Chapter 42: Enter's Gremory.

Celestial Ascendancy

Chapter 42: Enter's Gremory.

Hogwarts.

Elias Black.

"Thanks for trusting us, love," Iris whispered while I focused on healing the burn across her ribs. Hermione had already gone first; her injuries were lighter, but I hadn't taken any chances.

They'd wanted to test themselves in the Elemental Hall, and while my first instinct was to say no, to shield them from danger, they weren't wrong. I couldn't keep coddling them. I had to trust them too if I wanted them to trust me.

Hermione was still working on a potion using the Gorgon's eyes, but it wasn't ready yet. Not that it mattered here.

The Hall had spawned four elemental constructs. Three of them were firmly mid-class tier, but… one felt it could go toe-to-toe with me.

Being made of raw elemental force made them challenging to deal with, but the girls held their own. They managed to beat all three mid-tier ones. The first was a wind elemental. Tall, bloated with magic, and eerily similar to the atronachs from that old Skyrim game in my past life… the one where my Aetherium magic came from.

That one gave Iris the most trouble.

She came in too fast, too hard, like she always did, and opened with fire spells. They backfired almost immediately. Air feeds fire, after all, and she got scorched before she could retreat. I'm not gonna lie… I nearly stepped in. But one sharp look from Hermione stopped me cold.

Hermione didn't panic. She transfigured a broken tile into a bandage, wrapped it around Iris's side in seconds, and then faced the elemental like she'd been waiting for this moment all along.

And honestly? She was incredible.

She didn't just hurl spells blindly. She took a moment to study it while Iris caught her breath. Then she conjured jagged chunks of stone from the floor and launched them skyward, forcing the atronach to stay grounded. After that, she cast a modified Shield Charm, not on herself, but around the elemental. At first, I didn't get what she was doing, but I quickly realized she was disrupting the currents of air that made up its body. Its form flickered, unstable.

Iris caught on immediately.

Grinning through the pain, she cast a containment ward, not to block the atronach, but to hold it still. Then, she released a pulse of freezing wind. I'd asked her what she'd been working on lately, and she smirked at me. Turns out, she liked my cryomancy more than she let on. It wasn't quite the same, but it worked. The cold slowed the swirling winds, condensed the moisture, and made the entire construct more fragile. One well-placed piercing spell from Hermione shattered it like smoke.

They stood there afterward, panting, bruised, and proud. They'd done it together, and I hadn't needed to intervene. That mattered, more than we probably realized.

Hermione insisted on going next. Alone. She picked the water elemental, the one closest in power to the wind creature.

It rose like a crashing wave, forming limbs out of fluid tendrils and moving with surprising precision. But Hermione stayed calm. She transfigured the floor beneath it, turning stone tiles into sea salt and siphoning moisture from the air. Each step it took became heavier and slower.

She cloaked herself in smoke, followed by a Disillusionment Charm. But even invisible, the elemental tracked her somehow. Maybe it was sensing the water in her body. She realized stealth wouldn't work and raised a shield just in time. The tendrils slammed into it, cracks spidering through the surface. Thinking fast, she cast Incendio Maxima to blast it back. Not practical, obviously. But it gave her the moment she needed.

She used it well.

Hermione transfigured part of the floor into a long, jagged spear and hurled it straight at the elemental's glowing core. The strike landed true, splitting through the magic that held it together. The construct exploded in a cascade of water and steam.

She walked away soaked, shivering… and grinning.

I won't lie; I was proud. But before I could reach her, Iris beat me to it, squealing over how badass Hermione looked, even as water dripped from her robes. I arrived just behind, casting some solar magic to warm her up.

She curled into my arms with a slight shiver, her smile soft.

Then it was Iris's turn. And she stepped forward without hesitation

The last elemental stood waiting. A tall, humanoid fire construct with molten veins. Its heat was oppressive, and I had to push Hermione further back for her own safety. To me, it felt like a warm breeze. But I could see the sweat on Hermione's brow.

Iris stared the thing down like it had personally offended her.

