Flesh is Weak

The Fox and the Machine

The sound of wetness on my shoulder made me slowly open my eyes and look around the slowly growing lighter room drowsily before my eyesight grows darker as two black tails floated into my vision. I looked up to see Kuroka in cat form sleeping above my head drooling and as always snoring snot bubbles. A quick glance around me showed that the others were still snoring away cuddled around me for warmth.

Thus began my slow way of detangling myself from them. It was a long process but by the time I was done more rays of sunlight were streaming into the room. Even after the cold shower I was still a bit drowsy. I actually fumbled a bit with the more formal clothes I was going to use for today when I felt a hand in my shoulder. I looked over to see Raynare in her sleepshirt and shorts there also looking tired. Despite that she helped me readjust the clothes before she started waking up. She slipped her hand into mine and whispered something to me as the two of walked to the door.

"Something big will happen today my Great King along with possibly something else. My sibling saw that but not what late last night when you were making bionics. She held it in seeing how tired you were and told me to tell you."

I didn't register that for a moment then my mind kicked on. My red eyes meet her violet ones and I squeeze her hand.

"Rodger that. Thank you Ray."

Raynare squeezed my hand hard before she yawned cutely making me let out a low chuckle. I kissed her cheek and pulled her down towards the kitchen.

It seems that Maéva and Neri were enjoying a lazy day of sleep so Raynare and I made breakfast together. When we finished we ate at the island together with her on my lap and snuggling into my chest. My head was on her shoulder and we enjoyed the silence as we ate. We were cleaning up dishes when Neri came into the kitchen and blinked twice seeing us. I turned my head her way and smiled at my maid.

"Good Morning Neri."

My maid smiled a tiny bit

"Good morning milord."

She began moving around the island and just as she was about to start cooking something when I told her.

"I would like your assistance later today in applying bionics with Rias and me in the underworld. I would also appreciate it if you can when you have free time teach the skill and how to work the flesh regrowth machines to Saiyo and to Asia. We will be having a lot of people who need them brought to us soon."

Neri was silent only for a moment before a big smile crossed her face.

"I would love to help and teach this milord."

I get a smile on my face hearing that and let my maid see that. Neri began making breakfast for the others and that was not a moment too soon as the first people in Kiya and Azura began stumbling into the kitchen. Azura was the more awake of the two and I saw my pawn eyeing Kiya in lust/love every so often. That was amusing and I gently cough getting her attention.

"Azura."

Azura looked at me with a curious look and I continued.

"I would like you to set aside time this evening for a training session down in the new training room in the underworld manor. I know Kiya has shown you the machine and I am curious about what symbol you clicked most with."

Azura took on a look of surprise before she thought on it.

"The symbol that spoke to me was a yellow bird wing with a talon. Who had that?"

I raised an eyebrow there.

"That symbol belonged to a group of Astartes called the Emperor's Children. They were the embodiment of perfection in everything, and it was also what led to their downfall. Their style with your power of speed will be quite effective once you master it."

Azura listens in fascination to this and Kiya who was now a little more awake said from over at the island.

"You get better and better each time we spar Azura-chan. Your power of speed is no joke and if you promote to a knight along with keep practicing you could be even stronger than me."

Azura blushed a pretty red and looked at Kiya who had turned to start eating in very hard love/lust now. The pureblood was feeding her pride and went to sit with Kiya as Neri laid out more food. As she made her way over there, I noticed that Azura almost had enough courage to try sitting in his lap. She however hesitated at the last moment and then sat next to him instead.

The two started eating and then more people began drifting in. Shirone and Murayama walked in then Thoron and Kiryuu. Then came Rias and Ravel who were quietly discussing something. The two settled down to eat and I was surprised that Serafall wasn't here yet. That feeling continued as fifteen minutes passed without her arrival as I got a power sword from the armory downstairs. Neri laid out a bowl of porridge saying it was for Ingvild. Raynare and I take the bowl and began moving to the stairs to see if Ingvild was awake and get my promised visit with her today.

As Raynare and I stepped into the room we found Ingvild awake in her bed with her face looking up at the bed canopy. She was entertaining herself by having the clockwork bird on her side table warbling a song.

"Since here on earth each soul 

Gives someone

Its music, its ardour,

Or its perfume;

Since here all things

Will always give

Their thorns or roses

To those they love;

Since the breeze gives

To the branch the bird;

And dawn to the periwinkle

Gives of its dew;

Since when they come

To settle there,

The briny waves

Give the shore a kiss;

I give you, at this hour,

Inclining over you,

The finest things

I have in me.

