The Chronicles Of Zero

After leaving Shidou and Tohka I walk to our classroom and sit in my seat. Sawa looks at me.

Sawa: Where have you been?

Zero: The roof, I needed to be in a quiet place to work on my music.

Sawa: I have never heard you could do music or hear you sing, why?

Zero: I haven't had time to do that since I got here, but I can play you some of my sounds if you insist.

Sawa: You seem to be confident.

Zero: I'd rather let you judge for yourself.

During the rest of the day, Shidou tried to get to know me better and we became friends since we had a lot in common like cooking.

On the way home I made a diversion to do some shopping for dinner when the smell of blood reached my nose.

Zero: Blood in a residential street?

I followed the smell to arrive before a bloody alley. I took out a police armband, put it on my arm and a pair of white gloves, take an earpiece put it in my ear then press a buŧŧon on my watch.

Watch: ISAC activates the Echo system around this area.

ISAC: Right away, sir.

ISAC (Intelligent System Analytic Computer) is a highly advanced artificial intelligence (AI) entity available to all my agents equipped with a HighTech transceiver. Accessible via a Multiverse Network, ISAC serves as the critical backbone of my operative activities.

Holographic images appear around me, the first to appear was a group of men ȧssaulting a girl the scene continues to play out when the next moment the men are dismembered by something that looks like hands sticking out of the ground before disappearing. As for the girl she disappeared into the shadows immediately.

Zero: Dismemberment as modus operandis and Reiryoku residue in the air. Yep, looks like Nightmare is in town.

I snap my fingers and white flames with golden outlines burn away any trace of the crime scene. I take off my gloves and throw them into the flames then they die out.

???: How did he dodge?

My attacker is Mana Takamiya in her CR-unit also known as Combat Realize unit

Zero: Do you see that if it wasn't the second lieutenant of AST Mana Takamiya .

Mana: How do you know about me?

Zero: I know a lot of things about you, Adeptus 2

Mana: Murakumo style... where did he go?

Mana who was about to attack lost sight of me, only for me to reappear behind her with my hands in my pockets.

Zero: Don't be so eager to kill me, Spirit Slayer, the show hasn't started yet.

Mana: Who are you Zero Akatsuki? What is your goal?

I say as I look up and see some AST members standing around in the air and among them is Tobichi Origami who I say hello to. I knew that Origami was eardrops at us when Shidou and I were talking on the roof this morning.

The latter looks shocked that I noticed her

Zero: To answer your question my goal is to destroy Isaac Westcott and what he created.

Mana turns to me with a surprised look on her face

Mana: Are you mad, this man is untouchable?

Zero: It's not an impossible task if I have the right allies, of course. Tell me Mana how about you join me?

Mana: I think I've heard enough of your nonsense, I'm going to take you down right here and now, Invert Spirit.

Zero: Still trying to eliminate me even though I'm telling you I want to destroy the responsible for your memory loss and separation from your older brother.

Mana attacks me with her swords powered by Reiryoku which I parry using Rekka and Ikazuchi.

Zero: Okay, I'll play with you. I will show you what the word Fear means.

I put my swordriver at my waist and insert Rekka into it, put ikazuchi in the hold on my side then take out two ride books

Primitive Dragon Ride book: Primitive Dragon

Brave Dragon Rider book: Brave Dragon

I open Primitive Dragon then insert Brave Dragon into Primitive Dragon's slot while performing a backflip to avoid Mana's cross attack

Primitive Dragon Ride book: Brave Dragon! Get!

Then insert the ride book into the first slot of the swordriver and the stand by music plays on a loop, I hold Rekka in a reverse grip. Behind me appears Primitive Dragon + Brave Dragon and a bone dragon releasing a flame-shaped aura.

Zero: Henshin

Swordriver : Rakka Battou, Baki! Boki! Bone! Gaki! Goki! Bone! Primitive Dragon!

Zero: Uhhhh...GRRRaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

I rush towards Mana chaining kicks and swords strike, and she has a hard time keeping up with my pace because my attacks have no defined pattern.

Mana: Is he really a Spirit?

Origami rushes me from the sky only to block her attack with Ikazuchi in my other hand

Zero: Chidori Nagashi

I deliver a shock of electricity via Ikazuchi to Origami not expecting to be shocked, before following up with a back kick to send her away.

