Just before leaving, Serafall suddenly remembered something important.
"Right—Shuu-chan, those outfits I wore today, can I take them back?"
She really didn't want to leave clothes that carried her scent behind in Akuto's home.
"That? …No." Akuto smiled, shaking his head.
"Serafall, those outfits are part of the price you have to pay too."
Only then did Serafall realize—beyond the photos, Akuto's true goal had always been to collect her cosplay costumes!
"You—Shuu-chan!!"
She never thought he was this much of a pervert.
Just picturing him rolling around in her clothes after she left made her cheeks glow as red as apples.
"Hmph! Shuu-chan, you're such a pervert! I'm not coming to see you for at least seven days!"
That was her way of showing her displeasure.
But as she stormed away, twin tails swinging furiously, Akuto laughed and called after her:
"Sorry, I didn't hear you clearly! See you tomorrow after work!"
Serafall froze mid-step.
A second later, she whipped her twin tails even harder—but the unconscious smile tugging at her lips betrayed her delight.
—
The next day, just before clock-out.
Serafall's feet tapped restlessly against the floor. She was clearly anxious.
The bell rang—and Akuto appeared.
Her lips lifted instinctively, then flattened back down. She puffed her cheeks and turned her head away.
"Hmph! Didn't I say I wouldn't see you for seven days?"
"Hmm? Did you? Sorry, I only remember my words: that I'd come find you. And I always keep my word."
"Oh, by the way—I heard XX TV is auditioning for a magical-girl program in an hour.
From the Underworld to the Human World is what, four hours? …Unless someone has a way to cross worlds instantly."
Akuto's tone was playful.
"Hmph! Fine, I'll forgive you—this once. Now hurry, take me to that audition!"
She slipped her hand into his.
Akuto grinned and clasped her hand tightly. In the next instant, both vanished from the Underworld.
He thought to himself—why just wait while Serafall auditioned? They were casting a male role too. He might as well audition alongside her.
The results were smooth. With their looks and acting ability, both easily landed roles.
What shocked Akuto was afterward—Serafall simply bought the TV station.
"Uh, didn't you already pass the audition? Why buy the whole station?" Akuto raised a brow.
"Of course I had to! That way the schedule can adapt to ours perfectly!"
"Then why didn't you buy it before auditioning?"
"Because…"
Akuto covered her lips with his finger.
"Let me guess—you felt buying your way in would show a lack of confidence, unbecoming of a magical girl?"
"Correct!" She gave him a thumbs-up.
"As expected of Shuu-chan—you really understand me."
She found herself ever more satisfied with him.
—
The days resumed their rhythm.
A week passed.
By day, Akuto studied and cultivated. By evening, he dated. On certain nights, he returned to the apocalypse world.
This time, though, his routine had shifted.
For one, Serafall joined his circle of dates—filming sessions included.
For another, Rias had grown increasingly bold in giving him "benefits."
Once, Akuto returned to the Old Schoolhouse to find Rias fresh from the bath—wearing only a white shirt and red panties.
She didn't care in the slightest, simply letting him rest his head on her lap.
And Yuuma Amano—her pace of intimacy accelerated. By now, she kissed him on greeting and farewell without hesitation.
—
Time in the DxD world flowed. Seven days here meant thirty-five in the apocalypse world.
During that time, Akuto relocated the shelter to a larger rural village and began cultivating crops with short growth cycles.
Kaguya Sumeragi leveraged her influence, while Akuto's raw might made the JSDF bow. In less than two months of apocalypse time, half the nation was under their control.
One Explosion spell on Tokyo—and before Akuto even initiated talks, the highest levels of Fuso's leadership came crawling.
With the city evacuated, he casually lobbed a grand spell into Tokyo.
Watching his kill count skyrocket in the system, his mood soared.
And then—the breakthrough came.
From high Mid-class Devil, Akuto ascended into Low High-class.
He now had confidence even against Maou-class elites.
After several more blasts in major cities, the system chimed:
[Ding!]
[Main Quest 2 Complete: Kill as many zombies as possible within 3 months]
[Progress: Stage 4 (100 million zombies slain)]
[Reward: Immortality (Gold)]
Immortality (Gold): Comparable to the True Ancestor Vampires. Grants partial body-to-mist transformation. Even if the body is completely destroyed, recovery is possible so long as a wisp of mist remains.
Note: Unlike vampiric immortality, this variant is immune to holy artifacts.
With his third golden ability, Akuto grew more confident still.
In high spirits, he indulged in a great night of intimacy. Not just the heroines of the apocalypse world—he also pulled in members of his personal guard, especially those who looked like anime heroines.
To his surprise, Alice Maresato herself climbed atop him midway, her petite frame moving with never-before-seen joy and satisfaction.
[Ding!]
[Past-Life Goal Achieved: Become Alice Maresato's Daddy]
[Reward: Talent—Father's Love as a Mountain (Green)]
Father's Love as a Mountain (Green): When facing loli-type characters, grants extra favor and affection.
Stroking Alice's back gently, Akuto helped her adapt.
Then, another notification sounded:
[Ding!]
[Hidden Quest Complete: True Apocalypse World Full Collection]
[Reward: Apocalypse World—World's Child Qualification (Gold)]
World's Child Qualification (Apocalypse World): Having gathered all heroines, the world itself acknowledges the host as its Child.
Grants partial control over the world's rules.
Can expend world origin to unlock chosen lifeforms' life paths, instantly raising them to the world's growth limit.
Note 1: Protagonist/heroine life paths already unlocked do not consume origin.
Note 2: Apocalypse World's growth cap = Maou-class.
"True Full Collection? I didn't expect stricter conditions existed.
But… Maou-class as the cap? To have my team grow to that height is more than enough."
Already, most heroines had advanced to High-class Devils. Saeko, the strongest, had reached peak High-class.
Though still far from Maou-class, the assurance of eventual growth left Akuto satisfied.
As for rewriting the apocalypse world's rules? That was worth careful study.
[Ding!]
[Hidden Quest Complete. Beginning search for next Sub-World.]
[Time Remaining: 240 hours (Main World time)]
[Target: Mid-level Sub-World]
[Host may continue Main Quests in the Apocalypse World while preparing.]
Akuto nodded. He still had one more Main Quest there: establishing a refuge.
That one took six months to settle. With only two months elapsed, it was far from done.
"Well, so long as I've cleared either all Main Quests or a Hidden Quest, a new world opens."
"A mid-level sub-world, huh… I wonder what it'll be."
While pondering, his detection array in the DxD world triggered.
"…Rias? Why is she outside my door at midnight?"
Akuto's doubt lasted only a moment.
"At this hour, there's only one reason.
If she didn't come… I'd have been the one to make the move."
Leaving the apocalypse cleanup behind, he swiftly returned to DxD.
(End of Chapter)
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