Accept, then, my thoughts,

Sad though they be,

Which like drops of dew

Come to you as tears.

Accept my countless vows,

O my loves.

Accept the flame and the shade

Of all my days.

My frenzied rapture,

Devoid of all distrust,

And all the caresses

Of my songs."

Ingvild was engrossed in singing this with her eyes closed that she didn't hear us enter or approach. When we were almost at the side of her bed Raynare, and I hear a tiny sigh from Ingvild as she whispered.

"You would approve of him Mama."

Raynare set the porridge down and that noise let Ingvild know someone was here. She opened her orange eyes, and now that I was close enough see something that is troubling. There are a few deep bags under them but before I could say anything about them Ingvild's bird warbled.

"Good morning, Ray. Good morning Gregor."

Raynare helped moved Ingvild into an upright position and said with a kind voice.

"Your singing is really good Ing."

Ingvild blushed red hearing this and I confirmed it.

"If your singing is that good through the bird then I'm interested in hearing it when your voice recovers."

That deepens the blush on Ingvild's face.

"I'm only ok at it. Mama was one of the best opera singers in Paris before she met Papa. I will never be as good as her."

I hear the grief in Ingvild's voice as her eyes closed before I gently put my hand in one of hers and squeezed it gently. Ingvild took the silent empathy here before her eyes open again and lingered on my face for a few seconds before she asked Raynare.

"Are we going to continue watching that movie series? I really like it so far especially the brave hobbits."

Raynare bobbed her head yes as she began helping Ingvild to eat and I promise her something.

"I can get you some of what is called an audio book for the Lord of the Rings. A person would read it out to you and the books are beyond good. Especially the big anthology book called the Simrillon."

Ingvild finished her bite of porridge, and her bird tilted its's head.

"I would appreciate that immensely. Do you know where the writer came from?"

I get a small smile smirk.

"The writer is from your country's famous rivals in the British."

Ingvild heard the tease, and her bird warbled back in a tease too.

"I see the Les goddons. I suppose they can produce things of culture sometimes too."

I want to snicker and continue to tease the British.

"Sometimes they do. Their new big thing is stabbings without having licenses to do that."

Ingvild, it seems was fun sharing some of my humor as she huffed in amusement at that before Raynare fed the other a spoon of porridge. I was about ready to ask her about the bags under her eyes when the door opened and Maéva poked her head in.

"Young master the guest has arrived to collect you."

That made me sigh and put the bags issue away for now as I began making my way to the door. I turn back to Raynare and Ingvild before smiling gently.

"I'll drop in tomorrow when I have some free time."

Ingvild was having another bite of her food as her bird warbled.

"I will look forward to that. Have a good day Gregor."

With that I said I exited the room and head downstairs.

In the front hall standing near the front door was Serafall and what she's doing is amusing. She was currently in her magic girl outfit summoning sparkles for a very hard fanboying Kiya who had a jealous Azura next to him and an amused Rias peering at the trio from from the kitchen entrance. The sparkles moved and soon formed the words for my biggest fan. Seeing that Kiya shrieked deep in the fanboying before he froze and fell unconscious. He hit the floor with a thud and again Azura ran to help her crush up.

Serafall was enjoying this immensely and made the sparkles disappear with a wave of her wand before her business suit returned as she saw me waiting for her. I give Serafall an apologetic look as my paranoia kicked in remembering Xenovia's prediction.

"Am I allowed to carry a sword with me to this meeting?"

Serafall blinked twice then looked at the sword on my hip.

"You can but it really is unnecessary. Er-Kyoto is a very safe place, and we would be under Lady Yasaka's protection of guest rights."

Despite that reassurance I stayed still till Serafall sighed and nodded. I was about ready to leave when saw out of the corner of my eyes the rest of the queens save Kuroka and Raynare at the kitchen entrance with Rias. My eyes turned soft as I saw them.

"I will see you all later. I love you."

The five of the smiled wide and returned that.

"We love you too."

I gaze at them for a second before following after Serafall who now has the door open and the two of us exited the home. As the two of us walked towards the clump of trees on the property grounds Serafall would eye the sword every so often before she would get a strangely happy yet also somewhat guilty face. I can't understand why she has that look and as we hit the tree line Serafall opened a portal and the two of us stepped through.

