Past

Ichigo took in the scenery around him.

Just a gander would tell anyone that he wasn't in Japan at the moment.

For one, he appeared to be the only Japanese around.

And then there were the rather iconic ruins he was looking at.

Ichigo was in Greece.

More specifically, he was in the capital, Athens.

Even more specifically, he was atop the Acropolis of Athens, surveying the famous Parthenon.

He had departed from Japan two days ago to begin a tour of Europe and Asia, and his first stop was right here in Greece.

For a first time tourist in Greece, it was a given to visit Athens, and by extension, the Acropolis, which was basically the icon of the country.

He had to admit, it was a pretty impressive sight, especially if one were to consider the level of technology available back when it was constructed.

It was too bad it was in ruins from invasions, fire and who knows what else the ancient temple had been exposed to over the centuries.

It was under repairs, modern architects trying to restore its former glory, but it didn't look remotely close to completion.

He could only imagine what a sight it must have made for when it was still pristine.

"Yes, it was impressive indeed. Truly a testament to the ingenuity of men. Or perhaps their hubris?"

Ichigo turned around.

He blinked at the sight of a well-built older gentleman, dressed completely in black.

Which was pretty weird, considering the midday sun was looming overhead without a cloud in sight.

Wasn't he burning up in that outfit?

He blinked again when he realized that the old man had spoken to him in perfect Japanese.

Again, weird.

Nothing about him seemed remotely Japanese.

He blinked for a third time when he noticed that they suddenly appeared to be the only two people around.

Okay, that went way out of the realm of 'weird' and straight into the realm of 'what the hell?'

And was the air suddenly darker, and colder?

The strange old man did not seem to pay that any mind and directed a powerful gaze towards the Parthenon.

Ichigo found himself following that gaze.

"It is called a temple, but it never truly was such. Its true nature is that of a symbol of the Ancient Athenians' hubris and greed, and even more than that, the site of much conflict and bloodshed. Desecrations and occupations by other religions, invasions by Persians, wars between states, internal strife. Perhaps Troy is the better known battlefield, but the Parthenon has seen its fair share of death as well. Blood has seeped into the earth of this so-called 'hallowed ground', so much that it is a wonder that the grass is not red even now, centuries after." The old man spoke, a strange passion in his voice.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"You speak as though you were there yourself." He cautiously noted.

The old man paused and looked at him, an unreadable light in his eyes that made Ichigo steadily more and more nervous.

He wondered if he should be making a break for it right about now.

Then, the old man smiled.

The act sent chills down his spine.

"Of course not. That would be ridiculous, not to mention humanely impossible." The old man laughed.

Ichigo did not fail to notice the odd emphasis on the word 'humanely'.

The old man turned on his heels and began to walk away.

"My brothers and I welcome you to our humble abode. Please enjoy yourself and take comfort in knowing that no harm will come to you within our borders, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo's eyes widened to the size of dinner plate and he whirled on the spot.

The old man was gone, not a trace of him anywhere.

The tourists who had mysteriously vanished had just as mysteriously reappeared, milling about the famous icon as though they had never left.

The surroundings suddenly became brighter and warmer.

Despite that, the sweat that had formed on Ichigo's brow was very, very cold.

Though no further incidents like that occurred, the memory of the old man continued to haunt him until he left Greece for Scandinavia three weeks later.

He hoped that he wouldn't have another weird encounter.

His silent plea would go unheeded.

Present

Ichigo walked through the familiar streets of Karakura Town at the crack of dawn.

He was very, very thankful that no one was awake to see him.

He was not mentally prepared for his return just yet.

The only reason he had come was because Kisuke had contacted him and said he needed to see him urgently.

His immense reiatsu, having returned when he became a Devil, was being suppressed by the seals Serafall and Ajuka had placed all over his body.

They were a temporary measure, one that had been thought up on the fly and made in about the same amount of time.

His sheer power would burn right through them in a few scant hours, maybe not even two, which was hopefully enough time for him to get done with whatever business Kisuke had with him and not attract any attention.

Soon, he found himself in front of the rundown traditional sweets shop that was the source of both fond and painful memories.

He took a deep breath to calm his wildly beating heart, and pushed the sliding door open.

"Sorry, we're not open for business yet…Oh, Kurosaki-dono. It is good to see you in good health."

Ichigo felt a sense of nostalgia at the sight of Tsukabishi Tessai, the former Captain of Soul Society's Kido Corps, now Urahara Shoten's retail associate, organizing the shop's rather limited inventory before rising to greet him.

"Tessai-san, it's been a while. How have you been?"

"Well, as you can see. It has been a rather mundane year for us. Though, the owner has informed us it has just been the opposite for you."

"Speaking of, is Kisuke in?"

A bit of an unnecessary question.

Ichigo could sense Kisuke's reiatsu at the back of the shop, along with Tessai in front of him, and Ururu and Jinta in the floor above, presumably still asleep.

He didn't sense Yoruichi's reiatsu, which he supposed was to be expected. She was a wanderer, spending more time out than in the shop.

"The owner's waiting for you in the backroom. I trust you remember where it is?"

"I don't think I could forget even if I wanted to." Ichigo said as he moved towards the back of the small establishment.

If he had stayed a bit longer, he might have noticed the look of concern in Tessai's eyes, hidden behind his thick glasses.

Passing a familiar corridor, Ichigo stopped outside the room where he sensed Kisuke's reiatsu.

"Yo, Kisuke. What was so important that you had to call me at this ungodly-"

Ichigo began to ask as he slid the door open, but froze when he saw the other occupant in the room aside from the former Captain of the 12th Division.

His heart had been wildly beating just a minute ago.

Right now, it had pretty much stopped.

His father, Kurosaki Isshin, in his Gigai, looking up at him from his sitting position on the floor, pride and sorrow warring in his eyes.

Ichigo almost tore like hell out of there.

"Hey Ichigo. Long time no see. You look like you're doing well." Isshin said with an uneasy smile.

"I-I…didn't sense your reiatsu…"

Ichigo winced internally at the unintended implication that he wouldn't have come if he knew Isshin would be here.

He did not miss the hurt that flashed in Isshin's eyes momentarily.

"I apologize for the deception, Kurosaki-san, but I knew that you wouldn't come anywhere close if you sensed your father's reiatsu, so I gave him something to suppress it. Isshin-san has something to tell you, and it's something you need to hear." Kisuke said firmly as he rose to his feet and made to exit the room.

"I'll give you two some privacy."

Ichigo wanted to scream for him to stay behind, but no sound would come from his throat.

Kisuke closed the door behind him, leaving the two Kurosaki males in the room.

A spike of reiatsu told him that Kisuke had probably used some sort of Kido to form a barrier around the room, either to ensure their privacy, or prevent him from escaping.

An awkward silence filled the room, neither of them not really knowing how to even start breaking it.

This had to be the first time they ever had a conversation like this.

