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Thanks for reading!
I am sorry for offscreening my boy, I read too much Lookism while writing this.
Seriously, wtf is even Lookism past ch300-400-something?
The moment I can pull off 1500-word chapters, I will be invincible.
I'm opening a pa.tr.eo.n or a k/o/f/i to support when I hit 1mill views on this
just to make sure I don't lose focus. No paywall either btw,
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-Rias Gremory-
-Michinaga Mansion Backyard-
The Michinaga backyard was… unconventional, to say the least.
It wasn't as illustrious as the mansions the Gremory Clan owns, which is what I think Daichi was going for, but I had to admit that the magical barriers that shimmered faintly around the grounds were layered with more intricacy than most professional wards.
Artifacts and trinkets Daichi had collected (or crafted, I honestly wasn't sure which) dotted the corners.
Strange talismans, floating lanterns, even a stone pillar etched with a runic seal that gave off the faint scent of ozone.
It wasn't the kind of training field I'd grown up with in the Gremory estate, but… I like it.
And today, it was ours.
My peerage was assembled, stretching, and preparing themselves. And across from them, Daichi, Kuroka, and Roygun Belphegor stood ready.
Other than their outfits... Well, I should be honest. Even taking into consideration their outfits, the three of them looked wildly mismatched, but there was a strange cohesion there
Daichi, with his short black hair and blood red eyes in a simple shirt and training pants, looked like a leisurely young master of a tycoon...
---Which he kind of was...
Kuroka, with her nekomata ears and tails out, wearing a yukata, seemed like a sultry if not cheery cosplayer to those unaware of the supernatural...
And Roygun Belphegor... Where do I start? She's a former top contender in the Rating Games! She was disgraced and ousted from being the Head of the Belphegor Clan, but she was still a champion in her own right.
All in all, it was like an odd, off-beat tune that still somehow came together into music.
Honestly, at this point in time, I shouldn't be surprised.
Anyway, my dependable Knight Yuuto was already stepping forward, his expression calm but focused as he glanced at Daichi, who rolled his shoulders like he was warming up for a street fight.
Opposite them, Kuroka crouched lightly with her tails swishing, and Shirone narrowed her golden eyes, her tiny fists tightening around her gloves.
Meanwhile, Akeno and I stood together, facing Roygun, who looked far too entertained by all of this.
---Roygun Belphegor.
My lips tightened before I realized it. She's… part of this?
Once upon a time, she had been one of the most feared High-class Devils in Rating Games.
And then the King Piece scandal happened, and her reputation came crashing down along with her career.
But according to Daichi's plans, Akeno and I would be training with her.
Her Clan's trait was [Crack], which allowed her to create tears on anything she chose.
As Roygun caught my expression, she gave a slight chuckle.
"Fufufu~ Don't make that face, little Miss Gremory. According to Daichi… I have a lot to teach you," Her lips curled in amusement. "Which is why I'll be helping you out with training."
I blinked, momentarily caught off-guard. She said it so casually, without a change of expression.
She was smiling, but she was also serious.
-clash!-
Before I could respond, the sound of steel rang out. My attention snapped to Daichi and Yuuto.
They had already closed the gap.
Yuuto's hand moved like flowing water, and his Sacred Gear, [Sword Birth], answered his will, and a radiant, yet demonic sword manifested in his grasp, forged in an instant and sparked with a magical aura.
Yuuto then swung his blade with knightly precision and a perfect posture.
Daichi, on the other hand, simply raised his hand. A blade of crimson energy flared brightly as it hummed violently with power.
It seemed unrefined, but at the same time refined, which made it different than Yuuto's creations.
It was untamed, rough, and raw.
"Let's go ahead," Daichi said, in English, of all things.
I couldn't help but suppress a small smile. Despite looking every bit the delinquent, with his short black hair, red eyes, and that perpetual aura of defiance, he always did things like that.
Little chuuni gestures, otaku references, and dramatic lines. To most, it would look ridiculous.
To me… well, maybe it was because I also loved manga and anime, but I found it oddly endearing.
-screeaaaatcccchhh---!-
The clash of their blades sparked bright in the morning air.
Yuuto darted forward, his speed blurring as he wove through strikes, his holy sword lashing with trained elegance, and Daichi met him head-on, movements sharp and instinctive.
He wasn't a trained knight, but years of training with us and Uncle Okita made him form his very own roughhouse style, one built from experience, improvisation, and sheer audacity rather than textbook finesse
---Which was odd because he was able to memorize anything textbook style.
