𝐸 𝒳 - 𝒟 𝐸 𝒱 𝐼 𝐿

CH. 1 - EP 3: NEW THREAT

"It's getting real dark outside and he's still not here. I'm getting worried," Akeno said.

"This doesn't look like him at all," Rias said. "He did behave strange for the past couple of weeks, but he's still a loyal servant. I don't think that he left us here." Suddenly the door opened and revealed a bruised and wounded Y/n. "Don't go outside... Something evil is out there..." He panted heavily and leaned against the door frame. Immediately Koneko and Yuuto came over to help him stand.

"What happened?!" Rias asked. She pointed to a couch nearby for Koneko and Yuuto to place Y/n down. Rias ordered Akeno to get Asia as fast as possible here. She placed her hand on his forehead and he was burning. Rias noticed the three black marks on his neck. "Those weren't there before..."

Asia arrived shortly after with Issei and started to heal him. After a couple of minutes, nothing happened and Y/n was still in pain. "I can't heal him... There is something that prevents me from healing him, as if he wasn't hurt." She told them, but nevertheless continued to heal him. Rias, who was kneeling beside her, placed her hand on Asia's shoulder. "Its not your fault. 

—

Sirzechs was currently signing the papers he got from the council. He didn't want to stack them, so he decided to finish them all. But his mind was paying attention to something different. Suddenly a blue magic circle appeared on the ground and revealed the current Leviathan, Serafall.

"Where are Ajuka and Falbium?" She asked in a enthusiastic voice. Immediately another magic circle appeared, but this time it was green. "Serafall you're still as noisy as ever," Ajuka said. "Greetings Sirzechs,"

"Ajuka and Serafall the reason why I called for a meeting is that he is back." Sirzechs said. Both, Serafall and Ajuka immediately went serious.

"What makes you think that?" Ajuka asked him.

"We found a lot of dead bodies, and all of them had those strange three marks on their neck." Sirzechs said. "I asked Grayfia to research about it and everything leads to him."
          
          
"Well, well, well, you got me," A voice said out of the dark. Immediately all three of them took their battle stances. He was standing there in the corner of the room. Ajuka casted a spell around him, preventing him from doing anything and Serafall was ready to annihilate him, if necessary.

"What do you want, Orochimaru?" Sirzechs asked. His eyes were glowing crimson red.

"Why so serious? I didn't come here to fight," He said. "I don't have the power to defeat all of you together... but he could do it."
          
         
"Who is 'he'?" Ajuka asked.

"Where's the fun if I told you right away? But I will give you a hint," Orochimaru said. "His strength lies in his eyes, and he has gained all the genes from the mighty Uchiha Clan..."
        
           
"What did you do to him?!" Sirzechs asked angrily. He wanted nothing more than to kill him right now, clone or not.

"Oh, nothing special. I just gave him the same thing, that I gave those test subjects, with the exception, that he actually survived." Orochimaru said.     

"After all, he's an Uchiha..."
           
  
—

"He's still not awake?"

"No," Rias said. "I have tried to heal him, but the fever isn't going away.."

"Maybe Asia could try it again?" Akeno suggested placing a cup of tea on the night shelf.

"I don't know what to do.."

A white magic circle appeared on the ground and revealed Grayfia, Ajuka and Sirzechs, who all had very serious expression.

"Grayfia?! Brother?! What are you doing here?" Rias asked surprised.

"Rias please leave this room, it's an emergency," Sirzechs said in a very serious tone. "Grayfia please lead to the exit."

"Of course, master."

"Wait! No! I don't want to leave without knowing what is going on here!" Rias said.

"It's better for your own good to not know what's about to happen," Ajuka said.

Shortly after Grayfia led Akeno and Rias out of the room. Ajuka placed a magical barrier, so that no one could come in or try to eavesdrop.

Grayfia slowly removed the blanket from Y/N. She saw that he was really in pain. Ajuka walked over and noticed the three marks on his neck.

"So this are the symptoms from the Curse Mark... It's really impressive that he is still alive..." Ajuka said.

"What can we do?" Sirzechs asked him.

"I don't have my equipment here to fully examine him," Ajuka said. "For now I think we should go safe and try to seal the Curse Mark."

"Will it hurt him?" Grayfia asked. She never showed emotion, but it was safe to say that she was very concerned.

"It will," Ajuka said. "There is no other way to avoid it. We still don't know what the Curse Mark will do to Y/N, but for now it's probably better to play safe."

"Alright to what you have to do," Sirzechs said and stepped a bit away.

Ajuka pulled up his sleeve and created a small magic circle in right palm. "I hope you won't be mad at me Y/N, but it's better this way..."

He placed his palm on his neck and applied more pressure with his other hand. Suddenly Y/N screamed in pain and started fighting back. Sirzechs and Grayfia were trying to hold him down.

"It's almost done..." Ajuka said, sweating a bit. He didn't expect to use this much power for a simple sealing technique.

A couple of minutes passed and Ajuka successfully sealed the Mark. He wiped off his sweat from his forehead and nodded to Sirzechs.

"I sealed the Mark, but we need to keep an eye on him. He can't remain here." Ajuka said. "Bring him to your castle and make sure no one enters it, except for us three."

"I understand," Sirzechs said. "Grayfia tell Rias and the others that the training for Y/N is done. He won't be participating in the Rating Game."

—

"His breathing got a bit more stable than before," Ajuka said, noting the result on his board. "His body is slowly adapting to Orochimaru's Power."
         
          
"Tch..."

Ajuka turned around and noticed Orochimaru standing in the corner of the room, smirking at him.

"So, you think that you can seal the Curse Mark I gave him? You must be thinking very high about yourself." Orochimaru said.

"Don't come any closer!" Ajuka warned. "If you come any closer to the kid, I will not hesitate to kill you!"

Orochimaru laughed at Ajuka and placed his hands inside his pockets. "You really think you can kill me? You are forgetting who I am... I'm the most wanted criminal in the Underworld."

"What do you want?"

"Ajuka, we both know how skilled you are, but you can't prevent the path he will choose. He's seeking revenge more than anything else in his life."

"What are you trying to say?" Ajuka asked, knowing that the answer he will get won't be good.

"He will come to me, seeking for more power," Orochimaru said. "And when he fully develops, he will become stronger than every single one of us."