Rising Phenex (Yet Another Riser Phenex SI)(HS DxD AU Elements)
By: PsylentFox
[NSFW] - Rising Phenex (Yet Another Riser Phenex SI)(HS DxD AU Elements) by PsylentFox
Status: ongoing
Published: 2023-09-12
Updated: 2023-11-14
Words: 321352
Chapters: 28
Original source: https/forum./threads/23854
Exported with the assistance of
Rising Phenex (Yet Another Riser Phenex SI)(HS DxD AU Elements)
Introduction
Chapter 1 - From the Ashes
Chapter 2 - The Hard Work Begins
Chapter 3 - Precious Resources
Chapter 4 - Most Precious Resources
Chapter 5 - Insert Increasingly Progressive Chapter Name Here
Interlude - Lord Henry Agares
Chapter 6 - Preparations and Fluff
Chapter 7 - The Debut (aka "Riser Phenex and the Wager of Fire")
Interlude - Some of the Tournament (Becuase I if I wrote a complete tournament arc we'd be here forever)
Interlude - Great Satan Interrupt!
Interlude - Zeoticus Gremory, Sagiyama Michiko, Sabrine Serphent
Chapter 8 - 25 Years Part 1 (Year 0 - 1)
Chapter 9 - 25 Years Part 2 (Tales from Outside the ATTC)(Year 4-5)
Chapter 10 - 25 Years Part 3 (12 Years on the Inside)
Chapter 11 - 25 Years - Part 4 (14 on the Inside)
Chapter 12 - 25 Years - Part 5 (14 on the Inside)
Interlude - Xuelan, Sabrine, Henry Agares
Chapter 13 - 25 Years - Part 5 (15 on the Inside) "Claiming Kitties"
Interlewd - Kuroka, Kumiko of the Dirty Dozen
Chapter 14 - 25 Years - Part 6 (17 on the Inside)
Chapter 15 - 25 Years - Part 7A (17 on the Inside) "Riser's Xian-Xia Land Adventures"
Chapter 16 - 25 Years - Part 7B (17 on the Inside) "Riser's Xian-Xia Land Adventures"
Chapter 17 - Good House Keeping (Training Arc End)
Interlude - ???/Kuisha Abaddon (The Long Awaited Duel)
Interlude - Ravel Phenex/Kuisha Abaddon/Yubelluna Kurst
Chapter 18 - Young Devils Tournament Training Arc - Part 1
Interlude - Dimitri Numenov/Ajuka Beelzebub/Kumiko of the Dirty Dozen
Chapter 19 - Young Devils Tournament Training Arc - Part II
Chapter 1 - From the Ashes
A/N: Hello. Psylent here. This came to me and wouldn't leave me alone, so here it is. A huge rash of Riser Phenex SIs coming around here, and I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring because it looks like fun. Though I can already tell that this is going to cross the 40k threshold so fast that sticking it in the Plot Bunny thread would just be a waste of time for you and me. This story will also serve as some nice training for delving into the DxD lore (lore so rich yet wasted on following Issei) for my Abe no Seimei SI (I hope). I've watched the three seasons of DxD anime many years ago, and consumed every quality fanfiction I could get my hands on, so I'll hope its enough to hit the mark. lmao.
Enjoy!
[Phenex Clan Estates]
Lady Elise Phenex nee' Barbatos stared down at her child with a wonderous expression on her face.
Spoiler: Elise Phenex
Elise Phenex
He was here. Finally. Her prophecied child.
A gentle titter escaped her lips as she cooed lightly, the fingers of her freed hand not supporting her precious bundle lightly ghosting over his face- the woman alternating between the tips of her nails and the pads of her fingers.
The child had the most adorable expression on his face!
Even if devil children were different than human babes, his eyes were still mostly sightless, but despite this, they seemed to drink in their surroundings with equal parts wonder and shock- with nary a cry from his lips!
"Isn't he just the sweetest, dear?" She murmured softly as she started rocking him back and forth in her arms, and when she felt the bed lean the Lady of House Phenex turned her head toward her husband.
Tall and imposing, with a strong square jaw and features that seemed to be etched from stone, the Lord of House Phenex lay himself down next to his wife, a single finger from his large hand reaching out to stroke the chubby cheeks of his son. The third son gave a burble of discontent, the weak little thing trying to twist his head away from the stimulation, but after a few moments, he seemingly gave up and instead reached out with a tiny hand to latch onto the interloper. The father chuffed at the actions of the son and turned to his wife so that he could nose a sweat-soaked strand of her golden blonde hair out of the way, his lips puckering to press a warm kiss against the side of her brow, "The boy has a strong grip."
"He does indeed, does he not?" She cooed as she let her finger squish his cute little nose, and her voice turned dreamy and unfocused as her eyes grew misty, "Borne the 3rd, but not the last. Intelligent eyes of fire consume with wrath. With not a sound cried at his birth, he will show the world his worth."
The Lady's voice was as serene and as placid as the lake just a short walk from their estate, and it made the Lord's hair stand on end as she began to descend into a giggling fit. One that dragged on and on, the tinges of madness palpable- caressing his ears in a way that made the man shiver despite himself.
Lady Phenex was a Phenex by marriage.
Born the third daughter to Paltros Barbatos, one of the Dukes of the Demon Pillars, she was 'traded' to the Phenex Clan centuries ago by Marcus Phenex's father as a suitable bride for his son.
The dowry?
A small but direct supply of Phenex Tears as long as Paltros Barbatos lived and remained as the Barbados' Head.
Phenex Tears were inherently valuable due to their impressive healing properties, with even just a few drops able to heal all but the most grievous wounds. They were incredibly expensive, with each vial being sold on the markets for inordinate sums of money or favors that most devils not belonging to a Pillar family could ever hope to afford. The deal was made in secret between Marcus' father and Lord Barbatos, with only the families of each knowing of the arrangement, and the Barbatos family regularly rotated out their stocks while selling the excess vials they had on hand to the open markets for some rather tidy profits.
Though on the surface it seemed as if the arrangement was merely financial, those who understood the politics of the Pillar Houses knew that this was a preventative measure more than anything else. It was in a Devil's nature to strive to rise above their station and to claim the holdings of others, and in Houses with poor control over their children- those who did not instill proper loyalty and respect towards the family that bore them- often saw the leadership of their Pillar House change hands with the coming of the next generation.
Whether the current head liked it or not.
Lord Barbatos had stagnated in his strength, his power growing no more, and his First Born Son had sought to have him removed, but it was the stipulations on the Phenex Contract that stayed his hand and prevented him from moving against his father. Their family's wealth and power had been in decline for centuries as the Great Prophets of the Devils were slaughtered during the Great Civil War, and it was the Phenex Contract that brought in the coin and favors needed to keep their family in their lofty position.
Should Caelid Barbatos depose his father- a feat that could only be accomplished by slaying him- then his House would fall to ruin unless the young Devil had plans in mind to keep their finances and power. Seeing as the old Devil yet lived it appeared as though the Heir to the Barbatos family had not come up with a viable solution to the loss of the contract, and thus the current Head stayed in his seat.
"It came true," Elise Phenex giggled happily to herself, "Oh Marcus! It came true!"
"Indeed, it did, my love," He murmured into the dampness of her hair, and when her free hand stopped toying with her newborn he reached out and took hold of it- their fingers intertwining.
She turned her head and looked at him, the happy, brilliantly blinding smile on her face was only marred by the hazy, soft blue glow emanating from her eyes.
This was the primary trait of the Barbatos family.
While they were most known for their ability to speak the languages of all animals- be they mundane or magical- the Baratos' primary talent was one of Prophecy.
Of foresight.
To peer beyond the fabric of time and space to see events that could unfold.
They were highly valued by the original Lucifer and his three Satans, their abilities sometimes able to pierce even the Great Veil of Heaven and 'divine' the intentions of their foes and possible outcomes. This powerful ability naturally made them primary targets during the War, with only the Old Man being the sole survivor of the Pillar Family, and upon its conclusion, he had taken many wives to rebuild it and prevent his family's extinction; to save his where the others had fallen prey to Holy Light from both the White Feathers and Black Feathers alike.
Elise Phenex's gift for this ability was the strongest the Barbatos family had seen in centuries, not since her Aunt's murder during the Civil War, and that made her a valuable piece- one that the Old Man had been keen on utilizing. Though it was still a far cry from her ancestors', with it coming in fits and spurts, and leaving her heart, mind, and soul frazzled for days or weeks on end… all for a cryptic poem that all too often only made sense after said foretelling came to pass.
Not that Marcus Phenex cared about any of it.
As far as he was concerned her 'gifts' had been more a curse than anything else. They left her in a daze for far too long, leaving her bedridden and listless until her mind finally regained clarity, and she lost time… lost time with her husband and her children. Her 'gifts' deprived her of much and left her with very little in return.
Perhaps if her prophecies were less cryptic and more straightforward he could find some beauty in their utility, but as it stood now… he would much rather his darling wife not spend months of every year laying in her bed or lounging on a couch with her mind addled- trying to comprehend secrets and meanings beyond her kin.
It had hit him hard, seeing her seated in the garden with her head looking towards the skies- her sightless eyes staring up at the violet clouds and purple skies of the Underworld without a connection to the world- but it had hit their two beloved sons even harder. It took a great deal of time for Ruval and Regenald to understand that their mother wasn't ignoring them because she didn't love them enough. Their young minds found it difficult to parse the true meanings behind her inborn blood ability that caused her to sit still and spiritless; lifeless to the world around them.
Once they did understand, however, their two darling boys followed their father's lead and made sure to make each bout of lucidity one to be cherished and remembered.
He could only hope that their newest addition would come to understand as they did.
"He will," Elise whispered, her lips ghosting over his as if she'd heard his thoughts, "He will. He will be strong. He will be thoughtful. He will be ruthless. He will be kind-"
Glowing, misty eyes tracked away from her husband and back down to their son, her fingers stroking the underside of his chin, "-He will be the one the others turn to. A brilliant beacon. A shining example for all. He will rise from the tribulations like a true Phenex."
She burst out into giggles, and after a few breaths, they turned into full-blown laughter. Laughter that once more took on the tinge that made the hair on the back of Lord Phenex's neck stand stiff, "Yes! Yes! I see now! He will rise! He will rise!"
Pale blue eyes lost their ethereal glow as she disentangled her fingers from her husband's so that she could hold up her little bundle high in air, "Yes, you shall rise up, my Little Phenex. My darling little bird. Huuhuuhuu~! My darling… Riser."
Lord Phenex felt his lips twitch.
After she named their first two children she had promised him that she would let him name their third-born, and yet it seemed that in her joy she had forgotten this little detail.
He did his best to contain his disappointment, but her words from before- her prophecy- chimed like a bell within his mind.
"Born the 3rd, but
not
the last…"
Marcus Phenex shook his head as he nestled himself up next to his wife.
Donovan Phenex would have been a fine name for the lad, but he supposed that if they were to have another then the fourth son of Marcus Phenex could be Donovan. And if it was a daughter? Then… hmm… yes, Estella would be perfect.
"Riser Phenex?" He pressed his lips to her ear, and she tittered at the ticklish sensations, "A good name. A strong name for a strong boy."
The child's face scrunched up and then for the first time he opened up his lips and exercised his lungs, the babe formally announcing his presence to the world.
[Five Years Later]
It was something that never got easier.
Riding the currents of a prophet's mind, that is.
Images and voices whirled around me like a tornado, thousands of flashes and voices all vying for my attention at the same time. Everything that has been, is, and would (could) be swirling around in a kaleidoscope of sensations that overwhelmed my senses and numbed body, spirit, and mind. It was impossible to try and understand them all, his mother had taught them, and thus they could only try to grasp onto the threads of fate that they cared about and pull them in close for inspection. Even then, it was an arduous task, one that was made all the more hard as even with one thread grasped it immediately spread into thousands of other threads the moment it was touched.
I have been reborn as Riser Phenex.
I am of the Pillar Family known far and wide to the entirety of the Underworld as the "Giver of Tears" to those who adored us, and the "Weepy Birds" by those who sought to denigrate us.
Born the 3rd Son to the 3rd Daughter seemed to me to be quite ironic, but to learn that she was born 3rd to the 3rd wife of Paltros Barbatos seemed to have some sort of mysticism about it- three is considered a magic number, after, and three '3's seemed to make it all the more magical. Something one might consider 'auspicious', and if my strength and abilities were any consideration there might have been some truth to it.
I was blessed equally between the Barbatos and Phenex lineages, with not only the ability to effortlessly speak to and understand beasts of all kinds, but I showed promise with the four affinities of the Phenex Clan, those being Phenex Fire, Hellfire, Regeneration, and Wind. I also had the rather dubious honor of being the first Phenex born of my mother's womb to carry the Barbatos trait of 'Prophecy'… though my 'gift' was far lesser than my mother's. However, in my personal opinion that was more a boon than anything else.
I didn't have time to sit around for days, weeks- or on particularly bad bout- months on end in a spiritually induced prophetic haze.
I barely remember jack shit about High School DxD, and because of this I couldn't kick back, relax, and metagame the current system by triggering certain flags or snatching up valuable Sacred Gear holders and the like. Fuck, the most I remember was that there were big boobs and other female archetypes and that the Heavenly Dragon named Ddraig was wasted on an idiot like Hyodou Issei.
My eyes crossed as a ribbon seemed to smack against my nose, the image of a newborn in swaddling held tightly against the bosom of my mother flashing behind my eyes before the sudden shock caused me to release the thread that I had been clumsily grasping.
It hadn't hurt, but it had been… something.
"Ah." The utterance left my lips as I felt a tap on my shoulder, the void and storm of brightly colored ribbons wavering around me. Then the tap came again, this time a little bit harder, and the area around me shimmered like a mirage before a tug on my cheek snapped me awake.
I jolted lightly, but the thin, waifish pair of arms wrapped around my waist stopped me from tumbling forward onto the ground.
"Young Master Riser," Came my maid's gentle voice, "You asked to be disrupted when it came time for dinner."
I blinked as a hand with thin, beautifully delicate fingers slipped up from my waist to stroke my hair- the tips of the nails digging into my scalp just so that made my flesh break out into pleasant goose pimples. My belly was simultaneously being stroked, the fingers swirling over my belly button from underneath my shirt, and a soft sigh escaped my lips as I peered up at her.
Soft Asian- Japanese to be precise- features gazed back at me, with perfectly straight raven-black hair, ocean blue almond-shaped eyes, and rounded but distinct features. Her cute nose was complimented by her full lips, and the figure that filled out her professional maid uniform was on the small side; one would assume that it was due to her heritage, but Devils by their very nature were shapeshifters, able to adjust and change their looks slowly over time. The more powerful the Devil the more broad and sweeping the changes could become, but after a certain amount of time a 'mental image' of sorts is developed and it becomes harder to change as the years go on; not impossible, certainly, but more difficult.
I think that her growth into an understated frame was more likely to do with avoiding my older brother's lusts rather than anything else.
"Thank you, Lirianne, you are a gem."
Spoiler: Lirianne Suzukawa
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Upon seeing her smile I turned my head and looked over my shoulder while I patted gently the hand stroking my belly, "Alright, Mother. It's time for me to eat dinner."
Vacant blue eyes stared across the garden, her lips moving slightly but nary a sound escaping them. She stared down at me in a fashion that I once found unnerving when I first saw her in this fugue state, but time, exposure, and understanding helped me keep the small thrill of unease deep in the pit of my belly where it belonged. She blinked slowly, but her stroking fingers ceased their tender caresses and I slipped off of her pillowy thighs and onto my feet.
I turned around and squeezed both of her hands firmly as I stood up on my tip-toes and placed a kiss against her cheek, and I whispered into her ear, "I will come visit you again tomorrow, Mother. I love you."
Even in her listless state, she had enough motherly instinct to press her lips against my cheek in return, and I stepped away slowly, letting her hands slip from mine before I strode toward my maid and took hold of the hand she offered, "Did you take the photo?"
In a flash of light, a small card appeared in her hand, and she held it out for me to inspect: There I was, dressed in my daywear, and seated in my mother's lap, with my face scrunched up in concentration.
I huffed, as it looked like I was trying to take a rather stubborn shit, but I knew that my mother would love it, and she would add it to the collection she kept in her study; the binder tucked away carefully on the bookshelf next to her desk.
It was sort of my way of showing her that I still wanted to be around her even when she wasn't 'at home', so to speak, and her embrace- her aura- seemed to act as a valve that reduced the strain of my prophetic gifts immeasurably. Not only did I get to spend time with her, but it also doubled as a training aid for me!
Not that I could make heads or tails of the mess to begin with.
I handed back the magical photograph to Lirianne, "She'll no doubt love it."
The maid chuckled warmly, "Fufufu, of course she will, Young Master. Lady Phenex cherishes every moment she gets to spend with you, even the ones when she is… absent. Though you can tell that she enjoys your presence even still with the way she cradles you. Nufufufu."
I rolled my eyes internally as she guided me out of the interior garden of the Phenex mansion and toward the primary dining room, and having nothing better to do while we walked I allowed myself to sneak looks at my personal maid out of the corner of my eye.
Lirianne Suzukawa was a natural-born Low-Class Devil, the daughter of a reincarnated Japanese woman with some magical talents and a Mid-Class Devil who'd wormed his way into the middle ground of the Rating Games in my 2nd eldest brother's peerage.
Regenald, or 'Regen' as he preferred to be called outside of formal occasions, was what I considered to be one of the 'best' Devils to work for; outside of being a perpetual hornball, taking male and female lovers alike, he was kind to those he considered close friends and family. He was the very walking personification of "Party Hearty", with my older brother hosting parties and get-togethers before, during, and after prominent Rating Games. Or, well, any Rating Games. He was the eternal fratboy who still shows up and grills out at the college football games despite having graduated decades prior- the type to never miss a game even if it was raining, snowing, hot as balls, or cold as hell.
The bashes were spectacular if what I've heard was any indication, and considering he used his own money for the events my mother and father were content to let him be the social butterfly he was always meant to be.
Still, he was a Devil about his lusts, and considering he'd had both the father and the mother, there had been the possibility that he'd turn his eyes on the daughter as well. Not that he'd force her or anything, but he was a man incredibly seasoned in the Art of Seduction, and he was a High-Class Devil from a prominent family, and the Master to her father's Peerage… so the possibility that she would deny him outright was slim to none.
So they enlisted her among the Maids at the Phenex Estates under the careful eyes of our Head Maid, Clarissa, and as lascivious as my brother was not even he would dare try to cop a feel or tantalize the working men, women, and teens under her purview. He'd attempted it before. Once.
He never told me what happened and when I asked my mother she simply smiled and patted me on the head before telling me to return to my studies.
The doors to the dining room were pushed open by a pair of well-dressed butlers, and the sounds of buzzing chatter filled the air.
House Phenex was very much like House Gremory in that they had considerably close relationships with their peerages, and they were considered to be family regardless of whether they were reincarnated or natural born. The children born of the families of the peerage were considered to be children of the Phenex family, if only in spirit rather than the letter, and it was that closeness that laid the foundation for generations of love and loyalty from their vassals.
Make no mistake: My family were Devils, and they were greedy.
However, they'd long broken the code that sentient beings responded better to carrots and encouragement than sticks and mind-numbing amounts of fear. Never before has a Devil left the service of our household outside of death, not a single one. They were well-paid and well-trained. They were cared for and they were protected. There was always some way up in the ladder for advancement within our family- as the estates were large and numerous, and we had businesses both in the Underworld and in the Human world to boot!
If an employee of our family was unhappy or dissatisfied then there was always someplace else where they could find said happiness or satisfaction, and unlike the other Pillar families, we set them up for success instead of kicking back and laughing as they floundered.
Though with all of that being said, the Phenex family was a little bit like "Hotel California", in that 'You could check out any time you'd like, but you could never leave'. Those seeking employment with the Phenex family knew that it was for life and the loyalty and fortitude required was something that most Devils didn't have the spirit to agree to; only the young and desperate ever joined up, as they quite didn't have an accurate understanding as to just who long forever actually was.
Still, it was family policies such as those that saw to it that we never diminished as a house; we didn't experience 'brain drain' as talented and seasoned members of the family left for greener pastures. We merely shuffled them around, and given the wide variety of jobs within the family you could work a different position every decade for five hundred years and still not reach the end of our internal job list.
It was because of this mentality that the massive dining hall was constantly packed to the brim with every evening meal.
The hardwood table was encrusted in gold filigree and intricately carved runes, its long length able to seat fifty people on either side comfortably with plenty of elbow room; it was also covered in a variety of enchantments- something that most would scoff at as being frivolous- but in truth, it was one of the more ostentatious ways we displayed our wealth. Enchantments to keep diners cool and comfortable, the food warm, and the atmosphere enticing was pretty much a waste if you truly thought about it, given that we are Devils, and thusly such things are unnecessary, but regardless I thought it was rather neat.
I sometimes liked to run my fingers along the runes and feel the ambient mana powering their workings.
Not that I knew the first thing about runic inscriptions or how they worked, but that was something that I was going to have ameliorated here soon enough. Once my mother woke up.
"Ah, Riser, my son," My father's voice traveled effortlessly over the din, as if wafting over the crowd like a cloudy mist, and he waved me toward him.
I couldn't stop myself from smiling as I strode down the length of the table towards my father, and when I was within arm's reach he wrapped one of his massive mitts over my shoulder and pulled me into his side; I twitched a little bit as his beard bristles tickled my neck and cheek, but I didn't fight it. Instead, I just wrapped my arm around his shoulder and gave him the best side hug I could, "Lord Father."
At the Head of the Table was where the Phenex children sat. My mother and father sat next to one another, with Ruval- my eldest brother and the Heir to the Phenex family- seated at his right hand while Regenald was seated at my mother's left hand. My usual place was on Ruval's right, and then from there the peerages of both brothers slipped down the table, merging into the members of my mother's and father's small but powerful peerages, and then the remainder of the chairs were filled with the various department heads managing the family estates… and the last forty seats were reserved for employees who'd essentially been named 'Employee of the Month'.
They got to have their efforts rewarded by dining at the table with their Lord, and on occasion, he had been known to grant small boons to those employees whenever he was feeling 'festive'. So those coveted seats were always filled with the hungriest of the hungry.
Regen snorted as he took a sip of wine from his cup, "Ah, actually been paying attention to those etiquette lessons, I see?"
Spoiler: Regenald Phenex "Regen"
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"Yyyyesss?" I grit my teeth a little bit, but I forced myself to smile a touch smugly, "Lady Frostwhite is a bit of a… stickler when it comes to the peculiars, but as long as you pay attention to her lessons then you'll find that she'll let you go… early."
My bishounen brother frowned into his wine, his voice barely more than a mutter, "She never let me go early. No matter how pretty I smiled for her."
"Now, now, Regen, none of that," Ruval chastised with a quirk to his lips, "If you hadn't tried to skip all of Lady Frostwhite's lessons to go practice kissing behind the garden shed then maybe you too would have gotten out of her lessons early? She rewards punctuality, persistence, and hard work just as much as she punishes the opposite."
"Bah, what do I need 'etiquette lessons' for? As we can all see I've grown up to be a rather cultured and refined gentleman," He sniffed haughtily with an exaggerated air as he swirled his wine around in his glass, and to his left his Queen- Calliope- tittered behind her hand.
Spoiler: Ruval Phenex
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If Regen was the 'Bad Boy' sub-species of the 'Pretty Boy' line, then Ruval Phenex was the 'Cultured Boy' sub-species. While Regen liked to wear what was trendy and fashionable- given it was the 90s denim blue-jean everything was currently 'in- then Ruval always looked the part of a fine English Gentleman. A pretty boy, to be sure, but there was a fine difference in the airs of sophistication between them.
From what some of the ladies have said about them: 'Where Ruval was the one you wanted to bring home for life, Regen was the one you wanted to stay the night.'
Granted I hadn't heard any such scuttlebutt about the eldest and Heir being anything less than an exceptional lover- and not that I cared seeing as I was still five years old- but even casually walking around unattended can net you some rather juicy gossip if you perked your ear to whatever gathering of ladies was nearby. Be they the maids or the ladies of the peerages.
"Never mind that," Regen shook his head before turning his attention to me, his once-haughty expression gone and replaced with something softer, "How was Mother, Riser?"
Though he could be rather selfish at times, Regenald still had a heart of gold on him, or at the very least a soft spot for our Mother.
"She was doing well," I gave him a soft smile as I squeezed my father's shoulder with my hand, "Given the way she held me close while I was exercising my blood trait… I think she might be waking up sooner rather than later."
With my talents and close proximity to our Mother I'd sort of become a barometer of sorts; I knew her best while she was in her fugue-state, and over time my ability to read how 'deep' she was had become more refined the longer time went on.
"More to the point," I turned my attention to my father and gave him a broad grin, "While I was training?"
Markus Phenex's lips twitched, making the mustache over it dance like a caterpillar, "Yes?"
I deliberately paused for effect, and he gently pinched my side, "Go on, it isn't polite to leave your dear father in suspense."
"Well? While I was meditating with Mother I saw something- a vision," I let my eyes drop to the table before I swept them over Regen and Ruval, "I saw Mother holding another baby."
Ruval's eyebrows perked up as he leaned back into his chair, Regen tossed back his cup before holding it out to be refilled again, and as for my father?
Well…
"Do you have any idea as to when?" He asked almost timidly, the man leaning down closely to my ear, and I gave him a small shrug.
"The ribbon was kind of short, so… soonish?"
It was my best guess, but a guess was all it was. However, the ribbon felt firm, and it sort of jumped out at me rather than me seeking it out. Though given my mother and I interpreted this void beyond and the threads of fate differently there was little she could do to help me except act as a limiter- to keep me from being overwhelmed… just as her great aunt had done for her when she awakened her blood trait.
He patted my bottom firmly with a tight smile on his face, "Well then, go ahead and take your seat and get to eating; I've approved your… training request. Clarissa will accompany you to the dungeons just as you have asked."
There was more than a hint of trepidation in his features, but that was for good reason- the Phenex family was home to one of the best training grounds that I'd ever heard of. Of course, it was actually a prison, but that was neither here nor there. Thank you Regen-nii for indulging me in my quest for power!
The moment I heard about it I began pestering my father and mother immediately, and from the looks of it my mother had been successful in wearing him down. Sure, dungeons could be pretty freaky but it wasn't like the place would truly be dangerous for me, right? They wouldn't just let me go down there if there were some crazy shenanigans down there, right?
I blinked and then grinned broadly, "Oh, father! Time in the Dungeons? You get me the nicest things!"
"Time… in the Dungeons?" Regen placed his freshly filled wine glass down on the table and stroked his chin, "Hmmm… you do realize that I was joking about that, right? Right?"
My older brother by almost fifty years gave me a queer look but I ignored him in favor of giving my father a quick hug around his neck so that I could scamper towards my seat. Though not without giving my eldest brother by two centuries and his Queen their customary hug before I nestled myself between them and folded a napkin into the collar of my shirt before laying the other across my lap. I needed it because the thrill of anticipation surged through me, and my arms and hands felt shakey, which made me highly prone to dropping whatever was on my fork if I wasn't leaning over my plate like a feckless heathen.
Even still I wolfed my food down.
Correction: I elegantly wolfed down my food, as I could see Lady Frostwhite's piercing, icy gaze looking down at me from above- the woman enjoying a meal by herself on one of the numerous balconies near the ceiling of the dining area.
Seated so close to my father I could see him beckon Clarissa, the Head Maid and Queen of his Peerage, over to him. When she leaned down he took the opportunity to place a warm kiss against her lips, and then he whispered something into her ear; I wasn't exactly a savant at reading lips, but it wasn't beyond me to infer he'd said something along the lines of 'mumble, murmur, clear my schedule'.
While I knew that Ravel Phenex was going to be born, soon-ish, my parents as far as I knew didn't, and the thread of fate slapping me in the face and providing me with the vision of her birth served to seal the deal.
I could see Regen and Ruval chatting animatedly with their peerage members via their wind magic, allowing their conversations to carry through the background noise of the dinner as though they were seated right next to each other, but my focus was on the Dungeon and the wonderous mysteries that laid there for me.
We were deep.
Very deep.
The Dungeons of the Phenex mansion, despite being called as such, were not held in the basement but were instead held in the very bowels of the large mountain range that split my family's holdings in twain.
"Phenexmount" it was called, and I had to stifle my chortles every time I heard it because it was just so deliciously trope-y that it tickled.
Buried under a kilometer of solid rock and painfully enchanted by the Master Enchanters of the family over the course of centuries following the end of the Great War between the Three Factions, the "Dungeon" was anything but plain and simple. Certainly, it had dark corridors, drab stone walls, and moisture-laden, stale air, but the stereotypical aesthetic merely hid the thrumming power behind the runic arrays and devil magics sustaining its defenses.
My brother Regen once boasted that any Devil short of Sirzechs Lucifer himself would have a hard time breaking into the facility, and even then there were plenty of countermeasures in place to prevent any brute force attempts.
The first and most powerful defense it had was its near-total obscurity.
Phenexmount was a mountain range almost two hundred kilometers long, and its entire surface was suffused with mana- both of the demonic and holy variety- and this made attempting to locate a facility hundreds of meters below the surface of it incredibly tedious and not worth the effort. While doing so an intrepid devil would have to contend with the various magical monsters that roamed its peaks and valleys in addition to the roaming patrols of the Mountain Rangers loyal to House Phenex. It didn't matter if you were the weakest of the weak or the strongest of the strong, either way, someone or something would find you; and even if the nearby beasts sensed your strength and stayed away… the absence of said monsters in the area you were searching was just as much an indicator of a foreign presence.
The only ones who knew of the Dungeon's location were my parents, older brothers, and the Queens of their respective peerages.
And now me.
The second defense was the literal mountains of rock in between the Dungeon and the surface.
Unless you were Satan-Class or on the borderline, mountains of limestone were far from 'easy' to break through. For all devils might be able to crush large boulders with their bare hands or powerful magic spells, the density of the mana in the Underworld suffused all things within it- giving it unnatural strength and resistance to outside forces. This includes the stone that protected the Dungeon from the surface.
During the Civil War, two entire Legions of the Old Satan Faction invaded the Phenex lands with the intent of setting free some of their members who had been captured. To this day it wasn't known how they knew that the Dungeon wasn't actually underneath the Phenex Estates, but their efforts led to a very long and protracted battle as they drew up their lines in front of an area they believed to contain the Dungeon, and then defended that spot while their most powerful devils worked on rotation to try and bore a hole into the mountain. The legions of my father, reinforced by one Zeoticus Gremory and his legions, fought them in bits a pieces, skirmishing and drawing out their lines with multiple retreats screened by fast-moving calvary and their Nightmares and Hell Hound mounts.
It took weeks of constant harassment to break their lines, and that was when they completed the encirclement and the two Pillar Devils descended upon them with reckless abandon. Phenex Hellfire, Gremory magic, and Bael Destruction ravaged the ranks of the invading Old Satan legions, and they were destroyed in detail; among the fallen were the heirs of three Pillar families loyal to the Old Satans, and they had been too drained from trying to bore into the mountain side to put up more than a token fight. The tired remnants of the two legions were then shown an opening and allowed to retreat- their survival and return to their Masters to tell the tale of how they had lost far more important than slaughtering the last few hundred Low-Class and Mid-Class devils left alive.
And to think that they were only a few kilometers short of their intended target…
Yes, when my father personally attended to my tutelage- particularly on my studies in politics and tactics- I did indeed pay attention. He was a busy man, and while I was not worshipful of him he was a good man, worthy of my admiration and respect; when he took time out of his schedule to see to my education personally I couldn't help but want to do my best for him. If only because I so rarely saw him outside of the family meal times.
While most children would feel as though they would be neglected, me being a grown man made this sting a lot less since I knew that he was doing his best, and I also knew that there would come a day when he would block out more of his schedule for me to discuss the family business and my role in it going forward. Having a fourth Phenex capable of making the family's greatest asset, Phenex Tears, would go a long way to lightening my brother's and father's workload, and that meant they would have more time for themselves and their peerages; having felt how strong Ruval was there was no doubt in my mind he wouldn't crack the Ultimate-Class barrier sooner if he didn't have to spend multiple hours each day in the ritual chambers seeing that our family's supplies stayed stocked.
Though all of that was just ancillary and a distraction.
I was distracting myself because right now my hair was standing on end and my heart was thrumming in my chest because the Dungeon was really, really, really fucking creepy. Eerie. Spoopy AF.
'Turn back.'
The darkness of the tunnels, the constant yet infrequent dripping of water from the stalactites onto the stalagmites provided a background white noise that was impossible to ignore, and the whistling of the wind was piercing despite its overall softness. Torches on the walls leading down into the Dungeon only seemed to highlight just how black the darkness was, and the overall atmosphere of the place just made your instincts flare and go wild; as if you were being watched with every step from a thousand eyes in a thousand places. It was as if the entire place was meant to slowly erode your sanity, grating your ears like dry cotton being rubbed against a brass pocket watch.
'There is no hope to be found here.'
I couldn't stop the shiver from crawling down my spine as I followed Clarissa, my father's Queen and the Chief Maid, down the limestone steps leading me deeper and deeper into what my spirit was telling me was a pit of madness. Yet… I pushed on, following so closely that I might as well have been holding onto her skirts like the young boy I was.
Still, despite being so close, she took frequent pauses to gaze at me from over her shoulder, those crystal clear glasses of hers seeming to always somehow catch the light and obscure her eyes from my sight.
'Only darkness and suffering awaits ye, childe.'
As if she was expecting me to cry 'Uncle' and give up at any moment, to break down and blubber while begging to be returned home.
It galled me, even though I knew that she would never harbor such expectations.
I think my coat was smoking, but the clothes of a young Phenex were always enchanted with the finest fire-retardant spells because fire- let alone hellfire- was our natural trait, and the emotions of children often let blood traits run amok. Ours just so happened to leave us naked if we experience emotions so strongly, thusly we were clothed to save everyone involved time, money, effort, and in the cases of the children- embarrassment.
Still, she never wavered in her stride, and I wrapped my demonic energy around me, keeping it close- just under the surface of my skin- and that seemed to mitigate a lot of the ill feelings I'd been experiencing on my way down. It turned out to be necessary because the further down we went, step after step, staircase after staircase, the air became thick with the scent of fresh blood and it was almost as if I was breathing through a wet cloth.
'Abandon it. Abandon your pride and live, little devil.'
Oppressive is what I'd use to describe it. An atmosphere of anguish and despair; the Dungeon seemed to moan at me, fetid whispers slithering into my ears and telling me that there would be no salvation for me if I continued.
Yet, as much as my feet wished to falter, my Father had seen fit to allow my request to venture down here, and… and I would not turn tail now.
Not when I was so close. We were almost there.
The dripping of water from the ceiling to the stone floor grew until it was almost deafening- like cannon shots impacting the ocean. The haunted whispers of wind had become howling gales, the wails tearing at the heat of my body and sheering into my soul. The sounds of our footsteps echoed back to us tenfold, accompanied by the moans of the damned and the clinking of chains.
Flames were actively dancing around my shoulders, but they did little to stop the cold sweat from beading on my brow and slipping down my face to soak into my clothes.
Finally, we stepped off of the last of the stone staircases and entered into a large cavern. It was just like all of the other ones, with stalactites, stalagmites, and other curious glowing rocks, but this one had a small stream rushing through it with a stone bridge. Dozens of torches lined the walls with half as many standing braziers emitting the same light, and unlike the other torches, they actually seemed to illuminate the area as they should. Off to the right-hand side of the cavern, I could see a large comfortable chair with a large wooden desk that had bits, bobs, and loose parchment strewn across it.
Though I could not see Clarissa's face I could just tell she was scowling at the mess.
On the left-hand side of the cavern was a large dias that looked to have been painstakingly carved from a single slab of marble. Six phoenixes, our family's namesake, were arranged around the dais in a standard hexagonal formation, and they seemed to burst from the stone with their wings spread; if they were pristine white and grey marble I could have mistaken them for being alive. Though it was far away I could see an intricately carved teleportation array that had been inlaid with blooded silver; from my studies, this meant that the circle could only be activated by one of the Phenex line.
Whether it would simply remain inert if someone else used it or there were nasty traps integrated into it I didn't know, and likely wouldn't know until they saw fit to tell me.
It sucked being a kid, but I couldn't fault them for their discretion; even being seen as a 'budding genius' I was still a child.
"This is the final gateway to the Dungeon," Clarissa spoke gravely as she turned around slowly, her eyes looking over me with cool calculation.
I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants, "It does appear to be that way."
She tilted her head minutely, the woman carefully choosing her words before continuing, "You have done well to make it this far, Young Master."
I nodded and decided that gracefully accepting the compliment was the best course of action, "You honor me, Auntie 'Rissa."
"Did you know that it took dear Master Regenald many, many years before he could make it this far?" Her lips quirked, as she strode toward me, the woman circling around with her fingers ghosting along my shoulders and neck, "He'd come down here when he was a boy not much older than yourself, however, the whispers had gotten to him. Scared him away. It took him almost forty years of growing his strength before he could push them away and face down his childhood fears."
"While that is amusing, I am afraid that I would never allow myself to take advantage of this juicy morsel of information," I was serious despite finally having something of note that I could dangle over Regen's head, but something like what I had experienced coming down here was no joke.
"I would expect no less," She tickled my ear with the tips of her fingers, and I did my best to not squirm away from my aunt's teasing ministrations; the more I reacted the more she pushed.
Giving ground to Clarissa was as good as signing your own death warrant.
In cheek pinches and cuddles. When she was in the mood for them.
"However arduous the journey was to get down here, you must remember that the wards and enchantments you experienced are only just the beginning," She pinched my ear firmly, making sure I was paying attention, "Once you walk across the stream and enter through those doors the Dungeon will… actively try to keep you there. It will drain you of your mana. Sap you of your strength. It will addle your mind, toy with your senses, and try to crush you with its very existence."
"Of all of the methods you could have chosen to strengthen yourself, my sweet nephew, this is one of the most dangerous you could have chosen," I couldn't stop myself from licking my lips and I looked up to see her gazing not at me but at the slowly moving waters of the stream, "Though admittedly the most effective."
Her piercing eyes returned to me once more, "However my place is not to question the judgment of my King and the Lady. My place is to obey. So I will. However, in return, you will obey me, Riser Phenex. You will follow my orders to the letter, do you understand? If I tell you to come, you will come. If I tell you to follow then you will follow. If I tell you that you have reached your limit then there will be no whining, complaining, or lollygagging about. Am. I. Clear ?"
I reached up and cupped her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze as I gave her what I hoped was an earnest smile, "I have always followed your lead, Auntie. So much so that I've been told I resemble a duck more than a magical Phoenix. As far as I am concerned your word is law- only superseded by the words of my father and mother."
She whipped her head to the side and covered her mouth with the hand that wasn't currently pinching my ear.
Clarissa coughed delicately into her hand, "Very good. So long as we're clear."
My smile turned into a full-on grin, "Crystal."
She released my ear and pointed to the teleportation circle, "This circle, as I'm sure you very well know, is keyed so that only those of the Phenex bloodline can access it. I cannot, nor can the other Queens of the peerage. There aren't restrictions as to who can access it, but I am trusting that you of all children wouldn't go and do something so foolish as to access it without supervision, yes?"
I nodded, "Of course, Auntie. Your word is law."
She bit her lip before continuing, "G-good. Now, the desk is normally staffed by one of the Queens, either myself, your Mother's Queen Veranda, or Chandra and Calliope, the Queens of your elder brothers… however, that is only when the Dungeon is actively being utilized for its intended purpose. It is very rare that the Great Satans deem someone dangerous enough to hold here as opposed to the normal prisons, and of course, Tartarus is reserved for those found guilty of their crimes. It seems as though Calliope was the last one to use it, given its state of disarray."
She clicked her tongue.
"Now, if there is one thing I must stress to you, Riser," Oh, she said my name, "Is that you must always, always, always cross the bridge."
She bent down to pick up a loose pebble and tossed it toward the stream, and immediately upon crossing the threshold a bevy of skeletal spirits shot up from the crystal clear waters and lashed out like lighting.
Strange.
It was strange because I could have sworn I saw the pebble disappear into the ghostly apparition's hand and yet… the stone pebble landed into the waters with a barely audible 'ploop'. I blinked rapidly to divert the bead of sweat that slithered into my eye.
Clarissa squeezed my shoulder, "The stream and its bridge are old magics, Riser. This stream was enchanted personally with combined magics of Lucifer and Talonous Phenex… and should you attempt to cross anywhere other than the bridge then you will have your very soul snatched from you. Not even Sirzechs Lucifer has opted to test his strength against this protection, and I will accept nothing else from you. You will follow the line etched in the direct center of it and never, ever stray."
I swallowed thickly.
Fucking-A.
What the hell am I doing down here?
I felt my lip peel back into a snarl, "I… understand completely. Walk the line. The straight and narrow. Never stray. If I do it's likely a fate worse than death. But wait, I thought the Dungeon wasn't built until after the Great War ended?"
"Just so," She responded before considering my question, "You are very well studied, nephew, but not everything written- even our books- is to be truly trusted. For reasons I'm sure you can understand."
I nodded as I gripped her hand and squeezed it again, though whether it was for my comfort or hers I wasn't quite sure.
The trip down here had been positively hair-raising in its intensity, but up until this point I had never truly been exposed to anything I would consider truly demonic until I ventured here. The wards and the like could be copied with illusions, the same for the sense of foreboding and ill-portents, but the stream? That couldn't be copied by anything other than two true-blue demons of monstrous power.
"Shall we proceed?" I asked lightly, and Clarissa caressed the side of my head.
"That is what I should be asking you, my dear child, but it appears as though you've made up your mind, so there is nothing else to be done except to take the final steps. Now. Follow." She turned and strode toward the bridge, and I reached out to take the back of her skirt, holding onto it like a lifeline.
My throat tightened up with every step toward the bridge, the sounds of my footsteps against the stone positively quiet compared to the chorus of malice and agony that I had endured on my way down.
I almost stuttered in my step when I finally noticed that there was no more rattling of chains or moans of despair, though I was quickly distracted by the sheer crystal-like clarity of the stream as we stepped across.
The waters looked so cool. Refreshing even. I could clearly see the bottom, the stone illuminated beautifully by the glowing rocks. It was hardly waist-deep, even for me. If I took my shoes off I could just dangle my feet and relish in the sensations. Were there little fishies in there just waiting for me to settle in? Would they nibble and tickle at my toes? It-
I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to draw blood, and I held the bleeding flesh between my molars even while my Phenex regeneration tried to flare and fix the damage.
Fucking dangerous- a God- ow! -damned cognitohazard!
The moment we crossed the threshold, however, the waters suddenly became far less enticing.
What was once serene blue waters burbling happily was now a steaming, roiling stream of black tar. It hissed and spat as bubbles of noxious black fumes erupted like a mud pit, and I could swear I saw a skeletal hand slither out of the surface as if beckoning me forward.
"Good," Clarissa's voice drew me away from the wretched stream of perpetual misery, and as I released my cheek I felt a warmth in my heart at her relieved and yet proud visage, "That was the first true test. Now that you have seen it for what it truly is it will never cloud your sight again."
I wanted to brush it off, to laugh and shrug my shoulders. However, I knew that I could not. Would not.
"How many others failed and died?" I asked, finding it impossible to keep the quaver out of my voice.
Her expression morphed into something more somber, "No one that you would know unless you've studied the family tree; we haven't had anyone fall victim to its charms since your great-great-Aunt Thalia. It was her passing that raised the age in the first place, though your Lord Father and Mother have deemed you fit for the trials."
I hadn't actually looked at the family tree in any capacity, as it was relegated to the family vaults and thusly could only be opened by my Father and the Heir, and while I did have a curiosity it didn't burn deep enough within me to bug either of them about seeing it. I would have my chance when my studies came around to it, and thus I was content to focus on my personal endeavors for the time being.
Without preamble, she raised her arm and a magic circle of violet light spread out from her palm, and the twin oak doors in front of us creaked open.
There was no light that I could see… only an ominously yawning maw of darkness.
"Wait, trials?" I asked hesitantly, though my eyes could only stare into the abyss.
"This, my dear boy, is the last of the Trials of Adulthood for House Phenex," She placed a hand on my shoulder and gripped me firmly, "Though you are far from strong enough to be considered a man in the eyes of the family, you have shown that you have the willpower and mental fortitude to test yourself against the darkest pits that we can safely expose you to."
I had a feeling that 'safe' was a relative term.
My hand clasped onto her own, but despite my hindbrain screeching at me I took my first step towards that gaping hole of shadow. Then another. And another. And another.
The moment I crossed through the threshold I felt a chill slither down my spine as something other locked onto me.
'Yes, yes. Venture into the dark my sweet little Phenex. You will learn from the depths in which your firey light was birthed. There is no escaping your birthright. Burn brightly, lest you find yourself snuffed out. Huuhuuhuu~.'
"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here," I muttered to myself, and the doors creaked shut behind us.
[Marcus Phenex]
Marcus Phenex licked his lips as he watched his third-born son and his Queen venture into the Dungeon.
The moment the doors closed he dropped the subtle illusion and placed his hands on his hips, and with a heaving sigh he took a few steps forward and sat down in the comfortable chair behind the messy desk.
"Do NOT interfere, husband!" Elise Phenex hissed as she swiped her hand out in front of her, "I've seen it! He will succeed! Do NOT stifle his growth! Do NOT stand in his way!"
Marcus winced as he placed a palm on his temple and wished that- not for the first time- the famed Phenex regeneration could help with stress headaches.
She had been adamant. Spitting mad. Raving mad, almost. In a way that he'd never seen before. The sheer vehemence she displayed when he thought of denying their son entrance to the Dungeon was something that had taken him aback.
A vision had sparked behind her eyes once Regenald had let slip of the Dungeon's mere existence- a misspoken word to his dear baby brother passed off as a jest when questioned about effective training methods for growing stronger.
He wasn't wrong, as the Dungeon had a way of forcing you to grow in strength, and Marcus and his two sons had been known to journey to this wretched, hallowed ground of Devil-kind on occasion to keep themselves sharp or to make some last-second improvements before a Rating Game but… Riser was too young.
He was still just a boy. A boy!
His boy.
He shakily unclenched his fists, and with a wave of his hand, a small temporal spell rewound time a few seconds so that the desk was no longer cleft in twain.
Too young. Too inexperienced. Too soft. Too weak. And yet… and yet… he had made it all of the way down here without any prodding, hadn't he?
Marcus leaned back in the chair and ran a hand along his face, his fingers scruffling his beard.
Neither Ruval nor Regenald had made it nearly as far on their first attempt. Nor their second, or third. In fact, Regen waited almost four whole decades before making his final attempt. Ruval had been much faster, with him accomplishing the feat at 31 years of age, and Marcus? He had been twenty-two when he made his way down the stone staircase, but that wasn't because of pride or a desire to grow stronger… it was out of necessity- with his father dead and brothers disowned there was no one else but him to take up the Mantle of the Phenex.
The mantle which clung to his very soul like a heavy cloak.
It was a heavy weight that he bore for the sake of his family, and only when Ruval felt he was ready would he pass it on.
He was young yet, only three and a half centuries old. Let him enjoy his youth for a little while longer…
Marcus Phenex's golden eyes bore against the wooden doors with a firey intensity, and he flared his demonic power strongly.
'Be kind to my boy,' He threatened, the man reigning in his cloak of power until it settled back onto his shoulders, 'Honored Grandmother.'
A sultry, malicious chuckle greeted him in response, and he gritted his teeth before settling in for a long wait.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, AND J.Goncalves for being Patrons!
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A/N: The Bold, Italic'd, and Underlined portions in the Dungeon scene are meant to be sort of a subconscious message, one that is felt and understood without being actually known.
Chapter 2 - The Hard Work Begins
[Phenex Estates]
[The Dungeon]
[Riser Phenex]
The Dungeon was comprised of three individual layers- an outer ring 200 meters around, a middle ring 100 meters around, and a final interior ring that is 50 meters around. There was one long hallway that connected all three rings, and that allowed for fairly quick traversal between the six jail cells on each ring. It was a whole lot of empty space for six tiny cells no bigger than a shoebox, but I suppose it made sense given that the very Devil himself wasn't one for giving those he wanted imprisoned in a hellhole a little bit of comfort.
Yes, there were only six cells per ring, and obviously, the 6-6-6 didn't escape me.
Ha ha.
What a great joke, Lucifer!
However, what wasn't a joke was the Dungeon itself.
The moment the doors closed behind us I could immediately tell that this prison was alive. In a way that I had no idea an inanimate object could be. Whatever enchantments empowered this place must have been incredibly costly, time-consuming, and mind-bogglingly complex because I couldn't even begin to fathom what sort of demonic activity was required to make your very soul feel it. Feel that the place you had just entered despised you with every fiber of its being.
That it wanted to sap you of your vitality.
Squash your internal organs and drink your vital fluids.
Crush your bones and grind them into fine powder.
And then latch onto your soul and suck every last bit of what made you a living being into its greedy, indomitable gullet.
I'd felt afraid before.
I'd felt unease when I saw my brothers unleash some of their true potential as they clashed in the training fields far behind the main estate.
I'd felt my lungs freeze and my heart skip a beat when my father flared his power but kept his voice as low as a whisper.
However, never in my life had I ever truly experienced genuine fear.
Or if I had it had never felt like this before.
My entire body broke out into a cold sweat, my eyes grew so wide that I was afraid that they would have popped out of my head, and I felt my spine straighten up so much that it probably would have snapped if it weren't for my Phenex regeneration resetting the bones as my demonic power surged throughout my body- pleading with me to turn around and run away. To run far away and never return.
Feeling my own body breaking down as my fight-or-flight instincts warred with one another was an agony that I didn't think I was prepared for. I'd been hurt before, but never like this. And yet I couldn't make a sound because I couldn't breathe. My lungs were frozen in place, as though icicles had pierced my chest and pushed messily through to the other side; like a wicked snow hag- crooning a song of delight- had pushed her talons deep within me to freeze me from the inside out.
Even if I had to pee I don't think I could have unlocked my body enough to void my bowels.
Yet despite the utter terror that plagued me I still felt the warm, reassuring hand from my father's Queen gently holding onto my own, and that was enough.
It was enough for me to push my Phenex regeneration to its very limits. My power shone brightly, emanating from my very core like a molten orb of blessed gold salvation. It was pitifully dull compared to my brothers' radiant suns, but I knew that their level was wholly achievable, and given my Devil physiology I knew that it could be done much more quickly than anyone could have ever thought possible. That was why I was here, wasn't it? To grow stronger as quickly as I could?
I circulated it throughout my body just as my father had taught me, carefully regulated the flow as Ruval showed me, and kept the density even and consistent as Regen had shown me. Three members of the Phenex clan had taken time out of their days to teach me more and more about my heritage, with each one putting their own spin on the same foundational teachings. They elaborated on uses and techniques that the old family texts never expounded upon or hid, and they never ceased to have some small but beautiful shift in perspective that always got my noodle thinking about just what else I could do.
About just how far I could go if I buckled down and applied myself.
I took my first breath in what seemed like ages as the malefic magics that had pervaded me were either spun out of my body or were burned away, and for a few brief moments, I felt true relief. The fear had been conquered, and I allowed myself a few seconds to smile in triumph as I reveled in the flickering warmth of my power swaddling me with a soft confidence.
As long as I had my power then I could be free from fear.
This joyous moment of introspection and clarity only lasted a handful of seconds because with vision of my form now unclouded by curses of vitriol and loathing… I could see it. A tether attached to my body. Though 'seeing' it was a bit of a misnomer because I was actually feeling it, with the supernatural awarenesses afforded to me; it was a small trickle, a piddly amount, but I could feel it being forcibly taken from me.
Stripped away from my very form like a tithe from a peasant to a Lord, and yet considering the vast gulf between myself and the entity that was this Dungeon I felt that it was an apt description.
If I was a five-gallon bucket then even a small leak could empty me out if given enough time.
I licked my lips as I released Clarissa's hand, and I took a step forward. Then another step. And another. And another.
It took less than a minute to reach the first four-way intersection, and I turned right, ever so slowly stepping out my steps until I was moving at a comfortable walking pace.
"We will be staying in the first ring, Young Master," Clarissa said calmly from behind me, the maid dutifully two steps behind and to my right, "Unless you truly wish to be the youngest Phenex in history to truly complete the final trial."
Sweat beaded on my brow as I just kept focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, "Wait, I thought that this was the trial?"
The woman made a small sound in her throat that could have been a frog croaking, "No. The true test of this is to head down the main hall, and visit the Warden of this prison."
A sinuous chuckle, husky and filled with an unfathomable amount of bloodlust, tickled the back of my mind when she said 'Warden', and I had to stop walking so that I could focus on purging the memetic effects wafting throughout the atmosphere from my body once more. I'd kept it as tightly controlled as I could, but even still the effort made me pause to take a deep breath before I resumed my walk, "I… don't think visiting the Warden at this juncture would be conducive to living a long and healthy life."
"That is… positively refreshing to hear, dear Nephew," Clarissa's voice sounded relieved, "You'd be… unsurprised to know how many young High-Class devils feel that their inborn strength over their lessers makes them feel undefeatable."
"Well, Auntie 'Rissa, momma didn't raise no fool, and neither did my father," I quipped back perhaps with a touch too much smarm, and my concentration slipped- and I knew it did because I started to smell a veritable ocean of blood.
I knew it was an illusion. A hallucination. A figment of my imagination brought forth by a magical manipulation of my mind and quite possibly my very soul. Yet, it felt so real. It looked so real. It sounded so real.
Crimson liquid, thick and vibrant, oozed out of the stone floor beneath me, and my shoes- which I probably should have changed into something more reasonable for training- squished and squashed with every step I took further down the looping hallway.
I felt fine, but the truth was that I only thought I felt fine. I only thought that what my mind was seeing was normal and that the blood pooling around my knees was par for the course in this hellhole of a dungeon. Though there was this small voice in my mind that was screeching out in warning, and I wanted to heed it, I truly did but the blood was tantalizing to my senses; was this the true desire for bloodshed built into a devil's form from the beginning?
I continued to walk, allowing myself to bask in the silence as the conversation between myself in Clarissa petered out.
In all honesty even with the viscosity of this fluid, I should have been swimming by now, but even with the blood rising up to my neck, my walk was only slowed by the tinest amounts.
It was only when the blood reached my mouth, the putrid liquid coating my tongue, that I realized something was wrong ( despite knowing full well that everything about this situation was wrong), and I clenched my fists as I poured more power into my cleansing efforts until the blood disappeared from the hall, my clothes, and my flesh… yet the taste remained embittered on my tongue.
God- ow! - it felt like I was having to learn how to walk and chew bubble gum all over again.
I stopped to give myself some time to think.
How had I been infected again? The obvious choice was the tether that connected me to the dungeon itself, but that seemed like it was a bit too on the nose; the connection from what I could feel was solely one way. It was meant to drain me of my strength and magical energy and feed it elsewhere- likely to the enchantments that powered this place; it certainly felt like something Lucifer would do. Use the imprisoned devil's own power against them to steadily corrupt and mind-fuck whoever was unlucky enough to be on the shit list. However, it still didn't feel right.
When I'd first shrugged off the curses causing the fear there was a subtleness in the way it settled into my body, even if the effects themselves were entirely not subtle at all. So I performed the cleansing method that my father instructed me on for moderately powerful mental spells and curses; this wasn't nearly as easy for non-Phenex devils to do, but our magic was inherently linked to the concept of renewal, or the return to a previous state. We didn't so much heal wounds as we simply denied the wounds ever existed at all; it was why having such a high focus on one's mental image was so important to a Phenex- it went beyond being able to gradually shapeshift to a previously desired state.
By circulating my magical power and enshrouding myself in it I was not only refreshing my mind to a previously unaltered- unsuborned- state, but I was also creating a barrier that should have prevented further curses or illusions from latching onto my body. However, given that I'd stepped up my personal barrier in not only in strength, but rotation, velocity, and density and was still affected by the blood illusion… there was something else afoot.
Something subtle and insidious.
Granted, it could have just been a more powerful curse or illusion, one that overpowered my barrier just enough to latch onto me without giving me a clear indication that I'd been ensnared.
This required testing, because if I had to keep actively breaking every single illusion while contending with the constant drain on my mana from the inherent connection between myself and the Dungeon then I'd be returning home in just under… half an hour? Maybe little more or less? I couldn't be sure because it wasn't exactly as though I'd brought a watch with me.
I looked over my shoulder at Clarissa, who seemed to be completely unaffected, "Do you know how long we've been here?"
"Three minutes and seventeen seconds, Riser," Her voice was clear and factual, and I knew that there wasn't any form of judgment lacing it.
Still. Shit. Three minutes?
I returned my attention back to the hall and saw a bloodshot eye poke out of the ceiling to glare at me ominously, a haunting shriek caressing my ears.
Damnit!
I purged, and this time I focused solely on my body and the magic that circulated through it. It was distinct- a multistrand of putrid licorice that had a variety of flavors twirled around it in a simple braid.
With an idea of what to look for, I kept my eyes peeled and poured every last drop of attention I had into maintaining my barrier but also feeling for the moment something latched onto me; if I saw the illusion or felt the effects of the curse before I noticed it in my body then it was already too late and I'd have to purge and try again.
Chains scraped as a skeletal figure stepped into my sight, its overly long arms- reminiscent of the bony hands that had emerged from the fetid stream- dragging behind it; the cuffs and chains wrapped around its wrists sparked and skittered with every step it took-
Fuck.
I purged.
The wall next to me came to life as a thump came from within. It startled me, truthfully, nearly causing me to jump. The thump came again, and this time it was followed by muffled shouts. Someone was trapped inside of the stone, behind a false wall. They begged and pleaded to be set free. To be released from their living nightmare.
Fuck.
I purged.
A howling shriek thundered in my ears, and in spite of myself I turned my head to see a Nightmare- a four-legged equine beast of pure muscle and fury- streaking down the hallway toward me and Clarissa; its baleful eyes blazed with purple fire as its fiery mane billowed in the wind of its own passing-
Fuck.
I purged.
'Bzzzzttttt. Bzzzznnnnnttt. Bzznt. Bzzzznnnnttt… bzzzzzzzzzzzzzznnnnt.'
I tried my best to focus, to pay attention, and yet this damn fly just wouldn't leave me alone! It buzzed on and off, as though it was trying to throw off my concentration just enough to let the Dungeon get a hold on me once more. I'd fought against the urge to simply flare my power and crisp it with the fires of my family, but doing so with Clarissa so close to me would be in horribly poor form; sure, she would be fine, as she was far stronger than I was but it was the principal of the thing.
If it would just fly a little bit closer to me instead of darting around the corner of my vision then I could reach out and squash it for good-
A thought came to me and I palmed my face.
Fuck.
I purged.
I was at less than half a tank when I finally figured out the trick that the Dungeon was using to get a hold on me with its curses and illusions.
Correction: tricks. As in plural.
There were over a dozen different methods that I counted before I started to recognize the patterns, but the most commonly used ones were two. The most prominent methods the illusory curse simply surrounded me and then let the… gravity of my barrier's rotation drag it in; the spell seemed to elongate and stretch much like a string caught in the spokes of a wheel. The second method was that the curse swirled around me in a way that matched the churning of my energies perfectly before sinking in. The others were variations on the first and second, but those seemed to have a different flavor to them that corresponded with what the illusion was trying to show me- a theme.
Spoopy hallucinations had a different attachment method, and the gory illusions attacked me in a different way than the spoopy ones did. The Creeping Horror curses- the ones that caused all sorts of Outer God shenanigans to spawn within my sight- also had their own unique delivery method. The same with the more detailed and animate illusions such as the skeletons and the Nightmare.
I grinned victoriously as I settled onto a method that was sure to see me through to my goal: Walking one complete lap around the outer ring before my magical reserves failed me.
My pace was slow, agonizingly slow, but it was necessary as the majority of my attention was paid to carefully modulating my barrier and my senses.
The longer I spent in here the more I got familiar with the curses trying to slither into my very being to distort my perception of reality.
I had to actively sense the incoming curse and then change the particulars of my barrier to counter that specific delivery method.
Each step was a battle as I boosted the power of my protections, shredding the current curse, before I reigned the power expenditure back in and suddenly spiked the rotation speed as the 'Matching' type curse was deflected when its speed no longer matched my own. Then I slammed on the brakes and compressed my barrier into the densest shield I could muster as a 'piercing' type delivery met my magical aura head-on, bent, and then went spinning off down the corridor like the poisoned needle that it was.
Regardless of my progress, however, the Dungeon was all too happy to remind me that even if I'd figured out some of its tricks it had more in store for me.
I felt something impact me from behind, like a slap to the back of the head, and I turned my eyes to Clarissa only to see her corpse standing eerily still behind me. Her jaw was missing, her eyes torn from their sockets, her belly was cleft open and her entrails strewn all over the stone floor-
Damnit!
I purged.
"Haaaa~. Haaaa~. Haaaa~."
A wet thwack filled the air as my sweaty, shaking palm met the stone corner of the intersection, and I used my grip to drag me forward. My fingers ached, my biceps screamed, and more core was completely shot. I couldn't even use my family's regeneration powers because I quite literally was running on fumes.
Fumes that the Dungeon was oh so happy to inhale from the depths of my soul.
Not that I would use my blood trait in this training environment because, well, renewal quite literally counteracted the development of the body, and anything I could have gained would be blown up in a puff of smoke. It didn't inhibit normal growth but believing that I could work myself to physical exhaustion and then use my healing flames to boost myself to unparalleled heights was something my father and brothers disabused me of; if such a thing was possible then there was no way in Hell that the Phenex family wouldn't be filled with meatheads.
Still, I persisted, and by the Grace of God- OW! - I'd made it!
I barely had the strength left to roll myself onto my back, and I stared at Clarissa as she in turn stared down at me.
"Am I back at the start?" I asked breathlessly, and she nodded.
"Yes, little Phenex. You have arrived back at the main corridor." Her hands were bunching up her skirts but after answering they immediately relaxed, "I take it that you've accomplished your goal?"
"Yeah. One lap. Haaa. I made it."
"So you did."
"Can you pick me up and take me home?"
"Most certainly."
The woman knelt down and grabbed ahold of me by my underarms and effortlessly hefted me up, and while she didn't bring me back home in a princess carry- for which I was thankful- she did wrap my arms around her neck and hold me to her by the backs of my thighs.
Even as dog-tired as I was I was keenly aware of just how pillowy and squishy her breasts were while they were pressed against my chest. Yet somehow I still couldn't find it in myself to care, and instead, I allowed myself to bury my face in her neck as she smoothly carried me out of the Dungeon; the sounds of her heels clicking away with every step.
The moment the large oak doors swung shut behind us I felt the connection that was sapping my strength snap like a string under tension that had been severed, and the continuous drain on my stamina stopped immediately.
I tried to breathe, to use the exercises Ruval taught me to hasten my recovery, but I was simply too tired and fuzzy to concentrate properly.
The mana in the air that I tried to draw into my body wasn't very tasty anyway.
When I woke up it was to see the black cloth that covered my four-poster bed, and given that the enchanted surface wasn't twinkling softly like the stars in the sky I knew that it was well past morning. I yawned and wiped the grime from my eyes before reaching out to grasp the golden tassel near my head, and with a gentle pull the line drew taut- the curtains pulling back toward the head of the bed to let in warm mid-afternoon light.
I know, I know, it wasn't technically daylight given that the Devil side of the Underworld was tidally locked, and thus our side was perpetually dark, but the moon rotated daily and reflected the light from the 'sun' that this strange world orbited around, so it was close enough. Given a devil's exceptional night vision, it might as well have been day- given my previous life's memories I couldn't really tell a difference between the two; I even had full-color vision for crying out loud.
But that is the power of the Four Satans- Falbium Asmodeus, Ajuka Beelzebub, Serafall Leviathan, and Sirzechs Lucifer… just casually creating a moon and adjusting space-time to make the reincarnated devils feel more at home with a normal 'day' and 'night' cycle.
Utterly terrifying, and yet there was some part of me that couldn't help but feel excited about the prospect of achieving those same great heights.
I was a touch surprised to see my father seated at my full-sized desk, one that I'd been rather adamant about having since I 'liked having all of the extra space'; he was shuffling through what appeared to be reams of paper and with an elaborately decorated pen of gold and silver clenched between his teeth. He finished fiddling with the stack, the pen leaving his mouth so that he could sign the top page, and once it was in a neat pile he placed the pen back into its stand and turned his shoulders toward me.
"You are awake," His deep voice was… unimaginably soft, his golden eyes looking me over so keenly that I felt as if I was under a microscope, "I trust that you've found what you were looking for deep in that dank, miserable place?"
I shuffled myself up and placed my back against the headboard before pulling on the tassel a little bit more firmly so that the drapes wouldn't obscure my father from my sight. Thinking back to my experiences in the Dungeon I let myself mull over my response before I settled on the words, "It was certainly informative. Humbling. However, the experience was invaluable. Terrifying, but nonetheless an objective lesson of just what most powerful of Demons could accomplish if they put their minds to it."
He snorted, and I couldn't help but raise a blonde brown as he leaned back in the high-backed chair and used his hand to shield the smile on his face, " Humbling. Informative. Invaluable. I will have to give Miss Spellbrook a raise if she was responsible for such vocabulary."
"She is an excellent teacher," I nodded in response.
Catalina Spellbrook was one of the many tutors that the Phenex family had on hand, though most of her time- just like her fellows- was spent educating the young devils that were either employed by the family or tutoring the children of the peerages. The tutors also sat on the Board of Education that oversaw the twelve public schools in the Phenex lands; these institutes served to provide a baseline of education for the Low-Class devils, but were also the first line in scouting out hidden talent among the devils so that they could be tracked and then recruited. If they didn't wish to remain in the Phenex lands forever then they would be traded to the Gremory or Sitiri, or they were given a suitable debt commensurate to the cost of their education and allowed to go out on their own.
Of the Low-Class devils that left most went to Lilith, as it was the capital of the Underworld, to seek work or a chance to rise above their stations, but after they left the Phenex borders they were no longer our concern.
His eyes narrowed slightly, "Speaking of your tutors, you've been asleep two days, my boy. Missed quite a few lessons…"
I winced slightly at that given I had a perfect track record thus far, but having my streak broken by something that was nominally outside of my control eased the sting. Sure, I went into the Dungeon, but how was I to know that magical exhaustion would lead to me being asleep for two days?
"Well then, I suppose I will see to it that I double up on my lessons until I've caught up," I extended the olive branch, though given that I had six hours of solid schooling a day doubling it to twelve hours for the next two days didn't sound like any fun, "Though I do hope that falling asleep for that long after going down into the Dungeon is something that I'll grow out of…"
"Magical exhaustion is something that does improve over time. The more you experience the hardship the more your Devil lineage will rage against the weakness and your recovery intervals will shorten," He stroked his beard as his eyes looked over my bed, "I… will have the artificers come and enchant your bed in the afternoon; it will act as a locus for the ambient mana in the vicinity and draw it in to rejuvenate you. That should help speed up your recovery periods as well. Though do be aware that the stronger you grow the less the enchantment will be able to help; the ambient mana also powers the wards surrounding our estates, so there will be limits as to what you can draw."
Ah, damn, you're going to ration my power budget, old man?
I felt a small laugh escape my lips as I shook my head, "No, no, that sounds more than fair and reasonable, Father. I am grateful."
"It gladdens my heart to hear that, my boy, but save your gratitude for your tutors; if you intended to venture into the Dungeon to train frequently then they will be the ones who have to adjust their busy schedules," He tilted his head to the side so that he could rest his cheek against the palm of his hand, the man's golden eyes seeming to dance with mischief as he observed me, "In fact, I do believe I will have to deduct their additional pay directly from your allowance."
My pocket money!?
Now, I was a rich kid from a rich family, and honestly what I considered 'pocket money' was more than most devils made in a year, but I had no idea just how much this was going to eat into my finances. I winced visibly and he seemed to derive some fatherly pleasure from my discomfort.
"G-give me the particulars and I'll write up a finance report," I scrubbed a finger against my lips, "I'll need to balance the books, see how much I have saved up in the family vaults. I also need to know exactly how much these scheduling adjustments are going to cost me. I doubt that I'd have the funds to sustain such spending for long if the enchantments to the bed don't make an immediate difference in my recovery times."
With his scant few moments of mirth enjoyed the man stood up and ran his hands over his suit, "I will be covering half of their costs, but you do understand why I'm doing this?"
"Actions have consequences," Was the first thing that came to mind, and he seemed content to let me gather my thoughts; after a few moments of consideration I felt more comfortable to elaborate, "I am the one that wishes to alter how I've been training, but even if the training itself nominally only affects me directly, my decisions have knock-on effects that affect a great deal of other people. It affects my tutors, who have to teach me in longer sessions which pulls them away from their more official duties, other students, or their leisure time. This could extend to disrupting the carefully laid out workflows of others in their orbit, be they support staff or other students. It's a domino effect, with one single change cascading into affecting many others."
I looked away from my father and down to my lightly curled fists, "A more tangible lesson to show that even if I am the son of a Pillar Lord my decisions can end up affecting those far outside of my direct sphere of influence. Having this lesson linked to my personal accounts, which are paltry in comparison to the family's resources, further reinforces the need for responsibility and accountability. Or at the very least force me to acknowledge that utilizing the Dungeon at every opportunity would be costly for me, and thus encourage me to seek it out as a training aid in moderation."
Marcus Phenex, the Lord of House Phenex, Marquis of Hell, gave me a proud smile as he tucked the stack of paperwork up under his arm, "Well done. I will have the required figures on your desk here by this evening, so once you have your financial report completed come to me on the 'Morrow and we'll sit down and create a realistic spending plan. Now, I do believe it is almost time for lunch, so you should get washed up and come down to the dining hall."
The door slid shut behind him and I let out a heaving sigh before throwing myself face-first into the comforter.
"Lirianne," I spoke out, my voice muffled by the sinfully comfortable bedspread.
"Yes, Young Master?" She seemingly appeared to my magical senses, the young woman standing off to the side of my bed with a calm aura.
I inhaled deeply as I forced myself to roll over and look at her, "I am going to follow my father's requests and get cleaned up for lunch. I need you to run down to the vaults and request an official balance statement from Mister Vultman, complete with deposits and withdrawals, and then swing by the library to copy-"
My hand came up and with a small flex a basic telekinesis spell circle formed, and on one of the bookshelves lining the wall of my room a leather binder was enshrouded in soft blue light; it floated gently over to my maid where she grabbed it.
"-That binder's contents."
She looked at the binder curiously before tucking it underneath her arm, "And this is what, My Young Master?"
"That binder contains some business ideas that I thought might be both fun and profitable for me to get involved with in the coming years," I slipped off of the bed and scratched at the side of my head as I strode to my attached bathroom, "I had hoped to save up enough money to bankroll those myself but it appears as though a roadblock has been placed in front of me. I'll need to start these up sooner rather than later it seems."
The maid curtsied, "Then I shall see to it, Young Master."
I paused at the doorframe and looked at her, "You do know that you can just call me by my name when it's just the two of us, right, Lirianne?"
Her blue eyes crinkled in that fashion that all maids seemed to do and she instead swept out of the room with alacrity, her skirts swishing as she strode away.
"Man, can't even give me that, huh?"
The professionalism of our maids is both scary and saddening in equal measure.
Lunch and Dinner passed without much of a fuss, though I did notice that Ruval and Regen looked at me more intensely than before. However, despite their curiosity, neither of my brothers saw fit to ask me about my experiences in the Dungeon.
The time in between was spent making up the homework that my tutors assigned me, and considering the lessons stemmed not just from the mundane world- such as the arts, maths, and sciences- but also lessons in devil history, strategy and military tactics, etiquette, politics, and magic theory… I would have burnt out my brain if it weren't for auto-hypnosis. Hypnotizing myself to better retain the sheer quantity of information that was required for me to be considered a 'respectable High-Class Devil' was far more than any child should contend with.
That I was only a mere three years ahead of my nominal peers in material, despite my intellect and maturity, spoke volumes about the capabilities of devils as sponges to absorb information. I was using every trick in the book to try and get everything done properly the first time, and that was mainly so that I could progress onto more challenging material. Particularly the lessons on Magic Theory were gated on my performance in my other subjects and were primarily used as incentives for me to do well in my studies.
Not that you needed to prod me to study just so that I could learn magic.
Freaking magic! God- ow! - that shit is just so cool.
The magical foundations work was handled by two of the family's Bishops who rotated their duties based on their schedules, while the theoretical and practical exercises for the family magic were handled by my Father or my brothers.
Regardless, there was no block for Magic lessons this week, so I had to settle for delving into the other studies instead.
In the middle of the family library stood a very large, very fancy sand table. It was ten meters wide and ten meters long, the platform seated on a dais that was fashioned from black marble with white streaks running through it. Utilizing a little bit of devil magic one could imagine the aerial view of a terrain and the sand table would adjust itself to perfectly mimic the dimensions of the battlefield, complete with equally sized grid squares.
Currently on the table were the swampy lands of Ataraxis, the homeland of the Gusion family- one of the Demon Pillars that had survived the Great War but was purged during the Civil War after throwing their lot in with the Old Satan faction. Running through this particular battle from memory was one of my assignments from my Father and Lieutenant General Gerald Hoffman for my Strategy and Tactics lessons.
General Hoffman had been a German officer who was one of the architects of Hitler's famous blitzkrieg. While he was only a pawn in my father's peerage, with no particular specialty outside of his Mid-Class status and strength, his keen intellect and insight into logistics was the primary reason my father recruited him. Rather than facing an Allied Firing Squad he instead managed the supply chains of the numerous businesses the family had running worldwide, and he was likewise the teacher for not just myself but Regen as well.
"Despite having forty legions of Hell under his command," I narrated to the magical orb floating above me; it would record this session and split off a copy to my father and the General, "The Pillar Lord of the Guison family had his forces heavily diminished in the opening years of the Civil War. The assaults his forces led on the cities of Regis, Choban, Extris, and Formis with the lord devoting ten legions each; despite the superior skill and equipment his legions were known for, this equal distribution of his forces did not match the anticipated threat levels of those cities. Despite having intelligence to the disposition of enemy forces in those areas via the Skinwalkers and Changling Homunculi the Naberious family supplied to the Old Satan faction, he did not adjust his force concentrations to match."
I waved my hand as I thought about the intricately annotated picture from my textbook before pumping some magic into the enchantments.
Within moments sparse trees, knee-deep murky waters, and thick fog grew from the color-changing sand to cover the battlefield.
"The 1st through 10th legions were easily able to rout the four Legions of House Sitiri guarding the city of Regis, and it was much the same with the 21st through 30th legions that assaulted Extris. However, the 11th through 20th, and the 31st through 40th legions, faced far stiffer resistance in their conquests of Choban and Formis. Not only was there parity in numbers between the four groups of forces, but the timely arrival of Sirzechs Gremory and Serafall Sitiri was enough to force the famed Guison Baboon Guard into action. Even then, however, the losses were ruinous for Lord Guison… and it was something that he would never recover from given that his territories were on the border between the Old and New Satan factions."
I narrated the lead-up to this culminating battle, as the decisions made earlier on were directly responsible for the reasons why the New Satan faction was able to break through this region and spread deeper into Old Satan territory to flank the defending lines and harass the supply lines that kept them fed and armored.
"Given the Guison's talents for prophecy, I believe that Lord Sirzechs and Lady Serafall were likely planning on intervening in the conflicts at Regis and Extris, which Lord Guidson foresaw and that was why he evenly split his forces, though there had to have been some reason as to why the Lord and Lady would switch course to do battle at Choban and Formis instead. Given that no such reason is given for their alterations to their established plans I can only speculate; likely a counter-prophecy, or maybe it was blind luck or intuition?"
I looked at the map and checked it over, comparing it to my own mind's rendition, and after correcting a few mistakes, I began laying out the opposing forces on the map. Thirty-four legions of the New Satan faction stood opposed to the twenty-nine legions of Lord Guison.
"Regardless, the losses he sustained were considerable, accounting for more than 25% of his total forces, and this left his Area of Responsibility dreadfully weakened given the higher force concentrations that were known to be operating in the area. Given his portion of the line was the weakest the New Satan faction sought to capitalize on this, shifting over twelve legions from House Bael, Phenex, and Astaroth to conduct a Break-Through assault on Ataraxis before the Old Satan faction could reinforce them."
A small mountain sat in the direct center of the battlefield, providing the high ground to a select number of forces, though their utility was limited as the monstrously thick magical fogs coating the Guison lands was as much a hindrance as it was a help. The leadership of the Legions did not have a magical device that let them see where others could not, but what they did have was an intimate familiarity with the terrain; knowledge of where the solid ground was so that their soldiers could fight with sure footing while the enemies had to slog through knee-deep muck, the natural chokepoints where smaller troupes could hold off larger formations while their fellows were shuffled elsewhere, etc.
That knowledge and experience would have won them this battle if it weren't for the three freaks of nature that had participated in it: Serafall Leviathan, Ajuka Beelzebub, and Sirzechs Lucifer. While this was only a decade into the century-long Devil Civil War, the trio were still more than impactful enough on their own… even if Sirzechs was far from the Super Devil that we all see and know today.
I moved formations around the map with my mind, chess pieces with numbers floating above their heads to denote the unit numbers, and flashes of light that ended with markers on the ground indicating major battles that took place during the engagement.
Two Guison legions holed up in a thick forest in the center of the battle line, the density of the trees making it difficult for the Low-Class devils to traverse; it acted like a restrictive sieve, only allowing a few hundred through at a time no matter how many bodies were pressing at them from behind. Still, Sirzechs was there to prevent that meatgrinder from taking place by simply evaporating a few choice lines of men at the front of the Guison lines, thereby giving his attacking forces enough breathing room to build up a large enough concentration of men that couldn't be easily chopped down by lines of spears.
Five legions of Guison pressed a hard and fast attack against the leading left flank of the Phenex lines, almost completely stalling out the advance, but Ajuka Astaroth was there to apply pressure of his own.
Three Legions were dedicated to keeping Serafall Sitiri from doing what she was doing, and all she did in this battle was fly up and down the lines to erect massive pillars of ice or to create thick sheets over particularly treacherous stretches ground; the few Sitiri legions that were with her were more than familiar with fighting and advancing on slippery surfaces, which gave them a slight advantage.
One might dismiss her efforts as seemingly wasteful, but those people were idiots because I could clearly see that her true purpose in this battle was to control the field.
Units that were in danger of being broken were given relief in the form of a thick ice wall that gave them time to regroup or retreat. Units that were straggling behind due to the swampy grounds could advance more quickly over the ice. Dense Guison formations were disrupted as icy winds blasted them apart- the interruption being more important than stacking the bodies herself.
She had the lowest kill count of the three future Great Satans of this battle, but her contribution points were far higher than both Sirzechs and Ajuka in my personal opinion.
However, what most seemed to forget was that Sirzechs and Ajuka were doing their best to contribute while retaining their strength.
Lord Guison was a Pillar Lord. A Duke of Hell on par with the likes of Gremory and Astaroth both, and his strength was borderline Ultimate-Class if not Ultimate-Class in truth.
When Ultimate-Class beings come into conflict with one another death is assured, so the New Satan faction needed two Ultimate-Class devils in Sirzechs Gremory and Ajuka Astaroth in order to defeat Lord Guison… and hopefully without any life-threatening injuries or heaven forbid a death on their side.
"The Battle of Ataraxis Placid was the final blow struck in this conflict. The remaining forces of Lord Guison, while numbering fifteen legions in strength, were shattered. They would attempt to regroup in the Guison Glade but the harassing actions of Serafall Sitiri would ensure that they wouldn't be able to concentrate enough men to make another counter-assault; this left the legions under Sirzechs Gremory and Ajuka Astaroth free to make the final assault on the city Ataraxis and confront Lord Guison in a battle that would see the Lord dead," With a mental flick, I knocked over the last remaining Guison chess piece, signifying the end to the last battle of the conflict, "While their Lord was killed, the Legions of Guison would reform at the border of Malphas regions and joined their lines. They would later be slaughtered to the last man in the ensuing battles over the break-through area that would later be called 'Guison's Gap'."
I released the magic on the board and let out a soft sigh of relief once the orb's glow dimmed and it split off into two smaller orbs that shot through the walls of the library.
With a small smile on my lips, I walked away from the dais and retreated toward the front of the library where a Low-Class devil by the name of Naimira worked as one of the librarians, "Miss Naimira, did the books I ordered arrive yet?"
The woman adjusted her spectacles and nodded, "Of course, Lord Riser."
She bent out of sight, the tall desk she sat behind obscuring my vision of her, and when she returned she handed me a parcel covered in brown paper and wrapped in twine.
I grinned as I used a touch of my Phenex fire to singe the paper just enough that I could slip a slim finger underneath it and I tore it down the side to reveal the spines of the books: " Jane's Guide to Military Weapons, 1994. Jane's Guide to Military Aircraft, 1994. It Doesn't Take a Hero: The Autobiography of General Norman P. Schwarzkopf."
All three of the books were for me, but I would let General Hoffman read the third one since he seemed to be interested; the Gulf War was barely three years ago, and General Schwarzkopf had taken what the Germans had done with the Blitzkrieg and then modernized it. So seeing some of own work being utilized by the very same Americans that had defeated him was something I knew would tickle him, even if he would bite his tongue at seeing everything streamlined thanks to advancements in logistical capabilities.
"Thank you, Miss Naimira!"
"I live to serve House Phenex. Have a pleasant day."
"You as well!" I bowed lightly as I made to rush out of the library with my new books in my arms.
When I returned from dinner that night I saw the documents that I'd asked Lirianne to fetch for me, and I pulled out my pens, and papers, and booted up the brand-spanking-new Commodore 64 before I activated the enchantments on it to display the screen. A few clicks and keystrokes saw me opening up Microsoft Office 4.1 and I cracked my fingers as I stared at the screen for a few moments.
Shit.
I began rifling through the desks and drawers until I found the thin manual that came with the software bundle and leafed through it, and then I was ready to get down to business.
Spreadsheets made accounting for my inflow and outflow of personal funds a snap, a perk of being a very frugal boy who didn't spend his money on frivolous things outside of magical supplements and the occasional bag of candy, but as I began listing out the costs that I'd be paying each time I went into the Dungeon (should it still take me two days to recover) my heart started to shrivel up.
"Holy shit, dad! Just how much money are you paying my tutors!?"
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A/N: Its difficult to balance out a proper challenge for a place that is supposed to be a hellhole, and I think that this fits the description. Obviously the prisoners aren't merely restrained by the curses and the like but there is supplementary equipment that is used to keep them weak and pacified. Though no matter how strong a devil is having to constantly fight off strings of curses and illusions while having your vitality sapped is a tedious and concentration consuming task. The devil will get tired, while the Dungeon will not, and that is when mistakes are made, and their sanity starts to get eroded away. It will be a good, meaningful obstacle for him to surmount and overcome, even if it will be years before he does so simply because he can't really afford to pay the additional bills passing out for days at a time would cost him. lol Pappa Phenex is a bit more strict in this AU, and don't tolerate tomfoolery, especially when it costs him lots of money. Though Mamma Phenex has a borderline manic need to see her Prophecied Child succeed, and her confidence in her visions could possibly be causing her to have young RiserSI take risks that he normally wouldn't take that could lead to… undesireable outcomes if Marcus does not continue to act as a restricter valve to keep some of the pressure off. Not that anything like that is guaranteed to happen, but Mamma Phenex isn't quite all there all of the time despite being a stellar and lovely mother, and she is just as much a driving force behind Riser's desire for strength as his own memories are… sort of like an enabler who really should act more like a check. So poor Marcus is forced to be that check even if it brings him into conflict with his beloved wife.
Really, I'm trying to flesh out the Phenex family as a whole and how it operates. The Devils are supposed to be large and powerful, and while we know that they own major corporations and businesses world wide we don't really see anything behind the scenes that comes with it, so with Riser's somewhat unorthodox way of raising the money he needs to pay his tutors in the event that he can't make the lessons due to training related incidents well… RiserSI really cares about his pocket money and the size of his bank account, but Lord Phenex pays his best performers and most important familial assets well. Likely too well.
Chapter 3 - Precious Resources
[Phenex Estates]
[Riser Phenex]
As it turns out, knowing that the whole world could potentially end at the hands of a beast of apocalypse so strong that even the Biblical God spent a great deal of his essence to seal it away is one hell of a training motivator.
I feel energized, I push, I pull, I study, I train, I struggle, and then I rest so that I can do it all over again.
Then I see the sheer differences between my power and that of my elder brothers, my mother, and my father… and then I get depressed.
It's normal, I think, to sink down to your knees and despair when it feels like the entire weight of the world is resting on your shoulders. Unfortunately, my mind was filled with anything other than boobs, so merely poking a titty and playing with a nipple wasn't going to give me a Super Saiyan power-up.
This moping lasted for a few hours, primarily during my recovery periods when I was too exhausted to continue training and my everything hurt from the strain. When I'm lying on a bed, too tired to move and even breathing makes my chest twinge there wasn't much else I could do but think about things. Why was I doing what I was doing? Would it even be enough? Could I possibly achieve the heights needed to even have a hope of making a difference? Was the training I was doing even effective?
I wasn't really an avid fan of DxD at all, and I mainly watched it because a few of my co-workers liked it enough to stream it in the break room when we weren't sweating our asses off on the rig. I was no stranger to fourteen-hour days of back-breaking labor- drilling, laying pipe, and pumping crude saw me fit enough to build a strong body (and an even stronger bank account), and the many years of hard work performing laborious but repetitive tasks ad nauseam gave me enough mental fortitude to keep on trucking despite the strain of the grind.
Though the difference was back then I wanted to have a house that was my own, a work truck and a commuter econobox, my motorcycle, my dirtbike, and a few other toys (read: my gun collection), and to have all of them paid off. Once I had all of that it was simply about stacking up my cash, padding out my investment accounts and 401k, and worrying about what I was going to do for two months while we waited to get the order to drill and tap into the next oil well on the list. Maybe even think about going back to college and getting a degree I could actually use; I didn't become a roughneck because it was what I wanted to do- I got sucked into getting a fancy degree that nobody cared about.
Here in this new life that I found myself in?
I wanted so much more- a loving wife who would give me beautiful children, a strong (positive) reputation, to own a few successful businesses, and just as a little extra maybe do a little bit of world-saving.
The problem was I had no idea how to go about doing that except 'get stronk', and considering my prophetic abilities have only been giving me slide-show visions of how cute my future little sister was going to be it led me to enter into a vicious cycle of terror-induced motivation with bouts of apathy and maudlin fueled self-pity parties.
To try and counteract this I'd shifted my focus into researching all of the shortcuts used by Low-Class and Mid-Class devils to get any sort of boost they could before their next Rank Up assessment.
Tonics- alchemical potions utilizing mana-rich ingredients found in the Underworld and on Earth- were a popular option, and given the bevy of research on them conducted by Ajuka Beelzebub himself, they have been proven to work. Though while they weren't snake oil that could cure everything from weak magical strength to horrible magical control, they did work at increasing a devil's overall strength by a small amount. The same was with rituals that harnessed ambient mana to force-feed a devil's form until they were just a touch over-full, and then maintaining that level for a few hours until the excess was allowed to be released; much like an elastic container the devil's body would hold onto a fair portion of that extra capacity permanently.
The issue with these methods was that they either required heavy investments in money or time.
As the saying goes, time is money.
I had been paying the alchemists to prepare my tonics out of pocket, so that wasn't much of an issue seeing that I was frugal with my funds, but paying my tutors to work with me on a schedule so that I could still venture into the Dungeon at least once a week had seen to it that I was barely at replacement levels; if I accrued any more expenditures or heaven forbid did something stupid like break something expensive it would see me wiped out. As far as the issue of time went, I kept eight hours to myself for sleep and had to cut into my leisure time heavily.
A year and a half ago I'd commissioned the family enchanters to create an enchanted circle that had been carved onto a stone slab and inlaid in blooded silver (my blood), and that slab rested on a wheeled dolly so I could move it under my bed and out of the way when it wasn't needed. Of course, my father had to be the one to tell them to do it because the mere thought of a High-Class devil such as myself utilizing the strengthening methods of the lower classes caused more than a few lips to sneer.
I feel like I had lost a lot of respect from the artificers asking for it, but fuck them; as long as we paid handsomely and they delivered what was asked for on time then it didn't matter if I was their friend or not. A third son I may be, but damnit I was a Phenex! You'd think that with the extreme fixation on strength, on 'Might Makes Right', that they would applaud their Young Master for not resting on his natural-born laurels and taking his growth and development into his own hands. Yet they all believed firmly that these strengthening methods were beneath me, and that only the weakest of the weak sought to use them simply because they did not have the unholy lineage of the Original Seventy-Two Demon Pillars running through my veins.
Regardless, I utilized them both because they were proven and effective.
Marginally effective.
The strength gains I made were there- they were provable and undeniable, but yet they were very underwhelming, and they only grew less impressive as time went on. Not that their effectiveness decreased, but as I grew older and my natural strength came into play they eneded up feeling lesser than they had at the start.
At best, I could liken it to two fledgling bodybuilders who had the same physiques, same metabolisms, same diets, same workout plans, same work ethics, but one of them added basic supplements like whey protein and creatine monohydrate to their nutritional plans. The strength and size gains of the latter over the former would be quantifiable, and observable, but ultimately if at the end of a study the latter only gained 2.5 kilograms of lean muscle mass and a 5% increase in functional lift capacity more than his counterpart… was all of the money spent on that protein and creatine worth it?
In the case of the bodybuilders? Probably not, because all of that extra muscle could be lost, but for devils? Our gains were for life. You didn't get weaker unless you got crippled. Every last smidgen of strength that I gained from kneeling on a cold stone slab with itchy skin and drinking foul-tasting tonics daily was strength that I would carry with me until the day I died. And while I lived in a world where one Satan-Class devil could be anywhere from fifty to one hundred times stronger than the entry level Ultimate-class… most battles I feel like I would be fighting are the ones where the inches mattered just as much as the yards.
Even still, I could see why the devils turned up their noses and ultimately thought of it as a waste of time because as I aged I could feel my body coming into its own with each year closer to adulthood. The gains I made year-over-year just from aging up made the gains I made with the tonics and meditation seem paltry in comparison. If I never worked a day in my life, then just from my lineage alone I'd be in the top 5% of Devils strength-wise by the time I turned twenty-five, and it was just that sort of arrogance that led to the creation of Riser Phenex.
Even the once-weekly training sessions in the Dungeon saw me improve by leaps and bounds. My ability to sense magical energies improved to the point where I could see the curses as they slithered toward me in the air, my control over my internal energies skyrocketed as I was forced to redirect or repel said curses, and my strength- particularly in bursts- grew many fold as the Dungeon wasn't keen to let me believe that I could defeat it and I had to break a lot of illusions. With the Dungeon being a seemingly living entity I could feel that the more I improved the more the Dungeon would raise its difficulty; it was smart, I was sure of that, and the Warden that I hadn't ever had the guts to meet with likely had something to do with it.
This brought me to my physical training, which mainly consisted of calisthenics until my brother Regen brought out his enchanted weight set (he used to body build for fun in California with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The man himself!) and set it up outside near the family training fields for me to use since they were just collecting dust in his extremely large closet. He even took time out of his busy partying schedule to show me the ropes- not that I needed them- but considering there weren't exactly books in the library about weight lifting I contented myself with letting him show me the various lifts and how to conduct them properly.
We never really did get as much time to spend together as a family given our schedules, so I felt a warmth settle into my chest as my elder brother went out of his way to help me out. So I took him up on his offer to help set up a devil-oriented lifting plan and forced myself to stick to it.
With my hands gripping the dumbells I lowered my torso down to the ground into an exaggerated push-up, and with a flex of my back and triceps, the circular weights spun freely until I was held a few inches off of the ground in a t-pose. I held it for a few seconds before I flexed my chest and biceps and returned them to the starting position. I repeated this for reps until I could do no more, and then I continued to the next exercise in my super set circuit- weighted lunges- without pausing.
Even if Devil physiology meant that I didn't have to worry about putting too much stress on my joints- and even less so with my Phenex regeneration- that didn't mean I wouldn't perform every exercise just so. I was far from skilled enough with the Phenex fire that was the source of our regeneration to be able to control its healing potential; it was either 'on' or it was 'off'. My brother Ruval was one of the most skilled users of it that the family had seen in generations, and that man could pick and choose which injuries were worth healing in real time.
So with my weaknesses in mind I made sure to practice the mantra of 'Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Form is everything' because tearing a ligament or breaking something would be a surefire way of tossing all of the physical training that I'd done that session out of the window.
Once I hit the turn-around point, which was a bright orange plastic cone, I began my walking lunges back, my body moving as I willed it despite the screaming in my muscles.
It was on the way back my eyes tracked away from the pavilion where the weights were stored to my mother and her Queen, Soo Young Kim- or as she liked to be called 'Veranda'- sat on a picnic blanket with one of the maids standing by behind them with a large parasol held in her hand. Soo Young, if my mother was to be believed, which I did because there was no reason to doubt her word, was once a runaway Korean princess of some kind who had been betrothed to a greedy lord who was giving the then ruler some problems. My mother rotted his mind by exposing him to the depths of her prophetic powers- his human brain meats unable to comprehend the vastness of her aura- and then he became much more docile and easy to lead; Soo Young Kim married the man afterward and took control of his vast holdings and when he died a few years later of a brain hemorrhage she folded herself back into her Lord Father's family with great honor.
Then once she grew old and grey- the woman on her deathbed- my mother returned to collect what was due, and thus the Queen of my mother's peerage was her very first piece.
Such a thing wasn't too far outside the norm given that most of the older generations of devils never really used theirs at all; even then the devils of my parent's peer group were more interested in collecting politically powerful humans, such as princes, princesses, generals, or popular statesmen. They were generally more baubles to be shown off to their friends while the younger generation had begun to focus highly on recruiting powerful beings, such as monsters, yokai, or humans with Sacred Gears.
Spoiler: Soo Yung Kim "Veranda" - Queen of Elise Phenex
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Long, perfectly straight light brown hair framed her heart-shaped face, where two large watery blue eyes seemed to drink in the world around her; they gave her an air of naivety and youthful exuberance but I knew for a fact that she was as smart as they came. Full, pouty lips drew everything together and acted to funnel attention away from her curvaceous body; she had breasts, hips, and a bottom that had no business fitting onto a slim Korean woman's frame, but it was all by design. She was beautiful and attractive, but her features made her appear more innocent and gullible; a boon given her line of work.
While my mother was in her usual resplendent dress, Veranda was relaxing in a white turtleneck sweater and some crisp blue jeans; she seemed to pick up some of America's fashion sense, which I shouldn't have been surprised about given her role as the 'Senior Liason' between the Korean and American branches of some of family businesses. Though that in truth was only her cover because she was actually the Chief of the Phoenix Group's Corporate Counter-Espionage division; when she wasn't taking a vacation here in the Underworld to attend to my mother as her Queen, she was traveling around the world to the businesses we had in search of would-be thieves and plants- both mundane and supernatural alike.
Given that the umbrella corporation where all of our holdings were consolidated had only a thin veneer of separability from the mundane world it made us a frequent target for infiltration from the other factions, it was sort of a joke for the various families to play around with their corporate names- Shitori Medical Solutions, Gremori Holdings Group, etc, etc.
"Look at him go, Veranda!" My mother cooed, the woman waving a handkerchief at me as though I was a horse at a race track.
I set the weights down next to the others and hopped up onto a short set of parallel bars that had been lowered to take into account my height. My legs protested but they still coiled and let me hop up, and I gripped the bars tightly. I slowly lowered myself into a dip before I returned to the starting position, and then from there I levered myself up into a handstand and lowered myself until my head passed the bars before pushing myself back up and lowering down to perform another dip.
Such a thing was possible for a mortal gymnast, but they had to lean a great deal into their balance as well as know where and how to apply leverage to manipulate themselves. Even for my six-and-a-half-year-old body I was so far beyond them it wasn't even funny; I could push myself through everything with strength alone, and it was only my current level of exhaustion that gave these exercises any degree of difficulty.
Still, it took me over two hours to reach the point where I was struggling, and I needed to find a way to cut that down if at all possible.
"Doesn't he remind you of little Regenald, Veranda?"
"Yes he does, M'lady."
"So cute!"
Mother, please.
I had to struggle to not laugh because the movements I were doing required a large amount of concentration given how tired I currently was, but still, seeing my beautiful and regal mother acting like a soccer mom was just almost too much for me. I was lucky that there was no one else but family who would give me any grief, and thankfully dad was working, Ruval was preparing for a rating game, and Regen was off at some afternoon brunch-bash to schmooze up some up-and-coming High-Class devils who were looking for possible sponsorship.
"You can do it, Riser! Push! Up! Down! Up! Down! Give it all you got, my little feather~!"
That was when my maid helpfully threw me a lifeline.
"Young Master?" From the handstand I could see Lirianne tap her fingers against her wrist, and I let out a sigh as I dismounted the bars. The moment I had enough space around me for her to work the maid swept up with a pair of sopping wet towels in her hands and let I her wipe me down; I had tried to do it myself, once, but after that I never attempted it again.
Maids could be quite scary even if she was nowhere near me in strength; she handled my schedule, menial work, linens, my underwear, and delivered my meals when I was busy catching up on my school work and couldn't attend dinner with the family. And I had come to adore my sweet maid, and not allowing her to handle her chosen duties seemed to make her incredibly despondent; it was all an act, I'm sure of it, but her blank stares and sad eyes seemed so real to me…
Having my secretary in a maid's uniform out for the count for just a few days after I insisted that I was "grown up enough" to bathe myself and get dressed on my own… was just an experience too painful for me to ignore; both my heart and my carefully curated schedules cried.
So she got to do with me as she wished. It is terrible. Woe is me.
Shaking my head I focused back to the present as I gratefully took the water bottle she offered me.
"How much time do I have until I need to attend Lady Frostwhite's lessons?" I asked as I took a long draw from the water bottle she handed me.
"Hmm, half an hour. Enough time to spend with your Lady Mother before heading back to the estate," She spoke demurely as she took the towel and water bottle from me.
You don't need to prod me of all people to spend time with my own mother!
Still, I gave her a small smile, "It appears as though you've read my mind. Tell me, is that a skill all maids learn? Or is it something of a specialty of yours?"
Her lips quirked as she bowed her head, "It is the responsibility of a maid to anticipate the tasks of her chosen Lord. A true maid is said to be almost prophetic in her ability to see to her Lord's needs and desires; while I still have a long way yet to travel on my journey, it does aid me greatly that my Lord is a straightforward individual."
My blue eyes narrowed, "My dear Lirianne, are you implying that I'm simple?"
Her lips twitched, "My dear Young Master, I would never be so bold as to imply such a thing. You are a young man who has a strict schedule, and you carefully plot out your days in advance with few deviancies or outliers. Your needs are few as you are a self-sufficient individual, and your wants are even fewer; as such I have little to account for."
I sighed and scrubbed my fingers through my damp hair, "A picture-perfect response from my ever-perfect maid."
"I aim to please, Young Master," She curtsied even deeper, and I could have sworn I saw her hips shake but it must have been a trick of the light. I complimented her a fair amount, but never had I actually complimented her directly about her skills as a maid.
Still, I only had half an hour before a four-hour block of politics and etiquette with Lady Frostwhite and I needed to recharge my batteries at my designated Mom-onium depository.
Though before I could step away a fresh towel was draped over my shoulder, and I gave Lirianne a nod of thanks as I strode over to my mother.
I folded the towel up at my mother's invitation and I laid it across her lap before I laid down on the picnic blanket and rested my head on her pillowy thighs.
A heaving sigh escaped my lips as I felt my mother's manicured nails slither into the sweat-damp golden locks on my head. I'd once asked her why she fiddled with my hair even if it was nasty, but she simply told me that after having handled my 'nappies' a little bit of sweat wasn't going to stop her from toying with it. I wasn't going to stop her, my mother gave the best nail massages.
'Mom-onium intake protocols initiated… 1% charged'.
Already I could feel my flesh pebble as her fingers expertly quested through my hair and lightly scratched at my scalp.
Ah, why does the world have to be stupid and end? Why can't I just turn into a dog and sit on my mother's lap all day?
"Fuufuufuu~, you seem a bit troubled, my little feather. Why not tell your mother all about it, hmm?"
There was little need to conceal my feelings from my mother of all people; she was my biggest supporter after all.
"I feel like I'm going to start stagnating soon," I kept my eyes closed as I simply luxuriated in her touch, "In the beginning when I started this adjusted routine it was easy to get tired, to know that I've done all I could do. However, as time goes on and I grow stronger I am finding myself very crunched for time; between my studies with my tutors, looking over the state of my businesses with Father's representatives, and my supplemental regimens I am having a hard time finding the hours in the day."
I pointed toward the weights and equipment that I could feel Lirianne putting away while I basked in my mother's presence, "Just two months ago that same routine would have smoked me. But now? I'm having to try and compress that routine and more into the same time span. I need something that could help me exhaust myself further. It's not just with my physical training, it's my magical training as well- I have to create dozens of fireballs and sustain them for hours in order to start to feel the strain… and Father, Ruval, and Regen are leery about letting me push myself more."
I could feel the vibrations from my mother's hum in the slight bulge of her pregnant belly; little Ravel was on the way, and I was stoked beyond belief, yet I was also lamenting the time-sink she was sure to become. Something was going to have to give, but I hoped that soon enough I would be released from my studies so that I could put my sole focus into training.
"And the worst part is that the Dungeon is by far the best training I can get," I muttered as I interlaced my fingers over the abused muscles of my belly, "I can only go once a week and sustain the ludicrous costs of shuffling everything with my tutors but… I'll be a chicken painted gold if it hasn't been worth every penny. Every time I go down there there are always great leaps in my abilities, be it my magical capacity, throughput, or control. I could grow so much stronger if I could get in there two days a week, and I could be High-Class by the time I'm ten if I could get three days a week!"
My mother being my mother, she absorbed my complaints with a gentle hum, and I shivered as her fingers stroked over the shells of my ears before teasing the tips of my earlobes.
"That is very unfortunate, my dear," She sighed commiserateingly, "I've tried to tell your father not to hold you back but it seems that he has grown increasingly stubborn as the years go by."
"Just like a mule, it is the nature of men to dig their heels in when you try to lead them to where they should go," Veranda spoke as though she was dispensing some ancient Korean wisdom, "Yet there are times that such stubbornness is needed; as long as you hold tightly to the lead their dug-in heels just might keep you from making a poor decision and striding off a cliff."
I felt my curiosity pique a touch at the rather bold statement from my mother's Queen; they were as close as devils could get within a peerage. Sisters, friends, lovers, and sometimes she even watched over me when Clarissa could not, but to outright state that maybe my mother might be a touch enthusiastic in training me?
That would be immediate grounds for disciplinary action in any other family, but in the Phenex family, we valued the well-informed opinions of our members.
"I would never advocate for anything that would put my son at risk unduly," Her voice was cool but not chilly, "He wishes to train and grow stronger, and as his mother, I will advocate for him to do just that."
My blue eyes cracked open, "I'm not looking to rock the boat here, dear Mother. Just venting. If this is to be the limit of what I can do then… I will just have to make do."
"Fufufufu~, now, now, your momma loves you dearly my child, but she isn't about to run roughshod over her husband and sons! They are more knowledgeable than I about what is a safe level of progression for your magic, however, that doesn't mean that I don't have a few tricks up my sleeves that can help you achieve your goals!" I resisted the urge to run away the moment her thumbs and forefingers clasped onto my cheeks, but unlike most women, she had the decency to not see if she could make them burst; Phenex children always seemed to get abused more by others because 'we could heal from it'.
Not that I didn't understand because, in my last life, there were a few things so cute that I wanted to just grab them and squeeze the life out of them. Because they were so cute. I had a big Great Dane that my parents kept with them while I was out on the rig, and Charlie was the biggest damn dog ever, and she was so cute that I couldn't help but wrap my arms around her big barrel chest and give her a good squeeze. In return for the love I bestowed upon her, she sat on me. Great Danes are heavy.
Ah, I really miss having a pet.
"What do you have in mind, Mother?" I arched an eyebrow and she gave me a playful, mischievous smile as she tweaked my nose.
"Oh, don't you worry about that for now, my little feather! Let momma take care of it, but it will take some time so just… carry on as you have been and let yourself be pleasantly surprised!"
I closed my eyes and smiled, "Of course, mother. I will do just that."
"Such a good boy you are~" She cooed before she raised her thighs, thus raising my body up into the air a little bit, so that she could bend over and plant a kiss to my forehead, "Now off you go, Lady Frostwhite is going to be teaching you more formal dinner etiquette today!"
I laboriously climbed up to my feet before spreading my arms out, and the clean white shirt that I had been wearing prior to beginning my workout was slipped onto me by Lirianne, "How… is it going to be different from what she has already taught me?"
My mind was puzzled because I'd already learned dining room etiquette years ago, and I always made sure to be seen using it since Lady Frostwhite liked to eat her meals above us so that she could stare me down like a hawk.
"We're going to be visiting the Gremory and Sitiri families because their two babies are going to be born soon! Everything you've learned thus far has been for proper dining with the family, but her standards when interacting with fellow Pillars in a public setting are much higher!" Elise Phenex clasped her hands to her cheeks and squirmed on the picnic blanket before they dropped to her belly, "They'll be born a few months ahead of the new baby, but I have a feeling that they'll grow up to be great playmates!"
I tilted my head back a little bit to allow Lirianne to tie my necktie, "I'm sure the three girls will be very good together. Gremory, Phenex, and Sitiri…"
When Lirianne stepped away I could see my mother looking at me with a considering gaze, "Do you know?"
Seeing her stroke the bulge of her belly gave me pause.
"I… saw it. I think. I think she'll be my new little sister, so…" I gave a nervous chuckle, "I could be wrong, but…"
"Very good, I'm glad to see your prophecy is coming along quite nicely," Elise Phenex smiled and patted me on my bottom, "Now I think it is time you left, little feather. Wouldn't want to keep Lady Frostwhite waiting, would you?"
Sighing I gave my mother and her Queen a shallow bow before I started walking back to the estate with my ever-faithful maid hot on my heels.
Mah, my mom-onium levels were only at 33%; how am I supposed to make it through the rest of the day now?
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, and Shurukkah for being Patrons!
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Chapter 4 - Most Precious Resources
[Phenex Estates]
[Riser Phenex]
Gold.
All I could see was golden light.
My body felt more alive than I ever had before- beautiful emotions surged up from within my breast to squeeze my throat tight and make my mouth dry. The sheer happiness and joy that was coursing through me was something that I was unable to control, and these sensations coalesced around my tear ducts and made my vision appear as though I was swimming in a golden sea.
"Ah." It was all I could utter as I looked at the gleeful visage of my mother; even exhausted, with sweat matting her hair, and her eyes puffy and red… my mother never looked so beautiful before.
Seeing that I was the smallest of the Phenex family I was in front with Ruval and Regen standing behind me, and my legs could no longer keep me standing. I sank down to my knees and my arms came over the mattress to support my chin. My nose ran like a faucet and I had to suck it up every few seconds.
There was something in the back of my mind that snarked that with how I was acting one would have thought that it was I who gave birth to my sister and not my mother.
I told that part of me to fuck off because this was no moment for cheek.
My hand reached out slowly and laid over the bundle gently held in my mother's arms, and for the first time, I felt my little sister's warmth. Her tiny body was so hot, the heat radiating from her tiny form like a furnace, but it didn't burn. How could it? She was a Phenex, like myself. We were born from fire. The flame was our very nature- our state of being.
The littlest feather, or so my mother called her, had finished her crying and was now murmuring- the poor thing resting her lungs. She looked so tired, and I could sympathize; being born wasn't exactly a fun experience for either party.
Yet, despite her seeming tiredness a tiny hand reached out from the swaddling and rested itself on top of my own.
My vision blurred to the point where I couldn't see anything other than my hand and Ravel's own.
Oh God in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
I bit through my tongue- the sheer agony of the prayer only served to strengthen my resolve. The flickering flames of my regeneration didn't remove the taste of blood from my mouth, but in this moment I didn't want it to; it would forever serve as a reminder to me of what I had to do.
Thank you for seeing her safely into this world.
Of who I had standing behind me.
"This I'll protect," I managed to choke out to no one else but myself, " I swear ."
When the tears finally fell I didn't notice.
Nor did I notice when a quartet of glass vials were produced by my brothers to catch those precious glowing, golden tears before they fell from my cheeks.
At that moment there was only me, my mother, and my sister.
I sucked up the last of my snot and couldn't help but chuckle.
Sirzechs Lucifer and Serafall Leviathan were absolutely delusional.
There was no little sister in the world that was cuter than my darling Ravel, and on that hill… I'd die.
"Passion… tears?" I asked blankly, my eyes staring at the quartet of vials that were nestled in a crushed velvet case on the edge of my father's grand desk.
My father, for his part, was leaning against it as he ran his finger along the lacquered rim of the enchanted wooden box.
He hummed, "Yes. Passion Tears. You have been doing exceedingly well in your studies, my boy, but you are not yet ready to take up the additional duties required of you in terms of producing the Phenex Tears that our family is known far and wide for."
The Patriarch of the Phenex Clan gently closed the lid and grabbed the box before striding over toward a large painting on the wall that showed the Phenex family seated in chairs in front of the estate. I remember the day that this particular portrait had been painted- we had set up on the paved road leading up to the manor, the manicured trees lined the street and provided framing for the painting while the manor itself provided the backdrop. The large frame slid smoothly on rails to reveal a large safe, and my father stuck his finger into a small hole wherein a mechanical 'chunk' filled the air; the locks on the safe disengaged, and when he pulled his hand away I could see the Phenex flames quickly regrowing his finger.
Holy shit, did the safe just take a finger from my father to open up?
There were likely all sorts of spells and enchantments protecting it, but I suppose that having that sort of requirement to open would ensure even if someone managed to spoof the enchantments or get a little Phenex blood then they'd lose something for their perfidy.
If my father felt the pain he gave no indication, which was just another reason on my list as to why my father was a badass; the most I'd done was break a few fingers while training and I felt every last iota of pain until my regeneration had healed them. The secondary pain- a phantom pain, if you will- came into play I realized that I'd just tossed that day's physical training out of the window because I'd healed my fingers. It sucked certainly, but having broken fingers would have slowed down more than just my training until they healed.
Marcus Phenex placed the case inside the vault before shutting it, and the painting slid back into its normal position.
"How do those tears…? What makes those tears different from the Phenex Tears we sell?" I asked, curiosity bubbling just beneath the surface.
Golden eyes looked at me as he strode over to the large, high-backed chair behind his desk. His gaze was considering, and when he interlaced his fingers and brought his chin down to them it was almost a perfect mirror of a Gendo pose, "The tears we produce for sale are… manufactured to a certain extent. There is an elaborate ritual we perform to bring them forth, but because they are produced artificially they lack the qualities that the Passion Tears have; they aren't born from emotion. The most powerful of these emotions is love."
I couldn't stop my eyebrows from shooting up to my hairline.
"Love?"
His eyes crinkled slightly, "You are confused, I see. Yes, love."
"It seems almost contradictory that we as devils would require something like love to produce such things," I licked my lips as I pondered my words, "Almost counter-intuitive given our… less than human and less than holy nature."
His mouth rose up just enough so that I could see his mustache dancing like a caterpillar, and he leaned back in the chair- the rails underneath nary making a sound as he swiveled it to look out the trio of bay-styled windows overlooking the front of the estates, "One would think that but given our lineage you'll find that there are some things that cannot be corrupted… even by the likes of our forefather, the Original Lucifer."
I tilted my head to the side, "I take it that this is one of those things that isn't accurately described in even our historical texts? The ones on our family and ancestry?"
With a wave of his hand, a small summoning circle appeared, and he clasped the small crystal glass of wine that showed in a flash of light. He swirled it around a few times before scenting it, and then he gave it a languid sip. When he finished he turned his attention back to me, "I find myself at a crossroads with you, my son."
"I take it that being rather precocious and mature has made things rather difficult for you?" I couldn't stop myself from giving him a wry smile as I scratched at the side of my head, "I'd apologize for the trouble but…"
His mustache danced, "I wouldn't ask for you to. It's just… you are so different from your brothers in your own unique way, and yet you are frighteningly alike. It's almost as if there were only a few years between you and not centuries and decades; you three act as though you've been joined at the hip since boyhood, peers and not… hmmm. Your maturity has done a great deal to open them up, and I get the feeling sometimes they don't realize that you are not a boy of eight years."
"Haaa~," He let out a sigh and sipped at his wine, his eyes landing on the ceiling as he showed me an uncharacteristic slouch, "When your brothers were your age they were more preoccupied with finding new and creative ways to skip their lessons. Playing around in the yard while flinging their flames every which way, and trying to goose the maids- in Ruval's case- or in Regenald's case, peep up their skirts 'to catch a glimpse of paradise'."
The man snorted before placing his wine glass on his desk and picking up a thick packet of paperwork, "Not… sitting down with their father to go over a financial report of a business they created. Especially not so they could fund their tutor's salaries so they could venture into the Dungeon for training."
"I must confess even I forget that I'm dealing with a child and not a full grown man at times," The packet came down and his joviality slipped away into something more somber, and he scrubbed at his bearded chin- indecision written clearly on his face, "You're much stronger than your brothers were at your age. By Lucifer's name, you might even be stronger than I was. It's eye-opening and… humbling to see you so dedicated. At the rate you're going, you might be finished with your studies well before you attain your Evil Pieces at thirteen; your tutors with little left to teach you. After that you will be left to your own devices and I will have to trust that time and experience will continue to season you."
He gave me a small, half-smile as he shrugged his shoulders and raised a hand until it was level with his head, "And thus… the crossroads I stand at. There are many responsibilities that an adult of the Phenex family has to handle, more than those outside of the making of the Tears, and those typically revolve around being involved in the family businesses outside in the mortal realm… yet you already have two companies of your own. Saddling you with even more would be unfair at this juncture. Your aggressive growth and maturity also call into question when I should inform you of our family's most closely guarded secrets."
I matched my father's half-smile with one of my own, but I tried to inject a little humor into my voice, "Well, if you're asking about what I think then… well, I will just have to let those decisions rest on your shoulders. Where they belong. I am your son. This is your house, your family; you make the rules, and I follow them. Whether or not I 'feel ready' is inconsequential; it only matters when you feel I am ready."
The red velvet padding of the armchair I was seated in squished pleasantly as I leaned my elbow on it, "If it's all the same to you I would prefer to finish out my studies as quickly as possible so that I can concentrate on improving myself, or my businesses. I'm afraid that I am in no hurry to grow up- to leave behind the fine trappings of childhood and enter into the realms of men. Though honestly I wouldn't be opposed to learning the rituals to make the Phenex Tears; having another Phenex in the rotation would do a great deal to free up some additional time for you and my brothers. Without my studies taking up six hours of my day spending an hour in the ritual chamber to make a batch once a week would hardly inconvenience me. However, until that day comes when I can no longer push back my coming of age… I'll have to impose on your hospitality for a bit longer; really make the most of these carefree days of my youth."
My father blinked before a low chuckle left his lips. Soon that low chuckle turned into raucous laughter, and my father leaned back into his chair and placed a palm over his eyes, "That! That right there is what I'm talking about, Riser! Satans below, you cause me no end to my sleepless nights… and now I have a daughter to look after as well; if you aren't going to be the death of this old Phenex then she likely will."
"I'll have you know that she'll grow up to be a powerful, intelligent, and refined young lady," I let a few laughs bubble up from my chest as I leaned back in my chair, my feet kicking back and forth childishly, "I've seen it."
Despite my intentions, it appeared as though my words did more to quench the vibe than they did to stoke it.
The fingers over my father's eyes cracked open and I felt my blood run cold- his molten gold orbs searing into me, "What… what else, have you seen my son?"
I felt my eyes moisten under the scrutiny, and in spite of my fervent desire to hold his gaze properly, I couldn't stop myself from instinctively averting them, "I've seen many things, Father. Great things. Terrible things. Great and Terrible things. Images only- snapshots frozen in time. I cannot recall them and yet I have seen them. They float in the back of my mind like a specter, near-formless and indistinct, fuzzy, and yet at times clarity comes and I remember. If only for a few moments."
My whole head turned toward the carpet, if only to avoid his terrifying, flaming eyes.
I could feel it.
The terrible power of my father boiling underneath the surface of his skin like a volcano about to erupt.
Sweat beaded up on my brow and began to make its descent down my face, and my lungs found it almost impossible to breathe with the sheer intensity of the demonic aura that was starting to leak past his impressive control.
However, just as quickly as it came, it retreated.
I gasped as I felt the haze fade away like mist before the morning sun, and I felt two hands grasp the sides of my face. My father knelt before me, his thumbs caressing the bones beneath my cheeks.
He looked haggard. Exhausted. Defeated.
I hated it. My father was someone indomitable in my mind, even though I knew that devil or not. High-Class pureblood or not. Pillar Lord or not… he was ultimately a man.
Even the strongest men can falter and fall.
"Is that why you train so hard, my boy?" His voice was barely a whisper, but I could feel the emotions that flooded them.
I couldn't move my head, so I settled for a simple "Yes."
His hands left my face and he wrapped me up in his arms, the position naturally guiding my cheek to the crook of his neck.
"What a 'wonderous gift' you have, my son," He all but spat.
The vitriol in his words might as well have vaporized into a cloud of poison.
My short arms settled for wrapping around his chest, and I gave him a squeeze, "Whether it is a true gift or a poison pill… I don't really care. For all of the ill it has shown me it has also shown me the good; I got to see my sister before she was ever conceived. I've also seen her grow up; she looks so much like mother it hurts… and she'll grow up to be a fine, happy young lady."
Father squeezed me back tightly, his voice cracking a touch, "So it isn't all bad then. Good. Good. That is good."
"And… at least I know something is coming," I murmured in response, his bristly hairs tickling my lips, "I don't know when, or why. But I do know that the 'Beast of the Apocalypse bears the mark of 6-6-6' ."
Silence reigned.
Marcus Phenex turned his head and placed his lips against my brow, "Ill portents indeed…"
His warmth left me as he slowly stood up and spent a few moments futzing with my blonde hair, "I will investigate this. If your visions are anything like your mother's then not checking into it would be the height of foolishness. Now, off you go; I'm sure your mother would appreciate having you by her side."
His pat on the bottom got me moving, and I stopped at the door, "If I've seen it… then it is likely someone else has as well."
"I know how to be discreet, my son," My father picked up his wine glass and tossed its contents back, "You'll find that your father has some friends in rather high places. Now. Go. To your sister. I have much work to do."
I shut the door behind me and made my way down the hall from my father's office to their bedroom in the west wing of the manor.
When I arrived it was to the sight of my mother putting one of her shapely and beautiful breasts away, little Ravel held in the crook of her arm.
I felt my cheeks color but my mother beckoned me forth with a simple curling of her finger, and I stripped out of my coat and slipped my shoes off so that I could clamber onto the bed.
My mother placed the bleary-eyed babe on the bed between us, and she curled onto her side; my tiny fingers wormed into the swaddling to grasp onto Ravel's little fist and I let out a sigh as my mother's hand stroked the side of my head.
I was wrapped in the gentle embrace of my mother's demonic power, and the soft, pleasant humming of her voice slithered into my ears to lull me off to a pleasant mid-afternoon nap.
Here, at this moment, all of the woes and worries of the days ahead felt so far… far away…
Seated in the carriage headed toward the manor of the Gremory estates was exceedingly uncomfortable, though not because the carriage was cramped but because my skin was itching.
It was also because I was wearing clothing that I was unused to- I usually wore a short-sleeved pristine white blouse, viridian green trousers with suspenders, and plain brown boots without laces. During my classes, this was upgraded with a matching viridian green coat that had gold leaf buttons, a red or blue necktie depending on the day, and a silver and gold pin on the chest pocket with the symbol of House Phenex prominently displayed. I often dressed down when taking lessons with my father or General Hans, and stripped down to my plain white t-shirt that I wore underneath the blouse when working on magic with my brothers.
However, I was now dressed for a formal occasion, and I looked like I stepped out of the 17th century!
Spoiler: Poor RiserSI
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Thankfully the formalwear was similar to what I was used to wearing already as they were similarly colored, a mixture of hunter and viridian greens, with polished gold buttons keeping the coat and vest closed, but the scarlet red cape with the Phenex crest on the back in actual gold thread was a touch too much. The pantaloons I could have done without, the same with the tights, and the gold buckles on my shoes were just obnoxious. The black hat with silver piping was the icing on the cake, with a large falcon's feather slipped into a restraining band on the top, and it enchanted to look as though it was on fire; I never felt so mortified in my life.
"Mother," I said aloud as I fussed with the floofy lacy collar around my neck, "Next time tell me that I can have a suit made. I look as though I should be grabbing a Nightmare and rushing down the roads screaming 'The British are Coming! The British are Coming!"
My mother gave me a wistful smile while my eldest brother Ruval chuckled, "Ah, I remember that particular evening… ole' Paul Revere had a set of lungs on him, that man."
I gave Ruval a queer look as I wasn't certain if he was being serious or just yanking my chain, but my mother captured my attention by patting my thigh, "Very well, sweetheart. Though your momma thinks you look very handsome."
A sigh left my lips as I stopped futzing with the lacey things protruding from my sleeves, "I think I would rather see what you think is 'dashing' and 'debonaire' if this is what you think is 'handsome'."
She hummed, "Well then, do you have a certain look in mind?"
Spoiler: Check the Desired Fit
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Immediately my thoughts turned to clean lines with few frills. Dark colors were primary, but considering I wasn't nearly so jaded I could go with a wider palette of ties. A nice tie bar, some French cuff links, and solid shoes would tie it all together. I'd forgo something like an expensive watch until I'd fully grown, and the belt would likely be the plainest part of the ensemble- once again no need to get too fancy with it.
Simplistic and stylish was my aim, with a focus on flexibility that would come from the cuts.
I could already see it in my mind's eye.
"Yes, I do have a few things in mind."
Blue eyes turned into half moons as my mother chuckled and stroked my cheeks, "I certainly look forward to seeing what you think is 'dashing' and 'debonair'. Huuhuuhuu~, I wonder if it will be half as cute as what Regenal put together when he first chose his own clothing."
"Mother!" Regen hissed as he waved his hand, "There is no need to bring up the past; there are some things that are better left buried where they belong."
I leaned to my side and looked over at my older brother, and upon seeing his cheeks pinken I let myself arch an eyebrow, "Oh? Do tell, mother."
Elise Phenex pinched my cheek, "Another time, my little feather; we've almost arrived."
Normally we wouldn't be utilizing the flying carriage for a trip such as this, but since this was my first time to the Gremory estates I had not yet been keyed into their wards, so my sister and I needed to each present a drop of blood onto the primary wardstone to be recognized as the close friends of the family that we were.
I leaned over and looked out the window to see the land rushing just a few hundred feet below us and sighed.
My wrists began itching again and I pulled back the ruffles before letting a touch of magic run along my wrist, and a flowing band of Korean script became visible- the characters slowly spinning around my flesh before I stopped applying mana; the glow faded away to black ink, and then after a few moments, the ink slithered back underneath my flesh. The same seals were drawn around my other wrist, my ankles, and around my waist; the name of this particular binding art was not known to me, and Veranda had been tight-lipped about what it actually was or how it functioned.
It had obvious roots in Korean mysticism, and I could see hints of Confucianism in some of the Chinese characters, but the research that I was able to do led me to very little.
Ultimately, when activated they did their job well enough, and that was what mattered.
When turned on the restraints would draw my wrists to my hips and my ankles to one another, and I had to resist this pulling force by pushing magical energy into the restraints in conjunction with a little physical strength to move. These particular bindings were used for low to mid-level spirits and monsters, and thus they weren't too difficult to use, but even walking around the house with them activated saw me huffing and puffing.
They were perfect for my needs, but I wondered if these modified restraints would grow with me or if I would have to have them removed with a stronger set of seals put in their place.
A light flick to my earlobe saw me stop fiddling with them and at my mother's warning look; she obviously didn't want me to get all sweaty when we were about to meet her close friends, and I couldn't blame her.
I instead turned my attention to the clockwork orb that hung from my neck underneath my many-layered coats. With a small touch of mana, I felt the orb come to life, and within my mind's eye, a simple puzzle formed.
Spoiler: Introductory Mana Puzzle
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This was an heirloom gift that my mother had received from her mother, and much to my surprise both my brother Ruval and Regen had more than a few years with this device hanging around their neck; in a decade or so I would be expected to pass this onto my sister to aid her in her training.
The golden orb was small, no larger than a marble, but that marble was in fact a shell that contained over four dozen different shells, much in the style of a matryoshka doll. On each shell, there were dozens of magical puzzles that had been painstakingly engraved by a talented devil artificer's hand, and they ranged from laughably simple 'single thread' maze puzzles to frustratingly complex 'multi-thread' puzzles. In order to cast any spell outside of my body I would have to thread a small amount of my mana through the maze- without touching the edges- and once it was outside the orb I could then take that single thread and manipulate it as needed to conduct said spell.
Most simple spells only required a single thread of mana to be fed into the magic circle to actualize it, but larger and more powerful spells- or more complex spells- required multiple threads to feed the activation points on the magic circles. The amount of mana and the number of threads you needed to control corresponded to how well fleshed out the spell you were trying to cast was.
Devil Magic was powered by imagination, yes, but there were certain requirements- certain levels of understanding- that were necessary to make that spell a reality. It wasn't as though you could just will a giant fire tornado into existence… well, not unless you just dumped a horrific amount of mana into it, but those who could free-form spells like that on the fly were monstrously powerful to begin with, and if you saw them wasting huge amounts of mana like that then they're just fucking with you hardcore.
Freeforming a spell to blow someone the fuck up was like pulling down your pants and helicoptering your dick around; it was just to add insult to injury.
If you survived, that is.
There is a reason why my studies had been so heavily oriented towards not just the maths, administration, etiquette, and arts, but also the sciences and foundations of magical theory.
A long time ago casting whatever spell you wanted was a lot easier for devils, but as magic- a more structured method of magic- began to proliferate among the humans and other non-human races, the world itself began to respond, altering how magic functioned as a whole to better suit the most common systems of beliefs. The crumbling of the devil populations after the Great War and Devil Civil War certainly didn't help things as lots of magic was lost with the extinction of many Demon Pillars, and without the beliefs of millions of devils providing a counter-balance, the scales shifted in favor of the other magical methods.
Ajuka Beelzebub theorized that the great loss of numbers, coupled with the low numbers of devils in the mortal realm in general, was what helped this process along, as it only took six hundred years for the fabric of the world to change; a startlingly short amount of time given the thousands upon thousands of years that magical beings had been present in the world up to that point.
So having a solid foundation in math, physics, chemistry, and other sciences was essential in being able to craft your own spells and create your own magic circles; understanding metaphysical concepts, symbology, themes, meanings, and the like also can help in making your spell more stable.
Where the devil concept of 'imagination' comes into play is that if there are gaps in your knowledge- or the spell is cockeyed and unstable- then the malleability of our mana makes it so that applying more can fill in the gaps. How much extra magical energy is required depends on the size and number of gaps, so while you can power through a half-baked formula, it is obviously much better to create a solid, stable spell in the first place.
Though a solid and stable spell was only one half of the equation: the other half was the ability of the devil to have the control and throughput in order to power those spells.
My training in the Dungeon, and my newly acquired restraint tattoos, would be helping me on the throughput side, while the necklace helped me with my fine control.
The more I progressed with the necklace the more complex the mazes became, though I had to make a conscious decision to activate the necklace, so it wasn't as though I'd be gimped if there was a sudden, sticky situation that I needed to find my way out of; that and it only affected my mana control with spells outside of my body, meaning that my Phenex regeneration would work regardless.
Still, that meant I would have to force myself to use it at all times, much like the restraint spells on my body; a pain right now, but I knew that in true shounen fashion, I'd be likely to forget that they were ever not a part of my body. Or at least I hoped.
I moved a single thread of mana through the simple maze and entertained my little sister with a delicately flickering orb of blue-tinted fire, and a smile tugged at my lips as I watched her beautiful blue eyes follow it around as I let it slowly dance in front of her face. She tried to reach out and touch it a few times, but I carefully moved it back just out of reach until she looked like she was about to cry, and then I finally let her boop it with some spit-covered fingers.
It really was going to take me a long time to get over the fact that a fire such as this would never harm her, but damnit my Big Brother Instincts (TM) were always twigged whenever I saw her reach for it!
The fact that my mother knew what was going through my head and was immensely amused by it just made it all the more embarrassing.
After a handful of minutes, the driver of our horseless flying coach signaled that we were about to arrive, and I cut the flow of mana to the spell so that I could look out the window.
We had finally arrived at the Gremory estates, and I had a feeling that I'd be seeing a fair amount of it in the years to come.
The moment the flying horseless carriage touched down I was up on my feet and ready to get out. It was sort of funny that I could spend hours upon hours slogging through the cramped space that was the Dungeon with a wicked smile on my face while being constantly bombarded by illusory curses that would give normal people nightmares for years and yet being cooped up in a rather spacious carriage decked out to the nines in luxury made me feel rather antsy.
Or maybe it was because, at this little formal get-together, I would be meeting two of our world's four Devil Kings: the Maous Satan Lucifer and Satan Leviathan.
Two of the four strongest beings in the entire Underworld, with Sirzechs the Super Devil undeniably at the very top and Serafall being the strongest female devil.
My palms were clammy and my heart rate was starting to speed up now that I was no longer distracted by my little Ravel's curious yet sleepy face; we were almost at her bedtime but given the evening timing of the shindig at the Gremory's it couldn't be helped.
A large hand settled onto my shoulder and I looked up to see Ruval giving me a reassuring smile, "There is no need to be nervous, Riser. Everything will be just fine."
Regen scoffed as he placed a hand on my other shoulder, "Nervous? No, you misjudge- the little feather is excited, aren't you? I would have expected that after all of your experience, you would have been able to tell a nervous man from one who looks like he grasped onto a live wire."
My father, standing at the door to the carriage, placed his palm on the door frame and gave me a look, "I do hope it doesn't need to be said that doing something that would embarrass us in front of our very good friends would be… most unfortunate, yes?"
"Give me a break, Lord Father. You all should know me by now- the last thing I'm going to do is… is… hop out of the carriage and challenge Lord Lucifer for his chair!" I couldn't stop myself from huffing as I crossed my arms over my chest, but a small smile tugged at my lips, "I'll at least wait until dessert has been served and everyone is chatting over a saucer of coffee."
"As long as I've got a good cup of coffee in my hands and coffee cake on my lap then you may shout your challenge to the heavens themselves," My father's eyes were closed but there was a smile on his face, and when he opened them back up he gave my elder brothers a playful look, "It wouldn't be the first time, nor the second, that a young Phenex lad has done so."
My head snapped between Regen and Ruval, my two blonde-haired brothers suddenly finding the decor rather engaging.
I arched an eyebrow, "Oh~? Is that so? My, I learn something new about my brothers every single day; how interesting."
Regen's grip on my shoulder tightened up, "One day you'll slip up, little brother, and when that day comes…"
"Nonsense," I scoffed arrogantly, "My track record is flawless, and it will continue to be so. A scandal-free childhood will be the least of my legacy; never caused any problems with my tutors, never got chased around Nightmare stables by angry equines while butt naked, and to date, I am the only Phenex in living memory that hasn't caught his bedroom curtains on fire. This beautiful Underworld of ours will surely freeze over before you catch me sleeping."
Ruval pinched my ear, the eye-smile on his face positively radiating happiness, "You know what they say, little brother? 'Never say never'."
"Your ability to simply ask the Nightmares to leave their pens so you could clean them up is just cheating," Regen grumbled, and I had to admit it sort of was.
I hummed in agreement, "I will not lie and say that my inheritance of the Barbatos blood traits does not give me a distinct advantage in corraling the loveable beasts."
Nightmares were one of the many luxury goods that the Phenex family sold to the rest of the Underworld; our warm environment, despite being incredibly 'green' and lush, was host to a number of dormant and semi-active volcanos that were perfect for raising the flaming horses. Horseback riding was also a mandatory part of our training as nobles, but despite being the sons of the Pillar Demon there were many time-honored traditions that had to be followed for those who trained with the beautiful beasts; feeding and watering, exercising, and of course mucking out the stables.
They shat out freak'n lava. It was cool- the coolest shit I ever had to clean up in my life, and interestingly enough there were a number of alchemical recipes that utilized the fiery-hot excrement as an ingredient. My tonics used a pinch of the stuff, refined of course, to give it a fire-natured base to match it to my affinities.
Regardless they were rather temperamental, but given that I could speak the languages of all animals- be they magical or mundane- it gave me a huge leg up on feeling the flaming horses out and learning just how to handle each one. Big Bertha was my favorite of the bunch, the largest and strongest of the four herds we had on our lands- she tried to trample me to death at our first meeting, so I kicked her ass. We've been fast friends ever since, and given the defacto leader of the Nightmares bows her head to me the rest soon learned to follow suit; if she didn't break any legs then I certainly would.
Granted I was far stronger than my brothers when they were my age, so while they had to approach the beasts with a healthy dose of respect I could simply enforce my will; granted I wasn't an asshole or anything- being able to actually speak with them opened up a whole lot of doors for me- but when someone stepped out of line I was more than willing to lay down the law.
The Nightmares and I have an… understanding, if you will.
Spoiler: Nightmare - Big Bertha
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I was dragged out of my thoughts by the carriage door opening to reveal a crisply dressed porter sporting the Gremory sigil on his left breast, "Welcome to the Gremory Estates once more, Lord Phenex. Will there be any baggage that needs handling?"
"Rupert, you are looking well," My father moved down the steps, "As for baggage, no, we have nothing else with us but ourselves."
We piled out of the carriage in order of precedence, with my mother following my father, my eldest brother Ruval following her, Regenald after him, and myself and my parent's two Queens- Clarissa and Veranda- trailing respectfully behind me. Given that this was the Gremory estates and we were only visiting for the evening protocol dictated that we leave the Butlers and Maids at home.
To be honest, I was missing Lirianne already; my shadow felt so empty without her around.
My silly buckled shoes scratched against the rough-hewn cobblestones, and I looked around. Brilliant grassy fields stretched all around me, with carefully manicured trees breaking up the scenery in artfully crafted copses, and the stone road ran far past the gently sloping hills on the horizon; a four-meter-tall wrought iron fence with a meter of thick stone wrapped around the entire perimeter of the Gremory estate proper, and given the sheer size of the area the walls extended for at least fifty kilometers or more.
"Riser," My father's voice caught my attention and I trotted over to him.
"If you would please follow me," A Low-Class devil wearing what looked to be a variant of an 18th-century military uniform bowed lowly while holding out his hand toward an alcove on the side of the guard house.
I wasn't surprised when my mother followed right behind me, and I was greeted with the familiar sight of a thick book that was open, its pages filled with neatly lined blocks containing numerous signatures; we had a similar guest book at the primary gate of our own estate, and the books themselves were tied into the wards though they were temporary. I took the proffered quill and dipped it in the ink before elegantly scrawling my name into the next empty block; after blowing on the ink a few times I placed my thumb next to my signature and pushed a small amount of mana into it. The ink glowed softly, a firey orangish-red that matched my nature before it faded, and I stepped to the side so that my mother could write in Ravel's name before placing her tiny fingers up against the page.
Mother cooed at Ravel a few times before the gentle cajoling caused the babe to release a spark, and Mother guided the spark onto the page. She smothered Ravel in kisses, "Oh~! Such a good girl you are! So smart! Fuufuufuu~."
From the guardhouse, we piled into another carriage, this one bedecked with loads of Gremory memorabilia, and the Spectral Horse easily pulled its burden along at the behest of the coach driver.
Spoiler: Spectral Horse
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The Gremory, Sitri, and Phenex lands all bordered each other, and all three were avid breeders of horses; if I remembered correctly they were the first three Pillar families to import their steeds to the Underworld in any appreciable number almost two and a half thousand years ago, and the dense mana of the Underworld caused the animals to change to better suit their environments. The Gremory lands were rich in spirits, just like the Phenex lands were replete with dormant and active volcanos, and the Sitri lands home to the largest bodies of water; the horses evolved to suit their environments, and it showed in their appearance and abilities.
It was also one of the many things the three clans bonded over- their love for dangerous horses.
When the carriage finally stopped we proceeded out once more in order, and I followed my family until we made it to the bottom of the steps. Lined up in a row to mirror us at the top of the stairs were the undeniable faces of Lord and Lady Gremory; to their direct left were Lord and Lady Sitri, and to their right were Lord and Lady Agares.
Spoiler: Zeoticus Gremory
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Spoiler: Venelana Gremory
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Spoiler: Talbin Sitri
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Spoiler: Hariella Sitri
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Spoiler: Henry Agares
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Spoiler: Talsbeth Agares
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If the two Satans were there I couldn't see them, but given that this was a family function they would likely be inside rather than out front; though they would have Pride of Place at any social function, the Satans were sticklers about their image, and refused to let their presences overshadow the Hosts and Guests of the event they were attending. Especially if it was a private function such as this.
As one, the entire Phenex family lowered our torso a handful of degrees, and my father, with a hand placed over his heart, spoke serenely, "I, Marcus Phenex, Lord of House Phenex, Marquis of the 72 Demon Pillars, do announce my presence to my host, Lord Zeoticus Gremory, Duke of the 72 Demon Pillars. Accompanying me are my Wife and Lady, Elise Phenex, my three sons, Ruval, Regenald, and Riser, and my daughter, Ravel. Attending to us are my Queen, Clarissa DeVere, and the Queen of my wife, Soo Young Kim."
"Oh ho~? We're being all formal now, are we, Marcus?" Zeoticus Gremory half-whispered to himself with an amused air before he bowed shallowly to mirror my father, "I, Zeoticus Gremory, Lord of House Gremory, Duke of the 72 Demon Pillars, hear your pronouncement and I greet thee with great relish. Let it be heard that Marcus Phenex of House Phenex, his family, and his attendants shall receive the full comfort of House Gremory's Guest Rights. Let neither harm nor neglect nor treachery shadow their heads."
At his words, we all straightened up and Zeoticus met my father halfway, the pair embracing and exchanging cheek kisses that happened to be just a touch too close to each other's lips; the way the two men were hugging hip to hip- dick to dick- clued me into the distinct possibility that my father and Lord Gremory might be a little more than just friends.
That my father shared the same hugs and kisses with not only Lord Sitri but Lord Agares as well had me tilting my head; I side-eyed Ruval and Regen but the pair didn't seem to be phased by this at all.
My mother, however, was far less reserved than my father, and when she met Venelana Gremory, Lady Sitri, and Lady Agares, the woman openly began french-kissing the trio. Little Ravel found her little face smushed between four sets of equally generous bosoms, and I could have sworn I heard a roar from the ether blissfully shouting 'BOOBS!'
Reflexively I flared my mana to make sure that I wasn't caught in some illusion, but after feeling nothing being expelled from my body I shrugged.
However, this little flare didn't escape the notice of everyone in attendance, and my father, with his arm wrapped over the shoulder of Lord Sitri, gave me a look, "What was that, my boy?"
I cleared my throat as I bowed deeply, "Apologies, Lord Father. I thought someone was playing a trick on me."
"Ah, I see," My father hummed, but my Mother chimed in.
"My little feather has been training in the Dungeon a lot as of late," As if that explained everything, yet the interested murmurs from the others made me think that they at least understood.
I came out of my bow to see Zeoticus cock his hip out, the man holding a hand up to his chin, "Yes, those illusions are certainly something, aren't they? Though I would bet that if this was an illusion it would be certainly a most welcoming one compared to what that wretched place cooks up."
"It certainly beats the feeling of walking on the surface of giant eyeballs, Lord Gremory."
The red-haired devil threw back his head in raucous laughter before he jabbed my father in the ribs with his elbow, "You never told me your serious boy had a sense of humor, Marcus! What else haven't you told me? Ah, never mind that! Let us go inside and greet our esteemed Satans, then we dine!"
Ruval was the first to follow the gathered Lords and Ladies, and when Regen passed me the man flicked my ear with a smug smirk on his face, his voice a teasing whisper, "Flaring your power in front of so many Lords and Ladies? For shame, little brother. 'Scandal-free'? Indeed."
I resisted the urge to rabbit-punch him in the kidney as I followed behind, "A little bit of a warning would have been nice!"
"Now where would the fun in that be?" His blue eyes twinkled with mirth.
I gave him my best scowl but that didn't seem to phase him at all; damn him and his Phenex regeneration!
Still, while I knew that my mother and father had their peerage members as lovers, to think that they were also swingers was something of a shock to me. Harems? Yes, it was something natural that occurred in the Underworld, both due to the way power attracted devils and also because of the population problems our kind had. Monogamy wasn't practiced because it was the standard- if you only had one husband or one wife then you were simply weak. The Pillar Families, however, had a Husband/Wife dynamic strictly for lineage purposes, but the non-Pillar families were more often than not founded upon multiple families binding themselves together for wealth and protection; a hold-over from the eras of war that our people have been embroiled in.
And since they were creatures of Sin there weren't any social conventions against homosexuality unless the devil in question was a Pillar Heir; it didn't matter if you only loved men or women, regardless of your feelings you would have a husband or a wife and you would produce an Heir yourself. However, once said heir was produced then you could live how you liked as long as it didn't conflict with established Pillar Laws or the Laws of the New Satan government.
I was still in a bit of a daze when I crested the top of the staircase, and I stared at the bricks in front of my feet until I was standing in front of two incredibly recognizable people.
Well, three incredibly recognizable people.
Sirzechs Lucifer, the Strongest Devil.
Spoiler: Sirzechs Lucifer
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Serafall Leviathan, the Strongest Female Devil.
Spoiler: Serafall Leviathan
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Greyfia Lucifuge, wife of Lucifer and contender for the title of Strongest Female Devil… though most in the Underworld know her by her primary title: The Strongest Maid.
Spoiler: Greyfia Lucifuge
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If Lirianne were here no doubt she would be swooning right now; if Sirzechs was the measuring stick of all devil-kind, then his wife was the bar with which all Maids were measured.
Thankfully this was a private function, and thus Lord Lucifer didn't have his stupid, pointy shoulder pads, but Lady Leviathan was sure as shit dressed up as a magical girl. This particular outfit had an obnoxious amount of sparkly sequins.
Lord Lucifer's face was impassive as he gazed down at me, but it was his voice that really caught my attention, "Why do I feel like you're thinking something very uncharitable about me?"
"Chuu chuu chuu~, don't be like that, Zechy!" Serafall came to my rescue as she bounced in place, the woman waving her wand around the air, but her exuberance came to a halt- the tip of her magic wand tapping the bottom of her lip, "Though you are right, I certainly getting that funny feeling as well…"
Break lock, break lock, break lock!
I bowed deeply, "Lord Luficer, Lady Leviathan, excuse me… just meeting you for the first time is an overwhelming experience."
I tilted my head up toward Greyfia, "Especially you, Lady Lucifuge; I am neither butler or maid but I am a big fan of the work you do. Not a day goes by when my personal maid doesn't live by your tenants, and her professionalism and dedication to them have been nothing short of a boon for me and my busy schedules."
The stern woman gave me a slight curtsy, "Your words are very kind, Young Lord."
"Ah, where are my manners?" I straightened myself up and placed a hand over my heart, "I am Riser Phenex, 3rd born son of Marcus and Elise Phenex. It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time."
I blinked rapidly as a gold star booped my nose, and Serafall chuckled as she spun her wand in her hand, "Kuukuukuu~, so formal! No need to feel like you have to be all straight-laced on our accounts! We're here as family, not as the Satans, you know?"
I let my eyes close as I smiled, "Ah, as much as I wish to follow your commands, my Lord Father has made it clear that I should wait to misbehave until after he has his coffee and coffee cake in hand. Apparently, there is a bit of a family tradition among the young men of the Phenex family, and in order to keep that tradition going strong I must announce a challenge to Lord Lucifer for his throne. But only after the coffee and cake."
My face was immediately smooshed into the heavenly side of Serafall's breast, but the arm locked around my throat smothered any enjoyment I could have; the woman poked my cheek with her finger, "Now you're getting into it! Just keep on being a sassy little boy and we'll get along swimmingly!"
I felt my eyes widen, "I can't tell if you're being serious or are joking, Lady Leviathan."
"Muuhuuhuu~! I'm either jokingly serious or seriously joking, but it's up to you to decide to guess which one is which!" She winked at me before pinching my cheek, "Just don't get it wrong, mmmkay~?"
I started to sweat.
Shit. I didn't really know these people as well as someone who read the light novels, but they seemed to tolerate Issei pretty well, and I wasn't nearly as obnoxious as the turd, so I should be fine right?
Blue eyes sparkled at me and I tore them away to glance at Lord Lucifer and Lady Greyfia; neither of them seemed to hold a single ounce of sympathy for me.
I had to remember that I wasn't a main character. I didn't have the familial ties, and there was no plot armor between me and the Power of Destruction.
I had to be cool. Calm. Collected.
I just had to play it by ear- be affable and still respectful. Keep my mouth shut-
"You're insane. Absolutely daft . If you of all people cannot see what I see then you should hang up your cloak because you aren't fit to be a ruler of any people, let alone ours."
I crossed my arms over my chest defiantly as I tilted my chin back to stare up at Lord Lucifer.
Blue burned into blue.
"Oh ho~? Is that so ?" His words were like ice placed against the back of my neck; cold with a keen edge that could cleave my head from my shoulders with just the precise application of his power alone.
Yet, I wasn't afraid at all, for I was clothed in the armor of Moe, and no one could do me harm.
"Clearly," I swept my hand over the crib that held the four babes, all of them nestled up against one another, "Look at them."
I turned away from the Satan and leaned over the edge, "See how beautiful my little sister is? The elegance? The grace?"
Twin orbs of heavenly boobage pressed against the back of my head would have made anyone else jump in glee, but the fingers that threatened to tear into my ribcage told a different story.
"She's sprawled all over my precious So-tan!" Serafall hissed into my ear, and I could have sworn I felt an icicle form at the bottle of my earlobe, but I was undeterred.
"A display of dominance, masterfully done at that," I grit through my teeth, trying to ignore the claws of the Satan pricking against my flesh through my many-layered coats, "Do you see the way my little Ravel is lying on top of Rias and Sona? It's absolutely adorable! And completely disarming- she's showing them where they belong in the pecking order while still being as precious as a button!"
Ravel chose that moment to burble sleepily and roll off of the legs of both Sona and Rias, and as she curled up into a little ball the pair grunted and raised their legs up to rest them on top of her.
Icy breath spread hoarfrost across the back of my neck, "Huuhuuhuu~, what was that you said? About knowing her place?"
Destruction swirled around the crown of Sirzech's head as he leaned down and squashed his cheek up against mine, "It seems as though your precious Ravel-chan has now become a little footstool for my dear Ri-chan! Kuukuukuu~."
My lips twisted and I denied, "That is where you're wrong- it's a deception tactic! The wise Sun Tzu once said that you must appear weak where you are strong, and strong where you are weak; she's merely ceding the initiative for now, to get them comfortable, and once their guards are down she will open her beautiful blue eyes and dominate."
The Agares baby, Seekvaria, sniffled a little bit and wiped at her eyes before she rolled onto her belly and crawled on top of the puppy pile. Neither Sona, Rias, or Ravel let out a noise in protest.
I could feel my mood sour, just as Lord Lucifer's and Lady Leviathan's did.
"W-well…" Lucifer choked out.
Deciding to be the bigger man I coughed into my fist, "Well, little Rias and Sona are indeed cuties that outshine the moon and stars… so too does my little Ravel. So… for now, we'll call it a draw?"
I held out my hand and both Sirzechs and Serafall grasped onto it.
"Deal.""Deal."
Thus an unholy alliance was born, but little did those fools know that I had my fingers crossed behind my back the whole time!
So deeply enamored with my own perfidy I never noticed that Lord Lucifer also had a hand behind his back, and so too did Lady Leviathan.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, and Shurukkah for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: This chapter ran a lot longer than intended, but I am a sucker for world building, especially when it gives little details that we're missing since we're taking fairly large time skips at a time.
Chapter 5 - Insert Increasingly Progressive Chapter Name Here
[Phenex Estates]
[Riser Phenex]
"Aaaaahhhh!!! Ahhhh!"
"Anhhh! Nhhh!"
A tiny fist swatted out and booped a tiny nose, and immediately eyes scrunched up- the waterworks starting. The whining babe was quickly scooped up and bounced gently on a lap as little Rias Gremory clutched at her smarting red nose. In the meanwhile, a startled little Sona looked between her tiny fist and the crying Rias a few times before her little mind made the connection and she too started to weep. Tiny tears dripped down her cheeks as she flapped her arms around, no doubt looking around for her mother, but alas her mother was seated me and looking over my shoulder intently.
She was… frustratingly close- I could feel her hot breath kissing the back of my neck but I knew that she was merely curious about what I was working on so diligently while this little picnic was going on.
Hariella Sitri was a raven-haired beauty with green eyes and a more than generous figure, and rather than the dresses that all ladies were used to wearing she was more casual with a vertically striped sleeveless turtleneck that did more to accentuate her curves than hide them. With a flick of her wrist, a small magic circle came into existence- a basic and inefficient telekinesis spell- and little Sona floated up gently in the air and bounced and tumbled a little bit before coming to rest in Lady Sitri's arms. The mode of transport had caught little Sona off guard, and her tears had stopped well before she ended up in her mother's arms and pressed against her bosom.
Little Seekvaria was content to observe while rolling a ball back and forth between her legs by flicking her tiny feet, and my sweet little Ravel was glaring balefully at Rias who continued to cry; my sister was nestled in my mother's arms, but unfortunately the blue light of prophecy was glowing within my mother's eyes- so for now she was lost to the world except for the little girl held securely within her grasp. It was going to be a short one, I could feel it, no more than a few days at most, and of that I was thankful; it had scarcely been two weeks since her last episode, and I wasn't the only one who disliked seeing her in such a state.
Yet despite being nearly completely unawares, the three other women of the Four-Way Alliance were keen to see their closest friend and lover included in their activities.
After all, it was an incredibly rare treat for four children to be born so closely together in any of the Pillar Houses, and seeing them all playing with one another was something they took every opportunity to relish in.
As to why I was taking part in these little gatherings every week?
Well, it no longer took me two days to recover from going into the Dungeon. My father's words were true and I was out for little less than a full day now with every trip- the enchanted bed had been doing the majority of the heavy lifting but my own power and spirit were finally able to take on the increased strain and bolster my recovery. This time savings not only saved me a fair amount of money from not having to pay my tutors twelve extra days per year, but it also allowed me to do things like attend these weekly picnics instead.
I was still able to train in the mornings and evenings, and during these afternoon excursions- the venue changing each week on a rotation between the Agares, Gremory, Sitri, and Phenex estates- I was able to do my homework while still spending time with my mother and little sister.
Don't get me wrong, it was rather distracting trying to write on a lap bench while there were four babies burbling, laughing, squealing, and crying in the foreground, but I just chalked it up to some additional training on staying focused. I failed more often than not because babies were rather entertaining and their antics decidedly wholesome, but I was able to complete a fair portion of my work before the afternoon frolic came to an end.
It also was a great way to ingratiate the Satans to me.
You see, the Satans have a lot of work to do.
Work that cuts into their time with their precious little siblings.
I provide for them a very important service, and they pay me handsomely for it- in either money, resources, or favors. Nothing major, but it always paid to be useful to them.
As to how I provided said service? Well, above my head, roughly five meters, floated two flaming orbs roughly the size of a baseball and said baseball was my first original spell that I created with the help of Ruval, Regen, and my father.
Pyromancy was a rather broad umbrella term for a variety of different spell types based around the element of fire. It wasn't just the creation of flames, the control of already created flames, or utilizing fire to make grand explosions; it was also the manipulation of energy itself and has other, lesser explored roots such as divination. For thousands of years, mages have gazed into flames to attempt to divine the future or see the past, and it was that particular path that I decided to take with this spell.
In this particular case, I created a spell that utilized two identical orbs of flames that existed in the same place at the same time, much like a quantum entangled pair; what the 'Sender' orb saw within its view was transmitted to the 'Receiver' orb in full detail. The colors were not accurate, as they were tinted by the colors of the flames themselves- sort of like a Night Vision tube- but the clarity was absolutely stellar.
I wasn't the prodigy most people believed me to be, and as I was nearing the end of my academic studies (I wager that I'll be finished with them around the time I turn eleven, exceeding even my father's expectation of me being complete by the time I received my Evil Pieces) I found myself struggling to make full marks to continue my streak of success despite the absolute hax that was self-hypnosis.
Thankfully my brothers and father were more than happy to assist me in filling out the necessary structures to make this spell circle as accurate, useful, and efficient as possible. It was once more a humbling reminder of how helpful the Phenexs as a whole were to their families; I'd been hesitant at first to ask for help, but the moment Ruval put away his books and sat down next to me to aid me I feel incredibly sheepish.
The teasing that I had been expecting never came, and if anything my brothers seemed to be quite happy to have me come by and see them more often; looking back on it I'd probably given them the impression that I wanted to be seen as some unfailing child or something like that. Or maybe they were just glad to have the chance to feel like older brothers and feel included in my daily life?
Regardless, their knowledge and experience were a boon for me, and they helped me fill out my spell circles far more than what most of my peers thrice my age could have accomplished on my own, and because of their help, I had a low-cost, extremely long range divination spell that was well-aligned with my natural elements of fire and wind. With an almost fully fleshed-out spell circle, I could maintain them both with only a single thread of mana each, though choosing the 'power save' mode meant that I could either look through them or control them; utilizing two threads of mana allowed me to do both at the same time, which was handy when I needed to maneuver them around beyond my line of sight.
As to why this was important?
Well, the two orbs above me were the 'Sender' orbs, and their 'Reciever' orbs were sitting on the desks in Lady Leviathan's and Lord Lucifer's offices in Lilith. Considering it was their lunch break, which these gatherings had suspiciously been timed to coincide with, there was no doubt in my mind that both Serafall and Sirzechs were shoveling food into their mouths while their eyes were glued onto the orbs.
I provided additional 'So-tan/Ri-chan' time and they paid me.
Already their favors had been a huge boon for me because I had been looking for a Touki instructor, and given its rarity in the Underworld not even my Lord Father had enough reach to search outside of his direct lands without causing a few ears to perk up. However, the fingers of the Maous were a little bit longer and more deft.
With their scouting and my Father's backing, we had Sagiyama Kotaro, a reincarnated Nekomata, his wife, Sagiyama Michiko a Half Breed Bakeneko, and their two daughters Ni and Li, hired on as contractors of the Phenex family. It was impossible not to recognize the two nekomata as the same pair in my original counterpart's Peerage, even if they were a half year younger than Rias, Sona, Ravel, and Seekvaria. Which was interesting because I had sworn I saw that they were both reincarnated devils and not Low-Class purebloods.
Well, calling them 'purebloods' was a bit of a misnomer, as even the Devils running the liberal New Satan government had a strict definition, but I personally defined them as being non-reincarnated devils of natural birth.
Regardless, if that had changed- or was never possible in this universe- then what else had changed? Was Issei Hyodou not the holder of the Boosted Gear? Could the events of the future have changed as well?
The more I thought about it the more I realized that thinking myself in circles wasn't going to help me any, and since I barely knew anything about the DxD franchise to begin with worrying about it was only going to be a distraction. Even if some key things changed it wouldn't matter if I just got really fucking strong; there were very few problems that couldn't be solved with the proper amount of force… even if it tended to stray into 'Hammers solve everything' territories.
Still, Kotaro-sensei's King was taking a two-decade-long sabbatical from the Rating Games circuit to focus on straightening up his noble house's affairs, and the money that I was paying him for his Rook's services was incredibly welcome given their dire financial situation. With my Touki instructor secured in a nice little cottage near the Phenex Servant's Quarters I felt a lot better about my training in the future; we would be spending the next few years going over the fundamentals of Touki and hand-to-hand combat, and once I was freed from my academic obligations then I could devote myself to his tutelage in earnest.
"And what, pray tell, are you looking to achieve with this particular spell, hmm?" The throaty voice of Lady Sitri caressed my ears and I did my best to not leap out of my skin.
Gah! Woman! You're too close! Way to close!
I fought down the shiver of her paradoxically hot yet cool breath teasing the hairs on the back of my neck, and I leaned away slightly so that I could properly look at her.
"I'm creating a spell, Lady Sitri. Or at least putting together the fundamentals of it," I was hesitant to show my work, but with how much she was hovering over me already she'd likely seen the formulas and sketches on my paper- a good old Ti-83 calculator seated next to the small ruler and pencils on my lap desk.
When she arched an eyebrow I couldn't stop the sigh from leaving my lips as I tried to explain what it was that I wanted to accomplish. Normally a devil would scoff at the thought of sharing their secrets with other devils, especially those outside of their immediate family, but seeing how my parents interacted and upon learning their history together I felt that I could be free and open with them; especially since it was highly possible that I could be betrothed to any one of the three girls that were present.
There was no point in betting on the marriage contract between the Phenex and Gremorys playing out, so keeping myself open with all of my possible future in-laws was just smart in my opinion. The Four-Way Alliance had roots deeper than some of the oldest trees on Earth, and that meant something to them.
Shifting back over the spell I was developing, I wanted to have a stable of signature moves that I could pull out when the chips were down- given our family's affinities and nature we were predisposed to utilizing the talents given to us by our birth; fire and wind. Ruval was a Master of fire manipulation in all of its forms while Regen chose to seek a different path as our family's resident Master of wind; my father was equally balanced between fire and wind, just as I was.
There were family magic circles that we all had access to, and I could utilize them very well given the amount of training I've dedicated to control, visualization, and throughput. The circles themselves were antiquated, however, made back during the days when the Original 72 Demon Pillars walked the Underworld and their Legions were fully staffed by powerful High-Class pureblood devils; while they still worked even in this day and age, their effectiveness was reduced with the shift in the world. They were still powerful, but their costs had increased rather considerably as the centuries passed by.
Ruval and Regen had taken it upon themselves to go through our family's vast repository of spells and create more detailed versions that meshed better with the current laws of magic. It was amusing to me that it was the human creation of modern science that was what drove the magical development of devil kind forward, but that was only done by those who could see its benefits; Ajuka Beelzebub was the primary driver of these efforts, and my brothers had seen fit to follow from one of the Great Satan's wisdom.
"-so as you can see, by force-feeding a great deal of wind through a narrow tube the Venturi effect takes hold; this drastic increase in velocity would make the flames created at the end of the… 'tube' extremely energetic and far hotter than what I could conceivably do right now with my current level of ability."
I mean, I could create extremely hot flames by simply calling upon my Phenex Fire and dumping a fat load of mana into my blood trait, but they were nowhere near as hot as I'd like and the costs were ruinous. I had spell circles that were capable of generating the levels of heat I desired, but those had to be overfed and I had to watch them like a hawk because the overload made the circles themselves extremely brittle and unbalanced; it took longer to push the formulas to boot, and those precious seconds mattered in the heat of battle.
Never mind the fact that the fragile spell circles could be more easily broken by outside interference… or just simply blow up in my face.
No, I needed a custom job, and there was no better way to get a spell to function exactly how I wanted than to do it myself.
It just meant that I had to purchase collegiate-level textbooks on Fluid Dynamics and the like from MIT via my friendly local librarian.
A blubber caught my attention and I looked down to see Sona's little eyes staring at my papers intently while her mother tapped her chin and hummed.
"Have you considered the Bernoulli principle and how it might affect your calculations, little Riser?" She tapped my drawing with a long but carefully manicured fingernail, "Just as velocity increases so too must static pressure decrease. It's part of the principle of mechanical conservation of energy, don't you know?"
I felt my lips flatten into a thin line as I considered her words.
I'd only known about the venturi effect from those neat little cigarette filters when I did my usual bouts of on-again/off-again smoking while working the drilling rigs; the smoke was forced through multiple tiny holes and they spun out a lot of the tar and heavier particulates leaving the smoke much cleaner when you inhaled. Considering the filters were always coated in nasty-looking gunk whenever I finished smoking I knew they worked, and I never had any hacking coughs that my pack-a-day co-workers had either.
I scribbled the words 'Bernoulli's principle' off to the side and promised to look it up in the textbooks the moment we got back.
That and I needed to do some more digging into symbology as well- if I could make a metaphysical connection between the circle and some entities such as Gods or powerful monsters then it would also make creating this spell infinitely easier compared to going through a pure-number crunching route like I currently was.
It was how I created my signature 'Arrow Artemis' spell, after all. Not that anyone else has seen it except my brothers, so to call it a 'signature spell' right now is a bit much, but in time it will be one that everyone will know! Maybe. I will be doing Rating Games since I think it will be good training, and getting some notoriety here in the Underworld will only be a good thing because to devils reputation means a lot.
Little Sona waggled her hand in my direction and Lady Sitri saw fit to release the child from her arms, and the tiny devil crawled into my lap, forcing me to push my desk further down onto my knees.
She patted the desk, "Uhn!"
Rolling my eyes I quickly put away everything else into my messenger bag before pulling out a slip of paper and placing my smallest pencil into her tiny hand. She was only a year old but devils physically and mentally mature far more quickly than humans, though if you looked at the state of the Underworld you would never know it.
She immediately marveled at her ability to move her arm and draw a line with the pencil, and then she went hog wild, a happy mumble leaving her lips as she drew zigzags and made lopsided ovals.
Though once she started to enjoy herself, like clockwork, the other three came to investigate- Ravel having a harder time escaping my mother's tender embrace- and I was soon drowned in a puppy pile of Pillar babies.
I could practically feel the jealousy radiating off of the twin orbs of fire floating above me.
Yes, cope and seethe my Maous! Cope! And! Seethe!
Again and again, I punch.
In the last few months under Sagiyama Kotaro-sensei's careful eye, I punch.
And listen to him talk about Ki.
I forcefully exhale, throwing my fist forward, tightening my core, and leaning into the blow to ensure that I put all of the force behind it that I could from the current opening stance of the Kuroneko Kata. It was difficult to maintain my balance without a tail there to align my spine but I wasn't the first one that sensei had trained in his former clan's style and I wouldn't be the last one either.
Left arm. Right arm. Left arm. Right arm. Punch after punch. There was no stopping to rest or take a break- I kept on punching until I was no longer able to lift up my arms, and then?
Then he'd have me deactivate the restraint cuffs and resume punching once more.
Spoiler: Sagiyama-Sensei
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We were in front of his cottage, just outside of the waist-high white picket fence where Ni and Li sat on a large cushion- the two babies watching me intently. Sagiyama Michiko, sensei's wife, was tending to a grill where a variety of meats were skewered on metal spikes; every so often fat dribbled onto the meat, causing a flareup that sent a waft of heavenly scents my way.
Spoiler: Sagiyama-Sensei's Wife
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"Ki is one of the very foundational energies that all things exhibit in the world," Sensei's voice filtered into my ears, and while I listened I just kept punching. No matter how much my shoulders and back were begging me to rest.
I was stronger than him, if only just barely, but there was no doubt in my mind that his skill and training would trump me every time unless I went full-out with my blood traits and abilities.
We were both solidly High-Class in strength, and while I was a High-Class solely because of my birth he was a Mid-Class devil only because his King didn't feel he was academically ready to take the High-Class devil tests. One of the conditions for his contract with us was that he would have access to our school system, and he was currently enrolled in the classes for Mid-Class devils such as himself. It would take the better part of a decade for him to be able to pass muster given his current academic exposure, as there was a lot of catching up he had to do not just in the basics but with geopolitics, formal training, etiquette training, and so much more. A lot of Mid-Class devils could attain the strength but getting the education needed to make it through the High-Class exams was a huge sticking point because High-Class devils had certain duties that were required of them, and thus attaining a sponsorship (if their current King was unwilling or unable to help them) was one of the many ways of getting the help they needed to make the climb.
"Ki can be found everywhere there is nature, Riser-kun. In the ground beneath your feet. The rocks on the side of the road. The grass that sways in the wind, and even in the wind itself."
However, most devils never helped out reincarnated devils out of the goodness of their hearts, and when opportunities like his came around- a wealthy and well-respected Pillar family offering to educate and sponsor him- only a devil with a chip on their shoulder would refuse. Given that we were also paying his King a tidy sum in addition to himself, it was one of the best deals that he could have ever hoped for. This is especially true since our territory was so permissive to devils who weren't pureblooded.
