I, Necromancer Chapter 8

"Please, take a seat."

I look around the quite small but welcoming restaurant, the two cooks visible even from our seat. An elderly couple that was all smiles and love for their passion.

Fleurdelys' smiles as I hold her hand while she takes her seat, with Changli taking the one opposite from us. "It is quite the quaint place." My King states, breathing in the scent of cooked in the air with a relaxed smile on her beautiful face.

The pink haired woman's smile grows at that, "It is my favorite restaurant in the city. Quiet, small…" She pauses and glances towards the elderly couple preparing the utensils to cook for us, "And sweet."

Can't say I disagree with that.

"I've seen few restaurants like this when I visited China." I muse aloud, taking my own seat while fixing my suit and undoing the buttons of my sleeves so to fold them, "They always offered the best food."

Changli perks up at my words, "You have been to China before?" I make a so-so gesture with one of my hands.

"Just for a week. Enjoyed the sights and the food, then moved onto the next target." I sigh out wistfully, "It was before I decided to throw in my lot with the whole Supernatural business, so to take in one last taste of normalcy."

The Phenex woman hums softly at that, "Can't say I was ever given such a chance in my life, being born as part of the Supernatural World and all." Her voice holds a tone of longing that I don't miss.

"Sounds like you yearn for a change of scenery." I point out, and Fleurdelys perks up curiously.

"Might that be why you are even entertaining the thought of joining my Peerage?"

Changli laughs softly as she splits her chopsticks, "That is not a wrong assumption…" Her smile at that point grows… Tired, "I believe you've seen the amount of attention I attract when I am outside."

Both me and Fleurdelys nod at that. The square had been filled with several hundred people, after all. All just for one woman.

"I had just been waiting for you when I attracted a crowd, forcing me to go through the whole public Pill Refinement so that then I could use the refined Pills to make the crowd disperse." Changli explains, and I hiss lightly.

Having to resort to such means just to get a breath of fresh air sounds incredibly tiring, I'll have to admit that.

"Male Cultivators are quite… Hot-blooded and virile." I joke, earning a laugh from the two ladies as the elderly lady handling the shop with her husband brings us our kettle filled with warm tea.

"Yes, even more so if you are talented." Changli sighs out, leaning back against her seat while palming her cup of tea, giving me a thankful smile when I fill it for her and Fleurdelys. "They covet you like a treasure. See you more like a prize than a person. It isn't nice."

Fleurdelys frowns lightly at Changli's words, "They seek to own you just to show you off?"

I hum in my cup, then speak up to correct my King, "Actually, I think they just want her as their Dao Companion." I point out, and Changli flinches, but doesn't correct me.

When Fleurdelys throw me a confused gaze, I remind myself that she doesn't know much about how Cultivation work, so I set my cup down to explain, "Cultivation is all about balance. Too much Yin is bad, too much Yang is also bad."

"Women have Yin Qi, men have Yang Qi. By Dual Cultivating together – a fancy word for sexual intercourse – they can skip the grueling long process of Cultivation by simply giving each other the energies they require to reach a proper balance."

I explain, then cough into my fist when Changli gapes at me with a shocked look, "I've read a lot of Cultivations stories in my youth…" Her lips twitch, and she turns away to try and not laugh at me.

She fails. Horribly.

"W-What Scaith said is correct." The pink-haired beauty states through cute giggles, "They covet me to empower themselves, both thanks to my Alchemy skills, but also because of Dual Cultivation, which is several times more effective with someone far stronger than yourself."

Plus, having a beauty such as her beneath themselves is also a form of pride

"Why have you not left, then?" My King questions, leaning back as the elderly woman comes back to bring us our menus together with some appetizers.

Changli's smile turns a bit awkward at Fleur's question, "The Devil Faction is hated. Even with my connection with my Master, pursuing my passion for Alchemy would be too costly, even if I were to sell the Pills I refine."

And I doubt she'd want to tap into the funds of her House to keep going.

