Journey Into Cocytus II

Year: Unknown

Location: Unknown

Akaro's consciousness suddenly found itself somewhere completely new. The suffocating pressure of Arayashiki's passionate kiss was replaced by a dark void as the sweet embrace of the goddess came next. Appearing behind his floating body, she pressed her voluptuous breasts against his back embracing him in a hug. Her soft, teasing giggle echoed across the nothingness of that dimensionless space.

"I know you tried to reject me, but let me show you what we could have… what you, my love, could be," the ultimate deity's intoxicatingly sweet words flowed into his ear.

"Wha…"

When Akaro fully regained his consciousness he slowly realized that he was no longer in either Elysium or the strange void. Instead, his blurred vision slowly unveiled the visage of what he had begun to perceive as some sort of royal chamber. However, that changed when his eyes took note of six red and gold pillars around the room supporting its hexagonal structure. From where Akaro was sitting he could see a small set of steps covered in an apple-red carpet with gold trimming. It went all the way down and extended through the center of the room thus giving the locale an even more elegant atmosphere.

The Red-Eyed Hero's sense of self had begun to slowly return. The red leather and shining gold ornaments of the throne he was sitting on would have immediately given away where he was, but another intense sensation overtook his attention.

Down in his nether regions, Akaro could tell that his pants had been partially lowered. Moreover, the lingering numbness downstairs began to fade when he felt an intense bout of arousal as both sides of his erect manhood were gently massaged between two masses of abundant, soft flesh. There was enough pressure to create stimulation, and the intensity of the pleasure only got more and more pronounced when the owner of those fine breasts began to move them up and down the man's thick shaft.

"Does it feel good, daddy?" the young female's voice was like nectar oozing with lust.

The sudden sensation of trickling saliva running down his penis became clearer as the girl ran her tongue around the head in a swirling motion. She would then place the visible area of the cock towering over her tits inside her mouth using her tongue to please all of its sensitive spots whilst sucking on it like a powerful vacuum.

"Ah… woah!" Akaro flinched. Even he was not expecting this mysterious girl to be this good.

He looked down upon her in hopes of ascertaining her features only to be met by a beautiful young girl with perfect white skin, tantalizing amber eyes, and short light brown hair. That said, the truly undisputed most impressive thing about was her the bombshell body she had. In fact, if Akaro had to make a comparison, her tits and ass would be more than a match for Mai Kawakami.

Taken aback by her prowess in the art of paizuri, the Envoy sat back and relaxed as she slurped away on his rod like it was the most delicious thing in the world. Akaro did not know why Arayashiki had brought him to this reality, but he did recognize the girl currently pleasuring his cock.

"Tsukushi—a member of the Empire's handpicked Assassination group where Akame was raised. She should be dead in the current year, killed during the Red-Eyed Killer's daring escape from the shackles of the Empire… but then again this reality isn't the one I'm familiar with," Akaro pondered in his mind. It was, however, a challenge to concentrate right now.

The Red Knight had little time to consider the idea that he was getting his dick diligently sucked by Akame's presumably dead stepsister.

"Ah~ daddy…"

"Did she just call me daddy?"

"Hey, Tsukushi! That dimwit is mine today!" a spunky female's voice echoed around the room.

Suddenly the hero's prospects of finding out more about the reality he was currently in became even more unlikely as girl stepped into the throne room.

Emerging in the nude from what appeared to be a doorway to a large bathroom, a young maiden with long silver-like blonde hair and perfect skin walked up to Akaro's throne. She pushed Tsukushi aside with her butt only to then slam one of her arms against the throne's headpiece. Similarly to the other female, her body was a bombshell but carried a more refined hourglass aspect to its curvature. Her attractive form still fumed hot steam and dripped water adding to her beauty.

"Hey dimwit you promised we'd fuck today, didn't you?" she spoke with a subtle yet noticeable blush behind the false confidence.

Akaro's extensive knowledge of the Empire's history once more proved useful.

"This girl… I think her name is Gin. She was a member of the Empire's assassination group known as the 'Group of Terror' alongside Kurome and a few others. In the history I know Merraid fought and killed her in horrible fashion."

