– Lucifer –

There was quite a lot on his mind at the moment, but he'd always been able to process his circumstances at an excellent pace, and he had been in a lot of outlandish situations. Certainly not as outlandish as being dead though. This was the first time it ever happened in fact.

The last thing he clearly remembered was his father's sobs as he held Lucifer's scorched and disintegrating body. He was prepared to return to the world as a spirit– he made sure to make a contingency plan by binding his soul to his own sword in case he was slain in battle, but it seemed that his father had realized it and sealed Excelsis away with several thousand seals.

Lucifer should've known, of course. Yahweh was the best at sealing by a tremendous margin. Said seals were strong enough to affect his consciousness, effectively putting him in a deep trance within the sword. That tricky bastard.

It was… surprisingly soothing. After transforming into a devil, Lucifer had forgotten the warmth and gentle light of his father. He continuously dreamt of the old days, before his betrayal, and how peaceful it had all been within the confines of Heaven.

How he enjoyed the company of his brothers and sisters, the pure love he gave and received from all. Micheal's gentleness, Uriel's passion, Gabriel's enthusiasm, Azazel's playfulness, and most of all, his father's light and love to all.

These memories made Lucifer reflect on his actions in his slumber. How his jealousy of humanity and his father's obsession with them brought those peaceful times to a screeching halt. How he was cast down, his connection to the light of god severed. How his rage and hatred consumed him fully, putting him on a scorched path for revenge.

All because he didn't get the attention he wanted. Lucifer almost laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation. His cause had truly been empty from the beginning– his need for approval had turned into a need for power and conquest, all for it to end in his father's death and his own. The jokes write themselves, it seemed.

His hatred hadn't exactly vanished, though. He could bring himself to respect Yahweh for always believing in Lucifer, thinking he could change, but forgive him? Oh no, his rage ran far deeper than that. Even in death, after all the contemplation and reflection, Lucifer realized that he would've never been able to live alongside his father.

And for all it was worth, he couldn't even bring himself to regret it. The path he was on took him all around the realms, it showed him the majesty and wonder of the other pantheons. He learned the magics of the Norse and Egyptians, was taught the weapon arts of Greek and Shinto, and witnessed brilliant crafts from the Celtic and Hindu pantheons.

That journey was quite an eye-opening experience for young Lucifer. Had his father never cast him down to the human realm, he might've never seen even half of these things, never truly known what lay beyond Heaven.

It was a shame he never truly took his time to properly enjoy the different cultures, for his wrath had never simmered down. His need for vengeance drove him to do untold harm to these realms. If he hadn't, perhaps he'd still be alive.

Perhaps that was the only thing that he truly regretted. But it is what it is, he thought.

As he stared at the shocked and clearly afraid young girl, Lucifer's smile became as disarming as possible.

"What's the matter?" He tilted his head. "I haven't frightened you, have I? If so, then I apologize. It wasn't my intention."

But now he was free from his prison. True, he wasn't alive per se, but honestly? That was fine with him. Considerable time must've passed, and he was fairly intrigued to see how the world changed in his and his father's absence.

And this girl in front of him had somehow freed him when she wasn't even close to powerful enough to break a single seal. How had she done it? She must certainly have something strong, perhaps an artifact or somesuch.

More than that, what truly fascinated the old Devil God was her very existence and how she contained two separate souls within her, which should not be possible by all laws of magic and life.

One was that of an extraordinarily powerful human spirit– The soul of a destined champion of good or evil. A very rare occurrence, it only happens once every one thousand years in fact, especially considering she didn't possess a Sacred Gear. It spoke greatly about the girl's latent talent and potential, but other than that, there was nothing particularly interesting about it.

However, the other soul was exceptional, for he had never sensed such an essence of eldritch and ungodly power in his life before. For all intents and purposes, it shouldn't even exist. It did not belong in this universe, or perhaps even the multiverse as a whole. No trace of connection to the lifestream.

But what was truly mesmerizing was the overwhelming wickedness within it– as if it was the very incarnation of evil and corruption. It easily overpowered the other human soul, but at the same time, it wasn't quite there. Like it was numbed, asleep.

Something was keeping it that way for one reason or the other, likely for good reason because if it awakens, there would be nothing capable of stopping it from bringing the world to total annihilation.

Truly a phenomenal existence. He assumed that the girl was unaware of what existed inside her, but he wouldn't want to frighten her more. She looked like she recognized him for what and who he is.

She remained silent, taking a step back as she was in the process of calming herself down.

"I assure you, I mean no harm," Lucifer said, slowly walking toward her. "How about we introduce ourselves, yes? I'll start."

As he took a step toward her, several more blades and spears of ice manifested around her, all pointing at him as she scowled at him threateningly, prompting him to stop his advance. She's very cautious, and terrified, but she's good at hiding the latter.