Smiling, the Phenex beauty leans forward on the table while folding her arms below her chest, "Hence why your recruitment request has given me pause. If I were to join you, I can haggle for better prices from the Alchemy Sect on your stead, and steal a great portion of the Eternal Forest's fertile lands to use as my personal orchard." She winks with a light laugh, making me raise an impressed eyebrow.

She actually thought everything through already? Everything she wants, everything she has to offer, and how to get the best of everything from both us and the Chinese Faction.

"I like her." I offer my opinion after a few quiet seconds, bringing an amused smile on Changli's lips.

Fleur muses softly, nursing her own cup of tea to gather her thoughts in silence, her serene gaze never leaving Changli as she does so. "Before everything, allow me to tell you what your duties will be if you join my Peerage." She starts, earning Changli's full attention, "I want my army fully equipped with the medicinal Pills you consider the best in case of emergencies." Fleurdelys states as she sets her cup of tea down.

Changli blinks, then waits… Then waits some more. Until- "And…?"

The horned beauty grins, "That's it." The Phenex Alchemist gapes, and Fleurdelys laughs softly, "Everything else is up to you. You raise offers, give ideas, give opinions, let me know the pros and cons behind what you wish to refine for my army, and you'll have my full support. Financial and of any kind you can imagine."

The pink haired woman leans back and gulps, wetting her lips as her eyes remain wide in surprise. Fleurdelys' smile deepens at that, "I don't want servants that are meant to be ordered around. I want partners that offer their own opinions about my plans and share their own ideas."

Her gaze turns towards me, warm and full of adoration, "In fact, I've been listening much to my dear Scaith's plans for a while now. He tends to be quite cunning and shred, after all." I chuckle at that, feeling my own cheeks becoming quite warm under her intense gaze.

Hell, she's to die for…

"I see…" Changli muses softly, a brilliant smile spreading across her glossy lips, "It is a good thing that I am close to perfecting my Magnus Opus, for I wish to offer it to you and your army."

Despite herself, Fleurdelys perks up with clear interest at that, "Oh?"

Changli's smile grows, "I call it the Dragon Body Pill. I've been working on it for at least three years now, but I am now close to finding the last working ingredient, which is Dragon Blood itself." At that, her shoulders sag as she nearly pouts, "Which is easier said than done, since few Dragons bother Cultivating, and those that do are not keen on sharing their blood."

I pause at that. "Uh…" Both ladies turn to me, confusion within their eyes, "I might have a solution for that?"

Changli perks up at that, "You have Dragon Blood I could use?!"

I shake my head, and she slumps, "Not Dragon Blood. I have the corpse of a Flood Dragon that has a Core inside it." The Phenex beauty locks up, "It's right outside the gates, if you want to check it out later."

Her intense gaze sends shivers down my spine, but luckily she snaps it towards Fleurdelys a few seconds later, "I'm sold." The Leviathan scion barely holds back her snort at Changli's intense words.

"Would you like the Bishop Piece? I believe it enhances your magical capabilities." Surprisingly enough, Changli shakes her head with a smile.

"I have Qi and Demonic Energy, and I can wield both perfectly as it is a must for Alchemy. I think the Rook Piece would suit me best." She winks, a mischievous grin on her face, "Harder to hurt, less to heal."

That's… A fair point. Just because she can heal doesn't mean she has to waste energies on it, hence enhancing her defense would be a major boon.

"Very well then, we can go through the process once we are done eating." Fleurdelys states, a brilliant smile on her face, "Welcome to the family, Changli."

I raise a brow and throw a glance at my King at those words. Family, huh?

She doesn't show it, but she clearly dearly misses hers.

I guess it doesn't feel so bad being a replacement of sorts.

….

"Is everyone here?" The Sword Master all but demands, silencing the large room, his towering form standing at one end of the table as his sharp eyes flick to each person standing around it.

The Alchemy Sect Master, the Formation Sect Master, Law Enforcement Sect Master, Forging Sect Master and even a Buddhist Sect Master.

