Name - Akane Amamiya
Level - 110
Title - Undead Slayer
Primary Class - Swordmaster - LVL 10/100 [3%]
Secondary Class - Engineer - LVL 0/100 [0%]
Race - Human
Rank - Mortal
Alignment - Neutral Evil
HP - 3000 [300 per minute]
MP - 10,000 [6000 per minute]
SP - 3000 [300 per minute]
STR - 400
END - 300
DEX - 460
INT - 1000
WIS - 1000
CHA - 390
LUK – 190
The battle gave me more exp than I expected. As soon as I chose the Swordmaster class, I jumped ten levels in an instant from all the accumulated level-ups. Yes, a sword class is pretty basic, but seeing how many magical swords are in this universe, it seems like a safe bet that it will pay off eventually.
Durandal, all the Excalibur pieces, Ascalon, Gram - and so on. Besides that, there are so, so many sword skills across the multiverse compared to other weapons, a few I could even possibly recreate. Realistically, a spear class is probably much better as it gives you a reach advantage, but when people can shoot fire or ice out of their hands, reach doesn't really matter all that much.
Other than that, while I can probably get one easily, I don't have a spear in my inventory, but I do have a fire sword and an ice sword. One thing I noticed is that the Mastery Skill doesn't specify what kind of sword. A zweihander can't be used as a cutlass, for example, they require different skills, but for this? It means 'sword' in a general sense. So if I train exclusively using a katana and reach Master level in the Mastery Skill, I'll also be able to use a shortsword just as well. The wording of the skill is pretty literal in this case.
[Sword Proficiency: Adept] – Mastery Skill
Swords have been the common choice for a weapon in many different worlds. Hundreds of arts and variations were created for this weapon, making it one of the most versatile and flexible ever conceived.
You've become fairly proficient, nothing to write home about, but all around decent
Deal 75,000 Damage with Swords and create 3 Sword Skills to reach the next Rank. Progress to Journeyman Rank [24,052/75,000] [3/3]
I discovered that this was the case after using both my ice and fire swords. One was a katana and the other was a greatsword. Both dealt an extraordinary amount of damage with my 400 STR, and adding my DEX for attack speed, I was doing around 15k damage per second. That's pretty good.
Of course, my magic is a fuckton stronger. A single ice spear deals more damage than that. With how many magic buffs I have, I can probably reach 100k per second using my bullets. Perhaps I should make a minigun-esque spell if that's the case.
But I focused on training my sword fighting for those two hours in the dungeon. Reaching from Novice to Adept with a two hours time limit was admittedly tough, but I got through it. I think I'm gonna leave practicing my unarmed proficiency with my uncle, or my mother if I manage to convince her. A supposedly accomplished assassin like her must know a few martial art styles.
The next day after the battle, I woke up pretty early, at 4 AM just so I can see what these new spells I got from the spellbook can do, and what I'll be getting from the Gacha. First, the spells are Frozen Soldier, Frost Cloak, and Cold Mist.
Frozen Soldier is exactly as the name suggests. I can create a construct made of ice to fight for myself. It's not really tough on its own, having stats a bit above the weaker Fallen I defeated, even after refining the spell to a high level, but I can make multiple. If quality is off the table, then quantity is the way to go.
The skill specifies that I can only create one Frozen Soldier every 50 WIS I have, so with my current power, I can make twenty at a time. That is a lot of minions for a beginner like me. The skill also says that this is a very advanced branch of Cryomancy - the ability to make minions like this - which is just a boost to my ego. What's even better is that every time an ice minion deals damage, it counts as me doing it. This means I can train and practice my ice magic by letting them do all the work for me. This is so busted, I'm so glad I chose Cryomancer as a starter class.
I wanted to evolve the spell, perhaps make a Frozen Archer for more variety or something, but that's incredibly tough even with how many Cryomancy buffs I have. I put it aside for now and focused on my other two spells.
Frost Cloak is similar to the one you see in Skyrim. A shroud of extremely cold wind surrounds me, hurting and slowing down anyone that gets close. However, if I use Release Aura while it's active, the range of the cloak increases dramatically. From one meter to ten instead.
Finally, Cold Mist. As the name suggests, I unleash a wave of very cold mist that lowers the stamina regeneration of my enemies while also decreasing their ice resistance by 10% at the highest refinement level. That'll be a tricky weapon to defend against once I'm skilled in hiding my mana.
Then, we get to the Rare Gacha token, which came in the form of a Capsule Container.
