I was sitting at a low, wooden table in the warm, traditional inn at the base of the mountain, demolishing a massive spread of local Aomori cuisine.
I had several plates of fresh seafood, a bubbling hot pot, and a few regional apple pastries surrounding me. While I stuffed my face, I made sure to carefully document the flavor profiles and ingredients in a small notebook so I could recreate the dishes later.
Across the room, Yukio was sitting rigidly on a tatami mat. He was clutching a fresh cup of green tea, his eyes darting nervously toward the corner of the room.
Standing there, perfectly upright with a crisp white towel draped elegantly over his forearm, was the immortal, multi-eyed god of terror. The newly incarnated Hachirotaro was acting like a highly dignified, fiercely loyal butler. The moment my cup was even half-empty, he would glide over and flawlessly pour me more tea without spilling a single drop.
"More tea, my Lord?" Hachiro asked smoothly.
"Yea, thanks, man," I mumbled around a mouthful of rice.
Yukio looked like he was going to have an aneurysm.
Suddenly, the sliding door to the adjoining room rattled open. Shura stumbled out, looking disoriented from her shock-induced slumber, and frantically examining her own body. As she touched the center of her chest, she paused, her breath catching when she realized that the curse mark was no longer there. Then, her eyes widened as she found a sleek, new, intricate snake tattoo coiled beautifully around her forearm. She noticed that it didn't drain her; it pulsed with a warm, dormant energy.
Then the realization fully set in. She wasn't going to die.
When she looked up and took in the scene of the room, her eyes widened: me casually stuffing my face with a pork bun, Yukio having a silent panic attack, and the ancient deity standing quietly in the corner.
"Aye, sleeping beauty," I grinned, swallowing my food. "So you're finally awake."
Shura pointed a trembling finger at the Hydra, her brain completely short-circuiting. "What... why's he serving ya tea?!"
I tracked her eyes to Hachiro, who offered her a polite bow. "Oh, you don't have to worry about him, he's brand new," I said, causing her to raise an incredulous brow. "It's been a long day. Come eat and unwind, and I'll tell you all about it."
Shura cautiously sat down. Between bites of food, I caught her and Yukio up on exactly what had happened in the mindscape. I explained how I split Hachirotaro's soul, granting the older version an eternal rest with Tatsuko, and how the new Hachiro was ready to serve in my army.
"Oh, and by the way," I added casually, picking up a piece of sashimi. "Other than the new Fang you have on your arm, I made a huge modification to your body when I restructured the mark. I regressed your age back to eighteen."
CRASH.
Yukio dropped his teacup. It shattered against the floor, spilling hot green tea everywhere.
Shura froze. She scrambled to her feet and rushed over to a decorative mirror hanging in the hallway. She touched her face, her eyes welling up with tears. The subtle signs of stress, the exhaustion of living with a literal death sentence hanging over her head for twenty-six years—it was entirely gone. She looked fresh, vibrant, and radiantly youthful. She let out a wet, overwhelmed laugh. I didn't just save her life; I gave her back the youth the curse had stolen.
I stood up and walked over to her, resting a hand on her shoulder.
"Shura," I said softly as she turned her head toward me. "You're free. Now, go live your life."
For the first time since I'd met her, she looked entirely unguarded. She smiled and offered me a genuine, profound, and relief-filled "thank you."
I smiled back, winking at her. "I promised, did I not?" I said, before we headed back into the room with the others.
Later that night, I decided to take a dip in the inn's private outdoor hot spring.
The air was freezing, snow gently falling from the dark sky, but the steaming water was perfect. I was leaning back against the smooth rocks, closing my eyes and mentally aligning a few things inside my pocket dimension, preparing it for the new arrivals.
I heard the sliding door open, followed by the soft sound of water rippling. To my surprise, Shura waded into the spring.
I blinked, letting out a hearty chuckle. "Oh no, I must have fallen asleep in the bath, 'cause I'm having one of those dreams again."
She moved closer to me, the water gliding around her. She wrapped her arms around my neck, her wet, red hair clinging to her flawless skin. She assured me, her voice incredibly soft, that this was no dream or hallucination. She reminded me of the promise we'd made back at True Cross before going to Kyoto—if I got rid of the curse, she'd be mine.
She pressed her chest against mine.
Whoa! I thought internally, closing my eyes to hold onto my remaining sanity. They're even softer than they look.
"Make me yours, Rin," she whispered, leaning in to kiss me.
She moved her lips toward mine, and I instinctively leaned in to meet her. But at the last second, my conscience screamed at me. I turned my head to the side, letting her lips brush harmlessly against my cheek.
Shura pulled back, her immediate reaction a mix of hurt, confusion, and defensive anger. "What?! You don't want to?!" she demanded, her eyes wide. "Did I do something wrong?!"
I gritted my teeth in rage at myself. "Trust me, I want to. I really, really want to. But it'd be wrong to do so... or whatever, I don't know."
Shura raised a fiery brow. "Excuse me?"