Usually, things would start with Isshin pulling some stupid shit, followed by Ichigo retaliating, resulting in an argument before resolving itself.

Or in the years following Aizen's defeat and Ichigo's loss of his powers, Isshin avoiding him whenever he even looked like he was going to start asking questions.

This was the first time Isshin was this calm and wanted to talk, and Ichigo just didn't know what to do.

Thus, it was rather unsurprising when Isshin was the one who broke the silence.

"Ichigo…I'm sorry!" Isshin declared as he bowed deeply in the dogeza position, stunning Ichigo completely.

"I was a fool! I one-sidedly believed I knew what was best for you and interfered in your life without asking for your opinion! In the end, I only succeeded in driving you away! I cannot apologize enough for what I did! I deserve your anger and your hatred!"

Ichigo had no idea what to say.

Even now, a year after he left Karakura behind, he still felt white hot anger when he thought about how his father had basically screwed up all of his interpersonal relationships with his friends.

But, for all of his faults, Isshin did all of that with Ichigo's best interests at heart, regardless of how misguided he was.

Ichigo was most definitely pissed at Isshin, but…he didn't hate him.

They were still father and son after all.

"…Dad."

Isshin looked up, just in time to see Ichigo's face rapidly filling his field of vision.

Then, he felt a sharp pain in his forehead as the impact sent him sprawling to the floor.

Much like how Isshin had headbutted him back during the battle with Aizen.

"There. With that, we're even. So get back up."

Isshin, still looking dazed, either from confusion or from the headbutt he had received, did as Ichigo said and rose from the floor.

Ichigo sighed.

"I'm definitely pissed at you. But, I get what it was you were trying to do, even if you were a complete dumbass about it. That's why, I'm going to forgive you."

Then, he scowled.

"But seriously, pull shit like that again and I'll kick your ass back to Soul Society."

Isshin blinked, processing his words.

He smiled.

"…Your mother would be so proud of you if she could see you now."

Ichigo cracked a small smile at that too.

"And she probably would kick your ass if she knew how much of a dumbass you were."

Isshin winced.

"Yeah, she probably would."

"…Dad, I'm not ready to come home just yet. You're one thing, but…my friends…and Karin and Yuzu…I just need a bit more time…" Ichigo said hesitantly.

His father may have been the source of his troubles, but some of the fault also lay with the others for even listening to him in the first place.

"I know. Take as much time as you need. But, at least come to your sisters' graduation. Their high school graduation, if not middle school. You don't have to talk to them, just be there to watch."

"Yeah, wouldn't miss that for the world."

Another awkward silence soon fell over the room.

"…So, a Devil, huh? How's that working out?"

Ichigo blinked, but guessed that Kisuke must have filled him in at some point.

"Not all that different from being a Shinigami, actually. Though, I guess I do have a boss that I actually need to answer to now. And that I'm basically the equivalent of a Captain and a noble."

"The paperwork must be a pain in the ass. I should know."

"Pfft, bull. Toshiro and Rangiku-san told me you used to foist the work off on them before taking off to nap somewhere."

"Crap, they still remember that, huh?"

"That, and a whole lot more."

"Heh."

This…had to be the most normal conversation he ever had with his father.

It was…pleasant, he supposed.

He wished it could have continued for a while longer.

He had a lot to tell Isshin.

But it was at that moment that his seals chose to start breaking down.

"Crap, my seals are wearing off. I have to go soon, or my reiatsu is going to flare like a beacon."

A look of disappointment crossed Isshin's face.

Ichigo felt the same way.

Regardless of how short it was, they might have just bonded more closely in that moment as father and son than they had in the past 19 years.

"Before you go, there's one more thing I need to tell you. The truth of your birth that I've been hiding from you all this time. The truth you deserve to hear."

Ichigo straightened.

He had been waiting for a long time to hear this.

"I guess I have to start with how your mother and I met. It was when I was still a Captain, and she was still in high school…"

Ichigo was tired.

He was lying under a willow tree in the courtyard of Serafall's estate.

Technically, he had his own land now, in addition to the land that he had received as a member of Serafall's peerage, but it was a fairly empty piece of space with no actual living quarters yet, so he was bunking at his King's manor until he could get a developer who wasn't terrified of not being able to meet his standards to actually do something.

Reconciling with his father and hearing the truth about his birth had eased the internal burden he felt for a long time, but…he was just so tired now.

The revelation that his mother was a Quincy, and that Yhwach had been the one who had indirectly killed her by stealing her powers at the same moment she was about to fight Grand Fisher had not helped to improve his mood either.

How was he supposed to reconcile the fact that in his veins flowed the 'blood' of the man who killed his mother?

"You alright there, Ichigo-chan?"

He looked to find Serafall kneeling over him, a concerned expression on her face.

"Yeah…Just not feeling so hot right now."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really."

He seriously doubted that just talking about it would make him feel better.

"Hm…alright then."

Serafall's knees hit the ground right next to him, and she patted her lap.

"Come on. I'll give you a lap pillow until you fall asleep."

"…Does that really work?"

"It worked for me when I was a child."

"…I don't get a say in this, do I?"

"No, not particularly."

Ichigo sighed, but complied.

Despite the size difference, he was sure that Serafall was strong enough to not be bothered at all by the weight.

And…it was comfortable, more than he cared to admit.

It was a rather…novel experience.

He couldn't remember the last time someone did this for him, if it ever happened.

If anyone had, it would be his mother, and that was unfortunately too far in the past for him to recall with certainty.

He felt Serafall's small, soft hands running through his hair.

"…Did you know, Ichigo-chan? Back when the civil war started, none of the 4 of us had any desire to join in. We had enough of fighting during the Great War already. We were not interested joining another war, not even one that was being fought for the future of our race, nor did we covet any prestige, much less the thrones of our fallen rulers. Whether the incompetents of the Old Maou Faction or the rebels of the New Maou Faction won, we didn't have any interest."

He hadn't known.

Any recount he could find on the civil war simply sang praises of the valor of the current Maou, how they had singlehandedly turned the tides of the war in their favor, beginning with the defeat of the 5th Super Devil, the son of the original Morningstar, Rizevim Livan Lucifer, and secured the future and prosperity of their race.

"…What changed?"

"…We were tired of it. Friends and family falling victim to the horrors of the war day after day. Each of the 72 Pillars…in the days before the civil war, each of them easily had more than 100 members, in spite of the low pregnancy rate among Devils. We're a very promiscuous species after all." She joked lightly.

"Then, war came, and soon, the 72 Pillars became the 33 Pillars, with 39 of them meeting their end in the war. And the remaining 33 did not remain unscathed either. Prosperous clans of more than 100 members were soon reduced to just over a dozen. Two, if they were luckier. Friends, cousins, uncles, aunts, nephew, nieces…we were tired of sending them off to war one day and never see them return alive."

