A Devil's Flock

by Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov

Request fic for whitetigerwolf. Minato Sahashi was taken in by Serafall Leviathan as a young boy. After a decade, he went back into the human realm to fulfill a dream. Little did he know that he would be dragged into a game of Aliens and Ashikabi's. Well, at least, he could turn this Flock of him into a Peerage. For him, this could be the chance to prove himself as a young Devil.

13. A Devil Works out a Plan

Okay, dusting this one off for a bit. It's been what? Four, or five months since the last update. We all get busy and when we don't, we fill it up with other bits.

And yet, I do not long for the days when I was unemployed. But the schedule was kept in mind and it's what it is. It's funny that I won't have to go around making things longer as updates are few and far between.

Now, for this chapter, this is one that I luckily already had ideas in the back of my head for a long freaking time.

But first numbers.

585 favorites. That's 19 more since last time. Good enough but still.

644 followers. That's an increase of 18. I can't complain about that.

If only that meant something in the name of reviews.

99 reviews. 5 more. Just my freaking luck. And none of them from this year.

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We have one guest reviewer.

Guest on chapter 12 on the 18th of November, 2024. I'm not going to spoil anything but there is a good line of thinking on a few but a few that you miss on as well. But who is it all going to be, that is a secret for now.

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Started on 24/03/2025

Ended on 07/04/2025

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Minato could be grateful that Yume had waited until they had dealt with Tsukiumi before they got handed the next crisis. In the living room, he had gathered the entire Flock. From the way things were, they weren't too happy to give up their time watching Poirot.

"Okay, Minato, what is this about?" Matsu asked her Ashikabi who nodded over to Yume. The others had gathered in the room. Tsukiumi was leaning against the wall while others had settled around in the couches or chairs gathered in the room.

The [King] nodded over to Yume.

"Go on. It is your contract, but you should tell them what the issue is."

Yume gathered herself and stood before his Flock sisters.

"I had my first clients. An Ashikabi and his Sekirei. They have asked me to get them out of this city and out of this crazy plan."

For a moment, it was silent but then it was shattered.

"They want to run from battle? From the fight of the Sekirei Plan? They're cowards!" Tsukiumi scoffed as she heard the request.

"And it's foolish," Matsu added as she looked Yume over. "MBI can track everyone down. It'll be impossible to escape from their grasp."

Not all were so cold, a few were more sympathetic.

Musubi frowned on the harsh words. "They want to be free, right? That's not wrong."

Kusano began to tug on Minato's sleeve. "Can't we do anything? We can help them, right?"

Akitsu nodded. "They asked our help. You don't turn away those who ask for help."

Before it could escalate to a full argument, Minato stepped forward, opening his wings.

"I get where you're all coming from. But here's the thing you forgot. For this, we aren't Sekirei. We are Devils. This is a Devil's Contract they are asking from us. So that is how we are dealing with this."

That settled the arguments from everyone in the room. Minato turned to Yume and with a nod, she was relieved to see his expression.

"We are going to help them but we need to be smart about this. We can't have this linked to us. Nor are we doing this for free."

His tone made it clear how this was going to be.

"The best thing for us and them is if we don't meet them. We're going to be doing this in a secret mode. Hikari, Hibiki. I have a job for you two."

The twins perked up as their Ashikabi addressed them.

"Go to the Shinjuku train station. I want you to rent a locker there. Big enough to fit a few folders and a small package. I'll be giving you enough money so you can rent it for a month. Before you leave, I'll be writing a letter that I want you to leave there."

He was already thinking about what he would write down for the two.

"A month?" Hibiki repeated. "Why that long?"

"We'll be using paper and we won't check the locker every day. We need time between those checkups. MBI will be watching every one of us. Delays can work to our advantage."

That statement was taken as truth but Hikari had another question.

"Ashikabi, why not use our MBI cards? I mean, we have them from the place. Why not use that?"

Minato shook his head. He was expecting that question. "Cause MBI can track them. We are not giving them an inch to slap something on us. Just give me a moment to write this out. I want you to return the code and location to me when you're back." His eyes switched over to his [Queen]

"Take Kazehana with you. You're far enough in your spells that you can conceal it, right?"

The graceful nod came from the Wind Flower.

"I can do that. Sneaky stuff, I like it."

Minato glanced at the desk as he started to write out how he'd help the two. He would do his best but he would need compensation in one way or another. If Shigi was willing to help him out, Minato would do anything to help them. What that payment would be, was something he'd write out later. For now, Shigi had to agree with the terms.

"I'm also going to ask this from you, Yume. When they're back, you'll be dropping off a letter at Shigi. But you'll do it without announcing yourself. You teleport to their house but you are not to enter the place. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Ashikabi-sama."

Scene skip

It was tense waiting until the three returned from their nightly outing. Minato knew they'd be fine out there but that didn't stop it from being nerve-wracking.

When the door opened and they entered the room, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Locker's rented. Shinjuku West Exit," Hikari said, tossing a small card onto the table. "Combination's written on the back."

Minato picked it up as he knew how it'd go. He was grateful they kept that in.

"Letter's inside and it's rented for a month." Hibiki stretched out as she watched him over.

"I just don't understand why you want us to rent it."

Minato smirked as he looked her over.

"If we visit them or they visit us, MBI is going to notice. Our houses are being watched. But other locations are more neutral. That way, it's safer. For both of us."

He added the location and code to the letter that was meant for Yume." Closing the envelope, he handed it over to Yume.

"You know what to do. Drop this off at their end. It's written why they can't meet us. There are instructions on what they have to do. We'll need to hold off for three days until they visit the locker. In five days, we'll pick up their reply."

The Sekirei of Fate had been alive for a while but she hadn't thought about how exactly it'd play out. And yet, for all intents and purposes, it was as if Minato had been doing this for much longer than she had.

"That'll do, Ashikabi." With a magical circle, she left as the Ashikabi turned back to his Peerage. There were more instructions for all of them.

"For now, we can't let Minaka think that something wrong is going on. We need to be acting as if nothing is abnormal. Which means, training, school, and the usual. Act like nothing is out of the ordinary."

Tsukiumi felt a question coming up.

"We can do this in other ways. Why the secrecy? We are strong enough for this."

"Because if we keep things subtle, we keep things easy. There is enough on our plate already. Don't worry, we'll get our share of violence."

His latest addition to his Peerage felt herself out of her debt but when she felt a hand on her shoulder, Musubi's expression indicated that he was speaking the truth.

Scene skip

When Haruka Shigi went to check the mail, he found himself surprised that beyond the usual junk mail, advertisements, and bills, there was one that stood out.

A simple white envelope that only had his name written on it.

"Kuno." He called out, his shy Sekirei coming out.

"Did you order something in my name?" Shigi figured that it couldn't hurt for her to learn how to use a computer. But for safety reasons, he asked that if she ordered something online, she used his name.

"No, Haruka. Why?" Showing her the envelope, the young couple settled down as they took out the letter.

Good day, Haruka Shigi and Kuno.

If you are wondering who is writing you this letter, my name is Minato Sahashi. Just like you, I'm an Ashikabi but I'm also the [King] of Yume, the Devil that visited your house a few days ago.

She has told me about your predicament and your request to leave the city.

While we can certainly help you, I want to minimize risks for both our sakes. It is safer that we don't meet in person. There is a letter that I left behind at the Shinjuku Train Station with instructions on what you have to do. The code and location are written here on this. I suggest you memorize this before you come to pick it up.

Shigi and Kuno shared an uneasy look. What have they gotten themselves into?

Yet, they continued to read it through.

Follow the instructions on that letter. Pick it up in two days from now. MBI is watching over the entire city. Continue your normal routine. Trust me and you have a good chance. But I warn you. There is more to come and I don't work for nothing. We'll work something out.

I'll hear your reply.

Sincerely, Minato Sahashi.

Shigi finished reading that as he watched his alien wife. "Do you think we can trust him?" Kuno asked as Haruka thought about it.

"Let's face it, Kuno. What choice do we have? Can you think of something else?" The blonde shook her head and placed her head on his shoulder.

"I can't. We can only put our faith in them."

"In a group of Devils. We're really damned." Shigi grew up in a village that had a church. Of the entire population of Japan, less than 1% was Christian. But curiosity was something encouraged. So he knew some of the legends.

Still, what was true and what was lies? He'd just wait and see how they would come through.

Scene skip

Minato was glad that magic had made it seem that he attended classes in the last few weeks as absence would be severely noticed.

Even for him, those spells were something that he had to keep on going.

Luckily, he had also memorized the majority of the lessons already. But now, he had to attend the place.

Despite the lessons and academia that would have crushed most, Minato's brain was already thinking of other things.

Training with his Sekirei would be back in and for one weird reason or another, he was somewhat lucky with the first ten that he reincarnated in his Peerage. But if he compared it to what he had now, Tsukiumi proved to be something new.

While he had fought Benitsubasa before, it wasn't anything like the statuesque blonde bombshell. She clearly was a whole different kettle of fish and he doubted that she would roll along. She had winged herself on him and had been reincarnated.

