– Mizuki Amamiya –
Mizuki didn't know what it was with horror movies' terrible depiction of gore, but she had to admit, it's always been incredibly entertaining. She'd seen real gore, of others and herself, so she always couldn't help but giggle at how inaccurate they were, especially slasher movies.
This made her look like a psychopath whenever she went to the cinema, but at least she wasn't alone in that regard. Her daughter would laugh at the usually stupid decisions made by the victims, utterly unbothered by the 'horror' elements. Hell, she'd root for the villain most of the time, because in her words, "if you're that idiotic, you deserve being torn to pieces".
Which was fair. Her daughter used to scream at the screen in anger whenever said stupid decisions were made, so it was nice to see her not wasting her energy anymore. Never in the cinemas of course, only at home. Akane could be rude, and she couldn't care less about public decency, but she still had some manners.
Speaking of, she kind of missed her daughter already. It'd been around a week since she'd gone on that trip with her class. Mizuki was so bored, she wanted someone to tease and annoy, and Asia was too pure. She didn't even think it was possible to annoy such an adorable little ray of sunshine.
And she doubted she'd get the reaction she wanted. Akane wouldn't hesitate to try to gouge out Mizuki's eyes, but Asia was too friendly to even raise her voice. It was like comparing a tiger to a newborn kitten. Totally different.
She still thought it was weird. The whole camping trip with the class is one thing, but to announce it so abruptly? Suddenly they have a camping trip and some crap, without any prior knowledge.
And it's not like Akane liked camping. Her daughter relied too much on technology to be enjoying the wildlife, and the last time they did go on a trip, she'd complain nonstop about the most trivial stuff. "Kaa-san, my phone is out of power." "Kaa-san, my goddamn shoe fell down into the river." "Kaa-san, there are too many fucking mosquitos. I can't sleep."
Seriously, just shut up for a few minutes.
…Okay, that last one was totally understandable, but still. She hadn't known her daughter could be that whiny. Then again, she was like, thirteen at the time. She complained about a lot of things because puberty. Maybe she changed her mind and now she liked camping? But since when?
Something was off about this. Akane was strangely motivated for something like that. Every message Mizuki sent would be seen and promptly ignored, barring a few. She'd check up on her personally, but she didn't want to look like a creep, and seeing one of her overly lovey-dovey messages get a 'Kill yourself' as a response at least made her feel a little better about this whole thing.
She sipped from her beer and glanced at Asia, who wore a basic blue dress with white accents, shaking in terror with her eyes shut. She had to admit, this was pretty amusing, but she also felt pretty bad about it. It was very clear that Asia couldn't exactly stomach these kinds of movies, but when Mizuki offered to change it…
Well, she refused, saying it was her pick since Asia picked something else last time. Totally different indeed. She even had some shame. Unlike somebody she knew.
"Are you sure you don't want me to put something else?" She asked in English.
"I-I'm fine! I can- I can watch this!" Asia said, not watching anything. Because her eyes are closed. "You don't have to change it for me!"
"It's fiiine. No skin off my back." Mizuki rolled her eyes. "I expected this one to be fun since I never watched it, but it's boring. I'll just put in some anime instead."
"A-ah…" Asia slowly opened her eyes as Mizuki paused the movie. "Then, c-can we… watch the funny rubber boy again?"
"Of course, we can." Mizuki nodded, proud of herself for having gotten someone into the best anime to ever grace these lands.
Thank you, Oda. Very cool.
As Mizuki got up from the couch to put on One Piece, she paused as someone rang the doorbell. She blinked and looked at the front door, sensing someone very familiar. Huh, she didn't know he was here too.
Ah right, Daigo sent him to keep Majima in line since that incident. But to come to her directly? Odd. The last time she checked, she didn't really have anything that they might need. She already gave them all the information about the Amon she knew.
Her mind betrayed her and immediately assumed the worst, a nervous sweat trailing down her brow. Did something happen to her daughter?
Mizuki headed towards the door and put on her usual confident look, with Asia curiously following her to see who was at the door. The mother opened the front door, looking at the towering man in a green jacket. He had the look and body of a veteran, a seemingly permanent scowl plastered on his slightly wrinkled face.
Asia flinched, intimidated by the stature of this absolute behemoth of a man, but Mizuki merely waved and grinned happily.
"Yo, Saejima!" She greeted. "Long time no see. It's been years!"
Taiga Saejima smiled slightly at that, and Mizuki almost sighed in relief. That probably meant that the worst hadn't come to pass. That's good.
"Mizuki." He nodded, giving Asia a glance. "Good to see you again."
"Come in," Mizuki said, ushering him inside. "We have a lot to talk about. Tea or coffee?"
"I'm good, thanks." He said, closing the door behind him as Asia retreated to the kitchen, hiding behind the counter. "I came here to talk to you about somethin'."
"That much I've gathered." She deadpanned, then her grin returned. "Still not very good at small talk, are you?"
"Yes." He said bluntly as he sat down on the couch. "It's about the girl."
Absolutely terrible at it. Mizuki thought in exasperation. I suppose that's part of his charm, though.
"Yes, what about her?" She glanced at Asia, who was curiously looking at Saejima but still fairly intimidated to join in the conversation.
"The Tojo Clan wants to take her off yer hand–"
"Not happening."
"–For a time." He finished without a beat. "She'll be back here safe and sound, Mizuki. We just want to ask her a few questions and run some tests."
"Oh." She blinked. "Why is that?"
"We found some of them bugs in those prisoners. Energy suppressors." Saejima responded, leaning closely and lowering his voice. Mizuki frowned slightly. This again… "She probably has 'em too."
"Already taken care of." She replied and lowered her voice, thankful that Asia wasn't quite at a level where she could follow the conversation. "Yes, definitely Amon tech, so you don't need to ask. She's pretty much clean now."
"We can't be too sure." He argued. "We don't know what else they might be hidin'. Could be another piece of tech, maybe somethin' in her blood."
She couldn't rule out that possibility. The Amon would do something like that, and it is wiser to be paranoid when they're involved. They'd do the most tedious bullshit just to hide an already obscure-as-all-hell evidence even more.
But she was still a little hesitant.
"Why now?" Mizuki questioned. "Couldn't you have just checked the other prisoners? Ran more tests?"
"We did. Turned up with nothin'." He answered truthfully. "But this is someone with a Sacred Gear. We don't know what they might've done to her, so it's better to be safe."
Mizuki couldn't argue with that. Having a Sacred Gear already made you a lot more important than most soldiers. Adding that it was Twilight Healing? A pretty rare and sought-out Sacred Gear? Well, Mizuki was pretty surprised that she wasn't hunted down even more.
Equally surprised that the Church outright kicked her out, but eh, they'd made stupider decisions.
