Chapter 48: The Coming Dark

Rukia stood at the edge of the barracks balcony, one hand resting lightly on the railing while the other tightly gripped a white scarf around her neck. From here she could see nearly the whole sweep of Seireitei. The pale white walls stretched outward, the towers and barracks rising like sentinels beneath the soft light of the sky. It should have felt familiar, comforting even. Yet the sight only deepened the unease that had been gnawing at her for weeks.

Her violet eyes lingered on the horizon. The sky was no longer the same shade of blue she had known all her life. It was still blue, yes, but muted, as though someone had taken a paintbrush and layered a shroud of subtle grey across it. The sunlight that poured down on the tiled streets and barracks was dimmer as well, more fragile than before, as if the warmth of the Soul Society itself had grown weary and tired. Even the air felt heavier on her skin.

And it wasn’t just her perception.

Everyone had noticed it, even if some pretended not to and kept their heads down and mouths shut.

But there was no denying it, the very Reishi of Soul Society itself had changed. She could feel it in every breath she took, in every footstep across the ground, and especially when she drew her Zanpakuto to train with. The spiritual particles that made up this world were heavier now. Barely perceptible, but they pressed down on the body just slightly, dragged in the air when they wove Kidō. Worse still, there was a quality to them that unsettled her, a sense of inherent darkness. Though not in the literal sense, but darker in their feel, as though the very essence of Soul Society had been pervaded with something oppressive and cold.

She then thought of the changes in Rukongai, where they were even more obvious. There were places in the districts where the ground had lost some of its warm, earthen hue, becoming instead dark gray, near black like stone. Trees had begun shedding their leaves far earlier than they should, whole rows of them now looking like the onset of autumn had settled upon the districts. Only it was not autumn, and the thought that perhaps an out of place winter had begun to take root sent an anxious shiver down her spine. Soul Society had its rhythms, like the human world, but this...?

The irony was, for a realm of the dead, it felt like life was slowly being leeched from Soul Society.

It had all begun several weeks ago, though she could not point to the exact day. All she knew was that one morning she had woken to find the light slightly dimmer, and every day since then the oppressive sensation had grown stronger. A subtle, creeping shift, like the entire world had turned sideways without anyone noticing until it was too late.

Her eyes narrowed as her thoughts drifted to the Human World. The veil.

That had been the greater crisis, at least outwardly. A tear had opened between the living world and the realms of the dead, one that grew wider by the day. She had been amongst the hundreds of Shinigami dispatched to assess it, as well as ferry the thousands of mortal souls from what appeared to have been a mass casualty event. They had thrown every technique they knew at it, every barrier and every Kidō. None of it had worked. It was as if there was some ironclad force that prevented their efforts from taking hold. The fabric of the veil resisted them, stubborn and unyielding, and the tear only grew.

Then, one morning, it had vanished. Not healed. Not mended. Vanished.

She remembered the alarm that had run through all of Seireitei when that news broke. Never before had they witnessed anything like it. One day, the greatest threat to the balance of the worlds since Aizen’s rebellion loomed ready and gaping, and the next it was gone, leaving no trace that it had ever been there at all. It had not simply sealed itself, for the residue of energy was absent. It was as if the tear had been erased from existence. As if Time had been rewound, but she knew that was impossible.

Nevertheless, weeks later, members of the Twelfth Division still haunted the site, their instruments buzzing and their eyes shadowed with frustration as they failed to discern what had happened.

Rukia bit her lip, a faint crease forming between her brows. She could still feel the echo of… something. Something vast and invisible had shifted in the balance of the worlds, something they did not yet understand. And it terrified her.

“Rukia.”

The voice pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to see Renji stepping onto the balcony, his overly large sunglasses (which she always thought looked ridiculous) glinting under daylight. He leaned casually against the rail next to her, though his eyes carried the same grim sharpness that weighed on everyone’s faces these days.

“You look troubled,” he said.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Everyone looks troubled.”

Renji gave a low grunt, then glanced at the skyline with her. “Yeah. You’re right.” He let out a breath, long and heavy. “Still, the Gotei 13 will figure it out. We always do.”

She snorted. “That’s a lie. The last time Soul Society was in trouble, it took a rebellious teenage boy to save us all.”

Renji scowled, though there was a brief hint of a nostalgic smile in his eyes. “Hey! It’s not like he did it all by himself, he had a lot of help!”

“True,” Rukia smiled faintly as she returned her gaze to the sky. But as she thought of that impetuous turned young man, she felt a flutter of wistful warmth in her chest. She wondered how he was, how he was doing. It had been quite some time since she had seen Ichigo.

There had been times when she would sneak out into the Human World and to briefly watch over and observe his human life. But as she climbed the ranks of her squad, it proved more and more difficult to do so. Gingerly, Rukia touched her lieutenants badge, fingers brushing over the smooth wood. Being a lieutenant meant she was constantly monitored, and in the wake of Aizen’s betrayal, along with two other Captains, Central 46 had implemented harsh surveillance on all the top ranked officers of the Gotei 13. It was near-impossible for her to disappear for long lengths at a time.

“I’m sure he’s doing fine,” Renji said, “whatever he’s getting himself into these days, he’s probably got it all well in hand.”

“You’re right,” she said smoothly.

“And just like that idiot has things in hand, so too will we,” he finished with a confident smile.

She did not answer him. For a moment she only studied his profile, the determined set of his jaw, the confidence he clung to. He had always been like that, unwilling to yield to despair, always ready with some rough optimism. She had always admired that about him, ever since they were young. Yet she could not share it. Not now.

“I should get back,” she said quietly.

And Rukia turned away, her scarf brushing against her side as she walked back toward the open doors of the barracks. She could feel Renji’s eyes on her back, but he said nothing more.