[Super Aphrodisiac Pills] - Item
A Container holding multiple highly aphrodisiac pills that can temporarily drive anyone mad with lust for hours, increasing their stamina tenfold
Will permanently boost the consumer's sex drive the first time it's used. Use with caution
Currently holding 20 pills
I don't even know what I'm supposed to do with this, but to come out of a Rare Gacha must mean that it's very powerful. It has 'super' in the name for a reason. Really though, what am I supposed to use this for? And why?
Whatever it's used for, I'm not gonna just throw it away. Not like I have a finite space in my inventory. It can stay there until the end of time, or something drives me to use it for some reason. I hope it doesn't come to that.
I wonder how strong the permanent boost is. With my admittedly low libido, it might actually be a good thing.
I peek over the mini fortress I made, watching my turrets and soldiers massacring the zombies with ease. A single soldier is strong enough to overpower more than ten zombie knights, a handful of them are able to take on the paladin, and with the support from my turrets, the zombies don't stand a chance.
Of course, seeing that I've already completed the dungeon, this isn't really giving me anything other than skill exp, but it feels awesome to see how far I came in such a short amount of time. I was barely strong enough to defeat a Paladin a week ago, and the lich required the Get Fucked Revolver for me to defeat.
Now? I can finish this whole thing in my sleep. Literally.
It's about time I leave. I have hand-to-hand lessons soon and school soon.
…Eeh I'll skip school today. I don't feel like it.
It's funny how I actually still bother with it. At this point, it's just a formality or taking solace in whatever normalcy remaining in my life.
But let's be honest though. Normal lives are so boring.
(Sona)
When the Yakuza Princess came to Kuoh, Sona did expect some sort of a shift or change in her and Rias' lives in the human world. Perhaps check-ins with the Yakuza would be more common, tension being overall heavier, or just mere competition in school with these two. They're very bright after all.
She did not expect, however, that some other faction would dare attack the same exact week as these two's arrival, aiming to assassinate Amamiya. She certainly didn't expect said girl would fight the assassin and actually hold them off until help arrives.
And most importantly, she did not expect an entire battle to take place the next day. Sona didn't know if these girls brought a curse with them or it's all a coincidence, but she doesn't appreciate how fate seems to like messing with her. This whole ordeal only brought her a head-splitting migraine.
Why does this keep happening? She's barely able to handle Rias being unreasonably naive and impulsive, herself walking on eggshells around the two new girls, and now there are assassins and an entire damned faction wanting to wage war?
Sona was this close to asking Sera to just pull her out of Kuoh, but she wasn't a quitter, and there would be no one left to take care of Rias' self-destructive tendencies. Yes, she enjoys her heiress duties and even politics sometimes, but she was here to relax and get away from devil politics damn it, cut her some slack.
She and Rias sensed a battle involving Akane Amamiya from campus and immediately headed over to investigate. They didn't want to involve themselves until they were absolutely sure they should, so the two sent scouts to get closer and see what was going on.
Koneko and Momo returned pretty quickly, thankfully untouched, and revealed that the battle was already over the moment they arrived. Akane Amamiya alongside Ichiban Kasuga managed to defeat a squad of Fallen Angels, Stray Exorcist, and that Saio Triad, officer.
Rias wanted to go after them to question them, but Sona stopped her. Asking them right now when they were just high on adrenaline might not be such a great idea. They're likely tired and not patient for questioning, so asking them the next day after they rest is their best option.
Even then, Rias' record in dealing with foreign political figures did not fill her with confidence. Sona wanted to avoid screwing this up at all cost, they'd already done enough damage, but not enough to completely ruin their relationship. She could still salvage this.
To do this, Sona had to make a very bold move. It was her only choice, especially after Rias' fuck up last time.
She glanced at the Amamiya household with her usual stern gaze, and with a deep breath, Sona pressed the doorbell, waiting for someone to answer the door.
No hiding, no asking for the girl to come to her, no subtle tailing - Sona instead headed towards her home directly, to show that she's come in peace, that she means no harm. Yes, this also meant that nobody from her peerage was following her from a distance to protect her either. She was well and truly alone.
She didn't want much either in all honesty. Sona simply needed to know the details of what had happened. Kuoh wasn't truly the devils' territory, that much was true, but what would it mean if they simply ignored a threat like this? Sona had a responsibility, and she'd be damned if she didn't take care of this place, she's the Sitri Heiress for Lucifer's sake!
So she'd get whatever information that could be useful to her. Fortify the barriers around Kuoh, perhaps ask for better sensory seals or the like from her sister. She must make this town safe for her and everyone else, and to do that, she must be able to predict and expect possible enemies and prepare for them before they arrive.
