บท 61: Himejima Clan members

"Akeno!"

I screamed as I positioned myself in front of her. The fifteen monks released their attacks at the same time, so I rushed to create a magical barrier around me. I did not practice much defensive magic, but the attacks were not too strong either.

"Who are you?" the middle-aged monk asked.

"Have you never been taught that it is impolite to ask someone's name without introducing yourself, Himejima clan member?

The people of Himejima clan... They're just trash. It takes fifteen grown men to attack one little girl.

Despicable.

"Those horns... you look like a semi-human. And with that dark magic you've shown, you're disgusting. And to think my niece is hanging out with this scum because of that fallen angel who has brainwashed her."

Niece?

I assume he's talking about Shuri. Then the man in front of me has to be Suou Himejima, the current head of the Himejima clan.

"It's not very nice to hear someone insult you, you know? So, tell me how you want to die. Would you prefer a painful death or a painless one? No, a painless death would be too lenient. I'm an evil dragon, you know? I can't let you go after trying to kill a friend of mine and openly insulting me. No, I can't do that."

I'm outraged right now.

It's not the first time I've wanted to kill someone for a reason other than to gain experience. The first time was the old man in the woods, and the second time was the Naberius family member.

Suou Himejima would be the third person. The rest of the monks are different, they're just this old man's dogs, so they're basically experience for me.

A black fog covers my arms while I activate my [Numbing Darkness Claws], ready to jump on the monks at any moment.

Just as I was about to jump, a little hand grabbed my clothes. Surprised, I turned to see Akeno looking at me with tearful eyes and shaking her head.

"Don't you want me to kill them?"

Akeno nods her head.

"Why?"

"Because they're my family, and Mom told me to treat family well."

"Even if they want to kill you?"

I have to ask her. I do not like her reasoning at all.

"They can't kill me, Dad will never let them kill me."

Sigh...

What I have learned throughout my life is that you should never trust your life to anyone, no one is invincible.

The old pervert is the creator of the whole multiverse, capable of doing anything, and yet he ended up dying. Ophis is the most powerful being of all DxD (along with Great Red and Trihexa) and still ended up being damaged by Samael.

Who is Barakiel compared to them?

He's nobody.

Proof of them is what will happen in the future if I don't get involved in Akeno's life. To begin with, it is these same men of the Himejima clan who will attack Shuri and Akeno in the future.

"Akeno!"

"Drako!"

The rest of the people who were left at home went outside.

Shuri ran and embraced Akeno.

Kuroka stood beside me, her [Kasha] spinning around her body.

Barakiel and Raynare stood a step behind us. Raynare was on guard, ready to fight, and Barakiel was staring at the middle-aged man in a complicated face.

"What are you doing here, uncle?" Barakiel asked him.

"Dare you call me uncle? Black-winged beast in human form, you dare call me uncle after kidnapping my niece?"

Suou attacked Barakiel with his words.

"What do you want, Suou?" Barakiel changed his words.

"I want my niece back, it's been almost fifteen years since you kidnapped her. We have endured this humiliation for a long time."

This man is bothering me more and more.

"You better calm down, lizard."

Did he just call me a lizard? Did he just call me a lizard?

I can't take it anymore.

"I'll kill you, bastard-."

A steady hand rests on my shoulder, impeding my movement.

"This is my family's problem. You don't have to get involved."

Barakiel pushes me back as he stands in front of the monk named Suou.

"Do you want to take Shuri?" Barakiel asks him calmly.

"Yes."

"Shuri, do you want to go?"

Shuri, who was hugging her daughter, looks up at her husband. She visibly trembles at the sight of her uncle's face.

Hate, sadness, longing, disappointment, despair...

Many different emotions pass through Shuri's eyes in an instant, none of them positive.

"I don't want to."

The answer you give is direct and straightforward.

"Himejima Shuri! I order you as head of the family to come with us back to the clan. Don't let that monster keep brainwashing you! You were going to be the next Suzaku! You can't be anymore, but you're still a member of the main clan!"

Shuri's body continues to tremble with every scream from this man.

I don't understand, why doesn't Barakiel kill him?

"Nee, Drako. I'm pissed. I want to kill him, I want to destroy his insides. I want him dead, dead."

Even Kuroka wants to kill him right now. Her dark face is terrifying, maybe even more so than mine.

"What about Akeno? What about my daughter?" Shuri asks, her voice trembling.

"She is the shame of the Himejima. She has to die. What if the gods we serve learn of her existence? What punishment would we receive?"

"Do you care so much about the gods, who never help us, that you would even kill your own blood?"

"The gods do not like polluted blood."

"Fuck the gods! You'll have to go through my body if you want to take my daughter!"

Shuri gets up and yells at her uncle.

A woman of character, I like that.

"Himejima Suou, I invite you to leave my house. As you can see, you are not welcome here." Barakiel says calmly.

"Grr... We're not leaving without Shuri."

Holy shit, the old man is persistent.

"Then I'll have to throw you out."

Barakiel's body was covered by lightning.

"Are you going to use force against us? Not even Azazel would dare to offend the five great clans."

Although he says that, Suou is slowly paling and receding. So are the 14 remaining monks.

"You've insulted my wife and me, but that's secondary. The only line you shouldn't have crossed, Suou, is my daughter. And as for the last one, you're very much mistaken."

"What-what do you mean?"

"If Azazel does not dare to destroy these so-called five great clans, it is because he is too lazy to do so. He'd rather lock himself in his lab than waste time with scum like you."

Barakiel raises a hand and sends a lightning bolt towards each of the monks present.

He has not killed them, but he has left them severely wounded.

"Remember my words. You won't be able to protect your family forever, Barakiel."

Himejima Suou leaves those words in the air before leaving with his companions.