"Trees, insects, birds, and all animals of the kingdoms have Ki. Human mortals typically have the most among the mundane despite their inherent frailty, but that is because they have an equal amount of physical and spiritual ki that harmonizes with one another; most animals lack the mental faculties to cultivate the spiritual ki to compete."
Sensei had the intellect and drive to ascend to the ranks and become a High-Class devil, but given the dire straights of his King's territory they simply didn't have the means to get him educated enough to pass the academic portions. Of course, they could have just utilized the tutors of the young lord whom he served under, but most in Academia in the Underworld were old and didn't consider reincarnates devils at all.
"The mystical side of the world, however, has far more natural-born users of ki than the mundane. A human might one day be able to manifest their ki after decades of rigorous training, but the mystical species of the world are sometimes said to be born with ki in hand."
I threw another punch, but it was immediately intercepted by Sagiyama-sensei's open palm.
His golden eyes bore into me.
"You have reached your limits, Riser-kun. Drop the restraints and then resume. You still have five hundred more punches to throw before this training session is concluded."
With a soft sigh, I closed my eyes and focused on where the five points of the restraints Veranda placed on me made contact with my magical reserves and I slowly closed them until they were nothing but pinpricks to my senses; I couldn't close them fully lest they fade away completely.
"When will I be moving onto something other than punches, sensei?" I ask respectfully, "Only out of curiosity, of course. I do not doubt your teachings but a little something to look forward to wouldn't be amiss."
"Oya? Are you being too hard on your cute little student, Ko-kun?" Michiko tittered as she rotated the skewers with her bare fingers.
His ears flattened against his head, his cheeks pinkening, but he maintained a neutral expression, "I am only teaching the boy as I was taught, Mi-chan. You didn't seem to complain when I taught Boros-kun this way."
"Ara~, Boros-kun was merely a street devil who wouldn't stop begging until you agreed to teach him, Ko-kun," The bakeneko tail's slithered behind her languidly, her brown furred ears flicking, "This is the son of our dear sponsor, Lord Phenex-sama, and he is also paying us very handsomely. Don't you think you could give him a little more?"
I quirked an eyebrow. On the inside.
Was sensei not used to teaching someone of high noble standing? I could see it given how gruff he was with me in the beginning. Not that I wanted any special treatment, but to be fair I wasn't a no-name street kid that didn't stop pestering until I got what I wanted; I was a paying customer and not a freeloader. A very powerful and important one at that.
He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to the side as he thought deeply.
After a few moments he nodded, "That does seem to make sense, Mi-chan."
"Ufufufu~, of course it does, meat-for-brains. Why, if it wasn't for the head on my shoulders we would still be pinching pennies with Valac-sama," She pulled the skewers off of the grill and sat down a plain, beaten steel pot filled with water and rice.
"Valac-sama has been kind to us, Michiko, do not speak ill of him," He frowned softly, the unspoken 'especially in front of an outsider' was clear as a bell.
Ah, from what I remember the Valac family had been one of the Presidents of Hell; they fell outside of the normal nobility and were primarily used to act as the primary administrative families during the Original Lucifer's reign. They still had plenty of legions, sometimes even more than their higher-ranked noble counterparts, but the quantity did not make up for the lower quality; a single legion under the command of a Knight of Hell, such as House Furcas, was said to be able to hold their own with any three legions under the Presidents. The Valac had been nearly destroyed by the Heavenly Host in the opening century of the Great War, and their siding with the Old Satan faction saw them further reduced; it was only their bowing of the head that didn't see them exiled, but even in the six centuries since they had never recovered.
So to see a reincarnated devil like sensei defend his King so is surprising given the history that the Valac as a family had.
"Of course, dear~. Valac-sama is a kind-hearted young man, that is true, but it appears that his family's administrative acumen skipped right over him! He thinks that achieving a high rank in the Rating Games will earn him back his father's good graces, and yet he does not see that his father does not adore us as he does."
Big oof. The poor guy was probably kicked out of the family for taking in reincarnated devils into his peerage; the grudges of the old blood run deep. Though seeing as he was still the only Heir to House Valac he couldn't be discarded outright…
Sensei made a noise that amused me in his throat before turning back to me, "Anyway, Riser-kun. The day you can finish throwing one thousand correct punches with your restraints on is the day that we will move onto teaching you how to kick properly. One thousand kicks each, and then we will move on."
I looked up at the moon in the sky, "And I only have three hours with you each day…"
Seeming as though he regained his vigor the man placed his hands on his hips and smirked, "Then I suppose that you'll have to punch and kick quickly, no? A street rat was able to do at least this much, so I expect more from you."
"Ohoho~, that's not nice dear~."
He twitched but recomposed himself.
I have a funny feeling that he was just lying out of his ass right now, but rather than call it out I simply went back to punching.
Taking on the restraints had set back my progress in the Dungeon.
No, not in the way that you're thinking, but they did significantly cut back the number of laps that I was able to do before I found myself crawling on my hands and knees.
Before I put the restraints on I could make ten complete laps around the Dungeon, countering and smashing my way through the illusions. This progress was not linear, as the longer I stayed the more numerous and powerful the illusions became. As I grew, so too did the Dungeon. Or maybe it just released a little bit more power at me as it sensed my increasing resiliency.
The restraints sapped away at my mana just as quickly as the tether between myself and the Dungeon did, and the increased physical resistance forced me to fight for every step that I took.
I had thought about maybe checking out the second ring to see what it was like, but Clarissa had expressly forbidden it; she was easily thrice as strong as me, but even she only felt comfortable staying in the second ring for a handful of minutes at a time. Her passion was being the best maid and lover that my father could ask for, not training.
And boy did that throw me for a loop when she told me.
I remember not too long ago that Clarissa felt like a strongly burning furnace compared to my flickering fireplace, and yet after just three years, I was quickly closing the gap between us. I was half-again as strong as an entry-level High-Class devil, but as to where I measured up to my original counterpart I had no idea; I knew he was considered one of the stronger young Devils, but seeing he didn't hold a candle to the Strongest Young Devil, Sairaorg Bael, that didn't give me much to work with.
I could only base my strength on those that were around me, with Ruval being the strongest of the Phenex family bar none; my father was close to being considered Ultimate-class, as were the rest of his friends, but Ruval was easily ten times as strong as our father was… and even still Ruval was only being 'considered' for the Ultimate-class promotion.
Er, well, title. Moniker. Classification.
There wasn't a 'test' to become an Ultimate-class outside of pure strength, and even if there was an academic portion for it who wanted to be the one to administer it and tell an Ultimate-class devil that they failed the test?
The gaps in power between classifications only grew larger the higher up you went. A Mid-Class devil was only worth five Low-Class devils in strength, and a High-Class devil- despite how much it grated on them- was worth only two Mid-Class devils in strength. An Ultimate-class devil? They ranged anywhere from fifty to one hundred High-Class devils in strength, with Satan-class devils being worth at least ten Ultimate-Class devils.
I don't know how high a Super Devil is over a Satan-Class devil, but if that scaling kept increasing then the amount of power that Sirzechs Lucifer had was mind-boggling.
Serafall-Leviathan was at the peak of the Ultimate-class rankings, with only Grefiya Lucifuge in contention, but she was still a fair distance from actually breaking into the realm of Satan-class.
Sairaorg Bael if I remember correctly, was able to crack the Ultimate-class barrier with his little kitty companion armor, and he was only two years younger than me!
It was galling to think that he managed to acquire so much strength so quickly, even if it seemed to me to be a cheap power-up utilizing a Longinus Class Sacred Gear to bolster him.
I would just have to make do with what I had at my disposal, but that meant that I needed to extend the amount of time that I could train… and for that I needed help.
I had a plan, however, I just needed to talk to my father about it and then I could see if it would even work or not.
My legs gave out on me and the restraints snapped my wrists to my waist while locking my ankles together.
I fell forward and could do nothing as the rough cobblestones rushed up to greet my chin.
Ow. I think I might have chipped a tooth.
"Auntie 'Rissa…" I mumbled into the musty, dank floor of the Dungeon.
"Are you finished for the day, Young Master?"
"Uh-huh." I couldn't even nod, I was that tired, "If you could get me out before the floor starts growing eyeballs again that would be swell."
God- ah, ow - I hated it when the floor grew eyeballs. Out of all of the illusions that this wretched place had shown me, the eyeballs were the absolute worst.
Just walking on the surface of a giant eye, or walking on a carpet of smaller eyes while feeling them pop underneath my shoes like icky bubble wrap was something that could actually make me gag.
My father's Queen scooped me up, pulling me over her shoulder as if I was a sack of flour instead of carrying me like she used to; though I suppose I was starting to get too big to be comfortably carried like that.
I gave the Dungeon a half-hearted wave as the doors were closing behind us.
"Mhmm, bye, Dungeon-chan. See you next week."
I could have sworn I saw some of the fog wave back, followed by some sinuous chuckles, but I chalked it up to my mind playing tricks on me.
The spell circle flares to life above my head.
Six rings made up this circle, with twelve sigils interspersed equidistant from each other- two sigils per ring. An algol, a five-pointed star, sat perfectly in the center, but that was a common trait for all devil-related magic circles. Each sigil had its own purpose- one described the nature of the spell, others were dedicated to the more scientific aspects of modern spells with formulae and thesis filled within them, and the last remaining ones were a bit odd to see. One was an ornate Greek sun, to symbolize Apollo- which highlighted his fire and archery- while another symbol was of an ornate Greek bow and arrow for Artemis. The last was a stylized lioness that represented the Greek Hero Atalanta.
Yes, before you ask, this spell was indeed a blatant rip-off of the Fate franchise, but it was just too good to pass up.
More importantly, tying this spell to the fabrics of established legends not only made it more potent, but it gave it some very badly needed stability. There was a lot going on with this spell, and for it to be useable by someone at my level I essentially needed a crutch based in mystic symbolism until I could further refine the mathematical and scientific aspects of the spell. However, even if I managed to write out sound formulas for what the spell was supposed to accomplish I wouldn't give up the mystical tie-ins because they just made the spell so much more useful.
I wasn't actually asking for any sort of Divine aid from Apollo or Artemis, instead, I was relying on the world itself- and the echoes of the legends that occurred in history- to give this spell some much-needed oomph.
Without that mystical linkage, I would only get out of the spell what I put into it, but with it? The spell was far more devastating.
Six threads of my mana attached to half of the sigils, powering them up evenly; the rings that were powered began to spin. Once they were sufficiently powered I shifted the threads over to the six sigils that were unpowered and started powering them up.
The whole process took fifteen seconds, but at the end of those fifteen seconds, the spell was ready to fire.
I shifted one thread over to the Observation Flame hovering over my shoulder, and immediately my sight jumped to its companion orb floating high above us.
The Phenex Basin was where all generations of Phenex clansmen had used to test out their most powerful spells. It was a vast desert almost thirty kilometers in diameter, and it was nothing but sand and blasted, melted rock. I was standing at the top of the tallest stone spire, with Ruval and Regen standing patiently behind me. Down below, roughly five hundred meters away, were a few dozen hardened magic steel targets that had been set up courtesy of my eldest brother's peerage.
"Arrow Artemis," I intoned lowly, and while I felt rather silly speaking the name of the spell, in this world names had power.
My sight immediately became overlayed with a grid, and I focused it over the target area, adjusted the size of the area until it roughly matched how far apart the furthest targets were, and then I released the spell.
Two large arrows streaked toward the sky- one composed of Hellfire, and the other of Phenex Fire. Phenex Fire was the easiest for us to control, and while Hellfire didn't burn as hot, there were some things that Hellfire could burn that Phenex Fire could not; spirits, ghosts, ki-based effects, and mystic protections that could ward off a 'standard' fire-based effect. What Phenex Fire could not burn, Hellfire could. The issue was that there was more often than not very little that our inborn flames could not burn, so mastery of Hellfire typically fell to the wayside for most of the Phenex family.
Our father was the sole exception to that rule- he had to master Hellfire simply because there were too many powerful devils that could no-sell his flames during the wars he fought in.
Firey orange and red sailed like lightning toward the sky next to ghostly pale green, and once they reached the targeted altitude my spell plotted out a heatmap of projectile concentrations on the grid- I had a split second to adjust a few of the zones, but it was enough to get the majority of the rain that was to follow on target.
The two arrows suddenly changed trajectory, like a pair of Javelin missiles, and they shot toward the ground at break-neck speeds until they were about seventy-five meters above the target zone… and then they exploded into a shower of Phenex Fire and Hellfire arrows. There were three hundred of each, but that could be adjusted during the start-up phase, with the raising and lowering of the projectile counts affecting the strength of each individual arrow; though that was if I didn't overcharge the spell.
A massive cloud of dust and sand was kicked up high into the air, forming a small mushroom cloud that obscured the targets as the last of the arrows slammed into the ground near the training dummies and exploded brilliantly.
The shockwave from the blast smacked me in the chest just a second and a half later, the pressure causing my ears to ring. Yet I had the biggest fucking smile on my face.
I could barely hear the slow clap from behind me, and I turned my head to see that Regen had pulled his hands out of his blue jean jacket pockets and was giving me a nice little round of applause. He had a huge smirk on his face, but that didn't twig me nearly as much as it would anyone else; Regen had been a huge help in getting this spell stable, even if it was Ruval and Father who had done most of the heavy lifting.
Outside of myself, that is.
I couldn't claim to be the sole architect of this powerful spell, but I wasn't going to discount my own efforts like a maroon. I worked hard for it! I did the maths! I imagined the interfaces! Provided the idea and made the mystical connections! I did the lion's share but I didn't do it alone!
"When you said you got it finalized with Father and dear Ruval's help I don't think I quite expected it to be that nice, little brother," I kept on grinning as Regen stepped up next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, a loud whistle leaving his lips, "It's slow to start up, but compared to what I've seen even in Ratings Games the set-up isn't too bad given the results… though lets take a look at the damage, shall we?"
A red spell circle formed in front of him, and I could see the sigils for strong winds, but nothing for the formulas; I'd have to peel the circle apart to take a look at the goodies within, but Regen promised he'd show me some tricks when I got the new spell I was working on out of its conceptual stage. A second later a massive gust of wind blew down from the circle and started making its way quickly down toward the targets, and he kept powering it until the cloud of dust and debris had been completely blown away.
He snapped his fingers and my Observation Flame spell appeared above his shoulder- the bastard was able to do my spell without even making a circle- and while one hovered next to his eye the other shot into the sky before making its way over toward the ground zero; another OF spell orb followed his own.
"A handy little spell, Riser," Ruval remarked as he placed his eye directly up to the orb itself, "I'm thinking of debuting this in my next Rating Game, that is if you don't mind."
"I don't mind at all, Ruval, in fact, it's… incredibly flattering," I scratched at the back of my neck, "Though you do know you don't have to actually peer into the flame directly, right?"
He pressed a finger into my cheek after clicking his tongue, "Tch. Of course, I helped make it, you know? But the outside observer, though? They don't. If someone watches the footage from my next match in order to scout me out- which they always do at my level- they'll see me physically looking into the flames; such misdirection can provide a number of tactical benefits."
Ruval had over five hundred Rating Games underneath his belt, with a record of 439 Wins and 61 Losses; almost all of those losses have been to the six other members in the Top 10 that were higher than him. He was very rarely challenged these days, but at least three times a year someone from the low teens and even low twenties would name him as their next opponent; my brother was in the Top 10 not just due to his personal strength, but he also has a lot of flexibility with his peerage members. That he had a keen mind for strategy went without saying.
"Not bad, little Riser," Regen's ruffling of my hair returned my attention to him, "Those targets were meant to simulate the toughness of an average Mid-Class devil… and there isn't much left of them."
My sight slipped back into my orb and I surveyed the battlefield myself.
The magic metal targets weren't completely destroyed, but it looked as though someone had taken a .50 BMG to a panel of untreated sheet metal; holes as thick as my thumb had been drilled into the targets by the dozens, and all showed signs of warping from the heat. Even after the wind blew away the dust a heat mirage wafted from the impact zone as small rivulets of molten slag slid down the surface of the targets and dripped onto the blackened, scorched stone below. Some targets had more holes than others, but that was the nature of a pin-point area of effect attack such as this.
Sure, the arrows exploded once they penetrated, but it was the penetration and the heat where most of the damage was delivered.
"That was only ten percent of my mana," I licked my lips as I inhaled through my nose, "I could easily feed it another thirty percent with the current iteration of the circle… maybe even fifty percent if I was careful with it."
After refining it some more I could dump almost sixty percent of my reserves into the spell and the devestation would be amazing.
For a High-Class devil such as myself.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Regen flicked my ear lightly, "You need more control; you could only power half of the rings at one time- you're lucky it's so stable to begin with."
"I designed it with six rings and twelve sigils specifically because it was the most stable and forgiving," I shot back, "Three rings and nine sigils would have forced me to condense far more into far less. Not to mention I can only handle six threads at a time, so six and six makes a lot more sense than six and three, or five and four."
Regen snorted, "Yeah, you made the smart choice there- while more streamlined… a nine-sigil array would have blown up in your face."
"Well, this isn't a spell that I'm meant to cast quickly in the first place. Eight seconds from circle formation to impact is what this twelve sigil array can do if I can power all twelve up in unison," I bit my thumb as I pulled my sight away from the training dummies and back to Regen, "Ideally this would be an ambush opener, or I'd have my peerage buy enough time. A standard fireball spell this is not."
"It is a wonderful spell, Riser, though I already have enough spells in my Peerage's repertoire that have similar roles. What I've been lacking, however, is a way to scout myself without exposing myself to danger needlessly," He looked thoughtfully at the Observation Fire spell over his shoulder, "I rely heavily on Julius to handle the scouting for my peerage, and I always feel terrible forcing him to hole up in the Castle to provide overwatch while the rest of us get to play; he's come up with almost a dozen new spells that he hasn't gotten to try out yet, and that has made him-"
"Testy as all hell," Regen finished for him, and the middle brother threw an arm over Ruval's shoulder before placing a hand on mine, "You just got to bend him over and give it to him hard to get him to loosen up."
" You might be fine with sleeping around with everything that walks on two legs, but I however do not like men," Ruval rolled his blue eyes as he shrugged his younger brother's arm off, "I still have to get married, and I don't have the luxury of being the spare to foist my promiscuity off of."
I tilted my head, "Wait, I thought that everyone was sleeping with their Peerages in the family?"
Regen's eyes widened a little bit before he started barking in laughter, but Ruval snapped his fingers and a wall of wind swept up around Regen to dampen the sound of his laughter.
"I have only slept with my Queen, Riser. I do adore the ladies of my Peerage but I need to find a wife of good breeding first before I start taking liberties with the rest of them," He winced, "All of the ladies that I would consider being near me in strength are… of the Old Satan faction. The ones on 'our' side of the fence are either too young or aren't powerful or influential enough."
I started snapping my fingers rapidly, the name of the potential Lady on the tip of my tongue, "What about….uuuuhhhhhh… the…. that Furfur girl, Sabrina? She's an Earl, of lower standing than us, but she's plenty strong, and her family's mastery over the storms is at least aligned with our winds… and fire can easily make the conditions for lighting. I'd say it's a good match, and I've heard she's pleasant."
My eldest brother shifted his stance, cocking out his hip and arching a queer eyebrow at me, "Who did you hear this from? You never get out of the house and socialize with anyone. If it weren't for the Ladies taking you out with the babies every week the only time you'd set foot out of the estates is to go spend it crawling through the Dungeon."
My face blazed red and I'm pretty sure my ears caught fire.
"Mother… and the Ladies told me."
I'm not a shut-in! I do useful things! I train!
"Besides, I'm not required to attend parties and the like until after my debut and turn ten," I mumbled as I looked off to the side, which brought my eyes straight to Regen.
This was unfortunate because Regen must have heard me because he was now down on his knees cackling like a loon; thankfully Ruval kept the wind up so his guffaws wouldn't pierce my thick skin.
Ruval sighed and placed his hands on his hips- his eyes tracking up toward the moon in the sky, "I suppose that does make a great deal of sense. Though I get the feeling that you were only half-paying attention to their gossip while you were with them, because if you did you'd know that her older brother- the Heir- fell victim to the Sleeping Sickness and that makes her the prospective Heir unless he wakes up."
I grimaced, something that Regen shared as he swiped his hand through the veil of wind that surrounded him- my older brother showcasing his mastery over wind as he took direct control of the currents from Ruval, "You need to get married already so that I can get married."
My head reared as though I'd been struck, and he flicked my nose, "Don't look so surprised, little brother. As much as I love being a party animal it does get grating after a while; having a sweet little wife to make babies with for a few decades before trotting back out onto the party scene would be like a break and a boon all rolled into one."
A few years ago I thought that Regen just partied because he liked the lifestyle, but it wasn't until this year that he and Father opened up to me about how everyone played their parts in the family.
Ruval brought the family prestige with his 7th place ranking on the leaderboards, and his position also afforded him inroads with the very upper crust of devil society; the true movers and shakers that were collectively known as the Great Kings faction held their court within the hallowed halls of the Ratings Game Committee.
While Ruval cavorted with the highest of the high, Regen was a man of the Mid-Class and High-Class alike, and it was among them that he networked.
I honestly had no idea as to where I'd fit into the family dynamic, but given my 'tolerance' for the Low-Class maybe he'd make me a Devil of the People? I mean, I wouldn't mind running around the kingdom and seeing to it that our public works were functioning smoothly and without issue. I had no problems rubbing elbows with everyone from the lower rungs of society because despite my previous life's hefty income I was part of said lower rung.
"Well, I for one am happy to hear that there is more depth to my brother's character than 'Hornball Extraordinaire'-" I side-stepped the open-handed swipe at the back of my head, and ducked the follow-up swipe toward my forehead.
He frowned at my speed while I waggled my eyebrows at him, "I'm getting much faster, Regen. You'll need to actually try if you want- eep!"
I narrowly avoided the knuckles from his closed fist by throwing myself off of the cliff; I spread my wings- pointing myself toward the teleportation circle- and pushed myself at the fastest speed I could possibly manage.
I had hoped that I could get there before he could get his hands on me, but alas…
I had to nurse the bruises he gave me for the rest of the day so I didn't ruin the physical training I'd done earlier that day, but seeing him getting flustered was well worth the sibling beating I got for it. It would only be a few years before I caught up to him, and then I would surpass him.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, and Shurukkah for being Patrons!
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Interlude - Lord Henry Agares
[Henry Agares]
[Agares Estates]
Spoiler: Lord Agares
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Despite having been dressed up as a very cute 17th-century nobleboy during their first official meeting, Henry Agares was rather amazed at the sudden transformation that merely changing the young Riser's formal attire did for his presence.
The boy seemed to feel powerful and more self-assured; a far cry from the nervous child who kept fussing over the frilly lace around his wrists and neck.
"Lord Agares, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with me," Young Riser Phenex gave him a respectful bow, and Henry kept his expression neutral instead of grinning broadly as he wished to- Marcus always liked to break in his sons with faux-formal meetings such as these to get them inoculated to the rigors of maintaining a professional persona while conducting business.
Ruval was a natural at it, so much like his father, but Regen had been a bit of a wild card… though his more carefree nature had its own charm that Henry rather liked. Riser was definitely more like his eldest brother, but after sifting through his memories, the Lord of the Pillar family of Agares decided that the second youngest Phenex was decidedly less nervous than Ruval had been.
"Of course, young man," Henry spoke plainly as he allowed them to enter his study and shut the doors behind them, "However, as a Pillar Lord there are multiple things that require my attention and I am expected in Lilith before the hour is up to attend a conference with the Ratings Game Committee. So my time is valuable and in short supply."
That was a bald-faced lie but the boy didn't know it- the moment Riser and his father walked through the doors of his study the local time had changed drastically; a single hour outside was almost a whole day within these walls. Being a Master of Chronomancy and a Master Artificer had its perks, and getting all of his paperwork done the moment it was brought to his attention was just one of them; his servants waited right outside his doors, and by the time he shut the door, he was opening it back up again and depositing the completed paperwork into their hands.
It also made sneaking away with his wife for some lovey-dovey sex on busy days a breeze; while only a few minutes passed outside they had hours to enjoy each other inside.
"Of course, Lord Agares. I will endeavor to ensure that this particular discussion is not a waste of your time," The Phenex boy settled into the primary chair in front of Henry's desk while Marcus took the secondary seat; not unsurprising since Marcus had already talked to him about it before they arrived and in no uncertain terms was he going to assist his son in ensuring that this business was concluded.
Lord Agares slipped into his own chair and the moment he sat down he tapped his finger against the arm of his chair and a discreet magic circle appeared… and then his own personal time slowed down even further; he used the free seconds to more thoroughly study the young boy in front of him.
The suit was definitely Italian in origin- colored in a dark charcoal, with a single-breasted jacket and matching slacks that had a slight taper to them. Underneath the coat was a black silk vest- two buttons instead of the usual three for this style and cut- but he could see the usefulness of having a touch more flexibility around the middle; it was likely more comfortable as well. The shirt likewise was black, but the material was very fine cotton so it didn't have the luster of the silk, and that made it stand out just a touch so the overall palette wasn't too drab; an ocean blue tie, gold French cufflinks, and a simple brass pocket watch finished out the rest of the ensemble. The pocket square matched the tie, and a steel grey tie bar kept the double-Windsor nice and thick.
He resisted the urge to smile as the rapid change in his facial features would give away that he was using his family magic; the boy looked absolutely fantastic! Why if he didn't know about this boy before they first met there is no doubt in his mind that he wouldn't be flabbergasted by his eloquence.
Marcus let the magic drop and he saw Riser twitch slightly.
Oh? Had he felt that? Well, Marcus had said he'd been training a great deal in the Dungeon… quite sensitive to even small uses of mana, was he? Very good, that will serve him well in future negotiations; noticing that your opponent has used magic in your presence is the first step in recognizing perfidy.
Though he could use a little work in hiding his reactions.
"So what is this business that you wish to enquire about, Young Master Phenex?" Henry leaned to the side, his elbow resting on the cushion of his armchair; he was the superior party in these negotiations, and posture meant something. If he was as observant as Elise claimed then he would know that Henry felt secure here in his place of power, and slightly aloof; possibly intrigued, but he wasn't leaning far enough forward to give those signals yet.
"My request is rather straightforward, Lord Agares," Riser's blue eyes swept over him as he held out a hand, a small arch of his brow an unspoken request to use magic in his presence, and Henry returned his assent with the tiniest of nods; a thin thread of mana activated the standard circle- the one approved for business between Pillar Lords- and a thin leather binder fell into his waiting hand, "I wish to construct a training ground on Phenex lands, though rather than this simply being a reinforced training complex I will be looking to acquire your expertise in crafting a localized time-dilation effect; the goal being to squeeze more time out of my training while not skimping on my other duties toward House Phenex or my personal business ventures."
He held the binder toward Lord Agares, though it was cute when he realized that he would have to get up from his seat in order to reach over Henry's wide desk; had he been a devil fully grown he would have only needed to lean over, but alas… he had to smoothly stand up, hand over the binder, and then resume his seat.
Henry flared a touch of mana to conduct a trio of scanning spells simultaneously, each one geared toward a different element of subterfuge; poisons, illusions, curses, and the like. When the scan concluded he opened up the cover and began activating his personal time magic on and off while using his bangs to shield his eyes from the boy's sight.
From the boy's perspective, it looked as though Henry only took a single second to look at each page with disinterest before flipping over to the next one, and the next one after that until the entire binder had been devoured.
He was frankly quite surprised that this proposal came from a boy coming up on 10 years of age, even with the prior warning from Marcus this level of planning was nothing short of remarkable. Though remarkable for a boy his age; it was more on the level of a final project for an undergraduate student at a low-end Business School, but seeing as young Riser had only had his own businesses up and running for a small handful of years… it was a rather nice treat! If only the other Pillar Lords would take the time to bother with giving him such a proposal instead of giving only vague ideas for what they wanted for a project before flouncing off and handling the finer details over correspondence letters instead of meeting in person.
The area Riser had in mind was an underground cave complex that was deep within Phenexmount; one hundred kilometers away from the gouge that was the Old Satan faction's first- and last- attempt at breaking into the Dungeon to rescue their comrades. There was an underground river that connected the two large cavernous caves together, and the largest of the two was designated as the 'Load' cave and the smaller of the two was the 'Release' cave; not unsurprising given that while Marcus was testing his son he wouldn't allow him to create a proposal such as this completely blind. The various other pages contained in-depth geological surveys, maps, and plans for the proposed training ground, but the most important one was already complete- the Localized Ambient Mana survey; that particular survey measured the saturation, distribution of mana on both the surface and underground, and the local mana's refreshment rate once ambient mana was depleted.
When it came down to crafting enchantments, particularly power-hungry ones such as the time-dilation effect that Young Riser was looking for, just doing the survey itself up to his personal specifications was one of the most time-consuming parts; he would still conduct a secondary survey to validate these findings, but the mages that Marcus had in his employ were rather competent… if a touch flighty at times.
"I've seen your proposal, Young Riser, and while it looks well thought out, I do have some questions," Henry let his chin rest in his palm as he took on a soft slouch, signaling that he wanted to slow down this rather straightforward discussion of business; most children- and even some adult devils- who he'd done this exact same thing had often gawked and complained that he 'didn't even read it', but just as his father had said Riser was very focused.
The boy's eyes sharpened but he didn't seem to let the sudden change in pacing affect him overmuch, "Questions in terms of the proposal, Lord Agares? Or personal questions to sate your curiosity?"
"Why not both?" Henry easily suppressed the desire to smile and instead tapped the side of his temple with a finger, "My spellwork and enchantments are a rather hot commodity in the Underworld, and I keep the number of projects that I do down in the low single-digits; I need the time to spend with my wife as well as work on personal projects… in addition to attending to all of the duties required of me as a Pillar Lord of the Underworld. While I'm certain that you can- or at least your family- pay for the rates for my work… why would I add your particular project to my docket?"
The young boy took a moment to compose his thoughts but he did not tarry, "While if this were a less formal setting and I were not being evaluated I would simply ask this as a favor, a well-paying one to be sure, to House Phenex; the bonds of our household are already incredibly strong and placing this project on the docket would only deepen those ties. Granted I would acquiesce to the possibility that my request might be skipped over, as this would be a familial favor, for another project from a more powerful and influential devil, and that I would likely languish on that waiting list for a few years… but since this is not that scenario I would merely point out that there are a number of benefits to be had that even a Pillar Lord of your standing would find enticing."
With his hand held out again, the boy activated the same magic circle and another, smaller leather binder dropped into his hand before he stood up and handed it over to Henry. Once the binder was in hand the Lord of House Agares simply placed it down on his desk, though he did sit up in his chair and touched the pads of his fingers together, "Summarize, if you would please."
It wouldn't do to let the contents of the binder do all of the talking for him.
"While the full details of that binder are not fully fleshed out, the agreements within those pages lie the framework of an agreement between the Phenex, Sitri, and Gremory houses as to how the joint ownership of this underground training complex would be handled. House Phenex agrees to host the complex and provide a rotation of servants to handle the maintenance and general upkeep of the infrastructure. House Sitri agrees to finance the material resources needed to construct the complex and handle the logistics such as consumables and items that are not covered in the upkeep of the infrastructure. House Gremory agrees to provide the warding and security details necessary to ensure that uninvited guests aren't caught snooping about, and they will also finance the deployment rotation of a Phalanx of the Phenex Ranger Guard to patrol the lands surrounding the complex for as long as the complex remains in active service to the Alliance."
The young man shifted in his chair, easing a leg up so that he could cross them, his hands interlacing over his kneecap; he seemed fairly well at ease, but his speaking cadence was a touch faster than normal and there was an almost imperceptible quaver in his voice.
"There are numerous other taskings that House Agares could take up that haven't been hashed out, though nominally the responsibility for maintaining the upkeep on the enchantments and infrastructure supporting the time-dilation field would fall under your purview. However, there are allowances to take into consideration the costs of time and resources should such a burden be overly taxing on materials and funds, so an overflow of costs would be agreed upon by the other three families and the deficit split evenly among them; granted such things would be taken in good faith," The poor boy looked as though he could use a sip from a glass of water with all of the talking he was doing, but he merely swallowed his saliva and carried on, "I do not think that it needs to be said the number of benefits that a jointly organized training facility, one solely for the use of our families and associated peerages, can bring to the table. Depending on the strength of the time-dilation effect a great many things can be accomplished virtually instantaneously given the complexity of the tasks required; from bulk training of House Guardsman to making 'last minute' preparations for Ratings Games… anything but 'last minute'."
Henry let a small, crooked smile tug at his lips as he tilted his head to the side, "There is no need to list out to me of all people the benefits of such a thing; already my mind is simply awhirl of the different possibilities."
The Lord of Time, a rather pretentious title given that he was barely a third of the chronomancer that his great-grandfather was before the Great War took him, already had numerous areas of his estate enchanted with such fields; his service staff absolutely adored him for it- being able to cook in the kitchens and handle the laundry in a fraction of the time was something that everyone benefited from- him most of all.
Given the number of times he took his lady wife to their bed each day the sheets required constant changing, even if using magic to clean them was far faster he simply enjoyed the feeling of freshly laundered linens on his bed whenever he slipped underneath the covers. As far as devilish frivolities went his lust for soft, fragrant sheets was hardly worth notice.
"However, I do find the idea rather stimulating, so what made your little mind think it all up?"
That seemed to knock the boy off of his pace, as he had been on quite the roll, "The honest truth is that I desire to rapidly advance my training, to grow stronger. However, while my desire is selfish I am constantly reminded every single day by the people that I love most around me that I am not an island; I am not merely 'Riser', I am 'Riser Phenex '… and that means something. As a Phenex I am part of a long-standing compact between four Great Pillar families that are likely the most closely tied in all of the Underworld; Gremory, Agares, Sitri, and Phenex have always presented a unified front, not just as a political body but as a collection of families. My person isn't seen as merely a piece in a game, even if I inherently have value in one; I know that my Aunts and Uncles adore me just as much as my own mother and father, and that likewise the sons and daughters of their families are equally adored in kind."
His words started off slow but they slowly began to rise in passion and intensity, "This world of devils that we live in sees our strong familial bonds as something out of the ordinary, but I for one think that it is beautiful. It should be nurtured and protected, but in order to protect this beautiful relationship that we have we must have strength. In the Underworld strength is the ultimate symbol of power and authority, even though I feel that intellect and cunning should be equally important. However, as the centuries have worn on, this gentle peace that we have been fortunate enough to experience since the end of the Civil War has seemingly taken something away from us devils that used to be inherent in our very beings; the strength of the average newborn devil has decreased, but that on its own isn't what worries me. No, what worries me is the lack of drive, the lack of ambition, the lack of a reason to not only meet what is expected of them but excel."
Henry had to stop himself from biting his lip- he was getting rather excited by this little passionate tirade!
"While I do not have much time outside of my studies and training, I do make it a point to watch the televised Young Devils Gathering every year, and what do I see? I see the children of the Pillar Houses- Heirs and spares alike- standing stiff-backed and proud in front of our Maous and boasting about their desire to achieve… mediocrity," The Agares Lord was definitely amused at the sheer amount of venom dripping from the boy's lips, " 'Lord Lucifer! I strive to become a respectable Pillar Lord!' 'Lord Beelzebub! I will tell the world here and now that I will continue to dedicate myself to my studies of magic!' 'Lady Leviathan! I will place within the Top 1,000 in the Ratings Games in my first year!'"
"That is the most vexing thing to me because as devils our potential is limitless, and yet… they settle for doing things that are already expected of them. They settle for nebulous goals or set the bar so low that even if they put forth the barest amount of effort they can succeed at them, and they'll have the gall to look at you and ask for you to validate them and pat them on the back," The boy's fist was clenched so hard Henry could hear his knuckles cracking, but after taking a deep breath his countenance came back under his control, "Unlike them, I wish to stride toward a much larger goal- I want to grab them by the throat and show them what we can achieve if we put our power and near-uncountable years to good use. This problem of laxity within my generation can only be solved if they are shown that reaching for things higher than their mother's skirts is possible, however, it cannot merely be done once, no, it has to be proven and repeatable."
"With this great family that I've been born into, I find myself with a golden opportunity encrusted in gems," He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath to steady himself, and then he opened them, "I have wealth and personal power. I have a family that is willing to put up with my… one-track mind and work with me so that I can accomplish my goals."
Riser turned his head toward his father, and the eldest of the Phenex family looked down upon his son with a proud smile.
It was a beautiful thing.
"I also have this strong, steadfast alliance of families that are willing to go through hell and back for each other," Riser continued, turning his attention back to Henry, though he could see the indecision worming its way across his face before he finally settled on spitting out the rest, "And I have four young children, three of which are Heiresses and one being my most precious little sister… who were all born together."
Henry felt his blood pressure spike at the mention of his little Seekvaria, especially when spoken in the context of her- and the other children- being part of little Riser's 'golden, gem-encrusted opportunity'.
However, he knew Riser, and he knew Marcus better than the man knew himself, and the thought of any ill-designs from either was locked up and tossed into a dark corner of his mind.
He had been curious before, but now he was morbidly curious.
"I wish… to sit astride the peaks of power that only Lord Lucifer now sits and eventually succeed him, but… I also do not wish to do it alone," His words were very quiet, solemn, "The girls are- they… I see the potential within them to be not just good, or great, or outstanding… I see within them the ability to be exceptional beyond our wildest expectations. They are only two years old but Seek-chan can already freeze a fly bothering her in place so she can squash it at her leisure, Sona-chan is already learning her letters and numbers, Rias-chan has already activated the Power of Destruction and has been giving the maids merry hell as she dissolves the curtains her mother spent so much time picking out for the Gremory manor. My little sister has already begun entertaining herself in her crib with her flames and even used them to give her bouncing a little, heh, 'jet boosted' assist-"
Henry almost burst out laughing as Marcus' face grew immediately concerned, but Riser gave him a shaky grin as he held up his hands, "-and I immediately caught her!"
The Phenex Lord relaxed imperceptibly and Riser chuckled lowly as he continued, the boy's smile one filled with fondness, "It is no secret that my strength is far above the norm for even a High-Class devil my age, but that is as much from my diligence and hard work as it is my lineage. Sona-chan, Rias-chan, Seek-chan, and Ravel-chan, however, all have the potential, I believe, to be much greater than I am."
Riser's eyes glowed a soft blue for just a split second, and the warm smile that slithered across his face was one filled with genuine pride, "I've seen it. They can become the future leadership our people need in order to get our generation out of its slump, though I would never press such a burden upon them if they didn't desire it. However, the world we live in is filled with stagnation, and I fear that there are ill-portents for the future… things that will not bode well for us all if we are not prepared for them."
"Ah, now we truly get to the crux of the matter," Henry Agares sat up fully in his chair, his fingers interlacing over his desk, "Your visions."
Riser blanched as he realized he might have allowed his mouth to carry him much further down the road than he anticipated, but Henry noted that Marcus didn't seem to be surprised by this little morsel at all.
The boy licked at his lips as he looked to his father, and when the man nodded Riser drew out a sketchpad from his magic pocket and handed it over to Henry.
He devoured them quickly, not even bothering to conceal his time-altering spell this time; from the grave look on his beloved Marcus' features they were far past the time for tests and parlor tricks.
'An angel with its many wings stained black hurling spears of Holy Light at what appeared to be more grown-up representations of Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri.'
'A large nine-tailed fox stood over a crowded Japanese city while doing battle against foes that were too small to be seen.'
'Multiple large, dragon-shaped figures seemed to rampage as multiple small figures fought them.'
'On a pedestrian Japanese street crowded with cats, a lone man- clearly a devil from the horns and tail he was sporting- was bent over to offer an Evil Piece to a black cat standing protectively over a small white kitten; he had a genial smile on his face, but from his back erupted a pair of black wings that held cages filled with corpses.'
'A girl who was what one would call 'beautiful' was nestled in a dark room surrounded by cold, unyielding stone. Her face was strained and her eyes vacant, a dirtied cloak wrapped around her showcased the neglect while her lone visible hand grasped on tightly to another, smaller hand that trailed off the page.'
'A silhouette was all that was seen of a beast; seven heads, seven necks, ten horns, seven tails, with four arms and two legs. Its posture was bent over like that of a gorilla, and even though it was confined to a page the viewer could feel a creeping sense of underlying terror. Underneath it was scrawled three terrible numbers:
'666'.
'
It was something that was both terrifying and fascinating to Henry, as in all of his years he had never seen a prophecy illustrated before; his great-grandfather told him stories a few times, during the waning years of Lucifer's reign before He struck the Lord of Lies down.
There was a significant difference in the quality between all of the sketches; some looked as though they had indeed by drawn by the hands of an inexperienced child, but others looked far more detailed and lifelike- the one of the Fallen Angel with many wings attacking Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri being done well enough that it was enough to evoke almost instant recognition within him.
"These are copies," Henry spoke as he flipped through a few more before gently closing the sketchbook.
Riser nodded, "Yes. I… have been doing my best to sketch out what I see whenever I have a vision in the best detail I can. Using self-hypnosis has aided me greatly in retaining them in my mind, but ultimately they soon fade leaving me with only brief recollections of them. I, uh… didn't think to start doing that until a year after I started having them, so some of those are the best I could do with what little I remembered."
Henry sighed as he leaned back in his chair and looked over at Marcus; the poor man looked as though a storm had blown in and begun to drown him out. The Lord of the Agares family could empathize with him- just how much did it hurt him to not only have his wife with the 'gift' but his beloved son as well?
"They aren't all bad," Riser slid a hand through his hair to swipe away the bead of sweat that formed on his brow, "For everything I've seen that keeps me awake at night… I've seen two things that give me hope- that give me the strength to keep focusing on my studies and training. Those I remember fondly."
"Well after seeing all of this I think that I could use a little pick-me-up," The Lord of Time made a grabby hand, "Come on. Let me see them."
"I won't."
Henry blinked at the simple statement.
"Those precious things that I have seen… they are my compensation for the ill. I will never relinquish them, not to anyone else. Ever. "
The Lord did his best to not feel annoyed.
He'd already seen just what Sona and Rias would look like when they were grown up, was it too much to ask to see what his little Seekvaria looked like!?
"Fair enough." He conceded gracefully, "So now that the little nasty bit of this business is concluded… what do you offer to me and mine in terms of payment?"
Riser's back straightened up at the sudden shift in the conversation, but rather than being thrown off by the acknowledgment that he would approve of the project should the compensation be good enough, the boy activated his magical pocket once more and drew out a simple yet elegant hardwood case. However, instead of handing it over he placed the case at the edge of the table and opened it up.
Sat nestled on crushed velvet were three small vials containing brilliantly shimmering liquid gold.
Henry felt his breath catch in his throat as his eyes darted to Marcus.
Passion Tears were something that only a handful of devils outside of the Phenex family knew about, and that list was incredibly short- only including the Lords and Ladies of Gremory, Sitri, and Agares. Unlike the Phenex Tears that the family produced with their rituals these golden vials contained within them unmatched restorative powers; they could even bring the dead back to life if there was only a single shred of their body that could be recovered.
Henry Agares would know better than anyone else.
He came to, his bleary eyes slowly opening as his naked form was swaddled in a red cloak bearing the Phenex crest; strong arms were wrapped around his torso and he felt tears spill into his hair. He was rocked back and forth, relieved murmurs filling his ears as the din of battle rang off not too far in the distance-
For the first time since this little discussion started, he found himself at a loss for words, but Riser was more than happy to fill the silence.
"Three vials of Passion Tears… one for you, your wife, and your daughter."
Phenex Tears were a hot commodity in the markets, selling in the low millions on the open markets and in the high hundreds of thousands within the walls of the Sitri hospitals.
Passion Tears that could cheat death itself would be worth… an unimaginable sum.
For the chance to undo the most grave of mistakes? To revert the death of his wife? Himself? His most precious daughter and heir?
These alone would more than suffice as payment… the Agares vaults were as wide as they were deep.
"I was already going to accept simply on the principle alone but then you go and drop this on me?"
Riser Phenex's eyes grew wet and he swiped at his nose with the back of his hand, "Well from where I'm standing I'm doing my part to safeguard part of my family, and I'm going to be getting everyone else a vial as well. As soon as I make them, that is."
Henry's throat grew tight and he shook his head with a snort, "You astound me, boy."
"You don't have to live with him," Marcus grunted out, the man leaning forward with his head held in his hands, "If it weren't for my regeneration I would likely lose all of my hair before he turned twenty."
"Hey, I'm not that bad," The boy protested weakly, "I study, train, don't cause any problems…"
Marcus stood up from his chair and ruffled his son's hair before patting him on the bottom, "You keep telling yourself that, my boy, and maybe one day it might come true. Now, you may go; I'll be handling the particulars with Lord Agares for the remainder of this meeting. I'm certain that you have something at the house you can do to keep yourself occupied now that this little project of yours is finished. Like, say, deciding on what sort of event you want to have for your debut."
"I'm going to host a tournament," Riser declared firmly, "For Low-Class and Mid-Class devils. It will be a scouting and recruitment event so that I might begin laying down the foundations for my future peerage."
"A tournament? Most children hold a dinner party…" Henry pressed his cheek against his fist as he reached across the desk and clasped the case shut, immediately whisking it away to the safety of his magic pocket.
His secured one.
"Uncle Henry, I do believe that I've stated that I'm not going to settle for what my current generation considered 'par for the course'," He walked over to the door while adjusting his suit and sleeves, "If I'm going to be forced to interact with those insufferable layabouts then I'm going to enjoy myself to the best of my abilities."
Once at the door he turned and bowed, "By your leave, Lord Father, Lord Agares."
Once the two men nodded their assent Riser Phenex stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him.
The moment the door clicked shut Henry Agares vaulted his desk and pushed Marcus back into the chair before climbing onto his lap, his nose brushing against his fellow blonde's, "Is there anything else you want to tell me, Marcus?"
Marcus snorted and rolled his eyes, but that didn't stop the man from settling his hands on Henry's slim hips, "You dolt…"
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, and Shurukkah for being Patrons!
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Chapter 6 - Preparations and Fluff
[Phenex Estates]
[Riser Phenex]
Planning a tournament was a lot easier when you had the entirety of the Phenex family behind you.
The assistance of the Four-Way Alliance also made it simpler, however, the touch of the other three families was rather light in comparison; they merely allowed me to spread fliers of the tournament throughout their lands and handled the oversight of the elimination rounds within their territories. Not that I actually expect much more than that given a young devil's debut was the responsibility of the devil in question and their family.
There was a reason why the vast majority of debuts consisted of simple if lavish dinner parties- most devil children, while well educated, were just not capable of doing much more than organizing an evening's meal and some entertainment.
With the Four-Way Training Grounds planning completed, I had a fair bit more time on my hands, but I still had to cut down my training to my sessions with Sagiyama-sensei and my weekly trip into the Dungeon; almost everything else barring my quick two-hour physical conditioning session was cut to make room for the Riser Phenex Debut Comittee. I held the position as President, with my Mother holding the title as Chief Comittee Officer, my brother Ruval as the Chief Pillar Communications Officer, and my Father acted as the committee's Master of the Purse (since I was doing all of this on his dime, he should rightfully have control on how much is spent where).
Regen, given his many talents in organizing bombastic bashes and elegant soirees, was positioned as my Chief Party Officer.
The title tickled him to no end, and Regen ended up even getting an armband made that had little party hats and streamers sewn onto it in garish rainbow colors. Naturally, it said 'Chief Party Officer' on it in big, bold letters, and he damn near wore the thing around everywhere he went whether he was on official Committee business or not.
The prick.
Still, when it came to organizing catering and decorations the man was the best person I knew to delegate setting up the logistics trains necessary to throw a debut that the Underworld will never forget.
It will be emulated and copied, but never rivaled, and my peers who had their pretty little dinner parties will hang their heads in shame forever more.
Honestly, it was rather refreshing to have a more clearly defined goal now. I'd never really given myself any sort of objective outside of 'get strong as possible', and that impassioned little tirade I went on in front of Lord Agares all those months ago had done far more to give me a sense of purpose than I would have liked to admit. The admittance that the stagnation of devil society had perturbed me to no end must have awoken something within my demonic blood because I now felt driven and utterly determined to show the weaklings and layabouts of my generation what exceptionalism looked like. Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised- I never bothered even looking at the long, cushioned couch in the family common room where we gathered to watch the Ratings Games; if it wasn't one of the few yearly games of my brother I had better things to do with my time.
Like memorizing the pages-long list of customs and courtesies when interacting with devils of superior stature depending on the occasion… all so that Lady Frostwhite wouldn't click her tongue at me and tell me to write it all out one hundred times over so that I wouldn't forget them.
Still, watching the annual Young Devils Gathering and the accompanying introductory Ratings Games was one of the few times that you'd catch me seated on those velvet cushions; my face nestled firmly in a pillow as I distinctly tried not to think about all of the sex that had likely been performed on it.
Almost every time I found myself utterly disappointed with those who were my elder peers.
The numbers fluctuated from less than a dozen participants to multiple dozens, which wasn't surprising given that only 32 of the 72 Demon Pillars still remained; the majority of the numbers were made up of members of the branch families of the larger Pillar families, but every so often there would be an Heir/Heiress or two among them. That was still abysmally small, and from what I was hearing from my father there was legislation being pushed through the Pillar Council that would remove the rule that strictly enforced only one attendance per devil. The new amendment to the law would keep the maximum age of attending young devils to 25 years of age but would allow for all noble devils to attend the gathering every year until that point; this would allow for repeat attendance and a chance to wash away the stains of poor performance at a previous gathering.
Afterall, while a young devil's 'Debut' was their introduction to their fellow peers within the Nobility, the Young Devils Gathering was meant to introduce the Low-Class and Mid-Class devils to their future Lords and Ladies. The viewership over the past few decades had been dropping steadily, and the primary culprit was that there just weren't enough devils for the lower classes to look at, and the lack of repeat appearances also led to a lack of familiarity; recognizeability was important to a devil's reputation.
Still, the words those young devils spewed out in front of the Pillar Council and our Maous were hardly fit for a bland, generic high school graduation ceremony, let alone for an occasion as important as the Young Devil's Gathering. Almost everything they said boiled down to 'I will strive to be a decent and contributing member of society no matter what the particulars, and while that was acceptable for the Low-Class devils who had none of our resources, education, and training… for the devils who would be one day called upon to lead our peoples it was virtually a slap in the face.
I wasn't one for 'devil supremacy' or any of that rot, but I was well aware of our abilities as a magical species- we were powerful, extraordinarily long-lived, and were capable of so much more than being merely good stewards of what our forefathers fought, bled, and died for.
However, I can't really say I blame them all that much. For the entirety of their short lives, they've grown up in an era of unmatched peace, with progress and prosperity to match. The handful of large cities that dot the Underworld could give New York City and Tokyo a run for their money in terms of architecture and scale, and even their homes have been modernized to such a startling degree despite the old and classical facades they bore; if you listened to the way the young devils of today's society tell it the humans were the ones to try and copy our splendor and not the other way around.
Not only that, but they have spent their entire lives growing up viewing their Heads of House as incredibly powerful, implacable, and outside of the rarest of circumstances… immobile figures who had run their families for centuries or even millennia. Though they might be named 'Heir' or 'Heiress' there was always a mother or father who would step in to become the next family Head should the unthinkable happen and their grandfather or grandmother perish or step away while handing over the reins. The simple thought that they might one day be burdened by the task of leading their family toward a new future is borderline unthinkable; if grandfather had been alive for over fifteen hundred years then how likely was it that they would ever get close enough to even sit in the chair?
This lack of mobility inherent within the system, compounded by the centuries of prosperous peace following the Devil Civil War, has created a malaise within the young devils of society that stifles not just their growth but their ambitions as well.
I aimed to shake all of that up by showing up to devil society and coming out swinging.
It was honestly one of the few times that I've been excited about anything outside of the future completion of my studies and progression in my training.
Outside of my precious little sister and her sweet little friends, of course.
Ravel-chan was almost three years old, but she showed herself to be a perfect little lady despite her youth. She was more than happy to sit patiently in my lap while I was sitting with the dozen members of the Riser Phenex Debut Committee instead of being an irritable little wiggle worm as most children were wont to do. I stroked the top of her head, drawing a pleased hum from her lips as I used my free hand to flip over to the next page in my reports, "Ruval, dear brother, you're up."
The Phenex's Nest was something of an interesting room within the manor. Part drawing room, part conference room, it was where my father liked to have the gatherings for the Four-Way Alliance when it was our turn to host the monthly get-together; crystal decanters of various alcohols lined the shelves while the sweet scent of cigar and pipe tobacco hung in the air from yesterday's meeting. The decor was decidedly lavish with some more rustic adornments here at there; a Dire Bear skinned rug that my grandfather slew during one of his hunting expeditions was the centerpiece of the room while a taxidermied head of a massive Hellhound hung from the wall- its eyes still flaming as though it promised death even after its head had been cleaved from its shoulders.
Ruval uncrossed his legs so that he could stand up, the plush leather chair he had been sitting on creaking slightly as he took to his feet. With a flick of his wrist, his report appeared in his hand from his magic pocket without a spell circle, and he cleared his throat, "As of now we have received letters of correspondence from all primary branches of the 32 Demon Pillars, though six of them have unfortunately declined to attend your debut on account of your invitation of the Extra Demons. They are House Amon, Paimon, Naberious, Forneus, Shax, and Balam; House Valac does not have any children of appropriate age to attend this gathering so they too have declined."
I blinked as I held the paperwork in my hands up to my lips, "I thought that Lord Valac had a great-nephew from the branch family? He shouldn't be older than sixteen; far from being too old to attend."
My brother's eyes tightened and he gave me a sad smile, "Unfortunately, it was revealed that young Cassius Valac had been faking his blood trait- the sight to find hidden treasures- with the use of his observational skills and clever deductive reasoning. He passed away just three days ago in a tragic accident while hunting Getty Beasts with his father. Arrangements for his funeral are being made as we speak."
I grimaced.
Cassius Valac was the younger brother of Sagiyama-sensei's King, Hector Valac if I remember correctly.
"Lirianne," I spoke out, and my ninja maido bowed lowly to my right, "If you would contact Hector Valac and ask him if he would like his Rook by his side. While we wait for his reply, plan to make arrangements for Sagiyama Kotaro and his family to take a leave of absence from the Estates and return to their King; no doubt Hector Valac would appreciate having his entire peerage present when they bury his brother. I doubt he has been informed of this considering the freshness of the news so upon the conclusion of this meeting I will inform him myself."
Off in the corner of the room, my father nodded with a pleased expression on his face as he puffed away at an elaborately carved ivory pipe filled with woodsy tobacco.
Returning my attention back to Ruval I gave him a thankful smile, "With the final tallies done now we can move on to sending out the formal cards; when they're finished please have them placed on my desk and I shall have all of them signed before the night is through. Now is there anything else on the noble front?"
He ran a hand over his golden bangs and smiled prettily at me, "No, nothing else of note, President Riser."
My eyebrow twitched, which amused him greatly, but he took his seat and crossed his legs once more- the gentlemanly Phenex looking every bit the part of a distinguished nobleman. That he did it all so effortlessly was something that I both admired and envied in equal measure.
Man, if I only grow up to be half as cool as Ruval I'll be set.
I sighed and turned to Regen, "CPO Regen?"
The blue jean bedecked devil popped up to his feet and waggled his finger at me while gesturing with his armband, "No, no, no. 'Chief Party Officer', President Riser. You have to say the whole thing or else it goes against protocol. Heh, you were the one who wished to have this whole affair conducted formally so that none of the others could accuse you of not handling your debut yourself."
I gave him a flat look before I turned toward the table in the corner where the typist was keeping the minutes and writing the transcript, "Strike that from the record if you would please, Lirian- ah."
That's right, I sent Lirianne out to do my bidding, and in her place sat Clarissa who was dutifully typing.
"Strike that and the previous line from the record, if you would please, Clarissa," I turned back to Regen, who was grinning as though I'd just caught myself on fire and streaked across the manor naked, " 'Chief Party Officer' Regenald Phenex… if you would please provide the committee with your report?"
"Young Master Phenex," Clarissa interrupted me and I turned to her while arching an eyebrow; she seemed completely impassive, the very picture of a maid carrying out her duties to the committee, but there was no way to disguise the mirth dancing in her eyes, "Would like for me to add the appropriate emphasis on your words so that the readers of this transcript can properly feel your ire?"
My mother tittered behind her hand, and little Ravel began giggling as well, the little morsel bouncing up and down as she copied my mother.
"No… Clarissa. Only the barebones are necessary."
"As you say, Young Master," She demurred though the small tilt of her lips was barely visible behind the paper poking up from the typewriter.
I sighed and proceeded to gently toy with Ravel's cheeks, trying to resupply my stockpile of rav-tanium so that I could then recharge my mom-onium batteries once this meeting was over, "Regenald, if you would please."
He smirked as he clapped his hands, and in front of us sprung ten illusory windows depicting an aerial view of ten small cities and towns within the Phenex territory that were in the opening stages of setting up what looked to be a series of carnival tents just outside the limits of each district, "Everything is running smoothly and according to schedule, President Riser."
I selected six towns that were right on the borders of the Gremory, Sitri, and Agares lands that had good roads and towns of appreciable size to accommodate a few thousand travelers from the fellow Four-Way Alliance domains. The other four towns were chosen due to their geographic locations within the Phenex lands; too far from the border towns to travel and too far from the capital city of Phenex Roost these towns would host 'watch parties' for everyone in the middle to partake in the festivities that was my debut and the True Brackets of the tournament.
He turned his attention to the images he was displaying, "The tents will be set up on the 'morrow, and already various vendors within Phenex Roost and other major cities are sending out mobile kitchens and cooks to man the stands in preparation for the event."
One of the ways I saved a lot of costs was by soliciting the snack makers, fast food establishments, and middle-of-the-road restaurants and enticing them to think about the profits that could be made with an auspicious occasion such as this. Armed with tourism numbers based on previous big to-dos, Regen went around and showed the businesses the projected flows of customers and planted within their minds the possibility of large amounts of money to be made; not that this was a foreign concept to most businesses, as especially food-based shops already did catering in some shape or form, but the fact that I was going to make this a big deal as part of my debut was something they had trouble wrapping their heads around until Regen spelled it out for them.
Debuts were historically closed-door affairs that the Low-Class and Mid-Class devils only heard about through various, always outlandish, whispers from ' someone who knew someone whose sister's cousin was a maid at 'X' Lord's estate'. So with it being known that I was going to make this one of the first 'public' debuts, with everything being broadcasted across the lands of the Four-Way Alliance (and other magicom providers for a small pay-per-view fee) there was a tidal wave of interest from the people.
I wasn't making this debut just about me, I was making it a celebration of the Four-Way Alliance as a whole, with a rousing tournament to captivate people's attention, an inside glimpse into the world of the rich, powerful, and famous, carnival food, and fun for the whole family.
I don't think anyone has ever done anything like this before- an event to blend the two strata of the High-Class and their juniors- but if I was going to do this shit then I was going to go big.
Of course, the events were going to be segregated, as my peers would never even show up if I had Nobles brushing elbows with commoners, but that was fine. Even if my own parents looked at me strangely for even suggesting such a thing, however, they gave me their support nonetheless despite their warnings that if I didn't pull this off properly I could very well be the laughingstock of the Underworld… and drag the Four-Way Alliance into the mud along with me.
"We still have two weeks until the proper event takes place, and considering travel time, set-up, ingredient stockpiling and the like it makes sense that they would be leaving now," I hummed and let Ravel play with my nose as I looked over the screens, "Speaking of ingredient stockpiling…"
Regen smirked as he snapped his fingers and the images changed once more, though this time it was to various views of what appeared to be small structures made out of ice- the largest of which looked like a small log cabin, and the smallest was roughly the size of a refrigerator, "House Sitri has offered to allow us to contract out three dozen of their vaunted cryomancers to build these structures; they have assured me that these creations will last for at least a week past the festivities."
I tilted my head, "Their… fee?"
Regen belted out the figure and I had to keep my mouth closed lest I bite off my own tongue. It wasn't that bad but… it would certainly eat into all of the money I'd saved from not hiring caterers directly; our House kitchen staff was more than up to the task of providing the proper meals for the guests but in order for this to be a proper festival there needed to be plenty of food for the commoners enjoyed the event as well. Something I had handled by entreating with the business owners, though their stores would be limited to what ingredients they could keep and once they sold out they'd have to shutter their stalls.
I looked over at my father, "Master of Coin?"
He shrugged his broad shoulders diffidently, but there was a small smirk on his lips as he addressed me, "We are already well under budget, President Riser. Allocating the funds required would be more than easy enough."
Father, please. I get enough lip from Regen, so I don't need you of all people piling on!
"Very well then, see to it that the funds are allocated and hire them," I nodded to my Lord Father and turned my attention to Regen, "Regenald, if you would, get into contact with the suppliers of the various events and have them compile a wish list of how much cold storage they would like for their stalls so that we can have something to hand to the cryomancers so they can begin their work once coin has changed hands. Ruval, I understand that your duties are nominally complete, so if you would, assist Regenal in accomplishing this task."
Ruval's blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he placed a hand over his heart and bowed in his seat, "Of course, President Riser. As a member of this esteemed committee, I am duty-bound to assist wherever I am needed."
Ravel, at that moment, chose to become a squirmy-wormy, and the second I let her go she dashed across the room- her little shoes stimp-stomping across the bear rug- and she launched herself into our father's arms. He chuckled gently as she nestled herself into his lap and I had to wonder if there was something wrong with my lap.
It took six months for the training ground to be completed.
Six long months.
I know, it might sound ridiculous to the average person, but one needs to understand that with devil magic entire city blocks could be rebuilt in the span of half a day in the mortal realm; such things were necessary when combat occurred there between devils and the supernatural members of the various factions. The devils under the leadership of the Four Great Satans were firmly in the camp that thought the masquerade was something that should be upheld at almost any cost; keeping the mortal and supernatural realms separate was something most factions adhered to, though very few believed in it strongly enough to repair the damage caused when two powerful beings clashed.
Devils were devils, but the fact that they went much further than their peers- rebuilding what had been destroyed so that the mortals would be none the wiser- was something that warmed my heart; that they didn't simply let the devastation remain while force-feeding the populace of some highly improbable natural disaster spoke well of my Maou's efforts to handle their business properly.
So with all of that being said, even with the prodigious building speed that devils could accomplish, six months was a very long time to build even such a large complex as the Four-Way Alliance's Training Ground. Though to be fair to us all the majority of the time was simply excavating and expanding the primary cave that served as the 'Load' cave.
When it comes to things such as time-based magic there is a system in place that adheres to a sort of karmic balance. The whole of Earth, and this includes the demi-plane and planet that is the Underworld attached to it, moves forward at a set time. Time is indeed a malleable thing, but even the most powerful chronomancers cannot play with it willy-nilly; if time is to be altered in any way, then the opposite effect must be present elsewhere. If a chronomancer speeds up their personal time separate from the world itself to improve their speed and reaction times, then something else must be proportionally slowed down to balance out.
In the instance of the training grounds, after settling in and learning the details from Lord Agares there were some small limitations that needed to be met. It was entirely possible to do something crazy, such as with Drag so Ball's newly revealed 'Very Literal Temporal Encloser' where a single day outside of its walls was a full year on the inside, the power requirements for such a thing were… considerable.
So considerable in fact that someone as powerful as my brother, Ruval, would have to sit inside of a magic circle and donate his entire tank of magical energy to run. However, the good thing was that smaller effects were very much within the realm of possibility, as the power requirements grew exponentially with the strength of the desired effect.
Also, yes , I was already starting little Rias on her path to being a total, utter weeabo. Weeb Rias is just too cute! Seeing the little three-year-old bring her hands together and make a baby-sized Kamewamewa out of her fledgling Power of Destruction was something that made me bounce with joy on the inside; I could tell that Sirzechs was also pleased with the results given the way he stopped trying to subtlely erase me from existence every time we met.
I made sure to take some magical videos of it so that I could tease her endlessly about it when she grew up enough to have some self-awareness.
Regardless, after a great deal of planning, we were able to come to the conclusion that a localized effect with a 30:1 ratio was well within the capacity of the ambient mana in the area to support without needing any top-offs; it was certainly flexible, however, as the effect could be increased by ten days with additional support. Seeing that being driven to magical exhaustion was a surefire way to drive a devil's growth, it was decided that during the rotations of the House Guards that would be training within them, they would be placed on that duty.
Before I came to Lord Agares my initial designs were planned to be something that would essentially be for my personal use, and I was fully intent on paying for the construction of it all out of my own pocket and using my own Passion Tears as the payment for the enchantments needed to make the temporal effect I desired a reality. However, the moment my Father saw what I was planning he immediately recognized the utility of such a thing and he began shifting this in the direction of improving the Four-Way Alliance; not only would this be a joint project of a considerable undertaking, deepening the relationship of our four Pillar Houses through hardship, but the possibilities of creating such a thing were near endless.
I won't lie and say it didn't touch a nerve that my personal project was going to be converted into a group project, but I cannot say that I didn't come around to my Father's way of thinking after sulking for a few days.
Yes.
I sulked.
I sulked very hard.
Of course, I didn't need Father to point out to me the benefits of this arrangement- not only would I not need to nearly suck away all of the liquidity from my businesses to finance its construction, I also wouldn't need to deprive myself of three of my Passion Tears; Father only had one left, one that he was saving, but Ruval and Regen both ponied up one of their few Passion Tears when they learned what I had been planning. Regen, I had an inkling of his desires, and that was to have a place where he could take a mini-vacation whenever he wanted, meanwhile, Ruval also understood the sheer power of having more time on hand to train.
Then of course there was the added benefit of me not having to worry about the problems that might crop up from having such a training ground all to myself; by including the other Houses I no longer would have to worry about handling the maintenance and logistics of the place. Also, while its existence would remain a closely guarded secret, it would eventually come out, and since it was an Alliance facility it would be equally shielded by that aegis.
It also meant that the girls that I wanted to help grow stronger, far stronger than their canon counterparts could have ever dreamed of, would be able to come and go as they pleased. Not that they wouldn't have been able to if the facility was solely mine but I suppose that one of my biggest desires for this training ground was for it to be something that was mine and mine alone; my own little getaway. My own little slice of heaven. It was going to be large and yet comfy. Intimate.
Now?
What had initially been a rather large cave was a cavernous space that made Super Bowl stadiums look paltry in comparison.
It was a flat plane on the bottom with a large curving dome that went up almost two hundred meters- quite necessary given that there was to be aerial training done here for the House Guards. It was this excavation that took the longest, and my Father, my two brothers, and I spent a large amount of time going through and melting the rough-hewn stone into its dome shape and using our wind magics to scour the surface until it was perfectly smooth. Illusory enchantments created a skybox with clouds, and the closer you got to the dome the more those enchantments would fade away until the dome was readily visible; we didn't need any accidental collisions because some devil couldn't tell where the boundaries were.
The interior of the useable space was subdivided into four quarters with each House having its own quadrant to build as they pleased. The Phenex Quarter was built to maximize the amount of space we had, with the buildings conforming to the curvature of the dome as it went up and wrapped around the sloping edge right up to the property line. There was a small mansion with enough rooms to house the main family and all of their peerage members, and attached to the mansion was the servant's quarters. The buildings following the perimeter of the circle were all solely dedicated to logistics, managing the in-flow and out-flow of supplies that were distributed to the other Quarters. Next to the wall around our small mansion was the Phalanx Quarters where one hundred and two devils serving the Phenex Guard were housed during their training rotation within the Alliance Temporal Training Complex; in order to prevent any leaks every soldier was given a complex Geas scroll that had a list of conditions and rules that needed to be followed at all times.
Lest they die.
Not that anyone here believed that our very trusted House Guards would ever be party to treachery or spying, but devils didn't live to be old without being paranoid.
The last landmark of note, besides the eight segmented training fields and their magic barriers, was the natural hot spring that served as the primary gathering area for post-training revelry; of course, there was a small pub run by each House within their own Quarters, but I had a distinct feeling that I knew where the primary gathering spot for all devils was going to be. It was fifty meters long, twenty meters wide, barely waste deep, and all sorts of small boulders had been placed inside of it for devils to relax against or lay on. Next to it was a smaller hot spring exclusive for the use of the Pillar families and their Peerages with a tall bamboo wall surrounding it, though I had a feeling that I was probably going to be one of the few actually using it.
Devils were beautiful, enchantingly so, and they were proud to display that beauty at every available opportunity. The Pillar Lords and Ladies were no exception to this, and I had a feeling that my parents, along with the other Lords and Ladies, were likely going to be bathing in the other area if only to show themselves off.
Gah! The thought of my mother's naked body being on display for all of those roving eyes-!
A pinch to my ear brought me back to my senses, and I looked up to see my mother's pouty lips pulled up into a knowing smirk.
"I know that you wanted this to be your personal little project, little feather, but there is no need to scowl so furiously," She released my ear and tapped my nose.
Ah, good. She misinterpreted my-
"Or to worry about your dear mother, huhuhu~" Her smirk morphed into a salacious grin as a shiver spread through her, "I look forward to it! All of those young, hungry devils with their greedy eyes… your father is going to be so possessive~!"
Damnit, Mother!
"-and we are pleased to announce that this joint venture has finally come to completion."
I turned my attention away from my giggling mother and out to the training field we were all gathered on. While the Lords and Ladies, and their Peerages, were up on a raised stage, arrayed out in front of us were four hundred members of our House Guards standing in neat formations. They were decked out in ceremonial armor that was painted in the colors of their liege lords: Purple and red for House Gremory. Grey, black, and white for House Agares. Blue and green for House Sitri. Orange, red, and yellow for House Phenex. Their armors had different styles as well, with ours having swept shoulder pauldrons and winged helms that matched the Phenex motif.
The four Lords stood behind a large red ribbon, each man having a hand on a large pair of solid gold scissors, and in unison, they snipped it.
"We officially declare that the Alliance Temporal Training Center, or the ATTC, is now open!"
Spears from the House Guards rose up high into the air, and they came down to strike the ground beneath them, the sound carrying deep throughout the complex.
Having finished my homework I flicked the lap desk and backpack into my magic pocket.
In front of me stood the four little ladies of our Alliance; Rias and Sona standing next to each other on my left, and Seekvaira and Ravel on my right. They all had their cute little faces scrunched up in determination as they watched my hands.
The two gold coins that I had perched on the tops of my thumbs were flicked high up into the air, "Sona, Seekvaira. Make your calls."
"Heads!" Seekvaira called out immediately from the top of her lungs, while Sona's eyes studied the quickly falling coins before she spoke, "Tails."
I snatched the coins out of the air and slapped my palms on my thighs, my eyes slowly shifting between the two.
This was something that I'd come up with in order to settle the little baby disputes that they had. The ones where they all wanted some of my attention but since there was only one of me and four of them there had to be some give somewhere. The weekly picnics lasted three hours, from eleven to one, and I usually got my homework finished in the first hour, so that left two hours for me to entertain the babies now that they were growing up; I sectioned off a half hour for each of them to do something they wanted, but the order was something of a point of contention.
I could have set up a schedule, but for the young three-year-old girls having to wait a whole three weeks before they could do what they wanted with Big Brother Riser first was just something that was too long for them to comprehend.
Thus, the game.
I paired them up and flipped coins, with one from each pair calling the flip, and next week they rotated. The two winners from the first coin tosses would then make their bet against each other, and the two losers would make another toss. This determined the order from first to last. It was quick, and efficient, and it also had the added benefit of introducing the girls early to the concept of losing simply because luck was not on your side.
In a gentle manner.
I looked at Seekvaira and showed her coin, "Tails. That's a loss, little Seeker."
The blonde girl pouted at her fellow blonde, but she had the faux propriety to simply cross her arms and sniff.
I revealed Sona's coin, "Tails. Looks like little Sona is moving on to the next round."
It really shouldn't be possible for a three-year-old to look so smug, especially without the glasses I'd seen her wearing later on.
Maybe… I should get her some?
I shivered.
No, I should probably drop hints to Serafall to get Sona her first pair. Not doing so, especially if she became as enamored with them, would lead to me seeing a premature, frozen grave.
"Alright, Sona, Ravel. You're up!" I flicked the coins once more.
"Heads!" "Heads!" They cried out cutely.
In the end, Sona ended up winning the day, with Ravel being second, Seekvaira taking third, and Rias pouting as she was relegated to last.
"Don't be like that, Rias, your luck is extraordinary," I patted the crown of her little redhead, "But sometimes even your luck can run out. An important lesson to learn."
I turned to Sona and smiled before dropping to an exaggerated knee in front of her, "Alright, Sona. You're the Princess for the next half-hour. What would you have us do?"
The little dumpling fidgeted before she ran over to her mother and came back as fast as she could with a rather thick book, "I-I want you to read this book to me! Out loud! A-and I want to sit in your lap while you do so."
I took a seat as she wished, but the moment she plopped herself down I blanched at the book, "S-Sona… this book is the Oxford English Dictionary; the 'A' volume."
She nodded, "I know! Mama says that it's from the original print!"
Rias whined piteously as she sat down in the little pow-wow circle, meanwhile, Seekvaira and Ravel consigned themselves to boredom by picking out blades of grass and weaving them into various things like crowns and bracelets.
"Lady Sitri?" I looked over to the picnic just over a dozen paces away to see my mother on her back with the lovely Lady Sitri trying to pluck a candied cherry from between my mother's breasts with her tongue. She seemed to fail at getting it more than a few times, her tongue dancing over the pliable, springy flesh of my mother's bosom.
The woman didn't even have the decency to stop and look at me, instead, she waved her hand at me lazily, "Better you than me, dear."
"Ew!" My mother squealed as a giggle left her lips, "Oh Hariella, even after all these centuries you're still so terrible at this game!"
"Mhmmm, yes, I'm terrible," Lady Sitri hummed as she sucked, "It'd be easier if you didn't keep squirming."
"I can't help it, I'm just so sensitive~."
Damnit, Mother.
I sighed as I cracked open the book, "Alright, the first word in the Oxford English Dictionary… is… the letter 'A'?"
I could have sworn it was 'Aardvark'?
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeheeeeheeeheeeeeeeeeeee~!"
I flew through the air slowly while holding onto Ravel's middle firmly, her little devil wings flapping weakly but that didn't stop her from squealing to high heaven as I took us through some gentle loops.
Devil children, even High-Class children such as my sweet little Ravel, were still too young to fly properly even with their high comparative strength. Most parents waited until they were at least five years old before they started teaching flying, but it wasn't too unheard of to get them started younger. I for one had my mother fly with me, just as I was flying with Ravel.
Her little wings couldn't contribute but at least this way they got some exercise and she could experience some of the sensations of flying in a controlled environment.
My mental timer dinged and I slowly turned us around before heading back to where the other girls were waiting impatiently with their wings already out.
The moment we touched down I gave my sister a kiss on her chubby cheek and patted her bottom before extending my hands to Seekvaira, "Alright, little Seeker. It's time to fly!"
The four girls were only three years old, and yet despite that youthfulness, they had somehow come arranged on a sliding scale. Rias was the least restrained and most exuberant of the group, the little devil wearing her heart on her sleeve for all to see. Ravel was almost as exuberant but a touch more restrained. Seekvaira was twenty-five percent exuberant and seventy-five percent reserved, and Sona was Rias's polar opposite at one hundred percent reserved.
However, that wasn't to say that she couldn't get excited.
She did, a lot, but her excitement was much more subdued but no less cute.
Seekvaira stepped toward me calmly, but there was an unmistakable bounce in her step, and she turned around for me to grab onto her waist.
Within moments I was carrying her up into the air, with gentle peels of laughter trailing behind us.
Big, fat tears spilled down chubby cheeks as I held up Seekvaira's leg to inspect the ouchies more closely.
Little Seeker was an explorer at heart it seemed, and for her thirty minutes as the Princess she wanted to trounce out into the copse of trees near our picnic spot. While exploring the dark depths of the fierce and unknown Gremory forest she chanced upon one of the benign if painful dangers of the woods.
Stinging nettles were no fun, especially for little girls without the ability to heal themselves with Phenex flames.
"Ouch! Owowowowowow!" Ravel cried out until her regeneration incinerated the little barbs of keratin and erased the neurotoxin from her finger, and then she reached out and ran her hand along the broad-leafed plant again, "Owieowieowie!"
I looked at her from over my shoulder and arched an eyebrow, something that made her pause, like she had just gotten caught with a hand in the cookie jar. She looked back over at the plant, then at me, and then reached out and touched the plant again like a maroon, "Ew! Ewewewew! Owowowowow! Ahhh…"
Was this… something akin to our fascination with spicy foods?
A long sniff brought my attention back to Seekvaira, and I gave her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Princess. Your Big Brother can handle something as small as this."
I didn't exactly know any healing spells, but considering the amount of time I spent around accident-prone babies I always had a nice medical kit fully stocked. With a flick of my wrist, my medical bag appeared in my hand, without a magic circle, something that I was rather smug about after having watched Ruval and Regen subtly hold that above my head until I got it on my own, and began rifling through it.
A magnifying glass floated in front of my eye as I took great care to remove the dozens of nettles from Seekvaira's leg with a pair of tweezers, and once they were gone I placed a simple alchemical salve over the affected area. Following the salve came a big 'Miracle Levi-tan' bandaid, featuring Serafall herself winking, and to top it all off I looked at the other girls, "What did Magical Girl Levi-tan say the magic words were?"
Three lips formed into 'O's as Rias, Sona, and Ravel trotted up to surround Seekvaira. In unison, they pointed their fingers out and chanted, "Pain, pain, go away!"
I hid my smirk as I lowered my head, "And now for the healing kiss~. Smooch."
The bandaid felt frosty against my lips as I planted a big smooch on Serafall's cheek, and as if by magic, the waterworks pouring down little Seeker's jaw stopped. She sniffled a little bit as she wiped her tears on the sleeves of her dress.
"Feeling better?" I asked with a soft smile, and she nodded, "Good. We still have ten minutes of exploring to do, and we'll make the most of it, neh, Seeker?"
I flashed her my best smile as I held out my hand, and she smiled prettily back.
"KA-!"
"Don't you see, Son Rias!? Struggling against me is pointless! Futile!"
"ME-!"
My opponent was fierce. No matter how much I threw at her, she just wouldn't stay down, "No matter how hard you try, you just won't ever be able to match up to a True Sayian Warrior!"
"WA-!"
"Why do you continue to fight- Son Rias!? What makes this puny little Underworld so special, huh!?"
"ME-!"
"What could possibly be here that would make you bash your head up against the brick wall that is me- Prince Vegato!?"
"WWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!"
A powerful energy wave came crashing toward me, red and black, a Kamewamewa wave built purely of the Power of Destruction.
"Foolish!" I roared out, a pulsating beam of Phenex fire intercepting the beam and meeting it head-on. The pair of destructive beams clashed, pushing against each other, "Don't you know that I am the most powerful Saiyan alive!? Impudent little- what!?"
My pillar of fire was being eaten away at, and inch by inch the Kamewamewa pushed closer to me.
I grabbed my wrist and redoubled my efforts, pouring more energy into the attack, an angered shout leaving my lips even as it still crept toward me, "I-IMPOSSIBLE!"
From behind the Kamewamewa of Destruction, I could see Rias standing there with Seekvaira, Sona, and Ravel; the girls all had a look of determination on their faces as Rias roared to the heavens, "Nothing is impossible, Prince Vegato! Especially not with a little help from my FFFFRRRIIIEENNNDDDSSSSSS!"
Her beam suddenly doubled in size as I felt the three girls lend their magical power to Rias, and what had started as a losing game of inches suddenly became an overwhelming rush that I just couldn't keep up with. My feet left the ground as I took to the air, and when I couldn't prevent the beam from reaching me… I exploded.
I detonated a concussive spell while shrouding myself with my Phenex fire from harm, and the POD washed over me while licking at my protective barrier. Within the smoke, I spun up an illusion to give myself some battle damage, and I slowly dropped out of the sky and onto the ground.
"Impossible. There is no way! No way that I could lose!" My form smoked as I kneeled, and I petulantly smashed the ground, my eyes glaring balefully at the approaching babies, "Especially not to the likes of you, Coconuto, and your merry band of friends."
Rias smirked as she crossed her arms over her chest and pulled her head back, "Maybe you should get some friends of your own, Prince Vegato, but for now? Get off my Underworld!"
"I'll get you next time, Son Rias. Mark my words," I scowled deeply but slowly rose up into the air, "This is not the last you've heard of Vegato, Prince of all Saiyansssssssssss~!"
I dragged the 'S' out until I disappeared into the low-hanging clouds in the sky, and after loitering around I shifted my illusory outfit back to my suit and flew back down where the girls were cheering.
The moment my shoes touched the ground I was immediately swarmed by the girls, with Rias bouncing up and down as she wrapped her arms around my neck, "That was cool! You were all 'Arrgh!' and I was like 'I fight for my friends!' and then you blew up! Oh, I can't wait for the next episode!"
I gave them all their own individual hugs before pointing at our mothers with my chin, "Unfortunately that will have to wait until next week, Ri-chan."
"Aaawwww~" She pouted while scuffing the dirt with her shoe, "I wanted to play more."
"Now, now, Rias," Venelana walked over with the picnic blanket folded over her arm; the smile on her face was beatific and the exposed flesh of her neck, shoulders, and bosom sported a considerable number of hickies, "You'll be patient, won't you? After all, your Sirzechs-onii-chan is coming home soon to spend the evening with us."
"Wah!? Sirzechs-onii-sama!" She bounced over to her mother and grabbed the proferred hand, "I can't wait to tell him all about how much fun I had today with Riser-nii-chan!"
Ah.
Wait. Rias. Don't.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, and Shurukkah for being Patrons!
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A/N: So, the deal is that there are two caves next to one another. They are almost similar in size. When the enchantments on the Primary cave (the slow cave) are active, an equal field is projected over the other cave (with a fast field effect). The fast field is virtually pointless because one day in there is 30 days outside. Though they will find out a use for this particular boon soon enough. Alchemy where potions have to rest, booze, wine, cheese, etc. Anything that can be aged with little oversight or management. Its just that the workers working that cave have to be really quick and efficient with their tasks lest they spend twelve hours there and miss two weeks outside. lol
The field can be boosted up to 40:1 using Low-Class and Mid-Class Devils getting their demonic power succc'd and it is pretty useful for creating mana exhaustion that forces them to grow relatively safely… while still being useful for the training of everyone else as a whole.
Chapter 7 - The Debut (aka "Riser Phenex and the Wager of Fire")
[Phenex Estates]
[Riser Phenex]
In the week leading up to my debut, I decided to run a test on myself.
That test was simple: How many days could I stand to be inside the ATTC while working myself to exhaustion?
The answer was a lot.
Out of the 210 days possible, I spent a grand total of 187 days training inside the time bubble- only leaving when it was time to go to my lessons and attend my training in the Dungeon. It was honestly fantastic. A truly freeing and exhilarating experience.
I felt like a man on a mission, and in truth I was.
Each day was filled to the brim with small but measurable self-improvement.
I punched until I could complete all one thousand punches without easing up the restraints. Once I completed that, I moved on to attempting to do them faster and faster while still keeping my form as crisp as I could make it; the goal was to whittle them down until I could complete them within an hour. The two kicks, simple front snap kicks, were added into the routine; I hadn't mastered them yet, but in time I would- by the time Sagiyama-sensei returned from his Bereavement Leave.
The magical weight set that my brother bestowed unto me found a permanent home within the temporal training complex as I constantly pushed the weights higher and higher with each completion of my full body circuit; increasing the weight was as simple as pouring loads of demonic power into them, and while demonic power wasn't all that dense given the sheer amount that these enchanted weights could contain I would be able to use them for the foreseeable future. At least until I outgrew them completely; then my future Peerage would find them useful.
Now, I was able to make some decent progress in the realms of control with my magics, both those of my family and those few spells that I had in my personal repertoire, but that was mainly it. Sure, I could have used my authority as a Young Lord to kick the Low and Mid-Class devils that were training inside on the magic range off any time I wished, but my desire to not rock the boat and deny these men and women their due was what kept my desire to fling spells and blistering hot fire at the training targets until I had to be dragged off the field. So instead I took the smaller range and focused on casting my small stable of spells at a constant rate by increasing the difficulty of the magical puzzle box that dangled underneath my shirt; by the end of my 187 days, seven threads of control had grown to eight threads.
This was still a far cry from what I needed to cast Arrow Artemis without dividing it up into two, 6-thread charging cycles, but it did mean that I could hold four 2-thread or two 4-thread illusions or spells without feeling any strain. However, that was with static targets and nothing blowing up around me, or someone charging in to punch my face off, so who knows how well I could perform once under pressure?
Only time and actual combat training would tell, and I was a good way away from actually fighting Sagiyama-sensei if he kept gateing my forward progress in the Kuroneko style. Though I could see his reasoning and methodology- ensuring that every move in the complex series of katas could be performed instantly without direct thought- this knowledge didn't make it any less frustrating.
That wasn't to say it was all sunshine and rainbows.
On day 159 my magical restraints broke. They just shattered- lines of ink tearing away from my wrists, ankles, and waist and scattering like leaves in the wind as they caught fire and turned into ash. That miffed the hell out of me even though intellectually I knew that I should be thankful that they even lasted as long as they did. Those restraints were meant to contain beings of Mid-Class and low High-Class levels of strength, and the anchor for the bindings themselves were naught but paper and ink; a hasty solution for any traveling monk or wizard until proper restraints could be put in place.
I'm not going to lie and say that I didn't relish in the knowledge that my growing strength was what broke them, but the fact that all of the training that had been kicking my ass up and down the metaphorical street had now just become easy.
I also think that my ire toward the shattering was enflamed because I hadn't had any time to source more powerful restraints. I mean, my mother said that she was 'working on it', and I trusted her word implicitly; given that my new restraints were being fashioned in the real world while I was inside of a bubble of accelerated time. It was likely that they would have been finished before my current ones broke if I'd continued to advance outside the ATTC instead of inside of it.
These sour feelings were not fully gone by the time I took my final trip into the Dungeon before my debut, and that led me to almost blowing up on someone that I cared for a great deal. Well, I did blow up, but not as much as my family expected from me given the circumstances.
During all of my trips into the Dungeon, my minder had either been Clarissa, Chandra, or Calliope; Veranda was never around often enough due to her work on Earth, but so close to the final days of my debut all of them were busy attending to various tasks. All of them except Veranda.
I knew that she was weaker than me. I could feel it. Yet despite that weakness, I'd chalked it up to her either concealing her true strength from me or that her centuries of experience as a devil had turned her into a 'Control over Power' type.
I was horribly disappointed by her performance within the Dungeon.
Without the restraints increasing my physical exertion and sapping my mana away from me I turned to increase my physical exertion by carrying a set of dumbells that I'd brought from the ATTC. The Farmer's Carry was an excellent exercise, you know? Yet while I was still making my way around the outer perimeter, on only my twelfth lap, I came across the crumpled form of my mother's Queen lying face down with her dress embarrassingly shredded; the flesh of her breasts was pressed out and I could see the forest of curls from her pubic hair peeking around the thong she was wearing.
I had been startled, but then I had to remind myself that this was the DxD universe and things like this happened all of the time; a consequence of someone's physical body being far more sturdy than the garments they wore.
After flaring my power to make sure it wasn't an illusion I was forced to end the training session early and carry her unconscious form out of the Dungeon and back to her room next to my parent's Master Bedroom.
I had gone full circle in the span it took for Soo Young Kim to wake up.
From frothing anger to quietly seething rage, and then finally to that cool, cold wrath that frosted over even my Phenex flames with its icy presence.
With the dumbbells by my feet, I sat in the chair and just watched her until her eyes fluttered open and she returned to consciousness.
"Pathetic." I hissed out lowly, the wooden arms of the chair creaking ominously in my grip,
"Weak."
As her awareness returned she sat upright in the bed, only realizing the state of her undress, but she quickly covered her breasts with the blanket and opened up her mouth to begin lecturing me.
I silenced her.
My demonic power, free from the restraints that bound them, roared around me and began to fill the room with poisonous, noxious flames; the fires of my spirit licked over everything, yet nothing burned because I did not wish it to. The pressure became so great that she was unable to remain upright and was forced back down onto the bed- her face and neck dripped with sweat as her eyes widened in terror.
"You have been my Mother's Queen for how many years, Soo Young Kim?" I asked rhetorically before I leaned back in the chair and crossed one leg over the other, "Almost four centuries. The Evil Pieces have been around since 1535, so that means you were among the first humans to ever be reincarnated."
I laughed at the terror on her face, as if she knew exactly where I was going with this conversation, yet she could not speak because I would not allow it.
"I had once thought that you were someone who just didn't like to flaunt your power, Auntie Veranda. It fit your upbringing and life experiences- after all, the noble that shows off their power unnecessarily is the one that ends up being hated the most. In my mind, I had built you up as someone who preferred to branch out and try new things, experience new magics, and see just what your powers were capable of. I thought you were more of a Hidden Master among the Queens of the Phenex family- the one who didn't wish to stand out and instead chose to be the 'innocent beauty' that was the 'hidden blade'," I ran a hand along my mouth as I adjusted myself in the chair and glared her down, "But you weren't any of those things, were you? Granted it might be a touch uncharitable of me to be beating you down like this considering my mother herself seemed to be comfortable with the status quo… but you know what the problem with that is?"
I got out of the chair and walked over to the bed before crawling onto it, and I got very, very close to her face- our noses kissed, but my only desire was to stare into those big beautiful eyes of hers, "The problem is that
you
shouldn't have been comfortable with it. Not in the slightest."
I pulled back and sat at the edge of the bed, not even bothering to look at the pathetic woman as she struggled to breathe, though I did reign back my presence just enough so that she could draw in some shakey, uneven gasps.
She couldn't very well pay attention to my words if she was trying not to die, now could she?
"While I very much hate the game of Chess and how it has captivated devil society as a whole, there is something that I do agree with, and that is the idea that every piece on the board exists to protect the King," I generated an illusory chess board and began running through a relatively simple game where pieces were exchanged readily, "No matter the value of the piece, every piece exists solely to keep the King safe. The Queen piece, valued at nine pawns, is the most powerful and versatile of the Evil Pieces; it combines a Knight's speed and maneuverability, a Rook's strength and heartiness, and a Bishop's magical power and control."
Pieces on the board continued to be knocked out, and yet the more I spoke the more it felt like I was truly talking to myself.
"I understand there are far more nuances to being the Queen in a peerage than simply being strong, but it appears to me that you have forgotten your primary purpose," I clenched my fists and looked at her from over my shoulder, flames of orange and ghastly, sickly green licking at my eyebrows, "Your primary purpose is not to sit in an office. It's not to manage the affairs of the Peerage. It's to protect your King.
To protect my most beloved mother.
"
I suck in a deep breath before letting it out, "If I'm being honest I feel that Auntie Clarissa has the same failings as you, but Chandra and Calliope? They were reincarnated far after you, and yet they're both exceptionally powerful. Chandra is the Queen of a devil who stands in 7th place in the Ratings Games, and she holds her own against verified, certified monsters on a regular basis; she's been a devil for 297 years. Calliope has only been a devil for twenty-five years and yet she could kick your beautiful bottom up and down the training fields without breaking a sweat."
The last three pieces on the illusory board were K1, Q1, and K2, and in the final move, Q1 takes K2.
A rough snort leaves my lips, "You shamed yourself greatly today. Not just you but my mother as well; your only saving grace is that there was no one else around to witness it. You fell victim to illusions and clawed away at your own clothes before passing out face down like some common bed wench with your modesty on display to me. And you know what the worst thing about it all is?"
I dismissed the board and leaned over her again, "You didn't even admit that you weren't capable of handling it. Either you felt you
could
, foolishly entrusting your inborn strength as a Queen to see you through, or you
knew
that you couldn't and yet still put yourself and
me
at risk by keeping silent."
The bedspread crinkled as I pulled away and slipped off, and I went through the trouble of straightening out my workout clothes to make myself presentable.
"I really hate it, Soo Young Kim, I really hate that the devils sympathetic to the Old Satan faction despise the very existence of reincarnated devils. I think it's disgusting that they think that reincarnated devils cannot grow to be strong. I think it's gross how blind they are to the simple fact that reincarnated devils are to be the future lifeblood of almost all devil kind within the next few centuries; try as they might, the reincarnated will one day become the majority of the populace in the Underworld," I let out a soft sigh, "It isn't as though I cannot sympathize with the thought of being replaced, but it's the belief that reincarnated devils cannot reach lofty heights that bothers me the most."
I looked over at her, and she shirked deeper into the pillows at my gaze, "It is devils like
you
that they hoist up into the air and use to tout their propaganda. Reincarnated devils who had done nothing with the power that is theirs to claim. Almost four centuries as a devil and yet you had to be carried out of the Dungeon on a child's back- the very same child that is supposed to be your charge. Your ward."
Reigning in my demonic presence took a lot more effort than letting it all out, but the more I worked all of my thoughts out and expressed them in words the cooler and more controlled my flames became. The moment my hand touched the doorknob the room looked as though it had never been filled with poisonous fire.
"I'll let you get some rest and ponder on the countless years you've wasted. However, your punishment isn't something I can hand down- instead, I will leave that to my Mother and your fellow Queens to decide," I knew they were there because I could feel their ki on the other side of the door, but without Sagiyama-sensei to guide my meditations there was little that I could do to improve on that front during my first ever training sesh.
When I stepped out into the hallway and shut the door behind me I expected to see some disapproving frowns, yet if there were any ill-feelings at me most assuredly overstepping my bounds none of them showed it. Calliope's usual easy grin was gone, and Chandra's cool countenance was frozen solid. My mother's kind, gentle face was a smooth, placid mask of indifference. When my eyes met Clarissa the pure-blood devil had the decency to avert her gaze; there was no doubt in my mind that she heard everything.
That they heard everything.
I gave them all a deep bow and carried on my way to the nearest teleportation circle so that I could port back to the ATTC; I needed to scavenge the rest of my training session before I lost too much time.
That had not been my finest moment. My mood had been soured by the destruction of my restraints, and having my last session in the Dungeon cut short because Veranda had a countenance and presence that made me wholly overestimate her abilities just sent me over the edge.
However, I was assured by my father that even my episode was considered 'very lax' by devil standards; if anything he seemed almost amused that I was feeling so out of sorts at the sheer potency of the anger that I had experienced during that time.
Devils were beings of sin, and Wrath was just as much a sin as any of the others.
Some devils would have killed her on the spot for being so shameless as to put her weakness on display before one of their children.
Others would have waited for her to wake up so that they might take their displeasure out on her personally in a more extended fashion before finishing her off.
That I was absolutely livid and didn't even harm her outside of terrifying her to tears showed my benevolence and restraint.
That I recognized that she was not mine to punish showed that I valued the positions of my Mother and Veranda's fellow Queens.
That I bothered to correct her and show her the error of her ways, pointing out her failings, was right and proper as Peerages within the family represented the family, and no Piece, no matter of valuable, was above chastizement when misbehaving.
I knew that I wasn't wrong in feeling the way that I did, because the blood thrumming within my veins staunchly agreed, but there was that human part of my soul that felt that maybe I'd gone a touch overboard.
That maybe I'd gone too far.
It took me the last few weeks of my training sesh to come to terms with the simple fact I was completely okay with what had transpired.
I didn't regret doing what I did or saying what I said.
She had a duty to my mother, beyond simply phoning in from a cushy job on Earth.
Beyond warming my mother's bed when she felt like she wanted some womanly company.
She had a duty to be strong and protect her to the best of her abilities, and while I couldn't be certain that she didn't train on her own… I just know that every shred of power she has was what she accumulated naturally during her years as a devil.
That shit still pissed me off.
Where the fuck could I be in 400 years? I was 10 for crying out loud and I made her look like a Mid-Class! Genetics plays a big part, but it's only the starting point- everything else has been through my efforts and mind alone. Everyone helped out, they pitched in, but all of that wouldn't mean a damn thing if I didn't put my nose to the grindstone and made their assistance worthwhile.
Still, I hated the way Veranda seemed to twitch and squirm in my presence ever since that night. I had probably crushed her spirit into the dirt after it was already reeling from being folded by the Dungeon like a chump. That… just wasn't cool. The more she avoided my gaze the more I felt like a total shit heel.
However, I couldn't do anything about it because my mother told me in no uncertain terms that it was being handled and that I could talk to her once Veranda was ready to talk to me.
It did little to banish my unease but like a good momma's boy, I would abide by her wishes, even if it pained me to do so.
On the plus side, Mother decided that she would be taken to the ATTC every time she slipped into a prophecy fugue. I made sure to spend time with her honing my prophecy blood trait while she was in there with me, and I could see that it had a profound effect on the rest of the family; no sooner would she teleport away with a few maids, then in a few hours she would be right back looking refreshed and ready to take on the day.
The one it had affected most was Ravel.
"Big brother, um, when is mommy going to go to sleep again? She hasn't slept in a long time…"
I gripped her hand softly as I dropped to a knee and planted a kiss on her forehead, "Well, my little Ravel, mother has found a small workaround to her bouts of sleepiness. She goes away for a little while and then she comes back feeling much better. Haven't you seen how much happier she looks?"
"Uhn," The little girl's drill curls bounced.
"That's good. Now Mother has more time to spend with all of us."
I felt my heart melt as that little talk from just last night flashed back in front of my eyes.
Now all I needed to do was to find a way to make her shed those silly little drill curls and I would be set. Would she like a ponytail like Seekvaira? Or maybe she could just let her hair down? Hmm… I'd have to look into some different braids and ask one of the maids to teach me how to dress up a little girl's hair.
My hands gripped the railing of the high balcony overlooking the party happening in the family dining hall. The one-hundred-person table remained in its central location, but all of the chairs had been removed so that rows upon rows of finger foods, entrees, and desserts could fill up its vast tabletop. Surrounding it were forty other tables, with each Demon Pillar family attending having an assigned table, and eight of the nine Extra Demon clans; House Nebiros could not attend because they simply hadn't been found since the end of the Civil War.
The remainder of the tables were for news media personalities who were conducting some on-the-spot interviews with some rather jovial devils, and one table was specially reserved for my Guests of Honor. The tables were segregated by factional loyalties with those who were most… even-keeled taking the tables on the borders of each faction.
I had to admit that I was taking a massive fucking risk by inviting the Extra Demon clans to my debut but Father and Ruval saw the benefits of at least attempting to bring them back into the fold. Seeing as most of the attendees that came as representatives were either retainers or branch family members, it appeared as though they were just as wary of being here as everyone else was weary of them. After all, several of their most prominent members were outright terrorists affiliated with or outright controlled by the Old Satan faction; I highly doubted that even someone as powerful as Euclid Lucifuge would dare to stride inside even if he was invited under guest rights.
Whatever their reason, the Masters of the Old Satan faction gave permission for them to join my debut.
Sirzechs Lucifer himself was the one who ultimately agreed to the plan and signed off on it; while this would protect House Phenex from any blowback on the surface if anything went awry this would still cause our reputation to take a hit with the current Pillars. Six Demon Pillars had already declined to attend entirely due to their mere presence, but those Houses were firmly in the New Satan faction already, so their refusal was more a political statement than anything else.
Even without whatever ill-portents my Father was feeding to Lord Lucifer from my smattering of prophetic visions- most of which weren't exactly real ones but the ones that mattered were- the Underworld was slowly starting to make its way back toward Civil War footing, and it didn't take a genius to see that discontent and disunity were on the horizon unless something was done to start binding everyone together again.
My sketches and prophecy were likely only serving to fan the flames underneath the Great Satan's behinds, and even if they had an inkling that some of my warnings were false or highly dubious at best… there is no way to falsely create the creeping sense of terror and dread that comes with even looking at my six-year-old recreation of the first vision I ever had- of The Beast of the Apocalypse .
I took a deep breath to steady myself as I saw my Father conclude his conversation with one of the Pillar Lords, Marquis Ludwig Oriax, the current head of the House; their blood trait gave them an inordinate amount of knowledge of the planets and stars, and thus an exceptional aptitude with ritual magics requiring their guidance. He picked up a flute of champagne and began clinking a silver spoon against the rim- the soft noise carrying far across the room and above the clamor of the numerous conversations filling the air.
"Lords and Ladies of the Court, lend me your ears if you would please," My father's smile grew broader as the conversation lowered to a gentle hum, "First of all, you have my thanks and the thanks of all of House Phenex for your attendance. As all of you may know, I am Marcus Phenex, four Lord of House Phenex- one of our beloved 72 Demon Pillars. We are all gathered here today for a very special celebration that occurs only once in the lives of our dear children. From the moment they are born into this world, we raise them, we teach them, and we train them in all manners of subjects specifically for moments such as these. On a day such as this, our children leave the sheltering arms of us parents and take their very first step out into the realms of the Courts to meet their fellow Pillar Nobles and their children so that we might breed familiarity, cooperation, and in certain cases foster healthy competition."
"It is following their 10th birthday, on a day of the child's choosing, that this first step into the wider world we live in takes place, and we call this once-in-a-lifetime ceremony 'The Debut' ," Marcus Phenex rested the hand holding the spoon at the small of his back as he turned his gaze over the crowd, "On this day we are introduced to the newest member as he or she steps into Court. We learn a little bit about who they are as individuals to catch a glimmer of who they might one day become. We learn about their interests, to see what drives their young minds ever forward. It is also on this day that we get a chance to taste some of their power and see what of their families' talents they have received at their birth."
"It is a celebration of introduction. A celebration of discovery. A celebration of who these young devils are now so that when the years pass by we can look back and remember what they were with fondness," My father's seemed to glow gold he smoothly turned away from the crowd and strode toward the steps of a stage, but it was thanks to my elevated position that I could see him slipping a few vials of golden liquid into his breast pocket.
Aw, Father…
Once on top of the stage he turned around, the glow missing from his eyes, and he smiled broadly as he held his champagne glass high, "It is with all that in mind that I am pleased to announce that my 3rd son, borne from the womb of my beloved wife Elise, is ready to make his debut!"
At his words, the magical lights began to slowly dim and down below I could see the devils all taking their seats at their assigned tables with varying levels of interest.
I shook myself before patting my cheeks.
I can do this.
I'd practiced this for months.
This was the first step, and I wasn't about to flub it in front of God- OW! - and country!
Game time.
[Kuisha Abaddon]
Spoiler: Kuisha Abaddon - Hope this Link Works
[img: https/static.wikia./highschooldxd/images/5/51/Kuisha_vs_Ise.jpeg]
Not for the first time since she arrived at the opulent Phenex estates Kuisha Abaddon wondered why she was even here.
The green and luscious fields were a far cry from what she was used to having grown up in the Blasted Lands- the lands so devastated by the Great War between the Three Factions that no one else wanted to settle in it… and that included the Extra Demons whose only option was to survive in the harsh environments around them. At the end of the Civil War, the victors were able to return to their homes while the Extra Demons and the Demon Pillars who would not submit to the New Satan factions were stripped of their status, and their lands, and forced to call that blasted hellscape ' home'.
The small mansion that she once thought to be larger than life seemed like a hovel in comparison, and upon seeing the dozens upon dozens of servants, butlers, and maids running about she was reminded that her family barely had a handful.
Even the foods on the tables showcased the differences between the Extra Demons and the Demon Pillars- buttery crackers, the most odorous and sumptuous of cheeses, finely sliced cuts of meat, and the freshest fruits Kuisha had ever seen were only the finger foods. The less she thought about the fatty, juicy cuts of meat that weren't sourced from whatever monsters she and her father had killed that day, the better. The spread had simply hypnotized her and before she knew it she had three plates piled high with a little bit of everything, and it wasn't until she realized that she was almost weeping at the various flavors dancing on her tongue that she had forgotten her composure as a proud Extra Demon.
In the corner of her mind, there was a part of her that admitted that if this was what defeat tasted like… then it was delicious.
Still, she was fifteen years old, and despite being drawn in by the bounty on the tables before her, she would not lose again.
While the invitation had been something that intrigued her father enough to accept, whatever it was he hoped to gain from this attendance wasn't something she could glean. Her father was the fifth Head of House Abaddon, his ascension to the seat owed to the dangerous wastes surrounding the cloistered compounds of the various exiled clans; the harshness made him a hard man. Kind, to her at least, but very hard.
Kuisha did her best to at least pay attention to Lord Phenex as he spoke, and she was a touch confused as to why he was explaining what a young devil's debut was, what made up its parts, and why it was important.
While she and her fellow Extra Demons never had an official debut with the other Pillars, they had a less rigid one for their fellow exiled children.
"Father…?" She whispered, leaning closer to the broad-shouldered man who looked as though he could lift their whole home on his back; his once scraggly black hair was slicked back and tied into a neat ponytail, and the clothes he wore once belonged to the first Lord Abaddon back during the days when their House was pledged directly to Lord Lucifer himself.
He placed a hand on top of her own and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Lord Phenex is not explaining it for our benefit… he is explaining it to the Low-Class devils watching all over the Underworld."
Amos Abaddon released her hand so that he could lean forward and rest his chin on his interlaced fingers, "Curious, don't you think? To the commoners of the Underworld, the inner workings of the Pillar Houses are a mysterious thing indeed; for them to catch even the tiniest glimpse into this world in which they cannot partake this must be terribly exciting. I wonder about the young boy who staged this momentous occasion, and why has seen fit to not continue the tradition of exclusion… the Extra Demons have never attended an event like this since the end of the Civil War, and the commoners have never seen anything like this at all. What is his play? Does he seek to gain something from this? Or was this even his idea at all?"
Kuisha patted her father's arm as she let him carry on with his musings, the young woman returning her attention to Lord Phenex as he was seemingly finished with his speech.
"It is with all that in mind that I am pleased to announce that my 3rd son, borne from the womb of my beloved wife Elise, is ready to make his debut!"
The lights all around them began to dim, and she had to admit that her interest was starting to tick up higher.
Idly she picked up a slice of pungent cheese and paired it with a thick cut of some smoked meat, and she let out a soft groan of pleasure as the two wonderful flavors combined in her mouth.
High above her head, at the back of the ceiling, she caught sight of a rectangular block of fire spring to existence at the edge of the guardrailing. Another block appeared in front of that one, then another, and another, each one perfectly spaced apart and trailing down from the lofty height in a fiery imitation of a staircase. Halfway to the floor, they stopped, and a rather boyish figure stepped out from the railing and began to slowly make his way down the steps.
He was dressed in what Kuisha could only assume was an impeccably tailored suit, but her rustic living and her family's lack of means meant that she could only guess. However, the important part was that it looked very striking on him, the dark blacks and greys heavily contrasting with his blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes; the adornments of gold at the cuffs and the thin, black leather gloves on his hands seemed to detract from the image overall. In her opinion, it looked as though he was trying far too hard to appear grown up, but overall it was far from distasteful; perhaps in a handful of years, he might grow a little more to fully take advantage of his mature look.
His stride, however, was something that caught her attention. It was smooth and confident, his gate neither lackadaisical nor hurried, and the closer he got the more she could see just how well the cut of the suit was pressed against his form; the lines bulging over the planes told her the story of someone that trained their body to a very high degree. A far cry from the lanky boys and teens that she saw at the tables on the other side of the room.
At the last step, he came to a complete stop, the flaming steps behind him disappearing before reappearing in front of him, and he continued to walk forward on the platforms at his current height over the floor; despite wanting to kick back and enjoy the theatrics of it all, she couldn't help but notice that there were only ten steps he could generate at a time. That meant he was able to at least control ten threads of mana to very good level, something that she had to respect as she was five years his senior and could only control fourteen; her blood trait, her heritage- Hole - required her to be able to handle at least that much in order for it to be useful when hunting the dangerous beasts of the Blasted Lands with her papa.
"Hello everyone, and welcome to the Phenex Estates. My Lord Father has given me a most wonderful introduction, and it wouldn't do to keep you waiting any longer," The young boy stood on his flaming platform and dropped to a knee, his hand held over his heart, and he held that position until his father acknowledged him. He stood up and turned around, this time bowing to the crowds below, "My name is Riser Phenex, the 3rd Son of Lord Marcus Phenex and Elise Phenex nee' Barbatos. I am ten years old, and I would like to once more humbly welcome you to my debut; for your attendance… I am most grateful."
He straightened his back and drew his hands behind his back, "It is customary for the opening of a young devil's debut to begin with a display of one's talents and passion. Many adore the musical arts, playing their very best to serenade the ears of all who hear. Others dance, to give the viewers a feast for the eyes with their graceful routines. Others still prefer the words of the heart, and they reach deep within their very souls to bring forth poetry that can make even the hardest devils sink back in deep introspection."
Kuisha heard her father snort lightly, "Really pumping this up, eh, boy?"
"I am not a singer, nor am I a dancer," Riser tilted his head with a small but notable self-deprecating grin, "However, I am an avid student of the fascinating history of our people, and on occasion, I fancy myself a storyteller. So please, sit back and let me tell you of a tale that you've likely never heard of unless you delve into the dusty tomes of old as I have. It is a tale of courage. A tale of heroism. A tale of self-sacrifice and love for one's brothers. It is a tale of stalwart determination in the face of the greatest adversities, and the cunning and guile needed to see our heroes through it."
A large blue light coalesced in the center of the room, threads of mana leaving the boy and stitching themselves together to form a fairly complex illusion- the first of which was a blasted battlefield soaked with the blood of devils, with craters as far as the eye could see and smoke choking the air. As he spoke the smoke came together to make ten figures, all tall, lanky males, and they staggered in pairs while dodging a hellish rain of spells- the dirt kicking up all around them.
"Six hundred and thirty-seven years ago war had just only begun to ravage the Underworld. Thirty-three years into what we all call today the Devil Civil War, the breach into Guison's Gap had just been reinforced. Bolstered by the defeat of Lord Guison and his forces, the New Satan Faction was desperate to ensure that this foothold would not fall back into enemy hands.
Seeing that this was one of the biggest opportunities the New Satan faction had at putting an end to grueling stalemates that had been grinding down the forces on both sides, then Lord Ajuka Astaroth devised a plan to hold the northern flank while Lady Serafall Sitri and Lord Sirzechs Gremory staged vicious assaults to the southern flank before the Old Satan faction could reinforce or contract the lines. He took with him ten legions through the Guison Placid and into the direct territory of Lord Falcor Raim; his men were exhausted from the previous push, yet they followed their commander fastidiously- once they learned the of the importance of their holding action they knew that should they fail then the gap would collapse.
Lord Astaroth chose the most advantageous position he could find and he set up shop right in front of their noses, digging in where he could; his presence was not one that could be ignored in the slightest. He was within striking distance of their most forward logistical outposts, and the best roads to travel south to plug the gap were through his freshly claimed territory; going around him would have taken them too much time, as the lands of Raim were rife with monsters that they had cultivated to deny valuable terrain. Lord Ajuka's forces were directly between them and their objective, and he had to be rooted out at any cost.
So they struck, and they struck very hard. Day after day, the more numerous legions- twenty-three in all- crashed against the hastily erected fortifications of Lord Astaroth's ten legions, and with his strength behind them, he was able to repel them time and time again with minimal losses.
However, in war, there is a saying that is often forgotten by strategists and military planners alike, and that saying is 'The Enemy has a say too'.
Five legions of Raim braved the dangerous wilderness utilizing the well-hidden footpaths in the mountains and were able to set up a line at Lord Astaroth's rear. His lines of supply and communication were cut off, and unless the other forces reinforcing Guison's Gap stumbled across the plight of those ten legions… it is likely that Lord Astaroth's compatriots would never learn of his predicament.
The rest of the story would be widely known to most casual readers of military history: Lord Ajuka's legions were able to hold on, with numerous skirmishes fought from both the front and the rear, the men and women of those brave ten legions doing their best to pin two sizeable forces in place so that they could neither retreat nor advance. It was in this battle that the true power of Lord Astaroth's famous Kankura Formula was showcased to the Underworld as he redirected magical bombardment with impunity, exhausting the ranged specialists under Lord Raim's command and forcing them to engage in close combat where Lord Astaroth's legions held the superior ground and had superior arms and training.
However, this victory, while great, was not only won from purely the strength and skill of Lord Ajuka alone, nor his attending legions.
Only the most dutiful historians would know that attached to the forces of Lord Astaroth was a half-strength Phalanx of House Sitri.
At full strength they were called "Walmek's Rangers", so named after their Mid-Class Phalanx Commander, Tidus Walmek. These forces were specialists in mountain warfare, and over the course of the battles of Guison's Gap, their one hundred and two members were steadily reduced until only ten remained. A tragic rate of attrition indeed, but not one that is outlandish given the fierce and bloody fighting that had taken place to the south.
This story is not the story of Lord Astaroth, no, it is
their
story."
Kuisha had to admit that she felt herself being drawn into the whole presentation- the illusions flowed like water from one to another, and they seemed so detailed and life-like that if it were not for the deep blue glow from the large floating orb in the air she could have believed that they were right in front of her.
Ten men, devils all, stood side by side with their arms over each other's shoulders. Their uniforms were practically non-existent, and their forms were streaked with mud, blood, and detritus; it was almost as if the grasses had become their clothes- large cloaks almost shielding their profiles from view.
"The forces on the northern front were already in a precarious position even with a direct path from the Gap thanks to the lagging supply lines that were struggling to keep up with the advance. The appearance of the five legions of Raim to their southern flank was near enough to make their hold untenable. Lord Astaroth spoke to his legion commanders while devising plans to hold the front to the best of their abilities, but all of those plans hinged on their ability to be resupplied. Food, untainted water, medical supplies. An army needs all of these things to function properly, and after the battles leading through the gap… the forces under Lord Astaroth were already on quarter rations even with their last resupply.
If they could not find a way to break through and get word, or to sneak in supplies, their fighting ability would eventually crumble and the front would be lost.
It was in this dire meeting that Commander Tidus Walmek stepped forward and volunteered to take on a daring plan: they would sneak through the enemy lines by circumventing the forces to the south, climbing over the mountain on their right flank, and back into friendly territory to retrieve supplies before making their way back.
The issue was that the mountain to their right flank, while not a tactical threat to their current position, had numerous sentries from Lord Raim posted on the ridges and peaks. They had an unknown number of magical arrays carved into the stones themselves, and any attempt to fly would see them surely dead and the plan compromised. They had extensive magical scanners as well, but Commander Walmek and his men were the solution.
Every man that was selected for the unit was a Low-Class devil with what most would consider pitiful reserves. They could hardly fly, they could hardly cast spells, and by all rights, they were considered a terrible unit for conventional warfare… and the detractors were not wrong. The swampy warfare they encountered in Guison was murderous to their numbers, seeing their once proud Phalanx reduced to a mere ten men… and yet despite this, they remained strong.
What these men did have, however, were their incredibly strong bodies honed through countless hours of physical training. These men were utterly devoid of fear- they were walking personifications of focus, commitment, and
sheer fucking will
."
The images changed to show moving images of the ten men, covered in mud, climbing through densely packed wooded terrain, crawling in the underbrush as silently as a mouse while patrols of Raim devils passed by without ever noticing them. The illusion showed a leafy mound being stepped over by dark boots, and once the boot was out of the way Kuisha was surprised to see an eye slowly flutter open to watch the patrol move on.
"With their magical abilities so weak already it was easy enough to completely seal them away, and they crawled through the forests, scaled the sheer cliffs of the mountain range, slithered past patrols and over the walls where Lord Raim's men kept watch over the ridges and valleys. They were beneath notice. Invisible to the magical senses that their enemies relied upon, untraceable to the magical arrays seeking out intruders, but they would never be found. This was their terrain. Their environment- the men of Walmek's Rangers knew mountains like no other Phalanx in the New Satan forces."
The images shifted to a pair of bloodied hands as they crested a ridge to reveal the face of Commander Walmek, and they came over one by one, their eyes constantly searching… always wary… yet completely focused on the task in front of them.
"It took them two days to make it back to friendly lines bearing a sealed letter from Lord Astaroth, and after feeding themselves they loaded up with shielded magic satchels and made their way back through the hellish path that they had just arrived from. They crawled through the muck, over and under bodies of the fallen from both sides, dragging their most precious cargo behind them every step of the way. Once more they were not caught, with the self-assured forces of Lord Raim never even knowing they had been breached.
They returned to the lines in a day and a half, handing off supplies equivalent to almost a whole wagon train before grabbing the empty satchels and throwing themselves back into the journey that was grinding the men down both physically and mentally.
Yet despite this, they never once gave up. They never once complained.
As far as the ten remaining men of Walmek's Rangers were concerned they could rest when they were dead, and while they wouldn't mind a sweet reunion with those they lost, their friends would just have to wait a little bit longer for them because they had a mission to complete. A mission that only they could do, and that meant something to these great men.
In the end, they would make seven such trips over nineteen days, slipping back and forth over the mountains to friendly lines to retrieve much-needed supplies, providing relief for the beleaguered forces of Lord Astaroth and his ten legions. These supplies kept the men in fighting shape, kept them sharp, and this confounded Lord Raim as the man had been confident that he'd cut them off completely.
Yet the forces of his foes remained strong and hale.
Lord Raim believed that the forces of Lord Astaroth were bluffing and on their last legs, so he attacked. Wave after wave of forces poured across the battlefield in an attempt to get the defenders to break, and yet they never did. They stood strong and fought until their dying breath, and it was this final assault that saw Lord Raim's legions shattered and the northern flank of the gap held in place."
The illusions faded away and the magical lights in the large dining hall slowly grew brighter, and Kuisha felt her eyes get drawn back to the flaming platform that the young boy was standing on.
"It is men like them that I admire the most, these unsung heroes," Riser locked his hands behind his back, "They did not have the numbers. They did not have the magical prowess or strength that kind is known for, and yet they did not let that stop them. They took what they did have- their bodies and their minds- and they honed them to an astounding degree. They saw a problem, envisioned a solution, and then used their strength, skill, and guile to see that mission succeed no matter the personal cost."
"You sir! You and your nine fellows!" Riser's voice rose to a shout, and Kuisha whipped her head to see where he was looking, she saw a small table off in the corner with ten men seated around it; they looked very uncomfortable, "You are an inspiration to me. Ever since I learned of your tales I have done my utmost to wholly dedicate myself to the tenants that I believe you represent. It was a quiet courage, one that was barely mentioned in most of the history books, but I sirs, have seen your feats and I will at the very least honor you in my own little way."
The man at the center of the table looked around to the four men on his left and the five on his right, and with an imperceptible sigh he stood up and placed a hand over his heart and bowed, "On behalf of the Rangers, I humbly accept this praise."
"There is no need to be so modest, Commander Walmek, but I can honestly sympathize; being in the spotlight has its own thrills, but it also has its pitfalls as well," The boy gave him a commiserating smile before bowing, "So please, enjoy the rest of the evening."
The man gave a stiff nod before resuming his seat and none-too-subtly tossing back his champagne glass.
"Now, that was the 'Tale of the Walmek Rangers'," That was when Riser Phenex clapped his hands once, the boy turning back toward the nobles seated with a broad smile on his face, "I trust you found it entertaining?"
The applause that followed was polite and restrained, as befitting an audience of High-Class devils, though she did note that a handsome Lord whom she recognized as Lord Sitri raised a glass and saluted with it. There were other Pillar Lords among the tables who were among the Old Satan faction that had bent the knee to the New Satans, and their expressions ranged from ambivalent to quietly seething.
For most in attendance, the tale was a simple one, but the illusions invoked far more emotion and attachment to it than having it merely spoken about. It wasn't a tale of a heroically powerful devil destroying his foes, but instead one of the weakest of the weak finding ways to support those who did wield such power to achieve a monumentally important victory. It was not, as far as she could tell, tinged with pro-New Satan faction propaganda- simply a story of ten good men finding the strength and courage to carry out their dangerous mission to the best of their abilities despite the odds stacked against them.
Yet there was no doubt in her mind that the once-supporters of the Old Faction would see it as a dig to their already battered pride; yet another tale about how they had lost the war. To add further insult to their injury it wasn't even a story about the numerous powerful devils that had felled them in droves.
No.
It was a story about the weakest of the weak, those devils so pitiful that they shouldn't even be considered devils at all, who had been one of the lynchpins in one of the greatest defeats of the Civil War.
Kuisha could sympathize with them to some extent.
Devils, no matter how intelligent or powerful, were loath to have their failings thrown back into their faces, no matter the intention; this was a story that a boy found inspiring enough to share with the world, but the old devils wouldn't see it as such.
However, her sympathy for them was smothered rather quickly because their rage was only a small fraction of what her family had held within their breast. Those devils had bent the knee to keep the majority of their lands and their power, meanwhile, her's kept up their support of the original Satans until the very end; their wealth, lands, and titles were stripped away from them and ushered into the Blasted Lands with a pittance. The only reason the Extra Demons hadn't been plucked from the ground root and stem is because the further loss of their bloodlines, and accompanying blood traits, would do more harm to the faction overall than good.
They were kept in the Blasted Lands without power to one day be called upon should the Great War break out once more, and the Extra Demons would have no choice but to bow their heads and heed the call because when the scourge of heavenly light comes down from the heavens it threatens all.
At least, that was what her Grandfather had always told her until the day he was killed by a Granite Basilik in the badlands.
Her father seemed to care less about the politics of it all and instead focused on providing his family with the best life he could given their circumstances.
"My name is Riser Phenex, and I am the 3rd son of Marcus Phenex and Elise Phenex nee' Barbatos," The boy spoke with crystal clarity once the applause had died down, and more fiery steps appeared before him as he made his way closer to the ground one step at a time, "As a son of two prestigious bloodlines I am honored to showcase that I do possess the primary traits of both to you all today."
"Phenex Fire," He spoke, his words carrying a hint of power to them.
He stopped in place on his step, and the air suddenly grew warmer as a few flickering sparks manifested around him before exploding into a giant fireball that shot from the orb of flames surrounding his body.
"Ssssssssscccccrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!"
Spoiler: Phoenix
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The screech of a large bird of prey, one reminiscent of the massive Stonefeather Hornbeaks that she had come to fear in her childhood, filled the air inside of the dining hall as the careening fireball took on the shape of a proud phoenix, and it screeched once more as it beautifully soared through the large stone pillars; its movements were deft and lifelike.
"Hell Fire," Riser Phenex spoke once more, and the orange and red flames that once consumed his form guttered out until another set of flames took its place. The sickly green flames seemed to cause him great pain as the flames ate away at his flesh, but the Phenex regeneration healed those wounds as quickly as they came, and he held out his hand- the Hell Fire flames streaming off of his person to blanket the air over the long table.
There was a subtle slackening in his posture the moment the flames no longer were surrounding him, and it appeared as though he sighed in relief before speaking again.
" Wind!" He threw out his arms wide as a sudden gust burst forth from his body, sending the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling swinging and magical torches on the walls flailing.
He brought his arms together and began moving his hands in a slow, swirling motion- as if he was cradling a ball to his chest and trying to move his hands around its surface to touch everything without letting the ball move from its position.
The winds began to howl as the errant gusts flapping table clothes and ruffling hair and dresses began to concentrate around the Hell Fire blanketing over the table. His hands moved faster and faster, and the wind magic began to materialize as a translucent orb that gradually shrunk tighter and tighter- the sickly green fire was pulled into the center of the sphere until it was a highly compressed orb of putrid malice.
"Sccccrrraaaaaaaawwwwwwwww!" The Phoenix of Phenex Flame screeched once more, and it swooped low to the ground, the trailing flames of its tailfeathers leaving lines of fire in its wake.
The construct of fire looped around the orb of Hell Fire, seemingly undisturbed by the winds that were being sucked inside, and it roosted on top of the orb, its talons having no problem finding purchase on the constantly shifting surface.
"Crrrraaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"
It spread out its wings and let out one last mighty cry, the volume of it vibrating the cutlery on Kuisha's plate, before it, the Hell Fire, and the orb of wind that surrounded it… poofed into a hail of red, green, and white motes of mana that spread throughout the dining area. Absentmindedly the teen fluffed out her table napkin and used it to cover the three plates of food that she hadn't had time to finish off yet; while she knew that it was just stray bits of mana and demonic power, and ultimately harmless, she didn't want to chance that the falling sparkles might alter the taste of the delicacies that she had yet to try.
She observed a single bead of sweat sliding down Riser Phenex's brow, and he clapped his hands once more.
"BANG!" At the back of the dining hall, a pair of double doors were thrown open by a pair of servants, and the tell-tale 'cloppity-clop' of hooves dashing down the fine marble floors filled Kuisha's ears.
Her maidenly heart seemed to soar at the sight of one of the most beautiful and majestic creatures she had ever laid eyes on.
It was a Nightmare, with sleek black fur and powerful muscles that could be seen as it powered along the table toward the young lord of House Phenex. The flames of its mane were just as gorgeous as the flames that spouted from its tail, and the glowing lines of fiery heat that traced over its body were everything that she'd read about and more.
The flaming step disappeared from underneath the boy's feet and he fell gracefully onto the ground and turned his back with his arms spread wide with a massive grin on his face.
The beast did not slow down.
The beast did not break stride or come to a halt.
Or, well, it did, but only after it lowered its head and ran the boy through with its twin horns.
Kuisha's eyes widened as the most beautiful creature she had ever seen murdered the child in front of her.
A firm hand grasped her wrist, and she looked down to see that it was her father holding onto her.
She had left her seat, one of her Holes blossoming right beside her.
When had she stood up?
Yet the look in her father's eyes was telling, and he gave her wrist a gentle squeeze before shaking his head. She opened her mouth to protest, but another squeeze silenced her, and he nodded his head back to Riser Phenex and the Nightmare.
Her head snapped over and she saw the boy slowly hefted off of the ground, his seemingly lifeless body hanging from the two horns that pierced his chest, and the black-haired creature of power and fire threw back its head with a mighty neigh. The force of the throw dislodged the boy from its horns, and in mid-air, the child twisted as flames of Phenex Fire erupted from his body- specifically the two holes in his chest- and he landed in the beast's saddle with his hands grasping the reigns.
The flames vanished from his chest, revealing no wounds; even his suit had been regenerated.
He smiled at the gathered crowd, "Regeneration."
More applause broke out from the crowd, though this time it was a touch more enthusiastic; all devils liked a good show, and Kuisha had to admit that the display of power and control was a far cry from what she had expected before she attended.
"Though!" The boy's voice spoke out loudly, and the clapping slowed to a halt, and he hopped up on top of the saddle, "Though, those are only the traits that I have inherited from my most esteemed father. I also bear within my veins the gifts of my beloved Mother's House, that of the Barbatos Clan."
He looked down and spoke something to the Nightmare that appeared to be gibberish to her ears, but the beautiful- not murderous- steed began to trot around the long table with a proud and noble gait without any further prompting; the boy perfectly balanced on the mare's saddle.
"The Whispers of the Beasts," He intoned softly, and the assorted devils looked on with interest as he and the Nightmare made a complete lap around the table, ending right where they started, "And finally, the last and most prominently known gift of the Barbatos bloodline- the gift of Prophecy."
His cerulean blue eyes took on a slight sheen before blue light emanated from them, and he reached into an interior pocket on his coat to withdraw an ornately decorated envelope.
Riser Phenex held the envelope high up into the air, "Within this envelope are the winners of the Low-Class and Mid-Class brackets of the tournament which we are about to witness."
He twisted his torso and flicked it like a playing card, the envelope yawing across the table and traveling along its entire length before a gust of wind grabbed hold of it and corrected its trajectory… where it floated directly above the very center of the table.
"This vision was given to me almost six months ago, on the day that I first decided to hold a tournament. Within it are two sketches I drew of the victors, and once the tournament is concluded, there that envelope will stay," Riser's posture was stiff as he placed his knuckles to the small of his back, "To ensure that there was no foul play or rigging, the Ratings Game Commission's oversight teams have been viewing the proceedings personally, and I have not seen the list of entrants. Because of that, I know neither the names nor the specialties of the participants; the only thing that I know is the faces of the victors that I saw in my vision."
He hopped off the Nightmare and reached up to stroke its flaming mane before planting a kiss on her well-muscled cheek, and he sent her off back the way she came with a soft mutter of gibberish and a gentle pat on the flank.
Once more a handful of flaming steps appeared before him, except this time he only strode up high enough so that he could be easily seen by everyone in attendance, "Those were the traits that I have inherited from both bloodlines, but what you are about to experience is mine and mine alone. Hear me, fellow Lords of the Demon Pillars! Feel me! This is my power! "
-Wwwwwwoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmm-
Spoiler: Appropriate Bass-y soundeffects
It happened so quickly.
One moment the boy was standing there, and the next moment a torrent of power was flowing off of him in waves of wind, heat, and noxious fire.
The gust swept over her like a tidal wave, and it was only when she brought her hands up to shield her face did she realized that her father had let go of her arm. Though she didn't have time to think about him as the pressure Riser Phenex exuded was enough to make her knees buckle under the strain.
She gritted her teeth, sweat trickling down her face as a low growl escaped her throat, "This won't be enough to make me kneel."
Her blonde hair whipped around her as she flared her power slightly, suffusing it within her body to withstand the forces that pressed down on her, and instantly the strain lessened and she was able to breathe normally- her back straightening up as she glared down at the boy defiantly; she wasn't here to challenge, but the boy's explosive release had drawn something from deep within her.
Devils kneeled to the strong. They obeyed the strong. It was an inherent part of their creation- the strongest devils led the weakest, and that was something that had stood since the original Lucifer created their race.
Yet the boy wasn't stronger than her, but it was a close thing.
Gallingly close.
Kuisha lowered her arms and looked around the rest of the dining hall, and the reactions were as varied as they were unique. Some were slackjawed in astonishment, others were more amused than anything else, and yet still more seemed to have their faces more firmly etched. The daughter of Amos Abaddon looked back at her father and he seemed composed. No, he appeared utterly relaxed.
"How refreshing…" The mountain of a man murmured as he swirled a half-empty glass of wine in his hand, his head leaned back and eyes closed as he simply let the boy's aura wash over him.
She resisted rolling her eyes and once more scoped out the last of the devils in the room that she hadn't taken notice of before.
The servants- butlers, maids, and all- were down on their knees; some had their eyes open wide with shock and awe, others eyes were closed as they struggled to breathe under the intense onslaught of demonic power filling the air. Yet despite it all, not one had lost hold of the wine glasses and flutes of champagne precariously balanced on their trays.
Her fellow teens, and the children, however, were much worse off.
The power had forced them out of their chairs and they struggled to stay up on their hands and knees, and for the first time since she arrived here she felt no envy or jealousy.
The children and teens who came with the Extra Demon retinues, some of which she knew personally, were standing strong but faltering as the seconds passed by. Eventually, they too folded, down to one knee, but Kuisha Abaddon stood strong.
Unbowed. Unbroken.
Then, as quickly as it had come, the boy's power receded, and he let out a gusty sigh as he tucked a single hand into his pocket and looked around- a satisfied smirk on his face.
"This power? This power is mine and mine alone. There is no question that the gifts of my Mother's and Father's blood have provided for me a solid foundation with fertile soil to match… but this power? This power is something that I've planted the seeds of myself. That I have been cultivating carefully and attending to from the tender age of five. What you have just experienced is the fruits of five years of labor, and as I grow my strength will increase, but I won't be satisfied with that. I will further my training, I will further hone my body and my mind."
He looked over toward the ten devils seated at the table in the corner of the room, the ten survivors of Welmek's Rangers, and he smiled, "As the Rangers once showed me, even the weakest devil can attain the sweetest of victories. If you sharpen your mind and train your body diligently then you can accomplish great things. The greatest opponent that anyone can surmount will always be one's self; as a devil only you can determine what is and isn't possible. Our magics rely on imagination, and with enough grit, moxy, and fighting spirit even the lowest of the low can reach unimaginable heights."
His eyes turned toward one of the cameras in the back of the dining hall, whose crews were just now recovering their feet, "If I can achieve such great heights in just five years, then so can you. For us devils the sky just isn't the limit, it's the starting point, for through our creation by Lord Lucifer we have been granted bodies capable of containing power of which the likes the world has never seen… but that is only if you have the heart to reach within yourself and take it. I for one believe that our generation has had the greatest time of peace the Underworld has ever experienced, and yet nothing has been done to improve that situation, to further expand upon it; we should be just as strong as our forefathers- nay, we should be stronger.
We who have lived in this era of peace and prosperity, in these great times of wealth and plenty… we should have surpassed previous generations purely because of what they have shed their blood, sweat, and tears to provide for us. A teat of mother's milk that has never run dry, even in the hardest of times, and yet instead of growing up all and strong we have overindulged to the point where we have become fat and meek.
So to my fellows, I say it is time to remove that teat from your mouth and embrace the grind toward greatness, to become strong protectors of this wonderous peace that has given us so much."
He shrugged as he looked at the other heirs and heiresses who were pale-faced and struggling to get their legs out under them, "Or you can continue to suckle while crying out in feckless anger while laying in the diapers of excrement that is your own incompetence. It matters not to me."
"Still," His demeanor shifted to something less confrontational and more genial, "We aren't gathered here to listen to my sermons on the failing of the current generation of devilkind, now are we? We're gathered here for a celebration! And with this ladies and gentledevils, let the opening rounds of the Phenex Open Tournament begin!"
He swept his arms wide as two large globes of light appeared above the table to show a fully functional stadium packed to the brim with Low-Class and Mid-Class devils alike; the magical orbs were of a variety that she heard about from what little she heard from the trading caravans that appeared every so often carrying goods from the capital of Lilith. They were used for large gatherings of viewers for their petty Ratings Games, and they were enchanted to at least transmit some imitation of the magical power being thrown about; to watch the fights without being able to feel the strength of those involved was supposedly a bland experience, much like ice cream without any toppings.
Or something like that, Kuisha wouldn't know because ice cream has never graced her lips before, and the end of the table furthest from her was where the deserts were.
She hoped that the fire bird hadn't melted it.
However her thoughts of desert were pushed away by the fact that she still hadn't finished her other plates, and in House Abaddon, every morsel was to be eaten if one wanted sweets. Kuisha looked around before taking her seat, and once she got comfortable she glanced up and locked eyes with the boy who was looking at her with a burning intensity.
If he had been her age maybe she would have graced him with a small blush, but since he was merely a boy she arched an eyebrow as he slowly approached.
He stopped at the edge of the table and gave her father a low bow, "Lord Amos Abaddon, I am so very glad that you could attend."
Her father slowly stood up and provided a shallow bow of his own, "This is the first time since our exile that anyone from the Great Pillar Houses has deigned to ever invite us to an auspicious occasion such as this, and when it was offered in good faith it would have been rude to refuse the young man who extended his hand when others have seen fit to offer only a closed fist."
Kuisha began nibbling at a cut of steak on her fork as she watched the pair chat.
"Is that so?" The boy's posture softened as he shook his head, "Well maybe it is because I am young, but I do not wish to let the wrongs of centuries past color what I want to envision the world to be. As far as I am concerned the sins of the father should not cripple the son, let alone the generations after… however voicing my thoughts anymore in such a public setting would be impolite; I was not around to experience either of those two horrific wars, so for me to simply cast aside their grievances would be unkind."
The steak was unfortunately gone, a pity, but there was a thick cut of what appeared to be ham on her plate, so Kuisha started to work on that next- a shiver running through her body as the tender, fatty meat parted with the slightest touch of her fork.
"A well-spoken young lad, powerful as well," Amos reached out and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "But that isn't why you approached our table, yes? To merely exchange pleasantries? There is a tournament you went through the effort of hosting…"
The boy smiled as Kuisha slid some mashed potatoes onto her pork and took a bite, a small happy noise leaving her lips.
"You are correct, but if I'm being honest I've already seen the victor of this contest. If my vision turns out to be true I'll likely be banned from betting on Ratings Games by the Committee," He smiled at the larger man before his eyes slid over to Kuisha, and she paused, "I actually came over here to speak with the beautiful young miss here."
Kuisha fought down the desire to shout 'Me?!' and instead she stuffed the remainder of the plate into her mouth; if he tried to offer a marriage proposal for her then it was likely that they'd be leaving immediately… and then she wouldn't be able to finish any of the succulent food on her third plate.
"And what is it that you wish to discuss with my dear Kuisha?" Her father's voice was a deep rumble in his barrel of a chest, but he didn't seem to be agitated.
"A wager, Mister Abaddon, between herself and I."
"Hoh?" Her father arched an eyebrow as he placed his hands on his hips, "It appears as though you are just as insufferably confident as your father."
Amos looked over and Kuisha tracked his eyes over to the head table where she saw Lord Phenex smile and raise a glass.
"Though he was one of my most worthy foes. Still insufferable, but," Her father's bushy black eyebrows peered down at Riser Phenex, "I am curious as to hear about this wager."
Riser gave the man a slanted smile, "Well, in three years I will be automatically granted a set of Evil Pieces merely by the dint of my birth as a son of one of the Demon Pillars. However, I have seen the… moxy of Miss Kuisha Abaddon and I couldn't help but realize that out of every devil in attendance, that wasn't at least a century old, she was the only one still standing. That intrigued me."
Her father hummed but didn't speak.
"I see her strength and potential and I cannot help but wonder if I cannot improve upon it- to see her reach even greater heights," He reached into his pocket and withdrew a blank sheet of magical contract paper, "So for that reason I am willing to wager an unspoiled set of Evil Pieces for the chance to fight her in three years… and make her my Queen."
"The Extra Demons have never been given a set of Evil Pieces before," Kuisha muttered out loud, drawing the attention of both Riser and her father, "And if you wish to make a wager where I am a prize to be won then you best entreat with me."
The boy at least had the grace to give her a sheepish smile, "That was never in question, Miss Abaddon, I was merely observing formality by approaching the Patriarch of your family and letting him hear the terms first… as dictated by law when it comes to wagers with stakes such as these. You were always going to be consulted with the ability to negotiate terms, of that I can assure you. With the option to refuse outright if you wish… with no ill feelings. This is a wager of a… hrm… youthful and foolish young man, not of House Phenex."
She noticed that he had to clear his throat to stop himself from smiling halfway through his words, but as far as she could tell he had not spoken falsely.
Kuisha looked down at her plate and pondered for a moment, and she was the delicious meal that had been barely savored.
"Construction supplies." She finally spoke, raising her head to look at the boy, "Greenhouses and construction supplies. Fertile soil as well. Seeds and cattle and pigs and chickens. Walls to surround them and keep them safe."
The boy gazed at her consideringly, "Win or lose, I will pledge $10 Million in construction supplies and the other necessities needed to see those crops and farm animals grow. In the Underworld, such things should be cheap enough to procure in enough quantities so that they would be beneficial."
"Only $10 Million?" Her father asked, and Riser Phenex looked up before shrugging.
"I have two businesses in the mortal realm that are making me tidy profits, and my pocket money from my parents contributes to that. However, I am not using the Phenex vaults to bankroll this wager, and if I dared suggest I would then my father would be liable to see just how many times my head can roll before my regeneration gives out. So yes, $10 Million is what I am willing to pony up to see this wager signed, and may I remind you that this is not contingent on your victory over me; though if you did win you'd get the construction supplies with the aid to build what it is you wish to build and the set of Evil Pieces that no other Extra Demon clan has ever gotten their hands on."
"Hmmhmmhmmm," Her father's low chuckle tickled Kuisha's ears, "And just like your father you are a terrible negotiator."
"No, it is more that I happen to value people with whom I'm proposing a permanent arrangement with. Negotiation is the very fine art of making sure that your side comes out on top, and if not, then it is the art of finding a middle ground that no one is happy with yet willing to agree all the same," Cerulean eyes bore into emerald green, "And I want to bring someone to the table to discuss a possible profitable future, not…"
Bend her over it.
However, that part was left unsaid.
With great reluctance, Kuisha Abaddon set her cutlery down on the napkin next to her plate and reached for the contract paper, which the boy placed into her hand along with an expensive-looking fountain pen.
She really wished that she could have finished eating her meal, but when the boy of the hour wanted her attention and offered something that her family would greatly benefit from… then who was she to deny him?
She wrote down her terms in the contract before reading the rest.
It was all fairly standard in her opinion, promises to look after her health and wellbeing, and the like. However, just as she was about to hand back the contract she felt an evil thought flicker across her mind, and she quickly added it to the bottom before capping the pen.
Would he be so eager to make the wager now with her terms?
The boy's eyes widened in shock as he read over everything, and she couldn't help but grin at the boy devilishly as she interlaced her fingers and rested her chin on them. When he looked at her she batted her eyes prettily at him, a small giggle leaving her lips.
Her father, for his part, was highly amused as he was able to see over her shoulder thanks to his great height.
What would the boy do now, she wondered? Would he turn tail and run away? Or would he-
"Oh, it's on ."
Kuisha's mind stuttered as his easy, polite smile took on a dangerous edge.
"I have big goals, Kuisha Abaddon. However I've always found myself lacking any tangible short-term ones," Riser Phenex popped the cap off the pen and signed on the dotted line before slicing his thumb with the tip and letting a single drop of blood drip onto the paper, "Yet you've just given me one. One with real stakes on the line. I accept your terms wholeheartedly."
He slid the contract back over to her with a fire in his eyes, "Win or lose you will have what is in the contract. If you lose, you will not get the Evil Pieces and will become my Queen. If I lose… you will get the Evil Pieces and I will be your Queen."
Though his vicious smile lost a bit of its luster, "Though if I do lose and happen to become unmarriageable then I'll expect you to take responsibility. Or else my mother will kill me."
The boy's words shattered her mind.
T-take r-responsibility!?
"A-alright…?" What else was she supposed to say in a situation like this!?
Her mind was in a daze as she signed the contract and finished it off with a single drop of blood.
The moment the contract was signed it disappeared in a flash of light, to the central repository where all magical contracts were kept; multiple copies would be sent to both parties via courier.
Riser Phenex seemed to vibrate in place as she handed the pen back to him, and he capped it before slipping it into his coat, "Prepare yourself, Kuisha Abaddon, because when I see you in three years from today I will be bringing everything I've got."
The teen swallowed thickly as she nodded, "I will do the same."
"Good! Thats great. Fantastic even. Train hard, I am looking forward to it!" He smiled at her so brilliantly that it made her eyes water, though it dimmed somewhat when he looked over his shoulder.
Lord Phenex seemed to be hiding a smile behind his glass while Lady Phenex's… wine glass was merely a shattered stem in her hand, the blood-red wine dribbling down her wrist and onto the ground.
Riser cleared his throat, "Now to face down an opponent that I can never hope to defeat, no matter how strong I become."
"Heh, good luck boy," Kuisha's father spoke out before patting the boy on the shoulder, "And… congratulations on your debut. You best make sure you survive your mother to face my daughter, lest you forfeit the pieces you wagered to her. I can swing a posthumous award in the courts if I press it."
That seemed to get the boy to laugh, though weakly, "The problem isn't going to be surviving. I'm a Phenex. It's surviving with my sanity intact that will be the greater obstacle."
Riser Phenex took a deep breath and clapped his cheeks, "Once more unto the breach…"
With that, he strode toward the head table where the Phenex family was seated, and Kuisha sighed as her father sat down next to her.
"Was that the right decision?" She muttered as she cursed her impulsiveness.
Greed and gluttony were her two personal vices, but given that she was currently in a dining hall that was a veritable horn of plenty… was this whole invitation a trap?
"I do believe so. While I am not one to simply give you up, Kuisha, there is no doubt that the benefits of this wager lay more on our side than his. A powerful Queen is something that is difficult to find here in the Underworld, but not annoyingly so," He reached up and stroked the dark muttonchops on his face as he looked to her, "And most importantly of all this was a situation that was decided solely by yourself. You put the needs of our people above yourself, and that is admirable. If you win then not only will you have a powerful Queen of your own, a wealthy and well-connected one at that, but the Evil Pieces will only serve to strengthen the Abaddon family's position in the Blasted Lands. Just giving a few of our best hunters some Pawn pieces and having them promote would save many lives."
Amos Abaddon crossed his arms over his chest, "Besides, I've been looking for marriage partners for you for quite some time, and none of the candidates have been able to pass muster. So if you win then its likely you'll have yourself a polite, well-spoken, powerful, wealthy, well-connected, and powerful husband."
"Father, you said 'powerful' twice."
"Hmphf. It needs to be said twice. If the boy joins us in the Blasted Lands as your Queen and Husband then his strength must be paramount, not to mention the benefits of his Phenex blood for my future grandchildren," The large man smirked, "And it would make my father roll around in his grave to learn that a Phenex would be marrying into his household. Heh. Rotten old bastard."
"Father, wasn't it Marcus Phenex who bested you at Calmais?"
"It was," He huffed, "But I never hated the man or anything. He gave me his terms and then fought me fiercely… I tell you it was a wonder to see the skies of the Underworld lit up in flame as my Holes ate them and turned them against him. A worthy man, and if the boy's ability now is any indication… the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree."
"Ruval Phenex is one of the strongest devils alive." She pointed out.
"I know. But we're not talking about Ruval Phenex, are we, my little sunflower?"
Kuisha blushed as he placed a large hand on top of her head.
"Now, I can see that your amendment to the terms lit a fire in that boy, so when we get home I am going to start training you personally. As you are now you're only marginally stronger, and if his current strength is anything to go by then we're going to need to pull out all of the stops," He let go of her hair before gesturing toward the tables, "Now, run along my dear daughter and eat your fill of this fabulous cuisine while we watch the tournament. I'll be curious as to see if the boy's vision comes true."
Not needing to be told twice Kuisha stood up and went over to gather a few more plates of food, piling them high, and she stopped by the dessert table and made sure to get three bowls of ice cream and two plates of cookies.
What good was a tournament without snacks?
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, and Shurukkah for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: If the link doesn't work then I don't know what to tell you. Just look her up in the DxD Wikia. I couldn't find any fanart of her and the wikia pages were the best quality images I could find.
Spent a LONG time trying to formulate this debut to make it fun and interesting, so I hope you all enjoyed! Especially seeing it from the POV of an Extra Demon household.
Interlude - Some of the Tournament (Becuase I if I wrote a complete tournament arc we'd be here forever)
[Phenex Estates]
[Phenex Guard Martial Drilling Yards - Ready Room]
[Isabela Abate]
Spoiler: Isabela Abate
[img: https/static.wikia./highschooldxd/images/c/ce/Isabela_about_to_fight_Issei.jpg]
"So that's the little kid we're all fighting for, huh?" Isabela hummed as she sipped at the paper cup of water in her hands, the Italian reincarnate leaning against the wall next to her current partner in crime, "The kid's got a knack for theatrics."
Spoiler: Xuelan Feng
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"So it appears," Xuelan Feng nodded her head in agreement, "Though I've been informed that he is rather diligent and kind; it appears to me as though he is merely presenting himself how the rest of the Nobles expect him to."
"Well, you seem pretty convinced that the kid is worth serving," The red-headed devil crushed the cup in her hands and flicked it toward the waste basket, "While my current King is a step up from my last one…"
"I completely understand," The Chinese beauty's blue eyes never left the magical television hanging on the wall, the current image showing a bird constructed entirely out of flames soaring throughout the extravagant dining hall.
"Your sources must be pretty good…" Isabela hedged as she leaned over the standing table in the corner of the room, keeping her voice low as she eyed the other sixty-two participants lounging around or stretching while they watched the same spectacle.
"You are a Rook of House Uvall," The Asian woman spoke smoothly, seemingly unbothered if the others nearby could hear them, "I, however, am a Rook of Lord Killmore. He is a minor noble under the purview of House Sitri. My older sister is one of the maids within the House; she has met Young Master Riser on numerous occasions."
"He is apparently very good with children," She added that little tidbit as if that would explain everything.
Isabela sighed and shook her head.
Trying to get much more than what she got out of the other woman was like trying to bleed a stone, but maybe if she tried changing her angle of attack?
"What are you fighting for?" The devil flexed her shoulders, making her leather jacket creak slightly, "I never really asked when we teamed up during that little battle royale."
The first stage of one of the regional competitions had been originally a series of single-elimination fights. However, as participants for the tournament continued to flow in- greatly exceeding the expectations of the planners if a few conversations she overheard were to be believed- they needed a more efficient way to determine who could move onto the next set of elimination matches. Thus the battle royale.
The last one hundred Low-Class devils left standing were pushed onto the proper single elimination brackets, and from there they were given a few days to rest and recuperate before the remaining one hundred were whittled down to just sixteen. The sixteen fighters from each of the participating regions- Phenex, Sitri, Gremory, and Agares- were then brought together to fight in the final card.
All told Isabela approved that the single-elimination rule persisted rather than the double-elimination that had been proposed before; she liked straightforward things, and she had to admit that knowing she couldn't drop a single fight made her blood thrum in her veins. Though her Rook piece put her into a special bracket with other Low-Class devils that had Evil Pieces, but that didn't mean much as those without Pieces would eventually be fighting those with Pieces anyway.
Regardless, being an outsider to the devils of the Four-Way Alliance- a Piece of her current King Rudolfus Uvall- her name was slotted into a lottery, and the Elimination Tournament hosted by the Sitri was where she was teleported to. That she immediately recognized a fellow Rook and struck up a conversation with her before the rules changed to a battle royale was what led to them teaming up. Though with the way the brackets were set up for the Top 16 she didn't get a chance to fight the Chinese martial artist, but that was going to change because with how the brackets were laid out they would be on a collision course sooner or later.
"Normally it is considered rude to ask one's motivations before letting them learn your own, but I will indulge you," The Asian Rook crossed her arms underneath her considerable bust and puffed out her chest, "I wish to advance. To grow in strength and hone my craft. When Milord reincarnated me almost thirty years ago at the behest of my elder sister, I agreed to join his Peerage with the promise that I would participate in many Rating Games and fight many strong warriors. Yet only a few short years after my reincarnation he was given a barony by Lord Sitri himself to oversee, and that quickly began to eat away at the time that he could participate in the Ratings Games."
Xuelan turned her head to look at her fellow Rook, "With what my elder sister has told me Lord Riser Phenex is an admirable young man who is very driven. More than worthy to become my Young Master."
Isabela reached up with a gloved hand and scratched at her short, spiky hair, "Nothing about the purse?"
The purse had a prize pool of three million dollars US that started paying out prizes even at the 64th place, though the winnings were pretty small that far down. However, what everyone wanted a piece of were the three Phenex Tears that would be given- one to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers. Those were worth a cool million on the market after paying the necessary fees and taxes, and that was what she would give up to her King Rudolfus in exchange for leaving his peerage; it wasn't much but it was the least she could do when he saved her from his brother.
"The purse and the vial, should I take first place-" The cool beauty glanced at Isabela from the corner of her eye, "-of which there is no question, I will donate to my King; the winnings would be more than enough to allow Milord to balance his books and begin the development he wishes to bring to his lands."
The pugilist snorted as she rubbed at the border where her flesh met the mask covering half of her face, "I guess we're not so different, you and I."
"Does it have something to do with the mask on your face?"
- her flesh began to bubble as the twisted hand of her King grasped onto her face, and her agonizing scream only seemed to further egg the rotten bastard on-
"I'd rather not talk about that," Isabela inhaled sharply, but after clenching every muscle in her body she let out an explosive sigh, "But what I will say is that we're pretty similar. My King, he is… not bad… but he is a devil about his Sloth, that's all I'll say. A good man, but just lazy. He appreciates the finer things in life and lives for his desires, which include sleeping in all day, eating fine foods, and snoozing in the bath. He isn't motivated to do much, but his lifestyle has costs, costs that are starting to balloon; it's why he approved of me taking part. Provided I give him the Phenex Tears and the Purse winnings I'm home free."
Xuelan hummed non-committally and the background noise of Low-Class devils boasting to each other about how 'they were going to win' filled the silence between them.
Idly she turned her attention back to the television screen as it flared, the screen going stark white for a few moments before it adjusted to the level of power being unleashed inside of the ballroom or whatever it was. A taste of the potency filled the air from the generators on the television and Isabela felt her lip curl up into a smile, "Well, at least the kid has some real power to back up his boasting."
Xuelan hummed once more, though at least she bothered speaking, "A fine Young Master indeed…"
Isabela snorted and turned to look at the other woman, a rakish grin on her lips as she leaned over the standing table, "Heh, the thought of kneeling before all that strength got you hot and bothered?"
The martial artist sniffed disdainfully, but the way she turned her head away from Isabela and the slight dusting of pink on her cheeks told her all she needed to know. The pugilist smirked, "Hoh? No need to be shy about it- power turns ladies on, you know? It's baked right into our very DNA as devils-"
Before the red-haired woman could continue to tease the refined Asian woman before her, the boy's words caught her attention, and upon hearing them she rolled her eyes, " Oh boy, I hope that the kid isn't preachy like this all of the time. That would be a huge drag."
Pontificating and bloviating were what devils considered a national pastime; seeing who could spout the most bullshit from their lips and measuring dicks based on pointless word count.
However, as she listened to the content of the speech she found herself nodding along with what was said, "The delivery could use some work, but I can't say that I don't agree with him."
"His words will find him no friends among his peers," Xuelan replied slowly, "Though his strength and ability will already make him a target for their ire."
"Meh, sounds like a whole lot of talk for 'Nut up or Shut Up'," Isabela shrugged, the woman placing her elbow on the tabletop so she could rest her chin on her fist, "Can't say I don't approve though; can't remember the last time a noble of all devils came out swinging tryin' to give Low-Class chumps like us some 'hope'."
"I can much say the same thing-" Xuelan's response was cut short as the door to the ready room was opened up and a Mid-Class devil wearing the ceremonial armor of the Phenex Guard entered the room.
"Attention, participants. Lord Riser Phenex has officially declared the games started! Most of you who are competing know that Lord Riser is seeking out potential recruits for his Peerage, however, he is not the only devil searching for talent. Even if you don't make it to the Winner's Podium if you fight well and comport yourself properly then there just might be a place for you within the House Guards of the Four-Way Alliance," He tapped his gilded spear onto the floor, "We will now conduct the opening ceremony. As you leave this room you will be divided into sixteen ranks of four and will be marched out onto the platform. Handle yourself with dignity or you will be summarily disqualified and ejected from the tournament pursuant to the rules."
The hard-faced devil's visage was partially obscured by his winged helm, but they could see his eyes, and Isabela couldn't help but feel the power held within them.
She could beat him in a straight-up fight, she was certain, but she was a Rook and he was merely a soldier. It wouldn't be a good look even if she did best him.
Not that she would fight him or anything, but Isabela was always the sort to measure up everyone she laid eyes on.
"I will reiterate- this tournament is being overseen by the Ratings Game sub-committee, and any attempts to cheat, utilize forbidden items, or illegal magics as outlined in Article III of the Rating Games Charter will see you disqualified and likely imprisoned based on the offense."
Isabela couldn't help but feel her lone visible eyebrow raise.
When had anyone actually been imprisoned after being caught cheating in a Rating Game?
"Follow me." The Phenex Guard commanded, and one by one the sixty-four contestants began trailing out after him from the Ready Room.
Isabela could hardly care less about all of that crap, because right now? Right now she was reveling in the roars from the crowd as they stepped out into the light and made their way up onto the raised stone platform that stood next to another platform in the area.
[Xuelan]
Sweat poured down her brow, the salty fluid stinging the bruises and abrasions on her once flawless skin.
"Heh, had enough there?" The uncouth pugilist rasped as she slowly regained her feet, "You can't be gettin' tired, right?"
"Hardly," Xuelan sniffed as she entered into Shy Lotus and assumed her position; normally she would be on the attack, using her fluidity and grace to overwhelm her opponent, but a snap kick- multiple snap kicks- to her thigh had seen to it that her leg was barely more than a bundle of compounding bruises.
She was certainly faster and more skillful than Isabela, but her fellow Rook traded in speed and grace for raw striking power. Despite being primarily a boxer the woman was not afraid to throw kicks when she had the opportunity, and she was just fast enough to take advantage of the openings during their long, arduous battle.
"Feh, yeah right," The red-headed devil spat blood-specked saliva to the side as she readied herself, "You're on your last legs."
"I could say the same to you," Xuelan quipped, and she was right.
For every one blow that Isabela had landed on her august person Xuelan landed three of her own, yet despite them both being Rooks it was clear who the more durable party was and it wasn't because she was 'holding back her strikes' like Isabella so claimed in the middle of their bout.
"Well if you're not going to come to me then I guess I gonna have to go to you," The boxer began stepping forward carefully, her guard raised and her head tucked within the protective barrier of her arms.
A right hook was evaded by tilting her head to the side, the woman's knuckles brushing against the side of her bun, and a follow-up jab from the right hand was slapped to the side as Xuelan windmilled fiercely to redirect the strike. A left uppercut slipped in and bashed against the martial artist's ribs, but that was because the arm she would have defended with was connecting with the side of Isabela's jaw.
Both parties recoiled from the strike, and Xuelan felt a hiss escape her lips as something cracked under the strain of the blow, but she focused her ki and glowed into a four-strike combination while the pugilist reared back from the fiercesome hit. One, a left cross clipping the end of the red-head's chin. Two, a skipping kick that lashed out and connected with her opponent's knee and crumbled her foundation. Three, a spinning back-fist that connected with the woman's cheekbone and sent her spinning. And four, a fierce straight that-!!!
Demonic power flared as the red-head managed to regain her footing and lashed out with a powerful strike, the gauntlets on her forearm scraping the flesh of Xuelan's wrist as the momentum from their simultaneous blows redirected the impact-
Just as Xuelan's knuckles kissed the edge of Isabela's jaw the knuckles of Isabela met hers, and her world went dark.
[Sabrine Serphent]
Spoiler: Sabrine Serphent
[img: https/external-content./iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.%2Fpmwiki%2Fpub%2Fimages%2Fwitchyearone.png =1 =1 =0367f8fd13915eca7863790f812e2ae44f19ea53ac9b84dd772e19b63ab69e66 =images]
"Huuhuuhuu," The Witch raised her staff high into the air, "Why don't you cool down for me, hmm, boya?"
The moment she finished speaking a trio of spell circles formed in front of her, and the Knight she was battling let out a fierce roar, "As if I'd let you!"
Spoiler: Cute Knight Boya
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The reinforced stone of the stadium cracked underneath his feet as he shot toward her in a blur of speed, his steel blade following behind him like a silver crescent. Normally a Knight's immense agility made them a very good counter to magic casters such as Sabrine herself, but having grown up around Peerage members her entire life she knew how to counter them well enough.
It would have been impossible to target him conventionally given his ability to evade, but her target wasn't the cute little Knight- no, her target was the ground in front of him.
Three flows of ice sprang from the magic circles and flash froze the stone, yet the younger devil was frustratingly competent, and he immediately dropped his speed before he contacted the slick terrain in front of him; while that did not cancel out his forward momentum in the slightest it did allow him to utilize his speed in correcting his positioning. The Knight slid on his side and used the flat of his blade to redirect him around the spike of frozen water that would have run him through, and once he slowed down enough he regained his feet and charged toward her, leaping over the remaining compromised terrain with a roar on his lips, "It's finished!"
Sabrine clicked her tongue as she utilized some of her Mid-Class strength and mobility to side-step the powerful overhead chop that embedded the Knight's sword into the stone floor of the arena, and she brought her hardened staff up to stab toward him, "You know, ladies don't like it when you're too persistent!"
Once more he showcased his irritating speed by leaning his torso back to evade the thrust before he flipped around to the other side of his trapped blade, and he used the momentum combined with his strength to rip it free.
Just before another spell of ice from Sabrine could fully trap it in place.
With his weapon recovered the Knight gathered his footing and lunged toward her with a sweeping strike that she was just barely able to block with her staff, and the impact sent vibrations up and down her arms.
Sabrine cursed internally as she wasn't built for physical confrontations such as these! She was a soft, curvaceous, and beautiful woman! Meant to be held, teased, and pampered! Not a brute!
"Even if they are cute little knightly boys such as yourself," She held the lock just long enough to wink at the kid, flustering him.
She wanted desperately to finish this fight quickly but the numerous battles she'd had leading up to the finals had her running on fumes even with the recovery rooms speeding her revitalization. She needed time to recover. Time to gather some of the ambient mana that had been trapped inside the magic barrier of the arena; she would need every last drop if she wanted to use her Trump Card and clinch this victory.
Then a wonderful life of being pampered by a cute Lord who funds all of her magical research would finally be hers!
She broke the lock with a grunt of effort and made a few short hops backward, a torrent of fire escaping the magic circle she had above her head that the pursuing Knight had to evade lest he be burnt to a crisp. Magic fire met magic ice, and with a flex of her power the crystalized water immediately gave way and burst into a cloud of steam that filled the arena. It was impossible to see through, but her magical senses were finely tuned enough that she could see the Knight looking around with his sword at the ready.
Rather than moving from her spot and giving away her position Sabrine chose to slowly kneel, resting her staff across her lap, the woman doing her best to not make a sound that could be heard over the hissing of the steam.
The Witch took a slow, deep breath as she began to draw in the demonic power she and the Knight had expended during the fight, and considering the tinges of electrical magic entering into her body there was also some residual from the previous bout that saw the cute Knight the victor. She could hear some of the roaring cheers turn to jeers as they saw her spin up some simple auditory and visual illusions that the cooling steam helped obscure; after a few aborted charges saw his blade swinging through naught but mist the Knight let out an audible growl.
"Truly, spellcaster!? Illusions!? This is not a way to-" He spun around with his sword at the ready as he heard the tell-tale clopping of her heels on the stone, and he swung through the illusion of her falling down toward him with her staff extended, "-to conduct honorable combat!"
"Huuhuuhuu, my apologies, boya~, but with your rather fervent desire to see me impaled upon your mighty sword… it's made me a touch nervous. You can't fault a lady for being shy around such a vigorous and lively young thing such as yourself." The witch let her voice ring out in another illusion, this one only a few paces away from her person, yet having been fooled many times over the boy didn't take the bait.
"S-stop making such i-insinuations! I am an honorable Knight of House Furneus! I w-would never try to impale a lady on m-my sword! This is just combat! Stop making this a mess!" The boy cried out as he swung his sword around him with a frantic energy.
Such a shame because if he had he would have been able to win.
Sabrine let out an imperceptible sigh as she felt her reserves slowly trickle up, the magic caster expertly drawing the ambient energy in, circulating it within her own body, and dyeing it in her colors.
"I know what you're trying to do! You're trying to seduce me with your feminine wiles! I may be a devil now but that doesn't change the fact that I am a Knight first, a devil second!"
"Fuufuufuu, you really are such a sweetheart, aren't you?"
"Rraaaagggghhhh! Stop toying with me!" He roared out and sheathed his blade, the boy taking a stance. His demonic power flared and Sabrine cursed silently to herself as she had to expend some of the mana she recovered to reinforce her hold over the mist, " Crescent Slash!"
He cried out, and Sabrine felt her spine stiffen in shock before a mutter left her lips, "Oh dear."
The roar of his attack preceded a flash of light, and she didn't even have time to throw herself down before she felt something sheer through the pointy witch's hat on top of her head. The Knight's attack had shorn the entire block of mist in two, and she had a direct line of sight to him; the boy's arm was extended, the silver sword glowing with an ominous red light. He was panting hard, likely having expended a significant portion of his middling magical energy to accomplish the feat.
Thankfully he finished the slash with his back to her, and that gave her enough time to regain control of the mist and start stitching it back together.
Thinking quickly, the moment her area was covered once more she stood off and used her magic to banish her heeled boots, and she immediately began padding as quietly as she could away from her previous position; though she grimaced and internally whined as her perfectly manicured feet were forced to step on the ruined stone of the arena.
"If you're not over here, then that means you're over there!" The Knight spun around and charged with his sword at the ready toward the area where the mist was unbroken, "Have at ye, Witch!"
Sabrine projected a few more illusions, these far more realistic and lifelike than the previous 'glimpses' she had shown him, and she remained on her feet to keep mobile as their game of cat and mouse continued. Not for a few times he actually came close to catching her, and one time he was even running right toward her, but a messily casted illusion in the corner of the arena- a flicker of her running away- had the Knight give chase as the 'static' witch right before his eyes couldn't be anything other than another illusion.
The whole ordeal was just incredibly stressful, and the boy was far too persistent in trying to cut her down with his sword!
Yet Sabrine Serphent wasn't a quitter- neither her mother nor her father raised her to be such a thing, and she was just so close to her ideal life that she could taste it!
In the end, it was the leftover demonic power from the boy's slash that gave her just enough in the tank to unleash her Trump Card for the first time in the eyes of the public. Once she revealed it there would likely be all sorts of offers from devils for her to join their Peerages, but she had her sights set on a cute little 3rd son from a reputable family with a lot of money- she wouldn't settle for less!
