Dragon of the Elements

by Draconis678

After observing him fighting against the Demon King of his world, Lucifer Sirzechs brings a demon by the name of Kenshin to Kuoh where he soon passes out from his injuries, he is reincarnated as a Devil by Rias who reincarnated the soul he just took in. How will this new twist affect the world around him, and did his family have history in this world? He would soon find out.

102. Crimson Dragons

Draconis: Well, lets get this started so it can take all fucking summer

Issei: Well...at least you got money right?

Draconis: Sure, I guess

Kenshin: Not that I don't appreciate it, but why'd you bring Dad back.

Draconis: I'm planning on this being the last appearance he makes in the living world.

Dragon of the Elements

Chapter 102

The Crimson Dragons

Draconis: Begin!

(Start)

Kenshin couldn't believe his eyes. His father was standing in front of him. A tear rolled down his cheek. "D-Dad...h-how...?"

Ryuushin smiled and pointed at him. "You can thank that spirit inside you, the male one."

"Yuurei?" Kenshin said.

"What? You're not using my power, I was bored." Yuurei said.

"I see." Kenshin said as he walked up beside Ryuushin. "Here." He said handing Ryuushin his dual blade.

"Thanks." Ryuushin said. "I'll help protect the ones you love. After all...what kind of father in law would I be if I didn't?" He added with a smile.

"..." Kenshin bowed his head as they both faced Ialda. "Heh...hehehehehehe!" He started to laugh.

"What is it?" Ryuushin asked.

"N- Nothing...it's just...this will be the first time we fight together as our present selves." Kenshin said with a smile. "I..I'm just happy is all."

"Hmn..." Ryuushin smiled as well. "I am as well." He hardened his gaze at Ialda. "I think if I kill her, it'll be fine. This body is only temporary. Yuurei will probably destroy it before she possesses me."

"Still be careful. I'll try to pass this sword to you when I can." Kenshin whispered.

"But what about you?" Ryuushin asked.

"I'll be fine." Kenshin said.

"Ryuushin. Good to see you again." Albireo said.

"Wish I could say the same Al." Ryuushin replied. "Seeing one of my old friends enslaved to that bitch makes me angry."

"Uncle...I..was just angry earlier." Kenshin said.

"I know." Albireo said with a smile. "Please forgive me for what I'm doing."

"Yes." Kenshin said.

"So that's Kenshin-kun's Dad?" Akeno asked.

"Well, we all saw him in the memory visions, but yes." Rias said.

"Ufufufu~! So we've been officially recognized as in laws by both of Kenshin-kun's parents!" Akeno giggled.

"Kenshin's Dad approves..." Koneko said with a grateful smile.

"So this is the man who inspired Kenshin to be who he is today." Rossweisse said with a smile of her own.

"Dad, I'll make the first move, introduce yourself to your future in laws!" Kenshin said as he flashed toward Ialda, slashing at her.

"Grrrhhh!" Ialda growled against the force.

Ryuushin turned to Rias, Akeno Koneko and Rossweisse. "Hello, I'm Ryuushin Tsuki Kuroshi, Kenshin's father. Nice to meet you all." He said with a smile, before turning and cleaving a shadow demon in half.

"Well, it's nice to meet you in person Father." Rias smiled.

"Hello, Ryuushin-San. I'm Rias's queen, and one of the women who loves your dear son." Akeno smiled. "My name is Akeno Himejima."

"Thank you for helping to give him life..." Koneko said. "Koneko Toujou."

"We'll try our best to help him be happy." Rossweisse said with a smile. "I'm Rossweisse."

"Hmhm, I'm glad that Kenshin found so many people to love him." Ryuushin said. "Though there's a certain charm to being able to love one woman, Kenshin obviously needs you all." With that said, Ryuushin rushed Ialda and slashed her down the back.

"Gaah!" Ialda gasped out before being punched back by Kenshin.

(break)

On the Paru-Sama.

"!" Kazumi's eyes widened as she watched her artifact's live feed. "Y-Yukari! M-Miyuki! Come here, quick!"

"The two approached Kazumi. "What is it Kazumi?" Yukari asked.

"Yeah, you look like you just seen a ghost...that isn't Sayo." Miyuki said.

"Look at this!" Kazumi said showing them the screen.

"...? !" Yukari and Miyuki both let out gasps. The latter with tears rolling down her face.

"S-Some how, your dad is...here again." Kazumi said.

"D-Dad is..." Yukari said.

"Onee-Chan, we need to...!" Miyuki said.

"Right!" Yukari turned to Kazumi. "Tell Sairaorg he's in charge!" She said as they both ran for the deck.

Hikari cleaved a shadow demon in two and turned to the crowd of Megalomesembrians she was defending. "Get out of here! Evacuate now!"

"R-Right!" They said.

As they were leaving Hikari's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, this feeling!" She turned toward the north. "R-Ryuushin...how...how are you...?" She said as tears slipped down her face. "Are you really among us again?" She sobbed out, but with a smile on her face. "I just know that if you are...you're protecting Kenshin..."

At Lucifer's Castle Millicas was both confused and amazed. "I don't know who that man is,but Onii-Sama sure seems happy that he's there."

"That is Ryuushin Kuroshi, He's Kenshin's Dad." Serafall said, still sitting next to them, having pulled her chair over.

"Wait, that's Onii-Sama's Father?" Millicas asked .

"Yes." Sirzechs said. "Ryuushin-San was Kenshin's hero growing up."

"So...like me then..." Millicas said with a laugh.

"Hm? !" Sirzechs said with a surprised look.

"Onii-Sama might be one of my heroes, but..." Millicas turned to Sirzechs. "So are you Father."

"..." A wide smile spread across Sirzechs's face as he embraced his son. "Thank you for that Millicas."

"Hehehehe." Millicas laughed.

"Hmhm..." Grayfia came over and petted her son's head. Millicas called her down to him.

"Mom, I know you and Dad can't spend a lot of time together...and I do like Marissa...but...I would be happy if you chose Onii-Sama." Millicas whispered into her ear.

"!" Grayfia paused, her face lighting up for a moment before she smiled and pet Millicas again. "We'll see."

Sirzechs heard this and smiled. "Honestly, I wouldn't be mad at all if you chose him either Grayfia." He thought. "Kenshin would be more than willing to take care of you in my stead...to treat you as I would. You know when I told him anyway,"

Meanwhile Kenshin drove Ialda back. "Flash Kill!"

"Grrhhh!" Ialda growled, only to look up.

"Heavenly Demon Revival!" Ryuushin said slashing down at her, making her dodge.

"Whoa!" Kenshin said. "Dad, you know my techniques? !"

"I've been watching you and your sisters after all!" Ryuushin said with a smirk.

"Heh!" Kenshin smirked as they both charged Ialda. "Ninefold Rakshasa!" The two Kuroshi males shouted.

Ialda was blasted backward by these attacks. "Heh!" Kenshin said as Ryuushin landed next to him.

"Kenshin, I get that you're excited, but focus." Ryuushin reprimanded.

"I know Dad." Kenshin said with a smile. "You're not the only one who wants to off this bitch. I just can't help how happy I am." He said smiling at his father.

"Hmn..." Ryuushin smiled. "Well as long as you understand."

"Grrrhhh! Haaaaaa!" Ialda roared as a burst of wind shot out, blasting everyone to the ground, Albireo included.

"? !" Kenshin's eyes widened as Ialda rushed Rias. "NO!" He shouted rushing toward her.

"Hrm!" Rias growled as her destruction magic wrapped around Ialda's wrist, halting it's advance. "Haa..." Rias growled. "Destruction-!"

"Hahaha!" Ialda laughed as her shadow magic shot forward, attacking her, she reeled back as her shadow magic wrapped around Rias' limbs and torso and punched her in the stomach.

"H-Haa!" Rias gasped as she was sent rocketing backward.

"R-Rias!" Akeno said before Ialda appeared in front of her, backhanding her into a building.

"You'll pay for that!" Koneko yelled, punching at Ialda with a fist covered in blue flames.

"Foolish girl, did you really think some Senjutsu would be enough to do me in?" Ialda said batting Koneko toward the ground.

"G-Ghh..." Koneko growled as she laid prone on the ground.

"...Haaaaaaaaaa!" Rossweisse roared as she blasted Ialda with all her spells.

"Hahahahahaha! Is this all you have Valkyrie? !" Ialda asked as she exploded through Rossweisse's spells and batted her to the ground.

"A-Aahhnn..." Rossweisse gasped as she was slammed to the ground.

"K-Krrrrhhh!" Kenshin growled, enraged as his right eye flashed between blue and gold.

"Kenshin?" Ryuushin said.

"I...have to kill this bitch...now...she's hurting Rias, Akeno, Koneko, Rossweisse and everyone else I love!" Kenshin said as he rushed forward, slashing down at Ialda only to be halted by Albireo's gravity magic. "Unccccclllllleee! ! !" He roared in anger.

"I-I'm sorry Kenshin!" Albireo said as the force from Kenshin's attack bore down on him.

"I know uncle! I understand!" Kenshin roared as he met Albireo's assault with his own.

"Yes...and you're next Dragon of the Elements." Ialda said with a wide smirk.

"Kenshin? !" Ryuushin said as Ialda appeared in front of Kenshin.

"Here you are!" Ialda said, thrusting her palm at him. She even began to assault him viciously with a brutal hand to hand combo.

"G-Grrrh! My mana!" Kenshin cried out.

Back in Lucifer's Castle, Sun Wukong's eyes widened. "She knows where the mana points are? She can shut down Kenshin's body!"

"What? !" Serafall said while the other Satans, Michael and Azazel as well as Zeoticus, Venerana and Grayfia turned to Sun Wukong wide eyes.

"Don't!" Millicas said. "Onii-Sama will make it through this..I know he will."

"Millicas?" Sirzechs said.

Millicas said. "Onii-Sama has to be the one to end Ialda Baoth. She's mentioned it numerous times, she might just let you kill her especially Serafall-Onee-Sama. You'll just get possessed."

All the Satans, Azazel and Michael realized that Millicas was right. Sirzechs smiled regretfully. "I understand Millicas." He said. "Funny, we were getting worried and you were the only one paying attention."

"Krrrrhhhh!" Kenshin growled as Ialda shut his Senjutsu points down.

Ryuushin leaped behind Ialda trying to attack her "Hmn!" Ialda turned, still holding Kenshin by the throat and thrust her palm into Ryuushin's chest driving the wind out of him.

"Heh!" Ialda smirked and leaped upward, driving both of the Kuroshi males' heads into the ground.

Issei landed a distance away, having defeated Shirota. He narrowed his eyes at what Shirota last said.

(flashback.)

