Gaming Badly in DxD

Quick A/N: In the last chapter, I messed up and described one of the Exorcists as ‘Silver-haired’. I have now since changed it to Blonde because this was supposed to be Griselda, lol.

-X-x-X-

-Griselda Quarta-

Being completely truthful, this was not an outcome I anticipated.

‘’The food was delicious, thank you very much.’’ Xenovia bowed her head slightly to the Fallen girl in front of us, who merely shrugged it off.

‘’Eh, we are accustomed to feeding gluttons. There’s no problem.’’ She waved off boredly.

‘’Like yourself, Mittelt?’’ The four-armed woman replied with a polite smile. Making the girl sputter and start throwing a multitude of impolite words her way. ‘’Fufufu~’’

In a single day, we had found the source of the two ‘’problems’’ that apparently roamed around Rome.

The first one was a ‘bug lady’ that scared some civilians off, and by the appearance of the one named ‘Chrys’, it was safe to assume that it was her.

I, personally, have never seen a creature like her. My first instinct was to believe she was a Yokai. However, the lack of spiritual energy coming from her was what conflicted with that theory.

A bit of small talk revealed a few things, especially since Mittelt and Chrysalis were not opposed to using small details to taunt each other. One such detail was how new Chrys was to their little group.

‘Meaning that, those scared civilians were probably the result of Chrysalis here not knowing how to hide properly.’ I thought, fingers playing with my exorcist robes to pass the time. ‘That makes it easier. However, there’s still the matter of that… Deus.’

Which, in my opinion, was much worse than whatever problem the bug lady may have proved to be.

If the Deus was, in fact, simply one of the Olympians, then it would be of no matter. However, the agents that were scared off couldn’t sense a proper, or more likely, and abundant well of Divine or even Holy Energy. Meaning that, this ‘Zatren’ the girls talked about is probably a newly ascended Godling.

The problem with this is… the personality of this individual.

If he somehow offends an Olympian, it could cause a mess in the whole capital. One the Church may be dragged into, if not for the safety of civilians, then by the strict orders of the higher-ups. Basically, a lose/lose situation.

What we had to do was ‘scout him out’. See how he behaves, and if he proves to be problematic… either dissuade or dispose of him.

I clutched my robes at the bitter thought. The act of Deicide was not one I would ever want to commit. After all, from the small interaction and the way he spooked the other two church agents, the chance of him being an evil god was slimming by the minute. If anything, he may be a trickster at worst.

But if it was necessary to kill him… I would do so.

‘’They are quite lively.’’ Xenovia suddenly hummed to my side. Not even whispering, just stating the fact as she views it, like always. ‘’Like Irina. It’s… nice.’’

At the mention of the girl from the side of the Protestants, I smiled. It wasn’t always that Xenovia got so close to someone for any other reason than training or to exchange pointers. Knowing she was a genuine friend was a relief.

‘’Quite.’’ I nodded simply.

The playful banter between the two women was interrupted when the space around the living room distorted. Immediately, I got up to my feet, hand clutching the weapon hidden below my robes as Xenovia did the same with her Excalibur.

‘’Ah, finally. The idiot took way too long to appear.’’ The Fallen girl huffed while holding her hips in fake annoyance. ‘’It’s not polite to leave your lover or guests waiting for too much, Fumigami!’’

‘Fumigami?’ I frowned in thought. ‘That… That’s the last name of the Deus. Then, is this ripple of their work?’

The ripple in space tore open. Revealing a space that changed colors aggressively. From the tear in reality, a man stepped out. Holding a pike that just at a singular glance screamed ‘dangerous’.

A yawn escaped the Deus’s mouth as he looked around with tired, bored eyes. Then, his gaze landed on me and Xenovia, the latter of whom tensed slightly, ready to jump.

‘’I heard you were looking for me, Church people?’’ Zatren said amicably, yet tiredly.

The ripple in space disappeared completely, like it was never there, and the weapon glowed before changing into a necklace that rested on the man’s neck, making me remember the same effect that Excalibur Mimic has.

‘’I see you have helped yourself to food and drink; that’s good, very good.’’ His eyes glowed bright gold for less than a second, enough to make me believe it may have been a trick of the light. ‘’So, what can I do for you?’’

The tension slowly dissipated at his friendly response. Internally, I hoped that the following conversation would continue like so.

-X-x-X-

-Zatren Fumigami-

Yeah, that is Xenovia. And the woman I didn’t recognize at first is Griselda. Which, if I remember correctly, is somewhat the mother or guardian of the blue-haired girl.

I put a hand over Mittel’s head and patted her with a smile. The pout she was directing at me intensified for a moment before subsiding as she rolled her eyes.

‘’Very well,’’ I turned to the two exorcists, offering a polite smile. ‘’This chat you wish to have, is it supposed to be a private matter, or could my companions here remain?’’

I had a pretty good guess about what they wanted to tell me. Considering how Freed has his hands on not one, but two Excalibur Fragments this time around, I’m going to guess they are either scouting information or directly searching for them. Whatever outcome it was, they wanted me for something.