???: Origami, you monster

The other members of the AST seeing their comrade being mistreated shoot me without regret.

Maius I plant Ikazuchi on the ground creating an electromagnetic barrier around blocking the bullets from reaching me.

At this moment Mana manages to get closer to me and inflicts me some sword blows making me move back a few steps but I don't feel any important damage

Zero: This is the End

I put Rekka back in the driver and press the Primitive Dragon page

Swordriver : Grappu Hissatsu Dokuha

I charge all the energy in me, then draw Rekka one last time

Mana: it's no good

Swordriver : Rekka Battou! Crash Hissatsu Giri!

I summons Void Talon on the Primitive Dragon Wonder Ride Book that grabs and straggles Mana closer to me before I violently land a powerful reverse-grip slash covered in powder blue and black energy, causing a deadly shockwave upon impact around surroundings.

Mana managed to create a Territory around her to protect herself at the last minute but still received a lot of damage.

I sheath Rekka and remove Primitive Dragon

Zero: Well, let's get started before she dies from her injuries.

Zero: [ Chrono World ]

Time Stands Still

Zero: I should finish quickly before she notices my action, I wonder why Sogou chose her as the Time Warden.

I make two pills appear in my hand, I make Mana eat one of them, it's a healing pill that heals all the wounds she suffered.

The next moment she regained consciousness

Mana: What happened?

Zero: How are you feeling Mana?

Mana: Nii-sama?!

Zero: Oya, did my attack cause her brain damage?

Mana: Zero Akatsuki? Why? I thought I was dead.

Zero: Correction, you almost died, but I saved you.

Mana: Why?

Zero: Want to know the real or the false reason?

Mana: The real reason.

Zero: Because I need you, Mana, out of all the Wizards in DEM you are the only one who can fight and pressure Nightmare clones and beat them. And you may not know it but DEM and Westcott have done several experiments on you giving you your wizard abilities at the expense of your lifespan.

Mana: That's not true, you're lying.

Zero: I'd rather let you judge for yourself: [Nullify]

Mana suddenly gets a headache, then starts screaming in pain and finally breaks down in tears.

Zero: Now you, believe me, Takamiya Mana

Mana: These memories, are they my memories? All the things that happened to me, all the suffering, only for that monster to create his utopia.

Zero: That's right, you understand why I need you and your abilities. Of course, I'm not asking you to work for me for free, I'm granting you any wish as long as it's within the realm of reality.

Mana: Make me strong, so strong that no one can stand in my way.

Zero: Even if it means you will be in my service for the rest of your life.

Mana: I have nothing to lose because Nii-sama is no longer of this world

Zero: Indeed Takamiya Shinji is dead but you should know that he was reborn under a different name.

Mana: Nii-sama is reborn ?

Zero: Yes, he's going by the name Itsuka Shidou but as pointed out there's a good chance he won't remember his old life but he should have the same personality and disposition as the old one.

Mana: I see, I'm relieved. But my request remains the same.

Hearing Mana's answer makes me sigh

Zero: I understand, but know that being under my wing will put you up against insurmountable walls so be prepared.

I tell her as I throw a pill at her and she catches it

Mana: This is?

Zero: This pill will help you restore your lost longevity and make your body optimized for the use of mana naturally, you will have the ability of a born mage of Ellen's level.

Mana: It's too precious I cannot accept

Zero: Think of it as a gift from a doting big brother to his cute new little sister, Mana-chan.

Mana: Cute?! me?

Mana started to blush.

Zero: Well joke aside, taking the pill, we're on limited time.

Mana looks at the pill and swallows it before she feels tired.

Mana: What's going on, why do I feel... so... tired?

Zero: Your body needs to adjust, a good night's sleep awaits you, until we meet again Mana-chan.

Mana: Wait... don't go... Zero-nii-sama.....

Mana falls into my arms

Zero: Have sweet dreams, Mana.

I tell her as I put a mega-powerful protection spell on her before laying her down on the ground, before leaving the alley and heading towards the Merchant's district.

Zero: Time resumes its course.

Time resumes its course as a smile appears on my lips

Zero: My luck is really good today, and tomorrow is going to be more and more fun.

// Fraxinus, control room //

All the members of Ratatosk, excluding Shidou and Tohka, witnessed everything that had happened to Zero since he left school.