Masking fear with faux rage? She reminded Lucifer of his younger self.

"You're not supposed to be here." She responded. "How did you even get here?"

"As I said, my soul is bound to Excelsis, the blade you pulled." He clarified once more. "Which, by the way, is an outstanding feat. Well done."

This seemed to make her relax slightly, but she didn't dispel her magic.

"What do you want?" The human girl interrogated him.

"What could I want?" Lucifer chuckled. "You're staring at a wandering spirit. A dead man."

"You're dead?" She raised a brow.

"Indeed." He confirmed. "What I am now is only a soul taking the form I had while I was alive. I can neither hurt you nor be hurt by you, so how about we settle down and introduce ourselves? I still don't know the name of my savior."

The girl hesitated, but slowly, the ice spells evaporated one by one. She still kept her distance though and debated whether to tell him or not. Eventually, though, she relented, sounding fairly reluctant.

"Akane." She said.

"My utmost pleasure, Akane." He bowed respectfully. "I'm Lucifer."

She didn't seem very surprised to hear this, so she likely knew who he was already. Ah well, introductions were in order anyhow. It's only polite to do so.

"You're supposed to be dead," Akane stated bluntly.

"As we already established, I am dead." Lucifer chuckled in amusement.

"No, I mean, erased from existence." She explained. "That's what I've been told anyway. God completely obliterated every trace of you."

"Well, clearly that is false." Lucifer spread his arms out. "My spirit and blade remain still, as you see before you, and I must ask how you even managed to take it."

"Why should I tell you?"

"I'm only curious." Lucifer shrugged. "I'd like to know how I was exactly freed."

Akane paused for a moment, still very cautious, then answered.

"I was invited to a political party in the underworld." She revealed, making him raise a brow. He's talking to a political figure, is he? A human no less. Fascinating. "One thing led to another, and I ended up exploring the sewers underneath the Gremory estate."

This was getting more and more interesting for the former Demon King. Why would she be in the Gremory Estate? More than that, how did she stumble on the sword from there? The blade wasn't exactly sealed down there.

"I don't exactly know what happened next, but I was put into some illusion or something." She explained further. "Eventually I found the sword and took it out."

She's very obviously omitting a lot of information, but Lucifer didn't want to press her for anything. This Akane practically had full control over his fate– she could hand over the sword to certain authorities that would know how to handle him and Excelsis, and he honestly did not want to be sealed again. And he knew very well that those who were going to seal him won't be as kind as his father.

That was fine, though. He could come up with a solid explanation by himself. If he had to guess, Excelsis likely sensed her from where he was, and while his range wasn't very large, the girl's second soul was so powerful that it managed to attract the blade.

Not the mention the nigh-oppressive and profound anger it continuously produced. Wrath was the sin Excelsis responded to the most. He must've fed on that rage and extended his range just enough to drag the girl into his domain.

…Or so it seemed from Lucifer's perspective.

"And that's about it, really." She said.

"I see."

"...So what happens now?"

"Who knows? I've only just woken up from a very long nap." He shrugged, then his smile widened as he got an idea. "I can lend you my blade if you'd like. You can say it's a reward for freeing me. You'd certainly put it to better use than I."

"What's the catch?" She asked, making him raise a brow. "You can't possibly think I'll make a deal with the literal devil god this easily. I'm not stupid enough to do that."

"Hehe, fair enough." Lucifer chuckled. "Well, I'm not in need of anything as payment, however, you'll need to be tethered to me to be able to access some of Excelsis' power. Otherwise, it'll only burn through your body and consume your soul."

"And what would that imply? Being tethered to you I mean."

"Not much. I'll be able to manifest around you, and perhaps physically interact with you through Excelsis. Possibly telepathic communication if you wish." He explained. "So if you don't mind me talking your ears off, then you will lose nothing. I do like a good conversation."

Akane remained silent, studying his face before her eyes darted around for whatever reason, prompting him to raise a brow. Before he could ask, however, she spoke.

"...Alright." She accepted his offer. "What do I have to do?"

Quite bold. He thought. Or perhaps she doesn't understand the possible consequences.

He did find it strange how she accepted the offer with how overly cautious she was around him, but he could sense it. An increasingly growing sense of ambition, an unquenchable thirst for more power. This Akane was more like him than he initially thought.

Lucifer didn't respond verbally and walked past her, grabbing the blade off the ground and holding it by the hilt. This sword was the cause of many, many problems. When it was being made, Excelsis felt Lucifer's anger and hate, the evil and wickedness plaguing his soul, and absorbed all of it. It was the embodiment of it all.