This time, she didn't rush in with fire. She remembered. If she'd repeated the mistake, I might've been genuinely insulted.

She started by scattering sand across the floor and cooled it with wind magic, making the surface slick. The elemental's footing weakened. Then she conjured a stone wall and transfigured it into obsidian. It was dense, heat-resistant, and the perfect cover. She ducked behind it, striking out between attacks with precise bursts of ice magic.

At first, they didn't do much.

So, she switched tactics. Bombarda, Confringo, was the raw spellwork that made the whole chamber rumble. The elemental began to flicker.

Then Iris hissed something under her breath. Her wand lit with a cold blue-white glow... Parselmagic. She wove it into a frost spell, coating the elemental in a thin layer of crystalline ice. It froze solid, long enough for her to launch a single, focused bolt of magic through its core.

And the elemental shattered.

Just like that, the fight was over.

The chamber faded, the walls returning to normal. I stepped forward, and Iris stumbled into my arms, laughing breathlessly.

"I told you we could do it," she mumbled.

Hermione was sitting nearby, wringing out her hair, still panting, but smiling with exhausted pride.

I pulled them both into a hug before we started heading back. But before we left, I made sure to gather the elemental cores. I didn't know what use they'd have yet, but I felt they'd come in handy.

"You both were amazing," I told them, smiling. "I'm so proud of you two."

Iris gave me a tired smirk. Hermione just preened in her seat.

Then, out of nowhere, Iris grabbed the fire core from my hand. We all watched in surprise as its energy slowly flowed into her body, then dimmed completely.

Iris gasped, clutching at her chest as fire erupted from her hands. Her wand clattered to the ground.

Hermione jumped to her feet, alarmed, but I moved fast and held her back. I could feel it. Whatever was happening wasn't hurting her. Iris looked more stunned than anything.

After ten long seconds, the flames vanished. She dropped to the ground, panting.

"Iris," I said softly, kneeling beside her. "How do you feel?"

She looked at her hands, eyes wide with awe. Then, with nothing more than a thought, they burst into flame again. She grinned, breathless.

"This is the best," she said, practically squealing. "Wandless magic!"

Laughing through my shock, I shook my head slowly. Welp, at least we found one use. I didn't know how long it took to form an elemental, but… this was genuinely helpful.

I offered Hermione the two cores left, which she grabbed with a frown.

She looked at them carefully before giving back the Wind core and clutching the water one. "I think this one will be more useful. Save the other one for negotiations with the Gremory."

I nodded and observed that the same thing had happened to her. She panted, but knowing what to expect, her reaction was less pronounced. After a minute, she played with water as she splashed my face.

Grunting, I froze the water coming from her hands before I lifted her up with one hand, doing the same to Iris.

"It's time for you to prepare for the summoning. Go take a bath; both of you are sweating," I sniffed.

The girls smirked before leaning in, pressing their bodies against mine.

"We know you love it, Eli," Iris whispered in my ear, her breath warm against my skin, making me shiver. "Are you sure you don't want to join us? We might need some help reaching certain places."

For a second, just a second, I almost gave in.

But I shook my head, chuckling as I gave Iris a sharp smack on her delectable behind. The soft moan that slipped out of her surprised all three of us. She blinked at me with a flush on her face, while Hermione looked halfway between amused and intrigued.

"Go away, you devil," I said, grinning as I nudged them toward the door. "Before I actually decide to help with... stretching exercises or whatever excuse you're using."

Iris giggled, still clearly recovering from the smack, while Hermione raised a brow, her lips twitching.

"Don't tempt us," she said, tossing a wink over her shoulder as they walked off.

As the door closed behind them, I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair.

Merlin help me. I was going to lose my mind before the year was over.

Oh, I was so tempted. But I wanted our first time to be something special, not rushed or impulsive. I had something planned, something that would mean more. I just hoped the three of us could hold out until then. The need was there, no doubt, for all of us. But patience, I reminded myself by slapping my cheek softly.