Inside, the shadows were deeper. She paused only once, her hand resting briefly against the doorframe, her gaze lingering on the floor.

A thought had taken root in her mind, one she had been pushing aside for days. Perhaps longer. The reminder of Ichigo in the human world had given her a sudden bout of rash inspiration. There was nothing wrong with taking a page out of his reckless book, was there? Well, if she were to be honest, it was probably a bad idea. Downright terrible even. But it wouldn’t be the first time she broke Soul’s Society’s laws, now would it?

She supposed it was time for her to go give a certain eccentric shop owner an off the books visit to solicit his help in moving around unnoticed. She couldn’t very well get risk getting executed – again – for committing treason, after all.

-----

Breakfast was a muted affair today.

Plates sat half-finished. Cups of tea cooled untouched. The only sound was the occasional scrape of fork or chair leg, while every gaze remained fixed on Rias and Sona.

Normally, the two peerages packed elbow-to-elbow around a single long table was a recipe for chaos. Normally they all ate at different times, as over the past month, they had all garnered different forms of employment and thus needed to be out of the house at specific times.

Thus, it was unusual for all of them to sit around at the table for a shared meal. Also, the cramped space made it illogical. But Rias and Sona desperately felt the need to relay the events of the previous day to their respective servants.

So the two Kings had spent most of the meal quietly explaining the previous day’s exhibition. Not in detail, for there was no need nor time for that. But they both wanted to convey the enormity of what they had witnessed and ensure that their peerages understood the magnitude of the impossible devastation carved onto that world.

Rias and Sona spoke to them of landscapes incinerated into cosmic ash or obliterated into nothingnesss. They spoke of oceans evaporating in the wake of the two Satan’s sheer presence. Of Ichigo’s blade carving fissures across continents with a casual swing and her brother tearing apart the very fabric of space. And of course, the damning context that made the entire marvel all the more terrifying; that the two Satans had not fought seriously at all. Tearing apart a world had been nothing more than child’s play for them, neither of them even approaching the full depths of their monstrous power. What they had witnessed was not a battle, but playful sparring.

And it was only when their Kings finally fell silent that the room bristled with pent-up voices.

“Are you serious?!”

“That’s impossible!”

“That’s… insane.”

And, inevitably, from Akeno: “Bitch, you saw him naked?”

Rias flushed scarlet, ignoring the remark as best she could.

But what affected the group most was not the tales of world crushing power, it was the message that followed. All three Satans had invoked hopes for the younger generation to strive higher, to pursue strength beyond reason, because that’s what was needed in the tumultuous world of theirs. And, of course, Lord Ichigo’s parting words that he would be personally devising their upcoming training sessions.

There was a collective shiver amongst all of them.

So far, Meril had been the one to oversee their training Lord Ichigo had not deigned to join them after their initial assessment. The blue haired she-Devil had thrown them against various monsters of the Underworld, left them in the middle of the wilderness for a full weekend, and even made them fight each other for the privilege of eating dinner.

But all that paled in comparison to the Lord Ichigo throwing them against Saviġuk’s and having them beaten senseless for hours on end.

Issei threw up both arms. “Oh no, not him again! I’m still on probation at work! I can’t afford to miss days!”

Rias let out a tired huff of her own, Lady Serafall had kidnapped her in the middle of a shift at the Red Tower. She needed to find a believable excuse to her employer on why she suddenly went AWOL in the middle of work. The stout and austere Tower Master would hardly believe she was personally abducted by Lord Leviathan. It was times like these she realized how removed the Upper Nobility were from the everyday life of the average Devil.

In an Empire that numbered in the billions, how many were familiar with who she was? How many could actually recognize or know what a Pillar Lord or his family looked like? It was one thing in her own home of the Gremory territory, where their family had made a concentrated effort to maintain a positive public image, but out here in Infernity? So far removed from the authority of the Gremory family and the Pillars? She was just another drop in the sea of Lord Ichigo’s demesne.

“Same,” Koneko said, managing to put an impressive amount of annoyance and defeat into that single word. And there were a lot of nods and mutters of agreements.

Why was it so hard to keep down a job, and why did employers have to be strict and stringent with days off? Bad enough they got paid so little! Gah! Workers had rights too!

“I’ll give you an excuse note.”

The words cut cleanly through the din.

Every head whipped around.

And there sat Lord Ichigo in the corner, as if he had been there the whole time, a cup of coffee steaming in one hand. His posture was relaxed, his expression unreadable.

The room immediately erupted into chaos.

Chairs scraped back and plates rattled as every Devil dropped instinctively to their knees, bowing low.

To which their guardian Demon Lord let out a tired sigh. He set down his cup and gave them a flat stare. “Get up. Seriously, stop doing that every time you see me. It’s getting annoying.”

They scrambled awkwardly to their feet, red-faced, but before anyone could get a word in, the back door slammed open and Gobdad came barreling in from his burrow. “Boss!” he barked, saluting with enthusiasm as he slid to a stop.

Lord Ichigo gave the goblin a small wave and asked pointedly, “You get it all set up?”

Gobdad nodded vigerously, and Lord Ichigo replied, “Good job.”

The goblin beamed and quickly hopped into a seat between Kiba and Xenovia, completely ignoring the disgruntled looks they both shot at him.

Ichigo sipped his coffee again. “By the way, I’m impressed with the yard work. You all cleaned up better than I expected.”

The reaction was a long collective groan.

Rias closed her eyes as she remembered the ordeal. It had been a three-day expedition on their part as the overgrown grass in the back yard had decided to fight back when they tried to cut it. Lucifer, she still felt sore from where a steel like cord of grass had whipped her in the side.

