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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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~~~~~~~~
I stepped out of the dungeon, the familiar hum of the shop greeting me as I materialized. Before I could catch my breath, the door chimed, and in walked Sona, Koneko, Ophis, Asia, Zoro, and Sanji, all eyeing the racks of weapons and potions.
Sona adjusted her glasses, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "So this is what you were keeping secret."
"Maybe," I said, smirking.
Koneko shrugged, glancing around. "At least it's not as bad as we thought."
Ophis hummed, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Hmm."
Asia tilted her head, pouting slightly. "Why'd you keep it a secret, Shiro?"
"'Cause secrets are fun," I said, winking.
Zoro hefted a Class B katana from a rack, testing its weight. "Gotta say, these are decent blades."
"The real good stuff's behind me," I said, jerking a thumb at the Class S weapons glowing faintly on the wall.
Sanji leaned against a display case, smirking. "Well, at least we won't go broke buying food with this setup."
"Good," I said, grinning. "Keep the kitchen stocked, chef."
….
Bored out of my mind, I wandered to the Occult Research Club room, where the gang was lounging. Rias was flipping through a book, Akeno was sipping tea, and Issei was… being Issei. I flopped onto the couch, exhaustion from the dungeon hitting hard, and felt my eyes droop.
Koneko's voice cut through the haze. "You should go home, Shiro. You've been grinding in that dungeon forever."
"Nah," I mumbled, sinking deeper into the cushions. "I'm comfy here."
She crossed her arms, glaring at Voltaris, who was coiled on my shoulder. "How long was he in there?"
"Four days," Voltaris said, smirking.
Koneko's eyes narrowed. "Did he sleep at all?"
"Nope," Voltaris replied, way too smug.
"Traitor," I groaned, cracking one eye open.
"Call it what you want," Voltaris said. "You need rest."
Rias looked up from her book, her tone gentle but firm. "He's right, Shiro. You can't keep pushing like that, it'll stunt your growth."
"Height or age?" I asked, half-asleep.
"Height," she said, smiling.
"Then I'm fine," I muttered, letting my eyes close again.
A moment later, I felt my head lift gently, settling onto something soft and warm. I cracked an eye open to see Koneko's face above me, her lap now my pillow. "Just rest," she said, her voice soft.
I didn't argue, letting the world fade as sleep pulled me under.
….
Akeno hurried over to Rias, leaning in to whisper something. Rias's eyes widened, and she stood, addressing the room. "Everyone, be ready. Two people from the church are coming here in an hour."
Issei frowned, confused. "Why? Isn't this devil territory?"
Kiba's expression turned serious. "They'd only come if it's important."
"Correct," Rias said, nodding. "No one from the church can act in this town without speaking to me or Sona first."
Asia clasped her hands, hopeful. "I hope they're nice."
Koneko glanced at Shiro, snoring softly in her lap. "They better not wake him up."
Rias smirked. "You really want to make him happy, don't you?"
Koneko's cheeks flushed faintly. "S-So?"
Rias and Akeno giggled, sharing a knowing look.
….
The room was tense, everyone waiting in silence, until Shiro broke it, mumbling in his sleep. "I love you, Koneko…"
Koneko's face turned bright red, her ears practically steaming. Rias grinned. "Oh, young love."
Shiro stirred again, muttering, "No… that's my chocolate…"
Kiba chuckled. "That sounds about right."
A knock at the door snapped everyone to attention. Rias called out, "Come in."
Xenovia and Irina stepped inside, their presence shifting the room's energy. Rias gestured to the couch. "Please, take a seat."
Irina smiled brightly, sitting down. "Hi! I'm Irina. This is Xenovia, the serious one."
Xenovia stayed silent, her expression all business as she took a seat.
Rias leaned forward, her tone calm but commanding. "Alright, why did you request this meeting?"
Xenovia's voice was blunt. "To warn you."