Sabrine let out the first real chuckle since this whole fight started, and with a wave of her hand, and the mists parted readily without the witch dedicating her threads to control it.
"Finally, you reveal yourself-urk!" The Knight leveled his sword at her, but his expression shifted from rage to consternation as he looked down at her feet.
Her bare feet.
"That-! That was you the whole time!" He gasped out, his lips flapping, "I was close enough to touch you!"
"Kuukuukuu, indeed you were, boya~. Gave me quite the scare too," She shifted her weight onto one leg so that she could pose a little to show off a legging-clad thigh, the woman raising her foot until the tips of her toes were touching the stone beneath them, "It was lucky for me that you're not that observant or else I would have been in a very sticky situation."
Sabrine immediately began charging three spell circles above her head, traces of electricity crackling in the centers of each mandala; Lighting wasn't her preferred element, but with her Trump Card it didn't matter. What she needed was a spell that could catch a Knight, and nothing covered ground like electricity, "Yet I'm afraid that playtime is over. It's time to finish this."
"I'll say!" The boy shot forward, the Knight zigzagging randomly in an attempt to throw off her aim, and he ate up the distance between them astoundingly quick. The first bolt of lightning missed him entirely as he juked left, the second bolt he slid under, and the third bolt he pirouetted and caught on his sword wreathed with demonic power, "Rrraaaaaaggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
He leaped to close the remaining distance, his sword held high above his head and cloaked in latent electricity.
It should have been the end, and for any other spell caster of her skill and strength, it would have.
However, Sabrine Serphent was a half-devil born from a witch and a Mid-Class devil, and that made her eligible to receive a Sacred Gear- a gift from the Biblical God to mortals so that they might protect themselves from the various supernatural forces that sought to do them harm. Out of the hundreds of millions of children born all over the world she was both gifted with and also cursed with such a thing.
She raised her hand and leveled it at the airborne Knight.
"Advent Mimic."
Suddenly three more magic circles appeared before her, and she hissed as she felt the drain on her almost empty reserves brought her to nearly unconsciousness.
Three lances of lightning covered the intervening distance as quick as a flash, and the boy could do little more than widen his eyes in shock before they struck him-
He disappeared in a flash of light, and the trio of bolts smashed against the magic barrier with a tremendous explosion that nearly burst Sabrine's own eardrums.
Smoke and heat filled the air around her as she leaned heavily on her staff, the half-devil witch gasping for air as she did her best to lock her legs and keep on her feet.
She won but she also needed to remain standing lest the match be called a Double-KO.
After all of this ass pain, she didn't want to end up like the two Rooks from the Low-Class bracket.
"Finalist Jordan Gandrock has voluntarily retired," The announcer spoke up, and Sabrine felt a wave of relief sweep through her, "Finalist Sabrine Serphent is the victor!"
The buxom woman let out a laugh as she collapsed onto her knees, a few tears leaking out of her eyes as she clutched onto the staff for dear life.
"I did it!" She giggled to herself, the woman resting her cheek against the wood of her staff as she gazed up at the large magical screen showing off the Young Lord that she was going to serve with a broad, pleased smile on his face as he stood up and clapped.
"Ahhhhh~, I didn't do it for the approval of everyone or anything, but I have to admit that this feels kind of nice, huuhuuhuu~," She tittered to herself as a pair of tournament officials came over and helped her get to her feet, and when one offered her a bottle filled with magic laden water she greedily drank her fill; the mana suffusing into her body so that she could stave off the approaching unconsciousness until she could at least accept her awards.
The official grabbed onto her wrist and held it up high into the air, "Ladies and Gentledevils, your victor of the Mid-Class devil bracket! Sabrine Serphent!"
Sabrine soaked up the praise and roars of adulation from the crowds, and couldn't help but feel amused that despite the little 'slow down' in the middle of the match they were still cheering her on all the same.
From the side, she could see the cute Knight boy trying to keep the disappointment off of his face as he clapped, and she gave him a wink before blowing him a little kiss. He deserved a little pick-me-up, and from the way his cheeks colored, he definitely appreciated the consideration.
Now if only she could just stay awake long enough to collect her reward~!
Then everything would be perfect!
At the conclusion of the match, the envelope that had been suspended in the air above the table was lowered down into the grasp of the closest Lord.
The wax seal was broken and the Lord reached inside and pulled out two pieces of sketch paper.
The audience held their breath as he slowly unfolded the two papers, and with a satisfied smirk, Lord Zeoticus Gremory held the sketches high in the air for the entire room to see.
The magical cameras zoomed in, and on one page was the unmistakable figure of the Mid-Class witch that the Underworld now knew as Sabrine Serphent. Her dress was worn, her feet were bare, and the witch's hat on top of her head was missing its tip.
The second sketch was less detailed and harder to make out as it was a dynamic piece, but it was easy enough to see the pertinent details such as the Low-Class devil Isabela's leather jacket and half-mask, and the Low-Class devil Xuelan's Quipao and hair buns. Just as what the Underworld had witnessed, the pair were standing tall, with their heads turned by the pair of simultaneous over-arm punches that knocked them both unconscious.
The match was declared a draw, and neither party was awake to receive their rewards.
Sabrine Serphent was, however, able to stay conscious, but the moment she was escorted out of view of the cameras the tabloids mentioned that she was spirited away to the Phenex manor to rest, along with four other participants.
Given that Lord Riser Phenex is three years away from receiving his Evil Pieces the public can only speculate as to what their lives might be like during those intervening years.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, and Shurukkah for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: Yes. This is AU. I understand that according to the Wiki Riser reincarnated all of his pieces. That will not be the case here. Xuelan and Isabela aren't the only canon pieces of Riser that will be in the Peerage, with two other slots going to Ni and Li, and another for Yubelluna. Sabrine is also going to be in the Peerage because I like her, and I think she'll be a good fit.
Queen: Kuisha Abaddon (As if it really needs to be said. lol)
Bishop:
Bishop:
Rook: Isabela Abate
Rook: Xuelan Feng
Knight:
Knight:
Pawn: Ni Sagiyama
Pawn: Li Sagiyama
Pawn:
Pawn:
Pawn:
Pawn:
Pawn:
Pawn:
I'll probably make an informational post with this later on once we get some time-skips and the like.
Interlude - Great Satan Interrupt!
[Phenex Estates]
[Phenex Private Room]
[Ajuka Beelzebub]
"Serafall! Our greatest problem has just solved itself! Uuuuuuoooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"
"Hee-hee-hee~! Yeah! 'Just Young Devil Things' for the win!"
"'Just Young Devil Things!'" "'Just Young Devil Things!'"
"Banzai!" "Banzai!" "Banzai!"
Spoiler: A Satan's Pastime
[img: https/external-content./iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.%2F-9Veri2MxLJI%2FWuvKfO_0MVI%2FAAAAAAAAquc%2FFVZLgNE0XY8OK9TgBm61bnLaoD6H1M2lACLcBGAs%2Fs1600%2Funtitled.png =1 =1 =e9bc299c726fa872b2ab75bd8f600d44fee1c50d06bf630aa696d1981d83ef50 =images]
Ajuka Beelzebub put down his stylus and minimized the formula he was working on before turning his head to see his best friend and fellow Super Devil waving around a sheet of paper as though he were a juvenile who just snatched his first pair of panties. In the meanwhile, Serafall, dressed in her ridiculous Magical Girl outfit, alternated between prancing around him like a fairy and stomping around like a caveman as their shared laughter filled the small but serviceable private room that the Phenex family provided for them.
"HA! HA! HA! My precious Ri-chan was so right- saying 'Banzai' is really fun!"
"Mumblemumblemumble."
"Urgh! Sleepy! We can't understand a single thing you say when you do that!" Serafall petulantly stomped her foot against the carpeted floor as she thrust her magical girl staff at the opposite end of the room.
The private room was well furnished, and the Phenex family knew their Maous well; Sirzechs and Serafall preferred plush and comfortable high-backed chairs, while Ajuka himself liked a loveseat where he could position himself perfectly in the center. Falbium Asmodeus, however, had a simple, plush bench that was exactly six centimeters longer than he was tall and eight centimeters wider than his ceremonial armor.
Said devil was currently face down in a pillow as still as a corpse, with only his breathing giving away that the man was alive at all.
Slowly, with great effort, the bald devil turned his head just enough so that he could let one eye gaze unblinkingly at the other two Maou, "I said: 'You two do realize that this development won't solve your problem, right?'"
"Plllblbblblbtttt!" Serafall blew a raspberry as she crossed her arms over her bust, "And what would you know about our plights, Captain Snoozer!?"
"Serafall is right," Sirzechs nodded sagely before he held up the copy of the contract and tapped it with the back of his knuckles, "When young Riser pushed to us his plan to invite the Extra Demons for a friendly attendance I had been skeptical, though I could see the benefits of extending such an olive branch. That the boy went and likely solved the greatest threat to my Ri-chan, that being himself, as well was beyond my expectations!"
"Zechy-zech!" The Maou of Ice spun around and grasped onto Sirzech's arms just beneath his pauldrons, "We must ensure that Riser Phenex loses, at any cost!"
"Yeeesssssssss~," The Satan grasped onto Serafall's hands as though they were about to engage in a pact, "Once Riser Phenex loses and is shipped off to the Badlands, not only will we be able to bring at least one of the Extra Demon houses back into the fold, but we'll also be able to monopolize our sweet little sisters for ourselves! The Perfect Plan(TM)! "
"Kukukukukukukukuku~"
"Mufufufufufufufufufu~"
"You do realize that if such a thing happened… then Rias and Sona will be sad, right?" Falbium deadpanned.
The two Satans recoiled as though they had been physically struck.
""You lie!"" They both hissed in unison.
If there were an outside observer here they would have gaped in awe at the childish behavior of two of their most powerful and respected Maou, but Ajuka and Falbium both knew for a fact that the pair were completely and utterly serious about attempting to thwart the wager between Riser Phenex and Kuisha Abaddon. They were that obsessed with their sisters.
Yet obsession and fixation were merely unavoidable parts of the interesting dichotomy that is being a devil; truthfully Ajuka was just glad to see Sirzechs so passionate about something again. Something that wasn't the war; truly, the past few years have been the happiest his best friend has ever been, and the same could be said about Serafall.
Their fixation could be problematic, yes, but it wasn't something that Ajuka couldn't handle.
Falbium's dull gaze continued to bore into the pair for a few moments before they both let out gusting sighs, and Serafall whined, "Aaaawwwww! You always have to ruin these things for us, Snoozie-Q! Just gotta drraaaaagggg us all down to your level! Seesh! Give us a break! That boy is a menace! A menace, I say! A threat to cute little sisters everywhere!"
Sirzeches nodded at her words multiple times, "Yeah, yeah! Every time I manage to rack up some vacation hours all she wants to do is serenade me with how much fun she had with her Riser-onii-chan! He's horrible!"
The staff in Serafall's hands creaked as she hunched over and trembled, fractals of ice coalescing around her form, "He reads the Dictionary to my dear So-tan! Every week! They're on the third volume already! Grrrrrrr! I just want to- I want to level my Yuri-Yuri Love Cannon Surprise right at his cute little face and smite him like the craven he is!"
"And yet if you send him away they'll be sad all the same."
"Like… how sad are we talking here? Like, 'little sad'? 'Meeeeeeeeedium sad'?" Serafall held out her fingers in front of herself and stretched them out as she spoke.
Falbium turned his face back into the pillow and let out a long, languid groan before revealing his lone eye once more, "Big Sad."
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhh, I don't want So-tan to be a Big Sad !" Serafall tearfully turned to Sirzechs, "What do we do?"
"Nothing," Ajuka turned his head minutely to get their attention, "For the time being, we do nothing. This debut has already accomplished what we set out for it to do, let us not throw in any more variables that might disrupt our calculations."
Sirzechs let out a big, dramatic sniff before he wiped away at the nonexistent tears in his eyes, and he mimed doffing a cap, putting it away, and pulling on another cap, "Ajuka-kun is right… 'Sirzechs-onii-chama Cap' off… 'Sirzechs Luficer Cap' on."
"Nnnnnnuuuuuuuuuuuu~! Put the other cap back on, Zechy! Put it back on! I need my commiserating buddy!" Serafall grabbed onto his arm and bounced up and down, but the red-haired devil patted the shorter Maou on the head.
"In due time, in due time," He resumed his seat and crossed his legs, the Devil Himself finally returning to form as he looked at the copy of the magical contract in front of him, "Ajuka-kun is correct. We didn't exactly have high aspirations with this debut alone, but what it did accomplish was what we needed it to. The Extra Demons now know that there is at least someone who is willing to extend- as Amos Abaddon put it- 'An open hand instead of a closed fist'. That we didn't have anything more than veiled threats and petty insults said with a smile while having the New Satan, converts from the Old Satan, and the Extra Demons all in one small space is a step in the right direction."
Serafall, seeing that Sirzechs was no longer going to entertain her for now, moved back to her chair and collapsed into a heap, where she rested for a few moments before spinning sideways and letting her knees hang over the armrest- her feet kicking idly as she fiddled with her staff, "I highly doubt that things would have been so polite if this get together had been held in the Pillar Council chambers."
"The Phenex invoked the old ritual magics regarding guest rights for this event," Falbium mused as he nestled his cheek into the pillow, "A touch antiquated in these times, but with their direct connection to a powerful source of old magic it was the smart play; anyone who disturbed the peace of the House would face dire consequences."
"Bleh! I know that, Falbium! We all know that! Stop re-treading old ground!" The Magical Girl Maou shifted in her seat so that she could crane her neck over the arm to glare at him, but considering he was impervious to such attacks she sighed and slouched back down, "Someone on the other side told them all to be polite boys and girls. Guest Rights or not. That's what bothers me."
"There is nothing for it," Falbium shrugged, "We will make our plans, and our foes will make theirs. That's the way the game is played."
Ajuka stood up and walked slowly to the mirrored window to gaze down at the debut party that was beginning to wind down for the evening now that the tournament had run its course. He held out his hand and a square of paper fell down into it, and he opened it up with his thumb.
-The sketch was of a dark background with white highlights creating a silhouette of a semi-circular table with eight shapes enshrouded in shadow, the only things visible were their wicked smiles. At the bottom of the page were seven silhouettes that ranged from generic to distinctly unique, and above them was a representation of a King Piece from a chess set being grasped by a sickly-looking hand with sharp talons.-
To any devil on the street, this sketch would have been nothing more than a pretty yet amateurish piece of artwork, but knowing that it had been delivered to Ajuka personally in a sealed letter hand-delivered via numerous intermediaries, from Marcus Phenex at the behest of his son, this artwork had striking implications.
Upon seeing that Riser Phenex's prophetic talents were not merely parlor tricks or vivid nightmares of a young boy Ajuka Beelzebub decided to place more weight on the sketches the boy had provided earlier through the Four-Way Alliance.
The boy was monitored every single day by his family, and none of his personal research or efforts were hidden, so the possibility that the boy could have come across any potential knowledge even hinting at the existence of the King Pieces that Ajuka had developed and sealed away was astronomically low. Riser Phenex never left his home unless it was to attend the picnics with the mothers and daughters of the Four-Way Alliance, and his magics- even the spells of his own imaginative design- were not particularly powerful or complex; there is no way his flame construct-based clairvoyance spell would have been able to penetrate the most secured recesses of his private labs.
The boy was intelligent, diligent, and skilled, but he was not a 'genius', of that Ajuka was 100% certain; even with the most recent displays of power and magical control they were outside of the norm for devil children his age, but well within tolerances. Exceptional, but not astounding. He would have to adjust some of the boy's parameters in his formulas to account for the child's current rate of growth, however, which was only the work of a few moments.
Ajuka was going to watch him very closely because he wanted to study the effects of what prolonged exposure to time dilation effects might have on one's growth.
"Hmmmmm…" The Satan stroked his chin as his eyes searched the crowd, "Do you think perhaps he might allow me to examine him before he begins his sure-to-be rigorous training regimen?"
"Pfft! What!?" Ajuka saw Serafall jerk her head toward him by her reflection in the mirror, "If you want to get all pokey-pokey then just ask! Don't interrupt the conversation if you're only going to talk to yourself!"
"Apologies," Ajuka shook his head as he looked at the sketch one last time, his eyes glancing over the one silhouette that was readily recognizable before he folded it up and tucked it back into his secured magical pocket.
The boy did not know what the chess piece represented. He did not know what the King Piece was or what it did. There is no way he could have learned of it, and if any member of the Four-Way Alliance had any notion they would have informed him instead of passing on this sketch. The only possible conclusion was that the boy had seen this image in his vision, which irked Ajuka somewhat because as a scientifically-minded devil, he did not like the nebulous 'prophetic arts' that spoke in riddles, poems, and in this case, sketches drawn by the hand of a ten-year-old boy who was desperate to put it to paper before he inevitably forgot the details.
Yet… it was enough.
The King Pieces he had sealed away within the vaults of the Ratings Game Commission's headquarters were under the purview of the Ratings Game Council; those eight members were only able to open the vault by unanimous decree. Of the twelve King Pieces that he had created, he left nine in the vault while retaining three others for personal study. Considering there were seven figures beneath the silhouetted council and the King Piece in the sketch it was easy to deduce that there were seven King Pieces in circulation within the Ratings Games under the Council's oversight.
However, the premonition the boy provided was hardly enough evidence to open up an official investigation, it did pique Ajuka's curiosity enough to begin his own investigation. Every devil knew that there was a high level of corruption in the Ratings Games, but most of the time it was incredibly difficult to prove because devils were usually keen on covering their tracks. If he were to uncover enough evidence then Sirzechs, the Satan responsible for internal affairs, could make a push that would legally sweep away any attempts by the Commission to impede searches and seizures.
Ajuka only needed an 'in', as it were, and as he watched the blonde-haired boy Riser Phenex make his rounds around the room to speak with every Pillar Lord, Lady, and their Heirs personally- he spotted her.
Roygun Belphegor.
Spoiler: Roygun Belphegor
[img: https/static.wikia./highschooldxd/images/0/0d/Roygun_Belphegor_in_DX.6.jpeg]
She was the current Rank 2 in the Ratings Games, and the silhouette on the page matched her nearly perfectly; the number of details about the horns had been far higher than the rest of her figure, but the formula he ran had a match at 93.4876% accuracy. She was also powerful, and a Ratings Game enthusiast at heart, yet her meteoric rise to the top of the charts had been unusually swift; she was intelligent but not particularly clever, though she made up for that with boundless enthusiasm… and heaping helping of strength backed by her blood trait- Crack .
He only needed to find the time to speak with her covertly and he was certain that she would be willing to give him everything he needed, if only to ensure that she was given clemency and still allowed to compete; his models had her pegged as a 'manic depressive' and would likely crumble if she was no longer able to take the field. Either way, she would still lose credibility with her exiled House if her involvement was revealed- either as a participant in the cheating or a 'nark' to the New Satan faction- but there was a much higher likelihood of retaining her strength for the Underworld if she was kept shielded from the political blowback.
Regardless, the Ratings Game Commission had been given full autonomy from the Satans and the Pillar Council to avoid conflicts of interest, but it appears as though there is a very real possibility that they have been running rampant without an oversight body of their own.
"-and so regardless of whether the little devil wins or loses… we still win?"
Ajuka brought his attention back to the conversation, the man turning away from the window to see Serafall in her literally patented 'Cute Magical Girl Thinking Pose'(TM).
Falbium Asmodeus pushed his face into his pillow again and screamed shrilly. "Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhggggggghhhhhmmmmm! Mumblemumblemumble!"
"Hello? Sir Snooze-a-lot? We can't understand you! Hellloooo~!"
Falbium turned a baleful eye toward his fellow Maou, "This is why I sleep all of the time- you and Sirzechs are exhausting."
"Tee-hee~!" It was Sirzechs, however, who bumped his head, winked, and stuck out his tongue.
Serafall smiled cutely.
"Meh, don't bother to ask my opinion for the next half a decade. I'm through. Good night ." Falbium stuffed his face back into the pillow.
"Hee-hee-hee~! Silly Sleepy-baldy, the party's almost over! You can't very well sleep now!"
A gauntleted hand rose up from the cushion and he snapped his fingers; in a flash of light the Director General of the Underworld Military teleported himself away.
Ajuka followed the trailing edge of the spell and tracked it to his fellow Satan's office; despite being the least visible Maou, Falbium worked very hard so that he could slack off as much as possible.
"Pbbblblblbttttt!" Serafall blew a raspberry before turning to Sirzechs, "You know what he needs in his life, Zechy? A little sister!"
"Mhmm, mhmm, yes, I agree. Let him try to keep that grumpy face when he's got a little bundle of perfection staring at him right in the face!"
"So… uh… do you really think that So-tan would be mad if we just, yanno, got Riser hitched to that girl?"
"Unfortunately, the answer is yes," Ajuka interjected.
"Give me a prediction model down to the third decimal!" Serafall thrust a finger out at him, and Ajuka, being slightly amused, obliged.
"I predict that there would be a 91.457% chance of you hearing the words 'I HATE YOU, ONEE-SAMA!' if you attempted to thwart Riser Phenex in his upcoming battle."
Three years was such a short time, and yet depending on how the boy made use of the ATTC…
Serafall fell out of her chair and crawled across the carpet to climb up into Sirzech's lap, "I don't want that…"
Ajuka's eyebrows hiked up as a small, barely noticeable smile tugged at his lips as he watched Sirzechs stroke the Maou's hair, "Then don't do that."
Sirzechs sniffed, "Mhmmm'kay…"
The creator of the Kankara Formula slowly shook his head as he looked back out of the mirrored window and watched the guests as they were escorted out of the dining hall and toward the reception area where their carriages awaited them.
His eyes caught sight of Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri standing by their parents, the little girls holding onto each other's hands while they struggled with wanting to swarm over young Riser while also not wanting to interrupt him while he was giving his courtly guests their goodbyes.
To think that all it would take to see his best friend return to form after so many centuries a husk would be the blossoming smile of a little girl.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, and A. Daw for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
Interlude - Zeoticus Gremory, Sagiyama Michiko, Sabrine Serphent
[Zeoticus Gremory]
Smack!
"A-ah! Twenty-S-seven!"
Smack!
"Ho-hoo boy! Twenty-eight!"
Smack!
"T-twenty-nine!"
Smack!
"T-thirty!"
Elise Phenex smiled genially as she caressed her son's thoroughly reddened posterior before raising her hand again, "And one more for good measure."
SMACK!
"OH! T-thirty-O-one!" Riser Phenex's rigid spine went slack as he seemed to fold over his mother's knees, the boy gasping for breath as the telltale smoking of his bottom told all of the adults who had the pleasure of viewing this little punishment that he was doing quite well at suppressing his instincts to regenerate and heal the damage, "Ahhhhh…. thank you mother for seeing fit to discipline this unruly son."
Zeoticus leaned back in the loveseat where he and his dear wife Venelana hid their smiles behind their hands.
"Oh, to see such a cute little bottom ruined," The Lady of House Gremory cooed, her violet eyes twinkling with mirth, "Truly, it is a shame~. Are you okay, Riser-dear? Huuhuuhuu~."
The boy managed to unhook himself from over his mother's legs and went about gingerly pulling his trousers up over his bottom; he winced with every breath as he tucked in his black shirt, and a small hiss escaped his lips as he zipped up and buckled the belt, "Your… 'concern' for me Auntie Venelana is most heartwarming, however, I must say that my bottom is certainly far more damaged than my pride right about now."
"I'm sure it is," Talbin Sitri's monotone voice was tinged with amusement, "From what your Father has told us this is the first time a firm hand has ever graced your bottom."
"Oh! There is nothing like that first spark of pain that lances up your spine," Hariella Sitri tittered behind open fingers, "It truly gives you a sense of clarity, does it not? To let you know that you have erred and are truly deserving of your punishment~."
Talbin's red eyes seemed to glow as he moved a hand from his lap to rest on his beloved wife's thigh, and the woman cooed as she leaned her head against his slim shoulder; her fingers coming up to play with his luscious midnight locks.
The boy, for his part, did his best to ignore the flirtatious byplay between the Lord and Lady Sitri before turning his attention to his parents, "Forgive me, Lord Father, Lady Mother… I have indeed made a mistake, and for that I am sorry."
Zeoticus watched Marcus' stern gaze fade away into a warm grin before his wife glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and he suddenly remembered that he was supposed to be displeased with his son.
Marcus coughed into his fist, "Well, my son, I am glad to hear that you recognize that you have done wrong, and I accept your apology. I am curious, however, to know what was going through your mind when you approached the young woman… even if I already have a fairly firm idea as to what transpired."
"I…" Young Riser paused as he looked up toward the ceiling to ponder his response for a few moments, "I was riding something… a wave. Something like a thrill that was carrying me through the entire demonstration. Everything had been going exactly as I had planned- my story caught their attention whether positive or negative it forced them to hear my words and take notice. My demonstrations of my blood traits had gone exactly as I had practiced with nary a thing out of place."
The boy clasped his hands in front of him to keep them from gravitating toward his smarting buttocks, "And when I was finally able to truly peel back the curtain and unveil my strength for the first time… it was freeing, in a way, and the reactions were everything that I could have hoped for. My direct peers, and even those many years older than myself, buckled and crumbled in the face of my might; the mere pressure of my hard-gained strength sent them to their knees in a cold sweat. Their pure astonishment was something that was heedy and satiating. Yet…"
Riser's head bobbed from side to side as a small dopey smile on his face few into something larger and even dopier, "Yet one of them stood tall. She stood up and revealed her strength to me in challenge. A lone she-devil in a sea of weaklings and cowards stiffened her spine and challenged me ."
"And when I was demonstrating the Phenex regeneration with the help of Big Bertha she was the only one in the crowd who got up to aid me ," A hand came up and began rubbing at the back of his neck as his eyes trailed over the floor, a dusting of pink on his cheeks, "I mean, sure, the observant in the crowd would have seen my regeneration when I was demonstrating my mastery over the Hell Fire, or they caught on to the fact that you and Mother were completely at ease when Bertha barreled right into me, but that girl had to be restrained by her own father. Held back from doing something, whether she wished to push me out of the way of the Nightmare's charge or use her Hole to spirit me away to safety."
His cheeks grew even redder as his blue eyes widened though they were focused on nothing at all, "Her, the daughter of an Extra Demon House, one of the shunned Houses who lived a harsh life in the Blasted Lands, was ready and willing to cause a scene at a Pillar Noble's debut in order to protect him. She didn't think, she just went to act and I think that spoke to me about the great amount of character she has. That willingness to protect someone she hardly knew was just as beautiful- no, more beautiful- than the girl herself."
Riser sucked in a deep breath as he reached up and cupped his cheeks, a loud sigh escaping him, " And in that singular moment I knew that I wanted her . That she was the exact sort of woman I was looking for in a Queen; it was impulsive of her, yes, and maybe she could have been more observant that the situation was well in hand yet… the willingness and desire to act to protect others is not something that can be instilled in someone whereas learning to be more observant and reading a situation can be."
He swallowed, "And the moment I was free to speak with her I was just in a haze. I did not know whether or not I would see her again, and I just walked up and started talking to her. I wanted to seal the deal, knowing that she wouldn't just roll over and join my peerage simply because I asked, and when she made the counter-offer to see if I would back up my desire for her? That just made me want her even more. That moxy to put the ball back in my hands to see what I would do with it."
Riser smiled as he ran a finger along the underside of his nose, "She really is something else, that Kuisha Abaddon. She really gets my blood pumping."
That was when he caught sight of his mother's unamused look and all semblance of boyish desire sputtered out.
"You know, my son, when boys learn that they like girls they typically call them names, tease them, pull their hair, or use their blood traits and magic to knock over their sand castles," Elise Phenex leaned against the arm of the couch and rested her chin against the palm of her hand, "Not bet their life in servitude over a single, winner-takes-all fight."
"I agree with you mother, boy," Marcus hummed, "You should have at least made it a best of three… hah hem- you shouldn't have done that at all; at least not without consulting us first."
Elise Phenex gave her husband the patented Evil Eye(TM) before she let out a soft sigh, "I cannot believe that now of all of the times I must be the one to put the foot down and remind everyone that my son has a duty to fulfill to House Phenex. If he goes and gets himself defeated and made the Queen of the girl's Peerage then that will have lasting consequences on our family and our Alliance."
Marcus wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder, "My love… I can think off of the top of my head at least a dozen different, wholly stupid and completely irresponsible things that I and the rest of our Alliance have done that could have had lasting consequences on our families-"
"Woah now, treading on thin ice mister," Zeoticus crinkled his eyes as he waggled his finger at his truest friend and part-time lover.
The Phenex rolled his eyes, "-And I can think twice that number from just Regenald alone."
"I am suddenly wondering why I am being included in this conversation," The second son of House Phenex drawled, "I'm just here as a spectator."
Marcus leveled a half-hearted glare, "The Garden Shed Fiasco."
Regenald Phenex glared back before turning his eyes away, "Alright, make me the whipping boy, just please don't bring that up again."
" 'Garden Shed Fiasco'?" Venelana purred as she snuggled against Zeoticus' chest, "Now I'm curious."
"Regardless I have been waiting a very long time for my level-headed, responsible, and controlled youngest son to slip up and make a mistake, and as far as mistakes go this is likely one of the best a father could hope for," The man seemed to puff his chest out proudly, "He finally saw something he wanted, something that wasn't more responsibility or more training, and he went out and he got what he wanted. A young woman with power and spine, and the audacity to raise eyebrows. An Extra Demon she may be… as a father I could hardly complain about the caliber of young woman that my son has finally decided to chase, and he's chasing very hard."
He planted a kiss on her brow before leaning back against the arm on his side of the couch and crossing his legs, "I know that you want Riser to marry one of the girls in the Alliance, and I want that too, but it's not as though he pledged to wed her if he lost… he merely stated that he became unmarriageable from the shame of such a loss that she would have to take responsibility. Which, I might add, she did agree even if it wasn't on the contract itself; we were all listening in, and old Amos certainly seemed happy with the idea."
Henry Agares let out a low chuckle, the blond-haired man smiling, "Our Maou have asked that we lead the charge on attempting to integrate the Extra Demons back into the fold, Elise, and even if Young Riser here… somehow forgot the ATTC existed and didn't bother to make use of it even though he was the one who suggested its existence in the first place… Riser marrying the girl would hardly be the end of the world. Young Kuisha Abaddon has shown that she has a good head on her shoulders, and is willing to put herself out on a limb in order to protect a Pillar son from himself, as Riser has so helpfully pointed out. If they were to wed then House Abaddon would return to the fold, and where Abbadon goes the other Extra Demons will eventually follow; it was the same way when they left. Though Lucifuge might be lost to us entirely."
Talsbeth, the white-haired, violet-eyed Lady of House Agares, smiled as she interlaced her fingers in front of her breast, "Besides, our sweet Elise, I don't think that a single loss to Kuisha Abaddon would dampen my little Seekvaira's adoration for her Big Brother Riser. Why, if we decided today that we were to wed the two of them then she would be dancing on the clouds! Huuhuuhuu~."
Zeoticus felt his lovely wife stir, " Ahem. I do believe that we haven't decided yet who Riser is going to marry, dear Talsbeth. However, I will say that in terms of our Alliance benefitting the most from Riser's betrothal, it would be House Gremory where he should be. The Barbatos prophecy trait running strongly through his veins might just be what is needed to bring the Gremory Path to Victory back to the surface."
The Lord of House Gremory winced.
Even though he'd had over a thousand years to reconcile with his lack of the Gremory blood trait, it still stung even when it was brought up in conversations such as these. He wasn't the only Gremory left alive, as his mother and Honored Ancestor still lived, but whereas Runeas Gremory had always been a recluse since the death of Lucifer and the end of the Great War, his mother Chysis locked herself away when the Civil War took her husband and Zeoticus' brothers away from her. The last time he saw either of them was when Rias had been born, and even then they both returned to their abodes soon after.
By all rights he shouldn't even be the Family Head given he did not have the trait, but it was either let his seed spread and hope that the blood trait resurfaced or consigne a Demon Pillar to extinction based on a technicality.
House Gremory wasn't the only clan in this predicament, with House Stolas' Verdant Dominion, their preternatural ability to manipulate all forms of plant life, being dormant; the House with a direct descendent as Lord but without an Heir bearing the trait.
It was rare but not unheard of for a blood trait to skip a generation or two before eventually resurfacing, but with both his son Sirzechs and his daughter Rias, the Bael Power of Destruction has reigned supreme.
Truthfully Zeoticus hoped that he could see some of the Phenex Luck when it came to producing multiple children, but even with his expansive harem milking him of his seed at every opportunity none of them besides Venelana had been able to conceive a child.
At this rate, it was far more likely that Riser and Rias would conceive a child before he could, and just as his wife pointed out, it would likely be the Barbatos prophecy trait that would bring the Gremory Path to Victory back to the surface once more.
It was an exceedingly strong prophetic ability, one that Heaven and the Fallen put their best into extinguishing, and the Old Satan faction had done their damndest to finish the job during the Civil War.
"In terms of need, it is true that wedding Young Riser to Rias Gremory would be for the best in terms of strengthening the Four-Way Alliance," Talbin Sitri spoke cooly, his impassive eyes sliding over the various adults in attendance, "However, I do so very much enjoy seeing Sona smile as she tells me all about how Riser read to her the Oxford English Dictionary verbatim. Even if the Sitri Hospitals wouldn't gain much in additional Phenex Tear subsidies that alone would satisfy me."
Somewhere off in the distance, Zeoticus could have sworn he heard a muffled 'Booooooo! Hissssssss! Keep him away from my So-tan!'.
However, seeing as no one else reacted- except Riser himself- Zeoticus shrugged and smiled.
Those crazy kids really are too cute.
"Ah, speaking of Phenex Tears," Marcus blinked, his amusement fading away into something more stern, " Riser Phenex ."
As if sensing that this conversation had suddenly taken a more dramatic turn, the boy stiffened and then bowed, "Yes, Lord Father?"
"Due to the nature of your wager with Kuisha Abaddon, I have finally come to a conclusion on what has been plaguing me these past few years," The Lord of House Phenex stood up and his gaze sharpened in that particular fashion that never failed to make Zeoticus' hard as a rock, "I am hereby forbidding you from learning any further secrets of House Phenex. You will no longer have access to the Phenex Library of family histories or techniques, nor will I teach you the secret to producing Phenex Tears. I must also highly recommend that you begin seeking out suitable replacements for the Phenex House staff that you have running the critical positions within your companies."
The look of a man who could not be moved never failed to arouse the Lord of House Gremory.
"The first two will be rescinded upon your victory over Kuisha Abaddon, because I have full faith that you will lock yourself away in the ATTC and train to win. The third, however, is unfortunately something that cannot be avoided," Marcus' blue eyes softened a touch, his posture loosening up, "One day soon we will decide whom of the three Heiresses of the Alliance you will marry, and whichever lucky girl will have the chance to claim you as their husband… you will leave the vestiges of House Phenex and make your new life there, as the Lord Consort of House Agares, Sitri, or Gremory. It is best that you take charge now and begin training replacements so that when it is time for you leave your ancestral home… it will be as smooth as leaving your home behind can be."
Zeoticus didn't feel at all ashamed that Venelana was stroking his arousal through his slacks despite this heavy, heartfelt moment; she knew what got his motor running, and it was likely that once the Phenex sons were out of the room the true negotiations for Riser Phenex's hand could begin.
He was certain he could make some very persuasive arguments to Elise and Marcus as to why the boy should marry into House Gremory.
"I… I understand, Lord Father," The boy, with his head still bowed, licked his lips, "Though if I may be so bold as to ask a question?"
"You may," Marcus rumbled, and Zeoticus throbbed.
"If I may resume learning of the secrets of our House after my victory over Lady Abaddon… then why not before?"
"It is partly motivation, my son," Marcus gave his third son a soft smile as he rested his hand on the back of the boy's head, "You have always been eager to aid me and your brothers where you could. If you wish to do so with your remaining time as a proud Son of House Phenex then you will fight and you will win . The second reason is that with you safely ensconced within one of the three other Houses of the Alliance then… should the unthinkable ever happen… you will have what you need to see that House Phenex is restored. However, if you do end up with Kuisha Abaddon and are subverted, which is a very real threat with the unscrupulous malcontents within the Old Satan faction that still hold power there, then you will not be able to divulge the secrets of our craft to them."
"That is a very terrifying and sobering possibility, Father," Riser spoke as he came out of his bow and looked up, "I had considered the possibility, in passing, but in that moment…"
"There is no need to say anything further, my boy," Marcus leaned down and wrapped his arms around Riser's neck and pulled him in tightly, "Truth be told it didn't occur to me until just now, and I am the one who is supposed to be thinking of these things in your stead because I am your father and it is my responsibility to think clearly for you when you cannot. You are young, Riser, and you are maturing. Going through changes that all devils go through, and that can unfortunately lead to some very poor decisions."
"I honestly thought I was doing pretty good," The blonde boy mumbled, "But then 'Pow'! It slapped me in the face and I was caught off guard. I suppose devil hormones are a hell of a drug."
"Hah hah hah," Marcus rumbled, "That it is, my son, that it is. Though I must say that as far as first loves go… she isn't a bad choice. You should have seen the first girl your Uncle Zeoticus started pining after when he was your age…"
The Lord of House Gremory felt his cock start to soften, but Venelana's iron grip kept the blood trapped, "M-Marcus…"
Being the bestest friend that he was, Marcus sensed Zeoticus' plight and cleared his throat, "Regardless, my boy. You have made your decision, and now it is time for you to make your bed. Train hard, fight, win, and begin thinking about your future. That will be all, off you go."
Riser took the very much not concealed hint, and he gave his father a brief hug before moving to get his hug and kiss from his mother. Ruval and Regenald too decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and the trio of Phenex brothers vacated the drawing room to leave the adults to their fun.
Venelana fished out Zeoticus' cock the moment the doors shut and she started pumping him furiously, "Now Marcus… what was that you said about my dear Zeo's first love? We have been the closest of friends for over a thousand years and lovers for almost as long, so why is this the first time this little topic has been brought up?"
"Because we've been avoiding it most judiciously to spare our dear friend the embarrassment?" Henry Agares smiled pleasantly even as his hands worked to unlace his beautiful wife's formal dress.
"Every man should have his secrets," Talbin Sitri's cool gaze slipped over to Zeoticus, but the man could catch the subtle commiseration within his tone, "Just as every lady has hers."
Venelana smirked as she squeezed 'little Zeo' at the base before dragging her hand up to the swollen purple tip, "I don't think that will work now- the 'cat's out of the bag', as it were. Now spill, or this penis is gonna get it."
Zeoticus Gremory held his hands up to his face as his best friends proceeded to spin his darling wife a yarn about a fool boy who fell in love with his own progenitor.
It wasn't his fault! How was he, a young boy, supposed to know that it wasn't okay to fall in love with his great-grandmother!? Runeas Gremory was beautiful, mischievous, and sweet beyond belief!
Incredibly terrifying at times, but a gem!
She didn't even beat on him too much when he decided to raise Spectral Horses to better match hobbies with Marcus and his Nightmares instead of solely devoting the stables to the camels she so adored!
The only bright spot about this whole affair was that Runeas Gremory had long since stopped teasing her descendent about his boyhood crush, but if she awoke once more he knew that Venelana would be chomping at the bit to get even more details.
Even as Venelana wrapped her heavenly titflesh around his swollen member and began to work his length while her chuckling mouth wrapped around the tip, he couldn't do anything else except glare at his sheepish friend while Talbin and Elise both worked together to bring the Phenex to climax.
This was a betrayal most foul.
[Sagiyama Michiko]
"Gomenasai." The half-breed bakeneko-devil rose up from her dogeza briefly before returning her forehead to the hardwood floor in front of her, "Gomenasai."
Her formal kimono was beautiful, blue and red silk with white and black floral patterns scrawled up and down its length while a pristine black and white obi that merged into an elongated yin-yang kept the entire outfit together. The feline woman did not dare bring her mismatched eyes up past the edge of the floor where her fingers were elegantly angled; to look up at the Young Lord at this moment, when delivering terrible news, would be folly.
Instead, she rose up again so that they could properly prostrate herself once more,
"Hontoni gomenasai, Phenex-sama."
Beside her, Ni and Li, her precious daughters, were also prostrate, however, her two precious kittens had not raised their heads from where their noses met their angled fingers. Her sweet dears did not know why they bowed, but they were diligent and dutiful daughters, so they bowed nonetheless.
"Raise your head, Sagiyama Michiko," The Young Lord commanded, and she reluctantly obeyed; her eyes not rising past the boy's chin.
Riser Phenex-sama sat on a wooden chair in the kitchen of the humble cottage he had generously provided for her husband and his family for the duration of the training contract; his legs were crossed as he held a thick card of parchment that had been tri-folded and sealed with a simple wax sigil.
The letter was her husband's last will and testament… and his apology.
An apology that Michiko wished that he had never felt the need to write in the first place.
"The entire Underworld reels right now, Sagiyama Michiko-san," The boy spoke lowly, his voice barely above a whisper, "A Pillar Lord was slain just days ago- something that has not happened in nearly two centuries. Your husband was party to that murder."
Michiko barely resisted the desire to prostrate herself once more, but the Young Lord had bade her to keep her head raised, so she would listen and do as commanded.
"Yet I feel as though I have some responsibility for your husband's death," She saw the Young Lord's lips turn down into a small frown as a hand left the letter in his hands and covered his lips, "I thought that arranging for him to return to his Master for bereavement leave would be a kindness… and yet it appears as though all I did was ensure his death. I could… I could have invoked the contract to keep him here, where he belonged… and for that, you have my most humble apologies, Sagiyama Michiko."
The bakeneko-devil felt her chest clench up in shock as the boy slipped out of the chair and kneeled on the smooth stone floor of the kitchen, his forehead touching his fingers, "I am sorry, Sagiyama Michiko-san. Even though I was not responsible for his death I still feel as though… Sagiayama-sensei's demise was partly my fault."
Michiko's mismatched eyes widened in shock as the Young Lord's maid clenched her skirts in surprise, and she shook her head while refuting his words profusely; for a Young Lord to bow his head to apologize to a Low-Class such as her was unthinkable.
"N-no! I must protest, Phenex-sama," Michiko's voice quavered as she struggled to let her thoughts be known without making her protestations too firm; young he might be, but to contradict a Lord in the making- even when he was apologizing- could be disastrous, "My meathead of a Husband's actions were his own. He did not inform me of his Master's plans… nor did he appear to think through the shame he might bring upon the Young Lord and the House who sponsored him."
Nor did he bother to think about what his actions might do to
her
or their beautiful
children
.
Tears clouded her eyes.
The fool probably died with a smile on his face, murmuring such nonsense like 'I'm sorry, Michiko. Ni. Li. Yet though as my life fades I am proud that I have fulfilled my oaths to Hector-sama. Live on in my stead.'
Her tears, however, were stifled as the Young Lord of House Phenex rose up from his dogeza and wrapped his arms around her shoulders to pull her weeping face into the crook of his neck.
"I don't care about any of that tripe," He inhaled sharply as a young hand came up to stroke the back of one of her ears; she shivered as her ki connected to his own through the contact and for the first time she truly felt Riser Phenex's strength, "I care about the fact that he left you and your daughters behind. Though as a devil of a Demon Pillar, I must abide by the formalities of such things… yet that does not mean that I am without options. That I cannot ensure your husband's will and see that you and your daughters are safe."
Michiko shivered as the boy's arms gently tightened around her.
"Hector Valac was a powerful devil for his age, yet even he could not have defeated his Great-Uncle, Lord Valac, even with all of his Peerage members aiding him. My Lord Father has confided in me that Lord Valac appeared greatly weakened when he was engaged, and the only thing that comes to my mind when I hear that is subterfuge; poison being the most likely. That his daughter, Alysana Valac, only appeared to fight Hector and his Peerage after her father's demise leads me to believe that if she was not directly responsible for the plan to avenge Cassius Valac's death- through his brother Hector- then she was at least part of that plot," He let out a small sigh that tickled her cheek, "That Alysana Valac was left the defacto Heiress, with the branch family having no viable alternatives, also leads me to believe that she played a significant role. However, as of yet, there has been no discovery by the Pillar Council to contest her version of events."
Michiko gazed up at the contemplative expression on the young Phenex Lord's face as he mused openly, likely for her benefit.
"Regardless of whether or not your husband informed you of the plot, she will likely demand compensation in blood. The old rules that still exist within the laws require the death of all those connected to the slaying of a Pillar Lord. The saving grace is that if the new Head wishes to make use of this rule then she must be capable of carrying out the slaughter herself, or via her subordinates."
The bakeneko-devil felt a shiver slide down her spine, "My Lord… I do not understand how such a thing benefits us."
Michiko was strong for a Mid-Class devil, borderline High-Class, but that was expected for the woman who stood equal to the
Ace
of the Bakeneko style of martial arts. However, she knew she did not have the strength to contend with Alysana Valac or any of the woman's Peerage members.
Riser Phenex-sama remained silent for a few moments before he spoke, "Michiko, your husband once told me that you were rivals before you both fell in love… tell me, are you skilled with the style of martial arts that your husband was tutoring me in? In touki? Senjutsu?"
"H-hai. My husband and I were Fuchino-sensei's top two students before we were reincarnated by Valac-sama. Yet Ko-kun was always superior to me; wherever I struggled he flourished… and wherever I found success he found success in spades," She felt her ears flatten up against the top of her scalp as she averted her eyes from his piercing blue gaze, "We trained together every day and fought in the Rating Games until I learned that I was pregnant with Ni and Li. Only then did I step away from practicing the kata and honing my skills even further."
Michiko sniffed as she brought up a hand to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall and stain the Young Lord's suit, "He was a man of great talent whereas I was the student who struggled for everything she gained. I couldn't help but feel so envious of him when we were younger, yet it wasn't until I followed him one day that I learned that despite his talent he too practiced just as hard as I did… sometimes even more so. When I saw him punching that boulder over and over again, his blood staining the stone red, I had come to realize that I adored his single-minded pursuit and quickly fell in love soon after."
She smiled, briefly, but it quickly turned into a frown, "And yet it was that same single-mindedness that saw him dead and left me without a husband… and his kittens without a father. That is so much like him that it hurts."
The boy's arms tightened around her shoulders considerably, and she looked up to see the Young Lord's eyes softly looking at Ni and Li as the girls stared at them with wide eyes filled to the brim with unshed tears. As though their young minds finally began to comprehend the words their mother spoke- that their beloved father was gone and
never
to return.
The Young Lord held out his hand and the magical contract that was signed by her late husband and liege Lord Hector Valac, appeared in his hand; the boy peeled back a touch of his inner strength and channeled it into the contract- the words glowing a soft blue while the parchment was wreathed in fiery red.
"Then… I invoke the posthumous clauses within the contract that your husband and Lord Hector Valac signed," Riser Phenex-sama swallowed thickly, "Your husband's death has left me bereft of a teacher, and his Lord's death has left me without an avenue for compensation."
His cerulean blue eyes looked down and gazed into her mismatched eyes, "To make up for this loss, I hereby claim you and your daughters as my servants. From this moment forward until the day that you die, you, Sagiyama Michiko, Sagiyama Ni, and Sagiyama Li… will serve me, Riser Phenex- 3rd Son of House Phenex- body, heart, mind, and soul. So long as I live none shall have any claim over you but me."
The feline trembled as she felt the magics of the contract wreath her in the warm fires of the Young Lord, but they hovered just above the surface of her skin- the bindings of the contract not yet settling in.
"W-why?" Her voice quivered, the bakeneko-devil barely able to speak the question.
"Because my dear sensei asked me to take care of you and your daughters. I… would be a terrible student if I could not at the very least attempt to follow the last wishes of my late teacher," The boy's eyes softened, "By becoming mine, Lady Valac would have no recourse in attempting to claim you through the courts, so she would be forced to try and rely on her own strength to see you and your daughters turned over for… summary judgment."
Riser Phenex-sama let go of the contract, the parchment floating in the air next to his head, and he gently cupped her cheek- his thumb sliding just beneath her eye, "And should she try then I will see to it that she is not only crushed but
utterly humiliated
. I will show her the folly of attempting to touch what does not belong to her."
"However," The Pillar devil pulled his hand away, "That is a guarantee that I can only give should you give yourself to me utterly. I will see to it that you and your daughters are trained to become useful and strong. You will be cherished, valued, and well cared for…
never to be discarded
."
"I am a devil, a greedy one, but should you accept know that I alone will be your sole master; no one else will have leave to command you without my say so- not even my Lord Father or Lady Mother," The boy looked over his shoulder, and Michiko leaned her head back to see his Maid bowing her head, "I will have need of servants of my own. Lirianne is my most beloved maid, my constant companion since I was born, yet she serves House Phenex first and only; the moment I fulfill my purpose as a 3rd son and am married off to another Noble House to secure alliances I will not be able to bring her with me. That is a selfishness known to House Phenex… no matter how much I beg or plead I know that my Lord Father will never give her up, and she will never wish to leave."
The Maid lowered her head as she curtsied deeply, her expression apologetic and her ki filled with sorrow, "It is as you say, Young Master. I belong to House Phenex, now and forever. Though my service to you has been the brightest in my life… I would not leave even if my Lord and Lady saw fit to give me it- such is my love and dedication to this Noble House and all it has given me."
Riser Phenex-sama's face scrunched up as his eyes glowed gold- glimmering tears rimming them and threatening to fall. He held out a hand and two clear glass vials slipped between his fingers, the boy sliding them along his face to capture the ethereal liquid before he popped the stoppers in place with his thumb; the sunny light faded from his sight.
"A-ah… I knew it to be true in my mind, Lirianne. Yet even still, in my heart of hearts, I wished that once I shed the trappings of childhood you would still continue to serve me as you always had," He sniffed and shook his head, "Yet I suppose that I am glad I am at least getting confirmation early; I can work through this pain now… and I'm glad because I don't know what I would have done if I remained unaware until the day you were no longer at my bedside to wake me up."
"We all have our burdens to bear, Lord Riser," The maid slowly raised herself up, her blue eyes shimmering with misty tears even though her face was smooth of any anguish, "Yet my adoration and love for you do not give me leave to forsake the oaths that I have sworn. My pride as a Maid will not allow me to turn away a harsh reality so that we might both continue on for a few short years of blissful ignorance."
A wet chuckle leaves the boy's lips, his shoulders shaking lightly, "If my dear Lirianne says it then it must be true… she is most wise."
The smooth face shows a crack, a small smirk, "It is as my Young Lord says- he too is wise to listen to his cherished maid's council."
Lord and Maid share their moment for a few seconds longer before Phenex-sama returns his attention to Michiko, and a thread of mana connects to the contract, its power making the parchment blaze once more, "So, what say you, Sagiyama Michiko. Do you accept my terms?"
The bakeneko-devil looked toward her twin daughters, their red and blue eyes puffy and red from the tears that had been streaming down their cheeks.
Her heart clenched and stuttered in her chest, and not for the first time she cursed her beloved Kotaro for his thickheadedness.
Not only did he leave them behind, but his actions have all but consigned them to death should Lady Alysana Valac wish for their repatriation, and considering the petty nature of the woman in question Michiko knew deep down that she would. Now not only was Michiko without a husband, and her daughters without a father… only eternal servitude would be their salvation; to a strong and kind Lord, yet it was eternal servitude all the same.
However, only Riser Phenex-sama could stand between them and certain death… and the mother would much rather see her kittens grow and flourish than their blood stain an unfeeling headsman's ax.
Gently, the feline mother pulled away from the Lord and shuffled back on her hands and knees, the woman sliding between her two daughters. Her hands came up and found the crowns of her daughter's heads as she pushed them back into their dogeza, and once their foreheads were pressed against their fingers she lowered herself back down in the position of supplication, "Lord Riser Phenex. My daughters and I have no other option but to accept your terms. I, Sagiyama Michiko, wife of Sagiayam Kotaro, and mother of Sagiyama Ni and Sagiyama Li… grant Riser Phenex, 3rd Son of House Phenex… total dominion over our lives. Our bodies, hearts, minds, and our very souls are yours to command… yours and yours alone."
Sagiyama Michiko shivered as the warmth of the Young Phenex's fiery magic slithered over her flesh and easily sifted beneath it to settle deep into her bones.
"And so the Posthumous Clause of the Riser Phenex-Hector Valac Contract is fulfilled with the payment due… given as requested," The sound of flames could be heard as writing on parchment filled her ears, "Bargained and done. I hereby pronounce the
Contract Closed
. Raise your heads."
The feline did as her new Master bade, her eyes catching sight just in time to see the magical contract flash before disappearing to the central repository where it would be updated.
"Sagiyama Michiko, Sagiyama Ni, Sagiyama Li," Her Master spoke lowly as he walked on his knees off of the stone floor of the kitchen and onto the hardwood of the living room, "I, your Master, pronounce that your old lives are over… as beautiful as they were, the flames were left poorly tended and have now become little more than guttering wisps of smoke."
"The name 'Sagiyama' has breathed its last breaths, the legacy of a good man and his family are now naught but ash," He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes; as he spoke she could feel the
finality
in his words, "Yet as a devil of rebirth I shall see to it that you three will rise from those ashes born anew. You and the future children you will bear shall carry the name
'Hibana'
… for you have been given a new 'spark of life', and will embody a 'glow rekindled'."
The Lord's eyes opened and he gazed at each of them in turn, "The Hibana family and the many beautiful generations that follow, will serve me faithfully. Do you understand?"
Hibana Michiko lowered her head into another dogeza, and her daughters followed without prompting, "Hai, Riser Phenex-sama. The Hibana Clan hears your words and we obey your will… from this moment forward until our flames turn to ash and our spirits need be rekindled once more."
[Sabrine Serphent]
Sabrine Serphent was a mage who enjoyed the finer things in life.
She liked eating fine foods and enjoying fancy spas. She loved reading magical tomes from the library of her parent's Lord. She always ensured that she put her beautiful, curvaceous figure on display so that the others would look upon her with awe, lust, and envy.
Yet, despite being a woman who very much liked being clean… for some insane reason she had put up with being incredibly dirty for the past three months. Incredibly tired. Incredibly overworked. And incredibly
dirty
.
The 'dirty' part was worth noting
twice
.
Sabrine, Xuelan, Isabela, and two other Low-Class mooks that she could hardly remember were spirited away to the Phenex estates upon the conclusion of the tournament. There they spent two whole weeks living in the lap of luxury.
Sumptuous meals, the finest clothes to have ever graced her naked body, beautiful attendants that bathed every inch of her body before giving her the most relaxing rub-downs that made her toes curl and womanhood moisten. She slept in every day, ate her breakfast in her room, and then spent hours walking through the fantastical library and reading books that would make her family's Lord weep with envy.
She did have her attendant watching her every move, of course, so it wasn't like she got to read anything truly scintilating, but overall she spent that fortnight basking in the glory of being a prospective Peerage member of one of the wealthiest of Lords.
To add further sweetener to the honey pot, the Young Lord dazzled her further as they discussed Peerage salaries, bonuses for excellent performance, and allowances for magical research and equipment.
If he had been only a few years older she would have dropped to her knees right then and serviced his cock in front of the other four in gratitude. However, instead, she settled for feeling her pussy drip and folds clench achingly for his cock as she daydreamed about being bent over a wide oak table, its top filled with magical tomes and scrolls, while her Young Lord plowed her from behind.
However, that brief honeymoon period did not last much further when he uttered his next words in their meeting: "Now that you have had the opportunity to sample the benefits of being a future member of my Peerage… let us discuss what is going to occur over the next ninety days throughout your
Assessment Period
."
Riser Phenex stated in no uncertain terms that he was not looking for them to gain strength during the training period, but instead was looking for 'Maximum Effort'; even if they failed to gain more than a thimble's worth of power, as long as they tried their very best to exceed his expectations then they would find themselves a place within his Peerage. He noted that Xuelan and Isabela, on account of being Rooks, had their work cut out for them as their Evil Pieces bolstered them, but they too had the same requirements.
The two Mooks seemed to have it in their heads that they would need to survive the training, but Sabrine was not going to dissuade their misconceptions; critical thinking was something that the Young Lord himself mentioned was paramount, and if they could not see the blatant, glaring sign in front of them when it was explicitly stated to them then it was not her place to say a word.
The five of them were taken to an eight-bedroom cottage out in the boonies of the Phenex lands, a picturesque little plot with a small stream and beautiful woods, and told to settle in for their training.
Within her room she found ninety tonics that were readily identified as the potions that Low-Class devils drank in order to increase their strength. Underneath her bed was a stone slab on wheels that had an elaborately carved magic circle on it, with instructions on how to use it attached via a note; it was clear that he expected them to utilize every tool at their disposal.
Tools that he so generously provided them.
Though truth be told it was a touch embarrassing for an accomplished Witch such as herself to not notice the Young Lord's Observation Flame flickering in one of the numerous lanterns on the walls until the assessment period was almost over. It looked the same as all of the other magical flames in the lanterns, and its magical signature was almost invisible among the background mana in the area. However, in her defense, she was barely capable of dragging herself from the bath and back up to her room before passing out into a dreamless sleep each day; her mind was not in a good enough state to try and suss out any clairvoyance spells that might or might not have been inside of her room.
Each day she woke up at two in the morning, knelt down on that cold stone slab to perform the required three hours of Mana Oversaturation exercises, then stumbling downstairs with the mana tonic in hand to choke down with a chaser of the strongest coffee she could brew. From there she ate a light breakfast to quell her stomach while waiting for Xuelan and Isabela to stumble into the kitchen after her with their tonics in hand; the Mooks came down after them with barely any time to make toast before the Young Lord arrived.
When the Young Lord came by, he began to drill them into the ground with the most
heinous
physical fitness regimen that she had ever experienced in her life.
Sabrine Serphent was a woman who did not like physical activity of any kind, the half-devil preferring to let her magical prowess do her fighting for her, but she knew full well that maximum effort was needed, so she gave maximum effort.
When they ran she ran until her lungs and heart felt like they were going to explode and her legs gave out on her; even if the Low-Class Mooks were able to outpace her she did not bother to offer them a glance.
When they crawled in the mud uphill she bemoaned the grit that got under her nails and permeated her teeth but kept her cheek in the muck while chasing the Young Lord who was right there in the quagmire beside them- the Pureblood Noble dragging a large block of stone in his wake. Even if she was the last to make it up to the top, the magic caster barely able to drag herself over the lip to rest, Sabrine did not pay the smirks of the other devils any mind.
When she crossed fists with the two Rooks she took her beatings with aplomb, rising up on shakey and unsteady legs to try once more; it took her a long time to land a solid blow against them, but even with their Rook-enhanced durability they felt the upper Mid-Class strike against their flesh. Even if she was knocked unconscious by the pair, she had earned their respect while the two Mooks merely tried to survive until the time limit of the bouts instead of attempting to beat the pugilist and martial artist.
However, where she shined was in their magical training, and instead of lording her prowess over the other four, even if she had come to like Isabela and Xuelan, she kept her eyes focused on her own improvement.
Though she did sneer at the Mooks. Internally.
As the days progressed the sessions shifted from mere physical and magical training to basic tactics in Ratings Games, and in those few blissful days when their training was cut short she sat down in the living room to pick the brains of the two Rooks who actually had experience. The Mooks would sit in sometimes, but they mainly retreated to their rooms in order to prepare to survive the next day's training.
Throughout it all, even when battered, bruised, exhausted, wet, or utterly filthy Sabrine Serphent kept her eyes on her prize: A rich, wealthy, powerful, handsome, loaded, sweet, and kind Young Lord who would likely pound her silly while whispering into her ears all about the magical research she was going to be allowed to conduct after he filled her womb with his seed.
She was thirsty, and Riser Phenex was a cool oasis in a desert filled with self-absorbed, talentless hacks.
So when the assessment period came to an end, seemingly in the blink of an eye, her Young Lord pulled her away to a richly furnished room within the cottage to go over what he observed of her during the ninety days.
He had been impressed with her, but he had a feeling that she was far more driven than what her soft exterior showed. She worked exceedingly hard to improve herself over the period, and while it wasn't an astounding amount… she had grown stronger; the increases in her physical capabilities improved her fitness scores by almost double, and while it was harder for her to make gains in magical power and control over a short amount of time, he was pleased with the results nonetheless.
She had earned her place in his upcoming peerage, and he would make her a Pawn solidified by a magical contract.
That he would own her body, heart, mind, and soul for as long as she served him was merely a formality in her eyes; by accepting an Evil Piece such a thing would be a given regardless- those who did not abide would be Strays and killed. This was the Underworld. An Underworld where devils ruled.
Everyone
served someone in these upper echelons of power, and the Young Lord who listed everything out to her in black and white- even the very certain future that he would require her services in his bed and to bear children for him- was a breath of fresh air to the veiled machinations of every other devil who thought themselves clever.
That she would be forever bound to her Lord, unless he opted to trade her away- to no one else but his closest family- laid a great deal of her worries to rest.
The Phenex family was just as famed as the Gremory for their love and possessiveness of their servants; she would be treated well whereas such a thing was not guaranteed with the others.
That her servitude took her far away from her mother and father's abusive Lord and into a camp on the opposite side of the political spectrum was just the icing on the cake.
Money, power, luxury, a magical library that would soon be open to her, her magical research projects funded, and a Young Lord who already informed her she would be taking his cock whenever he pleased?
There was no way her life could possibly get any better.
Well, actually, as she watched the two Mooks who had only done their best to survive walk toward the teleportation circle with only a small bag of coins in hand… she decided that seeing them go did make her life just a bit better.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, and A. Daw for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
IMPORTANT A/N: I realized that I inadvertently killed off someone by accident with Zeoticus' backstory, someone that I didn't want to kill off. So I will be retconning a small portion of it: Zeoticus' mother, Chysis is still alive and well, however she retreated from the public eye and passed down the mantle of Head of House Gremory to her son after the death of her Husband during the Civil War.
A/N: More world building and politics. And a brief look as to what happened in the aftermath of RiserSI's wager, and a glimpse as to what is leading up to the Time Chamber journey.
If You Are Confused about the Sagiayama Situation:
So in the previous chapters, when Sagiyama-sensei first arrived, we got a little bit of backstory about his Lord, Hector Valac.
A branch member of House Valac who had been spurned by Lord Valac for taking in reincarnates (or so RiserSI believes) into his Peerage. He participated vigorously in the Ratings Games hoping to earn back some of his Grand-Uncle's favor, but all that did was get him a barony that was in dire straights, and he was forced to invest his winnings and his Peerage's efforts in trying to turn the failing province of Valac lands around despite being set up to fail. Hector Valac accepted a lucrative contract with Riser Phenex through the Maous Lucifer in exchange for generous financial incentives for his Rook's work as a Touki instructor for RiserSI.
However, in the following chapters we learn that his brother, the once presumptive Heir Cassius Valac- the younger brother of Hector- was found out to be fraudulently disguising his lack of a blood trait of House Valac; the boy allegedly using his intellect and deductive reasoning to ape the Valac trait of 'finding hidden treasures'.
After the reveal of his subterfuge, he tragically died in a hunting accident just a few days later.
This sent Hector Valac into a rage, and he plotted the death of his Grand-Uncle in revenge, and he enlisted the aid of his Peerage to include the recently returned Sagiyama Kotaro-sensei who left to grieve on RiserSI's permission. This was outside of the contract, on an allowance, so to speak. RiserSI didn't have to do it, but he allowed Valac's request.
Hector Valac and his Peerage assaulted the Valac compound, slaughtering two other presumptive Valac Heirs and surprisingly even the powerful Lord Valac too fell to their rage. However, their rampage came to an end when Alysana Valac arrived to put an end to the killings… leaving her the only remaining member of the family with a direct legal claim to the Valac House- as Hector and Cassius' father was a branch member, and only the Head could make a branch member Heir.
The old laws are rather brutal with things like the murder of a House Lord, and the law affords the injured party a variety of boons, such as the killing of all relatives for parties involved in the offense. Its some 'Three Generations' type shit. However, with this being the Underworld, these boons are only acceptable if you have the strength to actually make it happen- nobody is going to hold your hand and help you kill them off. That's your duty as the offended party; the rest of the devils will just nod their head and say that justice was served.
Chapter 8 - 25 Years Part 1 (Year 0 - 1)
[Riser Phenex]
[ATTC]
"Young Master, there is a call for you on your Contract Hotline."
I opened up my eyes.
Orbiting around me in tight, controlled circles were a dozen baseball sized orbs of Phenex Fire and Hell Fire; naturally they wanted to be the size of a beachball, but compacting them down and managing the density and temperature was an excellent control exercse. I slowed their movements while tightening down on the link to my blood trait, extinguishing them.
While I and many other devils viewed control over one's power by the number of individual threads you could control at any given point, blood traits functioned just a touch differently. Or, it was more like utilizing your blood trait was a separate form of control that you needed to practice; from shape manipulation to power, a devil could be exceedingly experienced in controlling their blood traits but absolutely abhorrent at controlling mana threads needed to utilize magics outside of their blood gifts. The exact opposite was also true, but terrible control of a blood trait could also be chalked up to the devil having a fairly weak affinity for it that would very rarely grow better with time, whereas a devil could improve their normal mana control.
One of the more famous instances of this in the Underworld was Castel Bael, the Lord of House Bael, who was well known for having a fixation on the Power of Destruction to the point where he eschewed the use of other 'inferior' magics and focused solely on utilizing his blood trait as the hammer to end all nails. Which was terribly sad given he was a rather powerful devil that in my opinion was gimping himself needlessly to forever chase his older sister, Venelana Gremory's, shadow. From what my mother told me, Venelana was exceptionally blessed with the Bael blood trait to the point where Castel was seen as a cripple in comparison, so I suppose that it was no surprise the guy developed such a complex about it that he cast his son Sairaorg out of the House and all but divorced his wife to hide his shame.
Regardless, I was following my eldest brother Ruval's advice to a T and working on improving my control with my blood traits as I grew stronger… lest I end up in his predicament.
I slowly stood up and accepted the towel from Lirianne, who had Michiko shadowing her in a similar Maid uniform, and wiped my head and face free of sweat, "Thank you, Lirianne. When did the call first come in?"
"Only two minutes ago, Young Master," She said with a small inclination of her head.
I worked out the mental math and had about twelve-ish more minutes before the call went to magical voicemail, "Is there none of the others who can take it?"
The Phenex Maid shook her head, "No, Young Master; the other girls are currently attending their lessons for their Mid-Class and High-Class promotions."
My head bobbed up and down as I slung the towel over my shoulder, "Alright, I will be there in five minutes or so. Thank you for informing me, Lirianne."
The Maid curtsied slightly, but even though there was a small smile on her lips I could feel the smallest tinge of guilt wafting off of her ki, "I live to serve House Phenex."
There was a pang in my chest at her words, but I did my best to accept it for what it was and drive on. Phenex servants served for life, and I would enjoy the time I had with her to the best of my abilities until I was no longer a member of the Phenex family; it helped that I was not the only one to experience this ache, as Ruval and Regen both had their most beloved maids serve them until they reached majority. Then after that, they slipped back into the fold- the Maids professional to the very end.
I turned my attention to Michiko, "How are you doing, Michiko-chan?"
The cat-girl martial artist-momma-turned-maid bowed her head lowly, "I am learning much in the sacred arts of Maidojutsu, Riser-sama. It is… a most bedeviling craft, to be sure, and far more broad and deep than I could have ever anticipated; I once believed that motherhood was one of the most challenging tasks that I could learn, but it appears that I stand corrected."
I felt my lips quirk up as I placed a hand on my hip, "Oh? Have you learned anything interesting?"
Would this be my chance to learn about this most mysterious of worlds? I swear, the order of assassins from the John Wick franchise had nothing on the Religious Orders of Maid-dom and Butlery-
The mismatched eyes of my servant glanced up at Lirianne, and my maid gave her a beautiful smile that caused the cat woman to flinch slightly, "A-apologies, Riser-sama. That is a request that I cannot honor."
My smile turned brittle, "I see… well then, I thank you for your effort, Michiko-chan; I will see you this evening."
"Of course, Riser-sama."
With the clock slowly starting to tick down I turned away from the maids and made my way over to the other half of the walled courtyard behind the small Phenex mansion in the Phenex Quarter of the ATTC. It was fairly large all told, being fifty paces wide and fifty paces deep, and while my little corner of the courtyard for my day's training was barely five by five paces, my eldest brother Ruval had the rest dedicated to him. An opaque magical barrier surrounded a cube-shaped space, and my brother's two Bishops- the slots filled with two former human Magicians- kneeled on elaborate magic circles with their arms thrust out in front of them; the pair of them were sweating profusely but didn't seem to be flagging.
I waved at a lithe blonde-haired man who appeared to be in his mid-forties with a generous beard that was flecked with grey, "Julius, I'm going to talk to my brother for a minute, alright?"
The reincarnated Magician nodded, "You catch that, Ophelio?"
"Yeeeaaauuupppp, I heard Lord Riser just fine," The dark-haired magician who looked like a young man in his late teens smirked, "Go on ahead; he already knows to expect you."
Without further prompting, I tugged on my Phenex Fire and enshrouded myself in its warmth before I slipped through the liquid-like barrier.
The moment I came through the other side my entire world was awash in heat and light.
The air was so far beyond 'blistering' in its intensity that I felt like I was standing on the surface of the damn sun, and the brightness was so great that it felt like forever before my eyes adjusted to the majestic glow filling the interior of the barrier. With the Phenex Flames cloaking me it felt little more than a comforting summer breeze, but I knew that if it wasn't for my blood trait shielding me from the effects of my brother's power I would be incinerated to ash in an instant; only flecks of ash and carbon to mark my passing.
Ruval was stripped bare of all of his clothing except a loincloth, which had been a bit of a shock for me to see the first time I laid eyes on him; I'd only ever seen my brother in one of his finely tailored suits, the man dressed to the 'Nines' on all occasions. However, seeing that he was here in the ATTC training for what was likely to be one of the most important Ratings Games of his career up to this point… I got to see a lot of sides to my brother that I normally never saw.
Mainly his immense frustration with his lack of control over our family abilities.
It was almost cathartic to see my unflappable older brother grit his teeth and click his tongue whenever he stumbled over his own two feet as he attempted to fill a gaping hole that he'd let fester and grow until it was almost too late.
Yet after that one small moment of satisfaction, I did my best to bury it deep away; I was not a normal devil. I was not a jealous devil. I would not delight in the hardships of my family, let alone Ruval, who helped me out whenever I asked and he had the time to spare… and since the ATTC was constructed he had a lot of time to spare.
Whenever I had a question, Ruval had an answer.
Whenever I wanted a fresh perspective outside what I believed our blood traits represented and how they functioned, Ruval was there to give me some input; whether it was solid as concrete or more evasive than a Mountain Hermit who didn't want to take a student.
Ruval always helped me where and when he could, and I would do my best to support him as best I could… though admittedly I was little more help than possibly being a sounding board he could bounce ideas off of- someone who shared his blood traits and knew wouldn't poke at him like Regen would.
My eldest brother kneeled on the ground in his loincloth, and he was surrounded by hundreds of beachball-sized orbs of Phenex Fire.
Where I could handily manipulate two dozen orbs of similar size, adjusting the power input to manage intensity, and freely able to shape the orbs into whatever I wished… Ruval had the exact opposite problem. Though he admitted that his control was very fine centuries earlier, as he quickly progressed up the ranks of the Ratings Games, his demonic power continued to rise higher and higher as he fought tough opponents and grew older. Then he hit a strange lull in the brackets where the peerages failed to test him as much while his strength continued to climb, and he simply got used to sweeping away his opposition without any care for finesse.
This served him just fine until he met his fellow monsters in the Top 10, and it was when he reached those lofty heights that he realized that brute forcing victories was not going to see him advance any closer to the Top 3 where he could finally have a shot at taking on the Strongest Devil in the Rating Games, Diehauser Belial.
However, by that point, his strength had exceeded his ability to control his blood traits outside of generalizations, and he had a very tough thirty years trying to claw his way back to the finesse he once had.
Blood traits were infinitely easier for a devil to use, almost like a second set of hands you had with you your entire life, but dexterity was just as important as raw power, and Ruval's immense reserves of demonic power sort of functioned like a highly pressurized system that spewed his power through valves that weren't equipped to handle it. This led to him hemorrhaging out his strength whenever he needed a finely tuned stream, and this had a pretty negative effect on his stamina… which was where a Phenex was supposed to shine.
He did have massive reserves, so his ability to last was there, but it still wasn't good enough to defeat the devils that were higher ranked than he was.
"Ruval," I spoke out, and I saw almost a hundred orbs immediately double in size before their blueish glow became white hot; the temperature in the barrier immediately shot higher, and my brother grunted as he clenched his teeth and gradually reasserted control over the runaway orbs.
"Mmmhmmm… Riser… how nice of you to join me," He slowly opened his eyes and gave me the best smile he could given the circumstances, "I wasn't aware that it was time."
"No, I just came by to let you know that I had a contract to handle. It might take me a few minutes, or it might take me a few hours. Though once it's done if I don't have any further calls I will return and help you out."
I had been wondering how I could help Ruval, and this was the best solution I could come up with.
With my Phenex heritage, I could enter into the barrier and meditate with him; I worked on my Phenex Fire and Hell Fire control while I carried on some simple conversations with him in an attempt to distract him. Given I was so much weaker than him I couldn't stand to be in there for more than an hour before I had to retreat lest I be crisped, but it was something that only I could do to help him… and I owed him this and so much more.
"Not… a problem," A dozen spheres destabilized before he got them back into form, "I look forward to it. I feel like… I've come a long way since you started joining me… Ajax Sallos won't know what hit him."
Ajax Sallos was the current 6th Ranked Devil in the Top 10, and I was fairly certain he was one of the devils using a King Piece; Ruval had challenged him for his 6th Place ranking, and in a few months their match would take place.
The Sallos blood trait was Lustful Protection, an aura that caused enemies of the opposite sex to become infatuated with one another to the point where all Ratings Games involving him tended to end up as XXX-versions of a typical game; it had the additional effect of greatly reducing the harm that came to anyone within range of Ajax. This turned any match with him into a fight to outlast the Ultimate-Class devil and tire him so that his aura's effectiveness faded; his Peerage was almost immune to its effects due to centuries of exposure, often giving them a sizeable advantage in combat.
"I look forward to it as well. Be back in a bit," I turned around and strode out of the barrier, and once through I let my Phenex Fire protections fade away and took a deep breath of the cool moist air of the cave training complex.
I settled into the small 'Call Center' that I'd set up inside one of the many empty rooms within the small Phenex Mansion. Six desks with some brand-new Gateway 2000 PCs were in their own little cubicles, and the PCs were connected to the DevilNet (really imaginative, Lord Beelzebub) with a phone and headset connected to them.
The office chair squeaked a little bit as I sat down, pulled myself in front of the computer, and used my magical signature to log in. Even with some minor enchantments the pristine new buckets still took almost a whole minute to load into the desktop, and I pulled up DevilNet Explorer (Ha. Ha.) before logging into the call center software. Slipping the headset on my head I flicked the small switchboard next to the phone and waited for the call to connect.
"Hello, and thank you for calling the Phoenix Force Premium Service Hotline , a high-quality subsidiary of Global Logistics LLC. My name is Riser Phenex and I am the devilishly good service representative who will be assisting you today," My voice came out a few octaves deeper, making me sound as though I were a chipper college student, "May I please have your name and customer ID number? If you do not have a customer account with Global Logistics LLC then may I please have the order ID number that shipped with your product?"
"Uhhh, yeah, um, give me one second," The middle-aged voice on the line shuffled with some papers in the background, "My name is Felix Smith, and the order ID number was 122-772-1987."
"Felix… Smith… common spellings?"
"Uh, yeah, F-E-L-I-X, S-M-I-T-H."
"Excellent," I smiled as I typed in his name and the order ID, and the order was pulled up from the database in a few moments, "While the system is loading up please standby while I play for you pre-recorded message; it is for liability purposes and shouldn't last for more than thirty seconds."
"Oh, okay, sure."
I flipped him over onto 'Hold' and then flicked the switch to play the recorded message.
You see, Devil Contracts are important for devils, primarily for those of Low-Class or Mid-Class status. To take the Rank-Up exam, one must not only meet the specific strength requirements and have the proper education to pass the exams themselves, but one also needs to have enough 'points'. These points were earned through victories in Ratings Games, years of faithful service to a Noble sponsor, and a variety of other methods… but completing Contracts with mortals and extracting a price was one of the easiest methods for devils who could make a connection with Earth.
The Contract had requirements that needed to be filled- a service needed to be rendered, whether that was as simple as cleaning a lazy mortal's messy bedroom, providing valuable information, or something as unscrupulous as outright murder. The payment also varied from gold or valid paper currency to favors owed to the devil performing the service; virtually anything went, but devils were a greedy bunch, and they were loath to waste their valuable time working for a pittance.
One of the keystones of this was informed consent- a mortal making the contract had to be informed that they were interacting with a devil, whether that was written or verbal. I had my written acknowledgment of my devil status buried deep within over forty-seven pages of legalese as part of the Terms of Service a human agrees to when they access the 'Premium' Phoenix Force Service Hotline web page.
Then I double-tapped that with the very fast-spoken but still clear verbal confirmation that the Customer is aware that they are making a verbal and written contract with a devil and that they agree to the payment as listed in the Terms of Service. It was fluffed over with a bit of catchy elevator music and barely audible to human ears, but it was still there and thus valid; if their eyes happened to glaze over in boredom while listening to the message or they put the phone down then that is on them.
It was definitely sneaky but I was a devil.
The moment the message ended I flipped back over, "Hello, Mister Smith?"
"Yeah, I'm here."
"Excellent. I will provide you with the highest quality customer service, guaranteed to speed your claim along, and in exchange, you will provide the requested compensation. Do you agree with the terms of this short-term Contract?"
"Uhhh… compensation? I thought the website advertised this service as 'Free' for the customer?"
"No need to worry, your compensation isn't financial in any way. We bill Global Logistics LLC for every successfully handled Customer Service request. It's how we make our pay."
"Oh, uh, neat. Okay, I agree- ow!"
I smiled. Hook, line, and sinker.
"Is everything alright, sir?"
"Oh, yeah, yeah. Just… cut my finger on the edge of my desk. Must have a bur somewhere. Anyway, yeah, I received my 'Lightweight Recon Rig', and it was great at first, but after a few weeks of using it, I noticed that some of the stitching on the back of the magazine harness was looking a little funky. It was starting to fray a little bit."
"Hmmm, I think I know exactly what you're getting at. Tell me, does the tag on the interior of the map pocket read 'LRR-213' and then a string of numbers after it?"
The sound of velcro tearing could be heard, "Uh… yeah. 'LRR-213-1127'."
"Excellent, thank you for that, sir." I tapped away at the keyboard, filling out the interactions and information the customer was giving me into a block that would be sent to the mortal offices of the Call Center, "The numbers after the LRR are the batch numbers that the Rig was manufactured in. Our supplier, a Canadian nylon manufacturer in Ottowa, had a bit of a quality control issue with the wear resistance of the threads we use in our stitching. We issued a recall notice three months ago and posted it on our website as well as sent out emails to all of the customers within our Global Logistics Database; if you want to keep up to date on future recall notices then I would recommend signing up to receive GL's weekly newsletter. We routinely have deals on almost all of our premium products."
The keyboard clacked away, "As you are utilizing our premium services, I'm going to fast-track a new Lightweight Recon Rig direct to your door, skipping the usual claims process entirely. It should arrive within five business days, and inside the box, you'll find a pre-paid packaging slip; simply place your current LRR into the box and take it to the nearest post office at your leisure. However, do note, that we expect the defective item to be returned to our offices within thirty calendar days of receipt of your new item. We do keep track of erroneous or fraudulent warranty claims, and repeated attempts to obtain free merchandise will have you blacklisted from future purchases, and based on the local and state laws potentially prosecuted for theft."
"Heh, yeah. You don't have to worry about that, sir. I'm just looking to make sure that my kit is ready to go. You never know when something crazy might happen."
"I completely agree, Mister Smith. A prepared citizen of our great United States is a thing of beauty indeed… now, I have everything completed on my end! So you should be seeing your new rig in the mail come Thursday next week. I trust that you are satisfied with the service you have received?"
"Yes, very satisfied. Most pain-free warranty call of my life. Thank you."
"Not a problem Mister Smith. My name is Riser Phenex and I am listing this Contract as Complete. Do please call again if you need any further assistance because 'at Phoenix Force Service Hotline we handle our customer's needs blazing fast'."
The moment the customer hung up the phone I saw my 'Completed Contract' ticker next to my desk pop up by one, and I felt a small rush of vitality sweep into me; it was hardly anything spectacular, but it was enough to make the tips of my fingers and toes tingle.
I did not charge in money or favors- instead, I charged in a much lesser version of what the devils of old used to charge in… however, where they charged in whole Souls I took life force , as my payment.
5% of their daily life force over a thirty-day period.
They would feel just a touch more tired, but I couldn't justify anything higher given the meager services I was rendering to them. Though life force was interesting in that it was a small but permanent boost to my overall strength, and the healthier and more lively the contractor the more life force I gained; at best I shaved a few hours off of their expected lifespans, and given the cagey and time-consuming nature of most Warranty Claims processes… I'd wager that they came out way ahead every time.
I clearly remember spending sometimes dozens of hours on phone calls with manufacturers in my last life, and I would have gladly given up only a few hours just to have my shit fast-tracked.
This was how my girls and I got our contract numbers up, and it worked like a fucking charm.
No wasting time teleporting to Earth, no hunting down random shit for Magicians for a pittance, no having to explain the existence of devils and the supernatural to every human you met over and over again… just clean, simple, easy-to-fulfill contracts at the speed of the Internet.
It was a thing of beauty, truly.
I spent a few minutes dicking around on the fledgling Google before I took a look at the date and came to a sudden realization.
My fingers quickly dialed a number and it took a few moments for the call to connect, "Hello, Lucian. It's Riser Phenex. Yes. I'm calling because I want you to liquidate every single tech stock I have in my portfolios. Yes. Everything. That Dot Com bubble is about to burst I think, and I want my money out of the way when it happens. Wait twelve months for the prices to fall and buy back in- invest heavily in Amazon and Google. I have a feeling that this search engine stuff and internet shopping is going to be a real big thing in the next few years, and I want to stay on top of the latest trends."
Life was pain.
Everything burned.
My arms. My shoulders. My lungs. My chest. My back. My core. My legs.
Everything.
For the first time in months I felt myself struggling once more with minimal effort; even wiping my own ass clean in the bath took concentrated effort.
It was glorious.
The newest set of restraints commissioned by my Mother had finally arrived a few weeks ago, and I had finally adjusted to the lowest setting it would go. The restraints themselves were five bands of pure-cut jade that were artfully inscribed with Han Chinese characters that were inlaid with the finest gold with a small ring of diamonds. One went around each wrist and ankle, and the final one was wrapped around my neck; despite being solid they seemed to mold themselves to the contours of my flesh.
While I adjusted to my new restraints, my future Peerage members were treated to an improved version of what Veranda had given me years ago, and to say that it was an experience for the girls was taking it lightly. While Sabrine was able to get the constant flow of mana correct, she struggled with the increased effort needed to even walk, and Isabela and Xuelan were struggling mightily with keeping their flows consistent enough to not lock themselves with every distraction that popped up in front of them.
While the half-devil magician seemed to sweat as she raised her rice bowl to her mouth, the two Rooks were eating in fits and spurts as they focused their minds to take a single bite and put their utensils down before their wrists locked together.
I could tell it was frustrating them greatly, so I had to dig deep into my 'Box of Memories that Shouldn't be Shared' to assuage their pride by retelling the many embarrassing tales from my adjustment period.
Still, it took me some time to work through why exactly I had made the offers to Xuelan and Isabela in the first place. From my fading memories, they were simply archetypes to fill out Riser Phenex's harem, without any special abilities or Sacred Gears to make them more useful than the average Mook. By all rights I shouldn't have made the offers to them, especially for the cost of two Rook pieces that could be better used elsewhere… yet… seeing the two of them duke it out in the Tournament and bust their ass off during the Assessment Period made me feel like extending the offer wouldn't be a waste.
It wasn't as though I was swimming in Meta knowledge, and I hardly had an encyclopedic list of who were the 'best pick-ups' for the strongest Peerage possible. The fact that these two were down here in the Underworld when my previous knowledge of them made it clear that what I had in my memories might not match up.
I only watched those three shitty seasons, and even then it ended up being relegated to background noise as I did my best to nod off after sweating my ass on working under the baking Texas sun; there were something like twenty light novels that came after those episodes or something like that. It really made me wonder just what the hell happens after the Trihexa.
Like, where the fuck could the story have possibly gone after sealing away the Trihexa and averting the apocalypse? Another apocalypse!?
Currently, Xuelan and Isabella were part of my Mother's Peerage, as she had two free Rooks that were needed to complete the trade with their current Kings. Once I got my own set of Evil Pieces, provided I didn't get a Mutation Rook, I would take them both into my Peerage; while I could have just given them their winnings and kicked them to the curb there was the simple fact that I needed to start somewhere.
A Peerage that was under me could train. I could help them improve. To grow stronger than they once were, and take them up even higher than they ever could have dreamed possible.
If I got a lead on some potential Peerage members worth picking up then I could always trade them to my Mother, Father, or Regen… and if that event didn't come until years down the road, then even Ravel's Peerage was a possibility. Hell, for Ravel, having seasoned and strong Rooks, even just one, would go a long way to helping her start assembling her Peerage.
Regardless they would be many times stronger and more useful than they ever were under Canon!Riser's unsteady hands.
It wasn't as though I concealed the possibility from them either.
I informed them that such a trade was in the cards, but it wouldn't be because I disliked them or thought they were not hard workers.
I flat out told them that I believed something terrible might happen in the future- certainly within our lifetime- and that I was trying to make myself as strong as possible to be ready for that eventuality.
I was trying to build the strongest peerage possible so that we might avert catastrophe…
Even with the knowledge that my prophetic vision was dead-on for their fights within the tournament, I could see that there was a perfectly reasonable amount of skepticism in my claims. So I did my best to ease them into some of the things I saw, leaning toward the visions that I'd felt were most likely to come true- those regarding my hunt for future Peerage members- and left it to them to decide whether or not they believed me.
Either my sketches would prove to be true or they would be revealed to be bupkiss.
Regardless, they were signed to me unless I saw fit to cancel the Contract and leave them to seek out a new Lord as a Free Agent so that my Mother could reclaim the two Rook pieces for her set again.
After a few months of working with me, I could tell that the pair of them were rather happy with how everything was going for them.
They got to be pushed to their limits and were getting paid for their efforts. With the Phoenix Force Hotline, they got easy Contract Points, and they had a supremely effective sponsorship through personal tutelage for their Mid-Class and High-Class Rank-Up exams. They were also getting to experience training under a Yokai who was well-versed in Touki, and even if their efforts hadn't yet brought forth the mystical aura of life that would take their close-combat styles to the next level… they would.
They would grow stronger. They would learn what they needed to pass their exams. They even got paid to boot!
Even if I happened to cut them loose in the Eleventh Hour they would be High-Class devils with their names in the lottery for their own Evil Pieces, and that would put them in the Top 1% of reincarnated Devils and would make shopping around for a new King of their own even easier.
Yet even though I rationalized all of this… it still didn't make it any easier for me to think about letting them go.
Those girls were mine now, and if they were going to enter into another Peerage then it would be under someone that I cared for; at the end of our first marathon in the ATTC they would be worth something valuable, I could feel it.
Maybe my mother might have someone who could actually protect her?
Spoiler: Xuelan
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Spoiler: Isabela (For some reason I couldnt find r34)
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Spoiler: Sabrine
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Spoiler: Michiko's Tight Little Body (Since her Art is different)
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Despite the steam wafting through the air in the private hot spring bath within the ATTC, my young mind was treated to a veritable feast for the eyes.
While Isabela had opted to wear a tasteful white bikini in the hot, refreshing waters, Xuelan, Sabrine, and Michiko chose to enjoy the hot spring as it was intended; fully nude.
It was beautiful. They were beautiful.
The only thing that kept my thoughts from being X-rated was the fact that Ni and Li were there as well, the now five-year-old cat girls running about the place buck naked with their split tails streaming along behind them. "Hey, no running, you two! You might slip and bump your noggins!"
""M'mkay, Riser-nyama!"" The pair chirruped playfully before they resumed their game of tag, this time the twin cat-girls fast-walking instead of hopping around like a duo of coked-out rabbits.
Gosh, I could hardly enjoy the sight of Sabrine's delectable inverted nipples or appreciate the muscular form of Michiko if I was constantly worrying about the two girls under my care busting their melons open because they decided to trip.
Speaking of Michiko, the cat momma let out a low chuckle as she knelt down on a pad behind me, "Let me wash your back, Riser-sama."
I wanted to close my eyes to enjoy the feeling of her calloused hands rubbing the soap into a thick lather on my back, but the way the Magician's bountiful tit-flesh jiggled as she shampooed her hair just kept my attention like a cat chasing a laser pointer.
Occasionally my eyes drifted to Isabela, who blushed a little bit- likely from her own prudishness- and Xuelan who seemed to take my attention at her figure as a matter of course and what 'was expected of a Young Master'; she didn't put her body on display for me like Sabrine, but she didn't go out of her way to hide the curves of her hips nor the swells of her muscular buttocks.
I appreciated what was in front of me, but I wasn't a dog about it.
When my maid finished cleaning my arms and back I leaned into her bosom and finally closed my eyes as I enjoyed the way her claws scraped over my chest and core. It took a great deal of effort to not pop a stiffy as she cleaned my cock and balls, but I managed it; this was just another form of control.
Well before I had been restricted from the Library as part of my punishment I'd come across the framework of a formal craft ritual that involved the sacrifices of one's virginity. It looked pretty complex and lengthy to set up, but the notes in the margins stated that the power boost that could be gained from the mutual sacrifice of virginities was pretty potent. Potent enough that my Great-Grandfather, Archibald Phenex, said that it might be worth it to quell one's lusts- or solve them in another fashion- until such time the ritual could be performed.
I had taken that as a sign that saving myself for my betrothed to empower us both would be well worth the aggravation of not having sex. That and it wasn't as though I could do it with anyone else either- Isabela, Xuelan, Sabrine, and Michiko were not virgins… and if I was going to wait until Ni and Li were of age then I'd likely be married by that point anyway.
I could still have fun with anal, as sodomy wasn't sex according to the ritual, and everything else that came with lustful activities, so it wasn't as though I'd be hard up. I was just refraining for now out of respect for my women- while Sabrine certainly had a self-professed fetish for my teenage self plowing her from behind while she poured over notes and scrolls, even she stated that doing anything as I was now, no matter how mature I acted, would be uncomfortable for her.
I honestly agreed with that sentiment, so for now I merely allowed myself to look upon their forms and relish in the simple pleasure of knowing that everything that they were belonged to me . No other man would ever have the pleasure of sampling their flesh, and for my inner devil that was satiating enough.
"Thank you, Michiko-chan," I demurred as she grabbed onto the hose and began to cleanse the soap from my body.
"Of course, Riser-sama."
I stood up and walked over to the edge of the private spring and slipped into the waters up to my neck. A sigh escaped my lips as I felt the heat slip into my aching muscles.
Now if only I could get the Alliance to put in a barrier to keep out the sound from the 'public' side of the hot spring. Trying to relax when you were inundated with the sounds of carousing and fucking from the House Guard was incredibly difficult.
"Push through the ball of your foot, lean into the strike with your whole body," Michiko verbally corrected me before her hand made contact with my shoulder and she began to manipulate my body in slow motion, "If you don't curve your spine then the blow will lack the appropriate power."
"It's difficult when I don't have a tail to balance myself, Michiko-sensei," I replied easily but I ignored the sweat stinging my eyes as I allowed her to manipulate me.
"I understand, Riser-kun," She gave me a soft smile that didn't reach her eyes, "Yet there have been more than a handful of humans who were able to study and learn the Kuroneko style of Martial Arts. Unlike my… husband… I will not attempt to spurn your competitive spirit with falsehoods. You are doing well, but you must learn to contort yourself properly; odd angles of attack are a hallmark of the style. We will increase your flexibility with further stretches."
As she released me I reset my position and focused my thoughts on my stance and the motions that I was about to make.
An overhead hook to be delivered from a single-legged stance that looked almost akin to a superman punch.
Though I was without a tail that made balancing after the strike was made easier, I would push through and make this happen.
One way or another.
Even if I had to practice the blow one thousand times per day.
"Hey! Uh, sensei, I've still been doing the straight punch for days now… is it possible for me to learn something else?" I heard Isabela pipe up as I chambered my body popped off the ball of my foot, contorting my spine as I hissed while lashing out with my fist.
"Hmph! You will learn the next move when you have gained sufficient mastery, not before," Xuelan piped up from the side.
"Haaah, haaaahh, haaaahhh, will you two meat heads pipe down! I'm trying to concentrate!" Ah, that was Sabrine. Despite her Mid-Class status, she was having the hardest time among all of us adjusting to the sudden inclusion of learning three different styles of close combat; the restraints combined with the growing pains of learning new skills have not been kind to her.
Yet she still persisted, the woman doggedly applying herself so that when it came time for Spell Work Day tomorrow she could finally lord her magical prowess over the others. I had copies of some of the foundational magic tomes dating back to the era of the Original Satans to be used as training aids and she was very excited to get a chance to read them; they were something that every Pillar House had, but given her status as a Half-Breed devil, she had never even been given a chance to sniff the binding.
"Again, Riser-kun," Michiko demanded softly, and I settled back into the stance, my body aching from the exertion.
The Floating Lotus style was an odd mixture of Wing Chun, Shaolin Kung Fu, and what looked to be fucking fighting game moves. It sort of made sense given that Xuelan looked to be some two-bit Chun-Li knock-off, but this was far from the case because she wasn't some generic archetype character to fill some douchebag's harem so that he could show off his bevy of beauties… there was some very real history behind her and the style of martial arts she had dedicated her life to before she reincarnated to join her sister in the Underworld. The Floating Lotus was the middle ground of five separate styles of martial arts taught within the walls of the Path of the Lotus Sect, and the school had stood for over eight hundred years despite being made of up generations of reclusive hermits.
It was a style that leaned fully into what the Glorious Mistress of the Floating Lotus believed to be the best parts of the Rooted Lotus, Traveling Lotus, Blushing Lotus, and Lotus Petals styles; a compendium of thought that meshed the separate schools into a single cohesive whole.
Whereas Michiko taught me just as her husband did, learning each of the Kuroneko styles 107 strikes, blocks, and evasive techniques one at a time until I showed sufficient mastery to progress, Xuelan taught Michiko groups of moves that she called 'Petals'. They were sets of three to thirteen moves that seemed to flow more like an elaborate dance, and while the overall structure of each Petal was unique, there was a lot of overlap as they each contained similar moves.
"Third Petal," Xuelan commanded firmly, and I moved.
A straight punch was followed by a low kick from my trailing leg that targeted the instep of my imaginary opponent's leading leg, and I shuffled forward quickly to take advantage of the shadowy foe's stagger, dishing out a three-hit combination with a left hook, a right-straight, and a left jab before my stance switched leading legs and I lashed out with a spin-kick that would have caught the opponent in the jaw.
"First Petal."
I stepped forward three times to close the distance, my now leading leg delivering a front snap kick, and once my foot made contact with the ground I leaned forward into a pair of jabs- one from the left arm and one from the right- before pivoting my weight onto my back leg and lashing out with a side kick to the floating ribs.
"Second Petal. Isabela, martial arts is an art, not a barbaric cudgel; if you cannot make your movements flow like the surface of the stream in which the Lotus displays its beauty then-"
"Oh screw off!" I caught sight of the Italian pugilist giving Xuelan the bird as I spun on my heel and delivered a vicious spinning back fist that whistled through the air, " Sifu."
"So help me, Isabela, if you don't shut your mouth I will double your mana control exercises on Tuesday!" Sabrine hissed, and I caught sight of her shakily making her way through the motions of the Second Petal along with me, the lights of her restraints glowing ominously as she stuttered in her control.
Michiko, dressed in some simple grey gym clothes, flowed along with me; given that she was the only one among us to have unlocked her Touki, her fighting spirit, she had far finer control over her body, "Your pugilism is indeed effective, and not without merit, Isabela-chan, but there is more to martial arts than flowery meditation and rigid technique structures."
"Third Petal, again. This time try not to look like a drunken monkey-"
"Enough." I flared my demonic power minutely in warning as I settled back into the starting stance of the Third Petal, "We've been working together for over a year; I would have thought that we were beyond petty snipes by now."
It wasn't as though I couldn't understand Isabela's complaints about the Floating Lotus style.
With the mixed-boxing style Isabela favored and the Kuroneko style that Michiko was teaching us, they both focused on teaching strikes, blocks, and evasive maneuvers that the end-user was supposed to learn how to fit together themselves into a cohesive whole. The Floating Lotus style was the exact opposite, with the user learning flowing combinations from the start while the martial artist figured out how to break them down into shorter combo strings to fit the situation at hand.
Once again it was very… video-gamey… in that you learned combo strings before figuring out when, where, and how to perform frame cancels to shift into a different combo string in order to continue the pace of unrelenting violence.
It wasn't what my mind chalked up to a very effective teaching method, and yet the Path of the Lotus Sect had stood for many centuries, and budding martial artists from all over the world who were familiar with the supernatural world all vyed for a chance to join one of the famed Misty Peak Sects to learn a craft and hone its teachings.
If it was unorthodox and it worked, then was it truly ineffective?
"Fourth Petal. Begin."
"Yes, Sifu!" I called out, setting my stance into something wider and less mobile than the first three Petals, and I squared up with my imaginary opponent while fanning my arm to deflect the first straight punch.
Sabrine stumbled back from the jab Xuelan snuck in between her raised arms and collapsed onto the ground, the Magician's eyes attempting to follow things that she could not see.
She was done.
I tapped my padded gloves together, the lightweight MMA-styled gloves a far cry from the heavy gloves that Isabela liked to use for her training, "Tag me in, Coach."
Fun fact, Isabela had been on the Italian National Women's Boxing Team back in '83, and she was slated to compete in the '84 Olympics before she was reincarnated, and her skills and experience only grew after she became a devil.
"Alright, you're in, kid," Isabela slapped me on the back while she walked over and gingerly assisted Sabrine to her feet before leading the still insensate woman over to a Sitri Healer who was on standby to work their small stable of healing magics, "Keep those hands up! Watch her jabs- she might be a fancy-pants but she's lethal with them!"
As if she needed to tell me that.
With the restraints constantly holding me back I was only marginally stronger than the other women whose restraints were lesser, and they complied with my requests to keep the training as realistic as possible; I couldn't utilize my Phenex Regeneration on sparring days until I learned how to control them to where I only healed what I wanted to heal, but despite Ruval's and Regen's help the progress was slow-going. I was gifted in Wind, Phenex Fire, and Hell Fire, but my control over the Regeneration aspect was middling at best- until I continued to beat my head over that brick wall my healing was all or nothing.
My shoes scraped over the stone beneath my feet as I shuffled in closer to Xuelan, the woman looking pretty banged up considering she was able to handle Michiko, without her Touki, Sabrine, and now myself. I could see her shoulders trembling with the effort of keeping her arms up, but that was mainly due to the resistance of the restraints rather than the lack of control; everyone had finally gotten used to feeding the upgraded training restraints with the necessary demonic power to keep them active without dropping them, and that was shown off by Sabrine, who still managed to keep them going despite technically being K.O.'d.
"Come, Young Lord," Xuelan smiled sweetly as sweat dribbled down her chin, "Let us exchange pointers, this Xuelan is ready to receive you."
I grunted, "Very well then, I will do my utmost to ensure that this exchange is fruitful for the both of us."
That was a baldfaced lie, and everyone knew it.
If I could use my full strength I'd body her with speed and strength that her precision could never hope to match, but as we were now the playing field was almost leveled, and her decades of fighting experience was more than enough to leap easily over the gap in our physical capabilities.
Yet this was part of the thrill of it all.
Despite shuffling forward to a sure-as-shit ass beating, there was a broad smile on my face.
"Riser-onii-sama! You got bigger!"
A gasp caught my attention, and I looked up from my homework to see little Rias, Seekvaira, Sona, and Ravel standing in the doorway of the study room where my future Peerage and I were going over the topics the Mid-Class Exam would cover.
Despite being automatically a High-Class devil by dint of my birth, I was going to complete both the Mid-Class and High-Class exams with my girls as part Publicity Stunt, Flex on my peers, and as a team-building exercise. It also had the additional benefit of putting my name into the Lottery to draw an Evil Piece set just in case I fucked up royally and lost the one that was automatically given to Kuisha Abaddon; it was one of the only routes for Pillar children who were disgraced or disowned to get their set, and I had a feeling that if Sairaorg was cast out of House Bael then it was likely the path he took to get his Evil Pieces.
While Sabrine was already Mid-Class, Isabella, Xuelan, and Michiko were not; the Magician had to grow a little bit stronger before she reached into the realms of High-Class, and she also was short over two hundred completed contracts.
Though with the Phoenix Force Hotline, we were processing dozens of support requests per day in the outside world, but spreading them out to ensure everyone got similar numbers of Contracts and boosts in Life Essence meant that no one woman's growth was significantly higher than the other's.
I placed the bookmark into the tome of Devil History after the Civil War and shut the book, a smile on my face, "Hello girls, it's great to see you again."
I stood up and hopped over the low coffee table where all of us were gathered up and walked across the room to greet the three heiresses and my little sister as they tottered in. Each of them had a randoseru, one of those hard-shelled Japanese backpacks school children used, on their back and a small duffle bag in their hands- each one bearing the House colors as well as a sigil stitched onto them.
My arms spread wide as I dropped onto a knee, "Why don't you drop the bags, hmmm? I can't very well give you a big, welcoming hug if you're wearing them, now can I?"
"Eeeeeeeeee~" Ravel slipped her randoseru off of her shoulders and dropped her duffle, the little girl sprinting across the short distance between us to throw her face into my chest. "Onii-sama! You've been gone for two whole weeks! I missed you!"
Ahhhh… Rav-tanium Resource Extraction Protocols… engaged.
"I was there for the picnic, just like I am every week, Ravel-chan," I placed a kiss to the top of her head as Rias followed her example and pasted herself into my side.
Seekvaira took my other side with a big smile on her face, and Sona, being the more reserved of the quartet, found herself fidgeting as she realized that all of the prime Onii-chan Real Estate had been claimed. I waved her forward with my hands as I slowly closed the hug, and Sona squeaked as she pressed herself against Ravel's back. I gave the four of them a big squeeze, even lifting them off their feet a little bit, causing them to bubble out in laughter as I stood up.
"Maaaa~, I thought I should end the hug and yet I find myself incapable of doing so," I backed up to the nearest couch and settled down, releasing the hug just enough so that the girls could squirm into something more comfortable.
"Of course! My Sirzechs-onii-sama says that my hugs are addictive!" Rias boasted as she wrapped her arms around my left arm, "Hmm, hmm, hmm… it's only natural that you'd be going through-! Through… Uuuuu…"
" Withdrawals," Sona corrected as she reached up and touched the frame of her glasses, "My Serafall-onee-sama says that she suffers from withdrawals every day she doesn't get to hug me. Father tells me that it is an affliction that even our Hospitals could not heal."
I snaked a hand around Seekvaira's waist to pat Sona on the head, "Well your father is one of the best healers the Underworld has to offer, so if he says it then it must be true."
"R-Riser-onii-sama…" Seekvaira protested churlishly, "It is rude to pat Sona's head when your arm is engaged with me."
My hand left the Sitri heiress' head to begin applying pats where requested, and just as Ravel opened her mouth to protest I lowered my head and planted a kiss to her forehead, heading her complaints off at the pass.
"N-no fair! I want Onii-chan's kisses too!"
"Rias-chan, if I did that I'd die. You don't want your Riser-onii-sama to die, do you?"
That I was still alive to this day was likely some sort of Holy, divine intervention on the part of Michael up in Heaven.
"Fuu, fuu, fuu, you do need to give your elder brother some consideration, Rias-chan," Venelana Gremory strolled into the study room with a bounce in her step, and the rest of the Alliance Ladies filtered in behind her; most notably my mother was seated in a fancy looking wheelchair, with Veranda pushing her into the room.
As one, my future Peerage stood up from their seats and bowed lowly; given that Sabrine was the highest ranked devil in it, she spoke for all of them, "Lady Gremory, Lady Sitri, Lady Agares, Lady Phenex."
"So this is little Riser's budding peerage, hmmm?" Hariella Sitri placed her arm over Venelana's shoulder and leaned into the woman as she rested her head on the Gremory Lady's shoulder, "I don't think we've ever had the pleasure of properly meeting."
I gave the little girls four a gentle squeeze, "Ladies, ladies… I hope you're not about to do what I think you're about to do?"
Talsbeth Agares toyed with her silvery locks as she bit her lip, "Oh no, nothing of the sort, little Riser, but I would be remiss as your future mother-in-law-"
""Prospective."" Hariella and Venelana chorused immediately, but the Agares momma continued on.
"- if I did not do my duty to hand inspect your future Peerage members, huu, huu, huu~" The Lady held up a hand to cup her cheek as she smiled with her eyes, "Only the best for my little Seeker's future husband."
I could see Seekvaira attempting to play with her hair as her mother used my nickname for her daughter, yet my indignation flared minutely at her brazen words, "As much as I appreciate the sentiment, prospective Mother-in-Law, I would be grateful if you refrained from such an inspection. Sabrine, if you would start us off please?"
"Yes, Lord Riser," The Witch wore a simple purple sun dress instead of the revealing get-up that she used to wear but was supplanted by my express desire to see my women wearing tasteful suits or pencil skirts, however given that we were 'casual' here in the study room for comfort the simple dress that showed off her decolletage was what she opted for, "I am Sabrine Serphent, prospective-Pawn, and a Magician from the lands of House Paimon."
"Xuelan Feng," The Rook wore a less lewd version of her preferred Qi Pao, this one in a verdant green with gold trim, and a black sash tied around her waist, "Prospective-Rook of Lord Riser, currently under the purview of Lady Elise. I am a martial artist formerly of the Path of the Lotus Sect, and I hail from the Lands of Sitri as the prior Rook of Lord Marquest."
"Oooohhh, I thought I recognized you, sweetheart," Lady Sitri cooed and Xuelan bowed down even further, "You were with little Julius at that little dinner party we held a decade ago, right?
"This Xuelan is flattered and most thankful for her Lady's remembrance."
"Isabela Abate of Italy," The Rook's bow was less deep but there was still a great amount of respect with her tone, something that was not diminished by the baggy sweatshirt and pants she wore, "Prospective-Rook of Lord Riser, and just as with Xuelan I am currently serving Lady Phenex as her Rook. I, uh, am from the Uvall territory, the former Rook of King Rudolfus Uvall."
"Rudolfus Uvall?" Venelana held a finger up to her chin, "Why, I don't think anyone has seen him leave his home in almost two centuries."
The pugilist winced, "Yes… he doesn't like to get out that much but he was good to me."
"Hanabi Michiko, from Japan," My cat momma maid curtsied deeply, "Prospective-Pawn of my sworn Lord Riser Phenex-sama, and Maid-Trainee under Head Maid Clarissa Duval. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Miladies."
"Oh? Are you only a Maid?" Lady Talsbeth teased.
"No, Milady, I did not mean to mislead. I am also a martial artist and practitioner of the Kuroneko style, yet I am a Maid first and foremost."
"And where do you hail from, Maid?"
"My the lands from which I hailed are of no consequence, Milday. A year ago who I used to be was burned out and I was reborn as My Lord Riser's faithful maid; wherever he rests his head, that is my home."
Venelana let out a warm chuckle, "A good answer for a maid, it appears that Clarissa is training you well. Thank you, dear. Now, about these two little kitties…?"
I tracked the Gremory Lady's eyes over to where Ni and Li, both wearing cute little Maid outfits that mirrored their mother, were hiding behind a couch and doing a very poor job of concealing their curious eyes and twitching ears.
"Oh my gosh! Cat girls!" Rias squealed as she tore herself out of my arms and rushed across the room, " Maido Kitties! I want! I want! Come here! Stop running, I just want to hug you!"
"Nyyaaaa! Riser-sama! Tasukete!" Ni shrieked in terror as she ducked under Rias' outstretched arms and Li followed right behind her by sliding between the red-haired devil's legs. The moment they were past the girl they sailed over the couch and jumped up to wrap their arms around my neck, "Nyyyaaaaaa… safe…."
The Gremory Heiress' face scrunched up and I gently moved the others from my lap while pulling Ni and Li over the couch to sit them between Seekvaira, Ravel, and Sona. "Rias Gremory."
Rias began to pout as I stood up, placed my hands on my hips, and stared her down, "What have I said about your behavior around cute cats, hmmmm? Do you remember the fright you gave to Mordred Vapula's lion cub when you first met?"
"But-"
"No 'buts'," I tilted my head, "Do you remember?"
Her lips squirmed before she dipped her head, "I… should let the kitty come to me instead of chasing after it?"
"Exactly. Cats are very peculiar creatures, not like dogs at all, and if you come on too strongly then they might be frightened."
"Not scared, nya!~" Ni protested safely from behind my sister.
"Yeah! Master Riser says cats are like tiny dragons, nya~! Dragons aren't afraid of an-nya-thing~!" Li added succinctly while peeking from behind Sona's shoulder, "Nya~."
"Hmm, hmm," I nodded my head exaggeratedly, "You two do indeed have the heart of fearless dragons, Ni-chan, Li-chan. So now that Rias-chan has calmed down why don't you show her your bravery and come let her hug you?"
"O-okay, nya." Ni let out a small squeak, " Super-brave. Tiinnnyyy ddrraggonnnsss….we are, nya."
It took a few moments for them to come out of hiding and Rias slowly approached, the little girl vibrating with barely restrained enthusiasm.
"Am I going to have to show you how to properly pet a kitty again?" I asked with a small smirk on my face, and Rias huffed sassily, yet she did take it slow with the two cat girl mini-maidos.
I smiled as I watched the heiresses and my sister fawn over how soft their ears were before I turned my attention back to my Peerage, "Thank you for introducing yourself, ladies. You may all stay here and continue studying while I escort them to the courtyard; Lirianne, I trust that you'll see the girl's baggage to Ravel's room?"
My Maido, who had been concealing herself somewhere within the room, stepped into my field of view, "Of course, Young Master."
Ravel gasped, "Hey! How did you know we were having a sleepover, Riser-nii!? We haven't told you yet!"
Because Lirianne informed me ahead of time.
I grinned, "It's my special Big Brother's Intuition, Ravel dear."
Though seeing that Ni and Li were about all affectioned-out I cleared my throat, "Now why don't you four come along with us for now? Ni and Li will need to get ready for their training soon- if Miss Hildegaard finds out you made her two apprentices late… well… I don't think even I have the power to convince her to let you have dessert at tonight's dinner."
I could see the indecision war on their faces as they scrunched up their cute little faces deep in thought.
"One day I will grow up and decide that fluffy is more important than ice cream," Sona voiced out her thoughts to the whole room, "However, today is not that day. Thank you, Ni and Li, for letting us play with you."
"N-no problem, nya~. Heart of a Dragon…" I could tell her little heart wasn't in it.
"Hey, let's go on ahead! Ruval-nii-sama should be finishing up his training! Let's go watch!" Ravel slipped off of the couch and took off out of the room, and the three heiresses scampered along behind her.
Ah, Ravel-chan, thank you for aiding your big brother.
I nodded to my Peerage as we swept out of the room and proceeded to walk down the halls toward the courtyard.
"I'd ask why everyone was here, but I feel like I already know the answer," My hand reached out and rested against my mother's shoulder, and while her sightless eyes stared ahead her hand still came up to cup over mine.
"It's the best way for her to come back to us in time for your brother's Rating Game," Venelana wrapped her arm over my shoulder, the woman pressing her delicious bosom against the side of my arm, "Oh, you're getting taller… and more muscular. Huu, huu, huu~, my little Rias is going to have some fine dining on her hands."
"It has been over a year now, Auntie Venelana," I murmured, "It's only natural that I grow up."
"And yet it has been only a fortnight for us," Hariella tittered behind her hand a few steps ahead of me.
"You would do well to limit your growth with your shapechanging once you gain a few more years," Talbeth Agares gave me a meaningful look from over her shoulder as we turned left into the main hall of the Phenex Mansion and moved toward the interior courtyard.
"I am already ahead of you, Auntie. I'm going to halt myself once I hit around fifteen years of age, maybe sixteen. The extra height and reach will be… crucial if I'm going to fight my Peerage members seriously on equal footing. That and by halting my age I conceal the existence of the ATTC to the rest of the Underworld."
"I was mainly thinking about making sure you don't completely outgrow your three prospective brides," The white-haired woman smiled softly, "But that is good to think about as well."
"Well, you could just arrange for Rias, Sona, Seekvaira, and Ravel to spend a little more time in here with me and the rest; no doubt they could complete their studies faster and maybe get a little training in on the side," I mused out loud, mainly for my benefit, "It would also give Sirzechs and Serafall more time to spend with their siblings without their other duties getting in the way. By the way, if I didn't put that out there as a suggestion I'm certain that one of the two- or both- might try to kill me."
Venelana squeezed me closer to her, "Oh don't you worry about those two, okay? They might talk a big game, and they might be deadly serious about wishing to erase your existence-"
Not helping, Auntie.
"-Yet they fear their mothers far more than they hate you."
Hariella Sitri gave me a wan smile as she flexed her arm and grabbed her bicep, "Great Satan or not, there is no getting around a Momma's Power. Besides, the girls adore you like no one else, and they wouldn't let their Nii-sama or Nee-sama harm their precious Riser-nii-sama, fuufuufuu~."
A butler pushed open the double doors to the Courtyard and bowed deeply as we passed.
The skybox showed the oranges and reds of a false setting sun, and as Veranda maneuvered my mother's wheelchair onto the hardwood floor of the covered porch we saw Ruval standing there shirtless with a white cloth draped around his shoulders. He gratefully took a bottle of water from Ravel and cracked it open, the man quenching his thirst before bending down to scoop her up.
"Ew! Ruval-nii! You're all sweaty! Gross!" She squealed and flailed about, a pair of fiery wings erupting from her back as he laughed and spun her around.
"Ahn~, to be young and innocent," Venelana sighed as she rested her cheek against the crown of my head, "In just a few short years there will be nothing more beautiful to her than a sweaty body."
"Those were the days indeed," Hariella cupped her cheek as she leaned against the closest wooden post, "Back when all we had to worry about were tea parties and ditching lessons to go out into the woods and catch Hell Venom Toads. Well, your mother liked to catch the toads, I just liked to watch the boys wrestle in the mud."
"Last I checked Hell Venom Toads were lethal to even most High-Class Devils," I arched an eyebrow, and Venelana squeezed me.
"Those were different days, Riser. Life under the regime of the Original Satans was not nearly as kind as it is today."
"I understand that, but if that was the case then why were you… skipping lessons and going out to the swamps to catch toads and watch boys wrestle?"
I was morbidly curious.
"Oh, we could do those things because we had already proven ourselves," Talbeth Agares interlaced her fingers in front of her mouth as she gave me a coy smile, "We killed anyone who ever spoke out against us. Lucifer was most pleased with our initiative."
A small shiver slipped down my spine as I did my best to give her a smile, but the best I could manage was something brittle.
"Oh, don't worry your sweet little head, Riser," Hariella reached out and poked my nose from where she leaned, "We didn't want to be those girls, but the reality of the days back then was that the strong ate the weak or they were devoured in turn. It wasn't until the Great War kicked off that devils had enough of killing their kin and were happy to turn their fangs towards the Heavenly Host and their Fallen enemies."
The conversation drew to a close as Ruval approached with Ravel slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and he gently set the girl down, using a simple spell to clean his sweat from her clothes before planting a kiss on her head.
"Ladies…" He bowed his head to each of them in turn before he looked at me, "Little brother."
Ruval sank down to one knee and reached out to grasp our mother's hand, but her hand avoided his and instead reached up to grasp the back of his neck. He was shocked for a moment but allowed her to pull him close, and she whispered something into his ear that I couldn't hear. Yet it brought a smile to his face and he kissed her forehead, "Even if you cannot hear me, Mother, I will heed your words. Rest assured, I will claim this victory for myself and House Phenex. Ajax Sellos will fall on the field and know defeat for the first time in a century."
In two days- sixty days inside the ATTC- my brother would finally do battle against the Number 6… and I had to say that I was excited.
I really couldn't wait.
Though now that I think about it I haven't even ordered formal suits for the girls yet… damn.
I spoke out, "Lirianne, if you would please-"
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, and A. Daw for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: Here is Part 1 of "25 Years". I think that everyone's talked the last chapter to death, and I've seen both sides and both have some points, but I'm just going to keep on trucking. I have a lot of stuff to get through here in the next two or possibly three chapters before the battle with Kuisha Abadon, and there is so much I want to show… so I'm doing it in snippets.
Also I hope those pics populate for you because damn if I closed the windows for them. lol
Chapter 9 - 25 Years Part 2 (Tales from Outside the ATTC)(Year 4-5)
[Riser Phenex]
[United States Magicians Association - MidWest Branch Office]
[Wabash, Texas]
"Mister Gainsborough, you haven't even let me finish," I said with a small smile on my face, and I crossed one leg over the other.
We were seated in the secret offices of the Texas branch of the United States Magicians Association, with my Peerage arrayed behind me against the back wall, all of them dressed to the nines in crisp black suits with cuts that flattered their womanly figures; Sabrine was the only outlier, with the woman choosing to wear the pencil skirt as she liked the way it hugged her hips and showed off her stocking-clad thighs. Michiko was here as one of my Pawns and thus was without her usual maid outfit.
"With all due respect Mister Phenex," The man, dressed in a dark navy suit, gave me a weak smile as he dabbed at a bead of sweat with a kerchief, "The last time a Pillar devil such as yourself asked for American Magicians to perform some 'landscaping work' it turned out to be a sacrificial ritual array. To sacrifice American citizens. Unlike those Europeans, we here in America are instilled with a sense of duty to our nation that they lack. So do excuse me if I am more than a bit reluctant to even agree to hear your request."
"I can wholly understand your concerns, Mister Gainsborough, however, my request has absolutely nothing to do with the supernatural world at all. I purchased ten plots of land that are located well within driving distance of most population centers and I need to have them developed to support my primary business here on Earth- two mundane businesses I might add," I held out my hand and a manila envelope appeared from my magic pocket, the papers leaving the envelope to float over onto his desk.
"May I spin up a few minor illusions?" I asked, and he looked at me warily before nodding slowly, and I could feel some type of barrier form between us.
Prudent, but with me unneeded.
A map of the United States was pulled up from my memory, and ten red pins appeared on it, all of them located in regions that were close to multiple population centers around the nation. Those pins had aerial views of the associated land float just above and to the right in little portal views.
"I am the proud owner of two businesses that operate here within the United States; I buy my materials from US and Canadian vendors, and I hire strictly American citizens. I have Global Logistics LLC, a company that produces high-quality military equipment for the citizenry- with a handful of US Military Contracts currently pending- and Phoenix Nest Incorporated, a company that produces mundane toys in the form of Paintball markers and Airsoft guns. Those toys fire small plastic spheres filled with paint and plastic and gel BBs if you're curious." I held out both hands and a paintball marker fell into one hand while a replica M16A2 fell into the other; I floated them over onto his desk with a simple application of magical telekinesis.
He waved his hand over the two and a mathematical spell formed, and satisfied that the two objects were not magical in nature he picked up the two toys and examined them with a keen eye; being a proud Texan man he cleared the M16 easily, treating it as though it were a true firearm.
"I also supply all of the needed ammunition and accessories for them," I added on, as it was important to support the equipment ecosystem you created.
Especially if you wanted to make a lot of money.
He nodded as he finished his examinations, "And I take it that the land you purchased has a purpose connected with these toys?"
I nodded, "Of course. As it sits right now there are only a handful of places where you can safely engage in recreation with these toys, and most of the children interested are lucky if they can find a place out in the woods behind their house to play with them. So I wish to develop the lands here to create high-quality arenas for both play and tactical training; if the civilians find it fun and amusing then the local military units in these states will salivate over the prospect of renting them out from time to time for small unit tactics training."
Growing up in Texas we had a very nice Mil-Sim airsoft place deep out in the woods near Dallas that was semi-regularly booked out during the week where the Infantry and support units came out to practice. There were always more units looking to conduct training than there were training grounds that they could utilize, so if there were local locations that they could use for refresher training then it was much simpler for a unit to throw a few thousand dollars from their training budget to rent out a ready-made field. It was better than sitting around for four months and hoping to get a training ground while their next Mandatory Requirements audit was swiftly approaching.
At least, that's what my cousin, who was Texas National Guard once told me while we were drinking.
"I purchased the land legally and for cheap, but that is because these locales are fairly remote and not always in the best locations. I need to build roads, and infrastructure for water, sewage, and other utilities to get them up to state and local building codes. Three of these locations reside in rather swampy terrain, and their foundations need shoring up," I flicked through a few of the illusions and enlarged them, "I could simply utilize my family's resources to perform these tasks, but I'd rather talk to the locals first and give them the opportunity to take part; build up a positive rapport and business relationship. Given that I want American Magicians to perform this work then it should be easy to make sure that there aren't any… nefarious additions to the land that might cause the USMA and the public any headaches."
"I will admit that this is the first time in a long time that a devil has thought to ask for permission," The Magician leaned back in his leather chair and stroked his short, salt-and-pepper beard, "A welcome change of pace."
I nodded, "I am hopefully part of a new breed of devil that prefers to work hand-in-hand with the locals rather than trampling all over them. However, it remains to be seen if the other devils of my generation will follow my lead toward, hmm, 'jolly cooperation' rather than simply folding over everyone in their path. Despite being born in the Underworld I do enjoy the tenets of free-market capitalism, where everyone can make a buck if they put in the effort."
Mister Gainsborough picked up the packet and eyed it, "I trust that this is a more detailed version of the proposal?"
"Indeed it is," I crossed one leg over the other and interlaced my thin, leather-gloved fingers over my knee, "Within that packet are some ball-park figures that we can negotiate around provided by my House Magicians; I understand that their figures might be a touch dated, but I am flexible as long as the changes to renumeration are well-reasoned and backed by data. I can also acquire numerous reagents for rituals far more cheaply in the Underworld than they can be sourced here, so if the USMA can come up with a list for the tasks required then we can discuss adjustments as necessary."
The man leaned back in his chair and grabbed a crystal decanter and a pair of tumblers while a glass bottle of Coke floated from off the wall. He poured himself a single finger of what smelled like whiskey and cracked open the bottle to pour me the same amount in pure sugary goodness, "It's a rare day when a Magician gets offered work from a devil that isn't outrageous or… morally dubious. A magic caster I may be, I would still like to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven when I die, and I doubt Saint Peter would deny me entry through those pearly gates for performing some excavation and engineering work for a couple entertainment complexes for children."
"I think that this should be an easy sell to the Association, even if it will be a small headache to bet the other regional branches on board," He offered me the tumbler of Coca-cola and raised his glass, "To good, clean business."
I smiled and raised my glass, "To good, clean business."
[Global Logistics LLC Main Office]
[Pasadena, Texas]
"Hank," I smiled as the human man walked into the CEO's office, "Can I call you Hank?"
Henry Goodman was only thirty-five years old, but he was a hard worker and had a solid nose for business; he also had an eye for talent, the man sniffing out the best employees and separating the wheat from the chaff.
He started out as a Hiring Manager for Global Logistics and quickly elevated himself above his peers with his aforementioned attributes and general all-around competency; he was now the company's Chief Operations Officer.
The man wore a crisp slate grey suit with a red 'power' tie, and had his straw-blonde hair gelled and parted to the side. He forewent any facial hair, preferring a clean-shaven appearance, and I idly noted that there was some particulate in his eyebrows; likely a touch of makeup so that his eyebrows didn't disappear on his face.
He was a man that cared about how he presented himself, and I knew that I liked him already.
Henry blinked as he looked at me behind the CEO's comfortable chair, then to the beautiful women of my Peerage standing in a row on the wall, and finally at Yuri Markonovich, the man who was the 'CEO' and public face of the company. Yuri was a human in his late fifties, a Russian immigrant to the United States that was contracted to my father in exchange for a handful of boons that included fast-tracked citizenship for him and his family once the USSR fell.
"Of course you may, Mister…?" He strode in front of the desk but didn't take a seat until I gestured for him to sit down.
"Riser Phenex," I offered with a smile, "I am the true owner of Global Logistics and Phoenix Nest Airsoft & Paintball. I'm sure you're aware that these two companies are under the Umbrella of Phoenix Global, owned by my father, Marcus Aurelius Phenex. These two companies are my brainchild, and while I was the one who put them together… I am not legally old enough to sit in the chair, and thus Mister Markonovich is the public face of my operations."
He gave me an easy smile as he rested his hands in his lap, "I was aware, you are correct, but it certainly puts things into perspective when it's put in front of you."
I nodded and leaned back in the chair, "I am the third son of the Phenex family, with two older brothers in front of me; I will never inherit the company empire unless something truly tragic happens, and thus my parents have decided that I may best secure the family fortunes by building alliances with the other big names. I am eleven years old right now, but things are already being discussed behind the scenes between my mother and father about who I am to marry once I reach the age of majority; they're in talks with numerous other heiresses of notable fortunes worldwide, and while they haven't quite hammered out whom I will wed I will be wed."
My shoulders shrugged, "And when that day comes my father wishes for me to take the fruits of my labor with me, either to continue running under my sole purview or to be added to my new family's portfolios. With that in mind, he has advised me to begin cultivating my talent pool sooner rather than later so that when the companies are cut loose or transferred we can hit the ground running; that and my father wants his best men and women back."
We both shared a soft chuckle.
"So I have begun the process of evaluating employees already within our two companies and seeing who is exceptional and who can be trained to be exceptional," I leaned forward and rested my elbows on the desk, interlacing my fingers, "I have already heard a great many things about you, Mister Goodman, very flattering things, and Yuri here believes that you will do a spectacular job in succeeding him as CEO when that time comes."
I slid a packet across the tabletop in a neat little leather binder and let him open it up, speaking while his eyes scanned the contents, "For the next seven years, should you take the position, I will name you as the Assistant CEO of Global Logistics, where you will be working directly under Mister Markonovich here and shadowing him to learn the ins and outs of the business world that you might not be familiar with. Should you perform to his expectations, of which I have no doubt that you will, then you will take over his position."
The man reached up with his thumb and dabbed at a bead of sweat, and I could see the small signs of excitement and stress in his face; the slight increase in his heart rate, breathing, and the dilation of his pupils.
An opportunity like this was what driven men like him dreamed about when they went to sleep at night.
He flipped over to the next page, "I see that I have a… test of sorts?"
I nodded and ran my hand along my jaw, "Yes. You've already proven yourself more than capable of managing the current operations of the company, but I want to see what you can do with a new project of your own- one to be handled by your hands from start to finish."
My hand reached down into the desk and I pulled out a handful of newspapers from the New York Times, National Enquirer (which was amusingly a legitimate newspaper and not a tabloid rag), US National News Daily, and a few other prominent printers. I slid those across the desk and he picked them up to look at the headlines, "Quite frankly, things are starting to heat up in the Middle East and across Africa. Given the interventionist stance of the recently elected administration, I foresee that the United States will start getting itself involved in a lot of conflicts that we have no business dealing with. However, that is my personal opinion and is thusly irrelevant to the topic of discussion."
I turned the chair just a touch so that I could gaze out the blue-tinted windows of the CEO's office and down to the streets of Pasadena, "What is relevant is that with the upcoming conflicts I forsee, the United States military is going to once more realize that their current equipment is not going to pass muster. Vietnam was only a couple of decades ago, with Panama and Grenada right after that, and the most recent skirmish in Somalia has shown that they are lacking in capable equipment. The most recent Senate hearings between the Pentagon and the Armed Forces Committee have brought these revelations to light, but the lack of a war means that the dollars needed to procure this equipment are tied up doing other things."
My head swiveled back to him, "I think that one way or another something is going to go hot in the next ten years, and when that conflict happens then I want Global Logistics to be ready. The Pentagon is going to revisit its equipment deficiencies and they are going to start throwing money at the problem in an effort to correct them while the dollars are flowing, and we are going to be waiting in the wings with developed and tested products while everyone else is scrambling to put together a team to even get a program put together. The off-the-shelf solution that's available will always win out against a competition where companies will spend years and millions of taxpayer dollars."
The wheels of the office chair barely made a sound as I pushed away from the desk, and I walked around the wide table to Isabela with my hand held out, "Fortunately for you, I already have some ideas workshopped, but first let us go over what the US Military currently has in their inventory."
My prospective-Rook bent over and unzipped a large black suitcase and pulled out a desert camouflaged flak jacket still in its plastic packaging, and an ALICE rig with a standard infantryman's loadout in olive drab.
"Sabrine, if you would be a dear and help Mister Goodman out of his coat?"
I watched out of the corner of my eye as the half-devil gave the man a sultry smile and unbuttoned his coat, the woman letting her hands linger on his form before she stepped away; he was instantly entranced by her flushed cheeks and smokey eyes.
There was a soft flare-up of anger within my chest, but I quashed it immediately because it was my idea in the first place.
"Isabela, please help Mister Goodman into the equipment."
The Rook spent the next minute or so slipping the brand-new flak jacket on and ensuring the ALICE rig was properly adjusted. Once he was set I asked him to move around the room, get a feel for it, sit down in it.
"Your thoughts?" I crossed my arms underneath my chest.
He unzipped the flak jacket, pulled out a pen and small notebook from his oxford shirt's chest pocket, and began writing his thoughts down, "It's stiff and uncomfortable. It doesn't breathe at all- I'm already starting to sweat, and I can imagine that it chaffs pretty badly. We have a dozen products that are already superior to this within our inventory. Not to mention these jackets, if memory serves me, are only rated for shrapnel, not bullets."
"Exactly," I nodded as I leaned back against the glass window, "Yet we have products that are marketed toward civilians; ex-military enthusiasts, private security firms looking for utility and cost-effectiveness over supreme durability, civilian recreational shooters, hunters, and hikers looking for something light and airy to carry with them in case they encounter a cougar on the trails. We could certainly modify those existing designs, but something purpose-built will be what is needed I think; my MOLLE attachment system is already starting to make waves, but if the Pentagon picks up our products? Well, where the military goes, the markets will follow."
He looked up from his notebook, "You created the MOLLE?"
I gave him a smirk, "I did indeed; it's amazing what a kid can accomplish with some childish sketches and bucket fulls of money."
I could see his lips twitch as he fought down the urge to smile.
"Regardless, I foresee the military needing something robust, comfortable, and modular. The theater of war will change from large-scale battles of maneuver to Company-scale conflicts, and that will necessitate a shift in doctrine as well as require flexibility that their current equipment lacks," I motioned for Xuelan to open up her bag and Sabrine stepped back to Mister Goodman to help him remove the equipment he was currently wearing, "This is a mock-up of what I think the next generation of warfare will look like."
It was an almost one-for-one copy of a tactical modular vest that my cousin showed off to me; his was an aftermarket one that his unit provided from some fancy, high-speed, low-drag company that I wasn't familiar with.
Blue Force Tactical. Fancy Ranger Tactical. Super Pipe Hitter's Unlimited.
Some cool-ass shit like that.
I had my guns and a knock-off Chinese manufactured vest to carry some magazines, but even with all of the money I was making working the oil fields, I balked at the price tags of the stuff he had. My Falcon Tactical vest cost me $80. His super-tactical rig cost like $600. Fuck that, I ain't spending that kind of money…
He looked it over, the man gazing at the tactical vest, hydration bladder, and tactical pack before his eyes looked over the large rucksack; everything had MOLLE loops on it, all so that the individual soldier could set it up with the few pouches we had.
Next to the system were two steel armor plates that had been covered in a rubberized coating, and next to those were a pair of ceramic armored plates.
"The closest competition for us is United Defense Limited, and they have the capacity to pump out the needed numbers as far as protection goes… yet I find their ceramic armor plates lacking. Not only are they fairly fragile, with even a simple one-meter drop leading to the plates cracking, but they're twice as thick while not being any lighter," I walked over to the desk and reached over to grab a binder where I opened it up and showed him some pictures, "They are only rated for four .30-06 Armor Piercing rounds before failure… while these half-inch AR500 armor plates can take more than double. The spalling issue is mitigated with the coating, and the plate pockets are made from the same material as the paneling on the flak jacket."
"That seems very impressive, Mister Phenex, but forgive me if I'm not exactly a technical expert here… what is 'spalling'?"
"It's fragmentation when a bullet strikes a hard surface, and this covers both the bullet, its jacket, and the debris from the surface itself," I informed him, and he nodded, "I don't expect you to be the expert, but I do expect you to learn enough to keep up with the people who are."
I put the binder back on the desk as I motioned for Sabrine and Isabela to put the new kit on him while I spoke, "This will make a lot of waves, of that I am certain. However, this was all done by me, and I am obviously not a soldier, nor will my parents ever allow me to be one. So your first task is to assemble a team of people who are. I want you to recruit ex-military from the lowliest grunt to the Tier 1, big-dick pipe-hitters like Delta Force, Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Rangers, and the like. Bonus points if you can find some foreign special forces, SAS, former Spetznaz, and the like; if we can market this to the US then allied nations will likely follow suit, even if we just license out the designs. Work with the fabrication department to put together models based around this concept, have them create attachments for the system, and test it to hell and back."
A smile tugged at my lips as I interlaced my hands behind my back and watched him shrug his shoulders and get a feel for what was on his body, "Your first milestone is at six months. Have some different variations ready for testing. Twelve months is the marker for taping out the construction of a new facility to make these, and by twenty-four months I want long-term validation assessments completed. It is currently July, and I want us to be up and running for production by October of 2003."
Mister Goodman stopped moving around and got a faraway look in his eyes.
"Three years is both an eternity and the blink of an eye, Hank," I offered with a small smile, pulling his attention to me, "It's a tall order, but I wouldn't have made the offer if I didn't think you weren't capable of completing it."
Off to the side, Sabrine gave him a flirtatious smile, and he swallowed thickly, "I can do it, Mister Phenex. Provided you get me what I need, the funds, and the space to be flexible… I can get this done, no problem."
I strode over and patted him on the shoulder, probably something that looked rather silly considering he was taller than me, but I just gave him a grin, "Excellent. I won't be hovering over you if that is what you're worried about, but you better hire some good procurement lawyers because I want this to be ship-shape. Squeaky clean. 100% above board; I don't want to have to see you on C-SPAN sitting in front of a House Oversight Committee inquiry. If someone does think that such things are tolerated… well I know people who know where and how to bury bodies. Figuratively speaking, of course."
The tight smile he gave me told me he knew that I was not speaking figuratively.
[Grauzauberer Headquarters]
[Black Forest, Germany, Europe]
The beautiful and scenic Black Forest in Germany, right on the border of France, was where the secretive headquarters of the Grauzauberer was located. The Grey Wizards were a magical organization of Human Magicians that studied and explored magic under the aegis of Mephisto Pheles, one of the devils who'd lived during the years of the Original Lucifer. They had set up shop in the secluded woods nearly a thousand years ago, the Magicians using magic to keep the mundanes away while they set up magical laboratories and school buildings to train the next generation of magically inclined humans.
My knowledge of them extended to them at one time being a part of the Khaos Brigade, or at least having numerous members defect to the Brigade's cause under the banner of the human-centric Hero Faction. Yet, despite their somewhat small level of importance to the story in my memories, I couldn't even remember their name; I knew it was something funny sounding, but the moment I asked about reputable Magician organizations Sabrine was more than happy to fill me in on the details.
Her mother had been a proud Magician of the Grey Wizards almost three hundred years ago, and she caught the attention of a young pureblood Bishop who had just attained his status as a High-Class devil and was given leave by his King to make a Peerage of his own.
Given Sabrine's mother was something of a local legend, the Serphent name was spoken about within the Grauzauberer as to what could be achieved if they worked hard and were useful; obtaining a Contract with a devil of some repute to perform devil magic was something prized, but to achieve Peerage status? That was coveted, as a great many Magicians were not so attached to their humanity, or the possibility of an afterlife, as their mundane brethren; great magical power and a lifespan in the thousands of years or more?
A deal that they would accept with great relish if given the opportunity.
However, that wasn't to say that all Magicians thought the same; just as many eschewed all forms of contact with devils in favor of pursuing mastery in their own craft without outside supernatural aid.
Through my father, I set up a meeting with Mephisto Pheles, and with a pair of Phenex Tears in hand, I arrived with only Sabrine accompanying me; showing up with my full Peerage would only be seen as an intimidation tactic or a flaunting of power. From what little I did know of the devil acting as the Headmaster of the Grey Wizard's educational apparatus and the Chairman of their Board, he despised the Old Satans, especially Lucifer, and held great contempt for any devils who subscribed to their beliefs of devil-supremacy.
So by keeping my visiting party small, taking only the daughter of a proud Grauzauberer Magician with me, I hoped to be seen as the polite and respectful devil that I am.
While we had a Magician from the organization escort us from the teleportation array outside of the Grauzuberer's defensive wards, once we were inside Sabrine was able to lead me around the campus with ease. It was far from her first time visiting; her mother frequently returned to keep ties strong and build new ones when the old Magicians she knew eventually died.
Despite having my power both suppressed and reigned in even further, we immediately attracted a lot of attention from passing Magicians, with some windows opening up on the upper floors of the school building across the walk and teenage humans and half-breeds poking their heads out to watch us with interest. This did not fade in the slightest as we were greeted at the door to the administration building and welcomed inside, quietly ushered through the surprisingly modern cubicles and desks of the ancient magical organization where magical employees toiled under stacks of paperwork.
We came to a teleportation circle inside of a sealed-off room and waited while a dozen different magical spells were fired off around us, and even though I wasn't a magical genius I could see the foundations of the arithmetic mandalas were geared toward scanning, identification, observation, and other similar purposes. Once the spells were completed, we were teleported into the waiting room of what should have been the top floor of the administrative building, but having been a devil long enough I could recognize the flavor of a pocket dimension.
A beautiful woman wearing a ginormous Witch's hat sat behind a desk. Her clothing was as ostentatious as I had expected from a Magician, with a silvery white and ice blue motif, and she looked up, her cool voice as placid as a lake, "Mister Riser Phenex and Sabrine Serphent, I presume?"
Spoiler: Ranni the Witch
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My bodacious half-devil Magician tittered behind her hand, "Oh, come now, Ranilda, you and I have met plenty of times before."
"You're early. Good. Master Pheles will be with you shortly," The Witch, Ranilda, seemed to ignore Sabrine as she placed her four hands- and wasn't that an odd thing to see- on top of the desk; her fingers peaked together, "And for the last time my name is Ranni. Ranni the Witch of the Full Moon. I would advise you to remember that, girl."
I gave Sabrine a warning glance before I quirked my head to the side, " 'Witch of the Full Moon'? That sounds rather impressive, Miss Ranni. What sort of magic do you specialize in?"
"I have mastery in ice magic, but the majority of my spells revolve around crystalized lunar light," She smiled slightly, seemingly pleased with the opportunity to elucidate me, "A field of magic that I alone have created."
I bowed my head slightly, "That truly is impressive. I have a handful of personal spell creations to my name, with a dozen of my family's magical spells that I have adapted to better fit within the framework of the current era of Magic."
That seemed to get her attention a touch, and she narrowed her eyes at me queerly, "It is… rare to see a devil conduct such magical undertakings on their own. Especially for one so young as yourself."
"Young I may be, but I am certainly capable, however, I am not all-knowing, nor am I a mathematical savant despite my intensive studies," I tilted my head, "I only know what I know… and when I find something I do not know I seek out those who do. I am rather a rare specimen as a devil- when I identify shortcomings in my capabilities I either work to overcome them or I find someone capable who can cover them for me."
"Self-reflection? Critical thinking?" She crinkled her eyes slightly, and yet it looked unnatural on her face; it was too smooth, too… doll-like, " Humility? My, you truly are a rare find, Mister Phenex. Is it a defect? Or maybe it is just your youth speaking for you?"
"My master ," Sabrine put the emphasis on it to highlight her status as a Peered member of a devil family, "Is quite the anomaly, yes, but he is also far too kind at times. Especially when it comes to your poorly veiled slights to his character."
My Pawn's red eyes locked onto the ice blue eyes of the Witch as they stared each other down, and when Ranni twitched Sabrine smiled, "Though I suppose I should expect such a thing from a Witch unaccustomed to the workings of the Underworld and the devils who populate it; however, I'm certain that maybe one day Lord Pheles will take notice of your pining and offer you a place within his Peerage. Just a few more centuries of service as his Secretary and you'll finally claim a Piece of his set and be rid of that porcelain prison you accidentally stuck yourself in."
The air immediately frosted over as the Witch's lips curled into a snarl, a sheet of frost snapping out from her body to cover the entire room; the flaming logs that had once been snapping merrily on the other side were guttering and sluggish.
I snapped my fingers while letting out just the smallest amount of my power; little more than to capture their attention and bring it back to me.
"That is enough, ladies," I smiled, and the waiting room once more returned to a comfortable temperature, "I do believe that Miss Ranni merely chose her words poorly; I take no personal offense, and I'm certain that she was just caught off guard at my earnestness. It is no secret that devils typically can be painted with a broad brush, which just makes contact with the outliers that much more shocking."
My eyes crinkled softly as I looked at Sabrine from over my shoulder, "However, I do not care for personal snipes when we are here for business, Miss Serphent. If such a situation ever arises where there is some… shall we say… tension between you and another party I am negotiating with, I expect you to leave it at the door. If that simply isn't possible then you will be left at the door, am I understood?"
A beautiful blush stained her cheeks as she bowed her head, "Of course, Master Riser."
"Very well, when we return we will discuss remuneration for this unpleasant event, and your fellow Peerage members will be witness to it so that they may know the consequences for such behavior," I gestured to Ranni the Witch, "For now, an apology to Miss Ranni will suffice on my end, however, I cannot claim to know what Master Pheles will wish for in compensation…"
I turned my head toward the double doors that had been cracked open, and they both swung open as the ancient devil gazed at me with thinly disguised curiosity, "An apology will do, Young Phenex. My dear Ranni is not entirely blameless in this affair. Yes, an apology and we'll let bygones be bygones, and then we can sit down and discuss the reason for your visit."
"Sabrine."
The half-devil was slow to bow at a ninety-degree angle, her hair almost touching the floor, but she did it smoothly which did well enough to hide her hesitance, "I apologize, Miss Ranni. My words were harsh and spoken out of turn."
The Witch herself seemed to puff up slightly, the woman dipping her head low so that her eyes and lips were barely visible to disguise her smile, but a glance over my shoulder to Mephisto had her quickly dipping her head as well, "I accept your apology and… offer one of my own. I didn't mean to cause offense to your Young Lord; just as he spake, I was surprised to meet a devil with self-awareness, let alone good sense."
I nodded my head and looked to my senior devil, who appeared pleased with the results, and he beckoned me to follow, "Now that this unpleasantness is behind us…"
The moment I stepped into the threshold I felt like I was walking through a wall of syrup, almost two dozen- no, more- spells slipped over my body; the finely tuned matrices hugging the surface of my skin and delving deeper into my core. A small breath left my lips the second I finished stumbling through, and the devil had a single of his heterochromatic eyes watching me the entire time.
"Good. You are who you say you are," The red and blue-haired devil, with his ruby and sapphire-colored eyes, swept behind his desk and he took a seat, "It has been almost two hundred years since Marcus Phenex last reached out to me, and imagine my surprise that it was intercede on the behalf of his youngest son… one that is by his estimations a once-in-a-century prodigy."
I took the seat in front of me after scanning it with the half-dozen detection spells that I knew, and once they came back clean I sat down and adjusted myself while Sabrine took up her rightful place to the right and rear of me, "I am hardly worth such praise; my father is a good man, and he thinks the world of his sons, but I do not believe myself to be anything truly extraordinary."
"Interesting," He leaned forward into a classic Gendo-pose, his eyes shining instead of a pair of glasses, "From what I uncovered about you I find myself disagreeing with your assessment. Strong, confident, business-oriented? Yes, you certainly might not be the second coming of Ajuka Astaroth, but you do have a spark of potential that your current… stable of peers lack, the least of which is a firm grasp of something I like to call 'Manners'."
I nodded along politely as he leaned back in his chair, "Can you guess just how many times I've had to punt a 'Young Lord' or 'Young Lady' from the halls of my fine establishment?"
"I can only guess that it is likely a lot."
His head tilted to the side as he eyed me like a bird, "Yes. A lot. It appears that my long absence from the Underworld has led to memories of me fading from the 'threat centers' of the brain, as it were. This has led their foolish spawn to believe that because I am an Extra Demon I will bend over backward to accommodate them simply because they are of a Demon Pillar… as if I hadn't stood next to Lucifer himself and told him that I wouldn't take part in his petty wars."
I blinked in shock, but my expression morphed into something more mauldin, "I want to say that I am shocked to hear that but… I can't say I don't admire the brass balls it would take to try and cow you of all devils."
He held out a hand, and a sphere of solid brass dropped into it, and like it was caught in an industrial-strength hydraulic press, his fingers closed around it, causing the metal to deform like putty. He smirked as he tossed the ruined, squashed thing into the air and it disappeared into flakes of demonic power, "I only did that metaphorically even if I wished to do so otherwise; the new Satans have been downright pleasant to deal with, and I don't want to cause them trouble, so I just ejected them with a good slap on the bottom."
I nodded, a weak smile on my face as I stared at where the brass ball disappeared, "Other than the frequent attempt to erase my existence from Lord Lucifer and Lady Leviathan I am pleased to say that Lord Ajuka is a pleasure to meet with, though I do not know anything about Lord Asmodeus as he is likely working very hard and too busy to meet with a 3rd son such as myself."
"Ah, yes, the whole Underworld is abuzz with the possibility of you marrying one of the three Heiresses of the Alliance," He waved his hand, "However, that is neither here nor there. Regardless, you are the first young devil that has actually bothered to 'call ahead', and your request was surprisingly reasonable."
Mephisto Pheles held out a hand as his eyes glowed, "Now the price for this meeting?"
I held out a hand pulled one of the two Phenex Tears from my magical pocket, and floated it over to him. He held up the crystal bottle to the light, one of the fancy ones we give to our more discerning clients, and after cracking it open and giving it a sniff he nodded, "This one is from your brother, Regen. I can almost smell the Vodka in it. Yet a vial of Phenex Tears it is all the same; you can never have too many of these things on hand, especially not without the ridiculous markup you Phenex charge for customers outside of the Demon Pillars."
He flicked the vial away into his magical pocket and rested his chin on a closed fist, "Now, your request? Would you refresh me?"
"Yes. I have a desire to recruit another Magician into my Peerage. Though it will be two and a half more years before I can obtain my Evil Pieces, it always pays to plan ahead and keep an eye out for talent. I wish to look through the records of current and recently graduated students of the Grauzauberer, to see if there is anyone who catches my interest. If they are still here at the school then I will request to have a closed-door meeting with them and make the offer myself should they meet my standards." I straightened myself up and nodded, "And I do mean request . Any offer is free to be refused should it not be attractive, and I am not like my peers who do not understand the concept of 'rejection'. Should they tell me 'No'… well, 'No means No', and I will not pursue or antagonize. Of that, you have my oath."
His lips slowly thinned out into a line as he narrowed his eyes, " Indulge me, if you would?"
"I, Riser Phenex, 3rd Son of House Phenex, do so swear on my
Magic
that I will only make an
offer
of Peerage to a member- current or former- of the Grauzauberer, and that I will not seek to antagonize, threaten, manipulate, cajole, or coerce said Magicians into any agreements. This offer can be rejected with no questions asked, and they will not have any need to fear repercussions from myself or House Phenex from such a refusal. This binding oath will extend through the duration of my visit, but the spirit of it will be honored."
I felt the magical oath tug on the surface of my soul before it settled around me like a restricting cloak.
He nodded, a small smirk on his lips, "A little bit much, but I cannot say I dislike the assurance. I would have settled for a simple promise, but it appears as though I was correct when I pegged you as the type to not do things by halves."
"Well, Lord Pheles, it is as they say: 'Anything worth doing is worth doing properly'."
"Quite so," He waved a hand, and a binder floated over to me from one of the bookshelves on the wall, "Within this binder, you will find the registry and profiles of the recently graduated and current students who are open to the possibility of Peerage. While I cannot guarantee that they will be available to meet with you right away, if you stick around and enjoy the tea and cakes the Black Forest bakeries are famous for then I can have a meeting set up by the end of the day."
The binder touched my hands and yet he didn't let go of it with his telekinetic grip, the man peering at me intently, "Do be as kind and as pleasant with them as you have been with me, Riser Phenex. I teach many of the classes here personally, and every single student that the Grauzauberer has ever graduated has come through my doors; I remember the names, faces, and specialties of each and every one of them. I do not have a wife, nor do I wish for one, but these are my children, and I will not have them venture off into the service of an undeserving Lord while they are under my protection."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sabrine curtsy deeply, her head lowered and tone serious, "You have nothing to fear from my young Lord, Master Pheles. He is as courteous as he is kind. He expects the very best from his servants, but he does not have us do anything that he would not do himself, nor does he push us beyond what we are capable of. He ensures that we have the tools at our disposal to improve ourselves, and for every drop of blood or sweat that is shed by us he sheds three."
The devil smiled genially as he let go of the binder and settled back into his chair, "It appears that you have your mother's way with words, Sabrine Serphent. If you see her again in the Underworld do tell her to stop by again; I haven't seen her since the Wall came down, so it would be wonderful to catch up."
"Of course, Lord Pheles, it would be my pleasure," She righted herself, "Though contact with my mother has been… strained as of late. Her King's father, despite his distaste for my being a half-breed, was rather thunderous when he learned that I had run off and joined the Peerage of a Phenex."
"I can imagine," Mephisto Pheles smirked, "Oh to have been a fly on the wall in his office… however, I understand and will see to it to write a letter to her myself then. Now, the other half of the payment?"
Another vial of Phenex Tears was clasped between my fingers in an instant, but I didn't hand it over, "To be paid after I find a suitable candidate- that was what we agreed upon. If I find one and make the offer then this will be in your hands."
His smirk grew, "Fair enough. Good lad, stick to your guns like that and I think we'll get along just fine; the only thing worse than a brat is a brat without a spine."
Yubelluna Kurst, age 19.
A native-born German with five generations of family bearing the noble Kurst name, and all five have been Magicians who graduated from the Grauzauberer. She had higher than average magical reserves for a human mage, with exceptional magical throughput, which translated to not only power but her ability to frequently cast spells from the ambient mana. Her control was a touch on the low end of average, and while she had a highly coveted status as an 'Average One', a Magician with equal aptitude with all major elemental affinities, the young woman had a fixation on explosive magics of all kinds.
Gah! Megumin, begone!
Curiously enough, she had a secondary track in more, shall we say, mundane uses for magic, mainly in biological studies with a focus on organic alteration. What Sabrine helpfully pointed out to me was 'beautification magic'.
She still had three years of her studies to go before she 'graduated' and was spun off to one of the child organizations of the Grauzauberer, or she could seek out an apprenticeship under a more established Magician. There was the third option to join a Witch's coven to learn the more esoteric arts, which given her secondary area of interest might be attractive given witches typically had a niche that was filled since the olden days.
What? Did you think that alchemically altered apples made to make young women more beautiful only appeared in fairy tales due to serendipity?
She had excellent theoretical and practical grades, easily putting her in the Top 10 of the students across all age groups, and she was ranked 6th in her year. That was impressive enough given what I know about mathematical magics, and yet her profile stumped me.
Why the secondary focus on beautification magic? I mean, there were certainly uses for such focused biological knowledge outside of making one's skin clear and reducing the bushiness of one's eyebrows but…
The Yubelluna of my memories was of a beauty that rivaled Sabrine, with plump lips, smokey eyes, a sinfully delectable voice, luscious dark wavy hair, and a bustin' body that was begging to be shown off to everyone with a set of eyes and a working sex drive. Wide hips, a slim waist, a generous ass that you could bounce a quarter off, thick thighs that looked as though they could take as many lives as they saved, and melons .
Boobzookas. Huge gazongas. Mommy Milkers without the Mommy.
Fat fuck'n titties.
Though hers were more firm and bouncy while Sarbrine's tit-flesh was soft and jiggly like jello…
Despite the fact that I came here to view them all, the rest were just bland to me. Uninteresting. Even the top-ranked Witch here, who was in 3rd place in the overall rankings, was just generic as all hell.
Granted, I'd probably have a slightly wider pool if I hadn't discarded the male Magicians outright, though I gave those to Sabrine to look over for anything interesting.
Make no mistake, I was building a Peerage that would be respected and feared throughout the Underworld.
They would just also happen to be beauties who I'd try my best to knock up once I was a happily married devil.
Still, a fire-aligned Magician studying only fire magic? I already had the fire covered.
A water-aligned Magician studying water and ice-based magic? Yawn.
An earth-aligned Magician studying golem magic? Snoresville.
There was nothing interesting to be seen with these female mages that caught my attention. There were only two students who had something like Alchemy or Enchantments in their coursework, and both of them were struggling to keep their heads above water grade-wise and their practical work was noted by their instructors as being 'Time bombs'.
Just normal time bombs, not even the 'worryingly' lethal kind.
If they had a note in their profile that said 'This girl is a menace and a danger to society!'… then I might have sat up in my chair.
However, unfortunately, after hours of pouring over transcripts and teacher's notes, only Yubelluna Kurst was worth bothering with… and I guess it was mainly because of her puzzling decision to pursue beautification magic over any other realm of study.
I sighed as I closed the binder, and looked over at Sabrine, "Anything interesting?"
She gave me a jubilant smile as she gestured at me with a fork, "This chocolate cake is to die for~!"
"I take that as a 'No'?" I leaned forward and took the bite that was offered, a small hum escaping my lips as the chocolate and cherry flavors exploded on my tongue, "Mhmmm… you're not kidding. The frosting is flavorful and thick without being overpowering, the chocolate and cherries mix together nicely, the flakes give it a nice crunch, and the cake is moist and springy. Very good."
She batted her eyelashes at me, her voice coquettish, "You know what else is moist and springy, Master~?"
I tilted my head as I gave her a considering look, "I can make a few educated guesses, and I will look forward to sampling those delights when the time comes… but it appears as though Miss Yubelluna has arrived."
I think?
Spoiler: Yubelluna? Is that you?
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The outdoor cafe we were seated at was attached to the administration building, and we had a private table situated on top of a bastion overlooking the moat surrounding the old fortress that protected the Grauzauberer compound; the beautiful vista was accompanied by the tall trees of the Black Forest. Below the bastion was an asphalt road that looped back toward the school buildings on the lower level.
With my devil eyes easily seeing in the light of the setting sun, I spotted a beautiful Magician carrying a set of school books. A large, brown pointed hat, gentle features with plain but still lustrous brown hair, and blue eyes that seemed to catch the light. She walked forward with a confident gait that I could appreciate, and when she looked over she waved at me with a hand.
I was about to open my mouth when I saw another mage walk around the bend, and she was downright terrifying.
Spoiler: Yubelluna…?
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She was over six feet tall, with wide shoulders, thick chubby arms, and a torso that went straight down with no curves whatsoever. Her bosom was small despite her size, and the dress strained with every step that she took. Thick glasses that were almost impossible to see through were set underneath a thick unibrow with a Cromagnon-man forehead shelf, and her strong jaw with a cleft chin made my eyes struggle to find out where I could look on this poor girl's face without them being utterly revolted.
The only pretty feature on her face that I could see were her lips, which were properly pouty, but from the way they bulged slightly I could see her teeth were more fucked up than a dude who took 2x4s to the face for clicks on Youtube.
Holy shit she was ugly, and I felt absolutely terrible for even thinking that.
The short pigtails did not help make her cute at all.
God, ( Ow … I deserved that), have mercy on my soul for thinking ill of this poor woman.
"Lord Riser Phenex," The beautiful Magician gave me a curtsy, which Yube-rilla matched with surprisingly equal grace, "I am Maria Heinrich, and I am Yubelluna's Guidance Councilor. I hope you don't mind me sitting in on this conversation? I have a few minutes before I need to attend another session, and I want to make sure that her needs are being seen too."
I stood up from my chair and held a hand to my heart reaching out to take the Witch's hand and kiss it before I smoothly took Yubelluna's hand and delivered it a chase kiss as well; thankfully she didn't have hairy knuckles.
I wonder if Mephisto Pheles didn't include portraits for this very reason?
"No, not at all, the pleasure is all mine," I righted myself and motioned for them to sit, and Sabrine got to work placing down two slices of cake and two coffees, and the pair fixed theirs up.
I sat down and crossed a leg over the other, "My name is Riser Phenex, and I am the 3rd son of Marcus Phenex, a devil of the 72 Demon Pillars; I trust that you remember such a family from your Demonology coursework?"
The poor girl nodded as she sipped at her coffee tentatively, and it was clear to see that she was extremely nervous and uncomfortable with this whole situation; her eyes constantly flickering to the beautiful Sabrine who was seated to my left, "Y-yes, Milord. House Phenex is famed for their prowess over the element of Wind, their Phenex Fire, Hell Fire, and are known for their immortality and regeneration."
"Excellent, considering you aced that course, only dropping two points for failing to cite a single source in one of your papers, I didn't expect anything less," I gave her a smile, "I am here because I am seeking out earnest and hardworking Magicians who catch my attention, though it isn't for something so mundane as merely offering a contract for access to my Magic… I am seeking a Magician for Peerage within my employ."
I held a hand toward my Pawn, "Sabrine's family has a long history with the Grauzauberer organization, and when I asked for her input she told me in no uncertain terms that I could find the best here… and here I am. Yet, I am not merely seeking out the best, Miss Yubelluna, I'm seeking someone with a spark. A dash of drive, a sprinkle of intellect, and a very healthy portion of focus, commitment, and will."
I leaned back in the chair and gave her a serious look, "I care not for frivolous things such as beauty, I care for competence. I seek a burning desire to improve one's self and find mastery in everything that interests them."
Yubelluna's eyes followed my hand as I reached down and tapped my finger against it, "Master Pheles has given me leave to search through this binder and select from it candidates to whom I can make an offer of Peerage. I am magically bound to honor any refusal and there will be no ill will should you say no."
"Now that the disclosure is out of the way," I lightly clapped my hands, "If I may ask a few questions?"
"O-of course, Lord Riser." She looked completely stunned that I was even still talking to her.
Man, this poor girl.
The councilor for her part was smiling happily as she nibbled at her cake and watched our byplay.
I asked her a gamut of basic questions, her capabilities, and areas of focus, and compared them to what she had in her profile. As far as I could tell there were no discrepancies, and where there was little information in some areas the councilor was more than happy to provide some input based on her knowledge of her charge.
The longer we talked, getting a few more slices of cake and two more cups of coffee each, Yubelluna started to relax, and by the end of it, she was starting to smile just a touch.
"Now, I just have one final question, if you would humor me?" I placed my hands one over the other on the surface of the table, "I had wondered about your secondary specialty in biological studies and organic alteration. I do not wish to sound presumptuous but does that have anything at all to do with your appearance?"
The Councilor winced as she gingerly placed her cup on its saucer, "Milord…"
I silenced her with a wave as I studied Yubelluna seriously.
I wasn't egging her on or anything, and if she had any sense in her head she would know that. 'Hot button' issues were 'Hot Buttons' for a reason, but I needed to gauge her temperament in an otherwise neutral setting; if she was as observant as I think she might be, then she must know by now that I am not at all what her demonology texts described, and Miss Councilor also would have picked up on this.
Her relaxed posture became rigid, her face turning to stone, but I could see a war playing out behind her eyes.
The fact that the beautiful Magician was wringing her hands as though she was expecting Yubelluna to blow up was rather telling, yet there hadn't been any sort of disciplinary actions in her file in the slightest.
Would she blow up? Would she turn her head and avert her gaze?
She closed her eyes and a small sigh let her nostrils, but when she refocused on me she did not shy away.
"Yes, it was in part," She began slowly, "My family have been Magicians for generations, starting with my many greats-aunt, who was a Court Magician for King Henry the VI. Her brother, my ancestor Astorus Kurst, was a noble Knight and a Baron under the King."
She licked her lips, "A Witch from the Rosenkreutzer, moved into my ancestor's lands and she fell in love with him, for he was a kind man who did not begrudge her for her witchcraft. However, he was a happily married man, and when he turned down her advances she was spurned mightily… and utilized some blood that she had stolen from him in his sleep for an old blood magic ritual. She cursed him, but the effects of this curse did not appear until he had his first child… and from then on the Kurst line has been fated to appear as ugly as she believed us to be."
I let my serious expression soften, "Blood magics are known to be very powerful and finicky, for lack of a better term; their requirements for working are loose, yet the requirements for removing them are very strict."
She nodded her head, "My ancestor, Astoras's sister, tried everything she could to remove it, but the reagents for removing the curse are exorbitant; enough to bankrupt the family and more. Yet…"
Yubelluna's eyes seemed to gain a great fire as she straightened her back, "And yet the Kurst line has soldiered on with the indignity, protecting Germany, and now Europe, from all supernatural threats. It was very hard for us to marry, but throughout each successive generation, we have found spirits and fae who were able to love us for who we are, and not as we appeared. Though the last two generations of the Kurst family have been entirely human, so the magical blood of the Fae and Nature spirits has run thin."
I didn't stop the small smile from pulling at my lips, "That is a wonderful thing, Yubelluna. That dedication is more than admirable. So during your studies here, you wished to see if organic manipulation couldn't find a way around the curse?"
"Yes, Milord, though it was all for naught," She hung her head, "Miss Heinrich and Master Pheles told me many years ago when I came to study that it wouldn't work… but I had to try, to see it for myself."
"I agree that it was the right choice," I clasped my coffee cup and brought it up to my lips, "I would make the same decision as you if I were in your shoes, Miss Kurst. There are some paths that are worth walking for yourself, even if you believe you know the end result. Yet… now that you've reached the end and found the destination not to your liking, are you finding yourself with regrets? I mean to say, do you still find what you're learning exciting and interesting?"
Her lips twitched around her teeth and her smile was ugly a thing of beauty, "No, I find it has been a joy to learn it, even if I cannot use it for myself. I used to be bullied a lot earlier on in my time here, but once I learned some of the spells and helped the other girls get dolled up for their days I've come to have a circle of friends. A small circle, but friends nonetheless. Learning about biology and the bodies of various magical races has been a fascinating experience."
I quirked a smirk as I tilted my head to the side, "But not enough to sideline your studies in the 'Art of Explosive Ordnance'?"
Her blush was blotchy and not cute at all very cute.
"Explosions… are fun."
I couldn't stop myself from throwing my head back in laughter.
Everyone was probably looking at me like a maroon but I didn't really care.
It took me more than a few moments to collect myself as I wiped away at the tears in my eyes with my thumb, "My apologies… it's just the way you said it and what you said. I just couldn't help myself."
She looked as though she couldn't decide whether to be amused or offended, and I held up my hand and let a small marble of flame pop up, "As you noted, the Phenex are prized for our ability to manipulate flames."
I let it roll around the palm of my hand, twirling along my fingers before I arced it up my middle finger like a ramp and for some reason Yubelluna caught it in her hand, the girl staring at the flame orb for a few moments before she realized that she just caught a tiny fireball. Yet at the initial flash of panic, she realized that it wasn't burning her, and I manipulated the orb to roll around her hand; it had the added effect of also giving me a mental map of just how mannish her hands were.
After one last revolution around her wrist, it hopped back over to me where I caught it between my fingers and extinguished it.
"Despite my prodigious ability with my blood traits as a member of House Phenex I find myself enamored with mortal spellcasting," I formulated a simple ice spell mandala, taking a moment to concentrate on the variables as the circle floated upward, the spell creating a frozen sculpture of a rose like a 3D printer.
I used a touch of telekinesis to slide the sculpture across the table before I raised my hand a little bit and made a fist, "I've also become quite fond of learning how to be a Punch Wizard."
I said 'Punch Wizard' in English, causing the two German ladies to look at each other.
