Omniscient POV
"Why does Riser have to meet that halfbreed personally?" Riser grumbled, staring at his father with irritation.
"Silence! You'll do as you're told," Lord Phenex snapped, his authoritative tone leaving no room for argument.
"That 'halfbreed' has accomplished more than most of your generation ever has. Don't antagonize him—befriend him. Remember, he's the lord of his own clan. Show proper respect."
Riser's scowl deepened. "But, he's just a half—" he began, but the cold stare from his father cut him off instantly.
After a moment of tense silence, Riser grudgingly relented. "Fine. I'll go."
"Good. Take your sister with you as well," Lord Phenex added. "It's the invitation for her birthday party, after all."
"Huh? Why does she also—" Riser started to protest, but his father, clearly exhausted by the conversation, waved him off, unwilling to endure more of his complaints.
So, without further protest, Riser was dismissed, holding the letter containing the invitation for Ravel Phenex's upcoming birthday celebration. The event would also mark her official entry into Riser's peerage following the party.
Lord Phenex, deep in thought, barely noticed his son's departure. His mind was preoccupied with the growing threat Akatsuki posed to the Phenex clan's influence.
Akatsuki's cheap potions had spread rapidly across the supernatural world, steadily replacing the need for the costly Phenex Tears. Although not as potent, the potions were closing the gap in effectiveness, healing wounds and even restoring energy from exhaustion.
Over time, their potency had improved so much that the difference between them and the coveted Phenex Tears was shrinking. Lord Phenex had underestimated Akatsuki, assuming their business would collapse like many others who had tried to compete in the past.
But Akatsuki had proved resilient, even surpassing expectations by offering variations like soul-nourishing potions, which posed a new kind of challenge.
Lord Phenex knew he needed to act, but before directly confronting Akatsuki, he required more information. The Sabnock heir was known to be in direct contact with Akatsuki and seemed like a valuable source.
However, the young Sabnock never attended gatherings or Council Meetings, making it difficult to approach him casually. That's why sending Riser and Ravel with the invitation was the best move he could make.
If Riser managed to behave himself and Ravel kept her brother in line, perhaps they could gain insight into Akatsuki's growing power.
Lord Phenex sighed, his hope resting on Ravel's ability to manage Riser. She was far more responsible and level-headed than her immature brother. With her handling things, surely nothing would go wrong. Right?
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"Shironyaaa!" Kuroka yelled gleefully as she pounced on the white kitten, Koneko, who had been lounging lazily, watching TV.
"Nee-chan... Stop hugging me," Koneko muttered, glaring at her overly affectionate sister, trying to squirm out of her tight grip. Her voice was cold, but the faint flush on her cheeks betrayed her irritation.
"Are you still mad about it, Shirone-chan?" Kuroka asked in a sing-song tone, rubbing her cheek against Koneko's as if she could snuggle the anger out of her. "Nee-chan's sorry, okay?"
Koneko, still trapped in her sister's embrace, shot her another icy glare. "You ditched me."
Kuroka, unbothered by the accusation, just smiled wider. "But I'm here now! Let's cuddle, nya~!"
"Hmph!" Koneko huffed as she slipped out of Kuroka's hold, choosing to ignore her sister's antics.
She settled back down, munching on her snacks while engrossed in the latest episode of Naruto on TV. Her eyes flickered with anticipation—One Piece was coming up next, and she could hardly wait.
The studio responsible had become legendary, producing multiple 90-minute episodes of One Piece daily, each with top-tier animation that left even modern-day animators in awe, often crying at the sheer impossibility of it all. It was a feat that wouldn't have been achievable without Kouske's influence.
After gaining access to Luxion's advanced technology, he revolutionized the entertainment industry, breathing new life into it. His contributions had brought these fantastic fictions to the forefront, making them more thrilling and immersive than ever before.
Kouske was still deep in thought, planning the advancement of the VR systems. He was always juggling too many projects at once, constantly occupied with one task or another. His focus and drive were remarkable, but sometimes it felt like he was spreading himself too thin. Still, for someone like him, managing multiple things at once had almost become second nature.
"Shironyaa!" Kuroka wailed dramatically as she was being ignored, but Koneko was too engrossed in her anime binge to pay her any mind.
Kuroka pouted, glancing over to the other side of the sofa where Gaspy and Valerie sat, equally absorbed in the show. The quiet, focused atmosphere told her that nothing was going to pull their attention away from the screen anytime soon.
It seemed that Elle was out of the house today—otherwise, she would have undoubtedly joined the group for the anime marathon. With everyone too invested in their shows, Kuroka sighed, flopping down beside them, resigning herself to watch along.
