She groaned as her vision focused, yawning before glancing at the clock. She grimaced when she saw the time, 1:30 PM, then remembered that she's unemployed, and promptly slumped over on the bed again.
The pros of being a billionaire. No need to work anymore, unless you're a greedy asshat of course.
Mizuki sighed deeply as her thoughts traveled to what happened back in that warehouse, mentally beating herself over her own stupidity. If she'd just been honest with her daughter from the beginning, that wouldn't have happened.
She pushed herself to get up, heading to the bathroom to freshen up. She winced as she saw her reflection, a clear sign of how shitty her night has been after that. Bags under her eyes, messy hair - well, messier than usual anyhow - and all-around tired.
It looked like she didn't even sleep a wink. In fact, it would've been better for her if she pulled an all-nighter, but she had to drink herself to sleep because she can't seem to function without alcohol when she's sad.
"I gotta quit drinkin'..." Mizuki muttered, then after a few seconds scoffed. "Nah."
At the very least, there aren't any wrinkles. She's still a woman who looks in her mid-twenties at least, and that's all she's asking for. Hurray for Yokai blood~
"Hahhh…" She sighed deeply.
She didn't know what Akane was thinking right now, but if that outburst was any indication, then she's likely still pissed. As violent as she is, her daughter doesn't usually take a lot of things seriously, so no matter how annoying Mizuki acted, she never got so defensive and angry. Not like this.
Even then, Mizuki knew when to stop. Akane's anger is almost always directed to strangers, as she hated confrontation with people close to her, but even she had a limit, and Mizuki clearly crossed it last night.
What was she doing, pressing her like this? She should've got the message and backed off the moment Akane tensed and acted ignorantly. Demanding anything serious like that from her girl is only gonna piss her off.
And she realized how hypocritical she was when she pointed it out. Mizuki kept secrets the entire time, so she was never entitled to know what her daughter was hiding. Akane knew that much, but still, she kept her distance and never tried to pry for anything.
But honestly? She can't let this continue. Whatever she's hiding, it's making her more and more isolated. It scared the mother, these symptoms reminded her too much of those bloodthirsty monsters she used to call a family.
She will not allow her daughter to become anything like them, no matter how angry she gets at her. She will figure it out, pull her away from that slippery slope, and everything will be okay. Though, how the hell is she gonna do that?
As she freshened up, Mizuki went down the stairs, rubbing her eyes as she saw Asia sweeping the place with a… broom. What is she doing? Wait, where did she get that broom from? Who even uses a broom anymore?
"Oh, good morning!" Asia greeted with a beaming smile as she spotted the older woman.
"Morning," Mizuki yawned. "What are you doing, Asia?"
"Oh, um, I'm cleaning the house."
"I see that," She sighed. "I mean why are you cleaning the house?"
"W-well, you and Akane-san have been really good to me, so I thought I could help around a little," Asia said. "I-I'm not very good at many things, but I can cook and clean…"
Asia trailed off and gazed elsewhere, fidgeting slightly.
Mizuki smiled warmly. She's so sweet~
"Thank you, Asia, though you could've used a vacuum cleaner," Mizuki said. "It's a lot easier to use than a broom."
"A… vacuum cleaner?" She tilted her head.
…Has she been living under a rock? Mizuki thought with a confused look.
"Well, I'll show you how to use it later," She said, heading towards the kitchen. "Once I have my morning coffee at least."
"Oh, please let me," Asia said enthusiastically, stepping in front of her. "It's the least I could do."
"Well-"
"Would you like some breakfast?" Asia offered. "I've practiced cooking quite a lot back in Italy. Is there anything you like in particular?"
She's not backing down, is she?
"Surprise me," Mizuki sighed fondly.
With a wide smile, Asia rushed to the kitchen as Mizuki slumped over the couch, massaging her temples as her headache persisted. She learned how to tolerate pain a thousand times worse than this with ease, but it doesn't mean she can't feel it. It certainly didn't help with the emotional turmoil she's currently going through
How the hell is she gonna make it up to her daughter? She had a golden chance to tell her everything earlier when they talked about the supernatural, but she had to chicken out and look where that brought her. She's such an idiot.
If she had told Akane everything, then her reaction would've been nowhere near as hostile, assuming she accepts her mother for what she used to do. But that's the problem, isn't it? What made Mizuki hesitate?
Whether she made her daughter angry or not, that doesn't come close to what her reaction could be if she knew that Mizuki was a bloodthirsty murderer. And it's not like she can deny it.
Because she used to enjoy it. She used to love seeing the blood of her enemies being spilled, adoring that look of despair on the face of her target as she drove a dagger through their backs. All she ever wanted to do at the time was to prove her superiority and strength, to show that she was the most powerful warrior her clan ever produced, that she was worthy to lead it.
Even when she developed a genuine sense of guilt and conscience, it was too late. There was no denying it.
Mizuki was a cold-blooded killer, and she loved it.
So why in the hell would her daughter love her despite the fact?
"Here's your breakfast, Mrs. Amamiya!" Asia shook her out of her thoughts, putting the tray on the table in front of her. "T-the toast got burnt a little, but I really hope you enjoy it!"
"Oooh looks delicious~" Mizuki grinned, shoving those thoughts to the back of her mind. "Man, this brings me back when my hubby was around~"
"Oh?"
"You may not know, but neither I nor Akane are good at cooking. We just know the basics," Mizuki explained. "Tatsu used to do all the cooking and cleaning though."