Inside Serafall's office building I was given five minutes to make myself presentable before a devil illusion spell was thrown on the power sword before the two of us departed out onto the streets of Kyoto. The streets were packed with people and soon Serafall and I were just two of hundreds of people. Soon the two of us began approaching a park with a ton of trees that was about fifteen minutes from Serafall's building. We continue down one of the park walkways into the shade of them and as we drew closer to the center of the park I see a massive lake with a medium sized island in the center of it. On that island were multiple buildings most of whom were temples to the Shinto. There were three bridges connecting the island to the rest of the park and as we crossed the biggest one, I froze for a half second. I recognized this bridge. It was the one that Issei would have fought the Hero Faction on.

Serafall noticed my freeze and turned to look at me. I broke from the freeze and started moving again though now I was watching the trees for signs of the Hero Faction. Nothing stood out as Serafall, and I continued to walk. When we reached the edge of the bridge Serafall turned left and began moving toward a building that looked like a gift shop. I followed her and once we entered the building through a wall of beads the inside was small and humble. It was indeed a gift shop as there were multiple tourist trap items scattered across the shelves. Behind the counter and next to the register was a woman with long white hair in a ponytail wearing a shrine maiden outfit. Her ice blue eyes fell on us and she put on a fake smile.

"Welcome to my store. How may I help you today?"

Serafall sniffed before she said.

"We would like a Kiyomizu fox please."

The woman remained professional and bowed.

"I see right this way please. Our best stuff is in the back."

The woman stepped out from behind the counter and led the two of us to the back part of the shop trough another doorway. Once we were through, she closed the door behind us and then a surprise thing happened. She began to grow white feathers on her arms and pressed a button that looked like a light switch. That made the back wall of the room being sinking into the floor to show a hidden room with crackling portal. The now very obvious swan youkai kept her fake smile.

"Give me three minutes to inform the portal guard that the Lady has visitors and that she is to get your escort."

Serafall gave the swan a nod and the woman entered the portal. It was then the strange look on Serafall again appeared and then disappeared just as quickly though of it lingered. I eye her back wondering what that look is all about. We waited for exactly three minutes before the swan youkai returned from the portal and bowed.

"The escort is here."

Serafall gave the swan a smile before she began to move towards the crackling yellow portal with me less than a step behind her.

On the other side, we landed in a room that was the same as the one we left. Standing near the door was a tengu woman dressed in a shrine maiden outfit though she did have a katana on her hip. She eyes us with her beady black eyes before she opens the door and lets us through. However just as we were about to pass through the door, she frowned putting herself in the doorway.

"Drop the spell on him."

Serafall did and the tengu eyes the power sword. She slowly moved her hand toward the katana on her hip before Serafall intervened.

"According to Ordnance 19862 guests are allowed weapons even under guest rights. He however won't draw it, or I will drown him myself."

The tengu eyes Serafall again for a few moments before she retracts her hand and steps out of our way. As we pass her the tengu kept her beady black eyes on me and Mimic as I take the looks. Serafall and I stepped into the gift shop, and we were met by a tall oni in fancy crimson armor carrying a naginata. He took one look at us before he gestured us to follow him.

Outside the shop we were again on an island in the middle of a lake with the Shinto temples though this time instead of humans the crowds were all youkai of various shapes and forms. The oni led us over to where nine more of his kind were waiting in the crimson armor of what must be the royal guards of Yasaka. The ten oni surround us with the captain at the head of the formation before he turned to Serafall.

"Her Grace is waiting for you at the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Don't try to leave our group."

The captain waits for our answer which Serafall and I returned.

"Of course."

With that the escorts and us began moving through the crowds before we crossed the bridge over to the rest of the park. As we walked a noticed one of the oni really didn't like me. He would glare at me every so often tightening his grip on his spear. Despite his obvious dislike of me he was clearly a consummated professional and held it in. I put him out of mind as exit the park. As we left the shade of the trees, I gape for a second seeing that Er-Kyoto was indeed made in a 1930-1940 style. There were no skyscrapers or the hint of smog here yet like the real Kyoto the streets were packed. The ten oni began leading us through the crowds and up several streets. In that fifteen minutes of walking up the cobblestone streets the crowds of youkai would glance at us in curiosity for a moment before they turned away. However, there were dozens of nekomatas that would glare at Serafall in dislike or sometimes outright hate. They'd hiss at her, and some bared their teeth as their tails wagged. They were mostly women but there were more males than I would have thought.

