Chapter 16: Business, Diplomacy, and Power

It was after several more days of training that Koneko and Issei received a visitor on the mountain. Surprisingly, it was Azazel who came to greet them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you guys, but something has come up with Lord and Lady Gremory. They want to have a chat with Issei. So, a small break is in order for the two of you," he said.

It was not much later that the two teenagers were back at the Gremory estate. While Koneko was sent to her room, Issei was taken to another part of the building.

The room he entered seemed to be an office of some description, even if it was overly spacious for one. At the main desk was seated Zeoticus; Venelana stood behind him. On a chair in front of the desk sat Rias. There was another chair beside her which was empty. It was there that Issei was directed to sit. It seemed to him that Azazel had not lied, and that there was indeed business to discuss.

"I am sure you have an inkling as to the reason for this meeting, so I will not beat around the bush," said Zeoticus. "To make it short, the experiment was a success. Both Alicia and Jebra are pregnant."

Issei remembered Jebra. She was a member of Zeoticus Peerage and belonged to his harem. She had been the second woman on whom Issei had tested the fertility boost. He was somewhat bothered that neither she nor Alicia were present, but he did not show his discomfort. Instead, he gave voice to his thoughts to the news.

"So my plan could work?" he asked.

It was Venelana who answered: "Your initial idea was meant well but also far too naïve. While your genuine desire to make amends by offering this service for free is admirable, it undersells its true value."

That was confusing. Issei had thought that the Phenex House was upset and had to be appeased. He had thought long and hard to come up with his idea, yet there seemed to be a flaw in it.

"I don't understand," he said. "I thought the point was to smooth things out with the Phenex."

"You underestimate the impact of politics and social significance. What you have presented is no ordinary business idea, Issei Hyoudou. You must understand just what your ability means," said Zeoticus.

Venelana elaborated: "The birth rate among Devils is low, especially among pure-blooded Devils. That is why Rias was originally engaged to Riser in the first place. Cancelling that arrangement has hurt our reputation because it made it appear as though House Gremory did not care about the continuation of pure Devil lines. However, your ability to practically guarantee conception between two pure-blooded Devils negates this perception entirely. Any pillar house would cancel an engagement to secure such an ability, even if it were an engagement to the prestigious House Bael, the family of the Great King. As such, the cancellation of the betrothal agreement with House Phenex is no longer considered a scandal but merely an impolite incident."

"I still don't understand entirely," said Issei. "I gather that it's good for House Gremory and that the... uh… problem is partway solved, but I still don't know what the best way to deal with House Phenex is."

Venelana sighed. "It appears that we will have to tutor you extensively in such matters. To answer your question, House Phenex will not receive your services for free unless the attempt ends in failure. They will, however, be the first to be offered these services, at a slight discount."

"Is that not a bit fast?" asked Rias.

She looked a bit uncomfortable, but her face was mostly unreadable. Issei had the impression that she was a bit nervous. He was not very smart, but he understood that something about the situation did not sit right with her. His first idea, upon which he acted, was to take her hand in his and give it a slight squeeze. The faint hint of a smile entered her face, and she squeezed back, but her gaze stayed focussed on her parents.

"Do not worry, Rias," said Venelana. "We will certainly not hurry to advertise this before Issei has reached a level of strength that will discourage kidnappings."

"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Issei.

"As we have just discussed, your ability is very valuable. It is not much of a stretch to imagine that someone would attempt to secure it by force," explained Zeoticus.

Rias' hand squeezed harder as she heard this. "The risk is… I will never let something like that happen to a servant of mine, least of all my boyfriend. You are right that I am worried about it, however. Ise, you must get stronger fast."

Understanding the danger he would be in once word got out, Issei said: "I'll achieve Balance Breaker in no time, and before you know it, I'll be the strongest. You won't have to worry about me."

She smiled at him, and both Zeoticus and Venelana chuckled. "That is a good resolution to have," said Zeoticus.

"Indeed," added Venelana. "We will tentatively reach out to the Phenex once the Rating Games of the gathering of Young Devils are over. They will understand the need for discretion. As it stands, we do not plan to advertise young Issei's services until he is a more… entrenched member of House Gremory."

Rias tensed a bit as her mother gave her a look, but she nodded at the older woman. "I understand," she said.

Venelana looked pleased. "Excellent."

Zeoticus then said: "That is everything from our side for now. You may leave."

Rias stood up, and Issei followed her example. He bowed politely and then made to follow Rias as she turned to leave the room.

Once they were in the corridor, Rias sighed. "That was stressful."

"I was a bit nervous too," said Issei as he scratched his chin. "I don't understand much about business and politics."