Serafall's hands began to tremble.

"For me…the last straw came…when my older sister did not come home one day."

Ichigo's eyes shot open.

Serafall had an older sister?

"Her name was Serene Sitri. She was not born with the same absurd power that I was, but for what she lacked in strength, she more than made up for in intelligence, wisdom, beauty, grace and gentleness. Far more so than I could ever hope to achieve. She was so incredible that my father willingly yielded the title of heir to her. Even when my old bastard of a grandfather, the then head of the clan, stripped her of her hard-won title as heiress and gave it to me, seeking to keep my power in the Sitri, she never begrudged me even once. She congratulated me, encouraged me and inspired me. To me, my sister was the perfect Devil that all should strive to emulate. Who was I compared to her? I was just the freak with 12 wings and far more power than I should ever be allowed to wield at my fingertips, the one who had stolen what was rightfully hers."

He could feel wetness dripping into his hair, and he knew she was crying.

"My sister…was very concerned with the future of our race in the aftermath of the Great War. Unlike me, who had zero interest outside of my immediate family. She helped to rally the 72 Pillars into rebelling against the fools who were trying to doom us. Every day, she marched onto the battlefield for our sakes. Every day, she watched less and less of her comrades come home alive. And every day, she became more and more rundown. Even then, she did not revile me for choosing to abstain from the war."

Her fists tightened in his hair to a painful degree, but Ichigo paid that no mind.

"That last time I saw her…was when her body was returned to the Sitri estate in pieces."

Serafall's voice hitched.

"…Rizevim Livan Lucifer himself had ambushed her. Serene was basically the pillar of the rebel army at the time. Killing her destroyed any remaining morale they had left. They were about to be overrun. It was a similar story for the other 3 too. For Sirzechs-chan, it was a beloved aunt. For Ajuka-chan, his cousin. For Falbium-chan, his mother. We realized far too late. If we wanted to protect the ones we loved, we had to fight and secure the future for them. And so the 4 of us finally stepped off the sidelines and joined the war. Less than a week later, Rizevim had fled the Underworld with his closest supporters out of fear for his life, and the Old Maou Faction had been all but annihilated."

"We were celebrated, exalted, revered. But the only thing the four of us ever felt was regret. The civil war had already been going on for more than a year at that point. If we had joined in sooner, how many lives could we have saved? How many loved ones would we not have lost? Ascending the thrones of the Yondai Maou was the last thing on our minds. But, we had to. In order to guide our race to a prosperous future. So that the deaths of our loved ones would not be in vain. And that, that is the real story behind the civil war. A story of 4 fools, countless loved ones lost to war, and a race deserving far better leaders than the ones they got."

His hair was completely drenched at that point, and literally about to be wrenched out of his skull, but Ichigo only had eyes for Serafall, who was now smiling sadly, her face stained with tear streaks.

"I know what it's like to lose someone you love. I know what it's like to utterly despise the one who killed her. And I know what it's like to blame yourself for their death. So, if you ever change your mind, don't be afraid to tell me. I'll listen to you any time. I'm your King after all." She spoke gently, which was a far cry from her usual bubbly self.

Ichigo made up his mind.

She had opened her heart to him.

How could he not do the same?

And maybe, just maybe…by doing so, both of them could finally start to heal.

"…Well, to start off, my father and I finally made up, so that's a thing…"

Ichigo opened his eyes to find himself adrift in a void.

"Back here again, huh?"

"Indeed, young one. There is much for us to talk about after all."

The void congregated and formed into a familiar man.

"Do we really have to do this every time you want to talk?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I have no other means of reaching out to you."

"…Are you dead, by any chance?"

"That would depend very much on what your definition of 'dead' is. If you are speaking in the physical sense, yes, I am dead. My vessel which you see before you no longer exists in the physical plane. In other words, I am no longer capable of interacting with your world. I am only able to speak to you like this because this is the domain of the Dream. However, if you are speaking in the metaphysical sense, then no. I am very much alive. If I were well and truly gone, all of existence would feel the repercussions of that event."

Ichigo felt the blood draining from his face when the Original Devil casually implied the end of existence.

"In that case…are you trapped?"

"In a manner of speaking. I am capable of leaving my prison of sorts if I wish, but doing so would ensure the destruction of all of existence as surely as my true death would."

"…You know, for someone who's talking about potentially cataclysmic events, you're being awfully apathetic about it."

"It is nothing to concern yourself with at the moment. And if I have any say in it, you never will."

"Okay, so if that isn't why you're contacting me, what is?"

"I am here but for one purpose. To ensure that you are aware of the role you play now that you possess my powers."

That totally did not sound ominous in the slightest.

"Hm…to begin, I suppose I must first tell you of my true nature. Tell me, what do you know of balance of the world?"

"Other than it's seen better days? Not much, to be honest."

"Hm…well, I suppose outside of the Progenitors, few would know the truth of the balance. All things in this world have a counterpart, an equal and a complete opposite. Sometimes, they do not exist in a pair, but in a trinity. What keeps them equal, stops them from overpowering the other, is the Great Balance. The two sides of the balance are composed of the most basic concepts of existence itself: Creation and Destruction. Those two almighty domains were split between the Progenitors, the original beings who brought about this world. Chaos, Amenominakanushi, Ginnugagap, they possess pieces of both domains. Brahma and Shiva took pieces of Creation and Destruction respectively, and to help maintain the balance between them, Vishnu took the concept of Preservation. However, the ones who held the greatest pieces of Creation and Destruction were YHWH and I. In other words, YHWH and I were largely the ones who maintained the Great Balance."

"I see…so that's why the balance basically went to shit when the Biblical God died…"

"No, that's not all there is to that story. Tell me, Kurosaki Ichigo, what happens when one side of a balanced is massively reduced?"

"Huh? Well, obviously, the scale would tip completely to the other side…Wait."

"It seems that you have realized. You are correct. If one side was suddenly reduced by a great amount, the balance would completely collapse. In other words, all things in existence would meet its end. However, the balance is still in place. It is tattered, weakened, but there it remains. Why is that? Quite simple. YHWH and I 'died' at about the same time. The simultaneous events weakened the balance, but not destroy it."

"…You just told me that you were metaphysically alive, if physically dead. Does that mean that YHWH is also…?"

"Correct. Much like my own, YHWH's vessel has died, perished in the climax of the Great War. However, metaphysically, he is very much alive. In fact, he is with me, in my prison. And much like me, he can leave, but he will not, in order to ensure that dark tidings do not visit your world."

"But…if both of you are alive, why is the balance so crappy? I can't imagine that the destruction of your vessels was enough to weaken the balance to this extent."

Satan sighed.

