48 Gotta catch them all! [Insert word here]

Later that night, Julian went with Rias and her peerage to search for a familiar. There was some time now that he had her in on his contact informations. So there was no problem for long distance communication.

Of course, Julian found the situation a bit ankward with the group because of how the dodgeball match ended.

But he shrugged it off quickly as he simply found himself uncomfortable to let his true state of mind shine through.

It left him with the disagreable impression of somehow showing weakness. And he didn't like that, as it was illogical. And because it was something that shouldn't be.

In perspective, It was exactly something that he was supposed to work upon.

But now wasn't the time, so he only powered through it. Only if by unhappiness that it was even a thing.

Coming to the present time, the group came upon a devil who was called the legendary demon beasts master.

With an attire that belonged on a teen going camping, the old man with red hair screamed of a pokemon reference as he bellowed to the group in introduction.

Which made Julian pause as it was strange to have a reference to another work in a real fictional one. Though the franchise did indeed exist in this world, so it was possible that the old man was a hardcore fan.

"I want a cute familiar! If possible one looking like a woman!" Issei exclaimed when the beast master asked them what kind of familiar they were looking for.

"Cute? Bah! Every devils worth their salt should seek if not a strong then an useful companion! I never even saw a devil who wanted a trait so useless in their demonic beasts." The red haired grandpa snorted in disaproval.

"I want a cute familiar!" Asia spoke up with hope in her green eyes. As if she never heard what the man just said.

Of course, in a total unfair show of favoritism. The beast master agreed easily.

As for Julian, even if he hadn't much hope for it. Still said his own requirement. "I want a familiar who can help me grow. Or have a very good potential..." Julian trailed off as he met eyes with the beast master who looked put off.

"I presume you don't have any young demonic dragons or something laying somewhere around these parts for ready for the taming?"

The beast master looked dumbfounded, and Rias too. "Of course not! *cough* I mean, dragons do not just pop up out of ambiant magic like demonic beast. They're a supernatural race on their own. And dragons are off way limit to hunt or tame anyway! Youngling these day..."

Julian quirked his eyesbrows as he threw a curious gaze at Rias in askance. Which she received by clearing her throat. "Dragons, despite their solitary tendencies. Formed a loose faction of their own after their eternal rival, the phoenix race. Were hunted to extinction for their core feather and their heart. Since then, they took measures to ensure the survival of their species by forming ties with multiple factions."

Issei seemed stunned and bemused by the information while Asia seemed horrified.

As for Julian, he shrugged and yawned. "Oh well, was worth a shot."

"While we don't have dragons... I'm sure we can find something to your liking. Now, if you would follow me. " Seeing Julian interest wane, the old beast trainer quickly reassured him as he began to walk ahead. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like the young man was someone he should stay in the good graces from.

And with that, the group thread onward.

Julian came across the same things than Issei did in the canon, a bodybuilder Undyne who traumatized him. And a weird slime like thing who fed on female clothes shortly after they found Asia soon-to-be familiar. A bluelight sprite dragon laying upon a high branch of a tree.

The slime was an entity so absurd that Julian simply forgot, or rather didn't want to believe existed. So, you can imagine his surprise when the thing simply fucking dropped out from the stratosphere on every girls in the group. While it blindsided the old man and Kiba.

As a gentleman and a merciful soul, Julian was prepared to put the poor existence out of its misery before the girls did. But tripped himself up as Rias looked at him and let out a flustered cry while she tried to cover up her rapidly appearing precious bits. "Ah, Julian! Don't look at me! A nephew shouldn't look at his aunt naked body! It's improper!"

Julian felt something wet touching his lips, it was blood. He had much to learn about anime physics yet.

Wiping away the proof of his impure thoughts. Julian decided listen to Rias. So turning his back on them and looking at a struggling blonde knight, who was wildly waving his sword around fighting an invisible opponent. Julian waited a bit and actually got confused as the situation lengthened. "What are you girls doing? Why haven't you blasted the damn thing to oblivion yet? The longer this keep going, the more I'm beginning to think you actually all enjoy this."

"Ara ara, it seemed I was ca-" Akeno was cut off as Rias threw her a look and said sheepishly.

"You see, this thing is stronger than it look. And it's disturbing any attempt at spell casting."

Julian wanted to ask about PoD but kept his tongue and sighed. "Ok, this is really ridiculous. Even for me. Want some help or do I just leave you to your fate of a ruined wardrobe?"

He could hear the sound of struggle for a few moment before it stopped.

"Argh! This slime is annoying. I don't know your strentgh but please help, dear nephew. Any longer and I think Koneko might really kill Issei."

"Oh, I can help too." Issei eagerly spoke as his eyes were wide open, trying taking the most of the scene possible.

"Sorry, Issei-kun. But I think your strentgh is a bit lacking for the task if Koneko is unable to free herself." Rias apologized.

"Don't dear nephew me. You're making it even weirder than it already is."

Saying that, Julian psyched himself up before he faced the girl. His face as cool as a pond. And patted Issei on the shoulder in passing, thus remarking the puddle of blood accumulating at his feets.

