[Issei's POV]
That sensation again—one I've felt too many times before and can never forget.
Everyone else's presence vanished, save for the ones immediately near me.
This feeling… a fog-based spatial shift… That means it's the Hero Faction! They're making their move here of all places!?
"Everyone! Are you okay?!"
As I called out, scanning our surroundings, I heard a panicked voice from Ravel.
"Ikki-sama is missing!"
Whaaaaaaat!? Did Ikki get left out again!? He's gonna seriously sulk this time!
"Ah, don't worry about Ikki," I said. "Remember Kyoto? He was the only one who got flung far away. Honestly, that probably makes him the safest one right now. We should head to the lobby—it's bigger and doesn't have all these tables cluttering the place."
Everyone agreed with my suggestion, and we made our way to the lobby.
Once there, we spotted two figures in the distance.
The moment one of them snapped their fingers, a fireball shot out from the wall behind the entrance we had just used!
A trap spell!? Wait—there's mist on the wall. That's not an ordinary fire spell—it was cast elsewhere and transported here using that fog-based technique: Dimension Lost!
Even Kuroka and Shirone wouldn't have noticed it coming! The target is… Akeno and Irina!
But just before the blast could hit them, Ophis stepped in between and dispersed the fireball with one hand.
"Th-thank you very much..."
"Thanks, Ophis-chan!"
Even as the two of them thanked her, Ophis remained silent, her face unreadable.
Well, that's just how she is—stoic by default. Still, you were awesome, Ophis!
"Greetings, Governor Azazel and Gremory household. I thought I'd stop by for an unannounced visit—call it payback for Kyoto."
Looking more closely at the speaker, it was none other than the Hero Faction's leader, Cao Cao, and the fog user—Georg, I think?
"Heh! So that's why Ikki wasn't invited into this space? You did the same thing in Kyoto—flung him all the way to Tokyo! Are you scared of him?"
"Not at all," Cao Cao replied calmly. "We simply gathered sufficient data on him last time. We could've fought him from the beginning here, but… I thought I'd have a little fun first. In Kyoto, he used spirit leyline flow to slip into our space. I'm curious if he can pull off the same trick this time."
So that's why Ikki got "left out"!
Wait… If we take Cao Cao at his word, that means Ikki can't get in here the same way as before!
"Hmm. But if Ikki's outside, won't the news reach Sirzechs and the others right away? If the Great Satan's forces attack from outside, this whole barrier will collapse eventually," said Azazel.
That's true! Just like Azazel-sensei said—even if Ikki can't get in alone, he can bring reinforcements. It's only a matter of time before allies crash through from the outside!
But Cao Cao casually tapped his shoulder with his spear, totally unbothered.
"You're absolutely right. Ikki Arima is still at the hotel… but I never said this space still is. While this dimension mimics the hotel's layout, it's already been transferred far into the depths of the Underworld. No matter how hard he searches the real hotel, he won't find a way in."
"Basically, he's on a little treasure hunt."
...You've gotta be kidding me!? A hidden sub-dimension, buried somewhere in the Underworld—and you expect him to find that? That's less of a treasure hunt and more of an impossible game!
I'd rage-quit that garbage in five minutes flat! Not even Ikki could find this place under normal circumstances!
"Hmph. But we don't have to play along with your childish games," Kuroka said, stepping forward.
She still had her usual cheerful tone, but the sharp edge in her aura said otherwise.
She might be smiling on the outside, but she was pissed—and I get it. Nobody likes their fun times ruined. Heck, even I'm angry!
"Former SS-class Stray Devil Kuroka, sister of Shirone," Cao Cao said. "We've reviewed your Rating Game data from your time in the Naberius household, and your fight with Loki. So tell me—do you have a solution to this little problem? If you do, please demonstrate it. That way we can close off that route next time."
Damn it! So this whole "Ikki exclusion" was just to mess with him—and gather data!? What a calculating bastard!
"Hmph. What an arrogant little brat, nya. Well, I'm sure Ikki's already sent out the necessary signals, so I guess it's time we called him in."
With that, Kuroka extended her right-hand claws and made a shallow cut across her left forearm.
Scooping up the blood with a finger, she drew a line across her palm and slammed it to the ground while forming a seal.
