51 Shingune and Poh.

When Kurayami's group came over, they immediately saw Vali, Kouki, and Jack looking at the top of the mountain. The moment they came over they immediately recognized the aura of a Cadre and some sacred gear holders.

"You're finally here?"

Kurayami looked at Vali who called out to him.

"I was not late though. Jack, how are you doing?"

"I am doing great. If it were not for you sir I would have been stuck in that camp."

Kurayami squinted his eyes as he looked at him as he had an idea.

"I have an offer for you Jack. Of course, we don't have much time right now, but bring Clarise with you next time."

Jack did not know what he wanted to offer him, but it was not something bad.

"I will hear you out, sir."

Kurayami looked at Shin and nudged the dog gently.

"Boy. Lead us up. While he is just a Cadre, we don't know if he has some other backer."

Shin barked and began to sniff the ground and began to lead them up. Kouki looked at Shin as his Byakusa had told him it was dangerous. Really fucking dangerous.

"Hey, bro. What is that dog?"

Akeno smirked and picked up Shin who yelped as he was taken by surprise. He was already as big as a bear and yet she still picked him up easily. He felt so embarrassed as he tried to squirm out of her hold, but no dice.

Kurayami saw how Shin was begging for his help, but he was not being harmed so he let it go. Akeno bragged about Shin as she loved the big dog just as much as Kurayami did.

"This is Shin. He is a sacred gear like yours, but better in every way."

Kouki's lips twitched and the cat hissed.

"How is that fleabag better?"

As if the nice dog look was just a marriage, tens of blades pointed at Kouki's face, organs, limbs, and eyes. He froze up while he was still mid-might. Akeno laughed at him as she knew Shin did not like being called fleabag.

"That's why he is better. Your wasting time. March."

She put down Shin who kept leading them up the mountain. As it was pitch black, Natsume stayed closer to Kurayami as she was afraid of the dark. The other reason was that Griffon was on his shoulder so her sacred gear was with him.

All the while Akeno was playing around with the shadows in her hands. She mixed it in with her spells while her spear had started to feed on it. She appreciated that Azrael and Kurayami had made it stronger for her, but the hard work was up to her.

They walked up the mountain moving around the trees and bad terrain. Most of the surrounding landscapes consisted only of fields, mountains, and forests. After that, there was nothing but darkness.

Annabeth, Kurayami, Esdeath, Raynare, Akeno, Tobio, Lavinia, and Baraqiel could see perfectly in the dark. Lavinia for the fact she used magic on her eyes and the rest for that they were not human.

Kouki and Natsume couldn't as they were still human. Barakiel looked around the area and looked at Kurayami who had the strongest sense among them.

"Kurayami, anyone around?"

Kurayami nodded.

"Out in the forest, there are a few people."

Suddenly the weaker members were assaulted by decently strong pressure. To Kurayami, Raynare, Esdeath, Akeno, Annabeth, and Lavinia it was no big deal. to the others, it was still making their skin crawl. As it was pitch black in their dark places, it felt as though they were being watched by that everlasting darkness.

Kurayami looked at Natsume who was keeping close to him. He reached around and grabbed her shoulder so she was closer to him. She felt safer to be in his arms, but a little embarrassed.

"Natsume, don't be afraid of the dark, It is pointless. You have me here and I am much scarier than the dark."

Shin barked as he was like the night itself.

"The dark is so unpleasant. Makes the atmosphere scary, but your right. I have you."

She reached out and wrapped an arm around his waste to be safer. Annabeth took his other arm sneakily before the others managed to do so. Kurayami looked at her before he kept walking.

"If you feel safer like that, I don't mind."

Kouki grit his teeth as he was jealous.

'Damn, he gets all the women. Lucky bastard'

He looked at the cat on his shoulder who was on guard, but then he looked at Shin. He was relaxed and made his cat look weak. He was a little envious, but he did not take it to heart.