Sona blinked as the door opened, revealing a very beautiful older woman with shoulder-length black hair with white tips and black eyes with icy blue pupils. She recognized the woman as Akane's mother, Mizuki Amamiya. Admittedly, this was the first time she's seen the woman this close in person, but the resemblance to her daughter is very obvious. Her features seem a bit softer than Akane's though.
Mizuki's eyes sharpened as they landed on her, and Sona noticed how the air got significantly colder as a result. She had expected the animosity, but to not even bother hiding made it feel a little harder to remain calm.
"Greetings, Mrs. Amamiya." Sona bowed politely. "It's nice to finally meet you in person."
"The hell d'ya want?" She questioned with a thick kansai accent, completely disregarding her attempt at being nice.
"May I please speak to your daughter?" In return, Sona ignored the rudeness and didn't even falter, even as the air felt colder with every passing second. "I'd like to discuss what had occurred last night."
"No," Mizuki responded bluntly. "Now piss off."
That went well. Sona thought, lips thinning.
"Please, I only want to-"
The human woman closed the door a little too forcefully, making the Devil Heiress flinch. Sona sighed, not particularly angry about this blatant disrespect as she understood the woman's hatred to her kind, but she had hoped that she'd at least show a bit of restraint. Aside from the incident being the fault of the old faction, Sona was just a toddler at the time.
However, she wouldn't give up. This was very important, and she's well within her right to ask for details. If Akane herself told her to go away, then so be it.
Sona pushed the doorbell once more, and with her devil senses, she heard the annoyed click of the tongue from the woman, who opened the door again, this time with a scowl on her face.
"I told ya ta go away. Get it through yer thick skull already." Mizuki said rudely. "You ain't welcome here or in this town for that matter."
"Please, Mrs. Amamiya. I just want to speak to your daughter.," Sona insisted politely.
The woman's face twitched at that, and now Sona is beginning to see her own breath from how cold it was. She only barely managed to resist a shiver, remaining stern and courageous. Of course, she was incredibly nervous, but now wasn't the time to show weakness.
"I wish to speak to Akane regarding what happened last night," Sona repeated. "That is all."
"How many fuckin' times do I gotta say this?" She growled. "Piss. Off. Before I do something both of us regret."
Sona barely managed to bite down a response she would regret, her devil pride acting up once again, but she's used to dealing with it. Instead, she merely nodded politely.
"Very well." Sona relented. "Apologies for bothering you. Please relay the message to your daughter."
Sona had a hard time keeping her composure. While she was sure that Akane's mother won't simply attack her, being in such a murderous presence made her hair stand on end. Due to being in a safe environment most of her life, Sona was never trained to handle this kind of pressure. It frightened her, but showing any weakness is what this woman wanted.
"Alright, that's enough." Another voice joined, stopping the devil heiress from leaving.
Akane pulled her mother's attention away from Sona for a few seconds, enough time for her to sigh in relief, but she wouldn't do that. Akane glanced at Mizuki with an unamused expression, then back at Sona with a curious one.
Her eyes looked different. She shared her mother's blue pupils, but the last time they met, she didn't have them.
Strange. Sona thought. What happened to cause this change?
"I was just about to make her leave," Mizuki said.
"It's in their right to ask, Kaa-san. I know you don't like devils in general, but don't do anything dumb." Akane said, showing impressive self-restraint. "I'll talk to her."
"But-"
"It'll be fine, I can handle myself." Akane waved her mother's concerns away easily. "Follow me."
Sona nodded, giving Mizuki a genuine parting bow before following Akane. She didn't wait for a response from the older woman, happy that she was not in the presence of someone who hates her existence.
"Are you sure we should be talking here?" Sona questioned, looking around the packed cafe. "I don't mean any offense. It's a nice place, but-"
"It belongs to the Majima Family." Akane clarified. "Most people here are aware. Nobody will be listening in on us."
So it was the Majima Family. She thought she recognized the eye-patch-wearing Yakuza. So that man was the legendary Goro Majima, known as the Mad Dog of Shimano? Daigo seriously sent his most powerful family here?
She heard stories about the man, and by extension, the family, from Serafall. She'd never seen her sister look so disturbed when talking about someone, saying how genuinely unhinged and borderline insane he was, although apparently not without his own strange sense of honor.
After Tatsu Amamiya lost his life, Goro Majima became the clan's ace, due to his sheer resourcefulness, and power rivaling that of an upper Satan class devil. Sona was worried when her sister outright stated that she didn't know if she could beat him in a fight.
And they were being watched by that man the whole time?
Sure, Serafall. No pressure at all.
"Here's your order." The waitress came back holding a tray. "One hot chocolate and one flat white."
"Thank you." Sona smiled back politely.
"Of course. Tell me if you need anything else."
With that, she left the two alone.
"I'm guessing you want my part of the story?" Akane started.