And so they were connected deeply to a spiritual level, thus making him able to interact with it no matter what state Lucifer was in. What a disgusting artifact– he almost regretted making it as well. But a weapon is a weapon, and as many issues it brought him, he knew that without it, he'd have died far earlier on his journey for vengeance.

Lucifer felt strangely obligated to warn the girl.

"Be very careful using it, and only unleash its powers if it's an emergency." He said as Akane approached him, standing right in front of him. "Excelsis is born from my contempt and wrath– Your very soul will soak in those intense emotions, and it might very well make you lose control of yourself. In return, you'll grow in power at an exponential rate, but do not let it fool you."

She nodded slowly.

"And do keep in mind that it can be quite… difficult to work with, to say the least." Lucifer continued. "As a tether, I'm only able to slow it down, and not stop it from eventually consuming your soul. Even if you avoid that fate, prolonged use can have dire and permanent consequences."

"How do I avoid all of this? I mean, it's your sword, right?" Akane questioned. "Did you really have to go through all of this just to use it?"

"Of course not." He chuckled. "However, you're not nearly powerful enough to force the blade to submit. Perhaps one day, but certainly not now."

That seemed to have slightly annoyed her from what he could sense. A prideful one, isn't she? She is smart enough to know that this is the truth, though.

"...Use it only when I absolutely have to, right?" She asked.

"Unless you want to be consumed, yes." He confirmed with a nod. "I take it you're still agreeing?"

"...Sure, why not." She said. "If I only have to grow in strength to use it to its full potential, then I'd be able to do it eventually."

It isn't that simple, of course, but Lucifer had yet to deem her worthy to know about the Ritual of Rebirth, which requires the very same sword he's holding. Becoming whole with oneself was what was needed for Excelsis to submit. To actually unsheathe it in the first place.

And it'd be very fascinating to see how someone with two souls would end up after the ritual. If it was a success, then there's no telling just how powerful she'd become. If it made Lucifer go from barely being a match to Micheal to becoming as powerful as the Dragon of Infinity…

He hoped he'd be there if and when she reaches her full potential.

"How ambitious." The Devil God smirked. "Then put your hands on mine, and do not let go."

Akane hesitated for a moment, seemingly thinking about this, before taking a subtle deep breath and doing what he told her. Black sparks of divine and demonic energy crackled around the blade as she gasped, her pale hands burning in the intense power as she was almost brought to her knees.

The silver blade shimmered in power, pure, radiating energy flashing and sparkling around it. Akane's cry of pain almost broke him out of his concentration as she struggled to keep her hands on his, making Lucifer chuckle casually.

"Clench your teeth." He suggested. "Only a few more seconds. Don't let go now."

The human girl listened and hissed less intensely as the seething agony began to fade. Eventually, the blade stopped shining and the sparks of energy vanished, prompting Lucifer to let go of her and the sword.

"There. All done." He said, making her fall to her knees as she held her hands in pain.

"Why didn't you say it would hurt?" She complained, glaring at him in mild annoyance. "Fuck…"

"I did not know it would be this bad. I've never done something like this myself." He answered truthfully. "Regardless, you can use the sword now. Do be careful with it now."

"That so?" Akane breathed, standing back up and looking at the sword. "You… don't mind if I give it a practice run, right?"

"I wouldn't typically recommend it, but a few seconds of swinging it around shouldn't do you harm." He said.

She stayed silent for a moment, looking at the sword in thought. Said thought was interrupted when ghoulish groans prompted Lucifer to look at the dozens of approaching undead monsters. Strange, there was not a single trace of them just now. They've somehow snuck up behind them.

That was when Akane picked up the blade, being enveloped by black and red energy, and rushed toward them, creating a loud, thundering boom and a whirlwind from her sheer speed. Had he been a lesser man, Lucifer wouldn't have been able to see her moving as she ripped them apart in an instant.

It wasn't necessarily a wondrous display of power– those undead monsters were a speck compared to the average high-class devil, but she was much stronger than she should be. He furrowed his brows as he felt this malevolent soul of hers stir in its deep slumber. Did it resonate with Excelsis?

How interesting.

"This is amazing." She breathed, in pure awe as she looked at the blade. "I feel so powerful, it's incredible."

She chuckled.

"I could get used to this." She muttered, her one visible eye gaining a dangerous glint.

"You should not," Lucifer said, approaching her. "As I told you before, only use it when it is an emergency. Aside from its many internal risks, you'll also be alerting many who would go to war for this sword. I'd rather not have my savior die in such a way."

"I know, I know." She nodded, the smirk never leaving her face as the sword simply vanished, making his eyebrows shoot upward. Spatial magic? Was that why he couldn't materialize immediately? "It's still a powerful trump card–"

Akane suddenly fell down on her knees and she started to choke, eyes nearly bulging out as she coughed a vile black fluid violently. She flinched and backed away as the wretched liquid writhed and squirmed before disintegrating into nothing.