"I… suppose." Mizuki clicked her tongue. Something still felt kinda off about this. "Let me ask her first, alright? If she doesn't want to go–"
"We won't force her." He agreed.
"Good." She nodded. "How long?"
"Ten days."
Huh, around the same time Akane came back. Funny coincidence.
Mizuki stood up and approached the blond nun with a reassuring smile. Asia smiled back, a little confused.
"Are you okay?" Mizuki asked. "You were looking at Saejima very intensely."
"Um, yeah, I just… think he's kind of scary." She clarified. "He looks angry. What did you talk about? Did something happen?"
"Pft, him? Oh please, he's like a giant teddy bear." Mizuki rolled her eyes, pointing at him. "Nothing's wrong, Asia. He just wanted to check up on you."
"Me?"
"Yes. Since those bad men and Fallen Angels had you at first." The mother explained. "Listen, I know this might sound a little scary, but can you go with him for a bit?"
"Huh? But go where?" Asia frowned in concern. "What's going on?"
"Nothing's going on. I just want you to trust me on this, alright?" Mizuki said, trying to assure her. "If you don't want to, that's alright. I'll just tell him to leave now, and nobody will hold it against you. It's your choice in the end."
Asia glanced at the man cautiously, who was on the couch looking at the table in front of him with an unmoving expression.
"I just want you to know that he's a good and kind man. He will not let any harm come to you." The older woman continued. "And he promised that he'll bring you back here again."
"I…" Asia blinked a few times, then looked back at Mizuki with a determined look. "I trust you."
"Thank you, Asia." Mizuki hugged her affectionately. "How about we go out and do something fun when you come back?"
Asia smiled and nodded.
"She agreed," Mizuki said, referring to Saejima. "Don't let anything happen to her. The responsibility is on you."
Saejima nodded and stood up as Asia hesitantly approached him, and the giant bear of a man tried his best to give her the most disarming smile he could muster, which did nothing but make her flinch.
"At least you tried," Mizuki muttered to herself as she saw the two leave the house.
She followed them and waved Asia goodbye, who waved back with a smile and rode the limousine waiting for them on the road. Here went her only company for the time being.
Now what to do…
– Akeno Himejima –
When she got back from her personal training deep into the forest, mostly to get some refreshment, Akeno didn't expect to come back to a big commotion involving her King. There was tension so heavy that it affected her, and she didn't even know what had happened.
So she met up with Tsubaki and a few others, asking what was going on and why everyone was in distress. At first, Sona's Queen hesitated, not knowing how she might react, but spilled everything to her.
Akane and Rias got into a fight– a duel that led to a screaming match between them, and the human girl said some vile things that made the redhead barely responsive. Seemingly more depressed than she already was.
Of course, when Akeno heard that, she quickly asked where Rias was and headed toward the room they shared. It might not have been much, but she experienced just how much Akane could hurt with mere words. What she said was still in her mind, and no matter what she did, Akeno just could not ignore it.
It somewhat terrified her. She didn't know when Akane learned about her past or who told her, but to rip apart all her comforting thoughts about not using her heritage anymore and forcing her to face reality was a skill she did not expect her to have. She didn't know what she said to Rias exactly, but the redhead wasn't exactly in the best place mentally.
She wasn't necessarily wrong, either, which is what made it so effective. Akeno had a few days to think about it, and realized that yes, she was letting her own hatred and grudge blind her. She was making this so much harder than it has any right to be. She felt nothing but disgust to admit it, but the past was indeed controlling her.
However, she's still unsure if she was brave enough to call upon that side of her.
Akeno paused as she saw Sona right in front of the door of their room, sighing deeply as she closed it. She approached Rias' childhood friend, putting her hand on the doorknob before being stopped.
"Don't." Sona said, firmly gripping her arm.
"But–"
"She doesn't want to be bothered." She continued, letting go of Akeno.
Akeno stayed quiet, silently staring at the door. She didn't move an inch, lost in her own thoughts as the many different possibilities of how that situation turned out ran through her mind. What did Akane say? How did Rias take it? Is it as bad as she's thinking, or even worse?
Why wasn't she there to stop the whole thing? She saw the signs– Akane calling Rias a 'defeatist bitch' when she confronted Akeno should've been obvious that she was the human girl's next target. If Akane was capable of saying all those cruel things to her, then what was stopping her from saying the same or even worse to her King?
"Let her rest," Sona said as she walked away, stopping Akeno's train of thought. "You can talk to her when she calms down."
"Where are you going?" Akeno asked, making her stop.
"...Practising." She answered, sounding slightly confused.
"So you're just letting this go?" Rias' Queen glared at Sona. "You won't even try to retaliate?"
"No," Sona said bluntly. "That would only escalate the situation even further. We don't want that."
"Right, let her walk all over you, then." Akeno scoffed. "You've been sucking up to her from the moment she got here, why should this be any different."
Sona suddenly turned around, a genuine angry scowl plastered on her face as she pinned Akeno to the wall, making her flinch. That was a look she's never seen on her before, not even in her imagination.
"Do you honestly think I'm fine with this?" She growled. "Don't be daft."
"You still refuse to even confront her about it. You won't even try, because these stupid politics are more important than your childhood friend" Akeno argued, pushing her away. "But that's fine, it's not your responsibility anyway. It's mine."
As Akeno got away, she was once again grabbed by Sona, this time being roughly pulled back as the Sitri Heiress nearly yelled at her face.
"You will NOT destroy whatever possibility of reconciliation with the Tojo Clan remains just to feed your petty ego." She hissed in rage, struggling to keep her voice down. "I may not be your King, but I'm still your superior, and you will listen to what I say. Or else."
Akeno flinched in slight fear, feeling the heavy pressure of Sona's demonic magic.
"Don't you dare mistake my lack of action for weakness, Akeno," Sona continued. "I refuse to let my own emotions jeopardize what I've been trying to do since Amamiya came to Kuoh. I refuse to be responsible for any potential war."
Sona slowly calmed herself, taking a deep breath through her nose as her grip over Akeno's arm loosened.
"I understand how you're feeling, but please, please don't escalate this." She muttered, Akeno's frown softening slightly as she heard the pleading in Sona's tone. "For Rias' sake, too."
After a moment of silence, Akeno nodded slowly, prompting Sona to let go of her.
"Thank you."
With that, Sona left her to her own devices, walking away. She regretted confronting Sona about this– of course, she was struggling too, however, a part of Akeno thought that the Sitri Heiress would've at least tried to give Akane a piece of her mind. It was unlike her to let insults to Rias like that slide, but Akeno also realized that at least one of them needed to keep a cool head.