Rias raised an eyebrow. "Warn me?"
"Stay out of our way," Xenovia said, eyes narrowing, "or we'll be forced to take you down."
Rias's gaze sharpened. "Are you threatening me?"
"Y, " Xenovia started, but Irina cut her off, waving her hands frantically.
"No, no, we're not!" Irina said, shooting Xenovia a look. "We just don't want to drag you into the church's business."
Rias relaxed slightly, but her eyes stayed sharp. "And what business is that?"
Irina hesitated, then explained. "A few holy swords were stolen. We were sent to retrieve them. If you have any leads, please tell us."
Kiba spoke up, his voice steady. "Last night, I fought a rogue priest wielding a holy sword. Didn't recognize him. He vanished before I could pin him down."
Irina nodded gratefully. "Thank you."
A sleepy mumble cut through the tension. "Fucking spiders…" Shiro muttered, shifting in Koneko's lap.
Issei snickered, trying to stifle it. Xenovia and Irina glanced over, their eyes widening as they realized the Lightning Dragon Emperor himself was napping on a lap pillow, completely oblivious to the meeting.
Irina tilted her head, glancing at Shiro, still snoring softly in Koneko's lap. "What's Shiro doing here?"
"Sleeping," Koneko said flatly, her eyes daring them to make a big deal out of it.
Xenovia's brow furrowed, her voice sharp. "And why would the Lightning Dragon Emperor rest on the lap of a devil?"
Koneko's gaze didn't waver. "I'm his girlfriend. That's why."
Irina's eyes flicked to Asia, who was sitting quietly nearby. "Are you Asia Argento?"
Asia nodded, offering a small smile. "Yes."
Xenovia's expression hardened. "Hmm. A witch siding with devils, the farthest a holy maiden could fall."
….
I stirred from my power nap, the fog of sleep clearing just as Xenovia's voice cut through the room like a blade. "A witch with devils, the farthest a holy maiden could fall."
My blood boiled. I started to sit up, but the church duo didn't notice me, too focused on Asia. Then Xenovia kept going, her tone dripping with judgment. "Do you still believe in God?"
Irina fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable. "Uh, Xenovia, maybe we should, "
"Yes," Asia said softly, her voice steady. "I pray to Him every night."
Xenovia's eyes narrowed. "How dare you lie."
Asia blinked, confused. "I'm not lying."
"A devil like you can't pray to Him," Xenovia snapped.
"But I'm not a dev, " Asia started, her voice trembling.
Xenovia cut her off, stepping closer, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword. "If you truly believe in Him, you'd let me execute you right here and let Him judge your soul."
She unsheathed Durandal, the holy sword gleaming as she advanced on Asia. The room froze, until a gust of wind roared through, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When they looked up, I stood between Xenovia and Asia, my dragon eyes glowing like molten gold, fangs bared, and a killing intent so thick it made the air heavy. I caught her sword mid-swing with one hand, stopping it cold.
"Stay. Away. From her," I growled, my voice low and dangerous.
Xenovia's eyes widened, but she didn't back down. "What is this devil to you?"
I tightened my grip on Durandal, and a sharp crack echoed through the room. Everyone's jaws dropped as fractures spiderwebbed across the holy sword's blade. Xenovia yanked back, but I ripped it from her grasp and hurled it across the room, where it embedded in the wall with a thud. The church duo stared at me, fear flickering in their eyes, while the others looked on in stunned silence.
"You made three mistakes," I said, my voice icy. "One: Asia isn't a devil. She's in my peerage, and she's still human. Two: You threatened her. Three: You just made me your enemy."
Xenovia opened her mouth to speak, but Irina grabbed her arm, shaking her head frantically. The room was deathly quiet, the weight of my words hanging in the air.
~~~~~~~~
Hey guys if u like the fanfic and want to read ahead by 15+ Chapters or just want to support take a visit on my patreon.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
http://patreon.com/Marin_kitawaga