"Meaning that I have been learning the fine arts of pugilism and martial arts from a variety of seasoned teachers, not just for the sport of it all, because it is, in my mind, a valid path to growing stronger. Touki and Senjutsu," I said, and their eyes widened slightly in understanding, "So while I could be like every other High Born devil who chooses to achieve power through my inborn traits, I have decided to not just seek a different path… but to stride along both; even if someone told me that doing so was wasting my talents with my family magic I wouldn't even dream of stepping off."
I gave her a brilliant juvenile smile, "And if I'm being honest? I just like it. There is nothing else to it, so don't take my laughter the wrong way, I understand the desire of doing something you like just because it's fun and interesting."
That seemed to draw a very genuine smile from the young woman, and despite her ugliness, I could truly see the beauty in it.
I clapped my hands.
"I've decided."
I flicked my wrist out and a contract appeared before me and settled onto the table, "I wish to make a Contract with you, Yubelluna Kurst."
The two Magicians stared at the blank paper, and I added a touch of showmanship, tongues of flame burning the words as I spoke into the surface with the precision of a laser jet printer.
"I wish to take you into my Peerage, Miss Kurst. However, I only accept those who are willing to put in the hard work and the effort. My conditions are rather simple: I will provide you assistance, and in return I want you to take the Number 1 ranked position in the school and hold it until you graduate."
A booklet appeared in my hand, followed by an ornate brass handbell, a large silk sleeve, and a simple silver ring with a ruby embedded in the center.
The booklet came up first, "This booklet contains three years worth of magical enhancement tonics that have been scaled to the average human Magician's capacity. They started watered down, and as you take them they will scale up until they are full strength; the taste is abhorrent, I will warn you, and I usually chase mine down with a shot of very strong coffee. The acidity helps kill the aftertaste. You will drink each and every single one of these potions, one per day, in the mornings."
I held up the silk sleeve, "This is, funnily enough, an enchanted pillowcase. By resting your head on this and activating it the case will lull you into a dreamless sleep that will last exactly four hours; it will refresh your body and your mind in that time, meaning that you will have more hours in your day… and is quite handy if you have the time to take a long nap but not the time to sleep fully. However, it will not restore your mana, which is what the ring here will help with."
"This," I held up the ring, letting the setting sun glint off of it before setting it down on the table, "Is a family piece, and by wearing it the enchantments will draw in ambient mana to help you recover after a strenuous day of spell casting."
"The final piece of equipment that I will loan to you for the duration of your schooling is this," I held up the bell and gave it a jiggle, the light clinging sounding pleasant, "The brass bell is an enchanted item, one belonging to my family for over a thousand years. By applying mana to it and ringing it three times it will apply a barrier and wards to your room that will help protect it against intrusions or scrying. This bell is solely there to help protect the other items, as I would not be pleased if they were… say… stolen from you by the jealous or mischievous."
"The last concession I will make in this contract is to grant you access to my demonic power to play around with and test as you please. Though I do hope that you will not do something foolish with it, yes? Defending yourself is right and just, but I will not allow my power to be squandered on settling schoolyard squabbles or pranks."
I could see Miss Councilor's eyes widen as Yubelluna's face went slack.
"However, in exchange for access to my power, I expect you to keep a detailed diary of your experiences and experiments with it. Comparing and contrasting how it feels and functions compared to mathematic magic formulas," I crossed my arms over my chest, "Not only will it give you something interesting to toy with, but it will also serve to get you used to manipulating demonic power well before you join me in Peerage. Who knows, maybe you'll discover something interesting that no one else has?"
I let my smile morph into something more serious as I cast a simple barrier around all of us, and I played a few illusions of some of our training sessions- particularly those where Sabrine was face down and crawling in the mud, struggling mightily with a heavy set of weights, performing martial arts moves over and over again til she was blue in the face, or getting her face pummeled in by Isabela, Michiko, and Xuelan.
The half-devil twitched next to me, but it wasn't meant to be a dig at her as much as it was a demonstration of what I expected even my magically inclined devils to do.
"Make no mistake, however, even if you manage to scrape your way to the top of the rankings within three years and graduate as the 'Valedictorian', the hard work will not stop there. No, it will only grow harder," I placed my hands on the top of the table, leaning forward and fixing her with a solid look, "I am not the type of King to let my Peerage languish. We rest. We relax. We have fun. Yet we also work harder than anyone else. We put in more work than anyone else. We accept that we have shortcomings and we look to overcome them. Do you understand? You will not be a display piece to show off to my… peers… you will be a woman that I will mold into a weapon of which the likes the Underworld has never seen before, especially in a Reincarnated devil."
Her eyes were blurry behind her coke-bottle lenses, but I could tell that she was studying the illusions intently, and the way her muscles flexed underneath the flab of her body I could tell that she was at the very least envisioning herself doing what Sabrine was doing.
She licked her lips as she looked back to me, "If I may ask a question of my own, Lord Riser?"
"Of course, though whether I answer is up to me."
"What made you see me out?"
I leaned back and tucked one arm under the other while I framed the side of my face with my pointer finger and thumb, "Do you wish for the honest truth or the believable lie?"
"The truth."
"I may be a Phenex, but… I do have some talent in prophecy," I tilted my head as I gazed at her, watching her expressions carefully, "Years ago I had a vision of a young woman who would one day join my Peerage. I received an image…"
Between my fingers, a folded sheet of paper appeared, and I unfolded it to reveal a pine tree decorated with Christmas tidings, a simple bell, and a crescent moon, "It took me some time to puzzle this particular one out, but from the impression I had… 'Tree'. 'Bell'. 'Moon'."
I set the sheet of paper onto the table and tapped it, "I had a sketch of the woman, and this one accompanied it. Yet I didn't have anything concrete to tie the two of them together for many years until, just a few hours ago, I was sifting through the files Lord Mephisto allowed me access to and I came across a name."
I pointed to the Christmas tree. "A pine tree, usually decorated during Yuletide."
The bell. "A bell, nothing surprising."
"Then the moon," I tapped the crescent, "Also commonly known as Luna."
A loud breath escaped her lips, "That's… me…"
"Indeed."
We sat there for a few moments of silence before she looked up from the paper and to me, "The first one? The sketch? You said there was a sketch of… me?"
My folder of sketches dropped into my hands and I flipped through the pages until I got to the image I drew of Yubelluna; a small flex of my magic caused the other pages to turn blank, and I held it close to my chest as I looked at her, "Tell me, Yubelluna. Is there an image in your mind where you are the ultimate beauty that you wished to be? A firm image, something unshakeable, something so strong that even if you never looked into a mirror for the rest of your life you'd always know what you looked like?"
"Y-yes…" A shaky breath left her mouth as she clenched her fists on the table, "Every night when I go to sleep… I always dream of the woman I wish I could be, even though I knew it might never happen."
I gave her a soft smile as I held out the sketch face down, "Then look at this and tell me if I was mistaken… and looking for someone else here named Yubelluna."
The moment the sketch was shown to her she dropped it on the table.
A ragged gasp cut through the cool evening air, her hands shooting to cover her mouth as fat tears slipped down her cheeks and pattered onto the paper; the magics repelling the salty fluids. Her shoulders trembled and heaved, a single hand leaving her mouth to trace along the fine beautiful lines of the Yubelluna I saw in my memories and my vision.
"That's me ."
Spoiler: Yubelluna Kurst as she Wishes to Be
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Not to brag or anything, but I've gotten pretty damn good at drawing over the years, and the portrait was one of those fancy, detailed, near photo-realistic pieces.
I'd buff my nails on my shirt but the poor Miss was sort of having a moment, and I'd hate to ruin it.
"Th-thank you, Lord Riser," The Magician-in-Training bowed her head, her fingers interlaced in front of her, "Even if nothing else comes of this… this is a precious gift you have given me. That someone else had seen me as I truly wished to be instead of the monster that I am now is…"
I pulled the sketchpad back over to me with a tug of my magic and wiped the vestiges of the tears off with a small flourish of fire before placing it back into my magical pocket, "If this was the only thing I gained from this trip… then I could be satisfied with that. However, while the Evil Piece is certainly strong enough to overpower the blood curse on you, it will do nothing for your family, I'm afraid. Though given I find out what the reagents are your family needs, I might be able to swing them."
A sad sniff pulled my eyes back to her, and I was treated to the terrific sight of her pulling her thick glasses up to wipe away her tears. Please, put them back down, you're going to give me nightmares and I have been made immune to such sights from my time in the Dungeon.
"Your concern is touching, Lord Riser, however my last remaining family, my Grandfather Patrik, was slain attempting to quell a rash of vampire uprisings in Romania," Her chest shuddered as she relaxed, "He did his duty as a proud Magician of Grauzuaberer, but while I know he perished doing what he loved- protecting the people of Europe from the supernatural… I cannot help but feel nothing but contempt for the Carmilla and Tepes vampires for escalating their conflicts."
The large woman placed her glasses back over her eyes as she looked me over, "Are you allied with the vampires?"
"Allied? No. Have I done business with them? Also no. I do not hate the vampires for being what they are, but I will say that I express immense distaste for how they view and treat humans," I shrugged my shoulders, "The Underworld used to hold the same views, and many still do, but it is a gradual work in progress with devils, yet we are moving toward a brighter future all the same… even if there are those among us who would try to drag us back."
"As long as we do not find ourselves allied with either the Carmilla or Tepes faction I will be satisfied with that." She spoke with finality, but I countered firmly.
"I will not seek out such things with the vampires, however, if we do find ourselves in such a thing then I will expect you to bite your tongue and perform as commanded," I let a small touch of power enter into my voice, "I am not the type of King who wishes to trample on the feelings of my Peerage, but I will perform my duties to the best of my abilities, and I expect my people to do the same. Do you understand? "
She was taken aback, and I could see Miss Councilor reel as though struck.
"Apologies, Miss Councilor," I gave her a small, rueful smile before turning my attention back to Yubelluna, "I would not ask you to do such a thing lightly, but there will be circumstances in the future where our wants and desires do not mesh with the reality of the situation at hand. Am I sounding unreasonable?"
"No. You are not, Lord Riser," Yubelluna's voice was a soft whisper, and she bowed her head lowly until it was almost touching the table, "I apologize, Milord. I did not mean for my words to sound so aggressive, it is not my place to dictate the policy of your Peerage."
"And I accept that apology," I nodded, "There are times when we must all swallow our pride and do what must be done, and often it is one of the hardest things a person can do- human or devil. I will not ask you to let go of your feelings for the vampires, but I will ask that you not paint every vampire with the same brush; there are always outliers. For example, I am a very honest and straightforward devil who isn't the type to chase after my immediate, personal satisfaction. A strange creature, am I not?"
I could see her lips struggle as she tried not to laugh or smile, so I smiled in her stead.
"Those are the boons and conditions I am willing to offer you, Yubelluna Kurst. The question is… will you accept?"
It only took her a few seconds to look down to where the sketch once lay, and she looked back at me with a fire in her eyes.
"I accept the terms of your Contract, Lord Riser."
The paper was signed and sealed with a drop of blood before the magical contract was sent to the central repository.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, and A. Daw for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: Fun fact. I kept misspelling "Kurst" as "Kutz". And I had to correct almost every spelling. Lmao. Just after a fixed my old Name Nemesis "Sitri", a new foe has arisen to take it's place. Also, not a lot of training shenanigans going on here, but there are just lots of things I want to show, and me being incapable of being short with it, just kept writing because it was fun. I hope you enjoyed!
Also, RiserSI is a phillistine who has never played a Soulsborne game, or Elden Ring. So he doesn't know that Ranni is a cute little cameo.
Edit: Also, if you're curious about the Strikethrough Text, that's Riser trying not to be mean to her in his mind.
Chapter 10 - 25 Years Part 3 (12 Years on the Inside)
[Lilith, Capital City of the Underworld]
[Year 2 (Outside) Year 12 Inside]
Question #215: Name the 32 strongest remaining Demon Pillars, in order by their Rank.
'The 32 remaining Demon Pillars, by Rank, are as follows:
1.) House Bael
2.) House Agares
3.) House Vassago
4.) House Gamigan
5.) House Amon
Question #275: List the Three Primary Benefits of a Devil Contracting with a Mortal Magician.
'1.) Protection: A Magician that has caught the attention of a devil is often a mortal of some talent or of interest to the Contractor. By accepting the Contract of a devil, the Contractee may call upon their benefactor for protection, however, a devil is not obligated to protect their Contractee from their own follies.
2.) Information: A Contracted Magician is given access to a devil's demonic power, allowing the mortal to utilize a devil's Power of Imagination to aid them in discovering the secrets of the New Order of Magic. The Magician also may have access to enchanted items or magical/alchemical reagents that can only be found in the Underworld at a more reasonable price than they would otherwise. In exchange, all of the magical formulas and discoveries the Contractee makes are given to the Contracted devil.
3.) Public Eminence: Making a Contract with a known and powerful devil automatically raises the Mortal's status in the eyes of their peers.'
Question #300: Name the Four Great Satans and List their Houses of Origin.
I really, really, really wanted to roll my eyes at the last question on the test, but considering this was the Mid-Class Devil examination the complexity of the questions, as well as the required knowledge needed to pass it, was far lower than what would be required for a High-Class devil who would take part in devil High Society.
I tapped the bundle of papers and made sure they were nice and even before sliding them to the corner of my desk, and in a small flash of light the stack disappeared.
Just below the magic circle was a small, rectangular LED, and after waiting a few seconds it lit up, flashing me with a soft, red '100% - 900/900 - PASS' .
Good. If I somehow flubbed a single question on this exam I would have to question my sanity and double down on my studying.
I slid the pen over to the side and leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest.
My eyes slid around the large room where the written examinations were taking place inside of the Lilith City Administrative Complex, the combined home of the Four Offices of the Great Satans and the building where the Mid-Class and High-Class examinations were taken. The exams were held once per year, with the Mid-Class exams taking place at the beginning and the High-Class exams in the middle six months later.
There was a unique quirk to them in that if you did not pass the second consecutive attempt to obtain the next rank, you were barred from making another attempt for five years, though with the impending legislation set to be passed at the end of the year… those requirements would change. Currently, a 95% on the written exam was needed to pass, and to pass the single combat portion of the exam the devil in question needed to defeat their opponent; those would drop slightly to a 90% on the written portion, and to 'put up genuine effort' in the personal combat exam.
It was a small drop in the standards, but with the current metrics the number of devils making it up to the next rank has been very small historically, and the number of Evil Piece sets manufactured by Lord Beelzebub each year outpaced the number of devils eligible to receive a set; though the lottery was still kept in place, however, gating the number of new High-Class devils entering into the upper echelons of power. It was one of a handful of amendments to the current rules that House Bael and their coalition wouldn't budge on, and with their power bloc holding the bill up the Satans agreed to let it stand.
Really, it didn't change much despite being a step in the right direction, but it was more like one step forward and a half-step back.
I get the feeling that Zekram Bael was just being a contrarian shit about it just to let everyone know that he could, which made me scratch my head because it was Zekram Bael that approached the various Houses of the Underworld and created the New Satan faction in the first place. It was he who personally convinced the four devils who would become our Maou to take up arms against the saber-rattlers who wished to restart the Great War.
Regardless, it would expand the pool of official Mid-Class devils enough to quell some of the discontents within the Low-Class, and it would also put more freshly minted High-Class devils in the lottery to potentially receive an Evil Piece set.
This was why I needed to get my girls through the High-Class exams toot-sweet so that their chances of getting a set would be higher; there would be a full year where there were only two hundred and twenty-one devils in the running to receive one of the eighteen leftover sets, and having all of my girls in the running significantly upped our chances of getting one. With the lowering of the standards it was projected that an additional twenty to forty new High-Class devils would be added to the lottery per year over the next five years, and with each year that passed the chances of getting my Peerage their own sets would fall drastically.
Regardless of who got the set, all of my girls agreed that they would utilize their Peerage pool as a sink for me to collect a powerful peerage; the free pieces in their sets being used to trade around my peerage to fit my needs.
Which was humbling because it wasn't my idea in the first place.
I had been content with trying to work within the constraints of trading around my family's limited pool and asking my sister if she would help me when she came of age, and yet my Peerage found another way to surprise me.
"Meh, I'll be a freshly minted High-Class devil, Lord Riser," Isabela interlaced her fingers behind her head as she looked up toward the skybox of the ATTC, "I think I'll wait until I become a little bit stronger, that way I don't have to spend all of my pieces trying to reincarnate someone worth a damn. Besides, I think… that maybe there just might be something to your whole 'apocalypse' vision. So it would be pretty irresponsible of me to just do whatever I want when my Lord is trying to save the world, you know?"
Isabela wasn't wrong. On both accounts.
The number of Evil Pieces required to reincarnate someone directly scaled to the strength of the devil holding onto the Evil Pieces. For a freshly minted High-Class devil, reincarnating a capable human Magician might cost them three Pawns, two Pawns for a seasoned High-Class, and a single Pawn for a High-Class devil near their peak. Adding in things like Sacred Gears, or great talents in Touki and Senjutsu, the requirements were further muddled. Where things really got messy was that the Evil Pieces were somehow able to quantify the target's current strength, match it up against their projected potential strength, and then split the difference where the number of required Evil Pieces sat in the happy medium.
It made me wonder if I was making a mistake in training the girls as hard as I was.
My plan had been to reincarnate Sabrine and Michiko as Pawns, and if they were fairly strong High-Class devils then that might raise their values higher and require me to spend more Pawns to take them into my Peerage. Ni and Li would be two single Pawns no problem, but Sabrine and Michiko might take two, or even three Pawns each. If the worst-case scenario happened, then I wouldn't have any Pawns left to reincarnate Yubelluna, and that would necessitate me to reincarnate the Magician as a Bishop or a Knight.
Or a Rook if we managed to snag an additional set for the girls; if it was Isabela or Xuelan that got a set, then one would take the other into their Peerage, and if Michiko or Sabrine got a set, then they could take both.
I looked around the room and spotted Isabela, the Rook giving me a cheeky thumbs up as she turned in her test sheets, then Michiko who was down far at the front of the exam room, and she bowed her head while her papers disappeared. Xuelan was far behind me and in the corner, the Rook giving me a firm nod.
"Attention Mid-Class hopefuls, half of the allotted time has elapsed. You have one hour and thirty minutes remaining." A cool, placid voice spoke out across the exam hall, "If you have already finished your examination and received a 95% or higher, you may now come forward to the lobby and await the Personal Combat trial. If you completed your examination early and did not receive a 95% or higher, you may now vacate the premises."
Out of the one hundred and thirty-three examinees I counted in the room, only seventeen of us stood up and began to walk down the tiered steps, and I idly noted the complex 'Anti-Cheat' spell formulas that obscured the desks of the devils still taking the test. To my surprise, almost forty devils stood up and made their way back toward the entrance hall, and I had to wonder if it was a studying issue or if it was a lack of relevant learning material that caused so many to fail outright.
Not for the first time I was thankful for the rigorous tutoring that my family provided for me. Even if it was sort of an ass pain and felt like it gimped my early growth to need to study, it was the very same merciless teaching that allowed me to help my girls cram (in a manner of speaking given we had all of the time in the world to take in the information gradually) for these exams in the first place.
"The Mid-Class Personal Combat Trial of Riser Phenex will now commence, in 3, 2, 1… begin!"
I shot forward, the ground cratering underneath my feet, and my punch stopped just shy of kissing the poor Mid-Class examiner's chin.
Though the physical blow did not land, that was likely very cold comfort to the male devil as the shock wave of the strike that followed in the punch's wake caught him fully in the face and sent him careening end over end across the rocky desert battlefield that served as our play area.
Rather than let the poor bastard keep on spinning until he hit the edge of the magical barrier, I shot forward once more and leaped, my arms reaching out to first stop his spin, and I deployed my wings, pumping magical energy into my flight to gradually slow him down until my feet hit the soil and I started to skid.
I leaned back and dug in my heels, and eventually, I slowed to a halt.
The devil in my arms was clearly unconscious, his eyes rolled up in the back of his head, yet that wasn't enough to trip the Rating Game barrier's Removal program; an unconscious opponent that was otherwise not critically damaged could still get back up, so 'finishing' the foe was a requirement.
I raised my fist, chambering a punch, and the Oversight staff had the good sense to teleport him away to the infirmary, the devil's body turning into flecks of light as he disappeared.
"Mid-Class Examiner Eli Wintzle has been forcibly retired, Examinee Riser Phenex is victorious."
I closed my eyes and let the magic circle that appeared beneath my feet take me back to the lobby where two dozen devils were all seated, their eyes staring up at the four screens where the other participants were battling their examiners.
My feet carried me over to the long couch where those who had been victorious in their battles were seated, and Michiko, Xuelan, and Isabela were there waiting for me. I smiled at them and took pride of place between the two Rooks, the best spot to be since I could see all four monitors easily.
"Excuse me, Lord Riser?" A low, husky voice spoke up from my left, and I leaned forward and examined her.
Spoiler: Newly Minted Mid-Class Devil
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The soon-to-be newly minted Mid-Class devil was a striking beauty, her body clad in leather armor, and a large sword in its sheath was propped up between her legs- the hilt resting against her shoulder.
I nodded, "Yes, Miss? How can I help you?"
She didn't seem to know how to react to my seemingly pleasant exterior, "I just had a question, if you don't mind me asking, of course?"
"Fire away, though there is no guarantee that I'll answer it."
"I… do not wish to sound rude, however, I cannot wrap my head around why you are here, taking the examinations. You are already a High-Class devil, Milord…"
I shrugged, "It's quite simple. I wish to earn that High-Class status through my own achievements, not merely for being fortunate enough to be born from the womb of a noblewoman. That I can take the exams beside my future Peerage members as a show of solidarity is just the icing on the cake."
She hummed, her fingers sliding along the fuller of her blade, and then she bowed her head, "Thank you then, Lord Phenex, for indulging my curiosity."
"Not a problem."
I leaned back into the somewhat comfortable cushions on the couch and watched the rest of the exams play out. It wasn't like I had anything else to do, and it would be rude to not pay attention; a great part of all of this was a PR campaign, to elevate my status among the populace, something that Sirzechs was more than happy to rubber stamp. Internal affairs was his area of responsibility, and being the first High-Class devil to start building a bridge with the Lower Classes was important; people needed champions and heroes, the lower rungs of society most of all.
Damnit.
The stone beneath my shoes barely gave me enough traction to stay on my feet as Isabela's powerful punch met my cross-block, the force behind the strike sending me skidding backward.
Damnit.
Ten years of constant training had brought me far beyond the capabilities of a mortal martial artist, the muscle memory, self-hypnosis, and hours of daily practice gave me a fluidity and grace that would make a human who spent thrice as long weep with jealousy. Yet, for all of my training, against opponents who had decades more experience than me, Xuelan, Isabela, and Michiko were further honed to the sharpest of edges.
With the restraints keeping us on even footing for these bouts their experience showed, and it was frustrating as all hell yet I couldn't help be feel immense satisfaction at their continued growth.
Damnit! Come on!
Isabela followed me immediately, attempting to capitalize on my lack of footing, but I angled my leading foot, causing it to skid and spin me around into the opening of Petal 12- a spinning back kick. Her right hook kissed the side of my temple as the heel of my foot met the palm of her second hand, the woman aborting the follow-through of her blow to catch my kick before it smacked against her chin. She clicked her tongue as the momentum of the powerful strike reversed our situation, sending her skidding, and I dug my toes into the stone and pressed after her.
Twin jabs battered against her guard, and I stutter-stepped to get my body into position so that I could unleash a Kuroneko-style overhead punch that caught her just above her ear- the odd angle of the strike robbed it of some of the force, but a blow landed was a blow landed . With her durability and endurance as a Rook, I could punch her forearms until they were black and blue, and she would still remain standing tall. I needed to land strikes where they actually hurt.
As my hand pulled back I could see a small trail of blood following in the wake of my rechambering fist, yet I barely felt any satisfaction at drawing blood from the stone that was Isabela; she'd gotten First Blood in every fight since we started training, and as I improved so too did she. Even with the small gap in our physical abilities with the restraints, the more we fought the more she got used to me, and the more refined her martial arts became. She was a master boxer well before she became a devil, on the Italian Olympic team no less, and her years as a devil further honed her talents; being forced to learn two different martial arts in the Floating Lotus and Kuroneko styles only widened her pool of available tools.
The same could be said for Michiko and Xuelan.
Only Sabrine was in a worse position than I was, but her heart was always in the right place, and she kept on keeping on in a way that was inspiring to me.
Still didn't stop me from feeling so aggravated that I thought I would burst.
Come on, just fall, damnit!
I rushed her down, trying to keep her on the back foot, but Isabela was a tenacious and scrappy fighter. It was one of the many things I adored about her, but when it was you in the ring trading blows with her back and forth?
Yeah. Not fun. Exhilarating and pulse-pounding? Yes, but not fun.
Yet I took comfort in knowing that my foes would be the ones lamenting as they were forced to take her on.
We exchanged a few dozen blows over the next couple of seconds, my punches and kicks being met by her forearms and shins. I managed to deflect her more powerful counters, but it was a close thing; even when on the back foot she still had enough strength behind her that I had to put my all into redirecting them. My head tilted to the side, her knuckles scraping along my cheekbone, and I ducked under the follow-up hook from her left hand before checking a kick aimed toward my knee with the side of my shin. She used that moment where my leg was raised to push off with her rear leg, dropping down to a knee to slip a jab underneath my guard and deliver a hammering blow to my liver that forced me to stumble back while my guts felt like they were trying to escape through my mouth.
I retreated back with my guard in the middle ground, covering my battered core while offering up my face as a more tempting target so that I could try and regain control of my breathing. She knew it was bait, yet she still swung anyway, a cross followed up by a series of jabs that I barely evaded by bobbing my head up and down, side to side, like I was Muhammad Ali on the ropes.
"You think a little rope-a-dope is going to work with me!?" The pugilist roared, and she immediately changed targets toward my decidedly less mobile torso- a fist smashing into my bicep before rechambering and streaking out toward my shoulder. I took the hits, a hiss escaping between my clenched teeth as I continued to slide back, waiting for my moment to retaliate. It took a dozen more strikes that I deflected and blocked before she overextended with the same Kuroneko strike that I used on her earlier, and I dipped my whole upper body low to avoid it, and while her arm was out of position I lashed out with an uppercut that caught her right in the solar plexus.
"Haaah!"
The force behind the strike lifted her up off of her feet a little bit, and she hacked out a wheezing cough, the woman suddenly reversing course and retreating. I hounded her doggedly, a series of jabs mixed in with a kick to her instep threw her balance out and I caught her on the side of her jaw with a hastily thrown right cross that sent her reeling.
Yet, the thing about Isabela was… whenever you thought you had her down for the count, the woman always had a way of surprising you.
Despite having her shit rocked, her eyes seemingly rolling around in her head, Isabela windmilled her arms, catching my straight right and throwing it wide to the side.
While her left arm was still in the process of coming back around her right arm was not- the pugilist leaned forward and shoved a palm strike to the underside of my chin, causing my teeth to click painfully together. I felt her intent through her ki, or at least the shadow of it, and despite my vision being clouded with sparks I managed to intercept the uppercut aimed at my gut- her fist smacking into my palm hard enough to crack something.
Yet my hand didn't falter as I grabbed hold and threw my forehead toward her nose, "Go DOWN!"
The exhalation left my lungs in a fierce roar, and for a split second, I felt my strength spike up through the fucking roof as a golden glow encapsulated me. It appeared as though the world moved in slow motion around me, the milliseconds ticking by as though they were seconds, and I saw the surprise pull Isabela's lone eye wide as my forehead careened toward her exposed nose.
Just before the strike made contact I felt the jade and gold restraints around my body grab hold of my newfound strength, like a safety brake on a run-away rope, and they glowed brilliantly-
My vision sparkled once more as my skull made contact with Isabela's nose, and a sickening crunch could be heard as the force of the strike tore her hand away from my grasp and sent her careening into the wall behind her.
WHOOM!
Time resumed its normal pace as the wall exploded, a cloud of dust and debris kicking up as a shockwave of force kicked me in the chest, causing my clothes to flutter as the biting particulate forced me to close my eyes.
I felt the grit on my teeth as my tongue scraped across it, and as the winds died down I lowered my arms to inspect the damage… all the while wondering what the flying fuck just happened.
"Aaagghhh," Came Isabela's low moan, though after a few seconds, it suddenly shot up in volume, " Aaaaagggghhhhhhh! Aaaggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! WHA' DA FUGG WASSS DAABB!? MAH NOBE! "
My eyes widened as a blood-red glow intensified around her form like an aura, her demonic power skyrocketing so high that her restraints immediately turned to ash, and she exploded out from the rubble toward me in a streak of crimson light.
Ho shit.
"Release!" I roared out, and the restraints immediately cut off, my demonic power was now fully unleashed, and it immediately began to suffuse my body as my perception of time altered with the infusion of strength.
Her fist was nearing me, and from the corners of my vision, I could see Michiko and Xuelan soaring through the air toward the two of us, the pair poised to intercept. Yet in the back of my mind, I knew that they wouldn't make it in time… so I'd just have to make do with what I had at my disposal in this hair-raising split second. The golden glow of aura that had previously wreathed me in blistering power once more returned to the surface of my skin, and I felt my power respond to me so crisply that I couldn't help but marvel at just how easy it felt to manipulate.
My power was focused toward my hand, strengthening the bones, muscle, and flesh there before it trailed down my forearm, up my humerous, and connected to my shoulders and spine. I had hips barely reinforced by the time her fist made contact with my palm, and I could feel the flesh and bone give way and begin to crack… yet it didn't any more than that.
My stance almost crumbled as the force of the blow drove through my body and into the ground beneath me, the stone tiles shattering, but my control saw my legs reinforced enough in that time and I stopped it.
I stopped it.
The resulting shockwave picked up Xuelan, who was still floating in the air barely a meter from us, and sent her tumbling ass-over-tea-kettle. Michiko, however, was wreathed in a light purple aura, the cat-maid-martial artist firmly grasping onto Isabela's other hand. There was a hint of strain in her features as she kept the chambered fist from budging, "Congratulations, Riser-sama, Isabela-dono."
The tension in the air snapped as if it had been sheared by a fine pair of scissors.
Blood bubbled from the Rook's smashed nose as the red glow around her faded, her eyes widening in shock, " Hubh?"
The sudden pressure against my hand faded, and I let out a slight groan as the woman pulled her hand away- the golden glow of my touki guttering, acting like a shy maiden now that I'd noticed her affections.
Touki: 'Iiiyyyaaa, Riser-sempai~! Don't notice me now~! Nooooooo~. Now I'll never get married since you've finally got your hands on me~'
That was what it felt like, but after so many years of busting my ass, I finally had it within my grasp.
I wanted to make a fist but my hand was broken. Ow.
Michiko reached out and grasped onto Isabela's crumpled nose, and with a 'skkkkrriiiikkkersnack' she pulled the fractured pieces together, drawing a whine from the woman's lips, "Oohoooowiieeee…"
"Ah, sorry about that, Isabela… I got really heated there…" Yet despite the tears pouring out of her eyes, she waved me off with her hand flippantly, as if I hadn't almost caved half of her face in.
"Nohb bigd 'eel. Ahb hab wurs."
I could almost believe it, but the way she swooned on her feet, requiring Michiko to grab onto her shoulders to keep her from falling over, told me a different story.
"Let's get you over to the Sitri healers now, okay? Yes, this way, hold onto me tightly, that's it. One step at a time-"
"Ahb cun wullk, nur prwabem- hhhhrrrrgggkkkkkkk!" Three steps away from me bent over and immediately vomited all over the cracked stone ground, "Oooooowwwwwwwww~."
"You have a concussion, dear."
"Get her a vial of Phenex Tears," I looked at Michiko meaningfully, "She's more than earned it. Let her rest and enjoy her triumph without spending the next week laid up in bed."
Man, my stock of Tears was still rather healthy considering I stockpiled them, as I was given a single vial of Tears to do with as I pleased as part of my still incoming allowance. However, without the knowledge of how to make them myself, I usually made sure that everyone was tended to by the Sitri healers and left to recover naturally… but this was a special occasion. The two of us had finally unlocked our Touki, and that was a huge milestone; it was proof-positive that our genuine efforts had been rewarded… and that we weren't floundering around in the dark.
Now only Xuelan and Sabrine needed to unlock theirs, and my current stable of Peerage members would be set… then we could begin the Touki training that had been blocked to us before.
I held up my broken hand in front of me, and for the first time since I awoke my blood traits I felt my Phenex regeneration respond to my will in a fashion that wasn't 'Would you like ALL Healing? Y/N? _' .
Whereas my healing was like a light switch, it now felt more like a cat warily eyeing me from underneath the sofa.
Come on, kitty-kitty-healing-kitty… don't you want to heal my hand? Only my hand? Please?
I tried to coax it out, but before I could grasp it the feeling fled, and I was back to looking at the proverbial light switch again.
I sighed.
I guess having two breakthroughs back to back would be too good to be true… though I suppose that it was a step in the right direction.
I flipped the switch and flames began to pour out from my flesh, and a relieved breath escaped me as the wounds that I had accumulated were washed away in smokeless fire. My knuckles popped as I flexed my hand, and I turned my head to see Xuelan sitting on the sideline, her hair a frazzled mess while she looked down at her clenched fists.
Her beautiful blue eyes came up to look at me as I approached, and her cheeks flushed as I bent over and planted a kiss on her forehead, "You're time is coming, Xuelan… I'm sure of it."
A small huff left her lips as she averted her gaze, "Of course, Young Master."
"Mou~, what about me, Master Riser?" Sabrine let out a faux-plaintive whine as she walked over, the Magician wiping her face clean of dust with a clean towel, "I want to be comforted as well~."
I straightened myself up and stepped forward to plant a chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth, "Continue working hard and you'll get your reward, Sabrine."
"Fuufuufuu~, I can hardly wait. Ooohh, I feel so motivated right now!"
"A near-perfect five-fold increase in your physical capabilities when you access your Touki and bring it up to the surface," Ajuka Beelzebub spoke as he used his fingers to manipulate a few floating magical displays, "It is a touch higher than the norm of 4.29 times, something that I do not have enough data on to determine the exact cause of this disparity. It is interesting because there have been very few deviations in my previous readings of other supernatural beings capable of displaying this feat, yet you and your Rook show a statistically significant improvement."
"May I move now, Lord Ajuka?" I asked, the cool table feeling quite pleasant against my naked form, though I dared not move lest I disturb the sensitive bits and bobs attached to my body.
"Oh? Yes, you may. I've gathered what I wished for this session, Riser Phenex," The Super-Devil and Maou waved his hand, and the instruments levitated off of my body before flying around in a dizzying display to hook themselves back into their cubbies on the wall. "Is it due to the nature of your training regimen? The duration? Or is it the intensity? Hmmm… does the training environment have some sort of tertiary effect?"
I sort of wanted to ask how he knew even that much given I hadn't actually had the opportunity to remove the restraints and see for myself the effects my Touki had on me. Though I suppose it would be best to chalk it up to ' Just Ajuka Things~' and leave it at that; the devil was a legend for a reason.
As per my side agreement to let Lord Beelzebub study me and my Peerage for the duration of the Extended Training Sesh in the ATTC, the moment I had a shower after unlocking my Touki I went into the computer lab and wrote up a detailed report for him to look over.
Considering this was Ajuka Beelzebub I was writing to, I had to make sure that my inter-visit progress reports were as detailed and precise as possible. I explained the day's training, the progress of the spars leading up to the breakthrough event, and the exact sequence of events from both my perspective as well as the devils who were witness to it. That meant Sabrine, Xuelan, Isabela, Michiko, and I had to send one of the maids to track down our Sitri healer that day, a cute little water Magician by the name of Zyra.
I also included a complete magical recording of the spar and attached it to the email.
It took less than forty-eight minutes for one of the Satans to teleport himself into his private laboratory here within the ATTC.
Just over a minute and a half passed in the real world since I'd sent the email, and he had already teleported to the ATTC and was summoning me and Isabela.
The man was all about his research, and I could honestly say that I admired his hustle.
The private lab itself, on the outside, appeared as though it was little more than a fancy-looking garden shed in the Gremory Quarter of the ATTC.
Bonus points if you can figure out why he placed it there instead of one of the other Alliance Quarters.
Regardless, it was mundane on the outside, but very big and high-tech on the inside; as expected of our esteemed brainy, science-y Maou.
"Are there any questions that I can answer for you, Lord Beelzebub?" I asked as I padded naked over to where my clothes were, our patented grey training sweat clothes, and began getting dressed. Isabela had gone first and was going to go back to the hot spring to relax some more; the Phenex Tears that we'd given her healed her wounds but it didn't remove the bone-deep exhaustion- it merely covered it up for a time. Much like adrenaline.
He paused in his musings to look at me with his hawkish eyes, his gaze considering, though he shook his head, "Not at this moment, no. I will continue to gather more information before I start probing; it's possible that your explanations might color my thoughts and lead to inaccuracies based on altered perceptions. I will give you a thorough debriefing once you've concluded your training; do let me know when you are finished so that I might gather another sample before your duel with Kuisha Abaddon."
I gave him a bow, "By your leave, Lord Beelzebub."
I have come to the conclusion that I absolutely despise social functions.
I had never really been invited to any swanky parties given the social circles I ran with in my previous life, and the last 'bow-tie' event I attended was my Senior Prom back in High School.
There was no way I could have known that my life before my debut had been so damn good. I mean, logically I knew that was being shielded by my pre-debut status, but knowing was different from understanding.
Ever since I stepped onto the Stage of Nobility after my debut, the youth that had been my aegis had been torn asunder, and I was now being forced to attend an almost never-ending stream of social dinners and afternoon luncheons with the Lords, Ladies, the children of the Demon Pillars. It was this mandatory attendance that ate up a lot of my ATTC training time, though to be fair, I did spend a fair amount of time hopping back between the Underworld and Earth to check on Yubelluna and my companies.
I even expanded my corporate portfolio by creating a condiment company that specialized in products containing Hot Peppers. The ATTC was especially helpful to me because I could create different strains of peppers extremely quickly, coming up with new hybrid peppers of the mundane variety in a fraction of the time when compared to growing them in the outside world.
"Pepper Wizard" ( 'We Know Hot Peppers') was a boutique luxury brand that dealt in high-end hot pepper-related products. Salsas, Hot Sauces, whole peppers, jams, and jellies- my company ran the gamut of all those delicious goodies. With unique strains of Habenero that allow you to enjoy the flavor without spending the rest of the evening in the shitter, to slightly spicer and more flavorful jalapenos that turned a sour-cream dip into something to share with the whole family. We also held the Guinness World Record for the hottest pepper, a hybrid cultivar of some Ghost Peppers and Dorset Naga, and it measured a keen 1.5 million Scoville units in intensity.
Just a single bottle containing a few fluid ounces of the 'Phoenix Fire Six-Alarm Atomic Sauce', complete with an over-the-top cartoonish caricature of a flaming bird carrying a Fat Man in its talons, sold for almost $200 dollars a bottle in culinary shops all across the US. Considering I contracted the land in Mexico for growing the new cultivars, combined with the cheap labor, and the ludicrous numbers of tiny bottles I could make from a single barrel?
Well, needless to say, the overhead was negligible and the profits were sky-high.
Even dear Father was taken aback when he saw the first half's sales report, and for some reason, he ordered a case of each variety and had them taken to the Dungeon.
I decided not to think about what could be done with the stuff… I couldn't imagine being a prisoner down there and having all of my food tainted by the spiciest of hot sauces the mundane world could concoct.
Yes. I was doing very well. I was happy that my businesses were doing great, my training was finally moving to the next level thanks to the unlock of my Touki a few months ago, and thinking about the slowly morphing beauty that was my little Ravel was all that kept me sane as I stood awkwardly at the side of the room dressed up in my suit. I held a flute of sparkling wine- an expensive brand to be sure- in my hand and did my best to appear as though I was lost in my thoughts.
It did the trick for the most part, as most of the Pillar children who had been present at my debut remembered my first display of raw power. They remembered my aura's sweltering heat and immense pressure, and the way they struggled to breathe while forced on their hands and knees, likely trying not to shit their pants. They left me alone, only coming forward to engage in the necessary pleasantries before retreating off to their own little groups to socialize. However, there were some that had more greed than sense, and they attempted to ingratiate themselves with me through gifts and pretty words- as though they hoped that I was vain enough to accept such things and form a clique with me as the center.
Those were much harder to shake off, but once it became clear that I was unflappable and immune to such niceties, they backed off.
For the most part.
Though there were a few who were just genuinely curious about me, and I didn't have the heart to turn them away. Not when they were just so gosh dern cute!
One of those curious devils was the four-year-old Iryuka Glaysa-Labolas, and she was one year younger than Rias, Sona, Skeevaira, and Ravel. She was a total cutie, and I picked her up and put her on my shoulder while holding onto her arm so that she would stop trying to climb up me; I was twelve years old in the eyes of the Pillars, aged up to being fourteen where I stopped my growth, but in actuality, I was twenty-four. This growth spurt put me almost head and shoulders above the Heirs and Heiresses younger than me, and little Iryuka enjoyed it immensely.
"Ohhhhhh~! I'm so big now!" I tilted my head to the side so I could watch her look around with her big, wide green eyes, "I can see Big Brother Gellart and Big Brother Zephy! Hi Gellart! Hi Zephy!"
Iryuka was wearing a black dress that contrasted nicely with her silver hair, with wide green eyes and the sweetest smile. Her eldest brother, the current Glasya-Labolas Heir, looked much the same. Zephyrdor Glasya-Labolas, however, looked more like the devils of olde, before they had started shifting their shape to better look like humans. He had dark skin, green hair to match his green eyes, and long pointed ears that wouldn't look out of place on a hentai elf; he also had these two bizarre antenna-like bundles of hair on the side of his head that stuck out.
I don't know what happened in the kid's life to make his inner devil-chunni come out to play so strongly, but it obviously had an effect on him. Though now that I think about it I don't remember seeing him at my debut, and I know he was there and on the guest list… wait… I wasn't the cause of his sudden transformation, right?
He didn't get folded over like a cheap table and cope over it while staring at the paintings of old devils… and get it into his head that if he looked the part it might give him their strength?
Right?
Did I cause childhood trauma?
I turned my gaze toward someone else recognizable in the room, my target being Diodora Astaroth, and as though he had a sixth sense he immediately looked my way and flinched to hide behind his mother.
Holy shit… am I the baddie?
No. No. That's not it at all. Ravel would never show me as much as she does if I were a bad person-nnnnnnnaaagggggghhhhhh! No! She totally would! That's just how sweet my Ravel-chan is! She's too good for a deadbeat brother like me! I spend all my time training and because of it I suffer from severe Rav-tanium shortages and all I can do is cuddle with her when she comes to visit! How much longer do I have before she starts squirming away from me and calls me 'gross'!?
Ravel! Save your pitiful Onii-sama!
"Riser? Are you okay?" Iryuka patted the top of my head, "There, there. Mommy pats my head and I always feel better. Do you feel better?"
I sniff dramatically and nod my head, "Yes, yes. Now that you mention it I do feel a lot better; you're really good at comforting people, Iryuka."
She placed her hands on her hips and puffed her chest out, a proud smile on her face "Of course! Big Brother Zephy always cries a lot when someone mentions your name, so I've had a lot of practice! He always feels better when I'm around!"
I slowly turned my head to look behind me, making sure that my heart hadn't been actually speared to the floor. I was so caught up in checking to make sure that I was intact that I didn't catch whatever caused the aforementioned Zephyror to trip and collapse on the ground, the poor lad had this aggrieved look on his face as he clutched at his chest, "Iryuka… naze… ka?"
Damn. That poor kid just can't catch a break.
Gellart Glasya-Labolas smiled genially as he reached down and grabbed hold of his young brother's belt, the man handily lifting his sibling to his feet before brushing off his suit, "Riser Phenex, it is a pleasure to meet you again. I see that you've been doing Zephyrdor and me a huge favor by keeping our little sister entertained."
"I'm almost as tall as you now!" The girl raised her arms high up in the air, and Gellart chuckled as he reached over and plucked her from my shoulder to place her on top of his, "Eeeeeeee~ I'm even taller now!"
He gently patted her thigh, "That you are, little Looking-Glass. You should know that if being tall is what you want you can always come to me, my shoulders are the best seat in the house."
Gentle smile? Check. Cutesie nickname? Check. Subtle reminder to a little girl that he should be used as furniture? Double-check.
This guy was a total sis-con. Just like Sirzechs.
I really do need to keep this guy away from Ravel, he feels like bad news.
However, did he just insinuate that my shoulders weren't suitable to be sat on by little girls? Is he trying to pick a fight with me?
I should crush him.
I could swear the air crackled with static as we gave each other a good stare, but I slowly lowered my intensity as he lowered his.
Wait, think rationally about this, Riser. Calm down. Slow, deep breath.
He had his little sister, and I had four.
Grabbing another two like I was trying to fill out a Regulation Pokemon Roster would just be selfish.
After a few moments we seemed to come to an understanding, and we gave each other a firm nod.
"Hey… I'm here too…"
I turned my head to him and gave him a soft smile, causing the poor kid to flinch. Gently Riser. No need to scare him. "Hello again, Zephyrdor. It is nice to meet you again; we haven't seen each other in a long time even though I've been told we've attended some of the same parties.
Perfect. 100%.
Yet despite the genial tone, he reacted as though I socked him in the gut.
Damn. Even when I try to be nice to anyone but little sisters it always sounds like I'm putting them down. I need to talk to my Mother and ask her to teach me some people skills.
"Oh, dear~, no need to worry your little head! If they feel inferior to you then that's because they are ~. Huuhuuhuu~. My little Riser is so intimidating~. When are you going back to training so that you can continue to get big and strong for you Momma?"
Actually, maybe Father would be the better choice. Mother only knows how to heap on praise when I don't fuck up monumentally.
"I do believe that the same could be said for you as well, Riser Phenex."
I could just hear the contempt dripping from plush, pouty lips.
Oh. No .
It's the boy band's lead singer and his teenage heartthrob backup dancers.
Spoiler: Gaius Amon
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Spoiler: And his backup dancers - from right to left
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Gaius Amon, the Heir to the 7th Ranked Pillar.
Daedric Paimon, the Heir to the 9th Ranked Pillar.
Alvin Naberious, the Spare to the 24th Ranked Pillar.
Victor Forneus, the Heir to the 30th Ranked Pillar.
Alexander Shax, the Spare to the 44th Ranked Pillar.
And last but not least, Rudeus Balam, the Spare to the 51st Ranked Pillar.
Gaius Amon let out a melodic chuckle, the blonde teen's hand came up, poorly hiding the smile on his face, "Why, we've barely seen hide-nor-hair of you at the little get-togethers since your debut."
His boyfriend, Daedric, leaned on Gaius' shoulder, "For one who spoke so highly of himself you sure have been as quiet as a mouse. You haven't lost your nerve, have you? I understand that stepping outside one's home for the first time does a lot to show them that they're just a small fish swimming in a bigger pond."
By their powers combined, they formed the supernatural entity known as 'The Rainy Day' , and with their fearsome magics working in concert, they can ruin any social gathering without fail.
Though it was many, many years for me, I still never forgot how their Houses didn't bother to show up to my debut so I could have given them a first-hand taste of my power in a socially acceptable situation.
It was honestly quite a shock to see the six New Satan Houses come and bow up to me like this, especially in the middle of a soiree, as they had been content in the past to group up and drink booze before harassing the service staff- primarily the maids. Were they being egged on? Or was this an obligatory Mean Boys/Mean Girls hazing ritual?
Yet, when a shot was fired across the prow you turned your guns and fired right back; 'tis the way of devils. Passivity, when you weren't known to be scarily strong, was a sign of weakness that was pounced upon pretty early. Especially with young devils.
"Oh, I'm certain that you of all devils would know all about how it feels to be a small fish in a bigger pond," I inclined my head and looked at the older teen with a smile.
Off to the side, I saw Gellart Glasya-Labolas' eyebrow perk up, his green eyes flashing with interest; poor Zephyrdor looked as though he was choking on something.
I felt my smirk widen slightly as the boyfriend twitched, yet rather than come to his defense his friends chuckled like a pack of hyenas.
"To answer your question, however," I shrugged, "I don't really see the point in strutting around at these functions like a peacock with my feathers on display. Everyone who sees me knows me. From the highest of Lords sitting atop the Demon Pillars to the Low-Class devils on the streets; the whole Underworld knows the name Riser Phenex, and they understand who I am and what I'm about… the question is… can you say the same ?"
That seemed to throw the Heirs of Amon and Paimon for a loop, though it was Alvin Naberious who picked up the ball on the fumble, "You truly believe your debut made you a household name? Why, I wouldn't be surprised if half of the devils here in this hall have already forgotten about it."
"It isn't polite to lie, Heir of Naberious," I stuck my hand in my pocket and squared up, taking a few small steps forward toward the group so that I could get a better view around the ballroom without Gellart blocking my vision, "I know that everyone who deigned to show up still remembers. He does. She does. And so does that gentledevil over there. And him."
I turned my head and gazed at numerous young devils my age and older, slowly focusing my eyes on them so that the six-teen boyband could follow my vision. I honestly felt bad seeing them instinctively flinch or avert their gazes, turning their backs the moment they felt my eyes on them, "The only people who aren't wary are those monumentally stronger than me… or those that were never there in the first place."
"Just as I appear childish to those powerful devils… so too are you and the games you attempt to play with me. Just save yourself the embarrassment and walk away, lads. This is a fight you don't want." My head tilted back as I fixed them with a good down-the-nose stare, "Though if you'd like we could fly off somewhere and have ourselves a nice little bit of fisticuffs. A private affair where no one else would be around to watch you flail about."
"You're… offering to fight all six of us?" Gaius Amon's eyes widened slightly in disbelief.
I nodded, "It's rather plain to see that you moseyed on over here specifically to start an altercation, in a public setting no less. I'm just indulging you. Though in terms of the fight? I can take you on one at a time or all at once. I'm fairly generous like that, I suppose, it wouldn't even be fair otherwise."
"My, my, those sound very much like fighting words, Young Riser Phenex," There was a small tinkle of laughter to my right and I turned my head to see who it was before I slowly bowed.
"I can assure you, Milady," If the teens thought I was going to start scraping then they would be sorely disappointed, "They were not said in jest. These fine gentledevils approached with conflict in their minds and who am I to deny them the conflict they seek?"
I straightened myself up and gave her a winning smile, "Lady Asmoday."
Spoiler: Lady Asmoday
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Quora Asmody was the Lady of House Asmody, and the hostess for this fine little event that I had been doing my best to not think about while standing off to the side like some social recluse.
The woman smiled brilliantly as she looked to her husband, Kaelin Asmoday, the second son of House Berith, "Oh Kalin~! A duel!? Here!? Isn't that just wonderful!? Why, it's been almost a hundred years since these halls have hosted one!"
He gave her a weak smile as he patted her hand, "A duel? Now Quora, let's not get too ahead of ourselves now, I'm sure that the boys were just posturing."
"No! That's no good, Kaelin!" She waggled her finger at him as if she were admonishing a child, "You mustn't try and stop these young boys from fanning the flames of their youth! You should know better than that- ballroom duels are a staple of gatherings such as this, and I won't have you make my party boring just to save our staff a little trouble cleaning up the mess! Especially when this duel will be talked about at all the other parties for years!"
The woman released her husband's arm and rushed off toward the center of the ballroom, and I gave the man a commiserating smile as he rubbed at his temples.
"Attention everyone! If I can have your attention please!" The woman was giddily clapping her hands as the conversations quieted down, "The Heirs and Seconds of House Paimon, Amon, Naberious, Forneus, Shax, and Balam have approached the 3rd Son of House Phenex! They shared words, a disagreement, and now the 3rd Son of House Phenex has offered them a duel of honor! He boasts that he can not only fight them one on one, but all at the same time! We have a duel on our hands, so let's get all of the tables cleared out of the way so that we can watch these fiery young men engage in youthful bloodsport!"
"Here, here!" A devil raised his glass high, "A toast! To the young devils who will provide far more entertainment for us than Old Stolas recounting his battle against Malphas for the umpteenth time this century!"
"Oh, I suppose that boys will be boys, huuhuuhu~" A pretty devil fanned a hand in front of her face as she smiled, "Be sure to hurt each other lots for Mommy, okay~?"
"You, my fair lady!" Gaius Amon pointed at the female devil before giving her a bow, a smirk on his lips, "I will do my best to honor your humble request; the Phenex are famed for their regeneration, so I do hope that young Riser here will be a good sport and show you a good time."
I looked over to where my family was, expecting to see something approaching disapproval, but instead, my father raised his glass to me with a smile on his lips. Ruval and Regen were shoulder to shoulder with broad grins on their faces as they had Ravel on their shoulders, the little bundle of joy bouncing up and down yet remaining stationary with the wings of Phenex Fire poking out of her back.
"Ah, how touching," Alexander Shax patted my shoulder, the older teen pointing out toward my mother who was waving a kerchief at me with tears in her eyes, "Your dear mother is bidding you goodbye already."
"Marcus! My baby boy is having his first honor duel! Look! Marcus! Are you paying attention!? Those poor dears are about to get crushed, and it will be glorious! Quroa! Wonderful party, dear!"
"Thank you, Elise~!"
I looked up and patted his hand, "Actually, the farewell is for you. All of you, actually. Never let it be said that my dear mother isn't kind; who else would tearfully wave goodbye to the lambs about to be slaughtered?"
At his flat look, I shrugged off his hand and strode to the center of the ballroom where the tables had been cleared away with alacrity. I looked down at the jade and gold band around my wrist and then spread my ki senses back toward the six teens.
Nah, they aren't worth it.
When the barriers didn't spring up I looked around before settling my eyes on the young men who were… busy playing rock, paper, scissors?
I tilted my head, "What exactly are you doing?"
"Trying to decide who gets the honor of showing you the ropes," Gaius Paimon ran a hand through his hair with a smirk on his lips, "As your mother so helpfully pointed out it is your first honor duel."
"No. All of you, inside so they can put up the barriers. I already told you that unless you all came at me at once it wouldn't be very sporting," I tapped my shoe on the black marble beneath my comfortable Italian leather shoes, "Come on. Hurry up. You're making Lady Asmoday very antsy; that's quite rude, you know? Show some propriety. Come on, lads. You wanted this, and now you've got it. I'd like to get back to my conversation with Heir Glasya-Labolas since I have finally discovered that there was someone here worth interacting with; we're on the same wavelength, he and I. We share similar interests."
Gellart Glasya-Labolas looked from me to my sister cheering me on from the sidelines, and he squeezed the thighs of the little sister on his shoulder, and he nodded firmly.
We understood each other.
Is this what could be called… friendship?
A smile brittle as glass greeted me from the Paimon Scion as he strode forward, his cronies following along hot on his heels, "If a six-on-one battle is what you wish then so be it. It technically isn't a duel but it appears as though our fine spectators have already decided; let it be known that I allowed you to make this fair."
"Even with the six of you arrayed against me it isn't fair, Heir Paimon- you didn't bring enough men."
The barrier snapped into place, creating a large rectangular barrier that had a red sheen before it lost its opacity entirely. Quite the impressive barrier… making these completely translucent is incredibly difficult-
I turned my head up toward the balconies to see Lord Ajuka Beelzebub putting his hand down as though he just snapped his fingers.
He raised a wine glass to me and took a sip before setting it down, and a notepad and pen fell down into his hands.
Well, considering he's been monitoring my growth every trimester I have been in the ATTC I suppose he would be interested in seeing my progress firsthand. He owed me a handful of small favors in exchange for the data, to be called upon at my leisure, though at this point I just held onto them because while I still had the favors I had a direct line to him in my magical address book, so to speak.
"Three minutes," I held up three fingers, "I'll give you three minutes to show me what you have before I start seriously fighting back."
The six teens arrayed themselves across from me, all of them spitting mad.
"Shall we begin?" I gave them a bow, though they didn't appear to be in the mood to give me the same courtesy.
Rude.
"Just fight already!" Someone roared from the crowd.
"Yes~! Begin!" Lady Asmoday threw her head back and let forth a stream of Dragonfire from her lips, signaling the start of the fight.
[Ruval Phenex]
The newly minted 6th Rank of the Rating Games did nothing to conceal his smile as he and Regen gently slipped through the crowd so as not to dislodge their precious Ravel from their joined shoulders. While their eyes, and the eyes of their mother and father, were more than good enough to enjoy the spectacle from so far back, Ravel had not quite grown into her eyesight as of yet; it wouldn't be too long now, especially if she kept taking regular trips into the ATTC to spend time with Riser… yet a front row seat to this duel would be good for her.
Truth be told, however, Ruval also just wanted the best seat in the house; he was eager to see the fruits of his youngest brother's fervent training.
The Paimon Heir took the initiative and stepped forward confidently, a swagger in his step that was born from confidence in his blood trait.
"House Paimon, the wielders of the blood trait The Voice," He squeezed Ravel's thigh gently, "Pay attention because it is something rarely seen in this day in age."
He stopped a few paces from where Riser calmly stood and placed a hand on his hip, "Kneel, boy."
"It is a powerful form of hypnosis that is transmitted by sound, and it is strong enough to overcome the natural magic resistance we devils have by dint of our birth. It allows them to issue simple commands to devils who hear their words, and Lucifer utilized House Paimon to drive the legions against the holy spears of the Heavenly Host and the Fallen… even when they wished to flee."
Riser seemed to struggle, his lips peeling back as his stiff-backed posture started to stoop, a single knee slowly dropping to the ground.
"You should have minded your manners better, Phenex. I'm going to enjoy- what?"
Just before Riser's knee touched the black marble beneath him, he stopped.
"However, it has only been known to work on those weaker than the wielder," The Phenex finished, "There are other ways to counter this trait, Ravel, but simply being stronger is the easiest solution."
"Mhmmm!"
Ruval's younger brother easily reversed the action and stood back up, a conciliatory smile on his lips, "Apologies, I shouldn't have toyed with your emotions like that. Would you like to try again? Maybe command me to dance a jig instead? I'm feeling rather jovial at the moment, so if you asked nicely I just might perform for you."
The Paimon Heir trembled for a few moments before he collected himself, and he raised his hand, "It seems I underestimated you, Phenex."
"And so far you have failed to live up to my lofty expectations."
The teen snapped his fingers.
"Hell Wolf!"
"Beast Create!"
"Beast of the Sea!"
"Kingdom Prophecy!"
In quick succession, four of the other five teens activated their blood traits.
In the case of two of them, they simply opened up their magical pockets and disgorged two large magical beasts; a Nightmare-sized wolf with a snake for a tail, and a three-headed chimera made up of the various parts of a Gryphon, a Hell Wolf, and an Umbral Ram.
The Amon were much like the Vapula in that they raised their Hell Wolf companions from birth, and the Naberious- the branch family of the Nabiros family that bent the knee to the New Satan faction- were master Chimera makers; their blood trait wasn't the Chimeras themselves, but it was the ability to find and meld beasts together who had complementing properties and personalities.
Ruval once fought the previous Head of House Neberious in a Rating Game almost two centuries ago, it was a rather embarrassing affair as the devil was rather weak with the talent, and his tri-headed minotaur/basilisk/hydra Chimera fought each other just as much as they fought him!
"You already know the Amon and Naberious blood traits, but what about the Forneus?" He tilted his head so that he could look up at her.
"He turned into a giant squid!?" Ravel complained, her lip curled into a sneer, "He's all slimy and gross now!"
"Yes, the Forneus blood trait isn't as pretty to look at as our Phenex Flames, Ravel, but should they consume the flesh of great beasts of the deep they can become incredibly powerful. Lord Forneus managed to sup on the flesh of Jörmungandr after it got into a fight with a particularly powerful Kraken, and his power within the halls of his House reigns supreme due to that transformation."
"Hmmmm… what about him? Uh, the Shax boy?" Ravel pointed out the only one standing back that hadn't unveiled his blood trait.
"In due time, Ravel. You will see." He smiled with a twinkle in his eye, and Regen scoffed but didn't speak.
"Tear the Phenex to shreds, Castile!" The Amon boy yelled as he swiped his hand, and the Hell Wolf howled loud enough to vibrate the air inside the barrier before it tore down the hall.
It lunged, its vicious jaws snapping, but its forward momentum was halted, Riser grabbing hold of the beast by the fangs, "Cute dog. Are you particularly attached to him? Or if I kill it can you get a new one?"
"Gibber, support!" The Neberious spare hollered out, and the monstrosity lumbered forward in an awkward gait that grew more fluid the further it moved.
The head of the Umbral Ram let out a guttural 'Baaahhhh!' as the Chimera's body twisted and drove its curled horns down to bludgeon Riser while he was holding onto the Hell Wolf. However, its momentum was stopped as well, with Riser slapping out a hand to grab onto the horn while his other held the Hell Wolf fast.
"What a revolting creature."
Light reflected off of the barrier as huge gouts of flame erupted from Riser's body; Phenex Fire for the Hell Wolf, as despite its name it burned all the same, but the Umbral Ram of the Chimera was made of sterner stuff, and thus it was subjected to the all-consuming flames of Hell Fire.
Hell Wolf and Chimera shrieked and howled in agony as the flames enshrouded their forms- roiling fires of gold, orange, and red for the wolf and sickly verdant flames for the beast. They both struggled to pull themselves free from their torment, yet Riser's hands held them fast in place.
"NO! Castile!" The Amon Heir shouted, "Victor, you fish face, do something!"
" Stop! STOP! CEASE!" Gaius Paimon roared, his Voice flaring with increasing power as he attempted to command Riser to still, "I said STOP! Stop, damn you!"
"Man!" Rudeus Balam cried out, and from behind him a spectral image of a human Magician formed from a cloud of demonic power. The teen raised his arms up toward Riser and seven mandalas formed, "Eat this!"
Three bolts of lightning crossed the intervening distance, targeting the gap between the two balls of flame that were once tamed beasts, and they were swiftly followed by four spears of ice that frosted over the marble as they screamed toward the obscured form of the 3rd Son of House Phenex.
At least the boy had the good sense to not try and use fire magic against a Phenex of all devils.
"Oooh~, what's that?" Ravel pointed to the spectral human hovering behind the Balam spare.
"That, little Ravel, is one part of Balam's Kingdom Prophecy; their primary trait is, obviously, a prophetic one, but there are three additional aspects they can call upon to aid them. 'The Bull' greatly improves their physical strength, while 'The Ram' improves their durability and endurance. The final aspect is 'The Man', which improves their magical abilities, allowing them to utilize powerful spells more efficiently."
Riser's body was run through in multiple places, but the flames of his Phenex regeneration were already melting the spells.
That was when a massive tentacle from the Kraken form of the Forneus heir screamed down toward Riser, and he released the Hell Wolf and Chimera corpses to block the strike. Debris pelted the barrier as chunks of black marble flew through the air, the 3rd Son's form completely disappearing from sight, though with Ruval's experience and sight, he could see the lump where he knew his younger brother was.
"Hit him again, Victor!" The Amon boy shrieked from his knees, "Squash him flat! Until he can't regenerate anymore!"
"If the boy is done then he is done," Alexander Shax looked down at his fellow teen with his arms crossed over his chest, "Should he surrender after being shown our might then we should gracefully accept."
"He murdered Castile and Gibber! Set them ablaze!" The blonde shot up to his feet and grasped onto the lapels of Alexander to violently shake him.
The Shax spare seemed unperturbed by the outburst, "If you didn't wish for your pet to be killed then you shouldn't have brought him out to a duel. I would have thought that your father would have told you about the hardships of being a Beast Taming house. Now, pull yourself together, you're embarrassing all of us."
The Forneus Kraken gibbered and clicked, drawing their attention.
"I do not think that the Phenex boy has been defeated yet," The Naberious teen looked over at the still-flaming spheres where the Hell House and Chimera were happily burning.
"Ah, good. I was wondering when they would notice that," Ruval nodded his head.
A Phenex's flames stopped burning the moment they lost consciousness; that the flames were still licking at the bones of the two unfortunate beasts showed that Riser was far from finished.
A squelch came from the tentacle, like the sound of leather and rubber being immensely stressed, and a squeal came from the Kraken as he began to convulse and spasm wildly. A dozen magic circles, of the human-based calculative variety, appeared around the caught limb, and tendrils of white lightning began to dance over the limb before traveling up the main body; the spasming doubled in intensity, though this was more involuntary than anything else.
The Shax boy grabbed onto the Amon and yanked him out of the way of his comrade's flailing tentacles. The Balam spare shouted 'RAM!', standing between Alvin Naberious' shocked form, the devil enduring several strikes before the Chimera master regained himself and retreated quickly. Once Alvin was clear the Kingdom Prophecy user made space.
All five of the teens watched on in amazement as the electricity continued to course through the Kraken until the back of the massive cephalopod's head erupted in a shower of gore, and out from the shower of viscera came the blackened body of Victor Forneus. He tumbled across the marble, only slowly regaining his feet once he'd come to a complete stop; his once coiffed hair was wild, electrical burns skittered across his exposed flesh, and his suit was in tatters. He twitched as his muscles fired without his permission, "Fuck'n- gah! Kill that little shit!"
"I wonder… how exactly do you think you're going to accomplish that?"
Out from the meter-deep crater in the marble floor Riser Phenex slowly walked up, a single hand in his pocket as he looked no worse for wear.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee~! Riser-nii-chan is almost as cool as Ruval-nii-sama!" Ravel's Phenex Fire wings fluttered behind her as she cupped her cheeks.
Ruval sniffed diffidently and brushed some imaginary lint off of his suit lapel while Regen spluttered, "Oi, Ravel. What about Big Brother Regen, huh? I can be pretty cool too! You just haven't seen me fight yet because I've been too busy for a Rating Game!"
The girl placed a single finger against her cheek as she pondered, "I guess you better get a fight then soon, right? Prove to me you're worthy of praise!"
"Yes, Ravel-chan- no, Ravel-sama!"
"Oh hohohohoho~!"
Ruval was too dignified to roll his eyes in public, so he turned his attention back to the 'fight' at hand.
As far as he could see Riser was handling himself appropriately. If you didn't wish to frequently engage in frivolous duels and brawls then it was very important to show the others just how far above them you were. Showcases of power and skill were fine and dandy, but to truly impress upon those who might wish to test themselves against you a victory needed to be utterly complete. Effortless.
Let your foes see their valued strength and blood traits crash against your barriers, all so that they will feel nothing but despair when all of it is meaningless.
However, there would always be challengers nonetheless, which was fine; strength and power were what was most respected in devil society, no matter the form it took… and it was inevitable that someone would come to try and knock you off your throne. Whether it was for bragging rights or some other deep-seated desire was immaterial.
Ruval was much the same in that regard- even though he was regarded as one of the Underworld's strongest, with the title of Ultimate-Class and the 6th Ranked devil in the Ratings Games, he still wanted more .
He wanted that Number 1 spot.
He wanted to continue to rise through the ranks until he could challenge The Emperor himself, Diehauser Belial.
Nothing else would suffice.
Thus was the Pride and Greed of Ruval Phenex.
"It appears as though our blood traits are ineffective," Rudeus Balam flexed his shoulders, the Ram behind him mirroring the action, "Or at least some of them are ineffective. Why don't you all stand back? I'll handle this. 'Bull'!"
"Like hell we will!" The Paimon Heir shouted, and he tore toward Riser, matching pace with the Balam spare as the Ram behind him shifted to a large Bull.
Rudeus arrived first, a charging punch thrown that was side-stepped easily, and with a contemptuous flick of Riser's wrist- the one that wasn't in his pocket- he redirected the kick from Gaius Paimon over his head.
A sequence of strikes from both teens followed, and Riser side-stepped, ducked, hopped, and diverted them with unflappable ease.
"Hold Still!" Gaius roared, his Voice coming out as almost a screech.
As if my magic, it appeared as though his command actually worked, and Riser ceased all movement.
"Got you!" Balam reared back and brought his large fist down to crash into Riser's spine while Gaius Paimon's fist lashed out toward the Phenex's face.
The sound of flesh meeting stone-covered flesh filled the air, and Ruval couldn't hide the smirk that crawled onto his mouth as he watched the two older teen's expressions morph into shock.
"Behold, the fruits of my little brother's training… and despair," The Ultimate-Class devil felt immense pride well up from his breast, and a glance behind him saw that their beloved mother and father were feeling much the same.
Riser stood between the two, and even with his cheek bunched up his unamused expression was sharp enough to cut, "Well? I stood still for you, as you asked. Two free hits, and they didn't even trigger my regeneration. Is this the best you can do? My Mid-Class Rook hits me harder."
Ruval tilted his head to the side as he pondered whether or not that was a step too far, and even a bit untruthful; Isabela and Xuelan were squarely High-Class by their power alone, and Sabrine's growth had her standing above them both by her head and shoulders. The cat-maid, Michiko, was a touch harder for him to gauge as he hadn't seen her strength for himself, but he was certain that despite not holding an Evil Piece she would be more than a match for the other three.
Still, comparing a High Born devil's strength to that of a commoner was a bit of a faux pas, especially when in such a public setting… but be compared to a reincarnated commoner?
"You! You miserable wretch!" Gaius skipped back a step before he turned his gaze toward the four others watching from the sideline, "Why are you just standing there!? Get in here and fight! Crush the Phenex! "
Ruval arched an eyebrow.
Speaking of faux pas… commanding your allies is a bit of a 'No-no' as well.
There was a reason why no one really liked allying with the hotheads of the Paimon family… yet they were a New Satan House and supported all the same.
The effect was immediate, and the four devils began making their best possible speed toward Riser, though the Forneus boy's blackened body greatly hampered his movement.
A terrible judgment call, Ruval decided, and he would be curious to see if their little clique would still be together come the next gathering.
Riser swiftly moved the meet the encroaching four devils, the Phenex boy brushing past Gaius Paimon as though he wasn't even there, and with a swift kick to the temple, the Forneus shape-shifter was sent skidding across the marble to smack into the rubbery flesh of his construct. The moment his momentum was halted the Kraken flesh dissipated into particles of demonic power; a small hole in the barrier was opened up, and Ruval could see a thread of Beelzebub's unmistakable power wrap around the teen's ankle and quickly yank him out.
Two sluggish punches from the Amon and Naberious boys, their inexperience with physical combat showing, were weaved between as though they were the needle and Riser the thread.
" Use your magic! Dolts! Shax, intercept!"
The Shax spare did as he was commanded, positioning himself between Riser and the two Beast Masters, and with some degree of skill he began to exchange some blows with Riser while the other two fired up a quartet of mandala.
Noxious poison fumes exploded from the Naberious boy's circles while gusts of wind from the Amon's carried the cloud toward the pair engaged in fisticuffs.
"Shax, move!"
Yet the teen did not. Could not. His fists were caught in Riser's hands and struggle as he might, the teen could not dislodge himself.
The poison cloud enveloped them both, obscuring them from sight before an overlay appeared on the barrier's surface to make the cloud translucent for the watchers. Shax began coughing, blood and spittle flying from his lips before Riser headbutted him three times in the face and kicked him out of the cloud toward the barrier where he skidded to a halt.
Flames slowly began to emerge from Riser's body, and the poison mist caught on fire before burning up completely.
"Your three minutes are up. It's time I finished this."
The 3rd Son of House Phenex erupted from the smoke, his passing cleaving a hole through the poisonous smog, where he appeared in front of Gaius Paimon and grasped onto the front of the boy's suit, "I'd say you are the first to go, but really, you're the second."
Three punches were executed in swift succession, breaking the teen's nose, shattering his teeth, and fracturing an orbital socket. He slowly lowered the unconscious boy to the ground, and Lord Beelzebub moved him from the field.
The three teens who were once under his control jerked, and Alexander Shax stood up with the flickering flames of Phenex regeneration moving about his body, "Gaius you self-serving prick…"
"I'm through," The Amon boy swiped his hand through the air as he walked toward the barrier, "He murdered Castile, and then that ass has the audacity to command me as if I were some Low-Class swine!?"
"I agree," Alvin Naberious tugged at the front of his suit as he followed the Amon, "I am not as strong a combatant without my Chimera, and it appears that I still have a great deal to learn; I will correct these deficiencies going forward. Enjoy your victory, Riser Phenex."
Riser looked at Alexander Shax queerly before he looked over his shoulder to Rudeus Balam, "Would you wish to bow out as well?"
"Hah!" The large teen threw his arms around and began squatting in place as Riser calmly strode toward him, "I'm just getting warmed up! It's been a while since I fought someone who can withstand my Bull! I'm going to have fun with this!"
The Shax boy, interestingly enough, continued to stare at the space where Riser once inhabited, and the Balam boy did not seem to recognize the danger he was in until Riser held a hand out and placed it on top of the teen's head while he still squatting.
The Balam spare froze, and immediately Alexander Shax's head snapped toward Riser, "What!? Fast!"
No.
Not fast.
Illusions .
Considering the amount of time Riser spent crawling around in that wretched dungeon it was only natural that he pick up more than passing skill in them.
Now if only he could go down there without coming face to face with the fearsome visage of his Honored Ancestor. Despite his power, he was still terrified of her to this day…
"You might want to switch to your 'Ram', Rudeus. This might get a little rough."
"Ram!" The boy cried out, and the ethereal ram appeared behind him, bolstering his durability just in time for Riser to slam the boy's face into the marble.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Four, five, six.
With each blow the marble began to crack and then crater, sending jagged fissures spreading out from the point of impact out like a spider's web.
After the seventh blow, however, the Ram faded, and Riser released him to let Lord Beelzebub remove him from the field.
The Phenex stood up, his hand still in his pocket as he slowly turned around, "And then there was one."
"Indeed, well done, Riser Phenex," The Shax began to clap slowly as he walked forward, the boy taking on a confident air, "I have to admit that you've really surprised me. You're stronger and faster than even I anticipated, but that won't really help you going forward. You see, my family's blood trait is King Thief, and with it, I can copy the powers and abilities of not just nearby devils, but of other supernatural creatures as well. The tools of my foe are my tools as well."
Alexander held up his left hand, and Phenex Flames poured forth.
The right hand came up, and Hell Fire blazed merry, sickly green.
Both hands pushed forward, and a strong gust of wind blew away the poisonous smoke and debris cluttering the field.
"And of course, the much-vaunted Phenex regeneration," He placed his hands on his hips, a cocky smile on his face, "Thank you for that, by the way; that poison cloud Gaius told them to fire off was making my throat a little scratchy."
Alexander tilted his head to the side, "With that power alone on my side this battle went from something you could win to something you could not. Just as I cannot defeat you, you cannot defeat me. We'll settle this as a draw; I think that is rather reasonable, don't you?"
"Heh, you really think that just because you're copying my abilities… that it means that I cannot defeat you?" The Phenex put his other hand into his pocket, "Let me ask you a question, Alexander Shax. When your wounds were regenerated, did you not feel the pain?"
"What- urk!" His words were cut off as Riser shot forward and delivered a crushing kick to the front of the devil's leg- the force snapping the kneecap and sending the teen tumbling.
Much to his credit the boy did not cry out, but the anguish was clearly visible as the Phenex regeneration kicked in and his leg was made whole.
Riser stalked forward, "Mortals and devils alike look at my family's regeneration and see it as the perfect defense. We take on wounds that would kill devils many times stronger than ourselves, and when the healing flames reced they see us hearty and hale. They see no discomfort on our faces and think that we feel no pain."
The Shax boy popped himself up to his feet, his guard raised just in time to intercept a sweeping ax kick, but his arms did little more than snap like dry twigs, the heel of Riser's foot powering through to impact the teen's shoulder where his clavicle snapped much the same.
"Hah…" Was his only utterance as he was driven to his knees.
Riser tilted his body to the side and slid his leg off, the flames of regeneration resetting the blood trait thief's bones.
"The truth of the matter is that we experience every ounce of pain, no matter how blinding," He bent his leg and chambered a kick that caught the Spare in the chest, caving in the cavity and sending him skipping across the marble to the other side of the barrier, "The thing is that we learn to embrace it. We accept it. Power through it because we know that our regeneration will see us whole once more. Pain is an ephemeral, temporary thing for us- 'weakness leaving the body' as some might say."
Riser stalked, his shoes tapping against the floor beneath him like a steady, ominous drumbeat, "So you're right that my flames will not harm you just as your stolen flames cannot harm me. You are also right that your stolen regeneration gives you exceptional staying power when compared to other devils."
Alexander Shax had just managed to roll himself onto his back, the teen taking his first gasps of air, when Riser's shoe came down and stepped on his shin- the bone snapping as a cry left his lips.
"As a Phenex we know that our gifts are powerful things indeed, but we must have the stamina to use them constantly," A kick came down, and the Shax's right thigh broke, causing him to recoil away, "And the mental fortitude to withstand levels of pain that would make most devils beg to be ended."
Alexander crawled as the flames healed his thigh, but he didn't get far as a foot came down on his shoulder pinning him in place- a crack resounding as his scapula was shattered.
Riser finally took a hand out of his pocket and grasped onto the boy's scalp- tugging it back to look into the Shax's ruby red eyes, "Have you ever had your head torn from your shoulders ? It is truly an excruciating and terrifying experience. Yet, as a devil holding onto the Phenex trait of regeneration, I can assure you that you will be just fine."
Riser began to pull.
"Yield! I yield!" Alexander's fist pounded against the marble, and while Riser stopped pulling he did not release him, "I said I yield!"
"Release your hold on my trait. I can still feel it."
The Shax closed his eyes and a heartbeat passed, and only then did Riser let him go.
"Have a good evening, Alexander. I do hope that we won't have to do this again."
The entire hall was filled with the sounds of polite golf clapping, and Ravel bounced up and down on his and Regen's shoulders, "Hoo-ray! Hoo-ray! Great job, Onii-sama! I love you!"
Ruval wrapped a hand over her leg lest she fall off, but there was a broad grin on his face as he watched Riser stride through the barrier toward Lady Asmoday and bowed to her.
"I think… that it's time I stopped slacking off," Regen mumbled, "A few months of not drinking and whoring might do me some good."
"Feeling the pressure, little brother?" Ruval teased as he claimed all of Ravel's posterior for his shoulder and made his way through the crowd toward Riser.
"Meh, I can still take him, but if he keeps training as he does it won't be for too much longer. What will I do if he stops coming to me and asking for help!? We'll never spend any time together if that happens."
"Baka-nii," Ravel waved her arm around, "If that happens then you'll just have to ask him for help! Or you can just become cute like me and Riser will drop everything he's doing to spend time with you!"
"You say that as if that will solve all of my problems," Regen muttered, "Why is everyone so mean to me? What have I done to deserve this? Have I not been an awesome big brother!?"
His lamentations were cut off as Ravel gasped, her finger jutting out over the crowd, " Nuuuu! Hurry, Ruval-nii-sama! Those hussies are trying to steal my Onii-chan!"
Ruval blinked. Hussies? When did she learn that word?
The trio continued to make their way through the crowd until they could easily spot Riser with Sona, Rias, and Seekvaira hanging off of his arms while they bared their teeth at the other young female devils who tried to approach. Like a pack of dogs guarding their bowl.
Ravel wiggled and squirmed on his shoulder until he released her legs, and her Phenex Flame wings flared as she shot toward Riser like a rocket- the little girl soaring above the crowd, "Oooooonnnnnniiiiiiiiii-sssssssaaaammmmmmmaaaaaaaaaa!"
Riser was just barely able to catch her as she impacted his chest, nearly bowling him over, "What have I told you about using your rocket assist? Especially where other people could get burned? Use your devil wings like a proper little girl."
"Muuu~! But I'm so much faster like this!" She pouted, but Riser set his stance firmly as he held her out like a cat, and she deflated, her fiery wings sputtering out, "Mmmkkaayyy… uuuuuuuuuuu…"
"Riser-nii-chan! You were so cool! Just like Son Goku! You took those punches like a true Saiyan warrior!" Rias bounced up and down while she held onto his arm.
"It was very informative," Sona wrapped her arm around his other, a finger coming up to adjust her glasses as they had been knocked askew by Ravel's high-speed appearance, "I did not know that regeneration did not dull the pain of injuries accrued."
"Yeesh, Sona-chan, maybe I should stop reading the Theasuarus to you? Your vocabulary is getting way too large for a young girl such as yourself."
She sniffed, "I like to think that eloquence is the Path of the Refined."
"You tell him, So-tan! Though you shouldn't be trying to impress the fire chicken! Come up here and serenade your Serafall-onee-sama with the songs of your people! Read to me the hallowed scriptures of the Oxford English Dictionary! I promise I'll convert if it's for you~!"
"I-It was cool, if a little scary," Seekvaira buried her face into the small of Riser's back, "Though it would be far more enjoyable if you could… perhaps learn how to make your flames become a Gundam?"
Riser set Ravel on the ground and reached back to pat the Agares Heiress' head, "That is a little bit beyond me right now… but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a control goal to shoot for."
"Cute kids, eh?" Ruval felt himself being bent over as his shorter brother threw an arm over his shoulder, "Man, we need to get married, Ruves."
The 6th Ranked devil in the Rating Games felt his shoulder slump as a sudden wave of exhaustion crashed down upon him.
He agreed.
[House Bael]
"I trust that their performance was satisfactory, Milord?" The woman dressed in the outfit of a French Maid, a very slutty French Maid, kneeled before Zekram Bael while she held out in her outstretched hands a tray of tea.
"Satisfactory? Phaw, hardly, my dear Mary, but it was indeed a 'Performance'," The weathered, knobby fingers of Zekram Bael reached out and took the teacup and saucer from the maid and took a sip, "Ah, Mary, Mary, Mary. I said it once and I'll say it again- you Brits really know your tea!"
Mary the First, Bloody Mary, former Queen of England, bowed her head in supplication to her Lord, "Your praise warms my heart."
He placed the empty cup between her breasts and patted her cheek, "Now why don't you run along and find something more suitable to wear for tonight, hmmm? I'm feeling a touch ill, so I could use a beautiful night nurse to come see what ailes me."
Her pretty cheeks flushed as she batted her eyes coyly, "I'm certain that I can find a nurse to attend to your needs, Lord Bael."
Ah, the way she subtly tried to pawn off the duty to someone else in the manor was always very cute.
He cupped her chin and raised it up, "I'm very much in the mood for a British bitch who once called herself 'Queen'."
Her face faltered for a moment and she swallowed, "Of course, Milord."
"Good, now go. Do not make me wait overlong." He gave her a kindly smile as the woman stood up smoothly and left his drawing room with the tray held firmly in her hands.
A low chuckle left his lips as he watched her leave. To think that she was once a homely woman who enjoyed burning religious enemies at the stake, and now she was as beautiful as she wished she could be. The fact that she was no longer a woman with a barren womb but instead cursed with a devil's near-inability to conceive only made her suffering that much more delectable.
Zekram Bael was not a kind devil by any stretch of the imagination, but while his 'peers' liked visceral, quick pains, the oldest among the current devils was the type of devil who enjoyed lingering, slow-burns. He thought himself rather romantic like that; a centuries-long creeping feeling of dread that boiled up from the depths of one's soul as they thought they found salvation within his grasp but only found misery and despair instead.
That and making these beautiful, proud women climax profusely over his old cock and heavy, wrinkly balls was always a joy that never lost its luster. The looks in their eyes as their pleasure-filled minds slowly come back into focus and they finally remember who and what gave them such pleasure.
Yes, it was like a fine wine, something to be sniffed, savored, and never wasted.
He kept his toys in the best condition because, unlike the other fools, he knew that if he broke them he would never truly enjoy them again.
Power lost all meaning when the ones you wished to exercise it over stopped caring.
Stopped fearing.
The Four Brats he installed as the leaders of this new Underworld could certainly end him if they wished, as even with all of his strength he was no match for two of the freakish devils, yet he instead flexed political power over them to keep them in place.
House Bael sat at the very top of the bucket of crabs that was Devil Society and there it would stay because he deemed it. If he wished to instigate another Civil War then it would happen because he had the power to do so.
Now whether it would succeed or not is a question he didn't really care to consider, but that was neither here nor there because it was irrelevant.
He was perfectly happy right where he was, with the muttering remnants of the Old Satan faction, the stuffy blind fools of the Great King faction, and the wide-eyed and idyllic youngsters of the New Satan faction all neatly under his thumb.
Zekram ran a hand along his chin as he moved the orb containing a copy of the little 'duel' back and forth, the wizened devil carefully watching the fight play out. Over and over again he watched, the man unable to stop the sneer from curling his lips as the faction who begged for his aid in propping up imploded.
They wanted to call themselves the 'Six Paths', the families binding themselves together in order to better contest the power bloc of the Four-Way Alliance; yet where did all those paths seem to lead?
Right to a shameful ass whipping, it appeared.
Truly, it made Zekram rather puzzled as to why they would even attempt such a thing in the first place. Other than the Naberious, who were still firmly in the hip pocket of the exiled and missing Nabiros, the other five Houses were all firmly within the New Satan faction. They and the Four-Way Alliance hardly ever disagreed on anything in the Pillar Council, the ten families always voting in lock-step with one another for almost five hundred years…
Yet that changed with the Phenex boy's invitation of the Extra Demons to his debut.
Zekram knew that more than a few of their beloved ancestors had lost their lives to the fighting in the Civil War, but that was life. Wars were waged and everyone died. It was the natural order of things.
The weak died and the strong rose up.
Were they still so firmly seated in their hatred for the Extra Demons that they would jeopardize a solid voting bloc within the Council to keep them out? What for? The ones they wished to die had already been claimed by the wastes centuries ago; there were only a handful of Extra Demons left alive who had fought in the war.
That is, other than Nabiros.
He was certain that Ansticles Nabiros was still alive and kicking- the man never left his basement before the Great War and Civil War, and in Exile Zekram didn't think that changed things at all.
Yet, here they were, asking for his help and advice, and with their requests being so earnest who was he to refuse? To stop them from inflicting pain upon themselves so that he might enjoy their suffering?
All it took was a simple suggestion. That they might be able to claim a small victory by 'testing the Phenex boy' who was shaping up to be a rising star not unlike his eldest brother, Ruval Phenex.
If all of that 'talk' wasn't backed up with action and strength then all the credibility that the boy had gained overnight with his public debut would be, as the mortals like to say, 'shot to hell'.
Zekram let out a reedy, whistling chuckle as he paused the orb and zoomed in to where the Phenex boy's cheek was smushed by the Paimon boy's fist. How cute.
He rather liked the boy's idea of opening up their doors to let the unwashed masses see into their little world, though not for the same reasons.
To show them the splendor that they could have if they just worked hard and became strong.
With the slight lowering of the standards of the Rank-Up exams it would ensure that more devils rose up from Low-Class to Mid-Class, and Mid-Class to High-Class. He didn't care not one whit if they could memorize the answers to 300 questions about social frivolities and ancient histories, he only cared that they would have a taste of the respect and power of the next step up in the Underworld. He only cared that they could see the possibility of an Evil Piece set dangling in front of them, to have them struggle and strive to be the next to obtain High-Class status so that they could have their names added to the Lottery.
Only for them to realize that there were a limited number of sets to go around, and with each devil that became High-Class their chances of receiving a set of their own would forever dwindle lower and lower until it became more likely for them to be struck by lightning (natural lighting, on the surface of the Earth) than it would be for them to get one.
Discontent would foment, and competition would be fierce.
Would they attempt to remove their competitors through assassination or subterfuge? Or would they try to gain more strength so that they could eliminate their rivals in duels? Or would some enterprising, lucky, and patient devil who got his own set decide to put it up for auction to gain a vault full of wealth through its sale?
Who knows?
Zekram surely didn't!
He was the progenitor devil who gave birth to the strongest of blood traits through his old Lord Lucifer- the Power of Destruction, and not one of the devils with the curse of foresight.
If he knew where the future would lead then where would all the fun be?
The old devil let the footage play out again, the boy's clear voice filling his ears, "Well? I stood still for you, as you asked. Two free hits, and they didn't even trigger my regeneration. Is this the best you can do? My Mid-Class Rook hits me harder."
"Oof. That must sting. Heh." The devil sniffed as he let a faux wince, "Just where will you go from here, little Phenex? Do go on and give me a good show."
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, and A. Daw for being Patrons!
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A/N: All powers are of my own creation based on the description of the Wikipedia's entries on the 72 Demon Pillars. I try to keep them thematic and based on what they can do. I should probably use this to create an informational page for all 32 remaining pillars with their ability descriptions so that you and I can reference it for the future.
Alexander Shax was aware that there was something else to Riser's abilites, able to feel that there was Touki unlocked, but being completely unfamiliar with it and it not being 'unlocked' as something he could access (not having a peak trained body and mind), he wrote it off instantly in favor of focusing on the Phenex traits he could immediately copy.
I thought about having the fight extend so that Riser could figure out that Shax had only trained his blood trait to the point where he could only copy one ability at a time, with a small delay between switches, but that seemd superfluous given that a Phenex is immune to their own flames. The Shax trait latches onto the blood trait and is seen as a 'rightful inheritor' and thus the traits and abilities they copy are directly linked to the target they are copying. So they aren't 'copying' as much as they are 'usurping' or 'piggybacking'.
The Voice (Paimon): The Voice, is a super hypnosis that can compel other Demons to follow simple commands. Only works on those weaker than the user.
Hell Wolf (Amon): Just as the Vapula are Lion tamers, the Amon are Wolf tamers, raising great beasts who have the bodies of wolves with tails of snakes that can create poisonous venom and clouds.
Beast Create (Naberious): The Naberius are the creators of Chimera and have a similar ability to speak to beasts, which they use to help create Chimera that complement each other.
Beast of the Sea (Forneus): The Forneus house has a transformative blood trait that allows them to take on the form of large and powerful sea creatures of mundane and supernatural variety by feasting on their flesh.
King Thief (Shax): The Shax family can copy and utilize the blood traits of nearby devils or other supernatural creatures. They are the Underworld's copy-cats, using a foe's abilities against them. The closer they are the more talent they can draw from, and if they get a bit of blood to sup on then they can copy the abilities for 24 hours without proximity. They gain an intuitive understanding of the abilities they copy, but if certain requirements aren't unlocked, such as having trained their body and mind to the peaks (for something like Touki), then they are somewhat aware that they exist but cannot glean anything from it.
Kingdom Prophecy (Balam): The Balam family is a devil family with a strong prophetic trait, but they are most known for their Three Aspects. The Bull, when invoked, greatly increases the user's strength. The Man improves their intellect, and thus their magical control. The Ram greatly improves their durability.
Chapter 11 - 25 Years - Part 4 (14 on the Inside)
[Riser Phenex]
[14 Years on the Inside]
"Breathe in, breathe out. Allow your ki to flow naturally, do not try to control it. If your flows are not correct I could end up hurting you more than helping."
I did my best to follow her instructions despite having heard them almost every night for the past two years. Ever since I unlocked my Touki I have been having sessions with Michiko three to four nights a week, the woman teaching and applying what little she knew of Senjutsu during our time together. My bed within the ATTC was the bed I used to have in my bedroom in the manor, the one with the enchantments that my father placed on it when I first began training in the Dungeon. The massive, four-post Super King-sized bed could hold four adults comfortably with plenty of elbow room, yet with all of that space available to use there were no gaps between us.
We were both nude, and the cat woman's sinfully tight body was pressed so thoroughly to my body that it was almost impossible to tell where her body ended and mine began. We were on our sides in a comfortable position with a pair of the fluffiest of pillows cradling our heads, and Michiko had one arm wrapped around my waist, trapped underneath my hip, and the other slinking around my chest; her breasts were squished into my back, her pelvis molded to my muscular ass, and her thighs and legs melded to my own. The first few months were a rather arousing experience, yet as time went on, the familiarity and comfort from her embrace and ki pulled those lustful feelings away, allowing me to sink fully into observing what she was doing.
Bouchujutsu, or the Bedroom Method, was one of the most practiced techniques that Senjutsu users learned. However, saying it like that automatically evoked the idea that it was something in 'common use', which couldn't be further from the truth because Senjutsu users were as rare as Touki users.
Senjutsu was once the realm of the Great Sennin and God-like beings such as Sun Wukong, the infamous Monkey King, though as time went on and the true Masters of Senjutsu took on students over the millennia the practice began to proliferate. Somewhat. The amount of training required to even grasp the higher concepts of Senjutsu was measured in decades at the low end and centuries at the high end, and despite its practice being the near total control of one's lifeforce… the lives of non-immortals still inevitably came to an end. So they did as any mortal would do and they tried to find a loophole to cheat their inevitable fates, and thus the Bouchujutsu technique was created from those efforts.
A being's ki, whether human, devil, or youkai, was divided into two halves- the Yin and Yang- with there being a prominent barrier keeping the female and male halves separate. Yet despite this division there existed a core of the opposing lifeforce energies within to provide true balance and nurturing. This balance provided smooth flows of energy through the seven chakra gates, slowly but surely aligning the rotations of these wheels so that they all moved in the same direction; once this momentum was established a Senjutsu user could begin to walk the path toward becoming a Senjutsu Master… where the physical and spiritual energies were wholly aligned with the body and the greatest of powers could be achieved.
Bouchujutsu was a significant force multiplier, cutting the necessary time to correct the individual spinning of one's chakra gates, and most notably, improving the quality and quantity of one's lifeforce. This directly translated into longer lifespans for mortals to the point where they might as well be immortals by modern conventions, with humans who have even middling ability with Senjutsu able to live hundreds of years while still retaining their youth; provided that they had a partner willing to assist them in the bedroom arts. However, for a devil, whose known lifespan arguably had no end because the oldest of devils still walked the Underworld, this boon was merely a nice bonus.
What I was after was the chakra alignment and the qualitative and quantitative increases in my Ki. That, and improving my ability to sense ki; making a beautiful flower grow from a seed in the palm of my hand would be a neat party trick, but becoming skilled enough to turn barren wastelands into beautiful forests and grasslands with my lifeforce alone wasn't exactly high up on my list of things to learn. At least not while Trihexa was a threat to the whole world- it wasn't as though the Beast of the Apocalypse would stop to smell the pretty flowers.
I let out a soft sigh of pleasure as I feel Michiko's attentive, motherly ki flow into my body from where we are connected. She holds onto me gently yet firmly, the warmth of her lifeforce trickling into my own in seven steady streams and intertwining with my own effortlessly. It was effortless, after all, how could it not be? As a man, my ki was naturally Yang-aligned- it was firm and logical, yet hot and filled with vigor, and as a woman, her's was Yin-aligned; cool, gentle, smooth as the flesh of her bosom and intuitive.
They were two halves of the same whole, separate yet equal, and they complemented each other in a way that was truly awe-inspiring.
My fast-moving ki was quick to envelop her own, and as any woman could do to a man, her ki easily coaxed mine into slowing down and relaxing. My ki took her's by the hand and the fast run that it had been taking through my body was pulled down to a leisurely paced walk, yet despite the change in pace my ki was all too happy to lead her through the multiple pathways that connected my seven chakras anchoring my body and soul.
It sort of reminded me of a guy grabbing his new wife and giving her the $10 dollar tour of his hometown, the place where he was born and raised to become the man she fell in love with.
The comparison was as amusing as it was humbling.
What was even more amusing was that once she'd been shown around, the tour ended up at the house the man had inherited from his parents, and the new wife immediately began looking around and making suggestions on how to 'spruce up the place' with some changes to the interior decorating.
'Oh, that Sacral Chakra looks so nice! Buuuuutttt~ maybe it would be better if we spun that wheel the other way? You know, to make it match the others? I watched this video on YouTube made by this really spiritual guy who talked about Feng Shui, and he said that if all of your Chakras are spinning in the same direction then that can help you reach the next stage of your Cultivation! So go ahead and grab your stuff because it is time to clean this place up! Gosh, I am like, sooooo excited!'
Though calling the Chakras a 'wheel' is a bit of a misnomer- they were more like perfect spheres than anything else. You could cause them to spin 'East' to 'West' or 'West' to 'East', or they could spin 'North' to 'South', 'South' to 'North' or anywhere in between. Michiko mentioned that the direction of the spin could alter the effects of what could be achieved in the next step on my path to learning Senjutsu, but she did not have much knowledge as to what those effects were.
For now, ensuring that they were all rotating in the same direction and on the same 'line' was most important.
Given that I was a man, most of my Chakras were already rotating in the same direction that was commonly seen with the flows where the lifeforce was Yang-aligned. Interestingly enough, it appeared as though my status as a devil did shift some of those Chakras into a different orientation, something that Michiko recognized because she had been cultivating with her husband long before they became devils, and his reincarnation had changed the flows of his Chakras from when he has a nekomata.
This sort of threw away all of the years of hard work that they had put in, which was frustrating to them both, but I suppose that those sorts of things just happen. You can't win 'em all, and having your chakras altered after your body and soul changed to become a devil seems like a pretty natural consequence. The half-devil bakeneko herself wasn't seen as worth reincarnating by their new King given the strength disparity between her and her husband, and the service of the husband was more than enough to ensure the service of the wife.
A groan of contentment left my lips as her ki enveloped one of my Chakra Gates and began to slowly apply the brakes. Manipulation like this wasn't a sprint, it was a marathon, an intensive process that focused on small, feather-light corrections that would add up over time. Yet despite this inherent shifting of part of my very being, I was wholly and utterly relaxed; her womanly ki was soothing to me in a way that only matched the gentle touches of my mother's caress. The focus of our session likely helped, because we were working on the Muladhara, the Root Chakra that governed energy, stability, feelings of safety, and comfort.
Much like a sixty-minute massage, however, this wonderful experience was over far too soon.
I felt her tendrils of cool ki slowly retreat from my body, and my eyes fluttered open as she wiggled away to slowly make some space between us- our bodies where we had been joined were sweaty and sticky.
The covers rustled as I rotated in place, my arm slipping up underneath the pillow that supported her head, and I slipped my hand up from the covers to rest my palm against her cheek- my fingers gently stroking the base of her right ear. I could see the exertion clearly in her features, her beautiful, mismatched eyes were tight; her tiredness lay not in her body, but in her spirit.
I gave her a small smile, "Alright, on your belly, Michiko. You've helped me relax, so it's time for me to reciprocate."
During the first few months of our sessions, she had hidden her lingering discomfort from me, and that caused her fatigue to slowly start building up over time until her performance started degrading everywhere. She was able to cover it up well enough thanks to our resting days, but eventually, between her education, maid training, magical training, and physical conditioning the signs became clear enough that her Maid Sempais put their foot down and forced her to tell me.
After all, what good maid hides such things from their Lord? A Lord requires their servants to be in peak condition at all times, and more to the point, it was the Lord's responsibility to give them the care that they as faithful servants are owed.
I did this by reducing the nightly sessions to four days a week, and after she exhausted her spirit to cultivate mine I did my part to rejuvenate her body so that her mind and soul could heal as well. That it was enjoyable for her and myself made it that much sweeter.
The woman blushed slightly as she nodded and rolled onto her belly, "Of course, Master."
I pulled back the covers of the bed and slipped on my boxers before popping a bottle of massage oil, magical massage oil, into my hand from my magic pocket. I slid down the bed just enough so that I could straddle the backs of her thighs, and I squirted some oil onto my hands and rubbed them together to heat it up.
Rubbing my hands up and down her body was a religious experience.
Her skin was perfectly smooth underneath my calloused hands, her flesh pliant and supremely supple, and it contrasted beautifully with the corded steel of her muscles; from my lofty position above her, I could see the way each muscle flexed and relaxed as my fingers dug into the meat while my palms squished and soothed the ache and pains of her day. The soft groans and 'Nya's that she rarely ever let slip into her vernacular, unlike her two daughters who could barely end a sentence without it, filled the air as I worked over her shoulders, arms, and down her back where I paid special attention to where her tail protruded from her spine.
I slid down her legs and put some effort into digging into her meaty, juicy buttocks, using my wrists and elbows to apply acute pressure where it was needed. Her thighs required just as much attention and care before I slid off her body to knead her calves and work over her feet.
Once that was over, she immediately rolled onto her back, and I once more started from the top and worked my way down.
The feline mother of two shivered underneath my hands as I alternated between working over her pectoral muscles and kneading her firm, springy breasts, and then I slid down and worked my fingers over the finely cut grooves of her sexy as fuck eight-pack. I made sure to knead her thighs, and the front of her shins before ending the massage there with a thoroughly relaxed kitty maid.
My hands and fingers strayed close to her puffy and slightly aroused pussy, yet she had not parted her thighs for my fingers to explore her hidden depths, so I refrained from pushing any further.
Even if I was her Master who owned her in body, heart, mind, and soul… it appeared as though some part of her still held the image of her beloved husband close to her bosom and hadn't quite let him go. Even after more than a decade since his passing her heart still mourned his loss, and I couldn't figure out if it was due to the training and work keeping her too busy to sit down and process or if the mourning periods of supernatural beings with long lifespans were proportionally longer than that of mortals. She had been married to him for almost two hundred years before he went and got himself killed, and I had come to love her enough that I wouldn't step over her feelings to press the issue.
She would present herself to me when she felt she was ready, and I promised to not lay a finger on her two sixteen-year-old daughters until that time as well. Though from the way the sexy cat-girl maido twins looked at me longingly in the hot spring I could tell that they were more than ready to start receiving some of their 'beloved Riser-sama's hot, sticky affections, nya~'.
I snapped my fingers and my personal spell, a copy of the Prestidigitation spell from Dungeons and Dragons, immediately removed the oils and sweat from the sheets and both of our bodies, and I slid back down onto the bed and wrapped Michiko up in my arms. She let out a pleased mewl, the feline mother of two snuggled into my embrace, the woman rubbing her cheek into my shoulder.
Just before we drifted off to sleep I couldn't help but wonder out loud:
"Why are only women users of Bouchujutsu? Can't a man do the same?"
I felt her eyelashes flutter against my flesh as she considered the question, "I dunno, nya~. Bouchujutsu is rather finicky, and a Yin-aligned technique, one that requires a lot of control. I'm sure a man could do it but women are naturally better at redirecting and nurturing."
I felt my lips firm into a thin line as I felt my arms tighten up around her, "That sounds like a challenge."
"Why do you care, nya~? You will grow stronger as you wish, Master."
"It's simple, my dear Michiko. I want to explore you all, to feel your ki and help you grow along with me," I murmured as I considered the question further, "What you do with me here is… incredibly intimate. You know me at a very fundamental level- the basis of my lifeforce and who I am is laid bare to you. It's an exhilarating feeling… slightly embarrassing but still wonderful. I love it, and I want to see more of all of you, to look past the surface and see what lies underneath."
Michiko hummed but didn't reply for a few minutes, "If you want, Master… I will do my best to teach you. Don't expect immediate results, okay? Your primary essence is Yang, action and quick intent, so it could take a long time for you to learn how to control your lesser Yin to the extent necessary to use it safely."
My thumb brushed over her shoulder and I placed a kiss between the fluffy brown-striped ears on the top of her head, "Thank you, Michiko. It's all I can ask."
Given that I was still having troubles with my Phenex Regeneration… man, I hope it wasn't nearly as difficult. That little healing kitty hadn't come out to play since my Touki break-through.
Maybe I should consult Regen and ask him? He seemed to be the most experienced with our family's regeneration…
"I need to figure out where exactly this place is," I muttered to myself as I looked down at the sketch I'd made of Kuroka and Shirone that I'd drawn years ago.
I'd been meditating with my mother, looking over the threads of fate that constantly spiraled and changed around me, when a single thread reached out and smacked me in the face.
- 'On a pedestrian Japanese street crowded with cats, a lone man- clearly a devil from the horns and tail he was sporting- was bent over to offer an Evil Piece to a black cat standing protectively over a small white kitten; he had a genial smile on his face, but from his back erupted a pair of black wings that held cages filled with corpses.'-
It appeared that the time to intervene was growing close, and I needed to start figuring out where the hell they were.
So I called together my girls and we sat around a freshly purchased Atlas of Japan, though it was sort of a wasted purchase as Michiko tapped a small island on the eastern coast of Japan almost immediately after looking at the image.
"That looks exactly like Tashirojima Island, Master," I followed her finger, looked at the corresponding grid, checked it against the index to find the page number, and then flipped to the corresponding page, "The road in the image is Makiharo Street. I can tell because I once used to live in the village of Tashirohama, or at least the Youkai half, and that blur in the background is the famous Cat Shrine up on Sangomichi hill."
"I don't exactly doubt your words, Michiko, but what makes you so certain?" I asked as I looked over the blown-up view of the island, noting that the nearest town with a ferry service was Ishinomi City.
"As I said, I lived there. I was born and raised there until I finished my studies under my sensei and followed… my husband to the Underworld," Michiko slowed her words and averted her gaze, "It's the island owned by the Cat Youkai."
She reached into her magic pocket and pulled out a small wooden token that was covered in kanji script, "More specifically it is aligned with the Eastern Youkai Faction, under the auspicious leadership of Lord Nurarihyon-sama, with Mistress Magari-sama, a nekomata of great power serving as his vassal overseeing the territory."
I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to think back to what little knowledge I did have, and I came up with nothing, "I thought Yasaka-sama was the ruler of the Youkai Faction?"
Even with my faulty memory, there was no possible way I could ever forget big, busty kitsune mamma. She had tits for days and nine tails! Nine fluffy tails!
The cat woman shook her head, "I understand the confusion, Riser-sama, but Lady Yasaka-sama is the ruler of the Western Youkai Faction, based in Kyoto. However, because she is the only faction leader in Japan who is willing to entreat with outside factions on a routine basis, it has led to the misconception that she speaks for all of Japan… even when she rightly should, as she is the Divine Messenger for Japan's Goddess, Amaterasu no Omikami-sama. No, Lord Nurarihyon-sama is the ruler of the lands East of Shizuoka."
I flipped back over to the index and began searching for Kuoh Town, and I was sort of surprised to see that it was on the western outskirts of Tokyo, between Hadano and Hachioji.
I hummed as I crossed my arms and let a finger tap against my bicep, "Regardless, we're going to have to either teleport or take the Underworld Express to Kuoh anyway."
"Hmmmm? Why is that, Master? Nya~," Ni popped in from behind me, the feline wrapping her arms around my shoulders and rubbing her cheek against mine.
"It's because there are only two formal gates to Japan from the Underworld," I held up one finger, and then a second, "The first is the Official Diplomatic line, and the Kuoh line is mainly used for easy access to Tokyo. Both have complete teleportation arrays from the Underworld, as well as two train stations."
Michiko hummed, "There was one in Miyagi, that was where my husband and I arrived in the Underworld from, but roughly four decades ago the devil Overseer was ejected summarily by Lord Narurihyon-sama. Kenneth Purson, the designated Heir, was made the Overseer for the territory as part of his training to take over the Purson lands, or so I was told, but he failed miserably in keeping track of Strays and unauthorized devil intrusions, and thus removed."
Isabela clicked her tongue as she scratched at her head, the woman, now no longer wearing her concealing half-mask, eyeing the map, "Being able to take the train to Miyagi would have cut our travel time down to almost nothing."
Apparently, her first King had given her some rather horrible scars using his demonic power to do the deed, and the Phenex Tears I gave her as part of her reward for unlocking her Touki with me had healed them. She hasn't bothered picking up the mask since, though I wished that she'd told me about the injury sooner because I could have handled it years ago. Her other eye is just as beautiful, and I enjoyed seeing it and her fierce expressions without the bone-white mask hiding half of her face from sight.
"Well, there is no sense in crying over spilled milk," I muttered, even if I agreed with her, "Regardless it is going to be a multi-day trip, and given the scheduling of the Underworld Express is more flexible than waiting for the teleportation arrays to align with Earth… we'll likely be taking the train. Not that we wouldn't have to anyway, since if I do recruit the two girls I'll have to bring them down regardless. I will let my father know that I need to take a trip up to Earth, Japan specifically, and I'll need to pen a letter to Kuoh Town's Overseer, Cleria Belial, and let her know we're coming ahead of time and what our intentions are; she might have to send a letter to Lady Yasaka-sama's office so that they can let the Eastern Youkai Faction know that a group of devils will be entering their lands."
"Sounds like such a pain, nya~," Li dislodged her sister so that she could wrap her arms around my shoulders and cuddle my other cheek.
"That's life, sweet kitty. Politics makes a mess out of everything it touches, but I can't say that I fault them, as I wouldn't want just anyone wandering around the Phenex lands all willy-nilly," I clapped my hands lightly, "Alright. It will take at least a few months ATTC time to get that all sorted out, so here is what we're going to do: Michiko."
I looked at the cat maid, "I'd like for you to write up some dossiers on Lord Nurarihyon-sama and the Eastern Youkai Faction. Include what you know of Lady Magari-sama and Tashirojima Island. Sabrine will help you by contacting Lady Serafall's office in Lilith and getting their public records so that we can compare and contrast them to see if anything in your memories has changed. Xuelan, I'll leave you to work with Eustus, the current Head Butler in the ATTC, to put together a travel itinerary for us, to include travel on the mortal JR Lines, taxi services, and lodging."
Isabela perked up as I looked at her, "You will be in charge of our operations while we're in Kuoh Town, so it will be up to you to get in contact with Cleria Belial's Peerage and discuss details. Get a more detailed map of the area and learn the lay of the land; and interesting locations- especially churches- and maybe get some information on the local eateries and the mall. We might not have any time to stop by Akihabara, so finding out where the anime shops, bookstores, and collectibles might be found will be good. The girl's birthdays are coming up, and I know that they'd never forgive me if I went to Japan in person and didn't bring them back anything."
"Aw man, sticking me with the nerd shit?" She rolled her eyes, "Come on, Master. Why not let me help Xuelan? I was at least born in the last century, and grew up in a developed region of the world, I could help her with getting our travel sorted out."
I let my eyes lid, "It is because she has these deficiencies that I am having her take up that particular task, Isabela. And don't let Rias-chan or Seekvaira-chan hear you call their hobbies 'Nerd shit', or else I'll never let your ass walk around un-tanned, capiche?"
Her face scrunched up before she huffed out a laugh, "You really are too soft on those girls, Master. It's… cute."
Though if I wanted to split hairs it was Sona-chan's interests that were 'Nerd shit', while Rias-chan and Seekvaira-chan were the 'Geeks'. lol
"What about us, Master?" Ni spoke up.
"You two will be continuing your Maid training under Auntie Clarissa's watchful eye at the Main House," The pair looked like they were about to complain but I headed them off at the pass, "If I'm going to be wandering about Earth then I want to only take those who I know will be okay if we end up in a fight. You two have grown up into beautiful, strong young women, but you're only High-Class, and just barely at that. You lack a lot of training experience, but that is something we'll be correcting moving forward. So don't get all down in the dumps about it. Besides, I want you two to watch over Ravel-chan and the girls while we're gone, okay?"
Flattened ears perked up a little bit, and Li grabbed her bicep, "Okay, Master! We'll watch over the little birdie, nya~."
She squeaked as my hand flashed out to pinch the cleft of her delectable bottom, "Only I'm allowed to give Ravel-chan cutsie nicknames, alright? It is my privilege as a Big Brother. So you will address her as Ravel-chan in private or Ravel-sama in front of guests, like a proper kitty maid, okay?"
She wiggled and squirmed as I teased her flesh, the pressure just beneath the threshold of pain, and the feline blushed profusely, "O-okay, Riser-sama. We'll obey, nya~."
"Good."
[The Dungeon]
Oh God ( ow), is this what dying feels like?
I feel like I'm dying.
The second ring of the Dungeon was very different from the first.
Where the first ring was meant to contain the meat-heads with poor control over their demonic energy, utilizing complex and powerful illusions to keep them pliant while the Dungeon sapped their vitality, the second ring was meant for the devils who had heaps of control and magical power but not a great deal of physical endurance or strength.
There were complex magical arrays that seemed to fluctuate with different effects, from minor spacial warping to high and extremely high levels of gravity. There were extreme temperature fluctuations as well, shifting from blisteringly hot (which didn't affect me as a Phenex), to biting cold that I had to constantly ward off with my flames.
Thanks to my many, many, many years of training in the first ring, my ability to precisely regulate my mana had grown to an instinctive level now, to the point where I mainly went to the first ring to have my magical power sapped from me… and to see if there were any more curveballs in terms of mental effects or illusions that the Dungeon hadn't already shared with me.
I could intercept and prevent any form of illusion from taking hold of me now, and it was a very rare day when it managed to slip one over me.
It sort of amused me that the Dungeon seemed to feel frustrated by this development, and it was more than happy to have its revenge by trying to slowly kill me once more now that I had started venturing into the second ring, and the reason I went was that I was starting to reach the direct limits of the current set of restraints; cranking them up to the maximum only sealed away 80% of my power, and if I flared my Touki before deactivating it I'd surely shatter them just as my last restraints turned to ash.
The girls now were all sporting a copy of my jade and gold restraints, and I had to say that I really liked the way the jade band clung to their necks… it was sexy as fuck, and it gave me a more visual reminder as to whom they belonged to.
Still, I needed to upgrade my restraints, and Xuelan told me that she would arrange for me to visit the Misty Peaks district of China where the numerous sects sequestered themselves away from the mundane world. There was supposedly a great artificer and enchanter that could improve our restraints, and seeing as my current set was based in Chinese and Korean schools of sealing it made sense.
While I was in Japan I might have to ask around and see if the Western Youkai faction didn't have anything similar- the devils had a much better working relationship with the Japanese Shinto faction than we did with the Buddhists and the like of China. I felt like I could either get a better deal with them or at the very least get better customer service.
My hands slapped against the stone in front of me as I crawled forward, the slabs beneath my palms seemingly alternating between covered in frost and boilingly hot (for a devil), and the gravity sharply increased, forcing my face to kiss the cold stone before it tapered off into something less intense. Pain lanced up my arms, and I'm pretty certain that the shift cracked the ulna bones of both of my forearms; really, I think I was lucky that it didn't blow out my elbows. A cracked forearm I can shrug off, but a blown-out elbow? That would force me to regenerate, and that would make all of the training I did today worthless.
"Auntie 'Rissa, I think I'm done. Cracked my forearms." I called out, knowing that she would hear me easily no matter where I was in the circle.
Clarissa had been training herself, to the point where she could easily withstand coming to pick me up. All I would have to do is wait for her leisurely pace to come by and grab me, and I could take a hot bath and figure out what I was going to practice while my arms healed naturally; Bouchujutsu with Michiko would certainly help, but I wouldn't feel comfortable sparing with freshly healed forearms, so I would have to do something different.
I could tweak some of my spells some more… even if I feel like I've gotten the most out of the concepts at my current level of skill. Math was hard, magical math was harder, and the grind?
The grind was eternal.
Man, Clarissa is taking a very long time…
'Tap. Tap. Tap.'
I inhaled sharply as I flared my magical power; just because the Dungeon didn't throw illusions at me as often here in the second ring doesn't mean it didn't.
'Tap. Tap. Tap. Shuffle. Tap.'
Yet the noise continued in my direction all of the same.
The rough stone scratched my cheek as I craned my neck, and a figure emerged from around the bend. It was short, and the bulge of the bosom showed her to be female, but the rest of her form was obscured by a black silk cloak that was covered in silver and gold swirls; the thread seemed to move on its own with each step she took. In her hand was a beautiful staff, made from twisted wood, capped with golden silver on the bottom, and on the top rested a golden cage where a soft orange flame shed light all around her. This had the rather creepy effect of bathing her face in shadow, as the cowl of her cloak's hood hid her visage from sight.
Really, it was the yawing darkness within her hood that sent one of the first true thrills of terror down my spine, and I found I couldn't breath as my body locked up in fright.
It was the same level of terror that I first experienced when I came down here and stepped into the dungeon for the first time.
'Shuffle. Tap. Shuffle.'
My power surged, filling me with warmth, and I melted the cage of ice that gripped my heart.
"Release," I whispered, and my jade restraints deactivated immediately.
I no longer wanted to be here. I wanted to go home and snuggle with someone, maybe Sabrine; her bosom was so soft and pliant. Or maybe Mom would be the better choice?
The moment my full strength returned to me I bolstered my body with my magical power and forced myself back up onto my feet, and she simply waved her hand in front of her… and I found myself falling back down onto my knees despite being wholly unleashed.
"Now, now. None of that boy."
Her voice was raspy, hoarse, and very unkind.
Shit, I really, really, really did not want to be here anymore!
My Touki responded readily to my call, the soft golden glow of aura filling me up and sliding easily over the surface of my skin like a film. I righted myself once more, this time intent on leaving immediately, yet she flicked her hand once more and the ground cratered beneath my feet as the gravity around me overmatched the multiplier of my strength.
I was certain it was only a matter of seconds before my femur bones popped out through the tops of my legs. Or I shit out my spine. Neither sounded like an interesting prospect.
"I said that was enough, you unruly child," A gnarled hand reached out from under the cloak and wrapped around my neck, "I think you should take a little nap. When you wake up we can talk once you've calmed down."
The moment her cool fingers gripped me the small pull on my power which had always been a tiny trickle, suddenly widened up, like going from a garden hose to a waste gate on a dam. I felt my demonic power and ki get sucked out of me like a particularly thirsty gold digger who just found out her date was a multimillionaire with poor alcohol tolerance and he wasn't carrying any condoms.
"Cuh-rissa…" I managed to choke out as my vision started to darken, and the old crone huffed in amusement.
"No need to worry about her, I sent her back ahead of you…"
My eyes fluttered shut.
Awareness came back to me slowly, in stages; I felt my ki calmly circulating within me, sensations within my body followed next, followed by my hearing, sense of smell, and lastly my sight.
I cracked open my eyes to see myself lying on a rather chintzy and lavish-looking couch, with red velvet covering the surface of the cushions, and gold rivets keeping everything taut and in place. The cushions were incredibly soft yet surprisingly supportive, and I couldn't help but find myself wondering which was more comfortable- this couch or my own bed?
I inhaled deeply as I slowly sat up and looked around the room I found myself in; it was very large, with the area of the cylindrical room likely equal to the square footage of a large American family home. Tastefully burnished wooden slat dividers broke up the space into different sections, while beautifully woven tapestries hung from the surface of every wall; some seemed to be depicting great battles between the forces of Hell and the Fallen and Heavenly Host, while others were more warm and joyful, such as the handful of hanging artworks depicting ethereally gorgeous women holding newborn babies in their arms.
"Ah, boy, you're finally awake," The raspy voice spoke out from behind me, and I turned my head to look at her from over the back of the couch; she looked far less frightening without the cloak on, and the warm light that seemed to diffuse from nowhere in particular gave me a much better look at her features.
Spoiler: Warden, the Old Crone
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"You're the Warden," I said.
No, I didn't ask. It was a statement.
"Hmph, and your progenitor ," The staff she had in her hand beat a light tattoo as she walked around the rear of the couch to stand a few paces in front of me, "You would have known about that if you had actually completed the final Trial and come to visit me instead of flouncing around my home and using it as a training ground of all things."
I felt my jaw drop slightly.
I knew that some of the oldest devils were still around, the Gremory Matriarch, Runeas Gremory, still lived and breathed, as did Zekram Bael, Hadrian Stollas, Kitsch Vassago, and Leonora Vapula. They were an open secret, those oldest of devils, but they had decided to retreat completely from the public light- except Zekram- after the end of the Great War to let their children lead the Underworld.
The House Phenex's progenitor still lived was something that honestly shocked me.
That she wasn't a devil shocked me even more.
It was impossible for a devil to not recognize another devil, just as it was impossible for a devil to not recognize a Fallen or an Angel. There were of course incredibly powerful magical disguises that could fool the senses of someone untrained, but I felt I'd had more than enough experiences sussing out the scent of illusions, and her Ki told me a different story entirely.
She was old.
Ancient.
I could feel the accumulated experience within her ki like thick layers of dust on the surface of a book in an abandoned library. Her ki spoke of endless flames and the wind beneath my wings.
"How long have you been in here?"
My question actually seemed to catch her off guard, and she blinked before looking up toward the very high ceilings, the old crone scratching her chin, "Oh… I suppose it's been around four thousand years or so by this point; Lucifer wanted to make a prison that would contain his unruly children and I wanted to be left alone, so we struck a deal and had this place built together."
Suddenly a pang of anguish lanced through my chest, and I felt my eyes begin to sting something fierce, "You've been here alone this whole time?"
She shrugged her shoulders weakly, "Yes? I mean, my descendants have come to visit with me to complete their last trial of adulthood, and there have always been prisoners for me to attend to, so it wasn't like I've been alone."
Oh, the tears started falling, unbidden from my eyes, and I sucked up a horrendous amount of snot as I stood up from the couch and wrapped my arms around the old woman, burying my face into the crook of her neck, "I could have at least been visiting you this whole time? Coming by to visit and keep you company? Why didn't you say anything?"
Nobby fingers seemed as though they didn't know what to do, but the moment my blurry vision turned gold they immediately grasped my hair and tugged my head away- a trio of vials digging into my cheeks to capture the golden tears, "Maa~, such an emotional grandchild I have; how many Passion Tears does this make now? Twelve vials? Your Father has only shed ten in his entire lifetime, and your brothers even fewer than him."
The moment the vials were capped and put into my magic pocket I sniffed, "I can't tell if you're amazed or amused."
She snorted at patted the back of my head, "Why can I not be both? You of all devils should know that emotions are not all or nothing. Now, why don't you sit back down and we can talk, hmm? I can make tea."
~The world had changed.
No longer did the massive reptiles roam the lands, instead the animals of warm blood, flesh, and fur took their place, creating their own hierarchy of Animal Kingdoms. Predators of fang and claw, Prey of hoof and horn, and everything in between began to populate, spread out, and grow. The raptors that roamed the plains and jungles changed to take to the skies, to soar through the bright blue that was the dominion of Dragons.
The first bird, the Primordial Bird, was a creature of immense power and beauty. Her feathers shimmered with every color of the rainbow, and her eyes glinted like the most precious of rubies. Her neck was long and graceful, and her plumage was divine. Her wings and tail feathers were the subjects of talk among the scaled lizards called 'Dragon', and they frequently battle amongst each other, with only the strongest getting the opportunity to couple with her.
The Primordial Bird's reach spanned the globe, from sea to shining sea, from rainforest to barren wasteland, and she made her nest to deliver her clutch before seeking out a new dragon to mate with and carry out her self-imposed mission of seeing her children live in every corner of the world.
After tens of thousands of years of breeding, she had finally accomplished her goal, and yet despite her great power, she knew that her time was coming to an end. So she sought out one last partner, a powerful Dragon King, laid with him, taking his seed within her body, and then flew away to seek out the perfect place to build one last nest.
On the misty peaks of an ancient mountain she built, tearing the loose feathers from her plumage to make it comfortable and warm for her incoming clutch, and when the day finally came she labored and delivered the last seven eggs she would ever lay.
Yet, she knew something was wrong when she examined the fruits of her labor. Of the seven… one was stillborn, a corpse that would be forever trapped within its protective shell.
This caused the Primordial Bird great anguish, because for all she knew the wonderous joys of motherhood, seeing her eggs hatch and her children growing strong, not once had she ever been witness to the death of one of her young. She covered her living eggs with her body and dragged the stillborn egg in front of her. She rolled it around. Tapped at it, and did everything she could to cajole the dead child, and yet no matter what she did, the child did not return to life.
The Mother threw back her head and let loose a piercing, anguished screech! Her baby! Why had this child not lived where all of the others had!? Why was she to be tormented with this agony of agonies so soon before her own death was to arrive?
She looked down her beak at the cold, lifeless shell, and bade her child to live.
She bade it to return to life so that she could see her chick breathe with her own eyes.
So fervent was her wish that her magic crystallized into the form of a single tear, a golden tear of the purest of passions- a mother's love for her child, and that tear slid down her beak and onto the stillborn egg.
The egg's surface absorbed the tear, turning it golden, before it crumbled to ash, leaving the Mother stunned beyond belief.
Yet, just when she was about to give up hope, the ash began to smoke, a small tongue of flame sprouted, and it began to consume the ash as its fuel. The Primordial Bird was confused but she watched the process play out all the same, and when the last flecks of ash were gone, a beautiful baby chick with fluffy plumage of golden feathers and fire sat before her- its eyes closed to the world.
And thus the first Phoenix was born.~
"And I would hazard to guess that you, grandmother, are the first Phoenix? Or at least a close descendent of it?"
A warm chuckle left her wizened lips as she refilled my teacup before pouring herself some more, a single teaspoon of cream and sugar was added to hers as she nodded, "Indeed, I am the first Phoenix. Every other Phoenix was one of my children."
"The other eggs that the Primordial Bird laid, would there be any other mystical bird that I would know?" I was genuinely curious, as you very rarely ever got high-quality lore dumps like this from any history books, especially given in the narrative style of spoken word; it was quite the treat.
"My clutch was filled with low achievers, some becoming the Celestial Birds of Chinese mythologies, though they're all dead and gone now; the only one that I know who is still alive is Jo, though he is more widely known as Suzaku, the Vermillion Bird of the Himejima Clan; the old fossil cheating death by sealing himself away and living bound to a mortal host," Her lips curled in amusement as a chuckle left her lips, "Heh. The prick was always going on and on about the worthlessness of mortals over the years, and yet there he is, relying on mortals to keep him from Death's cold embrace. If he didn't want to die so badly he should have been born a Phoenix like me."
I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes, "Grandmother, while I do appreciate the irony of his situation, I don't think he had any choice with how he was born. From the story you just told me it sounds like your birth was an extraordinary circumstance."
She sniffed and looked down at her teacup, "Well I am extraordinary. You should have seen the way those scaley Dragons flocked to me; you would have thought that I was the only girl in the world with how they battled each other for weeks on end. Destroying mountains, making new ones, and killing each other like a bunch of fools. They heard of my Mother's beauty from tales told to them by other older Dragons- the ones who didn't just kill them outright for bothering them- and when they heard about the newest beauty on the block they all wanted to sniff my tailfeathers."
"Like a bunch of greedy, savage, pigs with wings," Her words were harsh yet the pleased expression on her face told me a different story.
Her expression immediately soured, "Over thirty thousand years of flying high among the clouds, with Dragons old and young alike chasing me all over, and one day someone decided to go and sour all of it."
The saucer in her hand shattered, the teacup cracking, "I was flying toward what would one day be known as Ireland to see this Heavenly Dragon King, a powerful one who called himself a name that the primitive humans- Ddraig- to see what all the fuss was about; maybe we'd lay together and make a nice strong clutch, yet the moment I saw him barreling toward me I saw his great maw open up, and he roared: 'CHIMKN NUGGZ!!' "
The table was next to go, it catching flame and turning to ash, the golden platter and silver pot clattering to the ground in a horrendous clang.
I felt a bead of sweat dribble down my spine as she slowly took a sip from the cracked teacup in her hand, "The bastard swallowed me whole! It was horrific and disgusting! I'd never been treated so poorly in my entire life! Birds and Dragons alike flocked to mate with me, humans fell on their knees in worship of my renewing flames, but that Dragon ate me!"
She huffed and waved her hand, flames falling down onto the pile of ash that was the table, and it sprung forth from the fires as good as new, the same with the broken pottery and porcelain; the rest of the fallen items levitated back up onto the table. She flexed her wrist and I was surprised to see a pack of cigarettes, the package being one of the old retro styles of Lucky Strikes that I'd seen in some of the old WWII movies; she tapped the box and took a cigarette between her lips before offering me one.
I arched an eyebrow and she narrowed her's in turn, "I know you're not a 12-year-old boy, Riser. So go on, take one. It's not like you'll ever get Lung Cancer like those mortals."
The cigarette felt strange between my fingers because I'd never smoked a day in my life, not in my last one and not in this one; I hadn't seen the appeal of slowly killing myself while paying some corporation my hard-earned money for the pleasure of it. That and the mining chemicals we used to frack just didn't mix well with fire, and I wasn't keen on finding out if a cigarette could cause what inevitably splashed onto my clothes while adding pipe to combust or not.
Still, I took the cigarette between my lips and lit it up with my thumb all the same, and I inhaled slowly.
The sensation wasn't as uncomfortable as I'd been led to believe from seeing those first-time smokers coughing their lungs out, and I exhaled to watch the smoke float through the air.
My grandmother smiled broadly at me, "Do you know how long it takes for a Dragon to fully digest something and be passed out, boy?"
I blew out a breath while looking at the cherry burning slowly at the end of the cigarette, "I can't say I want to know, but I'm certain that you're going to tell me."
"A thousand years," She growled, "A thousand years I was forced to sit there in his guts, regenerating over and over again while surrounded by an ever-increasing amount of dragon meat, chunks of metal and stone, and rotting humans covered in metal armor and furs."
"When the prick finally shat me out in a steaming pile on the lowest plains near some gully he had the audacity to look at me and tell me that he 'didn't see what all the fuss was about, I wasn't that beautiful'! And he complained that I wasn't even spicy enough! Gah! I hate that damn Dragon!" She gnashed her teeth as her beady ruby eyes looked around the room, the woman chain-smoking her cigarette with unparalleled aggression, "It was just a few decades after I finally had my freedom that a pitiable Fallen Angel by the name of Lucifer approached me; he wooed me with his lofty goals of slaying the God that gave him life, and his single-minded focus really captured my attention. That and he promised to help me slay Ddraig when the opportunity arose, so I decided to fly around the world one last time, lay with a few more Dragons who caught my fancy, and then I joined him in the Underworld where I helped give birth to the Demon Pillar that would be known as House Phenex."
When her cigarette was but a stump she breathed some flames on it, and the cigarette was born anew so that she could start puffing on it all over again, "So, my dear grandson, what do you think?"
"That was both far more detailed than I ever wanted to know… and at the same time far less detailed than I would have liked," I hedged calmly, and she barked out a raspy laugh.
"What exactly would you have liked to know more about?" She waggled her white eyebrows, "Curious as to know what it's like to lay with Dragons?"
"No- well, I mean, I wouldn't be opposed as to hearing about girl Dragons…"
"Oh ho, you're an Adventerous one indeed, bold, brave, likely stupid, but as your grandmother I can honestly say that a child of my blood needs to be bolder and braver than most; you have my regeneration and vitality running through your veins, only a pusillanimous devil would shy away from adversity with my gifts."
"Well if you find a Lady Dragon, and she's hot to trot, what are you supposed to do? Say 'No'?"
"Meh, depends on the Lady Dragon; some of them were like Mantis, making a clutch and devouring the poor bastard who caught her attention. Others were just moody all of the time and never wished to mate at all unless it was on their time. I never bothered with them because they were all primadonnas, their fewer numbers always made them feel entitled to power and respect," She got a faraway look in her eyes as she took a long drag from her smoke, "Was it any wonder that when the boys caught wind of a beautiful feathered female that wouldn't try to claw their throats out in the middle of coitus they would flock to me and my mother? Heh, those bitches were always so mad when they heard I'd entered into their territories and started stealing their studs."
The old woman shook her head before slowly standing up after clapping her hands, "Welp, I think it's time for you to leave, o' grandchild of mine. It's getting late and you should get back to your training. However, before you leave I would like for you to help me with a little problem that I have."
The sudden change in pace caught me off guard, and I followed her away from the table and toward the entrance to her chambers, the old woman's staff tapping away at the smooth stone beneath our feet- wait, when had she grabbed her staff? More importantly, when did my cracked forearms stop hurting?
The large wooden double doors creaked open as she approached, and she led me down the right corridor of the third ring before she stopped a few paces in.
It was impossible not to notice the lack of crushing magics or illusions around her, and thus, me.
She turned around and thumped her staff firmly on the stone, "Now, my boy. I have one last task for you to complete before I see you as a proper man of House of Phenex."
I blinked, "I didn't think I was… taking the trials, Grandmother. Also, to the point, I think my Father barred me from taking them…"
"Yes, yes," She cut me off with a small wave of her hand, "Until you're victorious in your duel with Kuisha Abaddon, I understand. It's prudent of my darling Marcus, a little paranoid unless that girl is a monster of unparalleled talent like the young Lucifer boy, but I don't expect that you'll do something so foolish as lose, right?"
I pondered her words for a few moments before I shook my head, "I don't plan on losing, but am I hedging my bets on the slim chance that I do lose. I could have a bad day, get sick, make a terrible mistake in the middle of the fight, or I could have someone sabotage me; considering what's riding on this wager I wouldn't put it past someone to try and interfere with the match. Either for or against me. There is no love lost between the New Satan Houses and the Extra Demons."
She sniffed, "Prudent, but I felt that girl's strength just as you have, and I highly doubt that she has something on the level of your little time chamber."
"How do you know about the ATTC? And when did you feel Kuisha's strength? How?"
Grandmother waved her hand dismissively, "All will be revealed in due time, my child, now for your task? I want you to kill me."
My mouth opened up and… it stayed open for the next few moments until I found my wits again, "Elaborate, if you would please?"
Her lips pulled down as she shrugged, her gnarled, thin hands waving over her form, "Well? I'm very old now, boy. I don't like being old. I want to be young and beautiful again. I just don't feel like waiting another four years for this body to die so that I can be birthed anew, and I don't like taking my own life. You're powerful enough to end me while I'm frail, I saw that myself when you unveiled your Touki, so just do it."
I stared at her good and hard.
"Please, dearie? Won't you slay your kindly old Grandmother so that I can be young again?" She batted her thin eyelashes at me.
"Grandmother, I truly hope you're not fucking with me right now, Release," I sighed as the restraints removed their hold on my body, and I settled into the opening stance of the Kuroneko-style's most powerful punches, the golden light of my Touki suffusing my body, "If this is some sort of test, then tell me now, because once I throw this I won't be able to stop it."
That was a lie, something I am certain she caught.
The old woman, however, said nothing, and merely closed her eyes.
I lashed out with the blow, the woman blowing away into flecks of ash the moment my fist made contact with her body, and the resulting shockwave traveled down the fifty-meter-long corridor to strike me in the back. My feet skidded along the stone as I fought to regain my balance, but it was all for naught as the remainder of the shockwave came back around and whipped into me again, knocking me over and sending me ass-over-teakettle. I bounced off of the walls and rolled like a billiard ball until I came to a complete stop in front of a pile of ash that had been completely unaffected by the powerful winds unleashed by my punch.
With my chin buried in the stone, my ass up in the air, and my arms limp by my sides, I could only watch in amazement as the ash began to catch on fire just as Grandmother had told me in her story.
The flames glowed a beautiful, brilliant orange, and they grew larger and larger until a tiny form began to coalesce in the center of the flames. The form took the shape of a newborn baby before it rapidly began to grow, the figure growing to the size of a toddler, then a small child, and finally stopping around where a little girl would be around nine or ten years old.
I was flabbergasted, yet I still managed to get myself back up onto my feet just in time for the last flakes of ash to burn up, the flames circling around her form like she was in one of Serafall's Magical Girl spin-off shows, and the glow receded to show me the youthful visage of my grandmother.
Her blonde hair was short, a little longer than shoulder length, but it was drawn up at the nape of her neck into a hybrid bun/ponytail, and it was held in place by a sapphire ribbon with white lace on the edges. An inky black ahoge bounced languidly behind her bangs that framed her eyebrows and face, and that drew my attention to the brilliant white and royal blue dress she wore with white lacy frills; a royal blue ribbon was wrapped around her neck, and white bows decorated the sides of the dress. Capping off her look were a pair of white strapped, high-heeled sandals on her cute little feet.
Spoiler: Grandma Phoenix
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She let out a happy sigh that lit up her now vibrant bottle-green eyes, "Maa~! I feel so much better now! One, two, three, four! One, two, three, four! Man, you don't know how good it feels to be able to touch my toes again!"
I stared in a stupor as she worked through a very cute routine of stretches, raising her arms high above her head before bending down low to touch her toes, twisting her shoulders, and then rotating her hips.
When she was finished, my grandmother cute little sister placed her hands on her hips and gave me the brightest grin, "Thanks for helping me out!" Riser-onii-chan!
She might not have said it, but I certainly heard it.
Before I knew it, I was hugging her tightly, pressing my cheek against the side of her head, "You're welcome. Also, quick question, are you… bound to the Dungeon? Like, are you forced to stay here?"
"Wahwahwah~, um… no? I mean, yes, but I only have to come back like, once every century to refresh my control over the Dungeon… but it's not like I have to stay here. It's just that I like living here. Nobody bothers me, and I can enjoy all of my favorite foods while watching my favorite shows, and maybe occasionally torture some poor soul until he's pliable for questioning! It's not like Lucifer trapped me in here or anything, he loved me too much to do that! Lilith was sooo jealous, fumufumufumufumu~."
Clarissa had just sent back word to her Master that Riser had not come out yet.
It had been two days since the Warden ordered Clarissa to leave so that she might test her grandchild. Upon leaving, because there was no way in hell she could contest the aged crone and survive, she contacted Marcus and informed him of the events.
He told her to wait outside until he returned. That was all they could do right now given that his Honored Ancestor had already gotten her talons on him.
Thus there was nothing else she could do but pace in front of the large oak double doors that led into the Dungeon, her eyes too unfocused and hazy to be even drawn toward the malefic curses bubbling up from the Stream of Eternal Sorrow on her opposite side.
She wished that Marcus would come, that he would come down here and break down the doors to rescue his son… yet despite his status as the Head of House Phenex… he was only a placeholder. As long as his Honored Ancestor lived, his hands would be tied.
It twisted the Chief Maid's belly into knots with worry, the sight of her dragging the boy into her chambers by his neck tore at her heart. However, for all that she loved the boy she called her nephew, she knew that her beloved Marcus' heart must be set aflame with righteous fury. Yet all he could do was sequester himself in his office, for none of the Phenex Clan could contest the Phoenix of the First Feather.
"BANG!"
She startled at the loud sound that burst from the double doors, and she whirled around, her senses and body ready for battle, and-!
Her chest released a shaky breath as she saw her little Riser standing there at the entrance to the Dungeon, the boy leaned back with his foot extended out, his expression hardened as though it was chiseled from stone.
"You didn't have to kick them so hard! Those doors are antiques, you know!? These were carved from slabs of the Tree of Knowledge, where Lucifer tempted Eve!" A youthful voice complained loudly, "He gave them to me even though Lilith wanted them for the doors to her labs! Gosh, that made her so angry, kuukuukuu~."
The little girl in question was blonde-haired and green-eyed, with a single strand of black hair sticking up from behind her bangs, and she wore a white and blue dress with white strapped sandals with heels.
She was currently being carried in Riser's arms like a princess.
His foot came down, and then his firm expression melted as he gave the girl a conciliatory smile, "Ah, sorry, Lilly-chan. I'll be more careful next time."
"My name isn't 'Lilly!' It's Phoenix!" She protested, but Riser shook his head while clicking his tongue.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. 'Phoenix' is a bird. You are a little sister. Little sisters have names, and since you don't have one, I can either call you 'Fenny-chan', or 'Lilly-chan'. Which do you like best?"
The little girl's face scrunched up as she pouted, but after a few moments she blushed and settled down in his arms, her arms wrapping around his neck, "Why not both? I don't see why I should have to choose."
"Ah, an excellent choice, Fen-chan," Riser nodded as he walked right past Clarissa, over the bridge, and toward the teleportation circle, "As long as I'm alive I refuse to let you be alone in that dark, dank place anymore. You're going to live with me and Ravel-chan, okay? I won't brook any arguments."
The Maid was dumbfounded as she watched the girl bury her face into Riser's neck, "O-okay… this is nice too, I guess."
It was only when the teleportation pad started to glow that the girl-like figure of her beloved's Honored Ancestor finally noticed her.
"Hey! Maid of my grandson! You better close my doors this instant! I don't want all of my spooky, stale air getting out! If you don't, the illusions will start to spread, okay!? Get to it! Chop-chop!"
They were gone in a flash of light, and the Head Maid felt her knees give out on her, and she sank down to the stone floor.
She sat there for a few moments in utter shock before she stood up and made her way over to close the doors, the woman pulling up her Master's magic number and calling him.
He needed to know that the Phoenix had left the nest.
In another plot of land near the Phenex borders, sat the large mansion of House Gremory.
Deep within the bowls of the Gremory estate a lazy shut-in a tired and reclusive a beautiful and luscious old young devil with a passion for Satan's horses Camels stirred awake.
The Gremory Progenitor cracked open an eye blearily, "Ohyah? Phoenix finally came out of her room? That's interesting… I hadn't projected her return for at least another thousand years… why don't I poke my head out and see what caught her eye? Should be fun, I haven't been out since little Rias was born. Kuukuuku~."
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, and A. Daw for being Patrons!
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A/N: Sorry the Author's Note is a little late (almost an hour after posting). I had just finished the chapter, hadn't even had a chance to really proof read it, before the doggo that rules my life placed her head on my lap and wouldn't leave me alone until I put a leash on her and took her for a walk. lol
Michiko is a master of the introductory kills of Senjutsu, having practice what little she was taught for many years with her husband. Ki sensing, the fundamentals of ki-based combat precognition (intent-sensing), and Bouchujutsu- a must know for any female Senjutsu and Touki adherent.
Chapter 12 - 25 Years - Part 5 (14 on the Inside)
[Riser Phenex]
[Directly Following Chapter 11]
[14 Years Inside]
[3 Months from High-Class Exams, 6 Months from Duel with Kuisha Abaddon]
"Mhmmm!! 'Sho good! Sweet and spicy, cheesy and meaty!"
"Onii-sama, now me! Aaahhhhhh~."
I smiled contently as I picked up another softshell taco filled with ground beef with a handmade blend of authentic taco seasonings and raised it to Ravel's mouth while Fen-chan held onto her cheeks and chewed the bite I fed her; it had some shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, caramelized onions, and the sweet habanero jelly with a touch of store-bought cheese sauce.
The cooks at the Phenex Estates were very good, knowing hundreds of dishes from all around the world, but when it came to more modern cuisines they were significantly behind the times, which was where I came in. I brought back different ideas and recipes with me every time I came back from Earth, and this time we were testing out the Phenex Kitchen's rendition of soft tacos.
Ruval, Regen, and Father looked as though they were sitting next to Lucifer himself with how they shakily drank their water and tucked into their meals; only Mother seemed unperturbed.
Ravel and my grandmother little sister Fen-chan/Phoenix Lily-chan were both perched happily on my thighs as I took turns feeding them different versions of the tacos that we were having on this beautiful Taco Friday. Multiple styles of ground beef, steak, and sliced chicken breast, with the more commercialized variants and the 'fiesta' styles with more aromatics such as parsley and handmade salsa courtesy of my company- "Pepper Wizard".
"Riser-onii-sama!" Ravel thrust her finger out toward me dramatically, "Are you cheating on me with another little sister!? That's unforgivable!"
I looked down to Phoenix Lily-chan, who looked as though she was struggling to hold in her laughter, and then back to Ravel.
I shook my head, "Ah, no. You're mistaken. This is Grandma Phoenix. Though I'm calling her Lily, she also likes Fenny-chan."
Ravel blinked a few times before she held a hand to her heart and let out an explosive sigh, "Phew! I thought my Big Brother had done something horrible!"
I reared back as though she struck my cheek… and not my heart, "W-what is that supposed to mean, Ravel-chan?! Your Onii-sama is a good guy! A stand-up guy!"
"It's a good thing you are because it would have been bad if you had to have your little sister help you bury some bodies after stealing someone else's little sister," She held her hands up as she shook her head, "Shoganai wa (It couldn't be helped) if that was the case. It would have been a shame to ruin this dress by getting it dirty."
I twitched, and Fen-chan began letting out a poorly concealed, wheezing chuckle from behind her hands.
I really should stop letting the Little Sisters watch anime, it was becoming a terrible influence on them, as they were now starting to insert Japanese into their normal speech patterns as if that was something normal people did. I don't even think she said that correctly.
My hands tightened as I held Fenny closer, "You make it sound as though I would do something that horrible. I'm not collecting little sisters like some Pokemon Master. You have an overactive imagination. Now, you're coming with me so that we can give Grandma Fenny some proper TLC because she's been all alone in her Dungeon without any company for a long time."
"Mmmm'kay~." She chirruped brightly, "Hi Grammy Phoenix!"
"It's Fenny-chan to you, girl! Or Grandma Lily!"
It was heartwarming to know that Ravel loved me enough to assist me in covering up any evidence of a crime that I might or might not have committed in her mind, but really, she should know that her Onii-sama isn't the type to just steal someone else's imouto! The little sisters just seem to flock to me because I have that High Onii-Chan Energonz.
I'm like catnip to little sisters, it's not my fault, officer.
They approach me.
My father cleared his throat as Ravel chomped down on the taco I held for her in my hand, and then Fenny grabbed one and held it out for me, and I obliged her by taking a bite, "So… Honored Ancestor… how long will you be out and about?"
"Hmmm… until Riser-onii-chan says I can go back?" She said childishly as she lightly kicked her legs on account of her and Ravel's legs sharing the same real estate between my legs.
The water in Ruval's crystal goblet trembled, his eyes widening in shock.
I quickly chewed and swallowed, "I… didn't like that she'd been down there by herself for so long, Father. Over four thousand years by her count. That's a long time. Too long in my opinion. As a Phenex I've been brought up believing that Family is one of the most important things in our world, and I've come to see that hold true time and time again as other Houses crumble from the inside. So hearing that just…"
Ravel's hand came up and patted my cheek, "Riser-onii-sama is very kind."
Oh, Ravel! What did I ever deserve to have you in my life!? Your love and kindness are wasted on a wretch like me, and when compared to canon!Riser and his antics that you put up with? You're a veritable Saint worthy of canonization!
I should propose that the Catholic Church build statues of Saint Ravel, the Patron Saint of Little Sisters Everywhere!
Regen looked at me receiving Ravel's affections with a jealous stare, though his green, envy-filled eyes quickly morphed into fear once he looked over to Fenny sitting on my lap, "To be quite honest I don't know what's more terrifying- that Grandmother is here or that she is sitting in Riser's lap and feeding him tacos."
I arched an eyebrow, "Why are you afraid of Fen-chan? She's the sweetest little Grandmother around."
Fenny chortled behind her hand, "Well, if we're being honest, you caught me in a very good mood, Little Riser. When your father, Ruval, and Regenald came down I was a bit crankier than usual. They also had it in their head that for some reason they needed to fight me in order to pass their Trial of Adulthood. Really, I don't know why Cornelius told you that your old grandmother was a beast that needed to be surmounted instead of simply walking the Dungeon the customary number of times and then enjoying some tea with me while I told you our history."
My father inhaled audibly before he let it out, the man placing his silverware down on his napkin, "Considering that he tried to align House Phenex with the Old Satan Faction in the lead-up to the Civil War? I believe he might have poisoned me in the hopes that you would… kill me, Grandmother."
"And yet did I kill you?" She placed her hands on her hips as she shook her head, "No. I saw through his deception immediately, and after educating you on your folly I had you slay him, your father, and your treacherous kin. My beloved Lucifer was dead, and his dream should have died with him. Making war for something so petty as revenge or spite was just so foolish that I wouldn't tolerate my House being party to it."
My hand rested on the nascent curve of her hip, "Wasn't… Lucifer's War much the same?"
"Maybe, but he had a certain aura about him that I just couldn't ignore! His fiery passion, his charisma, his pursuit of a single goal with bull-headed determination!" Fenny let out a pleased sigh as she fanned herself with her hand, and after the moment of levity passed she leaned into me, her green eyes shimmering, "You remind me a lot of him, you know? It's one of the many reasons I'm so taken with you, my dear grandchild- you pursue strength with a single-minded focus, putting your all into your efforts day in and day out, but unlike Lucifer, you're helping all of those around you follow you onto your Path toward Greatness instead of leaving them behind. It's rather fetching."
I really didn't like being compared to Lucifer of all beings.
I was a devil, yes, there was no denying it, but I still followed God's (ow) tenants of treating others how I wished to be treated, doing right by them, and helping out where I could. Doing the right thing whenever possible.
Sure, I might be a bit of an asshole to some devils, but that was only because devil society didn't respond well to 'kindness and compassion'. Being a certain flavor of jackass, a boastful one with the power to back up my worldview, was the only way I could make any headway in this barrel filled with crabs and sharks. I needed to be strong enough to make others see my way of thinking as 'right and proper' because only the opinions of the strong were respected; they might still spit on the ground whenever you weren't around, but they'd hold their tongue if you were around.
I hadn't had any incidents since I beat up the Backstreet Boys plus One, and everyone who interacted with me at the social functions I'd been forced to attend was almost downright pleasant.
"Ew," Ravel scrunched up her nose as she looked at Fen-chan as though she just crawled out of a bog, "Grandma's being gross."
It was an attack that would have shattered my heart and soul before scattering my essence to the Four Winds to never be brought back together, but Grandma Lily's barrier was too strong, "Eh heh heh, if he weren't my own blood I can honestly say that I would have fallen for him~."
My mother tittered behind her hand, her eyes making the closest real-world approximation of those 'U's you'd see in anime, "You see dear? It was just as I predicted all those years ago~! Our son would conquer the Dungeon, no problem! All of your worrying was for naught."
The Lady of House Phenex leaned into Father's shoulder, and he sighed as he brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, "This was not how I imagined it going, not at all."
Ruval, however, relaxed a great deal as he placed his crystal goblet on the tabletop, his fingers interlacing as he leaned forward, "Grandmother… I would like to spend some time with you if I could? Maybe we could enjoy some tea in the garden?"
Her black ahoge seemed to wave to and fro as she bobbed her head, "Of course! I never really spent this much time with my children before, but it has already been quite pleasant!"
She picked up a taco and held it up in front of my mouth, and as I took a bite she chortled to herself, "Fumu fumu fumu, such a good boy you are~."
While I chewed on it, the spicy yet drastically reduced pepper jelly dancing on my tongue, she turned her head back to Ruval, "For now, though, why don't you tell your Grandmother why such a powerful and strapping young Lord such as yourself is unwedded? Do you want Grandmother to help you? I am pretty certain I can rustle up a bride from somewhere~."
Ruval twitched, his eyes immediately seeking me out, the request clear.
I nodded.
Don't worry, Ruval, your little brother will help find you a nice bride. You can count on me.
"Maybe I should seek our Tannin and ask him if he has any Dragon daughters for you? Riser here was interested in bedding a dragon girl-"
"A Dragon girl, Riser? Oh my~, how adventurous!" Mother smiled at me broadly as she nuzzled her cheek against Father's shoulder.
No. Wait. Grandma. That was told in confidence.
Ravel-chan, don't look at your Onii-sama like that! Don't act like I don't have taste! Dragon girls are hot !
My eyes blinked blearily as I slowly came back to the world, and I let out a soft groan as I stretched, though by moving I immediately felt something small press against my cheek.
My hand grasped out for the braided silk cord, and the moment my fingers wrapped around it I slowly pulled down on it to silently pull the curtains on the replacement Four Post bed back. Light from the moon, the Underworld's sun, filled the bed and gave me enough light to see. Fen-chan was cuddled up against my side, her eyes crusty with the haze of sleep, but the thing pressing up against my face was Ravel's cute little foot; somehow in the middle of the night, she had escaped the covers and rotated 180 degrees end up inverted.
So cute!
I snapped a magical picture of the situation. That was going to go into my personal scrapbook for sure.
Fen-chan let out a plaintive whine as she buried her face into my chest, "If you don't blow up that damn moon, Riser, so help me…"
"I'm pretty certain the Satans would take umbrage with such a thing, Fen-chan," I licked my thumb and wiped the sleep boogers from her eyes, "Now come on, up and at 'em. We have a party at the Gremory's we have to attend today, and I want to get a little bit of training in before then."
"Nuuuuuuuuuuuuu, you can't," She held onto my sleep shirt tightly with her small thin fingers, "You're my pillow. You dragged me out of the Dungeon, so this is your penance. Stay in bed and cuddle. I like cuddling."
"Is it time to get up already?" Ravel whined, the little sister extraordinaire rolling around, and I grabbed onto her foot to prevent her from kicking me in the face.
Just because I was okay with getting punted in the noggin during spars didn't mean I was okay with it while in my own bed!
"Yup! It is. Now come on, let's get up. You'll both feel a lot better once we have a nice bath. Come on, I'll wash your backs."
"Fiiiiiiinnnneeeeeee~," Grandma Lily groaned, "Life was so much easier when I could wake up on my own time. You took me away from that! So you better wash my hair too!"
"Yes, yes, I will," I chuckled as I slipped out from between them and off the bed, leaving a trail of clothes in my wake as my bare feet padded toward the bathroom.
The party at the Gremory Estate was buzzing with a huge amount of energy given that Grandma Lily was with us in attendance and the number of old devils that came by our group in the dining hall to kiss her ass the ring was nothing short of astounding.
I don't think I've ever seen so many old, powerful devils at any of these social gatherings, let alone any of the ones that I'd been forced to attend.
There was supposed to be a rather important announcement from the Four-Way Alliance, and it appeared as though everybody whose anybody was in attendance.
Even some devils who weren't on the invite list, though I suppose that was only natural when it was announced that Lady Phoenix, Progenitor of one of the Demon Pillars, would be coming as well.
The people of the Underworld knew Zekram Bael. He was a 'known quantity' for lack of a better term in the eyes of the public, the old Devil seated as the Chief Lord of the Pillar Council, but given that the other Progenitor devils still around barely were heard from this was a huge event.
Spoiler: Lord Vapula- Minus the Stupid Mask
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Now if only these old farts would stop harassing my grandmother little sister!
"Lady Phoenix, it is so wonderful to see you walking the Underworld once more," The devil, Maliketh Vapula, the Head of House Vapula, was on one knee in front of Grandma Lily, the man taking her hand into his so that he could bow his head and kiss the back of her knuckles, "I'm certain that once word of this spreads my Honored Ancestor, Leonora, might deign to come out of her den. Maybe we could arrange for you to come by sometime for tea?"
Fenny's face scrunched up as she went from looking rather pleased by the supplication shown by this handsome devil to something unreadable, "I will consider it, young man. However, you will tell her in no uncertain terms that if she tries to chew on my tailfeathers again I will be forced to burn your estates to the ground! I've done it once, and I'll do it again!"
A bead of sweat slid down his temple as he gave her a tight smile, the man suddenly wary, "I still remember that incident to this day… and I will be sure to tell her that. Though if it does happen then we can simply rebuild, just as we did before."
"Good," She nodded imperiously as she crossed her arms, the small girl looking down her nose at him- her green eyes flashed red, "As long as she understands that just because I'm a bird and she is a big cat that doesn't mean I'm on the menu!"
The devil cleared his throat, "It is as you say, though it's been a thousand years since you last met."
"Well, hopefully, Leonora has learned some self-control since then! I swear, she's the type that would look right at you while she slowly nudges a glass to the edge of a table!" She raised her arms in a shrug, the little girl shaking her head, "But what can you do? A brainless cat is a brainless cat. I pity you, truly, Maliketh. That fuzzball doesn't deserve such a diligent boy like you."
He made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded like a trapped frog, "Your words are high praise indeed, Lady Phoenix. Now there are other attendees I must greet, so if I may have your leave?"
"Hmm! Go forth and have a great time, okay? Just be sure to remember! If she tries to eat me again I'll burn your house down!"
It was impossible not to notice the man power walking toward the nearest group to converse with.
Fenny let out a pleased sigh as she wrapped her arms around my arm, "He really is a good boy. His talents are wasted on that mangey cat."
A chortle behind me caught my attention, and I looked over my shoulder to see Rias, Sona, and Seekvaira closing the distance with Fenny, Ravel, and myself. It was Rias who was trying to hide her laughter, rather poorly, but amusement was clearly written on Sona's and Seeker's faces, "Heya, Riser-onii-sama! I am so happy you could make it to the party!"
Her smile faltered somewhat as she looked at Grandma Lily, "Who… is this, Riser- nii - sama ?"
Spoiler: The Look of a Little Girl Who Is About To Ruin You
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Fen-chan. That is a very scary face you're making.
She tightened her grip on my arm, pressing her non-existent bosom against my flesh as she began to wiggle and squirm, the old woman little sister about to ruin my reputation, "Iiiyaaa~, I don't know how to say this, but I'm Riser-nii-sama's newest little sister! Mhmm! Mhmm! He came to my home for a visit, and when he saw me he just knew he had to have me! He scooped me up in his arms, in a princess carry no less~, kicking open the doors and taking me home with him! He fed me food while I sat on his lap, and after dinner was done we went back to his bedroom where… he… cuddled… me… to sleep."
Spoiler: The Little Sisters are Much Disgust
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"Onii-baka…" Rias trembled as the other girls, minus Ravel, gave me some looks that would normally be reserved for Sirzechs and Serafall, "Not you too!"
Rias sprang forward and she began checking me over, lifting up a pant leg before opening up my coat, her bright eyes frantic "Have you been bitten by my Onii-chan!? Has Sirzechs-onii-chan bitten you!? Have you contracted his sickness! Tell me it isn't true!"
"Huu~," Grandma Lily's smirk only grew, and I looked around casually before I realized no one was paying attention; I grabbed onto her cheek with my thumb and pointer finger, pinching it lightly, though she complained as if I was trying to tear her cheek off, "Owowowowo."
"It's not nice to tease little girls, Grandmother, especially these three," I admonished her lightly before releasing her cheek so that no one would see it, " Especially these three. They're very special to me."
I looked down at them and gave them my best, genuine Onii-chan smile.
Rias' face grew into a deep blush as she stopped trying to check me over, and Seekvaira and Sona sniffed as they adjusted their glasses, Sona's words barely audible to my ears, "I never doubted Riser-nii-sama. He wouldn't be so weak as to succumb to a such as thing as the 'Sister-Luv Zombie' virus like Onee-sama."
Oi. You looked at me like I was trash just a second ago.
Seekvaira took the lead for the Trios Dos Little Sistereros, the young lady bowing her head as she curtsied perfectly, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Phoenix. I am Seekvaira, the Heiress of House Agares."
Sona and Rias copied her immediately, "Sona Sitri, Heiress of House Sitri, your Ladyship."
"Rias Gremory, Heiress of House Gremory, Lady Phoenix."
Grandma Lily waved her hand in front of her face, "No, no, no. No need, girls. Especially since you're the prospective fiances for my dear Riser here."
The First Phoenix let go of my arm as she stepped forward and began to circle around the girls with a gimlet eye, "It's nice to finally see you three with my own eyes. You seem like very good friends."
Rias pumped her fists up and down as she nodded, "Mhm! The best of friends! We're nakama!"
Grandmother Lily crossed her arms and nodded, though her expression was a touch serious, "So have you decided how you're going to handle the fallout for whoever doesn't get to marry your Riser-onii-sama? I understand it's a very serious topic, but it is something you're going to have to confront sooner or later. Might as well talk about it now."
"Grandmother, please, they still have more than a few years to think about this as they grow up," I looked at her warningly, no one gets away with making my little sisters uncomfortable, even if they're grandma little sisters.
"No, Riser-onii-sama, it is alright. Even if we're young this is inevitable."
Ah, Sona-chan, you're way too grown up about this.
She gave me a satisfied look as she puffed her chest out, "Don't you worry about a thing, Nii-sama, we have it all under control ."
I arched an eyebrow as a chill swept up and down my spine.
That doesn't comfort me as much as you think it does.
Ten-year-old (forty-plus) me couldn't think through my actions properly with Kuisha Abaddon, so what does seven-year-old Sona Sitri think is a good enough plan to be so smug about?
I was just about to open my mouth and hopefully find out just what she, Rias, and Seekvaira had planned in their cute little minds before the chiming of a champagne flute caught my attention.
"Hello everyone, if I could have your attention please?" Zeoticus Gremory stood on a raised platform at the front of the Gremory Estate's ballroom, with Auntie Venelana, and the rest of the Four-Way Alliance standing by his side, "Thank you all for coming to our annual hosting of this great Pillar Gala! I am your host, you should all know me by now, Zeoticus Gremory! If you don't then you either weren't on the guest list or you've already consumed too much of my liquor stores and will be escorted out post haste!"
All across the crowd various devils saluted with their glasses, and Zeoticus raised his own while tilting his head at them, "Regardless, other than the obligation, there is another reason why this Gremory Pillar Gala is a touch more important than the ones of previous years! Firstly, I would like to announce that my son, our beloved Lord Sirzechs Lucifer, has done it!"
My eyebrows rose up as a slight commotion swept over the crowd, their hushed whispers and murmurs filling the air that Zeoticus silenced with a hand, "Our Lady Grayfia Lucifuge is pregnant and with child!"
I looked up to the Satan Perch overlooking the ballroom to see Sirzechs Lucifer, wearing those stupid ass pauldrons of his- he twitched- wave down to the crowd before bowing his head slightly as his wife stood next to him, "It is indeed true, Lord Gremory. My darling wife is with child, and should be expecting this coming winter- at least winter in the mortal realm."
The confirmation from our Maou made the chatter resurge instantly, and he basked in the attention before he waved a hand and bade his father to continue, "You may resume, Lord Gremory. This little gala isn't solely for my benefit."
He stepped back out of sight, but not before he leveled the angriest looking face I'd ever seen in my life. At me .
Wut? What did I do?
Sirzechs! Don't sit down! Stand back up and look at me! I thought we were cool now!?
"As you wish, Lord Lucifer," Zeoticus braced one hand against his spine as he returned his attention back to the crowd, "Now, as you might already know, there has been a great deal of discussion among the families of the Four-Way Alliance as to which of our three Heiresses will be marrying the 3rd son of Marcus Phenex, Riser Phenex."
My uncle turned his attention to me before he spotted my Grandmother standing in front of me, and he blanched before gathering himself, "Though let us not also forget that the Underworld's very own Phoenix has risen from the ashes to grace us with her presence once more."
"How did he forget about me ? I've been here all night." Fenny-chan pouted slightly, "In fact, he should have opened with me first, the Pretender-Lucifer second, and then the announcement third. Huff. These days devils have the oddest priorities. A thousand years ago he would have never dared to forget my presence. Maybe I should burn this place down? Bet he won't forget about me then."
"H-hey!" Rias whisper-shouted as she grabbed onto Fenny's hand, "My Onii-sama isn't a pretender! He's really Lucifer! A-and please don't burn my house down! I live here!"
"Hah-hem," Zeoticus cleared his throat, "Well, after many years of deliberation, we have finally decided to announce who young Riser Phenex will have the honor of marrying… oh no ."
I blinked.
Hello? Uncle? The cliffhanger is real here. I need to know who I'm marrying so I can figure out how I'm going to comfort the other two…
That was when I heard it.
Music.
It started off very low but slowly grew louder and louder as the seconds passed by.
Spoiler: Theme Music for a Certain Devil- That Cat is Not Dancing
Is that… Randy Martin?
"BAM!"
The large golden doors to the ballroom were thrown open, and the music flooded into the room, its exceptional acoustics allowing the electronic tunes to be carried far and wide.
"~Camel by camel," Doo doo doot doot doot doot~, "Camel by camel~."
It was a totally surreal experience watching thirteen camels, two rows of six with the last one in the center, marching in perfect unison as they dance-shuffled across the ballroom.
The crowd of party-goers immediately parted to admit the stinky, shitty beasts known as Satan's Horses parade over the red and white marble.
Seated on the back of the middle camel, with one of those big, D-Cell battery-powered boomboxes from the late 90s strapped to its hump, was a teenage girl with striking red hair done up in twin-tails. She had an exceptional bosom for how short she was- yes, short-stack status achieved - and she was wearing a scarlet bikini top and billowy, sheer red silk pants that flared at the bottom, with red silk slippers on her feet. A see-through red veil covered her face, and twin chains of silver with gold coins dangling from it wrapped around the flare of her hips in a way that caught the light.
She looked like a stereotypical Arabian belly-dancer, and she moved like it too, with her wiggling and squirming on the camel's hump like a worm while her arms moved around like she was auditioning for The Bangle's music video for 'Walk Like an Egyptian'.
The camels walked forward three paces before stopping, and then stepping from side to side, and then resuming their prancing dance forward.
I'd seen some shit in the Underworld, but I don't think anything could have prepared me for this.
Especially since the damn train of dancing camels was making their way right toward me! What the fuck did I ever do to deserve this!?
My attention snapped back to Sirzechs, and he looked down at me.
Spoiler: Smug-zechs Gremory
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The music petered out and began to loop around before a snap from the devil's fingers caused it to spark and explode, sending bits of shrapnel and rainbow-colored chunks of Compact Disk flying everywhere.
The devil shot up to her feet and crossed her arms before throwing her head back and ripping out an uproarious guffaw, "Muhahahahahahaha! Yes! It is I, Runeas Gremory, your Lady of Indomitable Foresight, returning to the stage of the Underworld to grace you all with my presence!"
Spoiler: Runeas Gremory
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Much to my consternation, the devils all looked at one another before they started clapping like a bunch of trained seals.