“Never thought I’d get uppercutted by a flower,” Saji muttered bitterly.

Issei, on the other hand, had an entirely different reason for to lament the experience. “Those vines were amazing though. Asia-chan and Xenovia-chan looked so hot when they got captured and tied up! I wanted to raise them as pets!”

“Issei-san!” Asia yelped, her face burning.

Xenovia said nothing, simply smacked him on the head with a chop that rattled his teeth. “Ow!” The her young Pawn exclaimed as he grabbed the top of his head. “Sorry.”

Rias let out a sigh, Issei was getting better at voicing his intrusive thoughts… but the boy could still sometimes tactlessly say the first thing that came to mind.

“Well,” Lord Ichigo said lightly, “since you’ve all been working so hard, I thought I’d reward you with impromptu training session today.”

The silence that fell was deafening.

“…training?” Gasper squeaked as he hid himself behind Akeno.

“Oh Lucifer,” Tsubaki muttered, terrified.

Koneko’s eyes narrowed. “…the mutt again?”

Satan’s mouth curved darkly. “No. Nothing so gentle.”

Every face blanched. Gentle? What was gentle about being beaten to pulp by a mythical wolf the size of a semi-truck?! Rias wanted to cry.

He then pointed at the back door. “Alright, all of you march outside. We’re going to have ourselves a little field trip.”

Helplessly, they obeyed, and dredged their feet outside into the backyard, where the wolf totem loomed with its baleful glare. To the outside viewer, it might as well have looked like Lord Ichigo was marching them to their deaths, waiting to hang them at the gallows.

But when Rias entered their newly tamed backyard, she noted two new additions that hadn’t been there before.

Two doors stood upright in the freshly cut grass. They had no walls or frames; two simple doors planted onto the earth looking utterly out of place and random. They were both made of solid wood and carved with intricate designs and patterns.

Ichigo paused, eyeing them with approval. “Nice work on the doors.”

Gobdad puffed up proudly. “Kos!”

Issei blinked in disbelief. “Wait, you built those? Dude, why do you know how to make doors?”

“Gobdad work as carpenter long ago,” Gobdad said matter-of-factly.

Rias stared at the little green goblin strangely. Just how many previous professions did he have?

Before anyone could say anything else, Lord Ichigo snapped his fingers.

Both doors flared to life. The left shimmered with a green glow, thick and heavy like mist. The right bled a black haze that seemed to eat the air around it.

Ichigo’s gaze swept the group, sending a powerful shiver up all their spines. “Right, Sona, you and your peerage through the right door. Rias, your bunch goes through the left.”

Neither girl moved at first. The fear of whatever waited beyond those thresholds froze them in place. Briefly, Rias wondered if she could call in a sick day from training.

But the look in Lord Ichigo’s eyes made it clear he would allow them no mercies.

With defeat and resignation in their eyes, one by one, the peerages began to separate behind their respective Kings.

Rias swallowed hard as she stepped toward the glowing green door, her pulse quickening. Whatever lay beyond, she knew only one thing for certain.

She was probably in for a world of pain.

-----

Ichigo walked at the head of Sona’s peerage, his shoes crunching on gravel as the cracked stones whispered beneath his steps. The young Devils followed behind, cautious and silent, their gazes sweeping over the broken spires and collapsed walls. Dust floated in the air like ash, clinging to the outlines of shattered homes.

“Welcome to Harak,” Ichigo said with a wave of his hand. His voice carried easily, low and steady. “Sometime after the Civil War, while my older siblings were busy restricting and rebuilding the Empire, numerous Orc clans took advantage of their diverted attentions and migrated here. Harak served as their city-state, one of the great Orcish kingdoms of the Underworld.”

He didn’t bother looking back. He could feel their attention clinging to his words as much as the ruins. Sona especially. That’s one of the things he appreciated about Sera’s little sister; she was very attentive. And respectful, too. Completely at odds with her gremlin of an older sister.

“Are we still in Infernity, uhh, my Prince?” One of them asked.

And Ichigo replied, “Yeah. We’re about two-hundred miles north of the South Sea. Fellgrand is about five-hundred miles to the north-west and Grevex is some eleven hundred miles to the north-east.”

“May I ask what happened here, Lord Ichigo,” Sona asked politely.

“Little over two centuries ago,” he responded, “my Reavers sacked the kingdom. Well, they weren’t my Reavers then, Hell I wasn’t even born yet. Anyways, they came, they saw, they got angry and smashed everything.”

“Uhh, why?” Said the lone male in Sona’s peerage, her Pawn, if he recalled correctly.

Ichigo shrugged. “It’s what they were made to do. That being said, Infernity is their indigenous home, when they found a new kingdom being built here in what they considered their territory, they got angry and set their minds to a genocide. Which is a shame because was quite the wonder of Orcish engineering and architecture. The sacking and burning of the city led to the Third Great Orcish Diaspora.”

He caught the sharp little breaths behind him, the shuffle of boots as they took in the devastation. But as they continued to tread behind him, the young Devils quickly fell into silence.

Though the same Pawn -ah, Saji, Ichigo remembered - broke it first. “Uh…” His voice cracked, “So, when you said field trip back then, this is what you meant, sir? A history lesson?”

Ichigo smirked faintly as he heard the touch of desperate hope in Saji’s voice. “Kind of.”

He snapped his fingers.

The plaza shook violently, and, with a thunderous roar, eight bodies slammed into the earth behind him. Stone shattered and dust plumed high.

The peerage jumped back in unison, a chorus of startled gasps and scraped boots. There was sharp spike of panic in their auras, much to Ichigo’s amusement. Really, scaring kids turned out to be so much fun. Who knew?

