Underworld, Gremory Territory, Gremory Estate.
The day before the Meeting of Young Devils, Rias and her peerage, except for Issei, were seated around a table in the back garden of the Gremory Estate. Enjoying tea and sweets, they chatted about the progress of their training over the month.
"So, how was everyone's training?" Rias asked after putting down her teacup.
"I reached my goal, Buchou." Yuuto said with his usual smile. "I can hold my balance breaker in combat for thirty-six hours."
"It looks like you've gone up a level to." Akeno said with her usual elegant smile. "You were only at the initial-level at the beginning of this training, right? Congratulations reaching the intermediate-level."
"Thank you, Akeno-Fuku-Buchou." Yuuto replied.
"What about you, Asia?" Rias asked after turning Asia's way.
"I can heal remotely now!" Asia said happily. "I won't be healing any opponents by accident now! And, my power is at the intermediate-level of the middle-rank, too."
Seeing how happy Asia was with her progress, everyone smiled. Even Mio could not help smiling. Then Rias turned to her cousin and asked about her progress with her own smile on her face.
"How about you, Mio?" Rias asked.
Before Mio could respond, though, Maria interrupted.
"Wait, wait, wait." Maria said frantically. "Asia-Senpai, did you say that you're at the intermediate-level of the middle-rank?"
At that moment everyone else realized what it was that Asia had just said. Then, their expressions turned from smiles to shocked expressions.
"Are you telling me you broke through a rank and two levels?" Akeno asked with surprise in her tone. "This girl is more talented than I thought. But her personality doesn't lend itself to combat. That's kind of sad."
"I think she could only increase her strength that fast because of that character trait." Rias said after snapping out of her own shock. "I think she was able to progress so quickly because of her desire to make sure that we're all safe and healthy."
Hearing Rias' reason, everyone stopped to think for a moment. After a moment, they all nodded and smiled at Asia. Then, in the most childish tones they could muster, they all thanked her.
"Thank you, Asia~!"
Asia could not help but blush at everyone's display. Before the teasing could go on though, Rias turned her attention back to Mio.
"Sorry for the interruption, Mio." Rias said with a smile. "So, how was your training for the last few weeks?"
"My control over my demonic energy and the force of my gravity magic have increased." Mio said while looking away. "And I've gone up to the intermediate-level of my rank."
"Congratulations." Rias replied with a smile. "Then, she turned to Maria and asked her. "What about you, Maria?"
"Not as much as I would like." Maria said, still not losing her happy smile. "My power level went up a level, too. So, now I'm at the high-level of the middle-rank. Nothing else really changed. There was no one to test my charm magic on, so I don't know how much it has increased."
Everyone nodded in response. They all knew that the charm magic of a succubus was not something that could be thrown around all willy-nilly. Dream manipulation was even harder to train. One mistake and the target's psyche could be crushed.
"Either way, the increase in strength is something to be proud of." Rias said with a smile. "So, allow me to congratulate you as well."
"Thanks, Rias-Nee." Maria replied happily.
"And you, Xenovia?" Rias asked.
"I've also increased a level in strength." Xenovia replied with a nod. "I'm now intermediate-level; middle-rank. And I can now keep Durandal's holy aura wrapped around it. Unfortunately, no matter what I do, I can't control its destructive power."
"Don't be disappointed, Xenovia." Akeno said while patting the younger girl on the shoulder. "Be happy that you've improved. We'll ask the people from Heaven and the Church about Durandal when we get the chance."
Xenovia nodded in response.
'These comrades are so much warmer than the ones from the Church.' Xenovia thought to herself as she looked at the happy smiles on most of the members of the peerage's faces. 'With the exception of Irina and Dulio, everyone else was more concerned with the missions they were assigned than their comrade's well-being.'
"Gasper, how was your progress?" Rias asked.
"I... I... I improved to the high-rank." Gasper said. "But... I can't figure out how to unlock the [Balance Breaker] for my [Forbidden Balor View]."
"Congratulations, Gaspy." Koneko said as she hugged Gasper tightly.
"Yes, congratulations are in order." Rias added with a smile. "And don't worry about the [Balance Breaker]. We'll have Azazel check it out later."
"It's Azazel-Sensei, remember?" Azazel said as he walked into the back garden.
Rolling her eyes, Rias ignored the perverted old fallen angel.
"How was your training, Koneko?" Rias asked.
