Unknown Location
The sanctum beneath the abandoned temple reeked of sulfur and old blood.
A demonic figure sat at the head of a long obsidian table, his tall humanoid frame draped in ornate gothic robes that seemed to absorb the flickering torchlight rather than reflect it. His long dark hair hung loose past his shoulders and around his grotesque ram horns, his angular face remaining perfectly still as he surveyed the four figures seated around him.
"The binding stone," he said, his voice carrying through the chamber with cold precision. "Is it ready?"
The demon to his right—a hulking knight in blood-shaded full-plate armor—shifted in his seat. "Yes, Lord Lucion. The energy we drained from the three shrines has been channeled into the stone. It should be sufficient to bind even one as powerful as Yasaka." The steel plates of his armor shifted as he lowered his head.
"Should be?" Lucion's head turned slowly toward the speaker, and though his expression didn't change, something in the movement made the larger demon lean back slightly.
"It will be sufficient, my lord," the demon corrected quickly. "Though if additional power is required, there remains the small leyline node in Kuoh. Unprotected. We could drain it in a matter of hours."
Lucion's fingers drummed once against the obsidian surface—a single, deliberate tap. "Kuoh. How convenient that our enemies have left such a resource exposed while they focus their attention on Kyoto."
"Their overconfidence will be their downfall," said a female demon seated across the table. Her voice was sensual, almost musical, but her eyes were pure white. Her skin was a pale green, fitted with a revealing leather, showing off her generous assets to ensnare lustful men. "The Gremory girl and her peerage believe themselves prepared. They have no idea what we've been building."
"Let them feel prepared," Lucion replied. "False security breeds carelessness. The human students arrive in Kyoto in two days. The city will be flooded with their presence, their energy, and their chaos. The Youkai guards will be stretched thin, focused on protecting the tourists rather than watching for true threats."
The fourth lieutenant—a massive figure with glowing orange eyes—leaned forward. "And the ritual site? Everything is prepared?" His baritone voice seemed to vibrate the air.
"The old shrine beneath Fushimi Inari." Lucion stood, his robes falling in perfect lines as he moved to a map spread across a side table. "Here. Deep in the underground tunnels where the tourist paths don't reach. We've already inscribed the binding circles. She'll leave her armies behind to defend this location herself, and then she'll walk directly into our trap."
"She won't come alone," the orange-eyed demon said. "The nine-tailed fox is too clever for that."
"Of course she won't, Astaroth." Lucion's hand hovered over the map, his finger tracing invisible lines between marked locations. "She'll bring her strongest warriors. Which is precisely why we've prepared the secondary summoning circles here, here, and here. When she enters the shrine, we'll flood the tunnels with the Fallen. Her guards will be occupied while we complete the binding ritual."
The female demon's lips curved into something that might have been a smile. "And once she's bound? Once her corrupted power is channeled into the leylines?"
"Then Kyoto becomes ours." Lucion turned back to face them, his piercing eyes moving from one lieutenant to the next. "The main leyline will twist under our control using her as a conduit. Its power will flow through us rather than the Youkai. And with that power, we'll tear open the seals that have kept our brethren imprisoned for centuries."
"The Old Demons will rise again," the demon knight breathed, and something like religious fervor colored his voice.
"Yes." Lucion returned to his seat, his movements precise and controlled. "As my father prophesied before his imprisonment. As the ancient texts foretold. The age of devils and angels playing at peace will end. The true powers—the Old Demons who ruled before the Great War—will reclaim what was stolen from us." The demon leader slowly paced next to the grand table, eyes heavy with ambition.
"With power that is rightfully ours, we'll tear open that forgotten abyss the pretenders call a prison, and my father will rejoin us. The prime evil will reign once again."
Astaroth slammed his fist against the table, cracking it, the impact echoing through the chamber. "For Lord Mephisto! For the return of the Old Ones!"
"For Mephisto," the others echoed, their voices blending into a chorus.
Lucion just stared at the now cracked table of pure obsidian. Astaroth followed his gaze, removing his hand.
