Ren Ming looked at Issei and Kiba.
"Speaking of which," Ren drawled, his voice carrying that distinct, relaxed American cadence that cut through the Japanese atmosphere like a hot knife. "Issei."
"Y-Yeah?" Issei croaked, his spine stiffening instinctively.
Ren stepped forward and clapped a hand on the boy's shoulder. It wasn't a strike, but the weight of that palm carried the terrifying backing of an Ancient Saint..
"With where you are now," Ren said, his tone conversational, as if discussing the weather rather than destiny, "if you seriously work at it? You can absolutely have a harem."
Issei's brain effectively bluescreened. His mouth opened, but no sound came out.
"E-Eeeeeh?!"
Ren snorted, a sharp exhalation of amusement. "Not the lazy, 'I want girls but won't grow up' kind you see in those bad late-night cartoons," he corrected, shaking his head. "I mean the real thing. The kind where you protect them, listen to them, deal with the messy feelings, and still make time to appreciate their beauty without acting like a starving wolf."
Issei's eyes widened, shimmering with a sudden, profound revelation. "Sensei… that sounds… that sounds like the ultimate dream…"
"It's work," Ren said bluntly, locking eyes with him. His gaze was dark, deep, and held the stillness of a becalmed ocean before a tsunami. "But it's good work. You're already on the path. So stop thinking of yourself as 'just a pervert.' You're a pervert with a functioning brain and a Soul Palace now. Use it."
A Soul Palace. The term felt alien in Issei's mind, yet the spinning vortex of energy in his dantian hummed in agreement.
Issei swallowed hard, the lump in his throat dissolving under Ren's conviction. He bowed his head, not out of fear, but out of a newfound respect. "…Yes. I'll… do my best."
Ren turned his attention to the blonde knight.
"You too, pretty boy," Ren said, a teasing lilt in his voice.
Kiba flinched slightly at the nickname, unaccustomed to such casual address from a superior.
"You've spent most of your time haunted by one bad church and a bunch of rusted swords," Ren continued, his eyes scanning Kiba as if reading a book. "With your current base—that Sword Intent you're cultivating—you can start getting close to people because you want to. Not just because it's your role as a Knight."
Kiba blinked, his composure cracking. "I…"
Ren's gaze remained steady, anchoring Kiba's drifting soul. "You're allowed to want friends who aren't connected to your trauma. Or lovers. Or rivals. Or all three. You're not a ghost; you're a guy with a heavy sword and a good smile. Utilize that asset."
Kiba's ears turned faintly pink, the human teenager beneath the trauma peeking through. "…I will… consider it," he said, a genuine smile tugging at his lips.
Ren clapped his hands once, the sound sharp and final.
"Alright. Homework assigned. We meet back at the clubroom near sunset. Tell Sona you've got 'special training' if she complains about you cutting student duties."
Rias, who had been watching with a soft expression, nodded slowly. "Understood," she said, her voice regaining its regal composure. "Everyone, you heard him. Let's… take today seriously."
The group dispersed, moving back into the flow of Kuoh. Yet, they moved differently. Their steps were lighter, their auras tighter—contained, recirculating energy rather than leaking it, a side effect of the Myriad Origin Scripture.
Ren watched them go, taking the time to breathe in the silence before his date. Then he stretched his arms above his head, his joints cracking with a sound like shifting tectonic plates.
"Okay," he murmured to the empty air. "Now, about that date."
...
They didn't bother hiding it.
Rias walked on his right, her fingers loosely twined with his. Akeno took his left arm, her expression one of serene, predatory pleasure. Asia trotted just half a step behind, clutching his sleeve whenever the crowd jostled her. Koneko walked at his flank, close enough that their shoulders brushed, her golden eyes scanning the perimeter for trouble out of habit.
To the average passerby in the shopping district, it looked like a glitch in the social matrix—a relaxed, casually dressed Westerner effortlessly monopolizing four of the academy's supreme beauties.
To anyone sensitive to power—stray devils, exorcists, or spies—it looked like a walking catastrophe. It was a small, contained storm cell made of high-tier devil energy, revolving around a black hole that defied all magical detection senses.