Each of them had someone standing behind them, some form of disciple, or perhaps the Sect's very heir and next Sect Master.

"Everyone that matters, at least." Spoke the Law Enforcement Sect Master while rubbing his long beard, looking disgruntled for some reason.

I glance at a spot on the table where there should be at least two more people present. Seems like not everyone answered the call.

The old Alchemy Sect crone shakes her head slowly, "It is fair that they did not come. They took large losses during the last battle." The Law Enforcement elder sighs deeply at that.

"The Talisman Sect disciples aren't close-range fighters… I will never understand why they advanced so recklessly back then."

The man from the Buddhist Sect spoke next, his voice soft and filled with mourning, "The Eternal Forest claimed the land where their Sect once stood. I'd be furious too for such a loss."

I flinch slightly at that. From my research, they lost a great deal of Sects due to the Eternal Forest constant advance… But it is also their fault.

They allowed it to expand due to their greed for the fertile soil it creates that can make their Alchemy bloom, which is their biggest source of income and what assists their Cultivators the most.

And that desire ended up biting them in the ass very quickly…

The Sword Master snorts, "It does not matter. This time we have outside help to replace them." The elder with brass like skin nods towards us, with me and Zani standing beside Fleurdelys.

We managed to get permission to teleport back home so to grab her, since she is basically the one that mostly handles and informs our army.

Hence having her take part in this meeting was a must.

Surprisingly enough, all the elders gathered actually nod respectfully and thankfully towards us, their emotions visibly not faked. The disciples standing behind them are different, though.

Arrogant, sneering gazes. Lustful leers thrown at Zani, Changli and Fleurdelys, and disdainful glances thrown my way.

Guess here the elders actually have wisdom thanks to age, which quelled their arrogance. Thankfully enough.

"Has Miss Changli already informed you of what the Eternal Forest can do?" The Formation Sect Master questions, her wrinkled hands palming and rolling a paper fan within their grasp.

Fleurdelys' nods, "She has. She has even told us stories about your previous battles against it, and that you have located the Core of the forest."

The bald giant Buddhist Sect Leader nods and rubs his hands together, "We confirmed its location from afar during the… Third battle, was it?" He questions from his fellow elders, who all nod to confirm his words, "It is a giant, pulsing and glowing green sphere. It is heavily guarded, with the whole forest and its victims coming to protect it in massive force."

And no one is fit for prolonged battles against seemingly endless waves of creatures devoured by a parasitic forest.

Well, aside from lil' old me, of course. I just have a far bigger limit.

The old crone from the Alchemy Sect speaks up then, "Damaging the forest makes it retaliate in force. Entering the forest provokes the same response. It devours everything living as nutrients to keep expanding itself." She drawls out, then sighs deeply, "The major problem is that it is close to No Man's Land."

At that, everyone goes quiet and lowers their head.

And this was the reason they couldn't defeat the forest. Yes, it has covered enough ground that any Gates that open within its territory end up becoming fuel for it, but that wouldn't explain its sheer growth speed.

Then, Changli told us why the Eternal Forest is such a massive threat.

It attracts monsters.

There are flowers all around the forest that release spores that attract monsters from countless miles away. When agitated, that effect grows in scope, bringing entire tides of monsters from No Man's Land.

And by tide I mean that they are a carpet of beasts that stretches all the way to the horizon. Tens of thousands of beasts all attracted by that scent, then get devoured from the inside out the moment they eat a flower.

The forest uses an enormous amount of energy to fight against the invaders and repair the damage they do, hence it attracts copious amounts of nutrients to combat that cost.

Fleurdelys' smiles confidently, arms crossed beneath her massive bust, "That will be our goal." Her words stir the quiet room, drawing the attention of all the elders to us.

The Sword Master raises a bushy brow, "What do you mean?"

My King doesn't waver, and she leans forward, pointing at the map set on the table. A massive section of – more than a third of the map, in fact – was completely green, showing the Eternal Forest's current territory.

