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.

32. The Black Dragon of Destruction

Draconis: Kenshin, stop pacing around.

Kenshin: Shut up.

Draconis: (whacks Kenshin over the head with a hammer) Don't tell me to shut up. I'm the author which means if I want to put you in a scene, dancing jauntily half naked with Sirzechs, Azazel, Raiser and Issei, then I'll do it. (cue blush from almost every female character introduced to this point.)

Rias: Humm...Raiser, Onii-Sama, Issei and Azazel I could ignore, but Kenshin himself...

Akeno: I agree Chief..haaahh..(shivers)

Kenshin: (rolls eyes) You've been focusing on this story a lot lately. Any reason for that?

Draconis: I happen to like the flow of the story so far and the things I currently have planned for this arc, I know if I take a break to work on my other two, there's a chance I might rethink things and screw it up. So I'm gonna finish this arc before I move on.

Kenshin: Aaah. (nods)

Draconis: Anyway..

Dragon of the Elements.

Chapter 32

The Black Dragon of Destruction.

Draconis: Begin!

(start)

From where we last left off

Kenshin and Vali clashed, with Kenshin overpowering Vali and driving him into a rock wall, however, this would not come without cost as Vali punched Kenshin in the face. Kenshin back flipped away from Vali and slashed Kuroi Jigoku at him. "Katensho!"

"Heh." Vali extended his hand toward the attack expecting it to go as it usually did.

"Divide Failed."

"What? !" Vali said before diving out of the way of Kenshin's attack.

"Is something the matter?" Kenshin said, calmly striding up to him.

"..." Vali narrowed his eyes. "What is going on here?"

"This is not the same Dragon of the Elements you fought before Vali." Albion informed as Vali hastily dodged attacks from Kenshin, before taking a knee to the chin. Kenshin shoved Vali away with a palm strike.

"What do you mean Albion?" Vali thought.

"What he means is, in this form my attacks become purely elemental in nature." Kenshin said. "Meaning they are a part of the elements in the atmosphere...meaning that you cannot divide them."

"!" Vali dodged out of the way as Kenshin punched at his head. He got a good look at Kenshin who was panting softly. "He might be right, but that doesn't change the fact that his body looks like it's exhausted right now."

"Come on, you wanted the fight, so continue." Kenshin said with narrowed eyes.

"You seem to be rather winded Kenshin, I won't even need my divisions here, I'll just have to outlast you." Vali said.

"Prove it...take your best shot." Kenshin said.

As this was going on, Sheena glanced at Issei. "Hey."

"Huh? Oh, Sh-Sheena-San, what is it?" Issei said.

"Drop the suffix, just Sheena is fine." Sheena said with a small smile. "But, what's the story with the guy in the white armor over there?" She said pointing at Vali.

"Uh...well I don't know him that well." Issei said.

"Do you know what his problem with Kenshin might be?" Sheena asked.

"There isn't one." Sheena and Issei turned to Kuroka who was standing right next to latter. "Vali just loves fighting the strong-nyaa..."

"Really now?" Sheena said with narrowed eyes. "Seems kind of low to attack a guy who's running on fumes."

"Well, it just requires him to be a little more careful-nyaa..." Kuroka said before latching onto Issei's arm. "By the way Sekiryuutei, when this is over, wanna head off into the woods and try mating again?" She asked petting his cheek.

"E-Eeeh? !" Issei said.

Sheena dropped her fist on Kuroka's head. "I have problems controlling my libido sometimes too, but don't you think now is a little inappropriate?"

"..." Kuroka glared at Sheena who seemed unfazed.

"Just because I'm a devil's familiar doesn't mean I can't fight you and win." Sheena said with an impassive look. "I'm one of the Demon Lords of Makai, meaning I'm one of the strongest demons."

"..." Kuroka kept glaring, but said nothing more

Back with Kenshin and Vali, the latter feinted a punch at Kenshin's face before kicking at his chest. Kenshin caught his leg, twisting it around to make Vali turn and tore the armor off of his leg before shoving him forward. "You know..." Kenshin said as he walked a short distance away tossing the pieces of Vali's Scale Mail away. "...and I'm just spitballin' here, but maybe.." He turned back to Vali. "You are not as good as you think you are." He finished with a shrug.

"..." Vali scowled underneath his helmet and slide into a stance.

"Oh? You can perform martial arts in that bulky armor of yours?" Kenshin said with a slight smirk.

"I can do anything required of me in this armor." Vali said.

"Heheheh, well come on then." Kenshin said sheathing his sword and sliding into a stance of his own.

Vali charged him and chopped at Kenshin's neck, only to be blocked by Kenshin's hand, which grabbed his wrist, twisting it around and sending Vali into a spin. Kenshin thrusted his palm forward, only to get kicked in the head by Vali who took Kenshin's back and slammed him into the ground. Vali thrust his hand at Kenshin's chest. Kenshin rolled out of the way and got to his feet, dropping his heel on Vali's head.

"Gah!" Vali gasped in pain.

"What did you think was going to happen Vali?" Kenshin asked. "You come up to me, challenging me to a fight, wanting to be the strongest...and because of how tired I am that I'd just roll over?"

Vali glanced at Arthur who nodded and moved his sword behind his back.

"Sorry man, but it just isn't going to work that way." Kenshin said.

"Hrrah!" Vali shouts slashing Arthur's sword, the Excalibur Ruler at Kenshin, who moved back, receiving a slash across the cheek for his trouble."

"!, An Excalibur? !" Kiba said, before glancing at Arthur. "I recognize that sword from the fight against Loki, it's his sword." He thought.

Kenshin ducked under another slash at his arm and his hand shot toward Vali's neck. "You know, your attacks would be hurting a lot more if you didn't allow me to go into my Balance Breaker...that was dumb, real dumb." He said, holding Vali by the neck. "You want to know why the people of this world cower when you mention my name?"

"..." Vali said nothing.

"Because, the Rikudou Organization, my old workplace. We were similar to the Khaos Brigade, the only difference is we used that front as a terrorist organization to gather intelligence on the world, and all those who would disturb it's peace." Kenshin said.

"Hmph, if you were protecting the peace of the world, then why are people so scared of you?" Vali asked.

"Terrorist Organization, just because we tried to protect the peace, doesn't mean we did it peacefully." Kenshin said. "I was the most feared because I was their assassin." He threw Vali away from him and flashed through handsigns. "Shadow Binds!"

"Hngh? !" Vali's eyes widened as he was bounded by the neck to the ground.

"This won't kill you, but it should incapacitate you." Kenshin said taking out his naginata and spinning it, the elements gathering around it.

"O-Oi!" Bikou shouts.

"Stay back Bikou." Vali said. "...I wonder...it's a risky gambit, but..." He thought.

"Elemental Cataclysm!" Kenshin shouts, throwing the naginata at Vali.

"What are you going to try to do, Vali?" Albion asked.

"Whatever the Sekiryuutei and the Dragon of the Elements can do, the Hakuryuukou can do just as well!" Vali thought as he lifted his arms, catching Kenshin's attack.

"Hm?" Kenshin said.

"Grrhhh!" Vali grunted. "Come on...Come on!" He thought.

"Is it...shrinking?" Miyuki said with wide eyes.

"So that's what you're trying to do Vali." Azazel muttered.

Kenshin's attack dissipated completely and Vali stood, most of his armor blown completely off, panting heavily. "..." Kenshin stared at him with narrowed eyes before slashing Kuroi Jigoku at him. "Katensho!"

"Hrn!" Vali lifted his arm.

"Divide!"

The Katensho completely dissipated. "What?" Kenshin said. "Nngh..." He fell to a knee, panting heavily.

"We're sorry Kenshin, but your body can't take anymore." Undine said.

"Then how was he able to take your power in? You told me before that's usually a death sentence for people who hadn't reached an agreement with you." Kenshin thought. "That's the only way he gained the power to divide the elements."

"It usually is, but...maybe our powers being in Sacred Gear form has something to do with it." Salamander said.

"Tch...looks like this battle is a draw." Vali said. "I can barely move after that."

"Indeed it is..." Kenshin said. "But first." He reached into his head with Seishin Boido and pulled out another orb which he proceeded to throw to Yukari as he passed out, his Balance Breaker fading away as he did.

"Kenshin!" Rias and the others ran up to him.

Azazel looked him over. "He looks fine, just exhausted." He scooped him up in his arms. "Lets go."

"Hold it." Miyuki said approaching Vali. "Why don't you come with us?" She asked. "I can't imagine you have any where to go back to in this world."

"..." Vali looked up at her. "With Azazel and two of the Satans? No thanks."

"This world is out of their control, they can't really do anything to you right now." Miyuki said. "Besides, a newbie elementalist isn't someone that should be running amuck."

"..." Sirzechs closed his eyes. "We won't do anything to you, consider it repayment for your help with Loki and Fenrir."

Vali closed his eyes. "Very well." He said getting to his feet.

(break)

Back at the safehouse.

The Gremory group, Kuroshi group, Vali Team, Satans and Azazel walked into the safehouse. Azazel went to put Kenshin in his room to rest before coming back down. "I'm going to keep an eye on our resident slave trader." He said.

"Wait." Yukari said. "Before anyone does anything. I feel I need to show you something. Vali, you and your team just got here, and you're pretty much a neutral party, so you can excuse yourselves if you wish."

"This is about Kenshin isn't it?" Vali asked. "I'll stay then. The way he was acting before I challenged him was peculiar."

"Yeah, same here." Bikou said.

"Something brought that whole talk we heard about deserving to die." Arthur said. "I may not know him, but I'll stay as well."

"I could hear his soul screaming in agony ever since we arrived." Kuroka said. "It's curious."

Yukari nodded. "What about you Sheena?" She asked turning to Kenshin's familiar.

"You know me Yukari, no matter what happens, I'm always going to look at Kenshin like a member of my family." Sheena said.

"Alright. Everyone just have a seat and close your eyes." Yukari said taking out the two orbs. "I'll make use of the one Kenshin gave me just a little while ago first." She said before whispering something under her breath and threw the orb into the air.

Everyone's senses seemed to fade before they found themselves in a pitch white void. "Where are we?" Grayfia asked looking around.

"It looks like a blank Phantasmagoria." Evangeline said.