"Come on, I'm talking to you!" she confidently shouted before seizing Akaro's lips to herself and grabbing a hold of his manhood.

Though her feminine hands could not grasp it fully, she relentlessly stroked his cock up and down. The stimulation he felt when her tongue began to wildly wrestle against his own combined with the strong grip and intense velocity of her hand-job made any logical thinking he could muster vanish in the wind. However, Tsukushi would not simply sit back and watch. Pulling Gin down to her knees by grabbing onto her waist, the bustier girl took her rival in love away from the deep kiss.

"No fair, Gin-chan! You're monopolizing daddy!" she pouted while unapologetically groping Gin's breasts.

"Ah! Tsukushi… fine then! We'll make it a competition! Whoever makes him cum first gets to go first!"

"Wait what—"

Before Akaro could finish that thought, both of his concubines rearranged themselves around his legs and proceeded to tightly embrace his throbbing cock between their breasts. Despite their voluptuous and abundant volume, the Envoy's meat still towered over them.

Gin devoured the head of the penis. Her hot tongue, the wetness of her saliva, and the strength of her vacuum-like suction gave way to delicious slurping sounds. Tsukushi meanwhile focused her attention on the remainder of the shaft giving her all to pleasure it with her ample blossom whilst letting her tongue run wild around the sides of her daddy's meat.

In spite of his best efforts to keep his feral side suppressed, Akaro could only take so much. He felt the dragon tattoo burnt into his arm ache as a bright crimson radiance began to shine beneath his sleeve.

"You want me to play along with this world you made, Arayashiki? Don't mind if I do."

Alas, the Crimson Dragon's primal desire took over the Envoy's common sense.

"Here comes your long awaited load," he remarked with a smirk stamped across his face.

Just like the knight had promised, an ocean's worth of semen shot down Gin's mouth whilst Akaro forced more of his shaft inside her. The extremely sudden sensation of her throat being stretched to accommodate her beloved's length had her choking on the continuous, shotgun blast of semen while at the same time reaching a blissful climax of her own.

"No fair, Gin-chan! I want Daddy's cum too!" Tsukushi shouted in a fit of childish selfishness. Gin still tried to gasp for air when Tsukushi grabbed a hold of her shoulders and gave her an intense, passionate kiss in hopes of attaining some of Akaro's seed for herself.

Watching them go at it the Envoy chuckled before standing up.

"Don't you worry, Tsukushi. There's still plenty for the both of you," he said.

For a second there was a white light, but afterwards both Gin and Tsukushi found themselves atop a royal king-sized bedroom set amidst the backdrop of the Emperor's personal chambers. Placed on all fours, the two concubines instinctively looked over their shoulders only to see two completely naked copies of Akaro about to bone them.

"The throne room, the special treatment, these girls being alive—you made it too goddamn obvious, Arayashiki."

This alternate reality was obviously one where Akaro had joined Arayashiki's cause and used his powers to create a "perfect outcome" where nobody had to die—a world where Akaro went on to become the Emperor.

"But first… to deal with this situation."

Reaching down, he grabbed a hold of Tsukushi's plump ass.

"Ah! Daddy~" her soft moan was not even registered by the man. He was too immersed in this scenario.

Both Akaros looked down upon their targets and got a view of their large, round asses before proceeding to grind their meat against the girls' thick ass cheeks. With wide smiles, both men drove their meat directly inside their lovers' holes all the way down to the base.

"AH! YOU'RE SO GODDAMN STRONG! HOLY FUCK!"

"AH, YES! DADDY FUCK MY LITTLE CUNT JUST LIKE THAT!" both girls screamed in a hypnotized array of pure bliss.

Akaro slammed his dick inside them without any restraint in a relentless rhythm while squeezing their ass-cheeks and occasionally spanking them with enough condensed force to shatter apart entire multiverses.

"■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■...!!!!"