"Me, my Peerage and my army, will circle around the forest and stand between it and No Man's Land." She states sharply and loudly, "We'll attack the forest. Deliver a devastating blow that will make it send all of its parasites to fight against us."

Her gaze then turns towards me, warm and full of trust, "My dear Queen will hold off the waves of beast that will be attracted by the forest. Though I may have to request the Formation Sect to create their most powerful Mana Gathering Array to support him."

The Formation Sect elder nods, an impressed smile on her calm, aged face, while the Forging Sect elder whistles softly, "You'll be attracting everything in the forest to you… Giving us a straight shot towards the heart with little to no opposition in our way."

Fleurdelys nods, "We'll buy you as much time as you need to finish things off and avenge those that you have lost." Heh, she really knows what to say to tug at their heartstrings.

The young may not care, but the elders? The elders do, for the young are their future, and the Eternal Forest has likely taken the lives of who knows how many young Cultivators with a bright future ahead of them.

"We take a week to prepare." The Sword Master orders, his voice booming through the large meeting hall, "We cannot be lax this time. I want everything and everyone available, damn the cost. This is the best chance we have."

All the elders nod, face serious and stern, but also wrought with worry.

I am worried too, for this isn't a joke, nor will it be a walk in the park. I was confident with the High Class Gate, but this? This is much, much harder.

My reserves will be put through the wringer to hold off a colossal wave of monsters, so I need to workshop the best plan I can to deal with them.

The good thing is the Necrotic Miasma I just gained. Through it, this battle has become much, much easier to deal with.

"I have an offer to make." Someone speaks up, and I raise my head, noticing that it was the Formation Sect elderly lady, "My Sect isn't made of fighters… So I offer that me and my disciples join the efforts in holding off the beast wave."

The Sword Master hums and furrows his brows, "You have a point, Junior Sister." Then his gaze flicks to us, seeking our opinions, "What say you?"

Fleurdelys shares a glance with me, and I hum in consideration. "How big can you make it? And what effects can your Arrays cause?"

The elderly lady isn't offended by my questions, and instead smiles in approval, "Illusions, both visual and not. Traps, spiritual swords, spiritual beasts- You name it, our Arrays can create it."

I rub my chin in thought. This may actually be helpful. Any stalling they can do, even momentary, can lead to my Undead landing a killing blow and bringing another Undead into the fray.

Plus, any moment of hesitation while hanging around within the Necrotic Miasma will also be crucial.

"Very well, we can hash out further details later." The elderly woman nods, her relaxed smile still in place. I think she approves of the fact that I am not arrogant and refused her assistance.

I think they are seeing how worth this future alliance is.

So perhaps I should raise our worth even more, and raise their opinion of us. "If I may ask a question to the elder from the Forging Sect…" I speak up, turning towards said elder.

He was short, resembling a dwarf, his hair and beard thick and messy, covered in soot and with their ends burned. His robes were thick, showing that he was wearing armor beneath them. "What is it, kid?"

I am nearly half-way through my twenties, old man. "I have the corpse of an Ultimate Class Flood Dragon under my control and have gathered a great deal of its scales, claws and teeth. How long would it take to suit up a large army three-thousand strong with these materials?"

I swear to the guy above that the old dwarf's eyes start shining like twin suns at the mention of the materials from the Flood Dragon, "Oho! You want to equip your army with it?! A week is more than enough if my Sect works on it!"

Damn… These guys really are insane…

"But on one condition!" The old dwarf harrumphs, then tries to act cocky… But looks more like he is close to dropping on his knees and beg, "I want some of those materials for myself."

"Deal." I agree instantly, making him jump in delight and pump his fist. Then cough and regather his composure when the disciple behind him glares down at him.

"May I ask for some of its blood, then?" The Formation Master elder speaks up once more, "It is a powerful catalyst for Arrays, so it might come in handy."

I nod at that too, mostly because with Rhapthorne around, my Flood Dragon can be torn apart then put back together so to grab a great deal of resources from him.