She uncracked one eye and turned it toward the crowd before she waved her hands and the clapping immediately stopped, "It has come to my attention that my dearest Granddaughter, the current Heiress of House Gremory, is going to be wed to Riser Phenex! Thus I have returned to inspect him for myself and see if he was worthy of such an honor!"
Fenny stomped her foot, "Hey! You insufferable know-it-all! We don't know that for sure! Young Zeoticus hadn't yet announced who my dear Riser was going to marry- for all we know it could be the Agares or Sitri Heiress that will claim that honor! We would know who it is if you hadn't barged in here like a self-aggrandizing camel!"
The Gremory Progenitor flinched as though struck, the beautiful red-head clapped her hands to her cheeks, "Ah! Ah!? Phoenix!? What are you doing here!?"
"Don't act like you didn't know I wouldn't be coming! We all know whenever someone decides to take a stroll, so come off it!" Grandma Lily shoved her finger up at her, "And more importantly, get those smelly animals out of here, or I'll set them on fire and eat them! I'll do it! You know I will! This Phoenix doesn't play games!"
Runeas Gremory stared down at my Honored Ancestor with a queer expression on her face, and she snapped her fingers.
The camels, as if broken out of a spell, all turned and made a beeline for the door they came through, the lumbering animals knocking over tables filled with food, Low-Class serving staff, and a few patrons too slow to get out of the way. Only the Maids and Butlers, experts trained in unexpected situations such as these, managed to avoid the stampede with the appropriate aplomb.
The devil hopped off of her camel and smacked it on the ass before jutting her hip out, "Yeesh. I forgot how bossy you can be when you're little. I can't wait for you to grow up again so you'll be all big and beautiful!"
She waggled her hands as though she were cupping a huge set of milkers.
"You're so much more pleasant to be around when I can molest you."
Fen-chan crossed her arms over her chest and clicked her tongue, "Tsk. Still as incorrigible as ever, I see. While I do look forward to it, don't think that I don't, right now you're making a scene, and I very much wanted to hear what your grandson had to say on the matter."
Runeas sniffed, "I already know exactly what he's going to say. If you remember, my calculating eyes see all."
She held up a hand to cover her left eye while striking a pose that wouldn't be out of place on the cover of some edgy-teen Light Novel for young boys.
I looked back up to Sirzechs, the man holding his head in his hands, and I fired back my best smug.
Spoiler: Smug-erSI
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My Honored Ancestor is so much more tolerable. She's a little sister type to boot!
His return-fire promised death, but after seeing what he had to deal with even if he killed me where I stood it would be my win.
He would still have to live with her, after all.
My byplay with Sirzechs must have caught Runeas' attention, and she shifted her eyes in my direction, "Oi, boya~. It's rude to make faces at other people when you're the subject of my attentions, you know?"
I placed a hand over my heart and bowed, "Apologies, Lady Runeas. It was childish of me. I will endeavor to give you my full attention from this moment forward."
A hand found its way on top of my head, and I felt as though a stake had been driven through the top of my skull.
My knees buckled, and it felt as though the weight of the world was dropped onto my shoulders.
Was this-!? I grit my teeth and forced my demonic power to the surface of my skin, keeping it right there instead of flaring it about wildly. Control had been my highest priority since I'd unlocked my Touki, ensuring that I could get the maximum out of my abilities without wasting my energy in the air for some threat display.
I raised my head to look at the Gremory devil, "Ghhk. Kkch. Mnhf."
That was all I could get out, but it was enough.
My power was keeping me on my feet instead of kneeling in supplication.
She tilted her head to the side as she gazed at me consideringly, "You're far stronger than I expected. So far outside my calculations that I'm going to have to readjust my whole model for you; you weren't nearly this impressive when you were born."
The pressure eased up gradually and I was able to finally breathe for the first time in what felt like forever; deep within my brain the Phenex regeneration went to work healing the sudden aneurysm she caused.
Why does everyone think it's okay to beat up on me just because I can heal the damage!? What would she have done if I wasn't a Phenex!?
She placed a hand on her hip as the other came up to hide her mouth, "Nothing like my sweet little Sirzechs though! Huuhahahaha~!"
"You mean Zekram's sweet little Sirzechs, right? Riiiiggghhhttt~?" Fen-chan came to my defense, the little morsel, "For all your talk you're 0 for 2 when it comes to your blood trait, so you don't get to claim Bael's two children for yourself!"
Runeas spluttered for a moment before she coughed into her fist, "Well, that's neither here nor there because when your Riser and my Rias combine forces the boy's Barbatos blood is sure to bring my illustrious blood trait back to the surface! So let's not get into that, shall we?"
Fen-chan nodded her head imperiously, "Hmm! Hmm! Yes, my Riser and your Rias! It's decided then! The two of you shall be married!"
"So sayeth Phoenix, Head of House Phenex!"
"So sayeth Runeas Gremory, Head of House Gremory!"
The two Progenitors nodded to each other as they spoke in unison.
"Ah, Miladies… Lord Gremory hasn't yet announced who I will be marrying- eh?"
The pair's eyes snapped toward me.
"Who cares what little Zeo-Zeo wants? So long as I draw breath House Gremory goes where I drive the camels! My sight predicts all! This is for the good of the House, after all!"
"Yeah, little Marcus knows better than to go against me of all devils! I'll set him on fire!"
Holy shit, you two are menaces!
Are the Houses without their progenitors the lucky ones!?
Grandma Lily grabbed my hand while Runeas grabbed Rias' and dragged her in front of me. They joined our hands, interlacing our fingers in such a way that caused Rias' face to match her scarlet hair.
"The S.S. Rias-Riser is ready for departure! All aboard!"
"Go, Go Team Rising-Gremory !"
My head was starting to hurt.
How did these two complete shut-ins get so 'in' with pop culture? Was it something like osmosis? Did they pick things up while they slept?
Wait, Grandma Lily said she got to watch her favorite shows, right? Does that mean there is a possibility of her having internet access? Wait, it was only 2002, had internet culture already advanced this far?
"So! That is done. We did that. Everything is set. Good to go." Runeas Gremory nodded, the devil quite pleased with herself, and I couldn't imagine anyone else pulling off a better Dawn Bellweather impression, "Once you've had your first menses Rias we can go ahead and move forward with the wedding."
"M-menses?" Rias' stuttered as she looked up at me, "What's that, Onii-sama?"
Fuck. No .
I love little sisters like any other big brother, but if she expects me to consent to Loli that is a no-go and a non-starter. Legal Loli? Maybe, still a bit iffy, even if we'd technically be married. Yeah, no. Hard pass. I need to head this off.
"A-actually, Lady Gremory, even if you wish for that to happen I am afraid that setting the date that soon just wouldn't be possible," I swallowed as she frowned at me, "The world has moved forward to mirror the practices of the mortals on Earth. A young girl's first bleed is hardly considered 'right and proper' anymore, especially for marriage. Most humans, and even devils these days, don't get married until they've reached the age of majority, which is eighteen years old."
Her lips narrowed down into a thin line, "I don't want to wait that long to see my little Rias a married woman, so… sixteen? I want to see you two start making babies; Momma Gremory wants to see her blood trait!"
Grandma Lily patted the backs of my hands, "Yes, I agree! Sixteen it is!"
"In certain locales that is acceptible, I suppose, with parental permission…" I hedged as I looked up to the Four-Way Alliance to see my father and Zeoticus embracing each other as tears ran down their faces.
"Well, you've got my consent-"
"And mine!"
"-So that's all you need!"
The pair of progenitor devils seemed rather pleased with themselves.
So not cute little sister behavior.
I looked down at Rias and squeezed her fingers, "Are you okay with this, Rias-chan?"
She licked her lips, her cheeks flushed, and she wasn't able to bring her eyes up to meet mine, "I've always wanted to marry Riser-onii-sama… so… yes!"
I inhaled slowly before turning my attention back to Runeas, "Lady Gremory… I'll leave Lord Lucifer to you. If it isn't handled I might not make it to hear the wedding bells."
"Hah! You just leave the whippersnapper to me!" She pointed a thumb at herself before turning her attention to the rest of the devils who had been exceptionally silent, "Now, is there anyone here who would like to object? Anyone? Anyone? Speak now or forever hold your peace."
They all remained silent and she nodded her head, "Good! I was hoping that I wouldn't have to bust any heads!"
"Ha-hem…"
A tiny cough caught my attention and I looked to the side to see Sona swallow as she stepped forward, "I do not object to this, L-Lady Gremory, however, I would like to make a proclamation of my own? If I may?"
Runeas Gremory's eyes blazed a fiery red for a split second before the glow faded, and she suddenly got very cheery, "Of course!"
Sona inhaled slowly as she took a small stack of papers out of her magic pocket, "I do not object to the proposed marriage of Rias Gremory and Riser Phenex! However, I do wish to have him as well! By the laws of the Underworld, Article Seven, Paragraph Four, Section Phi, I, Sona Sitri, the Heiress of House Sitri, formally challenge Rias Gremory to a Rating Game!
This game will take place thirty days, one month, after the conclusion of her marriage to Riser Phenex, and we will make battle with our assembled Peerages for a grand prize! Through strength of arms, I will take home victory, and claim Riser Phenex as my Consort, and the Father of my future children!"
Rias seemed stunned for a moment at Sona's proclamation before she realized that she likely had her own part to play on this stage, "O-Oh ho? You wish to challenge me for my Husband's hand? My Riser is a grand prize indeed, so what do you have to wager that is of equal worth to me and House Gremory?"
"I wager three Grand Favors, to be paid out at a time of your choosing, Heiress Gremory," Sona stood stiff-backed as she adjusted the glasses on her face.
Grand Favors were a big deal in the Underworld.
Like, the 'I want a quarter of your lands' or 'your Heir's hand in marriage' kind of a big deal .
Granted considering we were all a part of a big alliance they wouldn't be anything that would set teeth on edge, but money was something that for all their wealth in lands the Gremory family lacked; out of the 32 remaining Demon Pillars House Gremory was ranked seventh from the bottom in terms of liquid assets. Comparatively speaking the Sitri were rolling in dough with their numerous hospitals populating every land in the Underworld.
House Phenex's wealth, despite us rarely displaying it, made the Gremory look like paupers with their hats in their hands.
"I-I, Seekvaira, Heiress of House A-Agares, too would like to issue a challenge with the same terms!" Little Seeker didn't have Sona's stage presence, so she more or less shouted her words out in a frazzled stream.
Rias seemed to slip into her element as she let go of my hands and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes closed as she nodded like the Reigning Champion in some shounen anime being issued a challenge by the plucky underdog protagonist, " Six Grand Favors? My oh my. With terms as generous as those I have no choice but to accept. I lose nothing yet have much to gain! So yes, I accept your challenges! But don't think that just because we're the closest of friends that I'm going to roll over and let you win! When I turn 13 and get my Evil Pieces I'm going to assemble the strongest Peerage in the Underworld, and we're going to use those three years to train! You're going to have to train like your life depends on it because I will show you no mercy!"
Sona twitched, as though Rias had gone a little off script, but she collected herself smoothly and nodded, the little schemer adjusting her glasses until the light glinted off of the lenses, "Very well, Rias Gremory. Mark my words, Riser-nii-sama will be mine as well. Your loss is assured."
Seekvaira looked between the two girls, the air sparking between them.
Ah. Ganbate, Seeker. You can do it.
"Uhm… you were destined to lose the moment you agreed to face me?"
Her voice cracked.
Close enough. Good try. Your Nii-sama gives you five stars regardless.
"Well! Your challenges have been issued and accepted! From this day forth we'll be rivals!" Rias turned her head away dismissively, and Sona and Seekvaira walked away.
From the Satan box a broken-hearted Serafall wailed, "No! Sona!? Why do you do this to me!? I should have never let you watch Law & Order! Momma! Pappa! Make her take it back! Your Sera-tan is so not feeling Magical right now!"
Rias smiled at me prettily as she bounced into my arms, and she wrapped her hands around the back of my neck to pull me down so she could plant a cute little kiddy kiss on my lips.
She winked, "See? We got it all figured out! Tee-hee!"
I smiled indulgently at her as I planted a kiss on her forehead.
Are we not going to talk about how I suddenly became a prize to be won? I mean, I'm not complaining or anything, but I feel like my life has just been reduced to being status piece arm candy for three spoiled Heiresses.
The only question was who the fuck spoiled them so rotten!? This responsible Nii-sama certainly didn't!
"Rrrraaaagggggghhhhhhhhh!" A super pissed-off voice howled into the air, and I frowned as I side-stepped an amateurish punch.
"This isn't helping you, Sairaorg," I replied, ducking under the surprisingly tall ten-year-old's fist as it cracked the stone wall behind me.
This was the Debut of Sairaorg Bael and… it went about as well as you could have expected.
Lord Castel Bael gave a grandiose speech to all of the nobility present, skipping the usual pleasantries of letting his son display his talents. Instead, he put his own son, his flesh and blood, on the spot and requested that he dazzle the audience not with song, poetry, or dance, but with the supreme power of House Bael- the Power of Destruction.
He knew his son hadn't exhibited the Bael blood trait, yet he not only embarrassed his son like that, he went ahead and pulled Sairaorg's younger brother out, who was only seven years old, and paraded him about the ballroom as he confusedly as he showed off the snaps and pops of the POD within his tiny hands.
His half-brother was the son of the third daughter of House Stolas, a mistress for the Lord of House Bael when it became apparent that Sairaorg hadn't shown his blood trait at age five.
The only remarkable thing about it all was that Castel Bael managed to impregnate the woman within a single year after he took her as his mistress.
"Shut up!" He lashed out again, "What do you know about me!? What do you care!? Your life is just great, you chicken bastard!"
I parried the surprisingly fast swipe, knocking it off course with the outside of my wrist, and I could see- just the barest glint of a moment- the striking power of Sairaorg Bael.
"I'm the only one that's in your corner right now, Sairaorg Bael," I gave him a quick shove while he was off balance, sending him to the dirt, "I'm not your enemy. Not your foe. Wasting your anger on me is pointless because I'm on your side."
"Hah!" He let out a bitter laugh, one that didn't belong coming from a young child's lips, "And why would you be on my side? Riser Phenex - everyone says you're the Strongest Young Devil. They kiss the ground you walk on! You have it all! Fame, talent, and even devils lining up to join your peerage and you haven't even gotten your Evil Pieces yet! What would someone like you, blessed with your family traits and power- Ahgh!"
Crunch.
Ah. Shit. I just kicked him in the face and broke his nose.
He rolled on the ground, his eyes tearing up, and I winced as I bent over and grabbed a hold of his face, "Let me tell you something you should already know about me. You were there at my debut. I know you were. You remember what I said, right? Who the devils were that inspired me the most? Take a deep breath, hold-"
Snick.
I pushed his hands out of the way and slipped his nose back into place before a vial of Phenex Tears appeared in my hand, and I thumbed the cap off and poured it on his forehead. Immediately his injuries, both his swollen nose and his cracked, bleeding knuckles, disappeared.
His eyes widened in surprise, but I didn't let go of his face, "-ah, there we go, much better, right? Anyway, I don't look up to people like Lord Lucifer, not because I don't like him or anything, but because I find it hard to draw any sort of inspiration from him. He was born into this world as the Living Embodiment of Destruction; the Power of Destruction made flesh instead of a devil harnessing the Power of Destruction."
He tried to open his mouth but a soft squeeze let him know that it was now my turn to talk; I'd spent the last ten minutes being chased around by him, the least he could do it let me have a single minute.
"I looked up to the Rangers because they were the living embodiments of what a weak devil could accomplish. Even if they barely had the magic to fly, they could become something far greater if they put their minds to it and put in the fucking work," I relaxed my grip slightly as I tucked the empty vial into my coat pocket, "What your father did to you was one of the worst things I think a devil could do in this era. Your father is a heaping sack of shit, Sairaorg. I'll tell it to his face. I've sized him up, and if he has a problem with that I'll kick his ass. Do you want to know why? Because I'm stronger than he is. Three years ago? I wasn't, but today? I can stomp him into the dirt. His precious Power of Destruction wouldn't save him from me."
I let go of his face and stood up, slipping my hands back into my pockets, my eyes carefully studying him as he gingerly rubbed his nose.
Yet, his eyes were on me. Good.
"However, I wasn't born like this, Sairaorg. I'm no Sirzechs Lucifer, blessed- as you so put it- with Ultimate-Class strength straight from the womb. I was born along the same level of strength as every other High-Class noble, yourself included. The difference between us not our blood, but effort," I pointed to myself, "Effort. Sairaorg. I completed my studies as expected of a Pillar Noble early so that I could dedicate virtually every waking moment to my training. I practice hand-to-hand combat. I hone my magic, I make new spells, hell, I'll tell you this, but I even used the strengthening methods the Low-Class devils use- yeah, I see that look on your face. That's right. Me, Riser Phenex , drinking mana tonics and performing mana oversaturation exercises."
I pulled my hands out of my pockets and held them out to my sides, shrugging my shoulders, "Why do you look so surprised? It's because it doesn't fit your view of me, does it? You're so wrapped up in your little world that you can't see what is outside of it."
My hands pulled my trousers up a touch so I could squat back down in front of him, and I leaned in, "I train myself into the dirt, Sai. Every. Single. Fucking. Day. I eat, sleep, and shit my routine. If I'm taking a bath? I'm training. If I'm eating breakfast with my cute little sister? I'm training. If I'm reading a financial report from one of my businesses? Yeah, you bet your fucking ass I'm training. Mana control. Blood trait control. Ki control. Visualization exercises, running mathematical calculations for human magic, the works. Why? Because I want to be strong, Sairaorg. I want to be the strongest. I want to stand next to Lord Lucifer, the devil so blessed with immense strength, and I want to surpass him. No one is going to do that for me, Sai. No one but me."
I bit my lip and shook my head, a gloved hand coming up to card through my hair, "Fuck, man, there are days where my arms hurt so badly that I can't even wipe my own ass. Where I can't take a bath. I have to ask someone else to do it for me. That's how hard I train. So don't… please don't cheapen my efforts to something like 'talent'. It's all hard work."
His eyes softened up somewhat, becoming less combat and more weary, "Well… what am I supposed to do then?"
"What else can you do?" I reached down and grabbed his hands, using my fingers to make his into fists, "You make a fist, like this, and you train. Punch until you can't punch anymore. Run until you can't anymore. Fight until you can't fight anymore. And then?"
I gave him a shrug and a small smile, "Then you rest, recover, and do it all over again. Your father didn't help you with anything because he knew you didn't have the Power of Destruction. Your magic is years behind everyone else's. Your schooling is years behind everyone else's. You don't have your blood trait, but what you do have is your body and your mind. So work with what you do have. Train yourself to the very peak of what you can be… and then something like this will be the answer to questions you seek."
He gazed at me incomprehensibly, "Your question is what can you do, right? How can you become strong? Then the answer is 'Touki'."
I flared my Touki, the golden light shimmering around my hand, and I grabbed his arm- the boy startled as I let him feel the true depths of my power, the hidden depths beneath the restraints, and my own iron-clad control.
His eyes widened and he began hyperventilating, and I eased off until he relaxed, his hazy eyes finding focus and a heavy sheen of sweat covering his face.
"I… I can become this strong? With Touki?" He whispered softly, his gaze hopeful for the first time, and I nodded.
If there had been any question on whether or not I could have kicked his dad's useless ass, then this little, private display answered that for him.
"Touki is something that anyone can use, but it takes many years to achieve. I have been training for seven years and I just got it a few months ago," I felt really bad for lying about this to him of all people, but the ATTC wasn't yet known to the Underworld so that secret would have to remain.
He let out a shaky breath, "Can you train me?"
"Sai. I would take you and your mother in if I could."
Ah, yes, I forgot to mention. In the same breath that he cast Sairaorg out of House Bale and made Magdaran his Heir, he also kicked out his wife, all but divorcing her without actually divorcing her… so she couldn't leave and seek out a new family for herself or her son.
" Politics, Sai. I can't help you because of politics," I shook my head slowly at his disbelief, "Your father cast you and your mother out like yesterday's trash, but neither House Phenex nor the Four-Way Alliance can be seen offering you aid. We are powerful but we cannot stand up to the powerbase that your Grandfather has, even if your father is only the Captain of the Ship in name only. How would it look to the Underworld if we took you in, trained you, and then you came back and fought for the recognition? For your rightful place as Heir, even without the Power of Destruction running in your veins?"
He blinked multiple times before it slowly started to dawn on him, "It would look like you were… trying to start a coup? Stoke internal problems?"
I nodded, "Yes, and if there is one thing that the Underworld hates it is nobles from other Houses sticking their noses in the business of other Houses. Even talking to you right now could be putting my family at huge risk. I cannot help you… any more than I already have. I've shown you a path to power, the only one that you have at your disposal. Your father will not provide you with tutors, magic or otherwise, and your mother's Clan might have their hands tied as well… even if it's possible that you have your Vapula blood traits but haven't explored them. Touki is your best bet, Sai. If you want to become strong enough to spit in your father's eye, it's the only path for Sairaorg Bael. The Way of the Fist will be your salvation. "
I stood up, stuck my hands back into my pockets, and walked away to let him chew on that, though before I left I cast the Prestidigitation spell on him to clean up his clothes and smooth out the rumples; can't let the kid look like he just lost a fight with the ground.
"See you around, Sairaorg Bael. I'll stop by every once in a while to check up on your progress," I looked at him from over my shoulder, "Out of 'curiosity'. Maybe I'll give you some 'tests' to see if you're worth bothering with as a sparring partner. Do you understand?"
The boy stood up and checked his clothes over, and when he didn't reply I shrugged my shoulders and kept on walking.
I needed to get back to the party before everyone else wondered where I ran off to… Rias could only keep people entertained for so long with her improv renditions of Drag So Ball.
Damn, that would have been perfect blackmail material to tease my cute bride with in the future! I hope someone made a magical recording of that for me.
As I passed by a high stone wall I stopped and looked at the large stone fountain that stood in front of the Bael Estates- the ostentatious castle looking gaudy as fuck. What an eyesore. I'm glad we don't have a damn castle.
Out of my magic pocket, a manila envelope dropped into my hand, and then a wooden box.
I flicked the envelope to the side, and the box followed after.
"Lady Misla," I said as I didn't directly look at her, my eyes watching the party going on in full swing while the debut boy was nowhere to be found, "What happened to you was… absolutely abhorrent. Yet you likely heard that the Four-Way Alliance can't be… seen offering you any help."
She didn't speak, the woman likely watching her son stare down at his fists in silent contemplation, or something like that. Maybe he was looking up at the stars? Or maybe he was looking at all of the assholes having fun at his debut while he and his mother found themselves virtually destitute overnight?
"The slips… they're restraints. One over each wrist and ankle. The bracelets in the box are the same. Once he burns out the paper restraints he should put the other ones on. Physical conditioning and control of his demonic power are the key to using them; just refer to the help sheet inside. This is all I can be seen doing, so it will be up to him to decide if he wants to roll over and die or stand up… and be strong."
I turned away and started walking back to the party.
"Thank you."
My feet stopped.
"I wish I could do more… but's up to the two of you now. You don't need me to say this but take care of each other, alright? If he decides to walk this path then he's going to need your help now more than ever," I gave her a slight grin from over my shoulder, "I wasn't joking when I said that some days I needed someone else to wipe my ass for me."
I made my way back inside, and I looked around to see the devils gathered around, enjoying finger foods and fine drinks while they just watched a man kick his own son and wife out onto the street while ensuring no one else could help them just… made me come to hate these parties even more. Hate these devils even more.
Worst of all, poor Magdaran has no idea that his father just painted a target on his back.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, and A. Daw for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: A touch crackish there but it couldn't be helped. The Progenitors are all insane, and everyone else just has to learn to deal with them or they'll burn your estates down!
Also, I don't foresee this section going on much longer past the next chapter or two. Then we can finally get to the Kuisha Abaddon fight. I know you've all been waiting for it but damn there was a lot of events that needed to be covered in these three years. Thanks for being so patient!
Also, again, it's inferred that Misla Bael caught the envelope and the box. So it's not like Riser tossed them on the ground or anything.
Interlude - Xuelan, Sabrine, Henry Agares
[Xuelan Feng]
[Phenex Basin]
"Hoh!" Xuelan's fist, imbued with the glowing white power of Touki, connected with her Young Master's palm, and a massive thunderclap echoed across the blasted desert landscape that was the Phenex Basin.
Despite the strength of her fierce blow, the Rook putting all of her effort behind it, the teen barely seemed to notice it- such was the gap between them.
As they got closer and closer to the date of his duel with Kuisha Abaddon, Xuelan's Young Master had everyone take their restraints off more often, and they threw themselves at him, fully intent on maiming and killing. Of course, the fighters of his prospective Peerage knew how to kill, as very few in the Underworld had the luxury of living in it without getting their hands dirty and burying a few bodies, but with a Phenex it was fairly easy to tell when they were reaching their limits; their regeneration slowed considerably, and that was an obvious flag. However, because of Riser's regeneration, it also meant that they could train to kill by doing; essentially they worked to 'complete their kills' without having to worry about actually killing him.
The same couldn't be said for him, however, as instead of getting used to pushing his abilities to their absolute limits- to get used to actually being able to use his power to the fullest- Riser Phenex was learning how to better modulate his current strength without the jade and gold restraints forcefully holding him back. The only devils he could go all out against were his elder brothers and his father, and while they did their best to give him some time outside of the ATTC their schedules were always busy. Even then, Riser learned a great deal from his battles with his brothers.
Quick as a snake he lashed out with his free hand like a serpent, striking out toward her nose, throat, and then solar plexus with three strikes that she narrowly avoided despite his hold on her arm.
Sure, she had to dislocate her own arm from the shoulder in the process, the Rook bending out of the way awkwardly to avoid the strikes would have disoriented her first and then likely 'killed' her, but her role had been completed.
A great lance of ice, twice as long as Xuelan was tall and almost as thick as her leg, speared through the space she had just bent out the way of, and she stifled the yelp of pain as Riser was forced to let go of her and she tumbled across the ground. The tip of the ice spear shattered against the golden-white Touki that shimmered on the surface of his skin, but the distraction served its purpose beautifully as the fragments forced Riser to shield his face from the high-velocity fragments; as Xuelan leaped away, the woman resetting her shoulder with a muffled hiss during her flight, she watched three more spears slammed into his position at more than double the velocity.
She touched down roughly thirty paces away from Sabrine, her current fighting partner for this 'survival exercise', and the Chinese martial artist watched as the half-devil spun up another bevy of spells, "It is about time you put some of your magic training to use, Xuelan."
The Lotus practitioner winced slightly, but she nodded.
It was no secret that she and Isabela had been the most reluctant to use magic, but that stemmed from many issues that she and her fellow hand-to-hand fighter had. They were both sportsmen at heart, the pair of them seeing martial arts as something honorable, and using magic when they had honed their fists and their bodies for so long seemed like a cop-out. That and while the pair were both gifted physically, their Rook pieces adding to their already considerable strength and endurance, their magical abilities weren't bad… they were just less than stellar.
When compared to someone like Sabrine Serphent, a half-devil with almost a century underneath her belt studying magic before she decided to join the Tournament, it made her feel very small in comparison. Yet Xuelan knew that the other woman felt exactly the same way when she compared her physical prowess to that of Xuelan, Isabela, and Michiko.
It was a strange feeling, being jealous and insecure. She hadn't felt such feelings before under her previous King, but that was because she never bothered to compare herself to the Bishop or magic-focused Pawns of the Peerage. After all, fighting with her fists was her job. It was her specialty, her Pride. A bird who soared gracefully through the skies cared not for the beauty of the fish flowing in the waters because they were two separate worlds.
Their Young Master threw those worldviews out of the window with glee as he pointed out that there were birds that could swim and fish that could fly.
In other words, with all of the time at their disposal, there was absolutely no reason at all why his Peerage couldn't be competent at everything.
Yes, it was true that it was the Specialist, the one who took one path and Mastered it to the best of their abilities, that rose up in the structures of power within the Underworld, but that was because they only had twenty-four hours in their day. Riser and his Peerage had thirty days for every one of theirs, and once they reached a plateau in their training they shifted focus to keep improvement a constant while they worked through what was holding them back.
They've had almost fifteen years of training, and at the rate they were going their Young Master foresaw them able to complete at least twenty-five years before his duel with Kuisha Abaddon.
And after a short holiday to relax and recuperate, they would throw themselves back 'into the Grind ', as Riser so lovingly called it.
Xuelan nodded, "I'll continue to be the distraction then, Sabrine, but if we're going to actually hurt him you're going to have to bring out the bigger spells."
"I'm well aware of that, but my arsenal against a devil of our beloved Master's caliber is quite limited," The Witch's cap, thoroughly soaked with sweat, could no longer sop up anymore, and beads slid down her cheeks.
Xuelan spread her arm wide, seventeen threads of mana splitting away- the very limits of her current level of control- fed into seventeen simple mandalas of differing elemental spells. She inhaled as she felt the mana drain from her tank to feed the arrays, and once they started charging she switched tacks and spooled up two human magic formulas that began drawing in ambient mana to charge up.
The moment the clouds of dust and debris that had been obscuring Riser's form cleared away, Xuelan fired a single arrow of ice, the shard spearing across the distance as though it had been fired from the barrel of a gun; they were always wary of their Young Master's love of highly detailed illusions, the devil always managing to slip them into their bodies past their defenses without notice, or anchoring them to the environment if he wasn't close enough.
The arrow slipped right through the illusion of Riser, and Xuelan clicked her tongue as she flared her demonic power, the illusion shattering around her. However, instead of her immediately being engaged she heard the sounds of combat almost a hundred paces away, and the martial artist spun around to see Sabrine putting up a fierce defense- the woman's staff spinning and twirling to keep their Master's dangerous hands away from her body.
Damnit- he must have slipped his illusion into her the moment he grabbed her punch! She would have to ask him once this battle was over if she'd even been talking with Sabrine at all, or if that whole conversation had been an illusion as well.
With the spells already filled with mana dismissing them would have been a monumental waste, so Xuelan held her arm out and pointed it toward Riser and fired everything she had once Sabrine made a little distance.
Gouts of highly pressurized water, arrows of ice, hunks of highly compacted stone, a few fireballs, and spheres of looping, crackling electricity lanced out toward the teen. It was a spectacle that any Mid-Class Bishop would have been proud of sending out toward a foe, but Xuelan wasn't a Bishop, nor was she Mid-Class. She was the Rook of Riser Phenex, a Lord who did not tolerate mediocrity; it was a shameful display, but it was her's all the same.
She would just have to improve. It was all that he ever asked.
[Sabrine Serphent]
"Why. Do. They. Never. Check. For. Your. Illusions!?" The prospective Pawn moaned in complaint as she twirled her magic focus around her wrist to gather some momentum before using it to smack the outside of her beloved Master's wrist.
It was just enough to redirect his strike into the boulder that she had been forced against, and its mana-dense surface splintered and cracked under the strength of the blow. She just barely got her staff in between her core and his rising knee, the magical wood bowing but not cracking, but that didn't stop the energy from transferring into her arms and shoving her back into the rock that she was desperately trying to move away from. She needed to make space! She needed room to maneuver, but Riser was content to keep her pinned.
A single knuckle smacked the back of her hand, and his hands slapped the staff away, sending it twirling end over end far out of her reach.
"I don't know. I really wish they would have picked up on that by now," Riser spoke conversationally as he forced her to transition to the mixed martial arts style that she'd picked up over her decade and a half of constant training.
The Witch reinforced her body to the best of her abilities, her breathing even despite the exertion, and she ducked, slipped, side-stepped, and dodged every strike that she could, and redirected the ones she couldn't. A single solid blow would surely break something, and being disabled would spell the end for their chances of obtaining victory in this exercise.
The rules were simple: They were to survive for as long as they could against a foe that was superior to them. The moment they were knocked unconscious or were too badly injured to continue then they lost. It was meant to get them used to performing delaying actions, lasting and holding on as long as they could so that backup could arrive to handle the situation… with that backup likely being Riser himself.
To engender some competitive spirit, he paired her and Xuelan, and Isabela with Michiko, and offered the winning team a small favor of their choosing. Whoever lasted the longest won, and Isabela and Michiko set the bar pretty damn high with their thirteen minutes and twelve seconds.
Sabrine slipped under a right cross and delivered a solid hook to the teen's torso, but the strike barely phased him, though it did force him to take a step back lest he lose his balance, and that had been the opportunity she needed! The woman coiled her legs and sprang away, her wings opening up wide to beat a few times before they slipped back into her body once more, and she let her heeled boots dig into the ground to slow her down while she spun up a handful of magical formulas- some of her more powerful ones.
She flared her demonic power, the woman vindicated when she felt an illusion- one that he likely placed on her after she struck him- shatter, and she quickly readjusted her spell vectors to compensate for the fact that he was actually ten paces to the left of where she'd last seen him during her escape.
Over a dozen spells chose that moment to lance toward him, water, ice, lightning, and fire pounding the ground around him before the final three spells that weren't used to box him in smashed against his Touki barrier.
Sabrine raised her hand up and envisioned where the area where her spell would effect, and a grunt of exertion left her lips, "Stone Spear Forest!"
In a perfect circle where she last saw Riser, pointed lances of stone shot up almost three meters in height, the jagged points interlacing to try and either trap him or run him through. Out from the smoke, she saw her Master leaping away, but she had already calculated his evasion, and her Sacred Gear was already charged and ready to be unleashed:
"Advent Mimic: Stone Spear Forest Quadra-Overdrive!"
Her Sacred Gear, Advent Mimic , copied the spells the last used into a revolving set of four slots, and she could utilize it to fire any one of those four spells without needing to cast it conventionally. No Magic Circle to give away that she was using a spell, and virtually no casting time; it made catching opponents off guard a much easier feat. The Sacred Gear also allowed her to improve the strength of the spell cast for an additional cost, but the effects of the bolstered spell always outweighed the extra demonic power consumed. She could fire all four spells at the same strength, three of the spells at double the strength, two of the spells at triple the strength, or she could front-load the maximum four-times modifier onto a single spell.
A thrill ran through her as the spell fired off immediately, and it looked like the jaws of a massive, rock-eating beast suddenly sprouted from the ground to chase after Riser Phenex's retreating form. Pointed stone pillars larger than trees speared from the earth and they closed in on him, intent to pin him within a forest of sandstone and basalt, but the teenage devil proved to be just as nimble as he was powerful, and he used the first spears to reach him to help him maneuver. He even had the gall to look like he was having fun, a broad smile on his face as he hopped, skipped, leaped, and mantled over the magical stone that was trying to kill him.
Those that he wasn't in a position to avoid he lashed out with Touki-covered fists and feet to turn into fine powder.
It wasn't enough.
It wasn't going to be enough.
Her spell was going to end in just a couple seconds, and if they didn't figure out something quick then Riser was going to ruthlessly close the distance, as he always did, and try to take her and Xuelan out.
Then her dream would be forever cut short, both by her and Xuelan's inadequacy.
An image flashed in her mind-
-of a beautiful, scenic hot spring, one at the top of a mountain overlooking a snowy forest valley- steam wafted up from the steaming waters as she swirled a porcelain saucer filled with sweet hot sake, and her vision bobbed up and down as a large, rough, calloused pair of hands groped her fat tits and the large, fat cock of her Young Master filled her ass with its length, girth, and spunk-
-and she bemoaned the loss of what she would spend her small favor on!
Isabela had found a small Youkai-owned travel agency in Kuoh that specialized in tourism for the supernatural world, and after obtaining a brochure from them through the Underworld's Postal Service she just knew what she wanted her first time with her Young Lord to be!
-'Do you wish for the power to achieve your beautiful, petty dream, child?'-
"Yes!" She replied instantly, her eyes taking in the falling form of her handsome Master as his clothes fluttered in the winds, the boy easily avoiding the incoming spells that Xuelan fired off at him while he parkoured through the last of the stone spears toward the ground.
-'Then take my power, child, and grow! This Selkie commands it!'-
Riser Phenex rushed toward her in a blur, and as his fist cocked back he gave her an apologetic smile, "Looks like this is the end of the line, Sabrine. It was a valiant effort."
His fist crashed down toward her face, but whiteish-blue energy coated her hand as she caught it.
"Whoom!"
From where their hands met in the center of their struggle, a massive shockwave picked up dust and debris, carrying her sweat-soaked, peaked Witch's hat along with it. The front of her favorite dress was shredded by the violent force of their clash, causing her bountiful titflesh to fall loose and jiggle free from the fabric prisons that bound them.
Her mismatched eyes locked onto his slightly widened, surprised blue ones, and she opened up her mouth- a beautiful, siren-like voice overlaying on top of her own:
"Advent Mimic! Balance Breaker!"
"Advent Mimic! Balance Breaker!"
A small, finely crafted wooden chest covered in artfully done gold and silver scrollwork, with a lid encrusted in precious gems, appeared to press out from the center of her sternum.
Riser Phenex's eyes widened even more, and he coiled his body back to spring away; she tried to wrap her hand over his fist, but even with the Touki bolstering her strength she was too weak to hold him fast.
He peeled back, his legs carrying him far away from her as the lid opened up and spewed a torrent of silvery, mercury-like fluid from the gaping, toothy-maw of the chest.
It puddled onto the ground, flowing like quick-silver until the chest retreated back into her body, and the puddle began to boil and bubble. It lifted itself from the blasted soil of the Phenex Basin, where for generations the Phenex family trained their most powerful family techniques and spells in solitude, and it slowly began to take on a shape- a form that gradually morphed into a perfect mirror image of herself… right down to the damage done to her clothing.
She let out a low groan from the exertion before the rest of her words fell unbidden from her lips, and the liquid figure copied them:
"- Tears of the Covetous Selkie."
"-Tears of the Covetous Selkie."
Knowledge fluttered into her mind in fits and spurts until it solidified into a steady stream that her thoughts could parse, quantify, and understand.
She knew what her True Mimic could do, and the tiniest flex of her will saw the creation stride confidently in front of her- the silvery breasts jiggling for all to see without there being a care in its mind.
A magic circle blazed upon Riser's outstretched arm, and her Sacred Gear greedily devoured the mystic knowledge its sigils contained.
Sabrine and her Mimic both raised their hands up above their heads and began to copy it immediately.
At the same time three instances of the spell were completed, and three voices shouted as one:
"Arrow Artemis: Chimera Bombardment!"
"Arrow Artemis: Chimera Bombardment!"
"Arrow Artemis: Chimera Bombardment! Quadra-Overdrive!"
Thirty-six flaming arrows streaked toward the skies before turning down toward the earth to unleash their fury, and the world trembled.
[Henry Agares]
Standing at the rim of a massive crater carved into the landscape of the Phenex Basin, the Lord of House Agares let out an impressed whistle, "I don't know what to tell you, Marcus, but your boy has Lucifer's own Luck. I take it that he had a vision of this little discovery as well?"
The Lord of House Phenex shook his head as he held a fist-sized chunk of softly glowing reddish-brown stone in his palm, "No. He always makes a copy for me whenever he receives a vision. I in turn make copies for the Alliance and our esteemed Maou. If he had a vision concerning a discovery like this within the Phenex lands then he had hid it from me, or he likely forgot the vision before he was able to put it to paper."
At the base of the crater, uncovered by the incredibly explosive results of a training duel between Riser and his future Peerage, sat the peak of an almost pyramidal-like chunk made up of the reddish-brown stone that Marcus held in his hand.
"To think that there would be another source of Devilore to be found after all these years," Ajuka Beelzebub hummed as though pleased, the Satan of Knowledge's magic formulas spread around the unearthed chunk to scan its makeup and purity.
Devilore was a magical mineral wholly unique to the dark side of the Underworld, and its number of useful properties was as long as Henry's arm. It perfectly retained all forms of magical energy, be it raw mana, demonic power, Holy Light, Youjutsuki, Ki, and other rare energies. It took enchantments and magical formulas like a sponge would water, holding it in place long enough for it to be tempered so that they could be locked to resist tampering; only Lord Beelzebub knew the method to remove this tempering effect so that the Evil Pieces could be studied and altered.
There were other effects that made it highly desirable, and Lucifer and the rest of the Underworld used them to make weapons and armor in the lead-up to the Great War. He had virtually every territory strip mine their devilore to fuel this war machine, picking up every last scrap he could get his claws on until only the stores Henry's Great-Great-Grandfather had hidden away in Agreas as a strategic reserve were left untouched.
It was this reserve that was used by Lord Ajuka following the Civil War to craft the Evil Piece sets from, and it was that purpose that skyrocketed the Agares family to the Number 2 position of the surviving 32 Demon Pillars. Without the stockpile located within the heavily fortified flying city of Agreas, the Capitol of the lands of House Agares, Henry's family would have fallen well down in the rankings. Yet, because of the Evil Piece system's importance under the New Satan Faction, House Agares flourished as funds from the Government flowed into their coffers for each set made.
"I could make two-hundred and seventeen Evil Piece sets from this block alone, plus or minus four sets depending on the levels of impurities," The Satan's eyes flashed over his magic screens, data sets that Henry couldn't parse scrolling at a dizzying pace; he would have to slow time by almost ninety percent if he was to have any hope of reading it, but that just wasn't done, not with someone as peculiar about his informational security as Lord Beelzebub was, "I will have to dissect this sample to get a more thorough analysis done, but this at least matches the quality of what can be found on Agreas. I can make Evil Piece sets with this."
Marcus stroked his chin, his eyes flicking over to Henry, who gave his friend and lover a warm smile, "It will… be a nice infusion of sets, but I don't see how that will make any appreciable difference?"
The Lord of House Agares pranced over to the Phenex Lord and wrapped an arm over his shoulder, the man's lips ghosting over Marcus' ear to whisper conspiratorially, "This is something you might not know, but where there is one, there are hundreds, Marcus. All of this wealth right beneath your very feet."
The hunk of ore almost fell from Marcus Phenex's numb fingers, and Henry chuckled as he caught the hunk from falling to the scorched earth; even if a tiny fall wouldn't have damaged such a robust thing in the first place, there was no need to drop it!
Henry's eyes tightened as he saw the realization slowly dawn on him.
With this, it was highly possible that House Phenex would once more shoot up in the rankings, though that would depend on what the Satans wanted to do. Knowing Lord Beelzebub and Lord Lucifer as he did, Henry was certain that this would be covered up, but that didn't mean that House Phenex and by extension, the Four-Way Alliance, wouldn't benefit from this monumental discovery!
Henry's eyes watched as Lord Beelzebub turned and looked at young Riser Phenex from over his shoulder, "I will be able to double the number of floating Sets with this, which should stymie the discontent that Zekram Bael was attempting to foment with his revisions to the laws regarding Class Advancement. The existence of this newfound devilore will go a long way toward easing Lord Lucifer's burdens. I take it that you have some… requests?"
The Agares Lord tilted his head as he peered down at the 3rd Son of House Phenex, the boy cupping his chin with the palm of his hand, "This is for the good of the Underworld, and I'm certain my family will be adequately compensated… however, if you're taking requests then I do have some ideas."
Lord Beelzebub's lips twitched minutely.
"I would like guaranteed Evil Piece sets for all Main House Peerages of the Four-Way Alliance who attain High-Class status lawfully; no waiting for the lottery."
"Done."
"I would have staves, weapons, and gauntlets to be fashioned for my Peerage members on a case-by-case basis; made to order, constraints to be determined by your schedule. I understand that your time is valuable, and if my people have to wait then so be it."
"Done. Though they will have to be disguised; devilore is not so common that weaponry and armor can be fashioned from it these days. This can be accomplished by cladding them with lesser materials, but it can be done easily enough."
The boy was silent for a few more moments.
"I have training restraints, as you already know, but I'm almost reaching the limits of them. My Rook is putting together a trip to China to meet with a Dragon artificer famed for her skill so that we might see them upgraded before they become completely useless. Once I reach the limits of those restraints… would it be possible to have some fashioned from this material?"
"A Dragon artificer in China? That would likely be Lady Shu Wen Bai Long," Lord Beelzebub's eyebrow rose, "As for the restraints, I would not know, truthfully. I have rarely ever had an appreciable surplus of devilore to experiment with; the manufacturing of Evil Pieces has always taken priority over my personal endeavors, though with this find here that will certainly change."
The Satan of Knowledge closed his eyes and nodded to himself before opening them back up, "In light of this important find, I will give you five more small favors in addition to the four I already owe you for allowing me to study you and your Peerage's advancement in Touki and your ATTC training. I cannot overstate the importance of this in my work; having this surplus will greatly accelerate some of my personal projects. You have my gratitude, Riser Phenex."
Henry felt an eyebrow of his own rise up.
Lord Beelzebub was studying young Riser and his Peerage? More to the point, all four of them had unlocked Touki? How interesting…
The boy nodded before he looked over to his father and Lord Agares, "Then give those five favors to the collective of the Four-Way Alliance, milord. I was going to use my favors for the ones I just listed in the first place if I had to, so I honestly don't know what I would do with them. I doubt you would like to have so many outstanding favors on your balance sheet, so I'm certain that my Parents and the Alliance could find something useful to burn them away. Besides, my Peerage will continue to grow here soon enough, and they will all be trained just as the others have; if your deal of favors for study still holds then I will have more than I know what to do with."
"It will," The Satan's cloak shifted in the wind as he strode up from the center of the crater, "The number of subjects I can study in a controlled environment who are training to unlock and utilize Touki and Senjutsu is depressingly limited. The thoroughness and detail of your reports are likewise a small blessing on their own, though I should mark down some time to come by and teach you how to write the reports to my personal standards; that way I don't have to parse the incoming data and convert it for my preferences."
Not for the first time, Henry shook his head, the Head of House Phenex twitching as the man's sandy blonde hair tickled the neck of his lover, "Your boy is far too generous with us, Marcus. What will we do with those favors, hmm?"
"Step one is to ensure that the Honored Ancestors of Phenex and Gremory do not use them for frivolous things."
A chuckle left Henry's lips, "Yes, that would be an excellent place to start!"
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, and A. Daw for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: A short interlude since I had a bit of a lazy day today. Still lots of things to cover that I want to cover before I get to the Abaddon fight.
A Poorly Thought out Lore Plug: From the Personal Research Notes of Ajuka Beelzebub
Devilore: Devilore is a reddish-brown mineral that is found naturally occuring in the Underworld. It forms when large concentrations of pure Demonic Power seep deep into the earth and accumulate. As devilore forms, its unique nature as a near-limitless sink for all known forms of energy- physical, magical, or spiritual- naturally draws in surrounding energies, further hastening its formation. It has numerous properties that make it extremely useful for various manufacturing purposes, from weapons to armor, and most notably with the creation of the Evil Pieces, as a material for highly complex enchanting. Satan had his most elite Legions outfitted with devilore spears and plate, making the devils capable of absorbing astounding amounts of Holy Light before the conflicting natures of Demonic Power and Holy Light caused them to fail after accumulating more energy than the weapons and armor could disperse. It was unfortunate for Lucifer and his legions that this peculiar drawback was not discovered until the Last Battle with HIM and the Grigori. However, despite this limitation, I have hypothesized that the Evil Pieces would be enough to reincarnate most Angels and Fallen who are not on a Seraphim's level of strength, the Pieces able to comingle and adapt the two disparate energies so that co-existence is possible without damaging the Pieces themselves or their functions.
The campaigns of Lucifer have stripped all but the Agares lands of this valuable resource, and I hypothesize that the massive training ground that the Phenex have used for thousands of years led to the creation of this new, stubstantial deposit. With the ATTC hastening the recovery of the training members of the Phenex Clan, it allowed them to visit these grounds far more often than they were once capable of, and their practice of their most destructive techniques layered a thick enough blanket of pure Demonic Power that kickstarted the growth of these deposits until they were later uncovered.
Chapter 13 - 25 Years - Part 5 (15 on the Inside) "Claiming Kitties"
[Riser Phenex]
[Kuoh Town, Japan]
The Underworld Express wasn't so much one train as it was numerous trains that operated under the direction of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, which was Lady Serafall Leviathan's purview just as much as the inter-planetary teleportation arrays were. The FAM maintained and serviced the individual engines that traversed the Dimensional Gap that bridged the Underworld and Earth, and the families built and supplied the train cars that the engines pulled.
The Underworld was a wholly different planet in a different plane of reality, a whole solar system of worlds that somewhat mirrored the solar system of Earth, and just like planets had orbits around the sun, so too did the Underworld orbit around the same space as Earth. They were not properly synched in the slightest, and the powerful teleportation arrays of the Underworld could not completely bridge the gap, so during the hours or sometimes even days when a solid connection could not be established, the Underworld Express traveled the Gap constantly to make up the difference.
The Phenex Family had fifty-seven train cars that could be configured and aligned, large enough to bring every single Servant and their family members with us in a pinch, but for my purposes, I only required three; a primary car for us to stay in, a sleeper car in case the distance was greater than expected, and a dining car for us to eat in. It was only myself and my perspective Peerage that was coming with me, minus Ni and Li, and a handful of my family's servants who were hitching a ride with us to Tokyo so they could attend to their duties elsewhere.
The Dimensional Gap, or some slightly out-of-phase subdimension of it given that we didn't have Great Red blowing our train cars to smithereens, was a trip to look at. Blues, reds, purples, yellows, and greens all seemed to mix and swirl into each other like a damn collage that nearly made me sick looking at it, and yet despite all of those colors it also looked muted- as though it was constantly twilight.
It took us nearly twelve hours for the journey to go by, and it was just our luck that Underworld-Earth teleportation services came online the moment our train finished arriving at the Kuoh Station.
Considering it was starting to get late, with our arrival being early evening and our line on the Shinkansen bullet train through Tokyo not leaving until the morning, Isabela had worked with Xuelan to book a pair of penthouse rooms at the four-star equivalent hotel in Kuoh. The rooms were nicely appointed and to my taste, though Lirianne clicked her tongue at the low-class accommodations. That made me roll my eyes, as I hardly cared if the toilets were encrusted with gold and gems or other such nonsense.
Still, we had some time, and I did mention that I would visit with the Overseer of Kuoh, Cleria Belial, once we settled into the hotel, so we piled into the limousine that Isabela rented for us and drove toward where we were supposed to meet.
It wasn't an estate or mansion, as I had initially thought, but instead, the address brought us to the most upscale neighborhood in Kuoh Town, right on the border of the Financial and Shopping districts; the limo driver swung the lengthy beast into an underground parking lot where a concierge staff member greeted us and let us inside of the complex. We stepped into a spacious elevator and rode it up to the very top floor, where we encountered our first set of magical barriers- the thin films of demonic power sliding over our bodies.
The elevator doors opened up to reveal a bell boy, likely a Low-Class devil given his strength, who waved us inside while bowing profusely, and after waiting a few moments a handsome male butler wearing the sigil of House Belial- a gold pin with the flaming gift encrusted in silver- on his lapel, stepped toward to greet us. He bowed, "Lord Phenex, welcome to the humble abode of my Mistress, Cleria Belial, Overseer of Kuoh Town. I thank you for providing such advanced notice of your arrival. However, unfortunately, my Mistress is currently indisposed-"
"Jerry- hic- who is here?" A voice spoke out from the electronic speaker next to the elevator, and the butler devil's cheeks colored profusely, "Jerry? Who. Hic. Is. Here?"
"A young Pillar noble here to greet you as is right and proper, Mistress." He gave me a tight smile.
"I can come back another time… tomorrow before I leave in the morning?" I offered lowly with a small grin on my face.
"Nope! If we're gonna- hic- meet we might as well do it now. I don't- hic- want to have to wake up early in the- hic- morning just to see you off. Come on in. Jerry. Let them in so we can- hic- get this over with."
The poor butler looked as though he wanted to tear his hair out, but he swiftly regained his composure, "Of course, Mistress. Right away."
He led us inside through a pair of double doors that looked rather sturdy, and we entered into an extremely spacious penthouse apartment. The entire floor was open, with support pillars decorated and clad in tasteful marble that had veins of either silver or gold running through them, with the floors covered in the same though there were plenty of massive rugs to give it a homey feel. Large, thick smoked windows surrounded the exterior of the apartment, giving a beautiful view of the town of Kuoh beneath and if you focused you could see the lights of Tokyo off in the distance.
Spoiler: Part of the Penthouse Apartment
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A kitchen staffed by two devils and a trio of butlers lounged on a couch in front of a television near the entrance to the apartment, though given that there was no sound coming from the five devils as they seemed to be engrossed over whatever was playing a barrier was the only solution.
Wooden slat dividers broke up the space, as did stand-alone shoji dividers, and as we walked through I could follow the flow as we moved out of the 'common' area and into a living room where three long couches sat in a 'U' and a large gas fireplace filled with faux logs sat in the center with slabs of more marble ringing the circumference. A large, 72" television with speakers hanging from each side sat against the windows, and considering it was only 2002 the big chonky boy was rather unsightly, but the things were expensive so just having one was a status symbol in itself.
At the bottom of the 'U' sat a woman, and standing arrayed behind her were four devils- two men and two women- who I took to be her Peerage members. I took the proffered seat on one of the couches while my own Peerage arrayed themselves behind me, and I gathered myself, crossing a leg over and interlacing my fingers over my knee while I looked at the mess that was in front of me.
Cleria Belial was a beautiful woman, slim and slender with light gray hair and large, expressive emerald-green eyes. She wore a vivid purple dress that clung to her figure perfectly, hugging her braless breasts, trim waist, and wide hips; the thin straps that held her dress up concealed little of her beautiful decolletage- and I noted that her neck and collarbones were decidedly delectable. Twin gold teardrop earrings hung from her earlobes, and a tasteful if understated golden necklace with a single, generously sized diamond hanging in the center was the only jewelry she had on display.
Spoiler: Cleria Belial
[img: https/external-content./iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.%2F736x%2F4b%2Fc4%2F50%2F4bc450e7fff438fce50ff655ea7ea56c.jpg =1 =1 =4950c5e2fb96aa0a61103267cc440786ec8b3d83865c735f6766721851630ae5 =images]
The woman was an absolute vision of beauty, if not for the fact that her eyes were puffy and red, and clasped in her delicate hands was a near-empty bottle of wine.
She sniffed as she took a swig from the bottle, "Whaddaya want? Hic."
"What do I want?" I leaned my head back as I looked up at the ceiling before I turned my eyes back down to her, "Well, I wanted to introduce myself to the Overseer for this beautiful little town, but now that I see milady weeping I feel as though I'm duty bound to ask the cause of her tears and see if I cannot help."
A maid came by with a silver platter in her hands, and on that platter was a whole gallon of ice cream; vanilla bean to be precise. Considering Japan didn't even make gallons of anything she had to of had it imported from America.
I couldn't stop the small teasing smile from tugging at my lips as I crinkled my eyes, "Vanilla Bean? Well, at least milady has taste."
Her eyes narrowed a little bit as she sniffed again and grabbed one of the napkins on the tray to dab at the makeup that had been starting to run down her cheeks due to her tears, "You're teasing me."
That still didn't stop her from putting the bottle on the marble and picking up a spoon before drawing a large bite up to her plush, rose-colored lips.
"Just a touch, but it's all benign, that I can assure you," I tilted my head to the side, "So now that you have something sweet, why don't you tell me what ails you?"
She snorted, "My boyfriend broke up with me… said I was just 'too far out of his league', whatever that means."
I was honestly a little surprised that she straight out told me, but I let her continue.
"We'd been dating for a few months now, and I finally thought that I had him, so I brought him back home- here- and he started to freak out!" She stabbed her spoon into her ice cream angrily, "Started to ask me what sorts of companies my family owned, if my family knew that we were dating! We should have been shucking clothes and making our way to the bed, but nooooo~, he wanted to ask about how much money my family spent every month to pay the rent for this place! I didn't take him for some kind of gold-digger! Anyway, I felt it was odd, so I thought that another date would help smooth things over, and I told him to rent a nice suit and I'd take him out to this restaurant here in Kuoh- the Imperial Villa- and when he called me back he told me that we should stop seeing each other! Can you believe that!? Hic."
"I think that it was likely he felt you were intimidating," I hedged, parsing over her tirade in my mind, "He sounded like something that was not used to seeing such wealth. You're beautiful, ethereally so, Lady Belial, you have a lavish penthouse here in the city that is richly appointed, with butlers, maids, and on-site kitchen staff. Not to mention your impressive Peerage. He saw all of this and immediately began wondering what an Ojou-sama such as yourself was doing scrounging up a man like him. While you don't have nearly enough tattoos to be a Yakuza-Princess the tales of young men being trapped between wealthy daughters and their families hardly ever end well for said young men, so I don't think he was interested so much in your bank account as he was wondering just how much your wealthy, business-owning family might be willing to pay third-party actors to see him removed from the picture so their rebellious daughter would settle down once more."
The spoon paused halfway to her face as she scrunched up her face, "That sounds like the plot of a daytime drama."
"And what did he do for work?"
"He was a junior software coder, freshly graduated from Kyoto University," She responded as though she didn't understand where I was going with my questioning.
I tapped my chin with a single finger, "So a freshly graduated software engineer from a prestigious university travels to a new town on the outskirts of Tokyo to start his brand new and exciting life as an adult. During his internship where he is likely breaking his back trying to work hard enough to fit in with his sempais, he meets an enchanting, beautiful young woman who is- rather surprisingly- interested in him. She's wealthy but down to earth, though he doesn't exactly know how rich she is, and they spend time together, he rapidly begins to fall in love as they go out on dates in the new town where he's made his home."
I leaned forward in my seat and turned my face away from her just enough to make me tilt my eyes, the small amused look on my face keeping her engaged, "And just when he thinks he's about to finally take the next step in his whirlwind, story-book relationship with the girl he likes… she takes him home and he sees wealth and opulence beyond his wildest expectations. He's excited at first, but the deeper he goes the more he begins to think about just who his beautiful Cleria truly is. The panic starts to set in as he learns that she is more than just a slightly wealthy ojou-sama, but one from a very wealthy and successful zaibatsu, with businesses all over the world. What could she be interested in him for? An interning software engineer who just left school?
Was this just a phase for her? The young beautiful woman acting rebelliously against her parents by seeking out a man of lesser status to parade out in front of her parents? Or was she genuine but her parents might have a problem with the man she was dating? Problems always arise in high society when its members try to date outside of their social strata, and that is just as much true for humans as it is for devils.
He likely thought that continuing to date a woman so much higher up than himself might cause problems not just for him, but for you as well. So in his mind, breaking off the relationship early before it had advanced would have been the kindest thing he could do."
She chomped down on her spoon, her teeth clicking audibly against the steel, and she worked her tongue over the ice cream.
Her eyes seemed to glaze over a touch as she slowly withdrew the pristinely clean spoon from her lips, "Well when you put it like that… it really does sound like a daytime romance drama. Or a huge hassle."
I nodded, "And that's not even mentioning the part where he would eventually find out that not only is she a wealthy ojou-sama, but she is also a noble devil from one of the Demon Pillars."
A slender hand came up to cup her forehead as though she was chasing away an ice cream headache, "I just want to go out on dates and enjoy my time here on Earth… and I have that reservation that I waited three weeks for…"
I perked up.
CHANSU!
"And what if I told you that you could have a very nice date to take with you for that reservation you waited three weeks for?"
She immediately turned her attention back to me, the woman brandishing her spoon as though it were a weapon, "You have a nice guy like that on standby? I hope you're not indicating yourself, as cute as you are you're a little young for my tastes."
I smiled, "If you give me five minutes… and can get yourself cleaned up in that time, I can have the perfect date teleporting into that circle over there in the corner."
I could see the indecision warring behind her verdant eyes as she considered it, and after a few moments she let out a sigh, "He a nice guy?"
I smirked, "My big brother is the best! A perfect gentleman. Strong to boot. You'll like him a lot, I think."
A small mandala appeared next to her, a small glow emitting from her body as the effects of her intoxication evaporated, "Janice! We need to fix my makeup!"
The moment she stood up I was dialing my eldest brother, "Ruval. Yes. I need you to get yourself to a teleportation circle, ASAP. I've found you the perfect date."
Given that this was my coolest and most unflappable older brother, he was unperturbed by his sudden change in plans at the behest of his youngest brother. Though given he was in the ATTC currently, instead of having five minutes to get prepared he had two and a half hours.
The butler gave me a temporary magic circle alteration that I sent to my brother, and at five minutes on the dot, the magic circle in the corner of the living room lit up with red light- the Phenex teleportation circle glowing brightly before my brother stepped through.
A wore a snazzier version of his usual dark suit, with silver buttons and thin, dark leather gloves. His golden hair was tousled artfully as per his style, though much to my surprise he had a single arm locked behind his back as he stepped inside. He looked from me, a small smile on his lips, to Cleria Belial; she'd managed to work some serious magic on herself in just five minutes. It was impossible to tell that she had been drunk and running her makeup.
He produced a beautiful bouquet of flowers from behind his back, and I was surprised to see that he'd managed to get such an arrangement up procured… until I realized that they were all cuttings from my quarter of the Garden, "I heard from my little brother here that a lady was in need of a date to attend a dinner reservation? One that she waited three weeks for?"
The devil woman's lips parted a touch as a thin dusting of pink spread across her cheeks, "R-Ruval Phenex?"
He stepped forward and placed the bouquet in her arms, and she hazily gave them a sniff before she looked them over, "It's a beautiful arrangement, milord."
He reached out and took her hand after she handed the flowers off to one of the maids, and he placed a gentle kiss to the backs of her knuckles, "Now, now, Miss Cleria. We're here to enjoy a nice dinner and have a pleasant evening, yes? No need to bring rank or status into such a thing."
She licked her lips and nodded slowly, "O-of course, R-Ruval."
"I already have a limousine downstairs in the parking garage, Onii-sama," I bowed my head, but out of the corner of my eye, I frowned at the white and orange roses that I'd been cultivating in the bouquet, "You can go ahead and use it for the rest of the evening; my Peerage and I will take taxis back to the hotel."
Why did he have to pluck my flowers!?
I suppose that some response was in order for me springing this on him last second, but Cleria Belial was absolutely perfect for him as a match. A woman from a lower-ranked House, a branch member at that so he didn't have to worry about her possibly getting called back should anything happen to the Heir, and since she was from a lower-ranked House the bridal price wouldn't need to be exorbitant either. That she also happened to be Diahauser Belial's 'little sister' should make plowing her into the mattress all the more sweet because who else gets to relish plowing their self-proclaimed rival's hot female sibling into the dirt and not have them be able to do anything about it?
Honestly, I'm sort of shocked that with all of the behind-the-scenes talks going on about finding Ruval a wife she wasn't on the list, though given her penchant for rarely appearing in the Underworld since she took up the Overseer's position seventy-five years ago I guess she just slipped out of people's minds.
She would be a perfect future Lady Phenex.
That the Belial family would naturally be subordinate to the Phenex within the Four-Way Alliance just made it that much more attractive.
Ruval gave me a smirk, his eyes twinkling as he side-eyed the bouquet before taking Cleria's hand and looping it over the crook of his elbow, "Thank you, Riser. Always the thoughtful little brother. I'll take Lady Belial out and show her an enjoyable night."
A soft giggle escaped her lips as she led him toward the elevator, the woman smiling broadly as my cool elder brother followed along gracefully.
Isabela sighed, " Taxis, Lord Riser? The cabbies here in Kuoh suck."
"Don't care, Isabela," I quirked a smile as she shook her head, "This is as much for her as it is for my brother."
"I spent almost an hour on the phone working out the particulars, and it ate into our budget too!"
"Well, we'll just bill my brother for it then."
"For a dinner date that you called him to? How crude, Riser-sama," Michiko sniffed and I groaned.
"No, no. You're right. We'll just eat it then. As long as he has a good time that's all that matters."
The following morning saw us bright and early at the Kuoh JR line where he took the express to Tokyo, and then we made the hop over to the Shinkansen, the bullet train, up to Sendai. The six-hour trip was an absolute pleasure thanks to the first-class car having nicely appointed seats with upscale service, though it was paltry in comparison to the luxury car I traveled here in.
Spoiler: Shinkansen First Class
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We went from the lap of luxury, however, back to older train cars as we hopped off onto the JR East rail line to Ishinomaki, with the cars being well-maintained but still showing their age. We were all bundled up well enough because of the chilly autumn evening weather, and once we hit Ishinomaki we took a trio of taxi cabs over to the port where the ferry to take us to Tashirojima island was just returning for the last trip of the evening. Xuelan's travel plan was spot on, and we would arrive just in time to get into our hotel rooms in the tiny village of Odomari.
The sun was starting to set as the small passenger ferry pulled up to the docks and we disembarked.
Holy cow, I knew it was small, but I just didn't know how small it was until we got there.
I could see a dozen buildings in total, with eight of them being single-family homes, one a small dock-side cafe, a single convenience store/fish market/bait shop, and the last one was our 'hotel'.
It was actually a hostel with eight shoe box sized-rooms that had heat lamps in the corners, a single worn-out nightstand next to a single concrete bench that served as the beds; they were covered with thick pads and had quilted blankets over the top of simple linen bedsheets.
"Xuelan. You put up our Master in the quarters for fisherman and ferry workers when they are not able to return to land during bad weather," Michiko gave the Chinese Martial Artist a firm frown.
Xuelan turned green as she looked at the hole-in-the-wall accommodations that she booked for us, "T-this must be a mistake! The phone book said this was a hotel!"
"Yes, a hotel for mortal fishermen," The Maid corrected before she took the keys from Xuelan and began marching back up to the front office.
The old, wizened Hostel manager looked at Michiko and tilted her head, her small sneer having a humorous edge to it, "What? The accommodations not to your liking?"
"No, they are not at all, Furomaki-san. It appears as though my companion erred when making these arrangements, but that is of no issue," The Cat Maido placed the keys back on the counter and slid them over, "I have family in Tashirohama, and they will put us up for the duration of my Young Master's visit. You may keep the fees for the lodging, in exchange I wish for you to call the Sawari Neko Taxi service and have them send a van here to come pick us up."
The old woman sucked at the cigarette between her fingers, "Fine. I'll give them a call right now. You should go wait by the cafe and enjoy a drink while old Kamari-san drags his aged self out of bed to come pick you up."
Michiko's lip curled in response, and she leaned over, "As a proud daughter of Tashirojima I am appalled that this is the welcome we give to outsiders these days. I will be sure to inform Magari-sama that the towns under her purview truly know how to treat their guests."
Furomaki-san's eyebrows rose up a touch, and her posture changed from indifferent to unsure before she sniffed and shrugged, "What's that old cat going to do to me, huh? I'm an old woman running a hostel that barely sees a hundred souls in a year. If she decided to bury me out back then she'd do me a huge favor because digging a six-foot hole would save my grandkids a lot of money."
My Maid's lips firmed into a thin line before she took my hand, "This way, Young Master."
I squeezed her fingers, "Not quite the welcome you were expecting?"
"No, honestly, this is about what I was expecting. We aren't in Tashirohama where all of the tourists come to see the cats, though I did not think that Magari-sama would let the island degrade so," Her nose twitched as she walked me down toward the cafe where the rest were waiting, and immediately the hundreds of cats crowding around my group turned their attention to Michiko.
Spoiler: That's a LOT of Pussy
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Seven of the cats had ki signatures that were far larger than the others, but since they were not cloaked in illusions and lacked the split tails of Nekomata that meant they were Bakeneko here to observe the obviously supernatural newcomers.
Isabela stood up from the chair and offered it to me, and I sat down before she placed a simple Americano in front of me.
Michiko let out her ears and tail as she looked down at the cats, "Will one of you please inform Magari-sama that one of her granddaughters has returned? Sagiyama Michiko has come home to visit, if only for a few days."
"Sagiyama Michiko, eh?" An aged male voice came from an orange tabby cat, a curled paw coming up to tap at his chin, "I thought I recognized you, Hafu- that devil blood of yours really stinks up the place. Where is that bone-headed husband of yours? Or is he still in the Underworld polishing his ' Aruji's' spear?"
"You really should never have come back, Michiko-chan," Another raspy voice chuckled, this one a black and white short hair, "The only one who will be happy to greet you is Fuchino-sensei, and after you ran off all those years ago to join The Fool even he might turn you away."
My Maid tilted her head, "I care not for your inane prattle. You will either inform Magari-sama of our arrival or we will show up on her doorstep unannounced, and when she asks 'why' I will simply point her in your direction."
The two felines looked at each other before the orange tabby sniffed, and he turned his golden gaze to the youngest of the group, "Oi. Teddy-kun. You're the youngest of us lot. Why don't you make use of that youthful vigor and run up the hill to Nekoyama and inform Magari-sama of Sagiyama Michiko's return?"
The dirtied white-furred kitten looked at the elders before turning his head up to look at the winding road leading up the hill, his youthful voice cracking, "But that's a very long way…"
"You think I care, brat!? You followed us down here, and if you're going to be a bother then at least make yourself a useful bother! Now get to it, or I'll bonk you on the head!" The tabby hissed slightly to punctuate his words, and the white kitten scampered away up the hill.
"Che', brats these days show their elders no respect," He mused out loud, though the way he kept Michiko in his line of sight told me that he was commenting about her just as much as he was about the young Bakeneko.
I wanted to quip about his lack of respect, but seeing that Michiko considered the conversation finished there was nothing else for us to do except wait.
Roughly half an hour later, around eight in the evening, a rickety old Mitsubishi van that sounded as though it was on its last legs showed up to meet us.
Spoiler: Van
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A balding old man stepped out and adjusted his glasses, "Hai, hai! Someone called for Sawari Neko taxi services?"
Michiko bowed to him, and we piled into the van, with Xuelan having to sit on my lap since one of the seats had a gaping hole in it.
Honestly, while the attitudes of the Youkai were grating, the gradually increasing horror on Xuelan's face as she watched her travel plans, the ones she'd been smugly boasting about to Isabela, fall apart on her was a true treat. She looked as though she couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to vomit or pass out as the dying taxi van puttered and sputtered up the steep hills; every time the vehicle backfired it lost power, and we started to roll backward before the old man shouted at the machine and slapped the steering wheel. As if by magic the vehicle seemed to respond to his prodding and after a twenty-minute drive that should have at best lasted five minutes, we made it to the very top of the hill.
The Cat Shrine was a simple shrine, with a large ornately carved wood box that held a pair of feline statues, and a wrist-thick braid of rope marked around it. There was a collection box for donations of coin underneath the awning next to the shrine, and across the asphalt road was a footpath that led down to Tashirohama, the primary tourist village on the island, and a single large Torii gate that was painted red.
The old man scrubbed at the top of his head, "Uh, Miss Maid? Are you sure you want me to let you out here? It's four kilometers back to Tashirohama, and the footpath is treacherous when it's this dark out. That and you still have your bags…"
Michiko placed a 10,000 yen bill into the man's front pocket and planted a kiss on the top of his head, "Thank you very much for coming to get us, Kamari-san, but this far is just fine. I was born and raised here, having run up and down these slopes all my life, so there is no need to be worried. We will be fine."
Her demonic power flexed subtly as she applied a minimalistic compulsion spell to make the mundane man heed her words, and he nodded, "Well, alright Miss Maid. If that's what you wish, but do take my card and give it a call if you need further services, okay? It's been a while since one of our own has come home, so I'm certain that everyone in town would like to welcome you back… even if I don't quite remember you."
"There is no need to let everyone in town know that I've returned, Kamari-san. In fact, it would be best if you simply forgot about this conversation and just remembered that you picked us up from the fishing port and dropped us off."
"Okay then, have a good night," He nodded numbly before he slipped back into his van and it sputtered back to life, the red tail lights fading off around the bend and out of sight.
Michiko turned toward Xuelan, "Next time our Young Master plans to travel outside of the Underworld, Xuelan, you and I will scope out the travel plan ahead of time."
The Chinese martial artist looked like she was about to cry, and I chuckled, "You live and learn, Xuelan. Don't worry though, I've been having a great time. This is what travel is all about! The journey is more important than the destination, and I know that I will forever remember how wonderful my first time traveling around Japan was thanks to your planning."
She whimpered and Isabela wrapped an arm over her shoulder, "See? Master Riser is having a great time. No need to look so sad."
Michiko cleared her throat, "If we can move along, please? I would like to arrive at Magari-sama's before it is too late."
Isabela picked up two of the bags, Xuelan picked up the other two, and Sabrine picked up the last one.
We followed Michiko to the Torii gate, and she pulled out the same token that I saw her show off to us all of those months ago. The writing on the token pulsed softly with a white light, and the Torii gate pulsed in response- a thin film of magic settling over the entrance. She bowed to me, "If you would follow me please, Riser-sama."
Just as I'd read about the gates to Urakyoto, the magical barriers that separated out the supernatural and mundane parts of Kyoto, there was a very similar barrier over the top of the mountain on Tashirojima Island.
Spoiler: First Village Hidden for the Kitties
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What had once been an empty forest across from a small shrine had now become a rather lively if dated street, filled with buildings to the left and right of the road. They were modeled in the Japanese styles of the 19th century, with rough-looking but maintained wooden abodes, and some flickering lanterns strung across the roads gave it some much-needed light and atmosphere. Youkai of all stripes could be seen moving about, manning stalls and serving alcohol, though the vast majority of them were cats.
Nekomata strutted around with their split tails, Bakeneko alternated between being small cats and full-sized adults or children, and there were even a handful of beastmen-like Tiger Youkai that wore roughspun clothes that bared their thick, muscular arms. I saw an oni with reddish-brown skin tossing back a whole keg of alcohol while a tiny Youkai that looked like a lamp with a face used a thin cord to grasp onto a smaller saucer and tilt it back into its mouth, the pair laughing boisterously as they watched another Youkai that looked like a wagon wheel with a head mounted in the center spun around while balancing empty sake bottles along the rim of its body.
I saw Michiko's ears and tail twitch minutely before her tail began to slither behind her languidly, "Even after all these years…"
My hand grasped onto her own and I gave it a squeeze, "I know that you wanted your daughters to come with us to see your home, Michiko, but-"
"No, Riser-sama. Your reasoning was sound, and given the hostility my mere presence brings us it appears that your decision was prudent. We will come back again, one day, provided Magari-sama doesn't forbid it. However, I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't strip the entry token from me… I shouldn't have kept it when I left with my husband." She shook her head as she squeezed my hand back, her eyes shifting around, "Though there are so many different types of Youkai now… when had this changed? Nekoyama was for the cats, not all Youkai…"
"What is in the past is in the past, Michiko, so let us focus on the here and now, yeah?" I gave her a reassuring smile and she nodded.
"Please, follow me, Master."
We began to make our way down the street, though it didn't take long before we began attracting a lot of attention, the heads of Youkai turning to follow us wherever we went.
The small village at the entrance of the Torii gate disappeared after a few minutes of walking, and the hardpacked dirt gave way to more loamy, softer soil as he moved deeper onto a forest path that was lit with floating orbs of illusory fire. While they thought they were out of sight, I could easily feel the ki of a group of Youkai from the village shadowing us, but considering they kept their distance I didn't really feel the need to worry.
It would only take a single thought to wipe this mountain top off the face of the earth, even if it would likely cause Serafall a lot of headaches.
After about fifteen minutes of walking, we came across a second village, this one was much nicer, with stone and concrete homes and cobblestone streets instead of dirt. Actual street lights on wooden poles lit up the evening more brightly as restaurants and proper bars lined the road instead of the izakaya-styled stalls in the previous village. There were fewer Youkai on the streets to mean-mug us as we passed through, but a handful of Youkai that were boozing it up on their doorsteps were quick to slip through their homes and into their backyards so that they could meet with the steadily growing posse of their fellows shadowing us from the forests.
The group decided to make their move once we made it to the outskirts of the third village, and I stood in the center of my Peerage as almost one hundred Youkai- primarily cat Youkai- stood in front of us on the gravel road.
The large, red-skinned Oni that I'd seen at the very entrance to the first village, stood out in front of the group with his arms crossed over a rough-spun wool tunic that was dyed black; on his back was a large, iron-banded wooden war club that looked to be as thick as my torso. His twin black horns seemed to dance with electric crackles as his voice called out, "This is as far as you go, devils!"
Spoiler: Oni
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The posse behind him yowled in agreement, a few swords and spears held high above their heads.
The oni grunted as he stepped forward, "You've got a lot of guts to just walk through our homes as though you lived here, I'll give you that much, but the level of disrespect you showed us isn't something we can abide by."
Michiko stepped forward, her ears and tail on display, "I walk through these villages and woods because I have lived here. It was two centuries ago, yes, but I am still a daughter of Tashirojima Island, and I do not recall denouncing my home just as I do not recall having ever been denounced. However, if we are to split tail furs here I do not recall Oni and other Youkai not cats being allowed to live here. This is 'Cat Island', after all, the home of Japan's Cat Youkai."
"I remember you! You were the half-breed, nya~. Michiko-chan, right?" A female Nekomata with black fur stepped forward, her split tails swiping behind her, "Kuukuukuu~, I thought you left to follow that dunderhead to the Underworld in service to that devil Lord? What, did the devils not take kindly to you, Hafu?"
A few voices in the crowd chuckled at her words, and I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from interjecting; Michiko asked that I let her handle this, but there was a limit to my patience.
"Michiko." I stated plainly, and she bowed her head.
"Of course, Riser-sama. We have a meeting to attend with Magari-sama," She raised her head and returned her attention to the posse blocking our path, "It would be rude to make her wait any longer than she already has."
"You really expect us to believe that a group of devils like yourselves had a meeting with Magari-sama?" The Oni chuckled, "You must think we're stupid."
"Excuse me, nya~! Pardon me, nya~! Make way, nya~!" A youthful voice shouted out from the back, and from within the gaggle of Low-Class Youkai the same white-furred kitten we saw at the docks scampered and squeezed his way through the sea of legs before sliding to a stop next to the Oni, his little lungs heaving, "Magari-sama will see you, nya, haa, haa~."
The Oni looked at the child before his lip curled, "I guess you do have a meeting with Magari-sama…"
He shook his head and let out a disappointed sigh, the tall Youkai looking over his shoulder before raising his voice, "Looks like the outsiders get to live! For now. Let's go back and drink some booze; maybe they'll piss her off and we'll get to take out the trash anyway."
The crowd let out a huge collective sigh as they dispersed around us and headed back down the road toward the village, the Youkai throwing us all sorts of evil looks as they passed by.
The Oni clicked his tongue as he looked us over, his eyes sliding hungrily over my women before he settled on me, "You should mind your manners in front of Magari-sama, brat, lest you end up with your head on a pike and your women enjoying my company."
It took everything I had to not make the Oni past tense, but I managed to keep myself under control, "There is no need to worry about me, I am nothing if not a gentleman and a perfect houseguest."
If he expected his words to draw some scathing rebuttal he was sorely disappointed, and he sulked, the large Youkai clicking his tongue as he walked away, "Tsk, I was sure that would have gotten me a fight… straight-laced bastards are the worst, they never want to have any fun."
Sabrine chuckled behind her hand, "Oh my~, what a spirited bunch they are."
"Riser-sama," Michiko's voice was terse as she watched the crowd move away, "We should proceed."
"I agree."
The cobblestone road gave way to hardpacked dirt once more as we moved further up the mountain, and at a pair of Torii gates, a stone staircase moved up toward the peak; four cat statues lined the entrance to the Torri, flickering flames floating above their heads.
Michiko seemed to relax greatly as she saw the statues, and she began walking up the long, straight staircase with a bit more pep in her step.
The closer we got to the top of the mountain I could see large, stone walls sprout up from the ground, the white-washed rock just barely visible through the thick forests that surrounded the steeply sloped grounds around us. Hundred of stone torches provided us light that the thick canopy denied, and even if we devils didn't need it to see the ambiance it gave off was rather beautiful.
The air around us was fresh and pristine, and I could feel the gentle greens of the forest ki permeate my whole being.
When we made it to the very top a gatehouse stood on a solid stone platform, and a pair of Tiger Youkai, with polearms in hand and katanas at their waist, stood at attention in front of the open wooden gates.
"Halt," The feline on the left spoke firmly, his golden eyes peering at us consideringly through the slits on his samurai-styled helm, "State your business."
Michiko bowed her head slightly, "I am Hanabi Michiko, formerly the wife of Sagiyama Kotaro, and the great, great, great, great, great, great-granddaughter of Lady Magari-sama- Overseer of Tashirojima Island, and servant of Lord Nurarihyon-sama of the East Youkai Faction. Two weeks ago we sent word to Magari-sama through the devil Overseer of Kuoh, and Lady Yasaka-sama's Offices of Youkai Relations about our visit. We are here to keep our appointment."
The Tiger Youkai's posture straightened up slightly, "You were Michio-chan's daughter, were you not?"
Michiko paused, "Torataro… oji-san?"
The thick-armed Youkai's shoulders trembled slightly as he reached up and removed his helm, the beastman Youkai revealing a tiger's visage, "Aye, it is I. It has been almost two hundred years since I last saw you, Michiko-chan. I am glad to see you in good health. Now, where is your Husband? I do not see him with you."
Spoiler: Torataro
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"Kotaro-kun went and did something very stupid, and it got him killed… leaving me and our two kittens behind," Her words were somber, "However a kind Young Lord rescued us from my late husband's folly, and we now serve him to repay him for the kindness he showed."
The Youkai's eyes seemed to flash as he heard her words, and he lowered his head slightly, "I am sorry to hear that, Michiko-chan. A fool he might have been, he was a fool with a heart of gold."
He turned his attention to me, "I take it that you are the Young Lord of which she speaks?"
I looked to Michiko for confirmation, and at her nod I stepped forward and offered a shallow bow, "I am Riser Phenex, of the 72 Demon Pillars. It is a pleasure to meet you, Torataro-dono."
Stating that I was the '3rd son' was unnecessary.
He bowed in return before his golden eyes locked onto Michiko, "We will speak more in private, permitting Magari-sama asks you to stay. The old man, Gumaguchi-dono has passed away while you were gone, so his daughter, Shirokumi-dono will show you through the estate. Go in peace and show respect, and it will be offered in return. You may pass."
Michiko bowed her head, "Thank you, Oji-san. If we stay I will seek you out."
A white-haired Nekomata wearing a plain but handsome kimono waited for us on the other side of the gatehouse, and we followed her through the estate. Seven large buildings, three of which looked like barracks rooms, filled up the wide-open space, and finely ground gravel pebbles crunched underneath my shoes as we walked past drilling yards, Kyudo archery ranges, and what looked to be magical ranges with targets of wood and straw on the far end.
We stepped off of the gravel and onto an engawa, and I wiped my shoes on the nearest mat to dislodge any pebbles stuck in the grooves so that I wouldn't scratch up the polished wood surfaces unduly.
A large building to our immediate left appeared to be the dining facility for the house guards if the uproarious conversations, laughter, and music were any indication, and the next building over was what I thought was the servant's quarters given its proximity to the main building and the kitchens.
Spoiler: Magari's Mansion at Nekoyama
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Numerous thin trees that looked well-trimmed filled my sight as we came up to a placid, moat-like pond that surrounded a large Japanese villa, with a half-dozen thin, covered bridges leading over the water and to the wide walkways fashioned from large tree trunks. Lush grasses and bushes were surrounded by a waist-high wall of carefully laid brick and mortar, with larger stone pebbles filling the spaces where there was no living carpet to cover them.
The Nekomata, Shirokumi-san, led us around the circumference of the estate to arrive at the entrance, where two dozen red-painted Torii gates stretched out in front of us. As we followed her through I could feel the humming and buzzing of Shinto magics at the edges of my senses, and I nodded in respect at the subtle yet exceptionally powerful barrier that surrounded the mansion; there was only one way in or out from what I could tell, and while I didn't know the effects of the barriers I knew that even at my strength it would likely be a painful experience trying to break through them.
Not that I couldn't, it just wouldn't be fun.
There were eight large cherry blossom trees in bricked planters equally spaced in two rows on either side of the path we were walking, each surrounded by those thick ropes with wooden plaques hanging from them; given the amount of magical power circulating through them, I immediately knew what was anchoring this powerful barrier in place.
At the end of the path was a raised engawa with wooden steps leading up to it, two large sets of paper shoji doors stood open with brasiers containing bright flames on either side. Between them was a very large and luxurious cushion placed on a dias, and on that plush fabric nested a white and black tortoise-shelled cat with seven tails flicking behind it languidly.
Spoiler: Cat Form Magari
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Slitted golden eyes regarded us keenly as the white nekomata that guided us to her bowed, "Magari-sama, the guests you have been expecting have arrived. Sagiyama Michiko, and her Lord Riser Phenex-sama of the 72 Demon Pillars."
The feline loafed on her cushion, and she mrowled, "Thank you, Shirokumi-chan, you may leave."
"Hai, Magari-sama," The Nekomata bowed deeply before moving up the steps and onto the engawa, the Youkai disappearing from sight behind one of the shoji screens; interestingly enough she did not cast a shadow on it.
"Riser Phenex-kun," The seven-tailed Nekomata drawled as she transformed into a cute young woman wearing a beautiful red and white Shine Maiden uniform, though from her profile I knew she was over seven hundred years old; her mastery of Touki and Senjutsu allowed her to live far, far, far longer than most Nekomata could. According to Michiko, she was once apprenticed to Sun Wukong himself, the woman venturing to China to seek him out for Senjutus training when she was entering her three-hundredth year of life.
Spoiler: Human form Magari- Just Add Ears and Tails
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Her white and black tortoise-shell color scheme changed to something purely domestic, however, her hair became pure black while her tails became white. The woman held out her hand and a sealed letter that I recognized as the one that I sent her fell into her waiting hand, "Two weeks ago I received this letter from you- a warning attached to it in the form of a sketch that you made that showed a devil attempting to entice two Nekomata from my Island into joining him."
She unfolded the letter and the sketch, her golden eyes settling on the flowing, dark, ominous lines before she turned them to me, "I thank you for the advanced warning, because four days ago we had a devil almost matching this description arrive on Tashirojima Island- the man asking around for two Nekomata matching the descriptions of two of my current wards."
Magari tilted her head to the side as she slipped her hands into her sleeves, "I turned him away seeing as he made no attempt to warn us of his visit as you had, however, two days after he was rebuked I received another uninvited guest; this one managed to slip almost all of the way into my inner sanctum undetected. If I had not been on the lookout for further incursions I would have missed it completely."
I blinked and immediately reached into my coat pocket to pull out a notepad and a pen, "If I may ask some questions about this intruder?"
She arched an eyebrow in response, "Are you here to conduct an investigation, Riser Phenex-kun? Pardon me, but you appear a bit young, and you are also not a member of your Foreign Affairs department… not that I truly care about such things."
"You speak true, Magari-sama, but I do see three of our Great Maous on a routine basis, Lady Levithan-sama and Lord Lucifer-sama I see every week; if you wish to make a complaint that will skip the bureaucracy in between and have it directly delivered to the two Satans who would see to it that this matter is handled seriously… then I can help with that," I spoke easily as I wrote down what little she had already given me.
The seven-tailed Nekomata nodded slowly, "The first devil matches the description of your sketch rather closely, though with far less exaggerated features. I cannot tell you any more than that because he did not deign to identify himself. The second, however, was no devil, at least as far as I could tell- it was a creature, that one. It had virtually no mana or magical power to speak of, and was completely absent of any demonic taint. I only caught wind of its subterfuge because its ki signature, while smaller than a house cat, was unique in that it was perfectly balanced between Yin and Yang. Nothing on this Earth has perfectly balanced chi, of that I am certain.
We chased it from the inner compound where it easily blended into the forests, taking different shapes and forms- a deer and a man from what my security teams told me. However, once it made it to the villages it was easily able to change shape once more, likely taking on the appearance of a Youkai that was known before slipping away."
I wrote down the description onto my notepad as her words twigged something within my memories, "Tell me, Milady, did this creature have a scent? Or was it completely without?"
Her golden eyes widened slightly before they narrowed, "No. The creature had no scent; I had to backtrace its route through the mansion by following the ki trail it left behind."
I had seen this description before, many times throughout my studies of military history, mainly because the creature she described was one of the primary lynchpins in the information-warfare campaigns waged by the Old Satan faction during the Civil War.
The pen clicked in my hand as I considered my words, "I do not know if I should tell you this, but… the creature you referenced is, I believe, a Skinwalker."
"A 'Skinwalker'?" Her ears perked up slightly, "Pray tell, boy, why would you be unsure of telling me this information? Does the Underworld not have an agreement in place with the Youkai faction to share information?"
"I do not purport myself to be an expert on the peculiars of the agreements of the Underworld and the Youkai of Japan, and by extension the Five Principal Clans, but I do believe that the agreements signed were withdrawn from by Lord Nurarihyon-sama when he removed the Overseer of Miyagi and closed the Eastern Youkai faction's embassy there," I slowly closed the book and slipped it back into my coat pocket, "So by giving you this information I may be breaking some laws, and as I said before, I see Lady Leviathan on a weekly basis and thus would get a stern lecture from her personally."
A sigh left my lips as I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, "Yet, seeing as this is a clear and present danger I think allowances might be made so as not to exacerbate what is likely already an international incident. So… based on the description you provided I believe that the creature you encountered is a Skinwalker. They were creatures created by House Neberious, one of the 72 Demon Pillars, that were utilized during the Devil Civil War as intelligence and infiltration assets. They were scentless, devoid of demonic power and magic, and able to slip in and out of New Satan faction lines undetected."
The feline woman remained still as I continued.
"However, given that their creation was outlawed after the war and all known Skinwalkers destroyed… I can safely say that the devil who likely tried to gain entrance was a devil of House Neberious. Only they would know the method of their creation and likely concealed their notes once the war was concluded. Unless someone else, such as House Nabiros, the primary branch that was exiled, retained copies and were acting alone," I cupped my chin with a hand as I gave the elderly Nekomata a meaningful look, "Given that the Naberious family is nominally a House loyal to the Government, and there being a high likelihood that their parent House, House Nabrios, could be the perpetrators of this incursion…"
"Then that means that this will have to be handled delicately instead of swiftly," The feline finished for me, the woman waving her hand around dismissively, "I understand your hesitance, boy. Maa~, politics . This is why I am here and Nurarihyon-sama is in the hot seat. I have no patience for such things."
Lady Magari sighed as she looked off to the side, the woman's eyes trailing off as she spoke, "You know, a lot of my woes would be solved if horny cat girls weren't under my purview."
I felt my mind stutter to a halt, "I… I beg your pardon?"
"Yeah, horny cat girls, they're the biggest, grandest pain in my old keister," The woman slumped to the side, a thin hand coming up to stroke her black hair, "So many girls just never want to listen to the wisdom of Magari-sama. They all believe that they know the hearts of men as if they created them themselves, phaw! Pussies ruled by their pussy, I say! Michiko-chan's mother-!"
Magari pointed at my Cat Girl Maido, "She once followed this handsome devil attached to Serafall Leviathan's entourage on a lark while they were visiting Lord Nurarihyon-sama at Miyagi. I told her that he was only there to visit, and that she shouldn't be entranced by his handsome foreign looks, but did she listen to me? Nooooo~, she came back three months later pregnant and in tears. Michiko herself, my sweet, studious many greats granddaughter, was born a half-breed, and when it came time for her to blossom into adulthood what did she do? She fell in love with a fool with more knuckles than sense and followed him down to the Underworld, no matter how kind that fool may have been. All because she fell in love with the man who had finally found a 'worthy Aruji-sama'."
She rolled around on the cushion while she threw her temper tantrum, my sweet Michiko flinching as her words grew louder, "And then my most recent, most promising student in Senjutsu!? What did she do!? She fell in love with a human scientist with more malice in his heart than anything else! He forced himself onto her in a fit of lust while he was traveling through Tashirohama, and that fool girl thought he loved her! Loved her! She followed him away like a cat chasing a bowl of cream, and now I have her kitties living under my roof because she went and got herself killed. All for a man."
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a pair of black ears sticking out from behind one of the shoji screens behind her.
" I get it. Men are great, nya~" Oh, she was definitely devolving if the nekoine words were coming out to play, "They are nice and firm. They smell good, and when they're between your thighs and plundering your flower it's the best thing in the world! You make lots of beautiful kitties with them and live a happy life, provided you find a good one. Yet all of my girls just seem to have the worst taste in men despite being able to sense Ki and their intentions with Senjutsu. It's truly aggravating, nya~."
She let out a gusting sigh before she went completely slack, and after a few moments of breathing she sat up and collected herself as though there had never been an outburst at all, "Fujimai-chan was my greatest disciple to date, a Nekoshu gifted in Senjutsu, and now I have her kittens under my roof. Those kittens are now drawing the attention of devils to my lands who are seemingly either uncaring of violating the laws of their government or don't recognize the laws of the government at all."
Her fingers interlaced in her lap, "If the devil in question hadn't been looking for these two kitties explicitly I'd chalk up the second incursion as just typical devil nonsense about testing their boundaries, but it has become quite clear to me that if I was not here to detect the intruder then it would have been able to complete its scouting in full…"
I nodded, "Likely to lead up to a more direct course of action."
"Yes, exactly that," She nodded, her voice somber and having lost most of its heat, "I am not in danger of these Skinwalkers, but the rest of the Youkai under my protection? They are. They cannot fight an enemy they cannot sense; I shudder to think the number of bodies that we might find should a team of them seek to invade to gather them. It means that whoever they are, be they Nabiros or Naberious, they desire them greatly, and they likely will not care one whit about the blood they have to spill to get their hands on them."
Her shoulders deflated, "All because my dearest student could not keep control over her heart; had she stayed as I bade this would not be happening, yet she did not, and so it is. I cannot in good consciousness continue to shelter those two girls, no matter how sweet they are or how precious their mother was to me, when their presence here puts the lives of hundreds of others at risk."
"Will Lord Nurarihyon-sama not assign additional guards?" I asked as I saw the black ears behind the shoji screen droop, "Or if you give me some time I can ask Lady Leviathan to send a team out to investigate; I do not know if we have developed counters to the Skinwalkers since it would be foolish if someone such as myself knew, but there must be something that can be done. If those two are here then that means they lost the mother they loved… losing their second home so soon after the first might crush them."
The Nekomata's eyes closed as she smiled softly, and he hummed, "Mhmmmm… I can tell that you're a very sweet boy, Riser-kun."
I blinked in shock before I felt tendrils of ki lapping over my skin, tendrils that I hadn't noticed until now, and I sent my own ki to follow it back to the source- Magari-sama herself. She chuckled softly as she brushed my ki away as though it were soot on her clothes, "Yes, you are a very kind boy indeed. Your Ki is powerful and strong, and your control isn't lacking either, but Kotaro-kun and Michiko-chan left Fuchino-kun's tutelage before he could teach them everything about Ki… and that lack of knowledge shows. You didn't feel my probes until I allowed you to feel it."
I felt Michiko's ki shiver, and I turned my head to see her eyes grow misty as Magari turned her attention from me to her, "Tell me, Michiko-chan… did Ko-kun die as well as he wished?"
The cat woman dropped to her knees, the feline uncaring of how it would crease her skirts, her head bowed low as sniffles left her lips, "H-he died as he always wished, Obaa-sama, beside his beloved Aruji-sama righting a great wrong that was done to his liege lord. Together they slew a Pillar Lord…"
"Hmmmm… then I suppose that is all I can ask for," Magari's eyes softened as she played with her fingers in her lap, "Are you happy now, Michiko? Does your new lord make you happy?"
" Hai , Obaa-sama," Michiko hiccupped as I dropped to a knee and rested a hand on her shoulder, and her hand clasped onto it immediately as she looked up at me, "Riser-sama is a Young Lord most kind. He offered my fool of a husband a great boon to see him one day rise up to become a High-Class devil himself… and when Ko-kun went with his Lord to avenge his Lord's brother's murder, Riser-sama did not stand aside and let the surviving Lady take her revenge out of me and my two kittens. He took us under his wings and gave us new life, new purpose as his servants."
"My daughters have grown up beautifully under his care, the two wanting to be the best little Maids they can be for their Riser-nii-sama," Her lips trembled as she smiled with tear-streaked eyes, "He has taught us much. Helped us become strong so that we might never fear the predation of those who would seek to do us harm. I could never in my life thank my Lord for his protection, his patronage, guidance, and kindness."
"Iya, iya~" Magari leaned forward, a small grin on her lips as she cupped her cheek with a hand, "That sounds like a ringing endorsement if there ever was one."
Her golden eyes peered at me with intensity, "Riser Phenex, should I hand over the kitties into your care, will you do the same for them as you have done with my granddaughter and grandkitties?"
I smiled as I helped Michiko to her feet, my beloved maid leaning on me for support as her legs had yet to find strength, "You wouldn't even have to ask, Magari-sama. I came here to protect them because I wished to not see them harmed; I had that vision many years ago, and it was my foresight that prodded me, warning me of this unscrupulous devil's impending action. I will take them under the aegis of myself and the House that stands behind me. While they might have no compunctions about seeking these two kittens out in Tashirojima… they will have much greater lengths to go through if they wish to draw the ire of my family and the Four-Way Alliance that supports us."
"Besides, I always have room in my heart for more little sisters," I finished off lamely, the desire to kick myself rising the moment the words left my lips, and the seven-tailed Nekomata threw back her head in uproarious laughter.
"Nyahahahahahaha~!" She clapped her hands, "More 'little' sisters he says?! How amusing~. Kuroka, dear, reveal yourself; I know you've been listening in, and you're not as stealthy as you might think."
Spoiler: Kuroka
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I was shocked to see almost a fully grown Kuroka stalk out from behind the shoji screen, her mature and curvy body on display for me in that revealing kimono she wore from my memories. I didn't exactly know how old she was considering I wasn't a walking Wikipedia article, but I had thought that she would be a few years younger than me- or at the very least the same age!
Well, the 'official' age of thirteen that I was…
Granted I looked like I was fifteen going on sixteen right now, so Kuroka's mature and jigglelicious figure could also be her just being 'ahead of the curve'. I remember my cousin distinctly complaining about how high school girls looked like college girls whenever he came over to drink…
She had with her an instantly recognizable Shirone, who definitely looked her age at around six or seven; hadn't she been a year junior to Rias in the show?
Immediately she peeled away from Kuroka, the little Nekoshu prancing across the distance between us where she clawed her way up my pant leg and perched herself on my shoulder. Wide, expressive golden eyes looked down on me, "Who're you, nyaaa~?"
Kuroka hid a smile behind her hand as she watched the events unfold next to Magari.
I arched an eyebrow as I considered my words carefully, "It sounds as though I'm your new Onii-sama, little kitten."
"Mukuukuukuukuu~," Her hands came up and patted the top of my head, "That sounds like 'minion', nya~."
I shook my head, "Nah, Big Brother's aren't minions! We're protectors, caretakers, teachers, and when the parents aren't around, the disciplinarians. Just because we dote on little sisters, love on them, care for them, snuggle with them, feed them sweets when the parents aren't looking, turn a blind eye to mischiefmaking, and occasionally take the blame when said mischiefmaking breaks something doesn't mean we are 'minions'."
Her face scrunched up in consternation as she looked over to her big sister, "Nee-sama? That's what you said big brothers were! You said they were 'minions'! Nya~!"
"I don't knyow, that sure sounds like a 'minion' to me, nya," The black-haired feline shrugged her shoulders, causing her generous bosom to jiggle- which I very adroitly did not look at, "But what do I knyow about that? I'm just a Big Sister, not a Big Brother, so Riser-kun might knyow better than me."
I nodded, "I am indeed an expert; I've successfully raised lots of little sisters in my time. Even old little sisters. You should listen to my wise council."
"How do you have old little sisters? Nya~? That doesn't make any sense," Shirone deflated over my head like a balloon, her whole body going slack, "So nyo minion?"
"Nope. Certainly not. Not a chance. No possibility of that happening whatsoever." I bobbed my knees in place since I couldn't shake my head lest I dislodge kitty sister numero tres from my noggin.
She sniffed.
I was firm. Steadfast. Unbreakable.
"Maybe just a little though, it couldn't hurt."
"Nyahahahahaha~! So easy! You're so easy, Riser-nii-nyama!" Shirone immediately perked up and placed her hands on her hips, "And Nee-sama said it wouldn't work!"
"I do not have a crippling weakness in the form of little sisters, Shirone-chan. That's not a nice thing to say, at all." I rebutted immediately, flawlessly unraveling her implied words.
That seemed to catch her off guard, "But I never said that?"
I rolled my eyes, "Sure you didn't. But you thought it. I could tell."
"Can you see into my mind!?"
"I have special Big Brother Senjutsu powers, some of the strongest the family has ever seen I'll have you know," I sniffed haughtily, "I am a master of Oniishukufudo, the Way of the Big Brother. A talent not seen in over a thousand years. I can tell when a little sister is up to no good from a thousand Li away, don't question it."
"I don't believe you," She narrowed her eyes, "You just made that up."
"And I can tan a backside from two thousand Li away," I raised my hand up, "You can ask my other little sisters if you don't believe me."
Someone behind me snorted, but I chose to ignore it. If you let a little sister walk all over you they immediately lost respect, and you'd forever be a simp.
Like Sirzechs and Serafall.
I would never simp; my little sisters know that I mean business.
Shirone's ears flattened on top of her head, her tail swishing against my back, and at my subtle urging, a smiling Michiko slithered her hand up to pinch her bottom, causing the feline to shriek and bolt off of my shoulder, the little girl sprinting behind her elder sister to cling to her bare thigh, "Nee-nyama! I don't like Mystical Onii-sama!"
I nodded, spreading my hands wide, "It is prudent to beware these hands. These bad boys can spank all sorts of bottoms, even if you think you're safe, if you're doing something bad then Onii-chan always knows."
"Now, now, there is no need to worry, Shirone-chan," Kuroka stroked her little sister's frazzled ears soothingly, her golden eyes watching mine intently, "Your Onee-sama with will protect you from the big, bad, Onii-chan. You can count on that."
Her tone was flirtatious, and teasing, but the unspoken threat was obvious. As a proud older sibling I could only offer the audacity to threaten me the firm nod of respect it deserved.
A different creature the mysterious Onee-sama might be, but they live in symbiosis with the Onii-sama in perfect harmony to proteccc little brothers and little sisters everywhere.
"Well then! It's settled," Lady Magari clapped her hands with finality, "I will leave them in your care, Riser Phenex. See to it that they grow up to be at least as strong as Michiko-chan is right now… and well cared for, then I'll consider this debt the Underworld owes us for these incursions settled."
I nodded and bowed slightly, "I will still be informing Lady Leviathan of this, so do not be surprised if you are asked to expect an investigative team in the interim; her magical exterior might be bubbly and vivacious, but she takes her job very seriously. When devils threaten to give her paperwork and increase her workload… they tend to end up joining the Popsicle Garden that leads up to her office."
Magari blanched, "That woman terrifies me. I don't know how she knew about Magical Girls almost two hundred years before their advent in popular media, but it is frightening."
"I tend not to think about it," I gave her a weak smile, "It's for the best."
"I like popsicles," Shirone chirped from behind Kuroka's leg.
Magari sighed as she shook her head, "Well then. Seeing as you are without lodgings I will offer you rooms within my estate to stay the night. Though I expect you off my Island first thing in the morning, do you understand?"
"Perfectly, Lady Magari-sama," I turned toward the rest of my Peerage before I looked back at the Nekomata, "Though I do hope that this isn't permanent; I know that Ni and Li were looking forward to coming and seeing their mother's home… and maybe one day Kuroka-san and Shirone-chan might like to come back and visit as well."
The woman's shoulders loosened up, though her eyes were firm, "I would never wish to deny my kitties the right to visit their true home, but as long as the danger exists then I cannot allow it. If your Maou handle the situation then I will happily reconsider."
"Understood, Lady Magari," I offered her a bow, "I will see to it that Lady Leviathan hears of this with haste."
"See that you do," She nodded before turning her head to look to the side where the Nekomata who escorted us came out of nowhere, "Shirokumi-chan will show you to your rooms. Sleep well and travel safely on your journey, Riser Phenex-kun."
In the middle of the night a hand reached out and clasped onto the back of a slender neck, "And just where do you think you're trying to slip into?"
The cat might take on a human form, but the instinct to curl up and cease moving didn't just disappear. Especially not when the hand gripping the back of said neck was attached to seasoned and experienced Momma Cat.
Kuroka smiled weakly as she looked up to see Michiko the Cat Maid frowning down at her imperiously, "Nyahahah~… I just wanted to visit my new Young Master? He feels really strong, and I bet we'd make some strong kitties together."
Out from the shadows, Magari the seven-tailed Nekomata stepped out to cross her arms and frowned down at the captured feline with Michiko, "It's a curse. A curse I say. Female kitties are just too horny for their own good."
After spending the night getting her world rocked by Ruval Phenex of all devils, Cleria Belial was figuratively on Cloud Nine as she shuffled over to the desktop computer and gingerly took a seat.
He was handsome and gentle, and kind, and totally powerful, and his Phenex regeneration allowed him to do things to her that made lesser men weep with envy. Not that such things were solely qualifiers for her, as she wasn't shallow, but she had to admit that he had all of the attractive qualities she liked in Human men as well. He was confident but not self-absorbed like the devils she's had the displeasure of knowing, and he was very considerate.
When he noticed her limping to the bathroom he even offered her a vial of Phenex Tears just so that she could go through the rest of the day without discomfort!
No, she patently refused. The aches and pains of amazing sex were something she always relished, and the puffiness of her vagina was especially important because it was proof that last night hadn't been a fever dream brought on by copious amounts of wine and a haze of vanilla bean ice cream.
Ruval Phenex, one of the Top 10 devils in the Underworld, had taken her on a date, and he'd been a perfect gentleman!
They even agreed to a second date!
The woman's fingers danced across the mouse and keyboard once the machine booted up, and she navigated to the web page she was seeking out.
' www.nihonlovedatesugoidesune.jp' and she logged into the dating website she'd been frequenting when she found that the bar scene in Kuoh just wasn't as developed as the one in Tokyo.
She was just about to click over to the 'settings' page and hide her account when she saw that she had a new message.
"You have 1,973 new messages!"
Which had been one more than she had yesterday!
In a fit of curiosity, she clicked it open, waited for the page to load, and she saw the message, and clicked on it.
" From: Masaomi Yaegaki
To: Clarice Beriaru
Subject: 'Saw You Visited My Profile, Though I Would Say Hello'
Hello, Clarice, I saw you checked out my profile, and I thought-"
Cleria Belial deleted the message and navigated back over to the settings menu to delete her account.
If she'd seen that message after last night without Ruval Phenex rocking her world she would have been tempted to click on it and respond, even if it was a little lackluster.
Yet Riser Phenex's words rang true in her mind.
Even if she had managed to hold onto a boyfriend without scaring them away, how exactly would she go about explaining the supernatural world to them? Let alone try and explain to her family why she was dating a human of all things- Half-devils were shunned in society because the children never inherited the blood traits or the strength of their devil parents.
There had been a whole purge of thousands of half-breeds under the old Lucifer when they found out that human blood and its potential didn't lead to stronger devils, and the stigma had stuck around ever since. Only Low-Class devils could really get away with mingling with humans, and even then that was because to the Nobility the Low-Class were barely devils to begin with.
Ruval Phenex had potential, and it was up to her to see it realized.
Though now she had to wonder how exactly she was going to break the news to her most beloved cousin Diehauser…
The devil Overseer of Kuoh whined plaintively as she deleted her account.
Why couldn't things just be easy for once!?
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, and A. Daw for being Patrons!
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A/N: Ladies and Gentleman, we have finally claimed the (other) kitties. And Cleria Belial now has a boyfriend~. The poor girl. lol
Interlewd - Kuroka, Kumiko of the Dirty Dozen
[Kuroka]
[Yudanaka Onsen - 'Cherry Blossom Springs Inn']
The black cat wasn't exactly hiding her presence from anyone, given that she hadn't bothered to restrain her Ki or anything, but she at least made it look as though she was trying to not be conspicuous- her golden eyes and large feline ears were visible as she peeked over the wall from the private hot spring that she and her sister had been sharing with the half-devil Bakeneko, Michiko-san. The stone wall was just high enough for her to stack a couple of wooden boxes she found lying around, and one of the padded rubber wash mats was more than enough for her to kneel on while allowing her to see over the top of the bamboo partition separating out the private springs.
After joining Riser Phenex-kun, though it was Phenex-sama when they were in front of other devils not of the young Lord's family, they took a detour from their previously planned route to the Nagano Prefecture. Apparently one of Riser's servants, a beautiful half-breed Magician Kuroka came to know as Sabrine- also known to Shirone as 'Ipples-Onee-chan'- Serphent, had earned from her Lord a small boon, and Magari-sama recommended to them a Youkai run onsen in the small mountain village of Yudanaka.
It was a beautiful place, Kuroka had to admit, with bountiful forests of coniferous trees, steep slopes covered in powdery snow due to the high elevations, and dozens upon dozens of steaming hot springs where mortals and the supernatural alike gathered to soak up the heated natural spring waters. Shirone found the monkeys and monkey Youkai that called this mountainous region home amusing enough, and it appeared as though Riser-kun and Sabrine-san approved of the quiet, relaxing location.
When she learned that Sabrine and Riser got a room together, her horni-senses began tingling fiercely, so once everyone had their dinners taken care of Kuroka washed Shirone-chan up and got her put to bed early; the trip had been terribly exciting for the little kitten, so she was more than ready to bed down and get some rest. As she stroked her little sister's head the black feline couldn't help but acknowledge that Riser-kun had been right; losing her second home in four years had been tough on her, but she knew that there was no way they could have avoided it.
One way or another they would have had to leave Nekoyama and Tashirojima Island once the devils their father worked for caught wind of where they fled.
"My dear Kuroka,
If you are reading this letter then that means the charms on the bracelet that I have given you have been broken, and I as well as your father are most likely dead.
You must read this quickly and carefully- you will not have much time.
Open the cabinet, right where I showed you, and grab the bag inside. Within it is a red envelope that has a map and another letter. The blue envelope has some human money for Japan that I stole while traveling with your father. Take the bag and the letter and go to Tashirojima Island- it is where your Momma is from; you remember the stories that I told you, right, my little black wonder? Seek out a seven-tailed Nekomata, her name is Magari-sama. She was your Momma's teacher.
Grab Shirone, Kuroka, and run to the teleportation circle in your father's study; if the charm for him is broken then that means the protections tied to it are broken as well. Use it to escape to Japan and find Magari-sama. The pre-arranged mandala will take you to a town called Kuoh; flee North and East toward Miyagi.
If I am dead but your father is alive… then you will have to try and use the gifts of Senjutsu and the techniques I taught you to escape on foot. Run to the New Satan faction devils and give them the hairpin that your sister wears; that should be enough to secure your safety.
If I am dead and your father is alive then he is most likely my killer, and my love has failed to pierce the darkness clouding his heart. Should you meet him… you should run. Do not listen to his words. If my love could not help him then I doubt your words would reach where mine failed.
Go now, my beloved daughter, and keep our little white sound safe for Momma, okay?
I love you, Kuroka. I love you, Shirone.
Your Okaa-san is so sorry."
It had been hard, surviving while on the run.
Kuroka was only thirteen, and Shirone only three, and while Kuroka was well-versed in caring for her sister, learning how the human world worked while constantly fearing for her life had been a harrowing experience. She had gotten scammed out of most of her money early on, and she made do with stealing what she needed to care for herself and her sister- the Nekoshu breaking into homes with her Youjutsu to seek shelter from bad weather and hypnotizing local humans to provide them with food.
It was only when she arrived at Tashirojima Island with Shirone in tow, the pair having taken on their cat forms to hitch a ride on the passenger ferry, that Kuroka truly felt safe for the very first time in what felt like years. The letter written by their mother had gotten them to Magari-sama, and upon hearing their story the seven-tailed Nekomata took them into her home with a heavy heart.
Yet somewhere, deep down, Kuroka knew that it wouldn't last, but much to her surprise, it took four years for their past to catch up with them.
Four years that Kuroka used to train under Magari-sama to master her species natural talents with Senjutus. Though to say that she was a 'Master' was a bit of a stretch- Magari-sama taught her what she knew, and it would be up to Kuroka to reach the milestones that her sensei told her about.
Considering what Michiko-san told her about Riser-kun, it was likely that she would be teaching him everything she knew about Senjutsu, but in exchange, he would teach her everything he knew about Touki. Some mastery of Senjutsu was typically seen as a requirement to unlock Touki, but that wasn't true; Touki could be unlocked by training one's body to its physical and mental peaks- Senjutsu greatly aided in that process, as learning one's body and ki intimately sped up progress by leaps and bounds. However, Michiko-san unlocked Touki first and began learning Senjutsu second, and Riser-kun, as well as his Peerage, learned the same way.
What little Senjutsu Michiko-san did know was based in Bouchujutsu, or the Bedroom Method, and honestly, Kuroka was very excited to see that in action; Magari-sama had mentioned it a few times, but since there wasn't a male under her purview who was practicing Senjutsu attempting to teach without a proper training aid was seen as a waste of time.
Needless to say, any form of training where she got to paste herself up against the naked form of a hunky male got Kuroka's attention, and she was looking forward to learning what Michiko-san knew… doubly so since it was Riser-kun who was going to be her 'training partner'.
"Hee, hee, hee~" The feline held a hand up over her mouth to stifle her laughter at the thought, and down below her she saw the dark-haired Magician look up at her with a saucer of sake in hand, and she winked.
Spoiler: Sabrine Serphent
[img: https/us.rule34.xxx/samples/3269/sample_8d44cd6f83c69134670ff0aa02650611.jpg?3699965]
Kuroka winked back.
Ah, it was nice that all of the ladies here were good sports; some just got so tetchy when you spied on their men when they were bathing. Kuroka didn't really understand what the big deal was- it wasn't like she was seducing them or anything… just admiring the wares. 'Window shopping' as the humans said.
The sounds of wood sliding against wood filtered into her large ears, and Kuroka settled down just a little bit lower, the teen using the pine needles from the tree branch above her to conceal herself better.
Riser Phenex stepped into view with a towel wrapped around his neck, and he wore nothing else.
He was only thirteen years old!? Her beautiful black tail he was!
He looked almost as old as she was, with his lean body covered in corded steel muscles that looked as though Babayama-sama, one of Nekoyama's revered stone masons, took her hammer and chisel to his flesh. His features were ethereally handsome and sharp, with well-defined cheekbones and a strong jaw that tapered to a moderately strong chin; his eyes weren't large, but that just made the cerulean blue stand out that much more, and his artfully messy short blonde hair and slightly darker eyebrows gave him the look of a magazine cover model.
She knew that this was one of the more widely known qualities of devils, their shapeshifting known to every supernatural faction, and while she once considered devils vain because of it, given the number of ugly devils she saw during her time in the Underworld with her parents she wondered if devils themselves knew that they could be beautiful if they wished.
Still, Riser-kun had quite the figure to go with his immense strength- her jaw dropped slightly as the natural swing of his flaccid penis caught her attention- and she felt her eyes narrow into slits as an imperceptible purr began echoing in her throat.
Quite the package too, nya~.
Sabrine noticed his arrival as well, but instead of staring she poured herself another saucer of expensive sake and turned around to face away from the teen devil. Kuroka had to admit that the woman knew how to tease, because of the way her generous boobs gathered against the stone railing of the spring wall and her bodacious booty seemed to 'float' just above the surface of the water… it was artfully done in the feline's opinion. More than enough to tantalize and draw the eye while the shadows from the curves and swells of her flesh hid all of the goodies; Kuroka decided that maybe she could learn a thing or two from Inverted Nipples-Onee-san.
She watched Riser's chest tense and his cock quickly start to throb to life at the sight of the woman putting herself on display for him, but after clenching his fists he released a slow breath and moved over to the stool to begin washing himself as was proper.
He took his time soaping up his body, his fingers running over every single muscle on his body with care and purpose, and the way he played with his half-erect cock and large, heavy sack made Kuroka feel as though he was putting on a show just for her instead of the woman sipping her sake languidly beneath her.
Kuroka let a hand slither down to her opened onsen yukata and begin teasing one of her already stiff nipples, the shock of pleasure sparking up her spine and making her tail curl in the air; sure, they hadn't started yet, but what was the harm in pre-gaming this a little?
By the time Riser-kun washed the soap from his hair and body his large penis was standing firmly at attention, and it swung from his hips like a mighty war club with every step; she could see the half-devil's smile grow wider and wider as he approached, and she lowered her torso to smush her boobs to the cool stone while she waggled her fat bottom at him.
"I'm so happy that you indulged my whims so soon, Riser-sama," The woman's low, smoky voice tickled Kuroka's ears, and the teen slowly stepped down the stone steps into the water; given its shallowness, his heavy sack was barely submerged while his hard cock bobbed above the clear spring water.
He languidly closed the distance between them, and Kuroka was a touch shocked to see the boy slide up behind the half-devil and embrace her from behind; his cock sandwiching itself between her buttocks and squishing them against his slender, muscular hips. Sabrine immediately raised her torso up, and she sighed as Riser-kun's hands slipped over the soft, jiggly flesh of her breasts and cupped the heavy things in the palms of his hands.
"It was such a small request," He leaned over and kissed the woman's earlobe, "One that I could grant easily… and you've worked so hard, Sabrine-chan; I wanted to reward your effort properly."
Kuroka's other hand slipped down and palmed over her already leaking pussy, and she bit her lip as she applied a gentle pressure to her erect clitoris and sopping lips.
Sabrine gyrated and wiggled her pert, generous bottom back and forth, the wet flesh tugging and sliding over the satiny skin of Riser-kun's throbbing cock, "Just the hot spring and sake would have been enough, Riser-sama… ahn~!"
Her teasing tone disappeared as he gently pinched the areola of her right breast, the woman arching her back to give Kuroka a prime view of Riser-kun's finger slipping into her inverted nipple and teasing it to full hardness, "Don't be like that, Sabrine. Faux modesty? It doesn't suit you. You've always been a straight-forward woman, never concealing what you wanted, and over the many, many years that we've been together I've found myself coming to enjoy your nature."
She tittered as her lips parted, "My, my, my, that… nhm~, this is starting to sound like a confession~."
"That's because it is a confession," Riser's voice became husky as he pulled away and slowly spun the Magician-Witch around. He bent over, sliding his hands up under her thighs, and he placed her bottom on the cool stone; the tip of his turgid cock pressing against her belly and indenting the flesh.
Kuroka shivered as she slipped a single finger inside herself and tweaked a nipple.
Such a bold thing, to confess so openly when you're being teased! A lesser man would have sputtered or denied before being coaxed into admitting their feelings like the herbivore they were, but Riser-kun went straight in for the kill!
The teen's nose brushed against Sabrine's while his hands trapped her hips in place, "There is no denying it, Sabrine, that I've come to fall in love with you. How could I not?"
Pink not related to the alcohol- Kuroka could tell- spread across Sabrine's cheeks, neck, shoulders, and breasts; the increased blood flow gave the woman a healthy glow. "R-Riser-sama…"
Riser-kun leaned forward and gently pressed their lips together, and Kuroka had to bite her lip to hold back a needy mewl as she slipped in a second finger- her golden eyes greedily devouring the way their lips meshed together. Her nostrils flared as she began to knead her breast while her fingers curled inside her pussy, the embers of desire and pleasure slowly being fanned at the show happening beneath her.
His arms left her hips, and she spread her thighs wide so that he could settle the root of his cock against her hairy womanhood; he wrapped his arms around her back, and wrapped her arms around his neck, her breasts squishing as they held each other close. He ended the kiss and placed his cheek against hers, "Even when things got so hard that you wanted to quit, you never did. Complained? Yes, who didn't; even I bitched and moaned, but there were so many opportunities for you to throw in the towel, but you never did, Sabrine. You stuck with us, not just me. You tutored Isabela, Michiko, and Xuelan. You helped me take care of Ni and Li, and because of it they've grown into beautiful young kitties."
He slid his nose down to her neck, circling her pulse a few times before placing a kiss against it, and then he placed butterfly kisses along her jaw before finishing with another kiss on her lips- though this one was much firmer. Only when he pulled away did the kiss end, and he stared directly into her eyes, "You've been everything that I could have ever hoped for in a woman, in a Peerage member, Sabrine. Everything and more."
Despite being the cool, sexy older woman, it appeared as though Sabrine-chan was weak to direct assaults like this; poor Ipple-Onee-san ducked her head, seeking refuge behind the curtain of still-dry hair on her scalp.
Yet, Riser-kun didn't seem to be the type of man who did things by halves, and he parted her hair with a finger before sliding it back to slide her silken locks behind her ear. He then trailed that finger down to her jaw so that he raised her chin up with the pad, "So how could I go through all of these years of stress and hardship, which we struggled and suffered through together, without looking within myself and seeing that there was no way that I could look at you and not realize that I loved you?"
Sabrine's face became bright red like a tomato, and Kuroka was glad that her little Shirone-chan was asleep, because if the little white kitten had been beside her peeping there was no way under Amaterasu-sama's sun or Tsukuyomi's moon that the girl would have been able to stop herself from blowing her lungs out with laughter.
Riser-kun sealed the deal before boldly declaring once more, "I love you, Sabrine Serphent."
The woman's eyes became weepy as she grabbed the sake bottle and tossed it back all in one go, the woman using her magic to open up another one before taking a deep pull from it directly, "Y-you know? I had this whole thing all planned out in my head, Riser. A-and you ruined it? Just b-blew it all away. I was going to entice you, you know? Make you drown in my flesh and curves, to have you delight in my body, a-and then we were going to neg-gotiate for the fun to continue on, but… I suddenly don't feel like it anymore."
"I love you too, so… why don't we just do that, hmm? L-love each other, from now until the sun grows cold?" She sniffed loudly and rubbed at her nose with the back of her hand, "I mean, I was your Peerage member before, but now I think I'll settle for being your woman instead, Riser~."
She ground her pussy up against the base of his cock and chortled, "So why don't we enjoy each other from now on, okay?"
Her hand reached down and she gently pushed his hips away with the heels of her feet, her hand grasping his cock; she slithered the tip of his cockhead over the lips of her dribbling sex, her fingers occasionally coating themselves with her juices so she could slather it along his length. He shivered like a leaf alone on a tree, and Kuroka could feel his ki tremble as he restrained himself from just shoving his cock into her pussy and doing away with his virginity… yet he did not.
Michiko-chan had been very thorough about informing Kuroka that Riser-kun was saving his virginity for a magical, sacrificial ritual to share with his betrothed on their wedding night.
Though once Sabrine's hand was able to slide up and down the boy's long, thick cock without resistance, she angled the head just a touch lower, and it was then he speared forward- a gasp of shock leaving her lips as he buried himself inch by inch into the Magician's tight, pink anus. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she buried her face against his neck as a shivering moan left her lips, "S-s-s-so s-s-s-udde-n-n~! You're filling m-m-me up, Riser~!"
The heel of Kuroka's palm mashed against her clitoris as her fingers increased their pace within her tight, weeping sex, and she bit back a low moan as her breasts, pussy, and clitoris worked in unison with her nose, eyes, and ears to drag her into the first climax of the evening. Her eyes fluttered as she shook, sparks of pleasure arcing across her limbs and core like electricity, and with her sensitive ears, she could hear her juices pattering onto the rubber mat beneath her knees. "Nyyyyyaaaaaa~"
When her vision regained focus Kuroka could see that Riser-kun's heavy balls rested against the swells of Sabrine's buttom, and he was kissing her passionately as their forms joined together completely. When the kiss broke Sabrine's hands stroked the sides of Riser's cheeks, "Finally, after so long~… won't you make love to me, Riser?"
He didn't say a word, instead, he pulled back his length slowly before pressing back into her, drawing a soft gasp from each other's lips, and Kuroka was already working herself up to another nice little orgasm when he buried himself to the hilt in her with a single, powerful thrust; a groan left his lips as he buried his face in her neck, and the half-breed devil's eyes widened as she felt the boy's body shake.
Kuroka was surprised as well, because she could feel his thick, sticky ki spurt-spurt-spurting deep into the cavity of the woman's anus.
Her fingers stilled as muttered very lowly to herself, "Well that… was fast…"
Granted, it was his first time, and it was after such an emotional confession so… but he was so strong… he should have lasted longer than that, right? She knew boys were quick shots in the beginning, as that had been her experience after prowling Tashirojima for cute boys to molest, but she couldn't help it if she wanted more of a show?
The feline did feel a little bad for him, the embarrassment radiating off of his ki in waves, but there was a small flicker of demonic power focused on his Root Gate, near the base of his penis, and it slowly began to glow warmer, and warmer until a visible flame sprang up from his testes and cock. Both Riser and Sabrine were so shocked that neither tried to pull away as the fire consumed their joined genitals, but there was no heat or pain and when the flames retreated Kuroka could feel that his cock was once more rock-hard and his sack was once more heavy with his kitten-making seed.
"Of course, I'd figure this out now…" Riser grumbled as his cheeks flushed, and the woman tittered against his neck.
"Well, at least now we know that you and I can have fun until we get tired of it, huuhuuhuu~," She pulled back and stroked his ears while she gave him a coquettish smile and batted her eyelashes, "Won't you mess me up, dear~?"
The sounds of flesh meeting flesh filled the air as Riser's hips beat against Sabrine's generous bottom; her pert and springy buttocks bouncing with every impact as the woman did her best to not be bowled over while on her hands and knees. Riser-kun's cock filled her asshole with each stroke, drawing a pleasured cry or squeak from her lips, and to the side an illusory mirror formed so that they could watch from the side as they coupled. It was easy to see that Riser's eyes were drawn to the fatty, heavy teats that bounced and jiggled with every thrust, while Sabrine's eyes were firmly glued to her own face… and occasionally to the sight of Riser's testes swinging between his thighs.
He leaned forward and grabbed her titflesh, mauling it firmly while Sabrine bore his weight.
His teeth bit the back of her neck as he took her like a beast, and Kuroka came as the Magician yowled needily- Riser's cock lodging itself firmly into her abused ass and spilling its thick semen into her belly.
Kuroka had long since given up trying to hide behind the wall, the feline woman now resting in the tree, her legs spread and openly fingering herself in time with the alternating pace that Sabrine set.
Riser was seated crosslegged on the rubber pad, with the Witch on his lap; her legs were wrapped around his waist, and his lips were toying with her engorged nipples while she rolled and swayed to the best of her abilities.
However, after a few tense minutes of the more gentle pacing, the woman unhooked her legs and placed her feet against the mat. She pulled Riser's knees up so that she could lift herself up, and she began to openly pound her ass onto his cock with wild abandon, "Cum~, Riser. Cum for me~!"
Her buttocks clapped against his hips with each reckless movement, and Kuroka could feel through Sabrine's ki that she was just the barest, tiniest of fractions away from pulling up too far and popping her lover's cock out… yet she never did. She took him right to the very tip and speared her abused anus back onto his entire length without flaw, and Kuroka couldn't stop her eyes from rolling up into the back of her head as she felt the pair- and herself- climax together once more.
Sabrine moaned lowly as she let her feet settle against the broad shoulder blades of Riser's back, the teen moving his head from side to side as he worked over the neglected pussyflesh of the Witch's womanhood. Thick petals were pulled into his mouth as he toyed with her erect clitoris, and he lowered himself further to lap over her entrance, the movement making the woman's back arch as her fingers tugged his face deeper-
Kuroka came with her.
Riser sat at the edge of the hot spring, his back against the stone wall. He threaded a hand through his hair as he watched his lover bob up and down on his cock with a wicked smirk on her lips. She worked down his length one thickness of her lips at a time, her eyes crinkling in delight as his blue eyes were hooded and staring at her with naked desire. Once she reached a 'New Low', she pulled right back to the tip and swirled her tongue around the head, sucking purposefully, before she slowly began taking him back into her mouth and throat.
Kuroka was now face down, ass up on the tree branch, her cheek resting against the bark while her fingers strummed her clitoris and penetrated her tight little kitty back door; she rarely played with her pooper because her womb wanted semen in its proper place- even if she wore a condom with the human boys- but considering the pucker of her anus was going to be the only place she could get fucked for the next few years she might as well start getting used to it.
It was actually really good. Not amazing, but definitely good; she could feel her pussy clench around her fingers, and she knew both would get stimulated nicely if Riser-kun put his thick thing there.
"Sabrine, love, I'm coming~" He let out a slight hiss, and the woman doubled her ministrations, her hands stroking his unsucked length.
She pulled back as he began to cum, the woman catching the first spurts in her mouth before she threw herself down his length, taking him all of the way to the base so that the rest of his cum was shot straight into her belly.
Kuroka came again~.
Spoiler: Sabrine Paizuri
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The water swished around Riser's thighs as his hips clapped against the flesh of Sabrine's breasts; even his prodigious length was swallowed up in the soft, tender flesh of her mammaries, only the top few inches poking out as he fucked her lubricated breasts. The woman slurped on the cock head as best she could while squeezing her breasts firmly to keep his manhood trapped. A gasp left his lips as he squashed his hips to her breasts one last time, and his cock began to spurt his thick seed along her chin and neck, it sticking to her flesh-
Kuroka came again~.
How many times had Kuroka cum?
She couldn't remember. Her world was a blissful haze of ecstasy and pleasure, but she knew that their lustful adventures were coming to an end when Riser pulled her out of the water and settled her onto the rubber mats for one last go around.
It was Missionary, and they were holding hands and kissing each other gently.
How lewd, nya~.
His pace was slow and unhurried, a far cry from his first climax within a woman's body, and he used the length and thickness of his member to rub and scratch deeply at all of the good spots his lover enjoyed; he hadn't even thought about using his ki senses to map out her body until Kuroka gave him a little nudge with her own ki, but he quickly picked up on the hint and began using it to full effect.
Sabrine's legs were a trembling mess, the woman unable to lock them around his hips anymore, and instead she kept them parted as wide as she could while her lover plundered her asspussy. Climax after climax rocked the Witch as his pelvis stimulated her pussy and the boy's lips and tongue stimulated whatever they could reach. Her neck, her ears, her tits, nipples, and lips.
All the while he whispered into her ear just how much he loved her.
All the while he whispered into her ear just how much she meant to him.
What her love for him meant to him.
It was too much for Kuroka, and the kitten cummed with them one last time.
Her ragged breathing left her lips in shuddering gasps, and when she cracked her eyes open she was able to see Michiko sitting on the branch next to her; not a thing was out of place but Kuroka could feel her nipples were stiff and her pussy was so achingly moist.
Idly she noted that Xuelan, the Chinese girl, and Isabela, the Italian girl, were on the other side of the other wall, in much the same state.
Fuck, there was a trio of Kitsune women on the floor above them that were all but hanging out of their windows to watch the spectacle unfold for the last time; those thieving not-cats-not-dogs jeweled eyes seemed to sparkle as they watched the climax of the two lovers draw to a close.
Her ears perked up when she felt Shirone-chan slip out of bed and twaddle to the shoji, the little kitten pushing it open and calling out sleepily, "Onee-chan? Doko~?"
Kuroka hastily cinched her yukata shut and popped her head out from the coverage of the trees, "Right here, Shirone-chan. Are you alright?"
"Mhmm… but there was someone being really noisy. They were next door and there was a lot of 'I love yous' being said with some funny clapping sounds, but… it sounded like they were having fun, nya~," The girl scrubbed at her face, her jaws parting wide to show off her fangs as she pattered over to the edge of the hot spring, stripped off her yukata, and slipped back into the waters, "Onee-chan? Are you gonna, huuuwaaahhh~, come join me?"
Aww, sleepy kitten yawns~.
"Y-yeah, Shirone-chan, just give you Onee-chan just a moment, okay~?" She straightened up, a burst of Youjutsu clearing the scents of solo love from her skin, and Kuroka hopped on the dividing wall and then back onto the short stack of crates that had been her previous perch.
Just in time, it would seem, to see Riser gently scoop Sabrine up and carry her into the bedroom. Michiko had abandoned the branch and slowly slid the door shut, and just before it closed, Kuroka could see the older woman blushing fiercely as Riser sat her down on the futon and slipped underneath the covers beside her.
The Maid ensured that the door was locked before she took a walk around the perimeter, a dozen different barriers springing up into existence over the walls and open spaces. The three Kitsune sighed and lamented the end of the show they had been enjoying, but upon seeing the much stronger Bakeneko's glare they slipped back into their room and closed the window.
"Hey, Michiko-chan," Kuroka tucked her arm underneath her bosom and bounced them up and down while she waggled her eyebrows, "When is it gonna be my turn to get some of Riser-kun's affection, nya~?"
Michiko bent her knees and hopped up onto the dividing wall, the Maid perfectly balanced on the bamboo despite its thinness, "You will have to earn Riser-sama's affection, Kuroka-chan. Train hard, never give up, and what you seek too can be yours."
The cat rolled her eyes at her sempai in life, "And what about you, nya~? Didn't such a display of virility get your kitty blood pumping?"
Cats loved to be cuddled and loved on, when it suited them, and the way the woman's reddened cheeks flushed even darker let her know that she was definitely interested. However, those feelings of lust soaking through her ki slowly ebbed away as her expression grew somber.
"I will be ready… soon enough," The woman's hands slipped over the front of her uniform, and her mismatched eyes fell down to the side as a grimace tugged at her features, "My husband's passing has left a wound over my heart for the longest time… but seeing Riser-sama's love and passion has made me realize that a heart that remains empty will never heal."
Her fingers interlaced in front of her chest and she smiled slowly, her nose dipping down to touch her fingertips as a maidenly smile tugged her frown into a smile, "Riser-sama loves me, of that I know to be true… so when that time comes… I will be ready to accept his love, and offer him my own in turn."
"Good for you, nya~," Kuroka said almost flippantly, but it was more to cover up the small pang in her chest at the Maid's words.
Her golden eyes moved to look at Shirone, who lazily played with the steam floating from the waters, and the black cat wondered if there wasn't something to it.
She had Shirone-chan, and she loved her little sister with all of her heart, but it was just as Magari-sama once said- a man cannot live on rice and water alone.
Men needed meat.
Juicy, fatty, springy meat.
Meat that drove them wild with lust as he supped on its tender flesh, drawing out pleased cries from it.
Only with his belly full and manhood sated could he truly rest.
The Onee-sama slipped off of her perch and shucked the onsen yukata off of her form before she sank into the waters, the woman pulling her beloved sister deep into her embrace.
Would it be so easy? To fill the hole in her heart that her mother left?
To just… fill it with someone else? Would that help ease the ache?
She didn't know if it would work, but from the looks of it having her cheeks, tits, and butt stuffed with thick, strong cock certainly couldn't hurt.
Nya~.
[Kumiko of the Dirty Dozen]
[Yudanaka, Nagano, Japan]
Spoiler: A Slightly Older Kumiko
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Kumiko and four of her little troupe of friends held onto each other's hands as they followed the pretty Onee-sama from the van and into the store where clothes were made.
The little kitsune was young, only eight years old, but she had endured life on the streets of Mifune Town for two years before she ran into a pack of other young Youkai like herself. They were the homeless children, the orphans, and they called themselves the Forgotten.
The Unseen.
It was fitting, her young mind thought, that they would take up such a name for their group; everyone turned a blind eye to them unless they were causing trouble- be they Youkai or Humans. They used that to their advantage, their status became their shield, and Junchiro-nii-sama, the oldest boy of their dozen at sixteen, had taken it upon himself to train them in his 'Sacred Arts'.
Petty larceny. Snatch and grabs. Pickpocketing. Illegal panhandling. Dining and dashing, and the most sacred of them all: "B ".
The art of Breaking and Entering.
The Dirty Dozen
, Junchiro-nii-sama liked to call them that with a proud smile on his face, though Kumiko liked the other names better; they were more elegant and refined, even if they were only petty criminals.
Their lives had been good ever since Junchiro-nii-sama took them in, and under his guidance, they went from sleeping in alleyways inside cardboard boxes to squatting in an abandoned warehouse. Sure, the mattresses were bleach-out, ratty-looking things stolen from a Yakuza whorehouse, but they were comfy and the blankets they stole from a supermarket were warm. They had food in their bellies, clothes on their back even if they were too large or too small for their frames, and most importantly Nii-sama told them stories of great heroes and plucky underdogs that he saw while working at the small electronics store under the table.
While Nii-sama worked, the rest of them split off into groups to ply their trades, and it had started out just like any other day until Bun-kun, the oldest in Kumiko's group, targeted a Maid carrying some bags toward a fancy-looking car.
Dachi-kun was going to distract while Kumiko and Gamari-chan grabbed the bags, and Bun-kun would secure their two closest escape routes.
They hadn't done something like this before, it was a spur-of-the-moment deal, but they knew the back alleys and side streets of Yudanaka like the backs of their hands. If any trouble popped up they would split and meet up at two designated meeting places before making their way home to Nii-sama.
It had gone off without a hitch.
Dachi-kun tripped and scraped his knee, the tanuki-boy springing up the waterworks while she and her fellow kitsune grabbed the bags and took off.
Everything had gone well, and when night fell and their group gathered with Nii-sama in the warehouse they called home they gathered around the bags and marveled at the expensive-looking clothing within; there was some jewelry inside, but mainly it was nice suits for women, sweaters, clean socks without any holes in them, and lots of lacy underthings that Benihime-onee-san said ladies wore to bed to look 'sexy' for their man.
That the Mouse Yokai said these things while giggling about Junchiro-nii-sama didn't escape Kumiko's notice, but she lacked the age and experience to put two and two together to make four.
She was slowly learning her numbers with Nii-sama, but numbers and Kanji were hard.
However, despite their haul, Nii-sama seemed less than pleased with their efforts.
When he found a card filled with contact information, in case the bag was lost or stolen, he grew visibly ill.
The card slipped from his fingers and he collapsed onto the ratty couch that he claimed for himself, "You kids… you stole not just from devils, but a devil noble."
Benihime-onee-sama gasped in shock, and as though the world was laughing at them for picking the wrong target… the rusty hinges on the warehouse door creaked as they opened, and a pretty boy a little older than Nii-sama strode into their home. Five super pretty Onee-sans came in behind him, and she recognized the Maid from whom they had stolen the bags from.
"Please!" Nii-sama shouted, the boy throwing himself to the floor in front of the handsome boy, "Devil-sama, do to me what you wish, but please… spare the children; they didn't know who they were taking from."
It honestly baffled the small kitsune girl, the confusion slipping through the haze of fear clouding her mind; Nii-sama never bowed to anyone. He never begged. He never pleaded. He took his beatings if he was caught and then he stood back up and waited for the right opportunity to claim his revenge.
To see Junchiro-nii-sama begging for their lives struck a chord within her, one that she would remember for the rest of her days.
Yet, the devil boy seemed to see their situation, his piercing blue eyes roaming around the interior of their home, and his expression grew soft, "Michiko-chan… call the cab service. See to it that these children are brought to the public baths and cleaned up. Isabela, call up one of the local stalls and place an order for a dozen meals To Go. Xuelan, call the JR Rail line and have another dozen First Class tickets purchased. Sabrine, call the tailors and have the seamstresses there ready to receive a lot of children within the hour. Kuroka, you'll be supervising the children in the baths on the girl's side, I'll handle the boy's side."
Junchiro-nii-sama's head shot up and his eyes widened in shock.
The older boy, the devil, placed a hand in his pocket, "Don't look so surprised, boy. A normal devil would have killed you, but I find such things incredibly wasteful. You stole from me, a Pillar Demon, and since you offered up your life… I'm going to take it. You and the children will serve me; Butlers and Maids if you're curious. My family's Head Maid has been getting on my case about building my own team, and seeing that you're living little better than hand to mouth in a dingy warehouse… I'll be doing you a favor."
What followed next were large bowls of noodles, meat, and hot broth, a scrubbing from a pretty Onee-san in a hot bath, some storebought clothes that barely fit her properly but were comfy and warm, and now they were at a shop that Kumiko only used to look at from afar since the security in the tourist area would always chase them away.
It took two hours to get all of their clothes made, and while Nii-sama and the boys wore outfits similar to what she saw the human males wearing at one of the fancy outdoor cafes in Nagano, Kumiko's outfit was a little frillier but she couldn't say she disliked it; it was much better than the ratty, ill-fitting summer yukata she wore without panties. Especially since there was snow on the ground and it was cold outside.
Spoiler: Maid Uniform
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They were given a chance to take some of their most precious belongings, and Kumiko chose to bring the stuffed rabbit- his name was Usagichii- that Nii-sama gave her; another human girl had left it behind at the shop he worked at, and after a week of sitting in the Lost and Found unclaimed he brought it back just for her.
The next twelve hours were a whirlwind of excitement and activity as the devil boy, Riser-nii-sama, and his pretty Onee-sans, ushered them from train to train to train until they arrived at the most crazy-sugoi-est train Kumiko had ever seen.
It was painted bright red, and it had only three cars on it, but there was gold and silver all over the place! A true fancy-pants person's train!
A wide, U-shaped couch with cushions that felt so comfortable underneath her bottom, was where they were all gathered up, and Riser-nii-sama explained that they were leaving Japan behind.
"It's not for good, no, as I will be ensuring that you as employees loyal to me are properly paid for your services, but becoming a Maid or Butler worthy of serving a Pillar Noble is a long and arduous journey. Your Michiko-onee-sama knows more about it than I do, but Chadwick here," Riser-nii-sama pointed to a handsome, elderly foreign man who bowed his head at the mention, "He is who to ask about what it means to be a Butler, and what you can expect going forward."
Junchiro-nii-sama seemed to deflate at Riser-nii-sama's words, "So… we're really going to be Maids and Butlers in a fancy mansion?"
"Yes," Riser-nii-sama looked surprised, "Was that ever in doubt?"
"No, no, not at all, it's just surprising, I guess. I sort of stopped freaking out about half-way through it all, I mean, who buys First Class tickets for sacrifices? Just one was more than I made in a month at the shop," He ran a hand over his chin, as he mumbled to himself, "Kuso. I suppose… if I get some solid pay, occasional holidays, and vacation time it wouldn't be too bad… if it gets my kids off the street and into a good career?"
The old man Butler, Chaddy was his name? Kumiko forgot it because it sounded funny. He stepped forward, and a stack of books that didn't have a whole lot of pretty pictures on them fell into his hands, "We have approximately nine hours until the Underworld Express arrives back at the Phenex Estates. During this time I will be working you through some basic knowledge exercises so that I can determine the current state of your education. Given what Lord Riser has told me of your… situation, I am not expecting much."
Junchiro-nii-sama winced, "I did the best I could with them but we didn't exactly have money to spend on textbooks and stationery. I only have a 6th-grade education…"
"That will not be a problem," The old man smiled softly as he spread the books out, ones in Japanese and in other foreign languages, "Before we begin, let me tell you a story about when I was a boy not much older than yourself. The year was 1799, and I was an orphan who worked in a tannery in West Gloucestershire, England-"
Kumiko's eyes glazed over as she let the man's voice run over her ears, but she felt that she caught all of the important parts.
It was really hard to pay attention when just outside of the window all of the colors of the rainbow swirled around hypnotically.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, A. Daw, and Gorth 123 for being Patrons!
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A/N: Funny story, but this chapter would have been posted last night, but QQ was down. It gave me some time to sleep on it, look it over, fix some things, and I added the ending bit for the Dirty Dozen because Auntie Clarissa really has been getting on his case about grabbing some low-class devils be his Maids and Butlers. She needs to train them properly so that they can be his faithful servants when he leaves.
Despite the United Front that Butlers and Maids put up for the Lords and Ladies that employ them, a necessary precaution following in the footsteps of the Greatest Maid, Grayfia Lucifuge, each House's Maids and Butlers have their own standards, lore, and history. Though the one thing that remains is that Butlers and Maids are loyal to their House first, so with Riser going to the Gremory, despite being an Allied House, they are of lower standing and means, and their efforts might not be up to Clarissa's exacting standards; that they will be loyal to Rias Gremory over Riser Gremory. So the team of maids and butlers that the Phenex Chapter will train will be loyal to Riser alone, whether or not his last name is Phenex or Gremory.
The Dirty Dozen and the other Maids she trains will be her parting, heartfelt gift to her beloved nephew, ones who will watch over him, protect him, and ensure that his sheets are soft and the collars of his shirts are properly starched.
Chapter 14 - 25 Years - Part 6 (17 on the Inside)
[Riser Phenex]
[ATTC]
It only took me a few months to figure out how to properly utilize my Yang ki to conduct Buchoujutsu on a woman's meridians, her ki network, and to get her chakras aligned.
Kuroka helped massively with that, not just with her more refined Senjutsu abilities, but because she wasn't afraid to make corrections when she thought they were needed.
Though to be fair to Michiko, she assumed that the methods for Buchoujutsu would be similar for men as they were for women, but whereas a woman's Yin ki needed to coax a man's Yang ki into going where it needed to go… well, Yin ki just needed to be picked up and moved by force.
Like a brute coming home from a long day of work and finding his cute wife wearing a naked apron, but she doesn't even get to make it through the spiel before he's picking her up and fucking her against the wall like a caveman.
"Nyaaaaaaaa~ Riser-sama," Kuroka meweled as she ground her ass against my rock-hard length between her wonderfully squishy asscheeks. My Yang ki had already poured into her body and was moving through her network like a man on a mission, and it was just as much an enjoyable experience for her as Buchoujutsu had been for me when Michiko or Kuroka led, "So forceful, just moving around inside me and doing whatever you want~"
My hands mauled her breasts, tweaking her nipples and occasionally slipping down her flat belly to stroke the very top of her fluffy mons; sexual pleasure wasn't the focus of this, but I found that stimulating my two cat-girl partners really got their bodies to open up to me. It appeared as though as long as I acted like a man, their feminine ki responded appropriately; it was crazy that I could feel their lifeforce growing little by little as Yin and Yang mixed, copulated like horny kitties, and multiplied- the small increases making the two women more vibrant and youthful to my senses.
Michiko was more subdued than Kuroka, but I found that I enjoyed the subtle shifts in her ki and body language; it was like she understood what drew my attention more than the younger cat's more grandiose gestures. Not that I wasn't tantalized by Kuroka's generous figure jiggling around me, or rubbing up against me in private, but it honestly felt like she was trying too hard to keep my attention on her and not someone else. Given how Shirone had managed to connect with the former petty criminals of the Dirty Dozen, her evil nature as a cat must have found spiritual brothers and sisters, because when the feline wasn't learning the Ways of the Maid (specifically to abuse them for mischief-making, I was sure) then the double-dees were regaling her of their various criminal exploits whenever they thought no one was around to hear them.
I had thought that the children would give Clarissa a hard time, but it appeared that the Head Maid of the Phenex House found their nature as criminals refreshing. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that Maids and Butlers were the epitome of House Law and Order, and finding a Maid who could delight in the rule-breaking that most of their kin would shudder and shy away from was very difficult.
Maids and Butlers of the Underworld, despite their access, were naturally terrible at espionage and subterfuge, who knew?
I finished doing what I could to align Kuroka's Sacral Chakra with her Root Chakra, which I'd spent the previous few sessions trying to correct, and the moment my ki retreated the feline was rolling onto her face and flicking her bean with abandon, "Nyyyyyaaaa~, why can't you stick it in my butt while we're doing this?"
"Because you haven't unlocked your Touki, and until you follow up on your boasts and perform to the expectations you laid out for yourself then you will receive no pleasure from me," I unwrapped my arms from her body and rolled over to wrap my body around Michiko, the Cat Maid sighing into my embrace as she scootched her body back until we were fully molded together. She shivered against me, and I could feel her enjoyment as my masculine ki swept into her body and began to suffuse her entire being.
"Nyo~, it's too much," Kuroka whined piteously as she finished herself off; I could feel the powerful orgasm sweeping through her body, and once she stopped shivering she squished her face up against my back, "You're such a tease, Riser-sama. You spend every day attending to the needs of Isabela-chan, Xuelan-chan, and Sabrine-chan, but you leave my bed cold and unvisited."
Yin and Yang ki swirled together to create new vitality within Michiko, causing the woman to shudder in delight.
"That's because we have been training for seventeen years together, Kuroka. You have been with us for only two," I inhaled deeply, "And if it only were that then you would have been allowed to join my bed long ago. No, you're doing this for a reason. A reason you won't tell me but I think I have a pretty good idea. However, it is also because you haven't reached the milestones you set for yourself. I didn't choose them, you did. While I think your performance is more than adequate given my high standards, the only way to be rewarded as you wish is to either meet your goals… or admit defeat. Change your timeframe to something more reasonable."
I could feel her pout against my shoulder blade, but the woman didn't move away from me or slip out of the bed. Instead she just sullenly curled up and felt out my ki, as if by studying mine she could divine the secrets as to why I was being so stubborn to her when she was likely used to having any man she wanted wrapped around her slender fingers.
The truth was that I was very happy with the current situation. We trained hard, I got to stick my cock into a beautiful, willing woman with no implied strings attached (referencing what I think Kuroka wished to gain from coupling with me), and everyone benefited from the arrangement. Our mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional needs were being taken care of, and with Buchoujutsu, my girls and I were brought together on an existential level; just meditating with them like this for an hour did more to align our hearts and minds than any number of lifetimes of 'I love yous' ever hope to.
Not that we still didn't say it whenever we had the opportunity, but the point remained.
Kuroka treated herself like an outsider in our group instead of being a part of it, and I feel like her seeing Shirone fitting in just fine- all mischievous smiles and exuberant joy at having lots of friends her age- made her feel isolated despite being surrounded on all sides by people who wanted her to feel welcome.
That Isabela called her out on her bullshit posturing and lofty goals when she first arrived, as though she was trying to stake her claim at the top of the Kitty-Cat tower, just threw her off more than she wanted to admit. I don't know what was going on through her mind, but… this is my interpretation… but I think that maybe because she was worth a group of powerful devils to chase her down, that maybe she got it into her head that she was worth more? That a powerful Youkai like Magari started training her, the daughter of her most promising Senjutsu student in centuries, inflated her ego and made her vastly overestimate her capabilities when compared to us?
Like a Child of Prophecy being chased down by the Forces of Evil to stop them from growing up and taking down the Dark Lord.
When I told her that it took us ten years of back-breaking training to unlock our Touki, the feline looked rather smug and told us all about how Senjutsu was the foundation of learning Touki for a reason .
What we did in ten or more, she would do in five.
I don't know if she realized it, but I think that being devils actually made unlocking Touki easier for us than others; our bodies were composed of mana and demonic power. It functioned the same but the makeup of our constitution naturally made our bodies heartier and more adaptive to extreme stress. So when Isabela told her to put up or shut up, Kuroka took that personally instead of seeing it as a more professional challenge.
Thanks to Lord Ajuka's constant monitoring of our conditions, we were able to extrapolate a lot of milestones in the development of our devil bodies that somewhat accurately predicted when a devil could achieve Touki. With Kuroka being a pure Youkai, obviously, the signs wouldn't be the same, but the Satan of Knowledge was more than pleased to have a Youkai to study- two if you counted Shirone as the control since she was being educated full-time instead of actively training- and we mapped out Kuroka's progress as we went.
Her Senjutsu foundation was obviously advancing her along the path to Touki more quickly than it had for us, but at best, she would achieve it seven, maybe eight years in. A far cry from the five she boated about.
I don't know if this was just her pride or if it was just a case of a cat not wanting to admit she was wrong.
Michiko let out a happy sigh as we finished our session, and I felt sweat coating my skin as my life force, despite having been thoroughly happy to be inside of two pretty women for so long… well, as they say: the flesh was willing but the spirit was weak.
I rolled onto my back and wrapped my arms around the two cat girls, and Michiko rubbed her cheek against my shoulder with a low pur on her lips. Kuroka didn't pull away either, but there was a more contemplative look in her golden eyes as they occasionally drifted between Michiko and myself.
After roughly twenty minutes of cuddling, I was forced to slip out of the bed and wrapped a robe around my form; I had originally wanted just a quick shower before crawling back into bed, but a nice long soak in the hot spring with everyone else sounded like it was just what I needed.
[Lilith, Capital City of the Underworld]
[Year 3 (Outside) Year 17 Inside]
I tapped the bundle of papers and made sure they were nice and even before sliding them to the corner of my desk, and in a small flash of light the stack disappeared.
Just below the magic circle was a small, rectangular LED, and after waiting a few seconds it lit up, flashing me with a soft, red '100% - 900/900 - PASS' .
"Attention High-Class hopefuls, half of the allotted time has elapsed. You have one hour and thirty minutes remaining." A cool, placid voice spoke out across the exam hall, "If you have already finished your examination and received a 95% or higher, you may now come forward to the lobby and await the Personal Combat trial. If you completed your examination early and did not receive a 95% or higher, you may now vacate the premises."
Naturally, Michiko, Isabela, Xuelan, Sabrine, and I all passed the written examination, and the practical combat examination didn't go any differently.
Since my examiner wasn't really anything special, I flared my demonic power to a little bit higher than where it was when I smacked down the Backstreet Boys Plus One, and then just dismantled the guy with pure technique.
I took great care to showcase my mastery over devil magic, human magic, and martial arts so that the people watching all over the Underworld could see that raw power wasn't the only thing that was needed in this Combat Examination- or the only path forward.
He seemed to be a good sport about it, somewhat, and he quickly realized that I could have just bodied him outright like I had the Mid-Class examiner, but there was a certain amount of propriety that needed to be observed because of politics. Now only would smacking the shit out of the examiner be in poor form considering I made agreements with Lord Lucifer to not repeat what I did in the Mid-Class exam, but these examinations weren't just to showcase the test-taker, but the examiners as well.
Devils needed to see what sort of skill, not just power, was required to make it up into the ranks of the High-Class.
Anyone could throw power around, after all. If they had it.
Not to mention, the High-Class devils that were the examiners were also employees and junior operatives of the Government; their posting during the Exams was there time to accrue to battle experience against opponents one on one outside of their usual training partners. They also were a test of their information analysis abilities as they had some time to read up on the various participants who were expected to pass, and learning what they could in that short amount of time was paramount for their survival in the field.
So I enjoyed the fight while it lasted, and once I was teleported back into the waiting area I hung around with my Peerage while we waited for the rest of the Exam takers to finish. After that was done and dusted, we were ushered into the Pillar Council Chambers and placed into equal rows to sit in front of the Four Satans and the Pillar Nobles on the Council would be 'Welcoming' the new High-Class devils into our ranks. Lady Serafall, Lord Lucifer, and even Lord Asmodeous- who somehow managed to drag himself away from his desk to attend- all gave their own meaningful speeches, with them referencing some stand-out performances from a few of the Devils who fought well.
The true highlight of this, however, was the address that Lord Ajuka gave to the populace during the Award Ceremony, where every newly minted High-Class devil received their plaques and shook hands with the Four Satans as they were welcomed into the 1% of devil society. It was here where Lord Beelzebub revealed the undisclosed location of new crystal mines within the 'Agares territories', and the newly discovered deposits of devilore that would allow him to double the number of Evil Piece sets to thirty-six per year over the old eighteen.
I was in the middle of the crowd of thirty-three new High-Class devils, so I was able to watch Zekram Bael's face sour openly, along with the rest of the factions that supported him in keeping the amendments to the bills.
The number of Evil Piece sets that could be produced by law directly correlated to the stockpiles of devilore that the Agares family had on hand, which kept the number of sets created stagnate over the centuries since no more devilore had been found. However, with the new discovery of devilore, the number of Evil Piece sets could be increased based on Lord Beelzebub's and Lord Agares' estimates of the new veins… regardless of what Zekram Bael and his coalition wanted. That the new 'mines' being set up were in an isolated location far away from the true location in the Phenex Basin meant that it would likely be centuries until the truth was discovered, if it was discovered at all; Lord Ajuka had been quite keen on concealing the true location, and even I had been barred from practicing further in that area of the basin while they excavated the devilore and transfered it to Agreas.
All devils who were on the list to receive an Evil Piece set from the Lottery were required to be in attendance; if you didn't show up then your name was stricken from the list for that drawing. Skip too many drawings and it's clear that you have no interest in obtaining Evil Pieces and you'll be permanently removed until you petition to have your name put back on.
Behind the Satans a massive holographic board was set up, displaying the names of one-hundred and ninety-nine devils, including the names of my girls, and one by one a Random Number Generator flicked through some numbers, and the lucky devil's name was highlighted.
One poor devil had been in the lottery for almost forty years, and she was in tears as she strode up the ramp to receive her Evil Piece set from Serafall herself, the female devil embracing the Magical Girl; a camera showed off the finely crafted set in her hands, and the Mutated Knight glowed an ominous red. According to publicly available information, only one in every ten sets had a Mutation Piece, so with almost forty sets given away, that meant that at least three Mutation Pieces would be shown off.
I, however, knew from some wiki dives, that Evil Pieces Mutated over time, along with there being 'other tricks' that Lord Ajuka knew about that no one else did. He apparently liked it when people experimented with his greatest achievement and figured things out for themselves. And if that idiot's Evil Pieces mutated just from him holding onto them then that means mine should as well. Given that they were supposed to be perfect energy sinks, or as perfect as perfect could get, I had a few ideas that I was going to have my Peerage try out once they got theirs.
After Serafall peeled the lady devil off of her and ushered her off-stage with the promise of getting her tickets to the upcoming movie set in the Miracle Levi-tan Cinematic Universe (bonus points if you can guess who came up with the phrase), the next devil was finally called up, and the next one after that.
No. I will not go into detail about how I got roped into creating a screenplay for the new movie, or how I ended up being the leading male. It definitely didn't involve Sona-chan asking her Onii-sama to help her come up with a birthday gift that her Onee-sama would love.
"Stardust Shooter! Tales from the Wild West!; A Miracle Levi-tan Tale" wasn't how I wanted to spend my outside ATTC time, but I had to admit that filming with Devils was far easier than it ever would have been with Hollywood, and not having to attend the social parties because I was 'filming' was a great deal in itself.
All of my girls received their Evil Pieces, Sabrine, Xuelan, Michiko, and Isabela, shook hands with our Maou, and had their pictures taken to be placed in the 'Hall of the Esteemed', which every prospective High-Class hopeful had to walk through on their way to the testing hall.
Those who got their Evil Piece sets were marched out in a pair of single-file lines down a long red carpet that swept from the entrance to the Lilith City Administrative Complex, down the wide white marble staircase, and across the street to where a massive statue of a King Piece rested on a plinth surrounded by a pond with fountains that sprayed water into the air. There was a veritable train of media along the Red Carpet, cameras flashed like you wouldn't believe, and crowds of Low-Class devils from around the city flocked to see their fellow Low-Class turned High-Class devils proudly carrying their Evil Piece sets toward the King Piece where they would have them registered.
It was a far cry from what happened when the Pillar Devils showed up with their freshly turned 13-year-old children; they teleported in with their kids and Lord Beelzebub, touched their hands to the statue while the Evil Piece set floated next to them, poured a little demonic power into both, and the registration was completed. They then teleported back home, with little fanfare. If there was a camera in sight then it was a camera that the Devil Lord brought with them to immortalize the moment, and not because any media outfit was camped out next to the King Piece to snap photos of everyone who came to it.
Seeing as I hadn't received an Evil Piece set, I moved my way through the crowd of Low-Class devils and they recognized me, surprisingly, and made a hole for me to stand in. I ignored the handful of cameras that turned their attention on me and instead focused on giving my girls my best smile as they walked down the red carpet wearing my suits- looking crisp, clean, and sexy as fuck. Yeah, office ladies were definitely one of my jams, especially when they were all stacked bombshells in their own unique ways and had custom-tailored suits that hugged their every curve.
"Lord Riser Phenex," A soft voice from my direct right caught my attention, and I turned my head slightly to see a beautiful devil holding a microphone, "Sandra Hastings, New Lilith Moon. Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
I slipped my hands into my pockets and nodded, "Of course. No promises I'll answer; that depends on the question."
"Fair enough, Milord," She bobbed her head as she flicked through a small notebook with her thumb, "I've been writing a piece on you, one that I started years ago after watching your debut, and while I've interviewed a few devils you have interacted with over the last few years, I find myself needing a direct answer to this question: Why go through all of the trouble of taking the examinations? You're already a High-Class devil by dint of your birth…"
With a snap of my fingers, a trio of anti-eavesdropping spells snapped into a bullet-shaped barrier around us, mainly so that I could block out the noise of the Low-Class devils around us, and maintain our privacy without taking up any more space in the crowd than we already were.
I shrugged my shoulders a touch, "Officially? I feel as though this period of peace has been far too generous, not that peace itself is a bad thing, but our Mothers and Fathers grew up in much harsher times. Times that made them the leaders of the Underworld we see today, the powerful and the savvy that protect and guide us… even if there are some that I feel who keep trying to pull us in the opposite direction. A Pillar Noble receives a sterling education through their families with the best tutors that money can buy, and yet with how some of my peers act… dare I say you wouldn't be able to tell them apart from any devil on the street with a superiority complex."
A smirk tugged at my lips as I looked over at her, "Print that little tidbit at your own risk though; unpopular opinions are unpopular for a reason, though I would hazard a guess that this would mainly be relegated to the Nobility rather than the people. Regardless, I feel that we, as nobles, have been given extraordinary opportunities, and if we're going to claim to be superior to the common devil then we should be able to prove it. Consistently. Arrogance is a terrible thing, but unearned arrogance is simply the worst. Nobody likes a boastful idiot who writes checks his ass can't cash, but if you're as good as you claim? Well then, you can talk all you want because at least you have that going for you."
"So I want to set a standard for my fellow nobles, if I can- an open challenge for them to earn the Evil Pieces that are automatically afforded to them. I won't ask that they sit in the lottery, because I won't turn down my own Evil Piece set just to prove a point, but at least take the tests and pass the combat challenges to show to everyone at home that they are worthy of the gifts they have been given," I looked back and paused when I saw Xuelan step up to the King Piece, a red glow surrounding her and her Chess Pieces before I saw her name in English and Han Chinese become etched into the pillar next to the names of other registered devils.
"Unofficially, though? I just want to go through the same process that my girls are. Get familiar with the steps in the process so that when it comes time to flesh out the rest of my Peerage, and to help my Pieces flesh out their Peerages, we already know the process front to back. So that we know the struggles of studying and training and can better help them out when they're having a hard time," I smiled as Xuelan stepped away and Sabrine stepped forward to take her place, "It's been excellent team building, and I find that the study sessions we've conducted during our training have helped bind us closer as a Peerage and a family."
The Reporter devil nodded her head as she pulled the mic away from me and stuck her notebook into her purse, "This has been rather illuminating, thank you, Milord. Though I get the feeling my editor is going to be boozing it up trying to figure out whether to run your comments raw or ask the Media Engagement Office of Lord Lucifer for help."
A small huff escaped my lips as Sabrine stepped away with her Evil Piece set clutched to her bosom, and Isabela stepped in after her, "Oh, the raw comments will definitely sell papers, but… honestly? I'd give the MEO a ring and let them decide how to spin it. As much as I don't care for the opinions of my peers, my words affect more than just myself, and if I cause Lord Lucifer some headaches with the older devils…"
"And if we're the ones who ran said headache-causing comments blindly…" The Low-Class devil clutched at the side of her head as if she were experiencing some vertigo, the woman swooning so much that I was worried she'd keel over, "Yes, consulting the MEO would be for the best, I think… even if the overall thread of my piece on you is a touch inflammatory. We can spin this to be a bit more inspiring and less… combative."
"Do what you think is best, Miss Reporter. I'm just here to show my girls my support as a proper King," I gave her a small wink, "Even if I don't actually have my pieces yet."
"O-oh! Speaking of your pieces," She immediately regained some of her vigor, "About your upcoming duel with the Extra Demon, Kuisha Abaddon- eep!"
A gloved finger found itself pressed against her lips, silencing her so that I could properly watch Michiko, sans her Maido uniform, register her Pieces. She looked down at them after it was done before drawing her eyes up to the top of the statue. I couldn't see her lips move, but I could immediately tell that whatever she said out there had an instant effect on her; her tense shoulders drooped and her ears and tail went limp. When she turned around, however, her entire demeanor had changed, and she was stiff-backed and had her head held high- her stride elegant and unhurried, as befitting a Maid.
My Maid.
Realizing that I still had the poor Reporter devil trapped I slowly removed my finger and looked back to see her cheeks were flushed red, "Ah, sorry about that, but I do believe you wanted to ask a question? Well, you got it."
Her hand came up and she pressed her fingers to her lips before she blinked and bowed, "Th-thank you for the interview, Milord."
I smiled and dipped my head, "A pleasure, Miss Reporter."
The barrier around us dissipated with a simple flex of my magic, pinching the threads feeding mana into the invisible arrays.
I made my way through the crowd and toward the edge of the red carpet, slipping through the security so that I could join arms with my newly minted High-Class devil ladies. I could feel the jealousy radiating from some of the men and women in the crowd as I walked them to the primary teleportation circle complex in front of the building and waited in line for our turn to teleport out.