She felt ashamed that she thought about confronting Akane directly. It's not like Akeno had any authority, and with how she was verbally thrashed that night, she'd just embarrass herself and Rias. Was there nothing she could do to help, though? Just sit there and do nothing?
After a minute of thought, Akeno stared down at her trembling hand, her heart threatening to leap out of her chest. The mental blocks made it nearly impossible to even force herself to do it. It honestly scared her, far more than anything in her life.
But if it was for Rias, then she'd do it. She'd do anything.
A determined frown took over her face, and the struggle finally stopped when Holy Lightning danced around her hand.
– Akane Amamiya –
-15 Reputation with Akeno Himejima [-5/100]
For fuck's sake, I get it. I was a bitch there. That's enough decrease in Reputation with literally everyone, Game. Please.
I knew had anger management issues, but god, it was a lot worse than I thought. I expected maybe to last a few more days before losing control, but that was not the case at all. If anything, I feel pretty embarrassed about it.
Sure, it felt good saying all that to the bimbo at the time and seeing everyone intimidated by me felt admittedly empowering, but working only in the short term is stupid. I may have possibly ruined any chance I have at seeing Riser getting his ass handed to him because of that temper tantrum I threw.
Goddamn it. Look what you've done, you dumbass.
Though, this might've been the wake-up call I needed, ironically enough. The Sin of Wrath trait is a much bigger problem than I first expected, and it needs to go fast. It should be the first thing I work on before getting stronger or whatnot. It's a huge weakness.
But I don't know how to go about it. What the hell am I supposed to do to control my anger better? What, am I supposed to go to therapy or something? Because fuck that. That'll take way too much time, far more than I can give.
Maybe my mother has an idea. She used to have similar issues when she was younger from what I remember, but not anymore, so she likely curbed her anger somehow, and I really doubt it's through therapy.
Game, can you give me a quest or something? Anything that could put me on the path to getting rid of that issue for me. I think the system is my best bet at permanently eliminating my anger problems.
Trivial matter.
Are you certain, though?
What? Well, yes, obviously. You saw what it did back there. It's probably the worst trait I could have in this somewhat of a political setting. I don't want to be manipulated through my anger– I'm lucky that I haven't met someone who's smart enough to do that yet.
I'm not sure why you're asking.
Because the trait isn't as harmful as you think.
…Elaborate.
Simple. You're part Yokai.
A race that can grow through strong emotions.
Ah… Yeah, alright, that's a very good point. Aside from the trait's actual benefits of increased physical stats, my mother said a Yokai's magical power could grow exponentially with rage. Shit, I didn't think about that.
But still, I need to somehow get better control over my emotions. Sure, maybe not get rid of it, but stopping myself from getting pissy over insignificant shit not going my way will help a lot. Can't you do something about that?
Very well.
Quest added
[In Control of Oneself] – Quest
Objective: Meditate for a collective of 720 hours [0/720]
Rewards: [Tempered Fury] Perk, 2000 to WIS
…Meditative training? Really? I mean, thanks for indulging me, but seven hundred? That's an entire month of sitting on my ass and doing nothing. How the hell am I supposed to do all of that in a short amount of time? I don't even know how to properly meditate.
Can't you maybe reduce the needed time?
No.
Ugh, this is gonna be annoying to complete. I'm guessing this perk is probably gonna help with the Sin of Wrath trait. At least that's gonna keep me interested in the quest. And that two thousand in wisdom – four thousand with my Rising Star perk – will help a lot.
But what to do with the current situation…
"You good to talk now?" Ichiban asks after following me to one of the living rooms.
"...Yeah, I'm okay," I say after a moment.
"You're still mad." He deadpans.
"I said I'm fine." I insist.
"You say that, but you look like you want to kick me in the balls." He argues.
"Do you want to be kicked in the balls?" I narrow my eyes.
"N-no?"
"Then you better stop being a smartass."
"Okay, okay, got the message." He steps back. "Relax."
…Ugh, he really doesn't deserve my bitching. I really am still mad, goddamn it.
"I'm sorry," I sigh. "Thinking about the consequences of what I just did back there is already bad enough. She's definitely not winning that match now."
"That's what you're worried about?" He asks. "Not the fact that you just ripped her a new one?"
"Why would I care about that?" I blink, slightly confused.
"Akane, that was wholly unnecessary and cruel." He frowns a little. "You didn't have to say any of that stuff to her when she was already struggling, and definitely not in front of everyone. That's just cold, even for you."
"Are you seriously taking her side?" I growl, uncrossing my arms as I feel my earlier rage bubbling again.
"I'm not taking anybody's side." He responds firmly, not one bit intimidated. "I'm just saying you could've taken a way better approach than kick her when she's already down. That's not right."
"Oh wow, so I'm the bad guy in this scenario?" I scoff, smiling condescendingly, however tight my chest has suddenly become. "Real nice of you, Ichi. And here I thought you liked me more than devils."
"It's not about that, and you know it." He scowls. "For fuck's sake, have you ever seen her before the duel? Hell, even before this whole trip? If I didn't know any better, I'd think she was depressed. Dragging her here and then breaking her down even more isn't helping."
"Ever thought that this is what she needs to hear? They've been coddling her for years– clearly, the nice and patient way isn't working for her." I argue. "I couldn't give a flying fuck if she thought I was rude or annoying. If she wants out of this shit marriage, then she needs to stop being a little bitch and work for that victory."
"That's not the point!" He replies in frustration. "I know what she has to do, I'm saying that's not the right way to go about it. Yes, it's annoying and frustrating for Rias to not take this seriously, and I'm not saying you shouldn't be mad, but couldn't have you taken her somewhere private and talked it out? Before going full throttle like this?"
"And you think she's gonna listen to me?" I raise a brow, still not convinced. "When not even her best friend and her brother were able to get to her."
"Yes. I know for damn sure that you could've gotten through to her." He says without missing a beat, surprising me. "You're the best person who comes to mind about this stuff. I just don't understand why you didn't start off with that first. It isn't like you."
I don't know why, but hearing this made me feel a weird mixture of negative and positive emotions.
"Maybe because I don't think it would work? Ever thought of that?" I respond defensively. "I mean, I appreciate the faith you have in me, but how the hell is this my fault?"
"I–..." He stops himself from continuing and groans. "This is going nowhere."
I scoff but don't give another response as Ichiban continues.
"Okay, can you just apolo–"
"She can go fuck herself instead."
"–gize. Of course not." He sighs. "Then maybe not talk or even approach Rias at least. Can you do that please?"
"I wasn't planning to in the first place." I shrug. "I'll just focus on her friends. She clearly doesn't want to be helped anyway."
"Good. Thanks." He says.
"I didn't even think you cared about them that much," I say. "What, you got attached?"
