READ THIS BEFORE READING!!
A Question for Readers, please do answer.
If you know a good Tier 2 character (Continental to Planet level) who is either from Anime/Manga/Movie, and is a human, please do comment. This arc will end in two chapters or so, and I need to know that to plan arc three.
***
Third Person
The gentle breeze at the peak of Kiyomizu Dera Temple, and then the beautiful view of the city below… to Reze, perhaps this was the closest thing she could describe as her peace.
All her life, she had known nothing but blood, violence, and deception. Everywhere she went, people died at her hands. She never enjoyed killing…she simply kept moving forward, hardening her heart a little more each time.
But even in that chaos, she had found something that made her forget everything.
Love.
And now, that same love was being threatened by the Control Devil herself. She had lost count of how many times she had cursed her luck.
Today, though…she thought it wasn't too bad. Sure, Youkai had invaded the temple and destroyed parts of the Sannenzaka alley, but Reze and the other Public Safety hunters had managed to save most of the civilians and property.
They had managed to keep casualties to a minimum, and talking about casualties…
One hundred and ninety-five. That's how many Youkai she had killed today, though most of them were fodders not worth remembering, but a few had forced her to transform.
Now, all she wanted was a moment's rest, and that's what she was doing.
The orange hue of the sunset painted the world around her in amber, and for the first time in a long while, Reze felt… calm.
She reached out a hand toward the setting sun, fingers curling as if trying to grasp it.
"Maybe this isn't so bad after all," she murmured.
But her smile faltered, and then a quiet sigh escaped her lips.
"I wish I could spend this beautiful evening with Aleks-kun…" Her hand dropped slowly to her side again.
The wind brushed against her cheek again, it was warm and gentle like the world was trying to lure her into rest, but she couldn't let herself sleep. Even a moment's carelessness could be catastrophic.
Even though her body was still, her mind wasn't. She hadn't forgotten him…the leader of the special division she'd been assigned to…Tobio Ikuse.
There was something about that man that made her feel uneasy. Her discomfort only grew when he asked the same question she had once asked Aleks on their first date.
She'd done everything to stay the hell away from him since coming here. The last thing she wanted was to find out he was another one of Makima's assassins sent to kill her.
Ring. Ring.
The sound of her phone ringing snapped her out of her thoughts. Reze pulled it out and frowned upon seeing the caller ID.
It was Lavinia Reni.
Her green eyes narrowed. Lavinia had never called her personal phone before…they had only communicated in person during missions or at team gatherings. So seeing Lavinia's name flash on the screen, especially at this hour, felt… strange.
Reze didn't hate Lavinia, but ever since Aleks discovered that she was one of Makima's pets, trusting her wasn't an option anymore.
The phone kept ringing while Reze considered her choices. Finally, after a few seconds, she picked it up hesitantly. What's the worst that could happen?
"Hey there, Lavy. Do you need something from me?" she asked, keeping her tone polite.
"Reze, I need your help…please come down the Sannenzaka alley. I am in trouble," Lavinia said, her voice sounded urgent and…desperate?
What kind of trouble? Didn't we already clean up all the Youkais in this area? Reze frowned in suspicion.
Something felt…off. Maybe Lavinia was a bait who was using a plea for help to lure her into a trap?
For all Reze knew, Lavinia was on a whole other level. Asking her for help? Reze scoffed. It sounded almost absurd. Why would a Longinus user need her assistance anyway?
"Alright, I'll be there," Reze said firmly, cutting the call.
Her gaze swept across the temple grounds and she was not surprised. The crows… there were a bit too many of them today and she felt like all of them had their gazes locked onto her.
She knew…
Makima was watching.
By now, Reze had already pieced it together…this had to be one of Makima's setups. Lavinia's sudden call wasn't a coincidence…it was a cue.
She had no choice but to follow the plan her enemies had laid out for her. But she would make one thing clear…she was not someone who could be fooled by their cheap tricks.
Aleks had done everything he could to keep her safe, going so far as to provide her with countermeasures like that dagger and the summoning crystal. Even after all this help, if she couldn't protect herself, she didn't deserve to be with him. She couldn't keep taking his kindness without returning anything.
So she made up her mind.
Rising swiftly from the rooftop, she slid down the temple's sloping roof and landed on the stone floor below. The impact jolted through her legs, but she barely felt anything.
Then she looked at the stairs that led downwards toward Sannenzaka Alley for a few seconds, before she resumed her steps.
***
Sannenzaka.
There was an urban legend that claimed that if someone were to tumble down these stairs, they would fall straight into their death and their soul would be sent into the deepest pits of Yomi.
Reze never believed in superstitions. She wasn't that kind of girl.
And yet… why did her heart start racing with every step she took down the slope?
It didn't make sense. She had faced devils, fallen angels, youkais…things that no human could even imagine…and yet this narrow, lantern-lit path brought back memories she had long tried to forget.
Memories of her being subdued by Makima…right before she was about to meet Denji again.
Why did it feel like she was walking toward her own demise?
A part of her wanted to turn back and run away while never looking back. But she couldn't…not while she was watching.
