Lucian sat alone in his comfortable, newly renovated living room, one hand supporting his chin as he stared at the open chessboard floating in the air before him.
Inside the velvet-lined box, fifteen silver-purple chess pieces rested in neat, silent rows. They emitted a soft, ethereal silver-purple glow, pulsing in sync with his own demonic signature.
The Evil Pieces. His Evil Pieces.
Invented by the current Satan Beelzebub, Ajuka, the Evil Piece system was the ultimate foundation of modern devil society. Originally designed to replenish their severely depleted population following the catastrophic Great War against the Angels and Fallen Angels, the system allowed high-class devils to reincarnate other beings into devils, binding them to a master's "peerage" based on the rules of human chess.
The set floating before him, his pieces emitted a soft, ethereal silver-purple glow that was just hypnotizing to him. They pulsed in sync with his own unique demonic signature. One Queen, two Bishops, two Knights, two Rooks, and eight Pawns.
Going to the capital hadn't just been about securing property deeds and greasing the palms of corrupt administrative clerks. Finding out that he was still legally registered as a high-class noble of the Raum Clan had sparked a very specific, highly ambitious thought in his head.
He was fourteen years old now. In Devil society, that made him old enough to officially receive his own set of Evil Pieces. Normally, a grand, highly publicized ceremony would be held in his clan as he got it to show other clans. A member of the clan getting his pieces would be celebrated by his clan, and the administration of the Satans would officially record the distribution of the set.
But Lucian had absolutely no interest in drawing the eyes of his biological mother or others of the Raum Clan, the very same monsters who had dumped him in the cold, rat-infested slums to rot and die. He didn't want their congratulations, and he certainly didn't want their "guidance."
So, he did what he did best, he used his money.
Bypassing some of the standard channels of the Underworld's bureaucracy was no simple task. The Evil Piece registry was heavily guarded, monitored carefully to prevent unauthorized sets from slipping into unwanted hands.
But even the most strict operations had their vulnerability, and this was the corrupt, greedy devils who operated them.
A massive stack of pure gold bars, a few signed contracts of "mutual silence" that would end badly for the person who tried to out him, and some heavily greased palms later, the administrative office's middle management had quietly looked the other way as his records were silently slipped in with others without many people knowing. So, now the records were there, but if you weren't looking for him, you'd not know.
Lucian reached out, his fingers brushing the polished wood of the floating board. He picked up a Bishop piece, rolling the cool piece between his fingers.
Looking for people to reincarnate was normally something he was sure others took time, or at least the ones with brains did. Looking for people who worked well with him and the others of his peerage, and then there was a matter of even finding those people.
For him, on the other hand, he already had infinite worlds to choose from, if they would accept, of course.
He would build a peerage greater than even Sirzechs' own, he whose peerage is considered the greatest in the underworld. There were already hundreds of people to choose from.
"For now..." he muttered to the empty room, a dark glint in his mismatched silver and crimson eyes. "There is only one person I absolutely want as my Bishop."
Esdeath.
The name surfaced in his mind instantly, bringing with it a mixture of dark excitement and instinctual wariness. The woman was a complete maniac, a sadistic, blood-soaked war addict who lived by the absolute law of natural selection. She was terrifying, unpredictable, and entirely insane.
But she was also incredibly powerful, cunning, and possessed a level of military competence that would make her an invaluable asset.
And, of course... she was damn beautiful.
Lucian coughed loudly, rubbing the back of his neck as his face flushed slightly. "Nope. We are not making recruitment decisions based on that. I have to be professional."
He paused, staring at the ceiling.
"...Okay, maybe only ten percent of the decision is based on that."
Another pause.
"Fifteen percent. Max."
He let out a long sigh, tossing the Bishop back into its slot. He couldn't help it. His body was reaching that age where certain primal instincts were starting to flare up, and being a devil, a race biologically hardwired to revel in desire, certainly didn't help his self-control.