Shirota and Issei dueled as the latter gained the upper hand. "Hahahaha! You're pretty strong!"

"You are as well Shirota-San!" Issei shouted out.

"Thanks for that, but my strength is buffered from my revival!" Shirota said as he leaped above Issei throwing daggers around him. "Mesa Style! Lightning Trap!"

"? !" Issei's eyes widened as Shirota's lightning spell paralyzed him for a short moment before he rushed forward and stabbed Shirota through the heart with Ascalon. "Heh..." He said. "Please tell Kenshin...that I'll always love him like a little brother and don't feel bad about this." He said. "Ialda's control on me was loose. I still had to obey her, but I could still act on my own...I wanted this to happen."

"Yes." Issei said.

"Please care for him like a brother, when I couldn't." Shirota said as he sighed his last breath falling backward.

"Shirota-San." Issei said with a saddened expression. "No... Kenshin wanted me to lay him to rest." Issei said with a resolute expression as he approached Shirota's corpse and hugged it. "Shirota-San! I will care for Kenshin as a brother, even more than you did!" He said as he walked away.

(flashback end)

Issei went into thought as he watched the fight, destroying any shadow demon dumb enough to come after him. "Even the Vessel's no good?" He watched as Ialda sliced into Kenshin's body with her shadow magic. "Then what's left? Getting to the Demigod State was a two time fluke." Issei got a look at Kenshin's eyes, how they were flickering. "It's like his body's trying to go, but something's holding it back." Issei thought.

"Hahahahahaha! !" Ialda cackled as she batted Kenshin away.

"Dad, I think it's time I gave you-, Kenshin was cut off

"No, I have this!" Ryuushin said as the elements erupted around him. "It took some doing, but the Yonseirei accepted me again!" Ryuushin said as the elements spiraled around him.

"Oh fuck the hell yes!" Kenshin smirked, "Let's get this bitch together, Dad!"

"I can't let him go into that state of higher power." Ryuushin thought. "Not yet anyway, we need to figure out how to kill her first."

As Kenshin lunged toward Ialda, Issei landed next to Ryuushin. "Ryuushin-San!"

"Huh? Issei, is that you?" Ryuushin asked.

"Yeah." Issei said taking off his helmet. "Listen, I got a way to get Kenshin into the Demigod State again."

"No." Ryuushin said shaking his head. "His mind can barely control that form."

"But it might be the only way to beat Ialda!" Issei protested. "When Kenshin is in the Vessel, his muscles are constantly being slowly torn to shreds!"

"What? !" Ryuushin said in shock. "I never knew that! My soul must have been at rest any time he used it!"

"And it's defenses don't mean anything to her!" Issei said.

"...Ok what's your plan...I'll try to temper his emotions when he goes into it." Ryuushin said

"Ok, awhile back, our manager,Ravel suggested I used one of my attacks, the Dragon Blaster as a transfer of power,instead of an attack. You know what that is right?" Issei asked.

"Yeah? I've been watching from the Pure World." Ryuushin said.

"Well, the idea is to push Kenshin's body to it's limits with the transfer force of the Crimson Blaster. The Dragon Blaster's upgrade."

"Why not that Longinus Smasher?" Ryuushin asked.

"Your son won't be able to handle that...and we're going on pure theory here, so if he ends up hurt by the Crimson Blaster, you could at least move him off the battlefield." Ddraig said.

"Hrm, I see." Ryuushin said. "Alright, but make it look like an attack on Ialda. I'll make sure Kenshin gets it." With that said Ryuushin darted toward Ialda.

"Gah!" Kenshin grunted as he was shoved back. "Dad!" He shouted throwing the Hama no Tsurugi at Ryuushin.

"Heavenly Demon Revival!" Ryuushin shouted grabbing the sword's hilt and slashing down at Ialda.

"Grrh!" Ialda growled as she blocked the slash with her staff, only to have it cut through like butter. "Grrh!" She growled again as she nursed a deep, bleeding wound.

"What kept you?" Kenshin asked as he took the Hama no Tsurugi back.

"Your surrogate brother had an idea he wanted to tell me about." Ryuushin said.

"I see, rest well Shiro." Kenshin said with his eyes closed. "What was it?"

"I think it's better if you don't know, so Ialda won't see it coming." Ryuushin said

"Hrm...Ok." Kenshin said as Ialda got back up, her wound healing.

"Kenshin" Ryuushin said

"Yeah?" Kenshin asked.

"Put back the Hama no Tsurugi for now." Ryuushin said, Kenshin went to speak when Ryuushin continued. "Yes, you've used Zanryuu, the Dragon Cutter that Shin Tatsu had in the past, but how good are you with a weapon like that. I think you trying to accommodate for it's bulky make is why Ialda's got one up on you. Your primary focus should be on wearing her down."

"Dad, her power is limitless." Kenshin said.

"If it is, why did she wait till today to use her full might? Why pull her power out now, when it took you becoming a half god to upend her?" Ryuushin said. "...I say we call her bluff. She knows you're going for the kill and you're limiting yourself to killing strikes."

"..." Kenshin looked down at the Hama no Tsurugi. "He's right, but...I couldn't help it...I want...no...I NEED this to be over. This long spanned vendetta between Ialda and I." He thought.

"Kenshin." Ryuushin said.

"Abeat." Kenshin said as the Hama no Tsurugi disappeared.

"Oh? Giving up are we?" Ialda asked with a smirk.

"You wish." Kenshin said as he and Ryuushin approached her.

"Hmn." Ialda's smirk widened. "To think you two, whose goal is to kill me would come closer to me without the one item in existence that can kill me."

"This father son duo can't beat the shit out of you unless we do get in close." Ryuushin said gripping the dual blade Kenshin gave him

"Hahahaha! Very well then! Come in as close as you like." Ialda said as she approached them.

Kenshin and Ryuushin both vanish and reappear at Ialda's sides, slashing their blades down at her.

"Hmhm." Ialda blocked them while laughing. "Is this the best you two can do?"

"Oh shut your whore mouth, we're just getting started!" Kenshin said planting his feet before sending a knee right at her face.

"Really?" Ialda drawled wrapping the strands of her mantle around Kenshin's leg, halting it's advance.

"Grh!" Kenshin grunted. "Heh!" But then smirked.

"Hu-? !" Ialda doubled over as Ryuushin drove his fist into her sternum, sending her flying backward.

"Kenshin you go in first." Ryuushin said. "I'll come in behind you."

"Right, make sure you can keep up old man." Kenshin said taking off after Ialda.

"Hey! I was only in my mid thirties when I passed!" Ryuushin snapped as he took off after him and Ialda.

"So what's this? You two gonna take turns taking feints and shots at me?" Ialda said sending her mantle's sharpened endings.

"Wouldn't you like to know? !" Kenshin shouted before throwing a charm into his mouth and making a handsign. "Plleeehhh!" Kenshin sounded as he bellowed out a large plume of smoke, obscuring Ialda's view.

"A smokescreen huh?" Ialda said.

"Alright, we get in there, hit her hard and fast and we get out." Kenshin said to Ryuushin who had just appeared by his side.

"Right." Ryuushin said.

"Also refrain from using fire based attacks." Kenshin said.

"I know, I know, you've been wanting to try this out for awhile." Ryuushin said as they flew into the smokescreen.

"Hm?" Ialda said seeing shadows within the smoke. "Heh, you realize your ploy is futile right? !"

Her mantle's blades stabbed through the shadows, only for them to dissipate. "Huh? !" Ialda said.

"Serene Demon Sword!"

"Guh? !" Ialda grunted as a figure shot by and slashed her up to her left shoulder. "Hn." She grunted and used her mana to regenerate the wound. "That was Kenshin...but why use a weakened version of one of his attacks. Did he really think that would be enough?"

"No, but the idea is to wear you down here."

"? !" Ialda turned only to find nothing. "Ryuushin...your son's the master assassin here. What are you trying to accomplish?"

"What's the matter? Can't find us? I thought you said this smokescreen was pointless?" Kenshin's voice reverberated throughout the smokescreen, making it impossible to track him.

"...Why can't I sense them? Are they concealing their energy that much?" Ialda thought.

"See, we know your stores of mana are so huge right now that those shadow demons are basically offshoots of your mana." Kenshin said. "So basically we're containing our power down to their level and only letting it out for bursts when we attack. That's why the smokescreen works."

"Hrm...so that's it, their basically blending in with both the smokescreen and the demons I summoned." Ialda thought. "Well then...what if I attack everywhere at once!"

Ialda's mantle stretched in numerous directions. "Heh." Ialda smirked. "? !" She looked up seeing Kenshin's dual blade spinning in the air.

"See...we were counting on that, you attack like that and you can't pull your mantle back to attack us." She looked down to see Ryuushin with his fist cocked back. "Crimson Dragon's Earthly Assault!" He said slamming his fists across the LifeMaker's face over and over again as Ialda hastily called her mantle back. When it finally came back Ryuushin's body was yanked backward.

"Don't think you can run!" Ialda shouted.

"Oh but he can!"

"Hrn? !" Ialda looked up to see Kenshin spinning his dual blade before throwing it at her.

"Kazerin!" Kenshin shouted as it impacted her.

"Kenshin! I think it's time we ditched the smokescreen!" Ryuushin shouted

"Right!" Kenshin said.

"Grh!" Ialda knocked away the dual blade and extended her mantle to attack the source of Ryuushin's voice.

"Hrm!" Ryuushin cocked his fist back outside the smoke screen and punched it back.

Kenshin appeared next to him and the Boosted Gear appeared on his arm. "Ialda! There's one thing I failed to mention about the smokescreen!"

"Hn? !" Ialda grunted.

"It's a giant bomb!" Kenshin said with a smirk as he slashed his sword against his Boosted Gear arm, sending sparks flying into the smoke.

The air of the smokescreen began to spark and fizzle until...

(Boom!)

The air combusted into a giant explosion over the skies of Megalo. "How does that work exactly?" Ryuushin asked.

"It's a smokescreen, but it's filled with my mana. It's basically waiting on a signal from me to either detonate or disperse. If I sense anyone other than my enemy inside, I disperse it." Kenshin paused to smirk. "But, if only enemies are inside I cast sparks inside to make it explode, but during this time while I'm using it for cover, fire attacks by me or anyone else are forbidden as that could set it off too. It's not a very flexible technique, so that's why I never found a chance to use it."

"Hrm. I see." Ryuushin said as the smoke from the explosion cleared.

"So the ploy here is to 'wear me down?'"

"Hm?" Kenshin and Ryuushin looked up to see Ialda levitating as burns and wounds regenerated.

"Why even use Kono-Chan's artifact if you can do that?" Kenshin asked.

"Oh no reason. I was just doing it to get under your skin." Ialda said with a dark laugh.