Grinning, I headed toward the Hollow to get everything in order. Dobby was already preparing the snacks and drinks; bless him, and I just needed to check on one last thing.

The small trunk next to our bed was open. Inside, two neat columns of gold ingots gleamed in the soft light. One stack was made from gold I'd melted using my first power. However, it still reacted to magic like any other enchanted metal. The second stack, though… that one was different. That gold had been melted under the light of my Aetherium-powered sun.

It felt… alive.

It had a distinct resonance, something only I seemed to notice. I wasn't sure if Rias or the other devils would find it useful, but I figured it was worth bringing up. Holy-infused gold wasn't exactly common in the Underworld, after all. Even if it couldn't be used directly, it might be valuable, or dangerous, in the right hands. Or the wrong ones.

Next to the gold were five pairs of Gorgon eyes. Even unprocessed, they radiated a strange kind of supernatural presence. I wasn't against giving the potion to the devils once Hermione cracked the brewing method. It was only a matter of time.

I also had three vials of Ash's tears. She was large enough now that it didn't hurt her to give a few drops, and we'd already collected ten in total. Considering how expensive Phenex tears were in the devil world, I had no doubt that real phoenix tears would be even rarer, and more potent.

A small pile of carefully selected gems sat next to the vials. Not all of them were for sale, some were just to showcase the resources we could offer. And finally, I placed the wind elemental core beside everything else. It still pulsed with energy, letting out a faint breeze every few seconds.

Smirking, I took a moment to just breathe. To think about how far we'd come. Realistically, it hadn't even been that long… and everything had changed.

Everything was ready. Now, I just needed to wait for the girls.

Later.

Everyone was dressed casually. Hermione wore a bright yellow sundress that clung in all the right places, especially around her legs, which were… challenging to ignore, in my humble opinion. Iris wore tight jeans and a lavender blouse that brought out the emerald in her eyes. They both looked beautiful, and I made sure to let them know with more than just words.

As for me, I'd gone with a dark grey button-up and well-fitted black jeans. Not exactly dressed to impress, but sharp enough to make me noticeable. I'd rolled my sleeves up just enough to show off my arms, which I was honestly proud of. Even before Man-Made Messiah, I had a decent build. After? Well… let's just say it bordered on divine.

We stood before the summoning circle, waiting. I'd poured my magic into the runes moments ago, and the circle had begun to react.

The light it gave off was what we'd expected, but the design this time was different... deeper. The circle burned with a deep crimson hue, the Gremory family crest etched into its heart.

Then, three figures stepped forward.

The first was impossible to mistake. Rias Gremory, her long crimson hair flowing behind her all the way to her thighs, deep blue eyes surveying the Hollow with curiosity. Her presence was magnetic, to the point that I felt Iris's breath hitch.

If I had known her love for me, I would even feel jealous, but honestly, I was sure that I would have done the same thing if I hadn't had better control over my body. Rias was stunning in a way I hadn't seen before in my life.

Beside her stood Akeno Himejima, her Queen. Beautiful in a darker, more dangerous way, she had raven-black hair tied in a high ponytail and that ever-present smile from the few episodes I watched of the anime in my past life. From the little I knew, she was a dangerous devil thanks to her Sadistic tendencies, but honestly… I understood.

And following close behind was the third, Yuuto Kiba.

Golden-haired, poised, and dressed in a fitted blazer over a light shirt and slacks, he looked like a perfect gentleman. His steps were confident but not arrogant, and his eyes were warm. He looked at us in the eyes with a soft smile on his face.

The summoning circle dimmed behind them, fading into the stone.

Rias's gaze swept across the Hollow and then landed on me.

"Are you the ones who summoned me?" Rias's soft voice sounded in my ears.

"Indeed, Heiress Gremory," I said with a calm smile before chuckling. "A mutual friend passed along your summoning circle. Said you might be able to help us with a small… problem."

Her eyes lit up with recognition, and she smiled brightly. "Ah... Seekvaira. She didn't explain much, but I'll always try to help a friend."

