Did you not feel that?"
"No. Think it's Overlord related?"
"It might be. I saw Asia shaking. Granted, it could have been in fear… but I don't know."
"Either way, we need to tell the others about this. Let's head back to the club room. Maybe Kurozai knows what's going on." Kiba said as he and Kalawarna left the other two generals.
"Should we help?"
"Nah, she's got him."
-DXD-
Kurozai followed the sounds of sobbing. Annoyed at the fact that no one else heard it. Or if they did, then they must have not cared.
It led Kurozai to Akeno, crying in an alleyway.
Akeno's make up, that Kurozai never noticed, was running down her face.
Kurozai sighed and sat down next to her on the cold ground.
Akeno sniffled. "Wha-hic- What, come to yell at me -hic- some more?"
"No, I came to apologize…"
"Why? -hic- You're not the stalker."
"Because I probably shouldn't have confronted you like that… Fuck, I was just getting pissed off from the situation. But those two didn't stop fucking laughing and it really started to get to me."
Akeno didn't respond, so Kurozai continued to do the one thing he was good at. Talking.
"That whole situation got out of my control and I let my anger get to my head. It ended well enough I suppose… One of them is dead, knocking them down to a trio with only one magic user… but that doesn't give me the right to yell at you like that. I've been meaning to talk about this whole situation between the two of us, but with the whole fallen situation and then this right after…"
"You haven't had the time?"
"Exactly. Even the down time we had, it was only like… two weeks, and I spent most of it focusing on my overlord shit and it's just-" Kurozai stopped to compose himself. "We should have talked about it sooner before this happened and I'm sorry for blowing up like that."
Akeno had stopped crying at this point. "I should be the one apologizing. I've had men stalk me and hated the feeling. I'm not even sure why I started doing it in the first place an-"
"It's my fault."
Akeno stopped and looked at Kurozai confused. "What?"
"It's my fault. Last year, when I got kicked off the team, you remember when I had that personality shift?"
Akeno nodded, remembering that day very clearly.
"That was around the time when my powers started kicking in, and one of the ones I didn't have a good grasp on yet, was corruption spreading. I still don't have a good way to control it. What happened was when I raced you that one time, I think some corruption infected you, bringing out your 'bad' qualities…"
Akeno was stunned, but then she thought about it. She had heard from Rias that Overlordian Corruption was more like a Plague. As an Overlord began to get more corrupt, they infected the land around them. It's what happened to the Third Overlord's land to create what many call the Corrupted Storm that surrounded the land.
Akeno's realization made her realize that while yes she had a crush on the Overlord, the stalking wasn't her fault.
"... Oh."
"Yeah… Oh."
The two sat in silence.
"Listen, if you want to slap me or something, I wouldn't blame you…"
"Kurozai, I'm not going to slap you. It's not your fault you didn't have a good grasp on your powers yet."
"Kinder than I would have been. Then how about this, let's start over. Right from scratch." Kurozai said as he stood up.
He turned around and held out his hand. "Hey there, nice to meet ya! I'm Kurozai Kishi, though I let some people call me Kuro!" He said with a smile. Almost like divine intervention, light began to reflect off of many objects until it reflected off of a broken mirror, casting light behind Kurozai.
Akeno blushed as she nodded and took Kurozai's hand to stand up. "I'm Akeno Himejima. A pleasure to meet you, Kurry."
Kurozai deadpanned. "Don't push your luck please." He said before laughing, Akeno joined in and for a moment, they both forgot that they were powerful beings and instead were just teenagers.
-OVERLORD-
Rias sat alone in the clubroom, filing contracts away when she noticed a charged presence.
"Akeno? Is that you? Have you finished fooling around with Kurozai?" Rias asked, noticing the presence was behind the main door.
It opened and Immediately, Rias went rigid.
A full grown man, wearing a cloak made from a black bear, entered the room. Blue lightning danced around him. "My apologies, I hope I'm not intruding."
"Not at all. Though this comes as a surprise." Rias said as calmly as she could as the man sat down on the couch to Rias' left. "I didn't expect to be visited by you of all people."
"Not many do."
Rias smirked as she folded her hands and rested them on her desk. "So, to what pleasure do I owe a visit from Fury Deling-Greyus? Or would you prefer The Fourth Most Powerful Overlord?"
"Fury is fine."
"Then please, pray tell. What can I do for you?"
"Well, it's not what you specifically can do for me. But I need a message sent to someone of importance."
Rias raised an eyebrow. "And would this someone, wear a gauntlet, similar to yours?"
Fury laughed. His laugh shook the very room as a few books fell off of the nearby bookshelves. "You know, he does!"
"I see… So, what is this message?"
"Just give him this letter." Fury said as he pulled a wax stamped letter out of his cloak. "It'll only open once the other three are killed though. I want to see if he can do it before I commit."
Rias took the letter and placed it into the center drawer of her desk. Then she registered his words fully. "Other Three?"
"Oh? Do you not feel that nip in the air? Seems like the weather's returning back to what it was a few decades ago. It's getting colder again." Fury said with a smile. Rias looked at the old Overlord and saw his piercing yellow eyes flash red for a moment.
"... I see. Then I shall deliver the message to him."
Fury clapped his hands together, lightning striking around the building as he did so. "Good! Then that was all I needed!" He said as he got up and began to leave.
"Wait."
The Overlord turned back. "Yes?"
"... I want to confirm my suspicions…"
"Ask, and I might answer." Fury asked, his voice low.
Rias swallowed the spit that had built in her mouth and asked a single question. "Is something wrong in Corruptis?"
Fury smiled. "You're smart for a devil… Yes, some of the older Overlord's have broken the rules and now we have to intervene before things get from bad to worse. That… is all I can say." Fury said as he left before Rias could speak anymore.
Rias let out a heavy sigh and let her head hit her desk. "Great… and I just had to put myself in the center of all of this… Maybe if I extend help…" Rias sighed as she looked at a small calendar on her desk. "... I'm running out of time and if this Fellowship incident doesn't end soon then I won't be able to ask for help." She lamented.
Rias stood up and looked outside the window, seeing everyone else come back, most likely with a massive update to the situation. Yet also… Kurozai and Akeno were talking.
Rias smiled, maybe she could give help.
[NEXT TIME]
Kurozai and Rias come up with a plan.
The fellowship mourn the loss of their friend as they ready for a final gambit.
And Kurozai meets a man made of Lava.
In the Epic conclusion,
[FELLOWSHIP PT. 3]
