DXD SI : Chapter 51 : The Whiplash Chapter.... (Patreon)

Disclaimer - I don't own any of the characters appearing in High School DXD or the Anime or the manga whatsoever.

Oppai Club

–Magdaran Bael–

This was nice. They talked about her time as a Reincarnated Devil, her time as a human, and the culture shocks that came with the transition. Ofcourse, she was cagey about the specifics, nor did he push things, but from what little they danced around it, he realised a few things.

She had been a Devil for a long time now, easily decades, maybe even a century, and had settled pretty well in her life. She was also pretty forthcoming about her current life, more than he would have expected, given that she remained tight lipped about her backstory or, more specifically, her life before she became a Devil.

She confirmed that she was a part of Mephisto’s peerage, but he was very much the definition of the King of an inactive peerage. He just reincarnated people he found interesting and thought could do better with much better resources or a longer lifespan and then fucked right off.

In fact, according to Mia here, that was her name, Mephisto had seven pieces, and so far, she hadn’t met even a single one, despite working directly for Mephisto in his organisation, though her department was so far removed from the Director of their organisation that even she barely saw her King.

She also had very high freedom, even to the point that she could deal with other factions in an individual capacity, provided no harm came to Grauzauberer as an organisation and that she did not use her organisation's name for her own again. Beyond that, there was also the tacit understanding that she was truly independent and no help was coming, so if she got into a pickle, then it was up to her to get out of it.

“So, you suspect that some of the other peerage members are dead?” He asked her, taking a sip of the wine that did not feel as cheap as it did before he was having this conversation. He passed Mia the fries, as the booth around them had already been changed based on Mia’s thoughts and now resembled the exterior of an outdoor cafe, all with people walking along ancient stone paths with the blue sky in the background.

“Oh, I know some of them are dead, especially the first ones. Before people figured out that Mephisto was telling the truth and he truly had no connections with his peerage members, they must have hounded those poor fellows, and after they undoubtedly failed to gain any valuable intelligence, they were just loose ends they had to dispose of, lest they attract the wrath of Mephisto.”

“But you just said that he did not truly care about your life or death, that he wouldn't come running to rescue you if you, for example, got into an argument and got yourself killed doing something stupid.”

She pointed a fork at him, a smirk on her face. “Okay, first of all, I resent the insinuation that I would do something stupid to the point of getting killed for it, and secondly, I didn’t say that. I said that he would not help me if I got into something as an individual and that turned ugly. If somebody ambushes me for my position at Grauzauberer, then of course, I can expect rescue, just as everyone else in Grauzauberer can. That’s just common sense.”

“Ah, but that wouldn’t be Mephisto coming to help you, now, would he? That would be your employer coming to rescue you.” He pointed out with a fork as well, digging into his fries a moment later. They were just potato fries, with an absurd amount of cheese squeezed on top, and yet, they tasted just fine.

“Potato Po-ta-to. It’s the same thing.”

“Sure.” 

“So, I ask again, what is Mr. Hotshot doing here, alone? Lady troubles?” She wiggled her eyebrows at him, asking slyly.

He threw his hands up in frustration, “Why does everyone assume the same thing? No, I don’t have a lady problem, mainly because I don’t have a lady in my life. BUT! Even if I did, I would not have problems, and even if I did, because a non problematic relationship sounds kinda impossible, even for Devils, I would certainly not be here, sitting in a bar, discussing them with a random stranger.”

“Well, who else has accused you of the same?”

“Everyone I meet! It was–Ah! He pointed an accusing finger at her. “I see what you're doing there. I will not be volunteering any information. I’m not that stupid.”

“Really? Then, tell me, Heir to the most powerful House in the Underworld, what are you doing?”

His smile slowly left his face as he leaned back in his booth, looking at her with feigned confusion.

“What is an 18 year old Satan Class Bael heir doing here? Sitting by himself, looking totally lost, looking at a leaving Fallen Angel with what was probably the most naked expression of Longing, all without a single public sighting in your official position, not one of consequence anyway.”

He smiled at her, swiping his hand on the table, clearing the utensils as well as the layer of grease on the table with his power. “So, I assume this is the interrogation portion of our date?”

