Reborn As Papa Silva

After tallying the votes and reading the input, I ultimately decided to skip over the sex scene in the main story. If you guys truly desire one, I could consider publishing it under the extras—solely for those who want to read it.

—

Revenge is a dish best served cold

—

September 1, 1619

Sebastian and Acier's Bedroom

Moonlight seeped into the room through the open window, illuminating two naked figures—an intertwined mess of limbs, glistening with sweat, sleeping soundly.

Acier's head rested on her husband's chest, rising and falling with his steady breathing.

A moment later, her eyes fluttered open.

Her lavender irises sharpened, flickering with cold light.

Then, slowly, she sat up in bed, craning her head toward the window as the chill in her gaze deepened.

Without making the slightest indent in the mattress or a single creak in the bed, she moved, careful not to wake Sebastian.

She slipped her nightgown back on and stretched out a hand, causing her grimoire to rise and fly into her grasp. With quiet precision, she climbed onto the window ledge.

Pausing for just a moment, Acier glanced over her shoulder at Sebastian. Then, without a sound, she leaped into the night sky, moving with an eerie weightlessness as she vanished into the distance.

Even with Sebastian's heightened, evolved abilities, he didn't detect a thing.

—

Vanica blasted through the sky like a shooting star, drooling and blushing manically, her heart pounding with giddy anticipation.

Her destination was simple.

Acier.

Yesterday, word of Acier's recovery had finally reached Spade through its spies. Without hesitation, Vanica decided to pay a visit to her old acquaintance.

Dante had no objections. He even encouraged her, praising her for indulging in her malice and carnal, primitive desires. That, of course, delighted her.

But not everyone was on board.

Zenon, her pragmatic and indifferent little brother, was on the other end of the spectrum. He had already been displeased when she snuck off to Clover a year ago. Now, he was outright opposed.

He was convinced her reckless antics would attract too much attention—primarily from the Wizard King. And that, in turn, could put their future plans at risk.

Zenon wouldn't tolerate that.

He tried to stop her. More than once.

To no avail, mind you.

Still, that only pissed Vanica off.

The entire reason she was interested in opening the gates of the underworld was for fun. And for her, fun meant fighting the strongest.

If something got in the way of that, she couldn't care less.

She wanted to fight Acier, so she would fight Acier.

No one could stop her.

Least of all Zenon.

But what she hadn't expected was that Zenon wouldn't be her only opposition.

As she flew farther and farther, following the pull of the curse mark on Acier's soul, a voice echoed in her mind.

Vanica, you should go back.

Vanica audibly clicked her tongue and spoke aloud. "Tch. Megicula, this isn't like you. Weren't you the one who praised me for hunting Acier down the first time? Why so cowardly now?"

The supreme devil, mother of curses, didn't seem the least bit offended. Instead, she answered patiently.

Vanica, the curse mark we placed on that woman is still active. It tells us she is dying. Megicula paused. And yet, your spies report that she is as good as new?

This is a harrowing contradiction.

An ill omen.

In human terms, I believe the phrase 'walking straight into a trap' fits best.

Vanica grinned broadly. "Ha! You think I don't know something's off?! Of course I do! That's what makes this exciting!"

Her eyes gleamed with madness.

"I want to see what's in store for me! I haven't had this much fun since I last fought Acier! Sparring with Big Bro Dante is boring, and Zenon won't spar at all!"

"There's nothing more thrilling than a fight to the death with a strong woman! That old hag in Heart won't come out to play, and there's no one worth mentioning in that dump of a kingdom, Diamond! So even if it's a trap, I'm still going!!!"

… You are truly an interesting human, Vanica.

Vanica's crazed smile returned in full, and she let out a delighted moan. "Ha ha ha, of course I am, Megicula! Besides, do you really think I'll lose?!"

… No, I don't…

Megicula conceded the point.

Last year, when Vanica fought Acier, she had only recently become a devil host. Back then, she could only tap into about 15 to 20 percent of Megicula's power.

Now, she could wield up to 55 percent steadily.

And each percentage increase was a massive power boost.

In other words, Vanica was several levels stronger than she had been ten months ago.

Meanwhile, Acier had merely recovered—meaning, at best, she was at the same level as before.

Megicula wasn't worried about Acier.

She was worried about what might be behind Acier.

The Wizard King, perhaps?

After all, Vanica was hers. Her precious devil host.

One of the key sacrifices for Malevolent Femcantation.

Megicula couldn't afford to lose her.

But at the same time… Acier was another.

If these reports were true, Megicula needed to assess her condition and, if necessary, curse her to death again.

She wasn't going to gamble everything on the Advent of Qliphoth going as planned.

She needed a surefire way to descend into this world.

So she no longer attempted to dissuade Vanica.

Vanica's grin widened even further.

She sped up.

—

As Vanica passed over the weaklings of the Forsaken Realm, she didn't even spare them a glance or a thought. As she neared the Common Realm, she suddenly skidded to a stop midair over an empty, secluded grassy plain.

