1,874Chapter 47: Prelude Operation Birdcage!
The street was unusually busy this morning, as various construction workers were cleaning up the street after the recent series of earthquakes. Itachi removed rubble from his wheelbarrow onto the side of the road. "Thanks, Shitori-san! You are quite the admirable kid!" One of the workers praised Itachi who volunteered for free labor.
"No praise needed." Itachi said with a deadpan tone of voice as he continued to move efficiently.
"Nah, I insist. The foreman even says he wants to pay you for this exemplary work." The worker revealed, as with his current pace Itachi did work that usually would have been done by ten men.
"No need." Itachi was very insistent on not getting praised, or paid for this work.
"He's quite the good kid. I wish my dumbass son was even half the man he was, hell I would settle for a quarter. All that son of mine does is go to school, then come home to eat my food and jerk off to porn." One of the workers was near tears. Itachi pushed on and ignored the workers praising him, and just continued his volunteer duty.
'Sorry, I'm the one who caused the earthquakes from having rough sex with my girlfriends…' Itachi thought to himself, feeling the praises of these construction workers was going to waste. Itachi would be sure to follow Azazel's advice next time, put up a protective magic barrier around his room.
With his volunteer work finished for the morning, Itachi headed on to school. Due to his intense levels of strength and stamina, Itachi hadn't even broken a sweat from his volunteer job, and was able to teleport himself to school as soon as he was done. Being a Devil had its benefits.
Today however, was quite the special day in Kuoh Academy, as the first years would have a new transfer student. The first-year students of classroom 1-A, were all looking with great curiosity and awe at the sheer beauty and cuteness of their foreign transfer student. "U-Umm, I-I'm Ravel Phenex… please take good care of me." The twin drill-shaped blond-haired beauty, the youngest of the Phenex family, Ravel shyly bowed her head.
"Whoa!" The class went into a small uproar, before getting silenced by their teacher. But already people were starting to whisper about the new transfer student. Despite being in the same class as fellow Devils Koneko, Gasper and Jack. Ravel had a difficult time adjusting to this new social environment. And awkwardly sat down to her assigned seat.
'H-How did Itachi-sama and Rias onee-sama adapt to these kinds of surroundings?' The young Phenex remained seated in her seat, slightly regretting requesting her parents to transfer to this human school. No, she was a proud member of the Phenex family, she would push through.
Peeking in through the classroom window, standing hidden from sight in the hallway was a certain worrywart. "Mm, is she doing alright?" And ironically, it wasn't even a member of the Phenex family, but Itachi himself. He had to admit, he was a bit worried knowing Ravel had been raised as a high-class lady would have it difficult adapting to the social norm of the human world. And it would seem he was right.
As soon as it was break between classes, Ravel found herself quickly surrounded by her fellow classmates. Already bombarding her with questions, and praise. "Phenex-san, your hair looks so beautiful. And your skin is so smooth, what kind of product do you use?" A girl asked, catching Ravel a little off guard.
Before Ravel could even attempt to answer a boy student praised her last name. "Your name, Phenex, sounds wicked cool. Where are you from?"
"It's cool to have more foreign transfer students besides Vladi-kun." Another student said, mentioning Gasper, who was hidden in the far corner of the class.
To Itachi's shock, Ravel seemed to be quite popular already. Even so, Ravel seems to be having a hard time, stuttering with her words. "Come on Ravel, just don't overthink it… Jack, don't just sit there, help her." Itachi whispered.
"Well, I would say this is a surprise. But I kind of knew a worrywart like you would be here." Rias arrives, looking with a slight teasing glance at Itachi who looked like he had been caught red handed.
Looking a little flustered, Itachi slowly distances himself from the window to Ravel's class. "Well… she's out of her element. And, well… she's a nice girl. When she said she would be attending our school, I was a bit concerned. Seems I was a bit warranted in those concerns; wouldn't you say?" Itachi pointed out, as Rias took one glance into the classroom and at the overly crowded Ravel.
Rias smiled with pity at seeing Ravel this discouraged. "You are right, she is a nice girl. And she does look like she could use some help. But, that's not the only reason you are concerned, is it?" Rias looked at Itachi with a knowing smug smirk on her face.
Instantly catching onto Rias' meaning, Itachi looks at her briefly. "Quiet." Itachi says with a little grunt as he returns to look through the window.
Rias however giggled at his reaction, and continued. "After all, at all those high-class gatherings. Whenever one of her brothers let her out of their sights. Who was it that she ran and clung onto so tightly? While holding onto that cute stuffed white rabbit toy she always carried around. And now look at her, a grown up beautiful young woman. In trouble waiting for her big, strong and cool big bro Itachi to save her~"
Itachi twitched his eyes a little, annoyed at how right Rias had been in her remark. With a sigh, Itachi admitted it. Ravel was kind of like a second younger sister to him. Especially after Sona grew out of her cute tendencies to latch onto him everywhere they went. Itachi groaned to himself as this made him feel more like his older sister Serafall.
As if she read his mind, Rias in a light mischievous tone said. "I must say though Itachi, didn't know Lady Serafall rubbed off so much of her affectionate influence on you~" Rias was having the time of her life, she enjoyed teasing her boyfriend and seeing him get flustered. He was so cute with those troubled expressions of his she thought.
Then Itachi threw back. "Didn't realize Sirzechs-sama's affectionate overbearingness rubbed off so much on you either."
At being compared to her brother, Rias flinched with her eyes lightly twitching. "You are so lucky that I love you…" Rias spoke through gritted teeth. Itachi knew how much Rias hated being compared to her older brother. But if she was going to tease him, he was going to fire back with what ammunition he had.
"Heh, you are cute when you are angry you know. Guess Grayfia and Lady Venelana's nature rubbed off on you as well." Itachi continued causing Rias to blush a little at being called cute.
"Sh-Shut up…" Then suddenly something dawned on her, as she looked at Itachi with a straight face. "Wait, did you just say Grayfia and mom are cute?"
Now Itachi had a slight cold sweat running down his back. "No… well, they aren't not… you are far more… you know what I mean." Now Itachi was stuttering with his words, being unable to find the right answer to the question.
Rias lightened up the mood a little as she giggled at his antics. "Yes, I know love~" Rias leaned in to kiss Itachi's cheek, seeing he was already a little flustered now. "And for the record, you are much cuter than both Sona and Lady Serafall~" Rias held onto Itachi lovingly.
"… Now you are lucky that I love you." Itachi shrugged off the comment with a light smile. Rias embracing him tighter, and began kissing him.
"I know, especially after last time~ Can't wait to do that again. Do want to avoid sending more anonymous checks to the major's office though, so let's put up a barrier next time." Rias began kissing Itachi's neck, unbuttoning his shirt.
The mood quickly died, as the doors to the classroom swung open. "Itachi-sama! Rias Onee-sama!" Ravel having spotted them, had managed to pry herself loose from her classmates and rushed out to get help.
Ravel's whole class was now gossiping over other things, as the transfer student seemed to know two of the most popular people in the academy. Who were also now outside of their classroom. None of them however seemed to have noticed their make out session which was good, as Itachi wanted to avoid any unneeded attention.
Rias lightly coughed, her face red as she straightened herself and took a step away from Itachi. "Yes, Ravel?" Rias softly asked the young Phenex who seemed desperate.
"Here, quick." Not wanting her classmates to overhear, Ravel pulled them both aside. Once they were in the clear, Ravel expressed her troubles. "I was so nervous! This is the first time I've ever transferred schools… And I have no idea how to interact with my classmates. I have no idea what topics common humans like to talk about."
Rias gently asks. "Well, it's not like you don't want to talk to them, right?" The thought of Ravel having brothers like Raiser and Raul, who most likely could have put the idea in Ravel's head, that humans are an inferior species. Was something Rias was worried about, and wanted to make sure that wasn't the case first.
Itachi also especially remembered the day Raiser tried to sneak in and challenge Rias to Rating Game to win her hand, whilst sending Ravel to distract him. And in doing so, Ravel had mentioned to Itachi she didn't understand why someone like him wanted to live in the human world.