"Yes, that'd be appreciated." Sona nodded, getting back on topic. "If you wish to keep it to yourself, I understand that completely. However, I truly do want to help keep this town safe. Any information could be of use to me."
"Calm down, I get it. You're too nervous." Akane sighed, making Sona wince. Was it that obvious? She still has ways to go if that's the case. "I'll tell you everything I know. Like I said before, it's within your right to ask and know."
"Thank you." Sona nodded. "You don't seem to share your mother's animosity towards us. Is there a reason for that?"
"I'm guessing it has to do with my father? Why my mother is pissed, I mean." Akane questioned, prompting Sona to confirm her suspicions with a nod. "Thought as much. I don't know, normally I'd be angry, but I barely remember anything about him. It happened too long ago."
"Yet your mother still hates us," Sona noted. "And you don't."
"She's surprisingly delicate and emotional under all that tough act. She can hold grudges for a long time." Akane answered. "She likely understands that you had nothing to do with it, she's not that unreasonable. She'll mellow out if you talk to her enough, just give her time."
"I assumed you were the one with anger problems."
"Who do you think I got them from?" She smiled in amusement.
Sona smiled back, feeling more at ease as the tension slowly evaporated. Alright, this proved that while she didn't trust them, Akane didn't hate them either. Good, that was very good. The situation was more than salvageable.
"But we're getting off-topic." Akane said. "I'll start from the beginning. You don't mind, right?"
"That'd be for the best." Sona agreed. "Please, go ahead."
"Well, as you know, it started with that Saio Triad officer attacking me…"
With that, Akane began explaining everything that had happened. Sona listened intently, inwardly extremely glad that the girl was actually okay with working with them. It felt like something was finally going her way for once, and all she felt was relief. Said relief quickly turned into worry as she heard who issued the order.
The Fallen Angels' main goal was sparking a war between the Yakuza and Devils, which would have been nothing short of disastrous for the two factions. The Devils were still weakened from their civil war, and would not survive another war immediately after. They hadn't recovered enough to afford a new one.
To think they attacked a Sacred Gear user would mean that they hoped the Yakuza, still near hostile with Devils, would assume that they forcefully reincarnated people before dragging them to the underworld, ultimately enslaving them.
Enslaving. This was a word that every single Yakuza absolutely despised with every fiber of their being. They hated the word, and the act more so. Perhaps it was their humanity, but even they absolutely refused to partake in such things. How ironic, a faction usually known for their trafficking of people for the regular human civilian was actually fully against it.
This would've definitely started a war.
Not to mention; Akane already snatched the two Sacred Gear wielders before she and Rias could even offer a place in their peerages. Sona wasn't sure if it was on purpose that Akane did it to stop them, or it was simply a side effect of her interfering first.
Rias wouldn't be happy about this.
"I don't understand," Sona said. "Why would Cadre Kokabiel do this? What does he hope to gain from it?"
"I asked the Fallen the same question. According to her, Kokabiel only wants war and glory." Akane answered. "Devils and the Tojo Clan will weaken each other, and the winner will be destroyed by the Fallen, basically taking all the spoils without any effort."
"I see. Yes, that would make sense." Sona nodded, a hand on her chin. "Something of this scale must be reported back to Lady Leviathan and Lord Lucifer."
"And Azazel too. If one of his strongest men suddenly decided to go rogue, he should be informed to stop it from going too far." Akane agreed. "The Fallen I had a talk with is already taken to the Tojo Clan headquarters."
"Then I suppose there shouldn't be anything to worry about." Sona sighed. "If the leaders of three factions are willing to cooperate, then this issue should be resolved quickly."
"Doubt it," Akane said, surprising her. "Something just feels pretty off about this."
Sona frowned, leaning forward as she was interested in hearing her thoughts. "What do you mean?"
"We're talking about someone who lived for what, thousands of years?" Akane recalled. "He's too experienced, he probably expected an outcome like this, meaning he's probably hiding in a place where nobody can find him."
"And you think it'll work out for him?" Sona questioned.
"Probably. Ever wondered why you couldn't sense the Fallen or Stray Exorcists?" She pointed out, making Sona's eyes widen. "Exactly. They had some weird power or artifact that completely masked their presence. Kokabiel probably has the same."
"Then you believe he'll strike again?"
"More than likely, yeah." Akane nodded. "I don't know when, but he's probably gonna try again at some point."
"But why would he? Remember, once Lord Azazel is aware of this, then sparking a war between the Tojo and the Devils will be impossible." The Devil Heiress said. "Why would he risk his life over a main objective that is rendered moot?"