If Reze ran again, the same fate would come for her…just like before. She would be found, and everything that made her happy, would be taken away. Again.
So she kept walking.
After what felt like an eternity, she reached the heart of Sannenzaka, the famous slope lined with teahouses and souvenir shops. Normally, even at this hour, it would have been crowded with tourists…but tonight, it was silent.
The entire place felt… ghosted.
A minute later, she arrived at the spot Lavinia had mentioned, but Lavinia was nowhere to be seen.
All that remained were the gas lanterns, flickering weakly and casting the alley in dim amber light.
"Where can you be, Lavy?" Reze muttered, sweeping her gaze across the narrow street.
Tap. Tap.
The sudden contact on her shoulder nearly made Reze's heart stop. She spun around, ready to strike back but then she froze.
It was Lavinia. Her smile was bright, almost unnaturally so. She looked happier than Reze had ever seen her before.
"Oh… It's you, Lavy," Reze said while trying to keep her tone calm.
Lavinia tilted her head, the smile never faltering. "Yup, it's just me~ So, shall we get going?" she offered her hand like a good friend.
This doesn't feel right… what could you possibly want, Lavinia? Reze thought, her unease simmering beneath the surface.
"Where are we going, Lavy? I thought you said you were in trouble… Did you… lie to me?" Reze asked with a tone carrying a certain edge.
Lavinia's grin only widened hearing Reze "I'm sorry for lying to you, Reze," she said softly. "The thing is… I wanted to spend more time with you. I want us to be good friends. And if I'd said that over the phone, you'd probably think I was onto something else."
Friend? Reze's mind flared with doubt. Are you even aware of yourself? Your lies make this worse than if you'd just been honest, she thought, her eyes narrowing slightly as she searched for the truth behind Lavinia's smile.
Reze carefully considered all her options. If she denied Lavinia… she had to be prepared for whatever came next. But if she accepted… maybe she could get enough time to see through her intentions, and act accordingly.
Having made up her mind, Reze hesitantly took Lavinia's hand. To anyone else, it might have looked like two friends sharing a quiet moment…but reality was far more crueler.
"Me too," Lavinia said, her voice soft, almost shy as her gaze fixed on Reze's green eyes.
Reze tilted her head in confusion, unsure what Lavinia really meant.
"I like the country mouse too~"
Reze's eyes widened in shock.
She had only ever heard this from Makima in her previous life. So, how did Lavinia know?
But Reze did not let it affect her. Getting caught up in words during a confrontation spelled disaster. She moved for the pin on her neck without hesitation…yet, just as her fingers brushed it, she froze on her tracks and unconsciously took a step back.
What stopped her was the silent materialization of a literal three-meter doll behind Lavinia. It didn't make any move, yet its presence alone sent chills down her spine.
At that moment, Rese realized one thing.
I am fucked.
What happened next could only be described as a natural disaster. The heat from Reze's explosions and her Sacred Gear had melted the very stones of Sannenzaka, while Lavinia's ice smothered the world in a frozen silence.
It wasn't a fight between two "friends."
It was a fight between two natural forces…one who controlled heat, while the other who erased it from existence.
Reze lost count of how many times she had detonated parts of her body, combining her Bomb Devil powers with the ability of her Sacred Gear. Since her Gear allowed her to manipulate heat in a localized area, she had used it to drastically amplify the temperature around her, turning the air itself into a fuel for her explosions.
Explosions, after all, were nothing but the rapid expansion of gas, and also by the very laws of physics, PV = nRT.
That meant…more temperature meant more pressure. More pressure meant bigger booms. This was a perfect addition to her power set, after all…
She loved them big.
Now, Reze stood amid the wreckage, drenched with sweat and her body slightly trembling from the cold, while her lungs burned with heat.
Reze was tired.
She was exhausted and had used up a lot of her energy… but she wasn't going to let exhaustion get her; she was far from finished.
Across from her, Lavinia stood relatively untouched, her expression calm while her doll embraced her like a guardian angel. The sight looked like a scene from a third-rate horror movie brought to life.
It was that same doll that had protected Lavinia from Reze's explosive assaults. Its very presence made Reze's detonations look like nothing more than fireworks, stealing away the heat before it could even reach Lavinia.
"Reze, why won't you understand? You don't even have enough energy to fight me back. Let's end this peacefully, okay?" Lavinia said calmly as she began walking toward Reze, her doll gliding silently behind her.
Meanwhile, Reze knew she wouldn't last much longer at this rate. She decided it was time to use something she had been holding back…
…her Balance Breaker.
***
When Tobio asked her to deal with Reze, Lavinia felt a pang of conflict. She wasn't particularly close to Reze, but she had wanted… to be friends.
She understood why Tobio had asked her to do so. No matter how much he tried to hide it, she knew the truth: he couldn't bring himself to hurt women. In reality, he was a softie, a dog who was incapable of truly delivering what Makima demanded.
But there was no need for soft hearts here. They both knew the rules, if they failed to follow Makima's orders, then they would be discarded and even replaced.
To them, Makima was their savior…someone who gave them a new life. Serving her came first before everything else. And so, with a heavy heart, Lavinia assured Tobio she would handle Reze.