Serafall didn't react to them before she saw something that made her smile. That something made me roll my eyes when a small group of eight nekomata teens outside a shop caught sight of our group. They froze looking at Serafall angrily ready to hiss at her before they glance at me. Then the eight suddenly got heart shaped pupils and their tails made a heart too. As we passed them, I heard the apparent leader of the group a nekomata with two tails and silver hair sigh dreamily.

"That's a warrior nya. My kittens would be strong with him~"

The other nekomatas echoed that sentiment and then began giggling like schoolgirls. The noise made Serafall strangely get a smug face while Alex growled at me in hate calling me a lucky ass.

I swat him away saying we have two nekoshou which are rarer and more beautiful than this so stop being a horny idiot. That shuts him up however he strayed away from me to watch the nekomatas for a few seconds before he came back to me when we hit the top of the street. At the top of said street was a huge flat area that held this palace. The massive structure was a mix of red and yellow with a very high brick wall surrounding it with steel spikes at the top. The oni escorted us across the street toward the wall before our group began moving parallel with the wall. I felt the ward strength here and was impressed. It was almost as strong as my manor's wards before I noticed something at the corner of the street.

The ward stone at the corner of the scheme was inside a fox statue and the stone was partly damaged. Not in a way that would be obvious to most people, but it would when cracked right break the entire scheme. Serafall noticed my gaze as did the unfriendly oni as he narrowed his eyes at me. His hand gripped his spear, and I quickly calmed his growing tension.

"Apologies sir. I just felt the ward scheme here and I am quite impressed. It is stronger than any other I have felt so far. The warder must be a master at his work."

The oni froze for a half second as a tiny smile of pride crossed his face before the scowl returned. We continue moving and soon were about to turn the corner of the street. As the twelve of us turned the corner I saw on the other side of the street a large number of two-story warehouses that were facing the front of the palace. They each had a window over their entrance, and I get the feeling all of a sudden, I am being watched. That feeling lingered for a few seconds before I shrugged it off as paranoia. The twelve of us continue to the front gate and there five tiger youkai standing on the other side of the guard in their crimson armor began opening the gate and saluting the oni captain.

The steel gate opened and as we stepped onto another cobblestone path, I saw that there was a large number of guards out on the palace grounds. They were doing detailed patrols and I again felt like someone was watching me. I looked around to see this watcher only to see looking at me from one of the windows of the palace a kitsune with nine tails. She was mostly covered by shade thus I couldn't make her out clearly before she turned from the window.

I quickly turned my head from the scene and followed the captain and Serafall into the palace. As we approach the front door to the palace proper five tiger youkai and five tengus stood on either side of the door carrying naginatas. The ten salute the oni captain before said captain pushes open the yellow-red doors and we entered the palace proper.

The front hall was large and ornately decorated with fox motifs everywhere. The furniture and the decorations were however not vain in appearance as I look at them. The oni continued leading us down the hall and we passed by a few palace servants who were swan youkai or nekomatas. We also passed three kitsunes who were in shrine maiden uniforms of white who stared at Serafall and I. We continued down the hallway till we reached another set of doors with elven more guards. Of those eleven guard's half were tengus and the other half oni or tiger youkai though the odd guard stood out. Especially because he was the largest oni I have ever seen at almost an ogryn height. He was in the most ornate and heavily decorated armor carrying a massive kama scythe. This oni looked down on the escort captain and grunted in a harsh voice.

"I will take it from here Dai."

The captain saluted.

"Yes Suten-sama."

The other oni saluted and then led by their captain marched off leaving Serafall and me with this Shuten. The oni's black eyes looked at the two of us before he called to the other guards.

"Open the doors."

The guards did so without hesitation and slowly the big doors opened to reveal a massive great hall with wooded columns supporting archways and what looked like second floor balconies. The biggest columns supported an archway that at the top of it had a rising sun and storms motif at the far end of the hall. Below the archway there was a beautiful wooden throne on a raised platform with three smaller thrones behind it by two steps. At each of the wood columns there were two guards all either tiger men, tengus, or oni standing as still as statues.

Behind them on both sides of the hall were multiple youkai who were dressed like nobles, and they watched in interest as Shuten led Serafall and me toward the thrones. The massive oni then stopped us a few steps away from the thrones and turned to face us. Then a series of flutes and harps started playing some haunting music from somewhere and then three people walked out onto the platform.

