— — — — — —
By the shores of Kannawa Lake—
A boy with dazzling golden hair like sunlight stood on the wooden pier, dressed in a black tailcoat. His face still carried a hint of childish softness, but his eyes were far too cold for someone his age.
He gazed out across the lake and said lightly, "I love Japan. They actually arrested that old Akatsuki hag guarding this place. Tsk! Saves me a lot of trouble."
He was Kenon, known as the Vampire King, the Prototype Fourth Primogenitor.
Beside him stood a man wearing a dinosaur skull over his head. The man chuckled.
"Collateral damage from the Lilith mess, I guess. Didn't expect that new Fourth Primogenitor to use a move like this to take over the agency. He's got style."
"That man…"
The Vampire King paused, then let out a faint sigh. "He's far too… diligent. Using schemes against a mere human government. He could've just walked in and taken what he wanted. Who would dare resist?"
There was no small amount of resentment in his voice when he spoke of Ryo Yagami.
"Probably because he hasn't fully absorbed all the familiars yet. He's not truly the Fourth Primogenitor," the bone-helmed man said casually, then changed the subject. "What about the one sleeping in Kannawa Lake? Can we wake Glenda?"
"Without her, dealing with the Fourth Primogenitor will be much harder. Even with the Order of the End lying in wait nearby, it won't be enough."
"...I've already begun dismantling the sleep spell." The Vampire King stared at the surface of the water, narrowing his eyes as immense magical power poured from his body.
The lake began to churn violently under the pressure, as if a storm were about to erupt at any moment.
"Awaken, Cain's Guardian Dragon! The day has come to end your ancient feud!"
Deep beneath Kannawa Lake, a dragon-serpent, its body coiled tight, demonic horns curving from its head, opened its crimson eyes.
Roaaar!
A demonized houda, dragon-like in appearance, was stirred by the surging magic. It burst from the water and reared up at the Vampire King.
"Recognize me?"
A smile tugged at the Vampire King's lips, joy flickering across his face like he was greeting an old friend.
He reached out to stroke the creature's brow—
—and met a pair of bloodthirsty, scarlet eyes.
Something's wrong.
In the next instant, the crimson-eyed serpent opened its jaws wide and snapped down at him.
"Shit!"
That was when it hit him.
This wasn't Glenda.
It was another dragon. One saturated with dense demonic power.
Where was Glenda? Where was the dragon he'd left sleeping here?
Before he could finish the thought, the demonic houda swallowed him whole.
"What the hell is that?!"
The man in the dinosaur skull froze for half a second before his face turned green.
"Get over here! Save the Vampire King!"
His scream echoed across the lakeshore. The Order of the End members scattered nearby finally reacted and rushed in.
The demonic serpent roared like a true dragon, unleashing a thunderous draconic bellow.
"Ahhh!"
"Get back! Its saliva's poisonous!"
"Where's His Majesty the Vampire King?!"
"He's in its mouth! Get him out!"
In an instant, the entire lakeside descended into chaos.
— — —
Itogami Island - Tenth underground level of the Keystone Gate.
On an experimental platform lay a grotesque demon. One half of its body was raw, blood-red muscle. The other half gleamed with metal. Twisted horns curved from its head.
Standing beside the platform, flipping through records of the Cleansing experiments, Ryo suddenly looked up.
"The houda at Kannawa Lake's been triggered?"
Last time he'd visited this world, he had removed the sleeping Glenda from the lake and demonized a houda to leave behind as a fake "treasure."
Apparently, some brave fool had gone and woken it up.
"The Order of the End? Or the Vampire King himself?"
Ryo let out a soft chuckle. "Trying to wake Glenda, are you? Looks like he won't be waiting much longer before delivering himself to my door."
He showed no concern whatsoever about the fight at the lake.
He still had plenty to do. The Cleansing experimental data, the freshly obtained five-digit demon transformation data, all of it needed to be compiled and analyzed.
Time was already tight.
If he moved now to wipe out the Order of the End and the Vampire King outright, the interference index could spike to twelve.
At that point, even if he stopped actively observing this world, Little Garden would still begin forming a faint connection with it.
He didn't want to expose himself before his plans were complete.
"The time-travel spell is still on the Vampire King. If he's the one who tried to wake Glenda, then his arrival on Itogami Island won't be far off."
Ryo smiled and looked at the Zanpakutō resting on the table.
"When the time comes, I might need you to stall for me. Or perhaps it would be better if you were the one to observe this world instead."
"With the resonance from observing this world, combined with the Primogenitor spirit rank, you might even take another step forward at the three-digit level."
From within the blade came Algol's strange voice.
"So that's why you spread the rumor that the 'Demon Star' is the true ruler of the Dawn Empire? You're planning to pin everything on me?"
"Is that a problem?"
"Heh. Of course it's fine. But somehow it feels like someone thought the blame was too heavy and tossed it onto me instead."
Ryo coughed lightly. "You're overthinking it. Observing this world benefits me greatly, whether it's improving my spirit rank or other gains. If you weren't trying to ascend to two digits, why would I hand it over?"
The spirit gains were secondary. The real prize was forum points.
Naturally, Ryo had already checked with the forum. Only after confirming that he could secure the points through Algol did he generously offer to share the merit from observing this world.
Partly to let Algol shoulder the blame.
Partly to share profits and keep their interests tied together.
After all, Algol might very well go stir up trouble in a parallel world for a long time. And if Ryo swallowed all the benefits from this world himself, friction would be inevitable.
Even though he believed the incomplete spirit rank of "Primogenitor of the Demon Kind" would tempt Algol enough not to mind, he also knew how nasty incomplete spirit ranks could be.
If Algol failed to ascend to two digits and ended up having to hand over or share an Another Cosmology as per their contract, gaining little beyond minor spirit progress while earning the enmity of countless gods…
That would be ugly.
If she took all the risk and he took all the reward, she'd settle the score eventually.
Better to split the spirit gains from observing this world now and avoid trouble later.
"Oh?" Algol drawled. "In that case, how about signing a contract?"
"I'll share part of the Demon Star's merit with you to compensate for your losses in this world. And we'll share the risks of observing this world together."
Ryo's eyelid twitched, but his face remained calm. "That's a bit much. I'm being generous, and you're guarding against me like this?"
Algol's voice turned low and knowing. "The trinity Athena. The Zodiac familiars bound to you."
"Shiroyasha. That ugly woman. If even they aren't spared, why would I, Algol, be any different?"
"Instead of that, why not tie us closer together? No distinction between yours and mine. You wouldn't cheat yourself, would you?"
Ryo's mouth twitched, "…Suit yourself. I'm not losing anything."
"Good. Then prepare yourself to accept the spiritual contract. I'll share the Demon concept with you. After that, we're tied to the same rope."
Ryo couldn't help but laugh helplessly, "As long as you're happy."
.
.
.