"Wow, really?" Asia sat next to her, looking interested. "What was he like?"
"He's the kindest, coolest, and most handsome man in the world~" She cooed. "He's always been so reliable, doing all the housework by himself without ever asking for help."
As Mizuki was about to gush about her husband some more, seemingly forgetting her earlier headache, her daughter made herself known by going down the stairs, making her tense a little as she looked away.
All she noticed was Akane wearing her sportswear. She didn't know if she stared at her back or ignored her, but thankfully there was no confrontation as she simply walked to the front door without uttering a single word.
"Ah, Akane-san, wait!" Asia stopped her.
"Hm?"
"Would you like some breakfast first?" She offered. "I-I made it myself…"
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry," Akane replied.
"Oh…" Asia frowned sadly.
"When I get back maybe," She added. "See you, Asia."
"Goodbye, Akane-san!" The blond bowed a little. "Be safe."
With that brief exchange done, Akane left the house, closing the door behind her. Mizuki felt the atmosphere lighten up a little and sighed in relief, thankful that her daughter didn't start trouble.
"Um, Amamiya-san?" Asia looked worried. "Are you okay? You look a little sad."
"Oh, it's alright, don't worry," Mizuki smiled, finishing her breakfast. "Was just thinking of my late husband."
"I'm sorry for your loss."
"Ah, I told you, I got over it," She waved it off. "Oh wait, I know!"
"What?"
"Since you'll live with us for a while, how about we go shopping?" Mizuki offered. "As cute as you look with that outfit, you need variety."
Asia blushed. "A-am I cute?"
"Very cute," Mizuki patted her head. "Let me dress up and we can go, okay?"
"Okay. Thank you, Amamiya-san."
She smiled and left the nun for her bedroom, thankfully able to divert her attention elsewhere. She doesn't need someone getting caught in the crossfire between her and Akane right now. As much as she's fond of Asia, this is a problem between her and her daughter.
Mizuki frowned a little. They won't get anywhere if she freezes up every time her daughter walks past her, though.
But how the hell is she supposed to bring it up?
(Ichiban)
"This is the best thing humanity has ever created." His friend said with a satisfied smile, a spoonful of cake in her mouth as he looked out the window of the cafe. "God, it's so good~"
"I tried to get that brand you liked so much," Ichiban said, turning his gaze back at her. "I was lucky to find one. It gets sold fast."
"You know they're pretty expensive, right?" Akane raised a brow. "Since when was a homeless bum like you able to afford it?"
Oh, she has no idea. Now someone like her, Akane can eat that certain chocolate cake every day without it making a dent on her wallet, but for someone like him? With a limited allowance? He's barely scraping by as it is.
For Ichiban, saving money isn't particularly difficult. He lived most of his life in the lower echelons of society - money was pretty hard to come by. He usually got most of his cash from the dumbass delinquents that pick fights with him or whatever gang member who thinks they're hot shit.
He'd save up everything in case of emergencies, living on convenience store bentos and sometimes buying video games. Not like he needs to spend it on anything else.
"First of all, I'm not homeless," He scoffed. "Second, I'd rather not take any chances with you, so I got the best one I could."
"What's this? I never thought you'd take my requests that seriously," She grinned, a pink hue dusting her cheeks. "I might get the wrong idea, Ichi. If you have something to confess, spit it out. I might even give you a chance."
"Har har, very funny," He rolled his eyes.
"Ah, right, you're already taken," She sighed, sounding disheartened. "Hah, what a shame. I wouldn't mind going on a date with you."
Is- is she being serious right now? He thought nervously. I can't tell anymore.
"I didn't bring you here just to tease me," He said, rubbing his temples. "So let's just focus on the issue at hand, please?"
"Fine, fine. Stopping now," She said. "Though, to be honest, Ichiban, I can't do much other than stalk you on the date, and I just realized how horrible that sounds out of context."
"Look, I know that," He sighs. "But just… how do I make it not obvious?"
"Hm?" She blinked, taking another spoonful.
"Like, I know myself, I'll look all nervous and stuff, and she might pick up on it and ask me what's wrong," He elaborated. "I don't want that to happen, y'know. I wanna at least show her a good time."
"Heh, I almost forgot how sweet you can be," She chuckled, making him blush a little. "Well, there's nothing special about all of this. Just go through it with the mindset that you're hanging out with a new friend."
"Yeah, but would that work?" He rubs his neck. "I mean, she's going through it with the mindset that it's a date, right? There might be a lot of miscommunication if I did the opposite."
"Hm, that's a good point," Akane nods. "It'd be fine if you knew her beforehand, but this is sorta like a blind date. You don't have any dating experience, do you?"
"No."
"Pfft, virgin," She smirked, making him groan.
"I walked right into that, didn't I?"
"Yes, like a dumbass," She giggled. "Well, regardless, I think your best bet would be taking her to stuff like karaoke or something. Anything your generic highschool girl might enjoy."
"You like karaoke too."
"And I also like beating up people."
"Erm, I dunno…" He leaned back. "I just… have a bad feeling about all of this, alright? Like a part of me doesn't even want to go."
He noticed her pause for a moment, her face morphing into an unreadable expression before she relaxed. "Don't worry, Ichi. I'll be close by in case anything bad happens, but if you really want to, you can just cancel the date."
He thought about it for a moment, before he shook his head. "Nah, if Yuuma is being serious, then it wouldn't be fair for her. The least I can do is go along with the date and make sure she has fun."