I couldn't help but facepalm. I honestly didn't know whether to laugh or groan. Seekvaira had left her in the dark about this? Honestly… respect. I didn't know if she did it for fun or to keep things clean in case someone snooped into our little arrangement, but either way, it was brilliant.

Iris pouted, then beamed. "Introductions! This big lug is Elias Black, to my left is Hermione Granger, and I'm Iris Potter."

We stepped forward with easy smiles as we exchanged handshakes. The three devils returned them in kind, their expressions warm if curious.

Rias gave a graceful nod. "As you know, I'm Rias Gremory. This is my Queen, Akeno Himejima…" she gestured toward the serene beauty beside her, who gave us a polite bow and a teasing smile, "...and this is my Knight, Yuuto Kiba."

Kiba nodded politely, his posture straight, eyes scanning us like he was quietly cataloging every detail.

"With that out of the way," I said with a chuckle, "why don't we take a seat and talk about today?"

"That's fine with me," Rias nodded, and the rest of her group followed suit.

The table was already set, with more than enough room for everyone. Dobby appeared beside it with a soft pop, offering a quick bow before vanishing again. A moment later, he returned with a full spread. Tea, coffee, and enough treats to open a bakery.

The devils' eyes widened as they watched the little elf at work.

"What is that?" Rias asked, genuinely intrigued.

"Dobby's a house-elf," Iris said, grinning. "They're a sapient magical species that form a symbiotic bond with a person or family. They help around the house, magically. Basically, the best assistant anyone could ask for."

"I've never seen one before," Akeno murmured, resting her chin on her hand as she watched Dobby gracefully arrange the final touches. "They seem... incredibly useful."

"You have no idea," Hermione added with a small laugh, then her expression shifted slightly. "Though it's a shame some people take them for granted and treat them like disposable labor."

I cleared my throat. "Anyway, why don't we get started?" I glanced toward Rias. "But before that, did Seekvaira really not tell you anything?"

Rias gave a closed-lip smile and shook her head, saying nothing.

I groaned and let my head fall back. "Ugh. Smart of her, but still... Alright. Let's begin with something simple, do you know what wizards are?"

Rias tilted her head slightly, folding her hands in her lap. "I've heard of wizards before, mostly in passing. The name comes up in a few old records, usually tied to Merlin himself out of all people, but beyond that? Not much. They've never interacted with the Underworld, at least not officially."

I nodded, unsurprised. "That's intentional, at least, in a way. It's complicated, but the truth is that wizards have no real knowledge of the broader supernatural world. Our society is surprisingly isolated, even within its own borders. And the people in charge? They prefer to keep it that way."

I paused, letting that sink in before continuing.

"But it's not one-sided. I'm unsure if any of those records you've seen mention a pact…? Even if they did, I'll give you the short version. Supposedly, a pact was formed thousands of years ago to keep the wizarding world completely separated from the rest of the supernatural community. For whatever reason, both sides have honored it."

Akeno raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A self-isolating magical society? That's surprisingly rare."

"Not just rare," Hermione chimed in, grumbling. "It's frustrating. We have knowledge and power, but we've spent centuries acting like we're the only ones that matter."

Rias's eyes flicked between us. "And yet… here you are, reaching out."

I gave a small smile. "Indeed, first of all, let me assure you that nothing bad will happen because of this meeting. According to Seekvaira, the pact only blocks the supernatural side of the world from interacting with us, and we are the ones to seek you out. Also, the pact was signed a long time ago, and we are starting to suspect that some people are in the process of breaking it for their own gains."

Kiba, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke up. "What kind of magic do you use? From what I understand, most human magicians use incantations and formula-based systems."

I nodded. "That's the key difference. Wizards don't rely on formulas or calculations. Our magic is stored inside our bodies. We channel it through a magical Focus or direct intent, depending on the spell and the user's control. It's not borrowed energy. It's ours. Magic is part of us."

Rias leaned forward slightly, her eyes shining with interest. "So your power isn't ambient or drawn from external sources… it's yours?"

