"All copied. This contains all data on Divine Steel and the dimensional warship," Radley said, pausing her work in the president's office to hand Roy a USB drive.
"Good job," Roy said, pocketing it and outlining MAR's next steps.
In short: mass production.
Optimize artificial beast tech, minimize costs, and create the strongest beasts with the least resources.
"Can you do it?" Roy asked.
"The tech's already advanced. Further improvement takes time," Radley said.
"How long?" Roy pressed.
"Six months to a year," Radley estimated.
"If you had Biblical faction alchemy, could you speed it up?" Roy asked.
"I haven't tried, so I'm not sure, but it'd likely inspire some breakthroughs," Radley said.
"Then give it a shot," Roy decided.
Post-summit, devils, angels, and fallen angels were set for full cooperation.
This included tech exchanges and joint learning.
Whether Sazeks would accept MAR's inclusion was the question.
Roy pulled out his phone, scrolled to the second-to-last contact, and dialed.
"No problem, I'm on it."
"Got it. I'll send someone to negotiate specifics."
"Trusted manager? My people are tied up, but I can find someone from another family if you're okay with it."
"She's reliable, don't worry."
"Alright, leave it to me."
The brief call echoed in the room.
Ending the sudden communication, Sazeks glanced aside. "Ajuka, Roy's taken MAR."
"No surprise," Ajuka said.
He'd heard Shavliar wasn't at MAR today.
Without a god-tier foe, Roy failing would've been odder.
"MAR's fall will spread within half a day," Ajuka said. "We need to monitor MAR's major branches for Shavliar's desperate moves."
"Roy mentioned that," Sazeks said, his expression odd. "He caught MAR's executive director—Shavliar's sister, Radley."
Ajuka blinked. "Intel said Radley was with Shavliar, away from HQ. Where'd he grab her?"
Sazeks shook his head. "No clue. Roy didn't elaborate."
"Classic Red Dragon Emperor, always full of surprises," Ajuka said.
Radley wasn't ordinary.
As Shavliar's sister and a Takanotsume member, she was second only to him at MAR.
Using her life as leverage minimized the fallout from MAR's takeover.
But…
"She's Takanotsume. Even with restraints, we can't fully trust her," Ajuka said. "Roy's not into managing factions. Should we send someone to watch her?"
"Roy brought it up. He wants a trustworthy person to co-manage MAR," Sazeks said.
"Your face says you've got someone in mind," Ajuka noted.
Sazeks nodded. "She's young, but the Phoenix family's little princess has the knack."
"Phoenix?" Ajuka mused.
Due to Rias, Roy recently faced the Phoenix's third son in a Rating Game.
Sending a Phoenix wasn't ideal.
But Ajuka had heard rumors about the Phoenix princess.
After the Rating Game, she took an interest in Roy.
The Phoenix patriarch even privately asked Sazeks about him.
"You're using this to smooth over Phoenix tensions?" Ajuka asked.
"Partly. Also, I want Roy to build connections," Sazeks said.
"You want him as a Demon Lord?"
"Maybe. Even if he does nothing, being a nexus is enough."
"Got it," Ajuka said, thoughtful.
His niece might fit Roy's team, too.
---
After the call, Roy left cleanup to Radley and Masaru Suzuki.
He teleported home with Le Fay and Kuroka.
"Your place is huge, meow," Kuroka said, gawking.
"Don't wander," Roy said, leading her to the third floor, second room on the right, and knocking twice.
"Come in, it's unlocked," Koneko's voice called.
Roy pushed the door open.
Unlike Asia's minimalist room, Koneko's was filled with figurines.
In a corner, Koneko focused on a game controller.
Hearing the door, she glanced over, blinking at Roy, set the controller down, and approached. "Roy, what's up?"
"Ran into your sister today," Roy said.
"You okay?" Koneko asked.
"Fine. Her strength? I'd drop her in three moves," Roy said, turning. "Stop hiding. Get in here."
"Ahem, coming, meow," Kuroka said, peeking from the doorframe, waving at Koneko. "Long time no see, Shirone."
"Kuroka?!" Koneko tensed, summoning natural energy.
A hand patted her head. "Relax. She won't try anything with me here."
"…Got it," Koneko said, easing but still wary of Kuroka.
"Roy, why didn't you kill her?" she asked.
"Meow?! So cold, Shirone!" Kuroka feigned hurt. "I missed you, and you say that?"
"For a sister who killed our benefactor and abandoned me, I've got nothing to say," Koneko said, her gaze icy.
Through Roy's guidance, she'd embraced her Nekomata powers.
But she hadn't forgiven Kuroka's past.
"Calm down, Koneko," Roy said. "You've got misunderstandings about Kuroka and the Naberius family that took you in."
"Misunderstandings?" Koneko asked, puzzled. "Is there more to her betrayal?"