"Listen, I just think that maybe they're not that different from us after all." He replies. "They just seemed so normal. They have their own hobbies and interests, likes and dislikes, dreams and aspirations. It's not fair to generalize all of them because of one bad apple, you get me?"
"You're too nice," I say bluntly. "You're better off keeping them at arm's length. They're still technically enemies."
"I know that." He nods. "Doesn't mean you have to be a dick to them."
…His naivete is as adorable as it is infuriating.
"Well, I said what I wanted to say." He rubs the back of his neck, shifting awkwardly. "I'll go back to train now. Ruruko's wanted to spar with me since yesterday."
As he's about to go, my phone's sudden vibration makes the two of us pause. I take it out and see a message from Majima telling me that someone is waiting for me outside. I frown, but then my eyes widen as I understand what this could mean. No way, are they seriously done with my request already?
"What is it?" Ichiban asks.
"Not sure, but I might have an idea," I answer. "Come on."
We go outside and head towards the gate, seeing a limo parked in front of it. Some of the girls were curiously looking at it from inside the courtyard but never approach it. I do, however, and as I get close, the door opens and Asia gets out.
Asia freezes for a moment as she sees me, smiling brightly as she tackles me in an embrace.
"Akane! I missed you!" She says, making me gently rub her head with a smile.
"Yeah, I missed you too," I respond, returning the hug before glancing at the man that got out of the car after her.
I expected Majima to be honest, but I was wrong. It was a very tall man with a buzzcut, wearing a green jacket, black shirt, and camo pants. He looked quite a bit older than most Yakuza I've seen, but holy shit he's huge.
Name: Taiga Saejima
Title: The Tiger of the Tojo Clan
HP - ?
MP - ?
SP - ?
Race: Human
LVL - ?
STR - ?
END - ?
DEX - ?
INT - ?
WIS - ?
CHA - ?
LUK - ?
Thoughts about you – Daughter of a precious friend. You remind him of your father.
Reputation – 10
Affection – 0
Obedience – 5
Loyalty - -100
And insanely strong too. Just how powerful is the Tojo Clan?
Also, he looks a bit familiar. I think I saw him in that picture I found in my mother's room back in Kiyohara.
"We got the things you ordered ready." He suddenly says in a slight Kansai dialect, unlike Majima's thick and almost exaggerated one.
"Already?" I blink in surprise. That's impressive.
"Gravity tech ain't that hard to make." He replies as a few of his subordinates take a small metal box out of the limo. "Should be easy to use, but there's an instruction manual inside in case you need it."
"Right…"
"Anythin' else?" He asks.
"Huh? Oh, no. Not really." I wave it off, still fairly impressed. "Thanks for humoring me, though."
He nods and re-enters the car, leaving the box and Asia with us before driving off with his men. Huh, that was kinda… anti-climactic. I don't know what I was expecting, but I certainly did not think they'd just drop off what I needed and leave like that.
I might be used to Majima's more energetic personality already. He's supposed to be the oddity and not the norm.
"Oi, Ichi. Take the box and put it there, middle of the courtyard." I order, glancing at him. "...What are you doing?"
"T-that was Eighteen Count Saejima." He mutters, frozen in shock. "A yakuza legend, up there with Kazuma Kiryu and Shintaro Kazama."
"...Okay?" I frown in mild confusion.
Asia seemed equally confused, tilting her head at Ichiban.
"I never thought I'd get to see him personally." He says in excitement. "I didn't even know he was in Kuoh!"
"I mean, considering who I'm related to, it should be obvious that all the big shots are gonna be close by," I explain. "You should get used to it."
"Fuck, did you see how big he was?! He's fucking jacked!" He geeks out, ignoring me. "Man, this is awesome! First, I learn that your dad was the Immortal-fucking-Dragon, then the Mad Dog is apparently assigned as your bodyguard, and now this?! I'm living my damned dreams!"
"I'm glad you find that cool, Ichiban." Personally, I don't really get it much. I just know that they're all apparently strong as fuck. "But maybe you can fanboy after you've gotten that, yeah?"
I point at the box and he pauses, chuckling sheepishly.
"Yeah, sorry 'bout that." He approaches the training equipment I ordered and asks. "So what's this anyway? I heard Saejima-san say something about gravity tech?"
"You'll see soon enough" I say vaguely.
I did mention that this is somewhat of a political setting before, but in all honesty, it's equally supernatural. I'm not dumb– there is a certain set of logic this world runs on, and from what I've seen, the ecchi bit seemed to be toned down.
But the shonen side is still going strong.
So if that's the case, then we're playing by the same rules. If pushing them to their limits with regular training seemed to have given them significant gains, using shonen-level training will be beyond successful. Such a method I've thought up is impossible in a normal world. Even if you're able to stand under the intense pressure of this device, your vital organs will eventually get crushed. Though, with how supernaturally powerful we are right now, this is nothing.
That or I'm horribly wrong and it will not work at all, but I'm willing to take that risk, especially when it's tilted in my favor.
Ultimately, I really have nothing to lose.
– Ichiban Kasuga –
After picking up the mystery box, Akane told him to round up everyone for a little announcement. He hesitated for a moment at first, considering the entire thing with Rias happened only a few hours ago and tensions were still pretty high, but then she smugly wagged her fingers and told him "It's an order."
Which he took as a joke. A not-very amusing one. Fine, if she wanted to deal with the awkwardness, then so be it. It wasn't his problem.
So he went around and told everyone to meet up in the courtyard, where put the box. Well, not really everyone. Sona and her Peerage, Issei, and Rias' Peerage all listened to him and went there, but he didn't approach Rias herself.
She looked devastated after the duel, so he left her to rest for now. Not like he wanted her and Akane to get into another fight. He knew that his best friend would probably not respond very well to the redhead showing up like nothing ever happened. Thankfully, the rest didn't put up a fight, being fairly reasonable to him.
After everyone arrived, Ichiban glanced at Akane, who was reading the instruction manual. Asia was right behind her, looking incredibly nervous. Right, she was a nun, wasn't she? So she knows about Devils and whatnot too, huh?
Akane glanced back at him and everyone else, throwing the manual down before clearing her throat.
"Before I get into why I called you all here, I'd like to… apologize for earlier this morning." She said, surprising all of them and especially him. "Losing control of my emotions was one thing, and doing it in front of you all was embarrassing. If you ever felt uncomfortable in my presence after that, I'm sorry, and I promise that it won't happen again."
But she just said she's not gonna apologize? Ichiban thought in confusion. What gives?
She said she would not apologize to the Gremory. Ddraig said. Think. What is she expressing regret for?
That she got angry. He thought, eyes widening in realization. Ooooh…
Indeed. She is certainly not regretting what she said to that devil, yet she's giving the impression that she is. Ddraig snorted. Your friend is a shrewd one.