From seeing him investigate a crime scene using technology unknown to them, to fighting an AST member and disabling an entire unit by transforming into a kind of beast using a sword and book artefact.

Kiyoei: A transformation device, interesting.

Kotori: What's that, does that mean that even if we were to seal his powers, he's still just as or even more dangerous with this device, is he really a spirit?

Queen: Even I'm overwhelmed by the events.

After delivering a devastating attack to the entire AST unit, they see Zero return to his civilian form before suddenly disappearing leaving a fully healed Mana, with no trace of the injury she received.

Crew 1: He's gone?

Kotori: What? Find him now!!!

Crews: Understood, Ma'am.

// Zero POV //

After shopping, I went home and started to prepare the dinner which surprised Sawa because I never touched the stove once since we moved in.

So to see me cooking simple ingredients into a gourmet dish shocked her greatly, of course when it came time to taste the same scene that happened when someone tasted my cooking for the first time, she mȯȧnėd with pŀėȧsurė, that's how I completely tamed the girl named Sawa Yamauchi.

I also played her a violin piece using my musical skills to the fullest, taking her on an acoustic and magical journey. In the end, she always ask me to play one more time, which I could not refuse as she use the puppy eye.

When I finally finish playing I was about to go back to my room to sleep when my earpiece start to ring.

Zero: Zero, speaking

Sakuya: It Sakuya, report.

Zero: I am listening.

Sakuya: The situation is going as planned and as you predicted complications have been added to the existing problem.

Zero: I'm coming right away

A make a series of hand sign

Zero: Mokuton: Wooden clone

I make a wooden clone appear.

Zero: Your role is to protect and ȧssist Sawa and only help Shidou in case of extreme emergency.

Zero's Clode: Ok.

Then I put my finger on my forehead and concentrate on something, disappearing from my room to appear next to Sakuya at the school and inside a magical barrier.

Sakuya: Welcome back, Zero-sama

If I've to describe the state of the battlefield I would say chaotic, as I like them.

I see the members of the hero village fighting against Shalba Belzebub and some of his subordinates of the old Maou faction.

The members of Gremory and the church fighting Kokabiel wearing the partial balance breaker of Azazel's sacred gear prototype, Down Fall Dragon Spear and seems to resist but for how long.

Kiba battles Freed equipped with the recreated abomination with his balance breaker, the sword of the betrayer.

While my members battle high-class demons from the netherworld, old maou faction devil and high class fallen from Kokabiel side.

I look at the direction of Rias group

Zero: Seriously Rias, I'm not leaving for two days, leaving you to sort out the situation as diplomatically as possible and I see that the situation is already a disaster. I have to step in.

ORC: Zero/Zero-san?

Xenovia/Irina : Him?/Akatsuki-kun ?

Rias : I still can...hugg

Issei : Bucho

Kokabiel: Hmmm ?! who is this kid ?

I use my earpiece on my right ear

Zero: To all Sitri members, deploy a restriction barrier #666, no one enters or leaves without my approval, you have permission to shoot down any hostile or runaway, oh and a guest is expected, let her go in.

Sitri peerage Saji excludes: Understood your highness.

Saji: Heh ?! What happened? what's restriction barrier #666?

Momo: Shut it Saji-kun and follow the order.

The barrier starts to change, it gets bigger and the signs around it become complex.

Shalba: What's happening?

Kokabiel : ...

Zero: First of all

I take out my Demon Right CAD, insert a cartridge, and point it to the magic circle linked to the city's Ley line as a power source.

Zero(thought): [ Element Signt ]

And start to analyse the magic circle and all the information about it.

Zero: Full analysis complete, Beta Trident: Gram Dispersion.

I pull the trigger of my gun shape CAD which is surrounded by a magic sequence and after a flash appears the magic circle that was set starts to destroy the city dissolves into particles of light.

Kokabiel : Oh, interesting

The church duo was dumbfounded by what they saw

Valper: My magic circle, how did this kid do that.

I put Demon Right away and take a deep breath

Zero: ALL MEMBERS, PERMISSION TO REMOVE YOUR RESPECTIVE RESTRICTIONS, ANNIHILATE ALL YOUR OPPONENT

Akatsuki Family: YES YOUR HIGHNESS

ISAC : All limitor realease.

