The Red Hand

Chapter 168 – Hishya’s Bet.

"What's going on?!?" Hishya turned to Akagi and asked. She could still speak and move her head, but nothing else. "What did you do to me? Why can't I move?"

{Did you do something to me?!?} (Hishya)

"Now hold your horses, little dragon." Akagi bonked her on the head. "I need to stabilize our little vampy quick." She reached into inventory and grabbed a healing potion, before forcing it down Silfana's throat.

"What the hell are you doing?!?" Hishya was still trying to move, but couldn't. She was angry that Akagi was healing Silfana and started screaming profanities. "Are you insane?!?

"Yes?" Akagi tilted her head. "I am very much insane."

"Ok." Hishya sighed. "MORE THAN USUAL! How's that." She said sarcastically.

Silfana sat up but quickly found herself restrained by shadow ropes that wrapped around her. "What's the meaning of this?!?" She flopped over and wriggled on the ground but was eventually unable to move like Hishya.

"You don't get to go anywhere either. Well not like you could anyway." Akagi laughed as she turned back to Hishya.

"What the hell are you doing?!? I just exerted all that effort to kill her and now she's back to full!" Hishya fumed.

"Didn't I tell you?" Akagi smirked. "I want her."

Hishya realized what she meant. "You want Silfana as a subordinate! No way! I won't allow that!" She was still angry at the vampire for the players' deaths and for killing innocent people in this world. Not to mention her being responsible for Kana needing to take a life.

{Allow? There's that word again...} (Akagi)

"Why would I work for someone weaker than me?!?" Silfana exclaimed.

"Oh?" Akagi turned to her, unleashing a wave of her demonic power which crashed on Silfana. "Weaker than you? Don't make me laugh." The Vampire started sweating profusely as Akagi glared at her.

"W-what are you? You can't be Akagi! That fool was powerful, but nothing like this." Silfana was still not entirely aware of what Akagi was at this point as she'd only barely kept up with the news.

"I love it when people ask that." Akagi laughed as she leaned down and got in Silfana's face. "I'm Demon. One on a level far higher than anything you can imagine. Demon Lords are meant for one thing and one thing only, universal genocide of all life." Akagi placed her hand on Silfana's head and showed her a few bits of information.

Silfana's eyes rolled back for a moment before snapping back into position.

"Y-you're a monster.... h-how...." Silfana started to twitch.

"Always fun to see them get like that." Akagi stood up. "So Silfana, the way I see it. You've got two choices. Become my subordinate or die by Hishya. So take your time and make a decision that we can both be happy with."

"Why can't I move dammit!" Hishya was struggling. "Come on! Demon Lord BS or not, I should be able to wiggle even a small amount! Hungggggggggggg." She tried pulling herself free, but her body wouldn't listen.

"You're not going to be able to move, Hishya." Akagi laughed. "Did you forget where we are?"

"We're inside your body, I know. But what does that have to do with-" Her eyes snapped wide. "No! NO! Don't tell me that you can-"

Akagi cut her off. "I can!" Akagi laughed. "My power allows me to control this place completely, and that doesn't just extend to creating illusions." She snapped her fingers and Hishya put Sun Strike away and then stood on one leg. "I can also control people who find themselves in here." Akagi's smile horrified both Silfana and Hishya.

"Y-you can control me?!?" Hishya started sweating. "T-that's..."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything too bad." Akagi thought for a moment. "Though I'm going to do this at least." She snapped her fingers again and Hishya started to hop around in a circle like a rabbit. "This is payback for that stupid prank you pulled on me in Grimula. Don't go putting Usagi potions in people's drinks any more!" Akagi always bore a grudge for that prank.

{I'll have to have a small chat with her about using such disgusting words. I might be friends with the lizard, but sometimes I feel like she forgets her place. Kana's uses those words as well, so perhaps a small amount of discipline is in order.} (Akagi)

"Alright, I'm sorry!" Hishya cried. "Just stop making me hop around like a rabbit!"