"Perceptive…very well, you deserve to know, I suppose. Kurosaki Ichigo, what you possess is only a part of my power. Quite a substantial amount, over 10%, but still a fragment of a whole, nonetheless. The reason you are so strong now, that you now possess power equal to mine, or perhaps even surpassing me at my peak, is because your own sheer power is augmenting that fragment. That is the reason I chose you to inherit my power. You wondered why I did not simply choose another Devil to take my place. That is why. I needed someone strong. Leaving the megalomaniac that my dear friend Lucifer is unfortunate enough to call his spawn aside, any of the current Yondai Maou could have done the part, and indeed, I did try to bestow my power unto them, but they were simply incompatible. Even in your case, I was not sure that you would be compatible until I had actually tried."

"So, the reason the balance is weakened is because only 10% of your power is present in the world? What happened to the rest of it?"

"As I said, it is nothing to concern yourself with. Just know that the majority of my power is being used to keep danger at bay, as is YHWH's. Getting back to your role, I wish for you to take my place."

"I'm sorry?"

"Right now, you are still raw, but time is something you will have plenty of now that you have inherited my power. I expect YHWH will soon choose an heir for his power as well. When you two have reached your full potential, it is our hope that you will be able to take our place as the ones who maintain the balance of the world. Restore it to what it once was."

"Are…Are you serious?"

"Of course. Did you think I gave you my power just for kicks?"

Ichigo was going to ask for more details, which he obviously needed, but that kaleidoscopic void around them began to break down at that moment.

"It appears that our time is up for this occasion. I do not know when I will have the leisure to make contact again, but be assured that it will happen. For now, I must bid you farewell."

Before Ichigo could say anything, Satan began to fade from view, as did the void around them, and he felt himself slipping from this 'dream'.

But before it faded completely, he could have sworn he caught sight of something.

Something very big and very red.

Ichigo had to say that it was a rather strange experience to still be flying on a plane when he now possessed the ability to pretty much teleport anywhere he wanted.

He had said as much to Serafall, who quickly warned him to never try doing so outside of Japan without authorization.

Teleporting into the territories of other Factions without consent or even forewarning was a big no-no, which could easily become the impetus for another war.

Japan was the exception since Amaterasu had pretty much proclaimed the Land of the Rising Sun to be his home.

Though, he had to say, even if it wasn't the fastest method available, it was pretty comfortable.

Especially since he was flying first class.

"So, tell me what the progenitor of our species told you again?" Serafall asked for the fifth time since he woke up.

"You know, you keep asking, but it's not like my answer's going to change."

"Sorry, it's just…well, it's unbelievable to say the least."

"Yeah, you're just hearing this secondhand. Imagine how I felt when he told me himself."

Being told that he was expected to take the place of the Father of Devils was pretty damn jarring.

He spent most of the time between waking up and now trying not to freak the fuck out.

He understood why restoring and maintaining the Great Balance was so important, but why did the role have to fall to him of all people?

If he fucked up, all of existence would suffer for it.

So yeah, no pressure there.

He sighed.

At least, judging by Satan's words, the need to restore the balance was not so great that it needed to be done immediately.

Maybe by the time when he was needed, he would actually be ready to take on that role.

"Look, let's just…leave that aside for now. Where are we going again?"

"Greece. More specifically, Mount Olympus."

"…You mean the actual mountain, or the one the Greco-Roman Gods reside on?"

"Both, actually. They're essentially in the same place. We're having an audience with the Olympians."

"That's a…pretty big leap, going from one Goddess to an entire Pantheon."

"It'll be fine. The Greco-Romans are one of the few Factions that are actually pro-peace. As long as you don't…I don't know, blow up one of their temples, there won't be a problem. I figured you should start with one of the easier Factions to negotiate with before we amp up the difficulty."

"Thoughtful of you." Ichigo said only half-sarcastically.

"I know. Just to preface, I said that the Greco-Romans for pro-peace, but I meant that as a whole. Individually, there are a few you should watch for. The first is Ares, the God of War. I…think I don't have to explain why."

"Yeah, I could already tell."

Peace must be anathema to a God of War, especially one as reportedly belligerent as Ares.

"Try to avoid him outside of official meetings if you can. He will look for literally any excuse to start a fight with you. But, if a confrontation is unavoidable…well, feel free to kick his ass. The rest of the Olympians won't mind. Most of them will probably even thank you for it."

So much for internal solidarity.

"Just so I'll know, what does he look like?"

"Oh, trust me. The moment you see him, you'll know it's him. Anyway, the second Olympian you should watch out for is Aphrodite."

"The Goddess of Love? I have to admit, I wasn't expecting you to name her among the Olympians."

"She's called the Goddess of Love, but…well, to put it bluntly, she's a huge slut. She will do her utmost best to sleep with any men, or women, she doesn't really discriminate, she finds even remotely passable in her eyes, even resorting to force to do so. I can't even begin to recount how many wars she almost started because of who she slept with. Don't underestimate her just because none of her domains have anything to do with combat. She's still a direct spawn of a Primordial God and has the power to prove it. Again, avoid her completely outside of meetings, but if a confrontation is inevitable, turn her down as politely as you can. I cannot stress this enough."

"…Is she that dangerous?"

"Even Zeus is wary of her, if that tells you anything."

Well, that about settled it. If the head of her own Pantheon thought she was dangerous, then there was no doubt.

"And the third?"

"Well, he's not an Olympian in name, but he is one of the most important Gods. Hades, the Lord of the Dead."

Ichigo blinked.

That was actually the one Greek God he wasn't expecting.

"Really? I would have thought that Hades of all Gods would get along well with Devils."

"You'd certainly think so, wouldn't you? Hades is the Lord of the Dead, the Devils deal with the souls of sinners. Hades lives in the Realm of the Dead, we Devils live in the Underworld. But no. In addition to the fact that he's kind of as ass, Hades does not get along with Devils. In fact, Hades hates Devils. And the rest of the Biblical Faction too, for that matter."

"Why?"

"No one knows, actually. If you were to ask Hades, he would just say it's because the Realm of the Dead was located right beneath the Underworld, and that we're too noisy."

Ichigo's expression could be summed up succinctly in one short sentence.

"…Are you shitting me?"

"It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Of course, that can't be the truth, but Hades will not say anything else on the matter. Oh, but don't think ill of him. Despite all of that, Hades really is one of the friendliest Gods around. Even if you were to look at all of the Greek myths in existence, among all of the major Gods of the Greco-Roman Pantheon, Hades is probably the one who has committed the least atrocities. As the Lord of the Dead who judges the souls of special cases impartially, he actually gets along very well with humans. Better than the Olympians, even."

A God who liked humans and hated Devils and Fallen Angels…

Was it because traditionally, Devils and Fallen Angels were beings who tempted humans to sin?

Or was it for another reason entirely?

"So, those 3 are all I have to watch out for?"