Himari: Let's go, Irene, let bath the world of scarlet light of hope, Scarlet Liberation

Irene: Boosted Gear, Scarlet Queen Knight Liberation.

Himari's boosted gear gauntlet changes to two arm guards, a pair of combat heels, a pauldron with a green crystal on the left shoulder, a belt around her waist with a sword and a red crown with green orbs.

Behind her appear two pairs of bright red dragon's wings made of energy, her eyes become slit eyes green

Himari: Disappears in the meanders of the scarlet flames

She draws her sword which radiates destructive energy and slices through every demon and Fallen in its path.

Kotone: Everyone, it's up to us

Kotone takes her Evoquer out of its holster and points the barrel at her temple and her eyes shine a velvet blue.

Kotone: Persona

She pulls the trigger and shards of blue glass explode on the side of her head

Alice: I am thou... Thou art I... From the sea of thy soul, I come...I'm Alice, let me send you to a rabbit hole full of madness.

Next to Kotone appears a blonde-haired girl who almost looks like a doll, the murderous aura that emanates from her makes anyone who looks at her break out in a cold sweat.

Kotone: Alice, Mamudoon

Alice: Right away, Kotono-chan.

A group of demons and fallen who tried to escape the menacing aura of Alice are surrounded by dark smoke before falling to the ground one after the other dead.

Mio having a demon wing and a pair of demonic horns on her person, find herself surrounded by devils of the old maou faction, Fallen, and Demon.

Mio: Sakuya

Sakuya appears right next to Mio

Sakuya : By your side Mio-sama.

Mio: We will use this technique.

Sakuya: Understood

Sakuya takes Mio's hand then both of them disappear, the next moment thousands of magic spears made of different elements appear around the enemies near where they were, before raining on them non stop. Sakuya and Mio appear as soon as the demons are completely dead leaving only their bodies.

Mio: …They're not as powerful as Zero lets them be.

Sakuya: Don't worry Mio-sama, I'm sure the others will be strong enough to be a challenge for you.

Mio: You are right.

Ingvild drowns any demon or fallen angel in her reach with several Leviathan made of water revolving around her

Shalba: You, how can you use the special magic of the Leviathan house?

Shalba appears before Ingvild

Ingvild: I have nothing to say to you Shalba Belzebub, disappear from my sight.

Shalba: Answer me

Basara: [ Banishing Shift ]

An emerald green slash rushes towards Shalba who launches a magic attack to intercept the attack, the two attacks cancel each other out. Yuki, Basara and Kurumi surround Shalba

Basara: Don't forget that we are your opponent Belzebub

Shalba: Don't go ahead of yourself, human

Ingvild: [Embrace of the Deep]

The watery Leviathan rushes at Shalba like bullets, he creates a barrier that blocks their progress only for the next moment for the shield to be broken by Yuki with her Katana who freezes the barrier and breaks it with a sword strike.

The next moment Kurumi-chan's wind blades shot straight at the old devil who dodged with ease only to be greeted by a throwing knife that went straight for his face.

By some miracle he manages to avoid the knife sticking in his skull, thinking he has avoided all danger the dagger is replaced by Maria with her clenched fist covered in mana unleashed like thunder

Maria : Shaaaa

Shalba : Guaahhh

The latter delivers a violent punch of the force of 100 trucks going at high speed, sending Shalba crashing into the ground creating a giant hole

Ingvild: Warp strike? Maria-chan when did you...

Maria: I asked Onii-chan to teach me his technique personally and for my first use it was a great success

Shalba: Uaaaah, me the great Shalba... beaten by a low creature like a Succubus... I can't accept it

Maria: Oh my, he really lives his reputation as one of the survivors of the devil civil war

Shalba: Die

Shalba is about to resume the fight when all of a sudden he gets pierced by a hand through his body

Shiba: Your time is over old man, it's time for the new generation to take over, die in peace

Shalba : Shiba you trai...

Even before he finishes his sentence, Shalba's head comes off his neck without anyone knowing what happened

Shiba: ...