Eight Reavers rose from the cratered ground, looming dark against the dust. Seven of them stood just over six feet tall, their bodies corded with muscle, skin black as void. A smooth carapace covered their heads in entirety, faceless and gleaming. Each step they took sank claws into stone.

The eighth towered over the rest, wings of exposed bone spreading wide and a whip-tail rattling as it dragged across the ground. And unlike its brethren, a pair of horns curved above its featureless head.

Ichigo raised a hand lazily toward them. “Kids,” he said. “Meet your history lesson.”

The silence behind him was thick, nearly choking. He could practically hear their eyes widen and hearts hammer.

“You’ll be playing a historical reenactment of the burning of Harak,” Ichigo went on. “If it isn’t obvious already, you’re going to be playing the part of the vict – I mean Orcs. One the opposing side, we have seven Reaver Knights and one Reaver Lord. The Lord’s yours, Sitri.”

He was pretty sure Sona let out a small whimper, while her Queen stiffened still next to her. Even the talkative Pawn said nothing. Ichigo watched them drink in the sight of their enemies, though inwardly he was a bit disappointed. They all looked scared, and, while fear had its uses, it was useless in training.

He sighed inwardly. They were still so green. Ah well, that just meant he had to throw them into more battles, because, honestly, experience was the best teacher in his opinion.

He folded his arms. “Knights are about as strong as the average Mid-class Devil. Well, they can be stronger depending on the circumstances. As for the Lord?” He tilted his chin toward the horned figure. “Easily as powerful as a veteran High-class Devil.”

And, as if to accentuate his point, the Reaver Lord spread its wings and released its aura, pushing the air and dirt in a pulse of hot demonic energy. The collected young Devils were pushed back a few inches, though Ichigo himself didn’t even feel his monstrous servant’s power.

Sona found her composure first, though her voice betrayed strain. She fixed her glasses, a trait Ichigo recognized was to help her gather her thoughts “They’re all stronger than us, but not so much that victory is impossible. Enough to force us to our limits.”

Ichigo nodded impressed. “Exactly.”

He let them squirm in silence another few moments before continuing. “You’ll fight for three days. No breaks. If you manage to defeat your opponent before time’s up, you’ll be teleported back to Grevex. Oh, and I should make it clear, you are absolutely not allowed to help one another. If you even try to, I’ll summon a dozen more Reavers to gang up on you. The whole point of this exercise is for individual combat experience. Meril should have let you know already, but while your group has excellent team synergy, you each seriously lack the necessary power to stand on your own.”

They all looked at one another in slight embarrassment, shuffling their feet where they stood.

Sona’s voice sharpened. “And if we’re defeated?”

Ichigo shrugged. “You get eaten, naturally.”

The words hit them like a blade. Momo’s horrified whimper reached his ears. Tsubasa’s hands flew to her mouth. Even Saji flinched so hard it looked like someone had smacked him.

Ichigo hid his amusement behind a neutral mask. It wasn’t true, of course, not in the least. He was nowhere near cruel enough to feed a bunch of teenagers to his Reavers. But they didn’t need to know that. A little extra motivation never hurt anyone.

“My-my sister would never a-allow it,” Sona stammered, desperation flickering in her voice.

Ichigo tipped his head, acknowledging. “Maybe not for you. But her protection doesn’t extend to the rest of your peerage.”

Saji forced out a laugh that cracked halfway. “Ma-maybe he doesn’t mean it literally, guys? I mean they don’t even have mouths!”

“Yeah…about that…” Ichigo turned toward the Reavers. “Show ‘em.”

The air split with guttural and inhuman hissing. From throat to pelvis, each Reaver’s chest cracked wide, like glowing fissures tearing open. Black flesh peeled back and what yawned forth were cavernous maws lined with rows of endless fangs, wet throats glowing with crimson light, and barbed whip-like tongues that lashed the air.

The peerage staggered back, horror etched into every line of their bodies.

Momo half-whispered half-cried, “We’re going to die!”

With a twist of magic, Ichigo rose into the air, watching them from above. Their terror was raw and palpable, but that was the point. If they could learn to act through fear, if they could muster the resolve to strive forwards and attack their enemies wholeheartedly, they would be able to unlock that untapped potential of theirs.

“Let me give you a piece of advice,” and he added a hint of demonic power to his voice to capture their attention. “When you’re going to defend, don’t do it out of fear. Do it to deny your enemy. When you’re going to attack, don’t do it out of fear. Do it to kill your enemy. Abandon your fear.”

He snapped his fingers.

The Reavers exploded into motion, claws tearing stone, maws shrieking wide, and the training began.

-----

The marsh stretched out in every direction, spewing colors of vivid greens and muddy browns. Ichigo took in the landscape with a measured glance, a faint curl of appreciation tugging at his lips. Dark clouds churned above, heavy and slow, their weight pressing low to the horizon. The air was thick with the smell of stagnant water and moss, and in the distance, where the grasses gave way to black water, a wall of trees rose like jagged teeth, heralding the swamp proper.

Behind him, he felt the flicker of spatial magic, and one by one, Rias and her peerage appeared. Their feet sank slightly into the spongy earth, shoes soaking instantly.

As they took note of him, they all looked surprised, because they had just left him in Grevex and none of them had seen him walk through the magical doors Gobdad had set up. But then, Ichigo didn’t need tools to teleport around, especially in Infernity of all places.

“Where are we?” Rias asked, her green eyes sweeping the sodden terrain.

“The Murklands,” Ichigo replied. His tone quite casual, but his gaze remained on the distant tree line. “A massive stretch of swamps and marshland within Infernity. This particular area belongs to the Furcifer tribe.”

The word rolled through his students in a wave of repetition. “Furcifer?” Xenovia tilted her head, brow furrowed.