"Hm…well, those 3 are just the ones you have to be most wary of among the Greco-Roman Gods, but it's not like the others aren't dangerous either. Apollo is eccentric and a shameless flirt, but apart from that, he's relatively harmless. His twin sister, Artemis, hates most males, but she's also smart enough to know that she shouldn't do anything that could lead to a war. Athena is extremely prideful, but she knows how to place Olympus's interests in front of her pride. Hermes…is basically a kleptomaniac on a permanent high, so keep a tight grip on your valuables while around him. Hephaestus is just cranky. Don't say anything about his disfigurement, and you won't get on his bad side. Dionysus…well, he's almost always drunk, so you should be fine. But, on the rare occasions that he is sober, do not offend him. He may be better known as the God of Wine, but he's also the God of Madness. Demeter is pretty friendly, no need to worry about her. The same goes for Hera, unless of course, Zeus recently had a fling with a mortal woman again, in which case, stay out of her way. She can hold a hell of a grudge. And finally, Zeus and Poseidon…well, they, along with Hades, are the face of Olympus, but they're really just perverted old men. Half the reason I stay in this childlike form is to ward off advances from Gods like them."

"That's one hell of a circus."

With so many conflicting personalities, how had they not driven themselves into the ground by now?

"Despite all of those idiosyncrasies, Olympus has managed to remain one of the strongest Factions in the world. I guess it's what you would call 'functioning chaos'. However, for all of their eccentricities, you should always remember this. All of the myths are true. The rape of Hera by her own brother and husband, Zeus. The rape of Medusa by Poseidon and subsequent cursing by Athena. The slaughter of prideful Niobe's children by Apollo and Artemis. Every atrocity you have ever heard of. All of them really happened. They may have become more…civilized in modern times, and Zeus truly does wish for peace with other Factions, but just keep in mind that a leopard can't so easily change its spots."

"And…we're going to negotiate with them."

"Yes. However, heinous they may truly be, we would rather be at peace than at war with them. In addition to multiple High Gods, there are also three Head Gods, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. And what's more, Hades is one of the World's Top 10 Strongest."

"Wait, the God that hates our guts is one of the World's Top 10?"

"That's right. Hades hates us, but it's not like he would do anything that could start a war between us without provocation. The reason I cautioned you about him is his power. It's on par with any of the current Yondai Maou. If we offended him enough that he would declare war on us, it would be a disaster. Even we Maou wouldn't stand a chance without our full power. Just keep this in mind, Ichigo-chan. Among the 3 Gods I warned you about, it's Hades you need to be most wary of."

"Right. Don't piss off the guy who lives below us. Anything else I should know before we get there? Like how to not piss them off?"

"Hm…well, just don't bring any of the myths you heard and you should be fine. They hate being reminded of past failings, mistakes and near losses. Especially Typhon. Do not ever mention Typhon, even in passing."

"They hate the King of Monsters that much?"

"They don't just hate him. They fear him. His mere appearance inspires so much terror that almost all of the Olympians fled at the sight of him, to say nothing of his absurd power. Typhon did swat Zeus of the sky like a fly. He's also a member of the World's Top 10 Strongest. Almost at the top of the list, in fact, only right below Ophis and Shiva in power, and matched only by Fenrir, the Norse God-Slaying Wolf of equal infamy and strength. The only real reason he stays under Mount Edna is because he likes it there. If he wanted, he could break out at any time and destroy Olympus, and probably a good part of the world."

"Right. Don't mention the monster that could singlehandedly wipe out most of the world. Got it. Anything else?"

"No, that's pretty much it. We should be landing in Macedonia soon. From there, we'll be escorted to Mount Olympus. Remember…"

"Yeah, I know. Best behavior. You know, I'm pretty sure I'm the one who's supposed to be saying that to you. You do have a track record of doing stupid things."

"Hey! I'm the Maou in charge of foreign diplomacy! At the very least, I can act the part while on the job!" Serafall protested with a pout.

"You're kinda proving my point there…"

Even with all the crap Ichigo had been through in his time as a Substitute Shinigami and his still brief tenure as a Devil, the supernatural world still found plenty of ways to surprise him.

Like right now.

He had to admit, riding in a carriage being pulled by pegasi was a completely alien experience for him.

It wasn't anywhere near as uncomfortable as Ichigo had expected from what he had thought to essentially be a glorified horse-drawn carriage.

It wasn't as luxurious as a flight in first-class, but it was a lot more pleasant considering the sheer volume of air that the pegasi and carriage must be pushing through, judging by how fast they were currently soaring over the cities below, flying up towards Mount Olympus, the physical mountain, where the gate to realm of the Greco-Roman Gods was located.

It came with being magical horses, he supposed.

The carriage rumbled violently for a moment, causing him to almost lurch forward unceremoniously.

Thankfully, he managed to regain his balance before he smashed his face into the opposite seat.

"Are you okay, Archduke Kurosaki?" A female voice that was not Serafall's asked, sounding in equal parts amused and concerned.

He looked at the third occupant in the carriage.

Their escort to Mount Olympus.

A petite woman with braided brown hair and brown eyes, dressed in a white toga.

Serafall had introduced her as Eirene, the Greek Goddess of Peace, which he supposed was fitting, considering their purpose for this meeting.

Compared to some of the supernatural women he had met thus far, she was rather plain.

In fact, if she didn't possess the feel of divinity around her, Ichigo probably would have mistaken her for some reenactor of Ancient Greek times.

Boy, would that have been an embarrassing mistake to make.

Still, there was a certain…tranquility around her that appealed to him in a way.

From the moment she had met them from the airport, she had been nothing but polite, which gave her points in his book.

Now, if only she would stop addressing him by that stupid noble title he had received along with his Evil Pieces and land space when he was promoted.

"I'm fine, and you don't have to call me that, you know."

"Nonsense. You are an honored guest in our lands. I must address you by your proper title." She responded easily with a radiant smile that made it hard to argue with her.

"Anyway, what you felt just now was our carriage passing through the dimensional walls between the human world and Olympus. There is still a ways to go, so I humbly ask for your patience. In the meantime…"

Eirene said as she extended a table from the side of the carriage, brought out an ornate horn and blew into the mouthpiece.

Instead of sound, copious amounts of food and beverages shot out of the other end and landed perfectly on the table.

"…Would you care for some refreshments?"

Ichigo stared blankly at the food on the table, and then at the little horn that had basically just told the laws of conservation of mass to suck it.

Was that a cornucopia?

He had seen Serafall create endless amounts of ice from seemingly nothing, but it was only now that he could truly appreciate just how little the supernatural world cared for the laws of physics.

While he was gawking, Serafall and Eirene had already begun to dig in with gusto.

He had to admit, circumvention of laws of physics aside, the food did look and smell good.

"…Thank you for the meal."

The carriage pulled up and the 3 passengers disembarked.

While Eirene and Serafall continued on without much reaction, Ichigo had to stop and stare at the legendary Olympus for a moment.

It…well, the best way he could describe it was an Ancient Greek version of Seireitei built on a mountain.