Ren didn't care about either view. He walked with the swagger of a man who owned the very ground he stepped on, not because he had a deed, but because nothing could move him off it.
"So," he said as they turned down a quieter, tree-lined street. "Anywhere you guys want to go? Cake shop? Bookstore? Arcade?"
"You don't really care for games, Ren," Rias reminded him, amusement coloring her tone.
"I can still watch you lot wreck people at claw machines," he countered with a grin. "It's a spectator sport. Watching people rage-quit is universal entertainment."
Asia's eyes sparkled, her timid voice cutting in. "Ah… um… there is a small park nearby. The one with the fountain and the stray cats… I… like that place…"
Koneko's ears practically twitched under her hair. "…Cats," she murmured, her stoic mask cracking.
"Park it is," Ren decided cheerfully. "We can grab snacks on the way to fuel the expedition."
Akeno's lips curved into that familiar, dangerous smile. "Ara, ara… walking in the park, feeding cats, and eating snacks together… how very… high school," she teased, leaning her weight against his arm.
Rias smiled softly, looking at the dappled sunlight through the leaves. "Once, that would have been all I wanted," she murmured. "Just… simple days like that. Without the politics. Without the marriage."
Ren glanced at her sideways. "And now?"
She met his gaze, her crimson eyes clear and burning with a new kind of fire—not the desperate flame of a victim, but the steady blaze of a ruler. "Now I want that, and the power to protect it," she said firmly. "To protect them."
He squeezed her hand. His skin felt warm, calloused, and infinitely reassuring.
"Good answer."
They stopped at a boutique bakery known for its high prices and higher calorie counts. The owner, recognizing the "Princess" of Kuoh and her entourage, practically bowed them in.
Rias ordered a selection of intricate cakes that cost more than most people's weekly grocery bills. Asia hesitated at the display case, her eyes darting between a simple custard pudding and a strawberry tart piled high with glazed fruit.
"…Ren-san," she whispered, anxiety creeping into her voice. "Um… which one…?"
"Both," Ren said instantly.
Her eyes widened in horror. "E-Eh…? But that's… too much… I couldn't possibly…"
"That's the old Asia talking. The one who thinks she takes up too much space," Ren interrupted, his voice dropping to a softer register he reserved only for them. "The new Asia? She can have two desserts. Hell, she can have the whole shelf if she wants."
She bit her lip, looking up at him with watery eyes, then nodded, her cheeks flushing pink. "…Then… both," she said in a tiny, determined voice.
The owner beamed as she packed the boxes. "Such a cute girlfriend you have," she commented approvingly.
Ren threw his head back and laughed, a rich, uninhibited sound. "Right? She's great."
Asia looked as if she might spontaneously combust from happiness.
Koneko chose the densest, richest cheesecake available—a brick of dairy and sugar. Akeno selected something elegant with dark chocolate and a hint of orange liqueur. Rias eyed a rum chocolate cake with a slightly feral gleam that made Ren snicker.
They walked to the park, carrying paper bags filled with sugar. The early autumn air was crisp, the sunlight filtering through the turning leaves in shafts of gold. Children chased each other near the fountain. An old man fed pigeons on a bench.
It was aggressively normal.
"Ah… it's peaceful," Asia said, her steps lightening.
Koneko's gaze locked onto the low wall where several stray cats lounged. They sniffed the air, ears swiveling. Usually, animals were wary of Devil energy. But Koneko was different now. The Myriad Origin Scripture had purified her aura, blending her Youkai nature with the natural energy of the world. To the cats, she felt like a warm sunbeam.
They came trotting over.
She knelt, letting them climb into her lap. Her Touki wrapped around them in a soft, invisible blanket, shielding them from the chill. One black cat sprawled bonelessly across her thighs and started purring like a diesel engine.
"…This is good," Koneko murmured, her eyes half-closing.
Ren sat on the nearby bench, stretching his legs out and watching her with a lazy smile.
"See?" he said quietly to Rias and Akeno. "Dao Heart homework already in progress."