"Dad..."

"? !" Everyone turned to find Kenshin and Ryuushin standing across from each other.

"...Hello son." Ryuushin said with a small, calm smile.

"...So, you were Dragon huh?" Kenshin said.

"Yes." Ryuushin said closing his eyes, letting out a sigh.

"..." Kenshin bowed his head.

"So...you were my old master huh?" Ryuushin said changing the subject.

"...Yeah." Kenshin said. "I..."

"Don't...you had a reason for what you did." Ryuushin said. "I watched it all."

"Huh?" Kenshin said

"One of the things that the souls that have passed on love to do while awaiting reincarnation is to watch the living." Ryuushin said. "I've been watching you, but when you vanished...I couldn't find you."

"Yeah...I was no longer in this dimension." Kenshin said.

"Yeah, I just finished chewing out the guy who took you." Ryuushin said with a chuckle. "But...regardless Kenshin, did you enjoy the time you spent in that world?"

"..." Kenshin bowed his head. "...It was like a dream...a dream I never wanted to wake up from. I'm beginning to wonder why our clans didn't just stay there."

"Well I suppose we still had responsibilities here." Ryuushin said.

"Dad.." Kenshin said looking up into his father's eyes. "...Please tell me I don't have to do this again..." He said. "Tell me...that you'll stop."

"..." Ryuushin went silent.

"Tell me that you CAN stop!" Kenshin shouts.

"Kenshin...I can never stop." Ryuushin said with a regretful gaze. "As much as I want to wrest control of myself from that bastard Hottan, and rejoin you, Yukari, Miyuki, and your mother Hikari. I can't...this is the way it has to be."

"..." Kenshin clenched his fists, swallowing a lump in his throat.

"Once you've done it...please burn my body." Ryuushin said. "So that bastard can never call me back to this plane of existence again."

"...I understand..." Kenshin said.

The vision ended and everyone woke up. "He sounded...broken at the end." Arthur said.

"Not only that, he was pleading with his father to not have to kill him. He sounded really desperate." Azazel said.

"Again?" Akeno said. "Kenshin told me that his...well, your father succumbed to a slow acting poison and died in front of him."

"...That is true, but he didn't tell you the whole story." Hikari said. "When Kenshin, Miyuki and Yukari came to the Kyoto in this world. Ryuushin was possessed by a spirit, what we came to call the False Shinigami. Now, the False Shinigami have all been eradicated by their former master Yama, but that was after Kenshin had left."

"Go on." Grayfia said.

"This spirit took control of Ryuushin who was in poor health because of the poison, tried to maim me, destroy Ryuushin's relationship with myself and our children. Kenshin, at first wanted to kill Ryuushin, not knowing, not even giving thought to it. When this spirit stopped possessing Ryuushin for a time, Ryuushin didn't remember a thing." Hikari said. "The spirit would later do battle with Kenshin to the death, when Ryuushin was finally able to wrest control of himself from the spirit and he died after telling Kenshin that he was more or less the man of the family."

"..." Akeno went silent.

"If you have anything to say to Barakiel, you should do it before he leaves...you don't know when you'll see him, or even if you'll ever see him again. It would be best if you got everything off your chest beforehand." Kenshin's words to Akeno rang loudly in her head.

"...So that's why you said it...you must have left things unsaid." Akeno thought, bowing her head.

"What did Senpai mean when he said he lied to his disciples about what happened to their families?" Koneko asked.

"..." Yukari turned to her. "Well...when Kenshin and I vanished. We were originally being shot back forty years into the past." Yukari said. "Kenshin had gotten a time machine from one of his students. Although...I'm not too sure she exists anymore." She said reaching into her pocket and pulling out a large broken pocket watch. "This is called the Cassiopeia."

"Named after the Queen that the Greek gods banished to the stars?" Sirzechs asked.

"Well, I suppose it fits. The one who invented it did think she was better than everyone else in schooling anyway." Yukari said. "She probably still exists, as this thing still does, which implies that it runs on multiverse theory, but if she doesn't it's because Negi is gone and the Time Goddess is just letting me keep this thing."

"Was she a relative of this Negi's?" Issei asked.

"Not just Negi, Kenshin as well. Kenshin and Negi were her grandparents on her mother's side." Yukari said.

"..." Sirzechs said nothing.

"Anyway..." Yukari said. "We were sent back forty years into the past with this thing, when it subsequently broke, meaning we were stuck in the era. Well not too much later after we arrived we ran into our grandparents RyuuTaisho Kuroshi and Aki Tsuki, the then heads of the Kuroshi and Tsuki clans. We met our kinsmen who had been slayed almost twenty years prior to our birth. We spent the next few years among them. We were in an era of war, or one where the tensions were about to boil over anyway. So Kenshin and I volunteered to go to the capitol of Vespertatia, Ostia."

"What happened next?" Gasper asked.

"Well, I suppose the talks went alright to start. The King agreed to let us live in his kingdom as long as we served him. Which we did." Yukari said. "This arrangement lasted three of the six years we were with our family. The last one however...is where things soured and took a turn for the worst."

"What happened?" Bikou asked.

"Well, we wouldn't find this out until after it was too late, but the King had been killed and replaced with a homunculus by the Sixteenth King of Demons, acting along with Hottan who asked for him to do it."

"The Sixteenth Demon King?" Sheena asked. "Makai is currently embroiled in a conflict with him now. He had a hand in the Schismatic War?"

"He did, but it was a small hand. Kenshin always seemed to play his run ins with him close to the chest so I don't know much more."

"I see." Sheena nodded.

"The demands that man made of us...some of them made us sick, some of them had us killing innocents, and we had no choice but to do it, because it was either them or our family." Yukari said. "After we came back from one such job Victor, the king sent us on another job to repel the Rikudou Squadron, who had not yet been kicked out of the Nine Divisions of Hellas and formed the Rikudou Organization. We did this...only to find out that while we were gone, Victor had sent his personal guard to attack the encampment our family had been staying at." Yukari said.

"He attacked your family? Why would he do that?" Xenovia asked

"Like I said before, the original king had been killed and replaced with a homunculus imposter." Yukari said. "Needless to say, Kenshin and I were both furious and we marched back to Ostia and demanded answers, he confirmed that he did indeed attack them and then ordered us to kill them ourselves. We refused and I was about to tear Victor's head off when Kenshin stopped me and left the room pulling me aside."

"Why?" Vali asked.

"Because...it was a no win situation for us." Yukari answered. "If we killed Victor, impostor or not, there would be a power struggle and because it would have been us, the Kuroshi and Tsuki would be blamed for inciting a civil war, and the Imperium Helladis and the Confederacy of Mages who were warring, would see it as a ripe opportunity to attack."

"Then why not tell your kinsmen to run for it then?" Kuroka asked.

"..." Yukari shook her head. "They had been on the run for so long, they were all tired of it, they wouldn't have heeded us anyway. So desperately wanting to give them a brighter future, Kenshin swallowed his pride and we went back to Victor, to try and reason with him. Hoping that we could make him see that our family didn't want to revolt against him...but it was not to be."

"Wh-What happened?" Asia asked.

Yukari closed her eyes, before wiping away a few tears before Tertium answered for her. "Kenshin-kun and Yukari-kun were hit with an illusion that seared their job into their minds to be completed without fail." Tertium said. "I know this, because it was our father that casted the spell and Hottan gave me his memories."

"!" Everyone except Sirzechs, Grayfia, Hikari, Miyuki, Yukari, Rias and Issei gasped.

"You...You didn't do it...did you?" Irina asked with wide eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing. "You're an illusions expert, right? You should have been able to cancel it, right?"

Yukari shook her head. "No, I couldn't shake it off." She said with clenched fists. "...The blood of our family...is literally on mine and Kenshin's hands.

"...Man...Kenshin told me about it once before, but...to actually hear it confirmed from someone else..." Issei said with a sigh

"I know..." Rias said with a morose look.

"When did he tell you?" Yukari asked.

"Before the Rating Game against Raiser." Rias said with Issei nodding.

"The illusion was cast off of Kenshin by Aki, and because of it's complex nature, it was cast off of me because of this." Yukari said. "I left the encampment...my mind reeling from what I had just done, while Kenshin was asked by RyuuTaisho and Aki to take care of their children, before Kenshin ended their lives at their request. The rest is history. We lied about what happened to Mom and Dad, so we could train them...and then eventually die by their hands."

"That was the plan anyway." Hikari said. "Ryuushin and I found out about everything...and we forgive them before Kenshin left."

"That's when I brought Kenshin to Kuoh." Sirzechs said. "As he was being brought back to this world's present era."

"So, in your world there are more people like us?" Koneko recalled asking Kenshin.

"...Well...not so much anymore.." Kenshin answered with a saddened smile. "Almost all of 'em are gone because of me, only my sisters and my mother remain that I know of."

"Senpai..." Koneko thought, wiping her eyes.

"Kenshin, he's always blamed himself for the two events mentioned, Dad's death, and the Kuroshi and Tsuki extermination. He always thought there was something...anything he could have done to stop it." Yukari said

"..." Everyone looked in the direction of Kenshin's room with varying emotions.

"Alright, now for this one." Yukari said lifting up the other orb.

"What's this memory of?" Issei asked.

"...When Negi died." Yukari said.

"..." Serafall got up and turned to leave the room, as did Chachamaru and Evangeline.

"Onee-Sama?" Sona said turning her head toward her.

"Serafall?" Sirzechs asked.

"...I'd...rather not watch this again." Serafall said with a soft tone.

"I was there." Evangeline said.

"I already know what happens." Chachamaru said.

"I understand." Yukari nodded. Everyone else closed their eyes and Yukari repeated her earlier action.

They found themselves in the same white void, but unlike before, this void began filling with a lush green forest, followed by Negi's cabin. Yukari looked over at the clock. "This is almost two weeks ago...come to think of it we've been here at least four days ourselves."

"I suppose." Rias said with a nod.

"Hm? Hey isn't that Chachamaru-San?" Asia said pointing the gynoid out.

"Yeah, according to Onii-Chan, she was living with Negi when he got here." Miyuki said.

"I suppose Kenshin forgot to cut this part out, or felt like including a little backstory." Yukari said.