But he knew that it would take a longer time to completely tame her. There was no other word for it.

Kazehana, Akitsu, Matsu, Yume. He could reel them in by a show of force if it came down to it.

Benitsubasa, Musubi, Haihane, Hikari, Hibiki. They knew the score.

Tsukiumi. She was different. Too proud, too headstrong.

But she'd learn. After all, he had faced her in battle and managed to defeat her.

When he returned back home, he already was in the house, happy to see that the Sekirei hadn't bored themselves in the day as they had found themselves with activities to occupy themselves.

From the smell, it seemed that some had decided to start early dinner.

Akitsu and Hikari had taken up cooking. They would need to feed eleven people so that meant lots of meal prepping.

"Hello, Ashikabi." They stopped cooking to wrap Minato into a kiss. The [Bishop] was first, possessively wrapping her arms around him as she shoved her tongue down his throat. Ever since they had crossed the line, it was clear that her patience was wearing thin.

When she let go, Hikari acted fast as she kissed him as well. Her wings came out, hungrily devouring the energy and letting go of the tension.

"We decided to make a chicken stew tonight." He hoped that they'd keep the spices down. If not for him, then for Kusano.

That was two of the eleven women in his house.

Hibiki had picked up a manual from Minato that she was examining with Yume and Haihane. It was clear that they were thinking about how they would use their powers and convert them into Devil Magic.

"Evening, ladies." The three picked up from their reading, having smiles all over their faces.

Hibiki was the first to reach him as her lips connected to his.

Luckily, she was considerate enough to allow Haihane to get him. Her fellow [Pawn] usually reserved energy but for something like this, she didn't mind. Her kiss was just eager.

Yume, the considerate elder, waited until the youngsters had their fill. But when her body connected to his, it was like snow melting in the sun as she hugged him close.

"You've been keeping up with lessons. Good call." Minato complimented them before they turned back to their books.

Five of eleven.

Musubi and Benitsubasa were outside, already starting the training. It was evident that the [Rook] had the upper hand as she could take hits much easier compared to the [Pawn]. They would need to work on that.

At this point, they'd be too busy. He'd give them their kiss when they got back into the room.

Seven of the eleven.

Matsu would be in her room, doing her computer stuff and keeping track of MBI, their foes, and other developments. Like Musubi and Benitsubasa, she'd be too focused on her work. He'd leave her there.

Eight of eleven.

He found Kazehana reading a book to Kusano and it seemed they had a guest in the evening.

"Hey, King. You're back." The smile from Uzume was infectious as he grinned at her as well.

"Hello, Uzume-chan. Can't miss us." The brunette shrugged, making her tits roll while Kazehana smirked as she kept Kusano in her lap.

"The Inn has gotten boring with you moving out. And given the fact that we are neighbors, I can simply drop by, right?"

She was a welcome guest and for one reason or another, she already fitted right in with the Flock.

"We should think of making her permanent resident. I mean, she fits right with us?" Kazehana said, making Minato reconsider how this would go.

While it was already unconventional that he was the only man living in a house with women, the fact remained they were linked to him. Either by being a Devil or by being winged by him as Sekirei. Neither of those two was fulfilled by Uzume.

"You can't deny that I do, King." Minato knew that they made a good point but he felt that it was like he was intruding on the relationship between her and Chiho.

"Maybe you do, maybe you don't. I am just wondering what your Ashikabi would think of that." There was the sore issue that they'd need to deal with.

The smile of the Veiled Sekirei just faded a touch.

"Yeah, she wouldn't be too thrilled. I think that warrants another visit."

Unlike his previous Sekirei, it wasn't as simple as claiming her. They'd need time to figure things out.

"We probably should. But for now, Uzume-chan, I have another matter that I'd need to deal with." Minato was unsure if anyone had told her about the issue that came up with Shigi and his Sekirei, and if they hadn't done that, he'd prefer to keep that way.

"You're not saying no." Uzume proposed.

"I'm not saying yes either. And as I mentioned, I have another issue to deal with. And if you'd excuse me, I need to find the last of my Flock."

With that said, the Ashikabi walked out, as he missed the dejected looks from Uzume and Kusano.

Wrapping a friendly arm around her shoulder, Kazehana comforted the younger Sekirei.

"Don't take it personally. He wasn't lying. There is much going on."

The last place that he looked was on the rooftop where Tsukiumi was overlooking the city.

"Tsukiumi." The blonde turned him as she watched him wrestle himself on the rooftop.

"Ashikabi." Without waiting for her answer, Minato simply wrestled himself on top and just sat down next to her.

"You had me worried for a moment. Have you been here all day?"

Shaking her head, her blonde curls shaking with that movement, she looked him over.

"I just needed a moment to myself. This house never seems to be quiet." The male grinned as he knew that just as well. It was great to have chaos in the house. It was the way he was used to it.

"You're now getting along on the fact that I winged you."

The blonde shrugged at his comment as she watched him.

"I am tied to you in your own way. As your Devil. So I figured that I would just make it a formality to be winged to you. I doubt you'd allow me to find another Ashikabi."

"Good guess. And let's face it. What other Ashikabi would take in a woman as crazy as you who'd threaten to kill them?"

That was enough for Tsukiumi to give him one scathing glare as her hair began to flow.$

"What did thou say?"

"The honest truth. And if you're mad about that, you can get that out by training. We're having dinner and after that, it's exercise."

The wires in her head began to run as she heard the latest development.

"Training. For what dost thee think that I need training? I'm a Sekirei, a Single Number. I am one of the strongest out there."

Minato's smile was one that made her blood run cold in her veins.

"And in terms of a Devil, you've barely started out. I can assure you that you are a very small fish in a giant sea, Tsukiumi. And for that, you'll need to be trained. Believe me when I tell you that you'll find out how far you rank compared to the others.

Scene skip

The weather had turned a good bit cooler compared to the previous days but that wouldn't stop him from training. Especially not since they had the latest addition to the Flock.

Outside, they were all watching in as their [King] stepped forward, showcasing his physique in his usual training outfit. He didn't wear anything on the upper part of his chest, showcasing his muscled chest. Every woman present noticed the way he looked.

His eyes went over the four women that he would train with tonight.

Tsukiumi was quite unsure of how to handle her half-naked Ashikabi as she stared at him openly. The man had nothing to be ashamed of and it showed. The image sent an electric jolt down her spine as she looked at him.

Minato also appreciated the fact that Uzume came bearing gifts. She had given all of the Sekirei a workout outfit.

And tonight was the first time that they had a use for those. The Waterdere was the first he could see wearing their training outfit. She was wearing a sleek, modified blue and white gi. It had no sleeves and her long blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail. The top was modest but it fitted her form as it couldn't hide the awesome body that she had.

Her pants were much the same though. Snug but flexible, cupping that delectable ass of hers.

The Thunder twins were watching with a silent stare on him. Unlike Tsukiumi, it wasn't the first time that they saw him half naked but that didn't stop it from being quite a show. Hibiki's eyes trailed over his dips and ridges of his torso.

She turned her gaze away from him while Hikari didn't have any shame. Her gaze ran over the male Ashikabi. "You like to show off."

Unlike their usual attire, Hikari had gone for a black and gold sport, running across her chest with lighting motifs that were stitched into the fabric. The lower half was covered by mid-thigh shorts. It'd allow for good movement during their speed drills.

Hibiki was matching her sister in terms of outfit although hers wasn't so snug across the chest. Leggings were reaching below the knees. But unlike the black and gold, it was white with blue. The more relaxed of the twins was trying her best to ignore his outfit.

The last one of the four, Haihane, was wearing a short, sleeveless hoodie vest over a dark gray sports bra. Her pants were tight but they were quite reinforced along the thighs and shins. The white-haired Sekirei tilted her head as she admired the view. She was looking forward to feeling Minato's body on hers.

As for the spectators, they were watching in sheer amazement at the way Minato was dressed.

Uzume looked him over. Even tied to Chiho, there was a big part of her that loved the image of Minato. A crooked grin washed over her face.

"You're sure that this isn't a reward instead of punishment?"

Kazehana leaned in closer to her, whispering back in her ear. Her voice was low and teasing. "It's not punishment but a reward. For us, at least."

Uzume blinked but then she smirked as she watched how Minato's back muscles shifted. "Well, damn. I should have gotten a front-row seat."

Kazehana chuckled as her eyes glinted. "You're already in the splash zone."

Next to them, Kusano tugged on the hem of Kazehana's sleeve. "Kaze-chan, why is nii-chan not wearing a shirt? Doesn't he get cold?" When it was hot, the youngest Sekirei got why he wouldn't wear a shirt but now, it was getting a little chilly.

The tone indicated how innocent and curious she was.

The Wind Flower gave her a gentle pat on the head. "Because he's training, Kusano. And it can get hot in any sense of the word."

Tilting her head in confusion, Kusano's little head began to perk up from that.

