Ch 225: Not the innocent kind of competition.

As it turned out, Akeno was simply asking for too much. Akari, Mari and Kanae did their best, but they just couldn't ignore the intense stimulation when fighting, and they got easily distracted. Maybe they would eventually, given enough time, but time was a luxury with the rest of the Monarchs likely coming soon. Akeno gave up on her idea, at least for now, and took them to her room, where she gave each of them the most intense orgasms of their life.

With that out of their system, they fought better, and Akeno nodded with satisfaction.

She decided to leave Esil's and Naya's training to Heejin, Joohee and Meilin, and resumed her dungeon dives. She was fifteen levels behind Jeanne and Alter, twenty-five levels behind Jinah, and that just wouldn't do!

…

In the middle of one of Tokyo’s highways, a huge gate appeared, forming a vortex easily over a hundred meters wide.

One car who couldn't brake in time disappeared inside.

Seconds later, the same car was yeeted out of the gate at a near supersonic speed and crashed into a building.

…

"Hello, Colonel." smiled Noah as one of the Misaka appeared in his main living room, holding the sleeve of Colonel Kikuoka.

"Hi, Noah." smiled Seijirou Kikuoka, dressed in his military uniform of the JSDF.

"Please take a seat. Did you already have breakfast? Please help yourself."

Most of the girls were already done eating and had started their daily routine. There only remained Claire, Rika and Hikari, who greeted the colonel.

"I will take you up on your offer, thank you. The food here is always delicious." smiled the colonel, taking a pastry and thanking Hisui when she served him coffee.

Noah invited the Colonel every few weeks to exchange information.

"If there anything new from the government?"

"The prime minister is quite happy. His early support of your actions when most others were thinking him crazy has all but guaranteed his reelection. He's the most popular prime minister in decades."

"Good for him." smiled Noah. "Has there been any significant news since last time?"

"Not really, aside from what you can read in the national news. Many private companies are running with the technical data you shared from that other world. Self-driving cars aren't for next year, since there is a lot of infrastructure needing to be built first, but it really helps with making cheaper electric cars and more efficient solar panels, and we should have the first fusion plants online in about eight years."

"Germany and Italy are about to announce a downsizing of their military. They'll keep a force for anti-terrorism and border patrol, but that's about it. Other countries should soon follow… On a side note, several companies contacted the government about you for a request. They didn't have quite the guts to ask you personally, and it's about a delicate matter."

"What is it?" asked Noah, curious.

"They want to negotiate with you to sell merchandising using your image, and that of some of the more famous young women of your harem." shrugged Kikuoka.

"Ah, the joys of Capitalism…" snorted Noah.

"…Speaking personally, as long as they act in good faith, I do not mind, and I won't demand payment. By 'in good faith', I mean not claiming I endorse them, not putting in my mouth words I never said, and not being downright insulting. They can even make me the butt of jokes, as long as the jokes are good enough that they would make me laugh as well. As for my girls, they would have to contact them and ask for individual consent. Consent that could be retracted at any time."

"Some of them will be happy to hear that. Although some… I'll be blunt, there's two companies wanting to make full-sized body pillows, and… love dolls."

*pfffft!*

Noah choked on the coffee he had been drinking.

Claire and Rika, who were also having a late breakfast, laughed at his reaction. Hikari, who was facing Noah and had unfortunately received some of his sputters, mock glared at him as she took a napkin to wipe herself, but he could see her amusement.

"Sorry, Hikari… Colonel, I don't mind the body pillows, but love dolls is taking things too far."

"I'll inform the people in question. Do you want royalties?"

"No. I would have no use for it. They will have to ask about my girls, though. They love shopping."

The Colonel nodded.

"There's another thing I want to talk about." said Noah. "It's about the Alicization project."

"Oh? We did as you asked and kept it running without time dilation."

"What is the current population in the server?"

"About 10 000."

"There is one female AI named Quinella, spelled Q.U.I.N.E.L.L.A, who may or may not already be born. This is future knowledge, so I am not certain. I would like you to keep a very close watch on her and take a few preemptive measures."

"A troublemaker?"

"That's an understatement." nodded Noah. "You know how human social structures tend to promote the ruthless over the kind, right?"

"Yes, I've seen it at work myself within the military." nodded the Colonel.

"I do not doubt it. And the social structures that formed inside the Alicization server are no different. Quinella is a result of that tendency, but cranks it to Ludicrous Speed. As a child born in a noble family, after accidentally killing some small animal, she noticed, or will notice, hard to say when I don't know if she already exists, an increase of her Authority value within the virtual world. In order to get more, she will then spend her nights hunting cats, dogs and other animals."

"Sounds like the making of a psychopath." frowned Kikuoka.

"Yes. Unfortunately, a smart one. At some point, she will notice that the magic everyone uses follows some kind of internal logic and is actually a language, and she will experiment. One day, she will stumble over the command line listing every single system command, including administration stuff."

"Oh crap." said the Colonel as he immediately could think of some hugely problematic commands.