"Exactly," I confirmed. "We are surprisingly similar to Devils in that regard. And while our spells may look simple to outsiders, they're backed by generations of tradition, language, and power. From what we learned with Seekvaira's help, our magic might be weaker than yours in firepower, but we make up for it in sheer versatility. There is absolutely nothing we cannot do with enough preparation, imagination, and sheer willpower."

The devils' mouths fell open in wonder before they quickly closed again. I could see the gears turning in their heads as they watched us carefully, their curiosity heightened.

Knowing I needed to strike while the iron was hot, I nudged Iris with a smirk.

She pulled out her wand, and with a flick and a murmured Draconifors, she transfigured a tiny teacup into a wyvern of the same size.

Iris took a deep breath, and the air around her thickened with magic. With another flick, she cast Engorgio, enlarging the wyvern until it was the size of the table.

The creature let out a soft yawn, releasing a tiny fireball that I casually snuffed out with a wave of my hand before it curled up next to the table like a sleepy cat. It looked adorable, and the devils' reactions were absolutely priceless.

Rias leaned back slightly, her blue eyes wide, flicking from the creature to Iris and then to me. Akeno had stilled completely, the teacup forgotten in her hands, her expression somewhere between fascination and curiosity. Kiba... looked like he was trying to act unimpressed, but the way his hand drifted subtly toward his sword told me otherwise.

Perfect.

Iris grinned back at me smugly and casually flicked her wand again. "Calmora." The wyvern let out a low, pleased trill and curled tighter around itself.

"Wait..." Rias finally spoke, her voice soft but laced with disbelief. "That's not a summon?"

"Nope," Iris chirped, twirling her wand between her fingers. "Just a normal teacup."

"She transfigured it," Hermione added, picking up her cup again like this was all completely normal. "It's not just illusion or anything similar; it became a wyvern. Living, breathing, warm-blooded... and if she hadn't told it to stay small, it would've acted like one."

Akeno leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowed with curiosity. "So you rewrote the object's properties entirely... transmutation of matter into life?"

"Well, technically," Hermione started, already going into lecture mode, "it's more like magically simulated life. A transfigured creature can survive on its own for a while, but the magic has to be maintained unless you stabilize it with an anchor—"

"We can get to that later," I interrupted gently, grinning. "The point is, this is what wizards can do. No external summoning circle. No contract. No chant longer than a few words."

Kiba finally spoke, his voice quiet but pointed. "What are your limits?"

"Imagination," I said simply. "And magical energy."

The Hollow was silent for a long moment, the wyvern breathing softly beside the table like it had always been there.

Then Rias smiled slowly. Her eyes were sharp and calculating, but they didn't feel malicious. "I think I understand why Seekvaira was grinning when she asked me that favor."

Chuckling, I nodded. "She was quite surprised as well, if that helps."

"I can imagine that," Rias grinned, and Akeno tittered behind her hand; Kiba merely smiled softly, but I could see him glancing at his king.

"Now that you taught us that, why call us?" Rias turned serious.

"Therein lies the problem," I said with a wry smile, then launched into the explanation.

I told her everything, from Voldemort's rise to power, the First Wizarding War, and the chaos he left behind. I explained how, despite everything, he wasn't truly dead and how he'd used dark magic to avoid dying. And how, during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament, he would probably act.

When I finished, Rias was silent, frowning deeply in thought.

"Seekvaira was right… that purple fire you described…" she bit her lip. "... it sounds exactly like the Incinerate Anthem. A Sacred Gear of that magnitude… I don't know how much help I could be against something like that. I doubt I'd last long against a Longinus user, especially one designed to counter devils so effectively."

I laughed, shaking my head firmly. "I'm not asking you to fight our battles, Heires Gremory. I'd never put that on you."

Her eyes flicked to mine curiously.

"I just need help training. Seekvaira said you might be able to help with something similar to the fire Walburga uses to prepare me to face her if she is really helping Voldemort."

Realization dawned on her expression, followed by hesitation.