The one leading the three was Yasaka dressed in an elegant flowing yellow dress that was dragging behind her with her nine tails sticking up straight behind her. She looked exactly like the cannon version of her with blond round eyebrows with fox ears out before a long ponytail. She looked at Serafall and I with her golden yellow eyes that held vast intelligence and maturity in them. She kept watching us as she took a seat on the wooden throne and was followed by the two other kitsune. The second kitsune was a fully grown and adult Kunou dressed in a similar dress to her mother who looked to be twenty-two with the only difference in her appearance being she had a tiny bit more red in her mostly blonde ponytailed hair. She was watching us too particularly me in interest with her gold yellow eyes as her sister sat down next to her. That third kitsune was the one from last Saturday as her yellow-red hair was also done up in a ponytail. Like her twin sister and her mother, she was also dressed in noble clothes. She also had her gold yellow eyes focused on me and she raised her eyebrows for a moment before she returned to her noble face.

Shuten let the music die down before he said loudly and proudly to the room.

"Presenting Lady Yasake Queen of all youkai of Japan, her Heir Princess Kunou, and her second daughter Princess Kiyomi."

The noble youaki along with Serafall did an elegant half bow that I copied and when we came up there was a tiny smile on Yasaka's face. Her eyes focused hard on me for a moment before they fell on Serafall.

"Ambassador Leviathan. Welcome back to my palace."

Serafall stayed professional.

"It is an honor to be back her your grace. I hope that today's talk can lead us both to a new and prosperous future."

Yasaka had the smile grow by a micro bit before her eyes fell on me again as she spoke to Serafall.

"Is this the warrior who defeated my treacherous cousin?"

Serafall steps to the side to let me approach the platform.

"This is him. Allow me to introduce Gregor Astaroth Heir to House Astaroth of the Seventy-two Pillars. He who is also the Chikatetsu no eiyū."

The room's occupants froze as the once still guards now snapped their heads all at once to look at me in shock. Shuten eyes me too now in interest as his right hand tightens on his kama. The youkai nobles now started whispering frantically to one another as Yasaka, Kunou, and especially Kiyomi all looked at me again harder. Kunou and Kiyomi started whispering to each other while Yasaka got a wide secretive smile on her face. Her gold eyes looked me up and down before they settled on my face. She then turned her eyes fully on me and like with Cilissa there were multiple sets of eyes. We two divine champions look at each other and the unknown smile on Yasaka grew even wider.

"You are a hero Chikatetsu no eiyū-kun. You killed the monster who helped murder ten thousand people of Japan which included many youkai. I will make sure your deed will be forever remembered here in my court and after this meeting in Er-Kyoto. Name any boon you want and I will grant it to you."

The nobles stopped whispering shocked by this while the guards and Suten looked dumbfounded. Kunou and Kiyomi continue whispering to one another as their mother said this. The room was silent for a moment as my red eyes fell on Yasaka's gold.

"As much as I would like to take one your grace, I didn't do my deed for boons. I did it because it was the right thing to do and for the people who were denied justice. If I must take a boon, then let it be that you go into the new talks with Lady Leviathan with an open mind"

Yasaka grinned wider than ever before as her eyes fell on Serafall who was looking at me out of the corner of her eyes in disbelief along with the youkai in the room. Serafall got ready to say something when Yasaka let out a twinkling laugh.

"Consider it done. I see you are indeed exactly as the Shinto said you are. A true hero. It is surprising that one like you would be as such given the two halves of you. My daughter Kiyomi told me what you did last Saturday for the Principal Clans. Thanks to you the relationship between youkai and them has reached a new and never before seen high of cooperation and respect. Especially after they informed us, they would never again use the Naltepen hex in seal or magic form."

The room let out more gasps as the nobles here frantically whispered that to one another. They won't need the hex if they have the las gun and power weapons was my thought. Serafall sends me a thank you look along with now a tiny look of guilt for something. Yasaka kept that wide unknown smile looking at me and Serafall.

"I will begin talks with you Lady Leviathan after the other thing we discussed earlier this week is sorted out now that I am sure of it. Suten please lead them to the gardens. I have someone I have to speak with before I will join them."

The massive oni slammed his beefy arm over his chest.

"At once your grace."