" 'Oh Crap' indeed." said Noah with a cold smile. "In my vision, Quinella had used a complex command to fuse with the main Cardinal AI running the whole server, making herself into some kind of immortal goddess. The secondary Cardinal in charge of preventing the first one from going astray had been forced to hide to avoid deletion. And to consolidate her power, Quinella started making sweeping changes, from imposing religion and stifling regulations on the rest of the population, to twisting some of them into living tools, such as combat golems or surveillance systems."

"Should I unplug her? Assuming she is currently living."

"That may not be necessary. Assuming she's already born. In the vision Lilith let me experience, the population on the server was around 80 000, but she had been at it for a while already. I'd like for you guys to simply make it impossible for native AIs to access the kind of commands that are related to the system itself, and maybe remove any authority gain from killing animals that aren't dangerous for the locals."

"It will be done. But speaking about it, do you want us to maintain the server indefinitely? We can do it for decades, but as technology advances, it may become difficult at some point. Eventually, we'll have to migrate it as spare components for the hardware stop being produced."

"…A few decades should be enough." sighed Noah. "I didn't tell you, Colonel, but I currently have four worlds under my purview, and if all goes well, a fifth one will be added within a few years, thanks to my second in command. After that, Lilith already told me she's going to send me to a dimension where there is not one, not two, but a dozen worlds, and about fifty billion individuals, not all of them humans, for me to conquer and later manage. I expect to be away for at least a few years, likely much longer. I'll deal with the situation on the Alicization Server when I return. If I take too long, my girls will know what to do. My second in command will be able to provide the world governments with samples of artificial bodies for the AIs to inhabit, and asking for the construction of less than a hundred thousand of them shouldn't be too much."

"You already had this in mind when you asked the governments to sign that amended declaration of human rights." stated the Colonel, and Noah nodded.

"I understand why you have so many subordinates, if you are expected to oversee seventeen worlds at the end… Wait, does that mean you will acquire technology allowing for faster than light travel, if twelve of those worlds are inhabited and in the same dimension?"

"Wouldn't that be fun?" smiled Noah. "But no. Lilith told me that in this dimension, the technological development is at a medieval level, but that everyone is able to do something akin to cultivation like in those Chinese novels."

"Cultivation?"

"Cultivation of the body. Those novels where martial artists gather within their bodies natural energy from their environment to transcend human limits and do supernatural things. That kind of stuff."

"I have not read any of those... But will those cultivators be able to reach my world? It would be a big issue if people with superhuman power and a medieval mindset start doing as they please."

"There is no risk of that happening." smiled Noah. "Only I and my subordinates can reach your world. And while I intend to recruit some people from over there as well, they will behave themselves when they come to your planet."

The Colonel nodded, relieved.

What Noah didn't tell him was that he was considering spreading whatever cultivation methods he would find to every world under his supervision. It would change a lot of things, and replace the unofficial oligarchic structures present all over the world by meritocratic ones.

But it was a very risky move, as some would let power go to their heads and turn into crime, even with the threat of Karmic punishment waiting for them.

He would have to consult with Lilith before going ahead with such sweeping changes. Surely some of her other champions had tried something similar before, and he could benefit from their experience.

…

Mikoto Misaka was nervous, walking back and forth in front of the railway station's entrance.

"The train won't come any faster if you keep going, you know?" teased Chisato, sitting on a nearby bench with Takina and Kuroko.

"…I know." sighed Mikoto. "I'm trying to think of the best way to break the news to Mom, but I can't find it."

"That's because there is no good way to announce something like this. So just be honest. I'll ask Noah to let her speak to some of the Sisters."

"…After that conversation, you'll do that 'initiation' with her, right?"

"Yes." smiled Takina. "It should take one to three days, then the only thing left for her will be to return to Chaldea and have Akeno create a Soul Contract for her to sign."

"…You're still not going to tell me what happens during the initiation, will you?"

"Nope." grinned Chisato. "That's something you need to experience, rather than be told about. But don't worry, it's nothing unpleasant. You trust us, right?"

"Yes, I trust you guys. It's just… not knowing makes me nervous."

"How about you and your Mom do it together, then?" asked Takina. "For example, I can do the initiation with you, and Chisato can do it with your Mother."

"…Yes, please. I'd prefer it that way." smiled Mikoto.

"I do not know what you did to her, but since her initiation, Arisa regained that little additional thing." said Kuroko. "She's recovered from her funk."

Takina and Chisato nodded, although they knew things were a bit different. Arisa's words didn't quite have that miraculous quality she possessed until Takina lifted Shutaura's self-imposed curse, or whatever that was. However, but she was still a talented singer with a good voice, and she did well for herself.

Even now, despite her debut concert having been canceled, she continued her street performance, and Shutaura was with her, listening to her songs and making sure no ruffians would start stealing her CDs or harass her. In her free time, Shutaura was learning how to play drums, and she would soon join Arisa in performing. It wouldn't take her very long, as she was naturally skilled, and Noah's attributes once again helped with her learning speed.

Mikoto suddenly stopped pacing as she spotted a high-speed train in the distance.

"It's coming."

"And right on time." smiled Chisato.

The maglev train slowed down as it came closer, to smoothly stop in the station.

Soon enough, someone who looked a lot like Mikoto, but looking in her mid-twenties and with a well-endowed chest, came out of the station, dragging a suitcase behind her.

She almost instantly noticed Mikoto and waved with a huge grin.