"You will learn. You will have to. I will be the head of House Gremory one day, and those by my side cannot be ignorant in that regard," said Rias.

Issei nodded. "I'll be diligent. I'd do a lot more than just study for you, Rias. It's a small sacrifice if it means I can stay together with you."

She smiled at him and gave him a short peck on the lips. "I'm glad you think so. I sadly have to see to certain issues now, but we will spend some time together in the evening."

"You have to go already? But I've missed you!" whined Issei.

She leaned forward and kissed him again, then whispered in his ear: "We'll be sleeping in Asia's bed tonight, no matter if it's improper or not. She and I have missed you too."

He felt a dopey grin spread on his face, and she could not help but laugh. "Now go. Relax a bit on your day off, and if you crave conversation, there is always Koneko, no?" After a pause, she added: "Akeno is around as well today. Looking at your arm, your dragon aura needs to be drained from it. If I had the time, I would take care of it myself, but I do not. Akeno should be free, though."

"I see. I will talk to them if I see them," said Issei.

After a short second of hesitation, he took the initiative and placed a kiss on Rias' lips. "I'll see you tonight," he said.

Koneko sighed as she relaxed on the bed of her assigned quarters. The matter she had been putting off laid heavy on her mind. Practicing Senjutsu had been okay so far, but unleashing her nature as a Nekoshou was another beast entirely. She was still afraid, despite the safety measures. Nevertheless, she was beginning to convince herself to see the thing through. It was simply hard to get started.

She knew she was not alone with this problem. Akeno faced a similar conundrum, and the older girl had no safety net like she did. Then again, Akeno's unwanted heritage was less volatile. That fact did little to change the attached baggage, however. As it was, both girls were struggling to make progress.

I wonder what kind of progress she is making, thought Koneko.

Just then, a knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.

"Enter," she said.

The person who entered the room was the one she had just thought about. As Akeno stepped into the room, she could not help but think: Speak of the Devil and she shall appear.

"Hello, Koneko. I heard you were here today and came to check up on you," said the dark-haired girl.

That was heartening to know. Akeno was a truly caring sort of person. She spent a lot of time ensuring that her fellow Peerage members were alright. Really, when she was not either horny or bloodthirsty, she was the very model of a senior. It always felt good to have her compassionate attention.

"Thanks for coming by. I'm doing fine. Training is tough, though," replied Koneko. "I'm getting to the point where I can… deal with what I am."

Akeno understood immediately. Her gaze softened as she said: "It's hard, isn't it? I think I'm approaching that point too. It… well, there is some difficulty with it. Still, there is something I want to do, a goal I have for when I can finally get past this hurdle. That makes it easier."

"… I see," said Koneko pensively.

A goal was indeed conducive to results. Koneko was well-aware that the absence of such a thing was hurting her prospects of making progress. She would settle for an absence of fear, and she was well on her way to get there. What she needed, however, was a push in the right direction.

Hoping that her friend could help, she made a leap of faith. She let herself go and displayed the signs of her Nekoshou heritage. A pair of fluffy white cat ears appeared on her head, and an equally fluffy white tail sprouted from her tailbone. The feeling was oddly liberating, yet apprehension remained.

"Oh my, how adorable you are like that," teased Akeno.

"… I hate what these ears and that tail represent," said Koneko.

Akeno's teasing smile vanished. A bitter one took its place. "I know what you mean," she said.

"Still," continued the white-haired girl, "I must push through."

"That takes bravery. I'm proud of you for doing your best," praised the [Queen].

Koneko smiled and was about to respond when yet another knock sounded at her door.

"Koneko? Are you there?"

It was Issei's voice. Koneko almost hid her additional appendages, but she eventually decided not to. It was time to face the music where he was concerned.

"Come in," she said.

The boy entered her room. When he did, he paused. He seemed surprised to see Akeno in the room as well. When his eyes fell on Koneko, there was wonder in them.

I hope I didn't trigger some weird catgirl fetish in him, she thought cynically. Knowing him, that was probably a forlorn hope, though.

"I'm kind of confused," he said after several seconds of silence.

Akeno giggled at those words, and Koneko was amused as well. He was not the brightest, and that was irritating at most times, but it served to break the tension in this instance. It made talking about the elephant in the room easier.

"I guess I owe you an explanation," said Koneko with a sigh. "Everyone else in the Peerage knows, so you should as well."

"I'm listening," said Issei, his tone serious.

"As you can see, I was not human before I became a Devil," began Koneko. "I'm a Nekoshou, a rare species of Nekomata. There are very few of us left. It… is entirely possible that I'm one of only two left in the world. And the world is not kind to rare specimens."

She felt Akeno take her hand and squeeze it in support. Issei reached out to do the same, although he hesitated. She appreciated the thought nonetheless.