"You really are too nice" Akane sighed, making him chuckle nervously. "Well, if that's what you want, then sure. I guess I can help you with it."
"Uh, how?"
"Have you ever planned where you're going?" She asked with a raised brow, making him freeze. "Your face says enough. I suppose the aquarium would be a nice place to visit for a first date."
"Oh, uh…" He cleared his throat nervously, gazing somewhere else. "I uh, don't have any money for tickets."
"What?" She blinked. "Ichi, it's barely two thousand yen for one person. You're telling me you don't even have that much? Are you that broke?"
"Do you know how fucking expensive your shitty cake is?" He glared at her. "That shaved off a chunk of my allowance."
"Your allowance is just 20k?" She crossed her arms with an unimpressed look.
'Just 20k' she says. He grimaced.
"No, fifty grand."
"So where's the rest of the money?"
"I have rent to pay," He argued. "I'm not a rich prick who has twenty houses like someone I know."
"It's a blessing," She said with a self-satisfied smile, utterly shameless. "Fine, I'll handle the money crisis you have."
"Wait- for real?" He blinked in surprise. "I-I mean, you don't have to. I can probably come up with something."
"Don't mention it," She rolls her eyes, slipping him a fat stack of cash. "Had this ready since I had a feeling it would come to this."
"W-woah, hold on, that's way too much!" Ichiban said, eyes wide in shock.
"It's just a hundred thousand," She shrugged. "Also, keep your voice down."
"Just a hundred thousand? That's double my allowance!" He whispered furiously. "A-are you sure this is okay?"
"This doesn't make a difference for this rich prick, Ichi," She smirked. "Try to treat yourself, too. After all, the date is about the two of you, not just her."
"I… I don't know what to say."
"Just try to have fun. If you do, you won't feel as stressed," Akane advised him. "Go to the aquarium, watch a movie, have a nice dinner - all that."
"I guess," Ichiban smiled softly. "Thanks, Akane. I don't know what I'd do without you here. You're the greatest friend I could ever ask for."
"...Are you sure there's nothing you want to confess?" She looked at him sharply.
"Can you please let me have just one moment?" He begged. "Please?"
Akane laughed. "I can't help it. You just make it so easy for me~"
"Yeah, laugh it up."
He hated how adorable her laugh sounded to his ears, and he's really beginning to think that there might be some feelings. He doesn't know how to feel about it - it's probably just hormones, right? That's how they work, right? That's what Masato said, and he's the smartest guy Ichiban knows.
Ugh, why did she have to be like that? She had to go and become more girly, and now he's getting more attracted to her every time they meet. Does she know this? Is this why she's so weirdly flirty with him?
…D-does she… no, that's not possible. There's no way.
…Right?
"By the way, there's something I was curious about for a bit. It's a weird question, though." She suddenly said, shaking him out of his trance.
"W-what is it?"
"Do you know where Hyoudou lives?" She asked him, making him frown in confusion. That is a weird question.
And for some reason, it even made him mildly annoyed. Why does she want to know? Doesn't she hate him or something? Also, what does he have to do with anything anyway?
He couldn't understand this feeling, and couldn't help but feel a little heated when he responded.
"Why?" He frowned, making her blink. "I mean, last I checked, you hated perverts, right?"
"Well, yeah, but like, just thought I'd check up on him, in case there are any hard feelings between us," Akane raised a brow. "You okay?"
"What? Yeah, why wouldn't I be fine?"
She smirked a little, putting her spoon on the table.
"Ichi…" Her smirk only got wider and wider. "Don't tell me you're jealous~?"
"W-what?!" His face reddened. "What the hell- no! I'm not, what brought this one?!"
"I dunno, the moment I mentioned another guy, you looked so bothered." She giggled. "It was so cute~"
"Shut it." He growled, feeling embarrassed. "I'm not jealous, I have a girlfriend now anyway."
"Yeah, one you don't even like, and plan to break off with." She snorted.
"Look, if you gotta know, you can visit his stupid friends in the hospital," Ichiban offered with a scowl, trying to change the subject. "From what I heard, they hung out a lot after school. One of them should know where Issei lives."
"God, you're so cute~"
"What?"
"I said a good idea," Akane smiled, standing up from her seat. "Well, good luck on your date, Ichi. Remember, I'll try to make time and follow you around, but I'm sure you got it all covered."
"I hope so."
"You do, don't worry," She… winked? He couldn't tell. "If you need any advice with girls, give me a call. I like to think that I know them pretty well."
"Sure, thanks," He smiled, then blinked in confusion, still reeling from the mood whiplash. "Wait, I thought we were gonna hang out after this?
"Once I'm done with Hyoudou." She responded, making his face twitch in annoyance. "See ya."
With that, his best friend left the cafe, giving him a tiny wave before she exited. Ichiban watched her disappear into the crowd from the window, inwardly thankful to have come across the girl back in the day. He doesn't think he'd be where he is now without her. She turned one of his darkest times around and made him able to hope again.
All because he bumped into her and spilled her food.
Funny how the world works.
(Motohama)
You might not believe it, but he knew that these perverted antics would one day backfire, though Motohama thought he was prepared for when the day eventually arrives. He's not dumb - perverts have no place in society, they're outcasts hated by everyone, but he's still in highschool damn it.
He planned to stop these things after highschool - college is nowhere near as laid back, and after he turns 20, these antics will have him suffer severe consequences. But right now? He was still young! He can do whatever he wants with barely any ramifications.