"Mikoto, your mom… She looks so young, she could be your big sister." smiled Chisato.

"Oh my." said her Mother with a small giggle, who had come close enough to catch the end of Chisato's words.

"Mom, I'm glad to see you." said Mikoto as she hugged her mother tightly.

Misaka Misuzu let got of her suitcase and hugged her daughter back.

"Have you been well, Mikoto? I missed you a lot."

"…I missed you, too." muttered Mikoto.

Takina, Chisato and Kuroko watched with warm smiles as the two stayed together like this for a few seconds, then Misuzu looked at them.

"Mikoto, are they your friends?"

"…Yes. Mom, this is Chisato Nishikigi, Takina Inoue, and Kuroko Shirai. Kuroko is also my roommate, and Chisato and Takina have a room in the same dormitory.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Madam Misaka." grinned Chisato. "Your daughter really takes after you."

"My, thank you. But please call me Misaka-san, or even just Misuzu. Calling me Madam makes me feel old. Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

"Mikoto is a pleasure to be around. She really is a good person, and we are happy to be her friends." said Takina.

Kuroko had been unusually silent as she stared at her mother with a weird expression, and then she seemed to be struck by some kind of epiphany.

"She's an angel! She's the perfect Onee-sama!" exclaimed Kuroko as she took a step forward with a perverted grin, her hands lifting toward Misuzu's chest as she started to pant.

Chisato bonked her head.

"Kuroko, snap back to reality!" shouted Mikoto as she took the perverted girl by the collar and started shaking her.

"Oh… Mikoto, could it be that… you swing that way?" asked Misuzu, misinterpreting the situation.

"No! She is the one who has a crush on me, that perverted idiot."

"Well, I wouldn't mind if you were, you know?" grinned Misuzu. And have you perhaps found a gentleman, then?"

"…I didn't come to Academy city to get a boyfriend!" exclaimed Mikoto, blushing. "I focused with my studies, and… a lot of stuff happened."

Misuzu grew more serious as she noted the tone her daughter had used.

"Mikoto, did someone hurt you? You asked me to come for a specific reason, right?"

"No, but… Can you follow me to our room, Mom? We need to talk about something important, and this isn't the place for it."

"Yes."

"Please let me help with your suitcase, Misaka-san." smiled Chisato, touching the suitcase and placing it into her spatial ring.

"Oh? Is that your Esper ability? what did you do with it?" asked Misuzu, curious.

"I placed it into a small dimension. It's convenient to move things around."

"I see. Thank you for your help." nodded Misuzu.

The train station was only fifteen minutes from their dormitory, and they chatted about Mikoto's daily life on the way. When they reached their destination, Misuzu raised an eyebrow in surprise when Takina and Chisato followed them into her daughter's room, and a crystal ball like those sold in tourist shops appeared in Takina's hands. Takina set the ball on a shelf and exchanged a nod with Mikoto, and suddenly, Misuzu wasn't in that room anymore.

"We are in another pocket dimension, Misaka-san." smiled Chisato as she forestalled the obvious question. "But this one is made to be lived in. Let's get inside the house, and I'll prepare tea. No one will be able to spy on our conversation in this place."

"Why would anyone spy on us in the first place?" wondered Misuzu.

"Because Mikoto is considered as a War Asset of sorts. So are Takina and I, I guess." said Chisato.

Misuzu flinched.

"W-War Asset? Mikoto, what did they do to you? Have they made you do anything?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine. But… Let's get inside first, Mom. I have something big to tell you, and I don't know how you will take it."

"That sounds very ominous." gulped Misuzu as she followed the girls inside.

What she found inside was a cozy-looking living room. Mikoto took her hand, and she sat by her side on the sofa as Takina created a plate of snacks and teacups.

"This food, where does it come from? More dimensional shenanigans?"

"No." smiled Takina. "I converted some of my internal energy into mass. The food and drinks we produce are healthier than what you'd find in any shop. There are no additives or harmful chemicals."

"How it that possible?" asked Misuzu, impressed. "Just combining the atoms into the correct molecules on such a scale should require more computing power than even the best supercomputer is capable of."

Takin shrugged and looked at Mikoto, who cleared her throat.

"Mom, I remember that you told me once that you would have loved to have more than one daughter. D-Do you still feel this way?"

"Of course." smiled Misuzu. "But after your father passed away, I haven't found someone decent enough to be your stepfather and have another kid."

Suddenly, she trembled, and a possibility came to her mind. "C-Could it be, a grandchild? And you're counting on me because you can't retire from class? You can count on me, but I thought I had taught you about taking precautions and safe sex!"

"No! I'm not pregnant!" shouted Mikoto, her face redder than ever.

"…Pheww… I'm a bit young to be called a grandmother, you know?" said Misuzu with relief evident in her voice.

"I'll… say it bluntly." sighed Mikoto as well, her eyes not leaving her mother's.

"Shortly after I became a level 5 Esper, a group of doctors came to talk to me. They said they wanted my help to try to find cures for some diseases related to the nervous system, like Huntington's Disease of cervical spondylosis. They said my ability to manipulate electricity could be the key to finding a treatment. They were very convincing, and I wanted to help, so I agreed to give them some of my blood and spinal fluids."

