Flesh is Weak

Shadows lie across us always.

The next morning, I woke to snoring on my right. I slowly looked over to see Kuroka. After I left Murayama to watch her tape in private, she demanded that I key her to my room. I had, and we didn't do anything naughty rather, we enjoyed being near each other. I lazily begin to enjoy a Sunday morning, and I want to fall asleep again. I deserve to laze, but a knock on the door makes me reluctantly get up, and I let Kuroka sleep. I'm in pajamas, and I open the door slightly. It's Murayama dressed in a khaki shirt and pants. She looks extremely down in the dumps. I slowly exited the room, closed the door behind me stepping into the hall. Murayama, once the door was closed, said to me softly.

"Thank you for being my friend. I watched the tape that they gave me."

I don't know what to say; it was her tape and not mine. Murayama then suddenly hugged me violently and wept on my shoulder. I rubbed her back and gently led us towards the stairs, and when there, I sat with her. She released her grief. After five minutes, she said to me, with tears slowly drying.

"I know now what my uncle and mom went through and what I could have had that if we weren't here and didn't have gear. Please be my friend still even though I'm from them who do that and did that to you."

So, they told her about the abuse. I tell her while we sit on the stairs looking at the chandelier.

"I am your friend no matter what, as is everyone in this house. We will stand by you even if you don't reincarnate. Rias will stay away from you. I promise you that you will have freedom, and if the clans are stupid enough to attack us, they will not like what I can do. Have you had breakfast yet?"

Murayama was happy knowing I was her friend regardless. She shook her head, and I got up before pulling her up. Then the two of us went to enjoy that as friends. But I felt something and looked over my shoulder to see Murayama watching something. I don't comment on it, and when we hit the ground floor, I see that Kiryuu is in the kitchen with Issari at the main table. The two are looking at a magazine together, and both have nosebleeds. Maéva was making food, and Murayama looked at the mechadendrites moving around, doing multiple things in amazement. I smile because that is still cool.

We sat at the island counter, and I called to the two perverts.

"Are you winning kids?"

The response from Issari was a finger flipping me off as Kiryuu snickered. The nosebleed increased seeing something on the page as the two began perverted giggling. Murayama looked interested there yet also disgusted. Maéva turned towards us with Belgian waffles and shook her head, seeing the two.

"I tried confiscating the foul thing, young master, but the dragon growled at me! Please set her straight!"

I snicker a bit but became the competent one with no horny.

"Issari, put that away, or I will tell Akeno not to give you head pats for two months."

Issari growled, which spooked Murayama before Kiryuu added wood to the fire.

"Maybe I should be Akeno-senpai's kohai. This is good, but head pats sound better."

Issari truly growled louder now and snapped at Kiryuu.

"My senpai fuck off! Only good dragons get head pats, not ice birds!"

That's the scene Akeno walked in on. She was dressed casually in jeans and a shirt that immediately made the perverts look and nosebleed more. She brightened, seeing her dragon before gliding over and taking the magazine from Issari. That promotes a whine, and Akeno rolls the magazine up before she hands it to Kiryuu. My bishop takes it, and she throws it in a pocket spell, making Murayama look with wide eyes. Issari whines again, and that's when Akeno says.

"No dirty magazines in public. You don't want to be a bad dragon, do you?"

Issari paled and then shook her head violently.

"I am a good dragon and will listen to senpai!"

That gets head pats promoting purrs. Murayama looked at me.

"The dragon in her gauntlet greatly influences Issari. Akeno is her official dragon tamer. How are you today, Keno? I'd thought you guys would be here yesterday, but you never showed up."

Akeno keeps head pats while Kiryuu comes over, smelling the waffles that Maéva is stacking up for everyone. Akeno replied finally.

"We were busy. Rias demanded we all train because she wanted us to be ready in the off chance that Riser tried to push the arrangement again. She wants you to feel less stressed about your work. I'm guessing that Murayama-san has been brought in and is now one of your new pieces?"

I frowned there but replied while Kiryuu began pigging out on waffles.