"You cheeky bitch." Kenshin grunted.

"You think your power is limitless? Why wait till now to whip it out?" Ryuushin said. "Those blood filled eyes...your container can't hold it all...can it?"

"Hrmn..." Ialda grunted.

"You were awfully scared when Kenshin figured out how to end you, but was too caught up in his anger to do so." Ryuushin said. "The Demigod State. It was stronger than you...and that scared you."

"How quaint...nice theory Ryuushin, but he doesn't have that power now, does he?" Ialda said. "He just can't seem to get it up like he did last time."

"...I don't need it." Kenshin said slashing Kuroi Jigoku out to his side. "What use is a power that only either comes out for bursts or when I lose consciousness? When I can't control how or when it comes forth?"

"?" Ryuushin glanced at Kenshin. "Kenshin...why did you sound...angry, but at the same time...it's like you sounded unsure of yourself?"

"Well then, I'll show you how wrong you are." Ialda said.

"You think you're the only one here who can attack the soul?" Kenshin asked.

"Hm?" Ialda said seeing a white glow around Kenshin's fists.

"This was suggested to me by Negi during one of my conversations with her on my way over here." Kenshin said. "This will be the first time I've used Seishin Boido offensively...so you better be ready." Kenshin said.

"Well then let's see it...which of the two of us is better! The creator and Maker of Life in this dull red world...or Mundus Magicus' greatest, youngest assassin!" Ialda laughed.

Back in Lucifer's castle, Zeoticus and Venerana were both confused while Millicas was curious. "Sirzechs...what is she talking about?" Zeoticus asked. "That woman called Kenshin an assassin."

"..." Sirzechs closed his eyes.

"What is it Sirzechs?" Venerana asked.

"It's true." Sirzechs said with a hard stare at the vision before them.

"What?" Venerana said in shock.

"Sirzechs, you brought a trained killer to save our daughter and your sister?" Zeoticus asked.

"It's not just his fault." Azazel said with his eyes closed.

"Yeah...it was because of that vile woman that it even happened to him." Serafall said with a scowl.

"Serafall's right." Sirzechs said with his eyes closed. "If Ialda Baoth never existed, Kenshin would be a vastly different person."

"Hrmn...so if she never existed...Kenshin would be a different person..." Zeoticus said with narrowed eyes.

"...Hmn..." Venerana closed her eyes and smiled. "I don't know about you Zeoticus...but I wouldn't take Kenshin any other way...he obviously loves our dear Rias very much."

"Heh." Zeoticus chuckled a bit. "I can't imagine how angry Rias would be if we took Kenshin away from her...and hell...I can see how much Kenshin loves her anyway. Kenshin's obviously told her this...so...who are we to take away someone our dear daughter loves so much?"

"Hrm!" Kenshin rushed forward, burying his fist into Ialda's stomach.

"Guoh!" Ialda shouted, doubling over from the attack as Ryuushin kicked her to the ground.

"Grrrrh...damn you..." Ialda growled.

"I'm not done yet!" Kenshin shouts appearing in front of Ialda, slamming his right fist into her chest.

"Aaaggh...!" Ialda gasped out, looking down at Kenshin's arm as his fist phased through her chest. "What...is this?"

"Seishin Boido, it allows me to touch the soul, it's how I threw you out of my mother and Sirzechs." Kenshin said. "I used to think that's all it could do, extract foul souls from a body, but apparently not." Kenshin said. "I'm not just striking you, I'm striking your soul."

"Ghhh...!" Ialda looked up, scowling into Kenshin's eyes.

"You can't quite defend your soul from attack." Kenshin pointed out. "Just like you were attacking the points in my body that my mana flows out. For mana is the energy of the soul."

"...Hmn." A smirk crawled across the Life Maker's face. "Can't defend my soul hm?" Ialda asked.

"!" Kenshin felt something crawl against his fist and immediately ripped it out. He saw black sludge on his fist and sliced his hand and forearm off. "Hrm!" He grunted regrowing the limb.

"I can't quite do that as fast as I'd like, but leave it in too long...like lets say...a second...I'll infect you like I did Negi." Ialda said.

"Hrm!" Ialda took to the skies as Ryuushin tried to take her head off from behind.

"Ho ho! Nice try Ryuushin!" Ialda said.

Kenshin and Ryuushin joined her in the sky. "Any ideas on how to off this bitch without getting possessed?" Kenshin asked. "When I stabbed her earlier with the Hama no Tsurugi, I was sure I hit the heart. The blade's too big to have missed it."

"Maybe her core isn't in her heart..." Ryuushin muttered.

"Hmhm, good they haven't figured it out yet." Ialda thought.

"Well, let's keep going, she'll show her hand eventually." Kenshin said.

"Hmn...you know it's quite quaint...the two of you ganging up on me." Ialda said.

"Oh don't even." Ryuushin scoffed.

"You're the LifeMaker, creator of this world and mastermind of the past war. You've got no right to complain about the odds standing against you." Kenshin said pointing at her.

"Who's complaining? Two against one? It's a perfect ratio for playing games." Ialda said with a shrug. "Especially when the two just don't stack up."

"Yeah keep talking." Kenshin scoffed.

A communication circle appeared next to Ryuushin's head. "Hey! Ryuushin-San! I'm ready over here!"

"!" Ryuushin's eyes widened a bit. "Alright. I'll try to kite them over to you Issei." Ryuushin said lowly through the circle.

"What are you two talking about?" Kenshin said, having heard it anyway.

"Gah! Don't worry about it Kenshin!" Ryuushin said.

"What? Why are you keeping me out of the lo- Shit!" Kenshin said as Ialda cut between them. "Haa!" Kenshin shouted slashing down at her.

"Hrm!" Ryuushin shouts, slashing at her waist.

(clang!)

Ialda disappeared and their blades collided against each other. "!" Kenshin and Ryuushin backed off of one another. "...! Kenshin behind you!" Ryuushin said.

"Hu-? !" Kenshin turned only to be batted across the face by Ialda's staff.

"Shit!" Ryuushin cursed as Ialda gave chase after Kenshin.

"Grrrh!" Kenshin growled and caught himself, slashing Kuroi Jigoku at Ialda. "Katensho!"

Ialda shot through the flames, charging a spell in her free hand. "Thousand Thunderbolts!"

"Yume Shouheki!" Kenshin shouted. "Ghhh!" Kenshin grunted as the spell impacted his barrier. "Shit! Shit!" He said as the barrier began cracking.

"Give up Kenshin! You cannot win!" Ialda said.

"That's what you think!" Kenshin yelled.

"Hrmn!" Ryuushin grunted, kicking Ialda in the side of the head, sending her flying toward the north. "Alright, I've got her going toward Issei, now to direct Kenshin there."

"Hey Dad, wait up!" Kenshin shouted as Ryuushin took off toward Ialda.

"Hrm?" Ialda caught herself and felt a great welling of power and looked toward a nearby building to see Issei. "Hoo? That's a lot of power there boya...are you going to fire that at me?"

"Something like that..." Issei grunted.

"Well here, let me come to you!" Ialda said flying toward him.

"Shit!" Issei said. "Hurry up Ryuushin-San!" He thought.

"Oh no you don't!" Ryuushin shouted attacking her from the side.

"Dad, I'll be there in a moment!" Kenshin said cocking his fist back, wreathed in the elements, charging Ialda from behind.

"!" Ryuushin turned to Issei. "NOW!"

"Crimson Blaster!" Issei shouted, firing off the blast. "Come on! Please work!" He thought hoping the transfer would work.

"Grraaaaah!" Ryuushin grunted forcing Ialda away.

"!" Kenshin's eyes widened as the shot screamed toward him with no way to avoid.

"Hrn?" Ialda grunted as Ryuushin drove her back. "That amount of energy being blasted at Kenshin could kill him! How cruel you are!" Ialda said with a smirk.

"Heh!" Ryuushin smirked back. "See you'd think that you resonating bitch, but part of that kid's power who fired the blast at us and Kenshin is to transfer the power he's collected to someone else!"

"? !" Ialda's eyes widened at this. "If Kenshin takes in that amount of power, he could be driven toward the power he used against me at Olympus Mons!" She fought off Ryuushin and dove toward Kenshin. "No!" She shouted trying to force Ryuushin off her to stop the blast.

The beam impacted Kenshin absorbing into him as Kenshin floated, grunting and groaning to contain the power. "G-Grrrrraaaahhhh!" Kenshin roared out.

"It worked!" Issei said with a fist pump.

"G-Grrrhhh!" Kenshin grunted as he struggled to channel the great amount of power that had been pumped into him. "It's too much! ! It's too much! ! !" He thought.

"Kenshin!" Ryuushin said batting Ialda away. "Let yourself go into the Demigod State! That's what this boost in power was for!"

"? !" Kenshin's eyes widened at this declaration."Send me into the Demigod state? !"

"? !" Issei's and Ryuushin's eyes widened as the power around Kenshin condensed around him, but the latter's eyes widened at the look in Kenshin's eyes.

"Hrrrraaahh!" Kenshin shot toward Ialda punching at Ialda's face, sending her flying away, with Kenshin giving hot pursuit.

"I don't get it...why didn't that work?" Ryuushin said as Issei flew right next to him and stopped.

"What do you mean?" Issei asked.

"Kenshin's right eye didn't turn gold. Almost like he was holding it back." Ryuushin said.

"Holding it back? !" Issei shouted. "But it might be the only way he can beat her!"

"Yeah, but think about what happened when he did go into that form." Ryuushin grunted as Kenshin and Ialda battled each other. "Last time he was alone with Ialda...this time he's surrounded by his lovers and dear friends."

"..." Issei paused, looking over at Kenshin, recalling what happened last time. "...You think he's scared of going into it?"

"...Like I said before. His mind and body are pushed to it's highest limits in that form...but his mind can't control the massive uptick in power...and while his mind is busy dealing with trying to channel this power he can't seem to channel properly. Everything else is pushed to the side or so it would seem." Ryuushin said.

"...I get it now." Issei said. "Last time he was alone...now we're here. If he can't control himself in that form...he's afraid he might hurt us in that form."

"Yes." Ryuushin said.

"!" Ialda moved out of the way as Kenshin shot by her. "This level of power...is this what it felt like when he used that power at Olympus Mons? Wait then why aren't his eyes both gold."

"Get back here!" Kenshin shouted chasing after her.

"Hrrgh!" Ialda growled blocking his fist with her staff. She glanced around at the various devils battling her shadow demons and the girls from Mahora. "...Aaah...I see." She thought with a smirk.

"!" Kenshin narrowed his eyes seeing the smirk on her face. "What's so funny? !"

"Hahahaha, you're not using that great power from before because of them." Ialda said. "You fool, you cling to people who don't even matter."

