DXD World
It was currently the period of the International Tournament, and celebrations were being held everywhere. The atmosphere was incredibly lively, and the panic caused by the "Great Eclipse" was gradually fading from people's minds.
In the Underworld, at the Black Dog Bar.
The Blade Dog Squad sat at the bar, watching the International Tournament coverage on TV. The atmosphere was bustling both inside and outside the arena. It was hard to imagine that the terrifying black eclipse and the blizzard of the Ice Age had ever happened.
"Speaking of which, where is the Underworld team? Teams from other mythologies are all competing, so why has the Underworld team been seeded all the way through?" Samejima Tsunao voiced the question shared by everyone watching.
"It's better that they aren't competing. Have you already forgotten the fear of being dominated by the Specters in the Underworld?" Minagawa Natsume said, helplessly pressing a hand to her forehead after hearing Samejima Tsunao's words.
Upon hearing Minagawa Natsume's words, everyone in the Blade Dog Squad except for Lavinia recalled the scene of being crushed by the Specters in the Underworld.
At the thought of what happened then, fear began to envelop their hearts, and they couldn't help but tremble with their arms crossed.
At this moment, Lavinia, dressed in white finery, spoke up: "By the way, Master Mephisto told me that the Underworld's entry slots have always been reserved. It's just that the gods felt the power of the Specters would break the tournament's balance too much, so they are always seeded. They can join once Hades sends other teams."
"As long as it's not the Specters of the Demon Stars competing, it's fine," Ikuse Tobio said with a sigh, dressed in a bartender's outfit while wiping a glass.
Nanataki Shiko suddenly remembered something and looked at Ikuse Tobio, saying, "Oh right, Tobiwo, aren't you also a Specter?"
"That's right... the other earth dog star Specter..." Hearing Nanataki Shiko mention he was also a Specter, Ikuse Tobio became like a deflated balloon, his whole body going limp as he spoke with black lines over his head.
Tojo Sae noticed Ikuse Tobio's state and said:
"Tobiwo, what's wrong? Weren't you strongly denying being the earth dog star Specter before?"
"Don't even mention it! It's all because of that Okino Suzuri!!" Ikuse Tobio shouted helplessly, clutching his head, and then proceeded to tell his Blade Dog Squad companions about his experiences over the past few days.
Ever since the "Great Eclipse" ended, Okino Suzuri had begun a relentless offensive against Ikuse Tobio. For example, she would wear a swimsuit while he was bathing and try to scrub his back, warm his bed, and launch night attacks on him from time to time.
"What did you say!!" Tojo Sae and Minagawa Natsume both stood up and shouted in shock after hearing Ikuse Tobio's description.
Samejima Tsunao, on the other hand, clicked his tongue in envy, "Tch!", while Lavinia covered her mouth with a knowing smile.
"Why didn't you come and tell us this sooner!!"
"We're moving into your place too! We have to stop that kuudere swordswoman from stealing a march on us!!"
Tojo Sae and Minagawa Natsume each grabbed Ikuse Tobio's collar and shook him.
"I didn't want this either! Those Specters come and go like ghosts. I'm not familiar with the basic techniques of Specters, so I never know where she's going to pop up next," Ikuse Tobio said, his eyes spinning in a daze.
"My, my. As the other earth dog star Specter, you certainly live a very lazy life." At that moment, a seductive female voice rang out from the side.
Hearing those words, every member of the Blade Dog Squad instantly became alert. Only the high-ranking members of various mythologies knew that Ikuse Tobio was the earth dog star, and the news hadn't spread yet. Yet, the owner of this voice knew this secret.
The Blade Dog Squad turned their heads and were instantly captivated by the beautiful figure before them.
She was an exceptionally beautiful woman with jet-black hair and eyes. She was tall and sexy, wearing a unique black deep-V slit long dress with a metal breastplate and corset. Around her neck was an Underworld necklace identical to Lavinia's. She wore a snake-shaped bracelet on her left hand, a matching snake-shaped anklet on her left leg, and black pointed high heels on her feet.
Her aura was like a poppy flower; the more one looked, the more they fell under her spell. She held a tall wine glass filled with wine, which added to her charm.
"Who are you?" Ikuse Tobio asked, looking at the mysterious woman sitting at the bar. For some reason, he felt a sense of familiarity toward her, along with a sense of awe, like a subordinate meeting a superior.
The mysterious woman traced circles around the rim of her wine glass with her slender fingers and said with a charming smile, "Who am I? I suppose I am the woman closest to Lord Hades."
"The woman closest to Hades..." Hearing the woman's words, Lavinia felt threatened and clearly became somewhat angry. Although she wore a smile despite the black lines on her face, her eyes became unusually hollow, and the surrounding temperature began to drop.
Ikuse Tobio, standing next to Lavinia, subconsciously rubbed his arms for warmth and began to distance himself from her.
"Who exactly are you in the Underworld? A Specter? No, you aren't wearing underworld armor," Lavinia said with a dark expression to the mysterious woman, her cold aura continuing to rise, nearly freezing half the bar.
The mysterious woman looked at the Underworld necklace Lavinia was wearing—the one bestowed by Hades—and her smile instantly turned cold.
"The necklace bestowed by Lord Hades. So you are one of the three showy and superficial women the elf handmaidens mentioned who hover around Lord Hades."
"Showy and superficial? Then who are you, appearing out of nowhere and claiming to be the one closest to Hades? What are you playing at?" Lavinia's face was dark. Although she was smiling, #-shaped veins were popping on her forehead, and the bar was nearly turning into a frozen wasteland.
The two women didn't speak, simply staring each other down as sparks flew between their gazes.
As the saying goes, when two women fight, ten men can't stop them. The current atmosphere was so terrifying that no one dared to step forward to mediate.
"I'll see you at the International Tournament." After a long silence, the mysterious woman spoke first. She placed her payment on the bar counter and then pushed open the door and walked out.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Lavinia seemed to have accepted the challenge, her beautiful golden hair fluttering in the wind as her cold aura continued to intensify.
"Calm down! Sister Lavinia!!"
"Yeah! You have to stay calm! If you keep this up, you'll freeze the entire bar into ice!!"
"Take it easy, take it easy! You can definitely beat her!!"
"..."
Seeing the mysterious woman leave, the other members of the Blade Dog Squad stepped forward to persuade and try to soothe Lavinia's fury.
Meanwhile, Ikuse Tobio's attention was entirely on the tip the mysterious woman had left, because he felt a very familiar yet terrifying aura—a Cosmos—emanating from it.
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