Koneko continued: "My elder sister and I were orphaned young."

"You have a sister?" asked Issei.

"That is a big part of the story," answered the white-haired girl. "Fending for ourselves was impossible. Fortunately for us, a Devil took us in and made Kuroka, my sister, a member of his Peerage. We were cared for at that point, but it didn't last.

"Nekoshou have an inborn affinity for Senjutsu. We learn it fast, take to it like a fish to water, and we are generally better at it than others. But Senjutsu is risky. Do it wrong, and madness takes you. That happened to my sister. As she grew stronger, she lost control of her Senjutsu and killed her master. Then she fled and left me behind."

Koneko's hands balled into fists. She had a hard time suppressing her tears as she went on: "Seeing as I am a Nekoshou, I carry the same risk within me as Kuroka. I was imprisoned, and the higher-ups in the government debated my execution."

"They what?!" yelled Issei.

His earlier hesitation was gone. He grabbed her hand like a lifeline as though to make sure that she was there. She felt a strange warmth blossom in her chest as he did so.

It's sweet that he cares. It almost makes me forget that he's a shameless pervert, she thought.

She also felt Akeno squeeze her other hand in support. The comfort she felt from her friends' actions gave her the emotional strength to finish her tale without breaking up.

She said: "I was fortunate that Lord Lucifer intervened. He freed me and introduced me to Rias. I became her [Rook] and tried to forget about everything that had happened before that." She sighed. "As you can see, I wasn't successful."

"I see…," said Issei. "So that is what Kiyo and his group were talking about."

Koneko blinked in surprise. "You heard that?" she asked.

"My hearing is surprisingly good," said Issei in answer. "I overheard them talking to you about unleashing your heritage or something like that. You seemed really hesitant. I guess this is why."

"Yes," replied Koneko. "There are safety measures, so I'm slowly working up the courage to try it and stop holding back."

"Is there any way I can help?" asked Issei.

There was a small bout of laughter from Akeno. She commented: "That is sweet of you, Ise, but some things must be handled by oneself."

Koneko agreed. This was something she would have to tackle herself. Issei seemed to hesitantly accept that answer too, even if he did so reluctantly.

"Come to think of it, you face a similar problem, right?" he asked the dark-haired girl.

Akeno nodded and answered: "Yes. You have already helped me as much as you could with your words back at the shrine. The rest I must do myself. I'm sure Koneko feels the same way about her situation."

"I do," agreed the young Nekoshou.

Issei seemed hesitant, but eventually, he said: "I… understand. Still, I want to say a few things to each of you. I won't interfere further, but I have to say those words. I won't be able to sleep well if I don't."

Akeno giggled and said: "Then say them."

He nodded resolutely and spoke: "Akeno. I don't care where your wings or your powers come from, but they're yours, and that makes them beautiful."

For the first time in her life, Koneko got to witness the older girl being utterly speechless. A deep blush spread on Akeno's face, but not a single sound escaped her lips.

Koneko held her breath when Issei went to address her: "I once heard this: 'Power depends upon the heart of its wielder.' That is why I know that you won't go mad from Senjutsu. There is no way your power could ever be bad; because you're a good person."

"Heh. Power depends on the heart of its wielder… Where did you get the line from?" asked Koneko.

Issei's face showed embarrassment as he answered: "It's from a video game."

"Figures," said the younger girl. "But there is truth to it, I suppose, most of all for you."

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Issei.

Koneko told him: "You are a… gentle Red Dragon Emperor. Looking at the past, all of the previous ones went insane in their hunger for power and their lust for battle. You are not like that. You have your obsessions, but you've never taken anything… or anyone by force. That makes you unique amongst the Dragon Emperors, Red or White."

"She is right, you know?" said Akeno from the side. "They call you the weakest Red Dragon Emperor to ever exist, but I don't think so. It simply takes a different kind of strength to be like you."

"Indeed," agreed Koneko. "So, please stay this gentle kind of Red Dragon Emperor."

"Though you can be as rough with me as you like, fufufufu," interrupted Akeno.

Issei blushed at those words, and Koneko suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she opted to ignore Akeno and finish her statement: "I think I can follow your example, Ise. If you can be a gentle Red Dragon Emperor, then I can be a gentle Nekoshou."

"You two are inspirational," said Akeno.

Her voice had lost its playfulness, and there was a soft smile on her face. It was a really attractive sort of expression, Koneko thought. It conveyed the older girl's sincerity.

"As long as it helps you, that's good for me," said Issei.

Akeno giggled in a girly way Koneko had rarely heard her do. She replied with: "Speaking of helping, I can't help but notice that your left arm is overflowing with dragon aura."