His partner was correct. Ichiban noticed a couple of the Devils here relaxing a little, primarily Koneko and a few of Sona's Peerage. Sona and Akeno were stone-faced, not giving any outward reaction, so he couldn't get a read on them.
Clever, but Ichiban wasn't sure if he was a fan of this type of tactic.
"I'll just say that I have not given up on you yet, and I still believe you have a chance at winning this." Akane's eyes flickered between Rias' Peerage. "You three are great friends to Rias, and I know how far you're willing to go for her, so I'm still willing to support you all the way through this. As long as one of you believes in victory, then I'll do anything I can do to help."
This seemed to make both Koneko and Kiba smile in gratitude a little, however, for whatever reason, Akeno flinched slightly, an expression of guilt crossing her face before she returned to her blank one. Ichiban raised a brow. What was that?
"First, I'd like to introduce you all to Asia Argento," Akane said, smiling at the blond next to her. "She used to be a nun, but through certain circumstances, she found herself here in Japan. She's the wielder of Twilight Healing and will be a huge help for this training. I had a talk with her, and she said she wanted to support everyone, so don't hesitate to ask her for healing."
"H-hi." Asia bowed shyly.
She's so cute damn it. He thought. Is it a good idea to make the one in charge of healing a nun though?
He didn't know what Akane told her when he was going around the place telling people, but she'd somehow convinced her to help Devils. He knew Asia well enough, so that wasn't much of a surprise, but how would the Devils take it? Isn't the church their enemy or something? Yes, she used to be a nun, but still.
This seemed to get somewhat of a reaction from Sona, though, as her eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.
"I don't expect someone that used to be with the church would be willing to help us," Sona said. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not quite sure this individual is trustworthy, Akane."
"U-uh…" Asia winced at Sona's bluntness, not quite knowing how to respond.
"I get you, but I can guarantee that Asia's intentions are pure." Akane defended the blond, who blushed slightly.
"And how do you know this?" Sona argued. "If this was anything else, I might've taken your word for it, but not this."
"I…" Asia whispered, and Ichiban decided to assist her.
"Look, I know what I'll say might not sound very convincing," Ichi quipped. "But I know for sure what kind of person she is. She's not the kind of person who'd have ulterior motives."
Sona wanted to argue, but Asia beat her as she spoke in a soft voice.
"I-I know what's going on. Akane told me what Ms. Rias is going through." She said in English. "And I want to help her. I don't care if she's a Devil, nobody should be forced to marry someone they don't love."
Sona studied the girl's face for a few moments and sighed.
"You seem sincere enough, and if Akane trusts you, then so be it I suppose." She said. "Fine, I concede."
He did not understand half of what Asia said, but it must've been very convincing.
Asia gave her a soft smile and nodded, looking slightly more confident. You go, girl.
He had to admit, though, Sona was still calm even after what Akane said to her childhood friend. That did impress him a lot. To not hold a grudge even after that takes a lot out of a person, but maybe the apology helped with that? It probably did, but still. He had to give it to the Sitri Heiress. She's good.
"Anyway–" Akane cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention again. "The main reason I've called you here is for a new device that'll potentially help a lot with your training."
She kicked the box next to her leg as she said that. Finally, the moment of truth. He'd been curious about this little box.
Akane crouched and opened it, taking out a belt-looking object and gesturing for Ichiban to come forward. He blinked and did so, and Akane gave him the belt. He inspected it up close, seeing multiple buttons on it and wondering what this is all about.
"This here is a Training Belt," Akane said as he wore the thing. "And it has two functions. One: It can increase the gravity around your body up to two hundred times that of Earth."
Ichi froze, slowly turning to his best friend.
"You did not." Ichiban said, looking at her with wide eyes.
"What, didn't you say you love Son Goku?" Akane smirked widely. "Now you get to train like him. Aren't I the nicest?"
"For real?!" Issei was equally excited.
"I could kiss you right now," Ichiban said, almost not believing her.
"Do it, you won't. Pussy." She challenged.
"And the second function?" Sona interjected, looking far more interested than before.
"It'll make put some sort of blockers on your mana, making it much harder to cast spells, but overall, it'll make the training more effective." Akane explained as Ichiban fiddled with the belt on his waist. "You could say that this is the same as the gravity tech, but for magic. Both can be used simultaneously, and the blockers also have levels, up to twenty."
Partner, I believe this is a very poor idea. Ddraig suddenly said as he realized what Ichiban was doing, though, he did not sound that concerned. High gravity is not a trivial matter.
Don't worry, I'm just testing it out. He responded. Plus, I can just boost in case things go south.
Hmph, suit yourself. Ddraig snorted. Don't say I didn't warn you.
I got this.
"Fascinating," Sona said, looking more hopeful. "A week might be more than enough with these in hand. This is… very promising. Thank you, Akane."
"Sure." She shrugged, addressing everyone. "By the way, I don't think this needs to be said, but do start small, okay? Gravity training isn't the same as lifting weights."
Ichiban pressed the green button after selecting the high gravity multiplier as she said that, grinning in anticipation for a single moment before the sudden weight came crashing down like a meteor, shattering the ground beneath him and crushing him into it as everyone flinched and backed away. His eyes almost popped out of his skull before the device seemingly deactivated itself, prompting Ichiban to gasp as his body screamed at him, the overwhelming agony leaving him on the edge of consciousness.
"What the hell–" Akane's eyes widened in shock as she saw the times fifty on the belt. "What the actual fuck is wrong with you, you lunatic?!"
"Kasuga!" Issei rushed towards his friend in worry, flinching as he too saw the multiplier. "What the fuck?!"
"I-Ichi-san!" Asia crouched next to him, her ring shining bright.
"E-everything hurts…" He groaned. "Oh god, my back…"
To make matters worse, Ddraig only laughed at him. What a dick.
"That could've killed you, moron!" Akane scowled at him, looking genuinely concerned before sighing in relief. "Idiot. You scared the hell out of me."
"Help…"
She shook her head and rubbed her temples tiredly.
"...There are safety measures in the device to prevent you from dying, but this is why we start small." Akane pointed at Ichiban as Asia healed him. "So unless you want to end up like this dumbass, exercise common sense."
To his embarrassment, Ichiban heard some of the Devils chuckling and giggling. Even Sona smiled in amusement at his predicament. He just wanted to test it out, he didn't expect this to happen, but in all honesty, he should've. Even Goku struggled with a ten times multiplier for his first time. Now he looked like a fool to everyone here.
As he was being healed, Ichiban caught the remains of Rias' peerage talking in private in the corner of his eye, a distance away from everyone as the rest, who stepped forward to take their belts. He didn't know what the looks of surprise and shock on Koneko and Kiba's faces meant as Akeno spoke, but he hoped it wasn't bad.