"!" Kenshin's eyes widened in anger. "Shut your whore mouth!" He said slipping his other fist under her guard and buried it, literally into her sternum with Seishin Boido.

"Guhhh!" Ialda groaned out.

"Haaaaaaa! !" Kenshin unleashed a blistering barrage of fists.

"Uuuuaaaagghh!" Ialda howled out in pain.

"Hn?" Ryuushin, who was flying in toward the two noticed something peculiar about this as he observed it. "What's that trying to shoot out of Ialda's back?" He thought.

"They don't matter? !" Kenshin roared. "They...mean the world to me! They saved me from the Hell you put me in! !" He yelled, his body literally starting to turn red as flames surrounded him. "How ironic that it took a group of Devils, Youkai, Fallen Angels and Angels to do so!"

"This...assault! It's too much!" Ialda thought.

"Kenshin!" Ryuushin shouted, his fist covered in the elements as he shot toward them.

"Hrn?" Kenshin glanced over at him as he batted Ialda away. "...Heh." He smirked and raised his fist, the orbs of his Balance Breaker lining up on his arm as well as the Seishin Boido lining across his fist. "Come on Dad!"

"Wait, that's...of course! You worked on perfecting it!" Ryuushin thought seeing how Kenshin channeled the elemental power and doing the same.

"! !" Ialda's eyes widened seeing the two shoot toward her at the same time.

"Haaaa! !" Kenshin and Ryuushin roared. "Perfected Crimson Dragon's Fist! !"

"Guaaah!" Ialda groaned out in pain as Kenshin's fist buried into her stomach while Ryuushin's fist shot over her and hit the shadow being forced out of her.

"Hrrh! Hrrh! Hrrrh!" Kenshin growled and panted.

"Calm down Kenshin, deep breaths." Ryuushin advised.

"I know, it's just the power Issei shot at me. My body's trying to filter it out. That and I feel like I'm on fire right now." Kenshin said before noticing a figure still in front of them. The figure resembled Ialda greatly, except for two things. The mantle she wore was pure white as opposed to pure black and the hair, while styled the same was orange instead of blonde.

Still this didn't stop Kenshin and Ryuushin from cocking their fists back again, the elements surrounding their fists once more. "Haaaa! !" Both Father and Son roared as they launched their fists at her.

The orange haired Ialda's eyes looked up only to widen in absolute fright. "N-No! Please don't hurt me!"

"? !" Kenshin and Ryuushin stopped with wide eyes in disbelief.

"D-Don't hurt you? !" Kenshin snapped. "You made both of our childhoods a living hell! !" He seethed.

"Kenshin, wait." Ryuushin said calming down his angered son as he approached the orange haired Ialda. "You...why do you seem so afraid?"

"I-It wasn't me that made both your lives a living hell! It was the Resonance! It was Baoth! Baoth!" The orange haired woman cried out as she threw herself against Kenshin.

"What the hell are you talking about? !" Kenshin shouted. "I just punched you out of Ialda Baoth, there was only two souls in you last time and Negi broke free!"

"Please believe me!" The Orange haired Ialda said looking into Kenshin's eyes with tears flowing down her cheeks. "I...I never wanted to do that to you two! You never deserved it! It ripped me apart inside to see it...I...I only ever wanted to help people!" The Orange haired Ialda cried out, sobbing.

"..." Kenshin and Ryuushin glanced at each other, the former in utter disbelief while the latter nodding in understanding.

"Kenshin...she's telling the truth. I can't sense any deceit in her words." Ryuushin said.

"!" Kenshin's eyes snapped upward seeing a dark figure rapidly approaching them, reminding him of memories of their first actual fight when he was ten. He twisted himself around, holding the orange haired Ialda in his arms as the figure sliced into his back with her mantle. "G-Gggguuuaaaahh!" Kenshin yelled out.

"Grrrhhh!" Ryuushin growled out firing a Katensho to destroy the strands.

"Hahahaha! Amazing!" A familiar, sinister voice cackled. "With that Spiritual Voiding Technique, you managed to crack my soul in half...but where as the released half got the emotions and empathy of us...I got all the power."

"Ialda!" Ryuushin growled.

A communication circle opened up next to Kenshin's ear. "Issei, on me." He said.

Issei appeared next to him. "What is it?" He asked.

"This is apparently the lighter, kinder half of Ialda. Take her somewhere safe for now." Kenshin said handing the orange haired Ialda off to Issei.

"Eh?" Issei said seeing the crying orangette now entrusted to him.

"Please, get me away from her, the Resonance, Ialda Baoth...!" The orangete Ialda sobbed out.

"..." Issei narrowed his eyes at her solemnly at her as he flew away. "Did you even want to do what you ended up doing to Ryuushin-San and Kenshin?"

"NO!" The Orange haired Ialda wailed.

"..." Issei narrowed his eyes again in thought. "Those aren't crocodile tears...she's honestly feels horrible about everything, I'm even using Pailingual and her breasts are saying the same thing." Issei let out a sigh. "Alright come with me, but I'll need you to explain everything to us when we get there OK?"

"OK.." The Orange Haired Ialda sniffled.

"What do you mean she got all the empathy and emotion while you got all the power?" Kenshin asked.

"Well, feel for yourself!" Ialda said smacking her staff against Kenshin's face.

"Grrh? !" Kenshin was knocked away with Ialda giving hot pursuit.

"Katensho!" Ryuushin said chasing after her, slashing his blade at her flinging his signature attack at her.

"Heh!" Ialda dodged out of the way, leaving Kenshin exposed to the attack.

"Kenshin! !" Ryuushin shouted in worry

"Hrmn!" Kenshin thrust his hand at his father's Katensho, gathering it into his palm with Senjutsu, much like Sun Wukong did when he started training under the Monkey King.

"? !" Ryuushin's eyes widened at this. "What the? !"

"Hey Ialda!" Kenshin said using Shundou to appear before her.

"What the? !" Ialda said.

"Katensho Rasengan!" Kenshin roared, driving the spiraling orb of Heavenly Flames into Ialda's chest.

"Guooohh!" Ialda roared in pain as she was driven back by the orb.

"Heh!" Kenshin smirked as the orb detonated.

"Hey, aren't you worried she'll let herself be killed to possess you?" Ryuushin said.

"Not likely." Kenshin said with a smirk. "She thinks her body is strong enough to defeat Trihexa. She's a fool I've fought the thing Trihexa's destined to fight to end all existence and got fucking clowned by him. She made that pactio and declared she didn't need me anymore remember. We're playing the deadliest game now."

Back with Issei, he'd finally been able to calm the orangette Ialda down. "OK listen Ialda, I need you to tell me exactly what's going on here...why are there two of you now?"

"Haa..." She sighed to calm herself as they stood in a building. "First...do not call me Ialda..if anything refer to me with my surname Entheofushia."

"Entheofushia...wait you're related to Negi-San's Mom?" Issei asked.

"Very distantly but yes." Entheofushia said. "To answer your question...when I died the first time, having been cut down by one of the Shinigami's servants. The Resonance being extracted from my body by my dear Hottan."

"That psycho?" Issei said.

"..." Entheofushia shook her head. "The Hottan you all faced was not my Hottan. I'm referring to when he was still human and uncorrupted by the Resonance."

"I see." Issei said.

"The Resonance was only reigned in by my will." Entheofushia said. "When Hottan took it from me, thinking it could help me, it only caused my soul to be extracted, absorbed into his. With this...we were both driven into grief unending...the same man that put me in that state soon came for him...as Hottan tried desperately to carry on for me and struck him down too..he then threatened our daughter, but Hottan was able to cast him away with his last breath. Then as you know...the Demon King came and homunculized him...but this man made being was no match for Ialda Baoth, the Resonance."

"So basically you had split personalities?" Issei asked.

"A blunt way of putting it, but I suppose it's correct." Entheofushia said. "As you've probably already been made aware. Ragnarok Kuroshi was a being that could control his own reincarnation...so occasionally he'd peer in on life...he came to me, complimenting the fact that I used my power to help life flourish on Mars, eventually creating this world on it's inverse plane...he then offered me the positions of Dragon of the Elements and Primordial of Life." Entheofushia said.

"Eh? You're a predecessor of Kenshin's?" Issei asked.

"Of only one of the positions, I had no desire to be a dragon." Entheofushia said.

"Understandable, being converted into a dragon can be overwhelming for some." Ddraig said.

"Who said that?" Entheofushia questioned.

"It's just Ddraig, the spirit of my Boosted Gear." Issei said.

"Hrm, interesting." Entheofushia said. "But in Ragnarok doing this he unknowingly created something in me."

"What do you mean?" Issei asked.

"I...well we are what is known as an Empath." Entheofushia explained. "It's what allowed me to find the people in need of help, I could hear their cries for both acceptance and help...an ability like that being connected to the principle of Life created something that at first I thought was just extending my range, which it did...far beyond anything I thought possible."

"It created the Resonance, didn't it?" Issei asked.

"Yes. I found myself being overwhelmed by the voices, the cries for help. Only Hottan could soothe me in these times with his White of Mars." Entheofushia said. "Soon, we fell in love...and our darling Amater came, or what Kenshin and his compatriots from here known as Asuna Kagurazaka, the Twilight Princess."

"Why did it work?" Issei asked.

"Because the White of Mars or Magic Cancel cancels out Mana. Mana is the power of the soul, The Resonance was connected to my soul, so when he surrounded me in his mana, it quieted the voices." Entheofushia said. "Then when Hottan removed it, my body died and Hottan himself lost the White of Mars. When the Resonance was claimed by the homunculus, it couldn't rein in the voices of those crying for help...and soon those cries turned into resentment and pain...and thus congealed into almost some sort of a hive mind."

"Named Ialda Baoth." Issei said.

"Yes." Entheofushia said with her eyes closed. "From there, the balance shifted. I could no longer reign it in...and I caused so much suffering...to this world and it's people and the Springfield and Kuroshi families as well." She added looking away sadly. "If I could...I'd have gone back in time and told Ragnarok to take his offer and shove it."

"Well, like you said, he didn't know this would happen either." Issei said.

"I know." Entheofushia said. "I always adored children, watching them running around in carefree happiness...yet I made two of them suffer so much." She said wiping her eyes.

"..." Issei closed his eyes.

"I...even drove one of them to suicide!" Entheofushia sobbed.

"..." Issei stared at her. "She...truly regrets it. What happened to Kenshin, Ryuushin-San and their family."

"Hee...Hee...I just wanted to tell him how sorry I am that I allowed that to happen." Entheofushia cried out.

"...Then do it." Issei said glancing at her,

"Eh?" Entheofushia said.

