Chapter 76: Midori Fuse
Lynn's Peerage Harem Group
Saeko Busujima: [Picture].jpg
Saeko Busujima: Feels good killing a Gastrea for the first time. It's tougher than taking down a zombie.
Kasumigaoka Utaha: Ugh~ So gross!
Seitenshi: Please be cautious. A Gastrea won't fully die unless you destroy its core.
She then shared some tips for killing Gastrea in the group chat.
Saeko quietly waited for the arrival of the other Cursed Children.
No further incidents occurred during the process.
Until the final batch of Cursed Children boarded the trucks.
Two military trucks started moving.
...
Boom boom.
Tokyo, Akaoka.
The sound of engines echoed from the Lynn Shelter.
The Cursed Children inside the trucks looked at the newly constructed shelter with a mix of anxiety and unease in their eyes.
"Hey!"
Shizuka jumped down from the driver's seat, her ample figure swaying.
With hands on her hips, she declared, "We've arrived safely!"
Upon seeing Saeko and Shizuka return, Mahiru and the others quickly gathered around them.
Lynn looked at the two trucks full of Cursed Children and nodded with satisfaction.
Now this is efficiency.
As expected, the path of lolis helping lolis was the right move!
Cursed Children might be wary of adults, but they trusted others like them deeply.
With their guidance, it became much easier to gain their trust.
Yuuko floated midair and exclaimed, "Wow! So many of them!"
"A big sister who can float!"
The Cursed Children gasped at the sight of Yuuko's floating form, their eyes wide in amazement.
"Hehe~"
Seeing their reactions, Yuuko beamed with joy.
It was totally worth switching to Extreme Ghost Mode just to get this response.
Next.
Under the guidance of the first batch of Cursed Children like Nishida Tsubomi, 113 new arrivals stepped off the trucks in an orderly fashion.
Tsubomi and the others stood in front of Lynn, looking up at him with teary eyes, hope shimmering within them.
"You all did great,"
Lynn praised them without hesitation.
"Hehe!"
After giving them each a rewarding head pat, Lynn instructed Shizuka and the others to lead the Cursed Children to bathe.
Once they were cleaned and dressed in fresh clothes, Lynn began reincarnating them into Devils one by one.
"113… this is a massive undertaking."
Lynn let out a sigh.
But when he recalled his ultimate goal of one million, these 113 felt like nothing in comparison.
"Eh? T-Take off!? Take off our clothes!?"
The new Cursed Children gasped, their faces flushing with embarrassment.
Although they were only around ten years old, they clearly had some understanding.
Still, trusting the ones who had brought them here, like Tsubomi they managed to suppress their embarrassment and showed their backs.
Then, they lined up to receive Lynn's reincarnation ritual.
"Um, will we really become Devils?"
One of them asked timidly.
But once the first transformation succeeded, all doubts vanished.
They had truly become Devils!
The newly sprouted, well-defined demonic wings were undeniable proof.
Midori Fuse quietly watched from the crowd, eyeing the Devil-transformed Cursed Child with cautious curiosity.
Will the Gastrea virus disappear after becoming a Devil?
I hope everyone can be saved…
Soon, it was her turn for the reincarnation ritual.
She hugged herself tightly, back hunched, and her face hidden in her hands.
A faint blush stained her cheeks as she avoided eye contact with Lynn.
A wide-brimmed hat cast her face into deep shadow.
When Lynn saw her, he felt a strange sense of familiarity. Fragments of memory flashed through his mind.
Is she… that cat girl?
After thinking for a moment, Lynn asked gently, "What's your name?"
His voice made her body tremble. Her head lowered even more.
"…Mi…Midori Fuse…"
Lynn's eyes lit up in realization.
So it really was her.
"Can I see your face under that hat?"
Midori's body shook violently, and her breathing hitched.
It's happening…
She lowered her head, her eyes widening with anxiety and fear.
She had a pair of cat ears.
Because of those ears, her own mother had abandoned her.
Since then, she'd been alone. No one had accepted her.
All because of these ears…
Her pupils quivered, and her eyes dimmed.
Am I going to be abandoned again…?
But—
No… I can't keep hiding.
If I want to stay… I have to show him.
Even if it means… getting rejected again…
Midori's eyes began to warm with tears.
Something… was about to come out.
Be strong…
Her voice trembled. "Can…can…"
She shakily raised her hand and placed it on the brim of her hat, slowly lifting it.
The pair of silver cat ears, once flattened by the hat's pressure, sprang upright like springs.
Revealing the ears, Midori bit her lip nervously, heart filled with dread and self-loathing.
I'll… probably have to part ways with everyone now…
I should just give up.
But… what choice do I have?
These ears will just make people hate me.