"No, she is not one of my new pieces. I ask my pieces Keno and only when they have a complete idea of the pros and cons. I'm happy to hear that Rias is training, but I will still worry because I'm a worry wart. I want this done as fast as possible because I have other things to start preparing for. I want to hunt today, but I don't know if that will be possible. Grayfia confirmed the gear is a Longinus. There are now fourteen of them."

Akeno frowned upon learning that Murayama was not reincarnated and that I would still worry. Hearing that my gear was a Longinus, she increased her head pats, making more purrs go up. Murayama already knows what a Longinus is because I explained the gear tiers to her. It's time to do more reveals today, so I start chowing on waffles, Akeno says to Murayama with a big smile.

"Nice to meet you properly. I'm Akeno Himejima. You should join my cousin's peerage. I'm glad he's like my king and is asking people, but my cousin is a softy and probably doesn't want to do the deed. You need to get used to it, Lex. It's critical to build a peerage because of how they can help you out. What pieces did you get anyway?"

I finished eating another waffle and then brought the board out, laying it on the island. Akeno stopped her head pats, which made Issari growl again, but waffles made her stop and come over for a plate. Akeno was looking at my pieces and noted the mutation ones. Murayama looked at them, too, and I said while preparing my next waffle.

"Queen, rook, bishop, and three pawns. Kuroka is my queen, and Kiryuu is my regular bishop. I have an idea of who I want for my mutation bishop. Everyone else is up for grabs, but I want to get scientists and inventors like my dad. I met one of his pieces, and he's very cool. "

Akeno smiled at me and grabbed a plate. Murayama had a plate, too, and she took her food and said while sitting.

"I am still considering it, Akeno-san. I'm in a bit of shock from last night."

Akeno was curious about the answer, and I'll let Murayama share her story. I want to make several things today that will be fun to use on strays. My wrath must be showing because Akeno giggled seeing it. Murayama looked at me and guessed my sin, but she didn't seem offended by it. I asked Akeno.

"Where's Rias?"

Akeno sat at the table with Issari, who quickly shoveled food into her mouth, making Maéva pleased and annoyed. Akeno took a bite and then said as she prepared to pig.

"She's asleep. Training wore her out completely. Considering she slacked so much, it was what I expected. I originally came over to pray but smelled food and was hungry."

I snort at her, wanting to get free food, but the part of me that worries about Rias as a person is showing. Murayama doesn't like that because she latched onto my right arm. Akeno kept her mouth shut this time, and I just sighed as Murayama whispered to me.

"I'm thinking about it. I want the nobleman who doesn't want rewards for his deeds. Even if I have to accept that eventually."

I couldn't stop her feelings, so I shrugged before telling Issari.

"I'm going for bigger armor today and want to start using it. Do you want your set, too?"

Issari immediately nodded, prompting curiosity from Akeno and the rest of the group. Kiryuu spoke up after her third plate.

"I would like my armor too. You have a place to practice things?"

I smile smirk.

"I repurposed a stray nest and turned it into a small practice place. It's not fancy, and I will be looking for a bigger place for us later. There is also something I need to do. I have been putting it off long enough, and they deserve to be remembered. I'm sorry for that."

Murayama is confused, but Akeno, Issari, and Kiryuu understand. The spirits watching around me tell me it's okay. I have been busy, and they don't take offense. Maéva frowned, too, but she stayed silent. Before her eyes looked at the clock and eeped.

"I'll miss my favorite show out of my way!"

She bulldozes out of the room, and everyone but Murayama smiles as she sweat drops. Akeno starts fufufuing as I collect the finished plates and bag the leftovers for Kuroka while Murayama continues eating. After I'm done with that, I collect the remaining plates and put them in a dishwasher. Before I tell everyone, I'll be right back. The group settles into talking about Kuoh for Kiryuu and Issari.