She looked up—and froze for a brief second, feeling enchanted.

In her vision, Vanica seemed to see a celestial maiden standing in front of the full moon, its brilliant glow causing the woman's silver hair to sparkle even more.

Acier's hair was let down, and all she wore was a simple nightgown that ran to her knees. Her legs and feet were bare, her arms crossed, a silver bracelet around her right wrist as she stood on the air as if on an invisible platform. The only thing she seemed to have on her person was her silver three-leaf grimoire, floating at her side.

Her lavender eyes looked down at Vanica, who was floating beneath her, seemingly indifferent.

Vanica licked her lips and squealed in delight. "Ha ha ha! Acier, my dear Acier, you really are healthy again!"

Acier didn't so much as respond, while Vanica continued carrying on.

"You don't know how excited I was to hear you haven't kicked the bucket."

"Looks like you're just as excited, seeing as you've come for me, right? Right?! This means we're rivals—best friends—since you're pursuing me this time, right?!"

Still, Acier didn't even deign to give her an answer, her face expressionless. That upset Vanica somewhat, making her pout.

"Awww, Acier, come on, don't be like that. Are you still upset that I threatened to kill those two brats of yours? …Come on, girl, that's in the far past! And I only did it because they were in the way. Now we can fight freely here and kill each other—"

Vanica cut herself off as she abruptly frowned and began to sniff. Her brows furrowed as she floated upward, coming face to face with Acier, who didn't so much as react as Vanica continued sniffing her like a dog, eyes closed.

A moment later, Vanica's eyes snapped open, and she sported a strange, bewildered expression, looking at Acier weirdly as she parted her lips.

"This smell is just like Big Bro Dante every morning after he sleeps with another whore… Did you just have sex?"

For the first time, Acier showed a reaction. She smiled—a sweet, mocking smile—and nodded.

"Yes. I had hot, steamy sex. And a lot of it. With my beloved husband."

Vanica blinked, incredulous, backing away slightly and feeling a bit turned off, before Acier continued with that same smile.

"Now, my dear Sebby is waiting for me. He might wake up any moment. Let's get this over with, shall we? Any last words?"

Vanica's brows furrowed in confusion. "Any last words? What're you talking about—"

Vanica was interrupted by Megicula's anxious voice screaming in her mind.

Vanica, get out of there right now, she's—

Megicula didn't get to finish as Acier outstretched her right hand in a flicking motion, holding it up to Vanica's forehead in a movement so fast it was barely a blur.

Vanica Zogratis' pupils dilated. Suddenly, she realized something—she hadn't felt a lick of mana from Acier, despite her flying.

She wanted to move, but whether it was Acier being too fast or her feeling like she was locked in place by an invisible force, she couldn't dodge.

And then Acier spoke again, this time her voice cold, her lavender eyes chilly and glossed over.

"Mana Zone: Finger-Flick."

It wasn't a spell, simply grimoire-less magic. A simple motion, but one that caused nearly all the ambient mana in a five-meter radius to gather and condense into Acier's fingers. Then, she lightly flicked her index finger upward.

Vanica's head bobbed back as she was frozen in place. Then—

CRACK!

A sonic boom split the air as Vanica went shooting away like a falling meteorite, flicked at a twenty-degree angle toward the ground.

BOOM!

As Vanica hit the ground, the earth was torn apart, dirt shooting up like an explosion as she burrowed through the grassy plain like a mole rat digging through multiple tunnels. A huge crater was left in its wake.

While this happened, Acier continued looking downward at the earth, indifferent.

A moment later, a beam of black shot out from the crater, revealing Vanica—her golden tiara gone, blood dripping from her forehead. She looked up at Acier with glee, visibly drooling.

"Ha ha ha! As expected of my Acier, you're the best! You even got stronger! I love you so, so much!"

Vanica didn't waste any time. She channeled all the power she could use from Megicula without facing any long-lasting consequences, pushing beyond her typical limits to 60%.

Her eye patch flew off, and then her form changed.

Two ram-like horns appeared on her head, curving backward—one blood-red, the other pitch-black. A pair of sharp wings sprouted from her back, one red, the other black.

Her hair, once fully black, was now half-white.

As for her pale white skin, half her body—her right side—had turned pitch-black, making her look like two beings stitched together. The pitch-black eye with a vertical red iris on that side made it clear: her right side now belonged to Megicula. While her left remained hers.

No, it was more appropriate to say her entire body was still hers, but her right eye now belonged to Megicula.

Vanica licked her lips again, squealing in delight. "You're not the only one who got stronger, Acier! I did too! Now use that steel armor thingy of yours, and let's kill each other—"

"No."

Acier cut her off coolly, making Vanica freeze as she furrowed her brows.

"No? What do you mean, no? How can we kill each other if we both don't do our best?"