– Sona Sitri –
Once Sona helped her best friend up after that episode, she led her to her room and left her to her own devices, as Rias clearly wanted to be left alone. Sona very much resented Akane for all the horrible things she said, but held her tongue and stopped herself from escalating this any further. She knew doing that would have severe consequences. They were trying to mend the relationship between the factions, not strain it further.
The same could not be said for the human girl. Sona knew of her general anger issues and lamented the fact that she didn't prepare a plan to work around that whenever she blew up. For a moment, Akane had her fooled that she'd gotten better control over her emotions, but apparently not.
Rias wasn't exactly helping in that regard either, with her metaphorically spitting on Akane's generosity, but she digressed.
This was no time to fight, not when they were deep in the Tojo's territory. There was still much to do, and Sona would not sabotage whatever sliver of a possible advantage Rias could have by pushing Akane away. She could confront the human girl later when they were over this.
To her surprise, even after what she said, Akane did not in fact abandon them. Once everyone gathered and she apologized, Sona felt some of her grievances evaporate, and most of her resentment disappeared once the human girl said she'd continue to support them, giving them these new devices to help.
Perhaps Akane did not mean everything she said to Rias. Maybe she still saw a chance for victory and wanted them to have it, or maybe she still felt bad for the redhead and wanted to help regardless. Her intentions were not quite clear, as she was an expert at hiding them, but Sona was thankful nonetheless.
…That was what Sona thought at first of course, but thinking about that speech a little harder made it clear that Akane did not regret what she said one bit.
These gravity belts she gave them were quite… effective, to say the least. Sona had been struggling with only level three of the magic blockers, to the point that a single weak spell was a lot harder to cast than even her most powerful attack. It made focusing much more straining.
She understood how this could be helpful in the long run. Once she got used to it, not only would her magical power get much more powerful, but casting will become incredibly easier once she takes off the belt.
She did try the gravity function of the belt, and it was much more taxing than she expected. Even a mere five times was very exhausting, but she understood the benefits of training under extreme pressure.
And with the nun restoring everyone's stamina with her Sacred Gear, they could afford to go for prolonged periods of time. Of course, she would also get tired if she used Twilight Healing too much, but that's why Akane also made a schedule for her.
Sona did not quite need the physical aspect of this training, of course, as growing her magic was enough to make her physically more powerful, and only tried it out of curiosity, but not everyone was gifted in that department. If she remembered correctly, Rias' cousin, Sairaorg, was born with a pathetic amount of magical energy, not even inheriting the Bael's Power of Destruction, yet still went on to become one of the most powerful of their generation.
Alas, Rias wasn't born with the same mindset as him. The sheer grit needed to overcome all that pain and suffering wasn't something they shared. Perhaps his own misfortune was what led him to be that powerful, and unlike him, Rias had not been pushed around all her life. The only thing she had to deal with was the marriage and Riser's manipulation.
Sona sighed, looking at the full moon from the living room's window. She'd been having a hard time sleeping. True, she did feel more optimistic after seeing the gravity belts, but with Rias completely losing her will to do anything, Sona didn't feel the best about this whole situation.
Could they really win even without Rias? Yes, Riser wasn't exactly as invincible as the redhead made him out to be, but he was still a powerful High-Class Devil, and his Phenex regeneration was a huge hurdle. If Rias – who should be the strongest link of the peerage – wasn't motivated to win, then they'd just crumble.
How was she supposed to motivate Rias now that she even refused to leave her room? They barely had time as is, and what Akane said clearly hit her hard, probably in a negative way. Were they really doomed to fail? Was there nothing Sona could do to turn this situation in their favor?
The living room door suddenly opened and Akane walked in, blinking when she spotted the Sitri Heiress. The human girl closed the door behind her, looking slightly awkward as the silence got a little too hard to bear.
"I thought you went to sleep." She stated suddenly.
"I tried to, but couldn't," Sona replied. "What about you?"
"Same thing." Akane shrugged, walking to the kitchen counter. "You want anything?"
"I already made myself something." Sona pointed at the cup of tea on the table in front of her. "Thank you for offering."
Akane only nodded, not saying anything else as she returned to whatever she was doing. The once relaxing atmosphere turned upside down as Sona tried to think of any discussion she could start. The overwhelmingly awkward feeling was quickly getting to her.
What's with this tension? She thought, grimacing slightly. You were fine with her the entire week prior. Just start a conversation like normal.
"A-"
"I'm not apologizing to Rias."
"You didn't even let me finish a word," Sona said in exasperation. "I wasn't even going to say that, to begin with."
"Oh." Akane paused. "You were thinking it, though."
"I was not." Sona lied smoothly.
"I don't believe you." Akane shrugged. "You didn't look very convinced with my 'apology' back there."
"...You're sharp." The devil girl responded, confirming her words. "Your intentions were clear once I realized that you did not actually apologize to Rias once in that speech of yours. It sounded like you felt regretful about what you said, but that wasn't the case, was it?"
"Heh, and you say I'm sharp," Akane smirked, taking her mug of cocoa and sitting on the opposite side of the table. "You're right. I don't feel bad about what I said, not even slightly, but nothing about my earlier speech was a lie. I still think her peerage got this, and I'll help them as much as I can."
"You still have no right to say all these horrible things to Rias, especially not when she's already feeling defeated." Sona frowned. "She's still my best friend, and I'd very much appreciate it if you respected her."
"If she wants respect, she'll have to earn it." She replied. "I've yet to see her do anything that's worthy of that, though. The best thing she's done was actually showing up in the first place."
"And that gives you the authority to mistreat her?" The Sitri Heiress growled, her fist clenching tightly. "Who do you think you are?"
"Was anything I said to her wrong?" Akane suddenly said, casually sipping from her mug.
"What?"
"Was anything. I said to Rias. False?" She repeated slowly.
Every cell in Sona's body wanted to yell "Yes." but she physically couldn't. Ruthless words of mockery aside, she couldn't just lie to herself like that, not when Akane's words to Rias held so much truth that it actually pained her to admit it even in her mind.
But it was not black and white, it never was. Sure, Rias wasn't exactly the most hardworking devil, but whenever she actually wanted something, she never stopped until she had it. This situation was different from other mundane things she had to do over the years.
"It's not that simple," Sona whispered, her earlier anger quickly being sapped.
Riser manipulated her to think that he was invincible because his Phenex regeneration was a cut above the rest. It was exceptionally powerful, and he used that to his advantage. He surely knew he did not stand a chance against Rias, and so resorted to these slimy tactics.