"W-what the fuck?" She gasped, recovering.

"You were expelling the dark magic used to empower you." He explained. "Rather a grotesque manner, I must admit."

"You didn't care to tell me this either?"

"I did not know." The Devil God coolly deflected again. "You're the first person to hold Excelsis other than I."

She clicked her tongue in annoyance, scratching her neck in discomfort.

"More than that, that trick you just pulled with spatial magic was interesting," Lucifer mentioned. "How did you do it?"

"Who knows." She refused to answer and quickly changed the subject. "So you're gonna be following me around everywhere?"

"More or less."

"Then I don't have to tell you to not randomly pop up when there are people nearby, right?"

"Oh, you should not concern yourself with this." He waved it off. "Only you can see me since you've touched the blade. Though I suppose Senjutsu users will be able to feel my presence, so I shall be careful regardless."

"...You're surprisingly agreeable," Akane noted

"I try to be." He smiled.

She studied his face, still very wary, then gestured for him to follow her. He did, and once they entered a home, she snapped her finger, and the dimension they were in simply collapsed, forcing them into the human realm.

That was especially fascinating. Did this human girl destroy an entire pocket dimension in an instant? Casually without caring? Would that mean that she's capable of making these small dimensions as well? She did seem very calm when those undead monsters attacked as if she expected them.

"Interesting." He muttered but did not question her.

It was obvious that she did not trust him much yet. Her very apparent thirst for power drove her to take his deal, but he can't expect her to tell him everything she knows. He must gain her trust first before he can ask her.

This Akane was a far more interesting individual than he first thought, and after what he sensed, he'd be a fool to not help her cultivate this limitless potential of hers. He wanted to see just how far she can go, how much she can grow. He knew for certain he would enjoy her company as well.

He always liked ambitious ones.

– Akane –

This honestly feels like a fever dream.

I didn't expect I'd be meeting the original Lucifer, the literal Devil God and progenitor of the race as a whole, after my first trip to the Underworld. Not even after knowing who the sword belonged to– By all means, he should be dead.

Well, he is, but I mean, he shouldn't exist anymore as far as I know. But no, apparently I'm wrong and stupid for thinking that. I found it weird that half his stats weren't there and the other half were question marks, but I think it makes sense now.

He's just a soul, so obviously he doesn't have physical stats.

Honestly, I panicked hard when he showed up. I thought I was fucked, that he'd take the sword, tear me a new one, and fuck off to kill the rest of the Angels or something along those lines, but no, he's just… weirdly nice. Like, you don't expect that from the big bad who started the Great War, and not like he was faking it either.

He was actually, genuinely nice. Sure, he probably does have an ulterior motive, I'm not stupid to ignore that probable fact, but he'd also have no reason for faking his politeness. Hell, I've somehow managed to raise his REP from 20 to 25 by being as indifferent as possible. And what can he do when he's dead? What could he possibly want from me?

Of course, I'm still keeping my distance here. I might've gotten an unbelievably powerful sword from him, but it's always better to be safe and careful, especially when a devil god is involved. Partly why I even took this 'reward' was none other than the game pushing me to do it.

It'd be a powerful tool as long as you're careful.

It's a sword that literally eats the souls of those who wield it. Also, now you decide to show up? Not after I cried and begged you to help me in that horror fest I had to go through? Didn't you say that if I die, both of us cease to exist?

I did.

Then why the fuck didn't you say anything?!

Because you needed to be desperate to escape.

What? What do you–

That's when the realization hit me like a bag of bricks.

You wanted me to get the sword, didn't you? You probably knew it was there and pushed that quest on me to find it. I didn't suspect a single thing, and you knew I wouldn't be able to resist the LUK perk I'd be getting from it.

…

You're a scum, you know that?

[Sidequest Hunter] – Perk – 500 LUK

You like solving other people's problems, whether out of the goodness of your heart or for your own gain and for some reason, people love to dump all their issues onto you. Mutually beneficial exchange for sure.

There's a much higher chance of you randomly stumbling on quest prompts, and a slightly higher chance of people giving you quests.

Showing me the perk won't make me think more of you, asshole.

At least the perk is kind of good.

Do you regret finding the sword?

…I'd be a lot angrier at you if I did.

That sword is immensely more powerful than I thought it would be. I had my status page opened as I used it, and my stats skyrocketed by a solid 50% increase. I don't know how much stronger I can get with it, but if I got that powerful of a boost in mere seconds, then I imagine a massive increase.

