A Week Later:
Azathoth Manor:
Isaiah's POV:
"Ah~This is the life." I muttered with a smirk as I laid on a sunbathing chair besides the new pool I had installed after the battle with Kokabiel, wearing nothing but a pair of swimming trunks and chuckling as I heard huffing and puffing.
"Saji, Issei, Meri, a hundred more laps! Kuroka, Valerie, fifty more for you two and Samson & Bardou, twenty more!" I shouted with a grin as I watched my peerage struggling to finish their 1000 laps around the swimming pools, Bardou and Samson looking determined to finish their laps first as the two swam at a breakneck pace next to each other.
On the other hand, Valerie and Kuroka looked tired as they struggled to keep up with the duo while Saji, Issei and Meredith looked completely tired as they struggled to keep on moving.
"Why aren't you doing it with us?!" Kuroka shouted at me and I grinned as I lifted up my sunglasses.
"Because I already finished my 5000 laps this morning as well as my 1000 laps with my weight bands! Bardou and Samson can attest to that!" I shouted back, Kuroka turning to Samson and Bardou, who didn't stop in their tracks as they just nodded before continuing on with their laps. Kuroka didn't say anything further as she gritted her teeth before I chuckled as I saw her Touki flowing around her body and she took off.
"Wait, she's cheating!" Issei groaned and I chuckled as I shook my head.
"I never said you couldn't! I was wondering when one of you was going to crack and use your powers!" Kuroka grinned victoriously as the rest stared at me in shock before pandemonium broke out. Saji released his vines and pulled himself around the pool, Issei was accelerating rapidly as boost after boost were piled onto his body, Meredith & Valerie were boosting themselves with movement spells and Bardou & Samson finally used their flames/ Touki as they rocketed around the pool.
"I AM VICTORIOUS!" I was glad for the sound muffling runes around the manor as Samson roared his victory to the heavens with a grin, Bardou grumbling under his breath as he plopped onto the ground next to him.
A few minutes after that, Kuroka was helped out of the water by a glaring Valerie as Meri, Issei and Saji just floated in the water after finishing their lap before a few runes pulled them out of the water and put them down at poolside.
"I'm never…doing your stupid training…ever again." Kuroka wheezed as she and Valerie dropped to the floor and I chuckled as I stood up and placed each one of them in a sunbathing chair, Kuroka having a slight smile on her face as I laid her down on top of me before I smirked as she quickly made it disappear.
"So…this is the kind of training you guys do on a daily basis?" Akeno asked with a bewildered look, Tsubaki mirroring it as I chuckled and shook my head.
"No, this was just a punishment. Usually, it's only about half of this."
"…That's still a lot compared to the average person."
"Huh, didn't know that." I said with a shrug before going back to my sunbathing, smirking as the two Queens giving each other exasperated stares while Kuroka giggled.
"Now! Time for 1000 laps without my powers for if Lord Isaiah does it, then I shall too!" Samson exclaimed before he dove back into the water, everyone just shaking their head as I grinned before placing a whining Kuroka down on the chair below us.
"Yo, Samson! I'm joining you!" I exclaimed as I dove it, Samson grinning as we floated besides each other in silence before abruptly taking off.
"…Are we sure he's even a normal devil?" I faintly heard Issei whisper to Saji as I blitzed around the pool with an excited grin on my face, Samson gritting his teeth as he forced himself to keep up with my speed.
"Nothing about the boss has ever been normal." Saji whispered back to him with a roll of his eyes, Issei mulling it over before he nodded.
"That's true."
Later that day:
Isaiah's Mindscape:
"Are you sure you're ready? Right now, I can guarantee you will lose." Mel said with a raised eyebrow as we stood in the desolate battleground that is my mindscape, sighing as I nodded with a frown.
"Kokabiel showed himself to be far stronger than his canon counterpart, so who knows who else got a power boost? I need to master my True Form now." I said, to which Mel just nodded with a hum as he stood up from his throne and walked to the ground, a simple steel sword flying from the ground and into his grasp.
"Then you know what you must do, right?"
"Beat you only using runes and pure swordsmanship, right? No Balance Breakers, Touki & Storm Aura of any kind." I repeated his words, Mel smiling as he nodded before I nodded, taking a deep breath as a bright silver rapier appeared in my grasp.