And with Rias' stubbornness… well, it was a disastrous combo. Sona hated the fact that his plan worked, and despised him for making the past few years hell for her childhood friend.
– Rias Gremory –
Walking down the quiet hallways, she wondered where her Queen wandered off to, looking around the mansion/facility place for her. It wasn't out of need, of course, mostly curiosity. Akeno would always leave their room for hours on end and only come back at the crack of dawn to rest for a few hours.
Rias ignored it at first, but seeing that she slept nearly the entire day, waking up very late, she decided to at least clear her mind of what happened in that duel while looking for Akeno. She couldn't sleep anymore, as much as she wanted to.
Rias didn't even want to think about it, but she just couldn't take it off her mind. She even dreamed about the scenario all over again, word for word. The only difference was everyone looking at her in disgust, including Sona, her Peerage, and even her own brother.
Because at the end of the day, Akane was right. She was worthless, she didn't deserve the respect and devotion of those around her. Even if she somehow has gotten a powerful Longinus Wielder, she'd probably still lose. Someone like her couldn't hope to win against Riser.
This whole training trip was pointless. She didn't know why she even showed up in the first place. She should've just ignored the request, even if it risked the ire of someone she should try to befriend. Not like the earlier duel didn't do that already.
But what she truly hated most, more than herself and the hurtful words she heard, was the fact that everyone was acting nice to her, blatantly lying and saying they believe she could win. What a joke.
Her Power of Destruction was strong, and so was her Peerage, but Riser's absurd regeneration was already a hard counter. No matter how strong she got, he'd eventually outlast and defeat her.
Yeah, alright, maybe he wasn't invincible. Sirzechs or Serafall could wipe him out in an instant, but it's not like she could get as strong as her brother in those two weeks. It's just unreasonable to expect that big of a change in such a short amount of time.
Plus, she didn't even have a full Peerage, and one of them refused to leave his room. Kiba and Koneko were strong, yes, and so was Akeno who is almost comparable to her, but Riser has another, equally powerful, Phenex, with an albeit weaker regeneration, and an entire Peerage.
Rias had never even been in an actual Rating Game before, and Riser had been in numerous, winning most of them as well. Every time he'd lost was because it's an opponent who could bypass his regeneration. Other than those few times, he never lost. Wasn't that enough proof that she has nothing that she could threaten him with?
And Rias could not in good conscience drag Gasper out of his room. In fact, she only made him a Bishop out of sympathy. Selfishly forcing him to fight for her when he was already struggling with his power wasn't right.
Rias shook those thoughts out of her head with a sigh. There was no point in thinking of these scenarios anymore. It would only make her feel worse about herself, and she was been feeling that enough already.
Rias paused as she passed by the living room, hearing people talking inside. She was going to enter to ask where Akeno was but froze when she heard her voice.
"Isn't it?" Akane asked. "Isn't it really?
"It's not," Sona responded firmly. "I've known Rias since we were children. It's just… this situation is bringing the worst out of her."
Rias flinched as she heard that, feeling her chest tighten considerably. She knew it. She knew Sona felt that way, no matter how much she claimed otherwise. It was all some lie that she told Rias because she was too nice to say the truth.
"That so?" Akane said. "That pretty much confirms what I said then, no?"
"No!" Her childhood friend replied heatedly. "That's not what I meant."
Rias wanted to walk away, but couldn't move her legs. She didn't want to hear any of this anymore.
"Rias might not be the best out of our generation– She's not the brightest when it comes to social cues and can be insufferably lazy." Sona said. "But I've never been more sure when I say that she could easily beat Riser in a Rating Game."
Akane did not respond to that, nor did Rias.
"I've always believed that determination was Rias' strongest point." She continued. "The fact that she won't let anything stop her from getting or doing whatever she wanted was something I've always admired, envied even. I could never do that, I was never brave enough for it."
Rias' heart skipped a beat at that as she listened intently.
"Then why won't she do that here?"
"Because she convinced herself that she can't do it," Sona explained. "She just put it into her head that she can't beat Riser no matter what when everyone around her– Even Riser himself knows that it's not the case. This overwhelming stubbornness is working against her, and if that wasn't the case, then she would've beaten Riser months ago."
Rias bit her lower lip as her heart clenched, many emotions swirling around her head. How could they still believe in her? Haven't they given up on her yet? Why were they still clinging to the idea that she has a chance?
Especially when Rias herself doesn't?
"Why not try to convince her otherwise, then?"
"I tried for literal years." She huffed, her voice cracking for a second. "And I wasn't alone in that regard. Her Peerage, Lord Sirzechs, even my sister tried to tell her otherwise, but no. She wouldn't even entertain the idea, screaming at us that we don't understand what she was going through."
"Don't pretend that you do…" Rias whispered quietly, not sure who she was trying to convince.
"...I see." Akane responded, sounding slightly sympathetic.
"I hate it. I hate what this situation did to her. Rias is my sister in all but blood, she doesn't deserve the years of anguish and anxiety she had to go through." Sona vented, voice shaking more with every word. "But it's just so frustrating seeing her already accepting defeat when I know for sure that she could win this. It's like the Rias I've always known was gone, replaced by someone I don't recognize. I hate it so much."
Rias was frozen in place as she heard Sona sniffling, almost not believing that she would care so much that she'd cry for her. It made the redhead nearly cry as well, feeling nothing but immense shame. Why did she care this much?
The situation had nothing to do with her– why feel worse about something she had no control over? It's not like she was getting punished for helping her. She had no hand in this, no responsibility, so why is she hellbent on getting her out of this, when all Rias did was scream at her?
Why didn't she just give up on Rias and continue on with her life?
"I-I'm sorry. You didn't need to see me like this." Sona suddenly said, getting her voice under control. "...This is embarrassing."
"It's fine. I can understand." Akane replied. "Probably felt better after saying all that, didn't you?"
"...I suppose so, yes." Her childhood friend confirmed. "Sorry, but I'm feeling a little tired. I need to sleep if I want to wake up early."
"Sure. Goodnight."
Rias flinched and panicked as she heard the footsteps, and quickly rushed away, leaving the hallway and through the main entrance of the building. She didn't know if they heard her, but at least they could not have seen her.
Rias leaned on the door and calmed her beating heart, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes before walking away, the cool breeze of the night making her shiver slightly. She shook her head, trying to get those thoughts out of her head.
Whatever. She thought, sighing deeply. Just find Akeno and go back to bed.
She'd already checked inside, so her Queen must be outside somewhere. Rias focused on her senses, feeling a glimpse of a recognizable Sacred Gear in the forest, which made her frown in confusion. That was Kiba's Sword Birth, wasn't it?