Even the school doesn't care that much from the looks of it. The most that had happened was getting detention for the rest of the week when the trio hid inside the girls' changing room. That was it.
In all honesty, Kuoh Academy should've done way worse, but seeing how they don't really care all that much, the three continued on without holding back. Well, Motohama would've continued regardless if they punished him more or not - he's not some closet pervert loser.
He never expected such retaliation by one of his victims, though. He always kept away from the girls who had boyfriends, specifically ones who can and will beat his ass to next week and back, but never once did he think the girl would be the one to do the honors.
Sure, the kendo girls with their wooden sticks can get violent, but they knew when to stop. That crazy bitch? Motohama thought he was gonna die- scratch that, he almost died. He never passed out like this in his life, never had his arm broken and bent that way.
Just thinking about that incident made him shake. What would've happened had she continued? Would she have actually killed him? Broken another limb? From what he had heard, she crushed his bald friend's balls, and that terrified the living crap out of him.
Matsuda was still in a coma for fuck's sake, and the doctor said he won't be able to use his dick anymore. He's completely broken beyond repair.
And to make it all worse, she'll suffer no consequences because one: there's no proof, not even camera footage, and two: she's still not an adult. All she got was a slap on the wrist from the principal.
The whole ordeal made him so scared of women, Motohama didn't even bother ogling the sexy nurses. He never thought a barbaric, insane bitch like her even existed, and he will not risk irking another one.
Thankfully, he's in the hospital, which is 45 minutes away from the main town. Amamiya won't be able to get him here, not like she's gonna bother herself. She'll probably get Issei and feed him concrete instead, seeing that he didn't get that treatment the first time.
The bastard.
A knock on the door was heard, making the boy flinch as he was shaken out of his thoughts. It was probably a doctor or something, so he replied.
"You can come in."
The door slid open, and due to the lack of glasses, Motohama couldn't recognize the figure. A woman from the looks of it, but she's not dressed like a nurse. Who is this? He wasn't expecting visitors, much less a girl. The only woman who he knows personally is his mother.
But when the woman spoke, his blood froze.
"Yo," She greeted him casually. "Been a while, hasn't it?"
No…
No, why is she here?!
"Y-y-you… A-akane-san-"
"I don't remember giving you permission to use my first name," She cut him off coldly. "It's Amamiya-sama to you."
"A-amamiya-sama," He trembled in fear. "W-what a-are you doing h-here?"
"Don't worry, I didn't come here to finish the job. Yet," She chuckled menacingly. "I just want to know one thing."
She took a step closer to him, making him panic a little as he tried to get away from her, leaning back with a terrified look on his face. Seeing the woman who mutilated his friend and almost killed them both triggered his flight or fight response.
The temperature suddenly dropped significantly, enough to make him almost shiver from the cold and not fear. He didn't know what to do, what she's going to do to him. Why is she here? What more could she want from him?
He couldn't see her face clearly, even though she was extremely and uncomfortably close to him, but even he could see the cold and sadistic smirk plastered on her face as if she's enjoying this very much.
"If you answer truthfully," She whispered in his ear, and suddenly, a tiny but sharp and ice-cold object pressed against his throat. "I won't have to get messy. Neither of us wants that to happen, do we?"
He nodded slowly, afraid that she was gonna slit his throat right there.
This woman wasn't barbaric, she's a fucking psychopath! She's literally threatening to take his life by slitting his throat. How did she even get in with that? How the hell did she hide it from the metal detectors?!
"Very good," She giggled, and her sweet breath felt freezing. "Now be a good boy and tell me where Hyoudou lives."
He quivered as she said that, but not out of fear, not fully. Out of something else he refused to acknowledge, so he ignored it.
God, I'm so sorry, Issei! He grimaced, tears of fear forming in the corner of his eyes. But I don't want to die!
"S-s-south. East of Ikinari Steak, the modern-style house with the red roof!" He answered, on the verge of crying. "Please don't hurt me."
"I-" She suddenly stopped, taking a step back as she got the knife away from his throat. "Hm, I see.
"Didn't think this would be so easy, but I suppose I shouldn't expect anything from a pitiful pig like you," She smirked mockingly, making him turn his head away in shame. "Fucking pussy."
He shuddered, an indescribable feeling going through him as she mocked him.
"Didn't even hesitate. So much for being friends, eh? Pathetic. I oughta kill you for your cowardice," She chuckled coldly. "But I'm a woman of my word."
She stepped back further, and Motohama could feel her icy glare. "You try to pull that perverted shit anywhere, I'll make sure the only visits you'll ever get are for your funeral. Understand?"
He nodded slowly.
"Yeah, that's what I thought," She replied, insulting him one more time before leaving the room. "Worthless bitch."
He let out a huge exhale of relief as she left, gently touching his throat, exactly where the knife was. He was shaking uncontrollably, heart pounding in his chest. He realized she was violent, but he didn't expect this. I-is she some sort of a serial killer?
Did he and his other perverts actually piss off some psychopath, and now she wants to kill Issei? Obviously, she couldn't kill him or Matsuda, it's not easy to kill someone in a hospital, but Issei is still in Kuoh. He's in grave danger.
But the way she insulted him…
It brought forth emotions he never knew existed. He was never into it - all he likes are the tiny, adorable lolis he sees in parks. Not that.
He looked down and grimaced as he spotted his erection. So can someone explain to him why he's so fucking hard right now?
God, I'm so fucked up.