The carriage had stopped at a dock of sorts just outside of the actual citadel, connected to a long winding path that traveled up the mountain, several branching paths splitting off through the various districts of the massive realm, and the main path ending at two concentric circular walls surrounding a giant fine marble palace at the very top.

It was…actually, it looked almost exactly like what he had expected, though obviously a lot bigger and more detailed.

And even more stunning than its magnificence was the sheer reiatsu coming from it.

Seriously, if it was translated to visual information, Olympus would be lit up as bright as the sun right now.

That was a lot of reiatsu.

Eirene led them along the main path, past several gawking individuals with varying levels of divinity.

She pointed out the districts of Olympus, each under the dominion of one or more of the Olympians.

The agricultural district governed by and split equally between Demeter and Dionysus, spanning several hectares of land.

The squabbling market district with Hermes at its helm, bustling from the moment it opened in the morning to the time it closed up shop at night.

The art district run by Apollo, where melodious music could be heard almost 24/7, the genre of music changing depending on the time of day.

The hunting district led by Artemis, where a direct path to the bountiful woodlands at the base of the mythical mountain lay.

Ares's combat district, the main attraction of which was the coliseum in which dozens of battles were conducted every day.

Aphrodite's…red light district, for comforts of the flesh.

Athena's scholar district, where Olympus's educational institutions were located.

Hephaestus's industrial district, where it was always hot and reeking of smoldering metal because of the dozens of forges, blown up to great proportions to accommodate the Cyclops, the primary blacksmiths of the Gods aside from the God of the Forge himself.

Poseidon's port district, which was really just a portal leading to the Sea God's own domain in the oceans.

The residential district run by Hestia, a former Olympian who had ceded her position to Dionysus, where the non-divine residents resided.

Hades's gambling district, which was also partially run by Hermes, and supplied by the riches over which the God of the Dead also held dominion.

And finally, the royal district run by both Zeus and Hera, split into the larger outer circle, where the temples of the Minor Gods resided, and the smaller inner circle where the main temples of the 12 Olympians, Hestia and Hades, as well as the grand palace, were located.

Which was also where they were headed right now for their meeting with the Olympians.

They soon reached the heavily guarded inner walls that separated the royal district from the rest of Olympus.

Ichigo found himself being reminded of Central 46's chambers in the middle of Seireitei, similarly guarded and separated from the rest of the citadel.

Though, he supposed the main difference was that the ones inside of these particular walls weren't a bunch of useless, corrupt, decrepit old farts.

Eirene spoke with the guards, who opened the gates, allowing them access into the outer circle of Olympus's biggest district.

Ichigo did not fail to notice how they were staring at him the entire time, much like everyone else on the way here.

They made their way through the outer circle, which looked as luxurious as Yasaka's estate in the Realm of the Youkai.

Travelling in a straight line, they reached the even more heavily guardedwalls that separated the inner circle from the outer circle.

"Oh, dear sister, what brings you to the inner circle today?"

A humongous specimen of a man, almost twice Ichigo's size, with bronze skin, black hair and black eyes, wearing sparse Ancient Greek armor, asked as they approached.

"Ah, Heracles, it's good to see you. I am here to escort our guests to a meeting with the Olympians."

Ichigo stared at the man he now realized was the most famous hero in Greek mythology.

Heracles, better known as Hercules, the demigod son of Zeus who had completed the infamous Twelve Labors among other incredible feats, but was ultimately killed through Hera's machinations, leading to his ascent to godhood.

"Ah, yes, Father did mention that emissaries from the Devils would be arriving today. Which means that these two must be Maou Serafall Leviathan and…"

Heracles's powerful gaze focused on him.

"…You must be the illustrious Kurosaki Ichigo. You…are shorter than I imagined."

Ichigo blinked, completely nonplussed.

That was…a new one.

"Heracles, don't be rude. They are our guests."

"Oh, I didn't mean that in a derogatory way. I was simply surprised that someone who was strong enough to shake all of Olympus with the force of his power from beyond the dimensional wall was only the size of an ordinary man. Guess that really goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover."

"Thanks, I guess." Ichigo muttered, not sure if he was being complemented, insulted or both.

"Anyway, the Olympians have been expecting you. Please, do go in."

With a single massive hand that could probably wrap itself easily around Ichigo's entire head, Heracles pushed open the gargantuan gates with so much force, they swung all the way back and slammed into the frame, shaking the whole structure.

Assuming they were made of the same material, the same gates that served as the entrance to the outer circle had required dozens of guards to slowly push open.

Heracles had just accomplished the same feat by himself in about a tenth of a second.

With one hand.

Though, perhaps, as a testament to the sheer control he had over his immense physical strength, neither the gates nor the walls had so much as a scratch on them.

Either that or the gates were specially constructed to withstand abuse from the strongest demigod.

Ichigo had the distinct feeling that it was the latter.

Eirene smiled daintily at her half-brother and led the two Super Devils into the inner circle.

If the outer circle was comparable to Yasaka's estate in luxury, the inner circle surpassed even that.

Ichigo could truly believe that this was the abode of some of the famous Gods in existence.

In terms of pure design and decoration, the inner circle was not much different compared to the outer circle.

However, the entire place was filled with an incredible radiance that enhanced its beauty to an unbelievable degree.

It was so bright that Ichigo thought he was going to be blinded for a moment before his eyes began to adjust themselves to the luminance.

And when they did, he caught sight of a distinct figure waiting at the top of the long stairway that led up to the grand palace, surrounded by the 14 temples of the Olympians, Hestia and Hades.

As they ascended the stair, a well-built elderly man slightly taller than Ichigo, with electric blue eyes, shoulder length white hair and a full beard, dressed in a white toga, stepped forward to greet them.

"Welcome to Olympus, Maou Serafall Leviathan and Archduke Kurosaki Ichigo. We are most pleased to have you here."

"The pleasure is ours, Lord Zeus." Serafall said as they bowed to the Head God of the Greco-Roman Pantheon out of deference in their home.

The Lord of the Aether grinned widely and gestured for them to enter the massive building behind them.

"Shall we begin this meeting then?"

"Yes, let's."

The three of them moved into the grand palace.

Ichigo was starting to get used to the stares, though he admitted it was slightly unnerving that they were coming from almost all of the Gods of one of the most powerful Factions in the world.

The meeting had taken a while, which was weird, because Ichigo did not think they had managed to do much since both sides, in spite of mutually seeking peace, also needed to uphold an image of strength and not give away too much to the other side for fear of appearing weak to third parties.

In the Greco-Romans' defense, their influence was already diminishing in the mortal world since long ago thanks to the spread of the Christianity, so he supposed they didn't really have much left to give.

By the time it had adjourned, with next to no results other than the continued agreement to not meddle in each other's affairs, he might add, damn politics, it was already way after dusk and heavily storming in Greece, which had caused the cancellation of any flights.