Rias lowered herself gracefully beside him, taking a careful, aristocratic bite of her cake. Akeno sat on his other side, crossing her legs. She had swapped her uniform for a casual blouse and skirt that somehow looked even more dangerous than her usual attire.
"Ara, ara," she purred, nibbling her chocolate. "And what about you, Ren-sama? Are you… enjoying this mundane little life?"
He looked at them—at Rias licking a bit of cream from her fork with unconscious elegance, at Asia humming happily as she shared crumbs with a particularly bold kitten, at Koneko's usually blank face softened by feline-induced bliss.
"Yeah," he said simply. "I like this feeling. Crushing idiots is fun. Slapping around arrogant Young Masters or Old Gods is satisfying. But this?" He gestured loosely at the scene. "This is better. This is the foundation."
Rias' cheeks colored faintly. "…Idiot," she whispered, but the word was wrapped in affection.
They spent the afternoon doing absolutely nothing of consequence.
Not training. Not strategizing how to defeat Riser Phenex's 'immortality.'
Just… existing.
They fed the cats. Asia tried—and failed—to scold Akeno for encouraging one particularly aggressive feline to use Ren's lap as a climbing post. Rias and Koneko got into a surprisingly intense, hushed debate over which cake texture was superior. Ren listened, amused, occasionally throwing in a comment that made Rias' competitive streak flare up over baking techniques.
Later, they wandered through town. Rias and Akeno dragged him into a clothing store "just to see," which inevitably turned into a fashion show where Ren was the judge. Asia tried on a soft, fluffy sweater that made her look even more like a walking "protect me" sign. Koneko found a hoodie with cat ears on the hood. She pretended to inspect the stitching critically until Ren quietly bought it and handed it to her with a simple, "Looks good on you. Wear it."
"…Thank you," she murmured, pulling it on immediately and hiding her face in the fabric.
As the sun began to dip, casting long shadows across Kuoh, their path took them past the old, abandoned church.
Asia's steps faltered. The air around her seemed to grow colder.
Ren watched her, but he didn't reach out. Not yet.
She stared at the crumbling building for a long moment. Moss grew on the stones; the windows were dark and jagged.
"…Ren-san," she said, her voice trembling. "Can we… go a little closer?"
"Sure."
They stood at the edge of the grounds, looking through the rusted iron fence.
"This is where…" Asia began, then stopped. Her fingers tightened around his hand until her knuckles turned white.
"Where you died," Ren finished for her. His voice was devoid of pity, stating it as a cold, hard fact. "Where Rias reached out a hand and pulled you into a new life."
She nodded, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
"And now," he added, his voice shifting, becoming gentle but firm, like bedrock, "it's just an empty building. It's wood and stone. The weight it has is only what you give it. Your mind creates the demons, Asia. Your mind can also banish them."
Asia's lips trembled. She looked at the rotting wood, then at the warm, solid hand holding hers.
"Then… I want it to be…" She swallowed, her resolve hardening. "…The place I left behind," she whispered. "Not the place that ruined me. Just… a place."
Ren squeezed her hand. "Good," he said. "That's a Dao Heart, too. Severing the karma of the past so you can walk forward."
They stayed for a while, letting the ghosts of the past settle into dust, before turning their backs on the church and walking away.
...
High above the school, Issei stood alone on the rooftop. The wind whipped at his hair, carrying the scents of the city below.
"A harem, huh…" he muttered, looking at his hands. "A real one…"
[Indeed, partner,] Ddraig's voice rumbled deep within his mind, resonating from the Boosted Gear. [It seems you have found a proper master. One who understands the nature of power.]
"…You mean Ren-sensei?"
[He treats power, women, and enemies with equal seriousness,] the dragon noted, sounding impressed. [That is rare. Most who desire harems treat them as trophies, not hearts. And most who seek power lose their humanity. This man… he is something else.]
Issei laughed weakly. "That sounds like the kind of lecture a dragon shouldn't be giving me."
[And yet, you are listening.]
Issei looked down at his chest. He could feel it—the Myriad Origin Scripture. It wasn't just magic; it was a biological revolution. It cycled under his skin, turning every stray fragment of energy, every wasted breath, into fuel. His body was becoming a closed-loop reactor.
