Chapter 31 Chain

It wasn't long before they found a clue—someone had left a note inside Yasaka's personal mailbox at her mansion. It contained no threats, no demands. Only a single location scrawled hastily on a scrap of paper. Somewhere in Kyoto.

That in itself was suspicious. Whoever left it was confident. Confident enough to think Yasaka might come herself—and that even if she brought someone along, it wouldn't make a difference.

"I'll go," Yasaka said without hesitation, her tone firm and matter-of-fact. As the mother—and the likely target of this message—she couldn't stand to sit on the sidelines.

"I'll go with you," Kousuke said almost immediately. Before Rias and her Peerage could raise their hands, he continues, "You guys stay back."

"...I'm not worried about you," Rias replied cautiously, "but can I ask why we're staying behind?"

"Because they don't know me," Kousuke said with a faint grin. "Or at least, they don't know enough. They'll underestimate me—and I plan to take full advantage of that."

"That's true, but still…" Tsubaki stepped closer to him, worry laced in her voice. She leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss on the lips before whispering, "I'll ask Sona to reincarnate you as a devil if you die on me."

"Hey now, don't jinx your boyfriend like that," Kousuke said with a playful grin, then glanced upward dramatically. "Besides, if I became a devil, how would I thank God every day for giving me a hot devil as my girlfriend~?"

Despite the mild pang she felt when he mentioned 'God,' Tsubaki chuckled. "Then you better come back without a scratch. I believe in you."

"That's a tall order, my empress," he said, giving a lazy shrug. Then he leaned in close, brushing her ear with his breath as he whispered, "So… can this greedy emperor expect a reward when he returns victorious?"

Tsubaki flushed a deep red but nodded. If it gave him motivation to come back in one piece, then she'd happily spoil him a little. A reward was a small price to pay for his safety.

Watching their exchange, Yasaka couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. She longed to be that close to him too. If circumstances were normal, she might've tackled him to the ground and claimed his lips on the spot. Kousuke didn't seem to reject her advances, and neither did Tsubaki appeared overly upset. In fact, it only triggered the rivalry between them.

But now wasn't the time to indulge in fantasies. Not while her daughter's life hung in the balance. Once Kunou was safe… then maybe, just maybe, she could mount a proper assault on Kousuke—and she wouldn't stop at mere teasing.

...

Somewhere in Kyoto, alleyways.

The location was tucked away in a back alley of Kyoto, far from the main streets and spiritual ley lines. When Yasaka and Kousuke arrived, they saw the man she had hoped to never see again.

The bear Youkai, Ookuma, leaned against a wall with a smug expression on his face. His eyes lit up when he saw Yasaka—only for the joy to be smothered when he noticed Kousuke beside her.

"What's this? Your new pet?" he sneered, venom dripping from his voice. Kousuke was certain now that this man is definitely working with someone, but there were no one else in the alleyway aside from him—at least within the naked eyes.

"Where is Kunou?" Yasaka demanded. She didn't bother with pleasantries or taunts. Her voice was cold, her tails rigid behind her, reacting to her boiling frustration.

Ookuma gave a mock-innocent smile. "She's safe. Why would I harm the child of my beloved?"

"Your delusions have only gotten worse," Yasaka snapped, her voice steely. "I am not yours. I never was—and I never will be."

"You still haven't come to your senses, I see," Ookuma replied with a disappointed frown, before it twisted into a grin so wide it was nearly deranged. "But that's alright. You will… eventually."

"Whoa," Kousuke said, stepping forward with a look of pure disgust. "I've seen crazy before, but you, my guy? You're deep in delusional territory. If there was a ranking system, you'd be comfortably sitting in the top ten creepiest. Heck, even if you go for the crown, no one will contend with you."

"Shut up!" Ookuma hissed, his sudden anger flaring like a match to gasoline. "Don't ruin our sweet reunion with your disgusting voice!"

"You're calling this a sweet reunion?" Kousuke raised an eyebrow and snorted. "You kidnapped a kid to get her mom's attention. That's not romance, that's therapy material. Honestly, if you want a fake wedding, go buy a sex doll and leave real people alone. It's cheaper—and way less pathetic than whatever this is."

Yasaka couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips. Despite the tension in the air, Kousuke's calm, biting sarcasm was helping her stay grounded. She felt a little lighter—even as fury twisted inside her.

Ookuma's expression contorted into a furious snarl. His aura flickered as if about to flare. 'Good, let him snap.' If Kousuke's words brought the bastard off his leash, then it would only make it easier to put him down.

And this time, she wouldn't hesitate.

Unfortunately, Ookuma managed to rein in his emotions. He took a few deep breaths, eyes closed, slowly regaining control.

"Fine," he said with a wicked grin. "If you want to play the game so badly, then let's play."

Suddenly, a purplish fog erupted from beneath his feet, engulfing the entire alley in moments. Before either of them could react, the fog swallowed Yasaka and Kousuke completely. In the blink of an eye, all three vanished from the alley.

...

Unknown Dimension.

When their vision returned, Kousuke and Yasaka found themselves standing on unfamiliar ground. The sky above was a swirling void, and strange energies buzzed in the air. Around them stood hooded figures in dark robes, watching silently.

The moment he inhaled, Kousuke could tell—they weren't on Earth anymore.

"A pocket dimension," he muttered. "What a peculiar Sacred Gear…"

"Oh? So you noticed?" Ookuma said mockingly. "But that knowledge won't save you. You'll die like the dog you are, and Yasaka… she'll have no choice but to entertain me if she doesn't want anything to happen to Kunou!"

To emphasize his threat, one of the robed figures stepped forward and snapped his fingers. A floating orb appeared in his hand, projecting a distant image. Yasaka's heart clenched—her daughter was there, unconscious on a cold stone floor. Another robed figure stood watch beside her.

The message was clear: obey… or else.

"You scum!" Yasaka snarled, her body glowing with golden light. Her power surged violently, shaking the air around her.

The robed figures tensed at the pressure—but they didn't run. In fact, they seemed almost… prepared.

Suddenly, golden chains burst from the ground, wrapping tightly around Yasaka's limbs and torso. She gasped as her strength rapidly drained from her body.

"What… is this?!"

"Hahaha! Beautiful, isn't it?" Ookuma laughed gleefully. "Youkai-sealing chains! Pretty powerful stuff, huh?"

He grinned maniacally, savoring the fear and shock on her face. This was the moment he had waited for. To see the proud Yasaka rendered helpless. To break her spirit.

And soon… to force her into submission.