Chapter 82: Helping Out a Friend and an Enemy
—
"Take them to a VIP room, and make sure they receive whatever they want," Rias told a staff member, who quickly nodded.
We were at the end of a hallway, where we luckily crossed paths with this staff. After telling the suited man the necessary commands, Rias turned to me.
"Look, I need to go now. It's… going to start soon. I'll catch up with you guys after it ends." She said and turned around to leave without waiting for our reply.
Mem-Cho looked slightly confused by her nervousness, naturally so, since she didn't know the situation here. I knew, so I held Rias by her arm before she could leave.
"Hey, Rias. Are you sure you're going to be alright?" I made her turn back to look at me.
"…." She went silent.
Despite what Issei Hyuudo was, he had a powerful Sacred Gear. In this world, Issei didn't end up in Rias' peerage—Sona Sitri chose him instead. I even knew the reason behind that, Rias had told me. She wanted to recruit a 'certain someone' so she gave up choosing Issei and waited for that other person.
That 'certain someone' was naturally me. Yet, she hadn't approached me to make me join her peerage. Not that I would, but that was not the point here.
Since I knew that her aunt told her about my encounter with the Phenex Family, it's easy to guess that Rias might know about my heavy rejection toward Ranefer Phenex when she invited me to become a Devil.
So, Rias was most likely scared to ask me to join her—since that might put a strain on our friendship.
So indirectly, it was somewhat my fault. If I had cleared up to her that I had no plan to join her Peerage from the get-go, she might have sought out someone else to join her Peerage by now.
"How much time is left until the Game?" I asked after witnessing Rias' silence.
"About half an hour… why?"
I had limited options for helping her now. Obviously, I wasn't going to join her little Peerage. I wouldn't say I liked that I was walking the Emperor path now, but it'd be similarly bad if I walked the Demonic path like in my 9th life. I couldn't take the risk for Rias.
I could lend Mem-Cho to help Rias; she was already a Devil, so she didn't have to go through the hassle of reincarnating. But I didn't like the idea of making someone from my sect join another faction; joining a Peerage is just that. Also, it's not as if Mem-Cho was a game-changer card. She could bypass the Phenex Clan members using her time powers, but she wasn't exactly invincible. She wasn't a fighter.
But I did have one last option. It was a far fetch, but I could try that.
"Rias, take me to where your Peerage is waiting."
* * *
Rias quickly led me and Mem-Cho to the other end of this Colosseum-type building.
She opened the door and we stepped in as nervous eyes turned toward us.
"President, you're back!" a blonde young man with blue eyes, Kiba, heaved a sigh of relief.
There were only two other people in the room. Akeno Himejima, whom I have met before, and a loli – a white haired little girl who shivered as our eyes locked.
"President, what's he doing here?" Akeno asked with a frown, staring at me. She also shot a look at Mem-Cho, who waved at her awkwardly.
Akane wasn't my goal here, but the girl who was sitting on the couch behind her.
It would have been a lot better if that little vampire, Gasper Valdi, was here. But I can work with the Cat Yokai, too.
"Koneko Toujou, right?"
Why's she so cute? Under the moonlight from outside the window, her short white hair cascaded down like a silken waterfall, framing a face adorned with delicate features that contrasted the immense strength dwelling within. Her milky white skin, as flawless as moonlight, offered a stark contrast to the golden depths of her feline eyes.
[Image Here]
I ignored the others and walked to her. Rias hesitated a little, seeing me approach Koneko. "Um, Aqua, what are you…"
I called the [Tiger Icon] over me. The [Metamorphosis Transformation] allowed my body to grow taller, my shoulders to be broader, and my blonde hair to turn white. My sclera turned black and my pupils silver, as tiger stripes spread across my body. A tail came out of my tailbone, and two ears sprouted from my head.
"Kyah~?!" Rias gasped and covered her mouth with her hands while Mem gawked.
I ignored them and approached Koneko. The cat girl was sitting on the couch, but I still had to crouch down to reach her eye level.
"What kind of entity…" Koneko looked at me with eyes filled with awe and fear. Her golden eyes could see the overflowing amount of Qi in my body. As a practitioner of Ki herself, she could sense it.