Ravel however, showed a completely different mentality. "Of course I want to be able to converse with them. It already feels like a breath of fresh air compared to what I am used to. I want to learn more about the lifestyle of humans, more specifically none nobles." Rias and Itachi both shared a warm smile, as it seemed Ravel shared similar noble intentions like her eldest brother, Ruval Phenex.
Seeing Ravel's pleading eyes asking for advice, Itachi tries to think of ways to help her. But Rias is quick to add her own suggestion in the meantime. "Maybe, Jack, Koneko or Gasper could be of help. They are in your class after all. Besides if we stick around any longer, people might begin to wonder why two third year students continue to loiter around."
"Rias, you sure that is a good idea? Two of them aren't exactly the sociable types that can help in this situation…" Itachi pointed out, as Gasper more or less was frightened around his classmates, and Jack was a loner.
Rias sweat drops as she had to admit Itachi was right. "True… Well, at least Koneko is here. She is quite popular and gets along with her classmates."
After a few seconds, Rias had summoned Koneko out to explain the situation. "So, Koneko, think you would be able to help Ravel here?" Rias kindly requested of her servant.
Koneko with a reluctant sigh, accepted. "Fine, come on grilled chicken princess." Koneko addressed Ravel, who of course gasped in outrage.
"G-Grilled chicken princess? How dare you?! I am a member of the noble Phenex household!" Ravel instantly threw her noble status in Koneko's face, but couldn't make a dent in the little nekomata's stoic face.
"Whatever you say, KFC." Koneko rolled her eyes, and quickly the two young girls began bickering.
"Y-You stupid cat! How dare you speak to me like that?!"
Itachi looks stoic at witnessing this scene, while Rias seems pleased and with a smile says. "Looks like they are getting along~"
At seeing the sparkling satisfied expression on Rias' face, Itachi mumbles. "Didn't know Akeno's sadism rubbed off on you either…" Seeing Rias was not going to defuse the situation, Itachi tried to get between the two bickering girls. "Now, now, calm down-"
But Itachi was met with glares from his two cute juniors, who now looked relatively frightening as they both shout in his face. "Whose side are you on anyway?!" At hearing this, Itachi was thrown for a loop while Rias giggled at seeing his troubled face.
"Poor Itachi, still doesn't understand a young maiden's heart~" Rias teased, knowing the reason the girls were upset. With both having feelings for Itachi, and thus both of them being rivals in a sense because of it, both wanted Itachi to be on their side only in this argument.
"W-Was it something I said?" Itachi sounded genuinely confused as Rias guided him away from the two bickering juniors. Despite it all, Ravel did manage to make some friends with some girls in her class and quickly became the talk amongst the first years.
On the way back home from school, Ravel would be staying with them as requested by Lady Phenex who had asked both Itachi and Rias to look after Ravel while she was in the human world. Even on the way home, Ravel and Koneko continued to bicker. "Go jump in an air fryer." Koneko glared at Ravel as the two walked side-by-side.
"Go chase a mouse!" Ravel threw back, gritting her teeth as sparks flew between the two.
Kuroka giggled at seeing this, skipping happily. "So nice to see Shirone making new friends~"
Itachi was baffled at that comment and mumbled. "Did Akeno's sadism rub off on all of you or something?"
"Captain, nya~ I want another lovemaking session, I want to make babies~ I want at least 80 kittens~" Kuroka jumped onto Itachi, nuzzling her head against his cheek.
"80?" Itachi sounded a little nervous at hearing that number.
"To start with of course~" Kuroka licked his neck, marking him with her scent.
"But we're still in high school… Isn't it a little early?" Itachi tried to divert the subject, but Kuroka shrugged.
"Eh, who cares. Not like I'm going to have any use for an education anyway. I just wanna be a stay-at-home mama to our babies~ Don't worry, while you study, I will look after them~" Kuroka was very much still in heat after last night.
"Not so fast Kuroka-chan. Itachi is going to get me pregnant first~" Akeno came at him from the left, gently blowing into his ear. She had been serious about wanting to be the first one to get pregnant. What was it with these strange competitions between these women?
"You are both wrong, I took his first, and I will make sure to have Itachi's baby first!" Rias added to the competition, all three having sparks fly between them as the competitive instinct kicked in.
The plans for any lovemaking were canceled however, as the minute they walked into their home they were met with Esdeath and her police force that consisted of Serafall's peerage. "Good evening young master." Esdeath greeted, smirking at seeing Itachi surrounded by these horny women. "Did I interrupt something?"
Feeling the intensity of the situation, Itachi, Rias and Sona quickly had their peerage gather in the living room. Esdeath seated on the couch, with the rest of Serafall's Peerage stood behind her. Sasaki Kojiro, Nikola Tesla, and Michel Nostradamus. Esdeath took a sip of her tea, her presence filling the room with a serious vibe. "Mm, that's lovely." Esdeath sighed as she kicked her legs back and forth. "Would have been nice to have a footstool though~ Any of you boys want to volunteer?" Esdeath tauntingly asked the peerage members of Itachi, Rias and Sona.
"U-Umm…" Saji and Issei both looked caught off guard at the question. A single glare from her had a shiver run down their spines, and on instinct they even went on their knees. "Yes mommy!" Both Issei and Saji were however reeled back, Saji grabbed by the ear by Momo who looked visibly annoyed. And Issei pulled back by Asia who pinched his ear as well.
"Virgins are all the same~" Esdeath giggled to herself as she sipped some more tea.
"With all due respect madam, shouldn't we get down to business?" Kojiro leaned forward to Esdeath, the general of Serafall sighed and returned to handle business.
"Young master, mistress and Lady Gremory, please sit. Ever since the young master revealed to us his background… And since your encounter with the Hero Faction. While Azazel's agents have been looking into the whereabouts of Kokabiel. We've been working around the clock to investigate the Pheonix tears around the black market. Trying to locate the supplier to Khaos Brigade. And we believe we have found a concreate evidence of this being an inside job from the Phenex family estate." Esdeath revealed which now officially had the whole room's attention.
A few days ago, Esdeath and her police force were investigating the black market in the Underworld. Disguised wearing hooded cloaks, Esdeath stood in a back alleyway along with Nostradamus. "Got anything?" Esdeath asked as the short seer looked around with his eyes glowing an ominous shade of dark blue. Michel Nostradamus' Sacred Gear, Foresight, which allowed him to see future events in the form of short snippet short films. Of course, Nostradamus' future vision wasn't able to give him explicit details. But if he focused on something he could gaze into certain events that would interest his desire. Such as predicting an opponent's next move, or see when the next pandemic was coming, and even see when a certain dealer was delivering a shipment of Pheonix tears.
"Patience, General~" Nostradamus was a rather cheeky person, and very obnoxious. So much to the point Esdeath actually hated working with him, even if his ability was useful in these types of investigations. "The shipment should arrive outside of that store across the street soon. Oh, and they have a nice set of latex undergarments a few shops down that Lady Serafall would just love on you~"
Esdeath glared down at the seer with a dangerous amount of killing intent leaking from her. Blades of ice floating around Nostradamus ready to end his life should he speak out of term again. "Alright, alright calm down. Just trying to be helpful~" Nostradamus playfully held his hands up as a sign of surrender. Esdeath growled and lowered her ice weapons. "Just saying she would have enjoyed having you in those undergarments seated on her face." And just like that the ice blades were raised and mere inches from piercing Nostradamus' neck.
"You don't talk such about our mistress in such disrespectful ways, do you understand?" Esdeath dangerously glared at Nostradamus. Having great respect for their master's strength and power. Had Serafall attacked the old Empire Esdeath served, the empire wouldn't have lasted a day.
"Alright, truce, truce~" Nostradamus frantically sweated a little under pressure from Esdeath's glare.
"Mm, and the Hero Faction? Any news on them?" Esdeath asked the seer, who this time for once looked serious. Like all in Serafall's peerage, Nostradamus was eager to catch the ones who had murdered Serafall's fist, and their fellow peerage member, Behemoth.