"Rejoin with Ialda Baoth! Fight against her and let Kenshin destroy her with the White of Mars!" Issei shouted.

"W-Wha? ! I c-can't do that!" Entheofushia yelped.

"Rrrgh!" Issei grabbed her by the cloak and rammed Entheofushia against the wall. "Listen here...you don't have a choice if you regret it so much!"

"? !" Entheofushia gasped with her eyes widening.

"Kenshin...no...my brother has been surviving by the skin of his teeth for years now, his sister Yukari too! They and their family never had a place to call home!" Issei said removing the helmet of his Scale Mail to glare into her eyes. "If you can't control it, then help him some other way! Stop being a coward!"

"?...!" Entheofushia only stared at Issei, her body still shaking.

"Kenshin's not just fighting for his life right now, he's fighting for his future!" Issei said. "He thought for years that being alone meant protecting what he loved, but damn it no one deserves that kind of fate!" Issei said. "If you regret so much what happened to him, then damn it do something about it! Do something to help him secure his future!"

"But...wh-what could...I do? Baoth has all the power...I only got my body back and my thoughts and feelings and empathy." Entheofushia asked.

Issei put her down. "Stay in here and think about that...but once you ditch this room, you're committed to the cause, got that?" He turned to leave.

"Boy." Entheofushia said.

"What?" Issei said.

"Before you go, what is your name? I don't believe I ever got it." Entheofushia asked.

"My name? It's Hyoudou Issei and I am the Oppai Dragon, and one day I'll be the Harem King!" Issei said before taking off.

Entheofushia deadpanned at the response. "...Such a peculiar man..."

(break)

At the same time

With Rias, Akeno, Koneko and Rossweisse.

"Haaaa!" Rias shouted, throwing her destruction magic at a gravity orb above them.

"Huuuaaah!" Koneko yelled out closing in on Albireo, looking to barrage him with with Senjutsu attacks.

"Hrmn!" Albireo swung his hand at her, sending spears of darkness at Koneko.

"Holy Lightning!" Akeno shouted breaking them with bolts of lightning before they reached Koneko.

"Hrm!" Alberio leaped out of the way of the lightning bolts, using a barrier to block Koneko's Senjutsu attacks.

"You need to watch your back!" Rossweisse shouts attacking him from behind with a spell barrage.

"She can cast our spells in such quick succession? !" Albireo said as they impacted him from behind.

(crash!)

Albireo's body impacted the roof of the building they were standing on. "Good job Akeno, Koneko!" Rias said with a smile. "You too Rossweisse!" She said.

"He's not done yet..." Rossweisse said, her eyes full of focus.

"Rossweisse, are you OK?" Akeno asked.

"I'm sorry, but I'm the one who felt Kenshin's love most recently...and I remember his pain all to well from when we first got here." Rossweisse said, narrowing her eyes in anger. "I want to finish this and give that bitch Ialda Baoth the pain a Valkyrie can bring!"

"But that would only strengthen her." Albireo said emerging from the smoke unharmed with a smile.

"Really? Then why didn't Kenshin's Demigod State make her stronger other than her taking in the power from the Agartha Asteroid?" Rias asked. "He was making her quite miserable."

"..." Albireo closed his eyes.

"Really, if she strengthens herself off pain, wouldn't it make sense to subject herself to it for years to ensure no one would be able to stand against her?" Akeno said.

"..." Albireo bowed his head, gritting his teeth.

"If pain powers her, then it should have made her stronger than anyone." Koneko said.

"That's not how it works..." Albireo said.

"How does it work then?" Rossweisse asked.

"..." Albireo extended his hand forward, throwing numerous dark spears at the four women. "The Resonance doesn't react to immediate pain of either wielder or those in pain...it reacts to the prolonged, helplessness of pain of those crying for help!" He shouted.

"Haaaa!" Koneko and Rossweisse used their Senjutsu attacks and spells to block the spears.

"If that's true, why did you say me giving her pain would only strengthen her?" Rossweisse asked.

"It would eventually." Albireo said. "That's what I meant."

"You seem like you don't want to serve her either, but at the same time you don't feel like the revived dead Kenshin's family faced in Auros." Koneko said pointing at him. "I know because one of your buddies, Eishun was there."

"It's true...I never died...I just wanted to appear with the other Ala Rubra members in the Dimensional Gap so he'd survive through my healing...though I never thought he'd fight Great Red." Albireo said with a hollow smirk.

"What do you mean?" Rias asked countering his gravity orbs with her destruction orbs.

"I'm Ialda's chronicler. Keeper of stories if you will..." Albireo said closing his eyes. "I served her for hundreds of years, but once her insanity grew beyond a certain point, no matter how much Hottan, the real Hottan and I tried to stop it...eventually I defected after he died, unable to speak of her, but able to oppose her...I found Nagi Springfield and Filius Zect...eventually the Ala Rubra was formed and we defeated Ialda...but Zect having been the one to strike the killing blow, the Resonance possessed him. Then through making Zect extract the core, Ialda transferred the Resonance to Hikari."

"!" Rias, Akeno, Koneko and Rossweisse's eyes widened.

"Though she can't do this now." Albireo said. "Hottan Ialda was a homunculus at the time if you recall...then Kenshin extracted the core and then succumbed to his own injuries in that fight and died, only for Hikari to revive him with the abilities the Shinigami cursed the Tsuki clan with, but in doing this Kenshin's soul split in half resulting in the existence of the one known as Luka, having just barely transversed the Dimensional Gap to Makai and passed out in a village in the Grangold area."

"Just half of Kenshin's soul was able to survive in the Dimensional Gap?" Rossweisse asked.

"Mundus Magicus' original dimension and Makai aren't that far from one another." Albireo said. "I imagine the half was trying to find it's way home, but ended up in Makai instead. One half of Kenshin knew peace with the youkai friends he'd made...while the other knew constant strife. Yet if one died, the other would as well." He glanced upward, to his right seeing Ryuushin and Kenshin fighting Ialda. "What happened to him will always be ours...the Ala Rubra's greatest failure. We traveled the world both hunting for Ialda, but helping everyone we could along the way...yet we couldn't even save one of our own."

"Then allow us to stand in for you." Rias said, crimson magic flaring on both her hands. "Haaaa!" She yelled out blasting Albireo with a concentrated burst of destruction magic.

"Whoa? !" Rossweisse said shielding her eyes. "Aren't you one to let your magic cover as vast an area as possible?" She asked.

"Sure, if the situation calls for it, but it seems training with Magdaran and Kenshin has paid off. I can focus it a lot better." Rias said.

"Still it did nothing against my barriers." Albireo said leaping out of the smoke.

"Then how about my fists?"

"? !" Albireo's eyes widened as he turned to find Koneko, with Akeno holding her by the shoulder.

"Sorry Uncle but our dear Kenshin-kun taught me your Shundou technique, ufufufu~" Akeno giggled.

"Huaaaaah!" Koneko shouted, blasting Senjutsu covered flaming fists into Albireo.

"G-Ggghhh!" Albireo growled as the fists laid into him,sending him crashing back to the ground.

"Haaaaaa!" Rossweisse yelled out, launching a massive volley of spells at Albireo.

"Hrm!" Albireo grunted as he emerged from the blast as Jack Rakan due to his artifact.

"Oooh?" Akeno said with a calm smile. "You changed your form Albireo-San."

Albireo closed his eyes and reverted to his original form. "I don't do it that often...honestly I'm used to beating my opponents quickly, but you four are making it quite difficult.

"We'll take that as a compliment." Rias said with a confident smirk.

"But still...when I do transform I don't gain all of their powers, unless I fully assume their memories..." Albireo said before pausing. "That said...I do gain their full abilities." Albireo said.

"? !" Rias watched as Albireo grabbed a book.

"Yes...why don't we go from there." Albireo said reading through the book before snapping it shut and ripping out the bookmark.

(poof!)

A plume of smoke exploded from Albireo before dying down. In it revealed a familiar figure, a male figure with slightly grayed red hair and stubble and taller than the normal Kenshin.

"Who is this supposed to be?" Koneko said with narrowed eyes.

"My apologies, this is what Kenshin looked like when he traveled with us during the Schismatic War. When he and Yukari battled and defeated the Dragon God, or rather a piece of her anyway." Albireo said using Kenshin's voice.

"What? ! Kenshin and Yukari battled and defeated a fraction of Ophis' power? !" Rossweisse said.

"Well what it had developed into by the hand of the Primordial Goddess of Light anyway." Albireo said. "Kenshin and Yukari used those powers against it to survive."

Akeno looked down at the waist and spotted an unfamiliar sword. "Hey, that's not Kuroi Jigoku."

"Of course, can't replicate what I don't have." Albireo said taking out the sheathed blade. "While it's not really known, Ragnarok Kuroshi had a second sword. A kodachi with a segmented sheathe that resembles clouds. He didn't really use it in fighting, but he did spread a healing mist through it's sheathe fueled by his dark mana. This is that sword, Shiroi Tengoku."

"If that's Ragnarok's sword too, shouldn't Kenshin have had it as well?" Rias asked.

"He did." Albireo said. "When he disappeared. The blades and Yukari were the only things that came back from the past. She gave me the blade for safe keeping. After this fight is over, I'd appreciate it if you returned it to him...if you survive that is." Albireo said narrowing his eyes with a smile.

"!" The four women took a step backward as an aura wrapped around Albireo.

"Like I said. Ragnarok would often use this for healing his allies...but Kenshin found another way to use it...a more...offensive way if you will." Albireo said holding Shiroi Tengoku pointing skyward.

Flames shot out of the sheathe of Shiroi Tengoku before separating into individually sized fragments that floated in the air. "This is what happens when Kenshin fires a Katensho into the sheathe of Shiroi Tengoku. It spirals around, getting cut to pieces by the blade...and becomes blades themselves. The Knives of Heavenly Fire, Katentou."

"!" Rias turned to her three family members. "Everyone, defensive positions!"

The flaming knives of the Katentou shot toward the four. "Haaaa!" Akeno shot her lightning at it. "Huh? !" She said flying backward as it extend toward, past the points it struck. "What is this? !"

"Huuuaaaaah!" Rossweisse said blasting them with her spells, to no avail. "Damn!" She flew back as well.

"Damn it!" Koneko cursed blasting the invading flaming knives with her Kasha technique only for crimson magic to arrive in front of her and force them all back from all three of them.

"Everyone, retreat. Help with the evacuation." Rias said.

"Rias! You can't be serious! We can't leave you here alone to take this!" Akeno shouted.

"Rias, we can't leave you here alone!" Koneko said.

"I'll be alright!" Rias shouted back. "Koneko, that 'Shirone' form is about to run out, you need to get somewhere and rest. Akeno, you also can't keep up that fallen angel form for much longer! Helping with the evacuation will help you both recover!" Rias said. "Rossweisse, I'm counting on you to help them both!"