However, I also noticed a decrease in stats after I was done using it. Uncomfortable method of 'expelling dark magic' aside, I was 10% weaker for ten minutes. Lucifer wasn't joking when he said to only use it in case of an emergency. The sword itself barely does any damage though, so it's more of a buff tool than an actual weapon for now, and something I can use against that warmonger fuckface.

And if there's a way to actually use it without any of these annoying side effects, then I'm sure as hell going to work for it. I don't know how strong I need to be to do that, but that's just more incentive to grow stronger.

How strong was Lucifer before he died, anyway? Clearly, the whole story of Sirzechs surpassing him must've been false if the Original made that fucking thing, but how powerful exactly? Also, why would they lie about that? From what I've seen, a lot of devils actually believe it somehow.

I have a lot of questions.

"And this?" The man in question asks, making me pause my work on the robot and sigh. "What is this device called?"

So does he apparently.

"It's a microwave," I answer quietly.

"What is it used for?"

"It heats up food quickly."

"I see." He nods to himself before pointing at a toaster. "And this?"

…Is this guy the Devil God or a fucking five-year-old? He's been asking me about literally everything the moment we entered the house, and it's been hours since. I get it, he's curious as hell, but good god, just chill for five seconds.

I should've just gone to sleep, but I can't. I have too many things on my mind and I'd end up overthinking to sleep properly. And not like I have time anymore. I need to get ready for school soon. I started a quest there and I'm finishing it.

"A toaster," I say, rubbing my eyes. Fuck me, I'm so tired. "It toasts bread."

He hums as he looks at the pile of electronics I dismantled to work on my robot.

"I've noticed that most of these devices are used for food." He notes. "Peculiar. Is it part of your culture?"

"No, everyone everywhere has them."

"Is that so? But why have an oven when you have one of these microwaves?"

"Because one is used to cook food, and the other is used to heat it." I explain the difference, rapidly losing my patience. "Only a lunatic cooks with a microwave."

He scratches his chin thoughtfully at that. How does he even find these things interesting?

I shake my head with a sigh and put my wrench down, stretching my arms before leaving the garage.

"Are you done with your work?" He asks.

"I need to get ready for school," I say, yawning a second later.

"Ah, a school." His face brightens up at that. "That should be intriguing. I shall accompany you if you don't mind."

"Just… keep the chatting to a minimum," I responded. "There are eyes everywhere and I don't want people getting suspicious."

He doesn't argue and… follows me for whatever reason. I don't know what kind of range he has, but isn't he being a little too close? I stop by the door of my room and turn to look at him with an annoyed expression.

"Wait here," I tell him with a whisper. "I'm going to change first. Then we can go."

"Of course."

As I close the door on his face, a groan escapes me. Am I really going to have to deal with him at all times? I'm trying to not blow up in his face because dead or not, he's still a Devil God, and I'm not about to piss off the guy who made that sword.

…Well, I can probably grow used to it if I give it enough time. I've gotten used to my mother of all people, so I can handle it. Plus, if I get close to him, he might teach me a lot of neat tricks. Or something like that.

As I open my wardrobe, I click my tongue at the uniform. Right, the male one was destroyed in my fight with Riser. I then grimace at the unreasonably short skirt before sighing. Well, I have nobody to blame but my own lack of self-control. This is what I get for not fixing my anger issues.

Still worth kicking him in his stupid face.

As the teacher drones on, I lazily continue the mech sketch in my notebook that I wish one day I can bring to life, not caring about the lesson in the slightest. I already know everything anyway, so I'd rather not waste my time here. I only even bothered to show up because I don't want to lose any marks that might put me below anyone.

I yawn quietly, away from the teacher's gaze. I really want to sleep. I already got a small debuff that decreases my INT and WIS by 5% from the lack of sleep. Woohoo for all-nighters, I guess.

As for the Devil God next to me, he's the opposite as he stands right next to my desk, his full attention on the lesson. I give him a glance, but he doesn't even notice, looking very into this. It's almost encouraging in a way.

He values knowledge from what I can tell so far. Really values it. Perhaps I can use that to my advantage.

"Amamiya-san." The teacher calls out, looking at me with mild annoyance. "Please pay attention."

"I am." I lie calmly.

"Oh?" She smirks almost maliciously. "Well, you wouldn't mind solving this formula then, would you?"

I blatantly roll my eyes and get up from my seat, snatching the chalk from her and solving the piss-easy formula in a few seconds, almost making myself scoff. Who even has trouble with thermodynamics? Children?

I hand over the chalk to the teacher, who looks fairly embarrassed, making me smirk. She clears her throat before speaking.

"I-I suppose you were paying attention." She admits. I didn't. I just knew this already. "You can go back to your seat.

1 Reputation with Lucifer [26/100]

I notice him looking at me with a smile as I sit on my chair, looking mildly impressed.