"Oh, okay!" Then she snuggled under the arm of her elder as she was content with the answer, even if she didn't get it.

Musubi was watching them as she had stars in her eyes. "He really looks cool like that. I hope my own training would be like that!"

Benitsubasa shook her head as she watched the group. "Of course you do…"

Matsu had locked herself in the room but she found herself looking up from her monitors. The outdoor feed was showing Minato's physique. "Hmm… and there's the view I was waiting for. His muscle tone's improved. Mental note: record footage. For analysis. Strictly analysis."

She hit "record" and kept watching.

Yume sat next to Kusano, Uzume, and Kazehana, fondling her arms with a graceful smile. Her expression was serene, but her eyes lingered longer than they should have. "He doesn't flaunt it," she murmured, "but it's hard not to notice. It's no wonder the others fall so hard."

In the center of it, Minato watched how he was being admired. He could feel that but frankly, he didn't mind it one bit. If he was free to ogle them, so were they.

But they weren't there just watch. He would be up for this.

"Alright, listen up." The four perked up from him and he was addressed on that.

"As your [Evil Pieces, in your case, Tsukiumi, I reincarnated you as [Knight]. Those Pieces are mostly meant for speed. As for the rest of you." His eyes looked Hikari and Hibiki over.

"Your Elemental Powers are one facet but with speed, I would like to focus you on that as well. You know what Promotion means, right?" The three [Pawns] nodded.

"Good, the stronger your bodies, the better you'd be able to handle that power. While I would usually have you run laps around the block, I know better. You're going to learn how to hit harder while you're moving, use your Powers against me, dodge smarter."

"Dost thou think that thee stand a chance against us four?" Tsukiumi's comments made the other three give one scathing glare at her.

Minato's smile was just as friendly as before but a dangerous edge hung around it.

"Tsukiumi, I have beaten you into the ground before and I have been a Devil far longer than you have. So believe me, you'll have a tough time to land even one hit."

Hibiki and Hikari were relieved to hear it was trying to hit him instead of getting the crud beaten out of them.

Minato smirked.

"Let's see what you've got."

His eyes settled on the twins.

"We're not going to fight four at once. Too many cooks in the kitchen and all that. So it's you two first."

The two stepped up, exchanging an unsure glance. A faint crackle of lighting came out and sparked between their fingers.

'They're getting better at this.' He was glad to see them combining their magic with their powers.

They moved in, not charging but splitting. Hibiki went to the left while Hikari remained close to him.

He had to duck from a bolt in his direction as Hibiki got in close, throwing a first punch. Instead of catching the lightning bolt in his palm, he got out of the way, and before Hikari could even get closer, Minato twisted behind her, ducking out of the way from Hibiki.

The buxom twin missed again, with her balance gone. He hadn't even thrown a punch at her.

Hikari darted in closer, "Thunder Palm!" She shouted as her hand went forward.

Minato avoided the fist and simply caught her wrist twisting her down. Eyes widened as Minato simply pushed her back.

"It's a dangerous trick. But you're predictable. You channel before you commit. Delaying is a weakness."

Hibiki jumped back. There was no way that she could hit Minato with her sister blocking every way of attack.

"Try to use magic instead of your powers. Without speaking, mentally. Much more practice in coming."

He let go of Hikari's wrist and they backed off. It was just one small spar and yet, they had lost without him even going hard on them.

"Next."

Haihane cracked her knuckles, looking forward to this. She came in low and fast, zigzagging across the garden. Her movement was unpredictable. A smart person learns from their own mistakes. A wise person learns from the mistakes of others.

She knew that overwhelming him wouldn't do her any favors. So Haihane didn't even try. Feints, twists, sudden rolls. Her footwork was a blur, hoping that she could confuse him.

When she thought that she saw an opening, she went for it.

Mid-spin, her knee came up hard toward his ribs—only to be caught mid-air. His palm was there. Waiting. Like he knew where she'd be before she did.

Then he pulled.

Haihane yelped as her momentum reversed. He let her go just in time for her to tumble and roll across the grass, landing on her back.

"Damn," she groaned.

"You need to work faster on that. Light strikes do more than one heavy attack."

And now, only Tsukiumi remained.

The Waterdere hadn't expected Minato to be this strong. He just parried three Sekirei like it was nothing.

It didn't even look like he was breaking a sweat.

But Tsukiumi was focused on the rest. Her eyes were locked on his frame. She knew better than to rush in the heat of battle. Her expression was quiet but beneath it all, her pride was running.

Not that she could hide it from Minato. Tsukiumi still believed that she could win from him but she would soon learn that she couldn't match up compared to him. Raising her hands, water surged forward.

A practiced flick sent streams like whips toward Minato.

"Ame no Arashi!" She called, sending the water strikes to her Ashikabi. What she hadn't expected was that Minato would step forward. He didn't dodge, he didn't block.

He weaved through the water, slipping through the streams as if he was dodging traffic. She couldn't explain how sharp his moves were.

Her water sliced through the empty space, not even touching his skin.

She blinked as her expression tightened. Another wave hammered towards him.

This time, Minato stepped inside it.

With a twist of his foot and a small pulse of his magic, the blast split open and hissed in the ground beside him.

"You rely too much on range. You want to control the field." His voice was level and calm.

"That is my power," his latest addition snapped at him.

"It's not your only power," Minato replied and it was like she appeared right before her. Barely any time to react to brace as Minato grabbed her wrist, redirecting her next attack. His legs swept in, forcing her back.

And funnily enough, he didn't even go harder on her compared to the others. He cut her off attacks as she didn't have the range to go after him.

"Fight me, Tsukiumi. Not as Sekirei. As Devil." She gritted her teeth, trying to summon water but he struck again. His palm grazed her shoulder, pivoting her. His movements weren't violent but they demanded that she responded in one way or another.

Then a change occurred. She reacted as she ducked for a jab, her body moved fast. Too fast than she expected.

She felt the wind cut around her as she was shooting forward. The speed was outpacing her own expectations. Her eyes widened.

Minato grinned at her reaction but not just hers. The others were looking in surprise.

"That's your [Evil Piece]. As a [Knight, your speed is enhanced. You have your work cut out for you." Tsukiumi stared at him as her bountiful chest rose up and down. Clenching her fist, she understood what Minato was getting at.

"And this is what you can do without proper training. Believe me, by the time that you are fully done, you'll be flying around the place."

Tsukiumi took that as a compliment.

She exhaled sharply as she felt her heartbeat thundering in her ears. Not out of fear but from excitement.

That flash of motion, that speed, it wasn't her Sekirei strength.

It was the [Evil Piece]. She could feel it everywhere. In her legs, spine, chest. Her entire core of being had been rewritten.

Lifting her eyes, she was focused on Minato.

"You're holding back."

"Of course, I am. Believe me, you would not be able to handle my full power." It stung her pride but it was the truth.

Her foot launched off the ground with a force that she didn't expect. Minato's eyes flickered in surprise. She threw a jab at him, closing in before her elemental instincts could take over.

Minato parried it with a slight turn of his wrist. She twisted, lowering her stance, and fired a sweeping kick. Blocking with his forearm, the force pushed him back.

He couldn't help but grin.

"Now, we're getting somewhere." She didn't stop at that point.

Water began to swirl, not in the form of an attack but she controlled it around her fist and legs, as if she was wearing her power.

'Faster than I expected, better control than the twins, and already in tune with her magic. I hit a jackpot.'

A burst of strikes followed, making Minato work for parrying and dodging. She was adapting faster than he already thought.

But he wouldn't be outdone so quickly. He leaned forward, shoulder to shoulder, and with one palm, pressed to her stomach, she realized that this fight was over.

"That," he said, stepping back, "was the start of Devil combat."

Tsukiumi stared at him, her chest rising and falling, lips parted slightly.

She didn't reply.

She began to understand. She had faced her Ashikabi who looked like he wasn't even trying. And with the way that the others acted. It was clear that there were many creatures, stronger than she could even imagine.

"I can go for another round."

"You're not the only one waiting. None of you can slack off. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Ashikabi!"

A grin covered his face as he heard those words.

"Good answer! We'll continue!"

Scene skip

A few days later, Minato sent out Yume to pick up the letter that Haruka had left behind in the locker. Either, he accepted the terms on what Minato wanted from him, or he'd just leave him there. No point in trying something else.

The letter that the Thunder Twins had left behind in that locker, dictated the terms of payment of what he wanted from the two.

Briefly, Minato wondered what way Haruka would jump. Minato had made it abundantly clear that paying with an MBI card was out of the question. Too dangerous for things that could lead back to Minato.

Before long, they had returned with the letter from the desperate duo. Everyone was gathered around in the lounge room.

Some like Haihane and Tsukiumi were leaning against the walls while the majority were sitting on the couch. Minato stood in the middle, starting to read the reply.

Dear Minato Sahashi,

I have read the terms of your contract. In return for getting us out of the city, you'd want compensation.

