Yeshua's scroll read as follows:
[To Daniel.
I have a request to you. If you agree to accept, you'll receive protection so long as you're in Eden.
My request comes with information.
First, the information- For an unknown reason, Oberon, the king of Faerie, has decided to discard his faith in my father and worship someone whom my father sees as a false god.
My father, the All Creator, hates false idols, and as such, he decided that he does not need to keep showing Faerie mercy and burn the tree with the realm's denizens.
Now, to my request- I want you to save fifty Fay and steal the fruit at the top of the tree.
After you take the fruit and the fifty Fay, keep them with you until the next time we meet.
Plant the fruit as it is inside of a small vase. From what I was told, it will start growing but will be nothing but a small Bonsai-sized tree for the next few thousand years, so there's no need to worry about space for it.
If you need magic for the fifty Fay, show this scroll to your father.
You have two weeks to accomplish this mission before it's too late.
Thank you for your cooperation.
-Yeshua of Nazrat.]
Danny, along with his friends, sat on the rooftop of the school and read the contents of the scroll.
Danny had already contacted both Mr. Hephaestus and Mr. Hades about being late to class and the chances of skipping it, so he and his friends did not need to worry about repercussions.
"What will you do?"
Mira asked.
"Does anyone here have an idea?"
Danny asked.
He wasn't sure what to do and wanted to see if anyone else had thought of something that could get his wheels running.
"Did you speak with Momotaro about 'that thing'?"
Chaos asked.
Danny told him not to mention the coup to the others in the group yet because he wasn't sure if they could keep a secret.
"Well, no."
Danny's eyes lightened up as he understood what his friend was thinking.
"Then how about you promise to share 'that' information with Momotaro's father in exchange for help?"
Chaos suggested.
"What are you talking about?"
Alaparos was confused.
What did they know that concerned the Oni Clan's heir enough to be a useful card in this situation?
"They are talking about the coup Hidoi's branch, and a few others are planning."
Alya said and surprised everyone.
Alaparos and Mira had no clue about the coup, and Danny and Chaos didn't share about the coup because they didn't know if this airheaded senior could keep it a secret.
"...Alya, how do you know about the coup?"
Danny asked with the best fake smile he could make when feeling this stupefied.
"Hidoi asked me out to play with him and said that after their coup, it would be very good for me if I did come with him. I would have agreed, but I always get that bone-chilling vibes from him."
Alya said, and they were all dumbfounded.
Danny's fake smile twitched heavily as he struggled to hide his emotions.
That moron! How reckless was this guy?
What were the chances that Momotaro's dad, the leader of the Oni Clan, already knew everything, with how that Hidoi was oversharing?!
Danny chose to lock that thought in a back drawer and ignore it, or else he wouldn't have the guts to attempt this transaction.
So, their plan was decided.
Danny would ask Momotaro to let him speak with his father.
They all returned to their classes, and Danny couldn't wait for the break to speak with Momotaro.
********
Before Danny even noticed it, the bell for the start of the break rang, and he went out of the classroom.
Reading in class really does wonders for one's sense of time.
He walked directly to class 2A.
Whispers broke as students noticed the low-level demon walk so resolutely to the other class.
Danny looked through the class's door and pondered whether he should head inside.
After a few seconds of pondering, the talking in the class about the purple-eyed demon standing at the entrance to the class had become loud, and Momotaro looked at the door in surprise.
What did that guy have to do in Momotaro's class?
Was he looking for him?
Danny sighed and looked at him with an expression that made it obvious that he wanted to talk to him.
Momotaro stood from his table and went toward Danny.
"What do you want?"
The Oni demon asked quietly.
He didn't want to be seen following someone who beat him in a fight.
And most of their previous interactions were either in private, in front of a small audience, or when they were part of a group.
Speaking with him like this might start rumors that Momotaro didn't want to deal with.
"I need you to let me speak with your father after school. I have a deal."
Danny answered.