The Envoy's mouth was spread wide open to reveal great fangs. His booming voice was no longer that of a human, but instead had become a mighty roar like the crash of the ocean. The wild screams of his mind broken concubines echoed throughout the palace for what seemed like an eternity. Words alone cannot describe the kind of pleasure Gin and Tsukushi experienced, but they embraced it nonetheless.

*****

"Ugh…" Akaro felt his head ache.

When the Envoy of the Crimson Luster regained his awareness he found himself resting on the cold ground with his back resting against a bedside. Almost all furniture in the room seemed to have been either broken or severally damaged in one way or another.

After getting back on his feet, Akaro saw the results of his misadventures. Gin and Tsukushi were hugging each other in the heart of the large bed—their bodies fully covered in love juices. However, they were not alone.

A young girl with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and a bombshell figure had also joined the party alongside another girl with green eyes and long auburn hair worn in a ponytail decorated with a few hairpins. The latter had a curvaceous but flat form compensated by a ridiculously thick ass, which was now filled to the brim.

"Cornelia and Poney huh?" Akaro recalled their names.

"Wait a minute…" he murmured after turning around only to see a massive group of women unconscious on the ground while covered and overfilled by his seed.

A young Akame from this reality, Chelsea, Esdeath, Mein, Mez from the Four Rakshasa Demons, Kurome, Mashiro, Meela & Loris, Sayo, Seryu, Taeko, and a plethora of other females and members from the Oarburgh clan whom Akaro barely knew or cared to know. Some of them had their eyes rolled back in her head and a stupefied expression permeated their faces. Others had their mouths gaped open as saliva trickled out from the corner of their lips.

"Boy… I sure got carried away there," he admitted.

As he left the royal bedroom by stepping through a twin, ornamented doorway, Akaro materialized his clothing onto his body on a whim.

"Alright… I should find a way out of here."

Once back at the throne room he was welcomed by a bald, elderly man with a rather large mustache and a small beard. He wore a crown of sorts and a winter coat on top of a military-like uniform.

"Welcome back, my lord," he bowed in reverence.

Without a nice way to get to the point, Akaro went straight to the question in his mind, "Uh… sorry, but who are you again?"

The elderly man immediately took Akaro's words with a laugh.

"Again my lord? You should ease up on the sex and alcohol. It's me, Chouri. Your humble and loyal Prime Minister," he respectfully addressed the male.

"Chouri huh?" Akaro pondered upon the man's name while sitting upon the Emperor's throne.

In history Akaro knew Chouri was a kind man who cared about the Empire's people and was determined to fight Onest to the very end for the sake of his country. Chouri and his daughter, Spear, were on their way to the Capital in a carriage when Esdeath's original group of underlings, The Three Beasts, merciless slaughtered them.

Leaning back against the throne, Akaro locked his gaze upon the man.

"Chouri, tell me, what is the state of the kingdom?" he inquired with a serious tone.

"Well ever since you appeared years ago and stopped Onest from ascending to power, the Empire has healed from its wounds over time. I have to honestly say that cleansing the entire government and military might've been extreme, but it did end potential threats such as Esdeath, the Oarburgh, Wild Hunt, and the Scarlet Cerberus among others. We have also achieved peace with Mercury, and their military might has assisted us in preventing the rise of conflict. Furthermore, you personally training the Elite Seven and sparing many of your foes have landed a considerable boost to our defenses."

"What about the Conclave?" Akaro further pressed the man.

"Though initially hesitant over the bloody events surrounding your ascension to a position of power, King Raizo and Queen Adena eventually saw the way of your majestic brilliance," Chouri cordially concluded.

"I see… a World Line altered to this extent would only be possible if the Counter Force and the rules of time ceased to function. An outcome where Rai and Addy lived a good life and everybody else that matters lived to see a peaceful kingdom… you really know how to play your cards, Arayashiki."

It was here that Akaro's thought process froze.

"What am I even thinking?"

A single question flowed from his lips:

"Chouri, where is Kimiko Hanate?" Not a hint of emotion--Akaro's typically welcoming expression had shifted to a deadpan.