A person came out of the bedroom. She had maroon hair, wearing a black martial artist's outfit with slip on shoes and a tattered beige mage's cloak. "She's pretty..." Gasper noted.

"Negi-Sensei, how was your sleep?" Chachamaru asked.

Negi smiled. "It was fine Chachamaru-San thank you." She looked around. "Where's Kenshin?"

"Right here." Kenshin said coming in through the door holding some chopped logs. "I'm not done yet, but this should last us for the next couple of days."

"Thank you Kenshin. I'd have done it or Chachamaru-San would have, but she needs to take it easy and with my magic sealed, I'm just not physically strong enough." Negi said with a wider smile.

Kenshin chuckled. "No worries. It's not hard at all."

"For you maybe." Negi said shoving him playfully.

"Hahahaha." Kenshin laughed.

"...So Kenshin, when do you think you'll be able to go back to that world you came from?" Negi asked. "You sounded like you really enjoyed it there."

"...I'm not sure." Kenshin said. "But when I do, I know one thing. I want to take you and Chachamaru with me."

"..." Negi closed her eyes, smiling again. "I..would love to come with you."

"Then it's settled, if and when someone shows up from there to get me, I'm taking you two with me." Kenshin said with a wide grin.

"OK." Negi said.

"Alright then. I'm gonna go out and train for a bit. See you when I get back." Kenshin said.

"OK." Negi leaning in and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Try not to hurt yourself."

"I'll try." Kenshin said before leaving the cabin.

Later, Kenshin arrived back at the cabin, it was cloudy outside, looking like it was ready to rain. He looked around. "Hey Chachamaru, where's Negi?"

"..." Chachamaru thought about his question for a moment. "I...am not all too sure. She left saying she needed to tend to something, but that was awhile ago. It's strange that she isn't back yet."

"..." Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "Stay here, I'm gonna go find her."

"OK. I have to power down anyway." Chachamaru said.

"I'll refill your tanks when I get back." Kenshin said. "...Actually, I might need this to find her so." Kenshin assumed his Balance Breaker and made a clone. He turned to it. "Recharge her magic." He ordered. The clone nodded and took the key from Chachamaru as Kenshin left the cabin.

"..." He took to the skies and sensed outward. "...All the way out there? Near the bridge connecting the Confederacy and Hellas? She's not alone either." He kept his Balance Breaker active and teleported to the place in question.

"? !" Negi looked over as Kenshin appeared next to her. "Kenshin?"

"Hey." Kenshin said.

"Aaah, so nice of you to come, Kenshin."

"!" Kenshin turned, only to find Hottan's phantom image. "...Hottan..." He snarled. He looked around.

"...Watered down versions of Tertium's family, not including Tertium and Sextum. Evangeline, Jack Rakan, that masked man, Dragon." He thought. "I can also sense Hottan's demons in the area, likely in the hundreds, if not a flat thousand. I could take the demons no problem, but then there's Dragon, Rakan and Evangeline to consider."

"Everyone's here." Yukari said looking around.

"Is this how she died, she was rushed by these people while Kenshin was trying to protect her?" Xenovia asked.

"Just to be sure, we can't interfere, right?" Vali asked. "A stupid question I know."

"No, we aren't here in real time." Yukari said. Vali nodded.

"Kenshin. I hear you've been rather eager to come at me again." Hottan said. "And your little spring onion over here doesn't like me too much either."

"After what you did, I am going to find you, and I will rip your heart out!" Kenshin shouts

"That's good Kenshin, keep that anger up, I'm going to need it." Hottan said with a smirk. "But still, as it stands now. You can't get to me."

"What are you talking about?" Kenshin asked with narrowed eyes.

"Ask your beloved Negi." Hottan said.

"...Kenshin, the last thing I did before I sealed my magic was seal Hottan in his palace." Negi said. "Nobody can get in or out."

"Yes, which means you will have to break the seal to get to me." Hottan said with a smirk. "It's based off the lives of four people, one of which I've yet to identify."

"Fine then, who is it?" Kenshin said. "I'll kill them, then you."

"Two of them are right behind me, Jack Rakan, the Thousand Blades and the Dragon of Truth." Hottan said.

"And the other?" Kenshin said.

"Heheh...the woman standing right next to you." Hottan said.

"!" Kenshin's eyes widened marginally.

"...Kenshin..." Negi said turning to him with regretful eyes. "..Do it, kill me."

"No!" Kenshin shouts. "I would do a lot to get to that bastard, but getting to him is not worth losing you!"

"..." Negi went silent.

"Go on Negi, unseal a bit of your magic and escape. I'll cover you." Kenshin said turning toward Hottan. "My answer is no." He snarled, not noticing Negi moving her left hand, which was to the outside of them toward Kenshin, who unsheathed Kuroi Jigoku.

"Hm?" Evangeline said. "My doll magic?" She murmured.

"Very well then Kenshin, atta-!" Hottan was cut off as Kenshin's swordarm jerked toward Negi, who threw herself onto it, running Kenshin's blade through her own heart.

"...! !" Kenshin's eyes widened with shock and dread.

"I..I'm sorry, but...Hottan needs to be dealt with...I know..you can do it..you..can and will save this world..." Negi reached up and cupped Kenshin's cheek with a smile. "Goodbye...Kenshin..." She said falling to the side, the life leaving her body.

Everyone watching, with the exception of Vali, Tertium and Sextum watched this in shock. "...No..." Yukari said, tears in her eyes.

"Negi-Chan!" Miyuki cried.

"..." Sirzechs bowed his head.

"..No wonder he's been keeping this to himself..." Grayfia said with a morose expression.

"Kenshin..." Rias said, reaching for him, only for her hand to pass right through.

Everyone else looked at Kenshin with varying levels of sadness. Kenshin dropped Kuroi Jigoku to the ground and raised his hand, watching Negi's blood trickle down it. "...Ghh!" He clenched his fist so tightly it bled. "Ghhh! Aaaahhh...Aaaaahhhhh! !" He let out a pained scream.

"That's it..." Hottan said turning to his followers. "Seize him!"

Multitudes of magic attacks came flying at Kenshin. "...Hrrrrhhh! !" Kenshin growled, an explosion of wind blasting them all away.

"What?" Hottan said with narrowed eyes.

Kenshin created a clone. "Grab Negi and do not let go..." Kenshin ordered with a snarl as a tendril began sprouting from the back of his neck. The clone nodded and Kenshin started walking forward.

"Kenshin, do you really think you can take everyone on here?" Hottan asked.

"..." Kenshin walked a distance away as the tendril seemingly stopped growing, leading to nowhere, but not ending. "...I, who shall awaken..." Kenshin said.

"!" Everyone who was watching the memory, widened their eyes in shock.

"So it's come to this has it?" The spirit of a young man with purple hair said appearing at Kenshin's side.

"I recognize him..." Sheena said with a stunned expression. "That's Heinrich Hein, a demon hero!"

A large seal array appeared under Kenshin's feet as the whites of his eyes started to dye black. "..am the Dragon of the Elements, who stole the principles of Creation and Destruction from the Gods.." Kenshin said.

"The karma of the Father strikes once more..." A man with black hair, tanned skin with a black vest and matching pants said appearing next to the young man.

"Shin Tatsu?" Yukari said.

The seal array began to fracture as the tendril in Kenshin's neck connected to it. "I laugh the Dream and pursue the Infinite." Kenshin chanted.

Dragon suddenly fell to the ground unconscious as a man with short red hair, blue eyes, wearing a black trenchcoat and black jeans with a white shirt appeared at Kenshin's left. "...Yes, the cursed karma of those who master the elements...it never seems to fail...dating back to the beginning."

"Ryuushin...?" Hikari said.

Two massive hands tore through the seal array and started to push up as Kenshin was lifted up by a large dragon's head where the tendril was connected to. "I will become the Black Dragon of Destruction..." Kenshin said as he called Kuroi Jigoku to his hand.

Ragnarok's image appeared in front of the dragon, staring directly at Hottan. "The measures you have dealt to our kind shall be dealt back to you in return!"

"...and I will drive you to the darkest ends of all life itself, JUGGERNAUT DRIVE! !" Kenshin roared as the Black Dragon completely pulled itself out of the ground, opened it's eyes and let out a roar.

"Aaah!" Everyone watching the memory covered their ears.

"So this is the Juggernaut Drive of the Dragon of the Elements huh?" Vali said. "It doesn't have armor." He noted.

Hottan turned to his followers. "This changes nothing, get him!" He said before noticing Dragon was unconscious. "Why is Dragon knocked out cold?" He said.

Kenshin looked on ahead as demons began charging after him. The tendril in his neck pulsed and the dragon inhaled, before exhaling a stream of fire that whipped around and incinerated them all.

"Boost!"

"!, My Boosted Gear, but...it didn't sound like Ddraig." Issei said. "No, it sounded more like Salamander, the flame spirit."

"Issei, when you went into your Juggernaut Drive, you used Vali's Divine Dividing against that devil Shalba." Azazel said. "And Kenshin does have your Boosted Gear."

"Tch!" Rakan dove for the dragon.

"That won't work! !" Kenshin shouts as the dragon lunged forward and bit into Rakan's shoulder, tearing one of his arms clean off. Kenshin ordered the dragon to spit it out.

"Shit..." Rakan said. "This thing is too strong."

"Grrh!" Hottan growled. "This must be the Black Dragon of Destruction, the transformed state of Ragnarok Kuroshi! Fine, fall back! I have something for him!"

Evangeline grabbed Jack's arm while Jack grabbed Dragon and took off. "I'll leave you with a parting gift Kenshin. Come forth!" He shouts holding his staff to the air.

Kenshin looked on as a dragon appeared across from him. "Tch, you think this can stop me? !" He shouts.

"That's the Ancient Dragon of the Hellas Empire, Vrixho Nagasha!" Hikari said with wide eyes.

"I don't plan for it to stop you, just to stall you." Hottan said as he vanished.

Vrixho Nagasha fired a blast of light at Kenshin and the Dragon. Kenshin narrowed his eyes in anger. "Tenrai Sesshou Yuurei."

When the light died down, Kenshin and his dragon were unharmed, clad in an spiritual armor. "There it is..." Vali said. "..the Tenrai Sesshou Yuurei."

"What is that?" Issei said with wide eyes.