‘’If you wouldn’t mind.’’ Griselda nodded. Her gaze went from me to Mittelt for no more than a second, but I got the meaning. ‘’We apologize for our rudeness.’’

And, of course, she noticed that I noticed. However, I didn’t mind. It’s not like I was not going to tell them either way. ‘’Mittelt, Chrys. It will be just a quick moment, alright?’’

Mittelt seemed like she wanted to protest, but she remained silent, sent a pointed glance to the two exorcists—Especially Xenovia—Before shrugging and nodding.

As she turned away and deeper into the house, Chrysalis followed right after. They started to chatter in the hallway, and once their steps and voices vanished into the home, I took a deep sigh and took a seat on the chair in front of the women.

I glanced at the table, and the dirty dishes and cutlery before magicking it away. A simple use of math to transport them from the table to the dishwasher. From my Inventory, I took three mugs and a kettle filled with tea.

After my first meeting with Ajuka, I tended to carry a filled kettle for occasions like these. So, with three mugs filled up and the following polite nods from both women, I believed it was time to tackle the matter.

‘’Now,’’ I spoke first before the two women could. ‘’I think I have an idea of why you’re here, but please, go ahead.’’

I glanced at Xenovia, who, contrary to my belief, was quite composed, if a bit too stiff. Was it the result of Griselda’s presence, or something else?

Speaking of which, the mature, platinum-blonde woman was calm and collected. Clearly, the picture of experience. However, I saw some uneasiness in those blue eyes of hers.

Gesturing for her to speak, Griselda nodded and took the chance. ‘’Lord Zatren. First and foremost, I thank you for your quick appearance, but before we divulge our… matter at hand, would it be much to ask which Pantheon do you belong to?’’

I paused, frowning. ‘Lord? Hm… Oh, I remember now! There were some dudes that were spying on me the day I got that purple diamond.’ I didn’t remember much besides saying a shitty one-liner and scaring them off, but now that I’m paying attention, their robes were quite similar to the ones from the women in front of me.

Meaning that I probably scared some Church mooks.

Considering I’m around a Fallen, I believe they want to know if I’m allied with the Grigori. Technically, I’m with the Devils, but no need to tell them that if I want some information, too.

Shrugging, I answered ‘’honestly’’.

‘’It is no problem, Exorcist Griselda, right?’’ I asked. Not really needing a confirmation since I could read her name on her stat page, but I did enjoy the small surprise in the beautiful woman’s eyes. ‘’I belong to Japan. However, I would prefer not to divulge the specifics, if that’s alright with you?’’

Technically, not a lie, I wasn’t really from the Shinto, but I did ascend in Japan.

Immediately, I saw Xenovia frown and clutch her robes tightly. Griselda, however, did not give any outward reaction to my words. Interesting.

‘’…From the Shinto?’’ I heard Xenovia whisper in confusion.

Was it because of how I looked? Well, I haven’t seen any Gods of the Shinto, I didn’t know if they looked or felt different from what I did.

‘’Besides that…’’ I followed up, hands above my head, trying to appear nonchalant. ‘’I am here merely as an escort, you see. Just a paid job.’’

It was a loose hint, but the exorcists seemed to catch on to it nonetheless. However, whether they believed me or not was another matter entirely.

Could they risk it? Probably not. If I were lying—which I was—they still wouldn’t be able to take the truth off me, especially considering we are currently in neutral territory.

And if I were somehow telling the truth, and they tried to press me on either way, then that could mean they would get shit for searching conflict in neutral grounds, risk pissing off someone in the Shinto, which would make some parts of Japan harder to slip into for their agents, and then, I was also going around with a Fallen companion.

In short, trying to threaten or press me was three times the risk than it was worth.

However, there was a third and obvious option: appear to take my words at face value, or actually do so, and then let the matter lie.

But that would mean that there was no guarantee they would tell me anything about their little problem. Would that be a problem? Well… not really.

I didn’t need the Church’s help to stop Kokabiel or any of his ‘’Generals’’, I had Azazel, probably some other Cadres, Vali, Kuroka, and many of my friends that I could push into being stronger by just giving them the Sachi treatment.

Basically, whoop their asses into shape.

‘’I see,’’ Griselda nodded, a friendly smile on her beautiful face. It was a bit strained, but pretty nonetheless. ‘’Then, are we safe to assume that you do not plan on changing locations soon?’’

‘’Very sure, yes,’’ I confirmed, lying with a perfect smile. ‘’However… I can see the hesitation in your eyes, Miss Griselda, Miss Xenovia. You’re not obligated to tell me anything. However, do note that if needed, I could… offer a hand.’’

Griselda took my words in stride; however, there was some confusion on her face, and frowning suspicion on Xenovia’s. After all, I just offered help without even asking what I could help with, nor knowing their problem in general.

Buhhhh… Meta-knowledge, spoooky~

I simply chuckled and waved them off. The cups of tea I had served at the start of the conversation now sat empty. With a smile, I filled them up and even made a plate of cookies appear, much to my amusement as Xenovia locked eyes with the food.