"My lord… who is that?" the Prime Minister's words hit like a shotgun blast to the chest. In that same moment the eyes of the Crimson Dragon had begun to radiate once more.

"Arayashiki…" he stood up on his feet. Without a second's delay, the ultimate deity appeared in front of him as time itself came to a halt.

Placing a hand on his cheek, she smiled softly, "This is what you could have… a world free of conflict, free of death, a world where you're an almighty King that keeps world peace. It could all be yours… as long as you join me."

The female grabbed the back of Akaro's head and pulled him into a kiss. Unlike before, this kiss was a lot more interpersonal and passionate. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and began to wrestle with his.

The perfect world…

No death.

No suffering.

An endless existence of power and pleasure.

"What kind of boring game is this?"

Clenching his fists, Akaro pushed Arayashiki away.

"Arayashiki, I'll say it as many times as I have to, I reject your reality!"

Like a waterfall spreading into a river, the cosmic aura around Akaro expanded consuming the reality around himself. The Perfect World created by the deity that loved him and all of the wonderful memories made therein were immediately consumed by a void. For a moment there was nothing but the sight of pitch black darkness, yet that soon ceased in favor of what could simply be described as a carefully crafted ring of ice floating amidst the same cold, endless nothingness. Arayashiki floated in that darkness, her judging gaze looming over the man that rejected her once again. The murderous intent she oozed right now could shatter the very fabric of reality if left unchecked.

As a radiant crimson outline began to flow around her body, Arayashiki voiced her silent fury.

"I… gave you a chance even after everything you did to me. But, now it's over. I won't let you escape."

Her energy twisted and convulsed as it swirled and expanded into a small vortex. Incomprehensible dread befell the chill atmosphere causing the Envoy to tense up for a moment.

"This feeling… it's different from everything I've ever come across. It's like she has become a part of the root itself… I don't think I can defeat her by myself," he thought.

"If you're gonna go all out then… let's go, Akame!"

A violent gust of wind swirled around the Red-Eyed Hero in tandem with the rise of a bright blue aura outlining his body. Akaro's eyes shifted to a glowing red hue whilst his hair became dark blue with bright red highlights towards its tail end. Brandishing Svarog in one hand, the male shot Arayashiki a glare as the radiance of 'Zen' pierced the infinite darkness.

Arayashiki smiled meekly.

"A weapon is needed to kill another, my dear," she spoke whilst snapping her fingers. Almost immediately two dark bolts of lightning fell upon the ice ring.

The same dread from before intensified in nature as two new presences materialized right in front of Akaro. First was an all too familiar female with dark red eyes and long jet black hair. She still wore the same attire bestowed upon her by the darkness once sealed within Pandora's Box, but the once tattered fabric appeared to have been fixed. She was the one whom Akaro could never save, Rias Makiri, but she wasn't the same girl he met in battle. Deep within her endless flow of murderous intent, Akaro sensed an innumerable amalgamation of souls crying out in despair. Team AKARA, Night Raid, even her own allies Rin Hanate, Deus, and Izunia among countless others. It was as if she had consumed all life in whatever reality she came from.

"Fear not for you too shall become one with me," the heartless She-Devil spoke in a threatening yet sultry tone. Her left arm then violently contorted wildly before it burst out of its bandages expanding into a giant, glowing crimson hand. Meanwhile a burst of cosmic purple radiance outlined her right arm creating an energy blade.

"Arayashiki… who is this? Both incarnations of Rias were killed and the one from Shatterpoint never attained this kind of power," Akaro quickly inquired whilst clenching his fists.

The goddess merely giggled arrogantly.

"Good luck," she offhandedly remarked only to vanish in the blink of an eye. By all means, the ultimate deity was leaving Akaro to die.

"The answer should be simple, partner," the second presence hidden behind Rias let her voice echo across the void whilst stepping into view.

A tall and slender black-haired woman with ruby colored eyes. She wore a General's apparel with long sleeves and buttons on the upper arms, a blue scarf on her neck, and high-heeled boots. Ice shards were wrapped around her ankles and elbows allowing her to freely float midair. There was no doubt about it; this was the same Esdeath who had tormented Akaro prior to his awakening as an Envoy of Akasha.