"That partner is the spirit armor of Ragnarok Kuroshi, the very armor that he clads himself in while transformed." Ddraig said. "It's said to contain a bloodthirsty spirit who wanted to destroy all things."

Kenshin shot toward Vrixho Nagasha and tackled it toward the ground as the armor disappeared. The dragon reeled one of it's fists back and punched at Vrixho Nagasha's neck. The ancient dragon dodged and sunk it's fangs into the Black Dragon's neck. Kenshin responded by diving off of the black dragon and landed on Vrixho Nagasha, stabbing Kuroi Jigoku into it's chest and running upward, slicing a gash into the dragon before flying out of Vrixho Nagasha's reach and back onto the Black Dragon.

Vrixho Nagasha roared and stabbed it's claws at the Black Dragon's neck, but the Black Dragon was faster, slamming it's fist into Vrixho Nagasha's hand, the full force of the power of earth destroying the limb. Kenshin ordered the Black Dragon off Vrixho Nagasha. Kenshin flashed through handsigns and Vrixho Nagasha's limbs were submerged in water and frozen solid. Kenshin held Kuroi Jigoku in his right hand with the Boosted Gear active. Kuroi Jigoku pulsed and suddenly became a blood red Zanbatou with dragon scales and the visage of a dragon on the front. Kenshin extended the blade behind him.

"Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! !"

"Along with the five I already gathered, that should be enough to finish you!" Kenshin shouts. "Pass it on..."

"Transfer!"

The Zanbatou started to glow brightly and dye in pitch black. "That's...our old master's blade, Zanryuu, the Dragon Cutter!" Yukari said.

"Kokuryuu Taihou!" Kenshin roared, slashing the large blade at Vrixho Nagasha. (A/N: Black Dragon Cannon)

A massive burst of dark magical energy fired off the blade and completely obliterated Vrixho Nagasha.

The Black Dragon began roaring loudly, but that wasn't the only roaring heard in the area. Upon closer inspection everyone saw Kenshin was also roaring, however, as the Black Dragon roared in triumph, Kenshin himself, roared in sorrow.

Suddenly a figure landed on the Black Dragon and immediately wrapped her arms around Kenshin, both as a restraint, and as a comfort. "Kenshin-Chan, you have to come out of this, or you're going to die!"

"Raaauugggghh! !" Kenshin growled ferally.

"Onee-Sama? !" Sona said with wide eyes. "Is she insane? !"

Serafall reached up and grabbed the tendril, ripping it out of his neck. "!" Kenshin's eyes widened as the Black Dragon began sinking back into the ground through the seal array. "Wha? Uggh..." He almost fell to his knees. "...Negi...I have to get to Negi...!"

"O...OK." Serafall said grabbing hold of him and flying him toward the body she saw being guarded by Kenshin's clone. They landed and Kenshin ran up to her, only to stop as he got up to her.

Negi wasn't moving, but Kenshin knelt down next to her anyway and started applying charms to her body. "Healing Light!" Kenshin shouts.

No response. "Come on!" Kenshin said trying it again, still getting no response. "Come on, live! !" He shouts.

Serafall reached over and placed her hand on his shoulder. "...Kenshin...she's gone, you should be trying to reincarnate her."

"I already tried that! I have to save her!" Kenshin shouts.

"Then she's gone!" Serafall shouts, tears in her eyes. "Kenshin-Chan...she's..she's dead...no amount of what you're doing will bring her back...I..am so sorry."

"..." Kenshin bowed his head. "...Dammit..." He said with his eyes screwed shut. "Dammit!" He shouts clenching his fists tight enough to make them bleed. "DAMMIT! !" He shouts bashing his fists on the ground. "If...If only I was here from the start...if only I had been here in the first place, she wouldn't be dead!" He said, tears streaming down his face, an clear sobbing in his voice. "Who cares about how much power I have, if the people I care about are going to die anyway, it's fucking MEANINGLESS! !"

Serafall reached over and pulled Kenshin into a tight embrace as the memory faded out. Everyone woke up, most had tears streaming down their eyes, the only ones that didn't were Vali, Sirzechs, Azazel, Arthur, Bikou and Grayfia, but even then they had morose expressions on their faces. "That's...a really bitter pill to have to swallow." Kuroka said wiping her eyes.

"No wonder he never wanted to mention it to anyone." Yukari said, her hand over her eyes. "No wonder he feels at fault."

"Stay here Rias, Akeno, Koneko." Sirzechs said seeing the three looking up at the room Kenshin was resting in.

"Onii-Sama, but..." Rias said.

"But nothing, despite the obvious pain Kenshin's likely in, he's needs to rest." Sirzechs said.

Sona left the room and found her sister in the kitchen. "Onee-Sama."

"So, what did you think?" Serafall asked.

"..." Sona said nothing.

"It's a painful thing to think about isn't it So-tan?" Serafall asked. "Imagine if the closest person to you was lost forever to you, and no matter how much you wanted them back, they couldn't come back."

"It's something he has to live with everyday, I realize that." Sona said. "To be honest...I never want to experience something like that."

"You will one day. Not anytime soon I hope, but eventually it will happen." Serafall said walking up to her sister. "So-tan, do you know why I dote on you so much?" She asked.

"Because you've been through war?" Sona asked.

"Yes, and I've seen my fellow devils die around me...and to be honest I'm scared that could happen to you someday. Sirzechs-Chan feels the same about Ria-tan." Serafall said. "I know it annoys you both, but we won't stop doing it, no matter how much you ask."

"It's...OK actually. Just don't get too upset when we push you away." Sona said with a small smile.

"Of course." Serafall said, mirroring her expression.

(break)

Later that Night.

Kenshin was up walking around as everyone else was asleep. He couldn't sleep any longer, having another vision about Hottan threatening to kill everyone..they had been reoccurring ever since Negi died, so he was more or less used to it. He walked down to the basement. Azazel wasn't in the chair where he usually was, watching over the door so he went in and approached Dolnegus' cell where he was sitting awake. "Aaah, so you've come. I was wondering if you had just left me here to rot." Dolnegus said.

"Oh trust me you fat slob. I would really like to." Kenshin said with an emotionless glare.

"Oh ho...you know how things work in this world Kenshin. The strong survive and the weak are thrown by the wayside." Dolnegus said.

"If that's right, then it's shocking that a pudgy little amoeba like yourself still lives, while men and women, good men and women like Nagi and Negi Springfield...my father Ryuushin, Albireo Imma, Eishun Konoe and Jack Rakan all lay dead." Kenshin said.

"Hah! They all challenged the god of this world and lost, they got their punishment for that." Dolnegus said with a smirk.

"..." Kenshin scowled deeply.

"You don't scare me boy...the second I am killed the Confederates will be all over you!" Dolnegus said.

"..." Kenshin relaxed his stance.

"Heh, I knew you were nothing more than a cowardly boy." Dolnegus spat.

"If anyone is the coward here, it's you." Kenshin sneered. "The man who traded human lives for profit, used young women and men as breeding stock for sale to the highest bidder."

"That's business in the underworld of the world of magic my friend." Dolnegus said with a smirk. "You really think you're more just than me? You who killed men and women to make his living?"

"At least I'm no hypocrite about it. I know what I am, but you pretend to be a good man whilst doing all of your shady shit." Kenshin said.

"Hmph well to each their own then. At least one of us will still be alive when this is all over." Dolnegus said. "Do you really believe you can defeat Hottan boy? You succeed where all those other good men and women as you said they were failed? Don't make me laugh."

"I'm not here to make you laugh. You can discount me all you want. I don't care." Kenshin said. "Truth be told, I should just let one of my friends kill you, but...I won't allow it."

"Because you know you'll be pursued if you do." Dolnegus said.

"No...because it's my burden to bear." Kenshin said. "Serene Conqueror." He said.

"Wh-Wha? !" Dolnegus fell forward, unconscious. Kenshin opened the cell and collected the unconscious slave trader and left the basement, leaving out the front door and taking to the skies.

"?" Rias, who happened to be awake, going to check on Kenshin saw him leaving. She sensed outward. "...Kenshin's not in his room." She murmured. She went out the front door and brought out her wings, following behind Kenshin. He heard shouting and saw flailing from where Kenshin was. "Did he take that fat man?" She thought.

Kenshin landed next to a chasm with a long narrow walkway going about a quarter way across. He landed after throwing Dolnegus ahead of him. Rias hid behind a rock formation.

"No! W-Wait!" Dolnegus said as he got to his feet. "I-I can get them off of you! The Confederates will leave you be if you let me live!" He begged.

"..." Kenshin started walking toward Dolnegus, at a slow and deliberate pace.

"Someone! Someone come quick!" Dolnegus shouts.

"There's no one here to save you Dolnegus. You can't call anyone either...I've disabled your magic." Kenshin muttered emotionlessly.

"A-Aaah!" Dolnegus took off, running toward the chasm, more specifically the plank. He arrived at it, just to realize where Kenshin had brought them. "N-No...you brought us to Cerberus Canyon? !"

"You talk too much Dolnegus." Kenshin said as he still walked toward him, like a tiger stalking it's prey for sport. "It's time for you to exit the stage."

"Do you have any idea the amount of trouble you'll be in if you go through with this? !" Dolnegus said, stepping back onto the walkway.

"No more so than I was before I left." Kenshin said.

"W-Waaaaaait! I-I'm not the one to blame here! Hate my customers who ask for such sick and twisted things!" Dolnegus said.

"Then don't hate me, hate your clients for what's about to happen to you." Kenshin said. "I know you kept a few of those girls as your own personal toys..."

"W-Wait! Hang on! I could seriously have you pardoned of all your crimes! I have enough money I could make all of your wishes come true! Speak your wish and it's done!" Dolnegus begged for his life.

"There's only one thing I want from you." Kenshin said as he continued to walk toward him, unsheathing Kuroi Jigoku.

"N-NO! S-Stay back you monster! !" Dolnegus shouts.

"That's right...I am a monster..." Kenshin said as he stepped onto the plank. "That view of me in this world will never change."

Dolnegus found himself at the end of the walkway. "S-Stay back! !" He yelled.

"People like you deserve what's coming to you." Kenshin said. "If I let you live, you'll just use your money and your influence to get yourself off scot fucking free." He said with a light snarl. "You don't deserve to live..."