"That's the part I'm not sure about." Akane leaned back with a sigh. "This is why it feels off. A key piece of info is missing. Kokabiel didn't tell his subordinates anything worthwhile. We're on the right track, but still in the dark. It's pretty frustrating."
Sona had to agree. There was something missing, something wrong about all of this. With this discussion, she wasn't sure if her sister or Rias' brother would be much help. They couldn't interfere directly in Kuoh unless Daigo gave them permission.
And without their help, a Cadre wasn't something they could handle, especially not a General like Kokabiel. If he decided to attack, all they could do is hide and let the adults deal with it. He was a Satan-class threat for a reason.
First the Riser issue, and now this. Just as she thought things would finally go her way, life decided to throw her for a loop for no reason. At least Akane was willing to cooperate.
Good with the bad, Sona. She thought with a grimace, feeling the incoming migraine. Good with the bad…
"Well, there isn't anything we can do. A threat of that level is far above what I and Rias can handle, and I expect the same could be said for you. No offense of course." Sona said. "I believe this should be left to the leaders of our respective factions-"
"Fuck no." Akane scoffed, cutting her off vulgarly.
"Pardon?"
"Tell them? Sure, that I don't mind, but I refuse to let the adults do anything, especially after their fuck up last night." She elaborated with a venomous tone. "I don't trust my own bodyguards, and I certainly don't trust your sister or that Lucifer guy."
"What are you implying here?" Sona frowned.
"What I'm saying is simple. If we want to keep this town safe-" Akane leaned forward. "Then we'll do it ourselves."
"And how do you plan to defend Kuoh from a Cadre?" The Devil Heiress questioned, internally thinking that this girl was either arrogant or crazy. "If you had even a tiny bit of trouble defeating a handful of low tier Fallen Angels alongside a weaker squad of Stray Exorcists, what makes you think you're capable of facing off against Kokabiel?"
"You're right, as of now, I stand no chance against him." She smirked. "But two things: I have three Sacred Gear users by my side, one of them with a Longnius, and we have time."
"Time?" Sona parroted.
"We don't know when Kokabiel is attacking, but if he's half the experienced general he is, then he won't make any move towards Kuoh any time soon. Especially not when the Yakuza are on high alert." Akane explained. "So I'll use the time we still have to train until I'm strong enough to beat him. It's as simple as that."
"And you think it'll be enough?" Her frown deepened, still unconvinced.
"Who knows?" The Yakuza Princess shrugged. "At worst, we aren't able to close the gap, but we could at least be useful. At best, one of us is able to crush him on her own."
"We? Us?" Sona blinked. "You mean to include me as well?"
"Your peerage and the Gremory's as well," Akane confirmed. "I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. I don't trust you lot, but I know you're not against me. And the enemy of my enemy-"
"-is my friend." Sona finished the sentence and nodded. "I understand. Multiple Sacred Gear users and two peerages - even if incomplete - is a relatively formidable defense force."
Not to mention, Rias' Power of Destruction, her own flexible Water Magic, and Akane's incredibly powerful Ice Magic combined should result in a very powerful trio. If they spend weeks or even months practicing their powers, then maybe this might not be so impossible after all.
Sona never had a lot of time to actually train her powers. In fact, she stopped practicing entirely after she became 12 years old, instead, she focused more on the political side of Devil Society. Devils don't usually train, so no one tried to motivate her to do so, not even her sister.
As for Rias, well, she was pretty lazy. Unlike Sona, Rias is pretty interested in Rating Games matches and wanted to build the strongest team to one day usurp the throne of the most powerful since she was young, but she never trained or worked hard.
Even now with the marriage getting close, she kept procrastinating to continue her life here and looked for Sacred Gear users instead of focusing on herself. After all, if the King is too weak, then what's the point? Because if she's down, then she loses the match.
Sona tried to warn her, and so did her brother, but she refused to listen, utterly convinced that finding new candidates to fill her peerage is what'll save her.
"Ultimately, we're in this together. We either learn how to work with one another, or we die." Akane said bluntly. "If you don't want to train, then fine. Not gonna force you."
"No, I'd be happy to." The Sitri Heiress smiled. "Perhaps you're right. We won't grow if we let the leaders hold our hands through every conflict. It's about time we took action and started punching above our weight."
"Good. That's what I like to hear." Her smirk widened. "I thought I'd need to do more to convince you, but I guess I underestimated you a bit. I'm impressed to see you so onboard like this."
"So am I." Sona reflected the praise. "I didn't expect you'd come to a logical conclusion so quickly. This is a quality many devils would be envious of."
"I'm not joining your peerage, Senpai." Akane caught on and joked. "I'm happy with my humanity, thanks."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sona acted ignorantly, but she knew Akane wasn't buying it.