Magari, a seven-tailed Nekomata and the leader of the East Faction's Nekomata under Nurarihyon had taken both Kuroka and Koneko under her wing as disciples.
Recognizing their immense potential and having a close history with their mother, Fujimai, Magari committed to training the siblings in the arts of Senjutsu and Youjutsu.
However, everyone in the faction knew one thing: Magari's training was brutal. It was tough enough to leave the sisters physically and mentally drained after each session.
Last week, both Kuroka and Koneko were supposed to be in the thick of their training. But Kuroka, always one to avoid hard work if she could, found a way to escape.
She made excuses about needing to take care of some of Akatsuki's business and retreated to the hideout with Lavinia earlier than planned, avoiding the grueling sessions.
She had only returned today, knowing that Magari's training would be wrapping up, thinking she had successfully dodged the harsh drills.
To blow off steam from her own training sessions, Kuroka had taken it out on Natsume and Tobio, pushing them through intense training of her own design—harsh enough to make them suffer, much like how she had been pushed herself.
The irony of her actions wasn't lost on her, but it felt like a justified payback for her own struggles.
Now, as Kuroka tried to relax beside Koneko on the sofa, both of them watching anime on the big screen, Koneko's sudden words shattered her moment of peace.
"Nee-chan… Magari-san knows that you intentionally skipped training," Koneko said flatly, still focused on the TV.
Kuroka's ears twitched, her relaxed posture vanishing as her body went rigid with panic.
"What…? How?!" Kuroka stammered, her hazel-golden eyes wide with fear as she turned to look at her sister.
Without even looking away from the screen, Koneko added with a calm, ominous tone, "She asked me to tell you that you'll be getting one-on-one special training from her next month for two weeks. So, be ready for it."
"She even mentioned that she'd personally talk to Akatsuki (Kouske) if you suddenly get 'busy with work' again. Good luck," Koneko said with a mischievous smirk and a glint in her eyes.
Kuroka's face went pale as she processed Koneko's words. The smirk on her sister's face only added to the sinking feeling in her stomach. Her earlier sense of victory from avoiding the training vanished in an instant.
'Two weeks of one-on-one special training with Magari-san?' Kuroka was already dreading it. Now, she was wishing she had just endured the one week alongside Shirone.
The thought of facing Magari alone for two whole weeks made Kuroka genuinely fear for her life.
She slumped into the sofa, her voice a hushed whisper of despair, "I'm so dead…"
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Seekvaira Agares, the heiress of the Agares Clan, was known for her calm, strict demeanor. Her abilities, strategic mind, and leadership as a high-ranking devil made her one of the most well-known young devils within the Underworld.
However, the world saw only the composed, collected side of her, not the side that was giddy with excitement over her favorite hobby — mecha.
What most people didn't know was that Seekvaira had a secret DeviTube account where she posted reviews and analyses of Dumgum models, her guilty pleasure.
Dumgum was a popular robot anime in the Underworld (the DxD world's version of the Gundam) and Seekvaira was an obsessed fan.
She collected every model, every figure, every piece of merchandise related to Dumgum.
On this particular day, Seekvaira sat at her desk in her room, carefully adjusting the lighting and the camera to record her latest video.
Her normally sharp gaze softened, a rare glimmer of excitement visible as she lined up her latest acquisition: the Dumgum Crimson Nova model.
A smile crept across her face as she adjusted its tiny joints, ensuring it stood just right for the video.
"Alright, this is the limited edition Crimson Nova, piloted by Char Blaze," Seekvaira began, her voice losing its usual formality. It was soft, affectionate, as though she were talking about an old friend.
"The details on this are absolutely incredible, especially around the headpiece. Look at how the visor reflects the light perfectly. They really nailed the precision on the beam rifle, too. I mean, just look at that design."
She continued enthusiastically, zooming the camera in to show off the finer details. Her usual composed self had melted away, replaced by a glowing passion.
Seekvaira was lost in her world of Dumgum, where battles between colossal mechas defined the fate of worlds, and pilots' destinies were tied to their machines.
Fifteen minutes passed before she wrapped up the review. "And that's my review of the Crimson Nova! Definitely a must-have for any Dumgum fan. As always, thank you for watching. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and comment for more Dumgum content."
Seekvaira took off her mask and glasses as she changed her hair color back to normal. Then she leaned back in her chair satisfied with her work. This video had gone particularly well.
Her thoughts lingered on her next project—a review of the full-scale Dumgum arcade game she had secretly installed in her estate.
Just as she began tidying up the models scattered around her desk, she heard a sound behind her. A quiet but unmistakable gasp.
