Chapter 366: The Secret of Life (Part 2)
During the Three-Clan War many years ago, all three clans suffered heavy losses.
No one knows which clan started it first, but all three attempted to draw humanity to their side.
Though human power was weak compared to the three clans, it was continuously developing and represented a viable force.
Humans naturally resisted being dragged into the conflict, especially ordinary people who wouldn't even qualify as cannon fodder.
But once noticed, the three clans wouldn't allow humanity to remain neutral and continue growing.
The eventual outcome forced humanity's strongest individuals into the war, including the Hero Clan.
Toujou Jin, then a prodigy of the Hero Clan's new generation already possessing Satan-Class strength, participated in the chaotic battles among top-tier combatants.
He fought against Sapphire, who was Wilbert's sister and also possessed Satan-Class power at the time. Raphaeline, with divine-level strength following the Divine Realm's orders, attempted to suppress them both.
Due to world restrictions, she couldn't fully utilize her divine power. Unexpectedly, both Toujou Jin and Sapphire proved ruthless, immediately unleashing their hidden potential.
The collision of three powerful forces, particularly Toujou Jin's spatial power, tore through space itself.
The three drifted through the void for a long time before accidentally stumbling into an ancient dragon's slumbering nest.
To return to their world, they began cooperating, though no special romantic feelings developed.
While Sapphire and Raphaeline were beautiful, Toujou Jin, as the Hero Clan's proud genius, remained aware of their opposing stances.
Moreover, both Sapphire and Raphaeline somewhat looked down on Toujou Jin for his human origins.
Additionally, Raphaeline preferred fragrant, soft girls over men.
Chisato Hasegawa and she publicly claimed to be like sisters, but in truth, they were a lesbian couple.
When the slumbering ancient dragon awakened to their attempts to break through space, it inexplicably took a liking to Toujou Jin, possibly due to his faint dragon bloodline.
With the ancient dragon's help, Toujou Jin obtained a purer dragon bloodline, but his Satan-Class power couldn't fully absorb the gift.
Being a dragon, excess power that couldn't be digested naturally sought release through mating.
Sapphire and Raphaeline naturally refused, but the ancient dragon wouldn't release them without compliance.
Eventually, the three reached an agreement.
Sapphire used a secret technique to extract the unabsorbed bloodline essence from Toujou Jin, intending to preserve it until he grew stronger enough to reclaim it.
Raphaeline established a contract guaranteeing their safety until they returned.
But Sapphire, then only Satan-Class, couldn't control the powerful essence. Once inside her, it absorbed her bloodline and formed a life embryo.
Virgin pregnancy caused by accident was unacceptable to Sapphire, but under the watch of the ancient dragon and Toujou Jin, she couldn't destroy the life.
Being strong-willed, as she prepared to destroy herself along with the embryo, Raphaeline—eager to return—offered to be the surrogate.
Not having to bear the child herself and only losing some bloodline essence was acceptable to Sapphire.
The dragon bloodline essence proved truly extraordinary—the tiny embryo immediately absorbed her bloodline upon entering her body, further enhancing itself.
The truth is often cruel—Toujou Basara's birth was a product of compromise, not a crystallization of love.
Though this reality sounds less beautiful than what Haruto remembers, it aligns far more logically.
Three individuals of different races, who had been locked in mortal combat moments before—how could they possibly develop affection so easily? Unless Toujou Jin possessed a charm ability potent enough to influence even Satan-Class and divine beings.
After completing the second Life transformation—reaching the divine level—one can consciously choose to conceive without leaving it to chance.
This is precisely why Chisato Hasegawa recently asked Haruto if he wanted children—because she truly could become pregnant immediately.
But the cost is that after conception, the mother is continuously drained of energy by the fetus, leading to progressive weakness.
Moreover, childbirth marks their most vulnerable state.
Much like in some fantasy works Haruto had encountered, where powerful divine beasts grow feeble during pregnancy, to the extent that even a weak entity could threaten the ordinarily invincible creature during delivery.
In such stories, a protagonist always emerges—either as the one who slays the divine beast or as the savior who defeats its enemies, earning the beast's gratitude, perhaps even entrusted with raising its newborn.