"Please no! Not like this! I don't want to go like this!" Dolnegus pleaded with tears streaming from his eyes.

"Tell me...how many times have people cried out those very words at you...or words like them?" Kenshin asked. "...I've already killed my father today...you think I'll have any problems ending you..after all...what's one more nightmare to me? Although, I guess this won't cause one."

"Aaah?" Dolnegus said as Kenshin slashed the slave trader's throat with Kuroi Jigoku. With the last of his limited strength he threw himself at Kenshin, who caught him by the face and pushed him over the edge. He walked to the end of the walkway and stared down as the beasts in Cerberus Canyon devoured the corpse. "...I'm just too nice..." He sighed. "I should have just pushed you down in there...and let them eat you alive."

He turned and walked off the walkway and past the rock formation. "...I could have done it." He turned to find Rias walking toward him, tears in her eyes. "You...You didn't have to dirty your hands like that."

"..." Kenshin walked up to Rias and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "I know you could have, but I didn't want you to." He said. "You earnestly wanted to kill him...killing for pleasure...it...it changes you like I said before. You've only killed out of a sense of duty like I just did now."

"But..." Rias asid.

"You care a lot Rias...sometimes...maybe even too much." Kenshin said tightening his embrace. "Please never stop caring...I need that...more than you know." He said with a small, almost unnoticeable quiver in his voice.

"...!" Rias stopped crying but still felt a shiver. "...Kenshin?"

"..." Kenshin said nothing.

"Are you...alright?" Rias asked.

The scenery changed around them. They found themselves at a lake in a forest that Kenshin teleported them to. "..Rias.." Kenshin said.

"Y..Yes?" Rias said. "His voice...it's..breaking." She thought.

"Do you remember, when this all began, when we first got engaged?" Kenshin asked. "You said...that if I ever needed anything that I need only ask?"

"Of course. I meant it, every word." Rias said.

"When you first said it, I didn't think much of it...but now if it's not too late...I think I might need to take you up on it." Kenshin said, his embrace tightening a little more, the shiver running through his body getting worse.

It was then that Rias realized...Kenshin was crying. "It's not too late...it never will be." She said wrapping him in a comforting embrace. Her realization was proven right when she felt something wet on her shoulder. "It's OK, go ahead Kenshin..." She said moving a hand to the back of his head, going no further than that.

It was this moment that Rias, with everything she saw earlier and was told about from both Kenshin and Yukari, that she finally understood the depths of the pain Kenshin had been living with all his life. She also knew that this probably wasn't the first time he had broken down before, but she knew the kind of person he was. That if he could help it...he wouldn't let it happen for years on end. Because he felt he had to be strong for those who couldn't. Rias wondered how long Kenshin was like this during those years that it was just him and Yukari.

"What's one more nightmare to me?" Rias recalled Kenshin saying to Dolnegus.

Kenshin had done things most people would never dream or think of doing. He had become an assassin as a child and went against the world and was tortured as a child before this...and he had seen more people close to him die then anyone would ever want to stomach...yet he kept pressing on.

Rias knew now that underneath all of Kenshin's bravado, his confidence and his anger. That he was a man who was nearly broken, who didn't want to be alone, but felt he needed to be alone to keep those he had left safe.

An hour after they arrived, Rias was sitting with Kenshin's head on her lap who stared at the sky with a numb look. His eyes slightly bloodshot. "Are you OK?" She asked, brushing his bangs to the side.

"No...I just feel a little bit better." Kenshin said. "I...don't know why that happened so suddenly."

"Well..it's a start." Rias said giving him a comforting smile. "I think maybe you were getting overwhelmed, keeping it all inside like you have been."

"I guess..." Kenshin said. "...Rias...I'm sorry."

"For what?" Rias asked.

"If I've been making you feel...unwanted." Kenshin said. "...and not just since we got here either."

"Yukari told me that you can't turn down honest affections, why is that?" Rias asked.

"...Well...the best answer I could give you is...I know how it feels to be rejected...all too well." Kenshin said.

"Huh, did someone..." Rias was cut off.

"No, this world rejects my existence." Kenshin said shaking his head. "So...for me to reject someone else's love...to me it feels like I'm rejecting that it even exists."

"...I see." Rias said with narrowed eyes.

"I don't blame you for getting upset. I really don't." Kenshin said. "I would be as well in your position."

"It's OK." Rias said.

"Heh...you know...I put on a strong front, but...the truth is, ever since I found out you all came here...I've been really scared." Kenshin said.

"Why?" Rias asked.

"This world...or...Hottan rather...has taken almost everything from me...I don't want to lose anymore.." Kenshin said staring up at the sky. "You could say that's why I'm so protective of everyone during a big battle."

"...You'd rather...you'd rather die than lose anyone else...wouldn't you?" Rias asked.

"...Yeah." Kenshin said.

"I see..." Rias said before smiling, moving her hand across his cheek gently. "I think you worry too much."

"You don't know him like I do." Kenshin said.

"No, not about Hottan...I agree that you worry the right amount when it comes to him, I mean with other foes." Rias said.

"Maybe." Kenshin said. "You all can certainly handle yourselves."

"See?" Rias said, smiling with her eyes closed.

"Rias..." Kenshin said.

"Hm?" Rias said.

"This is nice isn't it?" Kenshin asked. "This is the kind of peace I've always wanted. To just be able to relax like this, without any worries."

"It is." Rias nodded. "It's like we can remain here without a care in the world."

"But...sometimes I feel like it's impossible for me. Not only because of how I act, but...just coming here again to this world makes me think that way."

Rias shook her head. "No. It's not impossible...you just need to quit thinking so broadly." She said. "Everyone has their own personal peace, let yourself enjoy your own."

"..." Kenshin rose up and sat next to Rias. "Yeah...maybe you're right. Haaah...I should apologize to everyone later..." Kenshin turned back toward her.

"You know you didn't have to move. I wasn't uncomfortable." Rias said with a smile.

"That's fine." Kenshin said. "I wanted to get up anyway."

"OK." Rias nodded. Kenshin stared into her eyes saying nothing. "Wh-What?" She said with a blush.

"...Rias..." Kenshin said.

"...Yes?" Rias asked, her heart racing in her chest.

"I...I love you." Kenshin confessed hesitantly.

"!" Rias let out a small gasp. "...Wh...What took you so long, to say it I mean?" She asked.

Kenshin turned his head away and looked ahead before looking at the ground. "I...was nervous...but not for the reason you might think. I had loved another before Negi, but...she was a princess of one of the countries of this world...so I was forced to break it off, and the love wasn't true anyway, we just remained friends...and well..Negi's dead...those I've told that to have a nasty habit of getting separated from me."

Rias shook her head, wiping her eyes with a smile. "You don't have to worry about that with me." She said. "But..if you were so nervous about it, why tell me before you've bested Hottan?"

"Because you deserve to hear it at least once...in case I don't make it." Kenshin said. Rias reaches over and cups his cheek and pulls him over to her.

"You will make it. You hear me...even if I have to pull you back home myself, you're coming back with us." Rias said. "Now..shall we head ba-!" Rias was cut off as Kenshin's lips laid over hers. "Mm?"

"Hmm..." Kenshin wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly.

"Fuah..." Rias let out a sigh as Kenshin worked his way down, kissing down to her neck. "Ah!" She let out a gasp.

"Are you alright?" Kenshin asked.

"Ah..y-yes..it just..feels really nice right there." Rias admitted with a shy voice as she held the back of Kenshin's head, her other arm wrapped around him. "Oh...Mmm, yes keep going, right there..." She sighed contently.

"Hm, so your erogenous zone is your neck, good to know." Kenshin noted.

The two fell to their knees and Rias smiled. "Ah yes, but Kenshin my dear...I know yours as well, it's only fair that I exploit it too." She said moving her hand up and rubbing his ears.

"Mmph..." Kenshin moaned into her neck as he continued to lick, nibble and suck on it.

"Are we really going to do this?" Rias asked.

"As long as we're not interrupted, I don't see why not." Kenshin said. "And I doubt that we will be, I warped us to somewhere in northeastern Hellas."

"Oh? Did you do this on purpose then?" Rias asked as her left hand worked the buttons apart on his shirt, her right hand still rubbing his ears in a gentle, teasing motion.

"No, I just took the slob far away from the safehouse to kill, and picked a spot at random to warp to..." Kenshin said as one of his hands started unbuttoning the corset of the Kuoh uniform she was wearing, once it was undone, he moved his hand upward and started unbuttoning the shirt. They both finished their tasks at the same time and brushed each other's shirts off their shoulders. Rias looked down at his torso and traced her fingers along one of the scars.

"There's so many..." She said with a solemn gaze. "I guess...I never noticed them before."

"I've usually been keeping them hidden ever since I learned the False Image Illusion, but I guess I forgot to put it back on when I woke up." Kenshin said. "That's why you never noticed them before."

"I see." Rias said as she looked into his eyes. "I..I wish I could ease your pain."

"..." Kenshin smiled at her. "You're doing so right now." He said. "Being with you here like this, is a greater comfort than you realize." He said before chuckling softly. "And I'm not just saying that because we're finally going to settle our bet either."

"..." Rias smiled back. "It was never about it being a bet. I just kept referring to it like that to keep everyone out of the loop."

"Haha, I see." Kenshin said. Rias leaned up and kissed him on the lips as her hands wandered to his pants. However Kenshin grabbed her wrist.

"W-What?" Rias asked.

"I don't believe I ever got around to doing you last time." Kenshin said. "Do allow me to rectify that."

"O-OK." Rias said, a shy tone in her voice, a blush painted on her cheeks. Kenshin nodded and slid his hand down and under her skirt. "Aah...haan..." She sighed softly.

Kenshin reached behind her and unclasped her bra. "Hm? Purple eh? Were you wearing this color because you know I like it?" He asked with a coy smile.

"No, I just happened to pick it out, you weren't really paying attention to anyone for the past few days, so you'd probably never have seen it if we weren't doing this." Rias said.

"I see." Kenshin said as he pulled her bra off and tossed it with the rest of their clothes. He set his hand on her left breast, squeezing it and kneading it around gently, while his lips found hers again.