"That's very commendable of you, Mikoto. I'm proud of you!" smiled Misuzu.

"That was about 18 months ago. After they got their samples… I never heard of them again."

"Well, that's hardly surprising. Research takes time, and unless they need more samples, they probably wouldn't think to keep you updated on their progress." frowned Misuzu.

"They didn't tell me, but I know what they did with my blood. I know it very well." said Mikoto, with a touch of anger in her voice. She took a deep breath.

"Mom, they used my DNA to… clone me."

Misuzu blinked while the enormity of her daughter's words sunk in.

"Those scums! This violates every ethics and there are laws explicitely forbidding…"

"And they don't care." cut in Mikoto. "Academy City looks like a great city on the surface, but it is also a giant experimentation ground for a madman obsessed with the idea of creating an artificial god. They control both the media and the security agencies. There is no power or organization to keep them in check or restrain them."

"…Give Mom a moment to get to grips with this, okay?" asked Misuzu, feeling a bit faint.

Mikoto nodded and gave her mother some time. After a full minute, Misuzu nodded to herself.

"Okay. So that's why you asked if I was willing to take in another daughter. Of course, I am. How old is she? Is she in a safe place?"

"They used some advanced technology to grow the clones at an accelerated rate and teach them some basic life skills. They can read and write and use computers or other complex tools, and physically, they look to be almost my own age…"

"Wait… they? Just how many clones did they give birth to?" asked Misuzu.

When she heard the answer, she fainted.

…

It took a while to explain to Misuzu everything about the Radio Noise and Level 6 Shift projects, as well as the case of Misaki and Exterior, and who Chisato and Takina were. She talked for a few minutes with Noah and some of the Sisters using Chisato's phone.

Takina had to grant it to Mikoto's mom, she couldn't have reacted better to such life-changing news. She immediately accepted a motherly role to the clones, and promised she would do her very best to take care of them.

It was also a good thing that the scientist responsible for this had already been dealt with, and with extreme prejudice, because Misuzu looked ready to go to war with Academy City when she learned about the nearly ten thousand Sisters who had died. As she was neither an Esper nor a magician, it wouldn't have ended up well.

When learning that joining Noah's faction could grant her immortality and power, that the Sisters were already part of it, and that Mikoto had agreed to join as well, Misuzu didn't need much persuasion to agree to follow her daughter's example. Which led to the present moment.

With Kuroko leaving the Sanctuary to talk with Hitomi, Tamamo and the others, Chisato had just led Misuzu to a room on the second floor, and Takina met Mikoto's nervous gaze.

"We've done the hardest part, telling your Mom and convincing her..." said Takina.

"Was it really the hardest part?" asked Mikoto.

"That depends on you. Come with me, Mikoto." smiled Takina, and the Esper nodded.

She led her to another room and locked the door behind her.

"Sit on the edge of the bed, and we will start."

"Yeah. I guess I'm going to learn what this initiation is at last." said Mikoto with a nervous laugh.

"Yes." nodded Takina, sitting close to her and taking her left hand. She drew a stop Rune on it.

"Now, Mikoto, the next part of your initiation can be nearly instantaneous, or it can take some time. You have spoken to Noah several times already. What do you think of him?"

"Noah? He's a good person, I'm almost sure of it."

"To gain immortality and the powers he shares, you need to acknowledge him as your Master, Mikoto."

"M-Master?"

" Yes. As in, if he asks you to do something, will you be willing to do it without hesitation of conditions?"

Mikoto frowned as she considered Takina's words, and her cheeks reddened.

"I guess, not without some conditions… What if he gives me a p-perverted order?"

"Your loyalty to him must be absolute, or you won't benefit from the perks given by the contract, Mikoto. If he orders you to do something perverted, you must not only do it with little to no hesitation, but also make efforts to make it as pleasant as you can for him. Are you prepared to go that far?"

Mikoto looked at Takina with wide eyes.

"…Has Noah... Given you such improper orders?"

Takina nodded.

"With two or three exceptions, every person who shares Noah's abilities is part of his harem. Before you ask, the exceptions in question are either males, or too young for that kind of thing. In your case… You'll be very embarrassed the first few times, but Noah will make certain you grow to like spending time with him."

"…Even in your case? You told me you are a lesbian."

"I am." smiled Takina. "But Noah is the exception. There is this… intensity about him, when he dresses you up as part of some foreplay scenes, that makes my blood boil. I like sharing his bed, even if he's a man."

"I… am not sure I can go that far." slowly said Mikoto. "Sure, I respect him, but if he orders me to do something embarrassing, I'll probably zap him."

"I understand.” Nodded Takina. "Few are capable of that without a little help. Which is what we will do now, Mikoto."

"How?"

"The idea of doing sexual stuff embarrasses you so much because you have no experience in it. It is time to change that."

Mikoto froze in shock. Takina slowly moved her head forward, and gave her a chaste kiss on her lips.

As expected, Mikoto blushed fiercely, and she opened and closed her mouth without a sound, as if incapable of processing that she had just been kissed.

"Just leave it to me, Mikoto." said Takina with confidence, before kissing her again. And again.