‘’You see, while contracts and dealings are not specifically my thing. I deal in that which is abundant in nature. As such, I am always in search of a deal with someone.’’ I explained, following my theatrics by making a small sphere of holy power dance across my fingers. ‘’And, even while being from the Church, you have been nothing but polite to my… distinguished companions. As such, have this.’’

I would have loved to pull out a contract paper of all things right now. Maybe some sort of Divine Sigil that would serve as direct communication, but I had none of that. Instead, I just slipped the paper with my phone number to the older woman with a wink. ‘’If you’re in a tight spot, I would have no problem in being of help~’’

Of course, it was not like the Church would ask me for something. If anything, help from another ‘God’ would be seen as nothing but a sin, or some dumb shit like that… They did excommunicate people for the most idiotic reasons, last I remember.

‘’Such a thing would be unbecoming.’’ I blinked and glanced to the side. It was Xenovia who had spoken with a determined glint in her eye… and a half-eaten cookie on her hand. ‘’Your generosity is appreciated, Lord of Abundance. However, our mission is somewhat of a private matter to outsiders. Your hospitality and reassurance are more than what we could ask for.’’

…Huh. You know, I remembered Xenovia as a whole less… formal? More hot-headed? Hm. My knowledge is getting spottier each time. After Kokabiel, I don’t think I can even rely on it anymore.

Kind of exciting, actually.

Griselda looked at her protégé with hidden pride. Then, along with her, she bowed her head slightly. ‘’It’s as my companion says. Your words are more than enough.’’

It wasn’t, I could tell. Maybe not Griselda, but I could see the way Xenovia had side-glanced the phone number when I slipped it through the table. There was a non-zero chance that I would get called upon by them.

However, if I didn’t get called, I won’t worry about it too much. To be honest, I had enough on my plate as it is; I didn’t really want to act as mediator between the three fucking factions as a whole, you know?

‘’I see, then.’’ I hummed, before remembering another little detail. One which, while I doubt would end up happening, I tried to prevent all the while. ‘This is Griselda, and not Irina, so I doubt she spends money like an idiot and makes them beg for change on the street, but just to be sure…’

I made two more batches of cookies appear. I was always prepared. I had cookies, pastries, and chocolate of any kind, and it’s not that hard to guess why.

‘’Please, do take these for the journey. Nutrition is important and all, but indulging in moderation and from time to time is no sin, right?’’

After another set of polite thanks, I guided the pair to the door. The conversation sure was short, and while I did most of the talking and got basically no insights on the church’s plans thanks to my obscure answers, I was satisfied.

Xenovia gave me one last, intrigued look before the two went on their merry way. I was kind of glad I didn’t get immediately shoved into a new mess all of a sudden.

All in all, I’ll say this went well. Sure, I could have done without the scare of them suddenly showing up at my door while I was away, but beggars can’t be choosers.

‘Think I’m taking a long shower after this. Does this place have a bathtub? A full bath would be nice…’

-X-x-X-

‘’So, how does this whole Senjutsu thing work?’’ I asked the black-haired catgirl.

Finally, the day was coming to an end. However, before it truly closed up, I had to do Spiritual Training with Kuroka, the idiot catgirl who was my sister-in-law.

And the one that, instead of calling, knocking on the door, hell, even shouting around the house that she had gotten in, decided to sneak up on me while I was showering.

I saw that look in her eye, and avoided her incredible act of seduction (consisting of her taking her clothes off) by spraying her with cold water.

I had never seen a cat girl hiss and hide behind the door like an actual cat before.

After that, we simply settled in the living room, ready for the training session.

‘’Nyow, it's pretty simple. First, close your eyes, and then, well, feel out the cycle of life! Your inner self, you k-nyoh-w~?’’ Kuroka purred while lying on the couch, legs dangling in the air as her tails swished from side to side. ‘’Pretty simple, nyaight?’’

I stared in disappointment. ‘’Please tell me you’re a better teacher than that.’’

Which made her choke on air before pouting. Surprisingly, it looked a lot like when Koneko did, ears flat against her head, puffy tails, and lips pressed into a thin line.

‘’I’m serious, meow! Try iiit!’’ She whined while stretching her hands as far as she could, trying to reach me, which failed awfully short considering I was sitting a few spaces to her side.

‘’Fine, fine.’’ I waved her off.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes, finding that ‘’inner energy’’ inside me. It shouldn’t be hard, considering this was basically the first requirement that Kuroka had asked before she taught me Senjutsu.

Soon, a white glow encompassed my entire body. I opened my eyes and gestured to the Nekoshou. ‘’This enough?’’

Kuroka stared, and then frowned, sitting properly before approaching and then shaking her head. ‘’Nyo, nyo. That’s Touki. It’s a step, and while it is somewhat related to Senjutsu, it isn’t the same, nyah.’’

I raised an eyebrow. ‘’Then…?’’

‘’Hmmm… To put it in simple terms, meow. Imagine you’re a can of tuna—‘’ I deadpanned. ‘’—Don’t look at me like that! Imagine I said, I-ma-gine!’’

‘’Fine,’’ I chuckled, shaking my head. ‘’I’m a can of tuna, so?’’