I understand that using the MBI card is out of the question so we'd either pay you back with funds that don't come from that or in return, we'd have to work under someone for a while.

Desperate men cling to straws so I'd go for the latter option. I'm willing to repay you however you want me to. Just get us out of this city.

Signed

Haruka Shigi.

The guy had kept it short, which was just what Minato preferred. He accepted the offer of payment, now it was time to find a solution.

The silence extended for a bit until it was Musubi who broke it.

"So what now?" The question was burning on everyone's lips.

"Now. Now, we prepare to help them to get out of the city."

Matsu's fingers adjusted her glasses as she began to consider the options that they had.

"Mina-tan, not to be a stick in the mud, but how do you expect to get them out of the city? There is no doubt that MBI is watching every road leading in and out of the city."

The Ashikabi sat back, walked over to her, and cupped her chin.

"That's true, Matsu. But unless MBI has thrown its lot in with the Supernatural World, that doesn't appear to be a hurdle for me. Do you all forget? I'm a Devil first and an Ashikabi second. Now, I'm going to make a call."

Whipping out his phone, Minato dialed a number in.

"There are a few people who owe me a debt, and I believe it's time that I cash it in."

Putting his phone to the ear, he appeared to be delightfully cheerful.

"Hello, Sona-sama. This is Minato. Yeah, I need your help with something. Could you be so kind as to help me with the situation?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then, Sona's crisp, no-nonsense voice filtered through the receiver.

"Hello, Minato. Cut to the chase, what do you need my help for?"

Minato turned and paced across the room as they watched him talk.

"One of my Sekirei got a contract. An Ashikabi and his Sekirei. They want to escape from the city and this wicked game. I am not going to try and escape via the conventional routes. We'll do this my way. You remember my experiments?"

For a moment, it was quiet until Sona figured out what he was talking about.

"You mean the ones with the teleportation circles and the jewels. Yes, I do. Let me guess, you want me to be the receiver while you make one for those two. I have two questions."

Minato was glad that she was on speaker as the Sekirei were listening in.

"Shoot."

"One. Why are you asking me? Rias is the one who owes you more favors than I do. Two. Why do you want to send them to Kuoh?"

Minato's voice was heavy, despite the humorous note.

"It's easier to work with you, Sona-sama. After all, I'm part of your sister's family. It saves a lot of work. Second. Kuoh is quiet and with you and Rias-sama, it'll be safer for them."

Sona sighed. "So I am just supposed to host everyone you find and send them over?"

Minato smiled.

"He accepted the terms that he can work his debt off to me. You can use him in your school. As long you don't ask him to do degrading work, I'm fine with that. He's yours to use for that. And for now, it's just two people.

Sona went quiet again.

"A person that I can employ however I want."

"I imagine that two extra sets of hands can't hurt. With your workload…"

When she got quiet, Minato knew that she was thinking this over.

"You are asking a great deal from me, Minato."

"Might I remind you that you and Rias-sama both owe me? I have three favors from you and four from Rias-sama. You both are set on repaying that."

He had helped them out more times than he could count and only in the most extreme cases, there were favors that they both owned him.

Unlike the others, who were quite shrewd in making the most of it, Minato wasn't one to ask for them unless he felt he had no other choice.

"When you add that in, it can't be helped. I'll start preparing my end."

"You don't need to be in a hurry. It'll take at least two weeks before I'm done with making the jewel." There was an audible sigh of relief.

"That is good news. I'll need time for everything else. Good luck out there, Minato. We have been picking up news from there."

That took Minato for a loop.

"You are saying that the news of the Sekirei Plan is already out there?" There was a soft chuckle from the other end. Minato had learned that it was never good when Sona chuckled.

"Not exactly. But there's something wrong with the city. Strange reports of fights and bizarre incidents. While I imagine that MBI is blocking the news, he can't stop the spread of other sources."

Minato smirked. Minaka would have planned this in the early years of the millennium. The way how the populace interacted with the news had dramatically shifted over the course of the last two decades.

"Thanks for the heads-up."

Before he could say goodbye, she hung up. Minato put the phone right next to his legs. For Kusano's sake, he bit back the curse that was threatening to spill from his lips.

"By calling in this favor, I am more in her debt than I was before." Kazehana looked surprised when Minato said those words.

"Why are you saying that?"

His eyes fixated on his [Queen] as they couldn't know what that meant.

"She gave me a warning on how we proceed. Look, I imagine that whatever this Sekirei Game is, we are required to keep quiet. Unfortunately, that news is already getting out. The world is going to find out about us as Sekirei and Ashikabi. But that isn't what I am worried about."

Matsu figured out what Minato was hinting at.

"We can't let it slip that we are Devils as well."

Minato nodded.

"Yeah, we can take precautions but believe me, I am not interested in using those. Not to mention what happens if we're discovered. My Master and a few others would not be happy with that outcome. It's something that we'll have to keep in mind when we do our business."

Minato's mind was racing faster than it had done in years. They'd need to be extra careful. Especially when they'd deal with the other troubles.

He felt two calm hands, each on one shoulder. Musubi and Kazehana stood in front of him as they kept him grounded.

"Calm down, Minato-san. It'll be fine."

"We are Sekirei. We can write off on that. Don't worry about that. Put your mind to something else. Like helping those two."

A crooked grin came over his face. It wasn't easy to make the jewel. It'd be a good exercise for a few of his Flock to concentrate their magic.

"Yep. And I can tell you that while I made the stuff, it ain't easy or fast. Kazehana, Akitsu, Matsu, Yume, Kusano. You're all roped in on helping me make that."

A collective groan escaped their lips as they got themselves into more work.

"Hey, be positive. Those who help me with the jewel, don't have training or contracts." Somehow, that didn't put their minds at ease. If Minato allowed them to take off training, that meant that the creation of the jewel would be extraordinarily difficult.

Scene skip

In the house of Minato Sahashi, there was a difference between those who helped him make the jewel that would allow and those who didn't.

The ones who didn't have thought themselves to be on the unfortunate side as they'd have their training, they'd be forced to pick up the slack.

Musubi, Tsukiumi, Benitsubasa, Haihane, Hikari, and Hibiki were counting their blessings as they'd be able to function through the evening after their training, no matter how much Minato actually amped up.

Stamina training by running or climbing, pushups, and sit-ups. After that, hand-to-hand combat, sparring with the others, and for a few, magical training as well, especially the elemental Sekirei.

Still, even with that extra, his focus on six instead of eleven, the six agreed they were better off than the others.

It turned out that one needed an incredible amount of magical energy to make the jewel.

Minato knew how to put the right spells, symbols, and drawings on the floor. But he lacked the actual power for it.

So that was why the other five found themselves often too exhausted to move and had to be dragged out by their sister wives.

They had to focus their magic on the drawing that Minato had made in the living room as they were pouring their magic into this. It was an exercise in managing their control and putting their reserves through.

He wasn't kind or nice on this matter. Three of them were always pouring themselves into it.

For the [Bishops, Akitsu, and Kusano, it was especially rough. While the [Evil Piece] has stabilized them, it also tapped into their incredible amount of power, without it going from bad to worse.

They were grateful for the fact that Minato had done that but now, they felt that he was pushing them harder than before.

Matsu was hit even harder by the taxing. Her body wasn't as strong as the others and while she had skipped the training, claiming that her intellect and mastery of computers had granted her a boon and exception from the Devil Training, it was biting her in her shapely rear.

Yume wasn't sure where she'd fall.

As a [Rook, she'd be focused on fighting. Her powers were flourishing under the [Evil Piece]. But in terms of magical, she found herself often outmatched. Yet, as one of the higher [Pieces, Minato couldn't miss her.

Kazehana was the one who adapted the best to it and yet, suffered the worst of it. Aside from their [King, she had the best magical reserves from anyone in their Peerage, but that didn't mean she wasn't getting burned out from it.

Yet, none of them found themselves able to stand up as Minato pushed through, long after they passed out as he was also pushed to his limits.

Yet, when he wasn't making the jewel, he was training them. When those five were unable to even get out of bed after this, Minato was training the other batch.

It showed how strong he was compared to them in terms of magical reserves.

That strength was evident to more people than just the Peerage.

One evening, Minato was out walking as he decided that he could drop off the letter with Shigi's next instructions. What he could expect from Minato and the lengths that the Ashikabi had gone for him. There were also mentions of what he had to do when he received the package. He was hiding words to prevent anything from coming out.

When he was walking around, he kept his head on a swivel. When you're not sure if you're in a safe place, it could never hurt to keep your guard up.

It had saved his life countless times and it appeared that tonight would be no different.

Minato could already sense the bloodlust before he could see her. There were quite a few creatures that had the same bloodlust but none of them were in this realm. So the only person that had this sort of bloodlust in this city, was the last person he wanted to meet.

"Well, color me shocked that the Devil's out this late. What? Can't you send out your women for this, Ashikabi?"

Karasuba came out from the shadow of a lamppost, her long grey coat hung over her like a whisper. There was no way this woman would come out unarmed. But as long they could keep the swords sheathed, it would be preferable for everyone.