The elderly crone from the Alchemy Sect clearly wanted to ask for more too, but Changli stops her, throwing a cute wink my way in the process.

The Sword Master looks around, looking… Relaxed, and at ease, before he speaks up, "Anything else we should discuss and that might be important?"

Glances are shared, words are whispered, then heads shake.

Until something crosses my mind, and I raise my hand.

"A contingency plan." I state, face serious, "One that comes into play the moment things don't go our way."

The Sword Master furrows his brows, hums deeply for a few seconds, then nods.

"I have one in mind."

~~XXX~~

"You're leaving?!" Rias exclaims, shock and surprise within her… very muffled voice, as she was busy stuffing her face with the muffins I prepared in the morning.

It is a cute sight to behold, as she looks like a hamster with their cheeks stuffed and swollen, her sparkling eyes wide while she snacks on another muffin like a rabbit.

She's adorable, alright.

"Not for long." Fleurdelys laughs softly, her gaze fond and warm as she stares at Rias across from her, "We are moving to assist the Chinese Faction so to forge a very profitable alliance. You can come visit once we acquire our now plot of land."

Rias perks up, swallowing what was in her mouth before smiling widely, crumbs all over the sides of her lips, "Really?! That's close to No Man's Land, right?"

Fleur nods, a gentle laugh flowing past her lips as she leans forward, napkin in hand to clean Rias' face, earning a furious blush from the redhead, "Quite. It is part of our goal to make use of its resources, as we are the only ones that can afford to explore it thanks to my dear Scaith."

Rias nods profusely, eyes flicking left and right while her face remains as red as her hair, yet she doesn't pull away from Fleurdelys. Because who would pull away when such a beauty is so close to them. "Will you miss me?" My King teases, her voice sultry in a way that sends shivers down my spine.

Rias whimpers at that, words failing her, so I decide to come to her rescue, "I think she's going to faint, Fleur." I chuckle out, earning a lovely laugh from the horned beauty, who finally pulls back and allows Rias to catch her breath.

"You're a meanie." The Gremory Heiress pouts cutely, hiding her face behind her half-eaten muffin, "But I might… Maybe. Who knows." Yup, she is adorable.

And I have a feeling Fleurdelys is seconds away from pouncing on the redhead, seeing the way she is biting her lower lip. Funny how she is all shy and bashful around me, but more active towards women.

...Is that why the Leviathan Clan was full of women?

"Then we can do something when we come back." Fleurdelys promises, keeping her voice even and schooling her expression. Then she throws a near desperate glance towards me, making my lips quirk into an amused smile.

Her gaze flicks between me and Rias, as if she doesn't know who she wants to savor first… Before her gaze snaps on me and narrows. Oh boy…

"B-But is it fine to tell me what you are going to do?" Rias questions, pushing her embarrassment aside to give Fleur a mildly worried look.

My King smiles gently, "You can tell your brother. I even encourage you to do so. They cannot stop what I am doing and what I will achieve, they can only stand by and watch."

I love that confidence in her voice.

Rias blinks, then sags her shoulders in relief, "Well, alright…" Then she shakes her head and turns towards me with a small smile, "Thank you for telling me about Issei… Though I still haven't recruited him. Or approached him."

I raise a brow at that. I remember that in the story that he fit her criteria for entering her Peerage, which is about being 'cute' or something like that.

Though she did recruit him after he got gutted by Rayanare, so there's that.

"He wouldn't fit with my Peerage due to his antics." Rias sighs out, glaring down at the muffin in her hands like it murdered her family, "And I'd rather not force him to change just to fit my needs."

I smile softly at that, and instinctively reach over to pat her head and mess her hair, "That's nice of you." I tell her honestly as she squirms under my touch, "But sometimes being selfish is the right thing to do. Especially with cases like him."

Rias perks up at that, "What do you mean?"

I pull my hand back and lean back on the couch beside her, "He wields the Boosted Gear. Whether you want it or not, you'll have to keep an eye on him until he passes away if you do not recruit him."