With the third kiss, she gently pushed Mikoto down on the bed. When she got over the shock, she weakly struggled for a while, more out of shame than out of real rejection, then she gave up. And when the pleasure built up and began to overwhelm her reason, she started to reciprocate Takina's ministrations.

…

"This place really doesn't seem to have changed much." smiled Shuri at her three companions as they walked amidst a patch of cherry blossoms.

"Does it bring you bad memories, or good ones?" asked Irina.

"Good ones. This tree, for example. I once sat with my back against it and Akeno on my lap. She was four at the time, and she fell asleep while I was humming a song to her."

"Just imagining it makes me smile." nodded Xenovia, and Irina nodded.

They knew that one day, Noah would decide to have kids. And they looked forward to it.

"They have noticed us. Took their sweet time. Their awareness is lacking." said Tobira Azuma, looking at the two people waiting by the gate. One of them was using a paper talisman to warn the higher-ups.

The four women kept walking closer at a leisurely pace.

"Halt. Who goes there!" shouted the guards when they came close enough.

"So rude, to think they already forgot my face." sighed Shuri. "We came to see Suzaku-chan. she should be the Head of the clan, right?"

One of the older guards took a closer look at her, and his face suddenly flushed with anger.

"The bastard child! You dare show your face here? Die!"

As the angry guard charged her, drawing his katana, a vein appeared in Shuri's left temple, and she smiled coldly.

"Ara ara, someone needs to be taught a lesson in manners." muttered Shuri as she used Hard Light Arsenal to create a long whip.

…

Suzaku Himejima and the three elders accompanying her hurried as they heard sounds that suspiciously reminded her of a whip, as well as screams of pain coming from the other side of the crowd as fellow clan members were gathering, ready for battle. But they seemed to be hesitating for some reason.

The clan members opened a way as they saw them approach, and Suzaku first saw two clansmen on the ground, writhing in pain as a glowing yellow whip struck their butts again. Their clothes were torn, and they had several bloody lines on their backs.

"Who dares to attack our clan…?" angrily started Suou Himejima, the former Head, before he gasped as he saw the young woman holding the whip.

Suzaku gasped as well, unable to utter a word. She looked almost exactly like a more mature version of herself, and very much like her late aunt.

"…Akeno?" asked Suou. "You aren't supposed to be here! Our agreement with the Gremory forbids you from coming here!"

"Ara ara, should I take it as a compliment, to be mistaken for my dear daughter, I wonder…" chuckled the woman, but her eyes were cold.

"…Impossible." denied Suou as he shook his head, his face paling.

"Why do you look so pale, as if you have seen a ghost?" smirked the young woman. "…Long time no see, Uncle Suou. The last time was ten years ago, when you killed me. It was painful, you know? I remember it as if it happened yesterday."

"…Aunt Shuri?" asked Suzaku with hesitation.

"Yes." said Shuri with a real smile this time. "I am glad to see you, Suzaku-chan. You seem to be doing well. You look almost exactly like your cousin."

"I… am happy to see you as well, Aunt Shuri, but… how?"

"You must have heard of Noah Enfield by now, right?"

"Of course?"

"He is my future son-in-law, among other things, and it turns out that he can revive the dead. And what better gift to his girlfriend Akeno, than to bring back her unjustly murdered mother?"

"So, here I am. Only this time, I am not some weak women that the clan can bully around."

"…Have you come for revenge?" asked Suou. "If so, leave the rest of the clan out of it. I am the one who killed you."

"Great-Uncle!" exclaimed Suzaku, turning to him.

"You weren't the only one who came to kill me, or the only one who hunted my daughter for over a year. The last part is actually what I am the angriest about. Why should the others be spared?" asked Shuri with a cold smile.

"…So, are you going to try to destroy the clan? If you do, I warn you, we will…"

"…Not necessarily." cut in Tobira Azuma, sighing as she stepped forward. "Long time no see, Suou, Suzaku-chan. We are here to discuss the future of the Himejima clan."

…

Minutes later, Suzaku still felt like she was dreaming, sitting around a low table and facing her Aunt, Tobira, the former Head of a clan who the Himejima had a close relationship with, and two other young women who introduced themselves as Irina Shidou and Xenovia Quarta, former Inquisitors from the Church.

After a bit of casual chat while tea was served, Suzaku steeled herself and decided to start the negotiations.

"Why did you visit us, Aunt Shuri, Tobira-sama?"

Shuri smiled as she placed her teacup back on the table.

"Starting from the conclusion, Suzaku-chan, we want you to come live with us, and to become part of what is now the strongest supernatural faction. You will be able to represent the interests of the Himejima clan, and your family will become an affiliated power, just like the Azuma and the Anti-Demon Corps."

Suzaku felt a twinge of sadness when Shuri referred to the Himejima clan as Suzaku's family, as if she wasn't part of it anymore, but she couldn't blame her for it.

"The Anti-Demon Corps is controlled by the Japanese government." frowned Suou, sitting on Suzaku's left.

"On paper, yes. But Ren Yamashiro will do anything Noah asks from her as long as it doesn't compromise the Corps's mission, and the Chiefs of the Tokyo area have joined his side. In return, they received some of his power as well as immortality, And Noah will make a move against anything who threaten them. Noah also has a close relationship with the Shinigami and the Devils, especially the Gremory and the Phenex."

