Chapter 22: The Red Dragon Emperor

~3rd Person~

Rias hurriedly dragged the unresisting Takumi to the Occult Research Club. And both teens had wildly different ideas and thoughts in their heads.

'This is good, Takumi is finally back for some reason. I really need to set the record straight and apologize to him. I don't want him to avoid me anymore.'

'What the hell is happening...? My brain may be a little fried from not sleeping for 3 days and overusing Boost. She seems a little too agitated. Is this because of me not talking to her for a few days?'

The Takumi of right now was only held up by potions. He had been abusing Stimulant Potions(Coffee potion basically) for the past few days to make use of the most time he possibly could. This however led to a crash when he wasn't using the potions. 

Eventually, Rias managed to lead the too-tired-to-care Takumi to her office(Club main room) and sat in front of him with her arms crossed and her head bowed slightly.

"Takumi-kun. First of all, I want to apologize. It was in our contract that I would give you my protection and I failed at that. But I don't want you to keep avoiding me. I want to make it up to you somehow." 

Saying that Rias stared into Takumi's eyes in a resolute manner while Takumi just tilted his head in a manner that even she found a bit adorable with how out of it he seemed.

"I wasn't avoiding you though? Didn't I tell you I had something to do? It took a bit longer than I expected, that and recovering from the new holes put into my body. But yeah, you really did fumble that." Hearing his words Rias sighed in relief.

He did not seem like he intended to burn bridges with her at least. In fact, he only looked disappointed in her and nothing else. The casual manner of speech told her that he did not seem to think their relationship was too damaged.

She could work with this.

"Yes, I am sorry for that. That's why I want to make it up to you. But first I want you to have this." Rias handed Takumi a smartphone as he held it up in an inquisitive manner.

"That's a Devilphone, the latest best model that is not even commercially available. My brother gave me a few spares he got from Ajuka, I want you to have them so that we can contact each other when we want. Also, everyone's contacts are installed there

This made Takumi pause briefly before lightly smiling and nodding.

'A nigh unlimited access to information about the supernatural as long as said information is not confidential. Unlikely to have spyware considering who owned it.' It was truly a very useful tool.

"Thank you, Rias." Rias nodded and finally addressed the main matter.

"Now, Takumi-kun, what do you want from me? As long as it is within my power I will do my best to get it for you." Takumi raised his eyebrows at that.

"Are you sure about that? Anything?" Rias nodded seriously.

"Anything. As long as it doesn't my peerage members." This made Takumi close his eyes in thought.

'I can tell from her body language, she isn't joking or dishonest. I could even ask for something like a dozen magic tomes and she would try to get it for me. As long as I ask for anything within reason she would get it for me. But would it be worth it?'

'After all, if I ask for something big that will be what defines our relationship. It would show that I am only in this for the money/materials, while that could be rectified later it would still put a strain in our relationship. But also it could be a great opportunity

Looking up at the ceiling for a few moments Takumi.

"I have decided." This made Rias perk up.

"What is it?"

Takumi looked at her dead-on, locking his steel grey eyes with her teal ones, making her blush a little at the directness.

"I want a date with you."

"..."

"..."

"H-huh?" Rias stuttered and blushed as Takumi did not change his expression one bit, still staring deeply into her eyes as she took his face in, he looked a lot more handsome lately(due to vitality improvement), he had dark circles under his eyes that added to his charm, he had a low brown ponytail draped over his shoulder as he kept staring into her eyes without blinking, tilting his head slightly in confusion.

"Is that a no?" His words made Rias rapidly shake her arms in refutal.

"N-no, I am just confused. You want to go on a date with me? After that happened even though I couldn't protect you? You find me pretty?" Rias asked in confusion as she pointed at herself in disbelief while Takumi shrugged.

"Well, I am not too broken up about that although I was a bit disappointed. It isn't like I needed your protection in a physical sense in the first place." 

"Oh right, you did manage to take down four fallen angels by yourself, how did you manage that?" Rias asked in curiosity, she actually forgot to ask how he, someone who was introduced to the supernatural just recently managed to fend off 4 fallen angels by himself as just a human.

This drew a small smile from Takumi as he raised his hand.

"Well, since you are so honest with me, it would be rude of me to keep secrets from you right? Rias, you asked me before if I had a sacred gear before right? You probably wonder where I get my information from too."

Rias' eyes opened wide as she saw a large draconic clawed gauntlet with a green gem in the middle manifest on his hand as Takumi gave her a slight smirk.

"I suppose I should introduce myself for real. I am a humble alchemist and according to the dragon in my head, I am also the Red Dragon Emperor, the wielder of the Boosted Gear."

Rias fell back onto her chair in shock as she stared at the gauntlet now manifested on his hand.