“Like Lucifer?” Koneko muttered.

Ichigo chuckled softly. “Ha, no. Nothing to do with Sirzechs or his predecessor. The Furcifer are a subspecies of lizardmen, chameleons, more specifically. We’re in their clan territory. The similar sounding names are just pure coincidence.”

And just as he finished speaking, the tall grasses stirred. The rustle growing louder and closer, making Rias and her peerage stand at attention, the two Knights even drew swords. Ichigo gave a silent nod of approval. Good, they didn’t just stand around like idiots unprepared. Even if they were in his presence and thus his protection, it was good of them to be vigilant.  

But then, from within the tall grass, three figures stepped into view. They were taller than him by more than two feet, bodies long and lean, their scales shifting hues of green, orange, and red that shimmered beneath the gloom of the sky.

He thought that their colors and shifting patterns were quite pretty. Vaguely, he recalled years and years ago when Yuzu had expressed a desire to have a chameleon as a pet. Though that never happened as her interest had died out within a week.

Two of the Furcifer were bare-chested males, blades strapped to their sides, their scaled muscles coiling with each movement. Between them walked a female. A simple cloth brassiere bound her chest and a skirt of woven fibers covered her hips. Her scales shimmered with brighter patterns, reds blending into green along her throat.

“Oppai!” Issei’s voice cracked like a gunshot. “Huge oppai!”

Kiba, without even glancing, drove an elbow into his ribs. “Shut up.”

Ichigo ignored them both, though the corner of his mouth twitched. If anything, he had to give the boy points for consistency. But then he turned his full focus on the Furcifer, inclining his head faintly. The female stepped forward, and with a voice that sounded parched and dry, she said, “We express honor: greetings, Great Fire Spirit.”

In a remarkable display of flexibility, she bent forward, spine arching until her chin nearly brushed her knees. The two males mirrored her.

Asia spoke up with a touch of curiosity in her voice. “Um… what are they doing?”

“Showing deference,” Ichigo explained, his tone somewhat even. “Furcifer bend forward to expose their necks as a sign of submission and trust.”

Personally, Ichigo found it a tad bit distasteful. He was never one for overt formality, he preferred keeping things casual, unless the need specifically called for it. Still, he understood that the Furcifer spoke with the movements of their bodies as much as they did with words. Different species, different languages, after all. The Underworld was a patchwork of cultures made possible because the Satans had made space for all sorts of various species under their reign.

Even if he disliked the visible display, he appreciated the cultural richness it showed.

When the Furcifer straightened, Ichigo lifted a hand, gesturing toward the female. “This is Ssimiliaas, chieftess of the Furcifer tribe.”

He then gestured toward Rias. “And this is Rias, sister of Chief Sirzechs, future chieftess of the Gremory tribe.”

Rias’ lips parted at the phrasing, but she wisely said nothing, merely giving a polite and small bow. And Ichigo nodded in approval as his young ward showed an expert diplomatic understanding. While the Gremory were officially a Dukedom in the Empire, the Furcifer had no concept of nobility. There were tribes, and tribes had chiefs. That was it.

Ssimiliaas dipped her head again, then looked at the Devils clustered behind Rias. “And these others?”

“They’re her followers,” Ichigo answered simply. “As you know, Devils create lesser clans within greater ones. She is their chieftess.”

Ssimiliaas’ scales rippled a bright orange in surprise. “So young to carry such weight.” Her green eyes turned back to him. “Is she your mate?”

Rias sputtered instantly, crimson flushing her cheeks. “Wh-what?!”

Ichigo resisted the urge to roll his eyes, unbothered. “No. They’re my wards.”

Understanding flickered across Ssimiliaas’ features. “We express admiration: the Great Fire Spirit shows immensity of heart. Fostering hatchlings is a blessed act.” She pressed a hand against her chest, and Ichigo had to suppress an amused snort. It was the first time in his tenure as a Satan he was considered blessed. “We express gratitude: The Great Fire Spirit has personally answered our prayers regarding the Furious Jumpers.”

He could sense confusion rippling through the young Devils, but Ichigo continued without explaining, instead, jabbing a thumb in their direction. “Actually, I brought them to deal with the problem. I’m just here to observe. Don’t worry, they’re capable, I wouldn’t have brought them otherwise. It’s something of a test for them.”

The chieftess tilted her head, her colors shifting again, but she nodded gracefully. “We express understanding: we too have the rites of age for younglings. We offer invitation: if the Great Fire Spirit wishes, please reside in our village. We shall provide food and drink. All that we have is yours. Even myself, if you wish to mate for pleasure.”

The words hung in the heavy air, made all the more prominent because the Furcifer chieftess maintained her monotonous and calm tone.

Rias’ face blazed crimson and Akeno’s hand rose to her lips, eyes glimmering with amusement. Meanwhile, Asia squeaked as Xenovia muttered something about “shamelessness.” And Issei scowled, “Lucky bastard!” before Koneko clipped him across the back of the head.

Ichigo found himself caught off guard for a heartbeat. But he quickly smoothed his expression and answered politely. “Uhh… I appreciate the offer. But I need to watch over them. Properly assess them, you know?”

Ssimiliaas inclined her head once more, scales glimmering an approving green. “We express support: may you have fortune against the Furious Jumpers.” She straightened fully and bowed once more. “Do we have leave to return, Great Fire Spirit?”

“Yup, and hopefully, we’ll have your problem sorted out within a few days.”

With that, the Furcifer turned and slipped back into the marsh, bodies blending into the grass until only the rustle of their passage remained.

Ichigo glanced at Rias and her peerage. Their faces told the story well enough: nerves, uncertainty, dawning dread. He let his gaze linger on them, deliberately calm.