That was true. Issei's left forearm had a draconic appearance. It had taken on that form after he had sacrificed the limb to Ddraig in order to unlock a very limited incomplete Balance Breaker. It was how he had won his duel with Riser. Consequently, the arm had to be routinely drained of dragon aura to return to human appearance. There had been no opportunity to do so during the training trip, seeing as only Rias and Akeno had the ability to perform the draining procedure.

"Ah, yes," said Issei with a hint of embarrassment. "I was wondering if you could take care of that today. I was going to look for you after visiting Koneko, but since you were already here…"

"Ufufufu, it's alright, Ise," said Akeno.

She pushed him down on the edge of the bed into a sitting position. Her next move was to grab Koneko by the shoulders, surprising the white-haired girl, and drag her over next to Issei.

"Akeno, what are you doing?" she asked.

The older girl gave her a teasing smile and answered: "I thought I should show you how to drain the dragon aura. You currently lack the magical ability to do it, but you're not far off. Who knows, you may be able to do it after your training is over."

Debating with herself internally, Koneko eventually agreed: "Fine. Show me."

"Don't worry; I will," said Akeno.

The older girl then knelt down in front of Issei. Her pose was far too lewd to be necessary; that much Koneko could see.

"Pervert," muttered the Nekoshou.

Akeno ignored her and instead grabbed Issei's arm. She spoke huskily: "Oh my, you're positively throbbing. So pent up. Let me help you release that tension. Just pour it all into my mouth. I'll swallow it all up, I promise."

Half a minute later, Koneko was sure that neither the excessive amount of licking nor the overly loud moaning were necessary for the procedure. Not that she complained.

Why is that so hot? Damn it, Akeno, why can't you do anything normally? You're turning me into a pervert, she thought.

She nearly slapped herself for thinking that way. Her body and mind were betraying her, thanks to her hormones going haywire. She did not mind as much as she had used to, but it was still a distraction.

Why can't I have a single normal day? she lamented.

Naruto's life was not one that lent itself to the concept of ordinary days. That said, it was still a surprise to be called off the war front to settle a minor diplomatic dispute. In typical Naruto Uzumaki fashion, however, he faced the problem head-on. He had a feeling that his interlocutors would not get the experience they were used to.

"I'm not apologising," he said to the crowd of political animals. "I sent Kiyo here with the intention of letting him deliver insults."

"That is outrageous!" said one of the old Devils.

"Is it?" asked the Shinobi. "It was you who delivered the first insult. You did so deliberately and without care for the treaty your government has just recently signed."

His statement was as true as it was inflaming. He wondered if any of these old fogies picked up on it. Perhaps they were the usual group of old politicians; arrogant and completely ignorant of their own faults and insults. He did not expect them to understand just what he meant, so he would explain it to them. It had to be said that it was somewhat petty, but Naruto was more than willing to be so when it came to family.

Predictably, the old Devils tried their best not to look like the bunch of oblivious hacks they were and instead shunted off their responsibility like the average politician.

"Should issues you have with the Devil government not be addressed with them? Lady Leviathan in particular is responsible for foreign affairs," said one of them.

Naruto snorted and answered: "I did tell her. I gave her an official communiqué for you lot after the Kuoh Treaty was signed. It outlines the basics of the diplomatic relations between the Devil government the Uzumaki Clan in terms of the treaty. She did her job and gave you the damn thing. You guys, on the other hand, sat on your arses and did exactly nothing to correct the thing that violates the stipulations of the treaty."

"We spotted no such thing in the document you provided," said one of the old Devils, a woman for once.

"Of course you didn't. You don't consider reincarnated Devils people, so you missed your treaty violation," said Naruto, agitating the politicians. "Just so we don't have to play the guessing game, I'm gonna tell you where you fucked up. The section in particular is the one on due process for foreign nationals. The document I sent you specifically mentioned one Koneko Toujou, and that she has been adopted into the Uzumaki Clan with the approval of the Satans, thus granting her dual citizenship and making her more or less a foreign national. You have, ignoring due process, placed a kill order on her in case she ever loses control of her Senjutsu. Your failure to rescind that order is a blatant violation of the Kuoh Treaty."

The old Devils stared at him in disbelief. "You raise such a fuss over a minor detail such as this?"

"She is a daughter of the Uzumaki Clan!" yelled Naruto. His voice was like thunder, and his words were the storm. He was a goofball most of the time, but family he took very seriously. "I don't care if you consider that a big deal; heck, I don't care if she does. Fact of the matter is, she is one of us. We don't tolerate unlawful kill orders on our own."

"The girl is too great a danger. You know this. You must have seen the reports if you have adopted her," said a Devil politician.

