DxD: Silence for Two (Completed)

The third day of the excursion to Kyoto passed without any problems. Due to the fact that the events of the previous day took place in the Longinus dimension, the city and its inhabitants did not suffer from large-scale attacks, continuing their daily lives. The yokai and demons were the only ones who knew about what had happened, but they did not bother the dragons in any way. Only a small gift from Yasaka, delivered in the morning through a servant, pleasantly pleased the couple — a free lunch for them and their friends at the best restaurant in Kyoto.

This last day was completely free, so Silence decided to help the newly-minted couple a little by arranging a date for them. All this was possible only thanks to the Ouroboros family. It is not surprising that Hiratsuka, as a friend of Ophis, decided to spend time with her, and the fact that Silence, along with his friend Hachiman, joined them is a simple coincidence. Reducing any suspicions, the group of five people happily spent their last hours in the cultural capital of Japan.

Having bought souvenirs for their numerous friends and neighbors, the dragons teleported home. They did not travel back by train, wasting several hours.

— We're back! — His loud statement was followed by the clatter of dishes and fast stomping from the kitchen.

— Welcome home! — Esdeath ran into the room joyfully, not noticing the traces of flour on her face. Unlike the previous time, she was now wearing ordinary clothes. Short denim shorts and a loose white shirt, the sleeves of which were neatly rolled up to her shoulders, and the most distinctive feature — a blue apron. — You're just in time, dinner is almost ready.

— Dinner? You managed to learn how to cook in this time? — the young man asked with sincere surprise. He himself had tried to cook in the past, but nothing good came of it, just like Ophis. — Well done!

— Ha-ha-ha, I trained every day! Soon I will be able to please you with any dish you want.

— Looks like you haven't relaxed in the last six days.

— You have no idea how stressful this week has been, — Nobu said tiredly, slowly walking into the living room. — First, I had to spend a long time explaining to her all the questions about clothes and the need for underwear. At least the consultants at the store helped me with that, — the girl collapsed on the couch, massaging her eyes. — Then I urgently had to save the poor guy who decided to come up and meet us.

— He should be happy that he's alive! — Esdeath objected. — None of them have the right to look at me like that!

— He did have a lustful look, but you didn't have to threaten to rip his eyes out, did you?!

— Aha-ha-ha-ha! — Silence burst out laughing. Ophis also had a weak smile, despite the annoying glances the ice dragon was throwing at her mate. — Oh, Nobu, there's nothing wrong with that. Don't judge us by your human standards. There was nothing unusual about Esdeath's reaction, although dealing with that guy in front of everyone could have had annoying consequences. It would be better to do it in a quiet and uncrowded place.

— Okay. I'll do that next time.

— Okay, — the young man kissed Ophis on the top of her head and took a few steps away from her. — Set the table for now, and I'll quickly run through the others and hand out souvenirs.

The distribution of gifts didn't take long. Having reached his teacher's apartment, Sai was a little late. After handing over Gram and discussing the new training schedule to gain immunity from such swords, the conversation moved on to other topics.

— I thought you'd arrive later in the evening, — the man said, still lying on the couch in front of the TV. He had a bottle of beer in his hand, and there were several more packages of alcohol nearby. — Didn't want to travel with Hitori? Usually, none of you leave her side without a special reason.

— Ophis wasn't in the mood. She's been a bit irritated lately due to problems with her transformation.

— Problem? — Crom Cruach became interested after hearing this detail. — Can you elaborate?

— Yeah. She felt discomfort when she transformed into her younger self, — the dragon began to recall the words of his lover. — There are no problems with transforming her limbs into dragon ones, but her instincts don't want her to completely transform into a dragon.

— So that's how it is...

— Any ideas?

— Perhaps, but I need a week to be completely sure of it, — the answer to this question was spinning in his head, but he shouldn't rush to conclusions. — However, just in case, do not let her turn into her full form under any circumstances. Let her stay in her adult form for now.

— Okay, — Sai trusted Crom's words. Besides, his advice did not harm Ophis in any way. — Then I'll go.

Entering his own kitchen, where everyone had already gathered at the dining table, and the table was bursting with various food, the dragon noticed a change in the interior. Unlike before, there was more furniture in the room. A second large refrigerator, several kitchen cabinets with various dishes in it and an oven — all this appeared during their journey.

— So this is what you asked for money from the treasury for, — the young man assessed the new items. Turning his gaze to the food, he could notice the most popular dishes of Italy. — Risotto, pasta, lasagna, and even pizza. And you learned to cook all of this in these few days, amazing! — twisting a large bunch of pasta on his fork, he tasted it with gusto. — Delicious! The food doesn't even taste much different from what we order at the local restaurant. You have real talent, Esdeath. Smart girl.

— Ha-ha-ha! I was just practicing cooking. You mentioned that you wanted to try a variety of food without having to travel to other places, so I decided to learn how to cook, — Nobu watched the flushed girl with dead eyes. She couldn't reconcile the cruel predator who looked at and talked to others with disdain during those rare moments of walking with this shy schoolgirl. — It was difficult to get used to new and incomprehensible devices on the first day, but I managed. Otherwise, I developed my skills through constant cooking. Nobu and the others helped me as tasters, — the hero's descendant recalled with horror the days when she had to eat new dishes from morning to night. Fortunately, there is a whole horde of hungry dragons living nearby. — It turned out that there is nothing complicated about it — the main thing is to follow the recipe exactly.