"Takumi... you are the new Red Dragon Emperor?" Hearing her words Takumi nodded.

"Yep, I don't know what exactly that entails but I awakened my Sacred Gear a short while back, I also learned of the supernatural from Ddraig. So you might imagine, I am not completely helpless."

Rias stared blankly at Takumi as the pieces started fitting in together. 

Takumi was the wielder of the Boosted Gear, one of the 13 Longinus. It now made sense, his random power jumps, his random and spotty knowledge about the supernatural that he was likely being told by Ddraig who was the one sealed inside the sacred gear. 

And on top of that, he was naturally a genius with the Boosted Gear, able to create potions she had never seen before too. Takumi was like a monster and that meant something considering that was what people called her.

Then when her mind was ground down to a halt with the implications of this revelation one of the intrusive thoughts emerged back onto the surface,

'Wait, what was that about a date again?' 

"Wait, did you say you wanted to go on a date with me again?" Rias blurted out as she was met with the slightly exasperated face of Takumi.

"Yeah? I did? Is that too surprising? I think you are really attractive and charming, so I just shot my shot I guess? If you don't want to that's fine too." Of course, Takumi knew she probably wouldn't refuse. They already had a good relationship, she felt guilty about him and she really wanted him on her side.

Rias was easy mode.

"No no, it's just, a bit surprising. After messing up that badly I didn't expect you to want to talk to me let alone want to on a d-date." Rias coughed into her hand looking away from Takumi's face.

"So, is that a yes or no?" Takumi looked at Rias with half-lidded eyes, tired of how much she managed to dodge answering the question for. Manipulating others seemed easier than trying to understand the enigma that was a woman's heart.

"Oh yes, I would love to accompany you Takumi. I look forward to it." Rias smiled at Takumi after having made up her mind, heiress of a Noble Family she may be but she was still a kissless virgin schoolgirl ...against a kissless virgin schooboy.

✧—•✦•—✧—•✦•—✧—•✦•—✧

-Takumi Katsuragi-

After having come back from school I retreated into my goblin lair. Rias and I had decided to go on the date tomorrow since it was Saturday then. I won't lie, I actually looked forward to going on a date with Rias.

Pragmatist advantages aside, I never had a girlfriend, and I have definitely never been involved with a girl so supernaturally pretty. This is DxD and I want to have a cute devil girlfriend, sue me.

{I have to say, I have no idea where you are going with the Gremory girl. And I don't really know enough to judge your actions. But I am curious as to why you chose to use me as a scapegoat as an explanation for your frankly indiscernible powers.}

I heard Ddraig's voice ring through my head as I was taking notes about Wind Transmutation, altering an Alkahestry circle because it would be the best fit. Putting down the pen for a second I addressed Ddraig.

'Maybe don't try to distract me in the process of miraculous innovation next time? But, for your knowledge, I use you as an explanation for my abilities because it allows me to explain my unordinary powers as just a by-product of me being an incredibly talented Red Dragon Emperor, it prevents people from questioning my abilities too much. Plus, it flips the script from someone with strange abilities who somehow is the Red Dragon Emperor to the Red Dragon Emperor with strange abilities. It's just a minor convenience really, the clout of Boosted Gear will be really useful.'

{Hmmh, you and your schemes. But I can't help but be interested in what you are planning to accomplish and how you are going to go about doing such thing. This is the most entertainment I have had in years.} 

I leaned back in my chair in exhaustion.

'Whelp, at least I am glad you find this entertaining. But maybe entertain yourself with something else in the meantime while I finish up this transmutation circle.' I only heard a slight laugh as the voice of Ddraig faded from my head, presumably going back to sleep as I shook my head.

Why did I work on transmutation with the Boosted Gear on? Well, I was training myself to get used to the Boosts, if I get used to it enough I should be able to increase the Boosts I can use without Burst'ing. 

Anyway, that aside, I have finally finished the air transmutation circle, it was pretty simple really, basically the exact same principle of Electricity just adapted with different factors.

You can generate wind by just creating a low-pressure and high-pressure zone, then you can aim where the generated wind goes through Alkahestry. Not too useful for me at the moment but I am sure I will find some use for it later on.

For now, I just used an air transmutation circle as a ventilator I could activate by inserting my mana into it.

Truly revolutionary.

~If you liked the chapter then kindly drop me some stones will you?~

A/N: Never forget, Takumi has a master plan in his mind. I intentionally left most of his monologue out this time, what do you think he looks like from an outside perspective? Is he hard to read? Do you get what he is trying to do? What do you think his plan with showing her the boosted gear is?

Nex chapter, Date With Rias also, what do you guys think about the interactions between Rias and Takumi this chapter? Did you like it?

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