"Even Odin in Europe had expressed his desire to collaborate with Noah's faction. He gave him one of his strongest Valkyries and agreed for the Valkyries as a whole to become sort of a shared resource after Noah is done strengthening them. They will still be based in Europe, kill Hollows and defend Asgard against its enemies, but the Valkyries will also acknowledge Noah as one of their leaders, on an equal standing with Odin himself."

Suzaku nodded slowly as she took the time to think about it. As the one who had made a contract with the Vermillion Bird, the guardian beast of the clan, and as the Clan Head, it would make sense for them to want to keep her close, both to have a short line of communication… and to keep the clan in line by using her as a hostage.

Even if the clan decided to elect a new Head, they still wouldn't be able to take back the Vermillion Bird without her cooperation.

But if doing so could protect the clan from Shuri's retribution, or from a purge if Noah's faction decided to consolidate its power by removing neutral factions…

Tobira was also correct when she implied that living close to Noah might allow her to advocate for her clan, and on a more personal level, she wanted to meet Akeno again. The two of them had been very close before that tragic day, and Suzaku had always regretted not being able to see her again.

No matter how much she considered, Shuri's proposal seemed to only have benefits.

Her instincts made her feel like she was being scammed somehow, but she couldn't pinpoint a reason for it.

"…What is the relationship between Noah and the Azuma Clan?" asked Suzaku.

"He is the Patriarch in all but name." shrugged Tobira. "Hibiki and Himari both swore loyalty to him, and more will follow soon, when Noah takes the time to strengthen with them."

Suzaku nodded slowly as she remembered them. Hibiki was the new Head of the Azuma Clan, an extremely capable woman who left a deep impression on her. She had met Himari once or twice, years ago, but the girl had seemed a bit depressed or downtrodden to her.

"He is a very busy young fellow." continued Tobira. "His faction recently reached ten thousand supernatural users, and he even has two Vasto Lorde in his service."

"Ten thousand?" asked Suou, his eyes widening. The Himejima clan, despite existing for over a thousand years, barely exceeded 300 members, and most were barely able to light a candle.

And the Vasto Lorde… They were the boogeyman Suzaku and the others had learned to fear, after a catastrophic encounter in Hueco Mundo a century ago that had caused the clan to lose their ten strongest members.

"I will go with you." decided Suzaku.

Suou seemed like he wanted to object, but her decision was firm.

It wasn't really a choice anyway. She would do anything to protect her clan, even if the incident with Shuri and Akeno a decade ago had left her severely disappointed. Since becoming the head, she had worked to reduce the clan's hostility toward the other supernatural factions and made some significant progress, especially among the members of her generation. She wasn't going to let the clan be destroyed after going so far.

…

Asuna, Yui, and Aria, wearing disguises to avoid being harassed, left the metro station and walked for a few minutes before they reached the apartment complex where their objective was. Asuna was dragging a large gray suitcase behind her.

"Aria, are you sure you have the okay to do this?" asked Yui once again.

"Yes. I cleared it with Susanoo-sama. He doesn't mind, as long as we don't make it a habit. And Lilith-sama, well… I do not think I need to pray to her and ask."

"Yes, I do not think you need to." chuckled Asuna.

Since Grayfia has announced that Noah agreed with her idea of them taking more initiative, and had given them some control over his own schedule, a lot of members of his harem had started an informal competition to determine who would manage to please him the most.

Asuna knew Grayfia already had something in mind, and Shuri had chuckled to herself, muttering something about it being time for her to visit some relatives.

Asuna had been searching for an original idea or scenario that would make his blood boil, when Aria came to her, and asked for her help. She had her own idea, even though she wasn't technically part of the harem yet, and said she knew of one girl that Noah would want to add to the family, but that he hadn't approached yet.

Asuna had listened to her idea and agreed to run with it. They had enlisted Yui to deal with a minor difficulty on the way.

Truth be told, they could have simply teleported directly to their target. But where was the fun in that?

The three girls entered the building where the target lived, according to Yui who had done some internet sleuthing.

They climbed to the third floor and stopped in front of a specific door. Asuna looked at Yui, who grinned.

"The target is still connected into a VR game. And I just hacked the door. Really, this tendency to have everything connected to the internet is going too far."

Asuna could only agree as they heard the soft click of the door lock disengaging itself, and the girls entered, wearing leather gloves to avoid fingerprints. Not that it really mattered, but acting like criminals was part of the play.

And still as part of the play, once inside, the three girls shed off the outer layers of their outfits, revealing the black latex bodysuits they wore underneath. Aria opened the suitcase and took from it three black latex hoods that would mask their identities, and they put them on quickly.

Once ready, Yui led them deeper inside the apartment and slowly opened a door.

Their target was there, wearing lacy black underwear and nothing else, laying on her bed with an AmuSphere around her head. The device's translucent visor allowed the three intruders to see her peaceful face, and Aria nodded with satisfaction.

"She's cute as expected." muttered Asuna with a smile.

"Less admiring, more binding." replied Yui with a grin, and Aria put the heavy suitcase beside the bed, opening it again. She first took from it a black leather leg binder, and Yui gently cupped the girl's heels and lifted them as Aria spread the open leg binder under her legs. Yui lowered the girl's legs over it, and she got started on the laces with Aria helping.