"Mm...Hmmn..." Rias let out a couple of soft moans into him as she held onto him.

"Oi." Ddraig said.

"Can you make this quick?" Kenshin thought.

"Sure. It's just something that perverted gorilla you beat brought up to my partner. You know my boosting ability can be applied to just about anything right?" Ddraig asked.

"Hmm...Ddraig, have I ever told you that I love you?" Kenshin thought with an unseen grin.

"Alright, alright don't be a kissass." Ddraig said. "Now seeing as it's not my voice announcing it, talk to the spirit that does, and I'll just hide the gear."

"Salamander, do you think you could keep it down the the boosts start accumulating?" Kenshin thought.

"Sure, but why?" Salamander asked.

"Well, I've always wanted to make this a night for her to remember, I just think this would help." Kenshin thought.

"Yeah, but you technically don't need it...ahh well." Salamander shrugged.

Rias moaned as she felt Kenshin's fingers rubbing her nethers. "Ohh..it..feels so good..." She thought.

The two parted and looked into each others eyes. Kenshin smiled. "I recall when we did this in the bath hall at your home. Honestly staring into your eyes as we did it, was a real turn on for me."

"It was for me too." Rias admitted with a smile of her own.

Kenshin's smile widened. "I see." He said.

"It's ready." Salamander said. "You should only use one boost for whatever it is you're going to do, she is a virgin after all."

"Alright." Kenshin thought as he used his right hand, that was currently rubbing her pussy and muttered something under his breath.

"Haan!" Rias let out a loud gasp. "Wh-What was...that?" She said as she shivered from his touch.

"Hmhmhmhm." Kenshin chuckled as he continued to rub her.

"Oohh, it..it feels amazing now, what did you do?" Rias asked as Kenshin started pressing, pinching and twisting her left nipple around.

"It's a surprise." Kenshin said sticking his tongue out at her. Rias responded by wrapping her lips around it and kissing him. She pulled away and slipped her hand into his pants and gripped hold of his shaft. "Aah..."

"You can't just expect me to sit and do nothing forever." Rias said as her other hand yanked down his pants. Kenshin nodded and moved in, kissing her again, using the momentum to push her onto her back. Kenshin broke the kiss and started moving downward. "What are you.." Rias asked, before letting out another moan as Kenshin started flicking his tongue against her left and right nipples in alternating motions.

Kenshin latched his lips onto Rias' right nipple while his left hand held him up, his right meanwhile poked and prodded at her clit. "Mmn.." He moaned softly as he felt Rias' right hand still stroking his cock while her left held the back of his head, her fingers grazing his ears.

"Aahn! Kenshinnnn!" Rias cried out. "This is all too much!"

"Heheh..." Kenshin snickered as he switched nipples and finally slid two fingers inside of her.

"Mmmn!" Rias bit back a loud moan. "What's going on? This feels way better than it did before!" She thought.

A couple of moments passed and Kenshin pulled away. "...Alright, enough teasing." He said as he glanced downward. He brought his hands to her skirt, undoing the buttons keeping it fastened and pulled it and her underwear off. Rias closed her legs, staring at him with a blush. "What?" Kenshin asked.

"Remove your pants too, it's not fair if I'm the only one in their birthday suit." Rias said in a shy tone.

"...I've seen you naked, a lot." Kenshin said as he slid his pants down his waist.

"That's different from this." Rias pointed out. "We are going to be making love, no?"

"I guess." Kenshin said he tossed his pants with the rest of their clothes. "Now then..." Kenshin moved in, pushing her legs apart, moving his head toward her maidenhood.

"W-Wait, are you going to...haah!" Rias let out a sharp gasp as Kenshin started licking her pussy. "Aah! Mmn! K-Kenshin!"

"Hmhm...you taste really nice Rias." He complimented.

"Mouu...that's so embarrassing..." Rias whined softly.

Kenshin started fingering her again as his tongue focused on her clit. "Such a..sweet scent down here." He noted.

"Are you trying to embarrass me as many times as you can?" Rias complained.

"Heheh." Kenshin snickered.

"Hmm!" Rias bit back another moan as Kenshin kept licking on or around her clit. "Uh, gh, hah...hmm, hua, uh, ah, haaah!"

Kenshin latched his lips onto the engorged digit and started to suck on it while he started thrusting his fingers in and out faster and harder than before. "Hnmm! Huaa, haah, hm, umg, Aaaah!" She let out a short cry at the end.

"?" Kenshin glanced up at her curiously. "Did you cum a little just now?" He asked.

"Mmmrrnn." Rias glared with a pout of her lips and shoved Kenshin's head back between her legs.

"Heheheh...well it's good to know that I'm at least not scaring her with this little trick. She might actually be enjoying it, even if she'll never say it." Kenshin thought.

Kenshin moved his hands to her inner thighs, using his thumbs to spread her labia apart. He licked the opening to her vagina to start, circling his tongue around it teasingly.

"Mmmnn, come on...don't tease meeee...!" Rias complained.

"As you wish." Kenshin said with a smile and pushed his tongue inside. He wriggled it around inside her, giving it a small rotation.

"Haahn, umg, hmmn...ah, aah.." Rias had her hand in his hair, clenching it tightly. "Haah! Aah! Mm! Mmm! Aaahh!"

Kenshin pulled away from her again. "Rias, are you ready?" He asked.

Rias' cheeks darkened, but a smile was on her face. "Yes, but..there's a certain way I want to do this." She said as she got to her feet, followed by Kenshin. She walked over to a tree and turned around, facing him. "I want to feel my back against something, seeing as it can't be your chest, this should be the next best thing." Kenshin nodded and walked up to her. He lifted up one of her legs and rubbed the tip of his shaft up and down her pussy, getting it wet with her juices. However before Kenshin could push in Rias pressed her hand against his chest. "Wait." She said.

"What?" Kenshin asked.

"B..Before you begin...I want to hear it again." Rias admitted with a small, bashful smile.

"...I love you." Kenshin said as they kissed again.

"...Again..." Rias said, cupping both his cheeks, sighing in content.

"I love you." Kenshin said moving the hand that wasn't holding her leg around her waist.

"I love you too...now please..claim what belongs to you." Rias said.

Kenshin nodded and decided to do as he did with Serafall before and get it over with quickly.

"!" Rias' eyes widened as her body arched forward, feeling her lover's cock pierce through her in one fell swoop.

"..." Kenshin stared at her as a pair of tear trails rolled down her face. "...I hope what I did with the Boosted Gear is helping with the pain."

"...It doesn't hurt...as bad as I thought it would..." Rias said slumping forward against him. "...I'm just so happy...I can't help myself."

"Kuh...fuck.." Kenshin muttered as he leaned forward, setting Rias' back against the tree.

"Is everything..mmn, alright?" Rias asked as Kenshin slowly began to thrust.

"Aah, yeah. It's just tighter than I thought it was going to be..." Kenshin said. "Let me know if it gets uncomfortable and I'll move OK?"

"OK..." Rias said holding onto his shoulders, the two locking eyes. "Aah! Hmg! Haaa, ah..Aaah!" She let out a quiet, muffled scream, feeling Kenshin moving inside her.

"You know, you don't have to stifle yourself. We're all alone." Kenshin said.

"A-Are you sure?" Rias gasped out, trying to hold herself together.

Kenshin extended a hand toward his clothes and Undine's card came flying into his hand. "Here, just to ease your mind, I'll use this to keep an eye out." He said as the card disappeared. "Khh!" One of his eyes squeezed shut as the sensations he felt from Rias suddenly intensified. "Haa...haaa.."

"What's wrong?" Rias asked, concern showing in her eyes.

"N-Nothing." Kenshin said leaning into the right side of her neck.

"Aah! Haaa...K-Kenshin, do you have to tease me there when you're already inside me?" Rias said, her eyes closed, wrapping her arms around his neck and back respectively.

"I do...I want to make this night one you'll never forget." Kenshin said.

"Mmm...it's already there..." Rias sighed in content.

As Kenshin kept thrusting in and out of her at a slow, teasing pace, while licking and nibbling at her neck. He got in touch with Undine. "Yo Undine, what's going on?"

"This is just what happens when you use my power, it heightens your perception, to everything. That's why it's usually not a good idea for my power to be used without Gnome's." Undine said. "You've never tried having sex while using my power before?"

"Why would I?" Kenshin asked.

"Good point. Anyway that's basically the gist of it." Undine said. "I can retract my power if you like and she wouldn't know."

"...No, you know what, I'll deal with this. I ramped up her sensitivity to pleasure with the Boosted Gear, so it's only fair that I do the same." Kenshin thought.

"I see." Undine said with a small smile. "Enjoy then."

"Mm...!" Rias moaned, dragging her nails across Kenshin's back.

"Ggh!" Kenshin grunted in a slight amount of pain.

"Huh?" Rias said looking at her fingers, the tips of which were covered in a crimson magic. "!" She immediately cast it away. "Why did I call for my magic there? ! I could have seriously hurt him!"

"That...actually felt kind of nice.." Kenshin said in a daze as he picked up the pace.

"Is he a masochist or something?" Rias thought.

"Haa...haaa...must be an arousal thing." Kenshin said with a pant, feeling Rias constrict around his dick.

"Mm, mmk! Aah, aah, oh...Mmu!" Rias started to moan out loud, accepting the fact that they were alone and that there was no need to silence herself. "Haa...haa...mm, kuu~!" She pulled back on Kenshin's hair setting his forehead against her own. "Just...like the first time..." She said as they stared into each other's eyes. "Haa...haa, mm, oh...mmahh! K-Kenshin...m-my right...mmm!"

"Yes..." Kenshin said grabbing her right leg and lifting it up. "Ghh...hnn..."

"Are you OK?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm just...getting close is all..." Kenshin said. "Haa..haa..mm, kuu.."

"I..I see...I'm getting there as well...Haa, haa..haamm..." Her last pant was silenced as she cupped Kenshin's cheeks and brought her lips on top of his own. "...Mm, haa, aaah! Ah, ah, aaah! Mmg! Mm, oh..aah!" She moaned into him, feeling him upping the tempo of his thrusts even more. She felt him twitching inside of her, knowing he was trying to hold himself back for as long as he could. She also felt his arms give way freeing her legs, choosing to wrap his arms around her waist, so she used her legs to lock him in, wrapping around his waist.