"No… It's strange… it's like my seer powers are blocked off when it revolves around the Hero Faction, or Cao Cao specifically. Almost like someone is keeping me away from them." Nostradamus was a rather intelligent man, and could tell that someone was using their own mental powers to shield anything regarding the Hero Faction. Little did he know though, this was the work of the Hindu God of War, Indra.
"Tch!" Esdeath clicked her tongue in frustration, whenever she would find the Hero Faction, she would be the one to go for Cao Cao. Behemoth had been with Serafall the day they recruited her into Serafall's peerage. Behemoth had been a good comrade and sparring partner. Esdeath would go as far as to call Behemoth a good friend even. "Tesla, do you and Kojiro have a good view of the place?"
Small tech drone birds were flying in the skies above the black market. Resembling regular birds, their camera eyes showing a feed directly to Tesla's mech armor. "Mm, I have a view of an incoming truck. Heavily guarded by the looks of it. Kojiro-dono is on standby to intercept!"
"We need to do this discreetly." Esdeath ordered, as one of Tesla's birds landed on the truck. Transforming itself into a mouse, that burrowed its way through a gap within the truck to get a view of the cargo.
Kojiro walked out from an alley as the truck drove by, and once it had driven past Kojiro was gone. The Edo period Samurai, had latched himself underneath the truck. "We're on route."
"There are a lot of crates in the truck… They all carry the mark of the Phenex household." Tesla reported as his cybernetic mouse showed everything hidden within the truck. "They are pulling up to a warehouse."
"Go." Esdeath ordered as she and Nostradamus swiftly moved out from the alleyway and towards the shop across the street that had said warehouse in the back.
"Welcome, how may I be of service?" The shop keeper greedily rubbed his hands together as he greeted the two hooded visitors. He yelped in fear as Esdeath pulled out her rapier sword and pointed it to his throat. "Open the back to your warehouse. On orders from Serafall Leviathan, you are under arrest for conspiring with the Old Maou Faction and Khaos Brigade."
The man grew pale as he recognized Esdeath's face, the enforcer of the current Leviathan had gained a nasty reputation for her sadistic methods in the criminal underworld. "I-I don't know what you are talking about ma'am! I am running a legitimate business here!"
"Save it fat ass. We already know your guilty. Our boys are breaking in as we speak~" Nostradamus cheekily said, moving swiftly up to the man and knocked him out with a solid kick to the neck. "Tsk, tsk, he tried to send a warning~" Nostradamus having used his seer ability, had seen the man press a silent alarm button in his vision. Acting before he could even attempt it allowed Esdeath's police force to keep the element of surprise.
"Nice work." Esdeath froze the shop keeper in a block of ice, they were going to deal with him later through viscous interrogation.
While in the warehouse, as a few Old Maou Faction devil soldiers unloaded the truck of its crates. They noticed a mouse crawl out. "Huh?" Before they could even react, the mouse stopped in the center of the room. And out from it exploded an electromagnetic field of energy. "Wh-What the hell?!" The truck, and the guards all levitated within the air as did any loose objects. Kojiro was now also fully visible from where he was hidden underneath the truck.
"Intruders!" A guard shouted, but was quickly struck down by Kojiro's blade. The swordsman moving his long nodachi blade. The blade's length allowing Kojiro to strike opponents from a great distance. And his super speed had him blitz every guard in the room, bouncing from wall to wall in this, zero gravitational field.
"What kind of magic is this?!" A guard tried to swim away midair from Kojiro.
"Magic? No! This is science!" Tesla came crashing through the ceiling, and knocked the last guard out in a solid hit from his robotic armor.
"You are all under arrest." As soon as Esdeath stepped into the room, Tesla deactivated the anti-gravity field, and everything dropped crashing to the ground. One of the crates even popped open, revealing an abundance of bottled Pheonix tears.
Taking the shop keeper, and the ringleader of the Old Maou faction soldiers. Esdeath had them tied up, and frightened as she stood before them with a whip. "Now then~ Let's have a private chat." Esdeath giggled as Nostradamus, Kojiro and Tesla stepped out to guard the warehouse.
The three men looked like they felt sorry for these prisoners, as all they heard inside were painful screams, the crackling of Esdeath's whip, and them begging for it to stop. "As always, Lady Esdeath's methods are rather… medieval-ish." Tesla flinched as the sound of something jamming up into a certain place echoed from the warehouse, followed by the man screaming in pain.
"Aww, what's wrong, can't take something this big, big boy? You should thank me, no one in prison will have anything nearly this big to jam up there!" Esdeath sadistically laughed within the warehouse. "Now squeal like a good piggy for mommy~" Esdeath must have hit something hard, and ball gagged one of them, for all they heard were muffled cries of pain.
"… Would you two believe me if I said Lady Serafall enjoyed this side of Esdeath in private?" Nostradamus cheekily asked the other two, who gave a sideways glance at the short seer.
"You are a glutton for punishment I feel, old friend." Kojiro commented, knowing how much Esdeath hated any such comments to demean their master.
In the end, Esdeath walked out from the warehouse, looking rather satisfied. Only wearing a singular boot on her left foot. The grim sight in the warehouse oughta be censored outright. The fat store keeper was blindfolded, ball gagged and had something vibrating sticking up with his ass tooted up. The ringleader of the Old Maou Faction soldiers was pinned to the wall, with ice nails through his hands, feet and wings, with a series of whip slashes on his body. With also what looked like Esdeath's right boot, kicked up inside his keester.
"Well, whoever the supplier is, this came directly from the Phenex family estate." Esdeath said while wiping away some sweat from her brow.
In present day, Itachi, Rias, Sona and their collective peerage members as well as Ravel, all looked rather disturbed at Esdeath attention to detail in her retelling of the events. "Well, that's about the gist of it. Now that we know the supplier lives within the Phenex estate…" Esdeath gave a sideways glare at Ravel who flinched a little. Was she a suspect in this? "We came here to ask for help. Ravel Phenex, out of your entire family, I would say you are the only one with a legitimate alibi. Well, you and Lady Phenex of course. The rest of your family however… are all suspects. But, due to Devil law, we cannot just barge into your family estate. We were hoping you could appeal to the current Lord of the household to show us around."
"W-Wait! There is no way any of my family would be involved in this!" Ravel went rather defensive against Esdeath's claim. Of course, no one would believe a member of their own family to be a traitor.
"Pardon me, lady Phenex." Kojiro bowed his head. "What Esdeath means, is that it could be anyone within your family estate. A servant even."
"Correct." Esdeath confirmed.
"Also, you should probably mention the other reason we came here." Nostradamus pointed out.
"Right, right. When I said give us a tour, we didn't mean us specifically. If the known police force of Leviathan were snooping around, that might tip off the perpetrator. Young master, Lady Gremory, the two of you being so closely linked with Ravel here. We wanted the two of you to be the ones investigating inside the Phenex estate. Think of it as bringing friends home over from school~" Esdeath revealed, Itachi obviously being the perfect pick for this with his ANBU skills of infiltration and espionage. And Rias probably going with to throw off any suspicion from just Itachi going.
"… Ravel, please do as she says." Itachi looked to the young Phenex, knowing the need to catch the supplier as it would heavily cripple the efforts of Khaos Brigade.
"Itachi-sama… I… Mm… Very well." Ravel submitted, looking a little anxious. "I-I shall talk to Ruval Onii-sama. About coming home for a visit with you two." Ravel looked a little flustered and nervous, as this would be the first Itachi would visit her family estate. But deep down, she was also pondering on the potential idea of anyone in her household being a traitor.
Ravel made the arrangements, contacting the new current head of the Phenex household. With her father having recently retired and stepped down, her oldest brother Ruval Phenex was now the Lord of the Phenex territory. Ruval of course welcomed the visit, and felt expressed how honored he would be to host a visit from Itachi and Rias. Two who have had issues in the past with their household. Ruval finding it wonderous that they could all put the past behind them.