Still, hormones aside, he had seriously considered the icy General. Over the past months, he had quietly used his anchor to visit the Akame ga Kill world several times, mostly to keep a passive eye on her to make sure she didn't get herself killed. That would have been incredibly annoying.
Fortunately for the people of that world, his previous interference, the brazen theft of Murasame and Yatsufusa, and the chaotic skirmish in the canyon had caused massive ripples.
Both the Revolutionary Army and the Empire had become deeply paranoid about an unknown, independent third party. The sudden shift had forced both factions to slow down. The timeline of the story had ground to a sluggish, cautious crawl, which suited Lucian perfectly, and he was sure the death of Esdeath was not soon, and with Akame losing her sword, it may never even happen.
He had time.
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the chessboard, sending the Evil Pieces back into the secure depths of his Gate.
He leaned back, a sharp, expectant grin slowly spreading across his face.
"Time to sleep," he murmured. "Big day tomorrow."
Yes, tomorrow was going to be a very big day. For the past year, he had kept his head down, building his safehouses and organizing his network. But tomorrow, he was going to intentionally draw attention to himself.
Tomorrow was the day he introduced the first Devil Fruit to the Underworld.
He had carefully selected a fruit guaranteed to draw the attention of devil society and draw the maximum amount of greedy eyes. The sheer chaos made him let out a dark, giddy chuckle. He rolled over on his bed, closing his eyes as he drifted into a peaceful sleep.
The next morning, the harsh blare of his alarm shattered the silence of the bedroom. Lucian groaned, blindly throwing a pillow at the nightstand before dragging himself out of bed.
After a quick bath and a light breakfast, he stood in the center of his room and summoned the Gaea Foundation cosmetic box from his Gate.
"Here we go," he whispered.
He opened the polished case and picked up a fine, soft brush. As he dragged the tip across his face, his body began to restructure. His bones stretched, his muscles reshaped, and his facial features softened. Within seconds, his purple hair lengthened into a brilliant, cascading pink, his height shot up, and his boyish frame transformed into a tall, exceptionally curvy woman with striking red eyes.
"Xeno."
She looked at her reflection in the mirror, testing her vocal cords. The voice came out soft, smooth, and incredibly soothing, the perfect tone for putting people at ease.
Giving herself a satisfied smirk in the mirror, Xeno activated a silver magic circle beneath her high-heeled boots, and she vanished, reappearing instantly inside her posh, luxurious office.
The room was beautifully decorated with dark wood and velvet accents, located on the top floor of a grand, established building in the second town.
The moment she stepped out of her private office, the bustling staff of devil employees immediately stopped what they were doing, bowing respectfully.
"Hello, Madam Xeno."
"Good morning, Madam."
Xeno acknowledged them with a gracious, elegant nod, her heels clicking softly against the polished floorboards. A young devil girl with a black tail and a clipboard escalated to her, looking both nervous and incredibly eager to please.
"Madam Xeno!"
"Is everything ready, Lara?" Xeno asked, pausing to look at her assistant.
Lara nodded rapidly, her tail twitching. "Yes, ma'am! The stage is set, the security is in position, and the catalog for the auction is finalized."
"And the auction items?"
"Everything is set," Lara confirmed, tapping her clipboard. "All the lots are ready in the vault at the back. All of them... except the last item on the list."
Xeno waved her hand dismissively, a light smile on her pink lips. "I have that one on my person. Don't worry. What about the guests? Did we get a good turnout?"
Lara's face fell slightly, her shoulders slumping. "Not everyone we sent invitations to replied, my lady. And even then, only a few from the notable families chose to come. A lot of the inner territory nobles ignored us... I'm so sorry."
Xeno chuckled softly, reaching out to gently pat the young girl's head. "Don't be sorry, Lara. You have done a fantastic job. We are operating in the outskirts, after all. Things like this take time, and the high-and-mighty nobles of the capital think we are just playing small-time. But after today, they'll be begging for an invitation."
She leaned in slightly, her red eyes sparkling with amusement. "In fact, if today goes as planned, I think a generous bonus is in order for you and the rest of the staff."