"?, Rias?" Kenshin said breaking their kiss.

"Inside...please...inside!" Rias pleaded.

"Alright..." Kenshin said. "I...can't hold back any longer anyway."

"Mm, aah...Aaaaaahhhh! !" Rias felt something hot entering her as her back arched forward, her first climax taking hold."

"Ggh! Ghh!" Kenshin grunted as his lust fired out of him, and directly into her womb. He felt his legs giving way and lifted Rias off the tree before going to his knees, before sitting on the grass. "Haa...haa..haa..." Kenshin panted.

"Haa..haa..haa...that felt...amazing..." Rias said with a dreamy smile.

"D..Don't tell anyone I can do this, but I used the Boosted Gear to heighten your sensitivity to pleasure." Kenshin said. "I didn't really need to, but...I felt like it." He admitted.

"Your secret's safe with me, but..I think everyone might already know." Rias said. "That Rakan fellow mentioned it, or at least implied it in front of everyone...um, by the way, don't you lose life doing that?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure how much." Kenshin said.

"A month per boost." Ddraig answered. "Partner also loses a month per divide, not quite sure how Vali Lucifer using your Sacred Gear will work though."

"So I've already shaved off a couple of years eh?" Kenshin thought. "Ah well."

"I lose a month, and considering how long devils live, that's nothing to me and besides. I've always said I decide when I die, so I'm not too worried.

"Yes, but still..." Rias said with a concerned look.

"I know." Kenshin said with a smile as he pecked her on the lips. "So, are we finished here? Just because we're alone doesn't mean someone won't wake up and notice that we're both gone."

"R-Right, but...um..." Rias said shifting around. "You slipped out when you went to your knees to sit..."

"Yeah?" Kenshin said.

"If it's not too much trouble, I'd...like to try putting it in myself." Rias said with a shy tone.

"Hmhmhmhm..." Kenshin chuckled.

"Wh-What's so funny?" Rias said with a comical glare.

"You are so adorable right now." Kenshin said. "Hm?"

"Hey Kenshin, could you use my power this time?" Salamander asked.

"Um sure...I guess." Kenshin thought.

Kenshin called over Salamander's card. "What are you doing?" Rias asked.

"For whatever reason. Salamander wants me to use her power while we're going into round two." Kenshin said. "Speaking of which, you don't mind that I used your powers during the last round do you Undine?"

"Of course not...you're OK." Undine said in a bit of a daze.

"...Are you OK?" Kenshin thought.

"Fine, just fine, in fact I couldn't be better." Undine said. "I'm gonna take a nap."

"..Ooookkkk?" Kenshin thought.

"I wonder why?" Rias asked.

"Well, I guess there's no real disadvantage to it, besides..it does make my body hotter, and I know how much you love using me as a body pillow." Kenshin said with a coy grin as he activated the card.

"Hmhmhm..." Rias let out a few hushed giggles as she reached down and gripped his shaft, guiding the head toward her entrance. Once it was there, she dropped her hips down, easily taking it in. "Haa, au..mm, kuu..." She sighed in content. "Ooh...it's so warm..." She said.

"Are you able to move on your own, or do you want me to?" Kenshin asked.

"I-I'm fine..haann...kuu, aah, fuah.." Rias gasped pleasurably as she raised and lowered her hips slowly. "Haa, ah, afu...mm...mmm...ah, aah..ah, ah, ahh..aaah..."

"Gh.." Kenshin grunted. "R..Rias...fuck it feels so good inside you."

"Haa..ah, afu...mm, mmm, ah, au...Ah, aahh, haauunnn...kuu, ah, fuuaahh" Rias moaned.

Kenshin felt her constricting around him again. "Is she about to cum already?" He thought.

"Kenshin...Kenshinnnnnn...!" Rias held him tightly as she continued to ride him, even beginning to pick up the pace. "Ah, ah, ah, aah, ah, ahh, guu...mmu."

Kenshin started shifting his hips, meeting her motions with his own. "Khh...damn, I'm already close?" He wondered.

"Yaahh...nooo..not yet, I don't want this to end yet...yah, ah, aahh!" Rias said, a shiver running through her body in spite of it being warm enough to cause a sweat.

"Is she begging me to hold it back, or herself?" Kenshin thought.

Rias grabbed his head and lustfully made out with him as she neared her climax.

"Mm...! Aggh!" Kenshin broke the kiss moments later as his climax came.

"Ah, aahh...ah, yah, ah, mm..ah, Aaaaaahhhhh! !" Rias cried out in her second climax, slumping against him. "Haaa...haaa...haaa...haaa.."

"Gh...ghh..." Kenshin grunted as he finally stopped firing off inside her. "...haa...haa...haa.."

"Now...Now we're done..." Rias said.

"Agreed..." Kenshin said. "I must still be tired from the Vessel of the Elements, I don't think I can go another round."

"I...see..." Rias said as she lifted her hips, letting Kenshin slide out of her. She looked down, there was still excess cum on it, she dropped down, gripped it in one hand and started to lick before taking it into her mouth, swirling her tongue around. She eventually pulled away. "There, all clean."

"Uhm...Thanks." Kenshin said as he reached over for his clothes. "I'm gonna go get dressed. You can have the lake to clean up."

"OK." Rias said.

Rias bathed herself and got out to get dressed, but before she could leave, she noticed a barrier laying over the area. "?" She looked around.

"I mean you no harm, I just want to talk."

"!" Rias turned around. "? !" "Y-You're? !"

"It's nice to meet you in person Rias Gremory, I am Negi Springfield, or at least in spirit I am anyway." Negi said with a smile.

"...Were you...?" Rias said with narrowed eyes.

"Oh no, I just arrived as you were getting dressed." Negi said waving her off.

"...you can't stay, can you?" Rias asked.

"No. It's taking every ounce of my willpower just to appear before you like this." Negi said losing her smile.

"Then why don't you appear before Kenshin?" Rias asked with a glare.

"...Because...I..I don't think I can face him again, not after what I did." Negi said bowing her head. "...He loved me and I forced him to kill me."

"Then why appear at all? You could have visited Yukari, Miyuki or even Hikari...even Kazumi-San, or that vampire Evangeline, why me?" Rias asked.

"Because, I wanted to meet the woman who will take my place at Kenshin's side. I want to give you something before I leave."

"What?" Rias asked.

"Just stand still." Negi said moving the point of her staff toward Rias. "This may or may not come in handy someday in the near or distant future...I honestly hope you never have to make use of this."

"Aaah? !" Rias gasped as she felt something enter her. "What did you just...?"

Negi began to vanish. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time to explain it to you." She said with a forlorn smile.

"Wait! Before you go, I just need to ask you one more thing!" Rias said.

"Go ahead, I'll try to answer it quickly." Negi said.

"Yukari told me that you allowed Kenshin to have a harem before, my question is...well..why? If you truly loved Kenshin, wouldn't that have compelled you to keep him to yourself?" Rias asked.

"..." Negi smiled. "That...well..it was my way of thanking him."

"Thanking him?" Rias asked.

"Yes...you've heard the story from Yukari or Kenshin about the attack on my village haven't you?" Negi asked. Rias nodded in response. "Well, in the months following that attack...I was giving up on life, before I met Kenshin. He...comforted me in my times of need, and he saved my life. So, if he found more people he truly loved...it was fine with me if he wanted to be with them, however, I was going to ask that I would be his only bride."

"..." Rias stared at her.

"Well...that's all the time I have left...goodbye Rias Gremory." Negi said. "Take good care of Kenshin for me."

Rias looked up toward the sky as Negi faded away completely. "Of course, you don't need to worry about anything from this moment forward, Negi Springfield." She said.

"What are you looking at?" Rias turned to find Kenshin walking up to her.

"Oh...nothing really." Rias said with a smile.

"Alright, well let's get back to the base before people notice we're not there." Kenshin said walking up to her and grabbing her hand. The two teleported back. They were surprised to find Sirzechs there waiting for them.

"Onii-Sama?" Rias asked.

"Rias, oh thank goodness I thought someone broke in and kidnapped you." Sirzechs said with a relieved sigh.

"Gee Sirzechs it's like you have no confidence in her abilities." Kenshin said walking past him.

"...?" Sirzechs turned around and watched Kenshin enter the safe house. "Is it just me or did he seem less angry with me?"

"Well, if you want to mend things with him, I believe now would be the time to do it." Rias said walking past her brother.

"..." Sirzechs went into thought for a moment before he heard a clatter. "!" He ran inside

Moments earlier Kenshin had walked into the main room to find Issei looking over a sleeping Sextum. "Since when are you two so close?" He asked.

"Oh! Hey Kenshin, I got awesome news!" Issei said. "While you and Chief were gone just now, Sextum took me to see someone she knew and he said he could separate us for good!"

"...Oh really?" Kenshin asked. "Well then, I suppose I'll have to go and meet this guy for myself." He said walking away. Issei's hand shot forward and gripped Kenshin's shoulder tightly. "..." Kenshin turned and received a fist to the face, sending him into the wall. "Gh!"

"Issei? !" Issei turned to find Rias running up to them. He shot toward her, fist cocked back only to be deterred by Sirzechs. "Krrh..." Issei let out a low growl.

"Hyoudou-kun, what has gotten into you? !" Sirzechs shouts.

"...Hottan..." Kenshin growled.

Issei turned to Kenshin with a smirk. "Ahh, so nice to see you again Kenshin." He said with a coy voice.

Kenshin bristled. "Let me guess, you still had a modicum of control over Sextum, which you made use of while I was gone, knowing if I was there I'd be onto it in a heartbeat and had Sextum take Issei to meet Dynamis."

"Exactly." Hottan said through Issei. "This boy, he has an interesting power, I believe I'll take him."

"Over my dead body you will!" Kenshin shouts.

"Heh! It's more like over his." Hottan said. "You see Kenshin...the spell I had Dynamis use with the Great Grand Master Key, I rigged it to where if a modicum of your elemental powers enter his body, his vital organs will disintegrate."

"..." Kenshin scowled. "You...Bastard!"

"Hmhmhm..." Hottan used Issei's hand to extend outward, where the Great Grand Master Key appeared. "If you give yourself over to me willingly...I will let him go."