“I didn't hear the magic word.” Akagi chuckled.

“Please...” Hishya said meekly.

{I had this coming, I know... But dammit was it funny to give you that stupid drink! You looked so stupid for those three days, and it was perfect payback on someone like you!} (Hishya)

Akagi snapped her fingers, and Hishya was released, falling onto the ground.

"I am never coming back in here again!" Hishya yelled.

"I can just bring you in here if I want, so good luck avoiding it." Akagi laughed. "I need to get Kana and the girls in here and have some fun with them. Do you have any requests for pranks? I can even make Kana say some embarrassing things." Akagi continued. "How about I get her to say: I love you so much Hishya, please never leave me!" She mimicked Kana's voice.

Hishya glared at her. "I will offer no comment on that matter since I'll lose no matter what I say."

"Kill joy." Akagi shrugged before turning to Silfana. "So what will it be, vampy? Die by Hishya or work for me?"

"Is that even a choice?" Silfana sighed. "I can tell that even if I said no and Hishya killed me, you'd just do something horrific with my soul anyway."

{Its always nice when they understand their position.} (Akagi)

"There is always a choice." Akagi smiled. "Just understand that no matter which one you pick, I will win."

"What is this, gambling? Are you the house?" Hishya sighed.

"Basically!" Akagi burst out laughing. "Though rather than the house, it's the Demon Lord that always wins!"

"Well, I'd prefer not to be turned into some Demon's plaything." Silfana shuddered as she recalled what Akagi showed what she'd been shown about Merkyul and his crew. "I will accept your offer."

"You can't be serious!" Hishya got up and stormed over. "I won't let you just take her! She needs to die, and how can you trust her anyway! She'll probably just attack one of your people!"

{Yeah, strict discipline will be needed for the lizard. She said the no-no words twice in such a short span of time. What kind of negative reinforcement should I use? I've got plenty of options and no shortage of time or material.} (Akagi)

"I'm not a fool!" Silfana exclaimed. "She showed me what would happen if I did something like that, and while I don't know who this Armalthy is, I've seen what she's doing to him! I don't want to end up like that!"

"You heard her." Akagi said. "She's accepted my offer, Hishya. I'm obligated to protect her now." Akagi grinned. "However, I've got an idea."

"Why don't I like this?" Hishya sighed. "What's your idea."

Akagi pulled another potion out of her inventory and threw it at Hishya. "Take this, get back to full, and then let's have a match."

"I can't beat you!" Hishya said as she caught the bottle. "What's the point of fighting you? It's not possible to win against you with all that power you have."

"How about if I limit it to the level of power I had when I first got out of FWO?" Akagi's eyes got fierce. "How does this sound as a bet? I'll use that level of power and nothing more. You can use as much as you wish and any techniques you've gained since then against me. If you win. I'll allow you to kill Silfana."

"You're serious?" Hishya drank the potion. "You won't pull some BS?"

"Do you ever recall me lying to you?" Akagi asked.

Hishya thought for a moment. "Never about anything important at least." She knew Akagi took deals and bets seriously. "Ok, so I win she dies, you win she lives.”

"Not quite." Akagi wagged her finger. "I want something else for winning."

"What do you mean?!? You already get Silfana." Hishya groaned.

"I can have that if I just kick you out of here." Akagi chuckled. "It's not really much of a reward if I can just tell you to fuck off right now and get what I want, now is it? I have no incentive to do this other than the have a bit of fun if that's all I get."

Hishya knew she was right, Akagi could probably tell people the sky was red and they'd have to agree. "Then what do you want? I'm not betting my freedom or something like that."

"Nothing that serious." Akagi shook her head as she pulled a small dog collar out from her inventory. "If I win, you have to wear this for one week, except in the bath."

"Why the fuck do you have a dog collar for me?!?" Hishya was sketched out.