"So… which Eschest are you supposed to be? I've met way too many of you," Akaro put it bluntly.

"Still not the sharpest tool in the shed, huh? As you saw in the case of the former Crown Prince, Arayashiki saved four of us from the Shatterpoint World Line to serve under her. We are now the Four Horsemen of World's End, and you are speaking to 'Death' herself," the ice queen smiled smugly.

"As for Rias here… she is merely a 'What If?' brought into our reality. When you forego the limitations placed upon us by the Counter Force like I did…Omnifiction can do pretty much anything," she elaborated.

"Great… so Arayashiki gave her my powers alongside a sufficient boost to allow Esdeath the ability to perfectly create a replica of Rias that surpasses the original."

Lost in thought, Akaro barely noticed when Esdeath's voice spoke to his mind directly:

"Impressed huh? Well I'll show you another trick."

While carelessly floating upward, the Horsewoman snapped her fingers. In that very same instant, Rias became many. As far as the eye could see, a swarm of perfect replicas of Rias Makiri surrounded Akaro from every direction in the ring. From what the Red-Eyed Hero could gather as he looked around, there were about five hundred in total. All armed with the same level of strength.

"It took the intervention of the Aspects of Akasha to end just one Rias, and these are even stronger than she was. Face it, you're dead meat. If you don't resist I'll make it painless for you. Otherwise it'll be dinner time, and trust me…there won't be a trace of you left in this Omniverse afterward. Don't worry though; I'll be sure to give the rest of your family the same fate."

Her words were raw and straight to the point. Seemingly lowering his head in defeat, Akaro closed his eyes.

"Oh? Looks like you finally grew a brain," Esdeath was quick to mock him. Nevertheless the Crimson Knight remained steadfast in his silence.

"When have I ever given up? Sorry Eschest, but it'll take nothing short of death to stop me," Akaro's thoughts could be heard loud and clear by all five hundred replicas and the ice queen herself.

"You will fight? Very well then… girls, eat him up till there's not a speck of his essence left in this world!" she proclaimed as a broken smile came upon her sadistic face.

A dozen or so of those demonic replicas charged Akaro's position. One came with her energy blade swinging in a downwards motion allowing the Envoy to quickly sidestep out of its range and to respond with a heavy slash delivered in a horizontal motion. Rias adjusted to this by grabbing hold of the blade with her large demonic arm.

"Predictable as always, Sir Hero," she mocked him. Unbeknownst to her, Akaro was one step ahead.

"Guh!" she gasped.

Rias let go of the blade and stumbled back before falling back first onto the icy ring. Her eyes whitened out, she had died. The other eleven She-Devils charging at Akaro froze in place and immediately set their gazes upon Svarog.

"Cool toy huh? Touching this blade here will erode the existence of anyone that isn't me. So I wouldn't recommend it," the Red-Eyed Hero put it bluntly.

In response the oncoming storm tried to overwhelm him with numbers. A hundred of those She-Devils swarmed Akaro mounting atop of each other pushing the Envoy to the ground. The first to straddle him quickly elected to bite down on his jugular veins slurping on the blood that splashed out. Moreover she used her energy blade to cut open his gut only to then grasp his intestines with her cursed arm.

"GAHHH—RAHHHH–AH!" the Envoy howled in pain. He attempted to swing his blade but another two replicas held his arms down and began to devour his biceps. Likewise another pair chewed on his leg muscles.

"Boundless Zen!" he shouted amidst the gruesome sounds of his flesh being torn.

The hundred females ganging up on him were erased from reality as a beam of silvery platinum flames rose through the dark void. Barely able to get up on one knee, Akaro breathed a sigh of relief after escaping that feast. Chunks of his flesh were missing all over and a pool of golden liquid still streamed down his neck.

"Ah~ the blood of a Primordial is truly an exquisite sight to behold," Esdeath coldly remarked. She still loomed over the battlefield, entertained by the violence at hand.