Acier looked down at her calmly, as if she were gazing at an ant. Her voice remained steady.

"Oh, I'll still be killing you. But I don't need my Valkyrie armor for a weakling like you."

Vanica blinked, certain she had misheard.

What did she just call me?

Me? A weakling?

Fortunately—or unfortunately—Acier clarified things pretty quickly.

"You caused me a lot of pain. You caused my family a lot of pain. So I need to return the hurt in full. And that can't happen if you die from a single attack, can it?" Acier's lips curled. "An easy death is not something you deserve. So please… don't break too quickly, alright, my dear Vanica?"

Vanica blinked again as Acier licked her lips, her smile turning dark and predatory.

Vanica felt like someone was stealing her character, her flow, her sense of existence.

That bothered her. But not as much as being called weak.

Vanica was sure she was anything but weak.

This bitch!

A vein popped on her forehead as she stopped caring about consequences. She channeled even more of Megicula's power.

Stop, Vanica! What are you doing—

"Shut up, Megicula!!!" Vanica screamed as she pushed herself to 70%—her absolute maximum, the highest amount of power Megicula could transfer from the underworld with the gates still closed.

Her veins bulged as a spade-like tail sprouted from her back.

Her right hand swelled, encased in a massive claw of blood.

Then she shot forward at Acier like a black-and-red laser, arcing over her before swiping down.

Acier encased her left hand in a silver gauntlet—and casually parried the strike aside.

Upon impact, Vanica's blood claw burst apart, leaving her arm bare. Acier wasted no time—she grabbed Vanica tightly by the wrist.

Then she started spinning. Rapidly.

Like a tornado.

Vanica was dragged along, helpless. She tried to free herself, but Acier's Mana Zone expanded for several meters before abruptly condensing around them, crushing the air like an invisible mass.

Vanica's magic was suppressed.

Even breathing was hard.

Then Acier let go.

Once again, Vanica went flying toward the ground.

She skipped across the earth like a pebble over a steady stream, wincing in pain as she bounced, crashing over and over again.

This time, Acier didn't wait. She shot after her like a silver flash.

Vanica grunted, forming another blood claw and digging it into the earth to skid to a stop. She thrust a hand forward.

"Blood Magic: Red Beast!"

A massive armor of blood erupted from Vanica's body, shaping into a dreadful crimson beast—featureless except for a gaping, fanged mouth and razor-sharp claws.

The beast was tethered to Vanica's back by several strands of blood.

"RAWWWRR!!!"

It let out a deep bellow as it shot toward the incoming Acier, the blood threads visibly thinning the further it got from its creator.

In a split second, Acier and the beast were upon each other.

Acier encased her right hand in a steel gauntlet, winding up a punch, while the beast swiped down with both claws in an X-scissor motion.

But Acier was faster. And stronger.

She threw her right hook forward—before her fist even connected, the sheer mana and pressure radiating from her caused the beast to freeze in place, its form visibly caving inward.

Then, when Acier's punch finally landed—

The beast exploded into a fountain of blood.

Acier zoomed past it in an instant, never breaking stride, none of the blood touching her.

"Tsk, useless!" Vanica cursed, spreading her arms forward. Her grimoire flipped open as she cast another spell.

"Herd of Red Beasts!"

This time, multiple beasts surged from Vanica's blood—an entire army, dozens strong, charging at Acier.

They were smaller than the last, but their sheer numbers, coupled with their untethered movement, made them far more agile. Far more dangerous.

But Acier wasn't fazed.

She knew these spells well. Even if they were far stronger than before, she was far stronger too.

And just like she had danced through the Diamond Army in Kiten eighteen years ago—Acier danced once more across the battlefield.

Her bare legs and feet encased themselves in steel boots. She kicked forward, sending the nearest beast exploding into mist.

Her Mana Zone, worn like a slightly larger mana skin, kept her untouched by blood as she moved through the swarm.

Beasts lunged. Claws slashed.

Acier spun.

She twirled, ducked, and weaved through them like a ballerina, her movements impossibly fast and precise. She tore through them one by one—

A casual flick of her hand. A fluid toe kick. A simple jab.

Some she swatted aside like flies. Others she disrupted mid-charge, causing them to crash into each other.

With every step—every hop, skip, spin, and twirl—she edged closer to Vanica.

Vanica grit her teeth, ready to cast another spell—

Then she heard a sigh in her head.

I'm taking over, Vanica.

"Megicula, don't you dare intervene!" she screamed.

But Megicula didn't care.

Vanica's right eye—Megicula's eye—narrowed, locking onto Acier's chest.

Then, a voice whispered into their ears. Megicula's voice.

"Awaken."

Acier froze.

For a brief moment, after wiping out the last beast, she felt the tiniest prick in her heart. In her soul.

Then she smiled.

Megicula's pupils dilated in shock.

"W-why… why can't I control my curse…?" Megicula's voice trembled. "W-wait, you actually turned my curse into strength?! How did you do such a thing?!"