The big issue he had was the giant dragon following behind them. Every step it took caused the trees to shake and it was the pet of Kurayami. Suddenly a bush rattled and freaked out Natsume who completely wrapped herself around Kurayami.

"Hyah,"

She shrieked and hugged Kurayami tightly. Natsume did not panic and let go of Kurayami and drew her large dagger from her sheath. Tobio and Kouki raised their guards, but what emerged was a raccoon twitching its nose. Kurayami whistled called it and it walked up to him.

He picked it up and decided to ask him some questions.

"Hey, pal. You see a weird guy with brown hair around? He

The raccoon made some sounds that Kurayami understood.

"Thank you. Here is something for the trouble."

He gave it some magic and suddenly the raccoon tripled in size and ran off. Natsume sighed in relief as she saw what it was.

"Just a raccoon?"

Kouki was bright red and lowered his raised arms and took a deep breath. Natsume, let go of Kurayami as she freaked out about the raccoon. She was ashamed of herself and covered her eyes in shame.

"A raccoon, why did it have to be a raccoon."

Akeno and Raynare shook their heads at her as she needed a confidence boost. Akeno got a good idea in her sadistic head.

"You can't freak out about a little sound. Maybe we should leave you in the dark to get over your fear."

She had a sadistic look on her face and licked her lips. Baraqiel noticed and shuddered at her face.

'Oh no. She is just like Shuri.'

He looked at Kurayami as he expected him to be like him. Kurayami denied the causation instantly.

"Dad. I am no masochist like you."

Baraqiel felt his pride shatter and they all looked at him weirdly.

Kouki broke out laughing at the idea.

"Big bad Baraqiel is a masochist?"

Kurayami nodded.

"You should hear the sounds he makes. It is kind of funny."

Baraqiel was bright red and Natsue looked like she lost all respect for him and he slammed his foot down.

"He is lying"

Kurayami shook his head as he walked ahead.

"Sure I am."

No one believed him and they all kept their distance from him. Akeno looked at Kurayami and had a fantasy where she did that to him. He noticed that and glanced at her with squinted eyes. He bonked her on the head causing her to hold her head in pain.

"Drop that thought from your head."

She looked down, but a small blush formed on her face. Her long hair hid it and she calmed down. She was both an M and S which made her interesting. He was not opposed to going along with the fetishes of the girls, but not yet.

At that moment everyone suddenly felt something and looked North. The weaker ones also turned to face the same way and they experienced a sensation of indescribably ominous chills running through their backs.

From that direction, Kurayami could sense the familiar aura of a Cadre. Kurayami spoke up about what it was.

"It's the aura of Satanael. Why would he also show himself here when he knew we would be after him? He knows how strong I am."

At his son's words, Barakiel's expression became complicated. Satanael was once his friend, but now he was the fallen angel who had caused the current incident. He cut ties with Grigori and stole secret knowledge along with Arondight.

Barakiel spoke as he made his decision.

"I'm going over there. I need to know why he would betray us."

As he was about to take off they heard more bushed move and they thought it was another animal. For a moment they waited for it, but from the shadows of the bush was a frantic lone girl.

Her hair was braided with dark-tinged features that showed she was a foreigner. Tobio, Natsume, and Kouki were astonished upon seeing her familiar face. Looking at her heterochromatic eyes told them who she was.

Her right eye was blue, and her left eye was black. Seeing her made Kurayami raise and eyebrow at her look. She was very beautiful he had to say. He spoke up as he knew who she was.

"Nanadaru Shigune? That you?"

She could barely think and was wearing the school uniform of the school she had transferred to. It had gotten dirty in several places, and there were even parts that were torn revealing some of her skin. She was breathing heavily, as she had just been fleeing for her life.

She looked at Kurayami who called out to her which gave her some hope.

"Please help me."

Barakiel tried to get her to calm down as Kurayami might make it worse with his unchanging face.

"Take a deep breath and relax. You are in shock."