Esdeath put a commlink on Itachi's ear. "You got this young master, do call if you need backup. My team and your… peerage will be on standby." Esdeath cast a sideways glare at the Sins. Like Behemoth had been before his own death, Esdeath carried a distrust for the Sins as servants to Itachi. Feeling they weren't worthy.
"General Esdeath, please." Itachi noticing this spoke up, Esdeath glancing at the young man before her. Grabbing Itachi by the back of the head, Esdeath pushed him in for a quick embrace. "Don't get cheeky with me kiddo~" Esdeath tauntingly rubbed the top of Itachi's head, ruffling his hair a little.
"You know… Behemoth-sensei in the end, acknowledged them." Itachi whispered causing Esdeath to flinch.
"Heh, did he now? Well, now they have to impress me next." Esdeath smiled and gave Itachi a gentle shove. Itachi stood next to Rias and Ravel, the three of them ready to teleport to the Phenex estate in the Underworld.
"We'll be back in time for dinner." Rias assured her peerage, giving a wave at them as the magic circle beneath them lit up. Ravel being the one transporting them, they were surrounded by a wall of flames that gathered to the center of the magic circle. As the flames were snuffed out, they had vanished.
Itachi, Rias and Ravel emerged out from a fiery pit, and before the Phenex family estate. The gates to the manor opened, and they were greeted with maids and butlers bowing to them. "Welcome back, Ravel Ojousama."
The door to the estate opened, revealing Ruval Phenex, the family head standing there to greet them. "Welcome back, Ravel. And welcome to our home, Itachi Sitri, Rias Gremory." Ruval gently smiled, and even politely bowed at them. Responding in kind, Rias and Itachi both lowered their heads at the new Phenex Lord.
"Thank you for having us, Lord Phenex." Rias greeted Ruval with a gentle looking smile of her own. Itachi as well managed a tiny smile of appreciation.
"Please, Ruval will do just fine. Come on in, I shall have the staff prepare us some tea and snacks. I made sure they made Ravel's favorites~" The doting older brother side of Ruval shined briefly, as Ravel looked flustered.
"I-I didn't ask for that. Onii-sama." Ravel blushed, her eyes gazing over to Itachi to see his reaction. Ruval noticed this, and lightly chuckled.
"I know, but I wanted Itachi here to see what kind of sweets you like. Might be useful information for the future you know~" Ruval lightly teased, causing steam to come out from Ravel's head.
"Sh-Shut up!" Ravel hid her flustered face from Itachi, who looked a little baffled.
"Alright, how about you give our guests a tour, Ravel?" Ruval suggested, and Ravel seemed to light up a little. As Ravel grabs Itachi by the hand and eagerly starts showing off a few rooms, and paintings. Seeing her this excited warmed Ruval's heart.
"Now, Lady Gremory. While my sister shows Itachi around. How about we discuss the true purpose of your visit?" Ruval asked causing Rias to flinch from shock. How could Ruval have known? Or was this a test to get the information out of her?
"Whatever do you mean?" Rias calmly addressed the Phenex Lord.
"No need to hide it. I've been made well aware by General Esdeath." Ruval whispered as to make sure no one else overheard. "Yes, I know of the discovery of Pheonix tears on the black market. And yes, I have been made aware the culprit is within my own estate."
"E-Esdeath, why you didn't tell us this?" Rias whispered into her commlink.
"Oh yeah, I forgot. I talked it over with Lord Ruval before. Lord Sirzechs had great faith in him after all. Besides, Nostradamus took a little check on him. He is clean." Esdeath replied, while sounding like she enjoyed a drink of tea.
"Sorry, Ruval-sama… But I have to ask, what are your feelings on the matter?" Rias was genuinely curious as to what Ruval's thoughts were. Out of the entire Phenex family, Rias had to admit the only ones she had genuine respect for, were Ravel and Ruval. She didn't know their parents that well to have an opinion of them, other than that the former Lord Phenex was all for her arranged marriage with Raiser. And although Raiser was now making more of an effort to better himself after he was humbled by Itachi, she still didn't think very highly off him.
Ruval looked genuine saddened. "It disturbs me. My home feels like it's been poisoned from within. And I failed to notice… I take full blame for letting things get this far." The humble Phenex lowered his head in shame.
"You can't take blame for this, it's not your fault the perpetrator hasn't been caught." As Rias said that, she noticed a hint of guilt in Ruval's eyes as he looked at her.
"You are too kind, Rias Gremory. As the current Lord of this house, everything going on within this territory is my responsibility." Rias could tell there was something Ruval wasn't telling her, but she didn't feel right pushing him further on the matter.
"But you only recently took over a few weeks ago. This problem has been going on probably since your father was in charge." Rias said lightly hinting that the guilty one might be the former Phenex Lord.
"My father has no knowledge of this matter. And if he did, I am certain he would be outraged and start an old-fashioned witch hunt to find the perpetrator. As I am sure you know, my father sided with the New Maou Faction during the civil war. He might be prideful, and stuck in certain ancient traditions and ways. But he still despised the supremacy of the Old Maou Faction." Rias knew her history, and knew that the Phenex family was instrumental in the civil war. Their Pheonix tears being a great resource for the New Maou Faction soldiers in the battle. But still, the Old Maou Faction even back then still were reported to have occasionally gotten their hands on the healing tears themselves.
"Back in those days, some buyers would resell the tears at the black market. And from there they would be sold to the Old Maou Faction. Those were issues that my father was aware of. During the civil war, he nearly burnt the black market to the ground to find the traitor back then. I myself was a young child back then… I witnessed my father's rage, and also his compassion. Therefor I doubt he is involved in this treachery." Ruval revealed, and even if he was right and the former Lord Phenex had nothing to do with the abundance of Phenex tears given to the Old Maou Faction. There were still other suspects.
"Very well, we have established that your father is innocent in this. And we know you, Ravel and your mother are innocent as well. What about your brothers?" Rias asked and Ruval came to a sudden halt.
Ruval took in a deep breath, and sighed. "… Those are indeed possible suspects. As much as it pains me to admit. I am aware, that both of my precious younger brothers have an issue with arrogance and their feelings of superiority. More so than our father. Although I hope their arrogance hasn't reached to share the ideals of hierarchy supremacy that the Old Maou faction preaches."
"Well… as much of a problem I have with your brother Raiser. I must admit he has become a little humbler after his loss to Itachi." Rias mentioned which seemed to lighten the load on Ruval's shoulders, looking genuinely happy for his youngest brother's progress.
"Thank you, Rias. You truly are too kind. Let's discuss this matter more over some tea, shall we?" Ruval offered, as he guided Rias, Itachi and Ravel to his main office room.
A maid stopped by to serve them tea, and various sweets and snacks. Ravel's eyes glistening upon seeing the display of her many favorites. Ruval then instructed the maid to leave the room, which she complied with. Once they were certain they were alone, Itachi began his own interrogation. "I overheard your discussion with Rias earlier, Lord Ruval. Now that I know you are aware of the reason for our visit, I will be blunt in my questioning."
"I understand." Ruval nodded, putting down his teacup and awaiting the questioning. Ravel herself looked a little anxious for her brother, but also anxious if Itachi was going to ask something that would get him into trouble.
"Esdeath traced a shipment of Pheonix tears directly from this estate. What are your thoughts on such things happening directly from your own home?" Itachi began the questioning.
"As I told Rias Gremory, I was rather disturbed to learn of such activities taking place within my own home. It is both shameful, and dishonorable to our noble household's name." Ruval replied, looking professional as to be expected of a Lord and an Ultimate Class Devil.
"I see. How do you feel about the chance that the perpetrator is a member of your own family?" Itachi continued, offering a similar line of questioning as Rias initially had. The only difference was that Itachi was paying close attention to even the slightest change of body language within Ruval.