"Hrm!" Rossweisse nodded and flew toward Koneko and then Akeno. "Come on, Rias is right, you two are both running close to empty."

"Rias!" Akeno and Koneko shouted with worry.

"Hmn." Rias turned her head to them, while blocking the Katentou with her destruction magic. She smiled at them and opened a communication circle and said. "Believe in your King."

"Oh? You sent your three allies away?" Albireo said.

"Two of them were running on fumes and needed to recover." Rias commented. "The third is to help them do so." Rias said.

"Yes, but now you face these dire straits alone." Albireo said. "The Katentou will swallow you whole...I'm sorry to break Kenshin's heart, but I have no choice."

(Boom!)

"? !" Albireo's eyes widened as the wave of Katentou sent to encompass Rias and kill her was expelled.

"Hmhmhmhm." Rias laughed softly. "Sorry Albireo Imma-San." She said. "But like my beloved Kenshin taught me. Destruction is formless...so Destruction magic is also formless." She said. "And I can see this Katentou spell is formless as well...so basically." She narrowed her eyes with a crimson glint shining in both of them. "Let's see who's better hm?"

Albireo smiled at this. "I see, come then, Rias Gremory...or should I say Rias Kuroshi." He said.

"!" Rias blushed a bit at this but smiled. "Fine then! To protect my beloved Kenshin I will defeat you!"

Tendrils of flaming knives and destruction magic collided against each other. "Hrmn!" Albireo grunted meeting great resistance.

"Huuuaaaah!" Rias shouted out, pushing her magic further against Albireo's Katentou attack.

"This girl, she is quite powerful, is it because of the power Kenshin gave her?" Albireo thought. "No, she has vast stores of latent power as well, just begging to come out!"

"Haaaa!" Rias shouted, sending a stray tendril of destruction magic right at him.

"Hrmn!" Albireo grunted as he made a wall of Katentou to take the blow. "If she ever truly masters her power, she could grow as strong as Kenshin." He glanced at Kenshin, who was observing a smokescreen. "Is that why you're training her? Did you know it all along?"

Albireo saw Kenshin glance in their direction for a moment. He didn't miss the smile on Kenshin's face before he turned back to the smokescreen. "Heh, I knew Uncle Al would pull that shit...and Rias is handling it nicely. I'm proud of you Rias." Kenshin thought before glancing at the retreating Rossweisse, Koneko and Akeno. "You three don't be ashamed about not being able to handle it. You've only just recently gotten those forms in the case of Koneko and Akeno. Rossweisse you just need to keep working on your spells."

"!" Albireo's eyes widened as he felt a presence behind him.

"Huuuaaaah!" Rias rammed her palm against the elder mage's back, sending him tumbling across the ground.

"Hrm!" Albireo sent blades all around Rias, hoping they'd slow her down.

"Hrrmn!" Rias grunted, going into a spin, sending her destruction magic around in a circle to counter.

Albireo appeared behind her. "Small Heavy Black Hole." He intoned.

"!" Rias dove out of the way as a rip in space spiraled open where she previously was, tearing a couple of strands of her hair off.

"Good reaction. I can still use my gravity magic even while posing as this version of Kenshin." Albireo said..

"Please, you think I'm some sort of rookie? !" Rias asked.

"Of course not. I know you've been getting trained by Kenshin." Albireo said. "He has this nasty habit of neglecting his own training to help someone else improve...that's why his power fluctuates."

"So what you're saying is that we need to stop bothering him for advice?" Rias asked.

"Not at all, just help him train in turn. I mean you obviously want to help him yes? But what happens when he moves on from his past. Though I'm serving Ialda now...I am in my heart praying for Kenshin's victory...so what happens after this? Do you all just drift away from him because he doesn't need emotional help anymore? Do you...abandon him?" Albireo asked with a quizzical gaze.

His answer was a blast of destruction magic hurtling toward his face. He blocked with a sphere of gravity magic as he sent more Katentou at her.

"Hrrmmnnn!" Rias grunted angrily, deflecting them with tendrils of her destruction magic. "Don't you ever DARE imply that I would abandon Kenshin!" She said trading shots with the transforming mage.

"Why not? How do I know you all haven't just been using him for support in your times of need?" Albireo said. "After all aren't you devils very...desiring beings..?"

"...!" Rias' eyes widened in anger as she appeared in front of Albireo, backhanding him with her hand coated in destruction magic and the power Kenshin had given her from before. He was sent flying across the rooftop.

"What...afraid to accept that I might be right...?" Albireo asked, standing back up.

"No, I'm just enraged that someone would ever insinuate that what I feel for Kenshin isn't pure and honest!" Rias said with a scowl. "That we're only helping him because we feel sorry for him!"

"Did I ever insinuate that?" Albireo said forming several spears of both flames and darkness and sent them at Rias, who blocked with a shield of dark magic.

"No, but it sure as hell sounds like you are." Rias said, holding a sphere of crimson magic over her right hand.

"!" Albireo vanished, but reappeared behind Rias who compressed the sphere she was holding over her hand and blocked the sword slash from Albireo with a blade made of destruction magic. "Girl, I'm only questioning you because I was like family to him as well. I don't know you and I've only glanced at your story for basic information."

The two dashed all over the rooftop, trading sword slashes and destruction magic/katentou barrages. "Well then, if you don't know me, aren't you being a little quick to judge Albireo-San?"

"Perhaps, but given his past issues. I figured it was warranted." Albireo said as they both jumped back. "I must say your form is quite good, if only unrefined."

"Hmph, I've only been training with Kenshin for a few months." Rias said.

"I see-urgh!" Albireo grunted falling to a knee, transforming back into his real body.

"H-Hey!" Rias said as the Katentou fell to the ground and dissipated. "What is it? ! What's wrong? !"

"S-Something happened...something's wrong!" Albireo said grabbing his head. He looked up seeing Ryuushin and Kenshin fighting against Ialda, while Issei flew away with Entheofushia. "Unbelievable." He said standing back up.

"What is it?" Rias asked.

"Kenshin, somehow he was able to break the Resonance away from my master...unevenly, but still." Albireo said.

"What does that mean?" Rias asked.

"I...no longer serve Ialda Baoth. I don't hear her commands anymore." Albireo said.

"You talk like they're two different people." Rias said.

"They are, in a way. At first it was just my Master, Ialda Entheofushia, before you say anything. She is very distantly related to Negi and her mother." Albireo went on to explain what Entheofushia was telling Issei at this moment.

"What? ! It had developed that far? !" Rias said with wide eyes.

"Yes. After Ragnarok gave her the title and power of the Primordial of Life, after Heinrich had been sealed and said no. The Empathy ability Ialda-Sama innately had developed into the Resonance, but there was no way to get to them all...so they slowly developed into the Resonance, a hive mind of suffering and resentment all cobbled together into one." Albireo said. "What made Kenshin suffer wasn't Ialda Entheofushia, but..."

"Ialda Baoth..." Rias growled in anger. "So are you on our side now?" She asked.

"I have no reason to obey Baoth's commands anymore." Albireo said. "So I can say yes." He held out his hand to Rias who backed away. "I'm serious. Ialda Baoth has no control over me any longer." Albireo said before closing his eyes with a smile. "I swear on my life."

"...That's a really hard smile to trust." Rias said with a sweatdrop.

"Hmhm. I get that a lot. So then let my actions speak for me." Albireo said casting a healing spell over Rias.

"..." Rias closed her eyes. "I see..." She muttered. "Can you heal my allies too?"

"A lot of your own mana is spent. I'm focusing on bringing it back up. It will take a bit." Albireo said.

"I see, but you're a human, I'm a devil...how are you restoring my mana?" Rias asked.

"I've been in contact with Devils before, think back to my comment on your kind. I wouldn't have made that offhandedly." Albireo said. "I know techniques to convert human light mana into dark mana."

"Hrm...I see." Rias said.

"Also...hand this back to him when you get a chance." Albireo said handing Rias Shiroi Tengoku.

"Ok." Rias said, accepting the blade

As Albireo was healing Rias, a body came crashing in. "Incoming!" Albireo said grabbing Rias and jumping back.

(Break)

Back with Kenshin and Ryuushin.

"Haa...haaa..haa.." Kenshin and Ryuushin panted as they stood across from Ialda who smirked back at them, while also panting.

"You fools...you really think you can battle against the three billion some odd souls that lie inside me from here and the Impure world?" Ialda asked.

"Krh..." Ryuushin growled. "Kenshin..."

"Dad, I can sense Yukari and Miyuki coming in hot, as well as the Paru-Sama. Send Yukari and Miyuki to help with the evacuation." Kenshin said. "Then you go help Mom, she's starting to get overwhelmed and Azazel ain't here." He said.

"Wh-What? !" Ryuushin said. "But that would leave you alone with her!" Ryuushin said.

"I've been thinking about trying something, but I can't figure it out yet." Kenshin said before extending his hand toward Ryuushin. "Here. If you sense me going under, even for a moment, use the communication circle I have with everyone to tell them all to attack Ialda at their own volition." Kenshin said.

"But..." Ryuushin said.

"I'm sorry Dad, but what Ialda did affected me the most out of all of us..." Kenshin said with a glower. "Besides, Yukari, Miyuki and Mom deserve to see you again before you leave."

"..." Ryuushin stared at his son's back before nodding. "Alright...but don't you dare die! I don't want to see your ass in the Pure World!"

Ryuushin left and Kenshin smiled with his eyes closed. "Please Dad, like I'd end up in the Pure World."

"Oh?" Ialda said with a dark smirk. "Sending Daddy dearest away might have been a big mistake."

"I don't think so." Kenshin said pointing Kuroi Jigoku at her. "I just sent him away so I could let loose." Kenshin said with a scowl.

"Hahahahaha!" Ialda laughed. "Come on then Kenshin! Show me your power!"

"Hrmn!" Kenshin grunted, extending his hand toward Ialda.

"Hrmn? !" Ialda looked around and saw several flaming dragon heads around her poised to strike. She flew out of the way. "!" She looked up, seeing Kenshin bearing down her, punching her downward.

"Hrrrhh!" Kenshin growled, rushing toward her.

"!" Ialda's eyes widened feeling Kenshin's fist burying itself into her chest.

"I may not be able to use Seishin Boido to attack you anymore, but all these attacks have to hurt!" He shouted

"Grrrhh!" Ialda growled and moved to smack Kenshin away, only for the Kuroshi Patriarch to flash out of the way with Shundou.

"You know, judging by that expression of yours...I guess slaughtering masses of innocents doesn't even phase you huh?" Kenshin asked. "And don't even try to kid Ialda. My clans aside, a lot of innocent people lost their lives during the last great war here." Kenshin said.

