After Maths Part 2

Night Two Hundred And Twenty Six

Age 1991

Gladious City...

Underground...

Each one of them all reacted to that statement in a different way...

Daughters face lit up red like Christmas lights, while Hero's eyes were wide and he hastily covered the girls ears, and Kitsune...

Kitsune had a mad look on her face glaring at Hero.

"Every single time!" She yelled throwing her arms into the air.

Hero did his best to ignore that as he awkwardly cleared his throat. "Uh Ms... Aka... Empress of the Entire Red Nation... What?"

"Come now is it really that strange of a question?"

"Yes!" Hero, Daughter, and Kitsune yelled glaring at the woman.

The sight of it made Aka let out a small giggle. "You're no fun. But I'll go ahead and explain it. As Empress of the Red Nation my off springs will inherit this Nation when I die, or grow to old. As long as they're strong enough that is."

"Strong enough?" Hero asked.

"I get it." Kitsune sighed. "You see... Unlike with Kings, or Presidents, the title of Emperor isn't passed down through vote, or a bloodline. There are in total Twenty Sacred Branches. There are many Nobles but of those Nobles only Twenty Families exist above all others. These families hold far more sway than any other. Each Nation has a total of five Sacred Families. So four Nations, each having five, this means there are twenty. In Red we have the Nines, which is my family, the Storms, The Pendragons, The Lancelots, and lastly the Akas. Out of those the one who is Emperor is the strongest Heir of those families. Of course people like Master Aka, and Master Storm, are the strongest but neither of them are interested in running the Nations. Lillian Aka, is currently stronger than me, Jackson, Jackson's older brother my brother Jin, her sister Sera, Arthur, and as far as I know the Lancelot family has no Heir. In order for their family to remain as the holders of the Red Nation, Ms. Aka would need to create a Heir strong enough to claim the title once she passes on."

"Is that why you're so obsessed with finding a strong wife?" Hero asked.

"Yeah." Kitsune nodded. "I need to find a woman to marry that can bare me a son, or daughter, that is strong enough to take over the throne in the next loop."

"I get it." Hero said letting out a sigh. "So you want me to Marry you and bare you a child?"

"Ha! Hell no." Aka laughed.

"What? Now I'm just confused?" Hero said raising an eyebrow. He looked over to Kitsune but the girl just shrugged not getting what was wrong with his statement. "So you don't want to marry?"

"Political marriages." Aka said in a blunt tone. "They exist. Many Noble families have them and for us it's no different. Though ours is far more important. Not only do we marry for political power, we marry those that are strong so that our off spring will be strong as well."

"That... That's what I said right? You want to marry me so you can bare my child- Wow that's weird to say..."

"I'm not interested in marriage." Aka said shaking her head. "At least not with you." She stated. "You see several of the Twenty Sacred Branches all have at least two kids. The Nines had Kitsune, and Jin. The Storms had Leon, and Jackson. My family had me and Sera. This is so that the youngest can marry the oldest of another family in order to keep our blood pure. Though sometimes you do get Twenty Branches marrying non Twenty Sacred Nobles, such as Master Storm marrying his wife, or the Father of Jackson, marrying a commoner. However several months ago I struck a deal with Row Storm. I am to marry the youngest of the Storm family Jackson Storm. If Jackson marries me he'll become Jackson Aka as his older brother will inherit the sole Storm family. I'm to marry Jackson in order to gain a foot hold in the bloodline by having the Storm family backing me."

"So then... Why do you need me?" Hero asked. "And... Does Jackson know? I mean he's dating Katrina... I don't think either of them will be happy."

"Sadly he doesn't have a chance." Aka said bluntly. "He is to marry me at the start of Age 1992 which will happen in only a few more days."

"Oh... I'll ask again... Why do you need me? You're getting a Husband. Jackson Storm. He'd bare you a child wouldn't he?"

"Oh no..." Kitsune said as it slowly hit her. She knew what this woman was going to suggest.

"I'm not interested in marrying you." Aka stated. "Don't get me wrong. You're quite handsome and dashing, but there are far better men out there. On top of that the Law family while being respected as Heroes of the Enforcers, aren't even Nobles. I would gain no power if we were to marry..."

"So then-" Hero frowned. "Then why..."

"You're not going to suggest it..." Kitsune said shaking her head. "That's just..."

"I'm not interested in marrying you. Your DNA on the other hand..." Aka said as it finally hit Hero. He finally got what she was trying to say as she gave a cruel smile. "Lay with me. And give me that DNA. So that I may bare it within me. On the night of my wedding with Jackson Storm, I am to be expected to be impregnated by him. However I'll already be baring your child. In Nine Months I'll birth to a baby with the combined DNA of an Aka, one of the strongest families alive, and Law, with the strands of so much in his blood. A child that will grow up with the power of the Aka, family, and the Storm family, and only those in this room will have any idea who the true father is. I'm not asking you to love me, or marry me. I merely wish to use you. You were made as a tool. So serve me. This child will grow up under my care with the power of two families of the Sacred Branch backing it, along with having your DNA, it will surely grow up to inherit the throne."

"Y... You're asking me to create a bastard child with you!"

"That I am. And Jackson Storm will be none the wiser. It's a good thing his hair is so white, and my eyes are so red. I doubt they'd be able to tell the difference if the baby had snow white hair and you're ruby red eyes."

"J... Jackson is my Vice Captain... No... More than that! He's my friend, my teammate, my mentor, my teacher, and the one who saved me! What you're asking is... I can't even! I refuse! I refuse to do something so cruel, to someone I hold so much respect for!"