I had two beautiful ladies on each arm, so I wasn't in any hurry.
With the beatific smiles on their faces as they chatted with each other I wouldn't have minded if the line suddenly doubled in size.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, A. Daw, Gorth 123, Quinten M., and holy cow THANKS to InsanexSilence for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: Short chapter here, but that's because I needed to clear up space for the next chapter- Riser's Tales from Cultivation Land! I was just going to gloss over the whole sequence of events and only keep the interaction with the Dragon Artificer, but the more I looked at it the more petty it felt to leave all of that content that I had worked on on the table. To merely summarize it all briefly just so that I could satisfy the few vocal readers who wanted to speed along to the Kuisha Abaddon fight. Then I remembered that I write for my enjoyment as well as everyone else's, and I am trying to tell a story, to build up a whole world that was so disgustingly neglected by Ishibumi-sensei. Ignoring a whole mini-arc where Riser connects deeper with a Peerage member as important as Xuelan, and seeing how Kuroka responds to his orders before reincarnating her, and all of the fun, wacky things that can happen in Xian-xia would just be a travesty.
I also had in mind this awesome lewd that I would have left on the table as well, and after having wanked to it twice I felt that it would be a shame if no one else was able to wank or bean-flick along with it. LMAO.
So this short chapter is mainly to free up the space I need to write the chapter out since Grammarly has a 16k-ish word limit, and I was at 12k before I cut/pasted this 4-ish K section here. So I should be able to post this, the likely 16k that I'll have written by the end of today, and then the likely 4-6k for the interaction with the Dragon Artificer and the return home. Then one more shorter chapter to finalize the "Gains" accrued during the 25 years of training time, and the lead-up to the duel with Kuisha Abaddon.
I hope you enjoy!
Also, I only put a name to the crystals that Evil Pieces were made out of, calling it 'devilore'. It isn't a new substance, but I just put a name since the crystal as far as I could see was nameless.
Chapter 15 - 25 Years - Part 7A (17 on the Inside) "Riser's Xian-Xia Land Adventures"
[Riser Phenex]
[Shi Jiang, the Hidden Province]
[Misty Peaks Cultivation Realm]
I looked down short old man, my eyes narrowed slightly, "I don't mind lending a seat in my carriage, venerable elder, as the young should always try to help the elderly when possible and prudent, but when you tell me that 'I look like I'll live in interesting times' that makes me wary. Especially given we are in China, where such a phrase usually precludes lots of unfortunate happenings."
Spoiler: The Old Man with No Name
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The old man looked wholly and completely unassuming.
Wrinkled skin with deep crow's feet on his eyes, a few liver spots visible on his head where his hair was receding, and he had a walking staff in his hand that looked and felt utterly mundane. He was the perfect picture of an old man looking to hitch a ride so that he didn't have to walk a thousand Li, right down to his below-average ki that felt appropriately gritty for an old human man.
Given Xuelan's descriptions of the isolated Misty Peaks region of China, or what I'd come to call Xian-Xia Land, this guy instantly made me suspicious as fuck.
No normal old man would be asking to hitch a ride into Crazy Town, and I was no normal Arrogant Young Master who could not see Mount Tai; any normal fool would have written him off, but it was the perfectness of his disguise that gave him away.
Had he showed off some hidden depth of Ki reserves that he kept tightly restrained I could have bought that he was just looking for a ride because it was convenient. A Hidden Master willing to slum it with his lessers simply to avoid a long walk.
"Eh? That's what you're worried about?" The old man waved his hand, "Pssh. You're fine, my boy! The Misty Peaks have calmed down quite a bit since I was a youngster! Hee heh-heh!"
Xuelan reached out and took hold of the old timer's hand and pulled him up into the well-appointed seats of the open-topped carriage, "What brings you along with us on our Journey, venerable elder?"
"Me? I'm just trying to get out of loads of paperwork! Huehahahaha!" He laughed like a monkey as he slapped his knee, but no one else seemed to be bothered by it, "That and I have some investigating to do. These old bones of mine might not be fit to cross fists with the young'uns these days, but my mind is still quite sharp!"
Kuroka leaned against the side of the carriage, her golden eyes watching the old man's as he blatantly stared at her jiggling breasts; she seemed to delight in the attention regardless, "So what'cha investigating, nya~?"
"I don't think that I should be saying anything- serious business you know?" His brown eyes shifted from side to side as they followed the same sway of her breasts as the carriage hit a bumpy patch; he grinned broadly, "But! Your boobs have convinced me to loosen my tongue! We're catching word that things from beyond the borders are being smuggled into the Three Cultivation Societies, and as far as the Heavens are concerned that is serious business!"
He deflated a bit, however, his enthusiasm dampening, "Though not serious enough to send out someone important, like say, Sun Wukong. Nope, they just send out a poor old man to do the job instead; I'm certain if my corpse is found then maybe that old monkey will come out and investigate. But… as far as I'm concerned-!"
The old man's vigor returned as he grabbed onto his bicep, "-Getting shanked in the back by a criminal cultivator is a far better death than papercuts and ink-poisoning! Huehahahahahaha! That and I get to share this carriage with
two
Jade Beauties, kuukuukuu~."
I immediately wanted to kill him, but Xuelan grabbed onto my arm, sandwiching it between her breasts, "Young Master! You mustn't! Even if this kindly old man is being a touch lecherous, it is nothing that we cannot handle- you should respect our elders more!"
"Heeheehee, yeah, Riser-sama, respect your elders," Kuroka actively jiggled her boobs, waving them from side to side, the feline chuckling as the old man's head waved with them.
"Chaaaa~! This is good- no! Great Civilization!" He reached into his old robes and pulled out a silver flask, the man unscrewing the cap before raising it up, "A toast! To Great Civilization!"
He threw his head back before offering Kuroka the flask, and she sniffed it, tested a drop on her tongue, and then threw her head back while pulling deeply.
Xuelan beamed at me as she watched the byplay, and I wanted to scream, but she squeezed my arm, "Don't worry, Riser-sama! All of the greatest tales ever told have all started with a pervy old man!"
"I think that's what I'm worried about, Xuelan," I grumbled under my breath, "We're not here for a great adventure…"
She silenced my further complaints with a quick kiss to my lips, our flesh separated by the silk pink veil that hung from her wide-brimmed hat.
As we parted I could see her eyes shimmering with untold affection, "Regardless of whether this is a grand adventure or a long-form errand… thank you, Master, for indulging me and coming with me to visit my long lost home. It means the world to this Xuelan Feng to see her Misty Peaks once more…"
A small snort left my lips as I wrapped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her into my side, which she snuggled up into happily; my thumb brushed over the flesh of her sideboob which was barely showing with her more modest silk qipao and robes- drawing a shiver from her, "As if I would deny you…"
A giggle left her lips as she shook her head, "I love that about you, Master Riser, but we really need to start coaching you on how to behave in a Cultivator society! You're far too nice! We need to change how you speak so that people who hear your words will respect you!"
The old man blinked before he smiled, "I think I know how I can repay you for your company and kindness! Let this old man tell you all about how to play the part of the Arrogant Young Master!"
He vibrated from side to side before capping the flask and crossing his arms, "Now. The first lesson you need to know is that you are a powerful and accomplished Young Master! You need to own it! Now, repeat after me: 'YOU DARE!?'"
I stared at him as I felt my insides curdle like spoiled milk.
"I have spent my entire life specifically not being an Arrogant Young Master, venerable elder… such a thing is an anathema to me," I sighed, "At least as much as I can be. Some level of showmanship and pomp is required of me given who I am and how my society works, but I highly doubt that it is on the same level as… here."
The old man worked his pinky into his wide, monkey-like ears before flicking the gunk off of it, his hand waving, "Yeah, yeah, you're a polite young man, I get it. However, if you're going to survive in any of the Cultivator Realms then you do need to know how to talk the talk- if you can't then you'll just be singled out as a foreigner immediately, even if you are certainly dressed for the part and have the appropriately beautiful and illustrious Jade Beauties on your arms. Now, as I said, repeat after me: 'YOU DARE!?'"
"You dare!?"
"No, no. It's not so much a question as it is a statement. You got to put the emphasis on it- give it some oomph!"
"YOU DARE!"
"Yes! That's it! Be angry that someone was so foolish as to dare! That they 'dare' to your 'dare' just enrages you! Now, tell them: 'They court death!'"
"YOU DARE!? You know not the Death which you court!"
"Oooooohhhhh, nice improvisation! A little mix-up on the tried and true formula; extra fancy! I bet those fools will be surprised to hear about 'the death which they do not know they court'! Now, onto the next one-"
This old man was Sun Wukong, I'm sure of it.
And he was either fucking with me hardcore or he was being serious… though given how Xuelan was bobbing her head along with every word he said as though it was the Gospel of Xian-xia, it was highly likely that I would actually need to learn how to be an Arrogant Young Master.
Fuck my life.
The worst part about all of this was? I was actually starting to have fun with it all.
In the end, what was supposed to be a three-day excursion with some sightseeing and to fulfill one of Xuelan's sexual fantasies, turned into a three-week-long slog of habbening after habbening .
If the old man, who never gave us his name, hadn't been as genuinely surprised as we were, I would have thought that he was some sort of Aizen Sousuke-type jackass where fucking with the foreign devil went 'all according to keikaku'. (Which means 'plan', if you didn't know).
We were to visit Xuelan's home, pay her respects to the Luminous Immortal Glorious Mistress of the Path of the Lotus Sect, and then make our way to the Heavenly Temple of the Celestial Dragon Duchess- the Dragon Artificer Lady Shu Wen Bai Long, where we could pay to have the jade and gold restraints we already had upgraded.
That part was important because Lord Beelzebub wanted to see what the highest quality restraints she could make would be capable of, and turning over a set for him to study would greatly speed up the process of fashioning me a set from devilore.
Yet we encountered nothing but roadblocks on our Journey.
In the middle of the street, two Nascent Soul cultivators had just finished exchanging the first of their pointers. Though it was close, the first of the two men came out of the series of strikes the victor, with a single drop of blood on the backs of his knuckles; the second cultivator touched his bleeding lip, his eyes widening in shock.
"Ha! It appears as though your bark is worse than your bite, Kinguan Shojin! You say that I will bow and give you Great Face? No! It is you who will bow and give me Great Face!"
The second cultivator growled as he flourished his sleeves and settled into his stance, "First blood might have gone to you, Doquin Fu Fang, but these fists did not hear the toll of the bells."
They were about to clash once more when a young, bored voice spoke out, "Hey. Get out of the road, you're blocking traffic. Take your duel elsewhere."
The pair immediately leave their stances to observe the newcomer, a teenage male with hair that shone like the sun and eyes blue like the crystal waters of the Shin Mai river. He wore a resplendent series of flowing robes- oranges and red silks shimmered underneath the light of the sun- and gold and silver Phoenixes were embroidered into the sleeves of his silk coat. His fingers tapped a melodious tattoo on the edge of the carriage's wooden door, and the two Jade Beauties who sat on either side of him seemed to delight in the entirety of the situation; the Cat Youkai, was a beauty with the largest boobs that Doquin Fu Fang had ever seen, and the other woman was no less endowed, but she was a proper human beauty.
The Cat Woman would be good to keep as a pet, while the other would submit and become his wife.
"It appears that an Arrogant Young Master wishes to steal Face from us both, Kinguon Shojin," Douquin Fu Fang scoffed as he flicked the droplet of blood from his hand onto the dirt street beneath his feet.
"While I am loath to ever agree with you, Douquin Fu Fang, you are indeed correct. This Arrogant Young Master is in dire need of instruction from his Senior Brothers," He flourished his arms once more and settled into his stance, "His Ki is so weak yet his mouth is so strong. It would be improper if we did not show him the error of his ways."
"I have an appointment with her Celestial Highness, the Vaunted and Respected Dragon Lady Shu Wen Bai Long; I will be displeased if your petty squabbles were to further impede my path. Xuelan Feng, my Jade Beauty and Master of the Floating Lotus style of the Path of the Lotus Sect will be your opponent. You are not worth even getting out of my carriage for."
The Young Master was as Arrogant as they came.
To send his woman to fight for him? The nerve!
"Nya-ha-ha-ha, you boys are in trouble~," The Cat Woman chuckled behind the veil of her wide-brimmed hat.
"You mock us when you sit down in your seats!? You dare!?" Douquin Fu Fang roared, his knuckles cracked from how hard he clenched them, "Just for that, Cat, when your Young Master lays dead at my hands I won't even bother using your body for my pleasure! Instead, I'll toss you to the dogs and see what they will make of you."
"Xuelan, I don't know why you insist on engaging these idiots like this at every opportunity," Her soon-to-be-deceased Young Master groaned out as he ruffled his hair like wheat before the winds.
Jade Beauty Xuelan, however, seemed to be all smiles, her eyes sparkling like the finest of sapphires behind her silk veil, "It is all a part of the authentic Misty Peaks Experience, Young Master! Do not fret-"
She flourished into a widely recognized stance, "-I will have these fools prostrating before you shortly; they know not the Death which they court."
"You dare!?"
"You court death! Maybe if you knew whose Face you sought to besmirch then you would behave more wisely around your betters."
"Betters!? Ha! I feel your cultivation! It is lower than my own- you are naught but a Frog at the bottom of a well!"
"You should just give up! Senior Brother Gang Gang is the eighth in line to succeed the Great Immortal of the Exceedingly Long-Named Sect, Master Gener Ic! You posture as though you know the depths of his true power, but I say that you are blind to not see Mount Tai!"
The four cultivators squared off in the up-scale tea house, the Golden Phoenix, one of the oldest and most prestigious of tea houses in all of the Misty Peaks Society.
It was once said that the First Phoenix rested her head here once, and her presence burned away the detritus to create the most fertile of soils; the tea leaves grown in the backyard of the tea house are known to be the tastiest in all of the lands, and her descendants tend to it to this very day.
"Excuse me. Would you four please take your disagreement outside? I am trying to enjoy the tea my Revered, Honored, Glorious, and Resplendent cousin made."
The four men stared at one another before they slowly turned their eyes up to the vaunted VIP Box, a lavishly appointed and generously cushioned balcony that overlooked the peons below.
The Arrogant Young Master looked down upon them with cool, apathetic eyes as he held the teacup to his lips, "Should you continue to argue then my tea will sour. Then my mood will be spoiled. You do not wish to spoil my mood."
"Ah, my dear cousin!" An enchanting voice called out, and the four cultivators felt shock run through their bodies as one of the most highly sought-after Jade Beauties in all of the Misty Peaks stepped out from the back with a serving tray held in her hands, "Please don't ruin my store! Have mercy on those poor fools, they know not the Death that they court!"
Spoiler: Immortal Morning Phoenix - Fai Min Fenghuang
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Her Illustrious Ladyship, Fai Min Fenghuang, The Blazing Heavenly Sword of the Morning Phoenix herself, bowed her head in supplication.
She was no cultivator, a self-proclaimed Maker of Fine Teas, but she was among the strongest in all of the lands, for her lineage could be traced back to the First Phoenix, and it was the First Phoenix's children that stayed in these lands and helped build the Misty Peaks into the Cultivation Paradise it was known as today.
The quartet of ner do wells felt beads of sweat slither down their faces as they slowly looked from the Lady who ran her tea shop back up to her 'Cousin' of whom
she
feared enough to beg for their lives.
The Arrogant Young Master's face softened immeasurably, "Of course, Fai Min. Meeting someone of my Honored Ancestor's lineage has made me feel exceptionally generous, and your tea soothes my soul. I shall let them live… provided they exit the establishment, face the setting sun, and bow one thousand times in penance while chanting 'I am a dumbass'. Only then will my ire be quenched… for the flames of a Phoenix are difficult to snuff."
"Indeed, to draw the wrath of the Phoenix is to face certain doom. You are most generous, dear Cousin." The beautiful woman tittered as a phoenix made from her flames nested on her shoulder, and her blazing red eyes turned toward them, "You should really do as he says- fighting in my shop is no good, you know?"
The Arrogant Young Master terrified them, true, but he was an unknown, and Lady Fai Min's flames were known to all in the Misty Peaks.
Truly, they must have been too blind to see Mount Tai when they decided to scuffle in her illustrious shop.
The Four men looked at one another and nodded before they locked arms in solidarity and marched out to the street as one, the quartet facing the setting sun and bowed as one.
""""I am a dumbass!""""
They rose as one, breathed, and then bowed once more.
""""I am a dumbass!""""
The Face lost here could be recovered, but a face burned until it was like that of pork belly by Lady Fenghuang? That was something they could never recover from.
On the side street next to the Golden Phoenix tea house, a renowned Lady embraced a teenage boy and squeezed him tightly. When they pulled away she stroked the sides of his face as a tittering laugh left her lips, "It was truly a wonder to meet you, dear Cousin! To think that our Revered Mother Phoenix would settle in the Underworld of all places!"
"I was shocked myself to hear of your lineage, but when my dear Xuelan told me of this place I just had to come see for myself if her words were true," He held up a hand a Phenex Fire consumed it, and she held out her hand, the same flames- yet subtly different- danced around hers.
They smiled and embraced once more.
"You should come back to visit soon, Riser. I'm sure my mother would be happy to receive the whole Phenex family and our Honored Ancestor at our estates in the Frosted Peaks," She smiled as she lifted a hand to her lips, "You brother, Regenald, sounds like quite the character, and Ravel sounds like such a dear~!"
Riser kissed both of her cheeks before stepping away, "I will inform my Lord Father of it, and we'll see if we cannot bring the whole family together to visit. Even if it's just a week I'm sure that everyone will have a wonderful time. However, I do have an appointment to keep with Lady Bai Long, so I mustn't tarry any longer than I already have."
They exchanged a few more parting pleasantries before boarding the carriage, which had new horses bridled, and the coach driver turned out onto the main street.
Unfortunately, they didn't get very far-
"You dare!?"
"You court death, mongrel!"
"These fools! To think that they would accidentally knock the meat skewer out of Brother Bang Bang's hands!? Outrageous!"
"The only thing outrageous here is your waistline! To think that you could even cultivate with such a gut! How could you ever hope to dual cultivate with a Jade Beauty if you cannot even see your own sword! Though I guess with as much fat is on you it would be better off called a 'Dagger'."
"Gut!? You think this gut is unseemly!? You flea-brained pissant! This glorious tummy is a show of true status and wealth! I can afford the finest foods in all of the Misty Peaks, and even the finest whores! You speak of Jade Beauties, but I do not see any flocking around you!"
"He dares!?"
"He dares!"
"Allow this
generously proportioned
Young Master to show you the error of your ways- we shall exchange pointers- three points to be exact! To third blood! Should you even get that much from my Jellorific Fluff Love cultivation then I will gladly name you the victor and give you Face! However…"
Out in the street, two cultivators squared off, and Riser Phenex pinched the bridge of his nose while his Jade Beauty stuck her head over the front of the carriage with a joy-filled smile on her face.
In the end, the constant duels in the streets forced us to take a more circuitous route around the Celestial City, which led us down to the Crystal Springs that fed the entire city's water supply.
This isolated spot, far from the various sects of the Misty Peaks, was where the mortals toiled in service to their cultivation overlords, but it was because of his isolation that Xuelan was able to catch sight of a suspicious group of cultivators carrying large clay pots toward the water's edge.
We engaged them and found out that they were of the Poison Gu Sect, one of the outcast Sects that sought to regain their position as the Masters of the Misty Peaks when they were ousted from the city; their cultivators cast out a thousand years ago by the Heavenly Cloud-Walkers Who Fly on Swords Sect and their coalition.
The attempt was made to turn the Gu Sect members over, along with their pots of Poison Gu, to the Heavenly Cloud-Striding Guard so that we could wash our hands of this plot, but the idiots thought that we were part of the plot and tried to arrest us as well!
There would be no trial- only execution for those who handled in illegal Poison Gu- so we were forced to fight our way through the entire city and toward the Celestial Heavenly Palace That Rages Under the Heavens so that we could entreat with the Immortal Mistress who ruled and clear our names.
Spoiler: Grand Immortal Lady Wen Wang - Master of the Misty Peaks Society
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"Kuh-!" The Imperial Beauty, the Immortal Sect Mistress of the Heavenly Cloud-Walkers Who Fly on Swords, coughed blood onto her hand, "Impossible! There is no mortal under the heavens that can best me!"
"You make a grand mistake in thinking me of beings, a mere mortal," The Young Master that she had once thought to be Arrogant scoffed as he harnessed the flames of the Phoenix to heal his wounds and mend his clothes, "I am no mere mortal. I am a devil. A devil with the lineage of the First Phoenix running in my veins. Her mantle of fire and rebirth is mine to command, for it is my birthright."
He strode forward, a pair of black, bat-like wings springing from his back as a suffocating aura of Phenex Fire and Hell Fire filled the Grand Audience Chambers of her Celestial Palace, "I sit astride the Peaks of Power that you could never even begin to fathom. You are naught but an ant to my eyes, motes of dust underneath my slippers. Yet I must commend you, Lady Immortal, for a being such as yourself to wound me so… it is a great feat. You should be honored."
On her back, crushed against the throne she once ruled from, the Imperial Beauty
did
feel honored and accomplished.
Even if his ki and power were restrained, she could no more hope to close the distance between them than a rabbit could hope to jump to the moon.
To think that he had even been able to conceal his nature from her of all beings! Was it truly his skill? Or was it her own hubris that led to such a crushing defeat?
"I see… I have been blinded by my arrogance," The Immortal Sect Mistress of the Heavenly Cloud-Walkers Who Fly on Swords closed her eyes with a smile on her face, "I thought myself the pinnacle of cultivation, but it appears that even I do not have a complete understanding of my Dao."
The Immortal Phenex stepped in front of her and kneeled down to tilt her chin up, his cerulean eyes boring into her own, "I know little of your Dao, but even as strong as I am… even my eyes have yet to see the true peaks of Mount Tai, Lady Wen. Should you cast aside the silk ties that bind you and once more strive to reach for more than just these earthly riches then maybe one day you too might be able to rage against the Heavens."
The boy was just spouting flowery nonsense at this point, stringing together catchphrases and words that he heard many times be repeated by fools and wizened elders alike on this journey.
Off to the side, the old man who had accompanied them every step of the way nodded sagely, as if every word that vomited from the Young Master's mouth was the truest of wisdoms.
"However, if you wish for more, and are willing to dedicate your life to becoming the greatest you can be," The Jade Beauty Xuelan stepped next to her Young Master and knelt next to him, an ornately decorated wooden case appearing in her hands, "Then I offer you an opportunity to cast aside your human form, to become a devil… so that your growth will become unrestrained and you can truly rage against the Heavens."
The Sect Mistress' eyes shot open.
She watched the powerful Jade Beauty, a woman who had run through her Sect Guard like wheat before the scythe, run her fingers over the softly glowing pieces nestled in the crushed velvet. A small hum left Xuelan Feng's lips, "To think that even with my strength… only a Queen Piece would do."
A shuddering cough wracked the Immortal's body, her broken ribs piercing deep into her lungs, but she did not cry out. She was dying, but should she be seen to in a reasonable amount of time then she just might be able to mend herself.
Yet her eyes kept being drawn back to the glowing pieces held in the woman's hands.
"I do not understand… what… is a Ku Wein Pisu?"
"The Queen Piece would be your method of ascension," The Xuelan Feng smiled softly, "You would be reborn as a devil in the service of myself, who is in turn in service to my Young Master. Normally I would hesitate to even think of using this precious piece so soon, but you, Lady Wen Wang, have wounded my Master- made him bleed when even my Sisters and I could not. Truly that is a feat worth honoring. Your Dao of the Flying Sword does you credit."
Lady Wen swallowed thickly, "You would… have me become a devil?"
"Yes. You have already given up your humanity to become immortal, have you not? Why not take one more step down the path to achieving the ultimate strength that you wish to have?" The Jade Beauty held the strange piece between her thumb and forefinger, "You have heard my Young Master's wisdom- this earthly realm has held you back. Your palace, your sect, your power here? You have grown comfortable. Complacent. You have not defied the Heavens, Lady Wen. You
bowed
to the them. You accepted earthly pleasures in exchange for supplication."
The Immortal Sect Mistress coughed once more, an involuntary thing, but the shining light of the Jade Beauty's Touki did not allow it to touch her flesh or stain her clothes.
Touki.
The grand power that she spent centuries attaining, dual cultivating with other lesser men through
Senjutsu
to extend her life, was held easily on this woman's body as though she were merely wearing a cloak.
Her pride and joy, the strength that set herself and her fellow Immortals apart from the other cultivators, seemed to eager in this child's hands… and an eager woman in the hands of the child's Young Master.
Lady Wen shivered as she truly felt the boy's ki for the first time, and she wondered if she too could not strive to attain such power. Had she truly reached her peak? Or had she settled as the Jade Beauty believed?
"I… have not named a successor…" The woman spoke haltingly.
Why would she when the Sect had been hers to rule for almost twelve hundred years?
The Young Master smiled and produced a silver vial, his thumb popping off the cap before he offered it to her, "We still have business to see finished, Lady Wen. The Poison Gu Sect must be dealt with for their treachery, and I still have my appointment with Lady Bai Long. Take this time to gather your thoughts and truly see if you wish to join my retinue."
He poured the silvery tears onto her face, and Lady Wen Wang gasped as she felt the healing fires of the Truly Immortal Phoenix course through her body, healing her like nothing else she had ever experienced before. Even old wounds she had suffered in the past from the 'Ultimate Attacks' of those who sought to challenge her for the Throne at the Misty Peak's Strongest Warrior were turned to nothing but smoke and ash before the cleansing flame of the compassionate Phoenix.
"These tears have untold value, yet for cutting me…" A hand reached up to run along the path her sword had carved in the flesh on his chest, "I offer it to you freely. A gift for a gift."
Riser Phenex stood up and clasped his hands in front of him before offering a shallow bow of respect, "Regardless of whether or not you join us, it was an honor exchanging pointers with you, Lady Wen Wang."
In true Xian-Xia fashion, I had to duel their Immortal Sect Mistress and defeat her in single combat, so that we could finally inform her of the Poison Gu Sect's plot.
Despite being a pain in my ass, it was… actually rather fun given that she was maybe a twentieth of my strength- a feat if there ever was one given that she was purely human. She would have shit all over any group of High-Class devils that numbered less than a hundred, and her power was rather terrifying given that she was here in the outside world; as expected of the Immortal who ran the Celestial City and ruled the 27 Sects of the Misty Peaks.
Do you know what really got my goat though?
Throughout that whole running battle, the old man kept up with us, tripping and bumbling his way through a hail of fists and feet. He tripped and fell, somehow avoiding his opponent's strikes until they managed to defeat themselves… and despite seeing all of that the Cultivators all never grasped the idea that he was more than an old man.
"Damnit! Have my eyes been so blinded by my own magnificence that I could be defeated by an old, bumbling man!? I must sequester myself within the Sect Vaults for a hundred years as penance for not seeing Mount Tai!"
Guys. Really. Please don't do that. This dude is fucking with you hardcore.
So after that little duel, I was now honor-bound to take part in exterminating the Poison Gu Sect with Xuelan and Kuroka.
With all twenty-seven Sects donating a handful of their cultivators, we slogged through the Diamond Shard Canyons and down into the hellish Verdent Bogs to the hidden compound of the Poison Gu Sect.
You would have thought that assaulting the compound of an Evil Sect would be exciting, but when you're immune to all of the poisonous monsters and traps it sort of took the thrill out of it.
The only cool thing that happened while the Poison Gu were getting absolutely bodied by vengeful Sect cultivators was when Ban Quin, the Sinful Immortal of the Poisonous Bog, unveiled his trump card to the assaulting party.
"Huuhahahahahahaha! Yes! Tremble in fear at my might!" The Immortal threw back his head in raucous laughter as the assembled cultivators tried and failed to make a scratch on the monstrous centipede's armored carapace.
Spoiler: Immortal Bian Quin - Poison Gu Sect Master [img: https/i./originals/10/2a/5f/102a5f4cfa1fdd7d72e3085bc47dd5bd.jpg]
The screeching of a proud bird of prey could be heard as The Blazing Heavenly Sword of the Morning Phoenix came down with her sword wreathed in Phoenix flames, and like a hammer striking a gong, the reverberations were heard all throughout the bog as Lady Fenghuang was forced to retreat. Her blow was as powerful as any of the Sect Leaders, and her flames were hotter than anything they who followed the Element of Fire could hope to unleash, and yet it was she who landed on the ground- her sleeve eaten away from the poisonous miasma that clung to her body.
She winced as her flames could not shake the noxious purple mist, and a cry soon followed as her flesh began to bubble and hiss.
"Your flames are ineffective!" Immortal Bian Quin crowed in triumph, "I birthed this Gu from the most devious of Poison Jars! Not only were the most venomous of creatures fed into it, but I also acquired Cinder-Assed Poison beetles from Tianshin! They have made my dear Gu immune to your cleansing flames! Face it- your defeat is inevitable! The revenge of a thousand years will now be complete- huh!? No!"
Lady Fenghuang breathed a sigh of relief as a hand wreathed in sickly green flames swiped the noxious purple poison from her flesh, and though it took some of her arm with it, her Phoenix flames were able to heal her wound- albeit slowly. Despite being a descendent from the same Phoenix as Riser Phenex, her illustrious cousin from the Underworld, there were far more generations separating her from their Honored Ancestor than there were him; she also was human and did not have a devil's robust form.
The other Immortals of the Sects were leery to attempt to get close, having made their attempts, but upon seeing Lady Fenghuang's impressive, flaming strike fail they had forced their juniors to retreat, leaving the beast alone with the owner of the Golden Phoenix teahouse, Riser Phenex, and Lady Wen Wang.
Lady Wen, the Immortal Sect Mistress of the Heavenly Cloud-Walkers Who Fly on Swords, flourished her silver-steel blade- its form waggling from side to side as though it were made of tinfoil- and swung it to the side, "Riser Phenex, I trust that you can handle this beast?"
She side-eyed the poison mist that turned to ash once it made contact with the aura of flame that wrapped around his body, and he nodded, a confident scoff issuing from his lips, "Of course I can. Anyone who believes that Fire-Assed Beetles are immune to the flames of a Phenex is a short-sighted fool- a frog at the bottom of the well! I will teach him why a Phoenix's flames stand equal to a dragon's!"
Lady Wen smiled a touch, and with a quick check she could see the devil's Cat Woman sitting lazily on top of a wall- the feline surrounded by the corpses of Poison Gu sect members, and Xuelan Feng stood at the back edge of the field with her arms folded across her chest as she beamed proudly at her Master. There was also the ordinary old man who stood next to her with a look of interest on his weathered old face, the geriatric mortal stroking his beard, and Lady Wen questioned the reasoning behind allowing an old mortal such as him to be so close to danger- during the devil's assault, he barely survived running away from her Sect Guards!
"I will handle the fiendish Bian Quing then!" The Immortal Sect Mistress charged her blade with her Dao, her path toward immortality, but before she could step forward to rush the fool down a flaming hand rested on her shoulder.
"Clear your mind and focus, Lady Wen," The devil cautioned her unduly, "I can tell that he is stronger than he appears, and being a coward he is more than likely to have more than a few tricks up his sleeve."
"You may have defeated me, Riser Phenex, but I long ago defeated this man and cast him out of our Cultivation Society over a thousand years ago," She sniffed lowly, and the young man released her shoulder, "I have done it once and I shall do it again, except this time I will finish what I started- I am no longer a woman whose heart is young and filled with mercy."
She heard the Young Master utter a single word:
"Release."
Then she struck.
Her silver-steel sword jiggled and jaggled with ferocity as it met the yellow-bellied Bian Quing's steel staff, sparks leaving streaks in the wake of the weapons as they clashed over and over again. He thrust his staff toward her body, hoping to stick her with one of its poisoned needles, but her sword was able to cut them off one at a time; her sublime technique was far too smooth and ferocious to be caught by such a simple method.
He gritted his teeth as the sickly purple aura of his Touki formed around his body, "To think that there was still such a gap between us! Yet-! Yet I will surmount it!"
Bian Quing redoubled his efforts, his staff a whirling stick of death, the metal pole flexing under the force of his strikes. However, despite his increase in speed and strength, the Lady was able to firm up her body and parry the blows with her peerless ability. Ten strikes. Twenty strikes. Thirty.
No matter how many times he swung his staff or lashed out with kicks and punches, the fool could not reach her- he hadn't even managed to force her to utilize her own Touki!
This had become a battle of attrition- while his Touki barrier remained her silver-steel would not cut his flesh, so she just needed to outlast him, or at least wait until the proper moment to unleash her ultimate Touki-defeating technique!
"Does this not remind you of our last battle a thousand years ago, Bian Quing?" The Immortal of the Heavenly Cloud-Walkers smirked as she could not resist the opportunity to banter, "I would have thought that so long in seclusion would have helped you find your center and master your Dao, and yet just as our last battle, I find myself disappointed."
"Kuh-!" He flinched away as he dodged her swipe, "Do not think me weak! I am Bian Quing! Sect Master of the Poison Gu!"
The silver-grey light of Touki covered the Sect Mistress and her blade, and she sprang forward so quickly that he had almost not been able to maneuver his weapon into place to prevent his bisection. The sound of steel meeting steel rang out as the staff flexed under the blow, and there was a groan and a crack that followed the steel weapon being bent into a right angle.
He slipped his head to the side, the silver-steel of her sword cutting across the Touki on his cheek, and even though his flesh did not part that did not mean he didn't feel the pain, "You wretch!"
When he realized just how badly he was losing the man leaped away into the trees above the swampy ground to make space, and he pulled out a clear jar and popped the cork off to reveal a handful of red pills, "They said that I should only take one of these if I did not wish to die, but I do not care!"
He threw back the jar and downed at least a dozen of them, and the effect was immediate!
Winds were churned up as a massive gust of power exploded from his form, and his clothes rustled as he let out an aggrieved shout, "As long as I can take you down with me, then I will greet the afterlife with a smile on my face! Dance with me, Lady Wen Wang! Dance with your demise! Rrraagghhhh!"
The muddy soil beneath his feet sent a brown mist into the air as he sprung forward, and despite her Touki, Lady Wen found herself on the back foot as she was forced to use every ounce of her concentration and strength to survive. His fists toppled trees, his kicks upturned the earth- sending water and poison everywhere, and the mist that sprung up around his form from the heat exuding off of his body forced her to use her
Sublime Cut
to part it just so she could see; with his body throwing off ki in such amounts attempting to use her ki senses to see him was like staring into the sun.
Yet, despite this, she managed to hang on- for a time.
However, just as it appeared as though she was done for- the woman's foot slipping in the mud despite her peerless grace- her salvation appeared as the Sect Master of the Poison Gu shrieked in pain and agony, his punch missing her by a country Li. He skidded across the mud like a skipping stone across the pond, and Lady Wen hazarded a look to the side to see the monstrous one-hundred pace long centipede Gu writhing in agony as its form was consumed in verdant, sickly green flames.
"Immune to fire!? Ha! When there are things in this world that cannot be burned, then you turn to the fire that can! There is nothing under the Heavens that Hell Fire cannot consume- nothing!" The Young Master crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the creature bubble, ooze, and then begin to melt.
Lady Wen nodded in satisfaction as the monster let out its death rattles before curling up into a tight ball to die, and when it did die, the screeching of Bian Quing reached its zenith; the man had tied the Poison Gu he created to his very own soul it seemed. A powerful tool to empower a minion such as that, true, but when it died the blow-back too was powerful.
An agony of agonies. How fitting for a despicable man like him.
Lady Wen sheathed her blade and took up her most heavenly of heavenly stances- her most peerless of peerless techniques; the very same technique that managed to make the powerful and esteemed Riser Phenex bleed.
She inhaled loudly through her nose as she drew in her Touki from around her body, the woman flawlessly circulating its power through her meridians and chakra gates, speeding up the flow until it was moving so quickly that even she had a hard time comprehending its velocity. The silver-steel sang in her hands as she diverted the powerful energy into the blade- 'Wubwubwubwubwubwubwubwubwub
WUBWUBWUBWUBWUBWUBWUWUB
!'
"It is time to finish this farce that began a thousand years ago," She hissed as she held the energy in the weapon for a split second longer,
"Peerless Sword Cut That Slices The Heavens!"
Her silver-steel blade soaked in hyper-velocity ki swiped out in a crescent.
Everything that was in the arc of her blade for fifty paces… was cut.
Trees groaned as they toppled. Boudler's ground as they slid apart. Even the very air itself cracked twice- once as it was parted, and once more as it rushed back in to fill the space.
Despite having been in utter agony from the mysterious medicine and the death of his Gu familiar, he somehow managed to survive- the man throwing himself up to lose just his legs.
It was a pitiful sight, to see this man crying fat tears as he alternated between clamping down on his missing limbs and crawling weakly toward his broken, discarded staff.
Despite being breathless, the Lady scoffed at his weakness.
"Do not linger," Riser Phenex's voice caught her ears, "A foe that is so thoroughly defeated has nothing to lose; he still might have more tricks. Finish the job quickly."
She shook her head as she approached, the woman swinging her blade to rid it of the last few traces of her Ki; while it was true that she was vulnerable right now, as it would take time for her Touki to reassert itself, there was nothing more that this man could do except parlor tricks.
Bian Quing reached his broken staff and cradled it in his hands as he rolled over and placed his back against the lower half of a boulder.
Lady Wen stalked forward, "Any last words? It would not do for you to die with merely a whimper."
"Yes…" His lips curled as he spat blood onto his ruined jacket, "DIE!"
His arms blurred out, flinging pellets from his sleeves, which Lady Wen merely deflected with her blade instead of cutting them, and he inhaled deeply before spewing out a foul poison cloud that blocked her vision. She applied what little Touki she had regained and cut the cloud in two, and she saw that her strike had nearly cleft him in twain, yet he held the broken staff in his hands, a broad smile on his lips as a gurgling giggle escaped his lips, "Ah… ah win…"
Her eyes widened as she looked down and saw a quartet of needles sticking from her thigh, and her eyes tracked back to the broken end of the staff that had four minuscule holes on the endcap. A mere spring-loaded trap had caught her!?
Then the pain hit her, and she collapsed as fiery agony unlike she had ever felt before split through her veins. However, she did not shriek, for it was beneath her to do so. Instead, she managed to lever her head off the muddy ground to stare him down.
Blood stained his teeth as he smiled triumphantly, "Hy-dra poison… 'mported… from ou-side… dedth in th-three minute-s-s… see ya' in hell…"
He let out one last rattling breath before his blood flowed no more, and she felt her agony only increase.
She was desperately trying to purge the poison from her body, but it was attacking her Ki and Meridians just as much as it was attacking her physical form.
"Twice now I have had to save your life," She heard Riser Phenex's voice slither over the blaring drums of her heartbeat, and she turned her head to see him plucking the needles from her thigh with a pair of sticks before they turned to slag under green flames.
"I told you not to dally, yet your pride has blinded you once more. The first time I spared you, in honor of your abilities, but this time? This time your life will belong to me. Do you accept this bargain?"
Her lungs had frozen in place her eyes widening in surprise, but at this point, she would agree to anything to just have him cleave her head from her shoulders- this pain was immeasurable! She nodded weakly, though she couldn't be certain if it just wasn't her neck spasming.
"So be it. A deal bargained and done. Your life for your eternal service to me, Riser Phenex, and my Rook, Xuelan Feng."
He placed a hand on her thigh as the tiniest threads of Hell Fire began to seep into her wound, "Clench your teeth, this will be most painful."
Despite the torment the poison was causing her, she had not yet had her pride broken enough to wail, yet the green flames that began to course through her body? That was something she could never have prepared herself for.
She
screamed
, her back arching off of the ground as she felt the most agonizing of flames burn her body from the inside, yet her body was held in place by Xuelan Feng.
"I am sorry about this, but the Phenex Tears would not remove the poison from your body- it would just prolong your suffering," His clinical voice had a tense edge to it, "I am having to burn every last drop of poison from your body first… then I will heal you."
She felt her heart get seared, the muscle seizing up as the hellish flames excised portions of it and eradicated the hydra poison.
When she woke up it was to the sight of Riser Phenex putting away a familiar bottle into his magic pocket, "Your hubris has cost you once more, Lady Wen."
She couldn't stop the simpering sigh from leaving her lips as the warm flames of the Phoenix swept over her form and unmade the damage that had been done.
He stood up and nodded to Xuelan, who picked her up in a Princess carry, "I do hope that in the future you will be more mindful of your abilities and my orders."
The Immortal Lady could only hold her head low in shame as she was carried off the battlefield in front of the other Sect Leaders, but their judging stares did not cut her as much as the blinding smile that Xuelan was giving her, "Have no fear, Wen. Our Master is most kind. He will take care of you, just as he has taken care of me. We shall be sisters in bondage in service to our Lord, and that has me most excited! I cannot wait for us to observe the Right and Proper Rituals together!"
A blush managed to work its way across Lady Wen Wang's cheeks as she thought about the old Rituals of Servitude, and she wondered briefly why in her 1,000 years of Rule over the Misty Peaks Society and the Celestial City that she did not strike that law from the books?
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, A. Daw, Gorth 123, Quinten M., and holy cow THANKS to InsanexSilence for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: Felt as though I might as well post what I have considering its in a good spot. I am going to go to sleep soon, maybe nap for three or four hours before coming back to write again. Made some Japanese Brown Stew with some ground beef and it was awesome, but I burned the fuck out of the roof of my mouth. Lmao. Amatuer mistake.
I tried remembering all of the Xian-xia-isms and I still felt that the vocabulary was lacking. lol Yet I still did feel like I managed to capture the essence of a proper Xian-xia parody.
As for the poisoning of Lady Wen, this exact thing happened I think in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? The lady wuxia fighter leaps at her opponent and she gets blasted by poisoned needles when she wouldn't have fell victim to it had she been on the ground? Been a long as time since I saw that scene, but with Lady Wen's arrogance hitting her a second time I felt that it was appropriate- the double-fake with the poison orbs and poison breath to distract and obscure, and the quiet, unassuming pneumatic needles being the ones to do her in. Hyrda poison is super deadly, but at her level of cultivaiton it extended her (agony) life quite a bit when a normal mortal would have died almost instantly.
Chapter 16 - 25 Years - Part 7B (17 on the Inside) "Riser's Xian-Xia Land Adventures"
A/N: So this will end the Sect Societies Arc. I know that some of you didn't like it, but I refused to gloss over the world building any more than I already have. It was super important to not only flesh out the world, but to get RiserSi's restraints upgraded so Ajuka could make them better later, to get some of the first Peerage members introduced (even if they'll just remain in the background until needed), and to get RiserSi aquainted with Sun Wukong in a fun and yet totally in-universe way that doesn't involve everyone important showing up to meet with RiserSi because he's the Main character. I try to make everything I possibly can organic as possible instead of character showing up out of the blue because "X character found them interesting/powerful/etc" to train them.
RiserSi is not Issei with Ddraig, and isn't the main character, so no one is going to go out of their way for him; he has to make the connections himself.
This did get sped up a little bit at the end because my hands were starting to tire out, but them's the breaks. lol Hope you all enjoy!
Also: Fun fact, while writing the lewd at the very end I almost forgot Kuroka had two tails. LMAO. I had to search and find every instance of it and correct it.
Also Also: There is a short-lived lewd in the middle with Xuelan and RiserSi, and at the end there is the big lewd with Riser, Kuroka, Wen, and Xuelan.
[Riser Phenex]
[Still in Xian-xia Land]
With the Poison Gu Sect exterminated, I had thought that we could finally call it a day and leave the damned Celestial City and its bullshit behind, but then I remembered that Xuelan still wished to meet with her old Mistress and pay her respects.
However, during the battle with the Gu, something strange had been revealed that made Xuelan stand on edge.
Her Luminous Sect Mistress had, according to her, hardly participated in the battle at all. Which to me didn't sound so far-fetched given how Cultivators acted, but for Xuelan it was a big red flag that something wasn't right; apparently, the Immortal Chun Lu Li wasn't the type to let someone dirty their hands for her- she always took charge when it came to reclaiming face. So to see her stand back and stare impassively as the Junior Brothers and Sisters of the Sect fought, bled, and died in the battle was unconscionable.
That the Immortal Mistress of the Path of the Lotus hardly recognized her when she had been one of her favorite children just sealed the deal.
The woman was an imposter, of that Xuelan was certain.
So in order to expose this heinous plot, she had her soon-to-be Queen call together a conference of the Sect Elders to discuss her impending departure from the Misty Peaks Society to join her new Master and Mistress in the Underworld. While the Nisei-Mistress was attending the meeting, Xuelan, myself, Kuroka, and the Old Man would infiltrate the Path of the Lotus Sect fortress and search for clues.
Slipping through the fortress was both far easier and more difficult than anticipated.
Xuelan knew the valley fortress like the back of her hand, the former cultivator-turned-devil easily guiding them through all of the weaknesses and blindspots of the guarded areas with little issue. With their ki suppressed to that of a cricket, or that of an unassuming mortal Old Man since he was clearly not a cultivator, they slipped over the stone walls and through the exterior battlements with little issue; there were a few close calls, but some well-timed Youjutsu from the Nekoshu Beauty provided them some illusory cover that the junior members who almost stumbled upon them did not have a frame of reference for.
With the wards not having been changed in almost five hundred years, it was easy for Xuelan to spoof them into allowing passage deeper into the interior of the sect fortress, and despite his mortality, the Old Man hardly slowed them down in the slightest. They slipped underneath the windows of the Junior Member's barracks like cats creeping through the night, and leaped like graceful swans over the interior walls with none having seen their passing despite the full moon in the night sky.
Not once did anyone except one question the fact that the ordinary old man was somehow accomplishing the same feats of martial prowess.
Riser Phenex glared at the old man, and the Cat Woman placed a hand on his shoulder, her voice a low whisper, "Why are you being so mean to that poor old man, Meowster? I really like that you're being all jealous when he openly stares at my ass and breasts, but I do put them on display because I like the attention… nya~."
The golden-haired teen sighed, "I'm telling you, Kuroka-chan, that old man isn't real. He's Sun Wukong himself! No! Really! Don't you think his presence is just too perfect? His appearance, his ki, his flippant attitude towards cultivators despite the dangers they would normally pose to an old man- venerable elder or no!"
"Master, while I am very glad to see that you're appropriately paranoid, as treachery certainly looms around every corner in the Society, aren't you being too childish? He is just a normal old man doing extraordinary things! At best he is a revered Hidden Master tagging along for the entertainment value," Xuelan chided her King as they stalked past the pair of guards, the woman speaking rather loudly for a whisper but somehow her words didn't seem to attract the guard's attention at all.
Riser Phenex looked back and gave the Old Man one last glare, who responded by waving his fucking tail at him, and the devil sighed and shook his head, "Fuck it. I'm going to even bother anymore."
"Huhehahahaohohohoh, that's the spirit Young Lad!" The old monkey masquerading as a harmless Old Man laughed as he patted Riser on the shoulder, "You have begun to take your first step in mastering the fine art of 'Not Giving a Fuck'; it is a hard journey ahead of you, but with enough time and experience nothing will ever phase you!"
As the heroic quartet of heroes heroically broke numerous Sect laws by breaking and entering into the Hidden Sanctum of a Sect Master, Xuelan nodded her head, "Yes, that Artful Dao is a difficult one to learn indeed… though this Xuelan hopes that her Young Master won't go too far into the dark side of Apathy; she would be most distressed should her beloved Master ever stopped 'Giving a Fuck' about her and her sisters!"
They finally reached the personal quarters of the Sect Mistress of the Path of the Lotus when they reached their penultimate roadblock.
"It's locked, nya~," Kuroka stared perturbed at the wide, tall, sweeping double doors of Najian Oak before turning to look at the group, "Who dares to lock a door!? Ever since I learned to open doors when I was a lil' kitty I could always open then, nya~!"
"Tch," Xuelan spat to the side as she jiggled the doors, and indeed found that they would not open, "A locked door! This… was an unforeseen event. I must meditate to divine how we will proceed from here."
As the Jade Beauty sank down to her knees to start quiet contemplation, Riser Phenex looked up above the door, "Or… we could just jump up to the balcony? The one above us? It looks like she has it so that she can look down at her Juniors who perform their drills every morning in the courtyards below us."
The Old Man snorted as he slapped the boy's shoulder lightly, "Not every obstacle should be jumped over, young man. How will you ever sharpen your mind if you just bull through every problem? Or in this case, seek the path of least resistance? Every obstacle must be overcome in the appropriate fashion or you will forever weaken your Dao."
"Nyeah, Master, just because we could just blow the doors off the hinges or jump over them doesn't mean we should," The Feline Beauty chortled behind her hand, "You're so hopeless, Riser-sama, always just wanting to power through everything in your way."
Riser stared, the Young Master pointing at her with a solitary finger, "I will spank you, Kuroka. Don't think I won't."
"Well at least then my ass would see some sort of action," She groused lowly in response, though she did shy away a touch when he held out his hand.
The Old Man looked back and forth between the pair with a broad smile on his face.
"I have it," Xuelan stood up from her kneeling position and looked toward the group, her eyes brimming with confidence, "The solution to our quandary."
The other three members of their party had expectant looks on their faces, "We must find the key."
Kuroka's eyes widened in surprise, and the Old Man crossed his arms while nodding sagely.
"And if the key is on the Sect Mistress herself?" Riser drawled as he leaned against the doors.
Xuelan huffed slightly as she shook her head, "No self-respecting Immortal would ever open doors for themselves- unless it was to slap them open in an appropriately dramatic fashion; usually when approaching the feasting hall of a rival Sect when they 'dared' to do something that would require an 'exchange of pointers'."
The Old Man chuffed a laugh, "The girl speaks true, Young Master. Carrying a key to unlock a door for themselves? It would never be done."
A soft yet calloused hand reached out and patted Riser on the shoulder, and Xuelan smiled softly, "Don't worry, I do not think less of you for not knowing it, Master. That you've already learned so much of my culture just for me really shows me how much you care; though there is always much more to learn."
"Oh! Speaking of keys," The Old Man began digging through his sleeves, the coat of his tunic, and his pants before shrugging off his cloak and upending it, shaking it up and down until a delicate-looking key clattered onto the polished granite beneath their feet.
He bent down and picked it up, "I saw one of the guards trip over while we were sneaking past them, and this key slid right over to my feet. I didn't see the harm in picking it up since we were breaking in like thieves in the night… maybe it is the one we need?"
Xuelan reached out and plucked the key from his hand and strode over to the door and stuffed it into the slot before turning it, and when it clicked, she smiled, "Even though we Rage against the Heavens… it appears as though the Heavens still wish to smile upon us. Come, let us sweep through and find evidence of the False Luminous Lady's perfidy!"
"Great job, perfectly normal old man!" Kuroka planted a kiss on his wrinkled forehead.
The Nameless Old Man chuckled goofily to himself as he rubbed the side of his neck, "I suppose that as a humble mortal Servant of the Heavens, I am entitled to some fortuitous strokes of luck every now and again."
Xuelan wasted no time in pushing open the doors and they strode inside the expansive and lavish quarters of the Path of the Lotus' Sect Mistress' to begin their inspections most assiduously.
They searched high and low, opening chests and drawers, tossing clothes all about, knocking over bookcases filled with priceless scrolls, and even upending the expensive One Million Feathers Goose Down mattress!
Kuroka's claws scored the fabric on the mattress in all of the most difficult-to-repair areas before she gave up, the feline taking little pleasure in stripping the mattress' feathers while the owner was nowhere to see it, "Guys, I don't think we're going to find anything here, nya~. I mean, the only place we haven't checked is the dark wood closet covered in paper seals and warnings from the Sect Mistress that opening that door to clean would result in death. Nya~."
Riser, in the meanwhile, had been meditating, contemplating the secrets of life and whether or not there was an afterlife for devils if he killed himself.
If he managed to kill himself.
Maybe Michael, the Archangel of the Heavens, would take pity on him and ask Saint Peter to let him through the Pearly Gates?
"These seals look very powerful," Xuelan hummed as she looked over them, and they flickered with malefic dark chi.
"No! My good stuff!"
Suddenly, the Old Man tripped, and his silver flask filled with alcohol went sailing through the air, the mystical fluid swirling in a spiraling arc to land on the seals and the dark energies sputtered and died as the ink grew wet and began to run.
Xuelan picked up the flask and capped it before handing it back to him, "Aw, I'm sorry to see that your alcohol spilled, but it appears as though it happened for a reason! The Heavens smile on us once more!"
The Old Man sniffed as he shook his near-empty flask around, with barely a pitiful slosh to be heard, "I don't feel very blessed right now."
"Don't worry, Venerable Elder," Xuelan spoke as she tore the fetid seals away from the door, "I'm sure my generous Young Master will purchase some new drink for you."
"Can I… have the Top-Shelf stuff?"
"Certainly! My Young Master is most wealthy and kind," The Jade Beauty sing-songed.
The Old Man grinned evilly at Riser Phenex, who glared thunderously back, "For every silver tael I will take a strip of hide off your ass, you mangey baboon."
Not!Sun Wukong began grabbing his posterior through his clothes, "I have at least… twenty- no, thirty silver tale worth of ass to strip! Buy me a good bottle, you kind and generous Young master, you~!"
Their argument, however, was halted by the sound of pottery scraping over polished granite, and they looked up to see Xuelan and Kuroka dragging a very large clay pot with a wooden lid that had more paper seals sealing it shut.
Riser Phenex scowled, "Well how are you going to fortuitously bumble your way through the seals this time, Old Man?"
Said Old Man sniffed as he held out his walking stick and smashed the side of the pot, and out of it spilled dark waters and the nude form of a woman, "I don't have much booze left to sacrifice, but since the seals were only on the lid! Breaking the pot, as you can see, is the simplest course of action."
"By that logic, we could have simply broken down the wall into that supply closet instead of removing the seals from the door with your booze, or simply jumped up onto the balcony to avoid the locked door…"
"You must sometimes think outside of the box," The Old Timer tutted, "I was merely illustrating that there are some obstacles that are meant to be overcome properly, and that there are obvious times to use your wit to outsmart your foes."
"I really fucking hate this place; the luster has worn off."
The woman was a veritable Jade Beauty, with the soft features of a woman who wished to be chased, as opposed to the firmer features of the Imperial Beauty who wished to do the chasing herself.
Spoiler: Immortal Mistress of the Path of the Lotus Sect - Lady Chun Lu Li
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Her skin was as pale as milk squeezed fresh from the udder, and as smooth as Imperial Silk, and she had gorgeous tattoos scrawled along her back that had five distinct but no less beautiful Lotus blossoms; her dark, flowing hair was damp yet no less captivating, and it only served to cover her more womanly features. She was gaunt but despite the malnutrition, she appeared as though she was the picture of perfect health.
"So… it was the Thousand Petal Lotus that she had right above her ass," The Old Man stroked his chin as though he just discovered the secret to some great mystery, "I'd see the other four on her neck, shoulders, and the center of her back, but the one on her lower back has eluded my sight no matter how many times I peeped on her."
"And what a cute little ass it is, nya~" Kuroka copped a feel on it while they lifted the insensate woman out of the crumbles of pottery, "I can't wait to see what it looks like when it is filled out with some meat. A good meal would help, but I think that she needs a bath first- whatever was in that water stinks."
"A most astute observation," Xuelan nodded in agreement as they gingerly carried the now-freed Sect Mistress to the steaming bath on the other side of the chambers.
Riser stared at the Old Man, who grinned back, and the devil sighed, "It was a cute little ass…"
"Ha! Good, good. Relax your shoulders and just have fun, boy! Nothing should be taken too seriously in these lands, or else you'll die of a heart attack!"
Considering a Sect Meeting at the Celestial Palace could last for days or even weeks, there was plenty of time to help the Sect Mistress make a complete recovery.
She was bathed, fed, and then dressed before being put to bed. Xuelan asked me to practice my Bouchujutsu with her to speed her recovery and return her life force to her.
I had to admit that I didn't mind this duty one bit because the way the Jade Beauty whom Xuelan so admired was… indeed a gorgeous creature, and the way her nude body squirmed against me while we cultivated her back to full health was enjoyable, to say the least. Especially when Xuelan spooned her from the front and whispered all sorts of dirty things into her former Mistress' ears about all of the fun things we could do once this whole debacle was all over.
Despite being hailed as one of the most unflappable cool beauties of the Sects, Lady Chun Lu Li was rather susceptible to corruption when it came to her visiting former Junior Sister.
In the days we waited for her to recover so that we could audaciously throw open the doors to the Celestial Palace and reveal the traitor in their midst, I managed to finally have some form of conversation with the Old Man Who Had No Name that didn't make me want to pull my hair out.
"Sex techniques?" The Old Man stroked his beard with a wry grin on his face, "My boy, you who believes this harmless old man to be the Sun Wukong… of all of the things that you could be asking, why ask about that?"
The Young Master gently placed the jar of spiced wine, which had cost him forty silver tael, onto the table we sat at and slid it over to him, "Because, just as everyone has told me, you're just a normal Old Man. Though I think they too suspect it but are just messing with me…"
He shrugged and grabbed the jug, popping off the lid to take a sip straight from the rim, "Oh. Yeah, it isn't the stuff I can get from Yi Ti, but hardly anything compares to her brews!"
After filling up his flask and stuffing the jar into his robes, he nodded, "Well, I suppose I can give you a few pointers since everyone has been such good sports about me joining. That and this little adventure has been helping me with my investigation! You wouldn't believe the amount of work some Gods and Goddesses go through when it comes to creating their entertainment. Why, if it wasn't for my friend Wen Chang, a Minor God of literature and storytelling helping this plot unfold around you, then I would have had a much more difficult time."
He sipped from his flask, before offering it to the young Devil, "But that's just what I would say if I were actually Sun Wukong."
Riser Phenex breathed in deeply as he accepted the flask and took a sip, the young boy surprisingly not flinching from the spice or the burn of the alcohol, "So, hypothetically speaking, from a purely narrative perspective, you, Not!Sun Wukong, was tasked with investigating outside interference in the Cultivation Societies, and because other divines in the Heavens had their fingers in this 'entertainment', a Minor God of Literature helped you out by spinning a tale in which a sequence of unlikely- and unfortunate- events have caused the well-laid plans to be foiled by a team of plucky outside heroes?"
"There are indeed dueling narratives, but since Wen Chang's interference in this is more subtle… the others shouldn't have any idea what's going on until it is too late," The Old Man shrugged, "Though that is what I would say if that such a scenario was reality instead of a hypothetical. This is not such a thing- no story is being woven here. Nope! No sir!"
The pair passed the flask back and forth, their eyes occasionally going down to the practice yard where Kuroka was receiving personal instruction on the Floating Lotus Style from the Sect Mistress herself. In the meanwhile, Xuelan was given leave to create her very own Petal that would be added to the Sect's archives for future generations to learn, and she was hard at work coming up with her own unique sequence to add to the Sect's storied history.
"Speaking of hypotheticals… hypothetically speaking, if a young devil seeking to improve his mastery of Touki and Senjutsu were to seek out Sun Wukong for training, as had Lady Magari of the Western Youkai faction once did… where would he search to find the Illusive Master?"
They sat in silence for a few moments while the Old Man studied Riser intently, "Well, I would say that if the boy's intentions were right and proper then once he stepped foot onto the mainland of China, Sun Wukong would find him."
After a few more moments of silence, the devil pulled out a leather binder that the narrator could not see, the wards too powerful to be viewed remotely even for a minor divine, and he slid the binder over, "I seek to try and become strong enough to avert the coming apocalypse… heralded by the arrival of Trihexa, the Beast of the End."
"Six-six-six," The old man's hair stood on end as a primal thrill of terror shot through him; he ran his fingers over the linework of the undescribed drawing, "Are you a seer, Riser Phenex?"
"Yes." The boy's tone was somber as he slouched slightly, "That one was my first ever vision, one that I witnessed at the moment of my birth. I do not remember my days as a child, but I do remember that -there was no way my soul could ever forget."
The Old Man's nostrils flared, "Do you have copies of this? Or is this the only one?"
A copy of the indescribable paper appeared in the boy's hand, this one did not have the protections from the binder-
'A silhouette was all that was seen of a beast; seven heads, seven necks, ten horns, seven tails, with four arms and two legs. Its posture was bent over like that of a gorilla, and even though it was confined to a page the viewer could feel a creeping sense of underlying terror. Underneath it was scrawled three terrible numbers: '666'. '
-and the narrator saw and trembled.
The Old Man quickly folded the paper and slipped it into his normal robes, the paper disappearing from the narrator's sight, "I may be a normal, mortal old man, but if I brought something such as this to the Heavens then even Lord Sun Wukong would see me. I'm certain that he would pass this off to the appropriate divines as a warning."
"I will be glad to hear that someone else will hopefully be taking this seriously; my visions aren't 100%, but I've had far more come true than those that have not, and if this one is true… well, I pray that I am wrong and that it never happens."
The Old Man's eyes softened as he regarded the boy carefully, "This has been weighing on your shoulders a long time, hasn't it?"
Riser Phenex nodded as he rested his chin in the palm of his hand, his eyes following the Cat Woman through the forms, "Yes. Though my family and the Maous know, so it isn't like I'm a boy crying out for help and no one is paying attention. It's just… visions and prophecies are notoriously difficult to understand at the best of times; I just happen to have a gift geared toward actual visions that I can illustrate. Sometimes it is more helpful, and other times a mysterious poem would be better."
"Well, rest assured that this will be looked into, and if this forboding event is what you seek strength for them I'm certain that Sun Wukong would agree to train you when you feel the time is right," He nodded sagely before a wry grin cracked at his lips, "Now, you were interested in those sexual techniques, yes? Why so? You don't seem to have any problem handling those two Jade Beauties of yours."
"I am going to have a bare minimum of three wives to attend to, along with all of the women that will be in my Peerage and my Peerage's Peerages," He inhaled deeply, the teen looking at his hands, "I will have the strength and stamina- my Phenex regeneration assisting me- but… I feel like I will need to learn the sublime techniques of venerable masters if I am to see all of them thoroughly satisfied enough to never stray; I am a greedy Young Master, and the thought of my women being unhappy is unthinkable."
"And so the successful and dashing Young Master finds he will soon suffer from his own success? Heeheehee," The Old Man chortled behind the lip of his flask, "Yet this old man does know a few techniques that are certain to see your ladies over the moon… just be aware that the Lady Wen your Xuelan seeks to bring into your fold is also a woman with her own talents; one does not live for twelve hundred years without learning a thing or two. Just know that when you fold and break out the Forbidden Techniques of the Soulful Bedroom she will bare her weapons as well."
"And likely teach them to all of her friends," He added with an amused smile as he sipped.
"That is a battle that I will have to fight when it arrives; planning for such a conflict is useless when I do not know my abilities and those of my foe."
"Wise words. Now, let me tell you a few things- the first of which is the 'Instant Heavenly Climax' , in which you thrust your Yang into her Sacral Chakra and overstimulate her Yin; a waterfall is most assured with this technique and will leave her breathless and in need of hydration. However, be aware that there is a Yin variant that attacks your Root Chakra, and if you do not defend against it… instant loss is assured."
When the boy stepped away from the conversation, his eyes were wide for now he could see Mount Tai.
He carefully concealed the scroll that the Old Man had given him in his Magic Pocket.
"Bang!"
The doors to the Celestial Throne room were thrown open for the second time in less than a week, the sounds of wood meeting stone reverberating throughout the room.
"Who dares!?" A half-dozen voices shouted out, those coming from the Immortals who were more prone to be slighted easily.
"I dare," Came a soothing, silky voice that radiated with power and displeasure.
Lady Chun Lu Li of the Path of the Lotus Sect strode forward with Riser Phenex and his Jade Beauties- Xuelan Feng and Kuroka- following closely behind her; a totally normal old mortal man brought up the rear, his face bright red as he bowed profusely and apologized to everyone who would listen.
Her pink and white silk robes flowed around her form as the oranges and yellows of her trademark sash streamed behind her like tassels in the wind of her passing.
The woman had a presence that few of her fellow Immortals could match, one that the imposter sitting in her chair and wearing her face lacked, "To think that you would be so blind as to allow an imposter to sit among your number for so long?"
"An imposter?" The same silky voice spoke out calmly, though this time it came from the lips of the woman seated at Lady Chun Lu Li's seat within the chambers, "The only imposter I see here, girl, is you. Your appearance is spot on, and I see that you have stolen my clothes, but your breasts are far too large to be mine, and your arms too waifish."
"I have been sealed in a Sleeping Jar for the past two years, having my Chi sapped away from me," The woman responded cooly, though her cheeks colored somewhat, "I will admit that I overindulged in the dumplings the past week, though that can be excused as I have not had anything to eat or drink since that time."
"So you admit to being in possession of a Sleeping Jar, then? Those are illegal for a reason," The woman wearing Chun Lu Li's face sniffed, "You must have been salivating over your ill-gotten good and simply tripped and fell in- trapping yourself inside. How unfortunate."
"An Illegal Sleeping Jar that was found in your own room, Lady Chun Lu Li- if that is your true name!?" Xuelan stepped forward, her back stiff and her fists touching behind her back, "If the Immortal Mistress of the Court will allow me to tell you the findings of our investigation?"
The imposter attempted to rebut, but the Mistress of the Court cut through her words as though she used her blade and not her tongue, "I have long suspected you to be a fraud, but your actions on the night of the Purge of the Poison Gu sect merely confirmed my suspicions. Tell your tale, Xuelan Feng, returned daughter of the Path of the Lotus Sect."
Needless to say, all we had was hearsay with no hard proof outside of the Jar that we found while breaking and entering into the Path of the Lotus Sect's fortress; a more thorough investigation would need to actually be conducted, but with this being Xian-xia Land, all it took was for Mistress Chun Lu Li to challenge the fake to a duel and the imposter attempted to flee.
This perfidy prompted Lady Wen Wang to individually test the other Sect Masters, to feel their cultivation personally, and we ended up finding out that four more of the 27 Sect Leaders had been replaced with fakes- all of whom, including Mistress Chun Lu Li's impersonator, was their second or third in lines. They hated their Immortal Masters for refusing to die and step aside so that a new Leader could take charge; I supposed that it was a genuine complaint when the leadership was actually immortal.
Biologically speaking, anyway.
The four captured Masters and Mistresses were rescued from their own Sleeping Jars and were starting their road to recovery.
The Sleeping Jars were a nasty piece of work- not only did they hold their prey captive, but they slowly siphoned off ki and copied the host's memories so that their impersonator would one day no longer be indistinguishable from the original; they would know everything their captives knew, even their most hidden techniques, yet that knowledge did not help them ascend to the Immortal Realm or attain a body that readily utilized Touki. That there were unique differences in the Touki of the two respective individuals meant that it would take time for them to learn how to master those stolen techniques.
In the case of Lady Chun Lu Li, the two years she spent in the Sleeping Jar were far from enough, but Master Tai Ben Wong of the Horsey Neigh Neigh Ground Stompers Sect had been thoroughly wrung out after a decade spent in his Jar; his imposter was only revealed because he could not demonstrate to Lady Wen Wang the Ultimate Ki technique that Master Wong was famous for.
The Ultimate Ki technique that almost brought her off of her flying sword.
I suppose it was a good thing that Lady Wen was constantly challenged for her throne by her peers because it was only that critical experience that allowed her to sus out who was fake and who was real.
Though, of course, while all of this was going on, her Heavenly Cloud-Guard was searching the compounds of all Sects from top to bottom while the potential fakes were held within the Palace.
The four other Sleeping Jars were found, and the trapped masters and mistresses within were freed- it was her combat with them that merely sealed the deal.
Yet, despite our good deeds, the only reward for our hard work was more work.
Though she was kind enough to send a message to Lady Shu Wen Bai Long, the Dragon Artificer we'd come to this crazy ass land to see, and Lady Wen assured me that the Dragon was enigmatic; a threat to the Misty Peaks Society was a threat to her domain, after all.
I approached her once she finished giving us our new quest- to investigate the words of the imposters who folded under their torture- and whispered to her, "I do hope that you enjoy this while it lasts, Lady Wen. Because if you think that you will command me further than this…"
A bright red blush slithered across her cheeks as she averted her gaze toward the floor, "I am yours, yet I am not; not at this moment. You gave me leave to see to it that I could ensure the realm was stable before I left; I am merely carrying out my duties as the Grand Mistress of the Misty Peaks Society."
My lips grazed over her ear, and she shivered, "So long as have our understanding."
"Y-yes, my illustrious Master."
I looked to Xuelan to see her seated next to her former mistress, the Jade Beauty beaming at me as she gave me a double thumbs up.
I swear, this girl…
We spent the next three days preparing to make the next leg of our journey, gathering supplies and securing transport to the Jade Border Gate, where a small team of Cultivators from the Heavenly Cloud Guard would serve as our escorts.
Once we set up camp, our escorts fanned out to close off the most likely routes of illegal entry, which left our group to cover the most unlikely- and therefore very likely- path that the interloper(s) might take.
Given that the mysterious contact wasn't set to arrive for another day, Xuelan and I broke off from the camp so that we could entertain one of her fantasies… yet before we could truly get started we were rudely interrupted by an unlikely group of Spirit Beast cultivators.
On a very seldom traveled mountain road, a pair of cultivators did battle.
In the beginning, they had been evenly matched, but as the fight wore on the Young Man's mysterious techniques began to take their toll on the Jade Beauty he was fighting.
An exchange led to the man's clawed hand finding purchase on the woman's quipao, and as he pulled away his fingers stripped the cloth from her chest, freeing her breasts to send them bouncing around in the cool mountain air. A muted cry left her lips as his fingers drew angry red lines along the sensitive flesh of her bosom but did not break the skin; she staggered back with her arm protecting her modesty, which caused the male cultivator to cross his arms and throw back his head with laughter.
"Muhahahahaha! I told you that attempting to resist me was useless!" His once blue eyes were now a glowing red, with three tomoe spinning around hypnotically, "These mystical eyes of Divine Foresight of mine can see your every move before you make it! I have even copied your vaunted style and turned it against you- you cannot win!"
She gritted her teeth as she slowly backed away to make space, yet with a powerful leap he closed the distance immediately, and her lone hand lashed out with desperation. Seven strikes were sent out, and seven strikes were effortlessly blocked or parried. The strikes he gave to her in return stripped away more of her clothing; she was almost naked now, with the barest of tatters hugging her body.
He stepped into her guard and grasped onto both of her wrists while his legs entangled hers, and within an instant, she was hopelessly trapped.
The mysterious Young Master's glowing eyes bore down into hers, "Though I must say that your vigorous spirit has roused more than just my curiosity, Little Flower. So rather than taking you for myself and keeping you until I am no longer satisfied… I offer you a bargain."
Her sapphire eyes widened in surprise, "A… bargain?"
His lips formed into a smirk, "Yes, a bargain. I do not wish to copy my peers and see you a broken husk, Little Flower. I want to instead stoke your cultivator's spirit to see just what great heights you are capable of if you have the proper motivation."
Her face scrunched up into confusion, as this was not the cultivator way when a woman lost so horribly to a man.
He chuckled, "I offer you this: serve me faithfully as my woman from this moment forward and till the sun comes up… and I will let you go. In return, I ask that you do not seal away your memories of this time- instead, you will meditate on them further and use them as fuel to stoke the kilns of your meridians. Grow more powerful, and in one year's time we will meet at this place and duel once more with the same terms."
Understanding dawned on her, "You would trade immediate satisfaction for…?"
"Yes, you see now. I am Mai Long Shu Long, a Peak Expert cultivator of the Ninth Heavenly Realm, and I am the sort of man who doesn't let his conquests ever forget our time together," He sneered lightly, "I seek to forever live within the confines of your mind until you best me. Ninety-nine women have been defeated, and ninety-nine have struggled to overcome; you will be my one hundredth, a grand honor to be sure."
The woman struggled to contain her mirth over the name of the cultivator who defeated her, a soft snort leaving her lips; the man was no better as his picturesque sneer morphed into a wry smile. Though they both remembered that they had roles to play in this little game, so they recovered quickly.
The woman's eyes slowly closed as she came to terms with the reality of her situation, and her body lost all tension, "It appears as though this Xuelan Feng has no other choice but to submit herself to Mai Long Shu Long- snerk-, and become his woman for the rest of the evening. She has been bested, as is now his property…"
"I am glad to see that you understand reason when you hear it," His hands left her wrists and instead reached up to gently cup her bosom, his fingers testing their firmness and elasticity, "A night of immense pleasure at the hands of a handsome Young Master such as myself is hardly the worst punishment that a woman can have after losing so horrifically to a man."
Her body seemed to betray her, the woman's hands coming up to cover her mouth to stifle the sounds threatening to spill from her lips as his fingers drew sparks of pleasure from her despite the dire circumstances. When his muscular, silk-clad thigh pressed against her bare womanhood, that only seemed to draw even more from her, "To think that your womanhood would be this moist already? Your feminine Yin juices soak my pants so readily!"
She shook her head and protested, "No, that is n-not true at all!"
He leaned forward and nibbled at her earlobe before his tongue flashed out to lick the shell of her ear, "Face it, you were looking forward to this, weren't you? A Jade Beauty who has read far too many bodice rippers while sequestered in her Sect's fortress?"
Xuelan tried to rebut his words, but all that escaped her mouth were soft gasps and needy mewls as the male cultivator forcing himself upon her seemed to know just exactly where and how to touch to drive her wild! He licked and bit at her long, graceful neck while his fingers grasped and squeezed at her breasts with the familiarity of a long-time lover; when he released one teat and grabbed her hip to grind her womanhood against his thigh harder… she came.
Her back arched as liquid lightning traveled throughout her body and meridians, originating from her puffy wet lips and shooting up her spine, and the stimulation from her nipple as he pinched it only took her even higher, "Aahhhnnnhhh~!"
Xuelan's legs wobbled as she tried to stay on her feet, but her knees inevitably buckled as her thighs trembled- both from pleasure and exhaustion, and she slid down his thigh toward the ground. Despite his rough countenance, the Young Master helped her down softly, though that was only because she was now eye level with the pulsing pillar in his silk pants.
"It is your turn to pleasure me now," The Young Master's voice grew deeper as he rumbled, and with patient movements, the silk sash holding up his pants was undone, and a massive meat pillar of which the likes the Young Mistress had ever seen slapped against her cheek.
She gasped as she beheld its majesty from out of the corner of her eye, "S-so big… I have never seen one so large before."
"Yes, it is indeed impressive, isn't it? A far cry from the puny peckers those Sect cocks like to strut about with," He placed a hand on top of her head, pushing it back so that the throbbing tip pressed against her lips, "I do believe that you know what you must do, yes? From now until the sun comes up you are mine."
A shiver crawled down her spine as the warmth of his manhood suffused into her pillowy lips, the slightly salty and bitter taste of his leaking pre-seed landed on the tip of her tongue as she breathed heavily with her mouth open, "I will do… what I must with this cock of conquerers… yet do not expect to make this Xuelan Feng fall with such a barbaric thing; bend, I will, as my Sect preaches flexibility, but you will never break me."
He snorted, the man wiggling his hips from side to side to smear his pre-seed on her lips and cheeks, "My intention is not to break, so your proclamations are meaningless. Now stop stalling and suck, proud warrior of the Lotus Sect. Suck your victor's manhood."
She closed her eyes as she took the head of it into her mouth, her tongue swirling around it, and she felt the man's ki flicker in contentment as she began to bob up and down on his impressive length. Soft moans left her nose as she did her horrible work, her teeth never doing more than ghosting over the crown as her tongue slithered onto the underside and pulled bead after bead of his pre-seed into her mouth; each salty, bitter dribble seemed to coat her throat and sent fumes of his husky maleness tickling the back of her nose.
His hands didn't stay idle, however, and he bent over slightly to toy with her breasts and nipples, his fingers sparking with ki that made her shoulders jerk with each jolt that sent her womanhood aching and aflame with lust. She wasn't enjoying this at all, she wasn't, yet the more she sucked and slurped on his fine manhood, the more she found her hands reaching to strum over her womanhood and fondle one of her breasts.
"Yes, such a fine mouth you have," The Young Master chuckled, "It is almost as though you were not a blushing virgin, and instead of lustful beauty; how many have fallen for your charms?"
"Nebur!" She protested weakly around his cock, the woman pulling back just enough to speak before she pressed herself down lower on his throbbing pillar; the sooner she finished him the sooner they could get onto more mutually enjoyable activities.
"So you say…" The man shook his head as he straightened up and grabbed onto the white cloth covering her buns, and he began to take control of her oral ministrations. Her sucking and slurping grew louder as he forcefully worked her up and down his shaft, some soft coughs and gags leaving her lips when he forced her down until the crown was firmly pressed against the back of her throat, "Nugh! Glck, couff, glck, ngh!"
Her eyes teared up as he plundered her mouth and throat with his impressive manhood, and she endured as he began to stroke his cock faster and faster.
Just as he was about to climax, his ki spiking, a sudden flare of ill-intent from the nearby bushes forced the coupling pair to separate.
A clawed hand swiped where the Young Master's manhood had once been, and Xuelan tumbled back onto her feet while the man quickly put away his cock and fixed his clothes- his hands re-tying his sash in a blur.
Spoiler: Guardian Beast Tiger
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The White Tiger woman snarled as her feet and claws round purchase in the ground, her digits leaving furrows in the stone path as she slowed her momentum; her lips were peeled back to show off her fangs while her golden eyes glowed with malice, "To think that we would stumble upon such a crime in progress! An Arrogant Young Master forcing himself upon a weaker maiden- you court death!"The Young Master was forced to somersault backward to avoid the blur of brown fur and shimmering purple silks that emerged from the bushes after the Tiger Woman, revealing a Boar Woman who snorted in dissatisfaction when the boy dodged her furious charge.
Spoiler: Guardian Beast Boar - Except Imagine her more burly and booba-ey
[img: https/external-content./iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.%2Ff%2F27bb8de8-35b5-4b6d-b250-ccdeecddd711%2Fd820ec2-732738c3-3944-42a5-9e67-545bf594beca.png%3Ftoken%3DeyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzI3YmI4ZGU4LTM1YjUtNGI2ZC1iMjUwLWNjZGVlY2RkZDcxMVwvZDgyMGVjMi03MzI3MzhjMy0zOTQ0LTQyYTUtOWU2Ny01NDViZjU5NGJlY2EucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.OkyuOZD5V18oHXBqqteZHTi-qVsm7EyZuREUYGjiavw =1 =1 =c77b55cdd9095c42917d67436f98639f8c344650e2827b1766cb11a61322ca3d =images]
Not to be left out, another beautiful warrior emerged, this time from the trees, and her flying kick was narrowly avoided by the Young Master as he caught her leg mid-flight and used the momentum to avoid her strike completely. Despite the sudden shift in direction, a pair of snow-white wings emerged from the woman's shoulders, and she flared them to land softly next to the Boar Woman; one wing covered her mouth as she scoffed, "To think that we would find such an uncouth barbarian so far from the Celestial City."
Spoiler: Guardian Beast Swan
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The trio of interlopers glared at the Young Master as he landed on his feet and crossed his arms, but after a few moments of nothing else happening, the Tiger Woman's gaze turned back to the treeline near the rocky road, "Oi! Hey! Rat! You were supposed to attack the fool! Stop stroking your fish-hole and get him!"
Spoiler: Guardian Beast Rat
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From the bushes, a beautiful, waifish woman with the ears of a rat and a naked tail, emerged, though her countenance wasn't nearly as fierce as her companions. In the silvery light of the moon, her face was flushed bright red, and her short skit was hiked up to reveal a dripping womanhood; one of her hands was slick while the other hand held the crumpled form of a white pair of panties, "Mou~! I told you guys that they were just playing!""Playing!?" The Boar woman bellowed, her arm swiping in front of her.
The beautiful Swan woman agreed, "He was using her face as a disposable womanhood- forcing her lips and jaw to stretch to accommodate his sizeable, barbaric thing! How could you say such a thing!?"
The Rat tittered behind her slick hand, "How could you three not see it? They weren't truly fighting- we've seen plenty of those! Besides, do these two not closely resemble the pair of Cultivators that arrived with those bumbling Heavenly Guard fools? They were merely enacting a rather common fantasy- either her's or his; you three went way too far. Besides, maybe if you just asked the woman first?"
Tiger's clawed hands flexed as she stood up from all fours, and her lips snarled as she looked over to the woman, "Is this… true?"
"Yes. This Xuelan Feng is most disappointed that her fantasy time with her Master was so rudely interrupted!" Sapphire eyes blazed with untold fury as she crossed her arms over her breasts, "And to think that you even tried to separate my Master from his Little Master!? You must be punished!"
"A-actually, Xuelan, let's calm down for a moment, shall we?" The Young Master raised his hands up placatingly, "I don't think that we should punish these Women for doing what is ostensibly the right thing; I would intervene too if I ever saw a travesty taking place. Though I will admit that I would attempt to at least ask questions first before severing a man's cock from his body…"
The pointer finger on Xuelan's hand tapped her bicep as she hummed, "You are correct, yet the escalation is far too much. Even if you could have healed… yes, I do think that I have a suitable punishment in mind!"
She dropped her fist into her open hand as though she just had a magnificent idea, "I like that you four are such upstanding Cultivators, ready to deal in blood to defeat terrible men- I request that you duel me and my Master! Should you win we will accept a simple apology and we will let bygones be bygones, however, should you lose… you will submit yourselves to me and my Master and become our beloved servants!"
Tiger's spine immediately stiffened, her furred ears perking up, "You think that you have what it takes to defeat us!? We are the Fearsome Four! Part of the Twelve Guardian Spirit Beasts of the Misty Peaks Society!"
The feline woman's clawed hands flourished as she settled into a stance, "We accept your terms!"
"Ah, there she goes again, just deciding things for all of us…" Rat shook her head, but she took up a low stance anyway, "I do hope that my time under you will be exciting; hee, hee, hee~! Be sure to rape me lots, okay~?"
"Stupid Maso-Rat," The Boar snorted as she shifted her cloven feet into a wide stance, with the Swan woman sweeping her arms in front of her body- sparks of Ki leaving beautiful trails in the wake of her fingers, "We won't lose! We're the Fearsome Four! The strongest group in all the Misty Peaks!"
"We lost." The Boar woman sighed dramatically.
"That we did, a most unfortunate outcome," The Swan moaned out as she dragged herself to her feet.
"I did not think it was possible for there to be someone stronger than the Sect Mistress of the Heavenly Cloud-Walkers Who Fly on Swords Sect," The Tiger grunted as she smashed her fist into the stone road beneath her knees, "My apologies, Sisters, this is my folly."
"I told you~ Heeheehee~!" The Rat, who had been cratered into the side of the cliff giggled weakly as she slowly extricated herself from the stone, and as she dropped onto her hands and knees she moaned, "Owie~. I'm all for some pain but let's keep it more focused in the future, okay, Mistress? Master?"
A soft golden glow encapsulated the Rat woman as her Dao of Unyeliding Support mended the wounds on her body but left her weak.
"Stupid Maso-Rat, did she even really try?" The Boar grunted, but a soft set of fingers caught her lips.
"We agreed, we fought, and we lost. Let us show our new Master and Mistress that we are as graceful in defeat as we would be in victory," The Swan chastised her sister lightly, and with some effort, she managed to regain her feet- though her stance was unsteady.
The Fearsome Four made their way to each other before standing in a line, and as one they bowed, "We await your commands, Mistress, Master."
The Young Master scratched at the side of his head with a bewildered expression on his face while Xuelan smiled beatifically with stars in her eyes.
A chess set appeared in her hands, and she ran her fingers over the softly glowing pieces as she studied them carefully.
A Rook Piece for the Tiger and Swan, as their talents already lay in speed, grace, and agility.
A Knight Piece for the Boar, as she had the power and durability thanks to her Dao, but not the speed or agility needed to make the best use of it.
And lastly, a Bishop Piece for the Rat, as her powers laid in healing and illusions from the Chinese Youjutsu methods, with some mastery over the Paths of the Fire Fist and Feet of the Water Kicker.
The women were surprised at their sudden increase in abilities after the glowing pieces were absorbed into their bodies, but the sudden change left them weak and weary.
"We will hold off on the Right and Proper Ritual of Submission to a Man until Lady Wen Wang has become my Queen," Xuelan Feng, who had once been all happy smiles, stared down at the four kneeling members of her Peerage, "You will need to be within touching distance of me as often as possible for the next few days as you stabilize and acclimate as devils; as time passes we will be able to separate more and more until you are ready to act independently."
"Yes, Mistress," The four replied.
"Good, now on your feet, and let us return to the camp so that we can properly lay in wait! I am rather famished from our little battle, and I know that my Young Master too is waiting to be fed."
As the six devils made to return to the camp, the Young Master slowed his pace to walk beside his Rook, "You will be taking responsibility for integrating them into the Underworld, correct?"
She nodded, "Of course, Master! It took me many years to acclimate, but having been through the process myself I can assure you that in just a few years I will have them broken of all of the Society's bad habits. You will need not fear any problems from them."
In the end, we only really caught onto the infiltrator's movements thanks to the Old Man with us.
He got up to take a leak on the nearest set of bushes and ended up pissing on the cultivator who had been low-crawling around our position with his ki so suppressed that not even I had noticed his presence.
Thankfully the man was a cultivator through and through- if he had been a professional he would have just accepted the hot shower and waited for the Old Man to walk away before resuming his mission.
Instead, he immediately shot up to his feet with righteous indignation burning within his breast: "To shower me with your urine!? You dare, Old Fool!?"
What followed was a harrowing chase through the mountains, where I actually had to try to keep up with him; even with my devil wings, I needed to borrow from my sister and use my Phenex Fire to give me some propulsion. He tried to give me the slip multiple times, and he actually succeeded twice before the Old Man, who had been carried by Xuelan, managed to uncover his hiding place with his harmless antics.
He was quick on the uptake, having figured out that he was never going to hide or outrun us despite his impressive speed on the ground, so that was when he found a nice, wide open space in the deserts leading to the Diamon Shard Canyons to make his stand.
The masked man dressed in dark clothes had a large wooden box strapped to his back, likely filled with all of the illegal wares he was inserting into the Misty Peaks Society, "I take it this means that the other plots have been foiled then?"
His voice was modulated, pitching high and low in a monotone fashion.
"Indeed it is young one!" The Old Man placed a hand on his hip as he tapped the completely ordinary staff onto the hardpacked, sunbaked soil; though the night was still young and the winds growing cool, the earth still held some of the day's heat, "If you come without any further fuss then I'm certain that my Lord, Sun Wukong, would grant you some measure of mercy."
The Young Master known as Riser Phenex slowly and carefully began to lay out a complex illusion around the Masked Man, his threads modifying what the man saw and heard while not allowing the devil magic to touch his flesh- lest he give away the ploy. A look of intense concentration was on his face as he slowly, carefully, walked as quietly toward the infiltrator while the Old Man and the criminal bantered back and forth.
"-you must think me a fool, Old Man! Even if you were a harmless and completely benign mortal, I would have thought you enough sense to know that your threats mean nothing before me. You do not know my face or my chi, and thus you do not know my identity or affiliation. Once I dispose of you right here and now I will be able to escape with everyone none the wiser," The Masked Man scoffed as he crossed his arms over his chest, "I will displease my benefactors by failing, that is true, but I will always be able to try again- what?"
The Masked Man's modulated voice became youthful and boyish as Riser Phenex quickly tore away the mask from his face to reveal an adorable rabbit boy.
Spoiler: Bunny Man
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The Rabbit growled in anger and tried to grab the mask back, but the damage had already been done; his swiping hand was unable to recover the shield of his identity, and his chi was released into the air- his clothes no longer able to hide him from their senses.
Riser Phenex leaped back and returned to the sides of his companions; the former Fearsome Four gasped in shock at the identity of this heinous lawbreaker.
"Ahhhhh… Cao Wei Tù ròu, the White Rabbit of the Hidden Golden Starburst Valley Society," The Old Man stroked his beard as he flipped through the pages of a book in his hand, the papers crinkling as he held it up to show off the cultivator's portrait and profile on the page, "I would have thought that one of the Guardian Spirit Beasts would know better than to interfere in the affairs of another Society; such a thing is forbidden by the Heavens, you know?"
The Rabbit's lips peeled back as he set the heavy wooden box onto the ground and hopped to the side so that he could settle into his Hidden Rabbit Punch stance, "Such a discovery is meaningless if you are all dead! Dead men tell no tales! Now prepare to be sent to the afterlife!"
The whiteish-grey light of Touki suffused his form, and he prepared to strike, but he was caught off guard as chi, mana, and Touki exploded off the form of the Young Master who helped discover him; a gout of fiery orange and red flame sprung from one shoulder blade while a similarly sized gout of sickly, verdant flame exploded from the other.
"Hey, Old Man. Now that we have his identity and his pack… do we actually need him alive?"
"Nope! If anything, killing him will be a kindness."
"Good. I'm really, really, really tired of all of this bullshit- I just want to go home and sleep for a few years."
The Rabbit opened up his mouth to scoff at the hubris of the boy, but within one blink and the next he found himself staring down a fist-
"Perish."
And the world exploded into a hellstorm of dueling flames.
The Old Man hummed lowly to himself as he walked at a leisurely pace; he'd long since left the blasted landscape from the Young Master's attack, and boy, what an attack it was!
A punch right to the face that exploded into a giant, fiery phoenix that collapsed in on itself and blew up again !
It was suitably dramatic for the finishing move of a Young Master in a heroic story, and had his opponent been anyone other than the White Rabbit he would have certainly slew him outright!
Yet, the White Rabbit was a master of infiltration and escape- his Moon Calling Heavenly Jade Pavillion Jump was one of his best techniques; the boy called upon the moon's gravitational pull to yank him out of danger with startling speeds.
Now doubt the Young Phenex boy felt the Spirit Beast's ki simply cease under the pressure of his attack, but the Old Man was a touch more wise and finely tuned; he didn't so much vanish as he fled far away very, very quickly. It was a splendid escape move that would be guaranteed to help him evade any devastating wide-area attack, but its evasive ability was far from subtle when viewed from far away, and it was likely why he did not make use of it until it was proven that he could not escape without having his identity known.
Even if he had used it to evade them completely, his identity would have been revealed instantly because there was no one else in the Three Societies who knew that move except the White Rabbit.
"-gah, to think that the boy would be able to injure me of all beings!" A voice whispered, a hiss escaping broken lips, "-Nhgh! If I hadn't used my special escape technique I would have surely died!"
The Old Man stood behind a large boulder and intently listened to the Spirit Beast's words as the sounds of medicated bandages- the salve squishing as it was constricted- wrapping around burnt limbs filled his ears.
"I will need to find a cave to conceal myself and heal before returning to my Mistress. She will need to know that our plot has been revealed…" Cao Wei Tù ròu's voice sounded remorseful, "If I can inform her soon then she should be able to divert most of the scrutiny…"
Tape stretched and was shorn by sharp teeth, securing the bandages, and after a few more moments of silence the Old Man decided to reveal himself; it didn't appear as if the White Rabbit was going to conveniently mutter any more important knowledge.
It was time to be direct.
"Oh ho~?" The Old Man stepped out from behind the rock and hobbled over toward the wounded Spirit Beast with his staff, "Mind tell me some more interesting things, boy? I know I said that I would be lenient if you came along quietly, but I just might keep that offer extended if you did so now."
"Wha-!? You! Dumpy Old Mortal Man!? How did you track me!?"
The White Rabbit was a true mess, his clothes were scorched with only the barest hints of fabric hiding his modesty; his white hair and fur were blackened with soot and ash while his body was covered with burns hidden by the bandages. Those were streaked with pink and purple ointments and blood; it smelled pretty appetizing, but the Old Man decided to not think about the scent of Roasted Rabbit.
The Old Man dropped his disguise, his clothes changing shape, his staff becoming instantly recognizable, and his circular reed hat disappearing to reveal a well-known visage.
Spoiler: Sun Wukong
[img: https/static.wikia./highschooldxd/images/c/cd/Sun_Wukong_Appears.jpg]
A furry tail waved over at the boy, and Sun Wukong smiled, "Now, now. You should know better than to believe that you can evade my senses, boy. Why don't you just lay there and answer all of my questions, hmmm? I even have some top-shelf booze that can help dull your pain!"
Sun Wukong's large beads clacked together as his hands came up into view- a pipe held in one while the silver flask was in the other; Ruyi Jingu Bang held easily in the crook of his arm, "So what do ya say, hmm? Care to enlighten this old monkey as to why your Mistress has decided to defy the decrees from the Heavens?"
The Shíwàn Bù Tiānlónggōng was a palace of splendor and majesty.
Known as the Celestial Palace of 100,000 Steps, it was an expansive palace seated on top of one of the highest peaks in China, hidden from mortal eyes by powerful wards as it was created nearly ten thousand years ago by the Celestial Dragon Duchess Shu Wen Bai Long, a Dragon who took to crafting and creating instead of destroying.
Spoiler: Lady Bai Long's Palace
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It was, in a few simple words, majestic and beautiful.
A staircase fashioned from alternating steps of white and black marble was carved with intricate characters, and from what Xuelan told me, those characters were actually the names of every mortal, supernatural being, or Divine that ever successfully walked up all 100,000 steps without cheating. There were only five hundred and ninety-three names on it, and one of those I recognized as Sun Wukong's, which brought my thoughts back to the Old Man.
He had disappeared after I turned the bunny man to ash, saying that his investigation had been completed and that we would be generously rewarded for our services in uncovering this dastardly series of plots.
Inside the wooden case Bunny Man was carrying, we'd found another Sleeping Jar, some sealed Poison Gu, and more of those strange Ki pills that appeared in almost every sort of shounen genre imaginable. Obviously whoever had set up the schemes hadn't counted on their perfidy being discovered quite so soon, which sort of made me question why the Poison Gu sect went and revealed themselves with their ill-fated attack so soon. Weren't they supposed to wait for more of the Immortal Masters and Mistresses of the Sects to be replaced?
Or were they merely a distraction and a threat that would keep the eyes of the Misty Peaks Society looking outwards instead of in?
It didn't make much sense to me, but I supposed that chaos was indeed a ladder and all that rot.
Regardless, after weeks of detours, we were finally here to see the dragon that brought us here in the first place.
Though considering there were extremely powerful wards protecting the entire approach to the mountain, it meant that we had to walk up all those fucking stairs.
For a Mortal it would have been a death sentence unless they were powerful and trained in Touki, but for us? It was just a very long, very tiring walk; I had to admit that even my quads were burning and my lower back was shot by the time I made it up, but I was far from panting from exertion. Xuelan and Kuroka were in a slightly worse state upon arriving, but after a short breather and some water they were mostly fine; doing some ki cycling since the air was full of it, helped fight away most of the fatigue.
"Ah, so you have finally arrived, then, Young Riser Phenex?" A deep, melodic voice spoke out, and I returned my canteen to my magic pocket as I turned toward the massive stone and gold pavilion.
Spoiler: Stupid Sexy Dragons
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Lady Shu Wen Bai Long was as gorgeous as she was powerful. As majestic as she was sinuous.
Her body was that of the Eastern Dragons, long and flowing with a mixture of plush-looking fur and silvery white scales; she had no wings to speak of, but the way she wove through the air was far more entrancing and graceful to look at. Her branched horns were capped with gold, jade, and precious jewels while the roots of her two long white whiskers were wrapped in silver bangles.
As she flew around us I caught sight of a soft-looking slit between her rear legs, and I firmly decided that if dragussy was ever possible in the future… if there was an offer I'd take it, no cap. I'd like to have someone tell a dragon that fucking her while she was big and scaley was 'bestiality'.
Heh.
"I would say that you took your sweet time getting to me," Her voice vibrated my very bones as she slithered around the three of us, her long, coiling body forcing us to stand shoulder to shoulder; her golden eyes looked down at me from above as she studied me intently, "Yet I heard from Little Wen Wang that you have done my realm a great service, so I will be most gracious to allow your tardiness to pass as though water under the bridge."
I stared back at her firmly, "Do not act as though such a thing is a great boon; it appears that my involvement was ordained by the Heavens, and I do not believe that they would appreciate you passing off my contributions to their plots as something of an inconvenience to you."
I was likely playing with fire here, but considering she was only a Dragon Duchess… I could take her. Probably.
The Dragon Kings were only Ultimate Class after all, and the Dukes and Duchesses below them barely scratched the surface; Ruval was likely as strong as her, if not stronger, and if she didn't have my brother's endurance and healing factor than with Touki I'd likely match her… or overmatch her just slightly.
It would probably come down to endurance and experience, where I'd have the edge in endurance but she in experience.
Not that I was planning on fighting her.
Or anything.
That would be stupid.
I came here to get stuff made, not test myself against a Dragon, or get sucked into attempting to fight a Dragon for a chance to get some dragussy that I likely wouldn't be able to take advantage of.
Riser. Me. Stop trying to fight things.
Her whiskers twitched minutely before her graceful, long next twirled around into a corkscrew as she almost bumped her nose against mine, and I could feel the raw mana from her breath brushing over my face.
We stared each other down for what felt like an eternity before she snorted and pulled away, "Very well then. How about I ignore the fact that you stole four of my Society's Spirit Beasts Guardians and the High Immortal Mistress of the Celestial City? I will have to find four more beasts to train up to my standards, and the new High Immortal will have to be broken in."
I smiled placidly, "In exchange for saving your city from being depopulated by Poison Gu in the water supply, which would have caused a mass extinction of almost every cultivator and mortal within your realm, and for revealing the existence of a plot to replace your Sect Masters and Mistresses who were not killed off? I do believe that sounds like a fair exchange, Lady Bai Long."
Her large golden eyes were slowly covered by her eyelids as she blinked at me.
Her whiskers twitched.
"Excellent, I am so glad that you understand this Lady Shu Wen Bai Long is forever a font of generosity and kindness," She bobbed her head magnanimously, "Your transgressions are forgiven. Now, I do believe that we had other business matters to attend to?"
"Yes, Lady Bai Long, indeed we do."
"Very well then, if you will follow me? I would like to see the efficacy of your product before I agree."
I followed after the long pool noodle of a dragon with Kuroka and Xuelan hot on my heels.
It took everything that I had to not reach out and grasp onto the fluffy tail that waved hypnotically in front of my face.
Before us lay a mortal cultivator laid out on a cheap-looking cot.
An also cheap-looking wool blanket was pulled up to his chin, and he sweated profusely- his face was deep red, and I could almost feel the heat radiating off of his form from where I stood. His face was lined with deep crevices caused by the immense pain he was suffering, but the thing that stood out most was the silver and jade circlet that was on the crown of his bald head.
Spoiler: Mortal Form Lady Bai Long
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"Now, this mortal here has been suffering from a Poison Gu; a scorpion variety that has been attacking his Anahata, his Heart Chakra, and ravaging his meridians while laying waste to his foundation," The now smol and cute yet still unearthly beautiful Lady Bai Long hovered over the old mortal, "He is close to death, yet I am pleased to announce that the second-most-recent version of my Gu-Nullifying circlet has extended his life greatly!"
Her golden eyes turned to me as she gestured to the man with her hand, "I have heard a great many things about the Phenex Family's special tears, and I would like to see that it boasts the efficacy it claims. So, of the four tears you promised in exchange for my services, I would like for you to use one to test on this mortal; should he be freed of his affliction then we will proceed as agreed with the remaining three."
I nodded my head as I dropped one of the silver vials into my hand and stepped toward the man, and the Dragon spoke to him as I thumbed the cap off, "You will healed shortly, Mu Gu Gai Pan; you should be thankful that this Illustrious Mistress is taking pity on you."
He didn't manage anything more than a labored groan as I poured the liquid directly into his mouth, and after a few moments I could feel the cleansing flames of the Phoenix suffuse into his body; a slight shriek could be heard as something noxious and purple bubbled up from his chest through the woolen blanket before it was turned to ash.
As though he had never been in agony, the man's body returned to the picture of perfect health, and his eyes fluttered open, "I feel… no more pain?"
When he caught sight of the Lady Dragon hovering above him, his eyes widened in shock, but before he could speak her hand shot down and clamped over his mouth; muffled, fearful cries escaping his lips as he attempted to thrash about on the bed, "Now, now. No need to do any of that, Mu Gu Gai Pan~. I'm just checking you over… and I must say that I am quite pleased with the results; it was as though a Poison Gu had never been in your body at all!"
His arms continued to flail about as he looked beseechingly at me, the fear and anguish plain in his eyes.
I looked over my shoulder to Kuroka and Xuelan, but they both shrugged their shoulders at my arched eyebrow.
I turned my head back just in time to see the Dragon Lady pull the silver and jade circlet off of his head before slipping another one- this one jade and gold with some fresh cut rubies carefully emplaced on its outer rim, "And now we'll be testing my latest experiment! The gold will act to disperse the ambient mana rather than suck it in, as the silver was actively feeding the Poison Gu in your body, while the Jade will still stabilize the matrices… I'm hoping that these rubies, which symbolize fire, will actively inhibit the growth of the Gu; if they cannot on their own then I will actively charge them next time."
"Heeeellpp meee- hup!" His mouth had been uncovered for just a moment, long enough for the Dragon to stuff what appeared to be a Poison Gu into his mouth, and I had to say it was rather terrifying to see a centipede-like monster slither under his skin until it disappeared into his rib cage.
With a flick of her finger, the man was rendered unconscious, and she straightened herself up before placing her fists on her hips with a broad smile on her face, "That will teach you to try and poison my precious Ping-Pong, Mu Gu Gai Pan. Do try to stay alive as long as possible, okay? My research has been growing by leaps and bounds thanks to your efforts! Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Seeing such a cute yet beautiful woman pumping her fists up and down was rather disturbing… but my dick was signaling that it would still be on like Donkey Kong.
I just needed to make sure that I won- no, bad Riser !
She spun around to face us, her white and silver silk robes swishing, "Now that the efficacy has been proven, let's get down to business, shall we?"
Eight sets of jade and gold training restraints had been placed on eight different pedestals, and Lady Shu Wen Bai Long curled her lip as she looked them over, " Eugh. I mean, they're fine for what I'd expect a mortal to produce. Serviceable, even, if very inelegant and completely unrefined. I will do much better. Stand back please, and do not interrupt me while I work."
The three of us moved back to the entrance of the room, which was a wide, circular area that looked like a ritual chamber more than a celestial workshop. All sorts of statues and totems were laid out in exacting fashion, with alters containing the five elements- Wood, Metal, Fire, Water, and Earth- placed about in what I could only assume was a five-pointed star; the Chinese concepts of Wuxing being the basis for whatever crafting she was about to perform.
Spoiler: The Five Wuxing Principles
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Like a mirage, the air started to shimmer as the mana grew thicker, with thin streams coalescing into thicker bands as each thread was pulled from a statue and totem into the air above the Lady Dragon. Her arms and body moved sinuously from side to side as she directed the flows into various geometric shapes that began to blend together into some complicated matrices that I couldn't make heads or tails of.
"Tell me, Riser Phenex, from where were these restraints sourced from?" Her voice held a level of gravity to it, despite the way it echoed around the room.
"They were sourced from Buddhist Monks in North Korea; a reclusive sect hidden from the current mortal regime in the Phu On Exclusionary Zone. My Mother's Queen, Soo Young Kim, was once the established ruler of that region many centuries ago."
"Ho-oh~? Soo Young Kim, you say? The Runaway Princess of King Hunmi? I have heard of her, and that does make sense that she would go to them to have these made," The Lady sniffed, "As reclusive as those fools are it now helps me fit together why these restraints are so archaic- if they bothered to leave their caves more than once every half-millennia then they would know that there have been several improvements in the field alchemy… most of which were pioneered by yours truly. You may thank me and my magnificence."
I gave her a half-smile as I bowed my head, "Oh, thank you for your hard work, Lady Shu Wen Bai Long. Truly your benevolence towards the lower realms knows no bounds; the world is that much brighter thanks to your inexhaustible efforts."
"You are welcome," She nodded her head, satisfied with that; whether she detected my sarcasm or not was unknown to me, "While Dragons are rarely known to be kind like I am, I found that the love and adoration of the masses is most pleasing; you and the rest of your kind may praise me more. However, not right now, because I am trying to concentrate- this little bit is tricky- er, though not for someone as skilled as myself, of course."
The eight sets of restraints floated up into the air one at a time, their gold and jade forms being stripped down to the core of silver within, and like wax, they were put back into place with a different configuration; the glyphs containing the alchemical spellwork and enchantments being copied off before seeping into each restraint. When one set was completed, it was put back down on the pedestal and the next one was picked up.
After almost an hour the last set of restraints was finished, and she let out a soft sigh of satisfaction as she floated each one in front of her and inspected her handiwork; the steady hum of mana in the air dispersing like mist before the morning sun.
With a simple band of silk cloth tying each set of five restraints together, the Dragon hopped off of the platform toward us, the wind slowing her fall as though she was light as a feather; her slippers making nary a sound as she touched down in front of me. With the eight sets dangling from one of her elegant, slender, and clawed fingers she held them out to me while her other hand was held out expectantly.
I dropped the three vials of Phenex Tears into her waiting hand, and she smiled brilliantly as the silk ties slipped onto my hand.
"Oooh! Finally! Something to take care of my dear Ping-Pong!" She squealed cutesily as she cradled the three silver and crystal vials up to her cheek, the Dragon Lady pirouetting on the ball of her foot.
I noticed that the Jade on the bands seemed to sparkle like the night sky the more I looked at it, and she was definitely right in that hers were far more elegant and refined; it was like looking at a brass candlestick that had been fashioned by an apprentice blacksmith and comparing it to a masterwork one that sat at the dining room of my family's estate. There was no denying that hers were more aesthetic, but I had to restrain myself from slipping a set on; I would let Lord Beelzebub examine them first.
While I didn't expect the Lady Dragon to poison- metaphorically- her sole connection to the Underworld for Phenex Tears, having seen the way she went all 'Lil Orochimaru' on that dude- eh, Mu Gu Gai Pan?
Yeah, after seeing the way she treated that guy I'd handle anything she made with a touch more care.
"Now, come with me, and I'll see you out," She hummed happily as she sashayed and danced along the stone hallways leaving her ritual chamber, "I'll give you special permission to fly down to the bottom, as I have heard that going down is just as bad as coming up! At least three mortals who've made it to the top died on the way back down; their legs gave out on them and they tripped!"
Yeah, I can imagine that 100,000 steps was a long way to fall…
We made it back to the front of the Shíwàn Bù Tiānlónggōng and I was shocked to see that there was someone else there waiting at the top of the steps.
Spoiler: The Main Character and his Cat
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He was… well, an average-looking guy, all things considered. Sort of plain in his features for a dude in the Misty Peaks Society, with dark black hair parted to the sides and simple black, almond-shaped eyes. His roughspun, worn-out grey and white tunic with matching pants was held together by a dirty white sash, with similarly dirty white leg wrappings below his knees that terminated at his ankles to white socks and black slippers. Funnily enough, he was hunched over while munching on a cheeseburger, with a dopey-looking black cat perched on his head.
The cat looked at Kuroka before growling, and my kitty gave the other feline a smug look, "Heh."
I arched an eyebrow and my kitty looked at me, "She's a flatty. No curves to speak of. Poor thing."
"How can you possibly tell?"
"Watch her ears and eyes while I jiggle," Kuroka bounced slightly while continuing to smirk at the other black cat, and sure enough the cat on the dude's back started to hiss and spit.
"Yow, yow, yow! Heiping! Your claws are digging into my back!" The youthful man groaned as he straightened up, almost launching the feline from his back; he stuffed his burger- where the fuck had he gotten it?- into his mouth and snatched the cat, "Whah if wrong wif 'uo?"
I was distracted from his cheesburger-speech by the sight of three more people cresting over the top of the staircase, all three were Jade Beauties of some sort, and the last one was a fat, tubby guy carrying a huge backpack.
Spoiler: Jade Beauty 1
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Spoiler: Jade Beauty 2
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Spoiler: Jade Beauty 3
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Spoiler: Poor Fat Friend
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"Don't swing Heiping around like that, Ping Pong! You know she's a delicate little kitty!" Jade Beauty Number 3 admonished the average-looking boy while waving her finger around, "You need to be more careful with her!"
"Screw, hah, hah, the cat! Hah, hah, what about me, Dum Pling?!" The fatty best friend of this cavalcade of shounen Xian-xia-isms groaned out as he struggled to roll his bulk over the last step; his arms wavering as he dragged a quartet of heavy bags onto the stone.
To be fair, sticking the big guy with the heavy-ass bags seems like a pretty dick move.
Lady Shu Wen Bai Long gasped, "My dear Ping-Pong! You finally came!"
Immediately the young protagonist was all business, as the cat was tossed into JB#3's arms and he scarfed down the burger in a single bite. He settled into his stance and withdrew a long calvary sword from somewhere and leveled it at the Dragon Lady squirming next to me.
"Dragon Duchess Shu Wen Bai Long!" He roared, the veins on his neck and forehead pulsing with vigor, "I have come to end your life! To put an end to your reign of terror on the Wuxei family! I cleave your head from your shoulders and bring it back to my Father and Master, and bring Great Face to the Heaven's Wheel Sect!"
Oh, well, at least that was one of the most normal-sounding Sect names I've come across; easy to remember and flows off the tongue.
Yet… unless that magic sword was 5 against Dragons, he wasn't going to do anything other than get crushed because the guy wasn't really that strong; one of the Four Spirit Beasts waiting for us at the bottom of the mountain would have been able to slap this dude's ass around blindfolded.
"My Ping-Pong! You're so cute!" Lady Bai Long squealed as she propelled herself into the air, her tiny mortal form twisting into her beautiful majestic Dragon form, and she flicked the sword from his hand before constricting around him like a snake; the woman mashing her draconic cheek against his, "I am so glad that you're finally here! I've waited so many years- I knew that one day you would come to me!"
I blinked.
Ah, so she was the uber-powerful monster girl/celestial being who was interested in the hopeless main protagonist?
Gotcha. No dragussy for me then. Damnit.
"U-unhand me, beast! You crippled my father and stole our family's Heavenly Jade Wheel, our greatest treasure!"
"Temporarily~."
"You broke his legs! He cannot walk now, and has to be carried on a palanquin!"
"I only broke his legs and took back the wheel because he refused to pay!" The Dragoness squirmed around him, her whiskers stroking his face, "Your father approached me fifty years ago to make the Heavenly Jade Wheel, which I did, in return for him giving me his firstborn son. Though when I heard that you were born and he hid you away, there was no way that I could allow that to stand! So I took back the Jade Wheel, sealed away his Cultivation, and then broke his legs until you returned to me."
The man's struggling stopped, "Wha?"
"Mhm! Now that you're here…" Her golden eyes closed for a moment before a mini-dragon separated from her body and shot down the staircase, "There. That little portion of me has the Jade Wheel, and it will unseal his cultivation and heal his legs! Aren't I so generous?"
She lifted him up in the air, like a wiggle worm, and I could only describe it as the best way to be molested by a dragon.
"I really shouldn't be so lenient, as I totally missed out on my opportunity to raise my ideal husband, but just because I couldn't Reverse-Hikaru no Genji doesn't mean that I can't train you properly starting now~! Huuhuuhuu~! Ah, Ping-Pong, you smell and taste so good!"
"Kyyaaa! Brother Ping-Pong!"
"No! We love Brother Ping-Pong!"
"Yeah, let him go!"
"Nyyyyaaaa~! Nya, Nya, Nya~!"
"Fuck you, Ping-Pong. I hope you fucking drown in it."
I looked over to the fat friend who was weeping tears as the three Jade Beauties and a Flatty-Cat all jumped onto the death-rolling Dragon attempting to strip the hapless protagonist of his clothes.
"Can we leave, Lady Bai Long!?" I called out, and she waved a clawed hand at me while giggling like a loon.
I nodded and looked at the poor fat friend and shook my head.
The dude was about to get to go to pound town on some Grade-A dragussy , and while I knew I had many Jade Beauties of my own there was that small little part of me that couldn't help but feel a little envious.
That she was a little bit crazy just would have made it all the more exciting.
Granted I had the benefits of Phenex Regeneration while Ping-Pong was just a squishy mortal.
With the eight sets of restraints in my magic pocket I looked at the amused expressions on Xuelan and Kuroka before extending my wings and leaping off the side of the mountain.
Time to get back to the Celestial Palace and claim Xuelan's Queen before heading home.
I would need a long vacation after this place.
Here be a really big lewd: 8.3k lol
"A Servant does not need weapons before her Lord, so she discards them."
A silver-sword was handed off to an attendant while natural weapons on the formerly Fearsome Four were 'sheathed' in a dramatic fashion.
"A Servant does not need jewelry before her Lord, for her beauty is all she needs."
Rings, pendants, necklaces, and a diadem were removed and placed on the floor.
"A Servant does not need clothes, for she is an object to be admired by her Lord."
The rustling of fabric, silk on silk, and cotton on wool could be heard as each article of clothing was gently taken off and artfully folded; six naked bodies stood- four in a line at the back, the fifth in front of them, and the sixth at the very front and to the side so that I could see all of them clearly.
"A Servant is a woman first, a cultivator second, a martial artist third, and she must show proper deference and respect to her Lord."
The Tiger, Boar, Swan, and stoic and firm, none feared their nakedness in front of me, and Rat wiggled and squirmed a bit with a very bright blush on her cheeks; she was a hard-M, and found the prospect of being an object rather delightful. The Immortal Wen Wang was just as stoic as the other three, yet there was a proudness in her posture as she presented her firm, naked body to me; the cool air of the High Immortal's personal bed chambers made her rosebud nipples stand stiffly at attention.
Xuelan was vibrating with excited energy, a blinding smile on her lips, her eyes sparkling. She too was naked as the rest of the women, but she was facing away from me, toward the five other women.
"I am your Lady, but I am a mere Servant of my Lord. You who would supplicate yourselves to me, do so in service to him; his word is my law, just as my word is your law."
The five women slowly lowered themselves onto their knees before placing the crowns of their heads onto the smooth marble floor, and then they placed the backs of their hands against the marble- their palms facing toward the ceiling.
"We accept our position as your Servants, Mistress," The five intoned solemnly, and Xuelan turned to me before she adopted the same position of supplication as they.
"I and my Servants accept our position as your women, My Lord," There was a giddiness, "Do with us as you wish; fulfilling your desires is our joint goal. We live to serve, Riser Phenex-sama."
I was seated on a throne fashioned from my own Phenex Fire, the flames contorted and solidified to make a suitably opulent throne; it was part of my image training so that I could one day make a Mobile Suit out of my fires for Seekvaira-chan.
"This Young Master accepts your pledges," I replied with as much gravitas as I could muster without slipping into the 'Young Master' persona that I'd adopted for Xuelan, "You may rise, Xuelan Hibana, as the Mistress over your fellows: Wen Wang, Tiger, Boar, Swan, and Rat will be yours to do with as you see fit as long as those orders do not counter-act my own."
Xuelan stood up slowly before snapping her fingers, "Four cushions for my Servants, Wen- you may stand."
Kuroka's face was flat, but she too was already naked, the feline having been comfortably settled on a long couch next to the insanely large bed where we were going to have our 'Play'; she still got up off the couch, however, her impressive figure jiggling for me as she carried over four cushions from the couch and placed one underneath the knees of Tiger, Boar, Swan, and Rat.
Come off of it, kitty cat, you still have like, a bajillion cushions to lay on.
Xuelan Hibana bit her lower lip as she gazed at me with hooded eyes, her voice all sinful purrs, "Command us, my Master~"
I felt my silk trousers tighten up more than they already were, and I used a little magic to lift the flaming chair off of the ground and turned it ninety degrees so that I could easily see the edge of the bed.
Seriously, it was huge! Like, ten king-sized beds put together! How the hell did Wen sleep on this thing!?
"Xuelan, sit on the edge of the bed," I commanded lowly, my voice almost a whisper as I leaned my chin against the palm of my hand, and my blue eyes followed the sway of the Chinese devil's every step as she gracefully strutted over and sat herself down.
I eyed Wen from the side and gazed over her form; her body was perfectly proportioned for a fighter, with breasts that were a small handful, a tight belly with the slightest hints of an eight-pack, somewhat narrow hips connected to muscular things that tapered down to cute feet. Her arms, however, were more defined, with corded muscle and callouses on her hands that were fitting yet still mind-bogglingly dainty.
Spoiler: Wen Wang's Body Type
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"Wen, you have been alive a very long time, no? How many lovers have you had? Men and women?" I asked as the tip of my finger stroked the side of my nose.
"Yes, Master. I have been alive almost thirteen hundred years now, and I have taken many, many lovers over the years; if they were worthy of my time and they displayed the appropriate respect, then I took them to my bed. However, as the years went on, my number of male partners slowly dwindled due to a loss of Senjutsu competency; dual cultivating with them had proven no longer useful, and I've grown to admire the graceful lines and gentle curves of the fairer sex," She spoke demurely, her eyes down and to the side, "Dual cultivating with my fellow male Immortals was seen as politically… non-viable."
I hummed, "And what is it that you liked for your female lovers to do to you, Wen? Show me, with Xuelan as you… and you the supplicating lover."
She blinked a few times before she opened her mouth to speak, "I enjoyed it most when-"
"Ah, ah, ha," I waggled my finger at her chidingly, "Show me."
She licked her lips, "Yes, Master."
Slowly Wen walked forward toward where Xuelan sat, and when she reached the edge of the bed she got down on all fours before lowering her entire body flat against the marble floor. The former High Immortal Mistress of the Misty Peaks Society… picked up one of Xuelan's feet while her face was against the cool stone… and then placed it on top of her head, "Mistress Xuelan… this Wen Wang is most… eager to serve you. Please, command me as you like, and I will obey with gratitude!"
A gentle schlicking could be heard from where Kuroka was seated, and even Rat was pinching her nipples rather firmly- a jealous look in her eyes; Tiger, Boar, and Swan were all slack-jawed as the most powerful Cultivator outed herself as one of those kinds of women.
"Ooohhh… that looks like so much fun~… would Master step on me like that?"
Not now, Rat, you little Darkness-clone!
I could see the mortified expression on Wen's face as she looked at me beseechingly, and yet I wasn't satisfied, "You may continue, Wen. Then what do you have them do?"
Her cheeks grew blazing hot as she raised her chest off of the marble floor just enough so that she could cross Xuelan's legs one over the other, placing the ball of one foot on the floor while she began to slowly suck and lick at the toes of the other foot in front of her face. I could see Xuelan's breasts bounce as she inhaled sharply, her lips parting as she gazed down with a difficult to define look in her eyes. Wen lavished each toe with the 'proper respect' they deserved before pushing the foot up to kiss at the ball of Xuelan's foot, and then licking and nibbling down the arch and to her heel; I could see the muscles of Xuelan's legs twitch, fighting down the desire to pull away from the ticklish sensations.
Wen put the one foot down, reached up to cross my Rook's legs once more, and then began to lavish the other foot with the same affection; with Xuelan's legs crossed I now had the opportunity to enjoy the view of her muscular thigh. After a few more minutes of this, I could see Xuelan's cheeks fully flushed, and a small shaky breath escaped her lips.
The former Immortal placed her nose back down to the floor, "I trust that my service of your feet was pleasurable, Lady Xuelan?"
My Rook looked to me, and I arched an eyebrow, and she nodded back before looking down at her Queen, "Proceed, my sweet Wen. What did you order them to do next?"
Wen levered herself off of the floor and kneeled on the marble, her hands uncrossing Xuelan's legs and raising them up slightly so that she could begin to kiss her way up her Mistress' legs; the martial artist starting at the ankle and alternating every other side as she slowly made her way toward the trimmed yet still hairy puffy pussy at the center. Xuelan's back arched and she grasped onto a breast, her fingers toying with a nipple while used her other arm to support herself; her eyes were on me, desire written all over her features as her Queen began to eat her out with languid licks.
I swallowed thickly as I slowly undid the sash and slipped my silk pants down just enough to take out my throbbing cock and heavy sack, "Kuroka, love. Come here, bring a cushion with you."
"Oh? I'm finally gettin' some action? Nya~?" I could hear the mischief in her voice as she sashayed off of the couch with a large, flat cushion in her hands; the pillow hiding her breasts and body from my sight. She stood in front of me, her golden eyes twinkling, "What would you have me do, Meowster?"
Keeping Xuelan's shivering form in my sightline I looked at my sexy, mischievous kitty, "I think it is rather obvious, Kuroka. You've been wanting to join in on the 'action' for two years now, and when you're finally being offered to join in…?"
"Nyo! Nyooo~, I understand, I'll stop being a teasing kitty, Meowster," She giggled behind the cushion and set it down on the floor before kneeling between my legs; despite behaving like a cat, there was no way she could disguise the obvious lust and desire dancing in her eyes… or her ki. She was already dripping onto the cushion, her nostrils flaring as she rested her forearms on my thighs, and her hands clutched onto the base before giving it a squeeze.
The action caused my cock to throb angrily, a thick, pearly bead of pre-cum pushing out of the tip. Her eyes hooded as she lowered her head to sniff at it before her tongue lapped it up; the Nekoshu clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth as though she were trying to determine the vintage of a fine wine, "Nya~, so strong and musky. Salty and bitter, and just a touch spicy… but tasty~."
She huffed over the tip of my cock a few more times before she dragged her nose down the underside to the root of my cock, where she sniffed around a little more before nosing right over my testes, "This is where the seed for my super strong kitties is stored, haa~, haa~. I can smell it. I can feel it, this powerful kit…"
I rested my hands on top of her head and luxuriated in the feeling of the soft fur of her large ears between my fingers, " Lick , Kuroka. So me the same appreciation and respect that Wen showed her Mistress Xuelan."
The golden eyes that stared up at me fluttered as a shudder wracked her body, and I could see her ass hike up into the air and waggle back and forth as her tails between twitched rapidly at the base, "Well if its Meowster telling me to lavish his big, stinky cock and heavy balls there is no way I can refuse, nya~."
I couldn't stop myself was shifting in the chair, my control over the flames almost sputtering as her tongue slipped out of her mouth to take one of my testes inside; a low breath escaped my lips. If I'd fallen on my ass then that would have been incredibly embarrassing.
My fingers threaded through her hair as she purred and 'nya'd' between my legs as her lips and tongue worked over my sack and the base of my shaft; the sex kitten nosing up the underside to push out the beads of pre-cum so that she could huff on them before lapping them up and savoring the taste.
Holy shit, Kuroka. How the fuck did you not get wife'd if this was what you did to a cock?
I turned my attention back to Xuelan and Wen, my Rook arching out her legs so that I could enjoy the graceful arches of her thighs to her calves, and the former Immortal's licking and sucking grew more pronounced as Xuelan grew wetter and wetter. Wen's hands slithered up Xuelan's belly to squish and knead her breasts, something Kuroka mirrored somewhat as she began to stroke my shaft up and down; the kitten pulling up so that my sack was taut so she could lather my testes with licks and sucks before she lowered it. Her thumbs constricted the base and pushed back up, pushing a pair of beads of pre-cum out of the tip that dribbled down the cockhead; she gasped slightly and raised her mouth to lick them both before they slid down my shaft, and her husky chuckle vibrated my pole as her mouth enveloped the head for the first time.
Her hooded eyes were smoky and promising further delights to come.
After our many years together, Xuelan was not a terrible oral lover, but I had to admit that Kuroka just had the natural instincts of a tease artist; her ministrations were more than enough to satisfy the urge for pleasure, but always light enough to keep me from taking further steps toward my peak.
"Suck, Kuroka," I commanded gently, and her eyes crinkled as she gave me a toothy smile, her fanged teeth framing my cockhead as her tongue stroked the frenulum. Yet she did not delay any further, the feline lowering her mouth to take me in deeper and deeper with every bob of her head.
I looked back to see Xuelan laying on her back now, the heels of her feet against the bed frame, and low moans leaving her lips as she raised her hips of the bed and ground her pussy against Wen's mouth. Her sapphire eyes were awash with hazy pleasure as she gazed at Kuroka and me, her hands squeezing her breasts fiercely while she tugged at her nipples with her thumb and forefinger.
Something in my gaze must have set her off, because immediately she arched her back off of the bed, a high, keening wail of pleasure escaping her mouth, and Wen pulled back just in time to avoid the spray from Xuelan's wet orgasm; however, the former Immortal Lady was not one to shirk her duties, and a hand slipped up to cover her King's pussy before vibrating rapidly from side to side in a way that only an enhanced lover could accomplish; this seemed to extend Xuelan's orgasm, another cry escaping her lips the moment she recovered enough breath to scream.
"This Wen Wang is most pleased that her Lady has found her oral talents acceptable~, she will now utilize her fingers to massage your inner core," Wen's words were husky yet smooth as butter; if there had been any embarrassment before it had faded away, as her lust as a devil was truly stoked for the first time.
Xuelan looked at me, an exuberant smile on her lips as she gasped, but she wasn't so distracted that she didn't let Wen spread her thigh wide, and her Queen worked over her puffy out and slick inner lips with the four fingers of her hand; the fluids slickening and allowing them to slide over her entrance and clitoris freely.
Kuroka's purring halted for just a moment as she made it down far enough to stuff my cock in her throat, and I could feel her throat constrict and undulate around my girth as she swallowed; her lips puckered around the base while her tongue slathered everything within reach. I breathed in deeply as I held her down there for a few moments before I allowed her to resume her pacing; she was random with how she worked- one moment she would focus on sucking just the tip, and the next she was throating me down to the base, and the next she was stroking the upper third and head while she suckled on my testes and toyed with my sack using her teeth.
Everything was designed to give me maximum pleasure without pushing me closer to the edge.
Unless I ordered her to make me cum.
I narrowed my eyes slightly as she gave me a cheeky smile, her cheek pressed up against my shaft, "Make me cum, Kuroka. Then receive it in your mouth; savor it before swallowing."
"Of course, Meowster, this little kitty will make her Meowster cum lots; shoot it all in my mouth, okay~?"
Spoiler: Kuroka Succc
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Her hands and oral technique remained mostly the same, but the friction, sucking, and frequency were upped just a notch to slowly step me up with each passing moment; considering I could feel her ki over the top of my own I knew she was monitoring my arousal in real-time.
I shivered slightly and refocused my control over the chair, and on the bed, I could see Wen fingering Xuelan to her second climax; the former Lady pulling her fingers away to let my Rook squirt once more. Wen's cheeks were flushed as gasps of desire left her lips, and she worried her lower lip as she looked down and watched Xuelan's body jiggle and shiver. She swallowed thickly before gently turning Xuelan to the side and raising her leg up, the woman straddling her King's thigh so that their pussies could rub and touch, "T-this Wen Wang is most happy that her Mistress found her fingerwork acceptable. S-she will now pleasure her Mistress with her own womanhood; lay back and enjoy."
The two Chinese beauties combined with the exotic Japanese cat girl sucking on my cock quickly drew me closer and closer to the edge, and I forced myself out of my chair and onto my feet because the cries from Xuelan and Wen, and the purring from Kuroka made me feel as though if I stayed seated while I blew my load I would lose control over the flaming chair.
Kurkoa took my change in position in stride, and she lowered her torso slightly while angling my cock down, and she tapped my buttocks while nudging the Yang ki in my cock back and forth with her Yin. Taking her offering, the Nekoshu looking too damn smug with my cock in her throat as she waggled her eyebrows, I began to thrust slowly in and out- pulling back to the tip where her tongue slathered it worshipfully and then easing her back down until her nose was smushed flat against my pubic bone.
"Oh, I want that~" Rat whispered from the side, "Though a lot rougher. Like, really mean."
"Shut up," Tiger hissed lowly, but she didn't seem to disagree.
"It's rather b-barbaric," Swan said breathily, "T-though if the Master wished to use his cudgel on me in such a fashion I would be in no p-position to refuse."
"Meh, could be fun. As long as Master takes care of me I'm easy no matter how we do it," She continued after a pause, "Just not as easy as Maso-Rat."
"Nah-ha~, your harsh words~"
Wen and Xuelan moaned, the Rooks calf captured between the breasts of Wen, and I saw the former High Immortal eyeing me and matching her strokes to my own, and I began to speed up. She matched me, her jaws and lips parted as breathy exhalations filled the air.
I felt the Ki in Kuroka shift as she began to play with her pussy in earnest, her fingers diving in and out of her snatch as she quickly raced to match her level of arousal to my own, and but with how close I was to blowing- each traversal of her lips from the tip all of the way to the base bringing me closer and closer… I knew she would need a little help to get there.
'Iron Yang Arts- Hidden Sex Technique: Five-Fingered Womb Massage.'
My Yang Ki slipped into her body from the cock in her throat, and I quickly slid it down her spine toward her Sacral Chakra; her golden eyes widened in surprise and pleasure as five thick threads of my strong male ki began to knead and squeeze of the meridians encircling her most womanly part. The kitten moaned loudly around my cock as I pulled back, and I felt the beginnings of her orgasm start to rise up like a tidal wave from her Root chakra, pussy, and clitoris.
I began to thrust more vigorously, my cock twitching and throbbing as her throat welcomed me deeply with every stroke, and I looked over to see Wen and Xuelan eagerly bumping their womanhoods together as the four of us raced to the finish line together.
I closed my eyes and let out a loud groan as my testes drew up to the root of my cock and sparks blew out the back of my vision as I cemented Kuroka's nose to my pubic bone; as the first spurts of my seed started to shoot down her throat my Ki fingers constricted around her kitty-room in a certain fashion that sent the feline choking on my pulsating cock over the edge. I could feel Wen, Xuelan, and Rat follow us as their Ki burned brightly in the pleasures of our joint climax.
I had just enough mental focus to pull back and dump the next few spurts of my thick, jelly-like seed into the moaning, trembling feline's open mouth; after giving her a good mouthful I settled for painting the rest over her face with sticky ropes.
I rapidly stroked underneath the head to finish out the last of my climax, and as the last gasps left me I drew on my Phenex regeneration and orange flames slithered over my cock and balls; my already flagging cock was immediately brought back to full mast once more, and my balls were heavy with seed that just ached to be released. I'd renewed myself to the point where Kuroka had just finished lathering my testes and root with her cat-like worship; a little trick that I learned to bring myself back to a horny-as-fuck state without needing to be revved up again.
When I first made the breakthrough with Sabrine two years ago I learned that I could reset myself back to 'rock hard and ready', but after exploring my body and powers some more- and maybe asking Regen a few things since he was the family's resident man-whore- I learned that I could bring myself back to the 'perfect' state. Horny as shit and ready to fuck. No need for foreplay or anything else.
Kuroka's breasts trembled as she worked my seed over in her mouth, her golden eyes hazy with pleasure and lust as she finally swallowed; her nostrils flaring as she inhaled deeply the scent of the seed strung across her nose, "Nyyyyyyyaaaaaa~, so goodddd~, I've never felt my little kitty-room cum before~."
I looked over to see Rat kneeling on her thoroughly soaked cushion, and I nodded to Kuroka, "Rat. Come clean the cum off of my darling Nekoshu."
"Yes!" She hastily crawled on all fours, like she was a pet instead of a person, and the beautiful Mouse girl (I'm going to call her that from now on; that and Maso-Mouse has a certain ring to it…) eagerly began to suck and scrape the seed from Kuroka's face.
"H-hey, get off me, stupid rat! I'll eat ya, nyaaa~!"
I just smiled at the pair as the Mouse struggled to give the cat sloppy kisses while Kuroka tried to shove her off. I snapped my fingers, getting Mouse's attention before I pointed over to the bowls of water with lots of clean hand towels, "Use the towels, please. And the mouthwash, Kuroka. I will want to kiss you later."
The moment Mouse moved away the feline gave me a faux-blush, "Aw, kisses now? You're so sweet, Meowster; giving me kisses after I've sucked your big cock first~."
"You would have complained if I went for kisses and touching first," I shrugged my shoulders as I crawled onto the bed where Wen and Xuelan were still scissoring the last vestiges of their combined climax.
I siddled up behind Wen and wrapped my arms around her waist, and I pressed my hips against her ass while my cock slipped right between the two, puffy, hairy, totally wet pussies of my Xian-xia brides. The three of us let out vocal moans and groans of pleasure as our bodies touched, and I relished in the slick, satiny folds of the two women just as they ground their hips together to rub my hardness between their lips and against their clitorises. We just enjoyed the sensations as I sawed my hips back and forth for a minute before I managed to wrangle them into something resembling what I once knew to be called a 'layer cake'; Xuelan's legs were spread wide by Wen's thighs, and their clits were squished together.
Spoiler: Layer Cake
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My eyes were half-lidded as I admired the view, and the index finger of my right hand circled over the pink puckers of their anuses as I cast a series of little sex spells; a cleansing spell to remove waste, a lubricating spell to lubricate, and a slight numbing spell to make things a little easier that would fade over time. Xuelan didn't need this- nor want it- but I wasn't sure if Wen had been properly introduced to anal sex.
I rubbed the juice-slicked head of my cock against Xuelan's anus, and she inhaled sharply, "Y-yes, my Lord. Penetrate this Xuelan Hanabi as you please!"
I didn't need any more encouragement than that, and I pushed forward- the tight muscular ring parted easily as she had trained it well since we became lovers; a slight hiss escaped my lips as it constricted down the length of my cock, but I didn't stop pushing until my pubic bone was pressed against the entrance to her womanhood. I pushed Wen's shoulders down until her breasts were squished up against Xuelan's, "Kiss. Kiss and pleasure each other."
The two did as I commanded, and it was absolutely glorious to watch. The Jade Beauty and the Imperial Beauty pressed their lips together, parting them to intertwine tongues as sapphire blue and steel gray looked back at me; I could feel Xuelan's ass clench and tighten around my cock as her Queen stimulated her by rocking her hips to mush their pussies together. My jaw began to ache with how hard I was clenching it, each stroke deep into Xuelan's bottom bringing me closer and closer to the limit as my Kuroka-primed state had been already ready to go.
Speaking of Kuroka, she slipped onto the bed, her head cradled by her hand as she laid on her side, her legs spread wide so that she would toy with her little kitty ass pucker. Her golden eyes flicked from Xuelan and Wen to me, and she let a fang slip over her bottom lip as she gave me a crinkle-eyed grin, "I want my ass plundered too, nya~. You'll do it, won't you, Meowster?"
Her words sent me over the edge despite how cutesy they were, and I buried myself as deep into Xuelan's bottom as I could go; my cock throbbed and spat my seed into her bowels. Fuck, Kuroka could say anything and add 'nya' to it and I'd probably blow my load.
Sparks flickered behind my vision as Ren helped Xuelan achieve climax, and her spasming muscle continued to wring me dry until the very last drop was deposited inside of her. My breathing was slightly labored, but I focused on the flames and brought my cock and balls back to the previous state, and I pulled out before shifting my legs closer together so that I could rub against Wen's winking, eager pucker; yet despite that, I still asked, "Are you experienced with the pleasures of the bottom, Wen?"
Her lips quirked up into a small smile, "I've never heard it put quite so delicately before, but yes; there is very, very little that I haven't tried- that list is very short. And before you ask, no, I never slept with a Spirit Beast."
I looked back at Tiger, Boar, Swan, and Mouse, "What's wrong with Spirit Beasts?"
"I mean, not in their natural form," I looked back to see her blush fiercely, "Not in their animal form. Shu Gu is the wolf Guardian, and he is quite nice to have from time to time- but only in his more human form. I have lived a decadent life, but not even I would fall so low to be mounted by a beast in their natural form."
I gazed at her intently, my hand on the base as I slowly began to penetrate her, and she gasped, the woman burying her face in the crook of Xuelan's neck; it was extremely tight at first, but seeing as she had unlocked her Touki, her control over her body was impressive. I watched her ki circulate through her body easily, and her muscles relaxed enough to allow me easy entry before they tightened back down. If anything they locked me down, and I could see her look at me as she panted, the woman licking her lips; she squeezed me again, making my cock throb in response.
"Well, you're never going to have to worry about that, Wen," I said as I had to put a bit of effort into pulling back, and the muscles of her anus clung to me, dragging at my foreskin and pulling it taut; once I reached the crown of my cock I pushed back in, causing us both to shiver from the friction of the insertion, "If you ever feel uncomfortable with what is happening, never be afraid to speak up, okay? We don't do anything that would be considered harmful of inhumane-"
"Aaawwwww, not even a little slapping? Chocking? Spitting? Golden Shower? S- urk!"
I heard flesh meet flesh, and Tiger growled lowly, causing Mouse to squeak, "I swear if you were about to say 'scat'…"
"Wha!? No! I am into a lot of things but never that!"
I ignored the background noise to focus on increasing the tempo of my strokes, and Wen let out breathy moans of appreciation, "Ahh, mhn, ahhnn, ahhh, Master, mhhnnn~!"
Wen and Xuelan started kissing again, my Rook's hands dancing up and down her Queen's back- running over the corded muscles there- while Wen's hands squished and squeezed the sides of Xuelan's breasts; my lovely Xuelan rocking and grinding her hips up to stimulate her Queen's clitoris just as Wen had done for her. With this position, I could properly clap her cheeks with my hips, and while I didn't get the beautiful, meaty bounce, the sound and sensation were more than enough to add to my enjoyment.
"Do it, Master," Xuelan whispered with heated breaths as she pushed Wen's neck to the side and sucked firmly on her flesh to make a hickey, "Fill this High Immortal's bottom up with your seed. Mark her as yours, Master~, now and forever more!"
She bit Wen's earlobe, drawing a cry of shock from the woman, though I could tell it was from more surprise than pain, and I picked up the pace as I felt our mutual climaxes being to synch up, "I'm going to cum, Wren."
"Yes!"
I leaned over her, pushing her hips down so that I could turn her head to engage her lips; it was a touch awkward for her, but cultivators were flexible. "With this, I'm going to make you mine. Your Mistress belongs to me, and so too do you."
"Yes! I am yours, Mistress! Master! This Wen Wang belongs to my devil Lord and Lady!" I could tell there was some hesitation in her words, but the acknowledgment seemed to stoke some flames of pleasure within her body, and she bit her lip hard before a final cry left her mouth, "Aaaahhhhhhhhnnnnnnnnnnnn~!"
I slammed myself down, cementing her bottom against my hips, and I squeezed her flesh tightly as I started to spill over into her. Her anus spasmed and quaked, squeezing and wringing me as my seed exploded into her body, each spurt of white-hot pleasure shooting up and down my spine, my toes curling with every pulse. My back tensed as my hips jerked, and once the last few drops of my seed had been wrung out, only then did I pull away.
Wen trembled as Xuelan cooed and unstacked the layer cake, sliding their legs down so that they could properly cuddle in the aftermath of our coupling. I smiled softly as I stroked their thighs and Xuelan's eyes darted over to Kuroka, and I got the message.
"Alright, Kuroka, I think you've waited long enough," I slipped around the cuddling cultivators as I refreshed my cock back to full mast, walking on my knees toward her.
"Oh thank goodness, nya~. I thought I was going to die of old age before I finally got some," She chuckled huskily as a throat pur interrupted her words; her eyes smiled as she worked through multiple positions physically to match her words, "So how do you want to do it, hmm, Meowster? On our sides? Prone? Or maybe you want to do it Kitty-style?"
She was on her hands and knees, her plump bottom and tails waving back and forth.
My hand gently latched onto the flesh of her ass, and I gave it a good squeeze and a jiggle, drawing a snort from her, before I tore my eyes away from the delicious, dripping pussy that I oh so wanted to slip inside of. I looked her dead in the eyes, "What do you want, Kuroka?"
She licked her lips, "I cnyan~ have it any way I want? Nya~?"
"However you want, as long as it meets the requirements." Meaning anal.
She considered it for a few moments before she rolled onto her back and spread her thighs wide, the sumptuous swells of her ass cheeks framing her flickering tails as she opened her arms invitingly, "I want to have lovey-dovey sex, nyaaa~. With lots of kisses and cuddling, and maybe some hand-holding. I want you to toy with my boobs and nipples too; don't leave those out."
I slid between her legs and ran the head of my cock against her pucker, "I can do that, easily, Kuroka-chan."
My hips pressed forward, her muscular ring parting readily before me, and I lowered my body on top of hers, wrapping my arms up under her hips so that my hands could grab her ass and squeeze; the swells of her bottom felt heavenly against my sack, and the soft fur of her tails tickled it. She moaned lowly as I pressed my lips against hers, "Nyyaaa~, I feel it, your big cock sliding inside me, Meowster~! It's filling me up!"
I was only halfway in, but I knew she was just toying with me. Her breasts squished against my torso, her stiff nipples rubbing against my pectorals, and she kept wiggling and squirming until I had fully seated myself. When I had no more cock left to feed her, her golden eyes opened up and she let out a shaky breath, "Finally~…"
I reached out with my Ki and drove it into her body, causing her to gasp and clench up, her claws digging into my shoulder blades; my Yang began to forcefully copulate with her Yin, and she shuddered, "Nyooo faaiiirrrrr~, nyaaaa~!"
"No fair?" I pressed my lips against her jaw as her eyes fluttered, "I distinctly remember you asking me to do this every time we practiced Bouchujutsu together."
"I nyow, I nyow, it's just, nya, it's too much," She wiggled and squirmed against me as I started to move, "I'm feeling too much, nyyyaaa~!"
Gentle claps of flesh on flesh filled the air as I slowly but firmly began to plunder her bottom, and I could feel her ki instinctively reach out and welcome me inside, just as her body welcomed my cock with every thrust. Her blissful pants and mewls were the only things that I could hear as I focused on melding our ki together; it would be needed to inflict this kitty with as much pleasure as possible. Our tongues twirled around each other, and I relished in the pillowy softness of her lips, though I really wanted to see her body bounce.
I pulled back, pushing myself up on my hands, and I grasped one of hers- interlacing out fingers- before I pinned it next to her head; her beautiful, sakura-pink nipples were stiff and the tight areolas were gorgeous to look at as they bounced with each thrust against her bottom. Kuroka's golden eyes were hazy with pleasure as a mild orgasm rocked her, her tails snaking up to press against my spine, "Nyyyaaa~!!!"
She continued to writhe underneath me, the Nekoshu arching her back to press her breasts against my face the moment I lowered my head to capture a nipple between my lips, and I drew it in, sucking, swirling my tongue, and occasionally testing its pliability with my teeth. Her ass twitched around my cock, and I grunted as I shifted the angle to be a touch more shallow while keeping the pace steadily rising; my hand squeezed and kneaded the titflesh that wasn't being toyed with by my mouth, and she seemed to like that a lot, "Nyes~! Play with my tits, Meowster! Bite and squeeze and suck and lick! Nyyyaaa~, I'm cumming again~!"
I kept plowing her through her orgasm, and her arm cupped the back of my head, "It's too much, Riser-sama, I'm feeling too much. Your Ki and your body, it's making me feel so wild~!"
As much as I would have liked to say that I could have plowed her for hours before succumbing to the lures of her body, I couldn't. At least not yet, especially not while our ki was intertwined and we were dual cultivating; I was on the pushing end, with her on the receiving end, but that didn't mean I didn't experience my own form of pleasure and enjoyment. There was a visceral satisfaction that I felt, feeling her life force grow stronger- my Yang and her Yin were mating and making new life force- new ki that would make her stronger.
Was it the devil part of me that enjoyed this so much? Did my body, knowing that the chances of conceiving actual children were astronomically low, truly relish in the coupling of my ki and my woman's?
"If you're feeling wild now, Kuroka-chan, then I'm going to absolutely blow your mind," I whispered huskily into her ear, drawing a shiver from her.
"Nyooo~, don't do it! I think I'll break if you do!" She pleaded with me, but her body and ki told me differently as her heels pressed me deeper into her and her ki grabbed hold of mine and begged for more.
I began to mold my ki heavily around her Sacral Chakra, and I felt surprise come from Wen to my right, but I didn't pay attention to her as I kept my eyes locked on Kuroka, "We're going to cum together, Kuroka-chan, okay?"
"Mewnyaaa, okayyy~," She huffed and puffed as I sped up the pace, and her fingers squeezed mine, "K-kiss me when we do, please, nya~?"
"Rub your clit, Kuroka," I kissed her lips shortly, before kissing her again, "We need you to catch back up."
"Nyeh, nyaa," I felt her ass tighten around my length as her free hand trembled but rubbed over her pussy and little kitty clitoris, and within moments are kis, and our climaxes, were synchronizing once more.
One, two, three, four- the waves of pleasure built up over the two of us, our fingers squeezing tightly as our eyes locked.
Right as we stood upon the precipice of ecstasy, I unveiled the second of my bedroom arts:
'Forbidden Bedroom Technique: Instant Heavenly Climax'.
While the 'Iron Yang Arts- Hidden Sex Technique: Five-Fingered Womb Massage' functioned like a scalpel, the 'Instant Heavenly Climax' was a sledgehammer.
I shoved the Yang ki that I had been building up around her Sacral Chakra inside, and she came .
Her entire body locked up, her back arching against my chest, her lips formed into an 'O' while her eyes were wild and brimming with unshed tears.
She shrieked, a loud wail tearing from her throat as pleasure of which the likes she never could have experienced before tore throughout her body and mind, her Chakra was supercharged, and that had knock-on effects that spread throughout the rest of her body; a rip-tide of ecstasy pulled her mind far away as I began to dump my seed directly into her bottom.
A stream, a jet of her feminine fluids sprayed against my pelvis as she trembled and spasmed like a woman possessed, and it made me feel as though I was cumming while holding onto a bucking bronco. Her legs locked around my hips and held me in place as her hand left her clitoris and wrapped around me back pulling me down to her. Chest to chest, lip to lip, hip to hip, we were joined- body and ki.
Her scream petered off into wordless moans, and after almost a full minute her neko-isms finally seemed to reassert control as her brain rebooted- her golden eyes finally regaining their luster, "Munya, nymelnya~."
I broke the kiss as she finally relaxed, and she went completely limp, her legs spread wide while her breaths came in heaping gasps, "Kami-sama… that was so dangerous, nyyyaaa~. I don't think I would have kept my mind if you did that while spurting your seed into my kitty room instead of my butt; I think we really would have made a baby, nyahehehehe~."
I pulled out and rolled off to the side, and the feline immediately cuddled up to me- Kuroka's cheek rubbing against my shoulder, "Something to test out once I've lost my virginity then; wouldn't that be something, hmm? Touki and Senjutsu being the key to improving devil fertility?"
Wen ran a finger over Xuelan's belly, "Well, Master, Senjutsu is the Art of Life itself… if you could make entire forests bloom, then why not a child?"
"Devils are living constructs of mana," Xuelan hummed, "So I suppose that it should be possible to more easily conceive if both parties are adequately trained in Senjutsu…"
Kuroka snorted as she pinched my left nipple, her pillowy soft thigh rubbing up and down against my own, "And Lord Beelzebub is gonna want to record it all, I'm sure. Nya~."
I felt my eyebrow twitch as I pondered the possibility, and the image of the impassive blonde Maou flashed through my mind.
-"Pretend that my machines and instruments are not even here. I am not here. Do not think about how you're having sex in a Magical MRI tube. I will also expect a thirty-page report once we're finished."-
"He fucking would…"
I felt the bed shift slightly as Tiger climbed on, her cheeks flushed, her lips parted as soft pants left her mouth, "So, um, Master Riser? Do you think that we could… you know?"
Spoiler: Heavily Aroused Tiger Can't Wait Any Longer!
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"Usually you'd have to wait and put in some work if you want to be rewarded," I smirked at her, but my hand was already coming up to squeeze one of her firmy, springy breasts, "But I think that since this is a special occasion… and we've got the room till tomorrow morning, then a taste of what is yours to claim should you do well wouldn't hurt at all."
She licked the drool that threatened to spill down her lips, "Y-yes!"
Chiuan Chichi had only been an immortal for two centuries.
Qibong Bong had barely been an immortal for a hundred years.
The first was the Number 2 of the Heavenly Cloud-Walkers Who Fly on Swords Sect, and she had been High Mistress Wen Wang's right-hand woman ever since then. Qibong Bong was the Number 5, but while her martial prowess wasn't as highly ranked, the woman was studious and showed her supreme talents in administration.
While Chiuan would Lead the Sect, Qibong would lead the city and the Misty Peaks Society for the next one hundred years; once the city was stable and its Masters and Mistresses fully recovered, they would hold an Honorable Tournament between the Immortals to decide who would rule the city now that Lady Wen Wang had 'retired'.
They had hoped to see their Lady at breakfast in the main hall before she left, but after hearing from one of the mortal servants that Lady Wen had not yet left her room… the pair were worried that maybe she might have left without saying goodbye? Devils could teleport, could they not?
Though they knew it was a silly notion, as the Three Cultivation Societies were warded to prevent such things, it still was a small fear that tickled their hearts.
They approached the large doors of their mistress' bed chambers, which would be Chihuan Chichi's starting tonight, and the two proud guards who stood outside her doors looked exhausted.
"Lady Wen has asked to not be disturbed until she leaves," One of the guards spoke up, her face pale but her neck blazing red.
"I do believe that the sun has risen, Guard Fumo, so that makes me the Sect Mistress," Chiuan spoke primly, and the Guard could do nothing else but nod her head.
"O-okay, if that's what you really want…"
The doors opened and the two cultivators strolled inside, and the closer they got to the bed the more they felt their danger senses tingling; they rounded the closest support pillar and felt their eyes widen in shock at the devastation in front of them.
There were seven women laid out on the bed- one of which was the glistening form of Lady Wen!-Q in various embarrassing poses, with sexual fluids leaking from their mouths or their anuses; their expressions were vacant but it was at least easy enough to tell that it was from pleasure and not… something else.
At the foot of the bed, with his ass on the marble, sat the devil to whom their old Mistress had pledged her service to; he spared her life the first time they crossed fists, and he rescued her life the second time they fought together.
His face looked haggard, but there was an undeniable smirk on his face as he looked from the girls on the bed toward the two women who just walked in. "I'm pretty worn out but… if you've got no place you need to be… I think I can squeeze two more rounds in. This is a celebration, after all, and what kind of man would I be if I left my sweet Wen's Junior Sisters out of the fun?"
Chiuan and Qibong looked at the women sprawled about, and then toward the pillar of maleness that was brought back to full hardness with a flash of red and orange flame; the great club pulsing in time with his heart and ki.
A silent conversation danced between them until a consensus was reached.
"I… don't see why we cannot spare half-an-hour of our time…"
"Y-yes, breakfast will continue for another two hours a-and it isn't as though we have anyplace we need to be…"
The Young Master that had defeated their Mistress smirked darkly as he stood up from the marble and strode over to them confidently, and he leaned down to cup both of their bottoms through their silk robes; they could feel the power in his hands, his fingers sinking into their muscle and womanly flesh as he kneaded their asses.
"I think you're both a little overdressed then, don't you?"
Chiuan swallowed thickly as she felt her womanhood grow incredibly moist, and she looked over to Qibong her licked her lips with equal parts desire and apprehension.
They both felt his heavy, thick Yang chi enter into their bodies from where his hands grasped them, and it was at that moment, when his stalwart chi grabbed hold of their Sacral Chakras, they knew that they might have made a terrible mistake- a wonderful, but terrible mistake.
Spoiler: Asanagi Has the Best Nervous Yet Totally Aroused Licks
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"Okay."
"As you wish, M-Milord."
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, A. Daw, Gorth 123, Quinten M., Dirk Gent L., and holy cow THANKS to InsanexSilence for being Patrons!
You guys rock!
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this MEGA SIZED CHAPTER.
Also, I didn't add this in, but once Mistress Chun Lu Li was recovered, imagine that there was a paragraph detailing that her recovery was being kept secret by her most trusted members while she was healing after being in the Sleeping Jar.
Chapter 17 - Good House Keeping (Training Arc End)
[Riser Phenex]
[22 Years in the ATTC]
The dining room of the Phenex Estates was silent as my eldest brother just finished speaking, the man all smiles as he retook his seat with Cleria Belial smiling just as broadly while sitting next to him in the place of honor- where the future Lady Phenex sat.
It had only been like, six months since I introduced the two of them in the real world, and already they were getting married?
I mean, I was never going to complain, as my brother had every right to be happy, and it was rather evident that they were getting along like white on rice, but to think that my father would have already had a good contract negotiated with the Belial family in such a short amount of time… no, I kinda sorta predicted this, didn't I? The Belial family was only hanging on financially and politically thanks to Diehauser, The Emperor, and even then it was the majority of his Ratings Game earnings that were going to keep their lands afloat; the Belial had been hit especially hard during the Civil War, as their lands were right on the front lines during the opening few decades.
Sure, they did gain an impressive amount of lands from the Old Satan Lords that fell, but that just ended up being a poison pill, as the recovering Belial had then been saddled with a lot of territory that needed to be redeveloped. It was only Diehauser's ascension to becoming the Number One devil in the Ratings Games that kept them solvent, as the damaged lands likely ate up money like I wouldn't believe. So any sort of financial support from the Phenex family would have been a welcome bridal price for a Branch member of the Belial clan.
That was when my second eldest brother, Regenald, stood up and clinked his fork against his champagne flute, "In keeping with this joyous spirit of upcoming unions, I am pleased to announce that with the waking of Sabrina Furfur's eldest brother from his Sleeping Sickness… we too have been given permission to be wed. She would have loved to have been here to aid me in this announcement, just as my lovely sister-to-be Cleria, but unfortunately with her brother's waking she has been relegated to staying at home until he has been caught up on the goings on within their family's territories."
The dining hall gave him the same applause that they had given my brother, and I felt more than a bit of shock.
Both of my brothers were getting married?
Damn.
How much longer would it be until I was getting married?
What about my sweet little Ravel!?
I still gave them both my brightest grin as I tried to convey the feelings of happiness I had for them, but on the inside, I felt like I was swooning.
"And now, moving onto the final announcement of the evening," My Little Sister Grandma had decided that she disliked being younger than me for whatever reason and aged herself up more than a few years.
She said it was because the other devils, despite knowing who she was, kept treating her like a child, and with her child-like impulses, it led to her acting out a fair bit more than she would tolerate of herself. Especially when I wasn't around to correct her as a good Big Brother should… alas, I spent a lot of time training, or I was away from the Underworld, so Riser-onii-sama just couldn't be there to watch out for her.
In the end, my Super SSR Grandma Little Sister Digivolved into a UR SSR Grandma Big Sister.
Spoiler: Big Sister Grams
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I can't say that I wholly disliked the changes, as she now tried to spoil me and Ravel whenever she got the chance, but it now meant that I was down a Little Sister and I couldn't carry her around with me whenever I was out of the ATTC.
That made me sad, but I still have four other little sisters to officially take care of, and I did have Shirone as well, but she was growing up quickly inside of the ATTC.
She wanted to be a Maid, but I couldn't tell if it was because she merely wanted to be with her friends in The Dirty Dozen or if it was because being a Maid gave her the knowledge and cover to be a cheeky, mischievous little girl while outwardly being considered above reproach.
She did love her pranks…
"Seeing as my grandson, my sweet Little Riser," She looked over at me and waved, her nose scrunching as she smiled cutely, "Has been a rather successful young man when it comes to gathering beautiful ladies, I have decided to once more create a Branch Family of the Phenex Clan, and the Hibana Family, or the Phoenix Ember family as they will be known in the registry, will function under his purview at my pleasure."
I had talked to my Grandmother about the possibility of creating a Branch House for the Phenex family, which we haven't had since the Civil War. My reasoning was simple: I loved my women. My women loved me. We were going to have lots of baby-making sex, and I wanted my children to be protected and to have the status they deserved for being the offspring of a Pillar Noble despite the parentage of their mother. They wouldn't be 'Pure Blood' devils, but they would be wholly devils on account of their having two devil parents, and their status as one of my children- or if we were incredibly lucky- grandchildren would garner them a lot of benefits.
Many Demon Pillars had Branch Houses, each one with their own unique name, but ultimately if someone from the Branch House stepped into society they would answer to the name of their Head Branch. So if I were to, say have a child with Michiko, then that child- should they display the Phenex blood traits- would be a Phenex in truth. If they did not then they would be 'Hibana' or 'Phoenix Ember', but their blood would still have the potential to birth or sire future Phenex members down the line.
Having a Branch served multiple purposes, one of which was to widen out the gene pool, and I would be surprised to see in a few centuries any of my grandchildren being married back into the Main House, especially if they were strong in the Phenex traits. Now, it wasn't like the devils had the same issues with inbreeding as the mortals did, given that our bodies were mana constructs, and if there was a lack of available blood then you could have a situation like the Dantalion family where a brother and sister were married and trying to have children because they were all that was left of their House; once they sired a child of pure Dantalion blood to ensure that their blood trait was secured, then they would both marry another and have more children.
It also wasn't wholly unheard of for younger devils to develop incestuous relationships with one another. Devil society was a harsh place, and when you are growing up the only people you can truly trust are your family, you spend time with your family more than anyone else, and when devil puberty kicks you in the face and your sweet brother or sister are the only ones around then sometimes things happen.
Not that such a thing would ever happen to me.
I was firmly in the 'Sisters were for spoils and headpats' camp.
If my Little Ravel grew up to be a stunning, horny, and curious young woman who attempted to slip into her Onii-sama's bed for some shenanigans she would be sorely disappointed.
Regardless, it was expected that I would likely be siring a lot of children with women who were not my Future-Legal-Wife-to-Be, Rias, and because of that starting a Branch family would only be prudent. It gave them a lot of legal recourse, financial protections, and educational guarantees. In exchange, the Main House would have my Branch House's full backing, with guarantees to 'poaching', and the like.
It didn't happen too often, but sometimes the Main House would experience some 'performance issues', whether that be blood trait or administrative related, and the Head of the Main House could call upon the Branch House to provide the solution. A more recent example of this was the ill-fated House Valac fiasco, where the Head of the House decided to call upon the Branch House to provide someone 'strong' in the blood to become the Heir because his direct children were bereft of the ability. Of course that turned out to be false, but the same situation could happen to House Phenex.
The chances were low, but if both my brothers and my sister's children turned out to be weak or non-existent, yet my children's strength in the Phenex traits were strong, then one of my children could be called upon to succeed as the new Lord or Lady of House Phenex.
The fact that I would be bankrolling the majority of the Hibana Family's expenses, including their lodging within the Gremory territories, just made this a much less risky proposition. Them being stationed at the Gremory estates not only meant that my children and their mothers would be closer to me, but it also meant that in the event of the unthinkable, if the Phenex Main House was killed off, then Branch House would be there to keep House Phenex's post as an Active Demon Pillar.
Though any attempt to kill us off would have to be absolutely bulletproof, and attempting to kill off the Main House and the Branch House in another territory? That would further add to the difficulty.
My Father didn't seem to be the least bit surprised by the announcement, and neither did my Mother, which was obvious considering I asked for their input on this, and after listening to my reasoning my Grandmother rubber-stamped it. Especially when I ran by her a few hypotheses I had on the possibility of me having more children simply due to the fact that myself and all of my women were practicers of Senjutsu; although I couldn't actually test anything until after I was married to Rias, it was pretty much just the cherry on top of the cake.
Ruval and Regen, however, looked as though they were swimming.
Ha!
Now you understand how I feel!
You two and your double-wedding announcements!
I had just finished a study session involving the Cultivation Corps on the History of the Underworld when Ni and Li intercepted me, my Cat Girl Maido Twins informing me that their mother wished to see me in one of the ATTC Phenex Manor's tatami rooms for dinner.
A private dinner instead of the usual one we had as a family.
The twins followed me into the bath house, gave me a quick scrub down, and then dressed me in a silk summer yukata before sending me off to the Japanese portion of the Phenex manor; I had it built mainly for myself but also for Rias and the other girls.
Rias may have been the most enthusiastic Japanophile of the Little Sister Quartet, but that didn't mean that the other three didn't at least share some of the same passions. Seekvaira had indeed fallen in love with giant robots, Sona their educational system and its schooling, and Ravel liked the appropriately girly things like dolls and tea ceremonies.
All four liked anime and manga though, which was pretty nice since it gave us all something fun to do as a group whenever the girls came over to spend a week inside; it meant that I didn't have to do as much planning or improvising when I wasn't feeling up to being 'Super Onii-sama'.
What? Me? Riser Phenex not being 'Super Onii-sama' 24/7? Impossible you say?
Look, I'm a grown man now, and as much as I love my little sisters I am not legally obligated to drop everything just to entertain them, nor do I spend every waking moment like my two Maous planning out the perfect Onii-sama/Onee-sama Sibling Dates.
Now, that doesn't mean I won't drop everything to spend time with them, as when they're in the ATTC I have the flexibility to shift things around, but the growth of Xuelan's Peerage means I have additional duties as a King.
The five cultivators-cum-devils need to be educated, taught to read and write multiple languages, learn about the Underworld, the Modern Human world, things like technology, Mortal Magics, Devil Magic, Politics, etc, etc, etc. The list goes on and on.
Rather than dumping all of that on Xuelan's shoulders, and her in turn, dumping that on the rotation of tutors that helped tutor them and get them up through the Mid-Class and High-Class examinations, we all pitched in. Not only because it saved me a lot of money (seriously, the tutors willing to spend lots of time in the ATTC cost me a pretty penny) but it also helped reinforce our bonds and bind us together as a team and as a family. The tutors would come in and handle the big lessons and we would fill in the gaps.
Once we managed to get more members in our Peerages we would each pick a subject critical to function in the Underworld and study up to be 'Master' of the respective subjects, and when it came time to educate new Peerage members we would be able to handle the vast majority of it ourselves.
Though really, it was mainly for all of the future children the Hibana Family would hopefully be bringing into the world.
Whatever we could do to make our new family self-sufficient would only help in the long run, and as I said, tutors capable of teaching at the level required for Nobles were incredibly expensive. It could even serve as a revenue stream for the family if we had members retire from Ratings Games; being able to take the knowledge that they learned and sell their services to other Houses would be nothing but a boon.
I stopped at the entrance to the first of four tatami rooms, the magic torch lit on the wall across from the room on the wall signifying that it was the only room occupied, and I knocked on the wooden frame next to the paper shoji.
"Who is it?" Michiko's voice was demure, hardly muffled at all by the paper door.
"It is Riser," I said lowly, "You called?"
"Mhmm, please, come in, Master."
I slid back the door and stepped inside, sliding it closed behind me and activating the 'Do Not Disturb' wards around the room.
My throat was tight, because this wasn't a usual private dinner that I had with my Peerage members from time to time, and I could tell simply by the air in the room and the demeanor of my sweet Cat Maid.
The room itself was twelve Jo of tatami, which was roughly 203 square feet, or 64 square meters in size. It was joined to the other three tatami rooms side-by-side via shoji dividers, and the back of the room had shoji doors that led to an engawa that looked into the main courtyard of the Phenex's ATTC Manor.
The room was very large for a typical tatami room, a little larger than most Western Master bedrooms, and for the Japanese, it was a great amount of space for a single room. With all of the furniture and appliances inside of it being Japanese, it almost felt cavernous because their tables, chairs, and the like were usually very compact.
Near the front of the room was a low kneeling table large enough for four people to eat comfortably one, with a smaller side table where the tea tray was located. Normally there were lots of shelves and other tables, as this was a fairly common relaxation spot for the Japanese members of the Peerage and the Dirty Dozen; if they were looking for a slice of home when they weren't studying hard or training to be the best Butlers or Maidos they could be, then they could be found here. However, the usual accouterments had been folded away into the magic storage on the wall; only the table, tea table, a single bookshelf, and a double-wide futon were visible.
The table had numerous small covered trays, likely our dinner, with another covered tray on the tea table, and the bookshelf had a dozen candles that were burning to provide some additional light and really set up the mood and ambiance.
This was important because I could tell that this dinner was something special.
Something important.
I could tell because Michiko was not wearing any of her usual cotton yukatas or her Maid Uniform, instead, she wore a more upscale and intricate silk kimono; her usual long flowing hair done up with some red and white flowers that had been cut from my portion of the garden.
Spoiler: Hair Style
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Her dogeza was pristine, "Riser-sama, thank you for coming to enjoy dinner with me."
I swallowed thickly as I kneeled down at the table that had been set up, "I will always come when you call, Michiko. Please, raise your head, join me."
We spoke very little after that, the cat woman making us tea before revealing the dinner she had procured for that evening.
It was simple home fare, but I could hardly complain at all since it was she who cooked it; I could tell, as she had this habit of cutting her tofu into triangular blocks instead of making them square- something that she passed onto her daughters. Regardless of the unorthodox shape, the miso soup was as delicious as ever.
We washed down the remaining rice with a few more cups of tea and a bit of red bean mochi before she moved the table and trays off to the side with a touch of magic, leaving the two of us kneeling on our zabutons across from each other.