But reality is not fiction. Once the trio returned, their presence would inevitably be discovered, and Toujou Basara's existence could never be concealed. If Raphaeline reneged, Toujou Jin would be powerless.
Thus, it was only after Toujou Basara's birth that the ancient dragon opened the dimensional rift, releasing the three.
Naturally, Toujou Basara was raised by Toujou Jin. Sapphire had long replenished the lost essence of her bloodline and, thanks to this extraordinary experience, grasped the key to a breakthrough, immediately entering seclusion.
With the ancient dragon's aid, Toujou Jin had already ascended to the divine level and gained a son of exceptional talent.
The only regret might be his failure to win the affections of the two peerless beauties, but with his power, women were never in short supply.
Moreover, with a son, he could indulge freely without the constraints of marriage—a win-win situation.
From beginning to end, the only one who suffered misfortune was Raphaeline.
Even though she used a special method to bear Toujou Basara while preserving her virginity, her weakened state remained unchanged. Worse, the loss of her bloodline essence was undeniable, impossible to hide from the other chief gods in the divine realm.
Before being sealed away as punishment, she confided everything to Afureia—that is, Chisato Hasegawa.
Chisato Hasegawa watched helplessly as her beloved sister was sealed away, powerless to intervene.
She sought vengeance but realized that aside from the ancient dragon slumbering in some unknown dimension, the true culprits were the chief gods of the divine realm.
Raphaeline had neither lost her purity nor betrayed anyone—she was merely forced to surrogate a child for their return, yet she faced such punishment...
It was clearly a deliberate scheme by those chief gods!
Unable to confront the chief gods alone, Chisato Hasegawa knew that to rescue her sister and lover, she must seek out targets with high potential.
Foremost among them was Toujou Basara, who carried her sister's bloodline.
But potential is one thing—relying on Toujou Basara alone to defeat the ten chief gods and save Raphaeline seemed a distant, if not impossible, dream.
Just as Raphaeline eagerly desired to return, Chisato Hasegawa equally wished to rescue her as soon as possible—even a single day earlier would be better.
Thus, while keeping watch over Toujou Basara, she began scouting other highly promising candidates in the human world.
Haruto, whose power was rapidly advancing and who had obtained the Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet, naturally caught her attention.
After their initial meeting in the Kuoh Academy infirmary, Haruto's unusual behavior further piqued her interest.
Given Haruto's strength at the time, Chisato Hasegawa's covert surveillance went completely undetected.
The secrets of his dual cultivation ability, along with the details about his transmigration that he had confided in Rias, had long been discovered by Chisato Hasegawa.
From that point on, her focus shifted from Toujou Basara to Haruto.
The reason for her proactive approach was that she had staked all her bets on Haruto.
After observing him for over a year, Chisato Hasegawa was convinced that no one surpassed Haruto in potential, nor matched the speed at which he converted that potential into actual power.
Moreover, through her prolonged observation, she concluded that aside from his chaotic private life, Haruto was trustworthy in all other aspects.
The final reason lay within herself.
Having spied on Haruto for so long and witnessed so many intimate scenes, the deep-seated desires hidden within Chisato Hasegawa were stirred.
As a goddess presiding over beauty, love, and desire, it was impossible for her to remain indifferent to matters between men and women.
In the past, she could find solace in intimate moments with Raphaeline, but in recent years, she had endured alone while daily watching Haruto engage in dual cultivation with various girls, which had long agitated her.
Tonight's timing was carefully chosen by her; even if Haruto broke through using her virgin essence, she would still insist on establishing a Soul Contract.
Although she had covertly observed Haruto for over a year and believed he would help, an additional safeguard was always wise.
This safeguard would also enhance Haruto's strength and deepen their intimate bond—a win-win situation.
Of course, the final decision rested with Haruto; Chisato Hasegawa merely employed an open and straightforward strategy.
Even if Haruto had no intention of confronting the Ten Chief Gods or rescuing Raphaeline, once he became involved with Chisato Hasegawa, the Ten Chief Gods would inevitably come after them.
After Haruto broke through to the god-level like Toujou Jin, he wouldn't need to worry much about his own safety, but the Ten Chief Gods would certainly not spare Chisato Hasegawa.