But putting that aside, he matched Yuuto blow for blow.
-vooosh--!-
Supernatural steel and magic clashed, ringing in our ears as each strike drove shockwaves through the backyard.
Yuuto spun low, slashing for Daichi's side, but Daichi twisted, catching the blade on the 'hilt' of his magic blade, then shoved forward, forcing Yuuto to retreat a few steps unless he wanted to get caught by Daichi's follow-up slash.
Daichi then formed dozens of spears formed of [Light Power] at Yuuto as a second sword formed instantly in Kiba's other hand---- his Sacred Gear crafted another holy blade mid-motion.
---The blade in his hands now was [Holy Eraser/ Light Devouring Sword].
It was a demonic sword with a dark blade that devoured holy energy and light, although its abilities faltered when absorbing the holy energy from a true Holy Sword.
Yuuto pressed in with dual strikes, shattering and then absorbing the thrown spears of light.
-slash, slash!-
Seeing this, Daichi smiled.
Right then and there, Yuuto was forced to guard as the Light Spear in Daichi's hands flared into sweltering flames as he dashed at him, knocking him back as it scorched the ground.
Yuuto quickly changed his blade to [Flame Delete/Flame-Freezing Sword], a sword that looked like an ice sculpture that was capable of freezing flames itself.
Daichi gave an amused laugh as he raised his fiery blade, as if taunting Yuuto to actually try it, and he deflected a couple of strikes, then pivoted his wrist to shove the second away with a flare of crimson sparks.
Instead of retreating as his blade of fire slowly turned to ice, he closed the distance, swinging dangerously close to Yuuto's collarbone.
-clash!-
Yuuto parried just in time, sparks flying.
"Not bad, Yuuto." Daichi grinned, eyes glowing faintly red as his energy sword pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.
"Phew... Same to you." Yuuto was drenched in sweat, though his lips tightened into a small smile of his own. His swords blurred, overlapping in a rapid flurry, testing every angle, every weakness.
But they still fell short once they reached Daichi.
So they clashed again, and again.
Then, with a sudden break, Daichi's blade vanished mid-parry--- causing Yuuto's strike to overextend.
-voom-
In the split second of surprise, Daichi re-manifested the blade in his other hand and slashed upward, making Yuuto stumble backwards.
-pant, pant-
"You're... really good." Yuuto panted as his eyes gleamed with renewed determination, forcing himself to regain his footing between heavy breaths. "I'd never imagine... I'd feel... like this.. from each one... of your strokes..."
"Phrasing," Daichi chuckled.
"But don't sell yourself too short, pal. You'll need some of that confidence for the Rating Game.
"Got it." Catching his breath, Yuuto then stood up and asked, serious and steady. "Will you use your Sacred Gear?"
For a moment, silence hung between not just them, but all of us.
"Fufu~ I wanna see it too." Akeno commented on the side as I nodded.
Daichi smiled.
-voom!-
Magical power rose slowly and coiled at the top of his head, almost like it was invisible, but my sharpened senses caught it instantly.
I felt it.
Deep within my core I felt some kind of aura.
It hummed low and restrained, but it was still distinct enough to catch.
It almost felt... faintly draconic as well...
My eyes widened slightly. There was no mistaking it. That weight in the air, that primal force. Subtle, but real.
'Daichi… what are you hiding...?'
Before I could dwell on it further, a flare of power snapped my attention sideways.
---Kuroka and Shirone.
Their spar was almost similar to the boy's clash of swords. It was loud, deadly, and definitely not subtle.
And it had to do with a certain someone's use of Senjutsu.
Kuroka's movements were languid, her body swaying like a dancer's as she drew in natural energy. Shirone, smaller but sharper, matched her with precise counters, her aura flaring with condensed Ki strikes.
Golden eyes clashed with golden eyes, and sister clashed against sister.
They were about to move again.
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---Senjutsu.
I didn't use it personally, but I could feel it in every shift of the earth beneath my feet, the way the ground cracked, the flow of natural energy disturbed and pulled into their clashing auras.
Senjutsu wasn't like demonic power. It wasn't just manipulation of your own reserves, your chakras, or, if I may say so myself, Aura.
And Kuroka… I knew that she had quite the grasp on what Daichi would call, 'A funny little power system'.
Shirone darted forward, low and sharp, as her small frame was deceptively fast. As Ki flared around her fists every time she struck at her sister, with every blow perfectly timed, she seemed like quite the threat.
"You rely too much on that power."