His Soul Palace hummed, the Dragon Recycle Drive ready to spin up at a thought.
"…I don't want to be left behind," he said quietly to the wind. "President… Akeno… Asia… Koneko… they all… they look at Ren-sensei differently. And I…" He thumped his chest over his heart. "I still want my harem. But… I also want to stand next to them. Protect them. Not just cling to Rias-senpai's skirt and scream for help."
[Then you know what you must do,] Ddraig said. [Train. Feel. Decide. Your Dao Heart is still forming, merely a seed. Water it with your resolve.]
Issei grinned suddenly, a ferocious expression that looked a lot like a dragon baring its fangs.
"Right," he said. "I'll be the kind of Harem King who can look Ren-sensei in the eye and say, 'Move over, old man. I got this.'"
[Old man?] Ddraig snorted. [You have a death wish.]
Issei laughed, the sound carried away on the wind.
...
Elsewhere, Kiba sat in a quiet corner of the schoolyard. A paperback book lay open in front of him, unread. A cup of vending machine coffee cooled at his side.
He was watching a group of underclassmen practice kendo. The clack of bamboo swords, the shouts of exertion, the laughter of youth—it was a world he had been exiled from.
"…I never really thought about… after," he murmured.
His life had been defined by escape. By the Holy Sword Project. By revenge. By Rias' rescue. By atonement. He was a sword, and a sword did not dream of the future.
Now, with his Soul Palace condensed and his Sword Intent sharpened into the Heavy Earth Severing style, his path stretched further than the edge of a blade.
"I wonder…" he said softly, tilting his head. "Could I… teach? Someday?"
The thought startled him.
Teach with Ren's ridiculous, ruthless affection? Teach without chains? Pass on a sword style that wasn't about killing, but about protecting?
He smiled, closing his eyes for a moment. He could feel the vibration of the earth beneath him, the hum of the ley lines.
"Maybe," he whispered. "Just maybe."
...
The sun slid toward the horizon, painting Kuoh's sky in bruised purples and golds.
One by one, they drifted back to the old school building. The familiar wooden steps creaked underfoot, a comforting sound of home. The Occult Research Club's door stood slightly ajar, warm, yellow light spilling from within.
Rias was already there, sitting on the couch with a cup of tea in hand, her red hair loose and cascading over her shoulders. Akeno hovered by the tea set, as always, though tonight her movements were slower, lacking their usual frantic perfectionism. Asia sat on the edge of a chair, humming under her breath. Koneko occupied her usual spot near the table, the cat ears of her new hoodie pulled up, snacking on a biscuit.
Issei arrived next, looking oddly thoughtful, followed by Kiba, who carried a small paper bag from a bakery.
Ren was last.
He pushed the door open fully with his shoulder, raising a hand in a casual wave.
"Yo," he said. "Everyone survive their homework?"
Rias smiled, a genuine expression that reached her eyes. "Welcome back," she said. "We were just waiting for you."
He dropped into a comfortable spot, half on the arm of the couch, half sitting—a comfortably invasive presence that demanded space.
"So," he began, clapping his hands together once. The sound cut through the room. "Rating Game is tomorrow. You're all strong enough to steamroll Riser now. Honestly, with your current cultivation bases, fighting him is like a tank fighting a bicycle. That's handled."
Issei clenched his fists, eyes burning. "Yeah," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "We'll crush him."
"Good," Ren said, waving a hand dismissively. "Because I don't want you stressing about him tonight. He's a stepping stone. I want to talk about something else."
They all focused, drawn in by his gravity.
"After you beat him," Ren said, leaning forward. "After the marriage contract is torn up, and everyone stops screaming about pure-blooded politics for five minutes… what do you want to do?"
The question hung in the air, heavy and significant.
"Not just 'next week,'" he clarified. "I mean, in general. Your direction. Your Dao Heart. It doesn't have to be a perfect answer. Just… the flavor."
Rias set her cup down carefully. The china clinked against the saucer.
"…Then I will answer first," she said.
Everyone turned to her.