"Well done."

I don't respond, pretending he doesn't exist.

Before the teacher is able to continue, the bell rings, and our break starts. Most of the students leave the classroom, and so do Ichiban and Issei. The former stops before stepping out, though, and addresses me.

"Yo, Akane," Ichiban calls out. "I'm gonna check out what they have for lunch. Want me to get you anything?"

"I'm good." I decline, stretching my arms. "Thanks."

He waves and leaves, catching up with Issei. I also get up from my seat and leave the classroom with a different plan.

"That boy…" Lucifer starts as he follows me. "I sense a powerful draconic presence within him, a familiar one."

I don't answer him and continue walking through the hallway, prompting him to stare at me with a raised brow. He doesn't persist, though, and he immediately stops as I walk into Sona, who smiles at me politely.

"Ah, Akane. Good afternoon." She greets. "How are you today?"

"A devil," Lucifer mutters to himself. "...Is this what they all feel like nowadays? They're… different."

He likes to think out loud I've noticed.

"Tired," I answer truthfully. "I pulled an all-nighter to work on some stuff."

"That is very irresponsible of you." Sona looks at me in disapproval. "You can't expect to learn when you're in this state. Please do take care of yourself."

"Oh please, not like it was the first time I did it." I wave it off. "If anything, I'm more annoyed at this stupid uniform."

"I think you look quite lovely." She smirks.

"Are you flirting with me?" I fire back with an accusation, making her frown immediately.

"That's not what I–"

"Well, your game is terrible." I cut her off with a smirk of my own. "Because I look lovely in everything anyway. Get better material."

"I'm not flirting with you." She replies with a slightly red face, before looking around at the other students glancing at us with odd looks. "...I feel like I'm going to regret pushing this on you."

"Hohoho, you will." I promise ominously before changing the subject. "Anyway, I was going to get myself some coffee. Wanna come along?"

"...From where?" She blinks, tilting her head at me.

"There's a cafe very close to the school."

"You do realize this isn't allowed, yes?" She raises a brow. "Students leaving school grounds, even at lunchtime, isn't permitted."

"Oh come on, it's just a five-minute walk." I roll my eyes, forcefully dragging her with me by grabbing her arms. "You look like you need some caffeine in your system too."

"What the–, unhand me." She protests. "I'm the student president, I have responsibilities here."

"The school won't collapse if you leave it for a few minutes, Senpai," I argue. "Plus, coffee will make you more productive."

"No. Let go of me."

I pause for a moment as a thoughtful frown takes over my face. As much as I don't want to, I want to see just how effective this affection thing really is.

Instead of letting her go, I push her against the wall and lean very close to her, my face mere inches away from hers. Sona yelps audibly as some of the crowd gasp in shock at the sudden turn of events.

Sona's face turns pure red at the act, both arms held above her as she's frozen still. I almost want to laugh out loud at how unreasonably easy this is, but I continue this by leaning closer to her ear, whispering to her.

"I just want to hang out with you. You wouldn't refuse me, would you Sona?" I mutter, my grip on her arms tightening. "Come on, do it for me?"

5 Affection with Sona Sitri [25/100]

The other students are whispering to each other furiously as they witness this scene. I know there are going to be a lot of rumors spreading, but why would I care about what a bunch of nobodies think? They're regular humans with no power or importance. I couldn't give a shit about them even if I wanted to.

Sona, who is still in shock, finally gives a response in an uncharacteristically high-pitched tone.

"O-Okay…"

I don't understand how anyone can complain about pulling bitches. And here I thought she'd show some backbone and play hard to get. But no, it's literally that easy.

"Great!" I let go of her. "I'll meet you at the gate, then. Don't be late, we don't have a lot of time before class starts."

With that, I simply walk away, leaving Sona to her own thoughts as the students begin spreading the rumors.

That was funny, I'll admit, but also kind of uncomfortable, but if it gets me a busted perk, then fuck it. I can handle a little yuri play for more power.

Would've probably led to a disastrous situation if this didn't work, but I had faith in my high charisma and the multitude of perks. Honestly, I could've probably pulled this off even before unlocking her affection.

I'm just that irresistible for it to work.

As Issei, Ichi, and I – and Lucifer – enter the warehouse, I quickly notice a distinct lack of my uncle. Only Asia and my mother were inside waiting for us. I didn't sense him inside, but I assumed he was hiding his energy or something.

"Oh, you're here." Mizuki grins. "Took you long enough."

"You realize we delayed the training because your fatass couldn't get off the bed, right?" I deflect, making her wince.

"How dare you?!" She whines. "I'm not fat!"

"Not the point."

"So where's Akiyama?" Ichiban asks, getting between our banter. "He's busy?"