Her heart froze.
Slowly, Seekvaira turned around, and standing just a few feet behind her was none other than Sona Sitri, her friend and fellow devil heiress.
Seekvaira had a hard time processing why Sona had suddenly visited and, more so, why she was in her room.
In truth, Sona had something important to discuss. So, the first thing she did in the morning was visit her.
The staff at the Agares mansion welcomed her warmly and escorted her to Seekvaira's room.
Sona had been calling out for a while, standing outside the room, but Seekvaira engrossed in her reviews, hadn't noticed.
Frustrated, Sona entered the room. Given how close they were, with frequent visits, especially since Kouske became a connection between them, Sona felt comfortable enough to walk in.
Today, she was here to ask about something she had heard: rumors that Lord Agares was interested in getting Seekvaira engaged to Kouske.
She couldn't wait and decided to ask the person directly involved.
But what she saw inside had completely blown her mind.
Sona's sharp, calculating eyes were wide in disbelief, her usually calm and controlled expression completely overtaken by shock.
Seekvaira's blood ran cold. Her cool, dignified exterior shattered in an instant as she stared back at Sona, the silence in the room growing unbearably heavy.
"S-Sona," Seekvaira stammered, her usual eloquence failing her completely.
Sona blinked, finally closing her mouth as she tried to process what she had just witnessed. "Seekvaira… What are you doing?"
"I—" Seekvaira looked at the model on her desk, the camera still rolling, her own voice still echoing from the playback of the video on the screen.
There was no hiding it now. She was completely, utterly exposed.
Her secret passion, the side of her that no one in the Underworld knew about (except Kouske, her father, and the staff of the Agares mansion), had been laid bare before her friend.
Sona, usually so composed, struggled to find the right words. "You're… into Dumgum?"
Seekvaira's face flushed red, her cool persona crumbling as she desperately tried to find some way to salvage the situation.
"I—I can explain…"
But how could she explain? This was the part of her that she had always kept hidden, the part that didn't fit with the image of the heiress to the Agares Clan, the stoic, brilliant devil that everyone knew.
The thought of Sona, of anyone, seeing her like this made her want to curl up in a corner and disappear.
Sona, still in shock, took a few steps forward, her gaze shifting between the Dumgum model and the still-running camera. "You… make DeviTube videos?... About Dumgum?"
Seekvaira's embarrassment only deepened. "Yes…"
Sona blinked again, the corners of her lips twitching slightly. "Seekvaira Agares, one of the most powerful young devils in the Underworld… is a mecha otaku?"
Seekvaira could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, her mind scrambling for an explanation.
"It's just a hobby!" she blurted out, her voice higher than usual.
"Something I do in my free time to relax. I… I didn't think anyone would find out."
Sona stared at her for a moment longer before, to Seekvaira's utter shock, she began to laugh. It was quiet at first, but then it grew louder, and more genuine. Sona, the ever-serious student council president (future) of Kuoh Academy, was laughing.
Seekvaira could hardly believe it. "Sona…"
Sona wiped a tear from her eye, her laughter finally dying down. "I just… I never would have imagined this. You, of all people. It's kind of… cute."
"Cute?!" Seekvaira sputtered, feeling a strange mix of relief and indignation.
"This is serious! Dumgum is serious!"
Sona chuckled again, shaking her head. "I didn't mean it like that. I just… It's nice to see this side of you. You always seem so… composed. It's refreshing."
Seekvaira blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected kindness in Sona's words. "Really?"
Sona nodded, her smile softening. "Really. Besides, we all have hobbies, right? I mean, it's not like I don't have my own interests outside of chess and the school."
Seekvaira's shoulders relaxed slightly. "You don't… think it's weird?"
Sona shook her head. "No, not at all. In fact, I think it's kind of cool. You're passionate about something, and you're not afraid to dive into it. That's admirable, Seekvaira."
Seekvaira felt a weight lift off her chest, the panic that had consumed her moments ago slowly fading away. She still felt a little embarrassed, but Sona's acceptance was reassuring. She could remember, years ago, Kouske had also said something similar.
"Thank you, Sona," she said quietly, her usual calmness slowly returning.
Sona gave her a playful smile. "Although… I have to admit, I never would've guessed you had a DeviTube channel."
Seekvaira groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Please don't remind me."
Sona laughed again, sitting down beside her friend. "So… when's the next Dumgum review coming out?"
Seekvaira peeked through her fingers, giving Sona a playful glare. "If you tell anyone, I'll deny everything."
Sona grinned. "Your secret's safe with me."
"Now, shall we get back to business?" said Sona, weirdly looking at Seekvaira.