"The insult to detective work you call an investigation isn't worth the paper its report was printed on," said Naruto blandly, "though it fits that circus you pretend is your justice system perfectly. There were no trials, neither for Koneko nor for her older sister. You've placed unlawful kill orders on both of them because your nobles bitched and whined hard enough. That's not due process; it's a fucking insult. Not only that, it's two diplomatic incidents waiting to happen."

"Two?"

The question came from Serafall. She and the other Satans were present, although they had remained silent so far. With the prospect of an internation political nightmare, however, the Satan of Foreign Affairs had to step in.

"Why yes," answered Naruto. "Not only is the kill order on Koneko an obvious insult to the Uzumaki Clan, but the kill orders on both sisters are gonna get you in really hot water with the East Youkai Faction if you ever go through with them. You see, my investigation, conducted by people who can't be bribed with a headpat and a promise of a meaningless promotion like the idiots the nobles hired, has brought up some interesting information. The sisters' mother, one Fujimai, was a personal acquaintance of Nurarihyon. So, going through with the kill orders would not only mean pissing him off for killing the children of an old friend of his but also putting the entire East Youkai Faction into a frenzy for causing the extinction of the Nekoshou, a clan of Youkai that has historically been part of their faction."

That was putting it mildly. Nurarihyon may have been a genial fellow most of the time, but he did not screw around. If the Devils ever did kill Koneko and Kuroka, they would experience genocidal levels of hostility from the East Youkai Faction. They would not rest until the Devil Clans responsible for the extinction of the Nekoshou were exterminated down to the last member. No place east of Kyoto would be safe for any Devil.

"That sounds overly excessive. I doubt that Lord Nurarihyon would resort to drastic measures because of a criminal and an unimportant child," said an old Devil. "There is no benefit to such actions."

Naruto laughed. It was a full-bellied laugh that carried no small amount of mockery. "Right, and you'd let someone who exterminated a Pillar Clan walk away simply because it would be too much effort to pursue them. Do you even think about the nonsense you're spouting? Who let a senile idiot like you into the upper echelon of Devil politics? Besides, Kuroka is only an alleged criminal."

"She killed her master. That makes her a criminal," stated one of the Devils.

"She killed her master, yes. You lot do know that there's such a thing as lawful killing, though, right? I hope you do since you actually wrote the laws your society follows," said Naruto in response.

That was when Sirzechs entered the conversation. As Satan of Internal Affairs, he was well-versed in law.

He said: "That is true. There is lawful killing, however, a reincarnated Devil can only legally kill their master under one circumstance."

"I know. Rape, abuse, torture, organ trade, and severe mutilation are no grounds to rebel in your code of law; no wonder you get Strays like crazy. Only treason is sufficient grounds," interrupted Naruto. "But since the Devils investigating the case were either too stupid, too incompetent, or too corrupt to do the job, that was never even considered. What my own investigators found instead was evidence of bribes, blackmail, and political favours. Sounds highly suspicious to me."

An old Devil interrupted him and asked: "What gives you the right to investigate our affairs?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow and asked back: "Apart from the fact that it involves a daughter of the Uzumaki Clan? There is a suspicion of treason that the Devil government seemingly just can't investigate themselves. It's the Uzumaki Clan's duty as allies to lend all possible assistance. We have taken over the investigation as an expression of that assistance."

The interrogation of Diodora Astaroth had yielded many interesting results. Not only was the degenerate deep in cahoots with the Old Satan Faction and the Khaos Brigade, he also had connections to the Naberius and Nebiros households. Their research had given him access to gadgets which had let him approach so many churches and monasteries undetected. That these same gadgets had never been reported to the government stank of secrets… potentially seditious secrets, especially if they also made deals with the Old Satan Faction. It was more than sufficient grounds to investigate the two households for treason.

There was also a reason why Naruto blatantly announced this to this crowd of corrupt nobles. It got them to focus on him, and it put them in a state of urgency to cover up their shady dealings. Ironically, this would make it easier for his ANBU to infiltrate their operations and acquire valuable intel. Besides, if they acted in an obvious manner, it would be an admission of guilt.

"Your jurisdiction does not extend that far. Only extreme emergencies and war are sufficient reason for such actions," said one of the Devils. His tone was even and calm. "I will admit that the investigation into this case has been substandard, but it is an internal matter."

"I gotta correct you there," interjected Naruto. "I don't know how you missed it, but you are at war. Even if you ignore the Khaos Brigade as a whole, the Old Satan Faction has reignited your civil war with their actions. Some of your noble houses are blatantly making deals with them regardless. That's treason. Two reasons for the Uzumaki Clan to interfere."