"… It pains me. I'm certain mother and father are innocent. And of course, Ravel as well. My brothers on the other hand… I hope they are innocent. They are all precious to me." Ruval replied, tightening the grip of his right hand onto his left. Itachi took notice and only hummed, with a stoic unreadable expression to ad. Itachi was showing off his ANBU skills of concealing any emotions.
"I understand, this must be quite difficult for you. But I would also like to know, what do you think the chances are of the traitor being one of your families many Peerage members? Or servant staff?" Itachi was good at hiding his own thoughts in regard to the matter, which Ruval took notice off. The Phenex Lord trying to get a read on Itachi's opinion, but couldn't find an opening through the mask over Itachi's emotions.
"The possibility certainly is there. I must admit, outside of my own peerage, I am not that familiar with the peerage of the rest of my family. For all I know, one of them or multiple even, could have been swayed by the ways of Khaos Brigade. Although, a part of me doubts it, as the Old Maou Faction are known to not be kind to reincarnates. As for our staff, they too aren't of any high status. Although there could still be a few that prefer certain old ways the Old Maou Faction preaches." Ruval was very honest in his answers to Itachi's questioning, little did he know it would only grow more intense.
"… If I were to tell you we have reasons to believe you are the traitor, what then?" Itachi bluntly asked, and everyone at the table looked shocked.
"…" Caught off guard at the sudden question, Ruval took a few moments before he replied. "… Well, I wouldn't blame you. It is a part of the investigation after all. So, I suppose despite Esdeath giving me some credibility, it doesn't free me of any suspicion."
"Do pardon the intense questioning. After all, it is very important that we catch this culprit. If Khaos Brigade keeps getting a supply of Pheonix tears, it would greatly hurt our soldiers and allies." Itachi takes a moment to defuse any tension left from his previous question to see what Ruval's reaction would be like.
"Of course, I agree." Ruval nods.
"You seem unsettled." Itachi pointed out, having noticed a few moments were Ruval would look distraught. "Do you perhaps know the identity of the traitor but neglect to tell us?"
"… No, I don't have any concreate evidence as to who the traitor is." Ruval denied, although looked slightly angry for a moment. But this anger wasn't directed at Itachi, or anyone present in the room.
"I see. If you would allow me to get personal for a moment. I do agree that Ravel here isn't a suspect. And I don't think you are either, Lord Ruval. I believe you have good intentions. So, before we end our questioning, is there anything you would like to ask of us?" Itachi offered Ruval the chance to ask them something, a move that was a little surprising.
"… There is but one request I have to this matter. That is that you let me, in any shape or form that you may deem worthy, to assist in this case. As the Lord of the household, I would like to play a role in this investigation personally. Please, I beg of you." Ruval, despite the Phenex family being rumored to be a prideful bunch, got up out of his chair, and went on his knees to beg them.
"O-Onii-sama…" Ravel herself is caught off guard by this act from her eldest brother.
"Please." Ruval continued to plead to Itachi.
"… I will see what I can do. There are ways you can definitely help out in our case, Lord Phenex." Itachi sort of accepted Ruval's request, which had the Phenex Lord lift up his head. Ravel even pulling him up from the floor.
"Thank you, for your generosity. Please, enjoy yourselves. And Ravel, how about you go and make some of your handmade cookies. Your big brother does miss tasting your culinary skills from time to time." Ruval requested, nudging his head in Itachi's direction as a hint to Ravel. Who seemed to catch on, getting a little flustered as she stuttered.
"G-Guess I don't have a choice. I can't deny the lord of our noble house. I will go and make something." Ravel sounded prideful as she puffed her chest out, acting like she didn't want to make anything in particular, as she marched out of the room. Before quickly opening the door to peek back in. "Y-You all better not leave!" Ravel said as she slammed the door shut.
Ruval chuckled a little, and Rias as well giggled a little at seeing Ravel's antics. The look on her face clearly had shown them she wanted to make something for them, or rather someone in the room. "Huh, does Ravel often bake while at home?" Itachi asked, having paid such attention to Ruval's facial reactions he hadn't noticed Ravel's.
"From time to time." Ruval chuckled a little, summoning forth a chess board. "Would you fancy a game by chance?" Itachi looked at the board, and accepted the challenge.
While the two played chess, Ravel was happily humming in the kitchen as she prepared some chocolate chip cookies. "I wonder how Itachi-sama would like them… Mmm! I need to focus. They need to be perfect." Her body shivering with excitement, Ravel continued to hum to herself.
A while later, Ruval and Itachi were still playing chess. Itachi was actually struggling for once, Ruval was quite the skilled player. He wasn't a Rating Game champion for nothing. Rias herself observed the game in awe, she had never seen Itachi so intently focused in a game of chess. Ruval's skills in the game rivaled that of Itachi's, every move Itachi made, Ruval managed to counter. "You are quite the player." Ruval complimented, seeming to have genuine fun.
"Thank you. I must say, you are quite good as well." Itachi returned the praise.
"Ravel or mother are usually the only ones who plays with me. My father and brothers are sore losers." Ruval seemed a little surprised by Itachi's next move, and after a closer look he realized he had been cornered. "And I must say, this might be the first time I've lost in quite a long time. Well played." Ruval could see defeat was imminent for him, as Itachi moved his final piece.
"Checkmate." Itachi in the end, still won the match. But Ruval was by far the most skilled opponent he had ever met in chess. "Thank you for the game."
"It was my pleasure." Ruval accepted defeat with a light hearted smile on his face.
Ravel then came back, with a fresh tray of her homemade cookies. "I-I'm back…" A little shy and nervous to have Itachi try her freshly baked cookies, Ravel carefully moved closer to the table.
"Ah, Ravel, thank you for your hard work." Ruval praised his darling sister, and looked to their two guests. "You two really should try Ravel's handmade cookies. They are quite tasty." Ravel blushes a bit at the compliment from her older brother, hoping he didn't overhype the cookies to Itachi and Rias.
"Stop it, Onii-sama. You are embarrassing me." Ravel whispered, to which her brother only chuckled whilst looking lovingly at his only sister in the whole wide world. Noticing how intently Ravel was watching Itachi try her cookies from the corner of her eye.
Itachi wasn't one to turn down sweets, and took a cookie. His eyes widening a little, he smiles at Ravel. "They are quite good Ravel. I must say, you have excellent baking skills." Ravel's blush intensified at the praise from Itachi.
Unable to face his gaze, she huffs and turns her head to the side. "W-Well thank you I suppose. I didn't make them for you or anything. I only made them because Onii-sama asked me too." At this Rias thought Ravel made for a cute tsundere.
Ruval himself found his sister's attitude humorous. "I seem to remember a certain someone waking up early many mornings to practice making her cookies for a special someone to try one day." Ruval lightly teased Ravel, as he was obviously referring to Itachi who Ravel had been too shy to give any of her homemade sweets to in the past.
"O-Onii-sama you big idiot!" Ravel in her embarrassment left in a huff.
"Ara, I seem to have made her mad." Ruval gave an awkward nervous chuckle as he was left in the room alone with Itachi and Rias. Ruval looks at his fleeing sister with a great sensation of love and care in his eye. "Ravel is our family's greatest treasure. And my one and only dearest little sister. I trust that you two care for her as well?" Ruval's question caught the pair off guard a little.
"Yeah, Ravel is a good kindhearted girl." Rias responded, which pleased Ruval. And Itachi nods in agreement. "I may have had problems with your brother in the past, but yes I agree Ravel is a good and kindhearted girl."
In responds to Itachi, Ruval awkwardly smiles and lowers his head. "Yes, and I am sorry for Raiser-kun's shameless behavior in the past. He gets most of it from our other brother, Raul."
"Speaking off, where are your brothers if you don't mind me asking? We would like to ask them a few questions as well." At Itachi's question, Ruval hums and looks to be in deep thought to remember where his brothers are.
"Hmm, well Raiser has been busy with training his peerage recently. So, he is probably out training with them somewhere. Not sure when he will be back. As for Raul, he is probably in his room enjoying the pleasure of female company. It is quite common for him this time of day." Ruval casually added.