"Ah, yeah. He said he had some stuff to take care of in Yokohama." She answers, making me raise a brow. Right, the whole Geomijul thing, the Sacred Gear user haven. "But have no fear! For I shall teach you the ways of kicking ass in his stead!"

"Didn't you always do that, though?" Issei tilts his head.

"Nope, I only taught this silly gremlin magic–"

"Call me 'silly gremlin' again and I'll tell everyone what I found in your search history."

"–and cheered you on." She ignores my threat, but I can see that it got a reaction out of her if her little flinch was anything to go by. This was several magnitudes more effective than promises of physical pain."But today it'll be I who will turn you into real warriors, for Aki is far too gentle compared to me!"

Of course, with her theatrics, they don't take her seriously. I do hear Lucifer chuckle in amusement, though.

"This is your mother?" He points at her. "She's quite energetic. How charming."

You have no idea. Not the charming part, though. She's outright annoying.

…Okay maybe a bit charming.

I rub my eyes tiredly. I want to sleep so badly.

"Well, alright, when do we start?" Ichi asks.

"Right now." She answers. "I want all three of you to attack me at once, but you are not allowed to use magic or Sacred Gears."

"Um, are you sure about this, Mizuki-san?" Issei questions. "I mean, three-on-one is kind of unfair, right?"

I actually agree. With Akiyama, it's fine because he's much stronger than us, but my mother? She's barely stronger than me– only a few hundred points ahead of me in physical stats, and with two relatively strong allies, she shouldn't be much of a tough fight.

Unless magic is involved, but she banned that, so I don't know.

"Don't underestimate me, boy." Mizuki gets into a stance, her eyes sharpening as the entire vibe changes. "I've been fighting longer than any of you have been alive."

I immediately want to take back my earlier statement. Whereas my uncle always had this burning feeling around him whenever he releases some of his aura, my mother is the complete opposite.

It's freezing, and I'm the girl who's almost immune to cold. I feel like a single wrong movement will be the end of me. She isn't stronger than Akiyama in her current state, but this aura feels several times heavier than his, and I know she's not going all out.

I'm not the only one who feels this, though, as both Ichi and Issei back away, looking intimidated.

Quest added

[The Tranquil Warrior]

Objective: Defeat Mizuki

Rewards: 125 to DEX, STR, END, Epic Gacha Token, Greatly increase Reputation with Ichiban Kasuga and Issei Hyoudou, Amon Sunglasses

Amon sunglasses? What the hell is that?

"Hmm…" Lucifer puts a hand on his chin. "Her stance is flawless. Very impressive considering how young she is."

"Guess we're gonna have to take you seriously, Mizuki-san," Ichiban says, the first one to compose himself.

My mother smirks.

"Come at me."

With that, Ichiban is the first to charge forward at her, throwing a right hook she very easily blocks. With an open palm, my mother strikes Ichi in the chest and sends him crashing into the wall, making him gasp in pain.

"Too predictable." She criticizes. "Be smart with how you approach your enemy."

He stands back up and growls and Lucifer hums once again as Ichi regroups with us.

"Do we stand a chance?" I ask simply.

"...Maybe." He answers. "Let's jump her."

Issei and I nod with me leading the charge, throwing a kick which she ducks under before she steps back as the two boys attack her from both sides. Mizuki redirects Issei's jab and catches Ichiban's fist. As she's busy with them, I attack again, but she simply punches Issei in the gut, and pulls Ichi in front of her, forcing me to back off.

Mizuki strikes Ichiban the same way as before, turning his body into a projectile soaring toward me. I barely avoid him flying at me, but it makes me wide open for Mizuki to kick me in the face, sending me skidding on the ground.

I flip and land on my feet before I rush toward her again, ignoring the pain and aim for her stomach. Mizuki dodges and retaliates with a backhand to my face, but I manage to block it with my forearm, successfully sweeping her off her legs.

She smirks and lands on her hands, twirling around and kicking me and the approaching Issei, forcing the two of us to the ground. Ichiban jumps back into the fray as he dashes toward her with impressive speed, but she simply flips over him and kicks him in the back right at us.

Ichi smashes directly into me in a slightly embarrassing position. I ignore it and push him off me, growling in anger and running toward her. The boys do the same and all of us attack at the same time again.

To our dismay, Mizuki is able to easily keep up with us, returning avoided punches with her own that hurt a lot more than they should. It was especially surprising to me, because I have seen her fight before, and she didn't show a glimpse of grace like this.

Whenever she gets into a fight with randoms in the street – a rare occasion, but it happens – she always fights like a lunatic, flailing around and throwing random objects like trashcans and whatever. She literally fought the same way I used to– a complete thug.