Not really an issue for those capable of travelling halfway across the planet with a single spell, but Zeus had courteously invited them to stay the night on Olympus.

And for the sake of bilateral relations that didn't seem to be going anywhere, they couldn't quite refuse.

Which was why Ichigo was attending yet another party.

He supposed it was made slightly better by the fact that he wasn't forced to wear another damn tuxedo and that this wasn't one of the ritzy, 'everyone has a ten foot pole up their asses' parties, but rather, one of the wild, 'everybody gets shitfaced and turn into dumbasses' parties.

That would explain all the flying clothes and drunken yells.

He had to admit, after the perfect picture of elegance that was Amaterasu, he had no idea what to expect of the Greco-Roman Gods, but it certainly wasn't the God of the Sky drunkenly singing shanties with Poseidon, who looked almost identical to Zeus with the exception of darker hair and sea green eyes, at the top of their lungs while being cheered on by their equally drunk sons/nephews.

To their credit, the Goddesses were nowhere near as belligerent, or at least better at hiding their drunken state, and looked on at the antics of their boorish male counterparts with disdain.

Especially Hera, a tall, beautiful woman with brown hair tied in a braid and black eyes, who looked like she was about to start throttling her brother-husband, regardless of the damage that would do to her own image.

Though, a number of them were looking at him with a strange light in their eyes that did not inspire good feelings in him.

Serafall was on the other side of the hall, desperately fending off advances by drunk and persistent Gods who did not seem turned off by her childish body as politely as she could.

Ichigo was about to go and run interference when she directed a pleading look towards him, but stopped when someone suddenly appeared at his side without him noticing beforehand.

And judging by the sudden look of shock that had frozen on Serafall's face, he could guess who it was.

"Not enjoying the festivities, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

Ichigo started at the vaguely familiar voice and turned to face…

…A walking, talking skeleton in black robes.

It was so surreal that Ichigo couldn't help it.

He just stared.

The skeleton's lower jaw clattered noisily against the rest of the skull as it cackled.

"Something on my face? Or perhaps you will only recognize me in this form?"

Before he could even blink, the skeleton was replaced by a familiar elderly gentleman dressed in all black, smiling cunningly at him.

"You…you're the old man from back then."

"Indeed. I do not believe we have ever been formally introduced. Pleased to meet you, Kurosaki Ichigo. I am Hades."

The God of the Dead greeted him as he transformed back into his skeletal form.

Ichigo swallowed nervously.

This was Hades, chthonic ruler of the Realm of the Dead, oldest of the Greco-Roman Trinity and of the Titans Kronos's and Rhea's children, a God so powerful that he was capable of ranking in the World's Top 10 Strongest.

Ichigo tried to think of a verbal response that wouldn't potentially mortally offend him and spark a bloody war between the forces of Olympus and the denizens of the Underworld.

"Kakaka…why so nervous, Kurosaki Ichigo? Do I seem that intimidating to the man who singlehandedly saved the world?"

"No, nothing of the sort, Lord Hades. My King has simply informed that you…do not take kindly to our race."

"Hmph…she did, did she? Well, let us go outside and have a talk for a moment, shall we? No need to be so apprehensive. I have no doubt that if I were to harm a hair on your head, your King would unleash the full scope of her boreal wrath on Olympus, and I really could not be bothered to clean up the resulting mess."

Ichigo briefly wondered if Hades was aware that he had implied that he would still emerge the victor even if Serafall were to use her full power before dismissing the thought.

There was no doubt that he did.

And Ichigo couldn't tell if he was bluffing or not.

The depths of the God of the Dead's power were as unfathomable as the Yondai Maou.

He couldn't even begin to describe just how massive it really was beneath the surface.

It was greater than either Zeus or Poseidon, though perhaps not both together.

But considering that the reiatsu of the Lord of the Aether and the King of the Abyss individually eclipsed even Aizen's, it was still a terrifying thought.

Discretion was the better part of valor, which was why Ichigo decided to forgo any notion to decline and followed Hades out onto the balcony, away from the clamor.

Night had long fallen over Olympus, bringing with it a tranquility that was only disturbed by the sheer rambunctiousness of the Greco-Roman Gods' party.

"Tell me, Kurosaki Ichigo. Do you know what Satan's role in the grand scheme of things was?" Hades abruptly asked him when they were far out enough on the balcony to not be overheard.

"…You mean his place on the Great Balance?"

Hades showed what was probably supposed to be an expression of mild surprise on his skeletal face.

"Ho, so you know about that…how odd. When I questioned the current Yondai Maou, none of them appeared to be aware…Tell me, how did you come across that vital piece of information?"

Ichigo realized that he might have just made a mistake in revealing what he knew.

What the hell was he supposed to say now?

'Oh, I know about it because Satan is talking to me in my dreams'?

There were only two possible outcomes resulting from that.

Either Hades would think he was being mocked and get offended, which might escalate into a war, or he would believe him, and that information would eventually get out into the open and send the rest of the world into a panic, which might also escalate into a war, one of a larger scale.

Caught between a rock and a hard place.

Surprisingly, it was Hades himself who offered him a way out of that conundrum.

"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. What does matter is that you are aware. Kurosaki Ichigo, what we speak of from here on is not for the ears of others. Do you understand?" Hades spoke in a tone that implied that he was not so much making a request as he was ordering him.

Still, Ichigo nodded, genuinely curious about what the Lord of the Dead wanted to talk about.

"You say that I do not take kindly to your race…yes, that is indeed true. Your King must have also informed you of the reasons I have always told others when asked."

"You…don't like the ruckus we make in the Underworld."

"Well, that is not false. I really do not appreciate the racket you lot always make upstairs. However, that alone would only irritate me. It certainly would not be reason enough for the disdain I feel towards you Devils. Are you aware of the tales surrounding your fabled forefather?"

"Which one? How he shaped Hell into what it is today?"

"That is not so much of a legend as it is a fact, and no, not that one in particular. I speak of the legend that none of the residents of Hell outside of Devils were able to gain a foothold in the infernal realm until after his disappearance."

"Well, yeah, that's almost as famous as the one I mentioned."

"That one is untrue, a falsehood that has been spread by you Devils, though I supposed you cannot be held accountable for the most part. Few know what truly happened, and those who are not dead are largely the remnants of the first generation of Devils, encouraging that falsehood out of mere hubris."

"So…Satan couldn't have stopped you from getting your own territories in Hell?"

"Oh, no. That part is very much based in fact. Satan was one of the most powerful beings in existence. Matched in sheer power only by YHWH, surpassed only by the Ultimate Two and possibly the God of Destruction. If he really did not wish for us to gain a foothold in Hell, none of us would have succeeded until after he was long gone. In truth, Satan gave us those territories voluntarily when we negotiated with him."

Wait, what?