It was quite far, but likely still within the boundary of the facility. Was he training? At this hour? Rias clicked her tongue in mild annoyance, walking to where he was. She'd just tell him to go back to sleep. She didn't want him pushing himself this late at night.
It just made her feel terrible about herself.
As she got closer, thinking about the conversation Sona and Akane had, Rias flinched violently, feeling holy energy in the distance where Kiba was. She felt her heart sink as she rushed forward, assuming the worst. Were they being attacked? But who'd be capable of invading a place that was under the protection of the Mad Dog?
Was it some Fallen? Was it another ploy by Kokabiel? It felt like a Fallen now that she was closer, yet it felt oddly familiar. She didn't know any Fallen Angels personally, so why did Rias feel like she lnew the attacker? Well, unless it's–
Rias froze in place, seeing Koneko, Kiba, and Akeno seemingly training together, with the latter having her wings spread out, one bat-like and the other feathery, as Holy Lightning enveloped her. They didn't spot her, too busy with each other to notice that their King was there.
Akeno would throw spears of Holy Lightning at Kiba and Koneko as the two melee fighters rushed her, deflecting or evading the devastating magic. Her Queen struggled to keep her distance, but every time they got close, she still managed to evade nearly every punch or slash thrown at her, only getting grazed once or twice.
Rias did not move as she witnessed the spectacle, eyes solely focused on Akeno's Fallen Angel wing. She almost couldn't believe her eyes– Why was Akeno using the side she so utterly despised? The blood she called a curse– The main root of her self-loathing…
What was it that drove her to use it? Not like she was fighting for her life. It was mere training. She used the side she swore she'd never resort to for training.
"They've been at it for two hours now." An unfamiliar voice spoke, making her flinch in surprise as she turned around to face a grinning man wearing an eyepatch. "Prolly gonna stay that way for a few more."
"You're…" Rias muttered, still startled, but recognizing the man.
It was her first time seeing the Mad Dog of Shimano in person, but his appearance alone made a powerful impression on Rias. She didn't even sense or hear him approaching. Maybe the rumors of him being that strong were true.
"You got some real friends in 'em." He said with a nod towards her peerage. "They must like ya a lot, huh?"
"What?" Rias frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Ya think they're trainin' for the sake of it?" He snorted as if he found this situation particularly amusing. "They're doin' it for you."
Her breath hitched as she turned around to watch them, her fists clenching tightly. Why were they still doing this? Hadn't she proven that she couldn't do it?
"They always have." He continued, his tone getting softer. "They've never given up on you. The thought never even crossed their mind, because all they were thinking about the entire time was ways to help you."
"Why?" She whispered, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. "I-I don't understand. Why are they still so damned stubborn? H-how can they still believe in me? That we can win?"
And it wasn't just them either– Even Sona held out hope for her. It was so unbelievably irritating. She hated every second of being reminded of it. Rias would rather everyone just give up on her and let her suffer that cruel fate.
"For fuck's sake, get it through your head already, girlie." He sighed. "These people would rather gladly die for you than see you get married off to that KFC loser."
"B-but–"
"What, do you expect them to give up just because you did?" He questioned. "You're not giving them enough credit."
"It's all pointless!" Rias said angrily, whipping her head at him. She noticed that he wasn't grinning anymore. "How can they not see that?! We don't stand a chance–"
"And that matters why?" He cut her off calmly, making her flinch. "You think they care if they can or can't win? They'll still fight for you anyway, even if there was no chance of winning."
"I…" She struggled to find an argument for that.
"So why can't you do the same?" He asked her. "Wouldn't you at least feel better if you did everything you could to prevent this fate you were dealt? Or are you content with just sitting there doing nothing?"
Rias opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out.
"Even if you won't fight for yourself, then fight for them as they do so for you. If you're convinced you're going to lose regardless, then go down fighting. It's the least a leader like you could do because then you could say that you tried." He said, before shrugging as his grin returned. "Or don't. Honestly, I don't give a shit. It's yer choice at the end of the day."
With that, Goro Majima walked away as Rias turned to look back at her friends, who were still training on her behalf. She only just noticed the tears rolling down her cheeks, prompting her to wipe them off. She sniffled, trying very hard to not break down sobbing.
"By the way–" Majima said, making her pause. "There's somethin' next to the front door that might help ya."
Rias turned around, only to notice that he was nowhere in sight. Rias blinked a few times as she calmed herself, flinching as the battle between her peerage steered closer to her. Not wanting to be seen by them either, she discreetly sprinted away back to the main building.
She didn't know what to think anymore. Everywhere she went, it was the same damned thing all over again. Why do they keep believing in her? Isn't it just easier to give up? To throw your hands up in the air and say 'oh well, I tried'?
First Sona and now this?
She put her hand on the front door, but then saw a small metal box next to it, making her step closer and crouch to inspect it. She didn't see this the first time she exited through this door. Was this what he meant?
All she saw inside was a strange-looking belt and some sort of instruction manual. She fiddled with the belt a little, then put it down as she began reading the manual, her eyes widening considerably at the capabilities of the device.
This… When did they get this? She'd seen her peerage wearing them, but thought nothing of it at first. Were they training with this turned on?! No, they weren't just training, they were pushing themselves to the absolute limit, punishing their bodies until they couldn't move anymore.
And it was all for her.
That was what finally broke the camel's back. Rias collapsed, falling to her knees as she sobbed quietly. She cursed Sona and her peerage for their unshakable belief and loyalty to her, the Mad Dog for making her realize it, and Akane for opening her eyes to the hurtful truth regardless of her words of mockery.
How dare they make her feel this way. The guilt and utter dejection she felt was brutal enough, but now they had to hit her with this. This overwhelming feeling of gratitude was as joyful as it is agonizing. It was all too complicated– she didn't know what to do anymore.
All she knew is that there was nothing in the world she loved more than her family.
The manual in her trembling hands was now damp with her tears from how much she cried, but eventually, Rias had no more tears to shed as she calmed down. Her heart felt strangely tranquil at the moment. After a moment of self-reflection, Rias glanced at the belt, and a very recent memory made itself known in her mind.
Even if that Kaarage reject is as invincible as you say he is, the least you can do is make him work for that victory.
Rias frowned in determination and grabbed the belt, the newfound resolve to deck Riser in the face a couple of thousand times before she lost making her eyes burn brighter than they had in over a decade.
Akane was right, but making him simply work for a victory wasn't enough. That was too merciful for someone like Riser. It didn't sit very well with the redhead, not after having suffered years of pain under his mercy. She would make him hate this marriage as much as she did.
Rias would make sure he had nightmares of her every single day for the rest of his miserable life.
Originally, it would've taken Rias several chapters to reach this conclusion, but as I said in an earlier chapter, I wanted to progress the plot faster. So my bad if this felt rushed.
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