Upon entering my room, I see Kuroka is still sleeping, and I am silent, getting my clothes before getting to the bathroom and locking it. When I finished that and reentered the bedroom, Kuroka was awake, moving about, and I caught a glimpse of her backside leaving the room with her tails lazily flipping about. I get ready to make my power armor. Koriel tells me that the ones the Sisters used were in her knowledge and that at the end of the Great Crusade, the armor was being tested for a new prototype army. It was going to act as a scout force for the Imperium beyond its borders.

When I'm in the main hall, I see Maéva sitting on the couch weeping in the living room, watching on the big TV as sad music plays. I sweat dropped before I tipped toe to the basement, where I found everyone. Akeno is watching Kuroka and the cat is just amused in her get up. The group sans Kiryuu was in the chapel of the Machine God. Kiryuu was looking at the medical wing and observing everything. I asked her the clothing sizes she has. Kiryuu was amused and followed me to the wine room door, where we waited for the others.

Murayama was here first, looking over her shoulder to the chapel. Upon seeing me, she came over and asked while we were waiting.

"You believe in a strange god, Gregor-kun. The others are talking about machine spirits and how the machine is immortal. I don't get it, as ghosts aren't real."

I smiled, and Kiryuu said to Murayama with a half grin.

"I don't get it either, but they have a point with spirits. Ghosts are real, so it is easier to accept the idea that they might enter technology. Given what I have been shared, I get the basis for why they even exist, period."

Murayama considered that before her eyes widened, remembering her taunt to Rias. She blushed, and I said to her.

"It all exists, Murayama-chan, as do machine spirits. They chose to be here in the machines and not in the afterlife of their choice. The Machine God is vastly different from most of the deities Murayama-chan. He accepts good devils while the others don't, period. I don't preach about my faith, and it's not a requirement here, as Kiryuu can tell you."

Kiryuu brightened there, and Murayama was a little flustered there, but not in a bad way. That's when the others arrived, and I unlocked the door before taking the lock off. The lock is willed away, and Issari grins at the faces of the others, seeing the teleportation pad and the small plasma generators nearby. I tell Akeno and Murayama with glee.

"That small thing there is the key to solving our energy crisis in a plasma generator. It will last for thirty years without too much maintenance needed. It's connected to how Issari gets into the house without tripping wards. An alternative to magic portals through science."

Murayama was in disbelief, but Akeno widened her eyes. She then beams and tightly hugs me.

"I knew my cousin was a genius! You could be the richest man on the planet if you sold those Lex! You could get Rias her freedom just from that! Why haven't you tried to sell them yet?"

Murayama widened her eyes. They weren't greedy. Kuroka purred, while Issari and Kiryuu were just happy. I smiled and explained.

"There's no research that can be used to justify it up here, Keno. In the underworld, I can sell it, which can be another thing I use against the GKF. I refuse to sell to them. If they get a copy, I'll just will it away, knowing if they have it by the next thing I'm making. A new internet for reincarnated and for commoners. Along with my greatest goal in a device that will make the evil piece system look like nothing. Something that will shake the fabric of reality."

Everyone is interested in this because I have yet to share my plan with the reader. Akeno shakes her head at my explanation, but she concedes that point.

"That is true, and with how it is coming from gear, it would be a hard sell but a new internet that will piss off the GKF. What would it be called?"

I smiled and gestured to everyone to touch the pad. Issari went first, then Kuroka. Both disappeared, and that made Kiryuu follow. She disappeared, and I extended my hand to Murayama. She looked hesitant, but Akeno smiled, and I told her.

"The Noosphere. It will be free to access, and that's how you get both the reincarnated and commoners there and the GKF rats. It's time they get a violent wake-up call from humans because they can't outrun time. Machine God, take scum."

Akeno smirked as we bonded through our sin. Murayama just watched, highly fascinated by the high she was seeing. She took my hand, and the three of us hit the pad.

On the other side of the teleporter is the rest of the crew, and they are talking about something that has the perverts giggling, and Kuroka is looking interested. They stopped immediately upon seeing us. Murayama looked amazed at the machine, while Akeno was impressed. However, she also sees the downside. Murayama is now wondering what else I can make. We entered the central part of the station, where Kuroka frowned, seeing a rat, and began to chase it.