She started spiraling into self-destruction.
No one will want me…
But just as those thoughts consumed her.
A large, warm hand gently rested on her head.
She felt a soft rub against her right cat ear.
Midori suddenly stiffened, her cheeks turning bright red.
Wh-What was that!?
The sudden warmth yanked her out of her dark thoughts.
Her silver-violet eyes trembled in confusion.
"So cute."
Lynn's eyes sparkled as if he'd discovered a treasure.
Cu-Cu-Cute?!
W-Was he talking about me!?
Her mind went blank.
Things… weren't going the way she expected?
Weren't they supposed to reject her…?
"Midori. Can I call you that?"
Lynn's voice came from behind.
Midori instinctively stood up straight, still clutching the hat tightly in front of her.
"Ah… yes!!"
She was flustered, not knowing how to respond.
Lynn kept petting her head.
The sensation of being touched so gently made her heart flutter.
"Midori, come be my exclusive cat."
"E-Eh—!?"
Her eyes widened in pure disbelief.
E-Exclusive cat?!
"Ahh! So bold!"
The other Cursed Children burst out in excitement.
"Midori-chan is so lucky to be chosen by Lord Lynn!"
Me!?
Her face turned as red as an apple, and her mind short-circuited.
"W-Why…"
Midori whispered, voice trembling, "My… my ears, they're clearly…"
Clearly, they carried the Gastrea virus…
"Aren't they adorable?"
At that moment, it felt like Midori had been struck by a bullet of emotion.
No…
This feels like a lie… but…
(To be continued.)
Chapter 77: Exclusive Cat
Due to the feline Gastrea virus, Midori Fuse had an exceptionally keen sense of smell.
She could even predict fate through scent.
So…
Lynn wasn't lying!
Pah! Pah!
Midori lowered her head, blankly staring at the ground as tears the size of beans dripped down.
Being called… cute...
She lightly bit her lower lip, trying to keep quiet, but the tears wouldn't stop.
Seeing her trembling shoulders as she sobbed, Lynn gently turned her around.
"If you want to cry, then cry all you want in my arms."
Midori sniffled, and the tears burst forth again. She opened her arms and threw herself into Lynn's embrace, bawling loudly.
"L-Lord Lynn!!"
Lynn wrapped her in his arms, gently stroking her hair.
She must've suffered so much…
Whether it was Midori or the other Cursed Children...
That's exactly why this twisted world had to be purged.
Inside the shelter—
Aside from Midori's sobs, there wasn't another sound.
The other Cursed Children stared blankly, falling into silence.
They were all abandoned souls. They could relate.
Lord Lynn...
They engraved this name deep into their hearts, vowing to never forget.
Because he had accepted not just Midori...
But all of them.
Time passed.
Midori's crying gradually quieted down.
"Lord Lynn… will you abandon me?"
She sniffed, her voice muffled as she buried herself deeper into his chest.
Even though she'd already sensed the answer she wanted...
She still felt anxious.
She wanted to—
Ask it directly.
Hear it directly.
Instead of answering, Lynn asked gently, "Midori, do you want to be my exclusive cat?"
The answer was obvious.
Midori looked up with teary red eyes at Lynn's warm smile.
Then, she buried herself back into his embrace and nodded firmly.
"Midori wants to be Lynn's exclusive cat!"
This time, her voice wasn't nervous, fearful, or timid.
It was filled with determination.
"Then it's settled?"
"Yes!"
…
Still nestled in Lynn's arms, Midori remained there for quite a while until Yuuko finally broke the silence.
"Master, when will you pamper me like that?"
A ghost's not allowed to be spoiled too?
"Hnn…"
Midori's body shuddered. She suddenly remembered, they weren't alone.
Ahhhhhh~
So embarrassing!
It was all because things had gotten too quiet!
She hurriedly raised her head and pulled away from Lynn's arms...
Only to be greeted by the teasing gazes of the surrounding Cursed Children, making her completely panic.
Her face flushed bright red.
Lynn smiled, "Alright, let's continue with the reincarnation ceremony."
Ah—right!
The reincarnation ceremony!
Suddenly, Midori froze.
I-I forgot!
H-Hnnn…
She felt like steam might burst out of her head.
Turning around stiffly, she exposed her back to Lynn once again.
As Lynn placed the Evil Piece on her back, the cold sensation snapped her back to reality.
If it was Lynn…
Then being seen by him...
Was okay.
After all...
She was already Lynn's pet.
Hmm...
But it's still so embarrassing!!
Once the Evil Piece fully merged into Midori's body.
The reincarnation ceremony officially concluded.
[Ding! You've obtained Peerage member Midori Fuse!]
[Ding! Peerage member Midori Fuse has been reincarnated as a special Devil!]
