- Few days later -
The tranquil atmosphere of breakfast was shattered by the sudden appearance of two magic circles in the dining room. The familiar crimson of the Gremory family crest materialized alongside the deep blue of House Sitri.
Great. And here I thought I might have one peaceful meal before everything goes to hell.*
Rias stepped through her circle with her usual confident stride, her crimson hair catching the morning light. Behind her came Akeno with her perpetually amused smile.
From the blue circle emerged Sona, adjusting her glasses, followed by Tsubaki, her queen.
Valerie, Asia, and Xenovia had all tensed at the sudden arrival, though they relaxed when they recognized our visitors. Benemune, who'd been quietly enjoying her coffee while reading intelligence reports, simply raised an eyebrow with interest.
"Morning to you too, Rias. Sona." I gestured to the empty chairs. "Join us for breakfast? Asia makes excellent pancakes."
"We aren't on a social visit" Sona said, though she did accept the offered seat. "We've received intelligence about someone named as Georg's activities."
Of course they have. Nothing stays secret for long when you're siblings of satans.*
"Let me guess," I said, taking another bite of pancake. "You want to help."
"Yes" Rias's blue eyes flashed with determination. "We're not going to sit on the sidelines while a terrorist organization threatens your territory and our friends."
"Akira-senpai," Sona added, her tone respectful but firm, "you saved our lives during the Kokabiel incident. You protected Kuoh when we couldn't. We owe you a debt."
And there it is. The whole 'devil honor' thing. I should have seen this coming.*
"You don't owe me anything," I said firmly. "What I did, I did because it was the right thing to do."
"Which is exactly why we want to help," Rias countered. "You've been carrying this burden alone for too long. Let us help with this predicament"
Akeno's gentle voice joined the conversation. "We understand you're much stronger than any of us, but that doesn't mean you have to face everything by yourself."
They're not wrong, but they're also not understanding the scale of what we're dealing with.*
"This isn't like Kokabiel," I said carefully. "We're talking about a coordinated assault involving dimensional magic, possible divine entities, and power levels that could level cities. I can't guarantee your safety."
"Since when do devils worry about safety?" Rias smiled, but there was steel behind it. "We knew the risks when we chose to be part of this world."
Sona nodded in agreement. "Our combined tactical capabilities could provide advantages you might not have considered. Rias's power of destruction, my water magic, our peerages' diverse abilities—"
"All of which would be useful in a normal supernatural conflict," I interrupted. "But Georg isn't planning a normal conflict. He's trying to summon something from the Dimensional Gap using a colossal magic circle."
The room fell silent. Even Rias and Sona, both experienced in supernatural politics, looked taken aback by the scope.
"The Dimensional Gap?" Sona's voice was carefully controlled. "What could he possibly hope to summon from there?"
"Nothing good," Benemune interjected from her corner. All eyes turned to the Fallen Angel intelligence officer. "My analysis suggests he's attempting to access entities that were banished there for catastrophic reasons."
Rias studied Benemune for a moment before turning back to me. "All the more reason we should work together. If something that dangerous is being unleashed—"
"Then the last thing I need is to worry about keeping you alive while I'm fighting it," I said bluntly.
The words came out harsher than I'd intended, and I saw Rias flinch slightly. Asia made a small sound of protest, while Valerie shot me a disapproving look.
Damn it. That was unnecessarily cold, even for me.*
"I'm sorry," I said, moderating my tone. "That came out wrong. It's not that I don't trust your abilities—you've all proven yourselves. It's that I can't afford to split my focus when the stakes are this high."
"Then don't," Sona said simply. "We're not asking you to protect us. We're asking you to let us fight beside you."
"As equals," Rias added. "Not as people you need to shield."
I looked around the table at their determined faces. Rias with her unwavering resolve, Sona with her analytical confidence, their peerages unified in purpose. Even Asia was nodding in support, despite her gentle nature.
They're going to find a way to get involved anyway. At least this way I can influence how they do it.*
"Fine," I sighed, feeling like I was making a decision I'd regret later. "But we do this my way. My plan, my strategy, my rules. No heroic charges, and if I tell you to retreat, you retreat immediately. Understood?"
"Understood," both devil heiresses replied in unison.
"And," I added, looking specifically at Rias, "Keep your power of destruction on a tight leash until I know exactly what we're dealing with"
Rias nodded reluctantly. "I can control it."
"I know you can" I said with a forced smile.
God, I hope this doesn't backfire spectacularly.*
Two Hours Later*
After the planning session had concluded and our unexpected allies had returned to their own territories to prepare, I found myself alone with Benemune in her makeshift command center. She'd been unusually quiet during the entire exchange.
"You think I screwed up?" I said, watching her organize intelligence reports.
"Not at all." She didn't look up from her work. "Though you did look ready to throttle someone when Rias mentioned fighting beside you."
Was I that obvious?*
"I just... they don't get it. The scale of what we're dealing with."
"Mm." Benemune finally glanced up. "You know what I think?"
"I'm sure you're going to tell me."
She smirked. "You're scared shitless that you'll lose them."
Well, that's direct.*
"And?"
"And you should be. But hiding behind the 'I'm too strong' excuse isn't going to change the fact that they're already targets just by knowing you."
Damn. She really doesn't pull punches.*
"So what, I should just let them walk into a meat grinder?"
"You should trust them to know their own limits." She turned back to her maps. "Unless you think they're complete idiots."
"They're not idiots, they're just—"
"Young? Inexperienced? Less powerful than you?" Benemune's voice carried an edge now. "How patronizing of you."
Ouch. And here I thought we were getting along.*
"That's not what I meant."