— I will look forward to the moment when your skills reach Michelin level.

***

It was the second half of November. The weather was already slowly changing to the winter period, and the first snow was ready to fall at any moment. This time seemed unremarkable to ordinary people, but among basketball fans, this day was an important event. The final of the "Winter Cup" — a basketball tournament among high schools — was taking place at the Tokyo stadium. Talented players, in particular the famous "generation of miracles", added special excitement to the event.

Silence accidentally learned about this competition while talking to Hachiman, when his friend was complaining about the fuss in his class. Hearing familiar names among the finalists, the dragon recognized them as the same team he and Ophis had met on the beach.

Deciding to take a look at the game, a group of dragons headed to the stadium. They did not watch the other teams' game for third place, which was a "warm—up", and only came for the finals. Naturally, by this time all the seats were already taken, but such a trifle never bothered them. Using mental magic, Sai forced four seats in the front row to be freed up for them. Nobu did not want to go with them, preferring to spend time with her Dullahan friend.

—You can already see the difference in skills,— Esdeath noticed the differences between the teams during the warm—up before the match. —The white ones, Rokuzan, seem to be very polished and constantly score goals, unlike the black ones.

— From the looks of it, Seirin is focusing on their top few players, and the rest are average at best.

The first quarter began: Rokuzan vs. Seirin. After winning the drop, Seirin began to actively play. Kagami Taiga, their main striker, entered what is called —flow.— A state in which a person completely concentrates on the game, releasing their potential. In a few minutes, the score significantly tilted towards the blacks. 2/11. Seeing such momentum, the Seirin coach decided to replace Kuroko with an attacker.

— Isn't this a hasty decision? — Hitori doubted, realizing the state of the red—haired player. — If he gives it his all now, he will have no strength left by the end.

— Even if he himself is an idiot, the people around him are not. Oh, something is starting, — the Rokuzan players changed their positions.

Seijuro Akashi, the former captain of the Generation of Miracles, who had taken over as captain once again, faced off against Kagami. With their heightened senses, everyone in Silence's group could easily hear the conversations of the players on the court.

"Don't irritate me like that, — the pink-haired captain said. Using his eye abilities, he feinted the ball, causing his opponent to trip over his feet and fall on his butt. — This is a good spot for you. Your head is too high."

— Ha-ha-ha! I like this guy! — the young man said cheerfully.

— It's because of his eyes and his attitude.

— That's all me need.

After his fiasco, Taiga left the flow, and their setter returned to the field. However, his appearance did not change the pace of the game. The surrounding people were already accustomed to the style of the "ghost player", so they had no problem countering him. By the end of the first period, the score was tied. 21/21.

The second quarter brought a few surprises. Player Rokuzan demonstrated the passing skill that only the substituted Kuroko had previously possessed. Seirin resorted to a desperate tactic: they sent out newcomers to the field to block Akashi with their help, but they ran out of steam too quickly, as a result of which three players were replaced on the white side in ten minutes. The end of the first half was a high jump goal from the short Akashi, and his subsequent comment to Kagami about the guy's skills not being unique. The score was 62/37 in favor of Rokuzan.

— It's boring. What's the point of watching ordinary people flutter? — the ice dragon complained. — Even with all these unusual abilities, they can't reach even a small part of our strength.

— Now, don't be so strict, Esdeath. Consider this a little entertainment for a snack and enjoy the snacks.

—O-okay.

In the third quarter, the blacks once again put out a new player. With renewed vigor, they managed to score a three-pointer, but their breakthrough was harshly suppressed. Sniper Rokuzan used his technique based on changing the center of gravity when jumping. Thanks to this trick, he was able to set up the Seirin captain for a foul. Due to the raging emotions from the pressure, he began to argue with the referee, earning another fourth technical foul. The coach had to sub the guy so that he could calm down and not get his last warning.

The morale of the black team was undermined. While Akashi continued to outperform Kagami, Seirin's best player. After a quick timeout, Kuroko entered the court. Going against his imitator, he allowed him to beat him and score. This tactic did not last long, allowing him to fulfill its purpose — to redirect attention, once again giving Tetsuya a chance to use "disappearance". This turning point helped Kagami get back into the flow. Rokuzan took a break to discuss the situation. In the end, Akashi decided to use his teammate to the fullest. Now the role of the white passer became a decoy. Thanks to this, Rokuzan was able to bypass Taiga's wide defense for a short time, but their game began to make more and more mistakes. By the end of the quarter, the gap between the teams had narrowed. 86/70.

When the final period of the game began, the captain of Seirin returned to the field. In the very first attack, he managed to make a throw for three points. Having received a moral push, they continued the confrontation. Thanks to his comrades, the captain of the blacks was able to figure out the tricks of the Rokuzan sniper and counter his throws. Due to the pressure from Seirin, the whites began to miss balls, which reduced the gap to ten points. 88/78. Akashi did not like this at all.