Lara practically beamed, her tail wagging so fast it became a blur. "R-Really? Thank you, Madam! I'll make sure everyone is at their absolute best!"
"Go on then. Get back to your duties."
With a joyful nod, Lara scurried away.
Xeno walked toward the main hall, taking a quiet breath to steady her mind. Over the past year, she had used her multiple identities to build this auction house—Malice & Marvels—into a somewhat reliable, trusted venue in the border sector.
It wasn't prestigious enough to attract the Satans or the heads of the Pillar Families, but the crowd currently filling the seats was exactly what she needed.
There were representatives from prominent merchant guilds, independent mid-class collectors, researchers, and lower-ranking noble agents. These were the people with ears everywhere. They were the ones who would carry the rumors back to the remainder of the underworld.
Xeno checked her dress. It was a lovely, strapless black gown that hugged her voluptuous curves perfectly, while a dark, elegant coat draped over her shoulders provided a teasing, sophisticated contrast.
When Lucian had first started using his female disguises, he had felt a massive wave of embarrassment. But as a devil, the natural lack of racial shame had quickly taken over, and he had gotten used to the utility of it. He didn't particularly enjoy the way the male devils in the crowd ogled him, but it kept their eyes glued to the stage, and today, attention was currency.
Letting a breathtaking, confident smile bloom on her face, Xeno stepped through the heavy velvet curtains and walked onto the grand stage.
The moderately filled hall immediately fell silent. Dozens of curious and appreciative eyes locked onto her.
Xeno reached the podium, her hips swaying elegantly. She spread her arms, her soft, mesmerizing voice carrying effortlessly to every corner of the room.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. Devils of all ages, collectors of the extraordinary, and seekers of the unique."
She gave a graceful, flawless bow.
"Welcome to Malice & Marvels. My name is Xeno, and I will be your auctioneer for this exciting event."
A wave of polite applause rippled through the audience.
"As Busy as I'm sure all of you are, I'll make sure not to take up your precious time. So, why don't we begin?" She waved her hand as some people rolled out a table filled with about five items, the first of which was to be sold.
The first few lots went smoothly.
There were rare, ancient spellbooks she'd gotten her hands on, enchanted iron daggers from the Goblins in Harry Potter world, rare alchemical ingredients, and highly sought-after monster parts. It was an impressive lineup for a border town, but nothing that would shatter the status quo. The bidding was competitive after all these people here were not the type to be easily able to get their hands on things like this anywhere else, the crowd was thoroughly warmed up, and a massive amount of devil currency was already flowing into Xeno's vaults.
Then came the final lot.
A heavy crystal case, draped in a thick black velvet cloth, was slowly wheeled onto the center of the stage by two security guards.
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. The whispering stopped. Even the noble representatives, who had looked thoroughly bored by the standard artifacts and items, sat up in their seats, their eyes narrowing.
Xeno walked over to the case, resting her hand lightly on the velvet cloth. Her red eyes scanned the crowd, a mysterious, teasing smile playing on her lips.
"Ladies and gentlemen," she began, her voice dropping into a quiet, thrilling register. "The final item of today's auction is something... entirely unprecedented. It is something I guarantee you have never seen before. Dare I say A miracle of nature that has never before been seen or heard of within the records of the Underworld, the Grigori, or" she raised a hand to cover her mouth in dramatic shock "Even the Silver city itself"
"Unprecedented?" a devil scoffed, crossing his arms. "That's a bold claim, Madam Xeno."
She turned to look at the man, giving him a smile as she studied him. He may have looked like any other devil, but the small insignia on his shoulder presented him as a representative from a minor noble house. The house of Vepar, if she remembered correctly, had fallen from its position and had even losing most of its political standing after going bankrupt and losing all its money.
"Indeed," another merchant added. "What could a small-town auction house possibly possess that the Great Satans do not?"
Xeno didn't answer with words. Instead, she gripped the edge of the velvet cloth and pulled it away with a dramatic flourish.