Kuroka twirled away with a graceful sway, her twin tails trailing behind her. She deflected Shirone's punch with a languid sweep of her hand, as her lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Nyahaha~! But it works, Shirone, so I'll keep at it!"
"That way I can help my precious little sister too~"
-boom!-
Their blows collided, sending ripples through the ground, and small fissures spread under their feet as the natural energy flared about.
Shirone's fists blurred in a rapid combination, her body glowing faintly as she tapped deeper into her reserves. I recognized the shift; she was planning on going harder.
Her fist lashed out, glowing, aimed directly at Kuroka's abdomen.
Kuroka's expression shifted, with a teasing smile on her face as she caught the strike with one hand, twisting her wrist with frightening ease before tossing her into the air.
"You shouldn't force yourself to hate it so much, Shirone," Kuroka murmured as Shirone landed perfectly on the ground with cat-like dexterity. "It can't be that bad."
"Besides, what's with the strike aimed there~? Don't you know that Daichi and I are trying? If I can't have children, then Daichi might go out and see other women, you know~?"
"We may have our differences, but you wouldn't want to see your dear onee-san end up a childless spinster, nya~?"
"I don't need to rely on it the way you do. I won't… lose myself in it." Shirone's voice was sharp, but it cooled slightly at the end. "And, it's too much info. I don't want to hear about whatever perverted crap you two get up to in private."
'Now what is the foolish nekomata talking about?'
Don't tell me this thieving cat is planning something stupid!
Daichi isn't a pervert that would fall for something like that, would he?
I took a look over at the sparring between Daichi and Yuuto.
"You know, Issei said that you're actually birds of a feather in our flock, and I believe him."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"It's not boobs, it's not butts, and it's not hips that gets you off, either... Its lips, isn't it?"
"I... uh.... Um, well..."
"I'm right, aren't I? You don't need to feel ashamed. Me, personally, I like 'em all, but I like thighs the most."
"Ahem. Uh, thank you?"
Hmmnnn...
I took a look at Kuroka, who wore this short Kimono-Yukata dress that showed her thighs....
After this, just to be sure... I should meet with Daichi in private....
"That being said, if you're gonna deny my methods, shouldn't you be a little stronger than this?" Kuroka's eyes softened for just a heartbeat before she dashed fiercely, breaking into Shirone's guard.
In that instant, her hands darted up, flipping Shirone over onto the ground as a palm stopped just shy of Shirone's temple.
-thud!-
The air rippled with the killing intent behind it, but Kuroka didn't strike. She instead stood still, smirking as the energy dissipated.
"Match over," Kuroka purred. "If this were real, you'd be napping on the ground right now, Shirone."
"It was training. It doesn't count as a loss." Shirone's golden eyes narrowed, but she didn't flinch. "I won't lose if we spar again."
"Oh? So stubborn," Kuroka teased. "Let's go again."
And then, Shirone let out a tiny huff. "Whatever you say… Kuroka-sis."
Nani?--- I mean, Nani?
(Nani means what in Japanese.)
"Nyani-?, I mean, what?" Kuroka's eyes lit up like stars. "What was that you said~? Say that again. One more time."
"Never." Shirone stiffened, her cheeks faintly pink. "…Let's spar already."
Kuroka slung an arm over Shirone's shoulder with an exaggerated pout. "Awww! Don't be so cold to your big sister, nya~."
I found myself smiling faintly, despite the seriousness of our training. The gap between them wasn't healed, not yet. But it was closing, one small step at a time.
And I couldn't help but wonder… was this Daichi's doing?
---Did he suggest this sparring match not just for strength training, but to force those two to interact?
My gaze flicked back to Daichi's side of the field, where he and Kiba were still engaged. Just as my eyes found them...
-bang!-
A loud bang echoed, a shockwave rolling across the backyard.
Kiba was on one knee, panting, sweat dripping from his brow. His swords still glowed faintly, but his posture screamed exhaustion.
And across from him, Daichi stood tall, crimson energy pulsing off his body. And then I saw them.
Glowing red horns, sharp and curved, protruding from the top of his head—like the horns of a devilish bull.
What kind of Sacred Gear was this exactly…?
If I'd been curious about his Sacred Gear before, this… this only deepened the mystery.
The aura those horns gave off wasn't normal--- it was heavy, oppressive, and unmistakably powerful.
And faintly… draconic.
Wait, why?
This was not logical in the least.
"Fufufu~," Akeno's familiar chuckle rang beside me. Her violet eyes gleamed with mischievous delight. "I wonder… would I be able to hold on to those horns, I wonder~?"
Her voice trailed off suggestively, and she licked her lips.