"Of course not, saving people was always Entheofushia's bag...I just wanted the voices of Resentment to shut up." Ialda said.

"I see...so it was you all this time huh?" Kenshin asked. "Hmn..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "I won't bother replaying the same line from before." He said as he drew his sword back. "But at the very least...people like you...Should be burning in Hell!"

"!" Ialda felt herself being slammed into the ground.

"Heh! Wow you're so much harder to use Wind Possession on!" Kenshin said as spears erupted from the earth which Ialda dodged from, jumping off the ground.

"Heh, is this all you got? !" Ialda said with a smirk, as she dodged fire blasts and flame spears.

"H-Haa...haa..." Kenshin panted. "Huh...those are more tiring to use when I'm not in the Demigod State." He muttered

"Grh!" Ialda rushed toward Kenshin, looking to gouge out his heart, but Kenshin dodged out of the way.

"What?" Kenshin said with a winking smirk. "Do ya just expect me to stand there and take it?"

"No! I expect you to die!" Ialda said, thrusting her hand into Kenshin's chest faster than he could react.

"G-Guuuh!" Kenshin grunted.

"You think...you're the only one who can grab onto souls?" Ialda said with a smirk.

"G-Guhhh!" Kenshin gasped out, with a noticeable shiver.

"Heh...Heheheheh!" Ialda chuckled darkly.

In Lucifer's Castle Serafall turned to Sirzechs. "Sirzechs-Chan! You have to go and help him! She'll kill him at this rate!"

"I concur, she said that she doesn't need him anymore, so she would kill Kenshin if she succeeds!" Venerana said.

"Grrrhh!" Kenshin growled. "Damn you Ialda!" He said feeling his soul being slowly torn out of him.

"Hahahaha! I should have done this earlier...now your soul is mine! Now that I don't need it anymore, I'll destroy it!" She said with a mad smirk. "No afterlife for you kid!"

"Grrhh..." Kenshin growled, but smirked soon after. "You...dumb bitch..." He said.

"Bold accusation..." Ialda said with a smirk.

"Not at all, once you think about it." Kenshin said raising his right hand, which had a white glow.

"Hahahaha! What do you gain from damaging my soul further Kenshin? !" Ialda laughed.

"Heh...who said you were the target of this attack you dumb bitch!" Kenshin said as he slashed his hand down toward the connection between his soul and Ialda's hand, not only reabsorbing half of his soul from Ialda's grasp but knocking the other half away from them.

Albireo and Rias split apart as a figure crashed between them. "Unnnghh..."

"K-Kenshin? !" Rias said.

"Y-Yeah..." Kenshin said wincing at the pain running through his body as he dropped out of the Vessel.

"Wh-What happened? !" Rias asked in worry.

"Kenshin, you reckless fool." Albireo scolded.

"Heh...I had no choice uncle..." Kenshin said with a weary smirk. "If I didn't split my soul in half she'd have killed me."

"..." Albireo closed his eyes. "I see...so she managed to grab onto your soul." Albireo said. "and I mean Ialda Baoth."

"Yeah. I managed to knock the other half away." Kenshin said. "Rias...tell the others that aren't busy to attack Ialda...I can't fight right now." He said as he stood up.

"What will you be doing then?" Rias asked.

"Issei's power boost wasn't enough to push me into the Demigod State." Kenshin said. "It was acceptable from a power transfer standpoint, It wasn't from a mental standpoint...I still don't understand how it flows. That's why I held it back. I didn't want to lose control and end up doing more harm than good."

"I-I see." Rias said. "What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to protect me." Kenshin said sitting up. "There's something I need to try."

"Alright." Rias nodded.

"..." Albireo turned and looked over at Ialda, who was still recovering from the explosion of Kenshin's soul split.

"...You'll die if you go up there Uncle." Kenshin said.

"Hmn." Albireo closed his eyes and smiled. "Every story has an ending."

"Then how about some back up?"

"?" Kenshin and Rias glanced over to see Evangeline and Sairaorg. "You two...you're supposed to-"

"Somo thought you were worrying too much. You didn't see much of them, but that ship is crewed by Somo and the Royal Guard. They don't just let anyone in there you know." Evangeline said.

"Yes. I sparred with a few of them when I couldn't do so with you or Issei, they're nothing to scoff at." Sairaorg said.

"Especially with the worry of being rewritten being gone, they'll be fine." Evangeline said.

"Aah, Kitty. It's been awhile." Albireo said with an amused smile.

"Krh!" Evangeline grunted. "Don't, call me that." She growled.

"Kitty?" Rias said.

"It's what her former teacher calls her." Kenshin and Albireo said. "The real 'K' in her name stands for Katherine." Kenshin added.

"That...is...hilarious." Rias said covering her mouth to giggle.

"Keep thinkin' that Red." Evangeline said with a threatening glare.

"Anyway...any advice?" Sairaorg asked Kenshin.

"Start in the Balance Breaker." Kenshin said, completely serious.

"Start in...shouldn't I at least..." Sairaorg was cut off.

"No, trust me on this Sairaorg, Aside from Albireo here I know the bitch better than anyone." Kenshin said. "You go in half cocked, you're going to die." Kenshin warned. "And I am not telling Misura that her only beloved son died because he was cocky!" He snapped, glancing at Sairaorg with a glare.

"You're serious about this..." Sairaorg said, taken aback by Kenshin's anger.

"Honestly if you have any hidden power, use it now." Albireo said. "Ialda Baoth is not one to be trifled with, she has the power of the Resentment and Pain of over three billion souls at her beck and call."

"Very well." Sairaorg said closing his eyes, throwing off his jacket, exposing the top of his black and red body suit. "Regulus."

"Yes." Regulus said appearing next to Sairaorg in his human form, removing his mask.

"My Lion, the King of Nemea, you who is known as the Lion King! Respond to my rage and transform for my vesture!" Sairaorg incanted.

"Yes!" Regulus said as his body transformed into a golden aura that encased Sairaorg. "Balance Breaker!/Balance Breaker!" Both he and Sairaorg roared.

"Regulus Rey Leather Rex!" Sairaorg emerged his his Balance Breaker.

"Equip Armament! Queen of Ice!" Evangeline shouted.

Ialda landed across from the two on another roof. "Aaah so new opponents show their faces at last. Albireo you traitor, I'll string you up by your entrails for this."

"I don't answer to you Baoth. I answer to the one known as Ialda Entheofushia." Albireo said with a growl. "You're just a hive mind of torture, using her face!" He spat.

"Ahahahaha~" Ialda laughed before turning to Evangeline. "Oh ho? Evangeline...it's been awhile...my spell should have prevented you from aging physically, but that is quite a lovely figure you have. Those pills this world developed really do wonders."

"Tch!" Evangeline growled. "You bitch...you will pay for what you did to me!"

"Hmhmhm, haven't you been saying that for centuries now foolish girl." Ialda asked before turning to Sairaorg. "You, I don't recognize you, you and I have no quarrel...so why are you here?"

"So this is the woman who even gave my mighty friend Kenshin pause." Sairaorg said. "That said...you mean to wipe everything out. Including my family and my friends. I will fight you till the end to protect them!" Sairaorg shouted, his aura flaring around him.

"Interesting! You're quite powerful Devil Boy!" Ialda said with a wide smirk before turning to Kenshin. "You know Kenshin...whatever powers the Kuroshi and Tsuki clans does...or rather did possess was utterly wasted on them...my having you and your sister slaughter them all over thirty years ago was a mercy in the grand scheme of things, wouldn't you agree?"

"? !" Sairaorg turned his eyes to Kenshin. "What?"

"..." Kenshin scowled hard at Ialda.

Back in Lucifer's Castle, Zeoticus turned to his son again. "Sirzechs...what is she talking about?"

"..." Sirzechs closed his eyes, going silent.

"Dad?" Millicas said.

"Son, isn't Kenshin the same age as Rias, or around it?" Venerana asked.

"Physically yes." Azazel said. "But while he was still in power, the Demon King of Makai made a request on the Tsurugi no Kami, to send Kenshin and Yukari back in time forty years from their then current standpoint. This succeeded and the two ended up in the distant past where they met their grandparents." Azazel said.

"Yes..." Sirzechs said looking at the screen in regret. "They spent five years with their family, the complete Kuroshi and Tsuki clans...but the Vespertatian King, Victor whom they were trying to curry the favor of was killed and replaced with a homunculus made to seem like Victor had gone mad." Sirzechs said.

"Yeah..." Serafall said with a sad sigh. "At the end of it, Kenshin-Chan even tried to swallow his pride, and appeal to the madman...only for him and his sister to be hit with a powerful illusion, commanding them to kill their family."

"...And they did." Azazel said closing his eyes with a heavy sigh. "Every Kuroshi and Tsuki in recent memory, aside from his mother has had their life ended by Kenshin and Yukari who only did it against their will. The only other one left aside from his immediate family being a half Kuroshi named Akatama."

"...O...Oh my lord..." Venerana said covering her mouth with wide eyes.

"Venerana..." Zeoticus said, pulling her into a one armed embrace.

"And I only got to him fifteen years after the fact in that world's original dimension..." Sirzechs said. "...I've always regretted not having been able to act sooner..." Sirzechs said closing his eyes.

"..." Venerana closed her eyes, wiping unshed tears away. "I-I see...Zeoticus."

"Yes?" Zeoticus said.

"When they all get back, lets do something special for him." Venerana said, smiling at her husband.

"Heheh." Zeoticus chuckled. "You know Venerana, I was thinking the same thing."

"..." Sirzechs smiled at his parents before looking over at his son, still sitting on his lap. "What do you think Millicas?"

"Well, it sounds like Kenshin-Onii-Sama was doing everything he did when he was younger against his will, or because he felt like had to. So it's really unfair to judge him on it." Millicas said.

"Hmn." Sirzechs reached up and pet his son's head. "That's exactly right. Deep in Kenshin's heart, he always wanted to do right by people."

"And he's certainly done that with us right?" Serafall said with a bright smile.

"Heh, yeah. Even I can see that fool is well intentioned right to the end." Azazel said.

"Hmhmhm." Michael chuckled. "I'd even say I'd accept him amongst the ranks of the angels, so he could dispense the mercy and kindness he was never allowed to give."

"He is a great boon to our forces." Falbium said.

"Oh please Falbium, like you aren't just saying that because he gives you free-!" Ajuka balked with a laugh, but cutting himself off when Grayfia pointed at her son, shaking her head.

"Well that's part of the reason!" Falbium laughed.

Back with the group Kenshin cleared his throat after closing his eyes. "Uncle, Evangeline, Sairaorg...good luck." Kenshin said.