Having sent four comrades to attack, he was left alone in defense. Rokuzan's miss allowed Kagami to reach the opponent's ring with lightning speed. He tried to score by jumping past his only opponent, but Akashi easily stole the ball by simply raising his arm, sending Taiga powerlessly rolling across the floor under the hoop. It was clear to everyone on the court that Akashi had entered the flow. He effortlessly stole the ball past each of Seirin. The attempt to come back failed again when the white captain stole the ball and dominated his opponents.

— Was his confidence that fragile? — Silence said in disappointment when the Seirin duo managed to beat him with the help of teamwork. — I hope not.

With five minutes left, Rokuzan took a break. The scoreboard showed a nearly equal 92/90. Sitting in the stands, the young man carefully watched the internal changes in the pink-haired captain's personality. Akashi's second personality came forward, making him the best team player.

— Ha-a-a-ah... What a pity, — Kagami finally reached his limit, losing his strength.

Sai didn't care that Rokuzan's rhythm had improved, allowing each of their players to demonstrate their potential. He wanted to see one player completely dominate the entire team, not this. Silence was tired of this farce.

— Hitori, can you use your power? Turn off all of their unusual abilities, — the dragon turned to his friend with a bored look. — Let them at least play normal basketball for the last three minutes, where victory depends on the player's skills.

Seirin lost. Without their ace, the rest of the players could do nothing. The captain gave in to emotions and fell for the opponents' trick again, receiving his last-fifth foul and a removal. Tepei, the team's defender, could no longer continue due to a previous knee injury, and Kuroko did not have the appropriate skills to personally confront Rokuzan's high-class players. The score gap increased by twenty-seven points in the last minutes, completely crushing the Seirin team's hopes of winning.

— A boring and pathetic game, — Silence gave his verdict.

***

The Alliance leaders gathered for another meeting. Detailed meetings are held on a regular basis to discuss accumulated issues and problems.

— After the yokai joined, we managed to avoid major unrest on any of our sides, — reported diplomat Ada. — There have been no visible movements among the external factions. Regarding new allies, there are no changes yet. I am negotiating with Zeus, but Olympus' position is still ambiguous.

— I see. Thanks to our new friends, new markets have been obtained. In addition to new, previously unavailable resources, our economy has grown significantly. With these new things, my research will advance.

— Have you managed to find out anything about the heroes?

— Unfortunately, no, — the fallen one said wearily. — After Kyoto, none of the leaders were visible.

— How are things with Rias-chan's peerage, Sirzechs?

— Better. Sister and the other participants in the clash have stopped shedding tears. The flames of hatred still burn within them, but it's better than Argento's depression.

— They want revenge?

— Naturally, but they understand the huge difference in power, so they shouldn't act recklessly. — The uncertainty in the crimson-haired Satan's voice could be understood by everyone present. — But just in case, the servants are keeping an eye on them.

— Should we move on to the main topic that is troubling the entire supernatural world?

After Odin's words, the room fell silent. A week ago, an incomprehensible incident occurred at Ouroboros's residence. Suddenly, the Dragon God's aura went out of control, flooding the entire city. After ten minutes, it returned its power under control, but that was not the end of it.

The dragons seemed to have gone wild. The house where Silence lived and all the houses within a fifty meter radius around them were cleared of people. Thousands of civilians were treated with magic and left their own homes. The guardian clans joined in this incident to resolve the resulting disorder.

The area around Ophis's lair became "dead", not allowing anyone outside to enter it. On this border, four powerful dragons settled in the vacated houses. Generating their aura, they, like guardians, protected the peace in four directions with Ouroboros in the center. The rest of Tannin's pack dispersed across the territory half a kilometer from the lair of their God, carefully observing any mystical creatures. If they try to surround every unknown person a hundred meters away from the Ophis house and find out the reasons for their arrival, then the "defenders" mercilessly kill anyone who gets past the attention of the younger dragons without any warning.

— Any ideas about this lizard hysteria?

— I have no idea, — Azazel spread his hands out to the sides. — They even stopped updating their social networks, and I haven't interacted with them since our meeting in Kyoto.

— Then what about the unknown fourth dragon? He's clearly not inferior to the dragon kings.

— I can assume that Vritra is free again. At least, the shade of power is similar to those emanating from Saji's sacred mechanisms.

— How about asking someone in the know about it? Tiamat has been working together with Ajuka for a long time, maybe she can tell him what the problem is.

— ... I'll try, — the designated devil reluctantly agreed. Having created a communication circle, he began to wait for an answer. — Greetings, Tiamat. Would you be so kind as to tell me why one of Tokyo's districts is no longer accessible to the public?

— Ajuka... Just because we're friends, I'll give you some advice: none of you should even breathe in the direction of Ophis's home. She's started nesting. Even normal dragons are very sensitive during this period, and you don't want to experience the nervousness of the Infinite Dragon God.

— Are you saying that all this is because of the pregnancy?

— Yes. And if there's any threat to her child, Ophis or Silence might want to eliminate the danger at its source, even a hypothetical one. So don't try to sniff out information unless you want to be destroyed.