Asuna wasn't just watching, and took a black leather armbinder from the suitcase.

…

"Good job, Shinon. You really are the strongest sniper." nodded GregTheKillah69, reloading his assault rifle.

"Thanks." smiled Shinon, watching their surroundings as her temporary team members were looting the corpses. They had just won a fight, but this was an open PvP field, and other players could barge in at any time.

The five of them had managed to ambush and destroy a party of eight people, losing only two of their own in the ensuing fight, an achievement worthy of boasting.

And the main reason for this was Shinon, who landed a headshot on the minigun-armed enemy leader at a range of four hundred meters, killing him instantly, and forcing the others to seek cover.

When Shinon's four allies started a flanking maneuver, advancing while covering each other, Shinon nailed another enemy as he exposed himself to fire at them. And severely injured a third one when the two groups got within fifty meters from each other.

Even after their initial loss, the seven remaining ambushed would likely have defeated Greg and the others, if the threat of an unseen sniper hadn't kept them pinned behind cover that didn't efficiently protect them from two different attack vectors.

"We all the noise we made, we'll need to move and set up another ambush elsewhere. How about that old factory two kilometers south?"

"…Too predictable." said Shinon, shaking her head and taking some of the looted money. "I'd rather suggest the stone field south-east, but… sorry guys, but I'll log off. I don't feel very well right now. I hope I'm not getting sick."

"Too bad. I wish you good health. And hopefully, I won't be on the receiving end of your Hecate next time." said GregTheKillah69, eyeing the large sniper rifle, a super-rare piece of loot that had become Shinon's trademark.

"Eheh, if you are, it will be over before you know it! See you later, everyone."

"Later." replied Greg and the other rifleman.

It only took a few minutes for Shinon to reach the nearest respawn point, one of the rare safe areas in this plain where she shouldn't risk getting killed when logging off or on, opened her interface, and pressed her finger on the log off button.

For a second, Shinon, or rather Shino Asada, as was her real name, blinked in confusion as she felt assaulted by a deluge of unexpected sensations. A feeling of tightness coming from most of her body, that had made her uneasy while she was playing, was suddenly overwhelming.

But she couldn't dwell on it as she saw three glossy, hooded figures standing next to her, and before she could ask them who they were or scream, one of them pressed a gloved hand against her mouth.

"Mmph!" screamed Shino, starting to struggle, only to realize that she was tied up. Lowering her eyes past the gloved hand, she saw that her legs were caught in some kind of black leather tube, laced and strapped tight, and her arms felt like they were trapped in a similar manner.

"Hi there." winked one of the women who had put her in that position.

"You don't need to worry, Shino-san. We are not going to hurt you. In fact, you do not need to worry about anything ever again, aside from being a good slave girl."

Shino's eyes widened in shock. A slave girl?

She redoubled her struggles as the third woman came closer, holding a hood in each hand.

"This hood isn't like the ones we wear." smirked the woman as she demonstrated the one made of latex. Shino's eyes widened as she saw a black mass dangling from the inside of the hood, and understood its purpose. "You can see that there are no holes for the eyes or mouth. It does have an integrated gag that will do an excellent job muffling your screams. As for the second one…"

Shino thought that the first one was nightmarish enough, but the second, made of black leather and with leather straps dangling from it, seemed so much worse.

"It is called a discipline helmet. Like the rubber hood, it doesn't have openings for the mouth or eyes. It has tubes that will go up your nostrils. We don't want you to choke from a clogged nose. It also has padding over the ears, so you won't hear much of anything. We are going to put it on you, and when we remove it later, you will already be in your new home, ready to be introduced to your Master."

As the crazy woman dropped the discipline helmet on the bed near Shino and brought the rubber hood closer to her face, Shino tried to turn her head away from it, but the other woman's grip was too strong, and her mouth was forced wide open. She tried to scream, but only made a garbled noise as the black rubber mass entered her mouth.

The helmet was then rolled over her face, plunging her into darkness. She felt hands forcing into a sitting position as the women stretched the thick rubber over her head, tucking her hair in, and zipped it close.

"Mmmphrg!" screamed Shino desperately, with a complete lack of results.

Seconds later, she felt the small tubes of the leather hood being inserted through the holes of the rubber one and entering her nostrils.

The heavy hood was put around her head, and the pressure she felt increased as it was progressively laced as tight as it would go.

Then the leather belts were fastened, increasing the pressure further at eyes and mouth level, and forcing her to bite down on the gag.

A muffled sob escaped her lips as she tested her bonds, but there was no give anywhere, and the three female kidnappers were not done restraining her. She felt her bra and panties being cut loose, and them fix something hard against her nipples and crotch with what felt like tape, before fastening new panties and bras on her

She was then forced to lean forward until her head almost touched her legs, before two leather belts were fastened around her legs and torso, keeping her in this position. She was turned to the side and her legs forced to fold, then connected to the end of the restraint keeping her arms behind her back. Two more belts around her completed the bondage, forcing her into a fetal position.

Two pairs of hands lifted her, and she felt herself being put inside something with hard padded surfaces. With only muffled noises and the feel of air currents on her exposed skin to tell her what was happening, she somehow guessed that she was being placed inside some kind of box or suitcase.