"Guess," Acier said simply, her smile brightening.

Then she dashed forward again—so fast that Vanica had no choice but to fly backward, scrambling to create distance.

But Acier was faster.

She was closing in.

Vanica, I know you're upset, but cooperate with me, Megicula's voice echoed in her mind, and you'll be able to play with her. Use her as you please.

Vanica continued retreating, feeling the toll of channeling 70% of Megicula's power. She wouldn't be able to hold this form much longer.

She snorted. "Fine. But don't kill her. She's my toy."

I wasn't planning on it. I need to dissect her first, after all.

Vanica grinned.

She outstretched both arms, her face flushed with a perverse thrill.

Hundreds of ancient, dark-purple runic sigils, pulsing with an evil presence, shot forward in a storm toward the incoming Acier.

Vanica's lips curled as Megicula's voice echoed from her right eye.

"This won't be a simple curse like last time, Acier Silva."

"This will turn you into a puppet instantly."

"Your life will be in our hands."

As the runes touched Acier's body and seeped into her skin, she smiled—carefree.

Her grimoire flipped rapidly to the end. A spell, seemingly etched into its pages just for this moment, waited for her to cast it.

A spell designed to combat Megicula and Vanica.

"Steel Magic: Aegis of the Iron Maiden."

Acier whispered it softly, barely loud enough for herself to hear.

And then, she kept moving—soaring forward through the sky.

Vanica and Megicula's eyes went wide.

Acier should have frozen midair. She should have gone limp, like a marionette waiting for its master to pull its strings.

But nothing happened.

W-why can't I feel my curse?! Megicula screamed in Vanica's mind.

And then—Acier was in front of them.

No hesitation. No mercy.

She punched.

Her fist crashed square into Vanica's face, caving it in. Blood spurted. Teeth flew.

Vanica rocketed downward, plummeting like a bird that had lost its wings.

Another crater. Another impact.

But Acier wasn't finished.

She shot down after her, slamming both feet into Vanica's stomach.

More blood spewed from Vanica's mouth as she sank even deeper into the ground.

When the dust finally cleared, a massive crater—twelve meters in radius—scarred the battlefield.

At its center lay Vanica.

Her hair was a tangled mess. Her body—bloody, cracked, broken. Her devil form had unraveled. Her grimoire lay discarded in the mud, useless.

And standing over her—untouched, pristine in her nightgown—was Acier Silva.

Arms crossed.

Right foot planted firmly on Vanica's stomach, pinning her in place.

Vanica's right eye—Megicula's eye—glowed faintly. The devil stared up at Acier, calm yet incredulous.

"How?"

Acier smiled.

For a brief second, her veins pulsed silver. Then, she parted her lips.

"I got a new spell," she said simply. "One that coats my inner organs in protective steel. It also fills my bloodstream with the same."

She tilted her head slightly, as if amused.

"This steel reduces damage, resists magic—oh, and it happens to have anti-curse properties. Curse immunity, actually. All thanks to you ingraining the feeling of a curse into my very soul."

Megicula's pupils dilated.

Then, in an eerily calm voice, half curious, half baffled, she spoke again.

"That aside... why are you so strong? Even if you turned my curse into power, you shouldn't have reached this level. It doesn't make sense."

Acier blinked.

She looked down at Megicula oddly, as if the question itself was absurd.

Then, she spoke.

"Do you devils not give birth?"

A pause.

Vanica's right eye blinked, confusion creeping into Megicula's voice.

"Hmm? What does that have to do with my question? What are you trying to convey?"

Acier tapped her chin, looking slightly impatient.

"Answer the question. Do devils give birth? How are you born?"

Megicula hesitated. Then, caught off guard, she answered.

"I do not know... we simply come to be, as masses of malevolence. Even our 'genders' aren't really genders—just forms we prefer to take. We don't have the kind of reproductive organs you humans do."

Acier raised a brow.

Then sighed.

Then nodded.

"Then it seems like you don't know that women need time to recover after giving birth."

Megicula frowned. "What do you mean—"

"I mean—" Acier cut her off, voice sharp, "—your little host here ambushed me barely a week after I gave birth to my youngest."

She leaned in slightly, her silver eyes gleaming.

"Meaning I was only about seventy-five percent at my best when we fought."

A beat of silence.

"And even then—I sent her running with her tail between her legs."

Acier's smile sharpened.

"We were never on the same level to begin with."

"Huh?"

This time, Vanica spoke for herself—her voice incredulous, disbelieving.

"Th-that's a lie. We're rivals. We're the strongest women in the world. Me and you. We're the best of the best."

Her voice rose, desperate.

And then she saw it.

That look on Acier's face.

It almost—almost—looked like pity.

Vanica's heart twisted painfully in her chest. She reached up with trembling arms, trying to touch Acier.