"Another time then." Itachi didn't seem that eager to interrupt the middle brother of the Phenex family, feeling that would be a headache in of its own.
"It is getting late. I will be sure to set up an appointment in my schedule for you and General Esdeath to speak with my brothers on the matter." Ruval offered, but before that he had one more request. "But before you go, may I make one more request?"
A little puzzled at what this request might be, Itachi asks. "What is it?"
"Would you mind having a sparring match against me? I would love to test my skills against yours." At this request Itachi was a little caught off guard. Ruval didn't give him the impression of one looking for a fight.
"What brought this on?" Itachi asks, and Ruval's thoughts briefly fall onto Ravel.
"I just wished to see if I could entrust you with a very important task. For that, I need to test your skills in combat first hand." Ruval explains, and Itachi without giving it much thought.
"Very well, I accept." Itachi's answer surprised Rias a little, as Itachi wasn't one to accept fights that easily. But Itachi was curious not only to the full ability of the strongest member of the Phenex family, but also to see if he could learn something from fighting Ruval in regards to the case.
Ruval then leads them to a basement level of the estate, which had a sports and training room. Ravel had briefly returned to the meeting room, and gotten a little frantic she had been left behind when there was no one there. After a little searching, Ravel discovered an elevator heading down to the basement. She went after them, and when she arrived at the training room, she was baffled to see Ruval facing off against Itachi. "What's going on?!" Ravel asked outraged.
"Just a little male bonding time." Rias called out to her from the side, and Ravel was quick to join her. Rias explained the situation, and Ravel seemed a little troubled and annoyed at her brother for requesting this.
Ruval removed his white robe, leaving him a black tank top, his body immediately unleashing a violent torrent of flames. Ruval's flames transformed from various colors, going from orange to red from red to blue. Ruval's firepower was that of an Ultimate class Devil and a Maou. By Itachi's estimation, Ruval was as strong as Behemoth and Esdeath.
Prominent blue fiery wings grew out from Ruval's back, the whole room even began melting for a short moment. Until Itachi countered it with his Frost Demon mode, his ice counteracting the fire and reducing the heat levels in the room. Itachi wasn't going to make this a long fight, and by the looks of it neither was Ruval.
'His firepower… it makes Raiser's seem like a mere candle before a raging fire storm.' Itachi made a mental note of the eldest Phenex siblings' power, he truly was deserving of his rank and title.
"Now then…!" Ruval entered a stance, fire exploding from every step he took as he launched himself forward like a giant blazing ball of fire.
The raging blue inferno rushed at Itachi, who was quick to counter with frost wave of ice. The ice cooling down the fire, lowering their intensity and slowing Ruval himself down in his assault. Ruval seeing his speed slowing down, went into a direct confrontation as he dealt a heavy blow aimed at Itachi's lower abdomen. Itachi blocked it off with his ice gauntlet, the sheering heat of the fire leaving a mark on the ice as it melted through.
Itachi knew that due to Ruval's Phenex healing factor, he didn't have to pull any punches. So, Itachi threw a punch so powerful into Ruval that it obliterated his entire right shoulder. Ruval gasped as his right arm flew off from his body. As Itachi went in for a second strike, Ruval countered it, using his left arm to push Itachi's fist out of the way. Ruval then reeled his head back, and dealt a flame infused headbutt to Itachi, breaking his ice crown as he did. With fire emerging from the right stump where his arm used to be, and regrew said lost arm in an instant.
Itachi was thrown back a few steps, taking a few flips, Itachi unleashed ice dragons flying towards Ruval. "Flame By No Name." Ruval's body exploded in a variety of colored flames, a rainbow of flames burnt around Ruval and the flames scorching heat melted any surrounding ice and the ice dragons.
Itachi's armor even began to melt a little as a result. Acting quickly, Itachi switched up to Speed Mode, lightning crackling around him as he soared across the room faster than the speed of light. Itachi threw a punch that rocked the whole room, causing tremors and for cobwebs of cracks to grow. Ruval was thrown for a loop, his multicolored flames having left burn marks on Itachi's body. But he was unable to keep up with Itachi's speed, as Itachi unloaded a series of lightning quick attacks.
Eventually however, Ruval managed to pry Itachi away by unleashing a blast wave of fire around him burning anything it touched. Taking a giant leap into the air, Itachi switched to his Assault Mode. His flames burning with such intensity, it nearly matched Ruval's own fire. Now the training room felt like the center of the sun itself with all this heat. Luckily for the spectators, the barrier around the battleground kept them and the rest of the estate shielded.
"Atomic Punch." Itachi threw the most destructive punch he could manage in this form. And Ruval gathered his multicolored flames around his fist to meet the hit head on. Both fighters threw their punches, and a bright multicolored explosion of fire followed. The fire melting away the barrier, and causing some heat to hit Rias and Ravel.
"Ah!" Ravel gasped, as some of her and Rias' clothing began melting off from the sheer heat. "N-No!" Ravel flustered, held onto Rias as to make sure none would see her exposed skin.
"There, there." Rias seeming totally fine with it, comforted Ravel by caressing her hair.
As the smoke cleared, Ruval was on his knees before Itachi. "Enough. I yield." Seeing the sparring match was getting out of hand with the broken barrier, Ruval admits defeat. "Impressive. It is as I thought, I am no match for you."
"Well fought." Itachi offered his hand to help Ruval up.
"If you wouldn't mind, could you show me what you are like at full power?" Ruval made yet another request. And Itachi complied, activating his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, Itachi creates his upper body armored Susano'o, the spectral warrior letting out an earth-shaking roar. Ruval feeling the pressure of Itachi's full power at first hand, was beyond impressed. "Mm, thank you." Ruval bowed his head, and Itachi seeing Ruval was satisfied reverted back to his base form. "You are indeed worthy of this task."
"Might I incline what this task is about?" Itachi asks, and Ruval only smiles and tell him to come closer.
"I simply wish for you to take care of Ravel for me in the future." Ruval whispered so Ravel and Rias wouldn't hear.
Itachi looks a bit shocked. "Take care of her? But you are strong and capable of that as well. And Ravel is no weakling either." Ruval smiles and chuckles a little as Itachi seemed to miss the point.
"Yes, I know. But, I was thinking in the more romantic sense of taking care of her." At this, Itachi looks very caught off guard.
"Y-You are asking me, to date Ravel and take care of her in the future?" Itachi asked to be sure he got that information right, and Ruval nodded. "Yes, you have my blessing to date my sister if you so wish." Ruval said, and this time loud enough for Rias and Ravel to overhear.
"H-Hey!" Rias called out and jumped down to the arena, leaving a flustered and embarrassed Ravel behind. Who was busy covering her chest, with her eyes spinning out of control. "D-Dating… Itachi-senpai?"
Rias used magic to restore her melted clothing, and marches up grabbing ahold of Itachi's arm. "Let's not forget I am Itachi's fiancé here."
Ruval hold his hands up in a defensive manner. "I am aware lady Gremory. I am not asking Itachi to take Ravel as his wife as that is clearly meant for you. I am merely suggesting he make her a part of his harem." At this Ravel grew further embarrassed, and Itachi was shocked to hear this from said girl's older brother.
"Umm, having a harem isn't exactly in my plans…" Itachi revealed, but quickly had to rethink his answer. As there were the presence of other women like Akeno and Kuroka currently. "Well, I guess I have unconsciously made one…"
Ruval in responds gives a light hearted laugh. "It seems like it. It wouldn't be strange if you did anyway. You are a high-class Devil. it is the norm in our society after all."
Itachi looks a bit flustered as he says. "Yes, I know but it just doesn't seem like… me I suppose." At this Ruval seems genuinely confused.
"Oh? From where I stand you hold much love in your heart. As a Devil, you are able to hold more than one in your heart. Your instincts should practically be all for it, are they not?" Itachi couldn't deny that his body didn't seem against the idea, as he kind of already explored that territory a few days ago.