Lines of dark blue runes covered it before I lunged forward, Mel leaning his head out of the way and dodging the opening attack with ease, chuckling as he swung his blade and I frowned as I leaned back, watching as the blade nearly clipped my nose before I straightened back up and replaced the rapier in my grasp with a nodachi.
"Sandanzuki!" I chanted as I blitzed forward, my arms and blade blurring as I unleashed three slashes in the blink of an eye layered on top of each other before my eyes widened as Mel smiled.
A katana appeared in his grasp and as he held the blade near his waist with the blade pointed downwards, I only caught sight of the visage of a roaring demon before the slashes and my nodachi were cut in half, Mel smirking as he stood in front of me with his katana aimed at my heart.
"You lose. Create another and start again." He said as he walked backwards and despite my racing heart, I grinned as I reached out to the side before Mel chuckled as a naginata appeared in my grasp.
Twirling it around my body, I grinned as memories of Okita teaching me the ways of the naginata flashed through my mind before I closed my eyes and attacked. Even as I couldn't see nothing but darkness, my body knew instinctively what to do as it moved and dodged by itself, smiling as I heard Mel's chuckles and his attacks accelerating.
And yet, not a single one touched me as I danced freely, paying attention to nothing else but the naginata in my grasp and the wind shifting and twisting around me
Unfortunately, that all seemed to come to an end as Mel swiftly sliced through the staff of the naginata, making me open my eyes to the sight of my subconsciousness giving me an amused smile and his blade held at my throat as I grinned.
The reason I grinned was for the slight cut on his forehead that was slowly dripping blood.
"Not bad, but not enough. Try again." I just groaned as I tossed the bottom half of the naginata away before creating a flaming katana in my grasp, both Mel and I grinning as we crouched lowly before blurring forward.
A few hours later:
Isaiah's Bathroom, Azathoth Manor:
"Well done. You managed to give me a few more scars with both of us just using swordsmanship. Tomorrow, we're fighting using only runes and after tomorrow, I'm going to start taking you seriously with us using both."
'So, if I beat you, does that mean I'll finally get access to my True Form?'
"Yes, and before you ask, the time limit will be drastically increased since I won't be actively suppressing it any longer." I hummed as I nodded before smiling as I felt slender arms wrapped around me and a pair of massive breasts against my back.
"So, do Tsubaki and Kuroka know you're here?" I asked Akeno, hearing her giggle as I turned around to see her smiling up at me.
"Nope! And before you ask, Rias gave me the day off." She said, making me smile as I gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.
"So, what's the special occasion because usually you ladies let me soak on my own?" I asked and she just shrugged as she hugged me tighter and snuggled into my chest.
"No occasion. Just wanted to see my boyfriend." She muttered with a smile and I smiled softly before I grinned.
"Hey. How about you and I go out for a movie or something?"
"Just us?" She asked as she looked up and I grinned and nodded.
"Yeah, I just realised that I haven't been taking you on as many dates as we used to go on, so why not?"
"…Are we going to eat out after that?"
"If you want to." I answered with a shrug, to which she grinned as she nodded before I blinked a few times as she pushed me out of the shower and closed it behind her.
"You've already had it for half an hour. Go and get ready and then wait for me at the entrance." I raised an eyebrow before I chuckled as I nodded, leaving her humming happily in the bathroom as I quickly dried and put on a pair of dark blue jeans, a long-sleeved polo shirt, a black and blue jacket and a pair of black sneakers with a light blue insignia of a skull and light blue laces.
"Oh~ What's the occasion?" Kuroka asked as soon as I walked down the stairs, Tsubaki raising an eyebrow at my outfit while the rest of my peerage just glanced at me before going back to whatever they were doing.
"Well, Akeno and I are going on a date, so I need you all to not burn the house down while I'm away." I said while giving Samson, Bardou and Issei a pointed glare, the trio whistling innocently as Saji, Meredith and Valerie just snorted and looked amused at their faux innocence.
"Wait, you two are going out without u-!" Kuroka was cut off by Tsubaki putting her hand around her mouth and I smirked amusedly as she gave me a smile.
"Well, enjoy the night. We'll make sure that everything is fine, won't we?" She said with a slight glare aimed at Kuroka, who rolled her eyes as she mumbled something with a nod and I smiled as I nodded back before hearing footsteps coming closer.