On top of that, as a Feline creature, she was susceptible to my Tiger authority.
If I hadn't held myself back immensely, she'd have started bowing and licking my foot by now.
"Ah, right. I almost forgot you can use Ki. This makes things easier."
I was planning to use my blood to help her evolve into a White Tiger. But since she can use Qi, I have to teach her Martial Arts techniques that can disrupt Healing and Regeneration.
Of course, I can't teach her such a skill in less than half an hour.
"Open your mouth,"
"Ah…"
She didn't even get to think as her body moved on its own. I leaned over and kissed her—direct contact like this was the best way to share memories. But it would have been impossible if she wasn't a Feline.
Ignoring the gasps of the people behind me, I went through my memories and found the technique I was looking for. It was a simple enough technique that shot lasers from your fingertips, and that laser could disrupt healing. It didn't stop the healing, but it made it slow enough.
I poured the information right inside her head. My Tiger Icon helped resonate the skill into her so that she could use it like she's very experienced using it.
I ended the kiss and stood up. Koneko was a blushing mess on the couch, even though she realized I only did it to share the technique.
"[Dancing Dew of the Morning Lotus]..."
She muttered the technique's name in a daze as she tried to distract herself from the fact that I stole her first kiss.
As long as she used that, she should be able to harm Riser Phenex.
"You bastard!"
However, Akeno didn't know that I wasn't harassing Koneko when I kissed her. She rushed at me with an attack, ready to strike.
"Stop!" Koneko jumped from her seat and stood in front of me, spreading her arms to protect me. "Don't anger him!"
Hm?
Akeno stopped, and Koneko looked back at me, her gaze filled with… fear.
Ah, shit. Did she see something other than the technique in my memories?
Goddamnit.
"You better keep that a secret," I said in an icy tone, and she nodded.
"...I know."
Given that I was sharing a technique from my 9th life, Koneko might have seen a scene or two from my Venerable self. Naturally, she's scared then.
"Hah, don't make me regret this. Just win the thing." I ruffled her hair and walked out of the room, and Mem-Cho quickly ran after me.
I needed to talk with that girl after this Game ended. I have to ask her what she saw. Even if she agreed she would keep everything a secret, I had to ensure it truly stayed that way. I didn't mind people knowing I was a reincarnator; many Gods knew that already. I even revealed that to Mem-Cho myself, but I didn't want everyone to know about it. More so, I didn't want people to know about direct visions from my memories.
…I imagine I would have killed her right away if this was any other life.
What an amateur mistake.
* * *
Once we left the room, the staff guided us to our pre-decided VIP room.
"So what did you do back then?"
Mem-Cho asked when the staff began to open the door.
"I taught her a technique inside her head."
"Ah. You think they'll win now?"
"Depends. Their strategy now should be to keep Koneko protected at all costs; if they fail, they would lose."
Yes. Although I taught her the technique, it didn't guarantee their win. I had to watch and see if they would win or not.
"Sir, please," The staff opened the door and waved us inside.
Mem-Cho and I stepped in, and I instantly frowned. The room was enormous, but we weren't alone. There was another person in here, standing by the large window walls that showed the battlefield below. She wore a fur coat that left her entire back naked, along with a large cleavage, with a long skirt that hugged her behind tightly.
[Image Here]
I could only see her back, but I realized who she was.
"Aha." Ranefer Phenex turned around as we entered. "I thought I was in the wrong room since you weren't coming. Did you like it on your way to the underworld?"
"You know, we aren't close enough to share greetings. What do you want?"
"Trying to get close enough to share greetings," she smiled at me.
"...."
"We don't have to be enemies, you know? I harmed you, and you harmed me back. Let us put that behind us." she walked over, and Mem-Cho gulped a little. I looked at Mem and sighed in my head.
Fine, I should entertain her cowardice. It would be unwise to fight her here when I have Mem-Cho to protect.
"How do you plan to compensate me?" I asked her as she approached, making her giggle with an amused smile.
"How brave. You still have the guts to say that while standing in the underworld, to demand compensation after killing my children." She stopped in front of me. Even with her heels, she was a few inches shorter than me, so she had to look up.