"Oh. My apologies, Lord Lucion." Lucion didn't respond and sat back down in his throne-like chair with a small sigh of exasperation.
Once seated, his hands steepled before him. "Two days. That's all that stands between us and destiny. Azmodan's forces are already positioned in the outer districts. Cydaea, your spies have mapped every patrol route the Youkai will use. And Andariel..." He paused, and something cold flickered across his face. "Vidian has ensured that certain... distractions will keep the devil observers occupied when the time comes. He's already done quite well with the leyline shrines."
"Too bad Ghom isn't around. It would have loved eating the leftovers," Astaroth said with a merciless smirk, arms crossed.
"And if the Gremory girl interferes?" the female demon asked, ignoring the massive demon. "Or that human the reports mentioned? The one who discovered Vidian's work at Mount Kumotori?"
"Then they die." Lucion's tone didn't change, carrying the same cold authority as before. "We've sanctified three shrines and consumed countless resources preparing for this moment. Nothing—not devils, not humans, not even the meddling Satans—will stop us from claiming Kyoto."
He stood again, moving to a dark alcove at the back of the chamber. From the shadows, he withdrew a stone—roughly the size of a human head, its surface covered in pulsing crimson veins that seemed to writhe beneath the rock's surface. The binding stone hummed with captured energy, and even from across the room, the power radiating from it was palpable.
"Behold," Lucion said, holding the stone aloft. "Three leyline nodes, drained to their essence. Dozens of Youkai lives, their spiritual energy consumed and compressed. All of it channeled into this single vessel." The stone pulsed brighter, and the torches around the chamber flickered in response. "When Yasaka's power is bound by this, when her nine tails are bound and her connection to Kyoto's leylines is corrupted and redirected—we will have everything we need."
The four lieutenants rose from their seats, moving to kneel before him in a synchronized motion that suggested long practice.
"Lord Lucion," they said in unison, "we are yours to command."
"Then prepare." He lowered the stone, cradling it almost tenderly. "Check your forces. Review the summoning circles. Ensure every contingency is accounted for. In two days, when those foolish students flood Kyoto's streets, when the Youkai are distracted and the devils are spread thin—we strike."
The lieutenants filed out one by one, their forms dissolving into shadows that slithered through cracks in the stone walls. Only when the last had departed did Lucion return to his seat, placing the binding stone carefully on the obsidian table before him.
For a long moment, he simply stared at it, his expression unreadable in the dim light.
Then he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper but carrying the weight of absolute conviction. "Father, I will not fail you. The sacrifice you made, the centuries you've suffered in imprisonment—all of it will be vindicated. The pretenders may pretend that you were slain, but we know the truth. Kyoto will fall. The Old Demons will rise. And your legacy will be reborn in blood and power. This world will be our foothold to trample to reclaim the underworld."
The binding stone pulsed once more, its crimson veins glowing brighter, as if in response to his oath.
"Two days," Lucion repeated to the empty chamber. "Two days until Kyoto becomes the foundation for our rebirth. Two days until the world remembers why they once feared the name Mephisto."
He remained seated as the torches burned lower, his eyes fixed on the stone, his posture perfectly still except for the slight curl of his fingers—anticipation barely contained beneath rigid control.
In the darkness beyond the sanctum's walls, something ancient stirred. Something that had been waiting, patient and hungry, for its chance to return.
And in two days, its patience would be rewarded.
XXX
Toshio POV
The bus ride to Kyoto had been long, cramped, and filled with the kind of excited chatter that only high school students on a field trip could produce. I'd spent most of it with Akeno pressed against my side, her hand resting possessively on my thigh while she whispered increasingly inappropriate suggestions about what we could do once we got to the hotel.
Kiba, seated across the aisle, had maintained his usual pleasant smile throughout the journey, though I'd caught him shooting me sympathetic looks whenever Akeno's teasing became particularly bold. The rest of our classmates were too caught up in their own excitement to pay much attention to us, thankfully.
