When Akuto finally withdrew, Asia had already fallen unconscious.
Seeing Asia lose all strength, Kiryu Aika gently moved her aside and then slowly sat down in front of Akuto.
"Akuto-kun, shattering a saint's faith and then making yourself her new pillar of support... don't you think that's a bit too cunning?"
"Oh? What, are you going to expose my evil deeds to Asia?" Akuto smiled faintly, placing a hand on Aika's slender waist.
Not that Aika would ever do so—and even if she did, Asia wouldn't react anymore. She had already been guided onto another path.
Instead, Aika pressed down on Akuto's hand with her own, smirking provocatively.
"Hmph~ that's right, I'll expose your evil deeds. Akuto-kun, you wouldn't want Asia to hate you, right?"
"So, you'd better do what I say~"
"Is that so? Then it looks like I'll have no choice but to give in to your threat." Akuto's hand traced along the sole of her foot. As his fingers slid over her thigh-high black stockings, the schoolgirl trembled.
"Hmph~ as long as you obey me, I'm satisfied. From now on, until I'm pleased, Akuto-kun, you'll have to listen to me~"
Aika tugged on his tie with a smile, slowly lowering herself.
She had liked Akuto for a long time, and now that he had awakened his succubus bloodline, the first instant of union sent her green eyes rolling back from the flood of sensation.
"Akuto-kun... you really are such a bad man~"
Her words said one thing, but the next moment, she was interlocking her fingers with his and moving together with him.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host, on completing a past-life objective — "Dance of the Temptress and the Saint" (Purple).]
[Reward acquired: Sacred Gear Evolution — Path: Dragon-Eater (Purple)!]
[Sacred Gear Evolution — Path: Dragon-Eater: Upon gaining this path, the Boosted Gear can evolve further by devouring dragon-related entities and materials to strengthen itself. Once fixed in place, this Sacred Gear has regained the possibility of growth.]
Akuto didn't yet have the time to consider how much stronger his Sacred Gear could become from this evolution. For now, he was simply enjoying Aika's proactive affection, her feelings so different from Asia's.
...
Meanwhile, in the Underworld.
Within Maou Lucifer's capital, Grayfia was reporting to Maou Lucifer himself.
Ten minutes later, the red-haired Maou sighed.
"I didn't expect Akuto to gain power so quickly—enough to defeat a pure-blooded High-class devil.
"Looking at it now, using him only as bait to lure the Old Leviathan might be wasteful."
"Yes, I feel the same," Grayfia nodded.
"When we made our decision before, we didn't account for things beyond just his pure Leviathan bloodline.
"Now that Akuto has shown a powerful Longinus, we can no longer treat him as an ordinary devil."
An ordinary pure-blood High-class devil, and a pure-blood High-class devil wielding a Longinus—those were two completely different concepts.
"Honestly, Alice... I even think he might be worthy of inheriting a Maou's seat." Grayfia said seriously.
At the use of that name, the red-haired Maou gave a wry smile.
"Let's not speak of that for now. Grayfia, must you call me by my childhood name so casually?
"In my office is one thing, but if you slip outside and call me that, it could cause no end of trouble."
"Hmph."
"What, are you so afraid of showing your true self, Alice Gremory?" Grayfia retorted sharply.
After all, she had every right to be dissatisfied.
Maou Sirzechs Lucifer—real name Sirzechs Gremory, childhood name Alice Gremory.
Raised and trained by the first head of House Gremory, Alice hid her gender and lived as a man, joining with her reformist allies.
Together, they overthrew the second-generation Maou who sought to restart the Great War, and became one of the new Four Maou.
It was during the civil war that Grayfia had met Sirzechs, forming deep bonds and admiration.
But in the end, the story had a fatal flaw—because the "male lead" was not truly male.
After the war, unable to hide it any longer, Alice confessed the truth to Grayfia. Learning this truth had shaken her to the core.
Only with the passage of time had Grayfia reluctantly accepted that Sirzechs—Alice—was in fact female. But her heart still carried lingering resentment.