“Come on,” he said. His tone carried the faintest edge of amusement. “We’ve got work to do.” He set off into the marsh, not bothering to check if they followed.

Several long minutes passed as Ichigo traversed the swamp, though through sheer force of will, a path made itself before him. There was no need for him to cut grass, hack at thick foliage or walk around bodies of water. Infernity changed to its master’s will.

“Umm, Mr. Satan, sir?”

Ichigo peeked over his shoulder to see the young blonde girl giving him a questioning glance. “Yeah? What’s up, kid?”

“Uhm, why did the nice lizard lady call you the Great Fire Spirit? And what are the Furious Jumpers?”

“Two excellent questions,” Ichigo said, as he set his eyes back on the trail. “The Furcifer worship a host of elemental spirits. Through a series of events even I’m not fully sure about, they somehow came to the conclusion I am their Spirit of Fire, and unfortunately, they’ve taken to worshipping me.”

“They worship you?” Rias asked.

“Yeah,” Ichigo said, annoyance twisting his tone. “I’ve asked them to stop many times, but they’re rather insistent.”

“You don’t want to be worshiped?” asked Asia. “Ah! Could it be, that you wish for them to denounce their heretical ways?”

Ichigo gave the blonde girl a bewildered look, before letting out a snort. “Pfft, yeah right. No, I just find it annoying.”

“Annoying?” Xenovia asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Ichigo recognized her as the former wielder of Durandal, one the exorcists that had been dispatched by the Church to recover the stolen Excalibur fragments. “You used to be part of the Church, right?”

She gave a deft nod, as did Asia.

“And I’m gonna assume you prayed pretty regularly?”

They both nodded again.

“Well think on this,” Ichigo said with a sigh. “I’ve got an Empire of billions. Imagine if even a measly one percent of them prayed to me, that’s still hundreds of millions. Hundreds of millions of beings calling out to me every single second of every single day of their lives. It’s annoying. It’s like this constant buzzing in your ear you can’t get rid of. Borderline maddening, really. And unlike True Immortals, I can’t sit outside of Time unbothered by it all… well, at least not yet, anyways.”

“Oh…” Xenovia folded her arms thoughtfully. “I never considered it from the other perspective before. I suppose it would be overwhelming.”

“As for the Furious Jumpers,” he said, coming to a stop and pointing through the thicket. “That’s what they look like. Though they’re more commonly known as the Infernity Bullfrog.”

They all peered around him and looked on in stunned silence. Ichigo couldn’t help feeling amusement as he watched the color drain from their faces.

“What the fuck?” Issei muttered.

“Huge,” Koneko intoned, her eyes widening.

The Infernity Bullfrogs were monstrous amphibians, each as large as a two-story house. Their bloated bodies were covered in mottled dark green skin that glistened with swamp water and algae. Four thick, pitch-black horns jutted from their skulls, curving backward to form a grotesque crown. Their throats glowed a pulsing, violent red; swelling with each deep, rumbling croak that echoed through the marsh. Sharp claws tipped their webbed feet, leaving long gashes in the mud as they prowled. Despite their size, their movements were sudden and explosive, each leap like a cannonshot from the depths.

“…we’re supposed to fight all these things?” Rias asked with a hint of dread in her voice.

“Yup,” Ichigo said with a low chuckle. “But don’t try running in there and blasting from the get-go. They ooze a slime that gives them a small magical resistance, nothing too powerful, but enough to make a difference against Devils at your level. Not to mention, they have horrible tempers, they’ll all go berserk if they feel threatened. In which case you will definitely get overwhelmed and eaten by them.”

“Then how are we supposed to defeat them?” Akeno whined in a sullen whisper.

“Pick ‘em apart, one by one,” Ichigo said with a shrug. “Work as a team to isolate them and then kill it before it can bring attention to itself. Anyways, you have three days to get rid of all twenty-three of them.”

Kiba became confused. “I only count seventeen.”

“There’s a few hidden in the water, you’ll have to find out where so that you don’t get noticed by them or get ambushed. If you can kill all of them before the three days is up, you’ll be teleported back to Grevex... if you don’t, again, don’t discount the possibility of being eaten. Because if these things don’t something even bigger and even more voracious may find its way here. Well, good luck.” And with that, Ichigo rose into the air and out of view of the Devils, laughing lowly to himself as he heard their grumbling and complaints.

-----

The soft hum of the computer and the subtle thrum of the fan were the only sounds in the office. Ichigo sat reclined at his desk, one hand lazily draped over the back of his chair, the other resting on the supple curve of Tiamat’s bare thigh. She was straddled atop him, her long limbs curled against his sides as she slept, her head nestled against his chest, silver-white hair spilling over his shoulder like liquid moonlight. Her breathing was slow, content. The rise and fall of her chest against his made him keenly aware of the heat between them.

As he brushed a thumb against her soft skin, he absently considered dinner.

The hydra steaks from two weeks ago had been a surprising hit; Tiamat devoured hers and half of his, then demanded more to be served on the spot. My lazy, glutton of a dragon, he thought affectionately.

Though silently, he wondered if the kitchen staff could manage a last-minute procurement. Hydras weren’t exactly common, even in supernatural butcheries. Maybe something a bit simpler? He vaguely recalled the chef saying they had a fresh batch of colossal clams recently… or was it octopus?  

“Are you even paying attention?”

Ichigo blinked. The voice from his computer cut through his thoughts, and he glanced at the screen to see Sirzechs frowning heavily at him.

“Sorry,” Ichigo replied without missing a beat. “Got distracted by the girls’ training.” The lie came smooth and easy.

And rather predictably, Sirzechs’ expression softened, concern instantly replacing irritation. “How are they?”