Alas, Akaro healed from his wounds and stood back up on his feet. Reaching for his tattered shirt with one hand, he ripped it out alongside his jacket revealing his alluring broad shoulders and chiseled abs. Taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip around Svarog whilst crimson energy gathered within it.

"Guren Ryū no—"

Before he could utter another word, another Rias grabbed him from behind and bared her fangs against the back of his neck pushing him to the ground. From there Akaro lost track of the pain as hundreds upon hundreds of those cannibals battled and mounted each other creating a small summit. Darkness encroached on his mind as once more his body began to be torn apart piece by piece.

Akaro knew his consciousness wouldn't last much longer. The light of Boundless Zero had flickered away; any chance of escape was now an ephemeral dream.

At death's door, an ominous voice resonated in the dark.

[■■■■■Do you wish to go beyond this hopeless situation?■■■■■]

"Who…"

[■■■■■Have you abandoned that which guides you?■■■■■]

"No… I …"

[■■■■■Will you let his sacrifice be for naught?■■■■■]

"... never…"

Akaro's awareness returned for a brief moment. At that point one of the cannibals on top of him slowly reached for the crucifix he wore. Still lost between conscious and unconsciousness, the half-dead man instinctively grabbed a hold of her wrist before she got any closer.

Rias tried to pull away, but his tight grip did not waver. The female could see a strange stellar fire burning deep in his eyes as the dragon tattoo in his arm began to radiate an ominous mixture of flaming orange with a tint of crimson.

"Don't you dare… don't you dare take that away from me!" Akaro shouted into her ear as the She-Devil's impenetrable skin became enveloped in fire. Those almighty crimson flames became a devastating, omnidirectional explosion that reduced three hundred of the replicas to a non-existent dream while the remainder backed away afraid of the funneling fire that had begun to swirl around Akaro.

"Boundless Zen again?" Esdeath questioned in disbelief as the Envoy stood back up.

"How… you're supposed to be dead already!" she screamed left absolutely aghast by the rising of the Red-Eyed Hero.

Akaro, in the meantime, felt the dragon tattoo burnt into his arm ache as the mix of orange and crimson flames swiftly healed his body. Furthermore, his fang-like teeth grew a few inches and his dark pupils took the shape of draconic slits while his irises shifted to a golden red hue. Most fearsome of all however, was the pressure he exerted. It was obvious something about him had changed.

Esdeath tried to read his thoughts, but his mind became a void at the moment, almost as if he was unconscious.

"No…this should have been the end of the road for you!"

It was here that a deep, bellowing draconic voice mixed within Akaro's own words spoke to her mind:

[■■■■■Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens■■■■■]

The Horsewoman's heart dropped to her stomach. That funneling fiery aura, the radiant tattoo, and the draconic eyes—Esdeath knew it, she could tell what happened yet she dared not believe it for such an act would be considered blasphemy.

"You're… the—"

She could do naught but tremble.

"It's true that he became an Envoy, but to awaken to a power like this so early on?"

Hesitation, panic, fear itself turned to nothingness in the flames. All Akaro could feel was himself, his opponents, and the fight. I n time his fire started to become so hot and rise so fast that even such basic perceptions grew dim and faded. As he dived into a state deeper than instinct, the Envoy's heartbeat resonated through infinity like a drum.

Brandishing Svarog, Akaro swung his blade in a 360-degree angle releasing a massive tidal wave of magma-like energy that went on to consume everything in its path before any reaction could be mustered. The remaining hundred clones of Rias Makiri dissolved into non-existence, their bodies consumed by that cascading radiant fire. Likewise, the large ice ring housing this confrontation began to melt under tremendous heat.

"It can't be…" Esdeath felt an all-new kind of fear as she observed draconic wings sprung from the male's back.

He calmly used them to fly up to Esdeath and stare her down eye to eye. Inside Akaro's animalistic gaze she saw a mythical dragon similar to the one tattooed on his arm. The creature oozed naught but a silent fury.

"The Crimson Dragon, one of Akasha's original seven creations—impressive, Akaro. Even as an Envoy, full body possession must come with pain beyond measure."