"She meant the Power of Destruction," Rias murmured, almost to herself. "Of course she did…"

Her voice turned quiet. "But Elias… that power is volatile. Even with control, it isn't meant to hold back. I could hurt you, erase you."

I waved her concern off. "I don't think there's any other way. If I want to stand a chance against what's coming, I must be tested by something real. Something dangerous."

The room quieted again.

Rias let out a slow breath. "The Power of Destruction isn't just fire or energy. It breaks things down on a fundamental level. Atoms, spirit, magic, even souls if pushed too far. It's not meant to suppress. It's meant to erase."

Iris and Hermione both shifted in their seats. I could feel their concern without even looking.

Hermione spoke first. "You're seriously going to let her hit you with that?"

I nodded. "We don't have the luxury of comfort anymore. The thing that's coming isn't going to hold back. Neither can we."

Akeno, who had stayed mostly quiet until then, set her cup down with a soft clink. "No, that is not a good idea. Rias doesn't have the kind of control to do something so methodical. She would erase you. But that doesn't mean we can't help you. How much time do you have until the third task?"

"Three months, approximately," I grunted, not happy but understanding. I didn't know everything about the Power of Destruction, but perhaps I was being hasty.

Her gaze met Rias's, and she turned to me. "I think it would be better if you start with me. I can promise to make it hurt," she smirked viciously, enough to make me shudder before she continued with bright eyes. "This will work for all of us. Rias will train finer control, and maybe she'll have enough for the last days, but until then, we will try our best without the Power of Destruction."

I smiled. "I think I can withstand it."

"And I think we will be really good friends," Akeno grinned, "What do you think, my king?"

Rias nodded thoughtfully, "Seekvaira asked for a favor, and I will not fail her."

"Then let's talk about payment," I smiled graciously, "What do you want?"

I called the trunk over with a quiet "Accio" and opened it wide for them to see.

Their eyes widened. First in surprise, then in curiosity as they took in the contents. Their focus quickly zeroed in on the second stack of gold ingots that glinted faintly under the Hollow's light.

Rias's expression shifted. Her eyes narrowed, and I felt a pulse of her aura, controlled but rising continuously.

"Why can I feel… repulsion from those?" she asked, quiet but firm, her gaze locked onto the glowing bars.

Lifting both hands in peace, I kept my tone calm. "I melted them using a... special method. Turns out, I might have some form of holy-aligned magic. I didn't mean any offense; I only included them in case you found them interesting."

That aura of hers held for a second longer, then settled. But her eyes stayed on the bars, curiously now instead of hostile.

I could see it, the way her curiosity gave into greed. I waited, but she didn't say anything else.

She didn't lunge for them. Didn't demand anything.

She just smiled.

"Three of those gold bars," she said smoothly, finally looking back at me. "And two pairs of the Gorgon eyes."

I blinked. That was… less than I expected.

She must have seen the flicker of surprise on my face because her smile widened.

"That's more than enough," she continued, "since both sides are gaining something from this arrangement. All of us are getting training, and we're getting a few very rare magical samples. I'm not charging interest. Just indulging a little curiosity."

Her tone was sweet. Too sweet.

Well, whatever. It's not like I care much.

"Then, shall we start?" I grinned, glancing at Akeno, who grinned darkly back at me.

The girls were looking between us with knowing smirks, but they stayed silent.

"Sure, do you have someplace we can destroy?" Akeno tittered sweetly.

Rias groaned, bringing a hand to her face. "Akeno, calm yourself. Your dark side is coming out."

"Oops," Akeno said with a wink. "Can't help it when the training dummy looks this cute."

Training grounds (The same place where Elias shows off)

I stood in the center, shirtless, the wards already layered around the plane just in case Akeno went too far. They were set by Hermione and Kiba, so I hoped they would hold. Either way, they were far enough that they could react in case something broke them.

It's not that I planned to let her attack anything but me. This wasn't a sparring session; it was mostly to see how much damage I could withstand, at least for now.