Issari eagerly jumped up and down while I prepared to make the armors. I ask her.

"Do you want a seraphim pack, Issari? It's detachable from the armor."

Issari tilted her head there in curiosity before shaking her head yes. Akeno and everyone else joined in on being confused. Murayama is next to me and is giving me a questioning look. I summoned the anvil, and thanks to Koriel, I imagined the suit with the wings before swinging.

The light blinds everyone but me, and there is a clunk as the armor lands. Issari took on chipmunk wide eyes when the light was gone, seeing the armor before roaring a dragon roar and hugging the suit, weeping. Murayama looks at it in pure amazement, as does Akeno. Kiryuu smiled, seeing it, and pat Issari on the back in support. The strain was not the worst but it's not great either. I made the second armor in a different spot, this time with no wings. It hurts, given its two power armors and a jet pack. I see Issari weeping out her thanks to me.

"Actual wings! Thank you, Gregor-kun. I'm so happy! You can get whatever you want on your birthday! I'm the happiest dragon ever!"

She's crying waterfall tears, and Akeno beams when she sees her kohai so happy. She paced around the armor to Issari and hugged her kohai, smothering her in her favorite thing. That's promoted the loudest purrs I have heard yet. I say to the mega pervert while Murayama touches one of the wings.

"Consider it your birthday present you gecko. I'll get it to a point where you can have your gear wings and these. Then you can go fast as fuck. Kiryuu, I'll make your armor."

Issari purrs so loud, knowing double the wings. Akeno head pats her kohai in congratulations as Kiryuu replied

"Thank you. I want to try it out and see if it's too heavy. Congratulations Sari. I know how much you want to fly again."

Murayama continues touching the wing in amazement. I swing twice and make the armor and helm. I asked if she wanted a rebreather, which got me a yes. Kiryuu picks up her armor, stumbling by how heavy it is, and I comment that it's as light as possible without sacrificing protection. Kuroka comes back and sees the armor and wings. Before she comes over to the armor, she is amazed at the details of the Mechanicus symbol in the middle of the armor chest piece. Kiryuu goes to practice putting on her armor. Kuroka asked for carapace with room for her ears and tails. I sighed but agreed and made her the armor and the rebreather. She doesn't need a gun and magic was always her specialty. She does, however, take a sword. I swing and make her a power sword. Murayama kept looking at the wings in a trance. Issari finally stopped crying and inched her way to her armor. I explain to her while Kuroka plays with her sword. The crack of it lures over Akeno.

"You enter it by way of the back. There is a small button that you hit, and you will see the back half of the armor open. Then you step in. It enhances your strength and speed to a degree. I will eventually use my set with my enhancements and the armor, I will be able to fight more powerful foes. We will punch way above our class weight."

Issari immediately moved to the back, and she let me de-spawn the anvil before she immediately rushed to the armor purrs, not stopping. Murayama says finally as the armor opens.

"This is incredible. Everything is incredible, including the teleporter and the armor, yet all I got was common gear."

There's envy there, and I don't like that. Before I said to her, while Kiryuu was practicing her shots,

"Murayama subspecies are rare. My gear and Issari's are Longinus, and there are only fourteen of them. You're actually safer with your gear because, from what I know, Longinus users are usually hunted down quickly. Am I right there, Keno?"

Akeno replies while watching the lightning.

"Lex is correct, Murayama-san. Longinus users are highly sought after because they can kill gods with enough time and growth. The damage they can wreak is on a scale like most natural disasters. Its why some factions like Grigori will kill untrained users of them on sight. You are safer being on the lower end. Given how Lex is a noble, he has that protection. Issari-chan has something else that makes her safe. You tested it, Lex?"

Murayama paled learning that and is no longer envious. I said while preparing to make a wall of remembrance for Tsuda and the rest.

"I did they refused to enter her, even the mutation pieces. I couldn't be reincarnated even if Rias tried."