Inside the pristine crystal case sat a single fruit. It was strangely shaped, colored a vibrant, deep blue, and covered in intricate, swirling patterns and yellow leaves atop it.
A wave of confusion washed over the audience.
"A fruit?"
"Are you serious?"
Laughter broke out in the back rows. "You gathered us here, built up all this mystery, just to show us a piece of fancy produce?"
Xeno remained completely unbothered, her smile steady as she waited for the laughter to die down. When the room finally quieted, she tapped the glass of the case.
"This," she said clearly, "is called a Power Fruit." Yeah, she was not calling it a Devil Fruit. Why? Because at the end she was not just aiming for devils, and if angels hear the name 'devil fruit ', then they'd do everything to get rid of it. But power fruit well, he was sure even they would want to get their hand on it, and he was here to profit from it.
The crowd stared, some still grinning.
"And what exactly does a fancy-named fruit do?" a researcher in the front row asked, leaning forward with a patronizing smirk.
"It is quite simple," Xeno replied, her voice carrying a chilling weight. "Upon taking a single bite of this fruit, the consumer is granted a unique ability, similar to a clan trait."
Silence fell over the room.
Then, a minor noble laughed. "Nonsense! A clan trait from a piece of fruit? As if such a thing could exist." Then he sneered at her as he stood up from his seat.
"Do you think we're fools?" he shouted at her, but she remained calm.
She could see how people jeered and sneered at her, but there were some who didn't and just watched.
"I expected such skepticism," Xeno said smoothly. "And I guess if you don't believe, then there's nothing more I can say to change your mind, sir, but if you do believe, then I say why not bid and find out yourself if you win"
She waved at the fruit, "The starting bid is 2 million Lucif," which seemed to make a lot of people gasp at her.
She could see dozens of people scoff at her, some even muttering how they had expected better of her.
There was silence for a bit before someone raised "2 million". A lot of people turned to the person, a young man who was keeping his eyes on her.
"2,1 million"
.....
.....
"2.5 million," and just like that, people started bidding, and before they knew it, it reached 5 million, the same man who started the bid.
At the end, no one bid anymore, most giving up, not willing to spend anymore on something that might just be a scam to them.
"congratulations sir" Xeno said as she looked towards him. "if i may be so bold may i know who won the bid."
"Salvon Buer," the man said, and she started to hear whispers around her, and she knew why. He was the former heir of clan Buer but was kicked out of his position, and his younger brother took the spot when he didn't show signs of the clan trait.
'Oh, what luck,' Xeno thought. Buer were a clan that had the clan trait of restoration, which was somewhat similar to the phenix so this made it even more perfect.
After that, the man paid up, and everything was arranged, and the money was collected. The man was holding the fruit as he stood in front of other people around.
"Please, Lord Buer, as you can see, most around believe that your money was wasted. If you'd do us the honor of proving to us. Please go ahead," Xeno encouraged gently.
The man looked at the fruit and then around him, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and took a massive bite of the fruit.
Instantly, his face contorted in absolute, pure agony. He gagged, his knees buckling as he clutched his throat, looking as if he had just consumed hot garbage.
The crowd chuckled. "See? It's just poison."
"A terrible joke."
But the laughter died in an instant.
The Man gasped, dropping the remaining fruit onto the stage as the fruit seemed to lose its unique pattern. He raised his right hand, staring at his palm. Suddenly, the air around him began to distort with intense, rising heat.
Fwoosh! Blue flames burst around his arm.
In the blink of an eye, the man's entire body dissolved into swirling, violent, blue-hot flames.
The front-row guests shrieked, scrambling backward in their seats as the wave of scorching heat washed over the room. The stage lights seemed to dim in comparison to the brilliant, crackling fire.
As the man's body turned into a giant firebird. A phoenix.
The entire hall went dead silent.
"That's impossible," someone whispered.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patronage," Xeno said, her voice cutting through the paralyzed shock of the room like a silver bell. She spread her arms wide, her red eyes reflecting the lingering embers of the stage.
"And thank you, Lord Buer."
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