I stared directly into her eyes, keeping my hands respectfully at my sides. "You're at a vulnerable period right now. You've experienced a lot in a short period of time. I don't want you to feel like you're indebted to me or something. Like this is just an obligation."
I sighed, shaking my head. "So, go live your life. Go out, see the world, figure out who you are without a death sentence over your head. And if you still can't get this handsome face of mine out of your mind... then you know where to find me."
Man, I'm such a thoughtful guy, I praised myself internally. They should dedicate a holiday to me.
Shura stared at me sweetly for a moment, reaching out a hand to gently touch my face.
Then, her expression snapped into pure anger. She grabbed the sides of my face aggressively, squishing my cheeks together.
"You idiot!" she hissed. "I'm throwing myself at you on a silver platter and you have the nerve to turn me down?!"
"Ahh, shaddup," I mumbled, my face completely smushed in her hands. "I'm tryna be mature or whatever. And respect your feelings and whatnot. But it looks like that's not an option either, huh?"
"Yer an idiot," she repeated, bringing my face down closer to hers.
"An idiot who you came to see, so it looks like we're a packaged set."
Shura released my face with an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Sometimes I wonder what goes on in that thick head of yers. You think you're being some noble, chivalrous gentleman, telling me to 'go live my life'?! I've spent twenty-six years waiting to die! I don't know how to live normally! And who says this is just gratitude, you dense brat?! Ya ruined me! You've—"
I cut her off. I grabbed her waist, pulled her against me, and kissed her.
It was an intense, confident kiss filled with raw desire. Her eyes widened in shock for a fraction of a second before she completely melted into it, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck.
When I finally pulled away, just enough for us to breathe, Shura was completely breathless. Her face was a beautiful, radiant pink, her previous anger thoroughly obliterated.
I smirked down at her, my fingers gently tangling in her wet red hair. "And that's exactly why you're so great."
She hid her burning face in my chest, gripping my body tight. "Don't you forget it, ya brat."
"By the way," I whispered, "try not to move too much right now. You might feel something move near your thighs, just disregard it."
Shura let out a gasp, pinching my cheek hard. "You cheeky brat!"
We laughed, pulling each other back in for another long kiss.
After a few quiet moments of just holding each other in the steaming water, Shura looked up at me. She asked why I had ultimately decided to give the original Hachirotaro an eternal sleep, mentioning that her new Fang had somewhat conveyed the memories of what I'd done.
"Oh, well, I saw what Tatsuko looked like in his mind," I admitted casually. "And I completely understood why he didn't wanna let her go. What a woman."
Shura's romantic mood instantly broke. She violently splashed a wave of hot water directly into my face. "You perverted brat! She's my great-great-however-many-greats grandmother!"
"She looks just like you!" I sputtered, raising my hands in surrender. "So in a way, I'm really complimenting you!"
Then I leaned into her ear.
"Besides, you two only look vaguely similar," I said smoothly. "If she was standing next to you right now, she'd be feeling embarrassed at how obsolete you'd make her look."
Shura blushed furiously, sinking half her face under the hot water so only her glaring eyes were visible. "Smooth-talking idiot..." she mumbled into the bubbles.
I chuckled, wiping the water from my eyes. "But, If you're still feeling that way, then how about we go out and see the town tomorrow? Just you and me. You're from here, right? Show me around."
She surfaced from the water, a genuine, radiant smile breaking across her face. "Fine, but don't expect anything to happen," she teased, pointing a finger at me.
"Yea, ight," I smirked, pulling her close. "We'll see."
We shared another kiss as the steam rose into the evening air.
The next day in Aomori was nothing short of memorable.
True to her word, Shura showed me around her hometown. The crisp winter air carried the sweet scent of baked apples and cinnamon from the local stalls lining the snow-dusted streets. For a town that had been under the shadow of a terrifying deity for centuries, the locals seemed completely unbothered, bustling about and preparing for winter festivals under the glow of warm paper lanterns.
We spent hours just walking and eating. I made it my personal mission to try every single apple-based pastry we came across—apple tarts, hot cider, cinnamon-dusted fritters—mentally filing away the flavor combinations to try in my own kitchen later.
But the best part of the day wasn't the food; it was Shura.
Watching her experience life without a ticking clock felt genuinely good. Her shoulders were relaxed, her laugh was lighter, and that heavy, defensive wall she always kept up had completely melted away. She walked close to me, our hands occasionally brushing before she finally just grabbed mine, her fingers lacing comfortably with my own.
As the sun began to set, casting a brilliant orange hue across the snowy mountains, we found ourselves sitting on a quiet wooden bench overlooking the town.
"Ya know," Shura said softly, leaning her head against my shoulder and watching the sky. "I don't think I've ever actually just... looked at a sunset before. Not without counting how many I had left."
I wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. "Well, you've got a lifetime of them ahead of you now. Better get used to the view."
She looked up at me, her radiant youthfulness glowing in the fading light. She didn't say anything else. She just reached up, gently grabbing the collar of my jacket, and pulled me down.