"Huh, that didn't take you as long as I…thought…" I trailed off as I saw Akeno walking down the stairs with an amused smile. Her long hair was straightened and let loose, hanging down to the middle of her thighs. She was dressed in a simple pair of dark blue jeans, a lilac blouse, a purple purse and a pair of black sneakers with dark purple laces. And yet, she still looked as mesmerizing as the first time I saw her.
"…Does the boss get all the luck or something?" I heard Issei mutter before he yelped, probably because Valerie or Meredith smacked him, but I didn't care as I smiled at Akeno.
"I swear, it's like you get more beautiful every day." I muttered and with a slight blush, she giggled before taking my outstretched arm.
"And we are off, children! Remember, the house must still be standing by the time I'm back." I smirked at them all nodding before an Azathoth crest appeared under us two and we disappeared, teleporting away.
Kuoh Cinema:
"Ooh~Jack and Jill: The Murder Mystery Duo is out right now." She said as soon as we walked out from the alleyway we teleported into, making me chuckle as I glanced at it before I nodded.
"Wanna watch it?" I asked, to which she frowned slightly.
"I don't know. You might not like it."
"If there's gore and fighting, that's all I need to be interested." I said with a shrug, Akeno giggling as we walked to the booth and bought two tickets.
"A simple guy, huh?" She said and I chuckled with a smile and a shrug as she bought an extra large bucket of butter-coated salted popcorn along with an extra large soda.
"Just give me a medium bucket of popcorn and a medium soda." I said to the attendant, making them frown and grumble as they went to fix up my order.
"I think they're more upset about me not ordering many than they are about you ordering a lot." I whispered to Akeno, who giggled as she easily balanced her food and drink and I smiled as I took mine and paid for them before we walked towards the screening room.
Two hours later, I walked out of that room with a new favourite movie while also smiling amusedly at Akeno animatedly re-telling everything that happened.
"Oh! Did you see how Jill managed to kick a troll in the butt hard enough to make it blackout? And what about the part when Jack kissed a hag before biting her tongue off? And what about-!" She stopped talking as soon as she noticed the smile on my face and blushed brightly.
"No, please don't stop. It's refreshing to see you love something that isn't in pain or agony." I said with a smile, making her pout as she glared cutely at me and I sighed before I grinned.
"Come on, we still have one place to get to before the night ends."
"It isn't a love hotel, right? Because you have your own room, remember?"
"That you and the other two conquered for yourselves, but no. It's not a love hotel. It's something far better." She just stared at me before smiling as she nodded, taking my hand as we walked back into an alleyway before teleporting away and to our final destination for the night.
Outskirts of Kuoh Town:
"Wow~" Akeno muttered in awe as we appeared from the teleportation crest, making me smile as she stared at our venue for the night. Paper lanterns hung above us and illuminated the forest clearing we were in, a series of runic enchantments glowing in a kaleidoscope of colours and brightening up the forest clearing even more.
In the middle of the clearing was a picnic table, rose petals tossed around it in the shape of a heart and crimson strawberry-scented candles burning brightly on top of it along with a basket.
"Aw, you remembered my dream date!" She said with a smile as we walked closer and sat down and I grinned as I nodded while taking out the items on our menu.
"Chocolate-covered strawberries and strawberry-flavoured mochi balls. If I remember correctly, you nearly killed Koneko, Rias and I when you thought we stole one of your mochi balls, right?"
"You're remembering correctly." She said and I smirked as her attention was fully focused on the bowl of mochi in front of her, taking a bite out of one before moaning in pleasure as she swayed from side to side.
"Damn, I knew I was a good cook, but I didn't think I was that good." I said with an amused smile and she didn't falter as she licked her lips and let out a hum.
"Yep! Now, come and sit down! I'd be willing to share with you…for a price."
"Oh? And what's that?" I asked as I sat down before raising an eyebrow as she moved to sit down on my lap before slowly rubbing a strawberry on my lips.
"We have about three hours before the others come look for us, which means I have you all to myself for three hours."
"How ever shall we pass the time?" I whispered as I took the strawberry from her hands and bit down on it, Akeno not wasting time and surprising me slightly as she leaned forward and captured my lips in a kiss, her tongue inside my mouth before I could blink and I smiled as I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her back.
Whether we made it back that night…who knows?
A/N: And there we go! A simple slice of life chapter after the past three chapters of chaos!
Next week, the start of the Peace Treaty Arc!
As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…
Ba-bye~!