Now, as the bus finally pulled up to the Sakura Inn, I felt a mixture of relief and anticipation. Relief that the journey was over, anticipation for what the next few days might bring. The inn was beautiful—traditional architecture with modern touches, surrounded by carefully maintained gardens that probably looked spectacular during cherry blossom season.
"Everyone, please gather your belongings and exit in an orderly fashion," one of the teachers called out, though her words were nearly drowned out by the excited chatter.
I grabbed my bag from the overhead compartment and followed the flow of students off the bus. The afternoon sun was warm on my face, and I took a moment to breathe in the air of Kyoto—different from Kuoh somehow, heavier with history and spiritual energy that made my senses tingle.
Rias was already off the bus, standing near the entrance with that composed expression she wore when she was in "heiress mode." Her crimson hair caught the sunlight, and I noticed several male students staring at her with barely concealed admiration. Not that I could blame them.
"Toshi-kun," Akeno purred, linking her arm through mine as we walked toward the inn's entrance. "I wonder if our rooms will be close together. Though I suppose I could always visit you after lights out~"
"I'm pretty sure the teachers have thought of that," I replied, though the mental image her words conjured was definitely distracting. "Besides, aren't the boys and girls staying in completely separate wings?"
"Such a shame," she sighed dramatically. "I suppose I'll just have to content myself with daydreams. Very detailed daydreams. Or I could sneak over so we can have some traditional fun~"
Kiba fell into step beside us, his expression amused. "You two are going to give the teachers heart attacks if you keep that up in public."
"That's half the fun," Akeno said with an innocent smile that fooled absolutely no one. I silently hoped that the teachers were still charmed
The lobby of the Sakura Inn was spacious and elegant, with traditional shoji screens and modern amenities blending seamlessly. Our group clustered near the check-in desk while the teachers handled the logistics. I noticed Rias speaking quietly with one of the staff members, probably making arrangements for whatever supernatural security measures we'd need.
"Attention, everyone," the head teacher called out, clapping her hands for silence. "Boys will be staying in the east wing, girls in the west wing. There are only eight boys on this trip, so you'll have your own smaller section. Girls, you'll be sharing the larger accommodations. Please check in with your respective floor supervisors to receive your room assignments."
Eight boys out of nearly a hundred students. The gender ratio at Kuoh Academy was still absurdly skewed, even for the second-year class. I caught Kiba's eye, and he shrugged philosophically. At least we'd have more space.
"I suppose this is where we part ways," I said to Akeno, who pouted prettily.
"For now," she agreed, rising on her toes to press a kiss to my lips that lingered just a bit too long to be entirely appropriate. "Don't miss me too much~"
"I'll try to survive," I replied dryly, earning a giggle from her.
Kiba and I made our way to the east wing check-in, where a tired-looking male teacher was distributing room keys to the handful of boys. The other six were first-years who immediately scattered to their rooms, leaving just Kiba and me standing in the small lobby area.
"Room 203 for you, Amano-san," the teacher said, handing me a traditional key rather than a keycard. "Room 205 for you, Kiba-san. Try to get settled quickly—we're meeting back in the main lobby in thirty minutes for the afternoon tour." Since there were so few of us, we all got our own rooms.
"Yes, sensei," we both replied.
The east wing was quiet compared to the chaos we'd left behind in the main lobby. I could hear the excited chatter of female students echoing from the west wing, but here it was almost peaceful. My room was small but comfortable—tatami floors, a futon already laid out, and a window that overlooked one of the inn's gardens. At least it was better than Miyamoto-sensei's place.
I dropped my bag on the floor and immediately began checking the room's spiritual energy signature. Old habits from months of training with Kuroka made me cautious about new locations. Her paranoia was starting to rub off on me. The hotel felt clean though, no trace of malicious energy or demonic presence. Just the ambient spiritual power that seemed to permeate all of Kyoto. I had been paying attention the entire time during the bus ride too, but Energy Sense never picked anything of note up.
My phone buzzed with a text from Kuroka: "Already miss me, ~nya? Don't do anything stupid without me there to watch your back."
I smiled despite myself and sent back a quick reply: "I'll try. Keep an eye on Kuoh while I'm gone."