"..." Kenshin went silent.

"Absolutely not!" Sirzechs shouts. "We will not bow to some madman."

"That's right and we will find a way to free Issei from your control!" Rias shouts.

"Huhuhuhu...very well then...I'll see you tomorrow Kenshin." Hottan said. "Since you've been so fast in trying to free me that is. Relocate!"

Issei disappeared just as Sextum woke up and everyone came rushing downstairs. Kenshin walked over to Sextum. "...Do you remember what you've done in the past hour?" He asked.

"What happened Kenshin?" Yukari asked.

"...Hottan has taken Issei." Kenshin said.

"? !" Everyone except Tertium, Rias, Sirzechs widened their eyes in shock.

"What...?" Asia said.

"I-Issei's been taken?" Irina asked.

"The Sekiryuutei is gone?" Kuroka said.

"I...I...had no idea what I was doing, I've been asleep since midnight!" Sextum said

Kenshin turned his head to Tertium. "She did go to sleep at midnight and I followed suit maybe ten minutes later." Tertium said.

"I see..." Kenshin said. "It's alright then Sextum...I suspect only your brother is strong enough to resist him completely."

"..." Sextum bowed her head in shame.

"...So what do we do now?" Serafall asked.

"Get ready to move out. We're heading to New Ostia in ten minutes." Kenshin said.

"Shouldn't we find a way to get Issei-San back?" Asia asked.

"In a way we are Asia. If we go at Hottan directly, he's sure to have Issei with him." Yukari said.

"By the way Kenshin, I notice that the fat man's mana signature is gone, what's up?" Azazel asked.

"Took him away from here and killed him myself." Kenshin said. "The seal will probably take the Megalo Knights to where he flatlined. If not, we're going to be long gone anyway."

(break)

Later.

Kenshin and company found themselves walking through the palace of New Ostia. "Tch, this place really went to shit." He said noticing the relative state of damage of the building.

"Who do you think could be here?" Rias asked.

"I don't know Dad didn't say, he just said the last person was here." Kenshin said. "I guess he didn't want to chance Hottan getting the drop on them."

"...The place has seen better days." Yukari said.

"Indeed." Kenshin said as they entered the audience chamber. He noticed someone sitting at the throne. "..." He approached them. It was a woman with flowing blonde hair wearing a pink strapless dress. "Arika Anarchia Entheofushia...Negi's mother."

"Ahh?" She looked up. "Oh, it's you Kenshin..." She said with a smile.

"You look terrible Arika." Kenshin commented.

"I've been bleeding my magic." Arika said.

"...Why have you been doing that?" Grayfia asked, taking a step toward her.

"Negi, my daughter's final request. She wanted me to be the final lynchpin in her seal." Arika said. "I agreed, because if the seal needed to be broke, she was already dead...and I've already lost my husband..." She said. "Now that Rakan and Ryuushin are both laid to rest...I can finally take my rest."

"..." Kenshin narrowed his eyes solemnly. "...I'm sorry...that I wasn't there to help."

"Hahahahaha..." Arika laughed. "There's nothing to apologize for Kenshin...but...before..I go...I need to tell you one thing."

"What?" Kenshin asked.

"Hottan's been putting everyone to sleep using the Cosmo Entelecheia spell, and everyone affected...gives him immunity toward all the spells that person knows. He's already gained immunity toward all the spells this world has...I would hazard to guess, that spell would also work on everyone here, giving him immunity to their powers instead."

"Well I can't be affected by it, so it's a non issue." Kenshin said.

"But Yukari and Miyuki can, if he gets either of them, you won't be able to kill him with your spirit powers, and his core is nigh indestructible." Arika said. "Just...be...careful..." She sighed her last breath and passed away.

"..." Kenshin reached over and shut her eyes. Sirzechs walked up behind him and placed his hand on Kenshin's shoulder.

"!, You!" Yukari shouts, seeing a figure appear a distance behind Kenshin.

"..." Kenshin turned to find Dynamis holding the Great Grand Master Key.

"Not now Yukari Tsuki, I've no time for the likes of you, or any of you for that matter." Dynamis said lifting the key staff up.

Everyone except Kenshin fell to their knees coughing up blood. "!" Kenshin's eyes widened in shock.

Dynamis turned to Kenshin and removed his mask, smirking coyly at him. "I really should learn to trust my lord more. It's playing out just as he predicted. You, I, your bleeding friends and family."

"..." Kenshin scowled and assumed his Balance Breaker.

"Ah ah ah, if you try anything fancy, I'll shred their innards to pulp." Dynamis said.

"...Stop it..." Kenshin said bowing his head.

"In exchange?" Dynamis said.

"I'll do it..." Kenshin said, his voice breaking. "Dammit Dynamis...call him over! I'll become his damned vessel!"

"Kenshin...!" Yukari strained out.

"No...!" Rias said, coughing out more blood.

"..." Dynamis gave him a look.

"Does it look like I'm trying to bullshit you?" Kenshin asked.

"..." Dynamis walked over to Kenshin's left and stabbed the key into the floor and went into a chant. "This spell will instantly insert his core inside you, it just needs to be filled with his presence." Dynamis said has the orb at the top of the key staff started to hum and glow. "And don't even think about trying to warp out of here with your friends, teleportation is banned in this palace."

"..." Kenshin walked behind Dynamis and looked over at everyone, specifically to Yukari.

"What...are you thinking...Kenshin?" Yukari whispered as blood started to fill her mouth again.

"..." Kenshin smiled softly and winked at her. "Of course there are some conditions to my surrender."

"?" Dynamis turned to him. "OK, name them then."

"First, you let everyone walk out of here." Kenshin said.

"Fine." Dynamis said with a shrug. "I've no need for them."

"Most importantly...Hottan can't have me until he blows you away." Kenshin said.

"..." Dynamis narrowed his eyes.

"You heard me, before Hottan gets a single piece of me, he has to turn you into a pile of limbs." Kenshin said.

"Ahah! You really think my lord will go for that?" Dynamis said with a wary smirk.

"I don't know, whose more important to him, me or you?" Kenshin asked.

Dynamis came over and grabbed Kenshin by the jacket. "You listen here you little bastard. Do you know what will happen once I deliver you to Hottan?"

"Then you'll be expendable." Kenshin said.

"Hottan won't kill me!" Dynamis shouts.

"Eh, maybe not." Kenshin said placing his hand on Dynamis' chest. "I will though. Transfer Element, Fire!"

"Embrace!"

"Ahh!" Dynamis shouts. "M...My body is burning! What did you do? !"

"I transferred part of my Balance Breaker to you, the Flame Overdrive." Kenshin said. "You see, unless your name is Yukari or Miyuki Tsuki...you can't handle any Elemental Overdrive, just the first stage."

"Aaaaaggghhhh! !" Dynamis roared as he burned away.

Kenshin turned to everyone as they started getting up. "Alright, everyone get out of here!" He ran over and grabbed Rias and Yukari, slinging their arms over his shoulders and carried them out of the audience chamber with everyone else. Sirzechs tried to run through the door when it slammed shut.

"!" Sirzechs' eyes widened. "Kenshin! Hey Kenshin!"

"!" Kenshin turned toward the door. "Sirzechs just blow the damn thing down!" He said reaching for the handle. "Agh!" It shocked him. "What? !"

"I can't focus my magic right now!" Sirzechs said. "Gggh!" He covered his ears as the humming started getting louder and louder and the orb, brighter and brighter. He turned toward the Great Grand Master Key as everything became white around him.

"!" Kenshin grabbed the handle and forced the door open a moment later, but Sirzechs was gone, as was the Great Grand Master Key.

"...What happened?" Evangeline said looking around.

"...I don't know." Miyuki said.

"Well this is a fine little mess we're in." Bikou said.

"I know what you mean." Vali said.

"Sirzechs is a Satan, and a Super Devil, he should be alright." Kenshin said.

"..." Grayfia stared at him. "Do you really believe that?"

"...No, I don't." Kenshin said. "Honestly."

"Why?" Kuroka asked.

"Because when it comes to this world, I can never catch a freakin' break. Why would it start now? I'm not gonna get my hopes up, just to get kicked in the jewels again." Kenshin said as he walked over to Arika's body and grabbed it. "The restriction on teleporting must have been lifted when I killed Dynamis, head back to the safehouse for now. I'll be there shortly."

"...Yes." Everyone said as they teleported. Kenshin arrived back at Negi's cabin and set Arika down. He walked over to the shed nearby and opened it to reveal a headstone with Arika's name on it. "...?" He noticed a letter on top of it. "I'll look at this later."

(break)

Meanwhile.

GraveKeepers Palace.

An entranced Issei was standing next to an older looking version of Tertium. He turned to find someone walking out of the Palace and onto the balcony.

"Primum, are we prepared?" He asked.

"Yes we are, my lord Hottan." Primum said.

"Excellent." Hottan said with a smirk.

"How is the body treating you?" Primum asked.

"Hmhm, it's not Kenshin's who has immunity to my fantasy magic, but it's certainly powerful." Hottan said as he brushed his red hair out of his eyes.

"I believe his surname is Lucifer, how curious." Primum said.

"It doesn't matter, with my army, this boy and the body of the one who took Kenshin off the board in the first place...Kenshin doesn't stand a chance against me." Hottan said with a smirk.

Yes, not only did Hottan now have the Sekiryuutei at his beck and call, he was now also possessing the body of Sirzechs Lucifer.

(chapter end)

Draconis: Mostly a feely chapter with a couple of plot twists thrown in at the end for good measure, oh and a lemon.

Issei: Awww...man Kenshin's already gotten two in before I could get one.

Draconis: Well I do have good news. The next full lemon will be yours.

Issei: E-Eeeehh? !

Draconis: Yup, just don't know who to put you with yet. Kuroka would probably be the easiest, for Irina, I'd have to execute a plot device that's brought up in a later volume. Seekvaira's difficult because they've only been on one date and Kazumi and Asia could go either way.

Kenshin: Well well well, looks like someone's gonna pop their cherry soon.

Rias: Kenshinnn...come back to bed...

Kenshin: Ah..uhh..coming!

Draconis: Haha.

Anyway, it's been fun. See you all next time.

Draconis678 out.