But Minato knew that he wouldn't get off this easily so he would talk to make sure that she didn't follow him.

"I'm more surprised that a dog is allowed to walk out on his own. Where are the ones holding your leash?"

That little comment was enough to get her angry but she couldn't let the animal out of the cage. She wanted answers and it was an annoying fact that the dead didn't talk.

Then again…

"I am free to walk this city. After all, who else can enforce the rules of the Sekirei Plan?"

Minato had already guessed but now, it was assured. If Minaka Hiroto had assigned Karasuba as the one who had to keep Ashikabi and Sekirei in check, the man was ten times more insane than he already assumed.

"After all, it's quite hard on my own. You had my two subordinates stolen from under my nose." He had almost forgotten how Benitsubasa and Haihane fell into his lap. One was winged on accident and the other went along with it.

At this point, it would be uncouth to start complaining about them.

"That sounds like a you-problem. And I'm not inclined to tell you how I winged them."

Karasuba's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as she was about to cause a disaster. Usually, when that happened, people had learned to get out of the way of the danger zone. That went for everyone in the facility.

But Minato Sahashi did something different. Instead of getting out of the way, he got closer to her.

She could see it in his eyes. He wasn't afraid of her. He didn't even consider her. For him, she was just an annoyance that he had to deal with instead of a credible threat.

And it infuriated Sekirei Number Four but it intrigued her so much more.

"You don't know who you're fucking with, do you?"

"Took the words right out of my mouth, Karasuba. I know exactly what I can and can't fight. I know that I can beat you." Minato was not in the mood to have this conversation but it appeared that she knew this game just a bit better than he.

"I was just curious. It is not every day that you can bring someone back from the dead." Minato didn't have to guess who she was talking about.

"I didn't know that Musubi had Yume. It appeared that her Tama reacted to the [Evil Piece]. The end result, I ended up with another [Rook] and she got to live another day. Who the hell complains about that?"

Karasuba would have chuckled if she was capable of doing so but in Minato's mind, that sounded like a scoff.

"I was just thinking about the miracles that you're performing. I did some digging. Couldn't find much back, aside from what you humans wrote down in legend."

'Figures, only the ones in the know have the knowledge.' Minato thought as he kept his eyes on Karasuba.

"That means that I need to get my information from someone else. And given that there are no other Devils around…"

Her tone and words left little room for imagination on the implications of refusal. Karasuba always assumed that she could get what she wanted by threatening others. Unfortunately for her, she didn't know when she was outmatched.

"I have nothing to say to the likes of you. And if I were you, I'd keep my nose out of business where it didn't belong."

Karasuba's eyes narrowed to slits, her smirk curving into something colder—meaner.

Laying a hand on his arm, she had the single intention to break that damn arm. Just to show him who was the boss in this city.

Her fingers barely grazed the fabric before she found herself outmatched. In an instant, her entire world flipped upside down.

Minato had her pinned against the wall. Her back slammed into the concrete and his forearm, was pressed against her throat. His body had angled so that she couldn't get out. For a moment, Karasuba froze.

She had walked the earth for two decades. Never in her life had she encountered a being that could make her doubt her abilities. Not even Miya. Not even Yume. No one had done what Minato Sahashi had done.

Dying in battle had been her dream, the moment that she was old enough to form coherent thoughts. But for the first time, it wasn't met with the same equal joy.

No, with the way he looked at her, it put something else in her.

Fear.

"If you're that eager to die…" his lips were near her ear now, low and cold, "…then say the word, and I'll make it easy for you."

Karasuba's hand twitched for her sword but he pressed harder.

Her throat constricted beneath his forearm, but her smirk stayed on her face. Her lips curled with satisfaction.

"I know what you are," Karasuba rasped. "Your mother told me about you. Kind boy. Nice boy. Raised by grandma, mother, and sister. Meaning. You might act strong. But you're nothing. A wet paper bag. A noodle that has no spine. A child playing hero."

Her grin widened, despite the added pressure on her windpipe.

"And I know that you don't have the stones to kill me."

His expression didn't change.

But she could feel it. She could see his anger. It wasn't wild like others. It was contained. Focused. His rage was aimed at her.

He pulled back and gave her one death glare.

"That boy she's talking about. He died in the woods a decade ago."

He let her go even further, allowing her to fall to the ground.

With a flick of his wrist, a circle of blue magic opened and he summoned his blade.

A sleek rapier, pitch-black with a silver edge that shimmered with demonic energy. It hummed with quiet menace as he brought it forward, the tip landing just beneath her eye.

His eyes met hers—and she froze.

Because what she saw, was the fact that his eyes weren't empty. His message was clear. It showed that he would kill.

Not because of something like want or bloodlust but because he'd protect someone.

"And the ones who took me in. They taught me to stand up for myself. Even against them."

Karasuba didn't move.

For the first time in years, she didn't know how this ended.

The rapier remained where it was. He was ready to hit her. And it would be so easy to end her. But he wasn't like her. He wasn't a stone-cold killer.

Not yet anyway.

"I'll give you one warning. Keep your nose out of this. Walk away. While you still have the option."

The scoff was something that Minato expected. Her chin lifted against the cold metal.

"I don't think orders from boys like you. I'm a Single Number. I'm the strongest of the Sekirei. Nothing in this city won't bend or break."

Her tone oozed confidence. Pride. Arrogance that had never been questioned

Minato didn't blink.

His rapier vanished in the same magic as before. She didn't have a second to register before his foot slammed into her stomach.

The violent crack echoed through the alley as her body folded against the impact. The breath was ripped from her lungs as she crumpled.

There was no balance or posture. The only thing she felt was pain.

And lots of it.

She tried to recover but only found twitching limbs. Kneeling beside her, he lifted her ponytail with one hand and hauled it up so she could meet his eyes.

There was no anger. No rage.

Just cold clarity.

"Strength isn't a title. Or numbers. It doesn't mean you're untouchable either. If I can do this to you, you're not that strong."

He leaned in closer, voice dropping even lower.

"You're delusional."

She tried to pull away but it was too late. His fist came down with her face and surgical force. Her temple hit the pavement. Then her body went limp. She was out like a light.

He let her fall gently, standing tall as her unconscious form slumped against the wall.

Then, without another glance, he adjusted his coat and walked away.

He still had a letter to deliver.

Scene skip

Haruka Shigi had kept the instructions of Minato Sahashi in mind. He never took the same route to the train station twice and he only visited the box once every three days. Kuno and he were sick with worry but whenever they received a letter, it always filled their hearts with hope.

He didn't care if he had to repay the debt in one way or another. At least, he would be safe. When he got the letter, his hopes went up again.

He made at least four detours before he got home.

"Kuno." She heard the joy in her Ashikabi's voice.

"Did he leave a letter?" There was a grateful nod as he opened the envelope.

Shigi Haruka, Kuno.

I am informing you that as you agreed to repay the debt you owe me, I'll be sending you somewhere safe.

To repay me, you'll work two years under me. I am going to stay in the city so I have decided to kill two birds with one stone.

I'll send you and Kuno to a city, called Kuoh. I have friends in the city there. Her name is Sona Shitori-sama. I implore you to be respectful towards her.

What her connection to me is, is need to know and you don't need to know. It's just that you'll work through her to repay me.

I thank you for the patience you had and your faith in me. Leave a letter in three days at the office for our last contact.

At the end of the month, you'll find your means out of the city.

Signed,

Minato Sahashi.

The two young lovers shared a look. Pure relief and joy filled their system as they shared a look.

"How lucky are we?" Haruka said as Kuno wrapped her arms around his body, her head bobbing against his chest as she cried. The nightmare that both had lived in, would be over soon.

Even if they had to work, it was better that they had instead of losing their lives in this damned game.

"It's a good thing you picked up that flier." She cried as Haruka pressed Kuno closer to his body, barely able to hold back his own tears.

She wasn't lying though. It was a good thing.

Scene skip

Homura sat back on the rooftop of the Inn. He could see the house of Minato Sahashi, standing out like a sore thumb. Magic had done its wonders on all remaining residents around the place and only a handful of the previous occupants knew of the newfound house.

The Devil had moved out but that didn't mean that things had gotten any easier. On the contrary. The Flame Sekirei was already reacting to him.

The ashen haired had often thought of himself as a strong, capable man. One that wasn't sitting by, doing nothing. Passively going through the motions.

Yet, Minato Sahashi had amped things up to eleven compared to him.

He was an Ashikabi for a little bit over a month and yet, he had already winged ten Sekirei. His power kept on growing.

Homura didn't know if it was because of Minato being a Devil or because he was that powerful of an Ashikabi.

Sitting on the roof, he felt it.

He didn't want to care. He didn't want to react. Not to a man. He wanted his Ashikabi to be female.

His body had betrayed him.

There was something magnetic about Minato Sahashi. Something that kept him grounded. He wasn't a loud Ashikabi. Not one that barked orders or put out hits like the East. No, he inspired loyalty and that drew Sekirei around him.