"Like Yuuto, I'm at the intermediate-level of the high-rank, now." Koneko said. "And I have grown a little bit. I can hold my grown up form for a little longer, too."
"I'm glad to hear that." Rias replied with a smile. Then, she looked at Akeno.
Without waiting for Rias to ask, Akeno gave her own progress report.
"I have four pairs of wings now." Akeno said with a wry smile. "My holy element has grown thicker, too."
"Four pairs of wings would mean that you're at the peak of the intermediate-level of the high-rank." Azazel said while stroking his chin. "In a little less than a month, you raised your power by almost two full levels. That's pretty impressive."
"Congratulations, Akeno." Rias said with a big smile on her face. "As for me, I broke through to the ultimate-rank."
With that, Rias' smile turned into a smug one and she puffed out her impressive chest. After that, everyone reported their progress to Azazel, since he was not there for the whole progress report.
"You've all made great improvements." Azazel said with a smile. "I'm quite impressed with all your hard work."
"Thanks." Rias said with a smile. "So, is there any word on Issei?"
"He should be back in the next few hours." Azazel replied before asking his own question. "What about James and Sona?"
"I talked to James about an hour ago." Rias said with a happy smile. "He and Sona should be here any minute now."
"Rias is right." Leona said as she entered the back garden with Venelana, Rhea, Grayfia, and Serafall. "I just finished talking to him. He said he was about to leave Lilith. He took his new [Queen] through the official route into the Underworld. I told him to set the teleportation destination in the Gremory Estate's back garden, so..."
Before Leona could finish, a large teleportation magic circle appeared not far from the table the younger devils were seated around. When it vanished, there were nineteen new arrivals in the back garden of the Gremory Estate. And the density of the demonic energy these new arrivals released was astonishing.
"So-Tan! Onee-Chan missed you." Serafall shouted as she flung herself at her younger sister and wrapped her in a hug with both her arms and legs.
"Elder sister, let go of me!" Sona shouted as she struggled to free herself.
Just as Serafall acted, Leona also moved.
"James, my baby, I've missed you so much." Leona said as she [Flash Stepped] in front of James. Then, she wrapped him in a tight hug.
"Wow, that's the first time I've ever seen Auntie Leona use the [Flash Step] outside the house." Moka said with an astonished expression on her face.
"Yeah, she only usually uses it to smack James upside the head when he swears." Mizore said with a nod.
While everyone laughed at Moka and Mizore's comments, Scathach looked over Leona carefully.
"James, is it a good idea to let such a skilled assassin and infiltrator so close?" Scathach asked while staring at Leona.
"Huh?" the entire group exclaimed in unison.
"My mom? An Assassin?" James asked in a dumbfounded tone. "Are you sure?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Scathach asked while tilting her head. "I was the one who trained her, after all."
"What?" Once again, everyone other than Leona exclaimed in surprise.
"Geez, Scatti." Leona said with a pout. "Did you have to tell them so soon?"
"How many times have I asked you not to call me that, Leona." Scathach said exasperatedly.
"Is that why it hurt so much more when Auntie Leona hit me than everyone else?" Cu Chulainn asked with a depressed feeling. "You learned how to inflict pain on others from Master?"
"Hahaha... Something like that." Leona said sheepishly.
Cu Chulainn could only slump his shoulders. At that moment, James broke out of his stupor.
"Wait, does that mean my mom is my sister disciple?" James asked incredulously.
"No, she never accepted me as her master." Scathach said in reply. "Honestly, I am not even sure how she arrived in the Land of Shadows."
"Skilled infiltrator. Does that mean..." Grayfia muttered. Before she could finish however, Leona [Flash Stepped in front of her and placed a finger to her lips.
"It's okay to leave some mysteries unsolved, right?" Leona said with a wink.
Then, Azazel, Venelana, Rhea, and Grayfia finally realized who the new unfamiliar woman was.
"Holy fucking shit!" Azazel said as he took a step away from the group of new arrivals. "I thought you were bound to the Land of Shadows. How the hell are you here?"
Though not as exaggerated as Azazel, the older devils were also curious how Scathach could be here.
"My geass with the Celtic pantheon stated that I would be bound to the Land of Shadows for as long as I was alive." Scathach said, beginning her explanation. "Then, I was cursed with immortality after accepting that geass. That is when I began training the many heroes I trained over the centuries. Although I was titled the greatest trainer of heroes in Celtic legend, I only had one reason for training them. It was so that one of them could take my life and end this monotonous existence."