"Poof!"
"Nyan~ Ninja Art: Summoning Technique! …Just kidding~"
"Kuroka, whether it's ninja magic or not, that was a pretty literal summon."
And just like that, Ikki appeared with a satisfying pop.
Georg eyed him with fascination.
"Hmm… That seemed like an Eastern-style familiar summoning technique."
"Yup! It's not the standard summoning spell. This one uses blood as a catalyst to boost the summon's power!"
Wait—familiar summoning!? Does that mean Ikki is Kuroka's familiar!?
"I see. With a true master-servant contract, the summoning becomes highly forceful. Most powerful beings would never stoop to being someone's familiar, but you seem to count yourself as just another piece on the board?"
"More or less. If it's useful, I'll use it—no shame in that."
Seriously!? But then again, I am technically Rias's servant too… and as a Japanese guy, "familiar" and "servant" don't feel all that different to me.
While my thoughts wandered, Kuroka continued explaining:
"Fufu~ And while Ikki's my familiar… I'm also his, nya. Can you believe it? Me, wearing a collar again~? Not that I mind. Being Ikki's pet isn't the worst thing in the world."
W-WHAT!?
"Oi, by that logic, that means I'm your pet too, Kuroka."
Ikki said something, but it didn't register.
"A pet!? Ikki, since when were you into leashing your girlfriend for pet play!? When did you become some kind of elite-level perv!?"
"Oh my~! A pet, you say? That stirs both my S-side and my M-side~Yes, of course… love can be expressed in more ways than whips and ropes. Kuroka-san, you must share the details with me sometime!"
Oh no. Akeno-senpai is evolving.
Akeno the Pet… That's bad. I'm seriously about to get a nosebleed.
"I never expected the secret to breaking Sacred Gear seals would lie in SM play. Damn! For a fallen angel like me to be outclassed in that area—it stings!"
Did… Did Azazel-sensei just lose to Ikki in kink level!?
Ikki, sometimes I'm genuinely scared of your degenerate power!
"Stop making me sound like a damn perv!!"
Ikki's shout echoed through the lobby.
No need to be shy about it, man.
Next time we're alone, we are having an in-depth ero talk. Just you and me.
[Issei POV – End]
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From the moment Kuroka summoned me, everything spiraled into madness—people started labeling me a perv, Akeno-senpai's imagination exploded, and Azazel-sensei got jealous for no reason.
"Hey, Kuroka. You started this whole pet mess, so fix it already."
"Hmm… Nope! Or rather, I can't, nya~"
She's enjoying this way too much! Stirring the pot and then dipping out!?
Not that I'd know how to calm this chaos anyway...
For the record, I was summoned by Kuroka, but we keep the "familiar" label under wraps. It's just easier that way.
Actually, I've got similar contracts with Shirone and Ravel too.
To cover our butts in case anyone finds out, we even drafted official-sounding contracts like "For emergency use against terrorist activity…"—signed off by Rias, Lord Phoenix, and Yasaka-sama.
Yeah, bureaucratic nonsense, but it was necessary.
Yasaka and Phenex probably took it in stride, but Rias wasn't impressed.
Guess from a pure-blood noble's perspective, voluntarily making yourself a "familiar" is unheard of.
It is technically risky—having three different masters can cause summoning interference. But that's why it's just a temporary measure.
"So Ikki Arima's a familiar, huh? That's gotta be banned in a Rating Game. Total cheat move," Cao Cao said.
"Oh, and I watched your game against Bael. Everyone on your team's crazy strong—quite the collection, Switch Princess."
Rias visibly flinched at the nickname.
"I can't tell if that's praise or mockery. Either way, I don't appreciate being called that by you."
"Shame. I saw your little team-up with the Oppai Dragon in Kyoto. It was quite the show. Can't I count myself as one of your fans?"
"…Wait. You're a fan of the Oppai Dragon?"
"Nah, not really."
That smug tone—Cao Cao was totally baiting her.
Rias was not amused.
"Anyway," he continued, "let's get to the real reason I'm here. I figured Ophis was out with Vali, but to think she's here? I had my suspicions… but this confirms it. By now, Vali's probably fighting Siegfried and the others."
Everyone tensed, and Le Fay raised her hand to explain the situation...