Shiba turns to the rest of Shalba's subordinates seeing their master being beaten try to run away only to find them surrounded by several black holes and some being annihilated by energy beams and lightning strikes coming out of them

Kiana: Where are you going? It is useless to run away, what awaits you is only destruction

Says Kiana in her Herrscher of Void coming out of one of the portals accompanied by Mei as Herrscher of Thunder and Bronya as Herrscher of Reason

Mei: You renegades bring nothing but havoc to this world

Bronya: That is why for the sake of humanity, all supernatural beings who only want to live their lives and our Overseer we will judge you

Kiana/Mei/Bronya: This is our role as Herrscher

In an instant, all the rogue devils are annihilated without any questions asked. As for me, I approach Valper Galilei

Zero: Genocide Archbishop Valper Galilei, I presume?

Valper: Who are you?

Zero: Sparda, Zero Sparda

I say as my hair turns completely white and a replica of Yamato appears in my right hand radiating an aura of motivation

Valper: What does a member of the Sparda lineage want from me?

Zero: I wonder why the church would let someone as dangerous as you after what you did during the Holy Sword project?

Valper: Because those hypocrites in the church even though they excommunicated me for what I did and took my findings for themselves, but they still have need of me and my genius that why they only excommunicate me. But I was already one step ahead of them, I was able to secure all my research somewhere else.

He says to me as he takes a crystal out of his pocket radiating a demonic power like what I sense in Fortuna

Zero: Now, I see, you were a researcher of the Order of the Sword of Fortuna.

Valpei: Yes I was, I learn many things from Sanctus and his order so I help him with his project of Savior, How do you know that?

Zero: Simple, because I'm the one who annihilated them and you're next on my list.

A smile appears on my lip then Valper look at me with wide eyes like he just understands something

Valper: Freed, save me

Freed: I'm a little busy here, old man

Valpei: Don't forget that without me you're nothing Freed

Freed: Okay, I'll save your ȧss. Die, kid,

Zero: Freed Selzeen your soul is tainted by the deaths of a thousand innocent people you killed and tortured while you were alive, therefore your soul is mine.

I equip my Persona Thanatos, remove my glasses and activate my Mystic Eyes of Death Perception and [Trace ] a simple knife in my hand.

This simple combination will release an aura of death so violent it freeze everyone on the spot without moving a muscle.

Even Freed's face turned pale as our eyes met. Through my Mystic eyes, I saw the lines of death on Freed and his sword.

I dodge his attack by doing a slight pirouette to the side and smoothly stand right behind him with my knife pointing at the back of his neck.

Zero: Say Freed-kun, are you afraid of death?

Freed: You're missing a brain cell or something, of course, I'm afraid of death, everyone is.

Zero: I see, I'm glad to know that I'm putting fear into you.

Freed: What are you...

Zero/Thanatos: I am death, death is me, from the depths of souls I breathe fear into the bodies of humans and the supernatural, I am Thanatos, son of the primordial goddess of night Nyx. Now let the judgement begin.

Thanatos appears above me in all his glory

Freed: ...

Zero: Bye, Freed-kun.

Freed: Wait, have mercy...

Zero: Mercy? sorry dear customer, but we're out of mercy

I stab my right knife into the death line on his left shoulder and end his life cleanly. Freed's body falls to the ground.

This single action shocked everyone even Kokabiel couldn't believe that a simple knife strike on the shoulder can kill someone

Issei: Buchou, how did with a single strike he kills Freed so easily? Is he really death himself?

Rias: I don't know, It's like I don't know who he is anymore.

I [ Trace ] another knife that I plant on the point of death of the false holy sword that separates into 6 swords.

Then I turn to Valper who is on the ground facing Kiba who has recovered a blue crystal which is the crystallization of his comrades who died during the project.

CLAP CLAP CLAP

Kokabiel starts to applaud

Kokabiel: Bravo, who would have thought that a descendant of Sparda is also an incarnation of Thanatos and death would be so strong, tell me, kid, how would you like to join my army, with you by my side the great war will be even more fun.

Zero: Ahahahahahahahah

I start to laugh when I hear what Kokabiel has just proposed, he frowns at my reaction making me stop for a moment.

Zero: Oh you were serious? Let me laugh even stronger then. AHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

The members of the ORC and the Hero Village look at me laughing at a Fallen Angel Executive.

Basara: Did he go nuts?

Ingvild: No, it how really Zero is, a fool who confront the world, he's can be a bringer of peace or chaos.

Maria: And it is our role, no, our mission to make sure that the world survives his madness.

Kokabiel: You dare to make fun of me?

Zero: Give him a prize, it took him a while to figure that out, I wonder why Azazel has such a hard time dealing with you seriously. But I'm not the kind of guy who judges the actions of others.

