Cooperation

On the same day when Sona, Aika, and Koneko left for a Dungeon exploration with the members of the Loki Familia, Hephaestus arrived at Kisuke's Shop at noon.

"Welcome~, Hephaestus-sama~. I've been expecting you. Shall we go?" Kisuke greeted her and asked.

Hephaestus looked around and wondered , "Where's Hestia?"

"Down below the church, eating her lunch. She'll come up later to take care of the shop in my absence."

Hephaestus frowned at his answer, "Wait... Why is she still having lunch there? I thought she's staying in this shop?"

Kisuke smiled and only answered, "You don't have to worry. I'm not treating her wrongly. You'll understand what I mean once you've followed me." Kisuke then stood up from his sitting position and exited the shop.

Hephaestus didn't say anything else and just silently followed Kisuke towards the Abandoned Church. However, once they reached the church, instead of going towards the room below the right side of the church, Kisuke went to the left side and operated a contraption and stairs leading downwards revealed itself.

"...I don't think that place existed when I gave this place to Hestia..." Hephaestus was taken aback with the area she didn't know off. Before giving it to Hestia, she made sure to investigate this place so that there won't be any threat for her best friend.

"It doesn't. Because I dug another room for all of us to stay in." Kisuke continued walking.

'I don't think you'll have enough room if you just dig it. It would've been better if you built another building like that shop instead.' Hephaestus thought as she followed Kisuke. Of course, all of that was blown away when Kisuke showed her the elevator and they reached the underground hideout. Hephaestus couldn't speak for a few minutes as she just stood there silently, looking at the sight of the massive underground chamber that shouldn't be possible for today's technology without the use of a Gods' Arcanum.

"W-what is this?" She finally muttered.

"Let's just say that I have my ways with my construction abilities~." Kisuke only gave a vague answer as he resumed walking after Hephaestus recovered.

After thinking for a bit, Hephaestus chose to follow him silently because she knew that she won't be getting any answers from him soon, 'Besides, I should be able to gauge his capabilities later on since we'll be working together.'

This was the start of a collaboration that Hephaestus would never forget and she would have to use all of her technical abilities just to keep up with Kisuke.

.

.

.

On the corner of the Belial Territory, a large expanse of forest was situated and Akeno was hiding among the trees' branches with a black cloak over her that made her look like a hunchback figure as she waited for a certain person that Serafall contacted secretly without letting any of their identity leak out.

Akeno was very nervous about this whole outing because if Diehauser Belial is not what she and Serafall expected and her identity is revealed, she could be captured for contacting him about the wanted man, Kisuke Urahara.

The only comfort Akeno could rely on is the snake that Ophis left on her right hand that could be activated immediately and teleports her back to Kisuke's underground hideout.

A few minutes later, two cloaked figures appeared and approached their meeting spot. Seeing this, Akeno frowned deeply as Serafall explicitly reminded Diehaurser to come alone. However, this is also a rare opportunity and she didn't want to waste it so she silently circulated her Mana through the snake and partially activated it before appearing a hundred yards away from them.

The two figures stopped walking after Akeno appeared in front of them. They waited but it seems that Akeno won't speak up until they do. Since it's a waste of time trying to gauge each other, Diehauser directly took off his hood and revealed his face, "I'm here. Speak up. Why did you contact me and ask about Kisuke Urahara? Just so you know, I don't know where he is. Or is he with you?"

Using magic to change her voice, Akeno replied but not answering his question, "I told you that you should come alone. Why did you bring someone else?"

Diehauser only stayed silent and Akeno did the same. The tension kept rising between them and Akeno already figured that Diehauser won't give any information regarding Kisuke based on his first sentence and she didn't want to reveal herself yet without any sufficient evidence that Diehauser could be trusted.

She immediately noticed that Diehauser was about to take action and Akeno tried to fully activate Ophis' snake. But before that could be fully realized, the second cloaked figure suddenly shouted, "Stop! Geez, both of you are too crabby." A voice of a familiar person resounded and she undid the hood of her cloak revealing her face.

Diehauser was forced to stop on his attempt to capture Akeno, "Sarah!? What are you doing!?"

Under the hood, Akeno's eyes widened in shock, "You...!"

Sakura gestured to Diehauser not to worry and faced Akeno with a big smile, "Let me guess. Akeno-chan, isn't it?"

Akeno removed her hood, "Sakura-san... So you're safe."

"Yep~. And it looks like that pain in the ass son of mine pointed both of us towards the same person." Sakura approached Akeno and Diehauser followed her behind, still wary of Akeno but he didn't say anything else.

"I see. So Ura... Kisuke-san also pointed you to the Belial Clan. But does that mean you don't know where he is?"

Sakura shook her head, "That's the problem. We don't know where he currently is and are hoping that someone else does."

"By the way, Sakura-san. How did you know it was me?"

"Despite going into hiding, we still received some news that two Devils started inhabiting Kisuke's Candy Store and if someone would contact big brother Diehauser, chances are, it'll only be those two Devils," Sakura answered.

'Big brother Diehauser? Why would Sakura call him like that?' Akeno wanted to ask but she would be overstepping her boundary. And now that she knew that Kisuke's mother herself trusted Diehauser, it would be the right time to further discuss their next action. But first, Akeno apologized towards Diehauser, "I apologize for my rude behavior earlier, Diehauser-sama."

Diehauser sighed and accepted it, "It's fine. How much time do you have? Do you want to move to another location for discussion?"

Akeno shook her head, "Unfortunately, I can't be gone for too long or the eyes on us would start to get suspicious." Despite getting their cooperation, Serafall still instructed Akeno that they can't reveal that they can use Kisuke's hideout and concealing magic formation over the shop because that could be their hidden ace in the future when things go wrong.

"However, I can connect you with Serafall-sama right now." Akeno then put both of her hands in front of her and a blue magic circle appeared on top. A few seconds later, Serafall's holographic image manifested and greeted Diehauser, "Die-chan~! It's been a while~. How are you doing~?"

Diehauser and Sakura couldn't help but smile at the eternally energetic and suspended Devil King.

It was the start of a cooperation that wouldn't have been possible without Kisuke's existence.

Editors and Author's Corner:

28th00: I really shouldn't be editing minutes before I go to sleep… Bestia Care Protocols were engaged this chapter. Phis-chama's were not…

Alexander: At least you left something for me to edit. But I need more Ophis content. I want her, to find a way to Kisuke in order to get her sweets. And then, let chaos and trolling break loose.