Yasaka got up along with a still whispering together Kunou and Kiyomi. The three kitsune left the hall the same way they came in and with heir departure Suten began moving towards a side door of the hall as Serafall and I followed behind him. The crowd continued whispering and eyeing me as we left the great hall and entered a hallway.

As we walked down it Serafall leaned in close to me.

"You didn't have to do that but thank you."

Our footsteps were echoing along with the armored boots of Suten and I give Serafall a shrug.

"You said as long as the Legio helps you with your job you'd support it. Well, that was me doing that, so the talks go right this time."

Serafall let lose an actual smile before the guilt returns for a second then fades fast as she returned to her professional look.

"Again, thank you for that."

The two of continued to follow Suten until he stopped by a sliding paper door and opened it to reveal a garden with several big sakura trees and a large koi pond complete with a bridge going over it. Suten who I was now pretty sure was Yasaka's champion led us over to one of said sakura trees where several pillows and a table were laid out. Once we were there the oni gestured to the left side of the table. Serafall and I kneel before the oni moved towards another set of sliding doors.

There was dead silence as we waited, and my paranoia grew worse and worse as I thought about the ward stone and that bridge. I am now pretty sure that the event Xenovia saw was the Hero Faction launching their attack today. That worry was growing, and I get ready to explain to Yasaka that one of the wardstones was almost cracked in a respectful way. The silence continued and as I was plotting how to do this Serafall whispered to me.

"I am calling in my favor soon."

I heard that and shrugged absent mindedly as I began looking around the courtyard to make defenses for Yasaka and that planning almost made me miss the sound of a door opening. My eyes turned to see Yasaka coming into the gardens from the door Suten was at with Kunou and Kiyomi. Yasaka was carrying two scrolls and was still wearing her unknown smile though it was now at full power looking at me. Kunou was eyeing me along with Kiyomi and the three kitsune kneel on the pillows facing us. As they did that a swan youkai came into the gardens from the same door as the trio of kitsunes with a tea set and some shokupan bread.

As the servant laid out cups and plates pouring the tea I was about done with my plan for defending Yasaka, Kunou and Kiyomi. When the swan after setting the large teapot on the table my eyes refocused and noticed something. There was one more pillow on Yasaka's side of the table along with an empty teacup before it. Yasaka saw my gaze and kept smiling her unknown smile.

"We will be having my youngest daughter Hana join us in a bit."

That got a nod before Yasaka brought the scroll she had been carrying with her up onto the table and it was then that Kiyomi spoke looking at it.

"Are you certain about this Mother?"

Yasaka gives her middle child a fond look.

"I am Kiyomi. This will be a big step forward for youkai and for devils and help with the current and future talks that Himura ruined."

Kiyomi sighed still looking at the scroll in wary caution then turning to glare at me as Kunou spoke now with a slightly optimistic tone.

"Mother made sure this was done well and right, Yomi. I know you have been worrying about this for the last few days."

Serafall was looking at the scroll in Yasaka's hands and I was about to ask why she was doing that when another set of footsteps was heard. Then from the open paper sliding door came another kitsune. This kitsune was my age and had long crimson hair with only a few bits of blonde in it. She looked nervously around the garden with her golden eyes about something and that look grew again when she saw us. She gulped and blushed slightly and slowly began to make her way over to us with her nine tails in an upright position.

This must be Hana, and I looked at her in curiosity. My gaze at her seemed to put a bigger blush on Hana's face as she looked away from me. Hana kneeled next to her mother and Yasaka put a reassuring hand on her youngest's shoulders. Haha seemed to get a bit of courage there looking up at Serafall and me and this made Yasaka smile as she passed the second scroll to Serafall.

Serafall takes the scroll and opened it up. I couldn't see what was on it and Yasaka was just wearing that unknown smile as she looked at me and the scroll. Finally, Serafall finished reading and closed the scroll.

"We can accept all these terms. Some of them are a bit redundant as I told you earlier this week, but I understand why they are there."

Yasaka shrugged.

"I had to be sure just in case you and they were wrong. However, you and they were right about him and in more ways that you can't understand. This should show that I am serious about talks and improving our relations."

Serafall nodded and it was then I ask confused.

"What is on the scroll and what terms?"

Hana blushed beet red and looked away from the table as Kunou and Kiyomi looked at their sister then me with optimism or frustration. All the while Yasaka smiled wide with that unknown look and then gave a nod to Serafall.