That finally got the old Devils to exchange worried glances with each other. It was like they had not even considered this. That was a worrying prospect, but not one Naruto cared for. As far as he was concerned, the Satans were in charge, and the rest could yammer on as much as they wanted. He was beyond caring about their opinions.

"In any case, I gotta get back to the front. I got a war to fight. And again, I'm not apologising," he said.

He then turned around and left the room. He had said what he had wanted to say. The only reason he had even come had been to subtly hand dossiers with interrogation transcripts to the Satans. The rest he really did not care about. It was time to get back to work.

That evening in her bed, Asia was back at work; or at least, her mouth was. The intense kissing she was engaged in demanded as much. Not that she minded. She loved kissing her beloved Issei, and his absence during the training trip had left her deprived of what had become her favourite activity in the world. Unfortunately for her, however, she was not the only one who felt like that.

As the kiss lost steam, she heard Rias' voice: "My turn."

She watched them intently. There was a tiny bit of envy; she wanted to kiss Issei some more. Yet the dominant emotion in her was, much as it had been a shock at first, lust. She loved seeing her boyfriend kiss Rias. There were times she pictured him kissing other girls too, like Akeno or Xenovia, and she found that she did not mind either. That was possibly the aftereffect of what had happened at the hot springs. She had liked watching Akeno touch Rias. She had also liked Xenovia touching her, although her complaints had been honest as well. The point was, she liked watching and being touched by other girls. Rias in particular she found highly attractive. So, watching her and Issei kissing each other was more than pleasing to her.

She had been confused about these feelings. Her upbringing in the Church had disincentivised such thoughts severely. Fortunately, she had a good friend in Aika Kiryuu. While the girl had a tendency to overdo it and intentionally mislead her for her amusement, she was both honest and helpful when giving advice. It involved more innuendo than Asia was sometimes comfortable with, but the human girl always explained things accurately eventually (after one or two misleading pranks, of course). It had been her who had helped Asia come to terms with her preferences.

The former holy maiden blushed as she remembered some of the "lessons" her friend had prepared for her. Asia had spent some time texting with Aika in the evenings, which thankfully worked due to Ajuka Beelzebub's genius in connecting the Underworld with the human world electronically. Much to the blonde girl's embarrassment, her friend had sometimes sent video clips that had clearly be taken at various parties. Aika's captions certainly had not helped stem the blushes.

"Boys love watching girls kiss each other," the text had read.

Going by the video evidence, Aika had clearly been right; and as much as Asia had been embarrassed by the thought initially, the seed had taken root in her mind. She was going to try it.

So, now as she watched Rias kiss Issei, her heart pounded hard. As the two were winding down, she gathered the courage to act.

It's now or never, she thought.

As the two people she loved separated, she threw Rias' previous words back at her: "My turn."

She pushed herself up a bit and leaned forward. She also removed her arm from where it had been wrapped around Issei. She used the now free hand to grab Rias by the back of her head and pulled the redhead towards her, making the redhead's eyes go wide. And then, she smashed her lips against Rias' and shoved her tongue into the stunned girl's mouth in full view of their boyfriend.

Practically by reflex, Rias returned the kiss. It took her a while to regain her mental faculties, at which point she quickly, though not forcefully, drew back.

"What was that?" she asked.

Asia was glad that there was no condemnation in her voice. It was a genuine question without judgement. So, she answered: "We are in a relationship, aren't we? I think it's normal to kiss, especially if we sleep in the same bed. Besides, I… I like girls too. And Ise enjoyed the view, right?"

Issei nodded with a somewhat dopey grin, still trying to process what had happened. "I sure did."

"Y-you like girls too, right?" asked Asia of Rias.

Rias slowly nodded. "I do. Not as much as I like boys, but I do."

"Then there is no problem, is there?" asked Asia shily.

The redhead smiled. "There is not. I was just… startled."

"That's good. Kissing you felt nice, Rias," replied the former nun.

"Likewise," said Rias. "We can do it again."

A mischievous smirk emerged on her face. She turned to their boyfriend and asked him: "What do you say, Ise? Should we kiss again? Put on a show for you?"

"Yes, please!" said Issei enthusiastically.

Rias smiled impishly and said: "That will teach Akeno not to rile up my boyfriend."

"Uh… You know about that?" he asked sheepishly.

"I knew she'd do something to seduce you. I'll show her and you that I'm far better at it than her," she answered.

"I'll help!" said Asia.

"I'm counting on it," said Rias huskily.

She first sat up and then went into a kneeling position, letting the covers fall off her naked body. At her prompting, Asia quickly did the same and stared into Rias' eyes.

"Now watch closely, Ise," spoke the redhead as soon as she was ready. "You may look, and you may touch as much as you like."