‘’Yes, yes. Nyow, imagine that Touki is like opening the can and taking the tuna out of it, right? Senjutsu is the complete opposite. You have to bring the fish from outside to the inside! Sure, you’re not a can of tuna anymore, but that’s more or less the concept, nyah~’’ I wanted to tear the self-satisfied grin she had so badly. Because while I more or less understood the analogy, it was still stupid. ‘’Now get to it, prodigy-kun~’’

Rolling my eyes, I sat cross-legged and tried looking inside me again.

I felt my own Spiritual Energy, evasive and sludge-like, slipping through my fingers like always. Yet, instead of focusing on it, I tried looking outward. ‘Opening the can’, like Kuroka said, trying to feel the Life energy outside of my body.

I… kind of felt it. At least, I think I feel Kuroka’s right now?

‘’Good, good.’’ I faltered the moment the Nekoshou whispered into my ear. I hadn’t noticed when she had moved since I was concentrating, but now there was an extra weight on my lap as she kept whispering. ‘’Nyow… try to feel more… outside maybe.’’

Feeling the girl’s butt squirming in my lap, I scoffed. ‘’This feels more seduction than teaching—‘’

‘’No interruptions!’’ She had smacked her open palm on my face, her tone amused. ‘’Focus, focus, nyah~’’

I huffed. In the complete darkness, I could now feel Kuroka’s energy close with mine, probably because of our physical closeness.

There were more things, however. The life energy of a potted plant on the kitchen counter, Chrysalis and Mittelt on the top floor, and even the grass outside the house had its own signature.

Sure, those that belonged to people felt more… vibrant, alive, basically. They moved, felt, and were even perceived differently. For Mittelt, it was like seeing a bird of prey in the open sky, while Chrysalis felt a lot more solid, a constant, restricting feeling.

Kuroka felt mischievous, playful. It's daring for me to try and catch it.

Just like she had said, I tried taking in the energy. It was… slightly less sluggish than with Touki. However, I felt that there was something missing, something very important.

So entranced, I was, that I tried to take in a bit too much, and I lost my focus as my energy brushed against Kuroka’s own. Immediately, every nerve in my body flared up as if a small spark of electricity had spread across my back directly from my spine.

That, and I heard a small yelp, mixed with a moan.

Opening my eyes, I stared befuddled as Kuroka was practically straddling my lap, her barely covered chest pressed against mine while she locked eyes with me.

Her ears stood at attention, twitching at the most minimal contact, while her tails stilled and puffed out. Her eyes, however, had a tiny spark I recognized very much.

Because it was the same one that Koneko had when she got ‘in the mood’.

‘’N-naughty, nyahughty… Brother-in-law…’’ Kuroka whispered, licking her lips while drawing circles on my chest with one finger. ‘’Try not to lose focus again. What you almost did could have sent us into a frenzy of non-stop kitty-making. My, how compatible we are, nyah~’’

Then, all of a sudden, the sexual tension in the air disappeared when Kuroka grinned sheepishly. ‘’Well, that… or you could have broken part of your soul. Be careful, please, and thank you.’’

Dread pooled in my stomach. ‘’That’s fucking horrifying.’’

‘’Isn’t it?! Nyahahaha!’’ She laughed, like I told a particularly funny joke. ‘’In any case, you may need a change of scenery. Being close to nature should help with your Senjutsu, nyah~’’

I hummed, thinking back on where we could go, before an idea came to me. It was a place where I felt most familiar, and it was overflowing with so much nature that I may as well have had the most of the entire planet.

‘’I may have an idea…’’ I got a tilted head from the catgirl. ‘’But first get off my lap, you horny cat.’’

‘’Nyahaha~’’

Do not do the catgirl, Zatren. Have control and resilience, damn you!

-X-x-X-

-Kuroka-

Keeping my hands off my sister’s mate proved to be more difficult than I expected, meow…

This foolish man. Who just decides to brush souls with someone like that?! I felt my entire body shiver and was left all hot and bothered. Why was he so calm about it? He should have flipped me over and put my ass into a mating pr—

‘’Ny-owwww… Why did you do that?!’’ I complained, feeling the stinging pain of my nose getting flicked by the man who was currently meditating by the sand.

The beach was his idea. I’ll give him credit for it. I haven’t considered that a… previously part fish creature? Would have a harder time connecting to the Life Energy cycle if they were far from the sea. Though, being honest, it's not like I taught Senjutsu to a-nyoh-ne before, nyah.

‘’You were thinking in horny.’’ He shrugged, taking a deep breath in an effort to calm himself. ‘’Doing that brushing thing left me a lasting impression. And I can almost hear your horny thoughts. Also, why did you have to be on my lap again?’’

‘’And fill my kimono with sand?’’ I scoffed at the motion, bothering the man by making my ears move, those of which were currently twitching against his cheeks, while his chin rested on top of my head. ‘’And before you ask. I’m not standing up, meow. Think of it as an extra effort in training so as not to lose your concentration, hm?’’

‘’And the reason for this?’’ He whispered huskily, and I had to bite down my lip as a hand clasped my bare tummy in badly hidden eagerness. ‘’…You’re not deceiving anyone, even Koneko is more subtle and she is absolutely shameless.’’