Kokabiel: I don't think negotiating with you is going to work.

Zero: Oooooh, the fake elf on cocaine is offended that I'm not coming to his birthday party.

Kokabiel throws a spear of light at me. I make Balmung appear in my left hand and change Thanatos to equip Siegfried.

Zero (Thought): [ Brave Blade ] (persona skill)

My sword is covered with a red aura and I break the spear in one blow creating a shockwave around me.

Kokabiel: The aura around him changes?

Zero (Thought): [ Charge ] (persona skill)

A red aura surrounds me, I use Shundo to appear behind Kokabiel and initiate a [ Million Stab ] right in the back.

This took him by surprise and took a lot of damage, he used his wings as protection to avoid taking too much damage.

Kokabiel: How can you hurt me so much?

Zero: Let me introduce you to Balmung a cursed holy sword with the attributes of Gram the demon sword of its origin.

Kokabiel: Don't tell me...

Zero: Indeed it does have the attribute of killing dragons and as Fafnir is the source of Down Fall Dragon Spear the effects are doubled.

I rush straight at Kokabiel who counters my attacks with the spears in his hands.

Then follows a series of high-speed exchanges, which are so fast that only our silhouettes are left, giving way to shockwaves that resound around the battlefield that has become Kuoh Academy.

Only a moment later I appear with my Raizen uniform torn here and there and some scratches. Kokabiel on the other hand has his armour completely broken in several places and the helmet of the latter non-existent with traces of cut and blood flowing from his mouth.

I take Balmung with both hands

Zero: "The Evil Dragon will fall. All will be separated into light and shadow. The world will now reach twilight.

A pillar of light in the colour of twilight is created from the blade of my sword and rises to the sky.

Zero: "Fall - Balmung!

I throw the pillar towards Kokabiel who tries to block the attack by throwing as much light as he can but in vain when the attack makes contact with him an explosion detonates.

Leaving a fainted Kokabiel on the ground and Down Fall Dragon Spear at his side cracking here and there that I recover.

Zero: Foolishness, Kokabiel, you were foolish until the end, here is the result for wanting to restart a conflict of over 500 years

???: Oh, the party is already over?

Says a voice in the sky and everyone looks up to see the White Dragon Empress.

Rias: The white dragon empress? What is she doing here?

Issei: Another enemy Bucho?

Zero: You are late Lina, what took you so long?

Valina: Sorry love but work comes first.

Rias: Heh?

Issei: Don't tell me ?! Dude seriously.

Zero: I'll let it slide this time.

Valina: I know you would understand that why I love you, Ro.

Irene: White, are you ignoring me on purpose?

Kisara: It's been a long time Red, I see you have a very interesting host.

Irene: Your host is also very special, it seems we hit the jackpot for this generation.

Kisara: And more. Who would have thought that the two heavenly dragons who have been rivals for centuries would become sisters?

Himari: So she's my rival. I have a feeling we'll get along just fine.

Valina: So she's the host of your rival Kisara, she seems strong.

Zero: Haem, I know you want to get to know each other better but that's for another time ladies.

Valper: How can a holy sword-like Balmung have the attributes of a demonic sword-like Gram unless... so that's what they're all trying to hide, god is...

BANG

A gunshot is heard which startles everyone, only to see Valper Galilei with two holes in his head collapse to the ground and the person responsible is none other than me with Blue Rose in my hand still smoking, my eyes turning a lifeless grey.

Zero: Valper Galilei, to the very end you were a pain in the ȧss for all of humanity.

Xenovia: Why did you do that? He must be judged.

I look at Xenovia with my empty stare that makes her uncomfortable

Zero: I just saved you and your teammate from being excommunicated from the church because of a secret that still needs to be kept secret, which he discovered, that's all. Lina takes Kokabiel back to old Az I expect that he take the appropriate measure and if he asks you where his spear is, you tell him I'm keeping it for the time being for repair.

Valina: I'm sure that'll piss him off, but it's his fault for getting it stolen. I'll be back in a few days, don't forget to warm your bed for me.

Zero: Good luck with that the competition seems, how to say, tight.

I look at my girls only to sense in their gaze that they are really thirsty for some action as a reward, making me smirk.

And this is on this note that "Kuoh Return" phase one conclude itself.