“They’re fine. I’ve got two avatars shadowing their current sessions. Sona and her peerage are currently getting their asses kicked by my Reavers, and Rias is currently crying about getting frog slime in her mouth.”

Sirzechs looked baffled. “Frog slime? What the Hell are you doing to my precious Ria-tan?”

Ichigo rolled his eyes. “Relax, they’re just cleaning out a clutch of Infernity Bullfrogs.”

Sirzechs ire died down immediately, replaced instead with a thoughtful expression. “Oh, that makes sense. She’d have to isolate them one at a time to keep them all from enraging. Well done, Ichigo.”

“Thanks.”

Sirzechs chuckled. “How is their overall growth then?”

“In the last month?” Ichigo nodded. “They’ve come along better than I expected. Still far from polished, but they’ve made independent gains, Sona’s team more so because that was the focus for them. Meanwhile Meril’s been drilling team exercises into Rias’ peerage, and they’ve come up with a few combinations with their unique strengths. Most of their strategies fall apart rather quickly, admittedly, but it’s a stark improvement from having no strategy at all. Today’s session is a sort of a measuring stick.”

Sirzechs sighed, leaning back in his own chair. “Do you think they’ll be ready? We’ve only got one month left before the tournament begins.”

Ichigo scratched the back of his head gently, careful not to jostle Tiamat. “Yeah, but I’ll keep having to push them. They’ve got potential. But honestly, it needs to be beaten out of them.”

“Ugh, you’re such a damn slave-driver,” Sirzechs muttered, though his tone lacked any real venom. “My poor Ria-tan. Forced to suffer under your tyranny. A precious blossom subjected to the wastelands of your care…”

Ichigo gave him a mildly perturbed look. “…we really need to work on your sister complex.”

“Hey! I take offense to that! You have two younger sisters yourself; how can you be so callous?”

“Because my sisters are normal teenage girls who aren’t expected to run an entire country on day?” He said with incredulity, with an edge of irritation peeking through. “Your sister, on the other hand, is expected to inherit one of the most powerful territories in the Empire, has you – fucking Lucifer himself – as an older brother, and has two of the most vile, wretched things haunting the Underworld as ancestors.”

Sirzechs seemed ready to protest, but Ichigo raised a hand to cut him off. “Enough. Has the summit date been finalized?”

The shift was immediate. Sirzechs straightened and his expression turned serious. “Yes. Two weeks from now.”

Ichigo exhaled slowly, his fingers unconsciously stroking Tiamat’s spine as he processed the news. “And the venue?”

“Agreed upon by both Azazel and Michael. And thank you for that, by the way. I don’t know how you managed to convince your wife and Amaterasu to lend us one of their private islands. Neutral territory where all Three Factions could meet. I was dreading having to ask one of the other pantheons to step in as mediator; that would have required even more negotiations.”

Ichigo nodded, though inwardly his thoughts turned grim.

The island in question was hidden from human eyes and was nestled off the coast of Tsushima. Just a few miles west of the legendary Kojima Shrine, where the mystical pull of the Sun and Moon ran strong. And the fact that Amaterasu had so readily offered it made his instincts itch. He recalled the glint in her eye, the sharp curve of her smile when she granted permission.

If anything went wrong at the summit, the fallout was just far away enough from mainland Japan. And Kojima Shrine made it easy for Takamagahara to defensively land Celestial troops on Earth. But also, given how close the isolated island was to the Korean peninsula, any trouble stirred between the Three Great Factions would very likely inconvenience the Korean pantheon. In hindsight, he wouldn’t be surprised if this was intentional on Amaterasu’s part. The rivalry between the Shinto and the Korean pantheon was legendary.

Though Ichigo wisely kept these thoughts to himself.

In his arms, Tiamat stirred faintly. A flicker of possessive irritation rippled through her emotions, brushing against his own. She didn’t like that he was thinking about Amaterasu or Yasaka. Not while she was resting in his lap. With a flicker of amusement, he kissed her temple gently, and with one hand, rubbed slow circles into her back until she sighed and sank deeper into sleep.

“As I had surmised, Azazel will be bringing Baraqiel,” Sirzechs continued, unaware. “And Michael will be escorted by Uriel.”

Ichigo’s brow furrowed. “So, with us included that’s six Satan-class beings meeting in the Human World. Either we’re about to achieve world peace, or the apocalypse is gonna start.”

“Don’t be so dramatic, Ichigo,” Sirzechs said with a soft chuckle. “Michael would never do anything treacherous, he literally can’t. And Azazel’s been pushing for peace talks for centuries. And, let’s be honest, between the Three Factions, our side is the one with the long history of pulling underhanded and deceitful tricks. But since we’re not planning on it, I doubt they are either.”

Ichigo raised a brow. “That’s awfully trusting coming from the guy literally called the Prince of Lies.”

Sirzechs cracked a grin. “Fair. But the irony is, they’re probably having this same exact conversation - about us. I guarantee you, Michael and Azazel aren’t looking for a dagger for our backs, they’re trying to figure out how you and I will slip one into theirs.”

“And since we’re not…” Ichigo trailed off.

“They’re wasting time and resources,” Sirzechs finished cheerfully.

Ichigo shook his head. Even when it came to peace talks for the potential sake of the worlds, Sirzechs still couldn’t help but play mind games with his counterparts. And not for the first time did Ichigo think that this man so rightfully sat in the seat of the Devil.

I fucking hate politics.

“That being said,” Sirzechs said wistfully, “they’re probably building numerous contingencies even as we speak.”

“They’d be idiots not to.”

“Which is why we’ll have our own as well,” Sirzechs said, sobering. “Not just for them, but more importantly, for Khaos Brigade and the Old Satan Faction. Neither of them will want this summit to end fruitfully.”