The kiss was slow, deep, and lingering, completely void of the lust-filled frantic energy from the night before. It was more akin to a promise of a future to come. When we finally pulled apart, snowflakes were beginning to gently fall around us, catching in her bright red hair.
"Come on, brat," she smiled, her cheeks dusted pink. "Let's get back before Four-eyes has a panic attack."
The following morning, the romantic isolation of our trip was officially interrupted.
Standing outside the inn, shivering violently in his standard Exorcist coat and complaining about the cold, was Renzo. He and a clean-up crew had been sent to "scout and assess damages" with the Hydra, but I knew the truth. The Illuminati had called him to confirm what had happened in the aftermath of Todo leaving the scene, and Lightning probably wanted him to stick with the script to not raise too much suspicion around them.
When Renzo saw Yukio, Shura, and me walking out of the inn, he froze mid-complaint. His eyes darted from my hand resting comfortably on Shura's waist, up to Shura's impossibly youthful, glowing face. Then, Yukio briefly explained the events that took place over the course of forty-eight hours.
"Wait... wait, wait, wait!" Renzo sputtered, his jaw practically unhinging as he dramatically dropped to his knees in the snow. "You defeat a god, and your reward is a date with Ms. Kirigakure?! And she looks even hotter than usual?! How's that fair?! The world is completely unfair!"
I laughed, and placed a leftover apple fritter in his hand. "Skill issue, Pinky."
Before we headed to the train station, I had one last piece of business to take care of. I walked over to the edge of the inn's property, where the new Hachirotaro was waiting patiently in the snow.
"Alright," I said, activating the black square tattoo on my arm.
The air tore open with a low hum, revealing the massive doorway to my infinite pocket dimension. I formally addressed the kneeling deity.
"I officially name you the First General of my demonic army," I declared, my voice echoing with divine authority. "Gather your snakes and head inside. While inside, pick and establish a base of operations anywhere in the environment. We'll be having a lot of company soon, so it's better if you get situated."
"It shall be done, my Lord," Hachirotaro bowed deeply. With a wave of his hand, hundreds of snakes materialized from the snow, slithering past him into the portal. He rose and stepped respectfully through the frozen light. I tapped my arm, sealing the dimension shut.
A few hours later, we were back at True Cross Academy.
Yukio, Shura, and I were standing in the cluttered, dimly lit office of Lewin Light—who had voluntarily stationed himself at the academy or something along those lines. As Yukio delivered the official report of the Aomori incident, Lightning was practically vibrating with excitement. He let out a hysterical, manic laugh when he heard how effortlessly the Illuminati's chimera had been conceptually erased.
"Oh, Lucifer must be tearing his hair out!" he cackled, slapping his knee. "An absolute masterclass, Rin!"
But when Yukio reached the end of the report and casually mentioned that I had regressed Shura's physical age back to eighteen while restructuring her curse, the laughter abruptly stopped.
Lightning sat up straight, his eyes turning dead serious behind his messy bangs.
"Omit that detail from the official Vatican report," he instructed Yukio strictly, his tone leaving absolutely no room for argument.
Yukio blinked. "Sir?"
"If the higher-ups in the Grigori find out Rin can literally reverse aging, they won't just fear him more than they already do," Lightning explained, pointing a pen at me. "They'll see him as a Fountain of Youth, and try to use any possible means to get him on their side, which wouldn't bode well for them and possibly everyone else. Human greed is far more dangerous than any demon. We keep that age regression strictly between us. As far as the Vatican is concerned, Shura just has a really good skincare routine now."
Yukio nodded slowly, adjusting his glasses. "Understood."
"On a brighter note!" Lightning's manic grin immediately returned as he pulled up a holographic map on his desk. "Your 'Null-Sphere' worked perfectly!"
He pointed to several blinking red spots over Russia that were rapidly turning green. "I threw it at the artificial Gehenna Gates the Illuminati managed to open in the snowy wastes. The sphere absorbed the spatial anomalies entirely, permanently closing them and saving the Order from taking massive casualties. You've essentially neutralized their ability to blindside us with artificial gates."
I nodded, satisfied with the results of my creation. "Good. Let's keep the pressure on them."
An hour later, I was standing in Mephisto's office.
I ignored the extravagant tea set he had laid out and walked straight to the massive stained-glass window. Looking down at the training yards built below his mansion, I could see the Exwires—Bon, Izumo, Konekomaru, and Shiemi—pushing themselves to the brink, preparing for a war that was rapidly approaching.
"Alright, Sammy," I began, turning back to Mephisto, who was sitting at his desk, sipping from a ridiculously ornate teacup with a highly amused smile on his face. "How many and what types of demons have you gathered intel on for me so far?"
"I've rounded up quite a few in your absence," he replied, the smile never leaving his face. "Hopefully they're up to your standard."
I crossed my arms, a confident, predatory smirk spreading across my face.
"I'll check them out later. As for now, who else is next on the recruitment list?"
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What y'all think about how things went here?
And what y'all think about this Sunday drop? What day would be best to see the fic?
See y'all for the next chapter.