I did my best to keep my posture open while she took her time to gather her thoughts, the woman looking down at the hands demurely folded in her lap.
"If it helps, Michiko, speak your mind freely. No need to stand on ceremony or formality; whatever this is… it's something important to you."
My words seemed to knock her out of whatever spiral her thoughts had been going in, and she relaxed visibly- her shoulders no longer tense and her ears folding back on her head as a small sigh escaped her lips.
"Thank you, Riser-sama, I truly do appreciate it, but there is to be some form of ceremony involved in this," A small smile worked its way onto her face as she raised her beautiful mismatched eyes to look at me.
Her head began to bob back and forth as she spoke, the woman fiddling with her fingers in her lap, "Twenty-two years ago you saved myself and my daughters from a calamity. When my husband went to… carry out his duties to his sworn Lord and left us behind, not only did you shield us from reprisal, but we would have been bereft of a great many things if it were not for you. The basic necessities of food, water, and shelter notwithstanding, we would have been… without direction. Without purpose."
She inhaled slowly, her eyes growing moist, "I was the dutiful housewife to my husband. I loved him, cared for him, and supported him. He had the grand designs in his head- he would achieve Mid-Class status, then High-Class status, gain his own Peerage, and then compete for glory, honor, fame, and wealth in the Ratings Games. Everything surrounding our family had been in service to achieving those goals."
A sad smile formed as she glanced up at me before looking back down to her hands, "I had no real dreams or goals of my own. No burning desires or passions beyond following my dear Ko-kun and doing my best to support the man I loved. So… so when he was gone not only was I crushed by his passing, but I had two kittens that I had to care for and take care of when at that time I was barely in a state to take care of myself."
She sniffed loudly as she dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her kimono sleeve, "It was only a few days before you arrived when I received his letter- his will and apology. At first, I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to believe that my Ko-kun was gone. Then as I came to terms with it, I began to realize that I had no plans to take care of myself, let alone my daughters. I had no education in the Underworld, not like Ko-kun did. I had my martial arts skills and knowledge of Touki and Senjutsu, yes, but those would only have been of value to someone who understood them."
Tears came now, far heavier and more frequent than her kimono could stop, leaving softly shining tear tacks highlighted by the soft candlelight, "It was only after the third day, when I realized that the pantry was almost empty and Ni and Li were hungry, I came to the realization that I was heavily unprepared to live and provide for myself and my family."
Her smile turned bitter as she stopped trying to catch the tears and instead just left them fall, her tail slowly swaying behind her, "And of course, I hadn't considered the very high possibility that the newly raised Lady Valac would demand retribution in blood from the family that caused such a death."
She shook her head, "In that moment I realized that the only thing I would have had to offer would have been my body. Not that I wouldn't have tried to secure work elsewhere before turning to such a thing, but even if my daughters and I were not to be slated for the headsman's blade, then we might have been forced into servitude under a Lady who would have every reason to see to it that we were made miserable for my husband's crime."
"Just imaging the myriad of possibilities is more than enough to turn my stomach to knots," A shiver wracked her body, her gold and amber eyes clouding over as her ki seemed to wretch, "I do not like to think about what could have happened if you were not there for us, My Lord."
She sniffed and her smile turned a touch brighter, "And then you came, a Young Lord with a keen mind and a very large heart. You tried to give my dear husband a path forward, and when he gave you a poisoned pill to swallow you still held your hand out to us when you could have washed your hands clean and saved yourself the trouble."
Her body shifted from side to side as she inched forward carefully on her knees to cross the distance between us, the woman reaching out and taking my hands into her own, "You sheltered us. You made sure we had everything we could have ever needed and more. You were the Big Brother my daughters needed when their Father was gone, and you were the Master that I needed as well."
Michiko squeezed my hands as she lowered her head, "I must confess that the only things that kept me together in those dark days were my education, our training together with the rest of the Peerage, and learning the fine art of becoming a Maid. I truly wanted to just… close myself off and never come back, but I couldn't, there was too much to do, too many people counting on me to make it through to the next day."
"Chores!" She laughed slightly as she sniffed, her eyes blinking rapidly, "There was no way that I could shut myself away when Clarissa-sama had given me a list of chores I needed to do. It kept me busy, kept me moving, kept me focused. It allowed me to come to terms with what had transpired in small bits a pieces; little motes of sadness and grieving that I could take for myself whenever I had a breath. However, this also had the… negative effect of extending my grieving period, I think."
"Michiko, everyone grieves differently. There is no set… schedule for mourning. No such thing should be too long or too short, there are only 'Ready to Move On' and 'Not Ready'," I shook my head, "I can't say if it was good or bad, but I do know that Ni and Li would have taken it very hard to see you so devastated and vulnerable. You could have asked for more time off, you know that, but you chose to handle it how thought would be best; sometimes that's all anyone can do."
"Mhmmm… maybe, maybe," She nodded slowly, "Yet I swore an oath, Riser-sama. I swore an oath to my Lord, and while you have upheld your responsibilities, I have shied away from my own. I should have mourned, grieved, and then moved on- yet I held onto them, those precious memories, that love in my heart, and that held me back. I did not perform to the best of my abilities as your sworn servant, nor your Head Maid."
"Michiko, I told you to handle things how you felt best. I wanted you to have all of the time you needed. Not just for yourself, but for your daughters as well," I spoke firmly, feeling a bit testy that she was putting herself down for 'not performing to the best of her abilities' when losing a loved one was hard for anyone to bear, let alone a husband with a happy marriage that spanned centuries, "Even if that took a thousand years… as long as you emerged whole and with good heart on the other side then I could be satisfied with that."
I could hardly contemplate not having my siblings, parents, or my little sister no longer in my life, not to mention my Peerage members and my lovers.
Each of them was most precious to me. Irreplaceable. Their loss would forever make my life that much darker.
"I know that, Riser-sama," Her voice was barely a whisper, "And for that, I am forever grateful."
Her jewel-like eyes looked up from our hands to me, "Years ago I had a conversation with Kuroka-chan about the nature of the heart, and I told her that a heart that was empty would never truly heal. Those were… admittedly, just pretty words I spoke in the heat of the moment when faced with a question that I did not have an answer to. Yet now that time has passed and I have contemplated the words I said that night, I firmly believe that they are true: my heart will always ache without Ko-kun in it, for he was a great part of it, but the only true medicine for what ails me is to seek out new love. To fill that void within me. To give me great joy once more."
She interlaced our fingers, a small but beautiful smile on her lips.
It was such a small thing, truly, but it completely shifted the atmosphere.
"I know that you have been waiting for me for a very long time, Riser-sama, and thank you… for being so patient," There was a touch of trepidation in her eyes, and a slight quaver in her voice, but her ki was so genuine, "Thank you for waiting for me. I love you, Riser-sama ."
"And I would wait for you for as long as I had to, but I'm glad that you're here now," I squeezed our fingers, drawing out my ki and putting as much sincerity behind the words that I could muster, "I love you too, Michiko."
If there had been any doubts in her mind, they were laid to rest to moment I spoke, and as though a thin thread had been holding her up it was cut, and she buried her face into the crook of my neck; the soft fur of her ears tickling my flesh.
I shifted off of my knees, spreading my legs and disentangling our fingers so that I could pull her into my embrace and cradle my half-devil Bakeneko to me closely; one hand held onto her own while the other slid up her back to stroke the back of her head soothingly as her hot tears soaked into the thin silk fabric of my yukata.
We sat there for a few minutes while she wept, and I stared at the wall while I did my best to surround her with my ki, my chin resting on the crown of her head.
When she pulled her head away from my neck I looked down and was surprised by a pair of soft, pillowy lips pressing against my own. Her eyes were closed, and we held that soft, close-lipped kiss for almost a minute before she broke it. Her breath was slightly uneven as her eyes fluttered open, her expression contemplative, "Mhmmm… yes. I am ready now."
She leaned back up and kissed me once more, this time more firmly, and after a few seconds I felt her tongue slide across my lips, and I opened up to let her inside. Our tongues danced tentatively with each other inside my mouth, and I felt my manhood start to come to life as she raised a hand and cupped the back of my head to pull me deeper into the kiss; her other hand clutching at the front of my yukata.
I leaned back slightly, pulling her closer toward me and unfolding her legs to get her into a more comfortable position, which revealed the cute, pristine tabi socks on her feet; they had been hidden by her kimono but were now revealed.
Her hand left the front of my kimono and slipped inside, her fingers lightly tracing over my pectorals, ribs, and what she could reach of my abs. She deepened the kiss even further as her heart rate climbed, her breaths coming through her nose audibly.
Taking that for the permission that it was, this little escalation, my hand on the back of her head slid down to the obi holding her kimono closed, and I grabbed onto the edge and began to untie it, loosening it up until I could unwrap it. It was like unwrapping a present for Christmas, except instead of a toy, I was unwrapping a woman that I loved; clearly the superior option.
She moaned into my mouth as I chose to slide a hand inside, to run my fingers over her sexy as fuck eight-pack and along the bare curve of her hip, instead of pulling it all open to reveal her body to the cool air in the room. Her own fingers tugged at the wrapping around my waist, the woman tossing it aside so that the hand not holding me into the kiss could slide lower and grab onto the erection that was now free.
She broke the kiss, her fingers gripping me at the base, and her voice was tinged with need, love, lust, and desire, "Riser-sama… please, touch me."
I didn't need any further prodding, and my hand immediately slipped up to cup one of her breasts, and I couldn't stop myself from marveling at them. They were generous for a woman of her size, yet very athletic and springy; they were firm with just enough give to make squeezing them a delight, and the flesh was smooth. I could clearly hear my calloused fingers and palm sliding along the curve as the inside edge made contact with the small, caramel-brown areola and a pert, dusky nipple. I squeezed it gently with my thumb, drawing a soft gasp from her; my hand fondled and squeezed, and with every movement on her bosom, she mirrored the same with my cock.
"Michiko," I murmured huskily, pulling her back so that I could bend over and begin to lay out a very sensual, gentle assault on her neck; my lips, tongue, and teeth kissing, lathering, and nipping along the pale milky flesh of my feline lover.
"R-Riser-sama~," She moaned lowly as I wrapped my arm around her small, lithe body to cup her left breast with my left hand, quickly resuming my ministrations while my right hand finally pulled her kimono fully open, revealing her naked body to me.
Her thighs were pinched together, supple flesh sliding over supple flesh, and I gently placed a hand on her knee to spread them apart… and there was no resistance of any kind.
Her bush was delightfully hairy compared to the bare pussies of my other lovers, but they were all fully-fledged devils and shape-shifting made it so that they never had to bother with carpet maintenance. Once I reincarnated her she wouldn't have to worry about that either, but I'd save the rest of those idle observations for later. Regardless, in my first life, as I went into my early thirties, I'd finally come around to the erotic nature of a mature, womanly bush; sure, it made oral sex a pain in the ass, but no longer did I worship at the alter of the perfectly shaved pussy.
For a MILF Momma Cat who bore two beautiful babies into this world, her unkempt bush was perfectly fitting; it also further reinforced that she didn't trim it because there was no one in her heart to keep it looking nice for… and that changed today.
"Nya~!" A nekoism from the lady who never 'nya'd' left her lips as my hand gently settled over her womanhood, my index finger resting right over her slit, and she rolled her hips into my hand- her heels crunching the tatami as she began to gyrate, "Please, Riser-samnya~… touch me… make me feel again~."
I stopped attacking her collarbone and instead dragged my teeth lower, my fangs skimming firmly over the top of her perky breast so that I could latch onto her nipple; I sucked it into my mouth and began to lavish it with the proper attention as my fingers slid from side to side over her sex. When I felt that I had enough lubrication I slowly slipped my middle finger into her warm, inviting womanhood, and just like a Housewife invites her Husband inside she let me in easy… and made it hard for me to ever leave; her vagina locked up around my finger the moment I ran out of knuckles to give. Pressing the heel of my slick palm over her clitoris and swirling it around caused a shudder the wrack her body, her womanhood loosening up enough for me to slip inside my ring finger right behind my middle finger.
Her back arched, her hand pulling me to her breast while her hand began to stroke my cock in earnest, "Nyaaa~, Riser-sama. More. Please!"
There was no way I could refuse.
My two fingers began to slowly slide in and out of her sex, the soft sounds of sticky love beginning to fill the air while her lone tail slithered from side to side across the tatami in front of me. I began to infiltrate her body with my Yang ki from there our bodies were touching, and her Yin eagerly accepted me in just as easily as her lower lips were. Her breathing became labored as my fingers quickly began to build her up to the first climax of the evening, which sort of surprised me a bit, but once I considered that she hadn't had anyone else touch her body in decades the funny quip that I had on the tip of my tongue died.
Instead, I released the engorged nipple from her left breast and made a trail of butterfly kisses to her right, where I renewed my oral assault with renewed vigor.
Her hand let go of my cock to grasp my wrist as the combined sensations pushed her over the edge, and she arched her back, her hips coming off of the ground as her feet pushed them up; her climax was long one, her womanhood clenching and squeezing my fingers as her body seized and jerked within my grasp. There unfortunately was no sweet cry to grace my ears, but there was a small spritz of fluids that wetted my palm, but that was mainly because her body was too tight, too wound up to actually let anything escape her lungs.
Her entire body trembled as I slowed the pace of my fingers and then removed them, and after a final few tremors she finally went slack within my arms; the feline shivering as she came down from her first true climax in a very long time.
"R-Riser-sama…" Michiko murmured softly as she crawled onto my lap with shakey limbs, the feline on her knees as she straddled my waist. Her arms wrapped around my neck and over my shoulders as she brushed her nose against mine, "Twenty-two years ago I promised you my body, my heart, my mind, and my soul… a-and I only followed through on the last two…"
She slowly wiggled her hips back and forth until the tip of my cock brushed over her wet pussy lips, and then she slid forward just enough so that my head found the tight pucker of her anus; she lowered her ass down just enough that the pressure would keep the two together, "Tonight I am going to correct that… I've given you my heart, and now I give to you my body."
She let her legs slacken and I kissed her lips as my cock started to slip inside of her, the tight ring of muscle protesting my entry, as though she had never trained it like the others. However, why would she? Her mind and heart were just not ready…
She moaned softly in equal parts pleasure and discomfort, the only saving grace was the lubrication spell that kept her anus thoroughly slickened.
Once the head was all of the way in, taking my shaft was a touch easier, and she let out panting moans as she worked herself down my length slowly, one inch at a time before sliding back up, "Nya, nya, nya, nya… I've never used this place before… so I'm sorry if this is… nya… unenjoyable, Riser-samnya~."
And it was. If her words were true, which I had no reason to doubt, then this first was given to me, given freely and with love.
"No, even this much is plenty," I used my hands to rub her breasts since I couldn't do much else while I was seated.
It took two minutes for her to fully seat herself, her muscular bottom and thighs flush against my hips, and she looked up at me with wide eyes and parted lips, "I have never felt anything like this before, Riser-sama. I feel full, like I would if we were mating, and yet it's just so different."
She rolled her hips, slid back and forth, and side to side to test the changes in sensation from what she remembered.
She bit her lip lightly, "And with this… now I am truly your woman, Riser-sama. Yours, now and forever."
I wrapped my arms around her waist, mainly to hide my hand slipping into my magic pocket, where I grasped what I had been searching for before wrapping my fingers around it.
I swallowed, "You are, Michiko, you are my woman now. My darling Hibana Michiko…"
My lips pressed against hers gently while I mentally psyched myself up, and then I pulled away.
I inhaled slowly as I looked into her hooded eyes, "Michiko, I'm sure you've already heard but my Honored Ancestor has given me leave to create the Hibana Branch family of House Phenex."
Slowly, she nodded, "It has been causing quite the stir, Riser-sama…"
I pulled my hand around and reached out to grasp her right hand, pulling it up between us so that we could both see where my fingers focused on her ring finger, "A Branch House has a Head Lord, which will be me, and a Head Lady… you were the first Hibana, Michiko. The first of a new lineage to be reborn, and while I cannot call you my 'wife' in public, as that honor belongs to someone we both adore, at least here in private I can name you what you are to me."
"R-Riser-sama…" Michiko blinked rapidly as tears began to well up in her eyes, "You… mean?"
"Yes, Michiko, my love, my darling wife…" I slipped onto her ring finger an ornate band of gold intertwined with devilore, with a single large diamond sat in the center. On the opposite side of the band the kanji for 'Hibana' etched into it, with the character inlaid in blooded silver, "I hope that we will continue to love and support each other going forward, so please, take care of me, Michiko."
Her face twisted up into a beautiful, ugly thing as she nodded, "Hai~. Hai, danna-sama. I will always take care of you, just as you've done for me."
She threw her arms back around my neck and buried her face into my chest, tears dripping onto my flesh as she let out soft sobs.
It took a good while for Michiko to settle down once more, but being buried in her tight ass meant that I couldn't have gotten soft even if I wanted to.
Slowly she worked herself up and down my shaft, the woman testing her limits until she slid her legs up, getting off of her knees and onto the balls of her feet; she leaned back, using her arms wrapped around my neck as a hold so that she begin to bounce up and down in earnest.
"Danna-sama, danna-sama, danna-sama," She repeated the words over and over again as though she were in a trance, the feline gazing at me with love and adoration in her eyes as she drove herself to her first true anal climax; she arched her back as she looked toward the ceiling, "W-watashi no Koibito, i-i-ikkkuuuuuuuuu~!"
The table found new purpose as I rested her back across it, her bottom pulled right to the edge.
Her long tail slithered between my legs as I gently slid myself in and out of her tight hole, gasps leaving us both as we kissed. Her claws slid up and down my back as I nibbled down her jaw and began to lavish attention to the side of her neck, causing her to squeal girlishly at the ticklish sensations; a bright, tinkling laugh escaping, "D-Danna-sama, that tickles~!"
Michiko was on her knees and elbows, the kimono still on her body but laid out to the side; her brown hair had escaped its flower pin and flowed like a silken waterfall to the same side as her kimono.
The gentle sounds of flesh clapping filled the air, along with her breathy moans, as my hips met her bottom. I thrust forward, and she pushed back, the two of bodies meeting in the middle as I did my best to keep the pace smooth and consistent as I long-stroked her from behind; 'Kitty-Style' as Kuroka liked to call it.
"D-Danna-sama, I'm getting close, nya~" She let out a gasp, and with her utterance, we both began to pick up the pace.
My hands held onto her hips, and I pulled her back into me now, my cock sliding in and out of her ass with ease, "Michiko…"
"H-hold me close, Riser-sama!" She begged needily, and I eschewed my upright position to bend over, trading the long strokes for something shorter and more primal; one hand supported me while the other grasped onto a firm breast, and I kneaded the flesh while pinching the nipple between my middle and ring fingers.
Just before she came I lowered my head and bit onto the back of her neck hard enough to mark her flesh, and she shrieked so beautifully for me, "Nyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~!"
I could feel her womanhood and ass clenching in tandem as the stimulation from the bite, something I knew that Kuroka and Tiger enjoyed, enhanced her climax to the point where her womanhood spurted her fluids against my testes.
Her muscles clenched and writhed around me, and having felt as though I'd done as much as I could for this first load, I let go of my self-control and ground my hips against her ass to unleash my first seeding of my darling wife.
"I feel it," Michiko let out a shudder as whispered, "I feel it, Riser-sama… your hot seed filling me up…"
I kissed the backs of her ears, "Well the night is still young, Michiko… and I have twenty-two years of love backed up, just for you…"
She turned her head and kissed my chin, "Then it seems as though this wife has no other choice but to unburden her dear husband… give me everything, Riser-sama. I'll accept it all."
I… honestly lost track of how many times we coupled.
There wasn't a place in the room that I didn't lay her over or press her against.
I picked her up and pressed her against the wall.
I let her down and spun her around, pressing her body against the wood while I pounded her muscular bottom from behind.
I had her laid out across my body in the tried and true 69 before we reversed it and she lathered my sack and shaft as I hung above her.
And there was so much more, but I decided that the only way to end the evening was to cap it off with the tried and true missionary while holding hands.
My forehead rested in the crook of her neck while my cock spurted what would be the last round of seed deep into her belly, her legs quivered against my hips while her feet, bare of the tabi they once wore, rested against my calves. Her racing heart thundered in my ears, but as our mutual climax began to wind down it steadily back to drop as our heavy breathing settled into something less frantic.
I let myself enjoy the position, her firm breasts squished against my chest, her fingers threading through my hair while my Head Wife of the Hibana Branch House applied gentle kisses to my forehead.
It wasn't until the sweat on our skin began to cool and my cock fully soften that I pulled out and slid down between her thighs, just enough so that I could rest my head between her breasts, "Thank you, Michiko… for being mine. I love you."
"And I love you, Riser-sama… now why don't you rest for now, hmm? Just close your eyes…"
The blanket on the futon that had been long since discarded was dragged up to cover us both up to my neck, and she began to hum a soft tune as her claws gently scraped over my scalp and neck.
Every so often her arm movements caused one of her breasts to press against my lips or the back of my head, but the appeal of the flesh had long since faded away; instead, I desired the motherly love and comfort my Michiko had, and she happily provided.
A yawn cracked my jaw as I turned my head to the other side, my arms sliding up to frame her rib cage and my fingers drew lazy circles along the backs of her shoulders.
My eyes caught sight of the cracked open shoji doors to reveal the wide eyes of Ni and Li- their Maid uniform tops manipulated to reveal a perky breast while their skirts had been hiked up, showing me dripping, puffy, abused pussy lips.
I knew that Michiko and I had acquired eavesdroppers the moment we started dinner, but I chose to politely ignore the two daughters as Michiko didn't seem to acknowledge them. So the twins peeking at us was something that I expected.
However, what I had not expected was to see the young, thirteen-year-old Shirone on her knees below them, the white-haired Nekoshu rubbing herself through the white panties of her Maid uniform.
"Michiko…"
"Shh-shh-shh-shh," She stroked my head, "Do not worry about them, Riser-sama. If kittens are to learn, then they must see, and eventually, they will do. There is nothing to be concerned with, so just close your eyes and relax…"
I was fine with the twins but Shirone watched us as well?
Was I going to have to watch my ass around Kuroka in the future?
Still, those sorts of questions slowly petered out as the love-making and emotional reveals that preceded it had taken their toll on me, and I felt myself get easily lulled off to sleep, "Night, Michiko."
"Goodnight, my husband."
[25 Years - the End of the Training Arc]
The furthest western edge of the Phenex Basin was where we were performing our destructive testing for devil and human magics; with the upcoming deployment of three Phalanxes of Phenex House Guards to the Blasted Lands to protect the supplies and devils that would be building up the Abaddon lands, we were forced to cede the smaller magic training ground so that the soldiers could train as much as possible.
So we took our magic training outside which ended up costing us some time, but I wasn't at all too worried about it- I was confident that no matter how much training Kuisha had managed she wouldn't be nearly as strong as I was; thanks to the new restraints that Lord Beelzebub cleared, I was having the time of my life just moving around the ATTC, let alone keeping up with the physical training and martial arts.
Just as we were teaching the Fearsome Four and Wen Wang the Kuroneko, Floating Lotus, and Pugilist-Boxing styles of Michiko, Xuelan, and Isabela, we were learning to incorporate some of the Tiger Claw, Swan Feather, Boar Tusk, Sneaking Rat, and Hidden Flying Sword martial arts. In the end, the more I practiced the easier it became to add certain moves and strikes into my arsenal, and the trick was just figuring out when and where to adjust my tempo and movements; any skilled martial artist would quickly begin to adjust to the singular style of a foe unless they were wholly caught off guard, and with having so many different moves available to me catching them off guard would be that much easier.
Once I'd honed in on everything that I would keep, I would create my own school of martial arts, one that would be passed down within the Hibana family- the Rekindled Phoenix Style.
Sure, it sounded a little silly, but given the origins of it all I hoped that one day my future children and grandchildren would enjoy all of the in-jokes that would be passed down within the family.
My women would be more than welcome to pass on their personal styles as well, but hopefully the singular family style would draw my Branch family together as mothers and father practiced and trained sons and daughters… and Big Brothers and Big Sisters stepped in to help and be the torch bearers for their younger siblings.
This would also be the next step in evolving the Underworld by creating a new breed of devils that would one day step out onto the Grand Stage and showcase the might of not just blood traits and devil magic, but human magic and martial arts as well. Touki and Senjutsu were powerful force multipliers, and my Branch family would have the widest array of said users in all of the Underworld; let the Old and New devils raise their noses and scoff all they wanted- when their faces were cratered in by a Touki empowered punch they would see the light.
Sweat beaded on my forehead as I initiated the mathematical magics in sequence, adjusting the variables and running the formulas as quickly as my enhanced devil mind could handle. Within 1.8 seconds fourteen magical arrays, each one carrying a different spell, manifested in front of me, and with a simple adjustment they spread out and began to bob and weave in almost random patterns while maintaining their laser levels of focus on the target area; the movement ensured that attempts to target the mandalas themselves would be much more difficult.
I quickly tied the mandalas off as they immediately drew in the ambient mana, and they began to discharge their payloads without further prompting- chunks of ice, balls of fire, bolts of lightning, blades of wind, rays of piercing shadow, and all other manners of effects lancing out at the target location. By tying the magic circles off I could let them run indefinitely. As long as there was sufficient mana to draw from, and they weren't destroyed, then they would keep firing; I could even reattach my threads to the mandalas and make adjustments to their aiming points without needing to recreate the spells entirely.
However, the only downside was that eventually, the ambient mana would be exhausted and the spells would flicker and die, but within the Underworld, these spells could be sustained for almost a full minute before that happened; on Earth? I reckoned three or four volleys, as the mana density was much higher here.
This had been one of Sabrine's contributions after studying a white paper that had been published by a Magician who wrote it almost two hundred years ago; part of the small mountain of magical research I had copied and meant to study before my wager with Kuisha Abaddon saw me cut off.
Considering the sheer breadth and intensity of our training regimen it took almost two decades for Sabrine to get to the point where I was proud of her ability- not that I was never proud, mind you- and allowed her to begin utilizing some of the group training time for her personal research endeavors. A healthy purse with access to all sorts of connections that she could get research notes, papers, and magical tomes from certainly made her a very happy woman.
That I was more than happy to indulge her by plowing her plush, divine bottom from behind, groping her fat tits, and nibbling at her ears while she did her best to read while getting fucked sent her over the moon.
Truly, I was making my women's dreams come true, one at a time.
The moment the arrays sputtered out and died I extended my wings and kicked off of the ground, carrying myself into the air and flying toward another spot less than one hundred meters away to touch down. I spun up a different set of spells, running the calculations and setting the variables as fast as I could before letting them run wild.
The hardpacked stone of the Phenex Basin quickly turned into thick, goopy quicksand that could entrap most Low-Class devils, tendrils of thorned vines sprang out and wrapped around an unseen target before constricting and pulling them down, and a cloud of super-heated steam that could bubble flesh came shortly after, and then a super-cool stream of icy wind followed that. Next came a barrage of elemental spells that was topped off with a very nice but simple explosive formula.
A Knight Piece would have been able to avoid such a spell-chain, but a Pawn or Rook?
They would have been trapped, ensnared, flash-boiled, flash-frozen, lit up with elemental spells, and then blown the fuck up.
A Rook might have survived if they were strong enough, though they would have been rendered combat ineffective, but a Pawn below the strength of entry-level High-Class would have been retired halfway through. Unless they'd promoted to a Rook.
One of the things that Ruval had been keen to teach me was that not all promotions were created equal, which sort of flew in the face of the short number of Rating Games that I'd seen that weren't his own. Every other King had their Pawns immediately Promoted to a Queen the moment they penetrated enemy territory, but my brother had his Pawns Promote to Rook, Bishop, or Knight instead of the Queen; this depended on the situation of course, but very seldomly did he choose the Queen promotion over the others.
He explained that each Evil Piece had a 'Point Value' attached to them, with Pawns being worth one point, Knights and Bishops being worth three points, Rooks being worth five points, and the Queen Piece having the highest value at nine points.
This was nothing new to me, or any devil really, but what he let me in on that I didn't know was that each point offered percentage bonuses based on the number of points each piece was worth, which in turn was based on the overall strength of the King. As the power of the King grew, so too did the strength of the Peerage, which made a great deal of sense to me because the bonds between the King and Peerage were more than just to stabilize the newly reincarnated devils- they were there to develop them.
This manifested in targeted growth based on the parameters of the Piece in question.
A Pawn was my brother's standard unit of measurement- they received a percentage of their King's strength, and that percentage was equally distributed among all facets of their being: Strength, Stamina, Endurance, Magical Prowess, Speed, Dexterity, and Agility. It was the weakest 'Power Up' of the four types of Evil Pieces, but the ability to Promote gave it unparalleled flexibility; that a Peerage could have a maximum of eight Pawns on the field meant that there could be up to ten Bishops, Knights, or Rooks, if everything was done right.
A devil reincarnated with a Rook Piece had five Pawns worth of targeted development in their Strength, Endurance, and Durability. This made them the lynchpins of most Ratings Game formations, meant to hold the line or create the conditions for a breakthrough.
The Knights had three Pawns worth of targeted development in their Speed, Dexterity, and Agility, making them the ideal flankers, hit-and-run specialists, and the Pieces most likely to take advantage of any breakthrough that a Rook might create.
The Bishops, just like the Knights, had three Pawns worth of targeted development, but it was toward their Magical Capacity, Magical Throughput, and Magical Control; they were supposed to be the swiss-army knives of the Peerage, with their power and spell library large enough to accomplish whatever task was needed.
Lastly, the Queen was the most valuable of Pieces because it gave the reincarnated devil nine Pawns worth of equal development, just as it gave the Pawn. While the Queen wouldn't have the full strength or durability of a Rook Piece, the full speed and agility of the Knight, and the full magical prowess of a Bishop, it gave more than enough of those attributes to be highly meaningful, and it put it all in a single package.
So with the sheer power of the Queen Piece, it was no wonder that when given the option to Promote a Pawn into something greater most devils would choose it over the others; they believed, after all, that this promotion would give their Pawns the complete benefits of the Queen Piece.
However, in my brother's experience, this was incorrect… though no one who had figured this out felt the need to disabuse those competing of the misconception.
A Pawn was a Pawn.
They had a set percentage of power that they would allow through based on the strength of the King, and considering they were likely made with the lowest quality devilore crystals it made sense that there was a limit to what they could accomplish. The Promotion merely allowed them to exceed these limits temporarily, and once the Pawn Piece reached its maximum the Promotion ended- the devil experiencing a 'drain on their strength' as the bonus demonic power that their King had been providing was cut off; likely a safety function to prevent damage to the Evil Piece itself.
Because of this limit, the maximum that a Pawn Piece could channel was roughly two additional Pawns worth of power, with the Promotion temporarily adjusting the parameters to match the targeted development of the intended Piece.
A Pawn that Promoted to a Knight would gain two additional Pawns worth of power, with those being adjusted toward Speed, Agility, and Dexterity- the same for if they Promoted to a Bishop for additional magical prowess.
With the Promotion to a Bishop or Knight, a Pawn would be able to completely match a natural Knight or Bishop for a limited time, however, that would not give them to skills or experience to fully make use of the additional stats.
A Promotion would not make them used to moving at such high speeds, nor would it give them the countless hours of magical control training or a wider spell library.
So with a Rook, which was worth five Pawns, a Pawn that was Promoted to a Rook would only gain three Pawns worth of strength, durability, and endurance. A Promoted Rook-Pawn would still be inferior to the natural Rook, and this was further exacerbated when a Pawn Promoted to a Queen- the two additional Pawns worth of stats being evenly distributed across all facets of their being.
It was the most friendly option for a Pawn, no doubt, as it was an across-the-board improvement without being completely in one area or another, but when it came to the Rating Games or even actual combat, having more specialists often was the smarter play.
If four Knights were engaging in a blisteringly fast-paced pair of duels, which would likely be the better of the outcomes? Two Pawns from one side entering in with the even stat distributions of the Queen, or two Pawns entering in with the stat distributions of the Knights?
The Queen-Pawns would more than likely be too slow to contribute, but the Knight-Pawns would definitely be within the same realms of speed necessary to quickly tilt the edge in favor of the side with the appropriately chosen Promotions.
Now, this obviously wasn't the case in every situation, as this was predicated on the strength and skill of the individual Pieces, but if all things were equal, then four Knights vs two Knights would almost always win. The same with four Bishops and four Rooks vs two Bishops and two Rooks.
The Queen Promotion at the higher levels of play was considered superfluous because of these limitations, though I suppose that if you were playing in the Fog of War than a Promotion to a Queen was still better than no Promotion at all. This was usually because any successful incursions into enemy territory were immediately discovered once the Promotion was announced, and because of this, you needed to make sure your recon of the enemy disposition where your Pawns were operating in was known so that you could make your Promotions count.
If you hemmed and haw'd over which Promotion to choose, then there was a very high possibility of your Pawns being retired or forced out of the enemy territory before they could Promote.
In a Rating Game between equals, information gathering, and decisiveness were often just as important as Peerage diversity and strategy.
Though most of the time a 'Game Between Equals' never happened- one side almost always had an advantage over the other, and it was up to the underdog to play to their strengths and leverage their abilities to make a 'Win' happen.
"Lord Riser," Lirianne's velvety voice drew me out of my thoughts, and I turned my head away from the destruction that I caused to look at my Personal Maido; I'd skirted the rules of keeping her around by spending so much time in the ATTC, but she seemed happy to serve me regardless of the unforeseen stipulations, "You wished to be informed when the convoy was to head toward the Abaddon lands?"
I wasn't yet 'eighteen years old', at least not officially anyway, so I got to keep one of my personal anchors just a little bit longer… though there was no denying that the once brightly burning fires of our relationship had now settled down into a more comforting, flickering warmth.
It felt like we were an old couple who'd lived a long, healthy life together and were now enjoying our twilight years together.
It still made my heart ache when I thought about the day when she would no longer be by my side… but Michiko had been right, I think; I just needed to fill the void that Lirianne would leave in my heart with another Maid. That Maid just so happened to be Michiko, so that worked out fine for me- she would be the Head Wife and Head Maid of the Hibana Branch Family, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
"Yes, that is correct," I gave her a nod before I looked far away across the Phenex Basin to see the rest of my Peerage practicing their own magics, "I think I'll leave them here to continue their work for now. While I go get cleaned up and change my clothes will you be a dear and inform my Lord Father that I'll be heading out with them?"
"Of course, Lord Riser," Lirianne smiled softly as she gave me a curtsy, "It will be my pleasure."
It took me only ten minutes to teleport back to the ATTC, shower, get dressed up to the 9's, and teleport to the staging area where the Abaddon Construction Group would be awaiting a Mass Teleportation to the Blasted Lands.
A group of devils from the Department of the Interior under Lord Lucifer had come out and set up a temporary teleportation circle that would transfer the massive party in five separate groups.
The first two groups would be the three Phalanxes that would secure the other side of the circle and set up their cordon around the construction site to protect it from the numerous magical beasts that called the Blasted Lands home. The latter three groups were all made up of Low-Class and Mid-Class construction devils with magical wagon trains loaded up with supplies that couldn't be sourced from the local area.
Six months ago the Forward Team, made up of the engineers, architects, agricultural experts, and surveyors I'd hired out of the $10 million that was promised to the Abaddon family, had touched base with Amos Abaddon and they set up the framework for the construction plans that they wanted. Given that none within the Abaddon lands were as knowledgeable as the devils I hired, the plans had to be adjusted slightly, decreasing the scope of the development that they wished to see, but the trade-off was that the plans would actually have worked.
I'd seen what they wanted and compared it to what could be done with the budget, and I had to once more be impressed with just how far $10 Million dollars could go in the Underworld; a similar project on Earth wouldn't have even gotten off the ground for ten times as much, but magic and devils well-versed in construction could work literal wonders.
The wagons, for example, looked like simple if well-built wagons that wouldn't have been uncommon to see in the early 20th century, but thanks to magic they could carry almost one hundred times the capacity of their mundane counterparts thanks to the dimensional storage magics they were enchanted with.
"Lord Riser," A voice from my right caught my attention, and I turned to see a handsome older devil wearing an eyepatch standing stiffly a few paces away, "I am Guard Captain Rudiger Lewise, and I will be in charge of the Phenex House Guard contingent for the duration of this operation; and while you are with us, your personal attache'."
Spoiler: Captain Rudiger Lewise
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I gave the older devil a nod, "A pleasure, Captain. Thank you and your men for volunteering to chaperone the workers on this expedition; while technically outside of your scope, I am thankful that my Father saw fit to lend me your services for my personal endeavors."
"Of course, my Lord. Every one of us has been able to greatly improve our strength and readiness thanks to your… efforts," He shook his head as he referenced the ATTC, "And we are in a far better state than we've ever been. The additional training space and time have been invaluable for us and our families. So what better way to show our gratitude than to support you here and now when you have need of our arms?"
"Still, you all have my thanks nonetheless," I grasped my hands behind my back, "Now, which group will I be leaving with, Captain?"
"You will be leaving with my group on the second teleportation, My Lord-"
[Abaddon Territory]
[Blasted Lands]
Spoiler: Blasted Lands
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It had been less than a day since we arrived, and already the devils had gotten to work.
Foundations had been laid out, buildings were going up, and magical and mundane water purification systems were being emplaced inside of prefabricated buildings on the edge of the small river that flowed through the small city that was the center of Abaddon territory. Due to the amount of magical pollution in the waters, it was important to have it all filtered out lest the inhabitants get sick. The most sought after item that Kuisha demanded in our contract was the greenhouses, with fresh soil, plenty of fertilizer, and irrigation piping, would be the last things to go up, but already their construction sites were laid out and ready to be put up once there were enough hands to do it.
The soil in the Blasted Lands was exceptionally poor, and not only could the greenhouses be built on the rockier terrains, but they could be grown without the local mana tainting the crops, allowing the people to enjoy the normal strains that everyone else in the Underworld got to enjoy.
It sounds like a small thing, but even being able to grow 'normal'- for the Underworld- wheat… it was a huge deal.
The Blasted Lands had been home to many of the greatest battles of the Great War between the Three Factions, and it showed- there were uncountable miles of scarred land, with great canyons, artificial mountains, magic-made lakes, and vast stretches of land pockmarked with divots large and small that oozed residual holy and demonic energies.
Very few regions were habitable enough to settle in, and the six Extra Demon Houses managed to find small oases where the mana levels were tolerable and the holy energies not concentrated enough to outright poison weaker devils. They were just lucky enough that their lands were somewhat nearby, co-located so that they could mutually support each other should the need arise. Yet, where the devils of the Underworld had territories that ranged in the size of small nations to large states in the US, the Extra Demons' territories were comparable to large cities; I wagered that the Abaddon had enough safe land to rival the city of Dallas, Texas and not much more.
It was easy to tell what had already been landscaped by the Low and Mid-Class devils of the Abaddon family, and on the outskirts, there were plenty of thick stone spikes that pierced toward the dense, low-hanging clouds that broke up the skyline.
The teams were getting to work on building up tall, thick walls with guard towers and the like in between the towering pillars, and with magic and the plentiful stone already in the area, it was simply a matter of cutting it, shaping it, and then teleporting it into place while handling minor adjustments on site. Most of the threats, as I'd been informed by Amos Abaddon on my arrival, were ground-based, and a good wall was all that was needed to keep them out; as long as it was tall enough and thick enough the devils on the walls could rain down magic on them and kill them easily enough.
Their issue was that they couldn't expand much past their current walls because there simply weren't enough devils in the Abaddon territory to farm, carve, transport, build, and guard at the same time.
So while three hundred Phenex House Guard and a few hundred laborers might not sound like a whole lot, when the number of citizens living in the territory numbered less than ten thousand devils, even that small increase meant that a great deal more could get done in a short amount of time. Especially when the devils I brought with me were all highly experienced builders who could lead teams of local Extra Demons to speed up all of the projects at once.
I had dinner with Lord Amos when I arrived, even if he insisted not to call him that since he wasn't a Lord at all, but I could see the way his people looked at him… and I couldn't bring myself to call him anything less.
He was a far cry from the local nobility, the man always out and about helping with problems that required his strength and education within his small territory, and you simply could not fake the level of respect and reverence that his people showed him.
Spoiler: Wall Approach
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On top of a stone spire outside of the primary cordon was where I was located, my purpose for this phase of the development was to handle any of the greater threats that could arise to take umbrage with the construction going on for the walls.
The Underworld, contrary to popular belief, didn't have any native species of flora or fauna. It had been a completely barren rock devoid of all life except a breathable, mana-rich atmosphere with a fair amount of water. Far beneath the surface of this massive world contained a few different afterlives from different Pantheons and the Nine Circles of Hell where the sinners of the Abrahamic Faiths were punished for their transgressions until they were eventually spun out to the greater overarching Wheel of Reincarnation.
Some thought that Heaven and Hell were for eternity, but they weren't, not truly; inevitably the souls of Saints and Sinners would be forced to move back into the greater cycle, with only a small fraction of those being kept within the arms of their Pantheons. The souls of the Great Heroes who reincarnated as Spirit-Inheritors, and even the likes of Saints like Saint Peter who guarded the Heavenly Gates, were removed from the cycle, but only the Divines themselves knew if that would hold forever.
Hades was known to despise us devils because we have the best real estate in the Underworld- the surface- while he and the other Gods of the weakening faiths were forced to remain within their own spheres. He shared the space with the likes of Ereshkigal, the Sumerian Goddess of Death, among others, but notably, Lady Izanami-no-Mikoto of the Shinto Pantheon managed to tie her domain directly to Earth, in a sub-space that matched Japan and 'sold' her portion of the Underworld to Hades.
What she got from the Greek God of Death was unknown, but it was more than attractive enough to give up her portion and relocate it to a much smaller area that mirrored Japan; this led to some overcrowding issues in Yomi and forced a higher turnover rate of the Japanese into the Greater Cycle of Reincarnation, but that didn't seem to affect the function of their society at all.
Regardless, the surface of the Underworld had been completely barren, and it had been up to the original Lucifer and his devils to transplant flora and fauna from Earth to fill it up, and the Fallen who took over the Light Side half did the same with theirs.
The extreme concentrations of mana within the environment created evolutions and adaptations of the mundane animals that had been born and bred, and some of those were… hmmm… exceptionally lethal- something that OG Lucifer highly enjoyed. Listening to my Grandmother tell some stories, he even outright encouraged the Nabiros, Naberios, and other families to try and make them even more deadly and dangerous; turning the Underworld into a microcosm of survival of the fittest. Those devils who didn't wish to die either grew strong or they got eaten.
Though when the various tribes were folded under the original 72 Demon Pillars they applied some Law and Order to their surroundings and turned their sights on each other.
The most dangerous threat to a devil was now no longer the house-sized anaconda that had magic-resistant scales, but the devil beside them… or at the very least the devil in the next territory over.
So magical beasts were a serious threat back then, and when the Great War broke out, the regions that became the Blasted Lands were home to all of the most terrific clashes of the long war. God -ow!- himself and the Four Satans did battle with the Archangels and the Heavenly Host, along with the Fallen and the Grigori, and it turned the surrounding areas into an overly hostile wasteland where nothing hardly grows, and what does grow is either highly dangerous, exceptionally poisonous, inedible, or all of the above.
The magical anaconda that I referenced earlier might now have scales that were not only magic resistant but resistant to Holy Light, with fangs of demonic power and Holy Light. Desert wolves were ferocious and tenacious pack hunters that could cast their own forms of bastardized magic, the intelligent animals a sure death to any Low-Class devil caught out… or any Mid-Class who got overconfident.
There were certainly threats that were a danger to even a devil as strong as myself, but they seemed to be contained inside of their own territories- a great T-Rex the size of a skyscraper, which was likely some sort of mutated lizard, was trapped within a massive bowl, a massive Kraken monster was trapped within a noxious sea of demonic and holy attuned water, etc, etc. They were far away from the Extra Demons holdings, and thusly were not much of a threat; no, they just had to deal with the usual roving packs of raptors that spat poisonous globs of Holy Light instead.
So with my vantage point above the workers, it was easy for me to lay the smack down on anything that might attempt to disrupt them.
It was also where Amos said his daughter would be traveling through on her way back, and he said she was expected to return any time now.
Our battle wasn't for another eleven days, and I was about as prepared as I could be, so I thought I would just… hang out and lend a helping hand.
What interested me the most was somehow that one journalist I'd spoken to back when my girls were getting their Evil Pieces registered found out about the expedition, and she ended up tagging along; the woman fluttering about the city with her news team conducting interviews and making a side documentary about the Abaddon lands while they were waiting for the 'Greatest battle to involve an Extra Demon that wasn't Roygun Belphelgor or Bedeze Abaddon since the Civil War'.
Movement far off in the distance caught my attention, and I focused my sight to see a pack of Saber Wolves eyeing the construction crews a few kilometers distant; they were attempting to peek over the ridges, but I was quick to dissuade them.
I raised my hand over my head and pulled up the mandala for the first version of my Arrow Artemis spell.
Twelve threads were easy as pie for me now, and it made me smile to myself as I thought about the days when I struggled to power the spell with two separate applications of six threads.
I fed mana into the array, overcharging it by about thirty percent since the Saber Wolves were a Mid-Class threat, and then released the spell once it was ready.
Twin arrows streaked high into the sky- one formed of Phenex Flames and the other of sickly green Hell Fire- and once they reached their zenith, which was just above the low-hanging clouds above, the streaked down toward the wolf pack that had just realized they were in danger.
The two arrows exploded into a hail of thousands of smaller arrows, the projectiles saturating almost five hundred square meters of land mass, and when those arrows landed they too exploded into gouts of orange-red and verdant shimmering flames.
Seeing a dozen of the wolves fleeing for their lives outside of the blast radius told me that I'd gotten maybe half of the pack, but one of them had been limping- a hole through its hip- and once it fell the Hell Fire that it had been pierced by continued to consume its corpse until nothing was left but a bubbling black stain on the desert floor.
Hell Fire would be fucking terrifying to me if it wasn't my own. No cap.
I surveyed the damage and nodded before spooling up a short-range communication spell, "Captain Delgado, Riser here, engaged a pack of Saber Wolves at grid A-14. Estimated twenty creatures, estimated nine killed; eleven escaped. Retreating away from the construction exclusionary zone, heading West at your 255."
The Captain of the Abaddon House Militia immediately responded back, "Logged, Lord Phenex. I will send a squad to confirm the totals and dispose of the corpses."
"Understood, Captain Delgado; I'll keep an eye out for them."
I cut the connection and resumed my watch.
Roughly five hours later I felt the approach of a group of devils before I saw them; they were radiating their demonic power outward, a common thing for the devils in the Blasted Lands. The creatures out there were more than smart enough to sense that a meal was far more than they could chew, and they often stuck to trying to devour those weaker than themselves unless they were desperate.
About ten minutes later I caught sight of a group of eight devils, all well above the lower thresholds of High-Class but nowhere near my original Peerage in strength; there were three that could give Mouse a solid beating, however, but she was among the weakest in my family.
My Maid, Michiko could handle them all easily- the woman sweeping through them as if all she needed was a dustpan.
I gave them a quick flare of my own demonic power, just enough to get their attention, and when they caught sight of me I gave them a wave.
They diverted their formation toward my location, and I felt my heartbeat pick up as I saw the woman that I had been waiting for flying at the center of it.
I was pretty certain my cheeks were flushed with how warm they felt, and they hurt with how much I was smiling; I had to settle into a meditation mindset, focusing on controlling my Ki and circulating it throughout my body so that I could calm the fuck down and not act like some love-sick child.
I wasn't thirteen, I was thirty-five years old, so get a grip Riser Phenex .
The nice but dated dress that I'd last seen her wearing had been replaced with an unflattering garb of rough-spun wool, with greens and browns making up the thick coat and boots while dark blue was the color of her trousers. A brown leather belt kept the jacket cinched over her pants, and a dusty green scarf was wrapped around her neck; her blonde hair was tied into a high ponytail, and looked wild and untamed.
Her blue eyes bore into my own, and there wasn't any recognition in them until I stood up on the thick, quilted picnic blanket that I was sitting on.
With a hand in my pocket and a smile on my lips, I gave her a small bow, "Kuisha Abaddon, welcome home."
"Riser… Phenex?" She looked me over, obviously surprised by my spontaneous development; I likely looked nothing like the thirteen-year-old boy she had been expecting, "What are you doing here?"
No, I looked like a perfectly handsome and hunky fifteen-ish-year-old teen.
The hand that wasn't in my pocket swept over the devils constructing the wall a few kilometers away, "Here to supervise and provide some protection to the building crews. Once the walls are finished getting the greenhouses finished and setting up the rest of the infrastructure should only take a few more days."
"Father sent me a message and told me that construction was already happening, but he didn't tell me it was already so far along…" Her eyes swept over the construction before looking back at me, "Or that you were already here."
I gave her a small shrug, "I sort of asked him not to tell you so that I could, you know, surprise you myself."
I reached into my magic pocket pulled out a picnic basket and held it up, "I know you've been traveling all day, and since dinner is a few hours away maybe you'd like to, uh, join me for a late lunch?"
Shit, come on, Riser, head in the game.
I squeezed my hand in my pocket and breathed to try and clear my nerves, which hopefully would work because cycling my ki wasn't cutting it apparently.
This was a simple late lunch. A picnic, not a date. Relax.
You can stand confidently before a fucking Dragon and stare her down, there is no reason why you can't do the same here.
So what if she was one of the most enchanting women you've ever laid eyes on? You have lots of unearthly gorgeous women at home.
Chill, fucker.
I think I managed to keep my cool well enough, and the older teen, appearance-wise, lowered her chin until her mouth was concealed by her scarf, but I could see the small crinkling of her eyes as she delighted in the prospect of sitting down and enjoying a picnic with her future King and not laughing at the obviously but not really flustered teen trying to talk to her for the first time in three years.
Her wings flapped once before she settled down on the spire, the young woman slipping her large pack off of her shoulders and waving off her traveling companions, "Go ahead and head on back; Charlie, let my Father know that I'm home, okay?"
"Well if My Lady wishes to spend some time with her new Queen then who am I to say no?" The only devil in the group that was worth a damn, a big burly man with slightly pointed ears and a large beard, chuffed as he shook his head.
He looked at me with his stone grey eyes and gave me a piercing look, "You're in for one hell of a fight, noble boy. I hope you prepared yourself because our Little Miss would be mortified if she worked so hard only to accidentally splat you like a bug."
"Charlie…" She gave him a warning look, and the man let out a few boisterous laughs as he flapped his wings and flew away, leaving the flustered teen girl behind.
I shrugged my shoulders and gave her an easy smile, "Don't worry about it, Kuisha. If I couldn't handle a little pre-game banter then I would never have survived the Courts."
Her dusty, heeled boots clopped across the stone before she hopped a touch, using her wings to slow the descent of her posterior onto the picnic blanket, "Oh, I'm sure of that, however, openly disrespecting a Noble of any House is in poor taste."
A snort left me as I lowered myself back onto the blanket and let my legs hang over the edge, dangling in the air as I slid the basket between us and opened it up to reveal the bounty within.
"So… speaking of this late lunch," I noticed the line of slobber that she artfully tried to hide by wiping it away on the back of her sleeve, but the small, eager smile on her lips told me she was excited all the same, "What did you bring?"
"Oh, a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, nothing fancy," I chortled as I drew out a pair of lap napkins that were weighted in the corners to prevent them from blowing away in the breeze, something that Lord Amos had loaned to me; apparently picnics like this were pretty common out here since the Hunters were constantly on the move to exterminate any monsters that strayed too close to the city, "I had some submarine sandwiches made; a pair of authentic Philly cheesesteaks, two hot ham and cheese on toasted bread, some fruits, cheese cubes, and hard cuts of cured salami. Nothing extravagant but a nice little something to tide us over until dinner."
She immediately covered her lap before stripping her gloves off and tucking them into her coat, though she grimaced when I mentioned dinner, "I take it that you've… already had some of the local fare?"
"Yes, the Lighting Lizard stew was… interesting, but not unpalatable," I chuckled, my grin growing wider as I pulled everything out of the basket and laid it out on the blanket, "There is always a chance that I could lose our duel, and I am not the type to discard such a possibility outright. So I thought that while I was here I would at least spend my time here seeing how you all lived. Get accustomed to it."
The steaming, piping hot cheesesteak was picked up and she took two massive bites, the young woman squirming a touch as she crunched through the bell peppers; a touch of mayonnaise and grease smearing the edge of her lip.
God -ow-, Kuisha, you're too cute. Like my very own Saber. I can't wait to spoil you. We'll study and train, and then on our downtime, I'll run you through the entire menu that the kitchens have at the Estates and I'll hand-feed you everything they can make. Then when they've run out of dishes to try I'll take you with me to Earth and we'll do some globe trotting to each in every major city.
A small giggle left her lips as she took another bite, but when she noticed me staring, likely with a dumbass goofy smile on my face, she blushed and looked away, the young woman bending over and using the edge of the lapkin to dab at her lips.
She cleared her throat, "Uhm… so I'm glad to see that nothing so far has… soured you. When you become my Queen then you'll be staying here with me, obviously."
I picked up my hot ham and cheese, preferring to let the juices and liquified mayo on my philly congeal a little, and took a bite, chewing, and then swallowing, "No, it wasn't so much that, Kuisha. I was just wanting to take the time to get to know the people of my Queen. To see how she lived, and the environment that shaped her into the woman I see today."
My eyes were lidded as I gave her a smirk before taking another bite; a hot ham and cheese was meant to be enjoyed hot, after all.
She was licking the crumbs off of her fingers in a rather unlady-like fashion, a snort escaping her nose as she picked up a paper bowl of cheese and salami, "You're rather confident, aren't you, Riser?"
"I could say the same of you, Kuisha," With the hot ham and cheese finished off I grabbed the Philly and began working on it.
Ah, Lirianne, you made sure the cooks caramelized the onions just right.
You're a saint.
We sat there working through the food, our feet kicking in the breeze until everything that could be eaten was, and the last three things in the basket were two mason jars and a small bottle of strawberry wine.
I wanted a cheap wine that was appropriately sweet, one of the ones that you could find in the beer section of any gas station for $20 dollars, but nope, imported from a winery in Germany; the only saving grace for this was that it wasn't a wine that had been aged into the triple digits.
"Aren't you a little young to be drinking?" She chortled a little bit but didn't stop me from uncorking the wine with a little magic and pouring it out until both mason jars were full, "I thought you nobles stuck with sparkling wine or something like that at those fancy dinner parties?"
"I rarely ever drink, mainly because trying to get drunk with my constitution is a fool's errand," I shook my head, "And Kuisha, we're devils. What do we care about a little 'underaged drinking'? I would have thought a country girl such as yourself wouldn't be a stickler for things like the 'legal drinking age'."
"Fair enough," She took the jar and sipped, "What's this?"
"Strawberry wine," I supplied readily, "From Wurzburg, Germany; 1981 for the vintage."
"What's a strawberry?" She muttered lowly to herself as she took another sip, though this one was a bit longer.
Gah, Kuisha. You poor child.
"H-hey, don't give me a pitying look!" Kuisha huffed as she looked away, though she still kept sipping, "Just because I haven't had one before doesn't mean you can look at me like that."
"One way or another, I'm going to make sure that you get introduced to a whole lot of things," I sipped at my own wine, happy that it tasted good, but really, for a summer picnic like this the wine needed to be sticky sweet instead of mellow; if it doesn't make your saliva thick like a strong lemonade then it just doesn't pass muster, "Every food you can imagine from all sorts of different places."
The moon peeked through the heavy clouds, barely visible as it set beyond the horizon.
We sat in silence until we were down to the last few sips of our respective jars and she finally spoke up, the young woman looking down at the glass held in her hands, "Riser… why me?"
I held up the glass in front of me and swirled around the last few drops, "I wish I could say that I had something profound to say but…"
The last droplet fell from the rim to my tongue, and I placed the jar back into the picnic basket.
"Well, you were still standing when I unveiled my power. Strength is important, as I'm sure you're well aware, but there was also something else that caught my attention," I tilted my head and scratched at my crown, "You stood up, and not just to me, but when Bertha- ah, she's my Nightmare… and I should really visit her soon, she'll likely be rather cross with me- ran me through with her horns as part of the more visceral demonstration of my Phenex regeneration, well, you were on your feet. You were ready to help me, to stop me from being hurt; if your Father hadn't stopped you I feel like you would have been able to rescue me in time."
I gave her a wry smile as I gave her a side-eye, and her shoulders wiggled a little at the attention, a small flush on her cheeks, "It's from your upbringing out here, I think. When there is danger you don't worry about the who or the why, you just do what needs to be done. You protect each other… and that is something that's a rarity for devils, even in this day and age; unless it's someone from your family, then even thinking about leaping into danger to protect someone you don't even know is borderline unthinkable."
"So when you were ready to leap into action to protect me? Well," Oh damnit, now I'm blushing, "It's not something you see all too often, and I sort of wanted that. Uh, you for myself. Damn, that came out wrong. It is desirable, to um, see in a prospective Peerage member. I don't think it's something you can train, but just sort of an instinct- to see someone in need of help and to feel that desire to help them."
Man, I wish that there were some crickets up here to fill the silence.
Non-explosive crickets. Those things are a menace. The Blasted Lands really suck.
"Pffft. Pfffftfffttttfffttt. Haahaahaa. Heeehaaahahaaaahhaaaa~!" Her laughter tinkled in my ears, her eyes closed and her hands on the picnic blanket below her as she let out her laughter into the wind.
"Heeheehee, ahhhhhh," She wiped at her eyes with her thumb, "I'm glad then. I thought it would have been something more… shallow than that."
"Maaaaaa~, look, Kuisha, I get what you're saying but, if there is one thing that you need to know about me is that when I'm expected to play a part, I'll play the part," I did not huff as I crossed my arms over my chest, my eyes rolling, "Until I'm strong enough to just kick back and do my own thing… then if I need to act a little pompous and jerkish to make people hear my words then I'll do it. Devil society is just, meh, fraught with expectations, and if you don't meet those expectations, be it decorum or otherwise, people take notice for all the wrong reasons. That causes friction and problems."
She unbuttoned her coat and slipped it off of her shoulders, baring beautiful silken flesh to me as she wrapped it up to make a pillow before laying back, her fingers interlaced behind her head, "So acting like a twerp at your debut was just… playing to their expectations?"
"And kicking the asses of six douche-bags at a party in front of three of the Maou," I smiled as she snorted, a wry grin on her lips.
"Yeah, your Father sent my Father a magic message containing a copy of that little scuffle. A little, uh, schoolyard for my tastes, but we don't really have duels like that out here. Not too often, anyway, and it's usually for reasons more than just two groups having a petty disagreement at a dinner party."
"Well, in my defense, I didn't start the shit. I just indulged a group of kids in their need to have some conflict," I shrugged my coat off and made a pillow out of it myself, laying back and looking up at the gloomy, thick, cloudy sky, "Once again. Expectations. Someone picks a fight? Well, you kick their ass so hard that they'll think twice about doing it again; something I would have thought would appeal to your country gal sensibilities. And wouldn't you know it? I haven't had anyone roll up on me looking for beef."
"Snerk, 'looking for beef'? Where did that even come from?"
"It's American slang for 'looking for problems or conflict'."
"America? Isn't that… the thirteen colonies that seceded from Great Britain?"
"Oh boy, I can already tell I'm going to have my hands full with you. Lots of studying and catching up to do on human history."
"Well excuse me for not having the most up-to-date history texts," She replied snootily, but her words had no heat to them.
She sighed, her arms coming down to rest at her sides as we just looked up at the moving, almost rainbow-colored clouds above.
Though it wasn't the nice kind of rainbow. More like the little rainbows you see in puddles of oil.
"This is a lot different than I thought our first meeting in three years would go," She finally spoke up after what seemed like hours.
A huff left my lips, "I supposed given how I acted during my debut you expected a lot more posturing and grandiose statements of my superiority?"
"A little bit. I sort of had this image of you built up in my head. A little smug jerk with more power than sense," Out of the corner of my eye I could see her smile just a touch, "I admit that I might have punched your face more than a few times while I was training. Though now that we're just sitting here and talking I… don't feel as nervous anymore."
I let that hang for a few moments to see if there was anything she wanted to add before I responded, "Well I for one am glad that I can prove that I'm not a pompous prick."
"So what are you going to be doing here while we wait for the day of our battle?"
"Well, I was hoping that we could just… hang out like this, I guess. I've done all of the training that I could possibly squeeze into the last three years, and a week and some change really isn't going to change how I'll perform. Get to know you a little better without everyone else around to worry about; see the young woman you are when your hair is down. Take the opportunity to show you what I'm like when I'm not putting my nose to the grindstone."
"Yeah… I think that would be pretty swell. I worked very hard, and it's time to relax before the big day."
I turned my head to look at her, and I couldn't stop a shit-eating grin from pulling at my face while I waggled my eyebrows, "' The Big Day', huh? You make it sound as though we're gettin' married, Kuisha."
Her cheeks colored darkly but she rolled her eyes, "Oh shove off, you know what I mean. A duel to claim a set of Evil Pieces. To claim a Queen. That's… well it's about as close to getting married as you can get without getting married."
"You'll hear no arguments from me otherwise," I looked back to the clouds, interlacing my fingers over my stomach, "You know, it was a super impulsive decision on my part, to make this wager. It just… threw me for a loop with how strongly I reacted to you. I'm always careful with how I handle myself, and yet, I honestly can't say I regret it at all. Win or Lose, I think I could be completely satisfied with the outcome either way. Regardless…"
I looked back at her and extended my hand, "Regardless, we're going to be together for a very long time, Kuisha. So… I hope that we can get along."
Her blue eyes looked at my hand before her she studied my face for a few moments, and she reached out and took it before looking back up to the sky above, "I hope so too."
My fingers squeezed her palm, "Just so you know though, I am going to win."
She snorted lightly, "So you say, Riser Phenex. So you say."
We didn't speak anymore for the next few minutes before I realized that I needed to be on the lookout, and I groaned as I sat up and began scanning the wasteland out in front of us. I immediately spotted a group of Snagglebeaked Raptors attempting to slip toward the wall taking the small cuts in the terrain to disguise their approach.
"Stupid birds."
"Damn Raptors."
We raised our hands and let loose a bevy of spells, raining down hell of the ferocious, flightless birds below.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, A. Daw, Gorth 123, Quinten M., Dirk Gent L., and holy cow THANKS to InsanexSilence for being Patrons!
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A/N: There were some small things that I wanted to include, but if I feel like I just have to write them I'll put them into a smaller chapter and post it in the extra.
This was just the house keeping chapter, showing off the end of the training arc and allowing us to see Kuisha and RiserSi interact before the big showdown. That and I wanted to make 'canon' for this AU somethings that I discussed in some comments and in the discord, mainly about things like the Evil Pieces and how Promotions work. From what I remember in the show barely anyone did any sort of promotion beyong Queen, and that made me wonder why that was a thing in the first place. Why allow other promotions to Rook, Bishop, or Knight when the Queen promotion- which as far as I could tell gave full Queen benefits- obviously was the most powerful? It didn't make sense to me, so I decided to clean that up with some of my own logic and make something that didn't make sense in Ishibumi-sensei's world actually make sense.
Though if I'm wrong please feel free to let me know. It might not change my mind for how Promotion would work in this AU, but it would definitely be more enlightening than skimming the episodes in the wiki and seeing what little there it to offer there!
I hope that Kuisha is appropriately cute.
Interlude - ???/Kuisha Abaddon (The Long Awaited Duel)
[Gremory Estates]
[???]
'Click.'
The sound of a door unlocking made a figure lying comfortably in bed shift underneath the silk covers.
'Cling~, cling~.'
The soft sound of chimes ringing in her hazy, sleepy mind was what woke her up, however, as her wards had been manually disabled.
"Mhhhhmmmmggggnnnngggggnnnnnnnnnnnn…" A low moan of displeasure left the woman's throat as rays of light from the windows in the hallway outside of her room filtered in, and she buried her face into her pillow.
She was not afraid, for she knew the demonic signature of the interloper who had just slipped into her room. Intimately.
"Hee, hee, hee, hee~. Bum, bum, bum, bum~. Kuu, kuu, kuu, kuu~! Nee-hee~!"
Though if the signature hadn't given her sleepy mind a clue, then the notorious giggling slithering closer and closer to her bed was a dead giveaway.
The woman let out a soft sigh of defeat as she rolled over and cracked her eyes open to face the interloper, lest she leap onto the bed and start fondling her nude body relentlessly- Runeas Gremory was just that type of woman.
"What da'ya want?" The woman drawled tiredly as she did her best to glare at the other; she didn't disturb Runeas' rest, so why did her Honored Ancestor feel the need to disturb hers!?
Fingers were barely visible on the edge of the bed, a crown of scarlet red hair was drawn up into twin-tails, and bright, sparkling blue eyes were crinkled in delight, "I just had something really interesting happen today, oh dear daughter of mine! Hee, hee, hee~! Let me tell you all about it! Whisper, whisper. Whisper. Whisper, whisper, whisper."
The nude woman in her bed had been rather tired and bored, but the more her Honored Ancestor spoke the more she felt her curiosity start to peak.
Maybe… maybe this would be worth getting out of bed for?
Considering the young man in question, she found out from her Honored Ancestor that he liked to travel to Earth quite often, and rather than wearing the usual dresses that she liked, the woman sent for some of the Gremory Maids to bring back some catalogs from the various nations in the mortal realm to pick out some new outfits.
She had been a touch shocked to see that in the last century since she visited Earth the number of different styles in fashion had exploded thanks to mass industrialization, and that gave her a plethora of things to choose from. It was pretty damn hard narrowing down a dozen different styles, but after an impromptu fashion show for the Maids and Butlers, the woman gauging their interest, she settled on what she was going to wear for this little soiree.
A white, long-sleeved spandex top that was borderline translucent hugged her torso, the fabric modified to hug her generous breasts like a glove, and she had the maids cut it short so that it showed off her beautiful midriff. Black denim jeans hugged her legs and ass, the pants so tight that they might as well have been painted on; a quick turn in the mirror to check out the view from the rear made her smile, and bending over a little showed that it hugged her puffy sex perfectly.
She did not call it her 'Camel Toe', because that would have made Runeas far, far, far too happy.
Thin black ankle socks clothed her feet, while her shoes were a custom-made pair of Converse sneakers; the color magically matched her hair color while her shoe laces matched her eyes. As for the accessories, a black belt with blued studs that matched her shoelaces, two cloth wristbands adorned her wrists- one red and one blue, to match her hair and eyes again- and a lastly was a golden necklace with a thin chain around her neck; the sigil of House Gremory dangling from it between her white-clothed breasts.
The black leather motorcycle jacket had Gremory Red piping along the high, wide collar and the arms, and the scrunchy-styled sleeves were pulled up to her elbows; she left it open because what was the purpose of wearing a shirt that showed off your boobs and delicious belly if you were just going to hide it?
The last piece of the puzzle was in the form of a simple red elastic hair tie, and with a small flex of her magic her long scarlet hair was gathered up by the spell and her hair pulled through it; the final product looked a touch more wild than her usual more womanly and refined high-ponytail.
Spoiler: Chysis' Current Look
[img: https/external-content./iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.%2F736x%2F6d%2Fb6%2F02%2F6db602be7a0f1d44188d0dfd1b79a24d.jpg =1 =1 =5ecfb6e47b96325ce7768582457d9f8b07362b27cd78313e5226235c9564e7fa =images]
Spoiler: Other Pictures of Chysis
[img: https/media./attachments/1093294867263795230/1165688665478025286/FDXDiLnaQAAOx-I.png?ex=6547c32b =65354e2b =e9064b04623de76a1b88315ffdaac7c5ec3e8a43fc8143a7fe8e919c6d311183&= =510 =909]
[img: https/media./attachments/1093294867263795230/1165688663913549895/100164052_p0_master1200.png?ex=6547c32a =65354e2a =f2a71965002a8fa62515b061dac597912a4fb66e96fa7359ad473f740ff07d97&= =512 =910]
Spoiler: Chysis' Usual Dress
[img: https/media./attachments/1093294867263795230/1165688861851123752/Genderbent_Diluc_by_harochan_twitter.jpg?ex=6547c35a =65354e5a =83ee94b5d6dd49eae8bc558de3bdf5197c048948c25272949ac0a573f8475702&= =746 =910]
The woman feathered and fluffed the scarlet bangs that framed her face, and she placed a hand out on her cocked hip and gazed at herself in the mirror; a pleased giggle on her lips as she posed.
She pumped her arm above her head- she's still got it!
Yes!
Chysis Gremory was now back in action!
'Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump thump'.
The hallways of the Gremory Estate blurred by her as she sped down them like the very wind itself. The paintings on the walls, antique vases on marble columns, large potted planets with immaculately appointed flowers- all of it looked as though someone streaked over them with a brush.
Chysis was moving so very fast, but that was because she needed to make it to the teleportation chambers before the party left- she didn't want to be late! Again! She was a notorious procrastinator, and the last time she waited around she missed the birth of her granddaughter!
Her sneakers slid along the carpet, aided by a touch of demonic power to reduce the traction as she crouched and drifted around the corner- her fingers gliding over the red fabric. There was a muffled squeak of shock that came from one of the Maids, the poor girl tossing the laundry in her arms up in the air as she jumped out of the way to avoid getting bowled over.
"Sorry!" Chysis grinned as she waved at the poor dear from over her shoulder, but she didn't look back; the moment she had a straight shot her legs were pumping and moving.
Hallways bled into one another, the Gremory Lady blurring through one of the Estate's many ballrooms, and once she reached the antechamber leading to the primary teleportation chamber she knew she was right on time!
The familiar broad back and shock of red hair from her beloved son came into view and she launched herself, "Zeo!"
The moment her face connected with his spine she allowed some of her demonic power to finally suffuse her body again, and her son stumbled forward a few paces as Chysis wrapped her arms around his chest, "M-Mother!?"
She nuzzled his back before she slithered under his raised arm and pressed her cheek against his chest; she clicked her tongue as she poked his cheek, "No, that's no good! Call me 'Momma', Zeo! Like you always did!"
His face scrunched up into his super cute 'bewildered' face before his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and he looked around to see his wife, her daughter-in-law Venelana, covering her mouth with her hand, "Yes, dear, call her 'Momma'. Huuhuuhuu~."
Her little Zeo took a deep breath and let it go, "Mother, what are you doing here?"
"Why, I invited her, of course!" Runeas Gremory's voice rang out from the antechamber, and she was wearing a more rustic dress than her usual Arabian Dancer garb; her favorite camel, Muhammed, lumbered into the room to stand on the teleportation circle with the progenitor devil sitting astride his back.
"Grandmother, there is a guest list. Mother was not invited," He ran a hand through his hair as he blew out a breath, "If you'd told me that she wanted to come then I would have gotten her added to it!"
"Phaw! Those guest lists are always subject to change, especially when I, Runeas Gremory, deign to change them!" She scoffed heartily as she crossed her arms underneath her breasts, "Even the Extra Demons still bow the knee when one of us Progenitors makes a demand."
He inhaled sharply before pinching the bridge of his nose, and he raised a hand, "I can fix this. I can call Marcus, and he can call Amos. We can get Mother added-"
Chysis released her son, but not before planting a kiss on his cheek, and she instead moved around him to hug her daughter-in-law, "Venelana, hello dear, it's so good to see you~!"
The Bael daughter kissed her cheek, a warm but smug smile on her lips, "Hello, Mother. Woke up from your nap, I see?"
"Yes indeed! When Grandmother woke me up and told me what was going on I decided that I needed to get out of bed to come see the strapping young man named Riser Phenex," Chysis grinned rakishly as she turned her attention to the vision of loveliness that could only be her granddaughter, "You must be little Rias."
Rias looked very surprised, but she recovered quickly and gave Chysis a curtsy, "Yes, I am Rias Gremory. It is a pleasure to meet you, Grandmother."
Chysis looked over to Venelana, and the woman smiled, "She saw you in the family portraits."
"Oh, very good," The former Lady of House Gremory bobbed her head before returning her attention to Rias, "No need to curtsy, sweetheart. Your Gramma is the informal type, okay? Now come here and give me a big hug!"
The little girl's attitude made a proper turn-about, and she squealed in delight as she bounced into Chysis' arms and gave her the great hug that she asked for, "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~! I'm so happy to finally meet you!"
Chysis wrapped her arms around her granddaughter, smooshing her cute little face between her breasts, and then spinning her around the moment she had the space to do so. Rias was all giggles as her grandmother finally settled her back down on her feet, and the youngest Gremory grabbed Chysis' hands and began asking questions as she bounced up and down on her toes.
"Momma says you really like to sleep, did you enjoy your nap? I love my naps, but Momma always wakes me up for studying, and I don't like studying- unless it's when I get to sit in Riser-nii-sama's lap; did you like studying?" She paused to take a breath before she continued, "Wait!? Are you here to watch Riser-nii-sama fight Kuisha Abaddon!?"
Venelana muffled her chuckles as Chysis cataloged the questions and began answering them in order, "Yes, I did enjoy my nap; I was pretty sad when Grandma Runeas woke me up, but when I heard the news I was excited. No, I didn't like studying, but when your Grandma was a little girl like you there was a lot less to learn about. And yes, I'm here to watch Riser Phenex fight Kuisha Abaddon."
The precocious child's fingers grasped onto Chysis' forearms, "And what are your intentions with my future husband?"
Chysis blinked, "Well, I just want to observe for now. Look him over. See if he's as interesting as Grandma Runeas says he is."
"My Riser-nii-sama is super interesting!" Rias huffed cutely, "You'll see soon enough! Though, if he is super interesting!?"
"Well, maybe I'll see if my cute little granddaughter wouldn't mind sharing him with me every once in a while. Your grandma has been so bored as of late; having a cute young stud around just might make my world a little brighter," She finished off with a smile.
Rias looked at her with lidded, suspicious eyes before she grinned back, "Okay! But only after me and Riser-nii-sama get married, okay!? After all, in House Gremory, sharing is caring, and we love everybody! Especially our husbands, wives, and cute little servants!"
"Nuufuufuufuu~, right you are, Little Rias," Chysis poked her granddaughter's cute button nose before wrapping her up in another hug, "A true Gremory, through and through you are; I'm super happy that your Momma and Papa have been teaching you right!"
"Mhmm! I'm going to be Lady Gremory one day, and I need to live our family values- it's a must!"
"Kuukuukuu, you're just so cute!" Chysis spun her around again, "How about this then, after you get married and have had an enjoyable honeymoon, the two of us will have him together; wouldn't that be fun?"
"Yes!" Rias pulled away, the young girl running a hand through her long scarlet hair before tossing it back, "Riser-nii-sama would totally lose his cool with two Gremory beauties! Hee hee hee!"
It appeared as though she inherited Chysis' attitude and confidence for sure.
"Right you are, sweetheart," Venelana wrapped her arms around her daughter's neck and planted kisses on her cheeks, "Let Momma know if Riser-kun is a lot of fun, okay? I'd like to take him for a test drive too, see if he's up to snuff. If not I'll give him some proper training so that he can be a good husband for you."
Rias smiled brilliantly, "Alright, but Momma Talsbeth says that learning on the go is fun and rewarding too."
"Of course, of course. But you're not gonna leave your Momman out in the cold for too long, okay?"
Chysis chortled behind her hand as she turned back to Little Zeo, the poor boy looking quite flustered, and he coughed into his fist, "Ahem… so, I got ahold of Marcus, and he called to Amos Abaddon and he got you added to the guest list, Mother. Though, I have to ask if you're serious about what you said about Riser?"
"Eehh~?" She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head, "Why wouldn't I be? Venelana is gonna do it, so why can't I?"
Zeo's head rocked slightly as he took a deep breath, "Look, my wife is one thing, but you're my mother. If you start sleeping with my Son-in-Law… look, I don't want my best friend's son to be the father of my brother or sister. That would just be weird."
Chysis shook her head and patted his chest, "It's been a long time for me, Zeo. And it's not like it's guaranteed or anything; the kid could be a flop and I'll just go back to sleep. So don't begrudge your mother some fun, okay?"
Her son let out a gusting sigh before he nodded and gave her a hug, "Okay, okay. You're right, it has been a long time since we lost them. If it's Marcus' boy that gets you out to spend more time with us then that's a small price to pay; having Grandmother Runeas sleeping for centuries at a time is bad enough without you doing the same."
She squeezed his chest, "Nuufuufuu, my son is just too cute!"
They pulled away when a communication mandala pulled at Marcus' attention, and he nodded a few times, before hanging up, "Alright, we're up next. Grandmother, if you would get… Muhammed closer to the center, please? Wouldn't want him to lose his legs like last time."
"You're very right! Thank you for reminding me, Zeoticus! Rias, come here," The progenitor devil grasped onto her granddaughter with some magic and pulled her up into her lap, "I've been neglecting your training, but that changes starting now! A proper Gremory Lady always showcases her most beautiful and alluring side when she sits astride the back of a majestic camel! If you want to wow your Husband-to-be, then you'll always make his jaw drop when he sees you on a camel's back; you have the Runeas Guarantee! Now, pose like me, and when we teleport you'll start moving your arms like this while shaking your hips like this…"
Chysis felt her cheeks heat up as she watched her Honored Ancestor start teaching her granddaughter about those damn, stupid camels.
How embarrassing!
There wasn't much of a reception to speak of when they arrived, but given this was the territory of the Extra Demons in the Blasted Lands Chysis would have been more surprised if there was.
As it was, there were two hundred male and female devils in mismatched armors standing in orderly rows leading from the large sandstone platform where they teleported in. Her sapphire blue eyes looked around to see dusty footpaths and austere-looking homes off in the distance, with large spires of stone framing the background behind some rather high walls.
Yup, the Blasted Lands hadn't changed much since the last time she was here, but without all of the Fallen and Angels around to cloud the skies it was already vastly more tolerable.
That still didn't stop her from applying a quick spell to her black jeans and sneakers so that they would repel the dust; it's been six hundred years, why hadn't Abaddon's at least gotten the path from their teleportation circle paved or cobbled?
A devil in more handsome armor stepped in front of them with a scroll of parchment in his hand, his red eyes looking over them as he read off the list, "The Progenitor of House Gremory, Lady Runeas Gremory. The Head of House Gremory, Lord Zeoticus Gremory. The Lady Wife of House Gremory, Venelana Gremory. The Heiress of House Gremory, Lady Rias Gremory. The Former Head of House Gremory, Lady Chysis Gremory. And… the most esteemed mount of Lady Runeas Gremory… the camel… Muhammed?"
Runeas puffed out her chest, "You are correct!"
The devil eyed her warily, obviously not used to the quirkiness that all progenitor devils displayed.
He cleared his throat before bowing, "Thank you for coming. You and the rest of the Four-Way Alliance are welcome guests of House Abaddon. If you would please follow me so that we may meet up with the parties of House Sitri, House Phenex, House Agares, and the Lords Lucifer, Beelzebub, and Lady Leviathan; they arrived shortly before you."
"So that means we were the last to arrive, again," Chysis' Little Zeo muttered to himself under his breath, but outwardly he was all smile, "Lead the way, my good devil."
Chysis kept her expression plain as she stuffed her hands into her jacket and followed along, the woman keenly aware of the lustful gazes of male and female devils alike in the ranks of the Abaddon House Guard standing in formation. It irked her, somewhat, as these Low-Class trash devils weren't even strong enough to register to her senses, and they were Extra Demons to boot; they were offered a chance to bend the knee to her Grandson Sirzechs and they spat on his boot instead of kissing it.
Granted, she could feel that all of these devils were very young; even the oldest among them was less than half a millennia old. They were born into this life. They didn't choose it, not like their forefathers, and that her granddaughter's Husband-to-be was making inroads with the current Head of House Abaddon meant that the bending of the knee to Sirzechs Lucifer was going to happen sooner rather than later; Grandmother Runeas had run the calculations already, seen the Path forward, and it would happen.
Once Riser thoroughly trounced Amos Abaddon's daughter and brought her into the fold as his Queen, that is.
The dust that was kicked up by their feet as they walked away from the trash devils and toward the Abaddon Estate- if it could even be called such a thing- made her side-eye Rias and her Grandmother, just to confirm that there was no more space on the damn camel's hump.
Truly, did these devils have no pride?
She would have never allowed her guests to trounce through dust and dirt like this. Even if she was as poor as they, at the very least a carriage would have been waiting for them!
They finally moved off of the dirt road onto some relatively healthy-looking grass, and walked up the hill where a large tree with spindly limbs and glowing orange leaves stood in the center; underneath the cover of the tree were a trio of picnic tables with some finger foods of dubious quality on display underneath some magical netting.
If she hadn't spent so much time in the bath then she could have at least stopped by the kitchens to get some real food to eat! Why was the sliced roast beef purple, and why did the crackers look like they had insect chitin in them!
Chysis resolved to not even bother eating anything; she was no longer peckish.
Instead, she looked for their 'host' and saw him towering above everyone else by a few heads, his clothes were rustic but he at least had taste. The suit wouldn't have looked out of place in Great Britain in the 19th century, and he wore it well enough. His wild black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, "Ah, finally, the last of my guests have arrived. Welcome, House Gremory, to my humble estate."
Spoiler: Amos Abaddon, if he were smol and weak
[img: https/external-content./iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fpm1.%2F6135%2F4107044fc585e6d8e9d19d1c432dbbd18c6409a2_hq.jpg =1 =1 =a6fa9be18a1a84fca83e8298f697ef570831be99f435f73b075d6f86425c256a =images]
She looked over to see the rest of the Heads and Ladies of the Four Way Alliance with their immediate family standing cloistered around someone that Chysis couldn't see, but she did spot her grandson, Sirzechs, standing next to his friend, Lord Beelzebub, and of course Lady Leviathan was impossible to miss given her cute little outfit. Lady Grayfia stood next to her Husband and King with a heavily pregnant belly, and Chysis felt her face light up.
She was going to have a great grandbaby on the way!?
Oh, she was going to have to pull her granddaughter-in-law off to the side to get all of the juicy details, like how many times he came inside the night she got pregnant, where they were doing it, what position they were in during the last shot.
She giggled to herself.
She ran a quick simulation.
[-the door to Sirzech's office was closed and locked. Business hours were over, so they shouldn't be disturbed. Grayfia had her dress hiked up to reveal her pert bottom, and she was bent over the desk while Sirzech pounded away at her derriere from behind-]
Considering those two hadn't changed since they got married she was highly confident that was the case. Yet it didn't hurt to gather new information; her simulations weren't as accurate as her ancestor's, after all.
More information meant better models, and she was certain her cute granddaughter-in-law would be more than happy to spill!
Chysis made the appropriate noises and gave Amos Abaddon a pleasant smile as her Zeo introduced their party to the devil; her eyes in the meanwhile looked around and finally caught site of the two daughters of the Agares and Sitri families, and she instantly thought they were cute! Not as cute as her Rias, but certainly five stars!
The Phenex family were all there, and she could feel the strength of Ruval Phenex, that boy had grown quite a bit since she last was in his presence, and he had a woman on his arm. Regenald Phenex too was accompanied by a woman. Hmm… considering how close they were holding them were they their fiances? She filed that question away to ask Marcus Phenex and his darling wife, Elise, later. Oh! Was that Ravel? Also five stars!
Still, where was the one boy that she got out of bed to see?
Ah, there he was.
Spoiler: Teen Riser
[img: http/img1.wikia._cb20141014165931/typemoon/images/5/54/SaberProtofragments.png]
He came around the side of the building wearing a crisp suit, though the jacket was draped over his left arm while his right arm was currently looped in the arm of a pretty little blonde wearing what could only be considered a 'battle dress'; Chysis still had hers from the Civil War in one of her closets somewhere. If the boy had been from any other family she would have lamented seeing him fight in such good clothes, but as a Phenex his clothes were a part of his person, and as such they too regenerated when damaged.
"Ah! There he is!" Rias gasped, and Chysis turned her head to see her granddaughter start with Grandmother Runeas' buffoonery, the little girl wiggling like a worm on the camel's back while her arms waved about, "Hiiiii Riser-oniiiiii-sssaaaaammmmmaaaaaa~!!"
Damnit, Grandmother, stop looking so smug!
To be fair, Riser did stop, his jaw dropped. Though Chysis could tell it was in consternation and not abject desire.
He recovered quickly, however, coughing into his fist and striding forward with purpose in his step while the woman on his arm hid a small smile behind her hand, "I see that Lady Runeas is… teaching you the fine art of camel riding."
Seriously, Grandmother, stop puffing your chest out- he's being facetious!
"Yes!" Rias continued to wave her arms about while smiling brilliantly, "Don't I look all alluring and super cute!?"
Riser let a mandala form in front of his eye as he snapped a few seconds of magical footage, a poorly concealed smirk on his lips as he nodded, "Oh yes, you certainly do, Rias-chan."
The boy unlooped his arm with the girl's and he stepped forward, his arm rising up to gently clasp onto Rias' hand, where she happily bent over so that he could kiss the backs of her knuckles; the child blushing brilliantly as she straightened herself back up.
Riser gestured between Rias and the blonde girl, "Kuisha Abaddon, please meet my Lady Fiance, the future Heiress of House Gremory, Rias Gremory. Rias-chan, this is Kuisha Abaddon, the woman I will be dueling today to see who of us will claim victory… and the other as their Queen."
To Chysis' surprise, the Abaddon girl gave Rias a small curtsy, though it was obviously unpracticed, "It is a pleasure to meet the Wife-to-be of my future Queen."
Well, at least she had some moxy. Chysis could respect that.
Idly she felt out and measured the girl's strength, and she added the information to the mental models she was currently building.
[Name: Kuisha Abaddon.
Age: 18.
Height: 1.65 meters.
Weight: 59 kilograms.
Status: Pureblood Devil.
House: Abaddon. Blood Trait: Hole.
Proficiency: Unknown.
Strength: High-Class, Lower-Middle Bracket; Lesser than Self.
Endurance: Very High; est.
Disposition: Relaxed; confident.
Threat Rating: Minimal.
Proposed Course of Combat Action: Probe, Taunt, Erase.]
Riser held out a hand toward the camel, "This is the Progenitor Devil of House Gremory, Lady Runeas Gremory… and her pet camel… Muhammed?"
Grandmother Runeas clapped her hands and placed her hands on her hips, her nose pointed to the sky, "Yes! I am Runeas Gremory! You may prostrate yourself before me!"
"Apologies, Lady Runeas," The boy gave her a small but forced smile, "However, I am not going to do that."
Runeas Gremory's head snapped down quick as a flash and she arched an eyebrow, "Hooooo? You won't, will you?"
A mirage of demonic power enveloped the Phenex boy, and other than a small bead of sweat and a tightness in his eyes… he didn't budge.
A pin-point application of her Honored Ancestor's power focused entirely on him alone?
"I will… give you all of the accolades and respect that is becoming of your station, Lady Runeas, nhm, but… you don't have the strength to make me kneel," He grunted, his smile still on his face.
Chysis saw her ancestor smile like a cat who caught the canary, "It seems as though I'm going to have to update my models again…"
Then she wrapped her arms around Rias and began hugging her, "Ooooohhhh Rias! You are so lucky! I'm so happy that I decided to pair the two of you up!"
"Of course! Riser-nii-sama is the best! Only fitting that he be my husband!"
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sirzechs leaning against Lord Beelzebub, a hand against his heart while Serafall flapped a napkin in front of his face; the Asmodeus boy merely looked at the proceedings with a keen, interested eye.
Riser Phenex wiped the bead of sweat away with his thumb now that the tiny confrontation had come to pass, and he looked to Chysis, "And unfortunately, my Lady, I don't believe we've been introduced before."
Chysis liked the way his cerulean blue eyes swept over her body, the young man looking, appreciating, and then moving on to look her in the eyes; a respectable young noble boy.
She took a step forward, exaggerating her posture a little bit as she held out her hand, "Hiya. I'm Chysis Gremory; Rias' Grandmother. Pleased to meet my little girl's husband-to-be."
His demonic power was tightly controlled, and she needed some physical contact if she was to gauge him; the application of demonic pressure was hardly a true test of his strength, as far as she knew her ancestor could have simply been going easy on his so as not to explode his heart.
The boy blinked as he looked her over again before he recovered and took her hand.
"As in Lord Zeoticus Gremory's-"
[Name: Riser Phenex.
Age: 13; Error, appropriate age est at 35.
Height: 1.75 meters.
Weight: 79 kilograms.
Status: Pureblood Devil.
House: Phenex. Blood Trait: Phenex Fire/Hell Fire/Wind; Barbatos Tongue of Beasts/Prophecy.
Proficiency: Exceptionally Skilled; source- Runeas Gremory.
Strength: High-Class, Near-Ultimate bracket; Far Greater than Self.
Endurance: Exceptionally High.
Disposition: Relaxed; confused.
Threat Rating: Highly Dangerous.
Proposed Course of Combat Action: Delay- Highly Inadvisable; Flee/Survive.]
Chysis felt her breath catch in her throat as her Path to Victory almost stuttered over the flood of information that came in.
The moment their demonic powers touched… it felt as though she were standing before her newborn grandson for the first time all over again.
Contrary to popular belief, Sirzechs had not been born Ultimate-Class right out of the womb.
He had just been so close to Ultimate-Class that the average devil wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
Riser Phenex was close. Very close. 80% of the way there. No, 75%. No, a little higher- if she had more time she could get a better read.
"-mother?"
"Yeah, I'm Zeo's momma," Chysis gave him a sly grin, "You can call me 'Momma' too if you like; you're gonna be marrying into the family, after all, to my little Rias no less."
He gave her a small, disbelieving smile as he lowered his lips to her knuckles-
[Anomalous Foreign Energy; calculating… ]
A warmth flowed into her hand, sliding up her arm, and seemingly spreading throughout her body-
[Anomalous Energy- Purpose: Mapping form, gauging strength, fitness. Possibility: Senjutsu; Very High. Adjusting parameters; Threat Rating Upgrade- 'Exceptionally Dangerous']
-all over her body, her breasts immediately grew sensitive, her womb clenched, her womanhood began to perspire; even her damn nipples started to grow stiff.
She managed to stop herself from biting her lip as the energy she was feeling looped back through to her hand and back to him.
His eyes widened slightly and she could see his cheeks start to color as he let go of her fingers gently and straightened himself up.
He was strong, but he didn't have the self-control to remain disaffected.
[Parameters adjusting… new model updated.]
"Well it is certainly a pleasure to meet you, Lady Gremory; I'm always glad to meet more my dear Rias' family."
"Oh yeah, a pleasure. Definitely," She smirked a little bit as she cocked out a hip and placed her hand on it, her eyes moving over to the Abaddon girl, "Oh, and, uh, good luck with the duel, yeah? Fight hard and all that."
The girl blinked, a touched shocked, but she gave Chysis a small smile as she nodded, "I don't think I'll need luck; I've trained every day for the past three years, so I think I'll do just fine. I'm pretty strong."
Chysis stepped back.
The poor girl had no idea.
How could she be blind to his strength when she spent so much time latched onto him?
As his Queen, she should be far more sensitive to the strength of others… though in her defense she was surrounded by only Low-Class trash.
She would learn under Riser Phenex's wings, of that Chysis was certain.
Now, she needed to needle little Zeo a touch to find out why the boy felt like he was much older than his supposed age…
Chysis Gremory adjusted herself on the cushions of the long couch that Zeoticus had brought with them from the estate.
They were all seated underneath the funny-looking tree, and in front of them were a handful of floating magic television orbs that Lord Beelzebub's personal team had set up for their viewing pleasure. The 'playing field' for this duel had been rather large at twenty-five square kilometers, roughly fifty kilometers away from where they were currently sitting; a powerful Ratings Game barrier had been set up to keep the nasties out, and a medical team stood by in a mobile field hospital tent at the base of the hill.
Not that such a thing was needed, as Marcus Phenex had already pledged a vial of Phenex Tears should Kuisha Abaddon require it.
Chysis leaned into her son's side while Venelana took his other side, with Rias on her momma's lap, and Runeas seated on her camel's back.
With the anti-eavesdropping wards set up courtesy of her progenitor, Chysis was more than happy to pump her son and daughter-in-law for information.
The Alliance Temporal Training Complex.
The boy's training in martial arts, specifically Touki and Senjutsu.
The boy's already impressive Peerage.
[Path… updating… ]
It certainly explained his age now- the boy spent twenty-five years training, whereas the Abaddon girl only got three.
It would have been unfortunate if this was supposed to be a true sporting contest where they agreed not to cheat, but as a devil, it was a time-honored tradition to cheat as much as one could get away with. There was nothing in their agreement that stipulated that they had to have an equal amount of time to prepare, and from the way Lord Beelzebub was apparently studying Riser Phenex, it wasn't likely that he was going to push forth any stipulations to the Ratings Games Committee either.
She pushed Little Zeo to have an exact replica of her room made over there- that way she could sleep as much as she wanted and would never have to miss anything exciting! Upon hearing this grand idea, Grandma Runeas too ordered a vault for herself to be built, though Chysis wondered why she hadn't already done that given she knew about the ATTC's existence far before she did.
"Shhhhhhhhh!" Rias bounced up and down in her momma's lap, "They're about to start!"
Riser Phenex bantered back and forth with Kuisha Abaddon for a few more moments until he settled into a relaxed martial arts stance-
[-and the moment the buzzer started he blitzed forward, his fist punching straight through the girl's skull, sending bits of brain matter, skull fragments, and viscera flying-]
Chysis frowned as she halted the simulation and forced the parameters to adjust manually; she already learned that Riser's disposition was far from murderous. He had excellent control; he wouldn't do more than bloody her nose, at least not in the opening strike.
Humiliating her was not his goal. He sought to test. To showcase, not himself, but her.
[Parameters updated… Path adjusted… ]
The countdown reached 'Zero' and Riser moved backward away from Kuisha Abaddon's first strike, and this time his speed more or less matching what her new path projected.
Chysis Gremory smirked a touch as she let her eyes relax and took everything she saw in, her eyes glowing softly as she ran predictions, watched the action unfold, and adjusted her models.
How exciting.
[Kuisha Abaddon]
"Now before the contest can begin," Ajuka Beelzebub's voice was smoother than Venom Calf teat-milk butter, but his expression was as cold as ice, "We must see the item being wagered."
The Super-Devil waved his hand and a magical grid floated in front of him, with fifty squares arranged in five rows of ten: A, B, C, D, and E, with numbers of 1-10.
All but five of them were dimmed, while five glowed a soft white.
"Riser Phenex, choose one of these numbers; they correspond to the Evil Piece sets that have not been allocated from this Lot."
Kuisha's future Queen studied the numbers intently, "Is there anything special about these?"
The Satan of Knowledge shook his head, "No. These were carved from a lot, shaped into a set, and then sealed away; just like with every other Evil Piece set. You are merely being allowed to pick from the leftovers of this lot as your coming of age was later than usual. Other than there being a possibility that one of these sets could contain a Mutation Piece there is nothing remarkable about them."
A-7, B-6, C-2, D-4, and E-3.
Those were the only ones remaining.
Riser rubbed his chin before he turned his eyes toward Kuisha, and he smirked a touch, "Kuisha. Why don't you pick? This could be your set, after all."
She felt her cheeks flush slightly at the courtesy, and she thought about taking a few more moments of her time to ruminate… but the crystal clarity with which the powerful devil staring at her made her tongue loose, "E… E-3, if you would please, Lord Beelzebub."
Gosh, the man wasn't being mean to her, he just had a very scary stare!
He nodded with a hum, and he snapped his fingers before a large metal container appeared to his left- one that mirrored the grid array perfectly- and he tapped his finger onto the metal door that had 'E-3' etched into its surface. It opened smoothly with a 'click' and he pulled out the lacquered wooden box before closing it and banishing the large container back to wherever it came from, "The lady has chosen set E-3. Let its number be stricken from the list."
The letter and number on the magic grid became dull at his words.
He floated the set onto the picnic table, the latch keeping it shut opening up, and Kuisha felt her palms sweat as she saw the Evil Pieces inside:
They were smooth and beautifully crafted, almost greyish-white in color… yet there was an undeniable reddish-brown crystal sheen to them.
Spoiler: Usual Evil Pieces
[img: https/external-content./iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.wikia.%2Fhighschooldxd%2Fimages%2Fe%2Fe2%2FRias_holding_a_Bishop_Evil_Piece.jpg%2Frevision%2Flatest%3Fcb%3D20130321021512 =1 =1 =d7190c635b1d56093f2d3d222896b7535baefb1f9e70d9ea9cecb1d4d4639532 =images]
Yet two of them were far different than the others- they glowed with undeniable power; one Bishop and one Pawn were scarlet red in appearance, a soft glow pulsating in time like a beating heart.
Spoiler: Mutation Piece
[img: https/external-content./iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fimg2.wikia.%2F_cb20130916155636%2Fhighschooldxd%2Fimages%2F9%2F9a%2FCrimson_Bishop_Mutation_Piece.jpg =1 =1 =464a35ecba40f79f7d9ab80d5def05ccd1d57a94b02efdc5377c8b5fb59a9e9b =images]
"Interesting…" The Satan of Knowledge seemed to make a note on a notebook in his hand before it disappeared, "You have made a fine choice then, Kuisha Abaddon. A single Mutation Piece is a one in ten chance, but for a set to have two Mutation Pieces? Quite a bit rarer."
"I have to admit that this was much better than I hoped… I mean, I would have been fine either way, but… heh," She heard Riser Phenex let out an audible sigh, though he turned his head to her and smirked, "It seems you're my lucky girl."
Truly, she wished her heart hadn't fluttered so much when he said that.
[Playing Field]
Spoiler: Appropriate Fight Music
"So… this is it then," Kuisha watched as Riser stood across from her, a broad smile on his lips as he bounced with nervous energy, "The end of the first short journey."
The blonde took a deep breath as she flexed and wiggled her fingers, "Yes. It's been a long, hard road for the both of us it seems. So shall we see where the end of it goes? Victory or defeat?"
The young devil looked at her as he stopped bouncing on the balls of his feet, and he looked down at his wrists before looking back at her. His leather-gloved fingers slid over the bracelets she'd seen occasionally over the past ten days and he started to pull them off; the gold and green polished stone unclasping and reclasping as he let them dangle from his fingers. He bent over, pulling off another pair from his ankles, and when he righted he reached up and loosened up his tie, his fingers dexterously popping the top button undone to reveal another like band around the base of his neck.
"A collar?" She felt her cheeks flush as she watched him pull it off, "You know you could have kept it on… the color was rather fetching on you."
Kuisha blamed the handful of novellas she found in the library for her reaction.
He blinked before he chuckled, "Oh, no, these… were training restraints. They held back my demonic power and challenged me; there were very few days over these past years when I wasn't wearing them. You'll get a set once you join my Peerage, and just as you say they are quite beautiful, no? Yet they're not mere baubles, Kuisha Abaddon; they're one of the many paths to power that will be open to you once you're my Queen."
The Abaddon felt her eyebrows furrow as she felt out but there was no such spike of power that she could feel, "You don't… feel any different."
"That's simply because you lack the training, which is something we'll work on," The teen threw her an infuriatingly consoling look, something that made her chest flare with indignation; she did not need to be pitied!
"Or perhaps it isn't as useful as you claim," Kuisha let her demonic power unfurl slowly, the wind starting to whip around her as dust and loose stones clattered around her.
"Power is meaningless without control," Riser Phenex countered easily, "When you reach my level of strength you need to be incredibly precise, lest you destroy that which you don't want destroyed; the world can be rather fragile if you're not careful. Some days I feel like I'm living in a world made of parchment paper, but it's because of that I've learned to modulate myself to the point where I can easily match even the weakest members of my Peerage without fear of harming them without the restraints holding me back."
Kuisha felt her heart thunder as she listened to his words, her amusement and giddiness at their approaching duel immediately fading and being replaced with a simmering anger, "And what would I have to do to see the depths of your almighty power, Riser Phenex ?"
He looked at her firmly for a moment before a blustering sigh escaped his lips, "Shit. This is not what I wanted, but it looks like no matter what I do or say now I'll just piss you off; ten days of good times blown up in an instant. Fine. Well, if this is going to happen then I'll just be frank: If you want to see what I'm truly capable of here, then you're going to have to work some really amazing magic because you and I are nowhere near the same level."
Her simmering anger immediately boiled over into rage , and the air crackled around her as she settled into a familiar stance, "Then I will just have to beat it out of you. Make no mistake, I will rip your heart out of your chest, Riser Phenex."
"Good, I'd expect nothing less," He bent his knees a touch lower, "Out of all of the women in my retinue… I chose you to be my Queen. Show me your might. Show me that I didn't choose wrong ."
"Riser Phenex vs. Kuisha Abaddon: Match… START!"
Spoiler: Proper Anime Explosions lol
Kuisha shot forward, her fist smacking into his open palm.
The ground cratered underneath the force of the strike, the force having transferred completely through his body, but he didn't appear to be phased in the slightest- stone and debris floating through the air past his face as the overpressure evacuated the air around them.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and she growled, pulling her arm back and lashing out with her leg, the woman using her wings to increase the speed of her body's rotation. Much like her punch, however, it was blocked by his forearm- the tip of her boot almost kissing the side of his temple as the ground cratered on his right foot.
Kuisha flared her demonic power, shifting it through her wings to spin herself low, another kick lashing out toward his legs, yet that seemed to have little effect as the top of her foot impacted against his knee- his body not budging in the slightest.
"I think I've got your measure if this is the hardest you can hit."
Her demonic power skyrocketed in response, and she roared, her fists and feet flying at the younger teen with wild, sweeping strikes. However, unlike before, she actually got him to move, the boy backpedaling, his arms and legs moving to block or deflect her strikes. The impacts from each impact vibrated the air, kicking up all sorts of dust into the air, but no matter how close she got to landing something, his eyes were frustratingly focused, his cerulean orbs watching her intently while his body seemed to move on its own.
"This isn't martial arts," He muttered, his voice carrying right into her ears thanks to the spell they both consented to so that they wouldn't have to shout at each other in the din of the battle, "It isn't a fighting style. Yet you've got something pretty effective here, Kuisha. Adapted to applying the most amount of force as possible with each strike; you're used to fighting monsters- inhuman opponents, and it shows. Don't be surprised if I ask you to teach this to the other girls- just as you're lacking experience with human-sized targets, we're definitely not used to fighting monsters like you."
Kuisha felt her gorge rise as he talked to her while she was trying to punch his face in- the gall!
"Take me seriously!" She roared, her reddish-black demonic power suffusing her fist and lashing out, but instead of blocking he nimbly dodged out of the way with a sideways hop; her fist met the base of a stone spire, and her punch buried her fist into it up to her elbow.
The power exploded violently outward, shearing outward in a crescent that sent the tall tower of stone toppling down.
He watched the tower fall with a slightly amused expression on his face, "Had you caught me with that three years ago I might have been in trouble."
"You-!"
She didn't get a chance to engage him, as he swept an arm out, and within one blink and the next, almost two-dozen mandalas spread out in front of him.
Spells immediately shot out toward her, and she drew on her blood trait, Hole, and an equal number of dark sphere appeared in front of her to begin absorbing the spells; she felt them enter into the sweeping, all-encompassing gravity of her Holes, and she began rotating them around the crushing center.
However, the mandalas did not disappear the moment the spells had fired- no, they kept cycling! Charging, firing, and then charging again- lances of fire, spears of water, arrows of ice, razor-sharp shards of stone, and all other manners of effects were shot toward her seemingly without end.
A blur at the edge of her eyesight caught her attention, and she looked to see Riser Phenex almost a hundred meters away- he was fast!
To cross that distance in such a short amount of time was- !
Another array of mandalas formed in front of him, and he was off once more!
She flexed her powers, forming another set of Holes to meet the new onslaught, but it was highly unfortunate that this was the limit of her current abilities, and she needed to free up more space.
His form constituted itself, this time behind her, and rather than allowing him to set up more spells the woman deposited four Holes around him, the blood trait disgorging their captive payloads.
The monsters had just been circling around for weeks now, and they would be appropriately ravenous.
"Oh? You can't only trap and redirect spells? Interesting."
The boy began to dismantle the monsters she fobbed off on him with ruthless efficiency. Gouts of Phenex Fire, Hell Fire, and magic spells lashed out at the High-Class threat monsters. Snapping Dragon Turtles were flash-boiled in their shells as he somersaulted over them, Sword-Stags were run through with spears of ice, and Spitting Raptors were vaporized with flashes of lightning.
He was taking his sweet time with it, and while Kuisha was more than happy to soak up the incoming spell-fire for her to use at a moment of her choosing, why wasn't it stopping!?
When the last of the monsters she'd unleashed were dispatched, he snapped his fingers, and more spell formulas blossomed in front of him- her position was now untenable.
She spread her wings and sprung away, the woman's Holes winking out and returning to her reservoir as she quickly interposed a quartet of black orbs in front of her to intercept the new incoming bevy of spells that shot out toward her retreating form. The boy and his mandalas turned to follow her as she weaved around his position, dust, smoke, and stone choking the air as near-misses chunked the spires she used for cover.
Kuisha swept low, her body searing past the ground beneath her- if she reached out her hand she could had touched it.
Yet, she was in her element. The Blasted Lands were her terrain; she'd been flying these skies and humping the ground since she was a child.
She slipped into a cut, her elevation now below his, and she felt her pulse pound as she used the low approach to slip in under his sight; her wings were half-folded to allow her to squeak in as close to the ground as possible, the young woman using her power and control to help her avoid giving away her position.
Once she reached the very end of the track, she popped up and flung out her arms toward Riser; he'd been looking in the wrong direction, and she had him!
Spoiler: The Proper Gilgamesh Surround 2:25
Almost four dozen Holes appeared all around him, and they immediately unleashed their stolen payload all at once.
Light filled her vision as lightning, fire, ice, and water all converged on a single point and detonated.
The explosion was spectacular.
So spectacular that Kuisha had to climb high into the sky so that the concussive force that struck her didn't send her slamming into a pillar; instead of being pasted against unforgiving stone, she was forced to endure a bout of dizzying nausea as she was flipped end over end.
Kuisha flared her power, immediately correcting her trajectory- her wings flaring wide to halt her momentum.
An immense cloud of dust obscured her sight of the impact area, however, she keenly remembered her father's stories from the war; unless she heard a retirement announcement from the Satan of Knowledge she would cede the initiative while gawking like a fool.
She'd hit him. Hard. She needed to do so until he couldn't heal anymore.
"Haaaaaaahhhhh~!" Kuisha held her hands out in front of her and put the full thirty-six threads of her control into six 6-sigil Explosive Magic spells and powered them up as far as she could safely take them.
They glowed ominously before six black and red spheres formed before steaking down toward the center of the cloud in a hexagonal formation.
The resulting explosions carried the initial cloud away, and she caught sight of him standing in the middle of the initial crater before smoke and debris clouded her sight once more.
It was only for a split second. A single moment.
Yet… he… had appeared fine?
His blue eyes gazed up at her impassively, his clothes seemingly undisturbed as a cloak of golden light surrounded his form.
The six simultaneous shockwaves had just passed her by, the overpressure buffeting her body and dress; her ears rang, but she could hear his voice clear as day.
"Alright. 36 threads simultaneously? That's pretty impressive. Do you have anything else, though? Something special, maybe? A trump card you've been saving?"
The cloud obscuring her sight was swept away by a massive upswell of superheated air, and Riser Phenex stood with a hand in his pocket; the black fabric of his suit fluttering softly as Phenex Flames swirled around him. He was at the bottom of the massive crater, six smaller craters evenly spaced around him.
The teen seemingly undaunted by the destruction around him
She wanted to believe it was impossible.
Such a devastating combination of spells would have vaporized her outright. Even her father would have been laid low unless he escaped into one of his Holes and managed to teleport to safety… even then, however, the assault had been too sudden. Too violent. The best he could have done was surround himself with Holes and hope that they could have absorbed the brunt of the damage.
"I do have something," She spoke out voluntarily for the first time since their duel started, "I hope you're as durable as you appear. This will be… unpleasant."
She held out her hand and reached into her soul to grab the one Hole that she'd sequestered away in her deepest parts; the one that required the most amount of her attention to keep its contents contained.
Her throat was parched. Sweat slid down her face and evaporated before it even had the chance to drip.
Above her, the unrelenting sun of the Light-side of the Underworld glared down at her with all of the hatred and fury that it could muster.
Its existence was an anathema to her.
She was a creature of the dark.
She spent her whole life in shadow, on a side of the world where the rays of the sun never once graced her sight.
Kuisha could feel her strength rapidly leave her with every step she made. Every exercise was made all the more difficult as the natural constitution of her devil body was sapped away under the unforgiving, harsh sun that slowly danced in looping circles above her.
For a whole year, she endured this hellish landscape, a desert far more despicable to her nature than even the Blasted Lands she called home. She ate, drank, exhausted herself, and then rested in the darkest cave she could find… and yet despite the intensity she never once let the Hole that floated near her side waver.
The dark sphere drank in the luminous rays without end.
Kuisha shielded her eyes with her hand as she directed the Hole containing a year's worth of collected sunlight down, and the whole desert beneath her was illuminated as though the sun appeared below her.
The temperature immediately rose up more than a few degrees as the shrubs of the Blasted Lands shriveled up and caught fire- the light something they weren't prepared to handle.
"Hoooooo shit, you're right. This is very unpleasant."
Why?
Why did he make it sound as though the light was merely inconveniencing him?
This was the same light that drained her of her strength and stamina every second that it touched her flesh. It would have killed her, snuffed her out like a candle if she stayed in it for too long.
Yet…
Yet… !
"Don't… mock… me!" She rasped out, her demonic power skyrocketing.
Higher and higher it rose, and Kuisha focused all of her efforts onto her single crowning achievement.
The Hole to end all Holes.
The fruits of a year of labor.
The Holes within her that still contained captured spells immediately consumed them to fuel her, and she pushed out every last Hole- thirty-two of them flickering to life around her. With her arms outstretched she began to squeeze her hands into fists, and one by one… one Hole consumed the one next to it. Then the next one consumed the next one.
With each Hole consumed the surviving Hole grew heavier.
Darker.
Thirty-two became sixteen.
Sixteen became eight.
Eight became four.
Then four became two.
Her arms strained as she held the last two Holes up above her head, her very being screaming in exertion as she clasped her hands- the last two became one .
Static filled the air, lightning crackling around her, but the plasma by-products of the magic didn't escape the pull of her final card.
"Darkness Star."
Kuisha let out a shakey breath as the supermassive black Hole she created became self-sustaining on all of the mana it was pulling in from the environment.
The devil let the Hole that had been pouring out Light onto the Phenex boy return to her soul.
His form smoked lightly, but she didn't care.
She wanted him to see.
Rocks. Stone. Creatures that had been trapped inside of the magical barrier. It didn't matter. It was all pulled inside her Hole.
Stone spires groaned as their bases were shattered, and lifted up off of the ground before being carried high up into the air and sucked inside. The stone was ground down to dust, compacted, and more and more was pulled in- huge furrows forming as the very ground around Riser was yanked from the surface of the Blasted Lands.
Soon the Hole reached its capacity, the interior volume able to contain no more, but that didn't stop its pull, and the stone began to layer and clump on the surface. Each pebble and mote of dust added up until everything that it could pull had been pulled into its grasp.
The sheer size of the sphere above her blocked out her sight of the sky completely, and she couldn't stop the immense thrill of vindication as his voice filled her ears.
Spoiler: Dark Star
[img: https/external-content./iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.%2Foriginals%2F29%2Fe7%2F73%2F29e77313f658566df4a669a029170656.jpg =1 =1 =db8a8f0f39e0281acdb550dfd2fa4e1776e2bcbc5637bfb1b13776dfe1ddc25a =images]
"You… have my attention."
"And you have my affections," She huffed, an exhilarated laugh on her lips, "From Kuisha, with love~."
With a flex, the sphere began to descend, and she let a laugh bubble from her lips as she skimmed past the surface- the displaced winds whipping around her as the air helped speed her escape along.
The moment she crested the furthest edge of the meteor she had created, the young woman looked back to see the boy vanish.
Wait. She didn't want to kill him! What had she been thinking!?
A panicked gasp left her lips, but her worries had been for naught as she felt the demonic power of the boy spike.
Higher and higher, it streaked, slipping past her greatest peak and continuing further on- higher still!
She could have sworn she heard him screaming from where she was.
The descent of the meteor had been halted slightly, almost pausing in the air, and-
Kuisha felt the breath leave her body as her very soul shrieked in agony .
The Supermassive Hole that she created was shattered like glass.
The Abaddon was barely able to stay aloft as the back of the meteor bulged, grew bright, and then a beam of power streaked through the back of it.
Her eyes burned as the rainbow-colored bar seared across her vision and impacted the barrier around them… which held for a few seconds before the protections unraveled and the barrier disappeared.
Kuisha watched in disbelief, her arms wrapped around her core, her body shivering as Riser Phenex flew up through the hole he bore through her greatest triumph.
The distance between them was crossed rapidly, and he halted in front of her- just out of arm's reach.
The only consolation she had was that he looked out of breath, his mouth open as a few errant beads of sweat trickled down his brow, ignoring his flaming aura and dripping onto the black vest hugging his torso.
"Thank you. I haven't had a reason to use that spell before…"
Something snapped within her breast, and she took every last shred of anger, spite, and anguish and poured it into her fist.
One Hole reformed from the shredded remains of many, and she lashed out.
His hand caught her wrist easily, but that didn't matter because the Hole attached to her knuckle expanded, eating a great portion of his torso.
It felt like she had been trying to cleave through steel with her fingers, but she did manage it… for all of the good it did.
His chest was already healing, flames obscuring the wound until they faded away to reveal unmarred flesh and clothes.
She knew that there was no way she could contest this fight any further… especially since with the barrier gone, so too were the spells that would protect her.
The best that she could do at that moment was rotate her wrist and open up her palm.
"You have… won… Riser," Her entire body was wracked with agony as her blood trait writhed within her soul, but she managed to at least grab the last shred that she needed, "But at least I was able to… follow up on my promise…"
The Hole dropped his heart into her hand.
She had expected to see something from him, but the small smile wasn't what she wanted right then.
"Well, you have it now. Do take good care of it, it might be tough but the heart is always a fragile thing."
"What… are you saying?" She blurted out, disbelief warring with pain on her features, and a handful of laughs bubbled up to her lips unbidden, "I… huhuuu, haahaa, can't tell which pain is worse right now… huuhahahahah~."
"Hold on, I'm not done yet. The cringe isn't finished."
An empty vial appeared between his fingers, and the heart, the meaty muscle held in her palm, turned to fire and ash, which swirled around and around until it formed a tight little ball smaller than a marble.
It levitated above her hand, and he held the vial out before slipping it inside, and he put the stopper in place with his thumb and forefinger.
"We'll need to get a better container for this, maybe a nice gold chain, but it should do for the most part," His fingers gently grasped it and he pulled her close before slipping it between her breasts, "Keep this close with you from now on, alright, Kuisha? As the Queen you're going to be the very heart of my Peerage…"
Her wings gave out on her, and she hung limp from his grasp, "You… I thought you were just hiding the fact that you were a massive prick from me this whole time. A nice facade to lure me in so that I wouldn't…"
The boy's strong hands pulled her up, and he cradled her in his arms like a princess.
She blinked rapidly as she raised her head to look at him, a hand coming up to cup his cheek gently as a weak smile pulled at her lips, "You're just… a giant fucking goofball , aren't you?"
"H-hey now… there's no need for that…" His face pulled into a grimace, and she knew that she scored the most damaging blow in the entire duel, "I thought it was pretty sweet."
Despite the loss hanging heavy over her head, Kuisha Abaddon let her head lean against his chest, "Keep telling yourself that, Romeo."
"Seriously? I thought it was pretty clever," He groused lightly as he oriented them back toward the Abaddon lands and started flying at a leisurely pace.
The vial of flames and ash between her breasts felt warm, and deep within the safety of her mind, she did think it was pretty cute.
As the winds blew through her hair the young woman couldn't help but feel that even with the loss… maybe she still won?
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, A. Daw, Gorth 123, Quinten M., Dirk Gent L., Penguin Quality Tester, and holy cow THANKS to InsanexSilence for being Patrons!
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A/N: Alright. The Long awaited Duel between Kuisha Abaddon.
I struggled to try and come up with a way to make the fight interesting while showcasing her abilities, but the huge magic duels I initially envisioned fell by the wayside the more I created and explored the Abaddon family, their nature as an Exiled Extra Demon House, and what that meant for them in terms of resources. Everything that she would have would be incredibly limited as they were stripped of everything by the New Satan Faction when they were exiled; only what they managed to hide away was available to them. So everything they did have was passed down from each generation, so the number of spells she would actually know are fairly limited; she had more but using them in a duel would have been a waste of energy and effort, so she used her strongest spells when she acutually used her own spells.
Using her Holes also requires stamina, so she couldn't use them for forver; circulating the hundreds of spells she stole from Riser (who using Human magic didn't spend a drop of his own mana) still would have worn her down if she held onto them unduly. That and she can only create a set number of Holes, and she has to maintain them if they have something inside of them, so we saw her free up her holes by disgorging the monsters she captured within them. Using her holes for teleportation is mentally intensive even if its as natural as breathing, and it requires that she have two Holes of the same type linked- those being movement Holes- so that she can move between them.
After the initial clash, where he gauged her strength and hand to hand ability, he notes that she is used to fighting monsters before moving on to see what else she is capable of doing.
Her ultimate technique was pretty good though, I think.
So it was a relatively short fight, but it showcased what she was able to do with her limited time and scant (read: none) resources. She grew pretty powerful in her three years, even managing to find her own version of the Dungeon by living in the light side of the planet. Had she twenty-five years like Riser she would have been pretty strong, able to do what she did very well. Alas, Riser had time, money, education, resources, and training restraints (the power of money) on his side, and thus he was exceptionally more powerful than her.
She did draw Balefire out of him, however, the more powerful version of it. Since it burns so hot it literally burns mana, once it reached her Supermassive Hole in the center of the meteor it shattered it, causing her a great deal of pain. It was also powerful enough to no-sell the impromptu temp barrier, and it's more than likely that Ajuka would ask he not whip it out for low-level Rating Games; the ones with the Greats in it, however, would be more than enough to withstand it… at it's current level. That and think about all of the data Ajuka got out of it.
In terms of the Evil Pieces, they really did draw randomly from a Lot of already created Evil Pieces. However, they were drawn from a Lot provided to Ajuka directly from Henry Agares- from their 'top shelf' personal stock… so the quality was much higher than usual. Thus the two mutation pieces. I rolled five different sets, with 1-3 Mutation Pieces in each set,
(Set 1: 2 Pieces: 2 Pawns)
(Set 2: 2 Pieces: 1 Pawn, 1 Bishop)
(Set 3: 3 Pieces: 2 Pawns, 1 Knight)
(Set 4: 1 Piece: Queen)
(Set 5: 1 Piece: Rook).
Kuisha rolled a 2 on a six-sided dice, drawing Set 2. So not the best she could have gotten for Riser, but still better than set 4 and 5. A mutation Queen would have been a waste on her as she is now, and a mutation Rook even more useless… but at least he would have had the opportunity to grab someone pretty powerful early.
So this changes some things narratively that I had set down the line, but I'll recover. lol Besides, Riser knows that pieces can mutate, so he'll be experiementing with them regardless.
Edit: Corrected two things- fixed the end of the Chysis portion to match up with the start of the Kuisha vs Riser fight, and also fixed it so that when Kuisha speaks to Riser after he no-sells the attacks she speaks 'voluntarily' for the first time; i.e, not in anger.
Edit 2: Added a cool picture of Kuisha's technique for flavor.
Interlude - Ravel Phenex/Kuisha Abaddon/Yubelluna Kurst
[Gremory Estates]
[Ravel Phoenix]
[Shortly After the Duel Between Riser Phenex and Kuisha Abaddon]
Standing in the middle of her very big bed, clad in one of her Sirzech-nii-sama's stretched-out t-shirts, Rias Gremory crossed her arms over her chest, "I, Rias Gremory, the future wife of our most beloved and awesomest Nii-sama, hereby do declare that the Monthly meeting of the Four Sister's Alliance officially started!"
Rias pumped her fist into the air before she scratched at the back of her head and gave Ravel a sheepish smile, "But for the first order of business… I need Ravel-chan to beat 'Serious Prince 3: The Most Serious Edition' for me and get the 'Perfect True End Plus'. If I don't have the memory card and the proof photo in the mail by the end of the week I won't be entered into the drawing to win that studio visit!"
Ravel rolled her eyes as she slipped off of the bed with the other three little sisters following along quickly behind her as they made their way to the large television in the corner of the room that had a lot of cushions and stuffed animals lying about.
'Serious Prince 3: The Most Serious Edition' was the compendium of all three games in the Serious Prince series of otome games made by the co-owned Human/Devil studio 'LucyFall Software'. They were a small video game company but they worked exclusively on products for the devil consumer markets, though they were looking to branch into the Japanese markets next year due to the more permissive nature of the secular people; America and Europe just weren't ready for a game where the main protagonist was a woman looking to secure her small kingdom's future by attempting to capture cute and handsome young princes.
The game in question had just released last week, and there was a contest to have a complete clear of all three games- meaning that all puzzles were solved with an 'S-Rank Clear', all of the RPG battles were fought without losing a party member or using a Phoenix Down, all Political/Economic Crisis Points for the Heroines nations were handled 'Perfectly', all Collectibles found, all Secret Items found, and all of the Capture Targets were brought under the Heroine in the 'Super Perfect Harem' ending.
This also included the Super Secret Onii-sama/Onee-sama Routes which were different versions of Big Brother and Big Sister depending on the Heroine of the game- all of whom were modeled after and voiced by Lord Lucifer and Lady Serafall.
The three games had to be completed in less than 100 hours with 10 or fewer saves.
Ravel had, at Rias' request, gone through the whole game in the ATTC with Sona and Seekvaira assisting her, and they went through it with a fine-toothed comb to find every single thing needed. They formulated the perfect plans, only bothering Riser-nii-sama a few times to get some input on the most efficient way to balance the Heroine's training, education, and Date time.
He was surprisingly a font of useful information on the topics at hand, but that was just what Ravel had come to expect of her Nii-sama; he was always exceptional.
Regardless, after weeks of hard work, all of this was boiled down into a two-hundred-page thick strategy guide that they all put together in preparation for the Perfect Run.
Rias booted up her brand new S*ny Playstation-D, having gotten a new one out of the box since she didn't want to chance anything happening with her older one during the run, placed the first of four game discs in, slipped in the brand new memory card that she decorated with kitty-faces in black and red sharpie, and booted it up.
"Strategy Guide!" Rias pointed at Sona, who adjusted her glasses and raised the papers.
"Check!"
"Player!" Red hair swung as she pointed to Ravel.
She raised the controller, one of the cute purple see-thru ones, "Check."
"Sugary sodas and junk-foody snacks!"
A trolley was pushed over, laden with the requested goods.
" Check, as you would say, Lady Rias," Gellie was one of the Gremory Maids, "Though your Lady Mother expects you to have a healthy appetite this evening for dinner, so do not indulge too much."
"Alright…" Ravel felt her lips quirk up as her friend pouted, though that didn't last for too long as she was once again smiling, "Anndddd last but not least, the Moral Support Section!"
Rias jumped onto a giant bean bag chair next to Seekvaira and hugged her, rubbing her cheek against the other girl's cutely, "Double-check!"
The Gremory Heiress nudged Seekvaira and the blonde blushed as she began speaking in Japanese, "G-game, check! Support guide, check! Snacks and drinks, check! Support Squad, check! A-all systems nominal: Game Start!"
Ravel selected 'New Game' and hit 'Start'.
If there was one thing Ravel really liked about the series it was the puzzle games.
They were bright, colorful, very cute, and they ranged from being easy enough to do in your sleep to very challenging and requiring effort. She also liked them because they were somewhat slow enough that they could have conversations that they usually had during their monthly meetings- though considering what they were doing their schedules had been shuffled around just a bit since the games essentially had to be played in one sitting.
Rias only had a week to get the memory card in the mail, and while she could have asked her Sirzechs-onii-sama to put her on the tour list anyway, she wanted to earn it herself. Which she did by fobbing off a lot of the work onto her friends, not that the rest of them minded; they all had their personal endeavors that they routinely tasked each other to help with, after all.
Seekvaira had her mineral and crystal collections that she liked to show off in her capital city's museum, and the three helped her clean up the rocks and ores she found to make them presentable. Sona had her family's expansive library that she enlisted the other girls to help her reorganize according to Lord Beelzebub's updated Dewey Decimal System. Ravel had her slowly growing garden of various hot peppers and painful plants that she had them help with cultivating, and of course, Rias had her expanding collections of anime, video games, manga, and comic books.
"So, what was your favorite thing about Nii-sama's fight with Kuisha-chan?" Rias asked conversationally as she sipped at her Coke and flipped through the next few pages of their strategy guide; she was on Collectable duty for the next two hours, and there were three in the section after the current puzzle. If they didn't get the first time around then they'd have to reload to a previous save- the one they made six hours ago.
Ravel let out a soft sigh of relief as she saw the 'Puzzle Perfect!' screen flash, the rewards in EXP and Gold Coins being deposited onto her Character Screen.
Now it was just mindless dialogue, two Classroom Instruction mini-games, and the three Collectables before they reached their next checkpoint and she could finally save.
Ravel's fingers moved on autopilot as she paid attention- listening to the other little sisters gush over her Nii-sama always made her feel happy.
Sona decided to go first since she wasn't currently doing anything, and a small illusion sprung up from her hand that showed a clip of Riser-nii-sama loosening up his tie, undoing his top button, and reaching out with a gloved hand to touch the restraint collar around his neck. Particularly it was zoomed in just a touch too far on his neck and the collar.
The black-haired Sitri girl stared at the image with a perturbed look on her face, "I do not know why, but the sight of Riser-nii-sama with a collar around his neck is something that I like very much. I asked my mother why that was… and she patted me on the cheek and told me that 'I was truly her daughter'. Serafall-onee-sama wasn't very helpful either, and now she wears a collar on her neck with a tag that says 'Property of Sona Sitri'. It irks me… but those feelings too remain a mystery to me."
Seekvaira pushed her glasses up, curiosity in her voice, "Maybe it's because you only want Riser-nii-sama to wear a collar for you?"
Sona blinked, considered her sister's words, and then entered her 'thinking pose', a thumb up to her lower lip.
For her part, Seekvaira let an illusion spring up from her hand, one that showed Riser-nii-sama smiling warmly as he introduced his new Queen to the Four-Sisters Alliance as a collective.
Rias pouted, "That's not from the battle!"
"Wha-wha-wha!? Y-yes, it's not from the battle," The blonde Agares devil toyed with her hair as she looked at the image with a fond smile on her lips, "I just really liked how happy and relieved Nii-sama was after the battle. You could tell he was very tense before, but once it was all done it was like a great burden had been lifted off of his shoulders and he could finally relax again. A-and seeing Nii-sama happy makes my tummy feel all tickly."
The Gremory Heiress gave Seekvaira an unimpressed look before she flopped onto her bean bag chair, the plastic covering squeaking.
She lay there in a heap for a few moments before she nodded, "Yeah, I guess you're right, Seek-chan. Nii-sama was very tense. He barely had any time to play with us when we visited him in the ATTC! I thought that place was supposed to mean more time for us and not less! Anyway, Ravel-chan~! Your turn!"
Ravel rolled her eyes before she spooled up an illusion, making sure to envision it carefully in her mind- right down to the smallest detail, just as Riser-nii-sama instructed- and let it float over her hand, "I really liked it when Nii-sama put his heart into the vial and then gave it to Kuisha to hold onto."
Seekvaira's hands came up and covered her face, "If Nii-sama did that for me my head would have b-blown up!"
"If one discounted the amount of unimaginable pain that Riser-nii-sama endured to make that… admittedly very sweet and romantic thing happen, then I would agree," Sona picked up a Cheeto Puff and chomped on it daintily.
Ravel chewed on her lower lip, mulling her thoughts over before she decided that now would be the best time to get this out in the open before the more thought-intensive sections came along, "And speaking of Nii-sama and hearts… I'm going to ask Momma and Papa if I can marry Nii-sama too."
"Ookay~," Rias chirped from the bag, a bright smile on her lips as her deep blue eyes twinkled.
"That is acceptable," Sona adjusted her glasses, "We are the Four-Sister Alliance, after all. We would cease to be that if Ravel-chan didn't marry Riser-nii-sama too."
"Wait, but wouldn't Ravel-chan have to challenge Rias-chan like we did?" Seekvaira asked, and the other two shook their heads, "Why not?"
"Sister Privilege."
"Sibling Privilege."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
Rias rolled over onto her back and began kicking her feet into the air one at a time, "Well, it matters because if we were going to marry Sirzechs-onii-sama-"
"Or Serafall-onee-chan."
"-Or Serafall-onee-sama, then only two of us would have to fight for the right because the Little Sister automatically gets dibs. Onii-sama said that was the case, and it's devil law. Or something."
"Yes, Serafall-onee-chan said that it's definitely law. 'Little Sister-Older Sibling Marriage Law' Article II, Section III, Page four, Paragraph five, line six." The Sitri Heiress easily rattled it off, "Though I have yet to find it anywhere in the libraries, Onee-chan says it's real, and she wouldn't lie to me of all devils."
Ravel could see Seekvaira consider their words with a queer look, "That sounds a little suspicious, but I guess that's okay. If two Maou say it then it must be true. So, that means Ravel-chan gets automatic marriage rights from Riser-nii-sama?"
Rias nodded, "Yup! Just like I'd get the same if we all suddenly decided to try and marriage Sirzechs-nii-sama."
Ravel paid attention to the screen as she navigated around some NPCs so that she could successfully sneak into the Academy Library to copy some spells she would need to defeat the next section's boss battle. There was a Cash Shop scheme that LucyFall Software was running where if you called in and paid real money you could get codes to get special items, but Ravel didn't need those to beat the game.
She was very good.
"I still have to ask Momma and Papa for permission though. I could very well likely be considered for marriage outside of the family, and at least by making my intentions known I can avoid causing problems," Ravel spoke out now that the spells were safely in her PC's possession.
The other three Heiresses winced as their bottoms likely flared up in phantom pain from the spankings they got when they hatched their 'Super Smart Plan to Marry Nii-sama' without telling their parents.
Ravel herself had avoided that reckoning by not being party to their crimes, nor was she aware of them… thus her bottom was spared.
However, if she declared her intention to marry Nii-sama without telling her parents then who knows what sort of insane punishment she might have to endure!
Sure, she liked to experience different and novel forms of pain, from neurotoxins in stinging nettles to frostbite, but with her regeneration such pains were ephemeral and fleeting. A bottom paddling from her Momma that would make a Phenex remember would likely be world-ending in proportions!
She would only like it if it was Nii-sama spanking her, though he'd be sad and disappointed in her if he was ever the one to handle such a punishment… and that would lessen her enjoyment of it considerably.
Not all of it, but enough.
"Okay, so Ravel-chan marrying Nii-sama too? All in favor?"
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Aye!"
"The 'Aye's have it, and Ravel-chan is free to marry Riser-nii-sama!" Rias grinned brilliantly before it dimmed, "If she gets permission from Aunite Elise and Uncle Marcus that is."
"Though, back to our earlier discussion!" Rias hopped onto her feet and displayed her own illusion, "My favorite part of the fight was when Kuisha-chan made that giant rock, and Nii-sama went all Son Gohan! He even did the Super Saiyan 2 transformation pose, with sparks of electricity around him, and he did a rainbow Kamewamewa and blew a big hole in it! 'Rrrrraaaggggggggghhhhhhhhh!'"
Sona pushed her glasses up her nose, "Well, actually, Rias-chan, it was Kuisha-chan's Hole trait that made the giant rock… and Nii-sama's spell is called 'Balefire'. It is not a Kamewamewa… even if it is a plasma beam like it."
"A-and the Super Saiyan 2 transformation was far more reminiscent of Prince Vegato's temporary transformation in the 'Super Danger!? Legendary Super Saiyan Boiled Roly Movie!'; it was more green, and I think that was because he was channeling more Hell Fire with his aura than Phenex Fire," Seekvaira added as she fiddled with her own glasses.
Rias blinked at the two before throwing herself at the closest sister, which happened to be Seekvaira, the red-head pinching the blonde's cheeks, "How do you know more Drag So Ball lore than me, Robo Head!? Shounen is my genre! Stay in your lane!"
[Phenex Estates]
"I don't have a problem with it," Grammy Big Sis Fenny lounged on a large couch, a cushion clutched to her chest as she used her teeth to pull a large grape off of a stem, "Though I would have some conditions… that is if my dear Marcus and his wife don't have any qualms either."
Ravel felt her palms sweat as she felt fear for the first time while standing in front of her Honored Ancestor.
She had always been open, sweet, and approachable since Riser-nii-sama brought her out of the Dungeon, and it was nice to have her Grandma also be a fellow sister. However, she disliked being 'little' like Ravel and the other girls after a while, and she aged herself up to her late teenage years; that too was fine, as she liked to spoil Ravel, and Ravel liked being spoiled by Big Sis Fen-chan.
Though the moment Ravel said that she wanted to discuss 'Family Business' her whole demeanor shifted to something predatory and bird-like. Gone was her kind and sweet Onee-sama, and in her place was the Immortal Phoenix.
Ravel looked over to her Papa and Momma.
Papa cleared his throat, "While we aren't exactly in a 'bad place' regarding our bloodline, we're certainly no Dantalion family…"
"The other Houses would be most displeased if we cut off an opportunity for you to marry into one of their Houses," Momma interlaced her fingers as she stared at Ravel intently, "We were always going to let you choose, Ravel, especially since Ruval and Regenald found themselves two brides; the Phenex family line is assured through them, and with Riser's Branch House… dare I say that this is the best state our family has been since before the Great War."
"Indeed," Granny Phoenix's verdant eyes seemed to glow with power as she looked Ravel over, "It is because of our great fortune that we could even think of allowing such an arrangement. We have an Heir and a Spare, we have an extraordinarily fruitful alliance with significant political power at our fingertips, with one an Ultimate-Class and a second well on his way to becoming Ultimate-Class soon enough. If we allowed it there would be little anyone could say or do to complain."
Marcus nodded as he crossed his arms and gave Ravel a firm look, "The question comes down to this, my dear daughter: Are you doing this merely because you wish to stay with your friends? I hear from the Maids that you've taken to calling yourselves the 'Four-Sisters Alliance'…"
Ravel took a deep breath as she straightened out her back, "No, Papa. This isn't about the Four-Sisters Alliance, even if I do like the thought of us staying together forever… it's because I love Riser-onii-sama. He's kind. He's sweet. He pampers me. He steadies me with a firm hand when I need punishment. He teaches me. He trains me. He puts up with my selfish requests with a smile on his face, a-and when he hugs me and tells me he loves me all of my cares and worries fall away."
Her fingers scrunched up the front of her dress as she fidgeted, "I know that you've had me go on play dates with Sairaorg Bael to see if we would be compatible. I… I mean Sairaorg is a nice boy, and I think that he would be a f-fine husband, but he's not Nii-sama. He's very bitter and angry, even when Nii-sama comes to check up on his progress. I think that Sairaorg could feel better in time, but if I married him then I wouldn't be with Nii-sama anymore."
The girl felt her chest grow warm as the thoughts of her Nii-sama holding her close swelled within her, but just as quickly as they had come, they fled, "And when I think about loving anyone else other than Riser-nii-sama my heart grows cold. I don't want that. I don't want to live in a world where Riser-nii-sama isn't there to tell me he loves me."
Her vision grew all gold and blurry for a moment, and she raised a hand up to wipe them away-
Her hand was immediately halted by Grammy Fen-chan before she could wipe the golden tears away.
It was rather scary how fast she was- Ravel didn't even see her move!
Her Phoenix grandma held out three vials of golden liquid to Ravel's Papa, "I'm convinced."
Papa and Momma looked at the three vials with no small looks of surprise, and Grammy Fen-chan deposited them into Papa's open hand.
Her parents looked at each other before they looked down at the vials and then at Ravel. Then back to Grandma Phoenix.
"What were those conditions you wanted, Grandmother Phoenix?" Momma held up a hand to her chin, "I had one of my own that I was thinking about…"
Ravel felt her heart swell, the excitement almost coming through the top of her head!
She perked up, popping up on her toes, "What conditions!?"
Veridian eyes glowed as the Immortal Phoenix took her seat back on the couch, the cushion once more in her arms, "I really only have two conditions, one is to make sure that you give birth to strong offspring for me. The second, however, will be much more challenging."
She leaned forward, "There will be a lot of outcries from the wretched and pathetic once you make your pronouncement to the world, so it will be up to you, Ravel, to silence any dissent. I want my cute children to follow their dreams, no matter what they may be… and if marrying your Riser-nii-sama and having his babies is your dream then I will support it. However, you need to become strong enough to handle yourself. Ultimate-Class at the very least."
"That was just what I was going to say," Momma nodded her head, "I only want the very best for my dear Riser and you, Ravel, and if that means each other then that's for the best. However, you will need to be strong, Ravel. If you can be as strong as Ruval then there will be nothing anyone could say against it; strength rules in the Underworld."
Papa held the three vials up to his eyes consideringly before they vanished into his magic pocket, and he smiled warmly, "You have all of the tools you need, dear daughter. You have the Phenex family and our resources. You have the ATTC and its staff. You also have your brothers to rely on as well, but make no mistake, this is a challenge that will require you to put in the work."
Her father got up out of the seat and kneeled down in front of her, his large, strong, comforting hands resting on her shoulders, "So chase your dreams, Little Phoenix. Give it your all. It will be hard, but if you feel like giving up I implore you to not do so… draw comfort and strength from us so you can face the next day head-on. I don't want to see you walk down a path toward a broken dream…"
Ravel blinked rapidly as tears formed in her eyes again, those these weren't golden, and she nodded, "Mhmm!"
Her Papa enfolded her into a big hug, and she felt her Momma join in.
However, Ravel didn't allow herself to enjoy it too much before she pulled away.
She needed to go to the ATTC right away and find Michiko-onee-san! She'd know all of Riser-nii-sama's training plans, and if there was anyone whom she should emulate then it was him!
He was the strongest Big Brother she knew, after all.
While she walked to the teleportation array on the top floor of the mansion, with her Personal Maid Ramila hot on her heels, she couldn't stop the giggle from spilling over her lips.
Regen-nii-sama better start training for real, or he'll be left behind!
[Kuisha Abaddon]
It had been six months since Kuisha Abaddon had lost her duel with Riser Phenex and became his Queen.
Well, six months in the real world.
They had spent half of that time in the Blasted Lands helping get more aid for the Abaddon lands moved in, with more buildings and structures set up on her King's dime. The initial $10 Million had just been to get his foot in the door, and in the years since their wager his ability to spend money had grown exponentially with his businesses in the Human realm… and he was not stingy with it.
He spent thrice that amount on more necessities before bringing in specialists to build some luxury amenities, including commercial teleportation arrays that linked the Abaddon lands to the four largest cities in the Four-Way Alliance, a quartet of luxury large hot springs for the citizens of her realm to enjoy, as well as an entertainment complex that had a small shopping mall and something called a 'Movie Theater' that showed 'Feature Films'.
Truth be told the motion pictures had been her favorite part of it all.
While the hot clean waters of the springs had been invigorating, the marvel that was "Star Wars" had truly captured her imagination.
To think that humans could make such things without illusions and magic!
However, not all of it was for fun.
The Abaddon lands were near a number of valuable ore deposits, and while they had been bartering with the other Extra Demon Houses they too had their own deposits, so it was determined that selling to the Four-Way Alliance in return for material goods or services would be far more beneficial for the realm.
Kuisha had sat in on those meetings with her Father and the various heads of the departments who supported him.
To say that they had been tense would have been an understatement.
Some of the devils had been adamant that doing such a thing would be 'bending the knee' to the devils who threw away Lucifer's dream of destroying Heaven.
That they would be spitting on the sacrifices of their ancestors who died fighting against the soft-hearted weakness of the New Satans.
Her father listened to their complaints with the even keel that she always expected of him, and he immediately rebutted with the truth.
The Abaddon was the strongest of the Extra Demons only because the other Houses had been less fortunate than them when the lands were first settled. Their lands were less poisoned, their fields more fertile, and they had more powerful devils at the beginning than the others had.
However, the coldest truth was that their way of life was not sustainable.
Not without outside assistance.
Of the possible powers the Abaddon family could entreat with, the Four-Way Alliance was the best that they had- with her as Riser's Queen… the chances of them being cheated or mistreated were far lower.
Riser proved them wrong by continuing to invest in them even after the duel was completed and showed the naysayers there was a lasting commitment from at least one powerful and influential devil. One that spent time among the people, working with the builders, serving with the guard, and didn't once treat any devil any differently than they themselves would have.
Kuisha had been rather proud to see her King there among her people with the sleeves of his immaculate suit rolled up.
It made her feel valued. It made her feel wanted. It made her feel that Riser truly wanted her on his side, not as a trophy piece to be paraded about or a broodmare… but as a woman who had her responsibilities.
She would still have to return to her home every once in a while to help her father and her people, and Riser was more than accommodating of this request.
It was amazing to think that within four months her home went from looking like some 'backwater town in the American Mid-West in the 18th century' to approaching a modern American city with nicer homes and buildings, electricity, plentiful clean water, and modern devil appliances.
Once more Riser had been proven correct- Devil builders were absolute wizards and the greatest superpower in the world was most indeed 'Money'.
Those few months had been some of the happiest in her life.
There had been so much progress. So many smiles. So much laughter. So much hope that it made her heart swell to bursting and her cheeks hurt every time she found herself alone.
That her King was a powerful, handsome, and kind young man who was a treat to have on her arm made it all the more better.
Her people once looked at Riser Phenex with derision and suspicion, even if there was more than a glimmer of wary respect on account of his strength. He had handily defeated her, and she was the strongest the Abaddon Lands had produced since Bedeze Abaddon left almost four centuries ago.
However, in just a short amount of time, she was starting to see them look at him the same way they looked at her father.
That her people looked at her King in such a fashion set her heart fluttering.
However, her fluttering heart stuttered when they left the Abaddon Lands and returned to the Phenex Estates with their initial construction plans completed.
It was now time for her 'training'.
Which just so happened to take place inside of a little operation that Riser Phenex made her sign a geas scroll before she even learned the name of it: the "Alliance Temporal Training Center".
Once the magic bindings had settled into her flesh and she could no longer even think of divulging the information to anyone else who hadn't signed the same magic documents… it was then she learned the true secret behind Riser's meteoric rise in strength.
He had thirty days to train for every one of hers.
And yet despite that massive advantage, he still had time to go out and play Noble, attending fancy dinner parties, gallivanting off to the Mortal world to recruit for his Peerage, building up businesses to make money and further support him in his endeavors.
While she spent every waking moment training.
Hunting monsters.
Recovering in bed from harsh sessions with her father.
Sweating out her soul and hating her own existence every day under the Light Side of the world's Lucifer Forsaken sun …
He ate the finest of foods. Learned his studies in leisure. Soaked in hot springs. Slept until he felt he was rested. C-cavorted with his future Peerage members- p-plundering their bottoms and s-squeezing their breasts for his own delight!
He had twenty-five years of training compared to her three.
Needless to say… she had been wroth with anger.
However, she did not vent her frustrations out on the workers there, or destroy her surroundings in her righteous fury… she simply didn't speak to him.
For a whole month.
A whole month which she had because she had thirty days to fume to every one outside!
Halfway through she had come to terms with it, and even confided in Michiko, his Head of House for his branch family, that she would have done nothing different had their situations been reversed. She knew that such powerful tools like the ATTC were meant to be used for one's own advantage, and even thinking about not utilizing it for something as ephemeral as honor or sportsmanship was the height of foolishness.
Especially with something so precious and important as an Evil Piece set… and a Queen on the table.
Had House Abaddon been in House Phenex's position, with her desiring to pick up an out-in-the-boonies pureblood boy of exceptional talent… then she would have ensured that there was no way she could lose.
If anything, she felt that Riser had been far too generous.
Though she could see his angle- his pride.
He wanted to win on his own merits. With his own strength.
Yes, he had tutors, but he found those tutors himself. He went out into the mortal realm and got the resources he needed on his own. He ventured into the den of a Dragon and bade her to make his training equipment; even if he paid for it handsomely, that doesn't change the fact that he entreated with a Dragon not as a supplicant, but as an equal.
Xuelan Feng, Riser's Rook and her new sister, had been more than happy to regale her of all of their travels into the Misty Peaks Cultivation Society, with her own Queen, a 1200-year-old immortal human, and the powerful Spirit Beasts adding in their own stories as well.
It didn't lessen the sting in her heart all that much, but what it did do was put all of Riser Phenex's hard work into perspective.
Yes, he hadn't ate monster meat cooked over a spit while recovering from agonizing sunburn… but instead, his every waking moment was governed by training restraints. He pushed himself physically to his very limits before engaging his mind while his body recovered, and unlike the rest of his Peers, he did not place his blood trait on a pedestal to be lauded and extolled at the expense of his other skills. Kuisha, with her limited resources, had no other choice but to hone her blood trait, but Riser instead sought to learn all sorts of new things to cover his bases and build up a versatile foundation.
Human magic was weaker and more complex than devil magic, but it didn't cost him any energy to cast; he used that to great effect against her, and she would be learning everything he knew about it as well.
Senjutsu was something she'd never even heard of before, but learning about its benefits made her come to desire seeking mastery in it as well; even if devils were long-lived, having more life force and greater control over what she did have would only be a boon. Being able to utilize it as a powerful weapon, and to accurately sense surrounding presences was also something she wanted.
Touki was a part of Senjutsu, and having seen the effects first hand in her fight… and after in smaller demonstrations made…
Well, it made her see that Riser hadn't done all of this for himself.
He did it all so that his Peerage, so that she, could be the best that she could be.
He knew that her resources were limited, so during the interim between the moment the challenge was issued to the moment the duel ended… he worked hard to give her a foundation so there would be something waiting for her when everything was said and done.
Riser Phenex was building up his Peerage rather than simply putting it together like some child's Build-A-Bloc set.
It was humbling.
Yet that still didn't mean she was going to just outright apologize for blowing up, at least not until the full 30 days had elapsed.
Her King had to know that she had her principles, and when she said that she was going to do something she meant it.
He had been… confused, like most men were when it came to women, but he came to understand her position and reasoning, and he accepted it.
However, once her temper-tantrum very reasonable desire to not speak to him had passed, he quickly put her through her paces.
He had tutors for her, along with his own Peerage members, in the mornings after physical conditioning. He had Sabrine teaching her the fine arts of human magic in the afternoon. The evening had her learning a modified martial arts style directly from Riser himself, one that he wanted her to modify in turn… because he liked the way she used her Hole to rip out his heart… and he wanted her to incorporate that into her fighting more.
Speaking of the heart, it now rested in a golden vial, encased in silver, with a platinum chain. To commemorate their battle, and to be the true mark of her as his Queen.
She did not spend every night looking at it like some lovesick child.
Even if it was always warm… and radiated Riser's comforting presence.
Still, she was educated. She was trained. She got to enjoy the luxuries of the ATTC. She got to bathe in the hot spring… even if she didn't just get naked like all of the other women there.
Even after having known them for four years, she wasn't quite prepared for that level of skinship.
Kuroka was the worst offender of the lot, but she was stronger than Kuisha, and because of that she had to put up with some grabass until she was strong enough to kick her to the curb. However, she had a feeling that by the time such a thing came to pass she would be far more welcoming to the amorous cat.
During her time in the ATTC, she worked with her fellow Peerage members that her King had reincarnated.
Kuisha was the Queen of his Peerage.
He made sure that she knew in no uncertain terms what her duties were.
She was not a display piece or a trophy.
She was the very embodiment of his will. His primary instrument when handling things in his absence; her word within the Peerage was law, however, he reminded her that he has trained his Pieces to always speak up. Seeing as she was the Junior in this Peerage, despite her place, he cautioned her to at least listen and consider what they had to say; they knew him far better than she did at this point, and they had a wealth of experience to draw from.
Not that he needed to worry in that regard. Kuisha was born in the Blasted Lands, raised in that hellish landscape, and she learned very early on that the advice of those experts who still lived was something she would be foolish to discard.
Isabela and Xuelan were the Rooks of his Peerage.
They were his close-quarters combat experts, and he truly meant that.
They certainly deserved the title.
Watching the two of them spar was an eye-opening experience. The sheer skill, fortitude, and raw power they had on display without Touki was astounding; she would have given up a lot just to have a single one of them among the number in the Abaddon lands. When they activated their Touki and took it to the next level? She had been floored- she could barely keep track of them as they raced around the small fighting arena, their blows little more than colored blurs as their fists and feet sent winds howling.
They had been Low-Class Rooks just three years ago, on the outside, and he turned them into a pair of monsters that would have soundly defeated her with their physical capabilities alone.
Kuroka was a Nekoshu, a special species of Nekomata that had an affinity for Senjutsu that on any other being would be considered prodigal. On top of that, she was so strong as a Yokai that she required Riser to use his Mutated Bishop Piece on her in order to reincarnate her. He, who was almost Ultimate-Class in strength, needed to use a Piece worth six Pawns to claim her for himself.
Her talents lay in Senjutsu and Youjutsu, a form of Yokai-specific Mystic arts, though she hadn't quite managed to figure out Touki until halfway through Kuisha's second year inside of the ATTC.
It took her eight years to activate her Touki, something that took Riser twelve years himself to get, and that seemed to have been a sore spot for the Bishop and something that the rest of the Peerage delighted in poking; apparently, she had been rather proud of her heritage and Senjutsu abilities when she first arrived… and made some boasts that ruffled the feathers of her fellow prospective Peerage members.
"I'm sorry, nya~. That was a lot harder than I thought it'd be… but mark my words, once I get my Shirone-chan training then
she'll
be the one to do it in five years! Especially now that her Nee-sama already knows all of the tricks!"
Sabrine Serphent was recently reincarnated, utilizing the Mutated Pawn Piece that was in the set. She had initially been too strong for him to reincarnate, so she spent most of her time teaching or researching while Riser himself pushed to grow strong enough to reincarnate her with that Mutated Piece.
The woman had been a Half-Devil with a predilection for magic, and the woman knew her craft inside and out. Kuisha found that she had much to learn, and Sabrine Serphent had much to teach. That she was far more skilled and stronger in hand-to-hand combat had been a bit of an eye-opener as well.
She 'got her shit rocked by the helpless mage' as Riser put it, the man quipping as he pulled her half-conscious form to her feet and dragged her over to the Sitri healers to get looked over.
And hadn't that been a surprise too!? He was twice her age!
Really, the only bright spot on that revelation was that she no longer felt bad when her heart fluttered or she felt appropriately wooed by him because she now knew that he wasn't a little boy with the countenance of a man.
He was a man . In all of the ways that mattered.
She tried not to blush thinking about his strong, calloused hands, or the big, masculine cock that swung from his waist when he walked into the bathhouse.
Regardless, Sabrine currently handled the magical education of the Peerage, though that would change here soon with the induction of a woman named Yubelluna Kurst into their family; she was a human Magician who would be finishing up her schooling soon and would be coming to the Underworld.
Kuisha had a book that she wrote just for her, one that would hopefully help her get acclimated to her new home. Within its pages contained everything that the woman would need to know, from scheduling to quirks and eccentricities of her fellow Peerage members. Everything that Kuisha herself learned that she wished she knew right out of the starting gate… Yubelluna would learn. Then once she felt comfortable enough the two would work together to make a new book for the next new member of the family.
Ni and Li Hibana were the only other two members of the Peerage, each having been Reincarnated with a single Pawn. Their mother was slated to join, but like Sabrine, she was too strong to be claimed with only a single piece.
They had the benefit of growing up in this environment, they knew the Peerage inside and out, and they also had a complete education as well as their… secretive training as Maids.
Apparently, the Nobles of the Underworld treated Maids and Butlers as if they were their own secret society, with rituals and things that were known to them and them alone.
No matter how Kuisha asked, the twins had evaded her questions with aplomb.
Eventually, Kuisha gave up, but that only happened when she was pulled off to the side by Lady Clarissa, Lord Phenex's Queen and Head Maid, and very politely told to stop trying to stick her nose into the Business of Maids.
As if that little discussion hadn't been enough… she received a signed and sealed letter from Lady Grayfia herself, acting as the Chief Maid of the Underworld, that also politely informed her of the numerous tragedies that could befall her… or her King… if she kept trying to stick her nose in.
In truth, the chat with Clarissa had been enough, as even though she was weaker than Kuisha, the woman had a way with words that evoked certain responses in her. The letter from the Strongest Maid and Strongest Queen had made her shiver in her bed with the pillow pulled over her head.
The Maids here were scary!
She hoped that out of all of the things the Underworld would export to the Abaddon territories that Maidom and Butlery wouldn't be among them… if she had to fear for her life (more than she already had as a little girl) with her Nan-nan… she wouldn't know what to do.
It took her almost a whole year to not leap out of her bed every time a Maid came in to clean her room while she was home.
'Knock-knock'.
Speaking of Maids…
"Lady Kuisha, it is time to get up. You have a train to catch, and Lord Riser is already up and about; the rest of the Peerage will be notified shortly."
"Thank you, Lirianne, I am awake and will be downstairs soon."
Despite being terrifying, they were very great.
Lirianne was Riser's personal maid, the one he relied on most inside of the ATTC while Michiko was out working in the Phenex Estate; the woman biding her time until her Lord could reincarnate her. She was more than happy to help Kuisha get adjusted to life inside of the ATTC, and she even did nice little things like waking her up before the rest of the Peerage so that she could be seen setting the example by always being up first behind their King.
Kuisha sighed as she rolled out of bed and onto her feet, a quick beautification spell unraveling the rat's nest her hair had become while she slept. She yawned slightly as she padded naked to the attached bathroom, and the devil from the Blasted Lands relished in the unlimited, very clean hot water in the shower; though it was over too soon as the ten-minute timer she set for herself rang and she stepped out from under the heavenly spray so that she could finish getting ready.
Seeing as this was a Business occasion, after doing her hair and applying some light makeup, she reached into her closet to grab one of the very nice and customed tailored suits that Riser had provided her with.
Spoiler: Kuisha Rocking Her Suit
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While her King liked black, red, and grey, with the occasional navy, Kuisha very much liked the black on black, and after giving herself a once over in the mirror she thought that she 'rocked the look' as her King would say.
She fiddled with her silver cuff links and tie before checking her hair one last time, and then she was out of the door- her room locking up magically behind her.
Her leather shoes barely made a sound as she made her way downstairs to the dining room, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling broadly as she saw her King seated in his own suit- charcoal grey with a navy vest and red tie- with a coffee cup in one hand and a newspaper from Lilith in the other.
"Good morning, my Queen," He smirked at her with those devilish blue eyes from behind the rim of his mug, and Kuisha found it difficult to not feel her lady parts turn to mush.
It had been four years since he started greeting her like that, every morning they saw each other, and in four years it had never once failed to make her belly quiver like a pail full of Skall-toothed Eels.
" My King, good morning to you as well," She felt no small thrill of satisfaction seeing the fire and desire dance behind his eyes as she sashayed into her seat, her voice smokey; it was something Sabrine taught her, to be more womanly to get Riser's attention.
It worked like a charm too.
While she might not feel ready to join the Peerage fully in their… nightly activities with Riser… that didn't mean she wanted to be ignored.
Of course, they called it 'Training', with Senjutsu, but it was called 'Bouchujutsu - The Bedroom Method' for crying out loud! No normal training would have them leave the room shivering messes after spending hours moaning and crying out in delight! She knew what sex was! People had sex out in the Blasted Lands too!
Speaking of that, "I trust you aren't too tired? I was informed that Ni, Li, and their Mother were on the docket for Senjutsu training last night."
Riser huffed and placed his mug down, "I keep telling you- Dual Cultivation is a thing. Bouchujutsu is a legitimate art. You're training your ki, aligning your chakra gates, and with the help of Wen and the Fearsome Four we've been working on exercising our meridians as well."
"As you say…" Kuisha fought down the smirk that threatened to give her away, the woman instead sliding a poached egg onto a slice of buttered toast.
"Come on, Kuisha, you should know me by now. I'm all about training. Everything I do is training," He showed off the sparkling restraint around his wrist, "And Bouchujutsu is training too. It just feels really good for the receiving party. It's the most enjoyable training you can do. Though three in one night is… definitely pushing my limits; it feels like my soul is aching."
"Ah, so it's one of those 'The body is willing, but the soul is weak' sorts of situations?" She asked conversationally, "Shouldn't it be the other way around? I've heard that men have all sorts of stamina issues when it comes to handling many women, but I would have thought that you of all men wouldn't have such problems."
A sniff caught her attention, and she looked over to see her fellow Queen, Wen Wang, seated at her usual chair with a cup of tea in her hands, "If you have questions as to the virility of our Lord… then come by my room when we return. This Wen Wang will be more than happy to regale her Junior Sister-Queen with many tales."
Kuisha felt her humor falter, "A-ah… no, that will not be necessary."
The 'Xian-xia Girls' were a rather peculiar sort, with strange concepts of what honor was with terms like 'Face' being bandied about. While they were learning to speak like normal devils under Xuelan's tutelage in private there was a flurry of speech revolving around 'Courting Death' and 'Being too blind to see Mount Tai'.
Kuisha found that engaging with them more than she had to often left her questioning her sanity.
"That was not a suggestion, Junior Sister," Her fellow Queen sipped at her cup, "Hopefully this learning experience will illuminate you as to the prowess of our powerful and humble Young Master; while he may not feel the need to defend himself, we will defend him in his stead. It is our duty, one we will carry gladly."
Kuisha looked to her King, who gave her a soft, consoling smile, "I'm certain that Kuisha will find the tales riveting. Though if you would, please focus on disabusing her of the notion that Dual-Cultivation is merely… sex with extra steps. I'd like to start learning the ins and outs of her chakra gates and meridians so that we can start developing a plan for her sooner rather than later. In two years we will begin competing in the Ratings Games, and I want us all to be ready to smash our way up to the Top 100 as quickly as possible."
"Of course, this humble Wen Wang will be delighted to see to it that the Young Miss is properly educated in these matters," The Chinese Queen smiled beautifully, "However, she would be remiss in informing you that Tiger broke her leg last night; she was engaging in a late-night tussle with Boar and checked a kick improperly."
Riser's cutlery touched the plate, his concern evident, "Is it bad?"
Wen shook her head, "No My Lord, a mere fracture. She will be healed in a week as the Sitri healers have informed me. Though if you bump up her Dual-Cultivation session to the day after tomorrow in my and Lady Xuelan's place, then she can be back to training the next day."
Kuisha's King nodded slowly, "Consult with your King and then give me an answer on whether or not you wish to give up your time slot with me. Tiger has been pushing herself rather hard as of late, so perhaps some time in bed with her books might do her some good."
"Yes, Lord Riser. This Wen Wang will ensure your word is done!" Kuisha's fellow Queen stood up and left the dining room, her plate completely clean.
"W-will…" Kuisha sipped at her water and cleared her throat, "Will they not be joining us on the journey to Earth?"
Riser gave her a wry smile as he shook his head, "No. They are not… ready yet to interact with polite society. They are certainly learning, but if my spot checks are anything to go by they still need more time."
The Abaddon woman blinked as a realization dawned on her, "Is that why you walk by them while they're training and shout out 'You Dare!' or 'Your Cultivation is weak!'?"
A deep chuckle escaped his belly as he nodded, "Yeah. The moment they stop responding immediately with calls for 'Duels to preserve face' is the moment I will feel they are ready. You have to remember that Xuelan has been a devil for two centuries now, while they have been devils for less than a decade."
Riser spun up an illusion detailing a massive city, with sprawling temples, Sect Fortresses, hundreds of thousands of mortals, and great splendor.
"Lady Wen is 1,200 years old, and was the Ruler of a whole city far greater than the Abaddon lands for almost that whole time; the one being she answered to was a Celestial Dragon Duchess. The other four were Guardian Spirit Beasts that answered to Lady Wen and that same Dragon Duchess, and collectively they have almost two thousand years of life experience. All of that lived in a society cut off from the rest of the world… so it takes time to unlearn bad habits, and you have to admit those ladies are working very hard. They deserve our love, respect, and support."
Kuisha felt her cheeks darken as she hung her head, the young woman feeling a touch of shame enter her heart, "Yes… you are correct, my King. I will do my best to be patient."
That and she felt she needed to take her fellow Queen… more seriously than she had been.
While she was subordinate to Kuisha in the hierarchy, being the Queen of his Rook, she was still a fellow Queen, and that deserved her respect.
That she was alive during the times of the Great War and ruled an entire city of exceptionally powerful mortals to boot also should have more weight.
What was Kuisha's 22 years of life in the Blasted Lands compared to Lady Wen's 1,200 years?
Kuisha swallowed, "We are both essentially strangers in a strange place…"
Riser's gloved hand reached out and rested over the top of her own, and he gave her a smile that matched the warmth of his heart beating between her breasts, "Yes, so keep looking out for each other, okay?"
"Yes, My King."
He sighed and shook his head, his blue eyes looking toward the doorway where Isabela, Xuelan, Kuroka, Sabrine, Ni, and Li appeared.
All of them were perky and awake, with each of them dressed in uniform bespoke suits; a dark blue shirt with everything else black. A silver tie-bar and pin adorned the tie, with a silver sigil of House Phenex over their heart.
"Ladies, good morning, sit down, have some coffee, get some food, and then we'll head out to the train station in Lilith."
They all piled in and took their places, though she was a touch surprised to see little Ravel striding into the dining room, the girl rubbing at her eyes tiredly as she yawned. She moved to the head of the table and climbed up into Riser's lap, her blue eyes blearily taking in the leftovers on his plate before she began munching down on them.
However, her hands were moving rather shakily… as if she was struggling to move.
Riser smiled indulgently as he waved his hand, and within moments a fresh plate was swapped into place by an… invigorated Michiko; the woman positively glowed with energy, much of which was allocated to her motherly and womanly charms.
The woman leaned down and placed an affectionate kiss on Riser's lips before she righted herself, "I will be working with Ravel-sama while you are gone, Riser-sama."
Riser wrapped his arms around his little sister's dainty waist, "Oh? What will she be working on?"
"Everything, my Lord."
Kuisha felt her eyebrows rise a touch.
Her King appeared just as surprised, "Everything?"
"Hai, Danna-sama~," Kuisha couldn't help but feel a touch jealous at the positively joyous way the feline maid uttered those words, "The young Lady has decided that she has a dream to strive toward. A goal that she is willing to throw herself into hell to achieve. It is something most admirable and worthwhile, I think. So she will be following the same training program as yourself; as you can see she already has her paper restraints on."
Kuisha looked down to see that there were indeed slips of paper wrapped around her wrists, and it certainly illuminated why she was struggling to eat; she remembered her first few months of wearing the celestial jade and gold restraints currently on her body. She was too strong for the paper restraints, and the standard jade and gold were quickly run through as well over the past four years, so she was moved onto the strongest set they currently had in their possession; apparently, Lord Beelzebub was using a pair of sets to learn how the Dragon artificer made them so that he could fashion her King a new set of restraints.
Riser smiled broadly as he jostled his little sister on his lap a little with his thighs, "Oh? My little Ravel-chan has a goal now, does she? Why don't you let your Nii-sama in on it, hmmm?"
"Can't say it," She mumbled tiredly, the girl pausing her consumption to grab the same cup of coffee her brother had been drinking from and sipping at it from the same spot his lips had been touching. She cutely scrunched up her face, "Only my Nii-sama would drink his coffee black."
"Being a devil I think it should be a time-honored tradition to point out that I like my coffee as dark and as bitter as my soul, but with such a cute little morsel in my arms like my sweet Ravel-chan that would be a great lie," He rubbed his cheek along the top of her head, "Just having you in my arms increases my stockpile of Rav-tanium reserves greatly!"
The little girl snorted as she reached up and patted her big brother on the cheek, "You should be careful, Onii-sama. You're starting to act like Sirzechs-onii-sama and Serafall-onee-sama."
Riser slowly pulled away, some sort of primal fear pulling his features into something ugly, "H-hey… you-. No, thank you for telling me before things got too out of hand."