Roy nodded. "Your adoptive devil, Carol Naberius, was experimenting to create Transcendents."
"He didn't take you in out of kindness—he saw your potential."
"His tech was flawed, and forcibly unlocking potential was risky."
"For Kuroka, an adult with some bloodline mastery, it was safer. For you, it could've been fatal."
"Kuroka realized this and killed Carol when he targeted you."
"Is… is that true?" Koneko asked, shocked, turning to Kuroka.
"True, meow!" Kuroka said.
She was stunned, too.
Carol's secrecy was tight; she hadn't known his goal was artificial Transcendents.
But Roy was right—she'd sensed the experiment's danger.
When talks failed and Carol targeted Koneko, she killed him.
"So, Shirone," Kuroka said. "Learning the truth, aren't you touched by your big sis, meow?"
Koneko fell silent, her expression complex.
She'd resented Kuroka for years, blaming her for falling to power and nearly getting her executed.
Now, she realized Kuroka had protected her.
Staring at the woman with a familiar face, eagerly watching her, Koneko lowered her head. "…Thank you."
"Huh? What'd you say, Shirone? Didn't catch it, meow!" Kuroka said.
"…"
"Moshi moshi~ Why'd you go quiet? Your sis is—"
Whack!
"Ow!" Kuroka clutched her head, glaring at Roy. "Why'd you hit me, meow?"
"I brought you to help Koneko heal, not tease her," Roy said, leaving. "I've got stuff to do. You two talk."
"Hit and run? So mean, meow!" Kuroka called, then turned to Koneko. "Shirone, Roy's a jerk, right?"
"…Sometimes, a bit," Koneko said.
She meant to defend Roy but recalled their first meeting, when he'd pushed her to her limit.
A sudden curiosity struck. "Sis, did Roy hit you?"
"Not exactly, but he's totally biased against me, meow!" Kuroka said, recounting her loan rejection.
---
Roy headed to the third basement training space.
Unlike usual, it was freezing, white ice mist filling the air.
Ignoring it, Roy reached the center. "Looking good, Rukia."
"Finally nailed it," Rukia said, sheathing her Zanpakuto, smiling. "Thanks, Roy."
"If not for you, I'd have needed decades to master Bankai."
"I just gave you a training space. You did the work," Roy said.
"Too modest," Rukia said.
Despite training, she wasn't oblivious.
Over the past week, Roy checked on her two to three times daily, using Senjutsu to adjust her state.
That let her fight nonstop and defeat Sode no Shirayuki to achieve Bankai.
"You helped big time. If you're ever in trouble, I'll be there," Rukia said.
"Big heart, worrying about me now," Roy said, smirking, revealing the Hogyoku in his chest. "Got a plan for Aizen and the Hogyoku?"
"I'll consult Captain Ukitake," Rukia said.
"If you mean spilling the truth, I already passed Aizen's intel to him via Sazeks," Roy said.
"What'd Captain Ukitake say?"
"Nothing. Just sent extra funds to keep you safe," Roy said, pulling a parchment from thin air. "Wanna stay? I don't mind covering more food."
"Thanks, but I can't sit this out," Rukia said, declining.
Aizen was strong—until today, she couldn't face him.
Now, with Bankai via Roy's help, she could join the fight.
Ukitake had worked behind the scenes to save her.
As someone who repaid kindness, Rukia couldn't do nothing.
"I'm heading to Soul Society to see Captain Ukitake now," she said.
"Go for it," Roy said, unsurprised, handing her a tag engraved with [Rukia Kuchiki]. "This talisman can save your life in a pinch."
"Thanks. Once I handle Soul Society, I'll find you," Rukia said, drawing her Zanpakuto to open a Senkaimon.
As Rukia left, Roy returned to the third floor to check on Koneko and Kuroka.
Their relationship had warmed, now chatting about daily life.
"Roy, I heard, meow~" Kuroka said, smirking playfully. "Not into me, but you went for Shirone? Lolicon, huh?"
"Provocation doesn't work on me," Roy said.
"Don't believe you," Kuroka said, tugging her kimono to reveal her shoulder and a hint of cleavage.
She sauntered over, her hand sliding downward. "If you're not a lolicon, prove it with actions."
---
Soul Society, Seireitei.
As Kuroka toed the line, Rukia stepped from the Senkaimon.
"This is… Central 46?" Rukia muttered, puzzled by the vaguely familiar setting.
Something was off.
Her gate should've opened at Seireitei's edge.
Why was she at Central 46?
Scanning her surroundings, she descended the platform.
No people, no sounds.
As if everyone had vanished, an eerie vibe hung in the air.
Even slow on the uptake, Rukia sensed trouble, using Shunpo to speed up.
But the scenery shifted.
Instead of leaving, she stood at the courtroom's entrance.
Footsteps echoed behind her.
---
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