Homura's fingers curled around the roof as his jaw grew tight. It wasn't just what he felt. He heard the things from Uzume.

"It's the same as he was training here. Walking around shirtless like it's nothing. Every girl in the house just melts. Myself included. If I didn't have my own, damn. You have to see him. Long, trained arms, his entire body is just lean, clean muscle."

Her words were already inflaming him and her comments weren't exactly needed. Homura had seen how Minato trained. The only thing he wore was black trousers. Not even shoes, damn.

He could imagine the body. It was maddening to think he wanted nothing more than to have it pulled close to him.

To lay with Minato as he had done before with other Sekirei.

It wasn't just the fact that he had an attraction to Minato. It was damming that he couldn't put it off. That he couldn't keep it away.

"I'm not like them," he whispered, hoping that he could make the wish come true. Yet, he found himself unable to hold back on those wishes.

The fire in him was burning hotter than ever before.

And it wasn't just that fact. Minato had demonstrated that the [Evil Pieces] he carried, could do great things. They had stabilized Akitsu and Kusano. They had brought Yume back from the dead.

Would he be able to stabilize his body before it fell apart?

Takami had told him that his body was unstable. His powers could go out of control. And that wasn't the worst part.

His body would change to the preference of his Ashikabi. And given the ten women that Minato already had winged, it was painfully obvious what way Minato swung.

Homura would have been infuriated if he wasn't already infatuated with Minato.

Scene skip

Homura wasn't the only one who was freaking out on Minato Sahashi's doing. She was rustling through paper. She was reading through the reports.

It didn't make sense but it still said the same thing.

Minato Sahashi had winged ten Sekirei.

Kazehana

Kusano

Musubi

Hikari

Hibiki.

Tsukiumi.

But those were the normal ones.

Akitsu

Yume

Haihane

Benitsubasa.

How in the hell did he manage to wing two former Discipline Squad Members, wing Akitsu, and bring Yume back from the dead?

"No… this doesn't make sense."

She had begun to pace around the office as fingers tugged on her hair. It flickered towards the terminal, hoping that it showed clarity.

It wasn't just the fact that he winged them. He had done so and managed to keep them in line. If he hadn't, she would have known.

So there were questions adding up instead of getting answered.

How did he do that? Minato was a sweet, timid boy. He didn't have much to stand on. He flinched at conflict, awkward as he was.

But now?

How did he do this? Was he some kind of charmer? It was clear that he was a magnet for Sekirei but to steal members of the Discipline Squad.

Karasuba had done dark for a while as well and she refused to elaborate.

"No. No, he's not—he can't be doing this. He wouldn't even know how."

Her head pounded.

Because deep down, she knew.

There was a bridge in her memories. They were too foggy. It was like a gap was there. She couldn't explain how she believed all this.

There was an image of how Minato had been. How he should have been.

Yet, here he was. The present was the complete opposite.

"He can't have done this alone. But who?" she whispered, throat tight.

Her vision blurred as she glanced at her monitor again. One of the recent surveillance stills flickered onto the screen. Minato—walking away from a drop point. Calm. Composed. Not a trace of hesitation in his eyes.

He looked nothing like the boy she remembered.

And everything like someone she should be afraid of.

Scene skip

Minato's mood was a mix of incredibly tired and incredibly satisfied. They had finally managed to make the jewel that was needed to teleport Haruka and Kuno out of Shinto Teito.

It had taken one more push and the cooperation from every member and with the promise they were done, they had gritted their teeth and bared with the task.

It had taken everything from them, as he gazed upon them.

Kazehana was the only conscious member of his Peerage, which said a lot about her magical reserves.

"Love, remind me to thank you that we have done this here." Minato raised a curious eyebrow at that remark as he gazed upon her naked form.

With an increased intensity of focused work, the Sekirei found themselves overheating, and not only that, the temperature of the room exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Hence nudity or near nudity became the norm.

Just like the others, Kazehana wasn't wearing a single shred of clothing.

"If you wonder why, if we did this as Miya's home, we'd be admonished for public indecency." That made the Ashikabi chuckle as he gazed upon the other Sekirei.

Kusano had been the first to tap out, she had been removed by Musubi who did her best not to notice the lewdness in the room.

Especially not to look at her Ashikabi who was nearing nothing but his boxers.

Matsu had been the second to faint, her body coated in sweat, with her chest heaving and her body being on full display. Minato had given her a few looks before he focused on the other three. There was no denying the fact that she had one hell of an amazing body.

Her tits were just a bit smaller than Kazehana's but notwithstanding, the [Pawn] had an amazing rack, like the majority of his Peerage.

It came as a surprise that Akitsu was the third to lose consciousness. Minato hadn't figured out how it was possible and chalked it up to Yume having a stronger frame.

He couldn't help but grow aroused from the sight. It had been a while since they did something fun and with all the amount of supple beauty on display, he thanked the fact that his focus was on the jewel.

Yume had been the last to give up but fortunately for everyone involved, they needed just a bit more before this was finished.

For Kazehana, she took the fact that she stayed awake as an indicator that she had earned the rightful place as his [Queen].

Plus, with the crisis over, she could now take a good long look at her Ashikabi. The boxers did little to hide his form.

Which was just what Kazehana liked.

Every inch of him was sculpted, the result of a life spent in constant combat and rigorous training.

His shoulders were broad, his chest chiseled with defined muscle, his abs carved like stone, and every motion made his lean, powerful form flex with precision.

Damn, didn't he know how hot and bothered she was getting, just from seeing him?

"Just wondering about one thing, love. You said you made this process? You created this entire invention. Why is this so damn hard?"

The Ashikabi smirked as a glint of mischief got in his eyes.

"While you're right, Kazehana, I made this whole invention with the help of Super Devils. I drew out the entire blueprint but for the raw energy, I had the help of Grayfia-sama, Sirzechs-sama, my own master, Serafall-sama, or a few others to help me out. I did help with creating it but this is the first time I did without their magical reserves."

He walked up to her, his fingers trailing along her collarbone, relishing in the way her skin got goosebumps.

Biting her lip, her gaze went up to his lips. She thanked the fact that four of her Flock sisters were out like a light and that the others would not enter the room. It meant they had the entire room to themselves.

"I see." She breathed, her voice was masked with desire. "And now, you're done with all the energy, I believe you're in some dire need of stress relief?"

The Devil hummed, pretending to consider her words, even when he was still getting harder.

"I suppose that I could use some help for that indeed." Standing up, he rid himself of the only piece of clothing, pulling down his impressive erection, and bobbing slightly.

Licking her lips at the sight, Kazehana reached up to his length, palming it in her hand. He let out a low groan, his hips jerking forward in her hands. "Eager, aren't we?"

His voice dripped with a promise.

Kazehana sat up and wrapped her plump lips around the head of his cock, swirling around the tip. Minato hissed, and one hand came up to fist her silky hair.

"Yeah, just like that." He managed to groan through clenched teeth as she bobbed her head, taking him deeper every time.

The heat and tightness of her throat were already making him go into overdrive. It took every ounce of self-control not to recklessly press himself into it. The Ashikabi allowed her to set the pace, marveling at the lewd sounds of her slurping and the way her cheeks hollowed with the sucking.

He felt his release coming rapidly but he wanted something else. So he pulled out of her mouth. She pouted at him, her lips were shining with saliva.

"Did I do something wrong?"

He chuckled as he cupped her breasts, playing with the heavy, perfect orbs.

"You didn't, Kazehana. You did it perfectly but I want to finish on your perfect tits."

Her eyes mirrored her own with the same lust and she presented her tits to him. Arching her back, she pushed her ample cleavage together, forming a snug channel, allowing him to thrust between those tits.

"Mmmm, just like that," she moaned wantonly.

He gripped her shoulders for leverage and began to rock his hips. His throbbing shaft slid along her slick flesh. The sweat had made it all too easy for him to slip through. The sensation was exquisite. It was hot, tight and so damn smooth.

He let out low groans as his hips didn't diminish the pace, chasing after his release. Kazehana watched him, simply entranced by the erotic sight of her Ashikabi using her body for his pleasure. Her fingers found the hardened nipples, adding to the stimulation.

His thrusts became more erratic as he felt his climax approaching. It took one hoarse shout as he came, his seed spilling over her chest and neck as if he marked her with his desire. Letting him go from her tits, she watched how Minato collapsed in front of her, his knees no longer having the strength to support him.

As luck would have it, they were eye-to-eye. Even with his release coating, he pressed a hungry kiss on her lips. Loving the feeling of her body against his, he squeezed those marvelous breasts before he let go of her mouth and pressed her forehead against hers.

"I do believe that's the best stress relief I've had in ages," he murmured.

She hummed in agreement. "I believe so as well. And much as I would love to have more fun, I suggest that I wake up the others and take a bath." She sniffed under her armpits and gave one quick whiff.

She turned away.

"We reek."