When she calmed down she looked at Natsume, Tobio, and Kouki who were familiar to her.

"Tobio, Natsume, and Kouki? It's a good thing you are safe."

Shigune was so happy that she ended up sinking to the ground right where she was. If they were here, it must be safe.

"Are you alright?"

Kurayami walked up to her and yet his attention was taken by the small creature in her arms. Natsume rushed to her as she felt a woman would be able to calm her down better than a bunch of men. At the same time, Tobio and Kouki relaxed their tension to a degree and smiled happily.

Kurayami only cared for one thing.

"Is that your Sacred Gear, can I hold it? It is so fat and fluffy. Just once."

Shigunu saw how his arms went toward her sacred gear while his eyes were full of greed. She thought he wanted to steal Poh freaking her out. As he said this they all looked at it and saw how cute he was.

Esdeath, Raynare, Annabeth, and Akneo all grabbed his arms or his waist to pull him away.

"Leave it."

Kurayami sighed as he just wanted to carry him.

"Come on. Just let me carry. Just once. I promise not to steel it."

Esdeath shook her head as she knew better.

"No way. You will try to scam her out of it."

Kurayami accepted it as it was true.

"It only happened once."

Tobio frowned as that once took a chunk of his soul.

In Shigune's arms was a small four-legged animal that was wearing a mask over its face. Two horns were growing from its head. The mask had some Japanese kanji all over it like a seal.

However, the mask's pattern was one that Kurayami was familiar with. When he was looking for interesting pets to steal he had noticed something identical in a book. It was a pattern related to Toutetsu, the strongest of the four fiends. In other words, the creature Shigune was holding was a Sacred Gear.

Shigune having been calmed down decided to warn them of danger.

"We should get away from here! People are using strange powers and are coming for me."

Kurayami pointed at Shin at his side as she just noticed a bear-sized dog. She also had completely missed Tyrant right behind as for a giant, he could be surprisingly quiet. Both Shin and Tyrant turned to look at the woods as they felt something.

Kurayami and his team were relaxed as this was easy, but Tobio, Kouki, Natsume, and Shigune were nervous. With the sound of flapping wings, Griffon left Kurayami's shoulder and he perched on Natusme's shoulder. Kouki prepared as Byakusa moved from his shoulder to his arm and its tails turned into lances.

A weird laugh was heard from in front of them and what appeared in the dark illuminated by Kurayami's fire that appeared in his hand. it was an uncanny, one-legged, fifty-centimeter stone statue. With tiny wings growing from its back and a single horn on its head, it was quite grotesque.

Barakiel stiffened and shouted as the stone statue suddenly moved as though it was violently shivering.

"Close your eyes!"

Kurayami just snapped his fingers and the statue was turned to ash by Death fire. Barakiel looked at his son and praised him.

"Well done. That was the Cursed Statue of Radiance and If one directly looks at the light it releases, it causes blindness."

Natsume gasped at the thought.

"Isn't that beyond terrifying?

Baraqiel nodded.

"That is just one of the effects. They are ones that would steal eyesight, or possibly lose their hearing. Ones cause severe mental pollution with serious side effects or others that utilize insects that would parasitically feed on the opponent's body gradually from the inside. The Abyss team is perfect for Assassination, and torture."

Tobio shuddered.

"A team that kills at first sight, if that's the truth I rather not have them as opponents though."

Kurayami group all broke out laughing.

"You won't as you would be dead if you were our foe."

Esdeath shrugged as it was just like them.

"Killing your foe is the best solution except in some cases where you want to take their sacred gear, or when you want to torture them."

She licked her lips causing everyone to shiver. Before they could react they heard a disturbing laugh that came from a skinny man. He was dressed in something similar to the 'Nephilim' uniform worn by Tobio and the other high school students.

He wore sunglasses, had a crooked mouth, and wore an ugly smile on his face. At his feet was another uncanny stone statue. Its eyes were closed once again.