"T... That's right." Kitsune said nodding her head.

"I see." Aka stated her smile not fading. She pulled out a small phone. Grampa. He turned me down. Execute the Seraphin... Kill her in the worst way possible. I want to know just how her body works-"

"W... Wait." Hero said his face paling. "You'd... You'd really kill Ken..."

"Not just kill. I want to know everything about how her body works. I'd imagine she'd be alive for hours being sliced open and searched through so we can understand her. Seeing how far we can push her healing. We'd start small. A few cuts. A few limbs ripped off. A few bones snapping. Than we'd see how she functions with the loss of organs. Like if we removed her brain entirely while keeping it intact would she live or would she die? Also when they eat human meat they get stronger so could we force a Seraphin to devour their own body in order to grow? Tests like that."

"I... I thought Master Storm was bad."

"Oh he's worse. I'm playing nice. I'm giving you an option. He wouldn't. He'd just do it anyways. All to get his chess piece in play. Me though. I'm willing to not go that far. And all you have to do is sleep with an attractive girl. You can at least feel comfort in the fact that I'm far better than that old man."

"A Devil is still a Devil... Just because one kills one thousand people, while the other kills nine hundred, and ninety nine, people, it doesn't make that one any purer." Hero hissed. He stared at the woman than slowly turned to look at Kitsune. Only he didn't see her. Instead he saw Irene. His Irene. Than he saw Ken. Then Hella. Then... Then he saw Leena... Flashes of her pulling him into her bed slowly rang through his mind. Then they changed... More and more. This time of Irene. The kiss. Ken. Holding his hand. Shelly. Crying into his arms.

'Don't ever leave me... Please...' Leena's words hit him hard. Finally his eyes slowly drifted down to Daughter who hugged his arm. He slowly reached up patting her head.

"W... What do you think." Hero asked bowing his head as he stared at Kitsune.

"W... What?" Kitsune asked.

"I'm not asking the fusion... I'm not asking Kitsune Nine... I'm just asking... Irene Glacious... The woman who said she loved me. Who I might have loved. Who... Kissed me and... Held my hand... What should I do."

"H... Hero?" Kitsune said slowly. "Are... Are you trying to get your Ex to give you permission to sleep with this woman?"

"I... I guess so?"

'Slap!'

Kitsune's hand flew out before she even processed his words as it slammed across his face hard leaving a large red print and making Hero stumble back.

"S... Sorry." Kitsune said with wide eyes. "I... I think that was..." She shook her head staring down at her hands a frown on her lips. "It's your call Hero." Her eyes slowly turned to look at Aka. "If you think we can take her. Give the word... We'll jump her, break Ken out, find Light, and Shelly in the hospital and go on the run. Screw the Enforcers, and screw the Red Nation."

"Oh? Where will you go?" Aka asked.

"I... I don't know?"

"And you think killing me will change anything? I've been keeping this Nation alive." She smirked. "Kill me and someone bad would start ruling. Like that old man. I'm the lesser of two evils aren't I."

"S... Stop making so much sense!" Kitsune hissed. She went to step forward but was stopped when Hero placed his arm out in front of her.

Hero stared at Aka his ruby red eyes meeting her blood red ones. "Would... Would this child... Be able to lead the world into a better state..."

"With the power it had... I'm sure of it." Aka smirked. "Aka's and Storm's working together, on top of that Jackson Storm is very likely going to inherit the Enforcers, and my Gramps is in charge of it now to... So it would be in a family that is not only the Emperor of the Red Nation, it'd also have the backing of the Storms, the Akas, and the Enforcers. Honestly it'll have more sway than anyone who has ever ruled..."

"...And... And you promise that the Enforcers will get better now that Master Storm is gone?" Hero asked. "You said Master Aka is in charge... I trust him with my life. If he's leading the Enforcers than I won't mind serving for them for longer."

"Hero you can't actually be considering this..." Kitsune said slowly. Daughter just bowed her head biting her lip.

"Of course." Aka grinned. "We're going to actually do good work. Things are going to change... More missions. Not just for the big cities, and not just for finding Equations. I want to help this entire Nation."

"You really do..." Hero frowned. "A devil that wants to do good... You remind me of him... Okay... One last question..."

"What?"

"Would... Would this child... Have love?"

"I'd love it with all my heart. And as long as Jackson doesn't find out I can say he would as well."

"Hero..."

Hero slowly stood up his ruby red eyes igniting for a moment. "Fine... Let's make the next Emperor of the Red Nation."

***

Ken rested in her chair her eyes slowly looking up as the metal wall unfolded.

Ms. Aka, the Empress of the Red Nation slowly walked in a small smirk on her lips.

"How's Shelly?" Ken asked instantly.

Aka's smile faded for a moment. "The pink haired one? She's alive. In the hospital recovering. Hero, and Kitsune, have just been sent to go see her. And... I got good news for you. You're going free."

"..."

"What?" Aka asked frowing.

"I... I don't... I don't think..." Ken stared down at her hands. They were clean but... She still saw all that blood. All of Shelly's blood and guts coating them. "I don't know if I should be free..."

Aka let out a sigh. "Let's just cut to the chase... What happened when you transformed."

"Ken stared down at her hands which were still shaking. "I... I was dreaming... And... I saw it..."

"Saw what..."

"Myself..."

"And..."

"And it was... Sad... And perfect... And... So much."

Aka let out another sigh folding her arms as she pressed her back to the wall. "Okay. Start explaining. The sooner you're done. The sooner you can see your girlfriend."

"R... Right... It all started with me waking up... I saw another me... And they said..."