[Ding! You've acquired a skill…]
Lynn temporarily blocked out the system notifications and checked her Blessing information.
--
Midori Fuse
Level: Low-Class Devil
Race: Devil
Master: Lynn Valefor
Strength: i0
Agility: i0
Durability: i0
Magic: i0
Inherent Skills:
[Gastrea Factor: Cat]
Cat Claws (Able to grow feline claws from fingertips)
Scent Divination (Able to detect others' emotions and fate through smell)
Enhanced Agility Growth Speed
[Cat Devil]
Soul-Eroding Blue Flame (Releases blue demonic fire that inflicts corrosion status upon contact)
Fate-Tracking Scent (The scent of destiny—grants initiative in battle)
Devil Transformation: Sad Cat Mode
--
Among all the Cursed Children, the first special Devil had been born.
[Gastrea Factor: Cat] originated from the Gastrea virus itself.
The divination aspect of scent added a mysterious edge to the ability.
Lynn skipped the rest and focused directly on the skill description for [Cat Devil].
Corrosion effects... and preemptive advantage in combat...
Tsk tsk.
These were all abilities with potential mechanics behind them.
He didn't expect Midori to have such excellent potential.
Both skill sets were usable.
Especially the initiative bonus from Fate-Tracking Scent, that one seemed very promising.
Lynn smiled, "Midori, you're a lucky cat!"
"Mm…"
Flushed from the praise, Midori's cheeks reddened further.
Lynn copied her Blessing info and handed it to her after she put on her clothes.
After witnessing the previous ceremonies, Midori already had some understanding of the Blessing System.
She looked down and scanned the information.
Unsurprisingly, her gaze paused at the Master column.
From today onward...
She was no longer a stray cat.
She was a claimed one.
A faint blush rose on her face as she moved her eyes down.
She skipped over the i0 stats and focused on her skill section.
Seeing [Gastrea Factor: Cat, her expression grew complicated.
It was the very thing that had brought her so much pain.
But now, it had become her skill.
Still...
It was okay now.
As a Devil, the protozoan virus was no longer in her body.
This was simply a skill retained by the Blessing system.
More importantly.
The reason her cat ears hadn't disappeared might be because of this very ability.
Good.
Midori let out a small sigh of relief.
The very thing that had caused her to be abandoned and bullied...
Now, thanks to Lynn's affection.
Had become her happiness.
So.
Her cat ears were necessary!
She shifted her gaze to the final skill.
[Cat Devil].
Hmm…
Her eyes sparkled a bit.
They all seemed like powerful abilities.
But for now, she wasn't sure what any of them could do for Lord Lynn.
She gripped the paper with her Blessing info tightly.
If only I could be of help to Master Lynn...
While she was deep in thought, Lynn took out his phone and snapped a few pictures.
Click!
Midori looked up, puzzled. Her eyes held a hint of confusion.
Click!
Perfect capture!
Lynn opened Line.
Found Rias.
Lynn: Picture [CatConfusion].jpg
Send.
Rias: ?
Lynn: I have my own cat now too.
Rias: !!!!
(To be continued.)
Chapter 78: Anxious Koneko
Kuoh Town.
Private Kuoh Academy.
Old school building — Occult Research Club room.
Rias sat on the soft leather sofa, staring at the message Lynn had sent her.
Curious, she tapped the photo and studied it carefully.
"…It really is a cat."
She spotted the cat ears on Midori Fuse's head, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
But—
Where did Lynn find her?
What did he mean by my cat...
Was she added to his Peerage?
A cat-type Devil like Koneko?
Rias shook her head. She truly had no idea where Lynn kept finding such high-quality Peerage members.
As the owner of a cat-type Devil herself, she was very familiar with their traits.
Especially that infamous older sister of Koneko's, who'd made quite the name for herself.
Even though she killed her master and became a rogue Devil, her strength was undeniable.
Resting her chin on her hand, Rias drifted into thought.
Now it was a Cat Devil, before that an Angel Devil, and before that, an Archivist Devil…
Tsk.
Each one seemed like they came from powerful backgrounds.
She silently glanced around the empty clubroom.
Akeno was still experimenting with how to brew better black tea. Koneko, meanwhile...
Crunch, crunch…
Grinding her teeth.
Sigh…
When would her Occult Research Club ever fill up?
Crunch…
"…."
Rias glanced at Koneko with a sly smile. "Koneko, come take a look at something interesting."
Koneko: "?"
She blinked, confused, and walked over while munching on a bag of potato chips.
Just as she got close, Rias suddenly held her phone up to Koneko's face.
Koneko froze for a second, then focused on the screen.