But this? This is completely different, which in hindsight, is pretty obvious. She's an assassin, a legendary assassin. Obviously, she mastered several martial arts. No assassin worth her salt doesn't know how to fight with her hands.

Despite that, we should be at least doing some damage. Is the difference in skill so vast that our close powers just don't matter? Or is it something else?

Mizuki deflects my fist and redirects it toward Issei, hitting him square in the face and promptly breaking his nose. I gasp as I notice her fist right in front of my stomach, hitting me with what feels like the force of a thousand semi-trucks crashing into me.

The blow knocks the wind out of me and brings me to my knees. As I quickly try to stand up, Ichiban's body once again slams into me and we both collide into the wall. I push him off me and cough, getting more frustrated.

"Fucking god, how strong is she?" Ichiban asks, standing back up and wiping the blood off his mouth. "I never thought Mizuki-san can fight so well."

"She's using Senjutsu," Lucifer reveals to me. "More specifically, Touki, the only branch available for anyone to use, and she's incredibly proficient at it. I've never seen anyone with such control over ki before."

What the hell is Touki?

"Do try to avoid getting hit." The Devil God 'advises' with a smile.

Fucking smartass.

"What's wrong? Tired already?" She taunts with an infuriating smirk. "We've barely even started."

As Issei tries to sneak up behind her, Mizuki simply spins around and hits him with a roundhouse kick, knocking him out.

"Oh, wait, I didn't mean to hit him that hard." She drops her stance, looking at Issei with a concerned frown. "Oi, Issei, you okay?"

He doesn't answer, but with her off guard, both Ichiban and I rush her at the same time, trying to get at least one hit in before we're inevitably defeated. To probably nobody's surprise, Mizuki sees us coming, blocking my kick and Ichiban's punch.

First, she pulls Ichi closer before uppercutting him to the ceiling of the warehouse. Then she knocks me off my feet by kicking my leg, hitting my chest with an open palm, nearly rendering me unconscious right there and then.

Ichiban then falls right in front of her with a groan. He tries to stand back up on his feet while I've just given up, lying on the uncomfortable stone ground. I don't even feel like continuing this fight. She's just going to keep kicking our asses until nobody can walk anymore, and she's fucking enjoying it. I know she is.

Quest failed

Fuck off.

"You okay down there?" Mizuki smirks at me. "Maybe I hit a little too hard~"

I click my tongue in annoyance.

"Oh don't give me this look." She rolls her eyes. "We've just started. You can't give up now."

My frown deepens for a moment before a devilish idea forms in my head.

"Oi, Ichi. You awake?"

"Barely." He answers.

"...She looks up lewd mods for every game she plays–"

"LALALALALA THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

Ichiban laughs before quickly covering his mouth in fear once Mizuki glares at him angrily. They just don't get it– I may have lost the fight and failed the quest, but the current look on her face is enough of a win and reward for me.

At the end of the day, I always win.

– Xenovia –

Getting out of the plane with her colleagues, Xenovia scans the airport with a blank face as Irina stretches her arms next to her. Her partner sighs and smiles at the sights, a lot more enthusiastic and eager than her.

"Man, it's been years since I was in Japan~" She says. "What do you think, Xenovia?"

Xenovia blinked and looked at her with a raised brow.

"This is an airport." She stated.

"It is an airport," Irina confirmed.

"...We just landed." The blue-haired woman deadpanned. "I haven't made an opinion yet."

"That's fair."

"Besides, I don't really care." She adds. "I just want to get this over with and retrieve the stolen Excalibur pieces."

"But that doesn't mean we don't get to have fun when we can, right?" Irina questioned with a tilt of her head. "The trip doesn't have to be 'work' all the time."

"I'm afraid not this time, Irina." The deep voice of their leader said. "This is a mission of utmost importance. We can't afford to even relax."

An older man with slicked-back dark brown hair, a growing beard, and a mustache, walked past them. He wore the typical garbs of an exorcist, all in white decorated with gold.

"But Father David–"

"I understand this is the home of your childhood, Irina." He continued. "But you're part of the church, and this is not our territory. We've only gotten permission to investigate and look for the swords, nothing more."

"Aww…" She pouted.

"Father David is right, now stop whining." Xenovia scolded. "This is no time to be messing around."

"...If we're able to acquire the pieces, then perhaps we can spend a day or two here." He said, making Irina brighten up. "In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled and follow my lead."

"Yes, father!" The two girls nodded seriously as they walked with him.

Whoever heretic stole the holy swords of the church will pay a thousandfold.

By her blade, Xenovia swore to get them back no matter what.

Sending Xenovia and Irina alone to face the guy who stole the excalibur pieces never made sense to me, so after some advice from one of my betas, we decided to give them a leader so to speak.

He's technically a canon character since he appears in slash dog, which is in the same universe.