"I-I acknowledge that you're stronger than me now, b-but that's fine! As your rival—your bestie—it's my turn to chase after you. I'll get stronger again after this and come back to you, very soon. So don't worry, Acier! Just wait for me! I'll come back to you, I promise—AGHH!"

Her words cut off in a scream as Acier dug her steel boot into her abdomen.

Vanica gasped, coughing blood, as Acier sneered down at her, cringing in disgust.

"First of all," Acier spat, "I have a rival, and it isn't you.

"And even if you were—don't you understand?

"You. Are. Dying. Today."

Vanica's breath hitched. Her arms fell limply to the ground.

"H-huh?!" Her voice trembled. "K-kill me?! Acier, what are you saying? How are we supposed to kill each other if one of us is dead?! That's no fun! A-Acier, y-you need to release me now! I-I'm kind of dying here, I need to fix myself back up and start training again—AGGH!!!"

Another stomp.

Vanica choked, blood and spit flying from her mouth. Tears and snot streamed down her face.

Acier glared down at her, eyes blazing with fury.

"Release you?"

Another stomp.

"Release you?!" Acier's voice rose in livid disbelief.

"Why the fuck would I release you, bitch?!

"You're dying. Here. Tonight. And painfully.

"You really think I'd spare you? That I'd give you mercy? You?! The bitch who toyed with countless lives for her own amusement?!"

Her voice was a snarl.

"Just die!"

Acier stomped again.

A sickening crack echoed as Vanica's ribs fractured.

"This is for cursing my son!"

Another stomp.

"This is for threatening my oldest and youngest!"

Another stomp.

"This is for making my other two cry!"

Another stomp.

"This is for scaring Mereoleona!"

Another stomp.

"This is for scaring Amber!"

Another stomp.

"This is for scaring my mother and sister!"

Another stomp.

"This is for overworking my Sebby!"

Another stomp.

"This is for being related to the piece of shit that messed with my Sebby!"

And one final, merciless stomp—

"And this is for cursing me, you slutty bitch!"

Acier panted slightly as she lifted her foot.

Vanica's stomach—bloody, crushed, utterly caved in—spilled her ruined organs onto the ground.

From the side, her red grimoire was flaking apart, light breaking away from its pages like dying embers.

Her body barely moved.

Her left eye—dull, colorless—stared blankly at nothing. Her heartbeat slowed.

Megicula sighed inwardly.

Vanica's a goner. And Acier… Acier's out of my reach.

I can't lose two prime sacrifices without gaining anything in return.

I need to be the one to finish Vanica.

Slowly, Megicula activated the curse-warding spell. If she sacrificed Vanica's life now, she could secure the first soul for Malevolent Femcantation.

And if Vanica exploded, maybe—just maybe—she could take Acier down with her.

But just as Megicula was about to trigger the spell—

Her vision blurred.

Her right pupil—Vanica's right eye—dilated in alarm.

Because Acier reached down—

And like plucking a flower from the dirt, she ripped Vanica's right eye clean from its socket.

Megicula's eye.

Vanica shivered.

But she didn't cry out.

She had no strength left to scream.

Her grimoire began fading faster, its last remnants breaking apart as her connection to Megicula severed.

The vast mana sustaining her—keeping her alive despite her fatal wounds—vanished.

Now, in Acier's fist, only Megicula's eye remained.

Megicula stared.

Disbelief.

Shock.

Acier sneered.

"You think I don't know what you're up to, you little bitch?"

Megicula's pupil constricted.

Acier tightened her grip around the eyeball, her voice turning cold.

"Vanica—this insignificant weakling—would've been nothing without your help."

Her silver eyes burned.

"I've nearly settled my score with her.

"But you—

You are another issue entirely."

Megicula remained silent.

Acier smirked.

"I can't touch you right now. Not yet. Our worlds are still separated."

Her lips curled into something—something almost perverse.

"But know this, Megicula."

She leaned in.

Voice low.

Deadly.

"What you should be fearing most—

"Is that gate opening.

"Because while it means you can come to my world—

"It also means I can come to yours."

A pause.

And then—Acier's smirk sharpened into something cruel.

"When it does, I'm going straight to the deepest pits of hell to find you.

"And I'm going to make you bleed.

"And cry.

"And beg for death."

Her silver veins pulsed.

"And I'll show you—

"There is nothing more petty.

"Nothing more evil.

"Nothing more malevolent—

"Than a human being."

Megicula's eye widened.

Acier's grin stretched.

"Till we meet again."

And then—

She crushed the eye in her gauntleted fist.

Blood and white mush splattered everywhere.

Acier shook her fist rapidly, flinging off the gore, before turning her gaze back down to the dying Vanica.

Noting that her grimoire was already half gone, she smiled, then lifted her head toward the open air. Parting her lips, she let her mana amplify her voice, making it ring across the ruined battlefield.

"If you want to save her, this is your last chance."

Silence.