"Can't let you meet the teacher, so here I am."

Kurayami sighed.

"This will be a long night, so traitor will you come quietly or will I have to disembowel you?"

Shin growled and the boy saw how his statue was destroyed easily, but he had no choice. He was just a grunt after all. he couldn't even use a balance breaker.

"While I am weak. I wish to render you blind. I want to make you understand the sensation of being blind."

Esdeath sighed and the boy and statue were turned to ice.

"He is alive and has about a minute before he dies. Do we need his sacred gear?"

Baraqiel shook his head.

"No."

The ice turned to dust and he was killed. His sacred gear was returned to the heaven system as it was unwanted. Tobio, Natsume, Kouki, and Shigune just saw a murder for the first time and it was effortless.

Kurayami patted Tovio on the shoulder to see the truth of the world.

"Welcome to the real world. You will have to do the same in time, cousin. No exceptions."

Tobio looked down. He didn't say anything, but he thought of Sae.

'I need to be stronger for her. Even if I have to kill.'

Raynar looked at him and felt the resolve growing in him.

'If he can get over his weak mind he should be decently strong.'

As soon as the man died the forest returned to life. There was no longer any killing intent being released. Shigune then spoke to everyone as though having just remembered.

"Koga! I forgot that he's fighting in the village that's over there!"

Shigune's expression was urgent as she pointed toward the village.

Baraqiel drew his sword and spoke up as he was prepared to head to face Satanel.

"Shigune."

Suddenly being called out by name, Shigune froze.

"Y-Yessir!"

Baraqiel looked at her and gave his orders.

"You can bring them along to where Koga Hyousuke is, right?"

It was a request from Baraqiel who looked scary. while tightly embracing her Sacred Gear she nodded. Barakiel then looked at Kurayami and the rest.

"I will speak with Satanael. You guys go deal with the Abyss class. With all of you there it will be easy."

Kurayami looked at Tyrant as his huge body illuminated the area. He fully activated his new Dragon Core which thumped like a magic nuclear reactor.

"Take him with you. He wants to stretch his new body."

Shigune still was gawking at how huge he was. He lowered his head and looked her in the eyes. She felt faint, but Kurayami began to place his hand on his face.

"Don't worry. He won't eat you. Yet."

Barakiel turned his gaze upon the masked beast Shigune was carrying.

"Whatever you do, be careful when using that Sacred Gear. What you are holding is the strongest of the Four Fiends, 'Tāotiè Toutetsu'. It will cause untold carnage if he is unleashed the moment it's used."

Upon hearing this statement, Tobio and the other former Ryoukou students were shocked. The small anime Nanadaru Shigune was holding. was that strong. Shigune however was merely finding those words to be strange.

"I don't think Poh is a danger though that dragon looked scarier."

Kurayami whistled and from her hands jumped out Poh and walked up to Kurayami. She was shocked that was all it took as he picked it up.

"Do not be fooled. While cute Poh is a creature of misfortune. Right?"

It started to whine and he held out a purple fire which it began to eat. They watched as the gluten ate Longinus fire like it was a snack. It kept up for a minute and it burped purple smoke.

"He was hungry."

Even as Shigune was shocked the creature opened its large mouth that was hidden under the mask. From the sharp fangs lined up inside its mouth, it let out a completely unique sound.

"Poh".

They all looked at her and were weirded out. Kurayami felt it was a waste to name it such a boring name.

"You could have named him anything and you choose the sound he makes."

He handed it back to her and Shigune nodded.

"From the sound 'Poh', his name became Poh"

She lovingly embraced Poh which was really 'Tāotiè Toutetsu'. Just from looking at Poh, it didn't appear all that atrocious on the surface at least. Barakiel immediately began to walk away while Tyrant and Vali followed him.

"I really should go with you as well. There may be a battle with Satanael."

Barakiel replied without even turning his head.

"You can come, but Tyrant should be enough. He is stronger than you, I think."