"Isn't it?" She set down her pen and turned to face me fully. "You saved them from Kokabiel. You've been protecting this territory. You defeated the Hero Faction. When exactly do they get to stop being your responsibility and start being your allies?"
Before I could answer, Valerie walked in carrying a tray of tea and cookies. She took one look at our expressions and paused.
"Should I come back later?"
"No," Benemune said, gesturing to the empty chair. "Perfect timing. Tell your fearless leader here that his friends aren't helpless children."
Valerie blinked, then looked between us. "What did I miss?"
"Akira thinks Rias and Sona are going to get themselves killed if he lets them help tomorrow," Benemune explained bluntly.
"Ah." Valerie set down the tray and poured tea for all three of us. "And you disagree?"
"I think he's projecting his own fears onto them instead of evaluating their actual capabilities."
I am not projecting anything.*
"Maybe," Valerie said thoughtfully, "but have you considered that he might be right?"
Benemune raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Not about them being helpless," Valerie clarified quickly. "But about the danger level. I've seen what Akira can do when he's serious. If even he's worried about something..."
"Then maybe we should all be worried," Benemune finished. "Fair point."
Thank you, Valerie. At least someone gets it.*
"But," Valerie continued, "that doesn't mean shutting them out is the answer. Remember when my brother tried to keep me locked away 'for my own safety'?"
Oh, that's a low blow.*
"That's completely different," I protested.
"Is it?" Valerie's red eyes held mine steadily. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like the same mentality with better intentions."
Benemune nodded approvingly. "The dhampir makes an excellent point."
I hate it when they gang up on me like this.*
"Fine," I said, accepting defeat. "You're both right. Happy?"
"Ecstatic," Benemune replied dryly. "Though I should warn you—dealing with your guilt complex is going to be an ongoing project."
"My what now?"
"Oh please." She waved a hand dismissively. "You blame yourself for every bad thing that happens to people around you. It's written all over your face every time someone gets hurt."
Valerie nearly choked on her tea. "She's not wrong."
Since when did my mental state become everyone's favorite topic?*
"Can we focus on the actual crisis please?" I asked. "Like, the one involving dimensional rifts and death god?"
"Of course," Benemune said, though her amused expression suggested this conversation was far from over. "Tomorrow night, new moon, Georg attempts his ritual. Our response?"
"Hit him before he can complete it," I said immediately.
"And if he's already started when we arrive?"
Good question. Interrupting a dimensional summoning could be just as dangerous as letting it complete.*
"Then we wing it," I admitted.
"Wonderful plan," Valerie said sarcastically. "Very detailed."
"Hey, flexibility is a virtue."
"So is not getting everyone killed," Benemune pointed out. "But I suppose we'll make it work."
With allies like these, who needs enemies?*
"Any other concerns I should know about?" I asked.
Benemune and Valerie exchanged a look that I didn't like at all.
"What?"
"Nothing major," Benemune said innocently. "Just... try not to do anything stupidly heroic tomorrow, would you?"
"Define 'stupidly heroic.'"
"Charging directly at whatever Georg summons without any backup plan," Valerie supplied helpfully.
"Or sacrificing yourself to save everyone else," Benemune added.
"Or assuming you can handle everything alone," they said in unison.
Great. Even my strategic advisor and my teammate think I'm suicidal.*
"I make no promises," I said finally.
"We figured as much," Valerie sighed. "That's why we're both coming with you."
"To keep me from doing anything stupid?"
"To make sure you come back alive," Benemune corrected. "There's a difference."
I'm not sure there is, but I appreciate the sentiment.*
That Evening*
After a day of intensive preparation and strategic planning, I finally retreated to my room for some much-needed solitude. The weight of tomorrow's confrontation pressed heavily on my mind, along with the political implications of the upcoming summit.
Too many variables. Too many things that could go wrong. At least having backup means I won't be completely isolated if something goes sideways. There is a limit to my powers after all, I ain't infinite like some little girl running a terrorist organisation*
I sat on the edge of my bed, running through contingency plans and worst-case scenarios. That's when the familiar blue glow appeared in my vision, causing me to pause mid-thought.
[ Portal to the World of Naruto: Available ]
[ Would the User like to travel: Y / N ]
[ Time will stop in this world when You travel to the other world ]
The notification glowed there in my field of vision, patient and unchanging. Another world, new gachas, potential allies or techniques that could tip the scales in my favor, on a large scale.
The timing is almost perfect. If I could access chakra techniques, shadow clone jutsu, or even just study their approach to genjutsu...*
Tomorrow was the assault on Georg. The day after was the summit. Leaving now, even briefly, could have been disastrous for everyone depending on me, but with time on halt, while I am on my journey does make me think to accept this opportunity.
If I could come back with additional power or knowledge and more gacha rewards, the tides of battle will hugely shift in our favor. Sage's Eye takes a huge toll on my lifespan and Incursio is just one traumatic event away to swallow my consciousness, and as for shadow soldiers, I still got very few, even though they are quite capable*
I stared at the notification for a long moment, weighing possibilities against responsibilities. The rational part of my mind catalogued everything that could go wrong with interdimensional travel at such a crucial moment. The ambitious part countered with everything that could go right.
The mansion settled into peaceful silence around me, but sleep would be a long time coming. Too much to think about, too much at stake.
Tomorrow, we stop Georg's ritual. The day after, we survive the summit. And then...*
Then I'd see what new challenges the world would throw at me.
Meanwhile, everyone I cared about was safe while I am in the other world. That would have to be enough, and I knew what I was going to choose.
Yes*