That makes Akeno happy there, and she watches her kohai enter her armor. The suit opened, and Issari stepped in. It closed with a hiss. Then Issari moved. The foot raised and then clunked to the ground, breaking a tile. Issari looked at her new hands in the armor and just trembled at the new power. Kuroka and Akeno looked at the armor, too. I just let Issari get crowded by everyone, and I go to that maintenance closet. To make the wall. The place will be temporary; I'll move it once we get a better place.

I welded the plate on the backside of the wall, before welding a cog of Mars below it and then making another plaque above the wall. Finally, I asked each spirit here for their names, slowly filling the wall until all five have their spot. The Machine God then told me to bless the site. I do, and that's when Murayama found me. She looked at the names and the plaque. It reads.

We are immortal like the machine.

Murayama asked me.

"Who are these people?"

I tell her their tales. Murayama listens, and I'm so deeply engaged in the stories that I don't hear the others gathering around us. Especially with the power armor. Everyone listens to the first five. More spirits are here with us, but they don't stay. They slowly began to leave for their afterlife. After they told me their names as, a wall of people began. Issari low growled in sadness there. Akeno was silent. At the same time, Kiryuu touched her friend's name. Murayama listens to it all while Kuroka buries her head on my shoulder. Getting why I'm doing this to myself. It's a solemn atmosphere, but I will remember their names.

Issari says softly near the end.

"I will come here often."

Kiryuu says, too, with a few tears in her eyes.

"As will I. I want to help this week get the money so we can focus on real foes."

Akeno was thinking of something else, hearing the sad growls. She went to the low-growling Issari and started applying head pats. She says something to Issari that makes the two walk away. Kiryuu stayed, and she just looked at the names more. Murayama looked at the names again, too. Then she got fire in her eyes. Extreme fire because she gets a determined look, and she prepares something. She dragged me and, by proxy, Kuroka to a part of the station near the teleporter room. Once it was the three of us, she snarled her righteous anger.

"I am hard considering to eventually reincarnate. You fight for them like my uncle and mom did. The people in ignorance living their lives not knowing."

I don't want to, but Murayama says again.

"I know I'm giving up much if I do it, but my family will have to accept it if I say yes. I was never big on religion like they were. I get that I will be viewed as lesser, but I'm human, so it's not much of a change. I want to live my life knowing I continue my family's legacy. I want to be a swordswoman who stands for justice. I will be the good parts of them and deny the evils they do."

I give her another option.

"If you want to stay human, you could eventually fight for my cousin Suzaku Himejima. She has led a splinter group of the clans off, and they might be preparing to fight a civil war. I'm going to help her. Are you sure, Murayama?"

She looks at me before saying in a very determined manner.

"It's an option. I, however, want your option, not hers. You want me to have no regrets and want me to be happy. This will make me happy if I say yes. Being a piece to the brave man, I am beginning to think I can love utterly. Cat, you and red girl will have to put up with me if I want that. I'm not leaving."

Kuroka smiled at me and then at Murayama. I could see that Murayama meant it. Her determination was like a steel beam as Murayama continued.

"You have plans to help people. I want to help in that for a king who wants to make the world better. The fact that you helped me and red like that shows me that my possible future king is a man who cares. I'm guessing he helped you too, cat."

Kuroka smirks at me before throwing me under the bus.

"He did, nya. He cleared me of criminal charges that I earned for the right reasons. He's my mate who is too noble, nya. You will have a great king if you say yes."

Murayama nods her head with her hair covering her right eye.

"I will practice my gear and consider my options. If I say yes, I will prove to you I'm worth being in your peerage. I will tell you when I'm ready. I want a knight to spit at them who claim they have honor in the clans. I will show them my king has more honor in his small toe than they do in their whole body. They can burn for what they do, and I want to be free of them forever."

I sighed.

"Very well, but you get to tell your uncle. I like living."

Murayama hugs me and promises me she will. Kuroka just joked with our very likely next piece.

"You'll like us as we are fun. Gregor will encourage your dreams, too, nya. I got mine, and Kiryuu wants to learn all about magic. Our king wants to get to Mars with our unofficial name being the Warriors of Mars nya. He can eventually build that for us."