Lynn: [Picture: Cat Confusion].jpg
Lynn: I have my own cat too!
Koneko instinctively tuned out her own master's messages.
All she saw were Lynn's.
And with that.
The devastating news hit her.
Pah—
Her eyes went blank, and the potato chips slipped from her hands.
Senpai… you have your own cat?
Feigning regret, Rias sighed, "What a pity, Koneko. Looks like Lynn has his own kitty now… Have you… fallen out of favor?"
Koneko stood frozen for a long moment.
Then, regaining her composure, she quietly bent down to pick up her chips.
But as she stood back up, she bit her lip slightly.
"Buchou, Lynn-senpai's Peerage should be almost full by now, right?"
Rias blinked in confusion.
Koneko added flatly, "Why is it that after a whole year, your Peerage still only has me and Akeno-senpai?"
Pfft—
Rias's smile twitched. It felt like a direct hit.
She opened her mouth to speak.
But couldn't find a single retort!
She slumped back onto the sofa in defeat, spiraling into silent depression.
Watching from the side, Akeno squinted and smiled playfully.
Ara ara~
For her to say that much in one go, it really wasn't like Koneko.
She was definitely...
Getting anxious.
…
After successfully landing a critical hit on her master, Koneko returned to her seat.
She popped another chip into her mouth, but it didn't taste like anything.
Like chewing wax.
Silently, she took out her phone and sent a message to Lynn.
Koneko: Senpai, are you free this weekend? Want to game?
Staring at the screen, Koneko felt her heart skip a beat.
Why do I feel… nervous?
Ding!
A message popped up.
Koneko instantly checked.
Lynn: No problem.
Hoo~
She let out a quiet sigh of relief.
—
Black Bullet World.
After replying to Koneko, Lynn continued performing the reincarnation ceremony for the remaining Cursed Children.
After some time.
All 113 children had been successfully reincarnated.
Once the equipment confirmed that the Gastrea virus was completely gone, the children burst into tears of joy.
The emotions they'd suppressed finally erupted all at once.
Lynn didn't stop them.
It was better for them to cry it out than bottle it up.
After today, they'd be able to start a new life.
Watching the Cursed Children excitedly flap their Devil wings and soar through the air, Lynn smiled faintly.
Midori Fuse held onto Lynn's index finger with her small hand, her eyes still a little red as she watched the scene.
Everyone... they were all saved.
But.
There were still so many Cursed Children out there, still suffering.
Thinking of that, she gripped Lynn's finger even tighter.
Feeling her hand tighten, Lynn gently patted her head with his other hand.
"Don't worry. Everything will be okay."
Hearing those words, Midori calmed down.
As if they carried some kind of magic.
"I'll do my best, Lord Lynn!"
Her eyes were filled with resolve.
This was the duty of all Cursed Children.
Lynn had accepted them, given them new power, and freed them from the agony of the Gastrea virus.
That alone was already an enormous kindness.
The task of finding more Cursed Children, she would take it upon herself!
After all, Lynn had given her stronger power.
And…
Her cheeks reddened slightly.
She'd also received Lord Lynn's affection…
Seeing her mood improve, Lynn shifted his focus back to himself.
A new skill had been added to his panel, [Cat Devil, Midori's unique ability.
In the [Evil Piece] space, Midori's presence had joined those orbiting his Demonic Chess set.
[Apoptosis Genome] (Incubating)
More genomes were collected, and the growth continued.
He still didn't know when it would finish…
Or what conditions had to be met.
As for his strength.
His level was still at the peak of Ultimate-Class Devil.
Even after reincarnating over a hundred children, there was no major qualitative jump.
But he could feel an increase in power.
Likely hovering right at the boundary of the next breakthrough.
This amount of growth from just a hundred children…
Was already ridiculous.
And in this world.
There were still millions waiting for him to pick them!
Hoo~
Lynn exhaled slowly, calming the heat surging in his heart.
He couldn't rely solely on reincarnating Cursed Children.
He needed to raise the quality of special Devils too!
He couldn't let Utaha and the others get too relaxed either.
—
Evening.
The Cursed Children's first dinner in the shelter.
The shadows that had once clouded their expressions had long been washed away.
Now, hope shone in their eyes.
"Master Lynn."
Just then.
Mahiru whispered into Lynn's ear, "The supplies delivered by the government are far below what the Seitenshi promised."
Lynn's face remained calm.
As if he'd expected it.
"Don't worry. I had Saeko collect supplies from the Zombie World before the Gate was built."
"For now, it's enough."
"But still…"
Lynn smirked slightly. Looks like it was time to give the Seitenshi a little nudge.
Lynn's Peerage Harem Group…
Let's wait for Lynn to bring it up to her directly.
(To be continued.)
...
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