Her response was immediate: "I suppose I will, just for you. Now go play tourist with your devil friends~"
After unpacking the essentials and changing into a more casual version of our uniform, I met Kiba back in the small east wing lobby. He'd changed too, looking effortlessly put-together in a way that probably made half the female students swoon.
"Ready?" he asked.
"As I'll ever be."
We made our way back to the main lobby, where the chaos had somehow intensified. Students were everywhere, phones out taking selfies, chattering about which shrines they wanted to visit first. The teachers looked like they were already regretting their career choices.
I spotted Rias and Akeno near the entrance, and we navigated through the crowd to join them. Akeno immediately claimed my arm again, while Rias maintained a careful distance that I'd grown frustratingly accustomed to over the past two months.
"Everyone settled in?" Rias asked, her tone professional despite the casual setting.
"As much as possible with this crowd," I replied, gesturing at the controlled chaos around us. I still disliked being in large crowds. "How's the west wing?"
"Loud," Akeno said with a laugh. "I'm sharing with Rias, thankfully. Some of the other girls are already planning midnight pillow fights."
"Sounds exhausting."
"Oh, it will be." She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper only I could hear. "Though I'd much rather be exhausted from you fucking me~"
Before I could respond to that, one of the teachers clapped her hands sharply. "Alright, everyone! We're heading out for the afternoon tour. Please stay with your groups and follow your designated teacher. We'll be visiting Kiyomizu-dera first, then walking through the Higashiyama district. Keep your phones charged and stay together!"
The mass of students began organizing themselves into groups. I noticed Rias pulling Akeno aside for a quiet conversation, probably going over security protocols. When they returned, Rias's expression was carefully neutral.
"Before we head out," Rias announced to the four of us, her voice low enough that the surrounding students wouldn't overhear, "I need to mention something. Later this evening, after the tour, we have a meeting scheduled with Yasaka and representatives from the Youkai faction."
"Diplomatic visit?" Kiba asked.
"Exactly. Sona and her peerage will be joining us, and Serafall-sama will also be in attendance." Rias's expression remained composed, but I caught the slight tension in her shoulders. "It's important that we make a good impression. The relationship between devils and Youkai has improved significantly since the treaty, but it's still... delicate."
"Understood," I said. Meeting Yasaka—the leader of the Youkai faction—wasn't something I'd expected to be a part of on this trip. Then again, nothing about this trip was normal.
"For now though," Rias continued, her expression softening slightly, "let's try to enjoy the sightseeing. Our classmates deserve to have a good time, and maintaining normalcy is important."
She was right, of course. Two hundred students had come to Kyoto expecting a fun school trip, not to be caught in the middle of supernatural politics and potential demon attacks. The least we could do was help maintain that illusion for as long as possible.
"Hey, we deserve it too Rias," Akeno said playfully.
"I second that," Kiba added. Rias sighed and relaxed her shoulders a little.
"You're both right of course," she said good-naturedly. I hadn't realized how tense she was until that moment, not that I blamed her.
We filed out of the inn with the rest of our class, joining the stream of students heading toward the bus that would take us to Kiyomizu-dera. The streets of Kyoto were alive with activity—tourists from around the world mixing with locals, the afternoon sun casting long shadows between traditional buildings and modern shops.
"It's beautiful," Akeno murmured, her usual teasing demeanor replaced by genuine appreciation as she looked around. "I haven't been to Kyoto in years."
"It is," I agreed, my gaze resting on Akeno's form. Akeno, noticing where I was looking, stepped up to me, conforming her body to mine.
"You keep that up, I'm going to take you behind one of the shrines and consecrate it." I gave her a peck on the lips.
"Something I'm sure the Youkai would appreciate," I replied sarcastically, causing her to giggle.
We separated, allowing me to take in the scenery. The spiritual energy here was different from Kuoh—denser, older, and layered with centuries of history and belief. I could feel it thrumming beneath the surface of everything, a constant presence that made my senses hyperaware.