(Akane)
-70 Reputation with Satou Motohama [-100/100]
100 Obedience with Satou Motohama [100/100]
Trait gained
[Enemy of Perverts] - Trait
You've made yourself known as the number 1 enemy of all perverted individuals. They distrust and dislike you, instinctively being wary of you.
Reputation gain with all perverts is reduced by 25% until you have 50 Reputation with them.
Perk gained
[Dominator of Perverts] - Perk
You're known for your ability to subdue perverts with ease, mostly through showing your superiority and power. After all, there are strange people out there who love being stepped on.
Obedience gain with perverts is increased by 25%, and they're more likely to act submissive around you
Threatening the glasses guy, Matsuda- Er, Motohama, was a lot easier than I thought. I don't think I needed to use the little ice knife to make him spill everything. He's a spineless coward, after all.
I guess I understand why Issei is the protagonist and not him or the bald bastard. They wouldn't have survived against Riser. Not like Issei did much better, of course, the guy had to cheat to stand a chance. And from what I know of canon, the universe loves to bend over for him anyway. Often literally.
I was cautious enough - the yakuza were tailing me, but they didn't get very close, and I positioned myself well enough to hide the knife away from the camera in the room. I made a tiny one, as small as my pinky, but sharp enough to slice someone's throat.
Which reminds me; he looked oddly red for someone getting threatened. What's up with him? Eh, whatever, not my problem.
It was risky, but I thought the idiot was gonna at least try to put up a fight. Apparently not, and now I know where Issei is unless he lied, and I doubt that. If he was this ready to save himself over someone else, then I don't think he's dumb enough to lie.
Because I will kill him if he did.
I frown at the messages from the system. So I can get a trait for getting a full minus score with someone? Damn, I didn't know. At least it's not anything severe, I can handle the little handicap. I mean, the perk does negate it a bit.
Speaking of Reputation and whatnot…
5 Reputation with Ichiban Kasuga [95/100]
Just a bit and it'll max out. I was doing my best through flirting and teasing, but it's not as effective anymore. He's starting to get used to it.
But if I save him from Raynare, then I should be able to get his REP to 100. I remember the Game saying that it'll unlock Affection, which is the next stage. Shouldn't be too hard, after all, I don't feel repulsed by him as I do with certain individuals.
I made a slip-up and forgot that it's the weekend when I expected to see Issei at school yesterday, but thankfully, it shouldn't be too hard to rectify that. I just need to know what Issei's doing and check up on him to see if the Fallen got to him.
If they're planning to strike Ichiban now, then it's safe to assume that they'll get Issei too. As soon as I make sure the idiot is safe, I can rest a little bit. Too bad I don't exactly know where he is but asking his parents will tell me enough.
Ichi had a good idea, so I visited the four eyes idiot, did what I had to, took a cab back to the main town, and now I'm right in front of the Hyoudou household, waiting for someone to answer the door.
I really hope he's there. The last thing I want is the fallen getting their grubby hands on him.
The door finally creaks open, the head of a middle-aged woman peeking out, blinking as she spots me.
"Yes?"
"Hi, Hyoudou-san?" I smile politely, prompting her to smile back. "Is your son inside? I'm a classmate of his, and I'd like to talk to him about something."
"Did he peep on you or did anything perverse?" She sighs deeply. "I'm very sorry for my son's inappropriate behavior. I've really tried beating it out of him-"
"Oh, no, not that. We got over that already," I stop her from babbling about how shit her son is. "I just wanna talk to him over something related to a quiz."
"Oh," She blinks. "Well, I'm afraid you just missed him around ten minutes ago."
I freeze for a second.
…Oh no.
"Do you know where he could be?" I ask, keeping my composure.
"I'm sorry, but I don't," She shakes her head. "I found it odd how excited he looked, though. Haven't seen him like that in months."
Realization hits me harder than a bag of bricks as she utters those words. Don't tell me they plan to take him out today?
Fuck.
"Damn it!" I curse with a scowl on my face, surprising the older woman.
Without even elaborating, I dash to the streets, grimacing as I try to sense any kind of magical activity. The sun is already setting, so if he's on a date, then the fallen should strike soon, and I wasn't prepared one bit.
I don't even care if I'm being overly paranoid or not, that he's not actually in danger. If Rias gets to him first and it turns out that Issei has the Boosted Gear, I'd be losing a very, very valuable asset. I will not risk the chance of losing one of the most overpowered weapons to that useless whore.
I need to get that idiot out of there before he gets killed.
(Kalawarner)
Why did she have to be stuck with this idiot?
Well, yes, she knew what her mission was, but why with him specifically? Couldn't she and Raynare switch? Her bitch leader knew that Kalawarner's type was the delinquent-looking ones, not this boring-ass moron.
Honestly, when she first made contact with this Issei, she thought he'd at least show her a good time around town, but nope. He was the most generic highschool boy out of all the other highschool boys, the worst type in her opinion.
When she heard about his perverted nature, she honestly felt a little excited. She likes kinky guys, might've even dragged him to a love hotel and gave him a 'reward' before killing him if he impressed her, but nope.
Turns out he's a pervert in the most basic sense. She expected groping and touching in public at the very least, and she would've let him have his way with her, but all she got were peeping and taking pictures of fucking panties of all things. She's never been drier in her life before.
And it's beginning to genuinely piss her off.
Of course, Raynare had to take the cute one. Her reasons were sound - since this Ichiban boy had the Longinus, the strongest will have to go with him, but it doesn't mean Kala won't get indignant about it.