Murayama stiffened before she pulled back and looked at me. The longing for Mars must be evident on my face because Murayama declared.

"He will get that. Anything for him that has shown me and my real family kindness. He will get Mars. You can build ships with your gear! Oh, Gregor-kun!"

The two women excitedly began debating what our ship would look like. I let them be happy, and they started a small fight over the ship's name. Murayama wants it named after a swordsman or woman. Kuroka says it should be named after Shirone! I snorted there because that racist cat doesn't deserve a ship named after her. I looked at Kuroka, unimpressed with her choice, as I do Murayama's name. They continued arguing about the name, and that argument stopped as we rejoined the others.

Issari is still looking at her armor and is now out of it in awe. Akeno is next to her, looking at the armor with interest. Kiryuu has her armor on and is trying to move around in it. But she will need time, she asked me as she tried to get near me.

"There must be something more maneuverable. This might hamper me more than help."

I do say to her.

"There are some things that are lighter. I'll think over a few ideas."

Issari said while still looking at the armor.

"I'll join. I'll hold this back. How much are we doing today?"

I take out my list and then think. Kiryuu and Murayama look at the list in shock for two different reasons as Akeno chuckles.

"Your intel is good, thanks to someone. Don't do that again, please. Rias was so very worried about you from that she trained till she dropped."

I countered.

"Yes, but if I do this, we can all relax more. I don't want to do it again, but it is a good way of getting this done. Keno, there are things I need to fight more."

Akeno sees she won't win here easily.

"Then do half days, please, for me."

I sighed.

"I will try to do more like that. Not today because I have things to do tomorrow. Better?"

Akeno humphed while Kuroka saw my worry there and didn't say anything. Akeno presses and makes it worse.

"Just do half days, Lex. I just don't want you to be that worried. Riser is not pushing us as hard as he normally would. I think that your excuse for Rias has bought us time."

Oh, don't say that, Akeno, that's cursing us. Kiryuu doesn't like that either. Issari, in the rare moment of being the out-of-universe one, huffs out.

"Don't say that, Senpai. You're asking for cursing. Pig bird will try something. Given how hot Red is, it's probably soon."

I hate that she's right. I also feel the first hint of anger toward someone calling Rias hot beside me. I am now really worried. Riser, according to Rias, is smart, and I don't like this silent stance. I don't say my worry. Akeno, however, continues on.

"Please just relax, Lex. You're worrying about this for nothing."

Issari caught my worry. She stayed silent, even though she was going to be a bad dragon, as I gave a noncommittal answer.

"Keno, I'll take it a bit slower. May I please do this? That way, I'll be less worried."

Akeno huffs.

"Okay. I want you to relax more, Lex. You act like the world's going to end. It won't. We have until mid-September before school. Relax a bit, please."

"I can't easily but will try."

That seems to be enough for Akeno. She prepared to leave but said.

"I'll let you go, Lex. You're like your mom doing this. She always worried about everything too much. Issari-chan, would you like to go get food sometime this week?"

That last part was said with a very tiny voice. Issari widened her eyes and then nodded furiously.

"Yes, I would love to have lunch with you, Akeno-senpai!"

That got a dirty look sent at Kiryuu, who was just about to tease the dragon girl. Akeno smiled a soft smile.

"It's a date, and I'll text you when. Thank you for breakfast today, Lex. It was nice to meet you, Murayama-san. Cat whack him because he's worried over nothing. Kiryuu-chan, I'll see if I can't bring you some books I have managed to get. Just please don't return them in bad shape. I'll see you possibly tomorrow, Lex. Rias said she would come over tomorrow, too."

She waved and then hit the pad. Everyone just looked at me in question.

"I will buy everyone a gift of their choice if they don't rat me out, including you, Murayama-chan. Issari I know you just scored there but please let me do this. You know why."

The inner circle nodded as one while Murayama supported me.

"I won't say anything, Gregor-kun. She's right; you should relax, but given what you have told me about him, that's a bad sign. She's worried but wants you to stop pushing yourself."