[■■■■■Don't get it twisted, mortal. The current Aspect of Akasha who holds my power merely took pity on this Envoy's struggles and elected to give him a chance at survival. Akaro himself is no more than a temporary vessel at this point■■■■■]

The dragon's bellowing voice caused the void around the two to crack apart like glass.

"Oho? So Akatsuki Tenbatsu of all people is really watching over her successor? …HA! At least I'll rest easy knowing it took the Wrath of God herself to stop me… go ahead, kill me!" she spoke whilst trying to hide the fear in her eyes.

[■■■■■Actually… this vessel has a better use for your worthless existence■■■■■]

"...Wh–What?"

Reaching over with an open palm, the possessed Envoy placed his on the center of her chest. With great disinterest, he uttered a command.

[■■■■■Soul Bind■■■■■]

"ah...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A wave of fire entered Esdeath's chest causing great pain to befall upon the female's core. It felt as if her consciousness was being ripped out of her body. Her blood boiled, her skin burned, her organs imploded…or at least that's how she experienced it. In reality the power bestowed upon her was being stripped away. As a reddened version of the Demon's Extract tattoo was burnt into her chest, an even crueler fate approached the ice queen.

Dropping back first onto the little that remained of the ice ring, she drooled like a small baby in its first months of living.

"Wha… happened…" she mumbled.

[■■■■■It is clear you have precious information regarding Arayashiki's plans in that tiny head of yours. So now… you're our slave■■■■■]

Turning his gaze to the void around himself, the Crimson Dragon swung Svarog in a horizontal 180 degree motion only to then bring it back to its sheath. As a result, another tidal wave of fiery energy embraced the void. The never-ending darkness created by Arayashiki shattered like glass giving way to the blue skies and urban setting of Elysium's golden city.

Akaro landed on the broken streets. He felt tremendous pain as the entity that shared a mind with him during this battle vanished from his subconscious allowing the knight to take the driver's seat.

"Ugh…" he dropped to one knee, his body reverted its draconic features back to normal.

In the meantime, Esdeath still lied on the ground unable to do as little as move a single finger. Turning his gaze to see her defeated form, Akaro let out a victorious smile.

Forcing himself up on his feet, the hero walked up to Esdeath.

"Victory is mine this time," he laughed it up.

"Don't give me that smug look; you only won because of outside help," she retorted.

"You could say that but the truth is… I've been looking for someone who would push me this far ever since I became an Envoy. I felt it y'know, the spirit in this tattoo… so I ended up purposely throwing myself at this obvious trap knowing full well that Arayashiki wouldn't have the guts to kill me with her own hands. Call it a fool's gamble, but I just knew she'd make a move now that everyone is busy mourning and Indra has the Arcana Crystal," he elaborated.

"And if your hunch about the Dragon's power was wrong?" the ice queen questioned.

"Simple, my blade—Svarog—applies a stigma to my opponents. Every time I kill a target, their powers, skills, and abilities are added to my own."

"Then that means—"

"Yep, all those replicas of Rias I killed…you were just fueling my eventual comeback," he concluded.

"Tch… so what happens now?"

"Esdeath… you know Arayashiki doesn't give a damn about what happens to you, right? You're obviously still all about the idea of a world where survival of the fittest rules, but guess what? You're a weak ass pawn being used by people greater than yourself. Whether it is Hestia or Arayashiki, how long do you plan on playing the puppet? You could be so much more if you just stop being an insufferable, warmongering cunt."

Esdeath tried not to show a reaction, but her twitching eyebrow betrayed her intent.

"And what the hell do you know?! You're not the one without a home to go back to! Arayashiki aims for a world without death or suffering, good for her! I'm just here for the bloodshed along the way because that's what I've always known!"

"Well I call bullshit on that, Miss Esdesy," Akaro shouted back at her while pointing at her.

"Who cares if you have suffered? If you weren't ready to suffer yourself, you had no place making anyone else suffer you goddamn hypocrite. Stop being a contrarian, and for Akasha's sake take the only chance you'll have ever to make something good out of your sorry excuse for a life," he put it extremely bluntly.