Mittelt should've gone with him instead. She'd rather be back in their base.
At the very least, this slog of a date is ending, and right now all she needs to do is to lure him to a quiet and empty place to get rid of him. A simple promise of a 'reward' was enough to make him follow her like a lost puppy.
Kalawarner gave Issei a sultry smile, gesturing for him to get closer as she led him to a quiet alley. "You've been a very wonderful date, Issei-kun. I haven't had fun like this in a long time."
"Ehe, well, I'm glad you had fun. I had a great time too," He said earnestly, almost making her roll her eyes.
"I'm glad," She whispered in his ears. "But I'm sure I can make it even better for you."
She pulled him close, feeling him shiver as she rubbed his crotch. Slowly, another hand snaked around his neck, a dagger of light forming in it. She tried to sense anything nearby, and feeling nothing, her curiosity got the better of her and she pulled his pants a bit to see what's in there.
Only for her to regret it. Could've at least had some fun, but nope. Not even worth it.
And here she thought this day couldn't get any more disappointing.
Ah well. She sighed internally. You can't win every day, Kala. Just get it over with.
...Is what she thought before a spear of ice grazed Issei's cheeks as it soared towards her. Kala managed to evade the attack at the last minute, unleashing her wings flying back. Issei fell on his ass, grunting in pain before widening his eyes at Kalawarner's true appearance.
"K-Kara-chan?" Issei blinked, pupils shrinking. "W-what the hell is this?"
She glanced at the shattered ice spear and growled, ignoring him as her heart pounded wildly. She's been caught, by whom? Was she being followed? Did they just spot her? Did the light spell alert someone nearby? She expected an agent or two, but when she spotted the attacker…
She didn't expect one of the Yakuza Princesses to be there, arm extended with a scowl on her face.
You've got to be kidding me. Kalawarner grimaced. Why her?!
"Get away from him," The girl said coldly, getting closer.
Issei turned around, seeing the girl with a shocked expression. "A-Akane-san?! What are you doing here? What's going on?"
Kalawarner rushed at the defenseless human, wanting to at least use him as a hostage, but sharp agony made itself known in her shoulder, prompting her to cry out in pain before backing off. She glanced at the small circle-shaped hole in her shoulder, blood pouring out of the wound.
"W-what the hell?!" Issei backed away, looking between them. "What's- what's happening?!"
"Get out of here!" The girl shouted at him. "What are you waiting for?! Move it!"
"B-but-"
Kala flew back and threw a spear of light at Issei, causing the Yakuza Princess to rush forward towards him, forming a wall of ice that blocked the attack. With an annoyed click of her tongue, Kalawarner took the chance to escape.
Only for a spear to lodge itself into her leg, prompting her to fall down as the cold pain forced her to lose her balance.
She groaned and grunted, looking back to see the ice-cold look of rage on the girl's face. It made her shiver in terror, recognizing the sadistic glee in that eye of hers, one that Raynare would show when torturing someone.
"Oi, Akane, what's going on?! W-why are you hurting Karla-chan?!" Issei suddenly said, grabbing the girl by the arm.
"What are you- Why are you still here?!" She scowled and pulled her arm away, making him flinch. "This is too dangerous for you, go!"
"B-but I-"
"I'll explain everything later, just go," She said, a little calmer. "Now leave-"
A click was heard in the distance, followed by a deafening bang. Akane acted quickly and formed another ice wall in front of her and Issei, and this time, Kala did everything in her power to fly away from the battlefield.
A glance back showed her the Saio Triad member, Ed, Who had joined them for revenge against Amamiya, emerging from another alley with a gun in his hand, taking the attention of the two away from the fallen.
Took his fucking time.
Fat Bastard.
(Akane)
I hate this moron so fucking much.
Can't even follow simple commands. What part of "Run" is so hard to understand?
"Wha- h- he has a gun!" Issei states intelligently, pointing at the fat baldy.
"That's why I'm telling you to run you dipshit!" I scream at him, my temper getting the better of me. "For fuck's sake, can't you do anything right in your life for once?!"
10 Obedience with Issei Hyoudou [35/100]
"O-okay, but I'll get help, I promise!" He says.
"Just fuck off!"
He flinches and finally runs away, making me growl in frustration at the fat baldy. I don't know where he came from or who he is, but that doesn't matter. I'm killing this fucker for getting in my way.
Now the fallen might be expecting me and will get prepared.
"Great job, Issei. You just had to fucking interrupt me, didn't you?" I growl. "Braindead moron."
I seriously hate playing the hero.
Name: Ed
Title: Officer of the Saio Triad
HP – 120,000
MP – 500
SP – 100,000
Race – Artificially Enhanced Human
LVL - 132
STR - 951
END - 1125
DEX - 223
INT - 124
WIS - 95
CHA - 450
LUK - 50
Thoughts about you – Hates your father with every fiber of his being, therefore wants to kill you
Reputation - -100
Affection - -100
Obedience - -100
Loyalty - -100
For fuck's sake, dad. What did you do?
Alright, this idiot is a lot tougher than the fallen I almost killed, but he's a lot slower and barely has any magic. If I get that gun out of his hand, I should be able to bombard him with spells until he falls.
You know, I wouldn't mind if the Yakuza jumped out and helped right now. What the hell are they doing?
"I've waited for this moment for so damn long." He grins madly. "Your father took away everything from us-."