Hearing that statement, Vali's fearless smile vanished, and his expression became one of annoyed.

"How am I worse than Tyrant?"

Tyrant snorted and followed Baraqiel. The sounds of his massive footsteps shook the ground as he did so. He was itching to use this new body for his master's sake. When they were gone, Raynare asked Shigune where they were going.

"Well then, do you know Koga's whereabouts?"

Shigune pointed towards the interior of the village a bit west.

"I came from that mountain over there. On the way, Koga stayed behind on the mountain to fight some scary people."

Everyone nodded, and they began walking. After about ten minutes they entered the village. While they were advancing along a country road. While shining some light spears on the road they were heading towards the mountain. Being a delinquent and being bored Kouki complained about everything.

"We walk and walk and there's nothing but paddy fields."

Kurayami looked back tired of him

"Try doing the same with 20 tons through Siberia in just shorts and a tank top."

Esdeath, Raynare, and Akeno all shuddered as they had done it before. They did not do the same weight as him, but it was still a lot. Seeing that made Kouki stop complaining unless they forced him to do that.

At that moment Shigune noticed the sleeping black cat on Kurayami's head and asked him about her.

"Can I pet it?"

Kurayami forgot all about Kuroka as she could be super quite. He looked up to wake her up.

"Kuroka. Wake up."

She yawned and tried to sleep again.

"Just a few more hours."

Shigune was shocked it could talk.

"Ignore her. This is Kuroka and she turned into a cat when she is lazy. She is not really a cat. She is one of my fiances."

Kuroka looked at Shigune and winked.

"I am a Nekoshou, not a cat."

She fell back asleep and Esdeath, Raynnre, and Akeno shook their heads. Lavinia smiled and hugged Kuraymi from behind. He was going through a huge growth spurt and he was very close to reaching Baraqiel's height.

His father was 6'2, but Kurayami was already 6'0 at just 14. Just as they were going to keep going they heard Shigune's stomach let out a rumble. Kurayami gave her a box of crackers that were made of magic grains.

"Each one has the equivalent food for a person."

She started to eat them and she actually ate ten. They looked at her like a glutton as she and Poh were alike. Poh didn't have to eat as he was sated from the dense flames from Kurayami.

Natsume looked at Shigunes stomach and frowned.

"You haven't gained weight at all. How enviable."

Natsume let out a sigh while comparing it with her own stomach. Kurayami wrapped his hand around her waist making her blush.

"Your waistline is fine and you are quite pretty on your own. Just lay off the carbs and work out more."

Natsume blushed as he held her waist.

"So I am not fat?"

He looked down and shook his head.

"If you are fat then anorexic people must be chubby. You're just fine."

He let go of her waist and started walking again. Esdeath to ask how she got free.

"We heard you were temporarily captured by the 'Utsusemi Agency'? And you were perfectly fine?"

Shigune shook her head.

"Uh-uh. Not the 'Utsusemi Agency'. The ones who captured us were the Abyss team. They betrayed the Utsusemi Agency and fled with us during their attempt to capture us. They have been talking about Azrael is coming, but the leader is not afraid for some reason.

Shigune continued her explanation further from what she knew.

"They took us to a research institution somewhere. They desired a means to extract a Sacred Gear, to extract Poh. They subjected me and Koga to something. Some kind of experiment it seemed, several times. Eventually, I think he was a boss over there or something. He had brown hair and a suit. He reached an agreement with Koga"

Kurayami found it weird.

'So he doesn't know how to remove a sacred gear. Azazel kept it to himself did he.'

Kurayami looked over and asked.

"So what did he do?"

She shuddered and hugged Poh tighter.

"Koga become a monster."

Koiki was interested in what kind.

"So Koga became a monster then? Let's see shall we."

As she was about to answer a strange aura assaulted the forest. A thunderous roar resounded from the direction of the mountain. Kurayami knew what that was.

"Seems he has an artificial balance breaker. Let's go check it out."