The bus ride to Kiyomizu-dera was mercifully short. When we arrived, I was struck by the sheer number of people crowding the approach to the temple. Tourists packed the narrow streets leading up the hill, stopping at every shop and stall to browse souvenirs and take photos.
"Stay together, everyone!" the teachers called out, though their words were nearly lost in the general noise.
Our group began the ascent toward the temple, passing through the iconic red gate that marked the entrance to the sacred grounds. The path was lined with shops selling everything from traditional crafts to modern trinkets, and I watched as my classmates eagerly explored each stall.
"Toshi-kun, look!" Akeno pointed to a shop selling various charms and omamori. "We should get matching ones~"
"For what?" I asked, though I was already being pulled toward the shop.
"Protection, of course." Her smile was playful. "Though I think we both know you're my lucky charm already~"
I couldn't help but smile at that. Kiba, walking beside us, chuckled quietly.
"You two are disgustingly sweet," he observed with amusement.
"Jealous?" Akeno teased.
"Envious, perhaps," he replied smoothly. "It must be nice to be so openly affectionate."
There was something in his tone that made me glance at him sharply, but his expression remained pleasantly neutral. I filed that away to think about later.
We continued up the path, finally reaching the main temple complex. Kiyomizu-dera was breathtaking—the famous wooden stage jutting out from the hillside, supported by massive pillars, offering a panoramic view of Kyoto spread out below. The temple itself was currently undergoing restoration, parts of it covered in scaffolding, but that somehow made it more impressive—a reminder that these ancient structures required constant care to survive.
"The stage was built without a single nail," one of the teachers was explaining to a cluster of students. "It's held together entirely through traditional joinery techniques. The craftsmanship is extraordinary."
I moved to the edge of the viewing platform, taking in the vista. From here, I could see the entire city—traditional temples nestled beside modern buildings, and beyond that, the mountains that ringed the ancient capital. The spiritual energy was even stronger up here, concentrated by centuries of prayer and devotion.
I activated Energy Sense out of habit, letting my awareness expand beyond the normal human range. The temple grounds were saturated with spiritual power—benign, peaceful, but incredibly potent. I could sense the leyline node somewhere beneath us, its energy flowing through the earth like a massive underground river.
But there was something else too. Something that made my instincts prickle with unease.
I focused, trying to isolate the sensation. It was faint, barely perceptible beneath the overwhelming presence of the temple's spiritual power. A wrongness, like a discordant note in an otherwise harmonious symphony. It was gone almost as soon as I noticed it, leaving me uncertain whether I'd actually sensed anything or if my paranoia was just working overtime.
"Everything alright?" Rias's voice pulled me from my concentration. She'd moved beside me, her blue-green eyes studying my face with concern.
"Not sure," I admitted quietly, keeping my voice low enough that the nearby students wouldn't overhear. "I thought I sensed something off, but it disappeared before I could get a read on it."
Her expression tightened slightly. "Demonic?"
"Couldn't tell. It was too brief." I scanned the crowds around us, looking for anything out of place. But all I saw were tourists and students, everyone absorbed in their own experiences. "Might have been nothing. The spiritual energy here is intense—it could be interfering with my senses."
"Stay alert," she said, then hesitated before adding, "And thank you. For watching out for everyone."
There was something in her tone that made me look at her more closely. Her composure was perfect as always, but there was a tension around her eyes that hadn't been there this morning. Before I could ask about it, Akeno appeared at my other side, linking her arm through mine.
"The view is spectacular, isn't it?" she said, though her eyes were on Rias rather than the cityscape. "We should take a photo together. All three of us."
Rias looked like she was about to decline, but Akeno was already pulling out her phone and positioning us. I found myself sandwiched between them, very aware of Akeno's warmth on my left and Rias's careful distance on my right.
"Smile, Toshi-kun," Akeno instructed, holding the phone up. "And Rias, stop looking like you're at a funeral." Seeing my opportunity, I reached over and pulled Rias flush against my side, matching Akeno. I noticed a faint dusting of crimson on her cheeks.