How dare he! I was a master of subtlety! ‘’It’s sensory training, of course. What do you take me for, nyah?’’

‘’Uh-uh. Tell yourself that. Maybe you’ll gaslight yourself into believing it.’’ He huffed amusedly, but clutched my tummy once more.

How unfair… If only I could put his hand higher or lower, nyah…

‘’Haa…’’ Zatren breathed out, and I stilled. Slowly, I turned my head, horniness and the hand clutching my midriff forgotten as I saw the energy, the life force, slowly traveling through the environment. It was like moths to a flame, and with each successful ‘moth’ added, the ‘fire’ began to grow. ‘’Fuhhhh…’’

It was quite the sight, seeing the ‘can’ open. I touched his chest, but he didn’t even react to it. He was focused, maybe even in the ‘zone’ as some people liked to call it. Basically, a state of hyper-focus brought by sudden circumstances.

Using my own proficiency in the Spiritual Arts, I looked inwards. Seeing the man’s very being, how life flowed through him like it was an eternal fountain. He was a Deus, after all, and such beings were more often than not, very close to life energy themselves. Along with his race’s natural lifespan and that of a Devil, it was basically unending.

I went deeper, feeling his personality, his very being. There were the superficial feelings, like arrogance, cockiness, confidence, and unending curiosity.

‘Are those Evil Pieces…?’ I wondered. There were two Rooks, hanging from his soul as if held loosely by a string. Only keeping together thanks to the man’s own will. ‘…Weird.’

Deeper still, there was the very real affection and bond he had for several people, the regrets of some turn of events, the deep intrigue and love for the unknown, the deeply rooted fear of stagnation, and a Greed so deeply rooted inside him that threatened to take away as much as it wanted.

Everything it wanted.

And then, there was a door.

Why was there a door inside his soul? What hidden meaning did it have?

What was behind it?

I could feel two other energies, deeply rooted inside him, watching as I did so. One with interest, the other with amusement, but they didn’t stop me. If anything, they were just as curious as I was.

Curiosity piqued, I grabbed the handle, yet no matter how much I pushed or pulled, the door didn’t open. Like it rejected my advance.

And then it kicked me out.

I blinked, feeling a bead of sweat falling from my face as I stared at the man with new eyes. His concentration went unbroken; he was far too focused on molding the life energy inside of himself.

‘’…Stop messing around,’’ I whispered.

To block me, someone considered a prodigy of the Spiritual Arts, out of his soul as easily as shutting a door, and without even knowing how to use Senjutsu in the first place? This man was an anomaly, sure, but I never believed it to be to such an extent.

‘’That’s so unfair, meow…’’

However, I could see why that scary dragon would be interested in him, nyah. Her goal was so stupidly complicated, but what could we do? Say no? Nyahaha!

No, thank you, I’d prefer to be alive~

Though if there is someone who may be able to achieve that goal of hers, to defeat the Dragon of Dragons… Well, I won’t say Zatren here could, but a month ago I thought that he wouldn’t be able to use Senjutsu, so… He may just drop a-nyoh-ther surprise.

I smiled as the man breathed out once more. The energy around him dissipated, and his body had a layer of sweat all around him. His eyes opened, tired. ‘’So… how’s that?’’

I hummed, lying completely on his chest and looking upwards to stare at those hazel eyes. ‘’Good for a first try, nyah. Though you’re forcing it too much. Like helplessly pouring water down a river using a bucket. Too much effort, almost no difference~’’

‘’You like your analogies… I see.’’ Zatren huffed. Then, a small smile appeared on his face. ‘’Thank you for taking the time, Kuroka.’’

I felt my lips pressing into a thin line, staring directly at his face. The little smile, tired but confident eyes… which tried to hide a bit of hunger.

Was it the cleavage he could gaze from there, or was it my ass squirming all over his lap for the past hour, I wonder…Nyahaha~!

‘’If you want to thank me, you could start by giving me my own kitties~’’ I grinned innocently.

‘’Good try.’’ He teased back, using his only free hand to poke at my ears. ‘’Koneko had a checkup earlier today, by the way. She’s going to have triplets.’’

…

Triplets… as in… three kittens?

MY SISTER WAS HAVING THREE LITTLE KITTENS ALL TO HERSELF? FROM THIS MAN NO LESS?!

I grabbed the hand clutching my tummy, staring intensely at the man. His eyes widened in surprise, but I didn’t care. I put his hand lower and lower. Yet, just before it reached my dripping folds, I asked.

‘’…What would it take to give me my own?’’ I dropped the cat moniker. I was seriously asking, and I think he noticed by the surprise on his face. ‘’I’ll do it.’’

Silence filled the beach. Only the sound of the ocean and our breathing remained. I felt my entire body shiver as his hand clutched me tightly, and I would be an idiot not to feel the hardness I was teasing below my butt for such a long time.

Zatren frowned; he was hesitant. Even when a woman threw herself at him in this way.

This is why I liked the goody-two-shoes the most. Sure, an eager pervert may be fun to tease, but there was an irreplaceable charm about tearing down someone’s hesitation to the point they will bend you over and—

‘’N-nyah?!’’ I faltered, feeling a hand patting my head. I frowned, looking at Zatren’s self-satisfied expression. ‘’N-not like I don’t enjoy some pre-marital ear-scratching, but… what was that for, nyah?’’

