Craze: High School DxD won the vote. Potential Lovers: Rias, Akeno, Koneko, Kuroka, Ophis, Serafall, Sona, Asia,
....
Lucifer ignored Raven's palpable emotional confusion—which his Basic Empath was struggling to categorize—and focused his attention entirely on the pudding-soaked thief.
He didn't waste time with verbal questioning.
Lucifer crouched down, his gaze locking onto the terrified man.
He activated his Fundamental Insight, not just to read the surface thoughts, but to drill into the memory pathways and core intentions of the intruder.
The mental landscape was messy, coated in panic, but the data was clear: HYDRA.
The thief wasn't a random burglar or a Joker plant. He was part of a low-level Hydra reconnaissance unit operating under S.H.I.E.L.D. cover.
Lucifer pulled the raw data and synthesis together instantly:
Target: Harley Quinn.
Hydra's Assumption: They believed Lucifer was a normal civilian delivery driver Harley had taken a romantic interest in. They were here for Harley.
Objective: Retrieve "Core Technology."
Technology Description: A highly advanced, localized energy matrix stabilizer—a prototype Hydra deemed critical.
Harley's Knowledge: She stole it long ago during a chaotic spree, viewing it as a shiny toy. She completely forgot about it and gave it to the Joker, who tossed it into the vast inventory of a forgotten hideout.
Lucifer straightened up, his face hardening.
Joker hadn't just exposed S.H.I.E.L.D.; he had lured Lucifer into the path of an active Hydra retrieval mission, knowing Harley was the key.
"Raven, this isn't random,"
Lucifer said, his voice clipped.
"It's Hydra. They were after 'Core Technology' Harley stole and forgot about. Joker tossed it somewhere."
Raven's eyes widened, the logistical disaster overriding her personal confusion.
"Hydra knows Harley is here. We are compromised at the highest level. We can no longer risk a standard disposal."
"Exactly,"
Lucifer agreed, already pulling out his comms to contact his employer.
"Tony,"
Lucifer said into the secure line, his voice leaving no room for jokes.
"The Hydra warning is confirmed. I have one of their agents subdued. They are looking for technology Harley stole from them."
"What…"
Tony sounded like he was doing something important but he said he would come to him as soon as he could.
Within fifteen minutes, a sleek, black quinjet landed silently on the roof of Lucifer's apartment building.
Tony Stark walked in himself, flanked by two highly capable, silent security personnel.
Tony took one look at the pudding-soaked Hydra agent and the pink handcuffs, then glanced at the still-pouting Harley in her doorway.
He looked at Lucifer, his expression shifting from amusement to profound seriousness.
"Hydra,"
Tony stated, his voice low.
"I knew the clown wasn't just doing stand-up. JARVIS found three previously undetectable nodes reporting straight to a Black Site in Siberia. This is big, Luce. Bigger than you think."
Tony's eyes met Lucifer's.
"You're my person. I need you safe. Something big is coming, and you need to be alert. No deliveries for the time being."
Lucifer opened his mouth to argue, needing that System progress, but Tony cut him off with a gesture of finality.
"Don't. This isn't a negotiation. If Hydra is looking for something that crazy woman stole, and they found you, you're their next target. You need to focus on defense."
Tony reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small, encrypted data chip.
"Consider this a retainer,"
Tony said, his voice booming with billionaire authority.
"Pocket money. You're paid for the next year of operational readiness."
Tony tossed the chip to Lucifer. Lucifer's eyes followed the data transfer sequence in his visor.
[Bank Fund Transfer Initiated: +$10,000,000]
Lucifer's mind reeled. Ten million dollars!
[System Fund Update Initiated: Funds Gained Directly by User Action. Progress toward Tier Goal Updated.]
[Current Funds: $1,150,000 + $10,000,000 = $11,150,000 / $3,500,000]
The numbers shattered the system goal instantaneously.
The entire system display flashed white, followed by a torrent of notifications.
[SYSTEM GOAL REACHED: $3,500,000]
[NEW FUNCTION UNLOCKED: COSMIC LOGISTICS]
[FINAL SYSTEM TIER REACHED. NO FURTHER TIERS AVAILABLE.]
The new function, Cosmic Logistics, appeared, massive and overwhelming.
COSMIC LOGISTICS (FINAL FUNCTION)
Ability: Allows the user to initiate travel to, and establish operations in, other dimensional worlds and universes.
Price of Travel: EXTREME. Travel is calculated based on the Tier of the destination universe (Tier 1 is lowest).
Tier 1 World Cost: $500,000 (System Fund Progress)
Tier 2 World Cost: $2,500,000 (System Fund Progress)
Tier 3 World Cost: $10,000,000 (System Fund Progress)
Note: World Tier dictates risk and reward. Costs are mandatory and non-negotiable.
Lucifer stared at the cost of the lowest tier world: half a million dollars just to jump dimensions.
His $11.15 million felt suddenly small, eaten up by the potential for high-level travel.
Tony's voice cut through the realization.
"Keep your head on a swivel, kid. And don't use this money to buy a flashy car. Get a fortress."
Tony clapped his shoulder and led his men, dragging the subdued Hydra agent away.
Lucifer stood alone, the weight of a multi-dimensional future settling upon him, along with the knowledge that he was now a primary target for Hydra.
Raven approached him, the confusion still heavy in her aura.
She had witnessed the chaotic influx of money and Lucifer's confusion, but her focus remained internal.
He told her that he could travel to another dimension.
"A Tier 5 ability to create localized vacuums, a Tier 8 Force Field, and now... dimensional travel,"
Raven murmured, looking at the ceiling where the quinjet had landed.
"Your power is escalating rapidly."
She met his gaze, the question finally leaving her lips, driven by the intense, confusing emotion she still couldn't name.
"Lucifer,"
She asked, her voice quiet.
"When... when you called her and she smiled like that... Why did I feel bothered? Why did I try to tell myself it was normal for a girlfriend to feel that way? We are tactical partners, not... not that. What are we?"
Lucifer looked at the woman who saw past his mask, who helped him train, and who was now struggling with the human heart.
He was an expert in logistics and survival, but utterly lacking in emotional definitions.