I worry because fate is a bitch. Kiryuu just moved slowly toward the pad in her armor. Murayama followed her. I tell them while preparing for a hunt.

"Just ask Maéva if you need something. Katase is welcome in the home; just give the heads-up beforehand. I'll be back in a few hours."

Kiryuu and Murayama nod. Before both leave the station, as known by the sound of a quick zap, Issari shows herself to be so torn that she grows sad.

"Senpai is just worried for you, Gregor-kun. I don't like this. Can you delay your meeting tomorrow and reschedule the school?"

I looked to Kuroka for question one. She spoke softly for me.

"The group can wait. I'll tell them to wait until Tuesday. I'll see them tomorrow and explain things nya. Kala will be surprised by you and me, but she knows I won't rat her out."

I tell Issari.

"The school is in the first half of the day. I'll pull a hard shift today. I can't reschedule because it's a one-time chance. Let's get going. Roka, you don't have to do much today. I know you and Shirone need to reconnect."

Kuroka whacks me with a tail.

"I'll pull a half shift of two or three hunts. I texted Shirone, and we will go out to eat tonight, nya."

That's better, as she smiled there. Before I asked the Machine God for a war mask for her, he agreed, and the build-up was felt. I'm told she can turn it on and off at will. I quickly made the robes before then getting my armor on along with my mechadendrites. We, after looking through the list, chose the targets. Once we were all ready, I began letting my magic flow. I portaled us to the first group: two knights and a rook.

I swung my axe, and its roaring teeth caught on a Chinese sword. The woman on the other side has a bit of meat hanging off her left arm from where I got her the first time. I head butt her, and that sends the American backward. She stumbled towards the half-finished wall in this old building that had been abandoned by the building company over a payment dispute.

I see Kuroka out of the corner of my eye, slowing the second knight with mud. He finally fell, choking on poison. I focus back on the first knight and swing my axe along with two swords against her. She dodged them and brought her sword across my legs trying to make her opening. I catch her sword with one of mine. Then, cut off her head. It bounced, and the body dropped. I picked up the head, throwing it in the pocket. I kept it open for Kuroka's kill and for Issari's. The rook she engaged had run fast because my title and description had finally leaked to the strays.

The fact that there were three of us in our quickly becoming well-known armor made that rook freak out, and the man had booked it. The knights had more guts than brains. The rook was soon cornered and killed by the three of us. We cleaned this up and then moved against the next group: two mutation pawns and a bishop.

I blasted the leg off the bishop as he tried to electrocute me again. My arm was jerky from the last shock, and thus the leg and not the body shot. The bishop screams loud, losing his leg, and I just cut his head off. I hate him because he was a nasty person who was trying to start selling a date rape drug of magical means here in the city.

His two comrades were the street dealers, equally sick people who were preparing to demonstrate the drug on a woman to a buyer. Kuroka had knocked the two mundanes unconscious, and then killed the pawn. She had reworked memories along with getting the woman justice on her potential abuser by getting a good story going that she can give to the police. With an implanted desire in the man to confess to the crime once arrested. Issari had painted the room red with the second pawn using her sword.

The strays had been meeting in an old slaughterhouse, and I burned the bodies. Throwing heads into the pocket.

The two rooks are running from me as they scream in Portuguese. I chased them down before blasting them with bolter rounds. I claimed one on a man. His brother was just as scared and punched a hole through a wall to escape. I'm not impressed, as he kept running. I fired, and the bolt hit his back, sending the body into pieces. I clean up and then move to find my partners.

Kuroka was cooking a pawn alive. Thanks to silence bubbles, her screams were not heard. Issari was looking at her phone, and she seemed worried about something. I don't know why. She had been on the phone longer because her knight was, as she had put it over the vox.

A little eggless bitch in reference to a snake youkai. She threw her head into the pocket. She keeps looking at her phone, and I ask her.

"What's got you in that?"

Issari shrugged her shoulders and answered,

"I'm just looking at something to buy. I want a new computer, and I want to try this Skyrim game you two were talking about."