"It was Kana's idea. She thought it would be hilarious to see you wearing it." Akagi laughed. "And well, here we are. Look, it even has a small medal that says, If found, please contact Kana. isn't it cute?" Akagi showed Hishya who growled.

"I'm going to pay her back tenfold for this crap!" Hishya said. "Deal!" The two shook on it, and Akagi's eyes lit up.

"This is going to be fun!" The Demon's smile seemed to freeze the very air itself, though Hishya was far too busy grumbling to notice it.

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A little while later, Akagi, Shima, Hishya, and Silfana appeared from a black vortex back onto the street where they'd been before. Hishya's face was red, and she was mumbling something under her breath. Around her neck was a dog collar, and Akagi trying, and failing, to hold in her laughter.

"It looks good on you," Akagi said to the dragon girl. "Maybe Kana was right? You should be the family pet. Maybe a dog house and water bowl would go great with your collar?"

{OOOH! I know what her discipline will be!} Akagi cackled internally at the impending torment of Hishya, and potentially Kana.

"I'm going to make her pay!" Hishya's eyes went yandere. "She shall feel my wrath! And she will learn that my bite is far worse than my bark!"

Seeing her slow decent into madness, Akagi pulled the dragon in by the shoulder, and whispered into her ear. "So hey, Kana's told me a few embarrassing secrets about you, so in exchange...”

*WHISPER* *WHISPER* *WHISPER* *WHISPER*

Hishya's mouth curved into an evil smile. "Ohhhh. Oh really? That's so cute.” One of Kana's most embarrassing secrets was the adorable dog costume she wore when she was a kid for Halloween.

“I've got pictures too, feel free to use them against her if she ever gets out of hand.” Akagi and Hishya began cackling.

{Kana, I hope you're ready to wear that dog costume at some point as payback!} (Hishya)

Akagi had still managed to defeat her, even in a weakened state, something that both confused and aggravated Hishya. After the fight, the Demon explained that while her Hishya was more powerful than Akagi during the fight, Akagi's technique and skill made up for the gap.

"Alright, let's get everyone home. Chloe!" Akagi called out into the night.

"Myaster!" Chloe hopped down onto the street from a rooftop doing an elaborate flip as she landed. Somehow the tsuchinoko that sat on her head didn't move, and Akagi didn't bother to question the physics of such a thing.

"Would you do me a favor and be a good kitty and take Shima home?" Akagi sighed. "And please don't kill her." She felt the need to add that since Chloe hated Shima, much like how the entire family did. Causing their master as much pain and misery as she and Taichi did was a very quick way to earn their enmity.

"I will try, nya" Chloe glared at Shima before grabbing her and dragging her off.

“H-Huh?!? W-Wait!” Shima tried to resist, but was taken away by force, kicking and screaming as Chloe leapt between rooftops. Chloe was told not to kill Shima, but Akagi didn't forbid terrifying the woman a bit.

"I should call the RRT and let them know what's going on. Mixu and Superbia shouldn't be too far away." Hishya said as she swiped in the air and called Mixu.

"Mixu?" Silfana remembered the vampire. "That's right, I gifted her my blood as a reward. Interesting, so she is in this place too."

"Yeah, but don't expect her to start calling you master or something," Akagi said. "You'll find zero sympathy from her, and she's been especially angry at you for all the hunting since it's gotten her in some hot water."

"What did you want me to do?!? Drinking blood is necessary and only to be expected of our kind!" Sifana furrowed her brows. "Do not try and tell me that she doesn't partake in moral blood?"

"I don't hunt people!" Mixu and Superbia stood on top of a building before dropping down beside Hishya. "Well, well, well. Been a long time Silfana." Mixu glared at her.

"She really is back!" Superbia was surprised. She'd been at Hassan and saw Hishya kill her all those years ago. So this was a big surprise even though she already knew Silfana was alive.