She then gently cupped Asia's cheek and drew her closer. Barely an instant later, their lips were locked, and Rias' hand slid down. She grabbed Issei's wrist and put his hand on Asia's chest, then repeated the same for her own bust with the boy's other hand. He squeezed almost by instinct, and the two girls began moaning into each other's mouths, which led to them missing the very brief glow on the boy's left arm. The pleasurable distraction was only exacerbated when Rias reached around Asia's body and began groping her backside; an act which the blonde girl almost unconsciously mirrored.

Asia was enjoying this development very much. The people she loved were touching and kissing her. She felt safe, warm, and happy, not to mention horny. The latter feeling was not as important as the others, however. Her relationship with Issei and Rias had taken its next important step, she felt, and she could not be happier about it.

Of course, things would change again once more girls came into the relationship. She was under no illusions that this would not turn into the harem that was her beloved Issei's dream. Yet, she felt more equipped to tackle these emerging problems than ever.

Perhaps this too was a sort of training. It had nothing to do with combat and everything to do with the heart, but that was her strength. Compassion and kindness were her "weapons," and she wielded them to devastating effect. That said, strength of heart could easily turn into power, especially where Sacred Gears like hers were concerned.

That, however, was not a thought for now. She was too busy kissing Rias to contemplate these thoughts. It was a topic for later, once the real training resumed.

The next day, the mountain beckoned again. At Koneko's request, that day's training took place at the small lake near the top of the mountain. She was ready to progress her training, she thought. She voiced as much to Shizue and Haru.

"I want to continue Senjutsu training," she said.

To emphasise her point, she stopped hiding her Nekoshou appendages. Her cat-like ears twitched somewhat nervously, but her stance was resolute.

"That's good," said Haru. "We can finally take the next step and turn you into a true Sage."

That statement evoked a question from Koneko: "I already thought I was one. Naruto said that achieving Sage Mode means I'm a Sage."

"A beginner level Sage, yes," said Shizue. "But to be a true Sage takes more dedication and a broader understanding of nature."

Haru added: "And one of the prerequisites of understanding nature is to accept one's own nature. Up until now, you've rejected an integral part of who and what you are. If that hadn't changed, you would've been a beginner forever."

"… I see," said Koneko.

It made sense. Naruto's Senjutsu was immeasurably strong. He had to have done something to achieve this level of competency in it. If achieving Sage Mode had been all there was to it, there would not have been such a big gap in their level of ability. All that considered, she accepted the explanation she had been given.

Soon, she sat cross-legged on the ground and focussed on nature. Now that she was no longer suppressing her Nekoshou heritage, natural energy flowed to her much faster than before. It seemed almost eager to mesh with her own energy. And therein lay the problem.

It was not just eagerness she felt. Pain, rage, hatred, and malice entered her perception. They crept into her in a most unpleasant fashion. The sensation felt oily, sticky, and filthy. A deep shudder threatened to manifest, but Koneko suppressed the urge. The foreign emotions where nearly overwhelming. To combat them, Koneko repeated her Sensei's lessons in her head like a mantra.

Nature does not care. Nature has no emotion. Nature is the living and the lifeless. There is no will, no desire, no feeling. Nature simply is.

The malice slowly ebbed away. It was replaced by an eerie calm. This was the carelessness of nature. Naruto's words were true, and Koneko felt the nothingness where others would have sought nature's will. Life was the only part of nature to which words like intent could apply, and it was only a small part of the greater whole. The young Nekoshou reached into this great whole, and she began to become part of it.

Whack!

"Ow!"

Koneko rubbed her head as she glared at Haru. He had hit her with a black rod.

"You were committing a beginner mistake and nearly turned to stone," said the man. "A true Sage is not merely part of nature. You must become the part of it that gives it a direction. Nature has no will, so you implant it with yours. What you were doing was surrendering your own will. The consequences of that are lethal without supervision."

"I know," she grumbled.

Haru replied: "I'm aware, but you need to internalise it. As a Sage, you must impose your will upon nature like a regent. You fear the potential loss of control too much. It makes you hesitant, and hesitation means death. Be decisive and take control."

Koneko stared him in the eyes. "I'll try."

Half a dozen attempts and a massive headache later, she realised that she was nowhere close to her goal. She had made some progress, but that was limited to an increase in time until petrification set in. The task ahead of her was not an easy one.

This might take some time, she thought drily.

.

Several days had passed since then. Time was running out, in more ways than one. While the match against the Sitri peerage was less than a week away, the more pressing event was the party that preceded it. It would take place on the following day, cutting in the already scarce time left for training. No effort could be spared in that remaining time.