Minato chuckled. The first time that he was surrounded by sweaty, exhausted women that were bound to him and it wasn't because he had fucked them silly.

"Wake them up, Kazehana. I'll clean up here and put the jewel ready for pickup."

Standing up, Minato didn't have to check what time it was.

The moment that he got outside, she could hear the shouts and cries.

The other members of the Flock could finally see the Ashikabi naked, with the expected reactions.

"Gotta admit. A guy that can walk around naked in a house, filled with women. He really is incredible."

Scene skip

"Something on your mind, Uzume." Chiho Hidaka hadn't seen her Sekirei in a while, busy as she was with her other obligations.

At first, the brunette was telling her stories about the latest developments in the city, MBI going off their rocker and other crap. Chiho didn't have too much to contribute. The hospital didn't change much in scenery. She didn't change much in scenery.

There wasn't much in her life that would intrigue others. Frankly, the only good point in her bleak life was sitting next to her.

They were sharing the bed, the Ashikabi in her lap while they were watching a late-night documentary about the life of exotic slugs. It was about the only thing that wasn't mind-killing or illegal.

"No, not really." Uzume should have given Chiho a bogus reply because the blonde minx already picked up what was going on.

"Oh, I think something is on your mind. May I guess?" Looking down with a puzzled smile, Uzume should be wary of the glint in her Ashikabi's eyes.

"If you know my mind better than I do, have at it."

"Minato Sahashi." Chiho simply replied, making Uzume surprised that Chiho would even consider him.

"Why do you bring him up?" She hadn't told Chiho much else about the whole story. Minato seemed to be pretty trusting towards her and Uzume would like to keep the Devil Ashikabi on her good side.

"You told me about everything in the city, purposely leaving out anything about him. Despite the fact that you introduced me to him. How are things going with him?"

Uzume blinked as she was thrown off. How did Chiho figure out that it was Minato that she was worried about?

"I mean things are fine," Uzume said as her eyes shifted to the documentary. A slug was chewing through a flower petal. "He's just there. Still around. Still doing his thing."

Chiho raised an eyebrow as she looked him over. "That's not exactly an answer, Uzume-chan."

The Veiled Sekirei let out a sigh and leaned her head against Chiho's shoulder. She hoped that she could stall in some time but her Ashikabi wouldn't let the subject go so easily.

"You've been different," Chiho continued. "Ever since he walked into your life, there has been a change in you, but you're not sure if you like it."

That paused Uzume as she began to think about how she had to answer that question.

But after some time, she did speak her mind.

"He's just not what I expected."

Chiho waited.

"It's complicated. He's complicated," Uzume admitted. "Even with ten women, he's not some harem clown who is constantly banging his women. On the contrary, actually. He's dangerous. Calm, cool, calculated. The Sekirei listen to him. Others do as well."

Chiho was quiet as she looked at the Sekirei.

"I'm not leaving you. You know that, right?"

That made the Ashikabi smile as she ran a hand through her hair. "I'm not worried about that."

"Then why are you asking me about him?"

The look that Chiho gave Uzume was something indecipherable and the words were even more shocking.

"Because if I don't ask you about him, it looks like you'd keep bottling it up until you explode. Or you kiss him."

That made Uzume choke.

"Chiho!" The Ashikabi laughed gently and pressed closer into her.

"I'm not jealous. I am just surprised that I figured it out before you. I'm your Ashikabi. I can figure out what you're feeling."

They forgot the documentary as their attention was on each other.

Chiho let her fingers run through Uzume's hair.

"You're falling for him. Whether you admit that or not."

Uzume didn't flinch but she didn't deny it either.

"I don't know what to call it," she said quietly. "It's not the same as with you. I can't call it love exactly. There is something though. A pull."

Chiho exhaled through her nose, the faintest smile tugging at her lips.

"Well, that's inconvenient," she said dryly.

Uzume let out a laugh, even as the guilt hung around her.

"I haven't asked him anything. I haven't done anything either. He has enough on his plate."

"I know."

Silence hung in the room for just a bit, before Chiho decided to add her opinion to it.

"You're thinking about it. Being closer to him. Moving in with him."

There was a slow nod from Uzume.

"I'd be safer there, compared to the Inn. You would be too. That house, it's different."

Chiho looked at her for a long moment.

"Then you need to talk to him."

"I know."

"No more dancing around the subject. If you are thinking about staying with him, you need to let him know that. And you need to be honest to yourself."

Uzume leaned in, kissing her softly.

"I will. I promise."

There was a smile on Chiho's lips even if her eyes flickered a bit.

For now, they would sit there. Chiho couldn't fault Uzume for falling for the guy. There was much to like about him.

But it was high time that she had a long conversation with Minato Sahashi about this. If she were to leave this life, she'd rather have her Uzume somewhere safe.

Scene skip

Outside of the hallway, it was the same as everywhere in a hospital, late at night. Dim and sterile.

Uzume hadn't even taken five steps outside of the room before she felt. Eyes were upon her.

"Uzume-san."

The voice was smooth and familiar but that didn't make the introduction any less pleasant.

She turned to see Kakizaki, an employee of the hospital standing in her way. His hands were in his pockets as the glasses were turned to her. The smile was thin and polite, but utterly insincere.

He was a tall, slim man with black hair and as befitting of his stature, he was wearing a business suit. Unfortunately for Uzume, he was also the main handler between herself and Higa Izumi.

"Kakizaki," Uzume's voice was flat. "I didn't think you'd stay behind here for so late."

"Only when necessary. This is one of those times."

Uzume crossed her arms. "If this is about what Higa wants, I suggest you save it."

"You seem to be under the impression that you get requests. You do not. You get orders. But for once, it's something different. It's a warning."

Her gut was telling her that she wouldn't like this.

"Warning about what?"

Kakizaki's smile was getting even creepier.

"I'm warning you about Minato Sahashi."

Her expression shifted, hoping that he didn't catch that. Or that he didn't care.

"He's a strong Ashikabi," Kakizaki continued. "Too strong. He's already interfered with several of our plans, he has taken key Sekirei. He's gathering power."

Uzume's jaw grew tight. "So? How does that involve me?"

"Higa-sama believes that if he's left unchecked, he could seriously disrupt the entire Sekirei Plan. He has a good chance to win it. As you are well aware, that is unthinkable.

Her eyes grew sharper as she stared at him.

"What do you want me to do? Spy on him? Sabotage him?"

Kakizaki's smile turned even worse. "We want you to handle it."

"And let me guess. If I don't, you'll use Chiho's condition against me."

His smile turned even more wicked.

"Lovely when you catch on. We all know that you're so loyal to her. That you'd do anything for her. It's nothing you haven't done before. How would this Sahashi feel if he found out that you have been working for Higa-sama."

'He already does. And he doesn't judge me.'

That didn't stop her body from freezing up.

"So that's it? You're saying the only way Chiho gets to live… is if I do what you ask of me?"

Kakizaki didn't blink.

"That's the arrangement, Uzume-san. Has been since day one."

"I was supposed to protect her. Are there no limits you people aren't going to cross?"

He took a slow step forward, hands still casually in his pockets.

"You are protecting her. Every time you come back to her without upsetting Higa-sama's plans, you keep her safe. And if you know what's best for her…" He smiled, razor-thin. "…you'll keep doing exactly what you're told."

The knots in her stomach twisted as she looked upon his face.

Kakizaki made it damn clear what he wanted from her.

"What do you want me to do exactly? You want me to kill Minato?"

There was a pause.

Then Kakizaki gave a soft shrug.

"It would certainly solve all our problems, wouldn't it?"

Uzume stared at him,

Her Ashikabi's life.

Or Minato's.

Uzume stood in the hallway long after Kakizaki had disappeared.

Her hands had balled up into fists but her expression remained blank.

Those bastards made it clear there was no middle ground.

Higa's leash had become a noose around her neck and Kakizaki made it clear they'd string her and Chiho up with it if she went out of line.

But to think they could ask her to kill Minato? That was a bridge too far.

Especially since Higa and Kakizaki had no idea with who they were messing.

Uzume knew what Minato could do. The guy could train Sekirei by himself and still have energy left over. Uzume knew that in a fight with the ones he had winged, she'd lose. Let alone the man himself.

He had more power than everyone in the Sekirei Game and that was not even everything.

He cared about others. Uzume knew that he had a degree of fondness for her. He had met Chiho and had deduced that there could be something else that was plaguing her.

And if Uzume wanted ever to be free, she would need to talk to him again.

Uzume would need his help. She had wanted to wait. To see if she had another solution. But it was damn clear that the time of waiting was over.

If Chiho had a [Sacred Gear] in her, he would need to save her. Make sure that she would be safe.

Hoping that whatever Minato would ask of her, he would save her Ashikabi.

Scene skip

During the morning, away from the drama in the hospital, the house of Minato Sahashi was quiet and calm but that was just on the surface. It was focused and controlled. All of the habitants' attention was on the packeted jewel on the table.