"We… shall see. In any case, I agree to protect Ravel if the need ever comes." Itachi didn't deny the harem part, as there was no point in doing so anymore. And although he had to admit, as he looked at Ravel now a part of him saw her in a new light.
The young Phenex girl looked flustered as she sat there, covering her chest area the best she could. With a faint blush, she looked down and mumbled. "Stupid meddling Onii-sama…" But regardless, Ravel smiled at hearing Itachi saying he would protect her.
Ruval smiled at Itachi, seeing him still a little hesitant to admit he had a growing harem of women. "You are a strange Devil, but a man with a good heart." Ruval says as he sees them off.
Ravel after having had a change of clothes, stood next to Itachi, unable to make eye contact as her face was red from imagining certain things after hearing the potential of joining Itachi's harem. "Thank you for your hospitality, Ruval." Itachi bowed his head at the Phenex lord, who smiled warmly at the three of them.
"The pleasure was all mine." With that, Itachi, Rias and Ravel left. And as they were gone, the mood turned dire as Ruval was left alone. He went to the upper levels of their family estate, and knocked on a bedroom door.
A few footsteps echoed from the other side, as his younger brother Raul swung the door open wearing a robe. "What?" Sounding a little annoyed at this interruption, Ruval noticed there being multiple women in there.
"I hate to interrupt your… orgy, Raul. But we need to talk." Ruval's serious tone had Raul raise a brow as he stepped out of the room.
"Take a rest ladies, I'll be back for them asses later." Raul called out as he closed the door. "This had better be good. I was about to eat some whipped cream off my Pawn's ass."
"Spare me the details. What you do with your peerage is your business." Ruval sighed, it was clear where Raiser got his womanizer personality from. "I heard someone on the black market was arrested for selling off multiple crates of Pheonix tears to the Old Maou Faction and Khaos Brigade. Do you know anything about this?" Ruval confronted Raul, who seemed indifferent to the subject.
"So what? They sell a lot of shit on the black market. One of our buyers probably resold them to the black market. It's not rocket science." The casual way Raul addressed the situation, had Ruval look sterner.
He didn't directly accused Raul of any involvement of course. "Yes, but never to this high amount. It was a truckload. And last I checked. No buyer has ever bought that many crates from us this past year."
"Then multiple buyers resell them, fuck if I know. You are the Lord of the house, it's your business to keep track of it." Lighting a cigar, Raul leaned up against the wall. He was respectful enough to his older brother to listen at the very least.
"Be that as it may. Someone in our house selling them second hand isn't impossible either." Ruval said, and Raul reacted taking a quick glance at his older brother and raised a brow at him.
"You saying we got a traitor in the house?" Raul asked while puffing on his cigar.
"Unfortunately, it would seem so." Ruval replied back, keeping a track of Raul's reactions and body language. "And whoever it is, is making a mockery and disgrace of the Phenex name."
"Yeah, I agree. Selling our family's greatest treasure to the enemy is a disgraceful shitty thing to do." Raul stumped his cigar against his own palm. "So, you want me to knock some heads? See what I can find out or what?"
"No, I will handle this matter personally. I just wanted to hear if you had any knowledge of it." Ruval denied any help from his younger brother, who glared a little at him.
"Are you insinuating something? Why would you think I would know?" Raul asked, getting a little defensive as he stood up to his brother's face.
"Not insinuating. Just asking." Ruval calmly talked down to his brother.
"… Just asking, huh?" Raul backed up a little, he wasn't stupid enough to pick a fight against Ruval. "Okay big bro. Sounds like we're about done here then. If you don't mind, I got some whipped cream to eat." Raul turned his back to Ruval and went back into his room.
Ruval stands outside Raul's room for a few moments, clenches his fists and gives a regrettable sigh. He then turns around to leave his brother to go about his business. Disappointment clearly evident on his face, he would need to plan this carefully going forward.
Meanwhile, Itachi, Rias and Ravel didn't teleport right away back home. "Itachi, where are we going?" Rias asked her boyfriend as they continued to fly forward at great speed.
"There is something I must do before I leave." Itachi had a promise to keep to his best friend after all. "You two can go ahead and return home. I can handle this on my own."
"If it's important to you, I'm not going anywhere." Rias gave Itachi a wink, curious as to what this thing Itachi had to do was. And also wanting to offering a helping hand if she could.
"U-Uh, yeah, me too." Ravel declared enthusiastically.
"Thank you." Itachi said with a grateful smile at the two of them. Soon Rias began to have a good idea as to what this thing was, the moment they entered Bael territory. They stopped just before reaching the Bael castle, and landed on a hospital building on the outskirts of the estate.
Walking up, Itachi knocked on the door to which he was greeted by his friend and rival, Sairaorg Bael. "Ah! Itachi!" Rushing up, Sairaorg and Itachi did their little greeting where they slammed their palms repeatedly together. "What are you doing here?" Sairaorg asked between laughs.
"Sairaorg… I came here to try and wake up your mother." Itachi's reply left Sairaorg stunned and silenced.
"Heh, you've already tried years ago… It didn't work then." Sairaorg smiled bitterly, his shoulders sinking down a little.
"This time it will be different." Itachi sounded so sure of himself, that Sairaorg was amazed. He also seemed to get Itachi's thinking, as Itachi's Sharingan morphed into the Eternal Mangekyou.
"Heh, very well… Just so you know, if this doesn't work. I appreciate you trying." Sairaorg led them into his mother's room, where their family butler Henry tended to the sleeping woman.
Rias looked at the form of her aunt, and paid respects by bowing her head. Ravel as well, despite not knowing the woman paid her respect as well. "Please, give it a try." Sairaorg stepped aside, as Itachi approached Misla's bedside.
Pulling up her eyelids, Itachi made eye contact with Misla. "Tsukuyomi." His eyes pulsating with power, as he poured his chakra into Misla through eye contact. To Itachi it was like he stepped into a world of fog, somewhere in this fog was Misla's consciousness. He tried to remove the layers of fog, but as he advanced, they grew thicker. And Itachi found himself pushed back out. There was no consciousness for him to grab onto.
Seeing Itachi recoil backwards, Sairaorg sighed. "You tried…" Sounding disappointed, as Sairaorg had been a little hopeful that this time it would work.
"It's no use. We've tried every drug made by the Sitri family's pharmaceutical business. But nothing works." The butler Henry sighed in defeat.
But by mentioning the drugs, Itachi realized something. "One more try, I will give it one more try. Quick, hand me dose of the drugs." Itachi instructed Henry who was a little baffled, but none the less did as instructed. Itachi snatched the vile, and administrated the dosage himself.
"Master Sitri, are you certain I shouldn't administrate the medicine?" Henry asked a little concerned.
But Itachi was confident, he remembered how his teacher Behemoth, who was the reason the Sitri family had the herbs to battle sleep disease. It was the whole reason Serafall had originally recruited Behemoth to her peerage, to help cure their father of sleep disease. "The workings of this drug, is that it administrates a dosage of adrenaline to the person's heart. Giving its brain a shock restart. If she has been given a recent dosage, her consciousness may flare to life enough for me to latch onto it and wake her up." Itachi stabs the needle through Misla's heart, and administrates the drug.
Hearing a subtle heartbeat from the sleeping Bael woman, Itachi tried again. "Tsukuyomi." This time the fog was clearer, and he heard the struggling groans of a woman within the fog. Finding her, curled up into a ball, Itachi grabs onto Misla's arm and pulls her out.
In reality, Itachi recoils back once more. And this time the whole room was in awe. Sairaorg was visibly shaking, with tears building up in his eyes. His mother, Misla Bael, was sitting upright in her bed, wide awake. "What? Where…?" Looking distorted as a person who has just woken up from a deep sleep, Misla looked around. "Venelana?" Misla questioned as she looked at Rias, but as her sight adjusted, she noticed the red hair. "No… Rias?" Then she shakingly turned to see the face of her little boy, now a full-grown man. "S-Sairaorg?"
"Mother… I'm here, mother." Sairaorg carefully moved closer to his mother, a little worried she might break if he touched her.