After hearing that, everyone was pulled into their thoughts for a few moments. However, Azazel was the first to break out of his thoughts and asked another question.
"I understand what you mean. I'm sure being forced to spend centuries without the freedom to move around must have been torture." Azazel said. Then, he moved onto his main topic. "But according to your story, you would spend the rest of your life in the Land of Shadows. Unable to die from natural causes. Which means that someone would have had to kill you. The question I want to asked is, who could have killed a skilled warrior such as yourself?"
Without Scathach needing to say anything, James raised his hand and smiled sheepishly.
"That would be me."
Once again Azazel and the older devils were flabbergasted. Even Leona was shocked. She was unaware that Scathach was unable to leave the Land of Shadows, even though she had trained there for a time. However, she was not made known of any of Scathach's secrets because she did not accept her as a master.
"Oh, before I forget." James said as he tapped himself on the head. "Let me introduce you to my [Queen] Scathach, the Immortal Witch."
This time, everyone's jaws dropped. Then, Leona looked over to Grayfia and asked a question.
"Hey, Grayfia." Leona said with a mischievous smile. "Do you think you could take Scatti?"
"Why would you ask something like that?" Grayfia answered with a question of her own.
Everyone else was also curious to know the answer to that question.
"Because I think your title of the strongest [Queen] is up for debate." Leona said with a smile.
"As interesting as that topic is, I think we should hear how their training went." Azazel said, still in disbelief over everything that he had seen and heard in the last few minutes.
"Master, since you were the one who trained everyone, would you mind reporting everyone's progress?" James asked politely.
"Not at all." Scathach replied. "In the twenty or so days I spent training these youngsters, I mainly worked on their battle awareness and stamina. I taught them no techniques or fighting styles. With the exception of Tsubaki. I taught her how to wield her weapon more proficiently."
Nodding their heads in understanding, everyone waited for Scathach to continue. Then Scathach gave a rundown of everyone in Sona's peerage's latest power levels. Sona had caught up with Rias. Tsubaki had surpassed Akeno and reached the advanced-level of the high-rank. Reya and Momo were equal to Gasper and Mio, respectively. Tsubasa was equal to Xenovia. Ruruko was equal in level to Asia. While Genshirou had reached the advanced-level of the intermediate-rank.
"I'm so proud of you, So-Tan." Serafall said, still wrapped around Sona like an octopus.
"If you're really proud of me, let me go~!" Sona shouted while continuing to struggle.
"If Sona and her peerage have improved so much, then what about James and his peerage?" Rias asked.
Before her question could be answered, though, a shadow fell over the back garden. Looking up, they saw a gigantic western dragon with dark purple scales carrying a teenage boy, Issei, on his head.
"Azazel, I brought the kid back." Tannin said in a sonorous voice. HOwever, he froze quickly when he looked down and saw the woman with dark purple hair and wine-red eyes. When he regained his senses, he dropped Issei and turned around. "Well, I have to get back to the Dragon Mountain Range, I'll see you again at the Meeting of Young Devils."
However, before he could leave, Tannin heard a stern female voice.
"Stop right there." Scathach said, before appearing on Tannin's head. "You dare to leave before greeting this Scathach, Tannin?"
"Haha... Scathach." Tannin said nervously. "I didn't notice you down there. How have you been?"
"I see you have become a devil as well." Scathach said while obvserving her old acquaintance. "I suppose you found a way around our deal. It looks like you will no longer have to become this Scathach's mount."
Tannin felt that if he were in his human form, he would be sweating profusely.
"Well, Scathach, if you'll excuse me." Tannin said respectfully. "I have to return and take care of the young dragons on the mountain."
"Go." Scathach said as she leapt off Tannin's head. "I'm sure we'll have time to reminisce, later."
With no hesitation, Tannin flew off into the distance at his highest speed. At the same time, Issei had just recovered from the fall with Asia's assistance.
"Damn it, Old Man Tannin." Issei grumbled. "Did you have to drop me from so high?"
Before Issei could say or do something stupid, Rias stepped between him and Scathach and asked about his training.
"Welcome back, Issei." Rias said with a strained smile. "How was your progress?"
"*Sigh* I got stronger, initial-level; high-rank. I unlocked my [Balance Breaker], too." Issei said. "But I feel like I was tortured for more than three weeks. There were no titties where I was at. Like at all."