Her brows furrow, then her eyes go wide, "The Juggernaut Drive…"

I nod grimly, "One bad day is all he needs to possibly snap and go Juggernaut Drive. It has happened before, with either wielder of the Boosted Gear or Divine Dividing."

"I am fairly sure that one such case was caused by the Boosted Gear holder, who in order to get the fight he wanted, he forced the Divine Dividing wielder into the Juggernaut Drive by killing his family. In the end, both died in the catastrophic clash."

One would be surprised at how much information the Supernatural side of Internet has. Long lived races don't forget, and now they record everything on the internet instead of paper.

"In fact, there is a group of Fallen Angels under Azazel that go around Earth looking for humans that, due to their horrid talent and personalities, will only cause harm with their Sacred Gears."

Rias gulps, then lowers her head and sighs deeply, "And Issei fits the bill." I don't nod at that, because I know that the kid might not go and commit sexual assault if he ever randomly gets the Boosted Gear, but this world is different, so one can't rule out that chance.

"You could push him to do better if you recruit him." I shrug, "But that is up to you…" And I can't really offer my assistance in taking away his Sacred Gear and giving it to someone in her Peerage, like Koneko.

My System doesn't restrict me to just the Skills it gifts me when I advance, but also gives me knowledge I go through at my own time.

How to wield my powers, how to do a certain something, or how to interact with Souls.

It is how I came up with my unique way of raising the Undead and using them like puppets instead of stuffing subjugated Souls robbed from the afterlife within them.

I could find my way around creating a Soul Flask, a special bottle of Necrotic Mana that attracts and captures the closest Soul to it. The Soul and anything attached to it, like a Sacred Gear for example.

I just never thought of putting it to use since I got it in my last Class Advancement because I have no use for the Boosted Gear. It does not fit me, nor is it as powerful as they say.

Neither is the Divine Dividing. The only reason the ability to Divide and Double one's strength is so absurd is because the two beasts who wielded this power were horrifyingly powerful in the first place.

When humans or Devils would use these Sacred Gears, they wouldn't truly double or divide one's strength. It would be far less than double, and it has to stack up, hence why the Balance Breaker makes them use said abilities in rapid succession.

The Juggernaut Drive instead just makes them tap into the horrifying power that Ddraig and Albion wield, stacked on top of the power of their wielder.

So yeah, I have no interest in such a Sacred Gear. It requires too much to even be remotely good or strong.

The only Sacred Gear I am interested in is the Sephiroth Graal… Which I really should go out of my way to grab and remove from the hands of the Vampires and Khaos Brigade.

With Ophis and Great Red out of the picture due to their squabble that broke the Dimensional Gap, the Khaos Bridage has lost their source of power-ups in the form of snakes.

But they still have the Sephiroth Graal, which is just too dangerous to be left in their hands. And too valuable to not have in mine.

Hence why I want it for myself, and I don't mind killing Valerie for it. Creating a Soul Flask could work, but I could also wait for Rayanare to show herself in Kuoh, then torture the information about the Sacred Gear Extraction ritual out of her.

It worked in canon until she was killed and taken back, so it should work this time too.

"Alright, I'll give it a try." Rias nods, perking up with a cheerful smile on her pretty face, "Being honest should help, and I have faith that he is a good guy deep down!"

He is, he is just enabled by those around him and never suffered real consequences for his actions. His parents spoil him due to their previous miscarriages, thus are far more lenient on him than they should be.

But deep down he is a good guy that I'd rather doesn't die and changes for the best. Far too many stories kill him off for his Sacred Gear, then have the protagonist of said story become worse than Issei while shitting on him the whole time.

Never saw the point of the whole 'holier than thou' act in those stories. I at least don't pretend to be some form of saint, and will kill if I want something.

"Plus, you do need a strong Peerage for the future." I point out to Rias, "You'll have to start claiming territories and fight your fair share of Gates, and your army will rely just as much on your Peerage as they will rely on your army."

The only problem would be Vali and his battle-boner, but I won't bother with him.