“Okay, one, this is not a date. I don’t date children, supernatural unaging entity or not. Secondly, it is only an interrogation if you feel like it. Otherwise, think of it like a… friendly conversation.” 

“I just wanted to get away from the Underworld for a bit, nothing more to it.”

“Okay. Now, ask away.”

He looked at her, confused. “What?”

“I asked you a question that clearly made you uncomfortable. Now, you get to ask me one.”

“But that’s not fair!”

“How so?”

“I’m me! And you’re…well, you.” He finished lamely, converting the fact that he was Magdaran Bael, and even without toting his own horn, he was kind of a big deal, even beyond the Underworld and she was Mia, a high Class Devil, completely unknown and, in her own words, barely connected to Mephisto, who himself was just an Ultimate Class Devil.

“So?”

“So, I should get more questions in exchange.”

“Them’s the rules, boy.”

He narrowed his eyes on her, “Change them, then.”

She rolled her eyes at him, “Fiiiine. Ask away.”

“Is Mia really your real name?”

“Yes.”

“What do you do for work in Grauzauberer?”

“I stay there. I am a guest lecturer and a permanent guest. There’s a distinction.”

“How so?”

“I am a free agent. I don’t have any obligations there. I could pack up and leave right now, and there’s nothing they can do about that.”

“Fine. What about–”

“AhAh! That’s three. I think a 1:3 ratio is fair, don't you?”

“...Sure.”

“Why haven’t you been seen publicly as the face of the Bael House?”

“Because I don’t like doing that.”

“I see. Well, boring answer, but sure, ask away your three questions. At least, someone has to be fair here, righ—What the?” 

She exclaimed as he abruptly stood up, his eyes wide, body tense, as he got out of the booth, muttering a hasty apology before running out of the Oppai Club.

It would seem that the little confrontation wasn't enough for Zekram. He had to resort to this to contact him and so soon as well. Getting out of the Oppai Club, he teleported straight to the underworld, his body already wreathed in his Power of Destruction, his hand holding onto a spinning ball of destruction that he immediately chucked at Zekram the moment he saw his face.

From the looks of it, the old monster was expecting it, using some sort of shield to absorb some of the blow before using his very own to dispel the rest, but the attack had done its job, pushing the man away from his garden, carving grooves in the ground.

“WHAT. DO. YOU. WANT.” A dozen other Destruction Rasengans appeared around him, spinning around him, as he threw two more at the original Bael, uncaring of the fact that Zekram was only defending and retreating instead of attacking him.

“I only want to talk!”

“Then, talk.” Zekram stood there, his clothing torn in some places, but overall he was fine, but he was currently looking at the curtain of Destruction around his entire garden with wide eyed awe. It was as if he hadn’t seen wide scale shape manipulation with the Power of Destruction before.

Sirzechs should be capable of this and more.

Zekram recovered swiftly, clearing his throat before looking at him with barely disguised happiness and pride, something that only served to disgust him further. “I wanted to talk to you about the future of House Bael.”

“What does that have to do with me? I don’t want to be associated with the same house that killed my mother. Be glad I am not yet strong enough to kill you.”

For some reason, words just bubbled forth, as he straight away blew away the game, just told Zekram Bael, to his face, that he was going to kill him when he had the strength to do so. In some corner of his mind, a voice screamed out in horror about what he was doing and the consequences, but the larger part was just drowned in barely restrained anger and rage at just the sight of the man in front of him.

“But you killed Zephyr. Isn’t that enough?” Zekram tried defending it, but even his own voice told him that Zekram knew how flimsy that defense was.

He laughed bitterly, “As if anything happens in this house without your say so. Mark my words, Zekram Bael. Had it not been for this–something, I would have long since left the Underworld, only to return when I was sure of killing you. I will have my revenge, sooner or later. You can try all you want, but your days are numbered.”

Contrary to his expectations, there was none of the expected reaction on the man’s face. It was as if he was hearing something he already knew, as if he did not care about his threat. A dark part of his mind told him, well let’s give him a reason to be worried. How delicious would the expression of fear be on his face?