And would you look at that? Now they're on joking terms from a single uninterrupted conversation. Rias needs to take notes.
If Sona had to admit, though, she didn't expect Akane to be so reasonable and agreeable. At first, she always thought twice about what she had to say before actually saying it, but throughout the conversation, Sona became more comfortable. She expected hostility and intense distrust from the girl, only to be pleasantly surprised by this.
She was glad to see the girl genuinely trying to be supportive. Perhaps it was a possible enemy of Kokabiel's caliber that made them get closer, or Rias not being here to fuck this up made the situation better, but regardless, Sona was nothing short of relieved.
Maybe this was what she needed to get close to Akane. Honest, one-on-one conversation. No one to stand guard nearby, no one that would interrupt them. Once she was more comfortable with her, Rias could join in as well. If anything, Rias was a good conversationalist, as long as she didn't speak about politics.
"Well, this has been an insightful exchange," Sona said, standing from her seat. "Thank you for sharing the information, Akane. You don't mind if we do this again, do you?"
"As I said before, we have to work together if we wanna protect this place."
"I meant in general." She shook her head. "I had a pleasant time, regardless of the situation at hand. I'd love to have a more light-hearted conversation with you sometime later."
Akane blinked and shrugged. "I don't mind. I had fun too."
"I'm glad." Sona giggled. "I'll be going now. I'll see you tomorrow, and thank you for the coffee."
With that pleasant last exchange, Sona left the cafe, feeling much better than when she first entered. She was glad that most of her assumptions about Akane were wrong. She took a risk coming alone, but it thankfully paid off.
Like Rias, this is fairly uncharted territory for her- being generally close to a faction that looks down on her, so having a productive conversation that ended up being beneficial to both sides felt pretty damn good.
Perhaps it was unlike her to be childish, but Sona couldn't wait to see the jealousy on Rias' face.
(Akane)
Maybe I was being a little harsh on Sona.
I knew the devils would eventually ask me about what the hell happened assuming they didn't witness the whole battle, but I genuinely didn't expect Sona to have the balls to knock on the door of my house. Alone as far as I know. I couldn't sense anyone nearby, and I like to think that I'm skilled enough to be able to spot Sona's peerage.
At first, I didn't want to tell her anything, but after the battle, I had some time to think. The 'Kokabiel Arc' wasn't anything special from what I remember - he got killed immediately by Vali, who isn't anything special compared to the Satans, but there is no way this is true here. We're talking about a Cadre, a high-ranking member of the Grigori. If Cadres were that weak, then it'd take a fucking miracle for them, to survive the two other factions, much less match them in strength.
Also, this version of Kokabiel probably has stronger allies. How do you explain how he got his hands on those artifacts that hid his minions' energies? Not to mention, he's willing to go behind Azazel's back and try to start a war. This is either stupidity at its purest, which I doubt, or he's very confident.
If so, then why is he this confident? The plan I stopped wasn't perfect by any means - it's outright horrible for not even having a backup. Someone as old as Kokabiel making amateur mistakes just doesn't make sense to me. If anything, it feels like he doesn't give a fuck if this plan of his failed, nor is he worried that we'd find out that he's the culprit.
Which is why I'm willing to get help from the devils. Sona and Rias aren't particularly evil, nor are they selfish enough to stab me in the back, and unlike the Yakuza, they want to get close to me. Build some kind of a relationship for political connections.
Meaning they should be a lot more willing to help out when things go south. I don't know what's going on in the head of this patriarch that's supposed to guard me, but I've decided that I'd rather trust Sona than him.
And I need all the help I can get. We're not dealing with just Kokabiel here. There's probably someone else even more dangerous on his side. Khaos Brigade, Old Satans, or maybe someone unknown. There are too many possibilities, and even with my growth, I'd rather have allies.
It's not too much trouble. I wanted to lend a hand to the devils around the time Rias gets desperate with Riser, but pushing that plan forward a bit wouldn't be too bad. Riser should show up soon anyway, which would kick off the whole one week training.
Was it one week? I don't remember.
I'm not really sure how I'd be able to help Rias, though. I'll be honest, I'm kinda tempted to just abandon her to her fate. It'd be pretty funny to see her forced into a loveless marriage, but alas, I want some connections to Sirzechs.
The sacrifices I have to make. How horrible.
As for Sona, well, she's nice to talk to I suppose. Maybe because most of my interactions with her had Rias involved, I unconsciously lumped them together, but without the redhead's presence there, I felt far less annoyed. I wasn't lying when I said I enjoyed my time, and she wasn't either.