The angle she found herself in and the vibrations as she was moved confirmed her suspicion. She was inside a suitcase and was being wheeled toward the entrance of her apartment. Nothing seemed to happen for a while, aside from Shino vainly trying to get out of her bondage somehow, and then the kidnappers left the apartment, taking her with them.

Shino attempted to make some noise to attract attention, but she didn’t think she succeeded, as the kidnappers didn't even pause for a second.

And then the three hard things pressing against her breasts and crotch started buzzing.

"Mmpho." moaned Shino, both terrified and humiliated beyond words as she felt her body grow aroused despite her predicament. She couldn't struggle much in the suitcase's tight confines, and after a few minutes of being wheeled toward an unknown destination, the vibrations became too much to ignore. After a few more minutes of panting and groaning, she came.

As she tried to regulate her breathing, she wondered if it would be her life from now on, to be kept bound and gagged, deaf and blind, and pleasured against her will.

…

After putting their street clothes back on and leaving the apartment with their precious prize, Yui locked the door behind them, erased all online traces of her actions, and they left the apartment complex. Then they separated.

Yui and Aria entered the subway station, intending to travel a bit to disorient Shino. After a while, they would leave the subway to seek a back-alley, and teleport to the island.

As the suitcase was enhanced with both sound dampening and an air purifying effect ensuring that the girl inside wouldn't run out of breathable air and wouldn't be heard even by someone standing close, there was no risk of discovery.

Asuna found the nearest police station, removed the cap and sunglasses she had used to avoid drawing too much attention, and teleported right in front of the welcome desk.

"Greeting." smiled Asuna as the two policemen present recovered from their shock.

"Y-You are…" asked the youngest.

"I am Asuna Yuuki. One of Lilith-sama's agents."

"Ah, y-yes." nodded the cops.

"Sorry for surprising you, but I figured it would be a good way to establish my identity, so you would know I am not an impostor."

"Sure, I do not think many people could pass for you if you come in like that." said the youngest with a nervous laugh. "What can we do for you, miss Yuuki?"

"I just wish to inform you that we scouted a young woman named Shino Asada, and she agreed to become one of us. She will spend the next few weeks receiving on-site training to receive part of Noah-sama's power and may not be able to answer calls for a while. Her address is…"

Asuna gave the cops the address of Shino's apartment, and they took notes.

"I see." nodded the youngest cop. "Are her relatives aware of this?"

"Her father has passed away, and she has a rather distant relationship with her mother. No siblings. I do not think she did inform anyone, actually, and the decision has been rather sudden."

"I understand. If any of them calls, we will know what to tell them."

The older cop who was watching silently actually found more than a little suspicious that this Shino Asada wouldn't be the one informing them, that she would conveniently be unreachable by phone, or that they thought to inform the police in the first place, as if they expected her to be reported missing. It even sounded like a case of kidnapping, or even murder.

Had it been a normal civilian telling them this, he would have taken her to an interrogation room and sent a patrol for a welfare check.

But this was Asuna Yuuki, and even if his suspicion turned out to be true, there wasn't anything he could do about it. She was simply untouchable.

How do you even jail someone who can just teleport away?

"Thank you." smiled Asuna. "While I am here, is there anyone in the building who requires medical assistance?"

"No, thank you for asking." smiled the younger cop, somewhat smitten by her beauty, and happy to see one of the world's most famous women, a living Saint who healed thousands of people, in person.

"Although, if we could abuse your kindness, would you mind helping us with a case? We have a man we arrested today on suspicion of domestic violence. He claims his wife is framing him because they are divorcing, and that she is the abusive one. but it is her word against his as they have no evidence, and she does have some bruises, but we can't tell for certain who inflicted them."

"Is that man here?" frowned Asuna.

"Yes."

"Then bring me to him, please. We'll make it fast."

"Thank you." smiled the policeman, opening a door leading to the back of the police station.

Asuna followed him to the detention area, and the cop opened a cell. Inside was a man in his thirties, who was shocked to see her. He obviously recognized her.

"Did you beat your wife?" asked Asuna bluntly.

The man opened his mouth to deny it, but he suddenly stopped himself as he remembered that those witches could detect lies, and instead shook his head.

"That's a lie. We can detect lies from your body language as well, not just your words." said Asuna as she turned to the cop.

"He's guilty. Do you have any other questions?"

"Ah… Did he initiate physical violence? Did the wife hit him at all?"

"That's a good point. You, answer those questions."

"…I defended myself! She's the one who started it! She hits me all the time when she's angry!" said the man with rising anger.

"All lies."

"You damn witch!" suddenly shouted the man, jumping toward Asuna.

The man had some obvious anger issues, but Asuna knew exactly how to cure it.

Before the shocked cop had time to draw his weapon, the man was screaming on the floor, nursing a broken arm.

"You recorded this, right?" asked Asuna, pointing to a camera on the ceiling.

"Y-Yes."

"Good. This way, you can tell the truth and say his injuries are my doing, and that he can't pretend to have been mistreated by the police to get a mistrial. Please ask the judge to give this DV abuser at least 15 years as well."

"Yes, we will do it. Thank you for your help, miss Yuuki." smiled the cop.