He was just about to give in to that temptation and shove his conceptual power in the man’s body before the man’s tired voice echoed around him, stopping him momentarily, just because of the wrongness of it.

“Then, what? You kill me and then, what?”

The resignation, exhaustion in his voice. No. That was not what he expected Zekram to sound like. If anything, the one who should be resigned and exhausted about the whole thing should be him, not Zekram, not Zephyr, not anyone else.

“What? What do you mean, then what? I kill you, and I gain freedom.”

“And then you and your friends go out and dance with the sun setting behind you on a nice Earth beach somewhere. Your happily ever after, is that it?” The man dryly replied, making him freeze, not at the words but the way and the person who was delivering them.

“Let me tell you something, boy. Even if you do kill me today, which, by the way, feel free, you will be chained in so many ways you will consider your current state a damned vacation. You kill me, and you destabilise not just the Great King faction but the entire Underworld. I can see it in your eyes. You’re soft. Just like those Four Kids. Sure, you might be a bit more unbalanced than them, but you will come running along just the same if the entire Underworld was plunged into chaos.” 

Zekram stepped forward, right up until they were both eye to eye, the man, despite looking old and shorter than him, looking down at him, as if he was right!

That thought alone made his blood boil. To hell with that!

“How in the fuck can you say that when it is YOU that is the cause of the instability in our race? If you’re gone, the New Satans can finally–”

“They can do what? Convince the nobility to give up all their privileges? Try to convince the Pillars that Reincarnated Devils are the same as original Pillar bloodline-bearing Devils? That the Underworld is one happy family and nothing is wrong with our current system? That if the Nobility just gave up a little bit of their power, then things will be just fine in the Underworld, that the current system is an evil of their making, that our entire race is heading towards a wall, with no solution in sight?”

He just looked, his mind feeling like it was seeing something so surreal it could not properly process it as he looked at Zekram, who was shouting passionately at him, panting as it looked like he truly believed what he said.

NO! His man is a monster, and he has been fooling people longer than he or even his previous generation had been alive. He couldn't let himself be led astray here. He had to–

“I get it. I am evil. I must be killed. Once you kill me, you will be free. The world will progress, and everyone will be happy, and everything will work out just right, that I was the only thing standing between the ideal world and the current world.”

Even so, Zekram’s words continued to ring true, the words heavy. Even so, words were not going to save him!

“I don't care about the underworld. I care about me and the fact that my mother had to die because of you.”

“And why do you care about her?” Zekram asked him casually.

“What?” What kind of stupid question was that? Why did he care–

Zekram sighed, as if he was dealing with something stupid, “Why do you care about someone you never had the chance to interact with? As far as I can tell, you potentially have had awareness and memory from a very early age, which is why you know of your mother and her condition. Presumably, you imprinted on her, and that is the source of this obsession over revenge, but I ask again, why do you care so much about throwing your life away for a woman whose greatest achievement of her life was you? An achievement that is about to throw his life away for something as pathetic as revenge.”

He could only look on in horror as Zekram broke down his mindset for a major part of his life with seemingly casual ease.

Zekram reached to pat his shoulder, uncaring that the smell of burned meat wafted around them as his cloaked power injured Zekram’s hand, “Think about what I have said. I am not going anywhere, neither are you. If you do kill me, however, be prepared to suffer the consequences. If you can do that without dying, nothing will make me prouder.”

A/N - Quite the controversial chapter, I can already anticipate the heated comments.

Yes, Zekram is that kind of guy here. He wants the best for the Underworld, and yes, he wants his best version to succeed. Also, yes, he was serious about the dying part, but at the same time, he is not in any hurry to die.

Honestly, as I have said, MC’s age and inexperience has impacted him quite a lot. He heard Zekram talk, felt some points resonate with his own viewpoint, and now, here we are.

I wasn’t kidding when I wrote the words Zekram has a longer timer than Zephyr.

Zekram will die but after I can have the MC deal with the realistic consequences. No, fucking off is not an immediate viable option.

Moving the Garden will be done VERY soon.

Hope it makes some modicum of sense.