Sona Sitri Reputation Level [35/100]
She's significantly harder to increase rep with than most others, but I'm getting there.
…If I abandon Rias, would Sona return to the underworld with her or stay here? Because if it's the former, then helping the bimbo feels a little more worth it.
"You sealed your own powers?" I raise a brow, looking at my mother in confusion as we walk into the warehouse. "Why would you do that?"
"Two reasons. First, I had to because I was pregnant with you." She said. "And because we're related to a Yuki-Onna, our emotions can affect our power. So every time I felt even a tiny bit stressed, there was a possibility that my magic would leak into you and endanger your life. And pregnancy is painfully stressful."
"Avoid things that stress you out then." I blink, still not convinced. "That's what I do."
"No, you beat whatever stresses you out black and blue." She calls me out with a frown.
"It works."
"For you." She huffs, then an arrogant smirk splits her face. "As for the second reason, well, not to brag but I kinda had too much magic at the time."
"How is that a reason?" My frown of confusion deepens.
"What can I say?" She chuckles. "I was too strong, they had to nerf me. I know you don't see it that way, but your mother is pretty badass. You're lucky, eh?"
"Bullshit."
"I'm serious! Why can't you ever believe me when I say these things?!" The grown ass woman pouts childishly. "I can be cool sometimes too, y'know!"
I look at her, completely unamused because I know this isn't the whole story. She shifts awkwardly under my glare, and eventually, her tough front breaks down and she explains the real reason why.
"O-okay, maybe I was kinda…" She scratches her cheek and fidgets, the next sentence coming out a lot quieter. "um, terrible at controlling my magic."
"And there it is."
"W-well, I did have too much power, I didn't lie about that. You believe me right?"
"Definitely."
"I'm not lying!" Mizuki whines as we arrive. "I'm serious! Even Tatsu was afraid of me sometimes, and he wasn't scared of anything."
"You two always had a weird relationship."
All I remember is my mother either cooing over him or yelling at him for doing something batshit insane. Those were her two moods when my father was involved. Loving and angry. I think she did the former a lot more though.
It's crazy how different my parents are. An ex-assassin turned housewife and a socially stunted yakuza patriarch. How did they even get together?
"Life itself is pretty weird." Mizuki nods sagely. "You never know who will be your life partner. It could even be your worst enemy."
"That's weirdly specific."
"No, it's not. Getting married is one of life's greatest achievements." She smiles, opening the door to the warehouse. "For me at least."
"That's not what I was referring to-" I cut myself off and shake my head. "You know what, nevermind."
As we enter the place, I take less than a moment to look at my surroundings. Issei was in a headlock by Ichiban, getting choked as he desperately tried to break free. Futile effort though- Ichiban is way more powerful in the physical department. Unless Issei uses his Sacred Gear, he's stuck.
"Oh, you're here," Akiyama says as he spots us. "A little later than usual."
"I had to talk to Sitri about what happened," I explain simply. "Told her what she needed to know. That's all."
"That so?" He nods, glancing at my frowning mother before back at me. "Well, you didn't miss much. We just started fifteen minutes ago."
He then turns to the boys. "Oi, that's enough."
Ichiban lets go of Issei, who starts coughing and gasping, finally able to breathe. Ichi extends a hand towards Issei and pulls him back to his feet, patting him on the shoulder reassuringly.
"Sorry for going hard on you."
"N-nah, it's fine." Issei waves it off. "I can take it."
"What were they doing anyway?" I ask. "I don't think they're gonna benefit a lot if they fight like this."
"Ah, I was just checking what they need to work on specifically." He waves it off.
"And what do you think?" Mizuki asks.
"Well, Ichiban seems decently experienced in grappling and martial arts in general. Physically, he's incredible for a boy his age. However, his potential for magic is almost nonexistent." Akiyama answers. "He's fine with it, though, saying something about Akane being the DPS anyway."
"Ha! Nerd!" Mizuki giggles childishly.
"Oi, I heard that!" Ichiban yells from the back as he approaches us with Issei.
You know, I suddenly don't like him being a video game nerd. It's kinda unnerving considering the power I wield.
"And Issei?" I cross my arms.
"He's… less impressive. Fighting skills are poor and his physique is average." My uncle says honestly. "To be fair, he probably never expected his life to turn out that way, and I feel like he has potential to be strong. I think all he needs is some time to adjust to this new life."
I don't think someone like Issei will have time to adjust, especially with a much weaker Sacred Gear than his original counterpart. He's not gonna grow fast enough to handle DxD's bullshit, and the only things that carried him in canon were his Boosted Gear and the sudden IQ drop of his enemies when they got close to him.