"That's true…" Rias groans and slumps back with a childish whine, "I can't sit on my butt and do nothing after school." I throw a glance at Fleurdelys, and she perks up, understanding the unspoken cue.

"You can also come visit our new territory once we establish, and train against the hordes from No Man's Land." Fleurdelys offers with a brilliant smile on her face, making Rias perk up, "You'd be able to claim more resources than anyone else, and have us to back you up in case of danger."

Rias perks up, all smiles and eagerness… Then gasps and points an accusatory finger towards Fleurdelys, "Trying to steal me away from the New Satans, are you!?"

Fleurdelys snorts, "Is it working?"

"...Maybe." My King tries and fails to suppress her laughter. "Speaking of which… Has my brother tried to approach you?" Rias questions, and Fleur controls her laughter as she leans back.

"He sent a letter I did not bother reading after the whole altercation with his Queen." She shrugs, making her chest do some very lovely movement that attracts the eyes of both me and Rias, "Probably some empty apologies or thinly disguised threats. He wouldn't be the first one."

I raise a brow at that, "You got more letters from important people?" Fleur nods, a mocking smile on her lips.

"Zekram Bael sent one recently. All flowery language about meeting for dinner." She sighs and shakes her head, "I hate using my status, but he once groveled before me and my mother's feet just for an audience. And now he dares send a measly Familiar to deliver a letter instead of doing it himself… Times truly have changed."

I huff out an amused breath at that. I love how her arrogance from her nobility comes back only when dealing with equally arrogant nobles that should, effectively, still be below her.

Even with her House gone, she is still a Leviathan, and that name carries far more power than any name of any other Devil House beneath the Four Main Houses.

Even when dead and destroyed, they still had the name used by the New Satans instead of having them wear the names of their original House.

"Will you go?" I ask despite myself, mostly curious.

Fleur scrunches up her nose, "And deprive myself of my wonderful Queen's handmade meals even for just a night? No thanks." She's just asking to get mating pressed at this point.

Shaking her head, Rias smiles and turns to me, "You're going to deal with that huge forest, right? I remember brother speaking about how he had offered assistance to the Chinese Faction some months ago, but they rudely refused. How did you convince them?"

I snort at that, "We wanted none of the territory the forest claimed, and offered them priority when selling rare resources we gather from No Man's Land."

Rias blinks at that, "Huh, that's one way to convince them, I guess…" She sniffs, an amused smile on her face, "So you won't sell anything to the Devil Race?" She asks, not in an accusatory way. Just genuinely curious.

Fleur shakes her head with a small smile, "Everything will go to growing our territory and reinforcing our Faction. The New Satans and Great King Faction will be considered enemies from the moment we step away."

I blink at that, then lean close to Rias, "Keep that to yourself if you do talk to your brother. I'd rather not risk a preventive action." Rias pales, then nods.

She clearly does not wish for things to lead to bloodshed, and neither does Fleurdelys, but we all know that only one Faction can stand.

The Great King Faction must go, obviously enough. Too shady and too connected with all the other Houses.

As for the New Satans… We'll see how Fleurdelys' anger and hate towards them changes. Plus how they will act towards us once our plans are set in motion.

"Honestly, I really hope things can be fixed…" Rias sighs deeply, a sad look in her eyes.

Fleurdelys' expression grows gentle and warm, "I do too, my sweet Rias… But that doesn't mean I won't spill the blood of my own race if it means fixing what is broken."

Rias nods, still sad and somber, and I offer her shoulder a comforting squeeze that she leans into.

She may be an adult, but she is effectively still a child. She hasn't experienced that much, or as much as Fleurdelys' has due to the Great War.

The peace shew as born into is a fragile thing filled with leaks that can easily be smashed open by a pebble, and that is not a good thing.

After a moment of quiet, Rias shakes her head and stands, "I best go now." She states, a smile spreading across her face once more, "Wish me luck with Issei, will you?"

We watch her teleport away with amused smiles on our faces, bringing back a quiet to our recently new mansion.

