Chapter 25

Tokyo, Peninsula hotel, penthouse.

For the twentieth time, Sona sighed looking in our direction. To be specific, to the view of me and Kiba from afar amidst a fighting mat.

Sitting opposite each other at a table are Rias, Sona and their respective queens. The four of them watched from afar the mat on which Kiba seemed to be explaining something to me.

"I've already sent the papers preparing the backdrop for Sato-san's return. The media and rumors will say that he was rescued by the police in captivity."

"You're still avoiding my point," Rias said with a shit-eating grin.

"No," Sona says pointedly and with no chance of convincing her otherwise.

"Yes you are."

"No."

"It is."

"No," Sona refused to accept.

"Well," The redhead shrugs and says, "Unfortunately you had to face Rias Gremory, the best detective in the entire underworld. Such a crushing defeat must be hard to accept."

The redhead had her eyes closed and with a smile.

Akeno was strangely silent and seemed to want to refrain from what would follow.

Sona's brows flutter at the teasing and she says, "Tsubaki."

"Yes, Kaichou," replied the bespectacled brunette.

"Bring us a chessboard," Sona ordered.

The brunette gets up from the table and Rias opens her eyes sharply with a blank face when she realizes that she had made a mistake.

"W-We don't need to get to that point, Sona," Rias said with sweat dripping and her face horrified.

Sona just smiles slightly.

In the end regardless of the Redhead's pleas, it was 3x0 in Sona's favor. A landslide victory.

Rias' body is hunched over the table, lifeless.

Akeno seeing this, "How cruel," She smiles slightly and says, "I think there's an inner SADO in you, Sona-sama. You have potential."

Sona just keeps her posture straight in the chair and eyes closed, indifferent to Akeno's suggestion.

"My king," Akeno swings the redhead across the table to revive her. "Oii, Rias-sama? Oiii!"

But no response came from her.

Sona sighs and says still with her eyes closed, "We're not going to Akihabara."

*LUP-DUB* (Onomatopoeia for heartbeat.)

That was like detonating a grenade in the snout of a dragon.

The redhead awakens from her deplorable state as if she were an ancient monster awakened from its long slumber, ready to bring on the apocalypse. Her eyes are pure crimson red, with no hint of white from her sclera.

"You wouldn't dare," Rias said in an unrecognizable voice. "You lost the bet."

Even Kiba and I, who were discussing some tactics, stopped to see from afar what was going on.

"I didn't lose," Sona shook her head nonchalantly, as she knew Rias wouldn't actually attack. "You found the missing student, but you didn't find the killer. He's still out there."

Rias who came up with the idea and convinced the school administration to make this trip to Tokyo, putting a lot of work and paperwork on Sona's shoulders.

Out of revenge, the brunette accepted on the condition that they not go to Akihabara, as she had already realized her childhood friend's hidden intentions.

From the 10 day trip, there were only 6 days to go and they didn't find the killer.

For Rias to win the bet she would have to find the killer before the trip was over.

Having regained her composure, Rias gets up from the table and says, "I'll find him before you do. You can already go get the kleenex."

"Good luck then," Sona smiles defiantly at her friend. "I already have a lot of leads and unlike you who rely on detective anime... I made a serious and professional investigation plan. Following the correct protocols of an official investigation."

Sona's next words were the ones that made the redhead widen her eyes in disbelief: "Unlike you, I don't waste my time with this animated nonsense to get ready."

The redhead points shakily at the chess on the table, with a tight smile and says, "HERESY. One day you'll find someone to beat you at chess! I really don't wish that for you, but you spoke badly about the anime and the Karma doesn't fail. The anime goshs didn't let you go unpunished!!! NOW---- Ask for forgiveness and I'm sure they've forgiven you."

?? Sona didn't believe in this Karma thing.

"They can try," Sona says proudly and unafraid of her abilities.

"This is pride before the fall, Sona," Rias said, pulling away. "Keep what I tell you."