"Small Heavy Black Hole!"

"Hrm? !" Ialda moved out of the way as Albireo's attack went off behind her. Only for her to run into Sairaorg's fist.

"Get ready! You now face the wrath of the Lion King!" Sairaorg shouted.

"Grrrhhh!" Evangeline growled loudly as Ialda was sent toward her. "Nivis Tempestas Obscurans!"

"Grrruuhh!" Ialda groaned out, being sent flying.

"Go!" Kenshin said.

"Right!" Albireo, Evangeline and Sairaorg all pursued her.

Kenshin closed his eyes. "Good luck you three." He said as he sat down and crossed his legs. He started to float in the air, his hands moving one on top of the other on his left ankle, his eyes closing.

"Kenshin?" Rias said.

"Just keep me from getting attacked, OK Rias?" Kenshin asked.

"OK..." Rias said.

"..." Kenshin went silent for a moment before speaking up. "...Thank you for everything."

"...Why..are you saying that like we won't see each other after today?" Rias asked with a hurt look.

"I'm not." Kenshin said pausing to smile. "I've just been remiss...I've..not thanked you very much for all you've done for me, have I?" Kenshin asked.

"It wasn't just me." Rias said with a smile. "Remember, we all care about you."

"Yeah..." Kenshin said before going into focus. "Come on, think...how do I control when I go into the Demigod State? What did that Rift Hag tell me before?"

(flashback)

Dana walked around Kenshin as he lifted the elemental weights. "I want you to start spinning them, keeping them suspended in air." She said.

"Huh?" Kenshin said, setting them down for a moment. "Why?"

"Because you should be able to blend your power together with the elements." Dana said. "I've begun to sense a wellspring of power inside you, but it's locked deep within. With practice you should be able to call this power forth."

"What would spinning the weights do about it?" Kenshin asked.

"Think about it. It's an example. If you can practice it on the outside of your body, you should be able to do it with the power inside of you. Making it swirl around inside you until it's under so much pressure that it has no other choice but to burst forth." Dana said.

"..." Kenshin sent her a deadpanned stare. "OK, I know you're trying to give training advice, but that just sounded dirty."

"Yes, Yes it was on purpose." Dana shrugged, twirling her parasol.

"Just a quick question before you inexplicably bail on me, after probably doubling the weights on me again." Kenshin said. "Where exactly is this power you're sensing from me?"

"About...here." Dana said jabbing her index finger against his chest.

"Gaaah!" Kenshin gasped out in pain from the amount of force she used. "Damn it, fucking quit that shit!" Kenshin said swinging the earth weight into her face, knocking her onto her back.

"Oh ho? You got me on my back boy, are you planning on taking advantage of me to prepare for Kitty?" Dana said with a demure smirk.

"...You are not my type." Kenshin grunted.

"What? Don't like full figured women? I can change my form." Dana goaded.

"I mean you're fucking crazy! This has nothing to do with your physical form!" Kenshin snapped as Dana got up.

"Your Loss." Dana said with a shrug.

"Somehow I doubt it." Kenshin drawled. "Anyway...why there?"

"That's your center, your core." Dana said. "Where else would great power be stored?"

"..." Kenshin looked down at his chest. "Hrm..."

"What is it?" Dana asked.

"Nothing, I'm just wondering how to make it flow." Kenshin said. "I mean...a whirlpool or a maelstrom has to be out." Kenshin said.

"Hm? Why?" Dana asked.

"Because...I just don't understand what could make such a deep power surge forth. It happened once against Yama for a split second, but I've never been able to replicate it." Kenshin said.

"Well, you also mentioned being angered during that fight, maybe you subconsciously did it." Dana commented. "You know, without realizing it."

"..." Kenshin said nothing as he sat down, floating in mid air, spinning the weights.

(flashback end)

"..." Kenshin's brow twitched. "Make the energy swirl..." He muttered.

"Eh?" Rias said.

"Don't pay attention to what I say." Kenshin said, but paused. "Actually before you do that...can you bring out your familiar?" Kenshin asked.

"M-My Familiar?" Rias asked.

"Yeah." Kenshin said. Rias nodded hesitantly and a small bat creature appeared in her hand. "Hmn." Kenshin chuckled a bit. "Shame, I preferred your human form." He teased, making the flying bat blush, yelling at him in bat. "Anyway." He pulled out a couple of cards. "I need you to look for a signature that feels like mine, but not quite like mine, like it has more youki than normal." Kenshin said. "Do you understand?"

The bat nodded and took the two cards into his mouth. "Go, and be careful, use the alleyways if you have to." Rias nodded. Her familiar nodded and took off.

"Alright." Kenshin said as he stood up.

"Weren't you going to meditate?" Rias asked.

"I still am, but I recognize that a different pose is needed." Kenshin said. "Just keep me safe, OK Rias?" Kenshin asked.

"Of course!" Rias said before smiling at Kenshin. "You still have to make me your bride after all."

"Heh...and I fully intend to." Kenshin said as he closed his eyes, raising his hands to chest level, putting the knuckles of both of his hands, hands relaxed, bending slightly inward, while he squared his shoulders. "Imagining a whirlpool or a maelstrom doesn't exactly feel right...they both have an end at some point...and what if that's not enough? Then again, why'd it activate when Ialda blasted me through the back? Did she accidentally break the shell for me?" He shook his head. "Forget it. She's not likely to do that again, and it's too risky. I promised them I'd come out of this alive." He thought before he realized something about the way he was poised right now.

"The way my hands are positioned, fingers bent inward, gestured toward my shoulders, which are squared up...could I actually do it that way?" Kenshin thought. "...Run my youki, mana, the elements, touki, and senjutsu through my right hand, down my right forearm, up the right bicep, through the right shoulder blade and pectoral, into my chest and into my left hand...and repeat the same process...over and...over again...building strength with each pass." He thought.

"?" Rias had just blasted a horde of Ialda's shadow demons away when she felt a power surge, light though it was coming from Kenshin. "Kenshin, is everything alright?"

"Y-Yeah...I...I just think I may have stumbled onto something." Kenshin replied. "No more talk though...I need to focus...this may take awhile."

"Right. I need to focus too." Rias said waving her hand, creating a wave of destruction magic in front of her before it morphed into several spears which all flew into another horde of Ialda's shadow demons, detonating on impact into an explosion of crimson magic that obliterated them. Rias smirked a bit at this. "Kenshin's spear technique sure does come in handy." She thought.

Back in Lucifer's Castle, Sun Wukong leaned in for a closer look. "While it looks like Kenshin-boya won't be doing much for awhile, could you give us a frontal view of him Sirzechs-Sama?"

"Sure, but why?" Sirzechs said as he did what Sun Wukong asked.

"...That pose..." Sun Wukong said.

"Hrmn..." Azazel spared a glance at Ophis who stood next to Sun Wukong, watching silently.

"Could he really be trying that?" Sun Wukong pondered.

"What is it Monkey King?" Ajuka asked.

"He's running power through his body from a particular starting point. Probably his dominant hand. Sending it through the arm, past the shoulder, down through the chest and into his left hand to repeat the same process from the opposite side." Sun Wukong said.

"Wait, would such a thing be possible?" Michael asked. "Wouldn't he have to send it back through his left shoulder and on through his arm?"

"You would think, but no. His hands are firmly pressed against his chest and his shoulders are squared up." Sun Wukong said.

"It's almost like he's turning his upper body into an infinity symbol...or rather and Ouroboros insignia." Azazel said. "Slowly building his power with each pass through his chest, and I mean all of it."

"Yes, he's slowly, steadily taking in Senjutsu to add to the mix." Sun Wukong said. "The Elements, mana, youki and touki flow with it."

"But why? What could be meaning behind it?" Zeoticus asked.

"..." Sirzechs closed his eyes before looking back at the screen. "He's trying to release the power he used before."

"Yeah." Azazel nodded. "He's trying to achieve the Demigod State consciously."

"Dana did mention that a great power was contained deep within him, so he could be trying to break it out." Sun Wukong said with a thoughtful look.

"But his mind can't handle it, won't it be-" Serafall was cut off.

"He'll be able to handle it this time." Ophis said.

"?" Everyone turned to her.

"Last time he was consumed by fury...this time he only wants this to end. His long standing conflict with Ialda Baoth." Ophis said. "He also wants to come back home with everyone else."

"Hmn..." Sun Wukong chuckled. "I think it'd be best to believe Ophis. She's known Kenshin in a way longer than anyone."

"Hmn, I agree." Sirzechs said with a smile.

Back with Kenshin, he heard the spirit's voices in his head. "Wheeee! This is fun Kenshin-Chan!" Sylph said as she and the other three spirits swirled about inside him. "A-Aah!" She yelped after Gnome smacked her

"Sylph, be quiet. Kenshin needs to concentrate." Undine scolded.

"Seriously, read the room sis." Salamander said. "This is fun, but it's also important."

"Sylph, I don't wanna clip your wings but they're right. I need to focus." Kenshin thought. "I like the cheerfulness, but please keep quiet."

To Kenshin's surprise Sylph only pouted a bit. "Mou~! OK Kenshin-Chan, if it's you that's asking. I'll clam up."

The other spirits were surprised at this too. "Wait...all we have to do is ask Kenshin to tell her to put a sock in it?"

"It's more than that." Kenshin thought having heard them mutter.

"Then what is it?" Undine asked, worried about the grave tone Kenshin used.

"If this doesn't work..if I don't get to the Demigod State..." Kenshin trailed off.

"Kenshin?" Salamander said.

"...We may all be doomed."

(chapter end)

Draconis: FOR FUCK'S SAKE!

Kenshin: Whoa dude, you alright?

Draconis: No! I am not alright! Though I thought this chapter turned out better in the end, it didn't need to take four months to write!

Rias: (Watches blankly as Draconis rants off into the distance) Um...Kenshin, mind filling in everyone on what's going on.

Kenshin: Right...um well. After Drac's broken hand healed, he fully intended to dive back into writing, evidenced by him posting on the side story, so don't worry Raynare, your time with Issei is still coming.

Raynare: Meh, I'm a patient woman, considering what's happened to me, and the author.

Kenshin: OK, so basically. Drac's house has bugs and they managed to fry his motherboard and processor, for anyone with tech knowledge. Those ain't cheap to replace. In addition to buying enough bug bombs to nuke the house, he has to hock out for these parts. He's still waiting on the processor, which is the only remaining problem.

Issei: Then how is this being posted?

Kenshin: Borrowing an all in one computer.

Issei: Aaah...

Kenshin: Anyway..

Draconis: (Back from his rant) Whew! Man I needed that. Anyway, next time we see what everyone else is doing. Who knows when it will be out

Anyway, see you all next time...or next year probably!

Draconis678 out.