The army and Rhapthorne have already been moved, together with the materials we had already gathered from my Flood Dragon. All we need to do now is just wait for the Forging Sect to finish their end of the deal while we reach our spot and let the Formation Sect get to work.

A week may not be long, but Cultivators don't need sleep, so they can put down a lot more work than usual, hence the confidence behind the Forging Sect Master words.

I am pulled out of my thoughts when a weight settles on my lap, and my eyes blow wide open when I find the tall Fleurdelys' straddling me, my face right before her massive chest, a sultry smile on her breathtaking face. "Getting distracted when I sit right before you, my dear Scaith?"

Her words sends shivers down my spine. The very good, addictive kind of shivers. "I'd rather not spoil the work of art before me by staring at it too much." I answer reflexively, my hands coming to rest on her wide hips, the touch alone sending a shudder up her sides.

Her cheeks grow warm, and her smile grows as she wraps her arms around my shoulders, her face lowering so that our noses touch, her horn resting against my forehead, "Always quick with the words…" She whispers, then remains quiet, her eyes boring into mine with an intensity that I enjoy.

Then, after a few seconds, she speaks up again, "I love your eyes." She states, her gaze warm, "I love how unique they are." I huff out an amused breath at that.

I was quite surprised when I first looked at myself in the mirror when I first woke up here. My pupils are near glowing crimson 'X', so calling them unique isn't wrong.

And funnily enough? There are more people like me out there. Pupils changed at birth due to the Mana inside one's body, which also hides the pupils from mortals and only Supernatural people can see their real shape.

Apparently it is quite normal, and not just related to pupils, but even hair and eye color. The unique hair colors like white, blue, violet- So on and so forth? Because of Mana causing said mutation at birth.

"And I love your horn, and that thorny crown of yours." Her cheeks flush more, and her eyes narrow just a fraction, the arms wrapped around me tensing lightly.

"Truly, it is hard to think straight when I have you around." She sighs out fondly, gaze and voice lustful, which makes my grip on her lovely hips grow a bit stronger.

Then, Fleurdelys' leans forward and tilts my head to the side, her soft lips placing a long kiss against my cheek as she breathes in my scent. "After this battle…" She whispers that promise when she pulls back, her eyes glistening and boring into mine once more.

I gulp, my blood rushing through my veins and my heart hammering in my ears, the sheer desire to claim her right here and now clawing at my mind as I fight hard to quell it.

Gaze still half-lidded, Fleurdelys' hums and fixes the collar of my shirt, her fingers warmly tracing my neck, "What worries you so much, my beautiful Scaith?" She suddenly asks, quelling my rising lust and desire, making my eyes widen, "And how may I help quell these worries?"

I blink in surprise at that. I showed nothing on my face or in my general mood, yet she still saw through that?

A smile spreads across my face despite myself, "There is something I wish to put my hands on. Something that can make me an even more powerful Necromancer, and that may make us more powerful too."

Removing our weakness to Holy, strengthening ourselves and my Undead… I can do so much with that Subspecies Sephiroth Graal.

Fleurdelys' hums softly, "Do you know where it is?"

I nod and wet my lips. It wasn't hard to find the Tepes Faction headquarters in Romania. It's a massive castle any tourist can visit, which is an excuse used by the Vampires to find and grab the victims they fancy among the tourists. "I do. It is just guarded quite well by the Tepes Faction of the Vampires."

Despite my words, Fleurdelys' smiles and raises a brow, "So?"

"I will just remove it if it I need to get something for my wonderful Scaith."

This woman will be the Death of me.

I gulp as she stands, taking my hands in hers, a sultry smile on her glossy lips, "Let us not waste time then, my dear."

"I now have an opportunity to spoil you, and I plan on taking it."

Oh yeah, she's getting mating pressed.

A.N. Another chappy! Next chapter will have the fight against the Eternal Forest and some other PoV other characters 'bout everything going on!

Hope y'all enjoyed this, and thank y'all so much for the support!

Toodles!