"Cool story bro." I interrupt him and clench my fists, preparing ice spells. "But I don't care."
He scowls and pulls the trigger, prompting me to sidestep and dash towards him. As soon as I get the gun away from him, I can back off and focus on range. Guns shouldn't kill me immediately, but I'm still squishy enough to get severely wounded by them.
Thankfully, I'm fast enough to casually dodge them, so easily in fact that I'm able to actually see the bullets mid-air. I always forget how supernaturally powerful I really am even at this stage, but this serves as a reminder. It's better to be safe rather than sorry, though. I'll have a severe advantage if he doesn't have a ranged option.
He flinches as I get in front of him in mere seconds, palm in front of his face as I release a spear. He barely manages to dodge it, but I take the chance of him panicking and knock the gun out of his hand.
But before I'm able to back off, he takes out a karambit and slashes my cheek with it, making my eyes widen. I stomp on the ground and freeze his legs, trying to get away from him, but he grabs me by the collar, not caring about the ice encasing his leg, and tries to strike me with the knife again.
The buckler I create to protect myself shatters on impact, but slows down his momentum and gives me a window to counter. Seeing how close I am to him, I take out the golden Baseball bat from my inventory and slam his head with it as hard as I can.
Cash suddenly bursts forth, disorientating him for a few seconds, and I take that chance to summon my wings, flying away from his grip before unleashing a barrage of Ice Spells. They barely do any damage, and as soon as he breaks the ice holding him down, the guy jumps high towards me.
I wasn't fast enough to evade and he body slams into me, crashing into a car on the other side of the road. I choke, the wind knocked out of me as he grabs me by the leg and slams me into the ground, over and over. Thankfully, the wings take most of the damage before shattering, but it still hurts like fuck.
I scowl deeply and freeze his hand that was gripping my leg, before twirling around and kicking his head, making him step back a few times. I blink as I notice something odd about him, grabbing my golden bat before slugging his face with it again.
When I attacked using magic, I barely did any damage, but with the bat…
He's down by more than 10k only in two hits to the head, when a whole row of ice spells barely did 5k. Is he resistant to magic?
I duck under a swing and step back, making him growl in anger. "You bitch!"
So I should use my magic sparingly. If it's not effective as a pure offense, then maybe I should use it defensively, or in a way that would slow him down.
I glance at my HP and frown. I'm low, a few hits I perfectly defend against and I'm at 500. A single, direct hit will end me instantly.
Thank you for the ice wings spell, Game.
I tighten my grip over the bat, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. I recast ice skin, focusing on evolving the spell as fast as I can while keeping an eye on the fatass. I can feel the spell improving immensely by the second, and a new notification from the system makes me smile.
[Cryomancy: Ice Flesh] - Skill
The standard defensive spell for Cryomancer. Imbue your soft flesh with magic, hardening it in an instant and increasing your defense by quite a bit.
Protects 750 HP worth of damage before shattering. Takes half as much damage from Ice but double damage from Fire
Costs 200 MP for each body part
I tighten my grip over the bat as he rushes forward, but then a bolt of lightning hits him in the side, interrupting his attack. I turn to the side and see Akeno standing there with an easy smile, alongside Rias and her peerage.
Really? Just as I make a new spell, someone decides to show up?
And it had to be the devils.
"That's enough, whoever you are," Rias commands. "I don't know who you think you are, but I suggest you come with us quietly, or we'll force you to comply."
"Devil bastards…" Ed growls in annoyance as he sees all of them, giving me one hateful glare. "This isn't over, Amamiya."
With that, he quickly throws something on the ground, and an explosion of smoke engulfs all of us. The cloud was big enough to cloak the whole street, and as soon as I breathed into it, I flinched violently, feeling my mana suddenly going haywire.
I could barely think well due to that, feeling nauseous until the smoke cleared. As it did, there was no sign of the fatass anywhere, making me scowl slightly. The hell was that? It fucked with my magic for some reason.
"Wh-what in Lucifer's name was that?!" Rias questioned in surprise, then shook her head. "Is everyone alright?"
Her peerage all nodded while shaking off the nausea, making her sigh in relief.
"I believe that was some Anti-magic device, but how did he get his hands on it?" Akeno muttered.
Anti-magic? Does such a thing exist?
"Whatever it was, it shouldn't be able to mask his presence," Rias said.
"He has low magic," I clarify. "You'd barely feel it even if you got close to him."
Rias seemed surprised at my response. "I see, so you're aware of everything, then. Do you know what we are?"
"Devils," I nod. "You're not as subtle as you think you are, Gremory."
"A-ahem, well, this is good, at least I won't have to explain what you just saw," She says, ignoring my quip as Akeno giggles. "Please, meet me in the old school building. We must discuss what happened today."
"...sure."
This was gonna happen sooner or later anyway, I'm not that bothered. I'm just glad that I got out of this alive.
I didn't bet on killing Ed, to be honest, even if I really wanted to. I wanted to wait until someone I know came to help. I predicted my uncle - I made sure to not hide my spell's magic - but I didn't think Rias would make her entrance any time soon. I thought the Yakuza scared her off or something,
Speaking of, what the fuck are the Yakuza doing? I almost got killed and they just watched everything without lifting a finger to help?!
I scoff to myself. Clearly, I was right. I can't rely on these dipshits to do anything.
So much for being bodyguards.