‘’You’ll make peace with Koneko. Talk to her; she knows some things about you now. Like the fact that we know each other.’’ The words made me still completely. ‘’She doesn’t need to forgive you; the damage is already done, but I want to give her some peace of mind. Ah, and also teach me how to heal her up properly. If we manage that. I’ll give your Kittens… deal?’’

I bit down on my lips. I didn’t even need to use Senjutsu or read his expressions to know he was telling the truth.

‘…This is why I shouldn’t go for these ones. They trap you in their good nature and make your heart go doki-doki… Just let me be horny, nyahh~’ I mentally complained, but outwardly, I released his hand and instead, grabbed his face and pressed a kiss to his lips. ‘’…Unfair Kami. It’s a deal, and if you go back on it, I’ll destroy your shrine!’’

‘’I don’t have a shrine, though?’’ He chuckled, staring at my lips as they left his own.

‘’Your future shrine, then!’’

‘’Aye, aye…’’

-X-x-X-

-Zatren Fumigami-

‘Senjutsu is so fucking weird, man.’ I thought, and it was true. Being close to the ocean, I felt that ‘’link’’ that was missing back at home. It was like… I won’t say breathing, maybe like stretching a muscle that you fell asleep on?

Basically, I felt a full-body tingle that didn’t have anything to do with how much Kuroka was teasing me all the while.

Did I blue-ball myself? Probably, but if I go around plowing any pretty rear I see…

Well, I may as well change my name to Genghis Khan because I’m not pulling out.

[Senjutsu]

Spiritual arts, or otherwise known as Senjutsu, is the control over the soul. It isn’t magic, and it cannot be really quantified. It all depends solely on the user, and it is closely related to the person’s will and very being.

Senjutsu is able to do many things. Soul Manipulation, Body-Enhancement, Lifespan Restoration, Probability Manipulation. You name it, and it may be able to do it.

However, it is only as good as the user’s sheer talent and effort.

This is the first time I have seen a Skill without any levels. Was it the same with any sort of heavy conceptual ability? Well, I won’t know until I get another one similar.

But something did scratch my curiosity as I made my way back.

‘This is the second time an ability of mine is closely related to soul manipulation, with the first one being my Deus nature… Could that help me out in repairing the Boosted Gear?’

Because seriously, at this point, I’ll have to do some very dumb shit to force the repair otherwise.

‘’Finally…’’ I sighed as I stepped foot into Azazel’s burrowed home the second time today. Outside, it was already dark, and I hadn’t slept much. Along with… way too many surprises for a single day. ‘’Uhhg…’’

The date with Sona the previous day, then the notice of Kiba getting attacked, Kuroro now acknowledging me as a father, probably due to my daughter’s influence, then breaking the news to Koneko about her sister not being actually evil.

Followed closely behind by searching for Kiba like a fucking idiot around all of Kuoh, humbling his ass into not going on a suicide mission, getting the news of me being a father of three instead of a single little cat, getting my blood sucked by a crossdressing Dhampir, having to speak with Exorcists from the church and then training soul powers or whatever it was with Kuroka.

‘’I’m fucking beat.’’ I acknowledged, knowing very well that tomorrow I’ll need to deal with even more. ‘’Wonder where the girls are, though. Mittelt! Chrys! Anybody home?’’

No answer.

I frowned, noticing a piece of paper stuck to the wall close to the stairs to the second floor.

‘’Master, I shall temporarily leave until the morrow. A mere respect for the claiming order. Your loyal servant and possible bedwarmer— Okay, yeah, yada yada… What is this girl’s thing with impregnation? It’s literally half of the content in this letter.’’ Was it some kind of bug instinct I wasn’t aware of? Bugs tend to have short lifespans, and the moment they reach full maturity, they tend to wander until they find a mate. Was that it? ‘’Respecting the claiming order? What does that… mean…’’

I side-glanced the stairs, seeing that there were blue petals making a trail upwards. Picking one up and feeling the texture, I noticed these were blue roses.

‘’…How do they know that I like—Chrysalis. Of course it was her.’’ I didn’t even know she could pick off those things without me noticing, but considering the setup, I had a pretty good idea what this was about. ‘’You girls sure know how to rile up a man.’’

Kuroka’s constant teasing certainly did not help.

I walked up the stairs. With amusement, I noticed some other minor details. The lights were off, and a sweet, fresh aroma hit my nose. The hallway was dimly lit by scented candles, and I would be lying if I said anticipation didn’t course through my being.

The trail of blue petals followed all the way to the main bedroom. However, right on the door, there was another note with a different handwriting from the first. It was smaller, neater, and a lot more cutesy.

‘Enter with closed eyes. I’m serious. I will kick your shins.’ I blinked, forcing down a chuckle. ‘That’s Mittelt, alright. Little tsundere.’

I had half a mind to see if she would really do it, but considering all this anticipation, the fact that Chrys had gone for a bit to leave the house all to ourselves, and that this would be my first night with Mittelt, even when she was the second girl I took as a lover… Yeah, at the very least, I was going to play by her terms.