Misla however, wrapped her arms around her boy. And shielded his face into her bosom so he could cry his eyes out without anyone seeing. "My boy… you've grown up so much." Misla was in tears. She had missed so much of her son's life. "You look so handsome." She held Sairaorg's face up, wiping away some of his tears with her thumbs. "And so strong. My baby boy… I'm so sorry for having missed you growing up." Misla cried, and Sairaorg unable to hold himself held onto his mother tightly not wanting her to go away again.
Rias seeing this, shed tears of her own, happy for her aunt and cousin. But none cried more than the butler Henry, bawling his eyes out over seeing his young master reunite with his mother.
"Itachi…" Sairaorg called out to his friend, and this time he brought Itachi into a tight hug. "Thank you, brother! Rival! My best friend." Sairaorg held Itachi so tightly, Itachi thought for second, he was going to break a bone.
"Always." Itachi groaned, and managed a smile as he patted Sairaorg on the back.
"You… you are the one I saw in my dreams." Misla pointed out, as she looked at Itachi. This being the first time they officially meet, face-to-face.
"I'm Itachi Sitri. I am a good friend of your sons." Itachi introduced himself, offering a handshake that she accepted.
"You are the one who woke me up, aren't you?" Misla smiled kindly onto Itachi. Who gave a sheepish nod. "Thank you. Thank you for looking after my Sairaorg, and for being his friend."
"Well, your son is a lot of fun, I must admit." Itachi lightheartedly chuckled.
"Heh, Itachi and I are best buds! Practically like brothers! And most of all, he's my rival! He's crazy strong mother! And thanks to his help, I've become crazy strong too!" Sairaorg sounded like a little kid, as they spent the remaining time of Sairaorg retelling his mother stories of his conquests, training and battles. Misla listened intently, and smiled lovingly at her son.
While secrets were being uncovered in the Underworld, in the human world something monumental was about to take place. In the heart of Tokyo, at the CCG headquarters. The new chairman sat within his office, guarded by ten guards within the room alone. A Ghoul war was brewing, the One-Eyed King had risen after eliminating the White Reaper, Kishou Arima. Kaneki Ken, was rallying up many Ghouls in his newfound group Goat. While the Clowns were plotting a siege on Tokyo and deal a widespread attack onto the civilians. And the chairman of the CCG, Furuta Nimura, or rather Washuu Kichimura. Was plotting and scheming his own part in this conflict.
With a cheery tune, Kichimura hummed while working out a map. Then all of a sudden, a chilling air blew through the room. Kichimura shivered even, wondering if perhaps a window had opened. But no, suddenly Kichimura was overcome with a sense of dread, feeling like a giant shadow had cast itself throughout the room. "Ara? What's going on here?" Kichimura stands from his chair.
"Furuta-san, please stand back." A guard sensing the danger as well approached his chairman with the intent to defend. But suddenly, he, and the other nine guards were hoisted into the air by some invisible force, held by the neck.
All guard simultaneously dropped their weapons, choking as they tried to gasp for air. Their straggled breaths, and this sudden strange event had even Kichimura fall back in shock. The guards all collectively had their necks snapped, and were dropped to the floor.
Out from thin air, this glowing white circle formed onto the ground and out emerged a vicious figure. This figure appeared as a middle-aged man in his forties, with dark elegant shoulder length silver hair. Hazel eyes that illuminated ominously in this already dark dimmed room. He had a goatee beard on his chin. His outfit to Kichimura looked like something out from a carnival. A silver-colored cloak, with dark blue and golden line decorated spiky shoulder pads and a chest plate armor. Hidden within his robes, was a sheeted blade.
But Kichimura could tell, this was no ordinary man. His mere presence and aura felt bottomless and sickening, he had a creepy aura that surrounded him and gave off a more malicious vibe than Kichimura himself. Every move this man made, felt like was the move that would take Kichimura's life, and yet he presented himself in such an elegant and proper manner.
But Kicimura knew it was all a mask, a façade masking the beast within, for he too was the same type of person. But at the same time not, for this man felt utterly and truly, pure unadulterated evil. "Kichimura Washuu…" The man spoke, his lips curled up into a smirk as he approached Kichimura.
On instinct, Kichimura's kagune emerged out from his lower back, his singular Ghoul eye vibrating with a sense of dread of the presence of a much larger predator. The man reached his hand out from his cloak, revealing his pale white hand and long fingernails that resembled claws.
Kichimura moved his three centipede like tails into attack, not knowing what else to do in the face of such an entity. The entity observed the advancing tentacles that could tear a man to shreds, and smirked.
The entire top floor of the CCG headquarters exploded in a flash of power, rocking the skies of Tokyo and sounding the alarm. Kichimura had survived the blast, although barely. His Kagune having shattered, nearly his entire right torso missing along with his arm. 'What happened? He didn't even move… no wait, he stretched his hand out to me. And smiled… What was that power?'
"Tsk, tsk, what a rude way to welcome a guest." The man loomed towering over the injured Kichimura, unscratched, not even a speck of dust on his cloak.
"Wh-Who are you?" Kichimura gurgled out a question as his mouth was filled with blood, but not his own. No, the man had slit his own wrist with some kind of invisible blade. And his blood was pouring into Kichimura's mouth while he shushed him like an infant feeding off its mother.
"There, that should do it." The cut on the man's wrist healed in an instant and he retracted his hand. Observing as Kichimura's kagune regrew and exploded with intense, raw untamed power. His body already healed as well. Kichimura gazed up with awe, he had never tasted blood like this before. It was so rich, and filled with power. Who was this man? The man answered in a chilling voice. "My name, is Rizevim Livan Lucifer."
On instinct, without knowing the true significance of this man even. Kichimura dropped to his knees, kneeling almost. For once, true fear filling his body. The man, no, the Devil, the third known Super Devil in existence, Rizevim Livan Lucifer reached out his hand to Kichimura. "Want to be friends~?" Rizevim asked in a laid-back manner. Giving off a menacing chuckle, as Kichimura seemed eager to accept his hand. The temptation from tasting the Lucifer's blood again burned strong within him.
Not a word to say, Kichimura submits himself to this superior entity and accepts his hand. Rizevim chuckles, praising Kichimura like a dog. "Good. Now there is one thing I need you to do for me to prove our friendship~"
Kichimura gazes up at Rizevim, and asks. "What do you want?"
Smirking with glee over his new servant, Rizevim declared. "Nothing too complicated… I just need you to create chaos. Can you do that for me, pal?"
"Heh, of course… I can guess this meeting isn't by chance, is it? I sense a being like you, would be aware of my own plans and intentions." Kichimura, still on his knees before what he views as a new beneficial business partner.
"Hehe, I knew you were my type of guy. Do as I ask… And if you somehow survive what is to come, I will grant you a reward beyond your comprehension." Rizevim chuckles, his power in this situation was absolute. For he, was one of the 3 strongest Devils in all of existence. And also, one of the top 20 strongest beings in all of existence. Son of the original Lucifer, the true heir to the Morningstar. To a lowly one-eyed Ghoul like Kichimura, Rizevim was like a God.
While this unholy union was taking place, in Kuoh the Owl Sin of Envy was making her own move. Standing before a board showing newspaper clips, notes and intel on Kichimura and the CCG, the Clowns, the Goats. Eto Yoshimura stood before the board in her dim lit apartment. "The time has come." Eto declared, her Ghoul eye burning bright red with pure hatred as she glanced at a photo of Kichimura. "The One-Eyed owl is coming home~"
That's the end for now!
And with that, we start going into one of my original arcs planned for the Sins in this story. Starting with Eto. I plan on having another Sin arc after this one, and then go into the Middle-Class Promotion arc for the reincarnated Devils. But for now, we have what I like to call "The Birdcage" arc. A name which symbolizes Eto's view on society as a whole.
Now, as said in the end of the A/N of chapter 45. This chapter will be the last of the year 2024 for this story. So, to all my readers I wish a merry Christmas/Happy holidays, and a happy New Year.