"…Akeno." I gave her a sharp look.
She only smiled innocently.
Before I could scold her further, Roygun's voice cut across the yard. "You two. Miss Gremory. Miss Himejima."
Roygun stood tall, one hand on her hip, with the other swirling with dark, volatile demonic energy.
Her grin was sharp and playful, and honestly? A little infuriating.
"Your opponent… will be me." She said with a flair for the dramatic.
It made me wonder if Daichi had a thing for older women with eccentric personalities.
Things I would have to find out later, I guess.
Akeno and I exchanged a glance as my chest tightened faintly. Roygun Belphegor wasn't just a former Rating Game competitor. She had been a notable one. Experienced. Dangerous. And filled with the love of battling.
---Even without her King Piece, her raw power was formidable.
"I suppose it's only fair," I said, folding my arms. "If we want to prepare for Riser, we'll need to face someone like you."
"Someone stronger than Riser, you mean," Akeno added with a small smirk.
Roygun chuckled, her tone teasing. "Oh, you flatter me. But you're right." She raised her hand, her aura spiking high, the ground trembling faintly under the force. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll be able to fry at least five more Riser Phenexes in the future."
Demonic energy surged around her like a storm.
Akeno's smile sharpened, sparks of lightning beginning to crackle at her fingertips.
I steadied myself, summoning my Power of Destruction to my palm.
Roygun Belphegor was not an opponent to take lightly. But together, I do believe Akeno and I could hold our ground.
After all, this was my peerage, and I'm certain that I could handle anything that gets thrown my way.
Roygun may be a tough opponent, but there's no such thing as an impossible one.
This won't be so bad.
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Next Chapter: 028: Ecchi Young Man Watches Gap Onee-San, Miko Onee-san, And Tomato Princess Get Hot And Heavy!
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Trivia Time! (Againx27!!)
Did you know(ofc)
Seiyuu Time!!!
For Kiba Yuuto's VA/Seiyuu... We have Kenji Nojima(JP), who also voices:
Tuxedo Mask/ Mamoru Chiba (Sailor Moon)
Jun Guevara (BAKI) The way Biscuit Oliva got him stiff was criminal...
Albedo (Genshin Impact) Cool guy, but does anyone actually care for the male characters? Even the girlies spend so much time shipping the waifus.
Marisbury Animusphere (FGO) The Walter White of the magus world, except he deals with the future instead of that candy.
Eiji Okamura (Banana Fish) I'm not a fudanshi, but some yaoi got some crazy good stories fr.
Taihei Doma (Himouto! Umaru-chan) The Onii-chan. Also Umaru was super popular back in the day.
Nobuchika Ginoza (Psycho Pass) This world is a crazy fiction world. Let's keep it that way.
Luis el Bridgit (Freezing!) ...
Fox McCloud (Star Fox/ Smash) My main.
Sho Fukumachi (Guyver) Did you know that David Hayter, the VA of Solid Snake, played the MC of the Live Action Guyver Movie in 1994?
(Also, if I were to do a Marvel Fic in the future, I'd definitely do one where the MC has the Guyver Unit.)
(Think about it, the MC wakes up in a facility and then finds himself in New York in Marvel)
Also...
Yuuto's birthday is on May 30. (lol)
Yuuto has different meanings: (yuu) "gentleness, superiority" or (yuu) "distant, leisurely" combined with (to), or (to) "person" or (to) "soar, fly"; referring to his personality and speed as a Knight.
One of the meanings of Kiba is "Sharp", which would be a reference to the fact he is a swordsman.
Kiba Yuuto means "Horse-Rider" in reference to him being a Knight because Knights in chess are symbolized by horses. (can he handle gold-shit- i mean, gold-ship, tho?)
His original name, Isaiah, comes from English and Biblical Origins, meaning "Yahweh is Salvation".
Yuuto's swordsmanship is based around the Tennen Rishin-Ryu, though it isn't entirely the same sword style since he learned how to wield swords and fighting posture from Souji Okita. And in Rating Game fighting-types, Yuuto is considered a Technique-type.
Yuuto states that his favorite part of a woman's body is her lips.
Yuuto is stated to be a good cook as he does a cooking vlog series on DeviTube called "Handsome Dude Does Cooking," which is popular with young girls.
Yuuto's contract requests as a Devil are usually from older women who have accumulated stress from their jobs. He practically does stuff like cooking meals and giving massages
In the "DxD" popularity election, he came in fifth in the male character category, and fourth in the coupling category as a couple with Issei.
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