Koneko was trying harder than ever to achieve her goal. It was hard, immensely so, but she was making progress. The biggest remaining impediment to it still remained, however. She still feared losing control, although her instructors had begun chipping away at it. Even Tanning had encouraged her while chasing her and Issei around the mountain.

So far, she had succeeded only partially. While a true grasp of the technique still eluded her, she had achieved a milestone in her training she had thought lost. She had re-acquired the ability to forcibly expel the nature energy within her on her own. It did not sound like much, but it sped up training, and it hurt a whole lot less than being hit with the rod.

It was frustrating nonetheless. Progress came too slow. She wanted to abandon her perceived weakness, but she was also afraid of losing herself. The problem was-

A bright green light interrupted her train of thought. She whipped her head around to its source, only to spy Issei. He was naked due to Tannin's flame burning all his clothes away. The only piece of "clothing" left on him was the red gauntlet on his left arm; a gauntlet that shone bright enough to be nearly blinding.

It took barely a second for her to understand what was happening before her eyes. She saw as the gauntlet expanded, enveloping Issei's entire body in the form of an armour. Unlike previous times when it had been incomplete, it looked more refined this time. There was no mistaking it. Issei had achieved Balance Breaker.

"Whoooooo! I knew it! I knew that the memories of poking Rias and Asia's nipples would unleash my hidden power!" shouted the boy.

Irritation grew in Koneko, even as Tanning laughed himself silly and the Shinobi quietly despaired. She knew her own thoughts had not been particularly pure recently, but did he have to announce his proclivities to the whole world?

"Shut up, pervert!" she yelled at him.

Figures that he would still be like that, she thought. Not even Balance Breaker can change who he… oh.

It was then that an epiphany that hit her. Issei was still the same perverted idiot as always. The power that flowed through him now had driven others insane before, but not him. He had something to ground him, even if it was something as silly as an obsession with breasts.

Koneko had something to ground her too.

Rias, Akeno, Yuuto, Gasper, Asia…. Ise, Naruto. My friends. So long as I have them, I can do this.

So, she sank back into meditation. She brushed off the rage and malice of nature, and she cast away her fear with them. She sank deeper into nature and found the place at its centre, where will was a lost concept. There, she drove her own will into nature. There was no resistance as power flowed into Koneko's body and spirit. It was the power to feel and control nature around her to a degree she had not been capable of before. She had succeeded.

"Well, well, well, look who's just become a true Sage," said Haru with a pleased grin on his face.

Koneko allowed a satisfied smirk to creep onto her face as she opened her golden eyes.

"I did it."

AN: Greetings, dear readers! Welcome back to my story. I hope you've enjoyed this chapter.

Issei's business idea has had its effects, the political implications of which will have to wait, sadly. While the current loss of prestige the Gremorys suffer from is grating, it's temporary. And Devils have patience; they're long-lived after all. Now is not the time to reveal the fertility boosting feature of Boosted Gear, but it will come.

We also have a heart-to-heart between Koneko, Akeno and Issei. Encouragement was exchanged, and Akeno got to have her fun.
(She's was also very much aware that Rias would attempt to trump her seduction technique. Rias is sadly a bit oblivious to that fact.)

We've also had Uzumaki diplomacy 101 going on. Naruto, being Naruto, is blunt, of course, but his tenure as Hokage taught him subtlety and misdirection. His obvious moves hurt, but his hidden ones are deadly. Devil Aristocracy won't know what hit them once he's finished.

There has been some bonding between Rias, Asia, and Issei as well. I won't lie; the scene is very much in fanservice territory, but it is also relationship development and plot progression. I intend to treat the harem as a concept seriously, which means that the girls in it bond as well.
Now, some of you might say that all the girls in the harem being into each other is far-fetched and unrealistic… and you might be right if this were the real world, but it's not. There is some creative freedom afforded to me, I think. Plus, I'm of the opinion that the only actually straight characters in Rias' Peerage are Issei and Gasper (and later Bennia).

And finally, the training has paid off. Issei's nightly escapades with Rias and Asia have sped up his quest to achieve Balance Breaker. Koneko, being inspired and having actual instruction, achieved her goal as well. Both Kuroka and the Sitri Peerage are in for a bag of surprises.

At this point, I would like to thank all my readers, especially those who have favourited, followed, and reviewed. It's a joy to see so many people read and enjoy my story.

Furthermore, I'm announcing that the surgery for my carpal tunnel syndrome will take place in early October. After that, I will have to let my hand recover for three whole weeks. As a consequence, chapter 18 will likely be delayed, even if chapter 17 will show up on schedule.

With all that said, I will now release you into the wider internet. Until next time. Be happy and healthy, everyone!