It got a small, genuine smile from Rias, and Akeno snapped several photos. When she showed them to us, I had to admit we looked good together—Akeno beaming, me with a slight smirk, and Rias with that rare soft smile that made something in my chest tighten.
"Perfect," Akeno declared, already setting one as her phone background. "A memento of our first trip to Kyoto together."
Hopefully not our last, I thought, though I kept that to myself.
We spent another hour exploring the temple grounds, moving through the various halls and shrines that made up the complex. I found myself genuinely enjoying it despite my underlying tension. The architecture was stunning, the history fascinating, and watching my classmates experience it all with such enthusiasm was oddly heartwarming.
Kiba proved to be surprisingly knowledgeable about the temple's history, explaining various architectural features and historical anecdotes that even the teachers hadn't mentioned. I caught several female students gravitating toward him as he spoke, hanging on his every word. He handled the attention with his usual grace, friendly but maintaining appropriate distance.
"You're popular," I observed when we had a moment alone.
"Occupational hazard of being a devil," he replied with a slight smile. "The supernatural charisma can be... inconvenient sometimes."
"I can imagine."
"Though you seem to handle Akeno's attention well enough," he added, his tone teasing. "That takes its own kind of fortitude."
I snorted. "She's a lot to handle, but in the best way."
"I'm glad she has you," Kiba said, and his expression grew more serious. "Akeno deserves someone who sees past the masks she wears. Someone who accepts all of her."
There was weight in those words that made me study him more carefully. "You care about her a lot."
"She's like a sister to me," he confirmed. "We've been through a lot together in Rias's peerage. Seeing her happy... it means something."
I nodded, understanding what he wasn't saying. The peerage was a family, and Kiba was protective of his family. It was a reminder that my relationship with Akeno affected more than just the two of us.
As the afternoon wore on, we made our way down from the temple and into the Higashiyama district. The narrow streets were lined with traditional machiya houses, many converted into shops and cafes. Our classmates scattered to explore, and I found myself walking with Rias, Akeno, and Kiba through the historic neighborhood.
"This area is beautiful," Rias observed, her gaze taking in the preserved architecture. "It's like stepping back in time."
"Kyoto was spared from bombing during World War II," Kiba explained. "That's why so much of the traditional architecture survived. The Americans recognized its cultural significance."
"Lucky for us," Akeno added, stopping to peer into a shop selling traditional ceramics. "Though I wonder how many of these buildings are actually original versus reconstructions."
"Does it matter?" I asked. "If they're rebuilt to the same specifications, preserving the same techniques and aesthetics, aren't they just as authentic?"
"Philosophical question," Rias said with a small smile. "Is something defined by its age or by what it represents?"
"Both, I think," I replied. "The age gives it weight, but the meaning is what makes it important."
We continued walking, falling into an easy conversation about history and preservation that felt remarkably normal. For a few moments, I could almost forget we were here on a mission, that there were demons planning something terrible, that this entire trip could go sideways at any moment.
Almost.
My Energy Sense picked up that wrongness again—stronger this time, more defined. I stopped walking, my attention immediately focusing on trying to isolate the source. It was coming from somewhere to the south, maybe a few blocks away. Dark, malevolent, and definitely supernatural.
"Toshio?" Rias had noticed my sudden stillness.
"Something's wrong," I said quietly, already moving toward an alley where we could talk without being overheard. The others followed immediately, their casual demeanors shifting to alert readiness.
Once we were out of sight of the main street, I activated Energy Sense more fully, pushing my awareness outward. The sensation was clearer now—definitely demonic energy, multiple sources, concentrated in what felt like an abandoned building or underground space. Then, without warning, the traces vanished.
Just as they were about to follow my lead, I held my hand up. "Wait, it disappeared," I said with a frown on my face.
"They may have teleported," Akeno added.
"Toshio, please continue to monitor things around us. I'll text Serafall-sama so that she can inform the Youkai to send some scouts to see if they can track anything down," Rias said as she pulled out her phone.
"I'll be staying vigilant. Likely for the entire duration we're here," I replied. Once her text was sent, we continued touring with our group. However, our carefree moods didn't return.