Angel Island. The villa on the mountaintop.
In the garden courtyard, lush and filled with flowers, Kozuki Hiyori practiced her basic sword techniques. Dressed in a white kendo uniform, she gripped a bamboo sword, her movements precise, her brow glistening with sweat.
Not far away stood two girls.
Sugar, in a green floral dress, held a watering can, tending to the blooms.
Monet, wearing a maid's uniform, carried a basket of freshly washed laundry. She pinned the clothes to a bamboo pole, one piece at a time.
Both sisters were deeply content with their work. Each day held only simple chores—no fighting, no killing. No trouble.
Every month, they also received a generous allowance from Black Maria, to spend as they pleased.
For the two of them, this easy, peaceful life was already their ideal happiness.
But while the sisters were carefree, a sense of crisis churned in Kozuki Hiyori's heart.
As one of Sephiroth's concubines, she felt painfully ordinary next to the others.
Forget about Hancock—that was simply beyond comparison. But just look at Sandersonia, at Marie Gold, at Yamato.
She looked left, then right, and a sad truth settled in her chest. They were all more exceptional than she was. Even the cute appearance she took such pride in meant nothing beside them.
There was no helping it. The average beauty among Sephiroth's women was staggeringly high. It made her feel… inadequate.
And then there was Black Maria, the woman Hiyori had always disliked, the one she'd wanted to compete with for favor.
Thinking of her made Hiyori feel even worse.
Sephiroth occasionally took his companions out for walks. Gan Fall and the Shandia Chief, who recognized him, had spotted them a few times by chance.
Because of that, the truth—that the God of Sky Island was Sephiroth—could no longer be hidden from the island's upper echelons.
Sephiroth didn't particularly care. He just ordered them to keep it secret from the lower ranks.
How long that secret would hold, however, was anyone's guess.
Once his identity was out, Sephiroth simply handed all of Sky Island's affairs, big and small, over to Black Maria.
Yes. He was exactly that arrogant. That nepotistic.
Absolute power within his forces was held only by those he trusted implicitly—his wings came first, followed by those who were both capable and unwaveringly loyal.
People like Gan Fall, the Shandia Chief, and Eneru were usable in his eyes, but he would never trust them completely. He established layers of oversight, checks and balances.
Before, Sephiroth had those three factions supervise each other, with himself watching over everything. That was how he kept Sky Island firmly under control.
Otherwise, he would have had to constantly carve out time to manage the island's affairs himself, just to avoid being sidelined.
But now, with Black Maria in place, Sephiroth could breathe easier.
She had a keen sense of measure. She knew when to push and when to yield. And she understood, with perfect clarity, that everything she had was given by Sephiroth.
If he chose not to give, she would have nothing.
So Black Maria lived by a principle: do your utmost, but never presume to ask for more.
Sephiroth saw it all. His trust in her, his reliance on her, had always been great.
Now, Black Maria wielded significant authority on Sky Island. One could say her position was second only to a single person, and above all others.
Well—if Hancock were here, she'd be second to two people.
Black Maria understood that reality perfectly well.
All in all, Sephiroth's concubines... were truly too competitive.
Kozuki Hiyori, having finally grasped the true precariousness of her position, abandoned her study of the unsophisticated (and frankly, rather scheming) tea ceremony.
To secure a firmer place in Sephiroth's regard, she had to improve herself. She was determined to shed the label of a mere ornament.
Otherwise, she knew she would inevitably become the least favored.
Actually... she probably already was.
So, for the last half year, Hiyori had incorporated sword practice into her daily routine.
It served two purposes. First, to grow stronger and carve out her own standing within the Umbrella Corporation. Second, it was a perfect excuse to spend more time with Sephiroth, seeking his guidance.
If asked about her progress over those six months?
She could only say that, beyond mastering basic swordsmanship and attack-defense routines, the most noticeable improvement was her stamina during her... daily activities with Sephiroth.
In the hall of the mountaintop villa, a spatial door shimmered open. Sephiroth emerged, butcher knife in hand, followed by four girls: Perona, Kuina, Iska, and Uta.
"I can barely breathe!"
Uta dropped her suitcase, collapsed onto a soft cloud sofa, and clutched her chest. Her breaths came quick and shallow, a slight frown on her face.
Kuina and Iska fared much better, their breathing still steady and even.
Sephiroth sheathed his sword with a soft click and smiled.
"That's to be expected."
"We're on Sky Island, ten thousand meters above the sea. The air is thinner here."
His new post was at the G3 Branch, built on a remote, isolated island. No towns, no ports—its location was unplottable by Log or Eternal Pose, requiring a Vivre Card to find.
That meant moving the girls from the villa in Kets Port Town up here to Sky Island. They would settle here long-term, simplifying his future travels.
"This place looks interesting."
"I want to go out and explore later!"
Perona, floating in mid-air, drifted to the window after setting down her suitcase, gazing at the unique vistas of Angel Island.
Just then, Kozuki Hiyori noticed the commotion. She opened the villa door and hurried inside.
Her gaze immediately locked onto the saber in Iska's right hand, with its white sheath.
This... there was no mistaking it.
That sword was her father's Ame no Habakiri.
Why was her father's blade in this girl's hand?
And the other sword... where was Enma?
Then she remembered. Sephiroth had spent time in Wano Country.
With his influence back then, acquiring her father's two swords wasn't impossible.
Her mind raced, but her expression remained placid. She took a few quick steps, wrapped her hands around Sephiroth's left arm, and asked in a sweet, plaintive tone,
"Master, who are they...?"
"Perona, Kuina, Iska, Uta. You will get along with them. No tantrums."
Sephiroth raised his right hand and gently pinched Hiyori's round cheek.
"Fine. I understand."
Hiyori pouted, a silent show of discontent.
"Please take care of me from now on, Hiyori-nee."
Iska took two steps forward and offered a polite, slight bow.
Hiyori's face immediately brightened.
She smiled warmly.
"Ah! Little Iska-chan, you are indeed very polite!"
She changed the subject at once, unable to hold back her impatience any longer. Outwardly, she kept her expression carefully indifferent.
"Oh, right! You practice swordsmanship, too?
That sword in your hand looks really fine.
It must be a famous blade… isn't it?"
"Yes. Sephiroth gave it to me when he formally began teaching me.
I'm told it's one of the Twenty-One Supreme Grade Swords. The name is Ame no Habakiri."
"I see."
Kozuki Hiyori nodded as if she understood. Then she put on a pitiful look and turned her eyes to Sephiroth.
"Master, I also really want one of the Twenty-One Supreme Grade Swords…"