So, I closed my eyes and opened the door.

However, even in the darkness, my new proficiency in the soul arts told me I was not alone. On the corner, I felt Mittelt. She was embarrassed. Yet, something told me she was twice as much eager. Maybe even a bit too much.

I closed the door behind me and stayed in the middle of the room. Hesitantly, the girl approached with soft steps.

I smiled as her arms enveloped me from the back, and then I had to hold back a chuckle, because I heard her curse very softly at being incapable of reaching my ears from this position.

‘’Damn tall idiot…’’ I could retort it was quite the contrary, I was a bit above average in height at best, she was just short, but I shut up. ‘’…Fine.’’

Another few steps, and she was right in front of me. Her face rested on my upper chest, and then a bit higher.

I didn’t need to see to acknowledge the fact that she was probably pouting at the fact that even on her tiptoes, the Fallen still didn’t reach my ear like she wanted. So, instead, I leaned down, embracing her by the hips as I felt the soft fabric on her body.

Or more like, the lack thereof. Whatever Mittelt was wearing didn’t cover much of her skin.

‘’I’ll say this is a sight for sore eyes, but…’’ I grinned at the hand that suddenly smacked my arm. ‘’Sorry. I just had to.’’

‘’Idiot.’’ Mittelt huffed before leaning close, and now she could whisper into my ear, while her hands went below my shirt, exploring my chest and going straight down, close to my lower abdomen. ‘’…Fumigami, do you know how many ‘rewards’ you have promised me over the last few weeks?’’

I paused. Now that she mentions it… Indeed, I did promise her, the earliest one being when she activated the magic circle to Aika’s house.

‘’A lot.’’ She answered in my place with a breathy whisper directly in my ear. It was shocking, sending a tingle down my spine. The last time I heard Mittelt whine like that was during her first ‘reward’. ‘’It’s unfair… I’ve done it with my fingers plenty of times. Even the stupid toys don’t feel the same, and you didn’t even take me, you just fingered my cunt raw for an hour straight.’’

I will never get tired of saying it. Women, especially needy ones like Mittelt, are incredibly dangerous.

‘’Yeah?’’ I chuckled, even with closed eyes, my intent was clear by the smirk on my face. ‘’You want your reward real bad, don’t you, little crow?’’

The full-body shudder she got from my whispered promise was more than answer enough. Pressing the girl to my chest, I decided to open my eyes now, of all moments, and the view was breathtaking.

Mittelt dressed up in a beautiful nightie. Her bare, small breasts covered by a translucent piece of black cloth, then, a midriff piece that served as a garter belt holding her equally translucent panties in place, and finally, thigh-high socks that tied to the panties from the bottom. I didn’t know when she got this, but by how the dimly lit room illuminated her blushing face and flushed body… I just had to have her.

Right. Now.

‘’Do you think you’ve been good enough, little crow?’’ I teased, knowing perfectly well that she had been. Mittelt whined as my fingers explored her lower back, barely touching the edge of her panties. ‘’With words, dear.’’

‘’Y-yes!’’ The needy whisper-shout made it even better. Her hands clenched around my shirt from the inside, trying to push it off desperately. ‘’You know I have been, Fumigami…! I got pretty strong, right? A-and I always listen to you… S-so… I…’’

She paused, face flushing bright red; no matter how dark the room was, I could clearly see the way her rosy nipples stood at attention, how her breath came in shallow rags, how her body pushed into my fingers, and how her needy folds dripped and soaked the beautiful lingerie.

‘’Come on, finish the sentence…’’ I softly encouraged as I took the girl into my arms. I ignored the small yelp as her legs locked onto my hips, and then the following whine of pleasure as my clothed bulge ground against her soaked panties.

The sound of fabric tearing and the sudden chill told me that Mittelt was successful in tearing my shirt off. ‘’You what, little crow. You’re doing real good, dear. Say it now. You’ve been what, exactly?’’

Her fingers clutched my back, not nearly enough to draw blood even if they tried their best to do so. Mittelt’s pupils were so dilated that her eyes went foggy and unfocused, and her lower body clenched with need around my waist.

‘’I… I’ve been…’’ She started, trying to focus on my voice instead of the pleasure. ‘’I’ve been a good girl… so… I deserve it… right?’’

What a beautiful fucking world I live in.

‘’Yes, you do.’’ I hissed into her ear, clutching her body tightly. ‘’You’re getting rewarded until you pass out. Exactly like last time.’’

The next needy whine I silenced by smashing my lips into hers. Her breath was minty, and even as my tongue went past her teeth, there was no part of her body that wasn’t begging for attention. Mittelt completely let me dominate the kiss. And while she was distracted, I cheated a bit, placing my hand on my pants and underwear to shove them into my Inventory, only to do the same with her panties a moment later.

Mittelt’s breath hitched as I pressed my tip against her leaking, needy cunt. My lips separated from hers, leaving only a trail of saliva in the middle. She stared down, trying to lower herself onto my shaft with little success other than parting her lips against my cockhead, which only made her whine louder.