This certainly couldn't be healthy.

Rias, Akeno and Koneko were nothing short of completely naked at this point. Meager bits of fabrics still covering the very essential.

Rias seemed rather unphased by the situation. Or would seemed like so if she didn't blush and diverted her gaze when their eyes met.

Akeno flinched almost imperceptibly when his gaze passed over her body. But promptly returned a seductive smile. Who seemed to to say, 'like what you see?' Or at least that's how Julian interpreted it.

While Koneko... Seemed ready for murder, quite literally. As she was shaking in place straining to break out of her restraint. Looking as viciously as the cold girl could at Issei who was still eyeing them.

"Issei, I think you overdid it a little. I advise you to either stop looking or prepare yourself to run away, fast."

Thinking for a bit, Julian reitered. "Scratch that, I think you should be prepared to run either way. Scratch that too. Just run."

With that, Julian approached Koneko and making sure he didn't let his gaze wander anywhere else than her face. Ripped the slime away from her body in one crisp move of his hand. Not even brushing any of her skin in the process.

This resulted in Issei widening his eyes and painful betrayal flashing accross his face. For him to simply close them in acceptance of his fate.

Julian heard a low growl as contrary to his expectation, Koneko didn't punch Issei but did something much worse.

*DONG*

She kicked him in the balls.

"Death to perverts." Koneko declared victoriously as she looked down mercilessly upon her slained foe.

Julian flinched as he swept away some cold sweat on his forehead. Offering a silent prayer to Kass in the case that he had cause the demise of his best friend. Or if he had accidentally made another man infertile yet again. The thought souring his mood a bit in passing.

But then he remembered that Asia could heal him if it was the case and moved on to Akeno and Rias.

After that, he finally went to free the nun but twitched as blue lightning suddenly passed through his body. It only took one gaze from Julian for the little sexist dragon knockoff to recognize him as the alpha and keep himself to being smothered by his chosen mistress.

During it all, the growing quantity of slime in his grasp wriggled and kept trying to escape.

Julian wasn't quite sure what to do with the little bugger. But the girls certainly did.

So, he let them destroy the majority of it. But still kept a bit to research on later. The slime's ability to disturb spell casting was interesting to say the least.

So, with Asia familiar found and Issei inconscious. They were pretty much done here. Though the old beast tamer tried to interest him on some rarer familiar that were almost certain to appeared tonight. Familiars which Julian wasn't overly impressed with nor did he find himself yearning for any one of them. Seemingly much to the despair of the old man.

But like some sort of last resort to impress him, the beast master informed Julian of a reserve owned and operated by the youkai faction situated in their territory. Where some of the last specimens of rare mythical beasts live. And advised him to give it a try. Though how he would actually get the right to get a familiar from there was up to him.

Something Julian would definitely keep in mind.

—————

"I've been meant to ask for a time, but how strong are you exactly?" Rias asked Julian nonchalently as everyone stepped back into the ORC room. Asia promptly binding with her mysteriously not sexist anymore blue familar.

The question attracted the attention of the rest of the peerage minus the unconscious Issei as Kiba politly threw in his piece. "I feel myself growing quite curious too after you ripped this slime away from everyone body so easily. Myself included." He added with some embarrassment.

"I'm also quite curious about that. Even more given the fact that Koneko-Chan, the strongest in brute strentgh of the peerage wasn't able to free herself from the grasp devious beast."

Koneko perked up as she remembered the first time she met Julian some weeks ago. And how he had sneaked up on her.

Julian paused to think about the question. He knew the subject of his strength would be brought up eventually. After all, in the supernatural world. Personal strength was directly correlated to your power, as well as your social status.

"Well, even if I never you saw any of you give it your all. I'm confident in my judgement that I beat each of you at your strongest aspect. That means speed for Kiba-San, strentgh for Koneko-Chan. And a magical reserve greater than both Akeno-San and Rias."

While Rias had a complicated look in her eyes. Kiba looked rather doubtful and Akeno seemed surprised. Koneko, as for her, frowned a bit as she fell in thoughts.

Julian, seeing the state they were in. Added rather unhelpfully: "Though Kiba-San is likely much more skilled with a sword than me. And Akeno-San more knowledgeable in magic and adept in wielding the element."

A glint passed through his eyes as he eyed both Kiba and Akeno. "But, in all honesty. It is only because I never held a sword of my life. And know next to nothing on the uses of Demonic power."

Julian held his tongue as he threw a quick glance at Rias and Koneko. As they were the ones who didn't best him in anything. Besides Koneko use of senjutsu.

But that didn't need to be said, Rias didn't need more fuel for her inferiority complex and Koneko to her lack of self esteem.

He wasn't the most considerate person, but he wouldn't go out of his way to hurt other. Not when he could help it, anyway. As for helping them...

He had enough problems on his own already. And he was pretty sure he wasn't interested in putting his nose unprompted into someone else business.

Mikan he had forgiven, because it was something he absolutely needed. But how he would hate it if someone else were to do it with his current state of mind.

Of course, it all depended on the circumstances...