"Don't worry, I do have compensation prepared. I'll show you after the Game ends. Or…" she looked at me. "You can ask me to stop this Game as compensation. I am aware you and Rias are pretty close. It'd help you both if the engagement gets canceled. But in return, you will have to listen to a request of mine."
"What?"
"You see that girl over there?" Ranefer pointed a finger to the window, and I could see Riser's Peerage walk into the arena. She was pointing at the blonde little girl beside Riser. "She's Riser's sister, my great-granddaughter. If you agree to marry her, then Rias doesn't have to marry Riser. Ah, and no, I am not offering to turn you into a devil."
What the hell is she doing?
Perhaps she mistook the intensity of my and Rias' relationship. We weren't so close as to make me marry some random girl to save Rias from her engagement.
Besides, marriage was a big thing – I was already complaining about having too many girlfriends, and this woman wanted me to marry.
'Stupid bitch.'
"I'm not interested in little girls," Let me fuck with her for a bit. I approached her and put my hand around her waist. The woman blinked as I held her close. "If it's about someone marrying me, why don't you wear the bridal dress? You wore one when you were awakened from your sleep, right? You looked nice."
"Ah-" Ranefer blinked, smiling soon. "I didn't think you'd be into old ladies. Right in front of your girlfriend, too."
"...If you knew she's my girlfriend, why were you proposing stupid things?" I held her tight and looked into her eyes. "And it's alright, I was planning to punish her anyway for pulling a prank on me earlier. The punishment can be her sitting on the chair in the corner and watching us play."
"A-Aqua?! Bastard…!" Mem glared at me with big, round eyes while Ranefer burst out giggling.
"I didn't take you for a flirty one. Well, I did see your TV Series after returning to the underworld, but that really seemed to be a camera persona." She put her arms around me, too. "Sure thing. You can drag me to the couch and relieve some of your anger on me."
She was entirely joking, but I was slightly tempted. I was angry at her, but it's not as if she was my archenemy. I think having hate sex with her will relieve my anger…
"Just kidding~" she pushed me back. "But I shall introduce you to my granddaughter anyway after the Game ends. No need to marry her, just… get to know her better."
"Already said I'm not interested in little girls." I shrugged. I have decided, I am going to fuck her brains out before I leave the underworld.
I looked at her, eyes up and down. "It's a kind of Curse of Darkness, isn't it? I know it as a Yin Curse. Comes with many effects that make your body cold and also unable to wake up once you sleep. Those afflicted by it constantly feel an intense cold, regardless of the surrounding temperature. It's as if an icy wind blows through their veins, causing shivers and frosty breath even in the midst of a scorching summer day. I suppose this is greatly affecting your abilities too; that's why you are so weak right now."
"..." The Phenex Ancestor paused and looked at me.
"You have been awake since you returned to the underworld that day, right? It's been weeks, damn. It also induces a slowing of blood circulation, causing veins to take on a faint bluish hue. No wonder you're covering your hands like that. You are hiding those veins." I whistled as she frowned.
"How do you know all this?"
"Not only that. I also know its cure. I am not lying or making stuff up." I raised my arms in defense before she could say anything. "I'm from the Nexus of Eternity Sect, led by the Immortal Venerable Over Heavens. You can talk to Quetzalcoatl and ask her to confirm his identity. Along with many things, he is quite the alchemist. And he taught me a few of his tricks, since I am the leader of the Sect's Japan Branch, one of which happened to be a way to cure this sickness. Purely coincidental."
Ranefer stared at me. Then she sighed, "Shall we talk about it in-depth in my mansion? After the Game ends, of course."
"I don't know man, I'm pretty busy. I only attended this Game because it's important for Rias, but…"
"Please," Ranefer grabbed my hands and looked into my eyes, pleading. "I'll reward you with anything… and I mean it."
"Mhm…" I raised a hand that descended on her ass, causing it to jiggle as her face reddened slightly. Although she knew I might be lying to her, she endured it and continued looking at me with a plea. "Heh. Alright, sure thing. We'll discuss it."
"Thank you," she let go of my hand and nodded.
After that, she left the room. The match began, and Mem-Cho and I watched.
**
**
**
Read the next chapter right away, along with an entire month's worth, ahead in my Patreon.
Link: Patreon.com/Master4thWall