"Fine, fine, call me whatever you wish~"
Alice always indulged Grayfia. After all, she owed her.
Wrapped in crimson light, Sirzechs' body shifted.
Moments later, what appeared before Grayfia was a regal figure in Maou attire—flowing crimson hair, cold blue eyes, exuding a lofty aura.
She looked... just like an adult Rias.
Grayfia gazed at Alice, a trace of pity in her eyes.
For in her view, Alice had chained herself to the Maou throne, doomed to serve the devil race for life.
And worst of all—Alice had chained Grayfia with her.
So long as Alice's secret remained hidden, Grayfia too would never truly be free.
[Wait...]
A thought struck Grayfia suddenly.
[Alice cannot let go because she is the strongest of all devils, bound to lead the race.]
[But if someone even stronger arises...]
[Then both Alice and I could finally be freed.]
Alice, unaware of Grayfia's thoughts, continued pondering how to treat Akuto.
"You're right, Grayfia. If Akuto-kun were to perish before maturing, it would be a terrible loss for devilkind.
"That said, we've already spread word of the Leviathan bloodline's return. By now, the Old Devils, the Reformists, and even the Old Maou Faction have surely all learned of it.
"Even if we alter his position, the Old Maou Faction will never stop targeting him.
"All I can do is lighten your workload, so you can stay longer in the human world to keep watch. That's all."
"Yes... that's all we can do."
Grayfia sighed.
"Let's just hope Akuto grows stronger quickly. As long as he can endure thirty seconds, I'll be able to arrive in time."
"And when that happens... we can wipe out the Old Maou Faction remnants in one strike!"
...
On Akuto's side.
From the outside, it looked like Akuto, Asia, and Aika had only spent a single night together.
But in truth, after completing the "Dance of the Temptress and the Saint" achievement, Akuto had brought them into the Apocalypse World.
Completing the main quest there had given him the qualification to carry DxD-world missions into the Apocalypse World.
And with its time dilation—half a day outside equaling five days inside—it was too good not to use.
During those days, Akuto poured endless affection into Asia and Aika, helping greatly soothe Asia's broken faith.
Indeed, physical closeness proved to be the most effective cure.
Their worldviews reshaped, both girls were stunned to learn Akuto could cross between worlds—and that he was using his power to help others.
"Truly, Akuto-kun is chosen by God. His Apocalypse isn't a bug in the system—God must have recognized his uniqueness to grant it."
"Even outside our world, Akuto-kun is saving people, fulfilling the Lord's will."
"I... I cannot fall behind."
Holding such thoughts, Asia embraced Akuto with unprecedented acceptance, even taking the initiative to comfort him through the night.
...
Back in the DxD world, Akuto's home was no longer quiet.
In the Apocalypse World, Akuto lay with Asia and Aika.
But suddenly, he opened his eyes.
"My house in the DxD world... someone's trying to enter."
Glancing at the two girls, he stroked their hair, then opened a gate back to DxD.
Inside his house, two Fallen Angels crept stealthily through the living room.
One wore white stockings, blonde twin-tails; the other, black stockings with long blue hair. One was a loli, the other a mature woman—an odd duo.
"These are... Raynare's companions?"
He recognized them—Miltelt, the blonde, and Kalawarner, the blue-haired one. Minor Fallen Angel characters from the original story.
Seeing they weren't Old Maou Faction elites, Akuto returned calmly.
Click!
The living room light snapped on, freezing the two Fallen Angels in place.
Damn, caught?!
No... impossible. How could Akuto have detected them at all?
As they stared nervously, Akuto smiled and raised his left hand.
[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!!!]
[Save-Over (Power Storage)!]
With six consecutive boosts, his power broke through to Ultimate-class devil!
Even against Diodora, he hadn't used his full strength.
"U-Ultimate-class devil? Impossible!"
Feeling his overwhelming aura, Miltelt and Kalawarner gulped hard, nearly collapsing.
"Miltelt-san, Kalawarner-san... since you've come this far, why not stay a while and have a nice chat with me?"
Akuto smiled brilliantly.
(End of Chapter)
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