"Show him the scroll."

Serafall hesitated for a moment before she passed the scroll to me. I take it in caution before unfolding it myself. As soon as I saw the top part of it I dropped my mouth to the floor in pure shock.

It was a betrothal contract for me and Hana. My red eyes grew to saucer plates as I stared at it in utter shock. Yasaka wanted to do what! My heart pounding and I felt wrath building in me for Serafall being a rat yet that wasn't my biggest problem. My mind which had been all but expecting the Hero Faction attack all this time now asked a question. Was this the major event Xenovia saw. Then what had been the other possible event!

Hercules was finishing the last parts of his planned attacked as he looked at the one hundred fifty of his force that had been smuggled into Er-Kyoto. They had gotten into the city thanks to a bribed tengu that had left a portal to it unguarded and close to their planned attack site. That same tengu also helped Hercules last night by leading him to the ward stone at the edge of the scheme. Hercules had cracked it being a master ward breaker thanks to a past life. Everything was going to plan, and they were positioned in a warehouse across from the palace of Lady Yasaka ready to begin their operation. Hercules was discussing final changes to the plan with several of the sub commanders of the force. When he was done and dismissed them, he sighed seeing something.

His second in command in Fredrick was hyping up a huge number of the strike force who were from his sub-faction with promises of bloodshed and revenge on the filthy inferior youkai. Frederick's people lapped it up with many of them wearing eager faces. Hercules sighed in distaste as while he agreed with that a bit on some level it also made people cocky assuming that stance. Fredrick's sub faction often lost new recruits to it because of that arrogance yet he would need that energy for this assault. He moved from where his loyalists were as they checked their sacred gear to the second floor of the warehouse above the entrance. It was there that two of his people were on lookout at the windows. The man and woman were twins who were both gear users but not reincarnated heroes. They shared half of the same gear called steel skin that strengthens their bodies. Hercules had saved the two from strays in Greece recently and both were loyal to him and Cao Cao.

The spokesperson for the two was a young woman named Sofia, and she turned to face Hercules.

"The palace has triple the guards they normally would have today."

That had been said in English with a slight Greek accent which made Hercules frown. The information the monkey youkai had given him was the guard rotation, ward strengths, and guard numbers. There were usually only eighty guards on duty on Saturdays. Why were there suddenly more today? Hercules peered through the window to see that the number of tengus, oni and tiger youkai that made up Yasaka's guard were indeed out in force patrolling the palace grounds. Hercules turned from the window and began to reevaluate his plan with Sofia only to be broken from this when Mihail the other twin said in confusion.

"Who the hell are they?"

Hercules came over to the window with Sofia and then froze. There coming around the corner of the street and moving towards the gate that led to the grounds of the palace were ten oni surrounding two very dangerous people. One was Serafall Leviathan in a business suit and the other was the Chikatetsu no eiyū in Gregor Astaroth who was in formal clothes. Hercules looked at the other hero and noticed the green haired man had one of his swords on his hip. He kept watching the twelve move up the steps of the palace. When they were gone from sight Hercules was silent thinking about the most recent report from Connla about the other hero. He weighed his options and thought of the big picture before he said to Sofia while still staring at the palace entrance.

"We are calling this off. Tell the others we are packing up."

Mihail and Sofia looked at him in alarm now as Sofia asked in a confused voice.

"Why? Those are just two people we can get through them and the guards we just have to be…"

Mihail and Sofia were new to their faction and the supernatural world. Hercules turned to the two.

"Those two people are very dangerous. The woman is Serafall Leviathan one of the four Satan kings of the devils. The other is the Chikatetsu no eiyū the Avenger of Ten Thousand Souls from the Tokyo subway gas attack. He is a very skilled warrior with a Longinus like Cao Cao and a hero like all of us. If we attack them plus the reinforced guard, we will get slaughtered."

Both looked at him now in alarm searching for a lie. When they found none, Mihail for once was more talkative than his sister.

"I'll tell the others."

The young man moved downstairs, and Sofia looked at Hercules and had picked up the hidden thing.

"We want him in the faction don't we if he's a hero like us."

Hercules nodded.

"Yes along with his small but extremely deadly personal army who would follow him anywhere. He has weapons and armor for that army that outclass many factions in the supernatural world and some of them are extremely brutal. When I mean we want them and him I mean it. This hero is a technological genius who has made fully autonomous robots, is a holy sword user, and a divine champion of an unknown god. Our chances of doing our ultimate goal are vastly better with him and his people than without them."