(Akiyama)
As he watched the whole scene unfold on the giant screen, he frowned deeply. He didn't want to be stuck here just watching with his hands tied - he really, really wanted to support his niece against that Saio Triad officer. He had no idea where he came from or what he's doing here. That organization was destroyed over a decade ago, but after getting filled in…
Well, he's really glad that he convinced Mizuki to stop babying her daughter too much. Of course, some people will try to take revenge on Tatsu, even if he's dead. Hurting his family is the one thing that will absolutely, 100% piss him off, and Tatsu isn't merciful like Kiryu is.
He will rip you apart with his bare hands and make you suffer, but seeing that he's currently six feet under, he's not able to do such a thing. Mizuki can handle herself, the Tojo Clan will do everything in its power to protect Akane, but is this something they can truly rely on forever?
The world is dangerous. Getting overly dependent on one thing is a sure way of dying a slow and painful death. The Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance will not be here forever. Tatsu's contribution will not be forever remembered, and what then?
Tatsu pissed off a lot of people before his death, yakuza and supernatural races alike. He butted heads with the Church, Fallen Angels, and Devils. He made a lot of enemies, and even though most of them aren't stupid enough to poke the Tojo, there are the odd ones out who will do everything to hurt him.
And here was one example.
This is why he tried to convince Mizuki to get her daughter to train - why he plans to convince Mizuki to break the seal on her own powers, risks be damned. The world is changing, it's becoming more and more dangerous with every passing day, and if they're stuck like this, there's no chance they'll survive.
His gut told him that there's something brewing in the background, something big. Maybe it was just his paranoia talking, but his long years of working with the supernatural had taught him to trust his paranoia more often than not.
But even then, unlike the grinning Mad Dog next to him, Akiyama knows what moderation is. Akane, regardless of her growth, is still a beginner. She's not ready to face assassins or supernatural creatures just yet. For fuck's sake, she just started actual training just a few days ago.
For sure, the girl handled herself very well against a veteran, unleashing a highly-skilled spell that even Mizuki never learned like that wing spell. Not to mention the strange spatial magic with how she summoned that golden baseball bat.
But she's not ready. She's young, she's impulsive and naive, nowhere near powerful enough to fight off actual assassins.
When the battle started, Akiyama tried to rush in to save his niece, but he's not exactly strong enough to fight off the Mad Dog and his entire family. Not to mention, this little underground surveillance room isn't really an optimal place to fight in, especially not with his skillset.
Though it's not like he had a chance anyway.
Majima merely told him to "Shut the fuck up and watch."
"As much as I understand your point of view, I can't agree with it, Majima-san," Akiyama said. "She's not ready yet."
"And she'll never be ready if ya keep this shit up," He argued. "Shit's hitting the fan soon, Akiyama. Can't afford ta take it slow with Akane-chan anymore."
"So you gamble on her life?" Akiyama narrowed his eyes. "Risk to see if she's worthy or not? Is that how you do things?"
Majima remained silent.
"She's not part of your Family, Majima," Akane's uncle frowned deeply. "Don't treat her like she is."
"She ain't, cuz I know that she's worthy," Majima responded with a grin. "Ya just ain't seein' it."
"What?"
"What did ya see when ya watched the fight?" The Mad Dog asked suddenly.
"I…" Akiyama blinked, confused. "I'm not sure what you're trying to say."
"Look at this," He said, pointing at the screen as it zoomed into her face. "Whaddya see?"
Akiyama couldn't understand, but responded as best he could. "I see her scared out of her mind as she tries to fight for her life."
"That's why ya'd make for a lousy yakuza," Majima laughed. "Y'know what I see? I see Tatsu-chan."
The CEO of Sky Finance stopped, beginning to understand what the Majima Family Patriarch was trying to tell him.
"She's scared shitless, that's true, but her eyes are mighty fierce, more so than her pops," He said. "That's a look I've only seen on four people, Akiyama, and all of em' achieved great things."
"What's that even have to do with anything?" He tried to argue, feeling a little frustrated.
"I'm sayin' pampering her ain't it," Majima explained. "She's got an unbreakable spirit, but it ain't tough enough. It gotta be unbending too, a will of steel, and the only way ta achieve that is ta pressure her."
"So what, you'll let her deal with whatever happens in Kuoh as you just watch from the sidelines?" Akiyama questioned, cooling down a little.
"If shit gets too bad, I'll get involved," He shrugged. "I ain't unfair. I get that there are things she can't handle yet, but this? I expect her ta deal with it with her eyes closed."
"Is this one of Daigo's games?"
"Hehe, naw, this is all me," Majima chuckled. "Man, Mizuki-chan is gonna be pissed, ain't she?"
Akiyama turned to look at the screen again, the camera switching to the one near the abandoned church. He grimaced as he saw the wounded fallen get inside, likely alerting everything.
Apparently, Majima and the family knew already but decided to remain ignorant and passive so the Fallen could get bold with their plans. It's all part of the Mad Dog's 'training regimen' he prepared for his niece seemingly.
So then she'll have to deal with everything on her own here? This whole strange fiasco with Fallen Angels trying to for some reason kill random Sacred Gear users? What the hell is Azazel doing right now?
Regardless, Akiyama is not looking forward to the ass-kicking he'll be receiving once Mizuki hears about this.
According to one review, acting flirty means you're a slut? Fucking hell lmao
Idk what you're expecting man, Akane isn't exactly evil for the sake of it. Just ruthlessly pragmatic, and that doesn't mean she gotta be cold all the time. Otherwise, she wouldn't have a character.
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