Multiverse Gacha

Chapter 434: [432] Siscon



No matter the situation, Kojou Akatsuki's first instinct and reaction was always the same: to protect his little sister.

This wasn't surprising—after all, blood ties ran deep between siblings.

But for Asagi Aiba, watching this unfold as a woman, she felt nothing but disappointment and gloom.

She couldn't understand why Kojou was so openly hostile toward August, but judging by his demeanor, something unpleasant must have happened between the two of them. And from the looks of it, Kojou had clearly been on the losing side of that encounter.

Now, with Nagisa Akatsuki standing beside August, Kojou's unease and vigilance were palpable.

What stung Asagi more, however, was that even though she was standing right there, Kojou hadn't spared her a single glance. Not even a second of acknowledgment. His sole focus was shielding Nagisa and confronting August.

And in that moment, Asagi felt invisible.

"What are you doing here? What's your purpose in getting close to Nagisa?" Kojou's tone was sharp, his eyes fixed intently on August.

To him, his sister was untouchable. His greatest failure as a brother had been the accident that left Nagisa with an intense fear of demons—a guilt that weighed on him every day. From then on, he swore to protect her, no matter what.

(Author's Note: Both Kojou and Nagisa had lost their memories of the Blazing Banquet incident.)

"Kojou-kun, what are you talking about? He's Kanon-chan's brother!" Nagisa interjected, confusion evident in her voice.

But her words didn't seem to reach Kojou. He remained locked in a tense stare with August.

Asagi frowned slightly. Kojou's attitude was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. This was the first time she had seen him so openly hostile toward someone.

At that moment, Motoki Yaze arrived, slightly out of breath. His eyes instinctively darted toward Asagi, checking to make sure she was unharmed.

Growing up together in prominent families, the two of them had always been each other's closest confidants and best friends.

"Motoki, what's going on here?" Asagi asked, her frustration evident.

"Don't look at me—I have no idea," Motoki replied with a shrug, his tone as confused as hers.

He wasn't feigning ignorance either. The truth was, he genuinely didn't know. After all, during the earlier incident, Natsuki Minamiya had taken August and Kojou with her while leaving him behind.

"Kojou Akatsuki, we meet again," August said, his tone calm but carrying a hint of condescension. "And once again, you've managed to disappoint me. No progress at all."

"This is my issue. It has nothing to do with you," Kojou snapped back, his voice firm.

"No, it has everything to do with me. I warned you before—if you fail to meet my expectations, I won't hold back next time."

"You—!"

Kojou's expression darkened, tension radiating from his every muscle. He couldn't afford to let his secret slip. As the Fourth Primogenitor, the strongest vampire, his true nature couldn't be exposed—especially not to his sister. Nagisa's intense fear of demons meant that if she ever discovered her brother was now one of the very creatures she dreaded, he had no idea how she would react.

August, however, easily saw through Kojou's hesitation and concerns. But he didn't care.

Kojou, still unable to control even one of his familiars and having yet to drink blood, was little more than a fledgling vampire—a far cry from the Fourth Primogenitor he was supposed to be. To August, Kojou's lack of progress was disappointing, so much so that it failed to spark even the slightest interest in him.

If Kojou continued to fall short of expectations in the future, August had already decided he wouldn't spare him.

The power of the Fourth Primogenitor—its immortality, the divine curse, and the twelve calamity-like familiars—was an alluring force, even for someone like August.

"Hey, Kojou-kun," Nagisa interrupted, her voice breaking through the heavy atmosphere. "Do you know August-niisan?"

"Niisan? Did you just call him niisan?"

Kojou Akatsuki stared at his sister in disbelief. Not only was Nagisa clearly familiar with this dangerous man, but she even addressed him so affectionately.

Even Kojou, her actual brother, had never been called "big brother" by her. Since they were kids, she had only ever called him by his name. Yet here she was, calling this man "brother" without hesitation.

The realization stung. For someone as possessive of his sister as Kojou, it hit a nerve he didn't even know he had.

"What's wrong with that, Kojou-kun? He's Kanon-chan's brother. What's wrong with me calling him brother?" Nagisa responded with casual innocence.

"But you've never called me brother!" Kojou retorted, his frustration spilling out.

"That's because you don't act like a real brother. Look at him—and then look at yourself," Nagisa said, crossing her arms with a huff.

"I—" Kojou was utterly speechless.

His eyes shifted toward August, now brimming with frustration and anger. His precious little sister, the person he had sworn to protect, was slipping away—and all because of this man.

Fueled by his anger, Kojou's magical energy began to stir. The familiars within him, dormant and untamed, reacted to August's presence with an eagerness to battle.

But with others present and his lack of a proper blood bond to control his familiars, the only thing Kojou could manage was a brief surge of magical energy.

Nagisa, carefree as ever, didn't notice the change. But Asagi Aiba, standing nearby, did. She wasn't the only one—Motoki Yaze's cautious expression confirmed to her that he knew something deeper about Kojou's situation.

This realization left Asagi feeling isolated, like she was the only one left in the dark.

Having grown up in the Demon District, with control over Itogami Island's management systems and access to Mogwai, her advanced AI assistant, Asagi prided herself on knowing more than most people. Yet here she was, excluded.

"That's enough, Kojou Akatsuki," August said, his voice calm but laced with authority. "Work hard. Grow stronger. When the time comes, I'll enjoy facing you in battle."

With that, August took Kanon's hand and walked away without sparing Kojou another glance, offering no consideration for his status as the Fourth Primogenitor.

Nagisa, oblivious as ever, only saw this as a misunderstanding between her brother and August.

But Asagi wasn't so easily fooled. From August's parting words to Kojou's unsettled attitude, she sensed there was much more to the story.

The word "battle," in particular, struck a chord with her. Her gaze lingered on both August and Kojou, a deep unease settling in her chest.

"Nagisa," Kojou said as soon as August was out of earshot, "how do you even know him?"

"I already told you, Kojou-kun. He's Kanon's brother. Kanon and I are friends, so of course I know him."

"Promise me, Nagisa," Kojou said firmly, "stay away from him. He's dangerous."

Nagisa frowned, her expression indignant. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Kojou-kun. August-oniisan is amazing. How could he be dangerous? You don't know how kind he is to his sister."

"You—" Kojou stammered, unsure how to explain.

Standing to the side, Asagi let out an internal sigh. Kind to his sister? she thought. No, that's not kindness to a sister—that's kindness to someone he cherishes deeply.

Even so, it was enviable. No woman could resist the idea of a man who was so devoted to someone, even if it was a younger sibling. Especially for girls their age, on the cusp of discovering their first crushes, it was an irresistible charm.

Motoki Yaze glanced at Asagi's composed expression and then at Kojou, letting out a sigh of his own. "You really are clueless, aren't you?"

But beyond the drama of their personal relationships, Yaze couldn't ignore a growing sense of foreboding.

Encountering August again, here of all places, meant that August was likely attending Saikai Academy. And with the Fourth Primogenitor and now August both in one place, it was a recipe for chaos.

This island is heading straight into a storm.

___

If you're interested in reading more, feel free to visit my pat reon, https , // www .pat reon. com /XElenea


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.