"I guess you wouldn't understand." Silfana shrugged. "You're kind aren't exactly interested in anything other than power. So I shan't imagine you can comprehend everything that my blood gave you. In fact, you should be grateful I shared it with you."

"Oh, I am grateful." Mixu laughed. "That vampire blood made me so much more powerful, but being a vampire doesn't mean we need to act like arrogant pricks! That's the kind of shit that got our kind hated in the first place. Besides, you know as well as I that we don't need to drink blood to survive!"

"What are you talking about?" Silfana lifted an eyebrow. "Of course we do! How else do you think we survive? We cannot eat human food! Otherwise more of our kind would."

{Stupid girl. You can't lie to ME about how our kind's biology works! I've been around for far too long to be deceived by a newborn pup like you!} (Silfana)

"Uhh, Silfana." Akagi turned to her. "Mixu confirmed that she didn't need blood to live. She eats normal food all the time. Heck we just had Curry the other night at the house together, and Mixu at like four plates."

"That's not possible!" Silfana rejected Akagi's assertion. "Our kind can only consume blood! Anything else only makes us sick!"

Mixu took a granola bar out of her inventory and took a bite. "No issues for me." She took out a second one and threw it toward Silfana, who caught it. "Plenty of things changed between this world and the one you came from. I think the whole vampire weaknesses and need for blood was stripped, since I've gone several months without drinking blood and never felt the urge. Though I do like to drink it, and it powers me up, I get it from willing donors rather than hunting people."

"Those poor guys." Superbia shook her head. “You are the definition of a femme fatale.”

"Hey, they know what they're getting into with me." Mixu shrugged. "Besides, I've taken from a woman too, so it's not just guys."

"Like that makes it better." Superbia rolled her eyes. "Besides, we both know Imp is crazy, and you shouldn't exactly count her."

"Hey, not my fault Imp wanted to see what it was like." Mixu laughed. "And besides, she has fun."

"Oh, trust me, I heard Imp's fun." Superbia groaned. That was a memory she'd never get rid of.

{I'm convinced that Imp sees Mixu as stress relief with how often she visits her for activities. And Mixu seems to enjoy that idiot's blood too! Something about it tasting spicy...} (Superbia)

Silfana looked down at the granola bar and reluctantly took a bite. As she did, her eyes went wide. "I-I can taste it!" She scarfed it down before glaring at Akagi.

"I'll fill you in more on what's going on, but welcome to the team vampy number 2!" Akagi laughed. She'd give Silfana her punishment later, but for now she need to deal with the impending Council nonsense. Though the Demon already had plans in store for Silfana, and it would be hilarious.

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<Chloe POV>

Once she'd dropped Shima off at her house, Chloe went back out on patrol. As she wandered around Kyoto, she was called out to by a familiar young girl with orange eyes.

“Ms. Cat!” Misha was standing on her balcony as Chloe hopped around on the rooftops.

{That's the girl who has come to understand just how amazing myaster is!} Chloe stopped moving and hopped onto the balcony.

“Hello, nya.” Chloe greeted her. “Did you need something?”

“I saw you going by and I thought it would be a great time to broach an idea that I had.” Misha smiled.

“Idea?” Chloe tilted her head.

“Lady Akagi told me that I shouldn't talk to anyone outside of her family about my experiences, so its been so hard to properly appreciate her for saving me.” Misha looked genuinely sad.

“Myaster just doesn't want to deal with all the trouble.” Chloe snickered. “She even told us not to worship her, and I think that's a waste. She deserves it!”

{Myaster is more than some god. She's is everything! Thus its only natural to revere her!} (Chloe)

“Indeed!” Misha nodded. “And that's why I wanted to speak with you. If you'd be willing to listen, I have an idea.” Her eyes glinted in the moonlight as she and Chloe discussed things for a while. Whatever they were planning was sure to be a headache for Akagi, and an unwelcome addition to her already complex relationship with the Clan.