Flaring His Aura

Kuroka stood there, still feeling the lingering warmth of Izashi's energy as he retracted the crimson aura of destruction.

The atmosphere in the room was charged, a mix of tension and relief that hung in the air like a thick mist.

She didn't disobey his command to stand; in fact, the curiosity swirling within her was too great to resist. Meeting her little sister, Shirone, was her deepest desire, one that had kept her moving forward even in the darkest of times.

As she followed Izashi's lead, her mind raced with thoughts and emotions she hadn't allowed herself to feel for years.

She had never intended to leave her sister behind, not for anything in the world. But the situation had spiraled out of control, and she had been forced to flee, leaving behind the only family she had left.

Now, as she walked beside Izashi, the uncertainty gnawed at her. How could she face Shirone after all this time? Would her sister even want to speak to her, or would she be too resentful of the abandonment?

Yet, despite these fears, Kuroka couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. Izashi's words about reconciling with her sister had been so confident, so sure.

There had been no doubt in his voice, no hesitation in his gaze. It was as if he knew, with absolute certainty, that he could reunite them. That certainty intrigued her, made her wonder just who this boy named Izashi Gremory truly was.

Now that she had been revived as his Bishop, Kuroka could feel a profound difference in her power.

The Evil Piece inside her pulsed with energy, a power boost far beyond anything she had experienced before. Her body felt lighter, more agile, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

She had always thought that the Bishop piece primarily enhanced a devil's magical reserves and the potency of their spells. But this—this was something else entirely.

There was a physical boost, too, something she had only ever associated with the Queen piece.

But why? What made Izashi's Evil Piece so different from the one she had before? And why was she feeling this odd connection to him, as if their souls were intertwined?

There was a power inside him, a power she could sense even if she couldn't fully comprehend it.

When she tried to probe deeper, to understand the nature of this power, she was met with something terrifying, something far beyond her own strength.

It felt like the energy of a yokai, but evolved, refined to a point where it was nearly unrecognizable. That was all she could deduce with her current abilities, but it was enough to make her cautious.

Outside the room, Grayfia stood in the hallway, her expression calm as she waited.

She wasn't one to eavesdrop, not on her master's conversations, and certainly not on Izashi's private discussions.

It wasn't honorable, and it wasn't her style. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something unusual was happening inside.

She hadn't heard anything from the room since Izashi had activated his barrier, which in itself was unusual. But Grayfia trusted in her ability to protect Izashi.

If Kuroka had tried anything, she would have sensed the spike in magic or Senjutsu chakra immediately and intervened before any harm could come to him.

Even with that confidence, though, Grayfia couldn't help but reflect on the current situation.

Izashi had been displaying more and more of his power lately, and with each display, she became increasingly convinced that he was the one who would inherit the Gremory Clan, not Rias.

His strength, his presence—it was undeniable. And now, with Kuroka in the mix, things were bound to get even more complicated.

When Izashi finally dispelled the barrier, allowing the ambient noise of the outside world to seep back into the room, Grayfia heard his voice clearly for the first time in minutes. His tone was light, almost playful, as he instructed Kuroka to stand.

He then suggested they return to Kuoh, and Grayfia felt a small smile tug at the corners of her lips.

It seemed her suspicions were correct—nothing major had occurred. They had simply talked.

Grayfia knocked on the door with a composed expression and called out, "Izashi-sama, may I enter now? I assume you would like to return home."

Inside, Izashi rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Yeah, sister, how did you know? Can you take us back now?"

Kuroka, her ears perking up at the mention of returning to Kuoh, couldn't contain her excitement.

"Yes, me and master really want to go to Kuoh, nya~. I want to see Shirone, nya~. It's been so long since I've seen her." Her voice was filled with a mix of eagerness and nostalgia as she looked towards Grayfia.

Grayfia, ever the epitome of calm and control, gave a curt nod. But before she could proceed, her gaze turned sharp, and her voice carried a cold, steely edge.

"Kuroka-san, I trust you will stay within your limits and ensure no harm comes to Izashi-sama. I promise you, if you so much as think about harming him, you will find yourself in a world of pain."

As she spoke, Grayfia unleashed a wave of killing intent that was so concentrated, so potent, it felt like the temperature in the room had dropped several degrees.

