Itogami Island, as a demon district, had only recently been gripped by panic due to a spatial distortion.
But in the blink of an eye, everything returned to calm, as if nothing had ever happened. The people living here seemed unaffected, carrying on as usual.
It truly lived up to its name as a "demon district." What would be considered an extraordinary event in any normal country was just another ordinary day here.
At the top floor of Saikai Academy's office building...
Natsuki Minamiya, now free once more, sat there sipping her tea, her face glowing with contentment.
The taste of exquisite tea, savored in person rather than through a clone, was naturally a different experience altogether.
"Natsuki, is this what Saikai Academy has become?"
Aya Tokoyogi stood quietly by the window, gazing out at the scene before her.
This place wasn't just a repository of Natsuki Minamiya's memories and cherished moments—it was also one of the few sanctuaries in her heart.
It was here that she had met Natsuki Minamiya, where they had become friends. Though their story hadn't ended as they'd hoped, ten years had passed, and the grudges between them had finally come to an end.
"Ah, ten years. So much has changed."
Natsuki Minamiya fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
Both of them now served August, and the conflicts of their past had been buried.
Yet Natsuki still harbored guilt toward Aya Tokoyogi, while Aya, in turn, still held some resentment toward Natsuki. But out of loyalty to August, she kept it suppressed.
"Do you know what our master plans to do here?"
"Not entirely, but from what he's let slip before, it seems he intends to build an Empire of the Night on this island—one that doesn't belong to the vampire progenitors."
"If that's the case, then the Fourth Progenitor is an obstacle."
"Yes, that's true."
In the past, Natsuki Minamiya wouldn't have thought this way. She had been an instructor for Itogami Island's security team and a teacher at Saikai Academy, her loyalties firmly tied to the island.
But things were different now. She had become August's vassal, and with that, her priorities had shifted.
Saikai Academy remained a pure sanctuary in her heart, but its importance had diminished. August's interests now took precedence.
"That child has become the Fourth Progenitor's blood companion. She shares my face, my blood—she's like my other self. I can't accept that she's been tainted like this."
"Aya, you still care about that?"
"No, I don't. But our master is a man with an overwhelming sense of possession."
Aya Tokoyogi looked at Natsuki Minamiya as she spoke slowly. Though their interactions had been limited, her keen senses as a witch had already picked up on August's personality traits.
"That man—he's lustful, reckless, self-centered, and possessive to an extreme. He's practically a problem child."
"Well, he is an unrestrained demon king, after all."
Unlike Natsuki Minamiya, Aya, as the bearer of the Precept of Pride, understood August's true nature more deeply.
A demon king embodying the four deadly sins was the very definition of "evil." With that in mind, his various flaws seemed almost natural.
"What do you plan to do?"
As a friend, Natsuki Minamiya keenly sensed Aya Tokoyogi's intentions.
"Nothing much. Since this is a problem I left behind, I'll deal with it myself."
"You're no match for the Fourth Progenitor. He's already awakened two familiars. Even with the power August gave you, you might not be able to defeat him."
"No, I can. Natsuki, you haven't experienced it yourself, so you don't understand how powerful the strength our master granted me truly is."
"That curse of the precept?"
"No, it's Pride. It's the precept our master bestowed upon me. In my presence, anyone's strength is diminished. The stronger they are, the less it affects them—but the weaker they are, the more devastating it becomes."
"But Kojou Akatsuki, as the Fourth Progenitor, is absolutely stronger than you."
"Natsuki, have you ever seen my true power since I received our master's strength?"
Aya Tokoyogi smiled suddenly, and her Dark Guardian materialized behind her.
Natsuki Minamiya's eyes widened in shock as she saw the once-smooth armor now covered in jagged spikes.
The magical energy radiating from it was no less than that of a progenitor-level familiar. Could that so-called precept really enhance her guardian to such a degree?
Natsuki didn't know. Her own guardian had been sealed by her own hand long ago.
Its power was so immense that its mere presence distorted space, so she had crafted golden armor to restrain it.
Even after her rebirth as a demon god, she hadn't summoned her guardian, unsure if it too had been enhanced.
But she didn't care to find out—or rather, she didn't want to. If something went wrong and her guardian had grown stronger, summoning it could destroy all of Saikai Academy.
A single misstep could drag everything into a spatial vortex, with no telling what damage it might cause.
Aya Tokoyogi stepped out, and Natsuki Minamiya didn't stop her.
After all, Yuma Tokoyogi was the daughter Aya had created. How she chose to handle her was her own affair.
---
Meanwhile, at a research division of Itogami Island's MAR medical department, immense magical power began to surge from Kojou Akatsuki's body.
Not far away, Yuiri Haba and Shio Hikawa sat on a nearby sofa, their faces drained of life, their eyes devoid of light, as if they were walking corpses.
Earlier that morning, they had received orders from the Lion King Organization.
They were to seek out Kojou Akatsuki, the Fourth Progenitor, and let him feed on their blood.
Both had wanted to refuse, but having been raised and trained by the Lion King Organization from childhood, they had no right to say no.
In the end, they had no choice but to obey, coming to Kojou Akatsuki and allowing him to drink their blood.
Yuiri Haba was somewhat accustomed to it, as it wasn't her first time, but Shio Hikawa had always despised Kojou Akatsuki. Being forced to submit to him now left her utterly broken and resigned.
Both Yuiri Haba and Shio Hikawa had accepted their fate.
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