"They say I get along very well with humans, and for the most part, that is true. However, if there is one thing I detest about them, it is how they portray YHWH as an absolute force of good and Satan as an absolute force of evil. That has never been the case. YHWH is not good by nature, nor is Satan evil. They are after all two sides of the same coin. They were very much like each other. Especially in the regard of how they were very deeply concerned of the Great Balance and how they never sought anything but true peace. That was why Satan willingly yielded portions of Hell to me and the other Gods of the Infernal Realm, and perhaps also why they expected mankind's portrayal of them as two extremes. Their single flaw was their overindulgence of their followers' desires. The only reason they allowed that Great War of yours to break out was because the animosity between their subordinates had grown too great, and they could not bear to refuse them. But aside from that single flaw, they were truly beings that one could call perfect, that all others should strive to emulate. Out of all beings in existence, there are none I respect more than Satan and YHWH."

The mood then visibly became sour as Hades's voice grew increasingly bitter.

"And now, the former is gone, and the latter has fallen mysteriously silent. What is left of the once proud and respectable Biblical Faction? Devils and Angels…poor imitations, relying on the power and renown of their forefathers to protect their overinflated ego. Humans, misguided in their beliefs and manipulated by vile creatures to do their bidding. And the worst of you all are the Fallen Angels, abominable beings whose very existence is the proff of their perversion of YHWH's and Satan's will. What else could I feel for them but contempt?"

Ichigo was stunned at the revelations he had borne witness to.

Hades's hatred of them…certainly made sense now.

"And then you came along."

Hades turned to look at him.

"A boy who acquired power that could rival some of the strongest beings in the world, the same boy who would then inherit Satan's powers. You interest me, Kurosaki Ichigo. You truly do. Is your appearance a sign of good things to come, or impending disaster? I look forward to seeing the answer." The God of the Dead mused, seeming truly delighted.

"Well then, our discussion is at an end. I trust you will keep this a secret?"

Ichigo nodded.

This was way too personal for him to tell anyone else about.

"Good lad. You should return to that mess my brothers are making. I think you will find that there is no party quite like an Olympian party."

Serafall stared at her Queen with a complicated expression.

She couldn't begin to describe how worried she had been when he had been led away from the party venue by the God of the Dead.

She was about to follow after them, but the look Hades had momentarily directed at her made it clear that he would not tolerate any third party interference.

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have given a shit what the old bag of bones was demanding, but it was a different story with Ichigo here.

Ichigo as he was currently was powerful. Extremely so, to the point where even Grayfia, one of the Underworld's strongest Ultimate-Class Devils, was rendered completely helpless.

However, he could only use a portion of his true power, the bulk of it sealed and kept on a short leash by Serafall herself.

He could effectively make use of the limited power he had, but it still couldn't match the full might of one of the World's Top 10 Strongest.

In other words, if Hades was serious about killing him, Ichigo would die.

Serafall could stop that by either removing the seal on his power or jumping in herself, but…the latter course of action would lead to a complete breakdown of negotiations between the Underworld and Olympus, and she couldn't let that happen for the sake of her own selfishness.

As for the former, she didn't even want to imagine what would happen if Satan's powers on top of Ichigo's own went berserk.

So, she had no choice but to wait, and hope that Hades wasn't insane enough to try and kill a foreign diplomat in their own territory.

There were no words that could adequately state how relieved she was when Ichigo and Hades returned without a scratch on either of their persons.

And then various Greek Goddesses started to flirt with her Queen.

She had noticed a number of them staring at him before, but none of them had made a move up until now.

As she looked at her extremely flustered Queen, she felt a certain squeezing sensation in her chest that she couldn't quite explain.

"You look rather forlorn, Maou Leviathan." A sultry voice called out to her.

Serafall expertly hid her disgust and turned to face a voluptuous woman with blonde hair and green eyes, dressed in a white toga that barely covered up her unmentionables.

"Good evening to you, Lady Aphrodite." Serafall returned the Greco-Roman Goddess of Love's greeting with a curtsy.

"I apologize, but I could not help but notice your emotional dilemma. Might I hazard a guess that it has something to do with your adorable new pet?" Aphrodite commented with a growing smile.

Serafall did not think that she had allowed anything to surface on her face, but Aphrodite, being a Goddess heavily tied to emotions, could apparently see something that no one else could.

"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head. I won't lay a hand on him. Zeus forced me to swear an oath on the Styx, that old codger." Aphrodite said with a momentarily displeased look.

Despite that knowledge, Serafall did not feel any better about letting her anywhere near Ichigo.

The Olympians were notorious for finding ways around the oaths they made on the River of Hatred, or just ignoring them completely, uncaring of the consequences that so frequently befell others instead of themselves.

"Getting back to you, do you understand what that clenching feeling in your chest is when you look at your boy toy being flirted with by other women? Indulge me."

Serafall did not like the increasingly predatory look on Aphrodite's face.

But, if she were to consider her words, and her own unpleasant feelings, then the logical conclusion was that the emotion she was experiencing right now was…

Serafall turned pale.

Aphrodite's smile threatened to split her perfect face.

"Yes, my dear Serafall. What you are feeling right now is jealousy."

"I apologize for my bluntness, but you are wrong, Lady Aphrodite."

"Am I? Tell me, my dear Serafall, don't you just want to destroy those harlots for daring to go near your Queen? Don't you want to monopolize his affections? Don't you want to feel his fervent gaze upon you and only you, to whisper sweet nothings into your ears, to fulfill your every need, and to know that he is completely yours?"

With every salacious, honeyed and increasingly passionate word that spewed out of the Goddess of Love's mouth and into her ears, Serafall felt her heart aching more and more uneasily, and that unpleasant feeling growing.

"Oops, I shouldn't say any more than this. I wouldn't want to incur your wrath. Farewell then, Maou Leviathan. May you enjoy the rest of the festivities."

And with that, Aphrodite departed, the clear victor of their verbal spar.

"I would, but you just ruined it for me, you bitch." Serafall muttered under her breath, trying to soothe her aching chest.

She turned back to look at Ichigo uncertainly.

Aphrodite was wrong.

She couldn't possibly be feeling jealous.

She had not known him personally for very long, and on top of that, he was barely even a tenth of her age, a mere child in the eyes of many.

She couldn't possibly be holding any feelings for him…

…Right?

And this chapter is done, just in time for Christmas!

I should probably have mentioned this from the start, but there is unlikely to be much action in this first part of the story, as its main purpose is to establish Ichigo's place in the supernatural world and his relationship with Serafall in preparation for the second part.

I have no experience in writing romance, so bear with me.

I do have most of this part already planned out, all the way to the epilogue and bridge to the second part.

I won't say much other than it ties up loose ends on the Bleach side.

Also, yes, I redeemed Isshin.

He's a bad father, but he's definitely not the worst I have ever seen in anime or in real life. Not even close.

That's all for now.

As always, please read and review.