I was very interested in the phone, but Kuroka finished her cooking and tossed her head towards me. I caught it and then threw it in. I asked her.

"What currency do you want for your share?"

She responded to me with a shrug.

"Yen, Shirone wants to get sweets, and I'm getting her them, nya."

After the bodies were gone, I opened the portal back to the station. Once there, I helped Kuroka get her armor off. Once the helm comes off, she shakes her ears in relief at them being able to move again.

"That mask is so weird, nya. The elves used it?"

I take my helm off and am starting to get used to the mask.

"Only craftworlds did. The other elves just let themselves enjoy the experience. Have fun with your sister. Will you be okay if you run into any of Heniya's peerage?"

Kuroka smiled at the concern, but her ears and tails disappeared within a second, and she shook her head.

"I'll be fine, nya. I never was caught when they did see me. Senjutsu is good at hiding things, nya."

I'm still worried, but I trust her implicitly.

"I'll get your money fast, then I'll do two more hunts. This will be more than enough to justify the work today. Thank you for helping."

Kuroka just smiled and hugged me. It was a brief hug before she went to enjoy herself with her sister. Issari, when it's the two of us, said.

"I'm calling it too. You need to make sure you get enough today, Gregor-kun. I do have something to ask. Whatever happened to Irina?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"She went on to become a reincarnated angel when they developed that. Why?"

Issari went very still before she said in a near whisper.

"I miss her. I was surprised when she messaged me today. She is usually only able to do that on Sunday around noon for us and only once every few months. She messaged twice today and said she missed me too. She said she wanted to see me sometime."

Oh fun. An exorcist being near a half-devil and not attempting to kill them is a good joke. I should do stand up with that. Issari drooped, knowing that. I pat her in sympathy.

"I can ask Kuroka to get rid of the demonic presence from you when Irina visits. I'm not sure what she would do if she were near me and the others. Cheer up, you got a date with your senpai, the Onee-sama of the school. They will be extremely jealous of you. You won't be at the bottom of the school social structure."

That brightened her up a tiny bit before she drooped again.

"I just want my best friends to get along with each other and her not to kill Senpai. I'm never joining the church because I'm a heretic to them already. I don't want her to hate me for that."

I feel sympathy there.

"She, in the base place, accepted you as a devil. She even got engaged to you as one. It might be the same here. Just don't say that Big G is dead. That put her down for a week of mourning. If she does learn of me, I will play nice and die as many times as I need to. I'm a good devil."

Issari got a tiny bit better. I donned the helm again and prepared to go after a queen and three pawns, then finally a group of bishops and knights. I was gathering magic when Issari hugged my back.

"Senpai is just worried about you. You don't really relax, but given that you're a noble I get it. On Tuesday, perhaps we could do something fun?"

I haven't relaxed in multiple weeks. I was used to that, thanks to a job where the manager didn't schedule me a day off for a month.

"I'll see what we can do. I just don't want to have to blow open Riser's peerage with a boltgun. I'd happily use it on him and make him scream along with his queen, but not the lower pieces. It's just that you're the main character, and they usually get things suddenly thrown at them. Riser being this silent is not good, and he does push this year near the end of it. I don't like that I might have become the main character."

Issari understands.

"I agree with you being worried. This might be that type of universe, but everyone is the main character to them. We can get this done fast and be ready to fight the knife-ear bastard. My boosts are taking less time each fight. I think I can get scale mail under the armor in a few more sessions. I'm prepared for him more than my base self. The other me told me his Kokabiel was bad, but he agrees ours is worse in many ways."

I hate the fuck, but the ruler Issei seems very cool. I'll finish this, and then I'll try to relax.

"I want to hear more about you. He sounds very interesting. I will see you, Issari. Also, for Keno, try going shopping with her. I don't know how to feel there except to be happy that you will treat my cousin right. Have a good night."

That was a tease, but Issari just flipped me off before moving to store her armor. Once she was done, she waved again before leaving the station. I donned the helm and then portaled to the next fights. They were not too bad, just two broken arms and one leg.