Sofia gapped at knowing this and began to shake while frowning.

"Robots are real?"

Hercules nodded.

"They are. His robots helped him, and his army destroy an entire cadre of fallen angels completely two weeks ago."

Sofia was beyond shocked at this revelation before she grew confused.

"Why is a human hero with a devil then? They are all evil monsters."

Hercules hesitated only for a second before he admitted the truth.

"He's a human-devil hybrid. Despite that fact, he is a hero that has fought and tamed the darker half of him. I know that as I saw part of the battle with the fallen and what he has done to make the world safer before that. I'll show you and the others the recording we have of a ratings game of his. You will understand why I say this and how outclassed we would be if we fought him here with the Satan and the guards."

Sofia prepared to ask something when a massive loud snarl came from downstairs.

"What do you mean we are pulling out! The fox bitch and her spawn are right there! We are ready to go and secure vengeance!"

That was Frederick and Hercules sighed having expected this. He gave Sofia a we will talk later look and moved down to confront the other.

Frederick looked ready to punch Mihail in half with his above average strength twice critical gauntlet that was an already unusual color madedarker in the dim light of the warehouse. Behind Fredrick were his sub faction people all wearing pissed off faces with some having also summoned gear weapons. Mihail was facing Frederick with the others loyal to Hercules watching indecisively from the sides. Frederick got ready to punch the other man in half and was only stopped by Hercules's voice.

"We are pulling out Fredrick. There is triple the guards than normal and two very dangerous people here now. I'm not going to throw our people into something we can't win."

That made some of Fredrick's people look nervous yet didn't seem to register to the grey-haired young man.

"We can beat them and the fox bitch! We are supposed to be heroes not fucking cowards! We swore to end their tyranny at any cost, and I am willing to pay that!"

That reinvigorated Fredrick's people and even made some of Hercule's supporters look convinced for a moment before Hercules cut in.

"We did swear that yet who will protect the rest of the world if we throw our lives away?"

That made the room freeze except for Frederick as Hercules continued.

"The supernatural think of power first foremost and always. They haven't lived our human lives where they are prey. Our greatest strength as humans has and always been our numbers. Because of our numbers we care more about our fellows in ignorance and each other than they do their own kind. Despite what the rest of the degenerate fucks in the Brigade say of how we use brainwashing for our faction the truth is as you all know we don't. We all joined willingly to stop their tyranny because we have all experienced it firsthand. Yet here we would willingly be hurting more people by charging in as we waste our lives. We are pulling out for them in ignorance not cowardice. If you want to charge in and waste your lives, then do as is your right but know that each one of you that dies here means that multiple people don't have that shield you are to protect them. Then the supernatural will take their pound of flesh as they always do this time even easier than before."

That shames Fredrick's people as those who had drawn weapons now wobble as the fight was blown out of them remembering their stories and or families. Hercules's people looked at the man in respect and understanding now before Hercules turned to them.

"Pack up now. We leave in ten."

That said Hercules made his way back to Sofia with Mihail and several of the sub commanders to talk while the others began getting ready to pull out. Fredrick was shaking in rage hearing all of this and that grew brighter and hotter as more and more of his people began leaving. One by one at first then in large groups as they get ready for this cowardly retreat. Soon he was only left with only one person. A woman named Kilian who was new to the Hero Faction having only joined last Sunday. The strawberry-blonde woman approached Fredrick and put a hand on his shaking shoulder. Then her voice came out smoothly like silky chocolate.

"You understand what we need to do to be free of their tyranny. The others will eventually see that and will regret this cowardly retreat when we were so close. You would have beaten one of the new arrivals down into the ground. He would have been no match for you."

Frederick was still shaking before he punched downward and broke the floorboards in his rage. He kept breaking more and more of the boards and as Fredrick did this Kilian was not shocked or intimidated. She instead was smiling wider and wider watching this scene before Fredrick closed his gauntlet into a fist and broke one last floorboard. He huffed and puffed for a second before he stomped away to where the others had all gone. He would get some of his most loyal people together and plan something for here in Japan. That fox bitch would get what should have happened to her today.

Kilian was left alone in the warehouse looking the destruction Fredrick had left. As she stood in the silent warehouse, she grinned ultra wide before her brown eyes flashed blue three times.