She took a breath, expanding her lungs. "I don't want to be just 'the Gremory heiress who avoided an arranged marriage,'" she stated. "I want to be a King who can look my brother, my parents, and the other Pillars in the eye and say, 'This is my way.'"
Her crimson aura flickered, the Throne of Ruin manifesting briefly behind her—a spectral chair of shadows and destruction.
"I want to build a peerage that is not just strong, but… whole," she continued. "A place where damaged people—like us—can grow. Where a runaway nun, a traumatized knight, a quiet first-year, and a perverted boy can all find a home… and then surpass even the highest-class devils."
A small smile tugged at her lips, softening the intensity of her aura.
"And," she added, glancing at Ren with unmasked affection, "I want to stand beside you. As your woman, yes. But also as a Queen in my own right. Not a burden. Not someone you have to constantly protect. Someone who can shoulder a piece of your ridiculous plans."
Ren's eyes softened, a rare warmth filling them. "Good," he said quietly. "I like that flavor for you. Royalty suited for the battlefield."
Akeno's smile turned thoughtful, her eyes drifting to the lightning crackling faintly around her fingertips.
"In that case," she said, "I suppose it's my turn."
She folded her hands neatly in her lap.
"I want to chew through my grudges," she said, the sweetness of her voice contrasting with the violence of her words. "Properly. Not just… let them rot inside me. I want to face my father, my clan, and the Himejima name… on my terms."
Her wings—one devil leathery, one black feathered fallen—fluttered faintly in spectral memory.
"I want to become someone who can embrace all of myself without flinching," she continued. "The shrine maiden, the devil, the fallen. The sadist and the gentle friend. And I want to be the kind of Queen who can help Rias, you, and everyone else bear the weight of what's coming."
Her eyes gleamed with voltage. "And if I can electrocute a few deserving idiots along the way, that would be a lovely bonus."
Ren chuckled. "Very on-brand," he said. "I approve. Ruthlessness is a virtue when applied correctly."
Asia pressed a hand over her heart, feeling the steady beat beneath her ribs.
"I…" she began, then looked down. "I think I want to be… a bridge," she said slowly. "Between humans and devils. Between different faiths."
She lifted her gaze, her green eyes bright with tears she refused to shed.
"I want to open a place someday," she said. "A clinic… or an orphanage. A place where anyone can come and be healed, no matter what they are. Where no one is thrown away for helping the 'wrong' person."
Her cheeks pinked, and she glanced at Ren shyly.
"And I want to… stay by your side, Ren-san," she added in a rush. "As your girlfriend… as long as you will have me. To support you when you're tired and make sure you don't forget to rest."
Ren reached over and gently ruffled her hair, messing up her veil. "I'll look forward to that," he said. "We'll need a good healer where we're going."
Koneko tugged on her hoodie's ears, staring at the table.
"…I don't like talking," she muttered. "But…"
Everyone waited, giving her the silence she needed.
"I want to… accept being a Nekomata," she said finally. "Properly. Not just… tolerate it."
Her tail flicked under the table, manifesting for a brief second.
"I want to protect people like me," she went on. "Strays. Kids. I want to become someone who can stand in front of them and say, 'It's okay to be what you are.'"
She glared at Ren half-heartedly. "…And I want to punch anyone who makes fun of my height."
He grinned. "Reasonable goal. Height is just condensed power, right?"
Issei cleared his throat, standing up.
"Alright," he said. "My turn."
The usual flippant, perverted grin wasn't there. Instead, his expression was surprisingly firm, etched with the beginnings of maturity.
"I still want to be a Harem King," he said bluntly. "That hasn't changed. I like girls. I like boobs. I like being surrounded by people I love."
Ren Ming smiled, nodding. "The first step is to properly admit your desires without shame. Desire is the engine of cultivation."
"And," Issei continued, his voice rising, resonating with the dragon inside him, "what Ren-sensei said made me think. A real harem isn't just about collecting girls like action figures. It's about… earning it."
He thumped his chest, the sound hollow and loud.