The air around Kuroka became suffocating, the sheer pressure of Grayfia's aura pressing down on her, making it difficult to breathe.

Kuroka's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of genuine fear. She had heard stories of Grayfia's strength, of her reputation as the Strongest Queen, but the reality was far more terrifying than she had ever imagined.

Just as Kuroka was about to respond, perhaps with a promise of her own, she felt another aura flare up, one that sent a different kind of shiver down her spine.

Turning her head, she saw Izashi standing there, his body enveloped in a red aura of destruction. The power radiating from him was just as overwhelming as Grayfia's, but it carried a different weight—a ruthless intent that spoke of a willingness to go to any lengths to protect what was his.

The room was almost too small to contain the combined energy of the two devils.

Kuroka felt as though she were caught between two forces of nature, their power clashing and intertwining in a way that left her gasping for air.

Grayfia's killing intent was sharp, like a blade honed by countless battles, but Izashi's was raw and unrefined, a reflection of his unyielding determination.

Izashi's eyes were hard as he addressed Grayfia, his voice low and dangerous. "Sister, I really don't appreciate you threatening someone of my peerage."

Grayfia, however, remained unfazed.

Her expression didn't waver as she retorted, "Izashi-sama, I'm doing this for your sake. You shouldn't forget that she used to be an SS-Class Stray Devil. It's a fact that she killed her previous master. I'm merely taking precautions, ensuring she understands the consequences if she steps out of line."

But Izashi was not about to back down.

He took a step forward, placing himself between Grayfia and Kuroka, shielding the latter from the icy energy still lingering in the room.

"And I don't like the way you're doing it. If you have something to say, you can do it politely. Let me make this clear, sister—if you ever try to pressure or harm any member of my peerage, I don't care who it is, even if it's big brother, I'll fight you. And I'll destroy you, make you beg for their forgiveness."

The room fell into a tense silence as Izashi's words hung in the air. Grayfia's eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise, not just at his words, but at the sheer intensity of his aura.

She had always known that Izashi was powerful, that he held a strength far greater than he let on, but this—this was something else entirely.

For a moment, she wondered if he truly could defeat her if they fought now, especially if she wasn't using her full power.

But there was no point in fighting. Grayfia had no intention of challenging him, not now, not over something like this.

She slowly lowered her power, her aura diminishing until it was almost undetectable. With a nod of her head, she acknowledged his words.

"Very well, Izashi-sama. I understand. I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

As Izashi reined in his own power, reducing it to a barely perceptible level, the tension in the room began to dissipate.

But the intensity of their exchange lingered, like the calm after a storm. They stood there for a moment, locked in a silent staring contest, neither willing to back down completely.

Then, suddenly, Izashi felt something soft press against his back, breaking his concentration. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

Kuroka had slipped behind him, her large, soft breasts pressing against him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her voice was a whisper in his ear, filled with a mix of gratitude and something else, something deeper.

"Thanks for saving me, nya~. I was so scared, nya~."

Izashi could feel the sincerity in her words, the warmth of her emotions as she held him close. Despite the situation, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He could sense her growing attachment to him, a bond that was deepening with every passing moment.

And Kuroka, for all her bravado, couldn't deny that she was starting to feel something for him, something beyond gratitude.

She could sense his emotions better than Grayfia, thanks to her nekoshou nature. She felt the swirl of emotions within him—protectiveness, determination, and a hint of something she couldn't quite place.

It made her heart skip a beat, made her realize just how lucky she was to have been revived by this man, this king who was willing to stand against even his own family for her sake.

Kuroka rested her head against his back, closing her eyes as she whispered softly, "You're the best king I could've asked for, nya~."

Her voice was barely audible, but Izashi heard it, and it only strengthened his resolve. He wasn't just her king; he was her protector, her ally, and maybe, just maybe, something more.

Grayfia watched the scene unfold with a quiet intensity, her expression unreadable. She hadn't expected things to turn out like this, hadn't anticipated just how far Izashi would go to protect his peerage.

It made her realize that he was no longer the boy she had once taught, no longer the young devil she had guided.

He was growing into his own, becoming a force to be reckoned with. And Grayfia couldn't help but feel a sense of pride, even as she acknowledged the challenge he presented.

~~

A/N: I hope you all liked this long chapter.

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