‘’Fumigami… please~ You can’t do this to me, you can’t tease me like—‘’ With a cheshire grin, I interrupted her words by suddenly shoving her petite body all the way down, sheathing my entire shaft inside. ‘’—ThhaaTH! O-ohHhh~!’’

I muffled down a moan against her pig-tailed blonde hair as Mittelt’s wet and hot pussy clamped down on me like a vice. Her walls clenched uncontrollably as I felt my crotch getting sprayed by her fluids.

‘’Cute.’’ I huffed, staring at Mittel’s unfocused eyes and lopsided grin. ‘’Couldn’t handle the teasing, hm?’’

She didn’t answer, but her mouth opened in a silent gasp as I lifted her slowly off my shaft. Feeling her walls clinging tightly as I scraped them slowly on the exit. ‘’U-uh..? S-still cummhing… I’m… sti— Ohhh~!’’ And then I slammed her back down full force, feeling my tip hit her deepest part like a sledgehammer.

This time, I didn’t stop when her back arched in pleasure. Instead, I held firmly onto her hips and started pounding away. The way her petite body went up and down rhythmically on my shift was hypnotic. I saw her small breasts, now covered by a layer of sweat, bouncing with each thrust. It was almost like…

‘’Y-you’re using me like a toooooyyy~ Likhe your little fallen—FUCK! YOUR PERSONAL FALLEN COCKSLEEEVE~!’’ I marveled at how high her vocals were. Mittel’s face turned into a wobbly grin as she drooled. Her eyes looked at nothing and everything at the same time, and her ecstatic expression was the definition of ‘fucked silly’. ‘’M-more! Reward me more! Make your fucking cock-sheateee~!’’

What’s a man supposed to do but comply?

‘’Yeah? Then how about this?’’ I chuckled as I used Reinforcement on my entire body. The next thrust made her head throw back and a loud, acute shriek to fill the room as I felt Mittelt's orgasm on my shaft a second time. ‘’…A bit too much, oops~’’

Not being one to back down, I just kept going as the room was filled with Mittelt’s incoherent moaning. Her legs were practically glued to my hips, and her nails scratched my back as I my girlfriend like a sex toy made to milk my cock. The wet sound of our crotches connecting with each movement could not even be heard above the girl’s voiced pleasure.

This amount of stimulation was too great even for me. I clutched her body tightly and pushed her back down. ‘’Take it all, Mittelt! Be a good girl and milk my shaft~!’’

‘’O-ohh, fuck, fuck fuuuuck! Yes! Inshide, do it insideeee~!’’ Not like I had any other choice, I held the girl tightly as I shot rope after rope of boiling hot cum deep inside her tight snatch. Mittelt’s body trembled against my form, and a moment later, she went slack, face in ecstasy, as the mix of our fluids dripped to the ground. ‘’Eh… ehehe… sho much…~’’

I admired my work. Yet, I had way too much pent-up stress to be satisfied by one time alone. I softly placed the girl on the bed, admiring how my seed dripped out of her spasming cunt and into the bedsheets. My still-hard cock aligned with her belly.

I thought about taking a photo, but my phone was inside my pants. So, not bothered by the missing opportunity, I just aligned myself with her snatch once more.

‘’…A-ah…? F-Fumigami, wait. I’m still recovering, you can’t just— OHHH~! Y-you fucking bruuute~!’’ Of course, I slammed myself to the hilt once more. ‘’I’m cumming again! A-ahhh~!’’

Little Crow wanted her reward after all this time of only empty promises, and I was going to kill two birds with one stone by relieving my stress and giving her the big creamy reward she had earned.

All. Night. Long.

‘’Don’t faint on me now, little crow~’’ I teased in amusement as I started thrusting once more. ‘’Don’t worry. I can just use HealingMagic once you get tired. Let’s enjoy the night to the fullest, alright~?’’

What was I worried about again…?

Eh, problems can wait till tomorrow, or even the day after. Tonight, I’ll just enjoy myself~

-X-x-X-

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Author's Note:

Funny thing, originally, this chapter's name was ''Negotiating, Training, and Fucking, but that felt a bit bland.

Anyway, it was time that Mittelt got her reward, doubt she can handle it though.

Zatren giving both Griselda and Xenovia cookies ''just in case'' is because when Irina and Xenovia were deployed to Kuoh, the former spent all their money on a fake painting, and they were literally homeless (or at least broke) for a bit, lol.

Also, anyone thinking ''But Griselda and Xenovia didn't tell Zatren anything? Isn't that weird?'' Yes, that's kind of what I was going for. There was too much ''risk'' on the Exorcists' side to tell a third party (who himself said could be convinced to work in exchange for things), and who was also suspected to work for the Grigori.

However, Zatren took the reigns of the conversation, and basically let it end in a ''well, if you want help, just call'', which in the eyes of Griselda, may as well have been enough confirmation to not get him involved and just letting him be.

Of course, Zuzu would get involved either way, but they don't know that, kek.

I have 12 more chapters of this fic on my in which the current 'Kokabiel' arc has concluded, if you wish to support me, yippieee!

Discord Link: .gg/92Yt5wxeWN