Acier's smile didn't falter as she crossed her arms, waiting. Then, moments later, a large circular spatial gate with sharp, cross-like edges materialized above her.

From it, a tall man stepped out, his black hair and blue eyes eerily similar to Vanica's. A cross-like mark marred the left side of his face. He floated down, casting a cold glance at Acier before turning to his sister.

"Look at you. How pathetic you are, Vanica. Maybe I shouldn't save you."

The words were indifferent, but he didn't mean them. For the Advent of Qliphoth ritual to work, they needed three devil hosts, each contracted to a supreme devil—preferably the three rulers of the underworld—to achieve the best results.

Vanica had to live. She had to recover, to reform her contract with Megicula.

As for being her brother, that was irrelevant. The Zogratis siblings didn't care for familial bonds—only strength. If there had been another suitable devil host in Spade who shared their ambitions, he wouldn't have risked coming here.

But there wasn't. That was why he had secretly followed Vanica through spatial channels, suspecting she was walking into a trap.

It wasn't exactly a trap—just a vast difference in strength between his sister and her opponent. But the result was the same.

Acier studied the man, narrowing her eyes. Bone and Spatial Magic... Recalling the glimpses she had seen of Sebastian's "fake" life, she tapped her chin.

"You're Zeno, right?"

The man stiffened for a fraction of a second before his gaze sharpened. "It's Zenon. How do you know me?"

Acier smirked. "Guess."

Zenon regarded her for another second before raising a hand. Vanica's grimoire, now two-thirds gone, suddenly became encased in a blue cube and floated toward him.

A spatial cube—an absolute space where movement was locked down, and even time slowed to a crawl. Within it, Vanica's grimoire stopped fading.

And since the grimoire was tied to her soul and life force, her life stopped fading as well.

But it wouldn't last forever.

Zenon's form shifted as he activated his devil's power. He had only been a devil host for a few months, but as the most talented in his family's history—second only to his eldest brother—the same brother his other two siblings didn't seem to recall, the same brother whose face was a blur in his own memory...

Sometimes, Zenon wondered if he had ever had another brother at all.

Even so, his talent was undeniable. In mere months, he had already gained access to 25% of the second-greatest devil's power.

Beelzebub's voice echoed in his mind.

Don't try to fight her, Zenon. You need at least 80% of my power to stand a chance. And your sister doesn't have much time. Take her and leave.

Zenon's expression darkened. I'm well aware, Beelzebub—

He cut himself off.

Beelzebub fell silent as well.

Because Acier Silva had just stomped down on Vanica's face, reducing her head to a bloody mess of brain matter.

Zenon blinked. Then he glanced at the spatial cube in his grasp, where his sister's grimoire had completely faded.

Vanica Zogratis was dead.

Zenon blinked again, incredulous.

In his memory, he had only ever cried once—when he killed his best friend to slay a devil and protect the kingdom.

Since then, he hadn't felt much of anything. Only the relentless desire for strength. The need to change the world. He had never particularly cared for his siblings, save for a vague closeness to his eldest brother—one that might not have even existed.

Yet now, as he stared at his older sister—his only sister—dead and gone for good, a strange, unpleasant feeling settled within him.

It wasn't fury. It wasn't sadness.

He couldn't put a name to it, but he knew one thing: it was unwelcome. Unpleasant.

And that made him angry.

His cold gaze snapped to Acier, who only smiled beautifully in return.

"Well, now that you've shown yourself, there was no reason for me to keep her alive anymore, right?"

Zenon froze, his pupils dilating as realization struck.

She had sensed him the entire time. She had baited him out—turning her back, appearing arrogant, playing the role of someone too intoxicated by newfound power to go all out from the start.

But Acier Silva was a war veteran. She had fought far more battles than Zenon or Vanica. A true soldier crushed even the weakest enemy with their full strength.

She had never been careless. Never drunk on power. She had played the part, drawing Zenon out to eliminate as many threats to her family as possible—before they could grow into the dangers they were meant to be.

Especially Zenon.

She had seen it in her husband's memories. Of the "Dark Triad," he was the strongest.

Unfortunately, Zenon was just as coldhearted and pragmatic as he had been in that dream. He hadn't taken the bait. Hadn't intervened as his sister was beaten to death.

So Acier had held back even more, making sure Vanica lasted longer—just enough to lure Zenon out. Not that she minded. It had given her more time to make Vanica suffer.

Eventually, she had grown tired of waiting and taken a desperate gamble.

And it had worked.

She didn't need Vanica anymore.

Zenon, you need to leave! NOW!

Beelzebub's shout rang through Zenon's mind, spurring him into motion. He stepped back into the portal as it began to close.

"Oh, no you don't!" Acier called, still smiling.

She stretched out her right hand, conjuring her silver steel lance—the same one she wielded in her Valkyrie Armor.

The lance began to spin, faster and faster, whirring like a drill. Then, with a powerful throw, she hurled it toward the closing gate.