Minato had just sealed it inside. It wasn't big but they all could feel the pulsing magic within. The work of nearly ten days of their energy. All of them were relieved to hear that they had four days off.

It wasn't just kindness but necessity. Kusano's, Akitsu's, Yume's, Matsu's, and Kazehana's magical reserves were depleted completely.

Minato knew that only by breaking limits, one could grow but he had also learned that one needed to allow rest. One couldn't keep pushing and expecting results.

He was training Devils, not putting them through a round of special forces.

Still, pride-filled his eyes as he gazed upon his Peerage.

"I have no intention to apologize for this. This is what I expect from my Peerage. And I can assure you that we are going to see more of this." His expression softened a bit.

"But I will say that I am damn proud of you. All of you have done your extent of what I expected and went above."

They all nodded to him. This wasn't the kind Ashikabi addressing his Sekirei. This was a [King] speaking to his Peerage. For this matter, they were Devils first.

"All right, this is set. Sona-sama has set up her end and she can expect her guests. The coordinates are correct and they'd allow them to slip through."

Holding up the pouch between his fingers, he offered it to the Thunder Twins.

"We need this packet in the locker in Shinjuku. Shigi will come to pick this up. Hikari, Hibiki. Could you two be so kind?"

The two nodded to him. "Sure thing, Minato. Would you want us to mask a few things on this?" Hikari asked, unsure if he'd approve of it but surprisingly, he'd agree with them.

"You believe you're so far already?"

Hibiki shrugged on the question.

"We can only try, Ashikabi. The less we have on us, the better. Besides, two sets of eyes are better than one."

Scratching his cheek, Minato noticed his stubble. He'd need to shave soon enough.

"I can't argue with that. You know where to drop it off. Even if you can't hide, make sure that you're not followed."

His eyes were filled with trust. Hikari and Hibiki would not betray him.

Scene skip

The spell had worked to a degree but that didn't stop the Thunder Twins from being watchful. They made sure they moved quietly and smoothly. When Hikari placed the jewel inside, Hibiki stood watch.

No MBI, no Discipline Squad. Eyes flickered around, making sure that nothing would happen.

The moment her sister turned around, Hibiki allowed herself to relax. "All good, sis."

"Let's get out of here. I am not in the mood for a brawl."

Scene skip

It was late in the evening when Shigi went to pick up the jewel. He would have rather leave Kuno at home but the shy blonde admitted that she would turn insane if she had to remain indoors, waiting until he came back home.

They'd pick up the jewel and get the hell out of the city.

The Sekirei held his hand tightly. Minato had left clear instructions on when they could expect the jewel and what they would have to do.

When Shigi punched in the combination he opened the locker and looked inside and got the small pouch out.

It was one jew. One destination. One shot.

Shigi read the instructions on it. He couldn't miss it. This was real. Not a dream.

"Is this really it?" Kuno asked, making him nod.

"Yeah. No turning back." When they found an alley without any cameras, he followed the steps on the note.

When he was sure, he activated the jewel, holding Kuno tight. Their ticket to safety was punched in and their world pulsed around them.

And before anyone could look in, they were gone.

Scene skip

When the world stopped spinning and their feet found solid ground, Shigi stumbled a bit. Kuno had caught herself, wide-eyed as she took in the environment.

They were in a Victoria-styled room, with heavy, expensive couches, huge desks, and drawers, lined with books.

It looked more like a luxury room than whatever else it was supposed to be.

But that wasn't the biggest surprise.

Inside stood a small, bespectacled woman. Her arms were crossed over her chest, a bob-cut in her hair, and violet eyes that looked them over.

"Are you the one that Minato sent over?" Her tone already made him snap to attention.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm Shigi Haruka. And this is my Sekirei, Kuno." The shy woman gave a wave but she could see they were safe.

"You're lucky you contacted him. His magic worked perfectly. There is no trail. No interference. You can start anew here. Which I expect from you"

The man blinked.

"I understand. His letters wrote that I would need to work off my debt to him. Am I wrong to assume that he'd ask that from you?"

Sona nodded. They had worked out the details.

"Indeed. Minato mentioned that you were educated."

There was a slight nod. "Yes, I was about to apply for Todai before I fell in this game."

Tapping a folder, Sona knew the right job for him.

"Perfect. You'll be working as a Teacher's Assistant. Starting next week, you won't just help as a teacher. But you also work for me in the meantime. That means you'll help me sort through curriculum updates, handle remedial sessions, and keep an eye on anything abnormal that comes through the human ranks."

Kuno squeezed his arm.

Shigi knew this would be tough but it was the best way to stay safe. He glanced around in the room. He would be fine in this place, even if it meant working for her.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Sona nodded again. "Don't thank me yet."

Maybe, this wasn't the smartest decision but at least, he had a shot here.

Scene skip

The days off had been quiet. Not that anyone in the house complained. Those who had training, took it easy and those who had been working on the jewel were sleeping through most of the day.

Minato enjoyed the peace and quiet for once. In a house of eleven, it was rarely if ever like this.

But of course, it couldn't stay like that. His phone lit up as he went through his coffee.

Whoever would call him this early, didn't do that for social reasons.

With a sigh, he answered.

And immediately, he regretted his decision.

"Minato-kun!" Minaka Hiroto's voice exploded through the speaker, already pissing Minato off with his deranged way of talking.

"Can I have a moment of your precious time?"

Leaning in his chair, Minato knew that he wouldn't get out of this. Better get this over with.

"What do you want?"

"We have a situation! One of the Ashikabi and his Sekirei have vanished from the city. There is no trace! No signal! Nothing! We can't find anything back."

"You're calling me because?" Minato hoped that it would end with that.

"I know that you're behind it!" Minaka's tone dipped into manic glee. "Interfering with this game of the Gods." Minato knew there were no Gods from any Mythology that would agree with this Game. A shame that there weren't any that were on speaking terms with Devils.

Then again, times were changing.

Sipping his coffee, Minato wasn't up for this. "Do you have any evidence?"

That stopped Minaka's monologue.

"I know it was you."

"Knowing things and proving something are two different things."

There followed another pause.

"Then it's your word against an Ashikabi. Someone who is still in your game."

His voice grew sharper.

"You're really prepared to blow this up, based on suspicion. You're ready for that?"

Minaka's voice was calmer this time but that didn't mean any less unhinged.

"Careful, Minato-kun. I'll let you know about some secrets. I can remotely terminate any Sekirei game if I need to be."

Minato felt an inkling working in.

"I wanted to do that on the pair that slipped out of the Capital. But something's blocking the failsafe. A force is shielding them."

"Sucks to be you," Minato said dryly.

"Imagine how troublesome it becomes when my control over my own system is undermined."

Minato let his power leak out. Some wouldn't notice it but a few stronger souls would pick it up.

"Whatever you do, I think it's in your best interest that you don't test out your failsafe against my Sekirei."

"Oh?" He could hear that grin. "And why's that?"

"You wouldn't just terminate a Sekirei. You'd be terminating a Peerage Member of a Devil."

That hit.

As there was no direct response from Minaka, Minato continued.

"In the eyes of the Underworld, that is an act of war. Punishable by death. There are plenty of those who would agree with me that can guarantee me that your death would be marked as accidental."

He let that fact simmer in for a bit.

His voice would be enough reason to warn Minaka that he wasn't joking.

"You really want to play that game with me, Minato-kun? With all your pieces? Even Karasuba couldn't stop you, could she?"

There was no smile on his lips.

"I beat her into the ground. In terms of violence, I can respond the same way. She believes herself to be the strongest in this city. She wasn't. You should think carefully about what that means."

Minaka's voice was cautious.

"You're strong, I'll admit that."

Minato paused for a bit.

"I look strong. But compared to my own Master. There is no comparison. And she isn't the only one who I have in my phone that would help me. Shinto Teito is neutral territory but if push comes to shove, they can help me out."

For a moment, Minato was quiet.

"So before you think about moving another piece, Minaka… consider that you're not just playing a game anymore. You're reaching into a world that plays for keeps."

The silence couldn't last.

Then Minaka laughed—but it was strained this time, thin around the edges.

"I always did enjoy high-stakes entertainment."

Minato ended the call without another word.

One job well done. And now, it was on to the next.

---

This chapter didn't take me as long as I thought it would. I got busy IRL and not only that, the word count has been quite high.

I had this thought for a while and it turned out well on what I had in mind.

I don't know what else to add to this so I thank you all for the support in the last few years. The next chapter is the anniversary of this fic in September.

List of the girls that Minato has in his Flock/Peerage

[Queen]. Kazehana

[Bishop]. Akitsu

[Bishop]. Kusano

[Knight]. Tsukiumi

[Knight]. Open

[Rook]. Musubi

[Rook]. Yume

[Rook]. Open

[Pawn]. Benitsubasa

[Pawn]. Haihane.

[Pawn]. Hikari.

[Pawn]. Hibiki

[Pawn]. Matsu.

[Pawn]. Open

[Pawn]. Open

[Pawn]. Open

See you all then, please review/comment.

Saluut.