"A deal that needs to be discussed directly with my father?! What can be so important? Don't you think you are overstepping your rank?"
Momotaro was flappergased.
Danny gave him a look that made it clear how much he didn't care, and Momotaro had to oblige.
He was too curious, and not listening to whatever this damn bastard had to say might be detrimental.
"Fine... Come with me after school."
Momotaro sighed and returned to his seat.
What was that damn "smartest low-level demon" planning?
********
Danny read his book throughout the next periods until the end of the day.
At the day's end, he went to the school gate.
Momotaro exited a few minutes later.
He took his time with getting out in the hopes that Danny wouldn't wait so long, but his hopes were swiftly crushed under the smug gaze of the purple-eyed demon.
Momotaro took Danny with him to the area in the capital, where the Oni Clan had resided.
This area had Japanese architecture, and Danny couldn't help marveling at the magnificent woodwork.
They went to a castle-sized mansion in the middle of the district, and Momotaro led Danny to the Oni Clan leader's room.
Danny was about to open the door.
He didn't even bother knocking!
"You should at least remove your shoes before going inside."
Momotaro said.
"Oh, right! Sorry."
He said apologetically and removed his shoes.
He then knocked on the door and awaited the leader's response.
"Who is it?!"
The leader asked angrily.
He could sense two figures, but one was either a low-level demon, which was unlikely one would dare knock on his door, or a master at magic control who could hide their magical energy to an unfathomable degree.
"It's me, father. I've brought an acquaintance who said that he wanted to strike a deal with you."
Momotaro answered as quickly as possible before Danny could open his mouth and escalate the situation.
"Come in!"
The leader ordered, and the two teenage demons entered the room and sat on their knees in front of his chair.
The leader was a giant demon with such a muscular body that it was almost ridiculous.
He had grey hair, lightly tanned skin, and white horns.
The leader analyzed Danny with his eyes and waited for him to introduce himself.
But that didn't happen!
How shameless!
Why should the high-level demon be the first to introduce himself?!
The leader sighed and looked at Danny.
"My name is Oninoō. I am the Oni Clan's leader."
The Oni Clan leader's voice reverberated through the room.
This was a sort of soundwave magic that he could activate through the circulation of magical energy and didn't need to use a spell for.
Danny sensed the soundwave and controlled it to weaken its effect.
"My name is Daniel. I am not allowed to tell you my origins, but I'm known as the smartest among low-level demons."
Danny said with a small bow.
"Daniel, you say... Momotaro, is he the one you told me about?"
Momotaro's father, Oninoō, asked.
"Yes, Father."
Momotaro said with a bow.
"Hmm. I see... Momotaro mentioned you want to make a deal?"
The clan head asked.
"Yes. But before we discuss it, can you cast a sound ward on this room?"
Danny answered.
Oninoō was very impressed.
Most rooms of important demons such as him had sound wards, and for someone to specifically request him to cast it meant one of two options.
One, that person was very responsible and wary.
Two, he could sense that the room had no ward cast upon it. Momotaro told Oninoō about Danny's magic control and that he wanted to recruit him, but this level of control was even rare among high-level demons.
Could it be that this Daniel was just that strong? Or was he an incredibly wary and hard-to-recruit person?
Either option made the situation complicated. He was either good enough to join whoever he wanted or even choose to be impartial, or he was so wary it was unlikely they could recruit him very easily.
When casting spells, along with chants and Corcerer's Ink, a magic user could also use hand seals.
Eastern demons usually use chants in the form of sutras or hand seals, and the Oni Clan's leader wasn't an exception.
Oninoō quickly used a very elaborate hand seal, and a light wave coming from his hands washed over the entire room.
Danny knew how to use hand seals but wasn't nearly as proficient as the Oni Clan's leader.
Words were easier for him to use during battle.
And now that he didn't even need to chant, he disregarded the practice of hand seals almost completely.
"So? I've placed the ward. What is your deal?"
Oninoō, the Oni Clan's leader, asked.