"DIE!"

The portal sealed shut just in time—

But the lance didn't vanish.

It hung there, spinning in the air where the portal had been. Then, with a sharp crack, the space itself splintered like fragile glass, revealing the spatial channel once more.

Zenon, now back in the Spade Kingdom's throne room, went wide-eyed.

Acier's lance could drill through spells.

Zenon's portal was a spell.

And with her enhanced strength, she had just done the impossible—she had drilled through space itself.

The lance shot through the reopened channel, warping into the Spade Kingdom as it locked onto Zenon.

He felt it—an invisible force pinning him in place. Across the channel, Acier stood with her arms outstretched, her Mana Zone extending through the spatial rift, freezing him where he stood.

Zenon's pupils contracted. He couldn't warp again.

Gritting his teeth, he conjured layer upon layer of bone, forming a cocoon around himself. The lance drilled through them with ease, tearing past each new barrier.

It was getting closer.

A sharp panic clawed at him.

Acier's lips curled into a victorious smile—

And then, a heavy voice rumbled across the channel.

"Presence of the Demon King."

Her lance shattered.

Her Mana Zone collapsed.

A crushing force of gravity repelled everything, closing the spatial rift in an instant.

For a moment, Acier stood silent, arms crossed, lips pursed. Then, with an exaggerated pout, she huffed.

"Tsk. He only caught me off guard. If I were there in person, that filthy womanizer wouldn't have been able to do a thing..."

She trailed off, then shrugged.

"Whatever. I got rid of one of them. That should put a dent in their plans."

Acier looked up at the fading moon and stifled a yawn, feeling the exhaustion settle in. Dawn was approaching.

She smiled to herself. Sebby might wake up any second. I need to get back.

Spinning on her heel, she turned and took flight—only to freeze midair, blinking in surprise.

Sebastian stood in front of her, arms crossed, his expression one of pure displeasure. He was still in his pajamas.

Acier gulped and hesitantly flew closer, fidgeting under his unamused stare.

"H-How'd you find me?"

Sebastian's smile was dark as he raised his right hand, revealing his bracelet.

"Did you forget it's a two-way connection? You're not the only one who can track someone."

Acier gave a sheepish chuckle, but Sebastian wasn't letting her off the hook so easily. His disapproving gaze made her shift uncomfortably.

"W-What's wrong?"

Sebastian arched a brow. "What's wrong? What's wrong?" His voice sharpened, making Acier flinch. "Acier, I get that you wanted to fight Vanica yourself, but you should have asked me to come with you. What if that sun-marked bastard ambushed you while you were alone? What if I woke up to find an evil wife, hell-bent on making my life—and our children's—miserable?"

Acier ducked her head. "Sorry… I-I didn't want to disturb your sleep."

Sebastian ran a hand down his face, sighing. "Don't do it again, alright? Things are going too smoothly right now. Too smoothly for my comfort. We shouldn't pick a fight with the Zogratis family unless we know exactly where Julius is and what he's up to. Understand?"

Acier pouted. "I wasn't going to Spade. I'm not stupid. My danger senses go off just thinking about it."

Sebastian didn't look convinced. In fact, his expression darkened further. Acier shrank under his glare, bowing her head.

"Fine, fine, I get it. I won't do it again. But for the record, she came my way, not the other way around."

Sebastian exhaled through his nose. "Yeah, I understand."

Without warning, he grabbed her wrist and scooped her up into his arms, cradling her bridal-style. Acier flushed, instinctively looping her arms around his neck.

"Let's go home. I'm sleepy."

She blinked, then smirked up at him slyly. "Neither of us is the type to fall back asleep after waking up. Now that we're both up… what do you say to another round?"

Sebastian kept walking, sighing. "You're insatiable."

Acier's eyes sparkled. "Is that a yes?"

Sebastian gave a curt nod.

Her gaze turned heart-shaped as she all but melted in his arms. Then, as if a new idea struck her, she glanced around and licked her lips.

"Hey, Sebby?"

"Yeah?"

"Wanna try it outside—"

"No. No, I don't."

Sebastian shut her down immediately.

Acier pouted but ultimately sighed, nuzzling against his chest in contentment.

A quiet moment passed before she spoke again, this time in a whisper.

"When are we going to deal with them? All of them? The threats to us… to our family, our friends, the kingdom… the world?"

Sebastian bit his lip. He had never seriously considered dealing with the Dark Triad ahead of schedule—let alone the kind of response that would provoke from Lucius or how unpredictable it would make things.

But now? Now that he no longer cared for canon and actively wanted to push events as far from it as possible? He'd be more than happy to wipe out the elves, Zagred, the Dark Triad, the underworld, and—if possible—Lucius himself ASAP.

Unfortunately, several factors stood in the way of that, the greatest being their lack of strength.

If Sebastian had to estimate, Acier was likely on par with Dante or Zenon when using 100% of Lucifero's or Beelzebub's power. Conrad and Julius should be around the same level.