"Hmph," Sona didn't mind the teasing.

"So if you'll excuse me, Sona-sama, Tsubaki," Akeno bows before following Rias.

Meanwhile on the mat.

The blond swordsman takes a fighting stance, before asking, "Ready?"

"Ehh? Please go easy on me, Ummm-- bishounen-san," I trembled shamefully as I held a wooden sword.

Kiba didn't mind the nickname assigned to him, as the bastard was aware that he was a bishounen character.

It seems that some of Motohama's hatred for bishounen characters has infected me. Just a little.

Although, my hatred for them has reduced considerably in the last few weeks. Every morning I look at myself in the mirror and I notice that I'm getting more attractive. Not that anyone was seeing these changes, as I kept my previous image weak, thin and pathetic with an illusion. But that made my hatred for bishonens lessen.

The sound of air being cut can be heard, anticipated by the blurry image of kiba coming towards me and slashing diagonally with his sword.

I open my eyes wide as if I'm scared, I almost drop the wooden sword in 'desperation', but I managed to put it in front of my body and...

*THUD*

My sword flew through the air in a spin as I was disarmed.

My body falls backwards from the impact and I have a fearful expression, "A-Are y-you trying to kill me?"

Seeing my image lying on my ass on the floor, Kiba feels ashamed because he thought he used little force. It seems he had overestimated his sparring partner's strength.

"I'm sorry Motohama, er-- Can I call you that, right?" Kiba asked in his usual polite way.

"Go ahead," I pretended to be irritated by the situation.

"Unfortunately I must say. Because you have a sacred gear, life will not be easy. Trouble surrounds those who possess it. You must be prepared to defend yourself if you want to live."

I swallow nervously.

"I don't think you're much of swordsman type," he mused briefly, "We'll only train today and you're free. I'll try to teach you the basics of protection. Maybe you should try magic to make up for your weakness."

"Magic?" My eyes spark with excitement. "I want this. I want this badly. I'll be a great wizard and spank anyone who wants to get into trouble with me in the stinking ass. Hahahha. That will be glorious."

"The correct term for humans is Magician. I'm going to talk to Akeno to see if she can help you with this," said the blond.

My spine shivers and I say tearfully, "Kiba-sensei, ummm -- How do I say that? Something about Akeno scares me. Isn't there another method of learning magic? I fear for my poor life."

The blonde laughed at my situation, before thinking, "Well~"

Although it was nice to spend time with someone as sexy as Akeno. Truth be told, I didn't want to waste time playing teacher/student.

"I believe Rias has a collection of books at the mansion in Kuoh. But I don't know what spells are there. I'll go talk to her and see if we can help you."

I take back what I think, Kiba-sensei really is a good person. Is he a damn bishounen character? Yes, he is. But he is a good person after all.

Although, I wasn't that worried about the books. My objective here was different.

Books are like a welcome gift.

I look around and see the luxurious penthouse we were in.

I got a room for the night, until my papers were ready and the holidays were over.

These young devils were the perfect opportunity for me. There were so many benefits they could deliver to me and they weren't even aware.

Political benefit - I may have the opportunity to interact with the great powers of this world and if I play the right card, I can manipulate Rias and company into making decisions that they unconsciously didn't realize I actually suggested.

Protection benefits - Although it sounds crazy, but what better place to hide than in the center of the big stage?

Issei and company have all the bullsh*t revolving around them. The place no one would think to find the mysterious new player, who has the secret identity, is right in the center of the stage.

Power of Destruction? I want to find out how to do this or at least create countermeasures. Kiba's sacred gear and its aspect of 'making' swords was also interesting to study. Not to mention Gasper's broken ability to stop time. Sh*t, I needed to learn this.

My good mood couldn't be greater. I repeat again what I said since I reincarnated in this world, Rias really is my lucky clover.

The benefits welling up around that girl made me almost want to have her for myself. Was that the power of the Gremorys? The luck? I don't remember the canon portraying this.