Lavinia had deliberately held back during their battle. If she had truly wanted, she could have ended Reze from the start. But she hadn't…until now.
I'm sorry, Reze… she thought, stepping forward. I gave you every chance to surrender peacefully. I cannot show you mercy anymore.
And then her hand rose, and as if the world listened to her command, magic circles bloomed in the air around her, multiplying rapidly until the alley was filled with a shimmering circle filled with strange patterns and arcane symbols.
Lavinia was ready to unleash her ultimate spell, but then—
"Balance Breaker: Королева-убийца." Reze declared, her hands forming a hand sign with calm precision.
For a brief second, there was nothing but silence. But then…the world began to burn.
Lavinia's eyes widened in horror as her Longinus failed to absorb the ever-rising heat flooding the air around them. The temperature kept spiking up beyond reason—
…500°C…1000°C…1500°C… it went higher and higher until the air itself began to shimmer and bend like liquid fire.
Her doll, though still relatively unharmed, began to fade from existence. The sentient construct knew that unless Lavinia invoked its ultimate form soon, it would have to vanish… otherwise, it would take irreversible damage.
Lavinia clenched her teeth, frost forming at the corners of her lips as she fought against the increasing heat with everything she had. She had underestimated Reze so badly that it made her sick and frustrated at her own carelessness.
How could she have overlooked the fact that Reze could use her Balance Breaker… and on this level?
Lavinia had prepared countermeasures against Reze's countermeasures.
First, to prevent the summoning crystal from working, she'd sealed the entire area within an invisible anti-teleportation barrier and a strong one at that. It would at least require the strength of an Ultimate Class devil to break it.
As for the dagger, she planned to use the Steal spell to wrench it from Reze's possession. After all, Reze had no effective ways to counter her magic. She knew Reze was a failure even as a half devil.
Then how could she be so stupid to fall for this?
But Lavinia wasn't one to give up easily, so she quickly made her resolve.
"I can still win… if I use my Balance Breaker—" she whispered through gritted teeth.
What Lavinia didn't know was that it was just her wishful thinking.
Reze 'looked' at her with amusement. To her, this sight was beautiful. Watching Lavinia struggle in this inferno filled her with an odd sense of satisfaction.
Amid the scorching air, she was the only one who remained untouched …it was as if God Himself had exempted her from the world's misery.
Without wasting another second, she raised her hand toward Lavinia.
"Boom."
Then the world went blank.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM
A blinding flash consumed the temple grounds as an explosion tore through everything in its path. The shockwave flattened trees, melted stone, and even turned the hill into a wasteland.
When it was over, nothing remained except a huge crater. Everything else was utterly silent and devoid of life.
Even in this hellish landscape, Reze stood tall with her hands stretched wide, as if she were acknowledging her victory. Though a moment later, her knees gave in and she knelt to support herself.
Exhaustion kicked in and her Bomb devil transformation was undone.
Her trembling hands pressed against the scorched ground, and then she contemplated as the weight of what she'd done finally sank in.
She had done it…she had managed to survive.
For the first time, Reze truly felt it…
She was strong enough to protect herself.
***
Reze's POV
I… won?
I still had a hard time believing that I actually won against someone who was capable of freezing an entire country.
"Hahahaha…"
An unexpected feeling of euphoria took over me as genuine delight filled my chest.
Lavinia was strong… but I killed her. That makes me stronger than her.
And I never had to rely on the dagger or the crystal Aleks-kun gave me.
Would he be proud? I knew I wasn't a match for him, but still… just getting his acknowledgment made me feel better.
I wanted him to praise me more…and love me more.
All the things I had missed out on in life… I wanted to try them. And today, I checked one off my list.
I knew compressing my explosions was a good strategy. I sacrificed range at the cost of increasing the intensity of my detonations. Paired with the heat, I was able to pull off a mini-nuke.
I gently got up from the ground. My legs were still wobbly, but I managed to keep my balance.
Today, I felt like a new person.
I knew Makima was onto something, I couldn't shake that feeling off, and now I knew why.
That bitch had planned this all along.
My main priority was to hide and find Aleks-kun. And then… and then…
"Someday, when all this is over… he and I…
…Мы поедем на Гавайи… и поженимся." I muttered happily, bringing my hands up to cover my flushed face
Truly, if that happened…it would be a dream come true.
***
***
***
Author's Note (Again):
Now, I've noticed some of you might be disappointed by Reze and Makima as love interests. Well… sorry to disappoint, but I'm not including any other love interests besides them. (If you count the Goddess from chapter 1, then that makes three.)
I don't want this to be a harem fantasy or a typical power fantasy. If you haven't realized it yet… this fanfic is titled Power X Progressive for a reason.
Aleks suffers, overcomes his obstacles, and evolves as a person, that's the whole point.
And did you really think I would off-screen Reze? Hell no. I love her as a character, and writing her is so much fun.
It's a pity her character only appeared briefly for a single arc in the CSM manga. She had so much more potential, and our boy Denji would have been a lot happier with her around.
Anyway, see you next time! Stay safe and have a great day!