That meant that, at best, the three of them together might be strong enough to fight a 50% Lucifero. Maybe a 60% Beelzebub.

And that was only with Julius' help—since he was an arcane mage capable of destroying a supreme devil's heart. Neither Conrad nor Acier had the means to do so.

But the real issue? Whether Julius would be an ally or an enemy in that fight was completely unknown.

Lucius might allow Julius to fight alongside Acier and Conrad just long enough to claim Lucifero's heart… before taking back control and setting his plans for world domination into motion.

And without the singularity that was Yuno or the flaw that was Asta, who could stop him?

No. That would be like handing their greatest enemy exactly what he wanted on a silver platter.

They couldn't just focus on Lucifero—they needed the strength to face Lucius himself before taking on the devils and the underworld.

Which meant attacking Julius now wasn't a solution either.

Neither of them had any way to counter Time Magic. Nor Soul Magic. Not yet.

It was frustrating. They knew exactly what they needed to do, but they simply weren't strong enough.

And while they were wasting time getting stronger… so were their enemies, free to act as they pleased.

It was upsetting. Concerning. Borderline unacceptable.

But even beyond that, something else was weighing on Sebastian's mind.

He glanced down at Acier and spoke softly. "First, let's wait for Nozel's and Dorothy's ceremony to pass before we do anything. They've been through a lot. They deserve some happiness and peace."

Acier met his gaze, calm but firm. "Even if we don't go looking for trouble, it always finds us in the end."

Sebastian nodded as they passed over the Common Realm. "If that happens, we'll deal with it."

Acier narrowed her eyes slightly before parting her lips again. "And second?"

Sebastian held her gaze. "We need to take time to understand how different—or alike—this world is compared to the one in my dream. We need to investigate for ourselves and determine whether the enemies we know about are truly the only ones we have to worry about."

Acier smiled. "That's true."

They flew in comfortable silence, the castle growing closer in the distance.

Then Acier spoke again.

"Hey, Sebby?"

"Yes, Acier?"

"Make sure you don't waste a drop. Finish everything inside me like always."

Sebastian exhaled, long and tired. "Alright."

Looking at Acier's blooming smile, he fought the urge to roll his eyes.

It's not like she even lets me pull out…

—

Author's Notes:

[1] This is a long, perhaps immature rant—read it at your own inconvenience.

Several of you, whether on Web Novel, AO3, FF, or Discord, keep asking me: Where do you plan to take this story if you already know who the enemies are?

Well, let me ask you this—why would I go through the trouble of introducing angels, alluding to the Greek Pantheon, and repeatedly stating that this world is more complex than the one in Sebastian's dream if the only enemies here were the ones from OG Black Clover?

Does that make sense?

Lucius will still be a final boss—one such final boss—but there will be others. Other villains, other antagonists, other roadblocks and bumps.

Some of you are upset, saying things like, Are we really going to be done with all canon threats before the canon timeline?

But my response to that is—what, is Sebastian just supposed to sit on his ass and let canon threats become canon threats for the sake of following the plot? No. If he can deal with something beforehand, he will. He's not going to ignore it and insist on following the plot like a clown.

That's stupidity.

Forget about canon—it's not happening here. I can't write an interesting Black Clover story while sticking to canon. I just can't. Maybe better writers could, but not me.

This is a Black Clover fanfic, not Black Clover.

This is not a canon rehash. There was literally another story, Reborn as Papa Silva (Alternative), for those looking for a canon rehash. This is different. This is its own story.

It'll flow and go in unpredictable ways.

And remember—we are only in Volume 1. I've already said it'll end after Nozel and Dorothy get engaged. It's basically just a very long prologue.

This has been, is, and always will be a very slow story. I'm thankful for those who'll stick around and join me for the ride, but if it's not your cup of tea, then just put it down.

[2] I can't satisfy everyone. Some people want sex, some don't. Some want Acier to be a yandere, others don't. Some want Sebastian to be a "Giga Chad," some want him to be a girl dad. Personally, I want him to be strong against his enemies and weak against his family.

Some want him to leave Nozel and Dorothy alone. Others want him to keep getting in Nozel's way. Some still keep asking for him to get a cheat—but isn't transmigration and spiritual rebirth already a cheat?

I try to play it by ear, following what the majority of this little fanbase wants, as well as what I want or feel. But please understand—if something doesn't play out your way, that's just how it is.

I can't satisfy everyone. When I try, I get complaints from both sides. So I'm done trying.

If you like it, keep reading. If you want to give constructive criticism, please go ahead—especially those on AO3; you guys have the best input. But if you only want to complain about every little thing, especially things I've repeatedly said aren't happening or are happening this way, then please, just drop it.

[3] No updates until after Feb 11—I have to write an exam. Then I've got two more exams on the 25th, so there'll be a break in between.

[4] Feel free to join the discord: https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8ar