"Are you sure you don't want to use a shield?" Kiba asked from the side, voice half-concerned, half-impressed.

"I'm sure," I said calmly, rolling my neck. "I want to see how long I can keep up."

Akeno's smile widened in a way that should've worried me more than it did.

"How wonderful," she purred, lightning crackling between her fingertips as she floated upward slightly. "I honestly feel we'll be really good friends, Elias."

I spread my arms. "Hit me with your best shot."

She didn't need more encouragement.

The first blast of lightning was tame, quick, and sharp, like being slapped by magic. I didn't flinch. I barely felt it, in truth.

The second was stronger. A bolt cracked through the air and struck my chest, lighting up the room.

I staggered slightly, primarily out of surprise. It tingled. God… I hope I didn't end up as a masochist.

"Oh?" Akeno tilted her head. "You're tougher than I thought."

"Is that your best, Akeno?" I teased.

She didn't answer.

The next blast sent me skidding five meters back, my boots digging into the ground as raw lightning coiled around my torso, trying to bore its way in.

I let it. I stood through it. My body twitched; I genuinely felt that one, but I withstood it.

"Come on, Akeno, do your best," I laughed, smoke rising from my shoulders.

Iris and Hermione sat cross-legged nearby, laughing like this was a comedy show.

"Oh, she's enjoying this way too much," Iris said between giggles. "I almost feel bad for him."

"Almost; he is the idiot one that wanted this," Hermione echoed warmly, sipping tea Dobby had prepared, her eyes shining in mirth.

Rias, from the sidelines, looked half-exasperated, half-mortified.

"I swear, she is usually more controlled than this," she muttered to Kiba, who was trying very hard not to smile.

"Should we stop her?" Kiba asked, a touch amused.

Rias sighed. "Only if he starts screaming."

"Too late," I grunted as another arc of lightning slammed into my back, searing heat and pain down my spine.

Akeno had both hands raised now, wings out in the open. The air felt heavier.

"You're so stubborn, Elias," she purred, floating just above the ground. "Most men would be on their knees by now."

"That's probably your kink, not mine," I gasped out, smoke hissing from my teeth. Then I grinned and sniffed, giving her a knowing look.

Her eyes lit up between mirth and bashfulness. "You're not wrong…"

Then she raised both hands, and the storm broke loose.

Crackling tendrils of golden lightning coiled from her palms like whips, arcing and snapping toward me with a speed I could barely track. The first few struck like hammers, searing pain down my chest, my sides, and my thighs. I dug my feet in and braced, even as my skin began to blacken along the edges of the burns.

I took them. All of them.

But it was starting to cost me.

Her next bolt hit me like a cannon, lifting me half a foot off the ground before slamming me back onto it. My breath caught. My vision blurred as I shouted in agony.

I dropped to a knee, panting, my muscles twitching uncontrollably.

"Still standing?" Akeno cooed from above, her voice purring.

"Give… me a second," I muttered, my hand digging into the ground. My body ached... it truly ached for the first time in weeks.

And then… It began.

A warm pulse spread from my chest outward, like a wave of light rushing through my veins. I could feel the tiny cracks in my bones sealing, burned skin shedding like dried paint, and muscles regaining their tightness.

Even the air around me shimmered slightly, my passive regeneration and healing energy flowing across my body, mending it at alarming speed.

I exhaled, slow and steady.

Then, I looked up.

Akeno's expression had changed. She was grinning with such glee that it made me a tiny bit uncomfortable, like a kid whose parents promised to buy every candy they asked for.

"You're healing," she said softly. "Faster than most devils could."

I rolled my neck, the crack echoing across the Hollow. "I did say I'd be ready."

From the sidelines, Iris was leaning back, clapping slowly.

"That's my boyfriend," she said with a smirk.

Hermione just shook her head. "He's insane, absolutely insane."

"I'm starting to like you more and more," Akeno said with a smile that made my nerves twitch harder than her lightning.

"Glad I can make a good first impression," I muttered, standing up straighter. "Now… ready to go again?"

...........

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