"Mhmm, unlike Rias-chan and Sona-chan I'm willing to put my foot down to stop you from going any further down that dark and terrible path," Ravel nodded imperiously as she resumed eating her meal, "I'd hate it if my Onii-sama became gross ."
Her King inhaled sharply before he straightened up and nodded, "Alright. So, this goal of yours? How can your Nii-sama help?"
"I already told you, I can't say it. If I do then it loses all meaning. It has to be a surprise. But… if you want to help, then just let me train with your Peerage members and give me some advice when I ask for it," Ravel paused as she looked down at the plate in front of her, "Oh, and Michiko-onee-sama said something about Bouchujutsu- Senjutsu training. The earlier I start cultivating my life force the easier time I'll have."
Riser's mind stuttered to a half for a moment before he nodded slowly, "Alright… just make sure to bring a bathing suit."
Kuisha's face almost smacked the table.
"R-Riser… she is your sister," The Queen was just barely able to choke out the words.
Ravel's head jerked to Kuisha with murder in her tiny blue eyes.
Riser shook his head, "I keep telling you, Kuisha. Bouchujutsu isn't sex. How about you sit in my first session with Ravel-chan here and I'll prove it to you. If you do that then… you can beg off having to sit down with Wen-chan."
Despite the lewd thoughts rolling around in her melon, of a little girl writhing in pleasure while she was embraced lewdly by her older brother, the simple option of avoiding having to spend numerous hours locked in a room with her fellow Queen alone… it made her seriously consider the offer.
"I will think about it…"
[Yubelluna Kurst]
[Grauzauberer Headquarters]
[Black Forest, Germany, Europe]
Clearing out her room felt so strange- to see the mementos, photos, and gifts that she had accrued in her time here all neatly placed into boxes and stacked up next to the door was… surreal.
On her desk were the last three things that she had yet to pack: a simple bell, a silk pillowcase, and a small leatherbound book.
There was another thing, a silver ring with a simple ruby embedded in the center, but that was wrapped around the ring finger of her left hand.
All four of them had been items given to her by a young devil Lord by the name of Riser Phenex, little trinkets to aid her in her studies, and all four had proven their worth.
The book contained enspelled pages that had potions within that slowly grew her magical capacity over time. The pillowcase helped her gain a restful sleep and a rejuvenated body after only four hours. The ring drew within it ambient mana that helped her recover her reserves since she would be resting less thanks to the pillowcase. Lastly, the simple brass bell with a red ribbon wrapped around the handle created wards and barriers around her room when she rang it while applying a little mana; they lasted twelve hours, and it was a simple enough artifact for her to use twice a day so that her room was protected against intruders.
Once, many years ago, she thought that the bell had been a touch superfluous and paranoid, but it appeared that her King did indeed have the gift of foresight.
The moment word spread that Yubelluna Kurst, the wretched gorilla of a woman, had been contracted by a devil- a Young Lord of one of the Demon Pillars no less- her stock had skyrocketed within the school. When rumors began circulating of gifts being given… there had been no shortage of attempts to gain access to her room by her fellow students, something that had shocked her quite a bit.
It was only when the nature of these gifts came to light, the items having been inspected by the Headmaster himself, that the interest faded; they were no tomes of secret knowledge, no staves of incredible make, or legendary artifacts that boosted the mind.
No, they were a simple pillowcase, a book with some potions, a ring that drew in mana, and a bell that warded.
Certainly valuable objects, especially the potions considering the value of the components used in them, but ultimately they were nothing special and not worth being expelled from the institution over.
However, that didn't mean interest in her had petered out entirely- there were still some budding Magicians who wished to learn more about her bond to her devil and the demonic power such a bond afforded her. While she wasn't exactly free with her words or her discoveries, even letting out a few small tidbits garnered her some much-needed positive interactions with her peers. The once small circle of friends she garnered with her mastery over beauty magic had grown quite a bit, and the study sessions were rather lively toward the final year of her studies.
Truth be told, those who thought ill of her appearance because of her family's blood curse had always avoided her; they never bothered to go out of their way to make fun of her simply because they found her too revolting to be around. She could understand that- she wasn't pretty in the slightest, and she had a particular smell about her that changed depending on the person. Some thought she smelled like old, musty socks, and others thought she rolled around in the sewers before attending class.
Even her instructors were not immune to this, but they had a variety of spells that helped them look past her appearance and smell to see the bright mind underneath.
Headmaster Pheles made certain that his instructors knew that every student under his purview was to be treated with the utmost respect no matter their lineage- be they half-devil, half-fae, beastkin, or merely human- and all who were employed to teach the next generation of Grauzauberer Magicians toed the line.
A devil as powerful and well-connected as himself was not to be crossed, though that wasn't to say that it was only fear that kept them in line; the Magicians and Witches of the Grauzauberer had their own pride, and with rival magical organizations in the world, they refused to be the ones caught lacking.
Yubelluna's lumbering frame walked toward the large, freshly made bed, and she sat down on it, her eyes looking around as she took it all in.
This place had been her home for almost two decades.
She came here when she was a young girl, taken in by the Grauzauberer after her grandfather perished, taught her manners, to read and write, and to cast wonderful and captivating magics.
A deep, guttural chuckle left her lips instead of the girlish giggle she wished to hear, and her lips twinged.
It was almost like a fairy tale story, in a way. The young girl cursed with ugliness and was whisked away to a place filled with magic and wonder. She worked hard, studied magic intently, made a few friends, and then one day a powerful and handsome Prince happens upon her. He doesn't care about her ugliness but instead sees the beauty in her mind and heart, and with love's true kiss he takes her as his own and the curse is broken- her exterior taking on the inner beauty she always had.
Her cheeks grew hot as she remembered the events from a few hours before.
He stood there, no longer a boy but a handsome young man, with sun-bright gold hair and shimmering sapphire eyes, his form hugged by an impressively tailored suit. Arrayed behind him were a bevy of other beautiful women, all dressed much the same, but even with all of those gorgeous things behind him… his eyes were on her.
She was down on one knee, the dress robes she wore at her graduation ceremony growing damp from the morning dew on the grasses. They were in her favorite spot on the whole campus- a little hollow next to a babbling brook and sheltered by numerous trees; two simple stone benches were arrayed across from each other, each covered in creeping ivy and weathered by erosion and the passage of time.
Around her neck hung the gold and scarlet stole of the valedictorian, an honor she rightly claimed through her hard work and efforts… though she had to admit that the gifts he'd given her allowed her to earn the position. The competition was incredibly fierce, and being fully rested at all times and having more hours in the day was quite the cheat to have in an academic environment.
"You've done well, Yubelluna Kurst," His buttery-smooth voice tickled her ears, "You've fulfilled all of your obligations, and now it is time for me to fulfill mine."
Considering her size, even when on one knee she didn't need to raise her head to see a beautifully lacquered box appear above his hand, and with a simple flex of magic she watched as the latch opened up and a beautifully carved Pawn piece floated from its satin confines to his fingers.
"You have earned your position within my Peerage," The Pawn glowed a soft red, with tinges of orange and green on the flickering edges as he spoke, "I, Riser Phenex, 3rd son of House Phenex, take you, Yubelluna, as my Pawn. As you take this Evil Piece within you-"
Yubelluna straightened her back so that he could place the devil artifact against her breastbone, and after the feeling the barest form of resistance, it sank into her flesh, past the meat and bone, and into the very depths of her human soul.
Her eyes widened as she felt her King's power suffuse into form- scorching fires turning her mortal flesh and blood to ash in an instant before mana given form took its place. It all happened so quickly, yet despite the sudden transmutation, there wasn't a single iota of pain to be felt.
If anything, she felt… warm.
She felt it, the Evil Piece within her, beating like a second heart within her breast.
'Ba-bum. Ba-bum. Ba-bum.'
A second heart that beat in time with the thrum of her King's power.
"-you are now reborn." He finished solemnly.
Piercing blue eyes cut deep through the haze of her mind.
"I name you
Yubelluna Hibana-Kurst
, a beloved and precious member of my family."
As he spoke those words it felt as though her very being… drank them in… supping upon the nectar that was his validation.
He smiled warmly as he held out a gloved hand, "Now why don't you stand up, hmmm? We've got much to do."
"Y-yes…
My King
."
What else could she have said?
"Hey, kiddo," Yubelluna's eyes shot toward the door, "You ready to go?"
Isabela Hibana-Abate was her King's Rook, the rough and tumble exterior of the Italian woman belied a much softer underside, and she leaned against the door frame with her arms crossed delicately underneath her bosom. Her warm grey eyes were soft while a slightly cockeyed smile was on her lips.
"Yes," Yubelluna stood up quickly before she smoothed over her skirts; if there was one plus to having large, mannish hands it made straightening out her clothes easier, though it also made handling delicate, smaller things more difficult, "I was just… taking it all in, one last time."
The freshly reincarnated devil slipped the last of the magic items into her box and hefted it easily within her hands, "I'm ready to go now."
Isabela walked into the room and picked up the other two boxes, though those were fashioned from wood and inscribed with softly glowing enchantments.
The Rook's eyes widened slightly at the serious weight, "What is in these?"
Yubelluna smirked slightly, "During my free time I managed to copy a great deal of the spell library; the spacial magics I have access to don't help with weight, however, so those boxes are particularly heavy."
The immense library she had within those two boxes would be part of her contribution to the family. Her point of pride.
Isabela tested the boxes carefully before nodding, "Well it's a good thing I'm a Rook then, eh? Come on, Yubie, let's head on down; Master Riser should be finishing up his meeting with Lord Mephisto here momentarily. We'll take the teleportation circle to Berlin, and then the Underworld Express back to Phenex Estates."
Yubelluna nodded and followed her out of the room, the Pawn pausing to look into the room one last time before she shut the door and locked it.
Picking the box she had placed on the floor back up, the tall woman followed after her new sister in bondage, "What will we be doing once we arrive?"
"Hmmm? Well, we've got the usual things- Customs and Registration. The devils handling Immigration will take samples of your demonic power, your photograph-" Yubelluna winced, something that Isabela easily noticed despite her desire to hide it, "-and… don't worry, alright? We're shapeshifters, Yubelluna. It will take some time, but once you're stable Master Riser will take you to the Interior Office in Lilith had have your profile updated; your demonic power will have likely changed a little bit anyway."
It was hard to hear her speak about it so flippantly, but Yubelluna knew that she wasn't being mean or anything.
Yet it was still difficult to parse, her feelings on the matter.
She already knew of Sabrine Serphent, now Hibana-Serphent, the unearthly beautiful Magician. Though she had yet to meet the other beauties within her King's Peerage until just a little while ago.
Ni, Li, and Kuroka were feline spirit beasts that had their origins in the nation of Japan, and they had all of the beauty and grace that one would expect from their kind. Gabriella Faust, a girl two years Yubelluna's junior, was the daughter of a Magician and a German Lynx spirit, and her beauty made her the target of many young boys with hot blood running through their veins.
Xuelan Hibana-Feng was another Eastern beauty, though a formerly human one hailing from the isolated sect societies of central China. She had all of their smooth, gentle features, though the sapphire blue eyes and generous proportions were definitely a rarity when compared to her kin. It made Yubelluna curious to learn whether or not she gained such features from her shapeshifting… or if they had been her's naturally.
The Chinese woman was welcoming and kind, just as they all were, but she did have a strange mode of speech that was rather formal.
Lastly was her new Queen , the beautiful, powerful, and enchanting Lady Kuisha Abaddon.
Headmaster Pheles had made sure she was informed about the Pieces inside of a Peerage and what their typical roles were, and she knew that the Queen was the most important Piece. She was the King in his absence, her word carrying the same weight as his own. Or that was how it functioned if the King was 'worth his weight in salt'.
Yet, despite knowing all of that, Yubelluna couldn't help but see Kuisha Abaddon in a different light.
The young woman was her own age, and yet she looked at the world around her with such bright-eyed, open wonder that Yubelluna couldn't help but feel as though she were a little girl who had never stepped foot outside of her castle until this very day.
It made the protective instincts within Yubelluna rise up, and her mannish hands flexed with power as she daydreamed about pummeling any cur or shrew who dared to stain her Queen's sight. This large, gorilla-like form could at least be put to good use… if it was for something as worthwhile as that.
When the pair reached the bottom of the staircase leading to the dorms, Yubelluna wasn't surprised to see her moderately sized group of friends waiting for her out front; they were split between looking at the doors for her to exit and openly gawping at the handsome devil that was her King and the rest of his Peerage standing a respectful distance away. Standing beside him was the Headmaster and her Guidance Counselor, Maria.
A small flex of magic from Isabela caught her attention, and she was startled slightly when the box in her arms started floating up into the air.
The Rook gave her a wink as she walked past Yubelluna's friends with the box floating merrily behind her.
Sasha Romanov, a cute little brunette from the Czech Republic, bounced over into Yubelluna's arms, "Oh! I cannot believe that this day has finally arrived! I'm going to miss you-!"
Her other friends were hot on her heels, and Yubelluna was grateful for her large size; with these long, muscular, gangly arms of hers, it made hugging all of them at the same time a breeze.
It took almost twenty minutes for them to finish their goodbyes, even if they had months to say them. She promised she would write, and finally, she extricated herself from their embraces and made her way over to her King, Headmaster Mephisto, and Maria.
She handed over the silver key to her room to her Guidance Councilor, but before the Headmaster or Maria could speak Yubelluna, as emotionally charged as she was, couldn't even begin to put into words the thoughts that raced through her mind or the feelings that burned in her heart. So she settled for wrapping the two up in her arms and pouring every last drop of love, anguish, and sincerity into her next two words.
"Thank you."
For teaching her. For supporting her. For caring for her.
There was so much she wanted to say, but words failed to materialize on her tongue.
"Now, now. It is not as though this is 'Goodbye'," The Headmaster patted her back gently, "Your King has promised me that you'll be able to come back and visit as much as you'd like. Maybe in a century or two, I'll invite you back as a lecturer on the Underworld once you've gotten a good grasp of the knowledge."
"You better visit me more often than that," Maria warned her gently, "I might be young and beautiful now, but if you come back only after I've grown old and grey I'll be most cross with you."
"Yes," Yubelluna sniffed as she used one of her fat fingers to wipe up underneath her glasses, "It's a promise."
"Good!" The brunette Magician nodded, though her eyes turned toward Riser Phenex, "You take good care of her, Lord Phenex, you hear?"
The teen smiled warmly as he held out a hand to Yubelluna, "Only the best care for my Yubelluna."
The tall, ugly woman reached out and took the offered hand, her mitts easily dwarfing his own, and he gently pulled her away.
She looked back with emotion-filled, tearful eyes as she waved goodbye to her old life, mutterings and whispers leaving her lips before the sense of finality rested on her shoulders.
She felt Riser's hand squeeze a few of her meaty fingers, and she straightened her back as she turned her head away and started striding forward toward her new future .
The moment they arrived in the Underworld Yubelluna sequestered herself in her room, the woman seeking solitude for the next month as she religiously envisioned the changes she wished to see in her mind.
Food was brought in on a trolly and left for her, and she made do with lots of books and scrolls on magical texts her King provided for her.
That and she read the book provided by her Queen from cover to cover.
It touched her, truly, the amount of care and attention to detail that Kuisha Abaddon showed with every letter on the page. Who her fellow Peerage members were, what they were like, how they trained, and their functions within the family. It spoke of their training regimens, what she would be expected to learn in the coming years, and came with basic primers on devil history as seen from within, the current political state of the Underworld, and the intricacies of the Four-Way Alliance that underpinned the family of her King.
It was also not shy about informing her of her King's lusts, though even after a great deal of time spent together never once has Riser Phenex ever turned his attention on any woman who didn't wish for it. Kuisha never once felt pressured to engage with him, despite their differences in strength, and that warmed Yubelluna's heart. To hear that her King was so considerate of his women's feelings.
Though Yubelluna didn't desire her King's affections, not at that point anyway.
When he ran his hands along her flesh and sampled her hidden delights she wanted to be the most beautiful she could be.
She wanted to be the very woman she imagined she was- the same woman that Riser saw in his visions all those years ago.
It took a whole month of gradual change, but slowly, over time, those changes did happen.
Spoiler: Yubelluna Naked NSFW
[img: https/us.rule34.xxx/samples/1809/sample_b2fff4935b16204e6054007b86bb31cc2c9bf16d.jpg?1957099]
The world slowly changed in perspective as she lost half a meter off of her height, her arms thinned, her mannish hands became soft and delicate, her monstrous thighs became cushy and supple, her calves graceful, and her feet dainty and cute. Her hips swelled while her waist shrank slightly, her buttocks were now plush and bouncy, and her breasts which had once been small with garish, ugly pancake nipples… were now full, fleshy, soft, and yet nice and firm. Tight areolas were capped with pert, rosebud-pink peaks.
The less said about the old state of her womanhood and anus the better.
Truly, the woman standing before Yubelluna in the mirror was a very vision of beauty- with plush pouty lips painted red, and purple-amethyst eyes that were hooded and smokey. A veritable waterfall of dark purple, wavy hair spilled down her back, almost touching the floor with its length; truly, if she wanted to, she could walk around as nude as the day she was born and still be covered by her luscious silken locks.
The blood curse that once held dominion over the humans of the Kurst line was wiped away by her rebirth in the flames of a Phoenix.
She had been born anew, and it was now time to spread her wings and fly.
Yubelluna Hibana-Kurst dressed herself quickly before pulling a simple tan cloak with a deep hood over herself, and she stepped out of her room for the first time in a month.
A Maid was waiting right next to her door, and the Low-Class devil curtsied deeply, "My Lady, it gladdens my heart to see you leave your domicile. I trust that your transformation was fruitful?"
Dainty hands slid over the inside curves of her visible breasts and she nodded, "Yes, I am quite satisfied. My only hope is that My Lord Riser is as pleased with my new form as I am."
Soft golden eyes were raised up as the Maid looked her over, a small smirk on her lips, "I don't believe that you will experience any hardship, My Lady. At least nothing of the… unpleasant sort. There is no doubt in this humble Maid's mind that if you were to settle yourself on his lap… there will be no place where he wouldn't rest his hands to squeeze in delight."
Yubelluna swallowed thickly at the forwardness of the Maid, but she supposed that it was a universal thing for such women to gossip salaciously; how many lewd books did this Maid have in her collection, she wondered?
Still, the simple thought of her King pulling her into his lap and letting his hands roam over her body wherever they pleased sent a thrill through her that started in her womb and ran straight to her heart.
That he would find her so desirable inflamed her maidenly heart.
Yubelluna, however, remembered her Queen's warnings about the Maids and settled for nodding while giving her a warm smile, "Thank you, Deliah… it means a great deal to me to hear you say that."
Deliah was one of the few eyes that saw her before, and while Riser had been proud to hold her on his arm no matter who was looking, Yubelluna preferred to hide her visage from sight with a large cloak. He, being the king King that he was, respected her wishes despite promising to torch anyone who would dare insult his precious woman to a crisp.
"Come, My Lady. You're just in time for dinner with the Family."
With her heart fluttering Yubelluna followed the Maid through the expansive and opulent Phenex Estate, down the halls from her room near her Lord's, though he was rarely ever there- instead her King chose to take up residence in a secret training facility deeper in the territory of the Phenex lands. The ATTC certainly was a marvel of magical engineering, and after having signed the geas roster she admitted that she couldn't wait to see it and experience it for herself.
Yet, she wished to wait until her transformation had finally been completed.
The doors to the dining room were pushed open by a pair of handsome and well-dressed butlers, and the sounds of buzzing chatter filled the air.
However, the buzz immediately died down the moment she stepped inside and the doors shut behind her.
Far down the table, she saw her King stand up, his eyes immediately focusing on her.
His stride was purposeful but unhurried, his gaze intense.
She felt her heart speed up, and her cheeks flush as he stopped in front of her and looked down on her for the first time. Her face was hidden deep within the hood of her cloak, and a single bare finger pressed up against the tip of her chin, raising her head up so that she could meet his eyes.
Her breath caught in her throat as she heard him speak.
"Yubelluna… you look beautiful. Just as you envisioned. Now the flesh matches the beauty of your heart."
Her eyes stung fiercely as he gently grasped onto one of her dainty hands and slowly led her toward the back of the table where the Lord, Lady, her King's esteemed brothers, and his little sister were seated.
"Mother, Father," He spoke smoothly, a broad smile on his face as he grasped at the edges of her cloak, and with the smallest of flourishes he pulled it away, "I am pleased to introduce you to my Pawn, Yubelluna Kurst."
Spoiler: Yubelluna
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Ah~! Everyone is staring!
Lord Riser, this is just too much!
She fidgeted in place as Lady Elise Phenex smoothly rose out of her chair and swept around her, her slender fingers questing over her every curve and sliding gently through her hair. Only after a few gropes and some pinches that made Yubelluna squeak did the Lady of the House relent, and the reincarnated devil was surprised when she pulled her into a side-hug, their hips touching as Lady Phenex kissed her cheek warmly, "You're 'Momma Phenex Approved'! Congratulations, Yubelluna! I think you'll make my dear Riser a very happy man~. Huuhuuhuu~."
"H-how…" Yubelluna spoke out the first words that came to her mind, "How do I giggle like that?"
"Oh? Fuufuufuu~, so it looks like there is a second daughter of mine that I'll need to teach the fine arts of the Sultry Lady," Her blue eyes crinkled in delight, "Oh, I just can't wait to teach you and Kuisha-dear the wonders of making your man's toes curl with just… a… single… word . We're going to have so much fun together, I can feel it!"
Yubelluna felt her toes curl in her slippers as the Lady demonstrated her power .
Could she one day wield it with such effectiveness?
Still, this wasn't what she was expecting when she was brought before her King's Lord Father and Lady Mother. At the dinner table in front of many others no less!
Riser's hand reached out and patted the small of her back, "Just accept it, Yubie-chan. You'll find that it will be much easier that way."
"You're going to get to sit next to me for the rest of this evening, Yubelluna, I can't wait to learn more about you," The Lady gently led her to a chair that had been positioned for her, and she sat down at her Lady's direction.
So this was Rule #3, huh? 'Just accept it.'
Wise words from her Queen, it seemed.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, A. Daw, Gorth 123, Quinten M., Dirk Gent L., Penguin Quality Tester, and holy cow THANKS to InsanexSilence for being Patrons!
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A/N: Hope you enjoyed!
Chapter 18 - Young Devils Tournament Training Arc - Part 1
[Riser Phenex]
[23 Months until Young Devil's Tournament]
[5 Years ATTC - Current Training Bloc]
If the devil populace knew how easy it was to make Phenex Tears they would likely riot. They'd band together with pitchforks and torches and storm the Phenex Lands and try to capture us all so they could strap us to some tables and pump out Phenex Tears for the rest of eternity.
There was a very complex array in a chamber, right?
We sat on a comfortable chair inside said very complex array.
Then the array stimulated us, we cried a bit, and we bottled those tears before putting them inside of an accelerated time field to age like fine bottles of wine; the older, the better and more potent.
However, no matter what, they would never match the potency of Passion Tears.
With a keen eye, I looked over the dozen vials of Phenex Tears I made in a handful of hours, and then I picked up the rack and walked over to the temporal field on the desk. Using a simple black magic marker I wrote on a magic sticker my name, the date and time when I made the Tears, and then activated the second information block on the sticker; the second block would accurately mark the passage of time once placed in the field so that we knew how old they were. The age would help determine the quality of the Phenex Tears so that we knew who to sell it to- the highest grades went to the Sitri hospitals, with a small portion allocated to the New Satan Government for their use, while the rest could be sold on the open market after we handled other contractual obligations.
With the sticker firmly on the front of the rack, I quickly lined it up with the rails on the rack and slipped it inside. Once that was done I looked over to the top left shelf, in the first slot on the rack, to see one of my father's very first batches; they'd aged almost two thousand years at this point- an experiment to see if anything aged past eight hundred years would net any additional benefits. Seeing that half of the rack was missing, a vial taken out for testing by Lord Beelzebub, I didn't think it had, but you never knew. That's what science was for!
I dabbed at my eyes a touch, which burned slightly, giving me a weepy look, but my father and brothers assured me that even while the Phenex regeneration couldn't cure it, the tenderness would fade over the next few hours. However, having a tearful look would work a lot better for me because I had a wedding to attend.
Six weddings, in fact.
I walked out of the Ageing Cellar, through the Extracting Room, and out past the numerous walls and vault doors layered with so many protective enchantments my devil senses were constantly tingling. Then I made it to the teleportation pad and popped back over to the mansion; our interior documents had the place listed as being in a heavily fortified section of the mansion's basement, but misdirection was always a key component in warfare. In fact, our whole Phenex Tears operation was located in the same mountain complex as the Dungeon- making it that much easier to defend if someone were to ever discover the location of either.
It took me a few minutes to get all gussied up in my finest Japanese wedding kimono, have my hair teased by a few of the Phenex Maids, and then I was walking toward the teleportation pad to make it to the ATTC- my toed, outdoor slippers sliding easily across the carpets.
Within minutes I was back inside the ATTC, going through the checkpoint and signing in, and with a flex of my wings, I was up in the air, flying over the Phenex Quarter of the ATTC toward the third training ground we had built so that we didn't have to kick the soldiery out of their spots as often.
Spoiler: The ATTC Map
A Quick Paint Map I Made for the Interior of the Place
On the stone slab of the third training ground, we had a very nice set-up. A raised wooden stage with tori gates and pillars, lots of flowers, a very nice spread of foods to eat, and there were a lot of Butlers and Maids in the crowd.
I mean, a lot.
The entire Phenex Family and their Peerages were in attendance, with my family having pride of place in the front rows of the two columns, but the second column where the family 'giving away' their daughters sat, was where the Butlers and Maids posted up.
Michiko, Chadwick, and I were overseeing the event as the ministers, so we were up on the stage as well, the three of us kneeling a pair of lavish cushions as the six men and six women who were to be married kneeled across from each other. The men in their black kimonos and hakama, the women in white kimonos with these funny-looking hats on their heads.
Spoiler: Traditional Marriage Wear
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As for why Chadwick, the Head Butler of House Phenex was up here with us?
Well, it wasn't just a wedding, but it was also the final ceremony of the members of the Dirty Dozen 'coming of age' and being recognized by their peers as fully fledged Maids and Butlers.
Michiko, as my Head Maid of the Hibana Branch Family, presented her 'daughters' with their white and black headdresses, each of which had a bronze pin that was enchanted to show their years of service in Roman numerals. As the Hibana family didn't yet have a Head Butler, that was where Junchiro-kun, the once teenage Tengu thief-in-charge of the Dirty Dozen, was presented his enchanted bow tie, with a platinum pin that matched the platinum pin that Michiko received from Auntie Clarissa when she became the Head Maid. The rest of the boys, who were now men in their early thirties, all received their bow ties and bronze pins from Chadwick.
The men and women, yokai all, were in tears as they thanked Michiko and Chadwick for educating them, making them something worth becoming.
They truly thought the world of being Butlers and Maids, and while it was likely something I'd never understand given that I wasn't a butler, I could understand that they came from nothing- living in an abandoned warehouse and stealing whatever they could- and became esteemed members of a soon-to-be prominent branch house of the Underworld.
Then it was time for the wedding itself.
Junchiro, Head Butler of House Hibana, Leader of the Dirty Dozen, and proud Tengu, was wed to Benihime, Associate Head Maid of House Hibana, Co-Leader of the Dirty Dozen, and a beautiful Mouse Yokai.
Daichi, a Tanuki, was wed to Kaori, a Snake Yokai.
Kota, a Nekomata, was wed to Gamari, a red-furred Kitsune.
Hashiro, a white-furred Kitsune, was wed to Kumiko, the smiling little black-furred Kitsune whom I remembered seeing as a little girl… was now a woman in full bloom.
Spoiler: Young Kumiko
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Spoiler: Adult Kumiko
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Tou, an Owl yokai, was wed to Ram, a red-haired Oni sister.
And lastly, Bun, a Rabbit yokai, was wed to Rem, a blue-haired Oni sister.
"Twenty-five years, huh? Seems like this has gone by in the blink of an eye, hasn't it?" I murmured softly as I spoke, my eyes drifting over them as the newly married husbands and wives kneeled in front of me, "To think that so many years ago the lot of us was brought together was a well-executed but poorly thought out snatch and grab of some of my women's lacy underthings."
I saw a dozen faces grow bright red as they ducked their heads in embarrassment and shame, but I just couldn't stop myself from laughing lightly.
"It was Michiko who was both wroth and incredibly saddened. When she informed me that she allowed a group of young, orphan children to steal the bags from her there wasn't anything else that could be done; she wanted to take you in, and as a good Master there was no way I could refuse," I took Michiko's hand and squeezed it firmly, "And so we did. We took you Unseen into our home because, unlike the others, we saw. We clothed you, fed you, educated you, trained you… and during these past twenty-five years, we have had the pleasure and joy of watching you all grow up. From cute little children to moody teenagers, and finally, to the handsome and beautiful adults I see before me today."
"Today is a beautiful occasion, because not only are we gathered here today to see you Dirty Dozen become recognized as Masters and Mistresses of the fine arts of Maidom and Butlery, but we also got to see twelve loving, kindred spirits take the next step on their journeys through life," I couldn't stop myself from sniffing, and I dabbed at my eyes, "So to you, I now pronounce you husbands and wives, and bestow onto you the name Hibana… for that is what you are to me: my little brothers and sisters, troublemakers all, reborn through the trials and tribulations to become the splendid individuals before me."
"As I have promised, you will be allowed to reincarnate into the Peerage of your choosing as the Personal Husband and Wife Maid/Butler team for any of the High-Class Hibana Peerages," I nodded, "Yet as your Lord I cannot in good conscious allow you to reincarnate before you have had the opportunity to experience the joys of motherhood and fatherhood; the birth rates of devils, Pureblood or Reincarnated, are very low. So I command you- take the next ten years of your marriages and have as many beautiful children as you can stand; once you have secured your lineages only then will you be allowed to reincarnate."
This command was done out of love as much as it was done out of need.
I needed bodies to fill out my Branch family and staff the new residences that would be built in the Gremory territory once I was married to Rias, and if I let them reincarnate into devils too soon I would lose out on a lot of babies.
I also didn't want them to miss out on having children. The birth rates for devils were absolutely atrocious, and I didn't want to subject them to that, not while they still had a chance to have children easily.
In fact, this command was so well-received that cheers erupted, though not from the Dirty Dozen, but from the other devils in the audience- most especially the Maids and Butlers. The six married couples looked back at their Service-related kin with astonishment.
Yeah, I wouldn't have to worry about applying any pressure there- peer pressure from their fellows would be more than enough. I'm sure logically the Dirty Dozen knew devils had low birth rates, but I don't think they fully appreciated the gravity of that until they saw the other Butlers and Maids start freaking out- er, well, for a given definition of 'freaking out'.
They were clapping very enthusiastically with broad smiles on their faces, which for the stoic and professional devils… they might as well have been hooting, hollering, and knocking over tables in delight.
I smiled as I reached into my kimono and pulled out six packets before flicking them toward each of the men, the quick-fingered husbands easily snatching them out of the air with grace, "As part of my family, I am pleased to announce that I have taken the liberty of planning the first part of your Honeymoons- which, yes, this is why I told you to not plan anything for the first two weeks. I have for you an all-expenses paid round-trip. Five nights at the prestigious Kurokami Luxury Resort in Kyoto, Five nights at the Shicho Onsen in Mindinao, and four nights at the Gremory Luxury Hotel in Tokyo."
I crossed my arms, "The remaining two weeks of your Honeymoon are yours to do with as you please. However, stick together, be safe, and if you ever need me… burn the slips in those packets, and no matter where you are, no matter the danger, I will find you."
I leaned forward, "And I will come running."
Twelve heads leaned down low in dogeza, but being the Head Butler, it was Junchiro who spoke, "Thank you, Milord. These gifts are far greater than we could have ever imagined."
"Though you are not of my blood, that doesn't make you not my little brothers and sisters," Ah, shit, my eyes were really stinging badly, "There are no lengths that I am not willing to go through for my family. You are Hibana, and thus you are mine. To protect. To care for. That is how a son of House Phenex lives, breaths, and dies."
I let a pair of vials slip between my fingers as I slid them up my cheeks and captured the golden liquid within before withdrawing them into my sleeves and magic pocket.
I let the illusion that concealed my actions from view fade.
"Now, rise up, onto your feet, my precious outotos and imoutous, and greet your fellows as Husbands and Wives."
It had been a while since I went and mucked out the Nightmare stables, and when I did arrive I almost got kicked in the face by a very angry Bertha.
Spoiler: Bertha
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"It has been almost three years since you last came to visit," Magma flowed off of her wroth form as she stamped at the ground, "Three years! I'm almost dead, and you're running about doing who knows what!"
"Woah there, sweetheart, what do you mean you're almost dead?" I slipped my head to the side to avoid the twin horns that came down to spear my face, and then I grabbed onto them; I had been able to manhandle her since I was a boy, but now? It was like I was holding onto nothing but air.
Bertha struggled mightily against my hands, flames shooting from her nostrils as she dug grooves into the ground, and after a few moments, she stopped struggling. Once I was certain that I wasn't going to have to kick her ass, I released her, and she slumped down on her legs, "I am old , Riser. I was old when you were a boy. Almost three centuries. I'm the strongest, you know? The oldest Nightmare to have ever lived, and I wear that with Pride because I am the Pride of Phenex Stables."
She let her muzzle flub as she exhaled sharply, "I thought I'd be content with that. That'd I'd done everything I could. Yet, as my sight goes darker and more blurry, and my bones ache, I have come to realize that I don't want to die yet. Then I overheard some of the stablehands talking about Evil Pieces, and me, being the oldest and most intelligent Nightmare to ever grace these basaltic lands, I formulated a plan ."
I was taken aback, as Bertha was Bertha.
Planning wasn't her style. She liked to kick faces and break legs as my Enforcer here in the stables.
I tilted my head, "Okay, tell me your plan."
Her horns drew furrows into the ground, "Please, Lord Riser, reincarnate me!"
Well, it was straightforward enough.
"I am old, but I have birthed many foals for these stables. I alone have gained strength and enough magic to think for myself; I am no simple beast, you know of this. I have also been your favorite steed, and we have had much fun running across the plains, have we not? Have we not had fun breaking the backs, faces, and legs of the young fools who sought to raise a ruckus?" The flames on her body almost turned pink as she spoke, "Reincarnate me, and I will continue to carry on my duties as your Chief Leg-Breaker! Now and forever!"
"Danna-sama, what is she asking for?" Michiko wrapped her arms around mine and leaned into my side, "I don't think I've ever seen a steed perform such a splendid dogeza before."
I blinked, "But you have seen a horse perform dogeza?"
"Yes," My cat-wife smiled as she nodded but didn't elaborate any further.
"She's asking to be reincarnated," I looked from my Chief Maid to my favorite steed, "Considering all of the good times we've had and her many years of service to House Phenex I am inclined to do just that, though my Pieces are still in the process of…"
Evolving.
Over the past few years, I've been dumping every last drop of my demonic power into my Evil Piece set before bed, and the devilore constructs readily sucked up every last iota. I wasn't anything approaching an expert in enchantment, but I had my senses and I could feel that they were changing. Evolving, which made sense because I knew that Issei's Evil Pieces Mutated rather quickly or something like that, but the issue was I didn't have a frame of reference as to how quickly they would mutate.
It was highly likely that the advanced mutation of his pieces was directly linked to his Sacred Gear's innate ability to [BOOST], or it also could have been Ddraig's draconic power that suffused into the pieces to make them mutate more quickly. Or both. Or it's possible that Ajuka could have slipped him some 'special pieces' at Sirzech's request for his beloved Ri-tan's Most-Supeshulist Pawn.
I wouldn't put it past them, because I found out through Lord Agares that they certainly slipped me a special set- the lot of Evil Pieces that I had to draw from was considered by Lord Beelzebub to be the Highest of the High, the Topest-Shelf of the Top Shelf. They apparently believed I was capable of great things, and to give me a set of Evil Pieces from the same lot as the Satans themselves…
"Mhmm, well then, it is very fortunate that your darling wife just so happens to have a full set then, hmm?" A lacquered box floated in front of her hands, and she opened it up before running her fingers along their surfaces as she eyed Bertha keenly.
Her fingers stopped over a simple Pawn and she held it up, "This will do nicely; she isn't strong enough to require my Mutated Pawn, but she is close enough."
"Michiko-" I wanted to interrupt her because as much as I adored Bertha, she was my favorite of horsies, I couldn't ask her to spend one of her Pieces.
"Oops, it appears as though my hand has slipped," My cat-wife 'tripped' and 'fell' forward, the Pawn piece falling from her hand to touch the side of the Nightmare.
Reddish black light surrounded the old mare as Michiko held up a hand to her lips, "How clumsy of me."
What happens when you Digivolve a Nightmare with an Evil Piece?
You get a super cute, tanned-skinned Horse-girl, apparently.
Spoiler: Do You Like Cute Horse Girls?
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The problem with that is now you have a being that has spent centuries as an intelligent beast now running amok as a person. This is a huge problem because Bertha really doesn't know how to people very well.
At all.
Dare I say that she was worse at being people than the Fearsome Four (five) and that was saying something. Though no, that isn't true, because at least the cultivators-
"KNEW HOW TO WEAR THEIR DAMN CLOTHES! BERTHA! GET BACK HERE!"
I reached out to try and grab onto the buck ass nekkid horse girl but the settings my training restraints were on made attempting to catch her a hell of a strenuous workout.
"Neigh! I HATE clothes!" She whinnied at me as she ducked under my questing fingers and leaped out of the doors that one of the maids had haphazardly opened up while entering the ATTC's estate front door.
"It's just a simple sun dress!" I hollered out as she bolted for the door, her bare feet pattering on the stone walk.
I managed to catch her on the second circuit around the Gremory compound, where Lady Gremory was nursing a glass of wine on the front lawn with an appreciative look in her eyes, "Ooooohhhh~, she looks nice. Nice pick-up, Riser-kun! Momma Gremory approves!"
"Thank you, Auntie Venelana, I'm always happy to see that I can count on you for support," I groused as I gripped the recalcitrant horse girl by the back of the neck and finagled the simple white sundress over her body.
When I finally backed away the caramel-skinned girl huffed as she dug the ball of her foot into the grass, "What is with you? You were always so easy to put a saddle on…"
Long purple horse girl ears perked up, her amber eyes shimmering, "That is because a saddle meant running! Running across the basalt plains and inevitably finding some young stud to smash down with my hooves! And I also very much liked the way you controlled me with your knees- so skillful!"
I crossed my arms, "We haven't gone out riding in a while, have we? I'm sorry, Bertha… how about this, you start working on making your shapeshifting faster than a few days and we'll start going out to run the plains at least once a week, okay?"
"Uoooaaahhhh!" Her arms flew up, "Yes! I'll start right away! Now, just to get rid of this-"
My hands were on her wrists immediately, " Nope. You're going to wear clothes, Bertha. You're people now. You've got to people, just like every other people does."
"Rrrrraaaggggghhhhhh! Master I HATE YOU! I don't wanna be people! I wanna be me! Nightmare!"
"Bertha! So help me-!" I was chasing Bertha down again, this time I managed to catch her in front of Lady Talsbeth Agares.
Spoiler: Lady Talsbeth
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"Fufufufu," The woman chuckled as she looked up at me from a book she was reading- 'The Witchy Woman Meets Her Match' if you were wondering- "Look's like you've had your hands full, hmmm, dear?"
"You're not just saying that because of how I finally caught her, are you?"
Lady Agares's eyes became 'U's as she raised the pages to hide her lips.
I asked, well aware that I had one arm around Bertha's waist and the other arm… well, I had a tit in my hand. A very firm, very nice tit. A delicious caramel-skinned tit.
It was clothed thankfully, as she finally stopped shedding her simple dresses once I started withholding riding time, but now I was struggling to get her to learn.
Learn what, you might ask?
Anything. Everything.
I was having to educate a magical warhorse that was literally raised in a barn.
"I HATE letters and numbers! They're evil!" Bertha hissed within my grasp, angry lines of heat crisscrossing over her body, "I can add and subtract just fine! G-give me a question and I-I'll tap out the answer with my foot! I don't see why I have to use my hands! Or pencils!"
I sighed.
"Why can't I have horseshoes on my shoes!" Bertha complained loudly, her fists beating a tattoo on my lower back as I hefted her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes, "I'll wear them! Everyday!"
I slapped her bottom with my hand gently, "With how you run around if you think I'm going to allow you to have actual horseshoes on your feet you're sorely mistaken. You'll chip the marble floors and scuff up the hardwood!"
"Fufufufuf~ you're doing Lucifer's work dear," My mother chuckled as she waved at me from her lounge chair, the other three ladies of the Four-Way Alliance were all seated with her; they were playing cards, what game I didn't know, but give they were all in various states of undress I had to guess 'Strip Poker'.
"Hey~, make sure you catch her when she inevitably makes it around the Sitri estates, okay? I think I might have something that can help you with your… disobedient mare problem," Hariella Sitri gave me a smirk before she looked at her cards and grimaced; the other three ladies made gestures before the woman reached down and tugged off a stocking, leaving her legs and feet bare.
Spoiler: Hariella Sitri
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Bertha slouched, "Awww, but Master~! Don't you think my butt would look great if my feet were elevated just a bit?"
Her purple tail wagged back and forth, the glossy hairs tickling my cheek, "Who told you to say that?"
"Kuroka-sama said that if I said that it would 'totally work, nya~'. She was laughing while she said it, however," I could see Bertha raise a finger up to her bottom lip, "So, did it work?"
I pinched her bottom, "No. No horseshoes. You're wearing regular shoes, and you're going to like it."
"MASTER! I HATE YOU!"
Metal rattled against metal, and the sounds of groaning wood met my ears.
Spoiler: The Situation
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"It appears that I have spoiled you too much, Bertha," I spoke slowly as I walked around the captive figure before me, "I let my love for what we had before cloud my sight, and that made me far too lenient. That is my failure, Bertha, and as your Master, it is up to me to see that failure corrected."
Bertha had run out of one of her lessons again, this time she accidentally kicked one of the maids in the process of her escape; while this didn't do much more than bloody the maid's nose, this was the straw that broke the camel's back.
I really hope I never use that expression out loud- I'm not certain if Runeas would be angry or smug.
Almost as if by magic, the moment I finally caught up to her it was in front of the Sitri ATTC estate, the horse-woman barreling through the Sitri House Troops as they were conducting some drills.
So with me, sitting astride Bertha's back while the dust was settling, I looked at the amused Sitri Lady, "You said that you had something that might help?
Her lip curled, "I'm old hand at breaking in willful stallions and strong-hearted mares… I suppose that if you need the assistance I could teach you the fine arts…"
Bertha's beautiful amber eyes were wide with animal fear as I circled around her, "M-master… I…"
"Sssshhhhhhh…" I placed a finger up to her lips, regret in my voice, "The time for words has passed, Bertha. You have made a mockery of me for far too long, and you're incredibly lucky that this has only happened in front of trusted members of my family."
She swallowed thickly.
I turned around and looked to Lady Hariella, and she gave me a wicked smile as she handed me… a riding crop.
"I suppose this is thematic but…" I mused, and she smirked.
"This is no mere crop, it's something I had made especially for trouble-makers such as this," The moment the handle touched my hand I could feel the enchantments come to life.
The enchantments fed their purpose to me, like a README file, letting me know that the pain of whatever strike I administered with it would be right up to the recipient's tolerance threshold. No matter how soft or how hard, it would always deliver the precise amount of force required to elicit a proper response. Alternatively, it could be toned down if I wished, though that was not its default setting.
Her fingers wrapped around my wrist as she leaned her, her lips pressing against my earlobe, "Usually there is a whole process that one needs to learn, after all, pain, like pleasure, is an art unto itself. However, since we're limited on time, we'll have to make do with this little session."
She pulled away, a coy smile on her lips, "Though if you think you'll end up acquiring a taste then… well, we can negotiate payment for lessons later. However, do be forewarned that if one is to become a proper Dom, then they must learn how to be a proper Sub, first; you can't appreciate the delights you'll be inflicting unless you know them yourself."
I let my eyes lid, "I'd… rather not. This is a punishment."
I looked over at Bertha, "For us both."
I let my arm swing out, letting the leather flap of the crop smack across the outside curve of her bottom, the slightest 'crack' filling my ears. Bertha went rigid, her eyes wide and lips in an 'O'… before a muted cry left her lips.
"Ooooooooowwwww! Master! That HURT!"
'Smack.'
I struck again, this time in the exact same spot on the opposite cheek, causing the mare-girl to jerk against the restraints, "OW! A-at least put a saddle on me first-OW!"
"I want you to know this, Bertha. What is happening right now is something that I take no pleasure in," I struck again, this time against the back of her thigh, just below her bottom, "I thought that by giving you time to adjust I was helping you."
'Smack.'
"O-oh!"
'Smack.'
"OW!"
"I thought that as time went on, you would eventually come to learn how to behave properly by observing."
'Smack.'
"Ouch! M-master!"
"I thought that I was being kind to you, Bertha. I thought that you would… somehow… through osmosis come to understand that your behavior was unsatisfactory. I was wrong. That was my mistake."
'Smack.'
"Oh!"
"And if I'm being honest? I thought it was cute. I thought that you were cute."
I didn't follow it up with a smack, and the horse-girl looked back at me with tears in her eyes and a sniffle on her lips, "Y-you did?"
I nodded.
God- ow- I hate this shit.
I'm all for spanking a good bottom while hitting it from the back, or if my woman was riding me furiously, but this shit? Not my cup of tea.
"Yes. I did. After all, I can't remember a time when anyone ever reincarnated an Underworld beast. I am not sure if anyone ever thought to try. So it was uncharted territory. And you just… came out to be very cute. Like a little sister who was just seeing the world for the first time," I walked around her as I tapped the crop against my hand- searing, agonizing pain lancing up my arm and spreading throughout my entire body.
One strike for every strike I've delivered thus far.
I could see Hariella gazing at me with hooded, aroused eyes as she watched me; I could tell she knew what I was doing.
"Truth be told. You are. You are a little girl… a little sister who is just seeing the world for the first time. You were a Nightmare. You had centuries of being that beast, so it's obvious that you would need time to adjust to being a devil. To have to think, act, feel, and communicate like one," I stopped as I reached in front of her, and I let a thumb wipe away the tear tracks on her cheeks, "However, it appears as though gaining the ability to communicate has not also given you the ability to understand. So if you're going to behave like a beast, then I'll communicate with you in a language that you'll understand."
I mentally released my restraints, "And it also occurs to me that you haven't seen me in years. That means you haven't felt my strength in years. You remember that I was stronger than you when we first met, right? You felt it- the moment you made your power play, I made mine. That made you fear me, but it was only through time and exposure that you learned to respect me."
Slowly, ever so slowly, I began to dial up my strength, keeping an eye on Harriella; when she motioned for me to stop, I would stop.
The scent of Phenex Fire and Hell Fire filled the air as I ratcheted up the intensity, and I saw Bertha's eyes widen before they shrank to tiny pinpricks.
Higher and higher I let my power flow, the former Nightmare shivering and trembling in her restraints.
A single bead of sweat traveled down the Sitri Lady's jawline before she made a cutting motion with her finger, and I immediately cut the flow; she let out a soft sigh as a shiver wracked her body, and she gave me a coy smile.
I used the handle of the crop to raise Bertha's head up, "That is still far from the depths of my true power, Bertha. I've kept myself restrained, to train myself, hone myself, to become even stronger; you must have thought that I was weak, mhmm? That your reincarnation into devilhood made you as strong as me? As fast as me? That was my mistake. I should have immediately corrected you the first time, and because of that we are here right now."
I moved behind her, "Now, we will continue."
Once the shivering form of Bertha was swaddled in a blanket and carried off by a pair of maids to be returned to the Phenex Estate, I sat the crop down on the nearest table and sat down heavily in the closest chair.
An explosive sigh escaped my lips as I placed my palms against my eyes.
What I didn't expect- and really, I should have expected given who I was dealing with- was for Lady Sitri to straddle my thighs and take a seat on my knees; her plush bottom deforming over the bone in a way that my monkey brain found pleasing. If only she'd sit up a little higher in my lap…
The moment I raised the heels of my palms from my eyes I could tell she immediately knew what I was thinking with the way her eyes crinkled, "Fufufufufu~, you didn't like that, huh?"
"I didn't. Not in the slightest."
"Of course not, that was for actual discipline. No reasonable individual likes causing pain like that," Her hands rested on the arms of the chair as she rolled her eyes, "Even I found no pleasure in what was being done… though how it was being done? That's another story entirely."
She purred as a hand came up and stroked the side of my cheek, "You handled yourself far too well to be an amateur, Riser. Is there anything you want to tell Auntie? Hmm? Maybe you've read a few books?"
I might have been into a certain furry BSDM series that I encountered in my teenage years. I mean, it was a furry space opera with spaceships, piracy, and hot women being trained as sex slaves to pay off their debts. With lots of training involved! My horny teenage brain found that very enticing, and that continued until I found this thing called 'taste' and realized that the furry community was trash best left in the gutter where I found it.
The artwork was always still fantastic, though…
"Huuuu~? You have, haven't you?" She slid a little higher up, shifting slightly so that I could feel the moist heat from her lower lips through her denim pants, "You have 'it', you know? The factor . Not many devils, despite our natural domineering tendencies, have that. With just a bit of spit, some polishing, and a lot of elbow grease… I'm sure you'd come into your own."
I twitched at her words. Me? A natural dom? Get out of here. I'm a very nice guy.
Her fingers slid down my jaw, along my neck, before tucking her fingertips behind my restraint collar, "Why, if you gained a little more seasoning I think that even I might find some joy in wearing a collar for you. Oh~!? What's this?"
Damnit, dick! Why the fuck are you choosing to betray me at a time like this!?
Yes, she's hot! She's also very willing, and sure it would be very nice to see her naked with nothing but a collar and leash around her neck-
Her purple eyes crinkled as a wry smile looked down at the steadily rising tent, "Someone seems excited~. Just the simple thought of taking this married woman as your pet…"
"Hold up. Wait a minute," I raised my hands up, "Lady Sitri, as hot as this is… if we don't slow down for a moment you're going to have me acting… unwise. I don't want that. Especially not after what just happened."
She pouted before standing up, the woman grabbing her purple ponytail and tugging it over her shoulder- her fingers carding through it, "Of course, of course. Though really, I'm just here to distract you. Keep your attention for a while."
"Distract me from what, exactly?" I asked, feeling my eyes narrow as I sat up more firmly in the chair.
She spun around on her heel, her fingers interlacing behind her back, "From your cute little pony girl, of course! Huuhuuhuu~. You're kind, Riser-kun. A very sweet boy. I bet, if I were to let you go right now, you'd go rushing right to her, right? Yes, well, the truth is, you can't. Not now. You've just delivered punishment. She needs time to think. To process."
I felt my fingers flex, but the moment her words registered I felt my shoulders slouch, "I… suppose you're right."
"Of course I'm right, your Auntie is the expert in these things," She danced over and poked me on the forehead before giving me a wink, her tongue stuck out, "Aftercare is certainly important, but for right now… if you smother her with affection right after the punishment then you'll be undoing a lot of your hard work. So, why don't you stay here with me for a few hours, have some tea, and tell me all about how your training has been going, okay? Then you can go back, wrap her up in a big hug, and explain to her calmly why what she did was wrong. And don't forget to make her apologize to that poor maid properly, okay~?"
I nodded slowly, "Yeah. Okay, just… not here in your sex dungeon?"
"Kuukuukuu~."
Damnit, boner. Go the fuck away. You're not going to fuck Sona's mom. Serafall might freeze you off! Have some self-preservation instinct, damnit!
I think I might be a pushover.
"I don't like clothes."
"Hate."
"Itchy."
"I like the breeze on my skin."
Four more mare girls stood in front of me, all four of them naked.
"I understand! Clothes are terrible! Buuutttt~," Bertha, clad in her white sundress stood with her chest puffed out proudly while she jutted her nose toward the sky, "But! Our Master and your future Mistresses require it!"
Ravel-chan had seen and heard the escapades of Bertha-chan over the past year, and after chatting with the girls they all decided that a cute horse girl trained by their Onii-sama would be the perfect gift for them when they received their Evil Piece sets in five years.
To be fair, I didn't think they were wrong in the slightest- having at least a single mid-tier High Class (in strength) piece would not only make me feel more assured for their safety, and sometimes having that first piece was what was needed to help them get the ball rolling. Sure, Sirzechs and Serafall practically 'jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~'d me into the ground until I relented, but I could see where they were coming from- the future fiance' spoiling his brides to be was expected, and I could do openly what the two Maou could not.
Three of them were Spectral Horses from the Gremory stables while the other was a Nightmare, the third strongest in Bertha's herds; all four of them had the spark of intelligence that made them above mere beasts, and all four were capable of having the barest of conversations with me while I was using my Barbatos Tongue of Beasts blood trait. The three mares who were Spectral Horses had the palest skin, almost translucent, with white and black hair that almost seemed to glow in time with their black and white eyes. The other Nightmare leaned more toward her bestial heritage with charcoal skin, and glowing orangeish-red hair, with fiery red eyes.
The only good thing to come of this was that Bertha had come back into her own as a Head Horse, with the four new underlings breathing some much-needed life back into her sails after our first disciplinary session a few months back. Sure, she was much more obedient following it, but there had been that small spark in her eyes that had been missing up until Ravel-chan brought up the idea of each of the Heiresses getting their own steed.
Honestly, I had expected Runeas to demand we do the same for her and one of her camels, but she shrugged it off, "Why would I want to ruin my beautiful camel's form when they're perfect the way they are!?"
"So, it sucks, but we're just going to have to learn how to deal with people things, and that means people clothes!" Bertha placed her fists on her hips, "And you're gonna do it!"
"I don't wanna."
"Hate it."
"Itchy."
"Clothes suck."
Bertha's sandal-clad foot stomped the ground as a jet of flames escaped her nostrils, "I'll break your damn legs!!! Come 'ere!"
Four pairs of eyes widened and they bolted with an angry mare girl chasing them all down.
Don't actually break their legs, please.
There were three spells that I wanted to have created: a general all-around physical enhancement spell, a general purpose mental enhancement spell, and a more focused thought partitioning spell. For each spell, I wanted to have a human and demonic spell array created for them so that if you had the time and there was plentiful mana then you could use the mathematical spell array to handle the heavy lifting for you, but if it needed to be handled in a snap then you could use the demonic power array.
The issue was while I could brute force the shit out of those spells utilizing demonic 'imagination magic' to fill in all of the gaps… even with the fair amount of research material I had on hand there was a lot that I had to fill in. With the many decades I've spent in the ATTC, I've come to find that I am a very good teacher, but as a researcher, I am not quite as gifted. I just don't really have the spark or thirst to seek out more intellectual pursuits, but the greatest part about being me is that while I wasn't salivating at the mouth over new research opportunities, I did know two devils who were.
Three devils if you counted Lord Beelzebub.
Sabrine was a veritable wizard with demonic and human magics with centuries' worth of experience learning to use and craft spells to attune old spells to the current magic order, and while Yubelluna wasn't nearly on her level- and wouldn't be for quite some time- what she did have was a wealth of knowledge on human biological magics. She also had a huge library of books she copied from the library at the Grauzerberer school, with permission of course, and the two of them together have turned out to be a potent core of magical research.
I managed to burn one of the small favors I had from Lord Beelzebub on any research notes he might have that would get us started and off in the right direction, but I had to make sure that I didn't just come out and ask if he didn't already have such spells made up. He gave us some warnings, informed us of some deadends he'd discovered in his own time researching similar spells, and ultimately was pretty pleased with favor- that Sabrine and Yubelluna were both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their research project seemed to be a balm for the Maou of Knowledge's soul.
Given that I was a Phenex and could… regenerate from any mishaps, I was the chosen test subject for the new spells.
"Test Number 24: General All Purpose Physical Enhancement Spell," I heard Yubelluna's voice speaking out over an intercom, "Please initiate the spell matrix, Lord Riser."
We were all located within Lord Beelzebub's garden shed lab in the Gremory Quarter, the three of us having just finished our Touki and Senjutsu scans for the Maou. Seeing that Yubelluna was our newest official member within the Peerage it was important that we had her progress noted more thoroughly; we had been making some tweaks and adjustments to our training plan for her from lessons learned, and Lord Ajuka wanted those to be recorded weekly instead of quarterly. There had been some grumbling from Sirzechs about this, but Lord Ajuka was certain that if we could continue to unlock the secrets of Senjutsu and Touki within devils then coming up with a true training program for combat and surveillance-oriented devils within the New Satan government might not be off the table; Senjutsu alone would be a game changer for Search and Rescue, and with how the Dirty Dozen was learning… infiltration.
"Understood, beginning spool-up of General Purpose Physical Enhancement Spell Ver. 0.59," I intoned calmly though I was anything but calm.
Look, the last time this spell failed I ruptured almost every blood vessel in my body because of a floating set of variables that caused my heart to pump more strongly than it should… and the only reason my heart didn't blow up immediately was because I kept regenerating it so that they could diagnose the issue that was causing it. Something similar happened with the Mental Enhancement spell that started making my mind turn to mush, and the Mental Partition spell actually partitioned my thoughts… too successfully; I had to be decapitated by Lord Ajuka so that I could regenerate my whole damn head because the partitioning didn't go away after I dropped the spell.
Those were just some of the more memorable ones, and there were a lot of failures- a lot of trial and error.
Though I suppose the worst thing about it all was that Lord Beelzebub looked at me with no small sense of longing in his eyes and told me that I was the perfect test subject; that I could keep my body parts around after removal for dissection and study instead of them bursting into flame immediately like the rest of the Phenex line also made speeding up development of the spells more feasible.
Unless Phoenix Tears were used, we would have gone through almost thirty test subjects who were knowledgeable enough with human and devil magic, and such an expenditure would have rendered future research wholly unfeasible using the Underworld's standard 'best practice' protocols for experimentation.
It was during this testing process that I learned things like 'human experimentation' and other acts that would be considered heinous, inhumane, and very likely 'evil' weren't actually illegal in the Underworld. You just had to apply for a permit, pay the fees, and make your research open to review by the Department of Progress which Lord Beelzebub ran.
I took a deep breath and slowly let it out before I spun up the magical formulas and let the mandala form in front of me, "Spell Circle is formed and appears stable."
"Confirmed. Spell Circle stability is nominal. Mana induction circuits are functioning as intended; gyroscopic vibrations within the intake array are within expectations," Came Sabrine's voice, "Increase input by 5%. Start output of General Physical Strength enhancement by 5%."
"Do note that as mana intake increases the likelihood of instability will also increase-"
I tuned out Ajuka's informative lecture and simply focused on doing as I was instructed; this was their baby, their passion project, and I was the self-healing test birdy.
The circle hummed slightly as it drew in more mana than what was required to stabilize it, it glowing more brightly just a touch, and then I felt the spell shape the mana before applying it to my body. A soft blue glow settled over the surface of my skin before seeping underneath and infusing my organs, muscles, bones, and ligaments; once my body was saturated the glow once more slithered across the surface of my skin before the connection cut off. My skin tingled slightly, and after a few seconds the connection between my body and the spell circle re-established and it fed more of the spell into my form; like a pump kicking on to keep me 'topped off' at the current requirements.
"5% infusion completed; infusion sustainment protocols appear to be functioning as intended-"
However, that was when something went wrong. As per usual.
Within the first two 'top off' intervals a problem revealed itself- the 'top off' intervals began to grow shorter and shorter. Five seconds. Then four point eight. Then four point four. Then four point one. Then three point nine.
Lower and lower it went until it began feeding the spell past the 5% threshold.
"Please hold onto it as long as you can while we diagnose the formulas in the active matrices," Yubelluna spoke calmly as there were quick, clipped whispers barely audible in the background.
I felt my guts start to grow itchy as the spell topped me up to 6%, then 7%, then 9%, then 11%, and as the intervals grew shorter and shorter the values started to rise steadily as the ambient mana was siphoned off into my body.
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22%…
My body began to sweat profusely as my muscles seemed to contract and fire more strongly, to the point where even my heavily controlled breathing felt difficult to maintain. I could feel my hands curl up unbidden into fists as I struggled to keep myself still and centered while the ticker kept on rising up.
77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84%…
"Alright, we believe we've identified the problem! Third sigil- the Upkeep Array, unfold it and scroll down the thirty-third line. Replace the current formula with: [r1 (cos θ1 i · sin θ1)] · [r2 (cos θ2 i · sin θ2)] = r1 · r2 [cos (θ1 θ2) i · sin (θ1 θ2)," Sabrine urged me gently, "That should stabilize the Gentry's Coefficient formulas and stop the recharge intervals from shrinking."
I unfolded the sigil, scrolled down to the necessary line, and did the magical equivalent of 'copy/paste' from the illusion she displayed for me, and I felt my soul sigh in relief as the recharge protocols stopped spazzing the fuck out; this let the emergency purge protocols in the fifth sigil activate, and the excess mana in my body over the 5% limit was vented like a turbocharger wastegate.
Still, I had to let my flames consume my body to reverse the damage as having organs go from bloated with mana to not bloated with mana caused some serious harm that only a few days with the Sitri healers could have fixed.
"We'll need to fine-tune the emergency venting procedures," I ran a hand through my hair as I sighed, "Set it up on a curve or something; heavy vent to prevent a meaty explosion, and then when the danger threshold is passed… retain some of the excess mana and slow the venting to something more manageable. The fast vent caused most of my organs to collapse-"
It was very painful, and not very fun, but there was no denying that with me as the test dummy we could blow past a lot of the theoretical work that usually required whole teams of number crunchers…
Smooth and fast, but not fun in the slightest.
Though at least Lord Ajuka was helping, that was pretty cool.
It was at a family dinner outside of the ATTC that I received an envelope from my father.
"That was a handwritten request delivered to me by Clarissa," My father's blue eyes twinkled as he wiped his mouth with his napkin, "A request for an audience with a member of House Phenex from an old magician clan in Russia that I have been contracted with for the few centuries. Seeing as I have a Pillar Council meeting to attend and your brothers are planning their joint weddings… that leaves you to follow up on this request, Riser."
I opened the letter after running a few scanning spells over it- it always paid to be a least a little bit paranoid- and my eyes took in the Cyrillic words; they were written with a deft hand, but the rough charcoal pencil that was used to write it made it appear more lazy than it actually was.
Hey, I know a lot of languages! English, Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, Romanian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, the Romantic Languages, and even Tagalog; I had decades to study new languages, and even if my devil gift of Tongues allowed me to speak any language with no issue, the same gift wasn't extended to the written word. I had chosen them because they ran the gamut of where most of the Phenex and Gremory holdings were located in, and considering how easy it was for my suped-up devil mind to learn them even without self-hypnosis, the complete control over my body made memorizing the motions for writing a cinch.
There was virtually no reason to not learn as many languages as possible.
Ultimately the letter was short but to the point: A young magician in a neighboring province in Siberia slipped away from his family in the dead of night under the belief that they were going to sell him to another devil family. While her family had not had any direct dealings with House Phenex for almost one hundred years, she requested aid from us to either intercede or at least determine the veracity of the claims.
While the vast majority of the devil world no longer made pacts where human lives were 'sold' to devils, that was just because they were no longer the best way to go about getting what was desired. That didn't mean no one practiced such things, however, and depending on the contract and how it was worded it might very well be legal even under the New Satan government.
I sighed a little bit before tucking the letter into my coat pocket, "I'm going to borrow Mister Lawrence from legal for this."
"Of course; take what you need. I was rather fond of Katyusha and her children, so do take care of them, in the name of House Phenex," My father sipped at his coffee before giving me a nod, "I'll see you when you return."
I quickly finished my meal and gave Lady Frostwhite a nod of my head, the woman imperiously judging me from her usual balcony table, and made my way toward the door to the dining room.
"Kuisha. Gather up the Peerage- the full Peerage; we have a magician's request to handle," I relayed over our mental link, "And make sure they dress warmly, alright? Siberia is always fucking cold, no matter the time of year."
"Of course, my King. I will let everyone know."
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A/N: So, I've been busy these past few days. A new family member was just born and I have been prepping for a long, multi-day road trip to go out and see him. The chances of me writing during this time are slim to none. So do enjoy what I had finished right now!
Interlude - Dimitri Numenov/Ajuka Beelzebub/Kumiko of the Dirty Dozen
[Dimitri Numenov - Numenov Magician Family]
[Dnitrovisk - 30km South of Burenkhaan]
Dimitri's heart thudded in his ears, each pounding pulse making it almost impossible to hear his brother's mocking whispers to a figure shrouded in a large brown cloak.
"He has a Sacred Gear. Which one we don't know, but mother and father are certain that your master will enjoy getting his hands on one regardless."
"Yes… that should please my Master greatly," The shrouded being's sibilant whisper slithered down the hall where Dimitri was hiding, "It might even make up for the fact that you're late on delivering the promised goods. I will inform him of this development. You are dismissed, Tristov."
The teen's heart felt like it was up inside of his throat, sweat beaded up on his brow, and his lungs burned as he held his breath so as not to give away his position. His family's greatest illusory magic shielded him from sight, and an enchanted bangle he'd stolen from the family vaults sealed away his presence and masked his scent. He should be completely invisible yet he did not want to test his family's magic against the representative from the devils his family had contracted.
His brother's footsteps faded off down the corridor, and the cloaked figure strode away as well, and with the danger passed… Dimitri felt his legs give out on him, and he slid down the alcove in the wall before placing his face against his knees. His body shivered in fear as he finally began to let out shakey breaths- the precious oxygen invigorating his body, causing jitters to spread throughout his form. He wanted to weep, to let out the cries that tore at his heart, but he couldn't.
The moment he started he wasn't certain he would be able to stop… nor would the magic and bangle mask his grief.
Instead, he slowly pulled himself up to his feet and began to creep down the carpeted corridor of his family's estate toward his room; it was a tense experience, but the teen had long since memorized where the squeaky floorboards were. The moment he silently shut the door to his room behind him he activated the privacy wards and threw himself onto his bed, the thick goose feather pillows easily masking his howl of sadness.
Fat tears filled with anguish soaked into the fabric, and he let out everything he possibly could until he could weep no longer.
He didn't want to believe it.
Any of it.
He knew that his family had been contracted to devils, as that was a point of prestige among Magicians, but to think that they would be involved in something so heinous?
Kidnapping.
It had started off small. It was so small that Dimitri hadn't even known anything was amiss until he went into town and learned that Old Man Metrovich, one of the village of Kernesk's most seasoned mechanics, had died… and yet no one seemed to know how, why, or where he was even buried. They also didn't seem to think it was strange that they did not know this either. A little bit of probing with his magic revealed that all of the important inhabitants of the village had been hypnotized, and while he couldn't figure out the direct orders of the hypnosis he could certainly guess.
This spurred the young teen into investigating further, the young Spare of House Numenov visited other local villages while out collecting alchemical reagents, and what he found seemed to shock him to the very core. Old Man Metrovich was hardly the first person to 'die' and seemingly be erased from the collective consciousness of the villages in which they lived.
The more Dimitri investigated the more a pattern began to emerge, and the teen aggressively collated his findings.
The disappearances had started out with the oldest and most infirm of the villages, and when those dried-up? Well, people who were on the outskirts of the local societies- the recluses and outcasts, the former criminals who'd served their time in the gulags- were next. Then the isolated persons and families living on their own in the forests followed.
It all painted a grim picture for the teen.
However, the horrors did not stop there, as he caught wind of an entire school bus filled with children who had 'perished' while he was out and about collecting herbs while performing his investigations. He managed to beat the local authorities to the scene of the crash- the small, dilapidated bus faithfully carried a dozen children to the provisional school in Gogoch village… it was mangled. The bus had slid off of the wet, muddy roads from the previous rains and tumbled downhill into a small gorge; the vehicle had caught fire and was currently being thoroughly immolated by the diesel in the gas tank.
What gave away that it was not merely an accident was the presence of magic in the air… and his older brother, the Heir, speaking with the local first responders and hypnotizing them.
Dimitri had slipped back into the forests and made his way home as quickly as he could- he was in such a hurry that he almost forgot to gather what herbs he could to maintain his cover. Almost.
Everything clicked into place as he looked over his findings- his family was responsible for the disappearances of the locals, but he needed more. Something more concrete. If not for the local Magician's Guild then at the very least for himself. He didn't want to believe it.
So he made do with following his brother whenever and wherever he could- as long as he had an appropriate alibi for his absence, he would follow his brother and document everything he did.
For the first time he was thankful his elder brother was a lazy ponce who spent more time 'seducing' village girls- hypnotizing them with his magic to… service him- than actually studying to properly learn his family's tradecraft. He had been more than annoyed that his parents seemed keen on keeping Tristov as the Heir despite his laziness, the pair allowing him his vices instead of buckling him down to actually learn what it meant to be a Magician, but for the first time, he actually saw this as the blessing in disguise that it was.
Thanks to his elder brother's sloth he was able to follow him around virtually undetected for weeks with Tristov none-the-wiser to Dimirti's espionage… and this laxity was what led Dimitri to the latest discovery.
They knew he had a Sacred Gear , and they were going to give him to the devils to make up for the fact that they were behind on whatever payments in people that the Numenov family had agreed to.
He couldn't stay any longer. If he did then he was likely dead, and then no one would ever know of his family's gruesome misdeeds.
Dimitri gathered up all of the evidence he had collected over the past eight months of investigations and stuffed them into his bag, the young man only taking what precious trinkets he could keep on his person; if he was seen leaving with anything more than it was likely he would be sniffed out. So he left everything else that he couldn't conceal behind and made his way toward the kitchens- after making himself presentable- to carry on with his routine.
He spoke with Romila, the family's Head Maid, and inquired about whatever alchemical reagents his family was lacking, got the list, grabbed a light lunch from the kitchens, and then took one of the enchanted baskets that preserved whatever he gathered before leaving the estate as he normally would.
He was lucky that his timing fortuitously aligned with the bi-weekly arrival of poultry and eggs from one of the neighboring villages into town, and he hitched a ride in the back after handing over a handful of rubles to the driver. He tried his best to keep his use of magic down to a minimum to conceal his trail, but ultimately he was forced to hypnotize a rather recalcitrant taxi driver to take him almost forty kilometers away to the middle of a forest where the closest Guild representative was; he wasn't nearly as gifted with the magic as his brother was, so he was forced to part with more of his rubles to keep the gruff cabbie happy with the arrangement.
He made his way on foot, following a winding trail through tall pines and leafy shrubs until he arrived at the squat hut where Babushka Rostova was said to have lived. Dimitri swallowed thickly as he briefly flared his magic to let the occupants know of his arrival before knocking on the door, "Babushka Rostova? It is Dimitri Numenov. I require your aid."
He felt a small shiver travel down his spine as a bubble of magic emanated from the hut and slithered across his flesh, "Do you come in peace, boy?"
"Yes. I come in peace." The moment he spoke he felt the old oaths- the Guest Rites- seep into his skin and latch onto his very soul.
The door was cracked open to reveal the weathered face of the Witch Katarina Rostova, her silvery hair hidden by a red and white kerchief. Her grey-blue eyes regarded him warily, "Then you are welcome in my home. However, may I ask what has brought one of you Numenov's to my doorstep? The last time I spoke to your parents over a decade ago they made it quite clear that I wasn't welcome to even breathe the air of your family's territory."
Dimitri swallowed thickly as he looked around, his eyes sweeping over the forests surrounding the hut, "May… we speak inside, please? I'd like for our conversation to be kept behind closed doors… and active wards."
The old biddy huffed and eyed him more thoroughly before she nodded and let him inside, "Very well then, it is obvious that something has rattled your cage, boy, so come on."
The interior was plain, with wooden floors covered by thick carpets, and the windows being the only source of light besides the crackling wood in the fireplace. A small kitchen with a ceramic sink basin stood on the left wall with numerous hand-carved wooden cabinets arrayed to its left and right, with a small wood-burning steel stove at the end of the cabinets. In the back corner of the room stood the most expensive-looking piece of furniture in the small hovel, a black wooden bench with an intricately carved surface inlaid with silver; an enchanting table, one of similar make to the one in his own home.
Seated next to the fireplace was a homely young woman, roughly a few years older than Dimitri, who was working on what looked to be a scarf with crocheting needles and yarn. She wasn't what Dimitri would call 'pretty', but she wasn't ugly either, with ruddy cheeks on pale skin, straw blonde hair tucked up into a white cap, and watery blue eyes that looked him over just as thoroughly as he did her.
"Come, boy, sit down on the couch there and tell me what troubles you so," The old Witch huffed as she toddled around to the stove, her weathered fingers grasping a tea kettle and placing it on the stove before she conjured some fresh water into it, "If you're seeking aid from me then something has likely gone amiss, yes?"
Dimitri sat down on the threadbare couch and reached into his bag, the young man pulling out all of the evidence he had before setting it down on the small coffee table in front of him.
He talked.
"That is rather worrisome," The old Witch intoned gravely as she stood up from her armchair, the tea cup clinking lightly against the saucer on the coffee table, "Tatiana. Go to the shed and fetch the Summoning Board. We will require some outside aid for this, as I am not certain that the local branch of the Magician's Guild is capable of helping us in this matter."
The plain-looking girl, who had been hanging onto his every word, stood up from the rocking chair and placed her needlework on top of the mantle, "Yes, grandmother."
"What do you mean they won't be able to help?" Dimitri curiously asked as he watched the young woman stride out of the home and toward a thatch-roofed shed on the opposite side of the clearing.
"I take it that your education from your family hasn't included things such as pacts with devils, eh?" Babushka Rostov shook her head, "Nay, I didn't think it would. You're the Spare, boy, and only the Heir would need to know such things… and considering your words it appears as though your brother is quite intertwined with the contract your House has with whichever devil they're involved with."
The old woman walked carefully over to the enchantment bench and pulled out a few sheaves of parchment before beginning to write on it with a fine-pointed charcoal pencil; what she was writing exactly wasn't known to him and he wasn't about to just look over her shoulder!
"Whenever devils are involved it is always best practice to get other devils involved; a devil's business belongs to the devils, and no Magician or Witch worth their salt would ever dream of getting involved without having another Demon Pillar as a shield," She huffed as she finished filling up one sheet and began continuing her writing on another sheaf, "Devils, even the weakest ones, sit astride peaks of power which those of us mortals dare not contest."
Tatiana came back in lugging a large wooden board that looked to be solid oak in by a pair of carrying handles; it was thick, almost one and a half meters square, and Dimitri stood up to help the young woman carry it through the hut without knocking anything over. It was rather heavy, and the granddaughter of the Witch seemed thankful for his assistance.
"Put it there in the corner, children," The old woman bade, and they obeyed; the board was flipped over and placed on its back to reveal an intricately carved circle inlaid with silver- in the center of the mandala was a peculiar symbol that Dimitri didn't recognize.
Spoiler: Symbol
[img: https/static.wikia./highschooldxd/images/d/da/Phoenix_clan_symbol.png]
The sounds of something being poured caught the young Magician's attention and he looked over to see the old Witch placing a stamp over a pool of molten wax; the red, rapidly cooling liquid sealing an envelope shut.
"Alright, boy, since we're doing this to help you, you will be the one providing the bulk of the concentration for this summoning," The Babushka limped over with the envelope in hand, and at his questioning look at the sigil she huffed, "My family has been contracted to House Phenex for a long time, child; it's been almost a century since we last summoned a Phenex devil, so let's hope that they still remember us."
Dimitri swallowed thickly, "Is this… truly a good idea?"
The Witch shook her head, "Summoning a devil should always be a last resort, boy. Though House Phenex is filled with more amicable devils, that doesn't mean that their assistance ever comes cheap; however, given your situation, I have a feeling that calling upon them sooner rather than later would be best. For all our sakes."
The teen grimaced.
Yes, it wouldn't be too much longer now until they noticed his absence; they had roughly five or six hours before nightfall, and he was usually back around then.
Dimitri looked at the circle and took a deep breath, "What must I do?"
The summoning circle glowed with an ominous red and black light, though there was a certain, twisted beauty in it, however, with the strain placed on him to maintain the steady inflow of mana into the mandala he didn't really have any time to admire it for more than a moment. He adjusted the parameters of the circle to keep it in line with what the old woman told him, and even though he wasn't providing the mana for the spell himself, the strain of managing it wasn't a picnic either. A bead of sweat dribbled down from his hair and slid around the brim of his brow, thankfully sliding down his cheek instead of stinging his eye.
After two and a half minutes of feeding the circle mana, he felt a connection between the circle and somewhere else spring forth, and the circle glowed almost bright enough to blind him.
As though he had been standing there all along, a handsome man dressed in a western butler's attire stood in the center of the circle, his brown hair was close-cropped on the sides but the top was long enough to be combed over and styled; the brown eyes seemed to glow with power as he looked over the occupants of the hut. He placed a hand over his heart and bowed slightly, "Greetings, descendants of Artyom Rostova. I am Cornelius, a servant of my Lord Marcus Phenex."
The old woman bowed her head, "Greetings, Mister Cornelius. I am Katarina Rostova, Great-great-great-granddaughter of Artyom Rostova; I am calling upon House Phenex in keeping with the accords struck almost three centuries ago. I have a young man here who requires aid, aid that only a devil can provide. Within this letter, there is a more thorough description of the events that transpired which led me to call upon you. Time is of the essence."
The butler devil took the letter and examined it with a keen eye before he nodded, "Very well then, I will return this to my Lord. Payment for services rendered will be discussed upon his arrival."
With a snap of his fingers, the devil vanished back into the circle, and Dimitri felt the connection sever.
The boy took a deep breath as he ran his thumb over his forehead to flick away the sweat that accumulated, "Now what?"
"Now? Now we wait," The old woman shrugged her shoulders as she moved back over to the stove to begin preparing some more tea, "I don't know how long for certain, but from my mother's writing Lord Phenex is usually quite punctual. I best prepare some water for tea."
The devil that had arrived prior sent a letter through the circle to let them know that Lord Riser Phenex would be attending to them instead and that he would be bringing his whole Peerage with him- some space would be required. So Dimitri hefted the wooden board and carried it outside before placing it in the clearing just in front of the house, and in the meanwhile the old woman and her daughter set about cleaning up the front porch and its benches to make the dwelling appear more presentable; Dimitri assisted where he could, but other than lifting the heavy things and moving them about he wasn't much help in that regard.
It took less than an hour for the summoning circle to reactivate, and the trio of magical humans stood side by side, with Babushka Rostova in the center between them.
What came through surprised him, and apparently surprised Katarina Rostova as well, because rather than a single devil, or a handful of devils, twenty-three devils strode through.
Enough devils to destroy a small army if there was any truth to Babushka's warnings about the strength of devils!
Interestingly enough they were all dressed in thick clothing, as if they were expecting it to be cold even though it was the height of Summer, and the blonde devil in the center looked to his companions who all began to dress down to their lightest layer- their clothes disappearing into magical pockets; the beautiful blonde woman next to him had a slightly bemused expression on her face, but she hid it quickly behind a subtle mask of indifference.
Dimitri bowed his head and the old woman started to go down to a knee before the handsome, blonde-haired man in the center strode forward, "Ah, please, Grandmother. No need to do such a thing on my account; I care more about your knees than I do my pride."
The teen looked to be no older than Dimitri himself, but there was an air of danger that screamed at him- the boy was relaxed and fluid, his eyes searching and moving as the other members of his Peerage immediately began to spread out. His senses tingled as numerous barriers were placed over the top of the old woman's, and the old woman nodded slowly as she halted herself, "Aye. A kind young man you are. I am Katarina Rostova, Witch of the Rostova family."
"I am Riser Phenex, 3rd Son of Lord Marcus Phenex," The devil nodded to her as he reached out and took her gnarled fingers before applying a chaste kiss to her knuckles, "A pleasure to meet one of my Lord Father's contracted Magician families."
"T-Tatiana Rostova, L-lord Phenex," The Witch's granddaughter stammered as he applied the same chaste kiss to her knuckles, whose face exploded into a fierce blush as she eyed the handsome devil.
He had a slight smirk on his lips as he enjoyed the young woman's reaction before he straightened his back and took Dimitri's hand, "Then that must make you Dimitri Numenov?"
The teen swallowed thickly as he nodded, "Yes, I am, Lord Riser."
The devil gestured to the beautiful blonde woman on his right, "This is my Queen, Kuisha Abaddon, and the rest of my Peerage… as well as some of my House Staff who might be able to assist in assessing what exactly is going on. The letter had some very, shall we say, interesting details, but I'm going to need something more concrete. You said you had evidence of these alleged dealings between your House and some devils?"
Dimitri nodded, "Y-yes, I have collected a lot of observations and even some magical recordings…"
"Excellent. The sooner we look this over the sooner we can get started."
The young devil in front of them sat on a bench as he looked over everything that Dimitri had gathered.
"I am going to need to make a call. Please, give me a few minutes."
With that, he snapped his fingers, and a semi-opaque barrier formed around where he was seated.
[Ajuka Beelzebub]
[Department of Progress - Primary Branch Headquarters]
Ajuka was rather busy at the moment- between filling out the mountains of paperwork that seemed to appear on his desk every minute to the touch-ups being done on some of his personal projects the Maou of Knowledge's day was always rather full. It was only when his work day was 'finished' could he leave and return to his private labs to begin some more enticing work.
Even still, when he received a magical phone call from Riser Phenex, his curiosity was piqued.
Even after being given Ajuka's personal line, Riser always respected the Maou's work hours, usually messaging a few hours ahead of his calls, and he rarely called unless it was something important. Given the boy and his Peerage had teleported to Earth a little more than two hours ago, and the Maou made sure to keep tabs on important devils coming and going to the Underworld, there was only a 7.009% chance that this was to report a break-through in his training.
Still possible, but highly improbable.
Ajuka let the line ring a few times while he spooled down his mental formulas and finished up his current workload so that he could focus his attention on the incoming call. He picked up, "This is Ajuka Beelzebub. How can I assist you, Mister Phenex?"
"Lord Beelzebub," The boy spoke calmly, "Normally I would have gone through your offices, but I have the feeling that time is of the essence, and considering the possibility of there being an illegal human specimen harvesting operation in progress I felt that it would be prudent to call you directly."
Ajuka's mind sped up at the boy's words, "One moment."
He accessed his personal group chat with his fellow Maous and began to rapidly type.
A.Beelzebub 15:13 Hrs Lilith: Serafall, Sirzechs. Possible situation developing on Earth. Source: Riser Phenex. Transcript to follow.
Devil Message, or dMessage- was one of Riser's ideas regarding how mobile phone technologies would move forward; particularly the future rise of text-based messages in lieu of phone calls. While it was indeed more difficult to have a conversation over them conventionally, the utility of being able to leave a message or easily incorporate and disseminate a singular message to multiple individuals without needing to call them all up was convenient. So Ajuka created the first few models of this program and has been tweaking them for ease of use and utilizing them as testbeds for Peer-to-Peer encryption protocols.
A nice little distraction whenever Ajuka had thirty seconds or so to tweak it throughout the day.
The Maou of Knowledge returned his attention to the phone call, "Please describe the situation, Riser Phenex."
As Riser recounted the events thus far, Ajuka transcribed a brief message.
A.Beelzebub 15:15 Hrs Lilith: @ 1301 Hrs local time, Siberia, Russia, Riser Phenex and his Peerage were called to meet with a local Phenex Magician contractor. This contractor contacted the Phenex family in regard to a local Magician family Magician who believes his family (Search 'Numenov Family; Magician, Human' in Devil Contract Database, Sirzechs) is involved in a Human Harvesting Operation with a devil family of unknown name.
S.Leviathan 15:15 Hrs Lilith: Criminey! What the hell!? It's almost like some devils want to see me get crushed under paperwork and sweat it out in meetings with various factions! Do we know if this operation is on the books? Or if it is approved but 'off the books'? I need to know. Stat, Jukie-kun!
A.Beelzebub 15:15 Hrs Lilith: I have already sent an inquiry to one of my trusted juniors. He should have the results of all Approved Specimen Harvesting permits in the Eastern regions in a minute or so.
S.Lucifer 15:16 Hrs Lilith: Ajuka-kun. I've searched my database and there are no known ties between the Underworld and a 'Numenov Magician Family' of any sort- based in Russia or otherwise. If this contract exists between them and a devil or Pillar Family then the contract wasn't forwarded appropriately to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
A.Beelzebub 15:17 Hrs Lilith: Desiree' has gotten back to me, and we have no permits (secret or otherwise) for Human Specimen Harvesting in Siberia; there is one approved for homeless and psychiatrically admitted individuals in St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk, but none in the Sibera region where this is taking place. Riser Phenex is sending me images of the notes and documents the Human Magician gathered in his personal investigations. There is also some magical footage gathered of the Subject' elder brother hypnotizing local Human first responders into believing a bus crash involving Human children destroyed their bodies beyond recovery. Sirzechs, Serafall, thoughts?
S.Lucifer 15:17 Hrs Lilith: Deputize?
S.Leviathan 15:17 Hrs Lilith: Yup! Deputize that little sister stealing shit! Let's see if 'Riser-nii-sama' can operate as well as he can steal my So-tan!
A.Beelzebub 15:17 Hrs Lilith: Deputization is possible, however, I believe a temporary mercenary contract would be more advisable.
S.Lucifer 15:18 Hrs Lilith: Yes, yes. Riser-kun isn't a part of our administration, and if we start deputizing members of Pillar Families while they're out on Earth it would set a precedent that the Council wouldn't be too happy with.
S.Lucifer 15:18 Hrs Lilith: Alright, a standard Search & Capture mercenary contract. I'll let you make the judgment call on the payouts.
S.Leviathan 15:19 Hrs Lilith: Ugh! Fine. Give the kid a contract. See if I care. As long as this doesn't lead to me having to sit in front of a bunch of pissed-off people wondering why people were being abducted in their area without me having a rock-solid explanation for it I'll be happy with that.
Ajuka double-checked his personal annotations for this event before pulling up the guidelines for Emergency Mercenary Contracts, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Riser Phenex."
"Well, I'm just doing my part, Lord Beelzebub. I'm not so thirsty for action that I can't give the appropriate people a call before taking action," There was a hint of sarcasm in the boy's voice, "So what would you have me do."
"I will be extending an Emergency Mercenary Contract to you here in just a few moments. Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to secure the Estate of the Human Magicians and attempt to capture all Persons of Interest and staff alive for questioning. Destruction of the property and wards is highly discouraged. Everything must be as intact as possible for the investigative team," Ajuka's eyes slid rapidly from side to side as his fingers quickly typed out the mission parameters and pay for the contract on his computer terminal.
"Seeing as there hasn't been any official teleportation between the Underworld and Siberia in almost 17 months that means that there is an unregistered teleportation array, likely within the Estate, where the Human Specimens are transported to the Underworld. Given the importance of this, I will be personally accompanying the team that should be en route to the location in roughly four hours."
The Maou of Knowledge printed off the forms, gave it a once over, signed the paperwork, and then slipped it into a sealed envelope before flicking it over to the small teleportation circle at the corner of his desk.
It disappeared in a flash of light, "I sent the contract to your location. It is a short-form contract but legally valid. Read the terms and inform me if they are acceptable."
The line was silent for two minutes before Riser Phenex spoke up, "So $1 Million for completion of the job, a $250,000 danger bonus, along with 'various performance and reimbursement bonuses'?"
"Yes. The particulars can be found in the long-form contract, but given the time-sensitive nature of this contract, the lawyers can look over this later. Regardless of the circumstances, you will be adequately compensated, of that I can assure you."
"Good enough for me, Lord Beelzebub. It's signed. I take it I just put it back in the envelope and activate the array in the corner of the envelope?"
"Indeed," The Maou intoned plainly, and when the teleportation circle flashed, the envelope appearing on it, he picked it up and took out the paperwork, "Given the sensitive nature of this operation do stop by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on your way back and have all in attendance sign the required NDAs. This is the start of an active investigation."
"Understood, Lord Beelzebub. My people know better than to flap their gums. I'll keep you appraised as the situation develops."
"Excellent. Carry on." With that, Ajuka Beelzebub terminated the call before reaching over and buzzing his secretary, "Miles. If you would, please contact one of my Ground Teams. We have a situation unfolding on Earth that requires my personal attention."
"Of course, Lord Beelzebub. I know that Luca and Rodrigo's teams are currently awaiting assignments."
After considering it for a moment the Maou spoke, "Give me both of them for the time being; I do not know the scale of the operating location as of yet. Better to have more than less."
"Understood. I will inform them and they should be ready within the hour."
[Dimitri Numenov - Numenov Magician Family]
Dimitri Numenov was sweating, "Payment?"
"Yes. Payment. You are requesting that I put myself and my people potentially in harm's way to help you capture your family," The devil nodded firmly at the teen before his eyes shifted over to the old woman sitting next to him, "Typically a devil solely works with the Magician family he or she is contracted to- their services never loaned out."
Babushka Rostova winced.
"However," The devil continued, returning his attention to Dimitri, "Preventing something as heinous as illegal human trafficking is something I can get behind- that still does not cover the expenses; when a devil is summoned a price must be paid. Seeing as Miss Rostova does not appear to be swimming in wealth, nor does she have anything I want or need, considering she is helping you with your situation… then the responsibility of payment should fall to you, no?"
The Numenov Spare swallowed thickly as his mind whirled.
What could he possibly offer?
If the devil did indeed help then it was likely that the Numenov family would end with him… and considering the local stigma of working with devils in Russia despite the prestige it offered, if it was found out that his family was indeed illegally capturing humans for smuggling to the Underworld the end result would still be disastrous. The local Magicians Guild, a loose association of magical families in Eastern Europe and Russia, would gleefully tear the assets of his family apart for their own gain; he would never be able to recover his own reputation despite not having been involved, and their inevitable confiscation of his family's wealth would leave him destitute regardless.
Dimitri took a deep breath as he steadied his nerves, "The Numenov family has an extensive history in this region. We are the joining of three different magical families in the area, and that joining has led us to amass a rather extensive collection of magical scripts and tomes. The Numenov library contains thousands of books from Enchanting to Illusions, as well as a collection of Water and Ice-based mathematical spells that is second to none in all of Russia. Devils value the knowledge of Magicians, yes? You help me with this and I will allow you to make a complete copy of our entire library. No restrictions."
The Phenex devil looked unimpressed, his lips turning down into a frown, "Devils value knowledge, that is true. However, Human magic is… lackluster compared to the magic devils inherently have access to. More to the point, my family library of magics from various contractors likely dwarfs anything you could hope to offer. It is likely the contents of said library would be confiscated anyway. What else do you have to offer?"
The teen Magician felt his heart leap up into his throat.
Why had he been so certain that would be enticing enough!?
Dimitri took a slow breath.
Once he made this offer there was no going back, but… would he even have anything to go back to after this?
His elder brother and parents would likely be killed. The estate and its contents would be confiscated and split among the families of the Magician's Association, and what was the likelihood that they would even bother keeping him alive once everything was said and done? There were plenty of cautionary tales in the world about allowing Magicians with an ax to grind to wander around aimlessly; while he didn't think himself the type to desire revenge against the families who would strip him of everything, that could definitely change.
No, the chances of him being allowed to live were slim to none. Those greedy pigs wouldn't keep him alive, especially not with his family's tainted reputation.
"How about me then?"
His heart seemed to stop beating as he gauged the devil's reaction.
Cerulean blue eyes narrowed slightly, "I already have two accomplished Magicians in my Peerage, Mister Numenov. What makes you think I need a third?"
Dimitri swallowed, "I have a Sacred Gear."
The devil arched an eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest, but a small notebook did fall into his left hand from a magic pocket, and he used his thumb to crack it open, "Name of the Sacred Gear?"
"It's… uh…" The teen felt his cheeks heat up just a touch, "I don't know its name. I just awakened it recently; it creates a longbow of blue light that allows me to shoot arrows. I also believe it gives me instinctual knowledge on how to use a bow and arrow because I've never shot one before, but I haven't had much opportunity to practice with it."
The sound of pages shifting filled the air as Riser Phenex flipped through the book with his thumb before he stopped, " 'Staring Blue', also known as 'Blue Light Arrow'. A counterpart to 'Staring Green', it is a Low-Tier Sacred Gear that utilizes magical energy from the wielder to create a mana construct in the form of a bow, and it uses the holder's mana to create projectiles in the form of an arrow."
"It is a rather straightforward Sacred Gear, and has practical applications," The teen devil mused as he flicked the book back into the magical pocket, "How adept are you with your family magics? What are they?"
Dimitri cleared his throat, "The Numenov family has three primary branches that we hold dominion over: the first is enchanting, the second is alchemy, and the third is time-based magic. I, however, found that I work best with Illusion magic; it got me no shortage of grief from my family, but it is what I enjoy. What I excel at."
"But you are not incapable of performing the other family crafts?" Riser Phenex tilted his head to the side as he crossed one leg over the other on the bench.
"I am… proficient in them, but since I was the Spare my parents saw fit to not give me personalized instruction. My brother is more capable than me in those areas, but he is chronically lazy; what I do know of them is from self-study." Dimitri hedged.
The devil closed his eyes for a few moments before he turned his attention across the porch, "Sabrine! A moment if you would, please?"
"Huuhuuhuu~, of course, My Lord," A beautiful, exceptionally curvaceous woman wearing a thick, enchanted brown dress strode forward with her staff in hand; a peaked Witch's cap sat on her head, and the cleavage on display was nothing short of divine. Or sinful.
Dimitri had to fight down the smirk that threatened to tug at his lips.
"You have yet to have your first Peerage member," The younger devil nodded his head at Dimitri, "Would you be interested in a Magician with a ranged, direct-fire Sacred Gear?"
The Numenov Spare had to admit that he found the heterochromatic-eyed woman's smokey look a touch unnerving as she pulled out a lacquered case, opening it up to reveal sixteen chess pieces. Her fingers slid over them almost sensually as a throaty hum issued from her lips, "Too much for an M-Pawn, my Lord, but a single Bishop or the M-Knight would do well. If the Sacred Gear utilizes the wielder's magical power then a Bishop piece wouldn't be a poor choice, however, given his fragile nature the agility boosts from the M-Knight Piece would likely be the better choice. We can train him for Close-Quarters fighting more easily that way."
Dimitri felt his fledgling arousal fade as he was suddenly reminded that he was being weighed and measured like a piece of meat.
Riser Phenex nodded, "I agree with that assessment. Very well then, we will have full access to your family's libraries and will take possession of any trinkets they might have; enchantment tables, tools, materials, etc. We will also have you join my Sabrine's Peerage; whether that will be as a Knight or Bishop will be up to her."
The teen Magician nodded as he bit his lower lip, "I can accept that, however… I would like to be the one to take my elder brother down."
The young Phenex Lord inhaled sharply as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "And why would I allow you to do that?"
"Because, it's something I must be the one to do," Dimitri grit his teeth as he leaned forward, "I'm not blind to my brother's failings. He is… a horrible human being. If he's going down then I want to be the one to do it. We have a score to settle. I won't budge on this."
"God- ow - save me from edgy teenagers," The Devil winced as he grumbled, his utterance causing the woman, Sabrine, to flinch along with him, "Fine. However, just know we need to take him alive. We can heal him up well enough and keep him stable, but if we are forced to use a vial of Phenex Tears on him the cost of that is coming out of your pay- and those are expensive, even for family."
"Fuufuufuu," The buxom female devil tittered behind her hand, "Do you think you can fight with such a handicap, boya~?"
"If I must," The teen Magician set his jaw firmly, "My brother is a lout. I can handle him even with those conditions."
"Well it won't really matter even if you do die, the Evil Piece will fix you right up!"
Dimitri really wished she didn't sound so cheery while saying that.
Riser Phenex shook his head, "Very well then. With that out of the way, we will begin our reconnaissance of the Estate. The next hour will be dedicated to having you show me the lay of the land so that I can brief my Peerage, and then we will get you back before nightfall; that is when you usually return, correct?"
"Yes, Lord Phenex. If I return on time then they should be none the wiser to our movements."
"Good. Now, using this paper, give me a brief summary of the grounds; draw it out for me. Then give me a rough floor plan of the Estate and its surrounding buildings," A small orb of flame, no larger than a candle flame, appeared over his shoulder before it split into two, with one hovering next to his head while the other soared into the sky, "Once my clairvoyance spell reaches the area above the estate I'll cross reference it with what you've provided for me so we don't forget any details-"
[Kumiko Hibana]
The Kitsune Maid was dressed in her all-black infiltration gear, her heart thudding in excitement as she was finally being given an opportunity with her fellow members of the Dirty Dozen to be of service to her Lord and Onii-sama.
"This is Phoenix Actual. Double-Ds, transmitter check," Came her Lord's smooth voice in her left ear, and she shivered in anticipation.
"Tengu, check."
"Tanuki, check."
"Neko, check."
"Shiro, check."
"Owl, check."
"Rabbit, check."
Kumiko grinned as she pressed her fingers to her throat mic and sub-vocalized, her enchanted facemask barely moving as she spoke, "Kuro, check."
Of the Dirty Dozen, only seven were in attendance.
Kumiko had just given birth to her second daughter a few months ago and was cleared for service by Michiko-sama, however, her fellow sisters were all heavily pregnant with beautiful babies of their own. The ATTC allowed them to follow their Nii-sama's command to build wonderful families while still giving them plenty of time to be useful to him, and for that, Kumiko was forever thankful; this was their first official mission and she was ecstatic that she could be a part of it.
That they were taking down an illegal human trafficking operation and securing a valuable library as well as obtaining a Piece for Sabrine-sama's Peerage was just the icing on the cake.
The Dirty Dozen had been trained in all forms of espionage by Clarissa-sama and her associates, the twelve yokai taking their past experience with law-breaking and honing it to a fine edge, all so that they could do what other Maids and Butlers would balk at. A Maid was the very epitome of order, honor, and class- learning arts such as espionage and assassination was something that most of their kind avoided like a busted sewer main. Yet the Dirty Dozen were more than willing to learn these dark secrets and more… all so that Riser-nii-sama could rest his head knowing that his family would be protected and safe.
She reached up and tapped the side of her enchanted glasses, the non-reflective surface absorbing the ambient light so that any glare would not give away her position, and she navigated the simple menu to the 'Illusion Overlay' that connected her glasses to her Lord's illusory map. A small grid appeared on her left lens and she fiddled with the opacity until she could see through it while still being able to view the finer details.
On the opposite side of the Estate Riser-nii-sama sat next to Kuroka-nee-sama, the pair meditating together; Kuroka-nee-sama's mastery of Senjutsu and life force sensing was still superior, so it was her duty to monitor the life signs of the individuals within the compound. She would nudge Riser-nii-sama and he would update the movements of the Estate's inhabitants every three or so seconds- an impressive feat given that there were almost forty individuals to keep track of inside the estate.
"We have thirty-seven targets inside the Estate that need to be neutralized," Came Riser-nii-sama's voice in her ear, "The Double-D's primary objective is to comb the exterior of the grounds to neutralize and then restrain the targets. Lethal Force is NOT authorized at this time. You have Senjutsu, so use that to put them to sleep and then move them off to the side. Lord Ajuka has supplied us with the finger and leg bindings needed, so use them."
The map on the inside of her glasses expanded its view to encompass the entire estate, "Team Tengu will gain control of the Gate House in the Northern Sector of the property, and once they have the four guards subdued Team Wizard will begin probing the barriers surrounding the estate. Team Neko, Owl, and Kuro will sweep the exterior walls on the West, East, and South respectively. Kuro, as the South has the fewest life signs you will be flying solo until the Mansion has been infiltrated."
"Kuro copies," Kumiko said with a smile as she crouched down on the thick tree branch she was surveilling the inside of the compound from.
Despite being in the height of Summer, there was a crisp chill in the wind that seeped into her clothes, but she paid them no mind, the black-furred kitsune instead cycling her ki within her body to keep warm. While Riser-nii-sama continued laying out the last reminders of the battle plan Kumiko double-checked her equipment, the fox woman making sure her magic-suppressing bracelet was hidden underneath her black long sleeves and checking the two plain black bangles- one around her left calf and the other on her right bicep; those two contained injectors and a modified vial of Phenex Tears. One would activate automatically upon her death, but she could manually activate them as well; the opposing positioning was so that if she was deprived of a limb her options for emergency healing were not limited.
Every member of Riser-nii-sama's family carried two vials with them, the tears made by him personally.
It was a thick, warm, and comforting safety blanket, one that Kumiko was glad to have.
"Dimitri has returned to his room, nya, and is awaiting our start," Kuroka's voice broke out.
"Very well. Commence the operation."
It took less than a minute for Team Tengu to get to the gatehouse.
"Gatehouse secured. Guards silenced and restrained."
"Fuufuufuu, Team Magician is on our way."
Kumiko, for her part, departed her roost and landed quietly on the forest floor, her ki spreading out from her feet to muffle the sounds of dry leaves and twigs breaking; the density was far too high for her to avoid entirely, so utilizing her ki not only spread out her weight but it damped sound as well. A boon for fooling simple magic traps and wards that activated with weight over certain thresholds, though from her reconnaissance, she didn't sense any such magic in the area, but Riser-nii-sama believed paranoia in all things suited those who wished to live a long life.
"Dimitri is moving toward the center of the estate, nya. He is beginning to apply the control sigils to their primary ward stone."
"Once he has them installed Team Wizard will be able to hijack control over the wards and infiltration can begin."
Kumiko swept up and down the South wall, seeking out any hidden traps or personnel while she let the professional chatter wash over her, and after making a third and final check she felt the barrier magic next to her fizzle and then shift as Sabrine's voice came over the net.
"Wards are under our control."
"Infiltration teams, begin your assignments."
Kumiko felt her heart thud in her chest as she let the black mist of her Youki escape her body, and she swiped her fingers into the space in front of her to write the kanji characters for 'Air', 'Light', 'Manipulation', and 'Shroud'- the combination of Elemental manipulation and Illusion pulling the airtight around her body and bending the light to create a near perfect barrier around her form. There were only two visible spots- her eyes and nose- as she needed to see and breathe, but as long as her target didn't look directly at those spots she would essentially be invisible to mortal sight.
Especially if she was stationary.
Kumiko was middling in her talents with Youjutsu, as Kuroka-nee-sama could perform the exact same combination with two easy-to-write symbols- a triangle and a square in sequence- but the kitsune was not as well-versed in manipulating her youki to the extent where shorter mnemonics were accessible to her.
After checking herself over to make sure she was completely concealed, Kumiko leaped over the eight-meter-high wall effortlessly and landed in a crouch on the opposite side. Her first target was the kennel that had the hunting dogs contained within- despite her concealment measures animals always had a much higher sensitivity to the supernatural. Despite her muffled footsteps, masked scent, and neigh-invisibility, the dogs within the kennel began to stir, low warning growls as they sensed something but could not see or smell. A small sachet of potent sleeping powder was torn open and a brief application of wind youki sent a fine mist through the chainlink, and within seconds the growling dogs' heads began to droop and they laid back down in an induced slumber.
From the corner of her eye, she could see a white dot indicating a person moving through the Estate and toward a window on her map, and Kumiko positioned herself beneath it. Within moments she could feel the human's ki enter her short-range, and she heard a 'click' before the window opened up and a man in his mid-thirties stuck his head out while muttering, "Those damn dogs again? What the hell are they growling about this time-"
Kumiko stood up and tapped the side of the man's head, her ki sliding into his Crown Chakra, her injection of Yin disrupting it and sending him into a deep slumber in a fraction of a second. She grabbed onto the lapels of his shirt and dragged him through the window, the kitsune accessing her magic pocket to pull out a funny-looking clamshell of metal that looked like a pentagon and a thin length of enchanted cord. She rolled the sleeping man onto his belly and pulled his hands behind his back, the Maid opening up the clamshell where she placed his thumb, pointer, and middle fingers on both hands into the grooves before shutting it; a simple application of mana had the grooves conform to his fingers tightly.
It would take a High-Class devil to break these restraints, and they'd have to cut off six of his fingers to remove the clamshell.
Kumiko then wrapped the cord around his ankles several times before cinching his legs together, and she picked him up over her shoulder before depositing his unconscious form behind the kennel.
While moving back to the window she looked at her map and saw that there were no more humans outside on the South side of the estate, so she measured a quick hop through the window, rolling and spreading out her ki as she did so to muffle the sound. She gripped the window frame, spread her ki through it, and then closed the window quietly before latching it shut.
"This is Kuro. Kennels neutralized without raising alarm. One target neutralized and restrained; deposited behind the kennel. Infiltration successful via first-floor window, Southside," She sub-vocalized.
"Understood, Kuro. Continue mission. Phoenix-Actual out."
The room she was in was what appeared to be a Servant's dining room, and seeing another dot moving toward her she posted herself by the door frame as another male voice spoke out, "Peshki? You figure out what those dogs were growling at-?"
She waited for him to completely enter the room so that she could stick her head out past the door frame to look down the hallway, and after confirming that there wasn't anyone to witness her takedown, Kumiko put him to sleep and slowly dragged his unconscious form deeper into the dining room. After restraining him she realized that there wasn't anywhere she could stash him, but seeing that the table had a long table clothe she pulled the chairs out just enough so that she could stash his body underneath it; a few tugs and some minor adjustments to the table clothe made it so that his sleeping form wouldn't be visible from the hallway.
"One target neutralized and restrained. Stashed under the table; obscured from sight."
A double-click on the comms meant that her transmission had been heard, and she slowly stepped into the hallway, the kitsune remembering to hug the inside wall; Dimitri had been adamant in telling them that the Estate was old, and he'd practically memorized everywhere there were squeaky floor boards while he shadowed his elder brother.
Spreading her ki into the floors meant her pace was very slow, but with her light-bending technique that just meant she was practically unspottable to the naked eye. She froze as an elderly Maid in a worn-out uniform exited a room in front of Kumiko, her eyes slipping right over the kitsune as she carried an armful of bedding to place on a wooden cart, and Kumiko easily put her to sleep; restraining her before stashing her underneath the bed.
There had been a reflexive impulse to quickly finish making the bed in the woman's stead, but she fought down her Maidly instincts and continued her mission.
It had been much harder than she thought.
"This Team Tanuki. Three down, restrained; stashed in a study. No alarm raised."
"This is Team Neko. Four down, restrained; stashed in the walk-in refrigerator. No alarm raised. Recommend immediate removal on Mission Complete to prevent injuries."
"Team Owl. Five down, restrained; stashed in a bedroom, third-floor Westside. No alarm raised."
The pace of the takedown call-ins began to ramp up as the other teams made their way into the Estate, and Kumiko took out four more individuals and stashed them away before a call-out caught her attention.
"Team Owl. At primary study where POIs are; magical barrier in-place on the room. Request Team Magician for removal. Third-floor window on Westside is open for infil."
"Understood," Came Yubelluna's reply, "Team Magician moving."
Kumiko followed her map, methodically clearing every room using her Youjutsu to pick the simple locks and ki on the hinges to prevent them from making a sound. Even the rooms that didn't have life force visible- to her senses or Kuroka-nee-sama's- were searched quickly to ensure that there were no surprises to be found.
"Team Neko; fourth floor clear. Moving to clear third floor to cover Team Owl and Magician."
"Team Tanuki; second floor is clear. Moving to first floor to assist Team Kuro. Kuro, moving in from the Northside."
"Kuro copies," The Kitsune Maid sub-vocalized as she grabbed onto a teenage girl in roughspun clothes who was loading up baskets with cleaning supplies from a closet. Her hand covered her mouth as she injected her ki into the girl's Crown Chakra to put her to sleep, and then she restrained her quickly and stuffed her into the supply closet before shutting the door, "Target down; restrained. No alarm raised. Supply closet, central, first floor."
"Barrier is down. Team Magician breeching with Team Owl on POIs in three, two, one- take, take, take."
Just after Yubelluna finished speaking Kuroka-nee-sama's voice spoke out over the net, "Dimitri is engaging his elder brother-"
Two simultaneous, muffled 'cracks' and 'booms' went off above her, causing the wooden beam to shake and send dust scattering around her, and she resisted clicking her tongue as she continued to creep forward.
"Team Tanuki; Northside and Westside of first floor is clear-"
Kumiko didn't get to hear the rest as there was a squelch and the sound of flesh and muscle parting while the sounds of bones snapping filled her ears.
PAIN like she'd never felt before assaulted her body, radiating from her chest as the concealment cloak stuttered and dropped. Her vision grew hazy as her legs gave out on her but she didn't fall, her body suspended in the air; her head fell forward like a puppet with her strings cut, and she saw a clawed hand protruding through her chest with her still beating heart clenched within its fist.
She wanted to scream out. To cry out for anyone. For help. But she couldn't.
The best she could do was weakly look behind her, the Kitsune Maid craning her neck to see her assailant. The tall figure was enshrouded by a brown cloak, but the shadows that concealed its face were nothing before her sight- even as blurry as it was; the figure's visage morphed from a middle-aged human man with brown eyes to her own beautiful face with her smoldering golden gaze.
It pained her to see her own face on her killer's, and the creature that she could not sense smirked at her before he- she ripped her hand out taking her heart with it. She wanted to whimper and cry as she thing lowered her down to the ground, and her own voice whispered into her ears, "Thank you. I'm going to borrow your face for a little while."
A weak cough escaped Kumiko's lips as she looked up to see the figure strip away the brown cloak, his- her clothes shifting to match the all-black infiltration gear she was wearing.
Her sight was cut off as the thing that took her form tossed the cloak over her body, shielding her from sight.
Had she been alone this would have been enough, because the moment her form was obscured the automated bracelet around her calf injected its payload of Phenex Tears into her body and silvery flames emanated from the hole in her chest- her wounds disappearing in small handful of seconds.
She would have been able to make a call-out.
Then she would have stood up and kicked the ever-living shit out of her would-be killer.
However, there was no need for her to do that, because the moment she pulled the cloak off of her face she felt her Riser-nii-sama's ki and magical power screaming across the distance from his vantage point to her position like a comet. The back wall exploded in dust and fragments of wood and plaster, his blue eyes taking in her recovered form with no small hint of relief before they focused on the imposter wearing her face at the nearest juncture.
The creature's eyes widened in surprise, but that faded away in an instant and it tried to escape.
However, running from Riser-nii-sama was futile.
Her big brother and Master blurred across the intervening distance between him and the imposter, his hand grabbing hold of the creature's face- "Michiko, Kuroka! Assist!"
The bakeneko and Nekoshu shot past Kumiko as well, the Maid and Bishop following Riser as they laid the thing out onto the floor; Riser straddled her waist with his hands on her head while Kuroka and Michiko both held down an arm and a leg.
"Kumiko, to me, quickly." Her Master ordered, and the kitsune obeyed; her legs coiling as she sprung over their heads and landed so close that her nose was almost touching his.
"Phenex Tears, when I say, pour them on it," His voice was terse as a twelve-pack of silvery vials dropped out of his magic pocket into the kitsune maid's waiting hands, "Give it one. Now."
Kumiko flicked the stopper off one and poured it down the unconscious creature's throat, silvery flames springing up all across its body.
"This thing is fucking loaded with kill-switches-" Riser-nii-sama hissed.
"The tears healed the heart, nya. It's not blowing up again," Kuroka spoke smoothly, her eyes narrowed in concentration.
"I'll handle purging the neurotoxin from its body, Kuroka. You handle keeping this thing's body from disintegrating." Michiko's voice was terse.
"I've got the head," Riser murmured, "This thing has a fail-safe that is making its brain melt on repeat. Tears."
Kumiko poured a vial at his command.
"Shit, I'm going to have to… partition. Fuck. Okay." A mathematical magic circle sprung up behind his head, and after a few moments he let out a sigh, but his voice was garbled, "Hekj, modleskbiejslif. Mrgblsihsf?"
Kumiko blinked. "What?"
An illusion of words formed in front of her eyes, "TEARS."
Kumiko poured the vial of tears as commanded, the kitsune restraining the desire to touch the creature to see what sort of senjutsu magic they were pulling to keep it alive despite its numerous anti-capture 'fail safes'.
Her injecting her ki right now could have disastrous consequences.
So despite being shaken, the woman able to see her own heart lying in the middle of the hallway a few paces away, Kumiko Hibana focused on her task- supplying this creature with Phenex Tears whenever her Lord and Master required.
[Ajuka Beelzebub]
The moment he received Riser Phenex's message about a captured Skinwalker that he was keeping alive, the Maou of Knowledge decided that it was best to move in now rather than continue to observe.
The boy and his Peerage had done stellar work, the Super Devil listening in on their communications and tapping into their illusory map array, and it was rather intriguing to see his butlers and maids moving throughout the human Magician Estate while handling business like some of Sirzech's favored Kill Teams.
Considering they hadn't had any formal training, the Maou could only surmise it was the 3rd Son's fascination with modern human military tactics and equipment that inspired him to adopt the training methods of the world's foremost mundane armed forces.
No doubt Grayfia would be pleased to hear of her Junior's training successes.
Still, none of that truly mattered at this moment because he had a salivating specimen to acquire.
The Phenex boy had a specialized teleportation circle carved into the dirt on top of his observation team's hill, Riser used his Phenex Fire to melt a bar of silver and inlay it so that it would handle the stresses of repeated teleportations.
The two teams with Ajuka immediately separated and spread out toward the compound to secure it while the Maou, using his immense speed, stepped from the observation hill and down through the hole in the wall the boy made to catch his Maid's would-be killer.
He took another 'step', appearing next to Riser and the four women; all of whom were startled by his sudden arrival.
"Report," Ajuka intoned firmly, his eyes zeroing in on the intact and still very much alive Skinwalker underneath them.
An illusory text appeared in front of him:
"Anti-Capture Failsafes (4):
-Heart Destruction: One-use; defeated via Phenex Tears.
-Neurotoxin: One-use; defeated via Senjutsu purge and Phenex Tears.
-Implanted Magical Disintegration Array: On-going; staved off with Senjutsu healing and Phenex Tears.
-Neural… Brain Melting Array: On-going; same as above."
Ajuka's mind sped up as he activated a few spells and he dropped down to a knee, his Kankara Formula activating as he placed a hand onto the Skinwalker and spread his magic through the elusive creature.
His perception of time slowed down even further as he examined the two persistent destructive arrays in detail, his brilliant mind poking and prodding them with hundreds of threads of mana simultaneously.
The Enforced Neural Degeneration Array was located on the interior of the crown of the skull; it likely had been installed by removing the top of the cranium and then engraving the spell inside the skull before returning it and healing the Skinwalker. It functioned by using bursts of magic particles to sever neural linkages within the grey matter, ensuring the creature's secrets wouldn't be discovered even if its head was successfully retrieved… however, the restorative properties of the Phenex Tears kept resetting the brain to its previous, undamaged state.
The Corpse Disintegration Array was spread out all through the body in thin spell chains like the webs of a spider, a dense grid of magic code that corroded everything it came into contact with.
Ajuka followed the lines from the arms and traced them back to the locus point- a coin-sized stone plate fused to the inside of the pelvic bowl, and he mentally nodded to himself as he severed the connections and overloaded the spell plate; the smooth granite coin splitting cleanly in twain and deactivating the array.
He observed the Enforced Neural Degeneration Array performing its grizzly work for a few more seconds, the Maou making sure to record it in action; the Super Devil would likely never study such an inelegant thing again, so getting proper mileage out of it now would be for the best.
Once his curiosity was sated he deactivated it by boring a pinhole through the top of the skull and removing the silver inlay before using a very fine spell to scour away the inscription and mandala; he made sure to pull the mana that the array had stored so that there wouldn't be an… explosive mishap.
"Another vial," Ajuka commanded, and the kitsune poured the last one on the rack onto the Skinwalker, and the Maou observed its miraculous effects restore the creature to its prime condition once more.
Riser Phenex, the Nekoshu Kuroka, and the Head Maid of the Hibana branch House all sagged in relief.
"Well done. Congratulations," Ajuka spoke genuinely, "Never before have we ever managed to capture a Skinwalker in such great condition; your Senjutsu abilities and the… impressive stock of Phenex Tears do you great credit."
Riser's left eye looked up at him while his right eye remained focused on the Skinwalker. His right arm came up and slid a thumb along his throat, "Mhbldkldjflkjf."
Ajuka felt his nose crinkle slightly, "You were forced to utilize the incomplete Mental Partitioning spell?"
"YES." Came the words from an illusion.
"Very well then, however, I will be keeping your head for dissection; I am curious as to see how such a division occurred," Ajuke prepared a simple but exceedingly sharp cutting spell before he looked to the three women with him, "Please close your eyes for but a moment. I doubt seeing this will do your hearts any good."
The two Maids and Nekoshu followed his advice, and Ajuka severed the boy's head from his neck cleanly, the devil suspending the head in time before stowing it away in his secured magic pocket; golden flames gushed from the stump of his neck, and within a few seconds Riser's head had fully reformed.
"Damn. I'll never get used to that," The teen devil groused as he shook his head and slowly stood up, "We really need to get that Partitioning spell refined ASAP. I don't know how many times my mind is willing to let that happen."
Ajuka tilted his head as he eyed the Phenex, "I have a few modifications that I believe will solve the… fatal issues of the spell if you wish. However, I will not give you all of the answers; seeing your budding Research Team working together has been one of the few highlights of my days. So few devils of any worth are interested in such intensive magical research, and with your Regeneration, it has allowed them to make multiple leaps. It is fascinating to observe a truncated spell construction process with some of the more serious limiting factors removed; a true treat."
Riser stepped over the unconscious Skinwalker and leaned against the wall, his elbows by his ears as his fingers interlaced behind his neck, "Okay. That sounds good. However, I had to blow thirteen vials of Phenex Tears to secure this Skinwalker. Was it really worth it?"
Ajuka felt his lips pull into a genuine, if small, smile, something that seemed to take the teen devil aback, "Yes. The Naberious and Nabiros have always managed to keep their Skinwalkers out of our hands. Even during the Civil War, we were either too late to attempt a capture- the Skinwalkers slipping away before we could find them- or the Skinwalkers themselves were able to activate this rather comprehensive array of failsafes."
The Super Devil looked down and huffed slightly, "Of course I could have captured one if given the chance, but they knew that, and always kept their toys far away from me. However, here? Now? I finally have one. Fully intact."
His fingers slid over the smooth features of the kitsune it was impersonating, a vicious grin on his lips, "All of their secrets now can be laid bare before me."
The kitsune, Kumiko, shivered slightly as she watched him caress the Skinwalker's face, but while he wasn't blind to his own eccentricities… he simply didn't care.
Still, it wouldn't do for a Maou to be seen as 'creepy', as Serafall frequently lectured him, so he stopped and turned his attention to Riser once more, "You have done me a vast service, Riser Phenex."
He regained his feet, "Because Skinwalkers aren't supposed to exist any longer, I cannot give you anything other than the maximum bounty for a non-specific capture, which is the equivalent of $1 Million dollars US. Where I can, however, ensure that you're appropriately compensated for your services… is via your expenditures of vital resources. I will reimburse you for each vial of Phenex Tears at five times the government rate. It will also serve to obscure my capture of this creature."
The teen's eyebrows rose up, "We sell Phenex Tears to the government for… half a million each?"
Ajuka nodded.
"So, grand total, the contract should pay out $34.75 Million?" The boy whistled slightly as the Maou nodded once more, "That's… a hell of a payout for a few hours worth of work."
"The capture of this Skinwalker in… as Serafall would say 'Mint Condition' is more than worth that price," Ajuka tilted his head, "I would gladly offer ten times that amount but I am limited by how much I can appropriate. This is the extent of my financial abilities for a contract such as this without tipping my hand that we have indeed captured such an illegal and impossible to capture creature."
However, despite sounding pleased with the financial compensation, his eyes flickered down to the kitsune still kneeling next to Ajuka, "I don't know if it was worth it, however. If it weren't for the enchanted items I had made… I could have lost one of my Little Sisters."
The kitsune maid twitched, "I am sorry for worrying you, Riser-nii-sama."
Riser stepped around Ajuka smoothly and pulled the woman into a firm but gentle embrace, and the Maou decided that the conversation had reached its natural conclusion.
Ajuka wrapped the Skinwalker up in a stasis spell before shifting it over to one of his special pockets, and he turned to walk away, "Lord Beelzebub. The current Heir to the Numenov family promised us a complete copy of his spell library along with all of the enchanting and alchemical tools."
The Maou of Knowledge looked at the teen from over his shoulder, "I will make sure that your personal library is updated, and as for the equipment? I will personally fashion you their equivalents if I don't already have some stored somewhere else; for all intents and purposes, everything here is considered evidence in an ongoing investigation. Do remind me to have your team sign some NDAs before you leave."
Riser nodded firmly, "Of course, Lord Beelzebub. I will need to call the Underworld Express to Moscow anyway; one of my Pawns has just added a new member to her Peerage."
"Oh?" The Maou arched an eyebrow.
The 3rd Son of Marcu Phenex placed a hand on top of the Maid's head and stroked her ears comfortingly as she sniffled lightly in his embrace, "The son that helped bring this whole incident to light wished to confront his brother personally. He managed to subdue him without injury, as your men have already collected him, but according to my Pawn, he was a bit more confident than he should have been. He managed to defeat his brother but died in the process; Sabrine has just revived him with her Mutated Knight piece."
Ajuka felt his lips quirk, "I wasn't aware that her set had a Mutated Piece of any kind, let alone a Mutated Knight. What required her to use that?"
The Phenex boy closed his eyes, likely sensing for anyone else close by before he finally spoke, "I figured out a neat little trick with the Evil Pieces, and I've passed this knowledge onto my Peerage. As to why she used that particular Piece… it shores up a lot of the weaknesses he has from his Sacred Gear; he has Blue Light Arrow."
Ah, yes. Ajuka so enjoyed it when devils eventually made those little discoveries.
"Ah, yes. A middling Tier Sacred Gear; useful in direct combat applications with very little utility. Scales strongly with the magical strength of the user," The Maou nodded as he mentally checked off one of eight known Staring Blues; the Underworld now had three of their wielders within their ranks, something that Serafall would need to know about.
"The speed, agility, and reflex improvements of the Mutated Knight piece would certainly go a long way to correct any deficiencies he might have. It would also make it easier to teach him the martial arts you are insistent your Peerage knows," He added as an afterthought, and Ajuka was vindicated when the boy nodded in affirmation.
"Regardless, well done Riser Phenex and Peerage," The Maou gave them a slight bow of his head, "Your work for the New Satan Government will not be forgotten. Now, please clear out to the front of the property and stand by for one of my aids for a thorough debrief; we already have the area secured. Luca is her name, tall, muscular, red hair. You won't miss her."
"Understood, Lord Beelzebub. We'll clear the area."
Ajuka nodded as he strode down the corridors and took a left at the nearest intersection before he arrived at a rather dilapidated-looking staircase and began stepping down into the bowels of the Estate's basement. A handful of magical torches provided all of the light needed for his devil eyes to see, and he watched as his agents- they were from Rodrigo's team given the blue starburst on their shoulder pauldron- moved about; they were securing a dozen sleeping Human children and making them comfortable.
He moved around the Humans and made his way toward Rodrigo, the tall, blonde-haired devil looking professional as always in his wet work uniform, bowing his head as he approached.
"Lord Beelzebub."
"Rodrigo," Ajuka replied easily as his eyes danced over the marble slab where an illegal teleportation was carved bearing an unknown sigil in the center of it, "I trust you haven't disturbed it?"
"Other than ensuring that it wasn't rigged to explode on us, no Lord Beelzebub," The devil shook his head as he handed the Maou a tablet with the initial findings, which the Super Devil devoured in a handful of seconds.
Ajuka breathed in as he let his magical senses slip over the protections on the slab, and he felt his lips quirk up as he found it to be exceptionally dense with safeguards, "It's a good thing you didn't because if anyone else but myself attempted to analyze it the circle would have disintegrated."
The Maou shrugged off his coat and hung it up on the nearest, cleanest-looking hook before he pulled a comfortable chair from his magic pocket and placed it in front of the circle.
"Call Miles and let him know to cancel all of my meetings for the foreseeable future; this will require my full attention for the time being."
Ajuka smiled as he spun up his Kankara Formula and activated his time-dilation spells, the entire world falling away from him as he began to look over the protections on the illegal teleportation circle in earnest.
An honest challenge?
How exciting.
Special thanks to Lmc9389, Artillery, AuraofCalm, Mioismoe, Southmonk, Darkarma, Acrimonius, T. Balewood, Randall Randall, Dominyx Black, CyberCrisis, Blue, Russ Stilter, Legion_13, Mike Fatal_Bullet, P. Nguyen, J. Ricardo Passos, K. Weierbach, R. Alderman, A P, Arrorn, Empty Shelf, PbookR, Mortaegus, Nevets309, Jake95044, Jackson R., G. Johnson, T. Dewitt, M. McGuire, DragonShark-Eater, Big-Tofu, Alexei A., Brandon B., David B., Grant L., Anti-Akuma, Cailk, Robert H., Jigawats, Joseph M. Teti, Konb, Stelliferous, A. McGregor, Jasticus, C. Wiggins, M. Compean, Dynrakmos, Lictor Magnus, Coolman59223, John the Gamer, J.Goncalves, Shurukkah, A. Daw, Gorth 123, Quinten M., Dirk Gent L., Penguin Quality Tester, Alexander P., SharpShadow, and holy cow THANKS to InsanexSilence for being Patrons!
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A/N: So, my sister ended up having a C-Section and is hurting pretty badly. With the poor visiting hours my trip has been postponed until she is out of the hospital and able to see me. So I decided to continue from where I left off.
This chapter went on way longer than anticipated, but thoroughly enjoyed writing this mini-arc from start to finish by jumping PoVs and letting you meet the newest member of the Crew- Dimitri Numenov. A Magician with middling magical power for a Mage, but a Sacred Gear that has direct combat applications. He is Sabrine's Mutated Knight.
Fun fact, in this AU, he was going to be the no-name Staring Blue (Blue Light Arrow) that the Occult Research Club easily slaps down from the Hero Faction in Volume 7 (thank you for that DxD wiki. lol). He would have managed to escape, and years on down the line he would have been recruited by the Hero Faction and Cao-Cao with a chip on his shoulder and a hatred for the devils thanks to his family's dealings that saw him forced to run away from home. However, instead of being a no-name mook that gets the shit kicked out of him with no fanfare by Rias and her ragtag group of Protagonists, he gets the pleasure of serving as Sabrine's first Piece.
He will be getting the same training and education as everyone else, but he will find time to flourish with the Research Team (currently Sabrine and Yubelluna), and will be key to helping solve some of the issues they are having with the spells they are creating. He isn't a genius by any stretch, but he does have a different Point of View, and sometimes that's all that's needed: a new way to attack a problem.
Also, it's a good thing Riser is paranoid AF, ain't it? If not for his paranoia and desire to see his family members safe no matter the cost… we would have had our first named character death with Kumiko.
As to the Skinwalker- as I showed in the previous chapter with Magari, the Skinwalkers are extremely difficult to spot, to the point that a 700 year old Senjutsu master could barely detect them. They're not strong, but they're more than lethal enough for the above-average devil; it's claws wouldn't have even scratched Riser's back, but for someone like Kumiko who is still a relatively squishy Yokai, his sneak attack on her was highly lethal. However, it was mainly the fight between Dimitri and his Elder Brother combined with the breaching of the room that gave her away to the Skinwalker; the dust that fell down from the ceiling providing it with enough of an outline to line up a sure-kill attack. Then with her blood in its possession it would have been able to take her appearance for itself… and likely would have slipped away before anyone even knew what happened.
However, once more, Big Bro Riser keeps an eye on all of his younger siblings, so the moment that he felt Kumiko's life force flicker to near death he was already on the move with Michiko and Kuroka hot on his heels.
I also don't think I need to say the significance of capturing a Skinwalker intact and alive, as well as the capture of the illegal teleportation circle. lol
Spoiler: The Whole Squad as Listed
Riser
Kuisha
Xuelan
Isabela
Kuroka
Sabrine
Michiko
Ni
Li
Yubelluna
Win Wang
Tiger
Boar
Swan
Mouse
Mister Lawrence
- Junchiro (Tengu)
- Daichi (Tanuki)
- Kota (Nekomata)
- Hashiro (Kitsune)
- Tou (Owl)
- Bun (Rabbit)
- Kumiko (Kitsune)
Chapter 19 - Young Devils Tournament Training Arc - Part II
[Dimitri Numenov]
The eighteen-year-old's heart was hammering in his chest as he lay underneath silken sheets that defied his greatest expectations.
He had been informed by his King that Lord Phenex's family had wealth and opulence in measures hard for his mind to fathom, but even his greatest expectations had been blown out of the water. His family's estate he had thought impressive, but the estate in the Phenex Quarter of Alliance Temporal Training Center was far grander than he could have anticipated. His room was only a touch larger than his own had been at his old… home, but the bed was finer, the furnishings more luxurious, and the carpet underneath his bare feet had felt divine.
The hot spring that he had access to on the Eastern side made the long walk to and from it well worth it when he had the time, or at least that was what he had been told.
It had been less than a day since he had died defeating his brother and subsequently reincarnated by Sabrine Hibana-Serphent as her Knight.
The right side of his chest ached as a phantom memory of a spear of ice piercing it flared up in his mind, and he winced.
He had been cocky.
Dimitri thought his elder brother a useless lech who only practiced magic enough to hypnotize whatever village girl caught his fancy, but their battle had quickly disabused him of that notion. It turned out, much to Dimitri's shock, that his brother was far more competent than he had ever let on- a half-dozen spell formulas springing up simultaneously and unleashing their fury at him while they battled on the mansion's rooftop patio. Honestly, it was all Dimitri could do to counter with five of his own spells and an angled spell shield to divert a flurry of icy daggers hurtling at him with deadly ferocity.
It was humbling, truly, to know that his parents had actually kept Tristov as the Heir for a reason, and it rankled Dimitri to think that he had been so easily fooled for so long; if his brother had truly been so lazy and incompetent their punishing, exacting parents would have banished him long ago. They wouldn't have even let him anywhere near the representatives of whatever devils they were serving.
The duel between them had been short but incredibly deadly, and it was only Dimitri's countless hours of self-study that allowed him to last as long as he did- if he had been any less studious, any less determined with his self-imposed magical training… he would have perished within the first exchange. Tristov's formulations were quick and precise, far quicker than he'd ever displayed to Dimitri, and his spell shields were robust and incredibly stable; it took three of Dimitiri's strongest spells to batter one down, and by the time it shattered Tristov already had another formed to intercept the next barrage.
However, like the true arctic fox he was, Tristov still was sly and cunning, drawing Dimitri into a hellaciously fierce and pitched battle, making the Spare feel as though they were equals in the deadly contest. He made Dimitri believe he was only marginally better, capable of six spell circles and a shield to Dimitri's five and a shield, and their rapid-fire exchanges further enforced this; Tristov had planted the seed that there was hope for victory in Dimitri's mind years ago, and in this fateful duel it had grown and flourished.
In the end, through careful maneuvering and spell choice, Dimitri thought that he finally managed to get the upper hand, countering his brother's latest elemental spell barrage and breaking his barrier, but that was when Tristov revealed his hand and laid the cards down on the table. Tristov was capable of eight spell circles, the Heir firing two picture-perfect ice spears that Dimitri wasn't able to respond to- the first sliced open his cheek, but the second speared him right through the chest… penetrating his lung.
It was then that Dimitri realized that his boasts about being able to easily defeat his brother without killing him had been folly.
Childish boasting and grandstanding.
The only solace he had in those fleeting moments before he was forced to rely on his Sacred Gear to finish the fight was that for all his hidden combat prowess, Tristov had been none the wiser to Dimitri's espionage.
So Dimitri threw all of his calculative prowess into creating six of the strongest spell shields he could muster, and he called out his Sacred Gear; the Spare relying on its innate knowledge to guide him into taking aim with his damaged body, drawing the ethereal string, and forming the arrow of blue light. Every drop of magical power he could spare went into making that one singular arrow, his eyes furrowed in agony and concentration as his brother attempted to batter down the stacked shields between them- the light show from the barrage of spells and the opacity of the shields shielding Dimitri's finishing blow from Tristov's sight until it was too late.
Just as his last spell shield shattered, Dimitri loosed the arrow.
The world slowed to a crawl as the arrow's passage blew a hole in the smoke obscuring his sight.
Just as he saw the blade of condensed wind hurling towards his waist, so too did Tristov see the arrow of light hurtling toward him.
Dimitri, in a fight for survival, dived out of the way just as Tristov jerked, and while the Spare lost his right leg at the hip, the Heir lost his left arm at the shoulder.
Truthfully, he didn't even register the pain of his injuries anymore. The sight of his brother looking down in shock at his wound while the arrow glowed brilliantly in the reinforced stone wall just two paces behind him seemed to invigorate him. Still, despite the exchange, Tristov had enough wherewithal to try and finish the fight, another Wind Blade spell mandala forming in front of him to cleave Dmitri in twain while he could no longer move… but that was fine because Dimitri had a final card to play as well.
The Spare reached out and mentally grabbed the thread that connected Staring Blue to the arrow embedded in the wall, and he severed it- the arrow glowing ominously for a split second before it detonated.
Out from the smoke his brother's body tumbled, only stopping a few paces away from where Dimitri himself lay. It was only then, while looking at his brother's unconscious form that his wounds seemed to remind him of their existence, and he wished he could have howled but his sole uninjured lung seemed to be unable to gather the breath to do so. His head felt faint as nausea from the pain swept over his body, and he voided his guts onto the unforgiving tile as every rapid heartbeat spurted his lifeblood from the stump where his leg used to be.
Dimitri's vision darkened, but just before he lost consciousness he saw the devil Magician appear, the woman drawing a silvery vial from between her bosom before kneeling next to Tristov… then his world went black.
When he awoke he was startled and relieved to find that he had all of his limbs intact, the young man lying in a bed within a train car owned by House Phenex, the steady rocking indicating that they were on their way to the Underworld. He had managed to get his bearings, the teen washing his face in the Sleeper Car's bathroom before his King and Lord Riser's Queen came in to speak with him- the pair giving him a long but at the same time very brief rundown of what was expected of him as a devil within Sabrine's Peerage.
When they were finished he asked every question he could think of, and once he'd exhausted himself Kuisha Abaddon left him and Lady Sabrine alone in the car to speak, but not before the Queen of Lord Riser gave him a book that he hadn't yet had time to dig into.
It was during that conversation he learned that he and his King were going to be spending a lot of time together- proximity after his reincarnation being key to ensuring that his body remained stable.
Intellectually he knew what that entailed, but it didn't prepare him for this!
Dimitri's heart thudded in his chest as he lay underneath silken sheets that defied his greatest expectations.
He turned his head when he heard the door crack open, and he was incredibly thankful for his new dark vision when he saw his gorgeous King step into the room before shutting the door behind her. The red silk robe that she had over her body was shed and she hung it on the coat rack next to the door to reveal her sinful body to his sight. A matching silk nightgown extended down to mid-thigh, showing off the creamy plushness of her legs, and it hugged the swell of her wide hips; the garment hid nothing from him. The silk appeared as though it was painted on, the red fabric taut against her belly, and her beautiful soft, jiggly bosom seemed to overflow from the twin triangle tops that were held up by a pair of thin red straps- the black lacy straps of her brassiere visible as they seemed to hug her collarbone and disappear over her shoulders.
The raven waterfall of hair spilled down her back, and her mismatched eyes along with the cute mole below her left eye just added to her beauty.
Her eyes crinkled as her lips pulled up into a seductive smile.
"A feast for the eyes, am I not, boya~?"
Dimitri found it hard to swallow, but that didn't stop him from responding, "You… are a beauty that is beyond compare, my King."
His words must have done something to her because she shivered in delight, her bosom jiggling happily with her, "Fufufu~, such an honest young man; I don't dislike such things."
Her hips swayed as she crossed the distance to the bed, and she sat down on the edge of the mattress, the woman looked down at him, "However, I regret to inform you that while a handsome, earnest young thing such as yourself would have been right in my 'strike zone' many years ago… things have changed."
Dimitri blinked before mentally kicking himself. Okay, so maybe he had been a touch too hasty in assuming that such a beautiful devil would come to his room at night to have sex with him?
A soft chuckle left her lips as her fingers reached out and began to card through his hair, "I can feel the disappointment coursing through you, Dimitri-kun, but I need to get this out of the way right now so there aren't any misunderstandings. The need for closeness and proximity is only to help stabilize you; we will share a bed and spend the next few days together, but there can be nothing between us."
"Yes… I understand?"
She shook her head and motioned for him to turn onto his side, which he complied with, and his King slipped underneath the covers to lay down next to him, "I don't think you do, but let me better explain it."
Dimitri tried to take slow, deep calming breaths as he fought down the erection that was starting to strain his underwear and fleece sleep pants, but he was a virgin who was sharing a bed with one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen!
"Our Lord Riser is the man you truly serve, Dimitri. You are my Knight, true, but his word is my law- and before you interrupt, it is by choice, not compulsion," The woman let out a breathy sigh as she shifted underneath the covers and he felt her back press against his, "Normally a High-Class devil's Peerage is their own, and while a King cannot legally compel the Kings of his Peerage to obey his will, myself and the others owe Riser Phenex far more than our mere service. All of us owe our Lord everything. Our lives, our loyalty, our hearts- our love."
Her words held more than a trifle of conviction and reverence, "Lord Riser is far from what many humans think of when they imagine a devil. He is hardworking, determined, thoughtful, patient… and very kind."
A devil? Kind? He certainly didn't feel any kindness when he had to negotiate with him to stop his family's heinous acts!
"Kukuku~, I know you're surprised to hear that, but as far as devils go, our Lord is practically a saint! I can say with full confidence, with over two centuries of life lived in the Underworld, that Riser Phenex is probably one of the best devils you could ever hope to serve under," The bed shifted as she chuckled throatily, causing his arousal to surge once more, "Under him you will be educated to the highest of standards, trained to be the strongest devil you could possibly be, protected when you are unable to protect yourself, and unlike those other devils Lord Riser will even help you climb the social ladder so that one day… you too will be a High-Class devil with a set of Evil Pieces all your own."
"It's safe to say that your every want and need will be seen to! Well, almost every want and need," The woman let her head thump softly against the back of his neck, her soft locks tickling his flesh, "Your virginity and other manly needs are something that you'll have to see to yourself."
"Are you in love with him?" The words came unbidden from his lips, but he really needed to know; if there was no hope that he'd ever be able to sink himself into her divine flesh then it was best to get his dreams crushed right now.
"We all are." Was her simple response.
Silence fell between them for a few moments while she let him digest her words.
"Every woman in his Peerage, and in ours, belong to him and him alone. He is thoughtful, he is kind, he is very giving… but no devil is perfect, and he has his own sins which he embodies, and for Riser-sama his are Greed and Lust ," She shivered softly next to him, but the coy way she spoke made it sound as though she had a smile on her lips, "We all adore him, love him, even with his sins being what they are. We accept those parts of him, we accept that we chose to give him everything that we are- our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls… they are his to do with as he pleases. However, we only offered him such important things because we knew that he would hold us close, treasure us, and never, ever let us go."
Sabrine reached back and toyed with his hair, "You won't need to worry, however, as any woman you bring into your Peerage will be yours, but they will still serve him and his interests. However, keep in mind what's his is his - you can look, but never touch. Do you understand, Dimitri?"
"Y-yes… my King."
What else could he possibly say to that? At least it was spelled out in black and white.
"Good, good. Fufufu, I'd hate to have to bury you," She pinched his cheek playfully, "As long as you understand. Just to be on the safe side, if you ever wish to pursue someone, ask me or him first, so that way you'll know without a doubt where the boundaries are. Also, do keep in mind that the Maids aren't for your canoodling. Huuhuuhuu~!"
Dimitri found it very hard to sleep that night, but after a few hours of pondering he managed to close his eyes and drift off.
The first new day as a devil wouldn't wait for him, and he wanted to be ready to greet it at dawn.
[Riser Phenex]
[ATTC]
[10 Years - Current Training Bloc]
The darkness was closed in around me, my mental form floating in the void as red ribbons of fate slithered across my flesh and danced in front of my eyes.
Each one vied for my attention, wiggling and squirming in front of me to catch my eye, but I could only hold onto a single one- even after decades of constant effort it was impossible for me to try and view more than one ribbon at a time. Not that I'd want to try and view two at once- working with a single vision was enough of a pain to deal with. I had to not only grab onto it, but I'd have to bring it in, internalize it, decipher it, and then take what secrets it held and form it into an image for me to transcribe later.
Given that I only had a few hours budgeted for training my Prophecy Barbatos trait each week, and my Mother was only in the ATTC so often due to the temporal disparities between inside and outside its bounds, it was my second least developed blood trait, with Tongue of the Beast being worked less than it.
Look, it was difficult to practice when there weren't any animals or beasts to work on inside the ATTC. I mean, sure, I tried to practice where I could when I was out and about, but I honestly just didn't see the purpose of training it much more than I already was due to the simple fact that its use drained the target of its strength and not me. The longer the conversation went- and the lower the intelligence of the animal in question- the more tired they got. I could get around this by stoking their life force with Senjutsu, but I just didn't see the point of trying to have long-winded conversations with birds or animals… outside of esoteric intelligence-gathering purposes, of course.
A devil's familiar could be easily spotted if you were looking for it, but the mundane birds in the trees could see quite a bit. Regardless, however, those were short, one-word answers at best, and according to my mother I could glean more from those short words if I trained it further, but I just didn't see the point.
I had more important things to do with my time, like exercising my prophecy.
My arm reached out and I let my fingers slither over a few shorter ribbons, but I instead bypassed those to seek out one of the longer ones; the shorter the ribbon the higher the likelihood it would be happening soon, which meant within the next few months or years. Given that my 'prophecy portfolio' was already pretty thick with short-term visions, I was opting to try and extend my reach out a bit further with my sessions as of late.
I gazed at a trio of ribbons, all of them feeling fairly similar, but in the end, I grabbed the one that was wriggling the most and held on for dear life.
My eyes flashed as colors and shapes assaulted me as per usual, and I grit my teeth as I clamped down hard on the cacophonous stream of inputs- applying a steadily increasing amount of demonic power to it until the pressure slowed it down to a trickle. It was difficult to do it properly, but after many years of trial and error, I seemed to find the happy middle ground between keeping the information flowing enough to analyze the ribbon before my time expired… and being able to parse the data and form it into a complete picture for me to transcribe.
Like a computer program generating pixels and layering them on top of each other one after another, the colors and shapes began to take form as I laid out the contents of the ribbon into a singular image. More and more detail was added with each 'processing' pass, and a dark background had bright stars populate, grass, dirt, and pebbles formed next, with a few sparse trees ripe with spring leaves coming soon after.
Layer after layer. Detail after detail. The background was filled in, then the foreground, and finally the centerpiece was slowly brought to light.
It was impossible for me to not recognize my own back, my signature suit and silhouette unmistakable, even to myself. The back of my head was visible, hair looking as though it was swaying softly in the breeze, but what was the true centerpiece was a large boulder that had a dozen of those Japanese white ropes with paper talismans hanging from them; a single, thick rope- almost as thick as my thigh- was wrapped around the equator of the stone.
The moment the image solidified I did my best to burn it into my memory before I pulled myself away from my visionscape and yanked my consciousness back to the real world.
My eyes opened up and a large portrait-sized sheet of expensive paper dropped into my gloved fingers, and I generated an illusion of the image onto the paper and put my ultra-fine control to good use. Fifty-two threads of Phenex Fire slithered over the surface of the paper like an undulating mass of hair-thin fibers, and with the precision of a laser printer, the image was burned into the surface in record time. I would go back through it later on tonight and try and free-hand it from memory; it was great image and memorization training!
Once the drawing was complete I'd compare and contrast the two and see what my mind glossed over and what it forgot entirely.
With a snap of my fingers, the original was encased in thin but strong enchanted glass panes and sealed with a thread of flame fusing the two together at the edges. Once it was safe to handle I held it up to the group that was picnicking with me for this training session, "What am I looking at?"
Other than my mother, who was lying down in her own fugue on a very comfy pad, Michiko, Kuroka, and Bertha were with me.
"It is you! Standing in front of a rock!" Bertha crossed her arms in front of her chest and nodded her head as if her deduction skills had just solved a murder mystery.
Slow down there, Conan. If you Close too many Cases then you'll put yourself out of a job.
"Fufufu~, yes you are correct, Betha. Good job!" Michiko reached up and patted my little pony's cute ears, "Such a smart girl you are~."
Her horse tail swished from side to side as she squirmed under the weight of my cat-wife's praise, but Kuroka, lounging on her own cushion, popped a grape into her mouth, "She's right, nya~. It is a rock."
I stared at her flatly, "Of course. Great job, Kuroka."
Her golden eyes twinkled as she chewed, "You gonna stroke my ears too?"
"Only if you come to me, kitty-cat."
She mulled it over for a second before she shook her head, and rolled onto her belly, the feline delighting in how my eyes were immediately drawn to her squished up side-boobage, "Nah, too much effort, nya~. You really worked us over today- you should be more gentle with us girls, you know? Getting punched in the face hurts."
"I do wish we could be of more assistance, danna-sama," Michiko interrupted, a small but apologetic smile on her lips, "But there are stones like that all over Japan."
"Easily over a hundred of 'em, nya~."
"Yes, many," My darling Michiko shook her head, "There were plenty of powerful Yokai around to cause trouble, but the number of Onmyoji who were capable of defeating them for good has always been historically a lot fewer. So those that they could not slay were often sealed away into whatever was available; clay jars, trees, and yes, boulders such as that."
"I'm not onmyodo expert, but it's pretty easy to identify the twelve-fold sealing method used here; however, knowing the method isn't gonna make deciphering it any easier either," Kuroka shook her head as she popped another grape into her mouth, "It is simple but powerful, and it could hold even the strongest of Yokai; certainly overkill in most cases, but there is no 'kill' like 'overkill'."
"Yeah, I can't fault that logic," I sighed as I slipped the pane back into the magic pocket where I kept my other drawings; later I'd take it to the vault where I stored all of the other originals.
I laid back down, my head resting on my mother's belly, where her hands immediately resumed their motherly ministrations- her fingers carding through my hair and gently scraping at my scalp. A soft groan of relief escaped my lips, "Michiko, love, how much time do I have?"
"Mhmm? Thirty minutes, danna-sama," I could hear the smile in her voice as I closed my eyes, "Enjoy this rest, for you have your bouchujutsu sessions soon after."
"Alright, I will."
"Umm… actually Goshujin-sama…"
I cracked my eyes open and looked at Kuroka; the black-furred feline Yokai squirmed under my gaze as she fiddled with her fingers, her expression as unsure as her ki.
She hardly ever called me that- only when she thought she might get into some trouble did she ever supplicate.
My mother's fingers didn't stop their ministrations as I tried to give her a soft, open smile, "What's on your mind, Kuroka?"
"Mhhmmnya… well, there has been something I've been keeping from you for a while now," She tilted her head to the side and nervously rubbed the side of her neck, "Well, I mean, I kept it back in the beginning but once the ball here got rolling I sort of just forgot about it?"
"Alright, go ahead, Kuroka-chan, I'm listening."
"Eh, it might be best if we had Shirone-chan here as well, and likely Lord Beelzebub-sama…"
Spoiler: The Letter
"My dear Kuroka,
If you are reading this letter then that means the charms on the bracelet that I have given you have been broken, and I as well as your father are most likely dead.
You must read this quickly and carefully- you will not have much time.
Open the cabinet, right where I showed you, and grab the bag inside. Within it is a red envelope that has a map and another letter. The blue envelope has some human money for Japan that I stole while traveling with your father. Take the bag and the letter and go to Tashirojima Island- it is where your Momma is from; you remember the stories that I told you, right, my little black wonder? Seek out a seven-tailed Nekomata, her name is Magari-sama. She was your Momma's teacher.
Grab Shirone, Kuroka, and run to the teleportation circle in your father's study; if the charm for him is broken then that means the protections tied to it are broken as well. Use it to escape to Japan and find Magari-sama. The pre-arranged mandala will take you to a town called Kuoh; flee North and East toward Miyagi.
If I am dead but your father is alive… then you will have to try and use the gifts of Senjutsu and the techniques I taught you to escape on foot. Run to the New Satan faction devils and give them the hairpin that your sister wears; that should be enough to secure your safety.
If I am dead and your father is alive then he is most likely my killer, and my love has failed to pierce the darkness clouding his heart. Should you meet him… you should run. Do not listen to his words. If my love could not help him then I doubt your words would reach where mine failed.
Go now, my beloved daughter, and keep our little white sound safe for Momma, okay?
I love you, Kuroka. I love you, Shirone.
Your Okaa-san is so sorry."
I handed the letter over to Lord Ajuka who grasped it gently while I looked over to Kurkoa, "I can't fault you for holding onto this."
Kuroka's eyes widened and I held up a hand to stop her, "Seriously. I can understand. You wanted to wait and feel us out, to see if we were true, I understand. Then when we started training your competitive spirit started to come out, we started training a lot, and it sort of just got… lost in the sauce, right?"
After a moment the Nakoshu nodded slowly, "Yes, Goshujin-sama. It wasn't until I took a small trip out to visit my Shirone-chan that I saw the hairclip and remembered. I don't take that letter out to read it all that often anymore, nya~."
Myself, Kuisha, Kuroka, Shirone, and Lord Beelzebub were in his Lab-away-from-his-lab in the Gremory Quarter's garden shed, the five of us in the entryway's little lobby. While all Kuisha, Ajuka, and myself were seated, Kuroka kneeled on a zabuton while Shirone stood impassively on the wall.
Spoiler: Almost Grown Up Shirone
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It was striking some of the similarities that remained between Shirone and her 'canon' counterpart, but while Koneko was unexpressive and small, my Shirone had blossomed into womanhood. Between her years spent in the ATTC being educated in the workings of the Underworld and as a Maid, Shirone was almost seventeen years old now; only regular stints 'interning' at the Phenex House as a Senior Maid-in-Training slowed her growth compared to the rest of us. Truthfully, this was done so that I could have the additional time to become stronger myself- I wanted to bring her into the Peerage as one of my Mutated Pawns, her and Michiko both, if only to conserve precious Pieces for future, more powerful members.
As it sat now, Shirone and Michiko both would require three Pawns for me to reincarnate as a near-Ultimate-class devil, which was surprising because Michiko was one of my strongest and most skilled women- knowing both Senjutus, Touki, Human Magic, Devil Magic, and multiple forms of Martial Arts. Shirone, however, was only being educated and not trained; I had to guess that her Nekoshu ancestry caused her natural, latent potential to appear much larger to the Evil Piece system than her current level of strength.
Either that or she was doing some illegal training on the side.
Given how competitive she was with the Dirty Dozen, the little girl always wanting to win their games as they grew up and wanting to be a better Maid as they aged… it was likely a bit of both.
Still, it was right on the borderline, so with just a bit more training and effort on my end I should be able to bring her and Michiko both in under and single Mutated Pawn.
No. I was not being stingy with my Pieces…
Lord Beelzebub folded the letter up and floated it back over to Kuroka who immediately placed it back into her magic pocket. His blue eyes seemed to bore into Shirone, who as a proper Maid, barely flinched under his gaze, "If you would please, approach, Shirone. I would like to inspect this hairpin of yours."
Shirone had grown up quite a lot over the years, the white-furred Nekoshu becoming just as beautiful and alluring as her elder sister. The feline wasn't small like her 'canon' counterpart, likely due to not having any serious psychological trauma from witnessing her sister slaughter a devil and his Peerage… and not being hung out to dry when Kuroka escaped with a death sentence hanging over her. Rias giving her an Evil Piece the moment she got her set likely had a huge impact on her form as well- the natural ability to shapeshift combined with a desire to be small and unnoticeable leading to Koneko being a petite girl.
Shirone, however, had no Evil Piece to change her constitution, and she was constantly surrounded by 'Pretty Onee-samas' who vied for the attention of their Lord Riser. Though truth be told Shirone didn't need an Evil Piece or shapeshifting to catch my eyes- her natural genetics and feline beauty were more than enough.
Her snowy-white hair was long, spilling down to her bottom, though she usually had it tied up into a loose braid while keeping some bangs to frame her face. Her golden eyes always brimmed with joy and mischief, shimmering playfully until it was time to put on her Maid Cap and 'play her part'. She wasn't as tall as her sister, and her curves were generous but certainly proportional… even if she was a little stacked to be as short as she was. Her breasts were large enough that they would be able to wrap around my cock with ease, and her bottom was full and perky enough that I couldn't wait for the moment she decided that she was ready to go 'all the way with Master, nya~'; I could only imagine the way her delicious flesh would deform under my hips.
Shirone approached Lord Ajuka and curtsied perfectly, the feline presenting her head to the Maou of Knowledge as he spun up almost a dozen different spells that analyzed the white kitty cat hairpin.
"It does appear to be a storage device," Lord Beelzebub hummed before he held up a hand, "If I may?"
"Of course, Lord Beelzebub-samnya~," The white Nekoshu closed her eyes as he unclipped it with a touch of telekinesis and it floated over to his hand.
"I will analyze the data this drive contains and see if I cannot glean any information from it. Once I've made a copy I will remove the drive from the hairpin and return it to you, Shirone," Ajuka's eyes were glowing slightly, but his full attention was on the object held gently between his fingers, "Is this acceptable?"
"Yes, Lord Beelzebub-samnya," Shirone raised herself up, "As long as it is in good condition I will be satisfied; it is one of the only things left of our mother, nya."
"Very good," The Maou stood up and adjusted his coat, "First the Skinwalker and now this? My, my, my… we just might be able to make some headway in our investigations if these clues keep falling into your lap, Riser Phenex. Depending on the data this drive contains it very well could be a treasure trove of information. Seeing as we have an active bounty on credible information for any illicit criminal activities I will see to it that it is paid to you post-haste; I can only give the minimum as it sits now, but if the information is good then you can expect an increased payout."
I nodded and stood up with Kuisha, "By your leave?"
He nodded distractedly as the door leading deeper into the lab opened up and the hairpin floated inside ahead of him as he departed without saying another word.
I looked to Kuroka and Shirone, "I'll make sure that the full payment is split between you two, alright? Now, let's get back to the manor, we have some training to do."
"Mhmmm… ahhh… ahnnnn~. Onii-sama… Onii-sama… Onii-sama… it feels good~."
I took in a deep breath and judiciously ignored the way my little sister moaned and writhed against me- my entire focus was on aligning her Chakra Gates and getting them to flow all in the same direction… but her Sahasrara- her Crown Chakra- was being a stubborn little minx.
It liked to overcorrect even at the slightest of touches, and I wondered if I should instead focus my efforts on getting her Anahata and Anja Gates- her Heart and Third-Eye Chakras- aligned instead before coming back to the finicky one. Maybe it would align itself naturally if I just applied more head pats to the problem area? I know that Ravel-chan wouldn't mind.
Ravel was wearing a cute pink two-piece with white frills, a perfectly suitable swimsuit for an eight-year-old girl, even if she was closer to twelve given how much time she's been spending in the ATTC. Rias, Sona, and Seekvaira were spending more time in the ATTC as well, but that was mainly because they wanted to get their homework done quickly so they could spend time with their parents, elder siblings, or me… and not so much for training. Ravel, however, had a goal of some kind, one she wouldn't tell me anything about, and she was having Michiko and the rest of my Peerage put her through her paces whenever they had some free time.
No. It didn't feel like she was trampling on my heart because she eschewed any opportunity to train with her Onii-sama and instead chose to train with the girls. I was totally and completely satisfied with the hour of Bouchujutsu sessions with her to stimulate her life force. The cuddling let me refill my Raveltanium stockpiles thrice a week, and for a Big Brother who didn't want to smother his Ravel-chan's independent streak, I kept my distance.
I would not be gross.
Sirzechs and Serafall already showed me the pain and rejection that occurred when one went down that particular path.
We had started performing these Bouchujutsu sessions in one of the Tatami rooms now, if only because with Dimitri here now I wanted him close to observe how men were supposed to help their female partners cultivate life force. He wasn't yet at the stage where I felt comfortable with him doing anything more than observing, but there was no denying that having him around to help me with these Bouchujutsu sessions meant that we could all cultivate more often than before in the coming future.
More life force directly translated to more physical strength, endurance, and improved demonic power growth.
In a few years time we would be able to cultivate every day, with the two of us able to take on at least two partners though my skill and control had improved to the point that I could cultivate with three of my women easily in a single session. With Ni and Li being twins their similarities went far more than skin deep as well, and I could actually cultivate with them both at the same time- I spooned one and the other spooned with me.
I could feel the embarrassment radiate off of Dimitri as he held onto Ravel's ankle delicately, but there was also an underlying current of serious focus with how he intently observed the way my Yang flowed throughout my sister's body and stimulated her Yin ki.
My internal clock went off just a split second before the miniature, digital alarm clock in the room started beeping, and Ravel let out a soft grumble of complaint as I gently pulled my Yang ki back into my body.
"It always feels like it's over too soon," Ravel spun around in my arms and placed a quick kiss on the corner of my mouth before she extricated herself from my embrace; a light sheen of sweat coated her body as she stood up and placed her hands on her hips, "And now it is time for more training! Come, Michiko-onee-sama!"
Michiko chortled behind her hand daintily as she slid the shoji door open and gestured, "Of course, Ravel-sama. We will conduct some physical conditioning for an hour before taking a quick dip in the hot springs. We mustn't tarry for too long, as dinner will be ready soon."
"Mhmm! Bye, Onii-sama!"
"Have fun, Ravel-chan," I chuckled lightly as I gave the energetic little sister a small wave, which she returned quickly as she bolted out of the room with my cat-wife hot on her heels.
"So, how was viewing it from the outside for the first time, Dimitri?" I sighed slightly as I slipped out from underneath the covers on the futon and stretched out.
The young man shifted off of his knees and began going through a few stretches of his own, the former Russian Magician circulating his ki throughout his body to speed up the recovery period; kneeling seiza for an hour takes its toll on everyone, enhanced devil physiology or no. Laid out on his back the devil raised a knee up to his chest and pulled firmly, "It was… interesting, for lack of a better word. It is one thing to feel how a woman's Yin ki has to make gentle corrections, but another entirely to see how a man's Yang ki must be more… firm in its guidance."
"It will take some time, but soon enough you'll be assisting me in helping everyone cultivate their life force," Feeling that all of my kinks had been worked out I settled back onto my knees while waiting patiently for him to finish his stretches, "Once you get up to snuff there the growth everyone can experience will go up significantly."
Really, having Dimitri up to par will go a long way in helping my other girls grow more quickly.
The young man ran a hand along his carefully manicured beard, "I will do my best to learn, Lord Riser."
"I'm sure you will! But for now," I clapped my hands lightly, "Spend the next two hours studying as you wish; don't forget to wash up before dinner time."
Dimitri rolled to his feet, the man adjusting his basketball shorts as he strode toward the open shoji doors, and he bowed before shutting it behind him.
That left me alone with the tatami room's sole other occupant.
I looked from the door to Kuisha and gave her a small smile, "Are you ready, Kuisha-chan?"
Seated in a comfortable armchair near the back of the room Kuisha was clad in a large, fluffy white bathrobe with fuzzy white slippers adorning her feet. Her long blonde hair was done in a simple braid that draped down over her shoulder, which was par for the course given it kept her hair out of the way while we cuddled.
"Of course, Lord Riser," She intoned solemnly, but there was a notable dusting of pink on her cheeks as my Queen slipped off of the chair and onto her slippered feet.
Something was different about her, and I could tell because normally she waited patiently in a simple but flattering purple two-piece bathing suit for her sessions… so seeing her in a bathrobe instead of her swimsuit made my heart pump slightly harder in anticipation. Her cheeks and neck flushed a deeper red as her hands slowly undid the cloth belt at her waist, and when the restrained was released I was greeted by the beautiful sight of her creamy flesh; the flaps of the robe clung to her breasts, but the view showed off the faint six pack on her belly and the healthy blonde bush between her thighs.
She lowered her shoulders and the robe slipped off to puddle on the tatami at her feet- the woman truly baring her naked body to me for the first time since she joined my Peerage.
Kuisha had been hesitant at first, the woman bathing alone for the first few years before she started to join us at the hot spring, though she always wore a one-piece bathing suit to relax. Then, as the years went on and she grew more comfortable with all of us, she moved over to a two-piece bikini that hid just as much as it concealed. Truth be told it was a massive tease to me, but seeing as all of my earthly needs were constantly sated I could afford to be patient and await the day that she finally wished to show herself off.
The Heiress of House Abaddon swallowed thickly as she ducked her head to the side, "Does… my form please you, Lord Riser?"
"Of course," I murmured softly, the small ember of lust that I kept quashed while cultivating with my little sister roaring back to life, "You're so beautiful, Kuisha."
She was.
While she wasn't as busty or curvaceous as Kuroka, Sabrine, or Yubelluna, there was no denying that her more slender and understated form didn't have its appeal. She wasn't as lithe and athletic in appearance as Michiko, whose body showed off all of the hard lines of her musculature, but she was more in line with Isabella and Xuelan in that her curves were less pronounced but that didn't make her any less womanly.
Her breasts were barely more than a handful in size, but the shape was pleasing, and I was surprised to find out that she had inverted nipples like Sabrine; it made me wonder just how much I'd have to tease them in order to get them to stand proudly. The vial that contained the fiery essence of my heart dangled proudly between the firm bits of delectable flesh.
Kuisha stepped out of her slippers and walked across the tatami to slip onto the futon where she rolled onto her side. I could feel her ki tremble slightly in anticipation as she looked at me from over her shoulder, "S-shall we begin? We don't have much time to waste… Riser."
"No, we don't, do we?" I forced down the pleased smirk that threatened to tug at my lips as I laid down beside her and did my best to meld my form to her body as closely as I could manage. One arm slipped up underneath her waist while the other slithered over the top, my arm sliding between her breasts where my hand gently grasped onto her shoulder. A gasp left her lips as I wrapped my right leg over the top of hers and used the leverage to paste our bodies together; a shiver swept through her body as my raging erection, tightly wrapped in the confines of my boxers, pressed up against her pert bottom.
The sound of elastic snapping against flesh filled the air as she toyed with the waistband of my underwear, "I don't think you need to wear this any longer…"
Her voice was soft but husky, and I smiled against her neck as I flexed my Phenex Fire and quickly burned the offending garment to less than ash. The hand that had been playing with my waistband reached down and grasped the root of my cock, Kuisha shifting slightly and parting her thighs so that she could slip my length between them. Her moist sex was like a furnace, the slick flesh and tight lips dragging along the top side of my length as she shimmied back until her ass was pressed firmly against my pelvis. We both let out a soft groan as she rubbed her pillowy thighs around my cock, the woman rolling her hips slightly as the stimulation enflamed us both.
Kuisha's hand slid up my arm before her fingers gently intertwined with my hair, and she craned her neck to look at me with hooded eyes, "Let's… focus for now, and we can play a little bit afterward, my Lord."
Outwardly she appeared completely confident, but I could tell that she was nervous yet highly aroused.
There is no way my Queen could possibly be this cute!
My smile was genuine as I crossed the infinitesimally small distance between our faces and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, which drew a pleased flare of embarrassment from her aura. Yet, she didn't pull away until I broke the kiss off, "Yes, that sounds delightful, Kuisha."
We didn't end up having sex, but gentle stimulation of her soft, silken thighs and her slick womanhood was more than enough to see us both satisfied by the time dinner came about.
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A/N: Alright, so I'm back from my trip to visit the nephew. Was nice, but staying for too long wasn't going to be an option- my sister doesn't have a spare room and my parent's had a bed in their RV but… well, I'm a tall guy and the bed had my legs dangling off the bed something fierce. lol The drive was long and arduous, and on the way down my doggo decided to upchuck not once, but twice, so cleaning that up while on the road was no fun. Granted I was prepared for it, but that still didn't make it any less enticing. My sister having a hand steam cleaner ready when I arrived was certainly nice.
Anyways, now that I'm back home… I'm feeling very bleh. I need to buy some new glasses since my niece decided to jump on my face and bent my current frames beyond what I could fix, so my vision is a little skewed now which makes looking at the computer strange and vertigo inducing. That and the cold weather and barely any sun has left me feeling just… meh. Finishing out this chapter was a struggle for me, but I'm going to try and keep on writing just to work through this even if I feel as though it isn't up to my usual standards. Hopefully my getting back into the gym tomorrow will help alleviate some of that.
The plan is to have an interlude at the beginning of each chapter so that we can see some progress being made during this arc by other characters.