"What are you saying?" she inquired in a fit of confusion.

"It means…" he reached out to her with an open hand, "I broke your connection to your master and took your powers. So let's call a truce here till Arayashiki and Indra are brought down. While you're at it, you can also tell me where they sent Raizo's soul."

"And if I refuse?"

"I'll drop you off at the Crossroads and give your sorry ass as an early Christmas gift for Jibril. Trust me; it's a fate worse than death."

Esdeath chuckled at the thought only to alas grab onto his hand, "You make a hard bargain there, Akaro."

Standing up with his help, the female sighed and then looked him eye to eye. Akaro met her gaze expecting to hear bad news.

"Your brother's soul was sent to a realm forgotten since the Age of Gods. It is a land where the oldest, most primeval evils congregate—Purgatory. Even Arayashiki told us to stay away until preparations for a full scale invasion were complete. I'm sorry to break it to you but, if his soul even exists at this point he is most likely some monster's prison bitch. It also doesn't help that he is more than likely powerless after Indra milked him dry."

"And how the hell do I get there?" Akaro quickly asked.

"Good question. As far as I was told, the Arcana Crystal's raw energy and the nigh-omnipotent wish granting properties of a pure Holy Grail are part of the requirements," Esdeath nonchalantly explained as she crossed her arms.

"Both things we don't have here…" Akaro pondered his options. Alas, an idea dawned in his mind after a minute or two.

"Bingo!" he clenched his fists enthusiastically.

"Oh? That was quick. What is your brilliant idea, Ol'partner of mine?"

"You'll see it, Dessy,"

"You never gonna stop with those nicknames are you?"

"Never."

*****

Dead men tell no tales. The newly appointed Primordial God of Thunder could finally rest easy knowing Raizo was gone. Now standing amidst a luminous white void empty of everything except four wooden doorways, Indra held the Arcana Crystal between his hands charging it with his golden electricity. Arayashiki floated listlessly beside him.

"How much longer?" the goddess inquired.

"Five days at the very most. Akaro should be dead by now, and the Horsemen will deal with the rest of Team AKARA, the Mercers, and the servants," the angelic male calmly spoke reassuringly.

"You're right. As long as Akasha and Kimiko remain splintered… there is no one that can stop our plans."

"Rest, Arayashiki. A trip to the root should serve to calm your mind and further the reach of your great power," Indra advised.

"Your words carry great wisdom. Very well, I shall go. However, please do remember to keep an eye out for the… Well you know who."

"Are you serious? No mortal could measure up to a Primordial God like myself," Indra arrogantly remarked in a dismissive tone.

"Whether or not you choose to heed my words is irrelevant to me. All you need to recall is that this is the "mortal" I served not long ago."

Not giving the thunder god a chance to respond, Arayashiki vanished into thin air. Indra had truly grown powerful after absorbing Agni, stealing Raizo's and Vesta's powers, and attaining the essence of his father, but his unchecked ego still proved to be his greatest weakness.

Hours passed by as the Thunder God continued to work on recharging and fully repairing the crystal. Just as Arayashiki predicted he did very little to keep himself safe.

"Raizo… you can't hold me back anymore," he said to himself. His peace of mind would, however, not last another minute.

A distorted voice echoed in the void:

"Indra…"

Who's there?!" Indra turned in shock. This realm was his personal nexus; no one should be able to enter without his consent.

The disembodied voice continued:

"When my parents died, I lost everything. That is… until the people of Neveir welcomed me into their doorstep. In that moment, I received some semblance of hope—an opportunity to not grieve alone. But… you and Goetia tried to take that from me."

A gust of hot wind blew past Indra causing him to stumble back.

"What... what the hell?!"

"Calm down, Thunder God. I'll only make you feel pain beyond anything you can possibly imagine."

Her mere presence spelled an omen of calamity. Indra already knew escape was an impossible dream. Brandishing her demonic mystic eyes, Hikari Hanate stepped into the fray.