"I want to become a man who can protect everyone I care about," he said. "Who can stand next to Rias-buchou, Akeno-san, Asia, Koneko-chan, and even Ren-sensei and not be dead weight."
He grinned suddenly, eyes blazing with green fire.
"I want to be the kind of Harem King who can look God, the Maous, and the Dragon Gods in the eye and say, 'These are my precious people. If you touch them, I'll punch you into the next dimension.'"
Ren laughed out loud. "Good start to a Dao Heart," he said. "Messy, loud, but clear. Dominance through protection."
Kiba chuckled softly, setting the bakery bag on the table.
"…Then I suppose it's finally my turn," he said. "I brought some pastries. We can share them while we speak."
Rias smiled. "Thank you, Kiba."
He took a slow breath, centering himself.
"I… spent many years thinking only of revenge," he admitted. "Then… of atonement. My life was always a reaction. To the church. To the swords. To my own survival."
His hand curled into a fist, then relaxed, letting the phantom tension bleed away.
"Now," he said, "I want to create something. With my sword. A style, perhaps. A school. A path where children like me—thrown away, experimented on, used—can take up a blade and carve a future without chains."
He smiled a little, looking at his friends.
"And I want to walk beside everyone here," he added. "Not as a shadow with a smile painted on, but as… myself. Whatever that ends up being."
Silence settled in the room—but it was a warm, comfortable silence. The air felt charged, thick with the potential of their declared futures.
Ren sat back, letting their words sink into the air, into the wood and the walls and the very fabric of the clubroom. Their Dao Hearts, still forming, pulsed quietly—embryonic stars waiting to ignite.
"…Good," he said finally. "That's enough for now. You don't have to carve it in stone. It'll change as you grow. But having a direction? That matters more than raw power."
He tapped his own chest.
"For me," he said, "you already know. I'm planning to spread my methods—the Dao—across this world. Slowly. Carefully. Start with you, then maybe Sona's people, maybe a few Fallen, maybe a dragon or two who don't annoy me."
His eyes drifted briefly, glazing over as if looking beyond the clubroom, beyond Kuoh, beyond this dimension.
"Eventually?" he mused. "We'll go further. Other pantheons, other realms. Maybe even other universes. But that's a long-term project. First, we handle your little bridal dodgeball match."
Rias choked on her tea. "P-Please do not call it that in front of Sirzechs-nii," she begged, coughing.
"No promises," Ren said, flashing a grin.
They laughed.
The crushing tension that had coiled around them since the Rating Game was announced eased, dissolving into the warm atmosphere of the room.
Outside, the sky darkened completely. The lights of Kuoh flickered on. Somewhere far away, in the Underworld, nobles, devils, and ancient beings continued to adjust their plans, ignorant of the monster growing in the human world.
Inside the old school building, a human cultivator from another world sat with a devil princess, her thunder priestess Queen, a fallen nun, a nekomata girl, a traumatized knight, and a perverted dragon host.
They drank tea. Ate pastries. Argued about tactics and snacks in equal measure.
Ren Ming smiled, listening to them bicker, feeling their presences brush against his Saint Kingdom like small but bright stars revolving around his sun.
Train my students. Break the game. Love my women. Punch anything that gets in the way.
His Dao Heart pulsed quietly, affirming the path.
"Alright," he said at last, pushing himself to his feet. The motion signaled the end of the peace. "Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, you all crush a flaming ant."
"Osu!" Issei yelled, pumping a fist.
Rias stood, her eyes burning with the promise of Ruin. "Yes," she said. "Let's end this."
Akeno's smile turned sharp, electricity dancing in her hair. "Ara, ara… I'm looking forward to roasting some poultry," she purred.
Asia clasped her hands, praying. "I-I'll do my best…!"
Koneko cracked her knuckles, the sound like dry twigs snapping. "…I'll aim for the face," she said deadpan.
Kiba smiled, drawing an invisible sword, his stance shifting. "We'll show them," he said. "The power of our… Dao Hearts."
Ren laughed, walking toward the door. "Now you're getting it."
Outside, the night settled over Kuoh Academy.
Tomorrow, the Rating Game.
Tonight, their paths had taken their first real step beyond it.