“No,” Ichigo murmured. “They’ll probably take a risk and try to disrupt it.”

Sirzechs nodded. “Especially Khaos Brigade, given one of the main topics of discussion will be how to handle the Infinite Ouroboros. The last thing they want is our mythos united for the first time in millennia against them.”

Ichigo tapped his fingers against the desk. “I get the feeling they’ll throw the Old Satan Faction against us.”

Sirzechs snorted derisively. “Yes, my thoughts exactly. The current fools leading the old ways are easily swayed and manipulated. It didn’t used to be that way, you know? Back during the Civil War, their parents were so capable, so dangerous. Ajuka and I had to throw everything at them to succeed in our rebellion. Really now, I’d almost consider it a shame at how far the descendants of the original Satans have fallen… well, I would, if it wasn’t entirely my fault. Ah well, collateral damage, what can you do?”

Ichigo contemplated how things would play out if the Old Satan Faction attacked the summit. He and Sirzechs would be there, but they could ill afford to use their powers on Earth, the consequences would be catastrophic. “We’ll need people on standby. Discreetly.”

“Yes, that’s what I’ve considered as well.” Sirzechs said thoughtfully. “We can’t openly bring our forces without provoking Michael and Azazel, nor giving our hand away to Khaos Brigade. Preemptively knowing they’ll attack is an advantage we can’t get rid of. I will ask Ajuka’s opinion, I’m sure he has some idea.”

“Any idea on who you want to bring?” Ichigo inquired.

Sirzechs gave a cheerful smile. “I was thinking of Surtr Second.”

Ichigo nearly groaned. While he was friends with the cloned giant, Second was essentially a walking volcano. Loud, destructive and having no semblance of subtlety whatsoever.

“Well… I suppose if we’re going down that route, I guess I’ll bring Humbaba with me,” Ichigo said as he scratched his chin. He almost pitied whoever would find themselves against the two giants.  

Sirzechs leaned back in his chair again, thoughtful. “Then I suppose I’ll consult Ajuka as soon as we’re done here. That being said, Ichigo, have you considered expanding your peerage?”

Ichigo tilted his head. “I’m not in a rush.”

“Nor should you be,” Sirzechs said with his brows raised. “Ajuka and I have cautioned you to carefully consider each member carefully. Even if it takes a century of time, Hell, Sera still hasn’t filled out her peerage and she was one of the first to be gifted with a set of Evil Pieces. But given the tumultuous times ahead, an extra piece or two may prove useful in the near future.”

Ichigo hummed noncommittally. “I’ll think about it.”

Sirzechs smiled faintly and said, “Excellent. Well then, I suppose that’s everything for now. I’ll let you know once Ajuka has come up with an idea. Farewell.”

And as Lucifer gave a cheerful wave, the screen went dark.

And before he could do anything else, Tiamat yawned against his chest, her sapphire eyes fluttering open, annoyed and sleepy. “Devils and your ceaseless prattling,” she grumbled.

Ichigo chuckled, standing and lifting his dragon in his arms. “Come on, beautiful. Let’s go get dinner.”

-----

Vali Lucifer cared so little for these meetings of the Khaos Brigade. All that was ever done was senseless posturing and mindless bickering. Even now, as Shalba Beelzebub and Katerea Leviathan exchanged words – they were screaming, they were screaming their heads off – with Cao Cao and Jeanne of the Hero Faction, he found himself incredibly bored.

“I might actually die of boredom,” he said to himself.

“Nyaa, want to sneak off and have a quickie?” Kuroka purred as she nudged him playfully in the side.

He met her impish amber eyes and blinked slowly. And then, as he turned back around and his gaze landed on Katerea screeching like a banshee, he muttered, “Maybe.”

Kuroka blanched. “Wait did you…? Waaaa! Fay-chan! Vali may actually be dying!”

For her part, Le Fay Pendragon reached into her robes and pulled out a chocolate bar and wordlessly handed it to Vali. He took it with a soft thanks, and began biting off chunks of sweet chocolate, utterly ignoring Kuroka as she desperately looked for his pulse in his neck.

However, in that moment, he felt something stir within his soul. A familiar yet ancient ocean of power. Vali frowned. Had something awoken Albion from his slumber? And then, instantly, everything shifted and went pitch dark.

No, not dark.

Everything disappeared.

He looked up in confusion, and there went the stars and the pale moon. And even the night was swallowed whole. The sky had ceased to be. It was like th-

!$^#%!@!

Hush, now. No more narrations. I shall speak awhile.

What delightful folly. To call thyselves a Brigade for Khaos. Chaos posits extant reality. Pity what comes now is Oblivion. Ah, is it thee, fair Albion? Lorded Principle of Supremacy? When comes sweet Ddraig then, thine other half?

And what then of this ragbag rabble? Usurped children. Claimant heroes. Sorcerous strays. Ye do not hear me. Ye do not see me. Ye do not feel me. For I am not here. And I never will be.

And yet so bright are thy ambitioned flames. How riveting. Shall we draw shapes in the ashes of thine embers? No? That is not what thou seek of me? Shame. It would have made for a much better ending. Very well then. I shall grant thee thy coveted boon. So look with thine ears. Hear with thine eyes. And know that-

I am OPHIS

I am Older Than Music

What I Bring is the Void

What I Gift Is Eternity

When You See Me

You See the Blank Canvas of Creation

Upon Which Are Painted

The Illusion of Dreams

Encircle Me

Fall Into Me

Embrace Me

And the Silent Nothing

I am OPHIS

I am Older Than Truth

-----

A/N: Yeah, no loli Ophis. Cosmic horror Sharmat intead.