Only way I can see him catching up quickly is by giving him the other pieces of Vritra's Gear. All of them together will make him a notable threat. One of his abilities is a 'lol no' button. Nullification powers are always OP.
Where am I supposed to get the other parts though? I think Azazel has them, but how can I convince him to give them to me?
"By the way, Akane-chan." My uncle sighs. "I'm very sorry for not being able to help you at that time. I know I promised to protect you but-"
"Don't worry about it, she told me everything." I point at my mother who nods. "You're forgiven."
"Is that so? Well, that's good." He clears his throat. "Anyway, now that you're here, wanna start?"
Quest added
[Training with Shun Akiyama #2] - Quest
Objective: Impress Shun Akiyama
Bonus Objective: Stay on your feet for more than five minutes straight
Rewards: 10 STR, 10 DEX, Increase Affection with Shun Akiyama, Minor EXP to [Unarmed Combat Proficiency]
Bonus Reward: 15 STR, 15 DEX, Increase Affection with Shun Akiyama, Moderate EXP to [Unarmed Combat Proficiency]
This is gonna be a tough one, isn't it?
"Ready when you are," I respond.
Well, I'll figure it out later. We're still at the starting stages, no use in rushing.
I hope the warmonger takes his sweet time before he attacks, and I hope the Yakuza do their fucking jobs for once when he does.
I'm not counting on it.
(Daigo)
He expected something like this would happen. It felt all too damn quiet recently, and quiet means bad news. He predicted that these attacks would continue happening for the foreseeable future, and as for why, well, that's simple.
Some people just don't want peace, and seeing that the peace treaty happening soon wasn't exactly hidden from the public, it must've caused some spark that led to this. He wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't only Kokabiel he was dealing with at the moment. The Cadre was most likely conspiring with others who shared his ideals.
This was definitely predictable for Daigo, likely for the other leaders as well, but he didn't expect this opposing faction to be so bold and reckless with their actions. This only made him wonder what to expect from them. If they have someone of Kokabiel's caliber, who isn't bothered if his identity was leaked at all, then who else could they have supporting them?
When would they attack again? Who would they target this time? Would Kokabiel be responsible again, or would it be someone else?
Whatever the case, they would have to be more vigilant than this.
"Mine." He said, prompting his captain to straighten his posture. "I want a report detailing exactly what happened in Kuoh."
"As you wish." His captain nodded. "Anything else?"
"What's Majima's status?"
Mine remained silent, making Daigo grimace.
"Oh for crying out loud…" Daigo sighed in exasperation. "What the hell did he do this time?"
"I believe we should pull him out of Kuoh, Daigo-san," Mine said bluntly, making the sixth chairman wince. "Nishikiyama or Saejima would be willing to take his place."
"That bad?" Daigo rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Don't bother pulling him out, but have Saejima… 'assist' him from a distance. He's the only one who can handle him."
"Of course." Mine nodded. "What should we do with the prisoners? We've already sent the Fallen back to the Grigori on the Amamiya girl's word."
Daigo took a moment to think before answering. "Did you discover why their energy levels are untraced?"
"We did," Mine confirmed. "Chips planted inside their ears, tech surpassing our own by decades. It's currently being dismantled and researched."
Daigo almost flinched but managed to keep his cool. Technology better than theirs? He'd been warned and told about this before by the fourth chairman. A specific faction that almost never interacts with the world, hidden away never to be found by anyone. They were so dangerous, even his mentor was wary of them.
And they always casually one-upped the Tojo Clan and Omi Alliance when it came to technology.
The family of assassins Mizuki came from.
Even Mizuki herself told him to stay the fuck away from them. She never spoke about them at all, only vague warnings that genuinely made him worried. He had tried to have her open up, but a simple 'they're listening' made him quickly shut his mouth.
However, what he knew was that they didn't concern themselves with other factions at all, but if that was the case, how did these lowlives acquire these? They said they were given those chips.
This is not good. What was their goal? Did they also want to prevent peace? They were assassins, so presumably, peace was damaging for them, but then again, they had never instigated a war when there was peace, so what gives?
"Kill them. Painfully." Daigo ordered coldly. "A Saio Triad member and a serial rapist don't deserve mercy."
Whatever that they wanted, protecting Kuoh until the peace talks were over was gonna be tough.
This wasn't the last Daigo would see of them.
I haven't made this clear I think, but this fic can be considered a 'corruption' fic, which is the opposite of a redemption fic. Good guy turning evil.
Technically, Akane hasn't really done anything bad yet, she doesn't deserve to be called evil, but that'll change. Tis a slippery path.
Better than the original's 'im evil for the sake of it' that one guest reviewer likes so much. New Akane is objectively better than the old one, because she's actually human in this.
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